cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of CD4 T cell memory by OX40 (CD134)

CD4 memory T cells play a critical role in protection against repeated exposure to infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria, and helminth parasites, yet can also contribute to the aberrant immune responses associated with autoimmune and allergic reactions. Understanding the mechanisms that control effective memory responses has important ramifications for vaccine design and in the management of adverse immune reactions. Recent advances in studies of T cell memory have implicated the tumor-necrosis-factor receptor (TNFR) family member, OX40 (CD134), as a key co-stimulatory molecule involved in the regulation of CD4 memory T cells. In this review we discuss these new developments in the context of past research and current models for the generation, persistence, and re-activation of memory T cells.
Projecting energy resource utilization—the geothermal case

Abstract This paper presents a simple and systematic approach to deriving energy resource-utilization projections using the geothermal resources as an example. The near-term projections are derived from considerations such as present resource development status and lead times for further development. The long-term projections are founded on experience with conceptually similar industries, size of available resources, and demands on exogenous physical resources and institutional constraints. It is suggested that such first-order analysis is valuable in the energy program-planning process.
Sham surgery does not ameliorate MPTP-induced behavioral deficits in monkeys

Parkinsonism has been reported to improve following transplantation of fetal mesencephalic tissue into the striatum of MPTP-exposed monkeys and humans and in patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. While there is good evidence for the survival of grafted tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive cells in animal studies, it is not known whether they produce neuronal effects that account for behavioral improvement after transplantation or whether spontaneous or graft-induced changes in the host striatum are at least partly responsible. Are neuronal synaptic connections and dopamine release necessary, or would "toenails and talcum powder" do the job equally well? We have addressed these questions by studying several types of implantation surgeries, including sham surgery, the implantation of cerebellar tissue, and the implantation of mesencephalic TH-positive fetal tissue of various gestational ages into the striatum. Adult male African green monkeys received systemic MPTP administration (cumulative doses of 2.0-2.5 mg/kg) prior to these stereotaxic surgical manipulations. Subjects were matched for quantitative behavioral deficits prior to surgery. Subjects were examined and assessments made by "blinded" observers who scored individual spontaneous and elicited behaviors. Observers were trained and tested repeatedly for inter-rater reliability. A "parkinsonian summary score" derived and determined using a principal component factor analysis of a large sample of data from MPTP-treated and normal monkeys of the same species was used to assess behavior. Postmortem brain tissue was prepared for biochemical analysis of dopamine concentrations and TH immunohistochemical studies. The most dramatic improvement was seen in monkeys with "early" ( 14 cm fetal crown rump length) substantia nigra-grafted monkeys. These changes in monkeys which did not have surviving dopamine-producing grafts probably represent the recovery capacity of MPTP-treated host brain during this time interval since un-operated subjects showed similar changes. More variable effects were seen with substantia nigra grafts in the putamen. The most consistent correlate of behavioral improvement in all experimental groups was elevation in dopamine concentrations near the grafts compared with a distant striatal location which is believed to represent the depletion without the effects of the grafts. While these data do not establish the precise mechanism of action, they point to a hierarchy of factors which provide increasingly larger restorative effects, including sprouting of host neurons and increased dopamine production by grafted fetal dopamine neurons. Sham surgery appears to be significantly less effective than early fetal mesencephalic tissue which survives and releases dopamine.
Diversity of Solvent Dependent Energy Transfer Pathways in Heme Proteins

The time scales and pathways of heme cooling in both reduced cytochrome c and oxidized cytochrome c following heme photoexcitation were studied using molecular dynamics simulation. Five different solvent models, including normal water, heavy water, normal glycerol, deuterated glycerol, and a nonpolar solvent, were used in the simulation. Single exponential decay of the excess kinetic energy of the heme following photoexcitation was observed in all systems studied. The simulated time scale for heme cooling in normal water agrees with recent experimental results. In contrast to heme cooling in myoglobin, no solvent dependence was observed for the time scale for heme cooling in cytochrome c. The diversity of solvent dependence results from the different local heme environments in the two proteins. In myoglobin, it has been established that the dominant mechanism for heme cooling is direct energy transfer from the heme to the solvent. In cytochrome c, direct interaction between heme and protein residues forms...
QoS-based optimal adaptive playout-buffer scheduling using the packet arrival distribution

A voice conversation quality over IP networks is mainly affected by the end-to-end delay and the packet-loss rate. Various delay channel environment can cause the early/late arrival packet loss without actual packet loss. To overcome time-variant dynamics of transmission channels for IP telephone services, an adaptive playout-buffer scheduling is proposed. Previous playout-buffer schedulers focused on eliminating delay variation effects regardless of the quality of service (QoS). The proposed metric provides a minimum playout-buffer size, simultaneously meeting a desired QoS. The minimum buffer size is desirable because of the impact of the end-to-end delay on the perceived speech quality. The optimal buffer size is analytically calculated by exploiting the stochastic distribution of the packet arrival intervals.
Impurity-induced disordering of AlGaInAs quantum wells by low temperature Zn diffusion

We investigated impurity-induced disordering (IID) in AIGalnAs multi-quantum wells (MQWs) on InP substrate by Zn diffusion under low temperature conditions. Blue-shift of band-gap energy of lattice-matched AIGalnAs MQW on InP strongly depended on the temperature of Zn diffusion. The lattice-matched MQW was not completely disordered below 500°C. On the other hand, photoluminescence spectra from compressively strained AIGalnAs MQW, after disordering was independent of the temperature of Zn diffusion. Considerable disordering was observed in the strained MQW, which was saturated even at the low temperature of 400°C. The measured hole concentration of the Zn diffused layer at 400°C was as low as 3 × l018cm−3 The IID lasers were also fabricated and characterized. No significant increase in the optical loss due to the Zn diffusion was observed in these lasers.
Reperfusion induced arrhythmias following ischaemia in intact rat heart: role of intracellular calcium

Objective: The aim was to test the hypothesis that reperfusion induced arrhythmias are associated with major alterations in intracellular calcium ([Ca2+]i) regulation. Methods: Intracellular calcium, epicardial electrical potentials, and isovolumetric left ventricular pressure were simultaneously recorded in isolated perfused intact rat hearts during ischaemia (10 min) and reperfusion. [Ca2+]i was measured using the bioluminescent calcium indicator aequorin. Results: Neither ventricular tachycardia nor ventricular fibrillation occurred during ischaemia. However, during the first minute of reperfusion ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation were frequently observed. Cellular calcium was altered by varying the perfusate calcium ([Ca2+]o; 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mmol·litre−1). 0% (0/6), 50% (5/10), 91% (10/11), respectively, of hearts showed ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or both upon reperfusion (P < 0.001, 0.5 v 3.0 mmol·litre−1). At all [Ca2+]o values examined, early ischaemia was associated with a rapid decrease in developed pressure and transient increase in the peak calcium transient followed by a gradual decline and subsequent increase in diastolic calcium during late ischaemia. The initiation of ventricular tachycardia/fibrillation upon reperfusion was immediately preceded by large increases in the amplitude of the calcium transient. These increases in systolic calcium were not seen in hearts in which ventricular arrhythmias did not occur. Conclusions: The association between reperfusion induced abrupt increases in peak calcium and the occurrence of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation suggests that intracellular calcium transients may have a significant role in initiating these ventricular arrhythmias.
Remarks on double Higgs boson production by gluon fusion at threshold

The amplitude of double Higgs boson production by the gluon fusion, $gg\ensuremath{\rightarrow}hh$, is known to be small due to cancellation between the graphs with the boson trilinear coupling and those with the coupling to the top quark. For this reason a study of this process was suggested as a sensitive probe of the Higgs sector nonlinearity. We calculate in a closed analytical form this amplitude at the threshold of the two bosons, where the cancellation is the strongest, and discuss the origin of the small value of the amplitude. We also note that the cancellation in the double boson production is in fact a part of a more general phenomenon of suppression of similar threshold amplitudes for multiple scalar boson production, which, although not directly relevant to the actual top quark and the Higgs boson, can be useful in other studies.
Aggressive endoscopy in critically ill patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding and cancer

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with cancer often derives from sources other than the actual neoplasm. The source of bleeding is best determined by endoscopy which is requisite to appropriate therapy.
EFFECTS OF COD-LIVER OIL ON BASAL METABOLISM AND ON THE THYROID LAND

Numerous experiments have shown that therapeutic doses of cod-liver oil cause toxic effects and organic changes of a regressive type. Agduhr (1) demonstrated that cats and dogs showed no sign of heat when doses of 1 cc. to 5 cc. of cod-liver oil per kg./day were added to the basal diet beginning at the age of one month and continuing for one year. The number of red blood corpuscles was decreased simultaneously with a fairlysteady increase of the relative haemoglobin value. The spleen was alnuidantly supplied with blood pigments, a sign that the disintegration of red blood corpuscles was above the normal. Histological changes in different organs chiefly of a regressive nature were found but no mention was made of the thyroid gland. The weight curves of the mice as well as the microscopical examination of their organs showed many disturbing alterations. In 1925 Slagsvvold (2) noted poisoning among cattle by cod-liver oil while rodents thrived on the same oil. Norris and Church (3) point out that the toxic e...
Some relations between ground‐water hydrology and oceanography

In many areas along the sea-coasts of the world the water-supply for human use is derived largely, and in some areas wholly, from underground sources. Because of the proximity to the ocean in these areas, in some respects the geologic and hydrologic conditions that govern the occurrence and movement of ground-water are quite different from those in inland areas, and to properly interpret them the ground-water hydrologist must avail himself of facts developed by the oceanographer. These conditions are encountered in a marginal zone that in different localities may extend only a few feet or many miles inland from the coast, and presumably for greater or less distances out beneath the ocean. These special conditions have been recognized and extensively studied for many years, for example, in the lowland-area of Holland that lies between the Zuider Zee and the North Sea, and on Long Island, New York. Within recent years more or less attention has been given to these conditions in many of the coastal states of the United States, and in the Hawaiian Islands and Cuba. It is the purpose of this statement to indicate some of the problems of groundwater hydrology that are related to oceanography.
Economic evaluation of inhaled nitric oxide in preterm infants undergoing mechanical ventilation.

OBJECTIVE: In the previously reported Nitric Oxide for Chronic Lung Disease (NO CLD) trial, ventilated preterm infants who received a course of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) between 7 and 21 days of life had a significant improvement in survival without bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), as well as a shorter duration of admission and ventilation. However, the price for the drug may be a barrier to widespread use. We sought to estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of iNO therapy to prevent BPD in infants of METHODS: We used patient-level data from the NO CLD randomized trial. The study took a third-party payer perspective and measured costs and effects through hospital discharge. We applied previously reported hospital per-diem costs stratified according to intensity of ventilatory support, nitric oxide costs from standard market prices, and professional (physician) fees from the Medicare fee schedule. We compared log transformed costs by using multivariable modeling and performed incremental cost-effectiveness analysis with estimation of uncertainty through nonparametric bootstrapping. RESULTS: The mean cost per infant was $193125 in the placebo group and $194702 in the iNO group (adjusted P = .17). The point estimate for the incremental cost per additional survivor without BPD was $21297. For infants in whom iNO was initiated between 7 and 14 days of life, the mean cost per infant was $187407 in the placebo group and $181525 in the iNO group (adjusted P = .46). In this group of early treated infants, there was a 71% probability that iNO actually decreased costs while improving outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Despite its higher price relative to many other neonatal therapies, iNO in this trial was not associated with higher costs of care, an effect that is likely due to its impact on length of stay and ventilation. Indeed, for infants who receive nitric oxide between 7 and 14 days of life, the therapy seemed to lower costs while improving outcomes.
A comparative study of age-related variation in women's views of a career in management☆

Abstract The present study compares the views of university women of varying age (18–21, 22–34, over 34) concerning a managerial career. Overall, while many similarities were observed among the women in their perceptions regarding a managerial career, the women differed in their expressed interest in and attitudes toward such a career. Specifically, women over 34 expressed less interest and less favorable attitudes toward a management career than younger women. In addition, the women differed in their perceptions of the barriers to a managerial career, as well as types of assistance needed for pursuing such a career. Women over 34 were more concerned about their own suitability and were more interested in assistance gained from separate women's classes. The 22- to 34-year-old women were more concerned about possible resistance from subordinates, while younger women voiced more concerns about family/social issues as inhibiting factors and expressed the strongest desire for day-care services, counseling, promotion information, internships, and decision-making training. Findings are discussed in terms of sociocultural changes and life stage differences.
How to Operationalize Two-Partyness

Because of the prominence of Duverger's law, a great deal of work has focused on assessing whether or not given election outcomes can be regarded as exhibiting two-party competition. The most common metric for assessment is whether the effective number of parties is close to two. We introduce two statistics that better measure conformity to two-partyness, briefly survey their logical properties, and then demonstrate their utility with data on parliamentary elections in England.
The Role of the Lay Midwife in Childbirth in Rural Portugal

The following article was written shortly after thefieldwork was completed in 1979. The research was conductedjust after Portugal 's 1974 revolution, prior to which a repressive political regime allowed virtually no social science research. Since that time, some significant works have been published, but no other ethnographies focus on the role of the lay midwife. The kind of information obtained in this study required then, and would now require, heavy reliance on ethnographicfieldwork This publication may serve as a baseline for comparative research. An epilogue provides some updating of statistical information about infant mortality rates; however, little can be determined about rural-urban differences. The limited information available suggests that very little may have changed in the last 15 years for lay midwives in the rural villages studied.
Brain norepinephrine and 5-hydroxytryptamine as a function of time after avoidance training and footshock.

Abstract Male Sprague-Dawley rats acquired a one-way avoidance task more rapidly 10 min and 24 hr after partial avoidance training or inescapable shock in the start box than 3.5 hr after these treatments. Endogenous levels of brain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) were not altered 10 min, 3.5 hr, or 24 hr after avoidance training or inescapable shock in the start box. Norepinephrine (NE) was lower 10 min and 3.5 hr after training and inescapable shock but not 24 hr later. Since neither 5-HT nor NE exhibited a U or inverted U function following avoidance training or footshock, these results indicate that endogeneous levels of 5-HT and NE are not related to poorer avoidance at intermediate retest intervals.
TRANSPORTABILITY OF DEDUCTIVE MEASUREMENT ACROSS CULTURES

The purpose of this study is to construct a theory regarding the transportability of reasoning ability measurement across cultures and to demonstrate empirically the workability of this theory through the experimental administration of a deductive test in three industrialized nations in which the languages spoken are either derived from Latin or contain a large number of Latin-derived words. Two major tasks are involved in this endeavor: defining a theory and testing it. It should be clarified at the outset that the term "cross-cultural" in the context of this study refers to nations rather than to different cultural nuclei within the same nation. Cultural differences within countries are not studied in this paper for any of the countries involved in the study.
The social-sensory interface: category interactions in person perception.

Research is increasingly challenging the claim that distinct sources of social information—such as sex, race, and emotion—are processed in discrete fashion. Instead, there appear to be functionally relevant interactions that occur. In the present article, we describe research examining how cues conveyed by the human face, voice, and body interact to form the unified representations that guide our perceptions of and responses to other people. We explain how these information sources are often thrown into interaction through bottom-up forces (e.g., phenotypic cues) as well as top-down forces (e.g., stereotypes and prior knowledge). Such interactions point to a person perception process that is driven by an intimate interface between bottom-up perceptual and top-down social processes. Incorporating data from neuroimaging, event-related potentials (ERP), computational modeling, computer mouse-tracking, and other behavioral measures, we discuss the structure of this interface, and we consider its implications and adaptive purposes. We argue that an increased understanding of person perception will likely require a synthesis of insights and techniques, from social psychology to the cognitive, neural, and vision sciences.
A Polyketone Synthesis Involving Nucleophilic Substitution via Carbanions Derived from Bis(α-aminonitrile)s. 4. Aromatic Poly(ether ketone)s

To address the insolubility problem of polyketones, we used an approach to high molecular weight wholly aromatic polyketones without ether linkages via soluble precursors derived from isophthaldehyde-based bis(aminonitrile)s. Polymerization of bis(α-aminonitrile)s with activated dihalides using NaH as base in DMF yielded soluble, high molecular weight poly(aminonitrile)s, which were hydrolyzed in acidic conditions to produce the corresponding aromatic polyketones without ether linkages or alkyl substituents in the polymeric backbones. These polyketones displayed excellent thermal properties and solvent resistance. For the synthesis of poly(aminonitrile)s and polyketones containing ether linkages in the polymeric backbone, only low to medium molecular weight polymers were obtained. Model studies proved that the carbanions of the aminonitriles reacted with ether linkages to form more stable phenoxide anions and cause the termination of the polymerization.
Sleep and sleepiness among first‐time postpartum parents: A field‐ and laboratory‐based multimethod assessment

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Statistics reported that across the last decade, there have been over four million childbirths each year in the United States (Martin et al., 2011). With the birth of each child, new parents are required to adjust to the demands of parenthood. Accordingly, sleep disturbance is commonly experienced among new parents during the early postpartum period, and sleep disturbance is known to have a multitude of adverse effects on health and functioning (see reviews: Alvarez & Ayas, 2004; Copinschi, 2005; Harrison & Horne, 2000). Postpartum sleep disturbance is caused by factors that include infant signaling during nocturnal periods (Nishihara, Horiuchi, Eto, & Uchida, 2000; Nishihara, Horiuchi, Eto, & Uchida, 2001), maternal postpartum endocrine and physiological changes that affect sleep (Manber & Armitage, 1999; Santiago, Nolledo, Kinzler, & Santiago, 2001), and the sleep disturbances experienced by the other bed partner within the postpartum parent dyad (Meijer & vanden Wittenboer, 2007). Sleep within the family system can be interrupted by multiple factors, all of which result in sleep disturbance experienced by both mothers and fathers. Maternal postpartum sleep profiles have been well described (see reviews: Ross, Murray, & Steiner, 2005; Hunter, Rychnovsky, & Yount, 2009). Maternal sleep worsens progressively throughout pregnancy and is most affected, primarily by sleep fragmentation immediately following delivery after which it improves steadily throughout the postpartum period (Shinkoda, Matsumoto, & Park, 1999; Kang, Matsumoto, Shinkoda, Mishima, & Seo, 2002; Rychnovsky & Hunter, 2009; Montgomery-Downs, Insana, Clegg-Kraynok, & Mancini, 2010). Paternal sleep profiles during the postpartum period have been less extensively profiled. Among the existing literature, there are reported changes in postpartum fathers’ sleep from the prenatal to the postpartum period (Condone, Boyce, & Corkindale, 2004). Gay and colleagues reported that both mothers and fathers had less sleep, more self-reported sleep disturbance, and higher ratings of fatigue during the first month postpartum when compared to their levels during the pregnancy period (Gay, Lee, & Lee, 2004). Although postpartum maternal, and to a lesser extent, paternal sleep disturbances are recognized, to date no investigations have objectively quantified the extent of sleepiness, and functional impact of sleep disturbance experienced among postpartum mothers or fathers. The study objective was to fill this void through examination of sleep, sleepiness, fatigue, and neurobehavioral performance among healthy first-time mothers and fathers during their early postpartum period. All values were compared within postpartum couples, and between postpartum and childless control couples.
An unconditionally stable hybrid pseudodynamic algorithm

There is a significant motivation to implement an unconditionally stable scheme in the pseudodynamic test method. As more complex experiments with many degrees of freedom are tested, explicit time integration methods limit the size of time step on the basis of the highest natural frequency of the system. This is true even though the response of the structure may be dominated by a few lower frequency modes. The limit on step size is undesirable because it physically increases the duration of a test, but more importantly, because the number of steps to completion increases and error propagation problems increase with the number of steps in a test. In addition, incremental displacements within each step become smaller, introducing the potential for problems associated with stress relaxation. An unconditionally stable algorithm allows the time step to be selected to give accurate response in the modes of interest without regard for higher mode characteristics.
A Tale of Current and Voltage: Interplay of Band Gap and Energy Levels of Conjugated Polymers in Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

We recently proposed a design strategy of “weak donor−strong acceptor” copolymer to approach ideal polymers with both a low HOMO energy level and a small band gap for bulk heterojunction (BHJ) polymer solar cells in order to achieve both a high open circuit voltage (Voc) and a high short circuit current (Jsc) [ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2010, 2, 1377]. To further demonstrate the delicate interplay of the Voc and Jsc through molecular design of conjugated polymers, two such “weak donors”, naphtho[2,1-b:3,4-b′]dithiophene (NDT) and dithieno[3,2-f:2′,3′-h]quinoxaline (QDT), which differ only by two atoms, were copolymerized with a common acceptor, 4,7-di(2-thienyl)-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DTBT). The BHJ devices based on PNDT−4DTBT and PQDT−4DTBT as the donor polymer (with PC61BM as the acceptor) exhibit overall efficiencies of 5.1% and 4.3%, respectively. Through these two structurally related polymers, we demonstrate that incorporating electron-withdrawing atoms in the donor unit would lead to a lower HOMO...
Effective Tool-Point Acceleration of Serial Chain Mechanisms Based on Basic Geometric Transformations

In this paper, a method to manage the actuator parameters of a serial chain mechanism composed of revolute joints to achieve improved responsiveness characteristics (acceleration capability) based on the basic geometric parameters of the mechanism is presented. Here, an analytic framework presented by the authors in an earlier work, which exploits the geometric structure of this type of mechanism is extended to address the tool-point mass and acceleration. The manipulator’s geometry is reduced to a set of lengths, which are representative of the mechanical gains associated with the manipulator and they, along with the transmission ratio of the actuators, are used to map the actuator parameters to their effective values at the tool-point where a direct comparison to the task requirements can be made. With this method, minimal computations are required to evaluate the system’s performance since only the forward kinematic computations are required. The effects of the actuator transmission ratio parameter on the effective tool-point force, mass, and acceleration are investigated for a six-DOF serial chain manipulator. Through this case study, it is demonstrated how the transmission ratio is managed to balance the system’s effective tool-point force and mass to obtain an optimal tool-point acceleration. In addition to the investigation of the effects of the actuator parameters, the method is shown to be useful in the solution of the configuration management or modular design problem since the exponential design space can be searched for a globally optimal solution with minimal computations. The goal of the configuration management problem is to quickly configure and/or reconfigure a robotic manipulator from a finite set of actuator modules.
Interpretation of red cell survival data for in vivo compatibility testing: a normal value study

Short-term survival studies are sometimes required to determine the compatibility of donor red cells. The results of these studies are generally expressed as per cent survival at 60 min. The present study was undertaken to investigate the potential for more sophisticated data analytical techniques to improve sensitivity. In one group of eight healthy male volunteers, autologous red cells were labelled with 51chromium and injected immediately, while in a second group, red cells were stored for 5 d prior to injection. In both groups, eight to 10 samples were collected in the first 6 h and another 10-12 samples over the next 4 weeks. Estimation of the 60 min per cent survival was insufficiently sensitive to detect 'physiological' haemolysis following injection of 5-d-old autologous blood. Regression analysis of 6 h survival data, however, demonstrated significantly higher red cell clearance rates in these cases than in those receiving fresh cells, with a mean 24 h loss of 3.3% of activity. The upper limit for the 6 h red cell clearance rate was 1.63%/h after fresh autologous blood and 2.43%/h after 5-d-old blood. The significance of these findings is discussed and a protocol suggested for the analysis of short-term red cell survival data.
Modeling protein interaction network and mechanisms in exocytosis

Exocytosis is an essential process in all eukaryotic cells that allows communication in cells through vesicles which contain a wide range of intracellular molecules such as hormones, matrix proteins and neurotransmitters. Recent studies have shown this process is regulated by molecular interactions among a group of well defined and conserved proteins. To gain insight into the dynamics of these interactions, we use protein interaction network modeling to investigate exocytotic system (particularly in endocrine) computationally and mathematically. The protein interactions are formulated into ordinary differential equations (ODE). We then apply a novel mathematic approach to estimate model parameters from experimental data for SNAREs-only network (with three key proteins), which is a subset of this system. Our approach is able to sense temporal changes in protein concentration and ratios of multiple proteins and precisely reconstruct the dynamical process of exocytosis, including vesicle docking, priming and fusion. Additionally, the model suggests that initial concentration of synaptic proteins plays a crucial role in efficiency of vesicle fusion, based on system stability analysis.
Preface: Introduction to the Special Issue on Family-Centered Care

This special issue of the Journal of Family Social Work focuses on family-centered health services, covering a range of perspectives, populations, and methodologies. The concept of family-centered ...
Ontogeny of the Epidermal Permeability Barrier

A competent permeability barrier must be present by the end of gestation to allow for life in a terrestrial environment. Indeed, early preterm infants display serious complications of skin immaturity. Yet, regardless of their degree of prematurity, all infants quickly develop a competent barrier. To learn more about the mechanisms and regulation of barrier ontogeny, we have utilized late-gestation fetal rodents. In 19–21 d fetal rats, we showed that barrier competence is accompanied by both enhanced epidermal development and formation of extracellular lamellar membranes in the stratum corneum. The identical sequence and time-course occurs when fetal rat skin is cultured in a serum-free medium. Glucocorticoids, thyroid hormone (T3), and estrogen accelerate, while androgens delay barrier formation both in utero and in the in vitro system, explaining the poorer outcome of premature males versus females. But neither T3 nor glucocorticoids are absolutely required for barrier development. Lifting fetal skin cultures to an air-medium interface also accelerates barrier formation, explaining the rapid emergence of barrier competence in very premature infants. PPARα and FXR activators, which, like T3, heterodimerize with the nuclear receptor, RXR, also accelerate barrier development in vitro. Finally, not only the nuclear receptor family, but also Ca++ could regulate key events late in barrier development. Journal of Investigative Dermatology Symposium Proceedings 3:75–79, 1998
Airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Comparisons with asthma

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive syndrome of expiratory airflow limitation caused by chronic inflammation of the airways and lung parenchyma. The airway inflammatory response in COPD is initiated by smoking in the overwhelming majority of cases, and chronic exposure to cigarette smoke initiates a series of events that causes damage to central airways, peripheral airways, and terminal airspaces, leading to physiologic and clinical abnormalities. Although COPD shares some clinical features with asthma, another prevalent airway inflammatory disease, there are distinct differences in the phenotypic characteristics of airway inflammation between COPD and asthma. The eosinophil is the most prominent inflammatory cell in asthma, with mast cells, lymphocytes, and macrophages playing important but less prominent roles. In COPD the cellular composition of the airway inflammatory infiltrate differs, with neutrophils, macrophages, and lymphocytes assuming prominence and the eosinophil playing a minor role, except in the setting of exacerbations. The contrasting inflammatory phenotypes of asthma and COPD have important implications for clinical and physiologic manifestations of disease, as well as for therapy.
A microenvironmental probe of elastin. Properties of a solubilized Congo red-elastin complex.

Abstract Elastase digests of Congo red-elastin are shown to contain a solubilized fraction of elastin to which Congo red is firmly bound, as well as other fractions which apparently do not bind the dye. The soluble dye protein complex has a molecular weight of approximately 33 000, is enriched in covalent crosslinkages, and contains approx. 10 moles of bound Congo red per mole of complex. Spectral measurements of Congo red ionization reveal that the bound dye has multiple and low values of p K app , consistent with heterogeneous, hydrophobic binding sites. Circular dichroic spectra indicate extrinsic Cotton effects associated with the spectral bands of the bound dye whereas the free dye does not display these CD effects. In conjunction with proteolytic techniques, such chromophoric elastin complexes afford unique opportunities as chemical and spectral probes of this connective tissue protein.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of the Family Employment Awareness Training in Kansas: A Pilot Study

Working in competitive employment (employment in community settings with nondisabled peers for minimum wage or higher) has many positive benefits for people with disabilities who have individualized support needs (Johannesen, McGrew, Griss, & Born, 2007). Nonetheless, many of these individuals work in segregated settings or are unemployed entirely (National Disability Rights Network, 2011). The Family Employment Awareness Training (FEAT) in Kansas sought to increase expectations for competitive employment and knowledge about employment services, supports, and resources among people with disabilities who have individualized support needs, their families, and the professionals that support them to increase competitive employment outcomes. Our findings from this pilot study indicate that FEAT succeeded in raising expectations and knowledge among these individuals.
Cross-reactivity of surface-exposed epitopes of outer membrane antigens of Haemophilus influenzae type b.

Abstract The cross-reactivity of exposed surface epitopes of outer membrane proteins from a spectrum of Haemophilus influenzae type b isolates that varied in their evolutionary distance from each other and in their outer membrane protein composition was analyzed by using an immunoblot assay. The results for outer membrane proteins a, n, and b/c were as follows. (i) A total of 13 of 14 strains possessing a protein a with similar mobilities on gels (i.e., the same apparent molecular weight) as protein a of strain Eag absorbed antibodies to protein a of strain Eag. These strains represented a broad spectrum on a scale of evolutionary distance. (ii) In contrast, only one of seven strains possessing a protein a with different mobilities absorbed these antibodies. (iii) Of five isolates close to strain Eag on the evolutionary scale, the four with a protein n with the same mobility as protein n of strain Eag absorbed antibodies to protein n of strain Eag. (iv) In contrast, of five isolates distant from strain Eag on the evolutionary scale, none absorbed antibodies to protein n, including one strain that had a protein n of the same mobility as that of strain Eag. (v) All strains that absorbed antibodies to protein b/c also absorbed antibodies to lipopolysaccharide, and the reverse of this was also true. Evolutionary distance and mobility of protein b/c on gels were not factors. Control experiments indicated that this result was an artifact due to the strong association of lipopolysaccharide with protein b/c on the gel and subsequent blot. The important conclusions from these experiments, especially pertinent for consideration of these proteins in either whole or peptide vaccines, are that proteins with apparently identical molecular weights can possess different surface-exposed epitopes, that proteins with different molecular weights can possess cross-reactive surface-exposed epitopes, and that some surface-exposed epitopes have been conserved even though the bacterium has undergone evolutionary divergence. In addition, experiments were also performed to determine whether H. influenzae type b strains maintained their integrity during the absorption step, i.e., incubation in antiserum. Strain Eag, which was used as a prototype type b strain, released a small proportion of its membrane (0.13%), but this did not result in exposure of epitopes that were usually buried. In contrast, strain S2, an unencapsulated mutant of strain Eag, was quite unstable, releasing three times as much membrane and a large proportion of its periplasmic proteins.
Assessing Independent Variables Used in Econometric Modeling Forest Land Use or Land Cover Change: A Meta-Analysis

We conducted a meta-analysis on 64 econometric models from 47 studies predicting forestland conversion to agriculture (F2A), forestland to development (F2D), forestland to non-forested (F2NF) and undeveloped (including forestland) to developed (U2D) land. Over 250 independent econometric variables were identified from 21 F2A models, 21 F2D models, 12 F2NF models, and 10 U2D models. These variables were organized into a hierarchy of 119 independent variable groups, 15 categories, and 4 econometric drivers suitable for conducting simple vote count statistics. Vote counts were summarized at the independent variable group level and formed into ratios estimating the predictive success of each variable group. Two ratios estimates were developed based on (1) proportion of times the independent variables had statistical significance and (2) proportion of times independent variables met the original study authors’ expectations. In F2D models, we confirmed the success of popular independent variables such as population, income, and urban proximity estimates but found timber rents and site productivity variables less successful. In F2A models, we confirmed success of popular explanatory variables such as forest and agricultural rents and costs, governmental programs, and site quality, but we found population, income, and urban proximity estimates less successful. In U2D models, successful independent variables found were urban rents and costs, zoning issues concerning forestland loss, site quality, urban proximity, population, and income. In F2NF models, we found poor success using timber rents but high success using agricultural rents, site quality, population, and income. Success ratios and discussion of new or less popular, but promising, variables was also included. This meta-analysis provided insight into the general success of econometric independent variables for future forest-use or -cover change research.
Some examples of higher ank manifolds of nonnegative curvature

Recall that a metric on M is locally irreducible if the universal cover of M does not split isometrically as a product. In nonpositive (sectional) curvature and higher rank, all locally irreducible finite volume manifolds (with bounded curvature) are locally symmetric spaces [1], [8], [12]. This result uses the special properties of nonpositive curvature in an essential way. In fact, Heintze found examples of normally homogeneous nonsymmetric spaces of nonnegative curvature and higher rank [16]. In this note, we will obtain more examples of higher rank and nonnegarive curvature with some new features. Indeed, the whole point of this paper is to show that higher rank metrics in nonnegative curvature can be very complicated. One should compare our situation with the pinching theorems. There there is a duality between positive and negative curvature. In fact, if M is any rank 1 compact locally symmetric space with nonconstant curvature then any other 1/4-pinched metric on M must be symmetric. For positive curvature, this is a consequence of Berger's famous rigidity theorem [ I0]. For negative curvature, this was proved by Hamenstfidt [ 15]. Notice though that there really is no theorem dual to the sphere theorem in negative curvature, due to the Gromov-Thurs ton examples of compact manifolds with arbitrarily pinched sectional curvatures which are not homotopy equivalent to a space with constant curvature. Similarly, our examples show that duality fails for the higher-rank rigidity theorems.
Prenatal Exposure of Mice to Diethylstilbestrol Disrupts T-Cell Differentiation by Regulating Fas/Fas Ligand Expression through Estrogen Receptor Element and Nuclear Factor-κB Motifs

Prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) is known to cause altered immune functions and increased susceptibility to autoimmune disease in humans. In the current study, we investigated the effect of prenatal exposure to DES on thymocyte differentiation involving apoptotic pathways. Prenatal DES exposure caused thymic atrophy, apoptosis, and up-regulation of Fas and Fas ligand (FasL) expression in thymocytes. To examine the mechanism underlying DES-mediated regulation of Fas and FasL, we performed luciferase assays using T cells transfected with luciferase reporter constructs containing full-length Fas or FasL promoters. There was significant luciferase induction in the presence of Fas or FasL promoters after DES exposure. Further analysis demonstrated the presence of several cis-regulatory motifs on both Fas and FasL promoters. When DES-induced transcription factors were analyzed, estrogen receptor element (ERE), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), nuclear factor of activated T cells (NF-AT), and activator protein-1 motifs on the Fas promoter, as well as ERE, NF-κB, and NF-AT motifs on the FasL promoter, showed binding affinity with the transcription factors. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays were performed to verify the binding affinity of cis-regulatory motifs of Fas or FasL promoters with transcription factors. There was shift in mobility of probes (ERE or NF-κB2) of both Fas and FasL in the presence of nuclear proteins from DES-treated cells, and the shift was specific to DES because these probes failed to shift their mobility in the presence of nuclear proteins from vehicle-treated cells. Together, the current study demonstrates that prenatal exposure to DES triggers significant alterations in apoptotic molecules expressed on thymocytes, which may affect T-cell differentiation and cause long-term effects on the immune functions.
Stability and Performance Issues for Nonlinear Optical Chromophores, Polymers and Devices

In the course of development of any new technology the issues of device stability and reliability are inevitably encountered and must be summarily dealt with. The development of organic and polymeric nonlinear optical media has been no exception and has now evolved to a stage wherein solutions to a few performance issues are of crucial importance. Discussions here focus on just two of these critical problems. First, we describe a preliminary study intended to identify some of the variables involved in optical damage. The goal here is to identify suitable photochemically stable chromophores and polymers and to elucidate any processing and environmental influences which contribute to damage. Second, the thermal stability of nonlinear optical chromophores has already attracted much attention and significant progress has been made in enhancing the thermal stability of many systems. Our most recent effort has concentrated on chromophores with a variety of different configurations and combinations of nitrile acceptor groups, some of which possess both large nonlinearities and excellent thermal stability. Some newer aspects of a thermal stability screening protocol which are particularly useful for these thermally stable chromophores and polymers are also described.
p-Substituted 1,2-diphenylindolizines as anti-inflammatory agents.

Abstract In an effort to explore indolizines as potential medicinal agents, some p -substituted 1,2-diphenylindolizines were prepared. These compounds were designed to be investigated for possible anti-inflammatory activity. The syntheses were accomplished via the Chichibabin-Stepanow synthesis, using the properly substituted benzylpyridines and phenacyl bromides.
Lacunary hyperbolic groups

We call a finitely generated group lacunary hyperbolic if one of its asymptotic cones is an ℝ–tree. We characterize lacunary hyperbolic groups as direct limits of Gromov hyperbolic groups satisfying certain restrictions on the hyperbolicity constants and injectivity radii. Using central extensions of lacunary hyperbolic groups, we solve a problem of Gromov by constructing a group whose asymptotic cone C has countable but nontrivial fundamental group (in fact C is homeomorphic to the direct product of a tree and a circle, so π1(C)=ℤ). We show that the class of lacunary hyperbolic groups contains non–virtually cyclic elementary amenable groups, groups with all proper subgroups cyclic (Tarski monsters) and torsion groups. We show that Tarski monsters and torsion groups can have so-called graded small cancellation presentations, in which case we prove that all their asymptotic cones are hyperbolic and locally isometric to trees. This allows us to solve two problems of Druţu and Sapir and a problem of Kleiner about groups with cut points in their asymptotic cones. We also construct a finitely generated group whose divergence function is not linear but is arbitrarily close to being linear. This answers a question of Behrstock.