cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increased substance P and synaptic remodeling occur in the trigeminal sensory system with sustained osteoarthritic temporomandibular joint sensitivity.

Introduction Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain is among the most prevalent musculoskeletal conditions and can result from atypical joint loading. Although TMJ pain is typically self-resolving, 15% of patients develop chronic TMJ pain that is recalcitrant to therapy and may be attributed to changes in pain processing centers. Although TMJ overloading induces pain and osteoarthritis, whether neuronal modifications in the trigeminal sensory system contribute to persistent TMJ pain is unknown. Objective This study investigates changes in excitatory neuropeptides and synaptic transmission proteins in cases of transient and persistent TMJ sensitivity in a rat model. Methods Rats underwent repeated jaw loading that produces transient (2N-load) or persistent (3.5N-load) sensitivity. In both groups, immunolabeling was used to assess substance P in the spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) and glutamate transporter 1 in the ventroposteriomedial thalamus early after loading. Synaptosomal Western blots were used to measure synaptic proteins in the caudal medulla and thalamus at a later time after loading. Results Substance P increases transiently in the Sp5C early after loading that induces persistent sensitivity. However, glutamate transporter 1 is unchanged in the ventroposteriomedial thalamus. At a later time, synaptosomal Western blots show loss of the presynaptic tethering protein, synapsin, and the inhibitory scaffolding protein, gephyrin, in the thalamus with persistent, but not transient, sensitivity. No changes are identified in synapsin, phosphorylated synapsin, homer, or gephyrin in the caudal medulla. Conclusions Substance P in the Sp5C and later loss of inhibitory synapses in the thalamus likely contribute to, or indicate, persistent TMJ pain.
Step on the cGAS! Viral inhibition of cGAS phase separation with cytosolic DNA.

Xu et al. (2021) uncover a conserved viral mechanism to subvert the innate immune system whereby herpesvirus tegument proteins suppress cGAS:DNA phase separation.
MOMENT GENERATING FUNCTIONS FOR LOCAL TIMES OF SYMMETRIC MARKOV PROCESSES AND RANDOM WALKS

We obtain moment generating functions for the local times of strongly symmetric Markov processes and symmetric random walks via the Dynkin Isomorphism Theorem. This allows us to reduce complex computations involving Markov processes to elementary manipulations of Gaussian random variables.
Towards a productive MPI environment

MPI has revolutionized parallel computing in science and engineering. But the MPI specification provides only an application programming interface. This is merely the first step toward an environment that is seamless and transparent to the end user as well as the developer. This talk discusses current progress toward a productive MPI environment. To expert users of MPI, one of the major impediments to a seamless and transparent environment is the lack of a application binary interface (ABI) that would allow applications using shared libraries to work with any MPI implementation. Such an ABI would ease the development and deployment of tools and applications. However, defining a common ABI requires careful attention to many issues. For example, defining the contents of the MPI header file is insufficient to provide a workable ABI; the interaction of an MPI program with any process managers needs to be defined independent of the MPI implementation. In addition, some solutions that are appropriate for modest-sized clusters may not be appropriate for massively parallel systems with very low latency requirements or even for large conventional clusters. To novice users of MPI, the relatively low level of the parallel abstractions provided by MPI is the greatest barrier to achieving high productivity. This problem is best addressed by developing a combination of compile-time and run-time tools that aid in the development and debugging of MPI programs. One well-established approach is the use of libraries and frameworks written by using MPI. However, libraries limit the user to the data structures and operations implemented as part of the library. An alternative is to provide source-to-source transformation tools that bridge the gap between a fully compiled parallel language and the library-based parallelism provided by MPI. This talk will discuss both the issues in a common ABI for MPI and some efforts to provide better support for user-defined distributed data structures through simple source-transformation techniques.
Symbolic computation of normal forms for nonlinear Hamiltonian systems

Abstract In this paper a method of computing normal forms for time-independent nonlinear Hamiltonian systems is given. A program using the symbolic manipulator MACSYMA is used to do an example.
Ion-beam-sputtered Cu/Ni and Fe/Ni multilayers

Abstract Multilayer films of Cu/Ni and Fe/Ni have been prepared by ion beam sputtering. The observed X-ray intensities of the satellites of the (111) reflection in the case of the Cu/Ni multilayers are in approximate agreement with calculated intensities for 24 A ⩽ λ ⩽ 194 A where λ is the wavelength of the multilayer. The iron in the Fe/Ni multilayers may be in the f.c.c. phase at short wavelengths.
Layered Frequency-Domain Turbo Equalization for Single Carrier Broadband MIMO Systems

A new layered frequency-domain turbo equalization (LFDTE) scheme is proposed for single carrier (SC) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems. The proposed scheme combines the respective advantages of layered detection and turbo equalization to further lower the bit error rate (BER) for high-data-rate communications. Different from the traditional frequency-domain turbo equalization (FDTE) method for MIMO systems, our new detection algorithm employs a layered structure in each turbo iteration, and at each layer a group of best data streams is detected in the form of soft symbols and then canceled from the received signals in frequency domain. The extrinsic information for the detected coded bits gleaned by the current layer is fed back to the previous layers as a-priori information utilized for equalization in the next iteration. Since the frequency-domain equalization (FDE) is performed in each frequency bin, the proposed receiver scheme has similar computational complexity compared to the traditional FDTE, but achieves better performance of BER. Simulation results demonstrate that the new proposed scheme outperforms the traditional FDTE without layered detection at the same number of iterations, and the performance becomes better if multiple layers are used in the detection.
Fax machines and social surveys: Teaching an old dog new tricks

Fax machines offer solutions to many of the disadvantages associated with other methods of administering surveys. Faxes are faster than mail methods, offer more control than personal interviews, and require fewer resources than phone surveys. Fax surveys are not without their drawbacks, however. This research note examines the issues that surround this technique of conducting such a survey and considers its suitability as a survey method of the future.
Growth of Laser Initiated Damage in Fused Silica at 527 nm

The effective lifetime of optics is limited by both laser-induced damage and the subsequent growth of laser initiated damage sites. We have measured the growth rate of laser-induced damage in fused silica in both air and vacuum at 527 nm. For damage on the exit surface, the data shows exponential growth in the lateral size of the damage site with shot number. The exponential growth coefficient depends linearly on the laser fluence. The behavior at the fluence threshold for growth is contrasted to that observed at 351 nm. The growth rate was not significantly affected by either the wavelength of the initiating fluence or the presence of 10 torr of air as compared to vacuum. When the damage is located on the input surface, it has both a higher threshold for growth and does not grow exponentially.
Pattern ellipticity for silicon lenses

The pattern ellipticity of a double-slot antenna on a silicon lens is investigated using full-wave analysis. Complete full-wave simulations including the matching layer and the low-pass filters are performed for different feed arrangements. Results show that silicon lenses do distort the pattern and result in a reduced ellipticity especially if a dielectric matching layer is not used.
Glomerulonephritis in Pressor Drug-Enhanced Serum Sickness of Rabbits.∗:

SummaryRepeated intravenous injections of blood pressure elevating drugs given shortly after a single large intravenous dose of horse serum markedly increased the incidence and severity of diffuse glomerulonephritis in rabbits sacrificed on the 11th day. Only minimal glomerular lesions were observed if the pressor agents were given at a later period. The implication of these findings is that these agents augment the development of renal damage in serum sickness when administered at a time when circulating antigen levels in the blood are high and that they may suppress this reaction when given at a time when antigen levels are rapidly falling and antibody levels rising.
Student Identification With Business Education Models: Measurement and Relationship to Educational Outcomes

Although management scholars have provided a variety of metaphors to describe the role of students in management courses, researchers have yet to explore students' identification with the models and how they are linked to educational outcomes. This article develops a measurement tool for students' identification with business education models and explores how those identifications are related to educational outcomes. In two samples of undergraduate management students (N = 916), the authors developed and validated a Student Identification With Business Education Models scale and found links between specific models and grade point average, course satisfaction, likelihood to donate to the university or college, and perceived discrepancy between current and deserved course grade. The authors discuss the implications of the findings in the context of management education innovations to improve student outcomes.
Effects of chronic nitrendipine on casual (office) and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure.

To assess the clinical efficacy of chronic nitrendipine therapy in mild to moderate essential hypertension, we studied blood pressure (BP) and heart rate responses in 22 subjects receiving maintenance nitrendipine therapy. Ten subjects (45%) whose hypertension was controlled with chronic monotherapy had an 11/12 mm Hg decrease in supine BP (P < 0.05) with a mean (± SD) dose of 71 ± 15 mg/day. The 12 (55%) subjects whose hypertension was not controlled with monotherapy had a comparatively higher baseline BP than the other 10 (156/105 ± 10/6 compared with 150/98 ± 15/4 mm Hg; P < 0.05). Eight of the 10 subjects demonstrating office BP control with chronic nitrendipine monotherapy who also had full-time employment underwent continuous ambulatory BP monitoring before and after maintenance monotherapy. Nitrendipine induced a reduction in the mean 24-hour BP and mean BP at home, but did not reduce the BP during work or while asleep. These data suggest that nitrendipine lowers BP when assessed by casual office methods. The ambulatory BP monitor data demonstrate that the hypotensive response to chronic nitrendipine is modified during work periods, which are generally associated with increased adrenergic activity. Ambulatory BP monitoring may be superior to office (casual) monitoring in the assessment of the overall efficacy of antihypertensive drugs. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1985) 38, 60–64; doi:10.1038/clpt.1985.135
Cognition and Affect Interplay: A Framework for the Tourist Vacation Decision-Making Process

ABSTRACT The article investigates traditional decision-making choice models and offers a new way of thinking about the tourist vacation-making intricacies. Specifically, this article examines the interrelationship between affect and cognition in the tourist vacation decision-making process and argues that consumers, during each vacation decision-making task, use both affect and cognitive processes in varying degrees depending on their valence and intensity. The traditional view of decision making posits that the consumer is a rational decision maker who proceeds through a series of prescribed steps before finding an optimal decision solution. However, with the growing prominence on the role of affect, “hot” aspects of cognition in psychology, and neuroscience investigations, much of the traditional cognitive-dominated theories are being reexamined. A tourist decision-making framework is presented demonstrating the proposed theory and provides understanding to the influences that affect and cognition have ...
Bone mineral density of the total body and forearm in premenopausal black and white women.

This study was conducted to report and compare bone mineral density (BMD) of the total body and distal forearm, as measured by X-ray absorptiometry, in 65 black and 73 white premenopausal women between the ages of 20 and 40. The black women had higher current and recalled body weights, a higher percent body fat, and more pregnancies and births, were younger at menarche, and reported lower alcohol intakes than the white women studied. A smaller percent of the black women had experienced amenorrhea, and a higher percent had lived at southern latitudes. Smoking history and lifetime use of oral contraceptives were similar in the two groups. Total body BMD, adjusted for body mass index (BMI), was 5.9% higher in the black than in the white women [mean ± standard deviation (SD): 1.230 ± 0.076 g/cm2 compared with 1.161 ± 0.075; difference (95% confidence interval [C195]: 0.068 (0.042, 0.095)]. Forearm BMD, adjusted for BMI, was 9.3% higher in the black women [mean ± SD: 0.505 ± 0.046 compared with 0.462 ± 0.045; difference (CI95): 0.043 (0.027, 0.059)]. Adjustment for the other medical and lifestyle differences noted before had little effect on estimated BMD differences between the two groups.
High voltage divider and leakage monitor

Abstract This paper describes the design of an instrument which monitors the voltage and current supplied to semiconductor radiation detectors. The instrument is designed to remove the voltage if a present value of detector current is exceeded. In this way any changes in the detector environment, which result in an increase in the leakage current, are prevented from damaging the detector.
The Existence of Two Distinct Levels of Order in Thermotropic Nematic Polyesters

Abstract It is shown by means of x-ray diffraction and PMR broad line spectroscopy, that the structure of the flexible spacer drastically influences the order within the nematic phase of thermotropic polyesters based on the 4,4′ - dioxy- 2, 2′-dimethyl azoxybenzene moiety. The existence of two distinct molecular arrangements is proposed: one is characterized by an unusually high degree alignment of macromolecules, the other by a lower degree of alignment. The former is displayed by spacers with an even number of methylene units in the alkanedioic acid moiety of the spacer (odd number of bonds); the latter by a certain number of flexible spacer moieties with an odd number of methylene groups (even number of bonds), as well as in mixed spacers irregularly alternating along the macromolecular chain (copolyesters).
A genetic approach for analysing surface‐exposed regions of the OmpC protein of Escherichia coli K‐12

Phage attachment sites on bacterial cell surfaces are provided by the exposed regions of outer membrane proteins and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We have identified surface exposed residues of OmpC that are important for phage binding. This was accomplished by employing a genetic scheme in which two simultaneous selections enriched for ompC mutants defective in phage attachment, but retained functional channels. Mutational alterations were clustered in three regions of the OmpC protein. These regions also showed the greatest divergence from the analogous regions of the highly related OmpF and PhoE proteins. The majority of alterations (8 out of 11) occurred in a region of OmpC that is predicted to form a large exterior loop (loop 4). Interestingly, while the removal of this loop prevented phage binding, the deletion conferred enhanced channel activities. Another type of phage-resistant mutants synthesized defective LPS molecules. Biochemical analysis of mutant LPS revealed it to be of the Re-type LPS, lacking the heptose moieties from the LPS inner core. As a result of this LPS defect, many outer membrane proteins were present in somewhat reduced levels. The phage resistance seen in these mutants could be a result of both the presence of defective LPS and reduced OmpC levels.
Fast algorithms for rational Hermite approximation and solution of Toeplitz systems

This is a short paper announcing several new results. The best known algorithm for solving a Toeplitz system of linear equations requires O(n^2) operations. We present a new algorithm that reduces this computation to O(n\log^{2}n) . Furthermore the new algorithm handles all degenerate cases. We show that the solution process of a Toeplitz system is intimately related to the computation of certain Pade approximants. Actually the Pade computation is a special case of rational Hermite interpolation. Our primary result shows that all rational Hermite interpolants along an antidiagonal of the Rational Interpolation Table can be computed by the extended Euclidean algorithm. We present new fast algorithms for such computations and indicate extensions and improvements. Several application areas can make use of these results. We include a brief discussion on coding but leave digital filters and circuit synthesis to the full paper.
Bragg Grating Temperature Sensor in Photosensitive Capillary Waveguide

We present a thermal sensor consisting of a Bragg grating inscribed in photosensitive capillary with a temperature sensitive fluid core. We demonstrate temperature sensitivity of -150pm/°C. Temperature and strain discrimination methods are proposed.
Histochemical response to experimental skin injury in rats.

Abstract In this investigation, the sequence of histological and histochemical responses of skin wounds was studied in rats treated with papain and with cortisone. The site of experimental injury, with adjacent uninjured skin, was excised and fixed in 10% alcoholic formalin; these specimens were processed by routine histological and histochemical procedures. Radioautographs were prepared from specimens from animals injected with proline-H 3 and S 35 . The microscopic observations revealed that the wounds of both the papain-treated and the cortisone-treated animals demonstrated a decrease in the concentration of acid polysaccharides. There was a delay in the differentiation and proliferation of fibroblasts and in the formation of reticular and collagen fibers, resulting in retardation of the wound healing process. In the cortisone-treated animals, a reduced uptake of proline-H 3 and S 35 was noted, indicating a decreased metabolic turnover of these components in dermal wounds.
Learning and practicing fundamentals of electrical and computer engineering through building and programming a microcontroller with multiple peripherals

A required sophomore course on microcontrollers and computer architecture was designed and offered for the first time in 2009 to expose our electrical engineering (EE) sophomore students to microcontroller-based applications so that they could appreciate and be exposed to fundamentals of electrical and computer engineering (ECE) through hardware and software design and interfacing. The course also helps students to obtain a broad view of various subjects of ECE from circuits, signals, digital logic, microcontrollers, C and assembly language programming to system design, implementation and measurement so that they can make a well informed decision on whether to continue to major in EE. The course builds a foundation for future classes that may require instrumentation or microcontroller-based applications such as those on communications, control, power electronics as well as junior and senior design courses. In addition, the students are required to purchase most of the hardware components for the course so that they can use the components for future projects.
Prospective Relationship between Negative Affective Reactivity to Daily Stress and Depressive Symptoms

The current study was based on O'Neill, Cohen, Tolpin, and Gunthert (2004) and was designed to explore the direction of the relationship between affective reactivity to daily stress and depressive symptoms. College students (N = 93) were assessed at two time periods (T1 and T2) with questionnaires measuring their current depressive symptoms and with online daily diaries measuring their interpersonal and non-interpersonal stressors and their negative affect (NA) and positive affect (PA). The results showed that T1 NA reactivity to daily interpersonal and non-interpersonal stressors predicted T2 depressive symptoms, but that T1 depressive symptoms did not predict T2 NA reactivity, suggesting that the NA reactivity-depression relationship is unidirectional. Overall, the findings suggest that NA reactivity to daily stressors is a vulnerability factor for depression, and they highlight the value of a daily diary design in evaluating the antecedents and outcomes of psychopathology.
Strength analysis of random short-fibre-reinforced metal matrix composite materials

A theory to analyse the strength of composite materials with randomly oriented short fibres has been developed. The short fibres are assumed to be uniformly distributed and randomly oriented in three dimensions. The non-homogeneous deformation within the composite has been taken into account in the strength calculation. The influences of thermal stress in the short fibres, the short-fibre dispersion hardening and the dislocation density in the matrix on the composite strength have all been estimated, and the strengthening mechanisms involved are discussed. A comparison with previous strength theory suggests that the present theory gives a better agreement with experimental data, and can be used to explain some experimental phenomena that remain unsolved.
Quantization and truncation effects on binary joint transform correlation

Abstract Analysis of the quantization effects of the binarized joint power spectrum on the performance of the binary joint transform correlator (JTC) is investigated. The signal to noise ratio (SNR) of the binarized joint power spectrum is determined for various levels of the Fourier plane quantization of the binary JTC. The SNR is computed for the truncated binarized joint power spectrum plane and the binary JTC performance is determined for various levels of Fourier plane truncation. Analytical expression are derived for the capture effect of the binary JTC in the presence of the Fourier plane quantization. Nonlinear compression or truncation in the Fourier plane can improve the performance of the binary JTC at low quantization levels. Computer simulation is used to verify the results of the theoretical analysis.
Leo1 Subunit of the Yeast Paf1 Complex Binds RNA and Contributes to Complex Recruitment

The Paf1 complex (Paf1C) affects RNA polymerase II transcription by coordinating co-transcriptional chromatin modifications and helping recruit mRNA 3′ end processing factors. Paf1C cross-links to transcribed genes, but not downstream of the cleavage and polyadenylation site, suggesting that it may interact with the nascent mRNA. Paf1C purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae binds RNA in vitro, as do the purified Leo1 and Rtf1 subunits of the complex. In vivo cross-linking and immunoprecipitation of RNA associated with Paf1C (RNA-IP) show that Leo1, but not Rtf1, is necessary for the complex to bind RNA. Cells lacking Leo1 have reduced Paf1C recruitment as well as decreased levels of histone H3 and trimethylated H3 Lys4 within transcribed chromatin. Together, these results suggest that association of Paf1C with RNA stabilizes its localization at actively transcribed regions where it influences chromatin structure.
Anisotropic shrinkage during sintering of particle-oriented systems—numerical simulation and experimental studies

Abstract High shear rates involved in processes such as tape casting and injection molding result in anisotropic shrinkage during subsequent densification of the green bodies. Anisotropic shrinkage with more than 14% difference in the shrinkages between the casting and transverse directions was observed in tape cast alumina. To explain the measured shrinkage anisotropy in tape cast alumina and its variation as densification progresses, sintering of oriented ellipses is simulated. The simulated shrinkage anisotropy decreases as sintering progresses because of the increasing neck length in the particle-oriented direction. Similar trends were seen for experimental results on tape cast alumina. The decrease is more significant when surface diffusion dominates over grain boundary diffusion. Similar atomistic models were also used to simulate the sintering shrinkages in liquid-phase sintered alumina. Again, anisotropy decreases as sintering progresses. The predictions from solid state sintering models were then validated by sintering alumina with 500–1000 ppm of yttria. It is proposed that the addition of yttria lowers the grain boundary diffusion rate with respect to the surface diffusion and hence lowers the shrinkage anisotropy in accordance with the simulation model.
Genetic and epigenetic influence on EAE phenotypes induced with different encephalitogenic peptides.

Different encephalitogenic peptides can induce two distinct experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) phenotypes in different mouse strains. To determine whether different peptides induce distinct phenotypes in genetically identical mice, parental strain and (SJLXC3H/HeJ)F1 mice were sensitized with myelin proteolipid protein peptide p139-151 or p215-232. p139-151 was non-encephalitogenic in C3H/HeJ mice and p215-232 was non-encephalitogenic in SJL mice. p139-151 induced typical acute EAE in SJL and F1 mice with most CNS inflammatory/demyelinating lesions located in the spinal cord. p215-232 induced mild clinical disease in only two of 10 C3H/HeJ mice; in 11 of 13 F1 mice (85%) it induced a disease spectrum that included typical paralytic acute EAE with a predominance of spinal cord lesions and later-onset mild EAE with predominance of brain stem/cerebellar lesions. Thus, the EAE phenotype induced in F1 mice by one encephalitogen, e.g. p139-151, can be the same as that induced in the susceptible parent. However, other encephalitogenic peptides, e.g. p215-232, may induce a broad range of heterogeneous EAE phenotypes in syngeneic mice. These data indicate that in some encephalitogenic responses, epigenetic factors influence EAE incidence, time of onset, severity, neurological signs and CNS lesion distribution.
Market trials of irradiated chicken

The potential market for irradiated chicken breasts was investigated using a mail survey and a retail trial. Results from the mail survey suggested a significantly higher level of acceptability of irradiated chicken than did the retail trial. A subsequent market experiment involving actual purchases showed levels of acceptability similar to that of the mail survey when similar information about food irradiation was provided.
Comparing the ecological impacts of wind and oil & gas development: a landscape scale assessment.

Energy production in the United States is in transition as the demand for clean and domestic power increases. Wind energy offers the benefit of reduced emissions, yet, like oil and natural gas, it also contributes to energy sprawl. We used a diverse set of indicators to quantify the ecological impacts of oil, natural gas, and wind energy development in Colorado and Wyoming. Aerial imagery was supplemented with empirical data to estimate habitat loss, fragmentation, potential for wildlife mortality, susceptibility to invasion, biomass carbon lost, and water resources. To quantify these impacts we digitized the land-use footprint within 375 plots, stratified by energy type. We quantified the change in impacts per unit area and per unit energy produced, compared wind energy to oil and gas, and compared landscapes with and without energy development. We found substantial differences in impacts between energy types for most indicators, although the magnitude and direction of the differences varied. Oil and gas generally resulted in greater impacts per unit area but fewer impacts per unit energy compared with wind. Biologically important and policy-relevant outcomes of this study include: 1) regardless of energy type, underlying land-use matters and development in already disturbed areas resulted in fewer total impacts; 2) the number and source of potential mortality varied between energy types, however, the lack of robust mortality data limits our ability to use this information to estimate and mitigate impacts; and 3) per unit energy produced, oil and gas extraction was less impactful on an annual basis but is likely to have a much larger cumulative footprint than wind energy over time. This rapid evaluation of landscape-scale energy development impacts could be replicated in other regions, and our specific findings can help meet the challenge of balancing land conservation with society’s demand for energy.
Truth and Contradiction in Aristotle’s De Interpretatione 6-9

In De Interpretatione 6-9, Aristotle considers three logical principles: the principle of bivalence, the law of excluded middle, and the rule of contradictory pairs (according to which of any contradictory pair of statements, exactly one is true and the other false). Surprisingly, Aristotle accepts none of these without qualification. I offer a coherent interpretation of these chapters as a whole, while focusing special attention on two sorts of statements that are of particular interest to Aristotle: universal statements not made universally and future particular statements. With respect to the former, I argue that Aristotle takes them to be indeterminate and so to violate the rule of contradictory pairs. With respect to the latter, the subject of the much discussed ninth chapter, I argue that the rule of contradictory pairs, and not the principle of bivalence, is the focus of Aristotle’s refutation. Nevertheless, Aristotle rejects bivalence for future particular statements.
Characterization of the monomer-dimer equilibrium of human cytomegalovirus protease by kinetic methods.

Herpesviruses encode a serine protease that is essential for the maturation of infectious virions. This protease has a unique polypeptide backbone fold and contains a novel Ser-His-His catalytic triad. It exists in a monomer-dimer equilibrium in solution, but only the dimer form of the enzyme is catalytically active. The stability of this dimer is affected by the presence of anti-chaotropic agents. Most of the reported K d values for this dimer (between 0.6 and 6 μM) are inconsistent with the fact that the protease is routinely assayed at 20-50 nM concentrations, as only monomeric species would be expected with such K d values. We have characterized the monomer-dimer equilibrium of HCMV protease using a new method, which observes the exchange between dimers of the wild-type enzyme and the active-site Serl32Ala mutant in a titration experiment. The K d of the dimer was determined to be 8 μM and 31 nM in the absence or presence of anti-chaotropic agents (10% glycerol and 0.5 M Na 2 SO 4 ), respectively. Detailed kinetic analysis also showed that, in addition to the 260-fold stabilization of the dimer, the anti-chaotropic agents produced a 7-fold enhancement in the catalytic activity of the dimer.
Capsule Commentary on Joynt et al., The Impact of Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status and Race on the Prescribing of Opioids in Emergency Departments Throughout the United States

This study used data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) between 2006 and 2009 to examine the prescription of opioids for moderate to severe pain in emergency departments across the United States.1 Patients from poorer neighborhoods and African-Americans and Latinos were less likely to be prescribed opioids. The effects for race and ethnicity persisted even when neighborhood factors were controlled. This study is the first to examine the effect of socio-economic status (SES) on the prescription of opioids, and is thus an important addition to the literature on inequities in health care. As the authors note, however, the study is limited in that individual patient characteristics for SES were unavailable and neighborhood characteristics were used as proxies for patient SES. Inequities in the delivery of health care for minority groups generally,2 and in the prescription of opioids specifically,3,4 has been well documented and reflect inequities in society as a whole. However, emergency department physicians typically see patients for a short period of time, and often have little personal knowledge about their patients. As a consequence, ED physicians may be more likely to make decisions about opiate prescriptions based on cultural stereotypes, specifically the perception that racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to abuse drugs of all sorts. Health care is delivered in the context of a relationship between the provider and the patient,5 and many factors may influence prescribing practices, including how patients report their symptoms, how these reports are interpreted by clinicians and whether or not pain medications are requested.3 While likely an important component, current inequities in the quality of care delivered to minorities is unlikely to be determined by cultural stereotypes alone.3 Future research needs to move beyond documenting inequities. We need to determine the sources of these disparities and test interventions to reduce disparate care.
Black Employment, Segregation, and the Social Organization of Metropolitan Labor Markets

AbstractThis broad analysis of the employment of blacks in metropolitan areas examines the role of residential segregation in comparison with four other key structural explanations for racial metropolitan inequality: industrial composition, minority concentration, immigration, and the racial disparity in skills. The goal of the analysis was to determine whether the spatial configuration of blacks relative to whites in a metropolitan area influences the employment rates of black men and black women in the context of the structural conditions of the local labor market. The study expanded the analysis of space and work beyond an emphasis on the physical distance between black communities and jobs to a broader conceptualization of residential segregation as a structural feature of the entire metropolitan labor market that is representative of its social organization with regard to race. Using a longitudinal data set of the structural characteristics of the 95 largest U.S. cities from the 1980, 1990, and 2000 ...
Scaffolding to build a rational vaccine design strategy.

Conventional vaccines, going back to the work of Jenner and Pasteur, are based on a rather direct mimicry of the offending pathogen using an attenuated or killed version of the microbe or purified or recombinant proteins from the microbe surface. These vaccines have been enormously successful against a range of pathogens. However, the conventional approaches have faltered for other pathogens, such as HIV, that have evolved an arsenal of molecular tricks to avoid immune responses. In such cases, alternate strategies are being investigated. The report by Ofek et al. (1) in PNAS describes a promising approach for presenting a vaccine target in the context of a protein or “scaffold” that lacks some of the defensive features of a pathogen such as HIV. The report does not deliver an HIV vaccine, but it takes an important step forward.
Peripheral blood CD4+ T-cell response before postoperative active immunotherapy correlates with clinical outcome in metastatic melanoma.

Background: Canvaxin polyvalent specific active immunotherapeutic (CancerVax Corp., Carlsbad, CA) is a minimally toxic adjuvant after resection of regional metastatic melanoma. Because Canvaxin immunotherapeutic requires induction of an immune response, we hypothesized that survival would be directly correlated with cellular immune responses to Canvaxin cells prior to immunization.
Effects of Emulsifiers on Physical Properties of Wheat Flour Extrudates with and without Sucrose and Shortening

Abstract The physical properties of wheat flour extrudates produced with emulsifiers, sucrose, and shortening powder were characterized by sectional (SEI), longitudinal (LEI), and volumetric (VEI) expansion indices; bulk density; and Instron breaking strength. Glyceryl monostearate (GMS), sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate (SSL), and sucrose ester (SE) (HLB [hydrophilic-lipophilic balance] = 15) produced wheat flour extrudates higher in SEI and VEI and lower in breaking strength and bulk density than the controls and extrudates containing SEs with HLB = 6 and 11. GMS was the most effective in increasing LEI. The addition of sucrose and shortening powder increased SEI and decreased LEI, bulk density, and breaking strength. SE (HLB = 15), SSL, and GMS could be used interchangeably to produce similar physical properties in wheat flour extrudates.
Cross-Cultural Considerations for Differentiating between Religiosity and Psychosis

This paper addresses the question of how to approach religiosity and psychosis within a clinical context. A clinician who is tasked with the differential diagnosis of a client who is apparently either experiencing normative religious phenomenon or psychotic symptoms faces a difficult situation—as clinicians are generally ill-prepared to address topics related to spirituality. It is important for a clinician to be culturally informed and culturally sensitive, and yet religiously-themed hallucinations and delusions are commonly observed among individuals experiencing psychosis. Recommendations are made to help inform culturally appropriate diagnosis and practice.
Tumor Lysis Syndrome in Limited-Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer

We report a case of a 70-year-old woman, with a 56 pack-year smoking history, who presented with an 8-week history of progressively worsening shortness of breath, cough, pleuritic chest pain, and an 18-pound weight loss. A chest radiograph showed a large opacification suggestive of a right-sided mediastinal mass. Positron emission tomography computed tomography demonstrated a large heterogeneous, intensely F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose-avid right-sided posterior mediastinal mass, measuring 74 × 60 mm in transaxial dimensions, 114 × 18 mm in coronal dimensions. The mass e xtended from the level of the aortic arch to the left atrium inferiorly and caused significant compression and displacement of the proximal and midesophagus and the left atrium, with no evidence of disease outside the thorax. Bronchoscopic biopsy confirmed small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Her radiographic studies revealed limited disease SCLC, and concurrent chemoradiotherapy was recommended. The patient was initiated on chemotherapy with cisplatin plus etoposide; radiotherapy was scheduled to start with
Autism Spectrum and Obsessive–Compulsive Disorders: OC Behaviors, Phenotypes and Genetics

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a phenotypically and etiologically heterogeneous set of disorders that include obsessive-compulsive behaviors (OCB) that partially overlap with symptoms associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The OCB seen in ASD vary depending on the individual's mental and chronological age as well as the etiology of their ASD. Although progress has been made in the measurement of the OCB associated with ASD, more work is needed including the potential identification of heritable endophenotypes. Likewise, important progress toward the understanding of genetic influences in ASD has been made by greater refinement of relevant phenotypes using a broad range of study designs, including twin and family-genetic studies, parametric and nonparametric linkage analyses, as well as candidate gene studies and the study of rare genetic variants. These genetic analyses could lead to the refinement of the OCB phenotypes as larger samples are studied and specific associations are replicated. Like ASD, OCB are likely to prove to be multidimensional and polygenic. Some of the vulnerability genes may prove to be generalist genes influencing the phenotypic expression of both ASD and OCD while others will be specific to subcomponents of the ASD phenotype. In order to discover molecular and genetic mechanisms, collaborative approaches need to generate shared samples, resources, novel genomic technologies, as well as more refined phenotypes and innovative statistical approaches. There is a growing need to identify the range of molecular pathways involved in OCB related to ASD in order to develop novel treatment interventions.
Treatment options for bleeding episodes in patients undergoing immune tolerance therapy

Inhibitors to factor VIII develop in 4–20% of haemophilia A patients, with the percentage rising to 52% in certain subpopulations. The management of inhibitor patients is directed toward stopping acute haemorrhages, providing short-term haemostasis before and after surgery, and inducing immune tolerance to factor VIII (immune tolerance therapy or ITT). Several different protocols have been used for ITT, but they are all centred around ongoing exposure to high doses of factor VIII. High responders (those patients with a large increase in inhibitor level after exposure to factor VIII) are the prime candidates for ITT, but low responders may also benefit from this treatment. It is often necessary to treat bleeding episodes during ITT, because elimination of inhibitors may require many years of therapy. Treatment of haemorrhages in inhibitor patients is reviewed for both low and high responders during ITT and in the absence of ITT. The choice of clotting agent for inhibitor patients who have not yet responded to ITT depends on current and past inhibitor levels, the severity of the haemorrhage, the site of the haemorrhage or the setting in which it occurs (e.g. surgical), and the extent of inhibitor cross-reactivity with porcine factor VIII. Patients with high-titre inhibitors experiencing a critical haemorrhage are generally best managed with bypassing agents (AUTOPLEX® T or FEIBA® VH), porcine factor VIII or rFVIIa.
High resolution MR imaging and localization of laser-induced thermal injury in the vascular wall.

With the increasing use of lasers in surgical procedures, there is need for a noninvasive imaging modality to monitor laser-tissue interactions. MRI can be used readily for imaging human anatomy and holds the potential to map laser-induced thermal injury. This study investigates high resolution T1-weighted MR imaging of human aorta samples (in vitro) that have been damaged thermally using an argon ion laser and the corresponding histology. High resolution T1-weighted MR images (voxel size, .156 x .156 x .700 mm) clearly detected residual thermal injury as areas of bright signal intensity. Effective localization of thermal injury was achieved by subtraction of preinjury and postinjury slices with pseudocoloring of positive and negative differences. The results may serve as a basis from which to guide future in vivo studies.
Overview: Idiopathic Generalized Epilepsies

The idiopathic generalized epilepsies (IGEs) are an underemphasized topic. Two reasons for this relative lack of attention are that these epilepsies tend to be more easily controlled than the symptomatic partial and generalized epilepsies, and they are not as common. Because IGE usually arises in childhood or adolescence, these epilepsies may be thought of as a pediatric problem. However, a large number of patients continue to have seizures in adult life. Many exciting developments in understanding the pathophysiology, genetic etiology, and expanded treatment options warrant a reexamination of this important group of the epilepsies. This article reviews the more common IGE syndromes and associated seizure types as the first step in identifying the recent advances in our knowledge of these syndromes.
Mathematical Modeling and Simulation of Biologically Inspired Hair Receptor Arrays in Laminar Unsteady Flow Separation

Abstract Bats possess arrays of distributed flow-sensitive hair-like mechanoreceptors on their dorsal and ventral wing surfaces. Bat wing hair receptors are known to play a significant role in flight maneuverability and are directionally most sensitive to reversed flow over the wing. In this work, we consider the mechanics of flexible hair-like structures for the time accurate detection and visualization of hydrodynamic images associated with unsteady near surface flow phenomena. A nonlinear viscoelastic model of a hair-like structure coupled to an unsteady nonuniform flow is proposed. Writing the hair model in nondimensional form, we identify five dimensionless groups that govern hair behavior. An order of magnitude analysis of the physical forces involved in the fluid–structure hair response is performed. Through the choice of hair material properties, we show how a local measure of near surface flow velocity may be obtained from hair tip displacement and resultant moment. When hair structures are placed into an array, time and space accurate hydrodynamic images may be obtained. We illustrate the imaging of reversed flow that occurs during a laminar unsteady flow separation with an array of hair-like structures.
Guiding divisome assembly and controlling its activity

Cell division in bacteria requires the construction of two new polar caps for the daughter cells. To constrict the cell membrane and build these new surface layers, bacteria employ a multiprotein machine called the divisome. Over the years, most of the essential division proteins have been identified and localized to the ring-like divisome apparatus. The challenge now is to determine the molecular function of these factors, how they cooperate to bring about the dramatic transformation of the mother cell envelope, and what coordinates their activity with other major cell cycle events. In this review, we discuss recent progress in these areas with an emphasis on results from the model organisms Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.
Influence of ganglioglomerular nerve on carotid chemoreceptor activity in the cat.

Abstract The dependence of the carotid chemoreceptor responses to blood-borne stimuli on the ganglioglomerular nerve (GGN) activity was investigated in cats which were anesthetized, paralyzed and artificially ventilated. The activity of a few carotid chemoreceptor afferents from a slip or from the cut left carotid sinus nerve (CSN) and the activity of a few GGN fibers were recorded. The responses of the same chemoreceptor afferents to steady-state hypoxia at a constant paCO2 and to steadystate hypercapnia during hyperoxia were compared before and after the transection of the ipsilateral ganglioglomerular nerve (IGGN). Similarly the effects of IGGN transection on the responses of the same chemoreceptor afferents to graded doses of intravenous injections of sodium cyanide (20–60 μg) and nicotine (20–60 μg) at constant blood gas levels were studied. On the average, IGGN transection during normoxia only slightly changed the carotid chemoreceptor activity. Also, it did not significantly change the hypoxic and hypercapnic responses, and those to sodium cyanide and nicotine injections. Thus, the mean carotid chemoreceptor responses to physiological and pharmacological stimuli were largely independent of the GGN. However, certain GGN fibers were strongly stimulated by hypoxia and hypercapnia. Clearly, the total GGN traffic to the carotid body was not sufficiently strong to exert a significant control over the mean carotid chemoreceptor activity.