cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cough and shortness of breath.

Dr. Matthew Risken: Today’s case is that of an 81year-old man who presented to the emergency department (ED) with a chief complaint of cough and fever. The patient had been on vacation in Spain when he developed malaise, myalgias, and a mild non-productive cough. During the next 24 h he developed shortness of breath. He terminated his vacation, flew back to Boston, and came directly to our ED. On presentation, the patient stated that the shortness of breath, malaise, and cough all had become much worse during the flight back to the United States. The patient also stated that he had begun to have mild abdominal pain and distension. Much of the history was obtained from his wife, as he was unable to speak in complete sentences. She mentioned that he had become more confused over the last 24 h. The past medical history was significant for chronic atrial fibrillation, coronary artery bypass grafting in 1990, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and an episode of upper gastrointestinal bleeding in 1994. His medications included Warfarin, Lisinopril, Simvastatin, and Isosorbide dinitrate. There were no known allergies. Dr. Eric S. Nadel: Are there any questions about the initial presentation? Dr. Chris Moore: Any source of fever can cause mental status changes in the elderly. Did the patient complain of neck pain or headache that might suggest meningitis? Dr. Risken: The patient did not complain of headache, neck stiffness, or photophobia. There were complaints of diffuse myalgias. Dr. Laura Macnow: Was there any more information regarding his travel? How long had he been out of the country? Was he in an area where tuberculosis (TB) was endemic? Dr. Risken: He had been in Spain for approximately two weeks and had visited only major tourist areas. There were no other countries visited. He had no known prior TB exposure. Dr. Eric Legome: The previous questions appropriately focus on infectious sources of the patient’s symptoms. In addition, pulmonary embolism should be considered in any elderly patient with sudden onset of shortness of breath, especially one who had an airplane flight two weeks earlier. Did the patient have any pleuritic chest pain, or leg pain or swelling? Dr. Risken: The patient did not complain of chest or leg pain. On physical examination, the patient was an ill-appearing elderly man in moderate respiratory distress who was unable to speak in complete sentences. Vital signs were a temperature of 39.2°C (102.5°F), pulse of 120 beats/min, respiratory rate of 38 breaths/min, blood pressure of 125/72 mmHg, and O2 saturation of 90% on room air. Examination of the head was normal. The neck was without jugular venous distension. Lung auscultation was significant for coarse breath sounds bilaterally and fine crackles at the bases. The cardiac examination revealed an irregularly irregular heart rate without any significant murmurs or extra heart sounds. The abdomen was mildly distended and tympanitic, non-tender, and had decreased bowel sounds. The extremities showed no
Design and experimental testing of the OctArm soft robot manipulator

This paper describes the development of the octopus biology inspired OctArm series of soft robot manipulators. Each OctArm is constructed using air muscle extensors with three control channels per section that provide two axis bending and extension. Within each section, mesh and plastic coupler constraints prevent extensor buckling. OctArm IV is comprised of four sections connected by endplates, providing twelve degrees of freedom. Performance of OctArm IV is characterized in a lab environment. Using only 4.13 bar of air pressure, the dexterous distal section provides 66% extension and 380° of rotation in less than .5 seconds. OctArm V has three sections and, using 8.27 bar of air pressure, the strong proximal section provides 890 N and 250 N of vertical and transverse load capacity, respectively. In addition to the in-lab testing, OctArm V underwent a series of field trials including open-air and in-water field tests. Outcomes of the trials, in which the manipulator demonstrated the ability for adaptive and novel manipulation in challenging environments, are described. OctArm VI is designed and constructed based on the in-lab performance, and the field testing of its predecessors. Implications for the deployment of soft robots in military environments are discussed.
Antipsychotic Drugs Alter Functional Connectivity between the Medial Frontal Cortex, Hippocampus, and Nucleus Accumbens as Measured by H215O PET.

To evaluate changes in functional connectivity as a result of treatment with antipsychotic drugs (APDs) in subjects with schizophrenia (SZ), we identified a limited number of regions that have been implicated in the mechanism of action of APDs and that are part of a neuronal network known to be modulated by dopamine (DA). These regions consisted of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), the hippocampus (Hip), and the medial frontal cortex (MFC). SZ participants were blindly randomized into a haloperidol treatment group (n = 12) and an olanzapine treatment group (n = 17). Using PET with 15O, we evaluated changes in functional connectivity between these regions during rest and task performance at three treatment time points: (1) at baseline, after withdrawal of all psychotropic medication (two weeks), (2) after one week on medication, and (3) after 6 weeks on medication. Results from the two treatment groups were combined during analysis to investigate the common effects of APDs on functional connectivity. We found that the functional connectivity between MFC and NAcc significantly increased at week one, and then significantly decreased from week one to week 6. The functional connectivity between MFC and Hip significantly decreased at week one and week 6 relative to baseline. Critically, the strength of the functional connectivity between the MFC and Hip after one week of treatment was predictive of treatment response. This pattern of changes may represent an important biomarker for indexing treatment response. The regulation by APDs of the balance between prefrontal and limbic inputs to the striatum may be crucial to restoring adaptive behavior.
Long-term posttraumatic stress symptoms vary inversely with early opiate dosing in children recovering from serious burns: Effects durable at 4 years

BACKGROUND: Children surviving serious burns are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a function both of the injury and of its treatment. Short-term studies in such children have demonstrated reduced PTSD symptoms with intensive early pain control. However, the long-term impact of early pain control strategies on posttraumatic stress symptoms in children recovering from serious burn injuries has not been examined. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of a multiple time point data collection involving a cohort of 147 infants, children, and teenagers with 4 years of follow-up after serious burns conducted at 4 pediatric burn centers to examine the impact of early opiate dosing on long-term posttraumatic stress symptoms. The main outcome measure was the nine-item Short Form Child Stress Disorders Checklist, which is an established and validated assessment. The impact of total opiate dosing during the first 7 days on these scores was assessed. RESULTS: Subjects had an average age of 11 years and average injury size of 22% total body surface area burned (%TBS). The correlation between opiate units (OUs) and %TBS was 0.46 at baseline, OU increasing with increasing %TBS. OUs were strongly predictive of Child Stress Disorders Checklist scores up to 4 years, with higher OU (10 units vs. 6 and 2 units) remaining constantly different up to 4 years in predicting lower stress scores for both smaller and larger burns. CONCLUSION: Early opiate management of pain associated with acute burn wounds and burn treatment predicts the development and resolution rate of PTSD symptoms in a large multicenter sample of children hospitalized for serious burns. The effect seems to be dose related and durable at least up to 4 years in a range of burn sizes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic/epidemiologic study, level II. Language: en
An algorithm for the solution of a quadratic programming problem with application to constrained matrix and spatial price equilibrium problems

In this paper a quadratic programming problem is considered. It contains, as special cases, formulations of constrained matrix problems with unknown row and column totals, and classical spatial price equilibrium problems with congestion. An equilibration algorithm, which is of the relaxation type, is introduced into the problem. It resolves the system into subproblems, which in turn, can be solved exactly, even in the presence of upper bounds. Also provided is computational experience for several large-scale examples. This work identifies the equivalency between constrained matrix problems and spatial price equilibrium problems which had been postulated, but, heretofore, not made.
Polymerization of furil in the solid state by reaction with AsF5 at the solid–gas interface

Solid-state polymerization of furil, induced by reaction with AsF5 at the solid–gas interface, has been investigated by means of vibrational analysis of the reactant and the product. Infrared spectra are consistent with the mode of Polymerization which involves an α,α′ linkage and subsequent loss of hydrogen atoms. The C/H elemental analysis suggests that the polymer consists of around six or seven monomeric units. The reaction product is found to be unstable at high temperatures; a prolonged annealing at this temperature leads to a different structure, possibly, by the opening of the furan rings. The x-ray powder diffraction study shows that the polymeric furil is crystalline, with a lattice similar to that of the monomer, but contains a considerable amount of disorder.
Delirium and sleep disturbances in the intensive care unit: can we do better?

Purpose of reviewDelirium in the ICU affects as many as 60–80% of mechanically ventilated patients and a smaller but substantial percentage of other critically ill patients. Poor sleep quality has been consistently observed in critically ill patients. These problems are associated with worse ICU out
Pull-out work of steel fibers from cementitious composites: Analytical investigation

Abstract The main objective of this study is to provide a parametric evaluation of the pull-out work of smooth steel fibers embedded in cementitious matrices. The various parameters controlling the behavior of the bond stress versus slip relationship are analyzed; their effects on the entire pull-out load versus slip response and the corresponding pull-out energy up to full debonding and/or up to total pull-out are investigated. Also discussed are the effects of the fiber geometric parameters such as fiber diameter, length, and aspect ratio. Finally, a brief section addresses the relation between pull-out work and the critical strain energy release rate Gc, a fracture mechanics variable, which can be calculated if the P-Δ curve is known.
Hydrodynamic modeling of a continuous metal matrix composite fabrication process as a cylindrical array

An alternative model for predicting adequate operating parameters of a continuous, metal matrix composite production process is developed. Predictions from the model are compared with a previous model and with experimental results. The fiber tow molten metal interaction is described as flow through a parallel, cylindrical fiber array (PCA) in the new model. The predicted critical pulling velocity, pulling force and the pressure gradient are self-consistent with experimentally measured parameters within 1%. The PCA model is expected to provide a useful design and operating tool for fabrication of metal matrix composite wire.
Phase transition of GeSe2 at high pressure

We study the behavior of crystalline germanium diselenide (β-GeSe 2 ) under rapid hydrostatic pressures using constant-pressure ab initio simulations. At a high pressure of 18.5 GPa, β-GeSe 2 transforms into a layered CdI 2 -like structure. The transformation mechanism at the atomistic level and the electronic nature of the semiconductor-metal transition are discussed.
Patient transfer from a rehabilitation hospital to an emergency department : A retrospective study of an American trauma center

Abstract Objective To analyze medical indications and conditions for patients transferred from a rehabilitation hospital to an emergency department (ED). Are there differences in terms of which patients go to the ED during their stay and which do not? Specifically, what type of patient is most likely to be transferred? Methodology A retrospective study was conducted at an American adult and pediatric urban trauma center that serves 40,000 patients per year. This study compared randomly selected samples of 534 patients having been transferred to the ED from a rehabilitation hospital and 500 patients who were directly admitted to the ED from the community. Variables examined were: demographics, ED diagnosis and level of care, length of hospital stay, costs, discharge condition and return within 60 days to the ED. Results The patients transferred from the rehabilitation hospital were older ( P P P P P P Conclusions The patients transferred from a rehabilitation hospital had complex, intense medical (and often psychological) issues. These patients’ medical needs required a high level of resources in the ED. They frequently left the hospital in sub-optimal conditions, making it likely that they would return to the hospital via the ED prior to completing their treatment within the rehabilitation hospital.
Malignant external otitis in children

Summary Malignant external otitis in the pediatric population is primarily a disease of children with chronic illness or immunosuppression. The presence of severe, unrelenting otalgia, otorrhea with isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa , a markedly elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and evidence of bone destruction on computed tomography scan should alert the clinician to the diagnosis. Unlike adults, children have a higher incidence of seventh nerve paralysis earlier in the course of the infection. They also manifest more frequent involvement of the middle ear with tympanic membrane destruction. The short interval between the onset of symptoms and facial nerve dysfunction highlights the necessity of prompt diagnosis and institution of anti- Pseudomonas therapy. Our review suggests that this destructive bacterial infection is an emerging clinical entity in children; 73% of the cases have been reported since 1980. Pediatricians should therefore be familiar with the clinical presentation of this treatable infection. Substantial morbidity could be alleviated by prompt diagnosis and early antibiotic treatment.
Energetic Conditions Promoting Top-Down Control of Prey by Predators

Humans remove large amounts of biomass from natural ecosystems, and large bodied high trophic level animals are especially sensitive and vulnerable to exploitation. The effects of removing top-predators on food webs are often difficult to predict because of limited information on species interaction strengths. Here we used a three species predator-prey model to explore relationships between energetic properties of trophodynamic linkages and interaction strengths to provide heuristic rules that indicate observable energetic conditions that are most likely to lead to stable and strong top-down control of prey by predator species. We found that strong top-down interaction strengths resulted from low levels of energy flow from prey to predators. Strong interactions are more stable when they are a consequence of low per capita predation and when predators are subsidized by recruitment. Diet composition also affects stability, but the relationship depends on the form of the functional response. Our results imply that for generalist satiating predators, strong top-down control on prey is most likely for prey items that occupy a small portion of the diet and when density dependent recruitment is moderately high.
A general model for food web structure

A central problem in ecology is determining the processes that shape the complex networks known as food webs formed by species and their feeding relationships. The topology of these networks is a major determinant of ecosystems' dynamics and is ultimately responsible for their responses to human impacts. Several simple models have been proposed for the intricate food webs observed in nature. We show that the three main models proposed so far fail to fully replicate the empirical data, and we develop a likelihood-based approach for the direct comparison of alternative models based on the full structure of the network. Results drive a new model that is able to generate all the empirical data sets and to do so with the highest likelihood.
Oral contraceptives and triglyceride transport: acquired heparin resistance as the mechanism for impaired post-heparin lipolytic activity.

ABSTRACT Paired studies of oral fat tolerance in six women before and during therapy with ethinyl estradiol (50 μg)-medroxyprogesterone acetate (10 mg) failed to demonstrate impairment in triglyceride disposal despite depression of postheparin lipolytic activity (PHLA) during treatment. This decline in PHLA, measured against an artificial triglyceride emulsion, was also seen in experiments utilizing natural triglyceride-rich lipoprotein and artificial phospholipid and monoglyceride substrates. It did not appear to be caused by estrogen per se, a circulating inhibitor of the lipolytic reaction induced by the oral contraceptive, or the depletion during therapy of a plasma activator of lipoprotein lipase. However, an alternative explanation for the decrease in PHLA during therapy was provided by the demonstration of acquired competitive inhibition of the release of triglyceride lipase activity by heparin: ascending doses of heparin administered to three women during therapy produced a progressive increase in...
Biphasic reaction kinetics in an anomalous isozyme of erythrocyte pyruvate kinase.

Abstract A mutant erythrocyte isozyme of pyruvate kinase (PK) (ATP:pyruvate phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.1.40) has been found in association with chronic hemolytic anemia in two siblings who were doubly heterozygous for the isozyme and for quantitative PK deficiency of the usual form. The isozyme was characterized by approximately normal maximum reaction velocities but had markedly decreased affinity for the substrate, phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP), with 5-fold to 10-fold increases in half-saturation constants and decreased interaction between substrate binding sites. Two distinctly separable kinetic patterns for PEP were observed with multiple specimens. Concentrations of fructose 1,6-diphosphate (FDP) required for half-maximal activation were two orders of magnitude greater than controls, and optimal pH was lowered to 6.5. Stability at 4°C was markedly decreased, but the lost enzyme could be reactivated by FDP for periods even longer than normal controls.
BACKTRACKING LEUKEMIA TO BIRTH

The finding of leukemic cells in the newborn blood of infants who developed acute leukemia in the first few years of life suggests that some leukemias are present in utero.
Interleukin-1 receptor 2 keeps the lid on interleukin-1α.

The molecular mechanisms that regulate functional activation of IL-1α remain elusive. In this issue of Immunity, Zheng et al. (2013) describe a molecular system implicating interleukin-1 receptor-2 (IL-1R2) as a principal cytosolic factor that controls functional IL-1α activation during necrosis.
THE ANAMNESTIC ANTIBODY RESPONSE TO TYPE III SPECIFIC PNEUMOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE

Rabbits immunized with killed type III pneumococci respond to anamnestic challenge by type specific polysaccharide (S III) with the synthesis of anti-S III antibody if a long interval is allowed to elapse between primary and secondary immunization. A study of the anti-S III antibody produced early and late in the immune response revealed no change in molecular class, banding pattern of dissociated light chains, or S III binding characteristics as measured under equilibrium conditions or by study of dissociation kinetics utilizing radioiodinated p-OH-benzyl-S III. Sequential booster injections of S III into rabbits primarily immunized with whole organisms 8 or 9 months earlier led to a progressive decrease in the number of animals showing successful anamnestic responses and in the magnitude of those responses. It is concluded that S III depletes the antigen sensitive cell population in the secondary response largely because of its limited ability to stimulate sustained proliferation by such cells.
Lymphomatoid papulosis: A clinical and histopathologic review of 53 cases with leukocyte immunophenotyping, DNA flow cytometry, and T-cell receptor gene rearrangement studies

Background : Lymphomatoid papulosis (LyP) is a recurrent hemorrhagic papular skin eruption with a clinically benign course and histopathologic features of lymphoma. Objective and Methods : To better characterize this disease, we studied 53 patients seen since 1965. Results : A lympboproliferative malignancy developed within 2 to 36 years after onset of LyP in eight patients. Histologically, the dermis in LyP showed an infiltrate of large (type A) or small (type B) atypical lymphocytes. The large atypical cells (type A) stained with CD30 (Ber-H2). Seven of the patients in whom lymphoma developed had type A histologic features. DNA flow cytometry showed mainly a diploid pattern, except for two cases that showed an euploidy. Five of 11 patients showed T-cell receptor (TCR) clonal gene rearrangements; lymphoma has not developed in these patients. One patient had a TCR rearrangement in a plaque of mycosis fungoides but not in the LyP lesion. Conclusion : LyP is either a reactive skin condition or a localized lymphoid malignancy. Neither DNA flow cytometry nor TCR gene rearrangement can predict the 15% to 19% of patients in whom a lymphoma will develop. Continued observation of all patients is essential.
Site-specific protein labeling using PRIME and chelation-assisted click chemistry

This protocol describes an efficient method to site-specifically label cell-surface or purified proteins with chemical probes in two steps: probe incorporation mediated by enzymes (PRIME) followed by chelation-assisted copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC). In the PRIME step, Escherichia coli lipoic acid ligase (LplA) site-specifically attaches a picolyl azide (pAz) derivative to a 13-aa recognition sequence that has been genetically fused onto the protein of interest. Proteins bearing pAz are chemoselectively derivatized with an alkyne-probe conjugate by chelation-assisted CuAAC in the second step. We describe herein the optimized protocols to synthesize pAz to perform PRIME labeling and to achieve CuAAC derivatization of pAz on live cells, fixed cells and purified proteins. Reagent preparations, including synthesis of pAz probes and expression of LplA, take 12 d, whereas the procedure for performing site-specific pAz ligation and CuAAC on cells or on purified proteins takes 40 min-3 h.
Ge dots and nanostructures grown epitaxially on Si

We review recent progress in the growth and characterization of Si1−xGex islands and Ge dots on (001) Si. We discuss the evolution of the island morphology with Si1−xGex coverage, and the effect of growth parameters or post-growth annealing on the shape of islands and dots. We outline some of the structural, vibrational, and optical properties of Si1−xGex islands and review recent advances in the determination of their composition and strain distribution. In particular, we present an analytical electron transmission microscopy study of the Ge spatial distribution in Ge dots and Si /Si1−xGex island superlattices grown by molecular beam epitaxy and ultra-high vacuum chemical vapour deposition. We describe the use of undulated Si1−xGex island superlattices for infrared detection at telecommunication wavelengths. Finally, we discuss various approaches currently being investigated to engineer Si1−xGex quantum dots and, in particular, control their size, density, and spatial distribution. As examples, we show how C pre-deposition on Si(001) can influence nucleation and growth of Ge islands and how low temperature Si homo-epitaxy can lead to a particular surface cusp morphology that may promote dot nucleation.
PEDIATRIC SLEEP DISORDERS: A REVIEW OF THE PAST 10 YEARS

ABSTRACT Objective To provide a 10-year review of pediatric sleep disorders medicine. Method DSM-IV is used to organize the presentation from a developmental perspective. Results Pediatric sleep disorders can be subdivided into four broad categories: Primary Sleep Disorders that include two subcategories, Dyssomnias and Parasomnias; Sleep Disorder Related to Another Mental Disorder; Sleep Disorder Due to a General Medical Condition; and Substance-Induced Sleep Disorder. Behavioral and supportive methods of treatment remain the most useful methods for treating primary sleep disorders in childhood.
Trabecular bone remodeling and bone mineral density in the adult cat during chronic dietary acidification with ammonium chloride.

Ammonium chloride (NH4CI) is used as a urinary acidifier in the treatment and prevention of feline urologic syndrome. It is reported to cause alterations in calcium and bone metabolism in humans, dogs, and rats. Adult cats with normal renal function were fed 1.5% NH4CI for 6 months to study the effects of chronic dietary acidification on trabecular bone remodeling of the iliac crest and bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar vertebral trabecular bone and femoral cortex. Histomorphometric analyses of iliac crest biopsies were performed before and after treatment. Static and dynamic parameters of bone resorption and formation were determined. Single-energy quantitative computed tomography (SEQCT) was used to measure lumbar trabecular and femoral cortical BMD. There were no significant treatment effects in iliac crest trabecular bone remodeling or BMD of the vertebrae and femora. Bone remodeling activity decreased with time in both acidotic and control cats. Vertebral BMD increased with time in both groups of cats, whereas no change was seen in the femora. Thus, chronic dietary acidification for 6 months with therapeutic levels of NH4CI produced no significant changes in trabecular bone remodeling or bone mineral density in adult cats.
Reproduction: The adaptive significance of endothermy

A central theme raised by Angilletta and Sears is that the energetic cost of endothermy is too enormous to be offset by the benefits that thermogenesis could provide for reproduction. Angilletta and Sears suggest that parents would have been better off producing additional offspring with the energy used for incubation or minimizing their risk of predation by minimizing foraging efforts. However, these views overlook the fact that a defining characteristic of both birds and mammals is high investment in relatively few offspring. The evolution of parental provisioning behaviors is cogent evidence that minimizing foraging efforts and risks of adult predation were not favored over energy expenditure for parental care. Furthermore, the energetic costs of parental feeding of offspring demonstrate that the benefits of parental care can outweigh energetic expenses that exceed by far the cost of endothermy. If the great energetic expense of parental feeding has been favored evolutionarily, it is reasonable to propose that the lesser cost of thermogenesis could be favored for the same reproductive benefit. For example, thermoregulation is expensive for house mice because they are small (26‐44 g), but thermoregulatory costs are not nearly as large as the cost of feeding offspring. When living at 21C, house mice consume approximately 25-fold more food than lava lizards of similar mass living in the field (82.92 and 3.37 kJ d 1 , respectively);
The 16p11.2 deletion mouse model of autism exhibits altered cortical progenitor proliferation and brain cytoarchitecture linked to the ERK MAPK pathway.

Autism spectrum disorders are complex, highly heritable neurodevelopmental disorders affecting ∼1 in 100 children. Copy number variations of human chromosomal region 16p11.2 are genetically linked to 1% of autism-related disorders. This interval contains the MAPK3 gene, which encodes the MAP kinase, ERK1. Mutations in upstream elements regulating the ERK pathway are genetically linked to autism and other disorders of cognition including the neuro-cardio-facial cutaneous syndromes and copy number variations. We report that a murine model of human 16p11.2 deletion exhibits a reduction in brain size and perturbations in cortical cytoarchitecture. We observed enhanced progenitor proliferation and premature cell cycle exit, which are a consequence of altered levels of downstream ERK effectors cyclin D1 and p27Kip1 during mid-neurogenesis. The increased progenitor proliferation and cell cycle withdrawal resulted in premature depletion of progenitor pools, altering the number and frequency of neurons ultimately populating cortical lamina. Specifically, we found a reduced number of upper layer pyramidal neurons and an increase in layer VI corticothalamic projection neurons, reflecting the altered cortical progenitor proliferation dynamics in these mice. Importantly, we observed a paradoxical increase in ERK signaling in mid-neurogenesis in the 16p11.2del mice, which is coincident with the development of aberrant cortical cytoarchitecture. The 16p11.2del mice exhibit anxiety-like behaviors and impaired memory. Our findings provide evidence of ERK dysregulation, developmental abnormalities in neurogenesis, and behavioral impairment associated with the 16p11.2 chromosomal deletion.
Neural Precursor Cell-expressed Developmentally Down-regulated Protein 4-2 (Nedd4-2) Regulation by 14-3-3 Protein Binding at Canonical Serum and Glucocorticoid Kinase 1 (SGK1) Phosphorylation Sites

Regulation of epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC)-mediated transport in the distal nephron is a critical determinant of blood pressure in humans. Aldosterone via serum and glucocorticoid kinase 1 (SGK1) stimulates ENaC by phosphorylation of the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2, which induces interaction with 14-3-3 proteins. However, the mechanisms of SGK1- and 14-3-3-mediated regulation of Nedd4-2 are unclear. There are three canonical SGK1 target sites on Nedd4-2 that overlap phosphorylation-dependent 14-3-3 interaction motifs. Two of these are termed “minor,” and one is termed “major,” based on weak or strong binding to 14-3-3 proteins, respectively. By mass spectrometry, we found that aldosterone significantly stimulates phosphorylation of a minor, relative to the major, 14-3-3 binding site on Nedd4-2. Phosphorylation-deficient minor site Nedd4-2 mutants bound less 14-3-3 than did wild-type (WT) Nedd4-2, and minor site Nedd4-2 mutations were sufficient to inhibit SGK1 stimulation of ENaC cell surface expression. As measured by pulse-chase and cycloheximide chase assays, a major binding site Nedd4-2 mutant had a shorter cellular half-life than WT Nedd4-2, but this property was not dependent on binding to 14-3-3. Additionally, a dimerization-deficient 14-3-3ϵ mutant failed to bind Nedd4-2. We conclude that whereas phosphorylation at the Nedd4-2 major site is important for interaction with 14-3-3 dimers, minor site phosphorylation by SGK1 may be the relevant molecular switch that stabilizes Nedd4-2 interaction with 14-3-3 and thus promotes ENaC cell surface expression. We also propose that major site phosphorylation promotes cellular Nedd4-2 protein stability, which potentially represents a novel form of regulation for turnover of E3 ubiquitin ligases.
Identification of the G protein-activating sequence of the single-transmembrane natriuretic peptide receptor C (NPR-C).

Rat natriuretic peptide clearance receptor (NPR-C) contains four sequences capable of inhibiting adenylyl cyclase. We have undertaken mutational and deletion studies on the intracellular domain of ...
Is digitalis inotropy associated with enhanced slow inward calcium current

THE positive inotropic effect of digitalis compounds is generally attributed to an increase in the amount of activator calcium1 and not to a change in the calcium sensitivity of regulatory contractile proteins2,3. The main question is the cellular or subcellular basis of the increase in the myoplasmic calcium transient. Since calcium entry through the slow inward current may play an important part in excitation–contraction coupling, it has been suggested that the slow inward current might be enhanced by digitalis4,5. All the evidence has been negative6–11 apart from a report by Dramane et al.12 and results of H. Brown, W. Giles and S. Noble (personal communication). We have re-examined this question and have found that strophanthidin can increase the slow inward current and alter its re-priming kinetics in certain conditions. These observations may provide a partial explanation of the positive inotropic effect observed in the same experiments.
Plant stress and insect performance: cottonwood, ozone and a leaf beetle

Leaf area consumption rates, development rates, survivorship, and fecundity of the imported willow leaf beetle (Plagiodera versicolora Laich) were examined on two clones of eastern cottonwood which were previously exposed to ozone or charcoal-filtered air. P. versicolora consumed more ozone treated foliage, but were more fecund when reared on charcoal-filtered air treated plants. Beetle development rates and survivorship were not significantly different on treated and control cottonwoods. We concluded that: 1) Ozone fumigation of cottonwood reduced foliage quality, and the reproductive success and overall performance of P. versicolora. 2) increased foliage consumption by beetles was probably a mechanism compensating for decreases in foliage quality. 3) Reductions in beetle fecundity were due to an initial reduction in oviposition rates. 4) Beetle feeding preference did not correlate with the suitability of foliage for beetle performance. These results are discussed in relation to the impact of air pollution on plant-insect interactions.
REAcct: a scenario analysis tool for rapidly estimating economic impacts of major natural and man-made hazards

The REAcct (for Regional Economic Accounting) tool was developed for estimating order-of-magnitude economic impacts within DHS scenario analysis. REAcct uses input–output modeling, geo-spatial data computational tools, and publically available economic data and allows for detailed specification of sectors, regions, and disruption intervals. Direct impacts are estimated as changes in output and employment; total (direct plus indirect) impacts are calculated using regional total and final demand multipliers. In total, the REAcct framework and software allow for scenario analysts to understand and assess the interdependent relationships between critical infrastructures, economic industries, and consumers that are essential to broader homeland security scenario analysis.
Adverse effects of abdominal obesity on lipoprotein lipids in healthy older men

Individuals with abdominal obesity are at increased risk for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). This study examines whether an abdominal fat distribution, indexed by the waist to hip ratio (WHR), is associated with an atherogenic lipoprotein lipid profile independent of the degree of obesity (percent body fat) and maximal aerobic capacity (VO2max) in 127 older (± 8 years, mean ± SD) normotensive, nonsmoking, nondiabetic men. Compared to men with WHR below the population mean ( 0.96) had higher triglycerides (TG) (124 ± 47 vs. 93 ± 48 mg/dl, p < 0.001 and lower high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (34 ± 7 vs 41 ± 9 mg/dl, p < 0.001) levels with no difference in low density cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Plasma TG levels were positively associated with both percent body fat (r = 0.50, p < 0.0001) and WHR (r = 0.49, p < 0.0001, and negatively with VO2max (r = −0.36, p < 0.0001), whereas plasma HDL-C levels were negatively associated with percent body fat (r = −0.50, p < 0.0001) and WHR (r = −0.54, p < 0.0001), and positively with VO2max (r = 0.45, p < 0.0001). Independent relationships between WHR and both plasma TG (r = 0.30, p < 0.001) and HDL-C (r = −0.34, p < 0.0001) remained after correction for both percent body fat and VO2max. Using analysis of covariance, the differences in TG and HDL-C between groups remained after adjustment for percent body fat and VO2max. These results suggest that in older men, an abdominal distribution of body fat, independent of both percent body fat and VO2max, is associated with elevated TG and low HDL levels, thus increasing the risk for CAD.
Iodine-131 and thyroid function.

Ostroumova et al. (2013) reported an association between iodine-131 (131I) dose and hypothyroidism in the Belarusian cohort, a cohort of individuals exposed to 131I from fallout of the Chernobyl accident when they were ≤ 18 years of age. Ostroumova et al. also examined other thyroid outcomes: hyperthyroidism, autoimmune thyroiditis, serum concentrations of thyroid-stimulating hormone, and autoantibodies to thyroperoxidase. It may not be appropriate to include participants with other thyroid outcomes in the analysis because those thyroid outcomes could be indirectly associated with exposure. Chernobyl is in an iodine-deficient area (Ishigaki et al. 2001), and the prevalence of goiters among children ≤ 18 years of age has been reported at > 15% in this area (Hatch et al. 2011). Is high prevalence of goiters in the area caused by normal iodine deficiency or by the 131I? If the goiters were caused by 131I, the relationship between the 131I and hypothyroidism is still unclear, even though Ostroumova et al. (2013) stratified the data according to the presence of goiters. Hypothyroidism can also cause goiters (Wilkins et al. 1954); thus, goiter is just a serious hypothyroidism. That could be the explanation for the higher excess odds ratio in the group with goiter compared with the group without goiter shown in Table 3 of Ostroumova et al. (2013). It would have been better for Ostroumova et al. to perform a stratified analysis on the relationship between 131I and hypothyroidism based on the normal iodine level of the individual rather than the presence of goiter. Ostroumova et al. (2013) also claimed that the thyroid radioactivity of individuals from the Belarus cohort was based on a previous study (Stezhko et al. 2004). However, Stezhko et al. (2004) did not provide the details of the individual radioactive iodine measurement. Were the original radioactive iodine measurements generated from a formula or modeled based on food intake or soil contamination, or was the 131I exposure level actually measured for each individual? The answer to this question is necessary because the two methods have different credibility. In addition, the exposure described by Stezhko et al. (2004) included 131I as well as other radioactive isotopes of iodine, not 131I alone. I would like to know whether Ostroumova et al. (2013) separated 131I from other radioactive iodine isotopes. Cesium-137 should also be considered as a potential confounder in the relationship between 131I and hypothyroidism.
Correlation of electrochemistry, nucleophilicity and density functional calculations of the cis -dithiolate (bme*-daco)Ni

Upon the sequential stoichiometric addition of methyl iodide to acetonitrile solutions of the square planar nickel (II) complex of N , N ′-bis(2-mercapto-2-methylpropyl)-1,5-diazacyclooctane, (bme*-daco)Ni, mono- and bis-methylated thioether compounds were isolated. Both are crystallographically and electrochemically characterized and compared to analogues of N , N ′-bis(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,5-diazacyclooctane, (bme-daco)Ni. Density functional theory calculations carried out at the B3LYP level using the LANL2DZ basis set with modified exponents compared HOMO/LUMO energies for the dithiolates, the mono- S -methylated and bis- S -methylated complexes. The presence of the methyl groups on the α-carbon next to the sulfur creates steric encumbrance about the thiolate sulfurs, but there was found no significant differences in the frontier molecular orbitals. The more positive shifts of the Ni(II/I) reduction potentials are reflected by changes in LUMO energies upon S -methylation.
Quantitation of Soy Protein in Frankfurters by Gel Electrophoresis

A modified Laemmli procedure was utilized to obtain gel electrophoretie resolution of protein components in soy and beef isolates and in processed meat products containing soy protein isolate (SPI). Height and area ratios of selected soy and beef components (α', α-subunits of β-conglycinin and actin) were calculated from densitometric scans and compared with similar ratios calculated for soy and beef mixtures of known composition. This method permitted the quantitation of soy protein (±0.14%) in raw and pasteurized frankfurters and should be applicable to other selected soy-containing meat products.
HoneyComb: a platform for computational robotic materials

We present the "Honeycomb", a microcontroller platform that can easily be networked into hexagonal lattices of hundreds of nodes to create novel materials that tightly integrate sensing, actuation, computation and communication. The tool-chain consists of the platforms, a viral boot-loader to virally disseminate programs into the network, a software library that facilitates sensing, control, and communication, and software tools that allow interacting with the network from a host computer. After a brief tutorial, participants will have an opportunity to experiment with the Honeycomb hardware, which will be made available during the studio, write code for distributed processing of sensor information, and drive various actuators ranging from multi-color lights to servo motors, with the goal to construct an interactive installation to be displayed at the conference. All materials, including open source hardware and software will be made available on the web prior to the studio.
The retrieval hypothesis as an explanation of induced retrograde amnesia.

The present experiment tested the hypothesis that retrograde induced amnesia is due to retrieval failure and anterograde induced amnesia to encoding failure by providing recall cues which were expected to eliminate retrograde amnesia but worsen or have no effect on anterograde amnesia. The 80 subjects received auditory presentation of 10 lists, each composed of 15 four-letter words presented at a rate of 2s/item at 75 dB in a free-recall task, followed by a 72 s recall period. The amnesia-producing event was an outstanding item in serial position 8 presented at 115 dB (about the intensity of a loud shout) on half the lists. During the first half of the recall period subjects free-recalled, but during the last half they were given a list of the first (single cue) or the first two (double cue) letters of each word, to be used as aids to recall. To demonstrate induced amnesia, lists containing a loud item were compared to those not containing one. First half free recall performance indicated that large retro...
Computer Awareness and Use at a Research University.

The authors describe results of a survey which measured levels of computer awareness and use among the faculty of The University of Georgia. A one page questionnaire was mailed to all tenure track faculty resulting in usable responses from 976 faculty members. A pattern of high interest; moderate use of a mixture of micros, minis and mainframe; and relatively low numbers of faculty publishing relating to computing or authoring software for adoption by others was observed across all of the academic units of the University. Although there was some evidence that those interested in computing responded to the survey at a higher rate than others, the results provide descriptions of the various levels of computer awareness and use among the faculty of a large research University, the types of computers used by the faculty, and the use made of computers by the faculty. Differences among various faculty subgroups are also described.
Duality in e+ e- --> hadrons?

Abstract A new kind of duality relation is conjectured between vector meson formation and scaling ( 1 s ) behavior in the total cross section σ had ( s ) for e + + e − → hadrons. On the basis of a finite-energy sum rule we demonstrate that the parameters of the ρ, ω and φ peaks are sufficient to determine the asymptotic value of σ had ( s ) to be three to five times the muon pair cross section provided σ had (s) goes like 1 s at high energies.
Coincidence of High Sea Level with Cold Climate and Low Sea Level with Warm Climate: Evidence from Carbonate Rocks

The belief is widespread among geologists that a valid corollary of the glacial-eustatic hypothesis is that extremes of climate and sea level coincide. In other words, that the colder the climate the lower the sea and the warmer the climate the higher the sea. Two examples are described in which extremes of climate and sea level do not appear to coincide. In one, evidence (based on carbonates) suggests a warm peak 10,000 to 12,000 yrs ago when sea level was low (−50 to −110 m). In the other example, faunal evidence suggests cold climate about 4300 yrs ago when the sea was at its present high level.
Fluorescence lifetime-based sensing and imaging.

Abstract Time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy is presently regarded as a research tool in biochemistry, biophysics and chemical physics. However, time-resolved methods can also be used for chemical sensing. Lifetime-based sensing has several advantages over intensity-based methods. Since the lifetime is independent of the total probe intensity, its measurement can provide quantitative sensing of many analytes without the requirement for wavelength-ratiometric probes. Analytes like oxygen and halides can be determined by the collisional quenching mechanism. To date, lifetime probes for analyte recognition (binding) have been identified for Ca 2+ , Mg 2+ , K + and pH. Importantly, the lifetime method provides a possibility to expand the sensitive analyte concentration range using probes with spectral shifts. The fluorescence lifetime method allows the sensing of analytes for which there are no direct probes, like glucose, antigens, or any affinity or immunoassays based on fluorescence energy transfer as the transduction mechanism. Advances in instrumentation, laser technology, fiber-optics and especially long-wavelength probes can result in the rapid migration of time-resolved fluorescence to clinical chemistry, environmental sensing and industrial applications. We shall describe phase-modulation instrumentation that can use simple light sources for which the light can be modulated externally by acoustooptic modulators or internally by driving current. Finally, we shall describe fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), in which image contrast is created from the lifetime at each point of the image. Time-resolved imaging is now a reality in fluorescence microscopy, and promises to provide chemical imaging of a variety of intracellular analyte and/or cellular phenomena.
The Primitive Hunter Culture, Pleistocene Extinction, and the Rise of Agriculture

The hypothesis that megafauna extinction some 10,000 years ago was due to "overkill" by Paleolithic hunters is examined using an economic model of a replenishable resource. The large herding animals that became extinct, such as mammoth, bison, camel, and mastodon, presented low hunting cost and high kill value. The absence of appropriation provided incentives for the wastage killing evident in some kill sites, while the slow growth, long lives, and long maturation of large animals increased their vulnerability to extinction. Free-access hunting is compared with socially optimal hunting and used to interpret the development of conservationist ethics, and controls, in more recent primitive cultures.