cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple ribosomal RNA cleavage pathways in mammalian cells

The sequence content of mouse L cell pre-rRNA was examined by RNA gel transfer and blot hybridization. Nuclear RNAs were separated by agarose gel electrophoresis, transferred to diazo-paper, and hybridized to twelve different restriction fragments that are complementary to various sections of 45S pre-rRNA. An abundant new 34S pre-rRNA and less abundant new 37S, 26S and 17S pre-rRNAs were detected. The presence of these new pre-rRNAs suggests the existence of at least two new pre-rRNA cleavage pathways. 34S and 26S pre-rRNAs were also detected in HeLa cells suggesting that these new cleavage pathways are characteristic of mammalian cells. Further, an abundant new 12S precursor to 5.8S rRNA was also detected and is common to all the proposed cleavage pathways. The previously identified 45S, 41S, 32S and 20S pre-rRNAs were readily detected and their general structure confirmed. The 20S pre-rRNA is characteristic of the known pathway used by HeLa and other cells, and its presence suggests that growing mouse L cells use this pre-rRNA cleavage pathway. The 36S pre-rRNA characteristic of the previously described mouse L cell cleavage pathway was not detected. In all these cleavage pathways pre-rRNA cleavage sites are apparently identical and occur at or near the termini of the mature 18S, 5.8S and 28S rRNA sequences. The pathways differ only in the temporal order of cleavage at these sites. The position of the 5.8S rRNA sequence was located within the internal transcribed spacer. The known and conserved sequence of 5.8S rRNA from several organisms predicts a characteristic pattern of restriction enzyme sites for 5.8S rDNA. Internal transcribed spacer rDNA was mapped with restriction enzymes, and the characteristic pattern was found near the midpoint of the internal transcribed spacer. This places the 5.8S rRNA sequence at or near the 5' terminus of 32S pre-rRNA.
Predicting survival in glioblastomas using diffusion tensor imaging metrics.

Purpose To retrospectively correlate various diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics in patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) with patient survival analysis and also degree of tumor proliferation index determined histologically. Materials and Methods Thirty-four patients with histologically confirmed treatment naive GBMs underwent DTI on a 3.0 Tesla (T) scanner. Region-of-interest was placed on the whole lesion including the enhancing as well as nonenhancing component of the lesion to determine the various DTI metrics. Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox proportional hazards regression methods were used to assess the relationship of DTI metrics (minimum and mean values) and Ki-67 with progression free survival (PFS). To study the relationship between DTI metrics and Ki-67, Pearson's correlation coefficient was computed. Results Univariate analysis showed that patients with fractional anisotropy (FA)mean ≤ 0.2, apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC)min ≤ 0.6, planar anisotropy (CP)min ≤ 0.002, spherical anisotropy (CS)mean > 0.68 and Ki-67 > 0.3 had lower PFS rate. The multivariate analysis demonstrated that only CPmin was the best predictor of survival in these patients, after adjusting for age, Karnofsky performance scale and extent of resection. No significant correlation between DTI metrics and Ki-67 were observed. Conclusion DTI metrics can be used as a sensitive and early indicator for PFS in patients with glioblastomas. This could be useful for treatment planning as high-grade gliomas with lower ADCmin, FAmean, CPmin, and higher CSmean values may be treated more aggressively. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2010;32:788–795. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
High-frequency CMOS continuous-time filters

Fully integrated, high-frequency continuous-time filters can be realized in MOS technology using a frequency-locking approach to stabilize the time constants. A simple, fully differential integrator, optimized for phase-error cancellation, forms the basic element; a complete filter consists of intercoupled integrators. The center frequency of the filter is locked to an external reference frequency by a phase-locked loop. A prototype sixth-order bandpass filter with a center frequency of 500 kHz dissipates 55 mW and occupies 4 mm/SUP 2/ in a 6-/spl mu/m CMOS technology.
Jokes and their relation to the unconscious in Heart of Darkness.

No one reads Heart of Darkness for the jokes (1899; page citations refer to the edition specified in the Reference), but a few critics have appreciated Conrad’s humor, generally interpreting it as a reprieve from an otherwise intolerable vision of depravity. 1 Covino (1977), for example, writes that Conrad softened the “harsh truth” with a “comic sensibility, helping us ‘carry on’”: “Without humor, the horror becomes unendurable and would force us ‘ashore’ with Kurtz for a howl and a dance” (p. 224). While Covino emphasizes the contrast between humor and horror, from a psychoanalytic perspective Conrad’s humor is rooted in the same unconscious material as the horror. Jokes about lawyers and sex express the principal anxieties of the narrative as a whole: being too far from the law and being too close to women. These fears culminate in the final scene when Marlow meets Kurtz’s Intended. Although Marlow faces the dangers of Africa with equanimity, he blunders into a verbal pratfall in a Belgian drawing room. Psychoanalytic readings usually focus on individual characters or the author, but Freud’s 1905 paper on “Jokes and Their Relation to the Unconscious” provides a theoretical bridge between personal and public manifestations of the unconscious. Emphasizing the social foundation of jokes, Freud’s argument not only illustrates how his dramatic paradigms of the nuclear family are related to public behavior but also avoids some common objections to psychoanalytic literary criticism. 2 Even critics
An Intelligent and Cost-Effective Computer Dosing System for Individualizing FK506 Therapy in Transplantation and Autoimmune Disorders

The accurac\' and precision of an intelligent dosing system (IDS) for FK506 in predicting doses to achieve target drug levels has been prospectively evaluated in transplant and autoimmune pallents. For dose individualization. the knowledge base is updated with patient·specH;c feedback including the current dose. drug le\'el. und the new larget level. The studv populatIon of 147 patients consIsted of 97 transplant pata:nts /lil'er and kid­ neYI and 50 patients IVlth autoimmune disorders. Patients In the transplant studv group were entered sequentiallv and followed as a cohort. Patients in the autoimmune study group were randoml~' assIgned to one of three predefined FK506 concentration Windows (low. 0.1-.3; medium. O.-l-.i; and high. 0.8-1.3 ng/mLI as part of a concentration con­ trolled clinical trial. Predictions of steady-state plasma drug lel'e/s were made throughout the clinical course of autoim mune patients and during the first /j weeks post-transplant in liver and kidney recipients. FK506 concentration in plasma was measured b,' a monoclo­ nal antibod\' based ELISA assav. Accuraq' was computed as the mean prediction error (mpel. Precision \\'as computed as the root mean squared prediction error Irmspel. The accuracv 0; the IDS in each studv group was as tallows: 0.016 ng;mL (liverl. -0.034 ng/mL Ikidne~'I, and -0.022 ng/mL (autoimmunel. Because the 95% confidence Interval included zero in each case. the IDS showed no bias. The preCIsion of the IDS in each studv group IVas as t'ol/O\\'s: 0.133 ng mL (/h·erl. 0.1903 ng/mL {kidnev!. and 0.11B8 ng;mL (autoImmune). These results indicate that the FK506IDS is both accurate and ,'en' precise (reproduciblel in transplant and autoimmune patients. The performance at the FK506 compares ;al'Orabh' \\'Ith previous/v reported pharmacokilleUc doslIlg methods such as population nomo~rams and adaptive control teedback methods ileast-squares and Ba\'e­ sian;. Based on our "ndings. this IDS should have a number at Important uses relevant to the drug development process. the prescrIbing phYSIcian Clnd the Individual patient. It provides an effJcienl method for implementing concentratIOn controlled c1inicaJtrials. It should accelerate (he phvslclan's learning curve while a/the same tIme help to maXImize therapeutic drug effJcac,! and minimize toxicit~'lvlth drugs exhibiting nonlinear kinetics and narrolV therapeutic indices. Preliminar~' studies suggest that these assets result in a signiftcant cost-benerit advantage by redUCing the duratIon of hospitalization. Current studies are III progress to validate this and care/uUv measure its pharmacoeconomic impact.
Chemoenzymatic synthesis and structural characterization of 2-O-sulfated glucuronic acid-containing heparan sulfate hexasaccharides

Heparan sulfate and heparin are highly sulfated polysaccharides that consist of a repeating disaccharide unit of glucosamine and glucuronic or iduronic acid. The 2-O-sulfated iduronic acid (IdoA2S) residue is commonly found in heparan sulfate and heparin; however, 2-O-sulfated glucuronic acid (GlcA2S) is a less abundant monosaccharide (∼<5% of total saccharides). Here, we report the synthesis of three GlcA2S-containing hexasaccharides using a chemoenzymatic approach. For comparison purposes, additional IdoA2S-containing hexasaccharides were synthesized. Nuclear magnetic resonance analyses were performed to obtain full chemical shift assignments for the GlcA2S- and IdoA2S-hexasaccharides. These data show that GlcA2S is a more structurally rigid saccharide residue than IdoA2S. The antithrombin (AT) binding affinities of a GlcA2S- and an IdoA2S-hexasaccharide were determined by affinity co-electrophoresis. In contrast to IdoA2S-hexasaccharides, the GlcA2S-hexasaccharide does not bind to AT, confirming that the presence of IdoA2S is critically important for the anticoagulant activity. The availability of pure synthetic GlcA2S-containing oligosaccharides will allow the investigation of the structure and activity relationships of individual sites in heparin or heparan sulfate.
The Use of Computer Tools to Support Meaningful Learning

This article attempts to provide a review of literature pertaining to computer technology use in education. The authors discuss the benefits of learning with technology tools when integrated into teaching. The argument that introducing computer technology into schools will neither improve nor change the quality of classroom instruction unless teachers and educational leaders are able to evaluate and integrate the use of that technology into the curriculum (Geisert & Futrell, 2000) is provided by a synthesis of a review of literature across three specific areas: (a) benefits of computer technologies; (b) meaningful learning, and (c) computers and instruction.
Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Oxidase Activity and H2O2 Formation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Cell-free extracts of Mycoplasma pneumoniae showed two distinct reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH(2)) oxidase activities in the supernatant fraction. By ammonium sulfate fractionation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, one activity not requiring flavine co-factors was precipitated by 50 to 70% ammonium sulfate concentration and identified with a slower-moving band on acrylamide gel electrophoresis; a second NADH(2) oxidase activity was flavine mononucleotide (FMN) dependent and associated with a more rapidly moving band; it could only be partially precipitated by ammonium sulfate concentrations ranging from 50 to 100%. Studies with alternate electron acceptors indicated the presence of a menadione, a 2,6-dichlorophenol indophenol and a very weak ferricyanide oxido-reductase activity, but no cytochrome c oxido-reductase, in the cell-free preparations. The NADH(2) oxidase activities of all fractions were relatively cyanide insensitive and were only minimally inhibited by flavoprotein and other respiratory chain inhibitors. H(2)O(2) formation was negligible unless FMN, but not flavine adenine dinucleotide (FAD), was added to the crude NADH(2) oxidase system; upon fractionation and electrophoresis, the H(2)O(2) formation was associated with the FMN-dependent, more rapidly moving NADH(2) oxidase band. This FMN-dependent NADH(2) oxidase-H(2)O(2) generating system may be a mechanism for the H(2)O(2) formation observed during glucose oxidation in the intact organism.
A Data Acquisition and Computer Control Program for the Digikrom 480 Monochromator

A Turbo Basic® program has been developed to enable an IBM XT-compatible computer to control a Digikrom 480 monochromator (CVI Laser Corporation, Albuquerque, NM) though an RS-232 interface. The program allows the user to display the status of the monochromator, adjust the slit widths, and control the stepping motor. Data are collected from the photomultiplier tube for time scans and wavelength scans through an ADAC 5000 series analog-to-digital converter (Woburn, MA), but the program may be adapted to other data acquisition systems. Finally, the program enables the user to save, load, list, smooth, or compact the data, display the data as a graph, and integrate peaks. The program can be run from within Turbo Basic® (V1.1) or as a stand-alone .EXE file. A complete listing of the program is given in the Appendix.
Colorectal Carcinoma in Childhood and Adolescence: A Clinicopathologic Review

Purpose Pediatric colorectal carcinoma (CRC) is rare, but the available data suggest that it is more likely than adult CRC to be advanced at presentation and to have a poor outcome. We sought to better characterize pediatric CRC. Patients and Methods We reviewed the clinical and pathologic features, prognostic factors, and outcome of CRC in 77 children and adolescents (ages 7 to 19 years) referred to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital between 1964 and 2003. Results At presentation, 76 patients had one or more signs or symptoms of CRC (abdominal pain, altered bowel habits, weight loss, anemia). Tumors were evenly distributed between the right and left colon; 62% were mucinous adenocarcinoma. At presentation, 86% of patients had advancedstage disease; more than half had distant metastases. Overall outcome was poor. Advanced stage and mucinous histology were significant predictors of adverse outcome. Stage-specific survival at 10 years was 67% 27% (stage 1), 38% 15% (stage 2), 28% 11% (stage III), and 7% 4% (stage 4). Although no patient had a diagnosis of polyposis syndrome before diagnosis of CRC, 17 (22%) had colon polyps and eight (including two who previously underwent pelvic radiotherapy) had multiple polyps. Conclusion Initial signs and symptoms of CRC are similar in pediatric and adult patients. The strikingly higher frequency of mucinous histology suggests that the biology of CRC differs in pediatric and adult patients and may contribute to poor outcomes. Children should be included in prospective clinical trials for CRC.
Lens-free computational imaging of capillary morphogenesis within three-dimensional substrates.

Endothelial cells cultured in three-dimensional (3-D) extracellular matrices spontaneously form micro- vessels in response to soluble and matrix-bound factors. Such cultures are common for the study of angiogenesis and may find widespread use in drug discovery. Vascular networks are imaged over weeks to measure the dis- tribution of vessel morphogenic parameters. Measurements require micron-scale spatial resolution, which for light microscopy comes at the cost of limited field-of-view (FOV) and shallow depth-of-focus (DOF). Small FOVs and DOFs necessitate lateral and axial mechanical scanning, thus limiting imaging throughput. We present a lens-free holographic on-chip microscopy technique to rapidly image microvessels within a Petri dish over a large volume without any mechanical scanning. This on-chip method uses partially coherent illumination and a CMOS sensor to record in-line holographic images of the sample. For digital reconstruction of the measured holograms, we implement a multiheight phase recovery method to obtain phase images of capillary morphogenesis over a large FOV (24 mm 2 ) with ∼1.5 μm spatial resolution. On average, measured capillary length in our method was within approximately 2% of lengths measured using a 10× microscope objective. These results suggest lens-free on-chip imaging is a useful toolset for high-throughput monitoring and quantitative analysis of microvascular 3-D networks.
Globalization and Justice

In an era of globalization, basic institutional structures that shape our daily interactions transcend national boundaries. According to the institutional approach to social justice favored by John Rawls, we have a special obligation to ensure that the basic terms of these interactions are just. Two recent proposals would help accomplish this: a global resource dividend and a Tobin tax. Both of these proposals work within markets. Some have objected that globalization will lead to the homogenization of previously diverse cultures. However, although globalization will increase the pace of cultural and social change, the path of these developments is unpredictable.
Tillage and cropping sequence impacts on nitrogen cycling in dryland farming in eastern Montana, USA

Information on N cycling in dryland crops and soils as influenced by long-term tillage and cropping sequence is needed to quantify soil N sequestration, mineralization, and N balance to reduce N fertilization rate and N losses through soil processes. The 21-yr effects of the combinations of tillage and cropping sequences was evaluated on dryland crop grain and biomass (stems + leaves) N, soil surface residue N, soil N fractions, and N balance at the 0–20 cm depth in Dooley sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed, frigid, Typic Argiboroll) in eastern Montana, USA. Treatments were no-tilled continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (NTCW), spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (STCW), fall- and spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (FSTCW), fall- and spring-tilled spring wheat–barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (1984–1999) followed by spring wheat–pea (Pisum sativum L.) (2000–2004) (FSTW-B/P), and springtilled spring wheat–fallow (STW-F). Nitrogen fractions were soil total N (STN), particulate organic N (PON), microbial biomass N (MBN), potential N mineralization (PNM), NH 4 -N, and NO3-N. Annualized crop grain and biomass N varied with treatments and years and mean grain and biomass N from 1984 to 2004 were 14.3–21.2 kg N ha � 1 greater in NTCW, STCW, FSTCW, and FSTW-B/P than in STW-F. Soil surface residue N was 9.1–15.2 kg N ha � 1 greater in other treatments than in STW-F in 2004. The STN at 0–20 cm was 0.39–0.96 Mg N ha � 1 , PON 0.10–0.30 Mg N ha � 1 , and PNM 4.6–9.4 kg N ha � 1 greater in other treatments than in STW-F. At 0–5 cm, STN, PON, and MBN were greater in STCW than in FSTW-B/P and STW-F. At 5–20 cm, STN and PON were greater in NTCW and STCW than in STW-F, PNM and MBN were greater in STCW than in NTCW and STW-F, and NO3-N was greater in FSTW-B/P than in NTCW and FSTCW. Estimated N loss through leaching, volatilization, or denitrification at 0–20 cm depth increased with increasing tillage frequency or greater with fallow than with continuous cropping and ranged from 9k g Nh a
THE PREVENTION OF PROSTHETIC INFECTION USING A CROSS-LINKED ALBUMIN COATING IN A RABBIT MODEL

We evaluated the effects of a serum protein coating on prosthetic infection in 29 adult male rabbits divided into three groups: control, albumin-coated and uncoated. We used 34 grit-blasted, commercially pure titanium implants. Eleven were coated with cross-linked albumin. All the implants were exposed to a suspension of Staphylococcus epidermidis before implantation. Our findings showed that albumin-coated implants had a much lower infection rate (27%) than the uncoated implants (62%). This may be a useful method of reducing the infection of prostheses.
A generalizable method for remote sensing of canopy nitrogen across a wide range of forest ecosystems

A growing number of investigations have shown that remote sensing of foliar nitrogen (N) concentration in plant canopies can be achieved with imaging spectroscopy, or hyperspectral remote sensing, from satellite or airborne sensors. Development of this approach has been fueled by recognition that foliar N is related to a variety of ecological and biogeochemical processes, ranging from the spread of invasive species to the ecosystem effects of insect defoliation events to patterns of N cycling in forest soils. To date, most studies have focused on building site-specific foliar N detection algorithms applied to individual scenes or small landscapes that have been intensively characterized with local field measurements. However, the growing number of well-measured sites, combined with improvements in image data quality and processing methods provide an opportunity to begin seeking more general N detection methods that can be applied to a broader range of sites or to locations that lack intensive field measurements. Here, we combine data from several independent efforts in North America, Central America and Australia, to examine whether development of calibration methods to determine canopy nitrogen concentration across a wide range of forest ecosystems is possible. The analysis included data from 137 individual field plots within eight study sites for which imagery has been acquired from NASA's Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and/or Hyperion instruments. The combined dataset was used to evaluate site-specific calibration results as well as results obtained with data pooled across all sites. We evaluated the accuracy of results using plot- and site-level cross-validation wherein individual plots or entire sites were withheld and used as an independent validation of the resulting algorithms. In instances where all sites were represented in the calibration, canopy-level foliar N concentration was predicted to within 7-15% of the mean field-measured values indicating a strong potential for broadly applied foliar N detection. When whole sites were iteratively dropped from the calibration and predicted by remaining data, predictions were still significant, but less accurate (7-47% of mean canopy-level N concentration). This suggests that further development to include a wider range of ecosystems will be necessary before cross-site prediction accuracy approaches that seen in site-specific calibrations. Nevertheless, we view these results as promising, particularly given the potential value of foliar N estimates, even at a reduced level of confidence, at sites for which there is no possibility of conducting field data collections.
Data mining approach to situation-aware sensor actuation in wireless sensor networks

As wireless sensor networks (WSN) are used in seemingly limitless applications with more sensor types available, large sensor data sets are acquired and transmitted for additional processing. These large data sets may cause network traffics slow unnecessarily. The unfiltered transmission of raw data will also consume the WSN batteries inefficiently. In recent years, a few techniques have been developed for event-driven WSNs and sensor collaborations. For example, in traffic surveillance camera systems, video clips are transmitted in the event of car collision noises. Event-driven services run as a preset parameter of surveillance sensing. It is likely that there may be a false-positive event which drives video data to be transmitted unnecessarily, or false-negative event which misses alarms, both leading to accurate surveillance. This paper proposes an adaptive technique for event-driven WSNs, in which learning from a classification process is employed to fine-tune pre-defined data-driven WSNs. Unlike to traditional data classification techniques, outliers of collected sensor data will be one of the critical data points. The proposed technique functions more proactively by being aware of the environmental situation changes. The contribution of this paper includes an adaptive technique of acquiring and utilizing sensor data.
Tuning smooth muscle contraction by molecular motors

As in striated muscle, smooth muscle cells (SMC) contract by Ca2+ activated cyclic interaction between actin and type II myosin. However, smooth muscle maintains tone at basal activating Ca2+ and low energetic cost during sustained activation. This review analyzes the regulation of phasic and tonic contraction of SMC on the molecular level. Type II myosin is the molecular motor also of smooth muscle contraction. Six myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoenzymes (four smooth muscle, two nonmuscle) and five myosin light chain (MLC) isoforms (two 17 kDa, two 20 kDa, one 23 kDa) are expressed in SMC. These myosin subunits could be generated by alternative splicing or by differential gene expression. Thus different myosin isoenzymes are generated which may be modified posttranslationally by phosphorylation, affecting the contractile state of the SMC. Furthermore, they may be part of distinct contractile systems which are targeted by different second messenger cascades and are recruited differentially during activation, electromechanical, and pharmacomechanical coupling. Low energy consumption, shortening velocity, and MLC20 phosphorylation at low Ca2+ activation levels during tone maintenance ("latch") could be explained by a switch from smooth muscle myosin to nonmuscle myosin activation upon prolonged activation.
Heterogeneous track-to-track fusion

Track-to-track fusion using estimates from multiple sensors can achieve better estimation performance than a single sensor. If the local sensors use different system models in different state spaces, the problem of heterogeneous track-to-track fusion arises. Compared with homogeneous track-to-track fusion that assumes the same system model for different sensors, the heterogeneous case poses two major challenges. First, the model heterogeneity problem, namely, that we have to fuse estimates from different state spaces (related by a certain nonlinear transformation); second, the estimation errors' dependence problem, which is generally recognized as the “common process noise effect”. Different heterogeneous track-to-track fusion approaches, namely, the linear minimum mean square error approach and the maximum likelihood approach, are presented and compared with the corresponding centralized measurement tracker/fuser.
Subsurface Transport Modeling Using AdaptiveFinite Elements

A multi-dimensional finite element method (GWADAPT) which utilizes local mesh adaptation is used to calculate groundwater flow and subsurface transport of contaminant in saturated and unsaturated conditions. The model uses simple modifications to increase computational speed and reduce storage, allowing the model to run on PCs and workstations. GWADAPT can be accessed from the web and downloaded to a file. A parallel version of the model runs on an SGI Origin 2000 computer.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF POTASSIUM SILICATE DRILLING FLUID SYSTEM

The influence of potassium chloride and potassium silicate on the rheology and filtration of drilling fluids has been studied. The formulation of the potassium silicate mud system has been established, that is 4% bentonite mud +3% potassium silicate +0.5%-JT_(888)-Ⅲ +3%-FDJ-1 + 2%-QS-2 + 2%-TY540 + 3% SMP-Ⅱ. Results indicate that the potassium silicate mud system has good properties on rheology, filtration and inhibition, and is better than the potassium chloride mud system at( the same dosage. Meanwhile, it has good thermal stability (120℃)) and anti-contaminative ability(5% NaCl, 0.7% CaSO_4).
Notch Transmembrane Domain: Secondary Structure and Topology

The Notch signaling pathway is critical in development, neuronal maintenance, and hematopoiesis. An obligate step in the activation of this pathway is cleavage of its transmembrane (TM) domain by γ-secretase. While the soluble domains have been extensively studied, little has been done to characterize its TM and flanking juxtamembrane (JM) segments. Here, we present the results of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies of the human Notch1 TM/JM domain. The TM domain is largely α-helical. While the flanking JM segments do not adopt regular secondary structure, they interact with the membrane surface, suggesting membrane interactions may play a role in modulating its cleavage by γ-secretase and subsequent NOTCH signaling function.
A Risk and Maintenance Model for Bulimia Nervosa: From Impulsive Action to Compulsive Behavior

This article offers a new model for bulimia nervosa (BN) that explains both the initial impulsive nature of binge eating and purging, as well as the compulsive quality of the fully developed disorder. The model is based on a review of advances in research on BN and advances in relevant basic psychological science. It integrates transdiagnostic personality risk, eating-disorder-specific risk, reinforcement theory, cognitive neuroscience, and theory drawn from the drug addiction literature. We identify both a state-based and a trait-based risk pathway, and we then propose possible state-by-trait interaction risk processes. The state-based pathway emphasizes depletion of self-control. The trait-based pathway emphasizes transactions between the trait of negative urgency (the tendency to act rashly when distressed) and high-risk psychosocial learning. We then describe a process by which initially impulsive BN behaviors become compulsive over time, and we consider the clinical implications of our model. (PsycINFO Database Record
The frequency response of barium titanate ceramics

It is well known in the case of ferromagnetic metals that permeability falls with increasing frequency because the domains begin to lag in their orientation. Above this range of the Barkhausen noise a further steep decrease takes place between about 108 and 1010 cycles/sec. until the permeability is practically reduced to that of free space. The cause for this second decline has been sought in eddy current opposing the turning of the magnetic moments or in skin-effect limiting the penetration depth of the magnetic field.
The effect of macrophage phenotype and surface modification of liposomes on internalization

The properties of nanoparticles play an important role in cellular uptake. In this study, we have investigated the effects of 14 arginine modifications on liposome characteristics such as size, zeta potential, the internalization of fluorescein with non-activated macrophages and changes in IC50 values on LPS-activated, IL-4 activated and non-activated macrophages. It is important to determine the influence of surface modifications of particle characteristics on internalization of different macrophages phenotypes. Here we demonstrated that modified surfaces impact particle internalization and this internalization is dependent on macrophage phenotype. Our data revealed that surface modifications alter the zeta potential and negligibly change particle size. Internalization is tunable through alterations in zeta potential and hydrophobicity. These findings demonstrated that targeted drug delivery to macrophages could be achieved by exploiting material parameter.
A compensation scheme to reduce input current distortion in a GaN based 450 kHz three-phase Vienna type PFC

Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors owing to their low loss and high switching capability, are gradually adopted in high power-density high efficiency applications, and impose new challenges from control to hardware design. In this paper, a Gallium Nitride (GaN) HEMT plus SiC diode based Vienna type rectifier is proposed to serve as the power factor correction stage for a high-density battery charger system. To meet low current harmonic requirement, PWM voltage distortion during turn-off transition, found as the main harmonics contributor, is studied. The distortion mechanism led by different parasitic capacitances of WBG devices is presented. A mitigation scheme is thereafter proposed considering their nonlinear voltage-dependent characteristics and eventually deduced from a pulse-based turn-off compensation to a generic modulation correction. Simulation and experimental results through a 450 kHz enhancement-mode GaN based Vienna type rectifier finally demonstrate the high performance of the proposed approach, showing a THD reduction up to 7% with a relatively low-speed control.
Early, Rather than Late, Weight-Bearing and Range-of-Motion Exercise Improved Early Function But Not Time to Return to Work After Surgical Fixation of Unstable Ankle Fractures.

Dehghan N, McKee MD, Jenkinson RJ, Schemitsch EH, Stas V, Nauth A, Hall JA, Stephen DJ, Kreder HJ. Early weightbearing and range of motion versus non-weightbearing and immobilization after open reduction and internal fixation of unstable ankle fractures: a randomized controlled trial. J Orthop Trauma. 2016 Jul;30(7):345-52. ### Question: In patients who had surgical fixation of unstable ankle fractures, how do early and late weight-bearing and range-of-motion exercise compare for return to work and function? ### Design: Randomized (allocation concealed), unblinded, controlled trial with 12 months of follow-up. ### Setting: 2 trauma centers in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. ### Patients: 110 patients (mean age, 42 years; 54% men) who had isolated, acute, unstable ankle fractures that were treated with stable internal fixation. Exclusion criteria were syndesmotic injuries, posterior malleolar fractures needing fixation, surgical fixation >14 days after injury, grade-III open fractures, tibial plafond fractures, polytrauma, skeletal immaturity, past ipsilateral ankle surgery, nonambulatory status before injury, inability to participate in the intervention or study protocol, or receipt of Workers’ Compensation. 82% of patients provided data for the primary outcome, and ≥84% provided other data at each assessment. ### Intervention: Patients were allocated to early (n = 56) or late (n = 54) weight-bearing and range-of-motion exercise under the direction of physiotherapists. …
Grassland songbird occurrence on remnant prairie patches is primarily determined by landscape characteristics

North American grassland songbird populations have declined significantly due to habitat loss and fragmentation. Understanding the influence of the surrounding landscape on prairie fragment occupancy is vital for predicting the fate of grassland birds in these heavily altered landscapes. We examined the relative importance of local and landscape variables on grassland bird occupancy of prairie fragments using a focal-patch study. We also investigated the spatial scale at which landscape variables were most influential. We surveyed birds on 29 unplowed prairie fragments in western Minnesota and eastern North and South Dakota. We quantified local habitat on the fragment using vegetation surveys and aerial photographs and the landscape surrounding the fragment out to 4 km using aerial photographs. We analyzed occupancy using multi-model approaches applied to multiple logistic regression. Of 38 species encountered, nine were neither too rare nor too abundant to be analyzed. Predictors of patch occupancy were unique for each bird species, yet general patterns emerged. For eight species, landscape variables were more important than local variables. Mostly, those landscape variables measured configuration (e.g., edge density) and not composition (e.g., percent cover of a particular matrix element). Landscape effects were mostly from variables measured at the greatest extents from the prairie fragment. Using a focal-patch study design we demonstrated the importance of the surrounding landscape, often out to 4 km from the fragment edge, on prairie occupancy by grassland birds. Effective management of grassland songbirds will require attention to the landscape context of prairie fragments.
Hemostasis in endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery using the Aquamantys bipolar sealer: Technical note.

Abstract Background A major challenge during endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery is adequate intraoperative hemostasis. The Aquamantys® is a relatively new bipolar sealing device which uses radiofrequency energy and saline. This promotes hemostasis while decreasing charring and thermal spread. In this paper, we describe our experience with the Aquamantys® Mini EVS 3.4 Epidural Vein Sealer Bipolar Electrocautery System (Medtronic Advanced Energy, Portsmouth, NH, USA) during endoscopic surgery for tumors of the skull base with particular attention to ergonomic benefits and technical nuances. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of all patients undergoing endoscopic surgery for skull base tumors from September 2012 to June 2016 at our institution. All procedures used the Aquamantys® system. 45 cases were identified. Results Successful hemostasis was achieved in all cases with an average estimated blood loss (EBL) of 46 mL (Range 10–250). There were no intraoperative complications. The single-shaft design allowed for excellent manipulation compared to pistol-grip bipolar forceps. The thermal energy provided excellent radial coverage without extensive penetration into viable pituitary tissue. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the largest series documenting the use of the Aquamantys® system in skull base surgery. The device is easily mobile and highly effective within the endonasal corridor and should be a tool in the repertoire of the endoneurosurgeon. Randomized control trials would be useful in comparing EBL between the Aquamantys® and standard bipolar electrocautery.
Trends in the presentation, surgical treatment, and outcomes of tethered cord syndrome: A nationwide study from 2001 to 2010.

Abstract Objective This is a nationwide query into surgical management techniques for tethered cord syndrome, focusing on patient demographic, hospital characteristics, and treatment outcomes. Our hypothesis is that detethering vs. fusion for TCS results in different in-hospital complications. Materials and methods Retrospective review of the Nationwide Inpatient Sample 2001–2010. Inclusion: TCS discharges undergoing detethering or fusion. Sub-analysis compared TCS cases by age (pediatric [≤9 years] vs. adolescent [10–18 year]). Independent t-tests identified differences between fusion and detethering for hospital-related and surgical factors; multivariate analysis investigated procedure as a risk factor for complications/mortality. Results 6457 TCS discharges: 5844 detetherings, 613 fusions. Fusion TCS had higher baseline Deyo Index (0.16 vs. 0.06), procedure-related complications (21.3% vs. 7.63%), and mortality (0.33% vs. 0.09%) than detethering, all p Conclusions With fusion identified as a significant risk factor for mortality and multiple procedure-related complications in TCS surgical patients, this study could aid surgeons in counseling TCS patients to optimize outcomes.
Porous silicon substrates support osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells

Osteoblastic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on planar silicon (bare silicon), and porous silicon (microporous and nanoporous) fabricated by electrochemical etching of silicon in ethanol-HF based electrolyte was investigated. MSCs were allowed to differentiate into osteoblasts on all the three substrates with the addition of osteogenic differentiation media, and observations were made at an interval of day 7, day 14, and day 21. Immunofluorescence assays were conducted to observe for expressions of bone proteins such as osteopontin (OP) and osteonectin (ON) that are considered as markers of osteogenic lineage. Cell proliferation was determined using the MTT assay. Calcium mineral deposits of these differentiated MSCs were quantified using the Alizarin Red assay. The differentiated MSCs tend to produce both OP and ON on all the three substrates and the amount of OP and ON expressed increased overtime. A decrease in cell proliferation was observed on day 14 in comparison to day 7. Quantification of calcium mineral deposits show that nanoporous-Si induces the highest level of calcium mineral production in comparison to bare and microporous-Si when cultured for a period of 21 days. The data suggest that nanoporous silicon is a suitable scaffold for the differentiation of MSCs to osteoblasts, and provides future potentials for its use in animal experiments.
Risk prediction in children and adults less than 45 years old with papillary thyroid cancer.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The incidence of papillary thyroid cancer is increasing faster than any other cancer in young patients. The purpose of this review is to discuss the most recent determinants of risk of recurrence and compromised outcomes in this population.Areas covered: This review discusses the most updated data on patient age, including children and young adults, extent of disease and subsequent dynamic staging over time, molecular markers for disease aggressiveness, adequacy of surgical resection and surgeon volume, and novel therapies for advanced non-resectable disease as predictors of patient outcomes.Expert commentary: Young patients enjoy excellent outcomes, with long-term survivorship, but face higher risks of short-term complications and disease recurrence. Thoughtful evaluation of the extent of disease, tumor features associated with more aggressive behavior, the presence of locoregional or distant metastases, and an understanding of molecular changes in their tumors are important areas o...
A Unified Materials Approach to Mitigating Optical Nonlinearities in Optical Fiber. II. B. The Optical Fiber, Material Additivity and the Nonlinear Coefficients

The purpose of this paper, Part IIB in the trilogy [1-3], is to describe the continuum models employed to deduce the effects of differential thermal expansion in the clad optical fiber in addition to the nonlinear optical behaviors at high intensities of light. In this continuation of Part II.A, more of the state-of-the-art in W-S-based continuum materials models is reviewed here with specific examples provided based on canonical material systems suggested from the findings of Part I and treated in detail in Part III. Part II.B pays particular attention to the optical fiber and its nonlinearities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Los «teatros ardientes» de Andrés Sánchez Robayna: percepción, realidad y palabra

En los poemas de Sanchez Robayna asistimos a la experiencia de la percepcion situada en el cuerpo presencial de una primera persona que atentamente mira el mundo para determinar lo que es la cosa, analizar como se manifiesta, como se produce la experiencia perceptiva y como se relaciona con la propia subjetividad. Se trata de dilucidar las leyes que rigen la experiencia de la percepcion con el fin de constituir un mundo que tenga sentido. Si la percepcion conlleva el intelecto para este poeta en una conexion “organica”, el entorno se manifiesta como una compleja red de relaciones cuyo sentido se mantiene opaco pues la palabra, que es conocimiento, es tambien desconocimiento, sonido y silencio, significante e interioridad. En esos intersticios vertiginosos se producen conjunciones perceptivas donde se borran los limites de las cosas dando paso a las percepciones de elementos entrecruzados y superpuestos de los «teatros ardientes» que la realidad es para este poeta. In Sanchez Robayna’s poems we witness the experience of perception situated and embodied in a first person subject who attentively looks at the world to determine what is the thing observed, how it manifests itself, how perception occurs and how it relates to the observer’s subjectivity. The goal is to elucidate the laws ruling perception in order to construct a meaningful world. If perception for this poet implies intellect in a sort of “organic” connection, the surrounding space reveals itself as a complex network of relations whose meaning remains opaque because the word, which is knowledge, sound and signifier, is also ignorance, silence, and interiority. In these vertiginous interstices perceptual conjunctions take place where borderlines among things become blurred leading to perception of the mixed and overlapping elements that “burning theatres” that are reality for this poet.
Enforcement of opacity by public and private insertion functions

Abstract We study the enforcement of opacity, an information-flow security property, using insertion functions that insert fictitious events at the output of the system. The intruder is characterized as a passive external observer whose malicious goal is to infer system secrets from observed traces of system events. We consider the problems of enforcing opacity under the assumption that the intruder either knows or does not know the structure of the insertion function; we term this requirement as public–private enforceability. The case of private enforceability alone, where the intruder does not know the form of the insertion function, is solved in our prior work. In this paper, we address the stronger requirement of public–private enforceability, that requires opacity be preserved even if the intruder knows or discovers the structure of the insertion function. We formulate the concept of public–private enforceability by defining the notion of public safety. This leads to the notion of public–private enforcing (PP-enforcing) insertion functions. We then identify a necessary and sufficient condition for an insertion function to be PP-enforcing. We further show that if opacity is privately enforceable by the insertion mechanism, then it is also public–private enforceable. Using these results, we present a new algorithm to synthesize PP-enforcing insertion functions by a greedy-maximal strategy. This algorithm is the first of its kind to guarantee opacity when insertion functions are made public or discovered by the intruder.
Queer Daughters and Their Mothers: Carole Maso, Mary Cappello and Alison Bechdel Write Their Way Home

Bona extends a fundamental development in mother-daughter studies by examining experimental American writers whose Italian ancestral identities are modulated in innovative ways. Focusing on writers Carole Maso, Mary Cappello and Alison Bechdel, the chapter incorporates practices of postmodernism and feminist thought to examine a shift away from traditional immigrant plots and generational adjustment to female-centred relations, complementary forms of mothering, and creative acts of artistic mothers, to whom daughters pay homage. “Queer Daughters” concludes by reprising various homecomings between mother and daughter and relocating queer identity within the family home.
Commentary: Measuring Language Change through Natural Language Samples.

The role of language in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), more specifically, its function in social communication and strong predictive power on future outcomes, warrants language assessments that have good psychometric properties that capture the heterogeneity of language ability found among diagnosed individuals. Given the rapid growth in intervention and treatment research, there is an urgent need for the development and implementation of outcome measures that are easily obtained and sensitive to change. In this commentary, we argue for the use of natural language samples as measures of expressive language and communication for this purpose and review the literature on their implementation in ASD research. Conceptual and measurement issues are discussed and future developments are outlined.
Select Agent Regulations

Abstract Several events over the past two decades have changed the way scientists acquire and work with pathogenic microorganisms and toxins in the United States and internationally. The Select Agent Regulations, which were promulgated by CDC and APHIS to address concerns raised by these events, have been in effect for more than 20 years. Knowledge of these and other regulations that will impact the practice of microbial forensics is essential.
Evaluation and Management of Lateral Ankle Pain Following Injury.

Ankle sprains are the most common disorder in patients with lateral ankle pain; however, other pathologies can present similarly and can require different treatments.In the acute setting, it is important to evaluate for subtle fractures that may mimic an ankle sprain, including fractures of the late
Using Vividness Interventions to Improve Financial Decision Making

Prior policy work has effectively eased some financial problems that Americans face: Automatic enrollment in retirement saving accounts has drastically increased the number of workers who participa...