TRPV4 in the Choroid Plexus Epithelium: Pathway Analysis and Implications for Cerebrospinal Fluid Production

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)Hydrocephalus is a disease characterized by an increase in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the ventricles of the brain. This manifests as a result of either overproduction or underabsorption of CSF leading to increases in pressure, swelling and loss of brain matter. Current treatments for this disease include surgical interventions via the introduction of shunts or endoscopic third ventriculostomy, both of which aim to redirect flow of CSF in to another cavity for absorption. Limited pharmacotherapies are available in the treatment of hydrocephalus, and there exists a clinical need for drug therapies, which can ameliorate the pathophysiology associated with hydrocephalus and ventriculomegaly. CSF is produced primarily by the choroid plexus (CP), found in the ventricles of the brain. Composed of a high resistance epithelium surrounding a capillary network, the CP epithelium acts as a barrier, regulating ion transport between the CSF and blood. Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid-4 (TRPV4) is a nonselective Ca2+-permeable cation channel expressed in the CP which is being investigated for its role in CSF production. To study hydrocephalus, we utilize two model systems; the TMEM67-/- Wpk rat, and the PCP-R cell line. The Wpk rat model is used to study the effects of drug intervention on the development and progression of hydrocephalus. The PCP-R cell line is utilized for studies which aim to understand the mechanisms by which CSF is produced. Using Ussing chamber electrophysiology, we are able to study the role of specific channels, transporters and modulators in driving epithelial ion flux across the CP. This research aims to establish a role for TRPV4 in production and regulation of CSF, and to interrogate a mechanism by which this ion transport occurs. The chapters that follow describe components of the pathway by which TRPV4 is activated and ion flux is stimulated

Teaching Tragedy: Two Classrooms Locating Impairment in Hamlet and King Lear

ABSTRACT In this qualitative study of university classroom practices, the author used textual analysis to highlight possible connections between Disability Studies and the teaching of two of William Shakespeare’s plays. The data for the study was gathered from teacher-scholar narratives regarding classroom practices and careful analyses of two university instructors who had recorded their classroom sessions focused on Hamlet and King Lear. Findings from the study included identifying textual spaces where impairment was relevant, but not noted, highlighting disability-related language in classroom talk, and examining various pedagogical approaches toward the plays that would facilitate a more Disability Studies informed pedagogical approach. Keywords: Shakespeare, Disability Studies, Pedagog

CPAC: The Origins and Role of The Conference in the Expansion and Consolidation of the Conservative Movement, 1974-1980

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is an annual event that brings conservative politicians, public intellectuals, pundits, and issue activists together in Washington, DC to discuss strategies for achieving their goals through the electoral and policy process. Although CPAC receives a great deal of attention each year from conservative movement activists and the news outlets that cover it, it has attracted less attention from scholars. This dissertation seeks to address the gap in existing knowledge by providing a fresh account of the role that CPAC played in the expansion and consolidation of the conservative movement during the 1970s. Audio recordings of the exchanges that took place at CPAC meetings held between 1974 and 1980 are transcribed and analyzed. The results of this analysis show that during the 1970s, CPAC served as an important forum where previously fragmented single issue groups and leaders of the Old Right and New Right coalitions were able to meet, share ideas, and coordinate their efforts. Through their discursive exchanges at CPAC, these actors united behind a common set of policy positions and political strategies. As they engaged with each other and shared their grievances, they also developed a stronger sense of collective identity rooted in opposition to a common enemy - modern liberalism

Learning in the Repeated Secretary Problem

In the classical secretary problem, one attempts to find the maximum of an unknown and unlearnable distribution through sequential search. In many real-world searches, however, distributions are not entirely unknown and can be learned through experience. To investigate learning in such a repeated secretary problem we conduct a large-scale behavioral experiment in which people search repeatedly from fixed distributions. In contrast to prior investigations that find no evidence for learning in the classical scenario, in the repeated setting we observe substantial learning resulting in near-optimal stopping behavior. We conduct a Bayesian comparison of multiple behavioral models which shows that participants' behavior is best described by a class of threshold-based models that contains the theoretically optimal strategy. Fitting such a threshold-based model to data reveals players' estimated thresholds to be surprisingly close to the optimal thresholds after only a small number of games

Associations between the peer group and sex-role orientations among college-age men

Because research has identified that sex role orientation is flexible in response to environmental factors such as the peer group, the current study attempted to investigate whether sex-role orientation varies as a function of the peer group, operationalized by the type of institution (single-sex vs. co-educational) one attends. Using the Bern Sex Role Inventory (BSRI) as a measure of sexrole endorsement, researchers sampled male participants attending a small, single-sex, Mid-western liberal arts institution and male participants from a small, co-educational, Mid-western liberal arts institution. Sex-role orientations were differently distributed at the two institutions. Specifically, more masculine individuals were observed at the single-sex institution and more feminine individuals were observed at the co-educational institution. Implications and suggestions for future research will be discussed

Updating the Reserve Price in Common Value Auctions

We consider a common value auction model with bidder participation determined jointly by nature and by bidder optimization. In this framework, an increase in the reserve price as two effects: it deters marginal bidders and it deters bidders from becoming informed. We then derive a test statistic for establishing when it is optimal to raise the reserve price. This statistic is independent of the distribution of valuations. We then apply the analysis to U.S. offshore oil sales and find evidence that the reserve price is dramatically too low.

Effects of Subliminal Priming of Self and God on Self-Attribution of Authorship for Events

Three studies investigated how subliminally primed thoughts of an agent prior to action can affect ascriptions of authorship for that action. Participants competed against a computer program to remove words from a computer screen. Participants reported greater feelings of authorship when primed with first person singular pronouns, and lower feelings of authorship when primed with “computer.” We also investigated whether authorship feelings could be affected by priming subjects with a supernatural agent (i.e., God). Feelings of authorship decreased when participants were primed with God, but only among believers.Psycholog

ECONOMIC IMPACT EVALUATION OF GLOBAL MARKETING SUPPORT SERVICES - AN EXPORTS ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON THE ECONOMY OF ARKANSAS

This study determines the impact of Global Marketing Support Services (GMSS) - an exports assistance program in assisting 13 small and medium sized businesses to export. The total impact of exports (direct, indirect and induced effects) on added value, employment, labor income and tax impacts in Arkansas are estimated using Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN).International Relations/Trade,

Does size matter? An investigation of competitive balance in the English Premier League under different league sizes.

Purpose This paper aims to explore at what league size competitive balance reaches its best level through a longitudinal study and using the English Premier League (EPL) as an example. Design/Methodology/Approach In order to test the influence of league size on competitive balance in the EPL, we first calculated competitive balance scores for 22 seasons between 1995/96 and 2016/17 under the existing 20 team system. We then calculated a further ten normalised competitive balance scores for each EPL season by adjusting the league size to examine the league size threshold at which competitive balance in each season of the EPL was at its best level. Findings Analysis indicates that the current league structure of 20 teams compromises the overall level of competitive balance in the EPL in comparison with a league comprising between 10 and 19 teams. However, we cannot pinpoint the precise league size at which the EPL is most competitively balanced as no significant differences were observed between the competitive balance indices for these league sizes. Originality/Value The findings of this study has practical relevance for league organisers and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) given that they themselves have stated that competitive balance will be a big challenge for the European football industry in the coming years