cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coordination of strategic responses to security threats: Laboratory evidence

Laboratory experiments are used to evaluate the extent to which players in games can coordinate investments that diminish the probability of losses due to security breaches or terrorist attacks. In this environment, economically sensible investments may be foregone if their potential benefits are negated by failures to invest in security at other sites. The result is a coordination game with a desirable high-payoff, high-security equilibrium and an undesirable low-security equilibrium that may result if players do not expect others to invest in security. One unique feature of this coordination situation is that investment in security by one player generates a positive externality such that all other players’ expected payoffs are increased, regardless of those other players’ investment decisions. Coordination failures are pervasive in a baseline experiment with simultaneous decisions, but coordination is improved if players are allowed to move in an endogenously determined sequence. In addition, coordinated security investments are observed more often when the largest single security threat to individuals is preventable by their own decisions to invest in security. The security coordination game is a “potential game,” and the success of coordination on the more secure equilibrium is related to the notion of potential function maximization and basin of attraction.
Efficacy of limited cefuroxime prophylaxis in pediatric patients after cardiovascular surgery.

Purpose The efficacy of limited cefuroxime prophylaxis in pediatric patients after cardiovascular surgery was evaluated. Methods All patients age 18 years or younger who underwent cardiovascular surgery and received postoperative care from the cardiovascular surgery team between February and July 2006 (preintervention group) and between August 2006 and January 2007 (postintervention group) were eligible for study inclusion. Patients were excluded if they did not receive cefuroxime as postoperative prophylaxis, had a preexisting infection, underwent cardiac transplantation or extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or underwent delayed sternal closure. The preintervention group received prolonged cefuroxime prophylaxis, and the postintervention group received 24 hours of cefuroxime prophylaxis. Data collected included patient demographics and clinical and laboratory markers of infection, as well as microbiological evidence of and treatment courses for documented or presumed infections. Results A total of 210 patients were enrolled in the study. The number of patients who required additional antibiotics for suspicion of clinical infection did not significantly differ between the preintervention and postintervention groups (18.6% versus 26.9%, respectively), nor did the rate of documented infection (bacteremia, urinary tract infection, endocarditis, sepsis) (42.1% versus 48.3%, respectively). Moreover, indications for the antibiotics initiated were similar between the preintervention and postintervention groups. Clinical and laboratory signs of postoperative infection were similar between groups. There were no differences in postoperative white blood cell counts, peak serum glucose levels, and platelet nadir between groups. Conclusion Limiting postoperative cefuroxime prophylaxis to 24 hours did not increase infectious outcomes in pediatric patients.
New links between vesicle coats and Rab-mediated vesicle targeting

Vesicle trafficking is a highly regulated process that transports proteins and other cargoes through eukaryotic cells while maintaining cellular organization and compartmental identity. In order for cargo to reach the correct destination, each step of trafficking must impart specificity. During vesicle formation, this is achieved by coat proteins, which selectively incorporate cargo into the nascent vesicle. Classically, vesicle coats are thought to dissociate shortly after budding. However, recent studies suggest that coat proteins can remain on the vesicle en route to their destination, imparting targeting specificity by physically and functionally interacting with Rab-regulated tethering systems. This review focuses on how interactions among Rab GTPases, tethering factors, SNARE proteins, and vesicle coats contribute to vesicle targeting, fusion, and coat dynamics.
Higher-order representations of protein structure space

Fragment-based representations of protein structure have recently been proposed to identify remote homologs with reasonable accuracy. The representations have also been shown through PCA to elucidate low-dimensional maps of protein structure space. In this work we conduct further analysis of these representations, showing that the low-dimensional maps preserve functional co-localization. Moreover, we employ Latent Dirichlet Allocation to investigate a new, topic-based representation. We show through various techniques adapted from text mining that the topics have unique signatures over structural classes and allow a complementary yet informative organization of protein structure space.
Thermodynamic cycles as probes of structure in unfolded proteins.

The relationship between structure and stability has been investigated for the folded forms and the unfolded forms of iso-2 cytochrome c and a variant protein with a stability-enhancing mutation, N52I iso-2. Differential scanning calorimetry has been used to measure the reversible unfolding transitions for the proteins in both heme oxidation states. Reduction potentials have been measured as a function of temperature for the folded forms of the proteins. The combination of measurements of thermal stability and reduction potential gives three sides of a thermodynamic cycle and allows prediction of the reduction potential of the thermally unfolded state. The free energies of electron binding for the thermally unfolded proteins differ from those expected for a fully unfolded protein, suggesting that residual structure modulates the reduction potential. At temperatures near 50 °C the N52I mutation has a small but significant effect on oxidation state-sensitive structure in the thermally unfolded protein. Insp...
ATP7A-related copper transport diseases-emerging concepts and future trends

This Review summarizes recent advances in understanding copper-transporting ATPase 1 (ATP7A), and examines the neurological phenotypes associated with dysfunction of this protein. Involvement of ATP7A in axonal outgrowth, synapse integrity and neuronal activation underscores the fundamental importance of copper metabolism to neurological function. Defects in ATP7A cause Menkes disease, an infantile-onset, lethal condition. Neonatal diagnosis and early treatment with copper injections enhance survival in patients with this disease, and can normalize clinical outcomes if mutant ATP7A molecules retain small amounts of residual activity. Gene replacement rescues a mouse model of Menkes disease, suggesting a potential therapeutic approach for patients with complete loss-of-function ATP7A mutations. Remarkably, a newly discovered ATP7A disorder-isolated distal motor neuropathy-has none of the characteristic clinical or biochemical abnormalities of Menkes disease or its milder allelic variant occipital horn syndrome (OHS), instead resembling Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 2. These findings indicate that ATP7A has a crucial but previously unappreciated role in motor neuron maintenance, and that the mechanism underlying ATP7A-related distal motor neuropathy is distinct from Menkes disease and OHS pathophysiology. Collectively, these insights refine our knowledge of the neurology of ATP7A-related copper transport diseases and pave the way for further progress in understanding ATP7A function.
Role of CARP as a Bio-Mechanosensor

Cardiomyocyte mechanical stretch induces hypertrophic gene expression, however, the mechanisms for this are poorly understood. Cardiac ankyrin repeat protein (CARP) is highly expressed in cardiomyocytes and interacts with the spring domain of sarcomeric titin and is also localized in the nucleus. This dual localization suggests that CARP may couple titin spring mechanics to muscle gene expression. CARP is also expressed in cardiac fibroblasts (CF) and that CARP interacts with the transcription factor GATA4. We hypothesize that CARP is a bio-mechanosensor that upon cell stretch, translocates to the nucleus and interacts with GATA4 to induce gene expression. Methods: Neonatal Rat Ventricular Myocytes (NRVMs) and CF were isolated from 1-2 day old rats and cultured on BioFlex plates. After 2 days, NRVMs were transfected with CARP siRNA (50nM) and/or a GATA4-luciferase vector. NRVMs and CF were stretched 5-10% for 60 min (S60) to 48hr at 1Hz using the Flexcell system. Cells were fixed or lysed for microscopy, western blotting, or luciferase assay. Results: Unstretched NRVMs have predominantly sarcomeric CARP immunostaining with low nuclear CARP. CARP translocates to the nucleus with S60 and remains nuclear up to 48hr stretch. ERK inhibition with U0126 prevented S-60-induced CARP nuclear translocation. NRVM S60 induced GATA4 phosphorylation and increased GATA4-luciferase expression, which are both inhibited with CARP siRNA. NRVM S60 followed by cessation of stretch for 60 min (SC60) resulted in depletion of nuclear CARP. CF show nuclear CARP, which becomes cytoplasmic with S60. CF subjected to S60 followed by SC60 showed re-localization of CARP to the nucleus. Conclusion: We conclude that CARP is involved in stretch-mediated signaling in cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts. Our data further suggest disparate mechano-sensing roles for CARP in these cells types.
Structural kinetics of cardiac troponin C mutants linked to familial hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy in troponin complexes.

The key events in regulating cardiac muscle contraction involve Ca2+ binding to and release from cTnC (troponin C) and structural changes in cTnC and other thin filament proteins triggered by Ca2+ movement. Single mutations L29Q and G159D in human cTnC have been reported to associate with familial hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy, respectively. We have examined the effects of these individual mutations on structural transitions in the regulatory N-domain of cTnC triggered by Ca2+ binding and dissociation. This study was carried out with a double mutant or triple mutants of cTnC, reconstituted into troponin with tryptophanless cTnI and cTnT. The double mutant, cTnC(L12W/N51C) labeled with 1,5-IAEDANS at Cys-51, served as a control to monitor Ca2+-induced opening and closing of the N-domain by Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET). The triple mutants contained both L12W and N51C labeled with 1,5-IAEDANS, and either L29Q or G159D. Both mutations had minimal effects on the equilibrium distance between Trp-12 and Cys-51-AEDANS in the absence or presence of bound Ca2+. L29Q had no effect on the closing rate of the N-domain triggered by release of Ca2+, but reduced the Ca2+-induced opening rate. G159D reduced both the closing and opening rates. Previous results showed that the closing rate of cTnC N-domain triggered by Ca2+ dissociation was substantially enhanced by PKA phosphorylation of cTnI. This rate enhancement was abolished by L29Q or G159D. These mutations alter the kinetics of structural transitions in the regulatory N-domain of cTnC that are involved in either activation (L29Q) or deactivation (G159D). Both mutations appear to be antagonistic toward phosphorylation signaling between cTnI and cTnC.
Stress-Strain Relationships in Yarns Subjected to Rapid Impact Loading: Part XI: Strain Distributions Resulting from Rifle Bullet Impact1

If a textile yarn, marked at intervals along its length, is struck transversely by a rifle bullet, a flash photograph taken shortly after impact will reveal a shifting of the marks caused by passag...
Determination of the Bending Modulus of an Individual Multiwall Carbon Nanotube using an Electric Harmonic Detection of Resonance Technique

We report a new method of measuring the amplitude and phase of oscillations of individual multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs). As in many other experiments, we excite the oscillations electrostatically, but we show that we can detect the amplitude and phase of the resulting oscillation electrically. As an example, we present measurements of the fundamental and first two overtones of the diving board resonance of a MWNT at 0.339, 2.42, and 5.31 MHz in ambient conditions. The corresponding quality factors were 67, 36, and 25.
Subaqueous hydrochory: open‐channel hydraulic modelling of non‐buoyant seed movement

SUMMARY 1. Subaqueous transport may be a significant dispersal and migration mechanism of non-buoyant seeds of aquatic and riparian plants, and also secondary transport of seeds once they have lost buoyancy, but the efficiency of this difficult to observe process is largely unexamined. This study uses hydraulic modelling to establish the discharges that move the non-buoyant seeds of Hymenocallis coronaria as bedload or suspended load; uses stream gauge data to examine the frequency of effective discharges from late June to late September, the seed maturation and germination period; and the potential transport distance of the seeds. 2. The results show that the majority of non-buoyant seeds of H. coronaria can be transported as bedload through entire modelled stream reaches of lengths 10.8, 18 and 14.4 km with the 0.5 year return interval flow. Bedload apparently has the ability to move seeds over great distances, and may be a substantial factor determining the genetic structure, demography and dynamics of populations and communities. However, prolonged movement of non-buoyant seeds in suspension appears to be quite rare. 3. Although insect mediated pollination and biochory occur concurrently with bedload transport, bedload transport alone may be sufficient to account for the established gene flow rate of H. coronaria. The potential transport distance of many of the seeds exceed that between populations, and migration may occur more frequently than the species’ generation time. 4. This is the first known study to use open-channel hydraulic modelling and sediment transport analysis to determine the effectiveness of non-buoyant seed transport. This method of analysis shows promise for application in other contexts, and especially where flow management is a critical issue for maintenance of rare species.
Current trends in education and technology as signs to the future

In her keynote speech to the Working Conference, Mary-Alice White identified the following twelve trends in education and technology: u the gap between technology and its content; - school choice; - the mismatch between the curriculum, the new technologies and the tests; - the visual versus the logocentric curriculum; - distance learning; - the emerging problem in evaluation; - making schools more democratic; - increasing business pressure on public education; - the impact of minority students; - television: the influential educational system; - multi-media, hyper-media and hyper-hype; - learning through telecommunications. All of these trends hold more promise to the author then anything else that has happened in education in this century.
Assessing outcomes for sufferers of severe mental disorder: A conceptual framework and review

Abstract A conceptual framework is presented for classifying the outcomes of services for sufferers of severe mental disorders. The proposed classification framework contains three dimensions: (a) the respondent type; (b) the social context; and (c) the domain of treatment outcomes. Respondent types include the client, the family, the extended social network, the clinician and the scientist. Social contexts include the individual, the family, work/school and the broader community. Domains of treatment outcome include “clinical status,” “functional status,” “life satisfaction and fulfillment,” and “safety and welfare.” This multidimensional framework is used to organize an illustrative review of existing outcome measures. It is concluded that: (a) measures of safety and welfare raise important social and policy questions and these measures require considerable development in order for utility to be realized; (b) although a good beginning has been made, more attention needs to be focused on defining and measuring “life satisfaction and fulfillment” and combining this domain with others to produce “well being” or “quality of life” scales; (c) the functional status area requires additional research and development especially when measurement is conducted in contexts other than work/school; and (d) although measures of clinical status are relatively well developed, the family perspective and context must be integrated into these measures.
Computational Methods for the Development of Polymeric Biomaterials

This review focuses on polymeric biomaterials and provides a selective overview of the computational modeling approaches used to predict their properties and biological responses. Also, a short overview of existing databases and software packages for the biomaterials field is presented. The review summarizes the research in this area since the year 2000.
Resistance to therapy in BRCA2 mutant cells due to loss of the nucleosome remodeling factor CHD4

Hereditary cancers derive from gene defects that often compromise DNA repair. Thus, BRCA-associated cancers are sensitive to DNA-damaging agents such as cisplatin. The efficacy of cisplatin is limited, however, by the development of resistance. One cisplatin resistance mechanism is restoration of homologous recombination (HR), which can result from BRCA reversion mutations. However, in BRCA2 mutant cancers, cisplatin resistance can occur independently of restored HR by a mechanism that remains unknown. Here we performed a genome-wide shRNA screen and found that loss of the nucleosome remodeling factor CHD4 confers cisplatin resistance. Restoration of cisplatin resistance is independent of HR but correlates with restored cell cycle progression, reduced chromosomal aberrations, and enhanced DNA damage tolerance. Suggesting clinical relevance, cisplatin-resistant clones lacking genetic reversion of BRCA2 show de novo loss of CHD4 expression in vitro. Moreover, BRCA2 mutant ovarian cancers with reduced CHD4 expression significantly correlate with shorter progression-free survival and shorter overall survival. Collectively, our findings indicate that CHD4 modulates therapeutic response in BRCA2 mutant cancer cells.
EFFECTS OF NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS AVAILABILITY ON FINE‐ROOT DYNAMICS IN HAWAIIAN MONTANE FORESTS

Although it is often assumed that root dynamics are similar to leaf dynamics in relation to nutrient availability, this hypothesis is rarely tested. Using sequential soil coring and a decomposition experiment, patterns of fine-root (,2 mm diameter) biomass, belowground net primary productivity, and root turnover rates were examined over a 1-yr period in three sites along a forest chronosequence in the Hawaiian Islands. These sites form a natural fertility gradient but have similar species composition, climate, and geology. The youngest site (300 yr old) was low in N availability, the oldest site (4.1 3 10 6 yr old) was low in P availability, and the intermediate-aged site (20 000 yr old) was higher in both N and P. The youngest and oldest sites also contained long-term fertilization plots that were fertilized with N or P, or were unfertilized (control). Along the natural fertility gradient, the oldest site generally differed from the other two sites; this site had the greatest standing stock of live root mass, the greatest root length density, the lowest belowground net primary productivity (BNPP), and the slowest root turnover rate. The 300-yr-old and 20 000-yr-old sites were similar in all of these variables, except that root turnover was slightly faster at the 300-yr-old site. The response of fine roots to fertilization was consistent with the response along the natural fertility gradient. Despite N limitation to aboveground growth at the 300-yr-old site, fertilization had small effects on root variables, with the only significant effects being a small increase in the standing stock of live root biomass in N-fertilized plots and an increase in root tissue P concentrations in P-fertilized plots. In contrast, fertilization at the 4.1 3 10 6 yr-old site altered root dynamics more than fertilization at the 300-yr-old site. In the P-fertilized plots, P concentrations increased, BNPP tended to be greater, and root turnover rates increased. These results suggest that root dynamics differ dramatically between ecosystems low in N and ecosystems low in P, even though each system is regarded as ''infertile.'' N availability had a smaller effect on root dynamics than did P availability, suggesting that the simple dichotomy between fertile and infertile sites that is often evoked to explain plant charac- teristics may be unjustified.
Effects of endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases inhibition on circulatory function in rats after myocardial infarction.

Objectives: To examine the relative roles of eNOS and iNOS (endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases) on basal and β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR)-stimulated arterial hemodynamic responses after myocardial infarction (MI). Methods: Left ventricular (LV) pressures and steady-state and pulsatile arterial hemodynamics were measured at baseline, and after acute NOS inhibition with either NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, 100 mg/kg) or iNOS inhibition with aminoguanidine (AG, 75 mg/kg) in sham-operated and MI Sprague–Dawley rats. Results: In sham rats, l-NAME decreased ( P 10−2 μg/kg) the isoproterenol-induced increase in LV d P /d t and aortic blood velocity, and potentiated ( P <0.05) the isoproterenol-induced decline in SVR. As expected, AG had no effects on isoproterenol-stimulated hemodynamics in sham rats. After MI, there was no effect of l-NAME or AG on isoproterenol-stimulated hemodynamics. Conclusions: (1) Circulatory and cardiac responses to inhibition of NO by l-NAME suggest that eNOS, but not iNOS, is the principal regulator of integrated arterial hemodynamic function in rats. (2) Both basal and β-AR-stimulated NO regulation of hemodynamic are attenuated after MI. (3) The attenuation of arterial hemodynamic effects after isoproterenol is mediated, in part, by alterations in the β-AR-activation of eNOS system after MI.
Representing Knowledge About Words

Most on-line lexicons contain only semantic information. Semantic information is usually stored elsewhere, in a form consistent with representation of the syntactic information. This paper reports on research toward developing a large on-line lexicon from machine-readable dictionaries, which contains both syntactic and semantic information in uniform style. The fundamental theory is that of one of the relational lexicon; we describe relational lexicons, discuss our extensions to the usual theory of relational lexicons, rehearse very quickly some of the relations we are dealing with, and show how information for some simple entries is stored.
Quasilinear infiltration from an elliptical cavity

We develop analytic solutions to the linearized steady-state Richards equation for head and total flowrate due to an elliptic cylinder cavity with a specified pressure head boundary condition. They are generalizations of the circular cylinder cavity solutions of Philip [Philip JR. Steady infiltration from circular cylindrical cavities. Soil Sci Soc Am J 1984;48:270–8]. The circular and strip sources are limiting cases of the elliptical cylinder solution, derived for both horizontally- and vertically-aligned ellipses. We give approximate rational polynomial expressions for total flowrate from an elliptical cylinder over a range of sizes and shapes. The exact elliptical solution is in terms of Mathieu functions, which themselves are generalizations of and computed from trigonometric and Bessel functions. The required Mathieu functions are computed from a matrix eigenvector problem, a modern approach that is straightforward to implement using available linear algebra libraries. Although less efficient and potentially less accurate than the iterative continued fraction approach, the matrix approach is simpler to understand and implement and is valid over a wider parameter range.
Epidural versus general anesthesia for infrainguinal arterial reconstruction

Abstract A prospective evaluation of 213 consecutive infrainguinal bypass procedures was performed to determine the effect of anesthesia technique on the postoperative complication rate. Limb salvage was the indication for surgery in 92% of cases. No significant differences were observed in age, sex, indication for surgery, presence of cardiovascular and pulmonary risk factors, American Society of Anesthesiologists classification, or Goldman scores between patients receiving epidural anesthesia and those receiving general endotracheal anesthesia. Epidural anesthesia was used for 96 procedures and general endotracheal anesthesia was used in 117 cases. Cardiac complications for the epidural anesthesia and general endotracheal anesthesia groups, respectively, included a mortality rate of 5% versus 3%, nonfatal infarctions in 6% versus 7%, and reversible cardiac events in 14% versus 16%. A high-risk subgroup of 69 patients (American Surgical Association classes IV and V or Goldman score > 10 points) also had no significant difference in outcome between epidural anesthesia and general endotracheal anesthesia. Major noncardiac complications occurred in an additional 8% of each group. Regional and general anesthesia therefore produce equivalent cardiovascular risk for infrainguinal arterial reconstruction. These results suggest that indicated operations should not be postponed or avoided for patients either requiring or requesting general anesthesia. Furthermore, other investigations of cardiac risk in vascular surgery do not require a uniform anesthetic technique for valid interpretation of results. (J VASC SURG 1991;14:764-70.)
Aerobic Exercise Training Increases Brain Volume in Aging Humans

Background The present study examined whether aerobic fitness training of older humans can increase brain volume in regions associated with age-related decline in both brain structure and cognition. Methods Fifty-nine healthy but sedentary community-dwelling volunteers, aged 60-79 years, participated in the 6-month randomized clinical trial. Half of the older adults served in the aerobic training group, the other half of the older adults participated in the toning and stretching control group. Twenty young adults served as controls for the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and did not participate in the exercise intervention. High spatial resolution estimates of gray and white matter volume, derived from 3D spoiled gradient recalled acquisition MRI images, were collected before and after the 6-month fitness intervention. Estimates of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2) were also obtained. Results Significant increases in brain volume, in both gray and white matter regions, were found as a function of fitness training for the older adults who participated in the aerobic fitness training but not for the older adults who participated in the stretching and toning (nonaerobic) control group. As predicted, no significant changes in either gray or white matter volume were detected for our younger participants. Conclusions These results suggest that cardiovascular fitness is associated with the sparing of brain tissue in aging humans. Furthermore, these results suggest a strong biological basis for the role of aerobic fitness in maintaining and enhancing central nervous system health and cognitive functioning in older adults.
Phosphorus Limits Tropical Rain Forest Litter Fauna

The stoichiometry of resources may explain bottom-up regulation of higher trophic levels. We tested the effects of soil and litter nutrient stoichiometry on the invertebrate litter fauna of a Costa Rican tropical rain forest. Animal densities were estimated from 15 sites across a phosphorus gradient. The density of the invertebrate litter fauna varied considerably, and was strongly tied to soil and litter phosphorus concentrations. An increase in phosphorus concentrations corresponded with an equally proportionate increase in animal densities. Natural variation in nutrient levels can thus serve as a predictor of density in a highly diverse tropical animal community.
Spelling Error Profiles of Able and Disabled Readers

The present study sought to determine if the spelling error patterns of 30 disabled readers differed from the error patterns of 40 younger able readers and 37 able readers of the same age. Discriminant analyses indicated distinguishing patterns, primarily between the disabled readers and the older able readers. The use of phonetic strategies seemed to constitute the major difference between the two groups. The disabled readers exhibited more unrecognizable spellings when spelling either regular or irregular words.
The relative contribution of contact and target lines in the magnitude of the Poggendorff effect

It is well known that a set of parallel lines can cause misperception of the projected path of an oblique. Most studies of this effect have emphasized either the proximal or the distal stimulus components--the line with which the oblique makes contact, or the line that serves as the target of the projection. An experiment is reported in which the relative contribution of the contact and target lines was examined. The results indicate that rotation of either line can determine the magnitude of the projection error.
Multi-layer fringe-field augmentations for the efficient modeling of package power planes

Modern mixed signal system-on-package integration schemes employ power distribution networks with highly irregular geometries. To model this problem, most techniques resort to approximations which lead to the fringe fields being ignored. In this paper, an efficient modeling method is proposed for multi-layered package power/ground planes with apertures. The solution technique employs the multi-layer finite difference method (M-FDM), with fringe field corrections provided by a 2D electrostatic solver. This scheme allows for efficient frequency domain simulation, and the S-parameters obtained from the method have been compared with full-wave simulations and measurements.
Risk stratification in TIA patients “It's the vascular lesion, stupid!”

Presidential election years are often filled with snappy slogans. One of the best was Bill Clinton's “It's the economy, stupid” in 1992. In the campaign to prevent subsequent strokes in patients presenting with transient cerebral ischemia (TIA), we might borrow a page from Clinton's playbook. The 90-day stroke risk after TIA is approximately 10%, half of which is front-loaded into the first 48 hours after the event.1 To identify patients at highest risk, investigators have developed risk stratification tools. The most widely used one is the 7-point ABCD2 score, which the American Heart Association (AHA) has incorporated into its TIA guideline.1 In this issue of Neurology ®, Sanders et al.2 present a meta-analysis of prior studies reporting the predictive value of the ABCD2 score. They analyzed data from over 16,000 patients, correcting for factors such as dichotomization of ABCD2 score, baseline stroke risk, and the specialty of the physician diagnosing the TIA. Overall, the area under the curve (AUC) for stroke prediction using the ABCD2 score following TIA was a respectable 0.70. But the AUC only tells part …
Polymorphism of 5-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)-3-phenyl-2-methylthio-3,5-dihydro-4H-imidazole-4-one

The title compound, C16H13N3OS (1), exists in three polymorphic forms. Crystalline 1 undergoes an enantiotropic, first-order, k2 phase transition at 262.9(5) K with ΔH = 0.3(1) kJ mol−1. Upon cooling below the transition temperature, the high temperature orthorhombic polymorph (Form I, space groupPbcm) transforms into a low temperature orthorhombic polymorph (Form II, space groupPbca) with a unit cell twice the size of that of the Form I. A molten 1 can be cooled in a controlled fashion to generate a monoclinic Form III of 1 with the unit cell size similar to that of Form I. Metastable Form III, once isolated, is indefinitely stable between 100 K and its melting point of 466 K. If crystals of Form III are in contact with seed crystals of Form I, a monotropic t2 first-order Form III → Form I phase transition occurs upon heating with the onset between 420 and 448 K and ΔH = −1.7(4) kJ mol−1. The most substantial differences among the molecular geometries of 1 in Forms I–III are observed in the position and tilt of the phenyl ring relative to the rest of the molecule. The packing in Form III is very different from those in the other polymorphs. DFT molecular geometry optimizations produce the following order of stable molecule configurations: Form II (most stable), Form I (0.50 kJ mol−1), Form III (2.81 kJ mol−1).
Linking prenatal maternal adversity to developmental outcomes in infants: The role of epigenetic pathways

Prenatal exposure to maternal stress, anxiety, and depression can have lasting effects on infant development with risk of psychopathology. Although the impact of prenatal maternal distress has been well documented, the potential mechanisms through which maternal psychosocial variables shape development have yet to be fully elucidated. Advances in molecular biology have highlighted the role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating gene activity, neurobiology, and behavior and the potential role of environmentally induced epigenetic variation in linking early life exposures to long-term biobehavioral outcomes. In this article, we discuss evidence illustrating the association between maternal prenatal distress and both fetal and infant developmental trajectories and the potential role of epigenetic mechanisms in mediating these effects. Postnatal experiences may have a critical moderating influence on prenatal effects, and we review findings illustrating prenatal–postnatal interplay and the developmental and epigenetic consequences of postnatal mother–infant interactions. The in utero environment is regulated by placental function and there is emerging evidence that the placenta is highly susceptible to maternal distress and a target of epigenetic dysregulation. Integrating studies of prenatal exposures, placental function, and postnatal maternal care with the exploration of epigenetic mechanisms may provide novel insights into the pathophysiology induced by maternal distress.
An ILP solution for the gene duplication problem

Background The gene duplication (GD) problem seeks a species tree that implies the fewest gene duplication events across a given collection of gene trees. Solving this problem makes it possible to use large gene families with complex histories of duplication and loss to infer phylogenetic trees. However, the GD problem is NP-hard, and therefore, most analyses use heuristics that lack any performance guarantee.
Functional localization of ion channel densities from calcium fluorescence

Single cells learn by tuning their synaptic conductances and redistributing their excitable machinery. To reveal its learning rules, one must therefore know how the cell remaps its ion channels in response to physiological stimuli. We exploit the recent ability to dynamically monitor cytosolic dye-buffered calcium, throughout rat hippocampal pyramidal cells in slice, with sub-millisecond temporal resolution and sub-micron spatial resolution [1] in the construction of a functional map of calcium and potassium channel densities. In the process we pose and solve [2] a number of inverse problems associated with converting dye recordings to current and voltage information through a series of experimental procedures: (1) Focal uncaging of cytosolic calcium in the presence of dye to determine dye kinetics and intracellular calcium extrusion rates, (2) Suprathreshold current injection at the soma to infer calcium current from calcium fluorescence using (1), (3) Recovery of the calcium channel density and voltage information from the calcium current in (2), (4) Recovery of various potassium channel densities through voltage information in (3) and the selective use of potassium channel blockers. We demonstrate the validity of this algorithm on synthetic data generated from channel densities and morphologies consistent with previous experimental results [3]. Finally, we explore the robustness of this algorithm to experimental error and noise.
Monolithically integrated semiconductor fluorescence sensor for microfluidic applications

This article presents a monolithically-integrated semiconductor sensor for fluorescence detection on a microfluidic platform. Vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) for 773 nm excitation, PIN photodetectors and optical emission filters have been integrated on one GaAs substrate. These optoelectronic components are optically coupled to a glass microfluidic channel (100 μm width and 45 μm depth) through the use of a discrete micro-lens to form a complete sensor. The experimental limit of detection was 250 nM of IRDye 800 Phosphoramidite. Based on an S/N = 3, the theoretical limit of detection was determined to be 40 nM. Laser background levels currently limit the sensor sensitivity. Large gains in sensitivity are possible through the systematic reduction of laser background by increasing spectral and spatial filtration. The low-cost, compact and parallel architecture makes this sensor a candidate for fluorescence-based sensing applications.
Residual Symptoms in Depression: Prevalence and Impact

Residual symptoms are experienced by most patients being treated for depression, including those who have achieved remission. These symptoms prevent individuals from fully recovering and feeling truly "well." Often, symptoms that are related to deficits in positive affect (such as anhedonia, pessimism, and lack of motivation) persist after the other symptoms of depression (such as irritability, distress, and low mood) have resolved. Clinicians must assess patients for residual symptoms using rating scales (eg, the Patient Health Questionnaire, Clinical Positive Affect Scale) and adjust treatment to improve patients' sense of well-being and normalcy.
*1105 CONFESSIONS OF A WHISTLEBLOWER: A LAW PROFESSOR'S REFLECTIONS ON THE EXPERIENCE OF REPORTING A COLLEAGUE

This Essay is presented in two parts. The first part is the story of my experience investigating and reporting the misconduct of one of my colleagues. In the second part, I reflect on and analyze that experience. Together, the parts provide the material for what might be called a “phenomenology” of whistle blowing. I use the story of my experience to understand why a person would take it upon herself to investigate and report a colleague. What leads a person to investigate a colleague knowing that the consequences for the colleague could be devastating? How does a person change as she takes it upon herself to “police” a colleague? My hope is that the attempt to understand my actions is useful in several respects. First, it may be instructive in understanding when and why lawyers may choose to investigate and report a colleague's conduct. Second, it may serve as a model for the use of story writing as a means of understanding the reasons for one's own ethical and moral action or inaction.
Photometric Assay of Plasma Heparin.

SummaryA photometric assay of heparin sodium is described. This consists of a preliminary precipitation of 5 ml of plasma with n-octylamine, reprecipitation with zinc hydroxide, decomposition of this precipitate with phosphate buffer solution, and final precipitation with toluidine blue O. After washing, the red-purple residue is taken up in alkaline alcohol and read photometrically. The heparin is a component of the red-purple dye precipitate. Normal plasma contains non-active heparin-like substances, amounting to 0.02 to 0.54 mg%. Added heparin sodium to plasma is quantitatively recovered. Intravenous heparin sodium and “depo-heparin” levels follow the clotting inhibition effects. Normal urines contain from 3 to 12 mg% of non-active metachromatic substance expressed as heparin sodium. Heparin sodium added to urine may be recovered.
Seed germination of seven pepper cultivars at constant or alternating high temperatures

SummarySeeds of seven pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars (Anaheim TMR 23, California Wonder 300, Coronado, Jalapeno M, Ma Belle, Mercury, and Yolo Wonder B) were germinated at constant day and night temperatures of 25,30,35 and 40°C or at alternating temperatures of 40/25,40/30 and 40/35°C for 14 days. Germination percentages and rates were similar at 25 and 30°C. Largest differences in cultivar responses occurred at 35°C where germination percentages ranged from 24 to 96%, and rates, calculated as summation of the number of seeds germinated on a given day divided by day number, varied from 3 to 26 (theoretical maximum value of 100). At 40°C, germination percentages were less than 5% and rates were less than one for all cultivars. Cultivars with the most heat tolerance were ‘Mercury’ and ‘Yolo Wonder B’. At alternating temperatures, germination percentages and rates were higher than those at constant 40°C. The increases were greatest when the temperature was lowered by 15°C (40/25°C) and least when tem...
Epilepsy monitoring unit length of stay

With an increasing focus on quality metrics, hospital length of stay (LOS) in the U.S. has garnered significant scrutiny. To help establish evidence-based benchmarks for epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) metrics, we evaluated the impact of multiple variables on LOS through a retrospective analysis of 905 consecutive inpatient adult EMU admissions. The most common reasons for admission were event characterization (n=494), medication adjustment (n=189), and presurgical evaluation (n=96). Presurgical evaluations experienced a longer average LOS (aLOS) of 7.1days versus patients admitted for other indications (p<0.001). Patients with symptomatic generalized epilepsy (n=22) had a longer aLOS (6.9days) than patients with other types of epilepsy/events (p<0.001). Patients admitted on two or fewer antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) had a shorter aLOS than patients admitted on three or more AEDs (4.3days vs 6.3days, respectively; p<0.001). A history of previous invasive epilepsy management was associated with a longer aLOS than those without (6.2days vs 4.7days, respectively; p<0.0001). Epilepsy monitoring unit aLOS is influenced by admission indication, epilepsy classification, medication burden, and having had prior invasive management. Multiple variables should be considered when analyzing LOS EMU metrics, arguing against a "one size fits all" approach.
Lack of correlation between nitrogen balance and serum insulin levels during protein sparing with and without dextrose.

This study tested the hypothesis that the decreased insulin levels observed during protein sparing therapy are the major factor accounting for the favorable nitrogen balance seen in surgical patients receiving amino acid infusions. Eight morbidly obese patients received amino acid infusions, with and without added dextrose, for sequential 4-day study periods after major abdominal surgery, in a crossover design. Daily infusion of 3 liters of 5% amino acids increased lipolysis compared to a dextrose control period. This was evidenced by a small rise in free fatty acid levels from 0.76 ± 0.10 to 0.85 ± 0.05 mM and a rise in ketone body levels from 0.15 ± 0.02 to 0.44 ± 0.04 him (P The addition of 50 g of dextrose to each liter of amino acid solution resulted in the return of insulin, free fatty acid, and ketone body levels to values noted during the dextrose infusion period, but did not affect nitrogen balance. The order of the amino acid and the amino acid plus dextrose infusion periods did not affect the results. Glucagon and growth hormone levels did not differ significantly between study periods. The improved nitrogen balance noted during peripheral amino acid infusion is not attributable to insulin changes alone, but is related both to the availability of an adequate exogenous supply of essential amino acids, and the ability of the body to mobilize endogenous lipid supplies.
A statistical evaluation of cephalometric prediction.

Abstract No Abstract Available. * Based on a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Orthodontics) in the Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studies of the University of Michigan, 1964. Portions of this paper were presented at the Conference on Cranio-Facial Growth, Ann Arbor, May, 1967.
Facility for a Large Center

In seven years the nation's first newborn special care unit has succeeded in reducing its infant mortality rate to less than half the national average. The first step was to reject the isolation and fragmentation that conventional concepts of infection control impose on the treatment of problem newborns.
Small Business Export Strategies

This paper examines the information sources and strategies used by a group of small companies to determine and expand their export markets. The average firm used three different sources of information, with satisfaction levels of twenty-five to ninety-one percent. Respondents also gave their perceptions of six marketing mix variables with respect to enhancing their success in exporting. Product quality was felt to be most important and advertising least important.
Identifying and optimizing communication in patients with hearing loss.

Hearing loss is a condition that is not always assessed initially when a healthcare provider begins managing a patient. It is a condition that the patient, the healthcare provider, or both may not even know exists, but the impact may be significant if instructions, counseling, or education is being
Evaluation of Coarse Graining DEM Using Representative Particle Model

The application of Computational Fluid Mechanics (CFD) coupled to Discrete Element Method (DEM) to simulate industrial and natural scale system requires integrating large number of particles for long times which can make these simulations impractical. One method to reduce the computational cost of DEM simulations is by lumping particles in representative particles of larger diameters to reduce the total number of particles in the simulations. In this work the applicability and limitation of using a representative particle model is evaluated in engineering and natural systems, a fluidized bed system at different fluidization velocities and scaling ratios and a unidirectional open turbulent channel flow in flow regimes ranging from essentially no motion to suspended sediment.
Intrinsic Emotional Fluctuation in Daily Negative Affect across Adulthood.

Objectives The study explored daily negative affect (NA) fluctuation, its associations with age, and its developmental characteristics. Method The sample (n = 790) was drawn from the Midlife Development in the United States; participants completed two 8-day daily diaries 10 years apart. Multilevel models were estimated within each diary component, where two single daily NA (depression and nervousness) and daily NA diversity were predicted separately by daily stressor exposures, physical health symptoms, age, gender, education, and neuroticism. The variances of within-person residual were output for single NA and NA diversity as intrinsic emotion fluctuation (IEF) within each diary component (i.e., controlled for within- and between-person contextual factors). Then multilevel growth models were fit to explore the developmental characteristics of day-to-day IEF across 10 years. Results At the daily level, older age was associated with less IEF in depression and nervousness. Over time, IEF in depression decreased. Additionally, IEF in NA diversity increased for older participants longitudinally. Discussion IEF represents a new conceptualization of midlife individuals' daily emotional ups and downs, specifically, the intrinsic within-person volatility of emotions. The magnitude of IEF and its longitudinal dynamics may have implications for health and well-being of middle-aged adults.