cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of posterior alveolar bony dehiscence and fenestration in adults with posterior crossbite: a CBCT study

Correcting posterior crossbite in adult patients using nonsurgical methods may involve buccolingual tooth movement. Knowing the extent of the pretreatment alveolar bony dehiscences and fenestrations in the posterior area will aid orthodontists in planning posterior crossbite patients accordingly to minimize posttreatment bony defects. Before the advent of cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), observing buccal and lingual bony defects was not possible unless other treatment needs allowed for an open-flap procedure. With CBCT technology, we can now detect posterior defects with some accuracy. The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of posterior alveolar bony dehiscence and fenestration in adults with posterior crossbite compared with noncrossbite adults. The study group consisted of pretreatment CBCTs of 28 samples with at least one or more teeth in posterior crossbite or edgebite. The comparison group consisted of pretreatment CBCTs of 28 samples with no posterior crossbite or edgebite. All buccal and lingual sides of the upper and lower posterior segments were measured for the presence of dehiscence, fenestration, and combined total bony defects. The prevalence of total bony defects was higher in the study group (61.6%) than in the comparison group (52.1%) (p < 0.05). While there was no difference in prevalence between crossbite teeth in the study group and noncrossbite teeth in the comparison group, the noncrossbite teeth in the study group showed a higher prevalence of total bony defects, dehiscence, and fenestration than the noncrossbite teeth in the comparison group (p < 0.05). The prevalence of dehiscence was higher in the study group (41.2%) than in the comparison group (33.3%) (p < 0.05). Neither the prevalence of fenestration nor the mean bony defect size showed statistical significance between the two groups. First premolars showed a higher prevalence of dehiscence than other posterior teeth, and maxillary posterior teeth had a higher prevalence of fenestration than mandibular posterior teeth. Among the maxillary posterior teeth, second premolars had the least amount of fenestration. Adult subjects with posterior crossbite had a higher prevalence of total bony defects and dehiscence, especially buccal dehiscence, in the posterior region than subjects with no posterior crossbite. This was due to the high prevalence observed in the noncrossbite teeth in posterior crossbite subjects.
Contact With an Ex-Partner Is Associated With Psychological Distress After Marital Separation:

In this study, we examined the association between naturalistically observed in-person contact with an ex-partner and separation-related psychological distress (SRPD). One hundred twenty-two recent...
Refusals, Re-Turns, and Retheorizations of Affective Literacies: A Thrice-Told Data Tale:

In this article, we playfully revisit the same data scene, but from three different perspectives. We call these revisits re-turns to data. These re-turns draw upon moments with young boys playing a...
Picosecond optical pulse shaping in strongly injection-locked semiconductor microring lasers

A method is reported for generating picosecond optical pulses with substantially suppressed transient emission tails in response to applying bipolar injection-current pulses of picosecond duration to a strongly injection-locked whistle-geometry semiconductor microring laser.
Design of a Resistive Plate Counter using additive manufacturing

Research demonstrates that technological progress in additive manufacturing is mature to ensure high-quality and reliable devices. This emerging interdisciplinary engineering science is becoming commercial and very well documented while opening to new opportunities in several fields. However, it is currently unknown how this additive manufacturing technique might work when applied to frontier technologies such as particle physics detectors as a whole. We hypothesize that a fully automated 3D stack printing of a detector would be ideal to drastically reduce: 1) detector construction time 2) the number of runtime construction errors 3) the probability of mistakes during construction. The initial hypothesis is that 3D printing, applied to instrumentation for physics, will enhance detector performance and capabilities, cutting construction costs and improving standardization over large scale productions. By fully optimizing the entire design and by implementing the construction via additive manufacturing, the expectation is to achieve a standardized RPC detector, mechanically more resistant/resilient and electrically more stable if compared to the state-of-the-art. The successful implementation of this project has the long-term objective to impact not only the physics domain but also the security (cargo imaging and general- purpose scanners) and healthcare (tomography machines) domains, where particle detectors are widely adopted.
Social media use and prospective suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adolescents at high risk for suicide

Objective To examine the relationship between social media use and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among adolescents in the first 30 days of an intensive outpatient program (IOP) for depression and suicidality. Method Participants included 100 adolescents who enrolled in an IOP for depression and suicidality and completed baseline measures of social media and weekly measures of depression and suicidal thoughts and behaviors at clinical visits over the next month. Results Lower levels of social media use (overall and messaging) were associated with a greater likelihood of having suicidal ideation with plan over the next 30 days. There was no effect on suicidal behavior. Multilevel modeling indicated no main effects of social media use on depression or average days of suicidal thoughts. However, individuals with lower levels of social media use maintained more depression symptoms and days with passive death wish across the first month of treatment. Conclusions Among adolescents at high risk for suicide, less engagement in social media may reflect social anhedonia or withdrawal, which may heighten risk for more severe suicidal ideation or impede initial treatment. Findings highlight the importance of considering social media as an additional context when assessing social dysfunction in treatment for depression and suicidality.
The Covert Strengthening of Islamic Extremists under Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush

Some political analysts in the U.S. manage to remain objective as they examine a particular subject. However, there are many who let their political leanings impact the conclusions that they reach in their respective publications. An analyst with a conservative bias will usually seek to enhance the image of a Republican by comparing him to Ronald Reagan and other revered figures that were associated with the Grand Old Party at one time. In 2001, George W. Bush signed a bill that substantially cut taxes in the United States. Shortly after this turn of events, various conservative writers started to compare him to Reagan since he also provided American taxpayers with relief during his first term in office.
Die free or live hard? empirical evaluation and new design for fighting evolving twitter spammers

Due to the significance and indispensability of detecting and suspending Twitter spammers, many researchers along with the engineers in Twitter Corporation have devoted themselves to keeping Twitter as spam-free online communities. Meanwhile, Twitter spammers are also evolving to evade existing detection techniques. In this paper, we make an empirical analysis of the evasion tactics utilized by Twitter spammers, and then design several new and robust features to detect Twitter spammers. Finally, we formalize the robustness of 24 detection features that are commonly utilized in the literature as well as our proposed ones. Through our experiments, we show that our new designed features are effective to detect Twitter spammers, achieving a much higher detection rate than three state-of-the-art approaches [35,32,34] while keeping an even lower false positive rate.
Geniculate artery embolization for recurrent postarthroplasty hemarthrosis of the knee

Hemarthrosis after total knee arthroplasty is an uncommon condition. We present a unique case of recurrent hemarthrosis in a 93-year-old woman two years after an uneventful total knee arthroplasty and describe how we successfully treated her with selective angiographic embolization of the geniculate arteries.
Second Thoughts on Asbestos Apportionment

[enter Abstract Body] Ordinary principles of apportionment of liability among multiple parties calls for first determining which parties caused which portions of the harm suffered by the claimant. If all parties were a cause of the same harm, then apportionment can proceed on the basis of comparative responsibility of the parties. This principle is derived from the basic requirement that parties are only liable for harm that their tortious conduct causes. If any of the parties caused only a portion of the claimant's harm, then causal apportionment must precede apportionment based on comparative responsibility. The author had applied these two tenets of apportionment to asbestos litigation in a previous article. See A Future for Asbestos Apportionment?, 12 Conn. Ins. L.J. 315 (2006). On reflection, this article (and author) concludes that general apportionment principles should not be applied to asbestos litigation. Because of gaps in scientific understanding about the progression of asbestotic disease and the contribution of any discrete exposure in that progression, apportionment on basic principles is highly problematic, unless artificial and unrealistic assumptions are made. Even then, such apportionment entails unacceptable inefficiencies. Instead, apportionment among multiple defendants should proceed on the basis of risk contribution, a method adopted by both the California Supreme Court and the House of Lords in England.
Inhibition of Src kinase in mesothelioma cell lines leads to cytotoxicity, inhibition of migration, and decreased invasion

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 3795 Unresectable malignant mesothelioma is a challenging disease that responds poorly to chemotherapy. As such, there is a need for the identification of new targets for therapy. Src is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase that has been implicated in several processes that drive the development and progression of human malignancies, including tumor cell transformation, proliferation, angiogenesis, and altered motility. In epithelial tumors, increasing levels of Src overexpression and activation correlate with disease progression. However, the role of Src in malignant mesothelioma is not defined. We performed immunohistochemistry staining on 10 paraffin embedded tissue specimens for phosphorylated Src (pSrc, Y418). Half of the specimens expressed pSrc by this technique. In addition, we tested dasatinib (BMS-354825), a novel, oral, potent, multi-targeted kinase inhibitor of Src. As shown in the [table][1], dasatinib IC50 values for all four mesothelioma cell lines were below serum levels achieved in humans. Dasatinib also inhibited migration and invasion in the four cell lines in vitro at low doses (<100 nM). These results indicate that inhibiting Src in malignant mesothelioma may be an important therapeutic strategy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first published report that explores the role of Src inhibition in malignant mesothelioma. ![Figure][2] [1]: #F1 [2]: pending:yes
Nursing Home Social Services Directors' Opinions About the Number of Residents They Can Serve

An appropriate number of qualified staff is a key factor contributing to quality of care and quality of life for nursing home residents. While much of the literature focuses on the importance of adequate nursing ratios, this descriptive study is the first to focus on the social services staff ratio. Nationally representative survey results from over 1,000 nursing home social services directors reveal that the mean number of residents per full-time equivalent social worker in the United States is 89.3 and the median is 79 residents (note that this figure includes both long-term and subacute residents). Furthermore, although the federal government requires nursing homes with more than 120 beds to employ 1 full-time qualified social worker to meet resident psychosocial needs, when asked their opinion, the majority of respondents indicated that 1 full-time social worker could handle 60 or fewer long-term care residents or 20 or fewer subacute care residents. Nursing home characteristics helped to explain the variation in social services directors' opinions. These findings suggest that the federal policy related to social services staffing should be revisited. Policy makers would benefit from reliable and current data regarding social service staffing. Research is needed to understand the relationship between social services staffing and resident outcomes.
Invariance properties for impulse systems

Reviews the definition of a solution to an optimal control system that may exhibit impulsive behavior. A sampling technique that generates these solutions is sketched, and is applied to derive invariance results.
Effect of a mailed appointment reminder on appointment keeping.

Poor appointment keeping is a major problem in many health facilities. At The Anthony L. Jordan Health Center, we studied 670 pediatric appointments to see if a postal card reminder mailed one week before the appointment would make a difference in the keep rate (kept plus canceled appointments, divided by kept plus canceled plus broken appointments). The appointments studied were 12 days to eight weeks from the time of scheduling. In the control group, the keep rate was 48%. Those receiving mailed reminders had a keep rate of 64%, a significant difference (X2 = 16.92; p The effects on the keep rate of age, interval to appointment, time of day, referral pattern, reason for appointment, and prior keep rate were minor. The use of a mailed reminder can improve appointment keeping and facilitate better care and more efficient scheduling and use of personnel.
Hydrogen bonding: Part 26. Thermodynamics of dissociation and infrared spectracrystal structure correlations for betaine monohydrate and trimethylamine oxide dihydrate

Abstract Thermodynamic parameters for the dissociation of betaine monohydrate and trimethylamine oxide dihydrate have been determined by equilibrium vapor pressure measurements. Betaine monohydrate appears in two slightly different crystalline forms, one obtained by crystallization from water and the other by addition of water vapor to solid anhydrous betaine. Hydrogen bond energies in these hydrates are at least 8–9 kcal mol−1 per OH⋯O bond. Hydrogen bond energies in trimethylamine oxide dihydrate average at least 14 kcal mol−1 per OH⋯O bond; however, as there are two distinct types of hydrogen bonds in this hydrate, some bonds are stronger and some weaker than 14 kcal mol−1. These studies show conclusively that trimethylamine oxide monohydrate does not exist. The infrared spectrum of trimethylamine oxide dihydrate is correlated with the crystal structure.
Surveys for maternally-inherited endosymbionts reveal novel and variable infections within solitary bee species ☆

Maternally-inherited bacteria can affect the fitness and population dynamics of their host insects; for solitary bees, such effects have the potential to influence bee efficacy as pollinators. We screened bee species for bacterial associates using 454-pyrosequencing (4 species) and diagnostic PCR (183 specimens across 29 species). The endosymbiont Wolbachia was abundant, infecting 18 species, including all specimens from the family Halictidae. Among commercially-supplied orchard bees (family Megachilidae), only 2/7 species were Wolbachia-infected, but one species showed variable infection among specimens. Two other maternally-inherited bacteria, Arsenophonus and Sodalis, were also detected, neither of which was fixed in infection frequency. Differential endosymbiont infection could potentially compromise fitness and reproductive compatibility among commercially redistributed pollinator populations.
Heterotopic gastric mucosa causing significant esophageal stricture in a 14-year-old child.

SUMMARY Esophageal heterotopic gastric mucosa (HGM) is not uncommon and can be seen in up to 10% of the general population among numerous reports and epidemiologic studies which have been essentially performed in adult population. Pediatric data are still limited. Diagnosis requires clinician awareness of symptomatic cases who present with dysphagia or swallowing difficulties, and thorough endoscopic examination is crucial. Early detection of cases provides favorable clinical outcome and may prevent potential significant or serious long-term consequences such as esophageal stricture or web, Barrett's esophagus or malignant transformation in pediatric population. We reported a 14-year-old male who presented with 1-year history of gradually worsening dysphagia and was found to have two salmon-colored patches, which resemble gastric mucosa, in the proximal esophagus causing significant esophageal stricture. Gastric cardiac-type mucosa with acute and chronic inflammation was documented on biopsy. After several sessions of balloon dilation and endoscopic treatment, the HGM and esophageal stricture resolved and he became asymptomatic.
Membrane binding and bending in Ebola VP40 assembly and egress.

Lipid-enveloped viruses contain a lipid bilayer coat that protects their genome and helps to facilitate entry into the host cell. Filoviruses are lipid-enveloped viruses that have up to 90% clinical fatality and include Marbug (MARV) and Ebola (EBOV). These pleomorphic filamentous viruses enter the host cell through their membrane embedded glycoprotein and then replicate using just seven genes encoded in their negative sense RNA genome. EBOV budding occurs from the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and is driven by the matrix protein VP40, which is the most abundantly expressed protein of the virus. VP40 expressed in mammalian cells alone can trigger budding of filamentous virus-like particles (VLPs) that are nearly indistinguishable from authentic EBOV. VP40, like matrix proteins from other viruses, has been shown to bind anionic lipid membranes. However, how VP40 selectively interacts with the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane and assembles into a filamentous lipid enveloped particle is mostly unknown. This article describes what is known regarding VP40 membrane interactions and what answers will fill the gaps.
The effects of cerebral white matter changes on cardiovascular responses to cognitive and physical activity in a stroke population.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) control may be disrupted by cerebrovascular disease. We investigated the relationship between alterations in white matter integrity and regulation of the ANS in 23 participants who sustained a stroke within 5 years. These participants underwent diffusion tensor imaging, and fractional anisotropy values were calculated (DTI-FA) for each hemisphere and lobe. Cognitive and physical exertion tasks were performed while recording an electrocardiogram. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) decreased more during a verbal fluency task with lower left hemisphere DTI-FA. Further, the physical stressor yielded decreases in RSA with lower frontal DTI-FA and higher temporal lobe DTI-FA, p < .05 (perhaps a release effect on the central autonomic network). Decrements in ANS regulation may have functional consequences that alter behavior, as well as potentially increasing the risk for further vascular disease.
Inclusion/exclusion criteria in placebo-controlled studies of vortioxetine: Comparison to other antidepressants and implications for product labeling

Abstract Background We recently conducted a comprehensive review of the psychiatric inclusion/exclusion criteria used in 170 placebo-controlled antidepressant efficacy trials (AETs) published during the past 20 years and found that the criteria of more recent studies were significantly more restrictive than prior studies. Vortioxetine is the most recently approved medication for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). We compared the inclusion/exclusion criteria of the vortioxetine studies to the criteria used in other AETs, and discuss the broader issue of the generalizability of AETs and the implications this might have for the labeling of antidepressants receiving FDA approval. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature review of placebo-controlled AETs published from January, 1995 through December, 2014. We identified 170 AETs published during this 20 year period and compared the inclusion/exclusion criteria used in the 12 studies of vortioxetine to those used in the nonvortioxetine studies. A second analysis compared vortioxetine to the 3 antidepressants most recently approved prior to vortioxetine (desvenlafaxine, levomilnacipran extended release, vilazodone). Results Compared to the nonvortioxetine AETs, the vortioxetine studies significantly more often excluded patients with any comorbid Axis I disorder (p Limitations A limitation of the present analysis is that it was based on published placebo-controlled studies of antidepressants. Conclusion The inclusion/exclusion criteria in the studies of vortioxetine were more restrictive than the criteria used in other AETs. Inconsistent with FDA guidelines on the labeling of medications, the label of vortioxetine does not include a description of the limits to the group of patients with MDD for whom the medication has been shown to be effective.
Sales expectations and inventory changes in retail trade

Abstract In this paper a single equation inventory investment model is estimated for the United States retail sector. Monthly data for the 1970s are utilized. In estimating the model it is alternatively assumed that expectations were formed according to a seasonal model, to perfect foresight, and to a narrowly rational expectations model. We find that a model in which expected sales and the expected rate of inflation are narrowly rational can explain most of the variation in retail inventory investment during the time period studied. The results of the estimation imply that retailers have a relatively short forecast horizon, that they can react quickly to either unexpected sales or to a deviation of actual from desired inventory stocks, and that an increase in the real of interest has a statistically negative impact on retail inventory investment.
Performance of a visual conditioned response in split-brain cats

Abstract Normal and midline-sectioned cats with visual input restricted to the right eye were conditioned to withdraw the right forelimb to a flashing light signal. It was demonstrated that the visual signal can be restricted to one brain half if, in addition to sectioning all forebrain commissures and the optic chiasm, the commissure of the superior colliculus is sectioned prior to training. Motor control of the response was shown to be highly dependent on contralateral cortex. These results are contrary to those theories which assume formation of new connections between cortical receptor and motor centers during the conditioning process. They tend to reinforce hypotheses which advocate the formation of cortically organized facilitory sets based on stimuli related to the conditioning situation. It is suggested that the conditioned response so formed constantly influences subcortical structures, but is not manifest as a response until the onset of the conditioned stimulus, which acts subcortically as a signal for its expression.
Interstitial fibrosis in obstructive nephropathy

Interstitial fibrosis and tubular basement membrane (TBM) thickening are evident within 16 days of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) in the rabbit, and resemble the changes previously reported in hydronephrotic human kidneys. The cortical interstitial volume fraction in this rabbit model at 16 days is 43.3 +/- 6.1% (+/- 1 SD) in UUO kidneys, 4.9 +/- 3.1% in contralateral kidneys (CLK), and 2.8 +/- 0.8% in kidneys from sham-operated animals (ANOVA, P < 0.0001). Immunohistochemically, UUO is associated with increased interstitial collagens I and III, fibronectin, heparan sulfate proteoglycan and tubulointerstitial nephritis antigen. Aberrant collagen expression is also evident as interstitial collagen IV becomes prominent. Focal, peritubular accumulation of collagens I and II also appear to encircle the TBM. These changes are accompanied by an early, transient increase in renal cortical mRNA encoding the alpha 1 monomers of collagens I, III and IV, implicating increased matrix synthesis in the pathogenesis of obstructive nephropathy. In situ hybridization localized increased expression of alpha 1 (I) and alpha 1 (IV) mRNA to cells in the interstitial space, with clusters of alpha 1(I) positive cells associated with dilated tubules, muscular arteries and the periglomerular interstitium.
Multiple dynamical modes of thalamic relay neurons: Rhythmic bursting and intermittent phase-locking

A model of thalamocortical relay neuron is studied to assess whether a 7-14 Hz (spindle) oscillation and a 0.5-4 Hz (delta) oscillation may result from the interplay between a T-type calcium current and a non-specific cation sag current. With moderate change of membrane parameter values, the model neuron can exhibit both the spindle and delta rhythms, at different levels of hyperpolarization; only the slower (delta) one or none. In the case when the model neuron is not intrinsically oscillatory, its response to rhythmic hyperpolarization is complex, and displays the "intermittent phase-locking" phenomenon where bursts of Na+ action potentials occur infrequently but their occurrence is phase-locked to the rhythmic input. The rhythmic bursting, whenever possible, is shown to emerge (bifurcate) from a subthreshold oscillation. Near the bifurcation chaotic discharge patterns are observed, where spikes occur intermittently at randomly chosen cycles of a mostly subthreshold slow oscillation. Furthermore, when both the spindle and delta modes can be realized, the transition between the two appears as a sudden drop of the rhythmic frequency with increased hyperpolarization. The T-type calcium current and the sag current may explain the "intermittent phase-locking" phenomenon that is characteristic to thalamic relay neurons during spindle oscillation and provide a cellular basis for the 7-14 Hz rhythm and the slower 0.5-4 Hz rhythm.
ECONOMIC DESIGN OF A PIPELINE WITH DISCHARGE RESERVOIR

As an example of using optimization theory to obtain simple but rigorous design procedures, the minimum cost design of a fluid pipeline with discharge reservoir is analyzed. The problem has one continuous and four discrete variables, all nonlinear. Monotonicity analysis determines two discrete variables. Partial optimization combined with posynomial geometric programming gives interesting design rules for identifying an optimal design. To obtain discrete values, the new concept of “relative derivative” is used. An exhaustive search on the one continuous variable is often not needed to find the global minimum, since, in several cases, it can be determined in advance that either the only stationary point is the global minimum or that the global minimum occurs at a boundary of the feasible region. This study led to a 50 million saving.
3-((+-)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP) and phencyclidine produce a deficit of passive avoidance retention in rats.

3-((+-)-2-Carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP), phencyclidine (PCP) and diazepam were evaluated for their ability to produce a deficit for a single trial step-through passive avoidance response in rats. Pretraining administration with CPP at doses ranging from 2.0 to 10.0 mg/kg s.c. significantly decreased retention latencies 24 h after passive avoidance training. Similar effects were found with PCP at doses ranging from 0.5 to 1.7 mg/kg s.c. and diazepam at doses between 5.0-18.0 mg/kg s.c. Pretraining administration with the benzodiazepine antagonist, RO15-1788 at doses between 0.1-15 mg/kg s.c., did not alter retention latencies. Co-administration of RO15-1788 (0.01-15.0 mg/kg s.c.) with CPP (6.0 mg/kg s.c.) or PCP (1.0 mg/kg s.c.) failed to block decreases in latencies. However, when RO15-1788 was co-administered with diazepam (9.0 mg/kg s.c.) a dose-related antagonism of diazepam's effects were found. These results suggest that the behavioral actions of CPP and PCP on passive avoidance retention are not mediated via the benzodiazepine receptor complex.
Molecular beam studies of the kinetics of the thermal conversion of N2O on Rh(111) single-crystal surfaces

The thermal conversion of N2O on Rh(111) single-crystal surfaces has been studied using a collimated effusive molecular beam technique coupled with mass spectroscopy detection. The decomposition of pure N2O was determined to occur at temperatures as low as 120 K, to follow first-order kinetics, and to lead to the stoichiometric production of N2(g) and atomic adsorbed oxygen. Lower rates and total yields are observed with increasing reaction temperatures, presumably because of the increased importance of N2O desorption and surface mobility in the overall kinetics. N2O conversion is poisoned by the adsorbed oxygen byproduct unless a reducing agent such as CO is used for their removal from the surface, in which case N2O reduction can be carried out catalytically. Steady-state reaction rates were determined for different temperatures and N2O:CO beam mixtures, and were deemed controlled by the rate of oxygen removal, not by the decomposition of the N2O. The role of adsorbed N2O as an intermediate during NO red...
Illuminating Trafficking of KCNQ1/KCNE1 Channels in Heart

In human heart, pore-forming KCNQ1 subunits associate with auxiliary KCNE1 subunits to generate the slowly activating, delayed rectifier potassium current, IKs. Decreases in IKs, due to either congenital mutations in KCNQ1/KCNE1 subunits or the adverse neuro-hormonal milieu accompanying heart failure, delay cardiac repolarization, leading to long QT syndrome (LQTS). LQTS predisposes to lethal ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. How KCNQ1/KCNE1 channel trafficking in the heart proceeds and is regulated is unknown. However, understanding this process is critical both for fundamental mechanistic insights into LQTS, and for rational development of potential new therapies for this condition. We sought to develop optical tools that permit direct visualization of KCNQ1/KCNE1 subunit assembly and trafficking in heart cells. KCNQ1 and KCNE1 were tagged intra-cellularly with YFP and CFP, respectively, and extra-cellularly with a 13-residue high affinity α-bungarotoxin (BTX) binding site (BBS). The tagged proteins were viable as determined by functional electrophysiological assays in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells– BBS-KCNQ1-YFP expressed alone gave rise to rapidly-activating outward currents, and co-expression with KCNE1-CFP resulted in the slowly activating kinetic signature of IKs. Cell surface BBS-tagged channel subunits were selectively detected with quantum dot. Optical pulse chase assays in human embryonic kidney (HEK 293) cells revealed that surface KCNQ1 channels undergo rapid endocytosis and recycling, and this process is largely unaffected by KCNE1. Tagged KCNQ1/KCNE1 subunits expressed in guinea pig heart cells using adenovirus were targeted to the surface sarcolemma, t-tubules and intercalated disks, similar to endogenous channels. Surprisingly, IKs amplitude remained unchanged with over-expression of either KCNQ1 or KCNE1, suggesting a tightly regulated system for maintaining KCNQ1/KCNE1 surface density.
Audiowiz: nearly real-time audio transcriptions

Existing automated transcription solutions filter out environmental noises and focus only on transcribing the spoken word. This leaves deaf and hard of hearing users with no way of learning about events that provide no spoken information such as the sounds produced by a faulty appliance or the barked alert of a dutiful guard dog. In this paper we present AudioWiz, a mobile application that provides highly detailed audio transcriptions of both the spoken word and the accompanying environmental sounds. This approach is made possible by harnessing humans to provide audio transcriptions instead of more traditional automated means. Web-workers are recruited automatically in nearly real-time as dictated by demand.
Solvation-Induced Morphology Effects on the Performance of Polymer-Based Photovoltaic Devices

Polymer-based photovoltaic devices have been fabricated by blending the conjugated polymer, poly(2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) with the buckminsterfullerene, C60. The photo-induced current and the open-circuit voltage show a strong dependence on the polymer processing conditions. It was found that the photovoltaic devices fabricated with tetrahydrofuran or chloroform (non-aromatic solvents) have smaller photocurrents under same reverse bias as well as higher open circuit voltages than the devices fabricated with xylene, dichlorobenzene, or chlorobenzene (aromatic solvents). The device performance dependence on the processing solvent is attributed to the different solvation-induced polymer morphology.
Novel protein composition of a bacterial membrane

The ghosts of a Bacillus sp. (Bacillus PP) isolated from a culture of Bacillus megaterium KM were dissociated by treatment with urea-sodium deoxycholate and fractionated by gel filtration. Examination of the protein composition of the unfractionated and the fractionated membrane components by disc gel electrophoresis under dissociating conditions revealed the presence of a protein band of MW 32,000 that comprised at least 90% of the total protein of the ghosts. An electrophoretically identical protein was found to be a relatively minor component of the ghosts of Bacillus megaterium KM.
Role of alpha-adrenergic blockers in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

The dynamic component of infravesical obstruction in men with symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is determined by alpha1-adrenoceptor-mediated contractions of the prostatic capsule, prostate adenoma, and bladder neck. Since alpha1-adrenoceptors are sparse in the bladder, medical therapy aimed at blocking the alpha receptor will relieve bladder outlet obstruction without inhibiting bladder function. Numerous clinical studies have evaluated the use of various alpha blockers for the treatment of BPH. Although the majority of these trials involved limited numbers of patients treated for only short periods, their results have consistently shown that alpha blockers improve urinary flow rates. Adverse reactions appear to be more frequent and more serious with the use of nonselective alpha blockers than with selective alpha1 blockers, such as terazosin or prazosin. Terazosin offers the additional advantage of once-daily dosing. The common association of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and symptomatic BPH in the aging male population may provide further impetus for initiating treatment with alpha blockers because alpha blockers are effective antihypertensive agents and may favorably alter lipid profiles.
Building Permit Policy and Land Price Distortions: Empirical Evidence

Abstract This study examines the impacts of building permit policy on suburban land prices. The central premise of this study is that building permit policy may be a binding constraint and may lead to price distortions in land markets. We use a database of 354 suburban land sales to examine the impact of permit policy on land prices in 26 municipalities in a suburban county of Philadelphia. Our study offers evidence of price distortions. We find that land prices go up with planned increases in residential building permits. We also find that a progrowth building permit policy causes land prices to rise more in municipalities where developable land is scarce and vice versa.
Mature Microsatellites: Mechanisms Underlying Dinucleotide Microsatellite Mutational Biases in Human Cells

Dinucleotide microsatellites are dynamic DNA sequences that affect genome stability. Here, we focused on mature microsatellites, defined as pure repeats of lengths above the threshold and unlikely to mutate below it in a single mutational event. We investigated the prevalence and mutational behavior of these sequences by using human genome sequence data, human cells in culture, and purified DNA polymerases. Mature dinucleotides (≥10 units) are present within exonic sequences of >350 genes, resulting in vulnerability to cellular genetic integrity. Mature dinucleotide mutagenesis was examined experimentally using ex vivo and in vitro approaches. We observe an expansion bias for dinucleotide microsatellites up to 20 units in length in somatic human cells, in agreement with previous computational analyses of germ-line biases. Using purified DNA polymerases and human cell lines deficient for mismatch repair (MMR), we show that the expansion bias is caused by functional MMR and is not due to DNA polymerase error biases. Specifically, we observe that the MutSα and MutLα complexes protect against expansion mutations. Our data support a model wherein different MMR complexes shift the balance of mutations toward deletion or expansion. Finally, we show that replication fork progression is stalled within long dinucleotides, suggesting that mutational mechanisms within long repeats may be distinct from shorter lengths, depending on the biochemistry of fork resolution. Our work combines computational and experimental approaches to explain the complex mutational behavior of dinucleotide microsatellites in humans.
Stress Sharing Between the Sinus and Leaflets of Canine Aortic Valve

A knowledge of the behavior of the aortic valve sinuses is necessary to the understanding of stress sharing between the sinuses and the leaflets. Radiopaque markers were placed on the sinuses and the leaflets of dogs during cardiopulmonary bypass, and the movement of the markers was studied using fluoroscopy. The center of the sinus moved radially during each cardiac cycle, but in an inconsistent manner. The sinus was under a dual influence: the passive influence of aortic pressure and the active influence of myocardial contraction. The longitudinal curvature of the sinus showed no dimensional change, whereas the radius of the circumferential curvature decreased by 15.7% from systole to diastole. In diastole, the stress in the sinus was 6.1 g/mm2 and was 24.3 g/mm2 circumferentially and 12.1 g/mm2 radially in the leaflet. Histologically, the main stress-bearing component of the leaflet was made up of thick, dense, collagenous fibers oriented circumferentially. These fibers curved into the sinus wall instead of inserting straight into the aortic wall, thereby suggesting that the high stress in the leaflet is shared with the sinus and that continuity of the circumferential stress exists between the leaflet and the sinus. The leaflet does not pull inwardly on the aortic wall. In diastole, the sinus adapts to the new stress conditions in the leaflet by reducing its radius of circumferential curvature. This stress sharing is important for the longevity of the aortic valve.
Early enzyme histochemical changes following transection of dorsal spinal funiculi

Abstract Histochemical studies of early changes of lactic dehydrogenase activity were done in transected fasc. gracilis and cuneatus of cats, to elucidate the significance of the proximo-distal increase in this enzyme normally found in the terminal portions of these tracts. A rapid and uniform loss of activity in the distal portion of transected tracts favors the concept that the gradient of enzyme activity in normal tracts results from a flow of axoplasm in the fasc. gracilis at a rate exceeding that of its catabolism, rather than an ability of the terminal portion of the axon to synthetize enzyme. Swellings and enzymatic changes in the stump of the transected axonal fibers suggest an early phase of redistribution of axoplasm in axonal stumps that occurs in both stumps, with a continued damming of axoplasm that occurs only in the proximal stumps. Transection of the sciatic nerve does not affect enzyme activity in the dorsal funiculi.
Far-Infrared Laser Stark Spectroscopy of PH3

Abstract The laser Stark spectra of phosphine have been studied using the 195- and 195′-μm lines of the DCN laser. The spectra were taken at room temperature for both parallel and perpendicular polarizations up to 57 000 V/cm. The observed resonances have been assigned to the pure rotational transitions J K = 6 K ← 5 K in the ν 2 = 1 vibrational state for both E and A symmetries with K = 1 through 5. In addition, the zero-field forbidden transitions, J K = 6 3 ← 5 3 A 1 ← A 1 and A 2 ← A 2 , have been observed for the first time. The measured zero-field frequencies for all of the observed transitions are in excellent agreement with those calculated from the available molecular constants and represent an increase in accuracy over prior measurements.
Adsorption of inhalation anesthetics on the air/water interface and the effect of water structure

Abstract The interaction of inhalation anesthetics with an air/water interface, and the effects of anions designated as water structure breaker (SCN−) and water structure maker (F−) upon anesthetic adsorption were studied. The values of the free energy of adsorption (-ΔG) were in the order chloroform halothane enflurane diethyl ether. The values of ΔS of the adsorption of the ether-type anesthetics differ markedly from those of the alkane-type anesthetics. According to our statistical mechanical theory, it was estimated that chloroform and halothane lose one degree of freedom of the rotation by the adsorption while enflurane and diethyl ether lose two and three degrees, respectively. These losses of the rotational degrees of freedom do not mean that the rotational motion is completely frozen; rather, it transform into the vibrational mode with the resulting average frequencies in the order of the thermal vibration ( kT/h = 6 · 10 12 Hz ). The larger number of the loss of the rotational freedom with the ether-type anesthetics suggests that the hydrophilic ether oxygen may be involved. The molar affinity potentials of the anesthetics to the interface were estimated to be; chloroform, 5.4; halothane, 5.6; enflurane, 8.7; and diethyl ether, 10.7 kcal/mol. These values are inversely correlated to the anesthetic potency of these drugs with correlation coefficient of 0.999. The interaction of anesthetics with the interface was stronger on 2 M KF sub-solution than on 2 M KSCN. The ordered water structure is apparently favored for the interaction of anesthetics with water.
Rollover risk of cars and light trucks after accounting for driver and environmental factors.

Characteristics of the driver, roadway environment, and vehicle were associated with the likelihood of rollover occurrence in more than 14000 single-vehicle fatal and 78000 single-vehicle injury crashes during 1995-98. Rollovers were more likely in crashes involving young drivers or occurring on rural curves. After accounting for the effects of driver age and gender, roadway alignment and surface condition, and whether or not the crash occurred in a rural area, light trucks were still twice as likely as cars to experience rollovers. Some light truck models were much more likely than others to experience rollovers. However, while physical differences (e.g. center of gravity height) could explain some of this variability, other factors affecting vehicle stability may be evident only after dynamic testing.
Nonlinear Resonance Artifacts in Molecular Dynamics Simulations

The intriguing phenomenon of resonance, a pronounced integrator-induced corruption of a system's dynamics, is examined for simple molecular systems subject to the classical equations of motion. This source of timestep limitation is not well appreciated in general, and certainly analyses of resonance patterns have been few in connection to biomolecular dynamics. Yet resonances are present in the commonly used Verlet integrator, in symplectic implicit schemes, and also limit the scope of current multiple-timestep methods that are formulated as symplectic and reversible. The only general remedy to date has been to reduce the timestep. For this purpose, we derive method-dependent timestep thresholds (e.g., Tables 1 and 2) that serve as useful guidelines in practice for biomolecular simulations. We also devise closely related symplectic implicit schemes for which the limitation on the discretization stepsize is much less severe. Specifically, we design methods to remove third-order, or both the third- and fourth-order, resonances. These severe low-order resonances can lead to instability or very large energies. Our tests on two simple molecular problems (Morse and Lennard?Jones potentials), as well as a 22-atom molecule, N-acetylalanyl-N?-methylamide, confirm this prediction; our methods can delay resonances so that they occur only at larger timesteps (EW method) or are essentially removed (LIM2 method). Although stable for large timesteps by this approach, trajectories show large energy fluctuations, perhaps due to the coupling with other factors that induce instability in complex nonlinear systems. Thus, the methods developed here may be more useful for conformational sampling of biomolecular structures. The analysis presented here for the blocked alanine model emphasizes that one-dimensional analysis of resonances can be applied to a more complex, multimode system to analyze resonance behavior, but that resonance due to frequency coupling is more complex to pinpoint. More generally, instability, apparently due to numerically induced resonances, has been observed in the application of the implicit midpoint scheme to vibrating structures and could be expected also in the simulation of nonlinear wave phenomena; in such applications it is adequate not to resolve the highest frequency modes, so the proposed methods could be very useful.
Stable-isotope record of organic carbon from an evolving carbonate banktop, Bight of Abaco, Bahamas

The stable-isotope composition ({delta}{sup 13}C) of total organic carbon (TOC) was measured as a function of depth throughout a 217-cm-thick sequence of Holocene carbonate sediment within the Bight of Abaco lagoon, Little Bahama Bank. Biofacies and lithofacies analyses indicate progressive banktop submergence and paleoenvironmental response during Holocene sea-level rise. Stable-isotope values shift markedly from {minus}27.7{per thousand} within the 7900 B.P. paleosol at the base of the core to {minus}11.1{per thousand} at the present-day sediment-water interface. An abrupt excursion toward heavy-isotope values records the first establishment of Thalassia seagrass upon open-marine flooding. A multitracer approach, combining biofacies, lithofacies, and stable-isotope analysis of TOC confirms that the dramatic +17{per thousand} shift observed in {delta}{sup 13}C was a direct result of sea-level rise and associated environmental changes over the banktop; there is little evidence of spurious diagenetic overprint. Stable-isotope analyses of organic carbon may enhance the reconstruction of carbonate sequences by revealing a distinctive geochemical signature of banktop flooding, including the onset of growth of otherwise unpreservable Thalassia seagrass.
Mixed, Blended Nation, and the politics of multiraciality in the United States

How do visual narratives of multiraciality shape, reflect, reinforce, and challenge discourses of race? In this essay, I consider the function of photographic narratives that seek to bring visibility and legitimacy to multiraciality. Reading Mixed: Portraits of multiracial kids by Kip Fulbeck and Blended Nation: Portraits and interviews of mixed race America by Mike Tauber against three significant US-based historical examples of photographic narratives that center multiraciality, I critically examine historical and contemporary themes and tensions in image-based endeavors to trouble notions of racial difference.