13,624 research outputs found
How do variations in Urban Heat Islands in space and time influence household water use? The case of Phoenix, Arizona
No full textabstract: This paper explores how urbanization, through its role in the evolution of Urban Heat Island (UHI), affects residential water consumption. Using longitudinal data and drawing on a mesoscale atmospheric model, we examine how variations in surface temperature at the census tract level have affected water use in single family residences in Phoenix, Arizona. Results show that each Fahrenheit rise in nighttime temperature increases water consumption by 1.4%. This temperature effect is found to vary significantly with lot size and pool size. The study provides insights into the links between urban form and water use, through the dynamics of UHI.Corresponding Author:
Rimjhim M. Aggarwal
Arizona State University
[email protected]
Immunoregulatory Effects of Vitamin D in Cockroach-induced Asthma
No full textAsthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease of airways associated with reversible airway obstruction, functional and structural changes in the airways, and airway remodeling. Increased infiltration of CD4+ lymphocytes, especially T helper type 17 (Th17) subsets, in asthmatic lungs suggests their critical role in the pathophysiology of allergic asthma. Vitamin D is a potent immunoregulator modulating the functional responses of immune cells. Vitamin D manifests inhibitory effects on Th17 cells, whereas regulatory T helper subsets (Tregs) are stimulated by vitamin D. However, how vitamin D supplementation affects Th17/Tregs cell densities in asthma is ill-defined. From our laboratory an increase in blood T regulatory cells was reported in vitamin D supplemented OVA (Ovalbumin)-sensitized and challenged mice compared to vitamin D deficient OVA-sensitized and challenged mice. But the exact role of vitamin D deficiency, sufficiency and supplementation on Th17 and Tregs cell densities in a clinically relevant model and at the site of allergic airway inflammation is not well understood.
In this study, the female Balb/c mice were fed either vitamin D supplemented (10,000 IU/kg) diet or vitamin D sufficient (2000 IU/kg) or deficient diets (0 IU/kg). Allergic airway inflammation in mice was induced by clinically relevant cockroach allergen (CRA)-sensitization and challenge till acute and chronic stages of asthma. The serum vitamin D levels (25(OH)D), lung histology, mucus hypersecretion, collagen deposition, total number of broncho-alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cells, BALF and serum cytokines, suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)-1,3 and 5 mRNA and protein expression were examined in all different groups of mice. Also, we addressed the role of vitamin D supplementation on Th17 and Tregs cell densities in the mice sensitized and challenged with CRA.
Vitamin D-deficient, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice exhibited increased AHR to methacholine and exaggerated features of allergic airway inflammation such as airway obstruction, due to mucus and collagen deposition. On the other hand, AHR and the allergic airway inflammatory features were reversed by vitamin D supplementation in CRA-sensitized and challenged mice. Total number of BALF cells in the vitamin supplemented CRA-sensitized and challenged individuals were significantly increased compared to the number of BALF cells in the vitamin D deficient animals.
SOCS-1,3 and 5 mRNA and protein expression were also analyzed in the lungs of all vitamin D groups. SOCS-1 exhibits a pivotal role for IL-6 signaling pathway to further activate Th17 cell development. SOCS-3 expression is crucial for the development of pathogenic Th2 cells. High SOCS-5 expression is involved in the eosinophilic airway inflammation. Vitamin D deficiency increased the mRNA and protein expression of SOCS-1, 3 and 5 in the lungs of mice with acute or chronic asthma, whereas both mRNA and protein expression of SOCS-1, 3 and 5 were attenuated in vitamin D-supplemented mice sensitized and challenged with CRA.
The mRNA transcripts of IL-21R, IL-23R and RORγT from purified CD4+CD25- lymphocytes and mRNA transcripts of Foxp3 from purified CD4+CD25+ lymphocytes isolated from lungs and spleens of the mice from all vitamin D CRA-sensitized and challenged, and PBS groups were compared using qPCR. CD4+CD25- cells from vitamin D-supplemented, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice exhibited a decrease in IL-21R, IL-23R and RORγT mRNA transcripts compared to the levels of these transcripts from vitamin D-deficient, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice. On the other hand, the CD4+CD25+ cells from vitamin D-supplemented, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice had a significant upregulation of Foxp3 mRNA levels compared to the cells from vitamin D-deficient, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice. The markers for both Th17 and Tregs cells were also compared in all vitamin D groups by flow cytometry. The Th17 cell markers IL-21R, IL-23R and RORγT were increased on CD4+CD25- cells from vitamin D-supplemented, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice compared to the cells from vitamin D-deficient, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice. However the higher expression of Tregs cell markers such as Foxp3, ICOS, PD-1, GITR, Nrp-1 and CTLA4 was observed on CD4+CD25+ cells from vitamin Dvi supplemented CRA-sensitized and challenged mice compared to the cells from vitamin D-deficient, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice.
Finally, the expression of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and Smad3 in the lungs and spleens of all experimental mice were analyzed. Higher expression of both VDR+ and CD4+CD25+Smad3+ cells were observed in vitamin D-supplemented, CRA-sensitized and challenged mice compared to the vitamin D-deficient, CRAsensitized and challenged group of mice. Also, splenocytes were isolated from CRA-sensitized, vitamin D deficient and sufficient mice, and treated with CRA and TGF-β and/or calcitriol in vitro to examine the number of CD4+CD25-RORγT, CD4+CD25+Foxp3 and CD4+CD25+Smad3. The TGF-β and/or calcitriol treatment reversed the effect of CRA by increasing the Smad3 and Foxp3 expression on CD4+CD25+ cells and downregulated RORγT on CD4+CD25- cells.
In conclusion, findings from this study demonstrated the potential therapeutic properties of vitamin D and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanism involved in reversing the deleterious effects of CRA-induced allergic airway inflammation and AHR in a murine model of asthma. Furthermore, the finding of the immunomodulatory effect of vitamin D supplementation opens a new direction for researching the Th17/Tregs cell imbalance in asthma. The outcomes of this study may be useful in developing better therapeutic modalities applicable to allergic asthma immunomodulation.ProQuest Traditional Publishing Optionxxiii, 277 page
Plenary session at Rollins of Charles M. Blow, Ben Brotemarkle, Dr. Susan Libby, Dr. Shan-Estelle Brown, Dr. Vidhu Aggarwal, Lisa Portelli, and Dr. Walter D. Greason
No full textCharles M. Blow, Ben Brotemarkle, Dr. Susan Libby, Dr. Shan-Estelle Brown, Dr. Vidhu Aggarwal, Lisa Portelli, and Dr. Walter D. Greasonhttps://scholarship.rollins.edu/communities_conference/1085/thumbnail.jp
Coauthor prediction for junior researchers
No full textResearch collaboration can bring in different perspectives and generate more productive results. However, finding an appropriate collaborator can be difficult due to the lacking of sufficient information. Link prediction is a related technique for collaborator discovery; but its focus has been mostly on the core authors who have relatively more publications. We argue that junior researchers actually need more help in finding collaborators. Thus, in this paper, we focus on coauthor prediction for junior researchers. Most of the previous works on coauthor prediction considered global network feature and local network feature separately, or tried to combine local network feature and content feature. But we found a significant improvement by simply combing local network feature and global network feature. We further developed a regularization based approach to incorporate multiple features simultaneously. Experimental results demonstrated that this approach outperformed the simple linear combination of multiple features. We further showed that content features, which were proved to be useful in link prediction, can be easily integrated into our regularization approach. © 2013 Springer-Verlag
From Unexpected Peaks to Unusual Fragmentation Mechanisms: A Potpourri Admixed of Organic Chemistry and Organic Mass Spectrometry
No full textKuck D. From Unexpected Peaks to Unusual Fragmentation Mechanisms: A Potpourri Admixed of Organic Chemistry and Organic Mass Spectrometry. In: Aggarwal SK, ed. Proceedings of the 8th ISMAS Symposium. Vol 1. Mumbai: Indian Society for Mass Spectrometry; 1999: 245-260
Measurement of D-0, D+, D+* and D-s(+) production in pp collisions at root s=5.02 TeV with ALICE
No full textThe measurements of the production of prompt D0, D+, D+, and Ds+ mesons in proton-proton (pp) collisions at TeV with the ALICE detector at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) are reported. D mesons were reconstructed at mid-rapidity (|y|<0.5) via their hadronic decay channels D0K-+, D+K-++, D+D0+K-++, Ds+phi+K+K-+, and their charge conjugates. The production cross sections were measured in the transverse momentum interval 0<36 for D0, 1<36 for D+ and D+, and in 2<24 for Ds+ mesons. Thanks to the higher integrated luminosity, an analysis in finer pT bins with respect to the previous measurements at sTeV was performed, allowing for a more detailed description of the cross-section pT shape. The measured pT-differential production cross sections are compared to the results at s=7TeV and to four different perturbative QCD calculations. Its rapidity dependence is also tested combining the ALICE and LHCb measurements in pp collisions at s=5.02 TeV. This measurement will allow for a more accurate determination of the nuclear modification factor in p-Pb and Pb-Pb collisions performed at the same nucleon-nucleon centre-of-mass energy
Calcium and vitamin D in post menopausal women
No full textCalcium and Vitamin D are widely used therapies for Osteoporosis. Vitamin D is not a vitamin in true sense since it is produced in response to the action of sunlight on skin. Vitamin D has multiple roles in the body, not all of them well-understood. Vitamin D supplementation must be considered a form of hormone replacement therapy. Therefore it raises all the questions about efficacy, dose, and side effects. The Efficacy of use of Calcium and Vitamin D in all post menopausal women in terms of the prevention of fracture is uncertain. The Annual worldwide sales of these supplements have been several billion dollars. The variation of the results from various studies of Calcium and Vitamin D supplementation in elderly women suggest that benefit of calcium plus vitamin D on bone mineral density or the risk of fracture is small and may vary from group to group and baseline Vitamin D status. Women taking supplemental vitamin D and calcium have a statistically increased incidence of renal stones, according to evidence from the Women′s Health Initiative. Studies have shown association between calcium use and increased risk for cardiovascular disease. In a recent review of evidence from 6 randomized trials evaluating the use of vitamin D and calcium to prevent fractures in postmenopausal women who are not living in a nursing home or other institution, the United States Preventive Task Force (USPTF) found no evidence of a benefit from supplementation with 400 IU or less of vitamin D3 and 1000 mg or less of calcium. Also in a report from institute of Medicine Committee, there was insufficient evidence, particularly from randomized trials, that vitamin D treatment affected the risk of non skeletal outcomes like risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, infections, autoimmune disease, and other extra skeletal outcomes
Economic impacts of SEZs: Theoretical approaches and analysis of newly notified SEZs in India
No full textThis study aims at examining the economic impacts of SEZs in the Indian context. While doing so, it addresses the conceptual confusion about SEZs, outlines the evolution of SEZs; traces economic philosophies explaining the rationale and benefits of SEZs; extends existing theoretical literature to explain the economic impacts of SEZs; assesses the economic impacts of newly notified SEZs in India; reviews the strategies followed by various state governments in the implementation of the policy ; and draws policy implications. It argues that the existing economic theories donot adequately explain the rationale and contribution of SEZs. These approaches need to be extended by integrating the provisions of the theories of agglomeration economies and global value chains within the existing theoretical frameworks. It analyses the economic impacts of SEZs within the extended theoretical framework. It finds that while SEZs are stimulating direct investment and employment, their role appears to be more valuable in bringing about economic transformation from a resource-led economy to a skill and technology-led economy; from low value added economic activities to high value added economic activities; from low productive sectors to high productive sectors; and from unorganised to organized sectors, both at the national and regional levels. They have the potential of promoting new knowledge intensive industries; augmenting existing industrial clusters/industrial states; diversifying the local industrial base; and localizing global value chain. However, a strategic approach is required to reap the opportunities offered by SEZs.Special economic zones; Exports; FDI; Economic diversification; Agglomeration economies; global value chains;India
Plenary session at Rollins of Charles M. Blow, Ben Brotemarkle, Dr. Susan Libby, Dr. Shan-Estelle Brown, Dr. Vidhu Aggarwal, Lisa Portelli, Dr. Walter D. Greason, Dr. Nancy Decker, Trent Tomengo and Dr. Nathiri
No full textCharles M. Blow, Ben Brotemarkle, Dr. Susan Libby, Dr. Shan-Estelle Brown, Dr. Vidhu Aggarwal, Lisa Portelli, Dr. Walter D. Greason, Dr. Nancy Decker, Trent Tomengo and Dr. Nathirihttps://scholarship.rollins.edu/communities_conference/1087/thumbnail.jp
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