cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flavobacterium johnsoniae sprB Is Part of an Operon Spanning the Additional Gliding Motility Genes sprC, sprD, and sprF

Cells of Flavobacterium johnsoniae move rapidly over surfaces by a process known as gliding motility. Gld proteins are thought to comprise the gliding motor that propels cell surface adhesins, such as the 669-kDa SprB. A novel protein secretion apparatus called the Por secretion system (PorSS) is required for assembly of SprB on the cell surface. Genetic and molecular analyses revealed that sprB is part of a seven-gene operon spanning 29.3 kbp of DNA. In addition to sprB, three other genes of this operon (sprC, sprD, and sprF) are involved in gliding. Mutations in sprB, sprC, sprD, and sprF resulted in cells that failed to form spreading colonies on agar but that exhibited some motility on glass in wet mounts. SprF exhibits some similarity to Porphyromonas gingivalis PorP, which is required for secretion of gingipain protease virulence factors via the P. gingivalis PorSS. F. johnsoniae sprF mutants produced SprB protein but were defective in localization of SprB to the cell surface, suggesting a role for SprF in secretion of SprB. The F. johnsoniae PorSS is involved in secretion of extracellular chitinase in addition to its role in secretion of SprB. SprF was not needed for chitinase secretion and may be specifically required for SprB secretion by the PorSS. Cells with nonpolar mutations in sprC or sprD produced and secreted SprB and propelled it rapidly along the cell surface. Multiple paralogs of sprB, sprC, sprD, and sprF are present in the genome, which may explain why mutations in sprB, sprC, sprD, and sprF do not result in complete loss of motility and suggests the possibility that semiredundant SprB-like adhesins may allow movement of cells over different surfaces.
Hungry chicks and mortal parents: A state-variable approach to the breeding seasons of birds

We here report the results of a dynamic programming model of the breeding season of a bird, patterned after the Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus) nesting near Ithaca, New York. Optimal breeding seasons fall largely before the peak in food distribution, and this shift appears to be because peak metabolic demands of the brood are coordinated with the peak in food density and because the risk of adult mortality selects for earlier breeding than would otherwise be favored. This latter effect, first proposed by Fisher, may explain the nearly universal observation that early breeding appears to be favored in birds from a wide range of habitats and phylogenies.
Motives for disclosure and non-disclosure: a framework and review of the evidence

We develop und utilise a theoretical framework for the purpose of summarising the existing empirical work in the voluntary disclosure area. This theoretical framework posits that the primary goal o...
Imaginations about the disabled

Abstract This study investigated characteristics attributed to physically disabled persons. Using an instrument designed to measure the attribution of traits, normal subjects judged normal and disabled adults described in narratives. The descriptions were designed to allow maximal attribution of characteristics. It was found that the subjects tended to attribute alienation and introversion to disabled people, but that such attributions were an inverse function of attributed compensatory behavior. The implications of the research were discussed in terms of role expectancies and the tendency to use attributed characteristics as well as known characteristics in accounting for the observed behavior of disabled persons.
Freud's ego ideals: a study of admired modern historical and political personages.

It is appropriate to conclude this study with a statement that characterizes Freud and his search for particular models, and this is: "A genius chooses his family from among heroes." His historical heroes were Cromwell, Napoleon, Massena, Garibaldi, Bismarck, Adler, Lasalle, Lasker, and Wilson. Of course, toward many of these figures, Freud was also ambivalent. Yet these leaders have certain common denominators. In various degrees, they may be characterized as progressive, secular, and anti-Catholic. Moreover, they all had spectacular careers, stood up against great odds, and in many instances had serious conflicts with their fathers or men in authority. These leaders had a special significance for Freud, and their selection is representative not only of his own personal dynamics, but also of his historical milieu. His ego ideals demonstrate that Freud was ambitious and had partisan political feelings and concerns. In some cases the choice of the ego ideals stemmed from his ambivalent feelings toward his father and his particular resolution of the oedipal situation. Also very significant is the fact of Freud's Jewish heritage and the anti-Semitism he experienced as a citizen of the Hapsburg Empire. Moreover, Freud was always sensitive about the power and the influence of the Catholic church. Still another reason for his selection of widely scattered figures with whom to identify is the broadening influence of his classical education. In addition, being gifted linguistically, he was able to transcend a parochial environment. In general then, Freud's ego ideals reveal that he was informed politically and historically and that he regarded these men as promoting policies that were liberating.
The stale-fish syndrome: A new metabolic disorder associated with trimethyaminuria

In a six-year-old girl with a history of recurrent pulmonary infections and a mild bleeding tendency, a strikingly fishy smell was detected in the sweat and urine. She resembled a Turner syndrome phenotypically and had splenomegaly. Chromosomes were normal. Hematocrit was 30–34%, WBC 3,150–9,000/cu mm, platelet count 150,000–250,000/cu mm. Red blood cell (RBC) survival studies showed a slightly decreased half-time due to splenic sequestration; RBC volume was normal, but plasma volume was increased (60 ml/k). RBC's showed increased resistance to filtration through a 3 μ pore filter; this finding suggested increased cell membrane rigidity. Bleeding time was prolonged, platelet aggregation to collagen and adhesiveness to glass beads was decreased. Leukocyte adhesiveness to glass was decreased in 16 of 23 tests performed; other tests of leukocyte function were normal. The patient's mother, sister, maternal grandmother and maternal uncle also showed decreased leukocyte adhesiveness, but no other defects. Examination of the patient's urine by gas chromatography demonstrated the presence of excessive trimethylamine (TMA). This substance, a metabolite of choline, has a characteristic odor of decaying fish. When an oral choline load was given to the patient, she excreted large amounts of TMA in her urine as compared to a normal control. In addition, oral loading doses of TMA produced the fishy smell in the patient but not in the controls. This patient represents a new clinical and metabolic syndrome in which a disorder of choline metabolism, possibly due to TMA oxidase deficiency, may explain the defective membrane function of platelets, neutrophils and RBC's, and the accumulation of trimethylamine.
Explaining the curvilinear relationship between age at first birth and depression among women

Recent research suggests that the effect of age at first birth on mental health for women is curvilinear, with first births at both young (age 20 and younger) and older ages (after age 30) being positively associated with psychological distress. Scholars have theorized that accumulated disadvantages and physical health problems associated with age at first birth explain this pattern, although empirical support for these explanations has varied. Using data from the US National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, this study provides evidence of an alternative explanation for this curvilinear relationship through its focus on: 1) the relationship between deviations from expected age at first birth and women's actual age at first birth, and 2) the effect deviations from expected age at first birth have on mental health. Results indicate that deviating from their expected age at first birth results in higher levels of depressive symptoms for women in midlife who transition into parenthood both earlier and later than expected. These deviations from expected birth timing account for the upward trend in depressive symptoms at older ages of first birth, but explain only a small amount of the higher levels of depressive symptoms at younger ages.
Chinese Education Agent Views of American Community Colleges.

In an era of increasing global competition in education related markets, many higher education institutions in the United States have come to realize the need to market better for international students. Community colleges are no exception and have become increasingly active in recruiting international students using education agents. Using in-depth interviews with eight education agents in China, we explored education agents’ experiences in promoting community colleges. The findings from this research identified factors that may lead to or prohibit success in marketing community colleges in China. This study provides researchers, administrators, and admissions officers at American community colleges with a better understanding about how community colleges are perceived by Chinese parents and students. The study also shows how colleges can work efficiently with Chinese education agents.
Propofol by infusion protocol for ED procedural sedation.

Abstract Introduction Propofol is an effective agent for use in procedural sedation and analgesia (PSA). Most ED studies have used a bolus-dosed protocol. We evaluated the efficacy, complication rate, and satisfaction among caregivers and patients while using an infusion-dosed protocol of propofol for PSA in our ED. Methods A prospective, observational study was performed in our academic ED. Propofol use was at the discretion of the ordering physician and dosed by predetermined infusion protocol. Variables measured included adverse events, times of sedation, procedure, and recovery. Patient and provider satisfaction were measured using a 10-cm visual analog scale. Results Fifty patients were enrolled over 18 months. Procedures were varied, and all were successfully completed. The mean propofol dose was 174 mg (SD = 164 mg). Average times to sedation (4.6 minutes, SD = 2.6 minutes) and recovery (8.2 minutes, SD = 5.8 minutes) were short. Complications included 8 patients with respiratory depression and 6 with hypotension, all easily reversible. Satisfaction scores were uniformly high. Only 34% of patients had any memory of the procedure, and 94% would agree to use it again if necessary. Conclusions Infusion-dosed propofol is effective for ED PSA. Total doses, effectiveness, satisfaction rates, and complications of infusion-dosed propofol are comparable to findings from studies using bolus-dosed protocols.
Exit probability estimates for martingales in geodesic balls, using curvature

Kallenberg and Sztencel have recently discovered exponential upper bounds, independent of dimension, on the probability that a vector martingale will exit from a ball in Euclidean space by timet. This article extends their results to martingales on Riemannian manifolds, including Brownian motion, and shows how exit probabilities depend on curvature. Using comparison with rotationally symmetric manifolds, these estimates are easily computable, and are sharp up to a constant factor in certain cases.
Autonomous microfluidic sensing device employing liquid crystal for detection of biological interactions

We report the design of an autonomous sensing device, which employs a thermotropic nematic liquid crystal (LC) to conduct chemical or biological sensing tasks. The development of highly reproducible methods to create uniform LC thin film is critical for utilizing LCs for sensing. Herein, we describe the use of shear forces generated by the laminar flow of liquid within a microfluidic channel to create thin LC films stabilized within microfabricated structures. The orientational response of the supported LC films to targeted analytes in aqueous phases was observed through changes in the optical birefringence of the LC thin films. Experiments employing two systems are reported: (i) dodecyl trimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) dissolved in aqueous solution, and (ii) the hydrolysis of phospholipids by the enzyme phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ).
TYROSINE KINASE INHIBITORS AND THE DAWN OF MOLECULAR CANCER THERAPEUTICS

▪ Abstract The clinical application of tyrosine kinase inhibitors for cancer treatment represents a therapeutic breakthrough. The rationale for developing these compounds rests on the observation that tyrosine kinase enzymes are critical components of the cellular signaling apparatus and are regularly mutated or otherwise deregulated in human malignancies. Novel tyrosine kinase inhibitors are designed to exploit the molecular differences between tumor cells and normal tissues. Herein, we will review the current state-of-the-art using agents that target as prototypes Bcr-Abl, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), KIT (stem cell factor receptor), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These compounds are remarkably effective in treating diverse cancers that are highly resistant to conventional treatment, including various forms of leukemia, hypereosinophilic syndrome, mast cell disease, sarcomas, and lung cancer. It is now clear that the molecular defects underlying cancer can be targeted w...
The effect of zero point energy noise in maser amplifiers

Abstract It is shown from first principles that in maser amplifiers the zero point energy noise is not amplified. This vindicates the usual approach to maser amplifier noise in which the zero point energy noise is ignored altogether.
The Human ARF Cell Cycle Regulatory Gene Promoter Is a CpG Island Which Can Be Silenced by DNA Methylation and Down-Regulated by Wild-Type p53

The INK4a/ARF locus encodes two proteins involved in tumor suppression in a manner virtually unique in mammalian cells. Distinct first exons, driven from separate promoters, splice onto a common exon 2 and 3 but utilize different reading frames to produce two completely distinct proteins, both of which play roles in cell cycle control. INK4a, a critical element of the retinoblastoma gene pathway, binds to and inhibits the activities of CDK4 and CDK6, while ARF, a critical element of the p53 pathway, increases the level of functional p53 via interaction with MDM2. Here we clone and characterize the promoter of the human ARF gene and show that it is a CpG island characteristic of a housekeeping gene which contains numerous Sp1 sites. Both ARF and INK4a are coordinately expressed in cells except when their promoter regions become de novo methylated. In one of these situations, ARF transcription could be reactivated by treatment with the DNA methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, and the reactivation kinetics of ARF and INK4a were found to differ slightly in a cell line in which both genes were silenced by methylation. The ARF promoter was also found to be highly responsive to E2F1 expression, in keeping with previous results at the RNA level. Lastly, transcription from the ARF promoter was down-regulated by wild-type p53 expression, and the magnitude of the effect correlated with the status of the endogenous p53 gene. This finding points to the existence of an autoregulatory feedback loop between p53, MDM2, and ARF, aimed at keeping p53 levels in check.
Pressure Core Characterization Tools for Hydrate-Bearing Sediments

The clathrate or cage-like structure formed by water molecules hinders the repulsion between gas molecules allows for very high gas concentration. With the high methane concentration in large areas, natural gas hydrates can become an energy resource and remain a potential source for a potent greenhouse gas. Depressurization and/or warming cause dissociation and volume expansion leading to large-scale sediment destructuration.
Design of a comparative effectiveness evaluation of a culturally tailored versus standard community-based smoking cessation treatment program for LGBT smokers

Smoking prevalence rates among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population are significantly higher than the general population. However, there is limited research on smoking cessation treatments in this group, particularly on culturally targeted interventions. Moreover, there are few interventions that address culturally specific psychosocial variables (e.g., minority stress) that may influence outcomes. This paper describes the protocol for a comparative effectiveness trial testing an evidence-based smoking cessation program, Courage to Quit, against a culturally tailored version for LGBT smokers, and examines the role of culturally specific psychosocial variables on cessation outcomes. To examine the effectiveness of a culturally targeted versus standard smoking cessation intervention, the study utilizes a 2-arm block, randomized, control trial (RCT) design. Adult LGBT participants (n = 400) are randomized to one of the two programs each consisting of a six-session group program delivered in a community center and an eight week supply of the transdermal nicotine patch. Four individualized telephone counseling sessions occur at weeks 2, 5, 7, and 9, at times of greatest risk for relapse. Study outcome measures are collected at baseline, and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months post quit date. Primary outcomes are expired air carbon monoxide verified 7-day point-prevalence quit rates at each measurement period. Secondary outcomes assess changes in cravings, withdrawal symptoms, smoking cessation self-efficacy, and treatment adherence. Additionally, study staff examines the role of culturally specific psychosocial variables on cessation outcomes using path analysis. Determining the efficacy of culturally specific versus standard evidence based approaches to smoking cessation is a critical issue facing the field today. This study provides a model for the development and implementation of a culturally tailored smoking cessation intervention for LGBT participants and addresses a gap in the field by examining the role of culturally psychosocial variables associated with cessation outcomes. U.S. National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials NCT01633567 Registered 30 May 2012.
Can Intervention Rehabilitate Serious Delinquents

Much contemporary discussion of the future of the juvenile court revolves around the balance between rehabilitation and punishment, especially with regard to the most serious juvenile offenders. Political forces increasingly press in the direction of punitive approaches, while the historical orientation of the court has been rehabilitative. This article addresses the question of whether rehabilitative treatment can be effective for the most serious offenders. Meta-analysis techniques were used to synthesize the large body of empirical research on the effects of rehabilitative programs in community and institutional settings. The results show that well-designed rehabilitative strategies do reduce recidivism for such offenders and cannot be dismissed on the grounds that they are ineffective.
Beyond AIMD: explicit fair-share calculation

We introduce an alternative approach to congestion avoidance and control, which has the potential to increase efficiency and fairness in multiplexed channels. Our approach, bimodal congestion avoidance and control, is based on the principles of TCP's additive increase multiplicative decrease. It is designed to better exploit the system properties during equilibrium, without trading off responsiveness for smoothness. In addition, it is capable of achieving convergence to fairness in only two congestion cycles. As a result, both efficiency and fairness are improved, responsiveness is not degraded, and smoothness is significantly improved when the system is in equilibrium. We provide a theoretical analysis and we discuss the potential of our approach for packet networks. Our experiments confirm that bimodal congestion avoidance and control as a component of the transmission control protocol outperforms the traditional scheme.
Autonomous surface craft provide flexibility to remote adaptive oceanographic sampling and modeling

During field experiments conducted in Monterey Bay, CA in the summer of 2006 and Dabob Bay, WA in the summer of 2007, a team of scientists and engineers from MIT outfitted an on-board winch and CTD system onto a SCOUT autonomous surface craft (ASC). Along with allowing both teleoperated and autonomous CTD profiling capability, this system was deployed as part of a small fleet of similar ASCs equipped with acoustic modem hardware and linked via 802.11b wireless Ethernet and evolution data, optimized (EVDO) to the ship and the Internet. Using this communications capability, the fleet of autonomous vehicles automatically uploaded oceanographic data to a remote server and remained in contact with scientists aboard the nearby research vessel. The uploaded data was nearly immediately available to the ocean modeling and prediction model maintained at MIT and Harvard University. Finally, the entire system was exercised with a completely autonomous test of sound speed using two distinct techniques: acoustic pings and a CTD cast.
Lenalidomide and Rituximab for the Initial Treatment of Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Multicenter Clinical-Translational Study From the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Research Consortium

Purpose Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory agent with therapeutic activity in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). In preclinical models, lenalidomide acted synergistically with rituximab. The CLL Research Consortium initiated a phase II study to evaluate this combination in treatment-naive patients. Patients and Methods Lenalidomide was initiated at 2.5 mg/day and was escalated based on treatment tolerability to a maximum of 10 mg/day, for 21 days/cycle, for a maximum of seven cycles. Rituximab was administered at the end of cycle 1 and was continued for seven cycles. Patients received allopurinol and aspirin for prophylaxis. Results Sixty-nine patients enrolled onto one of two age-specific strata; patients' median age was 56 and 70 years for arms A and B, respectively. Patients in the older-patient stratum more frequently had elevated serum beta-2 microglobulin levels, high-risk Rai stage, and were less likely to complete the maximum planned therapy. Adverse events were similar in the two arms. Nonhemat...
The multiple personalities of water conservation

“Water conservation” means different things to different people and the principles of depletion and diversion are often confounded and misconstrued, particularly when the different perceptions of the value of water and units of analysis are involved. Many public policies and public and private investments have been implemented in the name of conserving water, particularly in irrigated agriculture. Unfortunately, many of these policies and investments cannot make additional water available to new users owing to the nature of closed basin hydrology. The assumption that farmers are low-efficiency irrigators is used to justify transfer of income and wealth to agricultural water users and others through direct investments and cost sharing programs. Instead, these programs serve to sustain and increase consumptive use of water in agriculture and disrupt the existing hydrologic balance. In arid climates, where deficit irrigation is practiced, conventional water conservation measures such as drip irrigation often result in increased depletion at the individual farm level and less water available for other users. This paper discusses water conservation misconceptions, particularly those related to irrigated agriculture in the arid southwestern United States. Deficit irrigation is a common practice throughout the southwest, the region is experiencing rapid population growth and naturally limited water supplies have been exacerbated by current drought conditions. In this paper, the water conservation impacts of drip irrigation, irrigation scheduling and canal lining are discussed in the context of the hydrological assumptions that are used to promote these technologies. The potential of drip irrigation, irrigation scheduling and canal lining to sustain and increase crop evapotranspiration in deficit irrigation environments is illustrated. Given hydrologic conditions, the authors conclude that accurate basin-wide accounting of water use, including equitable distribution based on existing legal entitlements would significantly contribute to water conservation efforts.
Impact of 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Deficiency on Perioperative Parathyroid Hormone Kinetics and Results in Patients with Primary Hyperparathyroidism

Background Successful parathyroidectomy for sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) is predicted by a 50% drop in PTH intra-operatively. Vitamin D is a known inhibitor of PTH secretion and is associated with secondary HPT following adenoma resection. This study examined the impact of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) deficiency on perioperative PTH kinetics and outcomes following parathyroidectomy. Methods Patients undergoing adenoma resection for pHPT (n=93) had PTH levels recorded at six perioperative time points. Preoperative 25OHD levels were examined retrospectively. Patients were considered 25OHD deficient if the level was <25 ng/mL (n=47) and adequate if the level was ≥25 ng/mL (n=46). Results Patients with 25OHD-deficiency had significantly higher preoperative calcium, alkaline phosphatase, and PTH levels. PTH levels were significantly higher in 25OHD-deficient patients at incision, at 1 week postop and 1-3 months postop. Average drop in PTH level five minutes post resection was 79±14% in the deficient group and 72±22% in the non-deficient group (P=.03). 25OHD levels inversely correlated with adenoma weight (P=.03) and postoperative PTH measurements (P=.008). Conclusions Sporadic pHPT patients with 25OHD deficiency have higher baseline and postoperative PTH levels compared to non-deficient patients but do not have altered intraoperative PTH kinetics. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with postoperative elevation of PTH.
Inflammation and the Blood Microvascular System

Acute and chronic inflammation is associated with changes in microvascular form and function. At rest, endothelial cells maintain a nonthrombogenic, nonreactive surface at the interface between blood and tissue. However, on activation by proinflammatory mediators, the endothelium becomes a major participant in the generation of the inflammatory response. These functions of endothelium are modified by the other cell populations of the microvessel wall, namely pericytes, and smooth muscle cells. This article reviews recent advances in understanding the roles played by microvessels in inflammation.
Delegation in Virtual Team: the Moderating Effects of Team Maturity and Team Distance

Virtual teams are becoming an important work structure in software development projects. However, a number of issues arise due to the complexity and newness of the virtual team context. One such issue relates to when and how team leaders should delegate authority and responsibility to the team. Previous studies have yielded conflicting results. This work aims to answer this question about delegation by investigating the moderating effects of team maturity and team distance on the relationship between leader delegation and team outcomes. A research model and specific propositions are presented. This paper provides useful insights for future virtual team leadership research and for organizations interested in developing virtual team leadership.
New Developments Towards Automated Blastocyst Microinjections

This paper presents results related to our latest semi-automated blastocyst microinjection system. Here, the improvements made to the microinjection system are described and evaluated. First, after replacing the original piezo-electric kinematic stage by a DC motor-based robot manipulator, experimentation showed that the speed and the precise motion control of pipettes were improved. Second, by introducing an X-Y stage into the system, to manipulate the Petri dish around the microscope's field of view, multiple microinjection speed was improved. Third, by using SSD template matching to track the injection pipette, rather than the cross-correlation template matching algorithm used in the original system, improvements were made to pipette localization. Under human control, this new semi-automated system gives improved microinjection performance metrics compared to previously obtained results. The system is also providing implicit human knowledge of the microinjection process via the human-control interface. It is the encoding of this knowledge that will lead to the first fully automated system. The semi-automated microinjection system is being tested and evaluated in the AMC at UNC-Chapel Hill.
Differential sensitivity of N- and P/Q-type Ca2+ channel currents to a μ opioid in isolectin B4-Positive and -negative dorsal root ganglion neurons

Opioids have a selective effect on nociception with little effect on other sensory modalities. However, the cellular mechanisms for this preferential effect are not fully known. Two broad classes of nociceptors can be distinguished based on their growth factor requirements and binding to isolectin B4(IB4). In this study, we determined the difference in the modulation of voltage-gated Ca2+ currents by [d-Ala2, N -Me-Phe4,Gly-ol5]-enkephalin (DAMGO, a specific μ opioid agonist) between IB4-positive and -negative small dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings were performed in acutely isolated DRG neurons in adult rats. Both 1–10 μM DAMGO and 1 to 10 μM morphine had a greater effect on high voltage-activated Ca2+ currents in IB4-negative than IB4-positive cells. However, DAMGO had no significant effect on T-type Ca2+ currents in both groups. The N-type Ca2+ current was the major subtype of Ca2+ currents inhibited by DAMGO in both IB4-positive and -negative neurons. Although DAMGO had no effect on L-type and R-type Ca2+ currents in both groups, it produced a larger inhibition on N-type and P/Q-type Ca2+ currents in IB4-negative than IB4-positive neurons. Furthermore, double labeling revealed that there was a significantly higher μ opioid receptor immunoreactivity in IB4-negative than IB4-positive cells. Thus, these data suggest that N-and P/Q-type Ca2+ currents are more sensitive to inhibition by the μ opioids in IB4-negative than IB4-positive DRG neurons. The differential sensitivity of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels to the μ opioids in subsets of DRG neurons may constitute an important analgesic mechanism of μ opioids.
Thiazolidinediones in the treatment of Type 2 diabetes

In the last few years there has been an explosion of research that has improved our understanding of the pathogenesis of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM-2) and has led to the development of new oral antidiabetic drugs. Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) are the newest of these antidiabetic agents. TZDs are insulin sensitisers that depend on the presence of insulin for their action. They target insulin resistance, which is thought to play a central role in DM-2 and the associated metabolic syndrome characterised by central obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia and hypercoagulability, all leading to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. As a result, TZDs have the potential to improve other conditions associated with the metabolic syndrome, in addition to their glycaemic action. TZDs act by activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) phi a nuclear receptor implicated not only in lipid and glucose metabolism but other physiological functions as well. TZDs may have wide clinical applications beyond DM-2, as they can potentially be used to treat other conditions associated with insulin resistance and PPAR-phi receptors, such as impaired glucose tolerance, polycystic ovarian syndrome and HIV lipodystrophy.
Age‐related differences in urinary 11‐dehydroxythromboxane B2 between infants, children, and adolescents: Another example of developmental hemostasis?

Our study was developed to ascertain reference ranges of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 (11-dhTXB2) in the urine of healthy pediatric subjects. Urine samples were analyzed using the AspirinWorks™ assay that measures levels of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2. 128 individuals (2 months to 18 years) were identified as healthy and not receiving aspirin. When adjusted as picograms/milligrams urine creatinine, there was a negative correlation between age and level of 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 (P = 0.0001). This study confirms a negative correlation between age and level of urinary 11-dehydrothromboxane B2 and provides a set of age-specific reference ranges. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014;61:2074–2076. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Muscle-Derived Stem Cells: Characterization and Potential for Cell-Mediated Therapy☆

Skeletal muscle may represent a convenient source of stem cells for cell-mediated gene therapy and tissue-engineering applications. A population of cells isolated from skeletal muscle exhibits both multipotentiality and self-renewal capabilities. Satellite cells, referred to by many as muscle stem cells, are myogenic precursors that are capable of regenerating muscle and demonstrating self-renewal properties; however, they are considered to be committed to the myogenic lineage. Muscle-derived stem cells, which may represent a predecessor of the satellite cell, are considered to be distinct. This article considers the evidence for the existence of muscle-derived stem cells as well as their potential embryonic origin. Comparison of muscle-derived stem cells to bone marrow and hematopoietic-derived stem cells illustrates similarities and distinctions among these various stem cells. Hematopoietic stem cell research provides lessons for the isolation of a defined phenotype as well as for the expansion of the stem cells in vitro. Recent investigations highlighting the potential of stem cell transplantation for the treatment of muscular dystrophies are discussed.
Neurocognitive functioning of individuals with schizophrenia: using and not using drugs.

Objectives: Research on neurocognition in schizophrenia, using modest samples and self-rated assessments, reports drug use contributes to improved rather than impaired cognitive function. We have sought to replicate these findings in a large sample of patients that had their drug-use status confirmed by laboratory assays and evaluated the potential differences in cognitive function between patients with positive and negative results. Methods: Nine hundred and seventy four schizophrenia patients completed neuropsychological and laboratory tests at screening/baseline of the Clinical Antipsychotic Trials of Intervention Effectiveness study. Radioimmunoassay (RIA) of hair tested for cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamine. Results: Many patients screened positive for drug use (n = 262; 27%), and there were no differences between patients with positive and negative results in terms of cognitive function after adjusting for multiple inference testing, except patients with positive RIA for methamphetamine demonstrated increased processing speed (corrected, P = .024). Moderator models were employed to explore potential subgroup differences in this pattern of results. At low medication dosages, patients with positive RIA for cocaine demonstrated decreased processing speed compared with patients with negative RIA for cocaine (uncorrected, P = .008). And for any other drugs with low psychopathology, patients with positive RIA demonstrated decreased working memory compared with patients with negative RIA (uncorrected, P = .006). Conclusions: No positive effects of cannabis on cognitive function were observed, and drug use was not associated with improved neurocognition across most of the subgroup characteristics explored in this sample of schizophrenia patients.
Doppler Phenomena in Space Communications

The Doppler phenomenon is studied under spaceflight conditions. These conditions impose restrictions, and introduce influences which otherwise are of negligible importance. Examples of undesired effects of the Doppler shift in space communications and of applications for useful purposes are given. General relations are derived for the Doppler shift which permit consideration of the space-flight conditions. These conditions, one of which is flight through ionized medium and electron clouds, cause deviations from a regular Doppler shift. The deviations can be considered as errors, or they can be measured and explored for obtaining data about electron densities in space. Evaluation of Doppler measurements in satellite tracking is considered as an example.
Does stage of labor at time of cesarean delivery affect risk of subsequent preterm birth

Objective The effect of a cesarean delivery in different stages of labor on spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) in a subsequent pregnancy has not been studied extensively. The objective of the study was to evaluate the risk of subsequent sPTB after a first-stage or second-stage cesarean delivery compared with a vaginal delivery. Study Design This was a planned secondary analysis of a large retrospective cohort study of women with 2 consecutive deliveries from 2005-2010. Women with a previous sPTB were excluded. First-stage ( 2 analyses, and logistic regression was used to calculate odds and control for confounders. Results Eight hundred eighty-seven women were included (721 vaginal deliveries; 129 first-stage and 37 second-stage cesarean deliveries). The sPTB rate varied between groups (7.8%, 2.3%, and 13.5%, respectively; P = .03). When compared with women with a vaginal delivery, women with a first-stage cesarean delivery had a decreased risk of sPTB, which remained after adjustment for confounders (adjusted odds ratio, 0.30; 95% confidence interval, 0.09–0.99; P = .049). There was a nonsignificant increase in odds of sPTB after a second-stage cesarean delivery compared with a vaginal delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 0.77–7.43; P = .13). Women with a second-stage cesarean delivery had a 6-fold higher odds of sPTB compared with women with a first-stage cesarean delivery, which remained after adjustment for confounders (adjusted odds ratio, 5.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.08–30.8; P = .04). Conclusion Women with a full-term second-stage cesarean delivery have a significantly higher than expected rate of subsequent sPTB (13.5%) compared with both the overall national sPTB rate (7-8%) and to a first-stage cesarean delivery (2.3%). As the cesarean delivery rate continues to rise, this potential impact on pregnancy outcomes cannot be ignored.
Chemical control of feeding behavior.

Abstract 1. 1. Chemical control of some aspects of feeding behavior is of widespread occurrence. 2. 2. A new classification of chemical effectors of feeding behavior is proposed. 3. 3. Specific chemical effectors of feeding behavior in many species are discussed. 4. 4. Carnivores and omnivores respond to small molecules of wide distribution in plant and/or animal tissue. 5. 5. Herbivores respond to both large and small molecules with distribution of the compound within the plant kingdom being the most important factor. 6. 6. A summary of chemical effectors of feeding behavior and their actions is presented in table form.
End-to-End Enforcement of Erasure and Declassification

Declassification occurs when the confidentiality of information is weakened; erasure occurs when the confidentiality of information is strengthened, perhaps to the point of completely removing the information from the system. This paper shows how to enforce erasure and declassification policies. A combination of a type system that controls information flow and a simple runtime mechanism to overwrite data ensures end-to-end enforcement of policies. We prove that well-typed programs satisfy the semantic security condition noninterference according to policy. We extend the Jif programming language with erasure and declassification enforcement mechanisms and use the resulting language in a large case study of a voting system.
Examining CAM use disclosure using the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use.

Summary Objectives To improve understanding of factors that may influence disclosure of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use in the U.S. Design Cross-sectional survey. Methods Data are from the 2001 Health Care Quality Survey (HCQS), a nationally representative study of adults aged 18 and older living in the continental United States. Using the Behavioral Model of Health Services Use, we conducted multivariate logistic regressions to identify factors associated with disclosing CAM use among the sub-sample of recent CAM users ( n =1995). Main outcome measure Disclosure of CAM use. Results Most CAM users (71.0%) disclosed their use of CAM to their doctors. Contextual, individual, and health behavior factors were associated with CAM use disclosure. Of particular interest, disclosure was significantly more likely among those who perceived high quality relationships with their providers (AOR=1.59, CI: 1.01, 2.49) and among those who had a regular source of medical care (AOR=1.54, CI: 1.03, 2.29). The odds of disclosure were also higher among those who used practitioner-provided CAM, with (AOR=2.02, CI: 1.34, 3.06) or without (AOR=1.52, CI: 1.05, 2.20) concurrent herbal medicine use, compared to those who used herbal medicines only. Conclusions The Behavioral Model of Health Services Use is a useful framework for examining factors that may influence disclosure of CAM use. Further research should examine these relationships using more comprehensive measures.
Seasonal Prevalence of Ribeiroia ondatrae in One Population of Planorbella trivolvis (=Helisoma trivolvis), Including Notes on the Larval Trematode Component Community

Abstract During the spring, summer, and fall of 2003 and 2004, 947 and 1,970 Planorbella trivolvis (=Helisoma trivolvis) collected from 1 site in Portage County, Wisconsin, U.S.A., were measured and examined for larval trematodes. Cercarial morphology was used to identify trematode larvae, and the prevalence of each larval type was determined. Totals of 292 and 618 larval trematode infections, including 140 and 191 identified as Ribeiroia ondatrae, were observed in 2003 and 2004, respectively. In addition to R. ondatrae, collections yielded 8 morphologically distinct larvae: echinostome, armatae, magnacauda, amphistome, cystophorous, longifurcate-pharyngeate/strigea, brevifurcate-pharyngeate/clinostomoid, and brevifurcate-apharyngeate. Ribeiroia ondatrae and echinostome larvae contributed 30.9% and 25.2%, respectively, of the overall trematode prevalence observed in 2004, whereas magnacauda, cystophorous, longifurcate-pharyngeate, brevifurcate-pharyngeate, and brevifurcate-apharyngeate infections were onl...
A 3D spheroid system to evaluate inhibitors of the ABCG2 transporter in drug uptake and penetration

None of the ABCG2 inhibitors are effective clinically against multidrug resistant tumors overexpressing ABCG2. New in vitro models are needed to characterize inhibitors and discover new ones. We report a 3D spheroid model and image-based method to quantify ABCG2 action. Nonadhesive micro-molds were used to self-assemble spheroids overexpressing ABCG2; these spheroids were then incubated with the transporter substrate Hoechst 33342. Time-lapse fluorescent microscopy was used to determine the transporter-dependent efflux of Hoechst 33342 and dose response of three inhibitors (Ko143, Iressa, Elacridar). This 3D microtissue model was also used to determine the time to maximal effect as well as duration of effect after inhibitor removal. All acted within one hour and Elacridar had a surprisingly long duration of effect, active 5 hours after removal. This model can be used with multiple cell types, provides new insight into the pharmacokinetics of inhibitors, and can be adapted to high throughput analyses.
PART-OF-SPEECH INDUCTION FROM SCRATCH

This paper presents a method for inducing the parts of speech of a language and part-of-speech labels for individual words from a large text corpus. Vector representations for the part-of-speech of a word are formed from entries of its near lexical neighbors. A dimensionality reduction creates a space representing the syntactic categories of unambiguous words. A neural net trained on these spatial representations classifies individual contexts of occurrence of ambiguous words. The method classifies both ambiguous and unambiguous words correctly with high accuracy.
Clinical psychologists across the years: the division of clinical psychology from 1960 to 2003.

For more than 40 years researchers have studied the members of the American Psychological Association's (APA) Division of Clinical Psychology to obtain information about their demographic characteristics, educational experiences, theoretical orientations, employment settings, professional activities, publication histories, and career satisfactions. We summarize the results from the most recent study (N = 694, 46% return rate) in the historical context of the previous findings, dating back to 1960. We provide both contemporary and historical portraits of American clinical psychology. Among the most notable trends are a steady increase in female psychologists, a decline in psychological assessment in general and projective testing in particular, the modal eclectic/integrative orientation being rivaled by the cognitive orientation, a pattern of high career satisfaction, and continued enthusiasm for the Boulder model. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol 61: 1467–1483, 2005.
Triphenylamine-based star-shaped absorbers with tunable energy levels for organic photovoltaics

A new family of soluble low-bandgap star-shaped molecules based upon triphenylamine (TPA) and containing benzothiadiazole (BTD) acceptor moieties have been designed and synthesized for organic photovoltaic (OPV) applications. The design results in the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) being spatially distributed on the periphery of the molecule, allowing facile photo-induced electron transfer to the fullerene phenyl C 61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM). Photoluminescence quenching studies indicate efficient quenching of excitons, while time-resolved microwave conductivity experiments demonstrate effective separation of charges. Adjunct electron-withdrawing moieties allow tuning of the LUMO level. Theoretical calculations indicate three derivatives with LUMO levels in varying proximity to that of PCBM, which allows empirical testing of the theorized need for a 0.3 eV LUMO offset to ensure efficient charge transfer to PCBM. Design, characterization and bulk heterojunction device results for the new materials will be presented.
Foraging Range Expansion and Colony Genetic Organization in the Subterranean Termite Reticulitermes flavipes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

Abstract Our understanding of foraging and space use in Reticulitermes species is limited because their subterranean colonies are not associated with distinct physical nest structures and the colony affinity of workers cannot be readily identified with behavioral assays. Recently, we found that in Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) colonies from Massachusetts, the average colony inbreeding coefficient, measured with five polymorphic allozymes, was significantly greater than zero for non-Mendelian colonies with worker genotypes corresponding with the offspring of multiple inbreeding secondary reproductives rather than male and female primary reproductives. Foraging groups of termites with positive inbreeding coefficients suggest that workers feeding at fallen trees and branches frequently originate from different reproductive centers. The positive inbreeding coefficients appear to result from foraging traffic and not from inbreeding among secondary reproductives. A positive correlation between colony inbreed...