cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effectiveness and acceptability of empirically supported treatments in gender minority youth across four randomized controlled trials.

Objective Gender minority youth (i.e., children/adolescents whose gender identity and/or expression is inconsistent with their birth-assigned sex) experience elevated rates of emotional and behavioral problems relative to cisgender youth (who identify with their birth-assigned sex), which are not intrinsic to gender identity but attributable to unique minority stressors. Although empirically supported treatments have proven effective in treating these mental health concerns generally, randomized controlled trials have not examined effects for gender minority youth. Method To address this gap, we pooled data from clinically referred youth (N = 432; M(SD)age = 10.6(2.2); 55.1% White) assigned to empirically supported treatment conditions across four previous randomized controlled trials of modular psychotherapy. A proxy indicator of gender identity (i.e., youth's wish to be the opposite sex) was used to classify gender minority (n = 64) and cisgender (n = 368) youth. Youth- and caregiver-reported pretreatment internalizing and externalizing problems, treatment effectiveness on these domains, and treatment acceptability were compared across groups. Results Gender minority youth reported more severe pretreatment internalizing and externalizing problems compared to cisgender youth; in contrast, their caregivers reported less severe problems. Although treatment was equally effective for both groups on most outcomes, gender minority youth's caregiver-reported externalizing problems improved more slowly and less reliably, and their self-reported internalizing problems were more likely to remain clinically elevated. Furthermore, gender minority youth reported lower treatment satisfaction. Conclusions While findings suggest that empirically supported treatments may effectively address many mental health problems for gender minority youth, they also underscore the need for treatment enhancements that improve acceptability and outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Medicaid and Medicare Part B spending on immunomodulators and biosimilars

Prices for immunomodulators used in dermatological conditions are rising in the United States. While Medicare Part-D solely covers medication costs, Medicare Part-B covers outpatient infusion and i...
Homes across the Border: Russian Summer Houses in the Karelian Isthmus and the Finnish State, 1917–1927

At the end of the 19th century, numerous St. Petersburg residents established their summer homes in the Karelian Isthmus, a picturesque region in the Grand Duchy of Finland, an autonomous province of the Russian Empire. The ease of travel between the Russian imperial capital and the Finnish seaside towns contributed to this practice. After 1917, a new border regime delineated the nascent Finnish state from the equally new Russian/Soviet state. This change displaced the majority of Russian proprietors, as well as those imperial subjects who rented vacation properties from local Finns. This article addresses how state-building practices distinguishing between insiders' and outsiders' access to rights and privileges reflected the significance of territorial borders as markers of a state's territorial sovereignty. It does so by investigating how Finnish–Russian social ties affected the Finnish government's management of real estate owned or used by subjects of the former Russian Empire. Using archival materia...
SARS-CoV-2 spike-specific memory B cells express markers of durable immunity after non-severe COVID-19 but not after severe disease

SARS-CoV-2 infection elicits a robust B cell response, resulting in the generation of long-lived plasma cells and memory B cells. Here, we aimed to determine the effect of COVID-19 severity on the memory B cell response and characterize changes in the memory B cell compartment between recovery and five months post-symptom onset. Using high-parameter spectral flow cytometry, we analyzed the phenotype of memory B cells with reactivity against the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein or the spike receptor binding domain (RBD) in recovered individuals who had been hospitalized with non-severe (n=8) or severe (n=5) COVID-19. One month after symptom onset, a substantial proportion of spike-specific IgG+ B cells showed an activated phenotype. In individuals who experienced non-severe disease, spike-specific IgG+ B cells showed increased expression of markers associated with durable B cell memory, including T-bet, FcRL5, and CD11c, which was not observed after severe disease. Five months post-symptom onset, the majority of spike-specific memory B cells had a resting phenotype and the percentage of spike-specific T-bet+ IgG+ memory B cells decreased to baseline levels. Collectively, our results suggest that the memory B cell response elicited during non-severe COVID-19 may be of higher quality than the response after severe disease.
Investigating the Effects of Virtual Patients’ Nonsensical Responses on Users’ Facial Expressions in Mental Health Training Scenarios

This report investigates how clinician-participants react to virtual patients’ sensical vs. nonsensical responses in a training simulation that aims to help clinicians acquire empathetic skills toward high-risk patients with symptoms of the Suicide Crisis Syndrome (SCS). Two suicidal virtual patients were developed, and clinician-participants interactions with them were recorded. Their facial emotions were analysed in three key moments: after a baseline sensical response, after a nonsensical response, and after the following sensical response. We compared their basic facial emotions aggregated into Negative and Positive facial affective behaviors (FABs). We describe our study involving ten clinician-participants and the results of the facial expression analysis with Noldus FaceReader. Our results suggest that nonsensical responses from virtual humans have an overall impact in both Positive and Negative facial affective emotions, and may lead to an increased percent of time participants demonstrate Negative facial affective behaviors when interacting with virtual humans. We discuss several aspects regarding the impacts and importance of considering nonsensical responses in the context of virtual human-based interactions.
Empirical Examination of Information Privacy Concerns Instrument in the Social Media Context

Concern for information privacy (CFIP) has been widely studied across several domains using Stewart and Segars’ (2002) second-order model that includes four first-order constructs: errors, collection, unauthorized access, and secondary use. However, unlike the organizational context in which the model was developed, the social media context encourages self-disclosure of information among users and social media platform providers. Consequently, users’ concern for social media information privacy (CFSMIP) is expected to manifest differently as compared to CFIP in other contexts. In an effort to advance science in the privacy domain in Information Systems, this study therefore argues that the existing privacy model needs to be replicated in this new context to assess its validity and explanation power. Based on a sample of avid social media users, this study explores the factor structure of the four dimensions of concern for information privacy instrument posited in prior research and validated across several contexts. Exploratory factor analysis and a consequent confirmatory factor analysis revealed three first-order factors structure in the social media context. Additional analysis revealed that the three-factor second order structure of CFSMIP outperforms the four-factor second order structure from prior research.
Early Linkage to HIV Care and Antiretroviral Treatment among Men Who Have Sex with Men — 20 Cities, United States, 2008 and 2011

Early linkage to care and antiretroviral (ARV) treatment are associated with reduced HIV transmission. Male-to-male sexual contact represents the largest HIV transmission category in the United States; men who have sex with men (MSM) are an important focus of care and treatment efforts. With the release of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and expanded HIV treatment guidelines, increases in early linkage to care and ARV treatment are expected. We examined differences in prevalence of early linkage to care and ARV treatment among HIV-positive MSM between 2008 and 2011. Data are from the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance System, which monitors behaviors among populations at high risk of HIV infection in 20 U.S. cities with high AIDS burden. MSM were recruited through venue-based, time-space sampling. Prevalence ratios comparing 2011 to 2008 were estimated using linear mixed models. Early linkage was defined as an HIV clinic visit within 3 months of diagnosis. ARV treatment was defined as use at interview. Prevalence of early linkage to care was 79% (187/236) in 2008 and 83% (241/291) in 2011. In multivariable analysis, prevalence of early linkage did not differ significantly between years overall (P = 0.44). Prevalence of ARV treatment was 69% (790/1,142) in 2008 and 79% (1,049/1,336) in 2001. In multivariable analysis, ARV treatment increased overall (P = 0.0003) and among most sub-groups. Black MSM were less likely than white MSM to report ARV treatment (P = 0.01). While early linkage to care did not increase significantly between 2008 and 2011, ARV treatment increased among most sub-groups. Progress is being made in getting MSM on HIV treatment, but more efforts are needed to decrease disparities in ARV coverage.
Adaptive Gaussian predictive process models for large spatial datasets

Large point referenced datasets occur frequently in the environmental and natural sciences. Use of Bayesian hierarchical spatial models for analyzing these datasets is undermined by onerous computational burdens associated with parameter estimation. Low-rank spatial process models attempt to resolve this problem by projecting spatial effects to a lower-dimensional subspace. This subspace is determined by a judicious choice of "knots" or locations that are fixed a priori. One such representation yields a class of predictive process models (e.g., Banerjee et al., 2008) for spatial and spatial-temporal data. Our contribution here expands upon predictive process models with fixed knots to models that accommodate stochastic modeling of the knots. We view the knots as emerging from a point pattern and investigate how such adaptive specifications can yield more flexible hierarchical frameworks that lead to automated knot selection and substantial computational benefits.
X-ray pelvimetry.

Abstract 1. 1. Two hundred and forty-two cases of x-ray pelvimetry reported by eighteen different radiologists are reviewed on the basis of the prognostic accuracy of the reporting physician. 2. 2. Three out of four were reported correctly, but almost all of these were in the adequate pelvis with an average-sized baby. 3. 3. The radiologist has no method of measuring the fetal head adequately, and was in error most frequently in the cases where the obstetrician needed help—the cases of cephalopelvic disproportion, due either to the borderline pelvis, or to the unsuspected larger baby in an average pelvis. 4. 4. It is suggested that the roentgenologist does not usually have sufficient information or the obstetrical background to make a clinical prognosis and should cease predicting the outcome of delivery. Furthermore, by his predictions, he places the obstetrician in an untenable position medicolegally. 5. 5. X-ray pelvimetry was never intended to take the place of an adequate pelvic examination in labor, and a trial of labor. It is a laboratory aid at best and should be used as such. 6. 6. The indications for x-ray pelvimetry should be limited to two situations: (1) malpresentation, and (2) lack of adequate clinical progress in labor. Further, it is our opinion that x-rays should be taken only while the patient is in labor for maximum information. 7. 7. Since all radiation is harmful, it is our belief that all routines as to the number of plates should be discarded. A specific minimum number of views should be ordered by the obstetrician for the individual case.
Multiple criteria R&D project selection and scheduling using fuzzy logic

Abstract Research on R&D project selection has recently focused on multiple criteria modeling of R&D portfolios. These models include mathematical programming models, decision theory models and scoring models. Each of these model types has proven to be effective in a limited sense, but very few address project scheduling in conjunction with other, more traditional project selection goals. In this paper, an alternative approach is presented which uses fuzzy logic within a standard beam search approach to evaluate a single objective function that reflects the multiple objectives of the R&D project selection problem. These objectives include tradiational R&D objectives such as expected profit and portfolio of success, as well as project scheduling. The model uses a heuristic approach to project scheduling. The methodology is illustrated using an example problem that reflects a realistic R&D problem in terms of problem size, goals, objectives, and constraints. A benchmark study was also conducted to access the computational effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Reliable super resolution beam profiler for lasers in manufacturing

Demonstrated is a first of a kind hybrid analog-digital laser beam profiler based on a digital micro-mirror device. Tests at 1550 nm show a 2 micron profiling resolution over a 600 micron side square zone.
Axial Velocity Solution for Spinning-Up Rigid Bodies Subject to Constant Forces

An approximate analytical solution is presented for the axial velocity of a spinning-up spacecraft subject to constant body-fixed forces and moments. We assume that the rigid body spins about the maximum or the minimum principal moment of inertia. Also, it is assumed that the deviation of the spin axis from an inertially fixed direction is small. Our closed-form solution for axial velocity applies to axisymmetric, nearly axisymmetric, and in some cases asymmetric rigid bodies. Furthermore, asymptotic limits are determined for large spin rates and for some geometric limits such as a sphere, a thin rod, and a flat disk. When the axial body-fixed force is nonzero, the axial velocity is dominated by the expected secular term of axial acceleration multiplied by time. However, when the axial force is zero, then the much more complicated effects of the transverse forces come into play: there are no longer any secular terms, but rather there is an asymptotic limit to the axial velocity accrued from the projection of the transverse accelerations onto the inertial direction of the initial spin axis. The axial velocity solution consists of Fresnel integrals, integrals of Fresnel integrals, and many new families of related integrals. Numerical simulation demonstrates the accuracy of the analytical solution in a practical example.
A note on Empicoris seorsus Bergroth (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Emesinae)

Abstract Empicoris seorsus Bergroth, 1926, a New Zealand endemic, is illustrated in detail and compared with its known congeners. It is highly autapomorphic - the fore lobe of its pronotum is longer than the hind lobe, the posteroventral series of spines on its fore femur is reduced to a single element, and it lacks a short cross-vein at the basal fourth of the discal cell of the forewing. There is no evidence to establish a sister-group relationship between E. seorsus and other species or species-groups of the genus, or the genus as such. Therefore, no hypotheses about its zoogeographical relationships can be advanced.
Phagocyte responses to degradable polymers

Although many biodegradable polymers, such as poly-L-lactic acid and poly-L-glycolic acid, are preferentially composed of biological residues normally present in the human body, implants made of these materials often trigger inflammatory and fibrotic responses. Unfortunately, the mechanisms involved in degradable material-mediated tissue responses remain largely unknown. Using animal implantation and cell culture system models, we found a strong correlation between the rate of material degradation and the degree of inflammatory response to material implants. Furthermore, we have identified that both water-soluble and water-insoluble degradation products are potent triggers of phagocyte activation, including at the least, superoxide production. These results support a new concept that slow degradation may improve the biocompatibility of degradable drug-releasing particles and tissue engineering scaffolds.
Another humoral substance that enhances adrenergic responsiveness during acute renal ischaemia.

RENAL hypertension consists of an early humoral period in which angiotensin concentrations are increased1 followed by a period of sustained hypertension. The latter seems to be maintained largely through the sympathetic nervous system2–4, but the mechanism is not fully understood5–7. The interaction between angiotensin and the sympathetic nervous system has received attention8,9; that increased angiotensin-like activity has not been detected in blood10,11 and that renin and angiotensin concentrations are often not increased in chronic hypertension1,12,13 suggests that something other than the renin–angiotensin system accounts for the facilitation of neurogenically mediated vasoconstriction observed during sustained hypertension14–16. The neurogenic contribution to renal hypertension could develop if the ischaemic kidney produces another factor which acts like angiotensin or which potentiates the effects of undetectable amounts of angiotensin. Here we describe the release during acute reduction of renal perfusion pressure of a new humoral factor with actions like those of angiotensin. The factor, released into renal venous blood, elicits hind paw adrenergic vasoconstrictor responses beyond the level produced by the infusion of angiotensin alone.
Resistance to Change and Frequency of Response-Dependent Stimuli Uncorrelated with Reinforcement

Stimuli uncorrelated with reinforcement have been shown to enhance response rates and resistance to disruption; however, the effects of different rates of stimulus presentations have not been assessed. In two experiments, we assessed the effects of adding different rates of response-dependent brief stimuli uncorrelated with primary reinforcement on relative response rates and resistance to change. In both experiments, pigeons responded on variable-interval 60-s schedules of food reinforcement in two components of a multiple schedule, and brief response-dependent keylight-color changes were added to one or both components. Although relative response rates were not systematically affected in either experiment, relative resistance to presession feeding and extinction were. In Experiment 1, adding stimuli on a variable-interval schedule to one component of a multiple schedule either at a low rate (1 per min) for one group or at a high rate (4 per min) for another group similarly increased resistance to disruption in the components with added stimuli. When high and low rates of stimuli were presented across components (i.e., within subjects) in Experiment 2, however, relative resistance to disruption was greater in the component presenting stimuli at a lower rate. These results suggest that stimuli uncorrelated with food reinforcement do not strengthen responding in the same way as primary reinforcers.
Alloying and Processing Effects on the Aqueous Corrosion Behavior of High-Entropy Alloys

The effects of metallurgical factors on the aqueous corrosion behavior of high-entropy alloys (HEAs) are reviewed in this article. Alloying (e.g., Al and Cu) and processing (e.g., heat treatments) effects on the aqueous corrosion behavior of HEAs, including passive film formation, galvanic corrosion, and pitting corrosion, are discussed in detail. Corrosion rates of HEAs are calculated using electrochemical measurements and the weight-loss method. Available experimental corrosion data of HEAs in two common solutions [sulfuric acid (0.5 M H2SO4) and salt water (3.5 weight percent, wt.%, NaCl)], such as the corrosion potential (Ecorr), corrosion current density (icorr), pitting potential (Epit), and passive region (ΔE), are summarized and compared with conventional corrosion-resistant alloys. Possible directions of future work on the corrosion behavior of HEAs are suggested.
Neuroblasts of the postnatal mammalian forebrain: Their phenotype and fate

The subventricular zone (SVZ) is the only germinal zone of the developing mammalian forebrain to persist postnatally. Although the SVZ has been known to give rise to most of the glial cells of the forebrain, several studies over the past few years have shown that the cells of the neonatal and adult SVZ can also generate neurons. Recent studies have demonstrated that a discrete region of the anterior part of the neonatal SVZ is composed exclusively of neuronal progenitor cells, whose progeny become interneurons of the olfactory bulb. This review will explore the properties that distinguish this anterior segment of the neonatal subventricular zone (SVZa) from the more posterior, gliogenic region. The cells of the SVZa, as well as its anterior extension forming the rostral migratory stream that enters the middle of the olfactory bulb, have antigenic characteristics of a neuronal phenotype, yet continue to divide during migration. In vitro, SVZa progenitor cells also retain a neuronal phenotype despite persistent division. Intriguingly, SVZa cells and their progeny migrate long distances along a highly stereotypical pathway. To better understand the guidance cues used by SVZa-derived cells during migration, both homotopic and heterotopic transplantation experiments have been conducted. SVZa cells homotopically transplanted into another animal's SVZa migrate with the recipient's endogenous SVZa cells in an indistinguishable manner, whereas those from the embryonic telencephalic ventricular zone, normally destined to follow radial glia to the cerebral cortex, fail to migrate following transplantation to the SVZa. SVZa cells transplanted heterotopically into the neonatal and adult striatum were able to disperse from their site of implantation. Thus, SVZa cells are special proliferating cells for which the rostral migratory stream is a particularly permissive pathway.
Psychosocial and demographic variables associated with consumer intention to purchase sustainably produced foods as defined by the Midwest Food Alliance.

Abstract Objective To examine psychosocial and demographic variables associated with consumer intention to purchase sustainably produced foods using an expanded Theory of Planned Behavior. Design Consumers were approached at the store entrance and asked to complete a self-administered survey. Setting Three metropolitan Minnesota grocery stores. Participants Participants (n = 550) were adults who shopped at the store: the majority were white, female, and highly educated and earned ≥ $50,000/year. Participation rates averaged 62%. Main Outcome Measures The major domain investigated was consumer support for sustainably produced foods. Demographics, beliefs, attitudes, subjective norm, and self-identity and perceived behavioral control were evaluated as predictors of intention to purchase them. Analysis Descriptive statistics, independent t tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product moment correlation coefficients, and stepwise multiple regression analyses ( P Results Consumers were supportive of sustainably produced foods but not highly confident in their ability to purchase them. Independent predictors of intention to purchase them included attitudes, beliefs, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, past buying behavior, and marital status. Conclusions and Implications Beliefs, attitudes, and confidence level may influence intention to purchase sustainably produced foods. Nutrition educators could increase consumers' awareness of sustainably produced foods by understanding their beliefs, attitudes, and confidence levels.
Clinical Pharmacology of Aztreonam in Healthy Recipients and Patients: A Review

Serum and urinary concentrations of aztreonam after 0.5-g, 1-g, and 2-g doses are potentially therapeutic in patients with infections due to susceptible gram-negative organisms. Aztreonam is widely distributed at significant levels in body fluids and tissues. Levels exceeding the minimal inhibitory concentrations for most important gram-negative pathogens are attained in those anatomic locations in which infections are usually found. Aztreonam is eliminated primarily in the urine in unchanged form, although it is also secreted into the bile. The drug is also metabolized to a minor extent to an open-ring compound that is excreted in the urine and feces. No clinically noteworthy interactions have been found between aztreonam and cephradine, clindamycin, gentamicin, metronidazole, nafcillin, probenecid, or furosemide. The elimination of aztreonam may be significantly impaired by renal insufficiency; the dosage must be modified in patients with creatinine clearance rates of less than 30 ml/min. The monobactam can be eliminated efficiently by hemodialysis but to only a minor extent by peritoneal dialysis. Parenterally and orally administered aztreonam can selectively reduce the numbers of aerobic gram-negative bacteria in feces without notably altering the numbers of anaerobic organisms.
Police suicide: a national comparison with fire‐fighter and military personnel

Purpose – The objectives of this paper are to examine national police suicide rates, to compare police suicides with fire‐fighters and military personnel, and to examine suicide in women and minority officers.Design/methodology/approach – The National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS) (1984‐1998) was used as a data source. Descriptive statistics and proportionate mortality ratios (PMRs) were calculated.Findings – Overall, the police suicide rate was four times that of fire‐fighters. Minority officers had 4.5 times and policewomen 12 times the number of suicides than did fire‐fighters. Police suicides outnumbered homicides by 2.36 times. Police had significantly higher than expected PMRs for suicide.Research limitations/implications – NOMS data are presently available up to 1998, and data in the study are descriptive only. Although suggestive of risk, statistically significantly elevated PMRs cannot be interpreted directly as indicating a causal relationship between police work and suicide. Confou...
Optimizing reproduction in a randomly varying environment

Abstract A model is constructed of optimizing long-term growth rate in a randomly varying environment. Specifically, the model is of an annual plant, the seeds of which can either germinate and yield more seeds in numbers which depend on environmental conditions, or remain dormant in the soil and undergo some decay according to their viability. The optimal germination fraction is derived for any combination of probabilities of the yield of seeds per germinating seed, and of various values of the viability of the seeds. The relevance of the model is discussed.
The importance of predation and competition in organizing the intertidal epifaunal communities of Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey.

Community organization was studied by experiment and observation from October 1972-October 1974 in the marine epifaunal assemblages at each end of Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey. The rock jetty at the wave-exposed eastern end of the inlet possesses an intertidal community with the following attributes: (1) a high intertidal zone dominated by the barnacle, Balanus balanoides, but also occupied by the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, in rock crevices, (2) a mid and low intertidal zone with usually 85% cover) during summer and fall, and (3) almost no intertidal predators or herbivores. The predatory seastar, Asterias forbesi, is abundant subtidally. Controlled removal experiments indicate that in the mid and low intertidal underlying barnacles perish as a consequence of the establishmentof extensive secondary cover by Mytilus, probably because Mytilus outcompetes Balanus through suffocation or starvation. Mytilus transplants demonstrate that the mussels do not survive outside of crevices in the high intertidal, which thus may represent for Balanus a refuge from competition by Mytilus.The pilings on docks at the protected western end of Barnegat Inlet possess an intertidal epifaunal community with the following characteristics: (1) a high intertidal zone that includes Balanus balanoides, a second barnacle, Balanus eburneus, and an herbivorous gastropod, Littorina littorea, (2) a mid and low intertidal zone with usually >40% free space in the summer and fall and the remaining area covered by several abundant species with no extreme dominant, and (3) abundant predators, chiefly the oyster drill, Urosalpinx cinerea, the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, and a mud crab, Neopanope texana sayi. Asterias forbesi, while abundant subtidally, is also occasionally present on intertidal surfaces. Controlled exclusion of predators by caging several replicate pilings at the western end of the inlet reveals that predation prevents monopolization of mid and low intertidal space by the apparent competitive dominant, Mytilus. Predation appears to be a direct cause of the relatively great temporal and spatial heterogeneity in the mid and low intertidal of these pilings.Thus, although the Barnegat Inlet intertidal system appears to follow closely the patterns of community organization described for several other rocky intertidal coastlines, this organizational pattern is noteworthy because it is repeated here in a far more seasonal environment and with a new cast of interacting competitors and predators. That crabs play an important role as predators is novel for North America, but only perhaps because all previous North American studies have ignored the rocky intertidal zones of quiet, estuarine waters where in Europe predatory crabs are known to be extremely significant.
An IBM method for computing intraserial correlations

A method for computing intraserial correlations using a 602-A Calculating Punch, an 077 Collator, a 513 Gang Punch, and a 403 Tabulator is described. An example of the use of the procedure and an estimate of the time needed with each machine are given. This procedure is compared with another method, which makes use of a more powerful IBM machine.
The Effects of α and β Adrenergic Agonists and Cyclic Adenosine 3':5'- Monophosphate on Epidermal Metabolism

Continuously regenerating stratified squamous epithelia form an interesting model for examining mechanisms controlling the balance between rates of cell formation and cell maturation and death. In vitro assays of rates of glycolysis and amino acid incorporation of epidermal sheets free from dermal contamination were used to examine rates of metabolism in both normal and hyperplastic epidermis after treatment with various adrenergic agonists and cAMP. Epinephrine and isoproterenol over the concentration range of 1 × 10 −9 to 1 × 10 −5 M depressed the rates of glycolysis and amino acid incorporation in normal epidermis. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP produced a 73 to 78% depression in metabolic activity and its action was enhanced by the addition of theophylline. The α adrenergic agonist norepinephrine produced similar reductions. When epidermal samples were treated with hexadecane to induce a mild hyperplasia, depressant effects of isoproterenol and epinephrine were lost, but dibutyryl cyclic AMP and norepinephrine still reduced metabolic activity. The results suggest that adrenergic agents and their putative second messenger cAMP cause reductions in epidermal metabolic activity, an effect similar to their effects on cell proliferation, and that increased rates of proliferation are associated with loss of β adrenergic responsiveness of the epidermis.
A novel phosphorylated STAT3 inhibitor enhances T cell cytotoxicity against melanoma through inhibition of regulatory T cells

The activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has been identified as a key mediator that drives the fundamental components of melanoma malignancy, including immune suppression in melanoma patients. Increasing evidence also suggests that regulatory T cells (Tregs) are important in suppressing anti-tumor immunity and play a dominant role in negating efficacious immunotherapy approaches. We hypothesized that WP1066, a novel inhibitor of STAT3 signaling, reverses immune suppression through the inhibition of Tregs and that this contributes to the antitumor activity of this agent against melanoma brain metastases. We found that the mean percentage of peripheral blood mononuclear cells expressing phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) was significantly elevated in samples from patients with melanoma brain metastases compared to healthy donors, 16.13 ± 2.48% versus 4.17 ± 1.79%. The p-STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 enhanced CD3+ (which contained Tregs) but not CD8+ T cell cytotoxicity against human A375 melanoma cells, indicating that this p-STAT3 blockade agent did not directly activate CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, the p-STAT3 inhibitor did not enhance the cytotoxicity of CD3+CD25− T cells (from which Tregs were excluded), indicating that the enhanced cytotoxicity of WP1066 is secondary to its inhibition of Tregs. This was confirmed by demonstrating that WP1066 inhibited FoxP3+ Treg induction in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, CD3+ T cells exhibited markedly enhanced levels of phosphorylated ZAP-70, a critical proximal signal in T cell activation, after exposure to WP1066. Similar effects were not observed in Treg-depleted CD3+CD25− T cell populations, confirming that the T cell activation by WP compounds is secondary to their inhibition of the Tregs. These results suggest that WP1066 enhances T cell cytotoxicity against melanoma through inhibition of Tregs.
A Multi-Grid Based Multi-Scale Thermal Analysis Approach for Combined Mixed Convection, Conduction, and Radiation Due to Discrete Heating

A multi-grid embedded multi-scale approach is presented for conjugate heat transfer analysis of systems with a wide range of length scales of interest. The multi-scale analysis involves a sequential two-step zoom-in approach to resolve both the large length scales associated with the system enclosure, and the smaller length scales associated with fine spatial structures of discrete heat sources contained within. With this approach, computation time is shortened significantly, compared to conventional single-step computational fluid dynamics/computational heat transfer (CFD/CHT) modeling, with a very fine mesh. Performance of the two-step multi-scale approach is further enhanced by integrating the multi-grid technique in the CFD/CHT solver. Implementation of the enhanced approach is demonstrated for thermal analysis of an array of substrate mounted discrete heat sources cooled by mixed and forced convection, with accompanying experiments performed for validation and for the assessment of the importance of mixed convection
O=P(i‐PrNCH2CH2)3NCH3+: Novel effect of quaternization on the structural metrics of the bicyclic cage

The title cation features the longest distance between the bridgehead atoms (3.56 A) so far recorded for phosphatrane cages despite a nontetrahedral CNbrigeheadC angle (∼114°). The 70.8° NbridgeheadCCN torsion angles in the bridging moieties produce a substantial twist along the C3 axis of the structure that does not easily allow racemization of the cage. The resulting rigidity of the twisted cage gives rise to AB patterns for the methylene protons of this cation and its analogues. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 10:255–258, 1999
Concentrations of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), IGF, and IGFBP-3 protease activity in cerebrospinal fluid of children with leukemia, central nervous system tumor, or meningitis.

Insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) is the major IGF in human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), whereas IGF-I is only detectable in trace amounts. The major IGFBPs in CSF are IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-4. Normally, IGFBP-3 is a minor component in CSF of healthy subjects, but may be increased in pathological states. We investigated IGF-I, IGF-II, and IGFBP-3 levels by specific RIAs in CSF from patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumor or leukemia and compared them with values in patients with meningitis. Further, as proteolysis of IGFBP-3 is part of the modulation of IGF activity, IGFBP-3 fragmentation was quantified by densitometric analysis of [125I]IGFBP-3 protease assays. We examined CSFs of 23 children with malignant CNS tumors, 18 children with leukemia, and 13 children with meningitis. The CSF from 38 children who received lumbar punctures to exclude meningitis was used to define the normal range for IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-3, and IGFBP-3 protease activity in CSF. CNS tumor and leukemia patients had normal l...
Order in the developing rat trigeminal nerve

Abstract We provide evidence that the developing trigeminal nerve is characterized by a high degree of order. Trigeminal nerve fibers which innervate a single row of vibrissae follicles are fasciculated into distinct and identifiable bundles. Further, within the brain stem, afferent clusters related to given vibrissae within a row develop in a sequential fashion from lateral to medial. On the basis of this evidence, we hypothesize that the 180° rotated topography and vibrissae-related segmentation in the brain stem trigeminal complex is brought about by spatial and temporal factors intrinsic to the developing trigeminal nerve.
Solving the minimum-cost satisfiability problem using SAT based branch-and-bound search

Boolean satisfiability (SAT) has seen many successful applications in various fields, such as electronic design automation (EDA) and artificial intelligence (AI). However, in some cases it may be required/preferable to use variations of the general SAT problem. In this paper we consider one important variation, the minimum-cost satisfiability problem (MinCostSAT). MinCostSAT is a SAT problem which minimizes the cost of the satisfying assignment. MinCostSAT has various applications, e.g. automatic test pattern generation (ATPG), FPGA routing, AI planning, etc. This problem has been tackled before - first by covering algorithms, e.g. scherzo (Coudert, 1996), and more recently by SAT based algorithms, e.g. bsolo (Manquinho and Marques-Silva, 2002). However the SAT algorithms they are based on are not the current generation of highly efficient solvers. The solvers in this generation, e.g. Chaff (Moskewicz et al., 2001), MiniSat (Een and Sorensson, 2006) etc., incorporate several new advances, e.g. two literal watching based Boolean Constraint Propagation, that have delivered order of magnitude speedups. We first point out the challenges in using this class of solvers for the MinCostSAT problem and then present techniques to overcome these challenges. The resulting solver MinCostChaff shows order of magnitude improvement over several current best known branch-and-bound solvers for a large class of problems, ranging from minimum test pattern generation, bounded model checking in EDA to graph coloring and planning in AI
Effect of encapsulation or grafting on release kinetics of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 from self-assembled poly(lactide-co-glycolide ethylene oxide fumarate) nanoparticles.

The objective of this work was to compare the release characteristics of Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) encapsulated in thermally self-assembled poly(lactide ethylene oxide fumarate) (PLEOF) nanoparticles (NPs) with rhBMP-2 grafted to succinimide-terminated poly(lactide fumarate) (PLAF-NHS) or poly(lactide-co-glycolide fumarate) (PLGF-NHS) NPs. The amphiphilic PLEOF NPs had average size of 110 ± 50 nm. The hydrophobic PLAF-NHS and PLGF-NHS NPs had average size of 242 ± 67 and 195 ± 42 nm, respectively. PLEOF NPs had rhBMP-2 encapsulation efficiency ranging from 65 to 93%. Grafting efficiency of rhBMP-2 to PLAF-NHS and PLGF-NHS NPs was 97% ± 1% and 98% ± 1%, respectively. PLEOF NPs displayed a relatively high-release rate of rhBMP-2 in the first week, which rapidly dropped to zero after 10 days. PLEOF NPs grafted with 10 and 20 μg/mL rhBMP-2 released 67 and 80% of the protein in the active conformation after degradation. PLGF-NHS NPs displayed sustained release of rhBMP-2 in the first 2 weeks but dropped to almost zero rate (<3 ng/day) after 20 days. PLAF-NHS NPs showed the longest period of sustained release of active rhBMP-2 at two rates: a high rate of 25–35 ng/mL in the first 2 weeks followed by a low rate of 5–10 ng/mL from 2 to 6 weeks. Nearly, 25 and 50% of the rhBMP-2 released from PLGF-NHS and PLAF-NHS NPs, respectively, were enzymatically active after degradation of the NPs. PLEOF NPs provided a fast release of rhBMP-2 for 1 week, whereas PLAF-NHS NPs provided a slow release for up to 6 weeks. Microsc. Res. Tech. 73:824–833, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Biochemical studies of taste sensation--XII. Specificity of binding of taste ligands to a sedimentable fraction from catfish taste tissue.

Abstract 1. 1. The specificity of amino acid binding sites in a sedimentable fraction prepared from catfish taste epithelium was examined. Using seven 3 H-labeled amino acids as ligands and the unlabeled amino acids in binding competition assays, the presence of possibly three classes of amino acid binding sites was deduced. 2. 2. Site 1 binds l -thr, l -ser, l -ala and possibly d -ala and β-ALA, Site 2 binds l -ser, l -ala, GLY, d -ALA, and β-ALA and Site 3 binds l -arg and l -lys. 3. 3. Additional evidence supporting the specificity of Site 2 was obtained from the specificity of enhancement of l -ALA binding. 4. 4. The results demonstrate the presence of some major classes of taste receptor sites, and provide a basis for understanding taste receptor specificity at the biochemical level.
Probable Mechanism of Alizarin Inhibition of Calcification

SummaryAlizarin red S has been found to stop calcification without inhibiting the enzyme phosphatase either in situ or when added to solutions containing the enzyme extracted from bone. It has been shown that alizarin inhibition of calcification is not due to removal of the calcium ion from the medium in general as evidenced by the facts that there is no interference with the clotting process of plasma or with the action of embryonic hearts. Supporting evidence is presented from a study of bones growing on litmus—containing medium and from bones stained with alizarin and transferred to alizarin—free medium. An explanation of alizarin stoppage of calcification based upon the idea that locally there is a drop in the pH is advanced.
Gene expression in gastric biopsies from patients infected with Helicobacter pylori.

Background: Helicobacter pylori infection has protean effects on gene expression in the host gastric mucosa, which have been investigated by gene chip analysis in vitro. In this study the effects of H. pylori infection on host gene expression in the gastric antral mucosa in patients were examined. Methods: One gastric antral biopsy was obtained from a total of 18 untreated patients undergoing routine endoscopic evaluation of chronic abdominal complaints. Nine patients had histologic evidence of H. pylori infection and 9 age- and sex-matched patients had no histologic evidence of H. pylori infection. A microarray analysis was performed using a gene chip containing 35,000 human expressed sequence tags on RNA extracted from endoscopic, gastric antral biopsies, and average gene expression among infected and uninfected patients was compared. Results: Underexpressed genes in infected patients' mucosa included gastric intrinsic factor and several metallothionein isoforms. Overexpressed genes in infected patients...
Binding Efficiency of Protein-Protein Complexes

We examine the relationship between binding affinity and interface size for reversible protein–protein interactions (PPIs), using cytokines from the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily and their receptors as a test case. Using surface plasmon resonance, we measured single-site binding affinities for binding of the large receptor TNFR1 to its ligands TNFα (KD = 1.4 ± 0.4 nM) and lymphotoxin-α (KD = 50 ± 10 nM), and also for binding of the small receptor Fn14 to TWEAK (KD = 70 ± 10 nM). We additionally assembled data for all other TNF–TNFR family complexes for which reliable single-site binding affinities have been reported. We used these values to calculate the binding efficiencies, defined as binding energy per square angstrom of surface area buried at the contact interface, for nine of these complexes for which cocrystal structures are available, and compared the results to those for a set of 144 protein–protein complexes with published affinities. The results show that the most efficient PPI complex...
Response of Growing and Mature Pullets to Continuous Feeding of Cane Final Molasses

Abstract INVESTIGATIONS on the ability of growing and laying chickens to tolerate cane final molasses have been reviewed by Ewing (1951) and Scott (1953). In general, as with young chicks, earlier reports have shown that the growing chicken can make effective use of levels ranging around 5 percent of total ration, whereas concentrations in excess of 10 percent tended to induce diarrhea and were uneconomical. Similarly, it was concluded that mature chickens cannot efficiently utilize comparatively high levels of molasses. In contrast, two papers have recently presented studies which tend to refute these earlier reports. It was found that optimum results to 6 weeks of age, as determined by growth rate and cost of feed per unit of gain, may be obtained on concentrations of cane final molasses ranging from 7.5 to 23.0 percent, while other lots of chicks safely tolerated levels as high as 34.5 percent of total ration (Rosenberg, 1955)… .
Two cases of cholestasis in the first trimester of pregnancy after ovarian hyperstimulation

Objective To report two cases of early onset cholestasis of pregnancy associated with IVF and ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Design Case report. Setting University-based IVF program. Patient(s) Two patients with first-trimester cholestasis of pregnancy after IVF that was associated with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Intervention(s) In vitro fertilization–embryo transfer, management of hyperstimulation syndrome, and cholestasis of pregnancy. Main Outcome Measure(s) Clinical pregnancy course and pregnancy outcomes. Result(s) The first patient was treated with ursodeoxycholic acid and had resolution of symptoms within the first trimester. The second patient initially had a miscarriage but did redevelop cholestasis of pregnancy in the latter stages of a pregnancy resulting from frozen embryo transfer. Conclusion(s) We report two cases of intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy in the first trimester of pregnancies by IVF in association with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and markedly elevated maternal serum estrogen levels. Early recognition of this unusual clinical presentation allows for optimal pregnancy management by both the reproductive endocrinologist and the obstetrician.