cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Candida albicans exhibits distinct cytoprotective responses to anti-fungal drugs that facilitate the evolution of drug resistance

Candida albicans is both a human commensal and opportunistic pathogen. Nosocomial infections due to pathogenic C. albicans are the fourth l argest i n North America and carry significant socioeconomic burden. Systemic Candida i nfections of i mmune-compromised individuals are frequently l ethal even when treated optimally. Drug resistance i s sometimes due to the pre-existence of genetic polymorphisms that bypass the mode of action of the drug. In other cases, resistance i s acquired via the evolution of genetic polymorphisms. There is evidence that C. albicans possesses a drug tolerance response which “buys time” for individuals to gain such beneficial mutations. Our goal i s to characterize this poorly understood epigenetic cytoprotective program at the single cell molecular level. Our hypothesis i s that i ndividuals will respond differently to drug exposure. Some will not mount a sufficient epigenetic response and die, while others will survive using different pathways. We modified a single cell platform for the fungal setting and used it to transcriptionally profile thousands of treated and untreated cells at early (tolerance) and late (resistance) timepoints. Untreated populations exhibit multivariate epigenetic responses with individuals partitioning into distinct subpopulations, each with a unique survival strategy involving efflux pumps, chaperones, transport mechanisms, and cell wall maintenance. Cell imaging will be used to validate these observations. Whole genome DNA-sequencing will be used to determine i f there i s i ncreased i nstability during the tolerance phase. Targeting the tolerance response concomitantly with standard therapies could represent an efficient approach to ablating clinical persistence.
Blood carboxyhemoglobin elimination curve, half-lifetime, and arterial-venous differences in acute phase of carbon monoxide poisoning in ovine smoke inhalation injury model.

Abstract Smoke inhalation injury (SII) affects more than 50,000 people annually causing carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Although the increased blood level of carboxyhemoglobin (CO-Hb) is frequently used to confirm the diagnosis of SII, knowledge of its elimination in the acute phase is still limited. The aim of this study is to determine CO-Hb elimination rates and their differences in arterial (aCO-Hb) and mixed-venous (vCO-Hb) blood following severe SII in a clinically relevant ovine model. Forty-three chronically instrumented female sheep were subjected to SII (12 breaths, 4 sets) through tracheostomy tube under anesthesia and analgesia. After the SII, sheep were awakened and placed on a mechanical ventilator (FiO2 = 1.0, tidal volume 12 mL/kg, and PEEP = 5cmH2O) and monitored. Arterial and mixed-venous blood samples were withdrawn simultaneously for blood gas analysis at various time points to determine CO-HB half-lifetime and an elimination curve. The mean of highest aCO-Hb level during SII was 70.8 ± 13.9%. The aCO-Hb elimination curve showed an approximated exponential decay during the first 60 min. Per mixed linear regression model analysis, aCO-Hb significantly (p
Self-sensing concrete: from resistance-based sensing to capacitance-based sensing

Self-sensing uses the cement-based material without sensor incorporation to sense itself. This paper reviews self-sensing cement-based materials, with coverage of the well-studied resistance-based ...
Financial Aid and Early Admissions at Selective Need-Blind Colleges

I study a college-admissions model with two need-blind colleges and heterogeneous students. In a game in which colleges can choose a financial aid policy and either binding, nonbinding, or no early admissions, a unique equilibrium outcome exists. In equilibrium—and consistent with data—the more prestigious and wealthier college is more selective, has a more generous financial aid policy, and offers nonbinding early admissions while the other college offers a binding program. Compared to the counterfactual in which only regular admissions are offered, early admissions make the more prestigious college worse off but make all students and the other college better off.
Pathogenesis of Erysipelothrix piscisicarius infection in tiger barbs (Puntigrus tetrazona).

Erysipelothrix piscisicarius is an emerging bacterial pathogen and the aetiologic agent of piscine erysipelosis, a recently recognized disease of ornamental fish. However, little is known regarding the dynamics of infection in fish. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the pathogenesis of piscine erysipelosis in the tiger barb (Puntigrus tetrazona) by investigating tissue tropisms and responses to bacterial dissemination following immersion challenge with a virulent strain recovered from diseased fish. The challenge resulted in 83% mortality by day 16. Erysipelothrix piscisicarius DNA was first detected in the skin using quantitative PCR, and bacteria were visualized in association with microscopic lesions on day 4. By day 8, E. piscisicarius DNA was further detected in intestines, hearts, spleens, gills and skin; parenchymal organs were largely spared. The data suggest a primary cutaneous portal of entry and tropism for collagenous tissues, particularly those within vascular walls. Initial spread occurs directly from the dermis into interstitial areas of skeletal muscle, then centrally to the peritoneum and coelomic cavity following collagenous tissue pathways. Although histopathology revealed widespread bacterial dissemination over time, the severity of skin and muscle lesions with high levels of bacterial DNA identifies these tissues as primary targets of infection.
Expanding a tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase assay to other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases catalyze the attachment of amino acids to their cognate tRNAs. In general, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase assays require stoichiometric amounts of tRNA, which limits their sensitivity while increasing their cost. This requirement for stoichiometric amounts of tRNA can be alleviated if the aminoacyl-tRNA product is cleaved following the tRNA aminoacylation reaction, regenerating the free tRNA substrate. This data article is related to the research article entitled “A continuous tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase assay that regenerates the tRNA substrate” in which this approach is used to develop a continuous spectrophotometric assay for tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase [1]. Here we present enzymes that can be used to cleave the aminoacyl-tRNA product for at least 16 of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids. These enzymes can be used to extend the tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase assay to other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.
Learning on the Shop Floor: The Behavioural Roots of Organisational Knowledge

If it is accepted that knowledge is a valuable asset of a firm, then it follows that learning or the ability to learn is equally important. This study used shop-floor observations to understand how this learning takes place in an organisational setting. It was discovered that for improvements in organisational knowledge to be realised, two distinctly different components had to be present. The first component consists of the performative aspects of the task at hand: techniques, resources, scientific facts, and the like. These elements are readily codified, stored, retrieved, and copied. They are cumulative in the sense that acquiring a new technique does not eliminate the ability to use an existing appropriate one . The second component is the underlying logic by which techniques are selected and applied to achieve a goal. This component corresponds closely to Plato’s description of knowledge as justified belief. This component is not readily observable and is not cumulative in the sense that one cannot simultaneously hold conflicting beliefs. Because the context and justification of belief are defined by cultural norms, this introduces a strong behavioural component to organisational knowledge. The existence and importance of this largely invisible component have significant implications for managers who wish to promote organisational learning and for researchers who wish to study it.
Assessing Creative Use of Learning

Most tests in education are based on convergent models of knowledge and cognition. To be specific the students’ responses on tests to assess achievement are expected to coincide with the instructor’s or test constructor’s model of knowledge. There is no assessment of individual student perspectives on the knowledge or its creative uses.
Neighborhood living project decision support system (NLPDSS)

The paper describes a specialized software program developed by members of the Neighborhood Living Project at the University of Oregon's Specialized Training Program. The Neighborhood Living Project engages in research and development targeted at improving the lives of people with developmental disabilities who receive community-based residential services in settings such as group homes or apartments. The software is known as the neighborhood living project decision support system (NLPDSS). NLPDSS is one component of a larger model, the valued outcomes information system (VOIS), which shows staff members of residential programs how to provide high-quality services to individuals with severe disabilities. >
Arginine Metabolism in Halobacterium salinarium, an Obligately Halophilic Bacterium

Dundas, Ian E. D. (University of Illinois, Urbana), and H. Orin Halvorson. Arginine metabolism in Halobacterium salinarium, an obligately halophilic bacterium. J. Bacteriol. 91:113-119. 1966.-Arginine was shown to be essential for growth of Halobacterium salinarium strain 1 in a chemically defined medium. Citrulline was the only compound which could substitute for arginine without affecting growth. Resting cells of H. salinarium converted arginine to citrulline and citrulline to ornithine. Cells grown in an arginine-free medium with C(14)-ureido-labeled citrulline incorporated the isotope mainly into the arginine of their proteins. The enzymes arginine desimidase and ornithine transcarbamylase were found and studied in cell-free extracts of H. salinarium. Experiments indicated that arginine was degraded in H. salinarium by arginine desimidase to citrulline, and that citrulline was further degraded by ornithine transcarbamylase to carbamyl phosphate and ornithine. Synthesis of arginine from citrulline seems to occur via the formation of argininosuccinic acid.
Options for screening colonoscopy without sedation: a pilot study in United States veterans.

Summary Background The direct and indirect costs of sedation limit access to screening colonoscopy amongst United States veterans. Aim To determine if offering the option of sedation on-demand reduces the need for sedation. Design A retrospective review of prospectively collected performance improvement data in an open access screening colonoscopy programme. Setting Performance improvement programme to minimize the burden of sedation at a single VA Medical Center. Subjects 44 consecutive veterans who accepted the option of sedation on-demand. They could choose to have premedications before the start of colonoscopy, or to begin colonoscopy without premedications and receive the medications upon their request during the examination. Method Two experienced endoscopists assisted by experienced nurse assistants performed all of the examinations. Insertion of the colonoscope was aided by infusion of warm water through the colonoscope without air insufflation. Medications were administered at the veterans’ request. Results Offering the option of sedation on-demand to 44 consecutive veterans permitted 52% (N = 23) of the veterans to complete screening colonoscopy without any sedation. Conclusions This novel approach of sedation on-demand and water infusion for screening colonoscopy deserves to be further evaluated in a randomized-controlled study amongst patients undergoing colorectal cancer screening.
Tag integrated multi-label music style classification with hypergraph

Automatic music style classification is an important, but challenging problem in music information retrieval. It has a number of applications, such as indexing of and searching in musical databases. Traditional music style classification approaches usually assume that each piece of music has a unique style and they make use of the music contents to construct a classifier for classifying each piece into its unique style. However, in reality, a piece may match more than one, even several different styles. Also, in this modern Web 2.0 era, it is easy to get a hold of additional, indirect information (e.g., music tags) about music. This paper proposes a multi-label music style classification approach, called Hypergraph integrated Support Vector Machine (HiSVM), which can integrate both music contents and music tags for automatic music style classification. Experimental results based on a real world data set are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.
The temporal and spatial expression of basic fibroblast growth factor during ocular development in the chicken.

PURPOSE The authors determined the temporal and spatial localization of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) during ocular development in the chick embryo in an attempt to elucidate its role in this process. METHODS These studies used monospecific polyclonal rabbit anti-human bFGF immunoglobulin G in conjunction with immunohistochemical techniques and western blot analysis. Embryonic eyes at 5-20 days of development were studied. RESULTS The bFGF was not detected by western blot analysis until embryonic day 12. However, low levels of bFGF-immunoreactive material were present in pigmented and neural retina and the lenses of 5-day embryos. Lens epithelial and fiber cells remained weakly stained throughout development; neuroepithelial cells, ganglion cells, amacrine cells, and photoreceptors all contained significant levels of bFGF-immunoreactive material. Corneal epithelium consistently contained high levels of immunoreactive material. In the corneal endothelium, increasing levels of immunoreactive material were seen as development proceeded. CONCLUSION It was hypothesized that bFGF may be involved in regulating the proliferation and differentiation of ocular cells in either an autocrine or paracrine fashion during development and that it may play a role in tissue maintenance in the adult eye. These conclusions are consistent with the temporal and spatial expression of bFGF described here.
Misfolded Proinsulin Presenting an Unpaired Thiol is Recognized and Targeted for ERAD by Specific Lumenal Components in the ER

Objective: The accumulation of misfolded proinsulin within the ER of pancreatic β-cells is toxic to the cell, leading to ER stress and cell death. Little is known about how misfolded proteins witho...
Brood parasitism of Black-capped Vireos: frontline and post-laying behavioral responses and effects on productivity

The cost of brood parasitism favors the evolution of host behaviors that reduce the risk or expense of being parasitized. Endangered Black-capped Vireos (Vireo atricapilla) have likely coexisted with brood-parasitic Brown-headed Cowbirds (Molothrus ater) for more than 10,000 yr, so it is likely that they have evolved anti-parasitic behaviors. We monitored naturally parasitized and non-parasitized vireo nests to evaluate factors that might explain parasitism risk and nest desertion behavior and also assessed whether behaviors that occurred after being parasitized improved reproductive output. Vireos reduced the risk of parasitism by initiating breeding early and nesting farther from open grasslands and edges of woody thickets. Post-laying, nest desertion was common (70% of parasitized nests) and increased with both the presence of at least one cowbird egg in nests and clutch reduction by cowbirds. After accounting for these cues, desertion was also more likely at nests located closer to cowbird foraging habitat and below potential cowbird vantage points. Despite its regularity, desertion did not appear to provide reproductive benefits to vireos. Instead, accepting cowbird eggs was a more effective strategy because 42% of cowbird eggs did not hatch. Furthermore, cowbird eggs were somehow ejected from at least three vireo nests. Our results suggest that Black-capped Vireos can behave in a variety of ways that reduce the impact of brood parasitism, with frontline behaviors appearing to provide the greatest benefit. Our results also suggest that habitat management should focus on providing Black-capped Vireos with adequate breeding habitat that provides access to safe nesting sites, and with high-quality wintering habitat that allows vireos to migrate and initiate nesting early.
Personality‐Based, Rule‐Utilitarian, and Lockean Justifications of Intellectual Property

In this article, I will present and examine personality-based, rule-utilitarian, and Lockean justifications for intellectual property. Care is needed so that we do not confuse moral claims with legal ones. The brief sketch of Anglo-American and Continental systems of intellectual property below, focuses on legal conceptions and rights while the arguments that follow — personality based, utilitarian, and Lockean — are essentially moral. I will argue that there are justified moral claims to intellectual works — claims that are strong enough to warrant legal protection.
Locum tenens and telepsychiatry: trends in psychiatric care.

Abstract Background: There is a national shortage of psychiatrists, and according to nationally available data, it is projected to get worse. Locum tenens psychiatry and telepsychiatry are two ways to fill the shortages of psychiatric providers that exist in many areas in the United States. Employment and salary data in these areas can be used to illuminate current trends and anticipate future solutions to the problem of increasing demand for, and decreasing supply of, psychiatrists in the United States. Materials and Methods: A search was conducted of the literature and relevant Web sites, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and www.google.com, as well as information obtained from locum tenens and telepsychiatry organizations. Results: There is a dearth of data on the use of locum tenens in the field of psychiatry, with little available prior to 2000 and few published studies since then. The majority of the data available are survey data from commercial entities. These data show trends toward increasing de...
Effects of Exercise on Lipid-Lipoproteins

Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, with increasing numbers of adults being treated with cholesterol-lowering drugs (in particular, statin therapy) to treat elevated low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Both aerobic exercise training and resistance training are efficacious for altering blood lipid levels, with evidence suggesting that aerobic exercise training raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lowers triglycerides, and resistance training may be more effective at lowering LDL-C. Consequently, concurrent aerobic and resistance training may be the most effective exercise prescription for improving dyslipidemia, although there is a paucity of randomized control trials addressing exercise dose-response for concurrent aerobic and resistance training and lipid-lipoprotein levels. In addition, exercise training may also potentiate the utility of cholesterol-lowering drugs, and there is limited evidence of interactions between exercise and pharmaceutical interventions that favorably impact hypertension and hyperlipidemia in the same individuals. This chapter summarizes evidence for and clinical considerations surrounding the role of exercise training in treating dyslipidemia.
Absorptionsröhrchenträger zur C-H-Bestimmung nach Pregl

Die Konstruktion und Anwendung eines Absorptionsrohrchentragers fur die C-H-Bestimmung wird beschrieben. Die verkleinerten Absorptionsrohrchen werden in Silikongummidichtungen eingeprest und durch rostfreie Stahlrohrchen verbunden. Dadurch erubrigt sich das Beruhren und Abwischen der Absorptionsrohrchen, die nur mit einer Pinzette gehandhabt werden. Bei einer Substanzmenge von 2 bis 3 mg last sich die Analysendauer auf 17 Minuten herabsetzen.
Thin films in photovoltaics: Technologies and perspectives

Abstract Thin Film technologies based on physical vapour and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PVD and PECVD) have been developed for a number of high-tech industries over the last decades. Prominent examples are the semiconductor and display industry as well as large area architectural glass and flexible substrates deposition. Inherently linked with this development was the well known price experience curve for products in the respective industries. Analysing the price experience curves for PV crystalline silicon modules over the last 30 years and those of other Thin Film based industries, it will become evident that cost efficient PV Thin Film technologies or Thin Films in conjunction with wafer based c-Si are a prerequisite to meet the anticipated cost and price goals for the upcoming decade. As PV will demonstrate to become one of the major energy provider in the future by contributing significantly to meet the goal of 100% end energy by only renewable technologies beyond 2050 we will see a huge increase of appropriate Thin Film technologies in the years to come.
Research advances made in the avian brain and their relevance to poultry scientists

Abstract The year 2014 marked the tenth anniversary since the sequence of the chicken genome was published. Two other publications occurred during that time frame in different disciplines, and all 3 have affected poultry scientists. The purpose of this paper is to briefly review 2 publications that are better known to those in animal agriculture. The third paper will be addressed in more detail because it is one that many in poultry science probably have not read. The subject matter involves the avian brain and its future impact and is related to an announcement made by the president of the United States in April 2013. Due to the recent, rapid advances in the understanding of the vertebrate brain and behavior, a national goal was announced by President Obama to map the human brain in more detail than ever before to accelerate the understanding of brain function in health and disease. The main objective is to review the third paper published a decade ago to show that it laid the foundation for the chicken and other avian species to serve as relevant animal models to advance the understanding of the human brain. Emphasis will be placed on the forebrain. The overall goal is to show that the brain of birds is not that different from the mammalian brain and therefore can serve as an excellent comparative biomodel to understand fundamental principles of brain structure and function.
On the use of N-(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)phosphatidylethnolamine in the study of lipid polymorphism

Abstract The change in the fluorescence properties of dioleoyl- N -(7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl)phosphatidylethanolamine ( N -NBD-PE) as an indicator of the (liquid-crystalline) bilayer-to-non-bilayer hexagonal II (H II ) phase transition has been investigated. Lipid bilayer systems which are known to undergo the bilayer-to-H II phase transition on addition of Ca 2+ were compared with systems which can undergo aggregation and fusion but not H II phase formation. The former included Ca 2+ -triggered non-bilayer transitions in cardiolipin and in phosphatidylethanolamine mixed with phosphatidylserine. The latter type of system investigated included the addition of polylysine to cardiolipin and Ca 2+ to phosphatidylserine. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy was used to confirm that under the experimental conditions used, the formation of H II phase was occurring in the first type of system, but not in the second, which was stable in the bilayer state. It was found that the fluorescence intensity of N -NBD-PE (at 1 mol% of the phospholipids) increased in both types of system, irrespective of the formation of the H II phase. A dehydration at the phospholipid head group is a common feature of the formation of the H II phase, the interaction of divalent cations with phosphatidylserine and the interaction of polylysine with lipid bilayers, suggesting that this may be the feature which affects the fluorescence properties of the NBD. The finding of a fluorescence intensity increase in systems lacking H II phase involvement clearly indicates that the effect is not unique to the formation of the H II phase. Thus, while offering high sensitivity and the opportunity to follow kinetics of lipid structural changes, changes in the N -NBD-PE fluorescence properties should be interpreted with caution in the study of the bilayer-to-H II phase transition.
Effect of H2O2 on cell cycle and survival in DNA mismatch repair-deficient and -proficient cell lines

Patients who develop tumors with Lynch syndrome, which is caused by mutational inactivation of the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system, have a relatively favorable prognosis compared to patients who develop sporadic tumors. Paradoxically, DNA MMR-deficient cells are resistant to many chemotherapeutic agents, and are capable of bypassing the G2/M checkpoint in vitro. Colon cancers that develop in the setting of Lynch syndrome show an abundant recruitment of immune cells into tumor tissues, which might be expected to increase oxyradical formation, and make the tumor cells more vulnerable to cell death. We examined the chemosensitivity and cell cycle response to oxidative stress in several MMR-deficient (HCT116, SW48, and DLD1) and -proficient (CaCo2, SW480, and HT29) colorectal cancer cell lines. H(2)O(2) induced a G2/M cell cycle arrest in both MMR deficient and proficient cell lines, however MMR-deficient cell lines were more sensitive to H(2)O(2) toxicity, and the response was more prolonged in MMR-deficient cells. Interestingly, human MutL-homologue (hMLH1-)defective HCT116 and hMLH1-restored HCT116+ch3 cell lines responded to H(2)O(2) with the same degree of G2/M arrest. The survival response of HCT116+ch3 was nearly identical to that of hMLH1-defective HCT116+ch2, although better than the response observed in HCT116 cells. In conclusion, greater cellular sensitivity and G2/M arrest in response to oxidative stress in MMR-deficient colorectal cancer cells could be one of the reasons for the more favorable prognosis seen in patients with Lynch syndrome. However, this sensitivity appears not to be a direct result of a deficient MMR function, but is more likely attributable to spectrum of target gene mutations that occurs in MMR-deficient tumors.
Angiographic and Procedural Correlates of Stent Thrombosis after Intracoronary Implantation of Drug‐Eluting Stents

Background: Stent thrombosis (ST) following the implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) remains the major limitation of this new technology. The identification of modifiable correlates of ST may help reduce this catastrophic event. Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center, lesion-based study. A cohort of 45 consecutive lesions (35 patients) initially treated with successful DES implantation from May 2003 to February 2005 that re-presented with ST within 12 months was identified. This cohort was compared to a control group of 1,620 unselected lesions (1,187 patients) that were successfully treated with DES implantation and which remained free of ST. Comparison of angiographic and procedural features was made between the ST and no-ST groups, and logistic regression analysis was then performed to identify independent correlates of ST. For the purposes of the study only definite ST events (angiographically or autopsy proven) were considered. Results: Independent angiographic predictors of cumulative ST at 12 months were left anterior descending (LAD) artery (OR: 1.91, CI: 1.01–3.59, P = 0.045), bifurcation (OR: 2.43, CI: 1.06–5.56, P = 0.035), and in-stent restenotic (OR: 2.64, CI: 1.12–6.25, P = 0.027) lesions. Procedural predictors were number of stents per lesion (OR: 2.30, CI: 1.29–4.11, P = 0.005) and intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) guidance (OR: 0.45, CI: 0.24–0.84, P = 0.013). Correlates of subacute events were LAD artery, proximal segment, and lack of IVUS guidance. Correlates of late ST were bifurcation and in-stent restenotic lesions. Conclusions: Angiographic and procedural correlates of subacute and late ST after DES implantation differ. Lack of IVUS guidance was the only modifiable predictor identified. Treatment of bifurcation and restenotic lesions was predictive of late events.
Performance appraisal in academic libraries: minor changes or major renovation?

Performance appraisals generally occur to provide documentation for current and future personnel decisions such as promotions, salary increases, staff development, and disciplinary reasons. After surveying library literature, it is apparent that most academic library administrations implement some type of performance appraisal, but a disparity exists regarding the process itself, the ultimate goals sought and those actually achieved. This situation emanates from the lack of objectives adhered to in conducting performance appraisals. This article will address the diversity existent in the performance appraisal process and the reasons for these differences.
Regulation of γ-actin gene expression by insulin

Insulin exerts rapid effects on cellular metabolism and can cause morphological changes by inducing rearrangements of cytoskeletal components. The regulation of specific cytoskeletal genes by insulin, however, has not been studied extensively. In the present work insulin was found to rapidly, but transiently, increase transcription of the cytoskeletal gamma-actin gene in rat H4IIE (H4) hepatoma cells. Insulin-induced transcription of the gamma-actin gene was evident within 5 min and was maximal by 15 min at 10-fold above control levels. The stimulation of transcription was transient, with a return towards basal levels by 120 min. Transcription of gamma-actin was increased at insulin concentrations as low as 1 x 10(-11) M and was maximal at 1 x 10(-9) to 1 x 10(-8) M. Transcription of several control genes (skeletal and cardiac alpha-actin and beta-tubulin) were unaltered by insulin administration. Messenger RNA (mRNA) levels for the gamma-actin gene increased, but to a lesser degree than transcription. Since the gamma-actin message is an abundant and stable mRNA, its levels would not be expected to change dramatically from a transient induction of transcription. Like insulin, phorbol esters transiently increased transcription of the gamma-actin gene. In addition, pretreatment of cells with phorbol esters for 24 h reduced the ability of insulin to induce gamma-actin transcription. These data support our hypothesis that insulin and phorbol esters share intracellular signalling pathways in the control of transcription of specific genes.
GLOBAL GENETIC RELATIONSHIPS AMONG ISOLATES OF GOLDEN ALGA (PRYMNESIUM PARVUM)

Lutz-Carrillo, Dijar J., Gregory M. Southard, and Loraine T. Fries, 2010. Global Genetic Relationships Among Isolates of Golden Alga (Prymnesium parvum). Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(1):24-32. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2009.00388.x Abstract: Prymnesium parvum is considered among the most harmful algal species in the world for finfish and other gill breathing organisms. Although it is globally distributed, with the exception of Antarctica, P. parvum is usually associated with coastal and brackish waters. Historically, P. parvum incidents were recorded in the eastern hemisphere; however, in 1985 it was detected in inland Texas waters. We used DNA sequence variation of the first internal transcribed spacer in the nuclear ribosomal operon (ITS1) among multiple samples of P. parvum from Texas and other locales to address the possible origins of P. parvum in Texas and the United States (U.S.). With the exception of a sample from Diversion Lake, other samples from Texas, South Carolina, and Wyoming exhibited limited genetic variation and were similar in sequence to a sample from Scotland. The Diversion Lake sample was similar in sequence to samples from Denmark and Norway, and the Maine sample was highly similar to samples from England. These results suggest multiple independent introductions of P. parvum to the U.S.
Hydrochloric acid aerosol and gaseous hydrogen chloride partitioning in a cloud contaminated by solid rocket exhaust

Partitioning of hydrogen chloride between hydrochloric acid aerosol and gaseous HCl in the lower atmosphere was experimentally investigated in a solid rocket exhaust cloud diluted with humid ambient air. Airborne measurements were obtained of gaseous HCl, total HCl, relative humidity and temperature to evaluate the conditions under which aerosol formation occurs in the troposphere in the presence of hygroscopic HCl vapor. Equilibrium predictions of HCl aerosol formation accurately predict the measured HCl partitioning over a range of total HCl concentrations from 0.6 to 16 ppm.
Kinetics of serum HER-2/neu changes in patients with HER-2-positive primary breast cancer after initiation of primary chemotherapy

BACKGROUND. The purpose of the study was to determine the utility of quantitation of the extracellular domain (ECD) of the HER-2/neu receptor in the serum for predicting response to treatment in patients with primary breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy. METHODS. HER-2/neu ECD was measured in sera obtained from 39 patients with HER-2-amplified stage II-III primary breast cancer undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Patients were randomly assigned to either 4 cycles of paclitaxel followed by 4 cycles of fluorouracil, epirubicin, and cyclophosphamide (FEC) (n = 10) or to the same chemotherapy with simultaneous weekly trastuzumab for 24 weeks (n = 29). Changes in HER-2 ECD were monitored with the Bayer HER-2/neu assay over 6 months and correlated with pathological response to treatment. RESULTS. Before initiation of chemotherapy, 28.2% of patients had elevated concentration of the HER-2 ECD (>15 ng/mL). The median baseline serum HER-2 ECD concentration was 13.6 ng/mL (mean ± SD, 20.3 ± 35.5 ng/mL). A decrease in the median HER-2 ECD levels from baseline to Week 3 and from baseline to Week 6 of chemotherapy was seen regardless of treatment regimen. No significant difference in baseline HER-2 ECD levels was observed between the groups who achieved pathological complete response (pCR) and the group with residual disease (P = .41). However, a 9% drop from Week 3 to Week 6 after initial chemotherapy was predictive of pCR (P = .04). CONCLUSION. A decrease in serum HER-2 ECD levels early during treatment was associated with pathological response in patients receiving primary chemotherapy, particularly trastuzumab-based regimens. Serum HER-2 ECD levels may serve to monitor neoadjuvant therapy in HER-2-positive primary breast cancer. Cancer 2007;109:487–495. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
The efficacy of viewing an educational video as a method for the acquisition of basic laparoscopic suturing skills.

Abstract Study Objective To estimate the efficacy of viewing an educational video in the acquisition of laparoscopic suturing skills. Design A prospective observational study (Canadian Task Force classification II-2). Setting Tertiary care academic medical institution. Subjects Twelve candidates interviewing for the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellowship position at our institution. Interventions Candidates were evaluated in the laparoscopy laboratory before and after watching a 6-minute educational video on the basic principles of laparoscopic suturing. Each candidate evaluation included the following tasks: (1) introduction of a needle through a trocar (timed in seconds); (2) load and position a needle for suturing with a laparoscopic needle holder (evaluated by number of movements); (3) running continuous suture with 2 passes (timed in seconds); (4) intracorporeal knot tying with 2 throws (timed in seconds); and (5) extracorporeal knot tying with 2 knots (timed in seconds). Measurements and Main Results Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for the statistical comparison of the candidates’ performance before and after viewing the video. After viewing the teaching video, the total median time to perform all timed tasks improved by 20% (115.5 seconds, p = .009). Significant improvement occurred in the median time of introducing the needle through a trocar, continuous suturing, and extracorporeal knot tying (p = .02, p = .01, and p = .003, respectively). Conclusion The use of an educational video appears to be an effective method for the acquisition of basic laparoscopic suturing skills.
Multi-attribute retrieval with combined indexes

In this paper a file organization scheme designed to replace the use of the popular secondary index filing scheme (or inverted files on secondary key fields) is described. Through the use of redundancy and storing keys (or access numbers of the records) that satisfy different combinations of secondary index values in “buckets,” it is possible to retrieve all keys satisfying any input query derived from a subset of fields by a single access to an index file, although each bucket may be used for many combinations of values and a combination of buckets may be required for a given query.The method which, in its degenerate case, becomes the conventional secondary index filing scheme works similarly but has the following advantages: (1) the elimination of multiple accesses in many cases; (2) the elimination of false drops; (3) the elimination of computer time to perform intersection of key sets each qualified for one secondary index field only; and (4) the avoidance of long strings of keys when an index field appearing in a query has very few possible values. Redundancy, in some cases, is the same as the secondary indexing method. In the general case, trade-off between the number of accesses for query and redundancy exists.
How Evolution Shapes the Way Roboticists Think

Abstract Interdisciplinary research in the 21st century is characterized by bidirectional flows: one domain provides inspiration to another, which, after an advance, provides inspiration back to the donating domain. In this abstract I outline three such flows between the domains of evolutionary biology and robotics. First, biological evolution shapes all aspects of an organism's body and brain simultaneously. This led to work in which artificial evolution optimizes the morphology and neural control of robots such that they perform increasingly sophisticated tasks. Second, evolution causes change over evolutionary time, but also over the lifetime of the organism. This led to work in which virtual robots change body plans as they evolve to perform more complex tasks, but their bodies also change as they perform those tasks. Finally, evolution always works on populations. This led to work in which populations of humans collaborate and compete to evolve increasingly sophisticated robots.
A Social Model for Archiving Digital Serials: LOCKSS

Digital archiving inherited a vocabulary from the archiving of physical objects, but the social organization needed for effective digital archiving does not mirror the trusted-institution model used for physical archiving. A social model along the lines of the open source software community makes more sense for works whose authenticity and integrity can best be ensured through bit-level comparisons of multiple originals residing with multiple trusted collaborators. Lots of Copies Keep Stuff Safe (LOCKSS) is building a community base and has over seven years of experience with archiving electronic journals. LOCKSS works and has been tested. Few other digital archiving systems can claim equivalent practical experience.
Development of a rapid screen for detecting and differentiating immunomodulatory vs. anti-inflammatory compounds in rats

Polyarthritis can be induced in rats using a synthetic adjuvant, N,N-dioctyldecyl-N′, N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl) propanediamine (LA) suspended in oil. The disease is morphologically indistinguishable from the classic adjuvant arthritis induced by Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA). LA injection (7.5 mg/animal) consistently induced paw swelling, splenomegaly and fibrinogen level increases at certain time points. Studies evaluating various protocols and parameters determined that a 15 day assay where agents administered from days 9 through 13, would differentiate immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory compounds. Parameters utilized were body weight, paw volumes, spleen weights, and fibrinogen levels. Immunomodulatory agents reduce paw swelling, splenomegaly and in some cases fibrinogen levels. NSAIDS reduce paw swelling,increase splenomegaly and have no effect on fibrinogen levels. These results indicate that compounds active in the traditional FCA assay can be detected and differentiated with respect to anti-inflammatory vs. immunomodulatory activity in a rapid screen.
Blending Effective Behavior Management and Literacy Strategies for Preschoolers Exhibiting Negative Behavior.

Sometimes students will exhibit various aggressive behaviors in the preschool classroom. Early childhood educators need to have behavior management strategies to manage the students’ negative behaviors within the classroom setting. This article will provide a rationale for embedding literacy instruction within behavior management strategies to assist preschool age students with negative behaviors. Three widely used classroom management strategies will be explained: group contingencies, anger management, and individualized behavior plans with differential reinforcement of other behaviors. Each strategy will have developmentally appropriate literacy skills infused into it. In conclusion, a suggestion will be given to early childhood educators on how to implement these blended management techniques.
The evolution of agrarian institutions: The case of medieval and Ottoman Serbia

Abstract This paper synthesizes several existing models of manorial organization and describes the evolution of land tenure regimes in Serbia from the 14th through the 17th centuries in order to evaluate the theories. The relative scarcity of labor, growth of population and trade, and changes in military technology (which served to shift the locus of power between central and local authority) are identified as important factors which affected the evolution of agrarian institutions. In addition, the particular institutions which arose in the two main periods of change were influenced by situation-specific institutional factors which account for variations in outcomes arising from similar sets of initial conditions.
THE RESPONSE OF NATURAL MICROBIAL POPULATIONS IN SEAWATER TO ORGANIC ENRICHMENT1

When the heterotrophic potential technique is applied to marine situations, its analytical value is frequently impaired. In the open ocean, uptake responses often fail to develop despite use of a variety of 14C labeled substrates. Elsewhere, the incidence of uninterpretable kinetic uptake patterns is excessively high. However, when the period of exposure to organic enrichment is extended to 24 hr or more, natural populations from coastal areas develop measurable and analytically useful uptake patterns. Besides providing an attractive source of test cells for bioassay purposes, this shift in uptake behavior can be exploited for studying the dynamics of heterotrophic behavior. An assessment of the marine environment in terms of these and related observations is provided.
Bidirectional microdialysis in vivo shows differential dopaminergic potency of cocaine, procaine and lidocaine in the nucleus accumbens using capillary electrophoresis for calibration of drug outward diffusion.

Cocaine and two other local anesthetics were applied directly into the nucleus accumbens for 20 min by diffusion from a 4 mm microdialysis probe in freely moving rats. Cocaine (7.3 mM) increased the extracellular concentration of dopamine (DA). Equimolar procaine did also, but was not as potent as cocaine. Equimolar lidocaine had no effect. The concentration of these drugs outside the probe as measured by capillary electrophoresis in vitro was about 28% of that inside the probe, i.e. 72% remained inside. However, an in vivo test showed that about 53% cocaine and procaine, and 37% lidocaine remained in the perfusion fluid after passing through a probe inserted in the brain. This suggests that in vivo about 68 nmol cocaine diffused into the nucleus accumbens (NAC) during the 20 min. Five conclusions are drawn: (1) this confirms our earlier finding that local injection of cocaine increases extracellular DA, but in this case the cocaine was infused via the probe without disturbing the animal; (2) the action of cocaine on dopamine terminals in the accumbens is independent of local anesthesia; (3) procaine may enhance mood by a cocaine-like effect; (4) capillary electrophoresis has potential for measuring cocaine levels in small samples and (5) in vitro calibrations are of limited value to evaluate in vivo performance of microdialysis probes.
All-sky hard X-ray spectral line survey with EXIST

The Energetic X-ray Imaging Survey Telescope (EXIST), under study to be the Black Hole Finder Probe in NASA's Beyond Einstein Program, would image the sky every 95 min in the energy range 10-600 keV. Although the main scientific objectives of EXIST are the systematic, all-sky survey of heavily obscured AGNs and gamma-ray bursts, there is a substantial capability of EXIST for the observation of transient and persistent hard X-ray lines from several astrophysical sources.
Kinetic phase diagram for morphological evolution on Cu(0 0 1) surfaces during ion bombardment

Abstract Sputtering by collimated low energy ion beams can lead to a wide range of spontaneous pattern formation on different surfaces under different conditions. We describe a kinetic phase diagram as a way to organize pattern formation behavior observed on Cu(0 0 1) surfaces as a function of flux and temperature. The characteristics of pattern formation in several kinetic regimes are described, and the transitions between the different regimes are discussed in terms of the competition between mechanisms for surface roughening and smoothing.
Institutional evolution in Lake Okeechobee Management in Florida: Characteristics, Impacts, and Limitations

The management of Lake Okeechobee in Florida has undergone significant changes in the last decade. Socio-political, environmental and demographic factors have driven changes in the environmental and water policy, which in turn have led to wide-ranging institutional changes and a shift toward multiobjective planning and implementation in the Lake management. This article describes the changes in the philosophy and practice of water resources management in South Florida hydrologic system, of which Lake Okeechobee is a crucial component. The impacts of the changes on management goals and decision processes are illustrated through a case study of the use of climate information in Lake management. The article concludes with a brief examination of the implications of the institutional changes, including greater public participation, for the long-term sustainability of the social-ecological system in South Florida.
Differential prolactin responses to haloperidol and TRH in normal adult men.

Abstract (1) Prolactin (PRL) responses to low dose intravenous (i.v.) haloperidol differed among individuals, but PRL responses to 25 μg and 500 μg i.v. thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) in the same subjects were similar. (2) Serum concentrations of haloperidol accounted for only 36% of the variability in PRL response. (3) It is concluded that the inter-individual variability in PRL response to haloperidol does not result from differences in pituitary PRL-secreting capacity, nor can it be attributed in a major way to differences in drug metabolism. It is proposed that the variable PRL responses to haloperidol reflect individual differences in dopamine receptor sensitivity to blockade by this drug.