cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing Postpartum Care Utilization from Medicaid Claims and the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System in Wisconsin, 2011–2015

To compare two data sources from Wisconsin—Medicaid claims and Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) surveys—for measuring postpartum care utilization and to better understand the incongruence between the sources. We used linked Medicaid claims and PRAMS surveys of Wisconsin residents who delivered a live birth during 2011–2015 to assess women’s postpartum care utilization. Three different definitions of postpartum care from Medicaid claims were employed to better examine bundled service codes and timing of care. We used one question from the PRAMS survey that asks women if they have had a postpartum checkup. Concordance between the two data sources was examined using Cohen’s Kappa value. For women who reported having a postpartum checkup on PRAMS but did not have a Medicaid claim for a traditional postpartum visit, we determined the other types of health care visits these women had after delivery documented in the Medicaid claims. Among the 2313 women with a Medicaid-paid delivery and who completed a PRAMS survey, 86.6% had claims for a postpartum visit during the first 12 weeks postpartum and 90.5% self-reported a postpartum checkup on PRAMS (percent agreement = 79.9%, Kappa = 0.015). The percent agreement and Kappa values varied based on the definition of postpartum care derived from the Medicaid claims data. There was slight agreement between Medicaid claims and PRAMS data. Most women had Medicaid claims for postpartum care at some point in the first 12 weeks postpartum, although the timing of these visits was somewhat unclear due to the use of bundled service codes.
Electrical Probing Attacks

Physical attacks can compromise the confidentiality and integrity of modern cryptography by observing a chip’s silicon implementation. Such attacks are especially threatening to chips with intellectual property (IP) value and ICs deployed in smartcards, smartphones, military systems, and financial systems that process sensitive information. This chapter introduces electrical probing attacks and countermeasures.
Organization and emergence of a mixed GABA-glycine retinal circuit that provides inhibition to mouse ON-sustained alpha retinal ganglion cells

In the retina, amacrine interneurons inhibit retinal ganglion cell (RGC) dendrites to shape retinal output. Amacrine cells typically use either GABA or glycine to exert synaptic inhibition. Here, we combined transgenic tools with immunohistochemistry, electrophysiology, and 3D electron microscopy to determine the composition and organization of inhibitory synapses across the dendritic arbor of a well-characterized RGC type in the mouse retina: the ON-sustained alpha RGC. We find mixed GABA-glycine receptor synapses across this RGC type, unveiling the existence of "mixed" inhibitory synapses in the retinal circuit. Presynaptic amacrine boutons with dual release sites are apposed to ON-sustained alpha RGC postsynapses. We further reveal the sequence of postsynaptic assembly for these mixed synapses: GABA receptors precede glycine receptors, and a lack of early GABA receptor expression impedes the recruitment of glycine receptors. Together our findings uncover the organization and developmental profile of an additional motif of inhibition in the mammalian retina.
Sharing and Self-Promoting: An Analysis of Educator Tweeting at the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Researchers have documented an array of ways Twitter hashtags offer digital spaces where educators can connect around interests and needs. During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, educators tweeted using various pandemic-related Twitter hashtags. In this study, we analyze data from two such hashtags: #remoteteaching and #remotelearning. We first data mined more than 36,000 tweets and then analyzed a random sample of 1,148 tweets and the accounts which sent those tweets. Our results suggest that the hashtags functioned as spaces in which a variety of education stakeholders engaged in activities that included knowledge sharing, social sharing, and information broadcasting. Alongside and sometimes entangled with such sharing, there was also a great deal of self-promotion. We discuss how these spaces appeared to offer potential benefits to educators navigating the transition to remote teaching but also consider how the presence of self-promotion may suggest downsides to such social mediums. We conclude with implications of these findings for education stakeholders and future research.
Low but not moderate amounts of caffeine increase co-consumption of ethanol in C57BL/6J mice

The increasingly popular combination of "energy drinks" containing high amounts of caffeine and alcohol has been shown to induce a stimulated, rather than sedated, state which may result in increased binge drinking and increased risk for alcohol-attributable accidents. We sought to examine consumption patterns of and withdrawal from alcohol and caffeine using a voluntary co-consumption animal model. Male and female adult C57BL/6J mice were given access to increasing doses of caffeine (0.01-0.05%) and/or alcohol (3-20%) in a two-bottle choice, intermittent access voluntary paradigm with fluid consumption recorded daily. Anxiety-like behavior during withdrawal was assessed via elevated plus maze or open field test in experiment 2. Increasing both alcohol and caffeine simultaneously in Experiment 1 resulted in no significant changes in co-consumption compared to mice given access to only alcohol or caffeine. Experiment 2 held caffeine concentration steady while slowly increasing alcohol content and resulted in mice consuming more alcohol when it was consumed in tandem with low dose caffeine. Both male and female mice consumed more caffeine when it was paired with alcohol; however, no significant differences were observed during withdrawal behavior. These results suggest that caffeine may dose-dependently positively influence alcohol consumption in mice and echo clinical literature suggesting that caffeine and alcohol together may result in a heightened state of stimulation and lead to further binge drinking. The intermittent access paradigm affords increased translational validity regarding investigations of alcohol and caffeine co-consumption and may be useful in identifying the neurobiological mechanisms concerning co-consumption of such substances.
The Influence of School Factors on Racial Opportunity Cost for High-Achieving Students of Color.

Previous work on racial opportunity cost—that is, the price that students of color pay in their pursuit of academic success—is extended here using organizational culture literature to more closely ...
A biomimetic VLSI architecture for small target tracking

Tracking of a target in a cluttered environment requires extensive computational architecture. However, even a small housefly is adept at pursuing its prey. Biomimetic algorithms suggest a way of looking at this problem. In the lobula plate of a fly's brain, a neural circuit is hypothesized based on a tangential cell called the figure detection (FD) cell. The proposed small target fixation algorithm based on electrophysiological recordings does not take into account the translation of the pursuer during pursuit. We have modified the biological algorithm to include this aspect of tracking. In this paper, we present the elaborated biological algorithm for small target tracking, and an analog VLSI implementation of this algorithm.
Análisis Comparativo de las Repercusiones de la Migración Paterna en un Grupo de Estudiantes de Quito

Resumen es: Aunque el fenomeno de la migracion en Ecuador no es nuevo, existe una reciente preocupacion por la situacion de los hijos e hijas de emigrantes que se qu...
New Equation of State for Methane and Propane from Study of Isochoric Data and Multiproperty Analysis

In response to the tremendous interest in correlating thermodynamic properties of fluids at cryogenic conditions, this paper proposes a new equation of state capable of accurately describing PVT, enthalpy, and vapor-pressure behavior of methane and propane for both high-temperature and cryogenic regions. The new equation-of-state form arises from a careful study of isochoric PVT data for methane, and its parameters are determined by the powerful tool of multiproperty analysis [1].
STUDIES ON AMPHIBIAN YOLK. 5. ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS ON THE UTILIZATION OF YOLK PLATELETS DURING EMBRYOGENESIS.

The closely related phenomena of yolk platelet utilization and the progressive differentiation of cells in the developing amphibian embryos have been studied with the electron microscope. The first change in the yolk platelets is a decrease in thickness and a subsequent disappearance of the superficial layer in cells undergoing primary differentiation. At later stages, the surface of the crystalline structure begins to decompose into separate units. Further disintegration of the platelet is coupled with the formation of laminar or vesicular membranes, fine particles, and fibrils. The ultrastructure of the membranous components is very similar to that of cytomembranes. It is not improbable that these membranes represent an intermediate step in the formation of cytomembranes at the expense of yolk platelet material. During the decomposition of yolk platelets, mitochondria, pigment granules, and lipoid bodies are found in a close association with the yolk platelets. In Rana species (as opposed to other amphibian species), crystalline structures typical of yolk platelets frequently located within the mitochondria throughout embryonic development. The significance of this observation is discussed.
3-Phosphoinositide-dependent Protein Kinase-1 (PDK1) promotes invasion and activation of matrix metalloproteinases

Metastasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in breast cancer with tumor cell invasion playing a crucial role in the metastatic process. PDK1 is a key molecule that couples PI3K to cell proliferation and survival signals in response to growth factor receptor activation, and is oncogenic when expressed in mouse mammary epithelial cells. We now present evidence showing that PDK1-expressing cells exhibit enhanced anchorage-dependent and -independent cell growth and are highly invasive when grown on Matrigel. These properties correlate with induction of MMP-2 activity, increased MT1-MMP expression and a unique gene expression profile. Invasion assays in Matrigel, MMP-2 zymogram analysis, gene microarray analysis and mammary isografts were used to characterize the invasive and proliferative function of cells expressing PDK1. Tissue microarray analysis of human breast cancers was used to measure PDK1 expression in invasive tumors by IHC. Enhanced invasion on Matrigel in PDK1-expressing cells was accompanied by increased MMP-2 activity resulting from stabilization against proteasomal degradation. Increased MMP-2 activity was accompanied by elevated levels of MT1-MMP, which is involved in generating active MMP-2. Gene microarray analysis identified increased expression of the ECM-associated genes decorin and type I procollagen, whose gene products are substrates of MT1-MMP. Mammary fat pad isografts of PDK1-expressing cells produced invasive adenocarcinomas. Tissue microarray analysis of human invasive breast cancer indicated that PDK1pSer241 was strongly expressed in 90% of samples. These results indicate that PDK1 serves as an important effector of mammary epithelial cell growth and invasion in the transformed phenotype. PDK1 mediates its effect in part by MT1-MMP induction, which in turn activates MMP-2 and modulates the ECM proteins decorin and collagen. The presence of increased PDK1 expression in the majority of invasive breast cancers suggests its importance in the metastatic process.
l-Tryptophan. A non-allosteric organspecific uncompetitive inhibitor of human placental alkaline phosphatase

l-Tryptophan, but not d-tryptophan, inhibits human placental and intestinal alkaline phosphatases, but not those of liver and bone. The nature of this stereospecific organ-specific inhibition has been elucidated. Thus, from a study of the effect of substrate concentration on inhibition in which double-reciprocal plots of 1/v versus 1/s at various inhibitor concentrations were made, this inhibition is judged to be ;uncompetitive'. That the inhibition is non-allosteric is an opinion based on (1) hyperbolic curves obtained from plotting the percentage inhibition against inhibitor concentration; (2) the independence of the inhibition to heat denaturation and urea treatment; (3) the relatively low value of entropy change; and (4) a value close to unity for n, the number of l-tryptophan molecules that combine with one molecule of enzyme. Finally, a homosteric mechanism is further postulated for the inhibition by l-tryptophan based on the increase of optimum temperature for maximum velocity and the decrease of this inhibition with increasing temperature. The mechanism of this inhibition is discussed.
PEG Functionalization of Whispering Gallery Mode Optical Microresonator Biosensors to Minimize Non-Specific Adsorption during Targeted, Label-Free Sensing

Whispering Gallery Mode (WGM) optical microresonator biosensors are a powerful tool for targeted detection of analytes at extremely low concentrations. However, in complex environments, non-specific adsorption can significantly reduce their signal to noise ratio, limiting their accuracy. To overcome this, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) can be employed in conjunction with appropriate recognition elements to create a nonfouling surface capable of detecting targeted analytes. This paper investigates a general route for the addition of nonfouling elements to WGM optical biosensors to reduce non-specific adsorption, while also retaining high sensitivity. We use the avidin-biotin analyte-recognition element system, in conjunction with PEG nonfouling elements, as a proof-of-concept, and explore the extent of non-specific adsorption of lysozyme and fibrinogen at multiple concentrations, as well as the ability to detect avidin in a concentration-dependent fashion. Ellipsometry, contact angle measurement, fluorescence microscopy, and optical resonator characterization methods were used to study non-specific adsorption, the quality of the functionalized surface, and the biosensor’s performance. Using a recognition element ratio to nonfouling element ratio of 1:1, we showed that non-specific adsorption could be significantly reduced over the controls, and that high sensitivity could be maintained. Due to the frequent use of biotin-avidin-biotin sandwich complexes in functionalizing sensor surfaces with biotin-labeled recognition elements, this chemistry could provide a common basis for creating a non-fouling surface capable of targeted detection. This should improve the ability of WGM optical biosensors to operate in complex environments, extending their application towards real-world detection.
The Effect of Prior Knowledge and Metacognition on the Acquisition of a Reading Comprehension Strategy.

Abstract The purpose of this experiment was to determine the effect of expert knowledge and metacognitive knowledge on strategy acquisition using an ecologically valid task. Fourth- and fifth-grade boys were poor readers and baseball experts were trained in the use of a reading strategy (asking why questions), with instruction being embedded in either baseball or nonbaseball stories. The boys were tested for strategy use, recall, and accuracy of monitoring 1 to 3 days after training, then again after 2 to 3 weeks later. Boys trained using baseball stories demonstrated greater strategy use at both post-tests than boys trained using nonbaseball stories, indicating that knowledge base aided in the acquisition of a reading comprehension strategy. Boys with higher declarative metacognition scores demonstrated better strategy acquisition and increased literal recall. All types of recall were higher for baseball stories.
Preparation of pH-responsive polymer membranes by self-organization

Abstract Self-organizing blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and an amphiphilic comb polymer having a PVDF backbone and poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA), side chains are examined as a means to prepare membranes with pH-responsive separation characteristics. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis of membranes prepared from these blends indicates substantial surface segregation of the comb polymer during the standard immersion precipitation process for membrane fabrication, such that a near-surface coverage of 29 wt.% PMAA is achieved on membranes containing 10 wt.% comb (5 wt.% PMAA). Fluorescence microscopy studies on membrane cross-sections further reveal surface expression of PMAA on internal pore channel surfaces throughout the membrane. Membranes cast from these blends exhibit a reversible, pH-dependent flux variation of over an order of magnitude as the feed solution pH is varied between 2 and 8. The pH-dependent conformational changes of the PMAA surface layer are confirmed by force microscopy. These results demonstrate that “smart”, environmentally responsive (ER) membranes can be prepared by immersion precipitation with no post-coagulation processing steps.
Social Contexts of Drug Offers Among American Indian Youth and Their Relationship to Substance Use: An Exploratory Study

In this exploratory study the authors examined the social contexts of American Indian youths' encounters with drug offers and their relationship to substance use. Using an inventory of drug use-related problem situations developed specifically for American Indian youth, questionnaires were completed by 71 American Indian youth at public middle schools in a Southwest metropolitan area. Regression analyses highlight the importance of situational and relational contexts in understanding substance use among the youth in this sample. Exposure to drug offers through parents, other adults, cousins, friends and other peers was associated with different types of substance use. Exposure through parents was particularly salient in predicting the drug use of female respondents. The study underscores the need for development of culturally grounded prevention programs in schools, reservations, and nonreservation communities.
Applications of flow simulation in reactive processing for cases in which the filling stage can be decoupled from heat transfer and chemical reaction

Flow simulation to predict the position of the flow front during SMC and IMC compression molding, RIM, SRIM, and RTM, is very useful in obtaining better molded parts. We have derived criteria to determine when the filling stage for these processes can be decoupled and simulated without regard to heat transfer and chemical reaction. We discuss why a Generalized Hele-Shaw model can be used to predict the flow front. Examples are given of the use of flow simulation in designing and locating SMC charges so as to reduce or eliminate knit lines, in locating IMC injection ports so as to avoid trapping air, in locating RIM injection gates to avoid trapping air and minimize knit-lines, and in locating vents to avoid trapping air in RTM or SRIM molding.
Long noncoding RNAs regulate adipogenesis

The prevalence of obesity has led to a surge of interest in understanding the detailed mechanisms underlying adipocyte development. Many protein-coding genes, mRNAs, and microRNAs have been implicated in adipocyte development, but the global expression patterns and functional contributions of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) during adipogenesis have not been explored. Here we profiled the transcriptome of primary brown and white adipocytes, preadipocytes, and cultured adipocytes and identified 175 lncRNAs that are specifically regulated during adipogenesis. Many lncRNAs are adipose-enriched, strongly induced during adipogenesis, and bound at their promoters by key transcription factors such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (CEBPα). RNAi-mediated loss of function screens identified functional lncRNAs with varying impact on adipogenesis. Collectively, we have identified numerous lncRNAs that are functionally required for proper adipogenesis.
Microsomal NADPH★-cytochrome c reductase from the housefly, Musca domestica solubilization and purification

Abstract NADPH-cytochrome c reductase (E.C. 1.6.2.3) has been solubilized from Musca domestica microsomes by treatment with isobutanol. The soluble enzyme has been partially purified by negative adsorption on zinc phosphate followed by chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and hydroxylapatite columns. The enzyme obtained by the above procedure is a flavoprotein with a molecular weight of approximately 57,000, as determined by Sephadex gel chromatography.
Bond-Orbital Model and the Properties of Tetrahedrally Coordinated Solids

A model electronic structure is explored which attempts to relate a wide range of properties to a few parameters of covalent and polar solids. The model is based upon tight-binding combinations of bonding hybrid orbitals. Of the many overlap matrix elements which enter, only three are retained; the three are associated with covalency, polarity, and metallicity. Many properties may be computed quite simply in terms of the parameters of the model, and measured values of the properties can then be used to determine the parameters. In this study the matrix elements associated with metallicity are obtained directly from the atomic-term values; those associated with covalency and polarity are obtained from the static dielectric constant using essentially the approach of Phillips, but in terms of the formula for the dielectric constant appropriate to this model. Also calculated in terms of the model were the valence energy bands themselves, obtained explicitly for silicon and for gallium arsenide. In treating other properties the unitarity of the final diagonalization was utilized to avoid carrying it out explicitly. The dipole moment of the individual bonds was defined and calculated as was an effective ionic charge and the macroscopic transverse charge. The cohesive energy was also obtained for ionic and metallic structures as well as for the covalent tetrahedral structures. Criteria for the stability of each structure were thereby obtained. The model also explains why some properties scale approximately linearly with the ionicity defined by Phillips.
Optic nerve biopsy in the management of progressive optic neuropathy.

Background In cases of progressive optic neuropathy, diagnostic uncertainty often persists despite extensive work-up. Optic nerve biopsy (ONB) can be considered, especially when visual decline of the affected or fellow eye ensues despite empiric therapy. We aimed to evaluate both diagnostic and therapeutic utilities of ONB based on the long-term experience at a tertiary care institution. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of biopsies over 20 years at a single institution involving intrinsic or adherent optic nerve masses. Main outcome measures included the impact of tissue sampling on reaching a diagnosis and on guiding treatment. Secondary measures included vision in the eye of the ONB and the fellow eye. Results Fifteen patients with a mean age of 51.7 ± 17.4 years underwent biopsies. At the time of biopsy, visual acuity was no light perception in 8 (53%) eyes, light perception to counting fingers in 5 (33%), and 20/400 or better in 2 (13%). The fellow eye of 7 patients (47%) experienced some degree of sequential vision loss before biopsy. Seven specimens included en bloc biopsy of the nerve, 7 contained the dural sheath (usually with a portion of the optic nerve), and 1 only of the compressive mass. Six patients (40%) had tumors. Six of 8 inflammatory lesions biopsied required further clinical data to arrive at specific diagnoses. In one case, a clinical diagnosis could not be made. No patients experienced further vision loss in the fellow eye at last follow-up (median, 8 months). Conclusions In diverse circumstances of progressive optic neuropathy, ONB can be beneficial in establishing the diagnosis. ONB can help direct specific local or systemic treatment, particularly when infectious or inflammatory etiologies are identified. ONB, if considered early in the disease course, can potentially halt or prevent vision loss when the fellow eye is threatened.
The index suggestion problem for object database applications

The index suggestion problem for an object database management system (ODBMS) application is to automatically identify indexes which may speed up the application. We discuss how index choice for an ODBMS application differs from relational database (RDBMS) index optimization, present novel parts of an intuitive cost model for index-related ODBMS operations, and describe the results of experiments designed to validate the model. The model is used to find a list of candidate indexes with expected benefits for an example execution of the application with the user’s test data. Our results demonstrate that an intuitive approach can be used to discover and compare access paths which may improve the performance of the application.
Effects of Symbolic Modeling Procedures and Model Status on Brainstorming Behavior.

Abstract This study investigated the effects of model status and various symbolic (written) modeling procedures on brainstorming behavior. The 136 female undergraduate education majors who served as subjects were randomly assigned to treatment conditions. All subjects were presented with a written description of a pretreatment problem situation and either an instructional model, an exemplary model, a cognitive model, or a control condition. Half the subjects were told that the modeling material presented to them was generated by a PhD consultant in education (high status model) and haft were informed that it was given by a fourth year undergraduate student in education (peer status model). All subjects then were asked to generate solutions to a posttreatment problem. Results indicated that subjects in the experimental conditions produced significantly more solutions than subjects in the control group. No significant differences were found among the three symbolic modeling conditions. Subjects receiving the high status model produced more solutions than those receiving the peer model. Implications for the practice of school-based consultation are discussed.
Nonallergic factors in atopic dermatitis.

Abstract The nonallergic factors in atopic dermatitis are summarized. Atopic skin behaves as if it were in the state of "itchy skin." The inherited tendency to cutaneous vasoconstriction is apparent in the response to change of temperature, to pressure, and to pharmacologic vasodilating agents, such as nicotinic acid and Mecholyl. Vasoconstriction is demonstrable in children, as well as in adults, and in individuals with strong atopic family histories but with no personal atopic disease. Elevations of values for acetylcholine, histamine, and norepinephrine in the atopic skin are discussed. Studies with dermal perfusion confirm the ready release of histamine from the atopic skin and emphasize that a pharmacologic difference may underlie the vasoconstrictor and pruritic responses. Atopic dermatitis may be related to ichthyosis, cataract, alopecia areata, agammaglobulinemia, Aldrich syndrome, and phenylketonuria. Useful genetic markers for the inherited factors in atopic disease may be more readily found in the associated disease pattern than in the external physical characteristics of the patient, and the atopic skin may be a pharmacologically unique hyperreactive skin that responds to many types of physical, chemical, and immunologic stimuli with pruritus.
Insect Parasites of the Green Cloverworm in Missouri

In some years the green cloverworm, Plathypena scabra (F.), has been numerous enough in soybean fields in Missouri and Iowa to necessitate chemical control. The green cloverworm has numerous insect parasites throughout its wide range (Thompson 1946, 1951, 1953), and a few investigations have led to the delineation of the parasites present in specific geographic areas (Kretzschmar 1948, Whiteside et al. 1967).
Ephemeral stream reaches preserve the evolutionary and distributional history of threespine stickleback in the Santa Clara and Ventura River watersheds of southern California

Much remains to be understood about the evolutionary history and contemporary landscape genetics of unarmored threespine stickleback in southern California, where populations collectively referred to as Gasterosteus aculeatus williamsoni have severely declined over the past 70? years and are now endangered. We used mitochon- drial sequence and microsatellite data to assess the popu- lation genetics and phylogeography of unarmored populations sampled immediately downstream from the type locality of G. a. williamsoni in the upper Santa Clara River, and assessed their distinctiveness with respect to low-armor populations in the downstream sections of the river and the adjacent Ventura River. We also character- ized the geographic limits of different plate morphs and evaluated the congruence of those boundaries with barriers to dispersal in both river systems and to neutral genetic variation. We show substantial population structuring within the upper reach of the Santa Clara River, but little partitioning between the lower Santa Clara and Ventura Rivers—we attribute these patterns to different ancestry between spatially subdivided populations within the same drainage, a predominance of downstream gene flow, and ability for coastal dispersal between the Santa Clara and Ventura Rivers. We also show that alleles from introduced low-plate stock have infiltrated a native population in at least one upper Santa Clara River tributary, causing this formerly unarmored population to become gradually low- plated over a 30 ? year time period. Measures of genetic diversity, census surveys, and severe habitat disturbance all indicate that unarmored stickleback near the type locality are currently at high risk of extinction.
Toward an integrated concept of the phenotype

A major problem that transcends the boundaries of biological disciplines is reconciliation of phenotypic change and stability. On the one hand, individual organisms are extraordinarily plastic, responding to life-stage transitions, seasonal cues and environmental change. Some of these changes are permanent and some are reversible, occurring thousands of times during a single lifetime. On the other hand, phenotypic stability is equally evident, enabling reliable recognition of individuals and their assignment into morphs, populations and species.
Seminiferous Tubule Fluid Secretion Is a Sertoli Cell Microtubule-Dependent Process Inhibited by 2,5-Hexanedione Exposure

Abstract Mammalian Sertoli cells are responsible for the formation and secretion of seminiferous tubule fluid (STF) which provides the nutritional and hormonal microenvironment necessary for spermatogenesis. Exposure of rats to 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) results in testicular injury characterized by a decrease of STF secretion which immediately precedes bulk germ cell necrosis. The earliest biochemical change in 2,5-HD-exposed rats is an alteration in testicular microtubule assembly kinetics. In this study, we investigate the relationship between microtubule-dependent processes and STF secretion in adult Sprague-Dawley CD rats by exposing seminiferous tubules to two types of toxicants: (1) those which alter microtubules (colchicine and 2,5-HD) and (3) an inhibitor of protein secretion (brefeldin A, [BFA]). Secretion of STF is quantitated by monitoring the rate of transport of a microinjected oil droplet in the lumen of isolated seminiferous tubules using time-lapse stereoscopic microscopy. The rate of oil droplet transport in seminiferous tubules isolated from testis pretreated in vivo for 2 hr with colchicine (40 μg/testis) was significantly decreased. Exposure of isolated seminiferous tubules to BFA(IO μg/ml) for 10 min also significantly decreased the transport of lumenal oil droplets. Exposure of rats to 1% 2,5-HD in drinking water decreased transport of injected oil droplets in seminiferous tubules beginning at 3 weeks of exposure in the absence of significant alterations in testicular morphology. These data demonstrate that normal STF secretion requires an intact, microtubule-dependent intracellular membrane transport pathway and strengthen the association between 2,5-HD-induced disruption of Sertoli cell STF secretion and 2,5-HD-induced alterations in Sertoli cell microtubules.
Kinetics of Competitive Adsorption of PEO Chains with Different Molecular Weights

Molecular weight driven competitive adsorption of PEO [poly(ethylene oxide)] from aqueous solutions on silica was studied by employing total internal reflectance fluorescence (TIRF) and near-Brewster angle reflectivity. Coumarin tags on PEO chain ends facilitated the distinction between two competing populations differing only in molecular weight. In gentle shearing flow, coadsorption was found to include three steps: independent transport-limited adsorption of both species, exchange of short and long chains, and the ultimate equilibration of the long chains. When the short chains are on the order of 30K and contact the surface for 20 min or less, their displacement by longer chains is transport-limited and approaches completion. However, for short chains of higher MW (120K), their displacement by longer chains becomes slow and less complete, indicating an energy barrier for short chain displacement. A kinetic model for competitive adsorption kinetics was proposed on the basis of the Langmuir adsorption ...
Current applications of fiber optics to fluoroscopy

It is only during the past few years that optic glass fibers have become available for practical usage. Their potential in medical diagnosis is becoming increasingly apparent. The description given here is aimed at roentgen fluoroscopy from hitherto inaccessible small areas. The principles involved include an image-converting receiver at the distal (to the observer) end of a mechanically flexible optic fiber bundle. The latter conducts the converted image to a removed detector such as the eye, a television camera or an image amplifier. Calculations also show that X-irradiation can be substantially reduced by using this method.
Chemokine receptor 1 knockout abrogates natural killer cell recruitment and impairs type-1 cytokines in lymphoid tissue during pulmonary granuloma formation.

Mice with targeted mutation of chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1) were used to assess the contribution of CCR1 agonists to local, regional, and systemic inflammatory-related events during experimental pulmonary granuloma formation. Models of Th1 (type-1) and Th2 (type-2) cell-mediated lung granulomas were induced in wild-type (CCR+/+) and knockout (CCR1−/−) mice by embolizing Sepharose beads coupled to the purified protein derivative of Mycobacterium bovis or soluble antigens derived from Schistosoma mansoni eggs. Morphometric analysis indicated that granuloma sizes were unchanged in CCR1−/− mice, but flow cytometric analyses of dispersed granulomas revealed that natural killer cell recruitment to type-1 lesions was abrogated by 60%. Analysis of cytokine production by draining lymph node cultures showed altered expression in CCR1−/− mice characterized by reduced interleukin-2 and interferon-γ in the type-1 response, and enhanced interleukin-5 and interleukin-13 in the type-2 response. Peripheral blood leukocytosis was also enhanced in the type-1 but not the type-2 response. These findings suggest that CCR1 agonists contribute to multiple immunoinflammatory events in the type-1 granulomatous response with natural killer cell accumulation being particularly sensitive to CCR1 disruption. Although functional efficacy of granulomas may be altered, chemokine redundancy and cytokine reserve seem to make the bulk of the exudative response resistant to CCR1 disruption.
The use of questions as problem-solving strategies during early childhood

This study examined the strategic use of questions to solve problems across early childhood. Participants (N=54, 4-, 5-, and 6-year-olds) engaged in two tasks: a novel problem-solving question task that required asking questions to an informant to determine which card in an array was located in a box and a cognitive flexibility task that required classifying stimuli by multiple dimensions. The results from the question task indicated that there were age differences in the types of questions asked, with 6-year-olds asking more constraint-seeking questions than 4- and 5-year-olds. The number of constraint-seeking questions asked was the only significant predictor of accuracy. Performance on the cognitive flexibility task correlated with both constraint-seeking strategy use and accuracy in the question task. In sum, our results provide evidence that the capacity to use questions to generate relevant information develops before the capacity to apply this information successfully and consistently to solve complex problems. We propose that the process of using questions as strategic tools is an ideal context for examining how children come to gain active and intentional control over problem solving.
Oxidative Stress Reduced by a Green Tea Concentrate and Capsicum Combination: Synergistic Effects

ABSTRACTReactive oxygen species that are produced by aerobic metabolism and signaling cascades have the potential to play important roles in maintaining homeostatic redox and cell proliferation. When the balance between the production and elimination of reactive oxygen species is perturbed toward production, the result is oxidative stress. High levels of oxidative stress are a general characteristic of cancer. The altered redox state within a tumor microenvironment confers a growth advantage through increased proliferation rates, evasion of apoptosis, and increased resistance to therapeutic compounds. We have tested a synergistic combination of green tea—Camellia sinensis—concentrate and powdered Capsicum powder (TeaFense™/Capsol-T™) as a dietary supplement to reduce oxidative stress as an approach to elimination of malignant cells. Here, we demonstrate that the green tea-powdered Capsicum mixture effectively reduces levels of oxidative stress in both cancer (HeLa) and noncancer (MCF-10A) cells as determi...
Economic analysis and its application to oral and maxillofacial surgery.

Abstract Purpose: Recent clinical publications have increasingly emphasized comparison of cost with benefits in such areas such as drug therapies, surgical procedures, and prophylaxis regimens within certain populations. In the past, cost analysis was based principally on the comparative market price of new treatment compared with standard therapy. Benefits were assessed solely in terms of objective clinical and imaging improvement. Now, issues such as quality of life, early return to occupation, and subjective symptoms of pain and discomfort caused by a treatment are also being critically evaluated. Addressing these latter issues, however, is often complicated and expensive. This article reviews some terms and principles of cost analysis, cost effectiveness, and cost-benefit analysis. Examples are given of recent attempts to quantify costs and benefits for individuals, hospitals, health organizations, and society as a whole. Guidelines are suggested concerning how these studies can be applied to oral and maxillofacial surgery.
The Relationship Between Airways Responsiveness and Chronic Airflow Limitation

In 84 subjects with varying degrees of chronic airflow limitation (CAL), airways responsiveness (AR) measured by the response to an inhaled bronchodilator was negatively correlated with pulmonary function. Correlation coefficients were AR and FEV 1 , r= –0.39, p 1 percent predicted, r = –0.41, p 1 were reevaluated to determine if they are independent of any relationship between AR and baseline pulmonary function. Baseline FVC and FEV 1 were not significantly correlated with ARC, while AR retained its significant association when evaluated by Pearson correlation coefficients and partial correlation coefficients adjusting for baseline FVC and FEV 1 , and when baseline values were included in linear regression models. Thus, AR in these subjects is a predictor of ARC of the FVC and FEV 1 independent of baseline pulmonary function values.
Inclusive Classrooms: What Practicing Teachers Want To Know.

Abstract The increasing practice of inclusion of students with disabilities in general education classrooms has created a new context for general education teachers. As teachers are required to teach students with special needs in their classrooms, many do not feel confident in their professional preparation or ability to effectively meet these responsibilities. The purpose of this article is to share the results of a study that explored the perceptions of practicing general education teachers related to their needs to successfully teach students with disabilities. A survey was distributed to 71 general elementary education teachers. The survey included the question, “What information do you feel you need to more effectively teach children with special needs “? The teachers reported their primary needs focused around two broad categories of 1) information, and 2) administrative support. The results of this study may provide specific content and implications for restructuring teacher education and staff de...
Pharmacy Automation and Technology - Striving for Diligence in the Quest for the Computerized Provider Order Entry Meaningful Use Requirement

We continue to look at the rapidly evolving topic of the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs). Last month, we addressed preliminary meaningful use requirements; in this column, we cal...
Lick rates in hamsters

Lick rates in three male and three female golden hamsters were measured for water under 12-, 24- and 48-h deprivation, and for 4% and 32% sucrose solutions under 12- and 24-h deprivation. Mean lick rate was found to be constant for all Ss and to be independent of sex, level of deprivation, and type of fluid consumed.
The coastal boundary layers of a lake when horizontal and vertical Ekman numbers are of different orders of magnitudes

We investigate the linear hydrostatic boundary layers which bring the horizontal motion to rest at the shore of a lake of horizontal extent L and depth H containing a homogeneous fluid with constant, though vastly differing, horizontal and vertical eddy viscosities, A H and A v . The lake rotates with angular speed f /2 about a vertical axis and the motion is induced by a steady, nonuniform wind stress. Our results are applicable when ( H / L ) 2 ? ( A v / fH 2 ) 1/2 ( A H / fL 2 ) ? ( A v / fH 2 )3 < < 1. It is found that under these conditions the flow near the shore is determined by the local wind stress and the local value of the interior velocity parallel to the coast. It is found that under certain wind stress conditions there is a region of flow, adjacent to the shore, in which the fluid is effectively confined to the coast. DOI: 10.1111/j.2153-3490.1970.tb00526.x
Dragonfly as a model for UAV/MAV flight and communication controls

The dragonfly adult has been extensively studied as a model insect for the design of robots and more recently MAV (Micro-Aerial Vehicle). In particular, its flight and vision-guided navigation mechanisms have been widely adopted in the design of MAV and robots. The wings of dragonfly have been investigated to develop new generation of nanocomposite MEMS materials. In this article, we are interested in some other behaviors of dragonfly, which can be inspirational for flight and communication control of a fleet (population) of UAV/MAVs. Specifically, the territory behaviors and mating systems of dragonflies are able to automatically control the accesses to limited number of female dragonflies by male dragonflies. We suggest that this kind of mechanisms used by dragonflies may be used for engineering applications such as optimal deployment of UAV/MAV or robots in unpredictable or hostile environments. Similarly, they may be inspirational for solving problems such as the optimal coverage of wireless sensor networks (WSN) or channel time-sharing in wireless communications. Due to the population nature (a population of dragonflies vs. a fleet of UAV/MAV) of the dragonfly-behavior-inspired applications, mathematical modeling tools such as Evolutionary Game theory and Rendezvous Search Game theory are suggested to transfer biological inspirations to engineering designs.
Terrestrial transmitters for digital services to the home

The transition to digital transmission will not be easy. In many countries the spectrum is already full and it may be necessary to turn off some of the existing services to provide space for these new transmissions. However the benefits are significant. Digital techniques allow up to four television transmissions to be fitted in the space occupied by one existing transmission, while at the same time providing additional data delivery capability. The paper explores the differences between various digital modulation schemes, comparing them with existing systems for analogue broadcast transmission. For the purposes of this comparison a transmitter is considered as two parts; an exciter where modulation, correction and frequency up-conversion are performed, and an RF amplifier where high power tube or solid state amplifiers are used to produce the required power for transmission, whilst also maximising energy conversion efficiencies.
HCl-induced cell edema in primary cultured rabbit esophageal epithelium

Abstract BACKGROUND & AIMS: In a prior study, esophageal epithelial cells within intact epithelium were observed to swell after exposure to low extracellular pH (pHo) caused by activation of a bumetanide-sensitive NaK2Cl cotransporter. Because these results were obtained by correlation of tissue wet-weight gain with morphological evidence of cell swelling, another method was selected to confirm and extend these findings. METHODS: Primary cultured rabbit esophageal cells were loaded with the fluorescent dye 2'-7'-bis(carboxyethyl)-5,6-carboxyfluorescein so that changes in intracellular pH (pHi) and cell volume could be simultaneously monitored by microfluorimetry. RESULTS: Cells exposed to low pHo in both bicarbonate-free and bicarbonate-containing buffers produced a decline in pHi to as low as 6.5, but this occurred without change in volume. However, when pHo was lowered to CONCLUSIONS: Esophageal cells swell when low pHo reduces pHi to (Gastroenterology 1997 Mar;112(3):847-54)
Elevations in serum creatinine with RAAS blockade: why isn't it a sign of kidney injury?

Purpose of reviewThe aim of this article is to review the pertinent physiology and pathophysiology of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS), summarize the proven beneficial cardiovascular and renal effects of RAAS blockade, examine clinical situations in which RAAS blockade may induce redu