cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection of profile injection attacks in social recommender systems using outlier analysis

As systems based on social networks grow, they get affected by huge number of fake user profiles. Particularly, social recommender systems are vulnerable to profile injection attacks where malicious profiles are injected into the rating system to affect user's opinion. The objective of attackers is to inject a large set of biased profiles that provide favorable or unfavorable recommendations for a product. In this paper, we propose a classification technique for detection of attackers. First, we define the attributes that provide the likelihood of a user having a profile of that of an attacker. Using user-item rating matrix, user-connection matrix, and similarity between users, we find if the ratings are abnormal and if there are random connections in the network. Then, we use fc-means clustering to categorize users into authentic users and attackers. To evaluate our framework, we use Epinions dataset and inject intelligent push and nuke attacks. These attacks make arbitrary connections to existing users and provide biased ratings. To evaluate the performance, we use precision and recall to show that fc-means clustering can identify the attackers with high accuracy and low false positives.
Robotic Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse

This chapter focuses on the development and evolution of utilizing robotic technology in the management of vaginal prolapse. Robotic assistance for gynecologic surgery has exponentially risen in the last decade, and urogynecologic procedures have implemented this use successfully. This offers benefits to the patient, transitioning from open to minimally invasive procedures, bypassing some of the technical difficulties that are encountered with traditional laparoscopic surgery. Appropriate use, implementation, and improving efficiency will be discussed along with technical aspects of surgery for correction of vaginal and uterovaginal prolapse. Finally, associated procedures along with management of complications will also be discussed.
NCFET Design Considering Maximum Interface Electric Field

Negative capacitance field-effect transistors (NCFETs) boost the electric field at the semiconductor-channel interface by virtue of the gate voltage amplification effect of a ferroelectric (fe) layer. NCFETs should be designed in such a way that this elevated field does not exceed the maximum electric field ( ${E}_{\max}$ ) determined by the reliability limit of the interfacial dielectric or NBTI/PBTI reliability. In this letter, a compact model-based methodology is presented to determine the NCFET design space considering several variables of the fe-layer and the baseline transistor, including the fe-layer thickness ( ${T}_{\mathrm {fe}}$ ), coercive field ( ${E}_{c}$ ), remnant polarization ( ${P}_{r}$ ), baseline transistor equivalent oxide thickness, supply voltage ( ${V}_{\mathrm {dd}}$ ), threshold voltage ( ${V}_{\mathrm {th}}$ ), and ${E}_{\max}$ . Using this methodology, an NC-FDSOI transistor is designed in TCAD, and the result shows that even without raising the maximum interface field as compared with the baseline transistor, NCFET achieves much better ${I}_ \mathrm{\scriptstyle ON}/{I}_ \mathrm{\scriptstyle OFF}$ ratio and sub-threshold swing while operating at lower ${V}_{\mathrm {dd}}$ .
c-Ha-ras-1 oncogene lies between beta-globin and insulin loci on human chromosome 11p.

DNA sequence polymorphisms have been used to determine the linear order and recombinational distances separating the Harvey ras 1 oncogene (c-Ha-ras-1), beta-globin, insulin, and parathyroid hormone genes on the short arm of human chromosome 11. Our results indicate that c-Ha-ras-1 is closely linked to both the beta-globin locus (theta = .08 [8 centimorgans], lod score = 5.11) and the insulin locus (theta = .04 [4 centimorgans], lod score = 3.31). Furthermore, the probable order of these loci on chromosome 11p is centromere-parathyroid hormone-beta globin-c-Ha-ras-1-insulin.
Institutional Adaptation to Global Environmental Change and Human Security in Central and Eastern Europe

This chapter attempts to assess the capability of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to adapt to environmental change and the effect possible scenarios of adaptation may have on the security of the people and societies living in the region. It argues the following: (1) The fall of Communism left the CEE vulnerable to environmental turbulence, a situation that can be attributed to a negative environmental legacy; an indifference to environmental threats among leaders; a low rate of technological change; societal alienation and anomie; and a political and economic legacy that inhibited the development of communication links between all levels of government. (2) The importation of Western institutions and technology into the region during the transition period is forcing the countries to undertake fundamental institutional restructuring as long-held values and societal behaviour patterns confront and adapt to the imports. In most countries, the import process is in its incipient phase, and it is still unclear whether institutional transformation will increase these societies’ capacity to prevent or correct environmental turbulence. (3) Currently, the main goal of institutional and technological change in the CEE is to meet the criteria for membership in the European Union (EU) and possibly NATO. However, this goal fails at both the national and regional levels to promote serious, constructive discussion aimed at finding coping and preventive strategies for handling potential ecological problems. The chapter concludes with an evaluation of several alternative institutional mechanisms available to the CEE for enhancing regional and national security in the face of environmental change.
Aggregate Timber Supply

Timber supply modeling is a means of formalizing the production behavior of heterogeneous landowners managing a wide variety of forest types and vintages within a region. The critical challenge of timber supply modeling is constructing theoretically valid and empirically practical aggregate descriptions of harvest behavior. Understanding timber supply is essential for assessing tradeoffs between forest production and the environment, for forecasting timber market activity and timber prices, and for evaluating the level and distribution of costs and benefits of forest policies. It follows that timber supply modeling is an essential interface between forest production economics and policy and decision making. This chapter examines timber supply modeling, focusing especially on issues regarding aggregation of timber stocks (some of this chapter is based on Wear and Parks 1994). A section on general theory is followed by a discussion of various contemporary modeling approaches. The explicit aggregation of forest capital and description of capital structure in the analysis of timber supply remain as core research issues. We conclude with an empirical example that explores these topics.
Purification of five serine transfer ribonucleic acid species from Escherichia coli and their acylation by homologous and heterologous seryl transfer ribonucleic acid synthetases.

can esterify serine to all of the purified isoacceptor RNAs. However, the extent of charging is only a small fraction of the level obtained with the homologous seryl-tRNA synthetase. It has been well established that most amino acids are speci- fied by more than one codon. A single tRNA molecule, how- ever, can recognize only one, two, or three codons. Thus, the proper translation of the genetic message to an amino acid specified by four codons, for example, requires at least two tRNA species (1, 2). This explains the occurrence in cells of families of tRNAs with different coding response but specifying the same amino acid (isoaccepting tRNAs). The number of such isoacceptors is further increased by the existence of multiple tRNA species specific for the same ammo acid and the same codon (redundant tRNAs (2)). Since leucine, serine, and arginine each have six codons, a larger number of isoacceptor RNAs is expected for these amino acids than for all others. Of these, the family of serine tRNAs has been most carefully studied, and there are three reports (3-5) of separation and partial puri- fication of the tRNASer family from Escherichia coli. This report describes a more extensive separation and purifi- * This work was supported by Grants GM 15401 and FR-07015 from the United States Public Health Service, National Institutes of Health, and Grant GB 7269 from the National Science Foun- dation. $ Centennial Fellow
Affordable Rental Housing Policy

I am delighted to chair the conference’s first session on the topic of affordable rental housing. For a conference focusing, in part, on what about housing can be made to work better than it curren...
Conserving the Dust Bowl: The New Deal's Prairie States Forestry Project

Review of: "Conserving the Dust Bowl: The New Deal's Prairie States Forestry Project," by Sarah Thomas Karle and David Karle.
Inflation Adjustments Affecting Individual Taxpayers in 2003: Analysis and Commentary

Without inflation adjustments to key portions of the tax system, individuals would be faced with an erosion of their purchasing power. Beginning in 1985, Congress implemented an indexation procedure to adjust various income tax components, including the tax rate schedules, standard deduction, and personal and dependency exemptions. Although suspended by the Tax Reform Act of 1986, indexation resumed in 1989 and now applies to many items in the tax system. In this article, Young discusses 2003 inflation adjustments to specific portions of the individual tax system that are tied to a consumer price index year ending in August. Items adjusted by this indexation procedure include the tax rate schedules, standard deductions, exemptions (and related phaseout), the overall limit on itemized deductions, and certain computational elements related to the unearned income of minor children, child credit, earned income credit, adoption expenses, educational savings bonds, education credits, education loan interest, qualified transportation fringe benefits, medical savings accounts, and long-term care insurance premiums.
Vitamin A at the interface of host-commensal-pathogen interactions.

The gut is a stable ecosystem governed by interactions between the host immune system and trillions of gut-resident microbes. Dietary vitamin A has long been identified as the anti-infective agent that plays a key role in regulating multiple aspects of the gut immune system. Recent studies show that both commensal and pathogenic bacteria drastically alter vitamin A metabolism in the host. How microbial regulation of vitamin A metabolism influences enteric infections is not fully understood. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying vitamin A metabolism during healthy and diseased states is critical for designing optimal nutritional therapies to treat infectious disease. Here, we discuss how the complex interplay between dietary vitamin A, mucosal immunity, and commensal bacteria influences the outcome of enteric infections.
Proteasome subunit α1 overexpression preferentially drives canonical proteasome biogenesis and enhances stress tolerance in yeast

The 26S proteasome conducts the majority of regulated protein catabolism in eukaryotes. At the heart of the proteasome is the barrel-shaped 20S core particle (CP), which contains two β-rings sandwiched between two α-rings. Whereas canonical CPs contain α-rings with seven subunits arranged α1-α7, a non-canonical CP in which a second copy of the α4 subunit replaces the α3 subunit occurs in both yeast and humans. The mechanisms that control canonical versus non-canonical CP biogenesis remain poorly understood. Here, we have repurposed a split-protein reporter to identify genes that can enhance canonical proteasome assembly in mutant yeast producing non-canonical α4-α4 CPs. We identified the proteasome subunit α1 as an enhancer of α3 incorporation, and find that elevating α1 protein levels preferentially drives canonical CP assembly under conditions that normally favor α4-α4 CP formation. Further, we demonstrate that α1 is stoichiometrically limiting for α-ring assembly, and that enhancing α1 levels is sufficient to increase proteasome abundance and enhance stress tolerance in yeast. Together, our data indicate that the abundance of α1 exerts multiple impacts on proteasome assembly and composition, and we propose that the limited α1 levels observed in yeast may prime cells for alternative proteasome assembly following environmental stimuli.
The Precarious Project and the Wasted Opportunity: The Social and Cultural Dynamics of Conflict over Urban Development:

Much of the research on residents’ responses to urban development projects focuses on their self-interests, specifically economic position or quality of life. We know comparatively little about how...
Biomolecular condensates in cell biology and virology: Phase-separated membraneless organelles (MLOs)

Membraneless organelles (MLOs) in the cytoplasm and nucleus in the form of 2D and 3D phase-separated biomolecular condensates are increasingly viewed as critical in regulating diverse cellular functions. These functions include cell signaling, immune synapse function, nuclear transcription, RNA splicing and processing, mRNA storage and translation, virus replication and maturation, antiviral mechanisms, DNA sensing, synaptic transmission, protein turnover and mitosis. Components comprising MLOs often associate with low affinity; thus cell integrity can be critical to the maintenance of the full complement of respective MLO components. Phase-separated condensates are typically metastable (shape-changing) and can undergo dramatic, rapid and reversible assembly and disassembly in response to cell signaling events, cell stress, during mitosis, and after changes in cytoplasmic "crowding" (as observed with condensates of the human myxovirus resistance protein MxA). Increasing evidence suggests that neuron-specific aberrations in phase-separation properties of RNA-binding proteins (e.g. FUS and TDP-43) and others (such as the microtubule-binding protein tau) contribute to the development of degenerative neurological diseases (e.g. amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and Alzheimer's disease). Thus, studies of liquid-like phase separation (LLPS) and the formation, structure and function of MLOs are of considerable importance in understanding basic cell biology and the pathogenesis of human diseases.
Testing Strategies to Increase Source Credibility through Strategic Message Design in the Context of Vaccination and Vaccine Hesitancy

Health communicators in the United States face substantial challenges in their efforts to increase parent uptake of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine for their children. One major set o...
Genomic and transcriptomic correlates of clinical benefit from immunotherapy and targeted therapy among patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC).

5076Background: Previous studies have delineated PBRM1 alterations as a prognostic indicator for response to nivolumab in mRCC (Miao et al Science 2018). However, further clinically-relevant biomar...
The role of virtual reality on information sharing and seeking behaviors

Abstract One of the most popular forms of technological applications in the hospitality and tourism industry is virtual reality (VR). Extending the current literature on VR, this study investigates the effects of VR's vividness and interactivity on customers' perceived media richness, which further influences information search and sharing behaviors. The results of this study confirm the importance of vividness and interactivity as contributing factors to media richness. Findings also identify media richness positively influences customers' information search and sharing behaviors. This study bridges the gap between the application of media richness to VR and offers industry implications for enhancing VR features to increase favorable customers' behaviors.
Neuron specific ablation of eIF5A or deoxyhypusine synthase leads to impairment in development and cognitive functions in mice

Abstract Eukaryotic initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is an essential factor with a unique amino acid, hypusine, required for its activity. Hypusine is formed exclusively in eIF5A by a post-translational modification involving two enzymes, deoxyhypusine synthase (DHPS) and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH). Each of the three genes, Eif5a, Dhps or Dohh is required for mouse embryonic development. Variants in EIF5A or DHPS were recently identified as the genetic basis underlying certain rare neurodevelopmental disorders in humans. To investigate the roles of eIF5A and DHPS in brain development, we have generated four conditional knockout mouse strains using the Emx1-Cre or Camk2a-Cre strain and examined the effects of temporal- and region-specific deletion of Eif5a or Dhps. The conditional deletion of Dhps or Eif5a by Emx1 promotor driven Cre expression (E.9.5, cortex and hippocampus) led to gross defects in forebrain development, reduced growth and premature death. On the other hand, the conditional deletion of Dhps or Eif5a by Camk2a-promoter driven Cre expression (postnatal, mainly in the CA1 region of hippocampus) did not lead to global developmental defects; rather, these knockout animals exhibited severe impairment in spatial learning, contextual learning and memory, when subjected to the Morris Water Maze test and a contextual learning test. In both models, the Dhps knockout mice displayed more severe impairment than their Eif5a knockout counterparts. The observed defects in brain, global development or cognitive functions most likely result from translation errors due to a deficiency in active, hypusinated eIF5A. Our study underscores the important roles of eIF5A and DHPS in neurodevelopment. Significance eIF5A, an essential translation factor, is the only protein that undergoes a unique posttranslational modification, that converts lysine to hypusine by conjugation of the aminobutyl moiety from the polyamine spermidine. Hypusine biosynthesis occurs by two enzymatic steps involving deoxyhypusine synthase (DHPS) and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH). Mutations in EIF5A or DHPS have been associated with rare neurodevelopmental disorders in humans. To understand the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of the disease, we generated mutant mice with brain-specific deletions of Eif5a or Dhps. The Eif5a and Dhps conditional knockout mice exhibited impairment in brain development, growth and cognitive functions. These animal models may serve as useful tools in the development of therapies against the eIF5A- or DHPS-associated neurodevelopmental disorders.
Machine Learning Guided Synthesis of Multinary Chevrel Phase Chalcogenides.

The Chevrel phase (CP) is a class of molybdenum chalcogenides that exhibit compelling properties for next-generation battery materials, electrocatalysts, and other energy applications. Despite their promise, CPs are underexplored, with only ∼100 compounds synthesized to date due to the challenge of identifying synthesizable phases. We present an interpretable machine-learned descriptor (Hδ) that rapidly and accurately estimates decomposition enthalpy (ΔHd) to assess CP stability. To develop Hδ, we first used density functional theory to compute ΔHd for 438 CP compositions. We then generated >560 000 descriptors with the new machine learning method SIFT, which provides an easy-to-use approach for developing accurate and interpretable chemical models. From a set of >200 000 compositions, we identified 48 501 CPs that Hδ predicts are synthesizable based on the criterion that ΔHd < 65 meV/atom, which was obtained as a statistical boundary from 67 experimentally synthesized CPs. The set of candidate CPs includes 2307 CP tellurides, an underexplored CP subset with a predicted preference for channel site occupation by cation intercalants that is rare among CPs. We successfully synthesized five of five novel CP tellurides attempted from this set and confirmed their preference for channel site occupation. Our joint computational and experimental approach for developing and validating screening tools that enable the rapid identification of synthesizable materials within a sparse class is likely transferable to other materials families to accelerate their discovery.
Disparities in access to surgery for glioblastoma multiforme at high-volume Commission on Cancer-accredited hospitals in the United States.

Objective Although it has been shown that surgery for glioblastoma (GBM) at high-volume facilities (HVFs) may be associated with better postoperative outcomes, the use of such hospitals may not be equally distributed. The authors aimed to evaluate racial and socioeconomic differences in access to surgery for GBM at high-volume Commission on Cancer (CoC)-accredited hospitals. Methods The National Cancer Database was queried for patients with GBM that was newly diagnosed between 2004 and 2015. Patients who received no surgical intervention or those who received surgical intervention at a site other than the reporting facility were excluded. Annual surgical case volume was calculated for each hospital, with volume ≥ 90th percentile defined as an HVF. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify patient-level predictors for undergoing surgery at an HVF. Furthermore, multiple subgroup analyses were performed to determine the adjusted odds ratio of the likelihood of undergoing surgery at an HVF in 2016 as compared to 2004 for each patient subpopulation (by age, race, sex, educational group, etc.). Results A total of 51,859 patients were included, with 10.7% (n = 5562) undergoing surgery at an HVF. On multivariable analysis, Hispanic White patients (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.49-0.69, p 0.05). Conclusions The present analysis from the National Cancer Database revealed significant disparities in access to surgery at an HVF for GBM within the United States. Furthermore, there was evidence that these racial and socioeconomic disparities may have widened between 2004 and 2016. The findings should assist health policy makers in the development of strategies for improving access to HVFs for racially and socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.
Alterations in Fas Expression Are Characteristic of, But Not Solely Responsible for, Enhanced Metastatic Competence

Dysregulation of the Fas pathway has been implicated in tumor progression; however, how alterations in Fas expression influence metastatic behavior remains unresolved. In this study, we investigated the link between Fas expression and metastatic capacity in two mouse tumor models: one was a sarcoma, which was used to analyze the consequences of loss of Fas function in experimental pulmonary metastases, and the other was a mammary carcinoma, where Fas expression was examined in matched pairs of primary and metastatic cell lines as well as by immunohistochemistry of tissues taken from primary and metastatic sites of spontaneous tumor development. In the sarcoma model, a Fas-resistant/refractory subline was produced in vitro from the parental line by biologic selection against Fas-responsive cells, and it was then compared with the poorly metastatic parental line and to an in vivo-derived subline that was highly metastatic for growth in the lungs. In both tumor models, an inverse correlation was demonstrated between Fas expression and metastatic phenotype. Subsequent studies in the sarcoma model revealed that although the Fas-resistant/refractory subline displayed significant metastatic ability, the parental line from which it was derived exhibited little to no additional metastatic activity if experimentally rendered Fas-resistant by molecular-based strategies or transplanted into a Fas ligand-deficient host. Therefore, these findings suggested that down-regulation of Fas was associated with the metastatic phenotype, but alterations in Fas expression alone were insufficient for acquisition of full metastatic potential. Rather, the ability of such Fas-resistant neoplastic subpopulations to achieve metastatic competence apparently required co-possession of additional malignant characteristics.
Affinity chromatography of membrane fragments. Separation of carbonic anhydrase-enriched and -depleted brain membranes.

Abstract Chick brain membranes were fractionated by affinity chromatography on AH-Sepharose 6MB linked to p -sulfamylbenzoic acid, an inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase. Two major fractions were obtained. One, designated unbound fraction, representing 42% of the total membrane protein, eluted freely from the affinity adsorbent. A second fraction, designated specifically bound fraction, contained 36% of the total membrane proteins. In addition, 11% of the total membranes bound non-specifically and could be eluted only by the use of shearing forces. Various lines of evidence indicated that the sulfonamide binding site of membrane-bound carbonic anhydrase, in addition to the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor immobilized toAH-Sepharose 6MB, was responsible for the observed specifi binding. The specifically bound fraction was highly enriched in carbonic anhydrase while the unbound fraction was completely devoid of this enzyme activity.
Role of Environmental Variables, Specifically Organic Compounds and Micronutrients, in the Growth of the Chrysophyte Aureococcus Anophagefferens

During the summer of 1985, certain Long Island coastal embayments experienced dense phytoplankton blooms. These blooms, popularly called the “brown tide”, grew to such extreme cell densities that the subsequent increased light attenuation caused the devastation of local eelgrass beds. The high cell densities also interfered with proper grazing by the commercially valuable bay scallop (Cosper et al., 1987). These blooms returned during the summers of 1986 and, to a lesser degree, 1987.
Modulation of oxygen affinity in hemoglobin by solvent components. Interaction of bovine hemoglobin with 2,3-diphosphoglycerate and monatomic anions.

In the absence of Cl− in Hepes buffer at pH 7.4, the oxygen affinity of bovine and human hemoglobin is equally sensitive to 2,3-diphosphoglyceric acid. The low oxygen affinity measured for bovine hemoglobin at physiological salt concentration can be explained by the high affinity of Cl− anions for oxygen-linked sites that are absent in human hemoglobin. Bovine hemoglobin can discriminate between the different halogens in the sense that different halide concentrations are necessary to produce the same P50. Competition experiments indicate that the halogens interact with the same oxygen-linked sites. In agreement with the different affinities for halides, the Bohr effect of bovine hemoglobin is larger in the presence of Cl− than in that of Br− and there is good agreement between the number of protons and anions exchanged with the solvent upon oxygenation of bovine hemoglobin.
Empathy and Intersubjectivity

1 The Evolutionary Origins of Empathy 2 Neuroendocrinological Aspects 3 Shared Neural Circuits Between Self and Other 4 Perceiving Others in Pain 5 Perspective-Taking 6 Modulation of Empathic Responding 7 Summary Keywords: empathy; sympathy; personal distress; pain; ACC; anterior cingulate cortex; insula; PAG; periaqueductal gray; amygdala; TPJ; temporoparietal junction; fMRI; functional magnetic resonance imaging; emotion
RADIATION CLIMATOLOGY THROUGH THE TRADE-WIND INVERSION ON THE LEE SLOPE OF HALEAKALA, MAUI, HAWAII

Two years of global and net radiation measurements in Hawaii were used to analyze annual and diurnal radiation patterns between 950 and 3000 m on a tropical island mountain. This layer includes the usual altitude of a subsidence inversion over the islands. Maximum average monthly depletion of solar irradiance ranged from between 38% in December to 52% in April at 1650 m, just below the average level of the inversion. It reached a minimum of 6% in May at 3000 m, well above the average inversion level. Climatological average values strongly reflect the diurnal weather pattern on the mountain. Attenuation of solar irradiance peaked near 1300 to 1400 hours in summer and later, near 1500 to 1600 hours, in winter. The coefficient of variation in hourly solar irradiance values was greatest (50% to 60%) at 1650 m in the afternoon in summer. In winter, the coefficient of variation was nearly equal for sites between 950 and 2130 m, ranging from 40% to 60%. Net radiation followed the solar irradiance pattern during ...
The Crime Bill of 1994 and the Law of Character Evidence: Congress Was Right About Consent Defense Cases

There is considerable debate as to whether to admit evidence of past sexual assaults in cases where the accused presents a defense of consent to a current sexual assault charge. The consent defense presents a unique situation where, due to the probative value of evidence that suggests propensity to rape, a strong justification can be made to admit this information as evidence. However, critics of this opinion have argued that admitting propensity evidence about the accused in a rape case is inconsistent with the rape shield rule which excludes propensity evidence about the victim. This argument is flawed in the sense that it does not properly take into account the full purpose of rape shield laws, nor does it acknowledge that evidence of a victim’s sexual history is less probative than evidence regarding the history of the accused.
Non-Traditional Factors in Judgments about Knowledge

One recent trend in contemporary epistemology is to study the way in which the concept of knowledge is actually applied in everyday settings. This approach has inspired an exciting new spirit of collaboration between experimental philosophers and traditional epistemologists, who have begun using the techniques of the social sciences to investigate the factors that influence ordinary judgments about knowledge attribution. This paper provides an overview of some of the results these researchers have uncovered, suggesting that in addition to traditionally considered factors like evidence and justification, a number of important non-truth-conducive factors play significant roles in determining when people ascribe knowledge. The present review focuses on four non-traditional factors: pragmatic load (in relation to contextualism and interest-relative invariantism), moral judgment, performance errors, and demographic variation.
7-Dehydrostigmasterol and ergosterol: the major sterols of an amoeba

The sterol fraction of Acanthamoeba (Neff) contains 60% 7-dehydrostigmasterol and 40% ergosterol. The sterols were characterized by infrared and ultraviolet spectroscopy, gas chromatography, specific reactions, and mass spectral analysis. Sterols constitute 5% of the lipids and 15% of the neutral lipids in this species.
Angiotensin receptor blockade improves arterial distensibility and reduces exercise-induced pressor responses in obese hypertensive patients with the metabolic syndrome*

Patients with the metabolic syndrome have three or more of five cardiovascular risk factors and increased oxidative stress, arterial stiffness and pressor responses to exercise, which may contribute to their threefold greater risk for coronary heart disease. In addition to lowering basal blood pressure (BP), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) may benefit metabolic syndrome patients by reducing oxidative stress, arterial stiffness, and pressor responses to exercise. Twelve patients, 7 women and 5 men, with the metabolic syndrome (aged 45 ± 2 years, BP 145 ± 5/85 ± 2 mm Hg, waist girth 110 ± 3 cm, triglycerides 186 ± 23 mg/dL, HDL cholesterol 44 ± 2 mg/dL, glucose 99 ± 3 mg/dL) were studied off medications, while on modest sodium restriction (∼100 mmol/d). Patients were randomized to the ARB losartan or placebo for 3 weeks then crossed over to the complement for 3 weeks. Studies were performed at the end of each phase following an overnight fast. Serum lipids and biomarkers of oxidative stress (F2-isoprostanes, thiobarbituric acid reacting substances) were unchanged by losartan, whereas large artery elasticity at rest, measured with the HDI PulseWave, increased from 13.6 ± 0.7 on placebo to 16.2 ± 1.1 mL/mm Hg on losartan, P < .05. Losartan lowered systolic BP pre-exercise from 142 ± 3 to 131 plusmn; 3 mm Hg (P < .001) and systolic BP after 6 min of treadmill exercise from 192 ± 6 to 169 ± 5 mm Hg (P < .001). Losartan lowered systolic BP (−23 ± 3 v −11 ± 2 mm Hg, P < .05) and pulse pressure (−4 ± 1 v −15 ± 2 mm Hg, P < .05) more during exercise than rest. Losartan reduces the pressor response to exercise, perhaps by enhancing arterial compliance. In addition to lowering basal BP, angiotensin receptor blockade in patients with metabolic syndrome improves arterial compliance and reduces pressor reactivity to exercise.
Anterior Urethral Diverticulum in the Male: Report of Two Cases

Anterior urethral diverticulum in the male is relatively uncommon; 2 additional cases are presented. One of the patients had a unique fusiform dilatation of the urethra, the first to be reported in an adult as an acquried diverticulum. Features distinguishing acquired from congenital urethral diverticula are discussed.
Coupling immunoaffinity techniques with MS for quantitative analysis of low-abundance protein biomarkers

The field of proteomics is rapidly turning towards targeted mass spectrometry (MS) methods to quantify putative markers or known proteins of biological interest. Historically, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been used for targeted protein analysis, but, unfortunately, it is limited by the excessive time required for antibody preparation, as well as concerns over selectivity. Despite the ability of proteomics to deliver increasingly quantitative measurements, owing to limited sensitivity, the leads generated are in the microgram per milliliter range. This stands in stark contrast to ELISA, which is capable of quantifying proteins at low picogram per milliliter levels. To bridge this gap, targeted liquid chromatography (LC) tandem MS (MS/MS) analysis of tryptic peptide surrogates using selected reaction monitoring detection has emerged as a viable option for rapid quantification of target proteins. The precision of this approach has been enhanced by the use of stable isotope-labeled peptide internal standards to compensate for variation in recovery and the influence of differential matrix effects. Unfortunately, the complexity of proteinaceous matrices, such as plasma, limits the usefulness of this approach to quantification in the mid-nanogram per milliliter range (medium-abundance proteins). This article reviews the current status of LC/MS/MS using selected reaction monitoring for protein quantification, and specifically considers the use of a single antibody to achieve superior enrichment of either the protein target or the released tryptic peptide. Examples of immunoaffinity-assisted LC/MS/MS are reviewed that demonstrate quantitative analysis of low-abundance proteins (subnanogram per milliliter range). A strategy based on this technology is proposed for the expedited evaluation of novel protein biomarkers, which relies on the synergy created from the complementary nature of MS and ELISA.
PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY, COMMUNITY SERVICES, AND OUTCOMES FOR PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA

Schizophrenia exemplifies the public policy and front-line health service delivery challenges posed by many persistent mental and physical disorders. Like other chronic and disabling conditions, schizophrenia exerts broad and enduring impacts on the lives of persons who develop this illness, as well as on their families and communities. Schizophrenia affects the most private aspects of the individual's experience, yet it must be addressed as a major public health problem. Schizophrenia accounts for 2.5% of all health care expenditures in the United States, about 10% of all permanently disabled persons, and about 25% of persons who are homeless. 24 Most persons with schizophrenia are unemployed or underemployed. 13 The challenge of schizophrenia raises core issues related to the allocation of public resources, societal accountability for those who are disabled, implementation of best practices, and balancing individual freedom with the public good. This article examines the community-based treatment of persons with schizophrenia with these issues in mind, emphasizing the evidence for effective community-based care, outcomes that need to be monitored in maintaining a responsible public policy, and disease management principles that need to be considered as we move into the new era of managed care for persons with schizophrenia.
Live Cell Fluorescence Analysis and Mathematical Modeling of Dual Mechanisms of Cdc42 Recycling in Yeast: Relationship of Internalization Rate and Morphology

Maintenance of robust cell polarization is a pre-requisite for oriented growth or motility biological systems. Cdc42 is a Rho-GTPase that, once polarized, organizes the deposition of growth materials to the polarized site. Previous studies in yeast have found that after initial polarity establishment, the individual molecules of Cdc42 are rapidly exchanged between the membrane and the cytosol. Despite these rapid dynamics, the site of Cdc42 accumulation is somehow held rigid to allow for polarized growth. We show that after initial symmetry breaking, Cdc42 is dynamically maintained at the polar cap through two recycling mechanisms: actin-mediated transport / endocytosis and cytosolic recycling through the Rho-GDP dissociation inhibitor (GDI) Rdi1. However, the mechanism by which the spatial relationship of these dual recycling pathways is controlled is unclear. We combined detailed live cell fluorescence measurements, including FRAP, iFRAP and fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy, with a thorough mathematical model to examine how dual recycling pathways of Cdc42 in yeast work together to shape the Cdc42 membrane distribution. We find that in order to recapitulate the steady-state membrane distribution of WT Cdc42, the dual recycling pathways must employ overlapping delivery windows of similar size. Interestingly, the modeling of live cell fluorescence data reveals that Rdi1-mediated tuning of a single dynamic parameter, internalization rate inside the delivery window, is sufficient to explain differences in the Cdc42 cap distribution between yeast cells destined for different morphogenic fates. These changes in Cdc42 cap distribution are correlated to the observed morphogenic differences under these conditions.
Bone stress injury of the ankle in professional ballet dancers seen on MRI

Ballet Dancers have been shown to have a relatively high incidence of stress fractures of the foot and ankle. It was our objective to examine MR imaging patterns of bone marrow edema (BME) in the ankles of high performance professional ballet dancers, to evaluate clinical relevance. MR Imaging was performed on 12 ankles of 11 active professional ballet dancers (6 female, 5 male; mean age 24 years, range 19 to 32). Individuals were imaged on a 0.2 T or 1.5 T MRI units. Images were evaluated by two musculoskeletal radiologists and one orthopaedic surgeon in consensus for location and pattern of bone marrow edema. In order to control for recognized sources of bone marrow edema, images were also reviewed for presence of osseous, ligamentous, tendinous and cartilage injuries. Statistical analysis was performed to assess the strength of the correlation between bone marrow edema and ankle pain. Bone marrow edema was seen only in the talus, and was a common finding, observed in nine of the twelve ankles imaged (75%) and was associated with pain in all cases. On fluid-sensitive sequences, bone marrow edema was ill-defined and centered in the talar neck or body, although in three cases it extended to the talar dome. No apparent gender predilection was noted. No occult stress fracture could be diagnosed. A moderately strong correlation (phi = 0.77, p= 0.0054) was found between edema and pain in the study population. Bone marrow edema seems to be a specific MRI finding in the talus of professional ballet dancers, likely related to biomechanical stress reactions, due to their frequently performed unique maneuvers. Clinically, this condition may indicate a sign of a bone stress injury of the ankle.
Intraoperative fluid management during orthotopic liver transplantation

Abstract Objective: To assess clinical safety of a low central venous pressure (CVP) fluid management strategy in patients undergoing liver transplantation. Design: Retrospective record review comparing 2 transplant centers, one using the low CVP method and the other using the normal CVP method. Setting: University-based, academic, tertiary care centers. Participants: Patients undergoing orthotopic cadaveric liver transplantation. Interventions: Each center practiced according to its own standard of care. Center 1 maintained an intraoperative CVP 90 mmHg, phenylephrine or norepinephrine was used. At center 2, CVP was kept 7 to 10 mmHg and mean arterial pressure >75 mmHg with minimal use of vasoactive drugs. Measurements and Main Results: Data collected included United Network for Organ Sharing status, surgical technique, intraoperative transfusion rate, preoperative and peak postoperative creatinine, time spent in intensive care unit and hospital, incidence of death, and postoperative need for hemodialysis. Principal findings include an increased rate of transfusion in the normal CVP group but increased rates of postoperative renal failure (elevated creatinine and more frequent need for dialysis) and 30-day mortality in the low CVP group. Conclusions: Despite success in lowering blood transfusion requirements in liver resection patients, a low CVP should be avoided in patients undergoing liver transplantation.
Adaptive two-wave mixing wavelength demodulation of fiber bragg grating sensor for monitoring dynamic strains

A two-wave mixing (TWM) wavelength demodulator using InP:Fe photorefractive crystal (PRC) in the C-band (1530-1570nm) is demonstrated. The system can be used as a wavelength demodulator for use with Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensors to monitor dynamic strains. In this configuration, the FBG is illuminated with a broadband source, and any strain in the FBG is encoded as a wavelength shift of the light reflected by the FBG. The reflected light from the FBG is spilt into two unbalanced paths and both beams (pump and signal) mix in the PRC. Any wavelength shift of the reflected light results in an equivalent phase shift between the pump and signal beams as they travel unbalanced path lengths. Since TWM is an adaptive process, the two interfering beams are naturally in quadrature and remain in quadrature even in the presence of large quasi-static strains. We demonstrate that FBG demodulation using TWM has the ability to selectively monitor dynamic strains without the need for active compensation of large quasi-static strains that otherwise would cause the FBG sensor to drift. As TWM interferometers can be readily multiplexed at relatively low cost; the proposed technique can be used to demodulate signals from a network of FBG sensors for use in structural health monitoring.
Alkaloid distribution and catabolism in Cephalotaxus harringtonia

Abstract Cephalotaxus harringtonia produces a variety of antitumor alkaloids that are distributed throughout the tree. In a young plant grown in a controlled environment, the concentration of free alkaloids (homoerythrina alkaloids and cephalotaxine) did not increase with age, whereas the concentration of cephalotaxine esters (harringtonine, deoxyharringtonine, isoharringtonine and homoharringtonine) increased roughly 5-fold. Total alkaloid concentrations increased in the older leaves of the plant and decreased in the older stems. Physiological stress (pruning) causes hydrolysis of part of the stored alkaloid esters to free cephalotaxine within one week. In 4 out of 5 field-grown trees environmental factors caused complete ester hydrolysis and, in addition, the oxidation of cephalotaxine to 11-hydroxycephalotaxine and drupacine and of homoerythrina alkaloid to its epoxy derivative. This shows that the alkaloids in this perennial tree are not inert storage products, but are under metabolic control.
Mental deficiency and military offense

The percentage of mental defectives in the army is about 0.75, or approximately one-half of that in the total population, but the percentage of defectives among general military prisoners is 21.0. Thus the chances of a mentally defective soldier committing an offense punishable by a general courtmartial is about 30 times greater than those of a soldier with nondefective general intelligence. Defectives in the army should be recognized as a separate group. They should receive special training, should be placed in their own units and should be assigned to special duties in order to increase the efficiency of the army and decrease the number of courts-martial.
Trichostrongylus colubriformis: effect of anthelmintics on ingestion and oviposition.

Abstract The effects of the anthelmintics ivermectin, levaminsole, oxfendazole, piperazine citrate, pyrantel pamoate, tetramisole, and thiabendazole on ingestion and oviposition by Trichostrongylus colubriformis were determined. Six of the compounds reduced in vitro feeding at the tested doses while all drugs reduced in vivo feeding after treatment of the host. Additionally, in vitro or in vivo exposure to most anthelmintics decreased oviposition during subsequent in vitro assay. Invermectin had the most pronounced effect on in vivo and in vitro feeding and egg release. The neuromuscular activities of pharyngeal pumping and egg ejection may be suitable systems for rapid determinations of anthelmintic effects.
Analysis of NMDA-dependent voltage bistability in thin dendritic compartments

We analyze the parameter ranges under which the voltage in a dendritic cable model exhibits bistability. We find (1) the magnitude of NMDA and GABA conductances limit the maximum cable diameter for which the system is bistable. For the investigated parameter ranges, the maximum diameter scales linearly with conductance. (2) NMDA current in the absence of GABA inhibition is not capable of generating bistability. (3) For small cable diameters ([email protected]), the bistable equilibra of membrane potential occur at -33.3 and -79.2mV, independent of the NMDA and GABA conductance.
Cysteine/cystine couple is a newly recognized node in the circuitry for biologic redox signaling and control

Redox mechanisms function in control of gene expression, cell proliferation, and apoptosis, but the circuitry for redox signaling remains unclear. Cysteine and methionine are the only amino acids in proteins that undergo reversible oxidation/reduction under biologic conditions and, as such, provide a means for control of protein activity, protein-protein interaction, protein trafficking, and protein-DNA interaction. Hydrogen peroxide and other reactive oxygen species (ROS) provide a mechanism to oxidize signaling proteins. However, oxidation of sulfur-containing side chains of cysteine and methionine by ROS can result in oxidation states of sulfur (e.g., sulfinate, sulfonate, sulfone) that are not reducible under biologic conditions. Thus, mechanisms for oxidation that protect against over-oxidation of these susceptible residues and prevent irreversible loss of activity would be advantageous. The present study shows that the steady-state redox potential of the cysteine/cystine couple (Eh = -145 mV) in cells is sufficiently oxidized (>90 mV) relative to the GSH/GSSG (-250 mV) and thioredoxin (Trx1, -280 mV) redox couples for the cysteine/cystine couple to function as an oxidant in redox switching. Consequently, the cysteine/cystine couple provides a means to oxidize proteins without direct involvement of more potent oxidants. A circuitry model incorporating cysteine as a redox node, along with Trx1 and GSH, reveals how selective interactions between the different thiol/disulfide couples and reactive protein thiols could differentially regulate metabolic functions. Moreover, inclusion of cysteine/cystine as a signaling node distinct from GSH and Trx1 significantly expands the redox range over which protein thiol/disulfide couples may operate to control physiologically relevant processes.