cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonpharmacologic treatments for pediatric sleeplessness

Because of the high prevalence of sleep problems in children and adolescents, as well as the profound negative impact that pediatric sleeplessness has on daytime functioning, pediatric practitioners must be aware not only of the causes of sleeplessness but also how to treat sleep problems effectively with nonpharmacologic interventions. This article provided an overview of common pediatric disorders that present as pediatric sleeplessness and are effectively treated by behavioral interventions. Although more studies on behavioral interventions for pediatric sleeplessness are needed, behavioral approaches have been shown to be effective in addressing concerns related to bedtime problems, night wakings, insufficient sleep, insomnia, and DSPS. Behavioral interventions are effectively used for children with special needs, including developmental disabilities, ADHD, and mood disorders.
Structural Organization of the Human Selenium-Dependent Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase Gene (GPX4): Chromosomal Localization to 19p13.3

The primary structure of human selenium-dependent phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (GPX4) was determined by genomic cloning. The gene structure of GPX4 spans only 2.8 kb and consists of 7 exons. The coding sequence resides on all 7 exons, and the mitochondrial leader sequence is contained entirely within the first exon. The selenocysteine coding nucleotide resides on the third exon. The introns all commenced with the consensus nucleotide sequence GTR and ended with the consensus nucleotide sequence YAG. Analysis of the GPX4 gene sequence identified a potential alternative tissue-specific first exon. Chromosomal FISH studies placed the GPX4 gene at 19p13.3 location, and downstream of the 23 k-Da polypeptide DNA-directed RNA polymerase gene.
Attributes of movie distribution channels and consumer choice

This study uses a theory of reasoned action/expectancy value approach to explore cable subscribers' choices and attitudes about pay‐per‐view movies and motion pictures shown in theaters and available on pay channels or for VCR use. The authors find evidence that attitudes toward pay‐per‐view movies affect both pay‐per‐view and other movie presentation choices.
The role of plant hormones in higher plant cellular differentiation. II. Experiments with the vascular cambium, and sclereid and tracheid differentiation in the pine,Pinus contorta

In sterile-cultured explants of stems of the pinePinus contorta Dougl., fusiform cambial cells differentiated entirely into axial parenchyma cells when exogenous indol-3yl-acetic acid (IAA) was omitted. The normal appearance of the cambial zone was maintained when IAA was included in the medium. The IAA-maintained stability of cambial structure suggests physiological rather than epigenetic control over vascular cambium structure.
Trauma-haemorrhage-induced alterations in thymic prolactin receptor expression: implications in immune dysfunction.

Male gender and age appear to be causative factors in development of immunodepression and septic complications following trauma-haemorrhage. Studies have demonstrated that administration of the sex hormone prolactin following trauma-haemorrhage in male mice prevents immunodepression. Since the thymus is the primary location of the T-cell-lymphopoiesis, we investigated the effect of trauma-haemorrhage to thymic prolactin-receptor (PRLr)-expression in male and proestrus female mice in three different age groups (young, adult, aged) by flow cytometry and PCR. C3H/HeN mice were subjected to laparotomy (i.e., soft-tissue trauma) and hemorrhagic shock (35+/-5mmHg for 90min, then resuscitated) or sham operation. Twenty-four hours later thymocytes were isolated. Trauma-haemorrhage upregulated PRLr expression in young and mature mice of both genders, however, the increase was attenuated in females. In contrast, in aged mice PRLr expression was elevated in both genders, independent of trauma-haemorrhage and was not further increased under such conditions. These findings suggest that the gender dimorphism in the immune response to trauma-haemorrhage may in part be related to differences in thymic PRLr expression under such conditions.
Inhibition of NFκB and pancreatic cancer cell and tumor growth by curcumin is dependent on specificity protein down-regulation.

Curcumin activates diverse anticancer activities that lead to inhibition of cancer cell and tumor growth, induction of apoptosis, and antiangiogenic responses. In this study, we observed that curcumin inhibits Panc28 and L3.6pL pancreatic cancer cell and tumor growth in nude mice bearing L3.6pL cells as xenografts. In addition, curcumin decreased expression of p50 and p65 proteins and NFκB-dependent transactivation and also decreased Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 transcription factors that are overexpressed in pancreatic cancer cells. Because both Sp transcription factors and NFκB regulate several common genes such as cyclin D1, survivin, and vascular endothelial growth factor that contribute to the cancer phenotype, we also investigated interactions between Sp and NFκB transcription factors. Results of Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 knockdown by RNA interference demonstrate that both p50 and p65 are Sp-regulated genes and that inhibition of constitutive or tumor necrosis factor-induced NFκB by curcumin is dependent on down-regulation of Sp1, Sp3, and Sp4 proteins by this compound. Curcumin also decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and induced reactive oxygen species in pancreatic cancer cells, and this pathway is required for down-regulation of Sp proteins in these cells, demonstrating that the mitochondriotoxic effects of curcumin are important for its anticancer activities.
Interactions of calcium and native tropomyosin with myosin and heavy meromyosin.

Abstract It is confirmed that the presence of native tropomyosin is required in order for the removal of Ca ++ to cause inhibition of the Mg ++ -activated ATPase of actomyosin and acto-heavy-meromyosin. Native tropomyosin is present in routinely purified samples of myosin at levels of 0.7–2.3%; such quantities inhibit the actomyosin ATPase by 30–60% upon removal of Ca ++ . Titration with mercurial at low ionic strength causes a loss of actomyosin ATPase; it causes an even greater loss of the inhibition upon removal of Ca ++ . If the mercurial is added in the presence of ATP, greater loss of the ATPase occurs than if the mercurial is added in the absence of ATP. It is proposed that binding of ATP at a second site (distinct from the substrate-binding site) either potentiates or blocks the inhibitory conformational change caused by mercurial binding, depending on the ionic strength.
Modeling stress evolution around a rising salt diapir

Abstract We model the evolution of a salt diapir during sedimentation and study how deposition and salt movement affect stresses close to the diapir. We model the salt as a solid visco-plastic material and the sediments as a poro-elastoplastic material, using a generalized Modified Cam Clay model. The salt flows because ongoing sedimentation increases the average density within the overburden sediments, pressurizing the salt. Stresses rotate near a salt diapir, such that the maximum principal stress is perpendicular to the contact with the salt. The minimum principal stress is in the circumferential direction, and drops near the salt. The mean stress increases near the upper parts of the diapir, leading to a porosity that is lower than predicted for uniaxial burial at the same depth. We built this axisymmetric model within the large-strain finite-element program Elfen. Our results highlight the fact that forward modeling can provide a detailed understanding of the stress history of mudrocks close to salt diapirs; such an understanding is critical for predicting stress, porosity, and pore pressure in salt systems.
Very high pressure combustion; Reaction propagation rates of nitromethane within a diamond anvil cell

Abstract The combustion-front propagation rate of nitromethane has been examined to pressures of 40 GPa. A new and general technique involving pulsed laser ignition of an energetic material within a diamond anvil cell and a method for monitoring the rapid decomposition of nitromethane and other explosives to more stable chemical products is described in detail. Nitromethane is shown to exhibit a flame propagation rate that increases smoothly to 100 m/s at 30 GPa as a function of pressure. Above 30 GPa, the final solid-state combustion products change dramatically and the flame propagation rate begins to decrease. The combustion-front propagation rate is analyzed in terms of an existing condensed-phase model that predicts a relationship between the front propagation rate, U, and the pressure derivative of the chemical kinetic activation energy, dE a dP , such that a plot of logU2 vs. P should be linear. The activation energy is analyzed to yield an effective volume of activation, ΔV † , of −3.4 ml/mol. The chemical kinetic parameters determined from the combustion-front propagation rate analysis of solid high-pressure nitromethane is compared with results from other thermal decomposition studies of this prototypic molecular explosive.
Operative Management of Acquired Thoracic Dystrophy in Adults After Open Pectus Excavatum Repair

Background In young children, acquired thoracic dystrophy (ATD) is associated with extensive resection of cartilage, often during open pectus excavatum (PE) repair. Progressive dyspnea or exercise intolerance may develop in these patients secondary to cardiac compression or restrictive pulmonary function. Surgical treatment of ATD by attempting to increase the overall thoracic volume has been controversial. We describe our experience with adults presenting for surgical correction of ATD. Methods A retrospective medical record review was performed for all patients with ATD presenting for surgical evaluation from December 2010 through February 2013. Results Ten adult male patients were evaluated for treatment of ATD after an open Ravitch procedure for PE. Nine patients, whose mean age was 34 years (range, 21-42 years), elected to proceed with surgical treatment. The mean age of the initial repair was 3.7 years. Extensive reconstruction, chest wall expansion, and placement of stainless steel support bars and titanium plating were performed in all patients. Eight patients had minor complications, and major complications occurred in 3 patients. Respiratory failure with prolonged ventilator support occurred in 3 patients. There were no reoperations or deaths. At mean follow-up of 16 months (range, 6-31 months), all patients subjectively reported improvement in their ability to exercise and in their symptoms, including dyspnea with exertion. Conclusions ATD may be associated with early childhood Ravitch repair. Adults may present with disabling symptoms related to cardiac compression and restrictive pulmonary function. Reconstruction with sternal elevation and expansion of the anterior chest subjectively improves symptoms.
Prolonged activation of inhibitory somatostatin receptors increases adenylate cyclase activity in wild-type and Gsα-deficient (cyc−) S49 mouse lymphoma cells

Many cells develop enhanced adenylate cylcase activity after prolonged exposure to drugs that acutely inhibit the enzyme and it has been suggested that this adaptation may be due to an increase in Gsα. We have treated wild-type and Gsα-deficient cyc− S49 mouse lymphoma cells with a stable analogue (SMS 201–995) of the inhibitory agonist somatostatin. After incubation with SMS for 24 h, the forskolin-stimulated cAMP synthetic rate in intact cyc− cells was increased by 76%, similar to the increase found in the wild-type cells. Forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of Mn2+ was also increase in membranes prepared from SMS-treated cyc−cells; however, guanine nucleotide-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity was not changed despite a small increase in inhibitory Giα subunits detected by immunoblotting. Pretreatment of cyc− cells with pertussis toxin prevented SMS from inducing the enhancement of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation in intact cells. After chronic incubation of cyc− cells with SMS, exposure to N-ethylmaleimide, which abolished receptor-mediated inhibition of cAMP accumulation, did not attenuate the enhanced rate of forskolin-stimulated cAMP synthesis compared to N-ethymaleimide-treated controls. These results with cyc− cells demonstrate that an adaptive increase in adenylate cyclase activity induced by chronic treatment with an inhibitory drug can occur in the absence of expression of Gsα.
High-resolution stimulated Brillouin gain spectroscopy in glasses and crystals

Theory and measurements are presented for stimulated Brillouin gain spectroscopy in anisotropic media. The coupling between arbitrary pump and Stokes waves and the corresponding acoustic wave is formulated in terms of the elastic displacement vector and the photoelastic tensor. A propagation equation that fully includes transient effects is obtained for the Stokes wave. In the limit of small-signal gains this propagation equation can be solved analytically, yielding expressions that relate experimentally accessible quantities to material properties. Absolute Brillouin steady-state gain coefficients, linewidths, and frequency shifts are thereby determined in a number of optical materials at 532 nm. The Brillouin gain coefficient for fused silica is measured by three techniques, providing the reference for absolute gain measurements. Quantitative agreement is found between theory and experiment for transient effects on stimulated Brillouin scattering.
Meropenem: evaluation of a new generation carbapenem

Meropenem is a new beta-lactam antibiotic belonging to the carbapenem class. It differs structurally from imipenem, the first carbapenem to be marketed, by possessing a 1-beta-methyl group on the carbapenem moiety and a substituted 2' side chain. Meropenem is relatively stable to human dehydropeptidase-I (DHP-I), and therefore, unlike imipenem, it does not need to be administered with a DHP-I inhibitor such as cilastatin. Meropenem has an ultra-broad spectrum of antibacterial activity which encompasses Gram-positive and Gram-negative aerobes and anaerobes, including many strains resistant to other antibacterials. Compared to imipenem, meropenem is more active against Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and a little less active against some Gram-positive cocci. Meropenem is susceptible to few clinically important beta-lactamases. Meropenem exhibits a linear pharmacokinetic profile which shows predictable age and disease-related changes. Elimination is primarily renal with a half-life of approximately 1 h after intravenous (IV) administration. Meropenem monotherapy has proved efficacious in the treatment of a variety of infections in adults and children and can be administered by bolus IV injection, as well as IV infusion and intramuscular (IM) injection. Prospective, randomised clinical trials have shown it to be as efficacious as comparator regimens in the treatment of lower respiratory tract, intra-abdominal, urinary tract and skin and soft tissue infections, meningitis and septicaemia. Furthermore, meropenem monotherapy has demonstrated efficacy in the empirical treatment of febrile neutropenic cancer patients. Meropenem is well tolerated by the CNS in clinical studies, which reflects animal data, suggesting a low propensity to cause seizures. Thus, meropenem is an important new antibacterial which should prove particularly useful in severe and polymicrobial infections and those caused by organisms resistant to other agents.
Dido's Long Dying

MICHAELC. J. PUTNAM, a Fellow of the American Academy since 1996, is the W. Duncan MacMillan II Professor of Classics and Professor of Comparative Literature, Emeritus, at Brown University. His books include The Humanness of Heroes: Studies in the Conclusion of Virgil’s “Aeneid” (2011) and A Companion to Virgil’s “Aeneid” and its Tradition (edited with Joseph Farrell, 2010). He has recently translated Jacopo Sannazaro: The Latin Poetry (2009) and The Complete Poems of Tibullus (with Rodney G. Dennis, 2012). . . . sic fata gradus evaserat altos, semianimemque sinu germanam amplexa fovebat cum gemitu atque atros siccabat veste cruores. illa gravis oculos conata attollere rursus de1⁄2cit; in1⁄2xum stridit sub pectore vulnus. ter sese attollens cubitoque adnixa levavit, ter revoluta toro est oculisque errantibus alto quaesivit caelo lucem ingemuitque reperta. Tum Iuno omnipotens longum miserata dolorem dif1⁄2cilisque obitus Irim demisit Olympo quae luctantem animam nexosque resolveret artus. nam quia nec fato merita nec morte peribat, sed misera ante diem subitoque accensa furore, nondum illi flavum Proserpina vertice crinem abstulerat Stygioque caput damnaverat Orco. ergo Iris croceis per caelum roscida pennis mille trahens varios adverso sole colores devolat et supra caput astitit. ‘hunc ego Diti sacrum iussa fero teque isto corpore solvo’: sic ait et dextra crinem secat, omnis et una dilapsus calor atque in ventos vita recessit.
Multivariate analysis of race and adverse pathologic findings after radical prostatectomy

Abstract Objectives. Adverse pathologic features that predict disease recurrence after radical prostatectomy (RP) include positive surgical margins, non-organ-confined disease, and seminal vesicle invasion. Given that black men have a higher incidence of, and mortality from, prostate cancer compared with white men, we sought to determine whether race was an independent predictor of adverse pathologic findings among men who underwent RP at an equal access health care center. Results from previous studies evaluating whether race predicts positive surgical margins have been conflicting. No prior studies have evaluated whether race is an independent predictor of non-organ-confined disease or seminal vesicle invasion. Methods. A retrospective survey of 274 patients (126 black, 148 white) who underwent RP at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Medical Center between 1991 and 1999 was undertaken. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the preoperative clinical variables that were most significant in predicting positive surgical margins, non-organ-confined disease, and seminal vesicle invasion. The preoperative variables analyzed were race, age, serum prostate-specific antigen, clinical stage, and biopsy Gleason score. Results. No differences in the incidence of positive surgical margins, non-organ-confined disease, or seminal vesicle invasion were found between black and white men undergoing RP. After controlling for the preoperative variables of age, serum prostate-specific antigen level, clinical stage, and biopsy Gleason score, race was not an independent predictor of positive surgical margins, non-organ-confined disease, or seminal vesicle invasion. Conclusions. This is the first study to show that black race was not an independent predictor of non-organ-confined disease or seminal vesicle invasion among patients undergoing RP. Furthermore, race was not an independent predictor of positive surgical margins.
A third node of coupling demccracy and administration: another way of making a crucial point

This article adds detail and reinforcement to two other publications that seek to move toward a new way of coupling Democracy and Administration. Basically, the initial piece (1) proposes the ideational poverty of the two common modes of this critical conceptual coupling. A follow-on effort (2) illustrates how theory and experience in Organization Development point the way to a third and alternative mode, referred to conveniently as Democracy within and through Administration. This article has the same materials to illustrate and develop the relevenace of Organizatino Development perspectives and designs to the classic issue in public adminstration theory. In addition, this piece emphasizes how the democratization or humanization of organizations in volves creating appropriate patterns of control that are also reinforced by a quite-specific “enacted consciousness” of attitutdes and behavioral skills. This extends and elaborates on the thrust of the follow-on effort (2) in two significant particulars, whil...
Piecewise moments method: Generalized Lanczos technique for nuclear response surfaces

For some years Lanczos moments methods have been combined with large-scale shell-model calculations in evaluations of the spectral distributions of certain operators. This technique is of great value because the alternative, a state-by-state summation over final states, is generally not feasible. The most celebrated application is to the Gamow-Teller operator, which governs {beta} decay and neutrino reactions in the allowed limit. The Lanczos procedure determines the nuclear response along a line q=0 in the ({omega},q) plane, where {omega} and q are the energy and three-momentum transferred to the nucleus, respectively. However, generalizing such treatments from the allowed limit to general electroweak response functions at arbitrary momentum transfers seems considerably more difficult: The response function must be determined over the entire ({omega},q) plane for an operator O(q) that is not fixed, but depends explicitly on q. Such operators arise in any semileptonic process in which the momentum transfer is comparable with (or larger than) the inverse nuclear size. Here we show, for Slater determinants built on harmonic-oscillator basis functions, that the nuclear response for any multipole operator O(q) can be determined efficiently over the full response plane by a generalization of the standard Lanczos moments method. We describe the piecewise momentsmore » method and thoroughly explore its convergence properties for the test case of electromagnetic responses in a full sd-shell calculation of {sup 28}Si. We discuss possible extensions to a variety of electroweak processes, including charged- and neutral-current neutrino scattering.« less
Persistence of vacancy motion

Abstract The motion of a single vacancy in a face centered cubic crystal of hard spheres was studied at several densities by the method of molecular dynamics. A marked persistence of vacancy jump direction was found from one jump to the next whenever the interval between jumps was less than 20 collisions per particle. The significance of this effect for diffusion is discussed.
Elite Dilution or Saved by the Belles? The Changing Social Demography of the Pacific Sociological Association

This article examines four overlapping structural changes in the Pacific Sociological Association’s membership since the 1970s: (1) a burgeoning student participation, (2) the seeming withdrawal of faculty from research-based universities, (3) the feminization of the PSA’s leadership, and (4) the fading proportion of men at all levels of the organization. Instead of signaling a weakened professional association, however, these changes point to an energized PSA that leads other American regional sociological associations on indicators valued by sociologists. Three principal data sources inform this analysis: PSA administrative records; content analysis of the PSA meeting programs in 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2013; and the 2013 PSA conference registration data. I use my experiences at University of Oregon to illustrate some themes.
Circulatory Responses to Norepinephrine After Prolonged Treatment with Chlorothiazide

Cardiovascular responses to graded intravenous infusions of norepinephrine were measured in untreated control dogs and in dogs treated for five weeks with oral chlorothiazide. Observations were made both before and after administration of a ganglionic blocking agent. In these experiments, chlorothiazide reduced the responses of the peripheral blood vessels to the vasoconstrictor effect of norepinephrine. This effect was apparent both before and after ganglionic blockade, suggesting that modification of resting neurogenic vasomotor tone did not play a major role in the reduced responsiveness. Cardiac output and heart rate were greater during norepinephrine infusion in treated dogs before hexamethonium. Output and rate became similar in both treated and untreated groups after hexamethonium. The results provide additional evidence to support the hypothesis that chlorothiazide reduces the effectiveness of cardioinhibitory reflexes.
Hard-Particle Fluids. II. General y-Expansion-Like Descriptions

We present a critical discussion of the "y-expansion" approach to the thermodynamics of hard-particle fluids. First we discuss briefly our original formulation for many-component mixtures of anisotropic species, using the usual virial series as a point of departure. Difficulties arising in the case of attractive tails and nonadditive hard-core interactions are exposed. To resolve these problems we suggest a straightforward generalization of the expansion quantity y. Instead of y~ =- p~/(1 - ~=i voyp~), where Voy and p~ are the particle volume and number density of the 7th species in the v-component mixture, we define ya =- p~/(1 ~ ~=~ ~y"p~), where the ~b~" are determined by optimizing the convergence of the series expressing thermodynamic functions in powers of the y~. This procedure provides in particular a good description of nonadditive binary mixtures of hard spheres with a~2 = 0 and a~2 = (1/2)~z~(1 + A) (A # 0, ~> -- 1 is the usual nonadditivity parameter.) We present a generalization of the analysis of Widom and Rowlinson whereby such systems are shown to be equivalent to pure fluids of attracting hard spheres. Critical point properties of the pure fluid are determined via this equivalence, using our y-expansion description of the nonadditive mixture. Finally, we present the results of y-expansion studies of some anisotropic (i.e., orientationally ordered) states of fluids composed of asymmetric hard particles. For the case of rectangular parallelepipeds whose allowed orientations are restricted, we can compare our description of the isotropic-nemati c liquid crystal phase transition with those obtained earlier by virial expansions and Pad6 approximants. Finally, generalization to continuously allowed orientations is discussed.
Temperature preference and avoidance by adult razorback suckers

Abstract Final thermal preferendum for the razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus, a rare endemic species of the Colorado River basin, was estimated to lie between 22.9 and 24.8 C based on electronic-shuttlebox studies. Estimates of upper and lower avoidance temperature ranged from 27.4 to 31.6 C and from 8.0 to 14.7 C, respectively. Lower, but not upper, avoidance temperature was positively correlated with acclimation temperature. Results indicated that new water-control structures on the upper Colorado River drainage should be designed to provide summer water temperatures between 22 and 25 C if preservation of habitat for this species is a consideration. Received November 12, 1982 Accepted June 5, 1983
Depression and Health Among Grandmothers Co-Residing With Grandchildren in Two Cohorts of Women

This paper examined depression and health of grandmothers who co-resided with grandchildren in 1997 in two cohorts of women, one aged 30-44 in 1967 (N = 2,080), and the other aged 14-24 in 1968 (N = 1,708). Co-resident grandmothers in both cohorts were more likely than other mothers to have higher levels of depression and about one-fifth were likely to exhibit levels high enough to place them “at risk” for clinical depression. Co-residency, however, was not found to be a good predictor of either level of depression or changes in the level of depression, but prior levels of depression were positively related to changes in the level of depression among mothers in general when controlling for current or previous co-residency. Health status was found to be a good predictor of depression when accounting for co-residency and work effort among other factors.
The relationship between dispersion loss, sidelobe levels, and bandwidth in wideband radars with subarrayed antennas

The effects of wideband linear frequency modulated (LFM) signal processing in phased-array radars are discussed for a phased-array antenna with subarrays. In addition to the performance issues of dispersion loss and compressed pulse widths associated with wideband phased arrays, subarrayed architectures add the problem of wideband sidelobes, or subarray grating lobes. The authors address the relationships between these three performance parameters and the effect that three different spectral filtering techniques have on them. Three filtering scenes are studied: a matching filter, a matching filter following by a weighting filter in combination, and a weighting filter with Taylor distributed weights. >
User portability in open systems

The open systems concept in the design of computer-based systems has become accepted as a method for developing cost-effective systems. One goal of open systems design within the U.S. Department of Defense is user portability. User portability can be described as the ability of users to move from one application or system to another, with minimal difficulties. It is accomplished by applying style guide principles and user interface specifications concurrently with user-centered design. The key factor for integrating these into the design process is the use of human factors engineering.
Orphan Products: Origins, Progress, and Prospects

Products to treat diseases or conditions characterized by low prevalence, by special sub segment patient populations, or by lack of economic viability all fall within the category of "orphan products." This is the Federal legal definition of an orphan product where the term "product" refers to drugs and biologics and sometimes includes devices and medical foods for some limited purposes. The 1989 Report of the National Commission on Orphan Diseases includes a statement that captures the essence of "orphan" products and diseases or conditions:
A Quantitative Trait Locus on Chromosome 6 Regulates the Onset of Puberty in Mice

Puberty is a fundamental developmental process experienced by all reproductively competent adults, yet the specific factors that regulate variation in its timing remain elusive. Using a new approach to identifying these factors, we have performed a survey among a panel of chromosome substitution strains (for inbred strains C57BL/6J and A/J) followed by linkage analysis to map a quantitative trait locus (QTL) on the distal end of chromosome 6 that regulates pubertal timing (as assessed by vaginal opening) in mice. The location of the QTL was then refined to a region between marker D6MIT59 and the end of the chromosome by generating and phenotyping a panel of 12 congenic strains, each with a unique and overlapping homozygous segment of the A/J chromosome on an otherwise uniform C57BL/6J genomic background. Additional characterization of the QTL indicated that the effects of the responsible gene(s) are gender specific and inherited in a codominant manner without parent-of-origin effects. These findings represent an important advancement toward identification of novel factors that regulate maturation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and determine the timing of puberty.
Crib Notes in the Classroom: Cheaters Never Win.

Preparation of crib notes may have some value, but their use in the classroom does not significantly improve performance.
Church-Based ESL Adult Programs: Social Mediators for Empowering “Family Literacy Ecology of Communities”

This multi-sited ethnographic study examines the ways in which Latino and Asian immigrant parents’ English learning through two church-based ESL programs in a Southeastern U.S. city affects their family literacy and home language practices. It demonstrates that the parents’ participation in the programs is an empowering experience promoting ESL acquisition and funds of knowledge, which in turn advances their family literacy. This study also finds that the programs do not promote linguistic assimilation, devalue or erase immigrant parents’ home language. Instead, they facilitate the parents to reclaim their home language and support children’s home language development. The “family literacy ecology of communities” framework is proposed in this study. It indicates that church-based ESL programs as social mediators for situating immigrant adult English learners within real-life communities, empowering their family literacy, accessing communities of power, and having a voice in the larger society. Implications for ESL adult programs and future studies are presented.
A Dual Role for the Nonreceptor Tyrosine Kinase Pyk2 during the Intracellular Trafficking of Human Papillomavirus 16

ABSTRACT The infectious process of human papillomaviruses (HPVs) has been studied considerably, and many cellular components required for viral entry and trafficking continue to be revealed. In this study, we investigated the role of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Pyk2 during HPV16 pseudovirion infection of human keratinocytes. We found that Pyk2 is necessary for infection and appears to be involved in the intracellular trafficking of the virus. Small interfering RNA-mediated reduction of Pyk2 resulted in a significant decrease in infection but did not prevent viral entry at the plasma membrane. Pyk2 depletion resulted in altered endolysosomal trafficking of HPV16 and accelerated unfolding of the viral capsid. Furthermore, we observed retention of the HPV16 pseudogenome in the trans -Golgi network (TGN) in Pyk2-depleted cells, suggesting that the kinase could be required for the viral DNA to exit the TGN. While Pyk2 has previously been shown to function during the entry of enveloped viruses at the plasma membrane, the kinase has not yet been implicated in the intracellular trafficking of a nonenveloped virus such as HPV. Additionally, these data enrich the current literature on Pyk29s function in human keratinocytes. IMPORTANCE In this study, we investigated the role of the nonreceptor tyrosine kinase Pyk2 during human papillomavirus (HPV) infection of human skin cells. Infections with high-risk types of HPV such as HPV16 are the leading cause of cervical cancer and a major cause of genital and oropharyngeal cancer. As a nonenveloped virus, HPV enters cells by interacting with cellular receptors and established cellular trafficking routes to ensure that the viral DNA reaches the nucleus for productive infection. This study identified Pyk2 as a cellular component required for the intracellular trafficking of HPV16 during infection. Understanding the infectious pathways of HPVs is critical for developing additional preventive therapies. Furthermore, this study advances our knowledge of intracellular trafficking processes in keratinocytes.
Erratum to ‘Albert Mudry. Adam Politzer: A Life for Otology, Vol. 1 Distributor in Europe and North America Kugler Publications, Wayenborgh, Paraguay (2010). ISBN: 978-99953-935-0-2’ [Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. 75 (10) (2011) 1346–1346]

Erratum Erratum to ‘Albert Mudry. Adam Politzer: A Life for Otology, Vol. 1 Distributor in Europe and North America Kugler Publications, Wayenborgh, Paraguay (2010). ISBN: 978-99953-935-0-2’ [Int. J. Pediatr. Otorhinolaryngol. 75 (10) (2011) 1346–1346] Robert Ruben Albert Einstein College of Medicine Montefiore Medical Center, Department of Otolaryngology, 3400 Bainbridge Avenue, 3rd Floor Bronx, New York, NY 10467-2490, United States
The Alaska Village Electric Load Calculator

As part of designing a village electric power system, the present and future electric loads must be defined, including both seasonal and daily usage patterns. However, in many cases, detailed electric load information is not readily available. NREL developed the Alaska Village Electric Load Calculator to help estimate the electricity requirements in a village given basic information about the types of facilities located within the community. The purpose of this report is to explain how the load calculator was developed and to provide instructions on its use so that organizations can then use this model to calculate expected electrical energy usage.
Optical Dissection of Odor Information Processing In Vivo Using GCaMPs Expressed in Specified Cell Types of the Olfactory Bulb

Understanding central processing requires precise monitoring of neural activity across populations of identified neurons in the intact brain. In the present study, we used recently optimized variants of the genetically encoded calcium sensor GCaMP (GCaMP3 and GCaMPG5G) to image activity among genetically and anatomically defined neuronal populations in the olfactory bulb (OB), including two types of GABAergic interneurons (periglomerular [PG] and short axon [SA] cells) and OB output neurons (mitral/tufted [MT] cells) projecting to the piriform cortex. We first established that changes in neuronal spiking can be related accurately to GCaMP fluorescence changes via a simple quantitative relationship over a large dynamic range. We next used in vivo two-photon imaging from individual neurons and epifluorescence signals reflecting population-level activity to investigate the spatiotemporal representation of odorants across these neuron types in anesthetized and awake mice. Under anesthesia, individual PG and SA cells showed temporally simple responses and little spontaneous activity, whereas MT cells were spontaneously active and showed diverse temporal responses. At the population level, response patterns of PG, SA, and MT cells were surprisingly similar to those imaged from sensory inputs, with shared odorant-specific topography across the dorsal OB and inhalation-coupled temporal dynamics. During wakefulness, PG and SA cell responses increased in magnitude but remained temporally simple, whereas those of MT cells changed to complex spatiotemporal patterns reflecting restricted excitation and widespread inhibition. These results suggest multiple circuit elements with distinct roles in transforming odor representations in the OB and provide a framework for further study of early olfactory processing using optical and genetic tools.
Performance of a Scraped-Surface Heat Exchanger Under Ultra High Temperature Conditions: A Dimensional Analysis

Performance characteristics of a pilot-scale scraped-surface heat exchanger (Contherm Model 6 × 2) under UHT operating conditions were evaluated. Outlet temperature and overall heat transfer coefficient (U) were significantly affected by rotational speed of the blades, mass flow rate of feed, feed inlet temperature, steam pressure and solids content of the model low-acid liquid food (soy extracts). The scraping action of the blades greatly improved the performance up to about 350 rpm; higher blade speeds had little or no effect and sometimes decreased U values. Application of dimensionless models showed that the effect of axial Reynolds number (ReA) on the Nusselt number was more significant in the turbulent regime (ReA > 1800), while rotational Reynolds number above 105 had a significant effect at all values of ReA between 1200 and 3700. At very high values of the Taylor number (> 1010) when laminar axial flow conditions prevailed, Nusselt number decreased with increase in rotational Reynolds number.
Genomewide Association Study for Maximum Number of Alcoholic Drinks in European Americans and African Americans

Background We conducted a genomewide association study (GWAS) for maximum number of alcoholic drinks consumed in a 24-hour period (“MaxDrinks”), in 2 independent samples comprised of over 9,500 subjects, following up on our GWAS for alcohol dependence (AD) in European Americans (EAs) and African Americans (AAs). Methods The samples included our GWAS samples (Yale-UPenn) recruited for studies of the genetics of drug or AD, and a publicly available sample: the Study of Addiction: Genetics and Environment (SAGE). Genomewide association analysis was performed for ~890,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using linear association random effects models. EAs and AAs were separately analyzed. Results The results confirmed significant associations of the well-known functional loci at ADH1B with MaxDrinks in EAs (rs1229984 Arg48His p = 5.96 × 10−15) and AAs (rs2066702 Arg370Cys, p = 2.50 × 10−10). The region of significant association on chromosome 4 was extended to LOC100507053 in AAs but not EAs. We also identified potentially novel significant common SNPs for MaxDrinks in EAs in the Yale-UPenn sample: rs1799876 at SERPINC1 on chromosome 1 (4.00 × 10−8) and rs2309169 close to ANKRD36 on chromosome 2 (p = 5.58 × 10−9). After adjusting for the peak SNP rs1229984 on ADH1B, rs1799876 was nearly significant (p = 1.99 × 10−7) and rs2309169 remained highly significant (2.12 × 10−9). Conclusions The results provide further support that ADH1B modulates alcohol consumption. Future replications of potential novel loci are warranted. This is the largest MaxDrinks GWAS to date, the first in AAs.
Three-dimensional structure of human basic fibroblast growth factor.

Abstract The three-dimensional structure of human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) has been determined by x-ray crystallography and refined to a crystallographic residual of 17.4% at 2.2-A resolution. The structure was initially solved at a nominal resolution of 2.8 A by multiple isomorphous replacement using three heavy-atom derivatives. Although the map clearly showed the overall fold of the molecule, electron density was not observed for the first 19 amino-terminal and the last 3 carboxyl-terminal amino acids, suggesting that they are disordered. The bFGF crystals were grown from 2.0 M ammonium sulfate at pH 8.1 in space group P1 with cell dimensions a = 30.9 A, b = 33.4 A, c = 35.9 A, alpha = 59.5 degrees, beta = 72.0 degrees, and gamma = 75.6 degrees. There is one molecule per unit cell and the crystals diffract to spacings beyond 1.9 A. The overall structure of bFGF can be described as a trigonal pyramid with a fold very similar to that reported for interleukin 1 beta, interleukin 1 alpha, and soybean trypsin inhibitor. An apparent sulfate ion is bound within a basic region on the surface of the molecule and has a ligands the main-chain amide of Arg-120 and the side chains of Asn-27, Arg-120, and Lys-125. This is suggested as the presumed binding site for heparin. Residues 106-115, which are presumed to bind to the bFGF receptor [Baird, A., Schubert, D., Ling, N. & Guillemin, R. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85, 2324-2328], include an irregular loop that extends somewhat from the surface of the protein and is about 25 A from the presumed heparin binding site. The backbone structure of this putative receptor-binding loop is very similar, although not identical, to the corresponding region of interleukin 1 beta.
Modeling X Chromosome Data Using Random Forests: Conquering Sex Bias

Machine learning methods, including Random Forests (RF), are increasingly used for genetic data analysis. However, the standard RF algorithm does not correctly model the effects of X chromosome single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), leading to biased estimates of variable importance. We propose extensions of RF to correctly model X SNPs, including a stratified approach and an approach based on the process of X chromosome inactivation. We applied the new and standard RF approaches to case-control alcohol dependence data from the Study of Addiction: Genes and Environment (SAGE), and compared the performance of the alternative approaches via a simulation study. Standard RF applied to a case-control study of alcohol dependence yielded inflated variable importance estimates for X SNPs, even when sex was included as a variable, but the results of the new RF methods were consistent with univariate regression-based approaches that correctly model X chromosome data. Simulations showed that the new RF methods eliminate the bias in standard RF variable importance for X SNPs when sex is associated with the trait, and are able to detect causal autosomal and X SNPs. Even in the absence of sex effects, the new extensions perform similarly to standard RF. Thus, we provide a powerful multimarker approach for genetic analysis that accommodates X chromosome data in an unbiased way. This method is implemented in the freely available R package "snpRF" (http://www.cran.r-project.org/web/packages/snpRF/).
Reactivity of gastroepiploic and internal mammary arteries: Relevance to coronary artery bypass grafting

The gastroepiploic artery is an alternate conduit for coronary artery bypass grafting. To test the hypothesis that its vasoreactive properties are different from those of the internal mammary artery, we obtained gastroepiploic artery segments from human gastrectomy specimens. Trimmed internal mammary artery segments were obtained during coronary artery bypass. Ring segments were mounted on a strain gauge and stretched to optimum resting length (90 % of the internal circumference at 100 mm Hg). Potassium chloride, serotonin, and norepinephrine were chosen to simulate physiologic vasospasm induced by depolarization, platelet aggregation, or adrenergic stimulation, respectively. Contractions to potassium and a concentration-response curve to serotonin or norepinephrine were obtained. Sodium nitroprusside was used to assess relaxation. Gastroepiploic artery segments had stronger contractions to the depolarizing agent (potassium chloride), adrenergic stimulation (norepinephrine), and product of platelet aggregation (serotonin). The gastroepiploic and internal mammary arteries showed equal sensitivity, measured by concentration causing half-maximal contraction to norepinephrine and serotonin. There was no difference in relaxation to sodium nitroprusside. These data suggest that prevention of platelet-, adrenergic-, or potassium-induced contraction may be more important when the gastroepiploic artery is used as an alternate conduit for coronary artery bypass, reinforcing consideration of nitrovasodilators and platelet inhibitors in the perioperative interval. (J T horac C ardiovasc S urg 1992;103:116—23)
Enhancement of tumor cell susceptibility to natural killer cell activity through inhibition of the PI3K signaling pathway

Natural killer (NK) cells are the primary effectors of the innate immune response against virus-infected cells or cells that have undergone malignant transformation. NK cells recognize their targets through a complex array of activating and inhibitory receptors, which regulate the intensity of the effector response against individual target cells. However, many studies have shown that tumor cells can escape immune cell recognition through a variety of mechanisms, developing resistance to NK cell killing. Using a lentiviral shRNA library, we previously demonstrated that several common signaling pathways modulate susceptibility of tumor cells to NK cell activity. In this study, we focused on one of the genes (PI3KCB), identified in this genetic screen. The PI3KCB gene encodes an isoform of the catalytic subunit of PI3K called P110β. The PI3K pathway has been linked to diverse cellular functions, but has never been associated with susceptibility to NK cell activity. Gene silencing of PI3KCB resulted in increased susceptibility of several tumor cell lines to NK cell lytic activity and induced increased IFN-γ secretion by NK cells. Treatment of primary tumor cells with two different PI3K inhibitors also increased target cell susceptibility to NK cell activity. These effects are due, at least in part, to modulation of several activating and inhibitory ligands and appear to be correlated with PI3K signaling pathway inhibition. These findings identify a new and important role of PI3KCB in modulating tumor cell susceptibility to NK cells and open the way to future combined target immunotherapies.
Reflections on Rodent Implantation

Embryo implantation is a complex process involving endocrine, paracrine, autocrine, and juxtacrine modulators that span cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. The quality of implantation is predictive for pregnancy success. Earlier observational studies formed the basis for genetic and molecular approaches that ensued with emerging technological advances. However, the precise sequence and details of the molecular interactions involved have yet to be defined. This review reflects briefly on aspects of our current understanding of rodent implantation as a tribute to Roger Short's lifelong contributions to the field of reproductive physiology.