cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Brain Dysfunction in LAMA2-Related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy: Lessons From Human Case Reports and Mouse Models.

Laminin a2 gene (LAMA2)-related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy was distinguished by a defining central nervous system (CNS) abnormality - aberrant white matter signals by MRI - when first described in the 1990s. In the past 25 years, researchers and clinicians have expanded our knowledge of brain involvement in LAMA2-related Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (CMD), also known as Congenital Muscular Dystrophy Type 1A (MDC1A). Neurological changes in MDC1A can be structural, including lissencephaly and agyria, as well as functional, including epilepsy and intellectual disability. Mouse models of MDC1A include both spontaneous and targeted LAMA2 mutations and range from a partial loss of LAMA2 function (e.g., dy2J/dy2J), to a complete loss of LAMA2 expression (dy3K/dy3K). Diverse cellular and molecular changes have been reported in the brains of MDC1A mouse models, including blood-brain barrier dysfunction, altered neuro- and gliogenesis, changes in synaptic plasticity, and decreased myelination, providing mechanistic insight into potential neurological dysfunction in MDC1A. In this review, we discuss selected studies that illustrate the potential scope and complexity of disturbances in brain development in MDC1A, and as well as highlight mechanistic insights that are emerging from mouse models.
Leaky pipes: Tau and apoE implicated in blood-brain barrier dysfunction in Alzheimer disease

Concentrations of tight junction proteins correlate with tau and apolipoprotein E in Alzheimer disease brain tissue independent of cerebral amyloid angiopathy.
“See what she becomes”: Black women’s resistance in Hidden Figures

On December 25 2016, the film Hidden Figures made its debut in select theaters across the country. In a political climate where white supremacy seems to have prevailed and patriarchy necessitates t...
Headache outcomes after surgery for pineal cyst without hydrocephalus: A systematic review.

Background Pineal cysts are common entities, with a reported prevalence between 10 and 54%. Management of pineal cysts has historically been expectant, with surgical treatment of these lesions usually reserved for patients with a symptomatic presentation secondary to mass effect. The appropriate management of pineal cysts in patients presenting with headache in the absence of hydrocephalus - often the most common clinical scenario - has been more ambiguous. Here, we report the results of a comprehensive systematic review of headache outcomes for surgically treated, non-hydrocephalic pineal cyst patients without signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Methods Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed to construct a systematic review. A comprehensive search of the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases was conducted from through June 2020. Relevant English-language articles were identified using the search terms "pineal cyst" and "headache." The following eligibility criteria were applied: the inclusion of at least one surgically-treated, non-hydrocephalic pineal cyst patient presenting with headache in the absence of hemorrhage or signs and symptoms of increased ICP. Patient demographics and post-operative headache outcomes for the included studies were extracted and summarized. Results A total of 24 pineal cyst cases meeting our selection criteria were identified across 11 included studies. Postoperative improvement or resolution of headaches was reported for 23/24 patients. Our systematic review of the literature demonstrates that non-hydrocephalic patients with pineal cysts have a high rate of headache improvement following surgical intervention. Conclusion The results indicate a need for further investigation of the link between headache and pineal cysts in the non-hydrocephalic patient.
Characterising the Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of a Neural Cell

We examine the dynamical evolution of the state of a neurone, with particular care to the non-equilibrium nature of the forces influencing its movement in state space. We combine non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and dynamical systems theory to characterise the nature of the neural resting state, and its relationship to firing. The stereotypical shape of the action potential arises from this model, as well as bursting dynamics, and the non-equilibrium phase transition from resting to spiking. Geometric properties of the system are discussed, such as the birth and shape of the neural limit cycle, which provide a complementary understanding of these dynamics. This provides a multiscale model of the neural cell, from molecules to spikes, and explains various phenomena in a unified manner. Some more general notions for damped oscillators, birth-death processes, and stationary non-equilibrium systems are included.
Framing the Latin American nutrition transition in a historical perspective, 1850 to the present.

Abstract This paper argues that many of the foundations and trends that led to the rise in obesity and other diet-related health problems in Latin America began to develop in the late nineteenth century. The tendency towards presentism in the nutrition transition literature provides a much abbreviated and limited history of changes in diet and weight. Whereas medical and nutrition researchers have tended to emphasize the recent onset of the crisis, a historical perspective suggests that increasingly global food sourcing prompted changes in foodways and a gradual “fattening” of Latin America. This paper also provides a methodological and historiographic exploration of how to historicize the nutrition transition, drawing on a diverse array of sources from pre-1980 to the present.
Prediction of False-Positive Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Molecular Results in a High-Throughput Open-Platform System.

Widespread high-throughput testing for identification of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection by RT-PCR has been a foundation in the response to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Quality assurance metrics for these RT-PCR tests are still evolving as testing is widely implemented. As testing increases, it is important to understand performance characteristics and the errors associated with these tests. Herein, we investigate a high-throughput, laboratory-developed SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assay to determine whether modeling can generate quality control metrics that identify false-positive (FP) results due to contamination. This study reviewed repeated clinical samples focusing on positive samples that test negative on re-extraction and PCR, likely representing false positives. To identify and predict false-positive samples, we constructed machine learning–derived models based on the extraction method used. These models identified variables associated with false-positive results across all methods, with sensitivities for predicting FP results ranging between 67% and 100%. Application of the models to all results predicted a total FP rate of 0.08% across all samples, or 2.3% of positive results, similar to reports for other RT-PCR tests for RNA viruses. These models can predict quality control parameters, enabling laboratories to generate decision trees that reduce interpretation errors, allow for automated reflex testing of samples with a high FP probability, improve workflow efficiency, and increase diagnostic accuracy for patient care.
Tandem chemical deconstruction and biological upcycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) to β-ketoadipic acid by Pseudomonas putida KT2440.

Abstract Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is the most abundantly consumed synthetic polyester and accordingly a major source of plastic waste. The development of chemocatalytic approaches for PET depolymerization to monomers offers new options for open-loop upcycling of PET, which can leverage biological transformations to higher-value products. To that end, here we perform four sequential metabolic engineering efforts in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 to enable the conversion of PET glycolysis products via: (i) ethylene glycol utilization by constitutive expression of native genes, (ii) terephthalate (TPA) catabolism by expression of tphA2IIA3IIBIIA1II from Comamonas and tpaK from Rhodococcus jostii, (iii) bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate (BHET) hydrolysis to TPA by expression of PETase and MHETase from Ideonella sakaiensis, and (iv) BHET conversion to a performance-advantaged bioproduct, β-ketoadipic acid (βKA) by deletion of pcaIJ. Using this strain, we demonstrate production of 15.1 g/L βKA from BHET at 76% molar yield in bioreactors and conversion of catalytically depolymerized PET to βKA. Overall, this work highlights the potential of tandem catalytic deconstruction and biological conversion as a means to upcycle waste PET.
Ultrasound-Based Sensing and Control of Functional Electrical Stimulation for Ankle Joint Dorsiflexion: Preliminary Study

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a potential technique for reanimating paralyzed muscles post neurological injury/disease. Several technical challenges, including the difficulty in measuring FES-induced muscle activation and muscle fatigue, and compensating for the electromechanical delay (EMD) during muscle force generation, inhibit its satisfactory control performance. In this paper, an ultrasound (US) imaging approach is proposed to observe muscle activation and fatigue levels during FES-elicited ankle dorsiflexors. Due to the low sampling rate of the US imaging-derived signal, a sampled-data observer (SDO) is designed to continuously estimate the muscle activation and fatigue based on their continuous dynamics. The SDO is combined with a delay compensation term to address the ankle dorsiflexion trajectory tracking problem with a known input delay. Experimental results on an able-bodied participant show the effectiveness of the proposed control method, and the superior tracking performance compared to a traditional control method, where the muscle activation and fatigue are computed from an off-line identified model.
CC2020: An IT-Centric Overview

In 2005, the ACM, together with the IEEE Computer Society and the Association for Information Systems, released Computing Curricula 2005: The Overview Report[1]. This document has proven to be one of the most widely circulated and influential documents ever produced on the topic of computing curricula, and included computing programs in computer engineering (CE), computer science (CS), information systems (IS), information technology (IT), and software engineering (SE). This document was recently updated and released as Computing Curricula 2020: Paradigms for Global Computing Education[2], and included the first 5 computing programs as well as cybersecurity (CSEC) and some of data science (DS). This paper takes an IT-centric look at this updated document, highlighting the changes and the additional insights this significant reference provides the computing educational community.
Time-Varying Model Predictive Control for Highly Dynamic Motions of Quadrupedal Robots

Obtaining highly dynamic motions in robots is a difficult task. In recent years, sophistication in mechanical design, improved algorithms, and high computational power allows new robots to perform natural gaits and dynamic motions such as backflips. Offline optimization is often necessary to obtain good performance in those difficult motions. However, when an athlete does a backflip, he will adapt “online” to any change, and that is shown in the robustness of the movements. One of the biggest challenges in robotics is to perform those movements using online optimization with the dynamics of the robot. Here, we present an approach to deal with complicated tasks using online optimization. We obtain 90° rotational jumps and jumps over sloped terrain in the Mini-Cheetah hardware, and online-optimized backflips, sideflips, and frontflips in a real-time physical simulator with full-body dynamics.
Biomedical Knowledge: Progress and Priorities

In the present essay I am going to begin with some comments on the essays of Professors Weissmann [24] and Wartofsky [22]. I will then go on to develop the outlines of what I take to be a more realistic and adequate picture of the process of genesis, dissemination, and application of biomedical knowledge in the context of the current system of health care and in medical research institutions.
Non-neoplastic parenchymal changes in kidney cancer and post-partial nephrectomy recovery of renal function.

To explore the association of non-neoplastic parenchymal changes (nNPC) with patients’ health and renal function recovery after partial nephrectomy (PN). This retrospective review identified 800 pT1a patients who underwent PN at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center from 2007 to 2012. Pathology reports were reviewed for nNPC graded as mild or severe: vascular sclerosis (VS), glomerulosclerosis (GS), and fibrosis/scarring. Correlations between nNPC and known preoperative predictors of renal function [age, sex, African-American race, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, body mass index, coronary artery disease, and hypertension (HTN)] were assessed using Spearman’s rank correlation (ρ). Multivariable linear regression, adjusted for the described known preoperative risk predictors, was performed to evaluate whether the parenchymal features were able to predict 6-month postoperative eGFR. In this study, 46 % of tumors had benign surrounding parenchyma. We noted statistically significant yet weak associations of VS with age (ρ = 0.19; p < 0.001), ASA (ρ = 0.09; p < 0.001), preoperative eGFR (ρ = −0.14; p < 0.001), and HTN (ρ = 0.14; p < 0.001). GS also significantly correlated with HTN, but the correlation was again small (ρ = 0.12; p < 0.001). After adjusting for known risk predictors, only GS was a significant predictor of 6-month postoperative eGFR. When compared with no GS, mild and severe GS were negatively associated with a decrease of 4.9 and 10.8 mL/min/1.73 m2 in 6-month postoperative eGFR, respectively. Presence of VS and GS correlated with patients’ baseline health, and presence of GS predicted postoperative renal function recovery.
Robust tracking control of a brushless DC motor with application to direct-drive robotics

A hand-crafted methodology is used to develop a robust tracking control for a brushless direct-current (BLDC) motor turning an inertial load. Using nonlinear models of the motor and load, a global uniform ultimate boundedness (GUUB) stability result for the motor position tracking error is obtained. The control is robust with respect to parametric uncertainty and additive bounded disturbances throughout the entire electromechanical system. The approach assumes full state measurement (i.e., motor position, velocity, and the per phase winding currents). >
Evolutionary Debunking of Moral Realism

Evolutionary debunking arguments move from a premise about the influence of evolutionary forces on our moral beliefs to a skeptical conclusion about those beliefs. My primary aim is to clarify this empirically grounded epistemological challenge. I begin by distinguishing among importantly different sorts of epistemological attacks. I then demonstrate that instances of each appear in the literature under the ‘evolutionary debunking’ title. Distinguishing them clears up some confusions and helps us better understand the structure and potential of evolutionary debunking arguments.
Packaged Preferences and the Institutional Transformation of Interests

The point of this Article is to show that mediating institutions are better decision makers than individuals. For this reason, individuals often find it in their interest to select a variety of mediating institutions (corporations, investment funds, unions, political parties, religious institutions, etc.) to act as their agents. These mediating institutions will choose packages of preferences on behalf of their principals. Moreover, I will argue that individual preferences evolve over time. As individuals' investments in their mediating institutions grow over time, these individuals come to identify more closely with these institutions. As a consequence of this phenomenon of "escalating commitments," mediating institutions play a transformative role in people's lives, shaping their preferences in important ways. Thus, I will argue that criticisms of mediating institutions as "unrepresentative" of their constituents are misguided. Members want their institutions to take the lead in identifying alternatives. Because individual decision makers often act irrationally, they do not want their representatives to choose as they would have chosen themselves. Rather, individuals trust their mediating institutions to act as professional decision makers to relieve themselves of the responsibility of making certain decisions. The tobacco conglomerate Phillip Morris presents a vivid example of the self-conscious power of the mediating institution to shape the preferences of its membership. In -a recent interview, Craig L. Fuller, Senior Vice President for Corporate Affairs for Phillip Morris Companies, described his job as similar to his previous job as a chief of staff for George Bush, saying that he tells people "[t]his is who you are and this is what you believe."'
The Ramsey View

In this chapter a second proposal for using a set-theoretic predicate to make empirical claims is considered. This proposal is quite similar to the method of dealing with theoretical terms proposed by Frank Ramsey [34]. The relation between these two proposals, as well as some formal questions raised by taking this line, will be examined. Among these questions is the possibility of getting on without theoretical functions. An attempt is made to define a concept of eliminability of theoretical functions which is applicable to situations in which set-theoretical predicates are being used to illuminate the logical structure of a theory. Finally the question of the adequacy of this proposal to the task of logical reconstruction will be considered. It will be seen that this proposal is inadequate because it fails to provide a means of accounting for the ways measured values of theoretical functions appear to be used in existing expositions of theories.
Diverse Roles for T-bet in the Effector Responses Required for Resistance to Infection

The transcription factor T-bet has been most prominently linked to NK and T cell production of IFN-γ, a cytokine required for the control of a diverse array of intracellular pathogens. Indeed, in mice challenged with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii , NK and T cell responses are characterized by marked increases of T-bet expression. Unexpectedly, T-bet −/− mice infected with T. gondii develop a strong NK cell IFN-γ response that controls parasite replication at the challenge site, but display high parasite burdens at secondary sites colonized by T. gondii and succumb to infection. The loss of T-bet had a modest effect on T cell production of IFN-γ but did not impact on the generation of parasite-specific T cells. However, the absence of T-bet resulted in lower T cell expression of CD11a, Ly6C, KLRG-1, and CXCR3 and fewer parasite-specific T cells at secondary sites of infection, associated with a defect in parasite control at these sites. Together, these data highlight T-bet–independent pathways to IFN-γ production and reveal a novel role for this transcription factor in coordinating the T cell responses necessary to control this infection in peripheral tissues.
The Solar Wind and Its Interaction with the Interstellar Medium

The solar wind is a magnetized plasma of ions and electrons which flows outward from the Sun. This chapter begins with a brief history of the discovery of the solar wind. Solar wind properties at 1 AU are discussed as well as how these properties change over a solar cycle. The solar wind evolves as it moves outward through the solar system and interacts with the interstellar neutrals which slow and heat the wind. The solar wind runs into a variety of obstacles as it moves outward, the non-conducting Moon and asteroids, comets and unmagnetized planets where the atmosphere forms a conducting barrier, and magnetized planets with large magnetospheres. Finally the solar wind reaches the interstellar medium, going through the termination shock and then diverting down the tail of the heliosphere.
The Breaking Load Method: Results and Statistical Modification from the ASTM Interlaboratory Test Program

The breaking load test provides quantitative stress corrosion cracking data by determining the residual strength of tension specimens that have been exposed to corrosive environments. Eight laboratories have participated in a cooperative test program under the auspices of ASTM Committee G-1 to evaluate the new test method. All eight laboratories were able to distinguish between three tempers of aluminum alloy 7075. The statistical analysis procedures that were used in the test program do not work well in all situations. An alternative procedure using Box-Cox transformations shows a great deal of promise. An ASTM standard method has been drafted which incorporates the Box-Cox procedure.
Confident visualisation techniques in the analysis of mixture experiments

When characterising the results from a mixture experiment, the practitioner often wishes to find a set of component blends that optimise the expected value of the response variable, y. Often the experimenter would start out with some best guess or reference blend and create an experiment varying the components around this blend. The question of interest addressed here is whether there are any candidate blends that yield an improvement in the long-run mean response over that of the reference blend. If so, how much is this improvement? Here, we discuss methods for visualisation of the amount of improvement over the reference blend with simultaneous confidence bounds utilising pseudocomponents, especially for experiments where the number of components is greater than three. We then modify this technique to create variance profile plots to assess the impact of our choice for the reference blend. This technique is useful for any model that is linear in its parameters and for any experimental region that can be created utilising pseudocomponents. Two examples are presented in this article to illustrate how this technique is useful in practice.
Effect of Bay K8644 on cytosolic calcium transients and contraction in embryonic cardiac ventricular myocytes.

Cytosolic calcium transients were recorded from spontaneously beating chick embryonic myocardial cell aggregates loaded with the fluorescent [Ca2+]i indicator, indo-1. Calcium transients rose rapidly from an end-diastolic [Ca2+]i of 230±18 nM to a peak systolic [Ca2+]i of 619±34 nM (n=21). Relaxation of the transients was slow, and continued throughout diastole. Bay K8644 (0.5 μM) markedly prolonged the action potential and caused similar prolongation of the calcium transients. Calcium transients in the presence of Bay K8644 had an inflection on their rising phase, which was followed by a more gradual increase that continued until the membrane had repolarized to a negative potential of −15 to −30 mV. Bay K8644 caused marked elevation of peak systolic [Ca2+]i to 955±56 nM (P<0.002), with concomitant elevation of end-diastolic [Ca2+]i to 400±36 nM (P<0.002). Optical recordings of contraction showed changes similar to those in the calcium transient: the initial upstroke of the contraction was followed by a more gradual second component, which gave the contraction a “half-dome” appearance. The time to peak [Ca2+]i and the time to peak contraction increased linearly with action potential duration (APD50). The effects of Bay K8644 were simulated, in part, by CsCl (7.5 mM), which produced equivalent prolongation of the action potential and calcium transients. However, CsCl did not elevate diastolic [Ca2+]i. To determine the mechanism of the diastolic [Ca2+]i, increase, Bay K8644 was applied to aggreagates rendered quiescent by tetrodotoxin. Bay K8644 caused a graded increase in [Ca2+]i, which was followed by resumption of spontaneous beating. Bay K8644 can therefore increase [Ca2+]i in the absence of action potentials. We conclude that the duration of the calcium transient and its companion contraction are tightly coupled to the duration of the action potential in chick embryonic myocardial cells. Besides increasing action potential duration, Bay K8644 has the further effect of elevating diastolic [Ca2+]i, which appears to contribute to the positive inotropic effect.
Treatment of complicated congenital splenic cysts.

Abstract Although rare in occurrence, the potential for congenital splenic cysts to enlarge, rupture, or become infected has been well documented. Presented is the case of a 13-year-old boy with an infected epidermoid cyst of the spleen, which presented as a solitary splenic abscess. The entity has traditionally been treated by splenectomy or, more recently, percutaneous drainage. However, given the inability of percutaneous drainage or scierotherapy to permanently obliterate congenital splenic cysts, the authors managed this condition with percutaneous drainage and interval partial splenectomy. This achieves complete removal of the lesion while preserving splenic function.
Real versus perceived conflicts between restoration of ponderosa pine forests and conservation of the Mexican spotted owl

Abstract Progress in implementing ecosystem approaches to conservation and restoration is slowed by legitimate concerns about the effects of such approaches on individual imperiled species. The perceived conflict between the restoration of fire-excluded forests and concomitant reduction of dense fuels and high-severity wildfire, versus the recovery of endangered species, has led to a policy ambiguity that has slowed on-the-ground action at a time when active management is urgently needed, both for ecosystem restoration and species conservation. The Mexican spotted owl ( Strix occidentalis lucida ) in the southwestern U.S.A. is emblematic of this perceived conflict, with numerous appeals and lawsuits focused on the species and vast acres of forest managed with habitat quality for this species in mind. We use spatial analysis across large landscapes in Arizona to examine potential conflicts between the desire to reduce the likelihood of uncharacteristically severe wildfire and restore native fire regimes, and the concurrent desire and legal mandate to manage forests for the recovery of the owl. Our spatially explicit analysis indicates that real conflicts between these management objectives exist, but that locations where conflicts might inhibit active forest management represent less than 1/3 of the 811,000 ha study region. Furthermore, within the areas where conflicts might be expected, the majority of the forest could be managed in ways that would reduce fire hazard without eliminating owl habitat. Finally, management treatments that emphasize ecosystem restoration might improve the suitability of large areas of forest habitat in the southwest that is currently unsuitable for owls. These results demonstrate that even where policy conflicts exist, their magnitude has been overstated. Active restoration of dry forests from which fire has been excluded is compatible in many areas with conservation and recovery of the owl. Identifying and prioritizing areas to meet the dual goals of ecosystem restoration and imperiled species conservation require a broad spatial approach that is analytically feasible but currently underutilized. Working together, conservation biologists, restoration ecologists, and forest managers can employ landscape-level spatial analysis to identify appropriate areas for management attention, identify suitable management practices, and explore the predicted consequences of alternative management scenarios on forests, fire ecology, and the fate of sensitive species of conservation concern.
Education Stakeholders' Translation and Sense-Making of Accountability Policies.

Scholars of education policy have consistently found that the capacity, beliefs, and values of local actors affect the relative success or failure of policy implementation. This article examines stakeholders' perceptions of education policy in South Carolina to consider the relationship between interpretations of education policy and attitudes of advocacy. Findings include that not only is the education system failing children, but it also sets up stakeholders, who care about education, to fail. The authors conclude that state-level education policy implementation plays an increasingly important role in shaping the message of education policy and ensuring the understandability of policy messages.
The patients' view of their domain

Abstract This project demonstrates an approach used for obtaining feedback from staff and patients about specific features of an existing hospital. To initiate the programming process for an expansion of their present facility, the Johnston County General Hospital's administration sought research assistance for obtaining input from the patients about their hospital room, their need for privacy, and the importance of nurses' surveillance. Reactions to existing and proposed hospital rooms were elicited from staff as well as obstetric, medical, and mental health patients. Different room environments were displayed through a series of photographs which revealed varying preferences for privacy and social interaction by patients and nurses. The results of this survey had important implications for the design of the patient area in a hospital. In addition, medical care efficiency was achieved in the development of a building programme by gathering information about the users' activity patterns, information flow, and performance evaluation of the present facility.
Response plasticity in hamster olfactory bulb: peripheral and central processes.

Abstract It is a well-established fact that prolonged odor stimulation leads to marked sensory adaptation. This study demonstrates comparable electrophysiological phenomena occurring at the level of the olfactory receptor and at more central olfactory structures. Recordings of overall receptor response and of olfactory bulb unit responses were made during repeated odor stimulation. During the course of a single, continuous odor presentation response decrements were seen in the EOG (at the olfactory receptors) and were mirrored at the mitral cell layer of the bulb. When brief periods without stimulation were introduced between such odor presentations, receptor responsiveness rebounded to its original level, but mitral cell responses did not. On the basis of this dissociation it is suggested that the pattern of response decrement within the bulb represents a case of stimulus-specific habituation in a simple cortical subsystem and is well worth future investigation as a model of neural plasticity. Surgical disconnection of the olfactory bulb from one or more of its centrifugal inputs results in hyperactive, hyperresponsive mitral cells, which habituate more rapidly and show longer recovery times than do those in the intact bulb. In addition, the synchronization of such units to the inhalation cycle is markedly reduced as compared with normal preparations. These facts together suggest that the habituation of mitral cell activity does not depend on centrifugal inputs, although one or more of such inputs act indirectly in an inhibitory fashion to modulate and tune mitral cell response characteristics.
College Students' Nutrition Information Networks

Nutrition information networks accessible to or being accessed by college students were studied. Data were collected on the types of networks, the extent of their use, and the relationship of use tofood behavior. Undergraduate students (179 men, 300 women) in an introductory nutrition class rated their perceived use of nutrition information networks; provided frequency-of-use responses to a survey offood choicesfat practices, andfast-food practices; and estimated nutrient intakes from 3-day diet records for iron, calcium, folacin, Vitamin C, and fat. Five nutrition information network categories were established through factor analysis: consumer market, media, authorityfamily, and teenage educational. Factor-related scores reflected each subject's perceived frequency of use for each category. None of the vitamin or mineral intake measures was related to any of the nutrition information network factor-related scores. However, use frequencyfor media andfor consumer market were related to food behavior indicators reflecting low-fat practices, especially for women.
Growing From Childhood Into Adolescence: The Science of Cyber Behavior

In this theoretical review paper, the authors discuss five important issues about the science of cyber behavior as a field of scientific research. First, they argue that the science of cyber behavior as a field of research is entering its adolescence after growing from its childhood, but before spearheading into its adulthood. The paper reviews the current understanding of human behavior in general and state that behavior sciences have generated extensive knowledge about human behavior theoretically, empirically, and methodologically across multiple disciplines. Next, the authors focus on cyber communication as an example to illustrate current knowledge about various types of cyber behaviors. They showcase exemplary research programs on cyber behavior in four disciplines of behavioral sciences, social psychology, cognitive psychology, communication studies, and sociology. Finally, the paper outlines future research programs in five major directions for further development of the field. Taking the opportunity to commemorate the inaugural issue of the International Journal of Cyber Behavior, Psychology and Learning, the authors attempt to draw the first sketch of the science of cyber behavior from the perspective of history of science.
Laser Photocoagulation of Experimental Corneal Stromal Vascularization: Efficacy and Histopathology

Background: Conventional treatment of corneal stromal vascularization is often inadequate. The authors developed a rabbit model of corneal stromal vascularization, treated it with laser photocoagulation, and then studied the histopathology. Methods: A reproducible model of corneal stromal vascularization was developed in albino rabbits by injecting sodium hydroxide into the corneal stroma. Corneal stromal vascularization was produced in both eyes of 13 rabbits, and treated after stabilization at 5 weeks with 577-nm yellow dye laser in 1 eye of each rabbit. Seven rabbits were followed for 6 months with corneal angiography and photography, and the corneal stromal vascularization quantified with a grid. The other 6 rabbits were killed at 1, 4, 8, 24, 48 hours, and 6 days after laser photocoagulation and examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. Results: Stable corneal stromal vascularization was observed in the anterior and midstroma for at least 6 months in the model. Laser photocoagulation reduced corneal stromal vascularization significantly compared with the controls ( P ≤ 0.05), resulting in 40.7% + 5.0%, 45.3% ± 3.3%, and 34.9% ± 5.2% (mean ± standard error of the mean) reduction at 2, 4, and 6 months, respectively. Maximum inflammatory cell infiltrates were detected at 8 hours after laser photocoagulation, which diminished markedly at 6 days. The stroma of unlasered eyes showed no inflammatory cells and considerably more patent blood vessels than the lasered eyes. In the lasered eyes, transmission electron microscopy showed damaged vascular endothelial cells, extravasated erythrocytes, haphazardly arranged collagen fibrils, thrombus formation, and ghost vessels in the stroma. No damage was observed in the deep corneal stroma or endothelium in the lasered eyes. Conclusion: Laser photocoagulation is effective in reducing corneal stromal vascularization in this model for at least 6 months. It does not damage the deeper stroma or endothelium.
Ergonomic analysis of slip-resistance measurement devices

Several measurement devices and techniques have been developed during the past 50 years in an attempt to quantify the static and/or dynamic coefficient of friction (COF) of shoe and floor surface interfaces. Much of this work has been laboratory research with bulky equipment, but recently portable measurement devices have evolved to the extent that field measurements can be taken. Six such devices, three for static COF (Bigfoot, Slipometer and NBS-Brungraber) and three for dynamic COF (British Portable Skid Tester, TORTUS and FIDO), were tested in laboratory and field studies so that an ergonomic assessment of device performance could be made. Device consistency, repeatability, accuracy and ease of use were examined for a variety of shoe, floor and floor preparation conditions. All of the devices had advantages and disadvantages for field use; these are summarized and recommendations are made for successfully measuring COF values in the field. Application of ergonomic principles can facilitate the selecti...
Effect of Casting Slurry Composition on Anode Support Microstructure and Cell Performance of MT-SOFCs by Phase Inversion Method

Abstract Anode-supported micro-tubular solid oxide fuel cells (MT-SOFCs) have been fabricated by phase inversion method. The effect of the viscosity of the casting slurry on the microstructure of YSZ-NiO anode support has been investigated. The microstructure of the YSZ-NiO support can be effectively controlled by varying the slurry composition with different solvent and polymer binder content. Gas permeation and mechanical strength of the YSZ-NiO support have been measured and four YSZ-NiO anode supports have been chosen for subsequent cell fabrication. The effective conductivity of the different anode supports has been measured at room temperature. Anode-supported single cells with YSZ electrolyte and LSM/YSZ cathode are fabricated and tested. Maximum cell power densities of 606 mW/cm2, 449 mW/cm2, 339 mW/cm2 and 253 mW/cm2 have been obtained respectively at 750 °C with humidified hydrogen as fuel and ambient air as oxidant. The correlation between the cell electrochemical performance and anode microstructures has been discussed.
Identification of a novel intracellular cholesteryl ester hydrolase (carboxylesterase 3) in human macrophages: compensatory increase in its expression after carboxylesterase 1 silencing

Cholesteryl ester (CE) hydrolysis is the rate-limiting step in the removal of free cholesterol (FC) from macrophage foam cells, and several enzymes have been identified as intracellular CE hydrolases in human macrophages. We have previously reported the antiatherogenic role of a carboxylesterase [carboxylesterase 1 (CES1)], and the objective of the present study was to determine the contribution of CES1 to total CE hydrolytic activity in human macrophages. Two approaches, namely, immune depletion and short hairpin (sh)RNA-mediated knockdown, were used. Immuneprecipitation by a CES1-specific antibody resulted in a 70–80% decrease in enzyme activity, indicating that CES1 is responsible for >70% of the total CE hydrolytic activity. THP1-shRNA cells were generated by stably transfecting human THP1 cells with four different CES1-specific shRNA vectors. Despite a significant (>90%) reduction in CES1 expression both at the mRNA and protein levels, CES1 knockdown neither decreased intracellular CE hydrolysis nor decreased FC efflux. Examination of the underlying mechanisms for the observed lack of effects of CES1 knockdown revealed a compensatory increase in the expression of a novel CES, CES3, which is only expressed at <30% of the level of CES1 in human macrophages. Transient overexpression of CES3 led to an increase in CE hydrolytic activity, mobilization of intracellular lipid droplets, and a reduction in cellular CE content, establishing CES3 as a bona fide CE hydrolase. This study provides the first evidence of functional compensation whereby increased expression of CES3 restores intracellular CE hydrolytic activity and FC efflux in CES1-deficient cells. Furthermore, these data support the concept that intracellular CE hydrolysis is a multienzyme process.
The differential allosteric regulation of two chorismate-mutase isoenzymes of Nicotiana silvestris

The reaction catalyzed by chorismate mutase (EC 5.4.99.5) is a crucial step for biosynthesis of two aromatic amino acids as well as for the synthesis of phenylpropanoid compounds. The regulatory properties of two chorismate-mutase isoenzymes expressed in Nicotiana silvestris Speg. et Comes are consistent with their differential roles in pathway flow routes ending with l-phenylalanine and l-tyrosine on one hand (isoenzyme CM-1), and ending with secondary metabolites on the other hand (isoenzyme CM-2). Isoenzyme CM-1 was very sensitive to allosteric control by all three aromatic amino acids. At pH 6.1, l-tryptophan was a potent allosteric activator (K a =1.5 μM), while feedback inhibition was effected by l-tyrosine (K i =15 μM) or by l-phenylalanine (Ki=15 μM). At pH 6.1, all three effectors acted competitively, influencing the apparent K m for chorismate. All three allosteric effectors protected isoenzyme CM-1 at pH 6.1 from thermal inactivation at 52° C. l-Tryptophan abolished the weak positive cooperativity of substrate binding found with isoenzyme CM-1 only at low pH. At pH 7.2, the allosteric effects of l-tyrosine and l-tryptophan were only modestly different, in striking contrast to results obtained with l-phenylalanine. At pH 7.2 (i) the K i for l-phenylalanine was elevated over 30-fold to 500 μM, (ii) the kinetics of inhibition became non-competitive, and (iii) l-phenylalanine now failed to protect isoenzyme CM-1 against thermal inactivation. l-Phenylalanine may act at different binding sites depending upon the intracellular pH milieu. In-vitro data indicated that the relative ability of allosteric activation to dominate over allosteric inhibition increases markedly with both pH and temperature. The second isoenzyme, CM-2, was inhibited competitively by caffeic acid (K i =0.2 mM). Aromatic amino acids failed to affect CM-2 activity over a broad range of pH and temperature. Inhibition curves obtained in the presence of caffeic acid were sigmoid, yielding an interaction coefficient (from Hill plots) of n′=1.8.
A genetic and biochemical study of streptomycin- and spectinomycin-resistance in Salmonella typhimurium.

In Salmonella typhimurium, streptomycin resistance can occur by mutation at the strA or the strB mutants have altered ribosomes which are refractory to the drug in cell-free amino acid incorporation systems, and in 3H-dihydrostreptomycin binding studies. StrB mutants, unlike the strA mutants, are resistant to several aminoglycoside antibiotics and resistance is not due to a mutational change in the cell's protein synthetic machinery. Spectinomycin resistant mutants of S. typhimurium also fall into two classes, only one of which is ribosomal in mechanism. The spcA and spcB loci are closely linked to strA, aroC, and argG on the S. typhimurium linkage map.
Communication—Embrace the Subject, not the Field

L'A. analyse le champ de la communication et l'approche qui est faite de cette discipline aux Etats-Unis. Partant des origines intellectuelles du champ de la communication americaine, l'A. montre que ce champ s'est developpe dans le cadre d'une collaboration interdisciplinaire pour aboutir au champ actuel caracterise par quatre elements cle, le domaine cognitif, la culture, le controle et la communication, qui constituent le fondement de la communication et de sa discipline aux Etats-Unis
Removal of viruses and bacteriophages from drinking water using zero-valent iron

Abstract Zero-valent iron (ZVI) has been shown to remove and inactivate bacteriophages in synthetic groundwater, which suggests that it may be potentially useful for drinking water treatment. As an effort to assess this possibility, we assessed the effectiveness of ZVI to remove pathogenic viruses from two water treatment plant samples (from Allentown, PA and Newark, DE) through a series of column experiments. Removal of Aichi virus (AiV), Adenovirus 41 (Ad41), and the bacteriophages MS2 and ϕX174 in columns packed with clean sand only and sand with a layer of ZVI-sand mix (1:1, v/v) was examined through pulse tests under saturated flow conditions. With the exception of Ad41, removal of all viruses by sand was zero or limited in all cases, regardless of the water used. In contrast, ZVI-containing columns gave removal efficiencies between 4.5 and 6 logs for all viruses and all waters studied. Ad41 was retained markedly by sand and even more strongly (by 2–3 logs) by ZVI and did not breakthrough fully from either column even after 32 pore volumes. The significant retardation of Ad41 is ascribed to the relatively high isoelectric points of the long and short fibers of Ad41. Our results, combined with studies elsewhere that demonstrate organic matter removal by ZVI and iron oxides, suggest ZVI may potentially offer a simple and low-cost option to help utilities control microorganisms, disinfection byproducts, and chlorine residuals simultaneously. Possible applications of ZVI in water treatment plants are proposed and the potential benefits are discussed.
Service to Veterans: Shifting from a Traditional Medical Approach to an Integrated Approach

In 1990 the Department of Veterans' Affairs decided to make a paradigm shift in Us service delivery model A comprehensive client focused service delivery area was required and the multiplicity of community and medical support services had to become more accessible for veterans. These pressures led to the development and implementation of an integrated model of service delivery. Although there were some difficulties in its implementation due to a necessary change in culture, many positive outcomes have been achieved in the early stages
Evolutionary morphology of the Tenrecoidea (Mammalia) hindlimb skeleton.

The tenrecs of Central Africa and Madagascar provide an excellent model for exploring adaptive radiation and functional aspects of mammalian hindlimb form. The pelvic girdle, femur, and crus of 13 tenrecoid species, and four species from the families Solenodontidae, Macroscelididae, and Erinaceidae, were examined and measured. Results from qualitative and quantitative analyses demonstrate remarkable diversity in several aspects of knee and hip joint skeletal form that are supportive of function-based hypotheses, and consistent with studies on nontenrecoid eutherian postcranial adaptation. Locomotor specialists within Tenrecoidea exhibit suites of characteristics that are widespread among eutherians with similar locomotor behaviors. Furthermore, several characters that are constrained at the subfamily level were identified. Such characters are more indicative of postural behavior than locomotor behavior. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Where the Beginning Ends: Studying Leads in Literature in Order to Write Attention‐Getting Introductions

In order for students to write like authors they need to read like writers. This requires direct instruction in attending to the writing craft through the use of quality adolescent literature and engagement in reading and writing. This article focuses on writing catchy introductions. The author offers the lesson objective and a teacher script arranged within a minilesson format. A list of types of introductions and examples of introductions from adolescent literature are given.
Translating Human Rights into Muslim Vernaculars

Using Islam as an example, I show how interpreters can develop human rights within their own culture even as they draw on extra-local ideas and practices. They can do so despite points of significant conflict between the local culture and that of human rights, in ways that need to resonate with the local culture yet also challenge it. Translators can do the work they do because they have the “dual consciousness” of outside intermediaries and local participants.