cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heat Shock Protein 90: A Unique Chemotherapeutic Target

A large body of work spanning the past decade has identified the molecular chaperone heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) as a critical modulator of an extensive network of cellular signaling pathways. Many of the processes overseen by Hsp90 are deregulated in tumor cells, including cell cycle control, gene transcription, and apoptotic signaling. Hsp90 inhibition offers the potential of accomplishing what most molecularly targeted anticancer therapies do not—the simultaneous disruption of multiple signaling events critical to tumor cell growth and survival. Indeed, small molecule inhibitors of Hsp90 function are actively being evaluated in the clinic as anticancer agents. In this review, we highlight the current understanding of Hsp90 biology as it relates to cancer and discuss the discovery, development, and clinical status of Hsp90 inhibitors as anticancer drugs.
Firm Microstructure and Aggregate Productivity

Models of firm microstructure are becoming now a standard building block in macroeconomics, trade, and development. This literature builds on the recognition that firm heterogeneity and the allocation of resources across firms plays a key role in determining aggregate productivity and the gains from trade. Barriers to the efficient allocation of resources across firms have been recently recognized to play a key role in economic development. This paper focuses on this methodological contribution, the link between firm microstructure and economic aggregates.
Wide band strip-fed rectangular dielectric resonator antenna with improved radiation patterns

A strip fed rectangular dielectric resonator antenna on a finite size ground plane is designed and fabricated, which operates in the X-band and Ku-band frequency ranges. A good agreement between the simulated and measured reflection coefficient and radiation patterns is observed. In order to reduce the cross-polarization level and improve the copolarization radiations patterns, a strip conductor is wrapped around the DRA, the measured and simulated results for this case are in good agreement. The measured 10 dB return loss bandwidth of the antenna is about 7.8 GHz (65%).
Isavuconazole: A New Broad-Spectrum Triazole Antifungal Agent

Isavuconazole is a new extended-spectrum triazole with activity against yeasts, molds, and dimorphic fungi. It is approved for the treatment of invasive aspergillosis and mucormycosis. Advantages of this triazole include the availability of a water-soluble intravenous formulation, excellent bioavailability of the oral formulation, and predictable pharmacokinetics in adults. A randomized, double-blind comparison clinical trial for treatment of invasive aspergillosis found that the efficacy of isavuconazole was noninferior to that of voriconazole. An open-label trial that studied primary as well as salvage therapy of invasive mucormycosis showed efficacy with isavuconazole that was similar to that reported for amphotericin B and posaconazole. In patients in these studies, as well as in normal volunteers, isavuconazole was well tolerated, appeared to have few serious adverse effects, and had fewer drug-drug interactions than those noted with voriconazole. As clinical experience increases, the role of this new triazole in the treatment of invasive fungal infections will be better defined.
Initial antipyrine disposition in man is altered by propranolol

Purpose β-Adrenergic antagonists decrease intravenous (IV) anesthetic dose requirements. The present study determined the effect of propranolol on antipyrine (AP) disposition from the moment of rapid IV injection using a recirculatory pharmacokinetic (PK) model. AP is a physiologic marker that distributes to a volume as large as total body water in a blood flow-dependent manner and is a surrogate for many lipophilic drugs, including IV anesthetics. Methods AP disposition was determined twice in 5 healthy adult males in this IRB-approved study, once during a propranolol infusion. After rapid AP injection, arterial blood samples were collected frequently for 2 min and less frequently thereafter. Plasma AP concentrations were measured by HPLC. AP disposition was characterized, using SAAM II, by a recirculatory PK model that describes drug disposition from the moment of injection. Parameters were compared using the paired t-test. Results The disposition of concomitantly administered indocyanine green (ICG) demonstrated that propranolol decreased cardiac output (C.O.) at the expense of the fast peripheral (nonsplanchnic) intravascular circuit. AP AUC was doubled for at least the first 3 min after rapid IV injection due to both decreased C.O. and maintenance of nondistributive blood flow at the expense of a two-thirds reduction of blood flow (intercompartmental clearance) to the rapidly equilibrating (fast, splanchnic) tissue volume. Conclusion The increase in AP AUC due to the propranolol-induced alteration of initial AP disposition could explain decreased IV anesthetic dose requirements in the presence of β-adrenergic blockade. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2004) 75, P34–P34; doi: 10.1016/j.clpt.2003.11.128
Prolactin-immune interactions in carcinogen-induced rat mammary tumors

Because many mammary tumors are prolactin (PRL) dependent, tumor-bearing animals are immunocompromised, and PRL directly affects the immune system, we examined the endocrine and immune systems of rats initiated with nitrosomethylurea (NMU) to cause mammary tumors. We tested: a) PRL cells in the pituitary; b) pituitary PRL as detected by radioimmunoassay (RIA), Nb2 bioassay, and induction of interleukin-2 receptors on splenocytes; c) induction of IL-2R on lymphocytes in response to a standard PRL; d) CD phenotype of the splenocytes and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes. We found that 80% of all NMU-treated animals developed mammary tumors 10 to 13 weeks post-injection. PRL cell number, size, and granule content were unaffected. When tested by RIA or by the Nb2 bioassay, there appeared to be approximately 50% less PRL secreted (2 weeks post-injection) by cells of the NMU-treated than the vehicle-treated animals. However, when tested by IL-2R assay, PRL cells of NMU-treated animals secreted 50% more activity. S...
Nutational stability and core energy of a quasirigid gyrostat

The asymptotic nutational stability of a quasirigid gyrostat is analyzed. The primary purpose of this analysis is to resolve a debate concerning the use of the energy-sink method of analysis for systems containing driven rotors. It is shown that when the work done by the motor torque is not taken into account, the analysis leads to a contradiction even when the total energy is dissipative. A proper application of Landon's original idea yields a relationship between the time rate of change of Hubert's "core energy" and the energy dissipation rate of the damping mechanisms in the spacecraft. The analysis shows that the core energy might increase during a rotor despin condition; hence, the minimality of core energy—a previous criterion—is not always guaranteed. A criterion for the design of the damper to insure dissipation of the core energy is presented; this condition is always satisfied for the case of a constant relative rotor spin speed that facilitates a "closed-form" solution to the nutation angle time history of an axisymmetric gyrostat. The stability condition resulting from this analysis is consistent with the Landon-Iorillo stability criterion.
Microplate and shear zone models for oceanic spreading center reorganizations

The kinematics of rift propagation and the resulting goemetries of various tectonic elements for two plates is reviewed with no overlap zone. The formation and evolution of overlap regions using schematic models is discussed. The models are scaled in space and time to approximate the Easter plate, but are simplified to emphasize key elements. The tectonic evolution of overlap regions which act as rigid microplates and shear zones is discussed, and the use of relative motion and structural data to discriminate between the two types of models is investigated. The effect of propagation rate and rise time on the size, shape, and deformation of the overlap region is demonstrated.
Perspectives of American Indian Nation Parents and Leaders

The author offers insights into perceptions and expectations that tribal leaders and Native American parents have of higher education.
Prominence of ichnologically influenced macroporosity in the karst Biscayne aquifer: Stratiform "super-K" zones

A combination of cyclostratigraphic, ichnologic, and borehole geophysical analyses of continuous core holes; tracer-test analyses; and lattice Boltzmann fl ow simulations was used to quantify biogenic macroporosity and permeability of the Biscayne aquifer, southeastern Florida. Biogenic macroporosity largely manifests as: (1) ichnogenic macroporosity primarily related to postdepositional burrowing activity by callianassid shrimp and fossilization of components of their complex burrow systems (Ophiomorpha); and (2) biomoldic macroporosity originating from dissolution of fossil hard parts, principally mollusk shells. Ophiomorpha-dominated ichnofabric provides the greatest contribution to hydrologic characteristics in the Biscayne aquifer in a 345 km 2 study area. Stratiform tabular-shaped units of thalassinidean-associated macroporosity are commonly confi ned to the lower part of upward-shallowing highfrequency cycles, throughout aggradational cycles, and, in one case, they stack vertically within the lower part of a high-frequency cycle set. Broad continuity of many of the macroporous units concentrates groundwater fl ow in extremely permeable passageways, thus making the aquifer vulnerable to long-distance transport of contaminants. Ichnogenic macroporosity represents an alternative pathway for concentrated groundwater fl ow that differs considerably from standard karst fl ow-system paradigms, which describe groundwater movement through fractures and cavernous dissolution features. Permeabilities were calculated using lattice Boltzmann methods (LBMs) applied to computer renderings assembled from X-ray computed tomography scans of various biogenic macroporous limestone samples. The highest simulated LBM permeabilities were about fi ve orders of magnitude greater than standard laboratory measurements using air-permeability methods, which are limited in their application to extremely permeable macroporous rock samples. Based on their close conformance to analytical solutions for pipe fl ow, LBMs offer a new means of obtaining accurate permeability values for such materials. We suggest that the stratiform ichnogenic groundwater fl ow zones have permeabilities even more extreme (~2‐5 orders of magnitude higher) than the Jurassic “super-K” zones of the giant Ghawar oil fi eld. The fl ow zones of the Pleistocene Biscayne aquifer provide examples of ichnogenic macroporosity for comparative analysis of origin and evolution in other carbonate aquifers, as well as petroleum reservoirs.
Practical Approach to Acid–Base Disorders

Acid-base balance is a general term for the way in which the body maintains a relatively constant pH despite continuous production of metabolic end products and is fundamental to physiologic homeostasis. Disease states of animals lead to irregularities of body fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance. With the advent of less expensive, accurate, as well as portable blood gas and electrolyte analyzers, acid-base assessment has become a standard of care in veterinary medicine. It is important that the veterinary practitioner understand acid-base pathophysiology to assure successful treatment of these disease states. The purpose of this article is to provide a simple and concise description of traditional and modem acid-base data interpretation and assist the practitioner with application of these methods.
Coming of Age in Post‐Soviet Russia

Coming of age in post-Soviet Russia. Fran Maricowitz. Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2000. ix + 245 pp., Photographs, references, index.
A New Approach to Communications Management Planning Through 3D Web and Semantic Web Technologies

Communication management plans are used to determine not only who needs what information but also how that information will be collected and transmitted. Now two evolving technologies are looking to drive project planners to develop new approaches and methods for planning communications in the coming years. The first of these technologies, the Semantic Web, is becoming a driving force in how computers are making web content available to its users. The second technology, Web three-dimensional (3D) focuses on web-based content presentation by providing a rich 3D Web-centric environment for users to access information and interact with other users. This effort discusses the advent of the Semantic Web and Web 3D technologies and identifies many of the new planning considerations driving project information collection and analysis. The planning considerations for these two technologies are also discussed to aid in the framing of a new approach to project communications planning.
Heteroglossia, `common sense,¿ and social memory

In this article I analyze internally contradictory narratives articulated by former settlers of Algeria. By adopting a discourse-centered approach to these stories of colonial assimilation, I show that what are often described as “commonsense” forms in popular memory can be viewed as examples of Bakhtinian heteroglossia. Passages from taped conversations illustrate multiple voices in dynamic interaction. Research in cognitive anthropology and psychology suggests that it is not unusual for individuals to retain multiple and conflicting viewpoints simultaneously. Narratives about the past may be especially multivocal, for reasons I discuss here. I reflect on implications of these insights for anthropological models of social memory.
Ritual Sacrifice in Ancient Peru.

Ritual Sacrifice in Ancient Peru. Elizabeth P. Benson and Anita G. Cook. eds. Austin: University of Texas Press, 2001. 211pp.
Multicriteria Decision-Making Approach for Highway Slope Hazard Management

Instability of roadway slopes and embankments is a type of geohazard that can endanger the traveling public and the nearby roadway facilities when large and sudden slope movement occurs. Frequently, the decision regarding managing the hazards associated with potential highway slope failures or incipient failures is based on subjective judgment. In this paper, the linguistic fuzzy theory is used to express the hazard level associated with each selected hazard assessment criterion. The multicriteria decision-making technique is also used in this paper to allow for combination of the hazard criteria involving different units. As an example illustrating the application of the developed method for assessing the hazard level and priority for repair in regard to the slope instability related geohazard, the pertinent information of a database containing 37 landslides sites in Ohio is used to go through the exercise of hazard assessment. From the presented illustrative example, it is shown that the proposed multicriteria decision-making approach promotes a better decision for managing the geological hazards due to roadway slope failures.
Spin-up instability of a levitated molten drop in magnetohydrodynamic-flow transition to turbulence

We describe the spinning behavior of a suspended molten droplet subjected to electromagnetic heating. Our observations are derived from video images of droplets of palladium-silicon alloy in experiments on the MSL-1 (First Microgravity Science Laboratory) mission of the Space Shuttle (STS-83 and STS-94, April and July 1997). We inferred the resultant magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow inside the drop from motion of impurities on the surface. Digital particle tracking of the impurities is used to quantify the axial rotation of the levitated droplet. The analysis suggests that the levitated drop attains a constant rotational speed during the melting phase and formation of the co-rotating axisymmetric laminar toroidal structures. With continued electromagnetic heating, the sample's viscosity drops and the MHD flow accelerates, giving rise to instabilities of the internal flow. The rate of axial rotation increases significantly during this flow transition. The new data suggests a surprising interaction between the flow inside the levitated molten drop and the driving coils in the experiments. We explore the mechanisms that may be responsible for this spinning behavior.
Deficiency of the RNA binding protein caprin2 causes lens defects and features of Peters anomaly.

Background It was recently demonstrated that deficiency of a conserved RNA binding protein (RBP) and RNA granule (RG) component Tdrd7 causes ocular defects including cataracts in human, mouse and chicken, indicating the importance of posttranscriptional regulation in eye development. Here we investigated the function of a second conserved RBP/RG component Caprin2 that is identified by the eye gene discovery tool iSyTE. Results In situ hybridization, Western blotting and immunostaining confirmed highly enriched expression of Caprin2 mRNA and protein in mouse embryonic and postnatal lens. To gain insight into its function, lens-specific Caprin2 conditional knockout (cKO) mouse mutants were generated using a lens-Cre deleter line Pax6GFPCre. Phenotypic analysis of Caprin2cKO/cKO mutants revealed distinct eye defects at variable penetrance. Wheat germ agglutinin staining and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that Caprin2cKO/cKO mutants have an abnormally compact lens nucleus, which is the core of the lens comprised of centrally located terminally differentiated fiber cells. Additionally, Caprin2cKO/cKO mutants also exhibited at 8% penetrance a developmental defect that resembles a human condition called Peters anomaly, wherein the lens and the cornea remain attached by a persistent stalk. Conclusions These data suggest that a conserved RBP Caprin2 functions in distinct morphological events in mammalian eye development. Developmental Dynamics 244:1313–1327, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Laminar flow in magnetically-focused cylindrical electron beams

The behavior of a cylindrical electron beam in a magnetic field is discussed in terms of a laminar-flow model. By numerical integration of the equations of motion, the maximum and minimum radii of excursion and the wavelength of the undulations for each electron are presented in graphical form for various boundary conditions on the electron beam. By the proper selection of the boundary conditions, e.g., magnetic field strength at the cathode, the graphs are utilized to describe Brillouin flow, space-charge-balanced flow, immersed flow, confined flow, and, in fact, any electron flow which satisfies the laminar flow criterion. The perturbations introduced by improper injection conditions for any of the flows mentioned can be read directly from the graphs. A study of the wavelength and the amplitude of such perturbations as a function of radial position in the beam determines if a given type of flow with given injection conditions satisfies the laminar flow criterion. The sensitivity of the various types of electron flow to misadjustments of the boundary conditions is clearly revealed by the graphs; e.g., the amplitude of the undulations in Brillouin flow is very sensitive to the adjustment of the magnetic field strength whereas, for immersed flow, a similar deviation in magnetic field strength has very little effect on the amplitude of the undulations.
Clinical and morphometric parameters of frailty for prediction of mortality following hepatopancreaticobiliary surgery in the elderly

Background Although frailty is a known determinant of poor postoperative outcomes, it can be difficult to identify in patients before surgery. The authors sought to develop a preoperative frailty risk model to predict mortality among patients aged 65 years or more. Methods Clinical and morphometric data including total psoas area (TPA), total psoas volume (TPV) and psoas density (Hounsfield unit average calculation, HUAC) were collected for patients undergoing hepatopancreaticobiliary (HPB) surgery between 2012 and 2014. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to identify preoperative risk factors associated with 1-year mortality. Results The median age of the 518 patients included in the study was 72 (i.q.r. 68–76) years; 55·6 per cent of patients were men, and half of the cohort had multiple co-morbidities (Charlson co-morbidity index (CCI) of 4 or more, 55·6 per cent). TPA cut-offs to define sarcopenia were 552·7 mm2/m2 in women and 702·9 mm2/m2 in men; cut-offs for TPV were 18·2 cm3/m2 in women and 26·2 cm3/m2 in men, whereas HUAC cut-offs were 31·1 HU in women and 33·3 HU in men. The overall 1-year mortality rate was 14·1 per cent. In multivariable analysis, risk factors associated with 1-year mortality included CCI of 4 or above (hazard ratio (HR) 2·91, 95 per cent c.i. 1·47 to 5·77; P = 0·002), malignant disease (HR 3·94, 1·17 to 13·30; P = 0·027) and sarcopenia by HUAC (HR 1·85, 1·10 to 3·10; P = 0·021). A weighted 25-point composite score was developed to stratify patients at risk of 1-year postoperative mortality. The 1-year mortality rate was noted to be 2·5 per cent among patients scoring 0–10 (low risk), 17·3 per cent among patients scoring 11–20 (intermediate risk) and 29·2 per cent among those scoring between 21 and 25 (high risk) (P < 0·001). Conclusion Clinical and morphometric measures of frailty accurately predict the risk of 1-year mortality following HPB surgery in elderly patients, and can be used to risk-stratify patients appropriately.
Hypothyroidism Is Associated With Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction in Women

Background Hypothyroidism is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease, beyond that which can be explained by its association with conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Coronary endothelial dysfunction precedes atherosclerosis, has been linked to adverse cardiovascular events, and may account for some of the increased risk in patients with hypothyroidism. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an association between epicardial and microvascular coronary endothelial dysfunction and hypothyroidism. Methods and Results In 1388 patients (mean age 50.5 [12.3] years, 34% male) presenting with stable chest pain to Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN for diagnostic coronary angiography, and who were found to have nonobstructive coronary artery disease ( 10.0 mU/mL, n=188, and euthyroidism, defined as an absence of a history of hypothyroidism in the clinical record and/or 0.3<TSH≤10.0 mU/mL, n=1200. Subjects with a history of hypothyroidism had a significantly lower % Δ CBF Ach (48.26 [80.66] versus 64.58 [128.30]) compared to patients with euthyroidism, while the % Δ CAD Ach did not vary significantly between groups. After adjusting for covariates, females with hypothyroidism still had a significantly lower % Δ CBF Ach (estimated difference in % Δ CBF Ach [SE]: −16.79 [8.18]). Conclusions Hypothyroidism in women is associated with microvascular endothelial dysfunction, even after adjusting for confounders, and may explain some of the increased risk of cardiovascular disease in these patients.
Board Characteristics and Firms’ Choice of Using Non-Financial Performance Measures: An Empirical Analysis

This study investigates whether and how board characteristics influence firms’ choice of incorporating non-financial performance measures (NFPM) in CEO compensation. The board of directors (BOD) is responsible for designing executive compensation. Outside directors of BOD can provide more objective monitoring considering their independent status (Fama and Jensen 1983), while inside directors have better access to inside information (Klein 1998; Adams and Ferreira 2007). The effectiveness of corporate governance can be a key factor in the choice of NFPM in CEO compensation contracts. Using two proxies, the percentage of director ownership and the value of director ownership, we find that firms with a higher proportion of outside board members are more likely to adopt NFPM. We also find a concave relation between the percentage of inside director shares and the use of NFPM. Specifically, boards with both a low and a high level of inside director ownership are more likely to recommend the use of NFPM. In addition, the probability of using NFPM is negatively associated with the value of inside director shares. This evidence suggests that entrenchment issues are a plausible disadvantage of offering equity incentives to board members. That is, directors become entrenched as their own wealth becomes increasingly tied to the firm and they begin to make decisions that may not be in the best interest of shareholders. The results of this study shed light on how the composition and remuneration of the BOD affects the design of firm compensation and the use of NFPM in particular.
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) with Reversible Cerebral Vasospasm and Splenial Lesion Responsive to the High-dose Intravenous Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) (P6.266)

OBJECTIVE: Neuroprotective role of MgSO4 in Neurological manifestation of HUS. BACKGROUND: We describe a patient with CNS manifestation of HUS presented with new onset seizure and focal cortical signs with reversible brain MRI lesions and evidence of reversible cerebral vasospasm on MRA head responsive to high doses of MgSO4.CASE REPORT: A 13 year-old female was admitted for abdominal pain, fever ,vomiting , bloody diarrhea and confusion for 1 week. She was normotensive, tachycardic but afebrile. laboratory studies revealed leukocytosis, uremia, hyponatremia, thrombocytopenia, anemia with stool test positive for shiga toxin 2. She was traeted with hemodialysis and plasmapheresis (PLEX). Upon finishing her PLEX she developed left gaze and head version followed by right sided hemiparesis and aphasia. cEEG revealed focal slowing on the left side. Spinal fluid analysis was normal. MRI brain showed areas of diffusion restriction involving the splenium of the corpus callosum and bilateral thalamus . MRA head revealed vasospasm of the left MCA. MRV was unremarkable . She received 3 gm (15 mg/kg) of MgSO4 with improvement of her symptoms. Repeat MRI brain revealed complete resolution of the prior signal abnormalities. Repeat cEEG was normal.DISCUSSION: MgSO4 is an NMDA receptor antagonist. Influx of calcium ions through NMDA receptor can lead to cerebral ischemic injury which can be reversible in the early stages of the disease pathogenesis. MgSO4 is dose dependent causing effective cytoprotection with higher doses compare to the lower doses. Improvement of neurological symptoms in our patient after treatment with higher doses of MgSO4 is a novel finding which has not been reported before in HUS. CONCLUSIONS: Higher doses of MgSO4 is not only involved in restoring the biochemical homeostasis and prevention of calcium influx through NMDA receptors but may also exert the NMDA modulating anti-inflammatory effect preventing the reversible neuropathology associated with HUS Disclosure: Dr. Memon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Rashid has nothing to disclose. Dr. Williams has nothing to disclose.
The Dixiecrat Summer of 1948: Two South Carolina Editors—a Liberal and a Conservative—Foreshadow Modern Political Debate in the South

Abstract This study explores the political ideologies of two South Carolina editorialists—one liberal, the other conservative—during the tumultuous summer of 1948. Rebellious Southern Democrats walked out of the party's national convention that year and launched the so-called Dixiecrat campaign for the presidency. At the same time, a federal judge in Charleston delivered a series of blistering opinions ordering an end to whites-only primaries in the state. The two editors, William Watts Ball of Charleston and James A. Rogers of Florence, represented competing visions of the South in 1948. Ball was fiercely conservative, an unabashed supporter of the old South, Rogers a self-proclaimed liberal who envisioned a progressive future. Their debate that summer offers insights into the historical and cultural forces that have shaped politics in the South ever since.
2.8 – Cell Signaling

This chapter describes the variety of cell signaling mechanisms used in the body. It begins by considering the overall nature of signaling: electrical, mechanical, and chemical. It then considers the ways in which these are used to convey information between cells either locally or far away. The mechanisms of signaling detailed include: (1) voltage-gated electrical signaling; (2) voltage-dependent Ca2+ signaling; (3) ligand-gated ion channels; (4) heterotrimeric G-protein-coupled receptors; (5) catalytic receptors; and (6) cytosolic or nuclear transcription effectors. The various types of G-protein-coupled receptors are discussed in detail, as are the catalytic receptors.
SPECIATION BY POLYPLOIDY IN TREEFROGS: MULTIPLE ORIGINS OF THE TETRAPLOID, HYLA VERSICOLOR

Speciation by polyploidy is rare in animals, yet, in vertebrates, there is a disproportionate concentration of polyploid species in anuran amphibians. Sequences from the cytochrome b gene of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were used to determine phylogenetic relationships among 37 populations of the diploid-tetraploid species pair of gray treefrogs, Hyla chrysoscelis and Hyla versicolor. The diploid species, H. chrysoscelis, consists of an eastern and a western lineage that have 2.3% sequence divergence between them. The tetraploid species, H. versicolor, had at least three separate, independent origins. Two of the tetraploid lineages are more closely related to one or the other of the diploid lineages (0.1 80/o--1.4% sequence divergence) than they are to each other (1.90/o--3.4% sequence divergence). The maternal ancestor of the third tetraploid lineage is unknown. The phylogenetic relationships between the two species and among lineages within each species support the hypothesis of multiple origins of the tetraploid lineages.
Time to Pay Attention to Reagent and Calibrator Lots for Proficiency Testing

Proficiency testing (PT), also called external quality assessment, is an essential tool for quality assurance of the analytical testing process. PT has been used for decades to assist individual laboratories in determining that their measurement results conform to requirements for making medical decisions based on those results. In addition, when commutable samples are used, the mean or median results for different measurement procedures can be used to determine whether different measurement procedures produce results that agree well enough that the same medical decision will be made irrespective of the laboratory or measurement procedure used (1, 2). PT samples are intended to mimic patient samples and thus to provide information that relates to medical decisions for patient samples. There is consensus that PT using commutable samples reflects the performance for patient samples, and that when noncommutable samples are used there may be artifacts that typically limit assessment of an individual laboratory's result to comparison to a peer group of similar measurement procedures and prevent using the mean or median results from different measurement procedures to assess agreement among results for patient samples (3). In this issue of Clinical Chemistry , Stavelin et al. (4) demonstrate that different performance by different reagent lots or batches represented in a PT event can lead to erroneous decisions regarding the performance of individual laboratories or of measurement procedures. Furthermore, reagent lot–specific effects can influence interpretation when commutable or noncommutable samples are used. The Stavelin et al. report was based on point-of-care devices for which each reagent lot was calibrated by the manufacturer. However, the observations are generalizable to measurement procedures that use separate reagents and calibrators. Consider the situation when commutable PT samples are used. The target …
Efficacy of mosquito nets immersed by effervescent tablets

Objective To evaluate the effect of mosquito nets treated by micro capsulation reagent against Culex pipiens pallens.Methods Mosquitoes were forced to contact treated nets.Results The mortality rate of mosquito nets treated by micro capsulation reagent on Culex pipiens pallens was observed for 90 days.The result of mortality rate were 90%,80% and 70% after mosquito nets treated for 30,60 and 90 days,and the efficacy was almost no decline after washing.The efficacy of micro capsulation reagent with deltamethrin was better than beta-cypermethrin.Both of deltamethrin and beta-cypermethrin type protective rate were above 70% in 90 days.Conclusion The efficacy of mosquito nets treated by effervescent tablets is great.It can effectively control the density of mosquitoes,reduce mosquito bites and vector-borne diseases such as malaria.
Theory of Professionalized Laboratories' Construction in Colleges and Universities and Futher Discussion on Management Technology

The objectives of laboratories construction in colleges and universities and developing professional experimental projects educa-tion,are cultivating students abilities integrating theory into practice.Making the best of using advanced laboratory equipment so that they can be taken full effect through the educational activities.Combined with practical situation,The theory of constructing laboratories and how to apply scientific technology and management methodology in managing professional laboratories will be discussed in the article.
Newton and the Big Apple

When I graduated from college 15 years ago, I had the same goal as many beginning astrophysicists: to become a tenured professor. I was living at my parents' house in the New York City suburbs, preparing to pursue a master's degree in England followed by a Ph.D. at the University of California (UC
Preparing Children for Success Parents’ Perspectives on Promoting Savings and Education

Many states are implementing asset development strategies to promote postsecondary education for low- to moderate-income families, realizing that limited education is a powerful predictor of poverty, and poverty mediates the likelihood of obtaining postsecondary education. Using demographic and qualitative data collected from two groups of low- to moderate-income parents (N = 24), this article highlights two programs that promote savings and increase post-secondary education for these children and families. The 21st Century Scholars Program targets youths, and the complementary Educational Development Accounts program targets their parents. This article also explores perspectives of the participants’ experiences, beliefs, and perceptions relative to savings and education and the success of their children in these areas. It concludes with implications for asset-building programs and policy whose aim is to assist low- to moderate-income families in achieving economic and educational mobility and implication...
Engineering Protease-Triggered Disassembly of Intrinsically Disordered Protein Droplets

Paradigm-shifting research has revealed that certain intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) phase separate into spherical liquid droplets that act as membrane-less organelles in living cells. Here, we investigated protease activity as a strategy for triggering controlled droplet disassembly without changing temperature, salt concentration, or other variables that are difficult to manipulate in vivo. We selected a naturally occurring phase-separating IDP, the RGG domain from LAF-1, and produced a variant consisting of two RGG domains in tandem. This RGG tandem protein exhibits enhanced phase behavior - that is, it self-assembles into liquid droplets at lower protein concentration and higher temperature as compared to a single RGG domain. We incorporated a thrombin cleavage site between the two RGG domains of this construct and discovered that upon treatment of the RGG tandem droplets with thrombin, the droplet diameter shrank at a rate of 0.5 micrometers per hour, as measured by quantitative optical microscopy. This occurred because the single RGG domains that result upon cleavage of RGG tandem with thrombin have weaker phase behavior and do not phase separate under the same conditions as does RGG tandem. Through additional protein engineering, we generated a variant that releases a fluorescent reporter when the protein droplet disassembles upon treatment with protease. This is a modular platform for enzymatically-triggered disassembly and release of proteins from droplets. We envision applications of this concept in protein drug delivery, such as in release of antimicrobial peptides for wound healing, and in controlling the behavior of membrane-less organelles within cells in an inducible manner.
Beyond Domination: Socialism, Everyday Life in East German Housing Settlements, and New Directions in GDR Historiography

Abstract | Communist societies in Eastern Europe have left behind massive prefabricated housing settlements within and outside cities as perhaps their most visible legacy, often assumed to be a negative legacy. Yet this assumption is a superficial judgment, one indicative of a larger trend in the history of Eastern Europe, especially that of East Germany, which only operates within a framework of power and state versus society. What happens when we examine everyday life in socialism without taking as our starting point a search for state power as the goal of the research? Removing this solipsistic framework, we see a different, more balanced picture, not one that necessarily whitewashes or ignores the presence of the state, but one that clearly tells the story of a kind of socialism that was experienced by ordinary people as a tight-knit community rather than a form of top-down control. Such an analysis points the way forward to a reassessment of Eastern European communist society. Resume | Beaucoup des grandes ensembles prefabriques survivent dans les villes des societes communistes. Ils sont l’heritage le plus visible de communisme, lieux de memoire d’un monde profane. Mais ce jugement est superficiel, et c’est partie d’une tendence plus grande dans l’histoire de l’Europe de l’Est, notamment de l’histoire de RDA. Cette tendence percoit seulement le systeme de pouvoir. Je vois l’histoire quotidienne dans les ensembles. Cette perspective revele une societe qui a bon fontionne et commence une revaluation de la socio-histoire des pays communists dans l’Europe de l’Est.
Subtle radiographic signs of hamate body fracture: a diagnosis not to miss in the emergency department

Hamate fractures are estimated to represent 1.7% of all carpal fractures and can occur at the hamulus (hook) or hamate body depending on mechanism of injury. Fractures of the hamate body can be exceedingly difficult to identify on standard wrist and hand radiographs in the emergency department. If the diagnosis is missed in the emergency department, orthopedic referral is often delayed. This can result in lasting functional disability for the patient, as these fractures have a propensity to destabilize the fourth and fifth carpometacarpal (CMC) joints. In this pictorial essay, we present six radiographic signs indicative of hamate body fracture with computed tomography (CT) imaging correlation. Injury mechanism and fracture classification schemes are portrayed to aid in the understanding of these injuries. Once radiographs raise suspicion for a hamate body fracture, further characterization with CT and orthopedic referral is paramount. Goals of orthopedic management include reestablishment of the fourth and fifth CMC articular surface, stabilization of the CMC joints, and appropriate treatment of concomitant soft tissue injury.
Active suicidal ideation during clinical antidepressant trials.

Abstract Suicidal patients are often excluded from clinical trials of psychiatric medications and from investigations using neurobiological techniques. To evaluate the presence, impact, and stability of active suicidal ideation (SI) across a range of antidepressant trials, we reviewed 14 clinical trials conducted in patients with either major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD) (N = 269). Active SI at any time point in the clinical trial was identified and linked to participation in other research procedures. Stability of active SI across subsequent days was evaluated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) and compared to other depressive symptoms. Across 14 clinical trials, 63 participants (23%) reported active SI at some point during study participation. Of these participants, 33 completed a neuroimaging procedure and 16 completed polysomnography within a week of active SI. When active SI was subsequently assessed, only 39% of patients continued to report active SI after three days of assessment, despite receiving no additional treatment. ICCs were not significant for either SI or pessimism; other depressive symptoms showed stability over time. The results suggest that research can be conducted in depressed patients with active SI if such research coincides with careful observation. Active SI and pessimism may be particularly vulnerable to fluctuation.
Interfacial and Confined Colloidal Rod Diffusion.

Optical microscopy is used to measure translational and rotational diffusion of colloidal rods near a single wall, confined between parallel walls, and within quasi-2D porous media as a function of rod aspect ratio and aqueous solution ionic strength. Translational and rotational diffusivities are obtained as rod particles experience positions closer to boundaries and for larger aspect ratios. Models based on position dependent hydrodynamic interactions quantitatively capture diffusivities in all geometries and indicate particle–wall separations in agreement with independent estimates based on electrostatic interactions. Short-time translational diffusion in quasi-2D porous media is insensitive to porous media area fraction, which appears to arise from a balance of hydrodynamic hindrance and enhanced translation due to parallel alignment along surfaces. Findings in this work provide a basis to interpret and predict interfacial and confined colloidal rod transport relevant to biological, environmental, and...
Teaching Variability in a Core Systems Course: (Abstract Only)

Computer systems form the backbone of computing from very small, mobile devices to the huge datacenters that power the digital economy. These systems often exhibit large degrees of variability in their performance that is little understood, but such variability threatens to severely diminish the effectiveness of critical systems upon which society relies. Funded by a large NSF grant, the VarSys project at Virginia Tech researches the sources of variability in computer systems and develops methods to overcome it. We believe it is crucial to raise awareness of the phenomena surrounding variability in computer systems at the undergraduate level. Towards this end, we are connecting the research techniques developed as part of this NSF award to ongoing classroom projects in a core systems course. Our key insight is to expose students to the phenomenon as it occurs in the systems software modules (e.g. a memory allocator, a fork-join thread pool) they are themselves developing in the course. We have implemented a web-based system that allows students to submit their own systems-level code to a specialized cluster which then benchmarks it while systematically varying a number of ordinal and categorical variables. These variables reflect environmental factors that can influence the performance of complex systems. Students are then presented with a visual statistical analysis of the results and asked to interpret those results. We have successfully deployed this system in 2 semesters to over 250 students and collected student data about their experience with this system and are documenting our progress towards these important learning objectives.
Burn Nurse Competencies: Developing Consensus Using E-Delphi Methodology

Competency standards for nurses who specialize in the care of burn-injured patients are lacking. Currently, there are no nationally agreed on standards that define safe and competent burn nursing practice. In 2014, nurse members of the American Burn Association proposed the Burn Nurse Competency Initiative (BNCI) with the intent of establishing a core set of competency standards for burn nursing. The BNCI used the Delphi technique of consensus building with input from up to 178 registered nurse burn care experts. This article describes the multistaged consensus-building process used and provides a final list of competencies. These newly created competencies now define professional practice standards for burn nurses. Their creation completes one of the essential steps required for burn nursing to be recognized as a specialty.
Evaluating the impact of the genitourinary multidisciplinary tumour board: Should every cancer patient be discussed as standard of care?

Introduction: We sought to prospectively evaluate the effectiveness of the multidisciplinary tumour board (MTB) on altering treatment plans for genitourinary (GU) cancer patients. Methods: All GU cancer patients seen at our tertiary care hospital are discussed at MTB. We prospectively collected data on adult patients discussed over a continuous, 20-month period. Physicians completed a survey prior to MTB to document their opinion on the likelihood of change in their patient’s treatment plan. Logistic regression was used to asses for factors associated with a change by the MTB, including patient age or sex, malignancy type, the predicted treatment plan, and the provider’s years of experience or fellowship training. Results: A total of 321 cancer patients were included. Patients were primarily male (84.4%) with a median age of 67 years old (range 20–92). Prostate (38.9%), bladder (31.8%), and kidney cancer (19.6%) were the most common malignancies discussed. A change in management plan following MTB was observed in 57 (17.8%) patients. The physician predicted a likely change in six (10.5%) of these patients. Multivariate logistic regression did not determine physician prediction to be associated with treatment plan change, and the only significant variable identified was a plan to discuss multiple treatment options with a patient (odds ratio 2.46; 95% confidence interval 1.09–9.54). Conclusions: Routine discussion of all urologic oncology cases at MTB led to a change in treatment plan in 17.8% of patients. Physicians cannot reliably predict which patients have their treatment plan altered. Selectively choosing patients to be presented likely undervalues the impact of a multidisciplinary approach to care.
Shifts in N and δ15N in wheat and barley exposed to cerium oxide nanoparticles

Abstract The effects of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2-NPs) on 15N/14N ratio (δ15N) in wheat and barley were investigated. Seedlings were exposed to 0 and 500 mg CeO2-NPs/L (Ce-0 and Ce-500, respectively) in hydroponic suspension supplied with NH4NO3, NH4+, or NO3−. N uptake and δ15N discrimination (i.e. differences in δ15N of plant and δ15N of N source) were measured. Results showed that N content and 15N abundance decreased in wheat but increased in barley, and Ce-500 only induced whole-plant δ15N discrimination (−1.48‰, P ≤ 0.10) with a simultaneous decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in whole-plant δ15N (−3.24‰) compared to Ce-0 (−2.74‰) in wheat in NH4+. Ce-500 decreased (P ≤ 0.01) root δ15N of wheat in NH4NO3 and NH4+ (3.23 and −2.25‰, respectively) compared to Ce-0 (4.96 and −1.27‰, respectively), but increased (P ≤ 0.05) root δ15N of wheat in NO3− (3.27‰) compared to Ce-0 (2.60‰). Synchrotron micro-XRF revealed the presence of CeO2 in shoots of wheat and barley regardless of N source. Although the longer-term consequences of CeO2-NP exposure on N uptake and metabolism are unknown, the results clearly show the potential for ENMs to interfere with plant metabolism of critical plant nutrients such as N even when toxicity is not observed.
Assessing Racial and Ethnic Differences in Attitudes towards the Use of Physical Discipline in Parenting: A Mixed-Methods Approach

Using a concurrent nested mixed-methods approach, this study assessed racial and ethnic differences in attitudes towards the use of physical discipline in parenting based on data recently collected...