Traffic Control for Maintenance on High-Speed Highways

Observations were first made at lane closures on interstate highways where yellow warning signs were erected routinely in conjunction with contract work. Later data provided direct comparison between new yellow and new orange signs. One sign scheme was used throughout the study. Driver obedience improved when new signs of either color were used; this finding implies that signs should always be maintained in good condition. Orange signs were slightly more effective than yellow signs in reducing traffic conflicts and merges near the traffic cones. Results of the study tend to support the adoption of orange as the standard color for signing construction and maintenance sites. However, differences between the two colors were rather small. Driver preference polls supported the orange signs more strongly. A degree of driver insensitivity toward signing was shown. In general, variables such as short sight distances, high volumes, poor condition of signs, and driver insensitivity produced unsafe situations at lane closures. However, the scope of the study did not permit observations at sufficient sites and(or) at sufficient times to serve as a definitive exploration of such variables as weather, terrain, vertical and horizontal alignment, or level of service

A physical mechanism to explain the delivery of chemical penetration enhancers into skin during transdermal sonophoresis — Insight into the observed synergism

The synergism between low-frequency sonophoresis (LFS) and chemical penetration enhancers (CPEs), especially surfactants, in transdermal enhancement has been investigated extensively since this phenomenon was first observed over a decade ago. In spite of the identifying that the origin of this synergism is the increased penetration and subsequent dispersion of CPEs in the skin in response to LFS treatment, to date, no mechanism has been directly proposed to explain how LFS induces the observed increased transport of CPEs. In this study, we propose a plausible physical mechanism by which the transport of all CPEs is expected to have significantly increased flux into the localized-transport regions (LTRs) of LFS-treated skin. Specifically, the collapse of acoustic cavitation microjets within LTRs induces a convective flux. In addition, because amphiphilic molecules preferentially adsorb onto the gas/water interface of cavitation bubbles, amphiphiles have an additional adsorptive flux. In this sense, the cavitation bubbles effectively act as carriers for amphiphilic molecules, delivering surfactants directly into the skin when they collapse at the skin surface as cavitation microjets. The flux equations derived for CPE delivery into the LTRs and non-LTRs during LFS treatment, compared to that for untreated skin, explain why the transport of all CPEs, and to an even greater extent amphiphilic CPEs, is increased during LFS treatment. The flux model is tested with a non-amphiphilic CPE (propylene glycol) and both nonionic and ionic amphiphilic CPEs (octyl glucoside and sodium lauryl sulfate, respectively), by measuring the flux of each CPE into untreated skin and the LTRs and non-LTRs of LFS-treated skin. The resulting data shows very good agreement with the proposed flux model.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant EB-00351)Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (Grant DAAD-19-02-D-002

Kentucky Research: A Flexible Pavement Design and Management System

Various strategies for designing pavement structures are discussed. Initial full-life design, stage designs and planned extensions of service life, final design, surface renewals for deslicking, no-defect designs for high-type high-volume facilities, and allowable-defect designs are considered. Economics enter in terms of salvage value of existing pavements and alternate designs using different proportions of materials within the structure. The elastic model represented in Chevron\u27s n-layered computer program is the basis for theoretical relationships. Ranges of values are given for input variables such as Young\u27s moduli, Poisson\u27s ratio, thicknesses for layers, tire pressure, and load. The Kentucky CBR is related to modulus by E = 1500 x CBR and is correlated with the AASHO Soil Support value and other strength relationships. The modulus of crushed stone base is shown to be a function of the moduli of the asphaltic concrete and sub grade. Appropriate relationships are given

Up-regulation of genes involved in the Insulin signaling pathway (IGF1, PTEN and IGFBP1) in the endometrium may link Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND Endometrial cancer (EC) is the most common gynaecological cancer amongst women in the UK. Although previous studies have found that women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have at least a three-fold increase in endometrial cancer (EC) risk compared to women without PCOS, the precise molecular mechanisms which link between PCOS and EC remain unclear. It has been suggested that insulin resistance may contribute to the increased risk of EC in PCOS. The specific expression of genes related to the insulin-signalling pathway including the IGF system in the endometrium of women with PCOS has however never been measured and compared to that in women with EC without PCOS and control women without EC or PCOS. . OBJECTIVES To test the hypothesis that insulin signaling plays a key role in the development of EC in women with PCOS by measuring and comparing the expression of three key genes involved in the insulin signaling pathway (IGF1, PTEN and IGFBP1) in endometrial tissue obtained from three groups of women; PCOS without EC, women with EC without PCOS and non-PCOS women without EC (controls). We also aimed to determine the correlation between the gene expressions to various clinical variables among participants. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of 102 women in 3 groups (PCOS, EC and controls) at a University teaching hospital in the United Kingdom. Clinical assessment (blood pressure, body mass index (BMI) and waist-hip-circumference ratio), venepuntures (fasting blood sugar, insulin, lipid profile, hormones) and endometrial tissue biopsies were taken in all participants. Endometrial tissue RNA extraction was performed before real time polymerase-chain-reaction for the genes of interest (IGF1, IGFBP1 and PTEN) was carried out. To compare the baseline characteristics of the study population, One-Way-ANOVA test or the Independent t-test was used. For variables that were not normally distributed, the Spearman correlation test was used to calculate the r value. A "p" value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS IGF1, IGFBP1 and PTEN gene expression were significantly up-regulated in the endometrium of PCOS and EC women compared to controls. However there was no significant difference in the expression of these genes in PCOS compared to EC endometrium. The BMI of women with PCOS and controls, were not significantly different (29.28 (±2.91) vs 28.58 (±2.62) kg/m(2)) respectively, women with EC however had a higher mean BMI (32.22 (±5.70) kg/m(2)). PCOS women were younger (31.8 (±5.97) years) than women with EC (63.44 (±10.07) years) and controls (43.68 (±13.12) years). The changes in gene expression were independent of BMI, waist hip ratio, estradiol and androgen levels. Protein validation test in the serum samples in the three groups were consistent with the gene findings. CONCLUSION Women with PCOS and EC have an increased endometrial expression of genes (IGF1, IGFBP1 and PTEN) involved in the insulin signaling pathway compared with control women. This may explain the increased risk of EC in PCOS women. This study provides a strong basis for clinical trials aiming to prevent EC in women with PCOS by investigating drugs targeting the insulin signaling pathway. This panel of genes may also serve as clinically useful early biomarkers which predict which women with PCOS will go on to develop EC

Dynamics of glomerular ultrafiltration: VI. Studies in the primate

Dynamics of glomerular ultrafiltration: VI. Studies in the primate. Pressures and flows were measured in accessible surface glomeruli of the squirrel monkey under conditions of normal hydropenia. Mean glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure and the mean glomerular transcapillary hydrostatic pressure difference (ΔP) averaged approximately 45 mm Hg and 35 mm Hg, respectively. These findings are in close accord with recent direct estimates in the rat. The net driving force for ultrafiltration was found to decline from a maximum value of about 12 mm Hg at the afferent end of the glomerular capillary network essentially to zero by the efferent end, indicating that, in the monkey as in the rat, filtration pressure equilibrium is achieved under normal hydropenic conditions. The monkey differs from the rat in one important respect, however, in that, as has long been recognized, the monkey tends to have higher systemic total plasma protein concentrations (CA) than the rat. This is of interest since monkey, like man, is found to have lower filtration fractions than the rat. Since ΔP is found to be essentially similar in monkey and rat, and since, at filtration pressure equilibrium, filtration fraction is determined by ΔP and CA, these observed differences in filtration fraction between rodent and primate must therefore be due to these differences in CA

NT1-002

These PowerPoint files help you conduct an elicited production task (picture description task) of subject and object relative clauses. The experiment uses the same set of pictures as NT1-001.pdf, but it additionally includes timed animation and audio files. You are allowed to modify the audio prompts and pictures to match your needs (e.g., cultural appropriateness). However, if you use this material, please cite the following reference: Tanaka, Nozomi, William O’Grady, Kamil Deen, Chae-Eun Kim, Ryoko Hattori, Ivan Paul M. Bondoc, and Jennifer U. Soriano. (2016). “Relative clause elicited production task.” Nozomi Tanaka Collection. Kaipuleohone: http://scholarspace.manoa.hawaii.edu/handle/10125/4250. Type: language description. Media: image, audio. Access: public. Resource ID: NT1-002. (Accessed Date). If you have any question/request, please feel free to contact Nozomi Tanaka at [email protected]

Long-Term Crop Rotation Diversification Enhances Maize Drought Resistance Through Soil Organic Matter

Climate change adaptation requires building agricultural system resilience to warmer, drier climates. Increasing temporal plant diversity through crop rotation diversification increases yields of some crops under drought, but its potential to enhance crop drought resistance and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We conducted a drought manipulation experiment using rainout shelters embedded within a 36-year crop rotation diversity and no-till experiment in a temperate climate and measured a suite of soil and crop developmental and eco-physiological traits in the field and laboratory. We show that diversifying maize-soybean rotations with small grain cereals and cover crops mitigated maize water stress at the leaf and canopy scales and reduced yield losses to drought by 17.1 ± 6.1%, while no-till did not affect maize drought resistance. Path analysis showed a strong correlation between soil organic matter and lower maize water stress despite no significant differences in soil organic matter between rotations or tillage treatments. This positive relationship between soil organic matter and maize water status was not mediated by higher soil water retention or infiltration as often hypothesized, nor differential depth of root water uptake as measured with stable isotopes, suggesting that other mechanisms are at play. Crop rotation diversification is an underappreciated drought management tool to adapt crop production to climate change through managing for soil organic matter

A system for exposing molecules and cells to biologically relevant and accurately controlled steady-state concentrations of nitric oxide and oxygen

Nitric oxide (NO) plays key roles in cell signaling and physiology, with diverse functions mediated by NO concentrations varying over three orders-of-magnitude. In spite of this critical concentration dependence, current approaches to NO delivery in vitro result in biologically irrelevant and poorly controlled levels, with hyperoxic conditions imposed by ambient air. To solve these problems, we developed a system for controlled delivery of NO and O[subscript 2] over large concentration ranges to mimic biological conditions. Here we describe the fabrication, operation and calibration of the delivery system. We then describe applications for delivery of NO and O[subscript 2] into cell culture media, with a comparison of experimental results and predictions from mass transfer models that predict the steady-state levels of various NO-derived reactive species. We also determined that components of culture media do not affect the steady-state levels of NO or O[subscript 2] in the device. This system provides critical control of NO delivery for in vitro models of NO biology and chemistry.National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (CA026731)National Cancer Institute (U.S.) (CA116318)National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (ES002109

Evidence of two distinct functionally specialized fibroblast lineages in breast stroma

BACKGROUND: The terminal duct lobular unit (TDLU) is the most dynamic structure in the human breast and the putative site of origin of human breast cancer. Although stromal cells contribute to a specialized microenvironment in many organs, this component remains largely understudied in the human breast. We here demonstrate the impact on epithelium of two lineages of breast stromal fibroblasts, one of which accumulates in the TDLU while the other resides outside the TDLU in the interlobular stroma. METHODS: The two lineages are prospectively isolated by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS) based on different expression levels of CD105 and CD26. The characteristics of the two fibroblast lineages are assessed by immunocytochemical staining and gene expression analysis. The differentiation capacity of the two fibroblast populations is determined by exposure to specific differentiating conditions followed by analysis of adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation. To test whether the two fibroblast lineages are functionally imprinted by their site of origin, single cell sorted CD271(low)/MUC1(high) normal breast luminal epithelial cells are plated on fibroblast feeders for the observation of morphological development. Epithelial structure formation and polarization is shown by immunofluorescence and digitalized quantification of immunoperoxidase-stained cultures. RESULTS: Lobular fibroblasts are CD105(high)/CD26(low) while interlobular fibroblasts are CD105(low)/CD26(high). Once isolated the two lineages remain phenotypically stable and functionally distinct in culture. Lobular fibroblasts have properties in common with bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells and they specifically convey growth and branching morphogenesis of epithelial progenitors. CONCLUSIONS: Two distinct functionally specialized fibroblast lineages exist in the normal human breast, of which the lobular fibroblasts have properties in common with mesenchymal stem cells and support epithelial growth and morphogenesis. We propose that lobular fibroblasts constitute a specialized microenvironment for human breast luminal epithelial progenitors, i.e. the putative precursors of breast cancer. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13058-016-0769-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Attitudes Toward the Adoption of Remote Patient Monitoring and Artificial Intelligence in Parkinson’s Disease Management:Perspectives of Patients and Neurologists

Objective: Early detection of Parkinson's Disease (PD) progression remains a challenge. As remote patient monitoring solutions (RMS) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies emerge as potential aids for PD management, there's a gap in understanding how end users view these technologies. This research explores patient and neurologist perspectives on AI-assisted RMS. Methods: Qualitative interviews and focus-groups were conducted with 27 persons with PD (PwPD) and six neurologists from Finland and Italy. The discussions covered traditional disease progression detection and the prospects of integrating AI and RMS. Sessions were recorded, transcribed, and underwent thematic analysis. Results: The study involved five individual interviews (four Italian participants and one Finnish) and six focus-groups (four Finnish and two Italian) with PwPD. Additionally, six neurologists (three from each country) were interviewed. Both cohorts voiced frustration with current monitoring methods due to their limited real-time detection capabilities. However, there was enthusiasm for AI-assisted RMS, contingent upon its value addition, user-friendliness, and preservation of the doctor-patient bond. While some PwPD had privacy and trust concerns, the anticipated advantages in symptom regulation seemed to outweigh these apprehensions. Discussion: The study reveals a willingness among PwPD and neurologists to integrate RMS and AI into PD management. Widespread adoption requires these technologies to provide tangible clinical benefits, remain user-friendly, and uphold trust within the physician-patient relationship. Conclusion: This study offers insights into the potential drivers and barriers for adopting AI-assisted RMS in PD care. Recognizing these factors is pivotal for the successful integration of these digital health tools in PD management.</p