cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prior Prescription Opioid Use and Its Influence on Opioid Requirements After Orthopedic Trauma.

Abstract Background Prior opioid use has been shown to be associated with adverse outcomes in surgical and trauma patients. We sought to evaluate the influence of prior opioid use on prescription opioid requirements after orthopedic trauma. Materials and methods This was a retrospective review of TRICARE claims (2006-2014). We evaluated the records of 11,752 patients treated for orthopedic injuries. Surveillance for prior opioid exposure extended to 6 mo before the traumatic event, with similar postinjury surveillance. Preinjury opioid use was categorized as unexposed, exposed without sustained use (nonsustained users), and sustained use (6 mo or longer of continuous opioid prescriptions without interruption). Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to adjust for confounding and determine factors independently associated with the discontinuation of prescription opioid use after traumatic injury. Results Prior opioid exposure among nonsustained users (hazard ratio 0.78; 95% CI 0.74, 0.83) and sustained use at the time of injury (hazard ratio 0.40; 95% CI: 0.35, 0.47) were associated with lower likelihoods of opioid discontinuation. Additional factors associated with lower likelihoods of opioid discontinuation included our proxy for lower socioeconomic status, history of depression or anxiety, injury severity, and intensive care unit admission. Conclusions Prior opioid use is one of the strongest predictors of continued use following treatment, along with socioeconomic status, behavioral health disorders, and severity of injury. Appropriate discharge planning and early engagement of ancillary services in individuals with one or more of the risk factors identified here may reduce the likelihood of sustained opioid use after injury.
Taking spiritual experiences seriously in the religious education classroom: a transrational approach

ABSTRACTSpiritual experiences are common across religious and non-religious faiths, but schoolchildren are often afraid to share these because they fear ridicule from peers who are convinced religi...
Large-scale Genetic Analysis Identifies 66 Novel Loci for Asthma

We carried out a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for asthma in UK Biobank, followed by a meta-analysis with results from the Trans-National Asthma Genetic Consortium (TAGC). 66 novel genomic regions were identified, bringing the number of known asthma susceptibility loci to 211. Significant gene-sex interactions were also observed where susceptibility alleles, either individually or as a function of polygenic risk scores, increased asthma risk to a greater extent in men than women. Bioinformatics analyses demonstrated that asthma-associated variants were enriched for colocalizing to regions of open chromatic in immune cells and identified candidate causal genes at 52 of the novel loci, including CD52. An anti-CD52 (α-CD52) antibody mimicked the immune cell-depleting effects of an FDA-approved human α-CD52 antibody and reduced allergen-induced airway hyperreactivity in mice. These results further elucidate the genetic architecture of asthma, provide evidence that the immune system plays a prominent role in its pathogenesis, and suggest that CD52 represents a potentially novel therapeutic target for treating asthma.
Anabolic-androgenic steroid abuse and cognitive impairment: Testosterone IMPAIRS biconditional task performance in male rats.

Our goal is to understand the consequences of anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) abuse on cognitive function, using rats as a model. There is relatively little research on how AAS abuse impacts cognition. In the present study, rats were tested for their ability to use contextual information to guide decision-making in biconditional discrimination. The Stroop task is a classic human test for contextual decision-making. In rodents, biconditional discrimination challenges subjects to use contextual cues in the operant chamber to resolve the correct lever response when auditory and visual cues are incongruent. The hypothesis is that chronic high-dose testosterone impairs biconditional discrimination. Rats were trained in 24 trials/day over 14 days, in alternating sessions with each environment. On a flat floor with houselight illuminated, auditory cues (clicker vs tone) signified the active lever. On a barred floor with no light, visual cues from 2 stimulus lights (constant vs blinking) identified the active lever. Rats treated chronically with testosterone (7.5 mg/kg) were unimpaired in task acquisition, and all rats learned to select the correct lever in response to auditory or visual cues. During extinction, controls made significantly more correct than incorrect responses in congruent trials (p < 0.05 by paired t-test), but testosterone-treated rats failed to show a similar preference. This was reflected by significant interactions of drug x cue agreement (F1,18 = 5.21, p < 0.05) and drug x cue agreement x response accuracy (F1,18 = 8.95, p < 0.05). These results suggest that testosterone impairs cognitive flexibility, and demonstrates potential for AAS abuse to impair cognitive function in humans.
Unrealized concepts of masked alkylidenes in (PNP)FeXY systems and alternative approaches to LnXmFe(IV)=CHR

Abstract Treatment of PNP ligands with iron(II) halides yielded pseudo tetrahedral {(Ph2PCH2)2NR}FeX2 (R″ = tBu, 1a-X; Me, 1b-X) and {(iBu2PCH2)2NR″}FeX2 (R″ = tBu, 2a-X; Me, 2b-X) complexes, which could be mono- and dialkylated to afford various {(Ph2PCH2)2NR″}FeCl(R) (R″ = tBu, 3a-R; Me, 3b-R), {(iBu2PCH2)2NR″}FeCl(R) (R″ = tBu, 4a-R; Me, 4b-R), {(Ph2PCH2)2NtBu}Fe(neoPe)2 (5a-neoPe) and {(iBu2PCH2)2NtBu}Fe(1-nor)2 (6a-nor). All of the complexes were high spin (S = 2), and structural studies of {(Ph2PCH2)2NMe}FeCl2 (1b-Cl), {(iBu2PCH2)2NtBu}FeCl2 (2a-Cl), and {(iBu2PCH2)2NtBu}FeCl(1-nor) (4a-nor), revealed chair conformations for the PNP ligands, which were calculated to have modest barriers to boat configurations via twist-boats as calculational minima. Attempts to convert these complexes to zwitterionic NCRR′Fe-containing species as “masked alkylidenes” failed to materialize. Alternative approaches involving structurally characterized diamagnetic {(iBu2PCH2)2NtBu}(CO)2FeCl(COneoPe) (8), the carbonylation product of 4a-neoPe, and low-valent {(Ph2PCH2CH2)2NtBu}Fe((H2C=CHSiMe2)2O) (9) also failed. An analysis of orbital energies and overlap is given for alkylidenes. Covalence is identified as a crucial feature necessary for the alkylidene to metalacyclobutane transformation in metathesis.
Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Children With Tourette Syndrome

Introduction:Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric condition defined by motor and phonic tics with onset in childhood. Many families have concerns regarding potential side effects of pharmacologi...
High Power Short Duration Atrial Fibrillation Ablations using Contact Force Sensing Catheters: Outcomes and Predictors of Success Including Posterior Wall Isolation

Background Little is known about the long-term outcomes and predictors of success of high-power, short-duration (HPSD) contact force (CF) atrial fibrillation (AF) ablations. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine long-term freedom from AF and predictors of freedom from AF for 50-W, 5- to 15-second CF ablation. Methods We examined 4-year outcomes and predictors of freedom from AF after AF ablation for 1250 consecutive patients undergoing HPSD CF ablations. Results Patient demographics were age 66.6 ± 10.5 years, female 30.9%, left atrial (LA) size 4.26 ± 0.66 cm, paroxysmal AF 35.7%, persistent AF 56.6%, and longstanding AF 7.7%. Initial ablation times were procedure 114.2 ± 45.9 minutes, fluoroscopy 15.5 ± 11.5 minutes, and total radiofrequency 20.6 ± 7.7 minutes. TactiCath was used in 47.7%, SmartTouch in 52.3%, and posterior wall isolation (PWI) was performed in 34%. Four-year freedom from AF after multiple ablations were paroxysmal AF 87.0%, persistent AF 71.9%, and longstanding AF 64.9%. Single procedure success was 74.9% for TactiCath, 64.7% for SmartTouch (P Conclusion Analysis revealed 6 independent predictors of outcome for HPSD CF. At redo ablations, the outcome was better if more veins had reconnected and could be re-isolated.
An Integrative Conceptual Framework of Engagement in Socially-Productive Activity in Later Life: Implications for Clinical and Mezzo Social Work Practice

As the global population ages, expectations around socially-productive engagement in work, volunteer, and caregiving activities in later life are rapidly changing. Several streams of research to date inform our understanding of meaningful engagement in later life, but these bodies of research tend to be siloed in their approaches with few integrative frameworks. Further, advancing the national conversation around the AASWSW’s grand challenge to “Advance Long and Productive Lives” will require that social workers and other professionals have an understanding of what productive aging is at every level of social work practice, from micro to macro, and how these levels interact so that they have the tools they need to carry out the vision of this grand challenge. The goals of this paper are: (a) to further define the conceptual space of engagement, (b) to introduce subjective quality of engagement (SQE) as an important concept in the aging literature and present a conceptual model for it; (c) to integrate SQE into a broader conceptual model of engagement; and (d) to describe implications for clinical and mezzo social work practice. This more integrative approach focuses attention on the ways in which social work practitioners at the clinical and mezzo levels can best support older adult’s continued engagement in socially-productive activities that support health and well-being. We also propose that it will contribute to the discovery of more effective and targeted individual and public health interventions that facilitate the successful/healthy aging of individuals and our society.
Chapter 24 – Mycobacterial Species

Mycobacteria are well-known human and animal pathogens. The most common foodborne Mycobacterium is M. bovis. This causes a range of lesions, from classic pulmonary tuberculosis to cervical lymphadenitis, gastroenteritis, genitourinary infections, and disseminated disease. The disease incidence in humans is generally correlated with the prevalence in cattle. Other species, termed “non-tuberculous mycobacteria,” can (or are suspected to) cause foodborne and waterborne disease. Treatment is difficult and prolonged, unless surgical excision is possible.
The buzz on babies: the fertility-depressing effect of the zika virus in Brazil

he 2015-2016 Zika Epidemic and accompanying surge of newborns diagnosed with microcephaly and other developmental conditions sounded alarm bells both within and outside of Brazil. While research involving the science of the virus exploded in the months following the outbreak, knowledge on its downstream effects remains in its infancy. In this paper, we investigate the impact of the Zika virus on birth rates both during and after the epidemic. Specifically, we estimate ordinary least squares anddifference-in-difference models to assess the relationship between both the Zika virus and exposure to the Zika virus and birth rates in Brazil. The results of our analyses suggest that the Zika virus depressed the birth rate one full-term pregnancy period after the first peak in public concern with the virus and that the aftermath of the epidemic ushered in a “bouncing back” effect through which the country’s birth rate rebounded. These findings corroborate our purported logic that concern with the virus led many to learn of the intricate connection between the Zika virus and microcephaly and to, consequently, act to delay pregnancies until the epidemic subsided. We conclude with a discussion on the implications of our findings for public policy, development, and politics and outline avenues for future research.
Development and Evaluation of the H NMR MoleculAR Application.

An augmented reality (AR) application and an activity worksheet have been developed to support students in visualizing the concepts involved when solving 1H NMR problems. This instructional resourc...
New scavenger to fine-tune insulin action in β cells.

Insulin receptor signaling is crucial for β cell homeostasis. In a recent issue of Nature, Ansarullah et al. (2021) have identified the insulin inhibitory receptor (inceptor), which balances insulin signaling by promoting insulin receptor internalization.
Madness and meta-responsibility: The culpable causation of mental disorder and the insanity defence

Abstract Common-sense notions of justice dictate that those who create the conditions of their own defence should be held more culpable. Anglo-American criminal law lends credence to such notions by denying justification or excuse to those whose incapacity such as automatism or intoxication has been self-induced. However, no such provision is made for the excusatory defence of insanity. There are a number of ways in which an insanity defendant may be the cause of his or her own incapacity, thus having a high degree of responsibility for his or her criminal responsibility or ‘meta-responsibility’. The defendant may have failed to seek psychiatric help when so advised, failed in medication-compliance, or taken proscribed drugs or medicines. This article argues that there is a hitherto unconsidered autonomous component to mental disorder in which the defendant may have acquiesced in the illness, failed to resist it, or actively propagated it, perhaps to afford sympathy and excuse. Clinical, philosophical, fo...
A co-simulation approach for real-time transient analysis of electro-thermal system interactions on board of future all-electric ships

This paper presents an approach to performing real-time co-simulation of electro-thermal coupled power systems for aiding the design of future all-electric Navy ships. The goal is to study the transient interactions between the electrical and the thermal sub-systems. The approach utilizes the existing large scale real-time simulation capabilities of electrical systems established at Florida State University on the Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) platform in conjunction with real-time simulation models of thermal systems from the University of South Carolina implemented on the Virtual Test Bed (VTB) platform. The paper first briefly discusses methods for linking the RTDS and the VTB models. It then describes the different modes of interactions between the electrical and the thermal subsystems and illustrates them on realistic example cases. A simplified application scenario is analyzed. Initial results clearly illustrate the thermal runaway phenomena as long-term system instability typically not revealed by snapshot type off-line simulations. The paper concludes with an outlook on future steps to improve this approach towards higher system fidelity and level of detail represented in the thermal system.
Task encoding, motion planning and intelligent control using qualitative models

This dissertation addresses the problem of trajectory generation for dynamical robots operating in unstructured environments in the absence of detailed models of the dynamics of the environment or of the robot itself. We factor this problem into the subproblem of task variation, and the subproblem of imprecision in models of dynamics. The problem of task variation is handled by defining task level control strategies in terms of qualitative models that support structurally stable phase space trajectories. Such models define low-dimensional spaces within which it is possible to select trajectories that constitute plans for achieving a desired goal. The second problem, that of model imprecision, arises when embedding the resulting trajectories in the phase space of the more complex higher-dimensional system that actually performs the task of interest. Trajectories in the high-dimensional phase space that are compatible with the low-dimensional plan are restricted to lie on a manifold. In the absence of analytical models of the high-dimensional dynamics, this manifold may be approximated using observed data generated by a randomized exploration of the state space. Approximations driven by such an imperfect set of observations can lead to spurious trajectories, but this problem is solved by regularizing the approximation using the low-dimensional model. This methodology is developed through a sequence of design problems. First, basic notions regarding control with qualitative models are clarified through the design of a global controller for the inverted pendulum and cart-pole systems. This is followed by the more challenging problem of dynamic bipedal walking on irregular terrain, which is the primary motivating problem for this dissertation. Our solution to the dynamic walking problem advances the state of the art by simultaneously achieving several important properties. Our algorithm generates trajectories to walk on irregular terrain, with only a qualitative model of the dynamics of the robot, and with energy usage comparable with actuated walkers utilizing passive dynamic principles. Although the definition of tasks in terms of structurally stable orbits and manifolds is very natural when talking about physical systems, this representation yields benefits in more artificial domains as well. This is demonstrated through the example of spatiotemporal control of polygonal shapes, such as in a robot collective.
Pulsed current threshold of Multilam/sup TM/

The Atlas pulsed-power facility presently in the design and construction phase at Los Alamos will be capable of delivering a damped sinusoidal current pulse with a peak current of 27-32 MA at 4 /spl mu/s. Multilam connections are used in several locations, primarily due to maintenance requirements of removable connections. Multilam is a commercially available strip of louvered material used to make electrical connections. The manufacturer provides a continuous current rating as well as a pulsed current rating for each type of Multilam available. However, the current pulse rating may not be appropriate if the application pulse width is different from the pulse width used to obtain the rating. LA0/0.25/55 AG Multilam from MultiContact(R) has been tested for damage threshold at currents in excess of the given pulse rating. The time to peak of the damped sinusoidal current pulse applied to the Multilam was 2.5 /spl mu/s, where the pulse rating is typically for pulses in the order of milliseconds. The observed damage threshold for this Multilam with a /spl sim/7 /spl mu/s applied current pulse is found to be 150% of the reported rating.
Single-lobe operation of surface-emitting complex-coupled second-order distributed-feedback diode lasers

We present the first theoretical analysis of surface-emitting, complex-coupled distributed feedback (SE-CC-DFB) lasers with a second-order grating. It is found that lasing operation in a single-lobed, orthonormal far-field radiation pattern as well as in a nearly uniform near-field intensity pattern is fundamentally favored.
The effects of distal interlocking screws on torsional stability in three-part intertrochanteric hip fractures.

Objective Many surgeons currently use long cephomedullary nails for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures. The optimal indications for deploying distal interlocks are still debatable. This study examined the torsional biomechanical properties of 3-part intertrochanteric femur fractures in a cadaveric bone model using two different distal fixation strategies, an unlocked long cephalomedullary nail versus a dynamically locked nail. Our hypothesis is that a long cephalomedullary nail does not require distal locking fixation when used for treatment of a 3-part intertrochanteric fracture.
CovRS-Regulated Transcriptome Analysis of a Hypervirulent M23 Strain of Group A Streptococcus pyogenes Provides New Insights into Virulence Determinants

ABSTRACT The two-component control of virulence (Cov) regulator (R)-sensor (S) (CovRS) regulates the virulence of Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Streptococcus [GAS]). Inactivation of CovS during infection switches the pathogenicity of GAS to a more invasive form by regulating transcription of diverse virulence genes via CovR. However, the manner in which CovRS controls virulence through expression of extended gene families has not been fully determined. In the current study, the CovS-regulated gene expression profiles of a hypervirulent emm23 GAS strain (M23ND/CovS negative [M23ND/CovS − ]) and a noninvasive isogenic strain (M23ND / CovS + ), under different growth conditions, were investigated. RNA sequencing identified altered expression of ∼349 genes (18% of the chromosome). The data demonstrated that M23ND/CovS − achieved hypervirulence by allowing enhanced expression of genes responsible for antiphagocytosis (e.g., hasABC ), by abrogating expression of toxin genes (e.g., speB ), and by compromising gene products with dispensable functions (e.g., sfb1 ). Among these genes, several (e.g., parE and parC ) were not previously reported to be regulated by CovRS. Furthermore, the study revealed that CovS also modulated the expression of a broad spectrum of metabolic genes that maximized nutrient utilization and energy metabolism during growth and dissemination, where the bacteria encounter large variations in available nutrients, thus restructuring metabolism of GAS for adaption to diverse growth environments. From constructing a genome-scale metabolic model, we identified 16 nonredundant metabolic gene modules that constitute unique nutrient sources. These genes were proposed to be essential for pathogen growth and are likely associated with GAS virulence. The genome-wide prediction of genes associated with virulence identifies new candidate genes that potentially contribute to GAS virulence. IMPORTANCE The CovRS system modulates transcription of ∼18% of the genes in the Streptococcus pyogenes genome. Mutations that inactivate CovR or CovS enhance the virulence of this bacterium. We determined complete transcriptomes of a naturally CovS-inactivated invasive deep tissue isolate of an emm23 strain of S. pyogenes (M23ND) and its complemented avirulent variant (CovS + ). We identified diverse virulence genes whose altered expression revealed a genetic switching of a nonvirulent form of M23ND to a highly virulent strain. Furthermore, we also systematically uncovered for the first time the comparative levels of expression of a broad spectrum of metabolic genes, which reflected different metabolic needs of the bacterium as it invaded deeper tissue of the human host.
Unequal Expression of Allelic Kainate Receptor GluR7 mRNAs in Human Brains

We describe here the first example of an exonic polymorphism that affects the primary structure of a human ionotropic glutamate receptor. The human kainate receptor GluR7 gene contains a thymine (T)/guanine (G) nucleotide variation that determines a serine or alanine at position 310 in the extracellular region of GluR7 receptor subunits. Our finding contrasts with a previous report that suggested that GluR7 transcripts were RNA-edited at this site. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings did not detect differences in receptor activation and desensitization between the human GluR7 receptor isoforms expressed in HEK-293 cells. Analysis of 41 tissue samples obtained from 30 human brains revealed expression level differences between GluR7 alleles expressed in the same brain. The expression level of the allelic GluR7 mRNAs differed in 27 samples from 1.2- to 12.7-fold. Unequal expression level of allelic mRNAs is characteristic for genes that are affected by genomic imprinting or that contain mutations. Genomic imprinting in most cases is conserved between human and mice. However, we did not detect unequal expression of allelic GluR7 mRNAs in mice. Our results are important for future studies that explore a potential role or roles for GluR7 receptors in the brain and for neurological disorders.
6979 Prevention of colon cancer ii. screening for colorectal cancer (crc) using flexible sigmoidoscopy (fs) by internists in an urban medical center: experience with the first 6105 cases.

Efforts to prevent colorectal cancer increasingly employ FS performed in the primary care setting by non-gastroenterologists. These data represent the results of the first 6105 patients examined by internists trained by us in the use of 60 cm FS for the purpose of screening. Training included didatic sessions, required reading, viewing training videos, inservice examinations, and performance of 50 or more supervised FS examinations. Patients were recruited from the general medical clinics of Kings County Hospital if they were=50 yrs, had normal Hb, negative fecal occult blood testing, negative history for increased CRC risk, and elected to be examined. Of the first 6105 patients scheduled, 3186 (52%) were examined. 48% of scheduled patients were not examined due to cancellations, no shows, or unrecorded reasons. Of those examined, 39% had FS to 60 cm, 34% to 40- 60 cm, and 27% to
Structural and defect studies in solid oxide electrolytes

Abstract We report on a study of the stability and defect structure of erbia-stabilized bismuth oxide (ESB) and yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ). Samples of (Bi2O3)0.8(Er2O3)0.2 were annealed at 400–600°C in air and characterized using X-ray diffraction, differen tial thermal analysis, ac impedance and fluorescence spectroscopy to ascertain changes in properties and structure. The chemical stability of ESB as a function of oxygen partial pressure in various environments was investigated using ac impedance, X-ray diffraction, and electron microprobe analysis. We also characterized the defect species and energy level transitions in YSZ and ESB using optical spectroscopy.
Does nitric oxide regulate capacitative Ca influx in HEK 293 cells

Abstract It has been proposed that capacitative Ca influx into both pancreatic acinar cells and HT-29 colonic cells is regulated by stimulation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). NO, in turn, controls cGMP levels through effects on guanylate cyclase. We tested this possibility by measuring Ca (and Ba) entry into human embryonic kidney 293 cells and into 293 cells that had been transfected with the neuronal NOS gene (293/NOS). 293 cells had undetectable levels of NOS, while 293/NOS cells exhibited very high levels [Bredt D.S., Ferris C.D., Snyder S.H. Nitric oxide synthase regulatory sites. J Biol Chem 1992; 267: 10976–10981]. Ca (or Ba) entry into single cells was measured as the rate of increase of the Fura-2 fluorescence ratio (digital imaging microscopy) during rapid changes from Ca-free (or Ba-free) to Ca- (or Ba-) containing solutions (using high K to depolarize the membrane potential). cGMP levels (EIA method) were measured to correlate to rates of Ca entry. 100 μM ATP caused release of Ca from internal stores, but no sustained plateau due to Ca entry in either 293 or 293/NOS cells. Cyclopiazonic acid (CPA, which inhibits the Ca pump of the internal store, allowing Ca to leak from the store) caused apparent Ca entry to increase 5–10-fold from similar, low levels in both 293 and 293/NOS cells. CPA-stimulated Ca entry was unaffected by the NOS inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine (L-NA) in either 293 or 293/NOS cells. In 293 cells [cGMP] was low; ATP and CPA both increased [cGMP] by 2-fold, and the guanylate cyclase inhibitor LY83583 and L-NA decreased [cGMP] by 50–75%. [cGMP] was 20-fold higher in 293/NOS cells than in 293 cells; these [cGMP] were not affected by ATP and CPA, but were effectively decreased by 80–90% by L-NA and by LY83583. Thus, [cGMP] and Ca or Ba entry showed no relationship to each other: Ca entry was small into cells in which [cGMP] was either low (resting 293, CPA + L-NA or CPA + LY83583), intermediate (ATP-treated 293) or high (resting 293/NOS). Similarly, Ca entry was high into cells in which [cGMP] was low (CPA + L-NA- or CPA + LY83583-treated 293), intermediate (CPA-treated 293 and CPA + L-NA-treated 293/NOS) or high (CPA- or ATP-treated 293/NOS). We conclude that, as in most other non-excitable cells, Ca entry into 293 cells is stimulated by loss of Ca from the store but, unlike pancreatic and colonic cells, this capacitative Ca entry does not appear to be regulated by NO and cGMP. Therefore, although capacitative entry across the plasma membrane may be regulated by NO and cGMP in GI epithelial cells, this regulation does not occur in all cells.
Neutron-Induced Fission in a DT-Plutonium Plasma. Part I: Fission Fragment Slowing Down

The characteristics of neutron-induced fission in a compressed plasma composed of eqi-molar deuterium-tritium and plutonium are investigated. The slowing down parameters of the fission fragment–the...
Associations between Vitamin D–Binding Protein Isotypes, Circulating 25(OH)D Levels, and Vitamin D Metabolite Uptake in Colon Cancer Cells

Vitamin D metabolites have been extensively studied as cancer chemopreventive agents. Gc-globulin (GC) isotypes, based on rs7041 and rs4588 diplotypes, have varying affinities for 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), which may affect circulating metabolite concentration as well as delivery at the cellular level. We evaluated associations between GC isotype and circulating vitamin D metabolite concentrations in 403 ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) clinical trial participants. Metabolite uptake was evaluated in human colon cancer (HCT-116) cells treated with ethanol vehicle, 1,25(OH)2D, or 25(OH)D, and with plasma from individuals with known GC isotype. Mammalian-2-hybrid and vitamin D–responsive element-based luciferase assays were used to measure the vitamin D receptor pathway activation as a marker for metabolite uptake. Regression analysis demonstrated significantly lower serum 25(OH)D concentration for clinical trial participants with 1F_2, 1S_2, or 2_2 isotypes (P
Calculating Production Ratios for Computer-Based Multimedia Instruction: Descriptive Analyses of Production Data of Experienced Developers

This article reports descriptive analyses of production data gathered from experienced instructional developers who used a commercial authoring package and supplemental coding over a one-year period to produce three separate instructional lessons on thinking skills as part of a larger commercial educational product. Reported data include production ratios for the lessons developed and distribution of development time across various development activities. Analyses of these data suggest ways to make decisions about job timelines, budgets, and assigned responsibilities.
Trypanosomes and Haemobartonella in Wild Rodents in Illinois

SYNOPSIS. Trypanosoma microti and Haemobartonella microti were found in 1 (17%) of 6 yellow-bellied voles Microtus ochrogastev, and T. iowensis was found in 7 (11.5%) of 60 thirteen-lined ground squirrels Spermophilus tridecemlineatus in Illinois. Reports of lewisi group trypanosomes from Microtus and Spermophilus are summarized. Those from different rodent host genera are considered to belong to different species. All of the 6 species named from the host genus Sperinophilus may belong to a single species; if so, their correct name would be T. otospermophili. However, until adequate cross transmission studies are carried out, it is considered preferable to retain the names originally assigned to the North American species.
The Banning of Corporal Punishment: In Child Care, School and other Educative Settings in the United States

(1987). The Banning of Corporal Punishment: In Child Care, School and other Educative Settings in the United States. Childhood Education: Vol. 63, No. 3, pp. 146-153.
DFT calculations on the allenyl Cope rearrangement of syn‐7‐allenylnorbornene: comparison with results obtained from CASSCF calculations

The conformationally restricted allenyl Cope rearrangement of syn-7-allenylnorbornene (10) to racemic-triene 11 was studied computationally using density functional theory (DFT) methods and the results were compared with those already calculated for this rearrangement at the (8,8)CASPT2/6–31G*//(8,8)CASSCF/6–31G* level of theory. The CASSCF level calculations had shown that the rearrangement involves two separate transition structures 12 and 13 that both lead to common diradical intermediate 14. These findings are consistent with the 90% stereoselectivity observed in the thermal Cope rearrangements of dimethyl allenylnorbornene derivatives racemic 7a and 7b. In this study, we found that CASSCF optimized structures 10–12 and 15 could be successfully re-optimized at the UB3LYP/6–31G* level to structures of similar geometries and relative enthalpies. However, the CASSCF transition structure corresponding to 13 did not optimize to a UB3LYP version of 13, but rather to the UB3LYP-optimized structure corresponding to transition structure 12. Despite taking several approaches, an optimized UB3LYP/6–31G* version of 13 was not found on the UB3LYP potential energy surface. Hence the UB3LYP results are not only at variance with the CASSCF results but also with the above mentioned experimental results. The 1011 rearrangement was also studied using UBLYP and UBPW91 functionals in addition to UB3LYP and each of the three functionals predicted a different mechanism, none of them consistent with the experimental or CASSCF results. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phospho-carboxyl-terminal domain binding and the role of a prolyl isomerase in pre-mRNA 3'-End formation.

A phospho-carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) affinity column created with yeast CTD kinase I and the CTD of RNA polymerase II was used to identify Ess1/Pin1 as a phospho-CTD-binding protein. Ess1/Pin1 is a peptidyl prolyl isomerase involved in both mitotic regulation and pre-mRNA 3′-end formation. Like native Ess1, a GSTEss1 fusion protein associates specifically with the phosphorylated but not with the unphosphorylated CTD. Further, hyperphosphorylated RNA polymerase II appears to be the dominant Ess1 binding protein in total yeast extracts. We demonstrate that phospho-CTD binding is mediated by the small WW domain of Ess1 rather than the isomerase domain. These findings suggest a mechanism in which the WW domain binds the phosphorylated CTD of elongating RNA polymerase II and the isomerase domain reconfigures the CTD though isomerization of proline residues perhaps by a processive mechanism. This process may be linked to a variety of pre-mRNA maturation events that use the phosphorylated CTD, including the coupled processes of pre-mRNA 3′-end formation and transcription termination.
Maturation and recycling of trigeminal motoneurons in anuran larvae

Development of the trigeminal motor system was analyzed in Rana pipiens larvae and adults. The aim of this investigation was to determine the postmetamorphic fate of the primary motoneurons that innervate the larval jaw muscles. Specifically, we wanted to ascertain whether these neurons were deleted in conjunction with their muscular targets during metamorphosis or reused to innervate the adult jaw muscles. Cell counts and horseradish peroxidase tracer were used to distinguish between these two possibilities. The number of trigeminal motoneurons was relatively constant in premetamorphic and prometamorphic larvae. A small reduction in the cellular complement of the motor nucleus occurred during metamorphic climax, but the majority (approximately equal to 90%) of the primary motoneurons were retained from the larval to the adult nervous system. The cell loss may represent motoneurons that innervated specific larval muscles that have no adult successors and thus the entire myoneural unit degenerates. Retrograde tracers indicated that all trigeminal motoneurons extended axons into the jaw muscles of both premetamorphic larvae and adult frogs. These observations provide further support for the recycling of the trigeminal motoneurons.
Two-dimensional signal gating for low power in high-performance multipliers

We propose two-dimensional signal gating for high-performance multipliers including tree multipliers and array multipliers with an upper/lower left-to-right leapfrog (ULLRLF) structure. In ULLRLF array multipliers, the G-Y gating line follows the boundary of existing upper/lower partitioning. The G-X gating line goes through the upper and lower LRLF arrays. In tree multipliers, the G-Y gating line follows the existing partitioning of tree branches. The G-X line goes through all carry-save adders for partial product reduction. Because of the irregularity of the tree reduction structure, signal gating in tree multipliers is more complex than that in array multipliers. Experimental results indicate that two-dimensional gating is quite efficient in high-performance multipliers, with 65% power reduction under test data with large dynamic range.
Wave-CISK and Convective Mesosystems

Abstract With the CISK hypothesis (Convective Instability of the Second Kind), Charney and Eliassen (1964) and Ooyama (1964) introduced a simple means of handling the interaction between cumulus convection and a larger scale flow. The author has shown that a wave-CISK model (i.e., the larger scale flow resembles a gravity wave) can be used to predict the motion of severe convective storms. The purpose of this paper is to show that the above model explains the structure and rapid development of these disturbances. It is found that flow patterns characteristic of such systems can evolve explosively from an initially weak, structureless region of low-level convergence in less than 1 h. The present model does not include the effects of environmental rotation. This limitation apparently prevents the model from properly simulating the tornado cyclone.
Management of retinal detachment associated with CMV retinitis in aids patients

In patients with AIDS, the most important ocular opportunistic infection, CMV retinitis, can now be treated effectively with virostatic agents. Associated retinal detachment is encountered frequently, and its management has become increasingly significant to quality of life as improvements in medical care have helped to preserve vision and extend life expectancy. Although retinal detachment in these eyes is typically rhegmatogenous, the pathophysiology is distinctive due to the association with CMV retinitis which, even in remission, is characterised by atrophic changes at all levels of affected retina and alterations of the vitreous. Despite initially successful surgical reattachment, multiple, small, often posterior holes may develop because of progressive CMV infection. For these reasons, vitrectomy and silicone oil injection with scleral buckling may currently provide the best overall means of maintaining retinal reattachment and restoring visual function. Nevertheless, management must be individualised in each case, with the realisation that progressive visual loss frequently ensues from retinitis progression.
Brown Norway rat asthma model of diphenylmethane 4,4'-diisocyanate.

Allergic asthma is a complex chronic inflammatory disease of the airways and its etiology is multifactorial. It involves the recruitment and activation of many inflammatory and structural cells, all of which release inflammatory mediators that result in typical pathological changes of asthma. The features of asthma addressed in this Brown Norway (BN) rat animal model include an analysis of cellular infiltrations in the lung, inflammatory factors in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL), total immunoglobulin E (IgE) production in serum, and changes in delayed-onset respiratory reactions upon four inhalation challenges (every 2 wk) with polymeric diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) aerosol in two groups of topically sensitized rats. The dependence on the induction-related variables was analyzed by using almost identical surface area doses but different total doses per animal. This regimen caused acute exacerbations of delayed-onset respiratory reactions, for which intensity increased with each challenge. After the fo...
The discovery of hexokinase

15 Burnell, J. N. and Hatch, M. D. (1983) BIO- chem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 111,288-293 16 Bumell, J. N. and Hatch, M. D. Arch. BIO- chem. Biophys. (in press) 17 Ashton, A. R. and Hatch, M. D. (1983) BIO- chem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 115, 53--60 18 Ashton, A. R., Burnell, J. N. and Hatch, M. D. (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 230, 492-503 19 Bumell, J. N. and Hatch, M. D. (1984) BIO- chem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 118, 65-72 20 Bumell, J. N. and Hatch, M. D. (1984) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 231, 175-182 21 Burnell, J. N. (1984) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 120, 559-565 22 Goss, N. H., Evans, C. T. and Wood, H. G. (1980) Biochemistry 19, 5805-5809 23 Burnell, J. N. (1984) Biochem. International 9,
Kin cell lysis is a danger signal that activates antibacterial pathways of pseudomonas aeruginosa

The perception and response to cellular death is an important aspect of multicellular eukaryotic life. For example, damage-associated molecular patterns activate an inflammatory cascade that leads to removal of cellular debris and promotion of healing. We demonstrate that lysis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells triggers a program in the remaining population that confers fitness in interspecies co-culture. We find that this program, termed P. aeruginosa response to antagonism (PARA), involves rapid deployment of antibacterial factors and is mediated by the Gac/Rsm global regulatory pathway. Type VI secretion, and, unexpectedly, conjugative type IV secretion within competing bacteria, induce P. aeruginosa lysis and activate PARA, thus providing a mechanism for the enhanced capacity of P. aeruginosa to target bacteria that elaborate these factors. Our finding that bacteria sense damaged kin and respond via a widely distributed pathway to mount a complex response raises the possibility that danger sensing is an evolutionarily conserved process.
Thermostat artifacts in replica exchange molecular dynamics simulations

We explore the effects of thermostats in replica exchange molecular dynamics (REMD) simulations. For thermostats that do not produce a canonical ensemble, REMD simulations are found to distort the configuration-space distributions. For bulk water, we find small deviations of the average potential energies, the buildup of tails in the potential energy distributions, and artificial correlations between the energies at different temperatures. If a solute is present, as in protein folding simulations, its conformational equilibrium can be altered. In REMD simulations of a helix-forming peptide with a weak-coupling (Berendsen) thermostat, we find that the folded state is overpopulated by about 10% at low temperatures, and underpopulated at high temperatures. As a consequence, the enthalpy of folding deviates by almost 3 kcal/mol from the correct value. The reason for this population shift is that non-canonical ensembles with narrowed potential energy fluctuations artificially bias toward replica exchanges between low-energy folded structures at the high temperature and high-energy unfolded structures at the low temperature. We conclude that REMD simulations should only be performed in conjunction with thermostats that produce a canonical ensemble.
As Singular as a Delta Function? [Microwave Surfing]

I am sure that many readers of Lucky's column share his trepidations (as I do) when it comes to making sense of quantum electrodynamics. Even P.A.M. Dirac (1902-1984), who shared the Nobel Prize for physics with Schrodinger in 1933, might have commiserated. Dirac (who received his first undergraduate degree in electrical engineering) felt that the quantum world could not be described in words or represented as images. To draw its picture would be "like a blind man sensing a snowflake. One touch and it's gone" [2]. He remarked on this challenge even in his Nobel Banquet Speech [3] of December 10, 1933: "But the physicist is at a disadvantage in this respect on account of the very specialized nature of his work, which cannot be made intelligible without an intensive preliminary course of study."
Effect of nongray thermal radiation on laminar forced convection over a heated horizontal plate

Abstract The interaction of radiation with convection in an absorbing and emitting boundary layer is investigated by means of the integral method. Laminar flow of a nongray constant fluid over a gray, diffuse, isothermal flat plate is considered for small temperature differences. Second order analyses including the explicit effect of radiation on temperature profiles are carried out for optically thin and optically thick boundary layers. Closed form solutions are obtained for the Nusselt number, and plots are presented to illustrate the effect of optical thickness on temperature profiles and the Nusselt number.
Optical purity determination, conformer populations and 1H NMR spectral simplification with lanthanide shift reagents--part IX. A method for improved analytical precision for "DOEt", 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylamphetamine.

Abstract The 60 MHz 1 H NMR spectra of the potent hallucinogen 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylamphetamine (“DOEt”), 1 , have been studied in CDCl 3 at 28° with the achiral shift reagent, tris(6,6,7,7,8,8,8-heptafluoro-2,2-dimethyl-3,5-octanedionato)europium(III), 2 , and the chiral reagents tris[3-(trifluoromethylhydroxymethylene)- d -camphorato] europium(III), 3 , and tris[3-(heptafluoropropylhydroxymethylene)- d -camphorato] europium(III), 4 . Distinct enantiomeric shift differences, ΔΔδ, were observed for the amphetamine CH 3 and the adjacent CH resonances using either 3 or 4 that permit direct optical purity determinations. A novel use of an external computing integrator as an accessory to a basic NMR is described; interfacing these instruments permits improved analytical precision for the reported optical purity determinations using nonracemic mixtures of known compositions. Relative abundances of the different conformers with respect to C α C β bond rotation in the arylethylamine moiety is discussed based on coupling constants. Results are compared with the related hallucinogen, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine.
Atomic-Resolution Electrochemical Scanning Tunneling Microscopy: Evidence of I−Pd Place Exchange in the I(Ads)-Catalyzed Dissolution of Pd(111)

It is known that a single chemisorbed layer of zerovalent iodine atoms catalyzes, at ambient temperatures, the anodic dissolution of Pd (to Pd2+ species) even in inert (halide-free) electrolyte. Early experiments based on low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) showed that, regardless of the rate or duration of the corrosion reaction, the composition and long-range order of the Pd(111)−(√3 × √3)R30°-I adlattice, before and after the dissolution, were essentially identical. Follow-up studies based on medium-resolution electrochemical scanning tunneling microscopy (EC-STM) demonstrated that, at very low rates, the layer-by-layer dissolution occurred exclusively at steps rather than on terraces (where dissolution would necessitate I−Pd place exchange). The present study introduces atomic-resolution EC-STM images that show I-atom-constituted but Pd-atom-deep pits on terraces at more positive applied potentials (i.e., at much higher dissolution rates); such uniquely proport...
Peires and the Past

(1991). Peires and the Past. South African Historical Journal: Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 236-240.
Metric and Scale Design as Choice Architecture Tools

Interest is increasing in using behavioral decision insights to design better product labels. A specific policy target is the fuel economy label, which policy makers can use to encourage reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from transport-related fossil-fuel combustion. In two online experiments, the authors examine whether vehicle preferences can be shifted toward more fuel-efficient vehicles by manipulating the metric (consumption of gas vs. cost of gas) and scale (100 miles vs. 15,000 miles vs. 100,000 miles) on which fuel economy information is expressed. They find that preference for fuel-efficient vehicles is highest when fuel economy is expressed in terms of the cost of gas over 100,000 miles, regardless of whether the vehicle pays for its higher price in gas savings. The authors discuss the underlying psychological mechanisms for this finding, including compatibility, anchoring, and familiarity effects, and conclude that policy makers should initiate programs that communicate fuel-efficiency info...