cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internationalising colleges of education through the dialectic of the global and the local? A perspective and possible pathways from the American South

AbstractMost schooling disproportionately emphasises national affairs at the expense of more global and local phenomena. Students’ resulting nation bias can be resituated both internationally and more locally by integrating internationalisation policies with place-based education approaches, which help to illuminate these different levels and, particularly, the extensive and complex interconnections between them. This task is particularly critical for colleges of education, where higher education internationalisation policies have the greatest potential to expand the perspectives of public school students. This article uses three cases drawn from the authors’ teaching and local service initiatives to illustrate the educational potential for future teachers and school administrators of working to broaden students’ perspectives through a ‘dialectic of the global and the local’.
A Novel Approach for Sampling in Approximate Dynamic Programming Based on $F$ -Discrepancy

Approximate dynamic programming (ADP) is the standard tool to solve Markovian decision problems under general hypotheses on the system and the cost equations. It is known that one of the key issues of the procedure is how to generate an efficient sampling of the state space, needed for the approximation of the value function, in order to cope with the well-known phenomenon of the curse of dimensionality. The most common approaches in the literature are either aimed at a uniform covering of the state space or driven by the actual evolution of the system trajectories. Concerning the latter approach, ${F}$ -discrepancy, a quantity closely related to the Kolmogorov–Smirnov statistic, that measures how strictly a set of random points represents a probability distribution, has been recently proposed for an efficient ADP framework in the finite-horizon case. In this paper, we extend this framework to infinite-horizon discounted problems, providing a constructive algorithm to generate efficient sampling points driven by the system behavior. Then, the algorithm is refined with the aim of acquiring a more balanced covering of the state space, thus addressing possible drawbacks of a pure system-driven sampling approach to obtain, in fact, an efficient hybrid between the latter and the pure uniform design. A theoretical analysis is provided through the introduction of an original notion of the ${F}$ -discrepancy and the proof of its properties. Simulation tests are provided to showcase the behavior of the proposed sampling method.
Understanding Suicide Risk within the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) Framework: Insights, Challenges, and Future Research Considerations.

Suicide is a leading cause of death worldwide. Prior research has focused primarily on sociodemographic and psychiatric risk factors with little improvement in the prediction or prevention of suicidal behavior over time. The Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) may be an especially useful framework for advancing research in this area. This article provides a brief and broad overview of research on suicidal behavior relating to each of the RDoC domains—highlighting the RDoC construct(s) where research has focused, the construct(s) where research is lacking, and suggestions for future research directions. We also discuss major challenges for suicide research within the RDoC framework, including the intersection of RDoC domains, interaction of domains with the environment, incorporation of developmental stage, integration of distal and proximal processes, and inclusion of suicide-specific constructs. We conclude by underscoring important considerations for future research aimed at using the RDoC framework to stud...
Role of dispersal in resistance evolution and spread

Gene flow via immigration affects rate of evolution of resistance to a pest management tactic, while emigration from a resistant population can spread resistance alleles spatially. Whether resistance detected across the landscape reflects ongoing de novo evolution in different hotspots or spread from a single focal population can determine the most effective mitigation strategy. Pest dispersal dynamics determine the spatio-temporal scale at which mitigation tactics must be applied to contain or reverse resistance in an area. Independent evolution of resistance in different populations appears common but not universal. Conversely, spatial spread appears to be almost inevitable. However, rate and scale of spread depends largely on dispersal dynamics and interplay with factors such as fitness costs, spatially variable selection pressure and whether resistance alleles are spreading through an established population or being carried by populations colonizing new territory.
Foundations of Entrepreneurship

The purpose of this course is to explore the many dimensions of new venture creation and growth and to foster innovation and new business formations in independent and corporate settings. This course uses and integrates many of the disciplines in the MBA curriculum. This course appeals to individuals who have a strong desire to become an entrepreneur, or work in a startup, early stage or entrepreneurial minded company that may be pursued now or later in their careers. It also is for those individuals who are considering obtaining jobs in consulting, venture capital, or investment banking where they are dealing with new or relatively new ventures. This special section of Foundations of Entrepreneurship will focus on social entrepreneurship. We define social entrepreneurship as the process of using business skills to create innovative approaches to societal problems. These nonprofit and for profit ventures have a social mission and aim to be financially self-sustainable or profitable. This section is designed to teach students about all aspects of the traditional business planning process, with particular attention paid to the challenges of social venture creation. Topics will include opportunity assessment, business models in the social sector, acquiring the necessary resources to grow a new venture, and the tradeoffs between social and financial returns on investment. Students are expected to complete a semester long project (a social venture plan or case study) to be evaluated by classmates, faculty and an outside panel of practitioners. Students will also be expected to attend one outside class session during the semester. These field trips provide the opportunity for students to learn from experienced practitioners in the field.
Index of Suspicion in the Nursery

A healthy term neonate is born at a community hospital to a 26-year-old primigravida after an uncomplicated vaginal delivery. The prenatal laboratory parameters are normal amd negative for syphilis, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B, and group B streptococci. The birthweight is 3.5 kg and the Apgar scores are 8 and 9 at 1 minute and 5 minutes, respectively. The neonate receives a vitamin K injection at the delivery suite. After an uneventful 1 hour postdelivery, the nurse notes that the infant appears “dusky” and “blue.” His temperature is 99.1°F (37.3°C), heart rate is 130 beats/min, mean blood pressure is 45 mm Hg, respiratory rate is 36 breaths/min, and oxygen saturation is 98%. Approximately 15 minutes later, he exhibits a gasping respiratory pattern, his oxygen saturation falls to 80%, and his respiratory rate is 64 breaths/min. Endotracheal intubation for respiratory distress is accomplished successfully. The mean blood pressure begins to fall, reaching a nadir of 30 mm Hg, at which time the heart rate increases to 160 to 180 beats/min. A capillary blood gas in room air reveals a pH of 7.40, Pco2 of 50 mm Hg, oxygen saturation of 82%, and bicarbonate value of 23 mEq/L (23 mmol/L), and a bedside blood glucose reads 52 mg/dL (2.9 mmol/L). The low blood pressure responds promptly to a fluid bolus administration, and the infant's vital signs shortly improve to a heart rate of 110 beats/min, blood pressure of 68/47 mm Hg without any pressors, and oxygen saturation of 100% on inspired oxygen fraction of 0.4. Chest radiography shows normal lung fields. The only finding of note on physical examination is acrocyanosis of the extremities with no obvious dysmorphic features. Pupils are round and reactive to light equally, auscultatory examination of the respiratory system reveals no adventitious sound, and abdomen is …
Virtual Budget: Integration of electricity load and price anticipation for load morphing in price-directed energy utilization

Abstract A methodology is presented for price-directed demand response steered by market signals and anticipation models. Electricity prices vary dynamically and with substantial volatility in a way that ceteris paribus (ceteris paribus is a Latin phrase meaning “with all other conditions remaining constant”) prices rise as the distance between available power and peak demand is reduced. Price can thus be a factor in overall load pattern morphing, that is, automated decision-making by energy management systems controlling devices consuming electricity. Load and price forecasting are key technologies for market participants to make optimal decisions regarding their demand response. To this end, this paper develops the Virtual Budget approach that couples price and load forecasting, and allows automated morphing of a user's electricity consumption. In particular, the Virtual Budget leverages price forecasts to modify the initial forecasted load demand via smart scheduling algorithms. The performance of the Virtual Budget is evaluated on a set of real historical data, and the reported results demonstrate that its use may lead to savings in electricity consumption costs.
Effects of residential summer camp on body mass index and body composition in type 1 diabetes.

BACKGROUND Body mass index (BMI) and fat mass may be higher in children with diabetes compared to healthy peers. It is not certain how diabetic children respond to exercise and diet interventions. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of summer camp on BMI and body composition in children with type 1 diabetes. METHODS Five hundred eighty-six children (5-19 years, 518 with type 1 diabetes, 68 without diabetes) were followed while attending camp. BMI z-scores (BMIz) and body composition (bioelectrical impedance analysis) were measured at the beginning and end of each 19-day session. Diet and activity were directly supervised, blood glucose closely monitored. A nested diabetic/non-diabetic sib pair analysis was also conducted. Changes in BMIz and percent fat mass (%FM) were the primary outcomes. Findings were confirmed by analysis of data from 612 campers (549 with diabetes) the following summer. RESULTS At entry, campers with diabetes had higher BMIz and %FM. They tended to gain BMIz (0.04 ± 0.01) whereas non-diabetic campers lost (-0.16 ± 0.11, P < .0001). BMIz increases were positively correlated with precamp hemoglobin A1c values. The differences in initial values and changes in BMIz remained when campers with diabetes were compared to their siblings. All experienced a similar reduction in %FM. Similar results were obtained the following summer. CONCLUSIONS Children with diabetes may, therefore, accrue more lean body tissue with increased exercise and a healthy diet than those without diabetes. This effect is greatest in those with initially poor metabolic control.
Invaginating Pancreaticojejunostomy: How I Do It

Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) is a surgical procedure designed to treat benign and malignant diseases of the periampullary region such as chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The operation is conducted in two parts, the first of which is the extirpative phase, which includes the removal of the pancreatic head, neck, and uncinate process, distal common bile duct, and duodenum. This is followed by the reconstruction phase where the duodenum, bile duct, and pancreas remnant are anastomosed to the jejunum. The technique for the pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) anastomosis will be the subject of this chapter.
Antecedents of Schizophrenia: Moderating Effects of Development and Biological Sex

When the manifest symptoms of a disorder vary predictably with age, we are alerted to the potential role of maturational processes in the moderation of symptom expression. In the case of schizophrenia, it is well established that there is a developmental period, namely, late adolescence/early adulthood, during which florid psychotic symptoms are most likely to emerge (Gottesman 1991; Loranger 1984). This suggests that CNS maturational events during this period serve to trigger the expression of these symptoms. But, for many patients, the manifestation of psychotic symptoms is preceded by dysfunction in a variety of domains, including motor, interpersonal and cognitive functions (Walker 1991; Watt et al. 1984a). Thus constitutional vulnerability to schizophrenia influences behavior long before the onset of clinical symptoms.
Effect of Hypoxic Hypoxia on Transmural Gut and Subcutaneous Tissue Oxygen Tension

Multiple System Organ Failure develops in 15% of surgical intensive care unit patients despite being adequately resuscitated by conventional criteria. Of these, greater than 50% will eventually die1. Some current theories implicate the persistence of inadequate gut oxygenation as the principle inciting event2,3. It is proposed that gut hypoxia compromises both mucosal barrier integrity and transmural oxidative bacterial killing. The net effect is an increased rate of bacterial translocation, which if unchecked can rapidly progress to sepsis and death. The early detection of gut hypoxia offers an opportunity to intervene and possibly prevent this scenario.
A unified effective medium model for gas hydrates in sediments

ABSTRACTA unified effective medium model is developed to incorporate the endpoints of perfectly smooth and infinitely rough sphere components and to allow partitioning between rough and smooth grai...
Environmental Contamination and Corrosion in Electronics: The Need for an Industrial Standard and Related Accelerated Test Method that Makes Sense

Two specifications, ISA 71.04-1985 and IEC 60721-3-3, that are used to specify corrosive environments for electronics have created confusion for manufacturers that create products for use in these environments due to inconsistencies and incomplete information. These standards also do not specify how the products should be tested to show compliance with each standard. Lack of consistent verification methods leads to inconsistent practices in the industry and even within product development groups in the same company. Accelerated testing using single- and mixed gas are often used in industry to demonstrate compliance with these requirements, but even the accelerated testing standards have issues. This paper explores the inconsistencies in the standards and verification methods used for corrosion of industrial electronics and makes recommendations for improvements.
Endoscopic Pancreato-Biliary Interventions

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) play a critical role in the diagnosis and management of benign and malignant pancreatobiliary diseases. In the last several years, role of ERCP has evolved from just a diagnostic procedure to mostly a therapeutic procedure. It plays a key role in the diagnosis of indeterminate biliary strictures and evaluation of bile leaks. Therapeutic ERCP utilizes various techniques for the extraction of biliary and pancreatic stones, management of bile leaks, and the treatment of malignant and benign strictures. EUS plays a central role in tissue acquisition for diagnostic purposes. Therapeutic applications of EUS have significantly increased in the recent years and include management of pancreatic fluid collections, pancreatic necrosis, drainage of the biliary obstruction, gall bladder drainage, and EUS-assisted ERCP. These procedures have good efficacy and acceptable side effect profile when performed by expert endoscopists at tertiary care medical centers.
Shared Concerns and Opportunity for Joint Action in Creating a Food Environment That Supports Health.

The food industry is a for-profit industry with high relevance to universal eating disorders prevention. To date, policy which targets the food industry and food environment has been underutilized in efforts to decrease the incidence of eating disorders and associated risk factors. In contrast, food policy has been extensively leveraged with the aim of reducing the incidence of obesity. While philosophical misalignments with these later efforts may have constituted an obstacle to identifying the food environment as a key target for eating disorders prevention, food policy is an area where shared interests can be found. Specifically, a shared goal of obesity and eating disorders prevention efforts is creating a food environment that supports health, while minimizing the influence of the food industry that profits from the sale of highly palatable, processed foods and “diet” foods and from increasing portions of foods served and eaten.
Trajectory-based POI recommendations for mobile maps

Abstract. Providing mobile map users with relevant information about their surroundings based on their current trajectory is a necessary next step in providing them with the information they need or want without requiring direct interaction with the map, which can be dangerous or distracting, as well as time-consuming and annoying. Providing these recommendations requires integrating spatial information from the mobile device’s GPS chip with attributes about the underlying map and point of interest (POI) data, as well as the preferences and goals of the user. The Flyover Country app provides a relatively contained test case for the development of predictive software for recommending current and upcoming POIs during travel.
SAFFRON: A Fast, Efficient, and Robust Framework for Group Testing Based on Sparse-Graph Codes

Group testing is the problem of identifying K defective items among n items by pooling groups of items. In this paper, we design group testing algorithms for approximate recovery with order-optimal sample complexity by leveraging design and analysis tools from modern sparse-graph coding theory. Our algorithm, SAFFRON, recovers at least (1 - e)K defective items w.p.1 - K/nr with m = 2(1 + r)C(e)K log 2 n tests, where e is an arbitrarily small constant, C(e) is a precisely characterizable constant, and r is any positive integer. The decoding complexity is Θ(K log n). We also propose variations of SAFFRON, which are robust to noise and unknown offsets. For example, for n ≃ 4.3 × 10 9 and K = 128, our algorithm is observed to recover all defective items with m ≃ 8.3 × 10 5 tests, even in the presence of noisy test results. Moreover, the decoding time takes less than 4 seconds on a laptop with a 2 GHz Intel Core i7 and 8 GB memory.
Activity monitor use among persons with multiple sclerosis: Report on rate, pattern, and association with physical activity levels:

BackgroundCommercially available activity monitors are a promising approach for tracking and changing physical activity in multiple sclerosis.ObjectiveThis study reports on the rate and pattern of ...
Institutional Bargaining for Democratic Theorists (or How We Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Haggling)

Contemporary political science takes bargaining to be the central mechanism of democratic decision making, though political theorists typically doubt that processes that permit the exercise of uneq...
Long-term cancer survival in cohorts of U.S. health professionals.

12075Background: Few studies have investigated long-term survival and causes of death among men and women diagnosed with major cancers. Methods: We estimated overall and cause-specific mortality ra...
Reply: 11C-(+)-PHNO Trapping Reversibility for Quantitative PET Imaging of β-Cell Mass in Patients with Type 1 Diabetes.

REPLY: We would like to address several assumptions recently posited by Laffon and Marthan in their letter to the editor that was prompted by our recently published study examining the use of 11C-(+)-PHNO (3,4,4a,5,6,10b-hexahydro-2 H -naphtho\[1,2- b \]\[1,4\]oxazin-9-ol) to assess β-cell mass in
Spatial scanning of a sample with two-dimensional angle-resolved low-coherence interferometry for analysis of anisotropic scatterers.

Angle-resolved low-coherence interferometry (a/LCI) measures depth-resolved angular scattering for cell nuclear morphology analysis. 2D a/LCI, developed to collect across two scattering planes, is currently limited by the lack of spatial scanning. Here we demonstrate 2D a/LCI scanning across a three-dimensional volume using an image rotation scheme and a scanning mirror. Validation using various optical phantoms demonstrated excellent scatterer size determination over a 7.5 mm linear range, for a total accessible area of ∼44 mm2. Measurements from anisotropic scatterers allowed accurate determination of sizes and computation of aspect ratios. This scanning system will facilitate analysis of scatterer structure across wider tissue areas.
Relationship between aquifer biofilms and unattached microbial indicators of urban groundwater contamination

Aquifers, springs and other groundwater-dependent ecosystems are threatened by urban land use, which causes water quality deterioration through nutrient loading, sewage infiltration, groundwater extraction and, along coasts, seawater intrusion. The presence of certain microbes in groundwater can indicate that an aquifer is anthropogenically contaminated. Interpretations made from observations of indicator microbes in groundwater are limited because the relationship between the presumably allochthonous indicator microbes and relevant autochthonous microbial communities has not been characterized. This study addressed whether autochthonous aquifer biofilms can influence the presence of presumed microbial indicators in groundwater, and simultaneously used microbial indicators to trace sources of urban contamination at a karst spring of conservation concern. These questions were approached using a 17-month time series analysis of attached biofilm and adjacent unattached bacteria in the submerged karst aquifer conduit associated with this spring. Environmental 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to characterize these communities, and community structure data were contextualized with groundwater geochemical and hydrogeological measurements. Linear regression models were developed to explain the relative abundance patterns of indicator microbes and other unattached microbes at this site. The results of this study suggest that dominant aquifer biofilms do not influence the presence of unattached microbial taxa that are presumed to be indicators of groundwater contamination, and generated new information about the origin of coliform bacteria at the study site. These results build confidence in the use of microbial indicators in groundwater-dependent ecosystem conservation strategies and inform future management plans for urban aquifers and springs worldwide.
Can uneven-aged management improve the economic performance of longleaf pine?

Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) is a keystone tree species in the Coastal Plain of the southern United States. To reverse habitat loss and restore critically important forest ecosystem servic...
Dispersive-wave induced noise limits in miniature soliton microwave sources.

Compact, low-noise microwave sources are required throughout a wide range of application areas including frequency metrology, wireless-communications and airborne radar systems. And the photonic generation of microwaves using soliton microcombs offers a path towards integrated, low noise microwave signal sources. In these devices, a so called quiet-point of operation has been shown to reduce microwave frequency noise. Such operation decouples pump frequency noise from the soliton’s motion by balancing the Raman self-frequency shift with dispersive-wave recoil. Here, we explore the limit of this noise suppression approach and reveal a fundamental noise mechanism associated with fluctuations of the dispersive wave frequency. At the same time, pump noise reduction by as much as 36 dB is demonstrated. This fundamental noise mechanism is expected to impact microwave noise (and pulse timing jitter) whenever solitons radiate into dispersive waves belonging to different spatial mode families. Here the authors explore the noise spectrum of soliton microcomb when the pump is decoupled from the solitons motion by balancing the Raman shift with the emitted dispersive wave. Based on the analysis of the phase noise and the soliton repetition rate, they identify the uncorrelated thermal fluctuations as underlying mechanism.
Reflections on a pandemic: Disruptions, distractions and challenges of a clinical social worker on the frontline in New York City

For many of us, COVID-19 markedly changed our world and how we operate in it daily. While the behavioral health ramifications of this pandemic are not fully known, they have clearly had an impact. For weeks, we all watched in disbelief as COVID-19 ambushed China, Italy, and other countries. When President Trump implemented the March 16, 2020, live broadcast detailing plans of how our nation would address COVID-19, we knew that it was just a matter of time before we began to experience what we saw happening around the world. Quickly, the escalation of COVID-19 in the United States caused a major shift for social work education, practice, and research. Social workers are serving in critical roles during this pandemic and providing care for COVID-19 patients and their families. The purpose of this article is to provide reflection on the disruptions, distractions, and challenges of a social worker serving in a leadership role on the frontlines at the Javits Center in New York during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dissociation of vitamin D3 and anti-estrogen mediated growth regulation in MCF-7 breast cancer cells

Our studies have identified 1,25(OH)2D3 as a coordinate regulator of proliferation and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. In MCF-7 cells, 1,25(OH)2D3 down regulates the estrogen receptor (ER), suggesting that the effects of 1,25(OH)2D3 may be linked to disruption of estrogen regulated survival signals. Although studies have demonstrated that 1,25(OH)2D3 inhibits growth of ER negative breast cancer cells, previous data were generated by comparison of cell lines derived from heterogeneous human tumors and harboring diverse genetic alterations. To provide more conclusive evidence for independent growth regulatory pathways mediated by antiestrogens and 1,25(OH)2D3, we examined vitamin D3 sensitivity in MCF-7 cells selected for resistance to ICI 182, 780 (Zeneca, Macclesfield, UK). The clones we selected for resistance to ICI 182,780 retain functional VDR and undergo 1,25(OH)2D3 mediated growth arrest and apoptosis, in vitro and in vivo, despite loss of estrogen dependence. Cell cycle data indicate that treatment of parental or anti-estrogen resistant MCF-7 clones with 1,25(OH)2D3, in the presence or absence of ICI 182,780, increases the percentage of cells in G0/G1 while reducing the number of cells in S phase. In addition, 1,25(OH)2D3 induces characteristic features of apoptosis, including DNA fragmentation, in both parental and anti-estrogen resistant MCF-7 cells. Furthermore, we report that cells selected for vitamin D3 resistance retain sensitivity to ICI 182,780 mediated growth arrest and apoptosis. This work emphasizes that vitamin D3 compounds and anti-estrogens trigger growth arrest and apoptosis in breast cancer cells by distinct mechanisms, and that breast cancer cell sensitivity to 1,25(OH)2D3 is not diminished during the progression to estrogen independence. (Mol Cell Biochem 188: 13-20, 1998)
Transsphenoidal surgery using a high definition video telescope for pituitary adenomas in dogs with pituitary dependent hypercortisolism: Methods and results

Objective To (1) establish a technique for transsphenoidal removal of pituitary adenomas in dogs with pituitary dependent hypercortisolism (PDH) using a high definition video telescope, and (2) report initial outcomes. Study Design Prospective case series. Animals Dogs with pituitary dependent hypercortisolism (PDH; n = 26) with suprasellar masses. Methods Pituitary tumors were removed using a modification of a transoral transsphenoidal approach. Surgery was observed using a high definition video telescope (VITOM™) and localization of the sella was performed by drilling pilot holes in the basisphenoid bone followed by computed tomography (CT). Results Dogs had PDH confirmed by urinary cortisol to creatinine ratio (UCCR) and endogenous ACTH assays, and tumors confirmed by MRI. There were no postoperative cerebrospinal fluid leaks, wound dehiscence, or surgical site infections. Overall postoperative mortality was 19% with no mortality observed in the last 16 dogs, indicating an initial “learning curve” followed by good surgical results. All dogs that survived the immediate postoperative period (1 week) returned to their owners in good health, on hormonal replacement therapy. Follow-up ranged from 3 to 36 months. Sustained tumor control and hormonal remission based on normalized ACTH and UCCR measurements were observed in 20/21 (95%) dogs at 1-year follow-up. Conclusions Modifications of a trans-oral transsphenoidal technique for surgical removal of pituitary tumors provides a safe and effective strategy for long-term remission of PDH with acceptable morbidity and mortality.
Potential of rain screen walls to prevent rain penetration: Pressurized cavity principle

The authors at Concordia University suggest that the pressurized cavity principle creates a second envelope of uniform high positive pressure around the building. This pressure is achieved with the application of valves on the outer part of the cavity walls of the building with the cavity pressure being higher than the wind pressures and rain penetration is more likely to be prevented than the rain screen principle.
Maximum likelihood image identification and restoration based on the EM algorithm

Summary form only given. Simultaneous iterative identification and restoration have been treated. The image and the noise have been modeled as multivariate Gaussian processes. Maximum-likelihood estimation has been used to estimate the parameters that characterize the Gaussian processes, where the estimation of the conditional mean of the image represents the restored image. Likelihood functions of observed images are highly nonlinear with respect to these parameters. Therefore, it is in general very difficult to maximize them directly. The expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm has been used to find these parameters. >
Mechanism of Transdominant Inhibition of CCR5-mediated HIV-1 Infection by ccr5Δ32

Abstract Human chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) functions as a co-receptor for Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection. CCR5 is a seven-transmembrane cell surface receptor. Recently, a naturally occurring mutation of CCR5, ccr5Δ32, has been described. A small number of Caucasians are homozygouslyccr5Δ32/ccr5Δ32, while a larger number of individuals are heterozygously CCR5/ccr5Δ32. Theccr5Δ32/ccr5Δ32 genotype has been linked to a phenotype that is “highly” protected from HIV-1 infection. On the other hand, several studies have shown that the CCR5/ccr5Δ32 genotype confers “relative” protection from AIDS with onset of disease being delayed by 2–4 years. Although it is known that peripheral blood lymphocytes from heterozygous individuals (CCR5/ccr5Δ32) support ex vivo HIV-1 replication at a reduced level compared with CCR5/CCR5 cells, the molecular basis for this observation is unknown. Here we report on events that post-translationally modify CCR5. We show that CCR5 progresses through the endoplasmic reticulum prior to appearing on the cell surface. Mature CCR5 can be post-translationally modified by phosphorylation and/or co-translationally by multimerization. By contrast, mutant ccr5Δ32, although retaining the capacity for multimerization, was incapable of being phosphorylated. ccr5Δ32 heterocomplexes with CCR5, and this interaction retains CCR5 in the endoplasmic reticulum resulting in reduced cell surface expression. Thus, co-expression in cells of ccr5Δ32 with CCR5 produces a trans-inhibition by the former of ability by the latter to support HIV-1 infection. Taken together, our findings suggest CCR5/ccr5Δ32 heterodimerization as a molecular explanation for the delayed onset of AIDS inCCR5/ccr5Δ32 individuals.
Regulation of CD40L Expression by Cyclic AMP: Contrasting Proinflammatory and Inhibitory Actions☆

CD40L expression is well recognized to be of critical importance in initiation of the immune response. Because cAMP mediates actions of bronchodilators commonly used in asthma, the effects of cAMP in regulating the immune response are of major importance. Cyclic AMP was found to either inhibit or markedly increase CD40L expression dependent upon the mechanisms of T cell activation. Cyclic AMP inhibited CD40L expression induced by TCR activation. In contrast, cAMP enhanced CD40L induced by CD2-mediated T cell activation or by calcium-dependent mechanisms. While neither CD28 costimulation nor exogenous IL-2 or IL-4 prevented cAMP inhibition in TCR activated cells, addition of calcium ionophore to TCR activation prevented any inhibitory effects and caused cAMP to increase CD40L expression. Actions of cAMP to increase CD40L expression appeared independent of PKC and were not a reflection of generalized cellular activation since neither CD25 nor CD69 expression was affected. The markedly contrasting actions of cAMP to decrease or increase CD40L expression, an important control point in the immune response, could be relevant to actions of commonly used medications including bronchodilators.
Directivity of low frequency solar type III radio bursts

The occurrence rate of type III solar bursts in the frequency range 4.9 MHz to 30 kHz is analyzed as a function of burst intensity and burst arrival direction. We find that (1) the occurrence rate of bursts varies inversely with the 1.5 power of the flux, and (2) the distribution of burst arrival directions at each frequency shows a significantly larger number of bursts observed west of the earth-sun line than east of it. This western excess in occurrence rate appears to be correlated with the direction of the average interplanetary magnetic field, and is interpreted as beaming of the observed burst radiation along the magnetic field direction.
The fast Hartley transform

A fast algorithm has been worked out for performing the Discrete Hartley Transform (DHT) of a data sequence of N elements in a time proportional to Nlog 2 N. The Fast Hartley Transform (FHT) is as fast as or faster than the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and serves for all the uses such as spectral analysis, digital processing, and convolution to which the FFT is at present applied. A new timing diagram (stripe diagram) is presented to illustrate the overall dependence of running time on the subroutines composing one implementation; this mode of presentation supplements the simple counting of multiplies and adds. One may view the Fast Hartley procedure as a sequence of matrix operations on the data and thus as constituting a new factorization of the DFT matrix operator; this factorization is presented. The FHT computes convolutions and power spectra distinctly faster than the FFT.
Sexual abuse: developmental differences in children's behavior and self-perception

Developmental differences in behavior and self-perception were examined in a group of 44 preschool and school-age children referred for evaluation of sexual abuse and 41 comparison children with no history of sexual abuse, matched on age and gender, and from a similar socioeconomic background. Children suspected of having been sexually abused were rated by their parents as having more internalizing and externalizing problems than comparison children. When children rated their self-competence and social acceptance, there were no group differences between children based on their abuse status; however, there was significant within-group variation among the children suspected of having been sexually abused. Preschool children had elevated scores of perceived competence and social acceptance, and school-age children had depressed scores. There were no age differences among the children in the comparison group. The results suggest that among children suspected of abuse, not only does their self-perception vary by their developmental level, but preschool children may respond with elevated perceptions of themselves. Focusing on individual differences in children's response to suspicions of sexual abuse enables us to identify risk and protective factors that contribute to the psychological outcomes of child sexual abuse.
ELEMENT PREEXPOSURE, NEOPHOBIA, AND CONDITIONED AVERSION TO A COMPOUND FLAVOR STIMULUS

Preexposure to one or two elements of a compound flavor stimulus greatly reduced a neophobic reaction to the compound but did not attenuate conditioned flavor aversion in rats. Results indicated that (1) a preexposure effect on conditioned aversion to a flavor compound is not likely to be obtained if subjects initially show a strong neophobic reaction to the elements and (2) the level of neophobia at the time of conditioning has little influence on conditioned flavor aversion.
Safety and Reproducibility of Sputum Induction in Asthmatic Subjects in a Multicenter Study

The safety of sputum induction and the reproducibility of measurements in induced sputum in multicenter studies is unknown. We examined the safety of sputum induction in a two-visit, six-center study in 79 subjects with moderate to severe asthma (mean +/- SD FEV(1) 71 +/- 12% predicted, 67% taking inhaled corticosteroids). In addition, we compared the reproducibility of markers of inflammation in induced sputum with the reproducibility of the FEV(1) and the methacholine PC(20). The FEV(1) decreased > or = 20% from the postbronchodilator baseline in 14% of all subjects and in 25% of subjects whose initial prebronchodilator baseline was 40 to 60% of predicted. All subjects responded promptly to additional albuterol treatment, and no subject developed refractory bronchoconstriction requiring treatment other than reversal of bronchospasm in the study laboratory. The reproducibility of measurements of the eosinophil percentage, eosinophil cationic protein, tryptase, and methacholine PC(20) were similar (concordance correlation coefficients of 0.74, 0.81, 0.79, and 0.74, respectively), without any significant among-center effect. We conclude that sputum induction can be performed safely in subjects with moderate to severe asthma in multicenter clinical trials when carried out under carefully monitored conditions. Importantly, we demonstrate that measurement of markers of inflammation in induced sputum is as reproducible as methacholine PC(20) and should prove useful in the assessment of airway inflammation in multicenter clinical trials.
Characterization and evaluation of sex-specific expression of suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-1 and -3 in juvenile yellow perch (Perca flavescens) treated with lipopolysaccharide

The suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are a family of intracellular proteins that are centrally involved with vertebrate growth, development and immunity via their effects as negative feed-back regulators of cytokine (and hormone) signaling. The genes for SOCS-1 & -3 were cloned, sequences analyzed and expression patterns examined in the commercially-important teleost, yellow perch (Perca flavescens). The deduced (mature) proteins for yellow perch (yp)SOCS-1 and (yp)SOCS-3 consist of 211 and 205 amino acids, respectively. Functional domains such as the Src homology-2 (SH2) and SOCS-box were present in ypSOCS-1 and ypSOCS-3 and these domains were well conserved between teleost species. Sequence analysis showed that ypSOCS-1 & -3 share highest homology (among similar teleost sequences), to the stickleback (Gasterosteus aculatus) SOCS-1 & -3 protein homologs. To investigate sex-specific expression of the ypSOCS-1 and ypSOCS-3 mRNAs, juvenile male and female yellow perch were immunologically challenged with a single injection (10 μg/g bw) of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and tissues (gill, head kidney, kidney, liver and spleen) were sampled over a 48-h time-course. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that ypSOCS-1 & -3 were expressed in all tissues examined and at all sampling time-points. LPS injection significantly induced ypSOCS-1 & -3 mRNA levels in gill, head kidney, liver, kidney and spleen, with maximal induction occurring at 6 h post-injection in each tissue. By 48-h post-injection, expression levels for ypSOCS-1 & -3 mRNAs approached, or reached, control levels in all tissues examined. While there were statistical interactions among variables (treatment, time and sex) for ypSOCS-1, we only found a main effect of sex on SOCS-3 mRNA expression in head kidney with higher copy numbers occurring in males than in females treated with LPS. Sexually-dimorphic expression of SOCS-1 or -3 mRNA has not been examined, or described, in a teleost. Our findings suggest the involvement of the SOCS genes in the yellow perch immune response and that differences among the sexes are evident and should be explored further.
Development of learning modules for semiconductor and device courses

In this study, electrical and computer engineering students are introduced to semiconductor device fundamentals and advanced electronic/optoelectronic device design at circuit and quantum levels. Specific topics range from semiconductor heterostructures and their properties, transport phenomena, optical processes in semiconductors, and junction theory.
A judgmental reconstruction of modal logic

We reconsider the foundations of modal logic, following Martin-Lof's methodology of distinguishing judgments from propositions. We give constructive meaning explanations for necessity and possibility, which yields a simple and uniform system of natural deduction for intuitionistic modal logic that does not exhibit anomalies found in other proposals. We also give a new presentation of lax logic and find that the lax modality is already expressible using possibility and necessity. Through a computational interpretation of proofs in modal logic we further obtain a new formulation of Moggi's monadic metalanguage.
Boron betaine analogs: Antitumor activity and effects on ehrlich ascites tumor cell metabolism

Several newly synthesized boron betaine analogs had anti-tumor activity in Ehrlich ascites, Walker 256 ascites carcinosarcoma, and Lewis lung screens and marginal activity in the B-16 melanotic melanoma screen. In vivo testing demonstrated that trimethylamine-cyanoborane inhibited Ehrlich ascites cell DNA and protein syntheses as well as gene modulation by chromatin protein phosphorylation and methylation. Trimethylamine-cyanoborane increased cyclic-AMP levels. In vitro testing showed that nuclear DNA polymerase, thymidylate synthetase, S-adenosylmethyltransferase, nonhistone chromatin methylation, deoxyribonuclease, ribonuclease, and cathepsin were inhibited by the boron analogs. These compounds did not demonstrate high antitumor activity at the doses employed, but blockage of methyl transfer from S-adenosylmethionine was established as a feasible method for controlling cell proliferation.
Alveolar ridge reconstruction with preprosthetic surgery: a precursor to site preservation following extraction of natural dentition

Before dental implant therapy became a common treatment modality, oral and maxillofacial surgeons managed malcontent denture patients by performing preprosthetic surgical procedures to enhance the denture-bearing areas of the intraoral cavity. Surgical techniques used today to augment and enhance deficient ridges to receive implants follow the same biologic principles and are employed to achieve the same goal: an improved alveolar ridge form of both hard and soft tissues. The key to successful implant treatment is providing a solid bony base to stabilize the implant. Therefore, the main goal for the surgeon is to preserve the alveolar ridge and basal bone, if present.
Coronary vascular responsiveness to adenosine is impaired additively by blockade of nitric oxide synthesis and a sulfonylurea.

AbstractObjectives. We sought to define effects of glibenclamide, a sulfonylurea known to block ATP-dependent potassium (KATP) channels, and Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME), an l-arginine...
Substituting manganese for magnesium alters certain reaction properties of the (Na+ + K+)-ATPase.

Abstract MnCl 2 was partially effective as a substitute for MgCl 2 in activating the K + -dependent phosphatase reaction catalyzed by a purified (Na + + K + )-ATPase enzyme preparation from canine kidney medulla, the maximal velocity attainable being one-fourth that with MgCl 2 . Estimates of the concentration of free Mn 2+ available when the reaction was half-maximally stimulated lie in the range of the single high-affinity divalent cation site previously identified (Grisham, C.M. and Mildvan, A.S. (1974) J. Biol. Chem. 249, 3187–3197). MnCl 2 competed with MgCl 2 as activator of the phosphatase reaction, again consistent with action through a single site. However, with MnCl 2 appreciable ouabaininhibitable phosphatase activity occurred in the absence of added KCl, and the apparent affinities for K + as activator of the reaction and for Na + as inhibitor were both decreased. For the (Na + + K + )-ATPase reaction substituting MnCl 2 for MgCl 2 was also partially effective, but no stimulation in the absence of added KCl, in either the absence or presence of NaCl, was detectable. Moreover, the apparent affinity for K + was increased by the substitution, although that for Na + was decreased as in the phosphatase reaction. Substituting MnCl 2 also altered the sensitivity to inhibitors. For both reactions the inhibition by ouabain and by vanadate was increased, as was binding of [ 48 V]-vanadate to the enzyme; furthermore, binding in the presence of MnCl 2 was, unlike that with MgCl 2 , insensitive to KCl and NaCl. Inhibition of the phosphatase reaction by ATP was decreased with 1 mM but not 10 mM KCl. Finally, inhibition of the (Na + + K + )-ATPase reaction by Triton X-100 was increased, but that by dimethylsulfoxide decreased after such substitution.
Value of MRI in pediatric migraine

SYNOPSIS Twenty four pediatric migraineurs were prospectively evaluated to determine if white matter hyperi ntensities were presenton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). None had white matter findings or brain abnormalities. Five had mucoperiosteal thickening of the paranasal sinuses, which were unrelated to the patients' clinical course. MRI white matter findings are probably not a common occurrence in pediatric migraineurs. In addition, MRI sinus findings are not necessarily related to a child's headache complaints.
IDENTIFICATION OF A COMPOSITE STEROID-HORMONE RESPONSE ELEMENT ON THE HUMAN PLACENTAL-LACTOGEN PROMOTER

Three regions of the human placental lactogen (hPL) promoter that contain several half-site moths that closely resemble the responsive elements for thyroid hormone (TR), all trans retinoic acid (RAR) and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D-3 (VDR) have been identified and characterized. Transfection studies in BeWo choriocarcinoma cells indicate that site A (nt -979 to -954) is responsive to RAR alpha but not TR beta. Site B (nt -1140 to -1170) is responsive to both RAR alpha and TR beta, and site C (nt -550 to -580) is not responsive to either RAR alpha or TR. These findings, together with the observation that placental cells express retinoid receptors and TRs, strongly suggest a role for these receptors in the regulation of the hPL gene. Site B on the hPL promoter is able to integrate the responses to RA and T-3 through a single element.