cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
JSF and Canada

Canadian participation in the JSF program has included initial support for it during the Chretien, Martin, and Harper Governments and a partial pulling back from it during the Trudeau Government. Ottawa remains intent on finding a replacement for its aging CF-18 jet fighter fleet and the JSF still remains a possible solution to its military requirements despite cost problems causing Trudeau’s Government to pull back from participation. Many Canadian aerospace companies have been involved in this project; Canadian involvement in the JSF has been the subject of contentious debate and voluminous analysis; and Canada faces the need to defend its Arctic airspace from Russian incursions.
Class, Politics, and Agrarian Policies in Post-liberalisation India

The book visits the idea of New India, studying how the political economy of India has changed significantly in post-liberalisation India. The book challenges the notion that all farmers in India are in agrarian distress, showing that some classes of farmers have gained under policies; it helps understand why farmer movement has weakened and control of industrial capitalist class has been bolstered. The book discusses the growing presence of petty bourgeoisie with both old and new fractions thriving. Gujarat and Karnataka are instances of these two kinds of fractions. Refuting to pre-suppose a uniformity across countries, this book upholds the significance of studying these dynamics within a nation state.
An assessment of child passenger safety levels of service in Michigan.

AbstractObjective: The purpose of this article was to assess the match between child passenger safety resources (child passenger safety technicians [CPSTs], car seat checks, and child restraint system [CRS] distribution programs) and the child population in Michigan by utilizing geographic information systems approaches and to analyze the impact of Michigan’s CPSTs on child passenger safety behaviors on departure from a seat check.Methods: Data were collected from administrative sources and a survey of CPSTs to determine the number and location of child passenger safety resources and children in Michigan. The main analyses used data from 2014. The child population ≤4 years old per county and per traffic safety region was determined from census data. CPST and car seat check locations were determined from a list from the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (Mi-OHSP) and a survey of CPSTs who coordinate seat checks. Summary sheets from Mi-OHSP served as the data source for CRSs distributed through the...
Behind the Screen: How a Simple Seedling Response Helped Unravel Ethylene Signaling in Plants

In 1901, Dimitry Neljubov demonstrated that ethylene caused altered growth of etiolated pea ( Pisum sativum ) seedlings, a morphology that by 1913 came to be referred to as the “triple response.” This response was utilized by Guzman and Ecker in a genetic screen designed to identify mutants
A Framework for the Development of Healthcare Provider Education Programs on Human Trafficking Part One: Experts

Awareness of Trafficking in Persons (TIP) is increasing and healthcare providers (HCP) are seeing increased numbers of trafficked persons (TP) in healthcare settings. Yet HCPs report that they have...
The Dualistic Role of Child Noncompliance: Normal Developmental Process and Indicator of Child Psychopathology

Parent-collected home observations on Behavior Record Cards (BRCs) have yielded accurate and reliable frequencies of child noncompliance. In addition, prior cross-sectional clinic analog measurements have revealed dramatic improvement in child compliance probabilities after age 4.0 in normal children. The current project sought to extend the developmental transition in compliance probability to reductions in noncompliance frequency in the home. Four age groups (2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old cohorts) of normal children participated. Parents were trained to detect and record noncompliance in the home for a two-week period on BRCs. Unlike the laboratory measurement of compliance probability, the transition point for reduced noncompliance frequency in the home for normal children was found to be age 5, rather than age 4, replicating prior observations of noncompliance frequency in the home. Several methodological differences may account for the inconsistent transition points, including sample size, coding accuracy, setting, and instruction quality. Since noncompliance is one symptom of Oppositional Defiance Disorder (DSM-5), data were transformed into daily occurrence percentages to determine if 5-year olds met the DSM-5 criterion of “at least once per week” and younger children met the DSM-5 criterion of “most days”. Virtually all these normal children (37 of 40) met DSM-5 criterion for symptomatic levels of noncompliance. Diagnostic implications are discussed and the lack of normative data based on observational measurements is lamented. It is recommended that both home noncompliance frequencies and clinic compliance probabilities be obtained to evaluate 2- to 6-year-old children referred for externalizing disorders.
Ultra-low-dose 18F-FDG brain PET/MR denoising using deep learning and multi-contrast information

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a widely used molecular imaging modality for various clinical applications. With Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) providing anatomical information, simultaneous PET/MR reduces the radiation risk. Both improved hardware and algorithms have been developed to further reduce the amount of radiotracer dosage, but these methods are not yet applied to very low dose. Here, we propose a Deep Learning based method to enable ultra-low-dose PET denoising with multi-contrast information from simultaneous MRI. Methods:The method is implemented to denoise 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) brain PET images from low-dose images with 200-fold dose reduction through undersampling, and evaluated for glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Comprehensive quantitative and qualitative evaluations were conducted to verify the performance and clinical applicability of the proposed method, including quantitative accuracy evaluation, visual quality evaluation, reader study with manual tumor segmentation to evaluate the diagnostic quality. Results:The results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves superior results in performance and efficiency comparing with the state-of-art denoising methods. Conclusion:Though reconstructed from scans with only 0.5% of the standard dose, the denoised ultra-low-dose PET images deliver similar visual quality and diagnostic information as the standard-dose PET images. By combining PET and MR information, the proposed Deep Learning based method improves image quality of ultra-low-dose PET, preserves diagnostic quality, and potentially enables much safer, faster, and more cost-effective PET/MR studies.
Schwann cell interactions during the development of the peripheral nervous system

Schwann cells play a critical role in the development of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), establishing important relationships both with the extracellular milieu and other cell types, particularly neurons. In this review, we discuss various Schwann cell interactions integral to the proper establishment, spatial arrangement, and function of the PNS. We include signals that cascade onto Schwann cells from axons and from the extracellular matrix, bidirectional signals that help to establish the axo-glial relationship and how Schwann cells in turn support the axon. Further, we speculate on how Schwann cell interactions with other components of the developing PNS ultimately promote the complete construction of the peripheral nerve.
Controversies on the Cusp: Anomalous Origin of the Left Coronary Artery From the Non-Coronary Cusp

Anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the non-coronary cusp (LCANCC) is extremely rare and its prognosis and management are still controversial. We present two cases of symptomatic women with LCANCC and a comprehensive review of 19 studies reporting the prevalence, presentation, and management of LCANCC among 174,262 patients. Despite case reports of LCANCC in the pediatric population suggest a much worse prognosis, the optimal risk-stratification scheme for this type of anomaly in adults is yet to be defined, and it should not necessarily be considered a benign condition solely based on its anatomic origin or lack of an interarterial course.
Challenges in the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to pose a significant public health problem. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of extra-pulmonary TB. TBM carries a high mortality rate, including for those receiving treatment for TB. Diagnosis of TBM is difficult for clinicians as it can clinically present similarly to other forms of meningitis. The difficulty in diagnosis often leads to a delay in treatment and subsequent mortality. Those who survive are left with long-term sequelae leading to lifelong disability. The microbiologic diagnosis of TBM requires the isolation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of an infected patient. The diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis continues to be challenging for clinicians. Unfortunately, many cases of TBM cannot be confirmed based on clinical and imaging findings as the clinical findings are nonspecific, while laboratory techniques are largely insensitive or slow. Until recently, the lack of accessible and timely tests has contributed to a delay in diagnosis and subsequent morbidity and mortality for many patients, particularly those in resourcelimited settings. The availability of Xpert Ultra and point-of-care lipoarabinomannan (LAM) testing could represent a new era of prompt diagnosis and early treatment of tuberculous meningitis. However, clinicians must be cautious when ruling out TBM with Xpert Ultra due to its low negative predictive value. Due to the limitations of current diagnostics, clinicians should utilize a combination of diagnostic modalities in order to prevent morbidity in patients with TBM.
Pediatric Constipation: an Epidemiologic and Physiologic Approach to Guide a Stepwise Approach to its Management

Functional constipation (FC) is a disorder of multifactorial origin that accounts for the vast majority of constipation cases in children and often leads to a significant impact on quality of life. Functional constipation can be challenging to manage due to its mixed etiology. Understanding epidemiologic and physiologic features in the process of defecation is key when choosing an adequate diagnostic and management plan for patients with functional constipation. There is a wide range of pharmacologic treatments that can be implemented at initial diagnosis; however, results can significantly vary and sometimes lead to a chronic disease state. At this point, non-pharmacologic or interventional methods can be applied in order to restore a physiologic defecation pattern. This review describes the epidemiology and pathophysiology of FC in addition to current pharmacologic, interventional and complementary treatment options within the pediatric population. FC is a common problem within the pediatric population that must be studied more extensively to better understand its physiology and appropriate treatment. Although many children with FC respond to conventional treatment methods, it is especially important to gain a more thorough understanding of treatment options for children with refractory constipation.
Incorporating Reliability Improvement and Fleet Maintenance into Rotorcraft Tradespace Tools

Tradespace exploration (TSE) promises to support the development of processes and products capable of performing in a wide range of conditions. Past research themes include visualization tools to compare alternative designs, methods to ascribe value to these designs, and models to characterize the impact of non-functional requirements such as reliability, availability, and maintainability. While some TSE tools incorporate one or more of these aspects, simultaneous consideration of technical and financial feasibility as well as potential usage profiles can offer a more thorough understanding of alternative designs. Toward this end, this paper demonstrates the feasibility of incorporating quantitative reliability improvement models into the Capability Assessment and Tradeoff Environment (CATE), a GUI based, rapid prototyping TSE tool for rotorcraft. The illustrations demonstrate the capability of the approach to identify optimal reliability investment to minimize average fleet and system maintenance cost as well as the ability to conduct tradeoff studies between performance measures defined in CATE and the cost measures developed here. These methods can promote more comprehensive tradespace analysis considering performance, reliability, and cost related system attributes as well as their strategic implications.
Using an Astronaut Jetpack Project to Teach Human-CPS Requirements Engineering

This paper reports experience teaching an undergraduate Requirements Engineering (RE) course organized around a Human-Cyber-Physical System (H-CPS) project called SafeWalk. This project, based on a NASA astronaut’s jetpack, gave students practical experience developing RE skills. Using the SafeWalk project helped the students learn the RE discovery, specification, analysis and evolution techniques they need to be practitioners in the growing field of H-CPS.
Long-term healthcare provider availability following large-scale hurricanes: a difference-in-differences study

Background Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy were two of the most significant disasters of the 21st century that critically impacted communities and the health of their residents. Despite the assumption that disasters affect access to healthcare, to our knowledge prior studies have not rigorously examined availability of healthcare providers following disasters. Objective The objective of this study was to examine availability of healthcare providers following large-scale hurricanes. Methods Using historical data on healthcare providers from the National Plan and Provider Enumeration System and county-level population characteristics, we conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine the effect of large-scale hurricanes on healthcare provider availability in the short-term and long-term. We separately examined availability of primary care physicians, medical specialists, surgeons, and nurse practitioners. A difference-in-differences analysis was used to control for time variant factors comparing county-level health care provider availability in affected and unaffected counties the year before Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy, to five years after each storm. Results Counties affected by Hurricane Katrina compared to unaffected locales experienced a decrease of 3.59 primary care physicians per 10,000 population (95% CI: -6.5, -0.7), medical specialists (decrease of 5.9 providers per 10,000 (95% CI: -11.3, -0.5)), and surgeons (decrease of 2.1 (95% CI: -3.8, -0.37)). However, availability of nurse practitioners did not change appreciably. Counties affected by Hurricane Sandy exhibited less pronounced changes. Changes in availability of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, medical specialists, and surgeons were not statistically significant. Conclusion Large-scale hurricanes appear to affect availability of healthcare providers for up to several years following impact of the storm. Effects vary depending on the characteristics of the community. Primary care physicians and medical specialists availability was the most impacted, potentially having long-term implications for population health in the context of disaster recovery.
Trends in outpatient emergency department visits during the COVID-19 pandemic at a large, urban, academic hospital system.

Abstract Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has critically affected healthcare delivery in the United States. Little is known on its impact on the utilization of emergency department (ED) services, particularly for conditions that might be medically urgent. The objective of this study was to explore trends in the number of outpatient (treat and release) ED visits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective study of outpatient emergency department visits from January 1, 2019 to August 31, 2020 using data from a large, urban, academic hospital system in Utah. Using weekly counts and trend analyses, we explored changes in overall ED visits, by patients' area of residence, by medical urgency, and by specific medical conditions. Results While outpatient ED visits were higher (+6.0%) in the first trimester of 2020 relative to the same period in 2019, the overall volume between January and August of 2020 was lower (−8.1%) than in 2019. The largest decrease occurred in April 2020 (−30.4%), followed by the May to August period (−12.8%). The largest declines were observed for visits by out-of-state residents, visits classified as non-emergent, primary care treatable or preventable, and for patients diagnosed with hypertension, diabetes, headaches and migraines, mood and personality disorders, fluid and electrolyte disorders, and abdominal pain. Outpatient ED visits for emergent conditions, such as palpitations and tachycardia, open wounds, syncope and collapse remained relatively unchanged, while lower respiratory disease-related visits were 67.5% higher in 2020 relative to 2019, particularly from March to April 2020. However, almost all types of outpatient ED visits bounced back after May 2020. Conclusions Overall outpatient ED visits declined from mid-March to August 2020, particularly for non-medically urgent conditions which can be treated in other more appropriate care settings. Our findings also have implications for insurers, policymakers, and other stakeholders seeking to assist patients in choosing more appropriate setting for their care during and after the pandemic.
Beyond the Hernia Repair: A Review of the Insurance Coverage of Critical Adjuncts in Abdominal Wall Reconstruction

The prevalence of complex abdominal wall defects continues to rise, which necessitates increasingly sophisticated medical and surgical management. Insurance coverage for reconstructive surgery varies due to differing interpretations of medical necessity. The authors sought to characterize the current insurance landscape for a subset of key adjunctive procedures in abdominal wall reconstruction, including component separation and simultaneous ventral hernia repair with panniculectomy (SVHR-P) or abdominoplasty (SVHR-A), and synthesize a set of reporting recommendations based on insurer criteria. Methods Insurance companies were selected based on their national and state market share. Preauthorization criteria, preauthorization lists, and medical/clinical policies by each company for component separation, SVRH-P, and SVRH-A were examined. Coverage criteria were abstracted and analyzed. Results Fifty insurance companies were included in the study. Only 1 company had clear approval criteria for component separation, while 38 cover it on a case-by-case basis. Four companies had clear approval policies for SVHR-P, 4 cover them on an individual case basis, and 28 flatly do not cover SVHR-P. Similarly, 3 companies had clear approval policies for SVHR-A, 6 cover them case by case, and 33 do not cover SVHR-A. Conclusions Component separation and soft tissue contouring are important adjunctive AWR procedures with efficacy supported by peer-reviewed literature. The variability in SVHR-P and SVHR-A coverage likely decreases access to these procedures even when there are established medical indications. The authors recommend standardization of coverage criteria for component separation, given that differing interpretations of medical necessity increase the likelihood of insurance denials.
Evolution of Interbacterial Antagonism in Bee Gut Microbiota Reflects Host and Symbiont Diversification

Gram-negative bacteria frequently possess type VI secretion systems (T6SSs), protein complexes that are able to inject toxic proteins into nearby cells. Many aspects of T6SS structure and function have been characterized for model species, but less is known about the evolutionary processes that shape T6SS and effector (toxin) diversity in host-associated microbial communities. The bee gut microbiota is a simple community that has codiversified with bees for >80 million years. This study investigated how complements of T6SSs and effectors within the bee microbiota changed as bacteria and their hosts diversified into isolated species. We used protein homology to survey 198 isolate genomes of 9 Gram-negative species for genes encoding T6SS structural components; Rhs toxins, which are common T6SS effectors; and VgrG proteins, which are structural components associated with specific toxins. T6SS loci were present in 5 species clusters found only in bees, namely Apibacter spp., Gilliamella spp., Frischella perrara, "Candidatus Schmidhempelia bombi," and Snodgrassella alvi The distribution of T6SS loci suggests that at least 3 were present in the microbiota of the common ancestor of social bees and that loss of these genes in some bacterial lineages was linked to both host and bacterial speciation. Isolates differed enormously in repertoires of Rhs and VgrG proteins. We found that bacterial species employ different mechanisms for toxin acquisition and diversification and that species and strains sometimes lose the T6SS entirely, likely causing shifts in competitive dynamics within these communities.IMPORTANCE Antagonistic interactions between bacteria affect diversity and dynamics of host-associated communities, including gut communities that are linked to host health. In many bacterial communities, including human and honey bee gut microbiotas, antagonism is mediated by type VI secretion systems (T6SSs) that deliver lethal toxins to competing strains. In this study, we explored how T6SSs and associated toxins have evolved in the simple, host-specific gut microbiota of honey bees and bumble bees. Using comparative genomics, we explored the conservation, recombination, horizontal transfer, and loss of T6SSs and effectors during 80 million years of evolution of this bee-associated community. We find that that patterns of T6SS loss and retention are linked to differences in biology across host species, while trends in effector diversification are mostly specific to bacterial lineages.
Optimal Torque Distribution of Dual-Motor All-Wheel Drive Electric Vehicles for Maximizing Motor Energy Efficiency

This paper presents the suitable choices for the front- and rear-wheel motors of a dual-motor all-wheel drive electric vehicle (EV) based on the optimal torque distribution for high efficiency. Interior permanent magnet synchronous, induction, and PM-assisted synchronous reluctance machines are among the top machine contenders for either of the axles of the vehicle. The fuel economy analysis according to motor combinations and torque distribution is conducted. The B-segment EV is used for fuel economy tests with the UDDS and the HWY driving cycles in MATLAB/SIMULINK. The simulation results show that induction machine for the front-wheel motor with the proposed optimal torque distribution when the rear-wheel motor is the permanent magnet synchronous machine reduces the total amount of motor energy consumption.
The Significance of Crack-Tip Characterization in Dynamic Fracture

It is of practical engineering interest to have a worakable analysis with which to predict crack propagation or arrest. Dynamic finite-element analysis of crack propagation in viscoplastic material is reviewed. The primary problems with this technique occur because the analyses are focusing on characterizing the energy flow into an unrealistically small zone around the crack tip. Experimental results are presented which show the diffuse nature of the crack tip damaged zone in structural steel. An alternative analysis method is suggested.
Nanosecond fluorescence and absorbance changes in photosystem II at low redox potential: Pheophytin as an intermediary electron acceptor

The electron-acceptor system in photosystem II (PS II) reaction centers of green plants is similar to that in bacterial reaction centers. In both kinds of reaction centers, a quinone (Q) acts as an early electron acceptor (ubiquinone or menaquinone in bacterial [l] and plastoquinone in PS II [2,3]). If the quinone is in the reduced form, continuous illumination causes the accumulation of a bacteriopheophytin (BPh) radical anion (BPh’-) in bacterial reaction centers [4-61 and of a pheophytin (Ph) radical anion (Ph.-) in PS II [7-l 31. The radical anions of BPh [5,14,15] and of Ph [12,13] participate inan exchange interaction with the radical anion of the quinone, coupled to a non-heme Fe atom, indicating that the distance between (B)Ph and Q is very short. The reduction of the quinone increases the formation of pigment triplet states in both bacteria [4,16] and PS II [29]. This is inhibited upon photoaccumulation of BPH’or Ph.-. Reduction of Q also is accompanied by the appearance of ns delayed fluorescence, which decreases during photoaccumulation of BPh’[4] or Ph.[9]. The delayed fluorescence has a characteristic magnetic field dependence in bacterial reaction centers [ 17-191 and in PS II [ 181 and an activation energy of 0.04-0.12 eV [4,9]. When the quinone in bacterial reaction centers is reduced, flash excitation generates a state ‘PF’, which has a lifetime of -10 ns [ 16,201. The transient state
CD40 Is Required for Protective Immunity against Liver Stage Plasmodium Infection

The costimulatory molecule CD40 enhances immunity through several distinct roles in T cell activation and T cell interaction with other immune cells. In a mouse model of immunity to liver stage Plasmodium infection, CD40 was critical for the full maturation of liver dendritic cells, accumulation of CD8(+) T cells in the liver, and protective immunity induced by immunization with the Plasmodium yoelii fabb/f(-) genetically attenuated parasite. Using mixed adoptive transfers of polyclonal wild-type and CD40-deficient CD8(+) T cells into wild-type and CD40-deficient hosts, we evaluated the contributions to CD8(+) T cell immunity of CD40 expressed on host tissues including APC, compared with CD40 expressed on the CD8(+) T cells themselves. Most of the effects of CD40 could be accounted for by expression in the T cells' environment, including the accumulation of large numbers of CD8(+) T cells in the livers of immunized mice. Thus, protective immunity generated during immunization with fabb/f(-) was largely dependent on effective APC licensing via CD40 signaling.
Interpolation techniques for geo-spatial association rule mining

Association rule mining has become an important component of information processing systems due to significant increase in its applications. In this paper, our main objective is to find which interpolation approaches are best suited for discovering geo-spatial association rules from unsampled points. We investigate and integrate two interpolation approaches into our geo-spatial association rule mining algorithm. We call them pre-interpolation and post-interpolation approaches.
Showing evidence: analysis of students' arguments in a range of settings

The purpose of this study is to investigate evidence-based arguments generated through the use of a web based tool, Showing Evidence. Six of 40 sample classrooms during 2004-2005 were purposefully sampled from the tool's database. Analysis focused on identifying the physical and argumentation schematic structures of possible evidence based explanations using Toulmin (1958) and Walton (1996) frameworks. Findings demonstrate student's ability to depict proper data for claims yet inability in structuring overall explanations.
Self-organizing neural network architectures for real-time adaptive pattern recognition

Many of the most important properties of biological intelligence arise through a process of self-organization whereby a biological system actively interacts with a complex environment in real-time. The environment is often noisy and nonstationary, and intelligent capabilities are learned autonomously and without benefit of an external teacher. For example, children learn to visually recognize and manipulate many complex objects without being provided with explicit rules for how to do so.
The cartilage thickness distribution in the tibiofemoral joint and its correlation with cartilage-to-cartilage contact.

Objective. The objective of this study was to investigate whether regions of cartilage in the tibiofemoral joint where cartilage-to-cartilage contact occurred was thicker than other regions. Design. In vivo human subjects. Background. The thickness of the cartilage in the knee has been investigated in various studies. However, the factors that influence the thickness distribution within the joint remain unclear. Methods. Six healthy living knees (5 male, 1 female, average age = 27) were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging. Three-dimensional models of the tibial and femoral cartilage layers were created. The cartilage thickness distribution was compared between regions where cartilage-to-cartilage contact was observed during in vivo weightbearing flexion and regions with no contact. Results. The regions with cartilage-to-cartilage contact were significantly thicker than the regions without cartilage-to-cartilage contact (P < 0.05). On the medial condyle, the cartilage-to-cartilage contact regions were up to 40% thicker than regions with no contact. On the lateral femoral condyle, the maximum difference between these regions was 20%. On the tibial plateau, the maximal differences between regions with and without cartilage-to-cartilage contact were found to be 40% on the medial side and 50% on the lateral side. Conclusions. The data suggested that in normal knees, the cartilage was thicker in regions where cartilage-to-cartilage contact was present. Future studies should investigate the effects of in vivo loading on cartilage maintenance and growth. Relevance Injuries that alter knee kinematics might load regions of the joint where the cartilage is thinner. This might alter the stress distributions within the cartilage.
Lactose Synthetase: Progesterone Inhibition of the Induction of α-Lactalbumin

Lactose synthesis in the mammary gland is dependent on the hormonally controlled synthesis of the two protein components of lactose synthetase, α-lactalbumin and a galactosyltransferase. Prolactin induces the synthesis of both proteins in mammary gland explants treated with insulin and hydrocortisone, but the induction kinetics cannot account for the asynchronous synthesis of the two proteins that are observed in vivo. Progesterone appears to take part in the control of lactose synthesis and acts to repress the formation of α-lactalbumin throughout pregnancy. At parturition, when the concentration of progesterone in the plasma decreases, the rate of α-lactalbumin synthesis increases.
Induction of Cytochrome P450 by Barbiturates in Chick Embryo Hepatocytes: A Quantitative Structure-Activity Analysis

In cultured chick embryo hepatocytes, induction of cytochrome P450 by nine 5,5-substituted barbiturates was analyzed for a quantitative structure-activity relationship. The data led to the following equation: Log 1/C = 1.02 (±0.16) log P + 2.75 (±0.28), r = 0.984 where C is the concentration that caused a 50% increase in cytochrome P450, P is the partition coefficient between octanol and water, and r is the correlation coefficient. The results suggest that the potency of the barbiturates was directly related to their hydrophobicity.
Standard Errors on Respiratory Mechanical Parameters Obtained by Forced Random Excitation

Equations describing the standard errors of forced random impedance data and derived parameters in terms of various data collection and data processing factors were developed and verified. The equation indicate that to obtain reliable estimates: 1) 16 ensembles are adequate when coherence is greater than 0.9, and that 32 ensembles are adequate when the coherence is between 0.8 and 0.9; 2) the impedance of the bias tube should be at least two times the impedance of the respiratory system in the bandwidth of the applied noise; and 3) the spectrum should include at least 20 frequencies with at least 2 and preferably more below 10 Hz. Fortunately, all of these constraints can be satisfied with most subjects. This analysis also provides a basis for using weighted regression in estimating resistance, inertance, and compliance parameters, and for separating observed parameter variability into methodological and physiological components.
Differences in the subcellular localization of calreticulin and organellar Ca2+-ATPase in neurons

It has become clear that calcium is an important mediator in the transduction of signals due to ligand binding to cell surface receptors. Cytosolic calcium is typically maintained at low levels in both muscle and non-muscle cells and intracellular sequestering of calcium appears to be important in this process. The identification of intracellular calcium pools has been the subject of much recent study, and it has been proposed that such pools would contain three components: a calcium-activated pump or Ca(2+)-ATPase, a calcium channel such as the inositol trisphosphate receptor or ryanodine receptor, and a high-capacity calcium-binding protein such as calsequestrin or calreticulin. We report here on the localization of two components, the organellar Ca(2+)-ATPase (SERCA) and calreticulin, in neuronal tissues. Using immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation, we have found that for the most part, these two proteins do not co-localize in neuron cell bodies, dendrites, or axons; but may co-localize at the axon terminal.
Exploiting symmetry in electrical packaging analysis

Many properties of physical systems can be expressed by symmetric matrices of order n, where n is the number of components in the system. The computer storage requirement for inverting the most general symmetric matrix is n(n + 1)/2 storage locations. For large values of n, the number of multiplications required is proportional to n3. If the physical system possesses certain geometrical symmetries, both the amount of storage and the number of multiplications can be reduced substantially. It will be shown that if the physical system possesses p orthogonal planes of symmetry, where p = 1, 2, or 3, and if n is sufficiently larger, then the storage requirement can be reduced approximately by 1/2p and the number of multiplications by 1/4p.
Recent advances in hemostatic risk factors and cardiovascular diseases

Summary Population-based and clinical prospective studies have clearly established plasma fibrinogen levels as an independent risk factor for CHD events. Cross-sectional analysis further reveals that plasma fibrinogen levels are independently associated with asymptomatic carotid atherosclerosis. Factor VII, Factor VIII, vWF, tPA, PAI-1, and markers of platelet activation are potentially associated with CHD events and/or asymptomatic atherosclerosis. Recent advances in this field of research has provided an excellent opportunity of studying the causal relationship between hemostatic factors and CHD events.
Controllability and Observability of Linear Matrix-Second-Order Systems

This paper studies the controllability and observability of the system Mq + Gq + Kq = Bu , where M is symmetric and positive-definite, G is skew-symmetric and K is symmetric. In all cases, the output equation is y = Pq + Rq . This special structure is exploited to derive relatively simple controllability and observability conditions which are shown to provide important insights on the modal behavior of the system and to furnish information on the number and positioning of sensors and actuators.
Ion pathways in renal brush border membranes.

Abstract The absorbance change of the weak base dye probe, Acridine orange, was used to monitor alterations of pH gradients across renal brush border membrane vesicles. The presence of Na+/H+ or Li+/H+ exchange was demonstrated by diluting Na2SO4 or Li2SO4 loaded vesicles into Na+- or Li+-free solutions, which caused dye uptake. About 20% of the uptake was abolished by lipid permeable cations such as valinomycin-K+ or tetraphenylphosphonium, indicating perhaps the presence of a finite Na+ conductance smaller than electroneutral Na+/H+ exchange. The protonophore tetrachlorosalicylanilide raised the rate of dye uptake under these conditions, hence the presence of an Na+ conductance greater than the H+ conductance was suggested. K+ gradients also induced changes of pH, at about 10% of the Na+ or Li+ rate. Partial inhibition (21%) was seen with 0.1 mM amiloride indicating that K+ was a low affinity substrate for the Na+/H+ exchange. Acceleration both by tetrachlorosalicylanilide (2-fold) and valinomycin (4-fold) suggested the presence of 2 classes of vesicles, those with high and those with low K+ conductance. The larger magnitude of the valinomycin dependent signal suggested that 75% of the vesicles had a low K+ conductance. Inward Cl− gradients also induced acidification, partially inhibited by the presence of tetraphenylphosphonium, and accelerated by tetrachlorosalicylanilide. Thus both a Cl− conductance greater than the H+ conductance and a Cl−/OH− exchange were present. The rate of Na+/H+ exchange was amiloride sensitive with a pH optimum of 6.5 and an apparent Km for Na+ or Li+ of about 10 mM and an EA of 14.3 kcal per mol. A 61-fold Na2SO4 gradient resulted in a pH gradient of 1.64 units which increased to 1.8 with gramicidin. An equivalent NaCl gradient gave a much lower ΔpH even in the presence of gramicidin showing that the H+ and Cl− pathways could alter the effects of the Na+/H+ exchange.
Effects of operating conditions on the determination of the rare earth elements by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)

Abstract The effect of ICP-MS instrumental parameters on the determination of the rare earth elements was studied with a commercial inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometer. Parameters include variations in ion-lens settings, nebulizer argon flow rate, rf power, distance from load coil to sampler and changes in design of the sampler and skimmer. These parameters result in varying formation of detected oxide ions which are related to bond energies, formation of hydroxide and doubly charged ions, and matrix effects. From this the optimum masses for reliable analysis are recommended, and examples of successful determinations of rare earth elements in a number of samples are given.
Diagnostic exome sequencing--are we there yet?

Advances in technology are rapidly changing the field of medical genetics in both the research laboratory and the clinic. With the use of next-generation, or massively parallel, DNA sequencing, it is possible to determine the sequence of essentially all genes in an individual's genome — referred to as the exome — within a matter of days. This technology became widely available in 2005, and the first proof-of-principle experiment showing the power of exome sequencing for the discovery of genes associated with disease was published a few years later.1 Since then, exome analysis has been used in the research setting to . . .
Women & Children First: Nineteenth-Century Sea Narratives & American Identity by Robin Miskolcze

Women & Children First: Nineteenth-Century Sea Narratives & American Identity Robin Miskolcze. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2007. Everyone knows that when a ship is sinking, women and children get the first seats in lifeboats; then men may take what's left. And the last one to leave is the captain. But what everyone knows is a relatively recent convention, says Robin Mickolcze. In 1854 the US Arctic took four hours to sink after having collided in the fog with a French steamer. Of those who boarded lifeboats, 70% were crew and only 30% were passengers. Not a single woman or child was saved. News of the disaster was bad enough, but accounts of the selfishness of the men were even worse for a nation that prided itself on being a city on a hill, a Christian model for the rest of the world to followwhat Alexis de Tocqueville had termed American exceptionalism. Miskolcze says this event shook America to its very core: the nation had failed to live up to its own espoused ideals. Three years later the Central America - carrying men, women, children, and gold-was hit by a hurricane on its way back from California. Three-quarters of those on board perished, a quarter of a million dollars in gold was lost, but under the direction of Captain Herndon all thirty women and twenty-six children were saved. This tragedy, horrific though it was, vindicated America's belief in itself. Men had sacrificed their own interests - wealth and life itself-to protect women and children. The nation's outpouring of sympathy was immediate and overwhelming. Newspaper readers subscribed to a fund for the widow of Captain Herndon -as water engulfed the ship, he was last seen on the bridge calmly smoking a cigar-and a monument to his memory was erected on the grounds of the US Naval Academy. Miskolcze reads antebellum sea narratives-factual and fictional -as coded cultural parables: they portray women as models of Christian and American ideals. What happens to women tests and explores anxieties about national identity. Her first two chapters take a chronological look a sea deliverance stories. Early Puritan accounts manipulated anecdotal details so that survival could be seen as evidence of the providential hand of God's protecting his chosen people: those coming to his New World. At the end of the eighteenth century, accounts showed that shipwreck survival depended not only on God's intervention but also on man's ingenuity. And by the nineteenth century, America was in fascinated by the exquisite sentiment (with an undeniable element of titillation) evoked by accounts of women in danger at sea. The code that demanded saving women served as a moral lesson from pulpit and editorial page. Miskolcze's final three chapters explore special cases. …
Microarray Analysis of Replicate Populations Selected Against a Wing-Shape Correlation in Drosophila melanogaster

We selected bidirectionally to change the phenotypic correlation between two wing dimensions in Drosophila melanogaster and measured gene expression differences in late third instar wing disks, using microarrays. We tested an array of 12 selected lines, including 10 from a Massachusetts population (5 divergently selected pairs) and 2 from a California population (1 divergently selected pair). In the Massachusetts replicates, 29 loci showed consistent, significant expression differences in all 5 line-pair comparisons. However, the significant loci in the California lines were almost completely different from these. The disparity between responding genes in different gene pools confirms recent evidence that surprisingly large numbers of loci can affect wing shape. Our results also show that with well-replicated selection lines, of large effective size, the numbers of candidate genes in microarray-based searches can be reduced to realistic levels.
Initial value problems in the logarithmic algebra

Abstract Polynomial solutions to systems of first order delta operator equations are well known, and even some initial value problems can be explicitly solved by appropriate manipulation of Sheffer sequences. The same method can be applied to the logarithmic algebra when Sheffer sequences are analogously defined, and the initial value of a polynomial is replaced by an evaluation functional on formal power series. As examples we consider systems of first order differential and difference equations.
Ultrastructure of HRP-Labelled Neurons: A comparison of two sensitive techniques

Abstract Rat sciatic nerves were transected and placed in a solution of HRP. Following perfusion, L4-6 spinal segments and sensory ganglia were cut into 60 μm sections. Alternate sections were processed with the glucose oxidase (GOD) or the benzidine dihydrochloride (BDHC) procedure. Sections were then either mounted on glass slides for light microscopic (LM) examination or embedded in epoxy resin for sequential light and electron microscopic (EM) analysis. At the LM level, GOD reaction product was granular and confined to the soma and proximal dendrites of motoneurons, while BDHC reacted tissue was characterized by a diffuse labelling of the cytoplasm, extending as far as tertiary dendrites. At the EM level, neurons in tissue processed with the GOD technique contained lysosomal and vesiculotubular elements that were extremely electron dense. Label in BDHC reacted tissue appeared as dense patches of reaction product dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. Possible reasons for the qualitative differences in the reaction product provided by the two techniques as well as suggested applications of the techniques are discussed.
Utility of laryngeal electromyography in predicting recovery after vocal fold paralysis.

Abstract Munin MC, Rosen CA, Zullo T. Utility of laryngeal electromyography in predicting recovery after vocal fold paralysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84:1150–3. Objectives: To determine the value of laryngeal electromyography in predicting recovery after vocal fold paralysis and to determine what elements of laryngeal electromyography are most predictive of outcome. Design: Cohort study with retrospective data review. Setting: University voice center. Participants: Consecutive sample of 31 patients with vocal fold paralysis diagnosed by indirect laryngoscopy, using either nasal insertion with a flexible nasopharyngoscope or peroral with a 70° Hopkins rod. Inclusion criteria were that laryngeal electromyography had to have been performed between 21 days and 6 months from the onset of symptoms and patients must have been followed a minimum of 6 months. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure: Vocal fold motion at 6 months from onset of symptoms. Results: Nine subjects (29%) had resolved vocal fold motion, whereas 22 (71%) had persistent vocal fold paralysis. By using our laryngeal electromyography paradigm, 4 of 6 patients with a laryngeal electromyography prognosis of excellent resolved. The predictive value for a negative test was 66.7%. For patients with a fair or poor prognosis, 5 of 25 resolved. The predictive value for a positive test was 80%. Only 8 of 22 patients with persistent vocal fold paralysis had fibrillations, and spontaneous activity was not significantly related to outcome. Patients with absent or greatly decreased motor unit recruitment had a significantly higher proportion of permanent vocal fold paralysis ( P P Conclusions: This study confirms the utility of laryngeal electromyography in assessing prognosis for recovery of vocal fold motion after laryngeal nerve injury. The results support our hypothesis that preset decision rules based on laryngeal electromyography data can be effectively used to determine a prognosis for recovery of vocal fold motion.