cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of the small GTP‐binding protein Rho by cell adhesion and the cytoskeleton

Soluble factors from serum such as lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) are thought to activate the small GTP-binding protein Rho based on their ability to induce actin stress fibers and focal adhesions in a Rho-dependent manner. Cell adhesion to extracellular matrices (ECM) has also been proposed to activate Rho, but this point has been controversial due to the difficulty of distinguishing changes in Rho activity from the structural contributions of ECM to the formation of focal adhesions. To address these questions, we established an assay for GTP-bound cellular Rho. Plating Swiss 3T3 cells on fibronectin-coated dishes elicited a transient inhibition of Rho, followed by a phase of Rho activation. The activation phase was greatly enhanced by serum. In serum-starved adherent cells, LPA induced transient Rho activation, whereas in suspended cells Rho activation was sustained. Furthermore, suspended cells showed higher Rho activity than adherent cells in the presence of serum. These data indicate the existence of an adhesion-dependent negative-feedback loop. We also observed that both cytochalasin D and colchicine trigger Rho activation despite their opposite effects on stress fibers and focal adhesions. Our results show that ECM, cytoskeletal structures and soluble factors all contribute to regulation of Rho activity.
Statistical Reasoning in the Legal Setting

Abstract Expert testimony, based on statistical data and inference, has become a routine part of legal proceedings. This article describes the role of statistics as evidence in a variety of cases and how the relevance of statistical exhibits relates to legal standards and burdens of proof.
Reintroducing anisotropic interactions in magic-angle-spinning NMR of half-integer quadrupolar nuclei: 3D MQMAS

Selective reintroduction of anisotropic interactions such as the chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) and homonucler dipolar (HMD) coupling were implemented in a high-resolution NMR spectroscopy for hal...
Life-History Responses to Pathogens in Tiger Salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) Larvae

We tested whether the presence of an iridovirus (Ambystoma tigrinum virus; ATV) could alter patterns of larval life histories in Arizona Tiger Salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum). Viral epidemics cause extreme mortality in natural populations and, thus, impose a strong selective force. We tested how exposure to ATV during larval development influences survival, growth, and frequency of cannibalism by manipulating the presence of ATV in replicated experimental tanks. ATV significantly reduced survival and larval growth. Propensity to become cannibalistic was not related to ATV exposure, suggesting that salamanders cannot facultatively respond to the presence of diseased conspecifics by reducing cannibalism. Our results demonstrate that viral pathogens may have both a direct and indirect effect on A. tigrinum fit- ness by reducing survival and growth rate.
Psychometric evaluation of the Care Transition Measure in TRACE-CORE: do we need a better measure?

Background-—The quality of transitional care is associated with important health outcomes such as rehospitalization and costs. The widely used Care Transitions Measure (CTM-15) was developed with a classic test theory approach; its short version (CTM-3) was included in the CAHPS Hospital Survey. We conducted a psychometric evaluation of both measures and explored whether item response theory (IRT) could produce a more precise measure. Methods and Results-—As part of the Transitions, Risks, and Actions in Coronary Events Center for Outcomes Research and Education, 1545 participants were interviewed during an acute coronary syndrome hospitalization, providing information on general health status (Short Form-36), CTM-15, health utilization, and care process questions at 1 month postdischarge. We used classic and IRT analyses and compared the measurement precision of CTM-15–, CTM-3–, and CTM-IRT–based score using relative validity. Participants were 79% non-Hispanic white and 67% male, with an average age of 62 years. The CTM-15 had good internal consistency (Cronbach’s a=0.95) but demonstrated acquiescence bias (8.7% participants responded “Strongly agree” and 19% responded “Agree” to all items) and limited score variability. These problems were more pronounced for the CTM-3. The CTM-15 differentiated between patient groups defined by self-reported health status, health care utilization, and care transition process indicators. Differences between groups were small (2 to 3 points). There was no gain in measurement precision from IRT scoring. The CTM-3 was not significantly lower for patients reporting rehospitalization or emergency department visits. Conclusion-—We identified psychometric challenges of the CTM, which may limit its value in research and practice. These results are in line with emerging evidence of gaps in the validity of the measure. (J Am Heart Assoc. 2014;3:e001053 doi: 10.1161/ JAHA.114.001053)
The intrinsic viscosity of serum albumin

The intrinsic viscosity of normal human and bovine serum albumin was determined. Values between 0.035–0.040 were found for human albumin, and 0.031–0.038 for bovine albumin, depending on the solvent and temperature. It was found that a linear relationship exists between the reduced viscosity ηsp/c and concentration c up to c of 8 grams albumin in 100 ml solution.
Interaction of photoperiod and testes development is associated with paternal care in Microtus pennsylvanicus (meadow voles).

During the summer breeding season, free-living meadow voles do not engage in paternal care. However, in fall when female territoriality declines, social nesting and breeding activity may overlap and adult males nest with females and young. In the laboratory, meadow voles housed under short day (SD) lengths exhibit more and better quality paternal care than those housed under long day (LD) lengths. This observation is commensurate with the hypothesis that SD paternal care may increase fitness by decreasing pup mortality during colder months. However, SD males also demonstrate variability in paternal care. We hypothesize that this variability may be due to male fertility status; SD infertile males, incapable of siring offspring, should be less likely to care for pups than fertile males, for whom paternal care may confer fitness benefits. The goal of this experiment was to determine whether paternal behavior differed between fertile LD males, fertile SD males (i.e. males that were gonadally photoperiod-unresponsive to SD lengths), and infertile SD males (i.e. males that were gonadally photoperiod-responsive to SD lengths), as indexed by paired testes weights and behavioral evaluation. Fertile SD males exhibited proportionally more paternal behavior than infertile SD males or fertile LD males, which did not differ from each other. Fertile SD males also exhibited paternal behavior faster, spent more time in contact with pups, and engaged in longer and more frequent bouts of pup-directed grooming and huddling than either infertile SD males or fertile LD males. Collectively, these data suggest that photoperiod and fertility status may interact to exert both inhibitory and permissive control over the expression of paternal behavior in adult meadow voles.
Recurrent desmoplastic fibroma of the mandible: report of case

A case of two recurrences of desmoplastic fibroma of the mandible after vigorous curettage is presented. The 7-year-old patient underwent a hemimandibulectomy to eradicate this benign, yet locally aggressive, intraosseous tumor.
Identification of rapid changes at plasma–solid interfaces

Recording ellipsometers and surface film balance, breath patterns, and ferric oxide powder “staining” were used to observe adsorption of normal plasma constituents onto metal oxide, silicon oxide, and polymer surfaces. Adsorbed proteins could be identified by their ability to adsorb matter from corresponding antihuman sera. Data indicate that oxidized silicon crystal surfaces adsorbed fibrinogen out of plasmas within 2 sec; within 20 sec, these films lost their ability to attract antifibrinogen and were later partially removed if intact factor XII was present in the solution. One aminated nonheparinized polymer formed films that adsorbed large amounts of fibrinogen and some gamma globulins out of plasma in the ellipsometer, and platelets out of platelet-rich plasma, as well as ferric oxide out of aqueous suspension. After taking up heparin, these polymer films appeared able to adsorb only small amounts of protein or oxide, and no detectable amounts of fibrinogen or platelets. On another aminated polymer, heparin seemed without effect. Interaction of metal surfaces with plasma may be complicated by oxidation.
The effects of hepatic impairment on the pharmacokinetics of doxazosin

The pharmacokinetics of doxazosin was determined in an open-label study of 12 male volunteers with hepatic impairment (stable alcoholic cirrhosis) and 12 healthy male volunteers. Participants (fasting) received a single 2 mg doxazosin tablet, and blood samples were collected over a 120-hour period. Safety assessments included laboratory and vital sign (blood pressure, pulse rate, and ECGs) measurements and recording of all reported adverse events. The mean peak plasma concentrations were 10.8 ng/mL and 12.3 ng/mL for the subjects with hepatic impairment and healthy subjects, respectively. The corresponding mean area under the plasma concentration-time curve values were 246 and 172 ng . h/mL, a 43% increase in exposure in the subjects with hepatic impairment (p = 0.02). Although the apparent oral clearance was reduced by 30% in men with hepatic impairment compared with healthy subjects (p = 0.02), the elimination half-life was not significantly changed (24 vs. 22 hours, respectively). Laboratory test results, vital signs, and the incidence of adverse events were similar for the two treatment groups. These findings indicate that the recommended dosing regimen for doxazosin is appropriate for patients with clinically mild to moderate hepatic impairment.
Gonadotropin secretion in cryptorchid and castrate rams and the acute effects of exogenous steroid treatment.

Gonadotropin secretion in cryptorchid and castrate rams and the acute effects of exogenous steroid treatment on gonadotropin secretion have been determined. Rams made cryptorchid at 6 weeks of age had increased serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) when determined at 9 months of age. These levels approached those of the castrate animal; and yet serum levels of testosterone (T) were unchanged. Even though mean serum LH concentrations were elevated sixfold to eightfold over those of intact ram levels, a temporal relationship between this hormone and T was observed similar to that reported in the intact ram. Intramuscular injections of dihydrotestosterone had no effect on circulating levels of LH or FSH in either cryptorchid or castrate rams, whereas T effectively reduced these gonadotropins in castrate but not in cryptorchid rams. Only estradiol-17β (E2) was effective in both cryptorchid and castrate rams. Estradiol was a potent inhibitor of LH secretion; however, i...
The Morphology of Rubber/Plastic Blends

Abstract This study considers the rheological and interfacial effects on the phase morphology of the rubber/plastic blends during molten-state mixing, cold pressing, and compression molding. We utilized a specially designed tool to take a sample from the mixer and quickly cool it with little chance for coalescence. The work of this report is mainly concerned with soft rubbery compositions, which contain large concentrations of elastomeric phases. The morphologies of rubber/plastic blends having low concentrations of plastic or rubber can be explained by the understanding gained from work previously reported by others. The viscosity-matched and polarity-matched rubber/plastic blend systems give the finer states of dispersion, especially during the early stages of mixing. At intermediate concentrations of rubber, (e.g., 60 vol. %) co-continuous and laminar structures are frequently formed. The determinants of the concentration where the phase inversion occurs and the determinants of phase-domain dimensions ...
The Nest-Concealment Hypothesis: New Insights from a Comparative Analysis

ABSTRACT Selection of a breeding site is critical for many animals, especially for birds whose offspring are stationary during development. Thus, birds are often assumed to prefer concealed nest sites. However, 74% of studies (n = 106) that have evaluated this relationship for open-cup nesting songbirds in North America failed to support the nest-concealment hypothesis. We conducted a comparative analysis to identify factors that contribute to variation in the ability of researchers to find support for the nest-concealment hypothesis. We found that some of the discrepancy among studies can be explained by interspecific differences in morphological and extrinsic factors that affect nest predation. Moreover, methods that investigators used to estimate concealment affected whether studies found support for the nest-concealment hypothesis; 33% of the studies that used quantitative estimates found support for the nest-concealment hypothesis whereas only 10% of the studies that used qualitative estimates found ...
Pavlovian conditioning of L-dopa induced movement.

Using the unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) substantia nigra pars compacta (SNC) lesion rat model and a Pavlovian conditioning protocol, the present investigation determined that the contralateral rotation response induced by the antiparkinsonian dopaminergic drugl-dopa can become conditioned to exteroceptive test environment stimuli. Two non-drug conditioning tests indicated that contralateral rotation was elicited by the test environment without the presence ofl-dopa. This conditioned response had a rotation diameter profile that was qualitatively the same as thel-dopa induced contralateral rotation response. Additionally, drug tests with the combined dopaminergic receptor antagonists, SCH 23390 (0.1 mg/kg) and haloperidol (0.5 mg/kg), at doses sufficient to block spontaneous behavior andl-dopa (20 mg/kg)-induced rotation, revealed that the conditioned contralateral rotation response, unlikel-dopa-induced contralateral rotation, is not affected by D1/D2 receptor blockade. Thus, the conditoned stimuli of the test environment can elicit the contralateral rotation response even in animals rendered akinetic by D1/D2 antagonists. This activation of a conditioned dopaminergic drug response by the situational stimuli, independent of dopaminergic mechanisms, may, therefore, contribute to the untoward overstimulation clinical effects ofl-dopa through summation of conditioned and drug-induced effects. Furthermore, the use of conditioning procedures to elicit movement in akinetic animals may provide a new research methodology to investigate the phenomenon of paradoxical kinesia.
Prediction of Sunspot Number Using Minimum Error Entropy Cost Based Kernel Adaptive Filters

Several algorithms in adaptive filtering are based on the minimization of the mean squared error (MSE) cost function. However, MSE is just a second order statistics and hence does not capture the entire information about the probability distribution of the error in the system. An information theoretic alternative is using the minimum error entropy (MEE) cost function. Adaptive algorithms based on this criterion have been developed and shown to be superior as compared to MSE counterparts. In this work, kernel versions of some of these methods are designed and tested on predicting the annual sunspot number. The sunspot number is the number of visibly darker regions on the solar surface and has been shown to be instrumental in modeling space weather, state of the ionosphere, climatic anomalies and even global warming. A comparative performance study of the various linear and kernel algorithms, trained with both MEE and MSE criteria, in predicting such a chaotic non-linear time series is presented in this paper. Experimental results clearly show the advantage of the MEE based kernel design which is as per expectation given that it has the advantage of being non-linear along with being able to derive maximum information from the error distribution.
METALAXYL STIMULATION OF GROWTH OF ISOLATES OF PHYTOPHTHORA INFESTANS

Metalaxyl is a systemic organic fungicide used to control Phytophthora infestans, causal agent of potato and tomato late blight, and other plant-patho- genic oomycetes. Metalaxyl-resistant isolates of P. in- festans are common and have been found worldwide. Four independent metalaxyl-resistant isolates were cul- tured on media containing or lacking metalaxyl. Me- talaxyl stimulated vegetative growth of three of the four isolates. One isolate was stimulated by metalaxyl only when nutrients were limiting. The data indicate that under certain conditions metalaxyl is beneficial
Liquid-Solid Interface Morphologies and Defect Structures in Zone-Melting-Recrystallized Silicon-On-Insulator Films

In-situ optical microscopy has been used to observe liquid-solid interface morphologies during zone-melting recrystallization of silicon-on-insulator films. These morphologies have been correlated with the defect morphologies of the recrystallized films. Stable cellular solidification fronts, which are obtained at low zone velocities if the radiation intensity gradient in the interfacial region is small, yield subboundary free films. We suggest that under these experimental conditions the interface morphology is primarily the result of radiative heating rather than constitutional supercooling.
Prospective Comparison of Acute Kidney Injury During Treatment With the Combination of Piperacillin-Tazobactam and Vancomycin Versus the Combination of Cefepime or Meropenem and Vancomycin

Purpose:To prospectively evaluate the observed incidence of acute kidney injury (AKI) in adult patients receiving the combination of piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin versus the combination of cefepime or meropenem and vancomycin for greater than 72 hours.Methods:This was a prospective, open-label cohort study at a community academic medical center involving adult patients over a 3-month time period who received either the combination of piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin or the combination of cefepime or meropenem and vancomycin for greater than 72 hours. The patients were evaluated for AKI, defined using specific criteria introduced by Kidney Disease: Improving global outcomes (KDIGO) acute kidney injury work group in 2012.Results:A total of 85 patients receiving either antimicrobial combination were evaluated for AKI. The incidence of AKI was significantly higher in the piperacillin-tazobactam and vancomycin group (37.3%) compared with the cefepime or meropenem and vancomycin group (7.7%; χ2 =...
Effects of Large-Bore Middle Ear Ventilation Tubes

Patients with chronic otitis media that did not respond to conventional treatment were studied for the types and incidence of complications from the use of large-bore tubes inserted into their ears. The most common complication was otorrhea (41%, 50 of 123 ears). Permanent perforation occurred in 25% (17/68 ears). Use of large-bore tubes proved effective and continues to be indicated in certain conditions of chronic otitis media that are refractory to other forms of treatment.
Wii Health: A Preliminary Study of the Health and Wellness Benefits of Wii Fit on University Students

Objective:The aim of this preliminary study was to determine the effectiveness of the Nintendo Wii Fit as an occupation to promote weight loss in undergraduate students.Participants:Five first-year female students living on campus at a northeastern university in the United States were recruited to participate in this study.Method:An A-B single subject design was created where participants were separated into three groups: a typical activity group and two Wii conditions (Wii Fit individually and Wii Fit with another participant). In all conditions, participants recorded their daily food intake and daily number of steps using a pedometer. Body mass index (BMI) and weight were recorded at baseline, at 6 weeks and at 12 weeks (the conclusion of the intervention). At baseline and 12 weeks, motivation and activity level were measured.Results:There was a significant change in BMI, weight and motivation for participants in the singles group.Conclusion:Although the sample size was very small, the results of this p...
Hemostasis in the premature infant.

Understanding the unique problems of bleeding in the tiny baby depends on a working knowledge of various hemostatic mechanisms. Clinical syndromes often associated with bleeding and particularly affecting premature infants are discussed. A rational approach to the evaluation of a bleeding infant and specific therapeutic modalities are outlined.
Safety and Efficacy Profile of rAHF-PFM for Immune Tolerance Induction as Assessed In 3 Clinical Trials (PUP ITI, PRE-PAIR, and PAIR).

Abstract Abstract 3670 Introduction: Development of neutralizing antibodies to FVIII is the most serious complication in the management of hemophilia A today. Eradication of the inhibitor with ITI therapy is a common treatment practice however, there are few reports of controlled studies, and much of the current ITI experience is reported from international registries and small site-based case studies. A previous case-series demonstrated successful tolerance in 9/12 (75%) patients using ADVATE [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant) Plasma/Albumin Free Method] (rAHF-PFM). Data on the safety and efficacy of rAHF-PFM in ITI therapy have now been formally captured in the recently completed Previously Untreated Patient (PUP-ITI) study, a retrospective chart review (PRE-PAIR), and an ongoing Prospective ADVATE ITI Registry (PAIR). Objectives: To provide a critical assessment of the safety and efficacy of rAHF-PFM in ITI therapy through a review of the cumulative data from PUP-ITI, PRE-PAIR, and PAIR. Methods: PUP study was a prospective, multicenter, open-label, clinical study in PUPs Results: In PUP-ITI, a total of 11 subjects initiated ITI; 3 withdrew and 8 completed ITI. In PRE-PAIR, 35 subjects were enrolled, 30 of which were evaluable per protocol. Of these 30 subjects, 20 had moderately severe to severe hemophilia A (FVIII ≤2%), and high-titer (>5 BU) inhibitor. As of Sept 4, 2010, 18 subjects had been enrolled in PAIR and were included in an interim safety assessment. Over all 3 studies, most commonly prescribed initial dose regimen in subjects with high inhibitor titer prior to initiation of ITI was 100 IU/kg QD (17/37 [46%]), followed by 200 IU/kg QD (11/37 [30%]), and any dose at a frequency of Conclusions: In 2 clinical studies of rAHF-PFM therapy in ITI treatment, rAHF-PFM was found to be efficacious in a variety of dosing regimens reflective of current standards of practice in hemophilia care. Overall success rates ranged from 72.7% in PUP-ITI to 76.7% in PRE-PAIR. Success rates in these 2 rAHF-PFM studies are similar to those reported in published literature. In all 3 ITI studies, there were no product related SAEs and 6 non-serious AEs in 3 subjects considered to be related to rAHF-PFM, suggesting that rAHF-PFM used for ITI has a similar risk profile established in routine clinical use. These data suggest that ITI treatment with rAHF-PFM was both effective and safe. Disclosures: Spotts: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Off Label Use: ADVATE [Antihemophilic Factor (Recombinant) Plasma/Albumin Free Method] (rAHF-PFM)use in ITI therapy. Abbuehl: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Luu: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Song: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Dyck-Jones: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Guzman-Becerra: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Wu: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Oh: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Zoerer: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Sosa: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Stephens: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Yamamoto: Baxter Bioscience: Employment. Ewenstein: Baxter Bioscience: Employment.
Conversion of laboratory stock CH3(203)HgCl to inorganic 203Hg.

Some data, which suggest that CH/sub 3//sup 203/HgCl undergoes a chemical breakdown to the inorganic form in a relatively short period of time, are presented. Paper chromatography was used to determine the percent methylmercury of the stock solution. Inorganic mercury remains at the chromatogram origin and methylmercury migrates with the solvent front according to standards used. Percent CH/sub 3//sup 203/HgCl and /sup 203/Hg was determined on day 12, 111, and 267 with respect to day zero. Results show that by day 12, 61.5% of the total /sup 203/Hg was in the form of methylmercury while 26.9% was in the form of inorganic mercury. Total amount of methylmercury was reduced to 16.4% by day 111 and was negligible by day 267. The amount of inorganic mercury rose to 83.6% and almost 100% by days 111 and 267 respectively. These results indicate that /sup 203/Hg-labeled methylmercury chloride appears to break down rapidly to inorganic /sup 203/Hg within the 9 month period studied. The reasons for this observation remain to be explained.
Empirical Mechanism Design for Optimizing Clearing Interval in Frequent Call Markets

Several recent authors have advocated for financial markets to move from continuous clearing to discrete or batched clearing, as a way to defeat the latency arms race: the never-ending quest for small advantages in time to access markets. How frequently should such a modern batch auction clear? We conduct a systematic simulation-based investigation on the relationship between clearing frequency and metrics of market quality, such as allocative efficiency, comparing the performance of discrete and continuous auction mechanisms under empirical equilibrium behavior of all participating traders. In effect we perform empirical mechanism design on frequent batch auctions. We find that in a wide array of environments, equilibrium efficiency is improved for small positive intervals but falls off dramatically when there are too few opportunities to trade. The result is a large range of batch frequencies that are near optimally efficient; this range is wider in thick markets.
Neuroepigenetic mechanisms in disease

Epigenetics allows for the inheritance of information in cellular lineages during differentiation, independent of changes to the underlying genetic sequence. This raises the question of whether epigenetic mechanisms also function in post-mitotic neurons. During the long life of the neuron, fluctuations in gene expression allow the cell to pass through stages of differentiation, modulate synaptic activity in response to environmental cues, and fortify the cell through age-related neuroprotective pathways. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation and histone modification permit these dynamic changes in gene expression throughout the life of a neuron. Accordingly, recent studies have revealed the vital importance of epigenetic players in the central nervous system and during neurodegeneration. Here, we provide a review of several of these recent findings, highlighting novel functions for epigenetics in the fields of Rett syndrome, Fragile X syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease research. Together, these discoveries underscore the vital importance of epigenetics in human neurological disorders.
Preliminary investigation of orally administered benazepril in horses with left‐sided valvular regurgitation

BACKGROUND: Despite the paucity of data available, orally administered angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are empirically used in horses with valvular regurgitation. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the echocardiographic and hormonal changes in response to oral benazepril in horses with left‐sided valvular regurgitation. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, randomised double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial. METHODS: Horses with mitral valve (MR) and/or aortic valve regurgitation (AR) received oral benazepril (n = 6) at a dosage of 1 mg/kg q 12 h or a placebo (n = 5) for 28 days. Echocardiography was performed before drug administration and after 28 days of treatment. Plasma renin activity, serum ACE activity, angiotensin II concentration, aldosterone concentration and biochemical variables were measured before drug administration and after 7 and 28 days of treatment. RESULTS: Relative to baseline, horses treated with benazepril had statistically significant reduction in left ventricular internal diameter in systole (mean difference between groups = −0.97 cm; 95% CI = −1.5 to −0.43 cm), aortic sinus diameter (−0.31 cm; −0.54 to −0.07 cm), and percentage of the aortic annulus diameter occupied by the base of the AR jet (−17.05%; −31.17 to −2.93%) compared with horses receiving a placebo. In addition, horses treated with benazepril had a significantly greater increase in cardiac output (11.95 L/min; 1.17–22.73 L/min) and fractional shortening (7.59%; 3.3–11.88%) compared with horses receiving a placebo. Despite profound serum ACE inhibition, renin activity and concentrations of angiotensin II and aldosterone were not significantly different between treatment groups or among time points. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Very small sample size and short treatment period. CONCLUSIONS: Treatment with oral benazepril resulted in statistically significant echocardiographic changes that might indicate reduced cardiac afterload in horses with left‐sided valvular regurgitation. Additional studies with a larger sample size will be necessary to determine if administration of benazepril is beneficial in horses with valvular regurgitation. The Summary is available in Spanish – see Supporting Information
Global intellectual search and hemispheric balancing acts: the international face of Brazil’s quest for national development in the Cold War

Even though during its so-called developmentalist period Brazilian leaders sought to actively engage with similar events taking place globally, the historiography on the period continues to be remarkably silent on these important intellectual and political connections. The present article seeks to address this analytical silence by offering a comparative assessment of development-related reflections taking place in Brazil as well as in other parts of the emergent world in the aftermath of World War II. The piece also examines how the Brazilian government promoted its developmental goals by engaging in innovative foreign policy projects (e.g. Operation Pan-America) as a way to demonstrate the convergence between domestic developmental ideas and the country’s main international diplomatic actions.
Southward shift of the global wind energy resource under high carbon dioxide emissions

The use of wind energy resource is an integral part of many nations’ strategies towards realizing the carbon emissions reduction targets set forth in the Paris Agreement, and global installed wind power cumulative capacity has grown on average by 22% per year since 2006. However, assessments of wind energy resource are usually based on today’s climate, rather than taking into account that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions continue to modify the global atmospheric circulation. Here, we apply an industry wind turbine power curve to simulations of high and low future emissions scenarios in an ensemble of ten fully coupled global climate models to investigate large-scale changes in wind power across the globe. Our calculations reveal decreases in wind power across the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes and increases across the tropics and Southern Hemisphere, with substantial regional variations. The changes across the northern mid-latitudes are robust responses over time in both emissions scenarios, whereas the Southern Hemisphere changes appear critically sensitive to each individual emissions scenario. In addition, we find that established features of climate change can explain these patterns: polar amplification is implicated in the northern mid-latitude decrease in wind power, and enhanced land–sea thermal gradients account for the tropical and southern subtropical increases. Wind power for energy generation is projected to decrease in northern mid-latitudes and increase in the tropics and Southern Hemisphere, suggests an analysis of climate model simulations utilizing an industry wind turbine power curve.
Cluster shell model: I. Structure of 9Be, 9B

Abstract We calculate energy spectra, electromagnetic transition rates, longitudinal and transverse electron scattering form factors and log ft values for beta decay in 9 Be, 9 B, within the framework of a cluster shell model. By comparing with experimental data, we find strong evidence for the structure of these nuclei to be two α -particles in a dumbbell configuration with Z 2 symmetry, plus an additional nucleon.
Stealth Altruism: Forbidden Care as Jewish Resistance in the Holocaust

Arthur B. Shostak, eminent sociologist and futurist, has made the examination of “stealth altruism” during the Holocaust his retirement project both in this book and in his social activism (xiii, 2...
Three Dependency-and-Boundary Models for Grammar Induction

We present a new family of models for unsupervised parsing, Dependency and Boundary models, that use cues at constituent boundaries to inform head-outward dependency tree generation. We build on three intuitions that are explicit in phrase-structure grammars but only implicit in standard dependency formulations: (i) Distributions of words that occur at sentence boundaries --- such as English determiners --- resemble constituent edges. (ii) Punctuation at sentence boundaries further helps distinguish full sentences from fragments like headlines and titles, allowing us to model grammatical differences between complete and incomplete sentences. (iii) Sentence-internal punctuation boundaries help with longer-distance dependencies, since punctuation correlates with constituent edges. Our models induce state-of-the-art dependency grammars for many languages without special knowledge of optimal input sentence lengths or biased, manually-tuned initializers.
Unique Ca2+-cycling protein abundance and regulation sustains local Ca2+ releases and spontaneous firing of rabbit sinoatrial node cells

Spontaneous beating of the heart pacemaker, the sinoatrial node, is generated by sinoatrial node cells (SANC) and caused by gradual change of the membrane potential called diastolic depolarization (DD). Submembrane local Ca2+ releases (LCR) from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) occur during late DD and activate an inward Na+/Ca2+ exchange current, which accelerates the DD rate leading to earlier occurrence of an action potential. A comparison of intrinsic SR Ca2+ cycling revealed that, at similar physiological Ca2+ concentrations, LCRs are large and rhythmic in permeabilized SANC, but small and random in permeabilized ventricular myocytes (VM). Permeabilized SANC spontaneously released more Ca2+ from SR than VM, despite comparable SR Ca2+ content in both cell types. In this review we discuss specific patterns of expression and distribution of SR Ca2+ cycling proteins (SR Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA2), phospholamban (PLB) and ryanodine receptors (RyR)) in SANC and ventricular myocytes. We link ability of SANC to generate larger and rhythmic LCRs with increased abundance of SERCA2, reduced abundance of the SERCA inhibitor PLB. In addition, an increase in intracellular [Ca2+] increases phosphorylation of both PLB and RyR exclusively in SANC. The differences in SR Ca2+ cycling protein expression between SANC and VM provide insights into diverse regulation of intrinsic SR Ca2+ cycling that drives automaticity of SANC.
Embarking on a Journey of Discovery: Developing Transitional Skill Sets through a Scholarly Concentration Program

Problem Medical student participation in research enhances appreciation of the scientific literature and the conduct of investigation, and may lead to an interest in academic medicine. Independent medical student research offers frequently overlooked opportunities to develop and assess professional practice abilities, including project design and implementation, interprofessional team communication, and time management. These skills, useful to physicians, are often challenging for medical students to master as they transition into clinical careers. To address this challenge, we designed and embedded interventional modalities into a highly mentored and longitudinal scholarly concentration component of the curriculum. Intervention The Embark scholarly concentration program incorporates traditional research training with the development of professional practice skills essential for transitioning to clinical practice. The program includes individualized and just-in-time components enabling student access to information and feedback specific to their projects and development of professional practice skills. Context The Embark program is a required longitudinal component of the Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine undergraduate medical curriculum. The Embark program consists of courses that inform and facilitate a required longitudinal independent research project. Outcome A retrospective evaluation of the Embark program's success with development of professional practice skills through the lens of both faculty and student perceptions included analysis of project records and course evaluation feedback. Evaluation of individual student development of transitional skill ability is possible through both quantitative and qualitative analysis of data collected from student project records. More than 80% of course evaluation commentary on strengths of the program addressed activities related to professional practice skills. To systematize the evaluation of these data sources, we have piloted a framework, iSAIL, designed to assess student development in these skills during the planning and conduct of a research project. Lessons learned By developing professional practice skills in the context of a scholarly concentration program, medical students can build a foundation for future engagement in research while they develop skills to overcome challenges that they are likely to encounter in their clinical careers. Modalities designed to evaluate individualized student development of professional practice skills through research participation define program successes and may lead to the identification of additional resources needed by students. By offering medical students opportunities to develop professional practice skills within the protected environment of an independent research project, this scholarly concentration program provides a valuable opportunity to influence the early development of skills necessary throughout their clinical careers.
Abstract P036: Association Between Circulating Galectin-3 and Arterial Stiffness in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Introduction: Galectin-3 (gal-3) is a B-galactoside-binding lectin and is associated with increased risk of heart failure and other adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Circulating gal-3 has been impli...
Preserved tactile acuity in older pianists

A previous study from our lab demonstrated retention of high tactile acuity throughout the lifespan in blind subjects in contrast to the typical decline found for sighted subjects (Legge, Madison, Vaughn, Cheong & Miller, Percept Psychophys, 70 (8), 1471-1488, 2008). We hypothesize that preserved tactile acuity in old age is due to lifelong experience with focused attention to touch and not to blindness per se. Proficient pianists devote attention to touch - fingerings and dynamics - over years of practice. To test our hypothesis, we measured tactile acuity in groups of ten young (mean age 24.5 years) and 11 old (mean age 64.7 years) normally sighted pianists and compared their results to the blind and sighted subjects in our 2008 study. The pianists, like the subjects in 2008, were tested on two tactile-acuity charts requiring active touch, one composed of embossed Landolt rings and the other composed of dot patterns similar to braille. For both tests, the pianists performed more like the blind subjects than the sighted subjects from our 2008 study. For the ring chart, there was no significant difference in tactile acuity between the young and old pianists and no significant difference between the pianists and the blind subjects. For the dot chart, the pianists showed an age-related decline in tactile acuity, but not as severe as the sighted subjects from 2008. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that lifelong experience with focused attention to touch acts to preserve tactile acuity into old age for both blind and sighted subjects.
Demonstration of Solid State Circuit Breakers within Low Voltage DC Distribution System for Shipboard Applications

Highly dynamic, high-power loads are anticipated to be introduced into existing and future surface combatants, aided by the simultaneous introduction of energy storage. As many of these loads may require dc power, it is expected that dc distribution systems may also be introduced to some extent. Deployment of these systems will also require suitable circuit protection to be employed, whether using circuit breakers or a breakerless approach leveraging the capabilities of the power electronic sources. This paper describes a 1 kV dc testbed incorporating many of these paradigms intended to examine and demonstrate concepts related to the design and protection of dc distribution systems for shipboard applications.
Architecture of the Cellulose Synthase Outer Membrane Channel and Its Association with the Periplasmic TPR Domain

Extracellular bacterial cellulose contributes to biofilm stability and to the integrity of the bacterial cell envelope. In Gram-negative bacteria, cellulose is synthesized and secreted by a multi-component cellulose synthase complex. The BcsA subunit synthesizes cellulose and also transports the polymer across the inner membrane. Translocation across the outer membrane occurs through the BcsC porin, which extends into the periplasm via 19 tetra-tricopeptide repeats (TPR). We present the crystal structure of a truncated BcsC, encompassing the last TPR repeat and the complete outer membrane channel domain, revealing a 16-stranded, β barrel pore architecture. The pore is blocked by an extracellular gating loop, while the extended C terminus inserts deeply into the channel and positions a conserved Trp residue near its extracellular exit. The channel is lined with hydrophilic and aromatic residues suggesting a mechanism for facilitated cellulose diffusion based on aromatic stacking and hydrogen bonding.
Fatal hemoptysis after bronchoscopic biopsy in a dog

An 8-year-old 24.6 kg mixed breed dog underwent bronchoscopy for evaluation of a persistent progressive cough. Bronchoscopy documented a markedly thick and irregular, cobblestone appearance of the mucosa. A bronchoscopic biopsy was obtained; immediately after the biopsy, a large amount of hemorrhage poured from the endotracheal tube. Multiple efforts to control the hemorrhage were unsuccessful and the dog suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest and could not be revived. A necropsy was performed, which was significant for pallor, evidence of prior heartworm disease, prominent bronchial arteries, and erosion of the submucosal vessels at the site of the biopsy. The cause of death was hemorrhage associated with transbronchial biopsy of an enlarged bronchial artery associated with heartworm disease. This report describes a rare complication of a routine diagnostic procedure.
Reactomics: Using mass spectrometry as a chemical reaction detector

Chemical reactions among small molecules enable untargeted metabolomics analysis, in which small molecules within tissue samples are identified through high-throughput assays. In standard mass spectrometry-based metabolomics, first significant small molecules are identified, then their biochemical relationships are probed to reveal biological fate (environmental studies) or biological impact (physiological response). However, we propose that biochemical relationships could be directly retrieved through untargeted high-resolution paired mass distance (PMD), which investigates chemical pairs in the samples without a priori knowledge of the identities of those participating compounds. We present the potential for this chemical reaction detector, or reactomics approach, linking PMD from the mass spectrometer to biochemical reactions obtained via data mining of known small molecular metabolites/compounds and reaction databases. This approach encompasses both quantitative and qualitative analysis of reaction by mass spectrometry, and its potential applications include PMD network analysis, source appointment of unknown compounds, and biomarker reaction discovery instead of compound discovery. Such applications may promote novel biological discoveries that are not currently possible with classical chemical analysis.
International Relations Begin at Home: A Humanitarian Learning Lesson from the Kingdom of Denmark

Extreme measures to reduce the number and cost of refugees and immigrants belong among the recent examples of the Kingdom of Denmark’s illiberal responses to crises in the wake of third party armed conflict. Politically, the process of tightening the law and having a transparently unwelcoming attitude towards foreigners began in 2001, at least according to some experts on Danish foreign policy, e.g. Thomas Gammeltoft-Hansen. While the causes are controversial, the effects are clear. Denmark is undercutting its own history. However popular the current VLAK-coalition government’s Minister of Immigration, Integration and Housingmay be among the Danes, the ongoing series of restrictive policies cannot but result in Red Flags. Irrespective of any motivationally deeper or underlying reasons for their adoption, the relevant legal and other measures constitute international relations events and changes; and, as such, they affect the order among states. In terms of regional and global politics, the question is whether there is an analogy between post-2013 Qatar and post-2001 Denmark? More precisely, the question is whether Denmark should be listed under past as opposed to present “small and influential states”? By using Mehran Kamrava’s work on Qatar as a platform for a role reversal claim, the authors present a muted subtle power argument for the need to downgrade Denmark, too. Furthermore, a tension between the official Danish image and the climate of cultural values in Denmark creates a complex us versus them disconnect which, in turn, makes it possible to provide or, more to the point, explain some aspects of the evidence for the state’s precarious human rights capacity. Part of the argument derives from pre-2001 literary whistleblowing concerning Danishness – a strategy that accords with the popular Danish Minister’s own use of satire as a truth-recognition methodology.
Computational study of buoyancy driven turbulence in statistically homogeneous bubbly flows

Abstract Buoyancy driven turbulence due to heterogeneous bubble swarms are typically encountered in bubble columns operating in the dense heterogeneous regime. The integral scales of such turbulence are much larger than single bubble produced pseudo-turbulence. Accurate computational fluid dynamics predictions in this regime require correctly formulated anisotropic turbulence models with closures accounting for buoyancy driven turbulence effects. In the current study, a Reynolds-stress transport equation is formulated for bubbly flows from a hyperbolic two-fluid model by Reynolds averaging. The unclosed terms generated due to Reynolds averaging are quantified using high grid resolution, two-fluid simulations for bubbly flows in a periodic domain. The relative importance of the unclosed terms are discussed from a modeling stand point. The turbulence statistics, length and time scales, energy spectra, mean momentum budget and the Reynolds stress budget are analyzed for different bubble void fractions. The results show that the unclosed terms generated due to the averaging of Drag is significant in the liquid phase Reynolds Stress budget. Moreover, the unclosed terms generated due to the averaging of Drag, Virtual mass and Buoyancy are significant in the gas phase Reynolds Stress budget.