cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nuclear pore proteins regulate chromatin structure and transcriptional memory by a conserved mechanism.

Previous experience alters the rate of transcriptional induction of many genes in yeast, and this phenomenon persists through several cell division cycles. This phenomenon is called epigenetic transcriptional memory. For the yeast gene INO1, transcriptional memory requires a physical interaction with the nuclear pore complex (NPC) and changes in the chromatin structure of the promoter. These changes lead to binding of a preinitiation form of RNA Polymerase II (RNAPII) to the INO1 promoter, bypassing the need to recruit RNAPII to the promoter during reactivation. In our recent study, we found that in human cells, hundreds of interferon-γ responsive genes exhibit a mechanistically similar form of transcriptional memory. Transcriptional memory requires a homologous nuclear pore protein in yeast and humans, which interacts with the promoters of genes that exhibit transcriptional memory and promotes both alteration of chromatin structure and binding of RNAPII. Whereas the interaction of yeast genes with nuclear pore proteins occurs at the NPC, the interaction of human genes with nuclear pore proteins occurs in the nucleoplasm. Thus, the interaction of nuclear pore proteins with genes plays an important and conserved role in affecting long-term epigenetic changes in transcriptional regulation.
Genetic epidemiology of pelvic organ prolapse: a systematic review.

Given current evidence supporting a genetic predisposition for pelvic organ prolapse, we conducted a systematic review of published literature on the genetic epidemiology of pelvic organ prolapse. Inclusion criteria were linkage studies, candidate gene association and genome-wide association studies in adult women published in English and indexed in PubMed through Dec. 2012, with no limit on date of publication. Methodology adhered to the PRISMA guidelines. Data were systematically extracted by 2 reviewers and graded by the Venice criteria for studies of genetic associations. A metaanalysis was performed on all single nucleotide polymorphisms evaluated by 2 or more studies with similar methodology. The metaanalysis suggests that collagen type 3 alpha 1 (COL3A1) rs1800255 genotype AA is associated with pelvic organ prolapse (odds ratio, 4.79; 95% confidence interval, 1.91–11.98; P = .001) compared with the reference genotype GG in populations of Asian and Dutch women. There was little evidence of heterogeneity for rs1800255 ( P value for heterogeneity = .94; proportion of variance because of heterogeneity, I 2 = 0.00%). There was insufficient evidence to determine whether other single nucleotide polymorphisms evaluated by 2 or more papers were associated with pelvic organ prolapse. An association with pelvic organ prolapse was seen in individual studies for estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α) rs2228480 GA, COL3A1 exon 31, chromosome 9q21 (heterogeneity logarithm of the odds score 3.41) as well as 6 single nucleotide polymorphisms identified by a genome-wide association study. Overall, individual studies were of small sample size and often of poor quality. Future studies would benefit from more rigorous study design as outlined in the Venice recommendations.
Previous emergency department use among homicide victims and offenders: A case-control study

Study objective We differentiate risk factors for future homicide victimization and offending, and we measure emergency department (ED) use among homicide victims, offenders, and controls. Methods The design was a matched case-control study conducted in Bernalillo County, NM, and its university-affiliated health sciences center and hospital. All Bernalillo County homicide victims (N=124) and offenders (N=138) identified between January 1996 and December 2001 who were linked to university physician billing records and who had health care use during the 3 years before the homicide incident were included as cases. Randomly selected age-matched (±1 year) and sex-matched subjects with health care use within 3 years of their matched pair's homicide were included as controls. Main outcome measures were the number and type of ED visits by cases and controls. Results Among the 124 victims and 138 offenders who used health care, most were men (80%) and averaged 27.7 years of age. Victims and offenders had similar health care use and were grouped for final analyses. Cases (victims and offenders) were more likely to have had an ED visit within 3 years of the homicide (85%) compared with controls (59%) (odds ratio [OR] 4.3; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.0 to 6.2). Within previous ED visits, assault (OR 4.5; 95% CI 2.9 to 7.0), firearm injury (OR 13.6; 95% CI 4.9 to 37.7), and substance abuse (OR 3.7; 95% CI 2.2 to 6.0) were associated with future homicide. ED visits clustered closer to the homicide incident for cases (median days before the homicide −402 days; 95% CI −434 to −364) compared with controls (median −487 days; 95% CI −498 to −474). Conclusion Patients with ED visits for assault, firearm injuries, and substance abuse are at increased risk for homicide and often have an escalating number of visits leading up to the homicide event. ED-based identification and referral programs similar to those used for intimate partner violence or other preventive strategies should be considered for this high-risk population.
C2 oxygenates from chloromethane and carbon monoxide

Acetaldehyde (CH3CHO) and acetic acid (CH3COOH) are major products of the thermal reaction of carbon monoxide and methyl chloride under certain reaction conditions.
Localization of the Histidine-Rich Protein in Keratohyalin: A Morphologic and Macromolecular Marker in Epidermal Differentiation

Protein (HRP), rich in histidine and soluble in o.I.N HCIO 4 at room temperature, has been obtained from keratohyalin granules (KHG) isolated from the epidermis of the newborn rat by extraction with 1M phosphate, pH 7.0, followed by dialysis against H 2 O. HRP constituted about 50 percent of the protein in the isolated KHG which were shown to have staining properties and ultrastructure similar to the in situ KHG. HRP was also obtained from the residual tissue after removal of the KHG. Polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate resolved the total protein of the KHG into 15 separate bands having molecular weights from 12,700 to 93, 000 daltons with highest concentrations of protein at 48,500 and 79,000 daltons. Histidine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, arginine, serine, threonine, glycine, and alanine constituted 85 percent of the total protein in the KHG. Neither methionine nor cysteine residues were detected. The demonstrated presence of HRP in the KHG makes it possible to investigate molecular phenomena of control in epidermal differentiation.
Transgenesis in Animal Agriculture: Addressing Animal Health and Welfare Concerns

The US Food and Drug Administration’s final Guidance for Industry on the regulation of transgenesis in animal agriculture has paved the way for the commercialization of genetically engineered (GE) farm animals. The production-related diseases associated with extant breeding technologies are reviewed, as well as the predictable welfare consequences of continued emphasis on prolificacy at the potential expense of physical fitness. Areas in which biotechnology could be used to improve the welfare of animals while maintaining profitability are explored along with regulatory schema to improve agency integration in GE animal oversight.
From imperial to dialogical cosmopolitanism

We can now survey the ruins of a Babelian tower of discourse about cosmopolitanism. We speak of “elite travel lounge,” “Davos,” “banal” as well as of “reflexive,” “really existing,” “patriotic,” and “horizontal” cosmopolitanisms. Here, an attempt is made to extract what is normative and ideal in the concept of cosmopolitanism by foregrounding the epistemic and moral dimensions of this attitude towards the world and other cultures. Kant, in a rather unexpected way, is profiled as the exemplification of what is here called “imperial” cosmopolitanism, which is both blind and dismissive of its own material conditions of possibility. Then, through a discussion of the works of Nussbaum, Appiah, Mignolo, Butler, Benhabib and Beck the author elaborates a version of cosmopolitanism that is grounded, enlightened, and reflexive, which corrects and supersedes Kant’s own Eurocentric cosmopolitanism. We do not live in an age of cosmopolitanism, but in an age of cosmopolitization. Democratic iterations that are jurisgenerative are matched at the global level by cosmopolitan iterations that are both jurisgenerative and affect generating.
A Diagnostic Modelling Study of the Trailing Stratiform Region of a Midlatitude Squall Line.

Abstract A kinematic model with continuity equations for sensible heat, water vapor, cloud water, cloud ice, rain, snow, and graupel is used to determine the steady state thermodynamic and microphysical processes associated with the observed mesoscale air motion fields in the trailing stratiform region of the 22 May 1976 Oklahoma squall line. Two versions of the observed air motions are used: a low-resolution but areally extensive flow pattern derived from the composite sounding data of Ogura and Liou, and a high-resolution but less areally extensive flow field obtained from the dual-Doppler radar analysis of Smull and Houze. Model calculations based on the high-resolution Doppler-derived mesoscale air motions show that the location and horizontal scale of the region of most intense stratiform precipitation are determined by the pattern of horizontal transport and fallout of snow and low-density graupel particles advected into the stratiform region from the leading line of convective cells. The stratiform...
Metabolic Bone Disease in Adults Receiving Long-Term Parenteral Nutrition: Longitudinal Study With Regional Densitometry and Bone Biopsy

A syndrome of bone pain and fractures has been described in patients receiving long-term support from parenteral nutrition containing large quantities of aluminum or vitamin D2. Whether this same syndrome occurs in patients supported by current therapeutic regimens is controversial. In this study, bone health was longitudinally evaluated over 7 to 61 months in 14 subjects maintained on long-term parenteral nutrition. The parameters of bone health evaluated included bone mass as measured by single and dual photon absorptiometry and quantitative histomorphometry of bone biopsies. There was a striking heterogeneity in baseline measures of bone health. Mean bone density of parenteral nutrition patients was significantly below expected values on entry into the study at both the distal radius (z score = -0.76 ± 0.27) and the lumbar spine (z score = -1.17 ± 0.27). Mean areal density at the forearm was less severely depressed (z score = -0.62 ± 0.34). The longitudinal changes in bone density and morphology were h...
Sacred land in America: What is it? How can it be protected?

(1986). Sacred land in America: What is it? How can it be protected? Religion: Vol. 16, No. 3, pp. 249-268.
Role of Mga in Group A Streptococcal Infection at the Skin Epithelium

Group A streptococci (GAS) primarily cause infection at epithelial tissue sites of its human host. The role of the transcriptional regulator Mga in a humanized mouse model for superficial skin infection was investigated. Inactivation of mga in a skin strain (Alab49) led to loss of virulence. The Deltamga mutant displayed >100-fold decrease in emm (pam) transcript levels, and loss of bacterial-bound plasmin activity. A slight decrease in speB transcription, accompanied by a partial decrease in cysteine protease activity but no change in PrtF2 degradation, was also observed. Mga had no effect on transcription of nra, Nra-regulated pilus genes (cpa, fctA) or other FCT-region genes (msmR, prtF2). Combined with findings on other Alab49 mutants, data show that several essential virulence genes are regulated by Mga or Nra, but not both, implying that any coordinated response during skin infection likely operates at a higher level of transcriptional control. Mga was required for bacterial autoaggregation and biofilm-like growth on an abiotic surface; however, aggregation and biofilm formation have only partial overlap with the skin virulence phenotype. Findings on numerous phenotypes for 7 mutants constructed on the same genetic background yield a detailed, integrated model for GAS pathogenesis at the skin.
The occurrence of leukemia in patients with the Shwachman syndrome.

THE SHWACHMAN SYNDROME is a rare autosomal recessive disease associated with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, skeletal anomalies such as metaphyseal dysostosis, growth retardation, recurrent infections, and hypoplastic hematologic abnormalities, commonly presenting as neutropenia but also with hypoplastic anemia, thrombocytopenia , or pancytopenia. 1-a Recently, several isolated cases of leukemia have been identified in patients with the Shwachman syndrome? -~ Two additional cases of leukemia associated with EPI are described. A common palhophysiologic process in these patients is suggested. CASE REPORTS Patient 1, a 20-month-old boy, presented with diffuse edema, ascites, and failure to thrive. Height and weight were less than the fifth percentile for age. Laboratory studies documented hypoalbuminemia (1.5 gm/dl) with a total protein concentration of 3.4 gm/dl, hemoglobin of 10 gm/dl, white blood count of 14,300/p,1 with normal differential (47% granulocytes), and platelet count of 538,000//d. Urinalysis and sweat chloride determinations were normal. The stools contained markedly increased fat and undigested meat fibers. Duodenal intubation revealed absent trypsin activity in the fluid obtained, and a small bowel biopsy demonstrated subtotal villus atrophy consistent with a malnourished state. The patient was given an elemental diet with resolution of the edema, and subsequently he was advanced to a normal diet with oral pancreatic enzyme and vitamin replacement. Two months later a complete blood count revealed hemoglobin of 13 gm/dl, platelet count 687,000//d, and WBC 11,800/td with an absolute neutrophll count of 2,600/#1. Acute leg pain occurred one month later, when the hemoglobin concentration was 10.4 gm/dl, platelet count 136,000//B, and WBC 33,500/,al with 5% granulocytes and 67% leukemia cells. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of acute lymphocytic leukemia, L-I morphology, with positive periodic acid Schiff staining lymphoblasts. Hematologic remission was successfully induced with vincristine, prednisone, and L-asparaginase. Central nervous system prophylaxis was administered and the patient has
A MWPC Instrumentation System with Small Dead-Time and with Provision for Automatic Testing and Calibration

This paper describes some of the system features of a large array of instrumentation to be used for data collection in an experiment utilizing multi-wire proportional chambers (MWPC) of both the amplifierper-wire and the delay-line types. The system is designed to uniquely meet special functional requirements for background reduction and dead-time reduction in high counting-rate experiments at FERMILAB.
Spin distributions in heavy-ion fusion reactions

Abstract Spin distributions are calculated for the 16O + 232Th fusion reaction, taking into account both inelastic and transfer channels. The static deformations of the target play an important role. The calculated cross sections for complete fusion are in good agreement with the measured fission yields, whereas the anisotropies are underpredicted. This indicates that there is a serious inconsistency in the interpretation of the data.
Novel protein kinase C isoforms and mitogen-activated kinase kinase mediate phorbol ester-induced osteopontin expression.

Abstract Background and aims: The expression of osteopontin (OPN), a protein postulated to play a role in tumorigenesis, is induced by the tumor promoter, 12- O -tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in vivo and in the in vitro initiation-promotion skin carcinogenesis model (JB6 cells). Although TPA-induced OPN expression in JB6 cells has been suggested to involve protein kinase C (PKC), the PKC isoforms and the downstream pathway mediating OPN expression have not been extensively studied. Methods: Using the JB6 cell model, we determined the involvement of PKC isoforms, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPK kinase/MEK) and MAPK in TPA-induced OPN expression using inhibitors specific to PKC isoforms and MEK and performing Northern blot analyses. Western blot analyses of cells treated with specific inhibitors were also performed to determine whether PKC isoforms or MEK were involved in activation of MAPK. Key results: TPA increased the steady-state level of OPN mRNA as early as 2–4 h and this expression persisted for at least 4 days. TPA induction of OPN expression in JB6 cells is mediated through PKC e and PKC δ, which also mediated the phosphorylation of MAPK. Additionally, inhibition of MEK activity, which activates MAPK, attenuated TPA-induced OPN expression. These findings suggest that activation of MAPK is important in mediating OPN expression. Conclusion: TPA-induced steady-state OPN mRNA expression in mouse JB6 cells involves the activation of MAPK mediated through PKC e and/or PKC δ.
Earthquake Location Tutorial: Graphical Approach and Approximate Epicentral Location Techniques

As is well known, the problem of earthquake location is one of the most basic in seismology, but because of its inherent mathematical complexity it is difficult to present it in a way that gives a realistic sense of how earthquakes are located and illustrates the factors that contribute to uncertainties in the solution. For this reason it is highly desirable to be able to discuss the most essential facts regarding earthquake location without dwelling on the mathematical aspects of the problem. This is important when teaching the subject to undergraduate students, to Earth science graduate students who do not plan to become seismologists, and even to high-school science teachers. One possible way of doing this is to use the fact that in a medium with depth-dependent velocities the travel times lie on a surface of revolution with its minimum at the epicenter. For a homogeneous medium the surface is a hyperboloid, described by a simple equation. By plotting these surfaces for earthquakes with different hypocentral locations and origin times it is possible to present a realistic graphical discussion of the most important aspects of earthquake location. As shown below, this approach can be used to illustrate issues such as the nonuniqueness of the computed locations, the effect of errors, and the advantages of using combined P - and S -wave information. After this discussion it would also be desirable to introduce techniques that students can use to estimate epicentral locations after they have picked their own arrival times. Most introductory seismology books describe the S-P times method, and although it is conceptually very simple, the examples given here demonstrate that its application is not straightforward. In particular, the velocity to be used depends on the event depth and epicentral distances. Furthermore, Ruff (2001) noted that the S-P times method …
Random dispersal versus fitness-dependent dispersal

Abstract This work extends previous work (Cantrell et al., 2008 [9] ) on fitness-dependent dispersal for a single species to a two-species competition model. Both species have the same population dynamics, but one species adopts a combination of random and fitness-dependent dispersal and the other adopts random dispersal. Global existence of smooth solutions to the time-dependent quasilinear parabolic system is studied. When a single species has a strong tendency to move up its fitness gradient, it results in a stable equilibrium that can approximate the spatial distribution predicted by the ideal free distribution (Cantrell et al., 2008 [9] ). For the two-species competition model, if one species has strong tendency to move up its fitness gradient, such approximately ideal free dispersal is advantageous relative to random dispersal. Bifurcation analysis shows that two competing species can coexist when one species has only an intermediate tendency to move up its fitness gradient and the other species has a smaller random dispersal rate.
Characteristic polynomials, Ehrhart quasi-polynomials, and torus groups☆

For k a positive integer, we consider the problem of counting solutions x to the equation kx=0, where x is to lie in a given subset K of a torus group. This problem is considered for three classes of subsets K.
The association between hospital type and mortality among critically ill children in US EDs.

Abstract Study aim Little is known about the setting of care for critically ill children and whether differences in outcomes are related to the presenting hospital type. This study describes the characteristics of hospitals to which critically ill children present and explores the associations between hospital factors and mortality. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the 2007 Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project National Emergency Department Sample, representative of all US ED visits. Subjects include children aged 0–18 with ICD9 codes for cardiac arrest, respiratory arrest and/or respiratory failure. Predictor variables include: age, sex, presence of chronic illness, self-pay, public insurance, trauma diagnosis, major trauma center, urban hospital, ED volume and teaching hospital. Multivariate logistic regression estimates predictors of mortality. Analyses integrate clusters, strata, and weights from the probability sample. Results There were an estimated 29 million pediatric ED visits in 2007 including 42,036 (0.1%) visits for cardiac or respiratory failure. Teaching hospitals (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.50–0.66), trauma centers (OR 0.76, 95% CI 0.67–0.86), and urban hospitals (OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.63–0.97) were associated with lower mortality odds. Presence of a chronic illness (OR 14.5, 95% CI 10.5–20.1), diagnosis of an injury (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.4) and self-pay status (OR 3.6, 95% CI 2.9–4.4) were associated with increased mortality odds. Conclusions The majority of children with cardiac and respiratory arrest present to urban teaching hospitals and trauma centers. After accounting for important confounders, mortality is lower at teaching hospitals and/or major trauma centers.
A RE-EXAMINATION OF KINESTHETIC FIGURAL AFTEREFFECTS IN THE BRAIN-INJURED.

Kinesthetic figural aftereffects (KFAE) were measured on 46 brain-damaged and 24 control Ss, following the method of Klein and Krech (K&K). Although occasional trends in the data were consistent wi...
Decoy calcium channel beta subunits modulate contractile function in myocytes

To test the hypothesis that mutated β2-subunits of the L-type calcium channel could serve as a decoy and interdict calcium channel trafficking and function, we engineered a β2 subunit that contained the beta interaction domain for α1c subunit interaction, but lacked N- and C-terminal domains that might be essential for sarcolemmal localization. An adenoviral vector was constructed containing the gene for the beta interaction domain (BID) fused to green fluorescence protein (GFP), using a vector containing only GFP as control. Freshly plated, dissociated adult rat myocytes were infected and expression and function were assessed at 60 h. Fluorescence microscopy confirmed GFP expression; immunoblot analysis confirmed dose-dependent GFP-BID expression. Mechanical properties of adult rat ventricular myocytes were evaluated using a video edge-detection system. Contractility analysis (optical/video, field stimulation) demonstrated that contracting cells decreased from 60 to 2%. Contractile amplitude (percent shortening) decreases significantly from 5.6 vs. 2.4% with no change in time to peak twitch. Recombinant adenovirus over-expressing mutated β2 subunits in adult mammalian myocytes can markedly alter excitation-contraction coupling. This paradigm may offer new approaches to understanding and modulating EC coupling.
A rapid DEAE disk assay for photoreactivation of pyrimidine dimers in [3H]DNA.

Abstract We have developed a rapid, sensitive, and specific assay for photoreactivation of pyrimidine dimers in 3H-labeled DNA. It is based on the nuclease resistance of dimercontaining sequences in DNA, and the adsorption of these sequences to DEAE-substituted paper (DE-81). The method maintains the advantages of the rapid dimer assay of B. M. Sutherland and M. J. Chamberlin (1973, Anal. Biochem., 53, 168–176), while avoiding its major drawback, the frequent preparation of high specific activity, 32P-labeled, bacteriophage DNA. In addition, the use of scintillation spectrometry in our assay should allow more widespread use of this method.
Incorporating domain knowledge into data mining classifiers: An application in indirect lending

Data mining techniques have been applied to solve classification problems for a variety of applications such as credit scoring, bankruptcy prediction, insurance underwriting, and management fraud detection. In many of those application domains, there exist human experts whose knowledge could have a bearing on the effectiveness of the classification decision. The lack of research in combining data mining techniques with domain knowledge has prompted researchers to identify the fusion of data mining and knowledge-based expert systems as an important future direction. In this paper, we compare the performance of seven data mining classification methods-naive Bayes, logistic regression, decision tree, decision table, neural network, k-nearest neighbor, and support vector machine-with and without incorporating domain knowledge. The application we focus on is in the domain of indirect bank lending. An expert system capturing a lending expert's knowledge of rating a borrower's credit is used in combination with data mining to study if the incorporation of domain knowledge improves classification performance. We use two performance measures: misclassification cost and AUC (area under the curve). A 2x7 factorial, repeated-measures ANOVA, with the two factors being domain knowledge (present or absent) and data mining method (seven methods), as well as a special statistical test for comparing AUCs, is used for analyzing the results. Analysis of the results reveals that incorporation of domain knowledge significantly improves classification performance with respect to both misclassification cost and AUC. There is interaction between classification method and domain knowledge. Incorporation of domain knowledge has a higher influence on performance for some methods than for others. Both measures-misclassification cost and AUC-yield similar results, indicating that the findings of the study are robust.
CARE: Rocket Experiments for Investigation of the Radar Scatter Proerties of a Dusty Plasma

Summary form only given. The Charged Aerosol Release Experiment (CARE) will use a rocket payload injection of particulates in the lower ionosphere to determine the mechanisms for enhanced radar scatter from the electrons imbedded in an artificial dusty plasma in space. Natural dusty plasmas in the mesosphere near 85 km altitude have been shown to enhance radar scatter at VHF frequencies by 40 dB or more. The CARE program is designed to study the scatter processes near 200 km altitude in the ionosphere where densities are up to 1000 times larger. Numerical simulations of particulate transport in the upper atmosphere with charging by electron pickup or photodetachment have been used to predict the dusty plasma densities. These charged particle distributions provide initial conditions for particle simulations of plasma turbulence driven by the free-energy of the high-speed charged particle motion. Finally, radar signals scattered from the plasma irregularities are estimated using electromagnetic wave theory. The physical properties of the dusty plasma as will be determined using the radar echoes as well as in situ probes on the rocket payload and on secondary payloads launched after the dust has settled into the lower atmosphere. In addition, the NASA AIM satellite will measure the dust layer by-scattered sunlight and absorption.
Hyperglycemic-inducing neoadjuvant agents used in treatment of solid tumors: a review of the literature.

Purpose/objectives To review the literature regarding the development of hyperglycemia associated with neoadjuvant agents used in the treatment of solid tumor cancers. Data sources Research articles were obtained from PubMed, CINAHL®, and Cochrane Reviews. The following search terms were used alone and in combination: diabetes, glycemic control, chemotherapy, androgen deprivation therapy, interferon-alpha, immunosuppressants, cancer, neoplasms, and hyperglycemia. Data synthesis Twenty-two studies were identified reporting the development of hyperglycemic events in patients who received a variety of chemotherapeutic agents. Conclusions Findings suggest patients are at risk for the development of hyperglycemia from certain chemotherapeutic agents. Docetaxel, everolimus, and temsirolimus alone or in combination with other agents can promote hyperglycemia. Androgen-deprivation therapy commonly used in prostate cancer, increases the risk for the development of hyperglycemia and diabetes. Implications for nursing Oncology nurses play an important role in the identification and treatment of hyperglycemia in patients receiving chemotherapy. Future research is needed that focuses on the association between glycemic control and adverse outcomes in patients with a solid tumor cancer who are at risk for treatment-induced hyperglycemia.
Prions: so many fibers, so little infectivity

Abstract A detailed mechanistic or structural understanding of the misfolding events that render the normal cellular prion protein, PrP C , amyloidogenic and infectious has been elusive. Many groups have observed that, under certain conditions, PrP C has a tendency to form β-strand-rich fibers. A recently published protocol for in vitro conversion of PrP C shows that the formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds between monomers of recombinant PrP might play a role in the folding and fibrilization of this protein in vitro .
Photoelectrochemical Properties of N-Incorporated ZnO Films Deposited by Reactive RF Magnetron Sputtering

The photoelectrochemical properties of nitrogen-incorporated ZnO (ZnO:N) films prepared by reactive radio frequency (rf) magnetron sputtering were measured and compared with those of pure ZnO films. We find that nitrogen incorporation narrows the bandgap of ZnO and shifts the optical absorption into the visible light regions. We further find that the ZnO:N films provide considerable photoresponse in the long-wavelength regions up to above 600 nm. As a result, the ZnO:N films exhibit higher photocurrents than pure ZnO films under visible light illumination. The obtained photocatalytic activity indicates that ZnO:N films are potential candidates for photoelectrochemical water splitting and N incorporation can be utilized to improve the conversion efficiency.
Epicurus on the telos

L'A. confronte deux fragments antithetiques d'Epicure sur la nature du but de l'existence, le plaisir, qui dans un cas est vu comme paix de l'âme et du corps (ataraxie), mais dans l'autre accepte le plaisir des sens et se rapproche de l'hedonisme. L'A., partisan de la seconde interpretation, explique ses convictions et commente la doctrine d'Epicure
Wetting of fiber mats for composites manufacturing: I. Visualization experiments

Wetting of glass fibers was visualized using an oil with the same refractive index. With both a video-enhanced microscope and a high-magnification video camera we followed the flow front and qualitatively measured the entrapped air bubbles by image analysis. Due to different permeabilities between the fiber mats and bundles, air bubbles are entrapped. Two major kinds of air bubbles are observed: small cylindrical micro voids between fiber filaments (inside fiber bundles) and spherical macro voids outside fiber bundles. These air bubbles can be described by three major mechanisms initial liquid bypassing/air trapping, later capillary invasion of disordered fiber bundles, and air bubble mobilization. Both random and unidirectional fiber mats were used in this study. Vacuum as well as different fluid viscosities and surface tensions were also investigated, which led us to guidelines of optimum processing parameters of fiber wetting for resin transfer molding and structural reaction injection molding. They are low viscosity, vacuum, high mold temperature, and high pressure.
Relative biological effectiveness (RBE) values for proton beam therapy. Variations as a function of biological endpoint, dose, and linear energy transfer

Proton therapy treatments are based on a proton RBE (relative biological effectiveness) relative to high-energy photons of 1.1. The use of this generic, spatially invariant RBE within tumors and normal tissues disregards the evidence that proton RBE varies with linear energy transfer (LET), physiological and biological factors, and clinical endpoint.Based on the available experimental data from published literature, this review analyzes relationships of RBE with dose, biological endpoint and physical properties of proton beams. The review distinguishes between endpoints relevant for tumor control probability and those potentially relevant for normal tissue complication. Numerous endpoints and experiments on sub-cellular damage and repair effects are discussed.Despite the large amount of data, considerable uncertainties in proton RBE values remain. As an average RBE for cell survival in the center of a typical spread-out Bragg peak (SOBP), the data support a value of ~1.15 at 2 Gy/fraction. The proton RBE increases with increasing LETd and thus with depth in an SOBP from ~1.1 in the entrance region, to ~1.15 in the center, ~1.35 at the distal edge and ~1.7 in the distal fall-off (when averaged over all cell lines, which may not be clinically representative). For small modulation widths the values could be increased. Furthermore, there is a trend of an increase in RBE as (α/β)x decreases. In most cases the RBE also increases with decreasing dose, specifically for systems with low (α/β)x. Data on RBE for endpoints other than clonogenic cell survival are too diverse to allow general statements other than that the RBE is, on average, in line with a value of ~1.1.This review can serve as a source for defining input parameters for applying or refining biophysical models and to identify endpoints where additional radiobiological data are needed in order to reduce the uncertainties to clinically acceptable levels.
Future trends for IP services over FAA telecommunications infrastructure

The Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) of The MITRE Corporation, in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), is examining growth in IP traffic over the FAA Telecommunication Infrastructure (FTI) network. This growth is expected to take an up-turn over the next 15 years. The rapid growth of IP traffic will pose a challenge to the FTI program to meet the future IP demand in a timely manner and at a minimum cost with the high levels of reliability, performance and security required for National Airspace System (NAS) services. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the expected growth in FAA IP traffic demand in the next 2 years. We also suggest consideration of a network concept, consistent with commercial Wide Area Network (WAN) enterprise practice, whereby IP traffic capacity at the trunk side of the service delivery point (SDP) can be sized less than the aggregate of all services at the port side of the SDP, resulting savings in telecommunication cost without impacting service delivery and without introducing excessive application layer delays. This concept is based on the observation that modern IP network architecture is increasingly taking advantage of WAN acceleration appliances to maximize applications delivery and minimize applications delay as opposed to simply increasing IP access capacity. Once this network concept is introduced, solutions are proposed to support FAA applications with minimum delays while economizing on network capacity requirements. Commercial off the shelf (COTS) products to perform WAN optimization such as data, transport, application and management streamlining are also discussed.
De novo protein design: fully automated sequence selection.

The first fully automated design and experimental validation of a novel sequence for an entire protein is described. A computational design algorithm based on physical chemical potential functions and stereochemical constraints was used to screen a combinatorial library of 1.9 x 10^(27) possible amino acid sequences for compatibility with the design target, a ββα protein motif based on the polypeptide backbone structure of a zinc finger domain. A BLAST search shows that the designed sequence, full sequence design 1 (FSD-1), has very low identity to any known protein sequence. The solution structure of FSD-1 was solved by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and indicates that FSD-1 forms a compact well-ordered structure, which is in excellent agreement with the design target structure. This result demonstrates that computational methods can perform the immense combinatorial search required for protein design, and it suggests that an unbiased and quantitative algorithm can be used in various structural contexts.
Thinking too Much or too Little? The Effects of Introspection on the Decision-Making Process

Wilson and Schooler presented evidence that introspection can diminish the quality of decisions. With some modifications of their procedure, the authors reexamined the mechanisms underlying this effect. Students reported intentions to take college courses based on course descriptions. Participants who reflected on their decision processes showed decreased amounts of processing, suggesting that introspection limited their ability to systematically process information. In contrast, control participants appeared to use heuristic and systematic processing interdependently. Introspection participants generally discriminated less than did control participants between important versus unimportant information. Moreover, introspection participants indicated that they did not weight the information as they should have, countering the possibility that they adapted their strategies to better meet decision context demands. The mechanisms through which introspection affects decision quality are discussed.
Time-varying effect models for ordinal responses with applications in substance abuse research.

Ordinal responses are very common in longitudinal data collected from substance abuse research or other behavioral research. This study develops a new statistical model with free SAS macro’s that can be applied to characterize time-varying effects on ordinal responses. Our simulation study shows that the ordinal-scale time-varying effects model has very low estimation bias and sometimes offers considerably better performance when fitting data with ordinal responses than a model that treats the response as continuous. Contrary to a common assumption that an ordinal scale with several levels can be treated as continuous, our results indicate that it is not so much the number of levels on the ordinal scale but rather the skewness of the distribution that makes a difference on relative performance of linear versus ordinal models. We use longitudinal data from a well-known study on youth at high risk for substance abuse as a motivating example to demonstrate that the proposed model can characterize the time-varying effect of negative peer influences on alcohol use in a way that is more consistent with the developmental theory and existing literature, in comparison to the linear time-varying effect model.
Comparative in vitro study of bileaflet and tilting disk valve behavior in the pulmonary position

A study of mechanical heart valve behavior in the pulmonary position as a function of pulmonary vascular resistance is reported for the St. Jude Medical bileaflet (SJMB) valve and the MedicalCV Omnicarbon (OTD) tilting disk valve. Tests were conducted in a pulmonic mock circulatory system and impedance was varied in terms of system pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). An impedance spectrum was found using instantaneous pulmonary artery pressure and flow rate curves. Both valves fully opened and closed at and above a nominal PVR of 3.0 mmHg/L/min. The SJMB valve was prone to leaflet bounce at closure, but otherwise completely closed, at settings above and below this nominal setting. At PVR values at and below 2.0 mmHg/L/min, the SJMB valve exhibited two types of leaflet aberrant behavior: single leaflet only closure while the other leaflet fluttered, and incomplete closure where both leaflets flutter but neither remain fully closed. The OTD valve fully opened and closed to a PVR value of 1.6 mmHg/L/min. At lower values, the valve did not close. Valves designed for the left heart can show aberrant behavior under normal conditions as pulmonary valves.
Relationships among maternal and fetal amino acid blood concentrations and amniotic fluid amino acid levels in pregnant rhesus monkeys

This study was designed to explore relationships among maternal and fetal amino acid blood concentrations and amniotic fluid amino acid levels in pregnant rhesus monkeys. Although there was no constant pattern for all amino acids in the three body fluids, we observed specific patterns for most neutral amino acids, imino acids, and acidic amino acids relative to their concentrations in maternal blood, fetal blood, and amniotic fluid. Moreover, there was no correlation between fetal phenylalanine blood levels and phenylalanine concentrations in amniotic fluid indicating that amniotic fluid phenylalanine levels would not be useful to monitor fetal phenylalanine blood concentrations during pregnancy.
Immunological, biochemical and physiological analyses of cardioacceleratory peptide 2 (CAP2) activity in the embryo of the tobacco hawkmoth Manduca sexta.

The cells in the embryonic CNS of the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta, that synthesize a cardioacceleratory peptide 2 (CAP2)-like antigen were identified using immunohistochemical techniques. Two distinct neurosecretory cell types were present in the abdominal ventral nerve cord (VNC) that contain CAP2-like immunoreactivity during late embryogenesis: a pair of large (diameter range 15–20 microns) cells lying along the posterior, dorsal midline of abdominal ganglia A4-A8, and a bilateral set of four smaller (diameter range 6–11 microns) neurons which lie at the base of each ventral root in abdominal ganglia A2-A8. CAP2-like accumulation appeared to follow independent patterns in the two cell types. CAP2-like immunoreactivity began at 60% of embryo development (DT) in the medial cells, accumulated steadily throughout embryogenesis, and dropped markedly during hatching. Lateral cells synthesized the CAP2-like antigen later in development (70% DT) and showed a sharp drop in antigen levels between 75% and 80% of embryonic development. Extracts from developing M. sexta embryos were found to contain a cardioactive factor capable of accelerating the contraction frequency of the pharate adult moth heart in a fashion similar to CAP2. Immunoprecipitation with a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes the two endogenous Manduca cardioacceleratory peptides and purification using high pressure liquid chromatography identified this factor as cardioacceleratory peptide 2 (CAP2). Using an in vitro heart bioassay, the levels of this cardioactive neuropeptide were traced during the development of the M. sexta embryo. As with the immunohistochemical results, two periods during embryogenesis were identified in which the level of CAP2 dropped markedly: between 75% and 80% development, and at hatching. Embryo bioassays of CAP2 activity were used to identify possible target tissues for physiological activity during these two putative release times. CAP2 was found to accelerate contraction frequency in the embryonic heart and hindgut of Manduca in a dose-dependent fashion. Of these two possible targets, the hindgut proved to be more sensitive to CAP2, having a lower response threshold and a longer duration of response to a given concentration of the exogenously applied peptide. Based on these immunocytochemical, pharmacological and biochemical results, and on a previously published detailed analysis of Manduca embryogenesis, we conclude that CAP2 is probably released from a specific set of identified neurosecretory cells in the abdominal VNC to modulate embryonic gut activity at 75–80% of embryo development during ingestion of the extra-embryonic yolk.
Accuracy and repeatability of joint angles measured using a single camera markerless motion capture system.

Markerless motion capture systems have developed in an effort to evaluate human movement in a natural setting. However, the accuracy and reliability of these systems remain understudied. Therefore, the goals of this study were to quantify the accuracy and repeatability of joint angles using a single camera markerless motion capture system and to compare the markerless system performance with that of a marker-based system. A jig was placed in multiple static postures with marker trajectories collected using a ten camera motion analysis system. Depth and color image data were simultaneously collected from a single Microsoft Kinect camera, which was subsequently used to calculate virtual marker trajectories. A digital inclinometer provided a measure of ground-truth for sagittal and frontal plane joint angles. Joint angles were calculated with marker data from both motion capture systems using successive body-fixed rotations. The sagittal and frontal plane joint angles calculated from the marker-based and markerless system agreed with inclinometer measurements by o0.51. The systems agreed with each other by o0.51 for sagittal and frontal plane joint angles and o21 for transverse plane rotation. Both systems showed a coefficient of reliability o0.51 for all angles. These results illustrate the feasibility of a single camera markerless motion capture system to accurately measure lower extremity kinematics and provide a first step in using this technology to discern clinically relevant differences in the joint kinematics of patient populations.
“A Pencil for your Thoughts”: Participatory Drawing as a Visual Research Method with Children and Youth

This article explores the use of participatory drawing as a non-mechanical visual research method in qualitative research with children and youth. Because of its co-constructed and playful nature, as well as its lack of dependence on linguistic proficiency, participatory drawing emerges as a highly efficient and ethically sound research strategy that is particularly suited for work with children and young people across a variety of cultural contexts. The analysis of drawn images, complemented by a subsequent discussion of these drawings in the context of their production, has the potential of revealing a more nuanced depiction of concepts, emotions, and information in an expressive, empowering, and personally relevant manner. As a review of the participatory drawing methodology, this article draws on several examples in order to highlight the inherent affordances of the visual mode and discuss the benefits and limitations of using this strategy in research with children and youth.