cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electronic Cigarette Liquid Constituents Induce Nasal and Tracheal Sensory Irritation in Mice in Regionally Dependent Fashion.

Introduction Electronic cigarettes (e-cigs) are currently used by millions of adults and adolescents worldwide. Major respiratory symptoms, such as coughing reported by e-cig users, including patients with e-cig, or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI), indicate e-cig constituent-induced sensory irritation. However, e-cig constituent-induced nociceptive activity in nasal and tracheal respiratory epithelia (RE) and neuronal activation in the trigeminal ganglia and brainstem nuclei, which receive airway chemosensory inputs have not been examined and compared. Comparisons of physiological responses between freebase nicotine and nicotine salts are also missing. Aims and methods Event-related potential (ERP) was recorded electrophysiologically to assess mouse nasal and tracheal RE chemosensory responses to various flavorings, nicotine, including freebase and nicotine salts, e-liquid mixtures, and tussigenic stimuli. Also, mice were subjected to inhalation exposure to aerosol of a vanilla-flavored e-liquid or air (control), and the activated-trigeminal nociceptive neurons and brainstem neurons were examined using immunohistochemistry. Results Individual constituents and mixtures of e-liquids, capsaicin, and citric and acetic acids evoked significantly larger ERP in the nose than in the trachea with the exception of menthol. ERP responses to freebase nicotine were significantly larger than protonated nicotine. Four nicotine salts (benzoate, lactate, levulinate, and salicylate) induced similar responses. Compared with air-exposed mice, e-liquid aerosol-exposed mice showed a significant increase in numbers of activated trigeminal nociceptive neurons and brainstem neurons in the spinal trigeminal nucleus, paratrigeminal nucleus, and nucleus tractus solitarius. Conclusions E-liquid constituents region-dependently stimulate airway nociceptive chemosensory systems, and freebase nicotine is more potent than protonated nicotine. Implications Neural abnormalities have been implicated in the development of nasal and respiratory illnesses. The higher sensitivity of the nasal nociceptive chemosensory system to nicotine and flavorings may indicate a health risk for e-liquid aerosol-induced upper airway illnesses via neurogenic alteration and warrants further investigation.
Coverage-Aware Stable Task Assignment in Opportunistic Mobile Crowdsensing

In opportunistic mobile crowdsensing, the objective of service requesters is to have as many of their sensing tasks completed as possible within their budget constraints, whereas that of participants (workers) is to collect the highest monetary reward possible on their trajectories. However, these objectives can conflict and may result in unhappy service requesters or workers if the matching between them is not handled carefully. In this paper, we study the problem of finding task assignments that fulfill both coverage-aware preferences of service requesters and profit-based preferences of workers in a budget-constrained, opportunistic mobile crowdsensing system. Since this is a matching problem with bilateral preferences, we aim to find a matching in which everyone is satisfied with their assignment based on their preference profile. We first propose a polynomial-time approximation algorithm for general settings, and then show that a slightly modified version of this algorithm has a constant approximation ratio when the rewards offered to workers by service requesters are proportional to the coverage capability of workers for corresponding tasks. Through extensive simulations, we evaluate the performance of our algorithms in different settings, and show that they mostly provide substantially better task assignments in terms of user happiness and coverage quality while having a few orders of magnitude lower running times compared to the benchmark algorithms.
Generation of a Polyclonal Antibody against the Mouse Metal Transporter ZIP8

ZIP8 is a newly identified metal transporter. In human patients, mutations in ZIP8 result in severe manganese deficiency, suggesting a critical role for ZIP8 in regulating systemic manganese homeostasis. In mice, the deletion of ZIP8 recapitulates the symptoms of patients with ZIP8 mutations. However, further studies using mouse models to examine ZIP8′s function were hindered by the lack of suitable antibodies to detect endogenous ZIP8 protein. In this study, we report the design, generation, and validation of a polyclonal antibody against mouse ZIP8. We have demonstrated that the newly generated antibody can be reliably used in immunoblotting analysis to detect endogenous ZIP8 protein in mouse tissues. The successful generation and validation of anti-mouse ZIP8 antibody provide opportunities to further examine the function and regulation of this metal transporter. In addition, our study may provide valuable insights into the future development of antibodies targeting polytopic membrane proteins.
Impact of Economic Development on Environmental Degradation

This study examines the relationship between economic development and environmental degradation for a global panel of 120 countries over the period 1990- 2016. We apply the Fixed Effect Model (FEM) to evaluate the environmental impact of economic development. This study makes an attempt to bring about the econometric weaknesses of the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) addressed by the Stern (2004). Although, our results were not consistent with the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory that shows that economic development brings about the decline in the environmental degradation when the level of economic growth increases beyond some threshold point. The findings suggest that GDP growth rate, Research and Development (R&D), Energy Use (EU) and Oil rents have significant impacts on CO2 emissions. The findings also reveal that FDI inflows are insignificant in explaining the levels of environmental quality.
Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome: What to Expect During Pregnancy.

Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS) is a rare autosomal dominant disease that affects the autonomic regulation of breathing. Patients present with respiratory symptoms such as sleep apnea and dependency on mechanical ventilation during sleep or nonrespiratory symptoms such as orthostatic hypotension and sinus bradycardia. CCHS in the neonates are linked but not limited to Hirschsprung disease, neural crest cell tumors, and esophageal dysmotility. Literature about CCHS management in pregnancy is scarce. Several studies have shown that pregnant CCHS patients are at risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm delivery, low birth weight, and maternal complications including increased dependency on the mechanical ventilation and sometimes cardiopulmonary arrest. A multidisciplinary approach has been shown to be associated with better pregnancy outcomes. In this case report, we present a case of a patient with CCHS who had her prenatal care at our high-risk pregnancy unit and delivered a healthy baby. We encourage having a thorough discussion with such high-risk patients throughout their prenatal care or even preconception about their pregnancy expectations and outcomes in order to provide them and their babies with the care needed in the postpartum period.
A Compact SOI Multimode Optical Router

In this paper, a statuary SOI MMI waveguide optical switch was proposed. The MMI used as inward and backward waveguide to reduce the length of the device. The interference pattern was verified with three-dimensional finite-difference-time-domain (3D-FDTD) solver.
Characterizing super-spreaders using population-level weighted social networks in rural communities.

Sociocentric network maps of entire populations, when combined with data on the nature of constituent dyadic relationships, offer the dual promise of advancing understanding of the relevance of net...
DRIVER LICENSE RENEWAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS

Periodic renewal of driver licenses is an integral part of the driver licensing procedures for most states, including Kentucky. Renewal of driver licenses is usually required every four years, and many states conduct vision tests before granting renewal. Few states require additional testing, while several states, including Kentucky, have no vision or any other examinations at renewal. Past research has shown a relationship between crashes and driving records. Thus, it was considered important to develop mechanisms to identify potential problem drivers and to systematically review current practices regarding license renewal and retesting. Additional concerns included the increasing percentage of elderly drivers and their deterioration of vision due to aging. There is a universal agreement among researchers that vision plays a significant role in driving performance, that there are age-related visual changes, and that drivers over age 75 have proportionally higher crash rates than most younger age groups of drivers. However, there is no established standard for vision screening policies. The use of low-contrast charts may improve the effectiveness of vision tests. Age-based road tests are not considered as a practical means to identify drivers with deficiencies, and they would unnecessarily burden the license renewal process. However, using road tests as an additional means of evaluating select individuals, such as those failing vision tests or those referred by a physician or family member, could significantly improve the identification of deficient drivers. The work completed here indicates that safety gains might be achieved by implementing additional procedures for older drivers. The first step might be to require that drivers over 75 renew their driver license every 2 years. A second step would be to use vision screening tests that include a set of medical questions to be given at license renewal for older drivers. As noted earlier, road testing for renewal does not reduce crash rates nor assist in identifying at-risk drivers, and thus is not considered a good initiative. However, allowing renewal examiners the discretion to require road testing as deemed necessary is recommended as a third step. Despite the considerable amount of existing knowledge about the physiological changes of older persons and the impact of these changes on driving, further research is needed. Such research should seek to design and evaluate license renewal programs that would provide older persons with a fair assessment of their driving abilities. For the covering abstract see ITRD E113119.
Surface Modification with the SXM’s

Two dimensional structures[1] in semiconductors are the major focus of this meeting. Diverse studies of these 2D devices where the electrons are confined to a single layer in these semiconducting material has substantially increased our knowledge of the behavior of electrons. Confinement in the lateral plane is equally desirable but this is much more difficult to achieve because of the limitations of conventional lithography. Conventional lithography is limited in two ways: (a) the lateral structures are large as compared to the electron wavelength, and (b) the high energy of the ions used for reactive etching create a damage layer in the sidewalls deep enough to affect the operation of the devices.
Degree of mnemonic support and students’ acquisition of science facts

Eighth-grade students silently read passages that described dichotomized attributes of nine North American minerals. One-fourth of the students were given instruction in the use of mnemonic techniques, and were provided with “keywords” and mnemonic illustrations of the passage content; one-fourth were provided with keywords and given instructions for creating internal mnemonic images of the passage content; one-fourth were given instructions for creating their own keywords and internal mnemonic images; and the remaining fourth were given motivational instructions and told to use their “own best method” of studying while reading the passages. Mnemonic instruction, when accompanied by experimenter-provided keywords and mnemonic illustrations, produced superior recall of the mineral attributes in comparison to the other three conditions on both immediate and eight-day delayed performance tests. Implications of the findings are discussed with regard to the amount of external support necessary for effective use of mnemonic techniques by students reading expository prose passages.
On Distinguishing Between Valuation and Arbitrage Motivated Short Selling

The short interest data reported in the United States aggregate valuation shorts (motivated by a pessimistic opinion on firm value) and arbitrage shorts (motivated by various arbitrage or hedging strategies). However, the information content of these two sources of short interest is different and hence their association with future returns is expected to be different. In recent years, the association between short interest and future returns has weakened considerably, reflecting the increasing importance of institutions that execute arbitrage strategies. The primary contribution of this study is an empirical model that ex-ante helps differentiate valuation shorts from arbitrage shorts. In out-of-sample tests, we document that, consistent with theoretical predictions, the firms identified by the model as valuation shorts exhibit high short interest and poor future returns. Furthermore, firms identified as arbitrage shorts do not exhibit significant negative returns but instead exhibit characteristics associated with arbitrage strategies. The paper also identifies variables that are correlated with the information set of short sellers. We present an application that exploits the model's ability to ex-ante identify poor performers and discuss broader applications in other finance settings.
Democratizing Technology: Interests, Codes, Rights

This reply to criticism of Questioning Technology by Gerald Doppeltaddresses differences between political philosophy and philosophy oftechnology. While political philosophers such as Doppelt emphasize procedural aspects of democracy and equal rights, many philosophers of technologyimplicitly assume a substantive criterion of the good centered on thedevelopment of human capacities. Questioning Technology alsoemphasizes the diminishing agency of individuals in technologically advanced societies dominated by large scale organizations and themass media. These themes of social critique complement the main focusof political philosophy. Political philosophy must learn to addresstechnical issues as it has learned to address other social issuessuch as race and gender.
Evaluation of intra-subject difference in hamstring flexibility in patients with low back pain: An exploratory study

Purpose To evaluate the extent of intra-subject difference in hamstring flexibility and its possible relationship to the severity of Low Back Pain (LBP). A secondary purpose was to evaluate the extent of intra-rater reliability using both electrogoniometer and conventional goniometer for measuring hamstring tightness. Importance Potential correlations between muscle impairments and LBP may lead to more effective treatments and prevention strategies. Methods Seventy two participants with mechanical LBP were recruited for this study. The sample included; 41 females, 31 males with a mean age of 33.69 ± (11.04) years, height of 170 ± (9) cm, and weight of 79.5 ± (1.6) kg. Hamstring length was detected indirectly using the Active Knee Extension method in the 90/90 position from supine. The amount of extension was measured using both electro-goniometer (EG)and a standard goniometer (SG). Results Right lower extremities of these patients were significantly more flexible than left ones at α = 0.025 ( t_{72} = 3.14, p=0.002). Similarly, dominant lower extremities of these patients were significantly more flexible than the non dominant ones at α=0.025 ( t _{72} =2.56, p=0.013). Additionally, Oswestry scores of the patients were significantly and positively correlated with the amount of hamstring tightness of the right lower extremities (r=0.244, p=0.039), left lower extremities (r=0.225, p=0.048) and the average of both sides (r=0.24, p=0.039). However, the Oswestry scores were negatively, but insignificantly correlated to the absolute difference between right and left extremities at (r=-0.156, p=0.091). Finally, the extent of intrasubject reliability in measuring hamstring tightness using EG and SG was found to be high (ICC=0.93).CONCLUSION: There is a possible relation between mild mechanical LBP and hamstrings tightness. It was found that the more the tightness, the higher the severity of LBP that patient experienced. Also, these patients had one of their lower extremities significantly tighter than the other. Such tightness was successfully detected utilizing both EG and SG. These findings and their possible pathomechanical consequences should be considered while constructing effective rehabilitation protocols for patients with mechanical LBP.
The effect of first order auto correlation on data analysis as measured by the geisser-greenhouse adjustment

The analysis of repeated measures data is complicated by the correlation structure between the observations on each subject. Since the Geisser-Greenhouse correction has been shown to be a practical and effective adjustment procedure it seems reasonable that it also may be a good measure of the effect of correlation structure on the analysis. The first order autocorrelation dispersion structure may be appropriate for many repeated measure studies. In this paper we provide graphs of the Geisser-Greenhouse correction for first order autocorrelated data for various ρ. The graphs clearly show the effects of a number of repeated responses and correlations on the analysis using first order autocorrelation data
Dielectrometry measurements of spatial moisture profiles in oil-impregnated pressboard

The dielectric spectrum of pressboard, (i.e. its complex permittivity as a function of frequency), is related to its moisture content and to its temperature. Consequently, it is possible to use dielectrometry measurements to measure a pressboard sample's moisture content. A method of calculating the complex permittivity of pressboard involves interdigitated electrodes, applied only to one surface of the sample. Since the electric field's depth of penetration is dependent on the spatial wavelength of the electrodes, different sensors yield information from different depths in the material, making it possible to measure spatial distributions of the dielectric properties. This can allow the study of the diffusion of water in pressboard. >
Mathematical Modelling of Polarizing GTPases in Developing Axons

The aim of this paper is to contribute to the basic understanding of neuronal polarization mechanisms by developing and studying a reaction-diffusion model for protein activation and inactivation. In particular we focus on a feedback loop between PI3 kinase and certain GTPases, and study its behaviour in dependence of neurite lengths. We find that if an ultrasensitive activation is included, the model can produce polarization at a critical length as observed in experiments. Symmetry breaking to polarization in the longer neurite is found only if active transport of a substance, in our case active PI3 kinase, is included into the model.
Thinking About Constitutionalism at the Start of the Twenty-First Century

At the beginning of a new century, constitutional democracy seems ascendant almost to the point of a universal inevitability. What follows is in part a cautionary tale and in part an assessment of where we now stand in one of history's most hopeful long-term trends. An examination of the diffusion of constitutional democracy, and of general trends in cross-national constitutional developments since World War II, leads to a consideration of the manner and extent to which modern constitutionalism embodies a recapitulation of human cultural and political evolution. The culture-power-justice nexus that characterizes modern constitutionalism was first dissected by Montesquieu, and an examination of his approach to constitutionalism provides a useful window into why we developed the political technology of constitutional democracy and why the future of this technology is not aforegone conclusion.
Unique Ganglioside Recognition Strategies for Clostridial Neurotoxins

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) and tetanus neurotoxin are the causative agents of the paralytic diseases botulism and tetanus, respectively. The potency of the clostridial neurotoxins (CNTs) relies primarily on their highly specific binding to nerve terminals and cleavage of SNARE proteins. Although individual CNTs utilize distinct proteins for entry, they share common ganglioside co-receptors. Here, we report the crystal structure of the BoNT/F receptor-binding domain in complex with the sugar moiety of ganglioside GD1a. GD1a binds in a shallow groove formed by the conserved peptide motif E … H … SXWY … G, with additional stabilizing interactions provided by two arginine residues. Comparative analysis of BoNT/F with other CNTs revealed several differences in the interactions of each toxin with ganglioside. Notably, exchange of BoNT/F His-1241 with the corresponding lysine residue of BoNT/E resulted in increased affinity for GD1a and conferred the ability to bind ganglioside GM1a. Conversely, BoNT/E was not able to bind GM1a, demonstrating a discrete mechanism of ganglioside recognition. These findings provide a structural basis for ganglioside binding among the CNTs and show that individual toxins utilize unique ganglioside recognition strategies.
Coordinate modulation of Na-K-2Cl cotransport and K-Cl cotransport by cell volume and chloride

Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (NKCC) and K-Cl cotransporter (KCC) play key roles in cell volume regulation and epithelial Cl− transport. Reductions in either cell volume or cytosolic Cl− concentration ([C...
External Debt, Inflation, and the Public Sector: Toward Fiscal Policy for Sustainable Growth

Which tradeoffs are involved in formulating an external debt strategy? Should expenditure be cut to improve the current account, or will this reduce future output growth, thus undermining the benefits of any debt reduction? Are there alternatives that allow satisfactory output growth without jeopardizing creditworthiness? How can the necessary surplus of savings over investment be brought about at levels of investment high enough to sustain output growth? Should the government contribute to the internal adjustment by reducing its deficit? Macroeconomic targets for inflation and growth, and creditworthiness constraints on debt issue, impose restrictions on the extent to which deficits can be financed. Can the government cover the deficit within these targets and constraints? The absence of such consistency forebodes future policy change and so undermines the credibility of the adjustment program. The author uses empirical work on Turkey to illustrate the interactions between fiscal deficits and the macroeconomic variables upon which fiscal consistency hinges.
A microscopic cluster form factor for 6Li → α + d and its application to the (6Li, d) and (d, 6Li) reactions☆

Abstract A microscopic form factor for the process 6 Li → α + d is derived by summing a realistic nucleon-nucleon interaction between the nucleons in the alpha and deuteron clusters within a fully antisymmetrized 6 Li wave function and integrating over the internal coordinates of the clusters. The form factor is employed in finite-range DWBA calculations of the ( 6 Li, d) and (d, 6 Li) reactions and in general provides a good description of the shapes of the angular distributions. However, the spectroscopic factors for ( 6 Li, d), (d, 6 Li), and those calculated from the shell model are in poor agreement.
Administrative reform and role responses in thailand

This article examines the effects of administrative reforms on the attitudes and behavior of key municipal government officials in Thailand. Central Thai officials frequently have attempted to reform municipal government in the image of American council-manager government. However, the repeated failure of such legislative reform proposals has led to alternative strategies for improving the overall performance of municipal government. Changes in recruitment, training, and promotion practices have aimed at improving the quality of administrative personnel. The article analyses the problem of municipal reform and finds that the administrative changes have not resulted in expected changes in individual behavior and municipal performance. Although the reform strategies have produced major changes in the characteristics of key municipal personnel, the attitudes and behavior of these officials appear to be consistent with those of other officials in similar role environments.
Fishing for Drugs That Mitigate Metabolic Syndrome

The fish oil frenzy in health food stores stems from the oil’s premier ingredient—omega-3 fatty acids. These agents have anti-inflammatory properties and enhance insulin sensitivity at least in part by functioning as a ligand for Gpr120, a G protein–coupled receptor that is highly expressed in macrophages and adipose tissue. A major hurdle to translating these discoveries is the clinically impractical amounts of fish oils required to sustain chronic agonism of Gpr120. But small-molecule drugs with potent and specific Gpr120 agonist activity may effectively activate this signaling pathway and serve as potential therapeutics for patients with metabolic syndrome. Now, Oh et al. report the generation of such an agonist, which they named compound A. Highly potent, specific, and orally bioavailable, compound A activated human Gpr120 in vitro with a median effective concentration in the nanomolar range but did not activate the closely related lipid-sensing receptor Gpr40. Functional in vitro assays demonstrated that compound A exerted robust anti-inflammatory effects in macrophages that were largely dependent on Gpr120. After 5 weeks of compound A administration (30 mg/kg/day orally), adult mice with preestablished metabolic syndrome (15 weeks on a high-fat diet) showed improved glucose tolerance, increased insulin sensitivity, and decreased hepatic steatosis (fatty liver). Gpr120 -null mice did not show these anti-inflammatory and salutary metabolic effects when treated with compound A, corroborating the agonist’s target specificity. Although it is likely that compound A exerts direct effects on macrophages in mice, further studies with conditional deletion of Grp120 in myeloid, adipose, and other types of cells will help to decipher the tissue-specific effects of compound A in the setting of obesity and metabolic syndrome. This study demonstrates the successful creation of a highly potent and specific small-molecule Gpr120 agonist with druglike properties that has efficacy in an experimental model of metabolic syndrome. Further exploration of the pharmacology, biology, and toxicology of compound A and other potential Gpr120 modulators might lead to early-phase clinical trials and spearhead a new class of drugs to combat the current metabolic disease epidemic. D. Y. Oh et al ., A Gpr120-selective agonist improves insulin resistance and chronic inflammation in obese mice. Nat. Med. 10.1038/nm.3614 (2014). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/nm/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nm.3614.html
Intra‐abdominal pressure, sagittal abdominal diameter and obesity comorbidity

Objectives. To determine relationship of intraabdominal pressure to central obesity and the comorbidity of obesity. Design. Non-randomized, prospective. Setting. University hospital, operating room. Subjects. Eighty-four anaesthetized consecutive patients prior to gastric bypass for morbid obesity and five non-obese patients before colectomy for ulcerative colitis. Main outcome measures. Weight, body mass index (BMI), co-morbid history, sagittal abdominal diameter, waist:hip (W∶H) ratio and urinary bladder pressure, as an estimate of intra-abdominal pressure. Results. Urinary bladder pressure was greater in the obese than the non-obese (18±0.7 vs. 7±1.6 cm H2O, P < 0.001), correlated with sagittal abdominal diameter (r = +0.67, P < 0.001) and was greater (P < 0.05) in patients with, than those without, morbidity probably (hypoventilation, gastroesophageal reflux, venous stasis, stress incontinence, incisional hernia) or possibly (hypertension, diabetes) due to increased abdominal pressure. W∶H ratio correlated with urinary bladder pressure in men (r = +0.6, P < 0.05) but not women (r = −0.3). Conclusions. Increased sagittal abdominal diameter was associated with increased intraabdominal pressure which contributed to obesity-related comorbidity. W∶H ratio was not a reliable indicator of intraabdominal pressure for women who often have both peripheral and central obesity. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between intraabdominal pressure and Type II diabetes and hypertension.
Antiseizure Activity of Midazolam in Mice Lacking δ-Subunit Extrasynaptic GABAA Receptors

Midazolam is a benzodiazepine anticonvulsant with rapid onset and short duration of action. Midazolam is the current drug of choice for acute seizures and status epilepticus, including those caused by organophosphate nerve agents. The antiseizure activity of midazolam is thought to result from its allosteric potentiation of synaptic GABAA receptors in the brain. However, there are indications that benzodiazepines promote neurosteroid synthesis via the 18-kDa cholesterol transporter protein (TSPO). Therefore, we investigated the role of neurosteroids and their extrasynaptic GABAA receptor targets in the antiseizure activity of midazolam. Here, we used δ-subunit knockout (DKO) mice bearing a targeted deletion of the extrasynaptic receptors to investigate the contribution of the extrasynaptic receptors to the antiseizure activity of midazolam using the 6-Hz and hippocampus kindling seizure models. In both models, midazolam produced rapid and dose-dependent protection against seizures (ED50, 0.4 mg/kg). Moreover, the antiseizure potency of midazolam was undiminished in DKO mice compared with control mice. Pretreatment with PK11195 [1-(2-chlorophenyl)-N-methyl-N-(1-methylpropyl)-3-isoquinolinecarboxamide], a TSPO blocker, or finasteride, a 5α-reductase neurosteroid inhibitor, did not affect the antiseizure effect of midazolam. The antiseizure activity of midazolam was significantly reversed by pretreatment with flumazenil, a benzodiazepine antagonist. Plasma and brain levels of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone were not significantly greater in midazolam-treated animals. These studies therefore provide strong evidence that neurosteroids and extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are not involved in the antiseizure activity of midazolam, which mainly occurs through synaptic GABAA receptors via direct binding to benzodiazepine sites. This study reaffirms midazolam’s use for controlling acute seizures and status epilepticus.
DNA Bending and Discrimination of Mismatches by MutS and Human Homologs

Post-replication repair of mismatch-containing DNA is a conserved process for ensuring DNA fidelity in prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. In this process, the MutS enzyme is responsible for initially recognizing defective DNA before signaling for subsequent DNA repair to occur. Structures of MutS in complex with mismatch DNA show highly bent DNA suggesting that DNA bending plays a role in the recognition process. Here, we present results from molecular dynamics simulations that indicate that mismatch-containing DNA can be bent more easily than DNA with canonical DNA and support that DNA bending is a key step in recognizing defective DNA. Results from additional simulations of the eukaryotic homologs MSH2-MSH6 and MSH2-MSH3 that specialize on recognizing mismatch-DNA vs. insetion/deletion-containing DNA, respectively, furthermore suggest that MutS and its homologs are exquisitely tuned to bend DNA just enough to discriminate mismatches from canonical DNA. Moreover, the recognition of insertion/deletion-containing DNA also appears to require bending but at an even greater extent than mismatch-containing DNA. The simulation results are further discussed in the context of the overall mechanism of post-replication DNA repair.
Pleiotropy of type 2 diabetes with obesity

The risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) increases with obesity. One possible explanation is that pleiotropic genes affect risk of both T2D and obesity. To identify pleiotropic genes, we performed bivariate analysis of T2D with waist–hip ratio (WHR) and with body mass index (BMI) in the African-American subset of the Genetics of NIDDM (GENNID) sample. Of 12 T2D loci identified through suggestive or higher univariate logarithm of the odds ratio (lod) scores, we inferred pleiotropy with obesity for six (chromosomes 1 at 17–19 Mb, 2 at 237–240 Mb, 7 at 54–73 Mb, 13 at 26–30 Mb, 16 at 26–47 Mb and 20 at 56–59 Mb). These findings provide evidence that at least some of the co-occurrence of obesity with T2D is because of pleiotropic genes. We also inferred four obesity loci through suggestive or higher lod scores for WHR (chromosomes 1 at 24–32 Mb, 2 at 79–88 Mb, 2 at 234–238 Mb and 3 at 148–159 Mb).
Action Spectra and Adaptation Properties of Carp Photoreceptors

The mass photoreceptor response of the isolated carp retina was studied after immersing the tissue in aspartate-Ringer solution. Two electro-retinogram components were isolated by differential depth recording: a fast cornea-negative wave, arising in the receptor layer, and a slow, cornea-negative wave arising at some level proximal to the photoreceptors. Only the fast component was investigated further. In complete dark adaptation, its action spectrum peaked near 540 nm and indicated input from both porphyropsin-containing rods (λmax ≈ 525 nm) and cones with longer wavelength sensitivity. Under photopic conditions a broad action spectrum, λmax ≈ 580 nm was seen. In the presence of chromatic backgrounds, the photopic curve could be fractionated into three components whose action spectra agreed reasonably well with the spectral characteristics of blue, green, and red cone pigments of the goldfish. In parallel studies, the carp rod pigment was studied in situ by transmission densitometry. The reduction in optical density after a full bleach averaged 0.28 at its λmax 525 nm. In the isolated retina no regeneration of rod pigment occurred within 2 h after bleaching. The bleaching power of background fields used in adaptation experiments was determined directly. Both rods and cones generated increment threshold functions with slopes of +1 on log-log coordinates over a 3–4 log range of background intensities. Background fields which bleached less than 0.5% rod pigment nevertheless diminished photoreceptor sensitivity. The degree and rate of recovery of receptor sensitivity after exposure to a background field was a function of the total flux (I x t) of the field. Rod saturation, i.e. the abolition of rod voltages, occurred after ≈12% of rod pigment was bleached. In light-adapted retinas bathed in normal Ringer solution, a small test flash elicited a larger response in the presence of an annular background field than when it fell upon a dark retina. The enhancement was not observed in aspartate-treated retinas.
IQ Gain Imbalance Measurement for OFDM Based Wireless Communication Systems

In this paper, IQ gain imbalance for OFDM based multi-carrier modulation techniques is studied. The effect of gain mismatch in IQ modulator will be investigated on the system and receiver performance. Estimation and measurement of IQ gain mismatch at the receiver using baseband digital signal processing techniques will be discussed.
PERSON-CENTERED CARE AND THE WORKFORCE CRISIS: A STATEWIDE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

The care of individuals with dementia requires knowledge and competencies across a wide range of physical and psychosocial aspects of the disease. Yet the quality of care for persons with dementia suffers from staff shortages and inadequate training about the treatment and optimal care strategies for individuals with Alzheimer's disease. Attention has turned recently to the importance of increasing incentives and improving training in order to attract, train, and retain qualified workers. A collaborative dementia training program was implemented in Virginia to promote a greater understanding of person-centered care techniques, with the ultimate goal of improving the quality of care given to people with dementia. The 12-hour multidisciplinary program emphasized a team approach and was recommended for all levels of staff in a variety of long-term care settings. Statistically significant knowledge gains provided empirical support for the effectiveness of an educational program of this type. The training not ...
Cardiolipin remodeling and the function of tafazzin.

Abstract Cardiolipin, the specific phospholipid of mitochondria, is involved in the biogenesis, the dynamics, and the supramolecular organization of mitochondrial membranes. Cardiolipin acquires a characteristic composition of fatty acids by post-synthetic remodeling, a process that is crucial for cardiolipin homeostasis and function. The remodeling of cardiolipin depends on the activity of tafazzin, a non-specific phospholipid–lysophospholipid transacylase. This review article discusses recent findings that suggest a novel function of tafazzin in mitochondrial membranes. By shuffling fatty acids between molecular species, tafazzin transforms the lipid composition and by doing so supports changes in the membrane conformation, specifically the generation of membrane curvature. Tafazzin activity is critical for the differentiation of cardiomyocytes, in which the characteristic cristae-rich morphology of cardiac mitochondria evolves. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Phospholipids and Phospholipid Metabolism.
Enzyme Immobilization in Biotechnology

Enzymes are proteins that catalyze chemical reactions. Unlike more traditional organic and inorganic catalysts, enzymes are large and fragile molecules, so over the years, scientists and engineers have found it more difficult to immobilize enzyme catalysts on easily separateable supports for use and re-use in a variety of technologies. Over the last decade, enzyme immobilization has become more important in industry, medicine, and biotechnology. This review will detail recent patents for techniques for enzyme immobilization, along with patents for chemical and biotechnological processes that can employ immobilized enzymes, which allow for the re-use of the enzymatic catalysts. These techniques include methods varying from physical adsorption and covalent attachment to entrapment in polymers and sol-gels. These techniques have shown value in the development of biosensors, bioprocessing for the chemical industry and the pharmaceutical industry, and bioremediation.
Tomographic Image Reconstruction from Incomplete View Data by Convex Projections and Direct Fourier Inversion

We consider the problem of reconstructing CAT imagery by the direct Fourier method (DFM) when not all view data are available. To restore the missing information we use the method of projections onto convex sets (POCS). POCS is a recursive image restoration technique that finds a solution consistent with the measured data and a priori known constraints in both the space and Fourier domain. Because DFM reconstruction is a frequency-domain technique it is ideally matched to POCS restoration when, for one reason or another, we are forced to generate an image from a less than complete set of view data. We design and apply an algorithm (PRDF) which interpolates/extrapolates the missing Fourier domain information by POCS and reconstructs an image by DFM. A simulated human thorax cross section is restored and reconstructed. The restorations using POCS are compared with the Gerchberg-Papoulis extrapolation method and shown to be superior. Applications of PRDF to other types of medical imaging modalities are discussed.
Pappus, Plato and the Harmonic Mean

There is a well known construction by Pappus of the three means, anrthmetic, geometric and harmonic, which produces all of them in the same semicircle.' But Pappus is only rehearsing the argument, not claiming credit for it; his intent is to expose an error on the part of its author, whom he leaves nameless. The argument is defective, Pappus says, in omitting to prove that the third line it constructs is the harmonic mean between the given lines. Heath and Bulmer-Thomas have shown2 how the argument can be supplemented by a few steps so that its third mean is indeed shown to be the harmonic mean between the given lines. Unhappily, such supplementing does not meet Pappus' challenge in its own form. For by using some extra steps to say what the anonymous author leaves unargued, one shows only that the geometrical length atrived at is the right one; but in the process he confirms the thing Pappus is complaining of, namely that the argument is incomplete as it stands, so to speak has the wrong logical length. The first purpose of this paper is to vindicate the argument in Pappus' source in the more fundamental way, by showing that it is complete as it stands. The key to doing this will be a mathematical reconstruction of an alternative definition of the third mean, the definition which stands behind the archaic term "subcontrary," which Archytas tells us is another name for it. The second purpose will be to do some historical reconstruction, to restore some of the context of this argument. Since all of our authorities ascribe the theory of the three means to early Pythagoreans, in the era before Archytas, it is natural to ask whether this defining construction of all three conies from that source. Some arguments will be given for answering in the affirmative, and it will be shown how from this and other evidence from Pythagorean writers between Archytas and Pappus, a better understanding can be reached of how Pappus' own error is a natural one. If both the logical and the historical reconstructions are
Programming with dual numbers and its applications in mechanisms design

Dual numbers are expressed in the form x+ɛy where ɛ2. Dual metanumbers are defined in this paper as DualZero, DualInf and DualNaN. The extended dual plane and the extended finite dual plane are introduced to describe dual numbers and dual metanumbers. Handling of dual numbers in the CH programming language is presented. The I/O, arithmetic and relational operations, and built-in mathematical functions are defined for both dual numbers and dual metanumbers. As a result of polymorphism, the syntaxes of dual arithmetic and relational operations, and built-in dual functions are the same as those for real and complex numbers in the CH programming language. The valid lvalues related to dual numbers in CH are defined. The computation of the motion screw for a rigid-body displacement is used as an example to illustrate the creation of user's dual functions. The efficacy of CH programming with dual numbers is demonstrated by displacement analysis of an RCCC mechanism. For the first time, dual data is handled as a built-in data type in a general-purpose computer programming language. Programming with dual numbers in CH is simpler than in any other computer programming language.
Thermodynamic and kinetic mechanisms in self-assembled quantum dot formation

Heteroepitaxial growth of highly strained structures offers the possibility to fabricate islands with very narrow size distribution, coined self-assembling quantum dots (SAQD). In spite of the high experimental interest, the mechanism of SAQD formation is not well understood. We will show that equilibrium theories can successfully predict the island sizes and densities, the nature and the magnitude of the critical thickness needed to be deposited for SAQD formation, as well as the onset of ripening. Furthermore, the flux and temperature dependence of the SAQDs is described using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations.
Hydrogen production from fossil and renewable sources using an oxygen transport membrane

Oxygen transport membranes (OTMs) made of mixed ion-electron conductors can be used to increase the production of hydrogen from fossil and renewable sources. This study describes two methods for producing hydrogen with La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}Cu{sub 0.2}Fe{sub 0.8}O{sub 3-{delta}} (LSCF7328), an OTM material that is easily prepared, exhibits good mechanical properties, and is stable in severe gas conditions. In tests with thin-film (thickness {approx}22 {micro}m) LSCF7328 membranes, hydrogen was produced by flowing simulated product streams from CO{sub 2} gasification of coal on one side of the OTM and steam on the other side. In this method, the so-called coal gas on the oxygen-permeate side drives the removal of oxygen from the other side of the OTM, where hydrogen and oxygen are produced by water splitting. With CO (99.5% purity) flowing on the oxygen-permeate side, the hydrogen production rate was measured to be {approx}4.7 cm{sup 3}/min-cm{sup 2} at 900 C, indicating that hydrogen can be produced at a significant rate by using product streams from coal gasification. This process also yields a CO{sub 2}-rich product stream that is ready for sequestration. In another test, a tubular LSCF7328 was found to increase the hydrogen production from ethanol reforming by supplying high-purity oxygen frommore » air.« less
Selective isolation of newly synthesized mammalian mRNA after in vivo labeling with 4-thiouridine or 6-thioguanosine.

Abstract Newly synthesized mRNA from hamster cells was labeled in vivo with the thionucleoside analogs 4-thiouridine (4-TU) and 6-thioguanosine (6-TG). The thio-substituted RNA was selectively recovered by Affi-Gel 501 phenylmercury affinity chromatography. Following a 1-h labeling period, enrichment for newly transcribed RNA after a single round of chromatography ranged between 10- and 15-fold when compared with total RNA. Exposure of CHO UrdA − cells, a uridine auxotrophic line, to 50 μ m 4-TU allowed for optimal recovery of newly transcribed RNA. Increasing the concentration of 4-TU to 100 μ m or labeling with 6-TG at concentrations of 3 μ m or greater resulted in similar recoveries from uridine-prototrophic hamster cell lines. For shorter term labeling, exposure of prototrophic cells to 500 μ m 4-TU or 100 μ m 6-TG for 15 min allowed newly synthesized RNA to be selectively recovered. As a specific test case, enrichment for histone H3.2 mRNA was analyzed after hamster cells were labeled with 4-TU under conditions in which the gene was highly transcriptionally active. Northern blot analysis and the specific activity of thio-substituted RNA revealed a 15-fold enrichment when compared to total RNA. In vivo labeling of cellular RNA with 4-TU or 6-TG should provide a useful method for studying inducible gene expression and for isolating and cloning specific mRNAs from mammalian cells.
Infant information processing in relation to six-year cognitive outcomes

As part of a longitudinal follow-up of full-terms and preterms, infant measures of information processing obtained at 7 months and 1 year were related to various 6-year outcomes: general intelligence, language proficiency, early reading and quantitative skills, and several facets of perceptual organization (N= 91). 7-month Visual recognition memory (VRM) was associated with 6-year performance in all domains, and 3 1-year measures—VRM, cross-modal transfer (CMT), and object permanence—were related to IQ and/or one or more specific outcomes (r's = .20 to .47). Many of the infant-childhood relations remain significant even with IQ partialed. Additionally, 7-month VRM and 1-year CMT scores were lower for infants who, at 6 years, were considered at risk for learning disabilities. Overall, measures from the first year of life predicted both specific cognitive abilities and IQ at 6 years; to some extent, the specific abilities were predicted independently of IQ.