cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-Dependent Effects of the Neuropeptide PACAP on Catecholamine Secretion: Stimulation and Desensitization

Pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) is a potent endogenous secretagogue for chromaffin cells. We previously reported that PACAP coupled to the PAC1 receptor to evoke dihydropyridine-sensitive early (15 to 20 minutes) catecholamine secretion and cAMP response element binding protein-mediated trans-activation of the secretory protein chromogranin A promoter in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. In this report, we studied whether the secretory and transcriptional responses elicited by PACAP were subject to desensitization. We found that PACAP evoked distinct immediate (initial, 0 to 20 minutes) and long-lasting (20 to 180 minutes) effects on catecholamine secretion. Initial secretory and chromogranin A trans-activation responses induced by PACAP were desensitized in a dose-dependent fashion after preexposure of cells to PACAP, and the IC(50) doses of PACAP for desensitization were approximately 18- to approximately 32-fold lower than the EC(50) activating doses for secretion or transcription. Desensitization of the initial secretion response was associated with decreased Ca(2+) influx through L-type voltage-operated Ca(2+) channels. Acute exposure to PACAP also triggered long-lasting (up to 3 hours), extracellular Ca(2+)-dependent, pertussis toxin-insensitive catecholamine secretion; indeed, even after short-term (20 minutes) exposure to PACAP and removal of the secretagogue, PC12 cells continued to secrete norepinephrine up to 76.9+/-0.22% of cellular norepinephrine content after 3 hours. A phospholipase C-beta inhibitor (U-73122) blocked this extended secretory response, which was dependent on low-magnitude Ca(2+) influx resistant to several L-, N-, P/Q-, or T-type Ca(2+) channel antagonists, but sensitive to Zn(2+), Ni(2+), Cd(2+), or to the store-operated Ca(2+) channel blocker SKF96365. A less than additive effect of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+)-ATPase inhibitor thapsigargin plus PACAP on this sustained secretion also supported a contribution of store-operated Ca(2+) entry to the sustained secretory response. We propose that PACAP-evoked secretion and transcription are subject to homologous desensitization in PC12 cells; however, PACAP also induces long-lasting secretion, even under dose and time circumstances in which acute, dihydropyridine-sensitive secretion has been desensitized. Although initial secretion is mediated by an L-type voltage-operated Ca(2+) channel, extended secretion may involve a store-operated Ca(2+) channel that is activated through a G(q/11)/phospholipase C-beta/phosphoinositide signaling pathway.
An Asymptotically Efficient Estimator in Closed-Form for 3-D AOA Localization Using a Sensor Network

Locating a signal source using angles of arrival (AOAs) in a wireless sensor network is attractive because it does not require synchronization of the distributed receivers as in the time-based localization. A challenge for AOA positioning is that the solution tends to have a large amount of bias compared with the maximum-likelihood estimator when using the computationally attractive pseudolinear formulation. AOA localization has been well studied for the 2-D situation, and relatively few developments are for the more practical 3-D scenario. This paper proposes a closed-form solution for 3-D localization using AOAs that can handle the presence of sensor position errors, achieves asymptotically the CRLB performance, and maintains a bias level close to the maximum-likelihood estimator. Theoretical analysis and simulation studies corroborate the performance of the proposed estimator.
Chronopharmacology: a therapeutic frontier.

Chronopharmacology, the study of time-dependent physiological response to drugs, and its relationship to current drug therapy are discussed. The objective of chronotherapy is to apply chronobiologic principles to the treatment of human disease. The appropriate patients for chronotherapy are those who are receiving high-risk drugs, who have a high-risk disease (e.g., cancer) or who are receiving a high-cost drug. Although little is known of the chronobiologic characteristics of many drugs or diseases, researchers should take into account the possible relationship of chronobiology to drug effects when designing therapeutic trials. Drug therapy can be optimized by tailoring dosing schedules and distribution systems to chronobiologic patterns.
Beet Armyworm: Dosage-Mortality Studies on California and Florida Strains

Spodoptera exiqua (Hubner) cultures were established from insects collected in Florida and California. Determination of LD50 values for methomyl, carbaryl, acephate, methyl parathion. EPN, aldrin. and endrin on last instars revealed differences between the 2 strains in chemical susceptibility. The California strain was more susceptible to carbaryl, methyl parathion, and EPN than the Florida strain. Larvae from both cultures exhibited the same degree of susceptibility to methomyl. The most toxic insecticides tested against the resistant Florida strain was a mixture (equal parts by weight) of methyl parathion and methomyl.
The Nuclear Fuel Cycle: An Overview

My purpose today is to give a brief overview of the technology of the nuclear fuel cycle. I shall describe briefly the processes which are now being used and shall venture some opinions about future trends.
Galectin-3 Regulates Atrial Fibrillation Remodeling and Predicts Catheter Ablation Outcomes

Atrial fibrillation (AF) usually starts as paroxysmal but can evolve relentlessly to the persistent and permanent forms. However, the mechanisms governing such a transition are unknown. The authors show that intracardiac serum levels of galectin (Gal)-3 are greater in patients with persistent than paroxysmal AF and that Gal-3 independently predicts atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrences after a single ablation procedure. Using a sheep model of persistent AF the authors further demonstrate that upstream therapy targeting Gal-3 diminishes both electrical remodeling and fibrosis by impairing transforming growth factor beta–mediated signaling and reducing myofibroblast activation. Accordingly, Gal-3 inhibition therapy increases the probability of AF termination and reduces the overall burden of AF. Therefore the authors postulate that Gal-3 inhibition is a potential new upstream therapy to prevent AF progression.
Clean Metals Production by Solid Oxide Membrane Electrolysis Process

This paper reviews a clean metals, production technology that utilizes an oxygen-ion-conducting solid oxide membrane (SOM) to directly electrolyze metal oxides dissolved in a non-consumable molten salts. During the SOM electrolysis process, the desired metal such as magnesium, aluminum, silicon, or a rare earth is produced at the cathode while pure oxygen gas evolves at the anode. Compared with current state-of-the-art metal production processes, such as a chloride-based electrolysis process for magnesium production and the Hall–Heroult process for smelting aluminum, the SOM process brings various advantages such as simplified design, lower cost, lower energy use, and zero emissions. It provides a general route for producing various metals and has great potential to replace current metals, production processes. This paper examines the past and present progress of the SOM process, the challenges faced in commercialization, and the directions for future work.
Endoscopic management of hilar stricture

Abstract Hilar biliary strictures pose a special dilemma in terms of both diagnosis and therapy. Although most are malignant, differentiating them from benign strictures is not straightforward. Endoscopy is the preferred first approach to diagnosis and therapy, although technical and functional success rates are uniformly poorer when compared with distal biliary strictures. We review the different endoscopic techniques and address some of the contentious issues including metal vs plastic stents, unilateral vs bilateral stenting, routine use of sphincterotomy, and alternative routes for biliary access. We will summarize the evidence for use of different endoscopic therapeutic options including radiofrequency ablation, photodynamic therapy, intraluminal brachytherapy etc. Finally, we discuss benign hilar strictures and their most common etiologies and management thereof.
Changes of Protein Glycosylation During Differentiation of Mouse Embryonal Carcinoma Cells

The search for a role of carbohydrates in mammalian development has been long hampered by the minute amounts of material available. Recently, the establishment of cell lines from mammalian teratocarcinomas has offered an alternative model for the study of early embryogenesis in mammals (1). Specifically, several stem cell lines, capable of either spontaneous or drug-induced differentiation, allow a biochemical study of certain aspects of early differentiation.
Safeguard Application Options for the Laser-Based Item Monitoring System (LBIMS)

Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) are developing a Laser-Based Item Monitoring System (LBIMS) for advanced safeguards at nuclear facilities. LBIMS uses a low-power laser transceiver to monitor the presence and position of items with retroreflective tags. The primary advantages of LBIMS are its scalability to continuously monitor a wide range of items, its ability to operate unattended, its low cost of implementation, and its inherent information security due to its line-of-sight and non-broadcasting operation. The primary proposed safeguard application of LBIMS is described in its name: item monitoring. LBIMS could be implemented in a storage area to continuously monitor containers of nuclear material and the area in which they are stored. The system could be configured to provide off-site notification if any of the containers are moved or removed or if the area is accessed. Individual tags would be used to monitor storage containers, and additional tags could be used to record information regarding secondary storage units and room access. The capability to register small changes in tag position opens up the possibility of several other uses. These include continuously monitoring piping arrangements for design information verification or recording equipment positions for other safeguards systems, such as trackingmore » the opening and closing of autoclaves as part of a cylinder tracking system or opening and closing valves on a sample or product take-off line. Combined with attribute tags, which transmit information from any kind of sensor by modulating the laser signal, LBIMS provides the capability to wirelessly and securely collect safeguards data, even in areas where radio-frequency or other wireless communication methods are not practicable. Four application types are described in this report: static item monitoring, in-process item monitoring with trigger tags, multi-layered integration with trigger tags, and line-of-sight data transfer with attribute tags. Field trials for each of these applications are described.« less
Encoding against an interferer's codebook

Motivated by cognitive radio applications, we consider mitigating the effect of interference by exploiting known properties about its signal structure. Specifically, we analyze communication between a source and destination with an interferer that induces random variations in the source-destination channel. The interferer transmits a sequence chosen uniformly from a randomly generated codebook, which has an i.i.d. structure, or a superposition structure. It is assumed that both the encoder and decoder know the interferer's codebook. We first provide a definition of capacity for these settings. When the encoder knows the interferer's message noncausally, it can use Gel'fand-Pinsker (GP) encoding to precode against interference. Alternatively, it can encode by taking into account that the interference is a codeword, to enable the decoder to decode both messages. It is demonstrated by an example that the latter can outperform GP encoding. Two upper bounds to the performance of this channel are then presented. Next, a more realistic scenario is considered in which the interference is learned at the cognitive encoder causally through a noisy channel. It is shown that for the case of i.i.d. generated interference, this information has no value. In contrast, when the interference is a codeword from an i.i.d. generated codebook, this fact can be exploited to obtain higher rates between the cognitive pair.
A new bookmark of the mitotic genome in embryonic stem cells

Embryonic stem cells maintain pluripotency through countless mitoses. A recent report shows that the transcription factor Esrrb remains bound to chromatin during mitosis, including at regulatory regions that support pluripotency. Mitotic chromatin occupancy by Esrrb might stabilize the defining transcriptional programmes of embryonic stem cells through cell division.
Drug Therapy for Gender Transitions and Health Screenings in Transgender Older Adults

Transgender medicine is a relatively new field in health care, with only a small amount of evidence-based literature available for reference. This is especially true for the older adult population, for whom most information must be extrapolated from younger adults. Be it a newly transitioned older adult or a transgendered individual who has been undergoing hormonal therapy for many years, it is important that healthcare professionals be aware of the significant effects that transgender pharmacotherapy can have on older adults. Healthcare providers must also recommend appropriate preventative screenings to transgendered persons.
Out of School and into STEM: Supporting Girls of Color Through Culturally Relevant Enrichment

Increasing the participation of girls of color in the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics ( STEM ) is a national concern. Due to the persistence of achievement and opportunity gaps, sustaining positive STEM dispositions in girls of color is critical to diversifying the STEM pipeline. Enrichment activities can serve as a means to address persistent gaps in opportunities to learn. The purpose of this article was to explain how teachers could adapt traditional STEM enrichment activities to support girls of color through culturally relevant instructional practices. The three components of culturally relevant pedagogy are utilized to example how to adapt traditional activities to support girls of color in STEM. Examples are presented to foster (1) academic success, (2) cultural competence, and (3) sociopolitical consciousness in girls of color. Greater opportunities for STEM professional development, especially those that help teachers build upon culturally relevant teaching, are needed for both pre- and in-service teachers who desire to serve as teacher leaders in STEM. Implications and suggestions for teacher leaders are presented throughout.
A Generalization of the Identity

SummaryUsing Euler's Theorem and the Geometric Sum Formula, we prove trigonometric identities for alternating sums of sines and cosines.
Efficacy and toxicity of praziquantel in helminth-infected barbel (Barbus barbus L.).

This study evaluated efficacy and toxicity of the pyrazinoisoquinoline anthelmintic praziquantel (PZQ) in barbel infected with metacercariae of Diplostomum spathaceum and adult Pomphorhynchus laevis, and assessed antioxidant biomarkers and the lipid peroxidation response in juvenile barbel post-treatment. The estimated 96-hr LC50 of PZQ was 28.6 mg/L. For evaluation of efficacy, barbel naturally infected with D. spathaceum were exposed to a 10 and 20 mg/L PZQ 4-day bath treatment. Both concentrations were 100% effective against D. spathaceum and significantly (p < .01) affected the activity of catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione reductase and glutathione-S-transferase as well as levels of reduced glutathione in liver and muscle. The efficacy of orally administered PZQ was assessed in adult barbel naturally infected with P. laevis. Fish were administered 10, 30 and 50 mg/kg of body weight and examined via gut dissection after 6 days. The 50 mg/kg dose significantly decreased the intensity of infection. Praziquantel is a feasible bath treatment for barbel infected with D. spathaceum and has potential for oral treatment of broodfish infected with P. laevis.
Arterial smooth muscle cell PKD2 (TRPP1) channels control systemic blood pressure

Systemic blood pressure is determined, in part, by arterial smooth muscle cells (myocytes). Several Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels are proposed to be expressed in arterial myocytes, but it is unclear if these proteins control physiological blood pressure and contribute to hypertension in vivo. We generated the first inducible, smooth muscle-specific knockout for a TRP channel, namely for PKD2 (TRPP1), to investigate arterial myocyte and blood pressure regulation by this protein. Using this model, we show that intravascular pressure and α1-receptors activate PKD2 channels in arterial myocytes of different systemic organs. PKD2 channel activation in arterial myocytes leads to an inward Na + current, membrane depolarization and vasoconstriction. Inducible, smooth muscle cell-specific PKD2 knockout lowers both physiological blood pressure and hypertension and prevents pathological arterial remodeling during hypertension. In summary, we show for the first time that arterial myocyte PKD2 channels control systemic blood pressure and targeting reduces high blood pressure.
Multiphonon Absorption in KCl, NaCl, and ZnSe

The frequency and temperature dependence of the absorption coefficient has been measured in NaCl, KCl, and ZnSe using dual beam infrared spectroscopy and tunable CO2 laser calorimetry. The frequency dependent measurements indicate a difference in slope of the log of absorption versus frequency curves between single crystal and the same host hardened by the addition of a small amount of impurities or hot press forged. The temperature dependence of the absorption has been measured from room temperature to near 100K. These measurements extend our earlier high temperature results and thus make possible a more complete comparison between theory and experiment. The results indicate that both an elementary Bose-Einstein treatment and current multiphonon theories are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.
Polynomial, sinc and rational function methods for approximating analytic functions

This paper presents practically useful constructive linear methods of approximation of analytic functions by polynomials, sinc functions and rational functions. Spaces of functions of the type frequently encountered in applications are described for approximation by each method. Within these spaces, the rate of convergence of each approximation is nearly optimal.
Distal Biceps Tendon Repair: Anterior Approach

Historically, both anterior and posterior approaches have been described for distal biceps tendon repair. In an effort to minimize heterotopic ossification and avoid a second incision with splitting of the supinator muscle, the anterior approach has gained popularity. The anterior approach takes advantage of the internervous plane between the brachioradialis and the pronator teres, avoiding damage to the musculature. While multiple fixation methods have been described, we advocate the use of a cortical button using the tension-slide technique and an interference screw, which has been shown to be biomechanically superior. The interference screw directs the tendon posteriorly for a more anatomic repair. Differences in clinical outcomes and major complications have not been shown between surgical approaches or fixation types. A higher rate of lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve palsy has been reported with the anterior approach, which we believe is technique related and can be decreased by using rounded-edge direct-pull retractors. Overall, good to excellent clinical results can be expected following biceps tendon repair.
Use of the Xi robotic platform for total abdominal colectomy: a step forward in minimally invasive colorectal surgery.

The use of the da Vinci robotic platform for total colectomy has been limited by the need to reposition the patient-side surgical cart from one side of the patient to the other, which increases operative time. In this study, we examined the feasibility of robotic total colectomy using the da Vinci Xi model, which offers a rotating boom-mounted system and laser-targeted trocar positioning. The study cohort consisted of 23 patients who underwent minimally invasive total colectomy for cancer or polyposis syndromes at a comprehensive cancer center between 2015 and 2017. Of the 23 colectomies, 15 were robotic and eight were laparoscopic. For the robotic colectomies, trocars were placed in the supraumbilical region and all four quadrants. The da Vinci Xi robot was placed between the patient’s legs, and the boom was rotated from left to right and then to the middle in order to work sequentially on the right colon, the left colon, and the pelvis. Operating time and short-term outcomes were compared between the patients who underwent robotic surgery and the patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery. The two groups of patients were comparable in age, gender, BMI, physical status, and disease types. In the robotic group, median length of stay (4 vs. 6 days, p = 0.047) was significantly shorter and median operative time (243 vs. 263 min, p = 0.97) and median estimated blood loss (50 vs. 100 ml; p = 0.08) were similar between the groups. With the da Vinci Xi boom-mounted system, total abdominal colectomy can be performed without the need to move the patient-side surgical cart and is associated with shorter length of stay and similar operative time compared to the laparoscopic approach.
Design and Preliminary Testing of MOVit: a Novel Exercise-Enabling Control Interface for Powered Wheelchair Users

The sedentary lifestyle of powered wheelchair users has a deleterious effect on their health. If they could exercise while driving their chair, like many manual wheelchair users do, they could potentially improve their health through integrated daily exercise. This paper presents the development of MOVit, a novel, arm exercise-enabling, wheelchair control interface, and the results of three preliminary tests with unimpaired subjects. MOVit consists of two custom-made, instrumented mobile arm supports that replace the armrests of a normal powered wheelchair. Instead of using a joystick to drive the wheelchair, the user moves the arm supports with their arms using a cyclical motion, while the software simulates a “virtual lever drive” chair. MOVit was first tested in a stationary setting with five unimpaired individuals (two expert users and three naive users) to determine if they could achieve increasing levels of exercise by increasing movement amplitude and frequency. Secondly, driving performance using MOVit was evaluated with the same subjects on a long, straight track. Third, maneuverability with MOVit was evaluated for the expert users. In the stationary setting heart rate and oxygen consumption significantly increased as the level of exercise intensity increased. Driving performance for the long, straight track was comparable to the performance achieved using a standard joystick for the two expert users but was worse for the three novice users due to poor clutching inefficiency. The expert users achieved a level of maneuverability with MOVit comparable to that with a joystick. In conclusion, MOVit can modulate exercise intensity during powered wheelchair driving with a maneuverability comparable to that achieved with a standard joystick.
Lower Body Lift and Augmentation

The direct benefit of a lower body lift is to lift the buttocks and improve the outer thighs. Specifically, the lower body lift scar is low enough to have direct impact on the lower buttocks, buttocks shape, and the outer thigh. It can be merged with an inner thigh lift (Lockwood Type 1) or with an abdominoplasty (Lockwood Type 2). The main areas of concern after weight loss are deflation of the buttock with loss of volume and projection, as well as decent of the lateral thigh leading to prominent saddlebags. This chapter focuses on the management of the buttocks for gluteal contouring, as well as the saddlebag. Tips and tricks to avoiding complications are presented along with solutions for managing the challenging problems that occur.
Solution of the Propeller Conjecture in $$\mathbb R ^3$$R3

It is shown that every measurable partition $$\{A_1,\ldots , A_k\}$${A1,ź,Ak} of $$\mathbb R ^3$$R3 satisfies $$\begin{aligned} \sum _{i=1}^k\big \Vert \int _{A_i} x\mathrm{{e}}^{-\frac{1}{2}\Vert x\Vert _2^2}\mathrm{{d}}x\big \Vert _2^2\leqslant 9\pi ^2. \end{aligned}$$źi=1kźźAixe-12źxź22dxź22ź9ź2.Let $$\{P_1,P_2,P_3\}$${P1,P2,P3} be the partition of $$\mathbb R ^2$$R2 into $$120^{\circ }$$120ź sectors centered at the origin. The bound (1) is sharp, with equality holding if $$A_i=P_i\times \mathbb R $$Ai=Pi×R for $$i\in \{1,2,3\}$$iź{1,2,3} and $$A_i=\emptyset $$Ai=ź for $$i\in \{4,\ldots ,k\}$$iź{4,ź,k}. This settles positively the $$3$$3-dimensional Propeller Conjecture of Khot and Naor [(Mathematika 55(1-2):129---165, 2009 (FOCS 2008)]. The proof of (1) reduces the problem to a finite set of numerical inequalities which are then verified with full rigor in a computer-assisted fashion. The main consequence (and motivation) of (1) is complexity-theoretic: the unique games hardness threshold of the kernel clustering problem with $$4\times 4$$4×4 centered and spherical hypothesis matrix equals $$\frac{2\pi }{3}$$2ź3.
Experimental Properties of Liquid He 3 near the Absolute Zero

Measurements of the coefficients of spin diffusion, thermal conductivity, and viscosity of liquid ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ at very low temperatures and at pressures of 0.28 and 27.0 atm are discussed critically on the basis of a theory by Rice of transport in nearly ferromagnetic Fermi liquids. It is found that the temperature dependence of the thermal-conductivity coefficient is qualitatively similar to that predicted by Rice. However, neither the spin-diffusion coefficient nor the viscosity coefficient, as determined from ultrasonic attenuation measurements, is known precisely enough to give a good test of the Rice theory in the low-temperature limit. It is suggested on the basis of qualitative data that the anomalously low thermal boundary resistance between cerium magnesium nitrate and pure ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ may result from the nearly persistent spin-fluctuation phenomenon.
Pathways to Inequality: Between-District Segregation and Racial Disparities in School District Expenditures.

Recent causal evidence connects levels of per pupil spending and short- and long-term student outcomes. This evidence further suggests that specific types of spending may mediate the relationship b...
Accelerated Cortical Osteolysis of Metatarsals in Charcot Neuroarthropathy: A Cross-Sectional Observational Study

Metatarsals are frequent sites of stress and fragility fractures in younger athletic populations and aging older adults. Metatarsal fractures are particularly common in Charcot neuroarthropathy (CN), a complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) and peripheral neuropathy (PN). Neuropathic metatarsal fractures may be caused by an accelerated cortical bone osteolysis and may be reflected as geometric-derived strength estimates from standard foot radiographs. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine geometry and strength-derived estimates of the metatarsals in individuals with DM, PN, and CN compared with younger and older adult controls who were nondiabetic and nonneuropathic. We studied 62 participants: 20 young adult controls (YACs), 22 older adult controls (OACs), and 20 diagnosed with DMPN&CN. From weight-bearing radiographs, we measured the outer diaphysis diameter and inner marrow diameter at the distal, middle, and proximal diaphysis sites of the second and fifth metatarsal. From these diameters, we derived strength estimates of combined cortical width (CCt.Wi), percent cortical area (%Ct.rA), buckling ratio (BR), moment of inertia (MOI), and section modulus (SM) at each site in both metatarsals. DMPN&CN participants had an accelerated cortical thinning, decreased %Ct.Ar, increased BR, and lower MOI and SM compared with OACs and YACs. The OACs showed age-related decreases in CCt.Wi and % Ct.Ar, and increased BR. The BR demonstrated significant group × bone × site interaction with the distal fifth metatarsal in the DMPN&CN group having the lowest bone strength. The BR in the distal fifth metatarsal of DMPN&CN participants was 36% and 49% greater than in the OAC and YAC groups, respectively. DMPN&CN participants have lower metatarsal bone strength estimates compared with younger and older adult controls. Standard foot radiographs demonstrate an accelerated cortical osteolysis in DMPN&CN individuals, particularly in the distal fifth metatarsal diaphysis. © 2019 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research © 2019 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
185 – Atrolysin A

Publisher Summary This chapter examines the activity, specificity and structural chemistry of atrolysin A. Atrolysin A, formerly known as hemorrhagic toxin a, is isolated from the venom of the western diamondback rattlesnake, Crotalus atrox. This zinc metalloproteinase is the most potent hemorrhagic toxin isolated to date from C. atrox venom. It is a member of the P-III class of snake venom metalloproteinases. The classification of atrolysin A stems from the original classification of a DEAE-chromatography fraction of C. atrox venom as α-proteinase. This α-proteinase fraction is heterogeneous and comprises the metalloproteinases atroxase and atrolysin B. There is one zinc atom per molecule along with a variable number of calcium ions. The cDNA sequence analysis of atrolysin A establishes that it is a member of the P-III class of snake venom reprolysins. The proteinase domain has three disulfide bonds compared to two observed for the P-I class of snake venom metalloproteinases. The protein has potential glycosylation sites at Asn263, Asn517, Asn530 and Asn533. The distinguishing feature of atrolysin A is its very potent hemorrhagic activity as compared to the other atrolysins.
A pilot investigation of twang quality using magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Twang quality is a bright, piercing quality often produced in contemporary pop/rock/country music, musical theatre singing, and character voices. Despite its potential application to vo...
The Strain-Energy Function for Rubber-Like Materlials

Some results are presented on theories which attempt to describe the relation between force and deformation of rubbers where the linear laws of the classical theories of elasticity are not applicable. A few experimental results are presented in order to show the present status of the form of the strain-energy function of rubber-like materials.
Introduction to the templatic verb morphology of Birhor (Birhoɽ), a Kherwarian Munda language

Abstract Birhor (Birhoɽ) is a Kherwarian Munda language spoken in small enclaves in India, primarily in Hazaribagh, Ranchi, and Singhbhum districts and other small pockets in Jharkhand state. Birhor has to date been poorly documented, and even the basic properties of its core grammatical systems remain largely undescribed. All data used in this study come from field notes collected in several trips dating back to 2015. This paper is a preliminary attempt to identify the basic templatic structures of positive and negative finite conjugations in Birhor of both monovalent and polyvalent predicates. We discuss here two basic intersecting inflectional oppositions in the grammar of Birhor: (i) between perfective and imperfective tense-aspect forms (the imperfective includes imperfective and imperfect forms, and the perfective includes the past, the anterior and the perfect); and (ii) between monovalent predicates and polyvalent ones. Like all Kherwarian languages, Birhor has a nominative-accusative alignment of argument indexing and a complex templatic verb structure. It encodes subjects with monovalent stems. Polyvalent predicates encode two arguments, a first argument/syntactic subject and a second argument/syntactic ‘object’ following a primary object pattern. A complex array of different templates is thus found across positive and negative conjugations that contrast polyvalent vs. monovalent imperfective, perfective, and imperative forms. Many different formal templatic patterns are attested within each of the paradigmatic oppositional sets in Birhor. There are two formal subtypes of monovalent predicates. They contrast in both positive and negative conjugations, for both the imperfective and the perfective series of inflections. Polyvalent predicates also contrast the imperfective and the perfective series. Lastly, there are distinct templates for imperative and prohibitive of monovalent and polyvalent predicates as well.
Impacts of in Utero Heat Stress on Carcass and Meat Quality Traits of Market Weight Gilts

This study evaluated the impacts of in utero heat stress (IUHS) on the carcass and meat quality traits of offspring when market weight was reached. Twenty-four F1 Landrace × Large White gilts were blocked by body weight and allocated among thermoneutral (IUTN) or IUHS treatments from d 6 to d 59 of gestation. The offspring were raised under identical thermoneutral conditions, and gilts (n = 10/treatment) at market weight (117.3 ± 1.7 kg) were harvested. At 24 h postmortem, the loins (M. longissimus lumborum) were obtained, and sections were allocated among 1 d and 7 d aging treatments at 2 °C. Carcasses from IUHS pigs had lower head and heart weights (p 0.05), and Western blots suggested increased toughness of IUHS loins would not be attributed to proteolysis. These results suggest minimizing IUHS during the first half of gestation may be beneficial in improving pork yield and quality, though in general the effects of IUHS would be minimal.
The effects of screen time and social media on depressed feelings and suicidal thoughts among undergraduates

Beginning around 2011, there have been increases in mental health issues among teens and young adults. A possible reason for this rise has been the growth of social media through electronic communication; therefore, this study examined social media usage and suicide among undergraduates. An online survey was developed and after Institutional Review Board approval, was completed by 506 undergraduates (67.9% female, 32.1% male) at 23 southeastern and midwestern higher education institutions. Among these undergraduates, it was found that 24% thought about suicide in the past year and 4.2% had actually attempted to kill themselves. Those who considered killing themselves in the past year were significantly more likely to feel the need to compare themselves to others when browsing social media (p<.0001), felt their life was worse than others based on what they saw on social media (p<.0001), and had feelings of sadness or suicidal thoughts after browsing social media (p<.0001) compared to those who had not thought of suicide. Undergraduates who had attempted suicide in the past year were more likely to feel their self-image was negatively affected by interaction with social media websites (p<.05) and also had feelings of sadness or suicidal thoughts after browsing social media (p<.05) compared to those who had not attempted suicide. Females were more likely than males to report negative effects of browsing social media (p<.001). These significant associations between suicidal thoughts and social media usage should be studied further to better devise health education and advocacy campaigns among this population.
Evaluation of the utility of early routine computed tomography angiography in subarachnoid hemorrhage patient outcomes

Abstract Objectives The role of an early CTA approach in neurologically stable patients with nontraumatic SAH has not been assessed. This study explored the use of CTA in clinically stable SAH patients to pre-emptively identify cerebral vasospasm, to evaluate whether this approach is associated with improved clinical outcomes. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of SAH patients presenting between July 2007 and December 2016 in a single academic center. Patients were divided into two groups: (1) Early CTA (stable patients who underwent a CTA between days 5–8 post-SAH), and (2) Standard Protocol. The co-primary outcomes were a composite of the mRS at discharge and last clinical follow-up (good = 0–2; poor = 3–6). A multivariable binary logistic regression was conducted to compare both groups against outcomes, controlling for potential confounders. Results A total of 415 patients were included, 103 (24.8%) with early CTA, and 312 (75.2%) undergoing the standard protocol; the mean age was 57 years and 248 (59.8%) patients were female. Patients in the early CTA group had a higher modified Fisher grade (3–4) (87.4% vs 63.1%; p Conclusion The early CTA surveillance approach was associated with better functional outcomes at discharge when compared to the current imaging standard practice.
Electrochemical oscillations during the oxidation of 2-(dimethylamino)ethanethiol

Abstract This paper describes the electrochemical oxidation of 2-(dimethylamino)ethanethiol (DMAET), a known hydrolysis product of V-type nerve agents, which can be used to mimic the behavior of chemical warfare agents. Interestingly, during its oxidation, two distinct regions of dynamic (i.e., oscillatory) behavior were uncovered. Mechanistic investigation using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) lead to the discovery that one of the oscillatory regions was driven by the presence of negative differential resistance (NDR) and that the occurrence of the other was dependent on the concentration of supporting electrolyte. EIS measurements indicated that the DMAET electrochemical oscillator belongs to the HN-NDR class of oscillators, which was supported by the presence of sustained oscillations in both current (under potentiostatic conditions) and potential (under galvanostatic conditions). Furthermore, the oxidation of DMAET on platinum electrodes resulted in rich dynamical behavior in the form of complex bursting phenomena.
Strategy on the United States Supreme Court

To what extent do the justices on the Supreme Court behave strategically? In Strategy on the United States Supreme Court, Saul Brenner and Joseph M. Whitmeyer investigate the answers to this question and reveal that justices are substantially less strategic than many Supreme Court scholars believe. By examining the research to date on each of the justice's important activities, Brenner and Whitmeyer's work shows that the justices often do not cast their certiorari votes in accord with the outcome-prediction strategy, that the other members of the conference coalition bargain successfully with the majority opinion writer in less than 6 percent of the situations, and that most of the fluidity in voting on the Court is nonstrategic. This work is essential to understanding how strategic behavior - or its absence - influences the decisions of the Supreme Court and, as a result, American politics and society.
Quality Improvement Targeting Adherence During the Transition from a Pediatric to Adult Liver Transplant Clinic

The transition from pediatric to adult transplant care is a high risk period for non-adherence and poor health outcomes. This article describes a quality improvement initiative integrated into a pediatric liver transplant program that focused on improving outcomes following the transfer from pediatric to adult liver transplant care. Using improvement science methodology, we evaluated the impact of our center’s transition readiness skills (TRS) program by conducting a chart review of 45 pediatric liver transplant recipients who transferred to adult transplant care. Medication adherence, clinic attendance, and health status variables were examined for the year pre-transfer and first year post-transfer. 19 recipients transferred without participating in the TRS program (control group) and 26 recipients participated in the program prior to transferring to the adult clinic (TRS group). The TRS group was significantly older at the time of transfer, more adherent with medications, and more likely to attend their first adult clinic visit compared to the control group. Among the TRS group, better adolescent and parent regimen knowledge were associated with greater adherence to post-transfer clinic appointments. Transition planning should focus on the gradual shift in responsibility for health management tasks, including clinic attendance, from parent to adolescent. There may be support for extending transition support for at least 1 year post-transfer to promote adherence.
Thermal Inactivation Characteristics of Bacterial Spores at Ultrahigh Temperatures

The thermal inactivation characteristics of Bacillus stearothermophilus (1518) spores and putrefactive anaerobe (PA) 3679 (NCA) spores suspended in skim milk were determined after treatment in pilot-plant ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) processing equipment. Temperature-survivor curves were constructed from survival data to emphasize the critical nature of temperature control in process evaluation. Time-survivor curves for PA 3679 spores were concave upward, and decimal reduction time (DRT) curves for these spores supported the observation of a protective response occurring at the longest exposure times. However, exposure time did not markedly affect the extremely high z(D) value obtained for PA 3679 spores. The substitution of Gelysate for Trypticase and Thiotone as the peptone in the sporulation medium increased the relative heat resistance of B. stearothermophilus spores, but lowered the z(D) value from 16 F to 12 F. The DRT curves in all cases were linear, but the z(D) values observed in this study differed considerably from those reported by other workers.
Controllability Analysis of Nonlinear Distributed Parameter Systems

A method for analyzing controllability of non-linear distributed parameter systems is presented. This analysis is based on the Lie algebra augmented for distributed systems. The augmentation is performed by transformation of the state equations into a finite dimensional state space. The resulting controllability criteria is applied to a nonlinear, distributed electric propulsion system, namely, a magneto-plasma dynamic (MPD) engine.
Objectivity and Interpretation

Adjudication is interpretation: Adjudication is the process by which a judge comes to understand and express the meaning of an authoritative legal text and the values embodied in that text. Interpretation, whether it be in the law or literary domains, is neither a wholly discretionary nor a wholly mechanical activity. It is a dynamic interaction between reader and text, and meaning the product of that interaction. It is an activity that affords a proper recognition of both the subjective and objective dimensions of human experience; and for that reason, has emerged in recent decades as an attractive method for studying all social activity.1 The idea of a written text, the standard object of legal or literary interpretation, has been expanded to embrace social action and situations, which are sometimes called text-analogues. In one of the most significant works of this genre to date, Clifford Geertz's Negara, a nineteenth-century Balinese cremation ceremony is taken as "the text."2 Admittedly, to treat everything as a text might seem to trivialize
Dsk1p kinase phosphorylates SR proteins and regulates their cellular localization in fission yeast

Evolutionarily conserved SR proteins (serine/arginine-rich proteins) are important factors for alternative splicing and their activity is modulated by SRPKs (SR protein-specific kinases). We previously identified Dsk1p (dis1-suppressing protein kinase) as the orthologue of human SRPK1 in fission yeast. In addition to its similarity of gene structure to higher eukaryotes, fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe is a unicellular eukaryotic organism in which alternative splicing takes place. In the present study, we have revealed for the first time that SR proteins, Srp1p and Srp2p, are the in vivo substrates of Dsk1p in S. pombe. Moreover, the cellular localization of the SR proteins and Prp2p splicing factor is dependent on dsk1+: Dsk1p is required for the efficient nuclear localization of Srp2p and Prp2p, while it promotes the cytoplasmic distribution of Srp1p, thereby differentially influencing the destinations of these proteins in the cell. The present study offers the first biochemical and genetic evidence for the in vivo targets of the SRPK1 orthologue, Dsk1p, in S. pombe and the significant correlation between Dsk1p-mediated phosphorylation and the cellular localization of the SR proteins, providing information about the physiological functions of Dsk1p. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that the regulatory function of SRPKs in the nuclear targeting of SR proteins is conserved from fission yeast to human, indicating a general mechanism of reversible phosphorylation to control the activities of SR proteins in RNA metabolism through cellular partitioning.
Replication of Colicinogenic Factor El in Escherichia coli

Replication of the colicinogenic factor E1 (Col E1) has been studied in exponentially growing cells and in cells treated with chloramphenicol. Whereas about 80% of non-replicating Co1E1 DNA is isolated from the cytoplasm, the membrane fraction is enriched for newly replicated DNA. Equal amounts of pulse label are incorporated into each of the strands of Col E1 supercoils isolated after a short pulse, indicating a symmetrical replication mechanism. The replication time of the Co1E1 plasmid is about 2 min at 33°C. The synthesis of Co1E1 supercoils was reduced to less than 10% of the control level 4 min after shift to 42 °C in a temperature-sensitive mutant for DNA polymerase I.
Engaging Students in Community-Based Research: A Model for Teaching Social Work Research

ABSTRACT This paper presents a model for teaching social work research courses that features collaboration between social service agencies and M.S.W. students on community-based research projects. The model encourages student interest and skill development through experiential learning, empowerment in decision-making, group interaction, and application of research principles and techniques. It also fosters community development and linkages between community agencies and universities by responding to agency research needs, and has the longer-term goal of contributing to the research skill base in communities. The processes for implementing the model are discussed, including the roles of instructors, students, and agency staff. Examples of completed research projects also are described. Student evaluations of the model are presented, as are the implications of the model for the development of community-based research.
A Distinct Pathway of Cell-Mediated Apoptosis Initiated by Granulysin

Granulysin is an antimicrobial and tumoricidal molecule expressed in granules of CTL and NK cells. In this study, we show that granulysin damages cell membranes based upon negative charge, disrupts the transmembrane potential (Δψ) in mitochondria, and causes release of cytochrome c . Granulysin-induced apoptosis is blocked in cells overexpressing Bcl-2. Despite the release of cytochrome c , procaspase 9 is not processed. Nevertheless, activation of caspase 3 is observed in granulysin-treated cells, suggesting that granulysin activates a novel pathway of CTL- and NK cell-mediated death distinct from granzyme- and death receptor-induced apoptosis.