cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RIBP, a novel Rlk/Txk- and itk-binding adaptor protein that regulates T cell activation.

A novel T cell–specific adaptor protein, RIBP, was identified based on its ability to bind Rlk/Txk in a yeast two-hybrid screen of a mouse T cell lymphoma library. RIBP was also found to interact with a related member of the Tec family of tyrosine kinases, Itk. Expression of RIBP is restricted to T and natural killer cells and is upregulated substantially after T cell activation. RIBP-disrupted knockout mice displayed apparently normal T cell development. However, proliferation of RIBP-deficient T cells in response to T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated activation was significantly impaired. Furthermore, these activated T cells were defective in the production of interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon γ, but not IL-4. These data suggest that RIBP plays an important role in TCR-mediated signal transduction pathways and that its binding to Itk and Rlk/Txk may regulate T cell differentiation.
Passing the Buck: Congress, the Budget, and Deficits

Passing the Buck: Congress, the Budget, and Deficits. By Jasmine Farrier. Lexington: University Press of Kentucky, 2004. 296p. $40.00.Has Congress, in recent years, repeatedly transferred its budgetary powers to the president in response to huge deficits and other fiscal challenges? Jasmine Farrier argues forcefully that it has. Looking at a number of case studies of congressional budget reform since 1974, she claims that Congress has delegated significant constitutional authority to the executive branch. In particular, she examines the legislative histories of the 1974 Budget and Impoundment Control Act, the 1985 Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act (Gramm-Rudman-Hollings), the 1990 Budget Enforcement Act, and the 1996 Line-Item Veto Act to make her case. Torn between constituent demands for federal funds and their obligation to make responsible national budget policy, Farrier concludes, members have attacked their own branch, giving away power, begging to “stop us before we spend again.”
Periplasmic production via the pET expression system of soluble, bioactive human growth hormone

Abstract A pET based expression system for the production of recombinant human growth hormone (hGH) directed to the Escherichia coli periplasmic space was developed. The pET22b plasmid was used as a template for creating vectors that encode hGH fused to either a pelB or ompA secretion signal under control of the strong bacteriophage T7 promoter. The pelB- and ompA-hGH constructs expressed in BL21 (λDE3)-RIPL E. coli are secreted into the periplasm which facilitates isolation of soluble hGH by selective disruption of the outer membrane. A carboxy-terminal poly-histidine tag enabled purification by Ni 2+ affinity chromatography with an average yield of 1.4 mg/L culture of purified hGH, independent of secretion signal. Purified pelB- and ompA-hGH are monomeric based on size exclusion chromatography with an intact mass corresponding to mature hGH indicating proper cleavage of the signal peptide and folding in the periplasm. Both pelB- and ompA-hGH bind the hGH receptor with high affinity and potently stimulate Nb2 cell growth. These results demonstrate that the pET expression system is suitable for the rapid and simple isolation of bioactive, soluble hGH from E. coli .
Response to Evan Rhinesmith’s Review of Exploring the School Choice Universe

We thank Mr. Rhinesmith and the Journal of School Choice for calling readers’ attention to our new volume (Miron, Welner, Hinchey, & Mathis, 2013). For us, this was a labor of love—a way for us to ...
LIM kinase regulation of cytoskeletal dynamics is required for salivary gland branching morphogenesis

Coordinated actin microfilament and microtubule dynamics is required for salivary gland development, although the mechanisms by which they contribute to branching morphogenesis are not defined. Because LIM kinase (LIMK) regulates both actin and microtubule organization, we investigated the role of LIMK signaling in mouse embryonic submandibular salivary glands using ex vivo organ cultures. Both LIMK 1 and 2 were necessary for branching morphogenesis and functioned to promote epithelial early- and late-stage cleft progression through regulation of both microfilaments and microtubules. LIMK-dependent regulation of these cytoskeletal systems was required to control focal adhesion protein-dependent fibronectin assembly and integrin β1 activation, involving the LIMK effectors cofilin and TPPP/p25, for assembly of the actin- and tubulin-based cytoskeletal systems, respectively. We demonstrate that LIMK regulates the early stages of cleft formation--cleft initiation, stabilization, and progression--via establishment of actin stability. Further, we reveal a novel role for the microtubule assembly factor p25 in regulating stabilization and elongation of late-stage progressing clefts. This study demonstrates the existence of multiple actin- and microtubule-dependent stabilization steps that are controlled by LIMK and are required in cleft progression during branching morphogenesis.
Managing the neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson's disease

Neuropsychiatric symptoms frequently complicate the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Approximately 27% of PD patients are demented, and approximately 19% are cognitively impaired without being demented. These 46% of patients are prone to development of delirium when they take antiparkinsonian drugs. Approximately 40% of PD patients are depressed. The depression may be endogenous or exogenous, apathetic or agitated. Approximately 40% of PD patients are anxious or have panic attacks. The attacks may or may not be associated with depression. This article reviews the diagnosis of these symptoms and discusses their management.
Akt Phosphorylation of Serine 21 on Pak1 Modulates Nck Binding and Cell Migration

The p21-activated protein kinases (Paks) regulate cellular proliferation, differentiation, transformation, and survival through multiple downstream signals. Paks are activated directly by the small GTPases Rac and Cdc42 and several protein kinases including Akt and PDK-1. We found that Akt phosphorylated and modestly activated Pak1 in vitro. The major site phosphorylated by Akt on Pak1 mapped to serine 21, a site originally shown to be weakly autophosphorylated on Pak1 when Cdc42 or Rac activates it. A peptide derived from the region surrounding serine 21 was a substrate for Akt but not Pak1 in vitro, and Akt stimulated serine 21 phosphorylation on the full-length Pak1 much better than Rac did. The adaptor protein Nck binds Pak near serine 21, and its association is regulated by phosphorylation of this site. We found that either treatment of Pak1 in vitro with Akt or coexpression of constitutively active Akt with Pak1 reduced Nck binding to Pak1. In HeLa cells, green fluorescent protein-tagged Pak1 was concentrated at focal adhesions and was released when Akt was cotransfected. A peptide containing the Nck binding site of Pak1 fused to a portion of human immunodeficiency virus Tat to allow it to enter cells was used to test the functional importance of Nck/Pak binding in Akt-stimulated cell migration. This Tat-Nck peptide reduced Akt-stimulated cell migration. Together, these data suggest that Akt modulates the association of Pak with Nck to regulate cell migration.
The global hotspot distribution and instability of D

We present a new spherical harmonic expansion of the global hotspot distribution, with the contribution of each hotspot weighted by its buoyancy flux. The resulting power spectrum, normalized to that expected for a random distribution, has statistically significant peaks only at degrees 1 and 2. To explain this, we study a simple model for the origin of mantle plumes in the D″ layer at the base of the mantle: the Rayleigh-Taylor instability of two superposed fluid layers with different viscosities and densities in a spherical shell. The wavelength of the fastest growing instability greatly exceeds the thickness of D″ and increases as the viscosity contrast γ across this layer increases. These results are consistent with the hotspot spectrum if γ ∼ 106.
Association of macroinvertebrate assemblages with dissolved oxygen concentration and wood surface area in selected subtropical streams of the southeastern USA

Woody debris (CWD) is an important habitat component in northern Gulf of Mexico coastal plain streams, where low gradients and low flows allow accumulation of CWD and promote low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations. We tested the influences of CWD and DO on stream macroinvertebrates experimentally by placing two surface area CWD treatments each in three concentrations of ambient DO in two streams in Louisiana, USA, with macroinvertebrates collected from ambient woody debris used as a control. We also sampled macroinvertebrates in benthic and woody debris habitats in three streams twice yearly over 2 years to examine the applicability of the experimental results. Total abundance, richness (generic), and Shannon–Wiener diversity were all higher in lower DO conditions during the experiment, and total abundance was higher in the larger CWD treatment. Stream sampling corroborated the relationship between higher diversity and low DO in both benthic and woody debris habitats, but the relationship between richness and low DO only was supported in benthic habitats. Few taxa correlated with DO or CWD in the experiment (5 of 21 taxa) or stream survey (2 of 54 taxa). Whereas most taxa were uncorrelated with experimentally manipulated and in-stream measured variables, we suggest these taxa respond as generalists to stream habitat and physicochemistry. Based on this experiment and stream sampling, we believe the majority of macroinvertebrates in these streams are tolerant of seasonally low DO conditions.
Molecular mechanisms for synchronous, asynchronous, and spontaneous neurotransmitter release

Most neuronal communication relies upon the synchronous release of neurotransmitters, which occurs through synaptic vesicle exocytosis triggered by action potential invasion of a presynaptic bouton. However, neurotransmitters are also released asynchronously with a longer, variable delay following an action potential or spontaneously in the absence of action potentials. A compelling body of research has identified roles and mechanisms for synchronous release, but asynchronous release and spontaneous release are less well understood. In this review, we analyze how the mechanisms of the three release modes overlap and what molecular pathways underlie asynchronous and spontaneous release. We conclude that the modes of release have key fusion processes in common but may differ in the source of and necessity for Ca2+ to trigger release and in the identity of the Ca2+ sensor for release.
DNA Looping Kinetics Analyzed Using Diffusive Hidden Markov Model

Tethered particle experiments use light microscopy to measure the position of a micrometer-sized bead tethered to a microscope slide via an approximately micrometer-length polymer, to infer the behavior of the invisible polymer. Currently, this method is used to measure rate constants of DNA loop formation and breakdown mediated by repressor protein that binds to the DNA. We report a new technique for measuring these rates using a modified hidden Markov analysis that directly incorporates the diffusive motion of the bead, which is an inherent complication of tethered particle motion because it occurs on a timescale between the sampling frequency and the looping time. We compare looping lifetimes found with our method, which are consistent over a range of sampling frequencies, to those obtained via the traditional threshold-crossing analysis, which vary depending on how the raw data are filtered in the time domain. Our method does not involve such filtering, and so can detect short-lived looping events and sudden changes in looping behavior.
Social Network Influences on Service Use Among Urban, African American Youth with Mental Health Problems

Abstract Purpose To examine the associations between the size and quality of African-American adolescents' social networks and their mental health service use, and to examine whether these social network characteristics moderate the association between need for services because of emotional or behavioral difficulties and use of services. Method Participants were a community sample of African-American adolescents ( N = 465; 46.2% female; mean age, 14.78) initially recruited in 1st grade for participation in an evaluation of two preventive intervention trials. Social network influences and adolescents' mental health service use in schools and community were accessed. Results A significant positive association between adolescents' perception that their social network was helpful and their use of school mental health services was identified. The significant associations between need for services for anxiety, depression, or behavior problems, and school and outpatient service use were moderated by size of the social network. Specifically, among youth in need of services for anxiety or depression, school-based service use was higher for those with larger social networks. Conclusions Implications for enhancing access to formal mental health services include further examination of key social network influences that potentially serve as facilitators or barriers to formal help-seeking. The findings also suggest that it might be important to integrate social network members into interventions to address the mental health needs of adolescents.
On optimality of adiabatic switching in MOS energy-recovery circuit

The principle of adiabatic switching in conventional energy-recovery adiabatic circuit is generally explained with the help of a rudimentary RC circuit being driven by a constant current source. However, it is not strictly accurate to approximate a MOS adiabatic circuit by such an elementary model owing to its failure to incorporate the nonlinearity of very deep sub-micron transistors. This paper employs the theory of variational calculus in order to extend the principle of optimality used in this RC model to general MOS adiabatic circuits. Our experimental results include energy dissipation comparison in various adiabatic schemes using optimal power clocking versus other waveforms.
Characteristics of Cities and their Relationship to Heroin Use: An Analysis of Heroin Use Correlates in Metropolitan Areas

The problem addressed in this study was stated in general terms as follows: What are the factors related to differences between cities in heroin use levels? The explanatory power of five alternative conceptual models of heroin use was tested via multiple regression, using the Heroin Problem Index as the measure of heroin use prevalence. The results indicated that while several of the models had some validity, no single model provided a complete explanation of heroin use variability, suggesting that the ultimate explanation of heroin use includes elements from several models. Results were interpreted as supporting the notion that both supply and demand factors are important in heroin use.
Litter and dead wood dynamics in ponderosa pine forests along a 160-year chronosequence.

Disturbances such as fire play a key role in controlling ecosystem structure. In fire-prone forests, organic detritus comprises a large pool of carbon and can control the frequency and intensity of fire. The ponderosa pine forests of the Colorado Front Range, USA, where fire has been suppressed for a century, provide an ideal system for studying the long-term dynamics of detrital pools. Our objectives were (1) to quantify the long-term temporal dynamics of detrital pools; and (2) to determine to what extent present stand structure, topography, and soils constrain these dynamics. We collected data on downed dead wood, litter, duff (partially decomposed litter on the forest floor), stand structure, topographic position, and soils for 31 sites along a 160-year chronosequence. We developed a compartment model and parameterized it to describe the temporal trends in the detrital pools. We then developed four sets of statistical models, quantifying the hypothesized relationship between pool size and (1) stand st...
CT appearance of traumatic dislocated lens.

The patient was referred to the Eye Clinic for a detailed ocular examination to evaluate a high-density structure found within the right globe. Pertinent history included poor vi sion in the right eye after being stru ck by a chain 7 years earlier. The left eye was normal. Visual acuity tests revealed the right eye to be aphakic. The pupil was mid-dilated and unresponsive to light, and a slit-lamp examination revealed absence of a normally positioned lens. Intraocular pressure was normal. Fundoscopy revealed a posteriorly dislocated, catarac­ tous lens floating in the vitreous in the posterior pole close to the retinal surface. A diagnosis was made of traumatic dislocation of the lens with aphakia, and traumatic pupil. Discussion A dislocated lens may occur spontaneously or secondary to trauma. In younger patients a number of ocular or systemic conditions may predispose to spontaneous lens dislocation , including simple ectopia lentis, Marfan syndrome, and hyper­ Iysinemia. In older patients the most common cause of spon­ taneous lens dislocation is a mature or hypermature catar­ actous lens . However, trauma accounts for more than 50% of all cases [1]. Usually, a posteriorly dislocated lens is well tolerated, with the eye maintaining correctable vision without the develop­ ment of glaucoma [2- 5]. However, a number of complications may develop, such as retinal detachment, secondary glau­ coma, poor vision , uveitis, and chorioretinal degeneration. These complications may be the result of small breaks in the lens capsule, which permit leakage of irritating liquified ma­ terial from within the central substance of the lens into the surrounding vitreous [1]. In such cases surgical removal of the lens is warranted along with appropriate medical therapy to resolve glaucoma and uveitis. The posteriorly dislocated lens was seen on CT as a lentiform-shaped mass with a broad base abutting the retinal
Effect of Head-Restraint Rigidity on Whiplash Injury Risk

The present study investigated the effects of the structural stiffness of the head restraint and its attachment rigidity on the biomechanical responses and related injury measures of the neck in a rear impact vehicular collision. A series of simulated rear impacts were conducted using a mid-sized male test dummy seated in a modified late-model front passenger seat on a deceleration crash sled with a FMVSS 202 pulse. Preliminary results demonstrated that a more rigid head restraint in its design and attachment produced lesser values in most biomechanical injury measures such as neck shear force, neck extension bending moment, tension-extension neck injury criterion (Nij), shearmoment neck injury criterion (Nkm), and head-torso relative extension angular displacement. This is true for a wide range of seatback recliner stiffness. This suggests that a more rigid head restraint may have a protective advantage over a more pliant one for the neck in a rear impact. The result of this study underscores the need for dynamic testing to completely evaluate the performance of head restraint system.
Alignment and Misalignment of Technology Push and Regulatory Pull: Federal RD&D Support for SO₂ and NOx Emissions Control Technology for Coal-Fired Power Plants, 1970-2000

This paper relies on interviews and documentary evidence to describe federal RD&D policy for SO2 and NOx emissions controls for coal-fired power plants from 1970 to 2000 and to assess its impact on technology development. The narrative begins by describing the RD&D program of the EPA in the 1970s, which many observers deem to have been successful, but which was largely dismantled after the election of Ronald Reagan to the presidency in 1980. We then turn to the contributions of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), which has been the main federal agency operating in this area since 1980, and particularly to DOE’s Clean Coal Technology Demonstration Program (CCTDP), which began in 1985. The narrative as a whole suggests a mixed verdict on the effectiveness of past federal emissions control RD&D.In the paper’s conclusion, we mine this narrative history for insights that may be useful to current policy-makers. We argue first that regulatory pull is a necessary component for an effective greenhouse gas reduction policy, while technology push is not. However, a well-designed technology push may enhance the impact of regulation and lower the cost of compliance. Second, we should not expect that these two components will be well-aligned, due to the differences in the institutional frameworks for making the two types of policy. Third, RD&D policy should not be judged a failure if the technological options it supports are not widely commercialized or adopted. Instead, the standard should be whether RD&D led to options that might have been widely adopted if circumstances (regulatory, market, and technical) had been somewhat different. Determining what constitutes a plausible range of circumstances for application of this standard is a job that should be delegated to program managers, who must be able to exercise independent judgment, advised by technical experts who are drawn from diverse backgrounds.
Long-memory exchange rate dynamics in the euro era

Abstract We investigate the long-run dynamics of a system of eight major exchange rates in the euro era using both integer and fractional cointegration methodologies. Contrary to the fragile evidence in the pre-euro era, robust evidence of linear cointegratedness is obtained in the foreign exchange market during the euro era. Upon closer examination, deviations from the cointegrating relationship exhibit nonstationary, long-memory dynamic behavior (Joseph effect). We find the long-memory evidence to be temporally stable in the most recent era. Finally, the foreign exchange system dynamics appears to be characterized by less persistence (smaller fractional exponent) in the euro era (as compared to pre-euro time periods), potentially indicating increased policy coordination by central banks in the recent period.
An Assessment of Surface Wave Techniques at the Texas A&M National Geotechnical Experimentation Site

Three surface wave techniques, SASW, active MASW, and passive MASW, were conducted at the National Geotechnical Experimentation Site on the campus of Texas A&M University, and the data were made available to the professional community. Ten participants submitted results from their analyses of the collected data. The authors' analysis indicated that both the dispersion data and inverted shear wave velocity profiles were similar for the three methods, although the active MASW results typically display higher phase and shear wave velocities. For all participants, the results are generally in good agreement in an upper zone of the site profile, while the variability is typically much higher below this upper zone.
Genetic variation in Thomomys bulbivorus, an endemic to the Willamette Valley, Oregon

Populations of Thomomys bulbivorus , a pocket gopher endemic to the Willamette Valley, were sampled at irregular intervals along a north-south transect from Hillsboro, Washington Co., to Monroe, Benton Co., Oregon; this produced 217 specimens from 10 localities. Starchgel electrophoresis was used to assess intra- and interpopulation genetic variation. Of 43 presumptive loci, 11 were polymorphic. T. bulbivorus exhibited a genetic pattern of limited inbreeding within populations ( F IS = 0.138) and much differentiation among populations ( F ST = 0.232) coupled with a high level of heterozygosity (0.048). This pattern is characteristic of species of Thomomys , except T. townsendii , with more extensive geographic distributions than T. bulbivorus . As reported for Geomys , the level of intraspecific heterozygosity in Thomomys appears to be unrelated to the extent of the geographic distribution of the species. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis of a balance between random genetic drift and gene flow. The pattern of differentiation among current populations of T. bulbivorus , as revealed by cluster analysis of Rogers' genetic similarity coefficients, reflects a cataclysmic event affecting the entire geographic distribution of the species ca. 13,000 years ago.
Sparse Gauss-Hermite Quadrature Filter for Orbit Estimation

In this paper, a new nonlinear filter based on Sparse Gauss-Hermite Quadrature (SGHQ) is proposed for orbit estimation. Although Gauss-Hermite Quadrature (GHQ) has been widely used in numerical integration, its usage in nonlinear filtering is relatively new with a few successful applications to one-dimensional problems. It is difficult to use for higher dimensional nonlinear filtering problems because the conventional GHQ based filter that uses product operations is difficult to implement as the number of points increases exponentially with dimension. In this work, we use the sparse grid method based on the Smolyak’s Product Rule to design a new sparse GHQ filter to alleviate the curse-of-dimensionality problem. The number of SGHQ points needed for higher dimensional problems is dramatically less than that of the original method. The performance of this new filter is demonstrated through the orbit estimation problem, which demonstrates better results than the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF).
Anti-androgenic activity of absorption-enhanced 3, 3'-diindolylmethane in prostatectomy patients

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables is associated with a decreased risk of developing prostate cancer. Antineoplastic effects of cruciferous vegetables are attributable to bioactive indoles, most prominently, 3, 3'-diindolylmethane (DIM). In addition to effects on proliferation and apoptosis, DIM acts as an antiandrogen in prostate cancer cell lines. This study characterized the effects of prostatic DIM on the androgen receptor (AR) in patients with prostate cancer. Men with localized prostate cancer were treated with a specially formulated DIM capsule designed for enhanced bioavailability (BR-DIM) at a dose of 225 mg orally twice daily for a minimum of 14 days. DIM levels and AR activity were assessed at the time of prostatectomy. Out of 28 evaluable patients, 26 (93%) had detectable prostatic DIM levels, with a mean concentration of 14.2 ng/gm. The mean DIM plasma level on BR-DIM therapy was 9.0 ng/mL; levels were undetectable at baseline and in follow-up samples. AR localization in the prostate was assessed with immunohistochemistry. After BR-DIM therapy, 96% of patients exhibited exclusion of the AR from the cell nucleus. In contrast, in prostate biopsy samples obtained prior to BR-DIM therapy, no patient exhibited AR nuclear exclusion. Declines in PSA were observed in a majority of patients (71%). Compliance was excellent and toxicity was minimal. In summary, BR-DIM treatment resulted in reliable prostatic DIM levels and anti-androgenic biologic effects at well tolerated doses. These results support further investigation of BR-DIM as a chemopreventive and therapeutic agent in prostate cancer.
Modern Economics in the USA

Through the comparison of the establishment and teaching condition of economic disciplines of Chinese and American universities, the paper delineates the traits of education of economics in the US and deals with three main components of the theoretical analysis framework of modern economics, that is, the visual angle to consider problems from practice, reference point or datum point, a series of powerful analytic tool. In the paper is also depicted the role of mathematics in modern economics.
Saturation and Potentials

Throughout this book I will be interested especially in situations that are overloaded with a glut of possible meanings, but where no single line of interpretation has yet come to dominate. This view has precursors in various critiques of the decodable meanings of structuralism, from Victor Turner’s discussions of multivocal symbols (1967), to the sociolinguistic turn away from structures of langue to the contextual meanings of parole, to post-structuralism in literary criticism. Each of these approaches pushes us away from structure alone, and toward a more complex view of indeterminate and ambiguous interpretation. While I will go on to argue that the ambiguities are resolved in certain social circumstances, comparable to the kinds of institutionalized rationalization that Max Weber saw in the Protestant sects (Weber, 1946), let me begin here with the argument for inherently indeterminate interpretation.
Simple and Accurate Approximations for Reflectance from a Semi-Infinite Turbid Medium

Rational polynomial approximations are given for the total reflection from a semiinfinite turbid medium for normal collimated irradiance. These approximations have an error of less than 0.01 for any albedo or anisotropy.
Hyaline Protoplasmic Astrocytopathy: A Clinicopathologic Study.

Objectives: Hyaline protoplasmic astrocytopathy is a rare condition marked by the accumulation of various proteins in the cytoplasm of protoplasmic astrocytes. Methods: This study retrospectively reviews the clinicopathologic features of 14 patients (nine females; mean age, 9.1 years) with hyaline protoplasmic astrocytopathy. Results: Patients had chronic seizures (mean duration, 101.1 months); mean age at seizure onset was 6.9 months. Three patients had Aicardi syndrome, and one patient had tuberous sclerosis. Associated focal cortical dysplasia was noted in all 14 cases. Patterns of dysplasia observed included International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) type I Ib (n = 7), ILAE type Ib (n = 4), ILAE type Ic (n = 2), and ILAE type IIa (n = 1). Additional pathologic findings included evidence of contusional damage (n = 5), gray matter nodular heterotopias (n = 3), polymicrogygria (n = 2), hemimegalencephaly (n = 2), and hippocampal sclerosis (ILAE type II, CA1 sclerosis) (n = 1). Postoperative follow-up intervals ranged from two to 93 months (mean, 31.2 months). Seven patients were free of seizures or had only rare disabling seizures (Engel I/II) at most recent follow-up. Two patients had recurrent seizures with no worthwhile improvement (Engel IV) at follow-up. Conclusions: The current series supports an association of Aicardi syndrome (21% of cases) and focal cortical dysplasia (100% of cases) and hyaline protoplasmic astrocytopathy.
Detecting Cardiac Allograft Rejection in the Era of Personalized Medicine: a Review of Current Genomic Surveillance Techniques

Approximately 25 % of patients will experience an episode of treated cellular rejection in the first year post-transplant. Endomyocardial biopsy has long been considered the gold standard for detecting rejection, despite its invasive nature and limitations in sampling, timing, and interpretation. Numerous prior studies of imaging techniques and biomarkers have failed to provide a reliable non-invasive alternative to biopsy, until the introduction of gene-expression profiling. Gene-expression profiling has been shown to be non-inferior to endomyocardial biopsy in low-risk populations and has now entered routine clinical use. Other novel genomic-based technologies are also beginning to show promise as non-invasive means to determine the risk of rejection but have not yet been validated in large transplant patient populations. This review surveys the clinically relevant genomic-based testing modalities, such as gene expression profiling, microRNA, and cell-free donor DNA for the non-invasive detection of rejection after cardiac transplantation.
Achieving Full Security in Privacy-Preserving Data Mining

In privacy-preserving data mining, a number of parties would like to jointly learn a function of their private data sets in a way that no information about their inputs, beyond the output itself, is revealed as a result of such computation. Yang et al. 2010 showed that several popular data mining algorithms can be reduced to three basic operations, secure implementation of which -- termed Secure Product of Summations (SPoS), Secure Ratios of Summations (SRoS), and Secure Comparison of Summations (SCoS) -- would lead to privacy-preserving data mining solutions. The authors showed that prior privacy-preserving data mining solutions are unsatisfactory in presence of participants' collusion and they gave new implementation of these operations that were designed to sustain the collusion. In this work, we show that unfortunately the protocols of Yang et al. leak a significant amount of private information and are not secure even if no collusion takes place. We then show how these operations can be securely and efficiently realized in the same and stronger security models, which leads to fully secure solutions for many data mining algorithms.
Tau and amyloid-β proteins distinctively associate to functional network changes in the aging brain

Abstract Introduction Misfolded tau and amyloid β (Aβ) proteins progressively accumulate in the human brain, causing altered neuronal function and neurodegeneration. This study sought to investigate whether the wide spectrum of functional reorganization in aging brains of cognitively normal individuals relates to specific pathological patterns of tau and Aβ deposits. Methods We used functional connectivity neuroimaging and in vivo tau and Aβ positron emission tomography scans to study cortical spatial relationships between imaging modalities. Results We found that a negative association between tau and functional connectivity combined with a positive association between Aβ and functional connectivity is the most frequent cortical pattern among elderly subjects. Moreover, we found specific brain areas that interrelate hypoconnectivity and hyperconnectivity regions. Discussion Our findings have critical implications to understanding how the two main elements of Alzheimer's disease–related pathology affect the aging brain and how they cause alterations in large-scale neuronal circuits.
Good manners and high heels: newspaper coverage of South Carolina’s first female governor

AbstractThis study analyses newspaper articles from South Carolina’s largest newspaper – The State – in order to determine its portrayal of the state’s first female governor, Nikki Haley. Analysis of 138 articles, which were drawn from the first 100 days of the two terms that Haley has served as governor, reflected themes from the cult of true womanhood. Haley was first celebrated as the harbinger of moral change in the political landscape of South Carolina only to be positioned in a contentious space between manhood and femininity by her second term. Her husband’s new role as first gentleman of South Carolina was portrayed on a smaller scale but in a similar vein, one that demonstrated a publication’s attempts to negotiate changing gender roles.
Mud Flow Hazards

Mud volcanoes are known to erupt and spread massive amounts of breccia over a scale of tens of kilometers, both as airborne ejecta and as mud flows. During eruptions over several hours or days, massive amounts of breccia and large volumes of gas are ejected. Breccia flows, several meters thick, spread over hundreds of meters (occasionally several kilometers) in length. Flowing mud can destroy all platforms, pipelines and other operational equipment, because mud volcanoes are usually associated with oil and gas fields.
Autobiography and Gender in Early Modern Literature: Reading Women's Lives, 1600–1680

Introduction: mapping the territory 1. Margaret Hoby: the stewardship of time 2. The construction of a life: the diaries of Lady Anne Clifford 3. Pygmalion's image: the lives of Lucy Hutchinson 4. Ann Fanshawe, private historian 5. Romance and respectability: the autobiography of Anne Halkett 6. Margaret Cavendish: shy person to blazing empress Conclusion: 'the life of me' Bibliography.
A brief period of eyes-closed rest enhances motor skill consolidation.

Post-training sleep benefits both declarative and procedural memory consolidation. However, recent research suggests that eyes-closed waking rest may provide a similar benefit. Brokaw et al. (2016), for example, recently demonstrated that verbal declarative memory improved more following a 15 min period of waking rest, in comparison to 15 min of active wake. Here, we used the same procedures to test whether procedural memory similarly benefits from waking rest. Participants were trained on the Motor Sequence Task (MST), followed by a 15 min retention interval during which they either rested with their eyes closed or completed a distractor task. Rest significantly enhanced MST performance, mirroring the effect observed in Brokaw et al. (2016) and demonstrating that waking rest benefits the early stages of procedural memory. An additional group of participants tested 4 h later displayed no effect of rest. Overall, these results suggest that the early MST performance "boost" described in prior studies may depend on post-learning state.
Estimation of Errors Caused by Radiation and Temperature on Coaxial Signal Cables

To evaluate the combined effects of radiation-induced conductivity and radiation-induced currents on dc readout errors as a function of radiation and temperature, an equivalent dc circuit has been ...
The Reshape America Index

In this book I show that by 2030, one-quarter to one-third of America’s 143 million households will want the very kinds of options provided in mixed-use, amenity-rich, transit-accessible options that commercial corridors and nodes can provide. Because about ten million households have those options now, the nation will need to increase its supply by at least twenty-five million to meet demand in 2030. In effect, if all new homes built in America between 2010 and 2030 were built in those locations, demand for this option would still not be met.
Rough Soil Surface Lessens Annual Grass Invasion in Disturbed Rangeland

Abstract Effective manipulations to prevent the spread of invasive species are needed. Downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.) is an annual invader that often expands after disturbances, compromising restoration of big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt.) communities in western North America. This study examined the effects of two manipulations that may slow seed dispersal: soil microtopography (roughened with 50-cm relief or flat) and woody debris (0.024 m3·m− 2 or none) on restoration of four disturbed mountain big sagebrush (A. tridentata Nutt. ssp. vaseyana) sites in Colorado. Treatments were crossed with seeding in a fully factorial experiment (n = 3). Microtopography and woody debris treatments were also crossed in a seed dispersal experiment using fluorescently marked downy brome seeds. In the restoration study, downy brome invaded two sites, one pervasively and one patchily. Seeding limited downy brome cover at both of these sites and also increased perennial grass and forb cover while limiting shrub cover. At the pervasively invaded site, the rough surface reduced unseeded plot downy brome cover from 13% to 3% by 5 yr post treatment. Woody debris increased shrub and perennial grass cover but had little effect on downy brome. In the seed dispersal experiment, the rough surface reduced downy brome mean dispersal distance twofold to threefold and 95% quantile distance threefold to sixfold. Woody debris slightly reduced downy brome dispersal only within rough surface plots. A rough surface may aid restoration by trapping downy brome seeds near the parent plant, limiting their spatial distribution, increasing intraspecific competition, and reducing propagule pressure. Designing landscapes to slow seed dispersal may help control invasives and promote establishment of seeded species.
Masterâ€™s Studentsâ€™ Perceptions toward Teacher Leadership

This study investigated masterâ€™s level student perceptions of teacher leadership attributes, roles, and responsibilities upon completion of an online Master of Arts in Education, with a concentration in teacher leadership, at a large public university.Â As an inductive, qualitative case study, responses to an open-ended questionnaire were analyzed with coding schemes to establish patterns and trends using grounded theory to categorize responses.Â Deductive coding schemes were used to establish theories comparing the teacher leadership competencies established by the Center for Teacher Quality, National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and the National Education Association (2014).Â Findings indicate alignment to the literature on teacher leadership, specifically with clarity around teacher leadership competencies. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.17.12.4
Assessment of respirator fit capability test criteria for full-facepiece air-purifying respirators

AbstractAn ASTM International subcommittee on Respiratory Protection, F23.65 is currently developing a consensus standard for assessing respirator fit capability (RFC) criteria of half-facepiece ai...
Vaccines for Preventing Influenza in Healthy Children, Healthy Adults, and Older Adults.

Influenza vaccination reduces rates of laboratory-confirmed influenza and symptomatic influenza-like illness in healthy children, healthy adults, and older adults. There is no consistent evidence that influenza vaccination reduces school absenteeism in children, parental absenteeism from work, or adult hospitalizations, nor is there conclusive evidence that influenza vaccination decreases mortality.
Lung morphology and surfactant function in cardiogenic pulmonary edema: a narrative review

The conventional analysis of acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema involves the development of high pulmonary capillary pressures resulting in hydrostatic gradients for fluid flux out of capillaries into the interstitial space and alveolar spaces. However, some patients respond poorly to diuretic management. The PubMed database was searched to identify experimental studies on pulmonary edema in animals, experimental studies on surfactant function, including patients with pulmonary edema, and clinical studies reporting barrier dysfunction and/or injury in patients with acute pulmonary edema. Studies with animal models demonstrate that high capillary pressures can cause barrier disruption in alveolar capillary units which increases permeability and the transfer of fluid and protein into lung parenchyma. Fluid in alveolar spaces alters surfactant function which increases fluid flux out of capillaries into the lung parenchyma secondary to larger transcapillary hydrostatic gradients. Patients with acute cardiogenic pulmonary edema have increased levels of surfactant protein B in their plasma which reflect barrier disruption and increased levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha which reflect acute tissue injury. Increased surfactant protein B plasma levels are associated with abnormal gas exchange in patients with chronic heart failure. Patients with exercise-induced left ventricular dysfunction have increased levels of surfactant protein B after short periods of exercise. Pathology studies in patients with chronic heart failure have found increased connective tissue in alveolar capillary units and increased numbers of type II alveolar cells, and these changes represent an adaptive response in these patients. Clinicians need to consider the possibility of barrier dysfunction and disruption in patients with both acute and chronic pulmonary edema and understand that diuresis may have a limited effect on symptoms in some patients.
Predictors of occult lymph node metastasis in cutaneous head and neck melanoma

Abstract Objective To use the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database to verify the findings of a recent National Cancer Database (NCDB) study that identified factors predicting occult nodal involvement in cutaneous head and neck melanoma (CHNM) while identifying additional predictors of occult nodal metastasis and comparing two distinct cancer databases. Methods Cases of CHNM in the SEER database diagnosed between 2004 and 2014 were identified. Demographic information and oncologic data were obtained. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to identify factors associated with pathologic nodal positivity. Results There were 34002 patients with CHNM identified. Within this population, 16232 were clinically node-negative, 1090 of which were found to be pathologically node-positive. On multivariate analysis, factors associated with an increased risk of occult nodal metastasis included increasing depth of invasion (stepwise increase in adjusted odds ratio [OR]), nodular histology (aOR: 1.47 [95% CI: 1.21–1.80]), ulceration (aOR: 1.74 [95% CI: 1.48–2.05]), and mitoses (aOR: 1.86 [95% CI: 1.36–2.54]). Factors associated with a decreased risk of occult nodal metastasis included female sex (aOR: 0.80 [0.67–0.94]) and desmoplastic histology (aOR: 0.37 [95% CI: 0.24–0.59]). Between the SEER database and the NCDB, factors associated with occult nodal involvement were similar except for nodular histology and female sex, which did not demonstrate significance in the NCDB. Conclusion Regarding clinically node-negative CHNM, the SEER database and the NCDB have similarities in demographic information but differences in baseline population sizes and tumor characteristics that should be considered when comparing findings between the two databases. Level of evidence 4.
Concussion Care in the Emergency Department: A Prospective Observational Brief Report.

Study objective Emergency physicians are often the initial—and only—clinical providers for patients who have sustained a mild traumatic brain injury. This prospective observational study seeks to examine the practice patterns of clinicians in an academic Level I trauma center as they relate to the evaluation of patients who were presumed to be at high risk for mild traumatic brain injury. Specifically, we describe the frequency of a documented mild traumatic brain injury evaluation, diagnosis, and discharge education. Methods This pilot study took place in a single academic Level I trauma and emergency care center during a 4-week period. Patients were identified by triage nurses, who determined whether they responded affirmatively to 2 questions that indicated a potential risk for mild traumatic brain injury. Data were abstracted from emergency department clinician documentation on identified patients to describe the frequency of a documented mild traumatic brain injury evaluation (history and physical examination), diagnosis, and discharge education among those who were identified to be at risk for a mild traumatic brain injury. Results Ninety-eight subjects were included in the present study. Documentation of a mild traumatic brain injury evaluation was present for less than 50% of patients, a final diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury was included for 36 (37%; 95% confidence interval 27.8% to 46.7%), and discharge education was provided to 15 (15%; 95% confidence interval 9.2% to 21.4%). Of the 36 patients who received a documented mild traumatic brain injury diagnosis, 15 (41.5%; 95% confidence interval 26.7% to 57.9%) received mild traumatic brain injury–specific discharge education. Conclusion This study suggests that the majority of patients at high risk for mild traumatic brain injury have no documentation of an evaluation for one. Also, patients with a mild traumatic brain injury diagnosis were unlikely to receive appropriate discharge education about it. Education and standardization are needed to ensure that patients at risk for mild traumatic brain injury receive appropriate evaluation and care.