cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracochlear drug delivery: Fluorescent tracer evaluation for quantification of distribution in the cochlear partition.

Abstract Measurement of drug distribution in the inner ear has important roles in the design of local delivery methods, such as direct, intracochlear delivery, and in assessment of emerging drug candidates in preclinical animal models. Sampling methods have been used in the past to measure drug concentrations in the cochlear fluids, but these methods provide no direct information about drug distribution in the cochlear tissues. In this work, we evaluated four fluorescent markers that simulate drug distribution in the organ of Corti after intracochlear delivery to the cochlea's scala tympani compartment. Our hypothesis is that ultimately, a cocktail comprising several fluorescent drug surrogates or fluorescently-tagged drugs, each with differing distribution, spreading, and clearance behavior, can be used to evaluate both transient and cumulative drug distributions associated with different delivery techniques. In this study, FITC-dextran, Qtracker™ 655, gentamicin Texas-Red, and FM 1–43 FX were each evaluated as candidate markers by direct intracochlear infusion into guinea-pig cochleae. Distribution of the markers was measured using fluorescence confocal microscopy imaging of cochlear whole mount dissections from animals sacrificed 3 h after the tracer-infusion. For all four tracers, strong fluorescence was observed in the tissue sections near the base, but only Qtracker™-655, gentamicin Texas-Red (GTTR) and FM 1–43 FX exhibited any specificity in labelling of the sensory hair cells. Therefore, these substances represent leading candidates for the quantification drug distribution achieved by different delivery approaches to the scala tympani.
Evaluating near-roadway concentrations of diesel-related air pollution using RLINE

Abstract The near-roadway pollutant dispersion model RLINE was evaluated for prediction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and black carbon (BC) concentrations. Model predictions were compared with continuous, yearlong measurements from two near-roadway sites in the San Francisco Bay Area. Heavy-duty diesel trucks were a significant source of NOx and BC at both sites. Characterization of temporal variations in heavy-duty truck activity on diurnal, weekly, and seasonal scales were included in this study; truck traffic and emissions are not well-correlated with passenger vehicle or total traffic volumes. For both pollutants, more than 90% of predicted 24-h average concentrations were within a factor of two of observations at both near-roadway monitoring sites. The model responds appropriately to seasonal variations in meteorology and day-of-week variations in emissions. RLINE model performance for NOx was better overall than for BC. Reducing uncertainties in emission factors would help to improve model performance for BC.
The Two Cultures of Medicine

Medicine has its own version of the two cultures. The science side of things is fairly straightforward. The human side of things is anything but. The human side of things involves emotion in a way that the science does not. Richard Boyatzis introduced concepts of positive and negative emotional attractors that are at the core of his complexity-based theory of intentional change. These are strange attractors in that they create (or perhaps represent) forces that pull our behavior, attitudes, feelings, and such around them; once caught in the pull of an attractor, a person’s mood, state, feelings, thoughts, and behavior cycle within a self-perpetuating loop. Studies have shown that the physician’s positive/negative emotional attractor (PNEA) affects the patient’s PNEA which in turn affects patient behavior in diabetes. Although these studies use scales for assessment, the interactions between physicians and patients are fundamentally qualitative. From a complexity frame of reference, this is about the interactions which are at the heart of complex systems. Dealing with interactions and the individuals who are interacting requires both art and science. Humanity is necessary, but not sufficient. Science is necessary, but not sufficient. Medicine as a science can repair; medicine as an art can care. When the two are combined restoration and cure can occur, but even if cure is not achieved and perhaps especially when cure cannot be achieved as in the case of all chronic disease, the patient is far better off. Each of the two cultures requires the other.
Returning to our roots: The use of geospatial data for nurse‐led community research

In the early 20th century, public health nurse, Lillian Wald, addressed the social determinants of health (SDOH) through her work in New York City and her advocacy to improve policy in workplace conditions, education, recreation, and housing. In the early 21st century, addressing the SDOH is a renewed priority and provides nurse researchers with an opportunity to return to our roots. The purpose of this methods paper is to examine how the incorporation of geospatial data and spatial methodologies in community research can enhance the analyses of the complex relationships between social determinants and health. Geospatial technologies, software for mapping and working with geospatial data, statistical methods, and unique considerations are discussed. An exemplar for using geospatial data is presented regarding associations between neighborhood greenspace, neighborhood violence, and children's asthma control. This innovative use of geospatial data illustrates a new frontier in investigating nontraditional connections between the environment and SDOH outcomes.
Open Source ERP Applications: A Reality Check for Their Possible Adoption and Use in Teaching Business Process Integration.

For years, there has been a need for teaching students about business process integration. The use of ERP systems has been proposed as a mechanism to meet this need. Yet, in the midst of a recent economic crisis, it is difficult to find funding for the acquisition and implementation of an ERP system for teaching purpose. While it is recognized that the use of ERP systems might provide a variety of benefits in a business school curriculum, how could business schools overcome the limited resources in order to bring in and integrate ERP systems into their business core classes? This paper explores the potentials of open source software with a focus on open source ERP applications. It describes the development of the open source movement, the emergence of open source ERP software, and the selection and evaluation of two specific ERP applications. Although one of the major incentives for adopting open source software is the absence of license fees, this paper, however, cautions that there are other costs to be considered in the adoption of open source ERP software and in its implementation process.
Molecular Crystal Mechanical Properties Altered Via Dopant Inclusion

All molecular crystals contain defects, yet the effects these defects have on the material properties they exhibit are poorly understood. Here the relationship between mechanical properties and def...
Knowledge of physical activity and nutrition recommendations in college students.

Objective: Assess physical activity (PA) and nutrition recommendation knowledge in college students. Participants: 71 students (n = 41 females;18 to 22 years) measured in May of 2014. METHODS: Know...
Pediatric and adolescent patients with CKD and ESRD

Abstract While children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD) exhibit some of the same psychosocial issues seen in adults with CKD, there are unique pediatric aspects observed due to progressive physical, neurological, psychological, and developmental changes. The approach to psychosocial health in children must be holistic, involving caregivers, family, educators, and healthcare professionals. The concern for optimal mental health in children with CKD transcends childhood, as improved healthcare allows the majority of children with childhood onset CKD to live into adulthood. The goal is for both a healthy physical and mental transition to adulthood.
Spanish copula selection with adjectives in school-aged bilingual children:

Aims and objectives/purpose/research questions:This study examined whether school-aged second-generation heritage speakers exhibit knowledge of the semantic and pragmatic constraints on Spanish cop...
What's casual? What's causal? Advancing research on employment relationships and health

The ‘changing nature of work’ has received increasing levels of attention within lay and research communities. In addition to the technologies of work, scrutiny has been focused on major shifts in the relationship between workers and their ‘employer’—namely the general trend of employers externalising economic and legal risk onto workers, producing more precarious and insecure labour market experiences. Such concerns have led researchers to investigate potential adverse health implications of working within various forms of temporary employment, which is typically framed as an objective marker of job insecurity. As with other areas of occupational health research, careful definition and ascertainment of the ‘exposure’ are paramount to the interpretation of such studies. However, employment arrangements research continues to suffer from a lack of definitional clarity, stemming from underdeveloped theory about how employment relationships affect worker health. More challenging, this line of research also differs from classical occupational health studies in that the social context of the work and workers is integral to formulating and interpreting analyses. In this way, employment arrangements research requires a multilevel approach. The article by Hahn et al 1 in this issue exemplifies the importance of these definitional and contextual aspects of epidemiological research on relational aspects of employment, such as casual employment in the Australian context addressed in their paper. In this commentary, we explore further aspects of exposure definition and the importance of context in the interpretation of findings, in relation to the work by Hahn et al . Definitions of employment arrangements have been a morass of confusion, with many different but related concepts being conflated.2 This can be seen in several of the longitudinal studies cited by Hahn et al , which operationalise ‘temporary employment’ as different combinations of multiple non-permanent employment forms, including fixed-term, seasonal, casual and temporary agency arrangements. While …
Protein Ligand-Induced Amplification in the 1/f Noise of a Protein-Selective Nanopore

Previous studies of transmembrane protein channels have employed noise analysis to examine their statistical current fluctuations. In general, these explorations determined a substrate-induced amplification in the Gaussian white noise of these systems at a low-frequency regime. This outcome implies a lack of slowly appearing fluctuations in the number and local mobility of diffusing charges in the presence of channel substrates. Such parameters are among the key factors in generating a low-frequency 1/f noise. Here, we show that a protein-selective biological nanopore exhibits a substrate-induced amplification in the 1/f noise. The modular composition of this biological nanopore includes a hydrophilic transmembrane protein pore fused to a water-soluble binding protein on its extramembranous side. In addition, this protein nanopore shows an open substate populated by a high-frequency current noise because of the flickering of an engineered polypeptide adaptor at the tip of the pore. However, the physical association of the protein ligand with the binding domain reversibly switches the protein nanopore from a high-frequency noise substate into a quiet substate. In the absence of the protein ligand, our nanopore shows a low-frequency white noise. Remarkably, in the presence of the protein ligand, an amplified low-frequency 1/f noise was detected in a ligand concentration-dependent fashion. This finding suggests slowly occurring equilibrium fluctuations in the density and local mobility of charge carriers under these conditions. Furthermore, we report that the excess in 1/f noise is generated by reversible switches between the noisy ligand-released substate and the quiet ligand-captured substate. Finally, quantitative aspects of the low-frequency 1/f noise are in accord with theoretical predictions of the current noise analysis of protein channel-ligand interactions.
Immobilization Versus Observation in Children With Toddler's Fractures: A Retrospective Review

While long leg casts have been historically recommended for immobilization of toddler's fractures, short leg casts are often used by treating physicians. Others question whether any immobilization is necessary because of the internal stability provided by the thickened periosteum of pediatric bones. The purpose of this study is to review the results of toddler's fractures treated with long leg casts, short leg casts, or without immobilization. Eighty-five patients were included in a retrospective review of nondisplaced spiral or oblique tibial shaft fractures in children under 6 years old from 2007 to 2012. Treatments included long leg casts (19), short leg casts (59), and no immobilization (7). Average time to ambulation was 15.5 days. There were 11 casting complications. Only one patient, in a short leg cast, had measurable displacement or angulation. There were no complications reported in the nonimmobilized group. The results suggest that toddler's fractures can be effectively treated with short leg casts or without immobilization. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 27(2):142-147, 2018).
Lessons Learned from Dial-Up

In the largest cities across the U.S., locating an Internet connection has become as easy as finding a cup of coffee. In modern times, however, the ability to effectively communicate in business is inextricably connected to the rate by which one is able to transfer data. Like a bad cup of coffee, we may tolerate a slow connection when options are limited, but no one really enjoys it. Lessons from both support the notion that we not only prefer quality speed, but it also improves our performance at work.If bit rates are the standard measurement for telecommunications, hospital beds present the equivalent in health care. When forestalling death or permanent injury, most health care practitioners prefer a hospital bed if options in venue exist. Like a hot spot at any local coffee shop, however, not all hospital beds are the same. While national standards for accreditation and certification exist to protect the public from health care delivered at a standard comparable to dial-up Internet access, the simple fact is that some hospital beds are better than others, and getting patients to the best possible bed is the first order of business.
Academic Motherhood in Mathematics Teacher Education during COVID-19: Breaking the Silence and Shifting the Discourse

Despite decades of social change and institutional reform, the academic gender gap continues to exist in many countries around the world and disproportionately affects women with children. Early indicators suggest that COVID-19 will widen this gap and exacerbate issues academic mothers face. In this essay we seek to raise awareness to the challenges and tensions academic mothers in mathematics education face both outside of and during a pandemic. We use existing literature on academic motherhood to make sense of our lived experiences, working to reframe pieces that are so often viewed as deficits to assets for our work in mathematics education. We hope that this will bring visibility to the invisible ways our identities as mothers inform our work as mathematics teacher educators and researchers. We conclude this essay with a call for the university-based mathematics education community to break the silence around the inequities associated with academic motherhood in our field and to shift the discourse from deficits of academic mothers to asset orientated views.
Akt-mTOR hypoactivity in bipolar disorder gives rise to cognitive impairments associated with altered neuronal structure and function

The Akt family of kinases exerts many of its cellular effects via the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase through a series of intermediary proteins. Multiple lines of evidence have identified Akt-family kinases as candidate schizophrenia and bipolar disorder genes. Although dysfunction of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a key feature of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, no studies have comprehensively assessed potential alterations in Akt-mTOR pathway activity in the PFC of either disorder. Here, we examined the activity and expression profile of key proteins in the Akt-mTOR pathway in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia homogenates from two different PFC subregions. Our findings identify reduced Akt-mTOR PFC signaling in a subset of bipolar disorder subjects. Using a reverse-translational approach, we demonstrated that Akt hypofunction in the PFC is sufficient to give rise to key cognitive phenotypes that are paralleled by alterations in synaptic connectivity and function.
New Evidence on the Effects of Mandatory Waiting Periods for Abortion

Beyond a handful of studies examining early-adopting states in the early 1990s, little is known about the causal effects of mandatory waiting periods for abortion. In this study we evaluate the effects of a Tennessee law enacted in 2015 that requires women to make an additional trip to abortion providers for state-directed counseling at least 48 hours before they can obtain an abortion. Our difference-in-differences and synthetic-control estimates indicate that the introduction of the mandatory waiting period caused a 48–73 percent increase in the share of abortions obtained during the second trimester. Our analysis examining overall abortion rates is less conclusive but suggests a reduction caused by the waiting period. Putting these estimates into context, our back-of-the-envelope calculations indicate that Tennessee’s MWP increased the monetary costs of obtaining an abortion by as much as $929 for some women.
Detection of Jaguar (Panthera onca) From Genetic Material in Drinking Water

Jaguar (Panthera onca) are of conservation concern and occur at very low densities in the northern portion of their range in northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Environmental DNA sampling to detect genetic material from drinking water may be an effective approach for jaguar detection in these arid landscapes. Here we develop a qPCR assay for the detection of jaguar mitochondrial DNA, show that large quantities of DNA (mean 66,820 copies/liter) can be found in the drinking water of captive animals, and observe detectable levels of DNA (80 copies/liter) in a wild habitat with known jaguar populations. We suggest that environmental DNA sampling may represent a useful, complementary sampling tool for detection of rare jaguars, although effective application would require careful consideration of DNA persistence time in the environment.
Examining why trends in very heavy precipitation should not be mistaken for trends in very high river discharge

It is firmly established in the hydrologic literature that flooding depends on both antecedent watershed wetness and precipitation. One could phrase this relationship as “heavy precipitation does not necessarily lead to high stream discharge”, but rarely do studies directly affirm this statement. We have observed several non-hydrologists mistake trends in heavy precipitation as a proxy for trends in riverine flooding. If the relationship between heavy precipitation and high discharge was more often explicitly presented, heavy precipitation may less often be misinterpreted as a proxy for discharge. In this paper, we undertake such an analysis for 390 watersheds across the contiguous U.S. We found that 99th percentile precipitation only results in 99th percentage discharge 36 % of the time. However, when conditioned on soil moisture from the Variable Infiltration Capacity model, 62 % of 99th percentile precipitation results in 99th percentile discharge during wet periods and only 13 % during dry periods. When relating trends in heavy precipitation to hydrologic response, precipitation data should, therefore, be segregated based on concurrent soil moisture. Taking this approach for climate predictions, we found that CMIP-5 atmosphere–ocean global circulation model (AOGCM) simulations for a RCP 6.0 forcing project increases in concurrence of greater than median soil wetness and extreme precipitation in the northern United States and a decrease in the south, suggesting northern regions could see an increase in very high discharges while southern regions could see decreases despite both regions having an increase in extreme precipitation. While the actual outcome is speculative given the uncertainties of the AOGCM’s, such an analysis provides a more sophisticated framework from which to evaluate the output as well as historic climate data.
A multiproxy approach to reconstructing sea surface conditions using coral skeleton geochemistry

[1] We use elemental ratio (Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, U/Ca and Ba/Ca) and oxygen isotope data from a Porites lutea coral head collected from offshore Amedee Island, New Caledonia (22°29′S, 166°28′E) to assess the degree to which changes in these geochemical variables reflect variations in sea surface conditions. We have assessed the robustness of each geochemical proxy by comparing 25 years (1992–1968) of monthly geochemical variations with a local record of sea surface temperature (SST) and with the appropriate 1° by 1° grid box from a global gridded SST data set. We conclude from our comparison that the most consistent proxies of monthly SST variations at this site are δ18O (r2 = −0.84; p = <.0001) and Sr/Ca (r2 = −0.84; p = <.0001). The fidelity of the coral-based Sr/Ca-SST proxy was assessed via calibration-verification exercises at New Caledonia and Rarotonga. The “paleoclimate” accuracy of the coral Sr/Ca-SST technique is judged to be robust, and the precision of the technique is estimated to be ∼0.3° ± 0.5 (2σ) based on the calibration-verification exercise. In contrast, monthly variations in Mg/Ca and U/Ca ratios are only moderately correlated with monthly SST variations (r2 = 0.55; p = <.0001 for Mg/Ca and r2 = 0.47; p = <.0001). The strength of the correlation between SST and Mg/Ca and U/Ca varies as a function of time, suggesting that variations in these ratios are not a simple function of SST variations. This variability in goodness of fit between U/Ca-SST and Mg/Ca-SST may ultimately limit the use of these ratios as coral paleothermometers. Averaging or stacking individual proxy SST records (Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca and U/Ca) to generate a composite proxy SST record does not necessarily improve the proxy record if the signal-to-noise ratio in each proxy is highly variable. For example, stacking of Sr/Ca-Mg/Ca-U/Ca records at New Caledonia produces a proxy SST time series that has greater standard error than the individual Sr/Ca-SST time series (cf. ordinary least squares standard error of 1.16°C versus 0.86°C). Ba/Ca variations have little correlation with SST, Sr/Ca, Mg/Ca, or U/Ca variations at New Caledonia. In conclusion, variations in oxygen isotopic composition of seawater, calculated by removing the Sr/Ca-based temperature component of the δ18O signal, agree reasonably well with observed variations in sea surface salinity, especially at the interannual timescale.
Coupling to a glioblastoma‐directed antibody potentiates antitumor activity of curcumin

Current therapies for glioblastoma are largely palliative, involving surgical resection followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which yield serious side effects and very rarely produce complete recovery. Curcumin, a food component, blocked brain tumor formation but failed to eliminate established brain tumors in vivo, probably because of its poor bioavailability. In the glioblastoma GL261 cells, it suppressed the tumor-promoting proteins NF-κB, P-Akt1, vascular endothelial growth factor, cyclin D1 and BClXL and triggered cell death. Expression of exogenous p50 and p65 subunits of NF-κB conferred partial protection on transfected GL261 cells against curcumin insult, indicating that NF-κB played a key role in protecting glioblastoma cells. To enhance delivery, we coupled curcumin to the glioblastoma-specific CD68 antibody in a releasable form. This resulted in a 120-fold increase in its efficacy to eliminate GL261 cells. A very similar dose response was also obtained with human glioblastoma lines T98G and U87MG. GL261-implanted mice receiving intratumor infusions of the curcumin-CD68 adduct followed by tail-vein injections of solubilized curcumin displayed a fourfold to fivefold reduction in brain tumor load, survived longer, and about 10% of them lived beyond 100 days. Hematoxylin-eosin staining of brain sections revealed a small scar tissue mass in the rescued mice, indicating adduct-mediated elimination of glioblastoma tumor. The tumor cells were strongly CD68+ and some cells in the tumor periphery were strongly positive for microglial Iba1, but weakly positive for CD68. This strategy of antibody targeting of curcumin to tumor comes with the promise of yielding a highly effective therapy for glioblastoma brain tumors.
Medical Problems Where Talk is the Problem: Current Trends in Conversation Analytic Research on Aphasia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, and Alzheimer’s

While a large body of conversation analytic research focuses on talk in medical settings, a relatively small but important emerging body of research on that subset of medical problems which affect individuals’ ability to produce and comprehend language has been developing. This paper reviews such research on four such medical problems: aphasia, Autism Spectrum Disorder, intellectual disability, and forms of dementia such as Alzheimer’s. This research provides useful insight into the nature of symptoms and the actual communicative competence of the individuals affected, as well as improving our knowledge of the best ways to diagnose, assess, and treat these conditions.
In lieu of the paired catchment approach: Hydrologic model change detection at the catchment scale

[1] The paired catchment approach has been the predominant method for detecting the effects of disturbance on catchment-scale hydrology. Notwithstanding, the utility of this approach is limited by regression model sample size, variability between paired catchments, type II error, and the inability of locating a long-term suitable control. An increasingly common practice is to use rainfall-runoff models to discern the effect of disturbance on hydrology, but few hydrologic model studies (1) consider problems associated with model identification, (2) use formal statistical methods to evaluate the significance of hydrologic change relative to variations in rainfall and streamflow, and (3) apply change detection models to undisturbed catchments to test the approach. We present an alternative method to the paired catchment approach and improve on stand-alone hydrologic modeling to discern the effects of forest harvesting at the catchment scale. Our method combines rainfall-runoff modeling to account for natural fluctuations in daily streamflow, uncertainty analyses using the generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation method to identify and separate hydrologic model uncertainty from unexplained variation, and GLS regression change detection models to provide a formal experimental framework for detecting changes in daily streamflow relative to variations in daily hydrologic and climatic data. We include statistical analyses of climate variation and a two-part evaluation to explore model performance and account for unexplained variation. Evaluations consisted of applying our method to a control catchment and to a period prior to harvesting in a treated catchment to demonstrate that our method was capable of capturing the absence of land use change in an undisturbed catchment and capturing the absence of land use change during a period of no disturbance in the harvested catchment. In addition, we explore the sensitivity of our method to model identification, number of simulations, and likelihood thresholds for model identification. We show that an increase in the number of model simulations does not necessarily result in increased change detection performance. Our method is a potentially useful alternative to the paired catchment approach where reference catchments are not possible and to stand-alone hydrologic modeling for detecting the effects of land use change on hydrology.
Ethical Issues in Clinical Genetics and Genomics

This chapter sets out crucial ethical and legal issues raised both by existing targeted genetic testing, and, more importantly, by the rising tide of broader genomic tests, such as whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Clinical genetic testing has been available for over 40 years, but not all the concerns have been resolved. The chapter discusses those concerns in traditional targeted testing in five categories: the decision whether to test, the tests’ accuracy, conveying the results to patients, direct-to-consumer testing, and a variety of other concerns. It then discusses intermediate forms of testing, tests such as multiplex tandem mass spectrometry and SNP arrays, that do not provide information about only a handful of genetic variants, but also do not provide powerful information about many disease-linked variants. It ends by discussing how WGS and other “broad” tests will greatly exacerbate the ethical and legal problems of existing testing methods, particularly with respect to accuracy, conveying results, and confidentiality.
39 Fluorescently Tagged Proteins to Monitor NADPH Oxidase Assembly During Phagocytosis

The ability to examine the spatial and temporal localization of proteins in living cells through the use of fluorescent tags is a powerful tool for investigating the organization and dynamics of many cellular processes. We are applying this technology to studies on the NADPH oxidase expressed in neutrophils and monocyte/macrophages. This enzyme catalyzes the first step leading to the generation of potent microbicidal oxidants, which are critical for the killing of many bacterial and fungal pathogens. The importance of the NADPH oxidase to host defense is attested to by the impact of genetic defects in this enzyme, which result in Chronic Granulomatous Disease. In order to better understand the assembly and molecular regulation of this multi-subunit enzyme during phagocytosis, we are analyzing and testing fluorescently tagged derivatives of the NADPH oxidase subunits. The assembly of cytosolic factors p47phox and p67phox with flavocytochrome b558 (gp91phox and p22phox) at the membrane is a crucial step in enzyme activation. The p47phox and p67phox subunits are linked via a high-affinity, tail-to-tail interaction involving a proline-rich region (PRR) in an SH3 domain, respectively, in their C-termini. This interaction is critical for p47phox dependent p67phox membrane translocation. To investigate molecular rearrangements of p47phox and p67phox during oxidase activation, a fragment derived from the p47phox PRR and tagged with YFP (p47/YFP) was generated and shown to bind to recombinant p67phox in vitro. When expressed in PLB-985 granulocytes, this fragment was recruited to phagosomes. This suggests that the C-terminal SH3 domain of p67phox becomes accessible following oxidase assembly. Additional studies are examining the role of p40phox, an additional regulatory subunit of the NADPH oxidase that has a phosphoinositide binding site critical for oxidase activity on phagosomes (Suh, et al, J Exp Med, In Press). Whether p40phox also promotes recruitment of p67phox to the membrane or acts as an allosteric regulator is being examined in similar studies using fluorescently tagged derivatives while imaging living granulocytes undergoing phagocytosis.
Cancer-specific worry interference in women attending a breast and ovarian cancer risk evaluation program: impact on emotional distress and health functioning.

Intrusive thoughts about cancer, often identified as 'cancer-specific worries' or 'cancer-specific distress', have been postulated to be associated with dysfunction in women at increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer. The current study discusses the development and validation of a measure designed to assess women's perceptions of the interference such worries create in their daily functioning. Analyses revealed that approximately two-thirds of a high-risk breast cancer clinic sample perceived worries about breast cancer as interfering with their functioning across a variety of life domains. Multiple regression analyses indicated that worry interference scores predicted Profile of Mood States (POMS) Anxiety and Confusion, and Short Form-36 (SF-36) Role-Emotional and Mental Health scores after the effects of other variables such as frequency of worry about breast cancer, and having a family history of cancer had been considered. Women who perceived their worries as interfering with their functioning reported higher levels of anxiety and confusion, and diminished mental health and role functioning. The results add to the expanding area of anxiety/distress in at-risk populations by providing (1) a direct measure of the perceived interference associated with breast cancer-specific thoughts, (2) a validation of the measure via its associations with standard measures of emotional distress and health functioning, and (3) evidence of the measure's incremental predictive value in explaining distress and quality of life, after consideration of background variables, such as having a family history of cancer.
ThermoData Engine (TDE): software implementation of the dynamic data evaluation concept. 3. Binary mixtures.

ThermoData Engine (TDE) is the first full-scale software implementation of the dynamic data evaluation concept, as reported recently in this journal. The present paper describes the first application of this concept to the evaluation of thermophysical properties for binary chemical systems. Five activity-coefficient models have been implemented for representation of phase-equilibrium data (vapor−liquid, liquid−liquid, and solid−liquid equilibrium): NRTL, UNIQUAC, Van Laar, Margules/Redlich−Kister, and Wilson. Implementation of these models in TDE is fully described. Properties modeled individually are densities, surface tensions, critical temperatures, critical pressures, excess enthalpies, and the transport properties—viscosity and thermal conductivity. Extensions to the class structure of the program are described with emphasis on special features allowing close linkage between mixture and pure-component properties required for implementation of the models. Details of gas-phase models used in conjunctio...
Active control of the depletion boundary layers in microfluidic electrochemical reactors

In this paper, we describe three methods to improve the performance of pressure-driven laminar flow-based microreactors by manipulating reaction-depletion boundary layers to overcome mass transfer limitations at reactive surfaces on the walls, such as electrodes. The transport rate of the reactants to the reactive surfaces is enhanced by (i) removing the depleted zone through multiple periodically-placed outlets; (ii) adding fresh reactants through multiple periodically-placed inlets along the reactive surface; or (iii) producing a spiraling, transverse flow through the integration of herringbone ridges along the channel walls. For approaches (i) and (ii), the network of microfluidic channels needs to be designed such that under the operating conditions used the right amount of boundary layer at each outlet or inlet is removed or replenished, respectively. Here, we report a set of design rules, derived with the help of a fluidic resistance circuit model, to aid in the design of appropriate microfluidic networks. Also, the actual enhancement of the performance of the electrochemical microreactor, i.e. chemical conversion efficiency, using multiple inlets, multiple outlets, or herringbone ridges is reported.
Chronic exposure to stress hormones alters the subtype of store‐operated channels expressed in H19‐7 hippocampal neuronal cells

Differentiating H19-7 hippocampal precursor cells up-regulate (∼4.3-fold) store-operated channel (SOC) activity; relatively linear current-voltage curves indicate an ISOC subtype of SOC. In differentiated H19-7 neurons, the majority of agonist (arginine vasopressin, AVP)-stimulated Ca2+ entry occurs via SOCs, based on 2-aminoethyldiphenylborinate (2-APB) inhibition data and the observation that transient receptor potential C1 (TRPC1) channel knock down cells show a dramatic reduction of thapsigargin-stimulated store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) and inhibition of AVP-stimulated Ca2+ entry. Treatment of H19-7 cells with the rat stress hormone corticosterone during differentiation induces a significant increase in AVP-stimulated Ca2+ entry, which is virtually eliminated by 2-APB, suggesting a corticosterone-induced increase of SOCE. Corticosterone also enhances AVP-stimulated Mn2+ entry, confirming an elevated Ca2+ entry pathway, rather than a decreased Ca2+ extrusion. When corticosterone addition is delayed until after H19-7 cells have fully differentiated, it still elevates SOCE. In corticosterone-treated H19-7 cells, the knock down of TRPC1 no longer blocks thapsigargin-stimulated Ca2+ entry suggesting that the subtype of SOCs expressed in H19-7 cells is altered by corticosterone treatment. Electrophysiological studies demonstrate that store-operated currents in corticosterone-treated H19-7 cells exhibit a highly inward rectifying current-voltage curve consistent with an ICRAC subtype of SOCs. Consistent with this finding is the observation that corticosterone treatment of H19-7 cells increases the expression of the ICRAC channel subunit Orai1. Thus, the subtype of SOCs expressed in H19-7 hippocampal neurons can be altered from ISOC to ICRAC by chronic treatment with stress hormones. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 1332–1343, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
State dispositions in social judgment

Social judgment is a joint function of judge disposition and stimulus information. Dispositions may take the form of enduring traits or of transient states. This experiment was aimed at establishing the extent of correspondence between dispositional traits and states in their effects on judgments of stimulus persons. States were induced by optimistic or pessimistic news broadcasts. Subjects evaluated a confederate who predominantly agreed or disagreed with them on either three or six attitudinal issues. Induced states affected judgments of others, but the pattern of interaction with stimulus cues (others’ attitudes or descriptions) differed from that shown in earlier studies of dispositional traits. As in studies using trait-derived dispositions, the effect of state dispositions was uniform across different valences of stimulus information. Unlike the case with trait dispositions, states did not decrease in impact with larger amounts of information. States and traits of the judge cannot therefore be considered conceptually equivalent in their role in social judgment.
The Intersection Delay Problem with Correlated Gap Acceptance

This paper considers a modification of the single-car intersection delay problem in which the waiting driver, upon finding a suitable gap for crossing also examines the succeeding one, and uses it if it is larger. It is shown that the additional delay time caused by this method of gap acceptance is generally quite small.
SrTi O 3 electroreflectance: Flatband-electrolyte and Schottky-barrier measurements

The results of electroreflectance (ER) measurements from approximately 2 to 5 eV are reported for SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$. Both the electrolyte technique and the metal-semiconductor (MS) configuration were used. The room-temperature-electrolyte ER show strong broad line shapes characteristic of the perovskite oxides and in agreement with other modulation spectra. The flatband condition has been determined and the effect of moving off flatband has been studied. In addition to the usual $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}R}{R}$ data, a Kramers-Kronig analysis has been performed and the line shapes are reported in terms of $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{1}$ and $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2}$. The strong 3.81 eV structure in $\ensuremath{\Delta}{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{2}$ is associated with a critical region along $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ rather than any one critical point. The following studies were undertaken in attempts to sharpen the rather broad room-temperature line shapes in order to seek additional structure to aid in the classification of the optical transitions. The low-temperature MS-configuration line shapes were taken from 300 to 53 K. The structure was sharpened at low temperatures but no additional structure was found. The low-temperature polarized spectra for (110) faced samples were studied. The line shapes indicated polarization dependence but no additional structure. The low-temperature MS-configuration ER was taken on pure insulating SrTi${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ to reduce impurity broadening. This uncovered a shoulder at \ensuremath{\sim}3.4 eV in $\frac{\ensuremath{\Delta}R}{R}$. The temperature dependence of several peaks were individually monitored. Each showed an individual different temperature dependence suggesting that each represents independent transitions. No change was detectable in passing through the cubic to tetragonal second-order phase transition near 110 K.
Lead-related nephrotoxicity: A review of the epidemiologic evidence

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a major global public health concern. Efforts to prevent and/or slow progression of CKD are essential. Lead nephropathy, characterized by chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis, is a well-known risk of chronic, high-level lead exposure. However, in recent years, lead exposure has declined sharply, particularly in developed countries. We reviewed epidemiologic research in general, occupational, and patient populations to assess whether lead, at current exposure levels, still contributes to nephrotoxicity. Other pertinent topics, such as risk in children, genetic susceptibility, and co-exposure to cadmium, are also considered. The data reviewed indicate that lead contributes to nephrotoxicity, even at blood lead levels below 5 microg/dl. This is particularly true in susceptible populations, such as those with hypertension (HTN), diabetes, and/or CKD. Low socioeconomic status is a risk factor for both lead exposure and diseases that increase susceptibility. Future public health risk for lead-related nephrotoxicity may be most significant in those rapidly developing countries where risk factors for CKD, including obesity and secondary HTN and diabetes mellitus, are increasing more rapidly than lead exposure is declining. Global efforts to reduce lead exposure remain important. Research is also needed to determine whether specific therapies, such as chelation, are beneficial in susceptible populations.
Identification of EBV transforming genes by recombinant EBV technology.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is able to infect primary B-lymphocytes but usually does not proceed to replicate more virions. Instead, EBV persists as an incomplete virus and expresses 12 gene products that transform the growth of these cells into continuously proliferating lymphoblastoid cell lines. Because EBV is associated with several human malignancies, there is intense interest in delineating the molecular functions of these EBV gene products in transformation. This review focuses on the recombinant EBV technologies that have been developed to introduce specific mutations into EBV and test the functions of these EBV genes in primary B-lymphocyte growth transformation.
Rethinking the Growth Machine: How to Erase a Chinatown from the Urban Core

Abstract This article explores Houston's two Chinatowns within the context of the city's recent urban reinvestment and revitalization initiatives. It provides a history of the Chinatowns and examines their changing condition during the years that Houston was promoting ethnic diversity and urban revival. The analysis is framed within the growth machine perspective, as initially explored in Houston by Joe Feagin, and later by Jan Lin and Igor Vojnovic. Houston's late-20th-century urban redevelopment initiatives occurred during a period in history when Houston's Chinese entrepreneurs lost their influence over the local growth machine. The eventual outcome was the erasure of Houston's downtown Chinatown and the displacement of its residents from their lucrative urban core location. The disappearance of Old Chinatown and other urban ethnic neighborhoods—including Little Saigon and Freedmen's Town—from the urban core all took place as the Houston media and public were celebrating diversity, pluralism, and ethni...
Between Humanity and the Homeland: The Evolution of an Institutional Concept

Speaking in Jackson, Mississippi, on the occasion of the inauguration of Republican Haley Barbour as governor in January, 2004, Bruce Cole, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), recalled another inauguration. "In his Inaugural Address," Cole said, "President Bush called on all Americans to be citizens, not spectators ... to serve our nation ... to embody the ideas that gave our nation birth. That call," he said, "took on new meaning after the attacks of September 11."' On that day, Cole noted, citizens countered evil with "acts of courage and compassion"; and within a matter of months, a righteous nation "defeated a murderous regime, liberated an oppressed people, and literally unearthed a tyrant." All these things were well known to his audience; what might have been less obvious was the critical role played by the humanities. If any were uncertain what a scholar was doing there on this occasion, Cole was not. For, as he understood the matter, the humanities were at ground zero of American civic life. To begin with, he argued, the essence of the citizenship displayed on 9/11 by firefighters, police, and ordinary people was revealed by the humanities, to which we look for the key to "what makes us human: the legacy of our past, the ideas and principles that motivate us, and the eternal questions that we still ponder." Before any other response, the first responders had responded to the humanities, which help us cultivate the sense of beauty, reveal to us our traditions, and give meaning to abstract concepts such as justice and goodness. The NEH, he pointed out, had been "founded in the belief that cultivating the best of the humanities had real, tangible benefits for civic life," including a deepened understanding of our conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. In America, where "wisdom and knowledge" are "essential to our national identity," the humanities are particularly important. Indeed, from one point of view, the humanities were the true object of the 9/11 attacks. As Cole put it,
Relativistic quantum measurement

Does the measurement of a quantum system necessarily break Lorentz invariance? We present a simple model of a detector that measures the spacetime localization of a relativistic particle in a Lorentz invariant manner. The detector does not select a preferred Lorentz frame as a Newton-Wigner measurement would do. The result indicates that there exists a Lorentz invariant notion of quantum measurement and sheds light on the issue of the localization of a relativistic particle. The framework considered is that of single-particle mechanics as opposed to field theory. The result may be taken as support for the interpretation postulate of the spacetime-states formulation of single-particle quantum theory.