cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Smartphone data during the COVID-19 pandemic can quantify behavioral changes in people with ALS.

INTRODUCTION: Passive data from smartphone sensors may be useful for health-care research. Our aim was to use the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic as a positive control to assess the ability to quantify behavioral changes in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) from smartphone data. METHODS: Eight participants used the Beiwe smartphone application, which passively measured their location during the COVID-19 outbreak. We used an interrupted time series to quantify the effect of the US state of emergency declaration on daily home time and daily distance traveled. RESULTS: After the state of emergency declaration, median daily home time increased from 19.4 (interquartile range [IQR], 15.4-22.0) hours to 23.7 (IQR, 22.2-24.0) hours and median distance traveled decreased from 42 (IQR, 13-83) km to 3.7 (IQR, 1.5-10.3) km. The participant with the lowest functional ability changed behavior earlier. This participant stayed at home more and traveled less than the participant with highest functional ability, both before and after the state of emergency. DISCUSSION: We provide evidence that smartphone-based digital phenotyping can quantify the behavior of people with ALS. Although participants spent large amounts of time at home at baseline, the COVID-19 state of emergency declaration reduced their mobility further. Given participants' high level of daily home time, it is possible that their exposure to COVID-19 could be less than that of the general population.
Trabecular Architecture and Mechanical Heterogeneity Effects on Vertebral Body Strength

We aimed to synthesize the recent work on the intra-vertebral heterogeneity in density, trabecular architecture and mechanical properties, its implications for fracture risk, its association with degeneration of the intervertebral discs, and its implications for implant design. As compared to the peripheral regions of the centrum, the central region of the vertebral body exhibits lower density and more sparse microstructure. As compared to the anterior region, the posterior region shows higher density. These variations are more pronounced in vertebrae from older persons and in those adjacent to degenerated discs. Mixed results have been reported in regard to variation along the superior-inferior axis and to relationships between the heterogeneity in density and vertebral strength and fracture risk. These discrepancies highlight that, first, despite the large amount of study of the intra-vertebral heterogeneity in microstructure, direct study of that in mechanical properties has lagged, and second, more measurements of vertebral loading are needed to understand how the heterogeneity affects distributions of stress and strain in the vertebra. These future areas of study are relevant not only to the question of spine fractures but also to the design and selection of implants for spine fusion and disc replacement. The intra-vertebral heterogeneity in microstructure and mechanical properties may be a product of mechanical adaptation as well as a key determinant of the ability of the vertebral body to withstand a given type of loading.
Increasing Medical Power of Attorney Completion for Hospitalized Patients during the COVID Pandemic: A Social Work led Quality Improvement Intervention.

Abstract Background The high risk of mechanical ventilation with COVID hospitalizations requires health-care systems to rapidly innovate advance care planning (ACP) delivery for hospitalized patients to promote goal-concordant care. Measures Assess the impact of a social work and care management intervention on the proportion of admitted patients each week with a Medical Durable Power of Attorney (MDPOA). Intervention Social workers were consulted to assist with identification of a surrogate decision maker and completion of MDPOA forms for hospitalized patients. This intervention utilized change management strategies and was implemented between April and June 2020. Outcomes From a baseline average of 30.1%, the weekly percentage of admitted patients with MDPOA forms rose to 42.8% with correlating evidence of nonrandom special cause variation. Lessons Learned Use of change management strategies resulted in rapid implementation of an effective ACP initiative. Ongoing needs include focusing on intervention sustainability and education of interprofessional providers about ACP processes.
Global perspectives of sales enablement: Constituents, services, and goals

Abstract Over the past decade there has been rapid growth in sales enablement in the marketplace due to numerous changes affecting the buyer-seller interface. Despite this growth, little is known regarding the magnitude of its presence, what assistance is being offered and to whom, and what metrics are found to be valuable. In an exploratory study, the results from 561 responses across 3 regions of the world (Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America) suggest that several significant differences exist as it pertains to sales enablement. Findings indicate that salespeople and account managers are the primary focus of sales enablement initiatives, but significantly different stakeholders also exist across the regions of the world. Moreover, the specific services offered by sales enablement (e.g., training, content, tools, processes, onboarding, coaching) are shown to vary widely across the globe. Even productivity goals are not uniform within sales enablement initiatives. This study contributes to the marketing capabilities theory by extending its application into a new paradigm of sales enablement. We summarize the findings and the managerial implications of this global inquiry.
The forward E/P ratio and earnings growth

Abstract Valuation theories predict a negative relation between the earnings-to-price (E/P) ratio and future earnings growth, but prior studies have produced conflicting results. Using a growth measure that incorporates loss firms, this paper shows that the negative relation exists in the long term, but not in the short term. The results also show a U-shaped relation between the forward E/P ratio and earnings risk. Compared with high forward E/P firms which are inherently financially distressed, low forward E/P firms exhibit even higher incidence of loss and larger growth volatility in subsequent years. The wide distribution of earnings growth in the lowest forward E/P portfolio indicates that this portfolio includes not only star firms that generate the strongest earnings growth, but also firms that report the most negative earnings growth. This paper shows that the forward E/P ratio is a stronger predictor of future growth than the conventionally used trailing E/P ratio.
The Effect of Magnetic Assisted Ball Burnishing on the Corrosion Resistance of C45 Steel

The development of modern science requires developing more economical, more environmentally friendly and more efficient procedures in the area of machine parts production as well. Corrosion, as a natural process, shortens the lifetime of our structures and machines. Although there are corrosion-resistant materials and various ways of protections against corrosion, all of them result in more expensive and more complex solutions. The increase in the corrosion resistance of metals can be achieved not only by applying surface protective coatings, but also by the usage of more economical and more efficient manufacturing processes. The developed, novel technology - Magnetic Assisted Ball Burnishing (MABB) - helps to increase the hardness of the surface and to reduce the surface roughness in the same time. This article investigates the effects of MABB machined workpieces against corrosion. The corrosion rate and the related technological parameters were optimized by the well-known Taguchi method. Corrosion tests were performed with a BioLogic SP-150 potentiostat in a conventional three-electrode corrosion cell. The recorded Tafel curves of the different specimens enable the calculation of the corrosion rate and time. The results prove that the corrosion resistance can be slightly increased by MABB machining, but it depends on the tool feed rate and the pre-machined surface roughness. The machining speed and the burnishing strategies show significant effects on the corrosion rate as well. The introduced MABB tool enables the reduction of the costs of further working-surface postprocessing, the increase in the hardness and lifetime of the treated surfaces, while surface roughness can be significantly reduced.
The Effect of Modifiable Risk Factors on Postoperative Complications in Lumbar Spine Fusions.

Study Design:Retrospective cohort study.Objectives:The impact of modifiable risk factors (MRFs) on complications, costs, and readmission rates at 30, 90, and 180-days following lumbar spine fusion....
Trends in the Reduction of Nitrogen Dioxide Emissions: Effect of 2020 SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic Versus Emission Reduction Regulations (preprint)

Nitrogen Dioxide is primarily emitted to the atmosphere through the combustion of fossil fuels, and the measurement of its emission serves as the indicator for the emission of the group of nitrogen oxides (NOx), which have adverse effects on health, environment, and climate. Over the past few decades, countries around the world have enacted policies to reduce the emission of air pollutants and greenhouse gasses. In 2019, NOx concentration in the United States was 62% lower than the 2002 levels. Therefore, when studying the impact of sporadic events such as COVID-19 restrictions on emissions, it is necessary to account for such ongoing reductions. Using Sentinel-5P satellite and twenty-six roadside ground monitors, we studied the change of NO2 concentration in the US Northeast megapolis. Using the National Emission Inventory (NEI) report on total NOx emissions (stationary and mobile) and the US EPA Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES), we quantified the reduction of total NOx emissions and those from mobile sources for the study region. We find that the pandemic resulted in a 3.4% reduction of total NOx emissions. This is compared to (and in addition to) the expected 8.2% reduction, which has been persistently occurring over the past decade as the result of the Clean Air Act, and which would have taken place even in the absence of the pandemic. When considering NOx emissions from mobile sources only, the pandemic resulted in a 5% reduction of NOx emissions, compared to (and in addition to) the expected 10.9% policy-driven reduction. Using mobility data from the Apple Corporation and roadside vehicle count sensors, we find that the volume of freight traffic, the principal source of mobile emissions, reduced considerably less than automobile traffic volume during the pandemic restrictions. We believe this is the primary contributing factor to the relatively low pandemic-related reduction of NO2 emissions.
TARP Investments: Financials and Politics

We investigate the determinants of capital allocation to financial institutions under the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Our main finding is that banks’ political ties played a significant role in the distribution of TARP funds. Specifically, connections to House members on finance committees and representation at the Federal Reserve via board members are positively related to the likelihood of receiving TARP capital. The TARP investment amounts are positively related to banks’ size-adjusted political contributions and lobbying expenditures. The effect of political influence is the strongest for poorly performing banks, thus shifting capital allocation toward weaker institutions. Overall, the study provides evidence about various channels through which political activism affects government spending.
Strategy drives implementation: COVID vaccination in Israel.

This commentary on Rosen, Waitzberg, and Israeli’s assessment of Israel’s COVID response points to differences in the coherence of each national government’s strategy as the key factor influencing the effectiveness of the vaccine drive. The strengths of the Israeli healthcare system facilitated implementation of the roll-out, but the government’s unambiguous prioritization of vaccination drove implementation success.
Effect of Building Regulations on Built Environment

One of the most underestimated facets of the influence technology has had on the well-being of our Society is the role played by institutionalized building regulations. For the public at large there is undoubtedly an awareness that there exists a body of regulations governing the way buildings are built. Although the public usually knows little about the content of these regulations, it maintains a rather consistent impression that these regulations have been established as protection against dangers that could possibly result from poor or unthinking methods of building construction. Only the more astute may be aware that this may or may not be completely so, or that regulations are responsive to other pressures. On the other hand, architects and engineers, particularly structural engineers, are often so intimately involved with building regulations that the regulations typically become an integral part of their professional concerns. In view of this, it is a little surprising that such professionals do not take or demand a more active role in shaping these regulations.
The Sābians of Harrān and the classical tradition

This article addresses questions concerning the characteristics of the paganism of Harrān, its eclectic sources, and its development by examining the relationships—real, possible, and fictitious—of various personalities with the city of Harrān from Assyrian times till the Mongol attack in 1271. It is suggested that the Sābians used Neoplatonism, which, if Tardieu's analysis is correct, they originally learned from Simplicius, to develop, explain, and justify their practice of astral magic, and that their interest in the Greek astronomy and astrology that astral magic required served to maintain the study and to preserve the texts of these sciences during the centuries in which they were ignored in Byzantium. It is further shown that the Greek philosophical and scientific material available to them was mingled with elements form ancient Mesopotamia, India, Iran, Judaism, and Egypt to form a syncretic system of belief that they could claim to be mankind's oriinal and authentic, religion.
On-line approximation based control of uncertain nonlinear systems with magnitude, rate and bandwidth constraints on the states and actuators

This article presents a new method for on-line approximation based backstepping control in the presence of known magnitude, rate, or bandwidth constraints on the intermediate states or actuators. The presentation is based on developing the design and analysis for a second-order system - these results can be recursively extended to higher order systems. The new results allow on-line learning to continue even when known magnitude, rate, or bandwidth constraints are in effect, even though those constraints do not allow the control objectives to be met for the duration of those constraints.
The flush method for determining blood pressures in infants. II. Normal values during the first year of life.

Observations were made on 551 Caucasian infants from 1 day to 1 year of age. All subjects had normal cardiovascular status and were free from acute or chronic infections. A total of 1,712 measurements of blood pressure were obtained by the flush technique. It is known that measurements made using the flush technique approximate the mean rather than the systolic blood pressure. The values obtained were analyzed in relation to sex, age and body weight. No correlation is found between sex and blood pressure or between body weight within a given monthly age category and blood pressure. Measurements of blood pressure show a pronounced and highly significance rise following the first week of life. During the first 9 months of life the readings are somewhat higher at the wrist than at the ankle. Thereafter, the converse is true. The significance of these findings is discussed. Arithmetic means and the range of normal blood pressure are presented. Exclusive of the first week of life, the range of normal blood pressure during the first year is from 51 to 93 mm Hg for the upper extremity and from 44 to 92 mm Hg for the lower extremity.
Wilms’ tumor (WT1) gene expression in rat decidual differentiation

Abstract The Wilm's tumor suppressor gene (WT1) encodes a zinc-finger containing transcription factor that is selectively expressed in the developing urogenital tract, where it is thought to play a role in the differentiation of these tissues. We have used immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization to study WT1 expression in the rat uterus during normal development and pregnancy from 0 to 20 days post coitum (p.c.). WT1 mRNA was abundant in uterine stroma from juvenile rats, but was much less abundant in uterine tissue from sexually mature rats; WT1 expression is not affected by ovariectomy or by treatment with estradiol or estradiol plus progesterone. WT1 gene was highly expressed, however, in the endometrial cells of early pregnancy. On day 6 p.c. WT1 mRNA was detected in anti-mesometrial decidual cells, and WT1 immunorcactivity was concentrated in the nuclei of these cells. All cells of fully-developed deciduoma at 7–8 days p.c. demonstrated WT1 expression. WT1 was not detected in trophoblast/placental tissues but remained abundant in the decidua basalis until parturition. The expression of WT1 was compared with insulin-like growth factor-II (IGF-II) and its receptor in the decidual since it has been shown that IGF-II gene transcription is repressed by WT1 in vitro. However, no spatiotemporal correlation in the expression of these three genes was found in differentiation of the rat decidua. In summary, these data suggest a role for WT1 in decidualization, since its expression is activated during the differentiation of uterine stromal cells into decidual cells.
Estimation of instantaneous frequency fluctuation in a fast DVFS environment using an empirical BTI stress-relaxation model

This work proposes an empirical Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) stress-relaxation model based on the superposition property. The model was used to study the instantaneous frequency fluctuation in a fast Dynamic Voltage and Frequency Scaling (DVFS) environment. VDD and operating frequency information for this study were collected from an ARM Cortex A15 processor based development board running an Android operating system. Simulation results show that the frequency peaks and dips are functions of mainly two parameters: (1) the amount of stress or recovery experienced by the circuit prior to the VDD switching and (2) the frequency sensitivity to device aging after the VDD switching.
Inter- and intraspecific variation in restriction maps of Drosophila mitochondrial DNAs.

Mitochondrial (mt) DNAs have been observed to be polymorphic for cleavage sites of various restriction endonucleases1–4. Although these studies involved a variety of organisms, they were insufficient for the estimation of the level of genetic variation in natural populations. mtDNAs of various Drosophila species are heterogeneous in length, with molecular weights (MWs) ranging from 9.90 to 12.35×106. The mtDNA molecule of Drosophila melanogaster contains a long A + T-rich region representing 25% of the circle length5,6. A comparison of mtDNAs from different species of Drosophila by electron microscope partial denaturation mapping has shown that the size of the A + T-rich region varies among different species5. We have previously presented electron microscope heteroduplex analysis of the mtDNAs of D. melanogaster, Drosophila simulans and Drosophila virilis and showed that the sequence divergence was apparently greatest in the A + T-rich region, whereas the remainder of the molecule was much more evolutionarily conserved. The cleavage map of the D. melanogaster mtDNA molecule has been established using various restriction endonucleases6–8. The ribosomal RNA genes (rRNAs) and the A + T-rich region have been positioned on this map. We now present the restriction endonuclease maps of the mtDNAs of three species of Drosophila. We also report the results of a systematic survey of restriction site variation in the mtDNAs of natural populations of these species and make a preliminary comparison with the level of variation of nuclear genes. Our data suggest that the mitochondrial genome may evolve in a similar way to allozymic variation.
The Effects of Drought on Crop Yields and Yield Variability: An Economic Assessment

Sahel is a drought-prone area in West Africa, and the agriculture sector remains the main source of employment in the rural communities. However, inter-annual rainfall variability significantly hampers the performance of agriculture in Sahel. Over the past four decades, drought episodes have been the norm rather than the exception in the region. Using a just-Pope stochastic production function, this paper assesses crop yields responses to persistent drought spells in eight countries of Sahel. Six-month standardized precipitation indexes (SPI) along with degree-days indexes were calculated and maximum likelihood estimations were carried out for specific crops using data spanning 1970 to 2000. The results show that while an increase in the degree-days tends to be harmful to crop yields, SPI and precipitation intensity index have statistically positive impacts on the mean crop yields. The adaptation to climate variability suggests a modernization of the farming techniques such as the reliance on irrigated agriculture.
Fluorescein isothiocyanate staining and characterization of avian heterophils.

Abstract Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was found to stain cytoplasmic granules of avian heterophil-granulocytes. In tissue sections, the fluorescent granulocytes were predominantly distributed adjacent to trabecular bones. The fluorescein stained granulocytes were abundant in synovial fluids of chickens with synovitis. A significant correlation was observed in the percent of fluorescein labeled granulocytes in blood smears and the percent of heterophils determined using an automated counting method, in unstained blood from normal and Escherichia coli -infected turkeys. The fluorescein-binding heterophils purified from chickens showed a time dependent increases in the oxidation of 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF-DA) and the reduction of nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) which were indicative of changes in oxidative burst in response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and zymosan A (ZA). These heterophil-activating agents, also, caused significant degranulation at 16 h post-treatment, as indicated by the loss fluorescence. There were microscopically visible alterations in the cell shapes and a decrease in the density of granules due to treatment with LPS, PMA or ZA. In addition, these cells also showed phagocytic response which was evident at 30 min of incubation with fluorescent latex particles. Both chicken and turkey heterophils produced interleukin-6 in vitro at 24 h in response to LPS but not to PMA, FMLP or ZA. The chicken heterophils showed spontaneous production of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) which was significantly enhanced by treatment with LPS, PMA, and ZA; however, LPS appeared to be most effective in inducing MMP production. These results demonstrate that the functions of heterophils can be differentially regulated by different activating agents and the fluorescein binding property of these cells may be useful for their histochemical identification.
Effects of Dietary Decosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) on eNOS in Human Coronary Artery Endothelial Cells

Endothelial dysfunction occurs in heart disease and may reduce functional capacity via attenuations in peripheral blood flow. Dietary decosahexaenoic acid (DHA) may improve this dysfunction, but the mechanism is unknown. This study determined if DHA enhances expression and activity of eNOS in cultured human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC). HCAEC from 4 donors were treated with 5 nM, 50 nM, or 1 microM DHA for 7 days to model chronic DHA exposure. A trend for increased expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and phospho-eNOS was observed with 5 and 50 nM DHA. DHA also enhanced expression of 2 proteins instrumental in activation of eNOS: phospho-Akt (5 and 50 nM) and HSP90 (50 nM and 1 microM). Vascular endothelial growth factor-induced activation of Akt increased NOx in treated (50 nM DHA) versus untreated HCAEC (9.2 +/- 1.0 vs 3.3 +/- 1.1 micromol/microg protein/microL). Findings suggest that DHA enhances eNOS and Akt activity, augments HSP90 expression, and increases NO bioavailability in response to Akt kinase activation.
The efferent projections of the subfornical organ of the rat: a circumventricular organ within a neural network subserving water balance

The efferent projections of the subfornical organ (SFO) of rats were traced using the autoradiographic method of following anterograde transport of labelled proteins through axons. The efferents of the SFO go to two different areas. The first is the anteroventral third ventricular area of the preoptic region and the second is the hypothalamus particularly the neurosecretory, magnocellular nuclei. Specifically, the apparent terminal fields in the first area are in the nucleus medianus of the medial preoptic area (NM), the organum vasculosum of the lamina terminalis (OVLT), and the anterior periventricular area (PeV). Many efferent fibers to this area emerge from the rostral SFO, pass anteriorly over the anterior commissure in the midline and either descend along the anterior border of the NM or enter the PeV dorsally just beneath the anterior commissure. The apparent terminal fields within the hypothalamus are in the anterior and tuberal supraoptic nuclei (SONa and SONt), the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) including its rostral accessory cluster, the nucleus circularis (NC), the dorsal perifornical area (PFd), and in both the lateral preoptic area and lateral hypothalamus adjacent to the SON. Many efferent fibers to the hypothalamus emerge from the rostral SFO and enter the columns of the fornix, diverge with the ventral stria medullari to disperse medially and laterally over the columns of the fornix and along their dorsal border at the anterior dorsal level of the columns trajectory through the hypothalamus. These findings are discussed in terms of the SFO's role within a neural network mediating water balance behaviorally and physiologically.
Transcription factor TFIIH components enhance the GR coactivator activity but not the cell cycle-arresting activity of the human immunodeficiency virus type-1 protein Vpr.

Abstract The human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1)-accessory protein Vpr interacts with and potentiates the activity of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and arrests the host cell cycle at the G2/M boundary. Here we report that three core components of the general transcription factor (TF) IIH, CDK7, Cyclin H, and MAT1, enhance Vpr’s GR coactivator activity but inhibit its cell cycle-arresting function. A CDK7 mutant defective in kinase activity for the C-terminal tail of RNA polymerase II, which cannot form a functional TFIIH complex, did not enhance Vpr coactivator activity. Overexpression of all three TFIIH components and p300 cooperatively enhanced Vpr coactivator activity, whereas TFIIH overexpression did not potentiate the transcriptional activity of a Vpr mutant, which does not bind p300/CBP. These findings suggest that TFIIH participates in Vpr’s GR coactivating activity, at a step beyond its interaction with p300/CBP.
SEPARATION OF PALLADIUM(II) FROM PLATINUM(II), IRIDIUM(III), AND RHODIUM(III) USING CENTRIFUGAL PARTITION CHROMATOGRAPHY

ABSTRACT The separation of Pd(II) from Pt(II), Ir(III) and Rh(III) with trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) in heptane using centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) has been investigated for the first time. The extraction of Pd(II) has been studied by CPC and batch solvent extraction. The distribution ratios for Pd(II) determined by both methods agree well. In low HCl concentrations (<0.1 M), the extracted species was PdCl2.(TOPO)2, irrespective of the chloride concentration, while at acid concentrations above 0.1 M, the Pd was extracted as the ion pair, 2(TOPO.H+).PdCl4 2-. Base line separation of Pd(II) and Pt(II) in CPC was obtained under a variety of chloride and HCl concentration with the average number of theoretical plates being 390 ± 40 at a flow rate of 0.47 ± 0.05 mL/min.
Back stress and Jaumann rates in finite plasticity

Abstract It has been shown that the indiscriminate use of the Jaumann rate in constitutive equations for plastic materials gives rise to an oscillatory stress response in the presence of monotonically i increasing strain. In this paper we discuss the use of the Jaumann rate in constitutive models with a back stress. More specifically we address the question of linear kinematic hardening given by the Prager-Ziegler rule in the context of large plastic deformation. We demonstrate that the Jaumann rate is a physically opaque mathematical differential operator which must be used with great care in intuitive, large deformation, generalizations of rate equations that apply to small strains. We then use integral constitutive laws, obtained in the context of endochronic plasticity, to derive rate equations of the Prager-Ziegler type for the back stress, that are free of invasive and unwanted oscillations, and give proper kinematic hardening behavior under conditions of large deformation. Lastly we bring the above conclusions into focus by solving exactly the problem of large plastic deformation in simple shear. Closed-form solutions are also obtained using more general memory integral formulations. We further show that the closed form solutions so obtained may serve as vehicles for determining the form of the memory function experimentally in constitutive formulations with path-dependent integrals.
Excitatory amino release within spinal trigeminal nucleus after mustard oil injection into the temporomandibular joint region of the rat.

Inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region evokes pain and hyperalgesia as well as causing persistent changes in the response properties of central trigeminal neurons. To determine if excitatory amino acids have a role in TMJ-induced responses, extracellular concentrations were measured in microdialysate samples from probes positioned in the spinal trigeminal nucleus (Vsp) near the transition region between subnucleus interpolaris and subnucleus caudalis (Vi/Vc) in chloralose-anesthetized rats. Injection of the selective small fiber excitant, mustard oil (20 μl, 20% solution), into the ipsilateral TMJ region caused a transient (by 10 min) increase in glutamate (from 0.48 ± 0.16 to 1.94 ± 0.78 μM, P < 0.005) and aspartate (from 0.29 ± 0.11 to 1.78 ± 0.82 μM, P < 0.025) among sites located at the ventrolateral pole of the Vi/Vc transition region (n = 6). Samples from probes located within the ventral Vsp, but outside this Vi/Vc transition region (n = 9), did not show significant changes in amino acid concentrations. Glutamate and aspartate also increased after mustard oil injections into the contralateral TMJ region. Dialysate concentrations of serine and taurine did not change significantly after mustard oil injections. Addition of high potassium (150 mM) to the perfusate solution caused increases in glutamate and aspartate regardless of probe location. The transient and selective release of glutamate and aspartate within the Vi/Vc transition after acute irritation of the TMJ region is consistent with a proposed role for excitatory amino acids in mediating noxious sensory input from deep orofacial structures. Together with previous reports of c-fos expression, these results suggest that neurons within the ventrolateral portion of the Vi/Vc transition may serve as a relay site for the integration of sensory or reflex responses to acute inflammation of the TMJ region.
Phase Separation on a Hyperbolic Lattice

Abstract We report a preliminary numerical study by kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of the dynamics of phase separation following a quench from high to low temperature in a system with a single, conserved, scalar order parameter (a kinetic Ising ferromagnet) confined to a hyperbolic lattice. The results are compared with simulations of the same system on two different, Euclidean lattices, in which cases we observe power-law domain growth with an exponent near the theoretically known value of 1/3. For the hyperbolic lattice we observe much slower domain growth, consistent to within our current accuracy with power-law growth with a much smaller exponent near 0.13. The paper also includes a brief introduction to non-Euclidean lattices and their mapping to the Euclidean plane.
Restructuring a Teacher Education Program: The Psychological, Social, and Political Dimensions of Change

Abstract To prepare teachers to meet the needs of increasingly diverse student populations, assume new leadership roles, form new partnerships with communities, and transform the profession of teaching through a career-long commitment to professional development and inquiry, teacher education programs around the country are being “restructured” A common element of most restructuring proposals is a focus on the teacher's role as a reflective, inquiry-oriented decision maker, and problem solver. Against this backdrop of widespread reform, this paper presents a case study of a multiyear effort to restructure the teacher education program at State University. This article describes the constraints, barriers, and limitations such as “turf” protection, fear of risk taking, conflicting ideologies, and struggles for power and influence that emerged during the restructuring process. A prototypical model of how the psychological, social, and political dimensions of the change process impact restructuring is also di...
Immunoregulatory defects in murine aged Peyer's patches

Aging effect on immunoregulatory processes in Peyer's patches (PP) from BALB/c mice of 3-4 months and 24-28 months was studied in vitro. The magnitude of isotype-specific Ig production by aged or young PP B cells in co-culture with young or old fresh PP T cells strongly suggested that the suppressor activity of PP T cells was impaired in aged mice. Further studies on in vitro induction of concanavalin A-activated T helper cells, T suppressor-inducer cells and T suppressor cells from aged PP indicated that the generation of T suppressor cells was largely impaired, in contrast to a minor defect(s) in that of T helper cells. The findings obtained here at least suggest that in aged PP, a T suppressor-inducer cell subset appears to be more selectively impaired in the aging process than the other lymphocyte subpopulations, which possess minor intrinsic functional defects. Thus, these abnormal T and B cell responses in PP could be responsible for the senescence-associated gut mucosal immunologic dysfunction.
Vessel enhancement filtering in three-dimensional MR angiograms using long-range signal correlation

Small vessels in three-dimensional MR angiograms have low visibility in maximum-intensity projection images because of their low contrast. In a previous study, we had two nonlinear filters that appeared to give significant improvement in small vessel detail. In this paper, we report on a generalization of this filter that allows a more general modeling of the vessels and a more complete suppression of background. One implementation of the general filter gave a vessel mean contrast-to-noise ratio that is 2.52 and 3.51 times higher than the vessel mean contrast-to-noise ratio obtained using our previously reported maximum-minimum (max-min) filter and cross-section filter, respectively.
Structure and Reactivity of RH in the SMSI State

Hydrogenolysis of n-butane and CO hydrogenation were used to charac-terize the behavior of TiO2 supported Rh in the SMSI state. The Rh was supported on a model support consisting of nonporous spherical particles of TiO2. The simple geometry of the support permits the metal crystallites to be imaged ‘edge-on’ in a transmission electron microscope. This allows detailed examination of the metal surface and the metal-oxide interface as a function of pretreatment. After high temperature reduction in H2, there is no significant change in the morphology of the Rh crystallites. However, the presence of amorphous overlayers 0.2–0.4 nm thick is clearly evident on the Rh surface. These overlayers can only be partially removed after oxidation at 473 K. The presence of these overlayers is well correlated with the drop in hydrogen chemisorption and altered reactivity. While the butane hydrogenolysis activity of Rh is considerably suppressed in the SMSI state, the CO hydrogenation activity is increased by a factor of 3. The H2 uptake and the butane hydrogenolysis activity can be only partially restored after oxidation at 473 K. Treatment at 773 K in oxygen is necessary for restoring the pre-SMSI behavior.
Carbodiimide-derivatized hyaluronic acid surface modification of lyophilized flexor tendon: a biomechanical study in a canine in vitro model.

Background: Intrasynovial grafts are the ideal solution to replace defects in intrasynovial flexor tendons, but autologous graft sources are rarely available. The purpose of the present study was to test the hypotheses that an intrasynovial tendon prepared with repetitive freeze-thaw cycles and lyophilization (as a means of reducing immunogenicity) has increased frictional force (gliding resistance) in comparison with fresh intrasynovial tendons and that a lyophilized intrasynovial flexor tendon that is modified with carbodiimide-derivatized hyaluronic acid and gelatin has decreased frictional force in comparison with untreated lyophilized tendons. Methods: Thirty-six flexor digitorum profundus tendons from the second and fifth digits of canine hind paws were randomly assigned to three groups. Twelve tendons were immediately assessed both mechanically and morphologically and served as the normal tendon group. The other twenty-four tendons were prepared with repetitive freeze-thaw cycles and lyophilization and were randomly assigned to two groups, including one group in which the tendons were treated with carbodiimide-derivatized hyaluronic acid and gelatin and one group in which the tendons were not treated. The frictional force was measured during 1000 cycles of simulated flexion-extension motion in all tendons, and the mean frictional forces were compared. The tendons were then observed with use of transmitted light microscopy for residual hyaluronic acid on the tendon surface, and the smoothness of the surface was evaluated with use of scanning electron microscopy. Results: The frictional force after lyophilization was significantly increased by 104.9% after the first cycle and by 99.5% after 1000 cycles in comparison with the normal tendon (p < 0.05). The frictional force of the lyophilized tendons after treatment with carbodiimide-derivatized hyaluronic acid and gelatin was not significantly different from that of normal tendons. The untreated lyophilized tendon surfaces were observed on scanning electron microscopy to be rough in appearance, whereas the normal surface and the surface treated with carbodiimide-derivatized hyaluronic acid and gelatin were smooth, with residual hyaluronic acid present on the gliding surface. Conclusions: Lyophilization alters tendon surface morphology and increases tendon frictional force. Surface modification with carbodiimide-derivatized hyaluronic acid and gelatin can mitigate this adverse effect. Clinical Relevance: Tendon surface modification with carbodiimide-derivatized hyaluronic acid and gelatin can improve the gliding ability of lyophilized flexor tendons and therefore may improve the utility of lyophilized tendon allografts as a tendon graft substitute.
Full-length sequence analysis of four IBDV strains with different pathogenicities

Characterization of field isolate 9109, Lukert, Edgar cell culture-adapted (CCA), and Edgar chicken embryo-adapted (CEA) serotype 1 IBDV strains using full-length genomic sequences is reported. IBDV genomic segments A and B were sequenced and the nucleotide and deduced amino acid (aa) sequences were compared with previously reported full-length sequenced IBDV strains. We found that the viral protein VPX and amino acid sequences between aa 202-451 and 210-473 of VP2 but not the entire VP2 protein are the best representatives of the entire IBDV genome. The greatest variability was found in the VP2 and 5' non-coding region of segment B among IBDV strains. The deduced amino acid sequences of the VP1 protein varies in length among the strains analyzed. The RNA-dependent, RNA-polymerase motifs within VP1 and the VP5 protein were highly conserved among isolates. Although within the VP2 processing site, amino acid sequence of Lukert was similar to the classical while the Edgar CCA, and CEA were more similar to the very virulent strains, it was determined that these strains have sequence characteristics of the classical strains. In addition, close relatedness between Lukert, Edgar CCA and CEA was observed. Although phylogenetic analysis of the VP1, VP3, and VP4 proteins indicated that 9109 is a classical type virus, this isolate shares unique amino acid changes with very virulent strains within the same proteins. Phylogenetic analysis of the 3' and 5' non-coding regions of segment A revealed that 9109 is more similar to the very virulent strains compared to the classical strains. In the VP2 protein, several amino acids were conserved between variant E and 9109 strains. Thus, it appears that 9109 isolate has characteristics of classical, very virulent, and variant strains. Our analysis indicates that although VPX amino acid comparison may be initially useful for molecular typing, full-length genomic sequence analysis is essential for thorough molecular characterization as partial sequences may not designate a particular strain as very virulent, classical, or variant.
Vascular volume changes during cycling and stepping in women at two hydration levels.

Five female Caucasians were studied in a hot, wet environment (32.2‡ C dry bulb, 30‡ C wet bulb) during both cycle ergometer exercise and block stepping at exercise intensities (30–40% of the subjects's \(\dot V\)O2 max) which produced similar heart rates. During each type of exercise, the women were studied once following 24 h water deprivation and once 60 min after ingestion of an amount of water equal to 1% of their body weight. Venous blood samples were obtained before, and at 10 min intervals during each of the four 60-min exercise sessions. Hemoconcentration and osmoconcentration were observed during both types of exercise, with more rapid increases in these variables occurring during ergometer exercise compared to block stepping. While the fluid status manipulation was effective in altering the pre-exercise osmolalities by an average of 9 mosmol·kg−1, it had little effect on vascular volume dynamics during either type of exercise. Similarly, increases in heart rate and body temperature during exercise were not altered by the water balance of the subject. The pattern of vascular volume changes during exercise in women, therefore, seems more sensitive to exercise mode than to pre-exercise water balance.
Investigating How Peptide Length and a Pathogenic Mutation Modify the Structural Ensemble of Amyloid Beta Monomer

The aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptides plays an important role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. Despite extensive effort, it has been difficult to characterize the secondary and tertiary structure of the Aβ monomer, the starting point for aggregation, due to its hydrophobicity and high aggregation propensity. Here, we employ extensive molecular dynamics simulations with atomistic protein and water models to determine structural ensembles for Aβ42, Aβ40, and Aβ42-E22K (the Italian mutant) monomers in solution. Sampling of a total of >700 microseconds in all-atom detail with explicit solvent enables us to observe the effects of peptide length and a pathogenic mutation on the disordered Aβ monomer structural ensemble. Aβ42 and Aβ40 have crudely similar characteristics but reducing the peptide length from 42 to 40 residues reduces β-hairpin formation near the C-terminus. The pathogenic Italian E22K mutation induces helix formation in the region of residues 20–24. This structural alteration may increase helix-helix interactions between monomers, resulting in altered mechanism and kinetics of Aβ oligomerization.
The meaning of assortative mating

Abstract Patterns of positive assortative mating are commonly inferred to result from homotypic preferences (preferences for self's type). This paper demonstrates that such preferences can result from heterotypic and type preferences as well. Because several kinds of preferences can lead to the same pattern, experimentation to measure preferences is necessary to determine the process responsible. The apparent weight of evidence for homotypic preferences may result from the kinds of preferences experimenters have selected to examine.
Bio-equivalence of IM and SQ H.P. Acthar® Gel

Abstract Objective IM Acthar ® Gel (Acthar) is a natural-source ACTH used for the treatment of MS exacerbations. It is not known if subcutaneous (SQ) administration of Acthar is equivalent to IM administration or if lower doses of Acthar would provide comparable serum cortisol responses. Methods We compared IM and SQ administration of Acthar to explore bio-equivalency between the two routes of administration. Results Our results show that SQ administration of Acthar is bio-equivalent to IM administration. Both 20 and 80 units of Acthar, respectively, show bio-equivalency after SQ and IM administration. However, 20 units of Acthar do not provide comparable stimulation of the adrenal cortex compared to 80 units, administered either SQ or IM. Conclusions Bio-equivalency between IM and SQ administration may allow the use of SQ Acthar.
A Systems Biology Approach Reveals that Tissue Tropism to West Nile Virus Is Regulated by Antiviral Genes and Innate Immune Cellular Processes

The actions of the RIG-I like receptor (RLR) and type I interferon (IFN) signaling pathways are essential for a protective innate immune response against the emerging flavivirus West Nile virus (WNV). In mice lacking RLR or IFN signaling pathways, WNV exhibits enhanced tissue tropism, indicating that specific host factors of innate immune defense restrict WNV infection and dissemination in peripheral tissues. However, the immune mechanisms by which the RLR and IFN pathways coordinate and function to impart restriction of WNV infection are not well defined. Using a systems biology approach, we defined the host innate immune response signature and actions that restrict WNV tissue tropism. Transcriptional profiling and pathway modeling to compare WNV-infected permissive (spleen) and nonpermissive (liver) tissues showed high enrichment for inflammatory responses, including pattern recognition receptors and IFN signaling pathways, that define restriction of WNV replication in the liver. Assessment of infected livers from Mavs−/−×Ifnar−/− mice revealed the loss of expression of several key components within the natural killer (NK) cell signaling pathway, including genes associated with NK cell activation, inflammatory cytokine production, and NK cell receptor signaling. In vivo analysis of hepatic immune cell infiltrates from WT mice demonstrated that WNV infection leads to an increase in NK cell numbers with enhanced proliferation, maturation, and effector action. In contrast, livers from Mavs−/−×Ifnar−/− infected mice displayed reduced immune cell infiltration, including a significant reduction in NK cell numbers. Analysis of cocultures of dendritic and NK cells revealed both cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic roles for the RLR and IFN signaling pathways to regulate NK cell effector activity. Taken together, these observations reveal a complex innate immune signaling network, regulated by the RLR and IFN signaling pathways, that drives tissue-specific antiviral effector gene expression and innate immune cellular processes that control tissue tropism to WNV infection.