cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Convection-free boundary sedimentation of dilute protein solutions

Abstract Use of the density gradient sedimentation velocity technique appears to be essential for the accurate determination of the mean sedimentation coefficients of dilute protein solutions. When performed on an analytical ultracentrifuge equipped with a photoelectric-scanning-absorption optical system, the density gradient sedimentation velocity technique has been shown to be particularly useful in studying the subunit association-dissociation equilibria of multisubunit enzyme systems. The time factor has been shown to be a major advantage of the density gradient sedimentation velocity technique, as opposed to the sedimentation equilibrium technique, in studying the subunit association-dissociation equilibria of multisubunit enzymes such as rabbit muscle apo-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, which is very unstable in dilute solution.
REDUCING THE EFFECTS OF FAILURE PROPAGATION IN PERIODIC PROCESSES INVOLVING INTERMEDIATE STORAGE WITH MULTIPLE INPUT/MULTIPLE OUTPUT STREAMS

Batch processes are susceptible to long term production failures that adjacent intermediate storage cannot absorb totally and therefore force the shut-down of adjacent units. Because batch processes have many timing constraints, a careless storage operation leads to the propagation of the failures along the production line which results in a great additional loss of productivity. This article develops operational algorithms for the basicMIMO storage system in the presence of failures of the processing units, up or down-stream of the storage facility. Specially, we consider a class of long term failures which affect all or a subset of the multiple input/output streams. Algorithms are carefully designed to satisfy physical constraints and fully utilize the storage capacity, while minimizing the duration of forced shut-downs. An example study simulating failures demonstrates the effectiveness of our approach.
Synergistic chelation therapy or mixed ligand complexes for plutonium and cadmium poisoning? (reply)

Synergistic chelation therapy or mixed ligand complexes for plutonium and cadmium poisoning? (reply)
Relationship between sons’ perceptions of fathers’ messages and satisfaction in adult son‐father relationships

The study examined the relationship between adult sons’ responses to their fathers’ son‐directed messages and satisfaction with those relationships. Descriptions of father messages that typified the communication between fathers and sons were solicited from adult males. Adjectives and phrases were derived from these descriptions and were presented to a second sample in seven‐point bipolar adjective form. Factor analysis yielded three factors labeled “Supportive‐Interest,” “Criticism,” and “Sarcasm.” All three factors correlated significantly with adult sons’ ratings of satisfaction with their son‐father relationship. Multiple regression, using the three factors as predictors, accounted for approximately 60% of the variance in satisfaction scores.
A model for teaching parents to facilitate fluent speech

Abstract This paper describes an indirect treatment for incipient stuttering that focusses on parental behavior. The conversational speech of the parent(s) is analyzed in terms of rate, turntaking, and utterance types. Excessive tendencies are modified through a teaching program that introduces the facilitative techniques of mirroring, self-talk, parallel talk, reflecting, expansion, and speech pattern modification.
Improving monitoring and evaluation capacity in an organization with a global reach: A mentoring and thought leadership approach

Program/Project Purpose: PATH, an international non-profit, working in over 70 countries, has initiated a program to build capacity in global Monitoring and Evaluation (ME and that short-term technical assistance was not enough to provide opportunities for applied learning. PrEPwas created to bring togethermultiple learning approaches. The aims of this program are to work with a cohort of professionals to increase knowledge of M&E, provide structured opportunities to build skills, and cultivate a cohesive M&E discipline by formally connecting professionals from different parts of the organization. Structure/Method/Design: This new and unique approach, was a ninemonth long blended learning and mentorship program. Through the program, PATH staff from 22 offices worldwide apply to participate. After acceptance, the program features monthly webinars on 10 key competencies in M&E, mentor meetings on one particular competency area, and a community of peers to support growth. Outcomes & Evaluation: PrEP was designed to systematically track the progress of skill development by individuals at PATH. By following and evaluating the professional development of a few individuals, the M&EDept. was able to understand the effects of capacity building for the organization. In addition to strengthened core competencies, the program evaluated progress against a learning plan outlining the intended development of the participant. During the pilot year (6mentees), and an implementation year (10 mentees), progress has been tracked on outcomes from these individuals, Increases in both knowledge and experience were found. Relevant outcomes include capacity built, connection across countries and projects established, and contributions to theM&E at the organization. All of these improvements contribute to establishing anM&E discipline at the organization and will improve quality of work. Going Forward: The challenges include continuing to recruit the appropriate level of staff member, with some foundational M&E skills and practice, but the need to improve and invest in other competency areas or broaden experience. Related to this, M&E staff who are skilled and competent do not have a similar program that will invest in building relationships and a community to share work with. Funding: None. Abstract #: 02ETC022
Organization of the cat's optic tract as assessed by single-axon recordings.

The organization of the cat's optic tract was assessed from recordings of single axons during vertical electrode penetrations. To analyse both the order and the scatter of axons in the optic tract, units were pooled from electrode tracks that had evidently passed through nearly equivalent parts of the tract. Receptive field elevation, the most strongly ordered parameter, was primarily organized horizontally, increasing from posteromedial to anterolateral tract. Azimuth tended to increase from dorsal to ventral, but was only half as well organized vertically as elevation was horizontally. Axon type was also organized vertically, at least among axons that were identified as X or Y (contralateral axons of less than 20° eccentricity). Axons of ON-center X-type were located mostly in the dorsal quarter, OFF-center X-type in the dorsal two-thirds, and Y-type (ON- and OFF-center) in the ventral two-thirds of the tract. Another difference between the horizontal and vertical axes was revealed by estimates that axons of one type, from one retinal locus, spread about twice as far vertically as horizontally in the tract. Torrealba et al. (1982) have proposed that the sequential addition of ingrowing axons to the pial surface is a major source of the order in the tract. The differences between horizontal and vertical order seen here suggest an extension of this proposal: the sequential addition of axons to the ventral surface generates the vertical order, while some other process arranges axons horizontally, along the ventral surface, according to receptive field elevation (or some similar one-dimensional retinal coordinate).
A Laboratory Evaluation of Tagging‐Related Mortality and Tag Loss in Juvenile Humpback Chub

AbstractWe quantified tag retention, survival, and growth in juvenile, captive-reared Humpback Chub Gila cypha marked with three different tag types: (1) Biomark 12.5-mm, 134.2-kHz, full duplex PIT tags injected into the body cavity with a 12-gauge needle; (2) Biomark 8.4-mm, 134.2-kHz, full duplex PIT tags injected with a 16-gauge needle; and (3) Northwest Marine Technology visible implant elastomer (VIE) tags injected under the skin with a 29-gauge needle. Estimates of tag loss, tagging-induced mortality, and growth were evaluated for 60 d with each tag type for four different size-groups of fish: 40–49 mm, 50–59 mm, 60–69 mm, and 70–79 mm TL. Total length was a significant predictor of the probability of PIT tag retention and mortality for both 8-mm and 12-mm PIT tags, and the smallest fish had the highest rates of tag loss (12.5–30.0%) and mortality (7.5–20.0%). Humpback Chub of sizes 40–49 mm TL and tagged with VIE tags had no mortality but did have a 17.5% tag loss. Growth rates of all tagged fish w...
From amplification to function : the case of the MDR1 gene

This review describes the features of gene amplification associated with the selection of multidrug-resistant cell lines. Some of these lines carry multiple copies of the MDR1 gene that encodes P-glycoprotein, a broad specificity efflux pump. The MDR1 gene was initially identified as the common component of the amplicons found in multidrug-resistant cell lines selected with different drugs. Subsequent studies have established that increased MDR1 expression is sufficient for the multidrug-resistant phenotype. MDR1-containing amplicons may include a number of additional transcribed genes that do not appear to contribute to multidrug resistance. MDR1 amplification is associated with specific chromosomal changes and apparently non-random recombinational events. Increased expression of the MDR1 gene, however, does not necessarily require gene amplification. Although amplification of the MDR1 gene has not been found in clinical tumor samples, increased expression of this gene is commonly observed in different types of cancer and appears to be a significant marker of clinical drug resistance.
Kinetics of Respiratory Tract Absorption and Plasma Clearance of Horseradish Peroxidase in Guinea Pigs

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) absorption across the wall of the upper airway, monitored by the amount detected in the blood, is used to measure epithelial damage by toxins. Full details of kinetics of absorption and blood clearance have not been reported previously. We measured the kinetics under the experimental conditions used in testing toxins. HRP was administered to guinea pigs either by intraarterial injection of a 7.5 microgram bolus (plasma clearance) or by intratracheal instillation of 1 mg (respiratory tract absorption). Plasma concentrations were monitored for 60 min. Plasma concentrations of HRP rose linearly with time after intratracheal instillation, reaching 236 +/- 51 ng/ml (mean +/- SE) at 60 min after instillation. HRP was cleared from the plasma rapidly after bolus injection. The elimination coefficient, k2, determined from the biphasic log normal plot, was 0.322 min-1. These data were used to estimate the kinetics of absorption across the respiratory epithelium. A single 3-hr exposure to an atmosphere containing 2.5 mg/m3 of submicrometer zinc oxide particles increased plasma concentration of HRP after intratracheal deposition (407 +/- 63 ng/ml at 60 min) and had no effect on plasma clearance (k2 = 0.342 min-1). Therefore plasma concentrations of HRP measured after intratracheal deposition can be used as a sensitive indicator to evaluate the effects of inhalation of a test atmosphere on epithelial permeability, if plasma clearance kinetics are not altered by the exposure.
Premature Avian Melanocyte Death Due to Low Antioxidant Levels of Protection: Fowl Model for Vitiligo

Feather melanocytes in the Barred Plymouth Rock (BPR) and White Leghorn (WL) chickens die prematurely in vivo when compared to the wild type Jungle Fowl (JF) chicken. Since these mutant melanocytes live in vitro, an environmental factor in the feather must precipitate their death. Results show that the addition of selected antioxidants, glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), can rescue these mutant melanocytes in vitro that have been placed under stress conditions that cause their premature cell death. Measurements of in vivo levels of GSH, catalase, and SOD show no significant difference in catalase activity between the JF, BPR, and WL feathers but do show a significant reduction in GSH activity in both the BPR and WL feathers to approximately 66% of the GSH concentration found in JF feathers. SOD activity in the BPR tissue is reduced significantly to approximately 50% of the JF activity and the WL SOD activity is reduced significantly to approximately 50% of the BPR SOD activity. Preliminary results of measurements of glutathione peroxidase activity indicate there is no difference in the levels of this enzyme in JF, BPR and WL feathers. A working hypothesis, based on current results, is proposed for premature cell death in BPR and WL feather melanocytes. The BPR melanocytes are genetically sensitive due to a defect in their SOD and GSH levels caused by the barring gene (B) and their death, due to reactive species of oxygen radicals, is precipitated in the poorly vascularized feather by the accumulation of oxygen radicals due to the low turnover of tissue fluids. The WL chicken carries the dominant white gene (I) in addition to the B gene. This gene directs the further reduction of the level of SOD and, when combined with the cell death mechanism already present in the BPR chicken, causes the WL feather melanocytes to die much earlier than the BPR feather melanocytes which in turn die much earlier than the wild type JF melanocytes. This same mechanistic hypothesis could apply as a cause of premature melanocyte cell death in human vitiligo wherein the vitiliginous melanocytes may have a genetic defect in their oxygen radical protection system.
Stability of the Wulff minimum and fluctuations in shape for large finite clusters in two-dimensional percolation

For two-dimensional Bernoulli percolation at densityp above the critical point, there exists a natural normg determined by the rate of decay of the connectivity function in every direction. IfW is the region of unit area with boundary of minimum possibleg-length, then it is known [4] that asN→∞, with probability approaching 1, conditionally onN≦|C(0)| 0, if γ is a curve enclosing a region of unit area such that the Hausdorff distanced H (γ+v,dW)≧δ for every translate γ+v, then theg-lengthg(γ) ≧g(∂W) +k δ2, at least for δ small.
Colored magnetic monopoles

Abstract We extend Dirac's theory of magnetic monopoles to the case of non-Abelian color gauge groups. Exact classical solution is obtained by making use of the gauge-independent method of Yang-Mills field. The case of broken gauge symmetry is also briefly discussed.
Butyrate inhibits pancreatic cancer invasion

Pancreatic cancer is the most deadly gastrointestinal malignancy because of its propensity for local invasion and early metastasis. Integrin chains, in particular β4, can promote invasion in other cancers. The effect of sodium butyrate (NaBT), which induces differentiation in transformed cells, on integrin expression is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine patterns of integrin expression in pancreatic cancer cells and investigate the effect of NaBT on integrin expression and invasion. Integrin expression was assessed in the less invasive MIA-PaCa-2 and PANC-1 and more invasive L3.6, AsPC-1, and SUIT-2 human pancreatic cancer cell lines by ribonuclease (RNase) protection assay. Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining for β4 expression was determined after NaBT treatment. Matrigel invasion chambers were used to assess pancreatic cancer cell invasion. β4 and β7 integrin expression was highest in L3.6, AsPC-1, and SUIT-2 cells. NaBT reduced the expression of β4 integrin in AsPC-1 cells including less cell surface β4. Invasion of AsPC-1 cells was also reduced by NaBT. Expression of β4 is higher in more aggressive pancreatic cancer cells; NaBT inhibits β4 expression and invasion. NaBT may represent a novel strategy to inhibit pancreatic cancer invasion and improve the prognosis of this deadly disease.
Cloning and expression of an inwardly rectifying ATP-regulated potassium channel

A complementary DNA encoding an ATP-regulated potassium channel has been isolated by expression cloning from rat kidney. The predicted 45K protein, which features two potential membrane-spanning helices and a proposed ATP-binding domain, represents a major departure from the basic structural design characteristic of voltage-gated and second messenger-gated ion channels. But the presence of an H5 region, which is likely to form the ion conduction pathway, indicates that the protein may share a common origin with voltage-gated potassium channel proteins.
The Individualized Treatment of a Patient With Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo

The purpose of this case report is to describe the evaluation and treatment of a patient with vertigo. The patient was a 32-year-old male carpenter with a 17-year history of episodic vertigo that occurred when his neck was in the extended position while positioned supine and during walking. His medical and physical therapy evaluative findings were consistent with a diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). He was treated with an individualized home exercise program of eye movement exercises, Brandt/Daroff exercises, and general conditioning exercises. Twenty-four days from the start of physical therapy, the patient was free of symptoms even when his neck was in the extended position.
Designing an Enhancer Landscape

In this issue and in a recent issue of Cell, Vahedi et al. and Samstein et al. provide new insights into the strategies used to establish an enhancer landscape during development of cell lineages. They report that enhancer landscapes characterizing T cell lineages are pre-established and strongly influenced by environmental stimuli.
Release of LH and FSH after Administration of Synthetic LH-Releasing Hormone*

Synthetic (pyro)Glu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH2, identical in structure with natural LH-releasing hormone (LHRH), was tested in the human being. This synthetic decapeptide was injected iv into three untreated men, two untreated women, three men pretreated with ethinyl estradiol, and three women pretreated with an oral contraceptive (Lyndiol). LH-RH caused a marked increase in plasma LH levels (p < 0.01) and a smaller, but significant p < 0.01) increase in plasma FSH levels. The elevated LH and FSH values after administration of LH-RH did not differ among the groups, although individual variation was large. Since synthetic (pyro) Glu-His-Trp-Ser-Tyr-Gly-Leu-Arg-Pro-Gly-NH2 stimulates the release of LH and FSH in man and can be made in large quantities, many clinical studies are now possible.
Right Pulmonary Artery to Left Atrial Fistula: A Rare Presentation

Right pulmonary artery to left atrial fistula is a rare congenital vascular anomaly which usually presents with cyanosis, clubbing, dyspnea, and signs and symptoms of a right to left shunt. Paradoxical embolism to the brain resulting in cerebral abscess formation and death is a rare and ominous complication that has been described. We describe an unusual presentation with abdominal pain resulting from splenic infarction.
RCBA and the Assumption of Partial Quantification

Until this century, there was usually great harmony between the predominant ethics of the culture and the underlying assumptions of its writers on economics. Adam Smith mirrored the atmosphere of 18th-century egoism, for example, while Bentham epitomized the climate of 19th-century utilitarian reform. In this century, however, there have been few parallels between ethics and economics.1 Perhaps this is because economics has in part been assimilated to ‘positive science’ in the Comptean sense, while most of the questions of ethics arise explicitly only in a nonpositivist framework.
The distribution of the mouse mammary tumor agent and its antigenicity in milk.

Inbred mice with a propensity for mammary tumor development contain the mammary tumor agent and a specific soluble antigen in their milk. These were found in approximately equal proportions in both the supernatant and the pellet after ultracentrifugation. Over 90% of the agent and the highest antigen titer were located in a density range of 1.06–1.075 in ficoll density gradients. The low tumorigenic potential and the antigenicity of the B particle band (p = 1.12) remained with the particles after removal of proteinaceous contaminant by gel filtration. The immunogen from the upper portion (p = 1.06–1.075) of ficoll gradients appears to aggregate when concentrated and eluted from gel filtration columns. The tumorigenic material isolated from ECTEOLA and carboxymethylcellulose chromatographic columns does not show a high positive correlation with the distribution of the virus-like B particles, which was consistent with the finding that the agent was concentrated in a narrow region with an average density of 1.28 in cesium chloride density gradients. The antigen associated with B particles and the lower molecular weight active component are immunologically identical.
Multicultural issues in qualitative research

Greater attention in the research community has been focused on expanding participation of ethnic minorities in behavioral, biomedical, and marketing research. This article focuses on multicultural issues in qualitative research, with particular attention to the focus-group method, because it represents one of the most commonly used forms of qualitative research, especially in marketing research. The importance and appreciation of cultural differences and the recognition of common versus specific cultural characteristics is discussed. Culturally informed researchers should tailor their information-gathering efforts to match the client's cultural expectations. Researchers also need to be aware of possible value conflicts and ethnic differences with respect to specific norms, attitudes, and cultural expectations. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Effect of blockade of nitric oxide synthesis on renin secretion in human subjects

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in the control of renin secretion in experimental animals but little information is available concerning its role in humans. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of inhibition of NO synthesis on resting renin secretion and on the renin secretory responses to activation of the macula densa and sympathetic neural mechanisms controlling renin secretion. In eight healthy subjects, injection of furosemide increased plasma renin activity (PRA) with little or no change in blood pressure or heart rate. Injection of the NO synthase inhibitor L-NMMA increased blood pressure and decreased heart rate and PRA, but failed to alter the PRA response to furosemide. In another ten subjects, standing increased PRA. L-NMMA again decreased PRA but failed to alter the PRA response to standing. These results suggest that NO participates in the regulation of resting renin secretion in humans, and provide preliminary evidence that NO does not contribute significantly to the renin responses to activation of the macula densa or sympathetic mechanisms controlling renin secretion.
El examen de maridos en El conde Partinuplés de Ana Caro: la agencia femenina en el Juicio de Paris

El deseo y la libertad femeninos? en El conde Partinuples han sido dos temas fundamentales del analisis critico de esta obra. Tras analizar los resultados de estos trabajos, se elabora aqui una nueva perspectiva basada en la mitografia del Juicio de Paris y sus aplicaciones a la politica matrimonial y estatal de las sociedades europeas de la temprana modernidad. En todos estos acercamientos criticos existe una constante referencia a diferentes aspectos del matrimonio final—supuestamente feliz—para mostrar que existen numerosos matices en este himeneo: ?cuales son los subtextos con los que esta en dialogo? ?quien decide con quien se casa? ?como es el procedimiento de eleccion? ?cual es el contexto historico? Sin embargo, existe una cierta tension respecto a cual es el metodo mas pertinente. En la filologia historica, se compara El conde Partinuples con los libros de caballeria; los especialistas en mitografia y ecfrasis analizan el mito de Eros y Psique; desde la critica feminista se enfatiza el contexto historico social y la comparacion con otras obras de la epoca. Aqui, en cambio, combinando todas estas tecnicas criticas—la mitografia, el comparativismo, la teoria feminista y la historia literaria—examino el uso feminista del Juicio de Paris en la obra de Ana Caro, incluyendo su iconografia pictorica y propagandistica en la temprana modernidad, en conjuncion con las nociones teoricas de Saba Mahmood sobre la libertad, el sujeto y la agencia femenina.
Vascular Calcification Pathobiology of a Multifaceted Disease

Clinically, vascular calcification is now accepted as a valuable predictor of coronary heart disease.151 Achieving control over this process requires understanding mechanisms in the context of a tightly-controlled regulatory network, with multiple, nested feedback loops and cross-talk between organ systems, in the realm of control theory. Thus, treatments for osteoporosis such as calcitriol, estradiol, bisphosphonates, calcium supplements, and intermittent parathyroid hormone are likely to affect vascular calcification, and, conversely, many treatments for cardiovascular disease such as statins, antioxidants, hormone replacement therapy, ACE inhibitors, fish oils, and calcium channel blockers may affect bone health. As we develop and use treatments for cardiovascular and skeletal diseases, we must give serious consideration to the implications for the organ at the other end of the bone-vascular axis.
Shedding Light on God's Body in Rabbinic Midrashim: Reflections on the Theory of a Luminous Adam

Paul Veyne wrote a book entitled, Did the Greeks Believe their Myths?1 Regarding rabbinic Judaism, one might similarly ask: Did the rabbis believe their imagery? Rabbinic literature is so replete with fanciful images of God and humans and anecdotes of epiphanies involving both, that one naturally wonders whether the midrashic authors believed that their imagery reflected some actual moment in the world's history.2 Some scholars have chosen to view the literature as containing parables and images that were composed as mere metaphors, sometimes used for political purposes, and other times to spawn further associations and religious teachings. The question is, can one differentiate true statements about happenings in the
Application of action selection, information gathering, and information evaluation technologies to UAV target tracking

This paper illustrates agent technologies applied to unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) target tracking. The combination of the three technologies presented in this paper provide UAVs with functionality needed for coordinated autonomous operation, from building up accurate beliefs, efficiently gathering information, to acting rationally. In the UAV target tracking domain, communication among agents is necessary for building beliefs about target locations. Reliable information provisioning networks are constructed through selection of appropriate information sources and trust evaluations are applied to belief revision. Also, a macro-based action selection scheme is deployed for efficient coordination of the target tracking activity among agents.
Ezekiel's Geometric Vision of the Restored Temple: From the Rod of His Wrath to the Reed of His Measuring*

“I am the man who has seen affliction under the rod of His wrath.” (Lam 3:1)“Now there was a wall all around the outside of the temple area. The length of the measuring reed in the man's hand was six long cubits, each being a cubit and a handbreadth in length; so he measured the thickness of the wall.” (Ezek 40:5)
Relationship Between Cluster Compactness and Bunch Rot in Vignoles Grapes

The impact of cluster compactness and debris retention on harvest bunch rot of Vitis interspecific hybrid 'Vignoles' was investigated between 2001 and 2005 near Lake Erie, in Pennsylvania. Cluster compactness was characterized subjectively based on the OIV code 204 standard and objectively by determining the number of berries per centimeter of rachis. In 2001, 2002, and 2004, the median number of berries per centimeter for loose clusters was 6.3, 7.0, and 6.4 compared with 10.2, 12.7, and 12.4 for the compact clusters, respectively. Kolmogorov-Smirnoff and the Mann-Whitney U two-samples tests confirmed that the distribution of the berries per centimeter was significantly (90 ≤ χ2 ≤ 184.3; P 89% of the variation in bunch rot severity (R2 = 0.893, P 74% in cluster weight (R2 = 0.745, P 25% in 2005, with corresponding reductions in bunch rot severity of 60% in 2004 and 62.5 to 82% in 2005. These results indicate that berries per centimeter is a good indicator of cluster compactness in Vignoles, and that practices that reduce cluster tightness would be effective in an integrated program for control of bunch rot on this cultivar.
Use of monoclonal antibodies against Hendra and Nipah viruses in an antigen capture ELISA

Background: Outbreaks of Hendra (HeV) and Nipah (NiV) viruses have been reported starting in 1994 and 1998, respectively. Both viruses are capable of causing fatal disease in humans and effecting great economical loss in the livestock industry. Results: Through screening of hybridomas derived from mice immunized with γ-irradiated Nipah virus, we identified two secreted antibodies; one reactive with the nucleocapsid (N) protein and the other, the phosphoprotein (P) of henipaviruses. Epitope mapping and protein sequence alignments between NiV and HeV suggest the last 14 amino acids of the carboxyl terminus of the N protein is the target of the anti-N antibody. The anti-P antibody recognizes an epitope in the amino-terminal half of P protein. These monoclonal antibodies were used to develop two antigen capture ELISAs, one for virus detection and the other for differentiation between NiV and HeV. The lower limit of detection of the capture assay with both monoclonal antibodies was 400 pfu. The anti-N antibody was used to successfully detect NiV in a lung tissue suspension from an infected pig. Conclusion: The antigen capture ELISA developed is potentially affordable tool to provide rapid detection and differentiation between the henipaviruses.
Using Electronic Monitoring to Supervise Sex Offenders Legislative Patterns and Implications for Community Corrections Officers

The contemporary crime control policy arena is one in which many states and the federal government are passing increasingly punitive legislation authorizing, and often, requiring electronic monitoring of sex offenders. This article reviews exploratory legal data on relevant state codes of all 50 states in the United States. The authors review state statutes regulating the electronic monitoring of sex offenders to identify the characteristics of the legislation, the necessity of (and budgetary support for) the laws, and the implications for probation and parole agencies and officers. Eight patterns are identified through the content analysis of recent legislation regarding electronic monitoring of sex offenders. Policy implications are identified.
The role of serial physical examinations in the management of angioedema involving the head and neck: A prospective observational study.

Abstract Objective To elucidate the progression of angioedema of the head and neck with routine management and to assess the utility of serial physical exams and fiberoptic laryngoscopy in its management. Methods This study was a prospective observational research. From 2013 to 2014, a prospective observational study was conducted at a tertiary referral center. Forty patient were approached, 7 refused, 33 (18–90 years old) were enrolled. Patients presented with angioedema involving the head and neck over a 12 month period were asked to participate in the study. Physical examination and fiberoptic laryngoscopy were performed at presentation and then repeated at least 1 h later. Results Thirty-three patients with head and neck angioedema from any cause were enrolled (mean age 58, range 23–89 years). The upper lip was the most commonly involved site (58%). On reevaluation, 82% of patients reported subjective improvement in symptoms. The association between subjective improvement and the physical exam, including fiberoptic laryngoscopy findings, was statistically significant ( P Conclusion In stable patients with angioedema of any head and neck subsite, self-reported symptoms are associated with clinical stability or improvement as assessed by physical signs and fiberoptic laryngoscopy. Patients' symptoms may be an appropriate surrogate to monitor clinical status without the need for routine serial physical examinations or fiberoptic laryngoscopy, though further study is needed.
Inhibitors of Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 with Exquisite Kinome-Wide Selectivity and Their Functional Effects.

The mood stabilizer lithium, the first-line treatment for bipolar disorder, is hypothesized to exert its effects through direct inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) and indirectly by increasing GSK3’s inhibitory serine phosphorylation. GSK3 comprises two highly similar paralogs, GSK3α and GSK3β, which are key regulatory kinases in the canonical Wnt pathway. GSK3 stands as a nodal target within this pathway and is an attractive therapeutic target for multiple indications. Despite being an active field of research for the past 20 years, many GSK3 inhibitors demonstrate either poor to moderate selectivity versus the broader human kinome or physicochemical properties unsuitable for use in in vitro systems or in vivo models. A nonconventional analysis of data from a GSK3β inhibitor high-throughput screening campaign, which excluded known GSK3 inhibitor chemotypes, led to the discovery of a novel pyrazolo-tetrahydroquinolinone scaffold with unparalleled kinome-wide selectivity for the GSK3 kinases. T...
Relationship between serum ferritin and bone mineral density in 435 healthy women

Objective To study how iron content and BMD alter with age,also the relationship between iron content and BMD. Methods This study induded of 435 women from January 2011 to December 2012,whose serum levers of ferritin( Fer) were measured and remarked. Bone mineral density( BMD) in femur and lumbar spine were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We observed serum Fer and BMD was changed with age. Then we categorized subjects into 5 groups according to the level of ferritin,and Non-conditional Logistic Regression Analysis was used to evaluate the risk of osteopenia. At last,associations between Fer and BMD in all areas were measured by multiple regression analyses and partial correlation. Results The serum Fer level was low and stable in women before the age of 40,gradually increased in women aged 41- 49,rapidly rose in women aged 50- 65,and was remaining steady high after the age of 65. However,the BMD was high before the age of 50,rapidly fall in women aged 50- 65,and kept low after the age of 65. The concentration of Fer in the group of osteoporosis was higher than in the group of osteopenia( P 0. 01) and in the normal group( P 0. 001). Also the Fer was higher in the group of osteopenia than in the normal( P 0. 001). In analysis by quintiles,after adjusting confounding factors,compared with the individuals in the lowest quintile,those in the highest quintile were more than twice as likely to suffer osteopenia in femur neck and L1-4( OR: 2. 82; 95% CI 1. 25-6. 38 and OR: 2. 04; 95% CI 0. 92- 4. 51). Age,weight,serum Fer and BMI were associated with BMD using multiple regression analyses. Then adjusting age,weight and BMI,serum Fer also showed negative correlation with BMD at all regions( P 0. 05). Conclusion The concentration of serum Fer increased and BMD decreased with age. With increasing with the concentrations of Fer,the BMD decreased and the risk of osteopenia in creased.
A Clinical Data Warehouse Architecture based on the Electronic Healthcare Record Infrastructure

The development of clinical data warehouses is becoming increasingly important in the healthcare domain to support organizations in the improvement of decision-making, business processes as well as the communication between clinicians, patients and the administration. However, data and process integration is a big challenge considering the heterogeneous and distributed nature of healthcare information systems. This paper proposes a data warehouse architecture based on the Italian Electronic Health Record (EHR) technological infrastructure. It describes the main advantages in the application of EHR systems for secondary purposes and reports the data warehouse design framework outlining its architecture as well as a dimensional model based on a dashboard defined to manage the intervention of patients with diabetes. The adoption of EHR systems enhances interoperability given that these systems share standardized clinical data among multiple parties involved in different healthcare settings.
Eccentric contraction: unraveling mechanisms of force enhancement and energy conservation

During the past century, physiologists have made steady progress in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of muscle contraction. However, this progress has so far failed to definitively explain the high force and low energy cost of eccentric muscle contraction. Hypotheses that have been proposed to explain increased muscle force during active stretch include cross-bridge mechanisms, sarcomere and half-sarcomere length non-uniformity, and engagement of a structural element upon muscle activation. The available evidence suggests that force enhancement results from an interaction between an elastic element in muscle sarcomeres, which is engaged upon activation, and the cross-bridges, which interact with the elastic elements to regulate their length and stiffness. Similarities between titin-based residual force enhancement in vertebrate muscle and twitchin-based 'catch' in invertebrate muscle suggest evolutionary homology. The winding filament hypothesis suggests plausible molecular mechanisms for effects of both Ca(2+) influx and cross-bridge cycling on titin in active muscle. This hypothesis proposes that the N2A region of titin binds to actin upon Ca(2+) influx, and that the PEVK region of titin winds on the thin filaments during force development because the cross-bridges not only translate but also rotate the thin filaments. Simulations demonstrate that a muscle model based on the winding filament hypothesis can predict residual force enhancement on the descending limb of the length-tension curve in muscles during eccentric contraction. A kinematic model of titin winding based on sarcomere geometry makes testable predictions about titin isoforms in different muscles. Ongoing research is aimed at testing these predictions and elucidating the biochemistry of the underlying protein interactions.
prostate Cancer : testosterone therapy for hypogonadal men with prostate cancer

Testosterone therapy for men with prostate cancer is a controversial topic. A recent study retrospectively reviewed a single-centre experience in treating hypogonadal men with prostate cancer with exogenous testosterone therapy and found it to be safe.
Genetically-mediated associations between measures of childhood character and academic achievement

Researchers and the general public have become increasingly intrigued by the roles that systematic tendencies toward thinking, feeling, and behaving might play in academic achievement. Some measures of constructs belonging to this group have been well studied in genetics and psychometrics, while much less is known about measures of other such constructs. The current study focuses on 7 character traits prominently featured in influential intervention-oriented and/or socialization theories of academic achievement: grit, intellectual curiosity, intellectual self-concept, mastery orientation, educational value, intelligence mindset, and test motivation. In a population-based sample of 811 school-aged twins and triplets from the Texas Twin Project, we tested (a) how each measure relates to indices of the Big Five personality traits, (b) how the measures relate to one another, (c) the extent to which each measure is associated with genetic and environmental influences and whether such influences operate through common dimensions of individual differences, and (d) the extent to which genetic and environmental factors mediate the relations between fluid intelligence, character measures, verbal knowledge, and academic achievement. We find moderate relations among the measures that can be captured by a highly heritable common dimension representing a mixture of Openness and Conscientiousness. Moreover, genetically influenced variance in the character measures is associated with multiple measures of verbal knowledge and academic achievement, even after controlling for fluid intelligence. In contrast, environmentally influenced variance in character is largely unrelated to knowledge and achievement outcomes. We propose that character measures popularly used in education may be best conceptualized as indexing facets of personality that are of particular relevance to academic achievement. (PsycINFO Database Record
Bcl-2 Antagonists: Targeted therapeutics in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

B is presently an incurable disease representing the most common form of leukemia in North America and Europe. Unlike other cancer cells which are inherently driven by uncontrolled proliferation, CLL cells are exclusively compelled through defective apoptosis. High levels of Bcl-2 family anti-apoptotic proteins are primarily responsible for defective apoptosis and are considered major targets of cancer therapy development. Among several approaches to inhibit Bcl-2 family proteins including small molecule inhibitors and antisense oligonucleotides, use of BH3 mimetics that bind to BH3 domain of antiapoptotic proteins is a mechanistic approach of targeting Bcl-2 proteins. Naturally occurring polyphenols (gossypol) appear to be potent Bcl-XL inhibitors, giving the plausible molecular explanation for the anticancer activity of these agents. In CLL, gossypol restored apoptosis via caspase independent, AIF-mediated mechanism. Its relative toxicity due to presence of two reactive aldehyde groups led to synthesis of gossypol analog, apogossypol (AT-101) that is more stable than gossypol with low nM binding affinity to all three anti-apoptotic proteins (Mcl-1, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl). In CLL, AT-101 induced caspase independent apoptosis and demonstrated ability to overcome stromal mediated protection over apoptosis. Apogossypolone, synthesized with modifications in aldehyde groups, demonstrated low nM binding to Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 but not Bcl-XL. As a proof of concept, structure based BH3 mimetic ABT-737 demonstrates ability to induce apoptosis in a variety of cancer cells. Its oral compound ABT-263 has proven substantial susceptibility of CLL cells through Bcl-2 inhibition. Results of a Phase I Study of Navitoclax (ABT-263) in patients with relapsed or refractory disease warrants Bcl-2 as a valid therapeutic target in CLL. Thus, molecules that mimic pro-apoptotic BH3 domains represent a direct approach to overcoming the protective effects of anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL.
Images of the Holy Land: The David Roberts Paintings as Artifacts of 1830s Palestine

Historical archaeology is delineating the impact of Western European influence and imperialism on the Middle East, particularly the period the Ottoman Empire ruled over the eastern Mediterranean (1516–1917). Material assemblages from the Ottoman period illustrate the global connections that entangled the eastern Mediterranean with Western European capitalism after the 16th century. Other categories of material culture illustrate such global interactions: the accounts of travelers to the Holy Land in the form of books, paintings, and photographs. These accounts have been understood as part of the Western domination of the Middle East. Orientalist paintings as artifacts of Ottoman Palestine are the focus here, complex interventions in the assumptions about the Holy Land that can be appropriated for archaeological understandings of Palestine’s past. The paintings of landscape artist David Roberts (1796–1864) are used as an example. He traveled through Palestine in the late 1830s and created an unparalleled collection of images.
Microminiature thermionic vacuum tube diodes

Details on the fabrication and testing of microminiature thermionic vacuum tube devices (i.e., diodes, triodes) with ultra-small (i.e., micron-scale) dimensions will be presented. The microminiature thermionic vacuum (MTV) devices can either have a direct or indirect heated cathode with an air-bridge filament supplying the thermal energy. Single device element architecture can consist of either a totally vertical structure or a combination of planar and vertical structures. The MTV devices are well suited to harsh environments and have the potential to operate at frequencies approaching the terahertz range. >
Evaluation of Bacterial Diagnostics Kits and Systems at an Instructional Workshop.

Ten commercial bacterial diagnostic systems (AMS, API 20E, AUTOBAC IDX, CATHRA, ENTERIC-TEK, ENTEROTUBE II, MICRO-ID, MINITEK 4 h, MINITEK 24 h and SPECTRUM 10) were evaluated by use of 12 coded enteric bacteria ( Arizona hinshawii , Citrobacter freundii , Enterobacter cloacae , Hafnia alvei , Klebsiella pneumoniae , Morganella morganii , Proteus mirabilis , Proteus vulgaris , Salmonella typhimurium , Serratia marcescens , Shigella dysenteriae and Shigella flexneri ) in two separate workshops (July, 1981 and July, 1982) consisting of 40 participants. Results indicated that most commercial systems provided satisfactory diagnosis (89% to 100%) of these organisms compared to conventional methods. The uniqueness of this study lies in the fact that a group of microbiologists from a variety of geographic locations, training and backgrounds were able to use these systems accurately after only a single exposure to many of the techniques in a workshop environment.
Single cell transcriptome analysis of muscle satellite cells reveals widespread transcriptional heterogeneity

Tissue specific stem cells are indispensable contributors to adult tissue maintenance, repair, and regeneration. In skeletal muscle, satellite cells (SCs) are the resident muscle stem cell population and are required to maintain skeletal muscle homeostasis throughout life. Increasing evidence suggests that SCs are a heterogeneous cell population with substantial biochemical and functional diversity. A major limitation in the field is an incomplete understanding of the nature and extent of this cellular heterogeneity. Single cell analyses are well suited to addressing this issue, especially when coupled to unbiased profiling paradigms such as high throughout RNA sequencing. We performed single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) on freshly isolated muscle satellite cells and found a surprising degree of heterogeneity at multiple levels, from muscle-specific transcripts to the broader SC transcriptome. We leveraged several comparative bioinformatics techniques and found that individual SCs enrich for unique transcript clusters. We propose that these gene expression "fingerprints" may contribute to observed functional SC diversity. Overall, these studies underscore the importance of several established SC signaling pathways/processes on a single cell level, implicate novel regulators of SC heterogeneity, and lay the groundwork for further investigation into SC heterogeneity in health and disease.