cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A rat model for the study of growth failure in uremia.

Extract: The growth of children with chronic renal disease is poor and the cause of this stunting is not known. Various factors have ben implicated and it is difficult to evaluate their relative importance in clinical studies. Accordingly, there is a need for an animal model, preferably one which enables the effect on growth of a number of factors to be studied separately and over a reasonably short period of time. The growth and food intake of male and female rats rendered uremic by 5/6 nephrectomy was observed between 40 and 70 days of age for male rats and between 35 and 70 days of age for female rats. Final mean body weight for males with uremia (243 g ± 32 g) was significantly less than for control males (323 g ± 24 g); final mean body weights for female rats were also significantly different (172 g ± 17 g; 223 g ± 21 g). The differences in body weight were apparent from 50 days onwards. Final tail length was significantly less in female uremic rats compared with their control subjects (173 mm ± 8 mm; 183 mm ± 7 mm). Uremic rats matched for body weight with control rats consumed significantly fewer calories; for both groups the average difference was about 15%. Multiple regression analysis of weight gain against age and calorie intake suggests that there may be an increase in the calorie cost of growth in rats with uremia, but these findings require confirmation in paired feeding studies. Speculation: These studies suggest that this rat model can be used for the investigation of alterations in energy balance, body composition, and metabolic functions in uremia. It should be possible to study the effects of single variables in the pathogenesis of growth retardation by appropriate manipulations halfway through the growth period.
Plant composition and erosion potential of a grazed wetland in the salmon river subbasin, Idaho

Abstract Wetlands are dynamic habitats with many unique, important functions including filtering sediments and providing diverse habitats for fish and wildlife. Wetlands in the western United States are particularly important because they offer habitat for a number of protected runs of endangered fish species. Historically, livestock grazing has altered wetland and riparian area form and function by facilitating exotic species invasions, altering spatial heterogeneity of vegetation, and increasing erosion. In this study we examined vegetation structure and erosion potential in a wetland meadow exposed to unregulated grazing along Deer Creek in the Salmon River subbasin, Idaho. We characterized the vegetation composition and structure within the study area and attempted to assess potential erosion conditions using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE), an empirical approach developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS). We found no significant spatial v...
The Use of the Internet for Prevention of Binge Drinking Among the College Population: A Systematic Review of Evidence

AIMS: There are many consequences of binge drinking compared with light or moderate drinking behaviors. The prevalence rate and intensity of binge drinking is highest among the college-aged population. Given the popularity and high use of the Internet among college students, a novel approach for programming is through Internet-based interventions. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of Internet-based interventions targeting binge drinking among the college population. METHODS: Eligibility criteria included peer-reviewed articles evaluating Internet-based interventions for binge drinking prevention among college students published between 2000 and 2014. Only English language articles were included. Review articles and articles only explaining intervention pedagogies were not included. After a systematic screening process, a total of 14 articles were included for the final review. Each article was read thoroughly in order to extract the following variables: study design and sample size, average age of participants, underpinning theoretical framework, and intervention description and duration. This review also synthesized a methodological assessment with variables such as outcome measures, sample size justification, number of measurements and use of process evaluations. RESULTS: All studies but one reported a significant reduction in the frequency and quantity of alcohol consumption and problems related with heavy drinking. Furthermore, Internet-based interventions appeared to be more effective than traditional print-based interventions; however, face-to-face interventions were typically more effective. CONCLUSIONS: This review supports using the Internet as a brief intervention approach that can effectively support efforts to reduce binge drinking among college students. Language: en
The Growth and Cell-Kinetics of a Secondary Tumor After Radiation or Surgical-Treatment of the Primary Tumor

Early transplants of a spontaneous mouse fibrosarcoma (FSa II) were used to investigate whether radiation or surgical treatment of a tumor in the leg altered the growth or cell kinetics of a second tumor in the axilla. The volume doubling times and in vivo Bromodeoxyuridine labeling indices of the axillary tumors were the same in the control group and in the groups which received 70 Gy to the leg tumor or normal leg. After surgical removal of the leg tumor, there was small reduction in the time to reach 1500 mm3 (4.0 vs 4.6 days) and an increase in Bromo-deoxyuridine labeling index at Day 3 (18% to 24%) in the axillary tumors. In all groups, there was a fall in labeling index with time reflecting increasing tumor size.
Indirection and symbol-like processing in the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia

The ability to flexibly, rapidly, and accurately perform novel tasks is a hallmark of human behavior. In our everyday lives we are often faced with arbitrary instructions that we must understand and follow, and we are able to do so with remarkable ease. It has frequently been argued that this ability relies on symbol processing, which depends critically on the ability to represent variables and bind them to arbitrary values. Whereas symbol processing is a fundamental feature of all computer systems, it remains a mystery whether and how this ability is carried out by the brain. Here, we provide an example of how the structure and functioning of the prefrontal cortex/basal ganglia working memory system can support variable binding, through a form of indirection (akin to a pointer in computer science). We show how indirection enables the system to flexibly generalize its behavior substantially beyond its direct experience (i.e., systematicity). We argue that this provides a biologically plausible mechanism that approximates a key component of symbol processing, exhibiting both the flexibility, but also some of the limitations, that are associated with this ability in humans.
A connection between singular perturbation theory and high gain PI feedback control

An application of the principles of singular perturbation theory to the design of high gain proportional and integral control of systems with parameter uncertainties is presented. The problem considered is that of simultaneous stabilization of a class of uncertain systems. The main results and a theorem and proof are provided. >
Does preemption help children learn verb transitivity

Children's acquisition of the transitivity status of novel verbs was examined to test whether preemption helps children learn to avoid nonconventional uses of verbs. Given that many English verbs alternate between transitive and intransitive usage (e.g., break, roll), how do children learn the fixed transitive status of verbs such as hit or the fixed intransitive status of verbs such as fall? 48 four-year-olds and 48 six- and seven-year-olds learned two novel verbs, with one verb modelled as transitive and the other as intransitive. Exposure conditions varied the occurrence and type of preemptive evidence potentially facilitating learning of the verbs' transitivity status. In comparison to a No Preemption group, only six- to seven-year-olds exposed to novel verbs in alternative construction (that allowed them to talk about the actions from the perspective of the agent or patient without changing the verbs' assigned transitivity) produced fewer utterances violating the verbs' fixed transitivity. The results identify limits in children's usage of indirect negative evidence in acquiring verb argument structure constructions.
Hearty slices to plan for future health

Clinical trials have shown that heart function can only be moderately improved by injection of stem cells.1,2 Gains to date are most likely the result of increased wall stiffness and angiogenesis rather than generation of new, beating myocytes.3–5 Poor results could be due to the number and kind of cells used, the timing and method of delivery, lack of engraftment in an inhospitable local environment, general immune responses, and many more variables. Thus, although the current approach has been responsive to public pressure to rush to translate new ideas to a cure, the lack of a sound foundation in the basics makes the failure of stem cell therapy to date unsurprising. Working with whole animals is a most difficult way to learn because so much is beyond the control of the experimentalist and assays are limited. It is clear that experimental platforms are required to provide the rational groundwork before future cell therapy trials for cardiovascular disease are carried out. It is a pleasure to find a simple new platform of an in vitro beating heart model for long-term assessment of experimental therapeutics in this issue by Monville's … *Corresponding author. Tel: +1 312 413 0407; fax: +1 312 996 6312. E-mail address : russell{at}uic.edu
Senior Faculty Retrospectives on Mentoring

Abstract This qualitative study investigates the role of mentoring over a career in health education faculty at research intensive universities. A nonrandom sample of senior faculty (N=11), whose teaching experience ranged from 20 to 33 years in the classroom, was interviewed. Inductive content analysis was used to identify important themes related to mentoring. The results indicated that the participants had several mentors, they valued long-lasting mentoring relationships, and almost all agreed mentors made a definite impact on their careers. The participants viewed their role of mentor as an obligation to fulfill professional responsibilities, their relationships with students as invigorating, and their role as “legacy creators” as awe-inspiring. In conclusion, having a guide, counselor, and/or role model to ease assimilation into a department, college, and profession was viewed as critical to optimal career development.
Influence of nicotine on positive affect in anhedonic smokers.

Rationale – The possibility that individuals administer nicotine to self-regulate persistent negative affect has received interest as a possible explanation for the high prevalence of affectively vulnerable smokers. Relatively overlooked, however, is the possibility that smokers might also self-administer nicotine to elevate low positive affect. Objectives – This study examined whether nicotine administration augmented anhedonic smokers’ positive affective response to a positive mood induction. Materials and methods – Fifty regular smokers (50% female) underwent two positive mood inductions during which they smoked either a nicotinized or denicotinized cigarette in counterbalanced order. Positive affect was assessed before and at two time points after smoking. Results – Random effects regression showed a signifi cant anhedonia by condition-by-time interaction [t(181) = −2.01, p = 0.04], supporting the hypothesis that anhedonia moderated nicotine’s effect on changes in positive affect. Simple effect analyses showed a signifi cant condition-by-time interaction among high anhedonic smokers [t(91) = 2.47, p = 0.01] but not among less anhedonic smokers [t(91) = 0.34, p = 0.73]. Conclusion – Smoking nicotine vs placebo heightened anhedonic smokers’ ability to be induced into a positive mood, whereas nicotine had no effect on more hedonic smokers’ positive mood.
High Throughput Determination and QSER Modeling of Displacer DC‐50 Values for Ion Exchange Systems

Abstract In this paper, the displacer concentration required to displace 50% of proteins bound in batch adsorption systems, DC‐50, was employed as a means of ranking high‐affinity, low molecular weight displacers for ion‐exchange systems. A relatively large data set of cationic displacers with varying chemistries were evaluated with two proteins on two strong cation exchange resins in parallel batch screening experiments. Using this methodology, a significant number of high affinity displacers were identified that could displace both proteins at relatively low concentrations. In addition, the DC‐50 data was used in concert with molecular structural information of the displacers to produce predictive quantitative structure‐efficacy relationship (QSER) models based on a support vector machine (SVM) regression approach. The resulting models were well correlated and the predictive power of these models was demonstrated. Examination of the features selected in these models provided insight into the factors inf...
Mediating Variables in a Transtheoretical Model Dietary Intervention Program

This study identified mediators of a Transtheoretical Model (TTM) intervention to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among economically disadvantaged African American adolescents (N = 549). Single- and multiple-mediator models were used to determine whether pros, cons, self-efficacy, and stages of change satisfied four conclusions necessary for establishing mediation of intervention effects on youths' dietary behavior. All four conclusions were satisfied for stages of change and pros in the single-mediator models and for stages in the multiple-mediator model. Stages mediated 31% of the intervention effect, and pros mediated 7% of the intervention effect in the single-mediator models. In the multiple-mediator model, stages accounted for 72% of the intervention effect. Findings add to the limited data on mediating variables in TTM dietary intervention programs. Replication studies are needed before it can be concluded that stages of change and pros are consistent mediators of TTM intervention program effects.
Influence of the Earth's rotation upon the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetosphere

A model of the earth's magnetosphere, presented by Taylor and Hones [1965], combines an electric field derived from the high-latitude SD current system and a magnetic field whose general features closely resemble those of the actual magnetosphere as revealed by satellite measurements. A particularly remarkable feature of the model is the plasma convective motion (i.e., the E×B drift) implied by the combined electric (E) and magnetic (B) fields. Figure 1 shows the equatorial plane of the Taylor-Hones model of the magnetosphere with the equipotentials of the electric field labeled in kilovolts. (See the original paper for discussion of the derivation of the fields for the model.)
Rapid direct injection LC-MS/MS method for analysis of prioritized indicator compounds in wastewater effluent

Trace organic compounds (TOrCs) have been detected in drinking water sources for several years, raising concerns due to their potential risks to public health. The main contributor of TOrCs to drinking water is through wastewater discharges. However, there are several hundred TOrCs currently known with numerous new organic chemicals being released daily, making it unfeasible to monitor each one in water. This study used a detailed literature review and scoring system to establish a list of twenty priority indicator TOrCs in US wastewaters. Next, a rapid direct injection LC-MS/MS method for analysis of these compounds was developed without the need for an extraction step and only 80 μL sample volume while providing method reporting limits of 3–39 ng L−1 for all but one TOrC (sucralose: 302 ng L−1). The elimination of an extraction step reduced matrix effects considerably making the method suitable for wastewater analysis. Method validation including matrix spike recoveries, linearity of calibration curve and inter- and intra-day variability was successfully performed. Finally, the twenty indicator TOrCs were evaluated in four different wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents through four sample campaigns spread across a year. The occurrence data indicated that all indicator TOrCs were detected in at least three out of the four WWTP effluents. Sucralose, iohexol, TCPP, acesulfame and gemfibrozil were detected in all samples at the four WWTPs indicating they could be used as indicators of wastewater influence in receiving waters. DEET, caffeine, triclosan, iopromide and others are effective indicators at showing seasonal variations, treatment process efficacy, and consumption patterns. Overall, the impact of this study will help develop more effective monitoring programs for TOrCs in water reuse schemes.
THE MONETARY APPROACH TO BALANCE OF PAYMENTS: A TAXONOMY WITH A COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE TO THE LITERATURE

This paper provides a taxonomy of the monetary approach to the balance of payments with a comprehensive reference guide to the literature. The paper very briefly reviews the three major alternative theories of balance of payments adjustments. These theories are the elasticities and absorption approaches (associated with Keynesian theory), and the monetary approach. The paper focuses on the monetary approach to balance of payments and points to the long-run and short-run lines of research within the monetary approach to balance of payments. Throughout, the paper provides a comprehensive set of references corresponding to each point discussed. Together, these references exhaust the existing literature on the monetary approach to balance of payments.
Stress Effects on the Magnetic Properties of Evaporated Single‐Crystal Nickel Films

Nickel single-crystal films grown epitaxially on NaCl at elevated temperatures shown anomalously large values for the crystalline anisotropy constant, K 1, as well as for K 1, the perpendicular anisotropy (i. e., the anisotropy resulting from rotation out of the plane of the film). These values decrease to normal bulk values when the films are floated off the rocksalt.
Enrichment culture and microscopy conceal diverse thermophilic Synechococcus populations in a single hot spring microbial mat habitat

Recent molecular studies have shown a great disparity between naturally occurring and cultivated microorganisms. We investigated the basis for disparity by studying thermophilic unicellular cyanobacteria whose morphologic simplicity suggested that a single cosmopolitan species exists in hot spring microbial mats worldwide. We found that partial 16S rRNA sequences for all thermophilic Synechococcus culture collection strains from diverse habitats are identical. Through oligonucleotide probe analysis and cultivation, we provide evidence that this species is strongly selected for in laboratory culture to the exclusion of many more-predominant cyanobacterial species coexisting in the Octopus Spring mat in Yellowstone National Park. The phylogenetic diversity among Octopus Spring cyanobacteria is of similar magnitude to that exhibited by all cyanobacteria so far investigated. We obtained axenic isolates of two predominant cyanobacterial species by diluting inocula prior to enrichment. One isolate has a 16S rRNA sequence we have not yet detected by cloning. The other has a 16S rRNA sequence identical to a new cloned sequence we report herein. This is the first cultivated species whose 16S rRNA sequence has been detected in this mat system by cloning. We infer that biodiversity within this community is linked to guild structure.
World Bank Independence: A Model and Statistical Analysis of US Influence

This paper develops a model to test whether World Bank lending caters to U.S. interests. We use country-level panel data to examine the geographic distribution of World Bank lending to 110 countries from 1968 to 2002. After controlling for country characteristics expected to influence the distribution of lending in a manner consistent with the World Bank's charter and stated allocation mechanisms, we introduce variables reflecting U.S. interests. The empirical results are consistent with a significant U.S. influence, but one which varies across presidential administrations. These findings have important implications because donor influence may reduce the credibility, and hence the development effectiveness, of multilateral aid organizations.
Optimal transmit spectra for communication in the presence of crosstalk

We present a general framework for designing optimal transmit spectra for symmetric bit rate communication services dominated by crosstalk, in particular digital subscriber line (DSL) services such as the proposed HDSL2. Using the channel, noise, and interference transfer functions, we set up and solve an optimization problem to maximize the joint capacity of neighboring lines. Joint signaling techniques and optimal power distribution yield significant gains in bit rates (or performance margins) over current schemes. Furthermore, by design, the spectra are spectrally compatible with existing neighboring services. The framework is quite general-it does not depend on the exact choice of modulation scheme, for example. It is also extremely simple and of low computational complexity.
Automating Arm Movement Training Following Severe Stroke: Functional Exercises With Quantitative Feedback in a Gravity-Reduced Environment

An important goal in rehabilitation engineering is to develop technology that allows individuals with severe motor impairment to practice arm movement without continuous supervision from a rehabilitation therapist. This paper describes the development of such a system, called Therapy WREX or ("T-WREX"). The system consists of an orthosis that assists in arm movement across a large workspace, a grip sensor that detects hand grip pressure, and software that simulates functional activities. The arm orthosis is an instrumented, adult-sized version of the Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (WREX), which is a five degrees-of-freedom mechanism that passively counterbalances the weight of the arm using elastic bands. After providing a detailed design description of T-WREX, this paper describes two pilot studies of the system's capabilities. The first study demonstrated that individuals with chronic stroke whose arm function is compromised in a normal gravity environment can perform reaching and drawing movements while using T-WREX. The second study demonstrated that exercising the affected arm of five people with chronic stroke with T-WREX over an eight week period improved unassisted movement ability (mean change in Fugl-Meyer score was 5 points plusmn2 SD; mean change in range of motion of reaching was 10%, p<0.001). These results demonstrate the feasibility of automating upper-extremity rehabilitation therapy for people with severe stroke using passive gravity assistance, a grip sensor, and simple virtual reality software
Economic Theory and Economic Anthropology

EXACTLY 40 years ago, Bronislaw Malinowski published the book which was to have a powerful influence on the study of the economies of "primitive" peoples (Malinowski 1922). The influence was mixed. Malinowski did succeed in calling the attention of anthropologists to the fact that a consideration of the economic activities of nonliterate peoples required the consideration of much beyond their technologies. But his disdainful comments on what he conceived to be then contemporary economic thinking convinced many anthropologists that they had little to learn from conventional economics. Nearly 20 years later, Raymond Firth and Melville J. Herskovits independently sought to establish the respectability of economic theory in the eyes of anthropologists (Firth 1939; Herskovits 1940, 1952). Their view, which Firth sought to demonstrate with his materials from Polynesia, and which Herskovits sought to demonstrate with materials culled from a massive body of ethnographic material, was succinctly stated by Herskovits in the following terms:
The Relationship between Same-Day Access and Continuity in Primary Care and Emergency Department Visits

We examined how emergency department (ED) visits for potentially preventable, mental health, and other diagnoses were related to same-day access and provider continuity in primary care using administrative data from 71,296 patients in 22 VHA clinics over a three-year period. ED visits were categorized as non-emergent; primary care treatable; preventable; not preventable; or mental health-related. We conducted multi-level regression models adjusted for patient and clinic factors. More same-day access significantly predicted fewer non-emergent and primary care treatable ED visits while continuity was not significantly related to any type of ED visit. Neither measure was related to ED visits for mental health problems.
Transcriptome analysis of the ischemia-reperfused remodeling myocardium: temporal changes in inflammation and extracellular matrix

cDNA microarray analysis was performed to screen 15,000 genes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to identify changes in the ischemia-reperfused (I-R) rat myocardial transcriptome in the early (day 2) and late (day 7) inflammatory phases of acute myocardial infarction. Lists of candidate genes that were affected by I-R transiently (2 or 7 days only) or on a more sustained basis (2 and 7 days) were derived. The candidate genes represented three major functional categories: extracellular matrix, apoptosis, and inflammation. To expand on the findings from microarray studies that dealt with the two above-mentioned time points, tissues collected from days 0, 0.25, 2, 3, 5, and 7 after reperfusion were examined. Acute myocardial infarction resulted in upregulation of IL-6 and IL-18. Genes encoding extracellular matrix proteins such as types I and III collagen were upregulated in day 2, and that response progressively grew stronger until day 7 after I-R. Comparable response kinetics was exhibited by the candidate genes of the apoptosis category. Caspases-2, -3, and -8 were induced in response to acute infarction. Compared with the myocardial tissue from the sham-operated rats, tissue collected from the infarct region stained heavily positive for the presence of active caspase-3. Laser microdissection and pressure catapulting technology was applied to harvest infarct and adjacent noninfarct control tissue from a microscopically defined region in the rat myocardium. Taken together, this work presents the first evidence gained from the use of DNA microarrays to understand the molecular mechanisms implicated in the early and late inflammatory phases of the I-R heart.
Diabetes mellitus and venous thromboembolism: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Diabetes mellitus (DM) may be a risk factor for venous thromboembolism (VTE) but results are inconsistent. Aim We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiologic studies to quantify the association between DM and VTE. Methods and results We included studies identified in PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL through 07/31/2014. We identified 19 studies that met our selection criteria. We pooled RRs using a random-effects model: the pooled RR for the association of DM with VTE was 1.10 (95% CI: 0.94–1.29). Between-study heterogeneity was explored with a forest plot, funnel plot, meta-regression, and a stratified analysis. Between-study heterogeneity was observed and not explained by study design, method of DM assessment, or degree of adjustment for confounding. Sensitivity analyses omitted one study at a time to assess the influence of any single study on the pooled estimate. These analyses indicated that one large study was highly influential; when this study was excluded, the pooled estimate increased and just reached statistical significance: 1.16 (95% CI: 1.01–1.34). Conclusions This meta-analysis suggests either no association or a modest positive one between DM and VTE in the general population. DM is unlikely to play a major role in VTE development.
Four Amino Acid Changes in HIV-2 Protease Confer Class-Wide Sensitivity to Protease Inhibitors

ABSTRACT Protease is essential for retroviral replication, and protease inhibitors (PI) are important for treating HIV infection. HIV-2 exhibits intrinsic resistance to most FDA-approved HIV-1 PI, retaining clinically useful susceptibility only to lopinavir, darunavir, and saquinavir. The mechanisms for this resistance are unclear; although HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases share just 38 to 49% sequence identity, all critical structural features of proteases are conserved. Structural studies have implicated four amino acids in the ligand-binding pocket (positions 32, 47, 76, and 82). We constructed HIV-2 ROD9 molecular clones encoding the corresponding wild-type HIV-1 amino acids (I32V, V47I, M76L, and I82V) either individually or together (clone PRΔ4) and compared the phenotypic sensitivities (50% effective concentration [EC 50 ]) of mutant and wild-type viruses to nine FDA-approved PI. Single amino acid replacements I32V, V47I, and M76L increased the susceptibility of HIV-2 to multiple PI, but no single change conferred class-wide sensitivity. In contrast, clone PRΔ4 showed PI susceptibility equivalent to or greater than that of HIV-1 for all PI. We also compared crystallographic structures of wild-type HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases complexed with amprenavir and darunavir to models of the PRΔ4 enzyme. These models suggest that the amprenavir sensitivity of PRΔ4 is attributable to stabilizing enzyme-inhibitor interactions in the P2 and P2′ pockets of the protease dimer. Together, our results show that the combination of four amino acid changes in HIV-2 protease confer a pattern of PI susceptibility comparable to that of HIV-1, providing a structural rationale for intrinsic HIV-2 PI resistance and resolving long-standing questions regarding the determinants of differential PI susceptibility in HIV-1 and HIV-2. IMPORTANCE Proteases are essential for retroviral replication, and HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases share a great deal of structural similarity. However, only three of nine FDA-approved HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PI) are active against HIV-2. The underlying reasons for intrinsic PI resistance in HIV-2 are not known. We examined the contributions of four amino acids in the ligand-binding pocket of the enzyme that differ between HIV-1 and HIV-2 by constructing HIV-2 clones encoding the corresponding HIV-1 amino acids and testing the PI susceptibilities of the resulting viruses. We found that the HIV-2 clone containing all four changes (PRΔ4) was as susceptible as HIV-1 to all nine PI. We also modeled the PRΔ4 enzyme structure and compared it to existing crystallographic structures of HIV-1 and HIV-2 proteases complexed with amprenavir and darunavir. Our findings demonstrate that four positions in the ligand-binding cleft of protease are the primary cause of HIV-2 PI resistance.
Alterations in Raft Lipid Metabolism in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disorders

Sphingolipids are a prominent type of membrane phospholipid in eukaryotic cells and are particularly abundant in the nervous systems of mammals. They consist of a glycerol backbone with a phosphocholine zwitterionic hydrophilic headgroup and two long hydrocarbon chains that form a hydrophobic domain (Fig. 1). The hydrocarbon chains of sphingomyelin are relatively long (>20 carbons) and contain more saturated bonds than are present in phosphatidylcholine. Sphingomyelin contributes prominently to the biophysical properties of membranes, and in particular, the large disparity in the lengths of the two chains of sphingomyelin may allow for interdigitation between the hydrocarbons in the two opposing monolayers of the phospholipid bilayer, thereby providing a means for coupling-phase separation with the marked curvature of cell membranes. Sphingolipids also have a Tm near body temperature (37°C). The collective biophysical properties of sphingolipids suggest that they play important roles in the formation of specialized domains in membranes such as lipid rafts. Sphingolipid synthesis is initiated by serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT), which catalyzes the condensation of palmitoyl-CoA (acyl) with serine to form 3-dihydrosphinganine, and additional biosynthetic steps result in formation of sphingosine, which is then acylated to form ceramide. Choline can then be added to ceramide by choline-phosphotransferase, which results in the synthesis of sphingomyelin.
Origins of analysis methods used to design high-performance commercial buildings: Solar energy analysis

This study reviews the origins of the analysis methods used to design high-performance commercial buildings. This study focuses on the origins of the analysis methods used in solar thermal, passive solar, and solar photovoltaic analysis software, developed in the United States and Canada, using a new comprehensive genealogy chart. This historical analysis is important because it gives readers a better understanding of the fundamentals of the analysis methods. The origins of the analysis methods of whole-building energy and daylighting simulation programs were reviewed in other works (Oh and Haberl 2015a, 2015b).
Prejudices: Managing Perceived Threats to Group Life

From an evolutionary perspective, prejudices, stereotypes, and discriminatory behaviors can be viewed as functionally organized strategies designed to manage the threats and opportunities posed by the human forms of sociality. This chapter explores, first, the evolved psychological mechanisms by which individuals (1) identify those who afford fitness threats and opportunities and (2) respond to them in threat-mitigating and opportunity-enhancing ways; these affordance management systems contribute significantly to stigma, prejudices, and discrimination. Second, people create within-group coalitions to counter threats posed by other group members, and the chapter reviews the implications of alliance-based processes for within-coalitional prejudices, group-on-group conflict, and prejudices against foreigners. Last, the chapter discusses the implications of evolutionary approaches for reducing prejudices and intergroup conflict. By identifying new prejudice phenomena and by anticipating undiscovered nuances in known phenomena, the evolutionary approach poses significant challenges to traditional social psychological and sociological approaches. Keywords: prejudice; evolution; threat; coalitional psychology; intergroup conflict
Sizes of Total Knee Arthroplasty Components Differ Between Sexes, Diseases, and Operative Techniques

Purpose: Differences in the sizes of femoral and tibial components between females and males, between osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and between measured bone resection and the gap control technique during TKA were assessed. Method: 500 PS-TKAswith the Stryker NRG system in 408 cases were assessed. There were 83 male knees and 417 female knees, and 472 OA knees and 28 RA knees. This study was performed in Japan, and almost all OA knees had varus deformities. In each case, the sizes of the femoral and tibial components were measured on radiographs. The measured sizes represented those of the measured bone resection. TKA was performed by the gap control technique using a tensor/balancer with 30 inch-pounds expansion strength, and the sizes of the femoral and tibial components (used size) were recorded. Results: The measured size was the same for the femoral and tibial components in 80.6% of females. The measured size of the tibial component was larger than the femoral size in 42.2% and the same in 53.0% of males. The used size of the femoral component was larger than the measured size in 43.6%, and it was the same in 43.6% of all cases. The used size of the tibial component was smaller than the measured size in 42.2%, and it was the same as the measured size in 53.4% of OA cases. The used size of the tibial component was the same as the measured size in 75.0% of RA cases. The used size of the femoral component was larger than the used size of the tibial component in 65.6% of all cases. These results showed that: the tibial condyle is larger than the femoral condyle in males; a larger size of the femoral component than the tibial component was used in the gap control technique; the used size of the tibial component was the same as the measured size in RA knees; and the used size of the tibial component was smaller than the measured size in OA knees. Discussion: During PS-TKA, the PCL is resected and the flexion gap is enlarged when the tensor/balancer is applied. Therefore, the size of the femoral component is larger with the gap control technique than with measured bone resection. In varus knees in Japan, the proximal articular surface shifts medially from the central line of the tibial shaft. Therefore, when the tibial component is set based on the central line of the tibial shaft, the medial condyle edge is not covered by the tibial component and is resected. A smaller size of the tibial component is used with this method. On the other hand, RA knees have no varus deformity, and the size of the femoral component was the same for the gap control technique and measured bone resection. The sizes of the femoral and tibial components in PS-TKA differ between the sexes, between OA and RA, and between measured bone resection and the gap control technique.
RANS Simulations of a Channel Flow with a New Velocity/Pressure-Gradient Model

Accurate prediction of wall-bounded flows with Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes turbulence models requires the improved modeling of physical processes that occur in turbulent flows such as the interaction of turbulent velocity and pressure fields, turbulent diffusion, and dissipative processes. Recently, novel models for the velocity/pressuregradient correlations through the fourth order were proposed by the authors and successfully validated against direct numerical simulation (DNS) data in wall-bounded flows without separation in a priori testing. In the current work, these models are implemented in transport equations for the Reynolds stresses to evaluate the model performance in a fullydeveloped planar channel. Other terms that need modeling in the Reynolds stress transport equations are represented in simulations by their DNS profiles to eliminate uncertainty due to modeling these terms. Problems with using DNS data as an input in simulations are highlighted. An approach to mitigate some of those problems is proposed. The computed results are compared against DNS data.
Totalitarianism and Rationality.

The experience of modern totalitarian regimes suggests that they are not likely to perish through internal revolt unless that occurs at a time when the totalitarian regime is in mortal danger from an external challenge, as in the marginal Italian case, or these the totalitarian movement in power is about to undertake decisive measures to turn the country into a totalitarian system, as in the case of the counter-revolution against Peron in Argentina. Other than that, and even considering the succession crises, modern totalitarian regimes have shown themselves capable of maintaining their totalitarian character in spite of domestic and foreign opposition. More recently it has been argued (e.g., by I. Deutscher, Russia: What Next) that modern totalitarian regimes, if not overthrown by external forces, will nevertheless in the end be quietly and inevitably transformed into more democratic states by the subtler but irresistible influence of rationality inherent in the bureaucratic and managerial apparatus that no modern state can do without. This proposition will be developed more fully and given critical consideration in subsequent pages in order to test whether rationality, regarded in this context as a certain mode of thought and behavior induced by the requirements of modern industrialized and bureaucratized societies, is in fact incompatible with modern totalitarianism.
The Sounds of Silence

Between 1965 and 1981, the US Supreme Court drastically re-shaped the meaning of the right against self-incrimination. At the time, numerous critics of this expansion of the right to silence insisted that its principal beneficiaries would be guilty defendants. Firing back, both the Justices and many legal theorists have argued that this expanded right likewise protects many innocent defendants and that, by reducing the rate of false convictions, the new silence regime furthers the core value of protecting the innocent.In this paper, we examine the arguments of both the Supreme Court and such legal scholars as Seidmann and Stein in favor of the new silence regime. Our conclusion is that their arguments favoring a vastly expanded right to silence are both ill-founded conceptually and impossible to reconcile with the available empirical information about the testimonial choices actually made by innocent and guilty defendants respectively.
Mediaciones en constancia: neoestoicismo y escepticismo en El príncipe constante de Calderón

En el drama El principe constante Pedro Calderon de la Barca proporciona una yuxtaposicion de las dos corrientes filosoficas de mas destaque e influencia en los siglos XVI y XVII en Espana, el neoestoicismo y el escepticismo. Al recalcar los elementos filosoficos y el tema de la perspectiva visual en la obra, mas que reflejar una confirmacion o divulgacion de la fe catolica, Calderon hace que El principe constante refleje el dialogo filosofico-existencial vigente en su entorno socio-politico, a traves de construir un laboratorio dialectico en el que se confrontan y se chocan las realidades y aspiraciones morales y espirituales que marcaron el periodo barroco peninsular. Como base de esta negociacion, Calderon hace uso de uno de los textos y filosofias de mayor influencia en este dialogo: De Constantia Libri Duo de Justus Lipsius.
Ornithine decarboxylase turnover slowed by alpha-hydrazino-ornithine.

α-Hydrazino-ornithine is a potent and selective inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase (L-ornithine carboxy-lyase, EC [4.1.1.17][1]). When added to rat hepatoma cells at the time of dilution, α-hydrazino-ornithine elicits a dose-related increase in ornithine decarboxylase activity and a concomitant prolongation of the apparent half-life of the enzyme from 10 min to 28 min, as determined by the rate of decline of ornithine decarboxylase activity after inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide. Similarly, systemic administration of α-hydrazinoornithine to nephrectomized rats induces a dose-related enhancement of ornithine decarboxylase activity in the normal and regenerating liver, which is associated with prolongation of the apparent half-life of the enzyme. In both intact liver and hepatoma cells in culture, the decrease in the turnover rate of the enzyme can account for its increased activity. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The technical assistance of Donald P. Kramer and Lydia Hernaez is gratefully acknowledged. [1]: pending:yes
Chemical physics: Quantum control of light-induced reactions.

An investigation of how ultracold molecules are broken apart by light reveals surprising, previously unobserved quantum effects. The work opens up avenues of research in quantum optics. See Letter p.122 Chemistry is beginning to benefit from the advances made by atomic physicists working with ultracold molecules. In particular, reaching the quantum regime and looking at basic chemical processes in this regime could yield rich insights into the basic building blocks of chemistry. Here, Tanya Zelevinsky and colleagues look at the photodissociation of ultracold 88Sr2 molecules and cleanly observe a wealth of quantum effects, including barrier tunnelling, matter–wave interference of reaction products and forbidden reaction pathways. The high level of control may allow for high-precision measurement of important quantities, such as long-range molecular potentials, in the future.
Fertility Control: Reproductive Desires, Kin Work, and Women's Status in Contemporary India

This article reappraises the link between fertility and women's status by examining changing means and meanings of reproduction in India. It is based on data gathered during and after 16 months of ethnographic fieldwork conducted between 2005 and 2007 in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, on social and cultural contexts of infertility. Lucknow is the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, India's most populous state. Historical views of population and fertility control in India and perspectives on the contemporary use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) for practices such as surrogacy situate the ethnographic perspectives. Analysis of ARTs in practice complicates ideas of autonomy and choice in reproduction. Results show that these technologies allow women to challenge power relations within their marital families and pursue stigmatized forms of reproduction. However, they also offer new ways for families to continue and extend an old pattern of exerting control over women's reproductive potential.
Racial projections: cyberspace, public space, and the digital divide

ABSTRACTScholars of critical race studies, urban history, and information and communications technologies (ICTs) share an interest in the relationship between spatial and racial disparities, including the quality of basic infrastructure, degrees of connectivity, and participatory culture. However, contemporary research on the digital divide struggles to link historical legacies of uneven development, as well as social justice strategies, with digital participation in urban spaces. By examining contemporary digital art that critiques the spatial inequalities encountered by U.S. racial minorities, this article illustrates how public intellectuals use ICTs in ways that draw upon past strategies to territorialize space for political ends. It focuses on digital pop-ups, open-air installations that cast images onto public space using projectors. Historicizing these new efforts illustrates a continuity of tactics engaged by communities of color in response to socio-spatial inequalities in the urban United States...
Heterogeneous Catalytic Reduction for Water Purification: Nanoscale Effects on Catalytic Activity, Selectivity, and Sustainability: Nanoscale Effects on Catalytic Activity, Selectivity, and Sustainability

Reductive catalysis is a promising water treatment technology that employs heterogeneous metal catalysts (e.g., Pd nanoparticles on a support) to convert dihydrogen to adsorbed atomic hydrogen in order to promote reactions with functional groups in various contaminants. Reductive catalysis has several potential advantages, including high selectivity for a given target, fast rates under mild conditions, and low production of harmful by-products. The technology has been applied mostly for remediation of groundwater contaminated with halogenated hydrocarbons and for treatment of nitrate, but recent studies have expanded the range of target contaminants to include perchlorate and N-nitrosamines. Palladium-based catalysts hold tremendous promise for their ability to selectively destroy several drinking water contaminants, and some compounds that exhibit slow reaction kinetics with Pd alone are rapidly degraded when a second, promoter metal is added to the catalyst. However, there is a lack of information about the long-term sustainability of these catalytic treatment processes, which is a major consideration in their possible adoption for remediation applications. Recent research has focused on the nanoscale characterization of these heterogeneous catalysts in order to develop an improved understanding of their mechanisms of deactivation and the pathways for regeneration. Two examples of studies from the authors’ laboratories, involving (i) hydrodehalogenation of iodinated X-ray contrast media with Ni or Pd catalysts and (ii) selective reduction of nitrate with a regenerable Pd-In/alumina catalyst, are discussed in this chapter.