cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification and Screening of Salt-tolerant Gene in Backcross Progeny of Rice Germplasm Resource

BC2F2 and BC2F3 population derived from the cross between rice variety of Chaoyou1 and 36 donors were selected as materials,and they were identified and screened under the salt stress.The results indicated that these parents were lower tolerance to salt,but all of backcross progenies showed transgressive segregation of salt tolerance.So,these donors material had salt-tolerant genes,and there were great differences among donors with "hidden gene".Selection efficiency of BC2F2 population under salt stress was significant higher than BC2F3 population at large,and different donors showed obvious difference.
Urinary excretion of Tamm-Horsfall protein in women with recurrent urinary tract infections.

AbstractSince MS-fimbriated bacteria adhere to Tamm-Horsfall protein, it has been suggested that Tamm-Horsfall protein may trap urinary pathogens and prevent them from colonizing the mucosal surfaces of the urinary tract. To test the hypothesis that low urinary Tamm-Horsfall protein excretion rates predispose to urinary tract infection we obtained serial urine samples from 17 women with and 18 without a history of recurrent urinary tract infection. None of the women had known structural abnormalities of the urinary tract. Concentrations of Tamm-Horsfall protein in urine were measured with a sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. On the average, 3 urine samples per person collected within 3 to 6 months were analyzed. The mean Tamm-Horsfall protein excretion of women with recurrent urinary tract infection was 57.0mg./l. and that of controls was 66.3mg./l.; this difference was not statistically significant. The mean coefficient of variation was 44.2 and 62.1%, respectively. We conclude that urin...
Retail Thieves: By Their Tricks Ye Shall Know Them

Shoplifting is the pilferaging of merchandise from store displays by customers and persons posing as customers. Employee pilferage is the theft of merchandise and/or cash by the store’s personnel. To combat these losses, the retailer must develop and maintain a store security program; a necessary prerequisite to any store security program is the detection of criminal activity. Like most thieves, shoplifters and employee pilferers tend to develop definite patterns or modes of operation (MOs). The purpose of this paper is to develop a typology of retail thieves based on their MOs.
Medicinal Chemistry Case History: Structure-Based Drug Design of Oral and Inhaled p38 MAP Kinase Inhibitors as Clinical Candidates

This article summarizes the identification and design optimization of (i) a novel series of Asp-Phe-Gly (DFG)-in binding inhibitors of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase as oral agents and (ii) a novel series of DFG-out binding inhibitors of p38 MAPK as inhaled agents for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Structure-based drug design and “inhalation by design” principles have been applied to the optimization of the lead series, exemplified by the clinical agents PH-797804 and PF-3715455. Both agents have progressed into clinical development. An update on data obtained and their current status is also provided.
Understand protein functions by comparing the similarity of local structural environments

The three-dimensional structures of proteins play an essential role in regulating binding between proteins and their partners, offering a direct relationship between structures and functions of proteins. It is widely accepted that the function of a protein can be determined if its structure is similar to other proteins whose functions are known. However, it is also observed that proteins with similar global structures do not necessarily correspond to the same function, while proteins with very different folds can share similar functions. This indicates that function similarity is originated from the local structural information of proteins instead of their global shapes. We assume that proteins with similar local environments prefer binding to similar types of molecular targets. In order to testify this assumption, we designed a new structural indicator to define the similarity of local environment between residues in different proteins. This indicator was further used to calculate the probability that a given residue binds to a specific type of structural neighbors, including DNA, RNA, small molecules and proteins. After applying the method to a large-scale non-redundant database of proteins, we show that the positive signal of binding probability calculated from the local structural indicator is statistically meaningful. In summary, our studies suggested that the local environment of residues in a protein is a good indicator to recognize specific binding partners of the protein. The new method could be a potential addition to a suite of existing template-based approaches for protein function prediction.
Role of soil texture, clay mineralogy, location, and temperature in coarse wood decomposition—a mesocosm experiment

Of all the major pools of terrestrial carbon (C), the dynamics of coarse woody debris (CWD) are the least understood. In contrast to soils and living vegetation, the study of CWD has rarely relied on ex situ methods for elaborating controls on decomposition rates. In this study, we report on a mesocosm incubation experiment examining how clay amount (8%, 16%, and 24% clay), clay type (soil reconstructed with kaolinite vs. montmorillonite), wood placement (on litter layer surface, at the litter layer–soil interface, buried in the mineral soil), and laboratory incubation temperature (10°, 20°, or 30°C) control decomposition rates of highly standardized stakes and blocks of coarse aspen wood. Clay type effect was pronounced, with wood decomposing more quickly in kaolinite- than in montmorillonite-amended soils, perhaps due to a combined effect of moisture and microbial access to the substrate. Clay amount had only very limited effect on wood decomposition, which was a function of contact with the mineral soil (Surface < Interface < Mineral), perhaps due to greater contact with the decomposer community. Temperature effects were significant and dependent on interactions with clay type and wood placement. Effects of temperature on wood decomposition declined as the effects of soil variables increased, suggesting a hierarchy of controls on wood decomposition rates. Both water content and temperature had a strong effect on wood decomposition. Our results highlight that multiple interacting factors likely regulate wood decomposition processes. Multifactorial field experiments are needed to examine the physical, chemical, and biological factors controlling wood decomposition.
On Wu's electromagnetic missile

It is demonstrated that not only the spectral content but also the source geometry is essential to the existence of Wu' s electromagnetic missile. The relationship between the range of such a pulse and the geometrical parameters of the source distribution is given. Recent results on the slowly decaying fields generated by switching on a uniform distribution of source current at t = 0 are also presented.
Chemical Modulation of Protein O-GlcNAcylation via OGT Inhibition Promotes Human Neural Cell Differentiation.

The enzymes that determine protein O-GlcNAcylation, O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA), act on key transcriptional and epigenetic regulators, and both are abundantly expressed in the brain. However, little is known about how alterations in O-GlcNAc cycling affect human embryonic stem cell (hESC) neural differentiation. Here, we studied the effects of perturbing O-GlcNAcylation during neural induction of hESCs using the metabolic inhibitor of OGT, peracetylated 5-thio-N-acetylglucosamine (Ac4-5SGlcNAc). Treatment of hESCs with Ac4-5SGlcNAc during induction limited protein O-GlcNAcylation and also caused a dramatic decrease in global levels of UDP-GlcNAc. Concomitantly, a subpopulation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs) acquired an immature neuronal morphology and expressed early neuronal markers such as β-III tubulin (TUJ1) and microtubule associated protein 2 (MAP2), phenotypes that took longer to manifest in the absence of OGT inhibition. These data suggest that chemical inhibition of OGT an...
AN ARCHIVAL INVESTIGATION OF A LATE 19TH CENTURY ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEM: THE USE OF DECISION AIDS IN THE AMERICAN PRINTING INDUSTRY

This study investigates management's use of decision aids within the context of an accounting information system of a late 19th century American printing firm. Our findings suggest that the use of decision aids by management transformed traditional accounting techniques and the cost accounting system into an intricate accounting information system by 1880. These decision aids allowed managers to manipulate accounting information to support decisions involving pricing, cost allocation and estimation, profitability assessment, management of receivables, and inventory control. The findings shed new light on the early work of Alexander Hamilton Church on the issue of idle time accounting and raises questions about the uniform costing movement in the American printing industry.
Simulation of control of temperature mode in cutting area on the basis of fuzzy logic

This article describes an automated control system of the cutting mode where temperature is monitored by a thermocouple. The system is based on a fuzzy algorithm of self-calibration that aims to provide calculation accuracy for the voltage at the transistor control gate, the drain of which is connected to cooling Peltier element. The algorithm operation and total system have been numerically simulated.
A dislocation-based crystal plasticity framework for dynamic ductile failure of single crystals

Abstract A framework for dislocation-based viscoplasticity and dynamic ductile failure has been developed to model high strain rate deformation and damage in single crystals. The rate-dependence of the crystal plasticity formulation is based on the physics of relativistic dislocation kinetics suited for extremely high strain rates. The damage evolution is based on the dynamics of void growth, which are governed by both micro-inertia as well as dislocation kinetics and dislocation substructure evolution. An averaging scheme is proposed in order to approximate the evolution of the dislocation substructure in both the macroscale as well as its spatial distribution at the microscale. Additionally, a concept of a single equivalent dislocation density that effectively captures the collective influence of dislocation density on all active slip systems is proposed here. Together, these concepts and approximations enable the use of semi-analytic solutions for void growth dynamics developed in (Wilkerson and Ramesh, 2014), which greatly reduce the computational overhead that would otherwise be required. The resulting homogenized framework has been implemented into a commercially available finite element package, and a validation study against a suite of direct numerical simulations was carried out.
Learning to Generate Sequences with Combination of Hebbian and Non-hebbian Plasticity in Recurrent Spiking Neural Networks.

Synaptic Plasticity, the foundation for learning and memory formation in the human brain, manifests in various forms. Here, we combine the standard spike timing correlation based Hebbian plasticity with a non-Hebbian synaptic decay mechanism for training a recurrent spiking neural model to generate sequences. We show that inclusion of the adaptive decay of synaptic weights with standard STDP helps learn stable contextual dependencies between temporal sequences, while reducing the strong attractor states that emerge in recurrent models due to feedback loops. Furthermore, we show that the combined learning scheme suppresses the chaotic activity in the recurrent model substantially, thereby enhancing its’ ability to generate sequences consistently even in the presence of perturbations.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement Planning

Severe aortic valve stenosis is managed by valve replacement which may be performed surgically or by transcatheter procedure. Computed Tomography (CT) plays an important role in the pre-procedure planning for transcatheter valve replacement. CT is utilized for the assessment of aortic root anatomy to determine appropriate size of artificial valve and also the assessment of arteries for transcatheter access. Application of appropriate CT scanning techniques, image reconstruction, and post-processing is crucial in accurate planning for patient management and surgical decision making.
Talk, voice and gestures in reported speech: toward an integrated approach:

Drawing on Arabic data sets, this study examines reported speech in naturally occurring conversations. Building on earlier work in discourse analysis, the study demonstrates how reported speech is ...
Artificial Boundary Conditions for Infinite-Domain Problems

We present a new approach to constricting artificial boundary conditions for calculating three-dimensional external flows over finite bodies. The approach is based on application of the difference potentials method by V. S. Ryaben’kii and extends our previous technique developed for the two-dimensional case.
Electrochemical Introduction of Fluorinated Substituents into Organic Molecules

Electrochemical transformations of organofluorine compounds lead to the generation of active fluoro-containing species (radicals, radical-anions, anions etc.), which are able to react with different substrates. This approach gives the possibility to introduce fluorinated substituents into organic molecules by electrochemical methods.
Structural defects in laser- and electron-beam annealed silicon

Laser and electron beam pulses provide almost an ideal source of heat by which thin layers of semiconductors can be rapidly melted and solidified with heating and cooling rates exceeding 10/sup 80/C/sec. Microstructural modifications obtained as a function of laser parameters are examined and it is shown that both laser and electron beam pulses can be used to remove displacement damage, dislocations, dislocation loops and precipitates. Annealing of defects underneath the oxide layers in silicon is possible within a narrow energy window. The formation of cellular structure provides a rather clear evidence of melting which leads to segregation and supercooling, and subsequent cell formation.
Uncertainty quantification for 3D digital image correlation.

Understanding the final uncertainty in position, displacement and strain for digital image correlation (DIC) is a difficult or impossible enterprise when done analytically. In contrast, this paper will present a new approach using a pseudo-experimental method for estimating the 2D matching uncertainty, a Monte Carlo approach for understanding the calibration uncertainty, and the propagation of these error contributions to calculate a final 3D uncertainty. The methodology of calculating the errors will be presented using a sample measurement case. Additionally, the sensitivity of the position and motion errors to the various DIC parameters will be discussed.
Lymph node evaluation and long term survival in colon cancer stage II using NCDB.

e15125Background: Retrieving 12 lymph nodes (LN) is a quality indicator in colon cancer, supported by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network and the American College of Surgeons. Previous studie...
The Structure of Suicidal Beliefs: A Bifactor Analysis of the Suicide Cognitions Scale

The Suicide Cognitions Scale (SCS) was developed to measure a broad spectrum of suicidogenic cognitions collectively referred to as the suicidal belief system. Prior confirmatory factor analyses have suggested both a unidimensional and multidimensional structure and high intercorrelations among identified factors, suggesting the possible influence of an underlying general factor. The present study used bifactor analysis in a clinical sample of 97 treatment-seeking Army personnel with recent suicide ideation and a nonclinical sample of 193 military personnel and veterans with a lifetime history of suicide ideation or attempts. Results supported the strong influence of a general factor in addition to several specific factors that aligned with constructs articulated by several theories of suicide, and suggested the SCS is best interpreted as a unidimensional measure. Results suggest that narrower suicidogenic cognitions are influenced in large part by a strong general latent variable.
What drives household recovery after disasters? A case study of New York City after 2012 Hurricane Sandy

Community recovery from disasters depends on how its subunits, such as households, fare. But the current knowledge on this topic is fragmented and undervalues a household’s agency for action, which...
Factors influencing health and safety practices among Vietnamese nail salon technicians and owners: A qualitative study.

Objective This qualitative study explored factors that influence health and safety practices among Vietnamese nail salon technicians and owners. Methods We conducted semi-structured focus group discussions and individual interviews with a sample of 17 Vietnamese nail salon technicians and owners in the Philadelphia metropolitan area, Pennsylvania. Results Analysis of transcripts revealed perceived health benefits/concerns, knowledge about work-related hazards, salon's management and policies attributed to owners, client influence, external policies/regulations, and protective equipment-specific challenges were among factors affecting workplace health promotion practices at the salons. Conclusions The study highlighted a complex interplay among the various stakeholders including nail technicians, owners, clients, policy makers, and enforcers. Interventions addressing barriers at the personal and organizational levels, as well as public policy change and enforcement are needed to create sustainable behavioral and organizational change in nail salons.
Does personality predict financial risk tolerance of pre-retiree baby boomers?

Abstract Financial risk tolerance is an important concept that helps financial planners recommend financial products to their clients. As the baby boomer generation approaches retirement, research to determine how these individuals perceive financial risk tolerance has grown exponentially. The present study examines the relationship between financial risk tolerance and the Big Five personality traits (also known as the Five-Factor Model), which include extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability, and openness to experience, in the baby boomer generation. We argue that the influences of Big-five personality traits are consistent in baby-boomer generation. We find that baby boomers with a higher degree of extraversion, emotional stability, and openness to experience are more risk tolerant, while those with a higher degree of agreeableness and conscientiousness have lower risk tolerance.
Longitudinal associations between overweight/obesity and stress biology in low-income children.

Associations between overweight and altered stress biology have been reported cross-sectionally during childhood, but it is unclear whether overweight precedes altered stress biology or if altered stress biology predicts greater likelihood of overweight over time. The current longitudinal study investigates associations between overweight/obesity, salivary alpha amylase and cortisol morning intercept, diurnal slope, and reactivity to social stress in a cohort of low-income children during preschool and middle childhood. Children were recruited through Head Start and were observed and followed into middle childhood (N = 257; M = 8.0 years). Height and weight were measured at both time points. Saliva samples were collected across the day and in response to a social challenge at both ages for alpha amylase and cortisol determination. Cross-lagged panel analyses indicated that overweight/obesity at preschool predicted lower morning alpha amylase (β = −0.18, 95% CI: −0.34, −0.03; p = 0.023), lower morning cortisol (β = −0.22, 95% CI: −0.38, −0.06; p = 0.006), lower sAA diurnal slope (β = −0.18, 95% CI: −0.34, −0.03; p = 0.021), and lower cortisol stress reactivity (β = −0.19, 95% CI: −0.35, −0.02; p = 0.031) in middle childhood. Lower alpha amylase reactivity at preschool was the only biological factor that predicted higher likelihood of overweight/obesity at middle childhood (β = −0.20, 95% CI: −0.38, −0.01; p = 0.035). These findings suggest that overweight/obesity may be driving changes in stress biology across early-to-middle childhood, particularly in downregulation of morning levels of stress hormones, diurnal sAA slope, and cortisol reactivity to stress, rather than stress biology driving overweight/obesity.
Some Subordination Results for Fractional Integral Involving Wanas Differential Operator

In the present paper, we establish some differential subordination properties for analytic functions defined in the open unit disk associated with the fractional integral by using Wanas differential operator.
Pattern-Avoiding (0,1)-Matrices

We investigate pattern-avoiding (0,1)-matrices as generalizations of pattern-avoiding permutations. Our emphasis is on 123-avoiding and 321-avoiding patterns for which we obtain exact results as to the maximum number of 1's such matrices can have. We also give algorithms when carried out in all possible ways, construct all of the pattern-avoiding matrices of these two types.
Prediction of Walnut Deterioration Using Kernel Oxidative Stability.

Monitoring walnut oxidation is essential to control walnut quality during storage. An accelerated oxidation method for differentiating the oxidative stability index (OSI) of walnut kernels was examined and the effects of instrument operational parameters such as temperature and airflow were evaluated. Four cultivars, Chandler, Solano, Durham, and Howard were analyzed at 110, 120, and 130 °C with 15, 20, and 25 L h−1 airflow. Analysis using 110 °C with 25 L h−1 yielded the lowest coefficients of variance (4.4) than other operational parameters; analysis using the same temperature at lower airflow, 15 L h−1, yield the highest coefficient of variance (10.5). Kernel OSI values were independent of airflow, however, dependence of temperature coefficient and Q10 were demonstrated. The results from selected parameters were correlated with fat and moisture content, peroxide value, UV absorbances, oil oxidative stability, hexanal, and rancidity to establish the relationships between OSI values and quality changes during storage. Using 0.5 g of ground kernels, at 110 °C with 25 L h−1 airflow gave a lower coefficient of variance and higher correlation with kernel quality and oxidative markers comparing to other combinations of operating parameters.
Regulatory Effects of CsrA in Vibrio cholerae.

ABSTRACT CsrA is a posttranscriptional global regulator in Vibrio cholerae. Although CsrA is critical for V. cholerae survival within the mammalian host, the regulatory targets of CsrA remain mostly unknown. To identify pathways controlled by CsrA, RNA-seq transcriptome analysis was carried out by comparing the wild type and the csrA mutant grown to early exponential, mid-exponential, and stationary phases of growth. This enabled us to identify the global effects of CsrA-mediated regulation throughout the V. cholerae growth cycle. We found that CsrA regulates 22% of the V. cholerae transcriptome, with significant regulation within the gene ontology (GO) processes that involve amino acid transport and metabolism, central carbon metabolism, lipid metabolism, iron uptake, and flagellum-dependent motility. Through CsrA-RNA coimmunoprecipitation experiments, we found that CsrA binds to multiple mRNAs that encode regulatory proteins. These include transcripts encoding the major sigma factors RpoS and RpoE, which may explain how CsrA regulation affects such a large proportion of the V. cholerae transcriptome. Other direct targets include flrC, encoding a central regulator in flagellar gene expression, and aphA, encoding the virulence gene transcription factor AphA. We found that CsrA binds to the aphA mRNA both in vivo and in vitro, and CsrA significantly increases AphA protein synthesis. The increase in AphA was due to increased translation, not transcription, in the presence of CsrA, consistent with CsrA binding to the aphA transcript and enhancing its translation. CsrA is required for the virulence of V. cholerae and this study illustrates the central role of CsrA in virulence gene regulation. IMPORTANCEVibrio cholerae, a Gram-negative bacterium, is a natural inhabitant of the aqueous environment. However, once ingested, this bacterium can colonize the human host and cause the disease cholera. In order to successfully transition between its aqueous habitat and the human host, the bacterium must sense changes in its environment and rapidly alter gene expression. Global regulators, including CsrA, play an integral role in altering the expression of a large number of genes to promote adaptation and survival, which is required for intestinal colonization. We used transcriptomics and a directed CsrA-RNA coimmunoprecipitation to characterize the CsrA regulon and found that CsrA alters the expression of more than 800 transcripts in V. cholerae. Processes regulated by CsrA include motility, the rugose phenotype, and virulence pathways. CsrA directly binds to the aphA transcript and positively regulates the production of the virulence regulator AphA. Thus, CsrA regulates multiple processes that have been linked to pathogenesis.
Stress, Resilience, and Coping of Healthcare Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

ObjectiveTo estimate the health care workers (HCWs) self-reported stress, resilience, and coping during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine inter-professional differences.Participants and Metho...
Metabolic Health, Obesity, and Renal Function: 2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys

Rising rates of metabolic syndrome, obesity, and mortality from chronic kidney disease (CKD) have prompted further investigation into the association between metabolic phenotypes and CKD. Purpose: To report the frequency of strictly defined metabolic phenotypes, renal function within each phenotype, and individual risk factors associated with reduced renal function. We utilized the 2013–2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES) and complex survey sample weighting techniques to represent 220 million non-institutionalized U.S. civilians. Metabolic health was defined as having zero of the risk factors defined by the National Cholesterol Education Program with the exception of obesity, which was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 in non-Asians and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 in Asians. The metabolically healthy normal (MUN) phenotype comprised the highest proportion of the population (38.40%), whereas the metabolically healthy obese (MHO) was the smallest (5.59%). Compared to the MHN reference group, renal function was lowest in the strictly defined MUN (B = −9.60, p 0.05), and this persisted when an increased number of risk factors were used to define metabolic syndrome. Systolic blood pressure had the strongest correlation with overall eGFR (r = −0.25, p < 0.001), and individuals with low HDL had higher renal function compared to the overall sample. The MUN phenotype had the greatest association with poor renal function. While the MHO had higher renal function, this may be due to a transient state caused by renal hyperfiltration. Further research should be done to investigate the association between dyslipidemia and CKD.
EFFECTIVENESS OF COUNTERMEASURES IN UPPER INTERIOR HEAD IMPACT

Trim covers made of impact resistant polymers on vehicle interior sheet metal can contribute to reduction of HIC(d) (Head Injury Criterion, dummy) during headform impact. Airgap between trim and interior sheet metal can also induce deceleration of striking headform before it forces trim to contact sheet metal surface. As evidenced from laboratory component testing, situations may arise where additional protective measures may need to be incorporated between trim and sheet metal in order to attain acceptable levels of HIC(d). Two such alternatives in the form of energy-absorbing foam, and trim with molded collapsible stiffeners are discussed in this paper. The effectiveness of these countermeasures is evaluated through nonlinear finite element analysis, and favorable comparison with laboratory results is reported. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD 893297.
Sarcoplasmic reticulum: XVII. The turnover of proteins and phospholipids in sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes☆

Abstract The rate of incorporation of [ 32 P]orthophosphate, [ 14 C]- or [ 3 H]leucine and [ 14 C]acetate into the phospholipids and proteins of Sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes of rat skeletal muscle was measured after intraperitoneal injection of a single dose of radioactive precursor. The [ 32 P]orthophosphate incorporated into microsomal membranes was recovered almost exclusively in the phospholipids, while the radioactivity from [ 14 C]- or [ 3 H]leucine was found in the microsomal proteins. Acetate labeled to roughly similar extent the protein and lipid components of microsomal membrane. The halftimes of turnover calculated from the decay of radioactivity of proteins and phospholipids after injection of the different precursors were in the range of 10–18 days for all particulate fractions.
Exploring the role of scale: Comparative analysis of digital library user searching

This poster reports preliminary results of a comparative study of user searching in two large-scale digital libraries with history focus in the United States: the federal-level and the state-level digital library. Similarities were observed in search query lengths and average numbers of search categories per search query. At the same time, the study reveals significant differences in the level of use of advanced search options and in search query frequencies, as well as in distribution of most search categories in user queries. The empirical data obtained in this exploratory study will inform further research and will be useful for professionals making decisions on resource description and user interfaces for digital libraries.
Preclinical development of AMG 139, a human antibody specifically targeting IL-23.

Background and Purpose AMG 139 is a human anti-IL-23 antibody currently in a phase II trial for treating Crohn's disease. To support its clinical development in humans, in vitro assays and in vivo studies were conducted in cynomolgus monkeys to determine the pharmacology, preclinical characteristics and safety of this monoclonal antibody. Experimental Approach The in vitro pharmacology, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics and toxicology of AMG 139, after single or weekly i.v. or s.c. administration for up to 26 weeks, were evaluated in cynomolgus monkeys. Key Results AMG 139 bound with high affinity to both human and cynomolgus monkey IL-23 and specifically neutralized the biological activity of IL-23 without binding or blocking IL-12. After a single dose, linear PK with s.c. bioavailability of 81% and mean half-life of 8.4–13 days were observed. After weekly s.c. dosing for 3 or 6 months, AMG 139 exposure increased approximately dose-proportionally from 30 to 300 mg·kg−1 and mean accumulation between the first and last dose ranged from 2- to 3.5-fold. Peripheral blood immunophenotyping, T-cell-dependent antigen responses and bone formation markers were not different between AMG 139 and vehicle treatment. No adverse clinical signs, effects on body weight, vital signs, ophthalmic parameters, clinical pathology, ECG, organ weights or histopathology were observed in the monkeys with the highest dose of AMG 139 tested (300 mg·kg−1 s.c. or i.v.). Conclusions and Implications The in vitro pharmacology, PK, immunogenicity and safety characteristics of AMG 139 in cynomolgus monkeys support its continued clinical development for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases.
Time Is Myocardium and Time Is Outcomes

As an interventional cardiologist and a clinical trialist, I am often asked, “what do we need to do to improve mortality by another 1% in the setting of acute myocardial infarction?” Indeed, nearly a decade and a half of effort and many hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent in pursuit of this elusive “1% reduction” in mortality by both the pharmaceutical and the device industry. As the report by the Assessment of the Safety and Efficacy of a New Thrombolytic (ASSENT 2) investigators in the present issue of Circulation highlights, 1 this kind of advance may not be achieved exclusively with new drugs or devices, but in also reducing time to treatment and in modifying patient behavior to seek these potentially life-saving treatments earlier. See p 2653 In a time of dizzying advances in diagnostic modalities, it is refreshing to see what a useful, simple, noninvasive, broadly accessible, easily repeatable/applied, and affordable tool the ECG is. 1 Time to treatment and ST-segment resolution were roughly similar in their ability to risk-stratify patients in the study by Fu et al.1 For both time to treatment and ST-segment resolution, there was an ≈2-fold gradient between the lowest risk category and the highest risk category ( 4 hours for time to treatment and >70% resolution versus <30% resolution for ST-segment resolution). Although time to treatment may reflect the extent of necrosis before therapy (with greater myocardial salvage observed with shorter times to treatment), ST-segment resolution may instead reflect the response to therapy. It is notable is that these 2 variables allow further risk stratification within each category of the other. As a result, limitations of ST-segment resolution as a sole end point become apparent: patients with electrocardiographic success (ie, complete ST resolution) but with symptoms who were treated …
Demographics and density estimates of two three-toed box turtle (Terrapene carolina triunguis) populations within forest and restored prairie sites in central Missouri

Box turtles (Terrapene carolina) are widely distributed but vulnerable to population decline across their range. Using distance sampling, morphometric data, and an index of carapace damage, we surveyed three-toed box turtles (Terrapene carolina triunguis) at 2 sites in central Missouri, and compared differences in detection probabilities when transects were walked by one or two observers. Our estimated turtle densities within forested cover was less at the Thomas S. Baskett Wildlife Research and Education Center, a site dominated by eastern hardwood forest (d = 1.85 turtles/ha, 95% CI [1.13, 3.03]) than at the Prairie Fork Conservation Area, a site containing a mix of open field and hardwood forest (d = 4.14 turtles/ha, 95% CI [1.99, 8.62]). Turtles at Baskett were significantly older and larger than turtles at Prairie Fork. Damage to the carapace did not differ significantly between the 2 populations despite the more prevalent habitat management including mowing and prescribed fire at Prairie Fork. We achieved improved estimates of density using two rather than one observer at Prairie Fork, but negligible differences in density estimates between the two methods at Baskett. Error associated with probability of detection decreased at both sites with the addition of a second observer. We provide demographic data on three-toed box turtles that suggest the use of a range of habitat conditions by three-toed box turtles. This case study suggests that habitat management practices and their impacts on habitat composition may be a cause of the differences observed in our focal populations of turtles.
A method for culturing chick melanocytes: The effect of BRL-3A cell conditioning and related additives

A method for growing chick embryo melanocytes is described that utilizes medium conditioned by Buffalo Rat liver (BRL-3A) cells. The dissected trunk region of each 72 h (Stages 14 to 19) embryo produces approximately 200,000 melanocytes (purity, 80%) when processed and cultured for 8 d. Thus, a typical experiment involving 20 embryos would produce a total of 4 × 106 melanocytes. Choice of serum, serum concentration, and cell density were determined experimentally. Partially purified multiplication stimulating activity (MSA) from BRL-3A cells and insulin were also tested as medium additives. MSA was not stimulatory, whereas insulin gave a positive response in 2% but not 10 or 0% serum. The final protocol used a modified F12 medium with 10% bovine calf serum conditioned by BRL-3A cells. Cultures were fed every other day. Small colonies of cells became evident by culture Day 3 and increased rapidly to Day 5 when pigmentation became obvious. Colony size continued to increase but more slowly from Days 5 to 8, whereas pigmentation increased rapidly and maximized on Day 8. There is a factor, or factors, present in BRL-3A conditioned medium that stimulates embryonic chick melanocytes to divide preferentially over contaminating cell types. This results in cultures that can provide adequate numbers and purity for biochemical studies.
Amish lethal microcephaly: a new metabolic disorder with severe congenital microcephaly and 2-ketoglutaric aciduria.

A new metabolic disorder characterized by severe congenital microcephaly, death within the first year, and severe 2-ketoglutaric aciduria has been found among the Old-Order Amish of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Amish lethal microcephaly segregates as an autosomal recessive disorder and has an unusually high incidence of at least 1 in 500 births. When the infants are well, the urine organic acid profiles show isolated, extreme elevations of 2-ketoglutaric acid. However, during otherwise simple viral illnesses, the infants often develop a metabolic acidosis, which may follow a lethal course. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging of a single patient showed a smooth, immature brain similar to that of a 20-week fetus except for a moderate degree of cerebellar vermal hypoplasia. Assay of 2-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase in cultured lymphoblasts of one patient showed normal activity. Amish lethal microcephaly maps to 17q25 and may be caused by a defect in a mitochondrial inner membrane protein functioning as a 2-ketoglutarate transporter.
Flavodoxin as a model for the P450-interacting domain of NADPH cytochrome P450 reductase.

Heterologous protein expression systems have proven particularly useful in the study of P450 enzymes. These systems have permitted the determination of enzymatic activities and substrate specificit...
Copying and Coping Conceptualizations of Language: Counseling and the Ethic of Appreciation for Human Differences

The author takes the position that the foundational value of the counseling profession is an ethic of appreciation for human differences. The professional tool that is used to actualize this value is language. In this regard, the philosophical distinction between copying and coping conceptualizations of language is overviewed. The author argues that the value of the counseling profession is optimally actualized when a coping conceptualization of language is adopted. Implications for current ideological movements and the future of the profession are discussed.
The Origin of "The Dismantled Ship"

Describes an 1887 etching by Charles Mielatz that inspired Whitman's "The Dismantled Ship."
In vivo cloning of DNA regions carrying mutations linked to selectable genes: application to mutations in the regulatory region of the Escherichia coli tryptophan operon.

Abstract A rapid method for cloning DNA regions carrying specific mutations onto a previously characterized plasmid is described. This method is used to clone DNA regions carrying trpL or trpP mutations in the Escherichia coli tryptophan operon. The applicability of the method for other systems is discussed.
Dynamic Modeling of a Dual Clearance Squeeze Film Damper: Part III

Squeeze film dampers (SFD) are devices utilized to control vibrations of the shafts of high-speed rotating machinery. A dual squeeze film damper (DSFD) consists of two squeeze film bearings that are separated by a sleeve, which is released when the rotor experiences abnormal operating conditions. In this part of our study of DSFD we analyze the case when both the inner and the outer oil films are active and the separating sleeve is supported by a squirrel cage. Numerical results are compared with the experimental data.© 2005 ASME
Protein-polynucleotide scattering centers as a protein structure probe.

Abstract When certain basic globular proteins are mixed with nucleic acids near a critical concentration ratio, large, low density scattering centers of about 10 9 particle weight are created. Scattering from these complexes is altered when thermally inactivated proteins are substituted for enzymes in their native, globular conformation. Scattering data from heat-treated ribonuclease and lysozyme mixed with four different synthetic homopolyribonucleotides are reported. The concentration of nucleic acid necessary to produce maximum scattering from a heat-treated protein sample is shown to be a direct indication of the amount of enzyme that remains biologically active after being heated.
Event-related potential scalp fields during parallel and serial visual searches

Abstract Event-related potential (ERP) scalp fields generated during parallel and serial searches were compared using a bootstrap resampling technique. Two different parallel search tasks required the detection of a single feature either color or orientation. A serial search task required the detection of the feature conjunction target: color and orientation. Identical stimuli were used for both parallel searches and a similar stimulus for the serial search. No evidence for scalp field differences earlier than 150 ms were discovered, suggesting that ‘low-level’ visual processing is the same in both types of searches. ERP scalp fields that distinguished parallel from serial searches were identified between 150 and 250 ms. It is proposed that these different scalp fields represent timing and/or magnitude differences in the regions of cortex activated during parallel and serial searches.
Differential Item Functioning by Survey Language Among Older Hispanics Enrolled in Medicare Managed Care A New Method for Anchor Item Selection

Failure to account for language differences in CAHPS survey items may result in misleading conclusions about disparities in health care experiences between Spanish and English speakers.
Relaxation time constants and apparent diffusion coefficients of rat retina at 7 Tesla

MRI has recently been applied to study the retina in vivo. Measurements of relaxation time constants (T1, T2, and T2*) and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of the retina would be useful to systemically optimize structural, physiological, and functional MRI contrasts. MRI studies were performed on 12 anesthetized and paralyzed rats. High-resolution T1, T2, T2* and ADC of the rat eyes were measured at 50 × 50 × 800 μm at 7 Tesla. Profiles of T1, T2, T2* and ADC across the retinal thickness were analyzed. Region of interests of three layers across the retinal thickness were tabulated. This study demonstrated that high resolution T1, T2, T2* and ADC of the rat retina could be imaged. Profile analysis of T1, T2, T2* and ADC across the retinal thickness were helpful to minimize partial volume effects. T1, T2, T2* and ADC of the rat retina were overall similar to those of the brain. Quantitative T1, T2, T2* and ADC may change in retinal diseases and their measurements could help to stage retinal disease progression and monitor therapeutic intervention. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 20, 126–130, 2010
CIMS, Chemistry in Mass Spectrometry

Abstract A brief discussion of the development of Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry, CIMS, an analytical application of gas phase ionic chemistry.
Estrogen receptors: an evaluation of cytoplasmic-nuclear interactions in a cell-free system and a method for assay.

Abstract The estrogen binding protein of the uterine cytoplasmic fraction will cause the specific binding [ 3 H]estradiol to either nuclear or glass pellets when incubated at 25° for 30 min. This interaction between the cytoplasmic fraction and nuclear or glass pellets provides a rapid method for the analysis of the kinetics and the number of cytoplasmic estrogen receptors in a tissue. The ability of uterine cytoplasmic fraction to label any biological nuclear pellet, as well as glass pellets, indicates that this binding capacity of the cytoplasmic fraction is independent of the type of nuclear pellet. Therefore it is unlikely that any specific uterine nuclear factor is required for the nuclear binding observed in this cell-free system. Furthermore the binding observed in this system does not appear to be comparable to that which occurs in intact cells since no 4–5-S nuclear binder could be extracted from the nuclear pellets.
Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Prostatectomy Versus Radical Retropubic Prostatectomy for Clinically Localized Prostate Cancer: Comparison of Short-Term Biochemical Recurrence-Free Survival

Purpose: We compared biochemical recurrence-free survival of patients who underwent radical retropubic prostatectomy vs robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy in concurrent series at a single institution.Materials and Methods: A total of 2,132 patients were treated between June 2003 and January 2008. We excluded from study patients with prior treatment (115), missing data (83) and lymph node involvement (30). The remaining cohort (1,904) was compared based on clinical, surgical and pathological factors. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed comparing biochemical recurrence after robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy and radical retropubic prostatectomy. A Cox proportional hazards model was generated to determine whether surgical approach is an independent predictor of biochemical recurrence.Results: There were 491 radical retropubic prostatectomies (25.9%) and 1,413 robot assisted laparoscopic prostatectomies (74.1%) performed, and median followup was 10 months (IQR 2 to 23). On univariate analysis t...
National infrastructure diffusion and the U.S. information super highway

Abstract Governments are playing an increasingly important role in the development of national information infrastructure (NII). This paper explores one example in the United States' effort to build an “Information Super Highway”; which may determine the way its citizens create and communicate knowledge in the next century. This NII will provide widespread access to private and public networks capable of transmitting data, voice, text, images and video. It will consist of user information appliances, local area networks, access networks, and regional and national networks with speeds of hundreds of gigabits per second. In the course of its development the U.S. Information Super Highway's scope has been broadened to include high-speed connections to public schools, corporations, and eventually homes. The building of national information infrastructure, raises important issues of ownership, management, operation, use, and economics. A diffusion model of NII is presented to address these implementation issues.
Surface analysis of thick gold films by X-ray fluorescence using the base metal as an internal reference

Abstract A procedure has been developed for the determination of the amount of gold clad on a brass base. The method does not require dissolution of the sample and utilizes the presence of copper in the base metal as an internal standard.
Don't Blame Memory for People's Faulty Reports on What Influences their Judgments

Nisbett and Wilson (1977) provided evidence that people are unable to report the influence of external factors on their judgment processes. That article has been criticized on various grounds. In particular, it has been criticized for the use of retrospective questioning that may have allowed memory decay. In this study, three Nisbett and Wilson experiments were replicated. Some subjects used a concurrent-reporting technique designed to enable them to note for themselves the effects of stimuli on their judgment processes as they occurred. Concurrent reporting had no consistent effect on recognition of external influences on judgments.