cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Longitudinal Brain Corticotropin Releasing Factor and Somatostatin in a Transgenic Mouse (TG2576) Model of Alzheimer's Disease

Neuropeptides corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and somatostatin (SRIF) are substantially decreased in cortical regions of Alzheimer's disease (AD) post-mortem brain tissue. The accumulation of amyloid-beta (Abeta) in AD brain has been postulated to be neurotoxic. Using male Tg2576 mice transgenic over-expressing amyloid-beta protein precursor (APP), we examined brain concentrations of CRF and SRIF at 12, 18 and 24 months. Mice were evaluated for locomotor activity and spatial memory. The APP mice had continued increased locomotor activity from 6 months of age compared to controls. Spatial memory was impaired beginning at 12 months in the APP mice relative to controls. APP mice at 24 months had a significantly higher number of amyloid plaques when compared to the 12 and 18 month time points. Brain concentrations of SRIF and CRF were significantly altered in a number of cortical and sub-cortical brain regions relative to controls, but in most regions were increased rather than decreased as in clinical AD. This data shows that although the insertion of the APP gene does cause age dependent increase in plaque load, it does not cause a change in regional neuropeptides consistent with AD, suggesting that neuropeptide changes in AD are not solely due to Abeta load.
Clinical Evaluation and Microbiology of Oropharyngeal Infection Due to Fluconazole-Resistant Candida in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients

Signs and symptoms of oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC) were correlated with microbiology and clinical response to fluconazole in a cohort of patients with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and recurrent OPC. Sixty-four HIV-infected patients with a median CD4 cell count of <50/mm 3 (range, 3-3181mm 3 ) who presented with OPC were enrolled in a longitudinal study. Specimens for cultures were taken weekly until clinical resolution. Therapy with fluconazole was increased weekly as required to a maximum daily dose of 800 mg until resolution of symptoms and oral lesions. Resistant or dose-dependent susceptible yeasts, defined as a minimum inhibitory concentration of <16 pg/mL, were detected in 48 (31%) of 155 episodes. Clinical resolution with fluconazole therapy occurred in 107 (100%) of 107 episodes with susceptible yeasts vs. 44 (92%) of 48 episodes with resistant or dose-dependent susceptible strains (P =.008). Patients from whom fluconazole-resistant yeasts were isolated required longer courses of therapy and higher doses of fluconazole for response, but overall, excellent responses to fluconazole were seen in patients with advanced HIV infection.
SUPCRT92: a software package for calculating the standard molal thermodynamic properties of minerals, gases, aqueous species, and reactions from 1 to 5000 bar and 0 to 1000 ° C

Recent advances in theoretical geochemistry permit calculation of the standard molal thermodynamic properties of a wide variety of minerals, gases, aqueous species, and reactions from 1 to 5000 bar and 0 to 1000°C. The SUPCRT92 software package facilitates practical application of these recent theories, equations, and data to define equilibrium constraints on geochemical processes in a wide variety of geologic systems. The SUPCRT92 package is composed of three interactive FORTRAN 77 programs, SUPCRT92, MPRONS92, and CPRONS92, and a sequential-access thermodynamic database, SPRONS92.DAT. The SUPCRT92 program reads or permits user-generation of its two input files, CON and RXN, retrieves data from the direct-access equivalent of SPRONS92.DAT, calculates the standard molal Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, heat capacity, and volume of each reaction specified on the RXN file through a range of conditions specified on the CON file, and writes the calculated reaction properties to the output TAB file and, optionally, to PLT files that facilitate their graphical depiction. Calculations can be performed along the liquid side of the H2O vaporization boundary by specifying either temperature (T) or pressure (P), and in the single-phase regions of fluid H2O by specifying either T and P, T and H2O density, T and log K, or P and log K. SPRONS92.DAT, which contains standard molal thermodynamic properties at 25°C and 1 bar, equation-of-state parameters, heat capacity coefficients, and phase transition data for approximately 500 minerals, gases, and aqueous species, can be augmented or otherwise modified using MPRONS92, and converted to its direct-access equivalent using CPRONS92.
Genomic presence of recombinant porcine endogenous retrovirus in transmitting miniature swine

The replication of porcine endogenous retrovirus (PERV) in human cell lines suggests a potential infectious risk in xenotransplantation. PERV isolated from human cells following cocultivation with porcine peripheral blood mononuclear cells is a recombinant of PERV-A and PERV-C. We describe two different recombinant PERV-AC sequences in the cellular DNA of some transmitting miniature swine. This is the first evidence of PERV-AC recombinant virus in porcine genomic DNA that may have resulted from autoinfection following exogenous viral recombination. Infectious risk in xenotransplantation will be defined by the activity of PERV loci in vivo.
The min-cut shuffle: toward a solution for the global effect problem of min-cut placement

The global effect problem is introduced in the context of adapting min-cut partitioning for min-cut placement. A simplified version of the problem is solved in linear time by using a novel algorithm called the min-cut shuffle. A detailed analysis and implementation for the algorithm is presented. >
Reinforcement of the expression of anger through role-playing

Abstract The expression of anger by patients in role-playing situations was positively reinforced (Group R) and negatively reinforced (Group P) in different groups by the manipulation of the other person's response. Where the patients experienced a successful result to their expression of anger, their anger expressiveness increased when compared to Group P and to a control group.
Advancing Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology

Pharmacometrics and systems pharmacology are emerging as principal quantitative sciences within drug development and experimental therapeutics. In recognition of the importance of pharmacometrics and systems pharmacology to the discipline of clinical pharmacology, the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (ASCPT), in collaboration with Nature Publishing Group and Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, has established CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology to inform the field and shape the discipline.
Comparison of Sampling Methods for Semi-Volatile Organic Carbon Associated with PM2.5

This study evaluates the influence of denuder sampling methods and filter collection media on the measurement of semi-volatile organic carbon (SVOC) associated with PM2.5. Two types of collection media, charcoal (activated carbon) and XAD, were used both in diffusion denuders and impregnated back-up filters in two different samplers, the VAPS and the PC-BOSS. The two organic diffusion denuders were XAD-coated glass annular denuders and charcoal-impregnated cellulose fiber filter (CIF) denuders. In addition, recently developed XAD-impregnated quartz filters were compared to CIF filters as back-up filter collection media. The two denuder types resulted in equivalent measurement of particulate organic carbon and particle mass. The major difference observed between the XAD and charcoal BOSS denuders is the higher efficiency of charcoal for collection of more volatile carbon. This more volatile carbon does not contribute substantially to the particle mass or SVOC measured as OC on quartz filters downstream of ...
SNPTrackTM : an integrated bioinformatics system for genetic association studies

A genetic association study is a complicated process that involves collecting phenotypic data, generating genotypic data, analyzing associations between genotypic and phenotypic data, and interpreting genetic biomarkers identified. SNPTrack is an integrated bioinformatics system developed by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support the review and analysis of pharmacogenetics data resulting from FDA research or submitted by sponsors. The system integrates data management, analysis, and interpretation in a single platform for genetic association studies. Specifically, it stores genotyping data and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) annotations along with study design data in an Oracle database. It also integrates popular genetic analysis tools, such as PLINK and Haploview. SNPTrack provides genetic analysis capabilities and captures analysis results in its database as SNP lists that can be cross-linked for biological interpretation to gene/protein annotations, Gene Ontology, and pathway analysis data. With SNPTrack, users can do the entire stream of bioinformatics jobs for genetic association studies. SNPTrack is freely available to the public at http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/BioinformaticsTools/SNPTrack/default.htm.
Experimental evidence that workers recognize reproductives through cuticular hydrocarbons in the ant Odontomachus brunneus

Eusociality is characterized by a reproductive division of labor, wherein workers respond to the presence of reproductive individuals by refraining from reproduction themselves and restricting the reproductive efforts of others. Our understanding of how eusociality is maintained therefore depends on characterizing the mechanism by which workers detect the presence of a reproductive. Variations in cuticular hydrocarbons correspond to changes in reproductive ability in ants, and experimental studies are beginning to reveal the function of hydrocarbons as signals. In this study, we compare the cuticular hydrocarbon profiles of dominant and reproductive workers and queens of the ant Odontomachus brunneus with profiles of non-reproductive workers. Using split/reunification tests we document the existence of worker policing in both queenless and queenright colonies; supernumerary reproductives were treated aggressively by nestmates. Finally, we induce aggression and replicate queen-like submissive nestmate responses by supplementing the hydrocarbon profile of workers with (Z)-9-nonacosene, a compound that was significantly more abundant on the cuticles of reproductives. In three bioassays, we compare this manipulation to various control manipulations of the hydrocarbon profile and demonstrate that workers gauge the reproductive activity of nestmates through changes in their cuticular hydrocarbon profiles.
Path planning method for palletizing tasks using workspace cell decomposition

We present an algorithm to solve path planning tasks for industrial 6-axis robots with a focus on palletizing and handling applications. Given a 3D environment our algorithm decomposes the Cartesian workspace of the robot into 3-dimensional cylinder slices centered around the robot base. The resulting decomposition is searched for a sequence of collision-free cells connecting the start and goal position to get a smooth joint trajectory that can be executed by a robot controller and totally lies inside this cylinder cell sequence. We compare our algorithm to an existing, random-based planning algorithm using different scenarios.
Viral Escape from Dominant Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Epitope-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes in DNA-Vaccinated Rhesus Monkeys

Virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are critical for control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication. However, viral escape from CTL recognition can undermine this immune control. Here we demonstrate the high frequency and pattern of viral escape from dominant epitope-specific CTL in SIV gag DNA-vaccinated rhesus monkeys following a heterologous simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) challenge. DNA-vaccinated monkeys exhibited initial effective control of the SIV challenge, but this early control was lost by serial breakthroughs of viral replication over a 3-year follow-up period. Increases in plasma viral RNA correlated temporally with declines of dominant SIV epitope-specific CD8+ T-lymphocyte responses and the emergence of viral mutations that escaped recognition by dominant epitope-specific CTL. Viral escape from CTL occurred in a total of seven of nine vaccinated and control monkeys, including three animals that initially controlled viral replication to undetectable levels of plasma viral RNA. These data suggest that CTL exert selective pressure on viral replication and that viral escape from CTL may be a limitation of CTL-based AIDS vaccine strategies.
On the multiple-fault testability of generalized counters

It is shown that any generalized counter of full-adder cells is testable for multiple faults with a test set of size proportional to the number of cells. Any number of cells can be faulty in any way, as long as the faults are permanent, the cells remain combinational, and no signal values other than 0 and 1 are generated. >
Pattern recognition diagnostics for emphysema using phase only correlation technique

Emphysema is a lung related disorder. It shows up on the CT (computer tomography) images as regions of low attenuation. Traditional methods used for detection of Emphysema have been derivation of several metrics of the CT image like the PI (pixel index) and BI (bullae index) which denote the percentage of pixels with low attenuation in the CT image. These techniques score low with low-dose CT images. Emphysema diagnosis using the POC (phase only correlation) algorithm is proposed in this paper. POC is a technique which is intensity independent gives a direct mapping between the extent of affected lung and the length of the POC peak.
Two Genes Required for Meiotic Recombination in Drosophila Are Expressed From a Dicistronic Message

We have isolated two alleles of a previously unidentified meiotic recombination gene, mei-217. Genetic analysis of these mutants shows that mei-217 is a typical "precondition" gene. The phenotypes of the mutants are meiosis specific. The strongest allele has <10% of the normal level of crossing over, and the residual events are distributed abnormally. We have used double mutant analysis to position mei-217 in the meiotic recombination pathway. In general, mutations causing defects in the initiation of meiotic recombination are epistatic to mutations in mei-41 and spnB. These two mutations, however, are epistatic to mei-217, suggesting that recombination is initiated normally in mei-217 mutants. It is likely that mei-217 mutants are able to make Holliday junction intermediates but are defective in the production of crossovers. These phenotypes are most similar to mutants of the mei-218 gene. This is striking because mei-217 and mei-218 are part of the same transcription unit and are most likely produced from a dicistronic message.
Bench to Bedside: Research Review in Vocal Fold Extracellular Matrix

Abstract The vocal fold lamina propria is crucial for the production of the vocal fold mucosal wave and quality of voice. Basic science research in this area has increased over the past 10 years se...
Primary gene products of an arbovirus.

Abstract Semliki Forest virus (SFV) structural proteins were labeled equally well by a short radioactive amino acid pulse followed by a long or a short chase. The structural proteins of SFV appear to be primary gene products. These results are in marked contrast to findings on protein synthesis directed by poliovirus.
Comparison of active interrogation techniques

Active interrogation is necessary to detect highly enriched uranium in large cargo containers and trucks. To achieve sufficient penetration, most nuclear techniques first interrogate an object with high-energy photons or neutrons, to produce fission in any highly enriched uranium that may be present, and then detect the gamma rays or neutrons that are produced. Pulsed beams allow the detection of delayed gamma rays or neutrons from fission products between pulses. Many different systems have been proposed recently. This report presents the results for several techniques, both from measurements and from extensive simulations with the MCNPX code
Mindfulness in Parenting and Coparenting

Mindfulness has been established as a critical psychosocial variable for the well-being of individuals; however, less is understood regarding the role of mindfulness within the family context of parents, coparents, and children. This study tested a model examining the process by which parent dispositional mindfulness relates to parenting and coparenting relationship quality through mindful parenting and coparenting. Participants were 485 parents (59.2% mothers) from three community samples of families with youth across three developmental stages: young childhood (3 - 7 yrs.; n = 164), middle childhood (8 - 12 yrs.; n = 161), and adolescence (13 - 17 yrs.; n = 160). Path analysis using maximum likelihood estimation was employed to test primary hypotheses. The proposed model demonstrated excellent fit. Findings across all three youth development stages indicated both direct effects or parent dispositional mindfulness, as well as indirect effects through mindful parenting and mindful coparenting, with parenting and coparenting relationship quality. Implications for intervention and prevention efforts are discussed.
The phylogeny, evolutionary developmental biology, and paleobiology of the Deuterostomia: 25 years of new techniques, new discoveries, and new ideas

Over the past 25 years, new techniques, new discoveries, and new ideas have profoundly impacted our understanding of deuterostome interrelationships and, ultimately, deuterostome evolution. During the late 1980s and early 1990s morphological cladistic analyses made predictions about both taxonomic history and homology, predictions that would be tested independent of the morphological characters themselves with the advent of molecular systematics, the rise of evolutionary developmental biology, and continued exploration of the fossil record. Thanks to these three areas of inquiry, we have gone from scenarios where animals like mobile enteropneust hemichordates and chordates were derived from sessile filter-feeding animals like modern lophophorates, echinoderms, and pterobranch hemichordates, to a new perspective where hemichordates are recognized as the nearest living relative of the echinoderms, and that vagile gill-bearing animals like Cambrian vetulicolians are seen—at least by some—as close to the deuterostome last common ancestor, with both sessility and filter-feeding convergent features of deuterostomes (e.g., echinoderm) and non-deuterostomes (e.g., lophophorates) alike. Although much of the backbone of the new deuterostome phylogeny is supported by multiple independent data sets, as are statements of homology of several different morphological characters, in particular the homology of gill slits across Deuterostomia, nonetheless, the next quarter century of study on this remarkable group of animals promises to be as equally illuminating and exciting as the past quarter century.
Evaluation and Management of Acute Asthma

Successful management of asthma requires an expectant, aggressive approach to asthma attacks as well as a careful management program to maintain remissions. The patient must recognize when he or she needs help, and the physician must be able to assess the severity of deterioration and provide rapid aggressive care. Failures are usually due to patient or physician error, or both. These relate to failures both outside and inside the hospital. Once inside the hospital, failure is mainly the responsibility of the physician. It is clear that deaths in the hospital have been associated with inadequate patient observation and monitoring, and treatment that is less aggressive than required. With appropriate patient and physician education and aggressive management, deaths during acute asthma attacks should be rare.
Nanoporous Gold: A Biomaterial for Microfabricated Drug-Delivery Platforms

Nanoporous gold (np-Au) is a promising nanostructured material with many desirable properties, including large surface area-to-volume ratio, corrosion resistance, high conductivity, and well-studied thiol-based surface chemistry. While np-Au has been used in a variety of applications, from fuel cells to electrochemical sensors, its interface with biology, where many of its exciting applications lie, is surprisingly non-existent. This paper reports on drug delivery from np-Au thin films for modifying cell proliferation in situ. We expect that establishing np-Au as a biomaterial with drug delivery capabilities will create new opportunities for engineering advanced BioMEMS devices that can monitor and modulate biological processes in both in vitro and in vivo settings.
Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a Novel Mouse Macrophage C-type Lectin, mMGL2, Which Has a Distinct Carbohydrate Specificity from mMGL1

免疫システムにおいて、タンパク質糖鎖相互作用は、様々な役割を果たしている。数多くのレクチンが、構造的に類似した糖鎖認識ドメイン (CRD) を利用し、病原体の認識や細胞間相互作用に関与している。マクロファージガラクトースタイプCタイプレクチン (MGL) は、今まで、一つの遺伝子に由来すると信じられてきたが、私たちは、新規のマクロファージガラクトースタイプCタイプレクチンであるmMGL2を同定した。今までのmMGLはmMGL1と命名し直すこととなった。これらのレクチンは、細胞内ドメインとCRDを除いたドメインにおいて高い相同性を有しているが、mMGL2は、mMGL1とは異なる糖特異性を有していた。mMGL2のmRNAは、mMGL1陽性細胞に検出された。従って、これちのレクチンは、認識分子およびエンドサイトーシス受容体として、マクロファージおよび骨髄由来未成熟樹状細胞上で、協調的に機能していると考えられる。
Electromyographic/Somatosensory-Evoked Potential Monitoring During Thoracolumbar Spinal Cord Stimulation

Intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring has become a routine procedure in complex spine surgery. Somatosensory-evoked potential (SSEP) recording has been advocated to monitor the functional integrity of the nervous system during surgical manipulation. When stimulated, sensory afferents give rise to signals carried via the dorsal columns (DCs) within the spinal cord to the medial lemniscus and spinocerebellar tracts, ending in the primary somatosensory cortex. SSEP monitoring does not involve the motor pathways, which in some clinical situations can lead to false-negative results and postoperative neurological deficits undetected intraoperatively. Dermatomal SSEP testing allows for assessment of individual nerve roots during surgery and has been shown to be more sensitive. However, the sensitivity and specificity of this method varies and is inferior to electromyographic (EMG) monitoring. EMG has become the standard of practice in complex spine surgery, providing surgeons with accurate feedback about individual nerve root activity during surgical manipulation of neural structures and the presence of malpositioned screws.
Varying stopping and self-focusing of intense proton beams as they heat solid density matter

Transport of intense protonbeams in solid-density matter is numerically investigated using an implicit hybrid particle-in-cell code. Both collective effects and stopping for individual beam particles are included through the electromagnetic fields solver and stopping power calculations utilizing the varying local target conditions, allowing self-consistent transport studies. Two target heating mechanisms, the beam energy deposition and Ohmic heating driven by the return current, are compared. The dependences of protonbeam transport in solid targets on the beam parameters are systematically analyzed, i.e., simulations with various beam intensities, pulse durations, kinetic energies, and energy distributions are compared. The protonbeam deposition profile and ultimate target temperature show strong dependence on intensity and pulse duration. A strong magnetic field is generated from a protonbeam with high density and tight beam radius, resulting in focusing of the beam and localized heating of the target up to hundreds of eV.
Analysis of Cluster Cases of Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease in Zhongshan,2010-2011

Objective To understand the epidemic characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) in Zhongshan, and provide information for hand-foot-mouth disease prevention and control. Method Analysis was made on the data of HFMD cluster cases in 2010-2011, and descriptive epidemiology was used to analyze the data. Results From 2010 to 2011, a total of 71 HFMD cluster cases were reported,and 2 cluster cases met the standard of public health emergent events.The peak of outbreaks was in April-May, contributed 67.6% (48/71) to the total number of cluster cases. 91.3% (65/71) of the cluster events occurred in nurseries and kindergartens. The median of attack rates in nurseries was 3.8%, which was higher than the median of attack rate (1.5%) in kindergartens (Z=2.61,P0.01). The average number of infected children was smaller with early prevention and control. Conclusion From April to May,the peak period of HFMD cluster cases,HFMD surveillance among nurseries and kindergartens should be strengthened to discover the cluster cases promptly,and to adopt control measures in time.
The Psychology of Linguistic Knowledge

In most areas of psychology, methodological decisions are made on the basis of psychological theory. Appropriate units of analysis, causal factors, and types of data are suggested or limited by the theoretical orientation of the researcher and data are selected or interpreted to fit that framework. In the psychology of language, however, more than in other areas, the data themselves have clear characteristics which limit the range of theoretical orientations that can be usefully employed. For example, in speech some units of analysis appropriate for scientific study, such as sentences, phrases, words, and phonemes, are quite easily discernible even to the layman.
Security Sector Reform in Democratic Senegal

First paragraph: Generally speaking, Senegalese political institutions observe the legal principle that all segments of the state are subject to the law. The construction of the Senegalese nation can no doubt be considered to be a success since ethnicity is absolutely irrelevant in the political arena and does not affect the distribution of positions of national responsibility. Within such an environment, it might therefore be considered inappropriate or even inopportune and irrelevant to speak about security sector reform (SSR) in Senegal. This is however not the case. This study aims to carry out an analysis that will contribute to consolidating Senegalese institutions and further disseminating the best practices that have, to a large extent, contributed to the stability of the country and its excellent civil-military relations.
Reflections on prejudice and intergroup relations

Intergroup relations examine how people of different backgrounds and groups interact with one another. Intergroup encounters can range from highly positive (e.g., friendships) to extremely negative (e.g., genocides) so the charge of intergroup relations is to illuminate the social psychological processes that influence such encounters. The present review highlights four themes: (1) intergroup prejudice as ingroup love versus outgroup hate; (2) contemporary forms of intergroup prejudice; (3) how contact between groups may reduce intergroup prejudice; and (4) how material concerns (e.g., distribution of resources) and psychological processes (e.g., group identification) further influence intergroup relations. The review concludes with thoughts on the state of intergroup relations research and its relevance to contemporary society.
Matching Affine Features with the SYBA Feature Descriptor

Many vision-based applications require a robust feature descriptor that works well with image deformations such as compression, illumination, and blurring. It remains a challenge for a feature descriptor to work well with image deformation caused by viewpoint change. This paper introduces, first, a new binary feature descriptor called SYnthetic BAsis (SYBA) for feature point description and matching, and second, a method for removing non-affine features from the initial feature list to further improve the feature matching accuracy. This new approach has been tested on the Oxford dataset and a newly created dataset by comparing the feature matching accuracy using only affine features with the accuracy of using both affine and non-affine features. A statistical T-test was performed on the newly created dataset to demonstrate the advantages of using only affine feature points for matching. SYBA is less computationally complex than other feature descriptors and gives better feature matching results using affine features.
Cytogenetic and molecular study of the PRDX4 gene in a t(X; 18)(p22; q23) translocation.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 138 The AML1/RUNX gene on human chromosome 21q22 is often disrupted by translocations in leukemia of which more than ten have been cloned. Recently, we cloned a translocation breakpoint involving the AML1 gene and the PRDX4 gene on Xp22 in a leukemia patient with a t(X;21). PRDX4 is a member of the peroxiredoxin gene family which is involved in antioxidation. To determine whether the PRDX4 gene was involved in other translocations in patients with leukemia, we screened cells from 15 patients with leukemia and Xp22 abnormalities using the FISH (Fluorescence in situ hybridization) technique and a labeled BAC (Bacterial Artificial Chromosome) clone covering the PRDX4 gene. A split FISH signal was detected in one of the patients implicating PRDX4 involvement. This patient who had a Pro B cell ALL showed a t(X;18)(p22;q23) translocation on cytogenetic analysis as well as other cytogenetic abnormalities. A 22Mb area on chromosome 18 was investigated with 30 BAC clones to localize the translocation breakpoint and to define the partner gene on chromosome 18. The potential breakpoint could be narrowed to a 50 kilobase region between the genes SOCS6 and CBLN2. Two BAC clones (RP11-139B13, RP11-432G11) were found that showed a split signal on both the derivative chromosomes 18 and X and thus appeared to span the translocation breakpoint. Using two color FISH with the BAC for PRDX4 and one BAC on chromosome 18 that split, we saw a fusion signal on the X chromosome; the PRDX4 BAC translocated to an as yet unidentified small chromosome not chromosome 18, indicating a complex rearrangement. Some ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags) but no known genes are located in the breakpoint region on chromosome 18. Molecular studies are in progress to clone the genomic breakpoint and to confirm the fusion gene. PRDX4 is the only gene implicated in antioxidation that has been involved in leukemia-associated translocations. This is the second example of its involvement in a translocation. We conclude that antioxidant enzymes might play a heretofore unrecognized role in leukemogenesis.
Laser in the management of burn scars.

Abstract Background and objective Burn scars are associated with significant morbidity ranging from contractures, pruritus, and disfigurement to psychosocial impairment. Traditional therapies include silicone gel, compression garments, corticosteroid injections, massage therapy, and surgical procedures, however, newer and advanced therapies for the treatment of burn scars have been developed. Lasers, specifically ablative fractional lasers, show potential for the treatment of burn scars. Methods Both MeSH and keyword searches of the PubMed, Medline and Embase databases were performed and relevant articles were read in full for the compilation of this review. Results Fifty-one relevant observational studies, clinical trials, and systematic reviews published in English from 2006 to 2016 were reviewed and summarized. Conclusion Laser therapy is effective for the treatment of burn scar appearance, including measures such as pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and thickness. Ablative fractional laser therapy, in particular, shows significant potential for the release of contractures allowing for improved range of motion of affected joints. Patients may benefit from the use of lasers in the treatment of burn scars, and the safety profile of lasers allows the benefits of treatment to outweigh the risks. Laser therapy should be included in burn scar treatment protocols as an adjuvant therapy to traditional interventions.
Abstract P375: Community Based Wireless Blood Pressure Monitoring Improves Patient Centeredness

Objective: Studies exploring wireless-based systems to monitor patients in underinsured communities are lacking. We evaluated blood pressure (BP) control with wireless vs. conventional home-based BP machines in a pilot study nested within a larger trial in San Diego County focusing on optimizing cardiovascular risk reduction. Methods: Patients with a new diagnosis of hypertension (HTN), or those with BP above 140/90 on a current regimen were enrolled from three federally qualified healthcare center systems in low-income communities. Participants were randomized to conventional automated BP cuff (CBP) or a wireless cloud-based system (WBP), and followed with a clinical visit at 3, and 6 months. Exit surveys were conducted to evaluate patterns of use. Results: At the time of this analysis complete clinical data are available for 151 participants (71 WBP; 80 CBP). Baseline BPs did not differ between treatment arms (systolic: 149.9 mmHg WBP; 151 mmHg CBP; P=0.72; diastolic: 83.5mmHg WBP; 81.3 CBP; P=0.23). BP decreased significantly in both arms by the end of the pilot (Figure 1). No differences were seen between groups for both net change of BP (P=0.79) or for end mean systolic BP (P=0.96). Of 60 participants in WBP arm who completed the exit survey, those with BP still not at goal (N=20) were more likely to report “Strongly Agree” or “Agree” that the wireless system helped them feel more engaged in their clinical care (P=0.02). Discussion: Both wireless and conventional BP monitoring had a clinically significant impact on BP control among underinsured individuals in this study, and the wireless system appears to improve engagement in care.
Climate and Weather in the United States and Its Impact on People with Disabilities in Rural Communities

The geographical attributes of rural, frontier, and territory communities present transportation and mobility challenges depending on what part of the country individuals reside, particularly for those with disabilities in the rural United States. The chapter addresses geographical topography factors in relation to inclement climate and weather patterns pertaining to the unique barriers faced by those with disabilities. The intent is to identify strategies of how these barriers can be addressed by vocational rehabilitation counselors in service delivery.
‘I Myself am an Israelite’: Paul, Authenticity and Authority:

This article argues that Paul prefers to present himself as an Israelite instead of a Judean for strategic purposes (Phil. 3.5; 2 Cor. 11.13; Rom. 9.4 and 11.1). I examine how Paul simultaneously m...
Ideology in Interpersonal Communication: Off the Couch and into the World

(1981). Ideology in Interpersonal Communication: Off the Couch and into the World. Annals of the International Communication Association: Vol. 5, Communication Yearbook 5, pp. 79-107.
Does COO Still Matter? An Examination of Country of Origin Effects on Purchase Intentions Under Recall Circumstances: An Abstract

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA, 2015) reported that automobiles were 84% of the first quarter’s total recalled units (which include automobiles, drugs, toys, and food). Indeed, the average number of annual automotive recalls rose 76% (from 339 to 599) in a two-decade period (1994–2013). Product recalls have not only accelerated in pace, but they have also become more widespread. Three decades ago, a product recall attributed to errors in the product design or production process only affected a local area. Today one single product failure can cause great damage on a global scale (Marucheck, 1987; Marucheck et al., 2011). For instance, Toyota’s 2009–2010 acceleration and General Motors’ 2014 ignition switch recalls not only created huge litigation fees but also resulted in billions of dollars lost sales, reduced manufacturing, harmed reputation, a lower stock price, and higher expenses. Moreover, the effects of these recalls not only impact the auto companies but also can be a nightmare for their suppliers, as a defective auto part from a supplier could also be the cause of an auto recall.
The “Norme in Rete” Project: Standards and Tools for Italian Legislation

The “Norme in Rete” (NIR) project aims at establishing standards for Italian legislation and tools to promote their adoption. In this paper an overview of these standards, including their latest version features, as well as a description of the tools developed by ITTIG-CNR for their implementation are presented.
Abigail Salyers: An Almost Unbeatable Force

Abigail Salyers is arguably the mother of the microbiome: the revolutionary science that acknowledges the impact of our microbial ecosystems on human health. What inspired her to venture with indefatigable drive into the dark, inhospitable, anaerobic world of the human gut? To spend years of her life developing genetic tools for a nonmodel bacterium we now know makes up one-quarter of the cells in the human gut? To fight to make microbiology relevant and accessible in the medical curriculum? To “promote the cause of microbiology as THE biological discipline of the coming decades”? This chapter explores the life and career of Abigail and features reflections from some of the many individuals whom she mentored and inspired.
4.2 – Cells, Synapses, and Neurotransmitters

This chapter begins with a description of four types of glial cells: oligodendroglia, astrocytes, ependymal cells, and microglia, with their origin and function. It includes a description of myelin both central and peripheral. It then describes the variety of neuronal cell types and the various types of synapses or junctions between the cells and how information both converges onto cells and diverges from them. The mechanics of synaptic transmission is discussed next, detailing the sequential events in the signal transmission from one neuron to another. It contrasts small synaptic vesicles with large dense core vesicles and the differences in transmission using the transmitters in each type. After discussing how neurotransmission is shut off, it begins describing individual transmitters and their receptors, beginning with acetylcholine and including dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, glutamate, and aspartate; gamma amino butyric acid; serotonin; and peptides.
Organization and Regulation of Two Clusters of nif Genes in the Cyanobacterium Anabaena Variabilis

Many species of cyanobacteria are capable of nitrogen fixation, either aerobically or anaerobically. Many filamentous strains that fix aerobically differentiate heterocysts that are specialized cells for nitrogen fixation [reviewed 16]. Other filamentous strains that do not make heterocysts, such as Plectonema boryanum,can also fix, but only under anaerobic conditions [reviewed 3,5]. In addition, several unicellular strains fix nitrogen aerobically in the absence of any specialized cells. Trichodesmium sp., which forms bundles of filaments, fixes aerobically, but only in certain cells or regions of the bundle. The mechanisms that allow nitrogenase to function in aerobic cells of cyanobacteria are as yet poorly understood [reviewed 3,5].
Benign Intracranial Hypertension: CSF Dynamics and CSF Pulse Wave Morphology

Benign intracranial hypertension (BIH), otherwise called “pseudotumour cerebri”, is a pathological condition characterized by the presence of chronic or intermittent signs of raised intracranial pressure (ICP), such as headache, papilledema, and spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, without any evidence of an intracranial space occupying mass lesion or CSF protein concentration increase. This condition is frequently observed in female patients suffering from endocrine disorders (obesity, hypertrichosis, irregular menses, and sometimes galactorrhea) and is often associated with a typical radiological feature depicting an intrasellar arachnoidal herniation (the so-called “empty sella”) (Anile and Maira 1986).Some authors have suggested that an impairment in CSF absorptive capacity due, probably, to an increase in the venous outflow resistance resulting from an obstacle at postcerebral level in the dural sinuses, could be the most important pathogenetical factor in BIH (Junck 1986). In spite of this assumption, however, patients diagnosed as affected by this syndrome show, at neuroradiological examinations, normal, or even small ventricles (Hansen et al. 1987).
University of Florida Results

Between May 18, 1988, and May 21, 1996, 644 patients were treated with radiosurgery at the University of Florida. The types of lesions treated are shown in Table 10.1. Of these patients, 264 had AVMs. There were 131 men and 133 women in this group. The mean age was 39 years (range, 7 to 70 years). Presenting symptoms included hemorrhage (93 patients), seizure (102 patients), headache or incidental symptoms (61 patients), and progressive neurologic deficit (8 patients). The location of the lesions is given in Table 10.2. Spetzler-Martin classification is shown in Table 10.3. Twenty-five patients had undergone prior surgical attempts at AVM excision, and 21 patients had undergone at least one embolization procedure. Most patients referred for radiosurgery were first screened by an expert cerebrovascular surgeon, and radiosurgery was undertaken only if the patient was a poor candidate for conventional microsurgery.
Report on the Reunión Iberoamericana de Neuro-otologia 2018

A report on the Reunion Iberoamericana de Neuro-otologia 2018 Fundacion Iberoamericana de Neuro-otologia.
Personalized postdoctoral fellowship care.

Adapting the clinical residency training model can help postdoctoral research fellows navigate and personalize their training experience for their unique career goals.
Microscopic heterogeneity in ulcerative colitis: implications for microscopic measurement of disease activity.

Growing interest in histological measurements of inflammatory activity to determine therapeutic efficacy and endpoints in IBD has been accompanied by progress in developing and validating scoring instruments for this purpose.1–5 Four histological grading instruments, the Geboes score, Nancy index, Robarts Histological Index (RHI) and modified Riley score, have recently demonstrated responsiveness to clinical changes based on data from a phase II trial of ozanimod.6 Further refinement of the operating characteristics of these instruments and definition of threshold values for remission can be expected.7 Less attention has been given to pre-analytical factors which might affect the histological assessment of disease activity and the definition of therapeutic endpoints, such as biopsy sampling density and target selection. Clinical consensus guidelines have thus far provided only empirical guidance. The European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) guidelines for initial IBD diagnosis recommend two forceps biopsies from each of five sites in the colorectum and terminal ileum and separate biopsies from endoscopically distinct regions8 but do not address sampling density and target selection in other clinical situations. Likewise, uniform standards for biopsy sampling in therapeutic drug trials are lacking. One study has reported good endoscopic concordance between the rectosigmoid and proximal colon at baseline …
The Associated Friends in Volume 3:2

"The Journal in Deepdene (type);" "The Five Hundreth Anniversary (of printing);" "Associated Copies;" "Gifts;" "New Members."
Pragmatic solidarity and asylum expert witnessing

The demand for expert witness testimony has increased in recent years as the numbers of applicants for refugee status/asylum continue to rise and legal restrictions tighten. While the contribution ...
Public Opposition to Sanctuary Cities in Texas: Criminal Threat or Immigration Threat?*

Objectives To assess predictors of sanctuary city attitudes in Texas. Specifically, to assess whether a criminal threat or immigration threat hypothesis better explains attitudes toward sanctuary cities. Methods Pooled representative sample surveys of Texas respondents conducted during the first half of 2017, combined with county‐level Census and crime data. Regression analysis and Monte Carlo simulations. Results Compared to the criminal threat hypothesis (as measured by county change in crime rates), the immigration threat hypothesis (as measured by Latino growth and Latino population) better explains Texans' attitudes toward sanctuary cities. Conclusions Despite elite and media narratives linking sanctuary cities to crime, respondents' attitudes toward sanctuary cities are unrelated to physical crime threat and are structured by localized experience with immigration—specifically—Latino growth.
Can Consciousness in Animals Be Assessed on the Basis of Their Behavior

The idea that animals have consciousness arose from studies of their behavior. However, behavioral studies are insufficient for assessing the existence of consciousness in animals. Following Gutfreund [2017], I am of the opinion that the answer to the question of consciousness in animals requires an understanding of the neural mechanisms of consciousness. The question here is that of whether it is possible to understand these mechanisms. There is a wide range of views on this question – from cartesian dualism, which denies the existence of any kind of neural mechanism for consciousness, to the diametrically opposite view, that consciousness is a cognitive function which can therefore theoretically be understood. I adhere to this latter point of view. However, as argued in this article, progress in studies of the mechanisms of cognitive functions, including consciousness, requires a paradigm shift in neurobiology from a purely connectionist approach towards cell biology.
Efficient Data Advertisement in Information Centric Disruption Tolerant Networks

Large-scale Information Centric Disruption Tolerant Networks (ICDTNs) are now being evaluated as a powerful system paradigm for data sharing when existing communication infrastructures are compromised. The effectiveness of an ICDTN is largely dependent upon efficient and scalable data advertising mechanisms, yet this problem has until recently not been extensively studied. This paper proposes a solution to the data advertising problem that is based upon random linear network coding. We show how to encode, decode, and use Named Data Networking advertising structures in an ICDTN environment. We have compared our approach to the standard flooding techniques under a variety of network sizes, communication conditions, node densities and mobility patterns. Our results show that our approach is both highly scalable and can significantly decrease the time for advertisement message delivery.
Exercise-related coping beliefs predict physical activity levels in response to naturally occurring stress: A daily diary study of college students.

Objective: The present study sought to examine whether beliefs about physical activity as a means of coping with stress predicted college students’ exercise levels following naturally occurring str...
CHAPTER 4 – PHYSICAL SECURITY

An important aspect of any total security plan is physical security, which can be considered in two categories: protection against natural disasters, such as fire and floods; and protection against intruders by restricting physical access. If the major threat is of natural origin, then fire and flood protection is warranted. If the threat is of man-made origin, physical security must restrict access and support internal access controls via security officer, authorization control tables, and audit and surveillance functions. This chapter will survey some of the problems and solutions in physical security. The reader should refer to the references for further information.