cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of L-selectin-induced activation of the nuclear factor of activated T lymphocytes (NFAT).

Selectins are mediating transient contacts of leukocytes with endothelium during inflammatory processes and in the development of the immune system. L-selectin expressed on almost all leukocytes also functions as a signaling receptor. Recently, we have identified different signaling pathways in T lymphocytes by L-selectin. One signaling cascade leads via the tyrosine kinase p56lck to the small G-proteins Ras and Rac and to MAP-kinases. A second independent pathway results in ceramide release. In this study, an L-selectin-induced translocation of the transcription factor NFAT to the nucleus was identified. Using genetically modified JCaM1.6 cells, pharmacological inhibitors, and antisense molecules, it was shown that L-selectin-induced NFAT activation depends on src-tyrosine kinases, calcineurin and small G-proteins. MAP-kinases and actin filaments were identified as Ras effectors involved in NFAT translocation. We conclude that L-selectin cross-linking results in activation of NFAT by different signaling pathways. The activation of NFAT might modulate the immune response of leukocytes interacting with endothelial cells.
Development and potential clinical impact of ultra-short acting neuromuscular blocking agents

Developing a non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent that, like succinylcholine, has a rapid onset and a short duration of effect remains a goal of ongoing research. While rocuronium fills a portion of this need, the large doses required for rapid intubation render it a much longer-acting neuromuscular blocking agent. Postoperative residual neuromuscular block (NMB) is an increasingly recognized complication of non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents. This occurs because of dosing choices for neuromuscular blocking agents and anticholinesterases as well as insensitivity of typically used monitors of depth of NMB. While antagonism of NMB is necessary with partial recovery, it is unnecessary with more complete recovery. Even when monitoring with an accelerograph, reversal of NMB is complicated. In addition to the pharmacodynamics of the individual neuromuscular blocking agents, factors such as timing of anticholinesterase administration, dose of anticholinesterase, concomitant medications, electrolyte abnormalities, and hepatic or renal disease can influence the degree of reversal. Sugammadex works differently than anticholinesterases and, when administered in appropriate doses, can reverse even profound block induced with vecuronium or rocuronium. Two new fumarate neuromuscular blocking agents have a rapid onset of effect and can be reversed at any time by administration of cysteine, which could significantly reduce the risk of postoperative residual NMB.
Ex Vivo Imaging of Excised Tissue Using Vital Dyes and Confocal Microscopy

Vital dyes routinely used for staining cultured cells can also be used to stain and image live tissue slices ex vivo. Staining tissue with vital dyes allows researchers to collect structural and functional data simultaneously and can be used for qualitative or quantitative fluorescent image collection. The protocols presented here are useful for structural and functional analysis of viable properties of cells in intact tissue slices, allowing for the collection of data in a structurally relevant environment. With these protocols, vital dyes can be applied as a research tool to disease processes and properties of tissue not amenable to cell culture-based studies.
Parental Support for Language Development During Joint Book Reading for Young Children With Hearing Loss.

Parent and child joint book reading (JBR) characteristics and parent facilitative language techniques (FLTs) were investigated in two groups of parents and their young children; children with normal hearing (NH; n = 60) and children with hearing loss (HL; n = 45). Parent–child dyads were videotaped during JBR interactions, and parent and child behaviors were coded for specific JBR behaviors using a scale developed for this study. Children’s oral language skills were assessed using the Preschool Language Scale–4 (PLS-4). Parents of children with HL scored higher on two of the four subscales of JBR: Literacy Strategies and Teacher Techniques. Parents of children with NH utilized higher level FLTs with their children who had higher language skills. Higher level FLTs were positively related to children’s oral language abilities. Implications are discussed for professionals who work with families of very young children with HL.
PREPARING SURGEONS FOR THE 21ST CENTURY: Implications of Advanced Technologies

An entire spectrum of advanced technologies and concepts has been presented, from the new clinical applications to highly speculative possibilities. Not all of these technologies will survive the long process to clinical usefulness, but those that do may revolutionize surgery. With such change comes the ethical and moral responsibility to consider them not only in the light of improvement of patient care but also in their impact on society as a whole. If the remarkable rate of change of the past 2 decades continues, it is impossible to conceive of the role of future surgeons. Thus, to be prepared, surgeons must have an open mind, a willingness to consider and evaluate new directions, and the honesty and courage to change when a new approach is proven to be of value. A prepared mind is an open mind.
microRNAs: What the Clinician Should Know About This New Frontier

As clinicians, we are often overwhelmed by the explosion of new discoveries in technology. When investigators of various aspects of obesity and diabetes moved from physiologic studies of β-cell function and insulin action in metabolic tissues, they moved into the realm of gene expression, gene array, and other laboratory techniques. These techniques were readily included in our understanding of the disorders. For example, enhanced hepatic glucose production secondary to impaired insulin release from the pancreas and hepatic insulin resistance was often associated with increased expression of important regulatory enzymes, such as glucose-6-phosphatase and PEPCK. The exquisite regulation of their gene expression is commonly measured as mRNA, a step before translation into the protein. More recently, we have had to come to grips with large-scale genome-wide association studies that relate the disease with single nucleotide polymorphisms—often only associations without definitive or identifiable causal relationships. Thus, while we could readily understand genetic mutations resulting in disease states, it was often less apparent how single nucleotide polymorphisms could explain diseases in the absence of genetic mutations (1). If that wasn’t enough, we now are becoming overwhelmed by new physiologic and pathologic processes discovered more recently as the sequence of the whole genome is no longer …
The CERAD Neuropathology Protocol and Consensus Recommendations for the Postmortem Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Commentary

Abstract CERAD, a multicenter longitudinal study, has developed standardized instruments for the evaluation of individuals clinically diagnosed as having Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The CERAD neuropathology protocol not only establishes levels of certainty for AD diagnosis, but also records information on other conditions occurring concomitantly with or misdiagnosed as AD. The protocol has been widely adopted because of its relative simplicity, adaptability, and reliability. Indeed, the Consensus principles proposed are, for the most part, consistent with CERAD guidelines. The recommendation that diagnosis rest upon both neuritic plaque and neurofibrillary tangle frequency/distribution in the neocortex, however, is worrisome. This change will eliminate or downgrade many cases now diagnosed as AD with concomitant Parkinson’s disease changes. Reclassifying such cases at this time, without compelling pathobiological justification, is premature. Instead, I recommend retention or modest modification of the current CERAD protocol, and propose that neuropathology data available on autopsies of over 200 CERAD dementia subjects be used for testing potential modifications of the diagnostic algorithm.
The design and implementation of a declarative sensor network system

Sensor networks are notoriously difficult to program, given that they encompass the complexities of both distributed and embedded systems. To address this problem, we present the design and implementation of a declarative sensor network platform, DSN: a declarative language, compiler and runtime suitable for programming a broad range of sensornet applications. We demonstrate that our approach is a natural fit for sensor networks by specifying several very different classes of traditional sensor network protocols, services and applications entirely declaratively -- these include tree and geographic routing, link estimation, data collection, event tracking, version coherency, and localization. To our knowledge, this is the first time these disparate sensornet tasks have been addressed by a single high-level programming environment. Moreover, the declarative approach accommodates the desire for architectural flexibility and simple management of limited resources. Our results suggest that the declarative approach is well-suited to sensor networks, and that it can produce concise and flexible code by focusing on what the code is doing, and not on how it is doing it.
Computers in dental radiography: a scenario for the future

Diagnostic application have been uncovered that, until recently, were not even considered possible.
Performance comparison of TEQ design techniques for FDM ADSL

TEQ design to maximize the data rate for FDM ADSL channels is challenging due to the bandsplit filtering. In this paper, a performance comparison of several TEQ design techniques is presented for typical FDM channels. It is observed that (a) no single TEQ design criterion achieves the maximum performance, and (b) the performance is limited by the resulting TEQ design producing large variations in the passband region and/or emphasizing the stopband region. It is then shown that in many of these cases, better performance can be obtained by applying a spectral flatness constraint to the TEQ design. Additionally, we demonstrate that the dual TEQ and per tone equalizer are well suited to equalizing FDM ADSL systems.
Continuing debate: validity and utility of magnetic resonance imaging of the upper cervical spine after whiplash exposure.

COMMENTARY ON: Freeman MD, Centeno E, Katz E. Magnetic resonance imaging of whiplash injury in the upper cervical spine: controversy or confounding? Spine J 2009;9:789–90 ( this issue ). Myran R, Kvistad KA, Nygaard OP, et al. Reply. Spine J 2009;9:790–1 ( in this issue ).
Involuntary Outpatient Commitment, Community Treatment Orders, and Assisted Outpatient Treatment: What's in the Data?:

Objective:Involuntary outpatient commitment (OPC), also referred to as community treatment orders or assisted outpatient treatment, is a legal intervention intended to improve treatment adherence a...
Phosphorylation of Chk1 by ATR Is Antagonized by a Chk1-Regulated Protein Phosphatase 2A Circuit

In higher eukaryotic organisms, the checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) contributes essential functions to both cell cycle and checkpoint control. Chk1 executes these functions, in part, by targeting the Cdc25A protein phosphatase for ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. In response to genotoxic stress, Chk1 is phosphorylated on serines 317 (S317) and 345 (S345) by the ataxia-telangiectasia-related (ATR) protein kinase. Phosphorylation of Chk1 on these C-terminal serine residues is used as an indicator of Chk1 activation in vivo. Here, we report that inhibition of Chk1 kinase activity paradoxically leads to the accumulation of S317- and S345-phosphorylated Chk1 in vivo and that ATR catalyzes Chk1 phosphorylation under these conditions. We demonstrate that Chk1 phosphorylation by ATR is antagonized by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Importantly, dephosphorylation of Chk1 by PP2A is regulated, in part, by the kinase activity of Chk1. We propose that the ATR-Chk1-PP2A regulatory circuit functions to keep Chk1 in a low-activity state during an unperturbed cell division cycle but at the same time keeps Chk1 primed to respond rapidly in the event that cells encounter genotoxic stress.
Passivibility of nonlinear systems

Presents necessary and sufficient conditions under which a nonlinear system can be rendered passive or strictly passive via feedback. Different types (state, output etc.) of feedback are considered. No "globally defined normal form" is required. Existing results on passivibility are seriously extended.
Finding fundamental cycles and bridges on a tree-structured parallel computer

We present parallel algorithms for finding fundamental cycles and bridges in a connected, undirected graph G with n vertices. The machine model that we are concerned with is a tree-structured parallel computer which combines SIMD and systolic computers in a treelike manner. Under this model, we have an O(n2dp + n log p)-time algorithm for finding fundamental cycles and an O(n2p)-time algorithm for finding bridges, where p (1 ⩽ p ⩽ n) is the number of processing elements used and d is the depth of a breadth-first spanning tree of G.
Emergency Medicine Residents' Perspectives on Injury Prevention

Abstract Study objective: To determine emergency medicine residents' perspectives and opinions concerning the relevance of injury prevention to emergency medicine and their exposure to formal instruction and readings in this subspecialty area. Methods: A survey was mailed between November 1992 and February 1993 to all 461 residents and 1992 graduates of the 13 emergency medicine residency programs in California. Results: Three hundred ninety questionnaires (85%) were returned. Ninety-seven percent of respondents said they believed injury prevention is pertinent to emergency medicine. Sixty-two percent said they believed inadequate time in residency is devoted to this subject, and 70% said there should be a greater focus on injury prevention in their training. Only 44% of the respondents said they had received lectures and 28% of the respondents said they consistently read journal articles on injury prevention. There were no statistically significant differences between the level of the respondents' training and their answers to the questions. Conclusion: Although most emergency medicine residents consider injury prevention pertinent to emergency medicine and important to their training, most perceived a lack of formal instruction on injury prevention during their training and did not consistently read articles on this subspecialty area. [Anglin D, Hutson HR, Kyriacou DN: Emergency medicine residents' perspective on injury prevention. Ann Emerg Med July 1996;28:31-33.]
Further Studies on a Spectral Model of the Global Barotropic Primitive Equations with Hough Harmonic Expansions.

Abstract This paper describes further improvement in a new spectral model of the global barotropic primitive equations (Kasahara, 1977) which utilizes Hough harmonies as basis functions. A review is presented on a method of constructing Hough harmonics (normal modes of Laplace's tidal equations) with new results of the eigensolutions for the logitudinal wavenumber zero case. Applying this complete set of orthonormal Hough harmonics, we formulate a spectral model of the nonlinear, barotropic primitive equations (shallow-water equations) over a sphere which eliminates separate treatment of the zonally averaged component equations in the previously proposed model by the author. An example of the model calculation with Haurwitz wavenumber 6 initial conditions is presented.
A branch-and-price framework for optimal virtual network embedding

Network virtualization promises a future Internet that can facilitate technology revolutions via decoupling the traditional Internet Service Providers (ISPs) into the infrastructure providers (InPs), and the service providers (SPs). This separation introduces an extra layer of abstraction, thus allowing independent innovations at both the hardware level and service level. In this paper, we study the fundamental virtual network embedding (VNE) problem in network virtualization, which aims at mapping the virtual network request of the SPs to the substrate networks managed by the InPs. Given the NP-Completeness of the VNE problem, prior approaches primarily rely on the solving of the link-based Integer Linear Programming (ILP) formulations, relaxations, and heuristics. In this study, we first present a compact path-based ILP model. Moreover, we present a branch-and-price framework that embeds a column generation process to solve the proposed ILP model. Our framework can lead to optimal solution to the VNE problem, or near optimal solution with per-instance guarantee on its closeness to the optimal solution.
Modeling Annual Poverty In A Metropolitan Area

This study establishes a methodology to create annual rates of poverty within a metropolitan region. The site selected is Los Angeles/Long Beach, where trend lines are separately calculated for all residents, whites, blacks, Hispanics, female family heads, the elderly and children. The most striking evidence is the surge in poverty among Hispanics and children, which pulls up the overall rate for the region. The trends foretell the formation of an immense impoverished Hispanic underclass.
Blown powder deposition of 4047 aluminum on 2024 aluminum substrates

Abstract Aluminum and its alloys are difficult to deposit with the aid of lasers owing to their high reflectivity to incident light. This research deposits aluminum 4047 powder on widely-used aluminum 2024. The research concluded with successful blown powder deposition of aluminum 4047 thin wall structures using fiber lasers thereby proving feasibility of deposition and the bonding of two dissimilar aluminum alloys. Metallographic analysis conducted on the thin wall structures shows a distinct lack of porosity which leads to favorable material characteristics. Micro-hardness estimation is used to support the argument. Finally, scanning electron microscopy was employed to ascertain material distribution.
Accommodating streams to support active conceptual modeling of learning from surprises

We argue that a key requirement on an information system that can implement an active conceptual model of learning from surprises is the ability to query data that is not query-able by content, especially data streams; we suggest that such data be queried by context. We propose an enhancement of entity-relationship modeling with active constructs in order to permit such streams to have context-based relationships with standard data. We propose a framework where in the analysis of surprises and the subsequent monitoring of states that are ripe for such events are possible by the use of such contexts.
The Role of Skeletal Muscle in Glucose Transport, Glucose Homeostasis, and Insulin Resistance: Implications for Physical Therapy

Skeletal muscle has a fundamentally important role in the maintenance of normal glucose homeostasis and in regulating whole-body carbohydrate metabolism. In this review, we discuss the regulation of skeletal muscle glucose transport by muscular activity and inactivity. A large number of patients routinely seen by physical therapists exhibit some form of skeletal muscle insulin resistance. Therefore, we discuss how skeletal muscle insulin resistance can be localized to a relatively small muscle mass, or in other circumstances can affect a large proportion of the muscle mass leading to disturbances in whole-body glucose homeostasis. We review the mechanisms and regulation of skeletal muscle glucose transport as background for understanding how defects in this process may contribute to the underlying pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Research into the events regulating glucose entry into skeletal muscles has considerable impact on how physical therapy exercise prescriptions may benefit patients with disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism. With an understanding of the principles of proper exercise prescription, physical therapists can use exercise training as a primary therapeutic intervention to improve local muscle and whole-body glucose utilization, and thereby minimize insulin resistance.
‘Modes of governing’ and solid waste management in Maui, Hawaii, USA:

Maui, Hawaii, USA is an island with sensitive ecosystems and sharply circumscribed spatial resources for waste disposal. Despite the State of Hawaii's preferences to the contrary, Maui remains heavily dependent on landfilling and to a lesser extent, landfill diversion techniques to manage its solid waste. This article examines the history of solid waste management on Maui through the lens of Bulkeley, Watson, and Hudson's (2007) ‘modes of governing’ framework for the analysis of environmental and infrastructural policy issues. This approach asks users to consider equally and simultaneously the structures, processes, technologies, and ultimately, multiplicities of governance activities. Based on an analysis of approximately 200 government, private firm, and news media documents, it is demonstrated that private firms played a very significant role in shaping solid waste management on Maui, and were able to introduce their own desired modes for governing solid waste management that supplanted the preferences...
Microscopic Evaluation of Peritumoral Lesions of Feline Injection Site Sarcomas Identified by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography.

Objective Determine whether dual-phase computed tomography angiogram (CTA) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detect more peritumoral lesions of feline injection site sarcoma (FISS) and determine whether CTA or MRI imaging characteristics of peritumoral lesions correspond with microscopic findings. Study Design Prospective clinical study. Animals Ten client-owned cats with FISS. Methods A fiducial marker detectable on CTA and MRI was sutured to the skin over the FISS as a standard reference point. All cats received MRI and CTA of the FISS, immediately followed by wide surgical excision. Targeted microscopic evaluation was performed on tissue with imaging-identified lesions and on the surgical margins. Results A total of 87 imaging-identified peritumoral lesions were examined microscopically (median 4 per cat, range 3–9) with 17/87 (20%) categorized as neoplastic, 51/87 (59%) as nonneoplastic, and 19/87 (22%) as equivocal. In 25 instances, peritumoral lesions were seen on both imaging modalities at the same location. Unique imaging characteristics were seen in 5/17 neoplastic peritumoral lesions (4 cats; all different lesions; 1 CTA, 4 MRI). The CTA and MRI appearances of the remaining 12/17 neoplastic lesions were nonspecific, being observed across more than 1 microscopic category. Conclusion CTA and MRI identified a similar number of peritumoral lesions. The extensive overlap between imaging features of neoplastic and nonneoplastic lesions precludes definitive identification of neoplastic peritumoral FISS lesions using CTA or MRI.
Seizures and Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy

The prevalence, morbidity and mortality, diagnosis and management of cases of fabricated seizures and child abuse (Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSbp)) are assessed by pediatricians at the University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, UK.
Aftermath of a stream capture: Cactus Park lake spillover and the origin of East Creek, Uncompahgre Plateau, western Colorado

Newly discovered lacustrine strata suggest that the most significant episode of stream capture in the upper Colorado River system (western USA), namely the abandonment of Unaweep Canyon, probably involved a combination of headward erosion and lake spillover. The abandonment of Unaweep Canyon occurred in two stages. The first stage was marked by the capture of the Colorado River, after which time the Gunnison River continued to incise. Continued incision by the Gunnison River created a wall of rock on the east side of the Gunnison River valley in Cactus Park and left the abandoned Colorado River bed well above the Gunnison River. The second stage involved two blockages, one created by the thick fill within Unaweep Canyon and one at the south end of Cactus Park, which led to the creation of a lake within Cactus Park. The lake level rose until it flooded the abandoned Colorado River bed and spilled over at the point where the Colorado River had been captured earlier, during the first stage of abandonment. Present-day East Creek was created by re-incision of the abandoned Colorado River course, which explains why the course of East Creek has a northeastward trend that is completely anomalous with respect to all other tributaries draining this area of the Uncompahgre Plateau. The rapid incision created a large quantity of debris that deflected the Gunnison River eastward at the mouth of East Creek. The evidence suggests that the abandonment of Cactus Park and Unaweep Canyon by the Gunnison River and the creation and destruction of Cactus Park lake all likely occurred ca. 800 ka and shortly thereafter. The Unaweep Canyon classic example of stream piracy illustrates how piracy alone can dramatically influence landscape development even in the absence of significant tectonic and climatic influences.
Substituted melamines as chemosterilants of house flies.

One hundred ten substituted melamines were tested as chemosterilants against Musca domestica L. Melamines that were sufficiently basic to form stable salts were tested as hydrochlorides. Fifty-five effectively inhibited hatch or pupation. The most effective inhibitors of hatch were tri- to hexasubstituted methylmelamines. Melamines without methyl groups or methylmelamines containing large alkyl, aryl, or other bulky groups were ineffective against males. As a rule, compounds that affected hatch when both sexes were treated were also effective when only males were treated. Melamines that had 2 free amino groups and small cyclic substituents on the 3rd exocyclic nitrogen were generally without effect on hatch, but they inhibited pupation of larvae produced by treated females. The inhibitors of pupation were ineffective in sterilizing males. All compounds were evaluated in 2 diets: sugar and fly food. The effects of the 2 foods and of the 2 forms of the compounds were often large, but only relatively uniform series of results were considered in structure-activity correlations.
Employing Adaptive Mesh Refinement for Simulating the Exhaust Gas Recirculation Mixing Process

One significant emissions issue of compression ignition engines that directly influences human health is the production of nitrogen oxides (NOx). Once produced, these species are difficult to convert catalytically in the exhaust and often require a complex aftertreatment system to mitigate their release into the environment. The common methodology by the internal combustion engine community to reduce the amount of NOx is to employ Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) in order to dilute the intake mixture with inert species (e.g., water). This lowers the combustion temperature lessening the thermal NO production mechanism. Improper mixing of EGR with the intake (species in-homogeneity, low levels of mixing turbulence, etc.) can lead to significant cylinder-to-cylinder variation in combustion temperatures and NOx emissions, making it more difficult to achieve regulatory standards.In this effort, a three-dimensional (3-D), transient, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed in order to more accurately model the mixing of EGR and intake for a single-cylinder test engine. Mixing is achieved for this engine by using a small rectangular box in which clean air and engine exhaust for controlled recirculation are mixed prior to engine intake. A matrix of computational analyses at different engine loads, and simulation types (large eddy and Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes) at 25% EGR were performed to check computational time and agreement with experimental measurements. Moreover, this effort employs the use of adaptive mesh techniques in order to understand their usage and validate correct implementation for later endeavors including more complex geometries, such as the manifold of a multi-cylinder engine. The simulation results indicate that mass flow rate and temperature of the mixture as it leaves the mixing box agree to within 3% of experimental values. Furthermore, pressures at the air and EGR inlet boundaries showed agreement to around 1% and 12%, respectively, with the experimental measuring points indicated as the reason for the difference. In addition, species mixing of carbon monoxide was uniform to within 440 ppm. Finally, the use of the models may also account for a prior discrepancy in the output power of the single-cylinder engine test stand.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Facilitation of Rapid Temporal Processing by Ion Channel Cooperativity Suggests Coordination through Membrane Electromechanics

The ability of neuronal populations to rapidly encode and process information is crucial for such basic computations as coincidence detection, grouping by synchrony and spike-timing-dependent plasticity. Theoretical analyses have linked these abilities to the fast-onset dynamics of action potentials (APs). A computational analysis that invokes cooperative activation of Na+ ion channels at the axon initial segment (AIS) predicts rapid AP onset. The near simultaneous gating of ion channels results in a channel-density dependent hyperpolarizing shift in the population activation curve and rapid AP initiation. The biophysical basis for intra-channel coupling is unknown. Membrane mechanics is known to modulate ion channel function and membrane tethers have been shown to generate electromechanical force at frequencies up to 10 kHz. We propose that membrane electromechanics contributes to cooperative gating of sodium channels at the AIS by providing a fast and direct mechanism for coordinating inter-channel activity. Ion channels are clustered by the actin based cytoskeleton in the AIS. Since cooperative activation is dependent on the density of Na+ channels, their clustering enhances cooperative gating. We find that membrane-cytoskeleton adhesion is stronger in the AIS than it is in the neuronal soma using optical tweezers. This is consistent with recent experiments showing the removal of a cytoskeletal scaffold protein disrupts sodium channel function and results in impaired network excitability. We also use optical tweezers to measure membrane electromechanical force generation in voltage clamped cells. The use of concomitant variation between electromechanical force and channel function to determine the membrane's role in ion channel gating will be discussed.
A Brief Discussion on Setting up Modern Higher Vocational Education & Teaching System

After several years practice on higher vocational technology, we have learned much more from the experience of setting up modern higher professional teaching system. In this article, some suggestions and methods about talents training are put forward, according to a series of links from the formulation and implement of teaching program to the final examination.
Analysis on Epidemic Characteristics of Scarlatina Form 1965 to 2004 in Nanning

Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of scarlatina in Nanning and to institute pertinent prevention and control measures. Methods Epidemiological data of scarlatina form 1965 through 2004 in Nanning were reviewed. Results Before the 1980s, there was a major intensive epidemic of scarlatina once in Nanning. Sporadic cases became the major prevalent form after entering the 1980s, and the incidence fluctuated below 5 in 100,000. The incidence was higher in cities than in rural regions. The peak of onset was in winter and spring. The vulnerable population was children and adolescent age ranged 0～19, including the primary and middle school pupils and students, scattered-living children and nursery school children. But compared to that in the previous epidemics, the structure of patients altered in their ages, and the proportion of preschool and kindergarten children increased (P0.005). Conclusion Children are the vulnerable population of scarlatina that requires particula prevention measures. Since the increasing trend of preschool and kindergarten children contracted with scarlatina in the 1980s in Nanning, surveillance of scarlet fever should be addressed in the nursery institutions and schools especially the non-state nursery institutions and schools in the area of urban and suburban connection location to prevent the outbreak of this disease.
Abscission zone development in Setaria viridis and its domesticated relative, Setaria italica

Premise of the study Development of an abscission zone (AZ) is needed for dispersal of seeds, and AZ loss was a critical early step in plant domestication. The AZ forms in different tissues in different species of plants, but whether the AZ is developmentally similar wherever it occurs is unknown. AZ development in Setaria viridis was studied as a representative of the previously uncharacterized subfamily Panicoideae. Methods One accession of the wild species S. viridis and two of its domesticate, S. italica, were studied. Strength of the AZ was measured with a force gauge. Anatomy of the AZ was studied throughout development using bright field and confocal microscopy. Key results The force required to remove a spikelet of S. viridis from the parent plant dropped steadily during development, whereas that required to remove spikelets of S. italica increased initially before stabilizing at a high level. Despite the clear difference in tensile strength of the AZ, anatomical differences between S. viridis and S. italica were subtle, and the position of the AZ was not easy to determine in cross sections of pedicel apices. Staining with DAPI showed that nuclei were present up to and presumably through abscission in S. viridis, and acridine orange staining showed much less lignification than in other cereals. Conclusions The AZ in Setaria is developmentally and anatomically different from that characterized in rice, barley, and many eudicots. In particular, no set of small, densely cytoplasmic cells is obvious. This difference in anatomy could point to differential genetic control of the structure.
Liver Label Retaining Cancer Cells Are Relatively Resistant to the Reported Anti-Cancer Stem Cell Drug Metformin.

Background & Aims: Recently, we reported that liver Label Retaining Cancer Cells (LRCC) can initiate tumors with only 10 cells and are relatively resistant to the targeted drug Sorafenib, a standard of practice in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). LRCC are the only cancer stem cells (CSC) isolated alive according to a stem cell fundamental function, asymmetric cell division. Metformin has been reported to preferentially target many other types of CSC of different organs, including liver. It's important to know if LRCC, a novel class of CSC, are relatively resistant to metformin, unlike other types of CSC. As metformin inhibits the Sorafenib-Target-Protein (STP) PI3K, and LRCC are newly described CSC, we undertook this study to test the effects of Metformin on Sorafenib-treated HCC and HCC-derived-LRCC. Methods: We tested various STP levels and phosphorylation status, associated genes' expression, proliferation, viability, toxicity, and apoptosis profiles, before and after treatment with Sorafenib with/without Metformin. Results: Metformin enhances the effects of Sorafenib on HCC, and significantly decreased viability/proliferation of HCC cells. This insulin-independent effect was associated with inhibition of multiple STPs (PKC, ERK, JNK and AKT). However, Metformin increased the relative proportion of LRCCs. Comparing LRCC vs. non-LRCC, this effect was associated with improved toxicity and apoptosis profiles, down-regulation of cell death genes and up-regulation of cell proliferation and survival genes in LRCC. Concomitantly, Metformin up-regulated pluripotency, Wnt, Notch and SHH pathways genes in LRCC vs. non-LRCC. Conclusions: Metformin and Sorafenib have enhanced anti-cancer effects. However, in contradistinction to reports on other types of CSC, Metformin is less effective against HCC-derived-CSC LRCC. Our results suggest that combining Metformin with Sorafenib may be able to repress the bulk of tumor cells, but as with other anti-cancer drugs, may leave LRCC behind leading to cancer recurrence. Therefore, liver LRCC, unlike other types of CSC, are relatively resistant to the reported anti-cancer stem cell drug metformin. This is the first report that there is a type of CSC that is not relatively resistant to the CSC-targeting drug. Our findings suggest that a drug targeting LRCC may be critically needed to target CSC and prevent cancer recurrence. These may significantly contribute to the understanding of Metformin's anti-cancer effects and the development of novel drugs targeting the relatively resistant LRCC.
Establishment and Reversal of HIV-1 Latency in Naive and Central Memory CD4+ T Cells In Vitro

UNLABELLED The latent HIV-1 reservoir primarily resides in resting CD4(+) T cells which are a heterogeneous population composed of both naive (TN) and memory cells. In HIV-1-infected individuals, viral DNA has been detected in both naive and memory CD4(+) T cell subsets although the frequency of HIV-1 DNA is typically higher in memory cells, particularly in the central memory (TCM) cell subset. TN and TCM cells are distinct cell populations distinguished by many phenotypic and physiological differences. In this study, we used a primary cell model of HIV-1 latency that utilizes direct infection of highly purified TN and TCM cells to address differences in the establishment and reversal of HIV-1 latency. Consistent with what is seen in vivo, we found that HIV-1 infected TN cells less efficiently than TCM cells. However, when the infected TN cells were treated with latency-reversing agents, including anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies, phorbol myristate acetate/phytohemagglutinin, and prostratin, as much (if not more) extracellular virion-associated HIV-1 RNA was produced per infected TN cell as per infected TCM cell. There were no major differences in the genomic distribution of HIV-1 integration sites between TN and TCM cells that accounted for these observed differences. We observed decay of the latent HIV-1 cells in both T cell subsets after exposure to each of the latency-reversing agents. Collectively, these data highlight significant differences in the establishment and reversal of HIV-1 latency in TN and TCM CD4(+) T cells and suggest that each subset should be independently studied in preclinical and clinical studies. IMPORTANCE The latent HIV-1 reservoir is frequently described as residing within resting memory CD4(+) T cells. This is largely due to the consistent finding that memory CD4(+) T cells, specifically the central (TCM) and transitional memory compartments, harbor the highest levels of HIV-1 DNA in individuals on suppressive therapy. This has yielded little research into the contribution of CD4(+) naive T (TN) cells to the latent reservoir. In this study, we show that although TN cells harbor significantly lower levels of HIV-1 DNA, following latency reversal, they produced as many virions as did the TCM cells (if not more virions). This suggests that latently infected TN cells may be a major source of virus following treatment interruption or failure. These findings highlight the need for a better understanding of the establishment and reversal of HIV-1 latency in TN cells in evaluating therapeutic approaches to eliminate the latent reservoir.
Fetal and neonatal maxillary ontogeny in extant humans and the utility of prenatal maxillary morphology in predicting ancestral affiliation.

OBJECTIVES The midface of extant Homo sapiens is known to undergo shape changes through fetal and neo-natal ontogeny; however, little work has been done to quantify these shape changes. Further, while midfacial traits which vary in frequency between populations of extant humans are presumed to develop prenatally, patterns of population-specific variation maxillary shape across ontogeny are not well documented. Only one study of fetal ontogeny which included specific discussion of the midface has taken a three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach, and that study was limited to one population (Japanese). The present research project seeks to augment our understanding of fetal maxillary growth patterns, most especially in terms of intraspecific variation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three-dimensional coordinate landmark data were collected on the right maxillae of 102 fetal and neo-natal individuals from three groups (Euro-American, African-American, "Mixed Ancestry"). RESULTS Shape changes were seen mainly in the lateral wall of the piriform aperture, the anterior nasal spine, and the subnasal alveolar region. The greatest difference across age groups (second trimester, third trimester, neonates) was between the second and third trimester. Euro-Americans and African-Americans clustered by population and differences in midfacial morphology related to ancestry could be discerned as early as the second trimester (p = .002), indicating that population variation in maxillary morphology appears very early in ontogeny. DISCUSSION The midface is a critical region of the skull for assessing ancestry and these results indicate that maxillary morphology may be useful for estimating ancestry for prenatal individuals as young as the second trimester.
Rates of past-year alcohol treatment across two time metrics and differences by alcohol use disorder severity and mental health comorbidities

Abstract Introduction Little is known about how alcohol treatment rates vary across age or years since onset of an alcohol use disorder (AUD). We examined past-year treatment prevalence and associations across these important time metrics. Method Data on 22,278 adults ages 18–50 were from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions-III (2012–2013). We examined the age-varying prevalence of alcohol treatment and associations of past-year AUD severity, MDD status, and DUD status with treatment. Additionally, for individuals with a lifetime AUD (N = 7089), we examined associations of severity, MDD, and DUD across years since AUD onset. Results Individuals with Moderate/Severe past-year AUD had significantly higher treatment rates at nearly all ages, compared to those with Mild or no AUD. For those with Moderate/Severe AUD, treatment rates were highest during late adolescence and middle adulthood and lowest during early adulthood. Mental health comorbidities were positively associated with treatment at certain age ranges in mid-adulthood. Among individuals with a lifetime AUD, those with Moderate/Severe past-year AUD had significantly higher past-year treatment rates across all years since onset. MDD and DUD were both positively associated with treatment at nearly all years since AUD onset. Conclusions Alcohol treatment rates varied notably by age and, to a lesser extent, by years since AUD onset. Greater AUD severity was consistently associated with higher rates of treatment, whereas Mild AUD had a much weaker relationship. MDD and DUD showed similar patterns of positive association with treatment. Our results highlight important subgroups where unmet treatment needs are highest.
The Global Ethnopole in the Global City

The focus of this book on the global ethnopole develops a new approach to the study of the urban ethnic community or the immigrant enclave by paying as much attention to its local as to its transnational relations and global articulations. It unveils the global dimension of the local place as something intrinsic to its everyday life.150 This globality, with its multitude of temporalities, is not imposed on the local, but instead has always been part of its trajectory. Such a global process affects segments of the local community differently, because of the different ways the latter becomes embedded in the former. There is much diversity in the expression of that globality at the local level as a result of multiple temporalities of social action, spatial practices, generational positions, and class status. Thus, the ethriopole is a vivid spatial expression of the social reproduction of the articulation between the global and the local.
Comparative performance of M-MCM-41 (M: Cu, Co, Ni, Pd, Zn and Sn) catalysts for steam reforming of methanol

Abstract One-pot hydrothermal procedure was used to synthesize high surface area M-MCM-41 (M: Cu, Co, Ni, Pd, Zn, and Sn) nanocatalysts. The M-MCM-41 catalysts containing 10 wt% of different metals were examined to evaluate the performance of individual metals in steam reforming of methanol (SRM) in terms of activity, selectivity and long term stability under similar operating conditions. The fresh and spent catalysts were characterized using BET, XRD, TGA-DSC, TEM, TPR, ICP-OES, EDX, Raman, and FTIR analytical techniques. Cu-MCM-41 showed the best performance in terms of activity and selectivity among the different catalysts investigated in this study. The overall SRM reactivity trend for different metals based on methanol conversion followed the order: Cu-MCM-41 > Pd-MCM-41 > Sn-MCM-41 > Ni-MCM-41 ≈ Zn-MCM-41 > Co-MCM-41. The catalytic performance of Cu-MCM-41 at 250 °C using 1:3 methanol-water mole ratios showed 100% H2 selectivity, ∼6% CO, and no methane formation. The time-on-stream studies conducted continuously for 40 h at 300 °C revealed that Cu-MCM-41 was the most stable catalysts and displayed consistent steady state conversion (up to74%). The SRM activity of Pd, Sn and Zn was comparatively better; however, they deactivated steadily with time. Although coking was a major factor in deactivation of the catalysts, degradation of the mesoporous structure and thermal sintering appeared to play an influential role in deactivation, particularly in the case of Sn-MCM-41.