cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Acute Valvular Regurgitation on the Oxygen Consumption of the Canine Heart

The effects on myocardial oxygen consumption and mechanics of acute, simulated aortic and mitral regurgitation were studied in open-chest, anesthetized dogs to determine how changes in the mechanical performance of the ventricle alter oxygen consumption. When regurgitation was induced acutely with effective stroke volume (total stroke volume less regurgitant volume) and heart rate held constant, left ventricular end-diastolic volume, total stroke volume, the ejection fraction, left ventricular wall tension, and the extent of shortening of the contractile element and the circumferential fibers all increased. With volumes of regurgitation approaching effective systemic blood flow, oxygen consumption increased only moderately, despite the increases in tension and shortening. When valvular regurgitation was induced while peak ventricular wall tension was held relatively constant, stroke volume doubled and the extent of both contractile element and circumferential fiber shortening increased. Contractile element work in generating tension was unchanged; that which led to fiber shortening increased substantially. Myocardial oxygen consumption did not increase significantly. Thus, marked increases in the efficiency of the contractile elements and myocardial fibers occurred. The low energy cost per unit of work expended in shortening as opposed to that used for tension development therefore allows the excess stroke volume of valvular regurgitation to be maintained at only a small added oxygen cost to the ventricle.
Hepatocyte growth factor inhibits apoptosis after ischemic renal injury in rats.

Abstract Several studies have determined that growth factors, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), have a crucial role in the regenerative process of renal tubules after ischemic or toxic insult. Recent research has ascertained that as well as necrotic cell death, there is evidence of apoptosis after an acute renal injury. We attempted to determine the effect of HGF on apoptosis after ischemic renal injury in rats. We administered HGF or vehicle to 12 rats after ischemic insult and compared them with 6 sham-operated controls. Rats were killed at 48 hours, and histopathologic assessments were performed on the renal tissue. The microscale autoradiographic method was used for qualitative analysis of DNA fragmentation. This method was chosen over the widely used ethidium bromide[ndash ]staining method because it increases the sensitivity of detection of apoptotic DNA. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase[ndash ]mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labeling histopathologic staining was used to identify apoptosis in situ. Apoptotic changes were clearly shown by electron microscopy in vehicle-treated animals. Despite showing profound evidence of tubular necrosis, apoptotic changes were markedly reduced in HGF-treated animals compared with vehicle-treated animals. DNA-laddering analysis further confirmed the antiapoptotic effect of HGF. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo illustration of the inhibitory activity of a growth factor on apoptosis in the setting of tubular necrosis. The role of apoptosis in the setting of acute renal failure has not been elucidated; thus, additional research is necessary to determine the significance of these findings. [copy ] 2001 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
Seven Transmembrane Receptors as Shapeshifting Proteins: The Impact of Allosteric Modulation and Functional Selectivity on New Drug Discovery

It is useful to consider seven transmembrane receptors (7TMRs) as disordered proteins able to allosterically respond to a number of binding partners. Considering 7TMRs as allosteric systems, affinity and efficacy can be thought of in terms of energy flow between a modulator, conduit (the receptor protein), and a number of guests. These guests can be other molecules, receptors, membrane-bound proteins, or signaling proteins in the cytosol. These vectorial flows of energy can yield standard canonical guest allostery (allosteric modification of drug effect), effects along the plane of the cell membrane (receptor oligomerization), or effects directed into the cytosol (differential signaling as functional selectivity). This review discusses these apparently diverse pharmacological effects in terms of molecular dynamics and protein ensemble theory, which tends to unify 7TMR behavior toward cells. Special consideration will be given to functional selectivity (biased agonism and biased antagonism) in terms of mechanism of action and potential therapeutic application. The explosion of technology that has enabled observation of diverse 7TMR behavior has also shown how drugs can have multiple (pluridimensional) efficacies and how this can cause paradoxical drug classification and nomenclatures.
Effect of Substrate Variation on Electrical and Magnetic Properties of Mn Doped ZnO of Dilute Magnetic Semiconductors

In this paper, the effect of substrate on the domain structure growth and electrical and magnetic properties of epitaxial Mn-doped Zn 0.8 Mn 0.15 O ( ZnMnO ) thin films has been investigated. Epitaxial thin films of ZnMnO dilute magnetic semiconductors ( DMS ) were grown on various substrates such as single crystal sapphire, single crystal silicon, and quartz substrates using Pulsed Laser Deposition ( PLD ) technique . Structural, surface, magnetic, and optical properties have been observed on these films using X-Ray diffraction ( XRD ), Atomic Force Microscopy ( AFM ), Scanning Electron Microscopy ( SEM ), and Raman spectroscopy. X-Ray Diffraction shows that films are highly epitaxial and c-axis oriented with some induced strain. AFM images show that film surface is smooth with RMS roughness of the order of 1-2 nm over 5*5sq.micron. Magnetic characteristic properties such as carrier concentration, mobility, and temperature dependent resistivity were also investigated. Carrier concentration decreases and mobility increases for both the films on silicon and quartz substrates when compared to film on sapphire.
Contemporary white-band disease in Caribbean corals driven by climate change

Thermal stresses associated with climate change have contributed to the spread of white-band disease in important reef-building corals in the Caribbean.
Ototoxic Effects of the Interaction Between Kanamycin and Ethacrynic Acid: Cochlear infrastructure Correlated with Cochlear Potentials and Kanamycin Levels

The effects of the interaction between kanamycin (KAN) and ethacrynic acid (EA) on the ultrastructure of the guinea pig cochlea were studied 3, 4, 6, and 24 hours following administration of EA (40 mg/kg) to animals pretreated 2 h earlier with KAN (400 mg/kg). Appropriate saline (SAL) controls were included giving 4 treatments: KAN/EA, KAN/SAL, SAL/EA and SAL/SAL. The outer hair cells of the organ of Corti showed nuclear and plasma membrane changes at 3 h and were completely destroyed by 24 h. The inner hair cells were unaffected. Severe swelling was seen in the stria vascularis of both KAN/EA and SAL/EA animals at 3 h and was gone by 24 h. KAN/EA had a greater effect on the stria than had SAL/EA. These results were consistent with the time course of the effect of the drugs on the a.c. and d.c. endocochlear potentials. KAN concentrations in perilymph were unaffected by treatment with EA.
General Approach to First-Order Error Prediction in Rigid Point Registration

A general approach to the first-order analysis of error in rigid point registration is presented that accommodates fiducial localization error (FLE) that may be inhomogeneous (varying from point to point) and anisotropic (varying with direction) and also accommodates arbitrary weighting that may also be inhomogeneous and anisotropic. Covariances are derived for target registration error (TRE) and for weighted fiducial registration error (FRE) in terms of covariances of FLE, culminating in a simple implementation that encompasses all combinations of weightings and anisotropy. Furthermore, it is shown that for ideal weighting, in which the weighting matrix for each fiducial equals the inverse of the square root of the cross covariance of its two-space FLE, fluctuations of FRE and TRE are mutually independent. These results are validated by comparison with previously published expressions and by simulation. Furthermore, simulations for randomly generated fiducial positions and FLEs are presented that show that correlation is negligible in the exact case for both ideal and uniform weighting (i.e., no weighting), the latter of which is employed in commercial surgical guidance systems. From these results we conclude that for these weighting schemes, while valid expressions exist relating the covariance of FRE to the covariance of TRE, there are no measures of the goodness of fit of the fiducials for a given registration that give to first order any information about the fluctuation of TRE from its expected value and none that give useful information in the exact case. Therefore, as estimators of registration accuracy, such measures should be approached with extreme caution both by the purveyors of guidance systems and by the practitioners who use them.
Perception of orthodontic treatment need: opinion comparisons of orthodontists, pediatric dentists, and general practitioners.

Aim: To determine the relationship between treatment need assessment scores of orthodontists, general practitioners, and pediatric dentists. Study design: Observational. Sample: Ten general dental practitioners, 18 orthodontists and 15 pediatric dentists reviewed 137 dental casts and recorded their opinion on whether orthodontic treatment was needed. Results: We found a high level of agreement between pediatric dentists, orthodontists and general practitioners (Kappa range 0.86–0.95). Between the groups, the amount of agreement was lower. Conclusions: Orthodontists, general dental practitioners, and pediatric dentists in this sample exhibit high levels of agreement on orthodontic treatment need.
B Cell Maintenance in Aged Mice Reflects Both Increased B Cell Longevity and Decreased B Cell Generation

In aged mice the population of mature peripheral B cells is maintained despite a severalfold decrease in the population of bone marrow B cell progenitors. The analysis of the rate of accumulation of 5'-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeled splenic B cells in mice fed BrdU for 8 days to 8 wk demonstrated a severalfold increase in the half-life of mature B cells in aged mice. Consistent with a role for decreased B cell turnover in maintaining the mature B cell population of aged mice, several findings indicate that fewer newly generated B cells enter the spleen from the bone marrow in aged vs young adult mice. These include 1) a fourfold decrease in the population of relatively immature splenic B cells, defined as cells that express high levels of heat-stable Ag and accumulate BrdU within 8 wk of labeling; and 2) an equivalent decrease in the population of bone marrow cells representative of later stages of B cell maturation (sIgD-sIgM(int-high)). Surprisingly, despite a four- to sixfold decrease in pre-B cells, the population of least mature bone marrow B cells (IgD-sIgM(very low)) remains intact. Because this population accumulates BrdU-labeled cells more slowly in aged mice than in younger mice, and bone marrow B cells at more mature developmental stages are diminished, it appears that in aged mice B cell development beyond the sIgM(very low) stage may be retarded and that cells, therefore, accumulate within this population.
The Scurfy mutation of FoxP3 in the thymus stroma leads to defective thymopoiesis

The Scurfy mutation of the FoxP3 gene (FoxP3sf) in the mouse and analogous mutations in human result in lethal autoimmunity. The mutation of FoxP3 in the hematopoietic cells impairs the development of regulatory T cells. In addition, development of the Scurfy disease also may require mutation of the gene in nonhematopoietic cells. The T cell–extrinsic function of FoxP3 has not been characterized. Here we show that the FoxP3sf mutation leads to defective thymopoiesis, which is caused by inactivation of FoxP3 in the thymic stromal cells. FoxP3 mutation also results in overexpression of ErbB2 in the thymic stroma, which may be involved in defective thymopoiesis. Our data reveal a novel T cell–extrinsic function of FoxP3. In combination, the T cell–intrinsic and –extrinsic defects provide plausible explanation for the severity of the autoimmune diseases in the scurfy mice and in patients who have immunodysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, and X-linked syndrome.
Characterization of Hawaiian freshwater and terrestrial cyanobacteria reveals high diversity and numerous putative endemics

Summary Fifty samples of cyanobacteria were collected and characterized as part of the Hawaiian Freshwater Algal Biodiversity Survey. Fifty-two percent of the samples originated from Oahu, while the remainder were collected from Kauai (14%), Maui (20%) and Hawaii (14%). A diversity of habitats (e.g. streams, wet walls, taro fields, terrestrial areas and ditches) was represented by the collection sites, which is reflective of the abundance of suitable non-marine algal substrata in these isolated, humid, subtropical islands. Most samples were isolated and cultured for observation of morphological features, and all were sequenced for both the Universal Plastid Amplicon (UPA) marker (partial 23S rRNA) and 16S rRNA gene. Alignments of both markers (separately and concatenated) with additional GenBank sequences for phylogenetic representation were analyzed using Maximum Likelihood, Bayesian and Maximum Parsimony approaches. Nodal support was highest for the concatenated UPA+16S rRNA gene alignment, and phylogenetic analyses indicated a monophyletic Nostochophycidae, and monophyly, although with low support, for the Oscillatoriophycidae and Synechococcophycidae. A conservative estimate is that 11 of the taxa are putative endemics to the Hawaiian Islands, further highlighting the uniqueness of this isolated and understudied flora, and the potential for discovery of novel taxa through taxon-focused biodiversity surveys.
Educational Outcomes and Nutrition

Educational outcome measurements are a guide to the allocation of resources for formal and, nonformal learning. In the developing world they serve as well as input data in assessing the developmental impact of resource commitments to education. In the first instance the outcome measures serve the economist’s efficiency purpose; in the second they serve an economic growth purpose.
Developing a New, Probabilistic Model of Asset Pricing

The “market” is too complex to model deterministically, and as a result it is impossible to deterministically and accurately price assets within the market. Nevertheless, the vast majority of financial asset pricing models, such as the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), are employed as deterministic with assumptions of normally, independently, and continuously distributed price fluctuations. The inability of such assumptions to accurately reflect real market conditions has been thoroughly documented, most notably by Benoit Mandelbrot.With this in mind, this work proposes an alternative, probabilistic asset pricing model based in utility theory to determine the likelihood that an asset will generate a return in excess of the risk-free rate. The relationship of this likelihood to the risk-free rate is used to calculate a discount rate for the asset. The factors which most significantly affect a particular asset’s likelihood of out-performing the risk-free rate are then inferred through logistic regression and further researched through processes such as the Toyota Five-Whys line of questioning for the purpose of better managing the odds of beating the risk-free rate.Implied in such a probabilistic, risk-management model is that there need be no difference in the valuation of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. Furthermore, this method suggests that practitioners of finance move away from seeking to enhance the value of tomorrow’s dollar with inaccurate, deterministic models and instead ensure the value of today’s dollar by better managing an organization’s odds of beating the risk-free rate.
Polymer Assessment for Magnetic Shape Memory Alloy Composites

Our surrounding environment is teeming with useful energy, waiting to be harnessed (i.e., solar, wind, tidal, etc.). If this energy can be exploited at the point where it is required, then the need to carry additional power sources can be reduced. In recent years, magnetic shape memory alloys (MSMA) have demonstrated an ability to convert mechanical energy to magnetic energy. Such conversions have lead to the investigation of these alloys for energy harvesting applications. There are a number of issues to address when forming a MSMA/polymer composite. The polymer must be stiff enough to transmit the induced strain through the entire matrix, yet soft enough not to exceed the MSMA blocking stress. Also, the polymer must not dampen any force applied before it can be transmitted to the MSMA particles. Ten polymers have been investigated for MSMA/polymer composites. The work presented here will describe progress in nickel-manganese-gallium (Ni-Mn-Ga)/polymer composite fabrication and characterization. Special attention will be given to polymer selection, optimizing particle dispersion and MSMA/polymer interfacial interactions.
A preliminary investigation of daily variability of stuttering in adults.

Abstract Purpose Variability in frequency of stuttering has made the results of treatment outcome studies difficult to interpret. Many factors that affect variability have been investigated; yet the typical range of variability experienced by speakers remains unknown. This study examined the day-to-day variability in the percentage of syllables containing stuttered and nonstuttered disfluencies in the speech of six adult speakers in three spontaneous speaking situations and two reading tasks. Methods The frequency of moments stuttering during the tasks were compared within and between speakers and days to document the degree of variability in stuttering frequency and explore whether there were any consistent patterns. The Stuttering Severity Instrument-Fourth Edition (SSI-4) and Overall Assessment of the Speaker’s Experience of Stuttering for Adults (OASES-A) were also tested for day-to-day variability. Correlations between frequency, severity, and life impact were made. Results The primary result of this study was the large range over which frequency of stuttering varied from day to day for the same individual. This variability did not correlate with any measures of stuttering severity but did correlate with life impact as measured by the OASES-A. No global pattern was detected in variability from day to day within or between participants. However, there were significantly more nonstuttered disfluencies present during the spontaneous speaking tasks than during the reading tasks. The day-to-day variability in the life impact of the disorder (OASES-A) was less than the day-to-day variability in observable stuttering behavior (percentage of syllables stuttered and SSI-4). Conclusion Frequency of stuttering varies significantly from situation to situation and day to day, with observed variability exceeding the degree of change often reported in treatment outcomes studies from before to after treatment. This variability must be accounted for in future clinical and scientific work.
The common deletion 657del5 in the Nibrin gene is not a major risk factor for B or T cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a pediatric population.

The common deletion 657del5 in the Nibrin gene is not a major risk factor for B or T cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a pediatric population
Effects of stress upon social distance in dolphins.

There are several reports of dolphins swimming in tight schools after some type of stress (McBride & Hebb, 1948; Brown, 1962; Caldwell & Caldwell, 1966). However, this tight schooling or swimming in close proximity to one another has not been investigated or quantitatively analyzed under controlled conditions. Furthermore, the nature of the stressful agent is not always apparent. The purpose of the present investigation was to study the effect of two apparent stressors, recent capture and the presence of humans in the tank with the dolphins, upon the distance maintained between the dolphins. Ss were four adult Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) captured off the coast of Point Mugu, California. The procedure involved estimating the number of seconds per 4-min. interval that two dolphins spent within 5 ft, of one another: (1) immediately after capture, ( 2 ) after 3 wk. in captivity, ( 3 ) when a person was standing quietly in the pool with the dolphins, and ( 4 ) when the dolphins were alone in the tank. Comparisons were made between Conditions 1 and 2 and between Conditions 3 and 4. Under all conditions, E observed two dolphins swimming in a 55-ft. diameter circular tank at random 4-min. intervals throughout the day. Six observation periods were included under each condition and the average number of seconds that dolphins remained within 5 ft. of one another was determined. A comparison of Conditions 1 and 2 indicated that the dolphins spent more time close to one another immediately following the stress of capture ( M = 210 sec.) and placement in an unfamiliar environment than 3 wk. after capture (M = 165 sec.; t = 4.83, d f = 10, p < ,001). Similarly, the dolphins spent more time ( M = 186 sec.) in close proximity when a person (presumably a stressing agent) was present in the pool ( M = 103 sec. with no person). The difference between Conditions 3 and 4 was also statistically significant ( t = 7.51, d f = 10, p < .001). The reduced social distance, similar to the tight schooling observed in dolphins in the open ocean, is apparently a general reaction to stress. This reaction may function to increase protection afforded to young or feeble members of the school when the group is attacked or stressed in some fashion.
The fungicidal and fungistatic effects of an aqueous garlic extract on medically important yeast-like fungi.

A variety of yeast-like fungi representing the genera Candida, Cryptococcus, Rhodotorula, Torulopsis, and Trichosporon was inhibited in vitro in the presence of an aqueous extract of garlic. Fungi ...
Comparison of some widely-used strong-motion earthquake accelerometers

abstract A series of shaking table and tilt tests were conducted with several commonly used strong-motion earthquake accelerographs. Table accelerations up to 0.5 g, both sine waves and recorded earthquake accelerograms, were used to evaluate response characteristics in the 1- to 50-Hz band under strong-motion conditions. All instruments performed within 10 per cent of manufacturers9 specifications. No serious parasitic resonances were observed. Timing systems accuracies should be improved for intra-instrument detailed spectral comparisons. The general intuitive feel that mechanical, electronic and recording simplicity are a measure of expected performance for unattended instruments was reinforced by the tests.
Determination of molybdenum in vegetables by GFAAS

Objective:To establish a method for determination of molybdenum in vegetables by GFAAS.Methods: After the samples were dry ashed,their molybdenum was determined by GFAAS.Results: The concentration of molybdenum showed a good linearity in the rang of 0 μg/L~45 μg/L with r=0.9999,the detection limit was 3.7 μg/L,RSD 4.87%~5.65%,the recovery rates were 91%~104%.Conclusion: This method is sensitive,precise,fast and convenient..
Single-qubit gates based on targeted phase shifts in a 3D neutral atom array

Although the quality of individual quantum bits (qubits) and quantum gates has been steadily improving, the number of qubits in a single system has increased quite slowly. Here, we demonstrate arbitrary single-qubit gates based on targeted phase shifts, an approach that can be applied to atom, ion, or other atom-like systems. These gates are highly insensitive to addressing beam imperfections and have little cross-talk, allowing for a dramatic scaling up of qubit number. We have performed gates in series on 48 individually targeted sites in a 40% full 5 by 5 by 5 three-dimensional array created by an optical lattice. Using randomized benchmarking, we demonstrate an average gate fidelity of 0.9962(16), with an average cross-talk fidelity of 0.9979(2) (numbers in parentheses indicate the one standard deviation uncertainty in the final digits).
The two leadership styles of William Jefferson Clinton.

Readers of the government publications that record such official actions of the American presidency as executive orders and signed legislation will be aware of two President Clintons-the chief executive named William J. Clinton, whose name appears on such documents, and the Bill Clinton who is pictured regularly on television in a seemingly endless series of photo opportunities, informal press interviews, and formal addresses. My argument in this account of the leadership style of President Clinton is that there also can be said to be two Bill Clintons at a far more politically significant level-the level of day-to-day executive leadership in the arena of government and politics. My further argument is that it is necessary to take account of both Bill Clintons to explain the striking up-anddown performance of the Clinton presidency. The leadership styles of some political leaders tend to be all of a piece. This appears to have been the case of President Jimmy Carter. As the declassified record of the Carter presidency begins to emerge, one sees a president who in his private counsels appears to be very similar to the president who was evident in such public displays as news conferences and addresses to the nation, in both contexts showing the same preoccupation with the technical details of his policies and the same rather stiff-necked insistence on the correctness of his own
Proteolytic fragments of fibronectin function as matrikines driving the chemotactic affinity of prostate cancer cells to human bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells via the α5β1 integrin.

ABSTRACTThe haematopoietic niche is contributed to by bone marrow-resident mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) and subverted by prostate cancer cells. To study mechanisms by which BM-MSCs and prostate cancer cells may interact, we assessed the migration, invasion, adhesion and proliferation of bone-derived prostate cancer cells (PC-3) in co-culture with pluripotent human BM-MSCs. We observed a strong adhesive, migratory and invasive phenotype of PC-3 cells with BM- MSC-co-culture and set out to isolate and characterize the bioactive principle. Initial studies indicated that chemotaxis was secondary to a protein residing in the >100kDa fraction. Size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) recovered peak activity in a high-molecular weight fraction containing thrombospondin-1 (TSP1). While TSP1 immunodepletion decreased activity, put-back with purified TSP1 did not reproduce bioactivity. Further purification of the TSP1-containing high-molecular weight fraction of the BM-MSC secretome with heparin-affinity chromato...
Mechanics of Nb-Ti superconducting composites

Nb-Ti superconducting composites with copper matrices have been modeled using solid mechanics and finite element analysis to examine the effects of composite design on the mechanical behaviors of the composite. Input data for the mechanical behaviors of the composite components was determined from extensive measurements of Nb-Ti fibers extracted from composite wires, and mechanical tests of the composite wires. Two models were developed; a three dimensional finite element model to investigate the micro-in-plane mechanical behavior of the composite wire, and an analytical model to study the macro-inplane mechanical behavior of the composite wire. Using symmetry arguments, boundary conditions are established to set the problem as a special case of the mixed boundary problem of elasticity. The influence of several parameters on the mechanical behavior of the Nb-Ti composite was studied and a graphical presentation of the results is made. The conclusions are that the mechanical behavior of Nb-Ti composites is complicated, dependent on the processing, component geometries and properties and how the components are interconnected and mixed to form the composite. The mechanics of the Nb-Ti composite is three dimensional, and in-plane stresses always exist. Although the in-plane stresses are small relative to the applied axial stress, they are potentially more harmful to the performance of the composite than the axial stress.
Periostin regulates fibrocyte function to promote myofibroblast differentiation and lung fibrosis

Fibrocytes are bone-marrow-derived circulating mesenchymal precursors (CD45+, col 1+) that are recruited to fibrotic areas. Fibrocytes secrete a number of profibrotic mediators including periostin; a matricellular protein that regulates cellular interactions with extracellular matrix (ECM) components. In bleomycin-induced fibrosis, loss of periostin by either structural or hematopoietic cells can limit the development of pulmonary fibrosis. To test the hypothesis that hematopoietic-derived fibrocytes might secrete soluble factors to signal structural myofibroblasts differentiation, wild-type (WT) fibroblasts were treated with conditioned medium from fibrocytes isolated from bleomycin-treated WT or periostin −/− mice. After 24 hours we saw marked decrease in α-smooth muscle actin protein expression in cells treated with the conditioned medium from periostin −/− fibrocytes. Adoptive transfer of WT fibrocytes augmented lung fibrosis to a greater extent than did transfer of fibrocytes from periostin −/− mice. We performed in vitro analyses of lung mesenchymal cells isolated from WT and periostin −/− mice by sorting fibroblasts and fibrocytes then treating with TGFβ1 or periostin. Additionally, connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), endothelin-1 (ET-1) and lysl oxidase (LOX) mRNA expression was downregulated in periostin −/− bleomycin-treated fibrocytes. Taken together these data suggest that fibrocytes may augment bleomycin-induced fibrosis via secretion of periostin and other soluble factors that promote myofibroblasts differentiation.
Diurnal changes of subcellular glutathione content in Arabidopsis thaliana

The aim of this study was to investigate diurnal changes of subcellular glutathione content in leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana by immunohistochemistry and quantitative transmission electron microscopy. The results revealed major diurnal changes in glutathione content. The highest content was found within 2 - 3 h of exposure to light (increase of 489 % in mitochondria, 318 % in plastids, 857 % in nuclei, 511 % in peroxisomes, and 900 % in the cytosol when compared to that during darkness), followed by a strong drop (49 % in mitochondria and the cytosol, 53 % in plastids, 68 % in nuclei, 38 % in peroxisomes) within the next 1 - 2 h. Glutathione content was 67 % lower in mitochondria, 76 % in plastids, 73 % in nuclei, 50 % in peroxisomes, and 68 % in the cytosol at the end of the light period which lasted for 8 h when compared to highest content. Lowest glutathione content was found in most cell compartments at the very end of the dark period. In context with previous studies it could be concluded that low glutathione content at the end of the dark period was caused by lack of glycine and cysteine due to lack of photorespiration and decreased sulfur uptake and assimilation during darkness. The rapid increase of glutathione content observed within 3 h of light was most probably caused by a strong increase in glutathione synthesis triggered by increased glycine and cysteine content. The strong drop of glutathione after that period was most probably due to elevated glutathione degradation rate or increased use of glutathione for phytochelatin synthesis.
Representations of Some Hopf Algebras Associated to the Symmetric Group Sn

We prove that all irreducible representations of the bismash product \(H_n = k^{C_n } \# kS_{n - 1} \) have Frobenius–Schur indicator +1, where k is an algebraically closed field of characteristic 0. If n = p, a prime, we find all indicators for \(J_n = k^{S_{n - 1} } \# k^{C_n } \). We also study more general bismash products.
Urologic Management and Complications in Spinal Cord Injury Patients: A 40- to 50-year Follow-up Study

Objective To assess the management and types of urologic complications in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients and to explore the risk factors for these complications. Methods A total of 43 SCI patients with a median follow-up of 45 (range 40-50) years were included in this retrospective study. All medical charts were reviewed for demographics, urologic complications, and bladder management. Results Recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) was noted in all patients, with an average incidence of 6.1 cases per 5 years per person. UTI incidence peaked in the 1st and 10th 5-year intervals. Besides UTI, the most common complications were bladder stone (49%), hydronephrosis (47%), and vesicoureteral reflux (33%). Most complications initially occurred during the first 25 years post injury. Male gender, cervical injury, and condom catheter use were closely related to complications, particularly UTI and renal insufficiency. The bladder managements used for the longest period were condom catheter in men (79%) and clean intermittent catheterization in women (33%), with an average maintenance of 23.6 and 38.0 years, respectively. Conclusion With long follow-up, a wide and complex range of urologic complications occurred in SCI patients and continued to do so throughout the period of follow-up. A greater risk of urologic complications may be seen with certain factors (male gender, cervical SCI, and condom catheter use); however, all patients with SCI are at risk of urinary complications over time. Thus, even long-term patients who are thought to be “stable” require regular follow-up and surveillance.
Leukocyte Rolling and Adhesion in Pial Microvessels Following Cerebral Ischemia in the Mouse: Effects of Hypothermia

Neuroprotection by hypothermia has been demonstrated both clinically (1) and experimentally (2). Moderate hypothermia is most beneficial when applied immediately following the insult and for longer duration (2). Proposed mechanisms of action of hypothermia include lower glutamate concentrations, decreased BBB permeability, and reduction of inflammatory gene expression (3). We have recently shown that hypothermia inhibits rolling and adhesion of leukocytes in pial venules following systemic injection of IL-1/3 in C57B16 mice (4). In this study, we investigate the effects of hypothermia on leukocyte rolling and adhesion in pial micro-vessels induced by cerebral ischemia.
C1′-Azacycloalkyl Hexahydrocannabinols

We report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a novel class of cannabinergic ligands, namely C1′-azacycloalkyl hexahydrocannabinols. Our synthetic approaches utilize an advanced common chiral intermediate triflate from which all analogues could be derived. Key synthetic steps involve microwave-assisted Liebeskind–Srogl C–C cross-coupling and palladium-catalyzed decarboxylative coupling reactions. The C1′-N-methylazetidinyl and C1′-N-methylpyrrolidinyl analogues were found to be high affinity ligands for the CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors.
Collision frequency locality-sensitive hashing for prediction of critical events

We present a fast, efficient method to predict future critical events for a patient. The prediction method is based on retrieving and leveraging similar waveform trajectories from a large medical database. Locality-sensitive hashing (LSH), our theoretical foundation, is a model-free, sub-linear time, approximate search method enabling a fast retrieval of a nearest neighbor set for a given query. We propose a new variant of LSH, namely Collision Frequency LSH (CFLSH), to further improve the prediction accuracy without sacrificing any speed. The key idea is that the more frequently an element and a query collide across multiple LSH hash tables, the more similar they are. Unlike the standard LSH which only utilizes the linear distance calculation, in CFLSH, the short-listing step from a pool of pre-selected candidates filtered by hash functions to the final nearest neighbor set relies upon the frequency of collision along with distance information. We evaluate CFLSH versus the standard LSH using the L1 and cosine distances, for predicting acute hypotensive episodes on arterial blood pressure time series data extracted from the MIMIC II database. Our results show that CFLSH for the L1 distance has a higher prediction accuracy and further accelerates the sub-linear querying time obtained by the standard LSH.
Youth's Conceptions of Adolescence Predict Longitudinal Changes in Prefrontal Cortex Activation and Risk Taking During Adolescence

The development of cognitive control during adolescence is paralleled by changes in the function of the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC). Using a three-wave longitudinal neuroimaging design (N = 22, Mage = 13.08 years at Wave 1), this study examined if youth's stereotypes about teens modulate changes in their neural activation during cognitive control. Participants holding stereotypes of teens as irresponsible in the family context (i.e., ignoring family obligations) in middle school showed increases in bilateral ventrolateral PFC activation during cognitive control over the transition to high school, which was associated with increases in risk taking. These findings provide preliminary evidence that youth's conceptions of adolescence play a role in neural plasticity over this phase of development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Perspectives of cervical cancer and screening practices among staff of a teaching hospital in South-South Nigeria

Abstract Background Workers at tertiary health facilities may be expected to have good knowledge of cervical cancer and also good screening practices so that they could be good sources of health information and motivation to promote screening in the general public. An assessment of their perceptions and practice of cervical screening could reveal gaps that would inspire efforts to improve key indicators among them and in turn, the general population. Methods This cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among 316 workers of a tertiary health facility selected by stratified random sampling with proportionate allocation. Data was collected using pretested semi-structured questionnaires and analysed with SPSS 20 and PEPI programs. Results The majority of respondents were aware of cervical cancer but it was significantly higher among females, p=.001. Most respondents, 266 (84.2%) were less than 40 years of age but knowledge of cervical cancer screening diminished with increase in age, p=.039. Only 92 (29%) had good knowledge of cervical screening; a better knowledge of cervical screening was significantly associated with working in a clinical department, employment duration of less than 2 years, and being female. All females who had ever screened for Ca cervix, 18 (11%) had a Pap smear, and majority 15 (83%) had screened only once. Factors associated with screening were level of education, years of work experience, and being in a clinical department. Reasons given for not screening included pain from the procedure, its cost, and the delay with getting results. Conclusion Knowledge of cervical screening was not good among staff of DELSUTH and practice of screening was also very poor. They may benefit from health education and promotion programmes directed towards better screening practices. Introduction of easier-to-perform and less costly screening modalities like VIA/VILI may also improve uptake.
Talking Trash with Tarantino: Auteurism, Aesthetics and Authority in Not Quite Hollywood

Mark Hartley’s documentary Not Quite Hollywood proposes an alternative account of Australian film history, privileging exploitation and genre filmmaking of the 1970s and 1980s. The most high-profile interviewee is Quentin Tarantino, who alternately celebrates the excess and carnage of these films and credits their impact on his own oeuvre. Rather than focusing on the cultural politics of Hartley’s revision, this chapter examines how Tarantino develops his auteurial identity and credibility through his appearance. A survey of the US critical reception of the so-called “Ozploitation” is offered to foreground an exploration of how Tarantino uses the films to fashion a countercanon that both challenges traditional cultural authorities (historians, film reviewers, scholars) and asserts his own critical and artistic authority.
A Novel Framework for Quantitatively Connecting the Mechanical Design of Passive Prosthetic Feet to Lower Leg Trajectory

This paper presents a novel framework that quantitatively connects the mechanical design of a prosthetic foot to its anticipated biomechanical performance. The framework uses kinetic inputs (ground reaction forces and center of pressure) to predict kinematic outputs of the lower leg segment by knowing the geometry and stiffness of the foot. The error between the predicted and target kinematics is evaluated using a root-mean-square error function called the Lower Leg Trajectory Error (LLTE). Using physiological kinetic inputs and kinematic targets, three model foot architectures were optimized to minimize the LLTE. The resulting predicted lower leg kinematics were compared to those of the same foot architectures optimized for physiological roll-over geometry. The feet with minimized LLTE had lower leg kinematics closer to physiological than those optimized for roll-over geometry. A prosthetic foot that exactly mimics physiological roll-over geometry may result in gait kinematics that differ greatly from physiological, as roll-over geometry omits information about the foot-ground contact constraint, lower leg orientation, and temporal progression of a step. The LLTE-based framework is agnostic to specific foot designs provided their constitutive behavior can be characterized, and it can accept alternate inputs and targets depending on what performance and clinical objectives are desired.
Physician assistants and their role in primary care.

The author argues that long-term trends point to a future for physician assistants and nurse practitioners as the principal front-line deliverers of primary care, with physicians focusing on managerial duties and specialty care.
Discourse-Based Analyses of Root Infinitives

In this chapter, I turn to another error observed in the speech of children and Broca’s aphasics, namely the incorrect use of untensed clauses34. It has been reported that children acquiring many languages (crucially, non-pro-drop languages, see discussion below) allow the verb to be untensed (that is, Root Infinitives, such as Michel dormir ‘Michel sleep’ in French, or Mommy go, in English.) I provide syntactic and discourse analyses of these constructions and argue that, similar to the errors discussed in previous chapters, root infinitives can also be explained on the assumption of the limited processing resources, although with a certain modification of this hypothesis.
Impact of Agaricus bisporus Mushroom Consumption on Gut Health Markers in Healthy Adults.

Eating Agaricus bisporus mushrooms may impact gut health, because they contain known prebiotics. This study assessed mushroom consumption compared to meat on gastrointestinal tolerance, short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, laxation, and fecal microbiota. A randomized open-label crossover study was conducted in healthy adults (n = 32) consuming protein-matched amounts of mushrooms or meat twice daily for ten days. Breath hydrogen measures were taken on day one, and gastrointestinal tolerance was evaluated throughout treatments. Fecal sample collection was completed days 6–10, and samples were assessed for bacterial composition, SCFA concentrations, weight, pH, and consistency. There were no differences in breath hydrogen, stool frequency, consistency, fecal pH, or SCFA concentrations between the two diets. The mushroom diet led to greater overall gastrointestinal symptoms than the meat diet on days one and two. The mushroom-rich diet resulted in higher average stool weight (p = 0.002) and a different fecal microbiota composition compared to the meat diet, with greater abundance of Bacteroidetes (p = 0.0002) and lower abundance of Firmicutes (p = 0.0009). The increase in stool weight and presence of undigested mushrooms in stool suggests that mushroom consumption may impact laxation in healthy adults. Additional research is needed to interpret the health implications of fecal microbiota shifts with mushroom feeding.
Optimal network-level traffic signal control: A benders decomposition-based solution algorithm

Abstract This paper formulates the network-level traffic signal timing optimization problem as a Mixed-Integer Non-Linear Program (MINLP) and presents a customized methodology to solve it with a tight optimality gap. The MINLP is based on the Cell Transmission Model (CTM) network loading concept and captures the fundamental flow-density diagram of the CTM explicitly by considering closed-form constraints in the model and thus, eliminates the flow holding-back problem. The proposed solution algorithm is based on the Benders decomposition technique and decomposes the original MINLP to an equivalent Integer Program (IP) (Master problem), and a new MINLP (Primal problem). We will show that the new MINLP has only one optimal non-holding-back solution that can be found by a CTM simulation run. We will prove that the proposed solution technique guarantees convergence to optimal solutions with a finite number of iterations. Furthermore, we propose a dual estimation algorithm for the new MINLP (the Primal problem), which utilizes a simulation-based approach to generate Benders cuts instead of solving a complex optimization program. We applied the proposed solution technique to a simulated network of 20 intersections under various demand patterns and observed an optimality gap of at most 2% under all tested conditions. We compared the solutions of the proposed algorithm with two benchmark algorithms and found reductions in total travel time ranging from 7.0% to 35.7%.
The Character of a Simple Supercuspidal Representation of SL(2, F)

Let F be a non-Archimedean local field of characteristic zero with residual characteristic p. In this paper, we compute the character of a simple supercuspidal representation of SL(2, F), when p is arbitrary.
Molecular determinants of drug response in TNBC cell lines.

There is a need for biomarkers of drug efficacy for targeted therapies in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). As a step toward this, we identify multi-omic molecular determinants of anti-TNBC efficacy in cell lines for a panel of oncology drugs. Using 23 TNBC cell lines, drug sensitivity scores (DSS3) were determined using a panel of investigational drugs and drugs approved for other indications. Molecular readouts were generated for each cell line using RNA sequencing, RNA targeted panels, DNA sequencing, and functional proteomics. DSS3 values were correlated with molecular readouts using a FDR-corrected significance cutoff of p* < 0.05 and yielded molecular determinant panels that predict anti-TNBC efficacy. Six molecular determinant panels were obtained from 12 drugs we prioritized based on their efficacy. Determinant panels were largely devoid of DNA mutations of the targeted pathway. Molecular determinants were obtained by correlating DSS3 with molecular readouts. We found that co-inhibiting molecular correlate pathways leads to robust synergy across many cell lines. These findings demonstrate an integrated method to identify biomarkers of drug efficacy in TNBC where DNA predictions correlate poorly with drug response. Our work outlines a framework for the identification of novel molecular determinants and optimal companion drugs for combination therapy based on these correlates.