cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evidenced-based and targeted interventions are required to enhance compliance with COVID-19 public health measures.

Commentary on: Nivette, A, Ribeaud, D, Murray, A, et al . Non-compliance with COVID-19 related public health measures among young adults in Switzerland: Insight from longitudinal cohort study. Soc Sci Med 2020; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113370. Compliance with public health guidelines has become increased in global importance since the COVID-19 pandemic began. While a growing body of research on how personality and individual differences predict compliance with health guidelines during the pandemic,1 Nivette and colleagues examined prior social and psychological factors linked to non-compliance in adolescents and young adults during the pandemic. Using a prospective-longitudinal cohort study with data before and during the pandemic in Switzerland, Nivette …
Zebrafish harbor diverse intestinal macrophage populations including a subset intimately associated with enteric neural processes.

Summary Intestinal macrophages are essential for gut health but remain understudied outside of human and mouse systems. Here, we establish zebrafish as a powerful model that provides superior imaging capabilities for whole-gut analysis along all dimensions (anterior-posterior and center-outer axes) for dissecting macrophage biology in gastrointestinal health and disease. We utilized high-resolution imaging to show that the zebrafish gut contains bona fide muscularis and mucosal macrophages, as well as surprisingly large subsets intimately associated with enteric neural processes. Interestingly, most muscularis macrophages span multiple gut layers in stark contrast to their mammalian counterparts typically restricted to a single layer. Using macrophage-deficient irf8 zebrafish, we found a depletion of muscularis but not mucosal macrophages, and that they may be dispensable for gross intestinal transit in adults but not during development. These characterizations provide first insights into intestinal macrophages and their association with the enteric nervous system from development to adulthood in teleosts.
The built environment and vehicle ownership modeling: Evidence from 32 diverse regions in the U.S.

Abstract Vehicle ownership is an important determinant of the travel demand forecasting process. Vehicle ownership models are used by policy makers to identify factors that affect vehicle miles traveled, and therefore address problems related to energy consumption, air pollution, and traffic congestion. For the conventional travel demand forecasting, it logically follows land use forecasting, before trip generation, which is commonly treated as step one. The most critical limitation of the vehicle ownership models, especially in the conventional process, is that they are often related mainly to sociodemographic variables, not so much to built environmental variables. In this study, by pooling regional household travel survey data from 32 diverse regions (almost 92,000 households) of the U.S., and by controlling for socio-demographic and the built environmental variables, we estimated a vehicle ownership model that contributes to the understanding of vehicle ownership and improves the accuracy of travel demand forecasts. Two main findings of this research are: 1) The number of vehicles owned by a household increases with socio-demographic variables and decreases with almost all of the built environmental variables. For the urban planning and design practices, this finding suggests that car shedding occurs as built environments become more dense, mixed, connected, and transit-served. 2) We used both count regression and discrete choice models, and the results suggest that count regression models have better predictive accuracy. The model developed in this study can be directly used for travel demand modeling and forecasting by metropolitan planning organizations.
Virtual Competition and Cost of Capital: Evidence from Telehealth

Using the staggered implementation of telehealth parity laws in the U.S. Healthcare industry, we find causal evidence that virtual competition affects U.S. hospitals' cost of capital through a credit risk channel. Financial statements indicate that rural hospitals lose patients to urban hospitals in the same state after states require equivalent reimbursement of remote and in-person services. These effects increase rural hospital bankruptcy risk indicated by leverage and Z-Score. This increased financial stress translates into lower credit ratings and a higher cost of capital for rural hospitals. Controlling for bond characteristics, we find that affected rural hospitals' new bond costs rise by 20 - 38 bps relative to urban hospital bonds issued in the same state and in the same year. Secondary market yields of outstanding rural bonds increase by a significant 8 - 17 bps. Overall, we conclude that virtual competition in healthcare provision exacerbates healthcare inequality between rural and urban areas.
Abstract NT-091: TGF-β1-INDUCED CHEMORESISTANCE IS REVERSED BY BG-4 PEPTIDE

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily plays a significant role in ovarian physiology but dysregulated TGF-β signaling is associated with promotion of ovarian carcinogenesis. TGF-β signaling in ovarian cancer favors cancer invasion and metastasis and controls ovarian cancer cell proliferation. The objective of this study is to determine the ability of a food-derived peptide, called BG-4, to suppress TGF-β1 signaling in ovarian cancer cells. BG-4 is a novel bioactive peptide isolated from the seeds of Momordica charantia with demonstrated anticancer and strong trypsin inhibitory properties. Different ovarian cancer cells (A2780-1A9, BR and PEO4) were exposed to 10 ng/mL TGF-β1 with or without non-cytotoxic dose of BG-4 (100 µg/mL) and response to chemotherapeutic reagents paclitaxel and cisplatin was evaluated. In addition, markers of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis were evaluated using western blot and immunofluorescence microscopy. TGF-β1 treatment resulted in cisplatin resistance in three cell lines as evidenced by increase in ED50 values from 42.9 µM to 88.5 µM, 53.7 µM to 108.3 µM and 44.8 µM to 67.3 µM for BR, PEO4 and A2780-1A9 cells, respectively. In the presence of BG-4, ED50 values of 35.6 µM, 56.4 µM and 46.6 µM were obtained for BR, PEO4 and A2780-1A9 cells, respectively. These values are similar to non-TGF-β1-treated cells indicating the ability of BG-4 to reverse TGF-β1-induced chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cell lines. Mechanistic studies showed that TGF-β1 signaling induces EMT in ovarian cancer cells as shown by differential expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin and mesenchymal markers N-cadherin, vimentin and transcription factors Snail, Slug and Twist1. In addition, the expression of apoptosis markers were affected by TGF-β1 signaling. On the other hand, treatment of TGF-β1 in the presence of 100 µg/mL BG-4 led to reversal of the EMT process. These results showed that the ability of BG-4 to reverse TGF-β1-induced chemoresistance in ovarian cancer cell lines may be associated with inhibition of the EMT process. Citation Format: Vermont P Dia. TGF-β1-INDUCED CHEMORESISTANCE IS REVERSED BY BG-4 PEPTIDE [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 12th Biennial Ovarian Cancer Research Symposium; Sep 13-15, 2018; Seattle, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2019;25(22 Suppl):Abstract nr NT-091.
Russian Fruit and Vegetable Markets and the Role of Consumer Cooperation in Their Development

Over the past years, the Russian government has been pursuing a policy of import substitution to increase the domestic production of agricultural products, including fruits and vegetables. Despite this, the consumption of fruits and vegetables per capita remains below the medical norm. Imports of fruits are more than twice as high as production. At the same time, there are countries (such as the Netherlands) that have provided citizens with a balanced consumption of fruits and vegetables. This paper aims to study the domestic market of fruits and vegetables, identify possible directions of its development and the role of consumer cooperation in achieving the goals, study international experience, and best practices to launch internal reserves. The paper used such methods as observation, abstraction, analysis, synthesis, comparison, dialectic, and logic, which helped the authors to study the work of experts on the subject published in periodicals and on the Internet and to evaluate the statistical reports of domestic and foreign services and institutions. In Russia, most fruits and vegetables are produced in households or peasant (farmer) enterprises rather than in agricultural organizations. Both experience difficulties in preserving and implementing a new crop. The measures taken by the government to establish agricultural cooperatives have not had the expected effect. Therefore, to include all producers in the market infrastructure, it is necessary to organize consumer cooperation and other alternative channels for the sale of fruits and vegetables without intermediaries.
Bilingual Abstract Semantic Associative Network Training (BAbSANT): A Polish-English case study

Abstract Introduction: This article presents a novel approach to anomia therapy (i.e., BAbSANT: Bilingual Abstract Semantic Associative Network Training) for bilingual persons with aphasia (B-PWA) that capitalizes both on lexico-semantic theories in bilingualism and general theories of semantic organization and learning. Based on previous work, we hypothesized that training abstract words in either language would promote within-language generalization, while training in the nondominant language would promote both within- and cross-language generalization. Methods: This case study used a single-subject A1BA2CA3 design. The participant was living with aphasia secondary to stroke and spoke both Polish and English, with Polish being his native and dominant language. Phase B consisted of abstract word training in Polish and phase C consisted of abstract word training in English. Prior to initiating therapy, in addition to a comprehensive language battery, we administered a cognitive control task to explore the relationship between cognitive control and treatment outcome. Results: We found within-language generalization regardless of the trained language, replicating previous work in monolingual persons with aphasia, further supporting the utility of training abstract words. However, contrary to our second hypothesis, cross-language generalization only occurred when the stronger language was trained. Conclusions: The discussion of the results of this case study is framed within previous work and theories of bilingualism. The lack of cross-language generalization when the weaker language was trained is discussed, taking into account nonverbal cognitive control deficits. In addition to showing the efficacy of BAbSANT, these results highlight the importance of considering cognitive control as a factor influencing therapeutic outcomes in anomia treatment in bilingual PWA.
Recent trends in using single-drop microextraction and related techniques in green analytical methods

Abstract Single-drop microextraction (SDME) was the first successful application of the solvent-microextraction (SME) technique for concentration and purification of analytes from aqueous and gaseous samples. However, SDME has inherent extraction-solvent-volume and drop-stability limitations, leading to the development of other SME techniques. SDME and related exposed solvent techniques remain popular due to their low cost, simplicity and the need for only common laboratory equipment. Many of these techniques also lend themselves to complete automation and on-line continuous-flow analysis. Since SDME and its related techniques involve the use of microliter quantities of extraction solvent, they are important green analytical methods. Recent uses of SDME and related techniques in green analytical methods are: direct immersion SDME (DI-SDME), headspace SDME (HS-SDME), drop-to-drop microextraction, (DDME), directly-suspended droplet microextraction (DSDME), liquid-liquid-liquid microextraction (LLLME), continuous-flow microextraction (CFME), and solvent-supported microextraction (SSME).
The Core Properties of Elliptical Galaxies

With the advent of high resolution surface photometry of elliptical galaxies [1, 2] there are many interesting problems that we can now investigate - in this brief paper I will confine my discussion to the basic core structure parameters such as core radius r c and central surface brightness, I o, and their relationship to global properties of elliptical galaxies. Most of the discussion presented here is based on the analysis of slightly sub-arcsecond resolution CCD photometry of 42 galaxies presented in LAUER (pc ≡ I o /2r c ) at any luminosity; in fact, central density acts as a “second parameter” in addition to luminosity for the description of the core properties of any galaxy. This result is sketched out below.
Insulin-stimulated hexose transport and glucose oxidation in rat adipocytes is inhibited by sphingosine at a step after insulin binding.

Abstract Spingosine, a naturally occurring inhibitor of protein kinase C, has recently been shown to have potent bioregulatory effects on a variety of cellular processes involving signal transduction mechanisms. In the present studies, we have investigated its effects on activation by insulin of hexose transport and glucose oxidation in isolated rat adipocytes. Preincubation of cells with this long-chain base blocked both the marked activation of these processes by insulin and the smaller activation by phorbol myristate acetate. Inhibition of both insulin and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate activation showed the same sphingosine concentration dependence, suggesting a common locus of action. The effectiveness of sphingosine was inversely proportional to the lipid content in the incubation (which was a function of both the age of the animal and the number of cells used) presumably due to dilution of the lipophilic long-chain base into the cellular triglycerides. Sphingosine did not affect either insulin binding to its receptor or the half-maximal concentration of the hormone required to activate hexose transport, but reduced the maximal responses. Thus, the inhibition was at a step distal to the binding of insulin to its receptor. Basal transport activity was not inhibited, suggesting a locus of action prior to the glucose transporter. The inhibitor was also effective when added following activation by insulin of hexose transport and resulted in a rapid reversal of activation (t 1/2 for inhibition was 2-4 min.). Sphingosine and its analogs showed a parallel potency for inhibition both of isolated protein kinase C and of insulin activation in adipocytes, consistent with an essential role for protein kinase C in the activation of hexose transport by insulin.
Receptor Editing as a Mechanism of B Cell Tolerance

Acquired immunity relies upon a prolific but non-discriminating mechanism to generate an Ag receptor repertoire of innumerable specificities with the investment of a minimal amount of the genome's coding capacity. This strategy, however, requires a mechanism to address the generation of lymphocytes
Relationships Between Incarcerated Women: Moving Beyond Stereotypes

1. Described as one of the "pains of imprisonment," separation may be particularly difficult for women in prison because most functioned in multiple relational roles, including mother, wife, girlfriend, daughter, sister, and friend, before incarceration. 2. In the absence of consistent contact with family, friends, and other loved ones outside prison, incarcerated women may seek to develop connections with other inmates as a way to adapt to life in prison. 3. Positive adaptation may allow incarcerated women to take advantage of educational/vocational, parenting, and drug treatment programs offered in prison, thus facilitating their adaptation after release.
Development and Maintenance of a B220− Memory B Cell Compartment

We have recently demonstrated that a novel somatically mutated B220(-) memory B cell subset rapidly dominates the secondary immune response to (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl) acetyl (NP). Upon adoptive transfer with Ag, B220(+)NP(+) memory B cells produce large numbers of B220(-)NP(+) B cells that can rapidly differentiate into plasma cells. Therefore, it is not clear whether the novel B220(-) memory compartment is a consequence of secondary Ag challenge or whether it develops as a stable memory subset after initial Ag challenge. In this study, we demonstrate the gradual emergence of B220(-)NP(+) B cells in the spleen to maximal numbers 3 wk after initial Ag exposure. Like their B220(+) counterparts, the B220(-) B cells initially appear unmutated at days 5-7; however, the majority rapidly accumulate affinity increasing mutations by days 9-14 of the primary immune response. More extensive cell surface phenotype (GL7(-)BLA-1(-)CD24(-)CD43(+)) argues strongly against germinal center localization and direct analysis in situ places a cohort of B220(-)CD11b(+)NP(+) B cells in the red pulp of the spleen and not in the MZs. These data provide direct evidence for the development of B220(-) memory B cells as a unique cellular consequence of primary Ag exposure. The cellular dynamics and molecular attributes of these unique memory B cells suggest they are distinct cellular products of the germinal center reaction in the primary response and are maintained long-term in the spleen and bone marrow.
InAs Planar Nanowire Gate-All-Around MOSFETs on GaAs Substrates by Selective Lateral Epitaxy

High indium content III–V materials are one of the most promising candidates for beyond Si CMOS technologies. We present InAs planar nanowire (NW) MOSFETs grown directly on a semi-insulating GaAs (100) substrate by the selective lateral epitaxy (SLE) method via the metal-seeded planar vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. Despite a $\sim 7$ % lattice mismatch, in-plane and self-aligned single-crystal InAs NWs are grown epitaxially on GaAs. Such heterogeneous SLE provides a potential solution for the integration of different channel materials on one substrate. Gate-all-around MOSFET devices are fabricated by releasing the NW channel from the substrate through a combination of digital etching and selective etching processes. The device with a NW width of 30 nm and gate length of 350 nm shows an $I_{\mathrm{{\scriptscriptstyle ON}}}$ / $I_{\mathrm{{\scriptscriptstyle OFF}}}$ ratio of $10^{4}$ and a peak transconductance of 220 mS/mm at $V_{\mathrm {ds}} = 0.5$ V.
Effects of deformation in the three-body structure of Li11

Abstract Li 11 is studied within a three-body model Li 9 + n + n where the core is allowed to be deformed and/or excite. In particular, we include reorientation couplings and couplings between the two bound states of Li 9 . Contrary to the other examples studied within this model, we find that core excitation does not affect the structure of Li 11 significantly. Reorientation couplings of the deformed Li 9 can change the ground state of Li 11 from a predominantly two neutron ( s 1 / 2 ) 2 configuration into a ( p 1 / 2 ) 2 . A comparison with shell model results based on the WBP Hamiltonian is presented. The largest difference between the two models is that the d 2 occupancy is 7–10% for the three-body model versus 20% for the shell model.
Diagnosis and Treatment Of Ocular Disorders

Although by no means comprehensive, this article reviews some of the common diseases, disorders and injuries to the eye that may occur in patients seen by radiologic technologists. Diagnosis and treatment also are discussed.
Learning to talk like an urban woodsman: an artistic intervention

This paper is an artist's statement about the Re Made project, an artwork that parodies the urban woodsman aesthetic of Best Made Co., which markets designer axes through the rhetoric of authenticity, the appropriation of working-class identities and the revitalization of traditional male roles. Re Made Co. replace Best Made Co.’s $300 urban axe with a $300 toilet plunger and satirizes their marketing campaign through social media, graphic design, video and photography. This project uses critical design to pose pivotal questions, such as: What are the implications of transforming a useful tool into a symbolic object? How is working-class labor sold as white-collar fantasy? What are the contradictory references that promise “authentic” experiences? This paper analyzes the Best Made Co. brand's cultural references to masculinity, outdoorsmen and the frontier, their photographic language of snapshot images and designed aesthetic, reveals the consequences of these expressions, and proposes strategies for reas...
Dilatation and curettage for second-trimester abortions.

Abstract This study reports the outcome of 2,500 consecutive second-trimester abortions performed with the dilatation and curettage method. Of the abortions, 99.2 per cent were for gestations between the fifteenth and eighteenth menstrual weeks of pregnancy. We determined that this procedure is both safer and less traumatic than intrauterine saline or prostaglandin instillation. The low incidence of uterine perforation (0.08 per cent) and over-all morbidity (2.8 per cent) and the short duration of hospitalization (average 1.1 days per patient per procedure), as well as the absence of any death in our series, substantiate this premise.
Frequency dependence of delayed and instantaneous triggering on laboratory and simulated faults governed by rate-state friction

Earthquake triggering by transient stresses is commonly observed; however, some aspects remain unexplained. The first is the often-observed delay between the triggered earthquakes and the triggering waves, and the second is the unexpected effectiveness of transient stressing in the seismic frequency band. Previous theoretical and laboratory studies have suggested that seismic transients should have little impact on faults if the duration of the transient is smaller than the timescale for nucleation of slip. We reexamine the dynamics of stress triggering during stick-slip sliding on a laboratory fault and make three important observations that pertain to earthquake triggering. (1) Delayed triggering (clock advance) occurs for both bare granite surfaces and granular gouge prior to the onset of instantaneous triggering. (2) Triggering occurs much earlier in the stick-slip cycle than expected for a simple Coulomb stress threshold. (3) Shorter-period (higher stressing rate) pulses are more effective at triggering than longer-period pulses of the same stress amplitude. We use numerical simulations to show that rate-state friction can explain each of the observed features but not all three simultaneously. Only the Ruina slip law for state evolution, in which faults must slip to heal, can reproduce early-onset and stressing rate-dependent triggering. The laboratory and numerical experiments show that faults can remain relatively weak over much of the seismic cycle and that the triggered response depends on a competition between healing and weakening during triggered slip. Transient stressing at seismic frequencies may be more effective at triggering earthquakes than previously recognized.
RINGS RADICAL OVER SUBRINGS

LetR be a ring with a subringA such that a power of every element ofR lies inA. The following results are proved: IfR has no nonzero nil right ideals, neither doesA; if moreoverR is prime,A is also prime. IfR is semiprime Goldie, so isA. IfA has no nonzero nilpotent elements, then the nilpotent elements ofR form an ideal. Finally ifR has no nil right ideals andA is Goldie, thenR is Goldie.
Fiber optic IR reflectance sensor for the cone penetrometer

A compact, ruggedized fiber optic IR reflectance probe for remote, in-situ screening of underground waste sites has been developed. Using cabled chalcogenide optical fibers and a FTIR system, remote spectroscopy has been performed over distances of 20 meters. This paper discusses the design and performance of this system.
Is Chordin a morphogen

Models employing gradients of diffusible morphogens are often invoked to explain regional specification in the early embryo. In these models, a concentration gradient of a secreted factor generates distinct cell fates, based on the differential response of cells to local concentrations of this morphogen. In recent years, there has been a great deal of focus on the factors involved in the dorsoventral patterning of the vertebrate mesoderm and ectoderm. Dorsoventral specification during amphibian gastrulation is regulated by the antagonistic actions of the Bone Morphogenetic Proteins (BMPs) and a number of dorsally expressed inhibitors, including the secreted factor, Chordin. In a recent paper, Blitz and colleagues explore the possibility that Chordin acts as a long-range factor in the amphibian gastrula embryo, to establish a functional gradient of BMP activity.
Wide-angle imaging LIDAR (WAIL): a ground-based instrument for monitoring the thickness and density of optically thick clouds.

Traditional lidar provides little information on dense clouds beyond the range to their base (ceilometry), due to their extreme opacity. At most optical wavelengths, however, laser photons are not absorbed but merely scattered out of the beam, and thus eventually escape the cloud via multiple scattering, producing distinctive extended space- and time-dependent patterns which are, in essence, the cloud's radiative Green functions. These Green functions, essentially 'movies' of the time evolution of the spatial distribution of escaping light, are the primary data products of a new type of lidar: Wide Angle Imaging Lidar (WAIL). WAIL data can be used to infer both optical depth and physical thickness of clouds, and hence the cloud liquid water content. The instrumental challenge is to accommodate a radiance field varying over many orders of magnitude and changing over widely varying time-scales. Our implementation uses a high-speed microchannel plate/crossed delay line imaging detector system with a 60-degree full-angle field of view, and a 532 nm doubled Nd:YAG laser. Nighttime field experiments testing various solutions to this problem show excellent agreement with diffusion theory, and retrievals yield plausible values for the optical and geometrical parameters of the observed cloud decks.
Exploiting sensory ecology to reduce seabird by-catch

In a previous study, we reported that deploying small amounts of biogenic oil derived from the livers of school sharks (Galeorhinus galeus) was effective in reducing the numbers of seabirds attending fishing vessels and seabird diving activity in the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand. This seabird assemblage was numerically dominated by Flesh-footed Shearwaters (Puffinus carneipes) and the globally vulnerable Black Petrel (Procellaria parkinsoni). The results suggested that the oil deterrent operated via an olfactory or chemesthetic mechanism. Here we compare the deterrent effects of shark-liver oil with three other fish oils, in the Flesh-footed Shearwater–Black Petrel assemblage. We also report on trials assessing the deterrent efficacy of shark-liver oil and one other fish oil in an assemblage including four species of albatrosses (Diomedea spp., Thalasarcche spp.), Southern and Northern Giant-Petrels (Macronectes giganteus and M. halli), and Cape Petrels (Daption capense). Shark-liver oil was the most effective deterrent of the four fish oils tested in the Flesh-footed Shearwater–Black Petrel assemblage, but it did not deter albatrosses, giant-petrels or Cape Petrels from attending vessels. Thus, the deterrent was effective only on burrow-nesting seabird species. These results may provide further support for our speculation that the deterrent operates via an olfactory mechanism, while corroborating other work linking life-history characteristics of seabirds to their sensory ecology. We recommend research to investigate the mechanism and active ingredients by which shark-liver oil deters some species of seabirds. We also suggest testing fish oils on White-chinned (Procellaria aequinoctialis) and Grey (Procellaria cinerea) Petrels, and Sooty Shearwaters (Puffinus griseus), as well as in other areas occupied by Flesh-footed Shearwaters, to assess further potential for this natural oil or its ingredients to reduce by-catch of seabird species globally.
Milk fat globule-EGF factor VIII attenuates CNS injury by promoting neural stem cell proliferation and migration after cerebral ischemia

The mediators in activating neural stem cells during the regenerative process of neurogenesis following stroke have not been fully identified. Milk fat globule-EGF Factor VIII (MFG-E8), a secreted glycoprotein serves several cellular functions by binding to its receptor, αv β3-integrin. However, its role in regulating neural stem cells after stroke has not been determined yet. We therefore, aim to reveal whether MFG-E8 promotes neural stem cell proliferation and migration during stroke. Stroke was induced in wild-type (Wt) and MFG-E8-deficinet (Mfge8-/-) mice by transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO). Commercially available recombinant mouse MFG-E8 (rmMFG-E8) was used for mechanistic assays in neural stem cell line, while the in house prepared recombinant human MFG-E8 (rhMFG-E8) was used for in vivo administration into rats with tMCAO. The in vitro effects of recombinant rmMFG-E8 for the neural stem cell proliferation and migration were determined by BrdU and transwell migration assay, respectively. The expression of cyclin D2, p53 and netrin-1, was analyzed by qPCR. We report that the treatment of rhMFG-E8 significantly improved the neurological deficit score, body weight lost and neural stem cell proliferation in a rat model of tMCAO. Conversely, decreased neural stem cell proliferation was observed in Mfge8-/- mice in comparison with the Wt counterparts underwent tMCAO. rmMFG-E8 stimulated the proliferation of mouse embryonic neural stem cells via upregulation of cyclin D2 and downregulation of p53, which is mediated by αv β3-integrin. rmMFG-E8 also promoted mouse embryonic neural stem cell migration via αv β3-integrin dependent manner in upregulating netrin-1. Our findings suggest MFG-E8 to promote neural stem cell proliferation and migration, which therefore establishes a promising therapeutic strategy for cerebral ischemia.
Expedited, chemically enhanced sperm cell recovery from cotton swabs for rape kit analysis.

This report focuses on the development of a method for chemically induced enhancement of cell elution and recovery from cotton swabs. The method exploits the exclusive use of detergents for intact cell removal, and can be utilized in conjunction with, or to circumvent, conven- tional differential extraction (DE). Samples treated with Sarkosyl (54.4 € 1.8%) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) (78.5 € 0.7%) yielded higher sperm cell recoveries than a conventional DE buffer (39.4 € 2.1%). The results indicated that the choice of detergent affected sperm cell yield, with anionic detergents having the greatest effect. Storage time of samples affected the concentration of detergent required for optimal sperm cell recovery, longer times requiring increased detergent concentrations. In addition, the extent of sperm cell lysis by proteinase K digestion was evaluated. The results indicate that the exclusive use of SDS enhances the release of sperm and epithelial cells from a cotton swab as compared with DE buffer, providing for a more effective DNA analysis. Genetic analysis of perpetrator and victim DNA from vaginal cotton swabs is a well-established forensic technique for investi- gating and prosecuting sexual crimes (1-3). Analytical results suit- able for prosecution rely on separation of DNA from the perpetrator and victim to obtain individual DNA profiles. The cur- rent protocol for recovery of biological materials from a cotton swab involves differential extraction (DE), a method that utilizes proteinase K and an anionic detergent to selectively lyse vaginal epithelial cells while eluting sperm cells intact (2). Sperm cells are pelleted by centrifugation, and the supernatant containing the epi- thelial cell DNA is removed. The sperm cells are then resuspended in a buffer containing dithiothreitol (DTT), reducing the disulfide bond network in the sperm cell head and allowing the nuclear membranes to be lysed, releasing the male DNA. Differential extraction allows for independent recovery of male and female DNA from vaginal swabs containing mixtures of vagi- nal cells and spermatozoa, and has been routinely used in forensic laboratories since its introduction. However, sexual assault samples often contain sperm cells as a minor component in the presence of excess epithelial cells. DE is frequently ineffective for these sam- ples, as a considerable number of vaginal epithelial cells can remain undigested in the sperm cell fraction after the initial lysis step, resulting in an unfavorable ratio of male to female DNA (4). The probability of obtaining an interpretable male DNA profile is reduced when excess female DNA is present, as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results may be obscured by excess female DNA
Dielectric resonator probe arrays with sectoral hard horn for wideband spatial power combiners/dividers

Analysis of dielectric resonator probe (DRP) arrays operating in an oversized hard waveguide with sectoral hard horn excitation is presented. A single DRP excited by a coaxial probe is first investigated inside a hollow rectangular waveguide and a waveguide loaded with hard walls, respectively. Simulation results are compared with measurement results and show a good agreement. Then, a one-dimensional DRP array is analysed inside a dielectric-loaded, oversized waveguide with sectoral hard horn excitation. A full-wave analysis based on the region-by-region finite-difference time-domain technique is applied for the optimisation of array parameters such as inter-element coupling, active reflection coefficients and uniform excitation. Numerical results are compared with those generated by using commercial software and exhibit a very good agreement.
Rechargeable silver-modified mercuric oxide-zinc cell for cardiac pacemakers.

Tests were conducted on rechargeable mercury-zinc pacemaker batteries under simulated and actual biologic conditions, using a variety of discharge rates and charging schedules. In tests on 96 cells at a 6.4 milliampere (ma) discharge, recharging once every 15 months of simulated pacing at a 25 microampere ( μ a) drain, the earliest cell failure occurred after an equivalent of 50 years of pacing. The mean pacing equivalent for all 96 cells was more than 140 years. In 6.4 ma discharge tests on 24 cells, recharging once every 8 days of simulated pacing, only 1 cell in 24 failed after an equivalent of more than 500 years of pacing (actual time 2 years). In tests on 13 cells pacing at a 200 μ a drain without recharging, the simulated mean duration of pacing before total discharge was 4.8 years. Seven other cells at a 200 μ a drain with periodic recharging continue to function normally after more than 7 years of actual time, simulating 56 years of pacing at a 25 μ a drain. Cardiac pacemakers using the rechargeable mercury-zinc cell have been implanted in animals for more than 2 1/2 years and in patients for more than 1 year with all units continuing to function satisfactorily. It has been demonstrated unequivocally that a rechargeable mercury-zinc pacemaker will function continuously for more than 4 years without recharging and that periodic recharging will extend pacing life far beyond that predicted for lithium and nuclear primary power sources.
Life Validation Interview: One Way to Remember and Honor One’s Past

They wept, three generations of fierce, relentless women. They wept because they finally understood themselves, they understood grandma. Grandma was not the stubborn, angry woman they thought she w...
Construct validity of instruments measuring recreationists' preferences.

Abstract The construct validity of eight psychometric scales designed to measure the experiences that recreationists desire was investigated. A multitrait‐multimethod analysis was performed employing two Likert‐style formats, fractionation scaling and paired comparisons. The construct validity of seven of eight scales studied was verified. Implications are made concerning the use of these instruments in order to provide valid information for recreation research and planning.
Thiazolidinediones Alter Lipid Bilayer Properties and Native Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Function

Thiazolidinediones (TZD) are selective peroxizome-proliferator receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists that are used to treat hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes. In addition to their hypoglycemic actions they have anti-inflammatory, anti-atherosclerotic and cardiovascular effects, but PPARγ activation does not account for all their actions. Three TZDs - troglitazone (Resulin), rosiglitazone (Avandia), and pioglitazone (Actos) - have been marketed; troglitazone was subsequently withdrawn due to hepatotoxicity and a precursor TZD - ciglitazone- was discontinued after phase II trials. TZDs, with troglitazone being the most potent, modulate L-type calcium and delayed-rectifier potassium channels by a seemingly PPARγ-independent mechanism. This could result from the adsorption of the amphiphilic TZDs to the membrane/solution interface, which can alter bilayer properties such as thickness, intrinsic curvature and the elastic moduli, and thus membrane protein function. We therefore examined whether TZDs alter lipid bilayer properties. We exploited the sensitivity of gramicidin channels to changes in bilayer properties to test for TZD-induced bilayer effects. TZDs alter gramicidin channel function and shift the monomer-dimer equilibrium toward the conducting dimers. Using gramicidin channels of different lengths we find that the TZD effects do not vary with changes in hydrophobic mismatch. Increasing bilayer stiffness with cholesterol amplifies the TZD-mediated changes in gramicidin channel function. Based on the concentrations at which we observe changes in gramicidin lifetime and appearance frequency, the potency is troglitazone>rosiglitazone>ciglitazone>pioglitazone, consistent with their effects on native membrane proteins. We examined the TZDs effects in native membranes using neuronal voltage-gated sodium channels (NaV) using whole-cell recordings. All TZDs caused a negative shift in the voltage-dependence of inactivation at concentrations similar to those that alter gramicidin channel function. Our results show that TZDs affect bulk membrane properties at concentrations that modulate native ion channels.
Improved method of preparation of supported planar lipid bilayers as artificial membranes for antigen presentation

T cell activation is the result of direct cell-cell contact between T cells and antigen presenting cells (APCs), and of interactions between membrane-bound ligands and receptors at the contact interface, the "immunological synapse." Model APCs based upon supported fluid lipid bilayers have been used to dissect these complex molecular interactions and to facilitate real-time microscopic observations. Nearly all studies have used liposome fusion-based methods to make supported bilayers, and the biophysical properties of these membranes were not characterized in detail. Here, using both Langmuir-Blodgett and liposome fusion techniques, we explored five different methods of lipid bilayer preparation on glass, mica, or dextran cushion substrates and characterized the stability, homogeneity, and fluidity of the bilayers with fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP). Most combinations of techniques and substrates led to unsatisfactory results, notably, a lack of homogeneity for liposome fusion on glass, low stability of bilayers on mica, and loss of fluidity of dextran-cushioned bilayers in solutions containing protein. To overcome these deficits, we developed a technique that combines liposome fusion on glass and thermally enhanced bilayer expansion. The newly expanded pristine bilayer showed high degrees of stability, homogeneity, and fluidity. MHC and ICAM-1 molecules anchored on the bilayer diffused freely and stimulated T cell calcium flux and adhesion, respectively.
Love is still possible in this junky world: Conversation with Sheree Rose about her life with Bob Flanagan

Bob Flanagan, American writer, poet, comic, musician, and performance artist, was one of the oldest people living with cystic fibrosis when he died in 1996. He claimed he was able to endure more than forty years of physical pain through masturbation, sexual experimentation, and sadomasochism, in collaboration with his lover and mistress Sheree Rose. Their art, writing, photography, and performance have been presented in numerous exhibitions, including Visiting Hours (in 1993, 1994, 1995) and the documentary film Sick: The Life and Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (directed by Kirby Dick, 1997). In this interview with Tina Takemoto, Rose discusses her life, work, and sadomasochistic relationship with Flanagan. Rose also offers a candid and moving account of her experience of love, sex, loss, and grief inspired by their 16-year relationship.
252Cf-PDMS of chlorophyll photoreaction center models

Chemically modified chlorophylls and porphyrins have been studied by 252Cf-plasma desorption mass spectrometry (PDMS). The 252Cf-PDMS spectra of thin films show intense molecular ions and fragmentation from whicn we make reasonable assignments for compound identification. The 252Cf-PDMS of two compounds, bis(10-hydroxybutoxy-methyl pheophorbide a)-1,4-dichlorophtalate and linear bis(tetraphenylporphyrin) are discussed.
Cholinergic Regulation of Keratinocyte Innate Immunity and Permeability Barrier Integrity: New Perspectives in Epidermal Immunity and Disease

Several cutaneous inflammatory diseases and their clinical phenotypes are recapitulated in animal models of skin disease. However, the identification of shared pathways for disease progression is limited by the ability to delineate the complex biochemical processes fundamental for development of the disease. Identifying common signaling pathways that contribute to cutaneous inflammation and immune function will facilitate better scientific and therapeutic strategies to span a variety of inflammatory skin diseases. Aberrant antimicrobial peptide (AMP) expression and activity is one mechanism behind the development and severity of several inflammatory skin diseases and directly influences the susceptibility of skin to microbial infections. Our studies have recently exposed a newly identified pathway for negative regulation of AMPs in the skin by the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway via acetylcholine (ACh). The role of ACh in AMP regulation of immune and permeability barrier function in keratinocytes is reviewed, and the importance for a better comprehension of cutaneous disease progression by cholinergic signaling is discussed.
Applying Landscape-Scale Habitat-Potential Models to Understand Deer Spatial Structure and Movement Patterns

Abstract Ecologically based management must incorporate components that consider how individuals associate temporally and spatially to environments that provide specific habitat requirements. Recent research has assessed how environments could be classified based on potential to provide deer (Odocoileus virginianus) habitat components. If habitat potential (HP; i.e., capability of habitat types to provide annual life requisites) classifications can be correlated to deer spatial structure and seasonal movement patterns, managers could better understand how spatial distribution of habitat components influences deer distribution. We analyzed home-range distribution and seasonal movement patterns from 45 adult (≥2 yr old) female deer radiocollared between 1999–2002, and deer habitat characteristics in northeastern Lower Peninsula, Michigan, USA, to investigate whether we can predict deer seasonal movement patterns based on the distribution of HP. We constructed logistic regression models that calculated the p...
Molecular studies of the genetics of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Non-insulin-dependent mellitus (NIDDM) is a common, multifactorial disease with a significant genetic component to disease susceptibility. Biometrical analysis of family data has consistently found evidence of the action of a major gene in determining susceptibility to NIDDM in families. However, the identity of the gene or genes that contribute to NIDDM in the general population is still not known. Recent advances in molecular biology have given investigators access to a number of plausible candidate genes for NIDDM and these have been used as test loci in association and linkage studies with inconsistent results. A review of the candidate gene studies in NIDDM suggests that the failure of these studies to identify specific loci involved in conferring susceptibility to NIDDM is, in part, due to failure to incorporate a number of biological features of the disease. The frequency of NIDDM in the population suggests that the alleles involved in NIDDM are common and their individual impact too small to be detected by simple single locus methods of analysis. Studies of other phenotypic forms of diabetes mellitus suggest that susceptibility to NIDDM is probably determined by alleles at more than one locus acting independently or in concert. The evolutionary history of certain populations may have isolated alleles conferring susceptibility to NIDDM in ethnically defined populations at high risk of NIDDM. These populations may provide a unique opportunity to identify specific genes involved in the complex etiology of NIDDM. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Imaging Seismic Wave Propagation in Fractured Media

Acoustic imaging experiments were performed to examine the frequency-dependent acoustic anisotropy produce by multiple parallel fractures. The frequency-dependent seismic response of fractured rock can be attributed to two distinctly different mechanisms (1) an intrinsic frequency dependence caused by a discontinuity in strain as a seismic wave is propagated along or across a fracture; and (2) an extrinsic frequency dependence that arises from sets of multiple fractures because the spacing between fractures introduces a characteristic length scale for the rock mass. We demonstrate that the two sources of frequency-dependent behavior for a fractured rock produce strong dispersive anisotropy that is sensitive to the fracture properties as well as to the number and density of sets of fractures.
Plasmons and phonons in anisotropic systems and their effect on high-Tc superconductivity

The structure of the plasmon and phonon bands in conducting, highly anisotropic layered materials is studied. The observed high superconducting transition temperatures are caused, in our view, by the coexistence of strong electronphonon coupling and the plasmon mechanism. A generalized Eliashberg equation describing the effects of phonons and plasmons on the pairing is presented. Our approach is based on the method of thermodynamic Green's functions. We point out connections to experiments and briefly comment on other models.
Impacts of Surface Morphology on Ion Desorption and Ionization in Desorption Ionization on Porous Silicon (DIOS) Mass Spectrometry

Ordered silicon nanocavity arrays were prepared with e-beam lithography to yield systematically varied pore features and porosity (4−92%). These substrates were used to investigate the effects of substrate morphology on desorption ionization on porous silicon-mass spectrometry (DIOS-MS). Five benzylpyridinium salts, 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC), and angiotensin III were used as the model molecules in the study. For substrates of the same pore depth, MS results suggested that the pore size and the interpore spacing had little impact on the laser irradiation threshold required for ionization. Instead, the laser threshold was found to be highly dependent on the overall porosity for all substrates investigated—the higher the porosity the lower the threshold. Moreover, the substrates with deeper pores but of similar porosity showed significantly reduced laser thresholds. This close relationship between laser threshold and substrate morphology was attributed to the thermal confinement prop...