cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physiological and Pharmacological Observations on Muscle Receptor Organs of the Crayfish, Cambarus Clarkii Girard

The present paper aims to present a first approach to the study of some of the reactions of these units. Several aspects of the present work will be treated in more detail in subsequent research, but since these organs represent one of the more easily obtained single-unit sensory preparations, and since their exposed position allows their being bathed directly in solutions of known drug or ion concentration, it has seemed appropriate at the present time to follow our short preliminary note (Wiersma, Florey & Furshpan, 1952) by a more detailed description of technique and results.
Toward Improving the Fetal Diagnosis of Coarctation of the Aorta

Coarctation of the aorta (CoA) is the most common ductal-dependent lesion missed on neonatal exam screening. Prenatal diagnosis of CoA improves outcomes through early initiation of prostaglandin. Fetal echocardiographic parameters including 2D and Doppler findings have been studied as predictive measures for fetal diagnosis of CoA, but diagnosis rates remain variable. A comprehensive set of predictor variables was applied to fetuses suspected of CoA to analyze which parameters were associated with postnatal CoA. UCSF Fetal Cardiovascular Program databases were queried for fetuses suspected of CoA (2008–2014). Retrospective measurements of aorta/pulmonary artery ratio (AoPA), LV/RV ratio, ascending aorta Z-score (AscAo), isthmus Z-score, isthmus/duct ratio (I/D), posterior “shelf” of descending aorta, and diastolic flow persistence at the isthmus were recorded. ROC analysis identified the parameters most predictive of postnatal CoA. Among 97 fetuses with probable CoA, 62 had complete follow-up. Of these fetuses, 45 (72.5%) had postnatal confirmation of CoA and 17 did not have CoA. The parameters most predictive of postnatal CoA included AscAo, isthmus Z-score, and I/D, with respective AUC of 0.80, 0.89, and 0.90. Diastolic flow persistence was seen more often in fetuses with postnatal CoA, but did not reach statistical significance. Combining 2D and Doppler criteria (AoPA < 0.65 or diastolic flow persistence) improved sensitivity to 87%, but introduced several false positives. Isthmus imaging and AoPA ratio are useful predictors of CoA. Doppler information was most helpful when 2D imaging was equivocal; its addition resulted in high sensitivity in an enriched cohort referred for fetal echocardiography.
Nonrandomized Interventional Study Designs (Quasi-Experimental Designs)

In contrast to observational study designs, interventional studies manipulate clinical care to evaluate treatment effects on outcomes. Although surgeons have often relied on observational studies to establish the efficacy and effectiveness of operative and perioperative interventions, observational studies (also referred to as case series) are limited to demonstrating the correlation between the outcome of interest and the procedure. Prospective controlled interventional trials will provide a higher level of evidence for a true cause-and-effect relationship.
Are minority-owned businesses underserved by financial markets? Evidence from the private-equity industry

Our study addresses a longstanding question—whether discrimination exists in financial markets. Although empirical evidence demonstrating disparate treatment of minorities is vast, studies have inadequately explained why minority customers seeking financing are targeted for discriminatory treatment. We develop a theoretical framework explaining why profit-maximizing capital suppliers may choose to offer minority clients worse terms than those provided to comparable white customers. Our framework stresses search costs and reservation prices. We then test this by comparing the relative profitability of investing private equity in minority- and white-owned small firms, an approach advocated by Gary Becker. Using three empirical tests, we consistently find the financial returns derived from investing in minority firms exceed those of white-firm investments. Conducting Becker’s test, in this instance, indicates that disparate treatment of minority clients does not result in loss of profitable investing opportunities for private equity funds but, instead, higher profits.
Clinical Characteristics of Intravenous PEG-Asparaginase Hypersensitivity Reactions in Patients Undergoing Treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia [Formula: see text].

Background: Asparaginase poses a substantial risk for hypersensitivity reactions during and after administration; however, these reactions vary by asparaginase formulation and administration route....
Abstract 11443: Higher Leptin Levels are Associated With Reduced Left Ventricular Mass and Left Ventricular Diastolic Stiffness in African American Women: Insights From the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) Study

Background: Leptin has been associated with left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and heart failure in some epidemiologic studies while other studies have demonstrated a beneficial effect on cardiac remodeling and function. We hypothesized that leptin may play a role in protecting the heart from developing LV hypertrophy and stiffening. Methods and Results: We evaluated 1172 African Americans with preserved LV ejection fraction (EF >50%) from the Genetic Epidemiology Network of Arteriopathy (GENOA) Study (mean age 62.9 years, 72% women). LV diastolic stiffness was assessed by echocardiography using the diastolic wall strain (DWS) indicator. Associations between leptin levels and indices of LV structure and function were evaluated using generalized estimating equations (GEE) approach with Gaussian distribution accounting for clustering in siblings. All models were adjusted for possible confounders including age, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, blood pressure lowering medication, coronary heart disease, current smoking status and estimated glomerular filtration rate and stratified by sex because leptin levels were three times higher in women than men (p Conclusions: Higher leptin levels were associated with lower LV mass and LV diastolic stiffness in obese African American women. Leptin may play an important role in protecting the heart from developing precursors to heart failure in obese African American women.
Between-case standardized effect size analysis of single case designs: Examination of the two methods.

Abstract An increasing movement in single case research is to employ statistical analyses as one form of data analysis. Researchers have proposed different statistical approaches. The purpose of this paper is to examine the utility and discriminant validity of two novel types of between-case standardized effect size analyses with two existing systematic reviews. The between-case analyses found greater effect sizes for the studies in the object play review and smaller effect sizes for studies of sensory intervention, which were consistent with the overall conclusions reached in the original systematic reviews. These findings provide evidence of discriminant validity, although concerns remain around the methods’ utility across different single case research designs. Future directions for research and development also are provided.
Fungal communities associated with almond throughout crop development: Implications for aflatoxin biocontrol management in California.

Interactions between pathogenic and nonpathogenic fungal species in the tree canopy are complex and can determine if disease will manifest in the plant and in other organisms such as honey bees. Seasonal dynamics of fungi were studied in an almond orchard in California where experimental release of the atoxigenic biopesticide Aspergillus flavus AF36 to displace toxigenic Aspergillus strains has been conducted for five years. The presence of the vegetative compatibility group (VCG) YV36, to which AF36 belongs, in the blossoms, and the honey bees that attend these blossoms, was assessed. In blossoms, A. flavus frequencies ranged from 0 to 4.5%, depending on the year of study. Frequencies of honey bees carrying A. flavus ranged from 6.5 to 10%. Only one A. flavus isolate recovered from a blossom in 2016 belonged to YV36, while members of the VCG were not detected contaminating honey bees. Exposure of pollinator honey bees to AF36 was detected to be very low. The density of several Aspergillus species was found to increase during almond hull split and throughout the final stages of maturation; this also occurred in pistachio orchards during the maturation period. Additionally, we found that AF36 effectively limited almond aflatoxin contamination in laboratory assays. This study provides knowledge and understanding of the seasonal dynamics of Aspergillus fungi and will help design aflatoxin management strategies for almond. The evidence of the low levels of VCG YV36 encountered on almond blossoms and bees during pollination and AF36’s effectiveness in limiting aflatoxin contamination in almond provided additional support for the registration of AF36 with USEPA to use in almond in California.
A BMWTV Approach to the Conditional Arbitrage Pricing Model

This paper develops a BMWTV approach to the estimation of factor premiums by integrating the APT model of Burmeister and McElroy (1988) with time-varying risk premiums. It provides premium estimates for macro-factors over time under a unified APT framework which allows for both observable and latent factors. We find significant negative risk premiums for the market factor and the size factor during the sample period. We discover that risk premium and sensitivity estimates for the observable factors are quite sensitive to omitted latent factors, suggesting the importance of accounting for missing latent factors in conditional multi-factor models. We also find the mispricings under the APT model and the CAPM model are relatively small, but the results are quite sensitive to omitted factors. Our study shows that the variation of the size premium appears to be related to business cycles.
HEAT TRANSPORT AND REFRIGERATION FOR SUPERCONDUCTING LINEAR ACCELERATORS.

From the point of view of the nuclear physicist who uses a linear accelerator, the great advantages of a superconducting machine are its potentials for high duty cycle. high energy resolution operation. Whereas the room-temperature accelerator operates in a duty cycle of microseconds-on-miiliseconds-off, the superconducting accelerator can operate continuously at gradients within its refrigeration capacity and, at higher energy gradients, in a cycle with minutes or seconds of on-time, Thus, this on-time is much greater than the time required to establish the accelerating fields in the structure, and the energy resolution is not limited by transients as it is in a conventional accelerator. In addition, the lower dissipation, better environmental control and greater energy storage in the superconducting structure make the accelerating gradient much more easily regulated in a superconducting machine than in a normal one.
Powder Compact Studies of Initial Sintering

A method of analyzing initial sintering data which is insensitive to uncertainties in the time zero and initial compact length is reviewed. This method permits a considerably more reliable determination of the mechanisms of material transport in the sintering process than the usual log shrinkage-log time plots. One may with confidence distinguish among volume diffusion, grain boundary diffusion, or both acting concurrently. Contributions of surface diffusion and evaporation-condensation to total mass transport are discernible. This technique was applied to isothermal shrinkage data of compacts of alumina prepared from several different powders. It was found that compacts which deviated from the ideal compact (uniformly sized spheres heated instantaneously to the sintering temperature) followed the shrinkage models after some small amount of abnormally rapid shrinkage, resulting in an effective initial length and time zero which were different from the experimental values. While these differences were small, they had a large effect on the log shrinkage-log time plot. Alumina apparently sinters by a grain boundary diffusion mechanism, with surface diffusion important at lower temperatures.
Pneumonia in Military Recruits

Lower respiratory disease is a major source of morbidity in military recruits, with hospitalization rates for pneumonia more than 30 times that of the non-recruit population. The etiologic agent remains unknown in over 75% of cases. This study prospectively examined the etiology of pneumonia among recruits at Naval Training Center, San Diego, California. Recruits presenting with cough, fever, or shortness of breath and pulmonary infiltrates on chest X-ray were eligible for enrollment. A standardized scoring form and focused physical exam were completed on each subject. Sputum specimens were obtained for Gram's stain and culture, DNA probing for Legionella and Mycoplasma species, and direct fluorescent antibody staining for Legionella. Acute and convalescent serologies were performed for adenovirus, influenza A and B, Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Chlamydia group, and respiratory syncytial virus. Of 110 eligible patients, 100 consented to enrollment and 75 patients completed the study. Etiologic diagnoses were obtained in 40 of the patients (53%). M. pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and viruses accounted for the majority of infections. Mixed infections were seen in six patients. Forty-seven percent of patients had no diagnosis established. Pneumonia in this series of military recruits was frequently caused by M. pneumoniae and H. influenzae. Fifty percent of cases were undiagnosed with routinely available laboratory methods. Further studies are warranted to more clearly define the etiologic agents of recruit pneumonia and the utility of prophylactic measures.
Advances in the neuroscience of addiction.

Featuring contributions from leading experts, this book presents an excellent overview of the available and emerging approaches used to investigate the neurobiological mechanisms of drug addiction. Discussion includes the behavioral strategies and characteristics of addiction as well as mechanistic approaches to understanding the underlying neurobiology. The authors provide information from mathematical models, model organisms, animal models, and experiments conducted in humans. They deliver a comprehensive introduction to the methodologies of the field for students and beginning researchers and an essential reference source for established investigators.
Clinical Significance of Carcinoembryonic Antigens

Theoretically, CEA of the transplantation type should elicit an immunological reaction very early in tumor development but there are as yet no adequate tests to detect the reaction. The only test available for detecting a reaction in the cancer patient — cell-mediated cytotoxic activity and blocking activity of the serum — is a complex test which cannot be performed routinely. Moreover, indications of the presence of the transplantation type of CEA exist only in adenocarcinoma of the digestive tract.
Efficacy of Live Attenuated Herpes Zoster Vaccine in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Diseases

Background & Aims The risk of herpes zoster virus infection is increased among patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The herpes zoster vaccine (HZV) is therefore recommended for these patients, but little is known about its effectiveness, resulting in low use. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the national veterans Affairs Healthcare System (VAHS) from January 1, 2000 through June 30, 2016. We collected data from 39,983 veterans with IBD who had not received the HZV by an age of 60 years. The follow-up period started at age 60 or the date of first IBD medication prescription (whichever was later) and ended with the earliest diagnosis of herpes zoster infection, the end of the study period, or date of death. We identified veterans who received the HZV during the follow-up period and compared the incidence of herpes zoster between vaccinated vs unvaccinated patients. We performed multivariable Cox regression with time-dependent analysis to determine the risk of herpes zoster associated with vaccination status in the entire cohort and stratified by IBD medication. Results We identified 7170 patients who received the HZV during the follow-up period (17.9% of total cohort; 96.6% male and 94.2% Caucasian). The crude incidence rate of herpes zoster infection during the follow-up period for unvaccinated patients was 6.97/1000 person-years and for vaccinated patients was 4.09/1000 person-years. Vaccination was associated with significantly lower risk of herpes zoster infection, compared to lack of vaccination (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.44 – 0.68). Conclusion Vaccination was associated with a significantly reduced risk of herpes zoster infection among veterans with IBD. This vaccine is therefore effective in patients with IBD, but underused.
Sex-specific differences in genotoxic and epigenetic effects of 1,3-butadiene among mouse tissues

Exposure to environmental chemicals has been shown to have an impact on the epigenome. One example is a known human carcinogen 1,3-butadiene which acts primarily by a genotoxic mechanism, but also disrupts the chromatin structure by altering patterns of cytosine DNA methylation and histone modifications. Sex-specific differences in 1,3-butadiene-induced genotoxicity and carcinogenicity are well established; however, it remains unknown whether 1,3-butadiene-associated epigenetic alterations are also sex dependent. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that inhalational exposure to 1,3-butadiene will result in sex-specific epigenetic alterations. DNA damage and epigenetic effects of 1,3-butadiene were evaluated in liver, lung, and kidney tissues of male and female mice of two inbred strains (C57BL/6J and CAST/EiJ). Mice were exposed to 0 or 425 ppm of 1,3-butadiene by inhalation (6 h/day, 5 days/week) for 2 weeks. Strain- and tissue-specific differences in 1,3-butadiene-induced DNA adducts and crosslinks were detected in the liver, lung and kidney; however, significant sex-specific differences in DNA damage were observed in the lung of C57BL/6J mice only. In addition, we assessed expression of the DNA repair genes and observed a marked upregulation of Mgmt in the kidney in female C57BL/6J mice. Sex-specific epigenetic effects of 1,3-butadiene exposure were evident in alterations of cytosine DNA methylation and histone modifications in the liver and lung in both strains. Specifically, we observed a loss of cytosine DNA methylation in the liver and lung of male and female 1,3-butadiene-exposed C57BL/6J mice, whereas hypermethylation was found in the liver and lung in 1,3-butadiene-exposed female CAST/EiJ mice. Our findings suggest that strain- and sex-specific effects of 1,3-butadiene on the epigenome may contribute to the known differences in cancer susceptibility.
Approaches for the study of epigenetic modifications in the inner ear and related tissues

DNA methylation and histone modifications such as methylation, acetylation, and phosphorylation, are two types of epigenetic modifications that alter gene expression. These additions to DNA regulatory elements or to the tails of histones can be inherited or can also occur de novo. Since epigenetic modifications can have significant effects on various processes at both the cellular and organismal level, there has been a rapid increase in research on this topic throughout all fields of biology in recent years. However, epigenetic research is relativity new for the inner ear field, likely due to the limited number of cells present and their quiescent nature. Here, we provide an overview of methods used to detect DNA methylation and histone modifications with a focus on those that have been validated for use with limited cell numbers and a discussion of the strengths and limitations for each. We also provide examples for how these methods have been used to investigate the epigenetic landscape in the inner ear and related tissues.
Factors underlying frequently cited journal articles: A retrospective commentary

Citation counts can be used as an indicator of research quality. The question addressed herein was can we identify any variables that are associated with or could even be used to foretell whether a...
A Novel Low-Temperature Ceramic Binder for Fabricating Value -Added Products from Ordinary Wastes and Stabilizing Hazardous and Radioactive Wastes

(1997). A Novel Low-Temperature Ceramic Binder for Fabricating Value -Added Products from Ordinary Wastes and Stabilizing Hazardous and Radioactive Wastes. Materials Technology: Vol. 12, No. 5-6, pp. 149-153.
Association of 25-hydroxyvitamin D with incident coronary heart disease in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.

Abstract Background Low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) has been associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), but whether this association differs by race is unclear. Methods We examined the association of 25[OH]D with incident CHD in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, a prospective cohort study of black and white adults ≥45 years of age enrolled between 2003 and 2007 with follow-up through December 31, 2011. Using a case-cohort design, we measured 25[OH]D in 829 participants who developed incident CHD (cases) and in 813 participants without CHD randomly selected from the REGARDS cohort (comparison subcohort). Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations of 25[OH]D with incident CHD adjusting for established CHD risk factors in the study sample overall and stratified by race. Results In the fully adjusted model, lower quintiles of 25[OH]D were associated with a greater risk of incident CHD (25[OH]D > 33.6 ng/mL reference; 25[OH]D > 27.1-33.6 ng/mL, hazard ratio [HR] 2.79, 95% CI 1.64-4.76; 25[OH]D > 22.4-27.1 ng/mL, HR 2.77, 95% CI 1.57-4.89; 25[OH]D > 16.5-22.4 ng/mL, HR 5.52, 95% CI 3.21-9.50; 25[OH]D ≤ 16.5 ng/mL, HR 7.46, 95% CI 4.19-13.25). The results were similar when 25[OH]D was examined on a continuous scale (HR per 10-ng/mL decrement in 25[OH]D 2.04, 95% CI 1.65-2.52). The results did not statistically differ by race whether 25[OH]D was examined as a categorical or continuous variable (Pinteraction > .10). Conclusions Lower plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with higher risk of incident CHD. In contrast to prior studies, these associations did not differ by race.
Measurement of interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction from static domain imaging

Perpendicularly magnetized thin films with a strong Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) exhibit chiral spin structures such as N\'eel domain walls and skyrmions. These structures are promising candidates for next-generation magnetic memory devices. Determining the magnitude of the DMI accurately is key to engineering materials for such applications. Existing approaches are based on quantities extracted either from magnetization dynamics, which present experimental and theoretical challenges, or from measurements of quasistatic domain spacing, which so far have been analyzed using incomplete models or prohibitively slow micromagnetic simulations. Here, we use a recently developed analytical model of stripe domain widths in perpendicularly magnetized multilayers to extract the DMI from domain images combined with magnetometry data. Our approach is tested on micromagnetically simulated domain patterns, where we achieve a 1% agreement of the extracted DMI with the DMI used to run the simulation. We then apply our method to determine the thickness-dependent DMI in two experimental materials, one with (${[\mathrm{Pt}(2.5--7.5\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})/{\mathrm{Co}}_{60}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{20}{\mathrm{B}}_{20}(0.8\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})/\mathrm{MgO}(1.5\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})]}_{13}$) and one without (${[\mathrm{Pt}(2.5--7.5\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})/\mathrm{Co}(0.8\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})/\mathrm{Pt}(1.5\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{nm})]}_{13}$) inversion symmetry breaking. We discuss the means to obtain realistic error bars with our method. Our results demonstrate that analytical domain spacing analysis is a powerful tool to extract the DMI from technologically relevant multilayer materials.
Student veterans and adjustment to college: Making meaning of military experiences.

Objective: This study examined the relationships among meaning making, military stressor severity, and adjustment to college among student service members/veterans (SSM/Vs).Participants: Participan...
Further evidence for lower Columbia River green sturgeon spawning

The Green Sturgeon is a long-lived anadromous fish known to spawn in only three locations. Southern Distinct Population Segment (DPS) Green Sturgeon spawn only in the Sacramento drainage, while the Northern DPS spawns in the Klamath and Rogue rivers. In 2011, a young of year (YOY) Green Sturgeon was captured in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, providing preliminary evidence of a fourth spawning location. In 2017, four additional Green Sturgeon YOY of similar size were captured in the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam. Genetic analysis of all YOY samples indicates that they belong to the Northern DPS, confirming that the Northern DPS actually spawns in at least three locations. The detection of Green Sturgeon spawning in the Columbia River only in years with relatively high spring flow (2011, 2017), combined with confirmed correlations between flow and spawning for other White and Green Sturgeon populations, suggests that appropriate spawning conditions may only exist above a specific flow threshold. The Columbia River has the potential to play an important role in Green Sturgeon climate change adaptation due to its location at the northernmost end of the species’ reproductive range. We recommend future research to better quantify Green Sturgeon recruitment magnitude, frequency and dynamics in the Columbia River.
Long-term Head Start Impact on developmental outcomes for children in foster care

Abstract Purpose This study examined the long-term effects of Head Start on foster children's developmental outcomes from ages 3–4 to 8–9. Method 187 children in the care of foster parents (either relatives or non-relatives) were selected among 4442 children from the Head Start Impact study data, collected during 2002-2009. Children’s cognitive, social-emotional, and health outcomes were measured at three time points: ages 3–4, 5–6, and 8–9. Results Regression analysis was used to examine interaction effects of Head Start at the three measured time points. Results indicated that children in foster care who participated in Head Start had overall higher cognitive, social-emotional, and health outcomes compared to children in foster care who did not participate in Head Start. The positive impacts of Head Start on children in foster care were more prevalent when children were 8–9 years old. Implications Social workers should evaluate, identify and connect adequate social services to children in foster care. Future studies should be conducted to identify the barriers of accessing Head Start among children in foster care.
A Glioblastoma Genomics Primer for Clinicians.

Abstract: New discoveries in Glioblastoma (GBM) biology have been made using genomics data. Genomic markers are routinely integrated into clinical neurosurgical practice. In this manuscript, we review fundamentals of genomics such as the differences between first, second, and third generation sequencing technology. We also review the impact of single cell genomics in understanding the complex heterogenous GBM microenvironment. Finally, we will discuss advances in epigenetics that have lent insights into treatment resistance. The integration of genomics into neuro-oncology clinical practice is routine and will continue to expand with the expansion of precision of medicine. We provide a primer for clinicians.
Next Generation of Power Supplies-Design for Manufacturability

In today’s market, quality and reliability in power electronics products are a given. Greater emphases are placed on high efficiency, high power density, and low cost. Most products are custom designed with significant non-recurrent engineering and manufacturing processes that are labor intensive. In certain isolated areas, we have witnessed improvements by integrating power devices, drivers, sensing and control, in the forms of standard power modules, such as the “Intelligent Power Module” (IPM) in small motor drives and “Dr.MOS” in power supplies for point-of load applications. The major road blocks for wide spread applications using these more integrated solutions hinge on the ability to integrate large and bulky passive components with power semiconductors in a form suitable for automation. Suffice it to say that the design practice for magnetic components has remained largely the same for the past five decades. With recent advances in wide-band-gap (WBG) power semiconductor devices, namely, SiC and GaN, we have witnessed significant improvements in efficiency and power density, compared to the current practice using silicon counterparts. Furthermore, with significant higher operating frequency, the integration of magnetic components with embedded windings in the PCB is feasible for a wide range of applications. Design trade-offs, previously considered neither practical nor conceivable, can be realized, not only with significant gain in efficiency and power density, but also with drastic improvements of EMI/EMC and manufacturability. Several examples are given to illustrate the new design paradigm.
Application of the Internet of Things in the textile industry

The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) is at times mythologized and its purpose mistaken, and often people can become confused about what it means, does or aims to achieve; moreover, without a financial ap...
Development of Alzheimer's Disease Progressively Alters Sex-Dependent KCa and Sex-Independent KIR Channel Function in Cerebrovascular Endothelium.

Background Development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is associated with impaired blood flow delivery of oxygen and nutrients throughout the brain. Cerebrovascular endothelium regulates vasoreactivity of blood vessel networks for optimal cerebral blood flow. Objective We tested the hypothesis that cerebrovascular endothelial Gq-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR; purinergic and muscarinic) and K+ channel [Ca2+-activated (KCa2.3/SK3 and KCa3.1/IK1) and inward-rectifying (KIR2.x)] function declines during progressive AD pathology. Methods We applied simultaneous measurements of intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and membrane potential (Vm) in freshly isolated endothelium from posterior cerebral arteries of 3×Tg-AD mice [young, no pathology (1- 2 mo), cognitive impairment (CI; 4- 5 mo), extracellular Aβ plaques (Aβ; 6- 8 mo), and Aβ plaques + neurofibrillary tangles (AβT; 12- 15 mo)]. Results The coupling of ΔVm-to-Δ[Ca2+]i during AβT pathology was lowest for both sexes but, overall, ATP-induced purinergic receptor function was stable throughout AD pathology. SKCa/IKCa channel function itself was enhanced by ∼20% during AD (Aβ+ AβT) versus pre-AD (Young + CI) in males while steady in females. Accordingly, hyperpolarization-induced [Ca2+]i increases following SKCa/IKCa channel activation and Δ[Ca2+]i-to-ΔVm coupling was enhanced by ≥two-fold during AD pathology in males but not females. Further, KIR channel function decreased by ∼50% during AD conditions versus young regardless of sex. Finally, other than a ∼40% increase in females versus males during Aβ pathology, [Ca2+]i responses to the mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP were similar among AD versus pre-AD conditions. Conclusion Altogether, AD pathology represents a condition of altered KCa and KIR channel function in cerebrovascular endothelium in a sex-dependent and sex-independent manner respectively.
Perceived racial discrimination in the workplace: considering minority supervisory representation and inter-minority relations

This study examines the effects of increased supervisory representation by certain racial minority groups in U.S. federal agencies on the racial discrimination perceived by nonsupervisory employees...
Synthesis and characterization of surfactant assisted hydroxyapatite powder using microemulsion method

Abstract Hydroxyapatite (HAP), which is chemically represented as (Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2), is one of the main inorganic material of vertebrate bone and teeth. The bioceramic material is used as a substitute for deficient bone tissue because of its similarities to crystallographic and chemical composition of teeth and bone. HAP is extensively used in various biomedical applications because of its excellent properties, such as bioactivity, non-toxicity, biocompatibility, non-immunogenicity and osteoconductivity. In this work, hydroxyapatite powder was synthesized using polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (Briji-35) as a surfactant and dimethyl sulfoxide as a primary surfactant through microemulsion method. The obtained products were characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM. The result indicated that, the Briji-35 played an important role for the formation of nano-hydroxyapatite particle with good crystallinity and particles with uniform morphology besides controlling the particle size of nano-HAP. The biomedical application studies of the as-synthesised material are yet to be studied.
Beneficial Effects of Transplanted Human Bone Marrow Endothelial Progenitors on Functional and Cellular Components of Blood-Spinal Cord Barrier in ALS Mice

Convincing evidence of blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) alterations has been demonstrated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and barrier repair is imperative to prevent motor neuron dysfunction. We showed benefits of human bone marrow-derived CD34+ cells (hBM34+) and endothelial progenitor cells (hBM-EPCs) intravenous transplantation into symptomatic G93A SOD1 mutant mice on barrier reparative processes. These gains likely occurred by replacement of damaged endothelial cells, prolonging motor neuron survival. However, additional investigations are needed to confirm the effects of administered cells on integrity of the microvascular endothelium. The aim of this study was to determine tight junction protein levels, capillary pericyte coverage, microvascular basement membrane, and endothelial F-actin status in spinal cord capillaries of G93A SOD1 mutant mice treated with human bone marrow-derived stem cells. Tight junction proteins were detected in the spinal cords of cell-treated vs. non-treated mice via western blotting at four weeks post-transplant. Capillary pericyte, basement membrane laminin, and endothelial F-actin magnitudes were determined in cervical/lumbar spinal cord tissues in ALS mice, including controls, by immunohistochemistry and fluorescent staining. Results showed that cell-treated vs. media-treated ALS mice substantially increased tight junction protein levels, capillary pericyte coverage, basement membrane laminin immunoexpressions, and endothelial cytoskeletal F-actin fluorescent expressions. The greatest benefits were detected in mice receiving hBM-EPCs vs. hBM34+ cells. These study results support treatment with a specific cell type derived from human bone marrow towards BSCB repair in ALS. Thus, hBM-EPCs may be advanced for clinical applications as a cell-specific approach for ALS therapy through restored barrier integrity. Significance Statement Repairing the disease-altered blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB) in ALS via cell transplantation may be a feasible therapeutic approach. We showed benefits of intravenously transplanted human bone marrow-derived stem cells into symptomatic G93A SOD1 mutant mice on barrier reparative processes, likely by replacing damaged endothelial cells. However, effects of administered cells on endothelium integrity in mouse CNS capillaries was not fully determined. Here we showed that ALS mice receiving human bone marrow endothelial progenitor cells (hBM-EPCs) vs. hBM34+ cells substantially increased tight junction protein levels, capillary pericyte coverage, basement membrane laminin immunoexpressions, and endothelial cytoskeletal F-actin fluorescent expressions. These results provide evidence that hBM-EPCs effectively maintained capillary endothelium integrity in ALS and these cells may be advanced for clinical applications restoring BSCB integrity.
CS Education for the Socially-Just Worlds We Need: The Case for Justice-Centered Approaches to CS in Higher Education.

Justice-centered approaches to equitable computer science (CS) education prioritize the development of students' CS disciplinary identities toward social justice rather than corporations, industry, empire, and militarism by emphasizing ethics, identity, and political vision. However, most research in justice-centered approaches to equitable CS education focus on K-12 learning environments. In this position paper, we problematize the lack of attention to justice-centered approaches to CS in higher education and then describe a justice-centered approach for undergraduate Data Structures and Algorithms that (1) critiques sociopolitical values of data structure and algorithm design and dominant computing epistemologies that approach social good without design justice; (2) centers students in culturally responsive-sustaining pedagogies to resist dominant computing culture and value Indigenous ways of living in nature; and (3) ensures the rightful presence of political struggles through reauthoring rights and problematizing the political power of computing. Through a case study of this Critical Comparative Data Structures and Algorithms pedagogy, we argue that justice-centered approaches to higher CS education can help students not only critique the ethical implications of nominally technical concepts, but also develop greater respect for diverse epistemologies, cultures, and narratives around computing that can help all of us realize the socially-just worlds we need.
El aptaycachana de Juan de Castromonte - un manual sacramental quechua para la sierra central del Perú (ca. 1650)

Este articulo presenta una edicion critica del Aptaycachana de Juan de Castromonte, un manual sacramental quechua escrito a mediados del siglo XVII para ser usado en las parroquias indigenas de la sierra central del Peru (actuales departamentos de Junin, Pasco, Huanuco, Ancash y Lima). A pesar de que la Iglesia peruana habia impuesto una lingua franca pastoral de base cuzquena desde el III Concilio Limense de 1583, hay abundantes elementos lexicos, morfologicos y fonologicos del quechua central en el Aptaycachana, mas que en cualquier otro texto colonial. El manual de Castromonte es asi una fuente importante para la linguistica historica del quechua y para el estudio de las practicas de traduccion de la iglesia en los Andes coloniales. Esta edicion, que consiste en una transcripcion paleografica y traduccion castellana anotadas, es precedida por un estudio preliminar que explica los contextos historicos inmediatos del Aptaycachana y discute algunos de sus rasgos mas destacables.
Abstract 345: Sensitivity of human leukemic sup-t1 cells to chemotherapeutic agents

Background: Lymphoid cell apoptosis plays an important role in the development and functioning of the immune system. The ability of chemotherapeutic agents such as antimetabolites, topoisomerase poisons, alkylating agent mimics, anti-tumor antibiotics, and glucocorticoids to target the apoptotic pathway is instrumental in their potency as anti-leukemic agents. Resistance to chemotherapeutic agents is a hindrance to disease-free survival. An understanding of the genetic basis for apoptosis induction is essential to the development of more effective chemotherapeutic regimens. Studies in our laboratory, and by other investigators, have suggested that induction of a proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member, Bim, facilitates drug-induced apoptosis of T-lymphocytic leukemia cells in culture. We have identified E4BP4 and Bcl11b as transcriptional regulators of Bim expression. Both E4BP4 and Bcl11b are vital for normal immune cell development and are known to have reciprocal effects on T-cell differentiation and survival. E4BP4 is required for maturation of Induced T-cell derived Natural Killer cells (ITNK) while Bcl11b expression is required for maintenance of T-cell identity. In separate experiments, Bcl11b repression and E4BP4 upregulation have been associated with T-cell apoptosis. In the studies presented here, we are establishing a relationship between E4BP4 and Bcl11b expression, leukemic cell apoptosis, and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in cell culture models of T-lympboblastic leukemia. Methods: The sensitivity of human Leukemic T-lymphoblast cell line, Sup-T1, to each class of anti-leukemic agent is being evaluated by trypan blue dye exclusion assays and flow cytometric analysis. Drug-induced alterations in E4BP4, Bcl11b, and Bim transcripts were evaluated by RT-qPCR, and the data are being interpreted via Pfaffl analysis. Results: Sup-T1 cells were resistant to the synthetic glucocorticoid Dexamethasone, and the alkylating agent mimic Cisplatin. Sup-T1 showed moderate sensitivity to the topoisomerase poison Etoposide. Marked sensitivity to the anti-tumor antibiotic Daunorubicin and the antimetabolite 5-fluorouracil was indicated. E4BP4 and Bim transcript levels seem to be induced by Daunorubicin and 5-fluorouracil, when compared to the reference gene β-actin. Bcl11b regulation is being investigated currently and all results are being tested against a new reference gene, GAPDH. Conclusions: Our data support our hypothesis of a correlation between sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents and upregulation of E4BP4 and Bim in Sup-T1 cells. Analysis of Bcl11b expression data is ongoing. Acknowledgements: This project is funded by NIH grant (SC3 GM 081099) awarded to RDM. Citation Format: Andrew D. Gisis, Rheem D. Medh. Sensitivity of human leukemic sup-t1 cells to chemotherapeutic agents. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 345. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-345
Rock signature from the sky

What was Earth's atmosphere like at different times in the past? Studies of sulphate-rich rocks, which are found to contain an unusual oxygen-isotope signature derived from chemical interactions in the atmosphere, may provide a new tool to tackle the question.
A surprisingly attractive couple

Many industrial and natural processes depend on controlling the interactions between micrometre-sized colloidal particles dispersed in fluid suspensions. Even so, colloidal interactions are not entirely understood — a strange attractive force has been observed between like-charged particles in some circumstances. It now seems that this force is due to a combination of nonlinear effects and geometrical confinement.
Emotional Security Theory An Emerging Theoretical Model for Youths’ Psychological and Physiological Responses Across Multiple Developmental Contexts

Emotional security theory (EST), initially proposed as a process model for understanding relations between marital conflict and child development, has been empirically tested and validated in numerous studies over the past 20 years. This has demonstrated the relevance of children’s emotional security to consequent emotional and behavioral adjustment. Recently, investigations of EST have employed an exciting new range of multimethod processes that include biobehavioral and physiological evaluations. Together with a broadening of the ecological contexts in which EST is examined, EST research is making innovative strides in the study of process and context that promise to bring it to the forefront of social-ecological systems research.
"You've Never Seen this Kind of Poverty": Facing Class and Gender in Shoah Representations

In researchers' reconstructions of the Holocaust, also called the Shoah, the lives of ordinary people l lives more impoverished and constrained than those of middle- and upper-class individuals - have been largely overlooked. Rarely have the ways in which gender and class enter into accounts of death and survival been examined. Integrating feminist gender analyzes with class theories, I explore differences between working- and middle-class Jewish women's representations in terms of multiple oppressions. Literary representations often contain class biases because they rely, almost exclusively, on investigations of middle-class, and urban Jews. Combining textual analysis with oral history methods, I conducted audio-taped interviews with survivors, researched videotaped testimonies as well as unpublished third-person narratives and examined the influence of socioeconomic status on Polish- and German-Jewish women's everyday lives in the interwar years (1919-38) and during World War II. My goals are first, to record life histories of marginalized survivors, and second, to demonstrate that social class must be conceptually central to Holocaust analysis, and finally, to contribute to an interdisciplinary discourse on class and gender. By interpreting testimonies at risk of being lost and de-stigmatizing poverty and manual labor, we expose social inequities, and thus can add breadth and depth to our understanding of the Shoah.
Multibody Graph Transformations and Analysis Part II: Closed-chain constraint embedding

This two-part paper uses graph transformation methods to develop methods for partitioning, aggregating, and constraint embedding for multibody systems. This first part focuses on tree-topology systems and reviews the key notion of spatial kernel operator (SKO) models for such systems. It develops systematic and rigorous techniques for partitioning SKO models in terms of the SKO models of the component subsystems based on the path-induced property of the component subgraphs. It shows that the sparsity structure of key matrix operators and the mass matrix for the multibody system can be described using partitioning transformations. Subsequently, the notions of node contractions and subgraph aggregation and their role in coarsening graphs are discussed. It is shown that the tree property of a graph is preserved after subgraph aggregation if and only if the subgraph satisfies an aggregation condition. These graph theory ideas are used to develop SKO models for the aggregated tree multibody systems.