cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allelic Variation in the Chloroplast Division Gene FtsZ2-2 Leads to Natural Variation in Chloroplast Size

Chloroplast size varies considerably in nature, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. By exploiting a near-isogenic line population derived from a cross between the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accessions Cape Verde Islands (Cvi-1), which has larger chloroplasts, and Landsberg erecta (Ler-0), with smaller chloroplasts, we determined that the large-chloroplast phenotype in Cvi-1 is associated with allelic variation in the gene encoding the chloroplast-division protein FtsZ2-2, a tubulin-related cytoskeletal component of the contractile FtsZ ring inside chloroplasts. Sequencing revealed that the Cvi-1 FtsZ2-2 allele encodes a C-terminally truncated protein lacking a region required for FtsZ2-2 interaction with inner-envelope proteins, and functional complementation experiments in a Columbia-0 ftsZ2-2 null mutant confirmed this allele as causal for the increased chloroplast size in Cvi-1. Comparison of FtsZ2-2 coding sequences in the 1001 Genomes database showed that the Cvi-1 allele is rare and identified additional rare loss-of-function alleles, including a natural null allele, in three other accessions, all of which had enlarged-chloroplast phenotypes. The ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions was higher among the FtsZ2-2 genes than among the two other FtsZ family members in Arabidopsis, FtsZ2-1, a close paralog of FtsZ2-2, and the functionally distinct FtsZ1-1, indicating more relaxed constraint on the FtsZ2-2 coding sequence than on those of FtsZ2-1 or FtsZ1-1. Our results establish that allelic variation in FtsZ2-2 contributes to natural variation in chloroplast size in Arabidopsis, and they also demonstrate that natural variation in Arabidopsis can be used to decipher the genetic basis of differences in fundamental cell biological traits, such as organelle size.
Target Population: Treatment-Resistant Opioid Use Disorder and the Role of Therapeutic Communities

The majority of individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) in the United States receive no addiction treatment, identifying a large treatment gap. Our current approaches to increasing engagement in treatment have appropriately focused on increasing access to first-line treatments for OUD, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and harm-reduction strategies. However, there is population of patients with OUD who have an inadequate response to our current first-line treatments; these patients may be considered to have a treatment-resistant syndrome. The therapeutic community (TC) modality may both (1) increase the diversity of treatment modalities available to a largely unengaged population, addressing the treatment gap, and (2) provide access to a modality with proven effectiveness for OUD patients with markers of poor prognosis, including many of those with treatment-resistant OUD.
How Should Gene Editing Be Managed by Risk Managers

Gene editing, because it is a new technology, presents challenges to health care organizations' risk managers. At this time, little claims data exists upon which to make informed decisions about loss control and to draw upon when developing risk mitigation strategies. This article explores gene editing through the eyes of risk managers and underwriters and concludes that traditional risk management tools must be used to reduce risk until more is known about the frequency and severity of claims.
P189 Evaluation of aptima HIV-1 quant assay performance using plasma and dried blood spots

Background The Hologic Aptima HIV-1 Quant Assay that is currently available on the Panther system is FDA-cleared for plasma viral load monitoring. We compared to other assays for use with dried blood spots (DBS) and for early infant diagnosis (EID) using plasma and DBS. Methods Spiked dilution panels of plasma and DBS were made using negative donor blood and subtype B and subtype C HIV-1 stocks. Patient samples included plasma from HIV-1-infected adults, plasma from HIV-1-infected infants and exposed uninfected infants, and DBS from infected adults. Samples were run on Aptima Quant and either Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Quant assay or Hologic Aptima HIV-1 Qual assay. Results Aptima Quant and Abbott Quant were comparable: the 95% limit of detection was 42cp/ml for Aptima Quant and 91cp/ml for Abbott Quant. EID comparisons showed that Aptima Quant and Qual had 100% sensitivity and 98.9% specificity with overall agreement between the assays of 98.4%. Aptima Qual had a slightly lower limit of detection (95% limit of detection was 27cp/ml for Aptima Qual and 65 cp/ml for Aptima Quant). With spiked DBS, all 16 DBS with >30cp/ml on Aptima Quant were detected on Aptima Qual, 10/12 (83%) with ‘ Conclusion The Hologic Aptima HIV-1 Quant assay performed similarly for viral load and EID on both plasma and DBS samples. Our data suggest the ‘ Disclosure No significant relationships.
Atypical Presentation of Elbow Pain in Overhand Throwing Athlete

History: 14-year-old right hand-dominant male baseball athlete presents with two days of right elbow pain and swelling. He is a right-handed pitcher and notes a sudden onset of pain and swelling in his right elbow after 73 in-game pitches. He was unable to continue play secondary to immediate swelling and pain. He denies any elbow trauma, fevers, night sweats, or swelling in other joints. Incidentally, the patient had similar elbow pain at age 10 when he had MRI-diagnosed Panner’s Disease of the right elbow. He underwent activity modification, rest, and physical therapy before …
36. DOES EMOTIONAL FIDELITY MATTER? PEDIATRIC RESIDENTS’ PERSPECTIVES DURING EXPECTED VS UNEXPECTED SIMULATION SESSIONS

Introduction Simulation-based education has become pervasive in residency. Fidelity is important for relevance and transference of skills to real patient encounters and can be divided into three parts: physical, conceptual, and emotional 1 , 2 . There have been few studies to date evaluating the impact of emotional fidelity, or how close to “real” the simulation feels. Only 26% of Tufts pediatric residents felt they were “comfortable” in their ability to lead a rapid response event, which may be impacted by the unexpected nature of rapid responses. Objective: Evaluate whether being called to a simulation of a decompensating patient without advanced warning affects pediatric residents’ perception of the emotional (EF) and overall fidelity (OF) of the simulation. Methods Pediatric residents participated in a simulation involving a child with respiratory distress. Residents were randomized to one of two groups: Advanced Warning (AW) or No Advanced Warning (NAW). The AW group (control) was notified via text message several hours prior to receiving a page to report to the simulation. The NAW group (intervention) was not notified prior to receiving the page to report to the simulation. All residents completed surveys about their perceptions of fidelity. Results Nineteen residents have provided data to date. Mean scores on a 5-point Likert item rating EF of the simulation (1 = extremely unrealistic, 5 = extremely realistic) were 2.9 (AW) and 3.8 (NAW) (p-value 0.04). Mean scores for OF were 2.6 (AW) and 3.3 (NAW) (p-value 0.28). Discussion Reported experience of EF but not OF was higher for residents given NAW than those given AW. Data collection is ongoing. Limitations of this study include low physical fidelity and small sample size.
Oxytocin does not improve emotional prosody recognition in schizophrenia-spectrum disorders

Abstract Schizophrenia-spectrum disorders (SSD) are associated with deficits in emotional prosody recognition. Whether administration of oxytocin can improve emotional prosody recognition accuracy in SSD is unknown. Sixty individuals with SSD and ninety-seven controls completed a placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over trial examining the effects of oxytocin on emotional prosody recognition accuracy. Compared to controls, SSD was associated with poorer emotional prosody recognition accuracy, regardless of stimulus valence or intensity, suggesting a generalized deficit. Oxytocin had no effect on emotional prosody recognition in either group, which is consistent with previous work suggesting that oxytocin only improves high-level social cognition in SSD.
The prevention of extraction site incisional hernia after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy.

Extraction site incisional hernia (IH) has been recognized as an important complication in minimally invasive procedures but has not been as well characterized following robotic-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP). Approximately 29% of IH required surgical repair. A number of techniques have been utilized to reduce the rates of IH following minimally invasive procedures. First, off-midline extraction was investigated, this did not demonstrate a reduction in incisional hernia rates. Recently, supra-umbilical transverse incisions have been utilized to extract prostate specimen and this method decreased the extraction site IH rate compared to the vertical midline incision. In addition, the choice of fascial closure technique and choice of the suture may influence the incidence of extraction site IH. For example, studies showed that abdominal fascial closure using a nonabsorbable suture and a continuous running suture technique decreased IH rate from 32 to 17%. Finally, “the small bites technique” has been recommended to reduce hernia incidence after midline fascial closure following a randomized controlled trial (RCT) which demonstrated the superiority of the small-bite technique. In summary, a supra-umbilical transverse incision to extract the specimen was shown to decrease the rate of extraction site IH. In vertical midline incisional closure, the small bites technique with slowly- or non-absorbable suture, such as #0 or 2–0 PDS II with SH or CT-2 needle (26 mm arch length), reduces the IH rate. Urologists should consider this data to reduce the risk of IH following RALP.
Physiology of Aging of Older Adults: Systemic and Oral Health Considerations-2021 Update.

Most oral health care providers encounter older adults in their practices and can play a critical role in supporting independence and quality of life for this aging cohort. Physiologic and structural oral cavity changes associated with normal aging may affect the presentation and oral health care of older adults. This article reviews the normative aging of dentition and oral structures and physiologic changes associated with normal aging, including cardiovascular, metabolic, and musculoskeletal changes, and how they may affect oral health. Oral health providers should be aware of normal aging processes when they plan care or schedule procedures for older adults.
Cytologic, histopathologic, and clinical features of granulomatous colitis in a French Bulldog

A young French Bulldog was presented with clinical signs of chronic gastrointestinal disease, unresponsive to medical therapies. Parasite screenings and abdominal ultrasound failed to identify the etiology of the clinical signs. Cytologic evaluation of a rectal scraping sample diagnosed presumptive granulomatous colitis (GC) based on the presence of numerous macrophages with characteristic abundant, pink, granular cytoplasm, which showed an intense pink color when stained with periodic acid-Schiff. Tissue biopsy samples and Escherichia coli fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis confirmed the cytologic diagnosis. The cytologic, histopathologic, and clinical features and staining properties of GC in a French Bulldog are reported. Rectal scraping should be considered a part of the diagnostic evaluation in patients with suspected GC.
A nationwide analysis of outcomes and healthcare utilization in HIV versus non-HIV patients with colon cancer.

3550Background: The incidence and mortality of Colon cancer (CC) is reportedly similar in HIV and non-HIV populations with same screening guidelines. The pathogenesis of HIV-CC may be multifactoria...
Problems with purely pragmatic belief

Rinard (Philos Stud 176(7):1923–1950, 2019) brings to our attention the fact that, typically, the questions What should I believe? and What should I do? are treated differently. A typical answer to the first question is Believe according to the evidence, and a typical answer to the second question is Do what is right. But Rinard rejects this dichotomy. In its place, she argues for a view which she calls “Equal Treatment” in which one should believe according to the same considerations that govern what one should do. Christensen (Philos Phenomenol Res. https://doi.org/10.1111/phpr.12712 , 2020) aptly situates Equal Treatment as a limit case of a recent movement towards taking pragmatic factors as partly determining what one should believe, in that Equal Treatment is a purely pragmatic view. Does Rinard’s case for a purely pragmatic view succeed? This paper argues that the answer is no. Three objections that target key parts of Rinard’s case for Equal Treatment are presented. The upshot is that the dichotomy between the answers to What should I believe? and What should I do? seems robust against strong attempts to dismantle it.
A simple model for assessing climate control trade-offs and responding to unanticipated climate outcomes

Persistent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions threaten global climate goals and have prompted consideration of climate controls supplementary to emissions mitigation. We present MARGO, an idealized model of optimally-controlled climate change, which is complementary to both simpler conceptual models and more complicated Integrated Assessment Models. The four methods of controlling climate damage– mitigation, carbon dioxide removal, adaptation, and solar radiation modification– are not interchangeable, as they enter at different stages of the causal chain that connects GHG emissions to climate damages. Early and aggressive mitigation is necessary to stabilize GHG concentrations at a tolerable level. While the most cost-beneficial and cost-effective pathways to reducing climate suffering include deployments of all four controls, the quantitative trade-offs between the different controls are sensitive to value-driven parameters and poorly-known future costs and damages. Static policy optimization assumes perfect foresight and obscures the active role decision-makers have in shaping a climate trajectory. We propose an explicit policy response process wherein climate control policies are re-adjusted over time in response to unanticipated outcomes. We illustrate this process in two "storyline" scenarios: 1) near-term increases in mitigation and carbon dioxide removal are deficient, such that climate goals are expected to slip out of reach; 2) solar radiation modification is abruptly terminated after 40 years of successful deployment, causing an extremely rapid warming which is amplified by an excess of GHGs due to deterred mitigation. In both cases, an optimized policy response yields substantial benefits relative to continuing the original policy. The MARGO model is intentionally designed to be as simple, transparent, customizable, and accessible as possible, addressing concerns about previous climate-economic modelling approaches and enabling a more diverse set of stakeholders to engage with these essential and timely topics.
Student Pharmacists' Perceptions of Amazon Pharmacy.

Amazon recently launched their online pharmacy in the United States (US). However, no studies have explored student pharmacists’ perceptions of the potential impact of Amazon Pharmacy. This qualitative study used individual semi-structured interviews to examine third- and fourth-year student pharmacists’ perceptions of how Amazon Pharmacy will affect economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes; the pharmacy experience; and the job market. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analyzed by two independent reviewers until saturation was reached, with differences resolved through discussion with a third researcher. Seventeen students participated in the study. Five themes were identified: perceived economic outcomes for patients, perceived clinical outcomes for patients, perceived humanistic outcomes for patients, perceived impact of the pharmacy experience for patients, and perceived influence of Amazon Pharmacy on the pharmacy market. The majority suggested Amazon Pharmacy would offer lower costs for patients (71%), improved medication adherence (76%), and improved quality of life (65%). There was a consensus that the Amazon Pharmacy experience would be different, with various opinions highlighting potential positive or negative aspects of the service. There were mixed opinions about job opportunities and impact on existing pharmacies. Future studies should evaluate economic, clinical, and humanistic outcomes for patients utilizing Amazon Pharmacy.
The LaMarche Game Trap: an Early Historic Game Trap in Southwestern Montana

The LaMarche Game Trap, 24BE1011, is a stylized, high altitude game trap in the Beaverhead National Forest, southwestern Montana. The site complex includes a wooden pole corral and an extensive sys...
Integrated OLED as excitation light source in fluorescent lateral flow immunoassays

Abstract The integration of organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) as excitation light sources for quantum dot-based fluorescent lateral flow immunoassay systems (LFIA) was investigated. This approach has the potential to deliver a sensitive visible detection scheme for low-cost, disposable lab-on-chip point-of-care (POC) diagnosis system. Thin film phosphorescent green OLEDs fabricated on plastic substrates were integrated on-chip to excite the test line of a quantum dot-based LFIA (QD-LFIA). OLEDs were fabricated by sequential deposition of organic thin films (total of ~100 nm) onto ITO-coated PET substrates. CdSe/ZnS QDs emitting at 655 nm and Au nanoparticles (NP – 10 nm size) conjugated antibodies were used for the fluorescence QD-LFIA and conventional reflection-mode Au NP-LFIA, respectively. Thin plastic color light filters were integrated for filtering the excitation light source and, thereby, increasing the contrast of the emitted light for optimized visual detection. Integration of the OLED and color filters with the analytical membrane was achieved using adhesive techniques facilitated by the planar nature of the layers, which suggests possible large scale manufacturing using roll-to-roll processing. Gray scale analysis from digital images captured with a digital camera was used to quantify the visual sensitivity. The signal intensity, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the limit of detection (LOD) of OLED integrated QD-LFIAs were compared to Au NP LFIAs. OLED QD-LFIA exhibited superior performance in all signal aspects: 7–8× higher signal intensity and SNR, and a 7× lower LOD of 3 nM (measured at S/N=3). These results demonstrate the potential of OLED-integrated in LFIA devices for obtaining sensitive, fast and low-cost POC diagnostics.
EFFECT OF SPORULATION MEDIUM ON HEAT RESISTANCE, CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, AND GERMINATION OF BACILLUS MEGATERIUM SPORES

Levinson, Hillel S. (U.S. Army Natick Laboratories, Natick, Mass.), and Mildred T. Hyatt. Effect of sporulation medium on heat resistance, chemical composition, and germination of Bacillus megaterium spores. J. Bacteriol. 87:876–886. 1964.—Bacillus megaterium spores, grown on variously supplemented media, had varying concentrations of P, Ca, Mn, or dipicolinic acid. Supplementation with CaCl2 yielded spores with increased heat resistance; addition of l-glutamate, l-proline, or increase of the phosphate concentration yielded spores with reduced heat resistance. Germination characteristics depended on both the sporulation medium and the germinant (glucose, l-alanine, l-leucine, or KNO3); pronounced differences were demonstrable with glucose and l-alanine, which trigger germination via different metabolic pathways. An increase in CaCl2 during sporulation yielded spores with increased germination in glucose but not in l-alanine. Germination in l-alanine was optimal with spores produced on media containing 0.1 mm MnCl2, but germination of such spores was minimal in glucose. An increase in the sporulation medium phosphate decreased the initial germination rate in glucose, but not in l-alanine. Spores produced in CaCl2-supplemented media had increased heat-activation requirements (increased dormancy) for germination induced by l-alanine, and decreased heat-shock requirements for glucose-induced germination. An increase of sporulation phosphate yielded spores with reduced dormancy for germination induced by l-alanine, but with unchanged dormancy on the other germinants. Spores produced with added l-glutamate had reduced dormancy for glucose-induced germination, and increased dormancy for germination induced by l-alanine. Addition of CaCl2 or l-glutamate to the sporulation medium yielded spores with increased sensitivity to “ionic germination” (with KI). Spores from synthetic medium were incapacitated for full postgerminative development, as shown by repression of the changes in oxygen-uptake rate which accompany normal cell division.
Role of attentional processing in mediating the influence of vasopressin on memory processing.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the role of attentional processing in mediating the influence of vasopressin (VP) on memory processing. Beckwith and colleagues designed several studies to examine the putative role of vasopressin in selective and/or divided attention, using both human and nonhuman animal subjects. The roles of the peptide in selective, and in divided, attention have been investigated. The human electrophysiological studies carried out by Fehm–Wolfsdorf and colleagues and by Timsit–Berthier and associates comprise the final line of VP/attentional processing research. The experiment protocols used by the researchers examined the effects of a single treatment with VP on performance in a variety of task paradigms. These tasks included concept shift discriminations, reaction time required to determine whether a given probe was in an original set of memorized digits, and recalling sentences or prose requiring attention to relevant information. Their experimental findings are consistent with the thesis that VP influences selective attention at various stages of cognitive processing, which in turn contributes to memory processing.
Diversity of Diaporthe species associated with wood cankers of fruit and nut crops in northern California

Diaporthe ampelina, causal agent of Phomopsis cane and leaf spot of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) is isolated frequently from grapevine wood cankers, causing Phomopsis dieback. The latter disease is associated with four other Diaporthe species, three of which also are reported from hosts other than grape. To better understand the role of this Diaporthe community in Phomopsis dieback of grapevine and the potential for infection routes among alternate hosts, 76 Diaporthe isolates were recovered from wood cankers of cultivated grape, pear, apricot, almond and the wild host willow in four California counties. Isolates were characterized morphologically and assigned to species based on multigene sequence analyses. This study identified eight Diaporthe species from grapevine and one novel taxon from willow, D. benedicti. We report the first findings of D. australafricana and D. novem in North America. Our findings also expand the host ranges of D. ambigua to apricot and willow, D. australafricana to almond and willow, D. chamaeropis to grapevine and willow, D. foeniculina to willow and D. novem to almond. The generalists D. ambigua and D. eres were the most genetically diverse species, based on high nucleotide and haplotypic diversity, followed by the grapevine specialist D. ampelina. Analyses based on multilocus linkage disequilibrium could not reject the hypothesis of random mating for D. ambigua, which is further supported by relatively high haplotypic diversity, reports of both mating types and reports of successful matings in vitro. Pathogenicity assays revealed that D. ampelina was the most pathogenic species to grapevine wood.
Globular Clusters in Early-Type Galaxies with GMOS

We present recent results from our long-term Gemini/GMOS study of globular clusters (GCs) in early-type galaxies. To date, we have obtained photometry and spectroscopy for GCs in NGCs 3379, 4649, 524, 7332, and IC 1459. We find a clear bimodality in the NGC 4649 GC color distribution, with the fraction of blue/red clusters increasing with galacto-centric radius. We derive ages and metallicities for 22 GCs in NGC 3379, finding that most of the clusters appear old (10–15 Gyr); however, there is a group of 4 metal-rich, younger clusters with ages of 2–6 Gyr. The NGC 3379 GC velocity dispersion decreases with radius, as does the inferred (local) mass-to-light ratio: there is no evidence for a dark matter halo in NGC 3379 based on our GC data.
Identification and cloning of genes encoding viomycin biosynthesis from Streptomyces vinaceus and evidence for involvement of a rare oxygenase.

The tuberactinomycins are a family of basic cyclic peptides that exhibit potent antitubercular activity. These peptides are characterized by the presence of an amino acid with a 6-membered cyclic guanidine side chain (capreomycidine) and two or more 2,3-diaminopropionate residues. Viomycin (tuberactinomycin B) is a well-studied member of the family, was once prescribed for the treatment of tuberculosis, and has been shown to block translocation during protein biosynthesis. The gene cluster encoding viomycin biosynthesis was identified and cloned from Streptomyces vinaceus. The cluster was identified by screening genomic libraries with the viomycin phosphotransferase self-resistance gene (vph) and non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene probes amplified from S. vinaceus genomic DNA. The viomycin cluster was localized to ca. 120 kb of contiguous DNA defined by four overlapping cosmid inserts. Each cosmid hybridized with one or more peptide synthetase gene probes and two also hybridized with vph. Confirmation that the cluster encoded viomycin biosynthesis was obtained from the disruption of two NRPS adenylation domains. Partial sequence analysis revealed an ORF (svox) predicted to encode a rare non-heme iron, α-ketoglutarate dependent oxygenase proposed to function in the oxidative cyclization of arginine to the capreomycidine residue. Insertional disruption of svox resulted in complete loss of viomycin production, confirming its involvement in the pathway.
Rapid wetland functional assessment: Its role and utility in the regulatory arena

Section 404 of the dean Water Act (CWA) regulates the discharge of dredged or fill material, which is defined as a pollutant, into waters of the United States by requiring potential dischargers to obtain a permit for such activities. The Section 404(b)(1) Guidelines provide the substantive environmental criteria by which all dredge and fill permit applications are reviewed. The Guidelines consist of 4 basic steps: 1) evaluation of practicable alternatives; 2) evaluation of relation of discharge to other environmental standards; 3) assessment of significant degradation to waters of the U.S.; and 4) assessment of appropriate steps to minimize impacts. Wetland functional assessment is important in steps 1, 3, and 4. The use of wetland functional assessment techniques has typically been hindered by lack of time and resources, among other technical concerns, by the resource agencies implementing the Section 404 program. Functional assessment is critical to the Section 404 program since most decisions revolve around an assessment of wetland functions. The Hydrogeomorphic Classification for Wetlands (Brinson, 1993) and the developing functional assessment procedure shows potential for being rapid and inexpensive, scientifically-based and replicable. It is based upon functional indicators which can be recognized in the field and can form the basis for functional indices. The utility of the HGM procedure is illustrated using an example from West Kentucky.
Developing speech recognition systems for corpus indexing under the IARPA Babel program

Automatic speech recognition is a core component of many applications, including keyword search. In this paper we describe experiments on acoustic modeling, language modeling, and decoding for keyword search on a Cantonese conversational telephony corpus collected as part of the IARPA Babel program. We show that acoustic modeling techniques such as the bootstrapped-and-restructured model and deep neural network acoustic model significantly outperform a state-of-the-art baseline GMM/HMM model, in terms of both recognition performance and keyword search performance, with improvements of up to 11% relative character error rate reduction and 31% relative maximum term weighted value improvement. We show that while an interpolated Model M and neural network LM improve recognition performance, they do not improve keyword search results; however, the advanced LM does reduce the size of the keyword search index. Finally, we show that a simple form of automatically adapted keyword search performs 16% better than a preindexed search system, indicating that out-of-vocabulary search is still a challenge.
The effects of disulfiram on the hippocampus and cerebellum of the rat brain: a study on oxidative stress

The purpose of this investigation was to study the relationship between disulfiram (DS) toxicity, lipid peroxidation, and copper in order to further elucidate the mechanisms of DS toxicity. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with either 375, 750 or 1500 mg/kg disulfiram via oral intubation for 1, 3 and 6 weeks. In the hippocampus and cerebellum, the increased accumulation of copper, increased production of malondialdehyde (MDA), increased activity of glutathione peroxidase along with alterations in glutathione and glutathione disulfide concentrations was indicative of oxidative stress. The production of MDA was directly related to the level of copper in both areas of the brain indicating that excess copper may be the primary cause of DS neurotoxicity.
Validating the M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) for use in patients with ovarian cancer

Abstract Objective The M. D. Anderson Symptom Inventory (MDASI) captures the severity of common cancer symptoms from the patient's perspective. We describe the validity and sensitivity of a module of the MDASI to be used with patients having ovarian cancer (MDASI-OC). Methods Ovarian cancer-specific module items were developed from 14 qualitative patient interviews. 128 patients with invasive epithelial ovarian, peritoneal, or fallopian-tube cancer treated at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were recruited. Patients completed the MDASI-OC, socio-demographic questionnaires, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Ovary (FACT-O), and a global quality-of-life (QOL) item. Reliability was assessed using Cronbach α, and sensitivity using a known group was assessed. Construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis. Results The sample was primarily white (85.2%), had a mean age of 57.5years (±12.7years), and had previously been treated with chemotherapy (75.0%) and/or surgery (93.8%). Approximately 30% of patients reported disturbed sleep, fatigue, or numbness/tingling of at least moderate severity (≥5 on a 0–10 scale). On the ovarian-cancer-specific symptoms, approximately 20% reported back pain, feeling bloated, or constipation of at least moderate severity. Factor analysis revealed six underlying constructs (pain/sleep; cognitive; disease-related and numbness; treatment-related; affective; gastrointestinal-specific). MDASI-OC symptom and interference items had Cronbach α values of 0.90 and 0.89, respectively. The MDASI-OC was sensitive to symptom severity by performance status (p=0.009), QOL (p=0.002), and FACT-O scores (p Conclusions The 27-item MDASI-OC meets common criteria for validation and reliability and is sensitive to expected changes in symptoms related to differences in disease and treatment status.
Sensory extinction: a procedure form eliminating self-stimulatory behavior in developmentally disabled children

This study was designed to investigate the role of sensory reinforcement in the motivation of self-stimulation. If self-stimulatory behavior is maintained by its sensory consequences, such as the proprioceptive, auditory, or visual stimulation it produces, then such behavior should extinguish when those sensory consequences are not permitted. The present study introduces a new procedure, Sensory Extinction, in which certain sensory consequences are masked or removed, to examine whether self-stimulation is operant behavior maintained by sensory reinforcement. The effectiveness of Sensory Extinction was assessed by a reversal design for each of three autistic children, and the results showed the following. First, self-stimulation reliably extinguished when a certain sensory consequence was removed, then increased when that consequence was permitted. This was replicable within and across children. Second, different Sensory Extinction procedures were required for different self-stimulatory behaviors, since the sensory reinforcers supporting them were idiosyncratic across children. Finally, regarding clinical gains, the data suggest that Sensory Extinction may be a relatively convenient and rapid alternative for the treatment of self-stimulation. The present findings extend the efficacy of extinction as a behavior-modification technique to instances in which the reinforcer is purely sensory. The implications of these results for the treatment of other forms of deviant behavior are discussed.
Influences on Authoritarian and Educational/Therapeutic Approaches to School Violence Prevention

ABSTRACT This study examined the use of two philosophical approaches to school violence prevention and the factors that influence the use of specific strategies. School policies, programs, and discipline strategies assessed by the School Survey of Crime and Safety (SSOCS) were categorized as authoritarian (i.e., restrict student autonomy through punitive discipline and assume a policing function) or educational/ therapeutic (i.e., involve students, parents, and teachers in improving behavior and school climate). Based on responses of the 2,270 school principals who completed the SSOCS, findings revealed that large, urban schools used both authoritarian and therapeutic approaches, such as security, violence prevention programs, and parent training. Rural schools used authoritarian practices, such as corporal punishment and suspension without services, more often than schools in other locations. Schools serving low SES students were more likely to use security, random metal detector checks, and corporal pun...
Hydraulic impacts of hydrokinetic devices

A simple technique to estimate the far-field hydraulic impacts associated with the deployment of hydrokinetic devices is introduced. The technique involves representing hydrokinetic devices with an enhanced Manning (bottom) roughness coefficient. The enhanced Manning roughness is found to be a function of the Manning roughness, slope, and water depth of the natural channel as well as device efficiency, blockage ratio, and density of device deployment. The technique is developed assuming simple open channel flow geometry. However, once the effective bottom roughness is determined, it can be used to determine the hydraulic impact of arbitrary device configurations and arbitrary flow situations.
Reconciling malware labeling discrepancy via consensus learning

Anti-virus systems developed by different vendors often demonstrate strong discrepancy in the labels they assign to given malware, which significantly hinders threat intelligence sharing. The key challenge of addressing this discrepancy stems from the difficulty of re-standardizing already-in-use systems. In this paper we explore a non-intrusive alternative. We propose to leverage the correlation between the malware labels of different anti-virus systems to create a “consensus” classification system, through which different systems can share information without modifying their own labeling conventions. To this end, we present a novel classification integration framework Latin which exploits the correspondence between participating anti-virus systems as reflected in heterogeneous information at instance-instance, instance-class, and class-class levels. We provide results from extensive experimental studies using real datasets and concrete use cases to verify the efficacy of Latin in reconciling the malware labeling discrepancy.
CD14, endotoxin, and asthma risk: actions and interactions.

A functional single nucleotide polymorphism in the 5 genomic region of CD14 (CD14/−159) is one of the most widely tested genetic variations in relation to asthma and associated traits. The results of these studies have shown a remarkable, statistically significant heterogeneity, with some studies indicating the T-allele as a risk factor, others the C-allele, and others finding no association. Recent studies in which exposure to house-dust endotoxin or to domestic sources of microbial exposure were assessed concomitantly with CD14/−159 have shown a consistent, replicable gene-environment interaction. Specifically, results suggest that the C-allele is a risk factor for allergic phenotypes at low levels of exposure, whereas the T-allele is a risk factor at high levels of exposure. This finding seems to be explained by a genetically-determined heterogeneity for the protective effect of microbial exposure on allergic phenotypes, with homozygotes for the C-allele showing a much stronger negative association between exposure and allergic outcomes than carries of the other two genotypes. These results suggest that the often encountered, limited replicability of genetic associations may, at least in part, be due to complex interactions between genes and environment in determining asthma-related outcomes.
Managerial optimism and search

Abstract This paper proposes and tests a model of the influence of managerial dispositional optimism on the propensity to search. The model developed in this article was tested using a business simulation exercise and survey method. Results show support for the positive influence of optimism on search; in addition, the relationship appears curvilinear.
Family Obligation Values and Family Assistance Behaviors: Protective and Risk Factors for Mexican–American Adolescents’ Substance Use

Adolescent substance use is one of today’s most important social concerns, with Latino youth exhibiting the highest overall rates of substance use. Recognizing the particular importance of family connection and support for families from Mexican backgrounds, the current study seeks to examine how family obligation values and family assistance behaviors may be a source of protection or risk for substance use among Mexican–American adolescents. Three hundred and eighty-five adolescents (51 % female) from Mexican backgrounds completed a questionnaire and daily diary for 14 consecutive days. Results suggest that family obligation values are protective, relating to lower substance use, due, in part, to the links with less association with deviant peers and increased adolescent disclosure. In contrast, family assistance behaviors are a source of risk within high parent–child conflict homes, relating to higher levels of substance use. These findings suggest that cultural values are protective against substance use, but the translation of these values into behaviors can be a risk factor depending upon the relational context of the family.
Direct effect of thyroid hormones on glucose oxidation by isolated rat cardiac myocytes.

Abstract The incubation of isolated heart muscle cells in phosphate buffered saline in the presence of triiodothyronine (10−5 to 10−9 m ) stimulated the oxidation of 14C-U-glucose. L-thyroxine was equally effective in stimulating glucose oxidation, while the D-isomer was ineffective. No stimulation of oxidation of either 14C-U-labelled lactate or 14C-1 labelled octanoate was observed. There was no preferential oxidation of the C-1 carbon versus the C-6 carbon of glucose. Examination of the glycolytic intermediates of triiodothyronine treated cells showed a significant decrease in the level of fructose-6-phosphate and a slight increase in the level of fructose-1, 6-diphosphate. From these results it is postulated that the observed effect is due to a stimulation of phosphofructokinase.
Heat-capacity study of acetylene on graphite.

ac calorimetry was used to study the melting of ${\mathrm{C}}_{2}$${\mathrm{D}}_{2}$ films at submonolayer coverages. Near 131 K two sharp, closely spaced heat-capacity peaks indicative of a sequence of two first-order phase transitions are observed. The higher temperature peak is identified as melting. These results are compared with recent computer simulations which predict continuous melting for long nonspherical adsorbates.
Long-term survival after postinfarction bypass operation: early versus late operation.

Abstract A study of 832 patients operated on within 30 days of infarction from 1974 to 1987 has resulted in 2,388 patient-years (maximum, 14 years) of prospectivey acquired follow-up. This study excludes 74 parents in whom cardiogenic shock was the indication for operation. Five-year survival (± standard error) was 84% ± 2%, 85% ± 1%, and 90% ± 1%, and 10-year survival was 71% ± 4%, 68% ± 1%, and 78% ± 1% for patients with acute infarction, remote infarction, and no previous infarction, respectively. Age and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure significantly affected long-term survival for patients with acute infarction by both univariate and multivariate analysis. For patients aged less than 65 years, the 5-year and 10-year actuarial survival rates were 89% ± 2% and 80% ± 4%, compared with 75% ± 3% and 58% ± 9%, respectively, for patients aged more trun 65 years. The survival percentages were 89% ± 2% and 75% ± 6% for patients with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure less than 15 mm Hg compared with 77% ± 5% and 67% ± 7% for patients with left ventricular end-diastolic pressure greater than 15 mm Hg. Operative mortality was 7.6% for patients operated on within 24 hours, compared with 4.1% for patients operated on between 2 and 30 days after infarction. Ten-year survival was similar (about 70%) for all timing groups. Based on these long-term results, there appears to be little to gain by delaying coronary artery bypass grafting, when indicated, after infarction occurs.
Interactions between diesel emissions and gaseous copollutants in photochemical air pollution: Some health implications

Abstract A complete assessment of the health effects of diesel emissions must take into account the possible chemical transformations (and associated biological impacts) of particulate organic matter (POM) due to reactions with the many gaseous copollutants which have now been unambiguously demonstrated to be present in atmospheres burdened by photochemical air pollution. These copollutants include the “trace” species, nitric (HNO3) and nitrous (HONO) acids, the nitrate radical (NO3), formaldehyde (H2CO) and formic acid (HCOOH), as well as the criteria pollutants, ozone (O3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Techniques for establishing the atmospheric concentrations of the trace pollutants (and their spatial and temporal variations) are briefly described, and we present results of investigations into the reactions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) coated on filters and exposed to ambient concentrations of O3 and NO2. Environmental health implications of these results are discussed and include the potential for sampling “artifacts” and their possible effects on the correlation (or lack thereof) between ambient PAH levels and urban lung cancer rates, as well as the problems associated with understanding the appropriate POM “dose” to be employed in animal testing and assessments of impacts on human health.
Effects of the Peptide Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist ICI 198,615 on the In Vivo and In Vitro Changes in Guinea Pig Bladder Function Which Occur After Sensitization with Ovalbumin

AbstractPurpose: The present studies were designed to determine the effects of in vivo and in vitro administration of ICI 198,615 (ICI), a leukotriene receptor antagonist, on the inflammatory changes that occur in the bladder after sensitization with ovalbumin.Materials and Methods: The effect of intravenous administration of ICI on urodynamic changes after instillation of ovalbumin to sensitized guinea pigs was evaluated by in vivo cystometry. Responses of in vitro bladder muscle strips to contractile stimuli and ovalbumin were also evaluated in the presence of ICI.Results: In sensitized guinea pigs, in vivo cystometry with ovalbumin induced a marked decrease in bladder capacity and increase in intravesical pressure. Pretreatment with ICI prior to cystometry prevented the ovalbumin-induced changes in capacity and intravesical pressure. There were no significant differences between control and sensitized animals in the responses of in vitro bladder muscle strips to field stimulation or bethanechol. Howeve...
The Measurement and Determinants of Brand Equity: A Financial Approach

This paper presents a technique for estimating a firm's brand equity that is based on the financial market value of the firm. Brand equity is defined as the incremental cash flows which accrue to branded products over unbranded products. The estimation technique extracts the value of brand equity from the value of the firm's other assets. This technique is useful for two purposes. First, the macro approach assigns an objective value to a company's brands and relates this value to the determinants of brand equity. Second, the micro approach isolates changes in brand equity at the individual brand level by measuring the response of brand equity to major marketing decisions. Empirically, we estimate brand equity using the macro approach for a sample of industries and companies. Then we use the micro approach to trace the brand equity of Coca-Cola and Pepsi over three major events in the soft drink industry from 1982 to 1986.
Discrete-Element Method Simulations of the Response of Soil-Foundation-Structure Systems to Multidirectional Seismic Motion

AbstractIn this study, a three-dimensional microscale framework utilizing the discrete-element method (DEM) is presented to analyze the seismic response of soil-foundation-structure systems subjected to three-directional base motion. The proposed approach is employed to investigate the response of a single lumped mass on a square spread footing founded on a dry granular deposit. The soil is idealized as a collection of spherical particles using DEM. The spread footing is modeled as a rigid block composed of clumped particles, and its motion is described by the resultant forces and moments acting upon it. The structure is modeled as a column made of clumped particles with a concentrated mass specified for the particle at the top. Analysis is done in a fully coupled scheme in time domain while taking into account the effects of soil nonlinear behavior, possible separation between the foundation base and soil because of rocking, possible sliding of the footing, and dynamic soil-foundation interactions. A tec...