cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Health implications of inorganic phosphate additives in food products: a systematic review

Background: Evidence based data identifies phosphate additives in food products as a public health concern, especially in the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, there is limited public awareness of the risks associated with phosphate additives. This study focuses on a systematic review of findings on health implications of phosphate additives, with the aim of strengthening public health knowledge, insight, understanding and prevention of exposure to phosphate toxicity and chronic diseases. Methods: Studies with primary data on phosphate additives were identified using keyword electronic database search in PubMed and BMC. To meet the review criteria, articles needed to (1) be published in English (2) focus on phosphate additives (3) address the potential health risks associated with phosphate additives (4) identify existing health problems caused by phosphate additives (5) published between 2005 to 2017 to provide a more dynamic review and (6) hold a strong research evidence that confirms the associated risks of phosphate additives. Results: Findings from reviewed literature suggest a link between high phosphate content in food products and chronic renal failure, cardiovascular complications, accelerated aging process, allergic reactions and increased morality rate. The need to regulate the use of phosphates additives in food products and strengthen public health education is essential to minimise high exposure to phosphate additives. Conclusions: Further research, proper food labelling, strict regulation of unhealthy food additives, nutrition education and sensitisation of consumers are required to minimise exposure to phosphate additives and susceptibility to chronic diseases.
Concurrent topology optimization of multiscale structures with multiple porous materials under random field loading uncertainty

Design of multiscale structures is a challenging task due to a vast design space of both materials and structures. Consideration of load uncertainty adds another level of complexity. In this paper, a robust concurrent TO (topology optimization) approach is developed for designing multiscale structures composed of multiple porous materials under random field loading uncertainty. To determine the optimal distribution of the porous materials at the macro/structural scale, our key idea is to employ the discrete material optimization method to interpolate the material properties for multiple porous materials. In addition, for the first time we interpret the interpolation schemes in the existing concurrent TO model of porous material with a clear physical meaning by putting forward a SIMP-like single interpolation scheme. This scheme integrates the SIMP (Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization) at the microscale and PAMP (Porous Anisotropic Material with Penalization) at the macroscale into a single equation. Efficient uncertainty characterization and propagation methods based on K-L expansion and linear superposition are introduced, and several important improvements in objective function evaluation and sensitivity analysis are presented. Improved sensitivity analysis equations are derived for volume preserving filtering, which is employed to deal with numerical instabilities at the macro and micro scales in the robust concurrent TO model. Measures to ensure manufacturability and to improve analysis accuracy and efficiency are devised. 2D and 3D examples demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach in simultaneously obtaining robust optimal macro structural topology and material microstructural topologies.
iCollaborate or Not: Does Technology Impede Collaborative Learning among Primary Grade Students?

The practice of education promotes both social interaction and the utilization of technology. Although significant research has explored the role of technology in education, less attention has considered the effect of technology on group learning processes. This experimental study examined the way in which technology affected group interactions among primary grades youth who were engaged in a learning task. The social processes in the learning groups that used technology showed little difference from the groups not using technology, except for a measure that tracked role fulfillment. The report compares the groups and discusses ICT mediated collaborative learning. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.17.5.5
Spectrometric Determination of Chromium in FD&C Blue No. 1 by X-Ray Fluorescence

An X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) method was developed and validated for determination of chromium in FD&C Blue No. 1. Results of this analysis were compared with those obtained with an atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) method currently used by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Levels of Cr, as determined by the XRF and AAS methods, were comparable. The limit of quantitation for the XRF method is 4 micrograms Cr/g. The predicted 95% confidence interval at the specification level is 50 +/- 5 micrograms/g.
Executive dysfunction is associated with an altered executive control network in pediatric temporal lobe epilepsy.

Abstract Objectives Children with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) exhibit executive dysfunction on traditional neuropsychological tests. However, there is limited evidence of neural network alterations associated with this clinical executive dysfunction. The objective of this study was to characterize working memory deficits in children with TLE via activation of the executive control network on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and determine the relationships to fMRI behavioral findings and traditional neuropsychological tests. Experimental design Functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted on 17 children with TLE and 18 healthy control participants (age 8–16 years) while they performed the N-back task in order to assess activation of the executive control network. N-back accuracy, N-back reaction time, and traditional neuropsychological tests (Delis–Kaplan Executive Function System [D-KEFS] color–word interference and card-sort test) were also assessed. Principal observations Children with TLE exhibited executive dysfunction on D-KEFS testing, reduced N-back accuracy, and increased N-back reaction time compared with healthy controls; D-KEFS and N-back behavioral findings were significantly correlated. Children with TLE also exhibited significant reduction in activation of the frontal lobe within the executive control network compared to healthy controls. These alterations were significantly correlated with N-back behavioral findings and D-KEFS testing. Conclusions Children with TLE exhibit executive dysfunction, which correlates with executive control network alterations. This lends validity to the theory that the executive control network contributes to working memory function. The findings also indicate that children with TLE have network alterations in nontemporal brain regions.
Is Justice Finite? The Case of Environmental Inclusion

Over the past 25 years, the environmental movement has argued for an increasingly wider consideration in our thinking about the natural world. It has argued, first, that a broader constituency is entitled to natural resources and, second, that a broader range of societal arrangements affect the natural world. Both inclusionary trends offer the opportunity to examine the social and psychological factors that widen a society’s “scope of justice,” the psychological boundary for extending considerations of fairness toward others. Tracing successively broader ecophilosophies over the past quarter century and describing typologies of values and research on the scope of justice, this chapter examines social psychological factors that can widen and constrict the scope of justice. Looking at this increasingly inclusionary environmental trend raises the question, “Does inclusion have limits?” The next section describes the scope of justice and its relevance to environmental attitudes and behavior.
Physicians and exercise promotion.

Regular exercise has been associated with numerous health benefits. In response, the promotion of regular exercise for patients has become a recommended component of preventive health care. The extent to which primary care physicians encourage their patients to exercise and the factors associated with exercise promotion are not well elucidated. We surveyed the attitudes and practices of 63 family physicians and 63 internists regarding exercise promotion to patients. We evaluated the associations between demography, cognition, belief, and behavior with exercise promotion. Several factors were associated with physicians’ recommending exercise to their patients. A logistic regression model suggests that physicians who have a follow-up plan, who have been in practice over 10 years, who exercise themselves, and who estimate that more than 10% of their patients exercise encourage exercise in >50% of their patients.
The Use of Multiple Goals in Cognitive Editing of Arguments

The editorial criteria reported in earlier studies of the research program on cognitive editing of arguments are, in this study, factor analyzed and found to fall into three main categories: effect...
The Core Curriculum Content of NASPAA-Accredited Programs: Fundamentally Alike or Different?

This paper uses data from National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration accreditation self-study reports to determine the extent to which core curricula focus on the public a...
Friendship as a Social Institution

In the context of one specific type of social relationship, friendship, rules of propriety are in this essay shown to be simply and distinctively transformed within relationships; the role of these transformed proprieties in initiating and maintaining such intimate relationships is carefully explored. The personal and social functions of the transformed morality of friendship (including, again, the insulation of deviance) are so great as to foster the institutionalization of friendship. Relations with other institutions and organizations—particularly the “bridging function” of friendship—are examined in this light.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act and Corporate Investment: New Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Prior studies conclude that one of the economic costs of complying with the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (SOX) is lower corporate investment. U.S. firms with a public float above $75 million during 2002-2004 had to comply with Section 404 of SOX, whereas firms with a smaller public float in each of those three years could delay compliance until at least 2007. Using this setting as a natural quasi-experiment to isolate the effects that were uniquely due to Section 404 of SOX, we compare investment activities for the two groups of firms around the $75 million threshold. In contrast to prior studies, we do not find a reduction in investment for firms that had to comply with SOX relative to those that could delay compliance. Our results challenge the conventional wisdom that SOX caused firms to decrease corporate investment.
Catheter burden following urogynecologic surgery

Background Data on the experience that women who undergo urogynecologic surgery have with postoperative catheterization are severely limited. As the importance of our patients’ perioperative experience becomes more valued, assessment of the burden of postoperative catheterization, which has not yet been performed, is increasingly needed. Objective The aim of this study was to compare catheter burden in women who self-selected use of an indwelling Foley catheter vs clean intermittent self-catheterization for voiding dysfunction after reconstructive pelvic surgery. Study Design This is a nested study within a nonblinded randomized controlled trial of 2 different voiding trial protocols that was conducted from March to October 2017. Women who underwent pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence surgery who were English speaking and ≥18 years old with a preoperative postvoid residual Results Of 150 participants, 77 women (51%) did not pass their voiding trial; of those, 47 women (61%) were discharged home with an indwelling catheter and 30 women (39%) with self-catheterization. Baseline demographics were similar, except that women who chose an indwelling Foley catheter were older (62±11 vs 55±11 years; P Conclusion In women who used either an indwelling Foley catheter or clean intermittent self-catheterization for management of postoperative voiding dysfunction after pelvic reconstructive surgery, there were no differences in difficulty of use, embarrassment, or overall catheter burden. There were also no differences in nonvoiding-related postoperative phone calls or clinic visits, with similar rates of urinary tract infection between the 2 groups.
Next Generation Medical Management of Postpartum Hemorrhage.

Background Postpartum hemorrhage remains a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality of women of childbearing age worldwide. Trends in both incidence and severity of postpartum hemorrhage are increasing which makes it imperative to identify drugs that could target prevention and/or treatment of these postpartum hemorrhages for women living in high, middle and low-income countries. Methods We have reviewed current advances in the medical management of postpartum hemorrhage focusing on non-uterotonic therapy. We specifically describe the use and mechanism of action of tranexamic acid (TXA) and fibrinogen concentrate. Furthermore, we address the existing data for using these medications in postpartum hemorrhage, highlighting both strengths and limitations. Results This review describes a new generation of medications that are promising for the prevention and/or treatment of postpartum hemorrhage. For patients at risk for significant hemorrhage, TXA has been shown to reduce intraoperative blood loss and can be given as a prophylactic agent. For the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage, early use of TXA has the potential to reduce mortality. In addition, some data exists supporting the use of fibrinogen concentrate, though more studies are required to help formulate guidelines for its use. Conclusion A promising new approach for the management of severe postpartum hemorrhage is using medications that alter coagulation. More data are needed to describe ideal patient populations, dosing, the time of administration, and infusion rate.
Multifaceted Approach to Enhance Pill-Swallowing Ability in Children and Adults With Barth Syndrome

Importance: People with Barth syndrome (BTHS) present with sensory and motor deficits that affect their ability to swallow medications in solid form. Inability to swallow pills can reduce opportunities for people with BTHS to participate in clinical trial research. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a brief, multifaceted pill-swallowing program that used evidence-based training methods. Design: Pretest–posttest with 6-mo follow-up. Setting: Community setting. Participants: A convenience sample of children, adolescents, and adults with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of BTHS. Intervention: Possible intervention strategies included behavioral approaches (e.g., shaping), adaptive approaches, and positioning approaches. Interventions were tailored to each participant’s needs and were carried out by occupational therapy practitioners with advanced training in feeding and eating. Outcomes and Measures: Pill-swallowing milestones were ranked on a scale ranging from 0 to 12; participants were scored pretraining, immediately posttraining, and at 6-mo posttraining. Results: Sixteen participants with BTHS, ages 6–34 yr, participated in the training. Fourteen of the 16 participants demonstrated improvement in their pill-swallowing ability. Overall, there was a statistically significant change in pill-swallowing ability from pretraining to posttraining, and these changes were maintained after 6 mo. Conclusions and Relevance: This study suggests that a brief multifaceted training approach, led by trained professionals, may be effective for helping people with sensory and motor deficits learn to swallow pills independently. What This Article Adds: Very little has been published in the occupational therapy literature describing how to teach the skill of pill swallowing to clients or how to measure progress toward this goal. This study tested the outcomes of a multifaceted approach to pill swallowing that can be conducted by occupational therapy practitioners; a novel measurement approach is also introduced that can be used with clients in clinical practice
Genetic Transformation of Wheat

Transgenic plants of two spring and one winter cultivar of wheat were produced by the direct introduction of DNA, either into long-term regenerable callus cultures, or into immature embryos and young calli. The presence of the herbicide resistant bar gene was demonstrated by phosphinothricin acetyltransferase activity, resistance to the herbicide basta, and DNA hybridization. The bar gene segregated as a dominant Mendelian trait in sexual progeny.
Insufficiency fractures of the sacrum following stereotactic body radiotherapy for sacral tumors.

Introduction There is little data on sacral insufficiency fracture(SIF) incidence following pelvic radiotherapy, with existing studies based on conventional fractionation. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), characterized by dose escalation with hypofractionation, may pose even greater risks to sacral integrity. This study aims to define SIF incidence and risk factors following SBRT. Methods Records of 43 consecutive patients who underwent sacral SBRT from September 2005-May 2009 were reviewed. Baseline patient information (age, gender, menopausal status, body mass index, use of bone-thinning agents, presence of osteoporosis), tumor characteristics (histology, lesion appearance and extent) and treatment parameters (dose/fractionation, prior radiation/surgery) were documented. Primary end-point was development of new fractures or progression of pre-existing fractures. Secondary end-points included pain scores, analgesic use, functional ability, and local tumor control. Results Median follow-up was 17months. Common histologies included sarcoma, renal cell, and prostate carcinoma; 47% of lesions were lytic, 37% sclerotic and the remainder mixed. Doses ranged from 18-24Gy/1fraction to 30Gy/5fractions with 45% receiving single fractions.14% had prior radiation (median dose: 30Gy/10fractions).Five patients developed SIF. In four, fractures occurred in the context of controlled local disease. Median time to SIF was 8.2months. Symptoms varied from minimal pain requiring no intervention to severe pain impacting on function. Two patients underwent sacroplasty due to intractable pain, with both obtaining good analgesia. Low event numbers precluded meaningful univariate/multivariate analyses. One-year local tumor control rates were excellent (91.7%). Conclusion In this study, actuarial SIF incidence at one year was 8.2%, suggesting that SIF risk from sacral SBRT is low. However, larger prospective studies with longer follow-up are needed. In addition, novel therapies such as sacroplasty need further study to determine safety, efficacy and indications for use.
Functions of Bacterial tRNA Modifications: From Ubiquity to Diversity

Modified nucleotides in tRNA are critical components of the translation apparatus, but their importance in the process of translational regulation had until recently been greatly overlooked. Two breakthroughs have recently allowed a fuller understanding of the importance of tRNA modifications in bacterial physiology. One is the identification of the full set of tRNA modification genes in model organisms such as Escherichia coli K12. The second is the improvement of available analytical tools to monitor tRNA modification patterns. The role of tRNA modifications varies greatly with the specific modification within a given tRNA and with the organism studied. The absence of these modifications or reductions can lead to cell death or pleiotropic phenotypes or may have no apparent visible effect. By linking translation through their decoding functions to metabolism through their biosynthetic pathways, tRNA modifications are emerging as important components of the bacterial regulatory toolbox.
Primary Care of the Adult Liver Transplant Recipient

Liver transplant remains the treatment of choice for those dying from the complications of chronic liver disease. Long-term survival following transplant is excellent, and primary care providers are essential to their overall management. Primary care providers are often the first point of health care contact for post-liver transplant patients, necessitating familiarity with a range of issues related to transplantation and immunosuppression. This chapter reviews common post-liver transplant concerns encountered in adult primary care, including surgical sequalae, evaluation of abnormal liver tests, metabolic disease and obesity, medication management, contraception and fertility, and mental health and substance use disorders.
Praise Rather Than Solving Problems: Understanding the Doxological Turn of Laudato Si’ through Lonergan:

This article employs the thought of Bernard Lonergan to understand the significance of Pope Francis’s doxological and eucharistic emphases in Laudato Si’. By drawing parallels between Lonergan’s id...
Relationship between Nomophobia and Attention among Medical Students in Jakarta

Background : The advancements in technology in the form of smartphones have made life easier; however, some negative effects have been recorded with regards to the use of smartphone. Among these negative effects are nomophobia, or a phobia of no mobile phone, and lack of attention. This study explored the relationship between nomophobia and attention in medical students. Methods : This was a cross-sectional analytic study on medical students in Jakarta in 2019. The Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) was used to measure the level of nomophobia and the Six Letter Cancellation Test (SLCT) was used to measure attention. Data collected were analyzed using a simple linear regression test. Result: There was a weak negative relationship between the severity of nomophobia and attention (r=.161). However, nomophobia score was a very weak predictor for attention with an adjusted r-squared score of .021. Conclusions: Nomophobia does not necessarily affect the attention of medical students. Excessive mobile phone use does cause nomophobia and lack of attention. Therefore, smartphones need to be used wisely.
The Effects of School Size on Parental Involvement and Social Capital: Evidence from the ELS 2002

An increasingly prominent approach to school reform emphasizes the possible benefits of creating smaller schools. Proponents argue that small schools are more effective than large schools at promoting student achievement, in large part because they have positive effects on the engagement and social interactions of students and staff. The analysis presented here explores another potentially distinct effect of small schools: the enhanced involvement of students’ parents in the school and the promotion of social capital in the larger community. We present new empirical evidence on whether the size of public high schools influences measures of parental involvement and social capital. This analysis is based on nationally representative data from the base year of the recent Education Longitudinal Study of 2002 (ELS:2002). In addition to conducting standard multivariate analyses, we attempt to establish bounds on the causal effects of school size by using the differences in observed traits across parents connected to smaller and larger schools as a guide to the size and direction of their potentially confounding unobserved traits. The results presented here provide tentative evidence that small schools are more effective in promoting parental involvement in schools as well as engagement in the broader community. We find that in rural communities smaller high schools not only increase the probability that parents take part in parent-teacher association activities and volunteer at the school but also promote some measures of social capital (for example, knowledge of other parents and community identification). However, we find no such evidence in suburban communities. Unfortunately, there are so few small schools in the urban communities in our data that we cannot say much about the influence of school size in these contexts. Taken as a whole, our results suggest that there may be some beneficial effects of small schools on the outcomes we consider, but there may also be cultural or economic features unique to rural communities that limit the external validity of these results for other areas.
Investigation of Diurnal Fluctuations of Heat and Water Distributions Around Landmines Impacted by Soil Heterogeneity

The environment in which landmines are placed is heterogeneous. Such differences in soil type, packing and moisture, combined with changes in surface and climate conditions can oftentimes mask the presence of a mine. Understanding the impact of heterogeneity on heat and mass transfer behavior near landmines is paramount to properly identifying landmine locations for demining operations. This study investigates the impact of soil heterogeneity on soil moisture and temperature distributions around buried objects to increase understanding of environmental conditions most dynamic to mine detection performance. A ten-day field experiment was conducted with sensors monitoring atmospheric, surface, and subsurface conditions relative to four different conditions associated with landmine emplacement. Experimental results demonstrate distinct behaviors in soil moisture and temperature distributions above and around buried objects that change due to soil heterogeneity and different climate conditions (i.e., temperature and rain events).
Integrated Predictive Powertrain Control for a Multimode Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

Due to the complexity of a multimode plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) powertrain, the energy management strategy of the said powertrain is a prime candidate for the application of optimal control methods. This article presents a predictive control strategy for optimal mode selection and powertrain control for a multimode PHEV capable of real-time control. This method utilizes predictions of future vehicle behavior in order to plan an optimal path of vehicle powertrain modes that minimizes energy consumption. This article also presents the integration of the developed optimal mode control strategy with an optimal powersplit strategy using nonlinear model predictive control to create a real-time integrated predictive powertrain controller (IPPC) responsible for all aspects of multimode PHEV powertrain supervisory control. The IPPC provides a real-time optimal solution to address the major challenge of a multimode HEV powertrain control: an integrated discrete and continuous optimization. Testing in simulation has shown the IPPC to be capable of reducing PHEV energy consumption by 4%–10% across real-world and standard drive cycles. In addition, the presented IPPC was deployed onto a rapid prototyping embedded controller where on-road, real-time testing has shown the IPPC to be capable of providing an energy reduction of 5%, thus confirming the energy savings observed in simulation.
The effect of anomalous resistivity on fast electrothermal instability

This manuscript presents a new theoretical contribution toward the growth rate of the “fast” form of electrothermal instability (ETI) in the presence of anomalous resistivity (AR). Current-driven ETI is present in all pulsed-power platforms, and has been shown to seed the disruptive magneto Rayleigh–Taylor instability. Fluid simulations of low-density, current-carrying plasmas are often subject to nonphysical runaway Ohmic heating due to an under predicted resistivity when using purely collisional resistivity models. AR models provide mechanisms to increase the resistivity as the drift speed increases through increased current density. The derivation of a new, generalized growth rate is presented for the ETI, which includes a resistivity that is dependent on current density, and marks the key contributions of this work. This new growth rate is then compared to the growth rate without AR. Although the striation form of the ETI growth rate is unaffected by the inclusion of AR, the filamentation form of the ETI growth rate depends on the AR. Hence, the new growth rate is verified through 1D simulations of the filamentation form of ETI. The impact of AR can be significant: up to twelve orders of magnitude on the temporally varying local growth rate for a certain choice of parameters. For experimentally relevant conditions based on kinetic simulations, the growth rate can be increased by up to four orders of magnitude if the AR is dominated by the lower-hybrid drift instability.
Aircraft Structural Analysis on an Analog Computer

Technique of using electric analogs with passive elements to represent elastic structures; application to complex, highly redundant aircraft structures; examples of structural analyses and solutions by electric analog computer.
Designing a Crowdsourcing Tool to Analyze Relationships Among Jazz Musicians: The Case of Linked Jazz 52nd Street.

We discuss the design of Linked Jazz 52nd Street, a crowdsourcing tool using linked data technology to build a social network of jazz musicians through the analysis of their personal and professional relationships.
Fixation of the central nervous system for electron microscopy by aldehyde perfusion: III. Structural changes after exsanguination and delayed perfusion

Brain tissue from aldehyde-perfused rats was analyzed with the electron microscope with respect to qualitative structural changes due to exsanguination and delayed perfusion from 5 to 60 minutes. More severe alterations were generally found after 15, 30, and 60 minutes as compared with those after 5 minutes of perfusion delay. The extracellular space was found increased after 15, 30, and 60 minutes of perfusion delay. Triple-layered membranes and myelin sheath structures were generally found resistant to the experimental procedure. Most intracellular organelles changed due to the adverse fixation situation, but changes were not at any stage ubiquitous. Nuclear material generally displayed aggregation. Nuclear membrane and α-cytomembrane cisternae widened. This was especially prominent in glial cells. Sometimes attached ribosomal particles appeared to become detached. Ribosomal aggregates showed tendency for separation into single ribosome-like particles. Golgi membrane complexes formed rounded structures, occasionally with circular continuity. Mitochondria swelled with or without retention of internal material. Some mitochondria exhibited evidence of internal autolysis, while others appeared in ring forms or partially constricted. Particularly in cerebellar Purkinje cells, stacks of small membrane-bound cisternae were associated with α-cytomembrane-bound cisternae. Both types of cisternae were also often associated with constricted mitochondria. The observed structural changes warrant the conclusion that each cell type and also individual cells differ significantly in response to disturbances enforced by the perfusion delay. Fixation criteria can be constructed for each organelle system.
The Long-Run Elasticity of New Housing Supply in the United States: Empirical Evidence for 1950 to 1994

The long-run price elasticity for alternative specifications of new housing supply is estimated using U.S. annual data for 1950 through 1994. The basic model expresses residential construction as a linear function of new housing price and the prices of construction inputs. Long-run elasticities range from 1.6 to 3.7, suggesting that new housing supply is price elastic. Residential construction responds to both the real interest and expected inflation rates, but other construction cost variables perform poorly. However, the results are sensitive to the time-series processes underlying the variables. A modified model that expresses residential construction as a function of changes in input prices, rather than their levels, produces a long-run elasticity of about 0.8 and a significant inverse relationship between new housing supply and the construction wage rate.
Formin conformations during processive actin elongation

Formins are a class of actin binding proteins that regulate the elongation and nucleation of actin filaments and they are key to maintaining cellular morphology. The mammalian formin-like 3 (FMNL3) protein is essential for the formation of filopodia, projections of the plasma membrane that enable cell motility. Formins contain a highly conserved formin homology 2 (FH2) domain that dimerizes through interactions of the lasso and post subdomains. These dimers bind to actin filament barbed ends to mediate elongation and prevent inhibition of filament growth by capping proteins, thereby ensuring the formation of long, linear actin filaments. The FH2 dimer is able to remain associated with the growing end of the filament during elongation through the flexibility of linker regions that connect the FH2 subunits. A previous structural study of the yeast formin Bni1p FH2 domain was found to form a complex with three adjacent actin subunits, supporting a simple stepping model of formin-mediated actin polymerization...
Horseradish peroxidase His-42 --> Ala, His-42 --> Val, and Phe-41 --> Ala mutants. Histidine catalysis and control of substrate access to the heme iron.

Polyhistidine-tagged horseradish peroxidase (hHRP) and its F41A, H42A, and H42V mutants have been expressed in an insect cell system. Kinetic studies show that the rates of Compound I formation and peroxidative catalysis are greatly decreased by the His-42 mutation. Furthermore, Compound II is not detected during turnover of the His-42 mutants. Compounds I and II are the two- and one-electron oxidized intermediates, respectively, of hHRP. In peroxygenative catalysis, the F41A and H42A mutants catalyze thioanisole sulfoxidation 100 and 10 times faster, respectively, than hHRP. Styrene epoxidation is catalyzed by both the Phe-41 and His-42 mutants but not by wild-type hHRP. The higher peroxygenase activity of the mutants reflects increased accessibility of the ferryl species. This is indicated by the finding that, contrary to the reaction with wild-type hHRP, reaction of phenyldiazene with the F41A mutant yields a new and unidentified product, and the same reaction with the His-42 mutants yields phenyl-iron complexes. Phe-41 and His-42 thus shield the iron-centered catalytic species, and His-42 plays a key catalytic role in the formation of Compound I. The peroxygenase activities of the Phe-41 and His-42 mutants approach those of cytochrome P450.
World Trends And Issues In Adult Education On The Eve Of The Twenty-First Century

The forces of globalization today seem to have overwhelmed the historical political-cultural mission of adult education. Both in the North and the South, adult education is asked to contribute directly to productivity and thereby to competitiveness in the global market. The social component that survives is expected to help in coping with globalization. Voices of conscience and sanity have been raised at world summits in Rio (1992), Cairo (1994), Copenhagen (1995), Beijing (1995), and elsewhere. However, policies, plans and practices have not matched the declarations and agendas from the summits. The programs spawned by the Education for All conference of 1990 side-lined adult education, and so did the Report to UNESCO of the International Commission on Education for the Twenty-First Century (1996). The Fifth International Conference on Adult Education held in Hamburg during July 14–18, 1997 was marked by renewed commitment and solidarity. However, challenges of problematizing globalization, democratizing development, and socializing humanity for life together in the new century remain.
Signature of n→π* interactions in α-helices.

The oxygen of a peptide bond has two lone pairs of electrons. One of these lone pairs is poised to interact with the electron-deficient carbon of the subsequent peptide bond in the chain. Any partial covalency that results from this n→π* interaction should induce pyramidalization of the carbon (C′i) toward the oxygen (Oi−1). We searched for such pyramidalization in 14 peptides that contain both α- and β-amino acid residues and that assume a helical structure. We found that the α-amino acid residues, which adopt the main chain dihedral angles of an α-helix, display dramatic pyramidalization but the β-amino acid residues do not. Thus, we conclude that Oi−1 and C′i are linked by a partial covalent bond in α-helices. This finding has important ramifications for the folding and conformational stability of α-helices in isolation and in proteins.
Precore and contiguous regions of hepatitis B virus in liver transplantation for end-stage hepatitis B.

Abstract Background/Aims: Recurrent hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the leading cause of mortality and morbidity after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) for HBV-related liver disease, but the extent of viral genetic variation in this setting remains unknown. Methods: Eight patients who underwent OLT for HBV-related liver disease were studied; 7 had cirrhosis and 1 had fulminant hepatitis. Four patients received long-term hepatitis B immunoglobulin prophylaxis. A 240-base pair fragment (1742–1981) comprising the precore region of HBV was amplified by polymerase chain reaction from sera drawn before OLT and 6,12, and 24 months after OLT and analyzed. Results: All sera were positive by polymerase chain reaction. Nucleotide sequence variations were congruent within most patients before and after OLT; however, in one patient, substantial sequence variation was observed, suggesting infection with a new HBV strain. No sequence variation associated with a particular outcome could be identified. Two patients harbored HBV variants with a deletion or insertion upstream of the precore messenger RNA initiation site. Conclusions: Reinfection after OLT can occasionally be caused by HBV strains different from the one present before OLT. Changes within the sequenced region are not predictive of the outcome of reinfection.
Functional Analyses of the Neurospora Crassa Mt a-1 Mating Type Polypeptide

The Neurospora crassa mt a-1 gene, encoding the MT a-1 polypeptide, determines a mating type properties: sexual compatibility and vegetative incompatibility with A mating type. We characterized in vivo and in vitro functions of the MT a-1 polypeptide and specific mutant derivatives. MT a-1 polypeptide produced in Escherichia coli bound to specific DNA sequences whose core was 5'-CTTTG-3'. DNA binding was a function of the MT a-1 HMG box domain (a DNA binding motif found in high mobility group proteins and a diverse set of regulatory proteins). Mutation within the HMG box eliminated DNA binding in vitro and eliminated mating in vivo, but did not interfere with vegetative incompatibility function in vivo. Conversely, deletion of amino acids 216-220 of MT a-1 eliminated vegetative incompatibility, but did not affect mating or DNA binding. Deletion of the carboxyl terminal half of MT a-1 eliminated both mating and vegetative incompatibility in vivo, but not DNA binding in vitro. These results suggest that mating depends upon the ability of MT a-1 polypeptide to bind to, and presumably to regulate the activity of, specific DNA sequences. However, the separation of vegetative incompatibility from both mating and DNA binding indicates that vegetative incompatibility functions by a biochemically distinct mechanism.
A new cable-driven haptic device for integrating kinesthetic and cutaneous display

This paper presents a new cable-driven haptic device (CDHD) for displaying kinesthetic and cutaneous sensations in a human-scale virtual environment. The device includes a 3-DOF planar cable-driven mechanism to provide force feedback and a piezoceramics plate for tactile display. The 3-DOF planar CDHD can provide two-dimensional force feedback and one-dimensional torque feedback on a plane. The kinematics and statics models of the non-singularity configuration are analyzed. The resolution and the maximum continuous force/torque of the end effector are deduced. The new device can be utilized in various fields. Some of its applications are introduced.
Clinically meaningful measurement of pain in children with sickle cell disease

Background Limited understanding of the interpretability of patient-reported pain scores may impact pain management. The current study assessed the minimal clinically significant improvement in pain and pain scores signifying patient-reported need for medication and treatment satisfaction in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Procedure Patients, 8–18-years-old, with SCD were recruited while receiving treatment for pain. Patients completed initial pain severity ratings using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Serial assessments of pain severity, pain relief, perceived need for medication, and treatment satisfaction were completed in the emergency department and the hospitalization. Data were used to calculate the minimal clinically significant improvement in pain and pain scores associated with perceived need for pain medication and treatment satisfaction. Results Twenty-eight patients completed 305 assessments during 37 total visits. A decrease in pain severity score of 0.97 cm for the VAS and 0.9 for the NRS was found to be the minimum clinically significant improvement in pain. Pain scores >7.45 cm on the VAS or 7.5 on the NRS were suggestive of patient-reported need for pain medication. Pain scores <7.35 cm on the VAS or 8.5 on the NRS were suggestive of patient-reported treatment satisfaction discrimination. Conclusions The minimal clinical significant improvement was defined for the VAS and NRS and both scales were able to discriminate between important clinical findings including pain relief, need for pain medication, and treatment satisfaction. Collectively, this study provides data to improve our understanding of pain ratings of pediatric patients with SCD. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1689–1695. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Lithium augmentation of topiramate for bipolar disorder with comorbid binge eating disorder and obesity.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of lithium augmentation of topiramate on mood symptoms, binge eating behavior, and body weight in obese bipolar patients with binge eating disorder (BED) seeking weight management. Method We conducted a naturalistic study of 12 consecutive outpatients with bipolar disorders, BED, and obesity who received lithium augmentation for mood instability during the course of topiramate-based pharmacotherapy for obesity and BED. Lithium was added to topiramate (mean dose 514 mg i.d.) and titrated to a mean dose of 1009 mg i.d. (mean plasma concentration 0.7 mmol/L). Treatment response was assessed by comparing changes in clinical severity scales for mood and eating disorders, weekly binge eating frequency, and weight for the 2 months before and the first 2 months during lithium treatment. Results A statistically significant improvement in global severity of mood symptoms was observed after as compared to before lithium augmentation. Statistically insignificant reductions in weight and in binge frequency and severity were also observed after lithium addition. Conclusion Optimal weight loss treatment in obese patients with comorbid bipolar and BEDs may require stabilization of mood. The combination of lithium and topiramate may have a role in the management of this difficult-to-treat population. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quantitative comparison of volatile compounds among seven Medicago spp. accessions

Previous research identified the presence of unique semivolatile compounds in alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica Gyllenhal) (AW) -resistantMedicago accessions. These compounds may impart repellency to AW in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The objective of our study was to analyze within- and between-population variation for four of these unique semivolatile compounds across eglandular and glandular-hairedMedicago accessions. SevenMedicago accessions were evaluated under greenhouse conditions in an experiment arranged as randomized complete blocks with four replicates. Volatile compounds were extracted via supercritical fluid extraction and then quantitatively analyzed for levels of 2,7-dimethyl, 2,6-octadienol;cis-geraniol; 1,(E)-8,(Z)-10-tetradecatriene; and 1-hepten-3-ol. Significant difference (P<0.05) among entries were observed for 2,7-dimethyl,2,6-octadienol;cis-geraniol; 1, and (E)-8,(Z)-10-tetradecatriene. These compounds were found only in glandularhaired accessions. There were no significant differences in levels of 1-hepten-3-ol. Our findings demonstrate that the genetic incorporation of 2,7-dimethyl, 2,6-octadienol;cis-geraniol; 1, and (E)-8,(Z)-10-tetradecatriene into cultivated alfalfa will require interspecific crossing. Alfalfa weevil behavioral tests using these compounds must be conducted prior to such crosses in order to ascertain the efficacy of repellency by these compounds.
Strategies in the surgical management of malignant gliomas

The overall prognosis for patients with malignant gliomas remains poor. The infiltrative nature of the tumor into normal brain and the presence of tumor foci in regions remote from the main tumor burden make cure with current therapies virtually impossible. Management therefore consists of tumor control while maintaining the patient's quality of life. Surgery comprises only one arm of the overall treatment plan. Biopsy allows diagnosis and tumor grading even when tumors are located in eloquent or deep areas of brain. Craniotomy decreases overall tumor burden and provides room for the normal brain, edema and recurrent tumor. Many adjuncts are available to assist in gaining surgical access to tumors with minimal violation of normal functioning brain. Important among these are stereotaxy and surgery within a specially designed magnetic resonance scanner. The strategies for the surgical management of malignant gliomas utilized at our institution will be discussed. Semin. Surg. Oncol. 14:26–33, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Molecular approaches to malaria and babesiosis diagnosis.

The development of additional methods for detecting and identifuing Babesia and Plasmodium infections may be useful in disease monitoring, management and control efforts. To preliminarily evaluate sunthetic peptide-based serodiagnosis, a hydrophilic sequence (DDESEFDKEK)was selected from published BabR gene of B. bovis. Immunization of rabbits and cattle with the hemocyanin-conjugated peptide elicited antibody responses that specifically detected both P. falciparum and B. bovis antigens by immunofluorescence and Western blots. Using a dot-ELISA with this peptide, antisera from immunized and naturally-infected cattle, and immunized rodents, were specifically detected. Reactivity was weak and correlated with peptide immunization or infection. DNA-based detection using repetitive DNA was species-specific in dot-blot formats for B. bovis DNA, and in both dot-blot and in situ formats for P. falciparum; a streamlined enzymelinked synthetic DNA assay for P. falciparum detected 30 parasites/mm(cubicos) from patient blood using either colorimetric (2-15 h color development) or chemiluminescent detection (0.5-6-min. exposures). Serodiagnostic and DNA hybridization methods may be complementary in the respective detection of both chronic and acute infections. However, recent improvements in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) make feasible a more sensitive and uniform approach to the diagnosis of these and other infectious disease complexes, with appropriate primers and processing methods. An analysis of ribosomal DNA genes of Plasmodium and Toxoplasma identified Apicomplexa-conserved sequence regions. Specific and distinctive PCR profiles were obtained for primers spanning the internal transcribed spacer locus for each of several Plasmodium and Babesia species.