cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Face-name memory in Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) affects face-name memory, the ability to recognize faces and recall names. Remembering face and name requires a sophisticated cognitive process because of the complexity and similarity among faces and also because of their arbitrary association with names. Assessments of face-name memory can measure episodic and semantic memory performance and are useful for early detection of AD. Improving face-name memory is possible through cognitive interventions targeted to promote procedural memory, which is often preserved until the late stage of AD. This article describes a conceptual model, assessment tools, and strategies for improving face-name memory in persons with AD.
Increased serum prolactin levels during phenothiazine and butyrophenone treatment of six postpartum women

Abstract (1) Serum prolactin levels of six women, who developed psychoses during the postpartum period and were treated with neuroleptic drugs, were higher than those of a group of non-postpartum women of comparable age treated with similar doses of these drugs. (2) The magnitude of the neuroleptic-induced elevations in serum prolactin diminished with time during the postpartum period and returned to that found in non-parturient drug-treated females approximately 120 days postpartum. (3) A similar increased responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis controlling prolactin secretion in postpartum females is manifested by the suckling response and increased prolactin response to thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH). The time course of normalization of these enhanced endocrine responses is roughly similar to that found for normalization of the prolactin response to neuroleptic drugs. A common mechanism may underlie each of these phenomena.
Epistemological and Moral Conflict Between Religion and Science

Debates about religion and educational attainment often assume that members of certain religious groups do not seek out knowledge of science because they are opposed to the use of the scientific method. Using the science module of the 2006 General Social Survey, the analysis indicates that no religious group differs from the nonreligious comparison group in its propensity to seek out scientific knowledge. A more subtle epistemological conflict may arise when scientists make claims that explicitly contradict theological accounts. Findings indicate that Protestants and Catholics differ from the comparison group only on the very few issues where religion and science make competing claims. A third possible source of conflict may not be epistemological, but rather derives from opposition to what is understood as the public moral agenda of scientists. Findings indicate that conservative Protestants are opposed to scientific influence in public affairs due to opposition to the scientists’ moral agenda.
phi-meson production as a probe of the quark-gluon plasma.

The formation of the quark-gluon plasma in relativistic nuclear collisions may be determined by enhanced production of $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ mesons. This enhancement would result from the absence of the Okubo-Zweig-Iizuka suppression which inhibits $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ production in ordinary $p\ensuremath{-}p$ and $\ensuremath{\pi}\ensuremath{-}p$ collisions, and from a large abundance of strange quarks in the plasma. The $\ensuremath{\varphi}$ will not rescatter significantly in the subsequent expanding hadronic phase and would thereby retain information on the conditions of the hot plasma.
Independent necessary and sufficient conditions for approval voting

Abstract The following axioms are imposed on aggregations of choice functions: Unrestricted Domain (U), Neutrality (N), Independence of Symmetric Substitutions (ISS), Anonymity (A) and Positive Response (PR). Approval Voting is characterized by (U), (N), (ISS) and (PR); these axioms are independent. In the presence of (U), (N) and (PR), (ISS) is strictly stronger than (A). Plurality Voting is characterized by strengthening (U) along with (N), (ISS) and (PR).
Role of tree dams in the construction of pseudo-terraces and variable geomorphic response to floods in Little River valley, Virginia

Geomorphic response to a 1985 flood in Little River valley, northern Virginia, was different in magnitude and style from the largest historic flood in the same valley in 1949. The primary geomorphic activity during the 1985 flood was severe bank erosion and channel-gravel deposition rather than the debris flow and avalanching of the 1949 event. An unusual and widespread phenomenon of the recent flood was that large trees eroded and transported by the floodwater were aligned parallel to the river banks and, at isolated sites, were braced and stacked against trees still standing on the floodplain. Lateral barriers or dams created from these displaced trees allowed the channel to be locally aggraded above the level of the flood-plain. In these reaches, little, if any, river gravel was deposited on the floodplain, even though the adjacent channel floor was raised well above that surface. The river has now shifted around the filled segments, leaving flat, isolated surfaces, underlain by channel gravel, standing above the level of the modern floodplain. These features may be mistaken for terraces alter they become vegetated and the trees bracing the gravels decay. Interpreting these surfaces to be terrace remnants would lead to a faulty reconstruction of geomorphic history in the Little River valley and other valleys where floodplain morphology is controlled by infrequent flood events.
ACTH-secreting islet cell tumor: appearances on dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MRI

Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) secreting islet cell tumors of the pancreas are extremely rare. A case of an ACTH producing islet cell tumor with multiple liver metastases is reported and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are described.
Design and Administration of Accelerated Vehicle Retirement Programs in North America and Abroad

Several countries, states, and local agencies have debated and many have adopted voluntary accelerated vehicle retirement (VAVR) programs. The basic premise behind a VAVR program is to reduce emissions by taking an older, more polluting vehicle off the road before its owner would otherwise scrap it. A descriptive overview of the components of past and current VAVR programs in the United States and Canada is provided, with some comparisons with programs abroad. VAVR programs in North America fall into two broad categories—programs that generate "mobile source emission-reduction credits" that can be used to comply with other air quality regulations, and programs in which emission reductions are "used" only to help meet air quality standards. Incentives in the U.S. programs range from $400 to $1,000. The programs include a variety of criteria, including ownership and operability standards, to help ensure that emission reductions are real.
Son of BOSS

Derivatives typically lead to multiple ways to achieve the same payoff. They also allow considerable control over the timing of cash flows. In the past, this led clever taxable investors to adopt positions that were essentially riskless but would produce a loss in the current year for tax purposes with offsetting gains deferred until a subsequent tax year, or in some cases, (arguably) taxed at a lower rate or not at all. Over the years, the IRS has waged a continuing battle to uncover such schemes and to close the loopholes that seemed to permit them. A strong tool in this fight has been a legal ruling that allows the IRS to ignore the letter of the regulations if they can show that tax avoidance is the sole economic purpose for an investor9s strategy. Naturally, this has given rise to increasingly elaborate derivatives-based tax avoidance schemes, for which demonstrating a lack of economic purpose is hard to do. In this article, Tucker walks us through one of the latest and greatest of such tax avoidance schemes, known as Son of Boss.
Cervical spine fracture associated with ankylosing spondylitis

A 53-year-old man with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was found unresponsive on the ground. He was comatose and quadriplegic with absent cough and gag reflexes but preserved corneal and pupillary responses. CT of the spine (figure) showed displaced C2 fracture, severely deformed spinal cord, and complete spinal ankylosis. He developed hemodynamic instability with persistently poor arousal, and his family elected to withdraw care. AS, chronic inflammatory disease of the axial skeleton, results in ossified ligaments and loss of elasticity, predisposing to spinal fractures following minor trauma. Three-quarters of these fractures occur in the cervical spine, with associated mortality rate of 35%.1
Rituximab: perspective on single agent experience, and future directions in combination trials

The chimeric anti-CD20 antibody rituximab is the first monoclonal antibody to gain regulatory approval for the treatment of any malignancy. As such, its development represents a major milestone in cancer therapy. It is an effective single agent for patients with CD20-positive B-cell malignancies, using a well-tolerated and brief (weekly x 4) schedule that has become the accepted standard. Since this weekly x 4 schedule is not a maximum tolerated dose, additional research is being done on different doses and schedules of rituximab. Researchers are also exploring the use of rituximab in conjunction with cytokines or chemotherapy. Further developments in the use of rituximab and other targeted therapy approaches can be expected as we learn more about the mechanisms of action of, and resistance to, rituximab.
Group-level dynamics in harvester ants: young colonies and the role of patrolling

The flexibility of colony organization in the red harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex barbatus, was investigated in the field in older (about 5 years) and younger (about 2 years) colonies. Perturbations affecting nest maintenance work, foraging and patrolling were made singly and in various combinations. In both younger and older colonies, events that directly affected only one activity caused changes in the numbers of ants engaged in other activities. An increase in patrolling early in the activity period caused foraging to decrease later on. Combined perturbations show that in both younger and older colonies, all three activities were linked by complex, synergistic interactions: the response to a perturbation affecting one activity itself varied, depending on the states of the other activities. The results suggest a more strongly homeostatic response to perturbations in older colonies than in younger ones: older colonies appeared to respond more consistently to single perturbations, and to decrease foraging less in combined perturbations, than did younger ones. Individual workers live only about a year. Thus similarities and differences in the flexibilities of colonies 3 or more years apart are organizational rather than a result of the accumulated experience of particular individuals. Ontogenetic changes in a colony's response to environmental stress may be ecologically important.
Glyphosate affects soybean root exudation and rhizosphere micro-organisms

Glyphosate is a non-selective, broad-spectrum herbicide that kills plants by inhibiting the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimic acid-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS), which is necessary for synthesis of aromatic amino acids. A secondary mode of action involves infection of roots of glyphosate-susceptible plants by soil-borne micro-organisms due to decreased production of plant protection compounds known as phytoalexins. Varieties of several crops, including glyphosate-resistant (GR) or Roundup Ready soybean, are genetically modified to resist the herbicidal effects of glyphosate and provide farmers with an effective weed-management tool. After glyphosate is applied to GR soybean, glyphosate that is not bound to glyphosate-resistant EPSPS is translocated throughout the plant and accumulates primarily in meristematic tissues. We previously reported that fungal colonization of GR soybean roots increased significantly after application of glyphosate but not after conventional postemergence herbicides. Because glyphosate...
Cloning of the 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11β-HSD)-2 gene in the baboon: effects of estradiol on promoter activity of 11β-HSD-1 and -2 in placental JEG-3 cells

In the baboon, estrogen regulated 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11beta-HSD) catalyzed metabolism of cortisol and cortisone by the placenta is an important component in the sequence of events regulating the fetal pituitary-adrenocortical axis. The present study was designed to isolate and sequence the promoter region of the baboon 11beta-HSD-2 gene and to produce constructs of this gene and the 1.7 kb fragment of 5'-flanking region of baboon 11beta-HSD-1 isolated previously in order to determine whether the promoters of these two genes were activated in human placental JEG-3 cells and whether expression could be modulated by estradiol. The 11beta-HSD-2 genomic DNA was isolated from a baboon kidney genomic library using a human 11beta-HSD-2 cDNA as a probe. The sequence of a 1.2 kb fragment of the 5'-flanking region showed extensive homology with that published by others for human 11beta-HSD-2, particularly in exon 1 (>95%) and in the proximal promoter (>90%). Primer extension confirmed that the baboon 11beta-HSD-2 gene has multiple transcriptional start sites which are preceded by a GC box. To determine promoter activity of 11beta-HSD-2 and -1, the 5'-flanking regions of these genes were subcloned into luciferase reporter pGL3 vectors, transiently transfected into human placental JEG-3 cells, and then incubated for 16-18 h in the presence or absence of 10-8 M 17beta-estradiol or 17alpha-estradiol. To augment the low level of estrogen receptor (ER) in JEG cells, promoter activity studies were also performed in JEG cells co-transfected with an expression vector containing the human ER cDNA. The promoters of both 11beta-HSD-1 and -2 were activated following transient transfection into JEG-3 cells although basal activity of 11beta-HSD-2 (87+/-21 RLU/microg protein) always exceeded (P<0.05) that of 11beta-HSD-1 (37+/-7). In the absence of co-transfected ER, basal promoter activities of both 11beta-HSD genes were not altered by 17beta-estradiol. In contrast, in cells co-transfected with ER, 17beta-estradiol but not 17alpha-estradiol increased (P<0.05) basal promoter activities of 11beta-HSD-1 and -2 by 8.1+/-1.5 and 8.3+/-2. 0 fold, respectively. Collectively, these findings indicate that the promoter region of the baboon 11beta-HSD-2 gene is comparable to that in the human and that the 5'-flanking region of both the baboon 11beta-HSD-1 and -2 genes were active when transiently transfected into JEG-3 cells and that activation could be enhanced by estradiol in the presence of an estrogen receptor.
Nerve growth factor stimulates protein tyrosine phosphorylation in PC-12 pheochromocytoma cells.

Abstract The cellular actions of nerve growth factor (NGF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) may be mediated by changes in protein phosphorylation. The tyrosine phosphorylation of two predominant proteins of molecular mass 40 and 42 kDa is seen in PC-12 cells treated with NGF or EGF, correlating with activation of a previously identified serine/threonine protein kinase that phosphorylates microtubule-associated protein (MAP). Stimulation of phosphoprotein (pp) 40 and 42 phosphorylation and MAP kinase activity by NGF but not EGF is selectively attenuated by staurosporine and K-252A. Moreover, the time courses of pp40/42 phosphorylation and MAP kinase activation produced by NGF or EGF are identical. Chromatography of lysates from growth factor-treated cells on ion-exchange or hydrophobic-interaction HPLC resolves MAP kinase into two peaks, neither of which precisely coelutes with pp40 or pp42. One of these peaks (II) exhibits no detectable phosphotyrosine. The other peak (I) has some overlap with pp40. However, the activity residing in both peaks is almost completely inhibited after treatment with alkaline phosphatase, suggesting that, at least, serine/threonine phosphorylation is required for the activity of these enzymes. These data indicate that while tyrosine phosphorylation appears to be a critical early event in NGF action, the role of this modification in activation of MAP kinases remains unclear.
Perivascular Mural Cells of the Mouse Choroid Demonstrate Morphological Diversity That Is Correlated to Vasoregulatory Function

Objective Perivascular mural cells of the choroid have been implicated in physiological functioning as well as in retinal disease pathogenesis. However details regarding their form and function are not well understood. We aim to characterize choroidal mural cells in the adult mouse choroid in terms of their distribution and morphology, and correlate these to their contractile behavior. Methods Sclerochoroidal flat-mounted explants were prepared from albino transgenic mice in which the α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) promoter drives the expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP). α-SMA-expressing smooth muscle cells and pericytes in the living choroid were thereby rendered fluorescent and imaged with confocal microscopy and live-cell imaging in situ. Results Choroidal perivascular mural cells demonstrate significant diversity in terms of their distribution and morphology at different levels of the vasculature. They range from densely-packed circumferentially-oriented cells that provide complete vascular coverage in primary arteries to widely-spaced stellate-shaped cells that are distributed sparsely over terminal arterioles. Mural cells at each level are immunopositive for contractile proteins α-SMA and desmin and demonstrate vasoconstrictory contractile movements in response to endothelin-1 and the calcium ionophore, A23187, and vasodilation in response to the calcium chelator, BAPTA. The prominence of vasoregulatory contractile responses varies with mural cell morphology and density, and is greater in vessels with dense coverage of mural cells with circumferential cellular morphologies. In the choriocapillaris, pericytes demonstrate a sparse, horizontal distribution and are selectively distributed only to the scleral surface of the choriocapillaris. Conclusions Diversity and regional specialization of perivascular mural cells may subserve varying requirements for vasoregulation in the choroid. The model of the α-SMA-GFP transgenic albino mouse provides a useful and intact system for the morphological and functional study of choroidal mural cells.
Essential Lysine Residues in the RNA Polymerase Domain of the Gene 4 Primase-Helicase of Bacteriophage T7 *

At a replication fork DNA primase synthesizes oligoribonucleotides that serve as primers for the lagging strand DNA polymerase. In the bacteriophage T7 replication system, DNA primase is encoded by gene 4 of the phage. The 63-kDa gene 4 protein is composed of two major domains, a helicase domain and a primase domain located in the C- and N-terminal halves of the protein, respectively. T7 DNA primase recognizes the sequence 5′-NNGTC-3′ via a zinc motif and catalyzes the template-directed synthesis of tetraribonucleotides pppACNN. T7 DNA primase, like other primases, shares limited homology with DNA-dependent RNA polymerases. To identify the catalytic core of the T7 DNA primase, single-point mutations were introduced into a basic region that shares sequence homology with RNA polymerases. The genetically altered gene 4 proteins were examined for their ability to support phage growth, to synthesize functional primers, and to recognize primase recognition sites. Two lysine residues, Lys-122 and Lys-128, are essential for phage growth. The two residues play a key role in the synthesis of phosphodiester bonds but are not involved in other activities mediated by the protein. The altered primases are unable to either synthesize or extend an oligoribonucleotide. However, the altered primases do recognize the primase recognition sequence, anneal an exogenous primer 5′-ACCC-3′ at the site, and transfer the primer to T7 DNA polymerase. Other lysines in the vicinity are not essential for the synthesis of primers.
Child Disinhibition, Parent Restriction, and Child Body Mass Index in Low-income Preschool Families

Abstract Objective To examine both unique and interactive effects of parent restrictive feeding and child disinhibited eating behavior on child body mass index (BMI) in low-income Latino and African American preschoolers. Methods The sample included 229 parent–child pairs, the majority of whom were low-income and Latino (57%) or African American (25%). Parents completed self-report measures, and researchers collected anthropometric data. Results Multiple regression analysis indicated a restriction–disinhibition interaction; high restriction/high disinhibition predicted higher BMI, and high restriction/low disinhibition predicted lower BMI. Conclusions and Implications Although limited by the observational, cross-sectional design, results indicate that parent and child behaviors interact to produce maladaptive weight outcomes, and practitioners should consider both when counseling families.
TeachScheme!: a checkpoint

In 1995, my team and I decided to create an outreach project that would use our research on functional programming to change the K-12 computer science curriculum. We had two different goals in mind. On the one hand, our curriculum should rely on mathematics to teach programming, and it d exploit programming to teach mathematics. All students - not just those who major in computer science - should benefit. On the other hand, our course should demonstrate that introductory programming can focus on program design, not just a specific syntax. We also wished to create a smooth path from a design-oriented introductory course all the way to courses on large software projects.My talk presents a checkpoint of our project, starting with our major scientific goal, a comprehensive theory of program design. Our work on this theory progresses through the development of program design courses for all age groups. At this point, we offer curricular materials for middle schools, high schools, three college-level freshman courses, and a junior-level course on constructing large components. We regularly use these materials to train K-12 teachers, after-school volunteers, and college faculty; thus far, we have reached hundreds of instructors, who in turn have dealt with thousands of students in their classrooms.
Evaluation of the Mood-Stabilizing Agent Valproic Acid as a Preventative for Toxoplasmosis In Mice and Activity Against Tissue Cysts in Mice

Toxoplasma gondii is a common intracellular protozoan infection of humans worldwide. Severe disease can occur in immunocompromised individuals and the in the fetuses of nonimmune pregnant women. Chronic infection is associated with vision and hearing problems, and functional mental alterations, including schizophrenia. The mood-stabilizing agent valproic acid has been shown to inhibit the development of T. gondii in vitro at dosages that are normally achieved in the serum and cerebral spinal fluid of human patients and to have positive effects on the behavior of rats chronically infected with T. gondii. The present study was done to examine the in vivo activity of valproic acid against acute toxoplasmosis in mice. Two studies were done with valproic acid given in the drinking water at concentrations of 1.5 mg/ml (Experiment 1) or 3.0 mg/ml (Experiment 2). In a third experiment (Experiment 3), valproic acid was injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) at doses of 200 or 300 mg/kg every 12 hr. Valproic acid was not effective in preventing acute toxoplasmosis. All mice treated with valproic acid died or were killed and did not (P > 0.05) live significantly longer than the controls. Tachyzoites were demonstrated in the tissues of infected valproic-acid-treated mice. A fourth study was done to determine if valproic acid has activity against T. gondii tissue cysts in chronically infected mice. Mice were chronically infected with the ME-49 strain of T. gondii for 8 wk and then treated orally with valproic acid at approximately 6.6 mg/ml (800 mg/kg/day) in the drinking water for 10 wk (amount was varied due to increasing mouse weights). No significant differences (P > 0.05) were present in tissue cyst numbers in valproic-acid-treated T. gondii chronically infected mice and in mice chronically infected with T. gondii but not given valproic acid. Our results indicate that valproic acid, although effective in vitro against T. gondii tachyzoites, is not effective as a preventative in mice inoculated with T. gondii tachyzoites. Additionally, no activity against tissue cysts was observed in chronically T. gondii-infected valproic-acid-treated mice.
Quality control and preprocessing of metagenomic datasets

Summary: Here, we present PRINSEQ for easy and rapid quality control and data preprocessing of genomic and metagenomic datasets. Summary statistics of FASTA (and QUAL) or FASTQ files are generated in tabular and graphical form and sequences can be filtered, reformatted and trimmed by a variety of options to improve downstream analysis. Availability and Implementation: This open-source application was implemented in Perl and can be used as a stand alone version or accessed online through a user-friendly web interface. The source code, user help and additional information are available at http://prinseq.sourceforge.net/. Contact:[email protected]; [email protected]
Fundamental finite-sample limit of canonical correlation analysis based detection of correlated high-dimensional signals in white noise

Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) based techniques are often used for detecting and estimating correlated signals buried in two multivariate datasets. In this paper, we highlight a fundamental asymptotic limit of CCA based detection and estimation of the number of weak, correlated high-dimensional signals in the white noise, sample size limited setting. Specifically, we show that if (eigen) SNR of the correlated signal(s) in both datasets is above the respective threshold SNRs then reliable detection of the correlated signal(s), relative to the noise-only or correlated-signal-free scenario, is possible. The fundamental limit depends on the dimensionality of the dataset and sample-size but, perhaps surprisingly, not on the degree of correlation between the signals. We develop a new test statistic that leads to an improved algorithm that attains this limit and that can be reliably used in the sample size deficient regime where previous authors have asserted otherwise.
Disseminated Acanthamebiasis in a Renal Transplant Recipient with Osteomyelitis and Cutaneous Lesions: Case Report and Literature Review

Disseminated acanthamebiasis is a rare disease that occurs predominantly in patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome but also in immunosuppressed transplant recipients. Few reports have focused on non-HIV-infected patients, in whom the disease is more likely to go unsuspected and undiagnosed before death. We describe a renal transplant recipient with Acanthamoeba infection and review the literature. The patient presented with osteomyelitis and widespread cutaneous lesions. No causative organism was identified before death, despite multiple biopsies with detailed histological analysis and culture. Disseminated Acanthamoeba infection was diagnosed after death, when cysts were observed in histological examination of sections of skin from autopsy, and trophozoites were found in retrospectively reviewed skin biopsy and surgical bone specimens. In any immunosuppressed patient, skin and/or bone lesions that fail to show improvement with broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy should raise the suspicion for disseminated acanthamebiasis. Early recognition and treatment may improve clinical outcomes.
A Sensing Device Using Liquid Crystal in a Micropillar Array Supporting Structure

We present the design of a micropillar array that leads to the formation of stable and uniform liquid crystal (LC) thin films for sensing applications. Photolithography and electroplating methods were employed to fabricate the micropillar array. By using this microfabricated structure, thin films of LC (5CB: 4'-pentyl-4-cyanobiphenyl) were formed and stabilized against gravitational forces and mechanical shock. The geometric profile of the supported LC thin film was simulated by using finite element methods. Orientational ordering transitions of nematic LCs in the supported thin films were used to detect liquid- and vapor-phase analytes via changes in the intensity of light transmitted through the LCs. The LC thin films supported by these microfabricated structures were tested and found to respond to dimethyl methylphosphonate gas.
Globalization, the Nation-State, and Imperialism: A Review Essay

“Globalization” has become a common term used widely by government officials, business, the media, and scholars in the social sciences and in area and cultural studies. In its most general usage, t...
Amino Acid Substitutions in the V Domain of Nectin-1 (HveC) That Impair Entry Activity for Herpes Simplex Virus Types 1 and 2 but Not for Pseudorabies Virus or Bovine Herpesvirus 1

The entry of herpes simplex virus (HSV) into cells requires the interaction of viral glycoprotein D (gD) with a cellular gD receptor to trigger the fusion of viral and cellular membranes. Nectin-1, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, can serve as a gD receptor for HSV types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively) as well as for the animal herpesviruses porcine pseudorabies virus (PRV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1). The HSV-1 gD binding domain of nectin-1 is hypothesized to overlap amino acids 64 to 104 of the N-terminal variable domain-like immunoglobulin domain. Moreover, the HSV-1 and PRV gDs compete for binding to nectin-1. Here we report that two amino acids within this region, at positions 77 and 85, are critical for HSV-1 and HSV-2 entry but not for the entry of PRV or BHV-1. Replacement of either amino acid 77 or amino acid 85 reduced HSV-1 and HSV-2 gD binding but had a lesser effect on HSV entry activity, suggesting that weak interactions between gD and nectin-1 are sufficient to trigger the mechanism of HSV entry. Substitution of both amino acid 77 and amino acid 85 in nectin-1 significantly impaired entry activity for HSV-1 and HSV-2 and eliminated binding to soluble forms of HSV-1 and HSV-2 gDs but did not impair the entry of PRV and BHV-1. Thus, amino acids 77 and 85 of nectin-1 form part of the interface with HSV gD or influence the conformation of that interface. Moreover, the binding sites for HSV and PRV or BHV-1 gDs on nectin-1 may overlap but are not identical.
Landmarks in Child Abuse and Neglect: Three Flowers in the Desert. The Whiplash Shaken Infant Syndrome, by J. Caffey,Pediatrics, 1974;54:396–403; Covert Video Recordings of Life-threatening Child Abuse: Lessons for Child Protection, by David P. Southall et al, Pediatrics, 1997;100:735–760;Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect: A Randomized Trial of Nurse Home Visitation, by David L. Olds et al, Pediatrics, 1986;78:65–78

Reviewing the past 50 years of publications related to the field of child abuse and neglect in Pediatrics is clearly less daunting a task than one would face if the field were infectious disease or neonatology. In part, this is true because the field is relatively new, has suffered from a stunning lack of interest from National Institutes of Health and, with some exceptions, there is a paucity of professional interest in academic departments of pediatrics. It also has been perceived by many as a “social” or “legal” problem that was not amenable to medical intervention or study. Kempe's landmark article,1which was published in JAMA in 1962, is acknowledged as the catalyst for modern day pediatric interest in child abuse and neglect. Most of the publications in Pediatrics have recounted the medical findings of physically and, more recently, sexually abused children in an effort to assist in the differential diagnosis of “accidental” and “nonaccidental” injury. Some, including Helfer and Slovis' brief communication2 in 1977, Billmire and Myers 1985 article3 in physical abuse, and McCann and colleagues work4,5 in the area of sexual abuse have been very useful, especially in the courtroom. It was Caffey's article,6 “The Infant Whiplash Shaking Syndrome,” which has to be considered as the first landmark article in Pediatrics . This work was enormously important. It provided an explanation for how subdural hematomas in infants occur, it started the slide to extinction for the term “spontaneous subdural hematoma”, which was in vogue in the 1960s, and it …
Endothermic reactions between mullite and silicon carbide in an argon plasma environment

Reactions between SiC and mullite in an Ar plasma were investigated using a model composite in which a free-standing CVD SiC coupon was imbedded in mullite cement. After treatment in a radio frequency (RF) plasma, the Si content of the mullite in contact with SiC was found to be less than that in the starting material, and deposits were found on the walls of the plasma chamber due to the reaction of mullite with SiC as follows: Al6Si2O13(s)+ SiC(s)= 3Al2O3(s)+ 3SiO(g)+ CO(g). This reaction, which is endothermic (1405 kJ/mol at 1500 K), absorbs thermal energy and consequently prevents the rapid sintering which is observed for single-phase mullite in similar environments. As a consequence, it is suggested that RF plasma sintering probably cannot be used to densify SiC-reinforced mullite-matrix composites because of the resulting energy consumption and damage to the SiC phase.
Slow Na+ Inactivation and Variance Adaptation in Salamander Retinal Ganglion Cells

The retina adapts to the temporal contrast of the light inputs. One component of contrast adaptation is intrinsic to retinal ganglion cells: temporal contrast affects the variance of the synaptic inputs to ganglion cells, which alters the gain of spike generation. Here we show that slow Na+ inactivation is sufficient to produce the observed variance adaptation. Slow inactivation caused the Na+ current available for spike generation to depend on the past history of activity, both action potentials and subthreshold voltage variations. Recovery from slow inactivation required several hundred milliseconds. Increased current variance caused the threshold for spike generation to increase, presumably because of the decrease in available Na+current. Simulations indicated that slow Na+inactivation could account for the observed decrease in excitability. This suggests a simple picture of how ganglion cells contribute to contrast adaptation: (1) increasing contrast causes an increase in input current variance that raises the spike rate, and (2) the increased spike rate reduces the available Na+current through slow inactivation, which feeds back to reduce excitability. Cells throughout the nervous system face similar problems of accommodating a large range of input signals; furthermore, the Na+ currents of many cells exhibit slow inactivation. Thus, adaptation mediated by feedback modulation of the Na+ current through slow inactivation could serve as a general mechanism to control excitability in spiking neurons.
Effects of age, gender, and lifestyle factors on plasma apolipoprotein A-IV concentrations

Apolipoprotein (apo) A-IV is a protein component of triglyceride (TG)-rich lipoproteins and high density lipoproteins (HDL). Plasma apo A-IV levels were measured by immunoelectrophoresis and these values were related to other biological variables in 723 middle aged and elderly men and women (more than 90% of them were Caucasian) prior to participation in a lifestyle modification program. Apo A-IV may play an important function in regulating lipid absorption, reverse cholesterol transport, and food intake. The data are consistent with the following concepts: (1) apo A-IV levels are significantly and positively correlated with age (r = 0.159, P < 0.05) in all subjects, with plasma apo A-I levels in both men (r = 0.194, P < 0.001) and women (r = 0.213, P < 0.001), and with apo E (r=0.111, P<0.05) and TG levels (r =0.120, P <0.05) in men; (2) apo A-IV levels are inversely correlated with body mass index (r = 0.170, P <0.05) in women; (3) female subjects on hormone replacement therapy have significantly lower plasma apo A-IV levels (by 4.1%, P < 0.05) than normal controls; (4) diabetic subjects have significantly higher apo A-IV levels (by 21%, P < 0.01) than normal subjects; (5) there is no significant effect of smoking, alcohol intake, and apo A-IV-1/2 genotype on apo A-IV levels. The data indicate that plasma apo A-IV levels are significantly affected by age, diabetes, and hormone replacement therapy.
Emerging Paradigms in the Development of Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Lung Cancer

The success of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in select patients with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has transformed management of the disease, placing new emphasis on understanding the molecular characteristics of tumor specimens. It is now recognized that genetic alterations in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) define two unique subtypes of NSCLC that are highly responsive to genotype-directed TKIs. Despite this initial sensitivity, however, the long-term effectiveness of such therapies is universally limited by the development of resistance. Identifying the mechanisms underlying this resistance is an area of intense, ongoing investigation. In this review, we provide an overview of recent experience in the field, focusing on results from preclinical resistance models and studies of patient-derived, TKI-resistant tumor specimens. Although diverse TKI resistance mechanisms have been identified within EGFR-mutant and ALK-positive patients, we highlight ...
Use of Laparoscopy in Evaluation and Treatment of Penetrating and Blunt Abdominal Injuries

Use of laparoscopy in penetrating trauma has been well established; however, its application in blunt trauma is evolving. The authors hypothesized that laparoscopy is safe and feasible as a diagnostic and therapeutic modality in both the patients with penetrating and blunt trauma. Trauma registry data and medical records of consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopy for abdominal trauma were reviewed. Over a 4-year period, 43 patients (18 blunt trauma / 25 penetrating trauma) underwent a diagnostic laparoscopy. Conversion to laparotomy occurred in 9 (50%) blunt trauma and 9 (36%) penetrating trauma patients. Diagnostic laparoscopy was negative in 33% of blunt trauma and 52% of penetrating trauma patients. Sensitivity/specificity of laparoscopy in patients with blunt and penetrating trauma was 92%/100% and 90%/100%, respectively. Overall, laparotomy was avoided in 25 (58%) patients. Use of laparoscopy in selected patients with blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma is safe, minimizes nontherapeutic laparotomies, and allows for minimal invasive management of selected intra-abdominal injuries.
Narrowband antenna challenges for airborne platforms

This paper defines performance shortfalls with the narrowband SATCOM antennas fielded on airborne platforms. These problems include poor coverage, lack of gain to support higher data rates and the current lack of real estate available on airborne platforms to support the future installation of radio systems and the corresponding antennas. Depending on the terminal location and the look angle to the satellite, users require good low angle coverage or risk failing to close a link. Antenna gain requirements are described and compared with present performance capabilities. The resulting link data rate impacts are defined. This paper demonstrates that current antenna performance limitations result in marginal UHF SATCOM performance at higher data rates and in geographically disadvantaged areas, affecting the ability of aircraft to participate fully in network centric operations.
Sources and Provinces of Late Pleistocene and Holocene Sand and Silt on the Mid-Atlantic Continental Shelf

ABSTRACT The shapes and surface textures of quartz sand and silt grains from the mid-Atlantic continental shelf were measured and analyzed with the Fourier grain-shape technique, and examined with the scanning electron microscope, in order to determine the sources and distribution of late Pleistocene and Holocene sediment on this shelf. The study indicates that there are two distinct sources of sediment for the mid-Atlantic shelf: the Atlantic Coastal Plain and the Appalachian Highlands. The sediment contribution of the Atlantic Coastal Plain is represented by abundant spherical, rounded quartz grains with surface textures created by the weathering of the quartz grains in organic-rich soils. The sediment contribution of the Appalachian Highlands is represented by abundant nonspherical, angular quartz grains with crystalline nodes, grain embayments, fractures, and euhedral quartz overgrowths created by the crystallization, recrystallization, and diagenesis of quartz. The distribution of coastal-plain and Appalachian sand on the mid-Atlantic shelf is controlled to a great extent by the late Quaternary paleogeography. The highest percentages of Appalachian sand are generally found within the estuaries and on the surfaces of the shelf-valleys and deltas of the Hudson, Great Egg, Delaware, Susquehanna, and Roanoke River systems, which drain the Appalachian Highlands. The highest percentages of coastal-plain sand are generally found in areas most removed from the depocenters of the Appalachian river systems and in areas that are proximal to exposures of coastal-plain strata. On the other hand, the distribution of coastal-plain and Appalachian silt is controlled to a great extent by the prevailing Holocene coastal and shelf currents. These currents are ery capable of transporting silt across the shelf and have effectively mixed Appalachian silt from the depocenters of the Appalachian river systems with coastal-plain silt from the intervalley areas. Five sedimentary petrologic provinces are defined for the mid-Atlantic shelf on the basis of areal variations in the abundances of coastal-plain and Appalachian sand. Three provinces (Hudson, Delaware, and Hatteras) are the deposits of the large Appalachian river systems of the mid-Atlantic seaboard; the two remaining provinces (southern New Jersey and southern Delmarva) are deposits of fluvial and littoral sediments that were eroded from local outcrops of coastal-plain strata.
Hierarchical Union-of-Subspaces Model for Human Activity Summarization

A hierarchical union-of-subspaces model is proposed for performing semi-supervised human activity summarization in large streams of video data. The union of low-dimensional subspaces model is used to learn meaningful action attributes from a collection of high-dimensional video sequences of human activities. An approach called hierarchical sparse subspace clustering (HSSC) is developed to learn this model from the data in an unsupervised manner by capturing the variations or movements of each action in different subspaces, which allow the human actions to be represented as sequences of transitions from one subspace to another. These transition sequences can be used for human action recognition. The action attributes can also be represented at multiple resolutions using the subspaces at different levels of the hierarchical structure. By visualizing and labeling these action attributes, the hierarchical model can be used to semantically summarize long video sequences of human actions at different scales. The effectiveness of the proposed model is demonstrated through experiments on three real-world human action datasets for action recognition and semantic summarization of the actions using different resolutions of the action attributes.
AZD9291 in epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitor—resistant non-small-cell lung cancer

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in advanced EGFR mutant non-small cell lung cancer have an objective response rate (ORR) of approximately 60–70% and a median progression free-survival (PFS) of approximately 10-13 months. Studies of tumor biopsies performed after progression on EGFR TKI revealed that 50-60% of EGFR mutant NSCLC developed an EGFR exon 20 T790M mutation as a mechanism of acquired resistance. AZD9291 is a third generation irreversible EGFR TKI with activity against the activating EGFR mutation, the T790M acquired resistance mutation, and relative sparing of the wild-type EGFR. AZD9291 was investigated in a phase I trial with expansion cohorts in patients with disease progression after EGFR TKI. Patients with and without detectable T790M mutations were enrolled in the trial. The ORR in patients with centrally confirmed and without detectable T790M mutations was 61% (95% CI, 52–70%) and 21% (95% CI, 12–34%), respectively. The PFS observed in patients with centrally confirmed and without detectable T790M mutations was 9.6 months (95% CI, 8.3 to not reached) and 2.8 months (95% CI, 2.1–4.3 months), respectively. At the dose for further investigation, 80 mg daily, the rate of all grade 3-5 drug related adverse events was 11%, and the rates of grade 3 diarrhea and rash were 1% and 0%, respectively. The identification of the T790M resistance mutation and the subsequent development of an agent against the mechanism of resistance provide a template for future drug development for acquired resistance to targeted therapy.
The influence of multiple sensory impairments on functional balance and difficulty with falls among U.S. adults.

Abstract Objective Studies have looked at the individual associations of sensory impairment on balance, but no population-based studies have examined their combined association on balance and difficulty with falls. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine both the independent associations and combined associations of visual impairment, peripheral neuropathy, and self-reported hearing loss with the odds of reporting difficulty with falls and functional balance. Methods Data from the 2003–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used. Vision and peripheral neuropathy were objectively measured, and hearing was self-reported. Balance testing consisted of a modified Romberg test. After exclusions, 1662 (40–85 years of age) participants provided complete data on the study variables. Results Sensory impairment was associated with perceived difficulty of falls and functional balance. Participants who presented a single sensory impairment had 29% reduced odds of having functional balance (95% CI = 0.54–0.93, p = 0.01) and increased odds of reporting difficulty with falls by 61% (95% CI = 0.99–2.60, p = 0.05). Moreover, our multisensory models showed some evidence of a dose–response relationship, in that sensory impairment of multiple sensory systems was associated with worse balance (OR = 0.59, CI = 0.35–1.00, p = 0.05) and perceived difficulty of falls (OR = 5.02, 95% CI = 1.99–12.66, p = 0.002) when compared to those with less sensory impairment. Conclusion Multiple sensory impairment is associated with significantly higher odds of both reporting difficulty with falls and balance dysfunction, which may lead to a subsequent fall, ultimately compromising the individual's health.