cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Study of potentially active adrenocortical steroids in peripheral human plasma after various stresses.

THE present observations deal with chemical measurements of potentially biologically active adrenocortical steroids, i.e., those containing a Δ4-3-keto grouping, together with corticosteroids measured by previously described methods. It is believed that these new procedures furnish a more accurate means of measuring adrenocortical activity and thus have greater diagnostic possibilities than methods now in use, particularly in states of clinical adrenocortical insufficiency or failure. The data also add considerable information regarding probable metabolic changes that various steroids may undergo. METHODS In a previous communication (1), free and conjugated Porter-Silber (PS) reactive materials (17-hydroxycorticosteroids) and the differences between them and free bluetetrazolium (BT) reactive materials (17-desoxycorticosteroids) were measured in the peripheral plasma of patients undergoing elective surgical procedures of various kinds. In the present communication, free and conjugated Δ4-3-ketocorticoster...
Review of Neil Webster's Cribs for Victory edited by Joss Pearson

From the back cover: Cribs for Victory is a posthumous account of the secret code-breaking process in Bletchley Park's Fusion Room during World War II by Major Neil Webster, one of the key members ...
The classification of aerobic diphtheroids from human skin.

SUMMARY. An attempt was made to classify as simply as possible the aerobic diphtheroid organisms isolated from skin and nose swabbings, the material being derived mainly from patients with skin diseases. A broad classification was possible on the presence or absence of nitrate reduction; some further subdivision on the basis of fermentation reactions and urease production was attempted. About one third of the organisms investigated reduced nitrates and 56% of these were found in the nose. Of the non-nitrate reducers less than 4% were of nasal origin, the majority being associated with miscellaneous skin and perineal sites. It was also noted that organisms failing to ferment sucrose were isolated largely from perineal swabs.
Accuracy in Modeling with Extended Entity Relationship and Object Oriented Data Models

This research compares success in developing conceptual data models for the extended entity relationship (EER) model and Kroenkeâ€™s object oriented model. A laboratory study was used to evaluate model correctness for 38 subjects divided into two equally sized groups where each group was trained in one of the modeling methods. Modeling correctness is measured in terms of eight different facets of a conceptual data model: (1) entities/objects, (2) attribute/property identifiers, (3) categories, (4) unary one-one relationships, (5) binary one-many relationships, (6) binary many-many relationships, (7) ternary one-many-many relationships, and (8) ternary many-many-many relationships. The EER model provided significantly improved performance for the attribute/ property identifier, unary one-one relationship, and binary many-many relationship facets.
Defining the Structural Consequences of Mechanism-Based Inactivation of Mammalian Cytochrome P450 2B4 Using Resonance Raman Spectroscopy

In view of the potent oxidizing strength of cytochrome P450 intermediates, it is not surprising that certain substrates can give rise to reactive species capable of attacking the heme or critical distal-pocket protein residues to irreversibly modify the enzyme in a process known as mechanism-based (MB) inactivation, a result that can have serious physiological consequences leading to adverse drug−drug interactions and toxicity. While methods exist to document the attachment of these substrate fragments, it is more difficult to gain insight into the structural basis for the altered functional properties of these modified enzymes. In response to this pressing need to better understand MB inhibition, we here report the first application of resonance Raman spectroscopy to study the inactivation of a truncated form of mammalian CYP2B4 by the acetylenic inhibitor 4-(tert-butyl)phenylacetylene, whose activated form is known to attach to the distal-pocket T302 residue of CYP2B4.
Some aspects of the carbohydrate metabolism of Entamoeba histolytical

Summary Activity of the following enzymes has been demonstrated in cell-free preparations of Entamoeba histolytica: (a) phosphohexoisomerase (b) phosphohexokinase (c) aldolase (d) glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and (e) the enzyme system concerned in the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, α-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase could not be detected. Hexokinase could not be routinely demonstrated. While the presence of the enzymes phosphohexoisomerase, phosphohexokinase and aldolase would indicate that the glycolytic sequence is present from glucose-6-phosphate to triosephosphate, the absence of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase suggests that the steps of this sequence from triosephosphate to pyruvic acid are absent at least in our cell-free preparations. The hexosemonophosphate shunt would appear to be eliminated as a possible pathway of glucose metabolism by the absence of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase. The Entner-Doudoroff scheme offers a pathway by which glucose maybe metabolized to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and pyruvate in E. histolytica.
Effects of Welfare Reform on Rural Counties and Labor Markets

The 1996 Welfare Reform Act (WRA) passed with limited discussion about impacts of the act on rural areas, and writers such as Wiseman have claimed that "[w]elfare reform is in essence an urban policy issue" (p. 596) because of the large number of urban poor. Although many of the poor do reside in inner cities of metropolitan areas, the rate or incidence of poverty is in fact higher among families, femaleheaded households, and related children in nonmetropolitan than in metropolitan counties, suggesting that welfare reform has repercussions for individuals and counties across the United States. Rural and urban counties differ in their labor
Notes from the EC'13 program chairs

This note describes our experience as 2013 ACM Electronic Commerce (EC) program chairs and summarizes a survey we ran after the program was complete.
Univariate detrending methods with stochastic trends

Abstract This paper discusses detrending economic time series, when the trend is modelled as a stochastic process. It considers unobserved components models in which the observed series is decomposed into a trend (a random walk with drift) and a residual stationary component. Optimal detrending methods are discussed, as well as problems associated with using these detrended data in regression models. The methods are applied to three time series: GNP, disposable income, and consumption expenditures. The detrended data are used to test a version of the Life Cycle consumption model.
Variations in Urethral Warming Temperatures During Cryosurgery: The Impact On Post‐Treatment PSA Levels

A comparison of prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels at 1 year after cryosurgery is made for three groups of patients: those who underwent standard cryosurgery with the use of a 37°C urethral warmer, those who underwent cryosurgery with the use of a 22°C warmer, and those who underwent cryosurgery with no warmer used. Those patients who underwent standard cryosurgery were further divided into those who had less aggressive disease (by determination of pretreatment PSA level and tumor grade) and those with more aggressive disease. No significant difference was found in the results of treatment by varying the urethral warming temperature. Aggressive tumors did not respond well to standard cryosurgery. Complete ablation of the prostate by freezing without the use of a warming catheter, however, dramatically improved treatment results. Further studies are thereby felt to be warranted.
Numerical solution of the high frequency asymptotic expansion for the scalar wave equation

New numerical methods are derived for calculation of high frequency asymptotic expansion of the scalar wave equation. The nonlinear partial differential equations defining the terms in the expansio ...
Kinetics and mechanism in RNA cleavage.

Abstract Experimental studies on the cleavage of various RNA molecules--poly(U), 3',5''-UpU, 2',5''-UpU, and 3',5''-ApA--catalyzed by imidazole buffers show that there is a sequential bifunctional mechanism. One catalyst species converts the substrate to an intermediate phosphorane, and the second catalyst converts the phosphorane to cleavage products. Detailed steady-state kinetics are presented to determine all mechanisms that are consistent with the findings. Choice among these possibilities can be made considering other experimental evidence about the catalysis of an isomerization reaction that accompanies cleavage. It is concluded that all acceptable mechanisms involve action of the second catalyst on a phosphorane monoanion; it can be formed directly from the substrate in the first step or by proton equilibrations involving either the substrate or the phosphorane intermediate. The relationship of these conclusions to the likely mechanism of action of the enzyme ribonuclease is briefly discussed.
Increase in food consumption and growth after treatment with aminoguanidine.

Nach Behandlung mit dem Diaminoxidase (DAO)-Hemmer Aminoguanidin wurden Appetitzunahme, vermehrte Nahrungsaufnahme und Gewichtszunahme sowohl bei einem Krebspatienten als auch bei Ratten beobachtet, wobei der Mechanismus des Effektes unklar blieb. Die Anreicherung der Droge sowie die Hemmung der DAO in den Geweben wurde gemessen.
Doping properties of monoclinic BiVO 4 studied by first-principles density-functional theory

The intrinsic and extrinsic doping properties of BiVO${}_{4}$, i.e., the formation energies and transition energy levels of defects and impurities, have been studied systematically by first-principles density-functional theory. We find that for doping caused by intrinsic defects, O vacancies are shallow donors and Bi vacancies are shallow acceptors. However, these defects compensate each other and can only lead to moderate $n$-type and $p$-type conductivities at Bi-rich and O-rich growth conditions, respectively. To obtain BiVO${}_{4}$ with high $n$-type and $p$-type conductivities, which are required for forming Ohmic contacts, extrinsic doping using foreign impurities is necessary. Our results reveal that Sr, Ca, Na, and K atoms on Bi sites are very shallow acceptors and have rather low formation energies. The calculated Fermi-level pinning positions predict that doping of these impurities under oxygen-rich growth conditions should result in outstanding $p$-type conductivity. Substitutional Mo and W atoms on V sites are very shallow donors and have very low formation energies. Fermi-level pinning position calculations expect the doping of Mo and W under oxygen-poor growth conditions to produce excellent $n$-type conductivity. Also discussed is the dependence of formation energies and transition energies of defects on the atomic size and atomic chemical potential trends.
Incidence and clinical significance of abdominal wall bruising in restrained children involved in motor vehicle crashes

BACKGROUND: Children involved in motor vehicle crashes (MVC) can sustain bruising of the abdominal wall associated with seat belt restraint. The incidence of bruising and its relationship with significant intraabdominal injuries are not known. METHODS: An analysis of children involved in MVC between December 1998 and November 2002 was performed, using the crash surveillance database from the Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) project. Optimally (OR) or suboptimally (S-OR) restrained children aged 4 to 15 years were selected. The incidence of abdominal wall bruising was calculated then correlated with the type of restraint as well as any intraabdominal injury with an Abbreviated Injury Scale score > or =2. RESULTS: A total of 147,985 children in 102,548 crashes met study criteria. An abdominal bruise was noted in 1.33% of the children (n = 1,967; 881 OR and 1,086 S-OR). Significant intraabdominal injury was present in 309 children (0.21%, 95% CI 0.13 to 0.33), including 69 OR and 240 S-OR. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of abdominal wall bruising for a significant intraabdominal injury were 73.5%, 98.8%, 11.5%, and 99.9%, respectively. Children with a bruise were substantially more likely to have an intraabdominal injury than children without a bruise. (Odds Ratio 232.1, 95% CI, 75.9 to 710.3) Among those children with an abdominal bruise, 1% required an abdominal operation (n = 20). CONCLUSIONS: Abdominal wall bruising was relatively uncommon in both OR and S-OR children. Among restrained children involved in MVC, those with a bruise were 232 times more likely to have a significant intraabdominal injury when compared with those without a bruise. It is imperative to pursue intraabdominal injury in children with a bruise of the abdominal wall after MVC. Language: en
Kinetic models of ELMs burst

Fluid descriptions can fail for fast processes such as Edge Localized Mode (ELM) [1] bursts because plasma transport properties may be affected by incomplete Maxwellization of plasma particles. In this case only kinetic plasma descriptions of ELMs can give qualitatively correct results. In the present work we propose three different models of ELM propagation in the scrape-off-layer (SOL). We also present the first results of the kinetic modeling of the propagation of ELM bursts along the magnetic field, towards the target in a SOL plasma. These simulations are performed with a 1D2V finite element Fokker-Planck code ALLA [2] and with a 2D PIC code W2 [3].
Does gender and ethnicity impact initial assessment and management of chest pain

Review of recent evidence with translation to practice for the advanced practice nurse role is presented using a case study module for "racial and sex differences in emergency department triage assessment and test ordering for chest pain." The study results showed that there might be some differences in how triage nurses approach the management of patients with chest pain on the basis of gender and ethnicity. The implications and clinical relevance of these findings for advanced practice nurses are discussed highlighting best evidence.
Scanning electron microscopy of gastroscopic biopsies

Endoscopic biopsy specimens of normal human gastric mucosa and mucosa in erosive and chronic gastritis were studied by scanning electron microscopy. The orifices of the gastric pits and the cobblestone surface of epithelial cells covered with villus-like and bulbous projections were observed. A possible mechanism for mucus secretion from these cells is suggested. The mucosa showed striking morphologic surface differences from the normal in cases of both erosive and chronic gastritis.
Fire spread in concealed foamed plastic insulation

A test program, jointly sponsored by the Society of the Plastics Industry of Canada and the National Research Council, examined the contribution of plastic foams to fire spread in buildings. The conditions under which these materials may be safely used in buildings of noncombustible construction are defined.
Abstract 5456: Potential role of nitric oxide in chromium-induced lung carcinogenesis

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Certain hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] compounds are well established human respiratory toxins and carcinogens of occupational and environmental relevance. Our recent studies have shown that intranasal (IN) exposure of Balb/c mice to particulate zinc Cr(VI) compounds leads to pronounced innate inflammation in the lung, which we postulate plays a significant role in pulmonary tumorigenesis. Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be induced via inflammatory response mediators, and has been implicated in the progression of different cancers, including lung. Moreover, NO-induced tumor invasiveness has been correlated with enhanced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression in lung tumor cell lines. Of particular relevance to the present study is the finding that in vitro exposure of human lung cells to Cr(VI) in culture led to increased NO production. The aim of the present study was to explore the role of NO in chromium-induced lung tumorigenesis. BALB/c mice received weekly IN delivery of either saline or 10 ug particulate basic zinc chromate, which is an intermediately water soluble chromate typically encountered in mining/chromate production facilities and which is also present as an environmental atmospheric contaminant in urban areas surrounding ferrochrome production facilities. After 9 weeks, immune cells, cytokines, NO, MMPs and pathologic features of lung injury and inflammation were measured in airway lavage fluid and lung tissue, at both 24h after the final Cr(VI) dose, as well as 1 week later. As previously shown, repetitive Cr(VI) exposure induced a neutrophilic inflammatory airway response 24h after treatment. Neutrophils were subsequently replaced by increasing numbers of macrophages 1 week after treatment. Peribronchiolar inflammation was observed in chromate-exposed mice, and was accompanied by a 100-fold increase in pro-MMP9 release into the airways. Notably, airway NO was significantly increased ∼ 1.9 fold in Cr(VI)-exposed mice as compared to their saline-treated counterparts at both time points following final exposure. Moreover, immunoreactivity of induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was markedly increased in airways exposed to Cr(VI), with staining localized to infiltrating immune cells. In conclusion, repetitive exposure to particulate chromate induces an inflammatory environment in the lung, accompanied by enhanced NO production, which we postulate may promote Cr(VI) carcinogenesis. Supported by NIH grants CA107972 and ES017334 to SC and ES017307 to SRP. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5456. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5456
Posttranslational regulation of Myc by promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger protein.

The promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF) protein, a transcriptional repressor, induces cellular resistance to oncogenic transformation by diverse oncoproteins. Two point mutants of PLZF that have lost the antioncogenic activity of the wild-type protein are oncogenic in chicken embryo fibroblasts; this activity is correlated with differential effects on Myc. Wild-type PLZF represses Myc transcription without affecting total Myc protein levels and reduces the levels of phosphorylated Myc. The PLZF mutants do not alter Myc transcription or protein expression but increase the levels of phosphorylated Myc. These modifications of Myc are correlated with PLZF-induced changes in Akt and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Wild-type PLZF downregulates the MAPK pathway and activates Akt, resulting in reduced phosphorylation on serine 62 of Myc by Erk and on threonine 58 by glycogen synthase kinase 3β. The mutants fail to activate Akt and only slightly downregulate phospho-Erk. We postulate that the 2 PLZF mutants are oncogenic, because they function as dominant negatives of wild-type PLZF, enhancing Myc phosphorylation and increasing Myc transcriptional and oncogenic activity. In support of this suggestion, a specific inhibitor of Myc is able to revert the transformed phenotype of PLZF mutant-expressing cells. © 2009 UICC
Root physiological factors involved in cool-season grass response to high soil temperature

Abstract High soil temperature is a critical factor limiting growth of cool-season grasses. This study was designed to examine changes in water, nutritional, and hormonal status in response to high soil temperature for creeping bentgrass ( Agrostis stolonifera var. palustris) and to compare the sensitivity of those parameters to high soil temperatures. Plants of ‘Penncross’ were exposed to 35 °C soil temperature (heat stress) or 20 °C (control) in water baths while air temperature was maintained at 20 °C in growth chambers. Turfgrass quality, shoot growth rate, and root biomass decreased below the control levels at 15, 15, and 10 days of heat stress, respectively, while root mortality increased above the control level at 5 days of heat stress. Relative water content (RWC) of leaves decreased below the control level at 15 days of heat treatment. Root N content increased while P and K content did not change over time at 35 °C. Shoot N, P, and K content decreased below the control level at 15, 15, and 10 days of heat stress, respectively. Root abscisic acid (ABA) content decreased below the control level at 10 days while shoot ABA content increased above the control level at 5 days. The content of cytokinins (zeatin (Z) and zeatin riboside (ZR), dihydrogen zeatin riboside (DHZR), and isopentenyl adenosine (iPA)) decreased below their respective control levels as early as 5 days of heat stress for roots and 10 days for shoots. The decline in cytokinin content was also more dramatic than changes in other parameters. Our results suggested that cytokinin was most sensitive to high soil temperature among parameters examined, suggesting that changes in cytokinins could serve as an early stress indicator for plant responses to high soil temperature; however, decreased water, nutrient (N, P, and K), and cytokinin content, and increased ABA could all contribute to the decline in shoot and root growth for creeping bentgrass exposed to high soil temperatures.
Who Lives on the Wrong Side of the Environmental Tracks? Evidence from the EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators Model

Objective. We analyze the social and economic correlates of air pollution exposure in U.S. cities. Methods. We combine 1990 Census block group data for urbanized areas with 1998 data on toxicity-adjusted exposure to air pollution. Using a unique data set created as a byproduct of the EPA's Risk-Screening Environmental Indicators Model, we improve on previous studies of environmental inequality in three ways. First, where previous studies focus on the proximity to point sources and the total mass of pollutants released, our measure of toxic exposure reflects atmospheric dispersion and chemical toxicity. Second, we analyze the data at a fine level of geographic resolution. Third, we control for substantial regional variations in pollution, allowing us to identify exposure differences both within cities and between cities. Results. We find that African Americans tend to live both in more polluted cities in the United States and in more polluted neighborhoods within cities. Hispanics live in less polluted cities on average, but they live in more polluted areas within cities. We find an extremely consistent income-pollution gradient, with lower-income people significantly more exposed to pollution. Conclusions. Communities with higher concentrations of lower-income people and people of color experience disproportionate exposure to environmental hazards. Our findings highlight the importance of controlling for interregional variation in pollution levels in studies of the demographic correlates of pollution.
Frailty as a Predictor of Falls in Older Mexican Americans

Objective: Examine the relationship between frailty and falls. Method: A total of 847 Mexican Americans from the Hispanic Established Population for the Epidemiological Study of the Elderly were ev...
Treatment of Acute Seizures: Is Intranasal Midazolam a Viable Option?

Seizures in the pediatric population commonly occur, and when proper rescue medication is not administered quickly, the risk of neurologic compromise emerges. For many years, rectal diazepam has been the standard of care, but recent interest in a more cost-effective, safe alternative has led to the investigation of intranasal midazolam for this indication. Although midazolam and diazepam are both members of the benzodiazepine class, the kinetic properties of these 2 anticonvulsants vary. This paper will review available data pertaining to the efficacy, safety, cost, and pharmacokinetics of intranasal midazolam versus rectal diazepam as treatment for acute seizures for children in the prehospital, home, and emergency department settings.
Prevalence and Correlates of Pelvic Examinations in Sexually Active Female Adolescents

Objectives.—The pelvic examination is an important component of reproductive health services for adolescent girls and is recommended for those who become sexually active. The aims of this study were to describe self-reported rates of pelvic examinations in sexually active adolescent girls and to determine factors associated with having obtained an examination. Methods.—Cross-sectional data from a national self-administered survey of nurses' adolescent daughters were used. Subjects were those girls (N = 635) who reported ever having had sexual intercourse. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify demographic and psychological variables, preventive health behaviors, and risk behaviors associated with having ever obtained a pelvic examination. Results.—Median subject age was 16.0 years (range 12–19 years), and 46% of subjects reported having had a pelvic examination. Variables associated with having obtained an examination were older age (odds ratio [OR] 1.29, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.09–1.53), cigarette smoking (OR 1.51, 95% CI 1.02–2.24), higher number of sexual partners (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.14–1.47), and no condom use during last sexual intercourse (OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.19–2.70). Conclusions.—Fewer than half of these sexually active adolescents had ever obtained a pelvic examination. Younger subjects who did not smoke regularly, had fewer partners, and used condoms were less likely to have obtained an examination; these adolescents may not be seeking reproductive health care services or be recognized by parents or providers as being in need of services.
East Germany's New Towns in Transition: A Grassroots View of the Impact of Unification

This paper describes the former German Democratic Republic in transition after unification, focusing on the new urban communities (Neubaugebiete) with particular reference to the levels of participation by residents in local organisations. The immediate effects of unification include loss of subsidies, massive unemployment and special problems for groups such as women, single parents, foreigners and young adults in residential areas. Levels of participation in local organisation are low because of a sense of futility and lack of familiarity. In the case-study city of Rostock the new political parties are committed to preserving some of the older GDR values such as non-segregated housing. The transition period has revealed enormously high expectations for social and economic well-being which are constantly challenged by the reality of everyday life.
Doppler ultrasound simulation model for pulsatile flow with nonaxial components

A numerical model that can produce pulsed Doppler signals for nonaxial, pulsatile flow is presented. The model takes into account both hemodynamic and acoustic factors that affect the Doppler signal, such that a wide range of flow patterns and arbitrary transducer types can be simulated. The physics of blood flow is modeled by solving the Navier-Stokes equations utilizing a finite element technique, and the acoustic field is modeled using the acoustic impulse response method. The model was validated by comparison to the Womersley theory. The median deviation was 3.45%. Doppler signals from flow through a 50% stenosis were also simulated. The calculated spectra demonstrated the changing flow patterns from jets and vortices. This new computer model can be used to test spectral analysis tools on simulated Doppler signals, whose underlying flow patterns are of clinical importance.
Bridging the Gap between Minority Disadvantaged High potential Children and Anglo Middle Class Gifted Children

The writer explores the causes contributing to the under-representation of minority groups in gifted programmes and discusses the goals and implementation of PROJECT STEP-UP which seeks to address these issues. PROJECT STEP-UP demonstrates that by focussing on the strengths of "at risk" children, providing practice in higher order thinking skills and providing parent assistance, dramatic changes can be made in pupils level of performance.
Liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric bioanalysis using normal-phase columns with aqueous/organic mobile phases - a novel approach of eliminating evaporation and reconstitution steps in 96-well SPE.

Bioanalytical methods using automated 96-well solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid chromatography with electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) are widely used in the pharmaceutical industry. SPE methods typically require manual steps of drying of the eluates and reconstituting of the analytes with a suitable injection solvent possessing elution strength weaker than the mobile phase. In this study, we demonstrated a novel approach of eliminating these two steps in 96-well SPE by using normal-phase LC/MS/MS methods with low aqueous/high organic mobile phases, which consisted of 70-95% organic solvent, 5-30% water, and small amount of volatile acid or buffer. While the commonly used SPE elution solvents (i.e. acetonitrile and methanol) have stronger elution strength than a mobile phase on reversed-phase chromatography, they are weaker elution solvents than a mobile phase for normal-phase LC/MS/MS and therefore can be injected directly. Analytical methods for a range of polar pharmaceutical compounds, namely, omeprazole, metoprolol, fexofenadine, pseudoephedrine as well as rifampin and its metabolite 25-desacetyl-rifampin, in biological fluids, were developed and optimized based on the foregoing principles. As a result of the time saving, a batch of 96 samples could be processed in one hour. These bioanalytical LC/MS/MS methods were validated according to "Guidance for Industry - Bioanalytical Method Validation" recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States.
Preferential Utilization of d-Lactate by Shewanella oneidensis

Shewanella oneidensis couples oxidation of lactate to respiration of many substrates. Here we report that llpR (l-lactate-positive regulator, SO_3460) encodes a positive regulator of l-lactate utilization distinct from previously studied regulators. We also demonstrate d-lactate inhibition of l-lactate utilization in S. oneidensis, resulting in preferential utilization of the d isomer.
Simulation of interfrometric SAR response to rough surfaces covered with a dielectric layer

A feasibility study is carried out to demonstrate the application of repeat-pass interferometry in retrieving snowpack parameters. The premise of the proposed method is based on the expected decorrelation of backscatter fields from a snow-covered rough surface as the snow layer thickness increases. Forward scattering models are developed to examine the change in the backscattering coefficient and the coherence between the scattered fields from a rough surface with and without a dielectric layer. An analytical model based on perturbation analysis and a numerical model based on the method of moments in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulations are used to perform a sensitivity analysis.
ApoE-mediated cholesterol efflux from macrophages: separation of autocrine and paracrine effects

Macrophages in the vessel wall secrete high levels of apolipoprotein E (apoE). Cholesterol efflux from macrophages to apoE has been shown to decrease foam cell formation and prevent atherosclerosis. An apoE molecule can mediate cholesterol efflux from the macrophage that originally secreted it (autocrine effect) or from surrounding macrophages (paracrine effect). Traditional methodologies have not been able to separate these serial effects. The novel methodology presented here was developed to separate autocrine and paracrine effects by using a simple mathematical model to interpret the effects of dilution on apoE-mediated cholesterol efflux. Our results show that, at very dilute concentrations, the paracrine effect of apoE is not evident and the autocrine effect becomes the dominant mediator of efflux. However, at saturating concentrations, paracrine apoE causes 80-90% of the apoE-mediated cholesterol efflux, whereas autocrine apoE is responsible for the remaining 10-20%. These results suggest that the relative importance of autocrine and paracrine apoE depends on the size of the local distribution volume, a factor not considered in previous in vitro studies of apoE function. Furthermore, autocrine effects of apoE could be critical in the prevention of foam cell formation in vivo. This novel methodology may be applicable to other types of mixed autocrine/paracrine systems, such as signal transduction systems.
Potential Transmission of Pantoea spp. and Serratia marcescens (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae) to Plants by Lygus hesperus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Lygus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a key agricultural pest in the western United States. In a recent study, proteins from Pantoea ananatis and Serratia marcescens (Enterobacteriales: Enterobacteriaceae) were identified in diet that was stylet probed and fed on by L. hesperus adults. P. ananatis and S. marcescens are ubiquitous bacteria that infect a wide range of crops. The objective of our study was to determine whether L. hesperus transfer P. ananatis and S. marcescens to food substrates during stylet-probing activities. Sucrose (5%) was spread under parafilm and exposed to adult L. hesperus for 24 h. Diet similarly prepared but not exposed to insects was used for controls. MacConkey agar was inoculated with stylet-probed or control diets and incubated at 25°C. After 24 h, bacterial colonies were observed on agar that was inoculated with stylet-probed diet, but were not observed on agar inoculated with control diet. Isolated bacterial colonies were putatively identified as either Pantoea spp. or S. marcescens using the API 20e identification kit. These results indicate that L. hesperus is capable of vectoring P. ananatis and S. marcescens.
A combinatorial theorem on labeling squares with points and its application

In this paper, we present a combinatorial theorem on labeling disjoint axis-parallel squares of edge length two using points. Given an arbitrary set of disjoint axis-parallel squares of edge length two, we show that if we label points on the boundary of all squares (one for each square) and define a distance label graph such that there is an edge between any two labeling points if and only if their L∞-distance is at most 1 − e (0 < e < 1), then the maximum connected component of the graph contains Θ(1/e) vertices, which is tight. With this theorem we present a new and simple factor-(3 + e) approximation for labeling points with axis-parallel squares under the slider model.
Sálvese Quien Pueda: Structural Adjustment and Emigration from Lima

Beginning in 1987, Peru imposed a regime of structural adjustment to transform its economy along neoliberal lines. This analysis suggests that a shift resulted in the odds of international migration and the motivations for leaving among inhabitants of Peru’s largest labor market. Before 1987, under the regime of import substitution industrialization, jobs at wages capable of sustaining a basic standard of living were widely available; those few who left the country self-selected for higher human capital and moved abroad to improve their earnings. Under neoliberalism, however, both employment and wages fell to levels that made it difficult for families to sustain themselves. In response, households—with the assistance of friends and relatives with foreign experience—diversified their labor portfolios away from the local job market structural adjustment zones. The number of migrants then rose, the diversity of foreign destinations increased, and migration became less selective with respect to human capital.
Preventing and Responding to Bullying: An Elementary School's 4-Year Journey.

Bullying continues to be a pervasive problem in schools and requires a schoolwide approach. This article describes the action research process used to examine the impact of a 4-year, K-5 school bullying prevention and intervention. The school counselors collaborated with students, staff, and parents to implement the program, and collected and analyzed data to improve the program. Results indicated that the program reduced bullying and increased students’ perception that adults listen to bullying reports. The author offers suggestions for improving bullying interventions.
A Randomized Trial of Hypnosis for Relief of Pain and Anxiety in Adult Cancer Patients Undergoing Bone Marrow Procedures

Pain and anxiety are closely associated with bone marrow aspirates and biopsies. To determine whether hypnosis administered concurrently with the procedure can ameliorate these morbidities, the authors randomly assigned 80 cancer patients undergoing bone marrow aspirates and biopsies to either hypnosis or standard of care. The hypnosis intervention reduced the anxiety associated with procedure, but the difference in pain scores between the two groups was not statistically significant. The authors conclude that brief hypnosis concurrently administered reduces patient anxiety during bone marrow aspirates and biopsies but may not adequately control pain. The authors explain this latter finding as indicating that the sensory component of a patient's pain experience may be of lesser importance than the affective component. The authors describe future studies to clarify their results and address the limitations of this study.
Communication Skills in New Teaching Methodologies

SUMMARYThis chapter discusses the importance of communication in innovative teaching strategies. Three general types of learning environments are discussed: interpersonal communication (one-to-one interactions), small group processes, and group presentations. Faculty and students must use effective communication skills in a variety of learning experiences including instruction, advising, and mentoring. The theoretical frameworks are discussed, as well as practical suggestions to enhance learning in new environments.
Architectural proteins CTCF and cohesin have distinct roles in modulating the higher order structure and expression of the CFTR locus

Higher order chromatin structures across the genome are maintained in part by the architectural proteins CCCTC binding factor (CTCF) and the cohesin complex, which co-localize at many sites across the genome. Here, we examine the role of these proteins in mediating chromatin structure at the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. CFTR encompasses nearly 200 kb flanked by CTCF-binding enhancer-blocking insulator elements and is regulated by cell-type-specific intronic enhancers, which loop to the promoter in the active locus. SiRNA-mediated depletion of CTCF or the cohesin component, RAD21, showed that these two factors have distinct roles in regulating the higher order organization of CFTR. CTCF mediates the interactions between CTCF/cohesin binding sites, some of which have enhancer-blocking insulator activity. Cohesin shares this tethering role, but in addition stabilizes interactions between the promoter and cis-acting intronic elements including enhancers, which are also dependent on the forkhead box A1/A2 (FOXA1/A2) transcription factors (TFs). Disruption of the three-dimensional structure of the CFTR gene by depletion of CTCF or RAD21 increases gene expression, which is accompanied by alterations in histone modifications and TF occupancy across the locus, and causes internalization of the gene from the nuclear periphery.
Involvement of rppH in thermoregulation in Pseudomonas syringae

Temperature, among other environmental factors, influences the incidence and severity of many plant diseases. Likewise, numerous traits, including the expression of virulence factors, are regulated by temperature. Little is known about the underlying genetic determinants of thermoregulation in plant-pathogenic bacteria. Previously, we showed that the expression of both fliC (encoding flagellin) and syfA (encoding a nonribosomal polypeptide synthetase) was suppressed at high temperatures in Pseudomonas syringae. In this work, we used a high-throughput screen to identify mutations that conferred overexpression of syfA at elevated temperatures (28°C compared to 20°C). Two genes, Psyr_2474, encoding an acyl-coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase, and Psyr_4843, encoding an ortholog of RppH, which in Escherichia coli mediates RNA turnover, contribute to thermoregulation of syfA. To assess the global role of rppH in thermoregulation in P. syringae, RNA sequencing was used to compare the transcriptomes of an rppH deletion mutant and the wild-type strain incubated at 20°C and 30°C. The disruption of rppH had a large effect on the temperature-dependent transcriptome of P. syringae, affecting the expression of 569 genes at either 20°C or 30°C but not at both temperatures. Intriguingly, RppH is involved in the thermoregulation of ribosome-associated proteins, as well as of RNase E, suggesting a prominent role of rppH on the proteome in addition to its effect on the transcriptome.
Microfluidic single-cell analysis of intracellular compounds.

Biological analyses traditionally probe cell ensembles in the range of 103–106 cells, thereby completely averaging over relevant individual cell responses, such as differences in cell proliferation, responses to external stimuli or disease onset. In past years, this fact has been realized and increasing interest has evolved for single-cell analytical methods, which could give exciting new insights into genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics and systems biology. Microfluidic or lab-on-a-chip devices are the method of choice for single-cell analytical tools as they allow the integration of a variety of necessary process steps involved in single-cell analysis, such as selection, navigation, positioning or lysis of single cells as well as separation and detection of cellular analytes. Along with this advantageous integration, microfluidic devices confine single cells in compartments near their intrinsic volume, thus minimizing dilution effects and increasing detection sensitivity. This review overviews the developments and achievements of microfluidic single-cell analysis of intracellular compounds in the past few years, from proof-of-principle devices to applications demonstrating a high biological relevance.
Selective Maintenance Decision-Making Over Extended Planning Horizons

?Selective maintenance? models determine the optimal subset of desirable maintenance actions to perform when maintenance resources are constrained. We analyse a corrective selective maintenance model that identifies which components to replace in the finitely long periods of time between missions performed by a series-parallel system. We formulate this multi-mission problem as a stochastic dynamic program, and compare the resulting optimal infinite-horizon policy to both the optimal single-mission, and two-mission policies by executing a large numerical experiment. Our results indicate that these policies rarely differ, and that when they do, the difference in long-run mission reliability is minimal, which suggests that future work should concentrate on extending results for the single-mission problem.
Studying human telomerase gene transcription by a chromatinized reporter generated by recombinase-mediated targeting of a bacterial artificial chromosome

The endogenous human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene is repressed in somatic cells. To study the mechanisms of its repression, we developed a strategy of retrovirus-directed Cre recombinase-mediated BAC targeting, or RMBT, to generate single-copy integrations of BAC at pre-engineered chromosomal sites. This technique involved retroviral transduction of acceptor loci, containing an HSV thymidine kinase marker, and subsequent integration of BAC constructs into the acceptor sites, utilizing the loxP and lox511 sites present in the vector backbones. The BAC reporter, with a Renilla luciferase cassette inserted downstream of the hTERT promoter, was retrofitted with a puromycin marker. Through puromycin selection and ganciclovir counter-selection, a targeting efficiency of over 50% was achieved. We demonstrated that the activity and chromatin structures of the hTERT promoter in chromosomally integrated BAC reporter recapitulated its endogenous counterpart of the host cells. Therefore, we have established a genetically amendable platform to study chromatin and epigenetic regulation of the hTERT gene. The highly efficient and versatile RMBT technique has general applicability for studying largely unexplored chromatin-dependent mechanisms of promoter regulation of various genes.
OPTIMAL EMBEDDING OF HONEYCOMB NETWORKS INTO HYPERCUBES

We present an optimal embedding of a honeycomb network (honeycomb mesh and honeycomb torus) of size n into a hypercube with expansion ratio of $\frac{4}{3} \approx 1.33$ when n is a power of two. When n is not a power of two, the expansion is $\frac{16}{3} \approx 5.33$, which we conjecture to be near optimal. For a honeycomb mesh, the dilation of the embedding is 1. For a honeycomb torus, the dilation can be as large as 2⌈log n⌉+3, because of the extra links connecting symmetric opposite nodes of degree two. A honeycomb network, built recursively using hexagon tessellation, is a multiprocessor interconnection network, and also a Cayley graph, and it is better than the planar mesh with the same number of nodes in terms of degree, diameter, number of links, and bisection width.
In growing pigs, the true ileal and total tract digestibility of acid hydrolyzed ether extract in extracted corn oil is greater than in intact sources of corn oil or soybean oil.

An experiment was conducted to deter- mine the true ileal digestibility (TID) and the true total tract digestibility (TTTD) of acid-hydrolyzed ether ex- tract (AEE) in extracted corn oil, high-oil corn, distill- ers dried grains with solubles (DDGS), corn germ, and high protein distillers dried grains (HP DDG) and to compare these values to the TID and TTTD of AEE in full-fat soybeans. Nineteen barrows with an initial BW of 52.2 kg (SD = 3.8) were fi tted with a T-cannula in the distal ileum and allotted to a 19 × 11 Youden square design with 19 diets and 11 periods. A basal diet based on cornstarch, casein, sucrose, and corn bran was for- mulated. Eighteen additional diets were formulated by adding 3 levels of extracted corn oil, high-oil corn, DDGS, corn germ, HP DDG, or full-fat soybeans to the basal diet. The apparent ileal and the apparent to- tal tract digestibility of AEE were calculated for each diet. The endogenous fl ow of AEE associated with each ingredient and values for TID and TTTD were calculated using the regression procedure. Results in- dicated that digested AEE in ileal digesta and feces lin- early increased as AEE intake increased regardless of ingredient (P 0.77). However, the ileal and fecal endogenous losses of AEE were dif- ferent (P < 0.05) from 0 only for extracted corn oil, HP DDG, and full-fat soybeans. The TID of AEE was greater (P < 0.05) for extracted corn oil (95.4%) than for all other ingredients. The TID of AEE in HP DDG (76.5%) was not different from the TID of AEE in full-fat soybeans (85.2%) but greater (P < 0.05) than high-oil corn, DDGS, and corn germ (53.0, 62.1, and 50.1%, respectively). The TTTD of AEE was greater (P < 0.05) for extracted corn oil (94.3%) than for all other ingredients, and the TTTD in full-fat soybeans (79.7%) was greater (P < 0.05) than the TTTD of AEE in high-oil corn, DDGS, corn germ, and HP DDG (41.4, 51.9, 43.9, and 70.2%, respectively). The TTTD of AEE in HP DDG was also greater (P < 0.05) than in high-oil corn, DDGS, and corn germ. In conclusion, the intact sources of oil originating from high-oil corn, DDGS, corn germ, or HP DDG are much less digest- ible than extracted corn oil, and with the exception of HP DDG, these sources of corn oil are also less digest- ible than the intact oil in full fat soybeans.