Transplantation of Adult Bone Marrow Stem Cells Enhances Behavioral Recovery Following a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

A potential treatment for millions of new cases of traumatic brain injury (TBI) may be through the transplantation of genetically modified adult bone marrow stem cells (BMSC) in the form of neurospheres. This study examined behavioral recovery in the controlled cortical impact (CCI), a rodent model of TBI, after neurosphere transplantation. Rats received a unilateral CCI over the forelimb sensorimotor cortex. Seven days post-CCI, neurospheres or vehicle control were injected within the cortex or striatum. Forelimb deficits were assessed with two behavioral tests for two months. The test results indicated striatal neurosphere transplants significantly reduced deficits in both behavior tests while other transplantation combinations only resulted in enhancements within either behavioral test or injection site. Results suggest that neurosphere transplantation may be effective in enhancing behavioral recovery following TBI and striatum transplantation may provide a more optimal transplant site than cortex

Using the Man9(GlcNAc)2 – DC-SIGN pairing to probe specificity in photochemical immobilization

We demonstrate the expected preference of an immobilised oligosaccharide Man(9)(GlcNAc)(2) upon a 96-well photochemical array, for its known receptor, the cell-surface lectin Dendritic Cell-Specific ICAM3 Grabbing Nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) when compared to immobilised competing monosaccharides

Alert During What? Beyond the Big O to a Culturally-Cognizant, Process View of Entrepreneurial Alertness

Entrepreneurial alertness is a psychological aptitude generally associated with aspects of nascent venturing, centered on individuals\u27 environmental observations, the association of resources, and idea evaluation. A decade following the Tang et al. (2012) consensus construct and scale, critiques remain questioning its utility and unique value to the major conversations in entrepreneurship. Proponents put great emphasis on entrepreneurial alertness\u27s proven association with opportunity recognition and entrepreneurial actions. Yet, critics suggest it might be an unnecessary step offering little more than a positive association with opportunity recognition in a highly generalized and static way. The purpose of this paper is to address this tension. We do so through a \u27steel man\u27 approach to these valid concerns. Further, we question the logic of limiting a cognitive construct to a singular event: \u27opportunity recognition\u27 for a new venture (which we term here, the Big O ). Drawing on a comprehensive framework inclusive of the full entrepreneurship phenomenon, and integrating insights from cross-cultural psychology, we put forth the case for an ongoing culturally contextualized process perspective towards venturing where individuals are alert to and pursue opportunities (and cope with threats) continuously. This paper provides a new framework for delineating a theoretically grounded what and when of entrepreneurial alertness

ENSO Related Interannual Lightning Variability from the Full TRMM LIS Lightning Climatology

It has been shown that the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) contributes to inter-annual variability of lightning production in the tropics and subtropics more than any other atmospheric oscillation. This study further investigated how ENSO phase affects lightning production in the tropics and subtropics. Using the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS) and the Oceanic Nino Index (ONI) for ENSO phase, lightning data were averaged into corresponding mean annual warm, cold, and neutral 'years' for analysis of the different phases. An examination of the regional sensitivities and preliminary analysis of three locations was conducted using model reanalysis data to determine the leading convective mechanisms in these areas and how they might respond to the ENSO phases. These processes were then studied for inter-annual variance and subsequent correlation to ENSO during the study period to best describe the observed lightning deviations from year to year at each location

Male Scarcity is Associated with Higher Prevalence of Premature Gestation and Low Birth Weight Births Across the United States

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96668/1/ajhb22369.pd

Long-term deficits in cortical circuit function after asphyxial cardiac arrest and resuscitation in developing rats

AbstractCardiac arrest is a common cause of global hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. Poor neurologic outcome among cardiac arrest survivors results not only from direct cellular injury but also from subsequent long-term dysfunction of neuronal circuits. Here, we investigated the long-term impact of cardiac arrest during development on the function of cortical layer IV (L4) barrel circuits in the rat primary somatosensory cortex. We used multielectrode single-neuron recordings to examine responses of presumed excitatory L4 barrel neurons to controlled whisker stimuli in adult (8 ± 2-mo-old) rats that had undergone 9 min of asphyxial cardiac arrest and resuscitation during the third postnatal week. Results indicate that responses to deflections of the topographically appropriate principal whisker (PW) are smaller in magnitude in cardiac arrest survivors than in control rats. Responses to adjacent whisker (AW) deflections are similar in magnitude between the two groups. Because of a disproportionate decrease in PW-evoked responses, receptive fields of L4 barrel neurons are less spatially focused in cardiac arrest survivors than in control rats. In addition, spiking activity among L4 barrel neurons is more correlated in cardiac arrest survivors than in controls. Computational modeling demonstrates that experimentally observed disruptions in barrel circuit function after cardiac arrest can emerge from a balanced increase in background excitatory and inhibitory conductances in L4 neurons. Experimental and modeling data together suggest that after a hypoxic-ischemic insult, cortical sensory circuits are less responsive and less spatially tuned. Modulation of these deficits may represent a therapeutic approach to improving neurologic outcome after cardiac arrest.</jats:p

Northern Great Plains Beef Production: Production and Marketing Practices of Cow-Calf Producers

Ruminant livestock production in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, and Wyoming is critical to the region's economy. Because of the economic significance of ruminant livestock production, producers in the four-state area are continually looking for opportunities to increase income and improve the viability of their farm and ranch operation. Accordingly, the Four-state Ruminant Consortium, an integrated research and extension program, was created to specifically address issues related to ruminant livestock production. One of the more widely applicable possibilities for adding value through the regions's ruminant livestock sector appears to be backgrounding feeder calves. However, while economic analysis has indicated that stockgrowers in the study area could typically increase their net returns by backgrounding feeder calves, anecdotal evidence suggests relatively few producers are presently backgrounding feeder calves. To identify the socioeconomic impediments inhibiting producers from backgrounding feeder cattle, this study sought to identify managerial, social, and institutional factors that influence and perhaps constrain producers' ability or willingness to background feeder cattle. Study objectives were to identify and document producers' current production and marketing practices as well as identify stock growers' perception of opportunities for and impediments to expansion of the ruminant livestock industry in the study area. A mail questionnaire was delivered to 5,270 livestock producers in 37 counties in the 4-state study area of southwestern North Dakota, northwestern South Dakota, southwestern Montana and northwestern Wyoming. The questionnaire was designed to solicit a wide variety of information about operators' current production practices, including marketing, backgrounding, retained ownership, herd management, and feed and forage practices. The questionnaire also solicited operators attitudes on a wide variety of issues related to opportunities for and impediments to the expansion of the ruminant livestock industry in the study area as well asking respondents to identify what types of information would be of most interest to them and in what form they would prefer that information be delivered. The questionnaire also collected basic demographic data. Findings from the mail questionnaire are detailed in this report.Backgrounding, Feeder calves, Beef cattle producer characteristics, Feeder cattle production practices, Beef cattle marketing, Livestock Production/Industries, Marketing,

miR-9 Acts as an OncomiR in Prostate Cancer through Multiple Pathways That Drive Tumour Progression and Metastasis

Identification of dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) in prostate cancer is critical not only for diagnosis, but also differentiation between the aggressive and indolent forms of the disease. miR-9 was identified as an oncomiR through both miRNA panel RT-qPCR as well as high-throughput sequencing analysis of the human P69 prostate cell line as compared to its highly tumorigenic and metastatic subline M12, and found to be consistently upregulated in other prostate cell lines including DU-145 and PC3. While miR-9 has been characterized as dysregulated either as an oncomiR or tumour suppressor in a variety of other cancers including breast, ovarian, and nasopharyngeal carcinomas, it has not been previously evaluated and proven as an oncomiR in prostate cancer. miR-9 was confirmed an oncomiR when found to be overexpressed in tumour tissue as compared to adjacent benign glandular epithelium through laser-capture microdissection of radical prostatectomy biopsies. Inhibition of miR-9 resulted in reduced migratory and invasive potential of the M12 cell line, and reduced tumour growth and metastases in male athymic nude mice. Analysis showed that miR-9 targets e-cadherin and suppressor of cytokine signalling 5 (SOCS5), but not NF-ĸB mRNA. Expression of these proteins was shown to be affected by modulation in expression of miR-9

Entrepreneurial imaginativeness: A Janusian-Cognition Lens on the Role of Multicultural Experience

A burgeoning stream of research is emerging on the importance of entrepreneurial imaginativeness in the new venture development process. Empirical studies so far have focused predominantly on its ideation-based outcomes—the number and quality of ideas produced. Knowledge remains scant, however, on its antecedent mechanisms and mediating role in nascent venturing. Drawing from a novel Janusian-thinking lens, we integrate another growing research stream in entrepreneurship—multicultural experience—to probe how the creative, social, and practical cognitive schemas underpinning entrepreneurial imaginativeness can be cultivated through dimensions of perhaps the most distinctive form of cultural exposure: living abroad. We find evidence across two studies that depth and breadth of living abroad experiences relate to imaginativeness facets differentially, which in turn, can help us understand the extent to which entrepreneurs attempt to launch venture