cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Examination of Charged Intramembrane Residues in a Nucleoside Transporter

Permeases of the equilibrative nucleoside transporter family mediate the uptake of nucleosides and/or nucleobases in a diverse array of eukaryotes and transport a host of drugs used for treatment of cancer, heart disease, AIDS, and parasitic infections. To identify residues that play central roles in transport function, we have systematically substituted by site-directed mutagenesis all the charged residues located within predicted transmembrane domains of the Leishmania donovani nucleoside transporter 1.1, LdNT1.1, which transports adenosine and the pyrimidine nucleosides. Substitution of three of these ten residues by uncharged amino acids resulted in loss of >95% transport activity, and we hence designated them "key" residues. These amino acids were Glu94, Lys153, and Arg404 located in transmembrane domains 2, 4, and 9, respectively. In addition, previous studies on the related LdNT2 inosine/guanosine transporter identified the highly conserved Asp389 and Arg393 (equivalent to Asp374 and Arg378 in LdNT1.1) in transmembrane domain 8 as key residues. Among these residues, the mutants in Arg393 (LdNT2) and Arg404 were strongly impaired in trafficking to the plasma membrane, but the other mutants were expressed with high to moderate efficiency at the cell surface, indicating that their mutation impaired transport activity per se. A conservative K153R substitution exhibited a change in substrate specificity, acquiring the ability to transport inosine, a nucleoside that is not a substrate for the wild-type LdNT1.1 permease. These results imply that the Glu94, Lys153, and Asp374 residues may play central roles in the mechanism of substrate translocation in LdNT1.1.
An apparently first-order transition between two amorphous phases of ice induced by pressure

We recently reported1 a transition from ice Ih to a high-density amorphous phase at 10 kbar, 77 K. Here we report that low-density amorphous ice (density 0.94 g cm−3) compressed at 77 K transforms to high-density amorphous ice (1.19 g cm−3 at zero pressure) at a sharp transition at 6±0.5 kbar. The transition is at least as sharp as the previously reported1 transition and strongly resembles a first-order transition in its sharpness and large volume change. It appears to be the first example of an apparently first-order transition between amorphous solids and has implications not only for our understanding of the behaviour of condensed matter, but also for theories of planetary interiors.
FUNCTIONING METASTATIC BRONCHIAL CARCINOID WITH ELEVATED LEVELS OF SERUM AND CEREBROSPINAL FLUID SEROTONIN AND PITUITARY ADENOMA

ABSTRACT A patient is described who had metastasizing bronchial carcinoid, hyperserotonemia, and an elevated urinary excretion of 5-hydroxy-3-indole acetic acid in the absence of the clinical characteristics of the carcinoid syndrome. During administration of reserpine there was an initial 5-hydroxy-3-indoluria, and excretion remained at levels above normal. A carcinoid metastasis to the choroid of the eye was found at operation, and there was possible metastatic involvement of the brain, based on an elevated level of serotonin in the cerebrospinal fluid. Associated was a pituitary adenoma with clinical evidence of acromegaly. It is suggested that patients with bronchial carcinoid undergo serotonin studies whether the carcinoid syndrome be present or not, and that these cases be scrutinized for additional endocrine adenomas. THE carcinoid syndrome associated with metastasizing bronchial adenoma was recently described by Warner and Southren (1). The present report deals with an additional patient, in whom ...
Kinetics of spinodal decomposition and strain energy effects in Cu-Ni(Fe) nanolaminates

The phase transformation of spinodal decomposition proceeds without nucleation and is affected by the alloy composition, temperature, interfaces and gradient energy, as well as the presence of lattice strain. As a consequence, a coherent spinodal can be depressed well below the chemical spinodal within the miscibility gap. Phase separation from a solid solution within the spinodal leads to the formation of characteristic composition wavelengths. In the nickel-based alloy system, a nanolaminate structure is used to initially create an artificial composition fluctuation with unique nanoscale wavelengths. The direct measurement of diffusivity at low temperatures in Cu-Ni and Cu-Ni(Fe), from the spinodal towards room temperature, requires sensitivity to the nanoscale fluctuations in composition. For this purpose, x-ray diffraction scans are used to assess changes in the short-range order of the composition fluctuation and the corresponding changes in the gradient energy, from which an evaluation of lattice distortion effects reveals a peak in strain energy for 2-3 nm composition wavelengths.
A new approach to hypercube network analysis

A bit-positional notation is proposed for representing the interconnection topology of a hypercube. This approach greatly helps in the analysis of basic properties of a hypercube network. Some systematic procedures are derived to expand binary trees and map them into higher-dimensional hypercubes. The authors show that an n-cube network can be enhanced by adding at most 2/sup n-2/ diagonal links, which makes it possible to map a complete binary tree into a hypercube with any one of its nodes as the root. The problem of mapping mesh networks into hypercube networks is discussed. >
Salt effects on the diffusion and release rate of propranolol from poloxamer 407 gels

Abstract In this report we show that salts commonly included in the formulation of poloxamer 407 (P407) gels can dramatically change the release rate of a drug from the gel. We used a model drug, propranolol, and measured its diffusion from a 21% P407 gel into an aqueous medium at 37°C through a cellulose membrane. The data followed the Higuchi square root law during the first hour of release. The release rate and diffusion coefficient of propranolol were significantly reduced when NaCl, Na 2 SO 4 , NaH 2 PO 4 , MgSO 4 and CaCl 2 were added to the gels. The magnitude of the effect on release rate depends on the nature and concentration of the salt. Since propranolol is expected to be located outside the micelles in the gel, we attribute these salt effects to an increase in microviscosity of the aqueous regions of the gel, rather than to a change in micellization behavior. This is analogous to the change in the aggregation and phase behavior of aqueous solutions of non-ionic surfactants in the presence of salts.
Preconditioning methods for improved convergence rates in iterative reconstructions

Because of the characteristics of the tomographic inversion problem, iterative reconstruction techniques often suffer from poor convergence rates-especially at high spatial frequencies. By using preconditioning methods, the convergence properties of most iterative methods can be greatly enhanced without changing their ultimate solution. To increase reconstruction speed, spatially invariant preconditioning filters that can be designed using the tomographic system response and implemented using 2-D frequency-domain filtering techniques have been applied. In a sample application, reconstructions from noiseless, simulated projection data, were performed using preconditioned and conventional steepest-descent algorithms. The preconditioned methods demonstrated residuals that were up to a factor of 30 lower than the assisted algorithms at the same iteration. Applications of these methods to regularized reconstructions from projection data containing Poisson noise showed similar, although not as dramatic, behavior. >
Progress in fluorinated organically modified silicas

This perspective will highlight the significant advances in the field of fluorinated organically modified silicas occurring since 2014. After a brief introduction, an overview of the synthetic methods employed for obtaining these organic–inorganic hybrid materials with an emphasis on the lesser utilized and new synthetic methods will be given. Furthermore, novel applications beyond the more traditional non-wetting coatings and surfaces will also be featured. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry
Prohibition Gangsters: The Rise and Fall of a Bad Generation Marc Mappen. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2013.

Prohibition Gangsters: The Rise and Fall of a Bad Generation Marc Mappen. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press, 2013.Professor Marc Mappen teaches at Rutgers University and has made a reputation as a historian of New Jersey. One of his books is entitled There's More to New Jersey Than the Sopranos (2009). In his latest work, Mappen turns from Tony Soprano to that character's real life progenitors, the gangsters who took advantage of America's experiment with Prohibition to establish illegal empires in its great cities. Mappen argues that the chief criminal beneficiaries of Prohibition form a distinct generation. Most of these men were born between 1880 and 1905. All came from an immigrant background. While the Irish were represented in their ranks, the bulk of the successful Prohibition gangsters were Italian or Jewish, products of the wave of immigration from southern and eastern Europe that reached America around the turn of the twentieth century. Mappen sees the achievements of the Prohibition gangsters as emblematic of a perverse process of Americanization, as these thugs integrated themselves with the wider society, albeit through its dark underbelly.Given its subject matter, a book about the Prohibition gangsters should be a fascinating and exciting read. Mappen does not disappoint. His fast-moving but authoritative narrative takes readers through the Prohibition years and beyond as he traces the careers of such underworld luminaries as John Torrio, Al Capone, Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Legs Diamond, and Dutch Schultz. To do so, he had to sift through questionable and sometimes contradictory sources. Much of what has been written about American gangsters has been in the form of "true crime" books, often produced by authors more interested in sensationalism than in the facts. Typical of the genre is The Last Testament of Lucky Luciano (1975). Purportedly based on Lucky Luciano's own memoirs of his turbulent life, this lurid potboiler was quickly denounced as exaggerated and replete with details that could not be substantiated. For obvious reasons, criminals are not going to leave a scrupulous paper trail on their activities. Certainly, the badly schooled Prohibition gangsters were not a literary bunch. Practically speaking, researching the early history of American organized crime is something like exploring ancient history, where sources are sparse, and good judgment in evaluating them is essential. Mappen does an excellent job of assessing the facts that can be gleaned from contemporary newspaper accounts, police and trial records, and the voluminous popular literature that grew up around the gangsters. …
Addressable Iasing pixel for large screen display

The high intensity and narrow linewidth of laser light make it more suitable for large screen projection displays than current methods using phosphor pixels, which are limited by brightness, reduced color palette, and chromatic aberration.
Bulk Voltage Trimming Offset Calibration for High-Speed Flash ADCs

A bulk voltage trimming offset calibration technique is presented for flash analog-to-digital converters (ADCs). Offset calibration is achieved by digitally adjusting the bulk voltages of the preamplifier input devices. Without introducing additional capacitive loading in the analog path, this technique improves the accuracy of flash ADCs while not impairing their high-speed performance. A 4-bit ADC in 90-nm CMOS with the proposed technique achieves 3.71 effective number of bits (ENOB) at 5-GS/s sampling rate with 2.5-GHz effective resolution bandwidth (ERBW). The calibration generally improves ENOB by approximately 0.5 bit after calibration. The ADC consumes 86 mW at 5 GS/s with a 2.5-GHz input achieving a 1.32-pJ/convstep figure of merit. The ADC occupies 0.135-mm2 chip area.
Social welfare and adolescent vaccination programs in the United States: the economic opportunities for a systematic expansion.

In this article, the authors review current literature to analyze the cost-effectiveness of seven vaccines now available for adolescents and one that is in development. An analysis is also performed regarding the cutoff price that deems a vaccine “cost-effective.” Often, $50,000 is the limit below which a drug is viewed as cost-effective. Our article contends that $160,000 could be a new limit below which the cost-effectiveness of a vaccine is better reflected. Based on standard economic valuations of life years in the United States and the preponderance of evidence from the cost-effectiveness literature, there is a compelling case for expanding adolescent vaccine programs, guidelines, and educational initiatives in the United States; there exist considerable economic benefits in excess of costs from policies that may achieve this objective.
Recurrence Quantification as an Analysis of Temporal Coordination with Complex Signals

Ample past research demonstrates that human rhythmic behavior and rhythmic coordination reveal complex dynamics. More recently, researchers have begun to examine the dynamics of coordination with complex, fractal signals. Here, we present preliminary research investigating how recurrence quantification techniques might be applied to study temporal coordination with complex signals. Participants attempted to synchronize their rhythmic finger tapping behavior with metronomes with varying fractal scaling properties. The results demonstrated that coordination, as assessed by recurrence analyses, differed with the fractal scaling of the metronome stimulus. Overall, these results suggest that recurrence analyses may aid in understanding temporal coordination between complex systems.
Capital Investment, Earnings, and Annual Stock Returns: Causality Relationships In China

The Granger-causality effects between earnings, cash flow, and capital investment as well as on subsequent annual stock returns are examined for China in an international framework. Overall, there is a Granger causality relationship from earnings to capital investment. Furthermore, there is strong causality in the reverse direction as well. Capital investment causes positive subsequent stock returns while earnings have a more direct and contemporaneous impact on stock prices. Regulatory mechanisms, managerial monitoring, state capitalism controls work best during expansions and non-crisis periods. The causality relationships diminish during recessions and crisis periods, such as the Asian Crisis. The results observed in China are different from the results for G7 countries, or the results for other non-G7 countries. Using cash flows instead of earnings confirms the conclusions. Insider ownership is not necessarily as effective as other control mechanisms in China.
The Epidemiology of Childhood Pneumococcal Disease in the United States in the Era of Conjugate Vaccine Use

In 2000, a heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine was licensed and included in the schedule of routine childhood immunizations in the United States. The vaccine contains the serotypes most commonly associated with invasive and noninvasive pneumococcal infection in children and the serotypes most commonly expressing antibiotic resistance. Since the introduction of the vaccine, the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease has declined dramatically in the United States, particularly among children younger than 2 years of age. The incidences of pneumonia and acute otitis media also have declined, but less substantially. Several factors may blunt the future effectiveness of the vaccine, however, particularly the emergence of noninvaccine pneumococcal serotypes and the propensity for pathogenic pneumococci to switch their capsular types, evading vaccine-conferred immunity.
Partners with reciprocal translocations : Genetic counseling for the 'double translocation'

SV at age 2 years presented with multiple congenital anomalies including an absent left kidney, anal stenosis, vertebral abnormalities, partial sacral agenesis, microcephaly, dysmorphic facial features, growth deficiency, and developmental delay. She was found to have a complex chromosomal rearrangement derived from balanced translocations in each parent.
Restoration of flagellar biosynthesis by varied mutational events in Campylobacter jejuni

Both a complex regulatory cascade involving the FlgSR two-component system and phase variation control expression of sigma(54)-dependent flagellar genes in Campylobacter jejuni. In this study, mutational mechanisms influencing production of the FlgS histidine kinase were discovered. Random non-motile, non-flagellated flgS variants were impaired for growth in the chick intestinal tract. Spontaneous revertants restored for flagellar biosynthesis, gene expression, and motility identified by in vivo and in vitro studies had undergone diverse intragenic and extragenic mutational events relative to flgS. Restorative intragenic events included true phase variation, second-site intragenic reversion, and insertion and deletion of short DNA segments within flgS. In vivo-isolated motile revertants possessed an identical, single extragenic mutation to create a partially constitutively active FlgR protein in the absence of FlgS. Considering that FlgR production is also influenced by phase variation, these new findings suggest that the FlgSR two-component system is unique in that each protein is controlled by phase variation and phosphorylation. In addition, this study highlights the mutational activities of C. jejuni and suggests that the bacterium may possess a repertoire of mutational mechanisms to overcome genetic lesions that impair production of virulence and colonization determinants while lacking a normal mismatch repair system.
The Mineralogy and Petrology of Manganese-Rich Rocks From St. Marcel, Piedmont, Italy*

Manganese-rich metamorphic rocks containing violan from St. Marcel, Piedmont, Italy formed under blueschist facies conditions, yielding an unusual suite of minerals including omphacite-albite-quartz, braunite, microcline, hollandite, piedmontite, and strontian calcite. Violan, a violet-colored pyroxene, is shown to be a manganoan omphacite having a primitive unit cell, and is found in the same sample as diopside, possibly indicating a solvus relation. A manganoan phlogopite and a celadonitic muscovite coexist in one sample with microcline. The occurrence of celadonite and phlogopite is the first from the blueschist facies and the celadonite component in the dioctahedral mica is buffered at a maximum by coexistence with phlogopite, microcline, and quartz. Various phase relations are used to establish the P and T of equilibration at 8±1 kbar and 300±50 °C, respectively, while the oxygen fugacity is shown to have been very high, for these temperatures, as consistent with braunite+quartz and the presence of piedmontite.
The Martin Marprelate Tracts (1588–89) and the Popular Voice1

The Martin Marprelate Tracts (1588–89), long regarded as some of the finest and most influential Elizabethan prose satires, have recently played a justifiably key role in discussions of pamphlet warfare, libel, late sixteenth-century communication practices, and the development of an early modern English public sphere. This article argues that the primary aim of the Marprelate project was to create a polemic that would generate and legitimate popular discussion of controverted issues. Evidence that the project succeeded in this aim is more elusive, but local examples of ‘Martinism’ in action do exist, and the wave of hostile response they generated reveals that the Marprelate tracts shaped contemporary perceptions of both the dangers and the possibilities of a public sphere – even if that sphere might not yet have fully existed.
Responding professionally to the liability crisis in obstetrics and gynecology.

The obstetrics–gynecology profession is in the midst of a professional liability crisis. Solutions must come from both individual practitioners and managers/policymakers. The purpose of this article is to provide readers with preventive ethics tools to respond professionally in their own practices to neglected ethical dimensions of the professional liability crisis. The authors' analysis and proposals are based on previous work.
Sensorimotor memory for fingertip forces: evidence for a task-independent motor memory.

When repetitively lifting an object with randomly varying mechanical properties, the fingertip forces reflect the previous lift. We examined the specificity of this “sensorimotor memory” by observing the effects of an isolated pinch on the subsequent lift of a known object. In this case, the pinch force was unrelated to the fingertip forces necessary to grip the object efficiently. The peak grip force used to lift the test object (4 N weight) depended on the preceding task. Compared with repetitively lifting the 4 N test object, the peak grip force was 2 N greater when a lift of the same object was preceded by a lift in which a hidden mass was attached to the object to increase the weight to 8 N. This 2 N increase in grip force also occurred when subjects lifted the 4 N test object after pinching a force transducer with a force of 8 N. Thus, similar grip forces were stored in sensorimotor memory for both tasks, and reflected subjects9 use of 7.9 ± 1.1 N to lift the 8 N object. Similar effects occurred when the preceding pinch or lift was performed with the opposite hand. The peak lift force was unaffected by the isolated pinch, suggesting that a generalized increase in fingertip and limb forces did not occur. We conclude that the sensorimotor memory is not specific for lifting an object. It is doubtful that this particular memory stores the physical properties of objects or reflects a forward internal model for predictively controlling fingertip forces.
Permeation of the luminal capillary glycocalyx is determined by hyaluronan

The endothelial cell glycocalyx influences blood flow and presents a selective barrier to movement of macromolecules from plasma to the endothelial surface. In the hamster cremaster microcirculatio...
Using Prosodic Features of Speech and Audio Localization in Graphical User Interfaces

We describe several approaches for using prosodic features of speech and audio localization to control interactive applications. This information can be used for parameter control, as well as for disambiguating speech recognition. We discuss how characteristics of the spoken sentences can be exploited in the user interface; for example, by considering the speed with which the sentence was spoken and the presence of extraneous utterances. We also show how coarse audio localization can be used for low-fidelity gesture tracking, by inferring the speaker's head position.
Multiple and Essential Sp1 Binding Sites in the Promoter for Transforming Growth Factor-β Type I Receptor

Maximal gene expression driven by the promoter for the transforming growth factor β type I receptor (TGF-βRI) occurs with a 1.0-kilobase pair fragment immediately upstream of exon 1. This region lacks a typical TATA box but contains CCAAT boxes, multiple Sp1, and PEBP2/CBFα binding sites among other possiblecis-acting elements. Alterations within two CCAAT box sequences do not mitigate reporter gene expression driven by the basal promoter, and no nuclear factor binds to oligonucleotides encompassing these sites. In contrast, other deletions or site-specific mutations reveal an essential Sp1 site in the basal promoter and several dispersed upstream Sp1 sites that contribute to maximal reporter gene expression. The proportions of transcription factors Sp1 and Sp3, and their ratios of binding to consensus elements, are maintained in bone cells at different stages of differentiation. Finally, nuclear factor that binds to PEBP2/CBFα-related cis-acting elements in the basal promoter sequence also occurs in osteoblasts. Our studies reveal that constitutive expression of TGF-βRI may be determined by constitutive nuclear factor binding to Sp1 sites, whereas other elements may account for the variations in TGF-βRI levels that parallel changes in bone cell differentiation or activity.
Concurrent performance in a three-alternative choice situation: Response allocation in a Rock/Paper/Scissors game ☆

Adult human subjects engaged in a simulated Rock/Paper/Scissors game against a computer opponent. The computer opponent's responses were determined by programmed probabilities that differed across 10 blocks of 100 trials each. Response allocation in Experiment 1 was well described by a modified version of the generalized matching equation, with undermatching observed in all subjects. To assess the effects of instructions on response allocation, accurate probability-related information on how the computer was programmed to respond was provided to subjects in Experiment 2. Five of 6 subjects played the counter response of the computer's dominant programmed response near-exclusively (e.g., subjects played paper almost exclusively if the probability of rock was high), resulting in minor overmatching, and higher reinforcement rates relative to Experiment 1. On the whole, the study shows that the generalized matching law provides a good description of complex human choice in a gaming context, and illustrates a promising set of laboratory methods and analytic techniques that capture important features of human choice outside the laboratory.
Comments on "Variational nature of Galerkin and non-Galerkin moment method solutions"

For original paper see Peterson et al. (IEEE Trans. Antennas Propag. vol.27, p.241-2, April 1996). Peterson et al. compared moment method solutions by Galerkin and non-Galerkin procedures. They point out that their results are at odds with some commonly held beliefs in the superiority of the Galerkin method. The purpose of the present comments is twofold: 1) to add support to their position and 2) to add some justification and refinement to their findings. We frame our remarks in a complex Hilbert space S, where the usual operations of addition and multiplication by a complex scalar apply.
Cholesterol Efflux Capacity as a Therapeutic Target: Rationale and Clinical Implications.

The majority of efforts to halt atherosclerosis have been focused on limiting cholesterol influx into resident macrophages within the arterial wall by reducing circulating levels of atherogenic lipoproteins, which are collectively reflected by non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (non–HDL-C
Law and the Volunteer: The Uncertain Employment and Tort Law Implications of the Altruistic Worker

An individual who donates service to a nonprofit organization raises unsettled questions of that volunteer’s status under tort and labor law. Cryptic legislative language and inconsistent judicial precedent undermine predictability for volunteers and nonprofit managers alike, and the standards fail to reflect a coherent balance between the legitimate expectations of altruistic workers and the realities of the nonprofit-volunteer relationship.
The impact of patient centered communication in managing Gardner's syndrome

Effective patient communication and comprehension are fundamental toward empowering the patient to make optimal health decisions. Barriers in patient health literacy extend beyond cultural and language differences and can significantly impede this process. This case report illustrates a major communication gap that resulted in contradictory perceptions between a treating oncologist and a patient. The patient's dentist was able to resolve this miscommunication and facilitate the patient's acceptance of the recommended intravenous chemotherapy for management of malignant desmoid tumors occurring secondary to Gardner's syndrome (GS). This report also documents classic craniofacial manifestations of GS including multiple unerupted supernumerary teeth, compound odontomas associated with a dentigerous cyst, as well as multiple osteomas in both arches and in the ethmoid and irregularly shaped radioopacities in both arches. In summary, effective patient-centered communication is a prerequisite for the optimal delivery of healthcare. Both interdisciplinary care and one-on-one patient-provider relationship center on coherent bidirectional communication.
Frequency offset transmitter diversity for M2M access system

This paper applies a frequency offset transmitter diversity method for Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication systems. Wireless terminals based on ZigBee and Wi-SUN offer long term usage and low cost. Frequency offset transmitter diversity is useful for these M2M applications because all it needs are additional access point antennas and an error correction function. Conventionally, the error correction function must employ hard decision to support various modulation/demodulation schemes. This paper proposes a Viterbi algorithm with soft decision that uses received signal strength metric calculated by an external circuit.
Humanitarian Action: Harming Those in Need - A Review of The Golden Fleece: Manipulation and Independence in Humanitarian Action.

A review of The Golden Fleece: Manipulation and Independence in Humanitarian Action. Edited by Antonio Donini. Sterling, Virginia, Kumarian Press, 2012.
Roots in differential rings of ultradifferentiable functions

Let {Mk} be a logconvex sequence satisfying the differentiability condition $$\sup (M_{n + 1} /M_n )^{1/n} < \infty $$ . It is shown that the Carleman class C{k! Mk} contains all C∞ roots of its nonflat elements, i.e., if f ∈ C{k! Mk} and α > 0, then $$f^\alpha \in C\{ k!M_k \} whenever f^\alpha \in C^\infty $$ . If {Mk} also satisfies the additional condition Mn1/n → ∞, then the Beurling class C(k! Mk) is also contains all C∞ roots of its nonflat elements.
Identifying the appropriate comparison group for HIV-infected individuals.

Purpose of reviewHIV-infected individuals are living longer as a result of effective treatment. Age-related comorbidities now account for the majority of morbidity and mortality among treated HIV-infected adults. Previous findings regarding the age at, and risk of, these comorbidities have been mixe
BPA Directly Decreases GnRH Neuronal Activity via Noncanonical Pathway

Peripheral feedback of gonadal estrogen to the hypothalamus is critical for reproduction. Bisphenol A (BPA), an environmental pollutant with estrogenic actions, can disrupt this feedback and lead to infertility in both humans and animals. GnRH neurons are essential for reproduction, serving as an important link between brain, pituitary, and gonads. Because GnRH neurons express several receptors that bind estrogen, they are potential targets for endocrine disruptors. However, to date, direct effects of BPA on GnRH neurons have not been shown. This study investigated the effects of BPA on GnRH neuronal activity using an explant model in which large numbers of primary GnRH neurons are maintained and express many of the receptors found in vivo. Because oscillations in intracellular calcium have been shown to correlate with electrical activity in GnRH neurons, calcium imaging was used to assay the effects of BPA. Exposure to 50μM BPA significantly decreased GnRH calcium activity. Blockage of γ-aminobutyric acid ergic and glutamatergic input did not abrogate the inhibitory BPA effect, suggesting direct regulation of GnRH neurons by BPA. In addition to estrogen receptor-β, single-cell RT-PCR analysis confirmed that GnRH neurons express G protein-coupled receptor 30 (G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1) and estrogen-related receptor-γ, all potential targets for BPA. Perturbation studies of the signaling pathway revealed that the BPA-mediated inhibition of GnRH neuronal activity occurred independent of estrogen receptors, GPER, or estrogen-related receptor-γ, via a noncanonical pathway. These results provide the first evidence of a direct effect of BPA on GnRH neurons.
A metapopulation model for sylvatic T. cruzi transmission with vector migration.

This study presents a metapopulation model for the sylvatic transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas' disease, across multiple geographical regions and multiple overlapping host-vector transmission cycles.Classical qualitative analysis of the model and several submodels focuses on the parasite's basic reproductive number, illustrating how vector migration across patches and multiple transmission routes to hosts (including vertical transmission) determine the infection's persistence in each cycle.Numerical results focus on trends in endemic [equilibrium] persistence levels as functions of vector migration rates, and highlight the significance of the different epidemiological characteristics of transmission in each of the three regions.
Reaction Rate Theory in Coordination Number Space: An Application to Ion Solvation

Understanding reaction mechanisms in many chemical and biological processes requires application of rare event theories. In these theories, an effective choice of a reaction coordinate to describe a reaction pathway is essential. To this end, we study ion solvation in water using molecular dynamics simulations and explore the utility of coordination number (n = number of water molecules in the first solvation shell) as the reaction coordinate. Here, we compute the potential of mean force (W(n)) using umbrella sampling, predicting multiple metastable n-states for both cations and anions. With increasing ionic size, we find these states become more stable and structured for cations when compared to anions. We have extended transition state theory (TST) to calculate transition rates between n states. TST overestimates the rate constant due to solvent-induced barrier recrossings that are not accounted for. We correct the TST rates by calculating transmission coefficients using the reactive flux method. This a...
Anisotropic composite fermions and fractional quantum Hall effect

We study the role of anisotropy on the transport properties of composite fermions near Landau level filling factor $\ensuremath{\nu}=1/2$ in two-dimensional holes confined to a GaAs quantum well. By applying a parallel magnetic field, we tune the composite fermion Fermi sea anisotropy and monitor the relative change of the transport scattering time at $\ensuremath{\nu}=1/2$ along the principal directions. Interpreted in a simple Drude model, our results suggest that the scattering time is longer along the longitudinal direction of the composite fermion Fermi sea. Furthermore, the measured energy gap for the fractional quantum Hall state at $\ensuremath{\nu}=2/3$ decreases when anisotropy becomes significant. The decrease, however, might partly stem from the charge distribution becoming bilayerlike at very large parallel magnetic fields.
The Impact of Course Enrollment Sequences on Student Success

Many universities are working to improve their graduation rates. The factors that correlate to student success and hence graduation rates are many, varying from pre-institutional factors, including high school GPA and admissions scores, to institutional factors, including student support services and the quality of faculty. An essential institutional factor that is often overlooked is the structure of the curriculum. In this paper we consider the degree to which the underlying curriculum that a student must traverse in order to earn a degree impacts progress. Using data mining methods, complex network analysis and graph theory, this paper proposes a framework for analyzing university course enrollment networks at the program level. The analyses we provide are based on quantifying the importance of course enrollment sequences on a student's final GPA, a metric that is highly correlated to graduation rates. In particular, we investigate the orderings of courses enrollment sequences that best contribute to student performance and achievement. Experimental results, using data from the University of New Mexico, show that Electrical Engineering students who graduated with "high GPA" values tend to follow a common course enrollment sequence that is quite different than that of students who graduated with relatively "low GPA" values. This work may be useful to both students and decision makers at universities as it presents a robust framework for analyzing the ease of flow of students through curricula, which may lead to improvements that facilitate improved student success.
Preliminary Efficacy of Family Implemented TEACCH for Toddlers: Effects on Parents and Their Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

This study examined the effects of an intervention to support parents and promote skill development in newly diagnosed toddlers with ASD. Participants included 50 children with ASD under 3 and their parents who were randomly assigned to participate in a 6-month intervention, Family Implemented TEACCH for Toddlers (FITT) or 6 months of community services as usual. FITT included 90-min in-home sessions (n = 20) and parent group sessions (n = 4). Results revealed significant treatment effects on parent stress and well-being, with families in the FITT group showing decreased stress and improved well-being over time. While no treatment effects were found for global child measures, there were significant treatment effects on social communication skills.
Maternal energy status of beef cattle during single and twin pregnancy.

A study was undertaken to determine the metabolizable energy (ME) intake and ME requirement for beef heifers and cows during twin pregnancy. Weekly feed consumption and body weights were recorded during the last trimester of twin pregnancy for 19 Hereford cows and 16 Hereford heifers. The same data were recorded for six Hereford cows and eight Hereford heifers that calved singles. ME intake per unit of metabolic body size was higher for heifers than cows (P less than .05), but was not affected by whether the dam was pregnant with a single or with twins. In general, ME intake decreased during the last trimester of pregnancy. During this time, heifers and cows with singles gained weight (pregnant weight minus weight of the conceptus), while dams with twins lost weight (P less than .01). The greatest weight loss for dams with twins was observed late in pregnancy. The ME requirement of pregnancy was greater for dams with twins than singles (P less than 0.01), and the difference in maintenance ME requirement approached significance (P less than .10). The high ME requirement for the twin pregnancy and the weight loss experienced by dams during the last trimester may have implications for management decisions pertaining to the prevention of complications that often occur with twin pregnancy in cattle.
El Paso Plain Brown Rims as Chronological Markers? New Data on an Old Question

ABSTRACTArchaeologists working in the Jornada Mogollon region must deal with a long-lasting sequence of undecorated brown ceramics. There has been great interest in the development of stylistic seriations of this ware, so that sites of different ages can be more readily identified. Seriation studies have focused on rim sherd morphology, and several approaches have been used. Progress has been made in establishing chronologically sensitive characteristics of plain ware rims between broad phases, but fine-scale, intra-phase seriation is still a problem. A major impediment to development of fine-scale seriations has always been the relative paucity of excavation in the region, depriving researchers of large ceramic collections from chronometrically dated contexts. Recently, one such data set has been acquired, and it is used to reconsider some long-standing questions in Jornada Mogollon plain ware seriations.
Lost in Transition: Narratives of the New Mobility

“I think that this period is good because it is forcing Japanese young people to reexamine themselves and think about what kind of work they want to do.” – Principal at a low-ranking public high school Reliance on institutional social capital to get a full-time job straight out of school worked well for many of Japan’s youth throughout the postwar period. A school introduction to a job became a more common way of entering the labor market for graduates of every level of schooling during the post-WorldWar II period. Data from the Social Stratification and Mobility Survey introduced in Chapter 3 showed that a school introduction served the educational nonelite (high school graduates) well: Compared to their counterparts who found their first job through a different route, they were much more likely to land a full-time job in a large firm and to stay in that job for at least the first five years of their working life. In short, individuals who drew on their school’s social capital were more likely than others to be placed into a full-time job in a workplace that became their ba , the social location that identified them to the rest of Japanese society, often for a sustained period of time. University graduates’ job search was similar in timing to that of high school graduates, with large firms recruiting early in the fall to secure the most desirable seniors for immediate postgraduation employment in the following April. In the U.S. such fervent recruitment activity takes place at the most elite private four-year universities and the most elite law and business schools in the country. But in Japan, it has been necessary for the government to regulate the start of the recruiting year not just for university seniors but for high school seniors as well, because the hiring plans of large firms have been laid out so far in advance. Students’ battle for good jobs is waged early in their senior year. And as Chapter 3 elucidated, in the postwar Japanese labor market a man’s stable attachment to a firm has been an important vehicle for receiving on-the-job training at the employer’s expense and garnering steadily increasing earnings.
Dairy Processing Plant Sanitation

Plant layout and construction affect microbial contamination and overall wholesomeness of the product. It is especially important to ensure that clean air and water are available and that surfaces in contact with dairy foods do not react with the products. Soils that are found in dairy plants include minerals, proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, water, dust, lubricants, cleaning compounds, sanitizers, and microorganisms. Effective sanitation practices can reduce soil deposition and effectively remove soil and microorganisms through the optimal combination of chemical and mechanical energy and sanitizers. This condition is accomplished through the appropriate selection of clean water, cleaning compounds, cleaning and sanitizing equipment, and sanitizers for each cleaning application. A current trend has been toward modification of cleaning-in-place (CIP) systems to permit final rinses to be utilized as makeup water for the cleaning solution of the following cleaning cycle and to segregate and recover initial product-water rinses to minimize waste discharges. Every processing facility should verify the effectiveness of its cleaning and sanitation program through daily microbial analyses of both product and various equipment and areas. Recent advances in technology have allowed tracking of cleaners and sanitizers in the CIP system. In addition, current computer, sensor, and traced chemistry technology allows real-time understanding of concentration in CIP systems so that system variation can be monitored and corrective actions can be taken.
Teaching multi-step math skills to adults with disabilities via video prompting.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of teaching multi-step math skills to nine adults with disabilities in an 18–21 post-high school transition program using a video prompting intervention package. The dependent variable was the percentage of steps completed correctly. The independent variable was the video prompting intervention, which involved several multi-step math calculation skills: (a) calculating a tip (15%), (b) calculating item unit prices, and (c) adjusting a recipe for more or fewer people. Results indicated a functional relationship between the video prompting interventions and prompting package and the percentage of steps completed correctly. 8 out of the 9 adults showed significant gains immediately after receiving the video prompting intervention.
Glomerular basement membrane heparan sulfate in health and disease: A regulator of local complement activation

The glomerular basement membrane (GBM) is an essential component of the glomerular filtration barrier. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans such as agrin are major components of the GBM, along with α345(IV) collagen, laminin-521 and nidogen. A loss of GBM heparan sulfate chains is associated with proteinuria in several glomerular diseases and may contribute to the underlying pathology. As the major determinants of the anionic charge of the GBM, heparan sulfate chains have been thought to impart charge selectivity to the glomerular filtration, a view challenged by the negligible albuminuria in mice that lack heparan sulfate in the GBM. Recent studies provide increasing evidence that heparan sulfate chains modulate local complement activation by recruiting complement regulatory protein factor H, the major inhibitor of the alternative pathway in plasma. Factor H selectively inactivates C3b bound to surfaces bearing host-specific polyanions such as heparan sulfate, thus limiting complement activation on self surfaces such as the GBM, which are not protected by cell-bound complement regulators. We discuss mechanisms whereby the acquired loss of GBM heparan sulfate can impair the local regulation of the alternative pathway, exacerbating complement activation and glomerular injury in immune-mediated kidney diseases such as membranous nephropathy and lupus nephritis.
Experiments and micromechanical modeling of electrical conductivity of carbon nanotube/cement composites with moisture

Abstract Carbon nanotube (CNT)/cement composites have been proposed as a multifunctional material for self-sensing and traffic monitoring due to their unique electric conductivity which changes with the application of mechanical load. However, material constituent and environmental factors may significantly affect the potential application of these materials. Therefore, it is necessary to understand an influence of material constituent such as porosity and dispersion of CNT and environmental factor such as moisture on the electrical conductivity of CNT/cement composite. This paper investigates the effect of moisture on the effective electrical conductivity of CNT/cement composites. To prepare the specimens, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are well dispersed in cement paste, which is then molded and cured into cubic test specimens. By drying the specimens from the fully saturated state to the fully dry state, the effective electrical conductivity is measured at different moisture contents. As the water in the specimen is replaced by air voids, the electrical conductivity significantly decreases. Different ratios of MWCNTs to cement have been used in this study. Micromechanical models have been used to predict the effective electrical conductivities. A comprehensive model is proposed to take into account the effects of individual material phases on the effective electrical conductivity of CNT/cement composites with moisture effect.
Neuromodulation as a Bypass—Spinal Cord Injury

Functional restoration of motor and sensory function is on the cusp of becoming a viable treatment for individuals with devastating spinal cord injury (SCI). For motor control programming, information can be obtained in three possible ways: (1) controlled movement of functional voluntary muscles via direct stimulation; (2) recording movement initiation signals and programming information from the motor cortex; and (3) recording movement activation signals directly in the spinal cord. The goal of obtaining this information is to control voluntary musculature distal to the injury or for use in other external devices. The purpose of this chapter will be to discuss present work in the area of recording and stimulation in the spinal cord to bypass a significant SCI and enable movement via the use of implantable microelectrodes, placed within a more caudal region of the spinal cord. These arrays are used to both record descending motor signals and stimulate axons and/or cell bodies within the spinal cord.