cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Activation of tumor-promoting pathways implicated in hepatocellular adenoma/carcinoma, a long-term complication of glycogen storage disease type Ia

Hepatocellular adenoma/carcinoma (HCA/HCC) is a long-term complication of the metabolic disorder glycogen storage disease type Ia (GSD-Ia) deficient in glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6PC or G6Pase-α). We have shown previously that hepatic G6Pase-α deficiency leads to autophagy impairment, mitochondrial dysfunction, enhanced glycolysis, and augmented hexose monophosphate shunt, all of which can contribute to hepatocarcinogenesis. However, the mechanism underlying HCA/HCC development in GSD-Ia remains unclear. We now show that G6Pase-α deficiency-mediated hepatic autophagy impairment leads to sustained accumulation of an autophagy-specific substrate p62 which can activate tumor-promoting pathways including nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1). Consistently, the HCA/HCC lesions developed in the G6Pase-α-deficient livers display marked accumulation of p62 aggregates and phosphorylated p62 along with activation of Nrf2 and mTORC1 signaling. Furthermore, the HCA/HCC lesions exhibit activation of additional oncogenic pathways, β-catenin and Yes-associated protein (YAP) which is implicated in autophagy impairment. Intriguingly, hepatic levels of glucose-6-phosphate and glycogen which are accumulated in the G6Pase-α-deficient livers were significantly lower in HCC than those in HCA. Conversely, compared to HCA, the HCC lesion display increased expression of many oncogenes and the M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase (PKM2), a glycolytic enzyme critical for aerobic glycolysis and tumorigenesis. Collectively, our data show that hepatic G6Pase-α-deficiency leads to persistent autophagy impairment and activation of multiple tumor-promoting pathways that contribute to HCA/HCC development in GSD-Ia.
Rapid Multiplex Testing for Upper Respiratory Pathogens in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Author(s): May, Larissa; Tatro, Grant; Poltavskiy, Eduard; Mooso, Benjamin; Hon, Simson; Bang, Heejung; Polage, Christopher | Abstract: Background:Acute upper respiratory tract infections are a common cause of emergency department (ED) visits and often result in unnecessary antibiotic treatment. Methods:We conducted a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the impact of a rapid, multipathogen respiratory panel (RP) test vs usual care (control). Patients were eligible if they were ≥12 months old, had symptoms of upper respiratory infection or influenza-like illness, and were not on antibiotics. The primary outcome was antibiotic prescription; secondary outcomes included antiviral prescription, disposition, and length of stay (ClinicalTrials.gov# NCT02957136). Results:Of 191 patients enrolled, 93 (49%) received RP testing; 98 (51%) received usual care. Fifty-three (57%) RP and 7 (7%) control patients had a virus detected and reported during the ED visit (P = .0001). Twenty (22%) RP patients and 33 (34%) usual care patients received antibiotics during the ED visit (-12%; 95% confidence interval, -25% to 0.4%; P = .06/0.08); 9 RP patients received antibiotics despite having a virus detected. The magnitude of antibiotic reduction was greater in children (-19%) vs adults (-9%, post hoc analysis). There was no difference in antiviral use, length of stay, or disposition. Conclusions:Rapid RP testing was associated with a trend toward decreased antibiotic use, suggesting a potential benefit from more rapid viral tests in the ED. Future studies should determine if specific groups are more likely to benefit from testing and evaluate the relative cost and effectiveness of broad testing, focused testing, and a combined diagnostic and antimicrobial stewardship approach.
Transient modeling and simulation of a nonisothermal sodium–sulfur cell

Abstract The use of sodium-sulfur batteries at the grid level requires high current density operation that can cause cell deterioration, leading to lower sulfur utilization and lower energy efficiency. In addition, it can result in undesired thermal runaway leading to potentially hazardous situations. A rigorous, dynamic model of a sodium-sulfur battery can be used to study these phenomena, design the battery for optimal transient performance, and develop mitigation strategies. With this motivation, a first-principles, fully coupled thermal-electrochemical dynamic model of the entire sodium-sulfur cell has been developed. The thermal model considers heat generation due to Ohmic loss, Peltier heat, and heat due to entropy change. Species conservation equations are written in the sulfur electrode by considering the phase transition and change in the composition depending on the SOD. Species conservation equations are written in the beta”-alumina electrolyte for the ionic species by considering the change in composition due to diffusion and migration. In addition, the potential distribution, and cell resistance for this spatially distributed system has been modeled. Furthermore, temperature-dependent correlations for the physicochemical properties are developed. The model is used to study both charging and discharging characteristics of the cell at varying current densities.
INTER-RATER AND TEST-RETEST RELIABILITY OF TWO NEW SINGLE LEG SIT-TO-STAND TESTS.

Background The single leg sit-to-stand test (SLSTST) is a functional test that assesses quadriceps strength. The original SLSTST was used to diagnose lumbar nerve root impingement/radiculopathy - specifically at the L3 and L4 level. The original SLSTST used one repetition as the requirement for a successful test, therefore it may not identify quadriceps weakness in highly functional individuals with or recovering from an athletic injury. Purpose/hypothesis The purpose of this study was to determine the interrater and test-retest reliability of two new SLSTSTs, one for maximum number of repetitions over 30 seconds and one for time to complete five repetitions. Study design Cross-sectional, reliability study. Methods Twenty healthy college-aged individuals (12 males, age: 22.5 years ± 1.37, height: 1.72 m ± 0.09; weight: 70.2 kg ± 11.0) participated in the study. Two testing sessions were held three to seven days apart, and two second-year physical therapy students served as examiners. The objective of the 30-second SLSTST was for the participant to perform as many single leg sit-to-stand repetitions they could in thirty seconds, while the five repetitions SLSTST measured how quickly the subjects could perform five single leg sit to stand repetitions. Both lower extremities were tested and Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) were calculated to determine reliability. Results Both SLSTSTs were found to have excellent interrater and good to excellent test-retest reliability. The 30-second SLSTSTs had inter-rater ICC = 0.99 on the right and 0.98 on the left while the test-retest ICCs ranged from 0.92 to 0.94. The five repetition SLSTSTs had an inter-rater ICC = .99 on both legs while the test-retest ICC ranged from 0.87 to 0.94. Conclusions The results of the current study indicate that the two new SLSTSTs had good to excellent test-retest and excellent inter-rater reliability. However, more research is needed to determine if SLSTSTs can be used to identify quadriceps weakness in individuals with recovering from an athletic injury or to be used as a return-to-sport (RTS) assessment. Levels of evidence Level 2.
Reprogramming Multistable Monotone Systems With Application to Cell Fate Control

Multistability is a key property of dynamical systems modeling cellular regulatory networks implicated in cell fate decisions, where, different stable steady states usually represent distinct cell phenotypes. Monotone network motifs are highly represented in these regulatory networks. In this paper, we leverage the properties of monotone dynamical systems to provide theoretical results that guide the selection of inputs that trigger a transition, i.e., reprogram the network, to a desired stable steady state. We first show that monotone dynamical systems with bounded trajectories admit a minimum and a maximum stable steady state. Then, we provide input choices that are guaranteed to reprogram the system to these extreme steady states. For intermediate states, we provide an input space that is guaranteed to contain an input that reprograms the system to the desired state. We then provide implementation guidelines for finite-time procedures that search this space for such an input, along with rules to prune parts of the space during search. We demonstrate these results on simulations of two recurrent regulatory network motifs: self-activation within mutual antagonism and self-activation within mutual cooperation. Our results depend uniquely on the structure of the network and are independent of specific parameter values.
Spinal Deformity Surgery in Pediatric Patients With Cerebral Palsy: A National-Level Analysis of Inpatient and Postdischarge Outcomes.

Study Design:Retrospective cohort.Objective:To provide a national-level assessment of the short-term outcomes after spinal deformity surgery in pediatric patients with cerebral palsy.Methods:A nati...
Mergers and acquisitions in the US property-liability insurance industry: Productivity and efficiency effects

Abstract This paper analyzes the productivity and efficiency effects of mergers and acquisitions (M&As) in the US property-liability insurance industry during the period 1994–2003 using data envelopment analysis (DEA) and Malmquist productivity indices. We seek to determine whether M&As are value-enhancing, value-neutral, or value-reducing. The analysis examines efficiency and productivity change for acquirers, acquisition targets, and non-M&A firms. We also examine the firm characteristics associated with becoming an acquirer or target through probit analysis. The results provide evidence that M&As in property-liability insurance were value-enhancing. Acquiring firms achieved more revenue efficiency gains than non-acquiring firms, and target firms experienced greater cost and allocative efficiency growth than non-targets. Factors other than efficiency enhancement are important factors in property-liability insurer M&As. Financially vulnerable insurers are significantly more likely to become acquisition targets, consistent with corporate control theory, and we also find evidence that M&As are motivated to achieve diversification. However, there is no evidence that scale economies played an important role in the insurance M&A wave.
Nontraditional banking activities and bank failures during the financial crisis

Abstract We test whether income from nontraditional banking activities contributed to the failures of hundreds of U.S. commercial banks during the financial crisis. Estimates from a multi-period logit model indicate that the probability of distressed bank failure declined with pure fee-based nontraditional activities such as securities brokerage and insurance sales, but increased with asset-based nontraditional activities such as venture capital, investment banking and asset securitization. Banks that engaged in risky nontraditional activities also tended to take risk in their traditional lines of business, suggesting that deregulation was neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for bank failure during the crisis.
The Politics of Blood Safety Regulation in China: The Blood Plasma Economy and the Making of China's Blood Safety Regulatory Regime

In the 1980s, Chinese regulators were quick to impose tough restrictions on the import of blood products into China when HIV/AIDS first came to light in industrialized countries. In spite of such precautions, China still ended up with a massive blood-related HIV/AIDS crisis, particularly among blood sellers in Henan Province. This study examines the evolution of China’s blood safety regulatory regime in the age of market-oriented reforms and HIV/AIDS. I first describe how the push by local authorities in Henan to develop a blood plasma economy turned into a blood plasma fever that spread HIV/AIDS with deadly efficiency in spite of central government efforts to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS through the use of imported blood products. I next examine the responses or nonresponses to the ensuing tragedy. Warning signals were ignored and suppressed, whistleblowers were pushed out, and for years the HIV/AIDS carriers were left on their own. It was not until the 2003 SARS crisis that China’s new leaders took public health issues seriously and adopted decisive measures to tackle the HIV/AIDS crisis in Henan. Meanwhile the (then) Ministry of Health responded with greater alacrity to adopt vigorous reforms of the blood collection and supply system. By dissecting the politics of China’s efforts to remake its blood safety regulatory regime, this study offers a unique lens for better understanding China’s struggles to reform the economy and build a regulatory state.
File-Sharing Copyrighted Works without Authorization: A Misguided Social Movement

A little more than a decade ago, Napster rocked the music industry by enabling anyone with a computer and an Internet connection to costlessly and virtually anonymously distribute files to millions of others. After the recording industry brought enforcement actions, file-sharers, their attorneys, and many legal scholars defended their actions as both morally and legally justifiable. A team of crusading law students led by Professor Charles Nesson sought to build a social movement supporting file-sharing. This commentary questions the ethics of file-sharing popular music. The Nesson team’s choice to employ the rhetoric of social-justice movements devalues other, legitimate social movements, misleads the public, and obscures the critical legal issues – the scope of copyright’s distribution right and how statutory damages should be applied in file-sharing cases. The strategy backfired. The commentary contends that the social-justice movement analogy should similarly be rejected in the court of public opinion as a cynical, self-serving ploy. The commentary offers a more constructive antidote to addressing historical injustices of the recording industry and the need to adapt copyright law and music industry practices to the Internet Age.
LOCAL TECHNOLOGIC CAPABILITIES DETERMINES THE ELAPSED TIME FROM IDEA TO MARKET AND PROFITABLE USAGE

It is well-known that the actual electric light does not originate in continuous enhancements in candle technology, Harari (1981) and required completely new people to study the phenomenon and develop the technology, having appropriate knowledge, equipment and market. There are revolutionary, “dis- ruptive” ideas that dye after patenting, mainly in USA, because local abundance of manufacturing technologies are missing and markets are unprepared to use the resulted products. This briefly may be stated that most of technologies are developed and consumed in about the same place and civilization, because in that area the population is aware of the importance of novel technologies, prepared to use, and provides all the needed resources to propel the idea to market in the shortest time, contributing to the welfare of society and its intelligent self-governance. In order to stimulate creativity and inventions, the local organizations have to provide centers for innovation that come at a cost barrier, in order to be proficient.
The Neural Circuitry of Reward During Sustained Threat

Reward processing is important for understanding behavior in psychopathology. Opportunities to earn money activate the ventral striatum, as shown by the monetary incentive delay (MID) task. Anxiety conditions have been modeled by presenting shocks and startling sounds. To further investigate the co-occurrence of an anxiety condition and a rewarding stimulus, we modified the MID to include a sustained threat of scream. This study investigated neural patterns of the MID task with an uncertain threat of a startling scream. Forty-three young adults completed a functional MRI scan. The task included two conditions (scream and safe) and three cues (gain $5, gain $0, lose $5). Analyses included a whole brain, group analysis using a linear mixed-effects model and a paired t-test. The whole brain analysis revealed a main effect of cue, with increased ventral striatal activation (F2,210 = 58.8, p < 0.001) during cues to gain or lose $5. We observed a main effect of condition during cue presentation, such that bilateral insula and putamen activation was diminished (p < 0.001) in the scream versus the safe condition. A t-test of condition showed increased activation during threat blocks in the insula and putamen. A time course graph revealed that activation in the insula and putamen responded similarly to incentive but had an overall elevation during the scream condition. These results replicated expected activation in reward and in the setting of uncertain threat. Our results show that uncertain threat increases the magnitude of activation in the dorsal striatum.
Wildlife Affordances of Urban Infrastructure: A Framework to Understand Human-Wildlife Space Use

Landscape affordances, what the environment offers an animal, are inherently species specific to the extent that each taxon has unique needs and responses to landscape characteristics. Wildlife responses to landscape features range on a continuum from avoidance to attraction and quantifying these habits are the backbone of wildlife movement ecology. In anthropogenically modified landscapes, many taxa do not occupy areas heavily influenced by humans, while some species seem to flourish, such as coyotes (Canis latrans) and pigeons (Columba livia). Sufficient overlap in landscapes designed for human purposes (e.g., freeway underpasses, channelized waterways, cemeteries) but which are also suitable for wildlife (e.g., by providing sources of food, shelter, and refuge) underlies wildlife persistence in urban areas and are increasingly important in the world’s largest metropoles. Studying these overlapping worlds of humans and wildlife in cities provides a rich foundation for broadening human perceptions of cities as ecosystems that exhibit emergent hybridity, whereby certain anthropogenic features of urban landscapes can be used by wildlife even as they maintain their utility for humans. By examining scaling dynamics of the infrastructural signature, the phenomena of urban wildlife movement patterns conforming to the shapes of human infrastructural forms, we hope to expand on prior research in wildlife landscape ecology by stressing the importance of understanding the overlapping worlds of humans and wildlife. Further knowledge of the urban ecological commons is necessary to better design cities where emergent hybridity is leveraged toward the management goals of reducing human wildlife conflict and promoting biodiversity.
Survey Results and Award Presentations

An acknowledgement for the significant behind the scenes contributions was given to three people who had contributed to the success of the Software Engineering workshops. The rest of the presentation reports on the results of a survey sent to everyone on the workshop mailing list. The questionnaire elicited information about the state of software engineering in the respondents organization was similar to one sent 10 years before. A review of the results of the questionnaire, comparing the result to one given before is presented.
Small RNAs—the secret agents in the plant–pathogen interactions

Eukaryotic regulatory small RNAs (sRNAs) that induce RNA interference (RNAi) are involved in a plethora of biological processes, including host immunity and pathogen virulence. In plants, diverse classes of sRNAs contribute to the regulation of host innate immunity. These immune-regulatory sRNAs operate through distinct RNAi pathways that trigger transcriptional or post-transcriptional gene silencing. Similarly, many pathogen-derived sRNAs also regulate pathogen virulence. Remarkably, the influence of regulatory sRNAs is not limited to the individual organism in which they are generated. It can sometimes extend to interacting species from even different kingdoms. There they trigger gene silencing in the interacting organism, a phenomenon called cross-kingdom RNAi. This is exhibited in advanced pathogens and parasites that produce sRNAs to suppress host immunity. Conversely, in host-induced gene silencing (HIGS), diverse plants are engineered to trigger RNAi against pathogens and pests to confer host resistance. Cross-kingdom RNAi opens up a vastly unexplored area of research on mobile sRNAs in the battlefield between hosts and pathogens.
Toxin and Virulence Regulation in Vibrio cholerae

Of the more than 200 different serogroups of Vibrio cholerae that have been isolated, only two of these, O1 and O139, have been found to have epidemic and pandemic potential. CTXφ carries the genes for CT (ctxA and ctxB) and the VPI contains the genes (tcpA-E and tcpJ) responsible for the synthesis and assembly of the essential colonization factor toxin-coregulated pilus (TCP). As part of the acetoin operon, AphA represses the expression of two PhoB-activated genes, acgA and acgB, that encode proteins which influence motility and biofilm formation by altering c-di-GMP levels in the cell. Bicarbonate may be an important in vivo signal that increases the activity of ToxT during infection and induces virulence gene expression. Once V. cholerae has disseminated out of the host and virulence gene expression is no longer required, TcpP and ToxT levels are decreased by proteolysis and H-NS reestablishes repression at the various promoters. Thus, like GbpA, FrhA plays an important role in V. cholerae in both the host and in the aquatic environment. A model for V. cholerae infection involves motile bacteria attaching to the intestinal cell surface, after which they upregulate virulence factor expression and downregulate motility. The flagellar regulatory hierarchy also influences virulence gene expression in V. cholerae through the quorum sensing system. Recent advances in the development of cDNA sequencing (RNA-seq) have facilitated the generation of comprehensive transcriptome profiles of V. cholerae during infection in both the rabbit and mouse models of cholera.
Developing a Legal Framework for Resolving Disputes Between "Adoptive Parents" of Frozen Embryos: A Comparison to Resolutions of Divorce Disputes Between Progenitors

Embryo donation has drawn increasing attention as an alternative to using frozen embryos for stem cell research and as a method of providing infertile couples with an opportunity to realize their goal of becoming parents. Although embryo donation offers significant advantages for recipient ("adoptive") couples, it is unclear what would happen if a couple who had adopted frozen embryos subsequently divorced and disagreed about what should be done with them. This Note examines how current embryo donation statutes and contract law are insufficient for resolving this scenario. It further presents a potential resolution of disputes over embryo disposition in the context of a subsequent divorce of the recipient couple by analogizing to divorce disputes between progenitors (couples whose genetic material was used to create the embryos). This Note concludes that the most useful analogy to progenitor cases is a balancing of the procreative liberty of each member of the recipient couple but that this approach should be modified to account for the Jack of a genetic connection to the donated embryos.
Dynamic modeling and force/position control for the Anthrobot dextrous robotic hand

The problem of position control and unit consistent hybrid position/force control of the Anthrobot robot hand is considered. A dynamic model, for the Anthrobot, is used to develop the control laws. The experimental results of applying the control to the Anthrobot are discussed. >
The Three-Dimensional Circulation near the Eastern North pacific Subtropical Front

Abstract The purpose of our study is to describe and compute the large-scale, three-dimensional circulation near the Subtropical Front in the eastern North Pacific along 31°N. This was accomplished through the use of four extensive hydrographic surveys, historical wind-stress data and also the movement of surface drifters. Our results indicate that, in wintertime, surface water sinks on the north side of the front and rises on its south side. During the summer, however, the subtropical salty surface water overflows the frontal area to the north. Potential vorticity and heat are best conserved in a vertical flow pattern where the annual mean Ekman convergence sinks to a depth of 300 m and water upwells throughout the main thermocline. The computed horizontal flow below 700 m amounts to less than 0.6 cm s−1; both strength and direction depend greatly on the treatment of noise within the data set and also on the conservation statement that is specified in addition to geostrophic and hydrostatic dynamics. A q...
Carborane Clusters in Computational Drug Design: A Comparative Docking Evaluation Using AutoDock, FlexX, Glide, and Surflex

Compounds containing boron atoms play increasingly important roles in the therapy and diagnosis of various diseases, particularly cancer. However, computational drug design of boron-containing therapeutics and diagnostics is hampered by the fact that many software packages used for this purpose lack parameters for all or part of the various types of boron atoms. In the present paper, we describe simple and efficient strategies to overcome this problem, which are based on the replacement of boron atom types with carbon atom types. The developed methods were validated by docking closo- and nido-carboranyl antifolates into the active site of a human dihydrofolate reductase (hDHFR) using AutoDock, Glide, FlexX, and Surflex and comparing the obtained docking poses with the poses of their counterparts in the original hDHFR-carboranyl antifolate crystal structures. Under optimized conditions, AutoDock and Glide were equally good in docking of the closo-carboranyl antifolates followed by Surflex and FlexX, whereas Autodock, Glide, and Surflex proved to be comparably efficient in the docking of nido-carboranyl antifolates followed by FlexX. Differences in geometries and partial atom charges in the structures of the carboranyl antifolates resulting from different data sources and/or optimization methods did not impact the docking performances of AutoDock or Glide significantly. Binding energies predicted by all four programs were in accordance with experimental data.
A method for evaluating behavioral activity in Rana pipiens induced by changes in illumination.

Abstract The method involved: (a) using the change in level of illumination to determine the start of the time base; (b) recycling the illumination conditions with sessions; and, (c) averaging activity scores within corresponding minutes across cycles. Frogs were generally more active in the light than in the dark when subjected to sufficiently long light and dark periods; several minutes were required to stabilize the activity levels after illumination changes. The lateral eyes had to be functional for the animals to respond relatively rapidly to illumination changes while the lateral eyes were not essential for general activation in the presence of a changing illuminated environment.
Improved preservation of bacterial exopolymers for scanning electron microscopy

SUMMARY Two methods of sample preparation, originally developed for transmission electron microscopy and better at preserving bacterial exopolymers than the traditional fixation with glutaraldehyde, were adapted for scanning electron microscopy. The first involves a glutaraldehyde-lysine mixture as a fixative. The second, based on the use of polycationic ferritin, was modified to include a post-fixation step with either glutaraldehyde or a glutaraldehyde-lysine mixture. These techniques were found to improve considerably the preservation of exopolymers secreted by three bacterial strains.
Prediction of the Reactivity Hazards for Organic Peroxides Using the QSPR Approach

Organic peroxides can thermally decompose and may lead to runaway reactions. These reactivity hazards have been reported as one of the main causes for fire and explosion in process industries. The risk associated with runaway reactions of organic peroxides can be minimized by employing the inherently safer design (ISD) principles: substitution and moderation of hazardous peroxides in chemical processes. However, the application of ISD concepts requires lengthy evaluations and classification of reactivity hazards of organic peroxides, which are impractical to be done through experimental approach due to the large number of peroxide members and great variations in their reactivity hazards. In this work, the quantitative structure−property relationship (QSPR) was used to predict the detected onset temperature (T0) and heat of decomposition (Qd) of organic peroxides for the estimation of thermal stability and severity of runaway reactions. In addition to the conventional descriptors used in QSPR, we used othe...
Pivotal role of oligomerization in expanded polyglutamine neurodegenerative disorders.

The expansion of a CAG repeat coding for polyglutamine in otherwise unrelated gene products is central to eight neurodegenerative disorders including Huntington's disease1. It has been well documented that expanded polyglutamine fragments, cleaved from their respective full-length proteins, form microscopically visible aggregates in affected individuals and in transgenic mice2,3,4,5,6,7. The contribution of polyglutamine oligomers to neurodegeneration, however, is controversial. The azo-dye Congo red binds preferentially to β-sheets containing amyloid fibrils8,9 and can specifically inhibit oligomerization10 and disrupt preformed oligomers. Here we show that inhibition of polyglutamine oligomerization by Congo red prevents ATP depletion and caspase activation, preserves normal cellular protein synthesis and degradation functions, and promotes the clearance of expanded polyglutamine repeats in vivo and in vitro. Infusion of Congo red into a transgenic mouse model of Huntington's disease, well after the onset of symptoms, promotes the clearance of expanded repeats in vivo and exerts marked protective effects on survival, weight loss and motor function. We conclude that oligomerization is a crucial determinant in the biochemical properties of expanded polyglutamine that are central to their chronic cytotoxicity.
Substance abuse counselor's attitudes regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered clients

Abstract Purpose: The attitudes of substance abuse counselors can have significant effects on their client's recovery. This study examined the attitudes and knowledge of substance abuse counselors regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered (LGBT) clients. Methods: 242 substance abuse counselors in Iowa completed mail-in questionnaires. Results: The counselors reported very little formal education regarding the needs of these clients, and nearly half had negative or ambivalent attitudes. Respondents had the greatest negativity regarding transgendered clients and reported knowing the least about this group. Counselors frequently lacked knowledge about the legal issues of these clients, the concepts of domestic partnership and internalized homophobia, and family issues. Implications: Substance abuse counselors require more education about LGBT clients.
STR sequence analysis for characterizing normal, variant, and null alleles

DNA sequence variation is known to exist in and around the repeat region of short tandem repeat (STR) loci used in human identity testing. While the vast majority of STR alleles measured in forensic DNA laboratories worldwide type as ‘‘normal’’ alleles compared with STR kit allelic ladders, a number of variant alleles have been reported. In addition, a sequence difference at a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer binding site in the DNA template can cause allele drop-out (i.e., a ‘‘null’’ or ‘‘silent’’ allele) with one set of primers and not with another. Our group at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been sequencing variant and null alleles supplied by forensic labs and cataloging this information on the NIST STRBase website for the past decade. The PCR primer sequences and strategy used for our STR allele sequencing work involving 23 autosomal STRs and 17 Y-chromosome STRs are described along with the results from 111 variant and 17 null alleles. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.
Regenerative Surgery: Tissue Engineering in General Surgical Practice

Tissue engineering is a broad interdisciplinary field that aims to develop complex tissue and organ constructs through a combination of cell-, biomaterial-, and molecular-based approaches. This approach has the potential to transform the surgical treatment for diseases including trauma, cancer, and congenital malformations. A fundamental knowledge of key concepts in regenerative medicine is imperative for surgeons to maintain a leading role in developing and implementing these technologies. Researchers have started to elucidate the biologic mechanisms that maintain organ homeostasis throughout life, indicating that humans may have the latent capacity to regenerate complex tissues. By exploiting this intrinsic potential of the body, we can move even closer to developing functional, autologous replacement parts for a wide range of surgical diseases.
A Case Study of the eHRAF Collection of Ethnography Database in the Middle East

ABSTRACT The Middle East has experienced conflicts for decades. In particular, the ongoing conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians has destabilized the region. Ethnographic research may reveal insights into the origins and development of cultural conflicts. What are the advantages and disadvantages of searching the eHRAF Collection of Ethnography database to access ethnographic research describing the relationship between religious and political beliefs and practices among the Israelis and Palestinians?
Behavioral patterns of Djungarian hamsters: An adaptive profile

Djungarian hamsters (Phodopus sungorusi were observed in a series oflaboratory tests, including home cage activity, wheel running, open-field behavior, sexual dimorphism for body mass, copulatory behavior, tonic and dorsal immobility, climbing, digging, nest building, and parental behavior. Fourteen resulting measures were compared with previous results from this laboratory from a variety ofmuroid species. A cluster ofbehavioral adaptations emerged with several marked similarities to the behaviors of a group of North American Microtus species, whereas other be­ haviors appeared to more closely reflect the classification of the hamsters as cricetines. It is sug­ gested that Phodopus and Microtus species may have evolved many similar adaptive characteristics in response to shared environmental variables. The description and understanding of the behavioral adaptations of organisms are tasks of major importance confronting students of animal behavior. With comparisons of a number of behavior patterns in a variety of species, clusters of behavioral adaptations emerge. These associa­ tions of behavioral adaptations, coupled with information regarding the ecological, morphological, and physiological attributes of members of related species, will lead to testable hypotheses concerning the relations among these variables. The resulting general laws may describe a com­ plex of adaptations that are applicable across a wide selec­ tion of taxa (Jarman, 1982). Rodents of the superfamily Muroidea are numerous and widely distributed; they inhabit a great range of ecological niches, making them particularly valuable as subjects in comparative research. Most of these species are small, nocturnal, and generally secretive in their habits, making field observations of behavior difficult. However, laboratory investigations can allow direct comparisons of several species in a variety of standardized testing situa­ tions. In addition, laboratory tests can be selected that allow behaviors to be quantified easily and data to be col­ lected quickly. Over the past 15 years, muroid rodents have been the subjects of a substantial behavioral research program in this laboratory. Data for from 6 to 42 species are available for home cage activity (Baumgardner, Ward, & Dewsbury, 1980), wheel running (Dewsbury, 1980), open-field be­ havior (Webster, Baumgardner, & Dewsbury, 1979; Wilson, Vacek, Lanier, & Dewsbury, 1976), sexual dimor­ phism for body mass (Dewsbury, Baumgardner, Evans, & Webster, 1980; Dewsbury & Dawson, 1979), copulatory
Atrial natriuretic peptide receptors in sheep cotyledons

Abstract Effects dependent on atrial natriuretic peptide are mediated through specific atrial natriuretic peptide plasma membrane receptors. We previously demonstrated the presence of specific atrial natriuretic peptide receptors in human placental membranes. We asked whether atrial natriuretic peptide specific receptors are present in sheep cotyledons. Sheep cotyledons were obtained from pregnant ewes at 125 to 142 days' gestation. Each cotyledon was separated into two components, the outer layer (maternal capsule) and the spongy inner layer (fetal component). A microsomal plasma membrane fraction was prepared from each layer. Atrial natriuretic peptide receptors were detected by in vitro radioligand techniques with 125 I-α-human atrial natriuretic peptide. In sheep cotyledons there are two sets of atrial natriuretic peptide receptors that show either high-affinity/low-capacity or low-affinity/high-capacity binding characteristics. Moreover, membranes from the inner layer (fetal component) appear to have a lower concentration of high-affinity atrial natriuretic peptide binding sites than those from the maternal capsule.
Endocannabinoids in Liver Disease

Endocannabinoids are lipid mediators of the same cannabinoid (CB) receptors that mediate the effects of marijuana. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) consists of CB receptors, endocannabinoids, and the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis and degradation, and it is present in both brain and peripheral tissues, including the liver. The hepatic ECS is activated in various liver diseases and contributes to the underlying pathologies. In patients with cirrhosis of various etiologies, the activation of vascular and cardiac CB(1) receptors by macrophage-derived and platelet-derived endocannabinoids contributes to the vasodilated state and cardiomyopathy, which can be reversed by CB(1) blockade. In mouse models of liver fibrosis, the activation of CB(1) receptors on hepatic stellate cells is fibrogenic, and CB(1) blockade slows the progression of fibrosis. Fatty liver induced by a high-fat diet or chronic alcohol feeding depends on the activation of peripheral receptors, including hepatic CB(1) receptors, which also contribute to insulin resistance and dyslipidemias. Although the documented therapeutic potential of CB(1) blockade is limited by neuropsychiatric side effects, these may be mitigated by using novel, peripherally restricted CB(1) antagonists.
Distribution of Treatment for Human Papillomavirus- associated Gynecologic Carcinomas Before Prophylactic Vaccine

BACKGROUND. This report describes the distribution of treatment for cervix uteri, vagina, and vulva carcinomas by demographic characteristics before the widespread implementation of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in the US. METHODS. The authors used data collected by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program from 2000 through 2004 to calculate the distribution of surgical procedures and radiotherapy by carcinoma site, disease stage, and tumor histology (squamous vs nonsquamous). For women with localized cervical carcinomas, the proportions of hysterectomy procedures were analyzed by age, race, ethnicity, marital status, and histology, including a 13-year trend analysis of hysterectomy use. RESULTS. Although 75% of the women with cervical carcinomas underwent hysterectomy, there were significant differences in treatment by race and ethnicity. Black women were least likely to undergo hysterectomies: The large gap between them and other racial/ethnic groups persisted throughout the study period. For all 3 carcinoma sites, both tumor histology and disease stage influenced radiotherapy modality and the extent of surgery. Nonsquamous histology, ages 30 to 64 years, Asian/Pacific Islander race, and marriage were associated positively with hysterectomy. Overall, a gradual decrease in hysterectomy use was observed over time. Hysterectomies among Hispanic white women increased slightly. CONCLUSIONS. Cancer surveillance data suggest that treatment patterns of HPVassociated carcinomas are correlated with both clinical and demographic characteristics. The decreasing use of hysterectomy before introduction of the HPV vaccine and the vaccine’s potential effect on the age-related stage distributions warrant consideration when evaluating its future impact on the delivery of care for women with HPV-associated tumors. Cancer 2008;113(10 suppl):2926–35. Published 2008 by the American Cancer Society.*
Population structure of Monilinia fructicola in Prunus persica var. nucipersica tree canopies

Monilinia fructicola was collected from lesions on 74 nectarine ( Prunus persica var. nucipersica ) fruits within a 10 tree by 10 tree area of a commercial orchard in Dinuba, California. Only members of one M. fructicola vegetative compatibility group (VCG) were detected in an individual lesion. However, in separate lesions on fruit in three tree canopies, there were seven, 10 and 18 M. fructicola VCG, respectively, among 19, 16, and 19 fruit lesions sampled from each canopy. Only one M. fructicola VCG was common to samples from all three tree canopies. There were 16 VCG in a random sample of one lesion from one fruit on each of 20 other trees. There were 38 different M. fructicola VCG among the 74 isolates collected.
Methemoglobinemia from dapsone therapy for a suspected brown spider bite

Recent reports have suggested the use of dapsone for brown spider bites. This drug, for many years restricted to use in cases of leprosy and rare dermatologic disorders, has significant side effects that must be recognized. A case of methemoglobinemia is reported in one such patient treated with dapsone. The difficulty of making the diagnosis of brown spider bite is discussed.
A First Look at Nf = 3 Dynamical DWF Simulations

The RBC collaboration has done a preliminary simulation of full QCD with 3 degenerate avors of domain wall fermions and the DBW2 gauge action. About 1,500 trajectories have been accumulated for a 16 3 × 32 lattice with L s = 8 , with a lattice spacing of a −1 = 1.6 - 1.7 GeV . Basic hadronic results from this simulation will be presented, as well as the residual mass.
Comparison of Alcohol Dependence in Subjects from Clinical, Community, and Family Studies

This study contrasts the prevalence of alcohol-related symptoms, ages of onset of alcoholism milestones, and lifetime prevalence of other psychiatric disorders in three samples of alcohol-dependent individuals: alcoholics sampled from a variety of clinical settings (not necessarily alcoholism treatment facilities), relatives of alcoholic probands who participated in a Family Study of alcoholism, and alcoholics identified in the St. Louis Epidemiologic Catchment Area survey. Alcohol dependence (with or without abuse) was assessed using DSM-III diagnostic criteria for all samples. Clinical alcoholics had significantly more lifetime alcohol symptoms than Family Study and Community alcoholics and a significant excess of many alcohol symptoms. Onset information indicated that the three groups were similar in terms of appearance of milestones of alcohol dependence. For females aged 45 or younger, lifetime prevalence of major depression was high in both Clinical and Family Study alcoholics compared with Community alcoholics; male alcoholics from the Community Study had an excess of drug dependence. Findings suggest that, although alcoholics identified in clinical settings may have more severe alcohol dependence, certain types of psychiatric comorbidity are present to a greater degree in other samples of untreated alcoholics.
Kissing Palmaz-Schatz stents for coronary bifurcation stenoses.

We report the treatment of a bifurcation stenosis using kissing stents. Three Palmaz-Schatz stents were deployed in each limb of a left anterior descending artery/diagonal bifurcation, providing excellent angiographic and 5 month clinical follow-up results. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Modification of Ingestive Behavior due to Exercise in Yearling Horses Grazing Orchardgrass

Abstract Eight yearling horses were used in a balanced change-over design to determine: (1) voluntary herbage dry matter (DM) intake during a 3-h grazing session; (2) whether ingestive behavior is modified by exercise. The exercise treatments were either no forced exercise (NEX) or 30-min forced exercise (EX) at a rate of 3.6 m s −1 on a mechanical horse-walker. Following exercise treatments, the yearlings were tethered and allowed to graze a plot of orchardgrass ( Dactylis glomerata L.) during a closely monitored 3-h morning grazing session. Intake (DM) was estimated by subtracting the harvested residual herbage from the calculated herbage mass allowance. Voluntary herbage DM intake was not significantly different between NEX (1.81 kg) and EX (1.75 kg) horses during the 3-h grazing session. The biting rate during the first 20 min of grazing was higher ( P −1 ) than for EX (12.6 bites min −1 ) yearlings. Mean biting rate, calculated for the 3-h session, was higher ( P −1 , respectively). Estimated herbage intake per bite tended to be smaller for NEX (861 mg/bite) than for EX (865 mg/bite) yearlings. Since forage intake during the grazing session was not significantly different between treatment groups, these data indicate that the 30 min of forced exercise given in this experiment did not alter intake. Apparently the EX horses modified their grazing behavior by taking fewer, but larger, bites.
A wideband coherent terahertz spectroscopy system using optical rectification and electro‐optic sampling

We present a scheme for exploiting the nonresonant second‐order nonlinearities in electro‐optic media to extend the bandwidth of coherent spectroscopy in the far‐infrared using ultrafast laser pulses. Using optical rectification and electro‐optic sampling in 〈110〉 ZnTe for the generation and coherent detection of freely propagating THz radiation, respectively, we have demonstrated spectral sensitivity beyond 3 THz. This was accomplished by achieving phase matching for both optical rectification and electro‐optic sampling over a broad range of THz frequencies.
Women in the workplace, the issues.

The following is a commentary on those issues surrounding women in the workplace. Three significant trends have led us to our present discussions, with a call for more research into the reproductive effects of chemical and physical agents.
Asymmetries in hand movement during block design construction

Changes in patterns of hand use were examined as a function of task demand characteristics. Using blocks, right- and left-handed male and female subjects were asked to simultaneously construct two replicas of presented patterns, one with each hand. With the presentation of visual-spatial patterns, a shift toward use of the left hand from baseline was observed. This change was least evident among right-handed females. The observed shift in hand use toward the left on a visuo-constructive block design task might suggest differential involvement of the right hemisphere with changes in task demand characteristics.