cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emotional valence and context of social influences on drug abuse-related behavior in animal models of social stress and prosocial interaction

Social factors are important determinants of drug dependence and relapse. We reviewed pre-clinical literature examining the role of social experiences from early life through the development of drug dependence and relapse, emphasizing two aspects of these experiences: (1) whether the social interaction is appetitive or aversive and (2) whether the social interaction occurs within or outside of the drug-taking context. The models reviewed include neonatal care, isolation, social defeat, chronic subordination, and prosocial interactions. We review results from these models in regard to effects on self-administration and conditioned place preference established with alcohol, psychostimulants, and opiates. We suggest that in general, when the interactions occur outside of the drug-taking context, prosocial interactions are protective against drug abuse-related behaviors, whereas social stressors facilitate these behaviors. By contrast, positive or negative social interactions occurring within the drug-taking context may interact with other risk factors to enhance or inhibit these behaviors. Despite differences in the nature and complexity of human social behavior compared to other species, the evolving animal literature provides useful models for understanding social influences on drug abuse-related behavior that will allow for research on the behavioral and biological mechanisms involved. The models have contributed to understanding social influences on initiation and maintenance of drug use, but more research is needed to understand social influences on drug relapse.
Managing the chip design database

A design data management system bridges the gap between design tools and database systems, creating an integrated tool environment. Although design databases have long been of interest, they have been largely ignored within the context of the new tools. Our purpose is to describe what design data management is and how it can integrate design tools. Our discussion focuses on unique data management requirements of design systems and conventional database facilities and their shortcomings for supporting design data. We also present the architecture of a prototype design management system in which designs are organized into a richly interconnected data structure, using an object data model. The structures of that system's storage, recovery, concurrency control, and design validation subsystems are also described as is a "browser" for interactively viewing design data.
Repair of large complex recurrent incisional hernias with retromuscular mesh and panniculectomy.

Abstract Background Recurrent incisional hernia repair is associated with high recurrence and wound complication rates. Methods The clinical courses of patients who underwent recurrent incisional hernia repair via retromuscular mesh placement with concomitant panniculectomy at a university teaching hospital from 1999 to 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. Postoperative evaluation included a quality of life survey. Results Forty-seven patients (13 male, 34 female) with an average body mass index of 34.4 kg/m2, an average midline hernia defect of 31.4 cm, and at least 1 and on average 2.5 previous repair attempts underwent hernia repair. Wound infections occurred in 4 patients (8%) and seromas requiring aspiration occurred in 1 patient (2%). Four patients (8%) had re-recurrences of their hernias. All patients rated the postoperative appearance of their abdomen as at least satisfactory. Conclusions Recurrent incisional hernia repair with a retromuscular mesh and panniculectomy has low recurrence and wound complication rates and excellent patient satisfaction.
Hepatocytes: critical for glucose homeostasis

Maintaining blood glucose levels within a narrow range is a critical physiological function requiring multiple metabolic pathways and involving several cell types, including a prominent role for hepatocytes. Under hormonal control, hepatocytes can respond to either feeding or fasting conditions by storing or producing glucose as necessary. In the fasting state, the effects of glucagon avoid hypoglycemia by stimulating glucogenesis and glycogenolysis and initiating hepatic glucose release. Postprandially, insulin prevents hyperglycemia, in part, by suppressing hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis and facilitating hepatic glycogen synthesis. Both transcriptional regulation of rate limiting enzymes and modulation of enzyme activity through phosphorylation and allosteric regulation are involved. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the most common serious metabolic condition in the world, and results from a subnormal response of tissues to insulin (insulin resistance) and a failure of the insulin-secreting beta cells to compensate. In type 2 diabetes, glucose is overproduced by the hepatocyte and is ineffectively metabolized by other organs. Impairments in the insulin signal transduction pathway appear to be critical lesions contributing to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.
p53 Regulates Hsp90β during arsenite-induced cytotoxicity in glutathione-deficient cells

p53, a tumor suppressor and transcription factor, is a critical modulator in the cellular response to stress. Exposure of glutathione-deficient GCS-2 cells to arsenite significantly phosphorylated and stabilized p53. In addition, p53 transcriptionally repressed Hsp90beta gene expression. Mutation analysis revealed a p53 binding site in the 5' flanking region responsible for the regulation of Hsp90beta gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that p53 is bound to Hsp90beta promoter region. ATM kinase, a major determinant in the modulation of p53 specifically affected its phosphorylation at Ser-15. ATM kinase-mediated phosphorylation of p53 is regulated through phosphorylation of Chk2. Down-regulation of ATM and Chk2 by their small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) attenuated the arsenite-induced phosphorylation of p53 and restored Hsp90beta mRNA levels. Taken together, these findings suggest that arsenite acts through ATM and Chk2 to induce phosphorylation of p53. This results in the transcriptional repression of Hsp90beta, under GSH-deficient conditions which may play a role in arsenic-mediated pathogenesis.
COMPARISON OF THE PULSIFIER AND THE STOMACHER FOR RECOVERING MICROORGANISMS IN VEGETABLES1

Treatment of 30 different vegetables by the Pulsifier (30 s) and the Stomacher (60 s) showed that total viable cell counts and coliform counts were almost identical with less than 0.2 Log CFU/g difference and a ratio of ca. 1.00 between the two methods. However, the diluents from Pulsified samples were much clearer (Optical Density of 0.052), with less total soluble solids (0.30%) and slightly higher pH (6.56) than Stomached samples, which had more turbid liquid (Optical density of 0.237), with more total solids (0.55%) and lower pH (6.35). These data indicated that the Pulsifier provided equivalent viable cell count and coliform counts compared with the Stomacher from the 30 vegetables studied, but at the same time provided clearer liquid with less total soluble solid. This is advantageous for further microbiological manipulations such as Polymerase Chain Reaction, ATP evaluation, and immunological testing.
Action Learning: Executive Development of Choice for the 1990s

Action learning is a unique organizational learning process that involves a non‐traditional instructional approach and mindset. It is similar to the case method, in that it was designed as a managerial learning process. It was introduced by Reg Revans and first referenced as early as 1945, in a report on the British coal mining industry, recommending the establishment of a staff college for the industry in which field managers would be encouraged to learn with and from each other using group review to find solutions to immediate problems. Today it is growing in acceptance and use around the world, as evidenced by its successes at General Electric, Prudential Assurance, the University of Michigan Global Leadership Program, Harvard Business School, along with numerous others. It is used as a managerial learning process, involving teams who are resolving problems, the solutions to which are passed to clients who are themselves learning processes and relevant information valuable for future problem‐solving ep...
Compartmental Efflux Analysis: An Evaluation of the Technique and Its Limitations

Efflux analysis is an established tool for characterizing the exchange properties of multicomponent systems. In this report, we have simulated several three- and four-compartment systems with error-free and imperfect data, the errors being designed to mimic actual, nonbiological variability in isotope efflux studies. The data sets were analyzed using computerized nonlinear regression techniques to identify the important aspects of actual experimental design (uptake times, efflux collection schedules, and total efflux times), and to consider the possibility that a properly designed and executed experiment might fail to resolve compartmentation correctly. The results showed that for any of the systems simulated, including those with error-free four-component data, a reasonable three-component fit was obtainable. Resolution of the additional compartment was not always possible. In correctly resolved systems, failure to estimate the correct decay constants was common, especially when the half-times were separated by less than an order of magnitude. We conclude that efflux analysis, by itself, lacks the power to provide reliable information about multicompartment systems.
Localization of an ataxia-telangiectasia gene to an ∼500-kb interval on chromosome 11q23.1 : linkage analysis of 176 families by an international consortium

We describe a 20-point linkage analysis map of chromosome 11q22-23 that is based on genotyping 249 families (59 CEPH and 190 A-T). Monte Carlo linkage analyses of 176 ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) families localizes the major A-T locus to the region between S1819(A4) and S1818(A2). When seven nonlinking families were excluded from subsequent analyses, a 2-lod support interval of ∼500 kb was identified between S1819(A4) and S1294. No recombinants were observed between A-T and markers S384, B7, S535, or S1294. Only 17 of the international consortium families have been assigned to complementation groups. The available evidence favors either a cluster of A-T genes on chromosome 11 or intragenic defects in a single gene.
An unusual oesophageal foreign body in a dog

A case report of a 4-month-old dog that swallowed a 31 cm (12 inches) knife is presented. Resume. On presente le rapport du cas d'un chien ayant avale un couteau de 31 cms (12 inches). Zusammenfassung. Ein Bericht uber einen Fall von einem vier Monate altem Hund der ain 31 cm langes Maser schluckte, wird dargestellt.
Recruitment and Retention Practices in Independent and Chain Restaurants

The management of employees in the restaurant industry is a major challenge that operators must address as companies work to find the best employees in a shrinking labor market. An exploratory stud...
HIV transmission from surgeons and dentists to patients: can models predict the risk?

acquiring H1V infection in the operating room or the dentist's chair? Analysis of related data and public sentiment suggest this model will provide limited reassurance; however, it cannot explain a critical event: the clustering of HIV transmission from a Florida dentist to six patients. Since the early days of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) era, this disease has engendered intense anxiety (some have described it as near-hysteria) in the general population. As more was learned about HIV and its transmission, the general public came to understand that, with the exception of infants born to infected mothers, individuals became infected with HIV only by sexual intercourse with an infected person, intravenous drug use, or transfusion of contaminated blood products. Gradually, it became accepted that acquisition of infection did not occur through casual contact with infected persons2; the public was reassured that sharing an office, a taxi, a classroom, or a dormitory room with an HIV-infected person did not pose a risk. Even the chance of acquiring HIV infection from transfused blood products became increasingly remote as blood donor sources were limited to low-risk populations, routine screening of blood for HIV antibodies became standard, and opportunities for directed donations became more widely available. Thus, as information about routes of HIV transmission was disseminated to the public, a more calm and rational approach to AIDS emerged.2 In 1990, the Centers for Disease Control announced that a dentist with AIDS had transmitted
Curing folk psychology of arthritis

L'A. s'oppose a l'arthrite-argument de Tyler Burge (1979) a savoir que les contenus de beaucoup d'etats cognitifs sont individualises par leurs relations avec l'environnement social et linguistique.
Bolgiano, C., and J. Roberts. 2005. The Eastern Cougar: Historical Accounts, Scientific Investigations, New Evidence. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 246 pp. ISBN 978-0-8117-3218-5, price (paper) $19.95

C. Bolgiano, and J. Roberts 2005. The Eastern Cougar: Historical Accounts, Scientific Investigations, New Evidence. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, 246 pp. ISBN 978-0-8117-3218-5, price (paper) $19.95. Cougars ( Puma concolof ) once ranged over much of North and South America. Unique to the Americas, the cougar was a curiosity to European explorers, who often compared them to lions. Interest in the animal sparked a myriad of stories and names including Indian devil, painter, red lion, deer tiger, catamount, wildcat, puma, and panther. The eastern cougar ( Puma concolor cougar ) is 1 of 32 recognized subspecies. Fears of attack on humans and livestock, as well as enjoyment and financial returns of hunting cougars as sport, led to their extirpation throughout much of their eastern range. Shooting and trapping of eastern cougars by hunters continued into the 1930s, 1940s, and even 1960s until the subspecies was thought extinct. However, evidence of its continued existence throughout the eastern United States incited its listing on the 1973 Endangered Species List (Bolgiano 1995). This book provides useful insights into the current and …
Model Ge microstructures as anodes for Li-ion batteries

We examine the properties of microstructured Ge electrodes for Li-ion battery applications. Model-microfabricated single-crystalline Ge electrode structures are used to investigate the effects of Cu coating and partial discharging on cycle life. Results show that the Ge microstructures insert Li more isotropically than do comparable ones comprised of Si. A model Ge microbar electrode with a Cu coating is capable of 95 % coulombic efficiency after 40 cycles when the amount of charge is limited. The microstructured Ge electrode is found to exhibit poor performance at higher delithiation rates (above C/5) relative to microstructured Si electrodes. These results provide an understanding of the effects of electrochemical processes on model-microstructured Ge electrodes which may ultimately aid in the development of advanced anodes for Li-ion batteries.
Steady-state distribution of generalized aggregation system with injection.

We consider the kinetics of a steady-state aggregation process in which the basic dynamical variable is a ``charge'' which can assume both positive and negative values. We rigorously show that the charge distribution follows a power law in the steady state which is sustained by random injection. The exponent of the power law depends both on the type of injection and on the spatial dimension.
Growth charts for 22q11 deletion syndrome

The purpose of this work was to create growth curves specific to the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Growth parameters on 188 patients (86 females, 102 males) followed by a group of three dysmorphologists were collected by retrospective chart review. Growth charts for body mass, length/height, and head circumference were generated using a semi-parametric model with goodness-of-fit tests. The resulting charts show that between 25 and 50% of children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome fall below the 2nd centile for the normal population for all growth parameters. Establishing norms of growth for 22q11.2 deletion syndrome allows the clinician to identify and investigate those children who deviate substantially from the growth profile of this condition.
Rapid multirobot deployment with time constraints

In this paper we consider the problem of multirobot deployment under temporal deadlines. The objective is to compute strategies trading off safety for speed in order to maximize the probability of reaching a given set of target locations within a given temporal deadline. We formulate this problem using the theory of Constrained Markov Decision Processes and we show that thanks to this framework it is possible to determine deploying strategies maximizing the probability of success while satisfying a temporal deadline. Moreover, the formulation allows to exactly compute the failure probability of complex deployment tasks. Simulation results illustrate how the proposed method works in different scenarios and show how informed decisions can be made regarding the size of the robot team.
Low noise GaAs metal‐semiconductor field‐effect transistor made by ion implantation

Low noise GaAs metal‐semiconductor field‐effect transitors (MESFET’s) have been made by direct ion implantation into high pressure liquid encapsulated Czochralski (HPLEC) undoped substrates and unintentionally doped high resistivity buffer layers. A noise figure of 1.3 dB with 10.3‐dB associated gain has been achieved at 12 GHz, and a 2.2‐dB noise figure with 7.4‐dB associated gain has been measured at 18 GHz with a 0.6‐μm gate length by 300‐μm gate width FET device, fabricated from a HPLEC undoped substrate. Comparable dc and rf performance has also been achieved for devices fabricated from undoped buffer layers. Equivalent circuit elements have been evaluated in an effort to understand the critical parameters necessary to achieve these results.
A novel degradation in the avermectin series: A stereospecific osmylation reaction

Abstract The reaction of osmium tetroxide on a Δ 2 (conjugated) isomer of avermectin aglycone, bearing a free hydroxyl group at C13 occurs with high regio and facial selectivity.
Computational Framework for Generating Transport Models from Databases of Microvascular Anatomy

Quantitative descriptions of transport and exchange in physiological systems should make use of the emerging wealth of data on vascular anatomic structure. These descriptions may take the form of computational models which then must be incorporated into the comprehensive database of knowledge of microcirculatory physiology being developed under the title, The Microcirculation Physiome Project. Toward this end we present a simple and efficient computational method for simulating transport (advection, permeation, diffusion) in tissues containing microvascular structures of arbitrary complexity. The method is convenient because transport is simulated on a regular Cartesian lattice, and efficient because features of the anatomy are resolved within individual volume elements of the lattice. As a result, relatively low-resolution lattices yield accurate results. Therefore the method provides a feasible approach for studying a general class of transport problems in the context of realistic representations of vascular anatomy. © 2001 Biomedical Engineering Society.
Control of protein intake in the young rat.

Abstract Both adult and weanling rats are able to control their dietary intake of protein. The purposes of the current study were to determine: (1) the precision of this ability in the weanling rat and (2) when this ability makes its ontogenic appearance. We studied three overlapping age groups spanning the third, fourth and fifth postnatal weeks. Animals chose between two isocaloric liquid diets, one protein-free and the other composed of 50% protein. The intake volume of each diet was measured daily. Three days after introduction to the diets, pups were subjected to short-term tests designed to determine their ability to distinguish between the two diets. All three are groups responded to the protein conditions. However, the youngest group displayed comparatively weaker responses characterized by a prolonged period of reduced protein intake and weaker responses to the protein conditions of the short-term test. We conclude that young rats control protein intake by the end of the third postnatal week and that this ability strengthens throughout the remainder of the weaning period.
Improved Measurement of Antineutrino Disappearance at Daya Bay

Abstract The Daya Bay Experiment observed the disappearance of a statistically significant number of antineutrinos from the reactors at Daya Bay. Based on 139 days of data taken with 6 antineutrino detectors, we measured about 6% deficit of antineutrinos at the far site, located at about 2 km from the reactors, corresponding to a value of sin 2 θ 13 = 0.089 ± 0.010 ( stat. ) ± 0.005 ( syst. ) .
Low-Complexity Soft-Output Decoding with Lattice-Reduction-Aided Detectors

Lattice reduction (LR) techniques have been introduced to enhance the performance of linear equalizers by collecting diversity with low complexity for many transmission systems. Although LR-aided linear detectors may collect the same diversity as that collected by the maximum-likelihood (ML) detector, there still exists a performance gap between LR-aided and ML equalizers. One approach to fill this gap is to adopt soft-output detectors. Soft-output detectors enable iterative decoding when error-control codes are employed for a system. In this paper, we propose three LR-aided soft-output detectors with different methods to generate the candidate lists. We compare the performance and complexity of our algorithms with the existing alternatives and show that our methods achieve better performance with lower complexity. The performance-complexity tradeoffs of our proposed algorithms are also studied. Iterative decoders are performed based on these soft-output detectors in the simulations to validate the effectiveness of our algorithms.
Geminivirus AL2 and L2 Proteins Interact with and Inactivate SNF1 Kinase

Geminivirus AL2 and L2 proteins cause enhanced susceptibility, characterized primarily by an increase in viral infectivity, when expressed in transgenic plants. Here, we present genetic and biochemical evidence that enhanced susceptibility is attributable to the interaction of AL2 and L2 with SNF1 kinase, a global regulator of metabolism. Specifically, we show that AL2 and L2 inactivate SNF1 in vitro and in vivo. We further demonstrate that expression of an antisense SNF1 transgene in Nicotiana benthamiana plants causes enhanced susceptibility similar to that conditioned by the AL2 and L2 transgenes, whereas SNF1 overexpression leads to enhanced resistance. Transgenic plants expressing an AL2 protein that lacks a significant portion of the SNF1 interaction domain do not display enhanced susceptibility. Together, these observations suggest that the metabolic alterations mediated by SNF1 are a component of innate antiviral defenses and that SNF1 inactivation by AL2 and L2 is a counterdefensive measure. They also indicate that geminiviruses are able to modify host metabolism to their own advantage, and they provide a molecular link between metabolic status and inherent susceptibility to viral pathogens.
Sources of the Uncertainty Experienced by Women With HPV

Women with genital human papillomavirus (HPV) experience considerable stress and uncertainty as a result of the diagnosis; however, little is known about the sources of uncertainty in HPV. Given that uncertainty creates stress, which might be linked to the pathogenesis of cervical cancer, research on these sources of uncertainty is warranted. To this end, we completed semistructured interviews with 25 women living with HPV, and identified seven sources of uncertainty: The meaning of the diagnosis, the potential for disease progression, finances, the source of the infection, disclosure, sex and reproduction, and the HPV vaccine. In the discussion we articulate the relevance and importance of study findings to research, theory, and practice.
Replication of Oral BK Virus in Human Salivary Gland Cells

ABSTRACT BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) is the most common viral pathogen among allograft patients. Increasing evidence links BKPyV to the human oral compartment and to HIV-associated salivary gland disease (HIVSGD). To date, few studies have analyzed orally derived BKPyV. This study aimed to characterize BKPyV isolated from throat wash (TW) samples from HIVSGD patients. The replication potential of HIVSGD-derived clinical isolates HIVSGD-1 and HIVSGD-2, both containing the noncoding control region (NCCR) architecture OPQPQQS, were assessed and compared to urine-derived virus. The BKPyV isolates displayed significant variation in replication potential. Whole-genome alignment of the two isolates revealed three nucleotide differences that were analyzed for a potential effect on the viral life cycle. Analysis revealed a negligible difference in NCCR promoter activity despite sequence variation and emphasized the importance of functional T antigen (Tag) for efficient replication. HIVSGD-1 encoded full-length Tag, underwent productive infection in both human salivary gland cells and kidney cells, and expressed viral DNA and Tag protein. Additionally, HIVSGD-1 generated DNase-resistant particles and by far surpassed the replication potential of the kidney-derived isolate in HSG cells. HIVSGD-2 encoded a truncated form of Tag and replicated much less efficiently. Quantitation of infectious virus, via the fluorescent forming unit assay, suggested that HIVSGD BKPyV had preferential tropism for salivary gland cells over kidney cells. Similarly, the results suggested that kidney-derived virus had preferential tropism for kidney cells over salivary gland cells. Evidence of HIVSGD-derived BKPyV oral tropism and adept viral replication in human salivary gland cells corroborated the potential link between HIVSGD pathogenesis and BKPyV.
Hyperspectral texture recognition using a multiscale opponent representation

We use Gabor filters to extract texture features at different scales and orientations from hyperspectral images. The texture features are derived from both individual bands and combinations of bands. We consider both spectral binning and principal components analysis for reducing the dimensionality of the input data. Using a database of Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer image regions, we evaluate the performance of this approach for recognizing hyperspectral textures. We show that opponent features that consider combinations of spectral bands often help improve performance. We also examine the dependence of recognition performance on the dimensionality reduction strategy and the number of spectral bands.
The New England Contribution to Colonial American Presbyterianism

The contributions made to American Presbyterianism during the colonial period by those of its members who were of New England stock have never been adequately recognized. For various reasons this contribution was so greatly minimized during the nineteenth century that even today an essentially false picture of the origins of American Presbyterianism has become currently accepted. Typical of the nineteenth-century propaganda which was later to be accepted as fact, was the attitude of Samuel Miller, the first professor of Church History at Princeton Seminary. In 1833, Miller wrote a series of open letters to Presbyterians as part of the Old School party's polemic against the New England element in the Church. Miller states categorically that the Presbyterian Church in America was founded by ministers and members chiefly from Scotland and the North of Ireland. After the organization of the first presbytery, he says, "some who had been bred Congregationalists in South Britain, or in New England, acceded to the new body, and consented to bear the name and act under-the order and discipline of Presbyterians." "In a few years, however . . . [they] wished for many abatements and modifications of Presbyterianism, and were found frequently encroaching on the order of that form of ecclesiastical government."' In other words, according to the nineteenth-century Old School party, American Presbyterianism was Scottish and Scotch-Irish in origin. After the Church had been formally organized, and its standards determined, certain New Englanders who were in fact Congregationalists, not Presbyterians, were admitted. Unfortunately, however, these New Englanders had always proved disloyal to Presbyterianism. Accordingly, Miller and his party in 1837 illegally and dishonorably expelled nearly forty presbyteries embracing over 1300 churches with a membership of over one hundred thousand people in order to get
Mean-square small gain theorem for stochastic control: discrete-time case

This paper presents a small gain theorem in the mean square sense for multiple (interconnected) linear systems with multiplicative noises. The small-gain theorem is proposed in terms of the spectral radius of a matrix, whose elements are the squares of H/sub 2/ norms of the involved transfer functions. Both robust stability and performance conditions are characterized by the new small-gain theorem.
Circular and Square Edge Effect Study for Guarded-Hot-Plate and Heat-Flow-Meter Apparatuses

This report provides the information necessary to choose the appropriate appara tus size for a measurement of thermal resistance of a specimen of insulation material of a particular thickness. This information consists of the order of magnitude of ap paratus edge error as a function of specimen thickness. The report defines the edge effect, derives a model for its calculation for both circular and square geometries, and it indicates graphically the sensitivity of the edge-effect curves (as a function of thickness) with respect to the following parameters: the ratio of the guard to metered sizes, the metered size itself, the ratio of the surface heat, transfer coefficient to the specimen apparent conductivity, and the apparent-thermal-conductivity anisotropy. The results of the square metered area are compared with those of the circular metered area, and the theoretical results are compared with experimental results for a circular geometry (using a 1-m guarded hot plate). A detailed discussion of the er ro...
Theoretical Studies of Solid−Liquid Interfaces: Molecular Interactions at the MgO(001)−Water Interface

We have applied a novel theoretical and computational method called CECILIA (combined embedded cluster at the interface with liquid approach) to study adsorption of molecular water on the MgO(001) surface and its interface with water. The MgO(001) surface is modeled by a quantum cluster embedded in a field of pseudopotentials and point charges. The effects of an aqueous environment are included by placing a dielectric continuum in the region above the embedded cluster. Calculated geometry, energetics, and electronic spectra for adsorbed water are in good agreement with available experimental and theoretical data. In particular, many features of the interfacial structure and dynamics (McCarthy, M. I.; Schenter, G. K.; Scamehorn, C. A.; Nicholas, J. B. J. Phys. Chem. 1996, 100, 16989) are well-reproduced in our calculations. These results demonstrate the suitability of the CECILIA model for studying chemical processes at solid−liquid interfaces.
Definitions and Outcome Variables of Scenario Planning

Scenario planning has been receiving increased attention as a tool for considering the future in the midst of a rapidly changing business environment. This article examines available definitions of scenario planning, analyzes the espoused dependent variables of the process, sets forth an integrative definition, and supports the further development of the process as a useful and relevant tool for strategic human resource development.
NO/cGMP Signaling and the Flexible Organization of Motor Behavior in Crustaceans1

The basic elements of the NO/cGMP signaling pathway have been identified in the nervous systems of animals from nearly all of the major phyla. In crustaceans, the NO/cGMP pathway is associated with certain fundamental neuronal processes, including sensory integration and the organization and production of motor behavior. Here I review the evidence for NO synthesis and action in crustacean neural networks, with an emphasis on the rhythmic motor circuits of the crab stomatogastric ganglion (STG). In the STG, NO appears to be released as an orthograde transmitter from descending projection neurons. NO's receptor, a cytopasmic isoform of guanylate cyclase (sGC), is expressed in a subset of the cells that participate in the gastric mill and pyloric central pattern generating networks. In spontaneously-active, in vitro preparations of the STG, pharmacological inhibitors of the NO/cGMP pathway cause the two rhythmic motor patterns to collapse into a single conjoint rhythm. Parallel motor output is restored when the ganglion is returned to normal saline. Although precise mechanisms have yet to be determined, these data suggest that NO and cGMP play an important role in the functional organization of STG networks. The STG, as well as other crustacean models, provides a promising context for studying the physiological and behavioral aspects of NO-mediated signaling in the nervous system.
Experiments in "SSB FM" Communication Systems

The investigation reported in this paper describes the generation and detection, with a conventional discriminator, of narrow-band SSB FM, and presents the threshold characteristics of the system. The generation and detection of wide-band SSB FM is also reported. The narrow-band signal is easily detected with a limiter discriminator and offers improved signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) over conventional FM for modulation indexes less than approximately 0.25. The wide-band signal is generated by an exponential frequency multiplier which multiplies the frequency and modulation index of the narrow-band signal. This signal is detected as an AM signal and the detected envelope is passed through a logarithmic transfer device to recover the original signal. Since "single-sideband frequency modulation" is not an appropriate description of this special case, the authors have called it "Single-Sided Wide-band Analog Modulation" (SSWAM).
Granulomatous disease in the head and neck: developing a differential diagnosis.

Granulomatous diseases have a varied etiology that includes autoimmune, infectious, idiopathic, and hereditary causes. The unifying factor in these diseases is the formation of granulomas, which histologically are mononuclear inflammatory cells or macrophages surrounded by lymphocytes. Granulomatous diseases often have systemic manifestations that affect organs throughout the body. Granulomatous diseases with head and neck manifestations include granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Churg-Strauss syndrome, Behcet disease, chronic granulomatous disease, and sarcoidosis. Infectious causes include tuberculosis, cat-scratch disease, syphilis, leprosy, actinomycosis, rhinoscleroma, and fungal infections. In the head and neck, granulomatous disease may affect the orbits, sinonasal cavities, salivary glands, aerodigestive tract, temporal bone, or skull base. Imaging findings include sinonasal opacification, ocular and other soft-tissue masses, osseous erosion, airway narrowing, lymphadenopathy, and salivary gland infiltration. Vascular involvement may also be evident, with displacement, narrowing, or occlusion of arteries and veins. Some radiologic findings of granulomatous processes have a considerable overlap with findings of malignancy, and a radiologic differential diagnosis inclusive of both is critical to avoid incorrect clinical treatment. Without the benefit of a prior clinical diagnosis, laboratory findings, or suggestive clinical signs and symptoms, granulomatous diseases may be difficult to differentiate radiologically. Although individual granulomatous diseases may have overlapping findings at imaging, certain radiologic findings should prompt the inclusion of granulomatous diseases in the differential diagnosis, thus facilitating appropriate clinical management.
High-frequency dynamics of ultrasound contrast agents

Ultrasound contrast agents enhance echoes from the microvasculature and enable the visualization of flow in smaller vessels. Here, we optically and acoustically investigate microbubble oscillation and echoes following insonation with a 10 MHz center frequency pulse. A high-speed camera system with a temporal resolution of 10 ns, which provides two-dimensional (2-D) frame images and streak images, is used in optical experiments. Two confocally aligned transducers, transmitting at 10 MHz and receiving at 5 MHz, are used in acoustical experiments in order to detect subharmonic components. Results of a numerical evaluation of the modified Rayleigh-Plesset equation are used to predict the dynamics of a microbubble and are compared to results of in vitro experiments. From the optical observations of a single microbubble, nonlinear oscillation, destruction, and radiation force are observed. The maximum bubble expansion, resulting from insonation with a 20-cycle, 10-MHz linear chirp with a peak negative pressure of 3.5 MPa, has been evaluated. For an initial diameter ranging from 1.5 to 5 /spl mu/m, a maximum diameter less than 8 /spl mu/m is produced during insonation. Optical and acoustical experiments provide insight into the mechanisms of destruction, including fragmentation and active diffusion. High-frequency pulse transmission may provide the opportunity to detect contrast echoes resulting from a single pulse, may be robust in the presence of tissue motion, and may provide the opportunity to incorporate high-frequency ultrasound into destruction-replenishment techniques.
Enhanced ethylene responsiveness in the Arabidopsis eer1 mutant results from a loss-of-function mutation in the protein phosphatase 2A A regulatory subunit, RCN1.

Summary Ethylene signaling in Arabidopsis begins with a family of five ethylene receptors that regulate the activity of the Raf-like kinase, CTR1. Recent work to identify novel factors required for modulating ethylene signaling resulted in the isolation of enhanced ethylene response 1 (eer1), a mutant that displays both increased sensitivity and increased amplitude of response to ethylene. Molecular cloning of eer1 reveals that its mutant phenotype results from a loss-of-function mutation in the previously characterized RCN1, one of three PP2A A regulatory subunits in Arabidopsis. Our analysis shows that neither RCN1 expression nor PP2A activity is regulated by ethylene. Instead, we found that Arabidopsis PP2A-1C, a PP2A catalytic subunit previously characterized as interacting with RCN1, associates strongly with the kinase domain of CTR1 in vitro. This likely represents a role for PP2A in modulation of CTR1 activity because an in vitro kinase assay did not reveal phosphorylation of either RCN1 or PP2A-1C by CTR1, indicating that neither of them is a substrate for CTR1. PP2A activity is required for Ras-dependent activation of mammalian Raf, with reductions in PP2A activity significantly compromising the effectiveness of this mechanism. Our genetic and biochemical results suggest that a similar requirement for PP2A activity exists for ethylene signaling, with loss-of-function mutations affecting PP2A activity possibly reducing the effectiveness of CTR1 activation, thus lowering the threshold required for manifestation of ethylene response.
Is Dental Utilization Associated with Oral Health Literacy

The objectives of this study were to examine the pattern of association between dental utilization and oral health literacy (OHL). As part of the Carolina Oral Health Literacy Project, clients in the Women, Infants, and Children's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program completed a structured 30-min in-person interview conducted by 2 trained interviewers at 9 sites in 7 counties in North Carolina. Data were collected on clients' OHL, sociodemographics, dental utilization, self-efficacy, and dental knowledge. The outcome, OHL, was measured with a dental word recognition test (30-item Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Dentistry). Descriptive and multiple linear regression methods were used to examine the distribution of OHL and its association with covariates. After adjusting for age, education, race, marital status, self-efficacy, and dental knowledge, multiple linear regression showed that dental utilization was not a significant predictor of OHL (P > 0.05). Under the conditions of this study, dental utilization was not a significant predictor of OHL.
Association Of Meniscal Status And Lower Extremity Alignment With Chondrosis At The Time Of Revision Acl Reconstruction

Objectives:Knees undergoing revision ACL reconstruction (rACLR) have a high prevalence of articular cartilage lesions. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the prevalence of chondrosis at the time of rACLR is associated with meniscus status and lower extremity alignment.Methods:Data from the prospective Multicenter ACL Revision Study (MARS) cohort was reviewed to identify patients with pre-operative lower extremity alignment films. Lower extremity alignment was defined by the weight bearing line (WBL) as a percentage of the tibial plateau width, while the chondral and meniscal status of each weight bearing compartment was recorded at the time of surgery. Multivariable proportional odds models were constructed and adjusted for relevant factors in order to examine which risk factors were independently associated with the degree of medial and lateral compartment chondrosis.Results:The cohort included 246 patients with lower extremity alignment films at the time of rACLR. Average (SD) pat...
Polypropylene mesh augmentation for complete quadriceps rupture after total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract Introduction Polypropylene mesh has previously been shown to be an effective treatment for failed patellar tendon repairs after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but there have been few reports of this synthetic mesh used in complete quadriceps rupture after TKA. Methods We retrospectively reviewed seven consecutive cases in six patients with complete quadriceps tears after TKA who had their quadriceps tendon repaired with suture and polypropylene mesh augmentation. All but two patients had previously failed primary suture repair. Patient outcomes were evaluated using the Knee Society Score. Standardized anterior-posterior (AP), lateral and merchant radiographs were evaluated preoperatively and at final follow-up. Results Seven knees in six patients were evaluated with a mean follow-up of 34 ± 10 (range 24 to 49 months) months. There were only four clinical successes defined as an extensor lag less than 30°. Of the functioning knees at final follow-up (n = 5) the overall extensor lag in this group did significantly improve from 50 ± 13° to 20 ± 15° (range 5 to 40°) (p = .01). Mean postoperative flexion at final follow-up was 115 ± 8°. Mean Knee Society Score for function improved from 20 ± 30 to 45 ± 54 (p = .03) as did the mean Knee Society Score for pain (44 ± 18 vs. 74 ± 78, p = .02). Discussion Polypropylene mesh offered limited postoperative functional results when used as an augment to the multiply operated knee that sustains a complete quadriceps rupture after TKA, but did allow for significant improvement in postoperative pain outcomes. Level of Evidence IV
Preclinical Characterization of G1T28: A Novel CDK4/6 Inhibitor for Reduction of Chemotherapy-Induced Myelosuppression

Chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression continues to represent the major dose-limiting toxicity of cytotoxic chemotherapy, which can be manifested as neutropenia, lymphopenia, anemia, and thrombocytopenia. As such, myelosuppression is the source of many of the adverse side effects of cancer treatment including infection, sepsis, bleeding, and fatigue, thus resulting in the need for hospitalizations, hematopoietic growth factor support, and transfusions (red blood cells and/or platelets). Moreover, clinical concerns raised by myelosuppression commonly lead to chemotherapy dose reductions, therefore limiting therapeutic dose intensity, and reducing the antitumor effectiveness of the treatment. Currently, the only course of treatment for myelosuppression is growth factor support which is suboptimal. These treatments are lineage specific, do not protect the bone marrow from the chemotherapy-inducing cytotoxic effects, and the safety and toxicity of each agent is extremely specific. Here, we describe the preclinical development of G1T28, a novel potent and selective CDK4/6 inhibitor that transiently and reversibly regulates the proliferation of murine and canine bone marrow hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and provides multilineage protection from the hematologic toxicity of chemotherapy. Furthermore, G1T28 does not decrease the efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapy on RB1-deficient tumors. G1T28 is currently in clinical development for the reduction of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression in first- and second-line treatment of small-cell lung cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(5); 783-93. ©2016 AACR.
Preparing a DNA Probe for Detecting the nif Genes on Symbiotic Plasmids of Rhizobium spp.

The large indigenous plasmids of most fast-growing rhizobia (Rhizobium spp.) are the sites of the structural genes concerned with the N2-fixing system. These genes are collectively known as the nif genes. They code for the synthesis and activity of the nitrogenase enzyme complex. Some of the nitrogenase structural genes of symbiotic and asymbiotic bacteria have been cloned and specific molecular probes prepared. These molecular probes can seek out and bind to their complementary DNA sequences on the test DNA if there is homology. The nif structural genes (K, D, and H) of Rhizobium meliloti carried on plasmid pRmR2 have been cloned into the vector plasmid pACYCl84 and then introduced into the Escherichia coli strain HB101 by transformation. In this exercise, the plasmid pRmR2 carried by the E. coli strain HB101 will be extracted and purified by a large-scale method. The extraction of the plasmid DNA will involve alkaline lysis of the cells followed by polyethylene glycol (PEG) purification.
Glucose transport by the intestinal mucosa of the dogfish.

SummaryA simple technic using the mucosal membrane of dogfish gut to study the transport of glucose was presented. It was found that the mucosal membrane can transport glucose from the mucosal to the submucosal fluid against concentration gradients. This transport was greater at 36° than at 26°, and was inhibited by phlorizin, sodium azide, iodoacetic acid and uranyl acetate. Michaelis-Menten analysis of data has shown that inhibition of glucose transport by phlorizin was competitive at 26° and non-competitive at 36°. It is postulated that a carrier system for glucose transport operates at the low temperature, while a more complicated mechanism handles glucose transport at 36°.
Value-based healthcare: implications for thyroid cancer

Today's delivery of care to thyroid cancer patients is complex, and costly, with uneven outcomes that can be improved. The incidence of thyroid cancer is rising and requires coordinated, multidisciplinary care with high volume centers that is not always available in our current fragmented healthcare system. To address the needs of patients, providers and payers, we believe that thyroid cancer care needs to be reexamined from the perspective of value for the patient, which is defined as the outcomes that matter to patients relative to the cost of delivering them. This paper provides recommendations based on the key principles of the value-based approach to transform the delivery of thyroid cancer care.