cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY OF PYRETHROIDS: MOLECULAR AND MEMBRANE MECHANISM OF ACTION

Abstract We have previously shown that allethrin and tetramethrin cause a marked prolongation of membrane sodium current thereby increasing the depolarizing after-potential to the level of threshold for repetitive excitation. This accounts for the symptoms of poisoning in animals. Our recent voltage clamp studies indicate that a population of sodium channels is modified by the pyrethroids to give rise to a very slow opening and closing. A kinetic model has been proposed in which the pyrethroid molecules bind to the sodium channels in their closed and open configurations. Both (+)-trans and (+)-cis isomers of tetramethrin are highly potent in modifying the sodium channel, whereas (−)-trans and (−)-cis isomers bind to channel sites without any effect thereby preventing the action of the subsequently applied (+) isomers. Thus tetramethrin binds to a trans site, a cis site or a negative allosteric site in the sodium channel depending on its optical and geometrical configurations. In contrast to the pyrethroids that do not contain a cyano group at α-carbon position (type I) such as tetramethrin and allethrin, the pyrethroids that contain an α-cyano group (type II) cause a large depolarization of the membrane. The time courses of opening and closing of the modified sodium channel are much slower. Despite such apparent differences in action, the kinetic model described for type I pyrethroids is still applicable to type II pyrethroids with modifications of rate constants and voltage dependence for various reactions. We have recently developed patch voltage clamp techniques to record opening and closing of individual sodium channels from cultured neuroblastoma cells. In support of the observations of “macroscopic” or “compound” sodium currents in giant axons, pyrethroids have been found to modify a population of sodium channels in an all-or-none manner. The modified channel opens for a much longer period of time than the normal channel.
Introducing Research Concepts to Middle School Students via a Geospatial Science Gateway

Tools developed for the Geospatial Data Analysis Building Blocks (GABBs) project that are available on MyGeoHub.org have been used for a geospatial experience for middle school students at Turned Onto Technology & Leadership (TOTAL) summer camps at Purdue University during 2016 and 2017. Thirty to thirty-six middle school students from diverse backgrounds and from around the United States used one such tool, MultiSpec Online to determine the area of a flood which occurred in June 2008 in southern Illinois and Indiana using Landsat 5 multispectral satellite data. The students also got hands-on experience using the GeoBuilder tool to find locations within Indiana with the highest reported rain events.The students received introductions to remote sensing, Geobuilder and MultiSpec Online during a one-day session and the following day they participated in a 75-minute active learning session to work through the exercises. The GABBs team worked closely with the students in multiple sessions helping them with technical questions and at the same time, collecting valuable feedback in how to improve the tools.At the end of the session for the second year, the students completed a four-question evaluation form to provide structured feedback. It was clear that the students were much more excited about the active learning session than the introduction (presentation) session.
Mechanistic Studies of Radical SAM Enzymes: Pyruvate Formate-Lyase Activating Enzyme and Lysine 2,3-Aminomutase Case Studies

The radical SAM enzyme superfamily is large and diverse, with ever-increasing numbers of examples of characterized reactions. This chapter focuses on the methodology we have developed over the last 25 years for working with these enzymes, with the specific examples discussed being the pyruvate formate-lyase activating enzyme (PFL-AE) and lysine 2,3-aminomutase (LAM). Both enzymes are purified from overexpressing Escherichia coli, but differ in that PFL-AE is expressed without an affinity tag and does not require iron-sulfur cluster reconstitution, while LAM purification is carried out through use of a His6 affinity tag and the enzyme benefits from cluster reconstitution. Because of radical SAM enzymes' catalytic need for a [4Fe-4S] cluster, we present methods for characterization and incorporation of a full [4Fe-4S] cluster in addition to enzyme activity assay protocols. Synthesis of SAM (S-adenosyl-l-methionine) and its analogs have played an important role in our mechanistic studies of radical SAM enzymes, and their synthetic methods are also presented in detail.
E-Discovery in Illinois Civil Actions

Effective December 1, 2006, the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure address formal discovery of "electronically stored information" (esi), a term replacing, at times, the phrase "data compilations." The new federal rules emerged as esi has important differences from information recorded on paper and as these differences were causing problems that could be diminished with new written guidelines. While no comparable Illinois rules have yet emerged, when they do they should not simply follow the F.R.C.P. New Illinois laws must take account of the differences between federal and state civil litigation practices in such areas as information preservation, attorney-client privilege, work product, and the allocation of civil procedure lawmaking authority. Until they are formulated, Illinois circuit judges should seek, when possible, to employ case management conference orders, founded on party agreements under Illinois Supreme Court Rule 218, to handle esi discovery.
A Resuscitation Option for Upper Airway Occlusion Based on Bolus Transtracheal Lung Inflation.

Background Acute laryngospasm sufficient to cause obstructive apnea is a medical emergency that can be difficult to manage within the very short time available for establishing an airway. We have presented substantial evidence that laryngospasm-based obstructive apnea is the cause of sudden death in epilepsy, and airway management is particularly challenging during seizure activity. Objective We sought to determine if the transtracheal delivery of a bolus of oxygen or room air below the level of an obstruction to inflate the lungs could be an effective method to prolong the time available for responders seeking to establish a stable airway, and, if so, what could be learned about optimization of delivery parameters from a rat model. Methods Rats were fitted with a t-shaped tracheal tube for controlling access to air and for measuring airway pressures. After respiratory arrest from simulated laryngospasm, bolus transtracheal lung inflation with a volume of gas equivalent to half the vital capacity was delivered to the closed respiratory system as the only resuscitation step. Results Bolus lung inflation was sufficient for resuscitation, improving cardiac function and re-establishing adequate oxygen status to support life. Inflation steps could be repeated and survival times were approximately 3 times that of non-inflated lungs. Conclusion The properties and consequences of bolus lung inflation are described as a foundation for procedures or devices that can be useful in cases of severe laryngospasm and other cases of upper airway obstruction. Level of evidence 3.
Weaponized Interdependence: How Global Economic Networks Shape State Coercion

Liberals claim that globalization has led to fragmentation and decentralized networks of power relations. This does not explain how states increasingly “weaponize interdependence” by leveraging glo...
Ketogenic Diets and Exercise Performance

The ketogenic diet (KD) has gained a resurgence in popularity due to its purported reputation for fighting obesity. The KD has also acquired attention as an alternative and/or supplemental method for producing energy in the form of ketone bodies. Recent scientific evidence highlights the KD as a promising strategy to treat obesity, diabetes, and cardiac dysfunction. In addition, studies support ketone body supplements as a potential method to induce ketosis and supply sustainable fuel sources to promote exercise performance. Despite the acceptance in the mainstream media, the KD remains controversial in the medical and scientific communities. Research suggests that the KD or ketone body supplementation may result in unexpected side effects, including altered blood lipid profiles, abnormal glucose homeostasis, increased adiposity, fatigue, and gastrointestinal distress. The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of ketone body metabolism and a background on the KD and ketone body supplements in the context of obesity and exercise performance. The effectiveness of these dietary or supplementation strategies as a therapy for weight loss or as an ergogenic aid will be discussed. In addition, the recent evidence that indicates ketone body metabolism is a potential target for cardiac dysfunction will be reviewed.
Munchausen syndrome by tissue plasminogen activator: Patients seeking thrombolytic administration

Purpose of review Munchausen syndrome by tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is a phenomenon we describe as patients exhibiting factitious symptoms to assume the role of the sick patient, desiring and received tPA, with no alternative diagnosis or secondary gain to better account for their presentation. To illustrate this phenomenon and its magnitude, we present a series of cases of Munchausen syndrome by tPA, prevalence in our stroke center, and highlight one illustrative case. Recent findings Of 335 cases with tPA administration over 29 months, 10 were confirmed as Munchausen syndrome by tPA, reflecting a 3.0% prevalence in our stroke center. Summary Munchausen syndrome by tPA is an underappreciated phenomenon encountered in evaluating patients with acute stroke symptoms. Administering tPA in Munchausen syndrome poses an ethical dilemma because standard of care favors rapid tPA administration, but administration can cause harm, burdens the healthcare system, and does not treat the patient9s Munchausen syndrome.
Effect of Very Low-Dose Hydrocortisone on Shock Reversal in Patients With Septic Shock.

In patients with septic shock, hydrocortisone 200-400 mg/d has been shown to reverse shock compared with placebo. Lower doses of hydrocortisone have not previously been studied, and there are no previous studies comparing two different doses of hydrocortisone. At our institution, some clinicians routinely prescribe doses less than 200 mg/d. This study aims to compare the effect of lower doses of hydrocortisone to standard doses on shock reversal and adverse events in septic shock. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Single-center medical ICU. Subjects Patients who received hydrocortisone for septic shock. Interventions Electronic chart review. Measurements and main results Patients were divided into low-dose hydrocortisone (75-150 mg/d) and standard-dose hydrocortisone (200-400 mg/d) cohorts based on initial prescribed hydrocortisone dose. Rates of shock reversal and adverse events in the two cohorts were compared. Two-hundred thirteen patients were included-41 in low-dose and 172 in standard-dose cohorts. Baseline characteristics including initial vasopressor requirement and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were similar. Average rates of change in vasopressor needs, conditional hazard rate for vasopressor withdrawal, and cumulative probability for vasopressor withdrawal were all quantitatively similar for low-dose and standard-dose hydrocortisone. Insulin requirement (particularly in those with diabetes mellitus), blood glucose in those with diabetes mellitus, and frequency of secondary infections seemed to be lower in the low-dose hydrocortisone cohort. Mortality and other secondary outcomes were similar. Conclusions In septic shock, hydrocortisone dosed 75-150 mg/d appears to reverse shock as effectively 200-400 mg/d and may cause a lower frequency of adverse events.
Global responsibility vs. individual dreams: addressing ethical dilemmas created by the migration of healthcare practitioners.

Background The migration of health care professionals from developing to developed countries is a trend. This migration benefits the destination countries but is quite often devastating to healthca...
Necessary and sufficient conditions for $\mathbb{Z}_2$-symmetry-breaking phase transitions

In a recent paper a toy model (hypercubic model) undergoing a first-order $\mathbb{Z}_2$-symmetry-breaking phase transition ($\mathbb{Z}_2$-SBPT) was introduced. The hypercubic model was inspired by the \emph{topological hypothesis}, according to which a phase transition may be entailed by suitable topological changes of the equipotential surfaces ($\Sigma_v$'s) of configuration space. In this paper we show that at the origin of a $\mathbb{Z}_2$-SBPT there is a geometric property of the $\Sigma_v$'s, i.e., dumbbell-shaped $\Sigma_v$'s suitably defined, which includes a topological change as a limiting case. This property is necessary and sufficient condition to entail a $\mathbb{Z}_2$-SBPT. This new approach has been applied to three models: a modified version introduced here of the hypercubic model, a model introduced in a recent paper with a continuous $\mathbb{Z}_2$-SBPT belonging to several universality classes, and finally to a physical models, i.e., the mean-field $\phi^4$ model and a simplified version of it.
Re-Envisioning Instruction for the Electronic Environment of a 21st Century Science-Engineering Library

SUMMARY Library services have changed dramatically in recent years due to the rapid developments in both information technology and electronic resources. The behavior and expectations of users have changed as well. Users expect to find full-text information online that is retrievable with a minimum of effort. The information literacy movement is influencing the approaches of many instruction librarians, but this influence is often realized in generic materials geared to reach the greatest number of students, materials that do not suit the specific needs of science and engineering library customers. Librarians must re-envision instruction for an environment where a “one size fits all” approach is not appropriate.
The IMG/M data management and analysis system v.6.0: new tools and advanced capabilities

The Integrated Microbial Genomes & Microbiomes system (IMG/M: https://img.jgi.doe.gov/m/) contains annotated isolate genome and metagenome datasets sequenced at the DOE's Joint Genome Institute (JGI), submitted by external users, or imported from public sources such as NCBI. IMG v 6.0 includes advanced search functions and a new tool for statistical analysis of mixed sets of genomes and metagenome bins. The new IMG web user interface also has a new Help page with additional documentation and webinar tutorials to help users better understand how to use various IMG functions and tools for their research. New datasets have been processed with the prokaryotic annotation pipeline v.5, which includes extended protein family assignments.
A Rapid Blood Test to Monitor the Immune Status Change of Dairy Cows and to Evaluate their Disease Risk during the Periparturient Period

Abstract Background Dairy cows are at the highest risk of developing clinical and subclinical diseases and disorders in the first few weeks following parturition. During the periparturient period, from approximately 30 days before calving to 30 days postpartum, the immune system of the dairy cows undergoes a multitude of changes to prepare for parturition, colostrum production and lactation. One such change is the transfer of a large amount of immunoglobulin G proteins, especially subclass IgG1 to colostrum, leading to a reduction of IgG1 in the blood. As IgG1 and IgG2 need to maintain a balance to protect animals from intracellular and extracellular pathogens, a disruption of this balance compromises the immune protection of the animals. Rapid tests that can detect these immunological changes may be potentially useful for predicting the risk of dairy cows developing infectious diseases and other adverse health conditions following parturition. Results We report here a new rapid test to detect certain immune status changes in the blood serum of dairy cows. This test uses a nanoparticle probe to evaluate the relative quantity of IgG1 and IgG2 in a sample. The nanoparticle probes are aggregated together upon interaction with bovine IgG2, while bovine IgG1 inhibits such interactions. The nanoparticle aggregates are detected by monitoring the color change of the assay solution using a handheld device. We tested the serum samples from 230 dairy cows collected during periparturient period, from 14 to 7 days before calving to 7–14 days postpartum. Results show that the test clearly detected an immune status change associated with IgG1/IgG2 relative quantity change around the time of parturition. Data analysis using mixed liner model in SAS (Statistical Analysis System) revealed a significant difference (P value = 0.04) in their test responses between healthy cows and cows with mastitis and/or lameness. Conclusion The new rapid test we report here can be used to detect and monitor certain immune status change in dairy cows during the periparturient period. The test results may be potentially used to evaluate and predict the health risk of the dairy cows following parturition.
Autoimmune Diseases of the Neuromuscular Junction: Myasthenia Gravis and Lambert-Eaton Myasthenic Syndrome

Myasthenia gravis and Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome are two autoimmune disorders of the neuromuscular junction. Antibodies against components of the postsynaptic membrane, most commonly the acetylcholine receptor, cause myasthenia gravis. It presents with fatigable weakness and can cause life-threatening respiratory weakness. The treatment is with immune therapy. Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome is caused by antibodies against the presynaptic voltage-gated calcium channels and presents with both weakness and autonomic dysfunction. It is most commonly a paraneoplastic disorder. The treatment depends on whether there is an underlying malignancy and includes both immune therapy and treatment of the malignancy. Neuromuscular junction disorders have also been associated with immune checkpoint inhibitors.
Lewis Carroll’s regress and the presuppositional structure of arguments

This essay develops and defends a diagnosis of Carroll’s (Mind 4(14):278–280, 1895) regress of the premises according to which the moral of the regress is that arguments are constitutively presuppositional. It is argued that this diagnosis allows to vindicate the key insights of the rule-following account of the regress, while overcoming the main difficulties that the rule-following account faces.
Culturally Relevant Pedagogy in the English Curriculum

As educators, whether in urban or suburban schools, we must tailor our curriculum to who is in our classrooms. Individualizing curriculum has always been taught in teacher preparation programs, but...
Deliberative Breakdowns in the Social Representation Process: Evidence from Reader Comments in Partisan News Sites

This article examines breakdowns that occur when readers at partisan news websites attempt to understand a challenging news event. We conduct the work with the 2017 Alabama senate race as the empirical context marked by the nomination of Republican Roy Moore (a challenging news event for the left-leaning readers), and the story of his alleged sexual misconduct (a challenging news event for the right-leaning readers). To examine how readers attempt to understand these events, we scrape reader comments from two partisan news websites. Our analysis relies on and further elaborates the social representation theory and argumentation theory to identify obstacles that prevent successful progression of social representation processes: rhetorical, epistemological, and emotional breakdowns. The findings from our data reveal indicators of rhetorical breakdowns (greater occurrence of fallacious and non-argumentative reader comments) and epistemological breakdowns (greater use of doxastic comments) both tied to how challenging the news event is as well as indicators of emotional breakdowns (greater occurrence of attack posture) tied to the emotionally charged nature of the news event. We interpret the findings as a balancing act between protecting pre-existing representations and acknowledging the challenging news event. The indicators of potential breakdowns we find enhance our understanding of partisan political discourse viewed through the lens of social representation processes. The article discusses these contributions, including elaborations to social representation theory, and discusses implications of the work.
“A man can find a home anywhere”: african mobility and the fall of dreams in Behold the Dreamers

Inspired by the notion of mobility explored by Zachary Guthrie’s book Bound for Work: Labor, Mobility, and Colonial Rule in Central Mozambique, 1940-1965, this study aims to analyze the journey of the Cameroonian characters in Imbolo Mbue’s novel Behold the Dreamers by showing how travelling outside of Africa can become a means of representing and understanding what is considered foreign and Other. In addition, assist on the understanding of self-perception and self-definition (Moffat), but also how said understanding does not exclude a complex net of illusions, disappointments and failures. As Behold the Dreamers shows, the voluntarily moving outside of Africa in search of a better life is not simple for it is burdened with political, racial, social class, and employment issues, as well as misconceptions of the West.
Using Consistently Low Performance to Identify Low-Quality Physician Groups.

Importance There has been a growth in the use of performance-based payment models in the past decade, but inherently noisy and stochastic quality measures complicate the assessment of the quality of physician groups. Examining consistently low performance across multiple measures or multiple years could potentially identify a subset of low-quality physician groups. Objective To identify low-performing physician groups based on consistently low performance after adjusting for patient characteristics across multiple measures or multiple years for 10 commonly used quality measures for diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Design, setting, and participants This cross-sectional study used medical and pharmacy claims and laboratory data for enrollees ages 18 to 65 years with diabetes or CVD in an Aetna health insurance plan between 2016 and 2019. Each physician group's risk-adjusted performance for a given year was estimated using mixed-effects linear probability regression models. Performance was correlated across measures and time, and the proportion of physician groups that performed in the bottom quartile was examined across multiple measures or multiple years. Data analysis was conducted between September 2020 and May 2021. Exposures Primary care physician groups. Main outcomes and measures Performance scores of 6 quality measures for diabetes and 4 for CVD, including hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) testing, low-density lipoprotein testing, statin use, HbA1c control, low-density lipoprotein control, and hospital-based utilization. Results A total of 786 641 unique enrollees treated by 890 physician groups were included; 414 655 (52.7%) of the enrollees were men and the mean (SD) age was 53 (9.5) years. After adjusting for age, sex, and clinical and social risk variables, correlations among individual measures were weak (eg, performance-adjusted correlation between any statin use and LDL testing for patients with diabetes, r = -0.10) to moderate (correlation between LDL testing for diabetes and LDL testing for CVD, r = .43), but year-to-year correlations for all measures were moderate to strong. One percent or fewer of physician groups performed in the bottom quartile for all 6 diabetes measures or all 4 cardiovascular disease measures in any given year, while 14 (4.0%) to 39 groups (11.1%) were in the bottom quartile in all 4 years for any given measure other than hospital-based utilization for CVD (1.1%). Conclusions and relevance A subset of physician groups that was consistently low performing could be identified by considering performance measures across multiple years. Considering the consistency of group performance could contribute a novel method to identify physician groups most likely to benefit from limited resources.
Bernstein trace

We introduce the notion of relative trace which is motivated by an observation about the category of vector spaces and linear transformations and builds upon the categorical trace of Joyal, Street, and Verity. Furthermore, we define a new categorical trace based on a trace formula first introduced by J. Bernstein.
Short-Term Plasticity in Cortical GABAergic Synapses on Olfactory Bulb Granule Cells Is Modulated by Endocannabinoids

Olfactory bulb and higher processing areas are synaptically interconnected, providing rapid regulation of olfactory bulb circuit dynamics and sensory processing. Short-term plasticity changes at any of these synapses could modulate sensory processing and potentially short-term sensory memory. A key olfactory bulb circuit for mediating cortical feedback modulation is granule cells, which are targeted by multiple cortical regions including both glutamatergic excitatory inputs and GABAergic inhibitory inputs. There is robust endocannabinoid modulation of excitatory inputs to granule cells and here we explored whether there was also endocannabinoid modulation of the inhibitory cortical inputs to granule cells. We expressed light-gated cation channel channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) in GABAergic neurons in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) and their projections to granule cells in olfactory bulb. Selective optical activation of ChR2 positive axons/terminals generated strong, frequency-dependent short-term depression of GABA A -mediated-IPSC in granule cells. As cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptor is heavily expressed in olfactory bulb granule cell layer (GCL) and there is endogenous endocannabinoid release in GCL, we investigated whether activation of CB1 receptor modulated the HDB IPSC and short-term depression at the HDB→granule cell synapse. Activation of the CB1 receptor by the exogenous agonist Win 55,212-2 significantly decreased the peak amplitude of individual IPSC and decreased short-term depression, while blockade of the CB1 receptor by AM 251 slightly increased individual IPSCs and increased short-term depression. Thus, we conclude that there is tonic endocannabinoid activation of the GABAergic projections of the HDB to granule cells, similar to the modulation observed with glutamatergic projections to granule cells. Modulation of inhibitory synaptic currents and frequency-dependent short-term depression could regulate the precise balance of cortical feedback excitation and inhibition of granule cells leading to changes in granule cell mediated inhibition of olfactory bulb output to higher processing areas.
Brief of Amici Curiae Professors of Health Law and Policy in Support of Petitioner, Ruan v. United States, No. 20-1410

Controlled substances hold a special place at the intersection of medicine, law, and society. No decisions are as fraught with peril in medicine than whether, how, how much, and for how long to prescribe controlled substances, especially during an opioid crisis. These decisions implicate not just the benefits and risks to the patients to whom drugs are prescribed, but also the risks to third parties who use diverted drugs without medical supervision. The later consideration is as far as Congress intended federal law enforcement to reach into the regulation of medical practice, an area that falls squarely within the States’ police powers. The Eleventh, Fourth, and Tenth Circuits have recently construed the CSA in a manner that permits the government to convict a prescriber of a felony for nothing more than deviations from accepted medical standards, including behavior akin to mere negligence. These circuits have criminalized prescribing negligence by (1) permitting convictions when prescriptions deviate from accepted medical practices without considering whether the practitioner acted without a legitimate medical purpose (also referred to as “beyond the bounds of medical practice”), and (2) constructively refusing to extend to practitioners a good faith defense. These approaches criminalize mistaken or negligent prescribing for which there are already myriad civil, administrative, and even lesser criminal remedies. The constructive rewriting of the CSA as applied to practitioners runs afoul of the text and purpose of the CSA, conflicts with this Court’s controlling case law, imperils the evolution of medicine and patient care, and implicates significant federalism concerns. We respectfully request that this Court clarify that the CSA’s reach only extends to practitioners who prescribe knowingly or intentionally (i.e., not in good faith) without a medical purpose outside the usual course of professional practice. The questions implicated by the instant petition and those in United States v. Naum, No. 20-1480, are what the government must prove to convict a prescribing practitioner under CSA Section 841(a)(1). Consequently, this Court should consolidate the instant petition and Naum and grant certiorari in both cases.
WE-E-201-01: Use and Abuse of Common Statistics in Radiological Physics

Physicists are often expected to have a solid grounding in experimental design and statistical analysis, sometimes filling in when biostatisticians or other experts are not available for consultation. Unfortunately, graduate education on these topics is seldom emphasized and few opportunities for continuing education exist. Clinical physicists incorporate new technology and methods into their practice based on published literature. A poor understanding of experimental design and analysis could Result in inappropriate use of new techniques. Clinical physicists also improve current practice through quality initiatives that require sound experimental design and analysis. Academic physicists with a poor understanding of design and analysis may produce ambiguous (or misleading) results. This can Result in unnecessary rewrites, publication rejection, and experimental redesign (wasting time, money, and effort). This symposium will provide a practical review of error and uncertainty, common study designs, and statistical tests. Instruction will primarily focus on practical implementation through examples and answer questions such as: where would you typically apply the test/design and where is the test/design typically misapplied (i.e., common pitfalls)? An analysis of error and uncertainty will also be explored using biological studies and associated modeling as a specific use case. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand common experimental testing and clinical trial designs, what questions they can answer, and how to interpret the results 2. Determine where specific statistical tests are appropriate and identify common pitfalls 3. Understand the how uncertainty and error are addressed in biological testing and associated biological modeling.
Book Review: The Education Dissertation: A Guide for Practitioner Scholars

This is a review of the book 'The Education Dissertation: A Guide for Practitioner Scholars' by Dan W. Butin and published by Corwin Press: Thousand Oaks, CA. ISBN: 1412960444, Pages: 184, Year: 2009.
Nonlinear Stability in Non-Newtonian Flows

In this paper, we discuss recent results on the nonlinear stability of discontinuous steady states of a model initial-boundary value problem in one space dimension for incompressible, isothermal shear flow of a non-Newtonian fluid between parallel plates located at x = ±1, and driven by a constant pressure gradient. The non-Newtonian contribution to the shear stress is assumed to satisfy a simple differential constitutive law. The key feature is a non-monotone relation between the total steady shear stress and steady shear strain rate that results in steady states having, in general, discontinuities in the strain rate. We explain why every solution tends to a steady state as t → ∞, and we identify steady states that are stable; more details and proofs will be presented in [8].
Sentence planning following traumatic brain injury.

Background: Current descriptions of the language problems following traumatic brain injury (TBI) generally emphasize evaluating discourse production and explaining the observed outcomes in terms of disruptions to executive processes. The notion of sentence production impairments at the sentence level has generally been ignored. To respond to this issue, we examined patterns of intrasentential pausing and sentence planning during sentences produced by normal and TBI speakers. Methods: Seven individuals with TBI functioning at Rancho Level V-VI and seven age-matched controls participated in this pilot experiment. Group performances were compared for pause time and verbal initiation time during the production of sentences varying in syntactic complexity under two conditions (reading and repetition). Results: Significant group differences were observed in pausing during both conditions. Pausing patterns of the participants with TBI were strongly correlated with the syntactic complexity of sentences. No significant group differences were observed on verbal initiation time of repeated sentences, although increased initiation times were present among the TBI participants. Conclusions: These findings of this pilot project suggest that the deficits in language production following TBI may include specific impairments to sentence planning. This evidence suggests that the language profile of TBI may be one of both microlinguistic and macrolinguistic impairments.
CHICANOS AND SOCIAL GROUP WORK MODELS

This paper examines the group work models identified and explicated by Papell and Rothman, and assesses their appropriateness for work with Chicanos. The group work of the 1920s and 1930s is recalled and the strength of this early approach is considered in relation to the present day problems of Chicanos. A discussion is presented of how the three contemporary models can be utilized in providing group work to Chicanos. The information presented should be of assistance to the goup worker in his/her task of engaging the Chicanos and in providing culturally oriented group services.
Prioridades de salud: problemas por resolver y nuevos retos

In the last 25 years we have witnessed revolutionary changes in the field of health, particularly in the low and middle income countries. This paper discusses some of the new problems which need to be solved and some of the challenges which lie ahead Among the former we can mention the financing of health care services and the provision of health care to an aging population. Among the latter we include the need for improvement of the quality of health services and the training of appropriate health manpower.
Attitudes and Perceptions of Participants in a Horticulture Study Abroad Course at Iowa State University

Globalization affects many aspects of American society, including higher education. Many institutions of higher education realize the need to help students become global citizens and thus require an international perspectives course as part of their undergraduate curriculum. The goal of this research was to evaluate the Horticulture Travel Course (Hort 496), which includes an international travel component, to determine whether it meets the university and College of Agriculture’s expected learning outcomes and competencies in international and multicultural awareness. A 23-question survey instrument consisting of openand close-ended questions was mailed to 116 former Hort 496 participants. Forty-three percent of the questionnaires were returned and were usable. Survey questions were designed to gather information on student demographics, previous international travel experience, learning outcomes achieved through participation in the pretrip preparatory class and the study abroad experience, and how these experiences influenced career development. Responses indicate that both the pretrip preparatory class and study abroad experience helped participants achieve the course learning outcomes. Furthermore, student presentations and guest speakers, and interacting with locals and planned tours immersed students the most in the pretrip preparatory class and study abroad experience, respectively. A majority of participants observed recognizable differences in agricultural management or production practices between the United States and the country visited. Participants also noted that Hort 496 had a positive affect on their communication skills, interpersonal skills, and personal growth.
On the use of the resistive barrier discharge to kill bacteria: recent results

Summary form only given, as follows. Large volume, atmospheric pressure, low-temperature plasmas have been shown to be effective biological and chemical decontamination devices. However, most of the discharges use RF power sources capable of generating high voltages at relatively high frequencies. Such sources are not only expensive, but they radiate power which can potentially affect sensitive electronics located in their surroundings. In order to solve these cost and technical drawbacks, Alexeff, Laroussi, and co-workers (1999) introduced the resistive barrier discharge (RBD) which uses either DC or quasi-DC (60 Hz) sources. With an input power less than 1 kW, and helium as a carrier gas, the RBD is capable of generating a few liters of low-temperature plasma, at atmospheric pressure. Recent work by Laroussi, Dobbs, and co-workers has demonstrated that the plasma generated by the RBD decreases viability (estimated by cultural techniques) of bacteria In this paper, in addition to reporting on the germicidal potential of the RBD, an attempt to identify some of its biochemical impact on bacterial cells will be made.
Fusion energy: Laser systems required to harness the power of the sun

Laser systems deployed in Inertial Fusion Energy power plants will usher in space qualified laser engineering and materials on a massive scale. Understanding subsystem efficiencies and component Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) are critical for success.
Local sequence of protein β‐strands influences twist and bend angles

β-Sheet twisting is thought to be mainly determined by interstrand hydrogen bonds with little contribution from side chains, but some proteins have large, flat β-sheets, suggesting that side chains influence β-structures. We therefore investigated the relationship between amino acid composition and twists or bends of β-strands. We calculated and statistically analyzed the twist and bend angles of short frames of β-strands in known protein structures. The most frequent twist angles were strongly negatively correlated with the proportion of hydrophilic amino acid residues. The majority of hydrophilic residues (except serine and threonine) were found in the edge regions of β-strands, suggesting that the side chains of these residues likely do not affect β-strand structure. In contrast, the majority of serine, threonine, and asparagine side-chains in β-strands made contacts with a nitrogen atom of the main chain, suggesting that these residues suppress β-strand twisting.
Cloning and Characterization of Two Mouse Genes with Homology to the Yeast Sir2 Gene

The yeast Sir2 gene encodes a protein (Sir2p) that plays an essential role in silencing regulation at mating-type loci, rDNA, and telomeres. Recent studies have also shown that the protein participates in cell cycle regulation, DNA double-strand break repair, meiotic checkpoint control, and histone deacetylation. Overexpression of wildtype Sir2p in yeast resulted in an extended life span but mutant Sir2p shortened the life span, suggesting its function in aging processes. Sir2p is evolutionarily conserved from prokaryotes to higher eukaryotes. However, its function(s) in mammals remains unknown. To investigate Sir2p function(s) in mice, we cloned and characterized two mouse Sir2-like genes. Our results revealed that the two mouse Sir2-like proteins (mSIR2L2 and mSIR2L3) are most similar to the human Sir2-like proteins SIR2L2 and SIR2L3, respectively. Sir2 core domains are highly conserved in the two proteins and yeast Sir2p; however, the intracellular localizations of both mSIR2L2 and mSIR2L3 differ from that of yeast Sir2p and from one another. The two mouse genes have completely different genomic structures but were mapped on the same chromosome. It seems that the two mouse proteins, though they have Sir2 conserved domains, may function differently than yeast Sir2p.
Determination of the dynamic surface tension of inks from the capillary instability of jets

Abstract A remarkable agreement between Weber's linear analysis and experiment makes it possible to determine the dynamic surface tension of viscous liquids from the growth rate of axisymmetric disturbances on excited capillary jets. The method is very accurate and can be used to determine the surface tension at as short as 10 −4 sec surface age. Aqueous glycerol solution and inks developed for inkjet printing were used as test liquids in the experiments. While a dye base ink showed time-dependent surface tension, the surface tension of inks which were colloid suspensions of small pigment particles and contained surfactant micelles equalled their equilibrium value at 10 −4 sec surface age. In the tentative explanation of this phenomenon, the dynamic equilibrium between surfactant molecules in solution and in micelles was substituted for long-range surfactant transport by diffusion. A result of this assumption is that surface tension in nonequilibrium states depends only on the composition of the surface layer.
Dynamics of cell deposition on surfaces.

Abstract The rate of deposition of particles onto a surface, in the presence of London, double-layer, and gravitational forces, is calculated in terms of the energy of interaction between cell and surface by assuming that Brownian motion over a potential energy barrier is the rate-determining step of the process.
328 THEOPHYLLINE METABOLISM BY THE HUMAN PREMATURE INFANT

The excretion of theophylline and its metabolites was studied in 8 premature infants treated for apnea. Changes and differences in metabolic patterns were sought. Theophylline and metabolites were assayed in urine and serum by HPLC. Urine was passed through a Dowex-2 column for clean-up prior to injection. Recovery of compounds by this method was >95%. In 6 patients, multiple 6 hour urine specimens were assayed. Theophylline accounted for 62% of the total drug and metabolites excreted. The range was 54 to 95%. 1,3 dimethyluric acid (13DMU), the predominant metabolite in adults, accounted for 22% of the excreted drug. 1-methyluric acid and 3-methylxanthine comprised the remainder, although caffeine was not quantitated. In 3 patients, there was a shift to a larger percentage excretion of 13DMU during therapy suggesting a development of metabolizing capacity. Dosage change in one patient resulted in no change in metabolite pattern. Differences between patients may be the result of genetic variability or prenatal xenobiotics for which information was incomplete in this study.
Point mutations in the mitochondrial tRNA(Lys) gene: implications for pathogenesis and mechanism.

MERRF (myoclonic epilepsy with ragged-red fibers) is a severe, multisystem disorder characterized by myoclonus, seizures, progressive cerebellar syndrome, muscle weakness, and the presence of ragged-red fibers in the muscle biopsy. MERRF is associated with heteroplasmic point mutations, either A8344G or T8356C, in the gene encoding the mitochondrial tRNALys. The human ρ° cell system was utilized to examine the phenotypic consequences of these mutations, and to investigate their molecular genetic causes. Wild-type and mutant transmitochondrial cell lines harboring a pathogenic point mutation at either A8344G or T8356C in the human mitochondrial tRNALys gene were isolated and examined. Mitochondrial transformants containing 100% mutated mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) exhibited severe defects in respiratory chain activity, in the rates of protein synthesis, and in the steady-state levels of mitochondrial translation products as compared with mitochondrial transformants containing 100% wild-type mtDNAs. In addition, both mutant cell lines exhibited the presence of aberrant mitochondrial translation products. These results demonstrate that two different mtDNA point mutations in tRNALys result in fundamentally identical defects at the cellular level, and that these specific protein synthesis abnormalities contribute to the pathogenesis of MERRF. (Mol Cell Biochem 174: 215–219, 1997)
Alloxan-induced diabetes-evidence for hydroxyl radical as a cytotoxic intermediate.

Abstract Four aliphatic alcohols, namely methanol, ethanol, n-propanol and n-butanol, prevented the diabetic state induced by alloxan in Swiss-Webster mice, as judged at 72 hr by two criteria: blood glucose levels and granulation of the β-cells of the pancreas. n-Propanol and n-butanol were better protective agents than methanol or ethanol. Thiourea also proved to be protective, while hydroxyurea and urea did not. In experiments in vitro, the order of reactivity of the above mentioned compounds with the hydroxyl radical was found to correlate reasonably well with their capacity to prevent alloxan diabetes. None of compounds reacted with superoxide radicals to any significant extent, while only thiourea was shown to react directly with hydrogen peroxide. There was no correlation between the capacity of the compounds to act as substrates for the peroxidatic activity of catalase and their ability to prevent alloxan diabetes. It had been previously postulated that hydrogen peroxide or the hydroxyl radical might be involved in the diabetogenic action of alloxan. The data of the present study are consistent with a role for the hydroxyl radical and appear to rule out a direct causative role for hydrogen peroxide. Other data rule out any protective role for transiently elevated levels of blood glucose resulting from the administered compounds.
A Review of the Histopathology of Cigarette Smoke–Induced Lung Cancer in Rats and Mice

In the past several years an increased number of lung tumors has been reported in laboratory studies of rats and mice after lifetime exposure to mainstream cigarette smoke. Proliferative epithelial lesions are present in the lungs of both species and are apparent antecedent lesions to benign and malignant tumors. Both species have alveolar epithelia hyperplasia, alveolar adenomas, and alveolar carcinomas. The incidence of all three are more in the rats. In addition, mice also have bronchiolar epithelial hyperplasia and bronchial papillomas not found in rats. Rats have a low incidence of squamous cyst that is not found in mice. Lung tumors in rats and mice are found at the end of the life span and rarely metastasize. The characteristics of the lung tumors, and the proliferative changes associated with the tumors, are important in helping understand the mechanisms of lung cancer induction. These studies in rats and mice allow new approaches to the study of cigarette smoke-induced changes in the lung.