cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Body Politic and the Citizen’s Mouth: Oral Health and Dental Care in Nineteenth-Century Manhattan

As American democracy burgeoned in the 19th century, citizenship was expressed in the young nation in part through bodily-care regimes as well as consumption practices. The mouth, in particular, might therefore be considered a locus at which class, medical practices, and ideologies of citizenship and identity articulate. Historical bioarchaeology is uniquely situated to approach the broader social context of dental health in the past. Using multiple lines of evidence, including archaeological and archival sources, bioarchaeologists can investigate the ways discourses on health and the body, as well as urbanizing and industrializing forces, influenced both dental disease and dental care. This study investigates oral health in the skeletal remains from the Spring Street Presbyterian Church burial vaults (ca. 1820–1850) in New York City. Rates of carious lesions, abscesses, and antemortem tooth loss are contextualized through artifacts and historical documents. Archaeological evidence in the burial vaults for dental care includes prosthetic devices and fillings, while archival sources document preventative dental care, dietary choices, and engagement with discourses on the body and citizenship.
Human Milk as the First Source of Micronutrients.

Well-nourished mothers are assumed to produce adequate concentrations of nutrients in their milk for optimal infant growth and development and infants should be exclusively breastfed during the first 6 months. It is important to know the nutrient content of human milk as this information is used to set recommended adequate intakes (AIs) for infants. Our review of existing information reveals that the AI recommendations are based on poor data. The milk content of a few nutrients may not be adequate to provide requirements for 6 months even in well-nourished mothers. Importantly, the concentrations of many micronutrients in milk are low when the mother consumes a poor quality diet. Our new efficient methods for milk nutrient analysis have enabled us to illuminate the large differences in milk micronutrient concentrations across populations, to examine the effects of milk collection protocols on nutrient concentrations, and to study the effects of maternal supplementation in pregnancy and/or lactation on milk micronutrient and infant status. The ongoing Mothers, Infants and Lactation Quality study proposes to answer some of these uncertainties. Two hundred and fifty healthy, well-nourished, unsupplemented mother-infant dyads in each of the 4 countries are being studied. The range of milk nutrient concentrations across the first 9 months postpartum will provide "Reference Values" against which other studies and surveys can evaluate the quality of milk and possibly target nutrients for treatment with supplements or fortification.
Tissue Engineering Models for the Study of Breast Neoplastic Disease and the Tumor Microenvironment

The development of adequate experimental models is crucial to furthering the current mechanistic understanding of the etiopathogenesis, subsequent growth, and ultimate metastasis of breast cancer, ...
The Structuralist Legacy: A Modern Human Science

The Course in General Linguistics played a significant role for the establishment of scientific structuralism in the 1950s’ and 1960s’ France. The structuralist readers tended to gloss over the complications befalling this posthumously edited text by receiving it reverently as the Vulgate, a popular scripture upon which the school of structuralism can be based. Foucault’s analysis of the authorial function helps to explain how the Course functioned ideologically as Saussure’s work, despite the empirical complications regarding its historical provenance and authorship; Foucault’s analysis also sheds light on the concurrent neglect of Saussure’s Nachlass. Lacan’s psychoanalysis provides a representative example of how structural scientists tended to appropriate the Course in the humanities.
Privacy, remedies and comity: the emerging problem of global injunctions and some preliminary thoughts on how best to address it

A troubling new trend seems to be emerging: Some national courts are issuing extraterritorial injunctions that require web search engine providers (such as Google and Bing) to de-index content on a global basis. In Google, Inc. v. Equustek Solutions, Inc., the Supreme Court of Canada held that the Canadian domestic courts may lawfully issue global de-indexing orders that require online content to be removed not only in Canada but also world-wide. Meanwhile, other national courts and transnational juridical bodies are actively considering whether or not to embrace the use of global de-indexing orders to further national policies regarding intellectual property, informational self-determination, and privacy. Injunctions that require a search engine provider to de-index search results, when limited to the territory of the issuing court, do not present any serious conflict of laws issues or problems. After all, a particular country may decide to extend broad – or relatively weak – legal protection to the freedom of speech (including even core political speech). Nor do they implicate international law norms that generally restrict the jurisdiction of national courts to a particular sovereign’s territory or citizens. Global de-indexing orders, however, are another kettle of fish. Domestic courts should be careful what they wish for before endorsing globally-applicable de-indexing orders. If widely adopted and deployed, world-wide injunctions requiring the de-indexing of search results have the potential to sow legal chaos – and to significantly disrupt global flows of information and ideas over the Internet. In the context of speech restrictions designed to promote privacy interests, such injunctions could easily lead to a race to the bottom, with the least speech protective jurisdiction that possesses the power to force private corporations to comply with the injunctive orders of its domestic courts effectively determining the scope of freedom of expression in the U.S. and Europe. To be sure, the Court of Justice of the European Union held, in its recent CNIL decision, that the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) does not have extraterritorial effect. Even so, however, it clearly signaled that the EU could lawfully apply the right to be forgotten (RTBF) on a world-wide basis if the European Parliament wished to give the RTBF global effect. The EU should think carefully before it follows the lead of the Supreme Court of Canada in Equustek. As much as the EU might wish for European data privacy standards to serve as the world’s legal yardstick, its leaders should consider very carefully whether they are prepared to have China set the metes and bounds of freedom of expression in both Beijing and Brussels.
Google Service-Based CbITS Authoring Tool to Support Collaboration

The intelligent tutoring system (ITS) is one of the typical Adaptive Instructional Systems (AIS) applications. ITS has been one of the cutting-edge research fields over the past three decades. Despite the many successes of ITSs, there are a few challenges for implementing them on a large scale. One significant challenge is content authoring [14, 21]. Many authoring components of ITSs are inaccessible to the average user due to their complexity and time-consuming nature. This paper introduces a potential cloud-based solution that will make authoring ITS content faster and relatively easier than existing methods. We believe that our approach can be utilized by other similar systems.
Assemblers: A Modular, Reconfigurable Manipulator for Autonomous in-Space Assembly

This paper presents a modular, reconfigurable robotic manipulator for autonomous in-space assembly. On-orbit and planetary surface assembly is a challenging domain that encompasses various technological thrusts to support human exploration, science, and technology demonstration missions. The system architecture presented here addresses the need for robotic assembly of structures in locations that prohibit constant human oversight and/or teleoperation. This system is capable of scheduling, reconfiguring itself, and executing structural assembly tasks with the ability to assess construction and correct errors during the assembly as needed. An example concept of operations is presented. Details of the mechanical and electrical design of the robotic modules as well as the dynamic modeling approach, control algorithms, and sensing and perception systems are also provided.
The impact of COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation on renal impairment and clinical outcome.

BACKGROUND: Cardiac involvement in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is known, manifested by troponin elevation, and these patients have a worse prognosis than patients without myocardial injury. METHODS: We analyzed COVID-19-positive patients who presented to the MedStar Health system (11 hospitals in Washington, DC, and Maryland) during the pandemic (March 1-September 30, 2020). We compared renal function and subsequent in-hospital clinical outcomes based on the presence or absence of troponin elevation. The primary outcome was the incidence of acute kidney injury in COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation. We also evaluated in-hospital mortality, overall and based on the presence and absence of both troponin elevation and renal dysfunction. RESULTS: The cohort included 3386 COVID-19-positive admitted patients for whom troponin was drawn. Of these patients, 195 had troponin elevation (defined as ≥1.0 ng/mL), mean age was 61 ± 16 years, and 51% were men. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher (53.8%) in COVID-19-positive patients with concomitant troponin elevation than in those without troponin elevation (14.5%; p < 0.001). COVID-19-positive patients with troponin elevation had a higher prevalence of renal dysfunction (58.5%) than those without troponin elevation (23.4%; p < 0.001). Further analysis demonstrated that having both troponin elevation and renal dysfunction carried the worst in-hospital prognosis (in-hospital mortality 57.9%; intensive-care-unit admission 76.8%; ventilation requirement 63.2%), as compared to the absence or presence of either. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with troponin elevation are at higher risk for worsening renal function, and these patients subsequently have worse in-hospital clinical outcomes. Efforts should focus on early recognition, evaluation, and intensifying care of these patients.
Sedation Usage in COVID-19 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Multicenter Study.

BackgroundPatients with COVID-19 acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have been shown to have high sedation requirements.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to compare sedative use between...
Optical coherence tomographic angiography study of perfusion recovery after surgical lowering of intraocular pressure.

We investigated the time and location of retinal perfusion recovery after surgical intraocular pressure (IOP) lowering in glaucoma by using optical coherent tomography angiography (OCTA). Seventeen patients were analyzed. The 4.5 × 4.5-mm OCTA scans centered on the disc were performed preoperatively and postoperatively at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness, NFL plexus capillary density (NFLP-CD) and visual field (VF) were measured overall and in 8 corresponding sectors. The low-perfusion area (LPA) was used to assess the cumulative area where local NFLP-CD was significantly below normal. At 6 months, the average IOP decreased 5.3 mmHg (P = 0.004), LPA decreased by 15% (P = 0.005), and NFLP-CD improved by 12% (P < 0.001). The NFL thickness and VF mean deviation didn’t change significantly at any time point. Among the sectors with significant preoperative NFLP-CD loss, the recovery at 6 months was greatest in sectors with minimal preoperative NFL thinning (P < 0.001). In conclusion, surgical IOP lowering may improve NFLP capillary perfusion after 6 months. The perfusion recovery tended to occur in areas with minimal NFL thinning at baseline. OCTA parameters may have potential usefulness as pharmacodynamic biomarkers for glaucoma therapy.
The Attention Economy and the Impact of Artificial Intelligence

The growing ubiquity of the Internet and the information overload created a new economy at the end of the twentieth century: the economy of attention. While difficult to size, we know that it exceeds proxies such as the global online advertising market which is now over $300 billion with a reach of 60% of the world population. A discussion of the attention economy naturally leads to the data economy and collecting data from large-scale interactions with consumers. We discuss the impact of AI in this setting, particularly of biased data, unfair algorithms, and a user-machine feedback loop tainted by digital manipulation and the cognitive biases of users. The impact includes loss of privacy, unfair digital markets, and many ethical implications that affect society as a whole. The goal is to outline that a new science for understanding, valuing, and responsibly navigating and benefiting from attention and data is much needed.
Management of reactivated prostatic cancer.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the management of reactivated prostatic cancer. The basis for manipulation of the hormonal milieu of patients with prostatic cancer is based upon several experimental evidence. The volume and acid phosphatase concentration of pilocarpine stimulated canine prostatic fluid have been proved to be reliable indices of androgenic stimulation of the prostate in experimental situations. Antiandrogens are also known to have demonstrable effects on various species, including the canine, in terms of various criteria of prostatic function. Pre- and postoperative measurements of growth hormones exhibit a typical flat curve following open hypophysectomy. The initial reduction of androgenic hormone by bilateral orchiectomy and/or estrogen therapy has been noted to produce a regression of advanced prostatic carcinoma. A marked decrease of the 11-deoxy-17-ketosteroids is consistently noted in previously castrated patients. This has been noted in follow-up periods extending up to 1 year and beyond and is associated with clinically evident and suitable signs of subjective and objective response. The major cause of death following adrenalectomy is disseminated disease. It is suggested that because of ease of administration, effectiveness, and lack of toxicity, oral Estracyt may be considered the method of choice in such cases for failures following conventional hormonal therapy.
Respiratory Failure Associated with Human Metapneumovirus Infection in an Infant Posthepatic Transplant

This is the first reported case of respiratory failure associated with human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infection in a liver transplant recipient or in a pediatric solid transplant recipient. A 9-month-old female developed respiratory distress 8 days following a liver transplant. hMPV was detected and she required intubation followed by extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for 26 days. Immunosuppressive medications were stopped during the acute infection except for methylprednisolone as treatment for acute respiratory distress. Serial Doppler ultrasounds were used to monitor for hepatic vessel thromboses and serum liver function tests to assess for hepatic dysfunction and there was no evidence of allograft rejection. The patient recovered from the nosocomial hMPV infection with satisfactory pulmonary function and possible mild developmental delay.
Interparticle force conferred by capillary-condensed liquid at contact points: II. Experimental measurements

Abstract Experimental values of shear strength, in combination with particle morphology as revealed by microscopic examination, are interpreted in terms of various theoretical models which predict the influence upon interparticle force of capillary-condensed liquid at points of particle contact. Experimental results are concerned especially with the influence of relative humidity, which controls the extent of capillary condensation of water at the contact points.
El patrimonio (y el matrimonio) en Singapur

This article demonstrates that ideas which were long ago discredited -such as eugenic concepts, which believed it possible to "improve" human qualities by means of the selective reproduction of the "most apt" groups: Aryans, the intelligent, or the rich- reemerge in the form of policies supposedly based on science but which, in fact, haveno more "support than the social prejudices of their defenders." The crux of the article is a critique of the pretension to "improve human capital" by giving priority to the procreation of university graduates and to the education of their children. For that end it provides a brief review of the debates over IQ and academic success; it synthesizesthe long discussion about the inheritability of acquired characteristics, the role of genetic inheritance, and interaction with the environment -a subject for which Shakespeare coined the phrase "nature or nurture" and which runs through th.ework of Amartya Sen, the recent Nobel Prize winner in Economics- and finally it arrives at the following conclusion: "It would be more sensible and less controversial to buildmore schools"
The influence of vascularization of transplanted processed allograft nerve on return of motor function in rats.

Processed nerve allografts have become an alternative to repair segmental nerve defects, with results comparable with autografts regarding sensory recovery; however, they have failed to reproduce comparable motor recovery. The purpose of this study was to determine how revascularizaton of processed nerve allograft would affect motor recovery. Eighty-eight rats were divided in four groups of 22 animals each. A unilateral 10-mm sciatic nerve defect was repaired with allograft (group I), allograft wrapped with silicone conduit (group II), allograft augmented with vascular endothelial growth factor (group III), or autograft (group IV). Eight animals from each group were sacrificed at 3 days, and the remaining animals at 16 weeks. Revascularization was evaluated by measuring the graft capillary density at 3 days and 16 weeks. Measurements of ankle contracture, compound muscle action potential, tibialis anterior muscle weight and force, and nerve histomorphometry were performed at 16 weeks. All results were normalized to the contralateral side. The results of capillary density at 3 days were 0.99% ± 1.3% for group I, 0.33% ± 0.6% for group II, 0.05% ± 0.1% for group III, and 75.6% ± 45.7% for group IV. At 16 weeks, the results were 69.9% ± 22.4% for group I, 37.0% ± 16.6% for group II, 84.6% ± 46.6% for group III, and 108.3% ± 46.8% for group IV. The results of muscle force were 47.5% ± 14.4% for group I, 21.7% ± 13.5% for group II, 47.1% ± 7.9% for group III, and 54.4% ± 10.6% for group IV. The use of vascular endothelial growth factor in the fashion used in this study improved neither the nerve allograft short-term revascularization nor the functional motor recovery after 16 weeks. Blocking allograft vascularization from surrounding tissues was detrimental for motor recovery. The processed nerve allografts used in this study showed similar functional motor recovery compared with that of the autograft.
The Synthesis and Some Properties of a Spin Label Analogue of Adenosine 5'-Triphosphate

Abstract A nitroxide spin label, having iodoacetamide reactivity, was attached to a sulfhydryl group which had been substituted for the amino group on position 6' of ATP. The product, a spin label analogue of ATP, was then purified on DEAE-cellulose. This analogue was found to support the superprecipitation of actomyosin and to bind both to actin and to creatine kinase. The interaction of the free radical and the magnetic moment of Mn is also described.
Associative memory using temporal relations

As an alternative to the digital approach for implementing an associative memory the authors present a mixed digital analog approach based on a biological model. They propose to develop the theory for an associative memory and data reconstruction system based on the biological function of the cortex. There are two motivations for this research. First, the analog and parallel nature of the neural network approach may provide an efficient technique to achieve the high speed requirement for real-time coding systems with less hardware than both digital techniques and adaptive neural techniques. Second, the biological neural network may be useful as a model of the coding functions of the human brain. The proposed circuit realizing such a theory is much faster, extremely small in area, and more efficient than current systems. The complete associative memory circuit together with its simulation results are presented. >
Fixed Mix Strategy

An advantage of adopting multiperiod portfolio models is improved investment performance via the fixed mix rule. Owing to its similarity to the “buy low/sell high” strategy, it is often misunderstood that it requires mean-reverting processes for the assets. We show that mean reversion is not necessary to benefit from the fixed mix rule, via a simple multidimensional geometric Brownian motion. We also list successful examples from the domain of equities, commodity futures, alternative investments, and momentum strategies. Keywords: multiperiod models; rebalanced portfolios; fixed mix; rebalancing gains; volatility pumping; portfolio management; dynamic diversification
Chelation and reduction of iron by chicken muscle protein digests: the role of sulphhydryl groups

The role of sulphhydryls in the chelation and reduction of iron by digests of chicken muscle was investigated. The salt-soluble (DSSP) and myofibrillar (DSIP) proteins were extracted from chicken muscle and digested with pepsin/pancreatin, and the digests were then incubated with ferric iron. The DSIP digest bound twice as much iron as the DSSP digest; about half the bound iron was ferrous. Iron binding was accompanied by a 74% drop in free sulphhydryls in the DSSP digest and a 72% drop in the DSIP digest. Modification of sulphhydryls in the digests by either oxygen, N-ethylmaleimide or p-chloromercuribenzoate led to a loss of ∼90% in reactive sulphhydryl groups and was accompanied by losses in iron binding which averaged 79% for DSSP and 67% for DSIP. Losses in ferrous bound iron were proportional to the loss in total bound iron. It was concluded that for the muscle protein fractions, sulphhydryl residues are the principal component responsible for iron binding, but that other residues may play a minor role. © 2001 Society of Chemical Industry
Assessment of effort in children: A systematic review

The assessment of response validity is now considered an important and necessary component of neuropsychological evaluations. One way for assessing response validity is with performance validity tests (PVTs), which measure the degree of effort applied to testing to achieve optimal performance. Numerous studies have shown that normal and neurologically impaired children are capable of passing certain free-standing PVTs using adult cutoffs. Despite this, PVT use appears to be more common in adults compared to children. The overall purpose of this systematic review is to provide the reader with a general overview of the existing literature on PVTs in children. As part of this review, goals are to inform the reader why PVT use is not as prevalent in children compared to adults, to discuss why PVTs and related methods are important in pediatric cognitive evaluations, and to discuss practical limitations and future directions.
Actuator-Work Concepts Applied to Unconventional Aerodynamic Control Devices

This paper investigates the resistance to a change in wing shape due to the aerodynamic forces. In particular, the work required by an airfoil to overcome the aerodynamic forces and produce a change in lift is examined. The relationship between this work and the total aerodynamic energy balance is shown to have significant consequences for transient changes in airfoil shape. Specification of the placement of the actuators and the actuator energetics is shown to be required for the determination of the airfoil shape change, requiring minimum energy input. A general simplified actuator model is adopted in this study, which assigns different values of actuator efficiency for negative and positive power output. Unsteady thin airfoil theory is used to analytically determine the pressure distribution and aerodynamic coefficients as a function of time for a ramp input of control deflection. This allows the required power and work to overcome the aerodynamic forces to be determined for a prescribed change in the airfoil camberline. The energy required for a pitching flat plate, conventional flap, conformal flap, and two variable camber configurations is investigated. For the pitching flat plate, the minimum energy pitching axis is shown to be dependent on the pitch rate and the initial angle of attack. The conformal flap is shown to require less actuator energy than the conventional flap to overcome the aerodynamic forces for a prescribed change in lift. The energy requirements of a variable camber configuration are shown to be sensitive to the layout of the variable camber device. The present analysis shows that the unsteady aerodynamic influence is important only for τ* values less than five. For τ* values larger than this, the present analysis reduces to the steady airfoil results of past studies.
A preliminary study of spiritual self‐schema (3‐S+) therapy for reducing impulsivity in HIV‐positive drug users

The purpose of this study was twofold. First, pretreatment correlations are presented among impulsivity, intoxicant use, HIV risk behavior, spirituality, and motivation in a sample of 38 HIV-positive drug users. Second, treatment outcomes are presented from a preliminary study of spiritual self-schema (3-S(+)) therapy - a manual-guided psychotherapy integrating cognitive and Buddhist psychologies - for increasing motivation for abstinence, HIV prevention, and medication adherence. Impulsivity was negatively correlated with spiritual practices and motivation for recovery, and was positively related to intoxicant use and HIV risk behavior. Relative to a standard care comparison condition, patients completing 3-S(+) therapy reported greater decreases in impulsivity and intoxicant use, and greater increases in spiritual practices and motivation for abstinence, HIV prevention, and medication adherence.
Polyelectrolyte Gels as Drug Carriers I: Poly (Methyl Methacrylate-co-Potassium Acrylate) Beads

AbstractReported herein is an indirect process to synthesize highly swellable anionic gel beads based on poly(methyl methacrylate-co-potassium acrylate) (PMMA/A-K), which is highly swellable in weak acid. The Release of labetalol HC1 (solubility in water 1g/60 ml) from PMMA/A-K beads was not affected by buffer concentrations above 1/15 M. However, as the buffer concentration was decreased from 1/15 M to 0.01 M, the release rate decreased. Release kinetics are close to zero-order with an exponent of n = 0.904 in 0.01 M buffer concentration, whereas the exponent n in 0.2 M and 1 /15 M is 0.635 and 0.768, respectively. With a 0.01 M buffer concentration, n ranges from 0.876 to 0.933 as pH changes from 9.0 to 6.8, indicating that the release kinetics maintain a zero-order irrespective of the pH's examined in this study. This zero-order kinetics at 0.01 M results from large dimensional changes of about Df/Di = 2.35 to 2.63. The degree of swelling during drug release contribute to the increase in the diffusion ...
Torsional actuator motor using solid freeform fabricated PZT ceramics

A torsional actuator has been developed at NRL utilizing the high piezoelectric shear coefficient, d 15 . This torsional actuator uses an even number of alternately poled segments of electroactive PZT. Under an applied electric field, the torsional actuator produces large angular displacement and a high torque. The solid freeform fabrication technique of the laminated object manufacturing (LOM) is used for rapid prototyping of torsional actuator with potential cost and time saving. First step to demonstrate the feasibility of the LOM technique for the torsional actuator device fabrication is to make near net shape segments. We report a prototype PZT torsional actuator using LOM prepared PZT-5A segments. Fabrication processes and test results are described. The torsional actuator PZT-5A tube has dimensions of 13 cm long, 2.54 cm OD and 1.9 cm ID. Although the piezoelectric strain is small, it may be converted into large displacement via accumulation of the small single cycle displacements over many cycles using AC driving voltage such as with a rotary 'inchworm' actuator or an ultrasonic rotary motor. A working prototype of a full-cycle motor driven by the piezoelectric torsional actuator has been achieved. The rotational speed is 1,200 rpm under 200 V/cm field at the resonant frequency of 4.5 kHz.
A Nonimmunosuppressant FKBP-12 Ligand Increases Nerve Regeneration

The immunosuppressant drugs FK506 and cyclosporin A inhibit T-cell proliferation via a common mechanism: calcineurin inhibition following binding to their respective binding proteins, the peptidyl prolyl isomerases FKBP-12 and cyclophilin A. In contrast, FK506, but not cyclosporin A, accelerates nerve regeneration. In the present study, we show that the potent FKBP-12 inhibitor V-10,367, which lacks the structural components of FK506 required for calcineurin inhibition, increases neurite outgrowth in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and speeds nerve regeneration in the rat sciatic nerve crush model. In SH-SY5Y cells, V-10,367 increased the lengths of neurite processes in a concentration-dependent (between 1 and 10 nM) fashion over time (up to 168 h). Daily subcutaneous injections of V-10,367 accelerated the onset of clinical signs of functional recovery in the hind feet compared to vehicle-treated control animals. Interdigit distances (between the first and fifth digits) measured on foot prints obtained during walking showed an increase in toe spread in V-10,367-treated rats compared to vehicle-treated controls. Electron microscopy demonstrated larger regenerating axons distal to the crush site in the sciatic nerve from V-10,367-treated rats. Quantitation of axonal areas in the soleus nerve revealed a shift to larger axonal calibers in V-10,367-treated rats (400 or 200 mg/kg/day); mean axonal areas were increased by 52 and 59%, respectively, compared to vehicle-treated controls. FKBP-12 ligands lacking calcineurin inhibitory activity represent a new class of potential drugs for the treatment of human peripheral nerve disorders.
Differential effects of 19-nor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D2 and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 on intestinal calcium and phosphate transport

19-Nor-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(2) (19-norD(2)) a less calcemic and phosphatemic analog of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25[OH](2)D(3)), is approved for the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with kidney failure. We have previously demonstrated that 19-norD(2) is less active than 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) in stimulating bone resorption. In this study, we compared the potencies of 19-norD(2) and 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) in stimulating net calcium and phosphate absorption in the intestine. Mineral balance was assessed in normal rats during the last 4 days of a 14-day treatment with various daily doses of 19-norD(2) or 1,25(OH)(2)D(3). Calcium absorption increased from 16.5% +/- 7.8% in vehicle-treated rats to 27.5% +/- 7.2% in rats given 10 ng/day 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and to 21.6% +/- 3.9%, 26.2% +/- 5.5%, and 27.4% +/- 5.1% in rats treated with 10, 50, and 100 ng/day 19-norD(2), respectively. Thus comparable stimulation of calcium transport was attained with 10 ng 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and 100 ng 19-norD(2). Similar results were obtained for phosphate absorption, with an increase from 28.2% +/- 5.5% in vehicle-treated rats to 40.2% +/- 4.7% in rats given 10 ng/day 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) and to 32.9% +/- 2.2%, 36.2% +/- 4.5%, and 36.8% +/- 3.8% in rats given 10, 50, and 100 ng/day 19-norD(2), respectively. Vitamin D compounds are believed to increase calcium absorption by inducing a calcium channel (epithelial calcium transporter or calcium transporter-1 [CaT1]) on the luminal membrane, a calcium-binding protein (Calbindin D9k) in the cytosol, and a calcium pump (plasma membrane calcium adenosine triphosphatase-1 [PMCA1]) on the basolateral membrane. Northern-blot analysis of intestinal ribonucleic acid of vitamin D-deficient rats given seven daily injections of vehicle or 100 ng 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) or 19-norD(2) revealed that 19-norD(2) was less potent than 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) in stimulating expression of CaT1, Calbindin D9k and PMCA1. In summary, the reduced calcemic and phosphatemic activities of 19-norD(2) can be attributed to lower potency in stimulating intestinal calcium and phosphate absorption.
The President's Housing Commission and Two Tests of Realistic Recommendations

The most commendable work of the President's Housing Commission suffered from two major faults. First, the Commission failied to quantify the costs of alternative policies. This led to biased judgments about what forms of housing aids to adopt. The Commission rejected making housing vouchers for poor renters an entitlement program because that would be too costly. But it accepted continuation of present tax benefits for non-poor homeowners, though they are also entitlements vastly more expensive than the program it rejected. Second, the Commission correctly attacked local government restrictions for causing high housing costs. But it failed to provide any strong incentives for local governments to reduce such restrictions.
Tert-butylated-hydroxytoluene-sensitized photo-oxidation of fatty acids: Inhibition by 1,4-diazabicyclo-[2.2.2] octane and role of singlet oxygen

Abstract The effect of tert -butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) on the photo-oxidation of fatty acids was studied. A marked increase in photo-oxidation was observed in the presence of BHT. The major products of photo-oxidation were identified as epoxides of the fatty acids and only a small amount of hydroperoxides was detected. Formation of epoxides as the major product indicates that enhancement in the photo-oxidation occurs through free radicals, possibly through a type I mechanism. Analyses of the hydroperoxides, however, showed the formation of both conjugated and non-conjugated hydroperoxides, suggesting the involvement of a type II mechanism also in the photo-oxidation. Formation of both free radicals and singlet oxygen products was inhibited by 1,4-diazabicyclo [2.2.2] octane, a widely used singlet oxygen quencher, suggesting that hydroperoxides may be the primary products of photo-oxidation followed by free-radical reactions leading to the formation of the epoxy compounds.
The protein-binding and drug release properties of macromolecular conjugates containing daptomycin and dextran.

Abstract Prototype daptomycin–dextran macromolecular conjugates were prepared in an attempt to modify the biodistribution and protein-binding properties of daptomycin. Synthesis of daptomycin macromolecular conjugates involved dextran activation, daptomycin–dextran coupling, and purification. The reaction mixtures were separated on a Sephadex G-100 column using 10% acetronitrile in water as a mobile phase. UV and fluorescence characteristics of high molecular weight fractions demonstrated imine product formation while the lower molecular weight fractions contained free daptomycin, imine, and anilide products. Daptomycin macromolecular conjugates were characterized by drug loading, drug release, and binding affinity for fibrinogen using HPLC analysis and surface plasmon resonance. Drug loading was calculated to be 160 mg of daptomycin per gram of macromolecule. Approximately 9% of the conjugated daptomycin was released from the macromolecular conjugates in aqueous media in the pH range of 1–7.4. The conjugates possessed higher affinity for fibrinogen than that of daptomycin.
Energy Conservation Practices in Alabama Residences

The reduction of energy costs related to heating homes is a concern of consumers. Interior designers are challenged to help their clients solve this problem in creative and aesthetically pleasing ways. It is important for designers to know what steps clients have taken to make homes more energy efficient. Such knowledge can provide a basis for interior design solutions which may not have been considered by clients. A random survey of 445 Alabama households showed the majority of homes were heated by either natural gas or electricity. Supplementary heat was used by one-third of the residents and one-third had added insulation. The most common method of conserving energy was to reduce thermostat settings. It was concluded that many clients have taken basic steps toward conserving energy. To realize additional savings professional knowledge of interior designers will be required.
An Experimental Investigation of a Micro Injection Molded Mechanical Device

The primary objective of this study, through a scientific experimental investigation, was to determine optimum injection molding processing parameters on semi-crystalline materials HDPE and POM focusing on mechanical properties, obtained thru the use of a nano-indenter, of micro gears being manufactured on non-heated and heated mold bases. A secondary objective was to initiate a similar experimental study using amorphous COC material. Taguchi’s method utilizing an L-9 orthogonal array was used to determine the effects of Tnoz , Tmold , Pinj , Vinj , Ppack , and tpack injection molding processing parameters. A nano-indenter was used to determine investigated mechanical properties on final injection molded parts that included stiffness (S), reduced modulus (Er ), and hardness (H). Results showed HDPE, POM and COC, heated mold experiments exhibiting increases in mechanical properties S, Er , and H, on the order of 1.2–4.0 times those of non-heated molding trials. Decreases in optimum molding conditions for Tnoz , Pinj , and Ppack was also observed for heated molding trials. The highest mold temperatures and injection pressures tested did not produce greatest optimum molding conditions. However, largest packing times tested produced optimum molding conditions.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
The ecohydrological role of soil texture in a water-limited ecosystem

Soil texture is a key variable in the coupled relationship between climate, soil, and vegetation. This coupling and its dependence on soil texture are studied in this paper using analytical descriptions for soil moisture dynamics and the corresponding vegetation water stress. Results confirm the importance of soil texture in partitioning rainfall into the mean values of the water balance loss components, namely, evapotranspiration, leakage, and runoff, and in determining vegetation water stress for the vegetation and climatic regimes of the La Copita Research Area in Texas. Two separate mechanisms by which this sensitivity to soil texture can impact the ecological structure at La Copita are illustrated. First, dynamics similar to the inverse texture effect, whereby the optimal soil texture for a given vegetation type changes with rainfall amount, are demonstrated for the two most common species at this site. Second, it is shown that soil texture plays a major role in the modulation of the impact that interannual rainfall fluctuations have on the fitness and coexistence of trees and grasses.
Estimation of Palm measures of stationary point processes

Estimators of the Palm measure of a stationary point process on a finite-dimensional Euclidean space are developed and shown to be strongly uniformly consistent. From them, similarly consistent estimators of reduced moment measures, the spectral measure, the spectral density function and the underlying probability measure itself are derived. Normal and Poisson approximations to distributions of estimators are presented. Application is made to the problem of combined inference and linear state estimation.
PDT driven by energy-converting materials: a theoretical analysis

Materials have been developed which absorb radiation of one energy and emit light of another. We present a theoretical analysis of the use of these materials as light sources for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The advantage of this strategy is that radiation of higher particle energy (e.g. x ray or electron beam) or lower photon energy (e.g. infra-red) may have more favorable penetration in tissue or more readily available radiation sources than the radiation absorbed by the sensetizer. Our analysis is based on the transfer of energy from radiation fields to visible light. We analyze two scenarios: PDT pumped by (1) infrared light in a two-photon process and (2) ionizing radiation. In each case, we assume that the converting material and the sensitizer are matched sufficiently that the transfer of energy between them is essentially lossless. For the infinite and semiinfinite geometries typically used in PDT, we calculate the resulting photodynamic dose distribution, and compare it to the dose distribution expected for conventional PDT. We also calculate the dose of the incident beam (ionizing or infrared radiation) required to produce PDT-induced tumoricidal effects, and evaluate the expected toxicity in surrounding normal tissue. The toxicity is assumed to arise from thermal effects and acute ionizing radiation effects, for infrared and ionizing radiation, respectively. Our results predict that ionizing radiation will produce dose-limiting toxicity in most conventional geometries as a result of the high toxicity per unit energy of ionizing radiation. For infrared radiation, we predict that the toxicity can be moderated by proper choice of sensitizer and irradiation geometry and fractionation.
Alteration in cell surface LETS protein during myogenesis.

Abstract Cell surface alterations during myogenesis have been investigated in Yaffe's myogenic cell line L8, using indirect immunofluorescence with an antibody against the large external transformationsensitive (LETS) protein. The immunofluorescent technique reveals a substantial alteration in the distribution of this surface antigen. With the prefused myoblasts, LETS protein is dispersed all over the cell surface; following myoblast fusion, this pattern is markedly changed. All of the fibrillike surface LETS protein disappears, and in some myotubes, discrete clusters of LETS protein become conspicuous. By use of radioimmunological assay, the total LETS protein is quantitatively reduced upon myoblast fusion.
The road to understanding is paved with the speaker's intentions: cues to the speaker's attention and intentions affect pronoun comprehension.

A series of experiments explore the effects of attention-directing cues on pronoun resolution, contrasting four specific hypotheses about the interpretation of ambiguous pronouns he and she: (1) it is driven by grammatical rules, (2) it is primarily a function of social processing of the speaker’s intention to communicate, (3) it is modulated by the listener’s own egocentric attention, and (4) it is primarily a function of learned probabilistic cues. Experiment 1 demonstrates that pronoun interpretation is guided by the well-known N1 (first-mention) bias, which is also modulated by both the speaker’s gaze and pointing gestures. Experiment 2 demonstrates that a low-level visual capture cue has no effect on pronoun interpretation, in contrast with the social cue of pointing. Experiment 3 uses a novel intentional cue: the same attention-capture flash as in Experiment 2, but with instructions that the cue is intentionally created by the speaker. This cue does modulate the N1 bias, demonstrating the importance of information about the speaker’s intentions to pronoun resolution. Taken in sum, these findings demonstrate that pronoun resolution is a process best categorized as driven by an appreciation of the speaker’s communicative intent, which may be subserved by a sensitivity to predictive cues in the environment.
High frequency moduli of elasticity of quantum fluids

Abstract The Cauchy relation for the moduli of elasticity of quantum fluids in the ω→∞ limit is derived. An equation which can be used to obtain numerical values of these is also obtained.
Abstract 1452: MicroRNA-375 impairs head and neck squamous cell carcinoma invasion by suppressing invadopodia activity

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a highly invasive cancer, with a five-year survival rate of around 50%. Our goal is to improve patient outcome through understanding the mechanisms determining HNSCC invasiveness. Our research group previously reported that miR-375 expression levels correlate with patient survival, recurrence and distant metastasis. We have previously observed diminished HNSCC invasion in vitro correlates with increased miR-375 expression. To assess whether the miR-375 over-expressing transductant lines have reduced matrix degradation properties, a fluorescent matrix degradation assay was used. We have observed that miR-375 over-expression in HNSCC cells suppresses extracellular matrix degradation. We further determined whether miR-375 over-expressing cells show reduced invadopodium formation and maturation. We observed miR-375 expression in HNSCC cell lines reduces the number of mature invadopodia, but does not affect levels of invadopodium precursors. We examined the phosphorylation and total levels of key invadopodia components (Tks5 and cortactin) to determine whether changes in regulation or expression of these components may lead impaired matrix degradation properties. We determined that miR-375 expression in HNSCC cell lines does not reduce cellular levels of cortactin and Tks5, nor is tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin altered. To identify candidate proteins regulated by miR-375, we are utilizing stable isotope labeling of cells in cell culture (SILAC). Candidate target proteins are being validated as targets of miR-375 and tested for involvement in the diminished invasive properties of HNSCC as a result of miR-375 expression. In conclusion, increased miR-375 expression may suppress the invasive properties of HNSCC through diminished invadopodia activity. Citation Format: Lizandra Jimenez, Ved P. Sharma, Jihyeon Lim, Ruth Angeletti, John Condeelis, Thomas Harris, Michael B. Prystowsky, Geoffrey Childs, Jeffrey E. Segall. MicroRNA-375 impairs head and neck squamous cell carcinoma invasion by suppressing invadopodia activity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 1452. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1452
Annular Pancreas: Dramatic Differences Between Children and Adults

Background Annular pancreas is rare; only 737 cases have been reported in the English literature. In addition, no large analysis has compared children and adults. Recently, prenatal diagnosis and advances in imaging have led to increased experience with this condition. Study Design Data from 103 patients (48 children, 55 adults) with annular pancreas, managed from 1992 to 2006, were reviewed. Patients with isolated duodenal atresia, stenosis, or webs were excluded. Results Median ages at diagnosis were 1 day in children and 47 years in adults. Annular pancreas was more common in girls and women (children, 58%; adults, 69%). Congenital anomalies were more frequent (p Conclusions Annular pancreas is associated with a spectrum of disease that differs in children and adults. Congenital anomalies are more common in children with annular pancreas; complex pancreatobiliary disorders and malignancy are more frequent in adults.