cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Function of Chemical Synapses and the Quantal Theory of Transmitter Release

Abstract In order for chemical neurotransmission to occur, transmitter molecules must escape from the presynaptic axon and diffuse to their site of action, and this must happen rapidly in order for the nervous system to function in the way it does. Based on clues from investigations of both evoked and spontaneous neurotransmission, largely at the neuromuscular junction, scientists discovered that neurotransmitter molecules are released from neurons via synaptic vesicles. They determined that these vesicles each contain approximately the same amount of neurotransmitter, termed a “quantum,” and that the probability of vesicle release can be altered by a number of factors, including the concentration of intracellular calcium. The behavior of these vesicles during presynaptic action potential activity can be described by the quantal theory of transmitter release, a conceptual and computational framework that predicts normal neurotransmitter release from synapses and has also allowed researchers to study how synapses change in response to things such as drugs and disease.
The Skepticism of Skeptical Theism

Edward Wierenga* Skeptical theism is a type of reply to arguments from evil against God’s existence. The skeptical theist declines to accept a premise of some such argument, professing ignorance, for example, about whether God is justified in permitting certain evils or about the conditional probability that the world contains as much evil as it does, or evils of a particular sort, on the hypothesis that God exists. Skeptical theists are thus not supposed to be skeptical about theism; rather, they are theists who are skeptical about something else. But that raises the question of exactly what else. In particular, does skepticism with respect to some claims about God and evil lead to a more pervasive skepticism? More precisely, is skeptical theism committed to additional skepticism about God? Is skeptical theism committed to global skepticism, including skepticism about ordinary, commonplace beliefs? Or is skeptical theism at the very least committed to a broader skepticism about matters of morality? This paper takes up these questions. * Ph.D. in Philosophy, Professor of Religion and of Philosophy Emeritus, University of Rochester, NY, USA, Email: edward. ׀ wierenga@rochester.edu 🞕 Wierenga, E. (2019). The Skepticism of Skeptical Theism. The Journal of Philosophical-Theological Research, 21(81), pp. 27۔ 42. doi: 10.22091/jptr.2019.4608.2171.
Shifting the gaze of the physician from the body to the body in a place: A qualitative analysis of a community-based photovoice approach to teaching place-health concepts to medical students.

Medical practitioners, trained to isolate health within and upon the body of the individual, are now challenged to negotiate research and population health theories that link health status to geographic location as evidence suggests a connection between place and health. This paper builds an integrated place-health model and structural competency analytical framework with nine domains and four levels of proficiency that is utilized to assess a community-based photovoice project’s ability to shift the practice of medicine by medical students from the surface of the body to the body within a place. Analysis of the medical student’s photovoice data demonstrated that the students achieved structural competency level 1 proficiency and came to understand how health might be connected to place represented by six of the nine domains of the structural competency framework. Results suggest that medical student’s engagement with place-health systemic, institutional and structural forces deepens when they co-create narratives of their lived experiences in a place with patients as community members during a community-based photovoice project. Given the importance of place-health theories to explain population health outcomes, a place-health model and structural competency analytical framework utilized during a community-based photovoice project could help medical students merge the image of patients as singular bodies into bodies set within a context.
Jack of All

This article is basically a scientific autobiography from a long and very rewarding career, covering childhood, education, theoretical work, observations, instrumentation, and some social activitie...
Mitigating atmospheric phase-errors in SAL data using model-based reconstruction

Synthetic Aperture Ladar (SAL) is an emerging ladar remote sensing technology capable of providing fine-resolution imagery of an illuminated region-of-interest similar to Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR). A SAL sensor operates at optical as opposed RF wavelengths making the sensing modality attractive as a queued sensor (shorter collection times, smaller illuminated region-of-interest, low probability-of-detection, etc.). However, with the drastic decrease in wavelength comes an increase in susceptibility to atmospheric turbulence. We evaluate the performance of three model error correction algorithms to mitigate atmospheric blurring in reconstructed imagery. We show that a spatially-invariant model error correction does not mitigate atmospheric blurring, rather a spatially-variant model error correction is necessary to improve reconstructed image quality. We introduce the novel model-based atmospheric phase correction algorithm that utilizes well-established atmospheric basis sets to improve mitigation of atmospheric blurring. We compare the three model error correction algorithms using an atmospheric ray trace simulation and show that the model-based atmospheric phase correction algorithm offers the highest quality reconstructed imagery.
Lipase Treatment of Dietary Krill Oil, but Not Fish Oil, Enables Enrichment of Brain Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid

Scope Currently available omega-3 fatty acid supplements do not enrich the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) of the adult brain because they are absorbed as triacylglycerol, whereas the transporter at the blood brain barrier requires lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC)-DHA. The hypothesis that treatment of krill oil (KO), which contains DHA/eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) at the SN2 position of phosphatidylcholine, with SN1-specific lipase will generate LPC-DHA/EPA and which can be absorbed intact and transported into the brain, is tested. Methods KO and fish oil (FO) are treated with Mucor meihei lipase, incorporated into AIN 93G diet, and fed to 2-month-old mice for 30 days. Fatty acid composition is analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is measured by ELISA. Results Lipase-treated (LT) KO increases brain DHA and EPA, respectively, 5-and 70-fold better than untreated (UT) KO. FO, whether lipase-treated or not, has no effect on brain DHA/EPA. LTKO is also more efficient in enriching liver DHA/EPA, but less efficient than UTKO and FO in enriching adipose tissue and heart. Brain BDNF is significantly increased by LTKO, but only marginally by other preparations. Conclusions Pretreatment of dietary KO with lipase enables it to efficiently increase brain DHA/EPA because of the generation of LPC-DHA/EPA.
Normal tissue complication probability of vertebral compression fracture after stereotactic body radiotherapy for de novo spine metastasis.

Abstract Objective Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) for spine metastases is associated with post-treatment vertebral compression fracture (VCF). The purpose of this study is to identify clinical and radiation planning characteristics that predict post-SBRT VCF through a novel normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) analysis. Methods Patients with de novo spine metastases treated with SBRT between 2009 and 2018 at a single institution were included. Those who had surgical stabilization or radiation to the same site prior to SBRT were excluded. VCF was defined as new development or progression of existing vertebral body height loss not attributable to tumor growth. Probit NTCP models were constructed and fitted using a maximum likelihood approach. A multivariate proportional hazard model was used to estimate time to VCF using the Fine and Gray method. Results Three hundred and two vertebral segments from 193 patients were treated with a median dose of 24 Gy in 3 fractions (range 15–30 Gy in 1–5 fractions). With a median follow up of 13.9 months, local control was 89.3% at 1 year. A total of 26 SBRT-induced VCFs were observed, with 1 and 2-year cumulative incidences of 4.6% and 6.7%. NTCP modeling demonstrated a steep response of VCF risk to the dose to 80% and 50% volume of the planning target volume (PTV D80% and D50%), but not maximum dose or dose to 1 cc or 10% of PTV. D80% of 25 Gy and D50% of 28 Gy in 3 fractions corresponded to 10% VCF risk. On multivariate analysis, lower body mass index (HR 0.90 per unit increase, p = 0.04), total spinal instability neoplastic score (SINS, HR 2.44 unstable vs stable, p = 0.04), and PTV D80% (HR 1.11 for every Gy increase, p = 0.003) were associated with increased VCF risk. Conclusions SBRT provides excellent tumor control for spinal metastases and is associated with low rate of VCF in our cohort. NTCP modeling suggests that the larger volume of spine receiving lower doses are more closely associated with post-SBRT VCF than high dose regions. Under current target delineation methods, common SBRT regimens such as 24 Gy in 2 fractions or 27 Gy in 3 fractions may be inherently associated with VCF risk of 10% or greater. Consensus contouring guidelines should be reevaluated to minimize the volume of irradiated spine in light of these new data.
Inhabiting the meanwhile: rebuilding home and restoring predictability in a space of waiting

Around the world, millions of migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees encounter countless barriers to their movement and endure prolonged periods of waiting, resulting in frequent moments of immobil...
Dependence on sensitivity patterns of bias fields for vector measurements using optically pumped vapor magnetometers

The optical light shift effect is an all-optical technique to create magnetic bias fields to determine the vector components of the magnetic field using a scalar optically pumped magnetometer. We show that the measurement of the induced bias fields is affected by the response pattern of the scalar magnetometer. The sensitivity of the magnetometer affects the minimum total field resolution as well as the angular resolution of the vector measurement. Three configurations of multiple-laser, optically pumped cesium vapor vector magnetometers are characterized for their spatial sensitivity patterns. Each configuration has a unique response level as a function of the relative magnetic field orientation. Thus, the formulations used for angular determination are dependent on the magnetometer configuration, and the angular resolution of the vector measurement is dependent on the relative angle between the magnetic field and the optical probe beam. The spatial dependence of the light shift signals is measured, and the equations describing their responses are presented for each configuration. Equations for determining the field angles from the bias field responses are derived.
Degumming and Bleaching of Lesquerella fendleri Seed Oil

A lesquerella species (Lesquerella fendleri) being investigated as a domestic source of seed oil containing hydroxy fatty acids shows good agronomic properties and is being tested in semi-commercial production.Lesquerella fendleri seeds contain 25% oil, of which 55% is lesquerolic acid (14-hydroxy-cis-11-eicosenoic). Oils produced in pilot-plant quantities by screw press, prepress-solvent extraction and extrusion-solvent extraction processes have been refined in the laboratory by filtering, degumming and bleaching. Two American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) standard bleaching earths and two commercial earths were compared for effectiveness in bleaching these dark, yellow-red, crude lesquerella oils. Free fatty acids (1.3%), iodine value (111), peroxide value (<4 meq/kg), unsaponifiables (1.7%) and hydroxyl value (100) were not significantly affected by degumming and bleaching, but phosphorus levels of 8–85 ppm in the crude oils were reduced to 0.5–1.1 ppm in the degummed and bleached oils. Crude oils had Gardner colors of 14, which were reduced to Gardner 9–11 in the degummed and bleached oil, depending on bleach type and quantity used. AOCS colors in the range of 21–25R 68–71Y were obtained. By including charcoal in the bleaching step, a considerably lighter oil could be obtained (Gardner 7).
Information needs for carers following a family member’s right hemisphere stroke

Background: Previous studies explored information needs for carers of persons with aphasia; however, there is minimal research on information needs for carers of people with right hemisphere disord...
The impact of standing desks on cardiometabolic and vascular health

Sedentary behavior is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality, independent of physical activity. The biological mechanisms underlying these associations are largely unknown. We hypothesized that obese subjects with sedentary desk jobs, when assigned a sit-stand desk, will reduce daily sedentary time, and show improvement in arterial flow-mediated dilation (FMD), an early indicator of CVD. Overweight and obese subjects without known CVD were recruited at our institution and given an adjustable sit-stand desk at work. Activities were quantified with an accelerometer for 7 days at baseline and during the intervention. FMD of the brachial and superficial femoral arteries, fasting lipids, insulin and glucose labs, and anthropometrics were measured at baseline, and 12 and 24 weeks. Repeated one-way ANOVA tests were used to compare measurements over time. Fifteen participants were enrolled (93% female, mean age 40 ± 5 years, mean body mass index [BMI] 33 ± 5). Mean daily sedentary time at work decreased by 90 minutes from baseline (385 ± 49 minutes) to 12 weeks (297 ± 80 minutes, p = 0.002) and 24 weeks (295 ± 127 minutes, p = 0.015). Femoral FMD increased from baseline (4.9 ± 1.7%) to 12 weeks (6.4 ± 2.3%, p = 0.043) and further to 24 weeks (8.1 ± 3.2%, p = 0.009). Significant improvement in fasting triglycerides and insulin resistance occurred. There was no change in brachial FMD, exercise activity, step counts, weight, or BMI. A significant reduction in sedentary time during working hours was identified with utilization of a sit-stand desk and sustained over 24 weeks. Improvements in FMD, triglycerides, and insulin resistance provide insight into mechanisms of adverse health risks associated with sedentary behavior.
Exploring factors related to supportive housing tenure and stability for people with serious mental illness

Overall, the retention of people with serious mental illness (SMI) in supportive housing is high. However, some supportive housing settings report average stays of only 15 months, and others report declines in housing retention over time. Many studies report variables associated with supportive housing stability and tenure, but there are few extensive, focused investigations on the subject. Hence, a literature review was conducted to investigate factors associated with supportive housing stability and tenure among people with SMI. The review of the included 28 papers reveals that the factors associated with supportive housing stability and tenure fell into two general categories of individual factors (including psychiatric factors and prior homelessness), and contextual factors (including program characteristics and sense of community and social support). In conclusion, further focus on contextual factors, as well as a potential reframing of individual factors as contextual, may be helpful in addressing issues related to supportive housing stability and tenure for people with SMI.
Small molecule kinase inhibitors enhance aminolevulinic acid-mediated protoporphyrin IX fluorescence and PDT response in triple negative breast cancer cell lines.

Significance: We demonstrate that clinically used kinase inhibitors such as lapatinib can be used for enhancing aminolevulinic acid (ALA) for tumor fluorescence imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT). Aim: ALA is used as a prodrug for protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) fluorescence-guided tumor resection and PDT. Our previous studies indicate that tumors with high ABCG2 activity exhibit low PpIX fluorescence, which hampers the application of ALA. We aim to determine whether clinically used ABCG2-interacting kinase inhibitors increase ALA-PpIX fluorescence and PDT. Approach: PpIX fluorescence was determined by spectrofluorometry, flow cytometry, and confocal microscopy after ALA alone or in combination with kinase inhibitors in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. Cytotoxicity was examined after ALA-PDT alone or in combination with kinase inhibitors. Effect of single and combination treatments on apoptosis was assessed by Western blot. Results: Four kinase inhibitors (lapatinib, PD169316, sunitinib, gefitinib) significantly increased ALA-PpIX fluorescence and PDT response in TNBC cells with ABCG2 activity, but not in MCF10A nontumor breast epithelial cell line without ABCG2 activity. Confocal microscopic imaging showed that PpIX fluorescence was weak and diffuse after ALA alone, which was greatly enhanced by kinase inhibitors, particularly in the mitochondria. Lapatinib was the only inhibitor that significantly reduced PpIX efflux in cell culture medium and showed stronger enhancement of PDT response than other kinase inhibitors. Lapatinib, in combination with ALA, induced tumor cells to undergo apoptosis, whereas no apoptosis was detected after each individual treatment. Conclusions: Although all four kinase inhibitors were able to enhance ALA-PpIX fluorescence and PDT, lapatinib exhibited the strongest enhancement effect. As an FDA-approved kinase inhibitor for breast cancer treatment, lapatinib is ready to be used in combination with ALA for therapeutic enhancement in tumors with elevated ABCG2 activity. This rational combination approach warrants further investigation in tumor models.
International Student Experience in Australia

This book introduces a theoretical framework and research tools for evaluating the experiences of international students from the Indian subcontinent as they adapt to one university in Australia. Gunawardena and Wilson focus on the importance of understanding and molding student services to each individual cultural group and meeting specific needs based on communication, learning style, personal preferences, and grade level. For example, some English language learners have been put in classes below their grade level because of their lack of competency in English (written and spoken).
A. José Farrujia de la Rosa, An Archaeology of the Margins: Colonialism, Amazighity and Heritage Management in the Canary Islands

This five-chapter volume appears as part of the Springer Briefs in Archaeological Heritage Management subseries. The author, A. Jose Farrujia de la Rosa, fills the series’ bill by providing a short-format archaeological monograph that is approachable by both the advanced undergraduate and seasoned researcher alike. It is adventurous in its temporal scope, covering the initial settlement of the archipelago in the first millennium BC through European incursion in the fifteenth century AD. It is equally bold in its theoretical breadth, highlighting the political and colonial projects that surrounded Canarian archaeology, heritage management, and the representation of Canarian history. The book is timely, building on recent efforts to problematize not only the colonial project but also European scholars’ continuing control over discourses rooted in postcolonial localities. As an alternative to standard historiography, Farrujia highlights the interface of culture, history, and local politics. This revisionary effort begins with the title, where Farrujia underscores “Amazighity” as an alternative to “Berber,” in an effort to advance his argument that an archaeology of the Canary Islands should seek an indigenous perspective and, whenever possible, local terminology. Yet the author avoids reifying the Amazigh and reminds the reader that the term itself awkwardly subsumes many different groups. Throughout the volume, Farrujia explores the edges—or margins—of the lived experience of Amazigh and avoids forcing their history into discrete named places or exact points along a timeline. He concludes that raising indigenous social consciousness, and especially its connection to the African continent and contemporary Imazighen peoples, will be most helpful in developing an indigenous perspective within Canarian archaeology. Farrujia outlines the early settlement of the Canary Islands and charts a path through previous problematic and politically influenced histories. He notes that while Amazigh in origin, the initial Canarian settlers faced different environments from other Amazigh Afr Archaeol Rev (2015) 32:163–165 DOI 10.1007/s10437-015-9180-0
The Extreme Ultraviolet Airglow of N2 Atmospheres

Abstract : Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) airglow observations at Titan, Triton and Earth provide a rigorous test for models of N2 atmospheres. This is primarily because the emissions are produced in dramatically different environments. EUV spectra obtained by the Voyager Ultraviolet Spectrometer (UVS) at Titan and Triton are dominated by emission arising from electron impact on N2 and by photodissociative ionization of N2. Spectral analyses of the UVS data originally showed that the N2 Carroll-Yoshino (CY) (0,0) band near 95.86 nm, the (0,1) band near 98.05 nm and the NII 108.5 nm multiplet are the brightest EUV airglow features. But the detailed processes leading to their intensity distribution are only now becoming clear. Model results have shown that the (0,0) band is optically thick and that photoelectron excitation followed by multiple scattering redistributes nearly all (0,0) band emission to the (0, 1) band. Summing all emissions from other N2 bands and NI multiplets near the (0,0) band excited by the solar EUV and X-ray irradiance indicated that the (0,0) band was misidentified. Many of these other emissions are now identified in new high resolution terrestrial airglow spectra. The distribution of EUV airglow intensity at Triton is different than at Titan and new results are presented here from the same multiple scattering model adapted to Triton. It is found that the ratio of the (0,1) band to the blended emission near the (0,0) band is higher at Triton than at Titan and that the integrated intensity between 94.2-99.6 nm is 2.6 R at Triton. all consistent with UVS observations.
De la colère à l’indignation : le cas des harkis

Cet article explore la transformation possible de la colere – une emotion – en indignation ou bien outrage – une passion sociale. Se pose ici la question de savoir quand et comment finissent les emotions. On considerera le role attribue a la revanche (Aristote) et au ressentiment (Max Scheler). Cette transformation est traitee a travers l’experience des harkis, ces Algeriens qui prirent le parti des Francais durant la guerre d’independance d’Algerie, et qui furent massacres par dizaines de milliers par la population algerienne a travers le pays a l’issue de la guerre. La colere des harkis, abandonnes par les Francais, est mediatisee par le sens d’un destin : celui-ci n’est pas partage par leurs enfants, qui souffrent des blessures des peres sans les connaitre exactement, a cause du silence de ces derniers. Pris dans la douleur de leur propre experience, les enfants vivent ainsi un double traumatisme. En retrait de l’experience directe, leurs recits et leurs revendications politiques attisent la colere qui sous-tend leur indignation. Y a-t-il une issue? C’est la question que l’on se pose.
Improving functional modularity in protein-protein interactions graphs using hub-induced subgraphs

Dense subgraphs of Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) graphs are believed to be potential functional modules and play an important role in inferring the functional behavior of proteins. PPI graphs are known to exhibit the scale-free property in which a few nodes (hubs) are highly connected. This scale-free topology of PPI graphs makes it hard to isolate dense subgraphs effectively. In this paper, we propose a novel refinement method based on neighborhoods and the biological importance of hub proteins. We show that this refinement improves the functional modularity of the PPI graph and leads to effective clustering into dense components. A detailed comparison of these dense components with the ones obtained from the original PPI graph reveal three major benefits of the refinement: i) Enhancement of existing functional groupings; ii) Isolation of new functional groupings; and iii) Soft clustering of multifunctional hub proteins to multiple functional groupings.
An Endocrine Perspective on the Care of Transgender Adolescents

The author, an endocrinologist and co-founder of Gender Management Services at Children's Hospital, discusses his experience treating disorders of sexual development in adolescents and young adult transgender individuals. He began treating transgender young adults in 1985. He discusses his early career development as well as his use of a protocol developed in Holland for treating trans-youth.
The Role of Governments and Markets in International Banking Crises: The Case of East Asia

Throughout the world there have been a large number of significant banking problems in recent years. In East Asia since 1980 there have been varying degrees of banking problems in ten countries: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand. Our goal in this paper is to try to explain what caused the recent difficulties and to suggest ways to prevent future problems. In doing so, we specifically focus on the banking crises in the region and attempt to explain what they have in common with other banking crises around the globe, including those in countries like the United States, with the most well-developed financial systems in the world. An important element in understanding these issues is assessing the appropriate mix of government intervention and market forces in designing a national financial system in a global marketplace.
Synthesis and in vitro degradation of new polyvalent hydrazide cross-linked hydrogels of hyaluronic acid.

New polyvalent hydrazide cross-linkers were synthesized, characterized, and used to prepare hydrazide cross-linked hydrogels derived from hyaluronic acid (HA). First, the chemical synthesis and characterization of the di-, tri-, tetra-, penta-, and hexahydrazides are presented. Second, HA concentration, buffer type and concentration, and ratio of HA to carbodiimide to cross-linker were varied to obtain HA-hydrogels with different chemical and physical properties. Third, two new assays are described to monitor the stability of HA-hydrogels toward hyaluronidase (HAse) and other media. These assays were used to evaluate the stability of cross-linked HA-hydrogels to HAse solutions and different pH values. Hydrophobic cross-linkers gave the most stable gels, and the susceptibility of the gels to HAse was independent of cross-linker concentration. HAse does not significantly penetrate the HA-hydrogels and acts primarily at the gel−solution interface. The HA-hydrogels are stable in acid environments and dissolve...
Automated white blood cell counting via classification-free granulometric methods

In this paper we describe an application of the granulometric mixing theorem to the problem of counting different types of white blood cells in bone marrow images. In principle, an iterative algorithm based on the mixing theorem can be used to count the proportion of cells in each class without explicitly segmenting and classifying them. The algorithm does not converge well for more than two classes. Therefore, a new algorithm based on the theorem is proposed. The proposed algorithm uses prior statistics to initially segment the mixed pattern spectrum and then applies the one-primitive mixing theorem to each initial component. Applying the mixing theorem to one class at a time results in better convergence. The counts produced by the proposed algorithm on 6 classes of cell -- Myeloblast, Promyelocyte, Myelocyte, Metamyelocyte, Band, and PMN -- are very close to the actual numbers; the deviation of the algorithm counts is not larger than deviation of counts produced by human experts. An important technical point is that, unlike previous algorithms, the proposed algorithm does not require prior knowledge of the total number of cells in an image.
Quebec French: Attitudes and Pedagogical Perspectives

Teachers of French in the U.S. have either ignored, frowned upon, or ridiculed Quebec French. As a result, their students seldom have exposure to the variation of French spoken in La Belle Province, which is deplorable in view of the missed opportunities to learners of French interested in studying abroad. This article aims to review the arguments against stereotypes of Quebec French, to present a defense of Quebecois as an acceptable and teachable form of the French language, and to attract the attention of teachers of French to the pedagogical opportunities of that dialect. Salient aspects of the article include the discussion of joual, quebecois, and international French, and ideas about how to include Quebec French in a French curriculum.
Geneticists and Race

SYNOPSIS. During the twentieth century, geneticists have dramatically changed their assessments of the biological and social consequences of human race differences and race crossing. In the first quarter of the century, most geneticists thought that human races differed hereditarily by important mental as well as physical differences and that wide race crosses were biologically and socially harmful. The period from 1925 to the outbreak of World War II saw no change in geneticists' views on hereditary mental differences between human races, but a shift to agnosticism on the issue of wide race crosses. By the early 1950s, geneticists generally argued that wide race crosses were at worst biologically harmless, but still held to earlier beliefs about hereditary mental differences between races. The final period from 1951 to the present has witnessed the shift to agnosticism on the issue of hereditary mental differences between races. The changes in geneticists' assessments of race differences and race crossing were causedby increased understanding of the complex relationship between genes and environment and by cultural changes.
Treatment of Presumed Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia in an Adolescent

Familial arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia is a rare cardiomyopathy that is usually diagnosed on postmortem examination or on presentation with progressive congestive heart failure. We present a patient in whom an automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was inserted prophylactically. A review of the condition and possible therapies is included.
Web-Based Sex Diaries and Young Adult Men Who Have Sex with Men: Assessing Feasibility, Reactivity, and Data Agreement

We compared quantitative diary data with retrospective survey data collected from a cohort of young adult men who have sex with men (MSM) in Seattle, Washington. Ninety-five MSM, aged 16–30 years, completed web-based surveys every 3 months and were randomized to 4 diary submission schedules: every 2 weeks, once a week, twice a week, or never. We calculated diary completion rates and assessed agreement between daily diary data and aggregate retrospective survey data for sexual behavior measures. Over 6 months, 78 % of participants completed at least 80 % of their diary days, and the 2-week schedule had the highest and most consistent completion rate. The majority of sexual behavior and substance use measures had strong agreement between the diary and retrospective survey data (i.e., kappa >0.80 or concordance correlation coefficient ≥0.75), although we observed poorer agreement for some measures of numbers of anal sex acts. There were no significant differences in mean responses across diary schedules. We observed some evidence of reactivity (i.e., a difference in behavior associated with diary completion). Participants not assigned diaries reported significantly more unprotected anal sex acts and were more likely to be newly diagnosed with HIV or another sexually transmitted infection compared to those assigned active diary schedules. This study suggests that sexual behavior data collected from young adult MSM during 3-month retrospective survey—an interval commonly used in sexual behavior research—are likely valid. Diaries, however, may have greater utility in sexual behavioral research in which counts, timing, sequence, or within-person variation over time are of particular import.
Real-time subspace denoising of polysomnographic data

Analysis of polysomnographic (PSG) biosignals, collected during sleep studies, is the current gold-standard for sleep disorder assessment. Motion and imperfect contact of the wired sensors attached to the human body, to acquire the data, can introduce noise and artifacts that can diminish the quality of the collected data. In this work we present a subspace denoising method that exploits the low-dimensionality of the acquired data, and is able to reduce the noise and increase the SNR ratio in real-time, resulting in improved data quality.
Mixed Messages: How Bacteria Resolve Conflicting Signals

An elegant new study by Bollenbach and Kishony (2011) in this issue of Molecular Cell shows how bacteria resolve the apparent conflicts created when they face two signals with opposite effects on gene expression.
Associations between building design, point-of-decision stair prompts, and stair use in urban worksites.

Abstract Objective Incidental forms of physical activity such as stair use offer frequent opportunities for energy expenditure and may contribute to the prevention and control of chronic diseases. This study analyzes the associations between building characteristics, stair prompts, and stair use in large urban worksites. Methods Bootstrapped generalized mixed models were used to analyze self-reported stair use, using data from 1348 surveys of city employees and fourteen building assessments conducted in New York City in 2012. Results 57% of respondents reported climbing ≥ 1 flights of stairs daily at the workplace. Model results show that stair prompts were associated with a 3.21 increased likelihood of stair use. Naturally lit stairwells and stairwell visibility were also positively associated. Higher floor residency and BMI were negatively related, as were gender, stairwell distance from lobby entrances, the total number of floors in each building, and building averages for BMI and gender. Residual heterogeneity measured by adjusted median odds ratios indicates that buildings can have a moderate effect on the likelihood of stair use beyond those of individual characteristics. Conclusions Specific building features and stair prompts may potentially be leveraged to positively influence rates of incidental physical activity and contribute to improvements in population health.
Splines and unsorted knot sequences

The definition of a B-spline is extended to unordered knot sequences. The added flexibility implies that the resulting piecewise polynomials, named U-splines, can be negative and locally linearly dependent. It is therefore remarkable that linear combinations of U-splines retain many properties of splines in B-spline form including smoothness, polynomial reproduction, and evaluation by recurrence.
Age-related changes in swine brain creatine kinase-catalyzed 31P exchange measured in vivo using 31P NMR magnetization transfer.

31P exchange rates through the creatine kinase-catalyzed interconversion of phosphocreatine and γ-ATP were measured in a total of 27 miniature swine ranging in age from 5 days preterm to 5 weeks old. A steep increase in the forward rate constant for 31P exchange from phosphocreatine (PCr) to γ-ATP was observed between 2 days preterm and 3 days postterm, with a more gradual increase for older ages. In contrast, the [PCr]/[NTP] ratio measured by in vivo 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) remained constant throughout this age interval and close to unity. Forward and reverse rate constants and the rate of flux for 31P exchange were equal to each other for both preterm and 5-week-old animals, suggesting that the creatine kinase reaction is near-equilibrium for this span of age. Multifrequency steady-state saturation of Pi and PCr compared to single-frequency saturation of PCr produced the same extent of saturation transfer to γ-ATP, and the saturation of Pi alone had no effect on the γ-ATP 31P NMR signal. Th...
Expression and cellular localization of human hyaluronidase-2 in articular chondrocytes and cultured cell lines.

Summary Objective There is debate whether hyaluronan (HA) can be enzymatically degraded within the extracellular matrix of cartilage and other tissues or whether its catabolism occurs strictly within the lysosomal compartment of chondrocytes and other cell types. Previous studies have suggested that one of the lysosomal hyaluronidases (hyaluronidase-2) can be expressed as a functionally-active glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-linked protein at the surface of mammalian cells. If this form of hyaluronidase expression occurs in chondrocytes, this could represent a possible mechanism for extracellular HA cleavage. Thus, which hyaluronidases are expressed and where was the objective of this study. Methods mRNA for hyaluronidases was quantified by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzymatic activity by HA zymograms. Recombinant forms of hyaluronidase-2 were generated and expressed in model cell lines. A peptide-specific polyclonal antiserum was prepared to localize endogenous human hyaluronidase-2 in human articular chondrocytes. Results Hyaluronidase-2 is the principal mRNA transcript expressed by primary human articular chondrocytes as well as various model cell lines. Recombinant hyaluronidase-2, containing N-terminal or C-terminal epitope tags, was strictly localized intracellularly and not released by treatment with a phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase. Endogenous hyaluronidase-2 expressed by human chondrocytes as well as HeLa cells could only be detected following detergent permeabilization of the plasma membranes. Conclusions These data suggest that on chondrocytes and other cell types examined, hyaluronidase-2 is not present or functional at the external plasma membrane. Thus, local turnover of HA is dependent on receptor-mediated endocytosis and delivery to low pH intracellular organelles for its complete degradation.
Clinical management of lithium-induced polyuria.

A stepwise approach to clinical management of lithium-induced polyuria is suggested. Nonpharmacologic interventions such as dose reduction and change in dosage distribution should be tried first. If such measures prove inadequate, potassium supplementation may be tried. Pharmacologic intervention focuses primarily on amiloride, although amiloride-hydrochlorothiazide combinations are occasionally necessary. Finally, indomethacin is a newer resource available, and one recommended only for cases in which immediate normalization of polyuria is necessary.
Resistance to Low-Temperature Degradation of Equimolar YO1.5–TaO2.5 Stabilized Tetragonal ZrO2 Ceramics in Air

A narrow range of composition exists along the ZrO 2 -YTaO 4 quasi-binary in which the tetragonal phase can be retained on cooling. Ceramics within this region, corresponding to equimolar Y0 1.5 and TaO 2.5 stabilizer concentrations, have been subject to accelerated testing for their susceptibility to moisture-induced low-temperature degradation (LTD) by annealing in air at 200°C. No low-temperature transformation from tetragonal to monoclinic phase was evident even after 400 h in the tetragonal YO 1.5 -TaO 2.5 -ZrO 2 ceramics, while 50% of tetragonal phase in a sintered 3 mol% Y 2 O 3 -doped Zr0 2 transformed into monoclinic after the same long-term annealing. The results not only demonstrate the superiority in LTD of equimolar yttria-tantala-doped zirconia (ZrO 2 ) but have important implications for the proposed mechanisms of LTD in polycrystalline ZrO 2 -.
On the role of the cAMP response element binding protein in long-term cardiac memory.

To the Editor: Cardiac memory (CM) has been investigated extensively over the last decades.1–3⇓⇓ Whereas early studies focused on electrotonus as a central determinant of cardiac memory,3 more recent work has considered changes in ion channels driven by to-be-determined transcriptional events.4,5⇓ However, any transcriptional mechanisms involved remained largely unidentified. In the September 5 issue of the journal, we reported our first study investigating transcriptional mechanisms of CM.6 Based on previously shown parallels between CM and memory in the CNS,7 which incorporates the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) as an important transcription factor,8 we investigated the role of CREB in …
Metarhodopsin-ii stabilization by crosslinked Gtα C-terminal peptides and implications for the mechanism of GPCR-G protein coupling

Abstract Metarhodopsin-II is the light-excited form of rhodopsin that triggers G protein function. Metarhodopsin-II is stabilized when the N-terminus of the carboxyl (340–350) tail peptide of the α-subunit of transducin (Gtα) is crosslinked to rhodopsin cysteine 140 or the 340–350 peptide C-terminus of Gtα is crosslinked to rhodopsin cysteine 316. When the N-terminus of the peptide is coupled to C316 the MI ↔ MII equilibrium is not affected. The evidence suggests that the N-terminus of the 340–350 region of Gtα is located near C140 when transducin stabilizes metarhodopsin-II and alternative explanations are suggested for the effectiveness of the 340–350 Gtα tail peptide when bound to C316.
Blood Pressure Changes during Human Sleep

Systolic blood pressure measurements were made on normal human subjects throughout entire nights of natural sleep and were correlated with cyclical changes in electroencephalographic patterns. During the recurrent rapid-eye-movement phase of sleep mean blood pressure levels were found to be generally higher, and the minute-to-minute variability of level was much greater than during the remainder of sleep.
The Evolution of the M BH-σ Relation Inferred from the Age Distribution of Local Early-Type Galaxies and Active Galactic Nuclei Evolution

We utilize the local velocity dispersion function (VDF) of spheroids, together with their inferred age distributions, to predict the VDF at higher redshifts (0 < z lsim 6), under the assumption that (1) most of the stars in each nearby spheroid formed in a single episode and, (2) the velocity dispersion ? remained nearly constant afterward. We assume further that a supermassive BH forms concurrently with the stars, and within ±1 Gyr of the formation of the potential well of the spheroid, and that the relation between the mass of the BH and host velocity dispersion maintains the form M BH vprop ?? with ? ? 4, but with the normalization allowed to evolve with redshift as vprop(1 + z)?. We compute the BH mass function associated with the VDF at each redshift, and compare the accumulated total BH mass density with that inferred from the integrated quasar luminosity function (LF; the so-called So?tan argument). This comparison is insensitive to the assumed duty cycle or Eddington ratio of quasar activity, and we find that the match between the two BH mass densities favors a relatively mild redshift evolution, with ? ~ 0.33, with a positive evolution as strong as ? gsim 1.3 excluded at more than 99% confidence level. A direct match between the characteristic BH mass in the VDF-based and quasar LF-based BH mass functions also yields a mean Eddington ratio of ? ~ 0.5-1 that is roughly constant within 0 lsim z lsim 3. A strong positive evolution in the M BH-? relation is still allowed by the data if galaxies increase, on average, their velocity dispersions since the moment of formation due to dissipative processes. If we assume that the mean velocity dispersion of the host galaxies evolves as ?(z) = ?(0) × (1 + z)–?, we find a lower limit of ? gsim 0.23 for ? gsim 1.5. The latter estimate represents an interesting constraint for galaxy evolution models and can be tested through hydro simulations. This dissipative model, however, also implies a decreasing ? at higher z, at variance with several independent studies
Alternating walks in partially 2-edge-colored graphs and optimal strength of graph labeling

Abstract A graph is partially 2-edge-colored if edges of G are colored by two colors, possibly with some edges uncolored. A walk is alternating in a partially 2-edge-colored graph if the given 2-edge-coloring can be extended to all edges of G such that colors alternate as the walk is traversed. We present a polynomial-time algorithm to decide, given a partially 2-edge-colored graph and two distinct vertices, whether there is an alternating walk connecting the two vertices. We apply the algorithm to solve problems in graph labeling. In particular, we show that the regularizable strength of a graph can be determined in polynomial time.
Comparison of the effects of placebo and encainide on programmed electrical stimulation and ventricular arrhythmia frequency.

Abstract Encainide is an investigational antiarrhythmic agent that is very effective in the treatment of nonlife-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Because of its marked efficacy and short half-life it has been possible to manipulate the dose and dosing interval to produce repeatedly and predictably episodes of arrhythmia abolition followed by arrhythmia recurrence. This study examined the results of programmed electrical stimulation during periods of arrhythmia suppression and recurrence induced by encainide. Eight patients with chronic ventricular arrhythmias who had suppression of ventricular arrhythmia as assessed by ambulatory monitoring during 6 months of outpatient treatment with encainide underwent programmed electrical stimulation testing in a drug-free state. Patients were then randomly assigned to receive placebo or encainide. Thereafter, electrophysiologic testing was performed twice daily immediately before and 1 hour after administration of either placebo or encainide. In patients receiving encainide, the repetitive ventricular response was neither consistently absent during periods of arrhythmia suppression nor consistently present during periods of arrhythmia recurrence. Furthermore, four patients showed increased ease of inducibility of the repetitive ventricular response during periods when encainide had suppressed the spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias. Indeed, in one of these patients programmed electrical stimulation (single extrastimulus) in the presence of encainide elicited ventricular fibrillation. Three of four patients randomly assigned to placebo therapy initially manifested a repetitive ventricular response: However, over a period of time the zone in diastole in which the repetitive ventricular response was observed progressively diminished and became absent for at least 1 day in all patients. Indistinguishable changes over a period of time were seen in the patients treated with encainide. Time-dependent variations in cardiac electrophysiologic measurements must be taken into account when programmed electrical stimulation at a single electrode site is used to evaluate drug therapy. In this study the presence or absence of the repetitive ventricular response bore no relation to arrhythmia frequency as encainide was administered or withdrawn. Programmed electrical stimulation in the presence of encainide may elicit potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias.