cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Progesterone-Mediated Inhibition of the GnRH Pulse Generator: Differential Sensitivity as a Function of Sleep Status.

Context During normal, early puberty, luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency is low while awake but increases during sleep. Mechanisms underlying such changes are unclear, but a small study in early pubertal girls suggested that differential wake-sleep sensitivity to progesterone negative feedback plays a role. Objective To test the hypothesis that progesterone acutely reduces waking LH pulse frequency more than sleep-associated pulse frequency in late pubertal girls. Design Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded crossover study. Setting Academic clinical research unit. Participants Eleven normal, postmenarcheal girls, ages 12 to 15 years. Intervention Subjects completed two 18-hour admissions in separate menstrual cycles (cycle days 6 to 11). Frequent blood sampling for LH assessment was performed at 1800 to 1200 hours; sleep was encouraged at 2300 to 0700 hours. Either oral micronized progesterone (0.8 mg/kg/dose) or placebo was given at 0700, 1500, 2300, and 0700 hours, before and during the first admission. A second admission, performed at least 2 months later, was identical to the first except that placebo was exchanged for progesterone or vice versa (treatment crossover). Main outcome measures LH pulse frequency during waking and sleeping hours. Results Progesterone reduced waking LH pulse frequency by 26% (P = 0.019), with no change observed during sleep (P = 0.314). The interaction between treatment condition (progesterone vs placebo) and sleep status (wake vs sleep) was highly significant (P = 0.007). Conclusions In late pubertal girls, progesterone acutely reduced waking LH pulse frequency more than sleep-associated pulse frequency. Differential wake-sleep sensitivity to progesterone negative feedback may direct sleep-wake LH pulse frequency changes across puberty.
Current and potential targets for drug design in the androgen receptor pathway for prostate cancer.

Introduction: Modulating the androgen axis by different agents has been one of the most successful therapeutic interventions in the field of prostate cancer therapy. Newer agents such as abirateron...
Psychotherapy and the etiology of psychiatric disorders

This paper compares two broad views of psychotherapy, the etiological and the rehabilitative. The etiological view is based on the premise that the psychotherapeutic process provides a basis for laying bare the causal link between 'deeply repressed' unconscious forces and the patient's current condition. Spence's critique of this position is based on drawing a distinction between narrative truth and historical truth, pointing out the persuasive or rhetorical power of a coherent synthesis of the material presented by the patient, regardless of its historical veracity. Michels also draws attention to this difficulty by pointing to Freud's discovery that reports from childhood were based not on fact, but on fantasies which re-emerge in the transference relationship. The proposal that the therapist provides a context more conducive to the resolution of childhood trauma implies that the trauma was fact and not fantasy. Frank has drawn the parallel between confession in a cueless vacuum with brainwashing techniques which result in the confession of non-events. Besides these difficulties, the etiological approach cannot establish the direction of supposed causality linking childhood events, repressed psychological forces and the patient's condition. The apparently consistent pattern of expectations, perceptions, behavior and 'defenses' may themselves be the effects rather than the causes of the patient's condition. The psychotherapeutic process is intrinsically incapable of deciding objectively between these possibilities. Grunbaum has emphasized this epistemological weakness in the etiological position. The author therefore proposes a more pragmatic, rehabilitative, view of the psychotherapeutic process. Psychotherapy that deals with the personal and social life of the patient may help to alter the circumstances that contribute to discomfort, or change behavior that leads to dissatisfaction, without any commitment to unproven etiological theories. In this sense, psychotherapy, like physiotherapy and rehabilitation, is non-specific and can be applied without making any assumptions regarding specific causal conditions or pathogenetic factors.
Long-term results of intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy for superficial bladder cancer.

AbstractBetween January 1978 and February 1984, 120 patients with superficial bladder tumors and/or carcinoma in situ were enrolled in previously reported therapeutic trials of bacillus Calmette-Guerin. Of all treated patients 78 per cent responded to initial therapy, with a followup of 13 to 120 months (median 67 months). Of the 18 patients who failed 10 were treated with repeat, intensified courses. Nine patients who had recurrent tumors within 3 to 30 months after initiation of bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy (median 6 months) eventually ceased having recurrence. Status free of disease in the 9 patients ranged from 25 to 90 months since the last recurrence (median 64 months). With retreatment of some of the early failures, the initial success rate of 78 per cent was increased to 89 per cent.These data support the concept that intravesical immunotherapy with bacillus Calmette-Guerin should be repeated in patients who initially appear not to respond. The data also suggest that bacillus Calmette-Guerin i...
Biomass Estimation for Virginia Pine Trees and Stands

Stands of Virginia Pine (Pinus virginiana Mill.) occur on much abandoned farm land in the Appalachian Mountains and Piedmont of Virginia. Natural stands are an important source of pulpwood, and these are being augmented by plantations. Increased intensity of utilization necessitates the estimation of component weights of the trees. Data from 501 trees from 10 stands were used to develop equations for estimating dry weight of stem wood, stem bark, total stem 1-year-old needles, total needles, live branches, and total branches of individual trees. Stand weight of stems was closely related to stand basal area and mean height. Stand live-branch weight varies inversely with stocking. Weight of 1-year-old foliage on the stands increased with stocking and site index. 13 references.
Student Support Services for the Underprepared Student.

The needs of students who enter college underprepared transcend academic preparation. These students require an array of student services that will support them in their quest to achieve the academic and personal skills necessary for college-level coursework and academic success. The model I propose here is not unique, but it is comprehensive and cognizant of the holistic purpose of developmental education. It also is an ideal model. Budget limitations, personnel restraints, and implementation difficulties may make parts of this model out of reach for many VCCS colleges. However, in an ideal world, this is the model I would employ. In an imperfect world, pieces of the model may be used to improve student services for underprepared students.
Incorporating CT prior information in the robust fuzzy C-means algorithm for QSPECT image segmentation

Bones are a common site of metastases in a number of cancers including prostate and breast cancer. Assessing response or progression typically relies on planar bone scintigraphy. However, quantitative bone SPECT (BQSPECT) has the potential to provide more accurate assessment. An important component of BQSPECT is segmenting lesions and bones in order to calculate metrics like tumor uptake and metabolic tumor burden. However, due to the poor spatial resolution, noise, and contrast properties of SPECT images, segmentation of bone SPECT images is challenging. In this study, we propose and evaluate a fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering based semi-automatic segmentation method on quantitative Tc-99m MDP quantitative SPECT/CT. The FCM clustering algorithm has been widely used in medical image segmentation. Yet, the poor resolution and noise properties of SPECT images result in sub-optimal segmentation. We propose to incorporate information from registered CT images, which can be used to segment normal bones quite readily, into the FCM segmentation algorithm. The proposed method modifies the objective function of the robust fuzzy C-means (RFCM) method to include prior information about bone from CT images and spatial information from the SPECT image to allow for simultaneously segmenting lesion and bone in BQSPECT/CT images. The method was evaluated using realistic simulated BQSPECT images. The method and algorithm parameters were evaluated with respect to the dice similarity coefficient (DSC) computed using segmentation results. The effect of the number of iterations used to reconstruct the BQSPECT images was also studied. For the simulated BQSPECT images studied, an average DSC value of 0.75 was obtained for lesions larger than 2 cm3 with the proposed method.
Use of the Ion Torrent PGM for Determining the Genomic Sequences of Francisella and Coxiella-Like Endosymbionts and Rickettsia Directly from Hard Ticks

Microbiome assessments based on amplification and sequencing of their 16S rRNA genes or targeted surveys of specific agents have greatly augmented our understanding of the distribution and identity of bacteria found in ticks. The most prevalent tick bacteria include approximately 10 species, such as Coxiella-like (CLE) and Francisella-like (FLE) endosymbionts, and spotted fever group Rickettsia (SFG). However, genomes of only a few of the many tick agents that are not cultivable have been characterized by very deep next generation sequencing (Illumina HiSeq). As an alternative approach, we have assessed use of the Ion Torrent Personal Genome Machine (IT-PGM) for direct sequencing and assembly of these agent genomes. Agents were identified and quantitated in three genera of ticks (Amblyomma, Dermacentor, Rhipicephalus) by qPCR assays. Geneious, CLC Genomics Workbench, BWA, and SPAdes tools were used for read mapping and assembly of the sequences obtained from size-fractionated libraries made from DNA that was extracted from single alcohol-preserved ticks on single 318 or 314 IT-PGM chips with 200 bp chemistry. Plasmid and chromosome sequences were obtained for six SFGs, four FLEs, and three CLEs. The depth and percentage of genome coverage for symbionts and Rickettsia were enhanced by use of Qiagen Repli-G amplification of the DNA used for the libraries. The IT-PGM is a relatively inexpensive sequencing platform for initial genomic characterization of some of the abundant bacterial agents found in hard ticks.
AANAPISI Program Directors: Opportunities and Challenges

Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI) staff and faculty leaders play a significant role in shaping the capacity of the institution to meet the goals and expectations as proposed to the primary funding agent, the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of this chapter then is to give attention to the quality of leadership we believe is necessary to manage AANAPISI grant-funded projects. We provide a brief background on the history and contemporary status of AANAPISIs, and share an overview of how Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) student success is broadly understood. We draw upon emerging research on AANAPISIs to chart the dominant challenges and opportunities that come from leading and implementing an AANAPISI grant across varied institutional contexts. This discussion includes practice-oriented recommendations. We conclude with a call for future research in the area of leadership and AANAPISIs.
Pulsed Electrical Stimulation Enhances Body Fluid Transport for Collagen Biomineralization

Mechanical loads from physiologic activities such as walking and running generate bioelectricity in bones. By mimicking bioelectricity, external electrical stimulations have also been used therapeu...
Digital inspirational economy: the dialectics of design

With the rise in design-centric social media platforms, blogs, and inspiration aggregators, ‘inspiration’ has become an increasingly popular term for designers’ creative digital work. Technology de...
Insight into the resilience and susceptibility of marine bacteria to T6SS attack by Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio coralliilyticus

The type VI secretion system (T6SS) is a nanomachine capable of killing adjacent microbial cells in a contact-dependent manner. Due to limited studies, relatively little is known about the range of marine bacteria that are susceptible to T6SS attack. Here, 15 diverse marine bacterial isolates from the phyla Bacteroidetes and Ɣ-Proteobacteria were challenged against the marine bacterium and human pathogen, Vibrio cholerae, which has a well described T6SS. V. cholerae killed several of the tested Ɣ-Proteobacteria, including members of the orders Vibrionales, Alteromonadales, Oceanospirillales, and Pseudomonadales. In contrast, V. cholerae co-existed with multiple Bacteroidetes and Ɣ-Proteobacteria isolates, but was killed by Vibrio coralliilyticus. Follow-up experiments revealed that five V. coralliilyticus strains, including known coral and shellfish pathogens survived the T6SS challenge and killed V. cholerae. By using predicted protein comparisons and mutagenesis, we conclude that V. coralliilyticus protected itself in the challenge by using its own T6SS to kill V. cholerae. This study provides valuable insight into the resilience and susceptibility of marine bacteria to the V. cholerae T6SS, and provides the first evidence for a functional T6SS in V. coralliilyticus, both of which have implications for human and ocean health.
Characterization of Basal and Estrogen-Regulated Antisense Transcription in Breast Cancer Cells: Role in Regulating Sense Transcription

Abstract Estrogen-responsive breast cancer cells exhibit both basal and estrogen-regulated transcriptional programs, which lead to the transcription of many different transcription units (i.e., genes), including those that produce coding and non-coding sense (e.g., mRNA, lncRNA) and antisense (i.e., asRNA) transcripts. We have previously characterized the global basal and estrogen-regulated transcriptomes in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Herein, we have mined genomic data to define three classes of antisense transcription in MCF-7 cells based on where their antisense transcription termination sites reside relative to their cognate sense mRNA and lncRNA genes. These three classes differ in their response to estrogen treatment, the enrichment of a number of genomic features associated with active promoters (H3K4me3, RNA polymerase II, open chromatin architecture), and the biological functions of their cognate sense genes as analyzed by DAVID gene ontology. We further characterized two estrogen-regulated antisense transcripts arising from the MYC gene in MCF-7 cells, showing that these antisense transcripts are 5′-capped, 3′-polyadenylated, and localized to different compartments of the cell. Together, our analyses have revealed distinct classes of antisense transcription correlated to different biological processes and response to estrogen stimulation, uncovering another layer of hormone-regulated gene regulation.
Digital Microfluidics for the Detection of Selected Inorganic Ions in Aerosols.

A prototype aerosol detection system is presented that is designed to accurately and quickly measure the concentration of selected inorganic ions in the atmosphere. The aerosol detection system combines digital microfluidics technology, aerosol impaction and chemical detection integrated on the same chip. Target compounds are the major inorganic aerosol constituents: sulfate, nitrate and ammonium. The digital microfluidic system consists of top and bottom plates that sandwich a fluid layer. Nozzles for an inertial impactor are built into the top plate according to known, scaling principles. The deposited air particles are densely concentrated in well-defined deposits on the bottom plate containing droplet actuation electrodes of the chip in fixed areas. The aerosol collection efficiency for particles larger than 100 nm in diameter was higher than 95%. After a collection phase, deposits are dissolved into a scanning droplet. Due to a sub-microliter droplet size, the obtained extract is highly concentrated. Droplets then pass through an air/oil interface on chip for colorimetric analysis by spectrophotometry using optical fibers placed between the two plates of the chip. To create a standard curve for each analyte, six different concentrations of liquid standards were chosen for each assay and dispensed from on-chip reservoirs. The droplet mixing was completed in a few seconds and the final droplet was transported to the detection position as soon as the mixing was finished. Limits of detection (LOD) in the final droplet were determined to be 11 ppm for sulfate and 0.26 ppm for ammonium. For nitrate, it was impossible to get stable measurements. The LOD of the on-chip measurements for sulfate was close to that obtained by an off-chip method using a Tecan spectrometer. LOD of the on-chip method for ammonium was about five times larger than what was obtained with the off-chip method. For the current impactor collection air flow (1 L/min) and 1 h collection time, the converted LODs in air were: 0.275 μg/m3 for sulfate, 6.5 ng/m3 for ammonium, sufficient for most ambient air monitoring applications.
Elementary School-Aged Children in Therapeutic Residential Care: Examining Latent Classes, Service Provision, and Outcomes.

Abstract Background Approximately one-third of children in residential care are elementary-school aged. Yet, little is known about the subset of younger children in residential care and the nature of these placements. Objective This study identified latent classes of younger children in residential care and compared the purposes for placement, treatment processes, and outcomes across classes. Participants and setting The sample included 216 children (ages 5-10) placed in therapeutic residential care. Methods A three-step latent class model was used to estimate conditional effects of class membership on impairment at discharge, length of stay, and discharge placement. A content analysis of a randomly selected sample of case records from each class was used to explore placement processes. Results There were three classes identified (class 1: child welfare/multi-problem families; class 2: mental-health/angry-oppositional; class 3: strong families/attachment). All classes experienced large improvements in functioning. Children in class 3 were in care longer (CI95% 1.72, 15.48) and experienced greater reductions in impairment (CI95% -11.17, -32.06) than class 2. Classes did not differ in rates of discharge to family-based care, however, more children in classes 1 (20.9%) and 3 (21.6%) discharged to group-based placements than class 2 (11.1%). The content analysis revealed similarities in reasons for placement and treatment processes across classes with some distinctions. Service goals were similar across classes and focused on emotional management, social skills, and developing trust. Conclusion The results supported individualized approaches to facilitate discharge to stable, family-based care and reduced risks for re-entry and prolonged out-of-home care for younger children.
Simultaneous in vivo Estimation of Muscle, Tendon, and Ankle Impedance

Appropriate regulation of joint impedance is required to successfully navigate our environment. Joint impedance is strongly dependent upon the mechanical properties of the muscles and tendons spanning it. While the impedance of the joint has been well characterized, methods to determine the individual contribution from the muscles and tendons are limited. This is a crucial gap as muscle and tendon impedance can be selectively altered by aging, pathology, or injury. Therefore, we developed an innovative in vivo method that allows for the simultaneous quantification of joint, muscle, and tendon impedance. Stochastic perturbations of ankle angle were applied while a B-mode ultrasound was used to image the displacement of the medial gastrocnemius muscle-tendon junction. Non-parametric system identification was used to quantify ankle impedance and the frequency response function between ankle rotations and muscle-tendon junction displacements. The latter represents, when scaled by Achilles tendon moment arm, the ratio between the net musculotendon impedance and the impedance of the muscle, a relationship we refer to as the impedance ratio. Muscle and tendon impedance can be calculated from these experimental estimates. The ability to simultaneously quantify joint, muscle, and tendon impedance will provide a clearer understanding their respective roles in our ability to navigate our environment, and how changes in those roles may contribute to functional impairments.
The De Garengeot hernia: A case report of an unusual presentation of appendicitis.

Abstract Introduction A De Garengeot hernia is defined by a femoral hernia containing the appendix. Acute appendicitis within a femoral hernia is an extremely rare surgical presentation and occurs in only 0.08–0.013% of cases as cited by the literature. Presentation of case A 64-year-old female presented to the Emergency Department of our hospital with acute onset of a right-sided groin bulge that occurred earlier that day after doing heavy lifting. Her workup revealed acute appendicitis contained within an incarcerated right femoral hernia. The patient underwent laparoscopic appendectomy with open femoral hernia repair. Intraoperatively, the appendiceal tip was incarcerated within the hernia sac. It was removed through the open inguinal incision after the appendix base was divided laparoscopically. Final pathology showed inflamed acute appendicitis without evidence for neoplasm. Discussion Physicians should be aware of the rare entity of an unusual presentation of appendicitis as well as surgical options for treatment. The literature does not conclude upon a gold standard for method of approach. Conclusion De Garengeot hernia remains a rare and unusual surgical presentation of femoral hernia, and complication of the case by incarceration leading to acute appendicitis provides a challenging surgical approach which should be individualized to each patient.
Child maltreatment and adolescent externalizing behavior: Examining the indirect and cross-lagged pathways of prosocial peer activities

Abstract Background There is a well-established relation between child maltreatment and externalizing behaviors in adolescence. A gap in this scientific literature is the identification of pathways, particularly protective pathways, explaining this relation prior to the transition to adulthood. Objective This study examined the indirect and cross-lagged pathways of peer engagement in prosocial activities to explain the relation between child maltreatment and adolescent externalizing behaviors. Participants and settings Children and their caregivers (N = 1354) participated in a multi-site, multi-wave, prospective cohort study of child maltreatment in the U.S. Methods Child maltreatment, peer engagement in prosocial activities, and externalizing behaviors were assessed at ages twelve, fourteen, and sixteen. A cross-lagged path model evaluated whether peer engagement in prosocial activities was an indirect pathway of the relation between prior child maltreatment and subsequent externalizing behaviors. Cross-lagged relations were examined to determine directionality of risk among these variables during adolescence. Results The path model did not support peer engagement in prosocial activities as an indirect or cross-lagged pathway to externalizing behaviors in adolescence. Instead, prior child maltreatment had a direct relation with greater externalizing behaviors, which had indirect and cross-lagged effects with less peer engagement in prosocial activities at multiple points later in adolescence. Conclusions The degree of peer engagement in prosocial activities may not be a risk or protective pathway to externalizing behaviors in adolescence for those exposed to child maltreatment. In fact, externalizing behaviors appear to limit subsequent engagement with peers in prosocial activities, providing an opportunity for future research and intervention.
The Real Issue Behind Stanford v. Roche : Faulty Conceptions of University Assignment Policies Stemming from the 1947 Biddle Report

The recent Supreme Court decision in Stanford v. Roche laid bare a faulty assumption of the federal research funding system. Government patent policy for federally funded research relies on “contractors”— the recipients of federal funding—to secure patent assignments from their employees. While this practice was routine for private firms and nonprofit research institutions, it was not for universities. This was in part based on the relationship of faculty and other researchers to universities that differed from industry employment relationships. The roots of this faulty assumption can be traced to the seminal 1947 Biddle Report. Detailed monographs drafted as appendices to the Biddle Report made plain these different practices. Yet the formal report glossed over the differences in favor of a summary that government research patent policy need only concern the relationship between the funding agencies and contractors. This left assignments between the contractors and their employees to the contractors. Despite regulations up through the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980 that obliquely referenced the obligation of contractors to secure adequate rights to protect the government’s interests, universities never adopted the assignment practices of private industry. This Article traces the roots of this issue from the Biddle Report to the current government regulations in order to clarify
Fabling about Infinity: The Arithmetization of Writing in Salvador Elizondo’s “Grünewalda, o una fábula del infinito”

This article is a close reading of Salvador Elizondo’s “Grunewalda, o una fabula del infinito” (1969), a short story from the collection El retrato de Zoe y otras mentiras. Elizondo purposely mirrors in “Grunewalda” a turbulent chapter in the history of mathematics—the turn of the nineteenth century—when this discipline went through a profound crisis. The article shows how Elizondo skillfully crafts a literary version of a process of arithmetization of writing, as taken from the basics of set theory, and how this process helps to discern the level-changing operators in “Grunewalda” and in all of Elizondo’s texts. Given that mathematical knowledge is merely verbal knowledge, Grunewalda’s life and death problems are syntactic and semantic in principle. Thus, beyond ascribing his rhetoric to a metaphysical sphere, a metamathematical realm is presented as a more adequate depiction of Elizondo’s writing. Resumen El siguiente es un estudio detallado de “Grunewalda, o una fabula del infinito,” un texto de Salvador Elizondo incluido en la coleccion El retrato de Zoe y otras mentiras, originalmente publicado en 1969. Elizondo deliberadamente refleja en “Grunewalda” un capitulo turbulento en la historia de las matematicas —finales del siglo XIX—, cuando esta disciplina atraveso una profunda crisis. Este articulo muestra como habilmente Elizondo elabora una version de un proceso de aritmetizacion de la escritura, basado en los fundamentos de la teoria de conjuntos, y como este proceso contribuye a discernir los operadores de cambio de nivel textual en “Grunewalda” y en todos los textos de Elizondo. Dado que el conocimiento matematico es esencialmente verbal, la vida y la muerte de Grunewalda son en principio problemas semanticos y sintacticos. De esta manera, mas alla de atribuirla a una esfera metafisica, un dominio metamatematico es presentado como una mas adecuada representacion de la escritura de Elizondo.
Life in Extremely Dilute Environments: the Major Role of Oligobacteria

Oligobacteria are bacteria adapted to growth in organic nutrient conditions of the marine and other aquatic environments. Their main food source is dissolved photosynthetically produced organic material. The major products are carbon dioxide, minerals, and cellular biochemicals. Oligobacteria evolved to sustain at nutrient concentrations that are small. The properties of oligobacteria are based largely on copeotrophs such as Escherichia coli because oligobacteria have been unavailable in sufficient mass for investigation. Phytoplankton collect nutrients and reduce them to concentrations that are small as well. Some, such as Synechococcus and Prochlorococcus, are very small giving a large surface- to-volume ratio for mineral collection. This ability is smaller than for oligobacteria because phytoplankton must synthesize their own organics as well. The problem of oligobacterial growth in natural water systems is one of nutrient acquisition. Rates measured are generally near upper limits for oligobacteria because the focus is often on photic zone processes in active regions. However, the cosmopolitan distribution of oligobacteria among the various phyla suggest that metabolic patterns could have since evolved and that metabolic strategies may have converged. The major direct control of oligobacterial activity is the concentration of utilizable nutrients at the surface of the cell. The ability to concentrate many nutrients in this way appears to be cosmopolitan so that successful members of the oligobacteria have coevolved across many genetic lineages.
TRAP, the trp RNA-binding attenuation protein of Bacillus subtilis, is a multisubunit complex that appears to recognize G/UAG repeats in the trpEDCFBA and trpG transcripts

A filter binding assay was developed to study interactions between purified TRAP, the trp RNA-binding attenuation protein of Bacillus subtilis, and trp specific transcripts. TRAP formed stable complexes with trpEDCFBA leader RNA; binding was L-tryptophan-dependent and was complete within 60 s. TRAP binds to a segment of the trp leader transcript that includes part of an RNA antiterminator structure. Binding to this segment allows formation of an RNA terminator structure, thereby promoting transcription termination. Using several trpEDCFBA leader deletion transcripts, we identified several closely spaced trinucleotide repeats (seven GAG and four UAG repeats) in the trp leader transcript that appeared to be required for TRAP binding. We also showed that TRAP binds to a segment of the trpG transcript that includes the trpG ribosome binding site; the nucleotide sequence of this segment contains several appropriately spaced trinucleotide repeats (seven GAG, one UAG, and one AAG). TRAP binding to the trpG transcript would block translation initiation. RNA footprint analysis confirmed interaction between TRAP and the trinucleotide repeats in the various transcripts. TRAP, in the presence or absence of L-tryptophan, appears to consist of 11 or 12 identical 8-kDa subunits. Our findings suggest that each tryptophan-activated TRAP subunit can bind one G/UAG repeat in a target transcript. Multiple protein-RNA interactions are required for stable association.
Genetics, individuality, and medicine in the 21st century.

The URLs for data presented herein are as follows:ESEfinder, http://exon.cshl.edu/ESE/Gene Tests, http://www.genetests.org/Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM), http://www.ncbi.nlmnih.gov/Omim/dbSNP Home Page, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/SNP/
Compound composite odontoma. Report of two cases.

Abstract Two cases of compound composite odontomas, one containing seven and the other containing seventeen small toothlike structures, have been presented. One of these tumors occurred in relation to an unerupted maxillary cuspid and the other occurred in relation to an unerupted mandibular cuspid. When ground sections from some of the small toothlike structures recovered from these odontomas were examined by means of polarizing-light microscopy, it was observed that the enamel, dentine, and cementum showed pronounced changes. There were hypoplastic areas and diffuse hypomineralized zones in the enamel. Dentine formation was greatly disturbed and showed the presence of interglobular dentine, atypical arrangement of dentinal tubules, and bulbous areas of dentine formation. In a few instances cementum deposition appeared to be excessive. Large areas of cementum and dentine were resorbed and repaired by cementum.
Privilege Can Be Abused: Exploring the Ethical Obligation to Avoid Frivolous Claims of Attorney-Client Privilege

I. THE ETHICAL STATUS OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE 420 II. THE ETHICAL BASIS OF LIMITING CLAIMS OF PRIVILEGE 422 A. Abuse of Privilege as a Violation of the Duty to Provide Competent Representation 422 B. Abuse of Privilege as a Violation of the Ethical Duties Not to Make Frivolous Claims or Defenses and Fairness to the Opposing Party 426 III. ETHICALLY IMPERMISSIBLE CLAIMS OF ATTORNEY-CLIENT PRIVILEGE 432 A. Claims of Privileges Made for Frivolous Purposes 433 B. Claims of Privilege Made in a Frivolous Manner 440 1. Lack of Factual Inquiry 441 2. Lack of Legal Research of Analysis 449 3. Lack of a Complete Privilege Log 461 C. Substantively Frivolous Claims of Privilege 465 1. General Characteristics of Substantively Frivolous Claims 467 2. Specific Claims of Privilege that are Substantively Frivolous 471 a. Frivolous Because No Legal Advice 472 b. Frivolous Because No Lawyer Qua Lawyer 478 c. Frivolous Because Not Communications Relating to the Purpose of Seeking Legal Advice 479 i. Non-Communications 480
Effect of a Behavioral Intervention with Cereal Fiber or Resistant Starch on Gestational Weight Gain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Optimal gestational weight gain is a critical determinant of both fetal health and pregnancy outcomes. A randomized behavioral intervention with recommendations to consume a high fiber diet was con...
Crack-tip deformation mechanisms in α-Fe and binary Fe alloys : An atomistic study on single crystals

Molecular statics simulations are employed using semiempirical interatomic interaction potentials to examine the near crack-tip deformation mechanisms in iron and iron alloy single crystals under pure mode-I loading. The deformation mechanisms are found to be strong functions of the crack orientation. For pure Fe systems, the sensitivity of the overall response is explored by comparing the behavior of a number of recently developed potentials. The competition between ductile and brittle responses is interpreted between the well-known Griffith and Rice criteria, but is found to be lacking in predicting a priori the qualitative failure mechanism near the crack tip. The influence of Ni and Cr additions as ordered substitutional solutes is probed at concentrations up to 9.375 at. pct, and several qualitative differences in crack-tip behavior are observed.
Infrared microspectroscopy. A review of fundamentals and applications

Abstract Infrared microspectroscopy (FT-IR microscopy) has become widely used in the chemical sciences in the last 10–15 years. The factors leading to this growth are reviewed along with specific capabilities and problem areas. The critical conditions for interfacing a microscope and a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer are considered, and the various ways of obtaining spectral data are briefly discussed. Sampling procedures, which are as important as instrumental operation, are considered with regard to the different ways of obtaining spectral data. Some general applications of the technique to materials analysis—both sample identification and component quantitation—are then discussed. The concept of surface mapping, or imaging, of samples using the technique is briefly considered.
The IBM Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON) Architecture

The IBM Enterprise Systems Connection (ESCON™) Architecture™ is the architecture for the new fiber optic serial-I/O channels for the processors in the IBM System/390 ® family. The architecture is based on message exchanges, which replace the byte-oriented protocols of the predecessor parallel interface architecture. Its interconnection topology employs a dynamic crosspoint switch. This paper describes the major functional components of the architecture and discusses some of the technical problems that were solved during its development.
Kisspeptin Depolarizes Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neurons through Activation of TRPC-Like Cationic Channels

Kisspeptin and its cognate receptor, GPR54, are critical for reproductive development and for the regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion. Although kisspeptin has been found to depolarize GnRH neurons, the underlying ionic mechanism has not been elucidated. Presently, we found that kisspeptin depolarized GnRH neurons in a concentration-dependent manner with a maximum depolarization of 22.6 +/- 0.6 mV and EC(50) of 2.8 +/- 0.2 nM. Under voltage-clamp conditions, kisspeptin induced an inward current of 18.2 +/- 1.6 pA (V(hold) = -60 mV) that reversed near -115 mV in GnRH neurons. The more negative reversal potential than E(K)(+) (-90 mV) was caused by the concurrent inhibition of barium-sensitive, inwardly rectifying (Kir) potassium channels and activation of sodium-dependent, nonselective cationic channels (NSCCs). Indeed, reducing extracellular Na(+) (to 5 mM) essentially eliminated the kisspeptin-induced inward current. The current-voltage relationships of the kisspeptin-activated NSCC currents exhibited double rectification with negative slope conductance below -40 mV in the majority of the cells. Pharmacological examination showed that the kisspeptin-induced inward currents were blocked by TRPC (canonical transient receptor potential) channel blockers 2-APB (2-aminoethyl diphenylborinate), flufenamic acid, SKF96365 (1-[beta-[3-(4-methoxyphenyl)propoxy]-4-methoxyphenethyl]-1H-imidazole hydrochloride), and Cd(2+), but not by lanthanum (100 microM). Furthermore, single-cell reverse transcription-PCR analysis revealed that TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC4, TRPC5, TRPC6, and TRPC7 subunits were expressed in GnRH neurons. Therefore, it appears that kisspeptin depolarizes GnRH neurons through activating TRPC-like channels and, to a lesser extent, inhibition of Kir channels. These actions of kisspeptin contribute to the pronounced excitation of GnRH neurons that is critical for mammalian reproduction.
MetaBot: Automated and dynamically schedulable robotic behaviors in retail environments

The ever-increasing popularity of online stores is reshaping traditional commerce models. In particular, brick-and-mortar stores are presently facing the challenge of reinventing themselves and their business models to offer attractive yet low-cost alternatives to e-commerce. Other industries have already introduced new concepts to fight inefficiency (i.e., “Just-in-Time” inventory management in Automotive), retail stores face a more challenging environment which these models cannot accommodate. Stores remain heavily vested in battling the overhead costs of personnel management when, instead, a robotic automation scheme with retail-oriented behaviors could reduce the detection latency of out-of-stock and compliance error phenomena throughout the store. These behaviors must be automated, multi-purpose, and schedulable; they must also ensure that the robot coordinates store nuances to adapt its functionality appropriately. In this paper, we present our architecture that defines retail robot behaviors as a collection of reusable activities, which, when permuted various ways, allows for various high-level and application-specific tasks to be accomplished effectively. We evaluate this system on our robotic platform by scrutinizing the integrity of navigation and machine vision tasks, which we perform concurrently in an experimental store setup. Results show the feasibility and efficiency of our proposed architecture.
Robust regression for clustered data with application to binary responses.

Summary. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) can be highly influenced by the presence of unusual data points. A generalization of the GEE procedure, which yields parameter estimates and fitted values that are resistant to influential data, is introduced. Resistant generalized estimating equations (REGEE) include weights in the estimating equations to downweight influential observations or clusters. Influential observations are downweighted according to their leverage or residual in an example of correlated binary regression applied to 137 urinary incontinent elderly patients from 38 medical practices.
Integration of spirituality into health care practice by nurse practitioners.

Although conceptualizations of mind, body, and spirit are ancient, spiritual aspects have not been readily integrated into health care. Western medicine's mechanistic model, with its "fix-broken-parts" paradigm, focuses on the physical body, with occasional consideration given to emotional and mental aspects. One's view of self in relation to a Supreme Being, and one's existence and purpose for life is central to health at all levels, e.g., spiritual, physical, emotional, and cognitive. The purpose of this article is to describe the role that nurse practitioners can and should take with patients and their families in integrating spirituality into health care practice.
Bubble Shape in Non-Newtonian Fluids

The study of the behavior of bubbles in complex fluids is of industrial as well as of academic importance. Bubble velocity-volume relations, bubble shapes, as well as viscous, elastic, and surfactant effects play a role in bubble dynamics. In this note we extend the analysis of Richardson to a non-Newtonian fluid. ©2002 ASME
Genomics and museum specimens

Nearly 25 years ago, Allan Wilson and colleagues isolated DNA sequences from museum specimens of kangaroo rats (Dipodomys panamintinus) and compared these sequences with those from freshly collected animals (Thomas et al. 1990). The museum specimens had been collected up to 78 years earlier, so the two samples provided a direct temporal comparison of patterns of genetic variation. This was not the first time DNA sequences had been isolated from preserved material, but it was the first time it had been carried out with a population sample. Population geneticists often try to make inferences about the influence of historical processes such as selection, drift, mutation and migration on patterns of genetic variation in the present. The work of Wilson and colleagues was important in part because it suggested a way in which population geneticists could actually study genetic change in natural populations through time, much the same way that experimentalists can do with artificial populations in the laboratory. Indeed, the work of Thomas et al. (1990) spawned dozens of studies in which museum specimens were used to compare historical and present-day genetic diversity (reviewed in Wandeler et al. 2007). All of these studies, however, were limited by the same fundamental problem: old DNA is degraded into short fragments. As a consequence, these studies mostly involved PCR amplification of short templates, usually short stretches of mitochondrial DNA or microsatellites. In this issue, Bi et al. (2013) report a breakthrough that should open the door to studies of genomic variation in museum specimens. They used target enrichment (exon capture) and next-generation (Illumina) sequencing to compare patterns of genetic variation in historic and present-day population samples of alpine chipmunks (Tamias alpinus) (Fig. 1). The historic samples came from specimens collected in 1915, so the temporal span of this comparison is nearly 100 years.
Estimating probability of occurrence of the most likely multinomial event

Abstract The problem of estimating the parameters of a multinomial population arises in discrete multivariate analysis. This paper deals with the problem of estimating the probability associated with the most likely multinomial event. We consider several estimates, such as the maximum likelihood estimate and its modifications, and a Bayes estimate. Certain mathematical properties of the estimates are shown. Empirical results are given, showing the relative performance of the estimates with respect to the mean squared error as the loss function.
Privately Detecting Pairwise Correlations in Distributed Time Series

In this paper, we propose developing a generic framework for privately identifying similarities or correlations within and/or across basic statistics, e.g. mean, for independently owned, distributed participant data. To obscure the actual statistical values and improve the levels of privacy, we propose using scaled bin values instead of raw data. We find that while there is a natural trade off between privacy and accuracy, we can maintain reasonable correlation accuracy across different levels of privacy and different adversarial backgrounds for time series data with varying distributions.
Astronomical imaging by filtered weighted-shift-and-add technique

The weighted-shift-and-add speckle imaging technique is analyzed using simple assumptions. The end product is shown to be a convolution of the object with a typical point-spread function (psf) that is similar in shape to the telescope psf and depends marginally on the speckle psf. A filter can be applied to each data frame before locating the maxima, either to identify the speckle locations (matched filter) or to estimate the instantaneous atmospheric psf (Wiener filter). Preliminary results show the power of the technique when applied to photon-limited data and to extended objects.
Vascular genomics of the human brain

The microvasculature of the human brain plays an important role in the development and maintenance of the central nervous system and in the pathogenesis of brain diseases, and is the site of differential gene expression within the brain. However, human brain microvascular-specific genes may not be detected in whole-brain gene microarray because the volume of the brain microvascular endothelium is relatively small (0.1%) compared with the whole brain. Therefore, the differential gene expression within the human brain microvasculature was evaluated using suppression subtractive hybridization with RNA isolated from human brain microvessels. Gene identification was restricted to the first 71 clones that were differentially expressed at the brain microvasculature. Twenty of these were genes encoding proteins with known function that were involved in angiogenesis, neurogenesis, molecular transport, and maintenance of endothelial tight junctions or the cytoskeleton. Eighteen genes coding for proteins of an unknown function were identified, including five genes containing satellite DNA sequences. The results provide the initial outline of the genomics of the human brain microvasculature, and have implications for the identification of both targets for brain-specific drug transport and changes in microvascular gene expression in brain diseases.
Phase transitions in solid C60

Abstract Thermal analysis of solid C 60 (buckminsterfullerene) has been conducted from 150 to 1000 K with a differential scanning calorimeter. The onsets of two endothermic transitions are observed at 221 and 252 K. Low temperature X-ray powder diffraction experiments show little change in the lattice structures associated with these transformations. Our results also show that solid C 60 is stable up to 1000 K, contrary to a recent report.