cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data Journeys Beyond Databases in Systems Biology: Cytoscape and NDEx

This chapter investigates how data travels beyond databases in cell biology by focusing on Cytoscape, a platform that has been developed to represent networks, and NDEx, a database that allows for the reuse of network representations. I begin with a brief review of the databases that have been developed for data involving, for example, protein-protein interactions, that are relational and hence productively represented in networks. Given the amount of data stored in modern databases, raw network representations are typically hairballs that provides researchers little useful information other than that lots of things interact. Cytoscape was created by systems biologists to facilitate moving beyond hairballs to informative representations. It provides tools for clustering nodes and annotating them according to what is known about the objects represented. I provide examples of how Cytoscape has been deployed to develop new knowledge about biological mechanisms. Cytoscape has been made freely available, and I describe how a large interational community of researchers has created Apps that enable researchers to make a number of more specialized inferences. NDEx, created by members of the same research lab, serves as an Expo for networks—researchers can share networks they have developed and other researchers can search for networks and made them the basis for further incorporation of data or analyses.
Glycosyltransferases promote development and prevent promiscuous cell aggregation in the choanoflagellate S. rosetta

The mechanisms underlying multicellular development in the animal stem lineage may be reconstructed through the study of choanoflagellates, the closest living relatives of animals. To determine the genetic underpinnings of multicellularity in the emerging model choanoflagellate S. rosetta, we performed a screen for mutants with defects in multicellular rosette development. In two of the mutants, Jumble and Couscous, single cells failed to develop into orderly rosettes but instead aggregated promiscuously into amorphous clumps of cells. Both mutants mapped to lesions in genes encoding glycosyltransferases and the mutations perturbed glycosylation patterns in the extracellular matrix (ECM). In animals, glycosyltransferases transfer activated sugars to donor molecules and thereby sculpt the polysaccharide-rich ECM, regulate integrin and cadherin activity, and, when disrupted, contribute to tumorigenesis. The finding that glycosyltransferases promote proper rosette development and prevent cell aggregation in S. rosetta suggests a pre-metazoan role for glycosyltransferases in regulating development and preventing abnormal tumor-like multicellularity.
Corruption and COVID-19

The coronavirus pandemic has created incentives for corruption, fraud, and self-dealing that can be explained by the underlying political-economic incentives at work. Three characteristics of the COVID-19 crisis are especially important. First, the rapidly unfolding pandemic and the accompanying economic recession have led to fierce competition for essential resources. Second, governments have rapidly mobilized public funds (for both healthcare and economic stabilization) at an unprecedented scale, creating opportunities for rent-seeking of many kinds, including outright corruption. Third, politicians, bureaucrats and medical professionals exercise substantial discretion in the allocation of resources. A lack of transparency and weak oversight and enforcement have exacerbated the problems of corruption and fraud, and public measures against these offenses have not kept pace with the developing crisis. The paper discusses how these features interact in procurement processes, in government assistance to individuals and businesses, and in the development and licensing of pharmaceuticals. Those who benefit from corruption, be they contractors or individuals, will emerge from the pandemic better off than before it started if governments do not act. Tolerance of malfeasance will be at the expense of long-term government legitimacy and spread the virus to the most vulnerable. The need for a speedy response to the pandemic should not be an excuse for undermining institutions that strengthen governmental integrity.
Effect of dexmedetomidine on heart rate in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy undergoing therapeutic hypothermia.

BACKGROUND Sedation is recommended to optimize neuroprotection in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) undergoing therapeutic hypothermia (TH). Dexmedetomidine is an alternative agent to opioids, which are commonly used but have adverse effects. Both TH and dexmedetomidine can cause bradycardia. In this study, we describe our experience with dexmedetomidine and fentanyl in neonates undergoing TH for HIE, with a focus on heart rate (HR). METHODS We performed a retrospective chart review from 2011-2019 at a level IV NICU comparing sedation with dexmedetomidine (n = 14), fentanyl (n = 120), or both (n = 32) during TH for HIE. HR trends were compared based on sedation and gestational age. Neonates were included if they underwent TH and received sedation and were excluded if cooling was initiated past 24 hours(h) of life or required ECMO. RESULTS Of the 166 neonates included, 46 received dexmedetomidine, 14 as monotherapy and 32 in combination with fentanyl. Mean hourly HR from 12-36 h after birth was significantly lower for infants on dexmedetomidine versus fentanyl monotherapy (91±9 vs. 103±11 bpm, p < 0.002). Dexmedetomidine was decreased or discontinued in 22 (47.8%) neonates, most commonly due to inadequate sedation with a low HR. Lower gestational age was associated with higher HR but no significant difference in dexmedetomidine-related HR trends. CONCLUSIONS Despite an association with lower HR, dexmedetomidine may be successfully used in neonates with HIE undergoing TH. Implementation of a standardized protocol may facilitate dexmedetomidine titration in this population.
Clinical Outcomes with Ertapenem for Pneumonia in Obese versus Non-obese Patients.

The objective of this study was to compare the rate of pneumonia resolution in obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and non-obese (BMI < 30 kg/m2) patients treated with ertapenem one gram daily. This was a retrospective cohort study evaluating patients treated at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center between January 1, 2015 and August 31, 2020. Patients were included if they were between 18 and 89 years old and received ertapenem for at least 48 hours for pneumonia. Patients were excluded if pregnant, incarcerated, had renal impairment, received antibiotics with gram-negative activity for a significant period prior to or in addition to ertapenem, and patients with other concomitant deep-seated infections. The primary outcome of clinical resolution was defined as meeting any of three criteria in order of evaluation: discontinuation of antibiotics by day 8 of therapy, afebrile while on ertapenem in addition to a decrease in white blood cell count, or improvement on chest radiograph at day 7 of therapy. A multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the association between obesity and clinical resolution, while adjusting for proven confounders. There were 76 non-obese and 65 obese patients included. The median patient BMI was 23.7 kg/m2 (21.0-26.9) and 35.0 kg/m2 (32.8-39.8) for the non-obese and obese cohorts, respectively. Clinical resolution was achieved in 78% (59/76) of non-obese and 75% (49/65) of obese patients (p=0.75) without an observed difference in the regression model. Outcomes were similar in obese and non-obese patients treated with ertapenem one gram daily for pneumonia.
Psychological profiles of the mathematically talented: some sex differences and evidence supporting their biological basis.

For over 20 years, above-level testing with the College Board Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) has been used to assess the abilities of well over 1,000,000 highly able 12-13-year-olds (students in the top 3% in intellectual ability). In this population, the predictive validity of the mathematical part of the SAT, SAT-M, for academic and vocational criteria has been demonstrated over 10-year gaps. Here, we document aspects of the psychological and achievement profiles of these highly able students, paying particular attention to sex differences. Males score higher on SAT-M (i.e., mathematical reasoning ability) than females; this difference is accompanied by differences between the sexes in spatial-mechanical reasoning abilities and in a number of lifestyle and vocational preferences. Collectively, these attributes appear to play a key role in structuring male-female disparities in pursuing advanced educational credentials and careers in the physical sciences. After profiling a number of the behavioural characteristics of the highly able, we examine some underlying biological correlates of these phenotypic manifestations. These include hormonal influences, medical and bodily conditions and enhanced right hemispheric activation.
Use of Chemical Modification To Elucidate RNA Folding Pathways

As discussed in this overview, chemical modification is sensitive to the accessibility of a nucleotide to the solvent, and many nucleotides become less accessible as an RNA folds into its structured form. Chemical modification reagents are therefore suitable for following RNA folding, and can be used to study the kinetics of structure formation on time scales ranging from minutes to hours.
Why, I/sub DDQ/? (CMOS IC testing)

Summary form only given. The author discusses the research conducted by Ford Microelectronics on the impact that I/sub DDQ /testing will have on the automotive IC industry. This research has been directed toward developing the tools to implement I/sub DDQ/ testing, to identify failure locations, to understand what I/sub DDQ/ identifies, to assess vendor quality levels, and to gauge the reliability impact. The increased sensitivity to processing problems that I/sub DDQ/ testing provides makes it possible to detect infant mortality and early life failures before they become functionally bad. This has been substantiated through lower burn-in failures and life test studies. >
Hume and the Religious Significance of Moral Rationalism

Hume notoriously criticized religion and its defenses, and in particular Christianity. The Dialogues, the Natural History, the chapters on miracles and on providence in the first Enquiry, some of the essays, and many passages in the History are usually taken to be the main presentations of his objections. As Edward Craig points out, it adds up to a great dealÂ—to more than Hume wrote on any other single philosophical subject.1 There are in addition several obvious attacks on religious beliefs in the Treatise. But it is not noticed in the literature that a number of Hume's arguments in the Treatise tell against propositions that are important for religion even when they are not labelled as being so. I give only one example. In the course of arguing that causes must precede their effects, Hume remarks that everyone accepts the principle "that an object, which exists for any time in its full perfection without producing another, is not its sole cause." The point reappears later as one of the rules for judging cause and effect.2 At neither place does Hume make explicit one of the implications: that either God is not the sole cause of his creation, or else the creation is co-eternal with God. Both of these alternatives would of course be
Preparing targets for V(D)J recombinase: transcription paves the way.

The adaptive immune system has evolved a brute force strategy to combat the enormous numbers of pathogens we encounter on a daily basis. Billions of distinct Ag receptors (AgRs) are generated during our lifetime, each with a unique spectrum of binding specificities, and each is clonally distributed
Predictors of Growth of Teledensity in Developing Countries: A Focus on Low and Middle Income Countries

Investments in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) have been a major issue of concern in academia and industry. How much a country should invest in its telecommunications infrastructure so as to improve their levels of teledensity is a major challenge. This research examines investments in the telecommunications sector of low and middle-income developing countries. The findings suggest that increased investment in telecommunications infrastructure without the involvement of other socio-economic factors may not improve growth of teledensity in developing countries. The study, however, suggests a positive relationship between teledensity and other variables such as GDP per capita, telecommunications staff and length of wait times to acquire and maintain telephones. Some strategies are suggested as steps to take in order to improve the teledensity levels of the countries used in this study.
Manual-Guided Psychosocial Treatment: A New Virtual Requirement for Pharmacotherapy Trials?

The conduct of randomized clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of pharmacotherapies for mental disorders is guided by research standards (at a high level of rigor) that govern most design elements, including randomization of subjects, use of placebo controls, formulation and dosage of the therapeutic agent, and monitoring of serum levels. In contrast, no such widely accepted guidelines are recognized for standardization of an essential, if unacknowledged, element of all such studies: the concomitant provision of at least a minimal form of psychosocial treatment. Standardized provision of psychosocial treatments in pharmacotherapy trials will foster replicability of findings and address several common problems (eg, attrition, medication noncompliance, reduction of error variance, and ethical issues associated with placebo controls). Careful selection and standardization of the psychosocial context in which medications are delivered will improve the validity, precision, and power of pharmacotherapy efficacy research, and should be considered a virtual requirement in research design.
Xenopus laevis gelatinase B (Xmmp-9): development, regeneration, and wound healing.

It has been argued that matrix metalloproteinases play important roles in cellular differentiation and regeneration in certain systems. While studying changes in gene expression associated with the phenomena of cornea/lens transdifferentiation (“lens regeneration”), which takes place in the larva of Xenopus laevis, we identified the Xenopus gelatinase B gene. The open reading frame is homologous to other gelatinase B genes identified in other species and encodes all of the domains characteristic of this protein. Xenopus gelatinase B (Xmmp-9) is first expressed during early tail-bud stages in a subset of mesodermal cells scattered throughout the body. Expression is also seen in the peripheral tissues of the developing liver diverticulum, the hindgut/cloaca, and the paired caudal vein, and its dorsal branch in the larval tail. Given the significant role of matrix metalloproteinases in degrading components of the extracellular matrix, Xmmp-9 expression may be important in the morphogenesis of these structures. Xmmp-9 expression was also examined during the processes of cornea/lens transdifferentiation, epithelial wound healing, and limb regeneration in Xenopus larvae. Although Xmmp-9 is expressed very early during cornea/lens transdifferentiation, expression is restricted to the site of the peripheral wound created by removal of the original lens, which triggers transdifferentiation. Expression was not found in the central, uninjured area of the cornea where transdifferentiation takes place. Therefore, Xmmp-9 does not appear to play an important role in cornea/lens transdifferentiation. Xmmp-9 expression is associated with other epithelial wounds, indicating that gelatinase B is expressed in the general context of wound healing in Xenopus. Finally, Xmmp-9 is expressed in the ectoderm and mesoderm at the tip of the amputated limb, very early during limb regeneration, where it is argued to play a role in this process. Dev Den;217:377–387. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effect of peptides on the development of tolerance to buprenorphine, a mixed opiate agonist-antagonist analgesic.

The subcutaneous administration of buprenorphine to male Sprague-Dawley rats produced a dose-dependent analgesia and hyperthermia in a dose range of 0.25-2 mg/kg. The subcutaneous administration of buprenorphine (0.5 mg/kg) twice a day for 4 days resulted in the development of tolerance to its analgesic and hyperthermic actions. Daily administration of melanotropin release inhibiting factor (Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2) or cyclo (Leu-Gly) (2 mg/kg s.c.) for 4 days, inhibited the development of tolerance to buprenorphine, as evidenced by greater analgesic and hyperthermic responses to buprenorphine in peptide-treated than in vehicle-treated buprenorphine-tolerant rats. The repeated injections of peptides did not alter the analgesic or the hyperthermic response to buprenorphine in non-tolerant rats. These studies suggest the possible role of hypothalamic peptides in blocking the development of tolerance to the pharmacological effects of buprenorphine, a potent analgesic agent.
Experimental control of a chaotic point process using interspike intervals

A physical point process generated by passing a continuous, deterministic, chaotic signal through an integrate-and-fire device is controlled using proportional feedback incorporating only the time intervals between events. This system is unique in that the mean time between events can be adjusted independent of the dynamics of the underlying chaotic system. It is found that the range of feedback parameters giving rise to control as a function of the mean firing time exhibits surprisingly complex structure, and control is not possible when the mean interspike interval is comparable to or larger than the underlying system memory time.
Risk Management and Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: Primum Non Nocere

To the Editor. — In the December issue of Pediatrics Electronic Pages , McAbee et al reviewed common conditions associated with malpractice claims against pediatricians in the United States.1 They pointed out that the information provided in the article can allow pediatricians to “institute risk-management techniques that can be effective for both improving patient safety and reducing risk of liability.” Nowhere in the article did the authors acknowledge the potential harms (to patients or to our health care system) of instituting such risk-management techniques. The authors' discussion of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is illustrative of their lack of appreciation of …
Accelerated Neurodegeneration and Neuroinflammation in Transgenic Mice Expressing P301L Tau Mutant and Tau-Tubulin Kinase 1

Tau-tubulin kinase-1 (TTBK1) is a central nervous system (CNS)–specific protein kinase implicated in the pathological phosphorylation of tau. TTBK1-transgenic mice show enhanced neuroinflammation in the CNS. Double-transgenic mice expressing TTBK1 and frontotemporal dementia with parkinsonism-17–linked P301L (JNPL3) tau mutant (TTBK1/JNPL3) show increased accumulation of oligomeric tau protein in the CNS and enhanced loss of motor neurons in the ventral horn of the lumbar spinal cord. To determine the role of TTBK1-induced neuroinflammation in tauopathy-related neuropathogenesis, age-matched TTBK1/JNPL3, JNPL3, TTBK1, and non-transgenic littermates were systematically characterized. There was a striking switch in the activation phenotype and population of mononuclear phagocytes (resident microglia and infiltrating macrophages) in the affected spinal cord region: JNPL3 mice showed accumulation of alternatively activated microglia, whereas TTBK1 and TTBK1/JNPL3 mice showed accumulation of classically activated infiltrating peripheral monocytes. In addition, expression of chemokine ligand 2, a chemokine important for the recruitment of peripheral monocytes, was enhanced in TTBK1 and TTBK1/JNPL3 but not in other groups in the spinal cord. Furthermore, primary cultured mouse motor neurons showed axonal degeneration after transient expression of the TTBK1 gene or treatment with conditioned media derived from lipopolysaccharide-stimulated microglia; this was partially blocked by silencing of the endogenous TTBK1 gene in neurons. These data suggest that TTBK1 accelerates motor neuron neurodegeneration by recruiting proinflammatory monocytes and enhancing sensitivity to neurotoxicity in inflammatory conditions.
Probable Impact of NTA on Ground Watera

Laboratory studies were employed to investigate the fate and effect of NTA both in ground waters and in soil profiles overlying ground waters. Studies of the sorption of NTA by sand, loam, and clay-loam soils indicated that sorption of NTA on soils could slow its movement into and through ground waters. Sorption will probably not be sufficient to prevent or greatly reduce potential pollution of ground water by NTA used as a detergent builder. Soil column studies were employed to investigate the degradation and effect on metals of NTA infiltrating through soils. These studies indicated: NTA infiltrating through most unsaturated soils likely would undergo rapid and complete degradation and contribute only inorganic nitrogen compounds and carbonate to ground waters; NTA infiltrating through saturated soils would probably experience only very limited degradation, with a major portion entering ground water intact; any NTA which escaped degradation during infiltration through soils could transport such metals as iron, zinc, chromium, lead, cadmium, and mercury from soils into ground waters. Studies with model aquifers constructed from natural aquifer sand indicated that NTA would likely undergo slow degradation in essentially anaerobic ground-water environments, with production of CO2, CH4, and possibly other organic compounds.
Direct and indirect enhancement of GABAergic neurotransmission by ammonia: implications for the pathogenesis of hyperammonemic syndromes

Experimental evidence indicates that ammonia causes neuroexcitation and seizures. This contrasts with the lethargy, confusion and other manifestations of global CNS depression commonly considered to be major components of hyperammonemic encephalopathies. Substantial data now indicates that ammonia can modulate GABAergic neurotransmission through direct and indirect mechanisms. This modulation consists of an enhancement of GABAergic neurotransmission at concentrations commonly encountered in hyperammonemic states and precedes the suppression of inhibitory neuronal function observed at higher (>1mM) ammonia concentrations. Not only is this increase in GABAergic neurotransmission consistent with the clinical picture of lethargy, ataxia and cognitive deficits associated with liver failure and congenital hyperammonemia, but it also provides a mechanism for testing new therapeutic modalities for the treatment of hyperammonemic encephalopathy.
Resolution requirements for numerical simulations of transition

The resolution requirements for direct numerical simulations of transition to turbulence are investigated. A reliable resolution criterion is determined from the results of several detailed simulations of channel and boundary-layer transition.
Community Participation and Attitudinal Changes Among Teacher Education Students

Augmenting an introductory course in guidance and counseling with a youth-serving experience brought greater changes in students' attitudes toward youth than did such a course coupled with library-reference assignments that focused on guidance principles. It was observed that no relationship exists between academic achievement in the undergraduate course and expressed positive attitudes toward teen-agers. The identification of dropouts in teacher education programs may be rendered more effective by the use of attitudinal measurements.
A subtractive synchronous color-killer circuit for color television receivers

Every color television receiver requires a color-killer circuit in order to eliminate spurious color patterns during the absence of the color burst signal and to prevent the admission of noise through the color channel to the picture tube. This color-killer circuit has to be arranged so that it functions properly in the presence of heavy noise since color information is also useful at low signal-to-noise ratios. Since the color burst signal is only transmitted during a colorcast, it is chosen as a reliable reference signal which actuates the killer tube. This tube, in turn, disables the color bandpass during a monochrome (no burst) transmission and turns it on again when color is transmitted.
Portable Laboratory Scrubber Unit for Perchloric Acid

Abstract A self-contained unit for collecting and disposing of chemical fumes, mists, and gases has been developed and field tested. It is portable and compact and, when assembled, only requires connection to an electrical receptacle and water tap to be completely operational. Although originally designed for use in filter type radiochemical laboratory hoods for safe disposal of perchloric acid fumes arising from acid digestions, it may be used as a substitute for a permanent hood in a variety of locations. Collection arid disposal of the acid at the source of emission is the guiding design principle.
Clinical and hemodynamic bases of the roentgenographic findings in left-to-right shunt

Abstract Routine clinical, radiographic and electrocardiographic examination can yield significant information concerning congenital cardiovascular lesions with left-to-right shunt. This information includes a knowledge of the anatomy of the lesion as well as the physiologic effects resulting from the abnormal hemodynamics. The degree of diagnostic accuracy is enhanced if the clinical, radiographic and electrocardiographic information is considered collectively, rather than overemphasizing any one of these parameters.
London approach to anisotropic type-II superconductors

The London equations with a phenomenlogical mass tensor are used to analyze the vortex structure near the lower critical field. The anisotropy results in a transverse magnetic field in the Abrikosov vortex. This field attenuates exponentially at large distances from the vortex axis. The strongly anisotropic attenuation length is evaluated. The line energy is found in the London approximation.
Anisotropic solvent model of the lipid bilayer. 1. Parameterization of long-range electrostatics and first solvation shell effects

A new implicit solvation model was developed for calculating free energies of transfer of molecules from water to any solvent with defined bulk properties. The transfer energy was calculated as a sum of the first solvation shell energy and the long-range electrostatic contribution. The first term was proportional to solvent accessible surface area and solvation parameters (σi) for different atom types. The electrostatic term was computed as a product of group dipole moments and dipolar solvation parameter (η) for neutral molecules, or using a modified Born equation for ions. The regression coefficients in linear dependencies of solvation parameters σi and η on dielectric constant, solvatochromic polarizability parameter π*, and hydrogen-bonding donor and acceptor capacities of solvents were optimized using 1269 experimental transfer energies from 19 organic solvents to water. The root-mean-square errors for neutral compounds and ions were 0.82 and 1.61 kcal/mol, respectively. Quantification of energy components demonstrates the dominant roles of hydrophobic effect for non-polar atoms and of hydrogen-bonding for polar atoms. The estimated first solvation shell energy outweighs the long-range electrostatics for most compounds including ions. The simplicity and computational efficiency of the model allows its application for modeling of macromolecules in anisotropic environments, such as biological membranes.
Reactions of Laser-Ablated Rhodium and Iridium Atoms with Nitric Oxide in Neon and Argon. Matrix Infrared Spectra and Density Functional Calculations of Rh(NO)1-3, Ir(NO)1-3, NRhO, NIrO, RhNO+, and IrNO+

Laser-ablated rhodium and iridium atoms are reacted with nitric oxide and the products are isolated in solid neon and argon. Neutral nitrosyl complexes Rh(NO)1-3 and Ir(NO)1-3 are the main products, and weaker bands due to RhNO+, IrNO+, NRhO, and NIrO are also observed. DFT calculations for these products using the BPW91 and B3LYP functionals determine frequencies with the same accuracy found for other metal nitrosyls and are a useful predictive tool. The stretching frequencies observed for the isolated nitrosyls are close to those for analogous nitrosyl species on rhodium and iridium surfaces, which will aid in interpreting vibrational data for surface species.
ALTERATION OF PHYSICAL, AND TRANSPORT PROPERTIES OF MECONIUM BY EXOSURF®† 1364

Meconium Aspiration Syndrome (MAS) is a serious disorder in the newborn which results from both alveolar and terminal airway disease. One of the reasons for symptoms in MAS could be related to poor clearance of the meconium(MEC) from the airway. We recently demonstrated that MEC has high surface tension, poor mucociliary transportability, and high tenacity. These properties are preserved even when MEC is diluted and/or reconstituted (Peds Res, in press). The objective of this study was to measure the physical and transport properties of MEC after the addition of the artificial surfactant Exosurf®. We hypothesized that surfactant would alter the physical properties of MEC and thus allow it to be more easily mobilized. Exosurf was added to a 44 gm% MEC mixture in concentrations of 1:3, 1:1, and 3:1 (v/v), and compared to the undiluted 44 gm% MEC. Linear displacement was measured using an artificial airway model and the SensorMedics oscillator (3100) at different amplitudes (range 10-60) and inspiratory times (30% and 70%). Linear displacement of the various surfactant-MEC mixtures all increased with amplitude (p<0.0001). Importantly, linear displacement was found to directly correlate as a function of surfactant content (p<0.0001). Moreover, surfactant decreased the wettability (contact angle θ) of the surfactant-MEC preparations in a dose dependent fashion, consistent with a decrease in surface tension and improvement in transport properties. We conclude that Exosurf alters the physical properties of MEC as demonstrated by improved linear displacement and decreased wettability. These properties may be desirable when designing treatment strategies to promote the clearance of MEC from the airway.
Posterior Fossa Exploration for Trigeminal Neuralgia Patients Older Than 70 Years of Age

BACKGROUND Patients with medically unresponsive trigeminal neuralgia (TN) who are >70 years of age often undergo operations that typically provide pain relief for 70 years of age. METHODS From 1999 to 2009, 67 TN patients >70 years of age (median, 74 years) underwent a PFE. Thirty-seven patients (55%) had failed ≥ 1 prior surgeries (median, 2). Fifty-nine patients (88%) had a microvascular decompression, and 8 patients (12%) underwent a partial sensory rhizotomy. Follow-up (median, 40 months) was censored at the time of last contact (n = 51), additional surgery (n = 12), or death (n = 4). RESULTS Complete pain relief (no pain, no medications) was 87% at 1 year and 78% at 5 years. Facial pain outcomes did not correlate with patient age, sex, prior surgery, or pain duration. Postoperative complications were noted in 10 patients (15%) and included ataxia (10%), hearing loss (5%), trigeminal dysesthesias (5%), facial weakness (3%), aseptic meningitis (2%), and pulmonary embolus (2%). Factors associated with postoperative complications were prior PFE (P = .01) and neurovascular compression from a dolicoectatic basilar artery (P = .03). CONCLUSION Posterior fossa exploration is safe and effective for physiologically healthy TN patients >70 years of age. It should be deferred in older patients with TN secondary to a dolicoectatic basilar artery and patients who have persistent/recurrent pain after a previous PFE unless simpler procedures prove ineffective at controlling their facial pain.
On gradual monetary reform

Abstract This paper discusses the strategy of gradualism in a monetary union, with reference to the plan being currently pursued by European countries.
Using Critical Incident Reporting to Promote Objectivity and Self-Knowledge in Pre-Service School Psychologists.

This longitudinal project consisted of exploring the usefulness of Critical Incident Reporting (CIR) as an instructional tool (Griffin, 2003) to first increase objectivity and self-knowledge among practicum students and then to guide practices when those students became interns the following academic year. Analysis included 120 CIRs written by 15 practicum students and responses from ten of the same students on a follow-up questionnaire when they were interns. The use of CIR during students’ practicum year illuminated the types and qualities of experiences that affected pre-service school psychologists most and how they processed those experiences within the context of CIR. Benefits of the CIR process included schema internalization that promoted objectivity and self-knowledge among interns, provision of a systematic framework for that process and generation of related data to inform training curricula.
REPRESENTATIONS OF A FUNCTION MEASURED INSIDE ITS ANALYTIC DOMAIN.

Problems concerning insufficient information provided for a function inside its analytic domain have been examined in detail in a simplified statistical model of Cutkosky. The solution is in general closely related to a very simple integral equation. With a finite number of input data, it reduces to an algebraic equation and is readily solved in closed analytic form. Successive iterations and "optimal geometry" dealing with optimal distribution of input data are also discussed.
For a PDK1 inhibitor, the substrate matters

More than 20 protein kinases are directly activated by 3-phosphoinositide-dependent kinase 1 (PDK1), which is a central component of the pathways that regulate cell growth, proliferation and survival. Despite the importance of PDK1 in cell signalling, highly selective PDK1 inhibitors have not been described. In this issue of the Biochemical Journal, Dario Alessi's group and their collaborators at GlaxoSmithKline report GSK2334470, a potent and selective PDK1 inhibitor. They show that this compound blocks the phosphorylation of known PDK1 substrates, but surprisingly find that the potency and kinetics of inhibition vary for different PDK1 targets. This substrate-specific inhibition has implications for the development of PDK1 inhibitors as drugs.
Synthesis, characterization and stereochemical preferences of cobalt(II) ternary amino acid complexes containing N-((2-pyridyl)methyl)- 2((2-aminoethyl)thio)acetamide, a stereospecific linear NSNN tetradentate ligand

Abstract The preparation, isolation and characterization of cis-β-[Co(pyge)(AA)]PF6 [pygeH = N-((2-pyridyl)methyl)-2-((2-aminoethyl)thio) acetamide; AA = gly, L -ala, L -ile, L -leu, sarcosine (sar), α-aminoisobutyric acid (aiba) and β-ala] are described. 1H and 13C NMR spectra of the new cobalt complexes strongly suggest that one geometrical isomer is obtained with very high stereoselectivity. β1- [Co(pyge)(gly)]PF6·2H2O (1) crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 14.518(2), b = 14.583(2), c = 19.783(3) A, β = 98.51(1)° and Z = 8 and was refined to R = 0.080. In both of the two independent cations in the asymmetric unit, the gly chelate had the β1 configuration with respect to the pyge ligand. The complex β-[Co(pyge)(Cl)(NO2)]·H2O was prepared; recrystallization of this complex provided single crystals of β-[Co(pyge)(Cl)(NO2)]·[Co(pyge)(NO2)2]·2H2O (2). Complex 2 crystallized in the triclinic space group P 1 with a = 7.850(1), b = 13.346(2), c = 15.998(2) A, α = 106.45(1), β = 99.07(1), γ = 104.78(1)° and Z = 2, and was refined to R = 0.052. The chlorine ligand was found to be trans to the amido donor of the pyge ligand, suggesting that the β1 configuration found for the amino acid complexes stems from kinetically-based substitutions. The complex β-[Co(pyge)Cl2]·H2O promotes the hydrolysis of amide and ester bonds of dipeptides and amino acid esters to again give β1-[Co(pyge)(AA)]PF6. Finally, evidence is presented for sar and L -ala, that the diastereomeric β1 complex that predominates at equilibrium is the isomer with the ligand methyl group hydrophobically interacting with the pyridyl moiety of the pyge ligand.
Heat acclimation improves cutaneous vascular function and sweating in trained cyclists.

The aim of this study was to explore heat acclimation effects on cutaneous vascular responses and sweating to local ACh infusions and local heating. We also sought to examine whether heat acclimati...
Parallel Quasirandom Walks on the Boundary

s | The Monte Carlo method called \random walks on boundary" has been success- fully used for solving boundary-value problems. This method has signiflcant advantages when compared with random walks on spheres, balls or on discrete grids when an exterior Dirichlet or Neumann problem is solved, or when we are interested in computing the solution to a problem at an arbitrary number of points using a single random walk. In this paper we will investigate ways: † to increase the convergence rate of this method by using quasirandom sequences instead of pseudorandom numbers for the construction of the boundary walks, † to flnd an e-cient parallel implementation of this method on a cluster using MPI. In our parallel implementation we use disjoint contiguous blocks of quasirandom numbers extracted from a given quasirandom sequence for each processor. In this case, the increased convergence rate does not come at the cost of less trustworthy answers. We also present some numerical examples conflrming both the increased rate of convergence and the good parallel e-ciency of the method.
Vesicoureteral reflux and reflux nephropathy

Vesicoureteral reflux is an anatomic abnormality, mostly affecting a pediatric population, which may be the second leading cause of end-stage renal failure. Most cases of reflux are due to abnormalities in the insertion of the ureters into the bladder, either congenital or acquired. Most commonly, VUR is discovered during routine evaluation of urinary tract infections, but may also be present in patients with severe hypertension or chronic renal failure. The diagnosis is confirmed radiologically, utilizing either voiding cinecystography or radioisotopic methods. VUR can result in renal failure through scarring secondary to 'chronic pyelonephritis' or through a glomerulopathy, possibly immune in origin. In most series, the glomerulopathy is felt to be the cause of the end-stage renal failure. Treatment of VUR includes conservative (medical) management with the hope that maturation of the ureterovesical junction will cure reflux. Surgical therapy is reserved for those patients in whom this maturation is not expected to occur or in those whose urinary infections cannot be controlled. In those patients who have developed the glomerulopathy secondary to VUR, surgery may not halt the progression of the renal disease. VUR in a transplanted kidney may result in a higher risk of loss of the graft due to glomerulopathy or chronic rejection.
0412 The Management of Patient/Visitor (Type II) Violence by the Hospital Unit Nurse Managers and Staff

Objectives To examine the management of workplace violent events (type II) by hospital unit nurse managers and staff. Method Cross-sectional surveys, telephone interviews, and semi-structured focus groups were employed among nurse managers and nursing unit staff in two large hospital systems. Results Nurse managers and staff perceived an increase in type II violence in recent years which they attributed to an increase in financial needs of patients/families, and drug seeking behaviour. Both groups expressed sometimes feeling unsupported by their institutions with regard to their safety in the context of these events due to their organisation’s focus on maximising patient/visitor satisfaction, poorly defined/enforced visitor policies, and movement away from physical/chemical patient restraints. Nurse managers perceived themselves as the designated person on their unit responsible for de-escalation of violent situations, with security called only in extreme situations. Security involvement was not consistently considered an option for managing violent events. Unit staff concurred that they relied on their managers to assist, but were left to handle this in their absence. Managers expressed feeling torn between having to consider patient satisfaction versus worker safety at times. They sometimes resorted to rotating patients, known to be violent, between hospital units for purposes of relieving staff from over-exposure to violent behaviour. Conclusions Poorly defined and/or enforced hospital level policies results in nurse managers and staff being left to determine how violent events are managed, which sometimes occurs at the expense of their safety. Efforts at identifying effective institutional and unit level violence prevention policies and stategies are needed.
Spontaneously Improving Occipitocondylar Hyperplasia: A Case Report

This case report presents a pediatric patient with the extremely rare craniovertebral junction anomaly of occipitocondylar hyperplasia. This 4-year old boy presented with macrocephaly and mild to moderate pontomedullary compression from the unilateral occipitocondylar hyperplasia. Based on the asymptomatic clinical presentation, it was decided to follow the patient with serial magnetic resonance images without surgical intervention. Upon further imaging the occipitocondylar hyperplasia spontaneously resolved. This case report offers watchful waiting as an alternative treatment approach to surgical intervention as was reported in the literature previously. Possible pathophysiologic mechanisms are also briefly explored.
Experimental investigation of transitional free shear layer optics

Measurements of Strehl ratio vs downstream distance, when a beam propagates through a shear layer (Reynolds number=810/length), reveal minimal phase distortion in the pretransition region and a sudden decrease in the Strehl ratio when transition occurs. The Strehl ratio levels off to a constant asymptotic value (which is a function of the velocity ratio) in the post-transtion region. The constant Strehl ratio (in the fully developed region) is attributed to fast mixing that occurs within the core of the vortices
Effects of p-xylene inhalation on axonal transport in the rat retinal ganglion cells.

Although the solvent xylene is suspected of producing nervous system dysfunction in animals and humans, little is known regarding the neurochemical consequences of xylene inhalation. The intent of this study was to determine the effect of intermittent, acute, and subchronic p-xylene exposure on the axonal transport of proteins and glycoproteins within the rat retinofugal tract. A number of different exposure regimens were tested ranging from 50 ppm for a single 6-hr exposure to 1600 ppm 6 hr/day, 5 days/week, for a total of 8 exposure days. Immediately following removal from the inhalation chambers rats were injected intraocularly with [35S]methionine and [3H]fucose (to label retinal proteins and glycoproteins, respectively) and the axonal transport of labeled macromolecules to axons (optic nerve and optic tract) and nerve endings (lateral geniculate body and superior colliculus) was examined 20 hr after precursor injection. Only relatively severe exposure regimens (i.e., 800 or 1600 ppm 6 hr/day, 5 days/week, for 1.5 weeks) produced significant reductions in axonal transport; there was a moderate reduction in the axonal transport of 35S-labeled proteins in the 800-ppm-treated group which was more widespread in the 1600 ppm-treated group. Transport of 3H-labeled glycoproteins was less affected. Assessment of retinal metabolism immediately after isotope injection indicated that the rate of precursor uptake was not reduced in either treatment group. Furthermore, rapid transport was still substantially reduced in animals exposed to 1600 ppm p-xylene and allowed a 13-day withdrawal period. These data indicate that p-xylene inhalation decreases rapid axonal transport supplied to the projections of the rat retinal ganglion cells immediately after cessation of inhalation exposure and that this decreased transport is still apparent 13 days after the last exposure. This decreased supply of cellular materials to the axon and nerve ending regions could initiate the neuronal malfunction reported in solvent-exposed animals and humans.
The Emerging Role of Nucleus Accumbens Oxytocin in Social Cognition

The nucleus accumbens (NAc), also known as the ventral striatum, is a key node of the mesocorticolimbic reward system. This circuit has received great attention because of its role in the pathophysiology of addiction and depression. However, it likely evolved to motivate behaviors that were important for survival, reproduction, and fitness. Increasing evidence suggests that adaptive social behaviors in a wide diversity of species are also reinforced by this system. The evolutionary persistence of these behaviors might require this reinforcement, particularly in cases where individual benefit and group benefit are in conflict. A particularly attractive idea is that the neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) functions as a reward signal in the NAc for affiliative interactions. Initially, the strongest experimental evidence in support of this hypothesis derived from classic work showing that oxytocin receptors (OTRs) in the NAc of the prairie vole were critical for its monogamous, highly affiliative behavior (1,2). More recently, we have demonstrated that OT induces plasticity at excitatory synapses in the mouse NAc and that pharmacologic blockade or molecular ablation of OTRs in the NAc impairs social reward processing (3). In this issue of Biological Psychiatry, Loth et al. (4) demonstrate that polymorphisms in the OXTR gene, which encodes the OTR, correlate with changes in the processing of social information and functional magnetic resonance imaging assays of NAc activation patterns. These studies add to the growing body of evidence that OTRs in the NAc play an important role in mediating social cognition and that OXTR polymorphisms interact with life events to have an important influence on how individuals react to social cues. In the lay press, OT is often referred to as the “love hormone.” However, as evidenced by the distinctions drawn between “storge,” “eros,” and “philia,” the Ancient Greeks recognized that “love” takes many forms depending on its social context (e.g., maternal, erotic, communal). To date, it is unknown how OT is able to mediate differentially these distinct types of love. Emerging evidence suggests the possibility that the mode of transmission (paracrine or synaptic) and the brain regions targeted by the regulation of receptor expression dictate this specificity (Figure 1). For example, OT released by the hypothalamus into the systemic circulation via axon terminals in the posterior pituitary binds to OTRs in the uterus and mammary glands to mediate parturition and lactation. The magnocellular hypothalamic neurons responsible for this systemic release are also capable of releasing OT, via a somatodendritic mechanism,
Immunologic Studies of Arginase in Tissues of Normal Human Adult and Arginase-Deficient Patients

Immunologic Studies of Arginase in Tissues of Normal Human Adult and Arginase-Deficient Patients