cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intellectual and conceptual acquisition in retarded children: A follow-up study

Institutionalized retarded children participated in a follow-up study 13 months after their participation in a behavior modification program. The objective of the original experimental program was to provide training in the acquisition of conceptual and intellectual skills. The program employed the use of modeling, information feedback, and social and material reinforcement. A control condition was evaluated also, in which Ss received 10 h of social interaction but no experimental training. It was found that Ss who participated previously in the experimental program functioned at a high level on the concept attainment task. In addition, the original gains in IQ reported for the Ss in the experimental condition were retained, and the initially severely retarded Ss continued to increase their IQ scores during the 13-month interval.
Sexual behavior frequency and menstrual cycle length in mature premenopausal women.

Abstract (1) Women who had regular weekly sexual intercourse with men had menstrual cycles, the average duration of which was 29 days (range 26–33), while women with less frequent behavioral interactions tended to have more extreme cycle lengths, as shown in 3 different studies in which prospective double blind measurements of data were used. (2) The effect was noted consistently in college women but also occurred in infertile patients. Sexual behavior and consistent menstrual cycle length were associated in all women studied. (3) The mechanism appeared to be related to the regularity with which sexual activity occurred during all the non-menstruating days of the cycle.
Efficient Stochastic Finite Element Modeling Using Parameterized Reduced Order Models

Finite element analysis of complex geometries is limited by several factors, including the time required to develop solid geometries and meshes, and the computational time required to perform the simulation of a system with, potentially, millions of degrees of freedom. As a result, the analysis of complex systems is often relegated to deterministic approaches in which geometries other than the idealized geometry rarely are considered. In order to robustly design a system, though, and to quantify the margins of uncertainty that a manufactured realization might yield, a stochastic sampling of the permissible geometries is needed. For complex geometries, a stochastic sampling can involve dozens, if not hundreds, of dimensions that can vary. Exploring a large sample space on even a modestly large model quickly becomes prohibitively expensive—and nearly impossible when a mesh change is required for each sample point. This paper presents a new methodology for utilizing reduced order models in which the number of necessary full degree of freedom models (and corresponding meshes) is minimized. The benefits of parameterizing the high fidelity model at an elemental level, the reduced order model at a system level, and the eigen-space representation are discussed. An application of the method on a model with a non-trivial number of degrees of freedom is presented.
Lesions of the anteroventral third ventricle region (AV3V) disrupt cardiovascular responses to an elevation in core temperature

Blood flow is redistributed from the viscera to the periphery during periods of heat stress to maximize heat loss. The heat-induced redistribution of blood flow is strongly influenced by nonthermal...
AN IN SITU STUDY OF RECRUITMENT, GROWTH AND SURVIVAL OF SUBTIDAL MARINE ALGAE: TECHNIQUES AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS12

SUMMARY Fouling plates (Plexiglas squares and concrete blocks) were bolted in a horizontal position to racks on the ocean floor at a depth of 12 m. Some of these were periodically taken from the sea, subjected to nondestructive microscopic survey in the laboratory, and then replaced. Others were: a) left undisturbed as controls; b) variously caged to exclude larger predatory animals; or, c) had sediment removed from them at intervals. Populations developing on the periodically surveyed plates were similar to those on undisturbed plates. Populations on undisturbed plates were significantly different from those on partially caged plates. The exclusion of large predators by complete caging resulted in highly significantly different communities from those on partially caged plates. Completely caged Communities were composed mainly of worms, barnacles and bryozoans. Summer-installed plates supported significantly different populations at the end of the experimental period (12 mo) from winter-installed plates. Plant growth rates were slow, not exceeding 2 cm/mo, and the mortality rates were often high. A few species had high rates of recruitment and survival each month. Most had high recruitment only in the most favorable growth periods and high loss rates. Physical conditions on the sea floor were measured. The methods developed during this study make it possible to quantitatively describe the growth and reproduction of populations of benthic marine algae in the sea.
Bacteriophage λ N protein inhibits transcription slippage by Escherichia coli RNA polymerase

Transcriptional slippage is a class of error in which ribonucleic acid (RNA) polymerase incorporates nucleotides out of register, with respect to the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) template. This phenomenon is involved in gene regulation mechanisms and in the development of diverse diseases. The bacteriophage λ N protein reduces transcriptional slippage within actively growing cells and in vitro. N appears to stabilize the RNA/DNA hybrid, particularly at the 5′ end, preventing loss of register between transcript and template. This report provides the first evidence of a protein that directly influences transcriptional slippage, and provides a clue about the molecular mechanism of transcription termination and N-mediated antitermination.
Microdetermination of Proline in Serum

An accurate method for determination of proline in serum has been adapted to a micro scale, with good results. Acidic ethanol is used as a serum deproteinizing agent prior to development of color with ninhydrin and its extraction into benzene. The range of accuracy is ± 3.0% with as little as 0.2 ml. serum. The microdetermination of this amino acid facilitates study of the intermediary metabolism of proline in pediatric patients as well as in small laboratory animals. The method is also useful in the study of amino acid and collagen biosynthesis in a number of experimental systems.
The use of 111Ag as a tool for studying biological distribution of silver-based antimicrobials

Recently, there has been an emergence of significant interest in silver-based antimicrobials. Our goal was to develop a radioactive tracer for investigating the biological fate of such compounds. Purified 111Ag was incorporated into the methylated caffeine analogue, IC1 to yield the silver carbene complex designated as [111Ag]SCC1 and investigated in biodistribution studies.
Energy system contributions in middle-distance running events

The aim of this study was to estimate the energy contributions in middle-distance running events for male and female university athletes. The oxygen uptake (VO2) response during high-speed running was measured directly during exhaustive treadmill tests. Muscle mass was estimated using anthropometry. Each athlete completed an average of three races over 400 m, 800 m or 1500 m. Five minutes after each race, they provided a blood sample for determination of blood lactate concentration. For each race, energy cost, which was expressed as oxygen equivalents, was calculated as the sum of the aerobic and anaerobic components. The aerobic contribution was calculated as the sum of oxygen stores (2.3 ml O2.kg body mass-1) and total VO2 (based on the VO2 response to treadmill running). The anaerobic contribution was calculated as the sum of the energy available from phosphocreatine stores (37 ml O2.kg muscle mass-1) and the energy from glycolysis (3.0 ml O2.kg body mass-1 per mmol.l-1 increase in blood lactate concen...
Effect of Deep Penetration of Interleaf on Delamination Resistance in GFRP

Abstract The problem of improving the delamination resistance and toughness of laminate fiber reinforced composites especially for the drop-off structure is receiving considerable attention with the increasing need and application in industries. A hot melt-bonding process is developed to bond glass fabric laminates and the thermoplastic polysulfone (PSU) interleaf prior to the vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) of laminate composites. The thermoplastic interleaf is heated above the glass transition temperature to reduce the viscosity when penetrating deeply into the glass fiber fabric. Mechanical tensile testing is performed to quantify the effects of the penetration depth on composite delamination resistance and composite toughness under different melt bonding temperatures. Crack paths are observed by optical microscopy to characterize the crack propagation and arrest mechanism. Post mortem high resolution imaging of the fracture surfaces is used to characterize the toughening mechanism of the thermoplastic interleaf reinforcements by using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). With deep penetration of the interleaf into the fiber bundles, cracks arrested within the penetration region improve the toughness by avoiding the cracks to reach the weak interface between interleaf and epoxy.
Complications and Management of Breech Presentation

The increased risk of perinatal morbidity and mortality associated with vaginal delivery of the fetus in breech presentation has attracted the attention of obstetricians and midwives for centuries. From the Dark Ages to well into the nineteenth century, the perinatal morbidity and mortality from birth anoxia, injuries, and congenital malformations instilled in the superstitious and the uneducated the belief that breech presentation was an evil omen.1 Primitive African tribes believed that breech presentation foretold the death of the child’s parents,2 while noble attendants to the crowned heads of Europe whispered in birthing rooms that “children brought forth by their feet are cursed—they are born as monsters, crippled in mind and body, and destined to bring misfortune into the world. It would be better if they were not born.”3
Treaty Nestedness and Complex Security Institutions

International organizations are composed of international treaties that are linked in different ways. Institutional creation, change, death, and influence are difficult to observe without understanding this fact. We call these linked treaties "treaty complexes." One way to think of the relationship between and among treaties is via the contrasting concepts of treaty complementarity and competition. One treaty complements another treaty when it amplifies,specifies, implements, adjusts or prepares for the terms of that other document. Complementarity includes (a) building new understandings, agreements, and arrangements from an already-existent treaty, (b) more narrowly extending the contents of an existent treaty, (c) simply implementing the understandings, agreements, and arrangements already set out in an existent treaty (d)adjusting treaty design to address unintended consequences of an existent treaty and (e) preparing member states for entry into another treaty. In contrast, treaties may compete and even clash as they operate in the same issue areas, setting out different understandings, delineating divergent arrangements, or offering alternative policy responses to problems. Competition may involve treaties coexisting or entail one treaty competing with and replacing another. One can take complementarity as a cooperative agreement between treaties, while competition implies a contest. Both complementarity and competition can involve treaty replacement, the former suggesting the congruence of the treaties' contents, the latter suggesting profound divergence in the treaties' contents. International law and international relations scholars have typically been more interested in competitive relationships, notably when two different international institutions have jurisdiction or interest in a given issue area or in addressing a particular problem. Our inquiry, however, focuses on the range of complementarity in inter-treaty relationships, with our substantive interest in military alliance obligations and security treaties within the CIS and among former Soviet Union (FSU) states. We also introduce the methodology of nesting in this paper.
Transitioning From Secondary to Higher Ed

Over the past two decades, both the Pre-K-12 learning environment and teacher autonomy have changed radically due to increasing government-imposed initiatives as well as broadening socialization and in-school counseling programs. But the proverbial buck continues to stop at the teacher’s desk even though she shares much of her space and day with other adult stakeholders.
Turán problems for integer-weighted graphs

A multigraph is (k,r)-dense if every k-set spans at most r edges. What is the maximum number of edges exℕ(n,k,r) in a (k,r)-dense multigraph on n vertices? We determine the maximum possible weight of such graphs for almost all k and r (e.g., for all r>k3) by determining a constant m=m(k,r) and showing that exℕ(n,k,r)=m$\left ( n\atop 2\right )$+O(n), thus giving a generalization of Turan's theorem. We find exact answers in many cases, even when negative integer weights are also allowed. In fact, our main result is to determine the maximum weight of (k,r)-dense n-vertex multigraphs with arbitrary integer weights with an O(n) error term. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 40: 195225, 2002
Effect of Phenobarbital on Intestinal Cholic Acid Absorption in the Rat

The kinetic data of passive jejunal and active ileal transport of cholic acid were determined in control and phenobarbital-treated rats by means of an in vivo isolated loop perfusion technique. Transport in the jejunum was consistent with a passive transport mechanism. The passive diffusion coefficient for jejunal transport for control animals (136 ± 49 pmoles per min per cm per 100 g per mM) was not significantly different than that for treated animals (147 ± 23 pmoles per min per cm per 100 g per mM). The Vmax for active ileal transport in phenobarbital-treated rats (5300 ± 1358 pmoles per min per cm per 100 g) was twice that of control animals (2239 pmoles per min per cm per 100 g) (P
Variant of dihydropteridine reductase deficiency without hyperphenylalaninaemia: effect of oral phenylalanine loading.

Dihydropteridine reductase (DHPR; EC 1.6.99.7) deficiency (McKusick 261630), the second most common form of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH 4 ) deficiency, presents phenotypically with hyperphenylalaninaemia (HPA) and neurotransmitter deficiency (Blau et al 2000). The clinical course of the illness is similar to that seen in severe forms of GTP cyclohydrolase I and 6-pyruvoyltetrahydropterin synthase deficiencies. Common but variable symptoms are mental retardation, convulsions, disturbance of tone and posture, abnormal movements, hypersalivation and swallowing difficulties. In addition, extensive neuronal loss, calcification and abnormal vascular proliferation have been noted in the central cortex, white matter, basal ganglia, and thalamus. So far, more than 110 patients have been detected through newborn phenylketonuria screening and by selective screening of urinary pterins and DHPR activity on Guthrie cards. However, absence of HPA does not exclude BH 4 deficiency. Recently, a new variant of DHPR deficiency affecting only the central nervous system that does not lead to HPA was described (Blau et al 1998). A similar metabolic phenotype was described for the dominant form of GTP cyclohydrolase I deficiency (dopa-responsive dystonia) (Hyland et al 1996). Although presenting without HPA, these patients show an abnormal phenylalanine-to-tyrosine ratio after oral phenylalanine challenge, indicating abnormal hepatic phenylalanine turnover (Hyland et al 1997). Here we describe similar observations in two patients with a newly recognized variant of DHPR deficiency, one of which has been reported previously (Blau et al 1998). We investigated plasma phenylalaninine, tyrosine, neopterin and biopterin concentrations after oral administration of phenylalanine (100 mg/kg) with and without BH 4 (20 mg/kg).
Conditions for stability and stabilization of systems of neutral type with nonmonotone Lyapunov functionals

We suggest new tests for the stability and uniform asymptotic stability of an equilibrium in systems of neutral type. By using these tests, we prove conditions for optimal stabilization and derive new estimates for perturbations that can be countered by a system closed by an optimal control. We show that, by using nonmonotone sign-indefinite functionals as Lyapunov functionals, one can obtain conditions for uniform asymptotic stability that do not contain the a priori requirement of stability of the difference operator and do not imply the boundedness of the right-hand side of the system. When studying the action of perturbations on the stabilized systems, these conditions permit one to obtain new estimates of perturbations preserving the stabilizing properties of optimal controls. The obtained estimates do not imply any constraint on the value of perturbations in some domains of the phase space that are defined when constructing an optimal stabilizing control. Some examples are considered.
Final Thoughts on Surgical Decision-Making

Writing an epilogue for all surgical decision-making complexities and intricacies described in this book is not an easy task. Instead we decided to visit the past and see how the work and statements of giants of surgery on the topic relate to modern surgery science. While much has changed in surgery over the last century, in particular in the last few decades and how we approach surgical problems that afflict millions of people around the world, one thing has not changed: the surgeon’s dedication to caring for the sick and injured and striving to improve our surgical decision-making process, in order to get the best possible outcomes. We hope that this work will further this process even slightly and will inspire others to research the surgical decision-making process, as the key element of surgical science.
Surgical Approaches to the Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve

During thyroid and parathyroid surgery, avoiding injury to the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) is critical. Several general principles should be adhered to when performing these surgeries in order to protect the nerve. Visual identification and dissection of the RLN is now the standard technique for its preservation during thyroid surgery. Based on the pathology and indication for surgery, the optimal approach to the RLN, lateral, superior or inferior, should be utilized.
A spontaneous missense mutation in branched chain keto acid dehydrogenase kinase in the rat affects both the central and peripheral nervous systems

A novel mutation, causing a phenotype we named frogleg because its most obvious characteristic is a severe splaying of the hind limbs, arose spontaneously in a colony of Sprague-Dawley rats. Frogleg is a complex phenotype that includes abnormalities in hind limb function, reduced brain weight with dilated ventricles and infertility. Using micro-satellite markers spanning the entire rat genome, the mutation was mapped to a region of rat chromosome 1 between D1Rat131 and D1Rat287. Analysis of whole genome sequencing data within the linkage interval, identified a missense mutation in the branched-chain alpha-keto dehydrogenase kinase (Bckdk) gene. The protein encoded by Bckdk is an integral part of an enzyme complex located in the mitochondrial matrix of many tissues which regulates the levels of the branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), leucine, isoleucine and valine. BCAAs are essential amino acids (not synthesized by the body), and circulating levels must be tightly regulated; levels that are too high or too low are both deleterious. BCKDK phosphorylates Ser293 of the E1α subunit of the BCKDH protein, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the catabolism of the BCAAs, inhibiting BCKDH and thereby, limiting breakdown of the BCAAs. In contrast, when Ser293 is not phosphorylated, BCKDH activity is unchecked and the levels of the BCAAs will decrease dramatically. The mutation is located within the kinase domain of Bckdk and is predicted to be damaging. Consistent with this, we show that in rats homozygous for the mutation, phosphorylation of BCKDH in the brain is markedly decreased relative to wild type or heterozygous littermates. Further, circulating levels of the BCAAs are reduced by 70–80% in animals homozygous for the mutation. The frogleg phenotype shares important characteristics with a previously described Bckdk knockout mouse and with human subjects with Bckdk mutations. In addition, we report novel data regarding peripheral neuropathy of the hind limbs.
Persistence of the Fetal Vasculature: Varieties and Management

The spectrum of persistence of the fetal vasculature (PFV) is broad and includes anterior segment as well as vitreal and retinal abnormalities. The great majority of cases are unilateral and not associated with other systemic abnormalities. Some patients can be observed and the ocular abnormalities are inconsequential; others require surgical interventions such as lens extraction, anterior vitrectomy, and occasionally posterior vitreoretinal maneuvers. Rarely, patients have very small eyes with disorganized vitreous and a very poor visual outcome; in such cases, the lens is often removed to avoid angle closure glaucoma and phthisis bulbi. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate management are associated with acceptable outcomes in a majority of cases.
Model Lung Surfactant Films: Why Composition Matters.

Lung surfactant replacement therapies, Survanta and Infasurf, and two lipid-only systems both containing saturated and unsaturated phospholipids and one containing additional palmitic acid were used to study the impact of buffered saline on the surface activity, morphology, rheology, and structure of Langmuir monolayer model membranes. Isotherms and Brewster angle microscopy show that buffered saline subphases induce a film expansion, except when the cationic protein, SP-B, is present in sufficient quantities to already screen electrostatic repulsion, thus limiting the effect of changing pH and adding counterions. Grazing incidence X-ray diffraction results indicate an expansion not only of the liquid expanded phase but also an expansion of the lattice of the condensed phase. The film expansion corresponded in all cases with a significant reduction in the viscosity and elasticity of the films. The viscoelastic parameters are dominated by liquid expanded phase properties and do not appear to be dependent o...
Gut Microbiota and Intestinal Inflammation

Abstract Abstract SCI-49 Numerous studies of the microbiota that are found throughout the human body are under way, with the goal of unraveling the role of microbes in human physiology. Using experimental colitis models, we are investigating microbes that may instigate chronic inflammation, and we are studying putative beneficial microbes whose reduced presence may impact not only host response to the microbiota but also the behavior of the endogenous microbiota. Genomic approaches, combined with following microbial community response to a spectrum of dietary and pharmacologic perturbations, are shedding light on the dynamic operations of the microbiota that influence health and disease. Chronic inflammation in the intestine is not only the central pathophysiologic mechanism of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but also a key contributor to colorectal cancer. Ongoing work on the colorectal microbiome, using experimental models and human tumors, will be discussed. Collectively, our studies support the utility of wedding culture-independent and culture-dependent studies with mouse models for defining how the gut microbiota works in concert with the mucosal immune system to shape disease susceptibility for IBD and colorectal cancer. Disclosures: Garrett: Groupe Danone: Research Funding.
Burial Diagenesis in Limestones

As carbonate sediments become buried, major changes in fabric, composition, rigidity and porosity tend to occur. Character of burial diagenesis is controlled by precursor sediment character, pore fluid, lithostatic and tectonic stresses, evolving aqueous chemical influences, and time for kinetically slow processes to have effect.
Room-temperature carbon–sulfur bond formation from Ni(II) σ-aryl complex via cleavage of the S–S bond of disulfide moieties

The formation of ArSY (Y: C(= S)NMe2, Ph, P(= O)(OEt)2) by reductive elimination from σ-aryl complexes (M(PPh3)2PhBr, M = Ni, Pd), associated with disulfides (YS−SY, Y: C(=S)NMe2 (), Ph (), P(=O)(OEt)2 ()), at ambient temperature, has been investigated. Various mechanistic features of disulfide bond (S−S) cleavage have been elucidated using disulfide by 31P NMR spectroscopy and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight mass spectrometric investigations. Based upon the results of nucleophilic cleavage of the S−S bond by PPh3, studies of the reductive elimination process show that when M(PPh3)2PhBr is mixed with disulfide , competitive reactions occur between the PPh3 ligand, disulfide and a trace amount of water, leading to low C−S coupling yields; an oxidation reaction of PPh3 with disulfide and water occur prior to C−S cross-coupling, and phosphonium ion intermediates are likely involved. However, when the disulfide is pretreated with PPh3, the Ni(II) σ-aryl complex affords the C−S coupling product nearly quantitatively at room temperature. The pretreatment method is also effective for the coupling reaction of disulfide and Ni(II) σ-aryl complex. The difference between Ni(II) and Pd(II) σ-aryl complexes on C−S bond formation by reductive elimination can be explained by the affinity of metal for the thiolate ligands derived from the cleaved disulfide. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Since Sandy Hook: Strategic Maneuvering in the Gun Control Debate

In the wake of the Sandy Hook massacre President Barack Obama and Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President of the National Rifle Association, engaged in a critical discussion on the future of gun reform. Obama started by assuming that guns are the cause of violence, thus advocating for more gun control. LaPierre argued for more guns to stop violence, assuming that guns are passive instruments without agency. Yet, despite the public outcry for action, the gun debate continues unabated. Using strategic maneuvering as an analytic framework, we assess both parties’ “reasonableness” in the public discussion and uncover the moves that preclude resolution. Neither Obama nor LaPierre was reasonable because they ignored the other’s starting point. We propose cross arguing, or arguing from an interlocutor’s starting point, as a method to move this and other intractable debates forward.
Special Invited Paper

The statistics used in Kolmogorov-Smirnov test are suprema of normalized empirical measures \({n^\frac{1}{2}\left(P_n-P\right)}\) or \(\left(mn\right)^\frac{1}{2}{\left({m+n}\right)}^{-\frac{1}{2}}\left({P_m}-{Q_n}\right)\) over a class \(\mathcal{C}\) of sets, namely the interval \(]-{\infty},a],a \in {\mathbb{R}}.\) Donsker (1952) Showed here that \({n^\frac{1}{2}\left(P_n-P\right)}\) converges in law, in the spacel \(l^{\infty}\left({\mathcal{C}}\right)\) of all bounded functions products of interval parallel to the axes in \(\mathbb{R}^k\) (Dudley (1966), (1967a)). Since \(\ell^\infty\mathcal{C}\) in the supremum norm is nonseparable, some measurablity problems (overlooked by Dansker) had to be trated. Recently Revesz (1976) proved an iterated logarithm law for a much more general class of sets $$\bigcap_{1\leq i\leq k}\left\{x:{f}_i\left\{\left(x_j:\neq i\right)\right\}< {x}_i < {g}_i\left(\left\{ {x_j:j\neq i}\right\}\right)\right\}$$ where \({f}_i\) and g i have a fixed bound on their partial derivatives of orders \(\leq k,\) and \(\mathbf{P}\) is the uniform measure on the unit cube. This paper will consider extensions of Donsker’s theorem to suitable classes of sets in general probability spaces.
Cached iterative weakening for optimal multi-way number partitioning

The NP-hard number-partitioning problem is to separate a multiset S of n positive integers into k subsets, such that the largest sum of the integers assigned to any subset is minimized. The classic application is scheduling a set of n jobs with different run times onto k identical machines such that the makespan, the time to complete the schedule, is minimized. We present a new algorithm, cached iterative weakening (CIW), for solving this problem optimally. It incorporates three ideas distinct from the previous state of the art: it explores the search space using iterative weakening instead of branch and bound; generates feasible subsets once and caches them instead of at each node of the search tree; and explores subsets in cardinality order instead of an arbitrary order. The previous state of the art is represented by three different algorithms depending on the values of n and k. We provide one algorithm which outperforms all previous algorithms for k ≥ 4. Our run times are up to two orders of magnitude faster.
Preparation of Partially Poisoned Alkanethiolate-Capped Platinum Nanoparticles for Hydrogenation of Activated Terminal Alkynes

Stable and isolable alkanethiolate-stabilized Pt nanoparticles (PtNP) were synthesized using the two-phase thiosulfate method with sodium S-alkylthiosulfate as ligand precursor. The mechanistic formation of octanethiolate-capped PtNP (Pt-SC8) from both sodium S-octylthiosulfate and 1-octanethiol ligands was investigated by using 1H NMR and UV–vis spectroscopies, which revealed the formation of different Pt complexes as the reaction intermediates. The synthesis using S-octylthiosulfate ligand precursor produced Pt-SC8 in higher yields than that using 1-octanethiol ligand. The obtained nanoparticles were characterized by 1H NMR, UV–vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimetric analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results obtained from 1H NMR, IR, and UV–vis spectroscopy were consistent with the formation of stable and pure alkanethiolate-capped PtNP. TEM images of PtNP confirmed their small average core size (∼1.5 nm) and high monodispersity. The partially poisoned PtN...
Mathematics as a Labor-Saving Device

How far and how fast do the planets move? What are the paths they follow? To find answers, we need to multiply some enormous numbers, say 3578126785 by 64532164 (don’t worry, you won’t have to), or divide some humongous quantities, say 1246038849 by 269181. These problems are found in The Progressive Higher Arithmetic for Schools, Academies and Mercantile Colleges by Daniel W. Fish, published by Ivison, Blakeman, Taylor & Co. in 1876.1 Clearly; there is a need for some labor-saving device.
Effect of Degree of Substitution of Octenyl Succinate Starch on Enzymatic Degradation

Octenyl succinate starch of degree of substitution (ds) 0.03, 0.07, and 0.11 was synthesized in an aqueous medium. These compounds were then tested for the susceptibility to enzymatic degradation. The multiple-enzyme regime of α-amylase, amyloglucosidase, and pullulanase was chosen for the evaluation. This combination of enzymes had been proven to degrade 99.5% of unmodified starch to glucose and hence was chosen for this study. It was found that even small amounts of subsituent caused a considerable decrease in the extent of degradation. The net extent of degradation decreased with increasing ds. Surprisingly, the amount of glucose from all three substituted substrates was quite similar, suggesting the effect small amounts of subtituent had on the enzymatic activity.
Ephrin ligands and Eph receptors contribution to hematopoiesis

Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells reside predominantly in the bone marrow. They supply billions of mature blood cells every day during life through maturation into multilineage progenitors and self-renewal. Newly produced mature cells serve to replenish the pool of circulating blood cells at the end of their life-span. These mature blood cells and a few hematopoietic progenitors normally exit the bone marrow through the sinusoidal vessels, a specialized venous vascular system that spreads throughout the bone marrow. Many signals regulate the coordinated mobilization of hematopoietic cells from the bone marrow to the circulation. In this review, we present recent advances on hematopoiesis and hematopoietic cell mobilization with a focus on the role of Ephrin ligands and their Eph receptors. These constitute a large family of transmembrane ligands and receptors that play critical roles in development and postnatally. New insights point to distinct roles of ephrin and Eph in different aspects of hematopoiesis.
Redox Regulation of 14-3-3ζ Controls Monocyte Migration

Objective— Metabolic stress primes monocytes for accelerated chemokine-mediated adhesion, migration, and recruitment into vascular lesions by increasing actin remodeling. The mechanism linking metabolic stress to accelerated actin turnover and enhanced monocyte migration was not known. We tested the hypothesis that in metabolically primed monocytes, the acceleration of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1–induced chemotaxis is mediated by the hyperactivation of cofilin. Approach and Results— Metabolic priming was induced by exposing human THP-1 monocytes to diabetic conditions, that is, human native low-density lipoprotein plus high glucose concentrations. In healthy monocytes, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 induced the phosphorylation and inactivation of cofilin. This response was completely blocked in metabolically primed monocytes but restored by overexpression of the thiol transferase, glutaredoxin 1. Cofilin kinase, LIM kinase 1, and cofilin phosphatase, Slingshot-1L, were not affected by metabolic stress. However, metabolic priming increased 3.8-fold the S -glutathionylation of the Slingshot-1L-binding protein 14-3-3ζ (zeta), resulting in its caspase-dependent degradation. Glutaredoxin 1 overexpression inhibited low-density lipoprotein plus high glucose–induced S -glutathionylation and degradation of 14-3-3ζ. The C25S mutant of 14-3-3ζ was resistant to both S -glutathionylation and degradation induced by low-density lipoprotein plus high glucose. Overexpression of the C25S mutant restored monocyte chemoattractant protein-1–induced cofilin phosphorylation and prevented accelerated migration of metabolically stressed monocytes, suggesting that loss of 14-3-3ζ increases the pool of free Slingshot-1L phosphatase, thereby preventing the phosphorylation and deactivation of cofilin in response to chemokine activation. Conclusions— By preventing the inactivation of cofilin, metabolic stress–induced degradation of 14-3-3ζ promotes the conversion of blood monocytes into a hypermigratory, proatherogenic phenotype.
Evaluating Surgical Residents’ Patient-Centered Communication Skills: Practical Alternatives to the “Apprenticeship Model”

Objectives The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires residency programs to assess communication skills and provide feedback to residents. We aimed to develop a feasible data collection process that generates objective clinical performance information to guide training activities, inform ACGME milestone evaluations, and validate assessment instruments. Design Residents care for patients in the surgical clinic and in the hospital, and participate in a communication curriculum providing practice with standardized patients (SPs). We measured perception of resident communication using the 14-item Communication Assessment Tool (CAT), collecting data from patients at the surgery clinic and surgical wards in the hospital, and from SP encounters during simulated training scenarios. We developed a handout of CAT example behaviors to guide patients completing the communication assessment. Setting Independent academic medical center. Participants General surgery residents. Results The primary outcome is the percentage of total items patients rated “excellent;” we collected data on 24 of 25 residents. Outpatient evaluations resulted in significantly higher scores (mean 84.5% vs. 68.6%, p Conclusions Our data collection process provides a model for obtaining meaningful information about resident communication proficiency. CAT evaluations of surgical residents by the inpatient population had not previously been described in the literature; our results provide important insight into relationships between the evaluations provided by inpatients, clinic patients, and SPs in simulation. Our example behaviors guide shows promise for addressing a common concern, minimizing ceiling effects when measuring physician-patient communication.
Upfront dilution of ferritin samples to reduce hook effect, improve turnaround time and reduce costs.

Introduction Sandwich immunoassays offer advantages in the clinical laboratory but can yield erroneously low results due to hook (prozone) effect, especially with analytes whose concentrations span several orders of magnitude such as ferritin. This study investigated a new approach to reduce the likelihood of hook effect in ferritin immunoassays by performing upfront, five-fold dilutions of all samples for ferritin analysis. The impact of this change on turnaround time and costs were also investigated. Materials and methods Ferritin concentrations were analysed in routine clinical practice with and without upfront dilutions on Siemens Centaur® XP (Siemens Healthineers, Erlang, Germany) immunoanalysers. In addition, one month of baseline data (1026 results) were collected prior to implementing upfront dilutions and one month of data (1033 results) were collected after implementation. Results Without upfront dilutions, hook effect was observed in samples with ferritin concentrations as low as 86,028 µg/L. With upfront dilutions, samples with ferritin concentrations as high as 126,050 µg/L yielded values greater than the measurement interval and would have been diluted until an accurate value was obtained. The implementation of upfront dilution of ferritin samples led to a decrease in turnaround time from a median of 2 hours and 3 minutes to 1 hour and 18 minutes (P = 0.002). Conclusions Implementation of upfront dilutions of all ferritin samples reduced the possibility of hook effect, improved turnaround time and saved the cost of performing additional dilutions.
Autism, Metacognition, and the Deep Self

Many ‘deep self’ theories of moral responsibility characterize the deep self as necessarily requiring that an agent be able to reflect on her own cognitive states in various ways. In this paper, I argue that these metacognitive abilities are not actually a necessary feature of the deep self. In order to show this, I appeal to empirical evidence from research on autism spectrum disorders (ASD) that suggests that individuals with ASD have striking impairments in metacognitive abilities. I then argue that metacognitive conceptions of the deep self are implausible insofar as they fail to give a satisfactory account of the responsibility of persons with autism.
Abstract 2334: Sialylation of the TNFR1 death receptor promotes cancer cell survival

Studies have well-established that activation of TNFR1, a ubiquitously expressed cell surface receptor, by TNF can induce either cell survival or cell death signaling cascades, however, the mechanisms regulating TNFR1 to initiate these disparate outcomes are poorly understood. TNF-induced apoptosis is initiated by clustering of activated TNFR1 at the cell surface, followed by internalization of the receptor complexes and subsequent caspase activation. Conversely, surface retention of activated TNFR1 promotes cell survival signaling mediated by NFκB and MAPKs pathways. Our group has identified a glycosylation-dependent mechanism that controls this TNFR1 signaling switch (i.e. apoptosis vs. survival). Specifically, we have found that TNFR1 activity is modified by the addition of a distinct sugar, an α2-6 linked sialic acid, by the Golgi sialyltransferase, ST6Gal-I. Importantly, ST6Gal-I is highly upregulated in numerous cancer types, and through its sialylation of a select cohort of cell surface receptors, various studies have indicated ST6Gal-I as a potent tumor cell survival factor. The effect of sialylation on TNFR1 was examined in multiple cancer cell models, including leukemia and epithelial cancer cell lines with forced overexpression or knockdown of ST6Gal-I. These models show that TNFR1 sialylation blocks TNF-induced apoptosis (indicated by the inhibition of caspase activation), and data from our group suggests that the underlying mechanism of this inhibition of apoptosis involves the sialylation-driven interference of TNFR1 oligomerization and internalization. Considering sialylated TNFR1 is retained on the cell surface following activation, we hypothesize that cells with abundant ST6Gal-I not only block TNFR1-mediated apoptosis but also divert signaling towards survival, indicated by increased activity and expression of many pro-survival factors (NFkB, AKT, etc.). Based on these collective findings, we conclude that the ST6Gal-I-mediated sialylation of TNFR1 controls the cellular response to TNF by blocking TNFR1 internalization, resulting in apoptosis inhibition and the promotion of survival signaling. Considering the tumor microenvironment is rich in immune cell-derived TNF, we posit that ST6Gal-I protects tumor cells within this inflammatory milieu by providing a mechanism by which tumor cells can evade immune cell killing. Citation Format: Andrew T. Holdbrooks, Matthew J. Schultz, Zhongyu Liu, Daniel C. Bullard, Susan L. Bellis. Sialylation of the TNFR1 death receptor promotes cancer cell survival [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2334.
An Overview of Mouse Models in Neuroscience Research

In 1965, Sidman et al. published the Catalog of the Neurological Mutants of the Mouse. This now classic treatise cataloged and described the naturally occurring mouse mutants that were available and relevant to neuroscientists at that time. This work represented the first—and last—comprehensive review of the neurological mouse mutants and provided the framework and vision for the exploitation of these important models for neural development and disease. In the 30 years plus that have passed since this publication, not only have the molecular lesions responsible for many of the naturally occurring mutations been identified, but also the number of mouse models available that are of interest to neuroscientists has increased remarkably. The techniques that allow for the manipulation of the mouse genome have resulted in the generation of a multitude of new models of neurobiological interest. Importantly, these techniques have also allowed for the modeling of human diseases, or of predetermined aspects of these disorders. Consequently, as predicted by Sidman (1965) et al., it is no longer feasible to produce a comprehensive compendium describing in detail the available genetic models of interest to the neuroscientist. This current volume, therefore, does not aspire to represent itself as the updated version of the inclusive catalog of Sidman et al. (1965). If, however, the following pages educate with regard to the potential utility of the mouse models described or inspire the design and generation of similar models, we will consider this effort a success.
ELEMENT-SPECIFIC BIOPHYSICAL APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF INTRACELLULAR FLUIDS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that a fundamental analysis of transepithelial transport requires definition of the transport processes occurring at each of the permeability barrier series incorporated within the epithelium. It is highly desirable to characterize the intracellular fluids within the various functional cell types of each transporting epithelium. The chapter explains that the chemical and electrochemical activities and the total concentrations of the various ions, both within the cytosol and the subcellular organelles, need to be mapped out. Three techniques can help to achieve these goals. (1) The intracellular activities of a number of ions are measured in the cytosol and in suitably large subcellular organelles by impaling cells with ion-selective microelectrodes. (2) Electron probe X-ray microanalysis permits determination of the subcellular distribution of intracellular elements of interest. (3) Nuclear magnetic resonance permits estimation of the degree of immobilization of intracellular nuclides, and in certain circumstances, it also clarifies the exchange rates between different subpopulations of intracellular nuclides. The chapter presents how application of these techniques has already advanced our understanding of transepithelial transport.
Cytochrome P450 Polymorphisms of Clinical Importance

Human cytochrome P450 enzymes catalyze diverse metabolic reactions that are critical to the function of important endogenous compounds and elimination of xenobiotics, including therapeutic drugs and environmental toxins. The body relies on these metabolic reactions for the production of steroids and bile salts, to help control plasma and tissue levels of key fat-soluble vitamins and hormones, and to eliminate therapeutic agents, pesticides, and a host of other environmental agents to which humans are exposed. Because natural variation in P450 genes has the potential to disrupt critical biochemical pathways, carriers of alleles that lead to altered enzymatic function can cause disease as well as negatively impact therapeutic drug response. These two sequelae are the focus of this chapter, which reviews significant rare and common variations in two groups of P450 gene subfamilies: first, CYP11A , CYP17A , CYP21A , CYP2R , CYP24A , CYP27A , CYP27B , CYP4V, and CYP1B , and second, CYP3A, CYP2C, CYP2B, CYP2A, CYP2E, and CYP1A. Emphasis is placed on select rare and common polymorphisms in each of these P450 genes and the biochemical or metabolic elimination pathways that are disrupted to elicit their pathological or therapeutic consequences.
Explicit (Offline) Optimization for MPC

In this chapter, we present the fundamentals of multi-parametric programming and its application to explicit model predictive control (MPC), i.e. the offline solution of MPC problems for both continuous and hybrid systems. In particular, we first show how MPC problems can be reformulated as multi-parametric programming problems, then we show how explicit/multi-parametric solutions are derived and the key underlying theoretical properties. Finally, we present solution procedures for these type of problems and discuss applicability issues and potential future research directions.