cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AMPA receptor upregulation in the nucleus accumbens shell of cocaine-sensitized rats depends upon S-nitrosylation of stargazin

Behavioral sensitization to cocaine is associated with increased AMPA receptor (AMPAR) surface expression in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). This upregulation is withdrawal-dependent, as it is not detected on withdrawal day (WD) 1, but is observed on WD7-21. Its underlying mechanisms have not been clearly established. Nitric oxide (NO) regulates AMPAR trafficking in the brain by S-nitrosylation of the AMPAR auxiliary subunit, stargazin, leading to increased AMPAR surface expression. Our goal was to determine if stargazin S-nitrosylation contributes to AMPAR upregulation during sensitization. First, we measured stargazin S-nitrosylation in NAc core and shell subregions on WD14 after 8 daily injections of saline or 15 mg/kg cocaine. Stargazin S-nitrosylation was markedly increased in NAc shell but not core. To determine if this is associated with AMPAR upregulation, rats received 8 cocaine or saline injections followed by twice-daily treatments with vehicle or the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor l-NAME (50 mg/kg) on WD1-6, the time when AMPAR upregulation is developing in cocaine-exposed rats. Cocaine/vehicle rats showed elevated stargazin and GluA1 surface expression on WD7 compared to saline/vehicle rats; the GluA1 increase was more robust in core, while stargazin increased more robustly in shell. These effects of cocaine were attenuated in shell but not core when cocaine injections were followed by l-NAME treatment on WD1-6. Together, these results indicate that elevated S-nitrosylation of stargazin contributes to AMPAR upregulation during sensitization selectively in the NAc shell. It is possible that AMPAR upregulation in core involves a different TARP, γ4, which also upregulates in the NAc of sensitized rats.
Ursodeoxycholic acid ingestion after ileal resection - Effect on biliary bile acid and lipid composition

The effect of ursodeoxycholic acid ingestion on biliary bile acids and biliary lipids was studied in six patients after ileal resection. All patients had bile acid malabsorption, as documented by increased breath and fecal excretion of14C after oral administration of [1-14C] cholylglycine. Fasting duodenal bile was collected by intubation before and seven days after ursodeoxycholic acid administration (4 g/day), and biliary bile acid and lipid composition were determined. Ursodeoxycholic acid ingestion increased the percentage of ursodeoxycholic acid in bile tenfold (3.6±2.6% vs 38.6±12.0%) and decreased chenodeoxycholic acid in bile by approximately 40%. Before ursodeoxycholic acid ingestion, bile was supersaturated in all patients. After ursodeoxycholic acid ingestion, cholesterol saturation decreased in all six patients by an average of 43%, and bile became unsaturated in five. Ursodeoxycholic acid ingestion had no effect on stool frequency. We conclude that, as in subjects with an intact enterohepatic circulation, ursodeoxycholic acid therapy has litholytic potential in patients after ileal resection.
DNA fingerprinting of human cell lines using PCR amplification of fragment length polymorphisms

Methods for monitoring cell line identification and authentication include species-specific immunofluorescence, isoenzyme phenotyping, chromosome analysis, and DNA fingerprinting. Most previous studies of DNA fingerprinting of cell lines have used restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. In this study, we examined the utility of an alternative and simpler method of cell line DNA fingerprinting—polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of fragment length polymorphisms. Fourteen human cell lines previously found by other methods to be either related or disparate were subjected to DNA fingerprinting by PCR amplification of selected fragment length polymorphism loci. Cell identification patterns by this method were concordant with those obtained by isoenzyme phenotyping and restriction fragment length polymorphism-DNA fingerprinting, and were reproducible within and between assays on different DNA extracts of the same cell line. High precision was achieved with electrophoretic separation of amplified DNA products on high resolution agarose or polyacrylamide gels, and with fragment length polymorphism (FLP) loci-specific “allelic ladders” to identify individual FLP alleles. Determination of the composite fingerprint of a cell line at six appropriately chosen fragment length polymorphism loci should achieve a minimum discrimination power of 0.999. The ability of PCR-based fragment length polymorphism DNA fingerprinting to precisely and accurately identify the alleles of different human cell lines at multiple polymorphic fragment length polymorphism loci demonstrates the feasibility of developing a cell line DNA fingerprint reference database as a powerful additional tool for future cell line identification and authentication.
Well-defined genome architecture in the human sperm nucleus

Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, conventional epifluorescence microscopy, and laser scanning confocal microscopy followed by three-dimensional reconstruction we describe a well-defined higher order packaging of the human genome in the sperm cell nucleus. This was determined by the spatial localization of centromere and telomere regions of all chromosomes and supported by localization of subtelomere sequences of chromosome 3 and the entire chromosome 2. The nuclear architecture in the human sperm is characterized by the clustering of the 23 centromeres into a compact chromocenter positioned well inside the nucleus. The ends of the chromosomes are exposed to the nuclear periphery where both the subtelomere and the telomere sequences of the chromosome arms are joined into dimers. Thus chromosomes in the human sperm nucleus are looped into a hairpin-like configuration. The biological implications of this nuclear architecture in spermatogenesis and male pronuclear formation following fertilization are discussed.
Genetic predisposition to prostate cancer: possible explanations for ethnic differences in risk.

BACKGROUND It seems unlikely that the large ethnic differences in prostate cancer risk can be explained completely by ethnic differences in diet or other lifestyle characteristics. Instead, the differences may be due to ethnic variation in endogenous factors, such as androgen metabolism or inherited susceptibility. METHODS We have reviewed the literature for evidence and support of ethnic variation in genetic susceptibility to prostate cancer as a reason for the ethnic differences in rates. RESULTS We distinguish two types of ethnic variation: 1) variation in the prevalence of certain alleles of specific genes that confer modestly increased risk. Such variation might be reflected in ethnic differences in serum levels of androgens, their metabolites, or indicators of metabolism in the prostate; 2) variation in the prevalence of rare germline mutations conferring substantially increased risk. Such variation would be reflected in ethnic differences in familial aggregation of prostate cancer. We discuss the evidence in support of each of these two possibilities. CONCLUSIONS Ethnic variation in polymorphic alleles of genes associated with modest fluctuations in risk could explain a large proportion of the ethnic difference in cancer risk. In contrast, rare mutations associated with substantially increased risk are likely to account for a smaller fraction of these differences. Prostate 32:65–72, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Teaching chest disease: seminars in thoracology.

At the Mayo Clinic one of the methods that has been found useful in the teaching of thoracic diseases is the seminar. Seminars of the type to be described are held each Tuesday evening throughout the year except during the summer months and are presented by and for the fellows (residents) in internal medicine. They cover various subjects in the field of medicine, and all fellows in medicine are invited to attend regardless of the services on which they are working at the time. The subjects for discussion are chosen by a committee of staff members and are planned to afford fairly comprehensive coverage of the field of internal medicine over the usual residency period of 3 years. Thus, a course of thoracologic subjects is scheduled for discussion in this particular series only once in 3 years. However, the method could easily be adapted to a thoracic service with an educational program requiring less integration with other medical services. The titles of the seminars are published during the preceding year in order to allow the seminar speaker to choose a subject of interest to him. Care is taken to list subjects that are sharply defined, but yet of general interest. Some examples of titles are as follows: “Suppurative Pulmonary Disease,” “Mediastinal Tumors,” “The Differential Diagnosis of Dyspnea,” “The Problem of Pulmonary Fibrosis,” “Solitary Circumscribed Pulmonary Lesions.” The speaker, or “essayist,” as he is called, is asked to prepare a 30-minute paper, which, for practice in public speaking, he is urged to present extemporaneously; too often, however, this suggestion is disregarded. In advance the committee also invites one or more (usually two) staff commentators to participate in the program. Commentators are chosen because of their special knowledge of the field or the committee’s awareness that they represent different points of view. Typically, for thoracic subjects, the team of commentators comprises an internist and a thoracic surgeon, an endoseopist, a respiratory physiologist, or a pathologist. The identity of the commentators, as well as of the essayist, is published in a weekly bulletin; thus an especially barge audience may indicate that the commentators have developed local reputations for excellence in these roles. In the preparation of his paper the essayist is invited to confer with
A fast Cauchy-Riemann solver

The inhomogeneous Cauchy-Riemann equations in a rectangle are discretized by a finite difference approximation. Several different boundary conditions are treated explicitly, leading to algorithms which have overall second-order accuracy. All boundary conditions with either u or v prescribed along a side of the rectangle can be treated by similar methods. The algorithms presented here have nearly minimal time and storage requirements and seem suitable for development into a general-purpose direct Cauchy-Riemann solver for arbitrary boundary conditions.
Flow distribution in a single bifurcation during high-frequency oscillation

Abstract The distribution flow in a single bifurcation was studied to examine what factors played a critical role. Flow was preferentially directed down the straightest pathway when higher frequencies and/or larger tidal volumes were used, but otherwise followed the pattern dictated by the distal impedence regardless of bifurcation geometry. In a symmetrical model, the observed flow distribution was in a good agreement with a mathematical prediction based on linear impedance theory, though this was not the case when tidal volumes were increased. The difference in mean pressure between the two terminal unit was also a strong function of branching angle and the Reynolds number. These findings suggest that the geometrical factors and local flow conditions contribute to both the flow and mean pressure distribution in an inertia-induced nonlinear manner. Consequently, linear impedance theory can be applied only to the limited situation of low tidal volume and symmetric configuration.
Possible identification of poorly crystalline inorganic matter present in Athabasca oil sands

Abstract In Athabasca oil sands there is a fraction of poorly crystalline minerals tightly bound to humic matter. This fraction resists subsequent wetting by water and introduces serious problems in bitumen recovery when using water-based processes. In this study 29 Si solid state magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR, infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy were applied to characterize these minerals isolated from Athabasca oil sands of estuarine and marine origin. It was demonstrated that poorly crystalline inorganic matter present in Athabasca oil sands is comprised of aluminosilicates, most probably allophane-like minerals. Humic matter could interact with this type of material through incorporation of an organic anion as a ligand to a metal ion, coulombic and van der Waals forces and hydrogen bonding.
A procedure for serial simulation of electrochemical processes: cycling of electrodes and batteries

Serial simulation is required to predict the behavior of an electrochemical system undergoing many processes. This is demonstrated through the simulation of charge/open-circuit/discharge processes of a thin film nickel hydroxide electrode. The numerical issues involved in this kind of simulation are discussed. An efficient and robust procedure is presented. It can be easily used to achieve the serial simulation of electrochemical processes, e.g., battery cycling, cyclic voltammetry etc.
Development and Validation of the Adolescent Racial and Ethnic Socialization Scale (ARESS) in African American Families

Racial and ethnic socialization are an integral part of African American parenting strategies. Varied conceptualizations and operationalizations of racial and ethnic socialization exist within the literature with limited evidence of the validity of existing measures. The purpose of this study is to develop a comprehensive definition of racial and ethnic socialization and to validate a new measure termed the Adolescent Racial and Ethnic Socialization Scale (ARESS). Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), findings from 218 African American adolescents (grades 9–12) support the multidimensional nature of racial and ethnic socialization. Results also indicate that racial and ethnic socialization are distinct constructs reflecting the utility of this instrument for African American youth.
Self-Reported Peripheral Arterial Disease Predicts Future Vascular Events in a Community-Based Cohort

Background Lower extremity peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is highly prevalent and strongly associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The ankle-brachial index used to screen for PAD is not routinely performed in primary care settings.
Hypoxia-Induced Mitogenic Factor (HIMF/FIZZ1/RELMα) Recruits Bone Marrow-Derived Cells to the Murine Pulmonary Vasculature

Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disease of multiple etiologies with several common pathological features, including inflammation and pulmonary vascular remodeling. Recent evidence has suggested a potential role for the recruitment of bone marrow-derived (BMD) progenitor cells to this remodeling process. We recently demonstrated that hypoxia-induced mitogenic factor (HIMF/FIZZ1/RELM alpha) is chemotactic to murine bone marrow cells in vitro and involved in pulmonary vascular remodeling in vivo. Methodology/principal findings We used a mouse bone marrow transplant model in which lethally irradiated mice were rescued with bone marrow transplanted from green fluorescent protein (GFP)(+) transgenic mice to determine the role of HIMF in recruiting BMD cells to the lung vasculature during PH development. Exposure to chronic hypoxia and pulmonary gene transfer of HIMF were used to induce PH. Both models resulted in markedly increased numbers of BMD cells in and around the pulmonary vasculature; in several neomuscularized small (approximately 20 microm) capillary-like vessels, an entirely new medial wall was made up of these cells. We found these GFP(+) BMD cells to be positive for stem cell antigen-1 and c-kit, but negative for CD31 and CD34. Several of the GFP(+) cells that localized to the pulmonary vasculature were alpha-smooth muscle actin(+) and localized to the media layer of the vessels. This finding suggests that these cells are of mesenchymal origin and differentiate toward myofibroblast and vascular smooth muscle. Structural location in the media of small vessels suggests a functional role in the lung vasculature. To examine a potential mechanism for HIMF-dependent recruitment of mesenchymal stem cells to the pulmonary vasculature, we performed a cell migration assay using cultured human mesenchymal stem cells (HMSCs). The addition of recombinant HIMF induced migration of HMSCs in a phosphoinosotide-3-kinase-dependent manner. Conclusions/significance These results demonstrate HIMF-dependent recruitment of BMD mesenchymal-like cells to the remodeling pulmonary vasculature.
Theoretical prediction of different decomposition paths for Ca ( BH 4 ) 2 and Mg ( BH 4 ) 2

We have studied the decomposition pathways of both Ca- and Mg-borohydride using density-functional theory (DFT) calculations of the free energy (including vibrational contributions) in conjunction with a Monte Carlo-based crystal-structure prediction method, the prototype electrostatic ground-state (PEGS) search method. We find that a recently proposed ${\text{CaB}}_{2}{\text{H}}_{2}$ intermediate [M. D. Riktor, M. H. S\o{}rby, K. Ch\l{}opek, M. Fichtner, and B. C. Hauback, J. Mater. Chem. 19, 2754 (2009)] is energetically highly unfavorable and hence very unlikely to form. We systematically search for low-energy structures of ${\text{CaB}}_{2}{\text{H}}_{n}$ compounds with $n=2$, 4, and 6 using PEGS simulations, refining the resulting structures with accurate DFT calculations. We find that the lowest-energy ${\text{CaB}}_{2}{\text{H}}_{2}$ and ${\text{CaB}}_{2}{\text{H}}_{4}$ crystal structures do not lie on the thermodynamically stable decomposition path but rather are unstable with respect to a decomposition pathway involving the previously proposed ${\text{CaB}}_{12}{\text{H}}_{12}$ phase. We also predict a ${\text{CaB}}_{2}{\text{H}}_{6}$ compound which forms a low-energy intermediate in the calcium borohydride decomposition pathway. This new reaction pathway is practically degenerate with decomposition into the ${\text{CaB}}_{12}{\text{H}}_{12}$ phase. Similar calculations for magnesium borohydride show that a recently predicted ${\text{MgB}}_{2}{\text{H}}_{6}$ phase does not form a stable intermediate in the decomposition pathway of $\text{Mg}{({\text{BH}}_{4})}_{2}$.
Affinity chromatography of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase from calf thymus and human leukemic cells on a solid-phase immunoadsorbent

Abstract A solid-phase immunoadsorbent specific for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase hs been prepared. The enzyme from calf thymus and acute lumphoblastic leukemia cells binds to columns of this material. Bound enzyme can be eluted in an active form. Selective and rapid purification of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase from crude extracts of cells containing this enzyme can be achieved by this method since the immunoadsorbent has no affinity for other cellular DNA polymerses.
Reaction Pathways and Kinetic Parameters of Sonolytically Induced Oxidation of Dimethyl Methylphosphonate in Air Saturated Aqueous Solutions

The oxidation of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) was examined under ultrasonic conditions (640 kHz) in oxygen saturated aqueous solutions. Acetic acid, formic acid, methylphosphonic acid, phosphate, and oxalic acid have been identified as the major products produced during the sonolytic irradiation of DMMP. The initial rates of oxidation were determined as a function of initial DMMP concentration. The kinetic behavior of the system is consistent with the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model implying oxidative processes occur at or near the gas-liquid interface during cavitation. Mechanistic implications and conclusions are discussed based on the product distributions and kinetic parameters.
Ontology quality assurance through analysis of term transformations

Motivation: It is important for the quality of biological ontologies that similar concepts be expressed consistently, or univocally. Univocality is relevant for the usability of the ontology for humans, as well as for computational tools that rely on regularity in the structure of terms. However, in practice terms are not always expressed consistently, and we must develop methods for identifying terms that are not univocal so that they can be corrected. Results: We developed an automated transformation-based clustering methodology for detecting terms that use different linguistic conventions for expressing similar semantics. These term sets represent occurrences of univocality violations. Our method was able to identify 67 examples of univocality violations in the Gene Ontology. Availability: The identified univocality violations are available upon request. We are preparing a release of an open source version of the software to be available at http://bionlp.sourceforge.net. Contact: karin.verspoor@ucdenver.edu
Stress Concentrations in Electronic Packaging

The reliability of ceramic and plastic packages used in microelectronics is compromised by interface (delamination) and homogeneous (bulk) cracking that is initiated during processing and stress testing. These cracking failures have certain characteristics in that they begin at locations of geometric stress concentrations and propagate along typical failure paths. Characterization of these stress concentrations is therefore essential to a good design and for defining material response parameters such as bulk and interfacial fracture toughness. In this paper, applications of a general-purpose finite element technique for the characterization of stress concentrations are presented. The technique uses the full twodimensional elasticity solution for different materials that are bonded together. It is possible to use this technique to extract relevant material parameters, such as stress intensity factors, the J-integral, or energy release rate, and hence to eventually define the conditions necessary for crack initiation and propagation.
Susceptibilities and spin gaps of weakly coupled spin ladders

We calculate the uniform and staggered susceptibilities of two-chain spin-1/2 Heisenberg ladders using Monte-Carlo simulations. We show that the gap extracted from the uniform susceptibility and the saturation value of the staggered susceptibility are independent of the sign of the interchain coupling J{perpendicular} in the asymptotic limit |J{perpendicular}|/J {yields} 0. Furthermore, we examine the existence of logarithmic corrections to the linear scaling of the gap with |J{perpendicular}|.
Effects of NF-κB inhibition on mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion injury

Mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion injury is a serious complication of shock. Because activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) has been implicated in this process, we treated rats with vehicle or the IkappaB-alpha inhibitor BAY 11-7085 (25 mg/kg ip) 1 h before mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion (45 min of ischemia followed by reperfusion at 30 min or 6 h) and examined the ileal injury response. Vehicle-treated rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion exhibited severe mucosal injury, increased myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, increased expression of interleukin-6 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 protein, and a biphasic peak of NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity during the 30-min and 6-h reperfusion courses. In contrast, BAY 11-7085-pretreated rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion exhibited less histological injury and less interleukin-6 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 protein expression at 30 min of reperfusion but more histological injury at 6 h of reperfusion than vehicle-treated rats subjected to ischemia-reperfusion. Studies with phosphorylation site-specific antibodies demonstrated that IkappaB-alpha phosphorylation at Ser(32),Ser(36) was induced at 30 min of reperfusion, whereas tyrosine phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha was induced at 6 h of reperfusion. BAY 11-7085 inhibited the former, but not the latter, phosphorylation pathway, whereas alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, which is effective in limiting late ischemia-reperfusion injury to the intestine, inhibited tyrosine phosphorylation of IkappaB-alpha. Thus NF-kappaB appears to play an important role in the generation and resolution of intestinal ischemia-reperfusion injury through different activation pathways.
The team scaling fallacy: Underestimating the declining efficiency of larger teams

The competitive survival of many organizations depends on delivering projects on time and on budget. These firms face decisions concerning how to scale the size of work teams. Larger teams can usually complete tasks more quickly, but the advantages associated with adding workers are often accompanied by various disadvantages (such as the increased burden of coordinating efforts). We note several reasons why managers may focus on process gains when they envision the consequences of making a team larger, and why they may underestimate or underweight process losses. We document a phenomenon that we term the team scaling fallacy—as team size increases, people increasingly underestimate the number of labor hours required to complete projects. Using data from two laboratory experiments, and archival data from projects executed at a software company, we find persistent evidence of the team scaling fallacy and explore a reason for its occurrence.
Achieving high transition delay fault coverage with partial DTSFF scan chains

The delay test scan flip-flop (DTSFF) has been recently presented as a low cost DFT technique to achieve both launch-on-shift (LOS) and launch-on-capture (LOC) scan delay tests, without the need for a fast scan enable signal. Such a combined delay test strategy can achieve near perfect transition delay fault (TDF) coverage which eludes commonly supported LOC only delay tests. In this paper we show that a partial DTSFF scheme, which replaces only 20-40% carefully chosen scan flip-flops in the scan chain with the new DTSFF can achieve most of the coverage benefits of a full DTSFF design while minimizing area overhead.
A Single M1 Residue in the β2 Subunit Alters Channel Gating of GABAA Receptor in Anesthetic Modulation and Direct Activation

Abstract General anesthetics allosterically modulate the activity of neuronal γ-aminobutyric acid, type A (GABAA), receptors. Previous mutational studies from our laboratory and others have shown that the regions in transmembrane domain 1 (M1) and pre-M1 of α and β subunits in GABA receptors are essential for positive modulation of GABA binding and function by the intravenous (IV) general anesthetics. Mutation of β2Gly-219 to Phe corresponded in ρ nearly eliminated the modulatory effect of IV anesthetics in α1/β2/γ2S combination. However, the general anesthetics retained the ability to directly open the channel of mutant G219F, and the apparent affinity for GABA was increased, and desensitization rate was reduced. In this study, we made additional single mutations such as 219 Ser, Cys, Ile, Asp, Arg, Tyr, and Trp. The larger side chains of the replacement residues produced the greatest reduction in enhancement of GABA currents by IV anesthetics at clinical concentrations (Trp > Tyr = Phe > Arg > Asp > Ile > Cys > Ser = wild type). Compared with a 2–3-fold response in wild type, pentobarbital and propofol enhanced less than 0.5-fold; etomidate and alphaxalone modulation was reduced from more than 4- to 1-fold in G219F, G219Y, and G219W. A linear correlation was observed between the volume of the residue at position 219 and the loss of modulation. An identical correlation was found for the effect of modulation on left-shift in the GABA EC50 value; furthermore, the same rank order of residues, related to size, was found for reduction in the maximal direct channel-gating by pentobarbital (1 mm) and etomidate (100 μm) and for increased apparent affinity for direct gating by the IV anesthetics.
Animal Models of Myopia: Learning How Vision Controls the Size of the Eye

As they grow up, approximately 25% of children in the United States become myopic (nearsighted). A much smaller fraction become significantly hyperopic (farsighted), while the majority develop little or no refractive error and are emmetropic. The causes of refractive error, especially myopia, have been the subject of debate for more than a century. Some have held that myopia is primarily an inherited disorder, and others, that myopia is caused by protracted near work and, especially, by accommodation during protracted near work. It has not been possible, based solely on clinical observations, to resolve the relative roles of heredity versus environment in the development of refractive error. In the mid-1970s, several animal models were developed to study the mechanisms underlying refractive error. Using animal models, it was found that the visual environment exerts a powerful influence on refractive state by controlling the axial length of the eye during the postnatal developmental period. Although several species have been examined, three have emerged as primary models and have played complementary roles: tree shrews (mammals closely related to primates), chicks, and monkeys. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Collectively, research on animal models has provided evidence on three issues, namely that (1) the visual environment can produce refractive error; (2) an emmetropization mechanism normally guides eyes to low refractive error; and (3) under-accommodation, rather than excessive accommodation, may cause myopia. Two decades of research on animal models have provided criteria that may be used to evaluate the usefulness of additional species as models of emmetropization.
Alefacept therapy produces remission for patients with chronic plaque psoriasis

SummaryBackground Alefacept, human LFA-3/IgG1 fusion protein, is a novel biological agent currently being developed for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis. Alefacept selectively reduces the memory-effector T cells that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of the disease; as a result, alefacept is classified as a therapy that induces remission (so-called ‘remittive’ therapy). In a previously published randomized, placebo-controlled phase II study of intravenous alefacept in 229 patients with chronic plaque psoriasis, clinical improvement was observed during dosing as well as in the postdosing follow-up period. Objectives To assess the remission period following alefacept therapy. Methods The time before re-treatment was required was measured in patients who were ‘clear’ or ‘almost clear’ of disease according to a physician global assessment at the end of the follow-up phase. Results In these patients, responses were sustained for a median of 10 months, and for up to 18 months. No patient reported disease rebound after cessation of alefacept. Conclusions Alefacept is a biological agent for the treatment of chronic plaque psoriasis that provides disease-free intervals and time off drug therapy.
Cranial asymmetry in Ceboid primates: The emissary foramina

Until the last decade or so, relatively little was known of cranial asymmetries in nonhuman primates. Data are slowly, but surely, accumulating for such features as transverse sinus flow, sylvian point angle differences, external brain morphology, etc. Cranial asymmetries are being analyzed and related to such diverse problems as “handedness” and phylogenetic systematics. It has been known for over 200 years that cranial asymmetry exists in some of the cerebral blood flow patterns in man, particularly the internal jugular pathway. Although earlier anatomists assumed this was only characteristic of “higher primates” (meaning man and the great apes), little quantitative data have been available to either support or deny this belief. There is a particular dearth of information for New World primates. The aim of this study is to contribute to the growing literature on cerebral asymmetries by partially filling in this gap in our knowledge of New World primate biology.
A Study of the Impact of Informational Complexity, Transparency and Stewardship on Decision Usefulness: The Users Perspective

“Arguably, accounting is as much about communication as it is to do with measurement. No matter how effective the process of accounting quantification, its resultant data will be less than useful unless they are communicated adequately”. Raymond John Chambers Calls for the reformation of financial reporting have exacerbated in recent years in light of a rapidly changing global investment climate and in the wake of a battered financial system. This study explored the interrelationships between informational complexity, transparency and stewardship on the usefulness of financial reporting. Empirical analyses was based on a survey of more than 650 executives to test hypotheses that informational complexity impairs judgment through decision-makers’ strategy selection; that transparency captures the timeliness, interpretation, and dissemination of financial reporting that leads to a more informed market; and that there is a stewardship demand to report on the control and use of resources by those accountable for their control and use. The most interesting finding of this study was the lack of support for the connection between complexity, transparency and value relevance, even though prior research has found strong support for a relationship between these three constructs. However, it is clear that although considerable complexity can originate from the intricacy of commercial transactions and events themselves. The accounting for such transactions, by their very nature is complicated and is therefore beyond the control of standard setters. It is therefore imperative that we acknowledge and distinguish between two types of complexity in financial reporting, from the outset: that which is inescapable, due to the inherent complexity of certain transactions, and that which could be avoidable, having been brought about by accounting standards themselves. Additionally, the impact of regulatory trust on decision usefulness was found to be significant, but negative . Can it be postulated that rapid changes in the economy, inadequacy of accounting regulation and other institutions creates a negative effect on the usefulness of accounting information?
Roberts’s, Child versus Childmaker: Future Persons and Present Duties in Ethics and the Law

Book reviewed in this article: Melinda Roberts, Child versus Childmaker: Future Persons and Present Duties in Ethics and the Law
Addressing Un-cooperation of Routers in Wireless Patient Monitoring

Patient Monitoring using ad hoc networks has been proposed to overcome the coverage problems of infrastructure-oriented wireless networks, such as wireless LANs and cellular-oriented wireless networks. Although highly innovative and interesting solution to provide patient monitoring, such ad hoc networks rely on the co-operation of other patient monitoring devices as routers. The end-to-end delivery of messages carrying vital signs of patients will be negatively affected by un-cooperation and/or failure of routers. In this paper, we address how to overcome the uncooperation and failure of routers in patient monitoring. More specifically, network routing schemes are presented for delivery of messages from the source device to one of healthcare professionals using ad hoc wireless networks. The performance results show that the impact of un-cooperative nodes in wireless patient monitoring can be minimized by using broadcast and reliable routing schemes. We also present several incentives that can be used in obtaining co-operation from other devices.
Circular microstrip antenna array

The radiated fields due to a circular array of patch antennas are investigated. The aperture method is used to determine the fields of the patch; for this initial study, the effects of mutual coupling are not included. The dependence of the radiated fields on the array geometry is examined for a frequency of 10 GHz and a substrate dielectric constant of 2.2. The practical applications of this array configuration are of interest for radar systems and air and space navigation systems. >
Behavioral Economics and Psychology of Incentives

Monetary incentives can backfire while nonstandard interventions, such as framing, can be effective in influencing behavior. I review the empirical evidence on these two sets of anomalies. Paying for inherently interesting tasks, paying for prosocial behavior, paying too much, paying too little, and providing too many options can all be counterproductive. At the same time, proper design of the decision-making environment can be a potent way to induce certain behaviors. After presenting the empirical evidence, I discuss the relative role of beliefs, preferences, and technology in the anomalous impacts of incentives. I argue that inference, signaling, loss aversion, dynamic inconsistency, and choking are the primary factors that explain the data.
Effect of Rotavirus Strain on the Murine Model of Biliary Atresia

Biliary atresia is a devastating disorder of the newborn in which afflicted infants develop inflammation and fibrosis of the extrahepatic biliary tract, resulting in cirrhosis and end-stage liver disease. Infection with a virus is thought to be a contributing factor in the etiology of biliary atresia. In the murine model of biliary atresia, perinatal exposure to rhesus rotavirus (RRV) results in biliary epithelial cell infection causing bile duct obstruction. The purpose of this study was to determine if tropism for the biliary epithelial cell was unique to RRV. Newborn mice underwent intraperitoneal injection with five strains of rotavirus: RRV (simian), SA11-FM (simian/bovine), SA11-SM (simian), EDIM (murine), and Wa (human). RRV and SA11-FM caused clinical manifestations of bile duct obstruction and high mortality. SA11-SM caused clinical signs of hepatobiliary injury but the mortality was markedly reduced. EDIM and Wa caused no sign of hepatobiliary disease. The systemic and temporal distribution of viral protein and live virus varied according to the injected strain. Immunohistochemistry revealed that RRV and SA11-FM targeted the biliary epithelial cells. In contrast, SA11-SM was found in the liver but in not in the biliary epithelium. These results indicate that strain-specific characteristics dictate tropism for cells of hepatobiliary origin which in turn impact the ability to induce the murine model of biliary atresia.
Link breaking methodology: mitigating noise within power networks

A link breaking methodology is introduced to reduce voltage degradation within mesh structured power distribution networks. The resulting power distribution network combines a single power distribution network to lower the network impedance, and multiple networks to reduce noise coupling among the circuits. Since the sensitivity to supply voltage variations within a power distribution network can vary among different circuits, the proposed methodology reduces the voltage drop at the more sensitive circuits, while penalizes the less sensitive circuits. The proposed methodology is evaluated for two case studies, demonstrating a reduction in the voltage drop in sensitive circuits. Based on these case studies, the voltage is improved by, on average, 4% at those nodes with the highest sensitivity. The voltage after application of the link breaking methodology is, on average, 96% of the ideal power supply voltage. Lowering the noise on the power network enhances, on average, the maximum operating frequency by 11% by utilizing the proposed link breaking methodology.
A top-down approach to systematic synthesis of Petri net models for manufacturing systems

The authors propose an approach to systematic synthesis of Petri net models for manufacturing systems. It is based on top-down, modular, and decomposition philosophies which make the stepwise refinement of the Petri-net models possible. Using the proposed method, it is possible to obtain a Petri net model which is guaranteed to have the most important properties in the context of manufacturing: safeness, liveness, and reversibility. A formal problem statement is presented first. Then, the previous research on synthesis approaches is reviewed. Next, several modules are defined which, when combined according to a proposed algorithm, lead to the derived model. It is proven that the algorithm yields the safeness, liveness, and reversibility properties. An example of piston-rod assembly is used to demonstrate the proposed method. >
ΔΣ Analog-to-Digital Converters

The chapter discusses the basic concepts of Delta Sigma (ΔΣ) analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), and details the design of first- and second-order ΔΣ ADCs using the PSoC architecture.
The Use of an Exciton Probe of a Two Dimensional Electron Gas in the Quantum Hall Regime

The photoluminesence spectra in (In, GaAs) modulation doped single quantum wells are studied under conditions where the Fermi level is near the n=2 conduction subband. A many-body exciton is observed from this subband which is strongly influenced by a 2-dimensional electron gas. Strong variations occur in external magnetic fields in both the exciton spectrum and its amplitude of which the latter correlates with the longitudinal Hall resistance in the integer quantum Hall regime.
A comparison of brain angiotensin II receptors during lactation and diestrus of the estrous cycle in the rat

During lactation there are many dramatic alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary (HP) axis, as well as an increased demand for food and water. The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) is one of the major mediators of the HP axis. This study examined the receptors for ANG II in the rat brain during lactation and diestrus. Compared with diestrus, lactating rats had significant decreases in ANG II receptor binding in several forebrain regions, most notably in the arcuate nucleus/median eminence, dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMH), and lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). In contrast, there was an increase in ANG II receptor binding in the preoptic area during lactation. These significant changes in ANG II binding in the brain during lactation support the hypothesis that changes in the RAS may contribute to the dramatic changes in the HP axis during lactation. In addition, the significant reduction in ANG II binding in the DMH and LHA may be indicative of a role in the regulation of food intake, a function only recently associated with the RAS.
Effect of protease inhibitors on in vitro breakdown of uterine histones from hormone-treated rats.

Nuclei and chromatin were prepared from ovariectomized rats that had been untreated (U), treated with estradiol (E) or estradiol plus progesterone (EP). Aliquots were incubated at 0°C, 37°C or 37°C in the presence of protamine, leupeptin or antipain for 1 hr prior to extraction of histones. The histones were submitted to polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and stained with dye. Incubation at 37°C resulted in degradation of the histones derived from E and EP rats. The 3 inhibitors when added to chromatin effectively prevented histone breakdown. On a milligram basis antipain and leupeptin inhibited histone breakdown when added to 37°C incubation of nuclei more effectively than when protamine was added. These findings suggest that leupeptin and antipain may be useful agents in biological systems where inhibition of trypsin-like proteolytic activity is desirable.
Touch interface and keylogging malware

Software keyloggers have been used to spy on computer users to track activity or gather sensitive information for decades. Their primary focus has been to capture keystroke data from physical keyboards. However, since the release of Microsoft Windows 8 in 2012 touchscreen personal computers have become much more prevalent, introducing the use of on-screen keyboards which afford users an alternative keystroke input method. Smart cities are designed to enhance and improve the quality of life of city populations while reducing cost and resource consumption. As new technology is developed to create safe, renewable, and sustainable environments, we introduce additional risk that mission critical data and access credentials may be stolen via malicious keyloggers. In turn, cyber-attacks targeting critical infrastructure using this data could result in widespread catastrophic systems failure. In order to protect society in the age of smart-cities it is vital that security implications are considered as this technology is implemented. In this paper we investigate the capabilities of keyloggers to capture keystrokes from an on-screen (virtual) keyboard and demonstrate that different keyloggers respond very differently to on-screen keyboard input. We suggest a number of future studies that could be performed to further understand the security implications presented by on-screen keyboards to smart cities as they relate to keyloggers.
Mobile thrombus on cardiac implantable electronic device leads of patients undergoing cardiac ablation: incidence, management, and outcomes.

The rates of cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) implantations and cardiac ablation procedures are increasing worldwide. To date, the management of CIED lead thrombi in the peri-ablation period remains undefined and key clinical management questions remained unanswered. We sought to describe the clinical course and management strategies of patients with a CIED lead thrombus detected in the peri-ablative setting. We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent a cardiac ablation procedure at Mayo Clinic Rochester from 2000 to 2014. Patients were included in our study cohort if they had documented CIED lead thrombus noted on peri-ablation imaging studies. Electronic medical records were reviewed to determine the overall management strategy, outcomes, and embolic complications in these patients. Our overall cohort included 1833 patients, with 27 (1.4 %) having both cardiac ablation procedures as well as CIED lead thrombus detected on imaging. Of these 27 patients, 21 were male (77 %), and the mean age was 59.2 years. The mean duration of follow-up was 16.5 months (range 3 days–48.3 months). Anticoagulation was an effective therapeutic strategy, with 11/14 (78.6 %) patients experiencing either resolution of the thrombus or reduction in size on re-imaging. For atrial fibrillation ablation, the most common management strategy was a deferment in ablation with initiation/intensification of anticoagulation medication. For ventricular tachycardia ablations, most procedures involved a modified approach with the use of a retrograde aortic approach to access the left ventricle. No patient had any documented embolic complications. The incidence of lead thrombi in patients undergoing an ablation was small in our study cohort (1.4 %). Anticoagulation and deferral of ablation represented successful management strategies for atrial fibrillation ablation. For patients undergoing ventricular tachycardia ablation, a modified approach using retrograde aortic access to the ventricle was successful. In patients who are not on warfarin anticoagulation at the time of thrombus detection, we recommend initiation of this medication, with a goal INR of 2–3. For patients on warfarin at the time of thrombus detection, we recommend an intensification of anticoagulation with a goal INR of 3.0.
Renal Tumors of Childhood: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation Part 1. The 1st Decade: From the Radiologic Pathology Archives.

The histopathologic features of renal neoplasms that occur in older children and adolescents are reviewed, with emphasis on radiologic-pathologic correlation.
SELF-DISCLOSURE AND RELATIONSHIP QUALITY A Study Among Nonmarital Cohabiting Couples

This article tests three competing theories that attempt to explain the reasons for and shape and direction of the relationship between self-disclosure and relationship quality among nonmarital cohabiting couples. The data strongly support the linear model which suggests that the greater the degree of self-disclosure, the greater the degree of relationship quality the couple will achieve. The article concludes that relationship depth emerges only after the couple are able to deal openly and creatively with conflict. One of the key prerequisites for achieving the ability to creatively handle conflict seems to be that the couple must have a high level of commitment to working on the relationship and possess the necessary communication and problem-solving skills that permit the couple to change and grow.