cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Gene Therapy for Storage Disease: Current and New Indications

Lysosomal storage disorders (LSDs) are a broad class of monogenic diseases with an overall incidence of 1:7,000 newborns, due to the defective activity of one or more lysosomal hydrolases or related proteins resulting in storage of un-degraded substrates in the lysosomes. The over 40 different known LSDs share a life-threatening nature, but they are present with extremely variable clinical manifestations, determined by the characteristics and tissue distribution of the material accumulating due to the lysosomal dysfunction. The majority of LSDs lack a curative treatment. This is particularly true for LSDs severely affecting the CNS. Based on current preclinical and clinical evidences, among other treatment modalities, hematopoietic stem cell gene therapy could potentially result in robust therapeutic benefit for LSD patients, with particular indication for those characterized by severe brain damage. Optimization of current approaches and technology, as well as implementation of clinical trials for novel indications, and prolonged and more extensive follow-up of the already treated patients will allow translating this promise into new medicinal products.
Long-Term Erosional Trends Along Channelized Salt Marsh Edges

Salt marshes provide important habitats for many species in the estuaries along the east and Gulf coasts of North America. With many species dependent on these coastal marshlands and extensive documentation that these marshlands are disappearing, a clear understanding of the mechanisms causing loss is critical. Much of the salt marsh was lost to reclamation and construction before these activities were curtailed circa 1970; however, losses due to other causes have continued and multiple hypothesized causes have been proposed, not all mutually exclusive. Yet it remains unclear whether there are legacy effects from the reclamation projects. When the edges of salt marshes are cut into, and gentle vegetated slopes are replaced by sharp edges adjoining deep water of 2 m or more, erosion could accelerate and could continue for many years. One method that may help shed light on the relative importance of the various causes of salt marsh erosion would be to compare the erosion rates of specific edges within a marshland that are exposed to particular conditions. We therefore used several sets of aerial photography spanning 84 years to track the changes at specific edge locations along marsh edges and then make comparisons between anthropogenically created edges and naturally created edges, including comparisons within use and width categories of navigational channels. Erosion rates were found to remain significantly higher on channelized edges than along otherwise similar wetland edges even several decades after modification. Likely reasons include the continued exposure of underlying layers that lack reinforcing plant root systems, vertical edges that are more vulnerable to undermining from wave action, and increased erosion related to altered tidal flows.
Analysis of Resonance Frequencies for the Problem of Induced Vibrations Along the Human Arm

The problems of vibro-safety are connected with the consideration of the human reaction to various mechanical inputs. Traditionally this problem is solved as a mechanical system with concentrated (not distributed) parameters. The goal of this study is to set up a mechanical system following the actual conditions of the human arm response to mechanical vibrations and to develop an approach to model the effect of resonance frequencies.
The computational analysis of watermarks: Setting the stage for the development of a Watermark Imaging Box (WImBo)

The Watermark Imaging Box (WImBo) Project is an inter-institutional collaboration to develop a low-cost, portable system for imaging watermarks and chain lines in papers, with a special focus on the prints of Rembrandt van Rijn (Dutch, 1606–1669) and his pupils. Representative of paper available in seventeenth-century Europe, Rembrandt's papers show a range of physical features that are typically documented using a variety of imaging techniques. Building on this base, computational analysis of Rembrandt's papers has demonstrated great potential for enhancing existing scholarship by discovering affinities among prints across collections. However, a widely distributed imaging campaign poses challenges, some of which derive directly from the nature of Rembrandt's prints and papers, including passages of heavy ink application. To develop and refine new approaches for large-scale distributed imaging, WImBo teams were supplied with carefully selected and prepared test papers.
Monitoring a Proportion Using CUSUM and SPRT Control Charts

In many process monitoring problems, items from the process are classified into one of two categories, usually called defective and nondefective, and the objective is to detect any change in the proportion p of defective items produced by the process. In some applications, there may be a continuous stream of inspection data from the process, as would occur with 100% inspection. In other applications, the inspection data may be in the form of samples taken from the process. The traditional control chart for monitoring p is the Shewhart p-chart. For this chart, the proportion defective for segments or samples of n items is determined and plotted. There are a number of disadvantages to using the Shewhart p-chart. In particular, the p-chart is not efficient for detecting small changes in p, and when the target value is close to 0, the discreteness and skewness of the binomial distribution frequently produces a p-chart with undesirable properties. This paper evaluates and compares several control charts which are alternatives to the Shewhart p-chart. A CUSUM chart for monitoring p can be based on the binomial distribution when items are grouped into segments or samples. A CUSUM chart can also be based on the Bernoulli distribution when inspection results are recorded and used individually as they are obtained. These two CUSUM charts are compared in terms of the time required to detect a shift in p for the case of 100% inspection and for the case of samples of items. When samples are taken from the process, a highly efficient control chart can be based on using sequential sampling at each sampling point. In particular, an SPRT can be applied at each sampling point and the decision of this test used to determine whether to signal or go to the next sampling point. It is shown that this SPRT chart will detect shifts in p much faster than CUSUM charts and the Shewhart p-chart.
Pregnancy in the young primigravida.

Abstract A study of pregnancy and delivery has been made in 299 white and Negro women 15 years of age and younger. Fifteen and seven-tenths per cent of the white patients and 70.4 per cent of the Negro patients stated that they were not married. Antepartal care was considered adequate in only 47.2 per cent of the patients. The acute toxemias of pregnancy, which occurred in 17.7 per cent of the patients, were the most common major obstetrical complication. Labor and delivery were not influenced by the age of the patient. The perinatal mortality rate was 5.9 per cent and the prematurity rate was 17.4 per cent. The frequency of complications was greater in the patients who were not married and who did not receive adequate care. The need for sex education and education for parenthood at an early age is stressed.
Abstract 4727: MicroRNA-155 as a regulator of NK cell mediated solid tumor rejection

Natural Killer (NK) cells are granular innate lymphocytes that orchestrate immune response by releasing interferon gamma (IFN-γ): a critical cytokine heavily involved in intercellular immune and inflammatory processes. Prior work from our lab has linked microRNA-155 (miR-155) to significant cell proliferation and NK cell mediated IFN-γ release. Previously, our lab has also shown that miR-155 can increase hematological malignancy rejection and NK cell cytotoxicity in T-cell lymphomas. However, it is unclear how miR-155 can affect NK cell cytotoxicity in solid tumor models. IFN-γ has been reported in the literature to directly induce apoptosis in glioblastoma solid tumors. We therefore hypothesize that miR-155 induction can increase NK cell mediated cytotoxicity and IFN-γ mediated apoptosis for solid tumor rejection. To test this, 10x106 GL261 cells were injected subcutaneously into the flanks of both wild type (WT) littermates and miR-155 transgenic (miR-155Tg) mice. CD3(-)NK1.1(+) effector splenic NK cells were isolated from WT and miR-155Tg mice for total RNA extraction and subsequent gene expression profiling on NK cell activation pathways. We found that tumor growth in WT mice was at least 2-fold greater than that of miR-155Tg mice (average 2cmx2cm vs 0.7cmx0.7cm, n=6). Tumor weights from WT and miR-155 mice were 1052 mg vs 340 mg, respectively, with an average of 2 mice per group. Furthermore, we have successfully created an IFN-γ receptor 1 (IFN-γR1) shRNA knock-down (KD) lentiviral construct in a stable glioblastoma cell line. IFN-γR1 knockdown was measured to be 90% as determined by real-time PCR analysis. Future experiments will be performed wherein IFN-γR1 KD glioblastoma cells will be injected in miR-155Tg and WT mice to evaluate tumor rejection. In summary, we demonstrate a model system to investigate the effect of miR-155 on solid tumor glioblastoma multiforme. Further characterization of gene expression profiles of purified NK cells from both WT and miR-155 mice will provide important insights on the mechanisms of NK cell medicated tumor rejection. Citation Format: Aman Prasad, Wing Keung Chan. MicroRNA-155 as a regulator of NK cell mediated solid tumor rejection [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4727.
The Audience and Artist Interactivity in Augmented Reality Art: The Solo Exhibition on the Flame Series

Traditional art exhibitions are typically limited to artworks being viewed on the walls of galleries and museums. While walking around galleries, viewers often view artworks spontaneously within a ...
Bond orders of the diatomic molecules

Bond order quantifies the number of electrons dressed-exchanged between two atoms in a material and is important for understanding many chemical properties. Diatomic molecules are the smallest molecules possessing chemical bonds and play key roles in atmospheric chemistry, biochemistry, lab chemistry, and chemical manufacturing. Here we quantum-mechanically calculate bond orders for 288 diatomic molecules and ions. For homodiatomics, we show bond orders correlate to bond energies for elements within the same chemical group. We quantify and discuss how semicore electrons weaken bond orders for elements having diffuse semicore electrons. Lots of chemistry is effected by this. We introduce a first-principles method to represent orbital-independent bond order as a sum of orbital-dependent bond order components. This bond order component analysis (BOCA) applies to any spin-orbitals that are unitary transformations of the natural spin-orbitals, with or without periodic boundary conditions, and to non-magnetic and (collinear or non-collinear) magnetic materials. We use this BOCA to study all period 2 homodiatomics plus Mo2, Cr2, ClO, ClO−, and Mo2(acetate)4. Using Manz's bond order equation with DDEC6 partitioning, the Mo–Mo bond order was 4.12 in Mo2 and 1.46 in Mo2(acetate)4 with a sum of bond orders for each Mo atom of ∼4. Our study informs both chemistry research and education. As a learning aid, we introduce an analogy between bond orders in materials and message transmission in computer networks. We also introduce the first working quantitative heuristic model for all period 2 homodiatomic bond orders. This heuristic model incorporates s–p mixing to give heuristic bond orders of ¾ (Be2), 1¾ (B2), 2¾ (C2), and whole number bond orders for the remaining period 2 homodiatomics.
Perfluoroalkyls/polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Dental Caries Experience in Children, Ages 3-11 Years, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2013-2014

Objective The objective of this research is to determine the association of seven perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances versus dental caries experience in US children, ages 3-11 years. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used in the analysis of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014 serological data of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances. The seven perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances were: 2-(N-methyl-perfluorooctane sulfonamide) acetic acid; perfluorodecanoic acid; perfluorononanoic acid; perfluorohexane sulfonic acid; linear isomers of perfluorooctanoate; linear perfluorooctane sulfonate; and monomethyl branched isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonate. Two summative variables were created: monomethyl branch isomers of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid with linear isomer of perfluorooctane and branch isomers of perfluorooctanoate with linear isomer perfluorooctonate. Results In unadjusted logistic regression, in which the comparison was between the less than 75th percentile reference group and the 75th and above percentile group, higher perfluorodecanoic acid was associated with dental caries experience [unadjusted odds ratio: 1.79 (95% CI: 1.19, 2.46; P = 0.0069); adjusted odds ratio: 1.54 (95% CI: 1.03, 2.30; P = 0.0385)]. Conclusions Of the seven examined perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, only perfluorodecanoic acid had an association with dental caries experience in an unadjusted model and adjusted logistic regression model.
Omitted-variable bias and other matters in the defense of the category adjustment model: A comment on Crawford (2019)

The datasets from Duffy, Huttenlocher, Hedges, and Crawford (2010) [Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 17(2), 224-230] were reanalyzed by Duffy and Smith (2018) [Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 25(5), 1740-1750]. Duffy and Smith (2018) conclude that the datasets are not consistent with the category adjustment model (CAM). Crawford (2019) [Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 26(2), 693-698] offered a reply to Duffy and Smith (2018) that is based on three main points. Crawford proposes regressions that are, in part, based on a “deviation” analysis. Crawford offers a different simulation of data and claims that the techniques employed by Duffy and Smith (2018) are not sufficiently sensitive to detect a specific relationship that is claimed to be consistent with CAM. Crawford also appeals to a figure showing that the responses appear to be biased toward the overall running mean, and presumably not toward recently viewed lines. We show that Crawford’s analysis suffers from an omitted-variable bias. Once this bias is corrected, the evidence in support of CAM disappears. When we produce a simulated dataset that is consistent with the specification suggested by Crawford, the techniques of Duffy and Smith (2018) correctly detect the true relationship. Despite the assertion otherwise, the simulated dataset that was analyzed by Crawford is not publicly available. Since the analysis of Crawford (2019) is incorrect, it remains our view that the datasets from Duffy, Huttenlocher, Hedges, and Crawford (2010) do not appear to be consistent with CAM or any Bayesian model of judgment.
Serious misdiagnosis-related harms in malpractice claims: The “Big Three” – vascular events, infections, and cancers

Background Diagnostic errors cause substantial preventable harm, but national estimates vary widely from 40,000 to 4 million annually. This cross-sectional analysis of a large medical malpractice claims database was the first phase of a three-phase project to estimate the US burden of serious misdiagnosis-related harms. Methods We sought to identify diseases accounting for the majority of serious misdiagnosis-related harms (morbidity/mortality). Diagnostic error cases were identified from Controlled Risk Insurance Company (CRICO)'s Comparative Benchmarking System (CBS) database (2006-2015), representing 28.7% of all US malpractice claims. Diseases were grouped according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Clinical Classifications Software (CCS) that aggregates the International Classification of Diseases diagnostic codes into clinically sensible groupings. We analyzed vascular events, infections, and cancers (the "Big Three"), including frequency, severity, and settings. High-severity (serious) harms were defined by scores of 6-9 (serious, permanent disability, or death) on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Severity of Injury Scale. Results From 55,377 closed claims, we analyzed 11,592 diagnostic error cases [median age 49, interquartile range (IQR) 36-60; 51.7% female]. These included 7379 with high-severity harms (53.0% death). The Big Three diseases accounted for 74.1% of high-severity cases (vascular events 22.8%, infections 13.5%, and cancers 37.8%). In aggregate, the top five from each category (n = 15 diseases) accounted for 47.1% of high-severity cases. The most frequent disease in each category, respectively, was stroke, sepsis, and lung cancer. Causes were disproportionately clinical judgment factors (85.7%) across categories (range 82.0-88.8%). Conclusions The Big Three diseases account for about three-fourths of serious misdiagnosis-related harms. Initial efforts to improve diagnosis should focus on vascular events, infections, and cancers.
E-Cigarette Health Harm Awareness and Discouragement: Implications for Health Communication.

INTRODUCTION Evidence for the health harms of e-cigarettes is growing, yet little is known about which harms may be most impactful in health messaging. Our study sought to identify which harms tobacco product users were aware of and which most discouraged them from wanting to vape. METHODS Participants were a convenience sample of 1,872 U.S. adult e-cigarette-only users, cigarette-only smokers, and dual users recruited in August 2018. In an online survey, participants evaluated 40 e-cigarette harms from seven categories: chemical exposures, device explosions, addiction, cardiovascular harm, respiratory harm, e-liquid toxicity, and other harms. Outcomes were awareness of the harms ("check all that apply") and the extent to which the harms discouraged vaping (5-point scale; (1) "not at all" to (5) "very much"). RESULTS Awareness of most e-cigarette harms was modest, being highest for harms in the device explosions category of harms (44%) and lowest for the e-liquid toxicity category (16%). The harms with the highest mean discouragement from wanting to vape were the respiratory harm (M = 3.82) and exposure to chemicals (M = 3.68) categories. Harms in the addiction category were the least discouraging (M = 2.83) compared with other harms (all p < .001). Findings were similar for e-cigarette-only users, cigarette-only smokers, and dual users. CONCLUSIONS Addiction was the least motivating e-cigarette harm, a notable finding given that the current FDA e-cigarette health warning communicates only about nicotine addiction. The next generation of e-cigarette health warnings and communication campaigns should highlight other harms, especially respiratory harms and the chemical exposures that may lead to health consequences. IMPLICATIONS E-cigarette health harms related to respiratory effects, chemical exposures, and other health areas most discouraged vaping among tobacco users. In contrast, health harms about addiction least discouraged use. Several countries have begun implementing e-cigarette health warnings, including the United States, and many others are considering adopting similar policies. To increase impact, future warnings and other health communication efforts should communicate about health harms beyond addiction, such as the effects of e-cigarette use on respiratory health. Such efforts should communicate that e-cigarette use is risky and may pose less overall risk to human health than smoking, according to current evidence.
Staining and rinsing protocol in excised lymph node using paired-agent fluorescence imaging to detect micrometastases

Paired-agent fluorescence imaging could significantly improve the sensitivity of micrometastases detection for breast cancer sentinel lymph node biopsy and suggests that fewer than 1000 cells may be potentially observable in a whole human lymph node.
ipyrad: Interactive assembly and analysis of RADseq datasets.

SUMMARY ipyrad is a free and open source tool for assembling and analyzing restriction site-associated DNA sequence datasets using de novo and/or reference-based approaches. It is designed to be massively scalable to hundreds of taxa and thousands of samples, and can be efficiently parallelized on high performance computing clusters. It is available both as a command line interface and as a Python package with an application programming interface, the latter of which can be used interactively to write complex, reproducible scripts and implement a suite of downstream analysis tools. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION ipyrad is a free and open source program written in Python. Source code is available from the GitHub repository (https://github.com/dereneaton/ipyrad/), and Linux and MacOS installs are distributed through the conda package manager. Complete documentation, including numerous tutorials, and Jupyter notebooks demonstrating example assemblies and applications of downstream analysis tools are available online: https://ipyrad.readthedocs.io/.
Availability and quality of global disability data: A commentary on the Demographic and Health Surveys.

Abstract In the field of global health, there are very little data available regarding disability. Global health datasets including disability indicators operationalize the term disability in a variety of ways, making calculating global trends and cross-country comparisons by researchers difficult. The Washington Group on Disability Statistics has developed easily implemented questionnaires regarding disability to increase the availability of disability data. In 2014, the Demographic and Health Surveys program developed a disability data collection module based on the Washington Group Short Set of Questions. It is an optional module and has been implemented in fewer than 20 countries. Some countries had made adjustments to the questions while other countries have included disability using completely different questionnaires. This doesn’t solve the problem of data consistency and cross-country comparison. Based on the data collected, there are also concerns regarding the quality of the available data and how the data is being collected.
Enhanced visceromotor emotional reactivity in dyslexia and its relation to salience network connectivity

Abstract Dyslexia is a neurodevelopmental disorder mainly defined by reading difficulties. During reading, individuals with dyslexia exhibit hypoactivity in left-lateralized language systems. Lower activity in one brain circuit can be accompanied by greater activity in another, and, here, we examined whether right-hemisphere-based emotional reactivity may be elevated in dyslexia. We measured emotional reactivity (i.e., facial behavior, physiological activity, and subjective experience) in 54 children ages 7–12 with (n = 32) and without (n = 22) dyslexia while they viewed emotion-inducing film clips. Participants also underwent task-free functional magnetic resonance imaging. Parents of children with dyslexia completed the Behavior Assessment System for Children, which assesses real-world behavior. During film viewing, children with dyslexia exhibited significantly greater reactivity in emotional facial behavior, skin conductance level, and respiration rate than those without dyslexia. Across the sample, greater emotional facial behavior correlated with stronger connectivity between right ventral anterior insula and right pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pFWE
Influence of size and shape on key performance metrics in spin-torque oscillators

Spin Torque Oscillators (STOs) are promising solutions in a wide variety of next generation technologies from read-head sensors in high-density magnetic recording technology to neural oscillator units for neuromorphic computing. There are several metrics that can be used to quantify the performance of an STO such as power, quality factor, frequency tunability, etc., most of which are dependent on the design of the STO device itself. Furthermore, determining the most important metric will be contingent on its desired application, meaning that it is crucial to understand how the STOs design parameters influence all aspects of its performance so that its design can be optimized to perform the desired function. In this work, we analyzed spin torque oscillations generated from 20 magnetic tunnel junctions with in-plane anisotropy and patterned into elliptical nano-pillars with a wide range of sizes and aspect ratios. For each device, we acquired 20 to 50 data sets at various bias fields and currents and used power spectral density plots to measure output power, frequency, linewidth, quality factor, and power-to-linewidth ratio for each set. We also analyzed each STOs performance in terms of the bias fields and bias currents required to maximize output power and signal quality as well as the frequency tunability with both field and current. By comparing all of these performance metrics between the 20 STOs tested, we studied the influence of device size and shape on all aspects of STO performance and used correlation coefficients to quantify relative magnitude of these effects.
HIV Pre-exposure Prophylaxis and Buprenorphine at a Drug Detoxification Center During the Opioid Epidemic: Opportunities and Challenges

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and buprenorphine decrease HIV acquisition. Between November, 2016 and July, 2017, we surveyed persons (N = 200) at a drug detoxification center to assess their interest in PrEP and in buprenorphine, and to examine factors associated with such interests. Over the previous 6 months, 58% (117/200) injected drugs, 87% (173/200) used opioids, 50% (85/171) had condomless sex. Only 22% (26/117) of persons who injected drugs were aware of PrEP, yet 74% (86/116) and 72% (84/116) were interested in oral or injectable PrEP, respectively. Thirty-eight percent (47/125) of persons not receiving buprenorphine or methadone expressed interest in buprenorphine. After multivariable adjustment, Latinx ethnicity was associated with interest in PrEP (aOR 3.80; 95% CI 1.37–10.53), while male gender (aOR 2.76; 95% CI 1.21–6.34) was associated with interest in buprenorphine. Opportunities exist to implement PrEP and buprenorphine within drug detoxification centers. Clinical trial registration NCT02869776. Clinicaltrials.gov https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02869776?term=Sabrina+Assoumou&cond=HIV+HCV&rank=1 .
The use of functionalized nanoparticles to treat Staphylococcus aureus-based surgical-site infections: a systematic review

Staphylococcus aureus-based surgical site infections have become the leading cause of failure for total joint arthroplasty operations and remain a major issue across surgical specialties. Moreover, S. aureus-based infections are becoming drastically more difficult to treat due to the development of antibiotic resistant strains and due to the bacteria's propensity to produce biofilms. The emergence of highly resistant S. aureus infections has created the need for a novel antimicrobial treatment. Functionalized nanoparticles have recently been suggested as being a viable option to fill this void due to their strong antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties. However, said research remains a novel and developing field. The presented systematic review aimed to synthesize the best and most recent evidence available to accurately direct new research towards a viable treatment mechanism. In doing so, the authors performed a comprehensive literature search as directed by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The results showed that nanoparticles-particularly those including an iron-oxide component or acidic capping agent-are a viable treatment for S. aureus infections both in vivo and in vitro, and show even greater efficacy when combined with exposure to a magnetic field and irradiation.
Haste makes waste: The significance of translation fidelity for development and longevity.

We highlight Martinez-Miguel et al. (2021), which demonstrates that an amino acid substitution in RPS23 found in thermophilic archaea contributes to increased translation fidelity, lifespan, and stress response but slows development and reproduction in other organisms.
Rice starch and Co-proteins improve the rheological properties of zein dough

Abstract While increasing cases related to gluten intolerance have encouraged scientists to develop healthier and better-quality gluten-free products, a more ideal viscoelastic behavior is still needed. In this study, we systematically investigated a dough system composed of corn zein, starch, and additional protein (5% of total protein, termed "co-protein") to achieve similar rheological properties of wheat dough. Three types of starches (corn, wheat, and rice) and four types of co-proteins (casein, sodium caseinate, gliadin, and glutenin) were combined with zein at room temperature and at 35 °C, above zein's glass transition temperature. In small and large deformation tests, only rice starch was found to improve significantly the functionality of zein dough, resulting in formulations with similar rheological properties to wheat dough, i.e., low phase angle value, high complex modulus, and high extensional viscosity implying an elastic dough with high strength and resistance to deformation. Rice starch also significantly lowered glass transition temperature of zein dough, associated with improved performance even at room temperature. Combining zein with a proper starch type, and in cases co-proteins, substantially improved rheological properties of zein dough similar to that of wheat dough, with potential implications to the gluten-free and the plant-based protein market.
Use of Biological Markers in the Quantitative Assessment of Neurotoxic Risk

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses use of biological markers in the quantitative assessment of neurotoxic risk. Use of biomarkers offers a number of advantages. It can lead to a more complete scientific understanding, incorporating more relevant information about causal mechanisms, than a simple input-output analysis based on external dose and the incidence of end effects. It offers the eventual prospect of a better mechanism-based projection of risk beyond the range of possible direct observations in terms of dose rate, duration, and species. It offers the possibility of greater sensitivity of detection and quantification of adverse effects in some cases, going from the whole organism to the cellular or subcellular level for the units in which damage is quantified and analyzed. Moreover, physical or physiological biomarkers offer the prospect of confirming exposure-related effects and narrowing the search for causative agents in cases where effects are detected in the form of long-term changes in higher nervous system functions that may be subject to a number of psychosocial confounding influences, which are difficult to control for some exposed groups. This chapter discusses how biomarkers can be used in both basic scientific research and risk assessment. Analyzing dose-time-response relationships for classic chronic toxic effects using the case of acrylamide is also discussed in this chapter.
Ricardian or monopoly rents? The perspective of potential entrants

The explanation for the positive relationship between concentration and profitability is one of the most controversial topics in the field of industrial organization. The interest in this topic is due primarily to the conflicting antitrust policy implications originating from two competing hypotheses: the market power (collusion) hypothesis and the efficiency hypothesis. Tests of these hypotheses have focused, to a large extent, on the determinants of incumbents’ profitability. The most widely used test has been criticized for being insufficiently discriminating and, therefore, inappropriate for determining the validity of the hypotheses. The current paper presents an alternative approach. It examines the competing hypotheses by focusing on the behavior of potential entrants. A key premise is that potential entrants respond differently to incumbents’ Ricardian rents and to incumbents’ monopoly rents. Ricardian rents, resulting from superior efficiency, should have little impact on potential entrants, i.e., usually they do not induce entry; however, monopoly rents, resulting from market power, should attract entry, ceteris paribus. The current test is thus performed by comparing the entry response to adjusted and unadjusted profitability measures. The adjusted measure is obtained by removing the component of profitability attributable to concentration from the unadjusted measure. The removed component represents Ricardian rents, according to the efficiency hypothesis, and monopoly rents, according to the market power hypothesis. These differing interpretations result in contrasting predictions regarding the explanatory power of the adjusted and unadjusted measures of profitability. The empirical framework is based on a recursive model with a sample of U.S. oligopolistic industries. Previewing the results, the findings are for the most part supportive of the market power hypothesis.
The Role of Global Mental Health and Type-D Personality in Predicting Alcohol Use Among a Sample of College Students

The purpose of this study was to describe the relationship between mental health and Type D personality with problematic drinking among college students. A sample of students from a large southwestern university (N = 334) completed a self-assessment survey including the Kessler K6 Scale and Denollett's Type-D Personality Scale, along with alcohol-related variables. Results indicated that students with a high risk for 12-month serious mental illness consumed more alcohol (p = .001) and were more likely to binge drink (p = .004). Type D personality and mental health status also moderately predicted alcohol consumption (adjusted RI = .042). Implications for future research and practice are discussed.
Non‐Convective High Winds Associated with Extratropical Cyclones

Non-convective high winds are a damaging and potentially life-threatening weather phenomenon that occurs in the absence of thunderstorms, tornadoes and tropical cyclones. The vast majority of non-convective high wind events develop in association with extratropical cyclones in mid-latitude regions. Interest in non-convective high winds is growing due to their societal impact, gaps in the scientific understanding of the triggering mechanisms for these events, and possible future changes in their frequency and intensity caused by climate change. In this article, non-convective high winds are examined first in terms of their historical and cultural significance and climatological characteristics. Then, four possible mechanisms for the development of non-convective high winds in extratropical cyclones are discussed and critiqued: topography; the isallobaric wind; tropopause folds associated with stratospheric intrusions and dry slots; and sting jets associated with marine frontal cyclones. Evidence for past and future trends in non-convective high wind event frequency and intensity is also briefly examined. New avenues for future work in this emerging area of research are suggested that unite applied and basic research as well as climatological and case-study perspectives.
Mark S. Henry (1946-2012)

Mark Henry--Emeritus Professor of Applied Economics, Co-Coordinator of the Regional Economic Development Research Laboratory, and Co-Director of the University Center for Economic Development at Clemson University--passed away on July, 23 2012 after a courageous seven year battle with cancer.
The American Banking System

After a 50-year hiatus, the American banking system is currently evolving from one characterized by severe geographic and product limitations into one with nationwide branching with banks offering a virtually complete array of financial services. This transformation was ushered in by a 10-year period of extensive deregulation at the state and federal levels, caused by a variety of external and technological factors. But although the banking system has been transformed, the complex web of overlapping banking regulatory authorities has not. Over the past two decades there has been substantial consolidation in the number of banking charters—with the number of banks falling by over half. However, we expect the dual banking system to survive, with a large number of individual banks compared to any other country in the world. One unanswered question at this time is whether the historic depository-nonfinancial business separation will continue. Keywords: American banking system; structural transformation; post-Depression banking system; global banking constants; depository institutions; private bank; private banking; depository-nonfinancial separation; industrial loan companies; regulatory authorities; payments system; dual banking; Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC); Federal Reserve System; member bank; Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC); bank holding companies; board of governors of the Federal Reserve System (BGFRS); reserve requirements; relationships banking; disintermediation; money market mutual funds (MMMFs); bank failures; deregulation and reregulation; risk-based capital standards; off-balance-sheet (OBS) activities; technological progress; federal preemption; banking consolidation; nationwide branching; diseconomies of distance; universal banking
Partial external diversion of bile for the treatment of intractable pruritus associated with intrahepatic cholestasis

Partial diversion of bile flow to an external stoma was performed in 6 patients with chronic intrahepatic cholestasis with severe pruritus that had been refractory to medical measures. Four patients with progressive intrahepatic cholestasis and 2 with arteriohepatic dysplasia were treated. Follow-up has been 3-8 yr. Patients with progressive intrahepatic cholestasis have been free of itching since surgery. Serum bile salt concentrations fell from 218-275 microM (normal less than 10) before to less than 10 microM after surgery. Biochemical tests of liver function and histology returned to normal or near normal. Patients with arteriohepatic dysplasia had persistent mild pruritus after surgery. Serum bile salt concentrations fell from 153-317 to 25-37 microM. There was little or no improvement in biochemical tests or histology. Bile volume and bile salt diverted were higher in patients with progressive intrahepatic cholestasis (7.3-13.0 ml/kg.day and 83-137 mumol/kg.day, respectively) than those with arteriohepatic dysplasia (3.2-4.5 ml/kg.day and 21-36 mumol/kg.day). The quality of life since surgery has been excellent in patients with progressive intrahepatic cholestasis, but not as optimal in those with arteriohepatic dysplasia. These findings suggest that partial external biliary diversion can provide effective relief from pruritus and perhaps reversal of liver disease in patients with progressive intrahepatic cholestasis. It should be used in patients with arteriohepatic dysplasia only in those with disabling pruritus.
Clinical impact of leukoaraiosis burden and chronological age on neurological deficit recovery and 90-day outcome after minor ischemic stroke.

Abstract Background and aims Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of disability, particularly among the elderly, but this association has not been consistently noted among patients with minor stroke. We sought to determine the association of chronological age and leukoaraiosis, which is considered a marker of biological age, with the degree of neurological deficit recovery and 90-day disability after minor ischemic stroke. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 185 patients with a minor ischemic stroke (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale [NIHSS] score ≤ 5). Leukoaraiosis severity was graded according to the van Swieten scale. NIHSS was assessed at baseline, discharge, and 90-days. Multivariable linear and ordinal logistic regression analyses were constructed to identify independent predictors of the degree of NIHSS-improvement (ΔNIHSS) and 90-day outcome as assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Results Patients with severe leukoaraiosis had attenuated ΔNIHSS at 90 days as compared to patients with none-to-mild leukoaraiosis (p = 0.028). After adjustment, leukoaraiosis severity (p Conclusion Leukoaraiosis is a more sensitive predictor for neurological deficit recovery after ischemic stroke than chronological age. Further study is required to establish the specific contribution of leukoaraiosis to functional outcome after minor ischemic stroke beyond its impact on recovery mechanisms.
The effects of the nucleocytoplasmic ratio and the state of nuclear and cytoplasmic differentiation on the development of cloned and recloned embryos of mice

Nucleocytoplasmic interactions in controlling mouse embryonic development were tested by transplanting nuclei into different cytoplasmic environments. The nucleocytoplasmic ratios in 2-and 4-cell stage embryo were altered by removing one nucleus from a fused 2-cell and three nuclei from a fused 4-cell embryo. Such embryos containing relatively increased amounts of cytoplasm develop normally but at a slower rate than control embryos.The effects of transplanting 4-cell donor nuclei to the cytoplasm of an enucleated fused 2-cell embryo led to successful in vitro development and also to term in six out of 67 reconstituted embryos. When the donor nucleus was from an 8-cell embryo, successful development in vitro was less frequent and none were carried to term. Cytoplasms from the 2-cell and 4-cell embryos were very similar in affecting further development, but cytoplasms of the oocyte failed to provide a suitable environment for further development. Most of the reconstituted embryos containing a nucleus from an 8-cell embryo and cytoplasms of 2 or 4-cell embryos compacted at the subsequent 4 cell or even at the 2-cell stage of development. Thus, an 8-cell nucleus produced compaction in cytoplasms from an earlier stage.To test for reprogramming of nuclei transferred into the cytoplasms of an earlier stage of development, the nuclei from 4-cell stage reconstituted embryos were transferred into the cytoplasms of 2-cell embryos. Of the 53 recloned embryos 36(67.9%), 15(28.3%), and 1(1.7%) developed to the 2-, 4-, and 8-cell stages, respectively. The percent cleavage of recloned 4-cell stage nuclei was much lower than in the original reconstituted embryos. However no significant difference in frequency of cleavage was found between recloned embryos and reconstituted embryos with nuclei obtained from the normal morula stage. Forty-one of the recloned embryos were transferred to the oviducts of recipient mice. Of these, 17 were recovered from the oviducts after 72 h and five then continued to develop in vitro to the morula stage. These results suggest that embryonic nuclei are not reprogrammed, even by retransfer into less differentiated cytoplasms obtained from enucleated, fused 2-cell embryos.
H-ras and c-myc RNA expression in human T-cell ALL and in normal human lymphocytes.

We have compared the RNA expression of two oncogenes, H-ras and c-myc, with normal human lymphocytes, normal human T-cells, and human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). T-cell ALL RNA was derived from two human T-cell lines (MOLTS and CEM) and from five children with T-cell ALL. The RNA expression of H-ras and the third exon of c-myc was determined by northern hybridization. RNA from both MOLTS and CEM overexpressed both H-ras and the third exon of c-myc compared to normal lymphocytes and normal T-cells. T-cell ALL samples from four of five children overexpressed H-ras, while three of five patient samples overexpressed the third exon of c-myc when compared to normal lymphocytes and normal T-cells. Additional information on the oncogene expression of T-cell ALL may prove to be useful in the diagnosis and treatment of T-cell ALL.
The Use of the Rank Transform in Regression

The rank transform is a simple procedure which involves replacing the data with their corresponding ranks. The rank transform has previously been shown by the authors to be useful in hypothesis testing with respect to experimental designs. This study shows the results of using the rank transform in regression. Two sets of data given by Daniel and Wood [8] are considered for purposes of illustrating the rank transform in simple and multiple regression. Also given are the results of a Monte Carlo study which compares regression on ranks with some published Monte Carlo results on isotonic regression. This Monte Carlo study is also modified to compare regression on ranks with robust regression. Another illustration gives the results of analyses on large computer codes by regression on ranks. The rank transform is a simple, repeatable process that compares favorably with other methods such as given by Andrews [1]. Our studies indicate the method works quite well on monotonic data.
Home Safety Intervention for the Prevention of Falls

Older adults may fail to adapt their homes to their changing capabilities and needs. Are they aware of the hazards and will they implement guidelines for the prevention of falls? After initial self-reported and objective home-safety assessments were conducted, 14 older adults received brochures and posters as well as reflective tape for safety. Fourteen control subjects were assessed but did not receive educational materials. Treatment participants did not implement more safety precautions than did controls. Both groups fell equally often. They were most concerned about falling at steps and stairs.
The use of laryngeal mask airway devices in ambulatory anesthesia

Summary The LMA has gained widespread popularity, and gives the clinician a new approach to providing anesthesia for both adults and children in a wide variety of clinical situations. This device most definitely represents one of the major advances in ambulatory anesthesia within the last decade. The LMA is extensively used for outpatient surgical procedures because it is easy to use, allows rapid induction and early emergence from anesthesia, and thus improves perioperative efficiency. However, it is important to recognize the limitations of the LMA and adhere to the contraindications for its use. Proper selection of patients and learning the correct insertion technique are necessary before the use of the LMA. Maintenance of adequate depth of anesthesia should prevent most of the common problems associated with the LMA, such as difficulty in placement, difficult ventilation, gastric distention, coughing, and laryngospasm. Monitoring for gastric distention may help in preventing regurgitation of gastric contents. With increasing experience and evidence of its safety, the use of the LMA may be expanded to a wider variety of clinical situations.
Multivariate analysis techniques applied to equipment testing

Abstract This report discusses the general theory of multivariate eigenvector analysis and describes an application to equipment testing for developing a model specifying equipment performance and for constructing a climate model from the vantage point of equipment performance.
Design and synthesis of ring-constrained boropeptide thrombin inhibitors

Abstract Ring-constrained boropeptide thrombin inhibitors were designed using information from the X-ray crystal structure of 1 (3-Phenylpropionyl-Pro-boroLys-OH ·HCl) bound to thrombin. The constraints utilized cyclohexane and pyrrolidine rings to preorganize an aromatic ring in an orientation allowing optimum edge-to-face interaction with the tryptophan 215 side chain located in the S3 specificity pocket of thrombin.