cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Tisseel and FloSeal on primary ischemic time in a rat fasciocutaneous free flap model.

Objectives: Free flaps are the technique of choice for reconstruction of defects resulting from extirpation of tumors of the head and neck. Advances in microsurgical technique have resulted in success rates of greater than 95%. Numerous intraoperative factors, ranging from technical issues to topically applied agents, can complicate the outcome of microsurgical free tissue transfer. Synthetic tissue adhesives and hemostatic agents are playing an ever-increasing role in reconstructive surgery. The safety of these factors in free flap surgery has not been ascertained. Study Design: Animal Care Committee live rat model. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups: group I, Control; group 2, FloSeal; group 3, Tisseel. In each group, a 3 × 6 cm ventral fasciocutaneous groin flap based on the left superficial epigastric artery was elevated and the experimental material applied beneath the flap and around the flap pedicle prior to suturing of the flap back to the wound bed. The experimental materials consisted of 0.2 mL saline in the control group, 0.5 mL FloSeal, and 0.2 mL Tisseel. In phase I of this study, the effect of each treatment on flap survival was assessed by survival at postoperative day 4. In phase II of the study, the effects of these agents on ischemic tolerance was investigated. Five rats in each treatment group were exposed to ischemic times of 6, 8, 10, and 12 hours. Survival of the flap was assessed 7 days after reversal of the ischemia. Probit curves and the critical ischemic time (CIT50) were calculated. Results: All flaps survived the 2-hour period of ischemia and were viable at postoperative day 4. Flap survival from group 1 (Control), group 2 (FloSeal), and group 3 (Tisseel) at the various ischemic times was as follows: at 6 hours, 80%, 80%, and 80%, respectively; at 8 hours, 80%, 80%, 60%; at 10 hours, 60%, 33%, 40%; at 12 hours, 20%, 20%, 0%. The CIT50 for the Control, FloSeal, and Tisseel groups was 9.4, 9.0, and 7.0 hours, respectively. Conclusions: FloSeal, a thrombin-based hemostatic agent, and Tisseel, a fibrin glue, displayed no adverse effect on flap survival in this model.
Is Nim, the Chimpanzee, Problem Solving?

It is argued that the importance of Project Nim has been exaggerated. The project contains many flaws such that the performance of the chimpanzee, Nim, provides very little information on a chimpanzee's ability with language. Nim learned exactly what he was trained; he was provided little opportunity either to learn or use language.
Describing story evolution from dynamic information streams

Sources of streaming information, such as news syndicates, publish information continuously. Information portals and news aggregators list the latest information from around the world enabling information consumers to easily identify events in the past 24 hours. The volume and velocity of these streams causes information from prior days to quickly vanish despite its utility in providing an informative context for interpreting new information. Few capabilities exist to support an individual attempting to identify or understand trends and changes from streaming information over time. The burden of retaining prior information and integrating with the new is left to the skills, determination, and discipline of each individual. In this paper we present a visual analytics system for linking essential content from information streams over time into dynamic stories that develop and change over multiple days. We describe particular challenges to the analysis of streaming information and present a fundamental visual representation for showing story change and evolution over time.
Lack of evidence for increased genetic loading for autism among families of affected females: A replication from family history data in two large samples

Both the broad and narrow phenotypes of autism have been consistently observed in family members of affected individuals. Additionally, autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) present four times more often in males than in females, for reasons that are currently unknown. In this study, we examined whether there were differences in familial loading of ASD among families of male versus female probands. Analyses were conducted with existing data from two distinct samples. The first sample contained 417 individuals with autism and Asperger's disorder and included information on the ASD diagnoses of their first- and second-degree relatives. The second sample consisted of 405 sibships participating in the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange, of which one or more siblings had an ASD diagnosis. Results from both samples did not suggest significant differences in the prevalence of ASD among relatives of affected males versus females.
Research Note---Awareness Displays and Social Motivation for Coordinating Communication

Researchers and designers have been building awareness displays to improve the coordination of communication between distributed co-workers since the early 1990s. Awareness displays are technology designed to provide contextual information about the activities of group members. Most researchers have assumed that these displays improve the coordination of communication regardless of the relationship between the communicating parties. This article examines the conditions under which awareness displays improve coordination and the types of designs that most effectively support communication timing without overwhelming people with irrelevant information. Results from a pair of laboratory experiments indicate that awareness displays containing information about a remote collaborator's workload lead to communication attempts that are less disruptive, but only when the interrupter has incentives to be concerned about the collaborator's welfare. High-information awareness displays harmed interrupters' task performance, while abstract displays did not. We conclude that a display with an abstract representation of a collaborator's workload is optimal; it leads to better timing of interruptions without overwhelming the person viewing the display.
Characterizing and predicting value degree of use

A value's degree of use---the number of dynamic uses of that value---provides the most essential information needed to optimize its communication. We present simulation results demonstrating the properties of degree of use of values, including their predictability: most static instructions generate values with few degrees of use and these exhibit temporal locality. We use these results to guide the design of a degree of use predictor. The development and detailed characterization of this predictor is the focus of this paper. Our predictor leverages future control flow information (e.g., branch predictions) to select among different possible degrees of use. We study the effects of several optimizations and variations in the predictor's algorithms to tune the predictor for maximum performance. The resulting predictor generates correct degree of use predictions for over 92% of all dynamic values and has a misprediction rate below 2.5%. Such a predictor has a wide range of potential applications in optimizing value communication.
Immune reactivity in patients with colorectal cancer: assessment of biologic risk by immunoparameters.

The concept whether immune reactivity was intrinsically related to risk of recurrence was examined in 307 patients with rectal colon cancer, including 181 patients with primary resectable cancer, 48 patients with advanced primary operable cancer, and 78 patients with recurrence. Immune reactivity was measured by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) skin tests (219 patients) and by in vitro immunoparameters (1 10 patients) including lymphocyte levels and lymphocyte stimulation tests with mitogens and antigens. There was a linear depression of immune reactivity as measured by DNCB, phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response, and lymphocyte count with increasing stage of disease (P < -05). Immunity was depressed even in patients with Dukes' A cancer (24% were DNCB negative, 33% had low PHA) and was more depressed in patients with Dukes' Band C lesions (40% were DNCB negative, 30% had low PHA), but was profoundly depressed in patients with advanced primary cancer or recurrence (60% had depression of DNCB, PHA, and lymphocyte counts). Short-term prognosis was examined according to DNCB, lymphocyte count, and mitogen responses in patients with resected Dukes' A, B, and C cancers. There was no correlation of recurrence rates in Dukes' C patients with DNCB, lymphocyte count, or the mitogens PHA, Con A or pokeweed mitogen (PWM). In contrast, tests with CEA have shown a significant correlation of elevated levels with increased recurrence rates in patients with Dukes' C. There were no correlations of any of the immune tests with recurrence rates in Dukes' A or B, although the follow-up is still short (median 48 months), and the median diseasefree survival has not yet been reached. Only patients with advanced disease (liver metastases) showed correlation of immune responses (PHA and lymphocyte count but not DNCB) with survival, P < .05. Although tests of non-specific immune reactivity generally correlated well with extent of disease in colorectal cancer, selected tests correlated with prognosis only in patients with advanced disease. Combining these tests with preoperative CEA levels may provide additional prognostic information.
Therapeutic insemination by donor II: A review of its known risks

In an effort to summarize the potential risks of therapeutic insemination by donor (TID), including a review of cases of disease attributed to donor semen, a MEDLINE literature search was conducted to identify all published case reports of transmissible diseases occurring in donor semen recipients published in English between 1975 and 1992. The reference list for each article was reviewed to locate additional published case reports. Pertinent case reports were compiled according to disease agent and classified into viral, bacterial and other categories.
Investigating prejudice toward men perceived to be Muslim: cues of foreignness versus phenotype

Possible factors in prejudice toward Muslims and those perceived to be Muslims were investigated. We specifically investigated cues of foreignness that may communicate threat. Using a 2 (Complexion: dark vs. light) × 2 (Dress: Middle Eastern vs. Western) × 2 (Name: Allen vs. Mohammed) between-subjects design, we expected cues of foreignness (dress and name) to have a greater impact on perceptions of targets than phenotype (complexion). Participants reviewed portraits of young men varying in the manipulated characteristics and gave their impressions. Generally, complexion did not affect perceptions, but portraits in Middle Eastern dress were rated less positively. There was a name by dress interaction in which Allen in Western dress was rated least negatively. Implications for future research are discussed.
Correlates and Consequences of Father Nurturance in an African American College Sample

The objectives of the present study are to identify sociodemographic factors associated with father nurturance and assess the relationship between parental (mother and father) nurturance and youth psychological well-being among 216 African American college-aged youth. Participants attended a historically Black college in the Mid-Atlantic region. Findings indicated that the frequency and duration of the participants’ interactions with their fathers were associated with levels of father nurturance. Youth whose mothers and fathers were married or cohabitating, compared with those who were separated, divorced, widowed, or never married, had lower levels of psychological well-being. Furthermore, youth who reported more mother nurturance had higher levels of overall psychological well-being. These findings highlight the importance of time-based variables in youths’ perceptions of father nurturance and raise important questions about how the nature of the coparental relationship and variations in the fathering r...
Energy transfer processes in new conjugated polymer/6,6-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester systems for photovoltaic applications

The photoinduced energy transfer dynamics in poly[9,9-di-(2-ethylhexyl)-fluorenyl-2,7-diyl]/6,6-phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PDFA/PCBM) and poly(9,9-dioctylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PF)/PCBM systems have been investigated. Ultrafast intra-chain energy transfer on the time-scale of a few hundred femtoseconds was found. A decay process that occurs in the picosecond time-scale may indicate an energy transfer process from the polymer to PCBM. This may be associated with a torsional relaxation (in the case of PF) or vibrational relaxation (in the case of PDFA). Bulk heterojunction solar cells have been fabricated using the polymer/PCBM systems. The cell made from PDFA/PCBM blend demonstrated a 30% higher conversion efficiency than the cell made from PF/PCBM blend, consistent with their absorption profiles.
A Chapter in The History of The Ecumenical Quest: Schelling and Schleiermacher

It must appear somewhat strange that the ecumenical ideas which were developed by German Protestantism in the first half of the nineteenth century have never, to the best of my knowledge, been treated systematically and exhaustively, especially in view of the fact that these decades were unusually fruitful in producing various serious contributions to the discussion of the question of the unity and disunity of the Church. 1 The brief remarks, for instance, in RouseNeill (eds.), A History of the Ecumenical Movement, 1517–1948 , are quite inadequate. 2 I have set myself the task in this paper merely to call attention to two of these nineteenth century German contributions to the ecumenical discussion, namely Schelling's and Schleiermacher's.
Cognitive Workload as a Predictor of Student Pilot Performance

This study examined the relationship between cognitive task load and performance in pilot training in a civilian pilot training program. It was found that the NASA task load index was indicative of training success, with the most successful pilot trainees showing the most cognitive task load and vice versa for those performing poorly. The implications for this finding are discussed as is their relation to possible advantages to military pilot trainees over their civilian counterparts.
A GENERAL STRATEGY FOR SINGLE-SUBJECT RESEARCH '

Summary.-This article offers a general strategy for conducting single-subject research. The strategy is designed to caprure the behavior of the subject over rime; this necessitates using a stream of behavior research methodology. The strategy guides the researcher through the exploratory analytic and modeling steps appropriate for stream of behavior studies. An important application (to an environmental health problem) is discussed. This article offers a general strategy for conducting single-subject research. The special advantages of proceeding according to the strategy wd be pointed out; a more elaborate treatment by Holtgrave (1988) may be
PAX2 is expressed in multiple spinal cord interneurons, including a population of EN1+ interneurons that require PAX6 for their development

Members of the PAX family of transcription factors are candidates for controlling cell identity in the spinal cord. We have morphologically analyzed cells that express one of these transcription factors, PAX2, demonstrating multiple interneuron cell types express PAX2. Two ventral populations of PAX2-expressing interneurons in the spinal cord are marked by coexpression of the transcription factors, EN1 and EVX1. Interestingly, the expression domains of PAX2, EN1 and EVX1 in postmitotic neurons correlate closely with those of Pax6 and Pax7 in the ventricular zone, implicating these patterning genes in the regulation of PAX2, EN1 and EVX1. We show that one of these patterning genes, Pax6, is required for the correct specification of ventral PAX2+ interneurons that coexpress EN1. These results demonstrate that the early activity of patterning genes in the ventricular zone determines interneuron identity in the spinal cord.
Poromechanical Damping of Cementitious Materials

Other than through the creation of fracture surfaces, cementitious materials do not generally contribute significantly to strain energy dissipation or damping during dynamic loading of civil infrastructure. In this paper, the potential to increase damping of cementitious materials through utilization of poromechanical effects is evaluated. Pervious cement paste and mortar specimens were fabricated and their uniaxial damping measured at loading frequencies ranging from 0.01–25 Hz. To evaluate the poromechanical effect, the damping of specimens with water, glycerol, and glycerol/water blends constituting the pore fluid was measured, and the results were compared with the measured damping of dried specimens. It was found that significant poromechanical damping can be generated in cementitious materials, and the frequency at which the damping is maximized can be controlled by changing material properties that dictate the hydrodynamic relaxation time. It was also discovered that poromechanical modeling under p...
Poling of Coprecipitated Lead Titanate‐Epoxy 0–3 Piezoelectric Composites

The 0–3 piezoelectric composites were prepared using a dielectric gel with 70 vol% of coprecipitated PbTiO3 powders with sizes of 12 to 1100 nm. Composites were cured at 80°C for 10 h and poled with E= 0 to 100 kV /cm for 0 to 15 min at 85°C. X-ray diffraction patterns taken on the surface of the composites before and after poling indicated that saturation poling was nearly achieved at 80 kV /cm. d33 was strongly dependent upon the particle size. Composites of fine PbTiO3 powders, smaller than 200 nm, needed a much longer poling time to saturate than large particles probably because of the rotation of the single-domain crystallites during poling.
Phase I and extension study of clofarabine plus cyclophosphamide in patients with relapsed/refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Abstract Background Clofarabine is a nucleoside analogue with activity in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Based on the hypothesis that clofarabine inhibits DNA repair after exposure to DNA-damaging agents, we designed a phase I and extension study to evaluate the combination of clofarabine and cyclophosphamide in adult patients with relapsed/refractory ALL. Methods The continual reassessment method (CRM) was used to define the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Results Fifty patients with a median age of 30 years (range, 21-72 years) were enrolled, 30 of whom were part of the phase I group. Clofarabine 40 mg/m2 intravenously daily × 3 days and cyclophosphamide 200 mg/m2 intravenously every 12 hours × 3 days were established as the MTDs. Dose limiting toxicity (DLT) included diarrhea, transaminase elevations, and skin rashes. The response rate of the whole study group was 14%, including 10% of patients who achieved complete remission (CR) or CR without platelet recovery (CRp). Three responses occurred in patients with primary refractory disease. Early mortality ( Conclusion The combination of clofarabine plus cyclophosphamide at the doses used in this study in a group of heavily pretreated patients with ALL is only moderately effective. Other doses, alternative schedules, or a more favorable patient population may achieve better results.
Undergraduate Science Research: A Comparison of Influences and Experiences between Premed and Non–Premed Students

Most students participating in science undergraduate research (UR) plan to attend either medical school or graduate school. This study examines possible differences between premed and non-premed students in their influences to do research and expectations of research. Questionnaire responses from 55 premed students and 80 non-premed students were analyzed. No differences existed in the expectations of research between the two groups, but attitudes toward science and intrinsic motivation to learn more about science were significantly higher for non-premed students. Follow-up interviews with 11 of the students, including a case study with one premed student, provided explanation for the observed differences. Premed students, while not motivated to learn more about science, were motivated to help people, which is why most of them are pursuing medicine. They viewed research as a way to help them become doctors and to rule out the possibility of research as a career. Non-premed students participated in research to learn more about a specific science topic and gain experience that may be helpful in graduate school research. The difference in the reasons students want to do UR may be used to tailor UR experiences for students planning to go to graduate school or medical school.
PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ULTRASTRUCTURAL RESPONSES OF CYCLOTELLA MENEGHINIANA (BACILLARIOPHYTA) TO LIGHT INTENSITY AND NUTRIENT LIMITATION1

Photosynthetic characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure of Cyclotella meneghiniana Kutz. were quantified while the organism was simultaneously adjusting to light and nutrient stress. Cells were grown in batch culture at either low or high light intensity on medium with a nitrogen/phosphorus molar ratio of 2:1 as a control, or with nitrogen or phosphorus deleted from the medium to create nutrient deficiencies. Analysis of variance indicated that light intensity, nutrient deficiency and duration of nutrient deficiency all had significant effects on cell growth, chlorophyll (Chl) concentration/cell, cellular fluorescence capacity (CFC), chloroplast volume and thylakoid surface density. Because interactions existed among nutrient deficiency, extent of nutrient deficiency, and light intensity, all three must be considered together in order to describe accurately the physiology and chloroplast ultrastructure of the diatom. Significant correlations were found between the Chl/cell or CFC/cell and chloroplast volume and thylakoid surface density. Through an increase in Chi concentration, chloroplast volume and thylakoid surface density, the cells successfully adapted to the conditions of low light intensity even while under nutrient stress. In contrast, less Chl/cell, smaller chloroplast volume and less thylakoid surface density were found at high light intensity.
The placenta and newborn infant in hypertensive conditions.

Abstract The pregnancy outcome was studied in 57 hypertensive and 19 normal patients. The infants were weighed at birth, and the weight curves were followed in the nursery. The placentas were studied immediately after expulsion and weighed, and several specimens from different areas were studied under phase-contrast microscopy to assess the capillaries and the trophoblast. In addition, the water content of the placentas was studied by drying small specimens in triplicate at 100° C. and reweighing after 24 hours. The hypertensive patients were grouped as toxemia (pre-eclampsia or eclampsia) or pre-existing hypertension, as well as moderate or severe hypertension. The data were programmed and comparisons were made. The results indicate that the fetuses and placentas of hypertensive mothers were significantly lighter than normal. Furthermore, there was a significant gradient when comparing pure hypertensive, toxemic, and normal patients. The placental villi in hypertensive patients have an abnormally high number of terminal “syncytial buds” which are proportional to the intensity and particularly to the duration of the hypertension. The neonatal weight curve of “intrauterine growth-retarded” infants was markedly different from the average standard of true premature babies.
Fractures of the Radial Head: A Review Of Eighty-eight Cases And Analysis Of The Indications For Excision Of The Radial Head And Non-operative Treatment

The controversy surrounding the treatment of radial-head fractures is based, we feel, on the failure to separate undisplaced, displaced, comminuted, complicated, and pediatric fractures. Considering only isolated injuries in adults and each type of fracture separately, we have personally re-examined eighty-eight patients treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital from 1950 to 1962. Our major findings were: (1) early motion may displace otherwise undisplaced fractures; (2) if more than one-third of the radial head is displaced, limitation of motion will probably result; (3) the range of motion depends on the anatomical result; (4) inferior radio-ulnar subluxation does occur, but is of so little significance that it can be ignored as an argument against excision of the radial head when this procedure is indicated. We would treat undisplaced fractures involving less than one-third of the radial head with active motion as soon as the patient is comfortable. We have had no experience in treating undisplaced fractures involving more than one-third of the radial head by immobilizing the elbow until displacement by active motion is no longer possible, but such a procedure might improve the results. Displaced fractures involving less than two-thirds of the radial head should, we think, be treated by early active motion, started when the patient is comfortable. Displaced fractures involving more than two-thirds of the radial head should be treated by early total excision, as should all comminutcd fractures.
CFTR channels in immortalized human airway cells

The cystic fibrosis (CF) gene codes for CF transmembrane regulator (CFTR), a small-conductance linear Cl- channel, but numerous studies have identified a larger conductance, rectifying Cl- channel as the adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated channel that is defective in airway cells. We examined Cl- conductance in a bronchial epithelial cell line that expresses CFTR, 16HBE14o-, (CFTR+) and in an airway cell line that does not, 9HTEo-/S, (CFTR-). Ionomycin or hypotonic Ringer increased iodide efflux from both cell lines; however, forskolin increased iodide efflux or whole cell Cl- currents only in CFTR+ cells. Forskolin-stimulated whole cell currents were linear, voltage independent, and blocked by iodide. Cell-attached and outside-out patches from confluent CFTR+ but not CFTR- cells revealed 6-pS channels having linear current-voltage relations, permselectivity Cl > I (partial block by external iodide), and little or no inhibition by 5-nitro-2-(3-phenylpropylamino)-benzoate. The number of active channels per patch increased from 0.6 to 3.0 after forskolin. Channels closed after excision with tau = 4 s, but activity could be prolonged with ATP or protein kinase A plus ATP. Channels were modeled with one open and four closed states and show apparent cooperativity in gating. Rectifying Cl- channels previously implicated in CF were not seen in cell-attached recordings from either cell line but were abundant in excised patches from both cell lines. Thus CFTR channels are the pathway for cAMP-mediated Cl- conductance in these human airway cells, Ca2+ and swelling-induced channels do not require CFTR, and CFTR-cells display a CF phenotype.
State Government Revenue and Expenditures: A Bootstrap Panel Analysis

The current fiscal crises that most states in the United States are facing are generally the result of a severe macroeconomic downturn combined with a limited ability of the states to respond to such shocks. States are facing increased demand for public services at the same time revenue is falling. In this context, this paper explores the issue of temporal priority between government expenditures and revenue at the state and local levels. The results show that there is no uniform relationship between government revenue and spending across different states in the US. In fact, about 40% of the states show the absence of any temporal relationship between these two variables. This is quite revealing given the current state of the debate in the academic and policy-making circle. A support for the tax-spend hypothesis is found in 18% of the states while the spend-tax hypothesis is prevalent in another 16%. In 26% of the states, the revenue and expenditures decisions are jointly determined by the government.
Apolipoprotein synthesis in normal and abetalipoproteinemic intestinal mucosa

Abstract The genetic disease abetalipoproteinemia is characterized by a total absence of apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins from plasma. A presumed synthetic defect in apolipoprotein B synthesis was thought to be responsible for this disorder. The present study quantitates apoprotein B synthesis and apolipoprotein B messenger RNA levels in duodenal mucosa from normal patients and four patients with abetalipoproteinemia. After in vitro [ 3 H]leucine incorporation, small intestinal biopsy specimens from three of four patients with abetalipoproteinemia synthesized immunoprecipitable apolipoprotein B of identical mobility (on sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis) to normal apolipoprotein B. In abetalipoproteinemia, the apolipoprotein B content of intestinal mucosa by radioimmunoassay was 15% of normal mucosal values, whereas apolipoprotein B messenger RNA quantitation showed 3–20-fold increased levels compared with normal mucosa. In one patient, smaller-molecular-weight fragments of apolipoprotein B were immunoprecipitated from duodenal biopsy specimens. The synthesis rates and messenger RNA levels of two other chylomicron apoproteins (apolipoprotein A-I and apolipoprotein A-IV) were found to be reduced by 50%. These results show the synthesis of immunologically recognizable apolipoprotein B 48 in abetalipoproteinemia. The significance of mucosal apolipoprotein B content in abetalipoproteinemia is discussed in terms of factors controlling apolipoprotein B synthesis in normal mucosa and in abetalipoproteinemia.
Field-dependence/field-independence and labeling of facial affect.

56 high school students were administered the Group Embedded Figures Test and the Pictures of Facial Affect. A low Pearson product-moment correlation of .02 was obtained between the measures. Data indicated that field-dependent and field-independent individuals were not significantly different in their skills of labeling pictures of facial affect.
Effect of an experimental bottleneck on morphological integration in the housefly.

Three measures of multivariate integration were derived from both additive genetic covariance and correlation matrices estimated from parent-offspring covariances to investigate the effect of bottlenecks of different sizes on genetic integration of morphological traits in the housefly, Musca domestica L. Bottleneck lines were initiated with one, four, or 16 pairs of flies sampled from a natural outbred (control) population. Bottlenecks of intermediate size significantly increased the average genetic correlation among traits, resulting in nearly isomorphic variation among all traits in these lines. Single-pair bottlenecks significantly disrupted the trait interrelationships, and the suites of traits identified by principal components of the additive genetic correlation and covariance matrices for the control population were no longer evident in these bottleneck lines. The alteration of the genetic relationships among traits as a result of a bottleneck suggests that nonadditive components of genetic variation affecting these traits were present in the control line. We discuss the implications of nonadditive gene action, particularly epistasis, for speciation via bottlenecks.
Intracellular Cl regulates Na-K-Cl cotransport activity in human trabecular meshwork cells

The trabecular meshwork (TM) of the eye plays a central role in modulating intraocular pressure by regulating aqueous humor outflow, although the mechanisms are largely unknown. We and others have shown previously that aqueous humor outflow facility is modulated by conditions that alter TM cell volume. We have also shown that the Na-K-Cl cotransport system is a primary regulator of TM cell volume and that its activity appears to be coordinated with net efflux pathways to maintain steady-state volume. However, the cellular mechanisms that regulate cotransport activity and cell volume in TM cells have yet to be elucidated. The present study was conducted to investigate the hypothesis that intracellular Cl concentration ([Cl]i) acts to regulate TM cell Na-K-Cl cotransport activity, as has been shown previously for some other cell types. We demonstrate here that the human TM cell Na-K-Cl cotransporter is highly sensitive to changes in [Cl]i. Our findings reveal a marked stimulation of Na-K-Cl cotransport activity, assessed as ouabain-insensitive, bumetanide-sensitive K influx, in TM cells following preincubation of cells with Cl-free medium as a means of reducing [Cl]i. In contrast, preincubation of cells with media containing elevated K concentrations as a means of increasing [Cl]i results in inhibition of Na-K-Cl cotransport activity. The effects of reducing [Cl]i, as well as elevating [Cl]i, on Na-K-Cl cotransport activity are concentration dependent. Furthermore, the stimulatory effect of reduced [Cl]i is additive with cell-shrinkage-induced stimulation of the cotransporter. Our studies also show that TM cell Na-K-Cl cotransport activity is altered by a variety of Cl channel modulators, presumably through changes in [Cl]i. These findings support the hypothesis that regulation of Na-K-Cl cotransport activity, and thus cell volume, by [Cl]i may participate in modulating outflow facility across the TM.
A DYNAMIC OBSERVATION ON COMPLEMENT 3 EXPRESSION IN SERUM AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID IN RATS WITH CHRONIC SCIATIC NERVE CONSTRICTION INJURY

Objective The dynamic changes of complement 3 were observed in rats with chronic left sciatic nerve constriction injury(CCI),to investigate the effects of abnormal activation of complement protein on the pathological mechanism of neuropathic pain(NPP).Methods Twenty healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into sham-operation group and CCI group.CCI model was made according to WANG Jin-bao method,and the sciatic nerve was not taken in rats of sham-operation group.The level of complement protein 3 in serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) were determined at pre-operation and 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 days after operation by the immunoturbidimetry.Results The level of complement 3 in serum in rats of two groups showed no change.Compared with pre-operation,the level of complement 3 in CSF in rats of the CCI group began to increase after operation,and the highest level of complement 3 was observed at the 6th day after operation.However,the level of complement 3 in CSF in rats of the sham-operation group exhibited no change before and after operation.Conclusion The complement components in central nerve system were activated abnormally after the peripheral nerve injury,and the characteristic of the dynamic changes of complement reflects that the activation of complement protein may contribute to the occurrence and progression of neuropathic pain.
A new millennium .... a new home care.

Home care faces many changes--from funding to changing patient populations. Agencies need to assess what they are doing and build into their missions services that take into account these changes. How can they do that?
TRANSNATIONAL GOVERNANCE AND THE TRILHOS URBANOS: CIVIL SOCIETY'S RESISTANCE TO MEGA-EVENTS IN RIO DE JANEIRO

Los megaeventos son espectaculos urbanos que unen capital, materiales fisicos, simbolos, personas y organizaciones, para producir eventos deportivos y culturales. Rio de Janeiro fue sede de la Copa Mundial de Futbol en 2014 y en breve lo sera de las Olimpiadas 2016, ambos megaeventos. El presente articulo trata los megaeventos en terminos de un modelo nuevo e influyente de gobernanza transnacional que involucra alianzas de mercado entre lideres urbanos, constructoras inmobiliarias, corporaciones globales y grupos de la sociedad civil relacionados con los deportes. Comienza definiendo los megaeventos y su significado para la gobernanza transnacional y entonces describe los megaeventos realizados en Rio de Janeiro. En la parte final, se reven las implicaciones de dichos megaeventos, destacando el periodo actual de oposicion dentro de los puntos de vista urbanos de la gobernanza transnacional.
Effects of Metformin and a Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) ATP-Competitive Inhibitor on Targeted Metabolomics in Pancreatic Cancer Cell Line.

intervention strategies. The mammalian Target of Rapamycin (mTOR) is a conserved kinase and master regulator of metabolism and cell growth. mTOR is dysregulated in diabetes and pancreatic cancer. Recent reports indicate that 50% of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients are diabetic at the time of diagnosis. Furthermore, the anti- diabetic drug, metformin, which indirectly inhibits mTOR, has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for PC. The objective of this study is to determine the targeted-metabolomics profile in PDAC cell line (HPAF-II) with mTOR inhibition and that interaction between mTOR ATP-competitive inhibitor (Torin 2) and metformin as potential combined therapy in PC. HPAF-II cell lines were cultured in the presence of either Torin 2, metformin, both, or control vehicle. We utilized targeted LC/MS/MS to characterize the alterations in glycolytic and tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolomics, and employed Western Blot analysis for cell signaling activation by phosphorylation. Comparisons between groups were analyzed using one-way Analysis of Variance followed by secondary post-hoc analysis. After 1 h incubation with metformin, AMP concentration was significantly increased compared to other groups (p<0.03). After 24 h, Torin-2 significantly decreased glycolysis intermediates (fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FBP), and 2-phosphoglycerate/3-phosphoglycerate), TCA intermediate metabolites (citrate/isocitrate, and malate), as well as Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD+) and Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD), and ATP levels. When HPAF-II cells were incubated with both Torin-2 and metformin, there was a significant reduction in NAD+ and FAD, suggesting decreased levels of the energy equivalents that are available to the electron transport chain. Targeted metabolomics data indicate that mTOR complexes inhibition by Torin 2 reduced glycolytic intermediates and TCA metabolites in HPAF- II and may synergize with metformin to decrease the electron acceptors NAD+ and FAD which may lead to reduced energy production.
Current selection of optimal prosthetic aortic valve replacement in middle-aged patients: still dealer's choice.

Selection of the type of prosthetic aortic valve replacement (AVR) is frequently a difficult judgment decision affecting the majority of patients who require surgical AVR. The choices generally include bioprosthetic valves (stented or stentless porcine bioprosthesis, stented pericardial prosthesis)
The ARP 2/3 complex mediates endothelial barrier function and recovery.

Pulmonary endothelial cell (EC) barrier dysfunction and recovery is critical to the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Cytoskeletal and subsequent cell membrane dynamics play a...
A Half-Log Increase in Quantitative RT-PCR for BCR-ABL (RQ-PCR) as a Trigger for Kinase Domain Mutation Analysis.

RQ-PCR for BCR-ABL is standard of care for monitoring patients with chronic myeloid leukemia on Abl kinase inhibitor therapy, and mutations in the kinase domain (KD) of BCR-ABL are the most frequent mechanism of acquired drug resistance. From a practical point of view, it is important to establish an RQ-PCR trigger for mutation analysis that is sufficiently sensitive, while avoiding a high rate of false positive results. In one study, a single 2-fold (0.3 log) rise in BCR-ABL transcript levels predicted mutations in 61% (1). However, the results were not confirmed in a similar study(2). We therefore analyzed the correlation between a slightly more conservative 0.5 log rise in RQ-PCR levels and mutation detection in an unselected cohort of imatinib-treated CML patients. A database search identified 273 samples (from 150 patients) with a half-log or greater RQ-PCR rise. Mutation analysis (by direct DNA sequencing) has been completed on 54 samples. BCR-ABL levels were higher in 44 samples with successful amplification and sequencing compared to 10 without sufficiently good sequencing quality [median log-drop 0.31 (range −1.2 − 2.4) vs. 2.2 (range 0.17 – 3.2), p 0.5 log RQ-PCR increase were from 34 different patients. Eleven of these 34 patients had cytogenetic or hematologic progression at the time of the mutation analysis and 7 never achieved even a partial cytogenetic response ( Conclusion: In our hands, a half-log increase of BCR-ABL levels is associated with mutation detection in 25% of samples, yields a significantly increased risk of subsequent relapse, and may be used as a practical trigger for kinase domain sequencing. Analysis of additional samples is ongoing to determine the ideal trigger level that optimizes specificity and sensitivity.
Speed and segmentation control mechanisms characterized in rhythmically-active circuits created from spinal neurons produced from genetically-tagged embryonic stem cells

The nerve cells or neurons within an animal’s nervous system connect with one another like the wires in a complex circuit. Each neuron can send and receive signals and a major challenge in neuroscience is to understand how these circuits of neurons behave. To do this, researchers often use genetic tools and computer modeling to map the connections between the cells in a nervous system. However, it remains difficult to predict how an input signal will appear at the output after it passes through a network made of different types of neuron. Brains contain many networks of interconnected neurons. Some of these networks send signals with a rhythmic pattern and typically drive repetitive movements such as breathing and walking. The networks are called central pattern generators (or CPGs for short). They contain both excitatory and inhibitory neurons and can generate rhythmic activity without any additional input. Nevertheless CPGs are not rigid, but can flexibly control when and how fast the muscles are activated to suit the animal's needs. It is thought the circuits are flexible because of the way excitatory and inhibitory neurons interact, but it is not known how these interactions define the behavior of the circuit. Sternfeld et al. have now developed a new method to examine how the neurons that make up a circuit influence its activity. First, embryonic stem cells from mice were coaxed to develop into a number of subtypes of both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the laboratory. These neurons were used to grow networks of neurons in a dish, named “circuitoids”. The precise combination of subtypes of neuron was deliberately varied between each circuitoid, and Sternfeld et al. then studied how the different circuitoids behaved. Several subtypes of excitatory neurons showed rhythmic bursts of activity, just like simple CPGs. Moreover, the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons in the circuitoids was critical for establishing how fast and synchronized the bursts of activity were across the network. It is possible that the brain also uses this simple strategy of varying the ratio of excitatory to inhibitory neurons in circuits of neurons to generate complex, yet highly flexible, circuits with rhythmic activity. Further work will be needed to test this idea. Finally, other researchers will hopefully be able to use this new approach to construct circuitoids and learn more about how the brain generates and controls rhythmic activity. It might also be possible to one-day transplant similar circuitoids into people to repair injured or diseased parts of a nervous system, or use circuitoids that resemble specific neurological disorders to screen for new treatments.
The effects of iterative reconstruction in CT on low-contrast liver lesion volumetry: a phantom study

Tumor volume measured from computed tomography images is considered a biomarker for disease progression or treatment response. The estimation of the tumor volume depends on the imaging system parameters selected, as well as lesion characteristics. In this study, we examined how different image reconstruction methods affect the measurement of lesions in an anthropomorphic liver phantom with a non-uniform background. Iterative statistics-based and model-based reconstructions, as well as filtered back-projection, were evaluated and compared in this study. Statistics-based and filtered back-projection yielded similar estimation performance, while model-based yielded higher precision but lower accuracy in the case of small lesions. Iterative reconstructions exhibited higher signal-to-noise ratio but slightly lower contrast of the lesion relative to the background. A better understanding of lesion volumetry performance as a function of acquisition parameters and lesion characteristics can lead to its incorporation as a routine sizing tool.
The stochastic Cramér-Rao bound for source localization and medium tomography using vector sensors.

A direct version for the stochastic Cramer-Rao bound (CRB) for parameters of Gaussian signals with additive Gaussian noise is introduced. The formulation applies to passive and active radars/sonars/seismics/structures with vector observations from multiple sources. These sensors include pressure, vector velocity, and/or acceleration sensors for ocean and structural acoustics, seismometers, polarized receivers for electromagnetics, and vector current meters for oceanography. The observations may contain partially coherent signals such as multipath. The parameters represent (i) signal localization or (ii) tomographic ones. As such, their embedding is very general using a Green's function vector and is not limited to direction of arrival problems. This formulation leads to simplified expressions for the stochastic CRB using just three quadratic forms involving just the Green's function and its derivatives with the inverse of the noise matrix for the norm. The number of the parameters sets the dimensions of these quadratic forms, so performance studies over the parameter space can be done with much smaller matrices as the noise covariance is inverted just once. The formulas are applied to vector sensors in jamming with both analytical and numerical results. The results are also compared to often cited papers on the CRB.
Feeding Development and Disorders

Feeding problems may affect up to 25% of infants and young children, with up to 2% of these infants suffering from severe problems, including food refusal, growth delays, and medical complications. Feeding disorders have been related to deficits in cognitive development and behavioral problems during childhood, and to eating disorders during adolescence and young adulthood. Three stages of feeding development are described and a classification of feeding disorders is presented to introduce six subtypes of feeding disorders of different etiologies, their diagnostic criteria, and specific treatment considerations.
The Shattered Brand Fantasy

This chapter sets out seven theoretical propositions based on the argument of Chaps. 2, 3, and 4: Theoretical Proposition 1: TP1 = brands are expressions of desire. Theoretical Proposition 2: TP2 = the object of desire cannot be obtained. Theoretical Proposition 3: TP3 = desire can never be satisfied. Theoretical Proposition 4: TP4 = the brand is a symptom of our dis|ease with our desire. Theoretical Proposition 5: TP5 = you cannot control brand meaning. Theoretical Proposition 6: TP6 = higher education brands are distribution mechanisms for desire. Theoretical Proposition 7: TP7 = brand meaning is a retroactive activity.