cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contending with New Conservationism

In this essay, I investigate the ways in which identifying human interests as the orienting goal for conservation efforts might hinder the conservation of nature and non-human life and unwittingly inspire the devaluation of nature. I focus especially on the new direction that the paradigm of “new conservationism” urges us to take in conservation efforts and rationales.
Images: Periodic Limb Movements During Sleep Noted on Ventral Thigh Surface Electromyography in an Above-the-Knee Amputated Stump.

Ventral thigh surface electromyography may be used to assess for periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) in a limb with an above-the-knee amputation. Presence of PLMS in the proximal portion of...
On partisan bias in redistricting: computational complexity meets the science of gerrymandering.

The topic of this paper is "gerrymandering", namely the curse of deliberate creations of district maps with highly asymmetric electoral outcomes to disenfranchise voters, and it has a long legal history. Measuring and eliminating gerrymandering has enormous implications to sustain the backbone of democratic principles of a society. Although there is no dearth of legal briefs involving gerrymandering over many years, it is only more recently that mathematicians and applied computational researchers have started to investigate this topic. However, it has received relatively little attention so far from the computational complexity researchers dealing with theoretical analysis of computational complexity issues, such as computational hardness, approximability issues, etc. There could be many reasons for this, such as descriptions of these problem non-CS non-math (often legal or political) journals that theoretical CS (TCS) people usually do not follow, or the lack of coverage of these topics in TCS publication venues. One of our modest goals in writing this article is to improve upon this situation by stimulating further interactions between the gerrymandering and TCS researchers. To this effect, our main contributions are twofold: (1) we provide formalization of several models, related concepts, and corresponding problem statements using TCS frameworks from the descriptions of these problems as available in existing non-TCS (perhaps legal) venues, and (2) we also provide computational complexity analysis of some versions of these problems, leaving other versions for future research. The goal of writing this article is not to have the final word on gerrymandering, but to introduce a series of concepts, models and problems to the TCS community and to show that science of gerrymandering involves an intriguing set of partitioning problems involving geometric and combinatorial optimization.
Biophysical Basis of Electric Signal Diversity

The electric sensory and communication signals of electric fish show remarkable diversity in their waveforms, and this diversity is driven by selective pressures related to reproduction, sensory ecology, predation avoidance, and the metabolic costs of signaling. These electric signals are generated by electrocytes, electrically excitable cells that comprise the electric organ. Although the signaling rate is controlled by a brainstem pacemaker or command nucleus that coordinates the discharge of electrocytes within the electric organ, waveform diversity arises primarily from the underlying biophysics of electrocytes, including their passive electrical properties, morphology, voltage-gated ion channels, and regulatory pathways that modify electrocyte function. Electrocyte morphology and innervation patterns are a major source of signal diversity in the African mormyrid electric fishes, whereas diversity of ion-channel expression patterns has a strong influence on waveform diversity in the South American gymnotiforms. Convergent evolution of ion channels in both clades further contributes to signal diversity. Little is known about the ionic mechanisms of signal diversity in mormyrids. Additionally, asynchronous activation of distinct electric organ regions with different electrocyte properties enhances waveform complexity in some gymnotiforms. Signal diversity associated with development and sexual dimorphism arises from the effects of steroid hormones on electrocyte ion channel kinetics, and the rapid changes in signal waveform are mediated by the effects of peptide hormones on electrocyte action potentials and ion channel function. These processes have been investigated primarily in a small number of gymnotiforms, highlighting a great need for broader comparative studies across gymnotiform species and between mormyrids and gymnotiforms.
Lieb-Schultz-Mattis-type constraints on fractonic matter

The Lieb-Schultz-Mattis (LSM) theorem and its descendants impose strong constraints on the low-energy behavior of interacting quantum systems. In this paper, we formulate LSM-type constraints for lattice translation invariant systems with generalized U(1) symmetries which have recently appeared in the context of fracton phases: U(1) polynomial shift and subsystem symmetries. Starting with a generic interacting system with conserved dipole moment, we examine the conditions under which it supports a symmetric, gapped, and nondegenerate ground state, which we find requires that both the filling fraction and the bulk charge polarization take integer-values. Similar constraints are derived for systems with higher moment conservation laws or subsystem symmetries, in addition to lower bounds on the ground-state degeneracy when certain conditions are violated. Finally, we discuss the mapping between LSM-type constraints for subsystem symmetries and the anomalous symmetry action at boundaries of subsystem symmetric topological (SSPT) states.
Clinical Trial Generalizability Assessment in the Big Data Era: A Review.

Clinical studies, especially randomized, controlled trials, are essential for generating evidence for clinical practice. However, generalizability is a long-standing concern when applying trial results to real-world patients. Generalizability assessment is thus important, nevertheless, not consistently practiced. We performed a systematic review to understand the practice of generalizability assessment. We identified 187 relevant articles and systematically organized these studies in a taxonomy with three dimensions: (i) data availability (i.e., before or after trial (a priori vs. a posteriori generalizability)); (ii) result outputs (i.e., score vs. nonscore); and (iii) populations of interest. We further reported disease areas, underrepresented subgroups, and types of data used to profile target populations. We observed an increasing trend of generalizability assessments, but < 30% of studies reported positive generalizability results. As a priori generalizability can be assessed using only study design information (primarily eligibility criteria), it gives investigators a golden opportunity to adjust the study design before the trial starts. Nevertheless, < 40% of the studies in our review assessed a priori generalizability. With the wide adoption of electronic health records systems, rich real-world patient databases are increasingly available for generalizability assessment; however, informatics tools are lacking to support the adoption of generalizability assessment practice.
Communicating Robot Goals via Haptic Feedback in Manipulation Tasks

In shared autonomy, human teleoperation blends with intelligent robot autonomy to create robot control. This combination enables assistive robot manipulators to help human operators by predicting and reaching the human's desired target. However, this reduces the control authority of the user and the transparency of the interaction. This negatively affects their willingness to use the system. We propose haptic feedback as a seamless and natural way for the robot to communicate information to the user and assist them in completing the task. A proof-of-concept demonstration of our system illustrates the effectiveness of haptic feedback in communicating the robot's goals to the user. We hypothesize that this can be an effective way to improve performance in teleoperated manipulation tasks, while retaining the control authority of the user.
Husbands' and wives' stressful work, couple BMI dynamics, and later-life physical health.

Previous research has not adequately investigated the persistent influence of stressful work experiences, particularly person-work mismatch (PWM), on later-life physical health outcomes of working husbands and wives. Using prospective data collected from 235 working husbands and wives over a period of 27 years (1991-2017), this study examined PWM in early middle years (40-50 years of age) and body mass index (BMI) trajectories in mid-later years (50-65 years of age) in a dyadic actor-partner interdependence modelling framework. Results showed PWM in early middle years was related to BMI trajectories in mid-later years, which contributed to multiple physical health outcomes in later life. Spouses' PWM influenced not only their BMI trajectories but also their partners' BMI trajectories, providing evidence for partner effects. This couple-level BMI process over the mid-later years was related to spouses' physical health in later years. Husbands' elevated BMI level resulted in adverse physical health outcomes. In contrast, for wives, it was the change in BMI over time that resulted in adverse physical health outcomes in their later years. These findings are particularly important for couple-focused family interventions as they highlight the need to consider couple-level lifestyle and behavioural factors that can safeguard spouses from the negative health consequences of PWM.
Music, Dance, and Drama in Early Modern English Schools

Music, Dance, and Drama in Early Modern English Schools is the first book to systematically analyze the role that the performing arts played in English schools after the Reformation. Although the material record is riddled with gaps, Amanda Eubanks Winkler sheds light on the subject through an innovative methodology that combines rigorous archival research with phenomenological and performance studies approaches. She organizes her study around a series of performance-based questions that demonstrate how the schoolroom intersected with the church, the court, the domicile, the concert room, and the professional theater, which allows her to provide fresh perspectives on well-known canonical operas performed by children, as well as lesser-known works. Eubanks Winkler also interrogates the notion that performance is ephemeral, as she considers how scores and playtexts serve as a conduit between past and present, and demonstrates the ways in which pedagogical performance is passed down through embodied praxis.
Computational predictions of enhanced magnetic particle imaging performance by magnetic nanoparticle chains.

The magnetic particle imaging (MPI) performance of collections of chains of magnetic nanoparticles with Neel and Brownian relaxation mechanisms was studied by carrying out simulations based on the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert equation and rotational Brownian dynamics, respectively. The effect of magnetic dipole-dipole interactions within chains on the time-domain average magnetic dipole moment and corresponding dynamic hysteresis loops, harmonic spectra, and point spread functions (PSFs) of the particle chains was evaluated. The results show that interactions within chains lead to 'square-like' dynamic hysteresis loops and enhanced MPI performance, compared to chains of non-interacting nanoparticles. For nanoparticles with the Brownian relaxation mechanism, subjected to a superimposed alternating and ramping magnetic field mimicking the magnetic field in MPI applications, we studied the dependence of x-space MPI performance of particle chains on parameters such as the amplitude of the alternating magnetic field, surface-to-surface separation between nanoparticles, solvent viscosity, and the number of nanoparticles in a chain. The results illustrate that magnetic dipole-dipole interactions within a chain contribute to enhanced MPI performance, and also suggest that there exist optimal values of the above parameters that lead to the best x-space MPI performance, i.e. maximum peak signal intensity and smallest full-width-at-half-maximum in PSFs.
Virtual Continuity Clinics: A Hybrid Approach to Longitudinal Patient-Dermatologist Relationships in the Wake of COVID-19

The COVID-19 crisis has altered the delivery of healthcare due to the rapid utilization of telemedicine. Dermatology residency programs may benefit from the use of teledermatology for the purposes of establishing and maintaining continuity over a three-year training program. We examine the current evidence on the effect of continuity on patient and resident satisfaction and elaborate on how teledermatology can help to overcome some of the barriers to longitudinal care. Integrating teledermatology into a continuity clinic allows resident physicians to check-in more frequently with patients and provide medication monitoring. We offer suggestions on how programs can integrate teledermatology into a virtual continuity clinic for residents.
Sexting and Substance Use among Women Arrested for Domestic Violence: A Brief Report.

Background:Advances in technology provide opportunities for communication using electronic mediums. Sexting is one form of electronic communication and includes the sending of explicit sexual conte...
Changing Alcohol Cravings Using Social Media Comments.

Background: Alcohol marketing has proliferated on social media. When exposed to social media advertisements, users view comments written in response to the ad and user engagement metrics, in additi...
Theoretical and Experimental Status of Magnetic Monopoles

The Tevatron has inspired new interest in the subject of magnetic monopoles. First there was the 1998 D0 limit on the virtual production of monopoles, based on the theory of Ginzburg and collaborators. In 2000 the first results from an experiment (Fermilab E882) searching for real magnetically charged particles bound to elements from the CDF and D0 detectors were reported. This also required new developments in theory. The status of the experimental limits on monopole masses will be discussed, as well as the limitation of the theory of magnetic charge at present.
The Role of Firms in the Assimilation of Immigrants

This paper studies the role of firms in immigrants' labor market assimilation. We do so in the context of a large and sudden international migration shock: the arrival of nearly one million former Soviet Union (FSU) Jews to Israel in the 1990s. We use newly available Israeli population employer-employee data with information on workers' place of birth and immigration year. Over the course of twenty-five years since arrival to Israel, immigrants gradually enter higher-paying, larger, older, and less segregated firms. Gradual access to higher-paying firms explains a significant fraction of immigrants' labor market assimilation. Firm-specific pay premiums account for (i) 10-12% of the immigrant-native salary differential in the first ten years since arrival, and (ii) 28% of the gap between immigrants' own salary one and twenty-five years since arrival. FSU immigrants, who were highly educated, surpass natives after twenty years in Israel in terms of their employers' pay premiums, size, and age. An implication of our findings is that a significant fraction of the immigrant-native wage gap, especially shortly after arrival, is due to immigrants finding jobs at small, new, and disproportionately low-paying firms.
Single View Point Cloud Generation via Unified 3D Prototype

As 3D point clouds become the representation of choice for multiple vision and graphics applications, such as autonomous driving, robotics, etc., the generation of them by deep neural networks has attracted increasing attention in the research community. Despite the recent success of deep learning models in classification and segmentation, synthesizing point clouds remains challenging, especially from a single image. State-of-the-art (SOTA) approaches can generate a point cloud from a hidden vector, however, they treat 2D and 3D features equally and disregard the rich shape information within the 3D data. In this paper, we address this problem by integrating image features with 3D prototype features. Specifically, we propose to learn a set of 3D prototype features from a real point cloud dataset and dynamically adjust them through the training. These prototypes are then integrated with incoming image features to guide the point cloud generation process. Experimental results show that our proposed method outperforms SOTA methods on single image based 3D reconstruction tasks.
Diameter Versus Certificate Complexity of Boolean Functions

In this paper, we introduce a measure of Boolean functions we call diameter, that captures the relationship between certificate complexity and several other measures of Boolean functions. Our measure can be viewed as a variation on alternating number, but while alternating number can be exponentially larger than certificate complexity, we show that diameter is always upper bounded by certificate complexity. We argue that estimating diameter may help to get improved bounds on certificate complexity in terms of sensitivity, and other measures. Previous results due to Lin and Zhang [Krishnamoorthy Dinesh and Jayalal Sarma, 2018] imply that s(f) ≥ Ω(n^{1/3}) for transitive functions with constant alternating number. We improve and extend this bound and prove that s(f) ≥ √n for transitive functions with constant alternating number, as well as for transitive functions with constant diameter. {We also show that bs(f) ≥ Ω(n^{3/7}) for transitive functions under the weaker condition that the "minimum" diameter is constant.} Furthermore, we prove that the log-rank conjecture holds for functions of the form f(x ⊕ y) for functions f with diameter bounded above by a polynomial of the logarithm of the Fourier sparsity of the function f.
Black and Indigenous Thought in Response to the COVID-19 Reality

Community engaged learning is being profoundly impacted by the global pandemic and racial reckoning that defines the COVID-19 reality. In order to best respond to this COVID-19 reality, community engaged scholars and practitioners must draw on the knowledge ways produced by Black and Indigenous thinkers for which the intersection of pandemic and state violence is not new. By addressing the field’s assumptions of time and space and interrogating the accompanying practices of white adventure and the real world dichotomy, scholars and practitioners have the potential to create a community engaged learning praxis that will thrive in the new normal created by the interplay of COVID-19 and the movement for Black lives.
Effort analysis of gender differences in cardiovascular response: Further evidence involving a traditionally feminine incentive.

Abstract Participants were presented a moderately- or impossibly difficult cumulative mental addition task with instructions that they could win a traditionally feminine- or masculine incentive if they achieved a 90% success rate. When the incentive was feminine, systolic blood pressure responses during the task period were stronger under moderately difficult conditions among women, but low irrespective of difficulty among men – creating a gender difference only when difficulty was moderate. By contrast, when the incentive was masculine, systolic-, mean arterial- and, to a lesser degree, diastolic blood pressure responses during the task period were stronger under moderately difficult conditions irrespective of gender. The former finding confirmed expectations and adds substantively to the body of evidence favoring a recent effort analysis of gender influence on CV response to performance challenge. The latter findings conflict with what was first expected, but can be understood in terms of post hoc reasoning extended in light of participants’ ratings of the masculine incentive.
Topical Application of Polycyclic Hydrocarbons to Differentiated Respiratory Epithelium in Long-Term Organ Cultures

Polycyclic hydrocarbons are insoluble in the nutrient medium used to support cells and tissues in vitro. These substances must be incorporated into organic solvents which in turn are mixed with the culture medium. This approach raises questions regarding the exposure of individual cells since the carcinogen may separate out or adhere to the walls of the culture vessel.
Novel aerobic tetracycline resistance gene that chemically modifies tetracycline.

A tetracycline resistance gene that was found originally on the Bacteroides plasmid pBF4 confers resistance on Escherichia coli but only when cells are growing aerobically. When E. coli EM24 carrying this aerobic tetracycline resistance (*Tcr) gene is grown in medium containing tetracycline, the resulting spent medium is no longer toxic to tetracycline-sensitive (Tcs) E. coli EM24 (B.S. Speer and A.A. Salyers, J. Bacteriol. 170: 1423-1429, 1988). To determine whether the *Tcr gene product modified tetracycline, we characterized the material resulting from incubation of E. coli (*Tcr) with tetracycline. When [7-3H(N)]tetracycline was added to cultures of E. coli (*Tcr), at least 90% of the label was recovered in the extracellular fluid. Therefore, tetracycline was not being sequestered by the cells. The labeled material behaved similarly to tetracycline with respect to solubility in various organic solvents. However, the UV-visible light spectrum had a single peak at 258 nm, whereas the tetracycline spectrum had a peak at 364 nm. The labeled material also had a faster migration rate than did tetracycline on thin-layer plates in a solvent system of butanol-methanol-10% citric acid (4:1:2, vol/vol/vol) and was separable from tetracycline by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography, using an acetronitrile-0.1% trifluoroacetic acid solvent system. These results demonstrate that the *Tcr gene product chemically modifies tetracycline. The *Tcr gene is the first example of a chemically modifying tetracycline resistance mechanism.
Resveratrol oligomers: Structure, chemistry, and biological activity

Abstract Both plants and fungi have been reported to be capable of polymerizing the natural bioactive trihydroxystilbene resveratrol into a host of complex oligomers. In recent years, these resveratrol oligomers have received the attention of natural products researchers worldwide as scientists have come to appreciate their pharmacological potential. During this time, the number of known resveratrol oligomers has swelled with scores of new compounds reported. In this chapter, the structure, chemistry, and biological activity of the resveratrol oligomers will be reviewed. This review consists of a brief assessment of previous resveratrol research followed by a thorough examination of the resveratrol oligomers including their roles as phytoalexins, detoxification products of the fungal metabolism of resveratrol, and potential medicinal agents for humans. A detailed analysis of the methods used for the isolation and structure elucidation of these compounds is provided.
Chimeric donor cells play an active role in both induction and maintenance phases of transplantation tolerance induced by mixed chimerism.

Donor hemopoietic cell engraftment is considered to be an indicator of allograft tolerance. We depleted chimerism with cells specifically presensitized to the bone marrow donor to investigate its role in mixed chimera-induced tolerance. Three experimental models were used: model A, B10.A cells presensitized to B6 ( a anti-b cells) were injected into (B6 × D2)F 1 → B10.A mixed chimeras grafted with DBA/2 skin; model B, anti-B6 presensitized cells prepared in DBA/2 → B10.A mixed chimeras, thus unresponsive to DBA/2 ( a anti-b/tol-d cells), were injected into (B6 × D2)F 1 → B10.A mixed chimeras grafted with DBA/2 skin; and model C, (BALB/c × B6)F 1 cells presensitized to CBA ( d/b anti-k cells) were injected into (B6 × CBA)F 1 → BALB/c mixed chimeras grafted with B6 skin. Skin was grafted on day 30. Injection of each cell type before skin grafting abolished hemopoietic cell engraftment and prevented allograft acceptance. Injection of presensitized cells after skin grafting resulted in different outcomes depending on the models. In model A, injection of a anti-b cells completely depleted chimerism and caused allograft rejection. In model B, injection of a anti-b/tol-d cells markedly reduced, but did not deplete, peripheral chimerism and maintained skin allograft survival. In model C, d/b anti-k cells reduced chimerism to the background levels but failed to cause graft rejection, probably due to persistence of injected cells which share MHC with skin grafts. Together, the results show that presence of chimeric donor cells is essential in both the induction and maintenance phases of tolerance induced by mixed chimerism.
Application of Chemical Modification and Spin Labeling Techniques to the Study of Energy Conversion by Bacteriorhodopsin

Light generates a pH gradient and an electrical potential across the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium. We are investigating the time resolved changes in protonation of the side chains of specific amino acid residues and the correlation of these changes with photon absorption and the ensuing photo-reaction cycle. We seek to determine the precise molecular description of the photocycle and of the time dependent steps in the uptake, translocation, and release of protons by the retinal proton catalyst in this membrane, bacteriorhodopsin (BR).
Lattice dynamics of CePd 3

The room-temperature phonon-dispersion curves of the mixed-valent compound ${\mathrm{CePd}}_{3}$ were measured by inelastic neutron scattering techniques. No significant anomalies in either the phonon frequencies or in the widths of the measured neutron groups were observed. The phonon spectrum of ${\mathrm{CePd}}_{3}$ resembles closely those of ${\mathrm{CeSn}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{LaSn}}_{3}$. It is estimated that any lifetime effects due to the electron-phonon coupling in ${\mathrm{CePd}}_{3}$ are certainly smaller than approximately 0.15 THz at room temperature. The force constants obtained by fitting the experimental data to a three-nearest-neighbor Born--von K\'arm\'an model were used to evaluate the phonon density of states, the lattice specific heat, and the atomic temperature factors of Ce and Pd in ${\mathrm{CePd}}_{3}$.
Exploiting heterogeneity in sensor networks

The presence of heterogeneous nodes (i.e., nodes with an enhanced energy capacity or communication capability) in a sensor network is known to increase network reliability and lifetime. However, questions of where how many, and what types of heterogeneous resources to deploy remain largely unexplored. We focus on energy and link heterogeneity in ad hoc sensor networks and consider resource-aware MAC and routing protocols to utilize those resources. Using analysis, simulation, and real testbed measurements, we evaluate the impact of number and placement of heterogeneous resources on performance in networks of different sizes and densities. While we prove that optimal deployment is very hard in general, we also show that only a modest number of reliable, long-range backhaul links and line-powered nodes are required to have a significant impact. Properly deployed, heterogeneity can triple the average delivery rate and provide a 5-fold increase in the lifetime (respectively) of a large batten-powered network of simple sensors.
Protein expression of G-protein inwardly rectifying potassium channels (GIRK) in breast cancer cells.

Previous data from our laboratory has indicated that a functional link exists between the G-protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channel and the beta-adrenergic receptor pathway in breast cancer cell lines, and these pathways were involved in growth regulation of these cells. Alcohol is an established risk factor for breast cancer and has been found to open GIRK. In order to further investigate GIRK channels in breast cancer and possible alteration by ethanol, we identified GIRK channel protein expression in breast cancer cells. Cell pellets were collected and membrane protein was isolated to determine GIRK protein expression. GIRK protein was also analyzed by immuno-precipitation. GIRK protein was over-expressed in cells by transfection of GIRK plasmids. Gene expression studies were done by real-time RT-PCR. GIRK protein expression was identified in breast cancer cell lines. Expression of GIRK1 at the indicated molecular weight (MW) (62 kDa) was seen in cell lines MDA-MB-453 and ZR-75-1. In addition, GIRK1 expression was seen at a lower MW (40–42 kDa) in MDA-MB-361, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7, ZR-75-1, and MDA-MB-453 cell lines. To prove the lower MW protein was GIRK1, MDA-MB-453 cells were immuno-precipitated. GIRK2 expression was seen in MDA-MB-468, MCF-7, and ZR-75-1 and was variable in MDA-MB-453, while GIRK4 protein expression was seen in all six cell lines tested. This is the first report indicating GIRK protein expression in breast cancer cells. To determine functionality, MDA-MB-453 cells were stimulated with ethanol. Decreased GIRK1 protein expression levels were seen after treatment with 0.12% ethanol in MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells. Serum-free media decreased GIRK protein expression, possibly due to lack of estrogen in the media. Transfection of GIRK1 or GIRK4 plasmids increased GIRK1 protein expression and decreased gene expression in MDA-MB-453 breast cancer cells. Our data indicates that functional GIRK channels exist in breast cancer cells that are involved in cellular signaling.
Vascular endothelial growth factor as a prognostic marker of lupus nephritis

In kidneys from patients with lupus nephritis, Avihingsanon et al. report that decreased renal expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) may be a protective mechanism against renal damage and a predictive factor for loss of kidney function. This finding could be an important tool for understanding the role of VEGF in renal disease and for the early detection of lupus nephritis, as the long-term prognosis still remains poor despite improvement in medium-term survival of patients.
SOME CONSIDERATIONS IN PROBABILITY LEARNING1

A binary choice learning experiment with noncontingent reinforcement was run. It was found that if the subjects clearly understood that there was no pattern in their schedule of reinforcement, e.g., that it was completely random, they would very quickly choose the maximal gain strategy decreed by game theory. If, on the other hand, they believe that there is a pattern, and that if they “figure it out” they could be right on each trial, they would probability match in the early stages of the experiment as predicted by Estes' probability matching hypothesis. After about one thousand trials, however, the subjects' response levels come close to the extreme asymptotic generalization predicted by Edwards. An amendment to the Estes model is proposed which allows it to predict the observed behavior.
On the potential of natural products in the discovery of pharma leads: A case for reassessment

The central proposition advanced herein is that complex target oriented synthesis, enabled by historic advances in methodology, has enormously expanded the scope of the possible. Accordingly, natural products, a proven long-term source of pharma discovery, re-emerge as potentially valuable elements for synthesis-driven pharma exploitation.
Chimborazoa (Sapindaceae), a new genus from Ecuador

Paullinia lachnocarpa has been known only from flowering and immature fruiting material collected in Ecuador. A recent collection with mature fruit shows that this biternate-leaved plant with multi-stelar stems and schizocarpic (indehiscent) fruit is best placed in its own genus,Chimborazoa. The only known species isChimborazoa lachnocarpa, which appears to be endemic to mountainous areas (1200–2000 m) in the provinces Chimborazo and Cotopaxi, Ecuador. The pollen morphology ofChimborazoa differs from that ofPaullinia. The lectotypification ofP. lachnocarpa is discussed, the new genus is described and illustrated, and a key to the genera of the Paullinieae is provided.
An Outbreak of Parainfluenza 3 (Para 3) in an Outpatient Adult Bone Marrow Transplant (ABMT) Clinic

ISSUE: The ABMT program performs over 200 transplants per year. The clinic provides chemotherapy to 60% allogeneic and 40% autologous transplant patients (pts) daily. Between 6/05 – 12/05 there was an outbreak of Para 3 that involved 27 culture-positive pts. Infection Control (IC) measures controlled the outbreak but sporadic activity continues to occur. The clinic area, an open, “U” shaped unit, provides pts with recliners while they are receiving treatment. There are few hand-washing sinks for staff. The pts receive infusions for 6-8 hrs. Five private rooms are used for the pts with the most morbidity. PROJECT: In the year preceding this outbreak 06/04 – 07/04 there were 6 patients with respiratory cultures positive for Para 3. There was a 55% increase in infected pts 2005, warranting more stringent measures. ABMT nursing leadership consulted IC to identify interventions to improve infection rates. IC measures instituted included: 1) Mandatory hand hygiene 2) Respiratory etiquette and precautions signs 3) Symptomatic pts wore masks 4) Scales were cleaned after each use 5) Symptomatic pts were placed in private rooms on contact/respiratory precautions. At the end of 6 weeks, no new cases were identified. Additional interventions included providing hand sanitizer and education to patients and their families regarding hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette; and separating infected and symptomatic patients from non-infected patients during transportation to and from the clinic, in the waiting room, bathrooms and exam areas. Since 7/05, there have been 8 cases of Para 3. RESULTS: Although, stringent IC measures were enforced, the current outpatient facility is in need of renovation to address several infection control concerns. LESSONS LEARNED: It is important to routinely access the treatment modality and status of the pts when evaluating the IC plan. Most importantly, more stringent IC precautions and separation should be considered in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Separate cubicles with barriers, more hand washing sinks, and more bathrooms are needed to prevent transmission of infections in an open common unit such as ABMT.
Relationship of alcohol metabolism to folate deficiency produced by ethanol in the rat

Abstract Chronic ethanol use can lead to folic acid deficiency in humans. In rats, acute doses of ethanol produce a marked increase in urinary folate excretion, which precedes a decrease in plasma folate levels. To assess the role of ethanol and its metabolism in these effects, five groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated orally as follows: (1) ethanol in 4 doses of 1 g/kg each at 0, 1, 2 and 3 hr; (2) ethanol, as above, plus the alcohol dehydrogenase inhibitor 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP) at 50 mg/kg IP 15 min prior to 0 hr; (3) glucose in 4 isocaloric doses; (4) glucose plus 4-MP as above; (5) methanol in 4 doses of 1g/kg. Urinary folate levels (by Lactobacillus casei assay) peaked in both ethanol- and methanol-treated rats at the same time as the urine alcohol levels (6–8 hr) and then declined with a similar time course. Urinary levels of formic acid, which is eliminated by oxidation by a folate-dependent pathway, were significantly increased by ethanol administration, thus indicating another ethanol-folate interaction. Concurrent administration of 4-MP suppressed the increased excretion of formate but had no effect on the increased excretion of folate in ethanol-treated rats. These studies suggest that ethanol has two distinct effects on folate meatbolism, one dependent and one independent of ethanol metabolism.
Total pancreatectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: review of the National Cancer Data Base.

Background Total pancreatectomy is infrequently performed for pancreatic cancer. Perceived operative mortality and questionable survival benefit deter many surgeons. Clinical outcomes, described in single-center series, remain largely unknown.
Reactions of the 6,6-dimethylcyclohexadienyl anion with MCl4(PMe3)2 complexes (M = Hf, Nb) – Isolation of complex intramolecular coupling products

Abstract Reactions of NbCl4(PMe3)2 and HfCl4(PMe3)2 with four equivalents of the 6,6-dimethylcyclohexadienyl anion lead to Nb(6,6-dmch)[η2,4-(dmch)2](PMe3) and Hf(6,6-dmch)[η3,4-(dmch)3](PMe3). Each complex has been crystallographically characterized, and found to contain one η5-bound 6,6-dmch ligand, with the other dmch units coupled together to yield olefin, allyl, and diene coordinations, resulting in 18 electron configurations for these compounds.
Abnormal inner root sheath of the hair follicle in the loose anagen hair syndrome: An ultrastructural study

Background Loose anagen hair syndrome (LAHS) is a disorder in which the hair pulls out easily and painlessly from the scalp. It first manifests in early childhood when the main concern of parents is that the sparse hair does not grow. The hair density and length improve with age, but the looseness persists into adulthood. Objective Light and electron microscopic studies of hair follicles were performed to better define the microscopic changes seen in LAHS. Methods Biopsy specimens were obtained from 4 patients, 3 children and 1 adult. The hair follicles were studied by light and electron microscopy. Results The most conspicuous structural changes were found in the inner root sheath complex of the anagen follicle. With light microscopy, the keratinized Henle cell layer showed a tortuous and irregular swelling. Irregular keratinization of the cuticle cells of the inner root sheath and a swollen appearance of Huxley cells were also found. With electron microscopy, the major pathological changes consisted of intercellular edema in the prekeratinized Huxley cell zone and dyskeratosis of Henle cells and cuticle cells of the inner root sheath. Limitations The studies were done on a small number of patients. Conclusions Structural abnormalities of the inner root sheath appear to disturb its normal supportive and anchoring function and result in a loose attachment of the hair shaft to the anagen follicle.
The eroding principle of justice in teaching medical professionalism.

This article examines the difficulties encountered in teaching professionalism to medical students in the current social and political climate where economic considerations take top priority in health care decision making. The conflict between the commitment to advocate at all times the interests of one’s patients over one’s own interests is discussed. With personal, institutional, tech industry, pharmaceutical industry, and third-party payer financial imperatives that stand between patients and the delivery of health care, this article investigates how medical ethics instructors are to teach professionalism in a responsible way that does not avoid dealing with the principle of justice.
Spectral characterization of the invasive shrub saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) in North Dakota

A large infestation of the invasive shrub saltcedar (Tamarix ramosissima and Tamarix chinensis) was first detected east of the Montana–North Dakota border in 2001. Saltcedar has since spread from Montana along the Yellowstone and Missouri River corridors into the Lake Sakakawea region of west-central North Dakota, and has currently halted its progress at the reservoir's Garrison Dam. A receding lake level since 2001, the result of a moderate regional drought, has allowed saltcedar to quickly invade newly exposed shoreline. The infestation in some locations is severe, and there is concern among the lake managers that, left unchecked, the shrub will move upland and displace native species, degrade shoreline aesthetics, and damage wildlife habitat. Eradication efforts are underway, yet there is much interest among land managers in North Dakota in characterizing saltcedar spectrally to assist future remote detection efforts, especially in areas that are difficult to access on foot. To this end, close-range hy...
Vibrationally inelastic scattering of H+ + H2☆

Abstract Using an ab initio potential-energy surface and both classical trajectories and a semiclassical approximation, differential and total cross sections were calculated for H+ + H2 (ν = 0) → H+ + H2 (ν′ = 0,1,2) at an initial c.m. energy of 10 eV. The results compare well with the experiments of Udseth et al.
Krivine’s Theorem and the Indices of a Banach Lattice

In this paper we shall present an exposition of a fundamental result due to J.L. Krivine about the local structure of a Banach lattice. In [3] Krivine proved that £ p (1 ≤ p ≤ ∞) is finitely lattice representable in any infinite dimensional Banach lattice. At the end of the introduction of [3] it is then stated that a value of p for which this holds is given by, what we will call below, the upper index of the Banach lattice. He states that this follows from the methods of his paper and of the paper [5] of Maurey and Pisier. One can ask whether the theorem also holds for p equal to the lower index of the Banach lattice. At first glance this is not obvious from [3], since many theorems in [3] have as a hypothesis that the upper index of the Banach lattice is finite. This can e.g. also be seen from the book [6] of H.U. Schwarz, where only the result for the upper index is stated, while both indices are discussed. One purpose of this paper is clarify this point and to present an exposition of all the ingredients of a proof of Krivine’s theorem for both the upper and lower index of a Banach lattice. We first gather some definitions and state some properties of the indices of a Banach lattice. For a discussion of these indices we refer to the book of Zaanen[7].
Quantitative spectrographic analysis of the rare earth elements

Abstract The great similarity in the chemical properties of the rare earths precludes the use of chemical methods for the analysis of mixtures of these elements except in a few cases where changes in oxidation state may be effected. Although many of the rare earths can be determines spectrophotometrically, the absorbancy of the bands is not sufficient for measuring concentrations below several per cent. In this paper, emission spectrographic methods are described for the quantitative determination fo those rare earths usually associated with urified lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium. The procedures are based on d.c. carbon are excitation of rare earth oxide-graphite mistures. The unique similairty in the vaporization rate among the rare earths discussed in this paper, and the use of internal standard line paid components possessing similar excitation characteristis provide a high degree of internal standard compensation for the excitation variable inherent in d.c. are sources.
Co-C bond activation in methylmalonyl-CoA mutase by stabilization of the post-homolysis product Co2+ cobalamin.

Despite decades of research, the mechanism by which coenzyme B 12 (adenosylcobalamin, AdoCbl)-dependent enzymes promote homolytic cleavage of the cofactor's Co-C bond to initiate catalysis has continued to elude researchers. In this work, we utilized magnetic circular dichroism spectroscopy to explore how the electronic structure of the reduced B 12 cofactor (i.e., the post-homolysis product Co 2+ Cbl) is modulated by the enzyme methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Our data reveal a fairly uniform stabilization of the Co 3d orbitals relative to the corrin π/π*-based molecular orbitals when Co 2+ Cbl is bound to the enzyme active site, particularly in the presence of substrate. Contrastingly, our previous studies (Brooks, A. J.; Vlasie, M.; Banerjee, R.; Brunold, T. C. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2004, 126, 8167-8180.) showed that when AdoCbl is bound to the MMCM active site, no enzymatic perturbation of the Co 3+ Cbl electronic structure occurs, even in the presence of substrate (analogues). Collectively, these observations provide direct evidence that enzymatic Co-C bond activation involves stabilization of the post-homolysis product, Co 2+ -Cbl, rather than destabilization of the Co 3+ Cbl ground state.
Hepatitis C virus evasion of adaptive immune responses: a model for viral persistence

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects over 170 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Approximately 80% of those acutely infected clear the infection, whereas the remaining 20% progress to chronic infection. Hepatitis C thus provides a model in which successful and unsuccessful responses can be compared to better understand the human response to viral infection. Our laboratory studies the strategies by which HCV evades the adaptive immune response. This review describes the impact of viral mutation on T cell recognition, the role of cell surface inhibitory receptors in recognition of HCV, and the development of antibodies that neutralize HCV infection. Understanding what constitutes an effective immune response in the control of HCV may enable the development of prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines for HCV and other chronic viral infections.
Next-generation cancer genomics

The combined discovery power of next-generation sequencing instruments and the associated somatic variation discovery of bioinformatics, applied to clinically characterized cancer samples, is changing our understanding of this disease. Since the 1930s, scientists have considered cancer a disease of the genome after observing novel chromosomal structures upon cytogenetic examination of tumor nuclei. As the resolution and sensitivity of methods for genomic examination have now permitted a nucleotide-level view of cancer genomes, we have the capability to understand somatic variation at unprecedented detail. Central to this capability is the human reference genome sequence and its annotation, which are ever improving. During the past year, our laboratory has undertaken a Cancer Genome Initiative that has produced data and analysis of 150 cancer cases (300 matched tumor and normal genomes), focusing primarily on acute myeloid leukemia, breast and lung cancers. My presentation will describe our results to-date and some technical advances developed during this project.
Changes in Microvascular Reactivity After Cardiopulmonary Bypass in Patients With Poorly Controlled Versus Controlled Diabetes

Background—We investigated the effects of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) on peripheral arteriolar reactivity and associated signaling pathways in poorly controlled (UDM), controlled (CDM), and case-matched nondiabetic (ND) patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods and Results—Skeletal muscle arterioles were harvested before and after CPB from the UDM patients (hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c]=9.0±0.3), the CDM patients (HbA1c=6.3±0.15), and the ND patients (HbA1c=5.2±0.1) undergoing CABG surgery (n=10/group). In vitro relaxation responses of precontracted arterioles to endothelium-dependent vasodilators adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP) and substance P and the endothelium-independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside (SNP) were examined. The baseline responses to ADP, substance P, and SNP of arterioles from the UDM patients were decreased as compared with microvessels from the ND or CDM patients (P<0.05). The post-CPB relaxation responses to ADP and substance P were significantly decreased in al...