cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Review of Narrative Ethics

If we use stories as “equipment for living,” as tools to understand, negotiate, and make sense of situations we encounter, then a discussion of narrative ethics is a relevant, if not required, endeavor. In other words, if we learn how to think, feel, and interact with society via narratives, we also learn ethical ways of being with others, “correct” and “appropriate” ways that serve as foundations for many of our interactions. This latter epistemological assumption guides this study. In this article, the author synthesizes ethical themes of life research, themes of narrative privilege, media, and evaluative criteria. He then illustrates how these themes influence narrative inquiry.
Immunity's fourth dimension: approaching the circadian-immune connection.

The circadian system ensures the generation and maintenance of self-sustained ∼24-h rhythms in physiology that are linked to internal and environmental changes. In mammals, daily variations in light intensity and other cues are integrated by a hypothalamic master clock that conveys circadian information to peripheral molecular clocks that orchestrate physiology. Multiple immune parameters also vary throughout the day and disruption of circadian homeostasis is associated with immune-related disease. Here, we discuss the molecular links between the circadian and immune systems and examine their outputs and disease implications. Understanding the mechanisms that underlie circadian–immune crosstalk may prove valuable for devising novel prophylactic and therapeutic interventions.
Dyshematopoiesis in combined immune deficiency with congenital neutropenia

This report describes a patient with combined immune deficiency associated with congenital neutropenia (CID/CN) and reports a partial characterization of his hematopoietic abnormalities. The CID/CN syndrome described is characterized by neutropenia and by deficiencies in B-lymphoid and T-lymphoid cell number and function. Red cell and platelet counts were normal. In vitro assays indicate that the myeloid lineage was developmentally arrested at the level of the committed monocyte/granulocyte progenitor (CFU-GM), while precursors to the CFU-GM progenitor were normal. In vitro studies showed that the defect in myeloid development was not corrected with G-CSF or GM-CSF. However, combinations of cytokines present in conditioned media from the T-cell lines MO or C5MJ, or defined multiple cytokine combinations containing IL-1, IL-3, GM-CSF, kit ligand, IL-6, and IL-9, restored myelopoiesis in-vitro. In contrast, C5MJ-conditioned media did not correct deficiencies in immune function in the patient's lymphocytes and accessory cells. No abnormalities in the production of G-CSF, GM-CSF, M-CSF, or IL-1 from the patient could be identified to account for the defects in myelopoiesis orimmune function.
Sites of clonidine action to inhibit gut propulsion in mice: demonstration of a central component.

The role of central (supraspinal and spinal) and peripheral alpha-adrenoceptors in the regulation of gastrointestinal propulsion in the mouse was studied using clonidine, an alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist. Clonidine produced a dose-dependent inhibition of propulsion when given intracerebroventricularly, intrathecally, or subcutaneously, but was most potent when given intracerebroventricularly. The antitransit effects of centrally given clonidine were antagonized by intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) yohimbine, but higher doses were required when this antagonist was given peripherally. Whereas i.c.v. and s.c. administration of clonidine were effective in inhibiting gut transit in spinally transected mice, intrathecal (i.th.) administration of this agonist was not. A supraspinal site of clonidine action is suggested based upon (a) the higher central to peripheral potency of clonidine; (b) the greater potency of i.c.v., compared with s.c., administration of yohimbine in blocking i.c.v. clonidine; (c) the lack of effect of i.th. administration of clonidine in spinally transected mice; and (d) the reduced potency of i.c.v., but not s.c., administration of clonidine in spinally transected mice. Additionally, a peripheral site of clonidine action is suggested by (a) the lower potency of i.c.v. yohimbine in blocking s.c., compared with i.c.v., clonidine; (b) the lower potency of i.c.v. yohimbine in blocking i.c.v. clonidine in transected mice (compared with normal mice); (c) the equal potency of s.c. clonidine in slowing propulsion in normal and spinally transected mice; and (d) the equal potency of i.c.v. yohimbine in blocking s.c. clonidine in normal and spinally transected mice. These data in mice would thus support the concept that normal (peripheral) therapeutic administration of clonidine would affect gut motor function by interactions within the brain and directly at the level of the gut.
Effects of plasma erythropoiesis stimulating factor (E.S.F.) at different time intervals after single injection.

SummarySeveral effects of E.S.F. in normal mice were studied as a function of time after injection. The first change was a marked increase of C14 amino acid uptake by globin at 24 hours. This was followed at 48 hours by increase in iron consumption by erythroid tissue, and at 72 hours by an increase of reticulocyte count in peripheral blood as well as by increase in Fe59 and leucine C14 uptake by incubated red cells.
See-through-wall imaging using ultra wideband pulse systems

Surveillance/navigation systems presently used make extensive use of television, infrared, and other line-of-sight-surveillance hardware. However, these systems cannot tell what is happening or locate persons/assets on the other side of a wall, behind bushes, in the dark, in a tunnel or a cave, or through a dense fog. It is our objective here to develop a new sensor, based on UWB technology. A small, lightweight, low power transceiver or multiples that are based upon the fact that microwave frequencies can be optimized to penetrate nonmetallic materials, and providing very precise ranging information. This new surveillance/navigation capability can help provide information about what is in a wall or on the other side of a door, and can be extended to provide precise global position in areas where these services are denied such as in tunnels or caves. This paper presents our efforts along these lines including image enhancements.
Stromal Cell-Derived Factor-1 Signaling via the CXCR4-TCR Heterodimer Requires Phospholipase C-β3 and Phospholipase C-γ1 for Distinct Cellular Responses

The CXCR4 chemokine receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor that signals in T lymphocytes by forming a heterodimer with the TCR. CXCR4 and TCR functions are consequently highly cross regulated, affecting T cell immune activation, cytokine secretion, and T cell migration. The CXCR4-TCR heterodimer stimulates T cell migration and activation of the ERK MAPK and downstream AP-1-dependent cytokine transcription in response to stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1), the sole chemokine ligand of CXCR4. These responses require Gi-type G proteins as well as TCR ITAM domains and the ZAP70 tyrosine kinase, thus indicating that the CXCR4-TCR heterodimer signals to integrate G protein-coupled receptor-associated and TCR-associated signaling molecules in response to SDF-1. Yet, the phospholipase C (PLC) isozymes responsible for coupling the CXCR4-TCR heterodimer to distinct downstream cellular responses are incompletely characterized. In this study, we demonstrate that PLC activity is required for SDF-1 to induce ERK activation, migration, and CXCR4 endocytosis in human T cells. SDF-1 signaling via the CXCR4-TCR heterodimer uses PLC-β3 to activate the Ras-ERK pathway and increase intracellular calcium ion concentrations, whereas PLC-γ1 is dispensable for these outcomes. In contrast, PLC-γ1, but not PLC-β3, is required for SDF-1-mediated migration via a mechanism independent of LAT. These results increase understanding of the signaling mechanisms employed by the CXCR4-TCR heterodimer, characterize new roles for PLC-β3 and PLC-γ1 in T cells, and suggest that multiple PLCs may also be activated downstream of other chemokine receptors to distinctly regulate migration versus other signaling functions.
Air Pollution Toxicology—A Brief Review of the Role of the Science in Shaping the Current Understanding of Air Pollution Health Risks

Human and animal toxicology has had a profound impact on our historical and current understanding of air pollution health effects. Early animal toxicological studies of air pollution had distinctively military or workplace themes. With the discovery that ambient air pollution episodes led to excess illness and death, there became an emergence of toxicological studies that focused on industrial air pollution encountered by the general public. Not only did the pollutants investigated evolve from ambient mixtures to individual pollutants but also the endpoints and outcomes evaluated became more sophisticated, resulting in our present state of the science. Currently, a large toxicological database exists for the effects of particulate matter and ozone, and we provide a focused review of some of the major contributions to the biological understanding for these two ‘‘criteria’’ air pollutants. A limited discussion of the toxicological advancements in the scientific knowledge of two hazardous air pollutants, formaldehyde and phosgene, is also included. Moving forward, the future challenge of air pollution toxicology lies in the health assessment of complex mixtures and their interactions, given the projected impacts of climate change and altered emissions on ambient conditions. In the coming years, the toxicologist will need to be flexible and forward thinking in order to dissect the complexity of the biological system itself, as well as that of air pollution in all its varied forms.
Quantifying the effect of media limitations on outbreak data in a global online web-crawling epidemic intelligence system, 2008-2011.

Background: This is the first study quantitatively evaluating the effect that media-related limitations have on data from an automated epidemic intelligence system. Methods: We modeled time series of HealthMap’s two main data feeds, Google News and Moreover, to test for evidence of two potential limitations: first, human resources constraints, and second, high-profile outbreaks ‘‘crowding out’’ coverage of other infectious diseases. Results: Google News events declined by 58.3%, 65.9%, and 14.7% on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, respectively, relative to other weekdays. Events were reduced by 27.4% during Christmas/New Years weeks and 33.6% lower during American Thanksgiving week than during an average week for Google News. Moreover data yielded similar results with the addition of Memorial Day (US) being associated with a 36.2% reduction in events. Other holiday effects were not statistically significant. We found evidence for a crowd out phenomenon for influenza/H1N1, where a 50% increase in influenza events corresponded with a 4% decline in other disease events for Google News only. Other prominent diseases in this database - avian influenza (H5N1), cholera, or foodborne illness - were not associated with a crowd out phenomenon. Conclusions: These results provide quantitative evidence for the limited impact of editorial biases on HealthMap’s web-crawling epidemic intelligence. Keywords: epidemic intelligence; infectious diseases; system evaluation; HealthMap; crowd out effect (Published: 8 November 2013) Citation: Emerg Health Threats J 2013, 6 : 21621 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ehtj.v6i0.21621
The effect of treatment of Type 2 (insulin independent) diabetes mellitus on plasma concentrations of pancreatic polypeptide and glucagon

The effect of the control of diabetes with diet and insulin upon plasma levels of human pancreatic polypeptide and glucagon was determined in eight patients with Type 2 (insulin independent) diabetes mellitus. The mean±SEM fasting plasma glucose was 15.9±1.3mmol/l for 5 days of diet treatment and 5.9±0.4 mmol/l for the last 5 days of treatment with diet plus insulin (p < 0.0001); corresponding fasting plasma pancreatic polypeptide levels were 328±97 and 247±71 pg/ml (p < 0.05) and immunoreactive glucagon levels were 95±11 and 62±6 pg/ml (p < 0.005). Cooked ground beef was administered on the first day of diet treatment and on the last day of treatment with diet plus insulin; mean maximal rise of pancreatic polypeptide, and total and incremental plasma pancreatic polypeptide response areas were significantly lower following treatment (p < 0.01), as was total area for immunoreactive glucagon (p < 0.05). Normalisation of fasting plasma glucose by short-term treatment with diet plus insulin is associated with decreases in basal and stimulated secretory activity of the pancreatic polypeptide cells in insulin independent diabetes mellitus.
New York State Housing Policy in Postwar New York City The Enduring Rockefeller Legacy

In postwar New York State, a powerful partnership among state government, the private sector, and quasi-public authorities resulted in the development of thousands of units of high-density middle-income housing located in New York City and a much smaller amount in other New York State cities. This housing was intended to counterbalance affordable suburban homes that were luring the middle class out of the city. This article describes this initiative and focuses on the contributions made by Nelson A. Rockefeller, governor of New York State between 1959 and 1973. The state made creative use of bond financing and public benefit corporations, raising capital with unsecured moral obligation bonds. New York State’s housing finance mechanisms facilitated a model of housing development that was prescient in its insistence on melding public and private, which is now the dominant strategy for affordable housing development in the United States.
Chemical Recognition of Familiar vs. Unfamiliar Conspecifics by Juvenile Iguanid Lizards, Ctenosaura similis

The ability of juvenile black iguanas, Ctenosaura similis, to discriminate between the chemical cue of an unfamiliar and a familiar conspecific was tested. Lizards directed significantly more tongue extrusions toward the chemical cue of a size-matched conspecific with whom they had never interacted than the chemical cue of a size-matched conspecific with whom they had interacted for 3 d. We consider the possibility that the social relationship between familiar associates may explain variation in the direction and degree of response to unfamiliar vs. familiar chemical cues.
Relationship discord and the prevalence, incidence, and treatment of psychopathology

This paper provides a selective review of the literature on the association between poor relationship adjustment (i.e., relationship discord) and the prevalence, incidence, and treatment of psychopathology. Relationship discord has been shown to covary with a variety of psychiatric disorders and predict the incidence of mood, anxiety, and substance use disorders and increases in depressive symptoms. The association between relationship discord and psychopathology is moderated by several individual difference variables, including variables that have been shown to increase risk for psychopathology. Relationship discord is associated with poorer outcome to individual-based treatments for several common psychiatric disorders, and couple-based interventions have been shown to reduce depression and substance use as well as improve relationship discord.
Upper Limits on Gaseous CO at Pluto and Triton from High-Resolution Near-IR Spectroscopy

Abstract We observed Pluto and Triton with the CSHELL echelle spectrograph on the Infrared Telescope Facility in April and July 1996, in an effort to detect the R(2), R(3), and R(4) rotational lines of the 2-0 vibrational transition of gaseous CO. As no lines were detected, we derived 3-σ upper limits on the average widths of these three lines of 0.040 cm−1 for Pluto and 0.028 cm−1 for Triton. The corresponding upper limits on the gaseous CO mole fractions depend on the assumed profiles of temperature and pressure in the atmospheres of these bodies. If Triton's atmosphere in 1996 resembles that measured by stellar occultation in 1997, we find a 3-σ upper limit to the CO mole fraction of 59%. If Pluto's atmosphere resembles the tropospheric model of J. A. Stansberry, J. I. Lunine, W. B. Hubbard, R. V. Yelle, and D. M. Hunten (1994), Icarus11, 503–513, we find a 3-σ upper limit to the CO mole fraction of 6%. For Pluto, this limit to the gaseous mole fraction argues against intimate mixtures (e.g., “salt-and-pepper” mixtures, as opposed to solid solutions) of surface CO and N2 frost.
Safety Considerations in Nuclear Operations

While some aspects of reactor safety procedures were already discussed in Section 6.1, here we give a more general review of safety measures that have been instituted for reactor and nuclear fuel handling operations. We start with discussing the nature of nuclear radiation and its effects on man and bio-matter. Next we consider radiation dose measurements and tolerable exposure levels, followed by a review of radiation protection measures and safety assurance in reactor operations. Finally, some typical mishaps in reactor operations and fuel handling are discussed and a review is given of serious nuclear accidents that have occurred since the beginning (1945) of the nuclear age, including the Three-Mile-Island (TMI) and Chernobyl reactor meltdowns in 1979 and 1986.
MR Spectroscopy for Assessment of Memantine Treatment in Mild to Moderate Alzheimer Dementia

Objectives: Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) may provide a precise and reliable assessment of the extent and severity of neural tissue loss caused by various diseases. In particular, the N-Acetyl Aspartate (NAA) and Creatine (Cr) ratio has been found to be an indicator of the degree of neuronal loss in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Memantine is thought to benefit the AD brain by stabilizing the NMDA receptors on neurons in turn reducing excitotoxicity. Despite its effectiveness in treating moderate to severe AD, memantine has not had similar success in the treatment of mildly demented AD patients. The objective of this study was to test whether memantine would slow or prevent the loss of neurons in mild to moderate AD patients. Methods: A double- blind placebo-controlled study was designed to measure the effect of a year-long course of memantine in patients with a probable AD diagnosis with mild to moderate dementia. The primary outcome measure was stipulated to be change in MRS NAA/Cr ratio in inferior parietal cortex in memantine relative to the placebo treatment condition. The secondary outcome measures were changes in cognitive and function scale scores. Results: This pilot study failed to demonstrate a benefit of memantine on the primary outcome measure, the inferior parietal NAA/Cr ratio, or the secondary outcome measures. Conclusions: More studies are needed to determine the effect of memantine on regions of the brain significantly affected by AD pathology.
Stochastic Linear Pursuit-Evasion Game

The 1950’s saw the introduction of guided interceptor missiles and the launching of Sputnik I. Questions on pursuit and evasion were suddenly in everyone’s mind. What is the best strategy to intercept a moving target? How can friendly planes best avert midair collisions? Thus the theory of Differential Games is permeated with the theory of military pursuit games. Dr. Rufus Isaacs, who was then with the Mathematics Department of the RAND Corporation realized that no one guidance scheme can be optimal against all types of evasion. An intelligent evader can deliberately maneuver to confuse the pursuer’s predictions. Thus optimal pursuit and evasion must be considered equally
The Event-Related Brain Potential as a Selective Index of Display Load

As an index of task workload, the possible advantages of the event-related brain potential (ERP) over traditional secondary task techniques and psychophysiological measures are described and previous efforts to validate the use of ERPs in this context are discussed. A series of six experiments is then reported in which the effects of tracking difficulty and display-monitoring load manipulations on secondary-task reaction time and ERP measures are compared. The results are interpreted within the framework of a "multiple reservoir" conception of processing resources and task workload. Language: en
Optimal Configurations of Design and Construction Decisions to Maximize Social Quality-of-Life for Single-Family Housing Residents

The social quality-of-life (SQOL) for single-family housing residents can be improved by maximizing their thermal comfort, improving the quality of indoor lighting, and enhancing indoor air quality. These SQOL improvements often require additional intial housing cost and they have a direct impact on the annual energy cost of housing units. Accordingly, the design and construction of single-family housing units need to be carefully analyzed and optimized to maximize the social quality-oflife (SQOL) for their residents, while minimizing the initial cost and the annual energy cost of the housing units. This study presents the development of a multiobjective optimization model that is capable of generating optimal tradeoffs among these three important optimization objectives. An application example is also analyzed to illustrate the capabilities of the developed model.
Techno Reference: Impact of Electronic Reference Resources on Traditional Reference Services

Summary The current academic library has recently experienced dramatic change. The electronic library of tomorrow is the present reality of today. Library employees and patrons now not only deal with print materials but also with resources in many additional formats including electronic. Concerns have emerged with the proliferation of these resources. Some of these concerns include the possible infatuation of library users with electronic resources over their print counterparts, the explosion of information resources, and providing reference services in an electronic society. Questions investigated in this article include the impact of this growth in electronic resources on traditional reference services and the effects of how library customers are served by librarians. Along with answering the above concerns, information from a survey concerning the impact of electronic resources will also be shared.
Data-driven thermal recognition of contact with people and objects

Many tactile sensors can readily detect physical contact with an object, but tactile recognition of the type of object remains challenging. In this paper, we provide evidence that data-driven thermal tactile sensing can be used to recognize contact with people and objects in real-world settings. We created a portable handheld device with three tactile sensing modalities: a heat-transfer sensor that is actively heated, a small thermally-isolated temperature sensor, and a force sensor to detect the onset of contact. Using this device, we collected data from contact with the arms of 10 people (3 locations on the right arm) and contact with 80 objects relevant to robotic assistance (8 object types in 10 residential bathrooms). We then used support vector machines (SVMs) to perform binary classifications relevant to assistive robots. When classifying contact as person vs. object, classifiers that only used the temperature sensor performed best (average accuracy of 98.75% for 3.65s of contact, 93.13% for 1.0s, and 82.13% for 0.5s). When classifying contact into two task-relevant object types (e.g., towel vs. towel rack), classifiers that used the heat-transfer sensor together with the temperature sensor performed best. Performance was good when generalizing to new contact locations in the same environment (average accuracy of 92.14% for 3.65s of contact, 91.43% for 1.0s, and 84.29% for 0.5s), but weaker when generalizing to new environments (average accuracy of 84% for 3.65s of contact, 71% for 1.0s, and 65% for 0.5s).
467 UTEROPLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY ALTERS HEPATIC GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTOR AND 11 β HYDROXYSTEROID DEHYDROGENASE TYPE I LEVELS IN FETAL AND JUVENILE IUGR RATS

Background IUGR predisposes towards long-term morbidities such as insulin resistance. Corticosterone regulates hepatic gluconeogenesis. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and its phosphorylation (S211) status, and 11 beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD 1) are key components of the steroid metabolism. Hypothesis We hypothesized that IUGR and subsequent paracrine glucocorticoid overexposure of the fetus would lead to short and long-term alterations in the steroid metabolism key components. Methods Bilateral uterine artery ligation was performed on d19 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats and pups were harvested at term. Plasma corticosterone levels (CORT) were measured at d0 and d21 by ELISA. Hepatic GR and 11 β-HSD 1 mRNA levels were quantified using real time-PCR. Protein levels of GR, 11 β-HSD 1 and serine 211 (S211) were measured by Western blot. Results On d0, CORT and mRNA GR increased in IUGR pups, but 11 β-HSD 1mRNA decreased. On d21, CORT remained elevated in IUGR rats, with decreased mRNA GR and 11 β-HSD 1in IUGR females. (Table) On d0, there was increased hepatic GR (S211) phosphorylation in IUGR rats (162±10 % of control values, p≤0.01). However, we found decreased S211 levels in d21 IUGR males (40±3 % of control values, p≤0.001), with preservation of GR phosphorylation in IUGR females (104±%of control values, NS). Conclusion Uteroplacental insufficiency is associated with prenatal and postnatal glucocorticoid overexposure that most likely affects steroid metabolism in a time and gender-specific manner. We speculate that increased glucocorticoid levels at day 0 and day 21 may contribute to the molecular mechanisms underlying insulin resistance in adulthood.
Evaluation of spray-dried animal plasma and select menhaden fish meal in transition diets of pigs weaned at 12 to 14 days of age and reared in different production systems.

We conducted two experiments with pigs weaned at 12 to 14 d of age to evaluate the effects of adding spray-dried animal plasma (SDAP) and select menhaden fish meal (SMFM) to the diets fed from 5 to 19 (Exp. 1) and 7 to 21 d (Exp. 2) after weaning. This 14-d period represents the transition from the nutrient-dense diet fed to all pigs after weaning to the simpler corn-soybean meal-based diet fed to all pigs for an additional 14 (Exp. 1) or 7 d (Exp. 2) after the experimental period. Pigs averaged 5 kg at the start of the experimental period. In Exp. 1, pigs had a high health status and were weaned to an off-site nursery (SEW) and fed 12 experimental diets in a 3 (0, 2.5, or 5% SDAP) x 4 (0, 2.5, 5, or 7.5% SMFM) factorial arrangement. Diets were formulated to contain 1.6% lysine and contained 20% dried whey, 5% soybean oil, and 2.5% spray-dried blood meal. The SDAP and(or) SMFM replaced corn and soybean meal on an equal lysine basis. Average daily gain and ADFI were not affected by treatment during any period of the experiment. Gain:feed was improved by the addition of SDAP (linear, P < .05) and SMFM (linear, P < .07) during the period from 5 to 19 d. Over the 33-d experiment, SDAP and SMFM improved (linear, P < .05) gain:feed. In Exp. 2, pigs were weaned on-site to an all-in/all-out by room nursery and fed diets identical to those fed in Exp. 1, with 0 or 2.5% SDAP and 0, 2.5, or 5% SMFM in a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement. The addition of 2.5% SDAP improved ADG and gain:feed during the period from 7 to 14 d (P < .05) and 0 to 28 d (P < .10), but not over the period from 7 to 21 d. The addition of SMFM did not affect ADG during any period, but it resulted in a quadratic improvement in gain:feed during the periods from 7 to 14 (P < .05) and 7 to 21 (P < .10) d. These results suggest that high-health SEW pigs respond less to SDAP and SMFM in the transition diet than pigs with a lower health status reared in an on-site nursery. The data further suggest that formulation of transition diets should consider the type of production system if pig performance and diet cost are to be optimized.
The Role of Nitric Oxide, Endothelin, and Prostaglandins in the Transition of the Pulmonary Circulation

The pulmonary endothelial cell regulates fetal and transitional pulmonary vascular resistance by producing and releasing locally acting vasodilating and vasoconstricting mediators. Nitric oxide, endothelin, and the eicosanoids are three endothelial-derived products that play very important roles in effecting change from the high resistance, low flow pulmonary circulation in utero to the low resistance, high flow pulmonary circulation postnatally. This article reviews the roles of these three mediators in the fetal and transitional circulations. Understanding the mechanisms by which these mediators influence vascular tone allows for a more rational approach to disease states associated with abnormal postnatal adaptation of the pulmonary circulation.
Combinatorial antibody libraries: new advances, new immunological insights

Immunochemists have become quite proficient in engineering existing antibody molecules to control their pharmacological properties. However, in terms of generating new antibodies, the combinatorial antibody library has become a central feature of modern immunochemistry. These libraries are essentially an immune system in a test tube and enable the selection of antibodies without the constraints of whole animal or cell-based systems. This Review provides an overview of how antibody libraries are constructed and discusses what can be learnt from these synthetic systems. In particular, the Review focuses on new biological insights from antibody libraries - such as the concept of 'SOS antibodies' - and the growing use of intracellular antibodies to perturb cellular functions.
Medical Considerations before International Travel

The scope of illnesses that may befall international travelers is broad. A guide to preparing for the preventable causes of illness is provided. Physicians may find it useful in counseling their patients who travel internationally.
Toward overcoming fundamental limitation in frequency-domain blind source separation for reverberant speech mixtures

Blind source separation can be implemented in the frequency domain using one-tap multiplication operation in each frequency bin, but only when the frame length is long enough to disregard temporal aliasing effects. If we take a short-time frequency transformation with a window shorter than a room reverberation time, the justification above does not hold anymore. In this paper, we present an appropriate representation in the short-time frequency domain. The suitability is justified by showing the equivalence with the original time domain approach under the overlap-add context. Experimental validation using a corpus synthesized by convolution with measured sets of room impulse responses is also provided.
Finding schizophrenia's Prozac: emergent relational similarity in predication space

In this paper, we investigate the ability of the Predication-based Semantic Indexing (PSI) approach, which incorporates both symbolic and distributional information, to support inference on the basis of structural similarity. For example, given a pair of related concepts prozac: depression, we attempt to identify concepts that relate to a third concept, such as schizophrenia in the same way. A novel PSI implementation based on Kanerva's Binary Spatter Code is developed, and evaluated on over 100,000 searches across 180,285 unique concepts and multiple typed relations. PSI is shown to retrieve with accuracy concepts on the basis of shared single and paired relations, given either a single strong example pair, or the superposition of a set of weaker examples. Search space size is identical for single and double relations, providing an efficient means to direct search across predicate paths for the purpose of literature-based discovery.
De novo transcriptome assembly in polyploid species

In the absence of a reference genome, the ultimate goal of a de novo transcriptome assembly is to accurately and comprehensively reconstruct the set of messenger RNA transcripts represented in the sample. Non-reference assembly of the transcriptome of polyploid species poses a particular challenge because of the presence of homeologs that are difficult to disentangle at the sequence level. This is especially true for hexaploid oats, which have three highly similar subgenomes, two of which are thought to be nearly identical. Under these circumstances, most software packages and established pipelines encounter difficulties in rendering an accurate transcriptome because they are typically developed, refined, and tested for diploid organisms. We present a protocol for transcriptome assembly in oats that can be extended both to other polyploids and species with highly duplicated genomes.
9 – Signal Transduction

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses signal transduction, whereby an external chemical signal elicits an intracellular metabolic change. The chapter discusses two mechanisms of signal transduction—the generation of second messengers and receptor phosphorylation. The second messengers includes several topics, such as G proteins, cyclic AMP as a second messenger, cyclic GMP as a second messenger, calcium as a second messenger, and second messengers generated by lipid hydrolysis. The chapter also discusses signaling by receptor phosphorylation, two-component systems, and protein tyrosine phosphatase signaling. The process begins with the binding of specific ligands to receptors located at the surface of the plasma membrane. Most signaling appears to involve receptor activation of a GTP-binding protein (G protein). The activated G proteins interact with enzymes that produce second messenger molecules. Changes in cellular enzyme activities lead directly to a physiological response by the cell. Another signaling pathway regulated by the action of G proteins is the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) pathway. In this pathway, binding of an agonist to a receptor leads to the activation of adenylate cyclase and thus, the production of cAME. Cyclic AMP is a second messenger that activates PKA. PKA catalyzes adenosine triphosphate (ATP) -dependent phosphorylation of cell-specific target proteins. It is the change in activity of the target proteins that ultimately leads to the physiological response of cells bound to an agonist. A second mechanism of signal transduction involves cell surface receptors that have tyrosine kinase activities associated with their cytoplasmic domains. Binding of agonist to these receptors directly activates their kinase domains. The kinase activity catalyzes the phosphorylation of intracellular proteins and often causes autophosphorylation. This phosphorylation may directly cause changes in enzyme activity or may indirectly affect activity by first promoting binding of proteins to the receptor. Binding of extracellular signals to their receptors can result in the modulation of ion channels. In these cases, ions act as second messengers. This process is the least understood mechanism of signal transduction.
''CHINA, FOREVER'' Tourism Discourse and Self-Orientalism

Abstract Literature on tourism representations has focused on Western-produced representations of Others. Missing is a critical investigation regarding how the Other represents itself in contemporary tourism discourse. Seeking to understand how non-Western tourism discourse has evolved, we analyze a tourism promotional video: “China, Forever”. Employing critical discourse analysis, this discussion proposes that “China, Forever” conforms to Orientalistic discourse through two specific practices: 1) it reveals a changeless, nostalgic, mythical and feminized China that speaks to a Western Orientalistic imagination; and, 2) it creates a modern China subjugated to Western understanding and authority over modernity. It argues that contemporary non-Western tourism discourse recognizes the marketability of Otherness and caters affably to Western tourists through reinventing, reconstructing and renegotiating marketable Chinese identities—self-Orientalism.
Decays of charmed mesons to PV final states

New data on the decays of the charmed particles D{sup 0}, D{sup +}, and D{sub s} to PV final states consisting of a light pseudoscalar meson P and a light vector meson V are analyzed. Following the same methods as in a previous analysis of D{yields}PP decays, one can test flavor symmetry, extract key amplitudes, and obtain information on relative strong phases. Analyses are performed for Cabibbo-favored decays and then extended to predict properties of singly and doubly Cabibbo-suppressed processes.
Synthesis and Characterization of Alkoxycarbonyl Cobalt Complexes via Direct Carbonylation Methods

A series of alkoxycarbonyl cobalt(III) complexes has been prepared by carbonylation of the corresponding aliphatic alcohols. This reaction proceeds under mild conditions compatible with a wide range of functionalized alcohols, including alkenes, alkynes, arenes, halides, protected alcohols and amines. Two different protocols employing both Co(II) and Co(III) complexes as precursors have been developed and proceed with high efficiency for ligands such as salen and salophen. An unexpected transesterification was observed to interconvert alkoxycarbonyl products under acid catalysis. Characterization data, including NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry for all complexes and two X-ray structures, are provided.
Control-flow recovery from partial failure reports

Debugging is difficult. When software fails in production, debugging is even harder, as failure reports usually provide only an incomplete picture of the failing execution. We present a system that answers control-flow queries posed by developers as formal languages, indicating whether the query expresses control flow that is possible or impossible for a given failure report. We consider three separate approaches that trade off precision, expressiveness for failure constraints, and scalability. We also introduce a new subclass of regular languages, the unreliable trace languages, which are particularly suited to answering control-flow queries in polynomial time. Our system answers queries remarkably efficiently when we encode failure constraints and user queries entirely as unreliable trace languages.
Bone Health, Pain, and Mobility: Evidence-Based Recommendations for Patients With Multiple Myeloma

Background About 85% of patients with multiple myeloma develop bone disease. In these patients, lytic bone lesions can cause fractures, poor circulation, blood clots, pain, poor mobility, and decreased quality of life. . Objectives This article presents consensus statements to guide nurses in the assessment and management of bone disease, pain, and mobility in patients with multiple myeloma at varying points in their disease trajectory. . Methods Members of the International Myeloma Foundation Nurse Leadership Board reviewed previously provided recommendations, current recommendations based on literature review, and evidence-based grading. . Findings Oncology nurses play a key role in maximizing bone health, minimizing skeletal injury, maximizing pain control, and improving quality of life in patients by enhancing patient mobility and safety. Clinician assessment accompanied by effective interventions reduces patient injury and optimizes functioning in patients with multiple myeloma.
The role of talin2 in breast cancer tumorigenesis and metastasis

Recent studies show that talin2 has a higher affinity to β-integrin tails and is indispensable for traction force generation and cell invasion. However, its roles in cell migration, cancer cell metastasis and tumorigenesis remain to be determined. Here, we used MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells as a model to define the roles of talin2 in cell migration, invasion, metastasis and tumorigenesis. We show here that talin2 knockdown (KD) inhibited cell migration and focal adhesion dynamics, a key step in cell migration, and that talin2 knockout (KO) inhibited cell invasion and traction force generation, the latter is crucial for cell invasion. Re-expression of talin2WT in talin2-KO cells restored traction force generation and cell invasion, but that of talin2S339C, a β-integrin-binding deficient mutant, did not. Moreover, talin2 KO (or KD) suppressed tumorigenesis and metastasis in mouse xenograft models. However, surprisingly, re-expression of talin2WT in talin2-KO cells did not rescue tumorigenesis. Thus, talin2 is required for breast cancer cell migration, invasion, metastasis and tumorigenesis, although exogenous expression of high levels of talin2 could inhibit tumorigenesis.
Clinical Application of Plasmid-Based Cancer Vaccines

Decades of work on DNA-based cancer vaccination has produced numerous clinical candidates, most targeting single tumor-associated antigens, a few targeting multiple antigens or epitopes, and virtually all predominantly aimed at the induction of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. Clinical trials in melanoma, prostate, breast, colorectal, and cervical carcinomas reporting results in the past few years are herein reviewed. Clinical and immunological responses were generally small and detected in only a minority of patients. High doses, extended immunization periods, and multifaceted platforms have modestly improved immunogenicity. Appreciating the important role polyfunctional CD4+ helper T cells play in tumor rejection, and using recent advances in epitope mapping and informatics, a new generation of DNA-based vaccines targeting CD4+ epitopes that are both tumor reactive and bind multiple MHC class II haplotypes are now entering clinical trials. With such an empirical approach, DNA-based vaccines may be poised to become potent weapons in the armamentarium against cancer.
The California Nurse Staffing Mandate: Implications for Other States

In 2004, California became the first state to implement minimum nurse-to-patient staffing requirements in acute care hospitals. It remains the only state to enact such requirements, although at least 18 states have introduced nurse staffing legislation. The goals of the legislation were to reduce nurse workloads, improve recruitment and retention of nurses, and improve quality of care. This Issue brief summarizes the first comprehensive evaluation of the California mandate in achieving these goals.
Association between nystagmus hyporesponsivity and behavioral problems in learning-disabled children

This study explored the hypothesis that an association exists between postrotary nystagmus hyporesponsivity and behavioral problems in learning-disabled children. Supporting this conclusion was the finding that the learning-disabled boys rated by teachers as displaying the most socially inappropriate behaviors had significantly lower postrotary nystagmus durations than other learning-disabled boys. In addition, near significant associations were obtained between subnormal nystagmus functioning and socially inappropriate responding for boys and girls combined. Learning-disabled girls were evaluated as responding significantly more appropriately than learning-disabled boys, while having significantly shorter postrotary nystagmus durations; thus, sex of a child may be an important variable in determining relationships between psychological characteristics and hyporesponsive nystagmus. Additional research is needed in this area because of a number of limitations to this study; however, these results present further suggestive evidence that learning-disabled children can be categorized according to characteristics of their postrotary nystagmus.
Multinuclear magnetic resonance investigation of cation-anion and anion-solvent interactions in carbonate electrolytes

Abstract The investigation of ion-solvent interaction in electrolytes is crucial for basic understanding of ion transport through the bulk electrolyte as well as interphase formation processes on both electrodes, which dictate performances of lithium ion batteries (LIBs). In this report, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) was used to study the solvation behaviors of two typical lithium salts (lithium hexafluorophosphate, or LiPF6, and lithium tetrafluoroborate, or LiBF4) dissolved in ethylene carbonate (EC)/dimethyl carbonate (DMC) mixtures. With increasing salt concentration and DMC percentage in both systems, 19F NMR experiences an upfield shift along with decreasing J 31 P − 19 F and J 11 B − 19 F , which evidence the stronger interaction between the Li+ and F− in an environment with diminishing presence of high dielectric medium. The quadrupolar relaxation of 11B dominates the 19F relaxation mechanism and demonstrates that LiBF4 mainly exists as ion pairs in solution either at high salt concentration or in a medium of low polarity. 7Li, 19F, 1H NMR diffusion measurements were conducted to characterize the relative mobility of cation, anion and solvent molecules, the results of which support the conclusion above. Salt concentration and solution polarity have a much stronger effect on cation-anion aggregation and solvation in the LiBF4 system than in the LiPF6 system.
An intimate partner violence prevention intervention in a nurse home visitation program: A randomized clinical trial

Abstract Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health problem with many negative consequences, particularly for pregnant women. This randomized trial investigated the ...
Complement component 4 variations may influence psychopathology risk in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency

CYP21A2 defects result in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by impaired adrenal steroidogenesis. CYP21A2 lies within the major histocompatibility complex in an area of the genome highly susceptible to genetic variation. Alterations in the neighboring complement component 4 isotypes C4A and C4B have been associated with psychiatric and autoimmune disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate C4A and C4B in patients with CAH in relation to CYP21A2 genotype and psychiatric and autoimmune comorbidity. We determined the copy numbers of C4A and C4B in 145 patients with CAH (median age: 15.5 years, IQR: 16.8) and 108 carrier relatives (median age: 41.5 years, IQR: 12.0) and evaluated serum C4 concentrations. Comorbidity was determined by medical record review. Only 30% of subjects had the expected two copies each of the two C4 genes. C4B copy number determined total C4 copy number and serum C4 concentration, negatively correlated with carriership of a 30-kb deletion (P < 10− 5), and positively correlated with carriership of p.V281L (P < 10− 5). High C4A copy number (≥ 3) was associated with increased risk of having an externalizing psychiatric condition (relative risk: 2.67, 95% CI: 1.03–6.89, P = 0.04). No association was found between C4 copy number and autoimmune disease. Mutation-specific C4 structural variations commonly occur in patients with CAH and may have important clinical consequences, including increased risk of psychiatric morbidity. Trial registration NCT00250159 (November 7, 2005).