cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Glial fibrillary acidic protein expression and promoter activity in the inner ear of developing and adult mice

The intermediate filament glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a classic marker for several types of glial cells, including astrocytes and nonmyelinating Schwann cells. The pattern of expression of GFAP in the postnatal murine inner ear, from postnatal day 3 (P3) to P38, was studied by anti-GFAP immunostaining in wild-type mice as well as in two lines of transgenic mice expressing either beta-galactosidase (LacZ) or green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the GFAP promoter. Analysis of protein and promoter activity shows that several classes of supporting cells in the sensory epithelia, as well as Schwann cells and satellite cells express GFAP. Early after birth, all cochlear supporting cells express GFAP, in a gradient decreasing in intensity from base to apex. After P15, GFAP expression in the organ of Corti is mostly restricted to supporting cells of the inner hair cell area (i.e., inner border and inner phalangeal cells) and outer hair cell area (i.e., Deiters' cells). A small population of limbic cells also showed expression in a base-to-apex gradient. In the vestibular organs, high expression was detected in supporting cells in extrastriolar regions of the utricular macula and in the canal ampullae, with weaker staining in the saccular macula. These results suggest that supporting cells of the inner ear have important similarities to glial cells and may play roles similar to those of astrocytes or Schwann cells in supporting the normal development and maintenance of neurons and sensory cells of the inner ear.
Optical rectification and terahertz emission in semiconductors excited above the band gap

A rigorous theory of optical rectification in zinc-blende semiconductors is developed. This theory combines the bonding-orbitals representation of the electrons in the semiconductor with the band-structure representation. It is shown that when the semiconductor is excited above the absorption edge there is a strong resonant enhancement of the optical rectification signal and of the terahertz-radiation emission related to it. Both the magnitude and the temporal characteristics of this signal are closely related to the intraband relaxation processes in the valence band.
Novel design techniques for high-linearity MOSFET-only switched-capacitor circuits

Simulations and experimental results indicate that inexpensive fabrication, small chip area, good linearity and high matching accuracy can be obtained for analog MOSFET-only ICs using MOSFET capacitors in series- or parallel-compensated branches. The parallel compensation has the advantage that it occupies smaller chip area, while the series one gives a better linearity performance by reducing the voltage range of operation of the MOSFET capacitors. The resulting SC circuits can be fabricated in any basic digital MOS technology.
A Simple Tool for Predicting the Readability of a Monitor

Background: Human factor practitioners are sometimes required to provide an immediate answer to an acquisition question, e.g., what is the readability of this monitor? Unfortunately, readability is not listed on the manufacturer's brochure. This study proposes a simple tool to quickly assess the readability of a monitor without the need of conducting a lengthy readability study.Methods: The text readability of three observers was measured for four colors (red, green, yellow, white), three brightness (.20, .25, .45), at three locations (1.62, 2.38, 3.16 meters) on a 20” color monitor.Results: The minimum error-free readable font size could be solely determined by the text/background luminance contrast. Thus luminance, not color determined readability. From these results, a MATLAB program was developed that prompts for background and text RGB values and returns the minimal error-free readable font size.Conclusions: The tool is a fairly robust and quick predictor to assess the readability of a monitor.
Ultrasonic characterization of backscatter from human cancellous bone with a renyi entopy metric: Correlation with x-ray bone mineral density

Ultrasound backscatter has the potential to provide information useful for the diagnosis and monitoring of bone disorders (e.g., osteopenia, osteoporosis, and hard tissue sarcomas). We hypothesize that the Renyi entropy, previously shown to be sensitive to subtle changes in scattering from soft tissues, may also offer some utility in characterizing properties of bone. The goals of the present work were to investigate and compare the ability of energy- and entropy-based analyses of radio-frequency ultrasonic backscatter, to assess material properties of cancellous bone with respect to conventional quantitative computed x-ray tomography (QCT).
Lying to the One you Love: The Use of Deception in Romantic Relationships

The goal of this research was to explore the use of deception in romantic relationships and relate the use of such behavior to relational outcomes. Three possible explanations underlying the use of deception in romantic relationships were tested. It was expected that deception would be related to the reciprocal exchange of information, the desire to avoid punishment, and individuals' attachment beliefs. Two hundred and fifty-six individuals (128 couples) completed questionnaires regarding their own communicative behaviors, as well as their partners' behavior. Support for all three explanations regarding the use of deception was obtained. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical implications.
Unlimited Opportunities for Environmental Interventions with Inner-City Asthmatics

The purpose of this study was to identify the asthmatics living in the Lower West Side (LWS) of Buffalo, New York, and then explore the relationship between urban asthmatic and nonasthmatic exposures to many common household aeroallergens. Eight hundred twenty-eight households were visited and 167 asthmatics and 161 nonasthmatics were identified for comparison. Specific self-reported household exposure prevalences were identified for environmental tobacco smoke, sources of molds, household pets, rats, cockroaches, and sources of dust. Sources of molds, pets, and cockroaches were more likely to be found in the homes of asthmatics compared to nonasthmatics (p < 0.05). Other aeroallergens studied, although highly prevalent, were not more likely to be found in either asthmatic or nonasthmatic homes.
Negative ion photodetachment spectroscopy of the Al3O2, Al3O3, Al4Ox, Al5Ox(x = 3–5), Al6O5, and Al7O5 clusters

The Al3O2, Al3O3, Al4Ox, Al5Ox (x = 3–5), Al6O5, and Al7O5 clusters are studied using negative ion photoelectron spectroscopy. At 266 nm (4.661 eV) laser photodetachment wavelength the spectra of Al3O2 and Al3O3 present vibrationally resolved features. They show three electronic transitions, due to two different isomers. From Franck–Condon simulations of the Al3O2 and Al3O3 photoelectron spectra, several vibrational frequencies together with the normal coordinate changes were derived. We obtained approximate electron affinities for Al3O2 and Al3O3 using the Gaussian 2 model, and calculated isomerization energies for both the anionic and neutral geometries and the experimental adiabatic detachment energies (ADE) of bands X′ and X. The larger aluminum oxide clusters present several structureless bands which likely also result from multiple isomers. The ADEs for the larger clusters increase with size within a cluster series, with the exception of Al5O5.
A Program for Teaching Psychiatric Residents to Provide Integrated Psychiatric and Primary Medical Care

The Psychiatry Primary Medical Care program of the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center teaches psychiatric residents to provide integrated psychiatric and medical care in a primary care setting. During the program's first year of operation, 34 patients received ongoing integrated care from seven residents. Patients, psychiatric residents, and medical faculty reported a high degree of satisfaction with the program. The duration and frequency of visits reflected the substantial mental health and primary care needs of the population. Patients frequently missed appointments. Barriers to starting and maintaining the program included space constraints and the amount of supervision required.
Yucca moth oviposition and pollination behavior is affected by past flower visitors: evidence for a host-marking pheromone.

Insect larvae such as those of yucca moths that feed on small, patchily distributed food items often face an elevated risk of intraspecific competition or cannibalism. For this reason, ovipositing females may assess a potential oviposition site for prior conspecific eggs or larvae before deciding whether to oviposit. Selective abortion of yucca flowers with high egg numbers prevents competition among larvae of the yucca moth Tegeticula yuccasella, but the same mechanism should select for female detection of and fewer ovipositions in flowers that already contain eggs. Female yucca moths presented with either virgin or previously visited flowers laid significantly fewer eggs in the latter flowers and pollinated them less often. A significant negative association was found between number of previous oviposition attempts in a flower and number of additional attempts by a female, suggesting a quantitative assessment of prior egg load, but the correlation coefficient was low. Factors contributing to this low correlation may include variation in signal quality, poor detection capability, uncertainty contributed by a variable oviposition attempt to egg ratio, and a variable response criterion based on recent female experience and physiological status. Females rationed their pollen by pollinating at decreasing frequency during a bout within a flower, and by depositing smaller pollen loads during later pollinations within a flower. Females ovipositing into a previously visited flower pollinated as frequently as would a first female for a given oviposition attempt within a flower, i.e., the probability of pollination after the nth oviposition was independent of whether it was performed by a first or a later moth. Experimental presentation of virgin flowers marked with a homogenate from female abdomens induced the same oviposition and pollination behavior as seen on previously visited flowers, suggesting the presence of a host-marking pheromone. Given that all eggs within a selectively aborted flower die, there may be selection among some yucca moths for providing a strong signal of floral egg status to conspecific females.
'' Nobody Knows Me No More'': Experiences of Loss Among African American Adolescents in Kinship and Non-Kinship Foster Care Placements

Youth in out-of-home care confront numerous disruptions in relationships and social environments, but how they experience such disruptions and their perception of these changes as losses has received little attention in the research literature. Furthermore, the increased use of kinship foster care raises questions regarding the effect of such placements on children’s experience of loss. Due to the overrepresentation of African American children in both the child welfare system and in kinship placements, race is a central variable in understanding the kinship care context and how it impacts loss. Using interview data from 18 African American adolescents in kinship and non-kinship placements, qualitative findings are presented regarding differences in relational and locational disruptions and in perceptions of those disruptions. Compared to non-kinship participants, adolescents in kinship placements experienced fewer disruptions in relationships and location and also experienced the restoration of losses as well as outright relational gains in entering their relative placements. Implications for policy, practice, and research are also discussed.
Obesity Is Not Associated with Impaired Immune Response to Influenza Vaccination in HIV-Infected Persons

Introduction. HIV-infected individuals demonstrate lower immunogenicity to the influenza vaccine, despite immunologic and virologic control of HIV infection. Obesity has been previously shown to be associated with diminished antibody responses to other vaccines in HIV-uninfected persons. However, no studies have examined if obesity is associated with diminished protective immune response to influenza vaccination among HIV-infected persons on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods. We performed a retrospective analysis of immunogenicity data from a clinical trial of inactivated, trivalent influenza vaccine. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with seroconversion, defined as >4-fold increase in anti-hemagglutinin antibody titers after vaccination. Secondary endpoints were the proportion of participants with seroprotection (defined as antibody titers of ≥1 : 40) and geometric mean hemagglutination inhibition antibody titers. Results. Overall, 48 (27%) participants were obese (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2). Seroconversion rates were comparable between obese and nonobese subjects for all three vaccine strains. Further, postvaccination geometric mean titers did not differ by body mass index category. Conclusion. Obesity was not associated with diminished antibody response to influenza vaccination in a sample of healthy HIV-infected persons.
The impact of multi-modal transportation on the evacuation efficiency of building complexes

Efficient planning for the evacuation of building complexes requires an understanding of the complex interrelationships between multiple modes of transportation. This paper explores a model that captures the interactions between vehicles and pedestrians, as well as behavior unique to parking lots. This model was implemented in simulation of the evacuation of the hourly parking lot at Dulles International Airport. The results revealed the significant impact that these interrelations had on both the efficiency and the dynamics of the evacuation. The impact on the variances in delay experienced by individuals has important implications for both the safety of the evacuation and evacuation management.
Severe vestibular and auditory impairment in three alleles of Ames waltzer (av) mice.

Abstract The genetic and physiological characterization of circling, hearing-impaired mouse mutants has greatly facilitated our understanding of non-syndromic sensorineural deafness, the most common form of hereditary human hearing loss. Here we report the first phenotypic characterization of three alleles of Ames waltzer ( av ). Neither electrical potentials (auditory brainstem response) nor behavioral responses to sound could be evoked in any of the three alleles at any age or frequency. However, the endocochlear potential was found to be normal, indicating that the primary pathology is not in the stria vascularis. To determine the earliest changes and help identify the primary causes of deafness in av , we performed morphological studies in 15–16 day old mutants, just prior to the maturation of the cochlea. Although av 2J is slightly more affected than the other two alleles, our studies show a high similarity between all three alleles. The first detectable changes are observed in the stereocilia and cytoplasm of hair cells, and in the cellular shape and microvilli of supporting cells. These changes are followed by degeneration of the cochlear and vestibular neuroepithelium.
Symmetry-adapted perturbation theory of intermolecular forces

Basic concepts and most recent developments of symmetry-adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) are described. In particular, the methods that combine SAPT with density-functional theory are discussed. It is explained how SAPT allows one to predict and understand the structure and properties of clusters and condensed phase. The broadest range of such predictions can be achieved by constructing potential energy surfaces from a set of SAPT interaction energies and using these surfaces in nuclear dynamics calculations. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Surgical management of early stage lung cancer.

For patients with lung cancer, the greatest hope for cure rests with patients with early stage disease. Surgery has been the standard of care for this group with the best 5-year survival of only 65% being achieved in patients with earliest pathologic Stage IA disease. Using strategies gained from the management of patients with advanced disease, clinicians are investigating the use of perioperative chemotherapy and radiotherapy to improve survival. In addition, biologic and molecular markers are being evaluated to assist in predicting prognosis and to identify those patients at increased risk for recurrent disease. Postoperative surveillance of patients using helical computed tomography (CT) scanning is being investigated to detect early recurrences and second primary lesions. With such treatment and management plans on the horizon, the prognosis of patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) may be improved.
Drug Therapy for Heart Valve Diseases.

Valvular heart diseases (VHDs) are among the most predictable causes of heart failure and sudden cardiac death.1 Observational studies suggest that a relatively high proportion of asymptomatic subjects manifest hemodynamically apparent VHDs varying from mild to severe.1 VHDs comprise 2 overarching groups: primary, involving intrinsic abnormalities of valve structures, and secondary, or “functional,” featuring myocardial dysfunction or vascular deformation that secondarily affects valve performance. Clinically, VHDs generally are progressive. When hemodynamically severe but not caused by acute comorbidities (eg, infection, myocardial infarction) they feature long asymptomatic phases while hemodynamic severity may progress, followed by symptoms or objective descriptors that predict morbidity and mortality and are considered to mandate surgery. Treatment depends on VHD type and severity but, when severe and symptomatic, usually involves mechanical intervention. Asymptomatic patients who lack objective descriptors suggesting high morbid or lethal risk are closely observed clinically (and associated cardiovascular risk factors are optimized) until surgical indications develop. Although often prescribed based on theory, no rigorous evidence supports pharmacological therapy in most chronic situations, although drugs may be useful in acute valvular diseases, or as a bridge to surgery in severely decompensated patients. This review examines evidence supporting the use of drugs for chronic VHDs. We will focus only on drugs believed to prevent clinical, cardiac functional, or valve abnormalities or to delay surgery and will avoid discussion of anticoagulants and specific antiarrhythmics that might be appropriate in certain settings. Finally, given the volume of available clinical data and the paucity of drugs developed solely for VHD, we will present animal or experimental data only when they importantly supplement clinical information (Table). View this table: Table. Effects of Drugs on Functional Measures, Progression, and Clinical Outcomes of VHD Aortic stenosis (AS) is the most common VHD in adults, increasing in prevalence with age.2 AS presents a …
Persistent Disparities among Patients with T-Cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas and B-Cell Diffuse Large Cell Lymphomas over 40 Years: A SEER Database Review

Abstract Background As of 2013, more than 550,000 people are living with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Patients and Methods We undertook a large Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) based analysis to describe outcome disparities in different subgroups of aggressive T-cell and B-cell NHL patients, with a focus on various ethnicities. Results The final analysis included 7662 patients with T-cell and 84,910 with B-cell NHL. Survival analysis revealed that male sex and increasing age were independent predictors of worse overall survival (OS; P P = .081), and ethnic minorities (Asians, Hispanics, and African Americans) had significantly worse OS than whites ( P P Conclusion These results are the first to elicit outcomes in a broad classification of ethnic minorities and underscore the urgency for development of novel therapeutics, especially in T-cell NHL. In addition, in-depth studies of disease biology and health care utilization are required for better triage of health care resources, especially for ethnic minorities.
Design, Synthesis, Assembly, and Engineering of Peptoid Nanosheets

ConspectusTwo-dimensional (2D) atomically defined organic nanomaterials are an important material class with broad applications. However, few general synthetic methods exist to produce such materials in high yields and to precisely functionalize them. One strategy to form ordered 2D organic nanomaterials is through the supramolecular assembly of sequence-defined synthetic polymers. Peptoids, one such class of polymer, are designable bioinspired heteropolymers whose main-chain length and monomer sequence can be precisely controlled. We have recently discovered that individual peptoid polymers with a simple sequence of alternating hydrophobic and ionic monomers can self-assemble into highly ordered, free-floating nanosheets. A detailed understanding of their molecular structure and supramolecular assembly dynamics provides a robust platform for the discovery of new classes of nanosheets with tunable properties and novel applications.In this Account, we discuss the discovery, characterization, assembly, mole...
Altered Heme Environments in Opossum and Rabbit Methemoglobins

The effect of pH and inositol hexaphosphate (IHP) on the symmetry of the heme environments in opossum (Didelphius marsupialis) and new Zealand White rabbit hemoglobins has been studied using electron spin resonance (ESR). Each methemoglobin is found to contain two different heme environments as detected by the rhombicity observed in the ESR spectrum. In both cases the rhombic nature of the ESR spectrum is influenced by pH and IHP binding, although in the case of rabbit methemoglobin the high spin ESR signal disappears above pH 8.0. In both hemoglobins, amino acid alterations in the alpha-chains are known to affect the properties of the ferrous derivatives. It is concluded that these alterations also provide the basis for the ESR spectral properties observed with the methemoglobins.
Expert Systems in Medicine

Medical expert systems are designed to improve patient care by optimizing medical decision making. The distinguishing feature of medical expert systems is that they make recommendations based on input data; they are differentiated from decision support systems in that the latter are designed to help clinicians make decisions rather than actually make the recommendation, which is what an expert system does. This recommendation is essentially a prediction (of diagnosis or prognosis) or prescription (i.e., a treatment recommendation). The key issue in measuring the progress made thus far in medical expert systems is that of efficacy evaluation. For diagnostic or prognostic problems, the question is whether these systems have been able to predict more accurately than human experts. The literature suggests that expert systems are at least as accurate as human experts. For systems that make treatment recommendations, have medical expert systems truly improved patient outcomes? Again, it appears that validated expert systems make recommendations that are at least as good as those made by human experts, but the literature base is smaller. When trying to answer either of these questions, numerous issues need to be considered.
An Analysis of Pricing in the United States Dairy Industry

The performance of the system of milk pricing within Federal Milk Marketing Orders (FMMOs) has recently attracted increased attention. A dramatic increase in the volatility of milk prices received by dairy farmers has adversely affected dairy farm profitability. Furthermore, the effects that the private Exchange spot cheese market has on FMMOs milk pricing have raised concerns, mostly due to an imperfectly competitive nature of competition process in this market. This research analyzes the behavior of Class III milk price, which is the mover of the overall FMMOs pricing structure, during three milk pricing regimes: Minnesota–Wisconsin price series (1960s–1995), Basic Formula Price (1995–1999), and Multiple Component Pricing (2000–present). The empirical evidence presented in the article indicates that changes in the level of Class III milk price were rather minor in magnitude. However, changes in the milk price volatility were dramatic. There is empirical evidence indicating that the private Exchange spot cheese price is the main determinant of the Class III milk price, which is consistent with the design of Class III milk pricing during the analyzed FMMOs milk pricing regimes. [JEL Classifications: L1; Q1; K2].
On Certifying Each Other

When an organized group makes a major decision, there is no intention that debate and discussion on the subject should end. It is, in fact, inherent in the democratic process that those members who oppose the move should take up a responsible critical role—clarifying their position to the others, urging reconsideration of the action, and carefully watchdogging its consequences. Such a course is particularly important in the matter of the newly organized Acad emy of Certified Social Workers, formed by decision of the Delegate Assembly of the Na tional Association of Social Workers in
Toxicity of Streptococcus pneumoniae in Neurons, Astrocytes, and Microglia In Vitro

The toxicity of pneumococci and endotoxin in primary cultures of rat neurons, astrocytes, and microglia and in a human astrocyte and two human glial cell lines was determined. Heat-inactivated, rough pneumococci (up to 10(8) cfu/mL) or their cell wall (up to 50 micrograms/mL) produced dose-dependent toxicity after 48 h in microglial cells and to a lesser extent in astrocytes but not in neurons. Toxicity was similar for equivalent doses of heat-inactivated organisms and pneumococcal cell wall, but time-course experiments showed significant differences between the two stimuli. Endotoxin at concentrations of up to 5 micrograms/mL did not induce significant toxicity in any of the cells. Thus, pneumococci can induce toxicity in two brain cell types, microglia and astrocytes, and the pneumococcal cell wall appears to mediate toxicity. Direct toxic effects of bacteria on brain cells may in part be responsible for brain injury during meningitis.
Body composition in children and adults by air displacement plethysmography.

Objectives: Air displacement plethysmography (ADP) may provide a partial alternative to body density (Bd) and therefore body composition measurement compared to conventional hydrodensitometry (Hd) in children. As there are no evaluation studies of ADP in children, this study had a two-fold objective: to compare Bd estimates by ADP and Hd; and to compare fat estimates by both ADP and Hd to fat estimates by another reference method, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Setting: Obesity Research Center, St. Luke’s=Roosevelt Hospital, New York, USA. Subjects: One hundred and twenty subjects (66 females=54 males) who ranged in age from 6 ‐ 86 y and in body mass index (BMI, kg=m 2 ) from 14.1 ‐ 40.0 kg=m 2 met study entry criteria. Study Design: Cross-sectional study of healthy children (age 19 y) and adult group for comparison to earlier studies. Each subject completed ADP, Hd, and DXA studies on the same day. Only subjects with subjectivelyjudged successful Hd studies were entered into the study cohort. Results: There was a high correlation between Bd by ADP and Hd (Bd Hda 0.11a 0.8966Bd ADP; ra 0.93, SEEa 0.008 g=cm 3 , P 0.9, P< 0.0001) with %fat by DXA in child and adult subgroups. Bland ‐ Altman analyses revealed no significant %fat bias by either ADP or Hd vs DXA in either children or adults, although a bias trend (Pa 0.11) was detected in the child subgroup. Conclusion: With additional refinements, the air displacement plethysmography system has the potential of providing an accurate and practical method of quantifying body fat in children as it now does in adults. Sponsorship: This study was in-part supported by NIH Grants RR00645, NIDDK 42618 and NIDDK 37352. Descriptors: air displacement plethysmography; body composition; hydrodensitometry; children
“A lot of head wraps”: African contributions to the third wave of electoral gender quotas

Over the last more than two decades, political parties and governments across sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have adopted electoral gender quotas for parliament at an astonishing rate – and with remarkable success as many sub-Saharan African countries have catapulted to the top in terms of women's representation in a single or lower house of parliament. During a first wave in East and Southern Africa (part of a global “second wave”), quotas were adopted in the aftermath of conflicts and in the course of political transitions as mobilized national women's movements, influenced by an international women's movement and international norms, took advantage of political openings to press for the adoption of quotas through new constitutions or new electoral laws. In some cases a clear diffusion effect was at play between political movements that closely influenced one another and across national borders. During a second wave mostly, though not only, in West Africa (part of a global “third” wave), quotas are again bein...
Lessons from the front line: two key ways in which the internet has changed marketing forever: Research Articles

Ten years after the first banner ad was served, we can reflect on how dramatically the Internet actually changed the way we conduct business. We highlight two areas in which there has been change that provides both challenges and opportunities to firms and researchers alike. First, we see the rise of permission-based marketing as a great opportunity to increase the effectiveness of business-to-consumer communication. Second, we see auctions for the masses as a unique opportunity to learn more about the consumer's processing of price information. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measures of Text Entry Performance

This chapter discusses the measures of text entry performance. These measures, for the most part are, method-agnostic that is applicable to a variety of text entry methods. Speed is one example of a method-agnostic measure. Other measures presented in the chapter are method-specific, inherent to keyboard typing, selector movement, or gestural methods. Typing on a physical keyboard has been studied extensively. Although substitutions, insertions, and omissions characterize a large percentage of typing errors, other errors also appear frequently in typing. These are high-level errors that are unlikely to occur in short transcription typing, but it may occur when participants are composing text or transcribing long documents. Most studies that analyze these types of errors simply report the number or rate of occurrences and give salient examples. Selection-based methods are those that show on-screen options, such as letters in a virtual keyboard, and allow users to select from among them. Selections may be performed directly, such as when tapping with a stylus or clicking with a mouse, or indirectly, when moving a selector with directional arrow keys and entering the highlighted letter by pressing a separate select button.
Cell Death, Apoptosis

Abstract In previous chapters ( Chapters 14–16 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 ), the many complex steps involved in the “birth” (biogenesis) of cell membranes was investigated. The fact that cells, and therefore cell membranes, do not live forever, implies there is likely a cell “death” processes common to all cells. There are two basic ways that a cell dies, by necrosis and by apoptosis [1]. Necrosis refers to traumatic cell death that results from acute cellular injury. Necrosis is uncontrolled, chaotic and detrimental. In sharp contrast is apoptosis or “programmed cell death” (PCD) that is actually beneficial. Apoptosis follows a complex set of prescribed processes and pathways and is therefore somewhat predictable [2].
Digital Platforms and Differential Gains Campaign News, Online Expression, and Political Participation

The relationship of digital media platforms and public participation in election campaigns was investigated through an original survey of randomly selected registered voters. The goal was to produc...
Mental Health Differences between Men and Women Caregivers, BRFSS 2009

This study uses data from the 2009 Behavioral Risk Factors Surveillance System (BRFSS) to examine differences between male and female caregivers by demographics, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and the effect of social support on HRQOL. Roughly two-thirds of caregivers were women, and demographic characteristics differed among men and women caregivers. Women caregivers reported significantly more mentally and physically unhealthy days than men, but there were no differences between men and women in general health or life satisfaction. Men were significantly more likely to report that they rarely or never received social support. Despite this, the effect of social support on HRQOL was stronger in men than in women. Implications of these findings for caregiver support programs are discussed.
Clinical & Molecular Analysis of Patients with Type 2 (Qualitative) Hereditary Antithrombin (AT) Deficiency

Abstract 4201 Background: Hereditary AT deficiency is classified as type 1 (quantitative) or type 2 (qualitative). Type 2 deficiency can be further subdivided into type 2a (reactive center loop [RCL]), type 2b (heparin binding domain), and type 2c (pleiotropic) based on functional and molecular AT analysis. Patients with heterozygous type 2b AT deficiency are thought to be at a lower risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). Objectives: 1) To estimate the frequency of type 2 hereditary AT deficiency. 2) To utilize molecular analysis to accurately sub type patients with type 2 defects. 3) To correlate thrombotic and obstetric complications with AT deficiency sub types. Methods: Apparently unrelated Mayo Clinic AT-deficient patients (n=20) were categorized as type 1 or 2 based on plasma AT activity and antigen, or by molecular analysis for previously reported type 2a-c mutations. Demographic and clinical characteristics were abstracted from patient medical records. The SERPINC1 putative promoter region, all exons (n=7) and splice junctions, and the 3′UTR were PCR amplified from leukocyte genomic DNA, and sequenced with nested forward and reverse primers. For patients without identifiable mutations, multiplex ligand-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was performed. Results: Out of 20 probands tested 7 (35%) had type 2 AT deficiency. The mean patient age at diagnosis was 36 years (range 18–65) and 5 (69%) were women. There were 2 patients with type 2a, 4 with type 2b (including 1 with a homozygous defect), and 1 with type 2c AT deficiency. The mean plasma AT (range) activity/antigen for these patients were 50% (37-67%)/93% (78-103%) [AT activity & antigen normal range=80-130%]. 6 patients had a previously described mutation, whereas 1 had a novel mutation [S380R] affecting the RCL (Table1). All patients with type 2a and type 2c AT deficiency had unprovoked VTE occurring at a young age. All 3 patients with heterozygous type 2b AT deficiency had no VTE or obstetric complications. One patient with a homozygous type 2b defect (AT Vienna) presented with an unprovoked DVT at age 15. One family with AT Toyama (type 2b AT deficiency) had 5 asymptomatic adult family members with the mutation. Background: Molecular testing is important for an accurate subtyping of patients with type 2 AT deficiency. Type 2 defects have a diverse clinical spectrum. Patients with heterozygous type 2b AT deficiency have a low rate of VTE and obstetric complications. Homozygous type 2b AT deficiency can be compatible with adult life. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Biological Component of Expert Systems

Expert systems for biochemical engineering do not yet incorporate biochemical and biological information of sufficient sophistication for dealing with some key situations encountered in practical processes. Of particular concern is relating specific growth rate coefficient to concentrations of limiting nutrients. Some common equations proposed for modeling limitations by several nutrients are invalid, so another approach is proposed. We also demonstrate an expert system that analyzes interactions in microbial ecosystems.
Personalized Comments on Challenges and Opportunities in Kidney Disease Therapeutics: The Glom-NExT Symposium☆

In the face of ever-increasing incidence and prevalence of kidney disease worldwide, the unmet need for new treatments is unprecedented. Precision medicine is defined as the use of modern technologies to identify mechanisms of diseases in individual patients, and thus deploy treatment using tailored, targeted approaches, in the hopes of avoiding unnecessary toxicities and complications. Is there a place for kidney disease therapeutics in this space? If so, what is required to make significant progress toward precision nephrology? To answer these critical questions, we present a series of personalized comments corresponding to the responses offered to these very questions during the Inaugural Glom-NExT Symposium held at Harvard Medical School on October 23, 2014, a national meeting focused exclusively on kidney disease therapeutics.
Explicit Action Switching Interferes with the Context-Specificity of Motor Memories in Older Adults.

Healthy aging impairs the ability to adapt movements to novel situations and to switch choices according to the context in cognitive tasks, indicating resistance to changes in motor and cognitive behaviors. Here we examined if this lack of “flexibility” in old subjects observed in motor and cognitive domains were related. To this end, we evaluated subjects’ performance in a motor task that required switching walking patterns and its relation to performance in a cognitive switching task. Specifically, a group of old (>73 years old) and young subjects learned a new locomotor pattern on a split-belt treadmill, which drives the legs at different speeds. In both groups, we assessed the ability to disengage the walking pattern learned on the treadmill when walking over ground. Then, we determined if this motor context-specificity was related to subjects’ cognitive ability to switch actions in a set-shift task. Motor and cognitive behaviors were tested twice on separate visits to determine if age-related differences were maintained with exposure. Consistent with previous studies, we found that old adults adapted slower and had deficits in retention. Most importantly, we found that older subjects could not switch locomotor patterns when transitioning across walking contexts. Interestingly, cognitive switching performance was inversely related to subjects’ ability to switch walking patterns. Thus, cognitive mediated switching interfered with locomotor switching. These findings were maintained across testing sessions. Our results suggest that distinct neural substrates mediate motor and cognitive action selection, and that these processes interfere with each other as we age.
Recovery of Hip and Back Muscle Fatigue Following a Back Extension Endurance Test.

Literature has not shown the minimum time required to recover from muscle fatigue after a prolonged trunk isometric contraction. The purpose of this study was to determine if the lumbar multifidus (LM) and gluteus maximus (GM) muscles would recover from fatigue after three different rest periods following performance of a back extension endurance test. Endurance time and electromyographic (EMG) activity of bilateral LM and GM muscles were collected from 12 healthy adults during a modified Biering-Sorensen test. On three separate visits, each participant performed two modified Biering-Sorensen tests, one before and one after a rest period (3, 6 or 9 min). For each endurance test, endurance time was measured and both mean and median EMG frequency fatigue rates were calculated. The results showed a significantly reduced endurance time and normalized mean frequency fatigue rates on the second modified Biering-Sorensen endurance test regardless of the rest periods (3, 6, and 9 min). This suggests that adequate rest should be considered for fatigue recovery when designing a back and hip endurance exercise program, and that future studies should investigate a rest time longer than 9 minutes for fatigue recovery following a modified Biering-Sorensen endurance test.
Precision food safety: A systems approach to food safety facilitated by genomics tools

Abstract Genomics and related tools are beginning to have a tremendous impact on food safety by allowing for a more precise approach to pathogen detection, characterization, and identification. The data produced using these tools are expected to lead to a paradigm shift in modern food safety concepts with impacts similar to those facilitated through development of personalized medicine methods in human medicine. We hence envision a future of food safety that can be best described as “ precision food safety ”. While precision food safety will employ a number of new approaches and methods, omics tools will play a particularly important role and will provide for improved and more precise food safety procedures, including increasingly accurate risk assessment that will support evidence-based food safety decision-making. This review will highlight examples where genomics-based precision food safety approaches will have a significant impact.
Coupled motion of two side-by-side inverted flags

The interaction and coupling between two inverted flags that are placed side-by-side in a uniform flow is investigated in an effort to determine the behavior of systems that are formed by arrays of cantilevered plates. Inverted flags are elastic plates that are free to move at their leading edge and clamped at their trailing edge. We show that placing two inverted flags of equal dimensions side-by-side will cause their motion to couple. In-phase, anti-phase, staggered, alternating and decoupled flapping modes are present, with the anti-phase mode being predominant at small flag distances and low wind speeds. Increases both in amplitude and frequency of flapping are observed in the two flag system with respect to a single flag. Two side-by-side inverted flags of different lengths are found to interact for small length differences, with the longer flag being able to induce a motion on the shorter flag even when the latter is outside of its flapping wind speed range.
Model diagnostics for the proportional hazards model with length-biased data

Length-biased data are frequently encountered in prevalent cohort studies. Many statistical methods have been developed to estimate the covariate effects on the survival outcomes arising from such data while properly adjusting for length-biased sampling. Among them, regression methods based on the proportional hazards model have been widely adopted. However, little work has focused on checking the proportional hazards model assumptions with length-biased data, which is essential to ensure the validity of inference. In this article, we propose a statistical tool for testing the assumed functional form of covariates and the proportional hazards assumption graphically and analytically under the setting of length-biased sampling, through a general class of multiparameter stochastic processes. The finite sample performance is examined through simulation studies, and the proposed methods are illustrated with the data from a cohort study of dementia in Canada.
Quantitative 4D-PET Reconstruction for Small Animal Using SMEIR-Reconstructed 4D-CBCT

Respiratory motions in small animals positron emission tomography (PET) cause image degradation during reconstruction. This paper aims to develop a motion compensated 4D-PET reconstruction method using accurate motion corrections and attenuation corrections (ACs) from 4D-cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) images reconstructed using a simultaneous motion estimation and image reconstruction (SMEIR) method. Projections of 4D-CBCT were calculated using a ray-tracing method on a digital 4D rat phantom, and list-mode data of 4D-PET with matched respiratory phases were simulated using the GATE Monte Carlo package. The respiratory rate was set at 1.0 s per cycle with 10 phases of 30 projection images each. 4D-CBCT images were reconstructed using the SMEIR method and motion information and linear attenuation from 4D-CBCT were subsequently used for motion compensated 4D-PET reconstruction and ACs. We quantitatively evaluate the reconstructed 4D-PET using the errors of tumor volume and standard uptake values of tumors with different sizes. The tumor motion was successfully reconstructed and showed good agreement with the original phantom. The proposed method reduced tumor volume errors and standard uptake value errors. For tumor diameters of 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 mm, the tumor volume errors are 32.5%, 29.2%, and 19.4%, respectively, with motion compensation and 45.1%, 37.5%, and 20.2%, respectively, without compensation.
Linking pollinator efficiency to patterns of pollen limitation: small bees exploit the plant-pollinator mutualism.

Seemingly mutualistic relationships can be exploited, in some cases reducing fitness of the exploited species. In plants, the insufficient receipt of pollen limits reproduction. While infrequent po...
Growth of a Neurosporacrassa lysine auxotroph on glutaric acid

Abstract Neurospora crassa lysine auxotroph STL-7, blocked early in the aminoadipic acid pathway of lysine biosynthesis, gives a slow, submaximal growth response to a high level of glutaric acid (20 μmoles/ml) in lieu of lysine. When the mutant is grown with glutarate-l, 5-14C, lysine of the cell proteins is labelled. The possible significance of these findings to published observations of a relation of glutarate to lysine metabolism in certain fungi is considered.
Rubella immunity-Defining the level of protective antibody-

The Rubella Subcommittee of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards has proposed lowering the breakpoint to define rubella immunity from 15 to 10 IU/mL. This recommendation stems from epidemiologic studies on vaccinated persons with low levels of antibody and anecdotal reports. Additional support comes from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention studies and reports. The effectiveness of rubella vaccination is well documented and the 10 IU/mL antibody level is protective in the vast majority of persons. Sporadic reports of viremia and/or reinfection among previously immunized persons with low antibody levels have been reported but proven cases of reinfection have also occurred in persons with titers greater than or equal to the 15 IU/mL cut-off. Despite the occasional occurrence of rubella reinfection in persons with low titers, the theoretical risks are small especially as compared with significantly greater risk in persons who have not been vaccinated. Immunity in a given patient is a clinical decision and the results of antibody tests for rubella, like other laboratory tests, must be evaluated in the context of the clinical setting.
Labyrinths Find Their Way onto Hospital Grounds as Paths to Healing.

Once found exclusively in sacred spaces from moors to cathedrals, labyrinths have been undergoing a renaissance of late. After falling from favor for more than two centuries, labyrinths are once again being installed by congregations in their churches. Increasingly, they are also appearing in secular places, including two that opened at Kaiser Permanente (KP) hospitals just last year. To Reverend Jurgen Schwing, Spiritual Care Manager in KP's Diablo Area, interest in labyrinths in health care settings is not surprising. “In humanity's early years, the priest and doctor were one,” says the German-born Rev Schwing. “Then, with the discovery of scientific research, the professions split. Physicians were taught to objectify the body. But now we're discovering the mind has a lot to do with the body.”