cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Relationships between structure and function of convulsant drugs.

In 1974, I published [1] an analysis of the structure-activity relationships of convulsant drugs in terms of their relationships to model receptors for GABA and glycine. However, this early model did not distinguish between drugs acting at the amino acid receptors and those acting at the ionophores these receptors control. This present analysis therefore seeks to add this extra dimension. My method is to examine a wide range of compounds acting at a particular site in terms of their molecular structure as revealed by CPK models, and then to attempt to deduce the simplest protein structure that is complementary to all these drugs, agonists as well as antagonists. The problem is akin to designing one common lock that may be turned by a variety of keys (see e.g. [2]).
François le champi: A new Émile:

Despite its frequent classification as a pastoral novel, George Sand’s Francois le champi advocates forcefully for better treatment of abandoned children. During the nineteenth century, much debate...
Eye of the Needle: Cold Stress, Clothing, and Sewing Technology During the Younger Dryas Cold Event in North America

This paper examines the possible underlying systemic contexts) for spurred flake gravers and eyed bone needles recovered from Paleoindian sites in North America. The idea that spurred flake gravers and eyed bone needles were closely associated is not new. Archaeologists in both Eurasia and North America have also proposed that eyed bone and ivory needles were used for manufacturing tailored skin clothing. It is suggested here that spurred flake gravers and eyed bone needles may, in fact, be the material correlates of critical non-subsistence related work carried out by women to meet the challenges of very severe winters and cold stress of the Younger Dryas Cold Event (YDCE) between 12,900–11,600 cal. B.P. It is argued here that such expediently produced flake implements and curated sewing technology including eyed needles ultimately reflect the significant ecological bottlenecks) posed by the YDCE for Paleoindian populations. Metric attributes of both spurred flake gravers and eyed bone needles, their spatial co-occurrence in archaeological contexts, and their temporal co-occurrence within the YDCE lend empirical support for this causal argument.
Active control of payload fairing interior noise using physics-based control laws

This paper presents results of an overview study that draws on active control technologies developed at the Naval Research Laboratory for submarine structural acoustics and aircraft interior noise problems and explores their use in reducing the interior acoustic levels inside rocket payload fairings. Research in controls at NRL includes wavenumber domain control, structural impedance control, and acoustic boundary control (ABC). ABC employs active blankets comprised of a collocated actuator and pressure-velocity sensor layers. A feedback controller is used to impose a spatially averaged local acoustic impedance at the structure-fluid boundary over the region that the blanket is attached. In the study reported here a high fidelity finite-elementinfinite-element model is used to conduct control simulations using active blankets. In this model, the main rocket body is modeled as a finite cylinder with an attached rib stiffened faking. The interior fluid is modeled with finite acoustic elements while the entire exterior fluid is modeled with finite and infinite acoustic elements. In order to better understand the physics of the problem and identify optimum physical control laws, we first conducted a study to uncover the relevant structural acoustics. Using this understanding, we use our numerical model and examine the performance of ABC active blankets as well as evaluate some simple anti-sound configurations.
Persistent homology lower bounds on network distances

High order networks are weighted complete hypergraphs collecting relationships between elements of tuples. Valid metric distances between high order networks have been defined but they are difficult to compute when the number of nodes is large. We relate high order networks to the filtrations of simplicial complexes and show that the distance between networks can be lower bounded by the difference between the homo-logical features of their respective filtrations. Practical implications are explored by comparing the coauthorship networks of engineering and mathematics academic journals. The lower bounds succeed in discriminating engineering communities from mathematics and in differentiating engineering communities with different research interests.
Chronic Myeloid Leukemia: Current Guidelines for Diagnosis and Management

Over the past two decades advances in the understanding of molecular and biological aspects of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) have served as one of the cornerstones of progress in the management of leukemias, and more broadly of cancer in general. With the identification of the Philadelphia chromosome and its association with 95% of cases of CML and later with the possible etiologic role of the BCR-ABL fusion gene in the initiation of CML, a new chapter in the understanding of leukemogenesis was entered upon. Later with the identification of interferons as a therapeutic modality, and demonstration of their role in suppression of the malignant clone and the associated increase in survival, CML was one of the first malignancies in which biologic therapy found an established role. With advances in allogeneic bone marrow transplantation, it is hoped that more patients would be able to benefit from this curative therapy with less associated toxicity. However, a large proportion of patients are still unable to undergo an allogeneic transplant due to lack of donors and the expected toxicity. Other therapeutic modalities including new forms of interferon, new agents such as Homoharringtonine, and new techniques such as purged autologous transplant with or without immuno-modulation need to be further developed and perfected. Our current challenges are to stratify CML patients, using the available risk scores in order to assign the most appropriate therapy to the individual, and to continue to improve upon the available therapies.
Adhesion Properties of Deformable Ultra-Low Crosslinked Microgel Particles on Surfaces

As research on the rational design of targeted drug delivery vehicles continue to expand, cell movement is a model system to emulate when designing synthetic systems. Cell migration is a central phenomenon that supports morphogenesis, regeneration, and wound healing. Cell migration can also physiologically contribute pathologically through cancer metastasis to healthy tissues and organs. Cells migrate as a result of dynamic changes in cell adhesion, cytoskeletal organization, and mechanotransduction, and the machinery within their cytoskeletons and plasma membranes allow them to carry out this migratory functions. Ultra-low crosslinked (ULC) microgel particles are synthetic deformable polymeric particles, which can be thought to model the viscoelasticity of the cytoplasm of cells in certain ways. Past research from our group has demonstrated that ULCs coated with specific domain-recognition motifs can induce clotting in vitro for wound healing. Particle adhesion, deformability, and stiffness were factors that contributed to the particles’ ability to close the wound, and ULC migration within the wound site also contributed significantly to the wound healing. These studies have lead to the desire to understand if synthetic particles migrate by similar biophysical principles as cells. In this work, we intend to demonstrate the physical environment required to induce ULC movement on a surface. We begin by demonstrating how ULC particle spreading impacts adhesion to a surface by measuring the bond interaction between ULC poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) [NIPAM] microgel particles, coated with biomolecules (i.e. short DNA sequences and antibodies), and glass surfaces coated with complementary sequences. This study is expected to provide a road map for tuning the adhesion properties of deformable particles on surfaces.
Faith and Boundaries: The Lord Tests the Righteous

An islander's life is ever attuned to the weather, and that was particularly true in colonial New England. Throughout any given day, salt-crusted fishermen and sun-bleached farmers scanned the horizon for signs of the next nor'easter, a torrent of wind and water that devoured boats and flattened crops during the warm months, and dumped ungodly amounts of snow in just a few hours in winter. One can be certain that Vineyarders were watching the sky during the last week of June 1675, and, if it was clear, Indians atop Menemsha's hills or Aquinnah's shoreline cliffs might have seen smoke billowing from the smoldering mainland towns of Swansea, Rehoboth, and Taunton. After nearly annual rumors of an Indian conspiracy and, more recently, heightened tensions between mainland Wampanoags and Plymouth, one question would have immediately flashed through their minds: “Had Philip's men finally struck against the English?” To find out, messengers would have raced to alert all the Vineyard sachems and the Mayhews in Edgartown, followed by a scramble for reliable news. While awaiting confirmation, Indians and Englishmen who commonly worked and traded together would begin to eye one another suspiciously. The future was very uncertain in the summer of 1675. Still, there was reason to believe that this was just another in a string of false alarms, that the smoke rose from a mere house fire or forest blaze that had spread out of control.
Prostate cancer bone metastases on staging prostate MRI: prevalence and clinical features associated with their diagnosis

Bone lesions on prostate MRI often raise concern about metastases. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of bone metastases on staging prostate MRI and evaluate associations between their MRI features and clinical/pathologic characteristics. Retrospective, IRB-approved study of 3765 patients undergoing prostate MRI for newly diagnosed PCa between 2000 and 2014. The reference standard to calculate the prevalence of bone metastases was bone biopsy and/or ≥1-year follow-up after MRI. In a subsample of 228 patients, the MRI characteristics of bone lesions were recorded by two radiologists independently. Associations between MRI and clinical/pathologic findings, including National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk categories, were calculated. 57/3765 patients (1.5%, 95% CI 1.2–2.0%) had bone metastases. No patient with NCCN low-risk PCa (Gleason < 7, PSA < 10 ng/mL, cT1-2a) had bone metastases. In the subsample, ≥1 bone lesion was present on MRI in 74% (95% CI 0.67–0.79) and 72% (95% CI 0.66–0.78) of patients (R1 and R2). Larger lesion diameter (OR 1.33/1.19; p < 0.001 for both readers) and the absence of intralesional fat (OR 0.07/0.11; p = 0.004/0.002 for R1/R2) were significantly associated with bone metastases. Bone lesions are common in prostate MRI, but only rarely represent metastases. MRI should be interpreted in the context of clinical features that influence the likelihood of metastatic disease.
Some good ideas: Yes! But plagued by politicized institutional-deficit theorizing

A.C. Barton & M.D. Osborne, (2001). Teaching Science in Diverse Settings: Marginalized Discourses and Classroom Practice. New York: Peter Lang. ISBN 1058–1634
Patient and provider factors associated with endometrial Pipelle sampling failure

Abstract Objective To explore risk factors associated with sampling failure in women who underwent Pipelle biopsy. Methods A consecutive sample of 201 patient records was selected from women who underwent Pipelle biopsy procedures for suspected uterine pathology in a large healthcare system over a 6-month period (January 2013 through June 2013). Personal and medical data including age, BMI, gravidity and parity, and previous history of Pipelle biopsy were abstracted from medical records for each patient. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine factors associated with biopsy sampling failure. Results Pipelle biopsy sampling failed in 46 out 201 women (22.89%), where 8 (17.39%) were due to inability to access the endometrium, 37 (80.43%) were inadequate samples, and 1 (2.18%) was due to unknown reasons. Personal and medical factors found to be related to sampling failure included: postmenopausal bleeding as biopsy indication (OR 7.41, 95% CI 2.27–24.14); history of prior biopsy failure (OR 23.87, 95% CI 3.76–151.61); and provider type (physician vs. midlevel provider) (OR 9.152, 95% CI 2.49–33.69). Conclusion We identified several risk factors for biopsy failure that suggest the need for particular care with Pipelle sampling procedures among women with certain characteristics, including postmenopausal bleeding and a history of prior failed Pipelle biopsy. Our finding of a significantly higher risk of sampling failure based on personal and clinical data suggests that providers must take into account additional considerations to improve sampling success.
Comparison of short-term and long-term performances for polymer-stabilized sand and clay

Abstract A series of tests were carried out on sulfate rich, high-plasticity clay and poorly-graded natural sand to study the effectiveness of a methylene diphenyl diisocyanate based liquid polymer soil stabilizer in improving the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of freshly stabilized soils and aged sand specimens. The aged specimens were prepared by exposing the specimens to ultraviolet radiation, freeze-thaw, and wet-dry weathering. The polymer soil stabilizer also mitigated the swelling of the expansive clay. For clay, the observations indicated that the sequence of adding water and liquid polymer had great influence on the gained UCS of stabilized specimens. However, this was shown to be of little importance for sand. Furthermore, sand samples showed incremental gains in UCS when they were submerged in water. This increase was significant for up to 4 days of soaking in water after 4 days of ambient air curing. Conversely, the clay samples lost a large fraction of their UCS when soaked in water; however, their remaining strength was still considerable. The stabilized specimens showed acceptable endurance under weathering action, although sample yellowing due to ultraviolet radiation was evident on the surface of the specimens. Except for moisture susceptibility of the clay specimens, the results of this study suggested the liquid stabilizer could be successfully utilized to provide acceptable strength, durability and mitigated swelling.
Effects of Nonhydrostatic Stress on Structural and Optoelectronic Properties of Methylammonium Lead Bromide Perovskite

We report synchrotron X-ray diffraction, photoconductivity, and photoluminescence investigations of methylammonium-lead-bromide (MAPbBr3) under various stress conditions, supported by density-functional-theory (DFT) calculations. The properties of MAPbBr3 show substantial dependence on the hydrostatic conditions. While nonhydrostatic compression of MAPbBr3 leads to amorphization above 2.4 GPa, under quasi-hydrostatic (Ar) and hydrostatic (He) pressure, the sample remains in crystalline phases. A sequence of phase transitions between two cubic phases and orthorhombic Pnma phase is observed when using Ar, or no pressure-transmitting-medium (PTM). In helium-PTM only transitions between the two cubic structures and a new isostructural phase transition with a large volume collapse to a third cubic-phase at 2.7 GPa was observed. The photoluminescence measurements indicate a pressure-induced band gap-narrowing in the cubic phase I, and a blue-shift in the orthorhombic structure. DFT calculations illustrate that ...
Spectroscopic Characterization of Sulfonate Charge Density in Ion-Containing Polymers.

The charge density and hydrogen bonding with water of five different polymer membranes functionalized with various sulfonate side-chain chemistries were investigated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) techniques and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The peak position of the OD stretch of dilute HOD absorbed into the sulfonated poly(sulfone) membranes was studied using FTIR to compare the charge density of the sulfonate headgroup across the different samples, which can ultimately be related to the acidity of the proton-form sulfonate moieties. The OD peak was deconvoluted to determine the percentage of headgroup-associated, intermediate, and bulk water. DFT modeling was used to calculate the charge density of each headgroup and visualize how the chemistry of the headgroup influenced the conformation of the side-chain tether. FTIR-determined OD peak positions and charge density calculations demonstrated that a perflurosulfonate containing a thioether linkage produced the most acidic sulfona...
Health Risk Behaviors and Prostate Specific Antigen Awareness Among Men in California

Purpose Differences in prostate specific antigen awareness may contribute to differences in the frequency of prostate specific antigen testing. We investigated the association of health risk behaviors, including smoking, physical inactivity, obesity and excessive alcohol consumption, with awareness of the prostate specific antigen test in men in California at risk for prostate cancer. Materials and Methods Using 2003 data from the California Health Interview Survey, a population based, random digit dial telephone survey, the records of 7,297 men 50 years or older without a history of prostate cancer were identified. The outcome was self-reported awareness of the prostate specific antigen test. The main independent variables were smoking status, physical activity level, body mass index and alcohol consumption. The prevalence, OR and 95% CI for prostate specific antigen awareness were calculated using SUDAAN® to account for the complex sampling design. Results The overall prevalence of prostate specific antigen awareness was 73.0%. After controlling for potential confounders the odds of being aware of the prostate specific antigen test was lower in current smokers (vs never smoked OR 0.53, 95% CI 0.41–0.68), physically inactive men (vs physically active OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.63–0.93) and obese men (vs normal weight OR 0.77, 95% CI 0.62–0.95). Conclusions Health risk behaviors are associated with lower prostate specific antigen awareness. Our findings suggest opportunities for focused health education interventions and quality improvement programs tailored to men who engage in unhealthy behaviors to improve their prostate specific antigen test awareness.
Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury

Injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) of the first metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint is commonly seen after a fall on an abducted thumb or after repetitive radial-directed stress. It is associated with several terminologies including skier’s thumb, gamekeeper’s thumb, and Stener lesion. There is often pain, swelling, and ecchymosis over the MCP joint of the thumb, and valgus stress in extension and flexion will show some degree of laxity. Imaging should include radiographs, in addition to ultrasound or MRI if a complete tear is suspected. In cases of a complete tear, referral should be made to a surgeon. Incomplete tears can be managed conservatively with immobilization until pain-free passive range of motion is achieved.
Social Movements and Educational Research: Toward a United Field of Scholarship:

Background/ContextEducational research addressing social movements appears to be growing rapidly but, with a few exceptions, this body of literature has remained largely isolated in pockets stretch...
Magnesium and the Kidney: Overview

Normal human serum magnesium concentration is about 0.7 to 0.85 mmol/L. About 20% to 30% of serum magnesium is protein bound; this leaves 70% to 80% that is ultrafiltrable, which in turn is made up of 55% ionized magnesium and 15% magnesium complexed with anions such as phosphate and citrate. About 100 to 120 mmol per day is filtered, and about 4 to 6 mmol is excreted, so that about 95% of the glomerular filtrate is re-absorbed.1
Conceptual Model of Estuary Ecosystems

An estuary is a semienclosed coastal body of water, which has a free connection with the open sea and within which, sea water is measurably diluted with fresh water from land drainage (Pritchard 1967). Most estuaries have a series of landscape subcomponents: a river (or fresh water) source, a tidal-estuarine segment, marshes (or mangroves depending on latitude), bays, and a pass (or inlet) to the sea. However, all estuaries are quite different; the landscape of each subcomponent can vary, combinations and connections of these subcomponents can vary, and some subcomponents can be missing. The interaction of three primary natural forces causes estuaries to be unique and different.
Non-Markovian Processes

In the theory of non-Markovian stochastic processes we do not have similar general theorems as in the theory of Markov processes. Of the non-Markovian processes we know most about stationary processes, recurrent (or regenerative or imbedded Markovian) processes and secondary processes generated by an underlying process. It is often possible to treat a stochastic process of non-Markovian type by reducing it to a Markov process.
Automatic identification and classification of Palomar Transient Factory astrophysical objects in GLADE

Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is a comprehensive detection system for the identification and classification of transient astrophysical objects. In this paper, we make two significant contributions to the PTF pipeline. First, we present an experimental study that evaluates a novel implementation of the real-time classifier in GLADE - a parallel data processing system that combines the efficiency of a database with the extensibility of map-reduce. We show how each stage in the classifier maps optimally into GLADE tasks by taking advantage of the unique features of the system - range-based data partitioning, columnar storage, multi-query execution, and in-database support for complex aggregate computation. Second, we introduce a novel parallel similarity join algorithm for advanced transient classification. We implement this algorithm in GLADE and execute it on a massive supercomputer with more than 3,000 threads, achieving more than three orders of magnitude improvement over the PostgreSQL solution.
Collative Semantics

This paper introduces Collative Semantics (CS), a new domain-independent semantics for natural language processing (NLP) which addresses the problems of lexical ambiguity, metonymy, various semantic relations (conventional relations, redundant relations, contradictory relations, metaphorical relations and severely anomalous relations) and the introduction of new information. We explain the two techniques CS uses for matching together knowledge structures (KSs) and why semantic vectors, which record the results of such matches, are informative enough to tell apart semantic relations and be the basis for lexical disambiguation.
Predicting drug activity against cancer cells by random forest models based on minimal genomic information and chemical properties

A key goal of precision medicine is predicting the best drug therapy for a specific patient from genomic information. In oncology, cancers that appear similar pathologically can vary greatly in how they respond to the same drug. Fortunately, data from high-throughput screening programs often reveal important relationships between genomic variability of cancer cells and their response to drugs. Nevertheless, many current computational methods to predict compound activity against cancer cells require large quantities of genomic, epigenomic, and additional cellular data to develop and to apply. Here we integrate recent screening data and machine learning to train classification models that predict the activity/inactivity of compounds against cancer cells based on the mutational status of only 145 oncogenes and a set of compound structural descriptors. Using IC50 values of 1 μM as activity cutoffs, our predictive models have sensitivities of 87%, specificities of 87%, and yield an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve equal to 0.94. We also develop regression models to predict log(IC50) values of compounds for cancer cells; the models achieve a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.86 for cross-validation and up to 0.65-0.73 against blind test sets. Predictive performance remains strong when as few as 50 oncogenes are included. Finally, even when 40% of experimental IC50 values are missing from screening data, they can be imputed with sufficient reliability that classification accuracy is not diminished. The presented models are fast to generate and may serve as easily implemented screening tools for personalized oncology medicine, drug repurposing, and drug discovery.
School Board Member Strategic Planning Prioritization And School District Performance

In this paper we match originally collected survey data from school board members in the state of Michigan with hard measures of school district outcomes to test two hypotheses regarding the relati...
Predicting Network Attacks with CNN by Constructing Images from NetFlow Data

Intrusion detection is a pivotal step for network protection. Usually, intrusion detection is performed at packet level by using deep packet or state-full protocol inspection to detect malicious requests in the network. However, flow based analyses were often overlooked. In addition, traditioinal machine learning approaches were leveraged by the researchers, not much attempts have been explored to employ increasingly popular CNN approaches to detect the network intrusions from flow based NetFlow data. In this paper, we extracted and encoded the features from the NetFlow data published in VAST 2013 challenge by converting NetFlow data to NetFlow images through feature correlation analysis and surrounding correlation (SC) matrix. The generated NetFlow images were then fed to CNN models. Results showed that the proposed approach was able to detect intrusions with an accuracy of 95.86%.
Hereditary Nonpolyposis Colorectal Cancer

Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant colon cancer syndrome. The first description of a cancer-prone family with HNPCC dates back to the late 1800s.1 However, it was not until the work of Lynch in the 1970s that a more complete clinical picture of this disorder began to emerge.2,3 The diagnosis of HNPCC has, until recently, been based primarily on family history. As a result, reliably differentiating patients with HNPCC from those with sporadic cancer has been difficult. However, the constellation of several clinical characteristics, in addition to family history, may raise suspicion of HNPCC.
Reports of 2 Rare Associations of Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome.

AbstractThis report describes 2 contrasting yet rare associations of hypoplastic left heart syndrome, 1 in a patient with pulmonary valve stenosis that was successfully surgically palliated and the...
A phase II trial of PD-1 inhibition with INCMGA00012 in patients with previously treated unresectable or metastatic adenosquamous pancreatic cancer.

TPS4662Background: Adenosquamous pancreatic cancer (ASQ) constitutes 1-5% of all pancreatic cancers and compared to pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a worse survival. ASQ has glandular and squa...
Regulation of Teacher Certification in Idaho: Proceedings Before Idaho's Professional Standards Commission Concerning the Denial of an Application for or Action Against a Teaching Certificate

This article discusses the procedural and substantive law concerning Idaho’s regulation of K-12 teacher certifications. Specifically, the article explains the administrative procedures and rights that the Idaho Professional Standards Commission (PSC), the agency responsible for regulating teacher certification, must afford certificate applicants and holders when considering denying or taking adverse action against a teacher’s certificate. The article identifies the grounds required for such adverse action, the PSC’s investigation process of alleged unethical conduct, the PSC’s hearing process and adherence to Open Meeting Laws requirements, and the procedures regarding judicial review of the hearing panel’s final decision. The article concludes that Idaho’s administrative regulation of teacher certification fulfills the dual goals of ensuring teacher quality and providing teachers with fair administrative procedures that comport with due process.
Pregabalin Treatment does not Affect Amyloid Pathology in 5XFAD Mice.

Background Calcium dysregulation has been proposed to play a causative role in the development of Alzheimer's disease pathology. Pregabalin is a compound already approved for human use, marketed as the prescription drug Lyrica. It binds the α2-δ subunit of P/Q-type voltage gated calcium channels, lowering calcium influx and providing effective treatment for epilepsy and neuropathic pain. Objective We hypothesize that increased resting calcium in neuronal processes near amyloid plaques plays a role in the development of neuritic dystrophies and further progression of amyloid pathology. Methods 5XFAD mice were treated orally for 12 weeks with pregabalin, then immunoblotting and immunofluorescent imaging were used to quantify neuritic dystrophy and amyloid deposition in pregabalin compared to placebo-treated mice. Results The treatment did not decrease markers of neuritic dystrophy or amyloid deposition. The image analysis of neuritic dystrophy on a plaque-by-plaque basis showed a small non-significant increase in the relative proportion of LAMP1 to Aβ42 in plaques with areas of 50 -450 μm2 in the cortex of pregabalin-treated mice. In addition, there was a statistically significant positive correlation between the measured cerebral concentration of pregabalin and the relative levels of BACE1 and Aβ in the cortex. This relationship was not observed in the hippocampus, and there was no increase in average Aβ levels in pregabalin treated mice compared to placebo. We confirmed previous findings that smaller amyloid plaques are associated with a greater degree of neuritic dystrophy. Conclusion Pregabalin may have an effect on Aβ that merits further investigation, but our study does not suggest that pregabalin contributes substantially to amyloid pathology.
Die Urologie an der Schwelle zum 20. Jahrhundert

In den ersten Jahrzehnten des 19. Jahrhunderts wurden fur die Arbeit in der klinischen Medizin zunachst die Erkenntnisse aus dem 18. Jahrhunderts ubernommen. Die Urochirurgie selbst machte trotz ihrer Integration in die universitare Medizin und des immer komplexer werdenden systematisch-anatomischen und anatomisch-topografischen Wissens zum Urogenitaltrakt nur langsam Fortschritte. Ursachen hierfur waren zunachst sicherlich der Mangel an anasthesiologischen Moglichkeiten mit den daraus resultierenden Schmerzen fur die Patienten wahrend eines Eingriffes sowie die berechtigte Furcht der Arzte vor den in der damaligen Zeit oftmals todlich verlaufenden peri- und postoperativen Infektionen.
Reverse Pharmacology of the Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor

We have been examining the interaction of a local anesthetic derivative, QX-222, with the ion channel pore of the muscle AChR, using a combination of mutagenesis, oocyte expression, and electrophysiology. Single channel recording, together with macroscopic voltage-jump relaxations, provides a measure of the residence time of the open channel blocker within the pore. We have found systematic changes in the apparent affinity of the open channel for QX-222 following amino acid substitutions in the proposed M2 transmembrane helix of each of the four subunits of the AChR. Assigning the number 1' to the residue at the cytoplasmic end of the M2 helix, positions 2',6',10',14', and 18' are modeled as forming the lining of the pore. Polar to nonpolar substitutions at 6' decrease QX-222 residence time, while the opposite effect is seen at position 10'. Nonpolar to polar substitutions have the converse effect. The distance between the aromatic and quaternary amine moieties of QX-222 corresponds almost exactly to the repeat distance of an alpha helix. This structural feature is common to many local anesthetic drugs. We propose a model for the binding of QX-222 within the ion channel of the AChR that is consistent with these observations.
A REGIONAL-SCALE GIS-BASED MODELING SYSTEM FOR EVALUATING THE POTENTIAL COST AND SUPPLIES OF BIOMASS FROM BIOMASS CROPS

ABSTRACT A GIS-based modeling system was developed for analyzing the geographic variation in potential bioenergy feedstock supplies and optimal locations for siting bioenergy facilities. The modeling system is designed for analyzing individual U.S. states but could readily be adapted to any geographic region.
Societal Adaptation to Climate Variability and Change: An Introduction

The idea for a special issue on adaptation was first hatched in the aftermath of an exciting Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) experts meeting on adaptation convened in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and was further refined on a bus to the Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Laxenburg, Austria, during the spring of 1997. We wanted to bring together a collection of new papers that would advance our understanding of how changes in climate and climate variability would affect people’s behavior around the world. And, we wanted to demonstrate the solid research underpinnings in this area. In particular, we hoped to explore the role of adaptation in managing climate risk and to improve our ability to make policies more responsive to changing conditions that occur over time. This issue represents the product of our efforts. Each paper has something specific to offer; but, taken together, they also coalesce around several fundamental themes that we hope will inform and improve subsequent work on adaptation and mitigation. This brief introduction is designed to highlight these themes and to lead readers to the papers where they can delve into greater detail.
Simple Blade Design

Flow deflection in turbomachines is established by stator and rotor blades with prescribed geometry that includes inlet and exit camber angles, stagger angle, camber line, and thickness distribution. The blade geometry is adjusted to the stage velocity diagram which is designed for specific turbine or compressor flow applications. Simple blade design methods are available in the open literature (see References). More sophisticated and high efficiency blade designs developed by engine manufacturers are generally not available to the public. An earlier theoretical approach by Joukowsky [1] uses the method of conformal transformation to obtain cambered profiles that can generate lift force. The mathematical limitations of the conformal transformation do not allow modifications of a cambered profile to produce the desired pressure distribution required by a turbine or a compressor blade design. In the following, a simple method is presented that is equally applicable for designing compressor and turbine blades. The method is based on (a) constructing the blade camber line and (b) superimposing a predefined base profile on the camber line. With regard to generating a base profile, the conformal transformation can be used to produce useful profiles for superposition purposes. A brief description of the Joukowsky transformation explains the methodology of symmetric and a-symmetric (Cambered) profiles. The transformation uses the complex analysis which is a powerful tool to deal with the potential theory in general and the potential flow in particular. It is found in almost every fluid mechanics textbook that has a chapter dealing with potential flow. While they all share the same underlying mathematics, the style of describing the subject to engineering students differ. A very compact and precise description of this subject matter is found in an excellent textbook by Spurk [2].
Ultrafast scanning probes for electronic measurement

We have developed a scanning force microscope probe for measuring ultrafast voltage signals and demonstrated equivalent-time sampling with 100 ps time resolution and non invasive probing though a passivating layer. >
Comparison of the Chemical Structure and Biological Activities of the Glycolipids of Salmonella minnesota R595 and Salmonella typhimurium SL1102

It has been assumed in the past that the lipid moieties of endotoxic lipopolysaccharides are quite similar if not identical. This has been tested in the reported work here, where the chemical composition and biological activities of the glycolipids of two heptoseless Re mutants, Salmonella minnesota R595 and Salmonella typhimurium SL1102, have been studied and compared. The two glycolipids, extracted with chloroform-methanol (4:1), showed identical thin-layer chromatographic patterns. The molar ratios for hexosamine, fatty acids, phosphorus, 2-keto-3-deoxyoctonate, total amines, and total nitrogen of the purified glycolipids were in the same range, but small differences could be established. Both glycolipids contained the same major fatty acids, i.e., lauric, myristic, palmitic, and 3-hydroxymyristic acids, in similar but not identical ratios. On paper electrophoresis, the acid hydrolysates of the two glycolipids showed analogous components. In the determination of molecular weight, whereas S. minnesota R595 glycolipid did not show concentration dependence, the molecular weight measured for S. typhimurium SL1102 increased with its concentration. The molecular weight of the fully endotoxic R595 glycolipid has been found to be 17,000 +/- 1,500. Both glycolipids showed similar activities in the Shwartzman skin reaction, Limulus-lysate clotting assay, mouse lethality, and enhancement of nonspecific resistance, but the R595 preparation appeared to be more active on a weight basis in some parameters than SL1102. Using passive hemagglutination, we observed cross-reactivity between the glycolipids. In the gel-diffusion test, they revealed clear identity. The antiserum against S. minnesota R595 neutralized the Shwartzman skin reactivity not only of R595 but also of SL1102 glycolipid. These results confirm that there are identical immunodeterminant group(s) in the two glycolipids. On the other hand, chemical analytical data for two glycolipids showed only similarities, indicating that although both glycolipids are of comparable chemical nature, differences between them exist.
Campus crime: A victimization study

This article discussed the results of a campus crime victimization study conducted at a major state university. The survey data were compared to the officially recorded data that were available from the campus police department and with data from other victimization research. The data indicated that campus crime is clearly lower than crime in the general community. The study showed agreement with most of the previous research, though there were several important observations. First, crime on campus was not only less common it was less severe than crime in the general population. Second, the nature of crime on campus seemed to support a routine activities theoretical framework. Third, the data clearly showed that the anxiety about campus crime fostered by the media is not supported by the data.
Estrogen diminishes postischemic hydroxyl radical production

Reperfusion of blood flow to an ischemic myocardium is imperative to survival; ironically, it may also manifest several pathophysiological conditions. The most important of these are reperfusion ar...
Peptide fragments derived from the β-chain of hemoglobin (hemorphins) are centrally active in vivo

Abstract A novel tetrapeptide (hemorphin-4) and pentapeptide (hemorphin-5), derived from the β-chain of hemoglobin, were synthesized by solid-phase methodology, purified and the amino acid sequences confirmed. The central (ICV) effects of hemorphin-4 and -5 were studied in two models of phasic and tonic nociception, the mouse warm water tail-flick assay and hindpaw formalin assay, respectively. Additionally, two physiological endpoints, central modulation of bladder motility and central effects on intestinal propulsion, were studied in rats and mice, respectively. In the tail-flick assay, both peptides (40–100 nmoles) produced a dose-related naloxone-reversible antinociceptive effect when tested 10 min after peptide administration, with the tetrapeptide being slightly more potent than the pentapeptide. No effect was noted for either peptide using the tonic nociception assay, except at a dose of 150 nmoles for hemorphin-5. Inhibition of gastrointestinal propulsion was also not affected by either peptide. However, both peptides (10–40 nmoles) inhibited micturition contractions in a dose-related and naloxone-reversible fashion, with the tetrapeptide being twice as potent as the pentapeptide. These findings provide evidence that hemorphin-4 and -5 exert naloxone-reversible opioid actions in vivo and, therefore, may be physiologically important blood-borne peptides.
5th international workshop on graphical documentation: determining the barriers to adoption of UML diagrams

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is the de facto standard for graphically documenting modern software systems. Unfortunately, learning how to properly construct high-quality UML diagrams so that they are an effective means of communication is a challenging task. This workshop will focus on the refinement of an assessment instrument to determine the barriers to increased adoption of UML diagrams by professional software engineers, technical writers, and other project stakeholders. The ultimate goal is to develop a series of recommendations on how to improve UML diagramming practice, and how those practices can be codified in existing methodologies and supported by common tools to foster widespread use.
Activities and interactions of mothers and their firstborn infants in the first six months of life: covariation, stability, continuity, correspondence, and prediction.

Activities of primiparous mothers and infants were observed at 2 and at 5 months of age during naturalistic interactions at home. 5 prominent features of mother and infant exchanges in this short-term longitudinal study are described and discussed in the context of 3 models of unique environment-development relations, covariation, stability, continuity, correspondence, and prediction. Generally, mothers' activities did not positively covary at either age, nor did those of infants. Some maternal activities were stable in this time period; some developmentally increased, and some developmentally decreased. Infants' activities were unstable, but most increased over time. Specific mother and infant activities corresponded, and over time mothers and infants influenced one another in specific ways. In the critical period of the first half year, infants appear to be flexible and plastic in their behavioral repertoires and are influenced by their mothers; mothers are somewhat consistent, but they also adapt to the behaviors of their infants.
Metatranscriptome profiling reveals versatile N-nutrient utilization, CO2 limitation, oxidative stress, and active toxin production in an Alexandrium fundyense bloom

Abstract The globally increasing trend of harmful algal blooms (HAB) is often attributed to coastal eutrophication and climate change, but the physiological processes at play during a bloom are poorly understood due to lack of in situ measurements of these processes or their corresponding molecular machinery. Here we employed a dinoflagellate spliced leader-based 454-pyrosequencing technique to generate time-serial expressed sequence tags (EST) throughout a diel cycle during an Alexandrium fundyense bloom in Long Island Sound. Assembly of the reads yielded 87,273 dinoflagellate genes. To facilitate mapping of these data to species and comparing of gene expression dynamics between natural bloom and laboratory culture conditions, similar diel EST sets were sequenced for A. fundyense strain CCMP1719, which achieved 31,451 genes. The assembled metatranscriptome reveals a metabolically active A. fundyense population. Relative to the laboratory culture, the natural bloom expressed more abundantly genes related to nitrogen (N)-scavenging, CO2-concentrating and saxitoxin production. Most strikingly, the data showed a versatility to exploit various sources of N (cyanate, urea, nitrate/nitrite, and ammonium), likely conferring competitive advantages in A. fundyense for bloom formation or maintenance. The dataset also led to the first characterization of Ni-containing superoxide dismutases (NiSODs) in dinoflagellates with mitochondrial targeting signal identified, which along with other types of SOD found indicated diverse SODs being expressed in the A. fundyense bloom. Our results also demonstrate that metatranscriptomics is an effective approach to unraveling physiological processes conducive to HAB outbreaks.
Fusiform Function in Children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder Is a Matter of “Who”

Background Despite the importance of face processing for normal social development, no functional magnetic resonance imaging studies of face processing in autism have focused exclusively on the childhood years. To fill this gap, 45 children aged 6–12 participated in practice scans. After exclusion due to motion, 11 children with an ASD and 11 age-matched normal control subjects were included in final analyses. Methods Stimuli consisted of pictures of a familiar adult, familiar child, stranger adult, stranger child, and objects. During the scan, children pressed a button in response to an identical face shown on two consecutive trials. On the basis of our prior research, masks of four anatomic regions of interest (ROIs) including the fusiform gyrus, amygdala, and anterior and posterior cingulate were created for each subject and manually edited for anatomic precision. Following deconvolution analyses, the number of voxels significantly active and percent signal change values that fell within each ROI mask were calculated for each subject. Results Analyses revealed normal fusiform activity in children with autism when viewing a face of their mother or other children. In contrast, looking at stranger adult faces initiated profound deficits in that the mean number of significantly active voxels in the fusiform bilaterally was approximately 25% of that shown in typically developing children. Conclusions A selective fusiform deficit in response only to the faces of adult strangers may be the result of reduced attention and interest during those conditions. Face processing abnormalities found in autism beyond the fusiform likely exist.
PARP-1 inhibition does not restore oxidant-mediated reduction in SIRT1 activity.

Sirtuin1 (SIRT1) deacetylase and poly(ADP-ribose)-polymerase-1 (PARP-1) respond to environmental cues, and both require NAD+ cofactor for their enzymatic activities. However, the functional link between environmental/oxidative stress-mediated activation of PARP-1 and SIRT1 through NAD+ cofactor availability is not known. We investigated whether NAD+ depletion by PARP-1 activation plays a role in environmental stimuli/oxidant-induced reduction in SIRT1 activity. Both H2O2 and cigarette smoke (CS) decreased intracellular NAD+ levels in vitro in lung epithelial cells and in vivo in lungs of mice exposed to CS. Pharmacological PARP-1 inhibition prevented oxidant-induced NAD+ loss and attenuated loss of SIRT1 activity. Oxidants decreased SIRT1 activity in lung epithelial cells; however increasing cellular NAD+ cofactor levels by PARP-1 inhibition or NAD+ precursors was unable to restore SIRT1 activity. SIRT1 was found to be carbonylated by CS, which was not reversed by PARP-1 inhibition or selective SIRT1 activator. Overall, these data suggest that environmental/oxidant stress-induced SIRT1 down-regulation and PARP-1 activation are independent events despite both enzymes sharing the same cofactor.
Assessing visual literacy: The case of poster presentations

This article presents three distinct models of assessing poster presentations within the context of an introductory professional communication course as part of a science-based curriculum. The model which was based on a rhetorical approach, where the emphasis was placed on the audience, purpose and context of presentation for the poster, yielded the best results of the three models, both in terms of meeting desired learning outcomes and in terms of student satisfaction.