cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NMDA Receptors and Signaling in Chronic Neuropathic Pain

Chronic pain, especially neuropathic pain resulting from damage to the peripheral or central nervous system, is a major clinical problem that remains difficult to treat. The glutamate N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are widely distributed along the pain pathway and are critically involved in synaptic plasticity in chronic pain states. Although NMDAR antagonists, such as ketamine and memantine, have little effect on normal nociception, they are effective in treating neuropathic pain in animal models and in humans. Increased presynaptic NMDAR activity at primary afferent terminals potentiates excitatory input to spinal dorsal horn neurons, while increased postsynaptic NMDAR activity can increase neuronal excitability and diminish synaptic inhibition through promoting K+-Cl− cotransporter-2 proteolysis. Identifying the molecular mechanisms behind this increase in NMDAR activity, including protein phosphorylation and protein-protein interactions, could facilitate the development of new drugs that specifically reverse abnormal NMDAR hyperactivity in chronic pain with minimal impairment of the physiological functions of NMDARs.
Inhibition of topoisomerase II by ICRF-193, the meso isomer of 2,3-bis(2,6-dioxopiperazin-4-yl)butane : Critical dependence on 2,3-butanediyl linker absolute configuration

Abstract The bis(2,6-dioxopiperazine)s are a structurally and mechanistically unique class of topoisomerase II inhibitors that do not bind DNA and that do not stabilize topoisomerase II-DNA strand passing intermediates (“cleavable complexes”). The most effective topoisomerase II inhibitor in the bis(2,6-dioxopiperazine) series is ICRF-193 (meso or S ∗ , R ∗ isomer), with a meso 2,3-butanediyl linker connecting the dioxopiperazine rings. The two enantiomeric diastereomers, (R,R) and (S,S), of ICRF-193 possessing the two optically active 2,3-butanediyl linkers have been prepared from their respective optically pure 2,4-diaminobutanes via 2,3-diaminobutane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid, esterification, and imide formation. Both in vivo and in vitro assays for catalytic inhibition of topoisomerase II were employed to show that the (S,S)- and (R,R)-isomers are almost inactive as topoisomerase II inhibitors. The data indicate that the meso stereochemistry of the alkanediyl linker is crucial for activity and provides additional evidence that the cytotoxicity of the bis(2,6-dioxopiperazine)s is due to their ability to inhibit topoisomerase II. biochem pharmacol 52;4:543–549, 1996.
THREADS THROUGH TIME

At this juncture, I want to elaborate on one particular thread through time which serves to link these various transports directly together. This connection emanates, not from the German airship industry but rather from the English efforts to keep pace with, or even outpace, their Teutonic rivals.
Glucose autoregulation is the dominant component of the hormone-independent counterregulatory response to hypoglycemia in the conscious dog.

The contribution of hormone-independent counterregulatory signals in defense of insulin-induced hypoglycemia was determined in adrenalectomized, overnight-fasted conscious dogs receiving hepatic po...
Uncovering transcriptional regulatory networks by sparse Bayesian factor model

The problem of uncovering transcriptional regulation by transcription factors (TFs) based on microarray data is considered. A novel Bayesian sparse correlated rectified factor model (BSCRFM) is proposed that models the unknown TF protein level activity, the correlated regulations between TFs, and the sparse nature of TF regulated genes. The model admits prior knowledge from existing database regarding TF regulated target genes based on a sparse prior and through a developed Gibbs sampling algorithm, a context-specific transcriptional regulatory network specific to the experimental condition of the microarray data can be obtained. The proposed model and the Gibbs sampling algorithm were evaluated on the simulated systems and results demonstrated the validity and effectiveness of the proposed approach. The proposed model was then applied to the Breast cancer microarray data of patients with Estrogen Receptor positive ER+ status and Estrogen Receptor negative ER-status, respectively.
Extinction of an Instrumental Running Response in Rats in the Absence of Frustration and Nonreinforcement

4 groups of rats were trained to run a straight alley for food reward. During Phase I reward magnitude was 1, or 10 Noyes pellets, and half of the Ss were food deprived. During this phase only the deprived Ss exhibited increasing response speed. During Phase II all Ss were tested under “food satiation” with 10 pellets as reward. Those Ss originally trained while food deprived initially ran faster in Phase II, but with continuing trials their speed declined toward that of nondeprived Ss. These results were interpreted in terms of the theories of Spence and Amsel, which imply that the present procedure should lead to the extinction of incentive motivation in the absence of frustration.
Corticogeniculate feedback sharpens the temporal precision and spatial resolution of visual signals in the ferret

The corticogeniculate (CG) pathway connects the visual cortex with the visual thalamus (LGN) in the feedback direction and enables the cortex to directly influence its own input. Despite numerous investigations, the role of this feedback circuit in visual perception remained elusive. To probe the function of CG feedback in a causal manner, we selectively and reversibly manipulated the activity of CG neurons in anesthetized ferrets in vivo using a combined viral-infection and optogenetics approach to drive expression of channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2) in CG neurons. We observed significant increases in temporal precision and spatial resolution of LGN neuronal responses to drifting grating and white noise stimuli when CG neurons expressing ChR2 were light activated. Enhancing CG feedback reduced visually evoked response latencies, increased spike-timing precision, and reduced classical receptive field size. Increased precision among LGN neurons led to increased spike-timing precision among granular layer V1 neurons as well. Together, our findings suggest that the function of CG feedback is to control the timing and precision of thalamic responses to incoming visual signals.
Chiral multichromophoric supramolecular nanostructures assembled by single stranded DNA and RNA templates

Abstract A complex and well-organized network of non-covalent bonds (also known as supramolecular interactions) is the foundation of the immense functional and structural diversity of biological systems. Chirality can be found at the center of almost all biological processes as clearly evidenced by the homochirality of the biological world. Stereoselective interactions are responsible for the self-assembly of macromolecules, biomolecular recognition, as well as cellular machinery and communication. Non-covalent interactions are also ideally suited for the construction of bio-inspired artificial nanoarchitectures with prescribed properties and functions. Nucleic acids (NAs) proved to be valuable chiral scaffolds for precise arrangement of desired molecular components into chiral, periodically patterned nanosystems. Single stranded NAs (ssDNA and ssRNA) are particularly suitable for templated supramolecular bottom-up nanoassembly. In this review article, we describe the progress in using the homochiral ssDNA and ssRNA as templates to assemble molecular components into chiral double-zipper supramolecular nanostructures via non-covalent interactions ( i.e. , hydrogen and coordination bonding, electrostatic and π–π stacking interactions) and discuss their chiroptical and structural properties. We outline the challenges in controlling the handedness of ssNA templated assemblies as well as challenges in accessing either of two helical geometries using the same ssNA template. We discuss empirical methods and theoretical simulations for determination of the handedness as well as chiroptical and structural properties of templated assemblies. We highlight higher order architectures of chiral ssNA templated nanoassemblies as detected by atomic force and transmission electron microscopies (AFM and TEM).
A 0.37mm 2 LTE/Wi-Fi compatible, memory-based, runtime-reconfigurable 2 n 3 m 5 k FFT accelerator integrated with a RISC-V core in 16nm FinFET

Dedicated hardware accelerators enable energy-efficient implementations of radio and imaging basebands. Multistandard, multi-mode radio basebands require an on-the-fly reconfigurable fast Fourier transform (FFT) accelerator that implements many different FFT sizes. An instance of a runtime-reconfigurable 2n3m5k FFT accelerator was generated by a custom hardware generator to meet the requirements of common wireless standards (Wi-Fi, LTE). The accelerator is integrated with a RISC-V processor, and the measured 16nm FinFET chip runs up to 940MHz and consumes 0.46 to 22.6mW of power when running FFT benchmarks for Wi-Fi and LTE symbol lengths.
Lepton-number-charged scalars and neutrino beamstrahlung

Experimentally, baryon number minus lepton number, $B\ensuremath{-}L$, appears to be a good global symmetry of nature. We explore the consequences of the existence of gauge-singlet scalar fields charged under $B\ensuremath{-}L$--dubbed lepton-number-charged scalars (LeNCSs)---and postulate that these couple to the standard model degrees of freedom in such a way that $B\ensuremath{-}L$ is conserved even at the nonrenormalizable level. In this framework, neutrinos are Dirac fermions. Including only the lowest mass-dimension effective operators, some of the LeNCSs couple predominantly to neutrinos and may be produced in terrestrial neutrino experiments. We examine several existing constraints from particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology to the existence of a LeNCS carrying $B\ensuremath{-}L$ charge equal to two, and discuss the emission of LeNCSs via ``neutrino beamstrahlung,'' which occurs every once in a while when neutrinos scatter off of ordinary matter. We identify regions of the parameter space where existing and future neutrino experiments, including the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment, are at the frontier of searches for such new phenomena.
Size of Neurotransmitter Receptors as Determined by Radiation Inactivation–Target Size Analysis

Publisher Summary The principal receptors of the autonomic nervous system are the adrenergic and cholinergic receptors. Adrenergic and cholinergic responses have been the most extensively studied because of their overall physiological importance. β-Adrenergic receptors, which modulate a diverse array of cellular and organ functions including heart rate and vascular and airway diameter, have received extensive attention because of their demonstrated role in the activation of adenylate cyclase activity. Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, which control skeletal muscle contraction and certain aspects of ganglionic function, are the most extensively studied receptors and consequently the receptor about which the most is known. The genes for nicotinic acetylcholine receptors have been cloned and the complete amino acid sequence has been determined. The purification and structural elucidation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor has been aided tremendously, particularly in the early stages, by having a rich source of the receptor (electric eels) and specific receptor probes (cobra toxins). The resolution of the structure of adrenergic (α and β), muscarinic cholinergic, and dopaminergic receptors is clearly underway in a variety of laboratories throughout the world. Structural determinations have generally depended on the application of new technologies and the development of affinity ligands. The chapter discusses the application of target size analysis, a reemerging technique, for obtaining structural information for a number of receptors.
Nicole A. Cooke. Information Services to Diverse Populations: Developing Culturally Competent Library Professionals . Santa Barbara, Calif.: Libraries Unlimited, 2017. 166p. Paper, $65.00 (ISBN 978-1-4408-3460-8). LC 60-31669.

Information Services to Diverse Populations is designed to provide a foundational understanding of diversity issues for LIS graduate students, but it can also serve as an important resource for current library professionals who may not have had an opportunity to study diversity and social justice issues. The book primarily focuses on developing cultural competencies in library practice and is suitable for all library staff, not only those occupying patron-facing positions. Developing inclusive library services and support for diversity across all library organizations should be a primary goal of all information professionals, and this book is able to provide a strong foundation for developing organizational empathy, creating the foundation for accessible and equitable services, and establishing libraries that are actively welcoming to all patrons.
Incidence and Outcomes of Acute Myocardial Infarction During Motor Vehicle Accident Related Hospitalizations

Data on Motor Vehicle Accidents (MVA) associated acute myocardial infarctions (AMI) are scares. We aimed to examine the frequency, characteristics, and outcomes of AMI among patients admitted with MVA. Patients hospitalized with Motor Vehicle Traffic Accidents (ICD-9-CM codes e810-e819) in 2003 to 2014 were identified in the national inpatient sample. The primary end point was crude and risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality in patients with and without AMI. Secondary end-points were major morbidities, and resource utilization metrics. A total of 573,717 patients were hospitalized after MVAs in 2003 to 2014, of whom 2,793 (0.5%) suffered an AMI (26% STEMI and 74% NSTEMI). Patients who suffered AMI were older, and had higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, renal insufficiency, and vascular disease. In the AMI group, angiography was performed in 26.7%, and among those, 42.2% received percutaneous intervention and 9.2% underwent coronary artery bypass surgery during the same admission. In-hospital mortality was higher in patients with AMI compared with patients without MI (21.7% vs 2.7%, p
The imperative for examining anti-Muslim racism in rhetorical studies

Lisa Flores’s essay provides us with important points to consider in terms of race and rhetoric. For example, Flores calls for racial rhetorical criticism; however, similarly we ask, isn't all rhet...
Influences on Espoused and Enacted Security Cultures in Organizations

Approaches to the management of Information Systems (IS) security in organizations have relied mostly on complex technical controls. In recent years, management of IS security by developing a security culture in organizations is emerging as an important stream in IS security research. The intent of this study is to contribute to the body of knowledge dealing with security culture. Security cultures include both security-related beliefs and security-related behaviors. The first premise of the study is that such beliefs and behaviors may not be consistent with each other. The study will examine the factors affecting both security-related beliefs and behaviors to explain differences between the two. The second premise of the study is that the security culture may vary across different groups within an organization. The study will examine factors, internal and external to the organization, which influence security cultures in different groups. A positivistic case-study based approach will be used.
Acquired Secondary RAS Mutation in BRAFV600E-Mutated Thyroid Cancer Patients Treated with BRAF Inhibitors.

Background: The BRAFV600E mutation is the most common driver mutation in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC). This mutation is considered actionable and, for BRAFV600E-mutated ATC, a BRAF inhibitor (dabrafenib) in combination with an MEK inhibitor (trametinib) is FDA approved. BRAF inhibitors have also shown efficacy in BRAFV600E-mutated PTC. However, as with all targeted therapies, resistance to these drugs eventually develops. It is essential that we understand the mechanisms of resistance to the BRAF inhibitors in thyroid cancer to develop future strategies to effectively treat these patients and improve survival. Patients: Herein, we describe four patients with thyroid cancer treated with selective BRAF inhibitors, who developed a RAS mutation in addition to the BRAFV600E mutation at progression. Results: Patients 1 and 3 acquired a KRASG12V mutation in the progressive tumor, patient 2 acquired a NRASQ61K mutation in a progressive lymph node, and patient 4 acquired NRASG13D mutation on liquid biopsy performed at the time of radiographic disease progression. Conclusion: Similar to the melanoma experience, the emergence of RAS mutations appears to act as a mechanism of resistance to BRAF inhibitors in thyroid cancers.
High-cycle fatigue damage accumulation in paper

The mechanical durability of paper is a key consideration for applications ranging from shipping boxes to disposable medical substrates. Paper commonly experiences fatigue loading in such applications, but a high-cycle fatigue mechanism has not been identified. This research details paper’s high-cycle fatigue degradation mechanism. Paper specimens were loaded with monotonically increasing, constant, and sinusoidally varying cyclic stresses, and the resulting tensile, creep, and fatigue damage accumulation rates were compared. The difficulty in defining the size and growth of cracks in paper’s cellulosic fiber network were overcome with optically measured strain fields. We found that fatigue damage can accumulate via a fiber fracture mechanism, while ratchetting, creep, and tensile overload damage accumulation occurs due to failure of inter-fiber bonds. We also discovered the synergistic interaction between creep and high-cycle fatigue damage accumulation mechanisms, which is critical for extending the high-cycle fatigue life of paper. Paper is a ubiquitous material used in a range of applications, many of which expose it to fatigue loading. Here, a detailed study of the mechanical response of paper during high‐cycle fatigue loading is reported, with fiber fracture found to be a key degradation mechanism.
Osteogenesis Imperfecta in the Spine

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a genetic disorder of type I collagen and characterized by bone fragility. Although multiple genotypes and phenotypes are associated with osteogenesis imperfecta, approximately 90% of the mutations are in the COL1A1 and COL1A2 genes. Patients typically have multiple fractures or limb deformity; however, the spine can also be affected. Spinal manifestations include scoliosis, kyphosis, craniocervical junction abnormalities, and lumbosacral issues such as spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis. The use of bisphosphonates has been found to decrease the rate of progression of scoliosis in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta. A lateral cervical radiograph is recommended in patients with this condition before age 6 years for surveillance of craniocervical junction abnormalities, such as basilar impression. Intraoperative and anesthetic considerations in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta include challenges related to fracture risk, airway management, ventilation, and blood loss.
Incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity——analysis of 2185 premature infants

Objective To determine the incidence and risk factors of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in preterm infants.Methods Fundus examinations were performed by RetCam Ⅱ ophthalmoscopy on 2185 premature infants (birth weight ≤ 2000 g or gestational age≤34 weeks)admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit of Beijing Bayi Children's Hospital from January 1st 2009 to December 31st 2010.According to the results,all infants were divided into ROP group and nonRO P group.Two-sample t test and Logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the risk factors of ROP.Results Among 2185 premature infants,287 (13.1 ％) cases were diagnosed with RO P.According to International Classification of RO P,34 cases (11.9 ％) were in zone Ⅰ,147 cases (51.2％) in zone Ⅱ,and 106 cases(36.9％) in zone Ⅲ.And there were 117 cases (40.8％) with stage 1 lesion,142 cases (49.5％) with stage 2 lesion,28 cases (9.7％) with stage 3 lesion,and no stage 4 or 5 lesion was identified.Thirty-six cases (12.5 ％) were accompanied by additional diseases.Logistic analysis showed that small gestational age (OR=0.859,95％CI:0.770-0.958,P=0.006),low birth weight (OR=0.729,95％CI:0.6340.838,P=0.000),long duration of oxygen supplement (OR=2.221,95％CI:1.904-2.592,P=0.000),assistant ventilation (OR=3.104,95％CI:2.0964.956,P=0.000),apnea (OR=1.767,95％CI:1.103 2.831,P=0.018) and =anemia (OR=2.242,95％CI:1.641-3.604,P=0.000) were independent risk factors of ROP.Conclusions The incidence of ROP in premature infants is high.Small gestational age and low birth weight,long duration of oxygen supplement,assistant ventilation,apnea and anemia are risk factors of ROP.Preventive measures should be taken against these factors. Key words: Retinopathy of prematurity; Neonatal screening; Infant, premature; Risk factors
A novel (coronavirus) reading of Hobbes's Leviathan

In the style of Swift and Wollstonecraft, I contribute to the growing pandemic literature on Hobbes by writing a feminist satire of the Leviathan for the age of the novel coronavirus. Hobbes's conc...
Change in Total Body Water as a Metric for Predicting Need for Outpatient Intravenous Fluids in Postoperative Bariatric Patients.

BackgroundDehydration drives a significant proportion of readmissions following bariatric surgery. Routinely performed body composition testing and total body water (TBW) calculations may present a...
The Patient-Centered Health Neighborhood:

The creation, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of a patient-centered health neighborhood are central to care in the 21st century. This neighborhood must adhere to the principles of patient-centered care and rest on the foundation of nursing theory that honors what is important to people and the mission and vision of healthcare clinics and systems. It is important that there is strong leadership to develop, implement, and maintain a patient-centered health neighborhood. In this paper, there is an exploration of the patient-centered health neighborhood and the ways it connects to Parse's unique nursing paradigm, humanbecoming.
Racial differences in platelet serotonin polymorphisms in acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Introduction Genetic differences between races have been hypothesized to contribute to differences in outcome from acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Our objective was to assess racial differences in genetic variations in the platelet serotonin transporter (5HTT) and receptor in patients with ACS. Materials and methods 127 consecutive patients, African Americans (AA) = 27; Caucasian (C) =100, admitted with ACS were evaluated for platelet function by serotonin (5HT) induced platelet activation. All patients were genotyped for two polymorphisms in the serotonin-transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) S/L and LG/LA and one polymorphism of the serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2A, T102C) gene. All patients were followed for major and minor adverse cardiac events at 12 months. Results AA when compared to C had a lower prevalence of the HTTLPR S allele (21% vs 45%, p = 0.0003) and a higher prevalence of the LG allele (24% vs 4.5%, p = 0.0001). Allelic frequency of the 5-HT2A T102C allele was not significantly different between the races. Platelet activation was lower in AA compared to C, median EC50 5HT was 12.08 μg vs 2.14 μg (p = 0.001). The 5-HTTLPR and the 5-HT2A polymorphisms were not associated with platelet functional responses to serotonin. There were no significant differences in major or minor adverse cardiac events in patients with serotonin transporter or receptor polymorphisms. Conclusion We found a lower prevalence of the S allele and a higher prevalence of the G allele in AA with ACS. We also found decreased platelet activation in AA which did not correlate with serotonin-related platelet polymorphisms. It is unclear if other contributing factors may explain these platelet functional differences.
Recombinase Technology for Precise Genome Engineering

Here we review multiple uses of site-specific recombination and their applications in plant genomic engineering. We also outline various strategies for the combined use of multiple site-specific recombinase systems to precisely target transgenes into a predetermined locus and remove unwanted selectable marker genes.
Listening to the Voices of Students with Physical Disabilities: Experiences in the Physical Education Classroom

(1998). Listening to the Voices of Students with Physical Disabilities: Experiences in the Physical Education Classroom. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 69, No. 6, pp. 64-68.
Chapter 5 Molecular biology of prostate cancer: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses molecular biology of prostate cancer (PCa). Cancer arises from the accumulation of several genetic mutations, including both the mutations that activate dominant oncogenes and the mutations that inactivate tumor suppressor genes. One of the most intensively studied tumor suppressor genes are p53. Inactivation of the p53 protein by mutation, or by its interactions with amplified cellular p53- associating (MDM2) protein or viral proteins, can result in malignancy. Rb works at a different level of the same signaling pathway as p53, and can also mediate cell cycle G1 arrest. As the understanding of cell-cycle regulation by tumor suppressor genes increases, more powerful molecular and cellular assays become available for assessing the cell cycle controls deficient in specific cancers. Such characterization may not only dictate the choice and schedule of the currently existing phase- or cell cycle-specific agents to be used in cancer therapy but may also lead to an explosion of novel mechanistic targets for therapeutic intervention.
Canonical Height Pairings via Biextensions

The object of this paper is to present the foundations of a theory of p-adic-valued height pairings $$A\left( K \right) \times A'\left( K \right) \to {Q_p}$$ (*) , where Λ is a abelian variety over a global field K, and A′ is its dual. We say “pairings” in the plural because, in contrast to the classical theory of ℝ-valued) canonical height, there may be many canonical p-adic valued pairings: as we explain in § 4, up to nontrivial scalar multiple, they are in one-to-one correspondence with ℤ p -extensions L/K whose ramified primes are finite in number and are primes of ordinary reduction (1.1) for A.
The Language of Cells: Life as Seen Under the Microscope

Within the genre of "books by physicians" one encounters everything from biography, through medicine for the layman, to simply a second interest in writing. The present title is not about signaling among cells (which is in vogue in cell biology) but rather observations on people and life by someone who happened to devote his professional activity to the cellular level. The author is a widely published surgical pathologist who had his formative years in Canada, engaged in specialty training in New York and Los Angeles, and then, for the bulk of his career, was employed by a large community hospital in Southern California.
Different, Like Everyone Else: Stuff White People Like and the Marketplace of Diversity

This article explores Stuff White People Like (SWPL), a popular blog that has lampooned the cultural practices of a certain kind of bourgeoisie-bohemian White person since its inception in early 2008. The overwhelmingly positive reception of the blog motivated the authors to explore the complexities of this commercial humor project in the context of the twenty-first century multicultural neoliberalism in the United States. Through analysis of both the blog entries and online audience response, they ultimately claim that SWPL is limited in its potential for antiracist cultural work because it fails to challenge the logic of neoliberalism—indeed, it operates firmly within it—and defers a radical critique of White privilege. Moreover, SWPL facilitates gleeful celebration of essentialized White idiosyncrasies by incorporating a form of White “ethnicity” in the twenty-first century neoliberal marketplace of diversity.
Determinants of Confidence in Judiciary Institutions Amidst Corruption: Evidence From Bangladesh

Several decades of political turmoil have produced a corrupt and heavily politicized bureaucracy and judicial system in Bangladesh. Though there are several examples and articles which suggest specific changes, what has been left unknown is which factors most impact a citizen’s opinion of the many formal and informal institutions of justice. Using a World Bank survey specifically designed to collect opinion on the justice system, we test several hypotheses on the determinants of institutional confidence for ten institutions. We find that positive views on the previous administration’s performance increase the likelihood of higher confidence levels, and that considering crime to be the responsibility of that institution does not detract from its assessment. Further, women are less approving than men of the police and higher government, while the poor do not have statistically strong preferences once other traits are controlled for. In addition to offering guidance on public opinion regarding the justice system, this article also gives insight into the additional information gleaned from properly addressing a violation of the parallel odds assumption.
Optimizing Data-Parallel Stencil Computations in a Portable Framework

We have developed a communication optimizer that concentrates on stencil communication patterns. This optimizer has been done in the context of the UNH C* compiler that targets distributed-memory MIMD computers. Our work has two distinguishing features: The compiler/optimizer is designed to be highly portable. We achieve this goal by providing efficient support for the optimizations in the run-time library. As well as performing aggregation for messages that share the same source and destination, we employ a specialized store-and-forward protocol that reduces the total number of messages initiated.
Structure and the Performance of Public Organizations: Task Difficulty and Span of Control

Scholars of public organizations have long been interested in understanding how organizational structures shape organizational performance. This is an important question because if links between structure and performance exist, then manipulating organizational structures may lead to improvements in organizational performance. This study examines how one structural attribute, span of control, shapes performance in a large set of public organizations. Specifically, our focus is on how structure shapes performance when task difficulty varies. We hypothesize that structural attributes such as spans of control have limited effects on performance when organizations address very easy or very difficult tasks. When organizations address moderately difficult tasks, the impact of structure on performance should be greatest. Our analysis of 678 school districts in Texas covering the years 1994 to 1997 reveals that span of control variables have the greatest impact on student performance under moderately difficult task scenarios.
The impact of stroke practice guidelines on knowledge and practice patterns of acute care health professionals

Rationale, aims and objectives The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality's Post-Stroke Rehabilitation Guidelines were developed to improve the quality, appropriateness and effectiveness of rehabilitation practices. An important goal of the guidelines process is to disseminate information to practitioners in order to encourage adoption of effective practices. To date, no systematic evaluation of these guidelines has been completed, nor has a programme been designed to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational programme about the guidelines. The objective was to evaluate changes in knowledge and practice following presentation of a lecture-based, educational programme about post-stroke rehabilitation guidelines. Methods The research design was a single group, pre-test–post-test design without a comparison group. A knowledge and referral practices questionnaire was developed specifically for this study. Results Lecture attendance was not associated with an increase in knowledge or referrals. However, we found that respondents who made more referrals at follow-up had a higher knowledge level at pre-test. Also, those who completed a follow-up assessment knew more about the guidelines at the initial assessment than did those who did not complete the follow-up assessment. In addition, doctors knew more about stroke rehabilitation than the non-doctors, both at the pre-test and follow-up. Discussion and conclusions Encouraging behaviour change among doctors and allied health professionals in referrals and clinical practice is a complicated process. Providing individual follow-up and lengthier contacts, assuring that care providers receive high-quality evidence that guidelines improve care, and consulting with key decision-makers about guideline implementation might enhance behaviour change.
Redox-sensitive mechanisms of phytochemical-mediated inhibition of cancer cell proliferation (review).

Phytochemicals are potential cancer chemopreventive agents, based partly on cellular research establishing that phytochemicals inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells. To elucidate the mechanism of phytochemicals, a basic understanding is needed of what stimulates cancer cell proliferation. Cancer cells, particularly those that are highly invasive or metastatic, may require a certain level of oxidative stress to maintain a balance between undergoing either proliferation or apoptosis. They constitutively generate large but tolerable amounts of H2O2 that apparently function as signaling molecules in the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway to constantly activate redox-sensitive transcription factors and responsive genes that are involved in the survival of cancer cells as well as their proliferation. With such a reliance of cancer cells on H2O2, it follows that if the excess H2O2 can be scavenged by phenolic phytochemicals having antioxidant activity, the oxidative stress-responsive genes can be suppressed and consequently cancer cell proliferation inhibited. On the other hand, phenolic phytochemicals and another group of phytochemicals known as isothiocyanates can induce the formation of H2O2 to achieve an intolerable level of high oxidative stress in cancer cells. As an early response, the stress genes are activated. However, when the critical threshold for cancer cells to cope with the induced oxidative stress has been reached, key cellular components such as DNA are damaged irreparably. In conjunction, genes involved in initiating cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis are activated. Therefore, phytochemicals can either scavenge the constitutive H2O2 or paradoxically generate additional amounts of H2O2 to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells.
Anthropomorphic breast phantoms for preclinical imaging evaluation with transmission or emission imaging

With the development of several classes of dedicated emission and transmission imaging technologies utilizing ionizing radiation for improved breast cancer detection and in vivo characterization, it is extremely useful to have available anthropomorphic breast phantoms in a variety of shapes, sizes and malleability prior to clinical imaging. These anthropomorphic phantoms can be used to evaluate the implemented imaging approaches given a known quantity, the phantom, and to evaluate the variability of the measurement due to the imaging system chain. Thus, we have developed a set of fillable and incompressible breast phantoms ranging in volume from 240 to 1730mL with nipple-to-chest distances from 3.8 to 12cm. These phantoms are mountable and exchangeable on either a uniform chest plate or anthropomorphic torso phantom containing tissue equivalent bones and surface tissue. Another fillable ~700mL breast phantom with solid anterior chest plate is intentionally compressible, and can be used for direct comparisons between standard planar imaging approaches using mild-to-severe compression, partially compressed tomosynthesis, and uncompressed computed mammotomography applications. These phantoms can be filled with various fluids (water and oil based liquids) to vary the fatty tissue background composition. Shaped cellulose sponges with two cell densities are fabricated and can be added to the breasts to simulate connective tissue. Additionally, microcalcifications can be simulated by peppering slits in the sponges with oyster shell fragments. These phantoms have a utility in helping to evaluate clinical imaging paradigms with known input object parameters using basic imaging characterization, in an effort to further evaluate contemporary and next generation imaging tools. They may additionally provide a means to collect known data samples for task based optimization studies.
Application of nonlinear observers in hysteretic model updating

Identification of the changes in the properties of a structure are a potential indication of damage in that structure. In nonlinear systems, hysteretic models are often used to represent structural deterioration as well. Thus, the updating of such nonlinear hysteretic models using measured responses from a monitoring system is one approach to identify structural properties and thus damage. Nonlinear observer theory provides the tools to update such models, potentially online and in real-time. This paper examines several nonlinear observers that can be applied as online hysteretic model updating tools, and compares the results by using a Bouc-Wen model updating case. The online updating feature also demonstrates the potential application in providing state feedback to nonlinear structural control.
Anatomy of an X terminal

The X Window System, an open, vendor-neutral standard based on the client/server model is discussed, focusing on its improvements and differences with respect to ASCII terminals. This model permits physically independent application processing and display processing, communicating over a local-area network by means of a well-defined set of graphics commands that comprise the X protocol. The human factors that influence the interface design, the communication protocol, the memory architecture, and other features are examined. Performance rating results are discussed. >
Proton resonance assignments for Pseudomonas aeruginosa ferrocytochrome c-551.

Abstract A comparison between two sets of resonance assignments for ferrocytochrome c-551 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa reveals that major differences can be explained by pH effects. In turn, these reveal side chain protonation events in c-551 that markedly influence spectra. The behavior of resonances in a homologous protein from Pseudomonas stutzeri help to clarify ambiguities in the P. aeruginosa case. A corrected and completed set of proline assignments is presented. Labile side chain protons in residue 47. which hydrogen bonds to the inner heme propionate, appear to be in fast exchange with the solvent.
Generation of atomic four-body statistical potentials derived from the delaunay tessellation of protein structures

Delaunay tessellation of the atomic coordinates for a crystallographic protein structure yields an aggregate of non-overlapping and space-filling irregular tetrahedral simplices. The vertices of each simplex objectively identify a quadruplet of nearest neighbor atoms in the protein. Here we apply Delaunay tessellation to 1417 high-resolution structures of single chains that share low sequence identity, for the purpose of determining the relative frequencies of occurrence for all possible nearest neighbor atomic quadruplet types. Alternative distributions are explored by varying two fundamental parameters: atomic alphabet selection and cutoff length for admissible simplex edges. The distributions are then converted to four-body potential functions by implementing the inverted Boltzmann principle, which requires calculating the distribution of the reference state. Two alternative definitions for the reference state are presented, which introduces a third parameter, and we derive and compare an array of such potential functions. These knowledge-based statistical potentials based on higher-order interactions complement and generalize the more commonly encountered atom-pair potentials, for which a number of approaches are described in the literature.
Exchange, role modeling and the intergenerational transmission of elder support attitudes: Evidence from three generations of Mexican-Americans

Social exchange theory and role modeling are alternative theories of how the willingness to provide intergenerational assistance is transmitted from one generation to the next. Distinguishing between these theories is difficult because they apparently lead to identical predictions. In this paper we propose a test that can distinguish between the two theories. We find a data set containing the variables necessary to implement the test and use it to estimate models of young adults‘ elder support attitudes. The results provide at best weak evidence of exchange, but are consistent with a role model explanation of the transmission of intergenerational assistance attitudes, particularly for young men.
A comparative study of the thermal dependence of contractility in saurian skeletal muscle

Abstract 1. 1. The effects of temperature on tension development in vitro were examined in the pubioischiotibialis muscle from five species of lizards. 2. 2. Pronounced interspecific differences were evident in the optimal temperatures for isometric twitch tension and in the resistance to irreversible heat damage and heat rigor in the muscle. 3. 3. A good correlation is evident between the thermal relations of the muscle and the extent of thermophily of the intact animal as judged by its preferred temperature and heat tolerance. Thus, adjustments at the tissue level appear to play a role in the thermal adaptations of lizards.
Thematic review series: lipid posttranslational modifications. GPI anchoring of protein in yeast and mammalian cells, or: how we learned to stop worrying and love glycophospholipids

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchoring of cell surface proteins is the most complex and metabolically expensive of the lipid posttranslational modifications described to date. The GPI anchor is synthesized via a membrane-bound multistep pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) requiring >20 gene products. The pathway is initiated on the cytoplasmic side of the ER and completed in the ER lumen, necessitating flipping of a glycolipid intermediate across the membrane. The completed GPI anchor is attached to proteins that have been translocated across the ER membrane and that display a GPI signal anchor sequence at the C terminus. GPI proteins transit the secretory pathway to the cell surface; in yeast, many become covalently attached to the cell wall. Genes encoding proteins involved in all but one of the predicted steps in the assembly of the GPI precursor glycolipid and its transfer to protein in mammals and yeast have now been identified. Most of these genes encode polytopic membrane proteins, some of which are organized in complexes. The steps in GPI assembly, and the enzymes that carry them out, are highly conserved. GPI biosynthesis is essential for viability in yeast and for embryonic development in mammals. In this review, we describe the biosynthesis of mammalian and yeast GPIs, their transfer to protein, and their subsequent processing.
Natural Selection and Social Learning in Prisoner's Dilemma: Coadaptation with Genetic Algorithms and Artificial Neural Networks

Evolutionary game theory has been used to study the viability of cooperation in a predatory world. While previous studies have helped to identify robust strategies, little is known about how success translates into the reproduction of cultural rules. Analogs of genetic replication may be deceptive if social learning and natural selection engender different population dynamics. I distinguished selection and learning based on whether rules are hardwired or softwired in the organisms that carry them. I then used genetic algorithms and artificial neural networks to operationalize the distinction. Applied for the first time to iterated Prisoner’s Dilemma, neural network experiments showed that researchers may need to be much more cautious in using Darwinian analogs as templates for modeling the evolution of cultural rules.
Drawing to communicate: a case report of an adult with global aphasia

Treatment for adults with global aphasia has typically involved the use of verbal treatment methods or alternative communication techniques including communication boards, word lists and notebooks....
Shock waves near the Schwarzschild radius and stability limits for stars

We analyze the time dilation associated with the propagation of a shock wave that moves outward into a static fluid sphere in general relativity. In this way we investigate the possibility that a shock wave inside a star could supply the pressure required to hold up a highly collapsed static outer layer. In such a model, one would observe a highly redshifted, time-independent emissions spectrum during the time interval between the time when the shock wave is formed, and the time when it reaches the star surface. Our conclusion is that the time it takes a shock wave to pass through a surface layer and reach the surface of a star, as seen by an observer in the far field, is on the order of the total mass of the star times a function that tends to infinity as the outer boundary of the star tends to its Schwarzschild radius.
Mechanistic Investigation of Peptidylglycine α-Hydroxylating Monooxygenase via Intrinsic Tryptophan Fluorescence and Mutagenesis†

The biosynthesis of the majority of biologically active peptides ends with an obligatory α-amidation step that is catalyzed only by peptidylglycine α-hydroxylating monooxygenase (PHM). The utility of two mechanisms proposed for this copper- and ascorbate-dependent monooxygenase was examined using site-directed mutagenesis and intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence. Retention of full activity by PHMccGln170Ala and -Asn eliminates a critical role for Gln170 in a substrate-mediated electron transfer pathway. The 20-fold reduction in Vmax observed for PHMccGln170Glu and -Leu is consistent with a key role for conformational changes in this region. Mutation of Tyr79, situated near CuA, to Trp reduced Vmax 200-fold. Measurement of changes in intrinsic fluorescence allowed determination of a Kd for copper (0.06 μM) and for a peptidylglycine substrate, Phe-Gly-Phe-Gly (0.8 μM). Although the peptidylglycine substrate bound more tightly at pH 7.0 than at pH 5.5, Vmax decreased 25-fold at neutral pH. Total quenching of th...
Fluid dynamics of biaxial nematics

Abstract Starting from Rayleigh's dissipation function the equations of motion for biaxial nematics are derived. The number of viscosity coefficients appears to be 15 for a compressible biaxial nematic and 12 for an incompressible one. The relation of this formulation with existing approaches is discussed.