cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pushing the boundaries

In this edition of GetMobile, we focus on three papers from MobiSys 2014 that embody the goal of enabling new services and using mobile systems in unique ways.
Soft-tissue and alignment correction: the use of smart trials in total knee replacement

Total knee replacement (TKR) smart tibial trials have load-bearing sensors which will show quantitative compartment pressure values and femoral-tibial tracking patterns. Without smart trials, surgeons rely on feel and visual estimation of imbalance to determine if the knee is optimally balanced. Corrective soft-tissue releases are performed with minimal feedback as to what and how much should be released. The smart tibial trials demonstrate graphically where and how much imbalance is present, so that incremental releases can be performed. The smart tibial trials now also incorporate accelerometers which demonstrate the axial alignment. This now allows the surgeon the option to perform a slight recut of the tibia or femur to provide soft-tissue balance without performing soft-tissue releases. Using a smart tibial trial to assist with soft-tissue releases or bone re-cuts, improved patient outcomes have been demonstrated at one year in a multicentre study of 135 patients (135 knees).
Disentangling the effects of climate, abundance, and size on the distribution of marine fish: an example based on four stocks from the Northeast US shelf

Richard J. Bell1*, David E. Richardson1, Jonathan A. Hare1, Patrick D. Lynch2, and Paula S. Fratantoni3 Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Narragansett, RI 02882, USA Office of Science and Technology, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA *Corresponding author: tel: +001 401 782 3368; fax: +001 401 782 3201; e-mail: rich.bell@noaa.gov
Cross-Cultural Educational Experiences and Academic Achievement of Ghanaian Immigrant Youth in Urban Public Schools:

The past two decades have witnessed a rapid increase of immigrant population in U.S. schools. Little is known, however, about factors that promote cross-cultural experiences, academic achievement, ...
Anti-A agglutinins in pooled plasma as a cause of hemolytic anemia.

Five sets of observations are presented showing the development of hemolytic anemia in group A patients as the result of prolonged administration of relatively large amounts of pooled plasma. During the hemolytic episodes, spherocytosis, increase in osmotic fragility, rising bilirubin levels and sometimes clinical jaundice and splenomegaly were observed. Antibody attached to the recipients’ erythrocytes was demonstrated by means of the direct Coombs test, and in several instances free antibody of anti-A specificity was found in the recipient’s plasma during the hemolytic episode. Random testing of commercial pooled plasma revealed a number of instances of astonishingly high anti-A titers, indicating that neither dilution in the pool nor neutralization by natural A substance in the component A plasmas can be relied upon. The pools implicated in the production of hemolytic reactions had anti-A1 titers of 1:64 in saline or higher, and with the usual technics showed no clear-cut "immune" characteristics except in one instance. The administration of substantial amounts of plasma pools of low titer (1:16) was not followed by adverse reactions in several instances. On the other hand, the administration of originally high titered plasmas, neutralized in vitro to a saline titer of 1:16 resulted in blood destruction, indicating that under conditions of prolonged massive administration, specific soluble substance, though effective in vitro, is inadequate in vivo. Whether the adverse effects of the moderately high and high titered plasma pools were the result of purely quantitative factors connected with the introduction of large amounts of natural anti-A agglutinins or whether special immune isoantibodies not detected by the methods used were responsible could not be determined by the data at hand. Prolonged administration of untitered pooled plasma to recipients of blood groups A and probably B is potentially dangerous.
Bacteria increase arid-land soil surface temperature through the production of sunscreens

Soil surface temperature, an important driver of terrestrial biogeochemical processes, depends strongly on soil albedo, which can be significantly modified by factors such as plant cover. In sparsely vegetated lands, the soil surface can be colonized by photosynthetic microbes that build biocrust communities. Here we use concurrent physical, biochemical and microbiological analyses to show that mature biocrusts can increase surface soil temperature by as much as 10 °C through the accumulation of large quantities of a secondary metabolite, the microbial sunscreen scytonemin, produced by a group of late-successional cyanobacteria. Scytonemin accumulation decreases soil albedo significantly. Such localized warming has apparent and immediate consequences for the soil microbiome, inducing the replacement of thermosensitive bacterial species with more thermotolerant forms. These results reveal that not only vegetation but also microorganisms are a factor in modifying terrestrial albedo, potentially impacting biosphere feedbacks on past and future climate, and call for a direct assessment of such effects at larger scales.
Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Particulate Versus Nonparticulate Corticosteroids in Epidural Injections.

Objective To systematically analyze published studies in regard to the comparative efficacy of particulate versus nonparticulate corticosteroids for cervical and lumbosacral epidural steroid injections (ESI) in reducing pain and improving function. Type Systematic review. Literature Survey MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched from the period of 1950 to December 2015. Methodology Criteria for inclusion in this review were (1) randomized controlled trials and (2) retrospective studies that compared particulate versus nonparticulate medication in fluoroscopically guided injections via a transforaminal (TF) or interlaminar (IL) approach. Each study was assigned a level of evidence (I-V) based on criteria for therapeutic studies. A grade of recommendation (A, B, C, or I) was assigned to each statement. Categorical analysis of the data was reported when available, with success defined by the minimal clinically important difference for appendicular radicular pain—a reduction of at least 2 on the visual analog scale. When data were available, additional categorical analysis included the proportion of individuals with a reduction in pain of at least 50%, 70%, or 75%. Follow-up was included at all reported intervals from 2 weeks to 6 months. Synthesis Three cervical ESI and 6 lumbar ESI studies were found to be suitable for review. Of the 3 cervical ESI studies, 2 were retrospective studies with grade III level of evidence and 1 was a randomized controlled trial with grade II evidence. Of 4 lumbar ESI studies that used a TF approach, the 2 randomized double-blinded controlled trials were grade I evidence and 2 retrospective studies were grade II and III level of evidence. One randomized controlled trial using the lumbar IL approach was level II evidence. One retrospective cohort study using the lumbar TF, IL and caudal approach was level III evidence. Conclusions There is no statistically significant difference in terms of pain reduction or improved functional outcome between particulate and nonparticulate preparations in cervical ESI and, therefore, the authors recommend using nonparticulate steroid when performing cervical TFESI (Grade of Recommendation: B). In patients with lumbar radiculopathy due to stenosis or disk herniation, TFESI using particulate versus non-particulate is equivocal in reducing pain (Grade of Recommendation: B) and improving function (Grade of Recommendation: C) and therefore the authors recommend the use of nonparticulate steroids for lumbar TFESI in patients with lumbar radicular pain (Grade of Recommendation: B). There is insufficient information to make a recommendation of one steroid preparation over the other in lumbar ILESI (Grade of Recommendation: I). Given the lack of strong data favoring the efficacy of one steroid preparation over the other, and the potential risk of catastrophic complications, all of which have been reported with particulate steroids, nonparticulate steroids should be considered as first line agents when performing ESIs. Level of Evidence III
Metal‐Containing Pharmacophores in Molecularly Targeted Anticancer Therapies and Diagnostics

Molecularly targeted therapeutic agents make up an important class of oncology drugs that are used either alone, or in combination with classical cytotoxic agents, to combat many solid tumors and hematological cancers. Their targets in cancer cells are proteins that are encoded by oncogenes, which regulate cell growth, survival, and proliferation. These include a number of signal-transducing and angiogenesis-related kinases, hormone receptors, and certain cell-surface antigens. Targeting of cancer cells harboring oncogenic molecular targets with precision medicines, while sparing the vast majority of normal healthy cells, has led to promising new treatments for cancer patients. Molecularly targeted therapeutic agents promise higher efficacy and weaker side effects than the traditional cytotoxic chemotherapies. Simple metal complexes and metal–organic hybrid agents have been the subjects of investigation for many years since the success of cisplatin in treating genitourinary cancers, but their applications in targeted therapies remain underexplored. In this review we highlight the development of metal-based targeted cancer therapeutic agents with unique structures and functions. These strategies provide exciting opportunities for discovering new therapeutic and diagnostic agents for clinical uses.
RNA Editing‐Mediated Modulation of Calcium‐Dependent Activator Protein for Secretion 1 (CAPS1) Function

CAPS1 is a priming factor, involved in the regulated release of hormones, peptides and neurotransmitters from large dense-core secretory granules and synaptic vesicles. Tran-scripts encoding CAPS1 ...
MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry of N-glycans and Tryptic Peptides from the Same Formalin-Fixed, Paraffin-Embedded Tissue Section

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is a unique and well developed tool for probing the protein content of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE). Integral to this approach is the application of trypsin, and more recently peptide N-glycosidase F, to release tryptic peptides or N-glycans from tissue and report localization of distinct species. This is typically done on serial or adjacent tissue sections, and there is an emerging need to understand the colocalized protein population linked to the exact same regions of N-glycans. Here we describe an approach where N-glycans are first imaged from a tissue section followed by reprocessing of the same tissue section for tryptic peptide MALDI IMS. Strategies for colocalizing peptides to target N-glycans or N-glycan regions are described.
Cool-Season Weed Control Using Ammonium Nonanoate and Cultivation in Organic Vidalia® Sweet Onion Production

Ammonium nonanoate is registered for weed control in certified organic cropping systems and may be useful to control cool-season weeds in organic Vidalia® sweet onion production. Ammonium nonanoate combined with tine-weeder cultivation was evaluated for weed control in organic onion in Georgia. There were no statistical interactions between main effects of herbicides and cultivation with a tine weeder for cool-season weed control and onion yield, indicating that ammonium nonanoate does not improve weed control compared with cultivation. Ammonium nonanoate at 4% and 6% did not adequately control weeds and onion yields were reduced. Ammonium nonanoate at 8% and 10% controlled cutleaf evening-primrose and lesser swinecress equal to the standard of d-limonene (14%), but the degree of control did not consistently protect onion yields from losses due to weeds. These results are in agreement with previous studies using clove oil and pelargonic acid. There is no advantage to using ammonium nonanoate for cool-season weed control in organic Vidalia® sweet onion production.Nomenclature: Ammonium nonanoate; clove oil; d-limonene; pelargonic acid; cutleaf evening-primrose, Oenothera laciniata Hill; lesser swinecress, Coronopus didymus (L.) Sm.; dry-bulb onion, Allium cepa L.
Panel: Software requirements engineering education in a changing world

One of the biggest challenges of organizations in contemporary times is the ability to manage rapid changes in business environment. Software and expert information systems can help to manage changes and thus contribute to addressing this challenge. The initial, and perhaps, most important activities in software and expert systems development are to elicit, analyze, specify, and validate requirements. The methods, processes, tools, and techniques for performing these activities is called ‘Requirements Engineering’ (RE). The aim of this panel is to bring together RE academics, practitioners, and researchers to discuss innovative ways of educating and training RE professionals that would develop software and information systems to address rapid changes in business environment. Additionally, this panel intends to identify and examine various challenges of RE education in our changing world, and proffer possible strategies to address them. We hope that the discussions from this panel will inform RE and REE practice.
Medical Aid in Dying

Requests for hastened death are not unusual from patients with life-limiting illness, and many primary care physicians encounter these requests over the course of their career. Medical aid in dying is the practice of a physician providing a competent, terminally ill patient—at the patient's request—with a prescription for a lethal dose of medication that the patient intends to use to end his or her own life.
Modeling the combined effects of changing land cover, climate, and atmospheric deposition on nitrogen transport in the Neuse River Basin

Abstract Study region The SWAT model was used to estimate the combined effects of changing land cover, climate and Clean Air Act (CAAA)-related atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition to watershed nitrogen fate and transport for two watersheds in North Carolina, USA. Study focus Two different model simulation scenarios were applied: one included CAAA-related atmospheric N deposition, climate and land cover (CAAD + C + L) and the other only included CAAA-related N deposition (CAAD) in simulation. New hydrological insights for the region Results show both scenarios generated overall decreasing trends for nearly all N outputs between 2010 and 2070 which resulted primarily from CAAA-related reductions in oxidized N deposition. In both watersheds, including climate and land cover change in simulation resulted in a relative 30% higher NO3 load, 30% higher denitrification, 10% higher organic N load and a 20% smaller level of plant N uptake in year 2070 compared to not including climate and landcover changes in simulation. The increases in N transport for both watersheds indicates the combined impacts from climate and land cover change may offset benefits provided by the CAAA regulations; however, future NO3 loads for the Little River watershed were small relative to current N loading rates. Conversely, the increasing NO3 and organic N loads for the nearby Nahunta watershed were significant compared to current rates demonstrating that watershed nutrient responses to climate and land cover changes may vary significantly over relatively small spatial scales.
Postmenopausal endometrial fluid collections revisited: look at the doughnut rather than the hole.

Objective To report 30 postmenopausal women and the thickness of the tissue surrounding an endometrial fluid collection seen on vaginal probe ultrasound. Methods During routine ultrasound-enhanced bimanual examination, nine postmenopausal women with unremarkable palpatory findings and no history of bleeding were found to have endometrial fluid collections. The patients were 9-24 years postmenopausal. All underwent prompt endometrial sampling. Each woman had some degree of cervical stenosis as judged by the operator. At curettage, all had scant tissue, which was reported by the pathologist as "inactive endometrium." Results Ultrasound scans on each patient were rereviewed, and it was found that the endometrium surrounding the fluid was uniformly 3 mm thick or less. Subsequently, 21 additional patients with small endometrial fluid collections have been seen. Eighteen of these had thin endometrium peripherally and were followed conservatively for 6-26 months. Six cases resolved and 12 remained unchanged. Three patients had a thickened heterogeneous endometrium peripheral to the fluid collection. In one, D&C was unsuccessful in two attempts because of cervical stenosis, and hysterectomy was performed. A 15-mm endometrial polyp was found. Two other patients with thickened endometrium surrounding the fluid had D&C, and hysteroscopy revealed simple hyperplasia without atypia. CONCLUSIONS. Normal atrophic postmenopausal endometrium in association with cervical stenosis can produce endometrial fluid collections, seen easily on vaginal probe ultrasound. If the endometrial tissue surrounding the fluid is thin (3 mm or less), the endometrium is invariably inactive and sampling is not necessary. If the peripheral endometrium is thicker than 3 mm, sampling is mandatory because the tissue cannot be expected to be invariably inactive and sampling is not necessary. If the peripheral endometrium is thicker than 3 mm, sampling is mandatory because the tissue cannot be expected to be inactive. Thus, the presence or amount of fluid is not as important as the thickness and character of the surrounding tissue.
Snow storms and vulnerable populations: local public health activities in response to the 2014-2015 severe winter weather

ABSTRACTThe Northeastern United States experienced some of its coldest and snowiest conditions ever recorded during the winter of 2014-2015. The snowfall and extreme temperatures created significant challenges for local health departments attempting to continue critical services and respond to storm-related needs of the community. This report from the field aims to describe the impact of the severe weather on local health departments' operations, to examine the disruption to public health services, and to document public health support provided to vulnerable populations during the 2014-2015 winter season. Our findings show that the severe weather exposed major challenges in continuity of public health operations across health departments of various sizes and highlighted some key issues as well as effective strategies, such as collaborations with community-based organizations, to identify and address the needs of the most vulnerable during the winter storms. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2019;13:647-649).
UNC13A polymorphism contributes to frontotemporal disease in sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Abstract The majority (90%–95%) of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is sporadic, and ∼50% of patients develop symptoms of frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) associated with shorter survival. The genetic polymorphism rs12608932 in UNC13A confers increased risk of sporadic ALS and sporadic FTD and modifies survival in ALS. Here, we evaluate whether rs12608932 is also associated with frontotemporal disease in sporadic ALS. We identified reduced cortical thickness in sporadic ALS with T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (N = 109) relative to controls (N = 113), and observed that minor allele (C) carriers exhibited greater reduction of cortical thickness in the dorsal prefrontal, ventromedial prefrontal, anterior temporal, and middle temporal cortices and worse performance on a frontal lobe–mediated cognitive test (reverse digit span). In sporadic ALS with autopsy data (N = 102), minor allele homozygotes exhibited greater burden of phosphorylated tar DNA-binding protein-43 kda (TDP-43) pathology in the middle frontal, middle temporal, and motor cortices. Our findings demonstrate converging evidence that rs12608932 may modify frontotemporal disease in sporadic ALS and suggest that rs12608932 may function as a prognostic indicator and could be used to define patient endophenotypes in clinical trials.
The Economics of Bundling Content with Unlicensed Wireless Service

Adding new unlicensed wireless spectrum is a promising approach to accommodate increasing traffic demand. However, unlicensed spectrum may have a high risk of becoming congested, and service providers (SPs) may have difficulty to differentiate their wireless services when offering them on the same unlicensed spectrum. When SPs offer identical services, the resulting competition can lead to zero profits. In this work, we consider the case where an SP bundles its wireless service with a content service. We show that this can differentiate the SPs’ services and lead to positive SP profits. In particular, we study the characteristics of the content services that an SP should bundle with its wireless service, and analyze the impact of bundling on consumer surplus.
Journal Packages: Another Look at Predicting Use

This study uses linear regression analysis to determine if interlibrary loan (ILL) requests and/or denials are predictors of subsequent usage of journals acquired in a package subscription. In 2016...
Success factors in STEM learning and teaching for American Indian students at a sub-baccalaureate technical college

ABSTRACTSTEM education and workforce preparation in STEM fields have been leading topics of conversation by academics and politicians for several years. Many believe that STEM workforce preparation...
THE FORMATION, METABOLISM, AND PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF MELATONIN IN MAMMALS.

Melatonin, a compound highly localized in the pineal gland, is formed enzymatically by the N -acetylation of serotonin followed by O -methylation. The melatonin-forming enzyme, hydroxyindole- O -methyltransferase, is found only in the pineal gland. The presence of endogenous melatonin in the peripheral nerve of mammals indicates that the pineal gland synthesizes and releases this compound. The main pathway of melatonin metabolism involves hydroxylation on the 6-position followed by conjugation. Many clinical and experimental observations have linked the mammalian pineal gland and the level of gonad function; pinealectomy results in increased ovarian weight, while the chronic administration of pineal extracts decreases ovary weight and produces anestrus in middle-aged rats. In the studies on the effect of melatonin on the rat ovary, it was found that daily administration of microgram doses to maturing animals was associated with a significant decrease in ovary weight and in the incidence of vaginal estrus, while serotonin produced neither of these effects.
4 – Nanoporous gold for biomedical applications: structure, properties and applications

: Nanoporous gold is a material that can be utilized in several medical applications, including in biosensors and drug delivery devices. This chapter highlights current information regarding the medical applications of nanoporous gold. Methods for processing nanoporous gold, characterization of nanoporous gold and medical applications of nanoporous gold are presented. Efforts to improve the mechanical properties of nanoporous gold are also considered.
Dynamic distortion in resonant galvanometric optical scanners

High-speed optical systems are revolutionizing biomedical imaging in microscopy, DNA sequencing, and flow cytometry, as well as numerous other applications, including data storage, display technologies, printing, and autonomous vehicles. These systems often achieve the necessary imaging or sensing speed through the use of resonant galvanometric optical scanners. Here, we show that the optical performance of these devices suffers due to the dynamic mirror distortion that arises from the variation in torque with angular displacement. In one of two scanners tested, these distortions result in a variation of signal-to-noise (Strehl) ratio by an order of magnitude across the field of view, degrading transverse resolution by more than a factor of 2. This mirror distortion could be mitigated through the use of stiffer materials, such as beryllium or silicon carbide, at the expense of surface roughness, as these cannot be polished to the same degree of smoothness as common optical glasses. The repeatability of the dynamic distortion indicates that computational and optical corrective methods are also possible.
Wunderkammer: the performance showcase as critical performative pedagogy

The performance showcase is a rich opportunity to employ critical performative pedagogy as an embodied engagement with, interrogation of, and disruption to institutional and ideological structures ...
Comments on “Interpretation of hydrogen bonding formation through thermodynamic, spectroscopic and DFT studies between isoamyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol at T = (293.15 to 318.15) K”

Abstract A polemic is given regarding the volumetric properties reported in the published by Satheesh and coworkers. The authors' calculated partial molar volumes and partial molar excess volumes of the individual mixture components are both found to be thermodynamically inconsistent with the respective excess molar volumes of the binary mixtures containing isoamyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol.
Standards and Guidelines in Teleheatlh: Creating a Compliance and Evidence-Based Telehealth Practice

How does a clinician new to Telehealth know how to practice via Telehealth? What are the standards by which a clinician is guided through a visit with a patient in traditional Telehealth, remote patient monitoring, or store-and-forward consultations? Where does one even go for such guidance? This chapter covers the questions often posed to a clinician when he or she wants to start using Telehealth or when a provider or health care organization who has been using Telehealth starts to bill for services. Telehealth is not a lower standard of care, nor does it demand a higher standard of care. Simply put, whatever is the standard of care for in-person services is the standard of care when those same services are delivered via Telehealth. For services that have been designed in the last decade as a new form of Telehealth, such as remote patient monitoring, brief video check-ins, or the use of patient portals for exchanging patient generated data, standards are developed as the industry and the service gains more experience.
Investigating Barriers to Implement and Develop Sustainable Construction

The construction industry plays a crucial role in a sustainable development. The United States Green Building Council (USGBC) has traced almost 40% of Carbon Dioxide emissions in the United States to the construction industry. As the world’s population grows, the demand for housing, infrastructures, and other facilities grows as well. If trends continue as they are now, CO2 emissions initiated by the construction industry will continue to grow exponentially significantly endangering our planet. Therefore, implementing and developing sustainable practices in construction is critical to curbing the rising CO2 emissions, global warming, and environmental crisis to build sustainable and smart cities. Sustainable design and construction aim for efficiency and low operating costs at the life cycle of projects. Sustainable buildings and sustainability in construction have received much attention in recent years. Although statistics show a steady increase in the popularity of sustainable projects, the construction industry is lacking a large movement in sustainability. There are many obstacles and barriers in the way of future development for green living in smart cities. In order to widely implement sustainable practices and construct sustainable buildings, these barriers need to be identified, investigated, and tackled. The current study aims to investigate the barriers to the implementation and development of sustainable construction. Thirty construction professionals in the US were interviewed to find the most critical barriers of the sustainable construction. Fifteen obstacles were identified among which financial constraints, design constraints, inadequate technology are among the top factors. The results of this article can be used by construction professionals and policymakers to accelerate broad implementation of sustainability in construction projects. By implementing sustainability, the construction industry will take a huge step to protect our environment for the next generation and also to the development of smart green cities.
The Coronavirus Corpus: Design, construction, and use

Abstract This paper discusses the creation and use of the Coronavirus Corpus, which is currently (March 2021) 900 million words in size, and which will probably be about one billion words in size by May–June 2021. The Coronavirus Corpus is a subset of the NOW Corpus (News on the Web), which is currently about 12.1 billion words in size and which grows by about two billion words each year. These two corpora are updated every night, with about 6–10 million words for NOW and 2–3 million words for the Coronavirus Corpus. The Coronavirus Corpus allows users to see the frequency of words and phrases over time (even by individual day), and users can find all words that are more frequent in one time period than another. Users can also see the collocates for words and phrases, and compare the collocates to see what is being said about particular topics over time.
Theoretical Studies in Islamic Banking and Finance

Theoretical Studies in Islamic Banking and Finance represents the work of six economists, five of whom are associated with international banking; the editors, Drs. Mohsin Saeed Khan and Abbas Mirakhor, themselves being employees of the International Monetary Fund. The whole enterprise has been put out by the Institute for Research and Islamic Studies based in Houston, Texas. With this background, the authors bring a wealth of policy and practical experience to bear on their project, and also see themselves as "a new generation of Muslim economists, trained in the West and well-versed in analytical and quantitative techniques, [able] to apply modern economic techniques to answer [the] questions".The questions and the research program the editors define and delineate has been set out in their Introduction.
Examining the Potential Effect of a Salt Sensitivity Biomarker in Korean American Immigrants: A Pilot Study.

The genetic factors involved with salt sensitivity (SS) have been studied using a genetic approach to identify individuals at high risk for developing hypertension and could benefit from a low sodium diet intervention, but this has not been well-studied in Korean American immigrants (KAIs). The purpose of this pilot study was to investigate the influence of SS that moderates blood pressure (BP) in KAIs (n = 34). KAIs were recruited from local communities and completed a blood draw, a 8-day food log, and BP testing. The dietary sodium intake was measured using the Fitbit mobile app, and an SS biomarker was assessed using targeted genotyping. out of five GNAI2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) tested, rs4547694 significantly moderated the relationship of dietary sodium intake on BP in KAIs. Conclusions: Further studies are warranted to test the effect of a reduced sodium diet on BP while accounting for the moderating influence of an SS genotype.
Autism Spectrum Disorder/Intellectual Disability-Associated Mutations in Trio Disrupt Neuroligin 1-Mediated Synaptogenesis.

We recently identified an autism spectrum disorder/intellectual disability (ASD/ID)-related de novo mutation hotspot in the Rac1-activating GEF1 domain of the protein Trio. Trio is a Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RhoGEF) that is essential for glutamatergic synapse function. An ASD/ID-related mutation identified in Trio9s GEF1 domain, Trio D1368V, produces a pathologic increase in glutamatergic synaptogenesis, suggesting that Trio is coupled to synaptic regulatory mechanisms that govern glutamatergic synapse formation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Trio regulates glutamatergic synapses are largely unexplored. Here, using biochemical methods, we identify an interaction between Trio and the synaptogenic protein Neuroligin 1 (NLGN1) in the brain. Molecular biological approaches were then combined with super-resolution dendritic spine imaging and whole-cell voltage-clamp electrophysiology in hippocampal slices from male and female rats to examine the impact ASD/ID-related Trio mutations have on NLGN1-mediated synaptogenesis. We find that an ASD/ID-related mutation in Trio9s eighth spectrin repeat region, Trio N1080I, inhibits Trio9s interaction with NLGN1 and prevents Trio D1368V-mediated synaptogenesis. Inhibiting Trio9s interaction with NLGN1 via Trio N1080I blocked NLGN1-mediated synaptogenesis and increases in synaptic NMDA Receptor function but not NLGN1-mediated increases in synaptic AMPA Receptor function. Finally, we show that the aberrant synaptogenesis produced by Trio D1368V is dependent on NLGN signaling. Our findings demonstrate that ASD/ID-related mutations in Trio are able to pathologically increase as well as decrease NLGN-mediated effects on glutamatergic neurotransmission, and point to an NLGN1-Trio interaction as part of a key pathway involved in ASD/ID etiology. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT A number of genes have been implicated in the development of autism spectrum disorder/intellectual disability (ASD/ID) in humans. It is now important to identify relationships between these genes to uncover specific cellular regulatory pathways that contribute to these disorders. In this study, we discover that two glutamatergic synapse regulatory proteins implicated in ASD/ID, Trio and Neuroligin 1, interact with one another to promote glutamatergic synaptogenesis. We also identify ASD/ID-related mutations in Trio that either inhibit or augment Neuroligin 1-mediated glutamatergic synapse formation. Together, our results identify a synaptic regulatory pathway that, when disrupted, likely contributes to the development of ASD/ID. Going forward, it will be important to determine whether this pathway represents a point of convergence of other proteins implicated in ASD/ID.
Analysis of corneal and conjunctival microenvironments using monoclonal antibodies

PURPOSE The authors phenotypically compared epithelial and nonepithelial components of human corneal and conjunctival microenvironments using a panel of monoclonal antibody reagents that included markers of epithelial cell maturation, markers of mesodermal-derived fibrous tissue and vessels, markers of specific keratins, and markers of major histocompatibility complex Class I and II antigens. METHODS Corneoscleral rims obtained after trephination of the donor button for use in penetrating keratoplasty procedures were studied. RESULTS A comparison of cornea and conjunctiva with anti-epithelial and antikeratin antibodies demonstrated that corneal and conjunctival keratinocytes undergo similar antigenically defined pathways of maturation. However, the reactivity of antibody 12/1-2 (antibody against low molecular weight keratins) with conjunctival but not corneal basal cells suggested differences in keratin expression between the two epithelial types. Using antibodies against major histocompatibility complex Class I and II antigens, it was demonstrated the two tissues were similar with Class I determinants found on all epithelial, stromal, and endothelial cells, and Class II determinants found on Langerhans' cells, vessels, and a subset of stromal cells. CONCLUSIONS The availability of tissue-specific markers of epithelial and nonepithelial components of the cornea and conjunctiva should be of use in the study of the roles the ocular microenvironment might play in the pathogenesis of ocular inflammatory diseases.
Anion Transport in Erythrocytes

Twenty years ago a book such as this would probably not have included a chapter on anion transport. At that time, there was little interest in anions, since it was felt that most important physiological processes involved transport of cations, and that anions simply went along with cations to maintain electroneutrality. Most anion transport was felt to involve passive diffusion and, with the exception of special cases such as the CI − /HCO3− exchanges in the red cell and kidney, to be of little physiological significance.
Hitting the Rate Notes

Interest-rate structured products and over-the-counter derivatives are like an immense, dense jungle that's grown from a small bare patch of earth in 30 years. From virtually nothing in the late 1970s, the notional value of interest-rate contracts reached $458 trillion - about eight times the gross domestic product of the world - as of June 2008, according to the Bank for International Settlements.Here we detail tools and methodologies used for analyzing interest-rate structured products.
Limitations of CT Angiography in Patient Selection for Thrombolytic Therapy

To the Editor: We have read with great interest the article by Wildermuth et al1 on the role of CT angiography (CTA) in patient selection for thrombolytic therapy. The authors report that selection of patients with little potential for benefit from thrombolytic therapy is feasible with the use of CTA. The CTA findings, such as no vascular occlusion (ie, identification of patients with autolyzed thrombi), occlusion of internal carotid artery bifurcation, and poor leptomeningeal collaterals, indicate little potential for benefit from thrombolytic therapy. I am sure that these 3 CTA findings are useful in patient exclusion from thrombolytic therapy. However, there are 3 major problems with the use of CTA in patient selection for thrombolytic therapy. First, CTA has diagnostic limitations of precise information about lenticulostriate artery (LSA) involvement. When …
Nitrogen Monoxide (Nitric Oxide): Bioinorganic Chemistry

In only the last 20 years, Nitric oxide (NO, nitrogen monoxide), one of the smallest and simplest molecules in Nature, has been found to be involved in an astounding number of mammalian physiological and pathophysiological phenomena. The importance of NO as a messenger molecule in the cardiovascular system was recognized in 1998 by the awarding of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and over 70000 papers have appeared involving NO in biology. The simplicity of its chemical structure stands in stark contrast to the complexity of its biological actions, including its “Janus-faced” character as both beneficial and detrimental. This chapter is an overview of the history of this discovery, the fundamental chemistry of NO and its derivatives in the biological environment, and the multiple biological actions of NO. Keywords: nitric oxide; nitrogen monoxide; metals and metalloproteins; free radicals; oxidation; nitrosation; nitration; nitrosylation; diffusion
What are the Capital Structure Determinants for Tax‐Exempt Organizations?

I study the determinants of capital structure in the absence of tax incentives. I find that debt use is positively related to asset tangibility, growth, and size, and negatively related to age, liquidity, and profitability. Tax-exempt sector-specific findings indicate that debt is also positively related to the efficacy of state laws against the misuse of assets and to the percentage of decision makers that are paid and negatively related to decision-maker compensation and to charitable contributions. Religious organizations most commonly borrow from internal sources, those in education use tax-exempt bonds, while human services organizations use mortgages and notes payable.
Polarization changes in stochastic electromagnetic beams propagating in the oceanic turbulence

We find that on propagation in turbulent ocean with power spectrum being a combination of power spectra of temperature and salinity fluctuations a stochastic beam can exhibit polarization changes which are qualitatively very similar to those which occur on propagation in atmospheric turbulence. However, pronounced quantitative difference between polarization changes in atmosphere and ocean should be noted. The analytical development is supported by numerical examples.
Response of sodium pump to ouabain challenge in human glioblastoma cells in culture

Bipolar disorder is a severe psychiatric condition that manifests with abnormalities in ion regulation. Previous studies have suggested that glia may be specifically involved in the pathophysiology of this condition. Since the potent sodium pump inhibitor, ouabain, has been used previously to model the ionic changes of bipolar illness, we investigated its effect of on sodium pump expression and activity in a human glioblastoma cell line. LN229 cells were grown with or without ouabain 10−7 M for 3 days, and the effect of a therapeutic concentration of lithium was also examined. The mRNA transcription of sodium pump isoforms was determined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein expression of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated pump isoforms was semi-quantified utilizing Western blot. Ouabain treatment caused an increase of some 6-fold in α1 protein expression and a doubling of α1 mRNA. α3 protein and α2 and α3 mRNA more than doubled. Lithium treatment alone had no eff...
An Uncommon Cause of Acute Back Pain: Spinal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Progressing to Spinal Cord Compression

Abstract Background Spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SSH) is an uncommon occurrence responsible for Case Report We present the case of a 53-year-old man who presented to the emergency department (ED) with acute onset of “tearing” back pain that began during activity, and who was diagnosed with an SSH that ultimately progressed to spinal cord compression. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? Although uncommon, the consequences of SSH are potentially devastating, yet reversible, making awareness of this condition critical. Several rare yet potentially devastating causes of acute back pain are deserving of consideration when approaching back pain in the ED setting; SSH is among them. Pain that is described as “tearing” or that is unresponsive to ordinary analgesic dosages should prompt strong consideration of vascular or other serious pathology, including arterial dissection or spinal cord compression.
Phonocardiographic evaluation of total artificial heart valve movement. Correlation with pressure waveforms.

: Two categories of inflow and outflow valve closure sounds are present in the Jarvick-7 model of the Utah total artificial heart. A presystolic inflow valve closure sound occurs at the end of ventricular filling, resulting from a transient rise in intraventricular pressure above that in the atrium. A second inflow valve closure sound follows, associated with the onset of mechanical systole with a rapid rise in intraventricular pressure. A mid- to late systolic outflow valve closure sound occurs at the end of ventricular ejection, resulting from a transient fall in intraventricular pressure below that in the aorta. A second outflow valve closure sound follows, associated with the onset of mechanical diastole with a rapid fall in intraventricular pressure. Under operating conditions where either ventricular filling or ejection is not complete, the presystolic and midsystolic sounds are absent. Thus, regulated heart driver parameters as well as preload and afterload to the extent that they influence ventricular filling and emptying will determine the presence and sequence of valve sounds.
Application of a systems approach to study developmental gene regulation

All cells in a multicellular organism contain the same genome, yet different cell types express different sets of genes. Recent advances in high throughput genomic technologies have opened up new opportunities to understand the gene regulatory network in diverse cell types in a genome-wide manner. Here, I discuss recent advances in experimental and computational approaches for the study of gene regulation in embryonic development from a systems perspective. This review is written for computational biologists who have an interest in studying developmental gene regulation through integrative analysis of gene expression, chromatin landscape, and signaling pathways. I highlight the utility of publicly available data and tools, as well as some common analysis approaches.
Parsimonious edge coloring

Abstract In a graph G of maximum degree Δ, let γ denote the largest fraction of edges that can be Δ-edge-colored. This paper investigates lower bounds for γ together with infinite families of graphs in which γ is bounded away from 1. For instance, if G is cubic, then γ ⩾ 13 15 ; and there exists an infinite family of 3-connected cubic graphs in which γ ⩽ 25 27 .
Maternal and genetic influences on egg size and larval performance in a seed beetle ( Callosobruchus maculatus ): multigenerational transmission of a maternal effect?

Maternal and genetic influences on egg size and larval performance in a seed beetle ( Callosobruchus maculatus ): multigenerational transmission of a maternal effect?
An expert system using priorities for solving multiple-criteria facility layout problems

SUMMARY In this paper we develop an expert system for multiple-criteria facility layout problems. The facility layout problem is identified as an ill-structured problem; our approach for solving it is based on expert systems and multiple-criteria decision making (MCDM). The expert system interacts with the decision maker (DM), and reflects the DM's preferences in the selection of rules and priorities. The inference engine is a forward-chaining reasoning procedure which is discussed in detail. The approach consists of two parts: (a) construction of a layout based on a set of rules and restrictions, and (b) improvement of the layout based on interaction with decision maker. The MCDM expert system approach considers and incorporates the multiple criteria in these two parts as follows. In (a) it uses priorities on the selection of rules, adjacency of departments, and departments for construction purposes. In (b) it uses different objectives such as materials handling cost, flexibility, and materials handling ...
CANAPI: canopy analysis with panchromatic imagery

The validation of remotely sensed canopy structural parameters derived from moderate resolution imaging is a perennial problem because it is very expensive to undertake field measurements at scales of 250 m and above. High-resolution imaging and airborne light detection and ranging (lidar) systems are widely used sources of reference data, with the former used to delineate crowns and the latter to estimate tree heights and other statistics. A simple yet effective automated method that provides mapped tree crown cover, radii and height estimates from high-resolution panchromatic images of large dimensions – CANopy Analysis from Panchromatic Imagery (CANAPI) – is presented, together with comparisons with QuickBird 0.6 m spatial resolution imagery, field inventory data and lidar canopy height estimates from the NASA Laser Vegetation Imaging Sensor (LVIS) for forest sites in the Sierra National Forest in California. The method was developed as an ImageJ macro using simple image processing functions and is eas...
Hybrid Contacts for CZT Virtual Frisch-grid Detectors

In our previous design of virtual Frisch-grid CdZnTe (CZT) detectors, the charge drift-lines can be terminated at the side surfaces before the carriers reach the collecting anode; this results in a loss of signal from the interacting events near the detector's edges. Here, we describe our new design for the anode contact that reduces these edge effects by focusing the electric field towards the detectors' central axes. Four detectors were fabricated with the new hybrid anode contact, and their performances were evaluated and compared to those from the previous design for our virtual Frisch-grid detectors. The results obtained for all four showed similar improvement: therefore, we illustrate them with the findings from one detector.