cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of Spike-Mediated Synaptic Transmission by Presynaptic Background Ca2+ in Leech Heart Interneurons

At the core of the rhythmically active leech heartbeat central pattern generator are pairs of mutually inhibitory interneurons. Synaptic transmission between these interneurons consists of spike-mediated and graded components, both of which wax and wane on a cycle-by-cycle basis. Low-threshold Ca2+ currents gate the graded component. Ca imaging experiments indicate that these low-threshold currents are widespread in the neurons and that they contribute to neuron-wide changes in internal background Ca2+ concentration ([Ivanov and Calabrese, 2000][1]). During normal rhythmic activity, background Ca2+concentration oscillates, and thus graded synaptic transmission waxes and wanes as the neurons move from the depolarized to the inhibited phases of their activity. Here we show that in addition to gating graded transmitter release, the background Ca2+ concentration changes evoked by low-threshold Ca2+ currents modulate spike-mediated synaptic transmission. We develop stimulation paradigms to simulate the changes in baseline membrane potential that accompany rhythmic bursting. Using Ca imaging and electrophysiological measurements, we show that the strength of spike-mediated synaptic transmission follows the changes in background Ca2+ concentration that these baseline potential changes evoke and that it does not depend on previous spike activity. Moreover, we show using internal EGTA and photo-release of caged Ca2+ and caged Ca2+ chelator that changes in internal Ca2+ concentration modulate spike-mediated synaptic transmission. Thus activity-dependent changes in background Ca2+, which have been implicated in homeostatic regulation of intrinsic membrane currents and synaptic strength, may also regulate synaptic transmission in an immediate way to modulate synaptic strength cycle by cycle in rhythmically active networks. [1]: #ref-15
James Angleton and the Church Committee

James J. Angleton, who served as chief of counterintelligence for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1954 to 1974, was an important figure in the Cold War and, in a sense, the first line of defense against clandestine Soviet intelligence operations directed against the United States and its allies. In 1975 a U.S. Senate investigative committee—informally known as the Church Committee and led by Senator Frank Church—called Angleton to testify in public on his approach to counterintelligence, especially how he had become involved in illegal domestic operations in the United States. His testimony to committee staff investigators preceding the hearing, along with his public statements to senators during the hearing, displayed an extreme view of the global Communist threat. Amid ongoing revelations in the mid-1970s of illegal CIA actions, Angleton proved unable to mount an effective public defense of his approach.
Alternative learning strategies as part of the educational process

The terrible dissension which has endured for so many centuries is a striking lesson teaching us mutually to forgive our errors; dissension is the great evil of mankind and toleration is its only remedy … we should all mutually tolerate each other, because we are all weak, inconsistent, a prey to change and error. Should a reed, bowed into the mud by the wind say to the neighboring reed, bowed in the opposite direction: “Creep in my fashion, wretch, or I'll send in a request to have you uprooted and burned”? (Voltaire, 1764/1962, pp. 487-489).
An optimal control algorithm for intra-aortic balloon pumping

An unconstrained univariate optimization method was adapted to control an intra-aortic balloon pump operating under constraints in a time-varying environment. Of the four physiologically motivated constraints, minimum step size and maximum step size of the search affect the rate of convergence of the optimization algorithm. Their values were determined from computer simulations. The other constraint, the time range of allowed balloon deflation times within the cardiac cycle, was determined on the basis of previous experience with the device. The algorithm is implemented in a microprocessor based controller and successfully tested in preliminary dog experiments. >
Foxc1 is required by pericytes during fetal brain angiogenesis

Brain pericytes play a critical role in blood vessel stability and blood–brain barrier maturation. Despite this, how brain pericytes function in these different capacities is only beginning to be understood. Here we show that the forkhead transcription factor Foxc1 is expressed by brain pericytes during development and is critical for pericyte regulation of vascular development in the fetal brain. Conditional deletion of Foxc1 from pericytes and vascular smooth muscle cells leads to late-gestation cerebral micro-hemorrhages as well as pericyte and endothelial cell hyperplasia due to increased proliferation of both cell types. Conditional Foxc1 mutants do not have widespread defects in BBB maturation, though focal breakdown of BBB integrity is observed in large, dysplastic vessels. qPCR profiling of brain microvessels isolated from conditional mutants showed alterations in pericyte-expressed proteoglycans while other genes previously implicated in pericyte–endothelial cell interactions were unchanged. Collectively these data point towards an important role for Foxc1 in certain brain pericyte functions (e.g. vessel morphogenesis) but not others (e.g. barriergenesis).
Economic Value of Seasonal and Pandemic Influenza Vaccination During Pregnancy

BACKGROUND The cost-effectiveness of maternal influenza immunization against laboratory-confirmed influenza has never been studied. The current 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic provides a timely opportunity to perform such analyses. The study objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of maternal influenza vaccination using both single- and 2-dose strategies against laboratory-confirmed influenza secondary to both seasonal epidemics and pandemic influenza outbreaks. METHODS A cost-effectiveness decision analytic model construct using epidemic and pandemic influenza characteristics from both the societal and third-party payor perspectives. A comparison was made between vaccinating all pregnant women in the United States versus not vaccinating pregnant women. Probabilistic (Monte Carlo) sensitivity analyses were also performed. The main outcome measures were incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs). RESULTS Maternal influenza vaccination using either the single- or 2-dose strategy is a cost-effective approach when influenza prevalence > or =7.5% and influenza-attributable mortality is > or =1.05% (consistent with epidemic strains). As the prevalence of influenza and/or the severity of the outbreak increases the incremental value of vaccination also increases. At a higher prevalence of influenza (> or =30%) the single-dose strategy demonstrates cost-savings while the 2-dose strategy remains highly cost-effective (ICER, < or =$6787.77 per quality-adjusted life year). CONCLUSIONS Maternal influenza immunization is a highly cost-effective intervention at disease rates and severity that correspond to both seasonal influenza epidemics and occasional pandemics. These findings justify ongoing efforts to optimize influenza vaccination during pregnancy from an economic perspective.
“Amor Solidario”: art and the politics of revolutionary lesbianism in Mexico City

Images of women clad with rifles alongside slogans that proclaim lesbians as authentic revolutionaries feature prominently in literature and fliers distributed by Mexico City-based lesbian feminist organizations in the late 1970s and 1980s. This article analyzes the significance of activist artwork displayed on movement ephemera such as posters, fliers, and pamphlets to the construction of ideological positions and expressions of solidarity. I argue that lesbian activists depicted lesbians as revolutionaries in an attempt both to express South-South solidarity with transnational revolutionary movements and to radicalize lesbian activism within Mexico. By portraying themselves as revolutionaries, they also sought empathy for their own struggles against state surveillance and harassment. In order to analyze what motivated lesbian activists’ ties with transnational revolutionary groups, I consider the nature of Cold War politics, the emergence of neo-liberal economics, and the restriction of self-expression ...
Acute Renal Failure: Therapy

General Therapy for Acute Renal Failure In most cases of ARF without complication, treatment should be conservative and largely supportive. It requires careful and precise management. All patients will require close monitoring, many of them within intensive care settings. Supportive care includes stabilizing the patient, monitoring input and output strictly weighing daily, determining electrolyte values frequently, preventing sepsis via reducing the number of intravenous lines and removing an indwelling urinary catheter, culturing periodically, and using antibiotics when indicated clinically. It is important to adjust medication dosage according to renal function and to avoid nephrotoxins whenever possible. Because serum creatinine values increase daily, it is best to calculate drug doses based on GFR Conservative therapy may be symptomatic or specific. Symptomatic therapy consists of treating the underlying prerenal conditions that led to renal failure; maintaining the fluid and electrolyte balance; initiating therapy for complications such as hyperkalemia, hypertension, acidosis, and infection; and instituting appropriate nutrition. Specific therapy consists of using medications for specific underlying causes and may include steroids (conventional or high-dose pulse steroid therapy) and other immunosuppressive agents, anticoagulation agents, plasmapheresis, or intravenous immunoglobulin. THERAPY FOR PRERENAL FAILURE Rapid volume replacement and treatment of the underlying condition that resulted in prerenal failure are the cornerstones of therapy.
Role of copper transporters in resistance to platinating agents

Copper transporters have been proposed to be involved in cellular import and export of platinating agents. Expression of the human copper transporter 1 (hCtr1) is thought to result in increased sensitivity to cisplatin, whereas expression of ATP7A and ATP7B are thought to be involved in resistance to cisplatin either by sequestering drug away from its targets (ATP7A) or by exporting the drug from the cell (ATP7B). In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity of cells expressing copper transporters to cisplatin, carboplatin and oxaliplatin. We also examined whether O6-benzylguanine, a modulator of platinating agent cytotoxicity, enhanced sensitivity of cells with or without the transporters to cisplatin. Overexpression of hCtr1 in the HEK293 cell line did not result in increased sensitivity to cisplatin, either alone or following treatment with O6-benzylguanine. In contrast, overexpression of ATP7A and ATP7B in Me32a fibroblasts resulted in increased resistance to cisplatin, but not to carboplatin or oxaliplatin. ATP7A-expressing cells (MeMNK) showed a significant enhancement of cisplatin cytotoxicity following O6-benzylguanine treatment, but ATP7B-expressing cells (MeWND) did not. Notably, expression of either ATP7A or ATP7B did not result in a change in total cytoplasmic platinum levels following treatment with BG plus cisplatin. The mechanism of BG enhancement of cisplatin cytotoxicity is not likely through regulation of copper transporters.
Silk as a Novel Biomaterial in Bladder Tissue Engineering

Purpose The ideal biomaterial for bladder tissue engineering remains elusive. Silk has been utilized in vascular and orthopedic applications, and possesses physical and biological properties well suited for urologic applications. We hypothesize that silk scaffolds can be utilized for bladder tissue engineering. Methods Silk fibroin solution from Bombyx mori silkworm cocoons were woven into patches using gel spinning. Bladder augmentations were performed in 25 CD-1 female mice with non-cell seeded silk, PGA, or SIS patches (0.5 cm2). Sham procedures of cystotomy only were performed. Postoperative assessment at 1, 3, 6, and 10 weeks included: 1) voiding stain on paper (VSOP) testing for qualitative and quantitative assessment of voiding, 2) ultrasound to assess bladder and renal appearance, 3) pathological analysis including Masson trichrome and immunofluorescence of smooth muscle (alpha actin) and urothelial (uroplakin IIIa) markers, and 4) Urodynamics (bladder capacity, voided volume, urinary flow rate, and bladder compliance). Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA with post-hoc Bonferroni testing. Results VSOP revealed normalization of voiding pattern in silk-augmented mice at 1 week that persisted to 10 weeks. Renal and bladder ultrasound demonstrated normal kidneys and gradual bladder remodeling over 10 weeks. Histological analysis of silk-augmented bladders revealed complete organized bladder tissue formation without fibrosis around the silk scaffolds by 10 weeks. The new tissue stained robustly for alpha actin (Figure 1) and uroplakin IIIa (Figure 2). 10 weeks after augmentation, mean capacity of silk-augmented bladders was 207 (mcL) v. 51 for controls (p Conclusions Unseeded silk scaffolds promote formation of organized and functional bladder tissue in mice. In addition, silk produces superior compliance compared to conventional biomaterials. This represents a new option for urologic tissue engineering applications.
Extracellular Enzymes Facilitate Electron Uptake in Biocorrosion and Bioelectrosynthesis

Direct, mediator-free transfer of electrons between a microbial cell and a solid phase in its surrounding environment has been suggested to be a widespread and ecologically significant process. The high rates of microbial electron uptake observed during microbially influenced corrosion of iron (Fe(0)) and during microbial electrosynthesis have been considered support for a direct electron uptake in these microbial processes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of direct electron uptake are unknown. We investigated the electron uptake characteristics of the Fe(0)-corroding and electromethanogenic archaeon Methanococcus maripaludis and discovered that free, surface-associated redox enzymes, such as hydrogenases and presumably formate dehydrogenases, are sufficient to mediate an apparent direct electron uptake. In genetic and biochemical experiments, we showed that these enzymes, which are released from cells during routine culturing, catalyze the formation of H2or formate when sorbed to an appropriate redox-active surface. These low-molecular-weight products are rapidly consumed by M. mari- paludiscells when present, thereby preventing their accumulation to any appreciable or even detectable level. Rates of H 2and formate formation by cell-free spent culture medium were sufficient to explain the observed rates of methane formation from Fe(0) and cathode-derived electrons by wild-type M. maripaludis as well as by a mutant strain carrying deletions in all catabolic hydrogenases. Our data collectively show that cell-derived free enzymes can mimic direct extracellular electron transfer during Fe(0) corrosion and microbial electrosynthesis and may represent an ecologically important but so far overlooked mechanism in biological electron transfer. IMPORTANCE The intriguing trait of some microbial organisms to engage in direct electron transfer is thought to be widespread in nature. Consequently, direct uptake of electrons into microbial cells from solid surfaces is assumed to have a significant im- pact not only on fundamental microbial and biogeochemical processes but also on applied bioelectrochemical systems, such as microbial electrosynthesis and biocorrosion. This study provides a simple mechanistic explanation for frequently observed fast electron uptake kinetics in microbiological systems without a direct transfer: free, cell-derived enzymes can interact with ca- thodic surfaces and catalyze the formation of intermediates that are rapidly consumed by microbial cells. This electron transfer mechanism likely plays a significant role in various microbial electron transfer reactions in the environment.
The long-term effects of lifestyle change on blood pressure: One-year follow-up of the ENCORE study.

Lifestyle modifications are recommended as the initial treatment for high blood pressure (BP).1–3 Randomized, controlled trials have demonstrated that the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet, weight loss, and exercise are effective in lowering BP in the short term.4–8 However, there is a paucity of data describing the persistence of the effects of short-term interventions on health behaviors and BP. We recently reported results of a trial demonstrating that a 16-week lifestyle modification program emphasizing the DASH diet alone or in combination with a weight management intervention resulted in significant BP lowering and improved cardiovascular biomarkers.4 In this paper, we examine the persistence of changes in dietary habits, exercise behaviors, body weight, and BP 1 year after study enrollment.
A system to evaluate the scientific quality of biological and restoration objectives using National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans as a case study

Summary It is widely accepted that plans for restoration projects should contain specific, measurable, and science-based objectives to guide restoration efforts. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is in the process of developing Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCPs) for more than 500 units in the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). These plans contain objectives for biological and ecosystem restoration efforts on the refuges. Based on USFWS policy, a system was developed to evaluate the scientific quality of such objectives based on three critical factors: (1) Is the objective specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, and time-fixed? (2) What is the extent of the rationale that explains the assumptions, logic, and reasoning for the objective? (3) How well was available science used in the development of the objective? The evaluation system scores each factor on a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent) according to detailed criteria. The biological and restoration objectives from CCPs published as of September 2004 (60 total) were evaluated. The overall average score for all biological and restoration objectives was 1.73. Average scores for each factor were: Factor 1–1.97; Factor 2–1.86; Factor 3–1.38. The overall scores increased from 1997 to 2004. Future restoration efforts may benefit by using this evaluation system during the process of plan development, to ensure that biological and restoration objectives are of the highest scientific quality possible prior to the implementation of restoration plans, and to allow for improved monitoring and adaptive management.
Cascode Monolithic DC-DC Converter for Reliable Operation at High Input Voltages

A cascode bridge circuit for monolithic switching DC-DC converters operating at high input voltages is proposed in this paper. The proposed circuit can also be used as an I/O buffer to interface circuits operating at significantly different voltages. The circuit technique permits the full integration of the active and passive devices of a switching DC-DC converter with a high voltage conversion ratio in a standard low voltage CMOS technology. The cascode bridge structure guarantees the reliable operation of deep submicrometer MOSFETs without exposure to high voltage stress while operating at high input and output voltages. With the proposed circuit technique, steady-state voltage differences between the terminals of all of the MOSFETs in a switching DC-DC converter are maintained within a range imposed by a target low voltage CMOS technology. High-to-low DC-DC converters operating at input voltages up to three times as high as the maximum voltage that can be directly applied across the terminals of a MOSFET are described. An efficiency of 79.6% is achieved for 5.4 volts to 0.9 volts conversion assuming a 0.18 ?m CMOS technology. The DC-DC converter operates at a switching frequency of 97 MHz while supplying a DC current of 250 mA to the load.
Drug Enforcement and the Deterrence of Property Crime Among Local Jurisdictions

This article investigates the relationships among property crime, police resources, and the allocation of police resources in a model using data from Florida jurisdic tions. Crime spillovers among ...
Complex terrain leads to bidirectional responses of soil respiration to inter‐annual water availability

Research on the terrestrial C balance focuses largely on measuring and predicting responses of ecosystem-scale production and respiration to changing temperatures and hydrologic regimes. However, landscape morphology can modify the availability of resources from year to year by imposing physical gradients that redistribute soil water and other biophysical variables within ecosystems. This article demonstrates that the well-established biophysical relationship between soil respiration and soil moisture interacts with topographic structure to create bidirectional (i.e., opposite) responses of soil respiration to inter-annual soil water availability within the landscape. Based on soil respiration measurements taken at a subalpine forest in central Montana, we found that locations with high drainage areas (i.e., lowlands and wet areas of the forest) had higher cumulative soil respiration in dry years, whereas locations with low drainage areas (i.e., uplands and dry areas of the forest) had higher cumulative soil respiration in wet years. Our results indicate that for 80.9% of the forest soil respiration is likely to increase during wet years, whereas for 19.1% of the forest soil respiration is likely to decrease under the same hydrologic conditions. This emergent, bidirectional behavior is generated from the interaction of three relatively simple elements (parabolic soil biophysics, the relative distribution of landscape positions, and inter-annual climate variability), indicating that terrain complexity is an important mediator of the landscape-scale soil C response to climate. These results highlight that evaluating and predicting ecosystem-scale soil C response to climate fluctuation requires detailed characterization of bio
Rapid diagnostic assays in the genomic biology era: detection and identification of infectious disease and biological weapon agents

In this special section of BioTechniques, we examine the role of rapid molecular technologies in the detection and identification of agents of infectious disease (ID) and biological weapons (BWs). Besides the threat posed by the global proliferation of BW technologies, there are numerous emerging and reemerging ID agents with significant public health consequences. Further compounding this already complicated situation are the estimated 600 million international tourists annually, many with the potential to the spread disease globally in a matter of hours. While clinical laboratories have key roles in the detection and identification of potential ID/BW agents, most staff are unfamiliar with these agents because of their rarity and the often laborious conventional methodologies needed to identify them. To meet this challenge, a vast array of rapid assay strategies has been developed for use in clinical diagnostics and environmental detection. Technologies have been developed or adapted to the challenges posed by these agents, permitting detection and identification in several minutes to hours. In particular, the development of improved reagents and detection systems has led to dramatic improvements in the sensitivity and specificity of immunological and nucleic acid-based systems, allowing an ever-increasing range of analytes to be identified and quantitated. In the accompanying articles, we have brought together experts from the many overlapping aspects of this arena in order to present a comprehensive and critical analysis of these technologies.
Abstract 4647: Caspase-dependent post-translational modulation of Mcl-1 by ABT-737 in acute lymphoblastic cell lines

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Background: ABT-737 is a BH3-mimetic that has a wide spectrum of single-agent activity against acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines and xenografts. Previously (J Nat Cancer Inst 100:580-595, 2008), we reported that Mcl-1, an anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family protein that is not inhibited by ABT-737, decreased in response to ABT-737 in ABT-737-sensitive ALL cell lines while a reactionary Mcl-1 increase is observed in ABT-737-resistant cell lines. In the current study, we investigated the pathways of Mc-1 down-regulation in response to ABT-737 in ALL cell lines. Methods: To identify caspase cleavage sites and to determine whether the cleavage products are pro-apoptotic or anti-apoptotic, we transduced into the NALM-6 ALL cell line lentiviral vectors with several Mcl-1 variants tagged with V5 epitope, including wild type: Mcl-1 1-350 full length tagged with V5, point mutations at aspartate 127 and aspartate 157 to alanine: Mcl-1 D127A and Mcl-1 D157A, and C-terminus fragments of caspase cleavage, deleted: Mcl-1 β127 and Mcl-1 α157. Localization of Mcl-1 1-350 and Mcl-1 β157 in ALL cells, cytosol and mitochondria were fractionated from the cells expressing the proteins, and Mcl-1 and V5 were assayed in the fractions. Results: The decrease in Mcl-1 by ABT-737 in ABT-737-sensitive cell lines was via formation of an Mcl-1 fragment which is prevented by a caspase inhibitor (Boc-d-fmk), but not a proteosome inhibitor (MG-132), indicating that Mcl-1 cleavage is caspase-dependent. Of the two caspase-dependent Mcl-1 cleavage sites (D127 and D157), D157 is the major site of cleavage in response to ABT-737 treatment in ALL cells. Localization experiments revealed that full length Mcl-1 resides in both the cytosol and mitochondrial fractions, while the Mcl-1_158-350 fragment localizes mostly to mitochondria. Caspase 3- and caspase 9-activation in response to ABT-737 was higher in transduced cells expressing the Mcl-1 β157 fragment, suggesting that the fragment increases sensitivity to apoptotic stimuli. Pretreating cells with okadaic acid, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, resulted in greater fragmentation of Mcl-1 in resistant cell lines while the effect of okadaric acid was minimal in a ABT-737-sensitive cell line, suggesting that dephosphorylation makes Mcl-1 more susceptible to Mcl-1 cleavage in response to ABT-737. Conclusion: Mcl-1 is cleaved to Mcl-1 β157 by caspases in ALL cells that are treated with ABT-737, and the pro-apopoptotic activity of Mcl-1 β157 contributes to a vicious cycle promoting cell death. 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 4647. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4647
Trial suggests yoga and exercise lead to modest improvements in menopause-related quality of life: longer term studies are needed.

Commentary on: Reed SD, Guthrie KA, Newton KM, et al. Menopausal quality of life: RCT of yoga, exercise, and omega-3 supplements. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2014;210:244.e1–11.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2] Since publication of the Women's Health Initiative Study, the potential benefits of non-pharmacological therapies for menopause-related symptoms have gained increased interest among midlife women, clinicians and researchers.1 Interventions requiring behavioural change have yielded mixed outcomes, owing to small sample sizes, a variety of outcome measures, lack of control groups and limited follow-up.2–4 To assess the effects of exercise, yoga and ω-3 therapy on menopause-specific quality of life, MS-FLASH investigators conducted a multisite factorial design (3×2), randomised controlled trial in which women were randomised to 12 weeks of exercise, yoga or usual activity and simultaneously randomised to receive ω-3 supplements … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAm%2BJ%2BObstet%2BGynecol%26rft.volume%253D210%26rft.spage%253D244.e1%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252Fj.ajog.2013.11.016%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/j.ajog.2013.11.016&link_type=DOI
Identification of a distinct developmental and behavioral profile in children with Dup15q syndrome

One of the most common genetic variants associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are duplications of chromosome 15q11.2-q13.1 (Dup15q syndrome). To identify distinctive developmental and behavioral features in Dup15q syndrome, we examined the social communication, adaptive, and cognitive skills in clinic-referred subjects and compared the characteristics of children with Dup15q syndrome to age/IQ-matched children with non-syndromic ASD. Behavior and development were also analyzed within the Dup15q group for differences related to copy number or epilepsy. Participants included 13 children with Dup15q syndrome and 13 children with non-syndromic ASD, matched on chronological and mental age, ages 22 months–12 years. In the Dup15q group, ten participants had isodicentric and three had interstitial duplications. Four children had active epilepsy (all isodicentric). Participants were assessed for verbal and non-verbal cognition, ASD characteristics based on the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS), and adaptive function based on the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). Group comparisons were performed between Dup15q and ASD participants, as well as within the Dup15q group based on duplication type and epilepsy status. All children with Dup15q syndrome met the criteria for ASD; ASD severity scores were significantly lower than children in the non-syndromic ASD group. ADOS profiles demonstrated a relative strength in items related to social interest. Children with Dup15q syndrome also demonstrated significantly more impairment in motor and daily living skills. Within the Dup15q group, children with epilepsy demonstrated significantly lower cognitive and adaptive function than those without epilepsy. The relative strength observed in social interest and responsiveness in the context of impaired motor skills represents an important avenue for intervention, including aggressive treatment of epilepsy, early and consistent focus on motor skills, and intervention targeting joint attention and language within a play context, in order to build on social interest to further develop social communication abilities. Longitudinal research beginning in early development will elucidate the temporal relationships between developmental domains and neurological comorbidities in these children at high risk for neurodevelopmental disorders.
Salmonella surveillance in foods in Jiangsu province and the identification of molecular type with pulsed field gel electrophoresis

Objective: To develop the method of typing bacteria by pulsed field gel electrophoresis,and study the homology of isolates from the various foods in Jiangsu province.Methods: 21 strains of salmonella were collected from various foods of different cities in Jiangsu province and typed with pulsed field gel electrophoresis,then analyzed using BioNumerics software.Results: There were many types of salmonella in 21 strains of isolates.The homology of salmonella isolated form raw pork of Yangzhou city reached 88%.No identical molecular type by pulsed field gel electrophoresis was found in 21 isolates.Conclusion: Pusled field gel electrophoresis method with the high resolution,stability and repeatability is rapid and effective in tracking the bacteria source in food safety incident.
The Crisis of Vascular Disease and the Journey to Vascular Health: Presidential Address at the American Heart Association 2015 Scientific Sessions.

On behalf of the American Heart Association (AHA) and American Stroke Association, I am privileged to welcome this esteemed group of scientists, healthcare providers, educators, and trainees from all over the globe. Thank you for joining us and thank you for all the work you are doing to save and improve lives. Today, I would like to talk to you about the burden of vascular disease and the urgent reasons we must act to preserve vascular health. As a specialist in vascular medicine, I have devoted my career to investigating vascular diseases and, most importantly, to caring for patients with these disabling and often fatal conditions of the arteries and veins. The importance of the vascular system was noted some 2500 years ago by Hippocrates, when he made this observation about the blood vessels: “They are the sources of human nature and are like rivers that purl through the body and supply the human body with life.”1 It is a compelling metaphor. Rivers are sources of life, vitality, and connectivity. When a river becomes obstructed or damaged, everything around it suffers, sometimes with grave consequences. The same occurs with the rivers and tributaries that are our blood vessels. When they are damaged, everything downstream is in peril. That is precisely the problem millions of Americans are facing today—their damaged vessels put their bodies in dire jeopardy. Just over a century ago, William Osler said: “Life’s tragedies are usually arterial.”2 And indeed today, 2 significant vascular disorders, atherosclerosis and thrombosis, are the principal underpinnings of the 2 leading causes of death in the world: heart disease and stroke. These disorders also cause peripheral artery disease (PAD), which affects between 8 and 10 million people in the United States. PAD limits a person’s ability to walk, may require revascularization, or …
Reconstruction of randomly under-sampled spectra for in vivo 13C magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Abstract Purpose Over the past decade, many techniques have been developed to reduce radiofrequency (RF) power deposition associated with proton decoupling in in vivo Carbon-13 (13C) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). In this work we propose a new strategy that uses data under-sampling to achieve reduction in RF power deposition. Materials and methods Essentially, proton decoupling is required only during randomly selected segments of data acquisition. By taking advantage of the sparse spectral pattern of the carboxylic/amide region of in vivo 13C spectra of brain, we developed an iterative algorithm to reconstruct spectra from randomly under-sampled data. Fully sampled data were used as references. Reconstructed spectra were compared with the fully sampled references and evaluated using residuals and relative signal intensity errors. Results Numerical simulations and in vivo experiments at 7 Tesla demonstrated that this novel decoupling and data processing strategy can effectively reduce decoupling power deposition by greater than 30%. Conclusion This study proposes and evaluates a novel approach to acquire 13C data with reduced proton decoupling power deposition and reconstruct in vivo 13C spectra of carboxylic/amide metabolite signals using randomly under-sampled data. Because proton decoupling is not needed over a significant portion of data acquisition, this novel approach can effectively reduce the required decoupling power and thus SAR. It opens the possibility of performing in vivo 13C experiments of human brain at very high magnetic fields.
Fragmentation and Interdependency: Border Security Intelligence in North America and Europe

Over the past several decades, border security has moved away from a state-centric approach against military incursion from hostile neighbors or other foreign forces and towards a focus on trans-bo...
Functions Incorporating Two Halogens or a Halogen and a Chalcogen

A comprehensive review of methods used to construct various 1,1-dihaloalkenes is presented. Formation of α-halovinyl ethers, sulfides, sulfoxides, and sulfones, as well as the more rare tellurium and selenium derivatives are also discussed. Special attention is given to examples that have important practical applications, and therefore offer a notable advantage to the older methods.
An examination of the role of plasma treatment for lean NOx reduction over sodium zeolite Y and gamma alumina Part 2: Formation of nitrogen

Abstract NOx reduction with NO2 as the NOx gas in the absence of plasma was compared to plasma treated lean NOx exhaust where NO is converted to NO2 in the plasma. Product nitrogen was measured to prove true chemical reduction of NOx to N2. With plasma treatment, NO as the NOx gas, and a NaY catalyst, the maximum conversion to nitrogen was 50% between 180 and 230 °C. The activity decreased at higher and lower temperatures. At 130 °C a complete nitrogen balance could be obtained, however between 164 and 227 °C less than 20% of the NOx is converted to a nitrogen-containing compound or compounds not readily detected by gas chromatograph (GC) or Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR) analysis. With plasma treatment, NO2 as the NOx gas, and a NaY catalyst, a complete nitrogen balance is obtained with a maximum conversion to nitrogen of 55% at 225 °C. For γ-alumina, with plasma treatment and NO2 as the NOx gas, 59% of the NOx is converted to nitrogen at 340 °C. A complete nitrogen balance was obtained at these conditions. As high as 80% NOx removal over γ-alumina was measured by a chemiluminescent NOx meter with plasma treatment and NO as the NOx gas. When NO is replaced with NO2 and the simulated exhaust gases are not plasma treated, the maximum NOx reduction activity of NaY and γ-alumina decreases to 26 and 10%, respectively. This is a large reduction in activity compared to similar conditions where the simulated exhaust was plasma treated. Therefore, in addition to NO2, other plasma-generated species are required to maximize NOx reduction.
On Building Islands of Decency

In this article, I argue that at its best, work in the foundations of education is about building islands of decency, borrowing from a metaphor originally used by Myles Horton. Horton suggests that in times of crisis and despair, we can work our way out of pessimism by surrounding ourselves with people who share some of our goals for a better world and working with them to create pockets of decency that are contagious. I begin by describing some of the commitments we share in the foundations field, focusing specifically on the ways we work toward social justice, diversity, and democracy. I then describe three tensions we must navigate in our work to be decent as scholars and people, unpacking the meaning of decency throughout the article. These are tensions between construction and critique, inquiry and advocacy, and humanist and instrumentalist rationality. I end by sketching some visions of hope and possibility, what the American Educational Studies Association can be in our next 50 years if we nourish ...
Selecting Software and Hardware for Creating and Disseminating Vodcasts

This chapter provides the flipped learning instructor with the information needed to select the appropriate hardware and software packages for creating videos (vodcasts) and the appropriate platform for housing and sharing those videos. First, the chapter compares the editing features, quizzing functions, size limits, and costs of the most popular screencasting and whiteboard screencasting programs (screencasting programs record events that occur on the computer screen, along with audio narration). Other, less lecture-like options for creating vodcasts are also examined. Second, the chapter explores the costs, size limits, privacy options, quizzing, and monitoring features of video hosting services.
DRINKING PERFORMANCE AND POLITICS IN PUEBLO BONITO, CHACO CANYON

Drinking vessels provide information on changes in drinking practices, crafting, exchange patterns, rituals, and the creation of status differences in Chacoan society. They reveal a gradual sequence of change in vessel forms, followed by dramatic intensification of drinking activity in the AD 1000s that provided opportunities for differentiation among Chaco residents, particularly at Pueblo Bonito. Termination of the most iconic drinking vessel form, the cylinder vessel, and the rituals surrounding it around AD 1100 was followed by the introduction of a northern drinking vessel form. Careful reconstruction of the production, consumption, and discard practices associated with drinking vessels provides the means for understanding broader processes in the Chaco world.
Assessing the impact of cyberloafing on cyber risk

Organizations continually seek to understand the components of cyber risk. A major part of this is understanding how employee behavior influences this risk. In this paper, we examine the connection between an organization's cyber risk and the level of cyberloafing in its employee population. Cyberloafing, the practice of using company resources for non-work-related internet activities, effects a company's overall productivity and creates an opportunity for malware to be introduced into the corporate system. Productivity, workload, and corporate sanctions have varying effects on the level of cyberloafing and therefore an impact on the cyber risk. We create a generic System Dynamics model to capture this nonlinear relationship and examine a use-case of minor cyberloafing (e.g., social media usage) in organizations. We discover that, while sanctions play a role in mitigating cyberloafing, workload influences on cyberloafing tendencies are more impactful.
The Effects of Divorce on Children

In 1978 there were over 1,000,000 divorces in the United States. Involved in each of these divorces was an average of 1.01 children. That means that in one year alone over 2,000,000 adults and 1,000,000 children were subjected to the effects of marital disruption (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 1980). Each year from 1% to 2% of the children under 18 experience parental divorce. By 1990, it is conservatively estimated that approximately one-third of all children will experience a parent’s divorce before they are 18 (Glick, 1979).
Injury and Repair: Neovascularization

The posterior segment of the eye is a variegated assembly of specialized structures derived from neuroectoderm and mesenchyme. A dual-layered blood–retina barrier serves to protect this vital cellular circuitry that integrates visual data, while the underlying retinal pigment epithelium and choroid provide the hypermetabolic photoreceptor segments with one of the richest nutrient-exchange networks in the human body. When injured, these tissues undergo unique molecular and cellular transformations, which may be nature's way of protecting and repairing vision; however, these paradoxically lead to blindness. This article addresses the fundamental concepts of neovascular responses after acute and chronic retinal injury.
CONSTRUCTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF CLONING VEHICLES

ABSTRACT A series of in vitro recombination experiments with restriction endonuclease fragments of pSClOl and a col El-like plasmid resulted in the recovery of a plasmid containing the best cloning characteristics of each plasmid. The newly constructed plasmid, designated pMB9, is similar to col El in its replication properites, its immunity to colicin E1 but does not produce colicin E1, and does not appear to form a relaxation complex. It carries a segment of DNA derived from the pSClOl plasmid which contains a functional tetracycline resistant gene. The plasmid has one restriction site for the Eco RI, Hind III, Bam I and Sal I restriction endonucleases. The latter three sites are located in the gene for tetracycline resistance. The plasmid has a molecular weight of about 3.5 × 10 6 daltons. A derivative of pMB9 containing an ampicillin resistant gene was constructed by in vivo translocation of this gene from p2124 to pMB9. This new plasmid, designated pBR312, contains two BamI sites and was used as a parent for the construction of several plasmids which can serve as cloning vehicles for Hind III, Sal I and Bam I endonuclease generated fragments by providing ampicillin resistance as a selective marker. Transformants containing recombinant plasmids with DNA fragments inserted at any of these three sites can be identified or selected from transformant populations by their response to tetracycline.
Procavia capensis (Rock hyrax)

Skin biopsies of these animals were kindly made available by Dr. H. Heck, Catskill Game Farm, Catskill, New York, USA. The findings are similar to those described from three animals studied by Hungerford and Snyder.
Quantitative analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at part per billion levels in fish oil by headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS).

Headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) was used in combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) at part per billion levels in fish oil samples collected from menhaden fish. The method was initially developed using fish oil from capsules spiked with a standard PAH mixture. The final HS-SPME-GC-MS method presented a linear range from 3 to 1,500 ng/g, with precision for most analytes <10% relative standard deviation. The limits of detection varied from 1 to 7 ng/g depending on the analyte. Real sample analysis was done on menhaden fish oil extracted from fish collected off the coasts of New Jersey and Louisiana. Naphthalene, fluorene, fluoranthene, pyrene, anthracene were detected at low levels of 70-180 ng/g in the real samples. The concentrations of PAHs detected in the real samples were well below established levels of concern for PAHs in finfish.
Beijing’s bismarckian ghosts: How great powers compete economically

Great power competition is back. As China and the United States ramp up their strategic rivalry, the search is on for a vision of what their evolving great power competition will look like in a glo...
Nanoscale Vector dc Magnetometry via Ancilla-Assisted Frequency Up-Conversion

Sensing static magnetic fields with high sensitivity and spatial resolution is critical to many applications in fundamental physics, bioimaging, and materials science. Even more beneficial would be full vector magnetometry with nanoscale spatial resolution. Several versatile magnetometry platforms have emerged over the past decade, such as electronic spins associated with nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. Achieving vector magnetometry has, however, often required using an ensemble of sensors or degrading the sensitivity. Here we introduce a hybrid magnetometry platform, consisting of a sensor and an ancillary qubit, that allows vector magnetometry of static fields. While more generally applicable, we demonstrate the method for an electronic NV sensor and a nuclear spin qubit. In particular, sensing transverse fields relies on frequency up-conversion of the dc fields through the ancillary qubit, allowing quantum lock-in detection with low-frequency noise rejection. In combination with the Ramsey detection of longitudinal fields, our frequency up-conversion scheme delivers a sensitive technique for vector dc magnetometry at the nanoscale.