cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of coronary microvascular responses to metabolic stimulation

Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that coronary microvascular dilation to increased myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) is greater in vessels <100 μm. The mechanism responsible for this response is uncertain. Objectives: We tested the hypothesis that microvascular dilation to increased MVO2 is mediated by nitric oxide (NO). Since NO release may occur in response to increased shear, we also tested the hypothesis that metabolic byproducts released in response to increases in MVO2 will stimulate opening of the ATP-sensitive potassium channel. Methods: Changes in epicardial coronary microvascular diameters were measured in 9 dogs given N G-nitro-l-arginine (LNNA; 100 μM, topically), 7 dogs given glibenclamide (10 μM, topically) and 12 control (C) dogs during increases in metabolic demand using dobutamine (DOB, 10 μg/kg/min, i.v.) with rapid atrial pacing (PAC, 300 bpm). Diameters of arterioles were measured using intravital microscopy coupled to stroboscopic epi-illumination. Results: During the protocol, MVO2 increased to a similar degree in both experimental groups (LNNA and glibenclamide). Baseline hemodynamics and coronary microvascular diameters were similar between the two experimental groups and their respective control groups. In the presence of LNNA, coronary arteriolar (<100 μm) dilation (% change from baseline) was impaired during the protocol (DOB: vehicle 18±5, LNNA 2±2 [ P <0.05]; DOB+RAP: vehicle 40±11, LNNA 6±2% [ P <0.05]). In contrast, glibenclamide did not impair coronary microvascular responses to increased MVO2 despite similar increases in MVO2. Conclusion: This study indicates that coronary microvascular dilation in response to increased metabolic stimulation using dobutamine in conjunction with rapid pacing is mediated through a nitric-oxide-dependent mechanism and not ATP-sensitive potassium channels. These results may have important implications in pathological disease states where nitric oxide mechanisms are impaired, such as diabetes and hypertension.
Human Capital Accumulation and Depreciation

In the spirit of T. W. Schultz's contributions to the theory and measurement of human capital, this article discusses the dimensions of human capital, and the technologies used for its accumulation and maintenance. The article emphasizes the role of health as a dimension of human capital that influences the efficiency of acquisition and maintenance of cognitive skills, and the relationship between worker productivity and depreciation of cognitive skills over the life cycle.
The interplay between innate and adaptive immunity regulates cancer development

There is increasing clinical and experimental evidence that inflammation and cancer are causally linked. Much progress has been made in understanding how inflammatory cells contribute to cancer development; however, it is still largely unknown which molecular mechanisms are responsible for initiation and maintenance of chronic inflammation associated with developing neoplasms. This review will discuss how the adaptive and innate immune systems interact during physiological and chronic inflammation, with a focus on studies revealing new insights into the role of adaptive immune cells as important regulators of chronic inflammation-associated carcinogenesis. We will speculate on whether current knowledge about the dysregulated interplay between adaptive and innate immunity during chronic inflammatory disorders might be useful in understanding and targeting the underlying mechanisms of chronic inflammation-associated neoplastic progression.
Verbal fluency in aging and dementia

abstract Fluency tasks from two categories, animals and words beginning with a specified letter (“C”, “F”, “L”), were administered to normal elderly and to elderly with mild or moderate-to-severe senile dementia of the Alzheimer type. In both tasks, normals were superior to both dementia groups, while the mild dementia group was less impaired. Normals and mild dementia subjects retrieved more animal names than “CFL” words. Compared with normals, mild dementia subjects showed a greater performance decrement on the “CFL” words task than on animal naming. Moderate-to-severe dementia subjects showed no difference between tasks. Results suggest that (1) category structure influences retrieval processes, (2) components of the structure are affected differentially during the disease process.
Transient responses of hybridoma metabolism to changes in the oxygen supply rate in continuous culture

Oxygen is an important nutrient that may limit the productivity of commercial cell culture reactors. The transient responses of hybridoma growth and metabolism to step changes in the oxygen supply rate have been examined for dissolved oxygen concentrations (DO) ranging from 0.1% to 10% of air saturation in continuous culture. Metabolic quotients are reported for glucose, lactate, ammonia, oxygen, glutamine, alanine and other amino acids. A majority of the estimated ATP production was due to oxidative phosphorylation under all conditions tested. Decreases in the oxygen supply rate below the value required to maintain 0.5% DO caused the viable cell concentration to decrease. Glycolysis was enhanced at the lower oxygen concentrations, and after an initial decrease, the specific glutamine consumption rate was also higher. High residual glutamine concentrations occurred below 0.5% DO. Oxidation of other amino acids and production of serine were also inhibited. The cells subsequently adapted to low oxygen concentrations. The increase in cell concentration following the return to 10% DO was preceded by increased biosynthetic activity, as evidenced by transiently reduced yields of lactate from glucose, and alanine and ammonia from glutamine.
Effect of Lidocaine on the Ventricular Fibrillation Threshold in the Dog during Acute Ischemia and Premature Ventricular Contractions

The effect of lidocaine on the ventricular fibrillation threshold was investigated in the anesthetized open-chest dog during paced supraventricular rhythm, during acute ligation of the anterior descending coronary artery, and during premature ventricular contractions. The minimum current (in milliamperes) required to induce ventricular fibrillation was determined by passing a train (100 Hz) of 10-14 constant-current pulses through ventricular epicardial electrodes during the vulnerable period of the cardiac cycle. Lidocaine was administered intravenously either as a sudden injection or as a "loading" injection followed by a constant infusion. Following a single injection of 0.7 mg/kg the blood lidocaine decreased to half its original arterial concentration in 9 min. After the termination of a 50-60-min constant drip of 70 µg/kg/min which was preceded by a loading injection of 2 mg/kg, the blood lidocaine concentration fell to 50% of its original value in 31 min. Lidocaine at therapeutic blood levels (1.2-...
The Jewish Social Contract: An Essay in Political Theology – David Novak

Book reviewed: The Jewish Social Contract: An Essay in Political Theology, David Novak, Princeton University Press 2005 (0-691-12210-5), xxi + 257 pp., hb $39.50
Durability and performance of polystyrene-b-poly(vinylbenzyl trimethylammonium) diblock copolymer and equivalent blend anion exchange membranes

Anion exchange membranes (AEM) are solid polymer electrolytes that facilitate ion transport in fuel cells. In this study, a polystyrene-b-poly(vinylbenzyl trimethylammonium) diblock copolymer was evaluated as potential AEM and compared with the equivalent homopolymer blend. The diblock had a 92% conversion of reactive sites with an IEC of 1.72 ± 0.05 mmol g−1, while the blend had a 43% conversion for an IEC of 0.80 ± 0.03 mmol g−1. At 50°C and 95% relative humidity, the chloride conductivity of the diblock was higher, 24–33 mS cm−1, compared with the blend, 1–6 mS cm−1. The diblock displayed phase separation on the length scale of 100 nm, while the blend displayed microphase separation (∼10 μm). Mechanical characterization of films from 40 to 90 microns thick found that elasticity and elongation decreased with the addition of cations to the films. At humidified conditions, water acted as a plasticizer to increase film elasticity and elongation. While the polystyrene-based diblock displayed sufficient ionic conductivity, the films' mechanical properties require improvement, i.e., greater elasticity and strength, before use in fuel cells. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015, 132, 41596.
Geometric Deformation of Three-Dimensional Prostate Model With Applications to Computerized Training of Cryosurgery

As a part of an ongoing effort to develop computerized training tools for cryosurgery, this study presents a computational technique to geometrically deform a three-dimensional organ template in order to generate clinically relevant prostate models. Cryosurgery is the destruction of undesired tissues by freezing, where prostate cryosurgery often involves the complete destruction of the gland. The objective of creating deformed models is to develop a database for computerized training [1]. The challenges in generating a prostate model from a template are associated with asymmetry of the organ, and the variability in growth patterns exhibited in the population of prostate cancer patients.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Control of the entropic interactions and phase behavior of athermal nanoparticle/homopolymer thin film mixtures

It is shown that the phase behavior of an athermal thin film nanoparticle/polymer hybrid material of polystyrene (PS) with PS-grafted gold nanoparticles is readily tailored through control of the degrees of polymerization, N and P, of the grafted and the free chains, respectively, and the relative size of the nanoparticle to the average dimensions of both the grafted and the host chains. Complete miscibility or a surface-induced phase transition, leading to segregation of the particles to an interface, is readily achieved in this system.
Regional-scale comparisons of vegetation and soil wetness with surface energy budget properties from satellite and in-situ observations

Abstract This study focuses on relationships between vegetation cover, soil moisture, precipitation and evapotranspiration for the Midwest and Great Plains region of the central United States in early June 1988, the year of the Midwest drought. The data base consists of: (1) microwave estimates of soil moisture made using data from the Special Sensor Microwave/Imager (SSM/I); (2) Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) estimates made using data from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR); (3) surface‐based Antecedent Precipitation Index (API) estimates made using precipitation records from surface reporting stations and; (4) estimates of sensible heating, evapotranspiration and an “effective” surface roughness made for the region using a combination of satellite‐measured surface “skin” temperatures from geostationary (GOES) satellites and radiosonde measurements of the time‐changes of the height of the planetary boundary layer (DH) from the synoptic network. The scatter diagram of the ...
Multiple conformational states of the bacteriophage T4 capsid surface lattice induced when expansion occurs without prior cleavage.

Abstract The maturation pathway of bacteriophage T4 capsid provides a model system for the study of large-scale conformational changes, in that the precursor capsid progresses through four long-lived and widely differing states. The surface lattice first assembled (uncleaved/unexpanded state: hexagonal lattice constant, a = 11.8 nm) undergoes proteolytic cleavage (cleaved/unexpanded state), then expands (cleaved/expanded state: a = 14.0 nm), and then binds accessory proteins. The most profound change, expansion, normally follows cleavage of the major capsid protein gp23 to gp23* (the 65-residue N-terminal “Δ-domain” is removed), but can be induced in vitro in the absence of cleavage by treatment with 0.25 M guanidine–HCl (uncleaved/expanded state). We have studied this alternative pathway by negative staining electron microscopy of polyheads (tubular capsid variants). We find that uncleaved/expanded polyheads encompass four discrete states, called G1–G4, distinguished by their lattice constants of 12.6 nm (G1), 13.4 nm (G2), and 14.0 nm (G3, G4) and by the structures of their hexameric capsomers. Viewed in projection, the G4 capsomer differs from the cleaved/expanded capsomer only in the presence of additional mass at one site per protomer. This mass correlates with the presence of the Δ-domain, which translocates from the inner to the outer surface when the uncleaved lattice expands. Based on proximity of resemblance among these capsomers, we suggest that G1 to G4 represent a sequence of transitional states whose endpoint is G4. G1, G2, and G3 may correspond to intermediates that are too short-lived to be observed when the cleaved lattice expands, but are trapped by the retention of Δ-domains at the interfaces between subunits in the uncleaved lattice.
Role of remote sensing in characterization of methane sources and distribution

This research uses the case study of methane characterization in order to explore more generally the design of remote sensing systems in response to specific environmental questions, and the integration of space based measurements with those of other platforms. In particular, this analysis examines the potential contributions of space based instruments to one of the most important objectives of a methane characterization program: a better understanding of the spatial behavior of sources. Due to its long atmospheric lifetime and relatively homogeneous distribution, any methane signal to be detected through remote sensing is small. The methane attributes of interest are not directly observable, but must be inferred through inversion of the spatially (and perhaps spectrally), integrated signal received by the instrument. This investigation explores the extent to which methane characterization is limited by uncertainty on the temperature profile, the water profile, surface albedo, and instrument noise. The capabilities of anticipated NASA Earth Observing System instruments in the context of various system configurations will be discussed.
Sticky History: Connecting Historians with the Public

Abstract Public historians have long been putting history to work in meaningful ways, cultivating collaborative opportunities, building partnerships, and engaging with the public. In times of economic uncertainty, communicating the relevance of history and the work of historians is more important than ever. This article suggests ways to apply marketing communication principles to connect public historians with their audience. This article is a revised version of the presidential address delivered March 13, 2010 at the National Council on Public History9s annual meeting in Portland, Oregon. Marking the thirtieth anniversary of the incorporation of NCPH, it recaps the origins and evolution of the organization over three decades, and proposes an action plan for its growth into the future.
Valley winds in the mount Rainier area

Four summer seasons of field work near Mt. Rainier have shown that a well-developed valley wind system tends to have the following features: Airflow within a valley is up the valley during the day and down it at night and is compensated by a return flow (anti-wind) at a higher level. The layers occupied by the two flows are of approximately equal thickness, and the boundary between them is generally at, or somewhat below, ridgeheight. Above the anti-wind, the flow depends on the large-scale synoptic situation. Horizontal wind speed in these two layers is greatest slightly below the center of each layer. Speeds reach a maximum in early afternoon and just beforce sunrise. The reversal between day and nighttime flows is almost simultaneous everywhere in the valley, about an hour after sunnet and sunrise. Vertical transport of air between the two layers appears to be localized, mainly in the neighborhood of the ridges. Slope winds apparently feed the vertical currents. Speed fluctuations, having a period of about 20 minutes, were observed in drainage winds near the surface at night. When a well-developed wind system occured in one valley, well-developed systems tended to occur in other valleys in the same area.
Involvement of Fatty Acid Binding Protein 5 and PPARβ/δ in Prostate Cancer Cell Growth

Fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5) delivers ligands from the cytosol directly to the nuclear receptor PPAR/ and thus facilitates the ligation and enhances the transcriptional activity of the receptor. We show here that expression levels of both FABP5 and PPAR/ are correlated with the tumorigenic potential of prostate cancer cell lines. We show further that FABP5 comprises a direct target gene for PPAR/ and thus the binding protein and its cognate receptor are engaged in a positive feedback loop. The observations demonstrate that, similarly to effects observed in mammary carcinomas, activation of the FABP5/PPAR/ pathway induces PPAR/ target genes involved in cell survival and growth and enhances cell proliferation and anchorage-independent growth in prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, the data show that downregulation of either FABP5 or PPAR/ inhibits the growth of the highly malignant prostate cancer PC3M cells. These studies suggest that the FABP5/PPAR/ pathway may play a general role in facilitating tumor progression and that inhibition of the pathway may comprise a novel strategy in treatment of cancer.
Effects of Climate and Lifeporm on Dry Matter Yield (E) from Simulations Using Biome-BGC

An ecosystem process simulation model, BIOME-BGC, is used in a sensitivity analysis to determine the factors that may cause the dry matter yield (epsilon) and annual net primary production to vary for different ecosystems. At continental scales, epsilon is strongly correlated with annual precipitation. At a single location, year-to-year variation in net primary production (NPP) and epsilon is correlated with either annual precipitation or minimum air temperatures. Simulations indicate that forests have lower epsilon than grasslands. The most sensitive parameter affecting forest epsilon is the total amount of living woody biomass, which affects NPP by increasing carbon loss by maintenance respiration. A global map of woody biomass should significantly improve estimates of global NPP using remote sensing.
The Temperature Distribution Within a Sphere Placed in a Directed Uniform Heat Flux and Allowed to Radiatively Cool

The temperature field within a sphere is found when the sphere is heated by a directed heat flux and cooled by blackbody radiation. For small heat fluxes, the analytic solution is obtained by transform methods. For large heat fluxes, the solution is computed numerically.
Tunable N-path mismatch shaping for multibit bandpass delta-sigma modulators

Many radio applications require the use of programmable bandpass ΔΣ converter. In the digital-to-analog converter (DAC) used within a ΔΣ converter, non-linearities created by DAC element mismatch error can be spectrally shaped to fall outside the signal band. The mismatch shapers within these converters thus also need to be programmable in order to follow the signal band. This paper proposes a new technique that tunes the center frequency of a mismatch noise transfer function while using an arbitrary mismatch shaping algorithm.
Low-Temperature Bonding to 304 Stainless Steel for High-Temperature Electronic Packaging

In this paper, silicon (Si) chips were bonded to 304 stainless steel (304 SS) substrates using silver-indium (Ag-In) binary system without any use of flux. 304 SS substrates were also bonded to 304 SS substrates to develop a low-temperature fluxless process to seal two 304 SS parts together. In the bonding design, Ag and In were deposited separately in a layered structure. Various processes and solutions were experimented to plate Ag on 304 SS. So far, we have not found a process that could plate Ag directly on 304 SS without an intermediate layer. At present, the most successful intermediate layer seems to be nickel (Ni). Thus, Ni was plated on 304 SS, followed by Ag. The resulting 304 304 SS substrates were annealed to increase Ag grain size if grain growth is needed for successful bonding. Nearly joints were produced on Si to 304 SS bonding and 304 SS to 304 SS bonding. The resulting joints consist of Ag, Ag-rich solid solution (Ag), Ag3In, and Ag2In. The joints were fabricated at only 190°C. Yet, the resulting joints exceed 660°C in melting temperature. This new bonding technique should be valuable for packaging electronic devices that need a high operating temperature. It is also useful for bonding 340 SS parts together at low temperature.
Borehole Flowmeter Application in Fluvial Sediments: Methodology, Results, and Assessment

In many situations, inadequate design or performance of ground-water remediation systems is the result of underestimation of aquifer hydraulic heterogeneity, and in particular, the vertical variation of hydraulic conductivity which plays an important role in contaminant migration. Described herein are applications of the electromagnetic (EM) borehole flowmeter to fluvial sediments in Louisiana and South Carolina. The direction of natural vertical flow in the test aquifers was defined easily, and short pumping tests enabled the calculation of hydraulic conductivity profiles for each test well. The results correlated well with other information obtained independently, including natural gamma logs, driller`s logs and a hydraulic conductivity profile based on grain size analysis. Large variations in hydraulic conductivity over short vertical and horizontal distances were documented. Tests in gravel-packed wells suggested that flowmeters produce misleading data for a variety of reasons in such situations. Among other things, an annulus of high permeability around a well screen allows flow to bypass the meter, and the phenomenon is amplified by high pumping rates. The resulting error is displayed as an erroneous high permeability zone at the top of the well screen. This observation deserves further study. In its present form the EM flowmeter is awkward to handle more » on a routine basis. However, none of the present design flaws preclude its effective use. « less
Phthalocyanine polymers. III. Poly(nickel phthalocyanine)benzimidazole as a novel high‐temperature‐resistant polymer

A new type of poly(nickel phthalocyanine)benzimidazole was prepared by the condensation reaction between nickel (11) 4,4′,4″,4″′-phthalocyanine tetracarboxylic acid dihydrate and 3, 3′-diaminobenzidine. The reaction was investigated by both the melt and solution condensation methods. This polymer showed good thermal and thermo-oxidative stability. Also noteworthy is its high thermal stability with a char yield of 88% at 800°C in nitrogen. No catastrophic decomposition was observed up to 1100°C. A qualitative study of decomposition in both air and nitrogen is presented. Elemental analyses agreed well with the proposed structure. Infrared (IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies were performed to characterize this polymer, and isothermal gravimetric analysis was done to determine its long-term thermal stability. The apparent activation energies for the thermal degradation in air and nitrogen are given.
Novel Selective Estrogen Mimics for the Treatment of Tamoxifen-Resistant Breast Cancer

Endocrine-resistant breast cancer is a major clinical obstacle. The use of 17β-estradiol (E2) has reemerged as a potential treatment option following exhaustive use of tamoxifen or aromatase inhibitors, although side effects have hindered its clinical usage. Protein kinase C alpha (PKCα) expression was shown to be a predictor of disease outcome for patients receiving endocrine therapy and may predict a positive response to an estrogenic treatment. Here, we have investigated the use of novel benzothiophene selective estrogen mimics (SEM) as an alternative to E2 for the treatment of tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer. Following in vitro characterization of SEMs, a panel of clinically relevant PKCα-expressing, tamoxifen-resistant models were used to investigate the antitumor effects of these compounds. SEM treatment resulted in growth inhibition and apoptosis of tamoxifen-resistant cell lines in vitro. In vivo SEM treatment induced tumor regression of tamoxifen-resistant T47D:A18/PKCα and T47D:A18-TAM1 tumor models. T47D:A18/PKCα tumor regression was accompanied by translocation of estrogen receptor (ER) α to extranuclear sites, possibly defining a mechanism through which these SEMs initiate tumor regression. SEM treatment did not stimulate growth of E2-dependent T47D:A18/neo tumors. In addition, unlike E2 or tamoxifen, treatment with SEMs did not stimulate uterine weight gain. These findings suggest the further development of SEMs as a feasible therapeutic strategy for the treatment of endocrine-resistant breast cancer without the side effects associated with E2.
Non-rigid illusory contours and global shape transformations defined by spatiotemporal boundary formation.

Spatiotemporal boundary formation (SBF) is the perception of form, global motion, and continuous boundaries from relations of discrete changes in local texture elements (Shipley & Kellman, 1994). In two experiments, small, circular texture elements underwent small displacements whenever an edge of an invisible (virtual) object passed over them. Unlike previous studies that examined only rigidly translating objects, we tested virtual objects whose properties changed continuously. Experiment 1 tested rigid objects that changed in orientation, scale, and velocity. Experiment 2 tested displays that transformed non-rigidly across a series of virtual object shapes. Results showed that robust SBF occurred for all of the rigid transformations tested, as well as for non-rigid virtual objects, producing the perception of continuously bounded, smoothly deforming shapes. These novel illusions involve perhaps the most extreme cases of visual perception of continuous boundaries and shape from minimal information. They show that SBF encompasses a wider range of illusory phenomena than previously understood, and they present substantial challenges for existing models of SBF.
Effects of Affective Expectations on Affective Experience: The Moderating Role of Optimism-Pessimism

The Affective Expectation Model contends that affective expectations shape affective experience. Specifically, it argues that affective experiences are generally assimilated toward expectations when the two are congruent or when a discrepancy between the two is not noticed. When a discrepancy exists and is noticed, however, affective experiences should be contrasted from the expectation. Two experiments using psychology undergraduates (Ns = 122 and 105) were conducted to test whether the individual-difference variable optimism-pessimism moderates these effects. It was hypothesized that optimists, because of their tendency to overlook contradictions, are less likely to recognize when an affective expectation is disconfirmed and thus often assimilate their affective reactions toward expectations. However, it was hypothesized that pessimists, because of their greater sensitivity to contradictions, are more likely to notice when an experience is discrepant from an expectation and thus often contrast their aff...
Sources and Monitors: A Trust Model for Peer-to-Peer Networks

In this paper, we introduce an objective model of trust in peer-to-peer networks. Based on this model, we develop protocols that can be used by the peers in a peer-to-peer network to compute the trust values of other peers in these networks. According to our model, the trust value of a peer is the probability that this peer sends correct messages to other peers, provided that this probability is at least 0.6. (A peer whose probability of sending correct messages is less than 0.6 is regarded as a bad peer that cannot be trusted by other peers in the network.) Each peer actively monitors several good peers in the network and accurately estimates the trust values of each of them. The peers then exchange messages about the trust values of the good peers that they have monitored, and each of them ends up accurately computing the trust values of many good peers in the network, even though many of the exchanged messages are arbitrarily wrong. Through analysis and simulation, we show that a peer in a network can compute the trust values of about 100 good peers in the network, while keeping the error in computing these trust values below 10-4.
High Index Of Refraction Films For Dielectric Mirrors Prepared By Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition

A wide variety of metal oxides with high index of refraction can be prepared by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition. We present some recent optical and laser damage results on oxide films prepared by MOCVD which could be used in a multilayer structure for highly reflecting (HR) dielectric mirror applications. The method of preparation affects both optical properties and laser damage threshold.
Irisin and the therapeutic benefits of exercise

We are experiencing a worldwide epidemic of obesity and type II diabetes. Our group has been interested in the development of both white and brown fat, particularly at the level of gene transcription. PGC1α was first described as a coactivator of PPARγ in the control of brown fat-mediated thermogenesis. More recent work has shown that PGC1α controls much of an exercise program in skeletal muscle. We have now found that PGC1α expression and exercise control the expression of Fndc5, a membrane protein of skeletal muscle. Fndc5 is proteolysed to give rise to a new secreted protein of 112 amino acids that we have called irisin. Irisin circulates in both muse and man, and even mild elevations of irisin activates the browning of white fat, causing increased energy expenditure and reducing obesity. Irisin administration via adenoviral vectors also greatly improves glucose homeostasis in high-fat fed mice. Most recently we have identified cell surface binding of irisin that is likely to represent a cell surface receptor. These data indicate that irisin is a protein regulated in muscle by exercise that gives some of the benefits of exercise on energy homeostasis and metabolic disease.
Developing the capacity of ethics consultants to promote just resource allocation.

One of the most striking findings of the study by Foglia and colleagues (2009) was that clinicians and managers were most concerned with limited resources while ethics committee chairpersons focuse...
Exponential data fitting applied to environmental data

Most lumped rainfall-runoff models separate the interflow and groundwater components from the measured runoff hydrograph in an attempt to model these as hydrologic reservoir units. Similarly, rainfall losses due to infiltration as well as other abstractions are separated from the measured rainfall hyetograph, which serve as inputs to the various hydrologic reservoir units. When measured infiltration data is available, Horton's exponential infiltration model is preferable due to its simplicity. However, estimating the parameters from Horton's model constitutes a nonlinear least squares fitting problem. In a similar context, the separation of direct runoff, interflow, and baseflow from the total hydrograph is typically done using exponential models in a rather "layer peeling" fashion, which in essence also constitutes an exponential data fitting problem. In this paper we show that fitting a Hortonian model to experimental data, as well as performing hydrograph separation can be formulated as a system identification problem in the state-space domain. The main advantage is that the parameters can be estimated in a non iterative fashion, using robust numerical linear algebra techniques. The algorithms are tested with real data from field experiments performed in Surinam, as well as with real hydrograph data from a watershed in Louisiana.
A functional variant at the miR-885-5p binding site of CASP3 confers risk of both index and second primary malignancies in patients with head and neck cancer

Caspases are important regulators and executioners in the apoptosis pathways and play crucial roles in carcinogenesis. We tested the hypothesis that functional variants of CASP genes are associated with risk of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and second primary malignancy (SPM). We genotyped 7 selected, potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the microRNA binding sites of the 3′ untranslational region (UTR; 2 in CASP3, 1 in CASP6, and 4 in CASP7) and evaluated their associations first with risk of SCCHN in 1066 patients with SCCHN and 1074 cancer-free control subjects and then with SPM in 846 patients in the same non-Hispanic white study population. We found that compared with the CASP3 TT genotype of rs1049253, the variant TC/CC genotypes were associated with significantly increased risk of SCCHN (adjusted odds ratio=1.29 and 95% confidence interval=1.07-1.56) and SPM (adjusted hazard ratio=1.79 and 95% CI=1.02–3.16) and worse SPM-free survival (log-rank P = 0.020), but no associations were found for the other 6 SNPs. We then performed additional experiments to seek functional relevance of the rs1049253 SNP. First, the luciferase activity and miR-885-5p mimic transfection tests suggested that CASP3 was the target of miR-885-5p and that rs1049253T>C resulted in altered regulation of the CASP3 expression. Second, the rs1049253 CC genotype was associated with reduced levels of CASP3 mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 118 SCCHN patients and 103 cancer-free control subjects and lower levels of CASP3 protein expression in 11 head and neck cancer cell lines, compared with the TT genotype. Taken together, our data suggest that the miR-885-5p binding site rs1049253T>C SNP in the 3′-UTR of CASP3 modulates CASP3 expression at both mRNA and protein levels and thus contributes to SCCHN susceptibility. Guan, X., Liu, Z., Liu, H., Yu, H., Wang, L.-E., Sturgis, E. M., Li, G., and Wei, Q. A functional variant at the miR-885-5p binding site of CASP3 confers risk of both index and second primary malignancies in patients with head and neck cancer.
Racial Ambiguity and Relationship Formation in the United States: Theoretical and Practical Considerations

This article explores in conceptual terms the nature of romantic relationship formation and maintenance when a potential or actual partner does not fit into the dominant racial schema – a situation we define as ‘racial ambiguity.’ When a potential other cannot be classified according to one’s existing notions of racial organization, how does this ambiguity affect approach and maintenance? In the discussion, we first explore the concept of racial ambiguity as a function of the peculiar and distinctive American construction of race. Next, we examine conceptual perspectives that can be used to understand the role of racial classification and racial ambiguity in personal relationship formation and maintenance. And, finally, we discuss strategies for incorporating more fluid understandings of race into research on personal relationships.
Vegetative Identification of Tropical Woody Plants: State of the Art and Annotated Bibliography1

This annotated bibliography is provided in order to assess the achievements and gaps in the literature on vegetative identification of woody plants in the tropics. The bibliography includes 258 references divided into general references (48), pantropical and multi-continental keys (4), Africa (46), Asia (53), Australia and New Guinea (21), and the Neotropics (86). Vegetative keys are not easy shortcuts to the identification of woody tropical plants to species. Identification of sterile material requires as much, if not more, training as that required for using keys that emphasize floral and fruit characters. Nevertheless, the literature surveyed in this bibliography may be helpful to biologists seeking references for the geographic region in which they work, models for the construction of vegetative keys and field guides, and/or the types of characters that should be observed in the field.
Group Work in the Psychiatric Hospital: A Critical Review of the Literature

Social group work is practiced in a vari- elude the relationship between the practice ety of settings. The psychiatric or mental of "traditional" group work and the type hospital is one area that has recently practiced in the psychiatric hospital. The incorporated this approach into its pro- first five tend to relate to theory, while the gram. It is as one of the methods used sixth involves more aspects for practice, in the total treatment process of the thera peutic milieu that group work in the psy- BACKGROUND INFORMATION chiatric hospital functions.
Inhibition by L-Dopa and Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors of Pituitary Prolactin Release; Stimulation by Methyldopa and d-Amphetamine

SummaryA single intraperitoneal injection of L-dopa, the precursor of dopamine, into female rats significantly reduced serum prolactin concentration at 30 min, 1 hr, and 2 hr after injection compared to pretreatment levels or control rats not given this drug. A single injection of each of 3 monoamine oxidase inhibitors, pargyline, iproniazid or Lilly-15641, also significantly decreased serum prolactin below pretreatment values. Injection of L-dopa and pargyline together was more effective than either alone in lowering serum prolactin. Each of the above drugs is believed to reduce pituitary prolactin release because it increases catecholamine activity in the hypothalamus. By contrast, a single injection of methyldopa, which inhibits catecholamine synthesis, increased serum prolactin many fold over pretreatment levels. A single injection of d-amphetamine, a sympatheticomimetic drug, also greatly increased serum prolactin concentration.AddendumThe hypothalami of the rats treated with saline (controls), ipron...
Microsatellite development for an endangered riparian inhabitant, Lilaeopsis schaffneriana subsp. recurva (Apiaceae).

 Premise of the study: Microsatellite markers were developed and characterized to evaluate genetic diversity and population structure in Lilaeopsis schaffneriana subsp. recurva , an endangered species endemic to wetlands dispersed throughout southeastern Arizona, USA, and northern Sonora, Mexico.  Methods and Results: Eight loci (one of which was monomorphic) were developed and characterized in 48 individuals from two populations. The total number of alleles was 35, ranging from one to 10 per locus. Many of the primers amplifi ed in L. carolinensis , L. chinensis , L. masonii , L. occidentalis , L. schaffneriana subsp. schaffneriana , Oxypolis fendleri , and Eryngium lemmonii.  Conclusions: Development of these novel microsatellite loci will facilitate a deeper understanding of genetic diversity, mode of reproduction, and population structure not only in L. schaffneriana subsp. recurva , but also in apiaceous relatives.
Bosnia v. Serbia: What Went Wrong?

The Purpose of this Note is to identify the root of the International Court of Justice's (the ICJ) overly strict decision in Bosnia v. Serbia and Montenegro. In Bosnia v. Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia claimed Serbia was liable for the genocidal acts of various Serbian militia groups during the Balkan Wars. The Balkan Wars were the result of the collapse of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. During that collapse, Bosnia and Serbia were among numerous countries that fought violent ethnic wars to define their newly emerging borders. Bosnia submitted a wealth of evidence to the ICJ to support its assertion, including documents that proved Serbia was at minimum the financial and logistical architect of militia groups who were guilty of genocide against the Bosnians. Serbia, however, claimed it had no affiliation with those groups. To decide whether Serbia was liable, the ICJ invoked the Draft Articles on State Responsibility (Draft Articles) and the Genocide Convention. The court, however, attached its own fully conclusive standard of proof to those two documents, and charged Bosnia with an unrealistic and one-sided burden of proof. These standards spelled certain doom for Bosnia. As a result, Serbia was not found liable; despite the wealth of evidence that said otherwise. This Note argues the ICJ should both adopt a lower proof beyond a reasonable doubt standard of proof and move burdens of proof to non cooperative parties in future decisions. This Note further argues that, although states may be able to successfully bring other charges against perpetrators (such as war crimes or crimes against humanity), states will continuously focus solely on the crime of genocide. The reason behind this stubbornness is purely psychological; victims of such grave crimes will never settle for lesser charges, because they can not see their traumas as resulting from anything less than the most dramatic of crimes. Finally, these arguments are particularly relevant for international criminal law, looking forward. The ICJ has recently moved towards prosecution of the government in Khartoum for the slaughters that have occurred in Darfur. If the ICJ does not clean up its act, yet another country will escape liability for genocidal acts.
Summary on Chemical control of fleas

Plague vector control is one of the key measures in preventing epizootic plague and even bubonic plague of human beings.During the plague epidemic,chemical control is adopted for its characteristics of high-efficiency and celerity.It is imperative to employ chemical pesticide which is effective,low in toxicity,long-lasting and less in pollution,thereby minimizing the toxic effect on humankind and non-target animals and reducing contamination to the environment.The principles in plague vector control are clarifying the major species of vector in the epidemic plague focus,choosing accurate period for depulization,which normally should be prior to the reproduction season of plague vector fleas as well as the epidemic season of the plague,and differing parasitic fleas according to various places and hosts.On the basis of the aforesaid principles,countermeasures can be taken,including the selection of proper type and dose of pesticide.
Applied Sociology and Social Work: Manpower and Theoretical Issues

Applied sociology and social work are compared and contrasted historically. Significant literature is reviewed that illustrates chronologically past cooperative efforts. Academic and practice integration of the two disciplines are identified in their modern context as well as trends are identified. Manpower issues that parallel and separate the two disciplines are explored. It is argued that current changes in funding of educational programs could have much impact on both disciplines and determine future differentiation.
Macroseismic Effect of the November 10, 1940 Earthquake in the Territory of Moldova, Ukraine and Russia

The November 10, 1940 Vrancea earthquake—a remarkable seismic event in the recent history of Eastern Europe. Over the past 200 years, it was the strongest of all that occurred in the Vrancea focal zone. Macroseismic manifestation of the November 10, 1940 earthquake is of great interest, based on the possibility of a repetition of such events in the first half of the 21 century. The collected data about the earthquake November 10, 1940 proved to be very useful in seismic hazard assessment in South-Eastern Europe. This devastating event served also as a pretext to organize systematic seismological observations in the Carpathian region. 75 years have passed since the event happened, but so far, no complete study has been conducted within the East-European Platform. In the present work, we collected and analyzed anew all available macroseismic data to the northeast of the epicenter, up to the limits of the event manifestation. As a result of analysis and generalization of macroseismic information contained in the special literature, the new table with intensity values for the territory of Moldova, Ukraine and Russia was made, and the isoseismal map of this earthquake was drawn. The macroseismic effect for the Eastern Europe was compared with January 23, 1838, March 4, 1977, August 30, 1986 and May 30, 1990 earthquakes. The comparison of the intensity areas for the strongest earthquakes of the Vrancea region was performed.
Teaching Physical Literacy to Promote Healthy Lives: TGfU and Related Approaches.

The knowledge acquired in physical education classes should provide for an increase in physical activity and promote interest in healthier lifestyles. Despite the importance of physical literacy developed in physical education classes, physical education is not perceived as important, and funding for physical education has decreased. This paper highlights the importance of physical education on the development of competent, confident students by reviewing instructional approaches: The Teaching Games for Understanding approach and its derivatives. Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) can contribute to critical thinking, autonomy and classroom skills as well as better understanding of physical activity and its importance for physical literacy when compared to traditional physical education methods. Multiple research studies are discussed in this paper to illustrate how TGfU can holistically increase a student’s ability to perform in academic classes as well as in physical education. These studies can help present a strong argument for the support of funding physical education programs and the recognition of physical educators.
The Wall: Where Every Trace Begins

The wall produces the discontinuity with the substrate that defines the existence of a trace. It reveals the behavior of the trace maker contributing to its identification, it allows for the extraction of paleoenvironmental inferences, and gives to the traces different potential of preservation. In this chapter, boundary walls, lined walls, free standing walls, and their macro and micromorphological features produced by insects are described and illustrated, along with behaviors that produce them and materials utilized. The different types of linings defined for insect traces are: fluidized, stained, multilayered, clay, organic, passive and pelletal, and combinations among them. Descriptions presented in this chapter are also useful to recognize these types in trace fossils of other organisms. A review of other important feature of the walls, the surface morphology, is accomplished in this chapter. Surface morphologies allow for the recognition of pelletal arrangements, impressions of legs, and silk weaves in insect trace fossils.
Changing the Praxis of Retention in Higher Education: A Plan to TEACH All Learners

America is heralded as the land of opportunity, and yet opportunities remain limited for hundreds of thousands of marginalized youth in the country. Nationally, students in K–12 education who are B...
ICU complications of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation including graft versus host disease

Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) is a common procedure with an array of indications. While in the appropriate patient this therapy can be life-saving, it does come with a risk of significant complications, many of which might require intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Shock, altered mental status, renal failure and respiratory therapy can all occur. From a pulmonary standpoint, a host of etiologies for respiratory therapy have been observed. The common causes of pulmonary dysfunction include infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi or Mycobacteria as well as noninfectious conditions such as hemorrhage, Idiopathic Pneumonia Syndrome, and Broniolitis Obliterans Syndrome. The following chapter outlines in detail the common ICU complications of HSCT including presentation, diagnosis and therapy.