cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrated proteomic analysis of major isoaspartyl-containing proteins in the urine of wild type and protein L-isoaspartate O-methyltransferase-deficient mice.

The formation of isoaspartyl residues (isoAsp or isoD) via either aspartyl isomerization or asparaginyl deamidation alters protein structure and potentially biological function. This is a spontaneous and nonenzymatic process, ubiquitous both in vivo and in nonbiological systems, such as in protein pharmaceuticals. In almost all organisms, protein l-isoaspartate O-methyltransferase (PIMT, EC2.1.1.77) recognizes and initiates the conversion of isoAsp back to aspartic acid. Additionally, alternative proteolytic and excretion pathways to metabolize isoaspartyl-containing proteins have been proposed but not fully explored, largely due to the analytical challenges for detecting isoAsp. We report here the relative quantitation and site profiling of isoAsp in urinary proteins from wild type and PIMT-deficient mice, representing products from excretion pathways. First, using a biochemical approach, we found that the total isoaspartyl level of proteins in urine of PIMT-deficient male mice was elevated. Subsequently...
Metal–Organic chemical vapour deposition of polycrystalline tetragonal indium sulphide (InS) thin films

The dimeric indium thiolate /(t Bu)2In(mu-S sup t Bu)/2 has been used as a single-source precursor for the MOCVD of InS thin films. The dimeric In2S2 core is proposed to account for the formation of the nonequilibrium high-pressure tetragonal phase in the deposited films. Analysis of the deposited films has been obtained by TEM, with associated energy-dispersive X-ray analysis and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.
The Grammatical Background of Kant's General Logic

In the Critique of Pure Reason, Kant conceives of general logic as a set of universal and necessary rules for the possibility of thought, or as a set of minimal necessary conditions for ascribing rationality to an agent (exemplified by the principle of non-contradiction). Such a conception, of course, contrasts with contemporary notions of formal, mathematical or symbolic logic. Yet, in so far as Kant seeks to identify those conditions that must hold for the possibility of thought in general, such conditions must hold a fortiori for any specific model of thought, including axiomatic treatments of logic and standard natural deduction models of first-order predicate logic. Kant's general logic seeks to isolate those conditions by thinking through – or better, reflecting on – those conditions that themselves make thought possible.
High-frequency ultrasound detection of the temporal evolution of protein cross linking in myocardial tissue

The progressive increase in stiffening of the myocardium associated with the aging process and abetted by comorbid conditions such as diabetes may be linked to an excessive number of collagen cross links within the myocardial extra-cellular matrix. To determine whether ultrasound can delineate changes in the physical properties of heart tissue undergoing cross linking, the authors employed a model in which increased cross linking was induced by treating rat myocardial tissue with specific chemical fixatives. Rat hearts (n=5 each group) were arrested at end-diastole, insonified (30 to 50 MHz) fresh within a few minutes of excision in a phosphate buffered solution, placed in a fixative (10% formalin or 2.5% glutaraldehyde) and insonified at 30-minute intervals thereafter for 24 hours. Ultrasonic attenuation increased in tissues cross linked with formalin (maximal change: 27.2/spl plusmn/3.4 dB/cm) and glutaraldehyde (maximal change: 40.2/spl plusmn/5.6 dB/cm) over a 24-hour period. The frequency dependence of the attenuation coefficient increased as a function of the extent of collagen cross links in formalin (maximal change: 0.8/spl plusmn/0.3 dB/cm-MHz) and glutaraldehyde (maximal change: 0.9/spl plusmn/0.6 dB/cm-MHz). This study represents the first time that the precise time course of myocardial protein cross linking in situ has been characterized by using real time monitoring, and the physiologic effect has been delineated on microscopic material properties.
Moving Beyond “Those Kids”: Addressing Teacher Beliefs Regarding the Role of Culture Within Effective Science Pedagogy for Diverse Learners

This study focused on intensive work within a large, urban, low-performing middle school in the southwest to address and transform teacher beliefs regarding the role of culture within their science pedagogy. Given the recent, rapid growth of numbers of students from Hispanic/Latino(a) backgrounds in the United States, it is critical that a paradigm shift takes place within schools and existing beliefs of science teachers to address the needs of a much changed classroom. This study details the journey of middle-school teachers who were provided support and experiences targeted at addressing their existing beliefs regarding the role of culture and the growth and change that were achieved through a science education reform effort. Implications for further research will be discussed, including the need for attention to beliefs regarding culture are shared.
The differential impact of work-oriented vs. communication-oriented juvenile correction programs upon recidivism rates in delinquent males

This study examined recidivism rates in work-oriented (N = 30) and communication-oriented (N = 30) juvenile delinquency programs for males. Both groups were matched for age, ethnic origin, educational achievement, and reading scores. Chi-square analyses indicated significant differences in recidivism rates between groups in both residential (chi2 - 6.71, df = 1, p less than .01) and aftercare (chi2 = 3.89, df = 1, p less than .05) programs. In each phase of the treatment program, recidivism was highest in the work-oriented group. The results suggested that (a) facilitation of family interaction and communication is related closely to successful treatment of the delinquent and consequent recidivism; (b) group counseling that provides the youth and parents an opportunity to learn better communication skills appears to improve family cohesion and solidarity; and (c) newer therapeutic approaches in delinquency should concentrate on filial and family-type therapies.
A wakeup scheme for sensor networks: achieving balance between energy saving and end-to-end delay

Energy saving is a critical task for sensor networks with limited energy supply. Wakeup schemes that turn off sensors' radio when communication is not necessary have great potential in energy saving. However, existing wakeup schemes encounter critical tradeoffs between energy saving and wakeup latency, and little attention has been paid to reducing the packet end-to-end delay while preserving the energy saving capability. We argue that a long delay can be detrimental for large sensor networks. We propose a wakeup scheme that helps to achieve the balance between energy saving and end-to-end delay. The conditions under which the proposed scheme can show improvement are identified.
Novel exciter circuit for ignition of gas turbine engines in aerospace applications

Ignition Exciter System (IES) convert electrical energy at low voltage levels into high intensity sparks capable of firing an air fuel mixture in gas turbines. Generally, electronic switches are in series with the energy discharge path of the spark current. It requires bulky storage capacitor to account for the excessive loss in the series switches. These configurations reduce energy transfer efficiency, and lead to bulkier ignition exciter system. Proposed ignition exciter topology is designed to improve efficiency, reduce real estate and weight; which are major requirements of a high energy discharge system in space constrained environments such as in aerospace applications. Proposed topology makes an effective utilization of key characteristics of passive circuit elements in the formation and sustaining high energy spark. The spark formation circuit consists of an inductive element, utilized to generate high voltage pulse; sufficient enough to initiate an arc. The spark sustaining circuit consists of capacitive element, supplying only the spark energy once the igniter plug becomes conductive. The proposed circuit topology promises to meet the requirements of spark energy delivery into the spark plug at drastically reduced peak current levels. The proposed topology promises higher system efficiency, reduced part count and thus shall reduce the product cost, while making the overall ignition exciter system more reliable. This paper provides the proposed IES circuit design, parameter selection and circuit simulations results for 28VDC to 20kVDC, 18kW peak power IES system.
Formulation of photon diffusion from spherical bioluminescent sources in an infinite homogeneous medium

Background: The bioluminescent enzyme firefly luciferase (Luc) or variants of green fluorescent protein (GFP) in transformed cells can be effectively used to reveal molecular and cellular features of neoplasia in vivo. Tumor cell growth and regression in response to various therapies can be evaluated by using bioluminescent imaging. In bioluminescent imaging, light propagates in highly scattering tissue, and the diffusion approximation is sufficiently accurate to predict the imaging signal around the biological tissue. The numerical solutions to the diffusion equation take large amounts of computational time, and the studies for its analytic solutions have attracted more attention in biomedical engineering applications. Methods: Biological tissue is a turbid medium that both scatters and absorbs photons. An accurate model for the propagation of photons through tissue can be adopted from transport theory, and its diffusion approximation is applied to predict the imaging signal around the biological tissue. The solution to the diffusion equation is formulated by the convolution between its Green's function and source term. The formulation of photon diffusion from spherical bioluminescent sources in an infinite homogeneous medium can be obtained to accelerate the forward simulation of bioluminescent phenomena. Results: The closed form solutions have been derived for the time-dependent diffusion equation and the steady-state diffusion equation with solid and hollow spherical sources in a homogeneous medium, respectively. Meanwhile, the relationship between solutions with a solid sphere source and ones with a surface sphere source is obtained. Conclusion: We have formulated solutions for the diffusion equation with solid and hollow spherical sources in an infinite homogeneous medium. These solutions have been verified by Monte Carlo simulation for use in biomedical optical imaging studies. The closed form solution is highly accurate and more computationally efficient in biomedical engineering applications. By using our analytic solutions for spherical sources, we can better predict bioluminescent signals and better understand both the potential for, and the limitations of, bioluminescent tomography in an idealized case. The formulas are particularly valuable for furthering the development of bioluminescent
The Prenylation of Proteins

The prenylated proteins represent a newly discovered class of post-translationally modified proteins. The known prenylated proteins include the oncogene product p21ras and other low molecular weight GTP-binding proteins, the nuclear lamins, and the gamma subunit of the heterotrimeric G proteins. The modification involves the covalent attachment of a 15-carbon (farnesyl) or 20-carbon (geranylgeranyl) isoprenoid moiety in a thioether linkage to carboxyl terminal cysteine. The nature of the attached substituent is dependent on specific sequence information in the carboxyl terminus of the protein. In addition, prenylation entrains other posttranslational modifications forming a reaction pathway. In this article, we review our current understanding of the biochemical reactions involved in prenylation and discuss the possible role of this modification in the control of cellular functions such as protein maturation and cell growth.
Practical considerations for extending network layer models with OPNET modeler

The Internet is an evolving force that contributes to rapid economic expansion worldwide. However, each newly emerging Internet technology requires rigorous evaluation and testing; a process that often includes simulation and modeling. OPNET Modeler is among the foremost software products for the simulation and modeling of communication protocols and Internet technologies. However, OPNET's considerable amounts of source code and supporting application programming interfaces (API) can be quite overwhelming, even for experienced developers. This paper attempts to demystify the process of modeling in OPNET and enumerate the key steps for creating new simulation models using the OPNET Modeler software package. In this paper, the authors share experiences from their foray into developing a new IP layer mechanism for QoS support. Additionally, this paper details a methodology for expanding the OPNET Modeler network layer implementation.
ERCP radiology basics

It may be tempting for the endoscopist performing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to ignore the basic principles underpinning good radiological technique. However, while a thorough understanding of the physics behind X-ray production and image formation is not necessary, knowledge of basic radiology and its application to ERCP is an advantage when imaging the pancreatic and biliary systems. The endoscopist must also aware of the safety issues involved in dealing with ionizing radiation. In this article, we have covered the important radiological principles and safety issues as applied to ERCP, identified common problems encountered by ERCPists, and endeavored to provide guidance in order to overcome these.
Assessment, Management, and Prognosis of Canine Dominance-Related Aggression

Aggression directed at owners continues to be the most common reason for which dogs are presented to behavioral practices. Diagnosis of this problem is discussed, along with evidence that aggression may be pathologic in some cases. Management of aggression emphasizes safety for owners and realistic expectations for control of the aggression. Other topics discussed include aggression toward children and updates on the neurobiologic and pharmacotherapeutic aspects of dominance-related aggression.
Issues of hormone replacement therapy and cardiovascular disease for elderly women.

Based on epidemiologic studies demonstrating mainly positive biologic effects of estrogen on cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes, earlier recommendations decreed that most, if not all women should be treated with long-term postmenopausal hormone replacement. A review of recent controlled clinical trials demonstrates that previously held dictums might not prove accurate. For elderly women, the decision to begin hormone replacement therapy should not be based on an assumption of protection from cardiovascular diseases. A careful assessment of the risks and benefits, as well as acknowledgement of the outcomes for which hormone replacement therapy has unknown impact, is needed for any decision to begin, continue, or stop hormone replacement therapy.
A Shallow Cumuliform Snowfall Census Using Spaceborne Radar

AbstractThe first observationally based near-global shallow cumuliform snowfall census is undertaken using multiyear CloudSat Cloud Profiling Radar observations. CloudSat snowfall observations and snowfall rate estimates from the CloudSat 2C-Snow Water Content and Snowfall Rate (2C-SNOW-PROFILE) product are partitioned between shallow cumuliform and nimbostratus cloud structures by utilizing coincident cloud category classifications from the CloudSat 2B-Cloud Scenario Classification (2B-CLDCLASS) product. Shallow cumuliform (nimbostratus) snowfall events comprise about 36% (59%) of snowfall events in the CloudSat snowfall dataset. The remaining 5% of snowfall events are distributed between other categories. Distinct oceanic versus continental trends exist between the two major snowfall categories, as shallow cumuliform snow-producing clouds occur predominantly over the oceans. Regional differences are also noted in the partitioned dataset, with over-ocean regions near Greenland, the far North Atlantic Oce...
(27)3 YUKAWA COUPLINGS AND EMBEDDINGS OF DISCRETE GROUPS IN THE $CP^3\times CP^2/Z_3\times Z'_3$ MODEL

It is pointed out that, besides the conventional embedding of the discrete group in the Schimmrigk model in which is embedded nontrivially, there exists an alternate embedding in which Z3 is nontrivially embedded. It is found that, for the Schimmrigk model deformed from the symmetric point by a single (2, 1)-form (z1z2z3), the deformation introduces six more nonvanishing independent (27)3 Yukawa couplings before flux breaking. The alternate embedding introduces many complex Yukawa couplings, even when the modulo is real, giving rise to automatic CP violation.
Structural basis for substrate specificity in ArnB. A key enzyme in the polymyxin resistance pathway of Gram-negative bacteria.

Cationic Antimicrobial Peptides (CAMPs) represent a first line of defense against bacterial colonization. When fighting Gram-negative bacteria, CAMPs initially interact electrostatically with the negatively charged phosphate groups in lipid A and are thought to kill bacteria by disrupting their membrane integrity. However, many human pathogens, including Salmonella and Pseudomonas, have evolved lipid A modification mechanisms that result in resistance to CAMPs and related antibiotics such as Colistin. The addition of 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-Arabinose (Ara4N) to a phosphate group in lipid A is one such modification, frequently found in Pseudomonas isolated from cystic fibrosis patients. The pathway for biosynthesis of Ara4N-lipid A requires conversion of UDP-Glucuronic acid into UDP-Ara4N and subsequent transfer of the amino-sugar to lipid A. ArnB is a pyridoxal-phosphate (PLP) dependent transaminase that catalyzes a crucial step in the pathway: synthesis of UDP-Ara4N from UDP-4-keto-pentose. Here we present the...
John Gill's Reformed Dyothelitism

Despite being rejected as a heretical position at the Third Council of Constantinople (680-81), monothelitism--the belief that the incarnate Christ possesses only one will--has experienced something of a revival in recent decades. This article examines the defense of dyothelitism, or two-wills Christology, provided by one particular Reformed theologian: the seventeenth century Particular Baptist preacher John Gill (1697-1771). As such, this article is an exercise in retrieval theology, pressing the theological reflections of the past into the service of contemporary dogmatics. In narrower terms, this article seeks a retrieval of Reformed dyothelitism, utilizing Gill as one important example of how the two-wills view was refracted through the prism of Reformed Christology and its covenantal categories.
Effects of Blast Resistance of Parents on That of Their F_1 Hybrids in Rice

24 hybrid rice combinations were made by using NcⅡdesign with 6 CMS lines and 4 R lines with different blast resistance.The blast resistance of these hybrid rice combinations and their parents was tested on the panicle blast resistance in natural disease nursery and the resistance spectrum to fungi in greenhouse by using 60 ZA-group and ZB-group isolates of Magnaporthe grisea collected from the widely-used rice varieties in Sichuan and Chongqing.The results showed that the blast resistance of hybrid rice combinations was closely related to that of their R lines.The stronger was the blast resistance of R lines,the stronger that of their hybrid combinations was.The difference of blast resistance of CMS lines had also an influence on that of their hybrid combinations.It is confirmed that the blast resistance of hybrid combinations was influenced by both CMS lines and R lines.However,because the major CMS lines widely used in hybrid rice production were all susceptible to rice blast,the blast resistance of hybrid rice combinations was mainly dependent on the blast resistance of their R lines.Presently,to improve the blast resistance of hybrid rice,it is important to improve the blast resistance of R lines in breeding programs.Meanwhile,the changing tendency of blast resistance of hybrid rice combinations in rice production could be indirectly monitored according to that of blast resistance of R lines.
Immunosuppression in pediatric critical care patients.

Pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) nurses often rely on available immunological information regarding the neonate and the adult and extrapolate data to determine the child’s immunologic function. Review of the child’s innate and acquired immune function reveals conflicting opinions as to the developmental aspects and definitive abilities of the child’s immune system. The child who experiences a critical illness is additionally immunocompromised and requires comprehensive nursing assessments and interventions related to the prevention of infection and to the augmentation of host defenses.
Selective Facilitatory Effects of Vasoactive Intestinal Polypeptide on Muscarinic Mechanisms in Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Ganglia of the Cat

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) is widely distributed in the mammalian peripheral nervous system (11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18) and is frequently localized at sites of cholinergic transmission (17, 18, 26, 27, 28). At some cholinergic synapses VIP has been identified as a cotransmitter released with acetylcholine (ACh) (5, 17, 26, 28, 29). The functions and interactions of these co-transmitters have been studied extensively in the cholinergic innervation of the salivary and sweat glands of the cat (2, 26, 27, 28, 29). At both sites it has been demonstrated that neurally released VIP and ACh can produce independent responses, i.e., vasodilation by VIP and secretion by ACh. In addition, in the salivary gland, VIP and ACh have synergistic effects on secretory cells. This synergistic interaction is unusual since VIP does not directly stimulate glandular secretion but rather enhances the secretory effect of ACh, possibly by increasing the affinity for ACh of the muscarinic receptors on the gland cells (30). Thus, VIP appears to be a neuromodulator as well as neurotransmitter at cholinergic synapses in salivary glands.
Purification and Concentration of DNA from Aqueous Solutions

This unit presents basic procedures for manipulating solutions of single- or double-stranded DNA through purification and concentration steps. These techniques are useful when proteins or solute molecules need to be removed from aqueous solutions, or when DNA solutions need to be concentrated. The Basic Protocol, using phenol extraction and ethanol (or isopropanol) precipitation, is appropriate for purification of DNA from small volumes (<0.4 ml) at concentrations lower than 1 mg/ml. Three support protocols outline methods to buffer the phenol used in extractions, concentrate DNA using butanol, and extract residual organic solvents with ether, respectively. An alternative to these methods is nucleic acid purification using glass beads, and this technique is also presented. These protocols may also be used for purifying RNA. The final two alternate protocols are used for concentrating RNA and extracting and precipitating DNA from larger volumes and from dilute solutions, and for removing low-molecular-weight oligonucleotides and triphosphates.
AMINIMIDE POLYMERS AS SUPPORTS FOR AFFINITY CHROMATOGRAPHY, UNDER LOW AND HIGH PRESSURE, OF MICROSOMAL ENZYMES*

Certain aminimide copolymers have been prepared and used to immobilize benzo-[a]pyrene, or N-phenylimidazole or 11-deoxycortisol analogs and thus purify rat liver microsomal enzymes such as cytochrome P-448, epoxide hydrase and NADH-ferricyanide reductase. These polymers have some hydrophobic properties since they bind non-ionic detergents, steroids, polycyclic hydrocarbons, and polyamines but they do not have any appreciable anion-exchange properties. Since these polymers are initially soluble in organic solvents, they can be coated on special glass beads and show great promise as supports for high-pressure affinity chromatography of biomolecules.
Putting It All Together: Embracing Contingencies and Complexity

Building up all of the SCALERS capabilities in the ways described in this book can be a daunting challenge. In this last chapter, I would like to lead you through a step-by-step approach for finalizing a scaling strategy that fits your ecosystem situation and has a reasonable chance for success. The approach involves your answering a set of questions as carefully and honestly as possible, and, depending on the answers, choosing from among a more limited set of pathways to scale. These questions should provide a vehicle for you to obtain a better sense for whether the relationships proposed in Figure 3.3 actually work in your situation. The questions steer you through an assessment of (1) your scaling success to date, (2) your theory of change, (3) your starting resources, and (4) your organizational capabilities. Many of the questions originated from previous empirical research that my colleagues and I have done on the determinants of successful scaling.1
Distinguished Essay: Reflections on the Intellectual History of the International Regulation of Monetary Affairs

The European Yearbook of International Economic Law, in its 2010 issue, published a piece written by Wolfgang Bergthaler and Wouter Bossu entitled “Recent Legal Developments in the International Monetary Fund”. The piece, an excellent and informative one, is factual: it lays out the present legal structure (and a then future amendment of the treaty agreed upon but not at the time implemented) of the International Monetary Fund (“IMF” or “Fund”), an international “financial” organisation whose “purpose”…, according to the authors and the treaty creating the organisation, “…is to promote international monetary cooperation through a permanent institution which provides the machinery for consultation and collaboration on international monetary problems”. The authors, quite understandably as they are civil servants employed by the organisation, avoid mentioning anything in their piece that would suggest that any clause in this treaty (for the document creating the Fund is indeed a treaty with the force of law behind it) or in the statement of its purpose is in the least controversial. (How can “consultation and collaboration” be controversial?) Page 392 of the piece lists the “Challenges Faced by the IMF”, but only the first one listed (“…execut[ing] in a meaningful way its mandate to promote exchange system stability and to avoid competitive exchange depreciation”) suggests that the Fund has any authority that goes beyond “promot[ing] international monetary cooperation”.
Tutorials 1: Switching noise mitigation for integrated dc-dc converters

Mobile communication and navigation devices have fueled the demand for low power implementations to enhance battery life. A critical aspect of reducing power in these devices is the efficiency of the process of converting power from the battery to the various loads in the system. This makes high-efficiency DC-DC switching power converters a natural candidate for such task. Unfortunately, however, with the high level of integration of many noisesensitive analog/RF circuits within these devices, the ability to use and integrate these DC-DC power converters is severely limited due to the large switching noise they generate, which tends to degrade the performance of analog/RF circuits. This forces the use of alternative, inefficient, but low-noise power converters such as linear regulators, and/or large passive components for switching noise suppression. These alternative techniques reduce battery life and increase implementation cost. This tutorial will start by introducing the basic operation of DC-DC power converters and the spectral characteristics of the switching noise they generate with different types of control schemes, such as PWM, PFM, and hysteretic control schemes during DCM and CCM operation modes. This will be followed by introducing the various mechanisms by which this switching noise can couple into and degrade the performance of noise sensitive loads in large SoCs, either directly through powering of these loads, or indirectly through shared power pins and substrate. An overview of conventional switching noise mitigation techniques employed in DC-DC converters will then follow, including techniques such as post linear regulation, active ripple cancellation, multi-phase converters, delta-sigma control, and frequency hopping/stepping. Spread-spectrum and spur-free control techniques that fully eliminate spurious noise in DC-DC converters will then be presented.
Model-Based Feedback Control of a kHz-Excited Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJs) have widespread use in materials processing and biomedical applications. Safe and effective operation of hand-held APPJs is, however, highly sensitive to the intrinsic variability of plasma characteristics as well as exogenous disturbances such as variations in the separation distance between the device tip and target surface. This paper investigates feedback control of the thermal effect and intensity of a kHz-excited APPJ in helium using a proportional-integral control strategy and a model predictive control (MPC) strategy. A data-driven model of the APPJ, developed for a linear operating range using the subspace identification method, is utilized in the design of both control strategies. Real-time control experiments reveal that feedback control is crucial for effective operation of the APPJ in the presence of step disturbances in the device tip-to-surface separation distance. It is observed that the MPC strategy can more effectively regulate the multivariable dynamics of the APPJ for effective setpoint tracking and constraint handling in the face of disturbances.
Disorders of Cholesterol Metabolism

Cholesterol is a white waxy sterol lipid that occurs in all animal cells. It has an important structural role in cell membranes, is the precursor for steroid hormones in the adrenal gland, and is the precursor for bile acids in the liver. Because of its insolubility in water, it is solubilized and transported in the blood as a lipoprotein complex. Cholesterol input to the body comes from the diet and endogenous synthesis, primarily by the liver. Cholesterol output occurs via secretion in the bile, conversion to bile acids, and loss from sloughing off of cells from the skin and intestines; a very small amount is lost in the urine. Lactating females also lose some cholesterol during breast feeding. The daily balance of cholesterol metabolism in humans is shown in Fig. 4–1.
Dynamic changes in the localization of synapse associated proteins during development and differentiation of the mammalian retina

In the present study we have characterized the postnatal (PN) development of the retina in the Brazilian opossum, Monodelphis domestica. Monodelphis, a small, pouchless marsupial undergoes a protracted period of postnatal development. Using bromodeoxyuridine immunohistochemistry, we have investigated postnatal neurogenesis of the retina. In addition, we have examined the differentiation of the retina by using antibodies directed against the presynaptic terminal-associated proteins Synaptotagmin, Rab3A, Synaptophysin and Synaptosomal-Associated Protein-25 (SNAP-25), and have characterized their spatial and temporal distribution during postnatal development. This smdy is the first systematic I Reprinted with permission of Developmental Brain Research, 1996, 96, 159-171 ^Graduate student and Associate ftofessor, respectively. Department of Zoology and Genetics 8c Neuroscience Program, Iowa State Uiversity. ^Primary researcher and author ^Author for correspondence
Nuclear export of herpes virus RNA.

Eukaryotic mRNA Precursors are synthesized in the nucleus by RNA polymerase II, after which they are processed by cappng at the 5′ end, cleavage and polyadenylation to form the 3′ end, and splicing to remove intro sequences. Following these processing events, the mRNA molecules are transported to the cytoplasm where they are translated. The exclange of macromolecules between the nucleus and cytoplasm occurs through nuclear pore complexes NPCs), RNA molecules leave the nucleus though an active, energy-dependent, saturable mechanism (for review, see Nakielny et al. 1997; Mattaj and Englmeier 1998; Ullman et al. 1997; Gorlich 1998). RNA export through the NPC is mediated by proteins (adapters) associated with the RNAs, and these proteins contain signals to use receptor-mediated export through the NPC to transport their cargo (for review, see Stutz and Rosbash 1998). A feature of these proteins is that they shuttle contiuously between the nucleus and the cytoplasm, because these export proteins contain a sequence that signal their import into the nucleus, termed a nuclear localization signal (NLS), as well as a sequence that signals their export from the nucleus, termed a nuclear export signal (NES). Regulation of both nuclear import and nuclear export is mainly exerted at the level of transport complex formation. Some of the receptor proteins with which these shuttling export proteins interact have been defined. However, studies on the composition of the NPC, interactions of receptor-cargo complexes with nucleoporin components of the NPC, and the regulation of export and import have only begun to elucidate the transport process.
Poor Weaning Transition ADG in Pigs is not Correlated with Pathological or Immunological Markers of Enteric Disease during a PRRSV Outbreak

Previous research suggests that enteric disease and gut health interact to decrease pig performance. Our objective was to determine if light birth weight (BRW) pigs or those from the bottom 10th percentile of transition ADG (tADG) have a higher incidence of pathogen presence or enteric lesions than heavier or faster-growing contemporaries. A total of 1,500 pigs were weighed at birth and divided into 5 BRW categories: 1.76 kg. At weaning, 1,054 random pigs were moved to a commercial wean-to-finish barn. Pigs were weighed individually at 0 and 3 weeks post-weaning. Gain from 0 to 3 weeks post-weaning was calculated and termed tADG. Pigs from 3 tADG percentiles were of interest: 10th, 30th and 70th. Forty pigs from each of the 3 tADG percentiles were matched for sex, litter size, and sow parity, but not BRW to create 20 matched sets totaling 60 pigs. Pigs originated from a herd negative for Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV). However, a mixed PRRSV and Influenza A virus outbreak was confirmed week 2 post-weaning. At 3- and 22-weeks post-weaning, pigs were euthanized for organ system tissue evaluation. Lung, lymph node, and digesta were analyzed for presence of various pathogens by PCR and culture methods. Serum and ileal mucosa were analyzed for markers of immunological or oxidative stress. Data were analyzed using PROC CORR, GENMOD, and GLIMMIX, where pig served as the experimental unit. There was no correlation (P > 0.12) between tADG and pathogen presence at either 3- or 22-weeks post-weaning. However, Brachyspira spp. was negatively correlated (P = 0.05; Corr. = -0.881) with birth weight. Neither birth weight (P > 0.54) nor tADG (P > 0.20) affected markers of immunological or oxidative stress in either serum or ileal mucosa at 3- or 22-weeks post-weaning. In summary, poor tADG is not correlated with the pathogens or immunological markers of enteric disease measured in this study.
Reducing Driver Task Load and Promoting Sociability through an Affective Intelligent Driving Agent (AIDA)

This work outlines the development of an Affective Intelligent Driving Agent (AIDA), a social robot that sits in a vehicle’s dashboard and behaves as a friendly assistant. This highly expressive robot uses an Android smartphone as its face, which serves as the main computational unit for the system. AIDA determines what information may be relevant to the driver, delivers it at the most appropriate time, and resolves which expressions should be used when doing so. An evaluation was performed in which participants completed mock driving tasks with the aid of 1) a smartphone with apps, 2) AIDA as a static, expressive agent, or 3) AIDA as a mobile robot. Results showed that the AIDA robot helped reduce user task load and promoted more sociability with users better than the smartphone or AIDA as a static agent.
Facilitating Toddlers’ Social Communication from Within the Parent-Child Relationship: Application of Family-Centered Early Intervention and Mediated Learning Principles

Two complementary theoretical orientations, family-centered early intervention and mediated learning, provide guidance for parent-mediated intervention for toddlers on the autism spectrum. Early intervention for infants and toddlers with disabilities and their families has evolved toward a set of practices that are family-centered, relationship-based, situated in natural environments, and embedded in natural experiences. Mediated learning emphasizes competency-oriented principles that promote “learning to learn” through focusing, organizing and planning, giving meaning, encouraging, and expanding. This chapter describes the integration of early intervention principles within a mediated learning framework to cultivate developmentally important social communication competencies for toddlers with autism. The aim of this approach is to embed relationship-based learning in naturally occurring interactions and to build on prior learning and personal interests as a means of promoting learner self-efficacy, motivation, and active engagement in the social learning process. This integrated framework provides a structure to guide both parent and toddler learning by actively facilitating parents’ conceptual understanding and confidence for supporting toddler social engagement.
Examining musical sophistication: A replication and theoretical commentary on the Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication Index:

The difficulties associated with measuring the complex construct of musicianship have received considerable attention in the music psychology literature. Multiple measures exist for various constru...
Victims Becoming Victimizers

It may seem unthinkable for sex trafficking victims to eventually become the traffickers who recruit victims into the same industry of abuse, pain, and exploitation that they had been forced to endure, it is important to understand that the identities of victims and perpetrators are not distinctly separate from one another (Siegel and Blank, Global Crime 11(4):436–447, 2010). Exposure to the complex dynamics and traumatic experiences of the sex trafficking industry alters the way victims behave, think, and perceive the world around them. Neurobiological research has provided substantial evidence that the development of the brain’s structural and functional capacities is directly shaped by the interactions that individuals have with their environments and their relationships with other people. These developmental concepts are particularly relevant to child victims of the sex trafficking industry because the neural structures in the brain responsible for constructing their sense of reality will be based on violent, abusive relationships (Siegel, The developing mind: how relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are, 2nd ed. Guilford Press, New York, 2012). Victims of human trafficking may have trouble conceptualizing their own identities and have learned to detach from overwhelming emotional experiences such as trauma (Van Der Kolk, Ann N Y Acad Sci 1071(1):277–293, 2006). The research suggests that there are three types of female traffickers: supporters, recruiters, and madams. Victims can turn into traffickers for a variety of reasons. Individuals who are trafficked as children and are raised within these traumatic, exploitive environments are especially prone to becoming trapped within them as adults because they have been raised without the proper resources, education, and experiences that would facilitate their successful integration into mainstream society. Some females may accept their “promotion” from victim to victimizer because it improves their circumstances. Girls are still socialized to believe that attention from the alpha male is an important way to gain social status in their community and in many stables where there are more than one girl being trafficked, being the favorite is considered high status.
CHAPTER 13 – Clinical Features and Molecular Biology of Kennedy's Disease

This chapter discusses clinical features and molecular biology of Kennedy's disease. Kennedy's disease, also known as spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), is an X-linked motor neuron disease caused by GAG repeat expansion in the androgen receptor gene, resulting in polyglutamine tract expansion in the receptor protein. Affected males develop a chronic, progressive neuromuscular deficit and may also show signs of androgen insensitivity. As in other polyglutamine diseases, a pathological feature is inclusion formation in cells expressing the mutant protein. Unlike most other polyglutamine disorders, the normal function of the mutant protein in SBMA is well known. The mutation leads to both a toxic gain of function in affected cells, and a loss of normal receptor function. Lower motor neurons in the spinal cord and brainstem express high levels of the androgen receptor, and these are the cells most susceptible to degeneration in SBMA. In cell culture and animal models, expression of mutant receptor leads to motor neuron dysfunction and cell death. Binding of androgen to the mutant receptor protein has been shown to be important in the pathogenesis of SBMA. There is currently no specific treatment for this disease. However, antiandrogen treatment has been found to be effective in animal models, and is currently being tested in patients with SBMA.
Dynamic Scaling in the Two-Dimensional Heisenberg Antiferromagnet

The two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet has generated considerable interest with respect to its applications for understanding copper-oxide -based high temperature superconductors.1 The model is described by a Hamiltonian, $$H = J\sum\limits_{\left( {n,m} \right)} {{{\vec S}_n}{{\vec S}_m}}$$ (1) where J > 0 and the sum is over nearest neighbor spin variables Sn. While analytic calculations of either ground state or dynamic properties are very difficult for this and related nonlinear spin models, it is sometimes possible to extract important information from numerical calculations. Some success in obtaining ground state properties for the spin-1/2 model has resulted from quantum Monte Carlo calculations.2 However, the principle interest here is in dynamics, for which quantum Monte Carlo calculations are emerging but not yet well-developed. Nevertheless, progress in obtaining quantities such as the dynamic structure function S(q,ω) is occuring.3
Caught between two worlds

Tin Do and Natasha Marston went to Honduras and spent time working with the indiginous population, the Lenca Indians. They learnt about many of the problems unique to indigenous people and talk about some of them here
Epigenetic Remodeling through Downregulation of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 Mediates Chemotherapy Resistance in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors

A greater understanding of the hypersensitivity and curability of testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) has the potential to inform strategies to sensitize other solid tumors to conventional chemotherapies. The mechanisms of cisplatin hypersensitivity and resistance in embryonal carcinoma (EC), the stem cells of TGCTs, remain largely undefined. To study the mechanisms of cisplatin resistance we generated a large panel of independently derived, acquired resistant clones from three distinct parental EC models employing a protocol designed to match standard of care regimens of TGCT patients. Transcriptomics revealed highly significant expression changes shared between resistant cells regardless of their parental origin. This was dominated by a highly significant enrichment of genes normally repressed by H3K27 methylation and the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) which correlated with a substantial decrease in global H3K27me3, H2AK119 ubiquitination, and expression of BMI1. Importantly, repression of H3K27 methylation with the EZH2 inhibitor GSK-126 conferred cisplatin resistance to parental cells while induction of H3K27 methylation with the histone lysine demethylase inhibitor GSK-J4 resulted in increased cisplatin sensitivity to resistant cells. A gene signature based on H3K27me gene enrichment was associated with an increased rate of recurrent/progressive disease in testicular cancer patients. Our data indicates that repression of H3K27 methylation is a mechanism of cisplatin acquired resistance in TGCTs and that restoration of PRC2 complex function is a viable approach to overcome treatment failure.
Evaluating the Use of Commercially Available Wearable Wristbands to Capture Adolescents' Daily Sleep Duration.

Commercially available wearable devices are marketed as a means of objectively capturing daily sleep easily and inexpensively outside of the laboratory. Two ecological momentary assessment studies-with 120 older adolescents (aged 18-19) and 395 younger adolescents (aged 10-16)-captured nightly self-reported and wearable (Jawbone) recorded sleep duration. Self-reported and wearable recorded daily sleep duration were moderately correlated (r ~ .50), associations which were stronger on weekdays and among young adolescent boys. Older adolescents self-reported sleep duration closely corresponded with estimates from the wearable device, but younger adolescents reported having an hour more of sleep, on average, compared to device estimates. Self-reported, but not wearable-recorded, sleep duration and quality were consistently associated with daily well-being measures. Suggestions for the integration of commercially available wearable devices into future daily research with adolescents are provided.
Timing of postnatal steroids for bronchopulmonary dysplasia: association with pulmonary and neurodevelopmental outcomes.

To determine the associations between age at first postnatal corticosteroids (PNS) exposure and risk for severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI). Cohort study of 951 infants born <27 weeks gestational age at NICHD Neonatal Research Network sites who received PNS between 8 days of life (DOL) and 36 weeks’ postmenstrual age was used to produce adjusted odds ratios (aOR). Compared with infants in the reference group (22–28 DOL-lowest rate), aOR for severe BPD was similar for children given PNS between DOL 8 and 49 but higher among infants treated at DOL 50–63 (aOR 1.77, 95% CI 1.03–3.06), and at DOL ≥64 (aOR 3.06, 95% CI 1.44–6.48). The aOR for NDI did not vary significantly by age of PNS exposure. For infants at high risk of BPD, initial PNS should be considered prior to 50 DOL for the lowest associated odds of severe BPD.