cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
María de Jesús, “Quid Ploras?”

The high frequency, intensity, and multi-functionality of the crying episodes in the life story of the Carmelite Neogranadine Maria de Jesus stand out: What kind of feelings accompanies the tears of this nun? What narrative function do the tears have in her writing? What is the relationship between her crying and her mystical experience? The main objective of this article is to analyze the role of weeping in the discourse of this nun, the only white-veiled nun, i.e., of low social status, known in Nueva Granada to whom her confessors had solicited registering her mystical experiences in writing. The life story of another visionary, Mother Jeronima Nava y Saavedra, contemporary and compatriot of Maria de Jesus, is also used, in order to make some comparisons that allow to explain how crying is used as a rhetorical exercise to mean similar phenomena, in a different manner.
Endothelial cell–based therapy for hematopoiesis

[Comment on Chute et al, page 2365][1]Infusion of endothelial cells may assist the recovery of hematopoiesis after bone marrow damage induced by cytotoxic therapies such as those used in cancer patients. The interactions between endothelial cells (ECs) and hematopoietic cells have long fascinated
Bortezomib Pre-Treatment Prolongs Interferon-alpha Induced STAT1 Phosphorylation in Melanoma Cells

Bortezomib is a proteasome inhibitor that can synergize with interferon-alpha (IFN-α) to induce apoptosis in melanoma cells in vitro and inhibit tumor growth in vivo. We hypothesized that proteasome inhibition may be an effective means to sensitize melanoma cells to the direct effects of IFN-α. Pre-treatment of human melanoma cells with bortezomib led to significantly increased transcription of interferon-stimulated genes as determined by real-time PCR. Flow cytometric and immunoblot analyses indicated that the enhanced direct actions of IFN-α on melanoma cells were the result of prolonged phosphorylation of STAT1 (P-STAT1) on both the Tyrosine701 and Serine727 residues. In contrast, the enhanced IFN-α-induced P-STAT1 was not observed in peripheral blood mononuclear cells that were pre-treated with bortezomib. These data suggest that proteasome inhibition represents a mechanism to enhance the direct effects of IFN-α on melanoma cells thereby complementing its immunostimulatory properties.
Hormonal predictors of sexual motivation in natural menstrual cycles

Little is known regarding which hormonal signals may best predict within- and between-women variance in sexual motivation among naturally cycling women. To address this, we collected daily saliva samples across 1-2 menstrual cycles from a sample of young women; assayed samples for estradiol, progesterone, and testosterone; and also collected daily diary reports of women's sexual behavior and subjective sexual desire. With respect to within-cycle, day-to-day fluctuations in subjective desire, we found evidence for positive effects of estradiol and negative effects of progesterone. Desire exhibited a mid-cycle peak, similar to previous findings; measured progesterone concentrations statistically mediated the fall in desire from mid-cycle to the luteal phase, but no combination of hormone measures substantially mediated the follicular phase rise in desire, which suggests that other signals may be implicated in this effect. Hormonal predictors of within-cycle fluctuations in sexual behavior generally reached only trend levels of statistical significance, though the patterns again suggested positive effects of estradiol and negative effects of progesterone. Between-women and within-women, between-cycle effects of hormone concentrations were generally absent, although statistical power was more limited at these higher levels of analysis. There were no significant effects of testosterone concentrations when controlling for the effects of estradiol and progesterone, which raises questions regarding the importance of this hormone for the regulation of sexual motivation in natural cycles. Our study is among the first to identify hormonal predictors of within-cycle fluctuations in sexual motivation, and thus adds novel evidence regarding the endocrine correlates of human sexuality.
Chronic adrenergic receptor blockade does not prevent hyperinsulinemia-induced hypertension in rats

Increased adrenergic activity has been suggested to mediate the hypertension associated with hyperinsulinemia. This study tested whether combined ; 1- an 1 -- and ; - adrener- adrenergic receptor blockade would prevent insulin-induced hypertension when euglycemia was maintained by continuous intravenous glucose infusion. Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 16) were instrumented with artery and vein catheters and placed in metabolic cages. Propranolol and prazosin (10 mg/kg/day each) were infused continuously intravenously in 9 rats and 7 other rats received vehicle. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were measured 24 h per day using computerized methods. After a control period, a 7-day intravenous infusion of insulin (1.5 mU/kg/min) was begun and glucose was coadministered intravenously at 23 mg/kg/min to prevent hypoglycemia. The MAP averaged 93 ± 1 mm Hg in the blockade rats during the control period, which was significantly lower than the 98 ± 1 mm Hg in the normal rats. During insulin infusion, MAP increased similarly in both groups, with a 10 ± 2 mm Hg and 11 ± 1 mm Hg increase in normal and blockade rats, respectively, by day 7. The HR also increased in both groups: from 417 ± 8 beats/ min to 426 ± 13 beats/min ( P = NS) in normal rats and from 379 ± 10 beats/min to 419 ± 10 beats/min ( P
Clay intersalation compounds for selective triphase catalysis: Reaction of alkyl bromides with NaCl

Abstract A hectorite clay intersalation 2 compound containing interlayered Ni(phen)32+/SO42− ion pairs is shown to be a selective catalyst for the conversion of alkyl bromides to the corresponding chlorides by reaction with NaCl under triphase (liquid-liquid-solid) conditions. In contrast, Ni(phen)32+ salts alone are poor phase transfer catalysts for reactions involving anionic nucleophiles, as are the homoionic Ni(phen)32+ and Na+-exchanged forms of the mineral. The intercalation compound is forty times more selective for the reaction of normal-chain butyl bromide than branched-chain 3,5,5-tri-methylhexyl bromide. Selective adsorption based on size or polarity appears to contribute to the dramatic enhancement in substrate selectivity relative to conventional liquid-liquid phase transfer catalysts.
Jetstream: A Distributed Cloud Infrastructure for Underresourced higher education communities

The US National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2015 awarded funding for a first-of-a-kind distributed cyberinfrastructure (DCI) system called Jetstream. Jetstream will be the NSF's first production cloud for general-purpose science and engineering research and education. Jetstream, scheduled for production in January 2016, will be based on the OpenStack cloud environment software with a menu-driven interface to make it easy for users to select a pre-composed Virtual Machine (VM) to perform a particular discipline-specific analysis. Jetstream will use the Atmosphere user interface developed as part of iPlant, providing a low barrier to use by practicing scientists, engineers, educators, and students, and Globus services from the University of Chicago for seamless integration into the national cyberinfrastructure fabric. The team implementing Jetstream has as their primary mission extending the reach of the NSF's eXtreme Digital (XD) program to researchers, educators, and research students who have not previously used NSF XD program resources, including those in communities and at institutions that traditionally lack significant cyberinfrastructure resources. We will, for example, use virtual Linux Desktops to deliver DCI capabilities supporting research and research education at small colleges and universities, including Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs), Tribal colleges, and higher education institutions in states designated by the NSF as eligible for funding via the Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). Jetstream will be a novel distributed cyberinfrastructure, with production components in Indiana and Texas. In particular, Jetstream will deliver virtual Linux desktops to tablet devices and PDAs with reasonable responsiveness running over cellular networks. This paper will discuss design and application plans for Jetstream as a novel Distributed CyberInfrastructure system for research education.
Expression and Characterization of a Modified Flavin-containing Monooxygenase 4 from Humans

The inability to obtain flavin-containing monooxygenase 4 (FMO4) in heterologous systems has hampered efforts to characterize this isoform of the FMO gene family. Neither the human nor the rabbit ortholog of FMO4, each of which has been cloned and sequenced, has been expressed. Attempts to achieve expression of FMO4 have been made with Escherichia coli, baculovirus, yeast, and COS systems. The cDNAs encoding FMO4 have extended coding regions compared with those encoding other FMO isoforms. The derived amino acid sequences of FMO1, −2, −3, and −5 from all species examined contain about the same number of residues (531-535 residues), whereas the derived sequences of human and rabbit FMO4 contain 558 and 555 residues, respectively. We have investigated whether the elongation of the FMO4 coding region is related to the inability to achieve expression. The cDNA encoding human FMO4 has been modified by a single base change that introduces a stop codon at the consensus position. This modification allows for expression in E. coli. Lack of expression of intact FMO4 is caused by a problem that occurs following transcription, a problem that is overcome completely by relocation of the stop codon 81 bases to 5′ of its normal position. Truncated FMO4 is expressed as an active enzyme with characteristics typical of an FMO isoform. Possible functional changes resulting from altering the 3′-end of an FMO were investigated with human FMO3. Elongation of the coding region of the FMO3 cDNA to the next available stop codon (FMO3*) resulted in the expression of an enzyme with properties very similar to those of unmodified FMO3. Elongation of FMO3 lowered the level of expression in E. coli but did not eliminate it. As with FMO4, the difference in expression levels between FMO3 and elongated FMO3 (FMO3*) appears to be related to translation rather than transcription. The functional characteristics of FMO3 and FMO3* are not significantly different.
Choice of base signals in speech signal analysis

Fourier series is generally considered to be one of the most basic mathematical tools of the communications engineers; when experimental support is sought for the theoretical conclusions obtained, it has the advantage of having readily available source equipment in the form of sine-wave generators. In many cases, however, due to the characteristics of the signals under study, the analysis into other base functions would result in a reduction of expression complexity and a better insight into the problem. This is demonstrated on a specific example, in which the damped-oscillatory voiced speech sounds are expressed by means of complex-exponential base functions. The method of measuring the pertinent coefficients is given; the nature of the analyzing equipment, which is also used for synthesis, is described briefly, and experimental results, including synthetically obtained approximations of the original signals, are presented. While speech signals are used to illustrate the method, the latter is applicable to other signals as well.
Parents social and resource capital: Predictors of academic achievement during early childhood

Abstract Although research in the area of academic achievement has expanded over the past several years, questions about the individual and social factors, especially in early childhood, remain unanswered. The purpose of this study is to examine to what extent parents and teacher/school's social capital and resource capital predict academic achievement in early childhood. It is also the purpose of this study to examine the usefulness of social capital theory in claming and understanding of academic achievement in early childhood. This study utilized the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 1998–1999 (ECLS-K). Children and their parents who participated in the study in the Spring of 1999 (baseline) and the Spring of 2002 (third grade) was the focus of this research. Results from this study found that parent's resource capital is a better predicator of children's academic achievement than parents' social capital. This study also discusses the findings in relation to implications for future research and policy work.
HYPOGLYCEMIA AS A MITIGATING FACTOR IN VEHICULAR ACCIDENTS

Cognitive, perceptual, and motor deficits are part of the constellation of symptoms found in various hypoglycemic conditions. Since neurogenic symptoms and altered states of consciousness affect driving skills, hypoglycemia should be considered a mitigating factor in vehicular accidents.
β2-Adrenergic Receptor Lysosomal Trafficking Is Regulated by Ubiquitination of Lysyl Residues in Two Distinct Receptor Domains

Agonist stimulation of the β2-adrenergic receptors (β2ARs) leads to their ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation. Inhibition of lysosomal proteases results in the stabilization and retention of internalized full-length β2ARs in the lysosomes, whereas inhibition of proteasomal proteases stabilizes newly synthesized β2ARs in nonlysosomal compartments. Additionally, a lysine-less β2AR (0K-β2AR) that is deficient in ubiquitination and degradation is not sorted to lysosomes unlike the WT β2AR, which is sorted to lysosomes. Thus, lysosomes are the primary sites for the degradation of agonist-activated, ubiquitinated β2ARs. To identify the specific site(s) of ubiquitination required for lysosomal sorting of the β2AR, four mutants, with lysines only in one intracellular domain, namely, loop 1, loop 2, loop 3, and carboxyl tail were generated. All of these receptor mutants coupled to G proteins, recruited β-arrestin2, and internalized just as the WT β2AR. However, only loop 3 and carboxyl tail β2ARs with lysines in the third intracellular loop or in the carboxyl tail were ubiquitinated and sorted for lysosomal degradation. As a complementary approach, we performed MS-based proteomic analyses to directly identify ubiquitination sites within the β2AR. We overexpressed and purified the β2AR from HEK-293 cells with or without prior agonist exposure and subjected trypsin-cleaved β2AR to LC-MS/MS analyses. We identified ubiquitinated lysines in the third intracellular loop (Lys-263 and Lys-270) and in the carboxyl tail (Lys-348, Lys-372, and Lys-375) of the β2AR. These findings introduce a new concept that two distinct domains in the β2AR are involved in ubiquitination and lysosomal degradation, contrary to the generalization that such regulatory mechanisms occur mainly at the carboxyl tails of GPCRs and other transmembrane receptors.
Effect of horn flies on vanilmandelic acid excretion of dairy cattle.

Abstract This study measured a physiological effect of known horn fly ( Haematoba irritans L.) population densities on dairy cattle. Urinary excretion of the catecholamine metabolite, 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy mandelic acid, was an indicator of physiological response to the parasites. Six lactating Holstein cows were acclimated to the test room prior to a 3-wk control at 21C. Animals were then exposed to approximately 500 horn flies per cow per day for 4 wk. On days 1 and 21 of exposure, two urine samples were obtained from each cow. Mean urinary values for cows were 13.3±3.1 μ g/100ml in the control period and 18.9±3.4 μ g/100ml during fly exposure. We believe that increased vanilmandelic acid reflects an increase in standing time and nervous activity associated with the physical disturbance due to the biting of the flies.
Diagnosis and management of insomnia.

Insomnia is a significant public health issue. Good sleep is essential for emotional and physical wellbeing. The importance of adequate sleep is evidenced by the fact that insomnia can adversely affect physical and mental health. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Working Group on Insomnia defines insomnia as an experience of inadequate or poor-quality sleep characterized by one or more of the following: difficulty falling asleep, difficulty maintaining sleep, waking up too early in the morning, or unrefreshing sleep. The symptoms of insomnia also include daytime consequences such as tiredness, lack of energy, difficulty concentrating, or irritability. Insomnia can be a symptom of an underlying medical, psychiatric, sleep, or circadian disorder or a disorder in itself (i.e., primary insomnia). This paper will present information about the prevalence, morbidity, causes, and diagnoses of insomnia, and the behavioral and pharmacologic management of this disorder.
Efficient Large-Scale Structured Learning

We introduce an algorithm, SVM-IS, for structured SVM learning that is computationally scalable to very large datasets and complex structural representations. We show that structured learning is at least as fast-and often much faster-than methods based on binary classification for problems such as deformable part models, object detection, and multiclass classification, while achieving accuracies that are at least as good. Our method allows problem-specific structural knowledge to be exploited for faster optimization by integrating with a user-defined importance sampling function. We demonstrate fast train times on two challenging large scale datasets for two very different problems: Image Net for multiclass classification and CUB-200-2011 for deformable part model training. Our method is shown to be 10-50 times faster than SVMstruct for cost-sensitive multiclass classification while being about as fast as the fastest 1-vs-all methods for multiclass classification. For deformable part model training, it is shown to be 50-1000 times faster than methods based on SVMstruct, mining hard negatives, and Pegasos-style stochastic gradient descent. Source code of our method is publicly available.
SOX as Safeguard and Signal: The Impact of The Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 on US Corporations’ Choice to List Abroad

Corporate scandals at Enron, Tyco, and MCI highlight the issue of opportunistic management behavior. The US Congress responded to these scandals by passing the Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). SOX imposes additional management responsibilities and corporate operating costs on companies trading under SEC regulations. This paper examines three options for US corporations responding to SOX: compliance with SOX, taking a company private, or moving to a non‐ SEC‐regulated exchange, such as an international exchange. The paper then examines potential corporate governance options using Transaction Cost Economics (TCE; Williamson 1985) to develop propositions regarding which options firms may select.
093 Myofibroblasts in Female Red Duroc Pig Scars

Introduction: Myofibroblasts are a subtype of fibroblasts, which appear temporally during wound healing. Young hypertrophic scar contains a large number of myofibroblasts and the number declines over time. It has been shown that deep partial-thickness wounds on the female, red Duroc pig heal with thick scars, which is similar to hypertrophic scar. As part of our validation of the Duroc model of hypertrophic scarring, we evaluated myofibroblasts in wounds on the Duroc pigs. Methods: Superficial (0.015″ to 0.030″) and deep (0.045″ to 0.060″) wounds were created on the backs of 12 Durocs. Biopsies were taken at weeks 1, 2, 4, 15, and 21 postwounding. Samples were analyzed by immunochemical staining for alpha smooth muscle actin (a-SMA, for myofibroblasts) and heat-shock protein (HSP47, for fibroblasts). HSP47 positive cells were counted at 40X and the fraction of a-SMA positive cells out of fibroblasts was evaluated at 10X. Statistical significance was calculated with the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results: The counts of HSP47 and a-SMA positive cells are shown in the table below. In brief, in deep wounds most of the HSP47 positive cells were a-SMA positive at 1 and 2 weeks but this declined rapidly thereafter. In shallow wounds there were far fewer cells positive for a-SMA and the decline was even more rapid. 1W 2W 4W 15W 21W Number Shallow 105 ± 22 151 ± 59 106 ± 23 57 ± 20 44 ± 4 HSP47 Deep 524 ± 45 449 ± 35 231 ± 73 108 ± 30 55 ± 8 P value <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 <0.05 Percent Shallow 23% 3% 0 0 0 a-SMA Deep 90% 74% 10% 0 0 P value <0.05 <0.05 Conclusions: a-SMA positive fibroblasts (myofibroblasts) are present in deep Duroc wounds and the temporal pattern is similar to that reported for human hypertrophic scar. This further validates the female red Duroc model of human hypertrophic scarring.
Light-stimulated synthesis of chloroplast DNA

Abstract Light-stimulated chloroplast DNA synthesis was studied during chloroplast development in the absence of cell division and nuclear DNA synthesis. Incorporation of 32Pi was stimulated 10–15 fold, however, the ratio of chloroplast DNA to nuclear DNA remained constant. Isotope dilution experiments suggested that stimulated labeling of chloroplast DNA represented more efficient utilization of exogenously supplied Pi rather than stimulated turnover of chloroplast DNA. The low level of DNA synthesis and chloroplast development were resistant to nalidixic acid which inhibits semiconservative replication of chloroplast DNA.
A reexamination of the Nelson-Plosser data set using recursive and sequential tests

The present paper applies to the Nelson-Plosser data set the recursive, rolling, and sequential tests proposed by Banerjee, Lumsdaine and Stock (1992) for unit roots in the presence of mean or trend breaks. Unlike Perron's method, these three types of test endogenize the break point in the mean or trend and thus are more appealing in empirical studies. The (reverse) recursive test indicates rejection of the unit root null in industrial production and unemployment rate. The sequential test indicates that nominal GNP and common stock prices are stationary with a break in the mean.
Interpretation of Sustainable Landscapes Affects Student Perception of Sustainable Landscape Features

This research examines student perception of sustainable landscaping at the University of Delaware (UD), Newark and the impact of interpretation on student perception of the landscape. Students living on UD’s Laird Campus were surveyed before and after an interpretive campaign designed to describe the benefits of sustainable landscaping. The results of this study found that the majority of students surveyed perceive the landscape to be attractive, sustainable, well maintained, and functional, providing encouragement for the use of sustainable landscaping practices on university campuses. Reduced mowing (once per year), as it is implemented on Laird Campus, was identified as the sustainable practice least likely to be considered acceptable by students. Sustainable landscaping interpretation improved student awareness and acceptance of sustainable landscaping practices. Greater levels of engagement with the interpretation campaign increased students’ awareness and acceptance of sustainable landscaping. In contrast to students’ increased awareness and acceptance of sustainable landscaping practices, students’ perception of the landscape’s appearance did not significantly improve after the interpretation campaign, suggesting the need for future interpretation campaigns to directly address aesthetic issues in addition to interpretation of environmental benefits.
Dimensions of Economic Development and Growth Management Policy Choices

This article integrates the urban politics, growth management, and economic development literatures to examine how voter characteristics, community context, local government structure and capacity, and state policy and regional contexts influence the adoption of development incentives and growth management policy instruments. Using a 2004 national survey of city economic development directors, U.S. Census, U.S. Department of Agriculture Atlas of Rural and Small-town America, U.S. Census of Governments, and U.S. Election Atlas voting data, we develop two scaled Poisson policy count models. Only wealth and growth rates play large, significant roles in explaining both location incentives and growth management, while local government structure and bureaucratic capacity does not significantly affect adoption for either policy type. We conclude that location incentive and growth management policy adoption decisions are driven by a community’s political economic context: its voter characteristics, community cont...
Policy based routing in the Defense Information System Network

It is noted that the routing protocol in the Defense Information System Network will most likely operate in a large environment with diversified policies. The author proposes a policy based routing architecture that would be a good candidate for this type of environment. The new architecture, IDPR (Inter-Domain Policy Routing) II, adopts a number of features from IDPR, such as link state update, source routing, path establishment, and encapsulation, and proposes changes and new features that would circumvent the shortcomings of IDPR. IDPR II eliminates the scaling problem by simplifying expression and distribution of policies. It reduces complexity and provides capability to handle a rich set of dynamically changing policies by eliminating the notion of virtual gateways and a virtual gateway protocol. It adds flexibility and robustness by providing both hop-by-hop and source route selection capabilities. >
Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida Isolates from the Candida Surveillance Study

Candida species are a common cause of nosocomial bloodstream infections. Recent surveillance has shown an increase in the relative proportion of infections caused by Candida glabrata, which has reduced susceptibility to fluconazole. We undertook sentinel surveillance with antifungal susceptibility testing to monitor the trends in the proportions of various Candida species causing invasive disease. Forty-one institutions participated in the Candida Surveillance Study. All isolates were submitted to a central laboratory for identification and susceptibility testing. Susceptibility testing was performed in compliance with CLSI guidelines using a custom, broth dilution, microtiter system. There were 5,900 isolates submitted for identification and antifungal susceptibility testing. The distribution of species was as follows: C. albicans, 2,567 (43.5%) isolates; C. glabrata, 1,464 (24.8%) isolates; C. parapsilosis, 1,048 (17.8%) isolates; C. tropicalis, 527 (8.9%) isolates; C. krusei, 109 (1.9%) isolates; C. lusitaniae, 76 (1.3%) isolates; and other Candida species, 109 (1.9%) isolates. Resistance to fluconazole occurred in 1.2% of C. albicans isolates, 5.9% of C. glabrata isolates, 0.3% of C. parapsilosis isolates, and 0.4% of C. tropicalis isolates. Resistance to fluconazole was highly predictive of resistance to voriconazole. Resistance to echinocandins was rarely found, occurring in only 0.2% of all isolates. The rate of fluconazole susceptibility increased significantly from 87.5% in 2005 to 97.4% in 2007. The proportion of cases of disease caused by various Candida species did not change appreciably between 2004 and 2007, and the rate of antifungal susceptibility was high.
Prescription Drug Benefits and Use of Guideline Recommended Medications by Elderly Medicare Beneficiaries with Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether prescription drug benefits are associated with the use of guideline recommended medications by older persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. PARTICIPANTS: A national sample of Medicare beneficiaries with DM aged 65 and older and an indication for angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II–receptor blocker (ARB) use or high risk of coronary heart disease (hypertension or current smoking) who participated in the 2003 Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. MEASUREMENTS: Prescription drug coverage was measured according to self-report and verified according to insurance claims. Outcome variables were use of an ACEI or an ARB (ACEI/ARB) or a statin or use of an ACEI/ARB and a statin. Survey-weighted multinomial logistic regression was used to identify the independent effect of drug coverage on one of two categories of recommended medication use (ACEI/ARB or statin or ACEI/ARB and statin) compared with the reference category of none after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics and health status. RESULTS: The final study sample was 1,181 (weighted N=4.0 million). Overall, 23% had no drug coverage, 16% Medicaid coverage, 43% employer coverage, 9% Medigap coverage, and 9% Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) or state-sponsored low-income coverage. Overall, 33% received a statin and an ACEI/ARB, 44% only an ACEI/ARB or a statin, and 23% neither. After adjustment, VA and state-sponsored drug benefits were most strongly associated with combined ACEI/ARB and statin use (relative risk ratio (RRR)=4.83, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.24–10.4)), followed by employer-sponsored coverage (RRR=2.60, 95% CI=1.67–4.03)). CONCLUSIONS: Prescription drug benefits from VA and state-sponsored drug programs are strongly associated with use of recommended medications by older adults with DM.
Potent myofiber hypertrophy during resistance training in humans is associated with satellite cell-mediated myonuclear addition: a cluster analysis.

A present debate in muscle biology is whether myonuclear addition is required during skeletal muscle hypertrophy. We utilized K-means cluster analysis to classify 66 humans after 16 wk of knee exte...
Pediatric vocal nodules: correlation with perceptual voice analysis.

Summary Objective: To present the epidemiology and correlation with perceptual analysis of vocal nodules in pediatric patients. Methods: Retrospective review of patients seen in a tertiary care pediatric hospital's voice center from 1996 to 2003. Six hundred and forty-six patients were evaluated with videostroboscopic examinations and perceptual analysis of voice characteristics by speech pathologists. Appropriate treatment was based on the pathology identified. Results: Two hundred and fifty-four patients (40%) with an average age of 7.7 years (range 0.1–19.3 years) were identified as having vocal nodules. Of these, 72% were male. Six patients (2%) were under the age of 7 months. Nodules were most commonly found in males, aged 3–10 years old. Evidence of gastro-esophageal reflux disease was found in one-quarter of patients; hyperfunction of the larynx was seen in three-fourths. Hyperfunction of the larynx correlates with the size of vocal nodules. Distortion of the vocal fold mucosal wave was not present. Perceptual analysis revealed positive correlation of the severity of hoarseness, breathiness, straining and aphonia with the size of vocal nodules. Conclusion: The epidemiology and correlation with perceptual voice analysis in pediatric patients with vocal nodules is presented. Hyperfunction of the larynx correlates with nodule size, while the presence of reflux disease does not. The severity of hoarseness, breathiness, straining and aphonia correlates with the size of vocal nodules.
Wind load effects and equivalent static wind loads of tall buildings based on synchronous pressure measurements

This paper addresses the wind load effects and equivalent static wind loads (ESWLs) of tall buildings based on measured synchronous surface pressures in a wind tunnel. The variations of the gust response factors (GRFs) associated with different alongwind responses are studied, pointing out the deficiency of the traditional ESWL modeling based on the GRF associated with the top displacement. The higher mode contributions to various building responses such as top acceleration, story shear force and bending moment at different building elevations are investigated, which reveals the noticeable contributions of higher modes to some important building responses. The comparison of wind load effects with those based on the wind load specification ASCE 7-05 is also conducted. Furthermore, the practical methodology of modeling ESWLs on tall buildings involving the influence of higher mode contributions is proposed. Finally, using the spatiotemporally varying wind load information, the mode shape correction factors required in the high frequency force balance (HFFB) technique are revisited to examine the efficacy of empirical formulations adopted in current practice.
Glutathione and mercapturic acid conjugations in the metabolism of 2,4-dinitrobromobenzene.

ABSTRACTThe formation of glutathione (GSH) conjugate in the detoxification of [Ring-UL-14C]-2,4-dinitrobromobenzene (DNBB) was investigated using rat liver cytosolic fraction. The mercapturic acid conjugate in rats was also studied by collection of urine of rats dosed with radioactive DNBB by intraperitoneal injection. The glutathione replaced the labile bromo atom and formed the conjugate, S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)glutathione. The GSH conjugate was confirmed by amino acid analysis and by mass spectroscopy as well as co-cochromatography with the synthetic compound. The amount of formation of GSH conjugate was dependent on the amount of GSH added in the incubation mixture. When [Ring-UL-14C]-DNBB was dosed to rats, 69% and 17% of the radiocarbon was excreted via the urine and feces within 72 hours, respectively. The major radioactive metabolite present in the acid urine of DNBB treated was S-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)mercapturic acid accounting for 60% of the administered dose of radiocarbon. The mercapturic acid con...
The Nineteenth-Century American Trade Card

Industrialization, urbanization, and commercial expansion following the Civil War altered the social and economic landscape in America and contributed to the rapid development of new consumer markets. Manufacturers began to vie aggressively for consumer spending. It was the advertising trade card that met the need for an effective national advertising medium, heralding the arrival of an extraordinary variety of manufactured goods newly available to the American public.
An integrated analog sensor for automatic alignment

Automatic alignment is a computationally intensive task that slows some manufacturing processes that require it. In order to improve alignment speed, we have designed a sensor that combines the imaging operation with the computation of the alignment error. The sensor provides x and y translation error signals when an image of the alignment mark is focused upon it. Photodiodes detect the image, and integrated amplifiers convert the photocurrents into an alignment error signal that is independent of illumination level. Alignment is accomplished in two steps. Coarse alignment is performed by operating as a four quadrant sensor, and fine positioning is achieved using edge detection. Measurements have demonstrated a minimum repeatability of 53 ppm and a maximum bandwidth of 7.5 kHz.
A new method of increasing numerical aperture of microlens for biophotonic MEMS

A novel method for increasing numerical aperture of microlens for biophotonic applications is presented in this paper. It is based on the control of UV curable polymer lenslet volume and surface energy of substrates. The volume control of polymer lenslets for tuning the focal length is accomplished on the substrates with different surface energies by a microdispensing method. Microlens with high numerical aperture is fabricated on the control layer of a hydrophobic polymer deposited on the cover substrate of a microfluidic chip. Microlenses with different numerical apertures have been designed and characterized. The high numerical aperture microlens integrated on a microfluidic chip will allow high-resolution and high signal to noise detection in biophotonic MEMS applications.
Analysis of Transcriptome Complexity Through RNA Sequencing in Normal and Failing Murine Hearts

Rationale:Accurate and comprehensive de novo transcriptome profiling in heart is a central issue to better understand cardiac physiology and diseases. Although significant progress has been made in...
In vitro sensitivity of median preoptic neurons to angiotensin II, osmotic pressure, and temperature

In vivo experiments suggest an interaction of the mechanisms involved in the regulation of body fluid balance and body temperature. Increases in plasma osmolality initiate drinking and increase the thermal set point for sweating. The median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) has anatomical connections with brain areas important in fluid balance and cardiovascular regulation and, with the preoptic-anterior hypothalamus, a thermoregulatory region. The present experiments employed in vitro single-unit recordings to determine the sensitivity of MnPO neurons to angiotensin II (ANG II), changes in osmotic pressure, and changes in temperature. One-fifth (11 of 55) of the MnPO neurons responded with changes in firing rate during the ANG II treatment, one-fourth (19 of 75) responded to changes in perfusate osmolality, and there was a significant effect of osmolality and ANG II on the thermosensitivity of 25% of the neurons tested.
Assessment of determinants influencing customers adoption of network provider: An empirical study

In India cellular communication scenario, the term MNP or Mobile Number Portability is becoming more popular. The mobile operators are forced to adapt the Herbert Spencers theory on Survival of the fittest. MNP allows the customer to transfer their existing number from one mobile network provider to another. Thus, if a customer is dissatisfied by the services provided by a mobile operator the customer can now change to another operator without changing the existing number. This change is governed by some factors. Thus, to statistically evaluate the factors influencing MNP, a model has been developed using SEM in this paper.
Tracing the Interstitial Carbide of the Nitrogenase Cofactor during Substrate Turnover

The fate of the interstitial atom of the nitrogenase cofactor during substrate turnover has remained a topic of interest since the discovery of this atom more than a decade ago. In this study, we labeled the interstitial carbide atom with 14C and 13C isotopes and traced the fate of the isotope under turnover conditions. Our results show that the interstitial carbide cannot be exchanged upon turnover, nor can it be used as a substrate and incorporated into the products. These observations point to a role of the interstitial carbide in stabilizing the cofactor structure, although a function of this atom in indirectly modulating the reactivity of the cofactor or directly interacting with the substrate cannot be excluded.
Growth and survival of larvae of Ephydra hians Say (Diptera: Ephydridae) on unialgal diets

The algae Nitzschia latens Hustedt, Ctenocladus circinnatus Borzi, and two species of Oscillatoria were isolated from Mono Lake, which is near Lee Vining, CA, and used to produce cultures containing only one algal species (unialgal cultures). Survival to pupation and rates of larval growth and development were compared among larvae of Ephydra hians Say, which were reared on one of these algal species or on a diet prepared using the fish food Tetramin. It was found that larvae could be reared from the second larval molt to pupation when fed on a single species of algae. Larvae reared on Nitzschia showed significantly increased weight gain and survival compared with larvae reared on Ctenocladus. Growth performance was always ordered Nitzschia, Oscillatoria , then Ctenocladus. Larvae reared on Nitzschia or Oscillatoria developed significantly faster than those reared on Tetramin. The results indicate that single species of Nitzschia and Oscilatoria are adequate food sources for E. hians growth. Although larvae of this fly appear to be generalist algal herbivores, food quality varies between algal species.
Eating Disorder and Menstrual Dysfunction Screening, Education, and Treatment Programs

ABSTRACTOBJECTIVE: To describe the nature, scope, and perceived effectiveness of selected National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 programs for the screening, education, and treatment of eating disorders (ED) and menstrual dysfunction (MD).METHODS: Surveys were mailed to the team physician or the head athletic trainer of all NCAA Division 1 schools currently supporting at least two of the following women's sports: cross-country/track, swimming, and gymnastics. The survey contained closed-and open-ended questions to ascertain the types of ED and MD screening, education, and treatment programs and their perceived effectiveness.RESULTS: A total of 170 surveys were sent, and 81% were returned. Although 79% of schools reported screening for MD, only 24% used a comprehensive menstrual history questionnaire. An MD treatment protocol was used by 33% of schools, and 7% reported withholding those with MD from athletic participation. Screening for ED was reported by 60% of schools, but less than 6%...
The Trade-off between Novelty and Usefulness: Cultural Cognitive Differences and Creativity

Creativity and Innovation have become critical organizational capabilities in today’s global environment and leveraging creative potential of employees across various cultural contexts has become i...
Definition of Unfit for Standard Acute Myeloid Leukemia Therapy.

Determining who is fit or unfit for standard treatments among older adults with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains a challenge. However, available evidence can provide guidance on strategies to assess and categorize fitness. Evidence is strongest to guide identification of “frail” older adults at the time of diagnosis based on performance status, physical function, and comorbidity. Many older adults, with adequate performance status and comorbidity burden, however, may be better characterized as “vulnerable”. These patients have subclinical impairments that limit resilience when stressed with intensive therapies. More sensitive assessment strategies are needed to differentiate fit and vulnerable older adults regardless of chronologic age. Research is ongoing to identify tools and approaches, such as geriatric assessment, that can enhance characterization of fitness for AML therapies. This review will highlight available evidence for assessment of fitness among older adults with AML and discuss implications for practice and research.
Qual a Intenção de um Índice? Ou, Falsificando Fotografias

TraducI§aIƒo: Matheus Araujo dos Santos e Pablo GoncI§alo Se Freud tivesse submetido uma das principais ideologias ocidentais -- o progresso histoIrico -- aI€ psicanaIlise ele teria descoberto a operacI§aIƒo psiIquica primaIria do deslocamento que opera por detraIs do nosso iImpeto constante em direcI§aIƒo aI€ uma perfeicI§aIƒo cada vez maior. Estou defendendo que o que se passa por progresso (especialmente o progresso teoIrico) algumas vezes trata-se simplesmente do deslocamento de problemas naIƒo resolvidos em direcI§aIƒo a uma nova abordagem.
Patient reported outcomes in GNE myopathy: Incorporating a valid assessment of physical function in a rare disease

AbstractBackground: The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the psychometric properties of three patient reported outcome (PRO) measures characterizing physical function in GNE myopathy: the Human Activity Profile, the Inclusion Body Myositis Functional Rating Scale, and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence scale.Methods: This analysis used data from 35 GNE myopathy subjects participating in a natural history study. For construct validity, correlational and known-group analyses were between the PROs and physical assessments. Reliability of the PROs between baseline and 6 months was evaluated using the intra-class correlation coefficient model; internal consistency was tested with Cronbach’s alpha.Results: The hypothesized moderate positive correlations for construct validity were supported; the strongest correlation was between the human activity profile adjusted activity score and the adult myopathy assessment endurance subscale score (r = 0.81; p < 0.0001). The PROs were able to discriminate betw...
An Acoustic Comparison of Mimetic and Non-Mimetic Song in Northern Mockingbirds Mimus polyglottos

In this descriptive study we performed an acoustic comparison of mimetic and non-mimetic song in a highly conspicuous mimic, the Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos. Using automated acoustic software we measured 13 acoustic features from the mimetic and non-mimetic song of 13, free-living, male mockingbirds recorded during the breeding season. We found that when mockingbirds mimic they extend the maximum frequency of their song by over 600 Hz, which increases the frequency bandwidth by 42%. These differences might reflect female preference for the acoustic features present in mimetic song, or they might represent an artefact of which particular acoustic models are imitated by mockingbirds when developing a mimetic repertoire.
Online neural monitoring of statistical learning

The extraction of patterns in the environment plays a critical role in many types of human learning, from motor skills to language acquisition. This process is known as statistical learning. Here we propose that statistical learning has two dissociable components: (1) perceptual binding of individual stimulus units into integrated composites and (2) storing those integrated representations for later use. Statistical learning is typically assessed using post-learning tasks, such that the two components are conflated. Our goal was to characterize the online perceptual component of statistical learning. Participants were exposed to a structured stream of repeating trisyllabic nonsense words and a random syllable stream. Online learning was indexed by an EEG-based measure that quantified neural entrainment at the frequency of the repeating words relative to that of individual syllables. Statistical learning was subsequently assessed using conventional measures in an explicit rating task and a reaction-time task. In the structured stream, neural entrainment to trisyllabic words was higher than in the random stream, increased as a function of exposure to track the progression of learning, and predicted performance on the reaction time (RT) task. These results demonstrate that monitoring this critical component of learning via rhythmic EEG entrainment reveals a gradual acquisition of knowledge whereby novel stimulus sequences are transformed into familiar composites. This online perceptual transformation is a critical component of learning.
Examination of the Relationship Between Gender, Performance, and Enjoyment of a First-Person Shooter Game:

Purpose. The purpose of this work was to explore the relationship between gender, game performance factors, and player enjoyment of a first-person shooter (FPS) video game. Drawing upon the notion ...
Evidence from high-altitude acclimatization for an integrated cerebrovascular and ventilatory hypercapnic response but different responses to hypoxia

Ventilatory and cerebrovascular hypercapnic response patterns show similar plasticity in CO2 sensitivity following hypoxic acclimatization, suggesting an integrated control mechanism. Conversely, v...
Proteomics and the New Biology

Proteomics is the study of the proteome, the protein complement of the genome. The terms “proteomics” and “proteome” were coined by Marc Wilkins and colleagues in the early 1990s and mirror the terms “genomics” and “genome,” which describe the entire collection of genes in an organism. These “-omics” terms symbolize a redefinition of how we think about biology and the workings of living systems (Fig. 1). Until the mid-1990s, biochemists, molecular biologists, and cell biologists studied individual genes and proteins or small clusters of related components of specific biochemical pathways. The techniques then available—Northern blots (for gene expression) and Western blots (for protein levels)—made charting the status of more than a handful of genes or proteins a formidable analytical task.