cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Positron Emission Tomography in Evaluating Mediastinal Lymph Node Metastases in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a modality that differentiates malignant from benign processes based upon metabolism rather than anatomy. A number of studies have confirmed improved accuracy of PET over computed tomography (CT), but until a few recent studies, most had failed to include satisfactory histologic confirmation. The objective of this study was to compare PET and CT to histologic staging of the mediastinum in patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Histologic examination of mediastinal lymph nodes (MLNs) was performed on 40 patients with NSCLC at mediastinoscopy and/or at surgical resection. PET scans were interpreted by one of two nuclear medicine physicians, blinded to histology, using CT scans for anatomic localization. CT scans were independently evaluated for mediastinal lymphadenopathy. The overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of PET were 78% (31 of 40), 67% (four of six), and 79% (27 of 34), respectively. The overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of CT were 68% (27 of 40), 50% (three of six), and 71% (24 of 34), respectively. PET was superior to CT at correctly identifying mediastinal nodal metastases; however, both modalities were inferior to the gold standard of surgical staging. PET is more accurate than CT in staging the mediastinum of patients with NSCLC. PET failed to identify lymph node metastasis in 33% of patients with histologically proven MLN involvement, and false positives were present in 15%. At present, mediastinoscopy should remain the standard of care for preoperative mediastinal staging for NSCLC.
Pest Status of Aphids and Other Insects in Winter Canola in Georgia

Canola, Brassica napus L., is being evaluated as a winter grain crop in the southeastern United States. The damage potential of insect pests was studied during three growing seasons in the Piedmont and coastal plain regions of Georgia by controlling insects with insecticides at the rosette, beginning bloom, or pod-fill stages of plant development. Canola pod infestations by the cabbage seedpod weevil, Ceutorhynchus assimilis Paykull, reached 60% at some sites in northern Georgia indicating that this insect will be an important pest of canola in this area. However, C. assimilis was not collected in any year in southern Georgia. Yield responses to insecticide treatments were associated with a complex of aphids, primarily the turnip aphid, Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach), and green peach aphid, Myzus persicae (Sulzer), which caused direct injury to leaves and stems. Aphid injury reduced plant height and winter survival and delayed plant development. Comparison of untreated and season-long treated plots indicated that aphid injury reduced yield by 9.9, 30.4, and 34.8% in 3 yr in the coastal plain region. In northern Georgia, yield losses caused by aphids were ≤2.0% in three of four trials, but aphid injury reduced yield by 32.7% in one trial. Insecticidal control of aphids had the greatest effect on yield during the rosette stage with treatments at first bloom also enhancing yield in some trials. Insecticide treatments at pod-fill stage did not affect canola growth and yield in any trial. Aphids most likely will be a limiting factor in canola production in the southern United States, particularly in the coastal plain region. Aphid management activities should be directed at seedling and rosette stages of plant development.
A SMALL GAS THERMOMETER FOR USE AT LOW TEMPERATURES

A small constant volume gas thermometer utilizing a self-contained tunnel diode oscillator is described. It has a sensitivity of 0.2 mK and is highly linear between 0.71 and 10 K.
Increased Burden of Cardiovascular Disease in Carriers of APOL1 Genetic Variants

Rationale:Two distinct alleles in the gene encoding apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1), a major component of high-density lipoprotein, confer protection against Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense infection and also increase risk for chronic kidney disease. Approximately 14% of Americans with African ancestry carry 2 APOL1 risk alleles, accounting for the high chronic kidney disease burden in this population. Objective:We tested whether APOL1 risk alleles significantly increase risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) in African Americans. Methods and Results:We sequenced APOL1 in 1959 randomly selected African American participants in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) and evaluated associations between APOL1 genotypes and renal and cardiovascular phenotypes. Previously identified association between APOL1 genotypes and chronic kidney disease was confirmed (P=2.4×10−6). Among JHS participants with 2 APOL1 risk alleles, we observed increased risk for CVD (50/763 events among participants without versus 37/280 e...
Amino acid sequence of the carboxy-terminal cyanogen bromide peptide of the human fibrinogen β-chain: Homology with the corresponding γ-chain peptide and presence in fragment D

Abstract The carboxy-terminal cyanogen bromide fragment of the human fibrinogen β-chain has been isolated and its structure determined. It is a nonapeptide with the sequence Lys-Ile-Arg-Pro-Phe-Phe-Pro-Gln-Gln and is homologous with a portion of the carboxy-terminal cyanogen bromide fragment of the γ-chain. The peptide has also been isolated in full yield from cyanogen bromide digests of the plasmin-derived fragment D, indicating that the carboxy-terminal region of the β-chain is resistant to plasmin digestion. In contrast, a small portion of the corresponding γ-chain carboxy-terminal region was missing in the same fragment D.
A behavioral frequency discrimination paradigm for use in adult primates

A psychophysical apparatus and procedure that can be used to define the performance and estimate the thresholds of frequency discrimination in adult primates is described. This protocol has been used to train adult owl monkeys to discriminate differences in the frequencies of successively presented sinusoidal tactile stimuli delivered to a restricted skin surface of a single digit, and to train a second set of adult owl monkeys to discriminate. differences in frequencies between paired auditory tonal stimuli. The thresholds estimated with this procedure are comparable to those measured in other primates. The advantages of using this procedure for combined behavioral and physiological studies are discussed.
A Randomized Trial of a Multimodal Community-Based Prisoner Reentry Program Emphasizing Substance Abuse Treatment

Prisoner reentry programs continue to be developed and implemented to ease the process of transition into the community and to curtail fiscal pressures. This study describes and provides relapse and recidivism outcome findings related to a randomized trial evaluating a multimodal, community-based reentry program that prioritized substance abuse treatment. Results from analyses suggest negligible effects for participants of the program across multiple outcome indicators. Avenues for further exploration are provided, with a cautionary emphasis on the continued expansion of multimodal community-based reentry programs.
China and India in an Asian-Pacific economic community

Abstract With the apparent acceleration of the movement towards regional trade cooperation in the Asian-Pacific region the attitudes and potential roles of the two largest Asian developing countries-China and India-become of greater interest, and possibly importance, with respect to the future of any such arrangements. In this paper I first review their present positions in the economies and trade of Asia. Following this I examine the possible impacts of their current reform programs on their economies and trade. I then look at the political constraints in each of the two countries with respect to regional cooperation and greater trade and investment within the region. I also examine the economic costs and benefits to them and to other countries in the area of their membership in a regional trade agreement. I conclude by drawing the implications of my political-economic analysis for the future of any Asian-Pacific economic cooperation arrangement, and the roles of China and India in it.
The Frank-Kamenetskii problem revisited. Part I. Boundary conditions of first kind

Abstract The classical steady-state thermal ignition problem in the three one-dimensional geometries is considered. The well-known method of expanding the exponent first suggested by Frank-Kamenetskii is modified by performing the expansion about the unknown midplane temperature. Analytical expressions were obtained for the critical conditions that will allow the handling of more complex boundary conditions. The results are compared with the existing exact and numerical solutions.
Conversion ofβ-mercaptopyruvate to 2-mercaptoethanol by yeast enzymes

Hefeextrakt decarboxyliertβ-Mercaptobrenztraubensaure zu 2-Mercaptoazetaldehyd, welches von DPNH und Alkohol-Dehydrogenase zu 2-Mercaptoethanol reduziert wird. Enzymatische und chemische Messungen bestatigen den Reaktionsmechanismus.
Ribonucleic acid synthesis in germinating cotton seeds.

The synthesis of RNA has been mapped during the initial (dark) phase of germination in cotton seed. During the first 16 hours whole embryos synthesize new ribosomes and protein. Treatment of whole embryos with cycloheximide during this period inhibits protein synthesis and stops further development. Actinomycin D inhibits the synthesis of new ribosomes. This inhibition does not decrease the total ribosomal population, inhibit the synthesis of protein, or retard normal development during this time. These observations suggest that the protein synthesis observed during this period is directed by stable messenger RNA and ribosomes which exist preformed in the mature seed. The synthesis of ribosomes ceases after about 40 hours in the cotyledons and 48 hours in the roots and stems. After this time the synthesis of ribosomal RNA continues but it does not become incorporated into ribosomes. Rather, this RNA is incorporated into a particle, detectable only by radioactivity, which sediments more slowly than monomeric ribosomes on a sucrose density-gradient. On prolonged incubation, the radioactivity associated with the particle moves into mature ribosomes. The particle appears to be an intermediate in the synthesis of ribosomes and has properties similar to those reported for ribosomal precursor particles in bacteria. Its synthesis is completely suppressed by light. During the period of precursor particle synthesis in the roots and stems, protein and RNA synthesis is necessary for further development as determined by inhibition studies with cycloheximide and actinomycin D. The required RNA synthesis is possibly messenger RNA. In cotyledons, during this period, protein synthesis appears to be required for normal development. Whether this protein synthesis is dependent upon concurrent RNA synthesis cannot be evaluated by the use of actinomycin D, probably due to an inability to get the antibiotic into the cells during this period.
Homologous Down-Regulation of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Receptor Messenger Ribonucleic Acid Levels

Repeated stimulation of pituitary cell cultures with GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) results in diminished responsiveness, a phenomenon referred to as homologous desensitization. One component of GHRH-induced desensitization is a reduction in GHRH-binding sites, which is reflected by the decreased ability of GHRH to stimulate a rise in intracellular cAMP. In the present study, we sought to determine if homologous down-regulation of GHRH receptor number is due to a decrease in GHRH receptor synthesis. To this end, we developed and validated a quantitative RT-PCR assay system that was capable of assessing differences in GHRH-R messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in total RNA samples obtained from rat pituitary cell cultures. Treatment of pituitary cells with GHRH, for as little as 4 h, resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in GHRH-R mRNA levels. The maximum effect was observed with 0.1 and 1 nm GHRH, which reduced GHRH-R mRNA levels to 49 ± 4% (mean ± sem) and 54 ± 11% of control values, respectively (n = three separat...
Teleradiology Part I. History and Clinical Applications

Teleradiology—the ability to obtain images in one location, transmit them over a distance, and view them remotely for diagnostic or consultative purposes—has been explored for nearly 50 years and is part of the more encompassing concept of “telemedicine”—the delivery of health care services over a distance. Major advances in telecommunications and computer systems and advances in the ability to capture medical information in digital form have accelerated the ability to apply telemedicine methods in a practical and affordable manner. These enabling factors are especially relevant to radiology, which currently stands out as one of the most technologically and clinically advanced areas for telemedicine applications.
Does subclinical hyperthyroidism predispose to cocaine addiction

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between subclinical hyperthyroidism and cocaine abuse. METHODS Using the computerized patient medical record system at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee, we identified the following 3 groups: (1) cocaine abusers without hyperthyroidism; (2) patients with hyperthyroidism without cocaine abuse; and (3) patients with hyperthyroidism and cocaine abuse. In 1,191 patients taken from the same clinic population, we calculated the prevalence of cocaine abuse alone, hyperthyroidism alone, and both diagnoses together to examine whether a relationship existed between hyperthyroidism and cocaine abuse. RESULTS We found the following prevalences: (1) 37.7 per 1,000 patients with cocaine abuse; (2) 18.8 per 1,000 with hyperthyroidism (primarily subclinical); and (3) 65.4 per 1,000 with both hyperthyroidism and cocaine abuse. We found a highly statistically significant correlation between subclinical hyperthyroidism and cocaine abuse (P<<.01 by χ² test) in this population of Veterans Affairs patients. No other significant correlations were found. CONCLUSION In our study population, we found a strong correlation between hyperthyroidism (overt or subclinical) and cocaine abuse. Several theoretical mechanisms may explain these findings, but further prospective studies are needed to clarify this complex relationship.
Regioselective synthesis of the bridged tricyclic core of Garcinia natural products via intramolecular aryl acrylate cycloadditions.

Two different routes to the tricyclic core of Garcinia-derived natural products are described. The first approach is based on a tandem Claisen/Diels−Alder rearrangement and delivers the desired lactone 14. The second approach, employing a Wessely oxidation/Diels−Alder protocol, leads to the same caged heterocycle, albeit with modified constitution.
A model enzymic extracorporeal detoxification system.

Preliminary studies at the University of Oklahoma have incorporated the use of a continuous, seal-less blood centrifuge as an extracorporeal detoxification unit to aid in the removal of foreign chemicals from the blood. Detoxification is performed by immobilized enzymes in conjunction with a cofactor (NADPH) bound to a water-soluble macromolecule. A drug enters the device with the plasma and then passes across a semipermeable membrane which serves to retain the cofactor. At this point, a combination of the drug, the cofactor and the enzyme react to form the drug-oxide. The oxide then passes back through the membrane into the blood and back into the body. Concurrently, the macroNADP+ is reduced by G-6-P and G-6-PD in the cofactor regeneration portion of the device. To facilitate detoxification, the centrifuge is employed to provide plasma rich in toxins, but void of potentially interfering blood components such as platelets and whole blood cells. These components tend to dilute the toxins or adhere to the interfacing membrane, decreasing the permeability of these toxins into the detoxification unit. It is felt that the centrifugedetoxification combination will provide a potentially efficient hepatic assist device.
Antibacterial Natural Products in Medicinal Chemistry—Exodus or Revival?

To create a drug, nature's blueprints often have to be improved through semisynthesis or total synthesis (chemical postevolution). Selected contributions from industrial and academic groups highlight the arduous but rewarding path from natural products to drugs. Principle modification types for natural products are discussed herein, such as decoration, substitution, and degradation. The biological, chemical, and socioeconomic environments of antibacterial research are dealt with in context. Natural products, many from soil organisms, have provided the majority of lead structures for marketed anti-infectives. Surprisingly, numerous "old" classes of antibacterial natural products have never been intensively explored by medicinal chemists. Nevertheless, research on antibacterial natural products is flagging. Apparently, the "old fashioned" natural products no longer fit into modern drug discovery. The handling of natural products is cumbersome, requiring nonstandardized workflows and extended timelines. Revisiting natural products with modern chemistry and target-finding tools from biology (reversed genomics) is one option for their revival.
Dimensions of Social Interactions among Infant Rhesus Monkeys

To determine the basic dimensions of social interactions in infant rhesus monkeys, 12 animals were divided into groups of four each and observed in a playroom situation. Each monkey was observed for a total of 3 hr. in 18 test sessions over a 2-mo. period. A factor analysis of three separate sets of data yielded two independent factors: an approach-avoidance factor in which the monkey being observed passes or approaches another animal who withdraws, and an avoidance-approach factor in which the monkey being observed withdraws as another monkey passes or approaches. The first factor appears similar to what is ordinarily called “dominance” among humans and the second factor appears similar to what is ordinarily called “submission.” Unlike studies with humans, no “love-hostility” factor emerged. This was thought to be due to the age and/or early social deprivation of Ss. There was little consistency in the behavior of the monkeys when group compositions were changed.
Comparison of methods and sampling designs to test for association between rare variants and quantitative traits.

Genome-wide association studies succeeded in finding genetic variants associated with various phenotypes, but a large portion of the predicted genetic contribution to many traits remains unknown. One plausible explanation is that some missing variation is due to rare variants. Latest sequencing technology facilitates the investigation of such rare variants, but their statistical analysis remains challenging. For quantitative traits, a commonly used approach is to contrast the frequency of putatively functional rare variants between subjects in the two tails of the trait distribution. The contrast is usually performed by Fisher's exact or similar test. These tests are conservative as they discard trait rank information and are most useful under the unrealistic homogeneity assumption (i.e., variants have similar effects). We propose, and investigate via simulations, various designs for resequencing studies and statistical methods that incorporate information about rank, predicted function and allow for heterogeneity of effects. We propose designs which accommodate heterogeneity by sequencing both tails and the middle of the trait and novel statistical tests for trend, for heterogeneity and for a combination of the two. The conclusions of the simulations are four fold: (1) sequencing both tails and the middle of the trait distributions is desirable when heterogeneity is suspected, (2) trend and heterogeneity statistics should be used alongside other methods, (3) using rank information improves power over Fisher's exact test when the number of rare variants is not very large and (4) due to high misclassification rates, incorporating current predictions of a variant's function does not improve power. Genet. Epidemiol. 35: 226-235, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The shape of the T-even bacteriophage head

Abstract Electron micrographs of T-even heads have provided no valid reason for believing that the head shape must be a bipyramidal hexagonal prism, as other polyhedra also give hexagonal profiles similar to those shown by T-even heads. Comparison of the structure of the normal head with various defective head forms shows that (1) the molecules are probably hexagonally packed in the head membrane and (2) the local packing of head protein molecules is the same round a terminal and a nonterminal vertex. Of four hypotheses which are described, only two are consistent with this evidence; both require the normal head to have the structure of an isometric capsid with icosahedral symmetry, in which the middle portion has been extended. Of these two hypotheses, the head shape is most satisfactorily accounted for by a hypothesis according to which the normal head has 52 symmetry and has a shape derived from a regular icosahedron by the extension of its middle section (‘prolate icosahedron’). It is shown that it is possible to accommodate the 5-fold axis of this head with the 6-fold symmetry of the base plate.
The effect of magnocellular basal forebrain lesions on circadian locomotor activity in the rat.

Abstract Locomotor activity (LMA) was assessed in rats given ibotenic acid lesions in the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (group NBM) or sham surgery (group OC). Two weeks after surgery, rats were monitored for 8 hours during the middle of either the 12 hr light (day) or 12 dark (night) period of the diurnal cycle. Six behavioral measures of LMA were examined: horizontal activity, vertical activity (rearing), distance travelled, movement time, movement velocity (distance/time) and revolutions (turning behavior). During the day, no statistically significant differences between the NBM and OC groups were observed in any of the measures. At night, both NBM and OC groups generally were more active than during the day, and the NBM group generally was more active than the OC group. Because the diurnal LMA of rats with NBM lesions was not significantly affected during the day, when laboratory animals are usually tested, hypotheses regarding lesion-induced locomotor abnormalities cannot be invoked to account entirely for the impaired performance observed in NBM rats on tasks designed to measure learning and memory.
Three social distance measures for film rankings

We describe the use of three alternative methods for ranking films for information retrieval (IR). A large film-person incidence matrix is generated using the principle cast, directors, producers and screenwriters for each film. These attributes are used to measure film-film distances by creating a distance matrix: two films are considered to be adjacent if there is any overlap in the people associated with each film. The distance between any two films is measured by the shortest path used to connect them through their adjacent members. The second and third methods involve the creation of a similarity matrix that expresses the amount of overlap in the people associated with any two films using Dice's coefficient. A “product distance” matrix is then derived that express the distances between any two films based on the product of the similarity weights on a path that connects those films. The highest value is chosen when alternate paths connect the two films. We also describe an “accumulative difference distance” matrix that also expresses the distances among pairs of films. The distance, product distance and accumulative difference distance matrices are used to generate rankings for a random sample of films.
Treatment of adolescent pilonidal disease with a new modification to the Limberg flap: symmetrically rotated rhomboid excision and lateralization of the Limberg flap technique.

Abstract Background/Purpose Pilonidal disease is a common and frustrating problem among adolescents due to its high recurrence rate. The rhomboid excision and Limberg flap techniques promise successful results, but the lower part of the incision left on the intergluteal sulcus is prone to recurrences. Consequently, we have developed a new modification to this technique and have designed a descriptive prospective study to evaluate its efficiency. Methods We conducted this prospective study between March 2011 and March 2012. All of the patients who were operated on for sacrococcygeal pilonidal disease were included in this study. The surgical procedure primarily consisted of symmetrically rotated (clockwise) rhomboid excision and lateralization of the Limberg flap in order to keep the inferior corner of the suture line apart from the intergluteal sulcus. Results A total of 15 adolescents (8 boys and 7 girls) were included in the study group. Of the patients, 47% were normal, 13% were overweight, and 40% were obese. Five patients were operated on under general anesthesia, and 10 were operated on under spinal anesthesia. The length of the flap margins ranged from 2.5 to 7cm (median=4cm). The median duration of hospitalization was 5days, and the median duration of suction drainage was 4days. The median postoperative follow-up period was 4months (ranging from 1 to 12months), and we did not encounter any wound infection or recurrent disease during this period. Only one patient had wound hematoma as a result of drain breakdown and was treated with wound care without any additional complications. Conclusion Although the number of patients in this study was small and the follow-up period was short, we obtained satisfactory results without any recurrence by performing a symmetrically rotated rhomboid excision and lateralized Limberg flap procedure.
Investigations of Natural Frequencies and Vibration Mode Shapes for a Post-Buckled Beam With Different Attached Masses

This paper considers the theoretical response of a base-excited post-buckled beam. A mass that can be varied was attached to the midspan of the clamped-clamped beam. The theoretical model for the post-buckled beam was first investigated by applying the extended Hamilton principle to obtain a partial differential equation for beam motion carrying a central mass. This equation was used to analyze the behavior of the pre- and post-buckled natural frequencies in terms of the axial load. The first three buckled configurations were then examined, and plots showing the pre- and post-buckled modal frequencies were constructed. It was found that the addition of a central mass to the beam significantly lowered its first natural frequency, while the second frequency was relatively unaffected. A set of experiments were performed and it was shown that adding a mass on the beam increased the occurrence of snap through behavior. This nonlinear behavior produced large displacements and chaotic behavior.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Response of skin photoplethysmography, laser Doppler flowmetry and transcutaneous oxygen tensiometry to stenosis-induced reductions in limb blood flow

Photoplethysmography (PPG), transcutaneous oxygen tensiometry (TCpO 2 ) and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) were used to measure changes in perfusion of the distal lower limb of the pig, in response to a stenosis created in the external iliac artery. The severity of stenosis was quantitated by the ratio of peak systolic distal pressure to peak systolic proximal pressure (distal systolic pressure index, DSPI). PPG and LDF were immediately responsive to changes in perfusion pressure while TCpO 2 responded much more slowly. PPG dropped precipitously in response to even a small reduction in perfusion pressure, reaching zero at a DSPI of approximately 0.3. TCpO 2 was insensitive to the presence of a mild stenosis (DSPI > 0.6), but was highly sensitive in the range 0.6 > DSPI > 0.3. At lower DSPI values, TCpO 2 also became zero, due in part to electrode consumption of oxygen. LDF readings were sensitive to changes in blood flow throughout the entire range of stenosis, down to the point of total occlusion, although changes were not significant at DSPI values > 0.6. Because LDF measures not only nutritional blood flow, but flow in AV shunts and subdermal plexuses as well, high LDF readings could erroneously suggest tissue viability and good healing potential. Resting levels of TCpO 2 and LDF can be used to follow the progress of peripheral vascular disease, and used complementarily, in many cases, to evaluate the severity of flow impairment.
Identification and Functional Characterization of the Protein controlled by the Streptomycin-resistant Locus in E. coli

The streptomycin locus of E. coli specifies a 30S ribosomal protein which determines the sensitivity of the 30S subunit to streptomycin and streptomycin induced errors of translation.
Tools for evaluating and monitoring effectiveness of urban landscape water conservation interventions and programs

Abstract Our research objective was to investigate ways to evaluate landscape water use to help cities more effectively direct water conservation programs to locations with capacity to conserve. Research was conducted in connection with a landscape irrigation evaluation delivered through a city-sponsored Water Check Program. Research efforts led to development of several assessment and monitoring tools including: Landscape Irrigation Ratio (LIR), Participant Outcome Evaluation Tool, and Program Evaluation Tool. We utilized these tools to identify locations with capacity to conserve water applied to landscapes, compare water use before and after the water check, and evaluate Water Check Program effectiveness. We found the LIR approach successfully distinguished residential locations efficiently or acceptably using water applied to landscapes from ones with use considered inefficient or excessive. In analyzing change in participants’ water use and eliminating explanations other than the water check, we found factors influencing landscape water use tend to be highly contextualized and the intervention itself needed to be analyzed. The majority of participants who adopted the water check recommendations successfully reduced their landscape water use, but results indicate water check programs can be designed for greater effectiveness by accommodating participants’ differing knowledge and skill levels. We argue that the tools we developed provide the water conservation field with a needed set of common assessment methods. We conclude that landscape water checks have the potential to provide people with the information and problem-solving skills necessary to maintain residential landscapes using appropriate amounts of water if they are well designed, delivered, and monitored.
Intracellular Trafficking of Histone Deacetylase 4 Regulates Neuronal Cell Death

Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) undergoes signal-dependent shuttling between the cytoplasm and nucleus, which is regulated in part by calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase (CaMK)-mediated phosphorylation. Here, we report that HDAC4 intracellular trafficking is important in regulating neuronal cell death. HDAC4 is normally localized to the cytoplasm in brain tissue and cultured cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). However, in response to low-potassium or excitotoxic glutamate conditions that induce neuronal cell death, HDAC4 rapidly translocates into the nucleus of cultured CGNs. Treatment with the neuronal survival factor BDNF suppresses HDAC4 nuclear translocation, whereas a proapoptotic CaMK inhibitor stimulates HDAC4 nuclear accumulation. Moreover, ectopic expression of nuclear-localized HDAC4 promotes neuronal apoptosis and represses the transcriptional activities of myocyte enhancer factor 2 and cAMP response element-binding protein, survival factors in neurons. In contrast, inactivation of HDAC4 by small interfering RNA or HDAC inhibitors suppresses neuronal cell death. Finally, an increase of nuclear HDAC4 in granule neurons is also observed in weaver mice, which harbor a mutation that promotes CGN apoptosis. Our data identify HDAC4 and its intracellular trafficking as key effectors of multiple pathways that regulate neuronal cell death.
Combating Adaptation to Cyclic Stretching by Prolonging Activation of Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase

In developing implantable tissues based on cellular remodeling of a fibrin scaffold, a key indicator of success is high collagen content. Cellular collagen synthesis is stimulated by cyclic stretching but is limited by cellular adaptation. Adaptation is mediated by deactivation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK); therefore inhibition of ERK deactivation should improve mechanically stimulated collagen production and accelerate the development of strong engineered tissues. The hypothesis of this study is that p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (p38) activation by stretching limits ERK activation and that chemical inhibition of p38 α/γ isoforms with SB203580 will increase stretching-induced ERK activation and collagen production. Both p38 and ERK were activated by 15 min of stretching but only p38 remained active after 1 h. After an effective dose of inhibitor was identified using cell monolayers, 5 μM SB203580 was found to increase ERK activation by two-fold in cyclically stretched fibrin-based tissue constructs. When 5 μM SB203580 was added to the culture medium of constructs exposed to 3 weeks of incremental amplitude cyclic stretch, 2.6 fold higher stretching-induced total collagen was obtained. In conclusion, SB203580 circumvents adaptation to stretching induced collagen production and may be useful in engineering tissues where mechanical strength is a priority.
Analysis of the Native Quaternary Structure of Vanilloid Receptor 1

Vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (VR1) is a ligand-gated channel that can be activated by capsaicin and other vanilloids as well as by protons and heat. In the present study, we have analyzed the oligomeric state of VR1. Co-immunoprecipitation of differently tagged VR1 molecules indicated that VR1 can form oligomers. Using two different heterologous VR1 expression systems as well as endogenous VR1 expressed in dorsal root ganglion cells, we analyzed oligomer formation using perfluoro-octanoic acid polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Results were confirmed both with chemical cross-linking agents as well as through endogenous cross-linking mediated by transglutaminase. Our results clearly show that VR1 forms multimers in each of the expression systems with a homotetramer as a predominant form. The oligomeric structure of VR1 may contribute to the complexity of VR1 pharmacology. Finally, differences in glycosylation between the systems were observed, indicating the need for caution in the use of the heterologous expression systems for analysis of VR1 properties.
Agile sensors for task-specific sensing

Tailoring the parameters of a sensor to the task, environment, and object of interest is one approach to optimizing sensing performance. This paper describes some elements of sensor agility, suggests possible sensor architectures, and gives the status of some on-going developments.
Lexical differences between working and resistance sessions in psychoanalysis

Divided 25 psychoanalytic sessions with a single patient into 10 working sessions, 5 neutral sessions, and 10 resistance sessions on the basis of ratings by psychoanalysts. Using the Regressive Imagery Dictionary on keypunched transcripts of these sessions, significantly more primary process content and less secondary process content was found in the patient's working-session speech, as opposed to resistance-session speech. Lexical diversity was also higher during working sessions. Results are compared with those obtained with other types of verbal material and are discussed in terms of psychoanalytic views on the process of psychotherapy.
X-ray-induced perturbations in the replication of the bacterial chromosome

Abstract Using [3H]thymine or [3H]thymidine as a pre-irradiation label and the thymine analogue 5-bromo-[14C]uracil as a combined density and radioisotopic label for observing post-irradiation DNA synthesis, it has been determined that relatively low doses of X-rays can induce changes in the normal sequence of chromosome replication. Changes are noted at doses of 2000 R or higher, with the effects becoming increasingly manifest with higher doses. The findings may be summarized as follows: (1) DNA synthesis immediately following irradiation occurs in limited regions of the chromosome. (2) Resumption of chromosome replication occurs at a point(s) apparently differing from the original growth point. (3) An early temporal appearance of a second “generation” of DNA is observed. (4) A portion of the DNA does not appear to participate in post-irradiation chromosomal replication. A feature of the experimental method was that at least 98 % of the cellular DNA was recovered in the CsCl gradients.
Effects of family planning and health services on women’s welfare: evidence on dowries and intra-household bargaining in Bangladesh

This paper demonstrates how the availability of family planning and maternal and child health services alters the structure of intra-household bargaining. The overall welfare gains from such programs are likely to be large, but when women obtain access to services only through marriage, some of these gains may be partially offset by changes in their bargaining power and in the dowries that they pay their husbands. I examine these marriage market effects using a family planning and health services program in rural Bangladesh, finding that compared to women without program access, women in the treatment area are 35% less likely to be able to make purchases without permission from their husbands or another household member. Moreover, a difference-in-difference specification confirms that women pay 14% higher dowries in order to obtain husbands with access to the program. The fact that adjustments are made both before and within marriage suggests that marital contracts in rural Bangladesh are negotiated along multiple margins.
Sodium hexametaphosphate as an aid in benthic sample sorting

The efficacy of sodium hexametaphosphate, when added to a formalin-Rose Bengal fixative solution, in improving the efficiency of benthic sample sorting by encouraging the disaggregation of silt-clay sediment has been investigated. Samples of estuarine mud (Mdφ = 6·1) from Damhead Creek, River Medway, were used for the analysis. A significant increase (≅23%; p < 0·01) in sieving efficiency was found in samples treated with concentrations of 1·24g/litre or more of sodium hexametaphosphate; treatments with higher concentrations than 1·24g/litre did not improve on this performance significantly. The use of 1·24g/litre sodium hexametaphosphate in an initial fixative/preservative solution is recommended as an economic and practical means of improving the efficiency of benthic sample sorting, without deleterious effects on the animal specimens in the sample.
Age and Outcomes After Carotid Stenting and Endarterectomy The Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial

Background and Purpose—High stroke event rates among carotid artery stenting (CAS)-treated patients in the Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy Versus Stenting Trial (CREST) lead-in registry generated an a priori hypothesis that age may modify the relative efficacy of CAS versus carotid endarterectomy (CEA). In the primary CREST report, we previously noted significant effect modification by age. Here we extend this investigation by examining the relative efficacy of the components of the primary end point, the treatment-specific impact of age, and contributors to the increasing risk in CAS-treated patients at older ages. Methods—Among 2502 CREST patients with high-grade carotid stenosis, proportional hazards models were used to examine the impact of age on the CAS-to-CEA relative efficacy, and the impact of age on risk within CAS-treated and CEA-treated patients. Results—Age acted as a treatment effect modifier for the primary end point (P interaction=0.02), with the efficacy of CAS and CEA approximat...
Leisure and tolerance - an historical perspective.

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to explain and explore the concept of tolerance as developed in post-Reformation Europe. The religious turmoil of this period tested the social order of the day and will be used to exemplify the difficulties of embracing tolerance while clinging to dogma. The work of French philosopher, Voltaire, provides the reader with an understanding of the Enlightenment's perspective on tolerance as an outgrowth of the repression of the reformation period. Tolerance, in the traditional sense, is limited to the allowance for diverse systems of ideas, beliefs and practices. Tolerance is differentiated from diversity, as a contemporary description of sensitivity to and appreciation of personal difference, and multiculturalism, an all—inclusive attempt to embrace ethnic and racial differences. Tolerance as a contributing factor to cultural progression has profound implications for the continuing evolution of leisure theory. Leisure, both substantively and functionally, requires and s...
Specific amino acid residues in the basic helix-loop-helix domain of SRC-3 are essential for its nuclear localization and proteasome-dependent turnover

SRC-3/AIB1/ACTR/pCIP/RAC3/TRAM-1 is a primary transcriptional coactivator for the estrogen receptor. Here we report that deletion of the SRC-3 basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) domain blocks its proteasome-dependent turnover. We further identified two residues (K17 and R18) in the SRC-3 bHLH domain that are essential for its stability. Moreover, we found that the bHLH domain contains a bipartite nuclear localization signal (NLS). SRC-3 NLS mutants block its translocation into the nucleus, and this correlates with its insensitivity to proteasome-dependent turnover. SRC-3 shows a time-dependent decay in the presence of cycloheximide which is not apparent for the cytoplasmic mutant. Fusion of a simian virus 40 T antigen NLS to the cytoplasmic localized SRC-3 mutant drives it back into the nucleus and restores its proteasomal sensitivity. In addition, the cytoplasmic mutants are inactive for transcriptional coactivation and cancer cell growth. Taken together, our data indicate that proteasome-dependent turnover of SRC-3 occurs in the nucleus and that two amino acid residues in the bHLH domain provide a signal for its nuclear localization and proteasome-dependent degradation as well as for regulation of SRC-3 transcriptional coactivator capacity.
Capabilities-Based Approach to Measuring the Societal Impacts of Natural and Man-Made Hazards in Risk Analysis

This paper presents a capabilities-based approach to identifying and quantifying the expected overall societal impact of natural hazards in engineering risk analysis. Drawing on the work in development economics and policy by philosopher Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen, for which he won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1998, the societal impact is defined in terms of the impact on selected individual capabilities, the functionings individuals are able, still able, or unable to achieve in the aftermath of a hazard. Individual capabilities capture the net societal impact of hazards, which includes likely benefits and opportunities in addition to losses. A general methodology is discussed for practically implementing the proposed approach to quantifying the expected societal impact, modeled on the framework currently used by the United Nations to assess the level of development of societies around the world. This proposed capabilities-based approach can be used with different methods or techniques for risk and decision analysis and when assessing risk for diverse types of hazards that range from minor to catastrophic.
An iterative learning control technique for a dual arm robotic system

A multidimensional iterative model for the control analysis of two cooperating robots is proposed. The manipulation of a rigid object with elastic restraint between the object and the end effectors using the proposed model is investigated. The scheme is based on an iterative structure which utilizes available data from the previous operations. These data consist of positions and velocities of the actual trajectories and applied forces to the object at the points of contact. It is shown that the convergence of the actual trajectory for the manipulation of the rigid object to the desired one is guaranteed upon proper selection of two weighted control matrices. >
The Transformative Power of Reviewing

Peer review is one of the most pervasive tasks in research. It shapes opportunities and the knowledge available for practice, and it strongly influences careers. Although researchers spend much time in the review process, it is rarely formally taught in our professional preparation. This article explores the roles served by the peer review process. Using the metaphor of publishing as a playground, I argue that peer review is at its most powerful when it merges the gatekeeping and developmental functions and reflectively considers the social practices represented by peer review.
Medial Epicondyle Morphology in Elite Overhead Athletes A Closer Look Using 3-Dimensional Computer Simulation

Background:Prior studies have attempted to determine morphological characteristics of the medial epicondyle in overhead athletes, but no study has reported on precise quantitative differences betwe...
Dissecting vancomycin-intermediate resistance in staphylococcus aureus using genome-wide association.

Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) is currently defined as having minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4–8 µg/ml. VISA evolves through changes in multiple genetic loci with at least 16 candidate genes identified in clinical and in vitro-selected VISA strains. We report a whole-genome comparative analysis of 49 vancomycin-sensitive S. aureus and 26 VISA strains. Resistance to vancomycin was determined by broth microdilution, Etest, and population analysis profile-area under the curve (PAP-AUC). Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of 55,977 single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified in one or more strains found one highly significant association (P = 8.78E-08) between a nonsynonymous mutation at codon 481 (H481) of the rpoB gene and increased vancomycin MIC. Additionally, we used a database of public S. aureus genome sequences to identify rare mutations in candidate genes associated with VISA. On the basis of these data, we proposed a preliminary model called ECM+RMCG for the VISA phenotype as a benchmark for future efforts. The model predicted VISA based on the presence of a rare mutation in a set of candidate genes (walKR, vraSR, graSR, and agrA) and/or three previously experimentally verified mutations (including the rpoB H481 locus) with an accuracy of 81% and a sensitivity of 73%. Further, the level of resistance measured by both Etest and PAP-AUC regressed positively with the number of mutations present in a strain. This study demonstrated 1) the power of GWAS for identifying common genetic variants associated with antibiotic resistance in bacteria and 2) that rare mutations in candidate gene, identified using large genomic data sets, can also be associated with resistance phenotypes.
Performance of multichannel wireless ad hoc networks

This paper addresses the design of Medium Access Control (MAC) protocols for wireless ad hoc networks that derive benefits from using multiple orthogonal channels for data transmission. Each node is assumed to have a single half-duplex transceiver that can dynamically select the best channel for transmitting data. We show that even with the same total bandwidth, multichannel MAC protocols can improve the throughput due to two factors reduction of the number of backoffs during channel access, and increase of the probability of success of transmitted data packets by selecting channels to minimise co-channel interference. We propose multichannel MAC protocols with signal-power based channel selection for achieving these goals and present performance results that show that the proposed protocols can provide significantly higher throughput than that obtained by using the IEEE 802.11 MAC.