cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetics and Molecular Biology in Candida albicans

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen of humans. Although a normal part of our gastrointestinal flora, C. albicans has the ability to colonize nearly every human tissue and organ, causing serious, invasive infections. In this chapter we describe current methodologies used in molecular genetic studies of this organism. These techniques include rapid sequential gene disruption, DNA transformation, RNA isolation, epitope tagging, and chromatin immunoprecipitation. The ease of these techniques, combined with the high-quality C. albicans genome sequences now available, have greatly facilitated research into this important pathogen. Candida albicans is a normal resident of the human gastrointestinal tract; it is also the most common fungal pathogen of humans, causing both mucosal and systemic infections, particularly in immune compromised patients. C. albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae last shared a common ancestor more than 900 million years ago; in terms of conserved coding sequences, the two species are approximately as divergent as fish and humans. Although C. albicans and S. cerevisiae share certain core features, they also exhibit many significant differences. This is not surprising as C. albicans has the ability to survive in nearly every niche of a mammalian host, a property not shared by S. cerevisiae. Research into C. albicans is important in its own right, particularly with regards to its ability to cause disease in humans; in addition, comparison with S. cerevisiae can reveal important insights into evolutionary processes. Many of the methodologies developed for use in S. cerevisiae have been adapted for C. albicans, and we describe some of the most common. Although alternative procedures are described in the literature, we have found those described below to be the most convenient. Because the C. albicans parasexual cycle is cumbersome to use in the laboratory, genetics in this organism has been based almost entirely on directed mutations. Because the organism is diploid, creating a deletion mutant requires two rounds of gene disruption. We describe a rapid method for creating sequential disruptions, one which can be scaled up to create large collections of C. albicans deletion mutants. We also describe a series of additional techniques including DNA transformation, mRNA isolation, epitope tagging, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). The ease of these techniques, combined with the high-quality C. albicans genome sequences now available, has greatly increased the quality and pace of research into this important pathogen.
Effect of siRNA terminal mismatches on TRBP and Dicer binding and silencing efficacy

To enhance silencing and avoid off-target effects, siRNAs are often designed with an intentional bias to ensure that the end of the siRNA that contains the guide strand 5′ end is less stably hybridized relative to the end containing the passenger strand 5′ end. One means by which this is accomplished is to introduce a terminal mismatch, typically by changing the passenger strand sequence to impair its hybridization with the guide strand 5′ end. However, there are conflicting reports about the influence of terminal mismatches on the silencing efficacy of siRNAs. Here, the silencing efficiency of siRNAs with a terminal mismatch generated either by altering the guide strand (at the 5′ end, nucleotide 1) or the passenger strand (nucleotide 19 from the 5′ end) was examined. Subsequently, we studied the relationship between the silencing efficiency of the siRNAs and their binding to the RNA-induced silencing complex loading complex proteins HIV transactivating response RNA-binding protein and Dicer in H1299 cytoplasmic extracts. Binding of siRNA and the transactivating response RNA-binding protein was significantly reduced by terminal mismatches, which largely agrees with the reduction in eventual silencing efficacy of the siRNAs. Single terminal mismatches led to a small increase in Dicer binding, as expected, but this did not lead to an improvement in silencing activity. These results demonstrate that introduction of mismatches to control siRNA asymmetry may not always improve target silencing, and that care should be taken when designing siRNAs using this technique.
Starvation-induced cross protection against heat or H2O2 challenge in Escherichia coli.

Glucose- or nitrogen-starved cultures of Escherichia coli exhibited enhanced resistance to heat (57 degrees C) or H2O2 (15 mM) challenge, compared with their exponentially growing counterparts. The degree of resistance increased with the time for which the cells were starved prior to the challenge, with 4 h of starvation providing the maximal protection. Protein synthesis during starvation was essential for these cross protections, since chloramphenicol addition at the onset of starvation prevented the development of thermal or oxidative resistance. Starved cultures also demonstrated stronger thermal and oxidative resistance than did growing cultures adapted to heat, H2O2, or ethanol prior to the heat or H2O2 challenge. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of 35S-pulse-labeled proteins showed that subsets of the 30 glucose starvation proteins were also synthesized during heat or H2O2 adaptation; three proteins were common to all three stresses. Most of the common proteins were among the previously identified Pex proteins (J.E. Schultz, G. I. Latter, and A. Matin, J. Bacteriol. 170:3903-3909, 1988), which are independent of cyclic AMP positive control for their induction during starvation. Induction of starvation proteins dependent on cyclic AMP was not important in these cross protections, since a delta cya strain of E. coli K-12 exhibited the same degree of resistance to heat or H2O2 as the wild-type parent did during both growth and starvation.
Epithelial Dysplasia and Cancer in IBD Strictures

Background: Colonic strictures and epithelial dysplasia are both known risk factors for the occurrence of colorectal cancer in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. The aim of the present work was to study colonic stricture as a risk factor for the occurrence of epithelial dysplasia and colonic adenocarcinoma. Methods: In a case–control study among 53568 IBD patients undergoing colonoscopy, we compared the prevalence of strictures among cases with dysplasia or adenocarcinoma and controls without such complications by calculating odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Multivariate logistic regressions were used to assess the joint influence of multiple predictor variables (age, sex, IBD type and stricture) on the occurrence of colonic dysplasia or adenocarcinoma. Results: The prevalence of strictures was 1.06% in ulcerative colitis (UC) and 8.71% in Crohn’s disease (CD, OR 11.09, 95% CI 9.72–12.70). The prevalence of dysplasia was 3.22% in UC and 2.08% in CD (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.65–0.86). The prevalence of dysplasia was similar in IBD patients with and without stricture: 2.82 and 2.41%, respectively. The prevalence of cancer was higher in IBD patients with than without stricture: 0.78 and 0.11%, respectively (OR 6.87, 95% CI 3.30–12.89). In the multivariate analysis, old age, male sex and UC, but not stricture, were all significantly and independently associated with dysplasia. Old age, dysplasia and stricture were significantly and independently associated with cancer. Conclusion: The prevalence of epithelial dysplasia is not generally increased in IBD patients with strictures.
Outcomes after spine surgery among racial/ethnic minorities: a meta-analysis of the literature.

Abstract Background context Prior research has identified disparities in access to care, resource utilization, and outcomes in members of racial and ethnic minorities. However, the role that race/ethnicity may play in influencing outcomes after spine surgery has not been previously studied. Purpose To characterize the effect of race and ethnicity on outcome after spine surgery. Study design Systematic literature review and meta-analysis. Patient sample Of 11 investigations selected in the initial analysis, four reported results in a fashion that enabled their inclusion in the meta-analysis. These four studies included a total of 128,635 patients. Outcome measures “Favorable” or “unfavorable” postsurgical outcomes were determined based on parameters described in each included investigation. Methods A systematic literature review was performed to identify all studies documenting outcomes, complications, or mortality after spine surgical procedures. Eligible studies had to include raw data that enabled separate analysis of white and nonwhite patients. Outcome was categorized as “favorable” or “unfavorable” based on scales included in each investigation. The Q-statistic was used to determine heterogeneity, and a meta-analysis was performed to assess the relative risk for unfavorable outcome among nonwhite patients after spine surgery. Results Eleven studies met initial selection criteria but only four were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis included 128,635 patients among whom 12,194 (9.5%) had unfavorable outcomes. Among white patients, 9.4% sustained an unfavorable outcome as compared with 10.4% of nonwhites. Conclusions In light of the small number of studies able to be included in the meta-analysis, no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the effect of race/ethnicity on outcome after spinal surgery. There is a pressing need for more robust research regarding spine surgical outcomes among different racial and ethnic minority groups.
Parent-infant interaction as a mediator of the relation between neonatal risk status and 12-month cognitive development

The present study examined parent-infant interaction quality as a potential family mechanism through which the combination of perinatal and sociodemographic risks predicts cognitive development in LBW, VLBW, and full-term infants. Preterm LBW, VLBW and full-term infant-mother dyads were assessed when infants were 6 and 12 months post-term. Of the 117 infants seen at 6 months, 84 (72%) returned at 12 months (44 FT, 20 LBW, 20 VLBW). Level of neonatal risk was coded based on birthweight, Apgar scores, length of hospitalization and intubation, and presence of respiratory complications. At 6 months, mothers and infants were observed playing an interactional game which was scored for degree of reciprocity and engagement, and at 12 months, infant cognitive skills were assessed. Results indicated that, although maternal sociodemographic characteristics did not moderate the relation between neonatal risk and cognitive outcomes, quality of parent-infant interaction mediated the relation between neonatal risk and cognitive development. Reciprocal and engaging dyadic interactions significantly predicted higher cognitive scores, controlling for neonatal and maternal risks and the interaction between risks.
Functional imaging of the lung.

Two novel methods have been developed to study lung anatomy and function using magnetic resonance imaging (pages 1236–1239).
Secular Belief, Religious Belonging in China

A recent Gallup poll found that almost half of China’s people are atheists. However, surveys conducted by Fenggang Yang and others show that as much as 85 percent of the population periodically engages in religious practices. How can we reconcile reports of widespread atheism with those of widespread religious practice?An answer is to be found in the social nature of Chinese religion—it is more about belonging than belief. Rituals and sacred myths meaningfully anchor persons to families and communities. The collapse of the commune and danwei systems has made the search for non-state-controlled community forms more pressing than ever. These alternative forms are typically established through myth and ritual. This is true as much for Christian forms of community as for traditional Chinese folk forms. Belonging in China is religious even though, as a result of sixty years of Communist indoctrination, belief is secular. The contradiction between secular belief and religious belonging creates tensions, and in the long run it is unclear how they will be resolved.
Is Engineering a Profession Everywhere

Though this paper is mostly about a sense of “profession” common in much of the West, it explains how the term might apply in any country (especially how the profession of engineering differs from the function, discipline, and occupation of engineering). To do that, I have to explain the connection between “profession” (in my preferred sense) and another hard-to-translate term, “code of ethics” (in the sense it has in the expression “code of engineering ethics”). To understand engineering (or any other occupation) as a profession is to adopt a certain conception of it, one neither old nor (yet) universal. With that conception in hand, it should be possible for social science to answer the question posed in the title.
Managing temporal worlds for medical trend diagnosis.

Abstract The medical trend diagnosis system TrenDx has been applied as a prototype for diagnosing pediatric growth disorders, and as a proof of concept in detecting clinically significant trends in hemodynamics and blood gases in intensive care unit patients. TrenDx diagnoses trends by matching patient data to patterns of normal and abnormal trends called trend templates that define disorders as typical patterns of relevant variables. These patterns consist of a partially ordered set of temporal intervals with uncertain endpoints. Bound to each temporal interval are value constraints on real-valued functions of measurable parameters. The temporal uncertainty in trend templates allows TrenDx to conclude both what trend pattern best matches the data and also when significant landmarks and phase transitions have occurred within the best matching trend. The temporal uncertainty in trend templates requires that TrenDx consider alternate temporal worlds in monitoring patient data. The number of temporal worlds grows worst case polynomially in the number of time slices of data. To manage the competing temporal worlds, TrenDx employs two techniques: beam search based on regression scores, and temporal granularity in the trend template definitions. These two techniques, described here in detail, allow TrenDx to choose different points in the trade-off between accuracy of trend detection and algorithm efficiency.
Neurokinin 1 receptors mediate substance P-induced changes in ion transport in guinea-pig ileum

Tachykinin receptors mediating substance P-induced secretion were examined in muscle-stripped segments of guinea-pig ileum set up in flux chambers. Changes in the short-circuit current (Isc) served as an index of active, electrogenic ion transport. Substance P evoked a transient increase in Isc which was concentration-dependent. The maximal change in Isc occurred at 1 microM concentration. [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P, a neurokinin 1 (NK-1) receptor agonist, evoked a similar concentration-dependent increase in Isc. [Nle10]NKA(4-10) (1 microM) or [Pro7]NKB (1 microM), selective NK2 and NK3 agonists, respectively, had minimal effects on Isc. CP-96,345 (5 microM), a nonpeptide NK-1 antagonist, and the peptide NK-1 antagonist, GR82334 (1 microM), reduced the secretory response to substance P (50 nM) in the presence and absence of tetrodotoxin (0.2 microM). The NK2 antagonist, [Tyr5,D-Trp6,8,9,Arg10]NKA(4-10) MEN 10207 had no effect on the substance P response. Tetrodotoxin (0.2 microM) significantly reduced, but did not abolish the Isc response to substance P (1 microM) and [Sar9,Met(O2)11]substance P (1 microM). The substance P response was unaltered by 5 microM atropine and 50 microM mecamylamine. Piroxicam (10 microM) or pyrilamine (10 microM) or a combination of both had no effect on the tetrodotoxin-resistant substance P response. Electrical field stimulation evoked a biphasic increase in Isc which was significantly reduced by 0.2 microM tetrodotoxin. Atropine (5 microM) reduced the first peak of the biphasic response and mecamylamine (50 microM) had no effect. Similarly, 5 microM CP-96,345 and 1 microM GR82334 did not alter the EFS-induced change Isc. The results suggest that substance P-evoked secretory responses are independent of histamine or prostaglandins. Substance P responses are mediated by an NK-1 receptor type on enteric neurons and possibly epithelial cells.
Circumstellar environment of Herbig Ae/Be stars as seen by the IOTA

We have conducted the first systematic study of Herbig Ae/Be stars using the technique of long baseline stellar interferometry. The Infrared Optical Telescope Array resolves the source of the near-infrared excess flux characteristic of these systems in 11 of the 15 stars observed. A close companion to MWC 361-A (18 mas separation) has been detected interferometrically for the first time. The visibility data has been interpreted within the context of four models which represent the range of plausible representations for the brightness of the excess emission: a Gaussian distribution, a narrow uniform ring, an accretion disk, and an infrared companion. We find that the large sizes measured by the interferometer, 0.5 - 5.9 AU, essentially invalidate accretion disk models that had been previously used to explain the spectroscopic observations. Although a unique model can not be determined for each source due to limited spatial frequency coverage, the observed symmetry of the sources favors, for the ensemble of the data, models in which the circumstellar dust is distributed in spherical envelopes.
Direct density estimation as an ill‐posed inverse estimation problem

A possible definition of ill-posedness in statistical estimation is the lack of qualitative robustness. In this sense direct density estimation shares ill-posedness with the more obviously ill-posed indirect density estimation models, of which it is a special case. A general construction pattern for estimators is proposed, based on suitable preconditioning, that works for both direct and indirect density estimation. Special emphasis is on its application to the direct case, where in general it yields delta-sequence estimators. More specifically both kernel and series type estimators are included depending on the choice of preconditioning operator. In particular sinc and other flattop kernel estimators emerge in a natural way.
Configuration design sensitivity analysis of built‐up structures part I: Theory

A continuum based configuration design sensitivity analysis method is developed for built-up structures that include truss, beam, plane elastic solid and plate design components. The configuration design variation of a structural component can be characterized by changes in the domain shape and in the orientation of the component. A variational approach is then used to incorporate both shape and orientation effects in the same energy equation. A continuum shape design sensitivity analysis method that utilizes the material derivative idea of continuum mechanics is employed to account for effects of shape variation. An approach that is similar to the continuum shape design sensitivity analysis method is developed in this paper to account for the effect of orientation variation. Variations of energy bilinear and load linear forms, with respect to both shape and orientation design variables, are derived for each structural component. Using the adjoint variable or direct differentiation method, configuration design sensitivity results for built-up structures are obtained in terms of the design velocity fields. Configuration design sensitivity analyses of both static and eigenvalue responses are considered.
Group-guaranteed channel capacity in multimedia storage servers

One of the open questions in the design of multimedia storage servers is in what order to serve incoming requests. Given the capability provided by the disk layout and scheduling algorithms to serve multiple streams simultaneously, improved request scheduling algorithms can reduce customer waiting times. This results in better service and/or lower customer loss. In this paper we define a new class of request scheduling algorithms, called Group-Guaranteed Server Capacity (GGSC), that preassign server channel capacity to groups of objects. We also define a particular formal method for computing the assigned capacities to achieve a given performance objective. We observe that the FCFS policy can provide the precise time of service to incoming customer requests. Under this assumption, we compare the performance of one of the new GGSC algorithms, GGSCW-FCFS, against FCFS and against two other recently proposed scheduling algorithms: Maximum Factored Queue length (MFQ), and the FCFS-n algorithm that preassigns capacity only to each of the n most popular objects. The algorithms are compared for both competitive market and captured audience environments.Key findings of the algorithm comparisons are that: (1) FCFS-n has no advantage over FCFS if FCFS gives time of service guarantees to arriving customers, (2) FCFS and GGSCW-FCFS are superior to MFQ for both competitive and captive audience environments, (3) for competitive servers that are configured for customer loss less than 10%, FCFS is superior to all other algorithms examined in this paper, and (4) for captive audience environments that have objects with variable playback length, GGSCW-FCFS is the most promising of the policies considered in this paper. The conclusions for FCFS-n and MFQ differ from previous work because we focus on competitive environments with customer loss under 10%, we assume FCFS can provide time of service guarantees to all arriving customers, and we consider the distribution of customer waiting time as well as the average waiting time.
Performance, monumentality and the ‘built exterior’ on the eastern African Swahili coast

This paper explores the way that open spaces in ancient Swahili towns were part of a monumental landscape based on the performances that occurred within them. By exploring the physical arrangement of open space through the placement of monumental and other buildings, it is argued that some Swahili open spaces might be understood as a ‘built exterior’: places where meaningful activities and performances were enacted, enhanced and framed by their monumental setting. These themes are explored though data from the site of Songo Mnara, in southern Tanzania, where archaeological research in two open spaces has revealed deposits associated with the activities occurring in them.
Initial study into the effects of translucency and complexity on the learning of Blissymbols by children and adults with normal cognitive abilities

This study investigated the effects of translucency and complexity on the acquisition of Blissymbols by children and adults possessing normal cognitive abilities. Preschool children and college-aged adults were required to learn the referent names of 40 Blissymbols selected according to high and low levels of translucency and complexity so that 10 symbols were in each orthogonal condition (referred to as “categories”: high translucency-low complexity [HTLC], high translucency-high complexity [HTHC], low translucency-low complexity [LTLC], and low translucency-high complexity [LTHC]). The results indicated that translucency facilitated acquisition for both groups of subjects while complexity appeared to be a factor for children only. The implications of the findings for clinical practice and further research are discussed.
Predicting Equity Returns for 37 Countries

THE JOURNAL OF INVESTING 81 I t has become almost axiomatic that the U.S. market was overvalued during the late 1990s, experiencing a bubble fueled by hyperbole about technology and Internet stocks. Campbell and Shiller [1998, 2001], Shiller [2000], and Smithers and Wright [2000] popularized the idea that the U.S. market was grossly overvalued—and the doomsayers were validated when the market tumbled. Questions remain as to whether the U.S. market, as measured by the Standard & Poor’s 500 index, is still overvalued. One way to figure out an answer is to compare the prospective return of the S&P 500 index with likely prospective returns from investing in other countries and to ask what change in the price of the S&P 500 index would align these returns. The essence of the Campbell and Shiller argument is that the S&P 500 index is overvalued as compared with past history. We ask the same question in a cross-sectional rather than in a time series context. If the S&P 500 index is overvalued, investors will want to avoid the U.S. largecapitalization stocks that dominate the S&P 500. But where should these investors put their money in order to maximize their returns? Are foreign markets a good shelter from the dangers of overvaluation in the United States? And if so, how do investors access and exploit the opportunities available to them in foreign markets? The Gordon [1962] dividend discount model states that the real return from buying and holding a stock forever and consuming the dividends is the dividend yield plus the real rate of dividend growth. We use this formula to predict the real rate of return for three Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) indexes and 37 individual country indexes. To predict future growth rates, we extrapolate past growth rates of dividends and earnings, adjusting these historical growth rates to account for divergence from historical norms. These adjustments are new twists on current methodology. To see what effect our adjustments have, we present four alternative calculations for each index.
Equivalence of Single- and Multilocus Markers: Power to Detect Linkage with Composite Markers Derived from Biallelic Loci

The reintroduction of biallelic markers, now in the form of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), has again raised concerns about the practicality of the use of markers with low heterozygosity for genomic screening for complex traits, even if thousands of such markers are available. Like the early blood-group markers (e.g., Rh and MNS), tightly linked biallelic SNPs can be combined into composite markers with heterozygosity similar to that of short-tandem-repeat polymorphisms. The assumptions that underlie the equivalence between single-locus multiallelic and composite markers are presented. We used computer simulation to determine the power of the Haseman-Elston test for linkage with composite markers when not all of these assumptions hold. The Genometric Analysis Simulation Program was used to simulate continuous and discrete traits, one single-locus four-allele marker, and six biallelic markers. We studied composite markers created from pairs, trios, and quartets of biallelic markers in nuclear families and in independent sib pairs. The power to detect linkage with a two-point approach for composite markers and with a multipoint approach that incorporated all six biallelic markers was compared with that for a single-locus, four-allele reference marker. Although the power to detect linkage with a single biallelic marker was considerably less than that of the reference marker, the power to detect linkage with two- and three-locus composite markers was quite similar to that of the reference marker. The power to detect linkage with four-locus composite markers was similar to that of a multipoint approach.
Bounds on the aliasing error in multidimensional Shannon sampling

We present a pair of sharp lower and upper bounds on the 2-norm of the aliasing error in general multiband sampling representations for not necessarily bandlimited multidimensional functions. These bounds improve and generalize previous bounds. They also complement a uniform upper bound due to Higgins (1985).
Anxiety sensitivity and pain-related anxiety in the prediction of fear responding to bodily sensations: A laboratory test

Objective The present investigation sought to examine the simultaneous effects of anxiety sensitivity and pain-related anxiety on fear and anxious responding to a 10% carbon dioxide enriched air challenge.
Microglial cell activation in aging and Alzheimer disease: Partial linkage with neurofibrillary tangle burden in the hippocampus

Microglial cells are the main component of the brain's resident immune system and are activated in Alzheimer disease (AD). We quantified the density of activated microglial cells (AMG) in 8 sectors of human hippocampus to determine if their density is correlated with senile plaque (SP) and neurofibrillary tangle (NFT) formation. Ferritin-stained microglia, Bielschowsky-stained neuritic plaques, and perikarya containing NFTs were counted in 8 young adults, 9 nondemented elderly adults, and 9 demented patients with AD. Microglial cell activation was moderately higher in elderly nondemented subjects. In AD there was a more striking activation in all sectors of the hippocampus. Most AMGs were distributed diffusely in neuropil and were not delimited to SPs or NFTs. Senile plaque counts were not linked with AMG counts within any sector. Neurofibrillary tangle counts were correlated significantly with AMG counts within one sector, the subiculum. When variations within and between sectors were factored out statistically, the burden of AMGs was correlated significantly with the burden of NFTs (r = 0.34; p < 0.005), but not SPs. Neuropathologic changes at the origin of the perforant pathway were correlated significantly with orthograde microglial cell activation in the termination field. These observations show that correlations between microglial cell activation and pathologic features of AD are only rarely significant. When significant linkage was present, it involved NFTs and not SPs, and depended on which sector of hippocampus was examined.
Ethical Conflict at Work: A Critique of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Research*

It is obvious that people experience ethical conflicts, and that many of these conflicts occur at work. We do not yet know empirically whether or how these experiences affect productivity. A person experiencing an ethical conflict will, at a minimum, be distracted. It seems likely that the incident will have a negative impact on his or her job performance. The kinds or degree of impact ethical conflicts have on productivity have not yet been determined scientifically. The purpose of this paper is to encourage empirical investigation of the phenomena of the experience of ethical conflict at work and the impact these kinds of incidents have on job performance.
Perceptual analysis of talking avatar head movements: a quantitative perspective

Lifelike interface agents (e.g. talking avatars) have been increasingly used in human-computer interaction applications. In this work, we quantitatively analyze how human perception is affected by audio-head motion characteristics of talking avatars. Specifically, we quantify the correlation between perceptual user ratings (obtained via user study) and joint audio-head motion features as well as head motion patterns in the frequency-domain. Our quantitative analysis results clearly show that the correlation coefficient between the pitch of speech signals (but not the RMS energy of speech signals) and head motions is approximately linearly proportional to the perceptual user rating, and a larger proportion of high frequency signals in talking avatar head movements tends to degrade the user perception in terms of naturalness.
Revision anterior cruciate ligamentsurgery: Preoperative evaluation and considerations

Abstract An orthopedic surgeon must carefully evaluate each patient before proceeding with revision anterior cruciateligament (ACL) surgery. A concerted effort directed at delineating the reason(s) for failure of the primary reconstruction should be undertaken to prepare an orthopedic surgeon for revision ACL surgery. The evaluation should include a detailed history from the preoperative period of the primary ACL until the present. Physical examination should evaluate the knee for previous scars as well as associated laxity. Diagnostic studies should at a minimum include plain radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging. In addition, the operative surgeon should be experienced in ACL surgical techniques, have the appropriate tools and fixation devices, and have several graft choices. Finally, if there is any question about the ability to place the tunnels appropriately or obtain solid fixation, strong consideration should be given to staging the revision reconstruction.
Moral Panics and Morality Policy: The Impact of Media, Political Ideology, Drug Use, and Manufacturing on Methamphetamine Legislation in the United States

The United States recently focused on the methamphetamine "epidemic," but little research has examined policies resulting from this increased attention. This study explores influences of state-level methamphetamine legislation during 2000-2007, with the goals of understanding themes of legislative responses, and assessing political, social, and media-related predictors on legislation. Nine themes of methamphetamine legislation were identified through a legal database: pharmacy precursor regulations, precursor sentencing, manufacturing/trafficking, possession, research/task force, prevention or treatment, law enforcement, environmental cleanup, and child protection. Logistic regression results largely support the moral panic literature by finding media's influence and methamphetamine manufacturing on legislation. Findings also suggest that law enforcement agencies participate in constructing the drug problem, which then drives legislation. Moreover, the drug problem is defined in terms of methamphetamine manufacturing rather than use and treatment, which are largely nonsignificant. Surprisingly, conservative political ideology predicted decreased legislation, suggesting that liberal candidates also raise concerns over methamphetamine. Language: en
Exploring the Interaction of Ruthenium(II) Polypyridyl Complexes with DNA Using Single-Molecule Techniques

Here we explore DNA binding by a family of ruthenium(II) polypyridyl complexes using an atomic force microscope (AFM) and optical tweezers. We demonstrate using AFM that Ru(bpy)2dppz2+ intercalates into DNA (K(b) = 1.5 x 10(5) M(-1)), as does its close relative Ru(bpy)2dppx2+ (K(b) = 1.5 x 10(5) M(-1)). However, intercalation by Ru(phen)3(2+) and other Ru(II) complexes with K(b) values lower than that of Ru(bpy)2dppz2+ is difficult to determine using AFM because of competing aggregation and surface-binding phenomena. At the high Ru(II) concentrations required to evaluate intercalation, most of the DNA strands acquire a twisted, curled conformation that is impossible to measure accurately. The condensation of DNA on mica in the presence of polycations is well known, but it clearly precludes the accurate assessment by AFM of DNA intercalation by most Ru(II) complexes, though not by ethidium bromide and other monovalent intercalators. When stretching individual DNA molecules using optical tweezers, the same limitation on high metal concentration does not exist. Using optical tweezers, we show that Ru(phen)2dppz2+ intercalates avidly (K(b) = 3.2 x 10(6) M(-1)) whereas Ru(bpy)3(2+) does not intercalate, even at micromolar ruthenium concentrations. Ru(phen)3(2+) is shown to intercalate weakly (i.e., at micromolar concentrations (K(b) = 8.8 x 10(3) M(-1))). The distinct differences in DNA stretching behavior between Ru(phen)3(2+) and Ru(bpy)3(2+) clearly illustrate that intercalation can be distinguished from groove binding by pulling the DNA with optical tweezers. Our results demonstrate both the benefits and challenges of two single-molecule methods of exploring DNA binding and help to elucidate the mode of binding of Ru(phen)3(2+).
On the Solar-Cycle Modulation of the Homestake Solar Neutrino Capture Rate and the Shuffle Test

There exists no significant correlation between the Homestake neutrino data up to run 133 and the monthly sunspot number, according to a test that is based on certain optimality properties for this type of problem. It is argued that priorly reported highly significant results for segments of the data are due to a statistical fallacy: the usual methods for evaluating the significance of common tests for correlation are not applicable in the sunspot-neutrino context. Moreover, an appropriate evaluation of these tests gives results that are compatible with the hypothesis of no correlation. Some new methods are introduced for assessing the significance of common measures of correlation in a time series setting, with a special emphasis on the Spearman rank correlation coefficient.
Hospitals and physicians in socio‐historical context: Three studies

Colombotos, John and Corinne Kirchner. Physicians and Social Change. New York: Oxford University Press, 1986. vii + 264 pp. including appendix, references, and index. $35.00 cloth. Lennard, Henry L. with Alexander Gralnick. The Psychiatric Hospital: Context, Values, and Therapeutic Process. New York: Human Sciences Press, 1986. 221 pp. including index, bibliography, references, and notes. $24.95 cloth. Risse, Guenter B. Hospital Life in Enlightenment Scotland. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986. viii + 450 pp. including appendices, notes, and index. $49.50 cloth.
Recent infrared spectra of Mars and Venus

Abstract Infrared spectra of Mars and Venus are discussed with regard to the composition of these two planets' atmospheres. The evidence for carbon monoxide in the Venus atmosphere is presented. The transparency of the Venus cloud level is found to be less than 0·1 per cent between 3 and 4 μ. Spectra of Mars are analyzed for the CO 2 content of that planet's atmosphere. A new instrument, a birefringent interferometer that has just been put into operation, is described briefly.
Decreased expression of G?s mRNA and protein levels in lithium-treated bipolar affective disorder

The present work was aimed at assessing the GTP-binding (Galphas subunit) protein expression in lithium-treated bipolar patients (BP). Mononuclear leukocyte Galphas protein and mRNA were measured both in patients and in a comparison group. The patient group consisted of 15 lithium-treated patients with bipolar affective disorder, all diagnosed as euthymic bipolars, and a comparison group of 15 drug-free healthy subjects. The method of competitive Reverse Transcriptase coupled to Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) was used to estimate the relative abundance of Galphas mRNA, whereas the Western-immunoblot method was used to estimate Galphas levels. Results of both Galphas proteins and Galphas mRNA levels from patients were compared to those of non-treated control subjects. By using the competitive RT-PCR method, the Galphas mRNA displayed a significant decrease in the lithium-treated bipolar patients compared to non-treated controls: the ratio / was 1\81+/-0\05 versus 2\51+/-0\6 for BP and controls, respectively (Mann-Whitney test, < 0%sol;001). Studying the same groups with respect to their protein levels, it was shown that Galphas levels were also significantly decreased in the group of bipolar patients (normalized values to a standard yielded 81\2+/-21 per cent versus 122\5+/-25 per cent for BP and controls, respectively; Mann-Whitney test, < 0\001). Data indicated that lithium induces a decrease both in Galphas protein levels and in Galphas mRNA synthesis in BP with respect to drug-free healthy subjects. Copyright 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dental Eruption Chronology in Dogs: Deciduous Tooth Gingival Emergence

Tooth eruption was studied in 89 suckling, mixed-breed, and purebred canine pups. Average eruption ages for all 28 teeth fell between the 22nd and 34th postnatal days. Males preceded females in eruption of 21 of the teeth. Mean eruption ages for many teeth were slightly earlier and less variable than previously reported for purebred beagles.
Search for a short-lived neutral particle produced in nuclear decay.

We report on a search for a short-lived neutral particle φ produced in the decay of the 9.17-MeV Jπ=2+ state in 14N. The experiment is sensitive to decays into an e+e- pair with τφ≲10^-11 s. For mφ=1.7 MeV we place a limit on the branching ratio of Γφ/Γγ<~4×10^-4 at the 90% confidence level.
Feedback Regulation of Ras Signaling by Rabex-5-Mediated Ubiquitination

Ras proteins play a central role in transducing signals that control cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, and survival. The location-specific signaling activity of Ras has been previously shown to be regulated by ubiquitination [1]. However, the molecular machinery that controls Ras ubiquitination has not been defined. Here we demonstrate through biochemical and functional analyses that Rabex-5 (also known as RabGEF1) [2, 3] functions as an E3 ligase for Ras. Rabex-5-mediated Ras ubiquitination promotes Ras endosomal localization and leads to the suppression of ERK activation. Moreover, the Ras effector RIN1 [4, 5] is required for Rabex-5-dependent Ras ubiquitination, suggesting a feedback mechanism by which Ras activation can be coupled to ubiquitination. These findings define new elements in the regulatory circuitry that link Ras compartmentalization to signaling output.
THE INHIBITION OF TUBE FORMATION IN A COLLAGEN-FIBRINOGEN, THREE-DIMENSIONAL GEL BY CLEAVED KININOGEN (HKa) AND HK DOMAIN 5 (D5) IS DEPENDENT ON Src FAMILY KINASES

Abstract Cleaved high molecular weight kininogen (HKa), as well as its domain 5 (D5), inhibits migration and proliferation induced by angiogenic factors and induces apoptosis in vitro. To study its effect on tube formation we utilized a collagen–fibrinogen, three-dimensional gel, an in vitro model of angiogenesis. HKa, GST–D5 and D5 had a similar inhibitory effect of tube length by 90 ± 4.5%, 86 ± 5.5% and 77 ± 12.9%, respectively. D5-derived synthetic peptides: G440–H455 H475–H485 and G486–K502 inhibited tube length by 51 ± 3.7%, 54 ± 3.8% and 77 ± 1.7%, respectively. By a comparison of its inhibitory potency and its sequences, a functional sequence of HKa was defined to G486–G496. PP2, a Src family kinase inhibitor, prevented tube formation in a dose-dependent manner (100–400 nM), but PP3 at 5 μM, an inactive analogue of PP2, did not. HKa and D5 inhibited Src 416 phosphorylation by 62 ± 12.3% and 83 ± 6.1%, respectively. The C-terminal Src kinase (Csk) inhibits Src kinase activity. Using a siRNA to Csk, expression of Csk was down-regulated by 86 ± 7.0%, which significantly increased tube length by 27 ± 5.8%. The addition of HKa and D5 completely blocked this effect. We further showed that HKa inhibited Src family kinase activity by disrupting the complex of uPAR, αvβ3 integrin and Src. Our results indicate that the anti-angiogenic effect of HKa and D5 is mediated at least in part through Src family kinases and identify a potential novel target for therapeutic inhibition of neovascularization in cancer and inflammatory arthritis.
Volunteering overseas--lessons from surgical brigades.

Every year, thousands of physicians travel to developing countries to volunteer their skills and knowledge. Dr. Adam Wolfberg describes the core set of challenges that distinguishes overseas medical work from the usual clinic routine.
Cocaine abuse versus cocaine dependence: cocaine self-administration and pharmacodynamic response in the human laboratory.

Abstract Cocaine has high abuse liability but only a subset of individuals who experiment with it develop dependence. The DSM-IV (APA. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-R. American Psychiatric Association, Washington, DC, 2000) provides criteria for diagnosing cocaine abuse and cocaine dependence as distinct disorders- the latter characterized by additional symptoms related to loss of control over drug use. In this study, two groups of cocaine users ( n = 8/group), matched on demographic factors and length of cocaine use history and meeting criteria for either cocaine abuse (CocAb) or cocaine dependence (CocDep), were compared on (1) measures related to impulsivity and sensation seeking, (2) response to experimenter-administered cocaine (0, 12.5, 25 and 50 mg/70 kg, i.v.), and (3) cocaine self-administration using a Relapse Choice and a Progressive Ratio Procedure (0, 12.5 and 25 mg/70 kg, i.v.). Groups did not differ on impulsivity or sensation seeking scores. After experimenter-administered cocaine, the CocAb group reported feeling more suspicious and observers rated them significantly higher on unpleasant effects (e.g., irritability, difficulty concentrating). In contrast, the CocDep group reported significantly greater desire for cocaine, which was sustained over the course of the study, and gave higher street value estimates for cocaine ( p
Mesenchymal stem cells: immune evasive, not immune privileged

The diverse immunomodulatory properties of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) may be exploited for treatment of a multitude of inflammatory conditions. MSCs have long been reported to be hypoimmunogenic or 'immune privileged'; this property is thought to enable MSC transplantation across major histocompatibility barriers and the creation of off-the-shelf therapies consisting of MSCs grown in culture. However, recent studies describing generation of antibodies against and immune rejection of allogeneic donor MSCs suggest that MSCs may not actually be immune privileged. Nevertheless, whether rejection of donor MSCs influences the efficacy of allogeneic MSC therapies is not known, and no definitive clinical advantage of autologous MSCs over allogeneic MSCs has been demonstrated to date. Although MSCs may exert therapeutic function through a brief 'hit and run' mechanism, protecting MSCs from immune detection and prolonging their persistence in vivo may improve clinical outcomes and prevent patient sensitization toward donor antigens.
An ecology of postcoloniality: disciplining nature and society in Malaya, 1948–1957

Abstract This paper examines the territorialization of the Malayan rainforest by the British colonial authorities during the Malayan Emergency in the decade prior to political independence in 1957. Through the events of the Emergency the Malaysian rainforest was constructed as a space of fear and violence in opposition to the orderly rule of the state. Disassociation from the forest was the visible criterion of good or bad, and the struggle over land became recast as a moral struggle between good (the state) and bad (the Communists). The military campaign in the forest was accompanied by legislation designed to control and discipline the Malayan population in the urban areas especially those expelled from the forests and forcibly incarcerated in the ‘New Villages’. The result was an ecology that allowed the most efficient monopoly of violence by the state and of the means to discipline its subject-citizens.
A Convenient Route to Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes

Reductive alkylation of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) using lithium and alkyl halides in liquid ammonia yields sidewall functionalized nanotubes that are soluble in common organic solvents. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and high-resolution tunneling electron microscopy (HRTEM) of dodecylated SWNTs prepared from raw HiPco nanotubes show that extensive debundling has occurred. GC-MS analysis of the byproduct hydrocarbons demonstrates that alkyl radicals are intermediates in the alkylation step.
Geophysical Investigation of the Versailles, Kentucky, Astrobleme

The Versailles, Kentucky, astrobleme has been investigated by magnetic and gravity surveys. The results show that the rocks below the surface feature are probably undisturbed at very shallow depths. These findings are consistent with an astrobleme origin.