cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interaction of ferredoxin-linked nitrite reductase with ferredoxin

Abstract The native, ferredoxin-linked, form ( M r = 85 000) of nitrite reductase (ferredoxin:nitrite oxidoreductase, EC 1.7.7.1) forms a complex with ferredoxin that can be detected either by enzyme binding to a ferredoxin-Sepharose 4B affinity column or by spectral changes produced when the two proteins are mixed. The K d for ferredoxin binding, estimated to be 6.3·10 −7 M, was increased to 1.1·10 −5 M in the presence of nitrite, indicating lower affinity for ferredoxin binding in the ternary nitrite-ferredoxin-enzyme complex. The native enzyme could be split into a modified form ( M 4 = 61 000) that retains activity with the non-physiological electron donor, methyl viologen, but has lost most of the native enzyme's ferredoxin-linked activity and an M r = 24 000 fragment (coupling protein). The coupling protein, but not the modified nitrite reductase, binds to a ferredoxin-Sepharose 4B affinity column. These results are discussed in terms of a ferredoxin-binding domain located on the coupling protein portion of the native enzyme.
Phytotherapy for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Secondary to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Purpose We examined the available data from clinical trials for certain botanicals used for lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia, including Serenoa repens (saw palmetto), Pygeum africanum (African plum), Secale cereale (rye pollen) and Hypoxis rooperi (South African star grass). Materials and Methods MEDLINE® and The Cochrane Library searches were done in June 2007 using the terms benign prostatic hyperplasia, lower urinary tract symptoms, phytotherapy, saw palmetto, Serenoa, Permixon®, Pygeum africanum, Tadenan®, Cernilton®, Cernitin ™ and Hypoxis. Search results were assessed for relevance and the inclusion of placebo controlled trials. Results Two systematic reviews and 3 clinical trials were examined in the evaluation of Serenoa repens. Data from the systematic reviews showed an improvement in flow rates and symptoms. The results of 1 clinical trial were equivocal and the remaining 2 trials clearly showed equivalence to placebo. Systematic reviews were used in the evaluation of P. africanum, Secale cereale and Hypoxis rooperi. P. africanum and H. rooperi showed an improvement in flow rates and symptoms compared to placebo, while S. cereale showed an improvement in symptoms but not flow rates compared to placebo. Conclusions Most clinical trials of investigating the efficacy of botanicals suffer from well documented methodological flaws. Saw palmetto has been clearly shown as comparable to placebo in a trial of sound methodology. While preliminary results appear promising, to our knowledge the remaining botanicals have yet to be evaluated in a trial of similar quality.
Local superfluid densities probed via current-induced superconducting phase gradients

We have developed a superconducting phase gradiometer consisting of two parallel DNA-templated nanowires connecting two thin-film leads. We have ramped the cross current flowing perpendicular to the nanowires, and observed oscillations in the lead-to-lead resistance due to cross-current-induced phase differences. By using this gradiometer we have measured the temperature- and magnetic-field dependence of the superfluid density, and observed an amplification of phase gradients caused by elastic vortex displacements. We examine our data in light of Miller-Bardeen theory of dirty superconductors and a microscale version of Campbell's model of field penetration.
Functional Correlates and Prevalence of Mild Parkinsonian Signs in a Community Population of Older People

Background: Mild parkinsonian signs (MPS) are associated with incident dementia and an increased risk of mortality. To our knowledge, the functional correlates of MPS have not been studied. Objectives: To study the functional correlates of MPS, including self-reported and performance-based measuresoffunction,andtodeterminetheprevalenceofMPS in a cohort of community-dwelling older people (aged 65 years). Design: Participants (N=1866) in the Washington Heights–Inwood Columbia Aging Project underwent a neurological assessment that included a modified motorportionoftheUnifiedParkinson’sDiseaseRatingScale, which yielded a parkinsonian sign score (range, 0-40) and parkinsonian sign subscores (axial function, rigidity,andtremor).Afunctionalassessmentincluded3selfreported measures of function and 2 performancebased tests. Participants with Parkinson disease were excluded. Results: Mild parkinsonian signs were present in 469 (25.1%) of the 1866 participants. The parkinsonian sign score was correlated with functional and performancebased test scores (r=0.24-0.32,P.001). The axial function and rigidity subscores correlated to a greater extent with functional and performance-based test scores than did the tremor subscore. In analysis of covariance models, excluding participants with dementia and adjusting for age, sex, ethnicity, education, depressive symptoms, andmedicalillnesses(eg,arthritis),theparkinsoniansign score and age were strongly and independently associated with functional scores. Conclusions: Mild parkinsonian signs, and particularly axial dysfunction, were associated with functional disability, including self-reported and performancebased measures of functional difficulty. Given the high prevalence of these signs in elderly persons, MPS may be a significant indicator of disability in elderly persons. Arch Neurol. 2005;62:297-302
Initial data on recollections of pathways to inflated responsibility beliefs in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Background: Despite literature establishing a relationship between maladaptive beliefs and symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), there are few studies addressing how these beliefs develop. Salkovskis and colleagues (1999) proposed specific domains of childhood experiences leading to heightened beliefs regarding responsibility. Prior studies in students and individuals who just completed treatment for OCD have found support for this theory. However, we are not aware of published data from individuals with current OCD. Aims: This paper presents initial data from adults currently meeting criteria for OCD as well as both anxious and non-anxious controls. Method: Recollections of childhood experiences, current OCD-related beliefs, and OCD symptoms were assessed using self-report measures in 39 individuals seeking treatment for OCD, 36 anxious controls and 39 healthy controls. Results: Initial data suggested that in individuals with OCD, increased reports of childhood exposure to overprotection and experiences where one's actions caused or influenced misfortune were associated with stronger OCD-related beliefs. Further, compared to community controls, individuals with OCD reported more childhood experiences where one's actions caused or influenced misfortune, though they did not differ from anxious controls in childhood responsibility experiences. Conclusions: These initial findings provide minimal support for the proposed model of the development of inflated responsibility beliefs, and highlight the need for research examining the etiology of OCD related beliefs with updated models, larger samples, and ultimately using prospective methods.
Homologous and heterologous regulation of somatostatin receptor 2.

We previously demonstrated that phosphorylation of somatostatin receptor 2A (sst2A) is rapidly increased in transfected cells both by agonist and by the protein kinase C (PKC) activator phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). Here, we investigate whether PKC-mediated receptor phosphorylation is involved in the homologous or heterologous regulation of endogenous sst2 receptors in AR42J pancreatic acinar cells upon stimulation by agonist or by cholecystokinin (CCK) or bombesin (BBS). Somatostatin, PMA, CCK, and BBS all increased sst2A receptor phosphorylation 5- to 10-fold within minutes. Somatostatin binding also caused rapid internalization of the ligand-receptor complex, and PMA, CCK, and BBS all stimulated this internalization further. Additionally, sst2 receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase was desensitized by all treatments. Somatostatin, as well as peptidic (SMS201–995) and nonpeptidic (L-779,976) sst2 receptor agonists increased the EC50 for somatostatin inhibition 20-fold. In contrast, pretreat...
On-Chip Electrochemical Analysis System Using Nanoelectrodes and Bioelectronic CMOS Chip

An electrochemical microanalysis system for reversible redox species determination has been presented. This system consists of a nanoelectrochemical sensor and a complimentary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chip for sensor signal interfacing and conditioning. The nanoelectrochemical sensor is an interdigitated array nanoelectrode fabricated using e-beam lithography and ultraviolet lithography. The CMOS chip is designed and fabricated to realize the electrochemical analysis method of sensing, which is a switch-based method. Using this switch-based method, the potential dynamics of the nanoelectrodes is recorded to evaluate the species concentration. Experimental results have shown that the detection limit of this microanalysis system on reversible redox species is in the range of 1-10 nM
Conduit enlargement in an eogenetic karst aquifer

Summary Most concepts of conduit development have focused on telogenetic karst aquifers, where low matrix permeability focuses flow and dissolution along joints, fractures, and bedding planes. However, conduits also exist in eogenetic karst aquifers, despite high matrix permeability which accounts for a significant component of flow. This study investigates dissolution within a 6-km long conduit system in the eogenetic Upper Floridan aquifer of north-central Florida that begins with a continuous source of allogenic recharge at the Santa Fe River Sink and discharges from a first-magnitude spring at the Santa Fe River Rise. Three sources of water to the conduit include the allogenic recharge, diffuse recharge through epikarst, and mineralized water upwelling from depth. Results of sampling and inverse modeling using PHREEQC suggest that dissolution within the conduit is episodic, occurring only during 30% of 16 sampling times between March 2003 and April 2007. During low flow conditions, carbonate saturated water flows from the matrix to the conduit, restricting contact between undersaturated allogenic water with the conduit wall. When gradients reverse during high flow conditions, undersaturated allogenic recharge enters the matrix. During these limited periods, estimates of dissolution within the conduit suggest wall retreat averages about 4 × 10−6 m/day, in agreement with upper estimates of maximum wall retreat for telogenetic karst. Because dissolution is episodic, time-averaged dissolution rates in the sink-rise system results in a wall retreat rate of about 7 × 10−7 m/day, which is at the lower end of wall retreat for telogenetic karst. Because of the high permeability matrix, conduits in eogenetic karst thus enlarge not just at the walls of fractures or pre-existing conduits such as those in telogenetic karst, but also may produce a friable halo surrounding the conduits that may be removed by additional mechanical processes. These observations stress the importance of matrix permeability in eogenetic karst and suggest new concepts may be necessary to describe how conduits develop within these porous rocks.
How Sociological Leaders Teach : Some Key Principles

This paper arose from a larger study designed to explore what leaders in the field of sociology think are the most important goals and principles for students to understand after taking a college-level introductory course and how they teach those principles. A population of scholarly leaders in sociology was defined by various forms of peer recognition and included elected presidents of national and regional professional associations, recipients of national awards, and recipients of competitive research funding. In 2005 and 2006 we interviewed a sample of 44 leaders to gain an understanding of key principles and how they are taught. We report their teaching strategies and compare their strategies to those of other teachers and the recommendations in McKinney et al. (2004). Although similar in many respects, leaders are considerably more likely than other sociologists to engage students in research and somewhat more likely to use simulations or games.
Mapping knowledge investments in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina: a new approach for assessing regulatory agency responses to environmental disaster

Abstract In the aftermath of large-scale disasters, the public's dependency on federal and state agencies for information about public safety and environmental risk is acute. While formal rules and procedures are in place to guide policy decisions in environmental risk assessment of spatially concentrated hazards such as regulated waste sites or vacant city lots, standard procedures for risk assessment seem potentially less well-suited for urban-scale disaster zones where environmental hazards may be widely dispersed and widely varying. In this paper we offer a new approach for the social assessment of regulatory science in response to large-scale disaster, illustrating our methodology through a socio-spatial analysis of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) hazard assessment in New Orleans, Louisiana, following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. We find that the agency's commitment of epistemic resources or “knowledge investments” varied considerably across the flood-impacted portion of the city, concentrating in poorer and disproportionately African American neighborhoods previously known to be heavily contaminated. We address some of the study's social and policy implications, noting the multidimensionality and interactive nature of knowledge investments and the prospects for deepening and extending this approach through comparative research.
Exaggerated neuroinflammation and sickness behavior in aged mice following activation of the peripheral innate immune system

Acute cognitive impairment (i.e., delirium) is common in elderly emergency department patients and frequently results from infections that are unrelated to the central nervous system. Since activation of the peripheral innate immune system induces brain microglia to produce inflammatory cytokines that are responsible for behavioral deficits, we investigated if aging exacerbated neuroinflammation and sickness behavior after peripheral injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Microarray analysis revealed a transcriptional profile indicating the presence of primed or activated microglia and increased inflammation in the aged brain. Furthermore, aged mice had a unique gene expression profile in the brain after an intraperitoneal injection of LPS, and the LPS-induced elevation in the brain inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress was both exaggerated and prolonged compared with adults. Aged mice were anorectic longer and lost more weight than adults after peripheral LPS administration. Moreover, reductions in both locomotor and social behavior remained 24 h later in aged mice, when adults had fully recovered, and the exaggerated neuroinflammatory response in aged mice was not reliably paralleled by increased circulating cytokines in the periphery. Taken together, these data establish that activation of the peripheral innate immune system leads to exacerbated neuroinflammation in the aged as compared with adult mice. This dysregulated link between the peripheral and central innate immune system is likely to be involved in the severe behavioral deficits that frequently occur in older adults with systemic infections.
Calculation of theoretical equilibrium nozzle throat conditions whenvelocity of sound is discontinuous

Nozzle throat conditions at sound velocity discontinuity due to transition from one to two condensed phases during expansion
Priming the Nonconscious Goal to Self-Actualize: Can Even the Highest Order Goals be Primed Nonconsciously?

Providing further evidence that any goal may operate nonconsciously, researchers primed an unequivocally higher level goal, self-actualization. With a modified scrambled sentence task, participants were either primed with the goal to self-actualize or were given a neutral prime. To provide an appropriate motivational state for the goal to self-actualize, participants' attention was focused on a particular societal problem, prejudice and discrimination. Participants primed to self-actualize not only reported an increased desire to become a better person after a three-week interval, but their attitudes about prejudice also shifted to reflect this desired growth. Shifts in attitude were only seen for prejudice, the area toward which the goal was originally focused.
3D Single Molecule Tracking with Multifocal Plane Microscopy Reveals Rapid Intercellular Transferrin Transport at Epithelial Cell Barriers

The study of intracellular transport pathways at epithelial cell barriers that line diverse tissue sites is fundamental to understanding tissue homeostasis. A major impediment to investigating such processes at the subcellular level has been the lack of imaging approaches that support fast three-dimensional (3D) tracking of cellular dynamics in thick cellular specimens. Here, we report significant advances in multifocal plane microscopy and demonstrate 3D single molecule tracking of rapid protein dynamics in a 10 micron thick live epithelial cell monolayer. We have investigated the transferrin receptor (TfR) pathway, which is not only essential for iron delivery but is also of importance for targeted drug delivery across cellular barriers at specific body sites, such as the brain that is impermeable to blood-borne substances. Using multifocal plane microscopy, we have discovered a cellular process of intercellular transfer involving rapid exchange of Tf molecules between two adjacent cells in the monolayer. Furthermore, 3D tracking of Tf molecules at the lateral plasma membrane has led to the identification of different modes of endocytosis and exocytosis, which exhibit distinct temporal and intracellular spatial trajectories. These results reveal the complexity of the 3D trafficking pathways in epithelial cell barriers. The methods and approaches reported here can enable the study of fast 3D cellular dynamics in other cell systems and models, and underscore the importance of developing advanced imaging technologies to study such processes.
Linkage disequilibrium mapping in trisomic populations: Analytical approaches and an application to congenital heart defects in Down syndrome

n Many of the birth defects associated with trisomy exhibit both variable expressivity and incomplete penetrance. This variability suggests that it is allelic variation and not simply the presence of an additional chromosome that leads to the development of certain trisomy-associated birth defects. With the proper tools, one may use trisomic populations to identify genes involved in the development of specific birth defects. A trisomic population may be advantageous over a normal population if the defect is over-represented in the trisomic population. Alternatively, one can view the trisomic populations as a ''model system'' to offer insight into aspects of both normal and abnormal embryonic development. Standard disomic linkage disequilibrium mapping approaches need to be adjusted to account for the presence of the additional genetic material in the trisomic individuals. We present an approach for linkage disequilibrium mapping of variable phenotypes in a trisomic population that adequately accounts for the additional alleles and the pattern of non-independent inheritance. We establish the laboratory methods and statistical tools necessary to conduct an association study in a trisomic population. As an example, we have applied these tools to a pilot study of Down syndrome-associated congenital heart defects. & 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Historical Moral Responsibility: Is The Infinite Regress Problem Fatal?

Some compatibilists have responded to the manipulation argument for incompatibilism by proposing an historical theory of moral responsibility which, according to one version, requires that agents be morally responsible for having their pro-attitudes if they are to be morally responsible for acting on them. This proposal, however, leads obviously to an infinite regress problem. I consider a proposal by Haji and Cuypers that addresses this problem and argue that it is unsatisfactory. I then go on to propose a new solution inspired by the libertarian theory of Robert Kane.
Chemistry of Rocky Mountain Lakes

Lakes of the Rocky Mountain region are not chronically acidic. Data generally are unavailable to determine whether episodic acidity is a problem and whether such acidity is anthropogenic. Researchers have hypothesized that decreases in pH of about 0.2 unit have occurred in lakes along the Colorado Front Range between the late 1930s and 1979. However, confirmation of this hypothesis is impossible with present (1987) data.
NRG BR002: A phase IIR/III trial of standard of care therapy with or without stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and/or surgical ablation for newly oligometastatic breast cancer.

TPS1098Background: This randomized Phase II trial evaluates if stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) and/or surgical resection (SR) of all metastatic sites in newly oligo-metastatic breast cancer who have received, or planned to receive, up to 12 months of first line systemic therapy without progression will significantly improve median progression free survival (PFS). If this aim is met, a phase III component evaluates if SBRT/SR improves 5 year OS. Secondary aims include local control in the metastases, new metastases, and technical quality. Translational primary endpoint is to determine whether < 5 CTCs is an independent prognostic marker for improved PFS and OS. Methods: A 2016 amendment expanded eligibility criteria to pathologically confirmed metastatic breast cancer to ≤ 2 sites and < 12 months of standard first line systemic therapy. Registration must occur <365 days of initial metastatic diagnosis. Primary disease must be controlled prior to registration. CNS metastases are ineligible. ER/PR and ...
External morphology of Apotomis albeolana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutini).

The external morphology of adult Apotomis albeolana (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Olethreutini) is described. Scanning electron micrographs illustrate chaetosema, ocellus, compound eye, and galeal sensilla. Head, thorax, and abdomen are illustrated and labelled. The description and discussion includes: cibarial musculature, pronotal structure, a new axillary sclerite (axillaryIA) in the base of the hindwing, and male and female genitalia.
The Implications of the Similarity between Fraud Numbers and the Numbers in Financial Accounting Textbooks and Test Banks

ABSTRACT: Accounting students learn financial accounting through examples. The examples in accounting textbooks, and the exam questions in the test banks, use round numbers excessively. After gradu...
Toxin T4(6) from Ptychodiscus brevis (formerly Gymnodinium breve) enhances activation of voltage-sensitive sodium channels by veratridine.

Ptychodiscus brevis toxin T446 markedly enhances persistent activation of voltage-sensitive sodium channels in neuroblastoma cells by veratridine. Half-maximal enhancement is observed at 50 ng of T446 per milliliter. At maximally effective concentrations, T446 has no effect on specific binding of 125I-labeled scorpion toxin and slightly enhances specific binding of [3H]saxitoxin. Thus, T446 enhances veratridine action but does not bind to any of the three neurotoxin receptor sites on the sodium channels that have been previously described. T446 may act at a new toxin-receptor site associated with voltage-sensitive sodium channels.
MOF-5-Polystyrene: Direct Production from Monomer, Improved Hydrolytic Stability, and Unique Guest Adsorption

An unprecedented mode of reactivity of Zn4O-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) offers a straightforward and powerful approach to polymer-hybridized porous solids. The concept is illustrated with the production of MOF-5-polystyrene wherein polystyrene is grafted and uniformly distributed throughout MOF-5 crystals after heating in pure styrene for 4–24 h. The surface area and polystyrene content of the material can be fine-tuned by controlling the duration of heating styrene in the presence of MOF-5. Polystyrene grafting significantly alters the physical and chemical properties of pristine MOF-5, which is evident from the unique guest adsorption properties (solvatochromic dye uptake and improved CO2 capacity) as well as the dramatically improved hydrolytic stability of composite. Based on the fact that MOF-5 is the best studied member of the structure class, and has been produced at scale by industry, these findings can be directly leveraged for a range of current applications.
Current Methods in Continuous Speech Recognition

Several significant advances have been made in continuous speech recognition over the last few years. In this chapter, we will discuss some of the current techniques in feature extraction and modeling for large vocabulary continuous speech recognition.
Israelian Hebrew: A Re-Evaluation

The biblical text implies that the language of the southern and northern monarchies differed, though with the exception of one anecdotal story no specifics are offered. While the hypothetical existence of a number of dialects is widely accepted, several scholars have claimed that there is actual evidence for at least two, possibly three, dialects in the text of the Hebrew Bible. In order to substantiate this claim a long list of grammatical features has been suggested over the past three decades. In this paper I will evaluate the evidence purported to prove the existence of Hebrew dialects, and show that it is weak and does not support the dialectal hypothesis.
Leveling Coatings for Reducing Atomic Oxygen Defect Density in Graphite Fiber-Epoxy Composites

Pinholes or other defect sites in a protective oxide coating provide pathways for atomic oxygen in low-Earth orbit to reach underlying material. Onc concept for enhancing the lifetime of materials in low-Earth orbit is to apply a leveling coating to the material prior to applying any reflective and protective coatings. Using a surface-tension-leveling coating concept, a low-viscosity epoxy was applied to the surface of several composite coupons. A protective layer of 1000 A of SiO2 was deposited on top of the leveling coating, and the coupons were exposed to an atomic oxygen environment in a plasma asher. Pinhole populations per unit area were estimated by counting the number of undercut sites observed by scanning electron microscopy. Defect density values of 180,000 defects/cm2 were reduced to about 1000 defects/cm2 as a result of the applied leveling coating. These improvements occur at a mass penalty of about 2.5 mg/cm2.
The IGF-1R/AKT pathway has opposing effects on Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis.

ABSTRACTNutlin-3a is a small molecule MDM2 antagonist and potent activator of wild-type p53. Nutlin-3a disrupts MDM2 binding to p53, thus increasing p53 levels and allowing p53 to inhibit proliferation or induce cell death. Factors that control sensitivity to Nutlin-3a-induced apoptosis are incompletely understood. In this study we isolated cisplatin-resistant clones from MHM cells, an MDM2-amplified and p53 wild-type osteosarcoma cell line. Cisplatin resistance in these clones resulted in part from heightened activation of the IGF-1R/AKT pathway. Interestingly, these cisplatin resistant clones showed hyper-sensitivity to Nutlin-3a induced apoptosis. Increased Nutlin-3a sensitivity was associated with reduced authophagy flux and a greater increase in p53 levels in response to Nutlin-3a treatment. IGF-1R and AKT inhibitors further increased apoptosis by Nutlin-3a in parental MHM cells and the cisplatin-resistant clones, confirming IGF-1R/AKT signaling promotes apoptosis resistance. However, IGF-1R and AKT ...
So you think you can PLS-DA?

Partial Least-Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA) is a popular machine learning tool that is gaining increasing attention as a useful feature selector and classifier. In an effort to understand its strengths and weaknesses, we performed a series of experiments with synthetic data and compared its performance to its close relative from which it was initially invented, namely Principal Component Analysis (PCA). We demonstrate that even though PCA ignores the information regarding the class labels of the samples, this unsupervised tool can be remarkably effective as a dimensionality reducer and a feature selector. In some cases, it outperforms PLS-DA, which is made aware of the class labels in its input. Our experiments range from looking at the signal-to-noise ratio in the feature selection task, to considering many practical distributions and models for the synthetic data sets used. Our experiments consider many useful distributions encountered when analyzing bioinformatics and clinical data, especially in the context of machine learning, where it is hoped that the program automatically extracts and/or learns the hidden relationships.
Rationale, design, and methodology of a trial evaluating three models of care for HCV treatment among injection drug users on opioid agonist therapy.

People who inject drugs (PWID) constitute 60% of the approximately 5 million people in the U.S. infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Treatment of PWID is complex due to addiction, mental illness, poverty, homelessness, lack of positive social support, poor adherence-related skills, low motivation and knowledge, and poor access to and trust in the health care system. New direct-acting antiviral medications are available for HCV with high cure rates and few side effects. The life expectancy and economic benefits of new HCV treatments will not be realized unless we determine optimal models of care for the majority of HCV-infected patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of directly observed therapy and group treatment compared with self-administered individual treatment in a large, urban opioid agonist therapy clinic setting in the Bronx, New York. In this randomized controlled trial 150 PWID with chronic HCV were recruited from opioid agonist treatment (OAT) clinics and randomized to one of three models of onsite HCV treatment in OAT: 1) modified directly observed therapy; 2) group treatment; or 3) control – self-administered individual treatment. Participants were age 18 or older, HCV genotype 1, English or Spanish speaking, treatment naive (or treatment experienced after 12/3/14), willing to receive HCV treatment onsite, receiving methadone or buprenorphine at the medication window at least once per week, and able to provide informed consent. Outcomes of interest include adherence (as measured by self-report and electronic blister packs), HCV treatment completion, sustained virologic response, drug resistance, and cost-effectiveness. This paper describes the design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial comparing three models of care for HCV therapy delivered in an opioid agonist treatment program. Our trial will be critical to rigorously identify models of care that result in high adherence and cure rates. Use of blister pack technology will help us determine the role of adherence in successful cure of HCV. Moreover, the trial methodology outlined here can serve as a template for the development of future programs and studies among HCV-infected drug users receiving opioid agonist therapy, as well as the cost-effectiveness of such programs. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov ( NCT01857245 ). Trial registration was obtained prospectively on May 20th, 2013.
If someone cares about you, you are more apt to come around: improving HIV care engagement by strengthening the patient-provider relationship.

Purpose:The patient-provider relationship is a central factor that can promote or hinder long-term engagement in care among people living with chronic illnesses. In this paper, we explore characteristics of the patient-provider relationship that facilitated or hindered engagement in care among patients receiving care at HIV specialty clinics. Patients and methods:We conducted 6 focus group discussions with a total of 43 well-retained and less well-retained HIV+ patients in San Francisco, Seattle, and Birmingham, to elicit a wide range of perspectives on engagement in HIV care. Borrowing from the field of psychotherapy, we examined patient-provider relationship characteristics through the lens of the therapeutic alliance, and with regard to their therapeutic efficacy and impact on patient engagement. Results:The majority of participants emphasized how a strong patient-provider relationship defined by trust, intimacy, and collaboration promoted engagement, while a weak patient-provider relationship impeded engagement. Conclusion:We discuss practical strategies and therapeutic techniques that may be helpful to providers in building strong patient-provider relationship and contend that a strong patient-provider relationship is crucial for patients to feel cared for during clinical encounters, which can promote long-term and sustained engagement in HIV care.
Potters Make Shorter Pots Under Conditions of Reduced Sensory Input.

Although people have made clay pots for millennia, little behavioral research has explored how they do so. We were specifically interested in potters’ use of auditory, haptic, and visual feedback. ...
ATTITUDES TOWARD CLINICAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES IN ORGAN PROCUREMENT

Organ supply depends on the active cooperation of several groups. The general public is the ultimate source of all human organs, but certain medical professionals have a key role in the process as well. In fact, the cooperation of these medical professionals antedates in time and overshadows in impact the role the giving public plays. The sequence of organ procurement must start with a referral from a hospital. Within this context, a “referral” contains two elements—a call from a clinician informing an organ procurement agency that one of his patients has been, or shortly will be, declared dead by brain-death criteria and an invitation to determine if that patient is a suitable organ donor. This is the first step in the organ procurement process and, while it is not sufficient, it is a necessary condition for a successful procurement. Its central importance flows from its placement in time and from the difficulty Organ Procurement Agencies (OPAs) have in bringing it about.
Zeno’s Paradox for Colours

Imagine that we proceed along a line through the middle of a disk that is divided into two precisely symmetrical segments, one of which is red, the other green, and that we pass continuously from the red to the green segment. What happens as we pass the boundary between the two? Do we pass through a last point p 1 that is red and a first point p 2 that is green? Clearly not, given the density of every continuum; for then we should have to admit an indefinite number of further points between p 1 and p 2 which would somehow have no colour. To acknowledge one of p 1 and p 2 but not the other, however, as is dictated by the Dedekindian treatment of the continuum, would be to countenance a peculiar privileging of one of the two segments over the other, and an unmotivated asymmetry of this sort we can surely reject as a contravention of the principle of sufficient reason. Perhaps, then, the line becomes colourless at the point where it crosses the segmentary divide, so that the red and green segments would be analogous, topologically, to open regions. One might seek support for this idea by reflecting that extensionless points are not in any case the sorts of things that can be coloured, since colour properly applies only to what is spatially extended. Imagine, however, a perfectly homogeneous red surface. Are the points and lines within the interior of this surface not then also red?
Other Applications - The SM2

The techniques described in this book are applicable in domains other than autonomous driving. In this chapter I present results which demonstrate this flexibility. I describe the application of these methods to the task of precisely guiding a robot called the Self Mobile Space Manipulator (SM2), which is designed to walk on the exterior of space station Freedom [Brown, Friedman & Kanade, 1990, Ueno, Xu & Brown, 1990]. While the SM2 is a very different type of robot, requiring very different guidance signals, the techniques developed for ALVINN require only minor modifications for this domain. The ease with which these techniques can be adapted to a new domain underscores the point made in the next chapter, that the learning power of artificial neural networks can effectively eliminate much of the difficulty involved in developing robust vision-based autonomous guidance systems.
Germicidal Effectiveness of Chlorine, Bromine and Iodine

In this project, the facts desired concern the comparative effectiveness of the three halogens chlorine, bromine and iodine as germicides in water. Included in the series also has been a mixture of bromine, 90 parts, plus chlorine, 10 parts. The chlorine used in these experiments was derived from sodium hypochlorite manufactured by the Great Western Electro-Chemical Company of Pittsburg, California, while the bromine and the bromine plus chlorine mixture were the products of the California Chemical Corporation of Newark, in the same state. The iodine utilized was Baker's Analyzed in quality. The bacterial flora of water are derived in very large part from soil and therefore soil suspensions made by shaking garden soil in tap water were passed through cotton in a funnel to remove gross particles. The soil suspension was prepared by adding ten grams of soil to one litre of the water. For the test suspensions used in these experiments, 200 cc. of this turbid water were added to 800 cc. of tap water. All suspensions were prepared fresh at time of use. The first portion of the problem has dealt with reduction of the numbers of bacteria derived from soil when suspended in water. Under conditions of general usage of the halogens, chlorine or iodine, the end desired in practice is control of contamination in water. No discussion of the effectiveness of chlorine will be added here for many volumes of work dealing with it have been contributed in the aggregate. Its value is too well recognized to require comment. In these trials chlorine serves rather as a well recognized standard for purposes of comparison. Iodine has its use in military and camp sanitation, but regarding bromine little knowledge has been accumulated.
Renal Replacement Therapy in the ICU

Objectives:The incidence of acute kidney injury in critically ill patients is increasing steeply. Acute kidney injury in this setting is associated with high morbidity and mortality. There is no doubt that renal replacement therapy for the most severe forms of acute kidney injury can be life saving,
Development of Civic Engagement: Theoretical and Methodological Issues

contemporary developmental science, models derived from relational developmental systems (RDS) metatheory emphasize that the basic process of human development involves mutually-influential relations, termed developmental regulations, between the developing individual and his or her complex and changing physical, social, and cultural contexts, represented as individual context relations. When relations are mutually beneficial, they are termed adaptive developmental regulations. Civic engagement develops within the context of adaptive developmental regulations. Individuals' positive engagement with, and contributions to, family, community, and civil society constitutes their contributions to the individual context exchanges marking positive integration between people and society. We discuss the development of civic engagement using RDS-based metatheory and review methodological issues raised by studying the development of civic engagement within RDS-based models. We conclude by discussing potential implications of civic engagement development theory for future research and applications aimed at promoting individual thriving and freedom, liberty, and social justice.
Evolutionary Optimization of Power Plant Control System Using Immunity-Inspired Algorithms

This paper presents the development of an interactive computational environment for the optimization of power plant control system using evolutionary techniques mimicking the biological immune system. The optimization algorithms are implemented in Matlab®, while the power plant is modeled in Dynsim®. The computational interface between these main components is described and implemented. The evolutionary optimization relies on several algorithms inspired by mechanisms of the immune system of superior organism such as cloning, affinity-based selection, seeding, and vaccination. These algorithms are expected to enhance the computational effectiveness, improve convergence, be more efficient in handling multiple local extrema, and achieve adequate balance between exploration and exploitation. The optimization environment can handle two categories of problems: optimization of constant control system parameters and optimization of variable setpoints. The functionality of the proposed optimization methodology is illustrated for the regulatory control of an acid gas removal unit as part of an integrated gasification combined cycle power plant.
Distributions of C4 plants along environmental and compositional gradients in southeastern Arizona

Distributional patterns of C4 plants were investigated in 4 study areas located in se Arizona: granite slopes in the M ule M ountains, limestone slopes in the M ule M ountains, calcareous bajada (alluvial plain) below the M ule M ountains, and limestone slopes in the H uachuca M ountains. Cover data for all vascular species were obtained from 238 0.1 ha (20 × 50 m) sample quadrats located over ranges of elevation and topographic position within the study areas. Overall, 69 C4 species representing 6 angiosperm families were encountered. C4 species accounted for 13.5% to 22.3% of vascular species within the study areas. C4 species frequency in quadrats (on the basis of all species or of grasses only) increased from mesic to xeric community types in all study areas except the calcareous bajada. Similar, but less consistent, trends were evident in the relative cover contributed by C4 species. I n two of the study areas (granite slopes in the Mule Mountains, limestone slopes in the Huachuca Mountains) regression analyses revealed statistically significant trends of C4 species frequency and relative cover along environmental (elevation/solar-irradiation scalar) and compositional (reciprocal averaging ordination) gradients. A lack of consistent trends on limestone slopes in the Mule Mountains may be the result of grazing and/or recent invasion of low-elevation limestone areas by a Chihuahuan Desert flora dominated by C3 dicot shrubs. The calcareous bajada below the Mule Mountains was studied less intensively, but its flora was found to contain the highest frequency of C4 species of the 4 study areas. In contrast, C4 cover on the bajada was low, presumably as a consequence of heavy grazing pressure on the grasses. The results of the present investigation support the prediction that C4 species should be proportionally more successful in habitats characterized by high temperatures, high irradiance and low moisture.
Differential Effects of Binge Drinking on Learning and Memory in Emerging Adults

Alterations in memory function due to alcohol exposure have been observed in both animal models and human populations. The human literature on neurocognitive consequences of binge alcohol use in emerging adults has not systematically investigated its potential negative impacts on visuospatial memory. For instance, these impacts have not yet been assessed using a human analogue of the Morris Water Maze Task (WMT), a key memory measure in the animal literature. Accordingly, this study compared performance between emerging adult binge drinkers (BD, n=22) and age- and sex-matched light drinkers (LD, n=29) using the Morris WMT, as well as verbal memory using the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Emerging adult BD demonstrated worse performance on verbal learning and memory relative to LD. However, no significant group differences were observed on spatial learning and memory. Furthermore, no sex differences or interactions with drinking status were observed on either memory domain. These data suggest that in emerging adults who are at a heightened risk for alcohol abuse disorders, but who do not yet meet diagnostic criteria, verbal learning is uniquely impacted by the neurotoxic effects of binge drinking, whereas spatial learning is relatively spared between bouts of intoxication.
Collegiate Athletic Trainers' Experiences With External Pressures Faced During Decision Making.

Context Conflict is prevalent between sports medicine professionals and coaching staffs regarding return-to-play decisions for athletes after injury in the National Collegiate Athletic Association ...
A genetic toolbox for marine protists

A resource of detailed DNA delivery and expression protocols for marine protists will enable new studies to understand the fundamental and ancestral features of eukaryotic cells.
Micromechanical modelling of pervious concrete reinforced with treated fibres

Pervious concrete has been widely used in parking lots and airport fields. However, excessive cracking and spalling issues of pervious concrete remain a challenge for its adoption in wider applicat...
The Last Two Days in Elementary Linear Algebra

The last two classes in my course on Linear Algebra followed our work on similarity, eigenvalues, eigenvectors, and diagonalization. We had discussed how convenient it is to transform a vector rela...
Ketamine increases activity of a fronto-striatal projection that regulates compulsive behavior

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), characterized by intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions), is associated with dysfunction in fronto-striatal circuits. There are currently no fast-acting pharmacological treatments for OCD. However, recent clinical studies demonstrated that an intravenous infusion of ketamine rapidly reduces OCD symptoms. To probe mechanisms underlying ketamine9s therapeutic effect on OCD-like behaviors, we used the SAPAP3 knockout (KO) mouse model of compulsive grooming. Here we recapitulate the fast-acting therapeutic effect of ketamine on compulsive behavior, and show that ketamine increases activity of dorsomedial prefrontal neurons projecting to the dorsomedial striatum in KO mice. Optogenetically mimicking this increase in fronto-striatal activity rescued compulsive grooming behavior in KO mice. Conversely, inhibiting this circuit in wild-type mice increased grooming. These studies demonstrate that ketamine increases activity in a fronto-striatal circuit that causally controls compulsive grooming behavior, suggesting this circuit may be important for ketamine9s therapeutic effects in OCD.