cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk-assessment and pharmacological prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients with chronic liver disease.

Abstract Introduction There is a lack of evidence regarding the need for thromboprophylaxis in hospitalized patients with liver disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Padua Predictor Score (PPS) as a risk-stratification tool for the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with chronic liver disease. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study conducted in an academic medical center in the United States. Consecutive adult patients admitted with chronic liver disease were included. Patients were categorized into two groups based on whether they developed a VTE or not. The risk for VTE in each patient was evaluated using the Padua Predictor Score (PPS). Patients were risk stratified using the PPS score as high-risk (score ≥ 4) and low-risk (score Results A total of 163 patients with liver disease were included in the study cohort. Of these, 18 (11%) developed VTE. Mean PPS was significantly greater in the VTE group than the non-VTE group (5.8 ± 2.0 versus 3.0 ± 2.1, respectively; p Conclusion The PPS is an effective risk assessment tool for VTE in patients hospitalized with chronic liver disease.
The antecedents of old Babylonian place notation and the early history of Babylonian mathematics

Abstract This article is devoted to the elucidation of a little known phenomenon which profoundly affected the development of ancient mathematics, in spite of the fact that we are now unable to document those effects in detail. I try to show that Babylonian place notation, far from being a creation of the Old Babylonian period (ca. 2000-1600 BC), actually has roots deep in the third millenium and was, in fact, invented before the end of the Third Dynasty of Ur (ca. 2112-2004 BC). In the latter part of the paper, I try to demonstrate that, contrary to prevailing opinion, the origins of Babylonian mathematics can now be traced back to the middle of the third millennium BC. In doing so, I wish to call to the attention of historians of mathematics the importance of the Sumero-Akkadian background to Babylonian mathematics and to underscore the importance for historical research of the basic principle that nature and her children make no leaps.
Potato seed germination as influenced by food blender injury, gibberellic acid, thiram and fermentation

Three experiments were conducted in petri dishes and/or soil to study certain factors affecting germination of new and year old potato seeds. The results were as follows: 1. Germination from year old seed in both petri dishes and soil was reduced if blending time during seed extraction exceeded 22 seconds. 2. Germination of new seed in petri dishes was increased with GA and reduced with thiram. 3. Germination from year old seed was higher from fermented than unfermented seed in both petri dishes and soil.
A new strong-coupling expansion for quantum field theory based on the Langevin equation

Abstract We review the connection between quantum field theory in d dimensions and a set of classical Langevin equations in d + 1 dimensions. We then present a new method for solving these Langevin equations in the strong-coupling domain. For the special case of supersymmetric quantum mechanics (ifd = 1) the Langevin equations are also in ifd = 1 and we use our method to calculate the strong-coupling approximation to the ground-state energy of supersymmetric quantum mechanics when the superpotential is f(x) = 1 4 gx 4 . Our numerical results are accurate and they indicate that by studying the critical index of a lattice series one can determine whether the ground-state energy is zero and thereby see the signal of supersymmetry restoration or breaking in the continuum limit.
Noradrenaline storage in deoxycorticosterone-saline hypertensive rats.

Abstract Accumulation of labeled noradrenaline (3H-NA) in heart slices provided a measure of the storage ability of peripheral adrenergic nerves in rats made hypertensive by DOCA and salt (NaCl) administration. Measurements of dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) and the irreversible binding of tritiated reserpine (3H-R) in the heart and mesenteric arteries were taken as indices of the density of storage vesicles in nerve endings. The turnover of transmitter in peripheral adrenergic nerves was estimated by measuring the disappearance of NA after blockade of its synthesis. The storage of 3H-NA in heart slices, measured by the retention of amine, was not changed during the development and maintenance phases of DOCA hypertension in the rat. DBH activity (31. 1 nmole of synephrine formed/g of heart and 193.7 nmole./g of mesenteric artery) and the binding of 3H-reserpine (4.4 ng/g/heart and 4.7 ng/g of mesenteric artery) were similar to the values observed in tissues of normotensive rats. Turnover of NA was significantly accelerated in the cardiac nerves of DOCA hypertensive rats (T 1 2 6.2 h vs. 11.7 h for controls). These results show that the storage function and the density of synaptic vesicles are not changed in the peripheral adrenergic nerves of DOCA hypertensive rats. The faster disappearance of endogenous NA or exogenous labeled NA observed in vivo in hypertensive rats may be attributed to an increased release due to enhancement of nerve impulse flow, not to an impaired storage ability.
A computational fluid dynamics study of propane/air microflame stability in a heat recirculation reactor

The stability of a single-pass heat recirculation microburner is studied using computational fluid dynamics and compared to a single channel (no recirculation) with respect to critical heat loss coefficient, power loss, and critical inlet velocity. The effects of reactor length and outer wall thickness are also explored. It is shown that heat recirculation profoundly affects blowout due to preheating of the cold incoming gases but has a minimal effect on extinction. The inner wall of the heat recirculation microburner is found to more strongly impact stability than the outer wall, with most stable burners having both walls (inner and outer) insulated. Under certain conditions, the heat recirculation reactor can operate with moderate outer wall temperatures and room-temperature inlet and outlet streams while exhibiting high thermal efficiency.
Quantification of cell adhesion using a spinning disc device and application to surface-reactive materials

Quantitative analysis of cell adhesion is essential in understanding physiological phenomena and developing biotechnological applications. Electrochemical measurements demonstrated that the transport patterns associated with a spinning disc device approximate the fluid flow and mass transport fields for a disc spinning in an infinite fluid. Therefore, this device applies a linear range of forces to attached cells under uniform and constant chemical conditions at the interface. The application of this apparatus for examining cell adhesion to surface-active materials was illustrated by investigating the attachment of osteoblast-like cells to fibronectin adsorbed onto bioactive and non-reactive glasses for different chemical environments. Cells were seeded on fibronectin-coated substrates for 15 min and then subjected to detachment forces for 10 min. The number of adherent cells decreased non-linearly with applied force and the detachment profile was accurately described by a sigmoidal curve fit, as expected for a cell population with normally distributed adhesion properties.
The Thermal Resistivity of Superconductors

The thermal resistance of tin, indium, and an alloy of tin with 0.134 percent bismuth have been measured as a function of transverse magnetic field strength from zero to values greater than critical at temperatures below their respective superconducting transition temperatures. Measurements have been carried out on tin at several temperatures and with polycrystalline and single-crystal specimens. In all cases a distinct maximum is found in the intermediate state thermal resistance of the pure metals, while no such anomaly is observed in the alloy. The probable origin of this phenomenon is discussed.
Expression of vimentin increases in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex after entorhinal cortex lesioning and in response to transforming growth factor β 1

Abstract Entorhinal cortex lesions (ECL) that damage the perforant path to the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation were used to model the regulation of vimentin (VIM) mRNA. ECL increased VIM mRNA in the ipsilateral hippocampus and in the ipsilateral cortex including the wound cavity within 1 day. By in situ hybridization, at 4 days post-ECL, VIM mRNA increased two-fold in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. VIM protein was co-localized by immunocytochemistry to astrocytes and microglia/macrophages. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), which was previously shown to increase in microglia/macrophages of the molecular layer after hippocampal deafferentation by ECL, was investigated as a regulator of VIM expression. Infusions of TGF-β1 into the lateral ventricle induced VIM mRNA with dose-dependence e.g. infusion of 100 ng TGF-β1 increased VIM mRNA three-fold. The increase in VIM mRNA was localized by in situ hybridization to astrocytes and microglia in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. These findings further implicate TGF-β1 as a regulator of cytoskeletal proteins during synaptic reorganization.
Expanding the g-Nexus: Further Evidence Regarding the Relations among National IQ, Religiosity and National Health Outcomes.

The current study seeks to better understand how religiosity and health are positioned within the g-nexus. Specifically, the degree to which differences in average IQ across nations is associated with differences in national religiosity (i.e., belief rate) and national health statistics independent of differences in national wealth is examined. Consistent with expectations, results show that, independent of national wealth and belief rate, IQ has a positive influence on national health as indicated by fertility rate, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality rate, and deaths due to HIV/AIDS, and life expectancy. Additionally, as hypothesized, IQ and belief rate interacted to influence reproductive health (i.e., fertility rate, infant- and maternal mortality). Specifically, high IQ acts as a buffer against the negative effects of belief rate; when IQ is high belief rate has no effect, but when IQ is low belief rate has a strong negative effect. The pattern of findings from this study, combined with previous research, serve to confirm that general cognitive ability (i.e., the g-factor) is an important and central node within a larger nexus of psychological and social variables. Theoretical and epidemiological implications are discussed.
Progress in demonstrating total homochiral selection in montmorillonite-catalyzed RNA synthesis.

Abstract The Na+-montmorillonite-catalyzed reactions of 5′-phosphorimidazolides of nucleosides generates RNA oligomers. The question arises as to how chiral selectivity was introduced into this biopolymer from a simple chemical system. We have demonstrated homochiral selection in quaternary reactions of a racemic mixture of d , l -ImpA and d , l -ImpU on Na+-montmorillonite. The dimer, trimer, tetramer and pentamer fractions were investigated for homochiral selection. The products were collected via ion exchange HPLC and their terminal 5′-phosphate was cleaved by alkaline phosphatase. These fractions were analyzed by reverse phase HPLC for the identification of homochiral and heterochiral isomers. Encouraged by favorable homochiral excesses of dimer (63.5 ± 0.8%) and trimer (74.3 ± 1.7%), the study was extended to the analysis of higher oligomers. The tetramer and pentamer of the quaternary reaction were separated into 26 and 22 isomers, respectively, on a reverse phase column. Their co-elution with those formed in the binary reactions of d -ImpA and d -ImpU on Na+-montmorillonite revealed 92.7 ± 2.0% and 97.2 ± 0.5% homochirality of the tetramer and pentamer, respectively. These results suggest that Na+-montmorillonite not only catalyzes the prebiotic synthesis of RNA but it also facilitates homochiral selection.
Quantum field theoretic properties of Lorentz-violating operators of nonrenormalizable dimension in the fermion sector

In the current paper the properties of a quantum field theory based on certain sets of Lorentz-violating coefficients in the nonminimal fermion sector of the Standard Model extension are analyzed. In particular, three families of coefficients are considered, where two of them are $CPT$ even and the third is $CPT$ odd. As a first step the modified fermion dispersion relations are obtained. Then the positive- and negative-energy solutions of the modified Dirac equation and the fermion propagator are derived. These are used to demonstrate the validity of the optical theorem at tree level, which provides a cross-check for the results obtained. Furthermore unitarity is examined and seems to be valid for the first set of $CPT$-even coefficients. However for the remaining sets certain issues with unitarity are found. The article demonstrates that the adapted quantum field theoretical methods at tree level work for the nonminimal, Lorentz-violating framework considered. Besides, the quantum field theory based on the first family of $CPT$-even coefficients is most likely well behaved at lowest order perturbation theory. The results are important for future phenomenological investigations carried out in the context of field theory, e.g., the computation of decay rates and cross sections at tree level.
A 400-MHz input flash converter with error correction

An 8-b, 200-megasample/s flash converter with 400-MHz analog bandwidth and error correction circuitry is described. A cascoded input stage and a dense bipolar process make the wide bandwidth possible. Errors arising from high input slew rate and comparator metastability are reduced by means of the circuitry and the latching stages respectively. The final defense against errors is the second rank error suppression. Measured frequency and error rate performance are examined. >
Propanil inhibits tumor necrosis factor-alpha production by reducing nuclear levels of the transcription factor nuclear factor-kappab in the macrophage cell line ic-21.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is an essential proinflammatory cytokine whose production is normally stimulated by bacterial cell wall components, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), during an infection. Macrophages stimulated with LPS in vitro produce several cytokines, including TNF-alpha. LPS-stimulated primary mouse macrophages produced less TNF-alpha protein and message after treatment with the herbicide propanil (Xie et al., Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 145, 184-191, 1997). Nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) tightly regulates TNF-alpha transcription. Therefore, as a step toward understanding the mechanism of the effect of propanil on TNF-alpha transcription, IC-21 cells were transfected with a TNF-alpha promoter-luciferase construct, and the effect of propanil on luciferase activity was measured. Cells transfected with promoter constructs containing a kappaB site showed decreased luciferase activity relative to controls after propanil treatment. These observations implicated NF-kappaB binding as an intracellular target of propanil. Further studies demonstrated a marked reduction in the nuclear levels of the stimulatory p65 subunit of NF-kappaB after propanil treatment, as measured by fluorescence confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis. The p50 subunit of NF-kappaB was not found to be reduced after propanil exposure by Western blot. Electrophoretic mobility gel shift assays showed decreased DNA binding of both p65/p50 heterodimers and p50/p50 homodimers to the kappaB3 site of the TNF-alpha promoter of propanil-treated cells. The marked reduction in nuclear p65/p50 NF-kappaB levels and diminished binding to the TNF-alpha promoter in propanil-treated cells are consistent with reduced TNF-alpha levels induced by LPS.
NEPHROCALCINOSIS IN PREMATURE INFANTS: EFFECT OF DIURETICS ON URINARY OXALATE EXCRETION. 2135

We have described increased urinary oxalate excretion in premature infants(Pediatrics 1989;84:860 and 1994;94:674) and have suggested that calcium oxalate crystal formation plays a role in the development of nephrocalcinosis, which occurs in up to 64% of these infants. Diuretic drug effects on oxalate excretion have been studied in adults but not in premature infants. We measured urinary oxalate to creatinine ratio in 32 VLBW infants at 34 weeks post-conceptual age. All infants were receiving full enteral feedings(Similac, Special Care, Ross Laboratories). Seven infants received Furosemide, five received Thiazide, eight received Furosemide + Thiazide and twelve infants who were not receiving diuretic drugs served as controls. Conclusion: Diuretic drugs do not affect urinary oxalate excretion in premature infants, which is 2-3 fold greater than in term infants.Table
Eustachian tube function in the rhesus monkey.

Eustachian tube function data in the Rhesus monkey, obtained by direct monitoring of middle ear pressure, indicate the range of values with normal and altered eustachian tube function. "Overflow pressure" and "locking phenomenon" data are presented. These tubal function data, in general, are similar to patterns found in human studies.
Free-Standing Leaping Experiments with a Power-Autonomous, Elastic-Spined Quadruped

We document initial experiments with Canid, a freestanding, power-autonomous quadrupedal robot equipped with a parallel actuated elastic spine. Research into robotic bounding and galloping platforms holds scientific and engineering interest because it can both probe biological hypotheses regarding bounding and galloping mammals and also provide the engineering community with a new class of agile, efficient and rapidly-locomoting legged robots. We detail the design features of Canid that promote our goals of agile operation in a relatively cheap, conventionally prototyped, commercial off-the-shelf actuated platform. We introduce new measurement methodology aimed at capturing our robot’s “body energy” during real time operation as a means of quantifying its potential for agile behavior. Finally, we present joint motor, inertial and motion capture data taken from Canid’s initial leaps into highly energetic regimes exhibiting large accelerations that illustrate the use of this measure and suggest its future potential as a platform for developing efficient, stable, hence useful bounding gaits.
Functional expression of heterologous fimbrial subunits mediated by the F41, K88, and CS31A determinants of Escherichia coli.

Abstract F41, K88, and CS31A are fimbrial adhesins associated with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli. These adhesins are distinct from one another in the composition of their structural subunits and the adherence characteristics associated with their expression. Despite these differences, extensive homology exists between the genetic determinants mediating the expression of these adhesins, extending throughout the region of each determinant encoding the accessory proteins involved in adhesin biogenesis. This suggests that the regulatory and assembly systems mediating expression of these adhesins may be functionally interchangeable. In the present study we demonstrated that the accessory systems of the F41, K88, and CS31A determinants are able to mediate the functional expression of heterologous fimbrial subunit proteins. Plasmid constructs containing the isolated fimbrial subunit gene of the F41 or CS31A determinant were prepared and introduced into E. coli harboring the F41, K88, and CS31A accessory genes contained on compatible plasmid vectors. The ability of each of the three accessory systems to mediate stable expression of the F41 or CS31A fimbrial subunit peptide was demonstrated by Western blot (immunoblot) analysis. Functional expression of the F41 or CS31A subunit on the bacterial cell surface was demonstrated by the ability of these proteins to confer mannose-resistant hemagglutination of human erythrocytes or in vitro adherence to epithelial cells, respectively. The accessory system of an unrelated adhesin determinant, F1845, did not mediate functional expression of F41 adherence. Taken together, these data indicate that the genetic determinants mediating expression of the F41, K88, and CS31A adhesins are members of a closely related family and suggest that a mechanism exists in the family for the more rapid divergence of genes encoding antigenic and adhesive determinants.
Trusted query in spatial and temporal correlated wireless sensor networks

In this work, we design and demonstrate the feasibility of an innovative reputation-based framework rooted in rigorous statistical theory and belief theory to characterize the trustworthiness of individual nodes in a wireless sensor network (WSN). The resulting mechanism allows the detection of compromised nodes as well as misbehaving nodes. Moreover, trusted querying is enabled by filtering out “untrustworthy sensor nodes and data” and returning the most-trusted aggregate response. We showcase the effectiveness of the proposed framework through a simulation based study.
Laser Microdissection of Narrow Sheath Mutant Maize Uncovers Novel Gene Expression in the Shoot Apical Meristem

Microarrays enable comparative analyses of gene expression on a genomic scale, however these experiments frequently identify an abundance of differentially expressed genes such that it may be difficult to identify discrete functional networks that are hidden within large microarray datasets. Microarray analyses in which mutant organisms are compared to nonmutant siblings can be especially problematic when the gene of interest is expressed in relatively few cells. Here, we describe the use of laser microdissection microarray to perform transcriptional profiling of the maize shoot apical meristem (SAM), a ;100-lm pillar of organogenic cells that is required for leaf initiation. Microarray analyses compared differential gene expression within the SAM and incipient leaf primordium of nonmutant and narrow sheath mutant plants, which harbored mutations in the duplicate genes narrow sheath1 (ns1) and narrow sheath2 (ns2). Expressed in eight to ten cells within the SAM, ns1 and ns2 encode paralogous WUSCHEL1-like homeobox (WOX) transcription factors required for recruitment of leaf initials that give rise to a large lateral domain within maize leaves. The data illustrate the utility of laser microdissection-microarray analyses to identify a relatively small number of genes that are differentially expressed within the SAM. Moreover, these analyses reveal potentially conserved WOX gene functions and implicate specific hormonal and signaling pathways during early events in maize leaf development.
Mining ChIP-chip data for transcription factor and cofactor binding sites

Motivation: Identification of single motifs and motif pairs that can be used to predict transcription factor localization in ChIP-chip data, and gene expression in tissue-specific microarray data. Results: We describe methodology to identify de novo individual and interacting pairs of binding site motifs from ChIP-chip data, using an algorithm that integrates localization data directly into the motif discovery process. We combine matrix-enumeration based motif discovery with multivariate regression to evaluate candidate motifs and identify motif interactions. When applied to the HNF localization data in liver and pancreatic islets, our methods produce motifs that are either novel or improved known motifs. All motif pairs identified to predict localization are further evaluated according to how well they predict expression in liver and islets and according to how conserved are the relative positions of their occurrences. We find that interaction models of HNF1 and CDP motifs provide excellent prediction of both HNF1 localization and gene expression in liver. Our results demonstrate that ChIP-chip data can be used to identify interacting binding site motifs. Availability: Motif discovery programs and analysis tools are available on request from the authors. Contact: [email protected]
Growth hormone deficiency after treatment of acromegaly: a randomized, placebo-controlled study of growth hormone replacement.

Context: The effects of GH replacement therapy in patients who develop GH deficiency (GHD) after cure of acromegaly have not been established in a placebo-controlled study. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine whether GH replacement improves body composition, cardiovascular risk markers and quality of life in patients with GHD and prior acromegaly. Design: This was a 6-month, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Setting: The study was conducted at a clinical translational science center. Study Participants: Participants included 30 subjects with prior acromegaly and current GHD. Intervention: Interventions included GH or placebo. Main Outcome Measures: Body composition (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and cross-sectional computed tomography at L4), cardiovascular risk markers (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), total, high-density lipoprotein and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen, and carotid intimal-medial thickness), and quality of life were measured. Results:...
CLARE: Cracking the LAnguage of Regulatory Elements

Summary: CLARE is a computational method designed to reveal sequence encryption of tissue-specific regulatory elements. Starting with a set of regulatory elements known to be active in a particular tissue/process, it learns the sequence code of the input set and builds a predictive model from features specific to those elements. The resulting model can then be applied to user-supplied genomic regions to identify novel candidate regulatory elements. CLARE's model also provides a detailed analysis of transcription factors that most likely bind to the elements, making it an invaluable tool for understanding mechanisms of tissue-specific gene regulation. Availability: CLARE is freely accessible at http://clare.dcode.org/. Contact: vog.hin.mln.ibcn@lrehat; vog.hin@nerahcvo Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A New Studio-to-Transmitter Antenna

A directive antenna for studio-to-transmitter service is described, starting with a choice of structure based on physical requirements. A method for a general solution of radiation problems is described. Evolution of the components is carried out, and final performance curves are shown.
Regulated cationic channel function in Xenopus oocytes expressing Drosophila big brain.

Big brain ( bib ) is a neurogenic gene that when mutated causes defects in cell fate determination during Drosophila neurogenesis through an unknown mechanism. The protein Big Brain (BIB) has sequence identity with the major intrinsic protein family that includes the water- and ion-conducting aquaporin channels. We show here that BIB expressed heterologously in Xenopus oocytes provides a voltage-insensitive, nonselective cation channel function with permeability to K+ > Na+ ≫ tetraethylammonium. The conductance, activated in response to endogenous signaling pathways in BIB-expressing oocytes, is decreased after treatment with 20 μm insulin and is enhanced with 10 μm lavendustin A, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor. Western blot analysis confirms that BIB is tyrosine-phosphorylated. Both tyrosine phosphorylation and the potentiating effect of lavendustin A are removed by partial deletion of the C terminus (amino acids 317–700). Current activation is not observed in control oocytes or in oocytes expressing a nonfunctional mutant (BIB E71N) that appears to be expressed on the plasma membrane by confocal microscopy and Western blotting. These results indicate that BIB can participate in tyrosine kinase-regulated transmembrane signaling and may suggest a role for membrane depolarization in the neurogenic function of BIB in early development.
On estimating stress intensity factors and modulus of cohesion for fractal cracks

Existing solutions for the singular stress field in the vicinity of a fractal crack tip have been adapted for a somewhat modified problem. Since the integration along the fractal curve is prohibitive and does not lend itself to the presently available mathematical treatments, a simplified one has replaced the original problem. The latter involves a smooth crack embedded in a singular stress field, for which the order of singularity is adjusted to match exactly the one obtained from the analyses pertaining to the fractal crack. Of course, this is only an approximation, and we may only hope that it leads toward correct results, at least in a cursory sense. The advantage of such an approach becomes obvious when one inspects the final closed-form solutions for (a) the stress intensity factor in mode I fractal fracture, and (b) cohesion modulus, which results from the cohesive zone model and serves as a measure of the material resistance to crack propagation. As expected for the fractal geometry employed here, our results are strongly dependent on the fractal dimension D (or roughness exponent H).
Ivy and Neurogliaform Interneurons Are a Major Target of μ-Opioid Receptor Modulation

μ-Opioid receptors (μORs) are selectively expressed on interneurons in area CA1 of the hippocampus. Fast-spiking, parvalbumin-expressing, basket cells express μORs, but circumstantial evidence suggests that another major, unidentified, GABAergic cell class must also be modulated by μORs. Here we report that the abundant, dendritically targeting, neurogliaform family of cells (Ivy and neurogliaform cells) is a previously unrecognized target of direct modulation by μORs. Ivy and neurogliaform cells are not only numerous but also have unique properties, including promiscuous gap junctions formed with various interneuronal subtypes, volume transmission, and the ability to produce a postsynaptic GABAB response after a single presynaptic spike. Using a mouse line expressing green fluorescent protein under the neuropeptide Y promoter, we find that, across all layers of CA1, activation of μORs hyperpolarizes Ivy and neurogliaform cells. Furthermore, paired recordings between synaptically coupled Ivy and pyramidal cells show that Ivy cell terminals are dramatically inhibited by μOR activation. Effects in Ivy and neurogliaform cells are seen at similar concentrations of agonist as those producing inhibition in fast-spiking parvalbumin basket cells. We also report that Ivy cells display the recently described phenomenon of persistent firing, a state of continued firing in the absence of continued input, and that induction of persistent firing is inhibited by μOR activation. Together, these findings identify a major, previously unrecognized, target of μOR modulation. Given the prominence of this cell type in and beyond CA1, as well as its unique role in microcircuitry, opioid modulation of neurogliaform cells has wide implications.
Estrogen receptor inducibility of the human Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor/ezrin-radixin-moesin binding protein 50 (NHE-RF/EBP50) gene involving multiple half-estrogen response elements.

The Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor (NHE-RF; also known as ezrin-radixin-moesin binding protein 50) is a primary response gene under estrogen receptor (ER) control that may provide a link between estrogen action and the regulation of cytoskeletal and cell-signaling pathways. These studies were undertaken to define the human NHE-RF genomic regions and regulatory sequences mediating its robust estrogen responsiveness. Screening of a human genomic library yielded NHE-RF clones comprising the full gene, including the 5′-regulatory region and first exon, which were found to contain a large number (13) of consensus half-estrogen response elements (EREs), but to lack palindromic full EREs. Transfection-transactivation assays with wild-type and mutant ERs and reporter gene constructs linked to progressive deletions, or containing mutations, of the 5′-flanking region including a portion of exon I, and electrophoretic mobility and competitive gel shift assays were performed. These demonstrated direct ER interact...
Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase as a Biological Marker for Human Leukemia

High levels of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase have been observed in leukocytes of 7 out of 20 patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in acute blast phase of the disease. These levels are comparable to the levels observed in human and calf thymus gland and cell lines with some T cell characteristics (Molt 4 and 8402). Negligible levels of this activity were observed in chronic myelogenous leukemia not in an acute blast phase of the disease, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, human B cells, mature T cells, and the mixed population of lymphocytes present in normal human blood. The detection of this enzyme in some patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia in acute blast phase of the disease suggests that the blast proliferation may involve primitive stem cells which have more lymphoid than myelogenous characteristics. This enzyme assay may be of use as a biological marker for following patients during treatment and in remission.
Joint model for a diagnostic test without a gold standard in the presence of a dependent terminal event

Breast cancer patients after breast conservation therapy often develop ipsilateral breast tumor relapse (IBTR), whose classification (true local recurrence versus new ipsilateral primary tumor) is subject to error, and there is no available gold standard. Some patients may die because of breast cancer before IBTR develops. Because this terminal event may be related to the individual patient's unobserved disease status and time to IBTR, the terminal mechanism is non-ignorable. This article presents a joint analysis framework to model the binomial regression with misclassified binary outcome and the correlated time to IBTR, subject to a dependent terminal event and in the absence of a gold standard. Shared random effects are used to link together two survival times. The proposed approach is evaluated by a simulation study and is applied to a breast cancer data set consisting of 4477 breast cancer patients. The proposed joint model can be conveniently fit using adaptive Gaussian quadrature tools implemented in SAS 9.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) procedure NLMIXED.
Direct observation of micron-scale ordered structure in a two-dimensional electron system

We have extended the subsurface charge accumulation imaging method to directly resolve the interior structure of a GaAs/AlGaAs two-dimensional electron system in a tunneling geometry. We find that the application of a perpendicular magnetic field can induce surprising density modulations that are not static as a function of the field. Near six and four filled Landau levels, stripelike structures emerge with a characteristic length scale ∼2 μm. Present theories do not account for ordered density modulations on this scale.
A Symplectic Keplerian Map for Perturbed Two-Body Dynamics

A perturbation theory for solving initial value problems is presented. Based on solutions to perturbed two-point boundary value prolems this theory analytically solves for the state of a perturbed system. Applica- tions of the theory are found primarily in the fields of orbital mechanics and optimal control. Examples showing the accuracy of the theory in the two-body and restricted three body problems are presented. Hamilton's principle and uses Hamilton's principal function (HPF), which embodies the dynamics of the system. This perturbation technique was used to solve the perturbed two- body problem. This paper contains further development of this technique, obtaining a general analyt- ical expression for the initial value problem (IVP). This allows one to obtain an analytical expression for the dynamics of the perturbed state. This idea has been explored by Ross and Scheeres (2007) to predict the change in orbit elements in the restricted three body problem. 2 This method requires to first obtain the time history of the nominal system. This solu- tion is used to solve a simple quadrature to obtain the perturbed trajectory in phase space. This method eliminates the need to fully integrate the equations of motion, and it only requires to solve Kepler's equation and and quadrature to obtain the perturbed system's solution
The Study on the Supportiveness of Information Technology atmosphere

This study focuses on the supportiveness of information technology environment to invest in share in Batticaloa District. This study was conducted with two research objectives: to find out the degree of knowledge in information technology of probable investors regarding the stock exchange and to evaluate the level of support of information technological atmosphere to invest in share market.
Cross-cultural dynamics in rural peru

Cross-cultural and language barriers can be an impediment to the conduct of biomedical studies in developing nations. To assess the implementation of human-use procedures within a minimum-risk febrile illness surveillance study in Peru, personnel fluent in both English and Spanish conducted a review of 10 sites. Guideline adherence, consent procedures, and potential problems in the conduct of the trial were reviewed. Concerns cited by on-site investigators included patient follow-up, poor facilities, and power fluctuations that jeopardized samples before shipment to a central location. However, both local study coordinators and patients demonstrated a clear grasp of study enrollment and consent procedures and reported no significant problems in the conduct of the study. These findings suggest that significant planning is crucial before initiation of biomedical studies in developing nations to successfully overcome physical challenges and cultural dynamics that could otherwise adversely affect scientific outcomes.
Targeted delivery of human iPS-ECs overexpressing IL-8 receptors inhibits neointimal and inflammatory responses to vascular injury in the rat

Interleukin-8 (IL8) is highly expressed by injured arteries in a variety of diseases and is a chemoattractant for neutrophils which express IL8 receptors IL8RA and RB (IL8RA/B) on their membranes. Neutrophils interact with the damaged endothelium and initiate an inflammatory cascade at the site of injury. We have generated a novel translational targeted cell therapy for acute vascular injury using adenoviral vectors to overexpress IL8RA/B and green fluorescent protein (GFP) on the surface of endothelial cells (ECs) derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs). We hypothesize that HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs transfused intravenously into rats with balloon injury of the carotid artery will target to the injured site and compete with neutrophils, thus inhibiting inflammation and neointima formation. Young adult male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent balloon injury of the right carotid artery and received intravenous transfusion of saline vehicle, 1.5 × 10(6) HiPS-ECs, 1.5 × 10(6) HiPS-Null-ECs, or 1.5 × 10(6) HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs immediately after endoluminal injury. Tissue distribution of HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs was analyzed by a novel GFP DNA qPCR method. Cytokine and chemokine expression and leukocyte infiltration were measured in injured and uninjured arteries at 24 h postinjury by ELISA and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Neointimal, medial areas, and reendothelialization were measured 14 days postinjury. HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs homed to injured arteries, inhibited inflammatory mediator expression and inflammatory cell infiltration, accelerated reendothelialization, and attenuated neointima formation after endoluminal injury while control HiPS-ECs and HiPS-Null-ECs did not. HiPS-IL8RA/B-ECs transfused into rats with endoluminal carotid artery injury target to the injured artery and provide a novel strategy to treat vascular injury.
How Does Reducing Pay Dispersion Affect Employee Behavior

Prior research suggests that pay dispersion among employees can cause lower-paid employees to feel unfairly treated and thus lower their effort. Recently, some firms have reduced pay dispersion by raising lower-paid employee’s wages in an attempt to mitigate this effect. However, popular press articles suggest that reducing pay dispersion could also cause higher-paid employees to leave the firm. We conduct a series of experiments to examine the effect of reduced pay dispersion on lower-paid employees’ effort and higher-paid employees’ turnover intentions. In Experiment 1, we find that reducing pay dispersion can increase lower-paid employees’ effort by increasing their perceived pay fairness. We also show that it is the reduction in pay dispersion rather than merely the increase in the lower-paid employees’ wages that yields these results. In Experiment 2, we replicate the results of our first experiment without collecting data on perceptions of pay fairness to ensure that the results of the first experiment were not the result of demand effects. Finally, in Experiment 3 we find that, contrary to concerns expressed in the popular press, higher-paid employees indicate that they are not more likely to leave the firm for a comparable job when lower-paid employees’ wages are increased, and may even be less likely to leave. Our results suggest that firms should consider whether the benefit of increased effort from the lower-paid employees is worth the extra cost they incur by increasing their wages.
Analysis of FIFA’s Attempt at Image Repair:

This study analyzes the response by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) after its top officials were arrested for corruption early in 2015. FIFA’s response included President Sepp Blatter’s brief address to FIFA Congress. In the days that followed, Mr. Blatter also gave a television interview and appeared in other media events where he attempted to repair the organization’s image. The analysis focuses on the effectiveness of FIFA’s attempt at image repair. First, it uses Benoit’s image repair theory (IRT) to analyze FIFA’s rhetoric. Second, it conducts a thematic analysis of content from 215 publications in eight newspapers selected from four continents during three crises stages. The results indicate that FIFA failed in its attempt to repair its image following the corruption crisis.
Abstract 3744: Acetylated tubulin (AT) levels predicts response to TPF chemotherapy in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC)

Docetaxel acts by binding to β-tubulin, stabilizing microtubules, and causing cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase of mitosis. Previous reports by our group suggest the absence of acetylated tubulin in tumor samples is a predictor for disease control in patients treated on a phase I trial with Docetaxel and Lonafarnib[1]. In this study, we hypothesize that patients with HNSCC with low levels of microtubule acetylation (i.e. highly dynamic microtubules) as measured by immunohistochemistry (IHC) would respond better to induction therapy with TPF (Docetaxel, Cisplatin and 5FU), and hence the level of acetylated tubulin (AT) would be a predictor of response to TPF. Method: Between July 5th 2006 and September 29th2009, 14 patients with HNSCC were enrolled in a Phase II clinical trial of induction chemotherapy with 3 cycles of TPF followed by local therapy. Patients underwent a biopsy of their primary tumor site prior to initiation of induction TPF. The IHC staining for AT expression was performed on formalin fixed paraffin embedded tissue. The scoring was based on intensity only since tumor cells displayed a homogeneous staining pattern. An AT score of 4 was considered to be high, whereas a stain of 0, 1, 2 or 3 was considered low. Primary tumor sites included oral cavity (OC; n=6), oropharynx (OP; n=5), larynx (L; n=1), sinus (S; n=1), and unknown primary (UP; n=1). All patients had stage IVa or IVb at presentation and had a performance status of 0-2 (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group ECOG scale). All had at least one uni- or bi-dimensional measurable lesion on imaging. The study closed prematurely due to slow accrual and increased observed complications. A total of 9 patients were evaluated: OC/4, OP/5. Results: After 3 cycles of TPF induction chemotherapy, complete remission (CR) was achieved in 4/9(44.5%), partial remission (PR) in 4/9(44.5%), and progressive disease (PD) in 1/9(11%) of patients. There was a significant correlation between AT staining intensity and response to TPF (p=0.0476). Patients with complete response (CR) or good partial response (GPR) (>60% reduction in tumor measurement) had a significantly lower staining intensity. No correlation was observed between staining intensity and progression free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) perhaps due to the small sample size. Conclusion: AT expression seems to correlate with response to TPF chemotherapy in HNSCC. Predicting response to TPF may prove to be useful in customizing care for patients with HNSCC. We are planning a larger scale retrospective analysis of the value of AT expression in predicting outcome for patients with HNSCC. 1. Kauh J, et al., Defining the Interaction of Docetaxel and Lonafarnib in Patients with Advanced Malignancies. AACR meeting, 2008, LB-67, 2008. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3744.
Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow with Age in ADHD

Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) with age were studied by SPECT in 29 drug-naive patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (24 boys, 5 girls; age 7-13) and 12 with complex partial epilepsy as controls, at NIMH International Mental Health Program, Istanbul; and University of Ankara Medical School, Ankara, Turkey.
Brackish Marsh Plant Community Responses to Regional Precipitation and Relative sea-Level Rise

Climate-driven shifts in environmental conditions can transform the structure and function of coastal ecosystems. Here we examine how two back-barrier brackish marshes in Pamlico Sound (North Carolina, USA) responded to changes in precipitation, temperature, and relative sea level and whether local rates of accretion have kept pace with relative sea-level rise. We used the distribution of seeds in sediment cores, coupled with 210Pb-sediment geochronology, to determine patterns of community and ecosystem change over the past century. The chronologies demonstrate that both marshes recently transitioned from communities dominated by Cladium jamaicense, which prefers fresh and brackish settings, to communities dominated by Schoenoplectus americanus, which prefers brackish and saline environments. Multiple regression analysis indicates that community shifts are best explained by relative sea-level rise and regional trends in precipitation. Results also indicate that the marshes are developing an elevation deficit with respect to rising sea level, which likely influenced the conversion from C. jamaicense dominated to S. americanus dominated communities. These findings substantiate a growing body of evidence indicating that climate-driven shifts in environmental conditions are transforming coastal ecosystems and suggest that brackish intertidal marshes may become increasingly threatened by accelerated sea-level rise and associated environmental changes expected to unfold this century.