cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enzyme immobilization in novel alginate–chitosan core-shell microcapsules

Alginate-chitosan core-shell microcapsules were prepared in order to develop a biocompatible matrix for enzyme immobilization, where the protein is retained either in a liquid or solid core and the shell allows permeability control over substrates and products. The permeability coefficients of different molecular weight compounds (vitamin B2, vitamin B12, and myoglobin) were determined through sodium tripolyphosphate (Na-TPP)-crosslinked chitosan membrane. The microcapsule core was formed by crosslinking sodium alginate with either calcium or barium ions. The crosslinked alginate core was uniformly coated with a chitosan layer and crosslinked with Na-TPP. In the case of calcium alginate, the phosphate ions of Na-TPP were able to extract the calcium ions from alginate and liquefy the core. A model enzyme, beta-galactosidase, was immobilized in the alginate core and the catalytic activity was measured with o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG). Change in the activity of free and immobilized enzyme was determined at three different temperatures. Na-TPP crosslinked chitosan membranes were found to be permeable to solutes of up to 17,000Da molecular weight. The enzyme loading efficiency was higher in the barium alginate core (100%) as compared to the calcium alginate core (60%). The rate of ONPG conversion to o-nitrophenol was faster in the case of calcium alginate-chitosan microcapsules as compared to barium alginate-chitosan microcapsules. Barium alginate-chitosan microcapsules, however, did improve the stability of the enzyme at 37 degrees C relative to calcium alginate-chitosan microcapsules or free enzyme. This study illustrates a new method of enzyme immobilization for biotechnology applications using liquid or solid core and shell microcapsule technology.
Screening and Prevention Measures for Melanoma: Is There a Survival Advantage?

Controversy has emerged over the past decades regarding the value and impact of melanoma screening to detect early stage disease for improved prognosis. Those questioning the benefits of prevention efforts base their arguments on the absence of prospective, randomized studies demonstrating decreased melanoma mortality to justify the cost associated with screening and educational campaigns. For those in favor of melanoma screening, the lack of proven survival benefit is not a justification to abandon this approach, but rather a reflection of the lack of resources necessary to conduct a long-term trial. In 2009, the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF)report did not recommend routine primary care screening for the general population given the absence of evidence. However, since the USPSTF report, a series of new studies are available, which support the potential benefit of screening and have the potential to significantly impact current policies regarding skin cancer screening, particularly for melanoma.
Seasonally variable effects of conspecific odors upon capture of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus gambelii)

Traps were set in triplets of one male-scented (M), one female-scented (F), and one neutral (N) trap. Bedding from laboratory-caged, adult deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus gambelii) was the source of M and F odors. In winter, outside the breeding season, deer mice, pocket mice, and kangaroo rats all avoided deer mouse odors and preferentially entered N traps. In spring, when breeding had commenced, deer mice preferentially entered scented traps, and avoidance of deer mouse odors by other species was reduced. These changes are interpreted as reflecting seasonally variable strategies of social confrontation.
Energy concentration for almost harmonic maps and the Willmore functional

Let Ω be an open domain in ℝ3 or ℝ4 and N a smooth, compact Riemannian manifold. We consider the Dirichlet energy E(u) for maps u:Ω→N and its negative L2-gradient, the tension field τ(u). We study sequences of maps ui:Ω→N with Open image in new window If the maps are sufficiently regular, we find strong H1-subconvergence away from a generalized submanifold in Ω. If the limit map is regular, too, we can estimate a Willmore-type energy of this generalized submanifold.
Treatment Of People With Mental Illness: A Decade-Long Perspective

Many believe that managed behavioral health care has been associated with reduced access to care. Data from a variety of sources suggest that access has increased, although patterns of care and locations of treatment have changed. Data from Healthcare for Communities, a nationally representative community survey, show that access to care has not decreased for people with the most serious conditions who were more likely to receive specialty mental health care after 2000. Further, once people enter specialty care, the number of visits appears unrelated to need. The data highlight the urgent need for a greater focus on the quality of care and patient outcomes.
Reconstructing market reactions to consumption harms

We investigate dynamic market reactions from harmful events using phase space reconstruction to analyse nonlinear dynamical systems. Phase space reconstruction analysis is applied to US beef consumption data, demonstrating market deviations and transitions from plausible, stable consumption patterns in response to product attributes (latent or nonlatent) coinciding with longer or shorter term human health harms (e.g. cholesterol) or food safety harms (e.g. Escherichia coli and Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)). The results support complex, nonlinear dynamic behavioural responses to perceived consumption harms. Consistent with previous research, the perceived negative long-run health effect from cholesterol caused consumers to transition their consumption behaviour from a higher to a lower level while retaining a persistent seasonal pattern. In contrast, responses to food safety information (i.e. E. coli or BSE) about beef derived from phase space reconstruction demonstrated temporary deviations from...
Imaging of congenital coronary anomalies with multislice computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE To describe a single-center experience of using retrospectively gated multislice computed tomographic (MSCT) coronary angiography for imaging congenital coronary anomalies. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the clinical information and imaging studies for 9 patients diagnosed as having congenital coronary anomalies on invasive, selective coronary angiography between February 2001 and October 2003 at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla. Two experienced observers classified by consensus the origin and proximal course of the abnormal coronary arteries as seen on MSCT. RESULTS In 1 patient, MSCT showed a normal but extremely anterior origin of the right coronary artery from the right aortic sinus of Valsalva. In the other 8 patients, the origin and course of 4 anomalous right coronary arteries, 2 anomalous left circumflex coronary arteries, and 2 single coronary arteries were recognized easily on MSCT. CONCLUSION Similar to electron beam computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging, widely available MSCT can characterize the proximal course of congenitally abnormal coronary arteries and thus aid in clinical decision making for patients with such anomalies.
Deep Matrix Modules

A deep matrix algebra, \(\mathcal{DM}(X,\mathbb{K})\), is a unital associative algebra over a field \(\mathbb{K}\) with basis all deep matrix units, \(\mathfrak{e}(h,k)\), indexed by pairs of elements h and k taken from a free monoid generated by a set X. After briefly describing the construction of \(\mathcal{DM}(X,\mathbb{K})\), we determine necessary and sufficient conditions for constructing representations for \(\mathcal{DM}(X,\mathbb{K})\). With these conditions in place, we define null modules and give three canonical examples of such. A classification of general null modules is then given in terms of the canonical examples along with their submodules and quotients. In the final section, additional examples of natural actions for \(\mathcal{DM}(X,\mathbb{K})\) are given and their submodules determined depending on the cardinality of the set X.
Value of Radionuclide Angiogram for the Diagnosis of Ebstein's Anomaly

A radionuclide angiogram in a patient with Ebstein's anomaly showed a very dilated right atrium with a minimally enlarged right ventricle and a normal sized left ventricle. This study led to the establishment of a definitive diagnosis by means of an echocardiogram. Late close of the tricuspid valve was demon strated. In addition prolapse of the tricuspid and mitral valves was docu mented. A tricuspid valve prolapse has never been reported in this condition.
Inorganic mercury absorption in mature and immature rat jejunum: transcellular and intercellular pathways in vivo and in everted sacs.

Abstract The objective of the present work was to test the hypothesis that toxic and nonessential heavy metals in general, and inorganic Hg in particular. are taken up in rat jejunum by a mechanism similar to that previously proposed for Cd. The initiating step in Cd absorption involves electrostatic interaction of the cation with negative membrane charges. In contrast, Hg appears to react with apical membranes as an anion, although overall uptake is not inhibited by the stilbene inhibitor of anion transport DIDS. Further, the ratio of Cd/Hg uptake falls along the jejunum. However, several similarities between Cd and Hg uptakes were observed. Neither process depends on reactive sulfhydryl groups or on oxidative metabolism. Although tissue Hg. unlike Cd, could not be rigorously separated into membrane-bound and intracellular compartments, uptake of both metals includes their relatively temperature-insensitive and rapid influx into a pool readily accessible to suitable extracellular chelators. Another more temperature-sensitive and slower component leads to the filling of a relatively chelation-resistant compartment, identified in the case of Cd as intracellular. Nonspecific membrane properties such as surface charge and perhaps membrane fluidity can thus account for mucosal Cd and Hg uptakes; no contribution of specific transport systems need be postulated. Mucosal permeability, calculated in reference to ethanol uptake as measure of absorbing surface area, falls to the same extent for Cd and Hg during postweaning development. Because this fall, however, parallels a diminution in polar diffusion pathways, the mechanism of the faster metal absorption in weanlings may have little bearing on the slower transcellular process in adults. Incidentally, polar diffusion pathways increase in mature jejunum upon preparation of everted sacs, a further limitation on the usefulness of this preparation for the quantitative study of normal intestinal solute transport.
The Countercyclical Aspects of the U.S. Meat Import Act of 1979

The U.S. Meat Import Act of 1979, the so-called "countercyclical" meat import bill, was signed into law on the last day of that year by President Carter. This law, which reflects a desire to help stabilize the fluctuations that have taken place in cattle inventory numbers and prices, has received wide attention by the U.S. livestock industry and countries exporting to the United States (Reeves 1979, U.S. Congress). There is evidence that the United States is a price maker at the international level as a result of being the world's largest beef importer, producer, and consumer (Simpson). Consequently, a major change in the U.S. meat import law can be expected to have a tangible influence on international trade in beef and the policies set by both beef exporting and importing countries as well as on the U.S. cattle industry. The purpose of this note is to analyze some potential effects of the new U.S. meat import law under two radically different assumptions about change in cattle inventory to determine if the act really is "countercyclical," i.e., resulting in a higher import quota when U.S. beef production is declining and vice versa, in a lower quota level industry, these results contain implications for furher refinements in such stabilizing schemes.
Cataracts and pseudotumor cerebri in an infant with vitamin D-deficiency rickets.

1. Wolf U, Reinwein H, Porsch R, Schr6ter R, and Baitsch H: Defizienz an den kurzen Armen eines Chromosoms Nr. 4, Humangenetik 1:397, 1965. 2. Hirschhorn K, Cooper HL, and Firschein JL: Deletion of short arms of chromosome 4-5 in a child with defects of midline fusion, Humangenetik 1:479, 1965. 3. Guthrie RD, Aase JM, Asper AC, and Smith DW: The 4psyndrome: A clinically recognizable chromosomal deletion syndrome, Am J Dis Child 122:421, 1971. 4. Centerwall WR, Thompson WP, Allan IE, and Fobes CD: Translocation 4psyndrome, Am J Dis Child 129:366, 1975. 5. Paris Conference (1971): Standardization in human cytogenetics, Birth Defects: Original article series Vol. VIII, 7, New York, 1972, The National Foundation. 6. Soukup SW, Yarema W, and Robinow M: A pericentric inversion of a chromosome 4 with a t(4p + 10p-) and a familial t(DqDq) in a mentally retarded girl, Humangenetik 25:69, 1974.
Metabolomics: a window into the adaptive physiology of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

summary Mycobacterium tuberculosis is the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB) and second leading cause of human mortality due to a single infectious agent. This is mostly because of M. tuberculosis' ability to adapt its metabolism to the host environment and regulate entry into and exit from cell cycle. Knowledge of the specific metabolic changes accompanying these transitions however is incomplete. Metabolomics has emerged as a new biochemical window into M. tuberculosis physiology. This review highlights recent insights from the application of such technologies to studies of the M. tuberculosis lifecycle.
THE EFFECT OF THYROIDECTOMY ON LACTATION IN THE ALBINO RAT

PRESENT UNCERTAINTY concerning the relationship of the thyroid to lactation is indicated by the discrepancies in reported experimental results. In rabbits (1) and in a woman (2) an increase in lactation was said to occur during hypothyroidism. On the other hand, others report that thyroidectomy diminishes and alters lactation in the goat (3–7), the cow (8), the rat (9–12) and man (13, 14, 15).Still other investigators could find no change in lactation after thyroidectomy in the rat (16, 17) and in the mouse (18). Hyperthyroid and thyroidectomized cows given thyroid hormone show an increased lactation (19, 20, 21). Reports that thyroid feeding will decrease lactation are based on some questionable clinical data (22, 23, 24). Siegert (25) states that thyroid feeding inhibits lactation in guinea pigs, but histologically, his photomicrographs do not seem to bear this out.
The adoption and utilization of online auctions by supply chain managers

This study contributes to the online auction literature by empirically examining the differences across three groups (current users, past users, and nonusers) in terms of their emphasis on supplier collaboration, cost management, and sales revenue and profit enhancement. The paper further compares the online auction usages for maintenance/repair/operations and shipping and transportation services across high and low groups in supplier collaboration and cost management. A survey of supply chain professionals coupled with appropriate statistical analysis was employed to investigate adoption and utilization of online auctions. Study findings indicate significant differences between users and nonusers. Study findings specifically indicate that current online auction users have a greater belief in the auctions as a cost containment tool than past or nonusers. It was also found that nonusers place a greater level of importance on supplier collaboration and sales revenue and profit enhancement than either current or past users.
PowerPoint's power in the classroom: enhancing students' self-efficacy and attitudes

The current study examined the effects of non-interactive computer assisted instruction on students' performance, self-efficacy, motivation, and attitudes. Half the lectures presented to two Introduction to Psychology college classes were taught in a traditional lecture format and half were accompanied by PowerPoint multimedia. Lecture order was counterbalanced across classes. Whereas lecture style did not affect academic performance, students had more positive attitudes about the course and greater self-efficacy with PowerPoint. In the class that started with PowerPoint lectures, student motivation declined after PowerPoint stopped accompanying lectures. However, student motivation did not increase after PowerPoint was added in the other class.
Development and Use of Hydrophobic Surface Area (HSA) Descriptors for Computer-Assisted Quantitative Structure−Activity and Structure−Property Relationship Studies

A new series of 25 whole-molecule molecular structure descriptors are proposed. The new descriptors are termed Hydrophobic Surface Area, or HSA descriptors, and are designed to capture information regarding the structural features responsible for hydrophobic and hydrophilic intermolecular interactions. The utility of the HSAs in capturing this type of information is demonstrated using two properties that have a known hydrophobic component. The first study involves the modeling of the inhibition of Gram-positive bacteria cell growth of a series of biarylamides. The second application involves the study of the blood-brain barrier penetration of a diverse series of drug molecules. In both cases, the HSAs are shown to effectively capture information related to the hydrophobic components of these two properties. Additional evaluation of the new class of descriptors shows them to be unique in their ability to measure hydrophobic features among a diverse set of conventional structural descriptors. The HSAs are e...
Intrinsic Nonlinearity in Geomaterials: Elastic Properties of Rocks at Low Strain

The elastic properties of geomaterials are anomalous. Hysteresis with end point memory, slow dynamics, and linear variation of the resonance frequency with the strain are only some of these uncommon features. All these characteristics have been related to a nonclassical nonlinear elasticity. Chapter 1 introduces two strain regions where the experiments show different elastic behaviors. At low strain, rocks show their intrinsic nonlinearity until a strain material-dependent threshold, � th. A transition from linear to classical nonlinear behavior appears in this first region.
Lectin receptors on cells isolated from the turtle retina

The presence of specific oligosaccharides on the surface of retinal cells was examined by incubating FITC-labeled lectins with cells dissociated from papain-treated turtle retinas. The pattern and intensity of binding was found to vary among the cells examined. With Con A, there was strong surface staining of both rods and cones, with an intense ring of fluorescence above the nucleus. The bipolar and ganglion cells also showed strong surface labeling. In Muller (glial) cells there was intense fluorescence in the apical, microvillous region. In contrast, the horizontal cells and their axons showed weak staining. When RCA-60, RCA-120, and WGA were incubated with photoreceptors, bipolar cells, or horizontal cells, little fluorescence was visible. However, all three lectins bound strongly to the Muller cells. In contrast, the Lotus lectin did not bind to any of the cells examined. In all the cases, lectin binding was inhibited by the appropriate haptene sugar. Further, prior treatment of cells with neuraminidase did not alter lectin binding to any cell type. These results suggest differences in the distribution of lectin receptors among specific cell types, and particularly between neurons and glial cells in the vertebrate retina.
On the stability of extrasolar planetary systems and other closely orbiting pairs

This paper considers the stability of tidal equilibria for planetary systems in which stellar rotation provides a significant contribution to the angular momentum budget. We begin by applying classic stability considerations for two bodies to planetary systems — where one mass is much smaller than the other. The application of these stability criteria to a subset of the Kepler sample indicates that the majority of the systems are not in a stable equilibrium state. Motivated by this finding, we generalize the stability calculation to include the quadrupole moment for the host star. In general, a stable equilibrium requires that the total system angular momentum exceeds a minimum value (denoted here as LX) and that the orbital angular momentum of the planet exceeds a minimum fraction of the total. Most, but not all, of the observed planetary systems in the sample have enough total angular momentum to allow an equilibrium state. Even with the generalizations of this paper, however, most systems have too little orbital angular momentum (relative to the total) and are not in an equilibrium configuration. Finally, we consider the time evolution of these planetary systems; the results constrain the tidal quality factor of the stars and suggest that 10 6 < Q� < 10 7 .
Cell-free fetal DNA and intact fetal cells in maternal blood circulation: implications for first and second trimester non-invasive prenatal diagnosis

Both intact fetal cells as well as cell-free fetal DNA are present in the maternal circulation and can be recovered for non-invasive prenatal genetic diagnosis. Although methods for enrichment and isolation of rare intact fetal cells have been challenging, diagnosis of fetal chromosomal aneuploidy including trisomy 21 in first- and second-trimester pregnancies has been achieved with a 50‐75% detection rate. Similarly, cell-free fetal DNA can be reliably recovered from maternal plasma and assessed by quantitative PCR to detect fetal trisomy 21 and paternally derived single gene mutations. Real-time PCR assays are robust in detecting low-level fetal DNA concentrations, with sensitivity of approximately 95‐100% and specificity near 100%. Comparing intact fetal cell versus cell-free fetal DNA methods for non-invasive prenatal screening for fetal chromosomal aneuploidy reveals that the latter is at least four times more sensitive. These preliminary results do not support a relationship between frequency of intact fetal cells and concentration of cell-free fetal DNA. The above results imply that the concentration of fetal DNA in maternal plasma may not be dependent on circulating intact fetal cells but rather be a product of growth and cellular turnover during embryonic or fetal development.
A communication-based theory of the glass ceiling: rhetorical sensitivity and upward mobility within the technical organization

The point beyond which promotions, raises, and job opportunities in general are defined to women and minorities solely because of their sex or their race, the so-called glass ceiling, is addressed. A communication-based theory of the organizational glass ceiling is outlined. The theory considers communication style, regardless of race or gender, to be an organizational member's most critical business behavior. The theory suggests a way to understand communication style in the context of the glass ceiling. >
The incorporation of hydration forces determined by continuum electrostatics into molecular mechanics simulations

A new technique is presented for incorporating hydration forces into molecular mechanics simulations. The method assumes the classical continuum approximation, where a solvated molecule is represented as a low-dielectric cavity of arbitrary shape embedded in a continuous region of high dielectric constant. Electrostatic effects are computed by first calculating the distribution of polarization charge (induced by the configuration of solute fixed charges) at the molecular surface. The hydration force at a particular atom is then found as the sum of the coulombic interaction with the induced surface charge, plus a purely mechanical contribution that arises from the pressure of the polarized solvent as it is pulled toward the solute. A procedure is developed to use the computed hydration forces in conjunction with the CHARMM molecular mechanics package to carry out energy minimizations in which the effects of solvation are explicitly included. This new technique also allows a detailed analysis of the relative balance of coulombic, hydration, and steric energies as a function of molecular conformation. The method is applied to the test case of a zwitterionic tripeptide (LYS-GLY-GLU), and the computational results suggest that hydration effects can play a significant role in determining a stable conformation for a solvated polar molecule. The future application to larger molecules is discussed.
Characterization of Optimal FIR Gains and Minimum-variance Performance for Adaptive Disturbance Rejection

This paper characterizes the optimal steady-state filter with finite impulse response of given length for minimum-variance control in a class of adaptive disturbance-rejection problems. It is shown that the problem of finding the optimal filter is equivalent to a linear-quadratic regulator problem on a finite interval of length equal to the order of the filter in the steady-state disturbance-rejection problem. The results also provide for the calculation of the theoretical minimum output-error variance. Simulations for a model of a laser-beam control system with complex jitter of multiple bandwidths show that the theoretical results agree closely with the performance of a high-order adaptive controller.
Examining a Purported Association Between Attachment to God and Scrupulosity

Scrupulosity is a moral/religious subtype of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) that remains understudied within the extant literature. Drawing from separate lines of research suggesting that attachment insecurities underlie OCD and that God functions psychologically much like other attachment figures, we examined a purported association between attachment to God and scrupulosity. A large sample of community adults (N 450) completed self-report measures assessing for scrupulosity, obsessive– compulsive symptoms, attachment to God, and related covariates. Results were that attachment to God significantly correlated with scrupulosity. Moreover, attachment to God evidenced incremental specificity in the concurrent prediction of scrupulosity beyond variance shared with religiosity, negative affect, OCD-relevant dysfunctional beliefs, and attachment insecurities in close interpersonal relationships. Attachment to God did not evidence this level of specificity in the concurrent prediction of obsessive– compulsive symptoms. Among the attachment to God dimensions, attachment anxiety shared a particularly robust association with scrupulosity. Conceptual and therapeutic implications of these results are discussed.
Comparison of rates of nosocomial infections in neonatal intensive care units in the United States

Abstract To determine nosocomial infection (NI) rates among neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) that are useful for interhospital comparison, we analyzed data reported in 1986–1990 from 35 hospitals that have level III NICUs and used standard National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance protocols and NI site definitions. Overall rates of NI were calculated as the number of NI per 100 patients (overall NI patient rates) or the number of NI per 1,000 NICU patient-days (overall NI patient-day rates). A strong positive association was found between overall NI patient rates and the neonates' average length of stay, a marker for duration of exposure to important risk factors. No correlation was found between overall NI patient-day rates and average length of stay. However, a strong positive correlation between overall NI patient-day rates and a measure of device utilization (total device-days/total patient-days × 100) was found. Additionally, a positive correlation between overall NI patient rates and device utilization was found. Stratification among the three birthweight groups ( 2,500 g) did not eliminate the need to control for variations in these factors among NICUs. Device-associated, device-day infection rates, calculated as the number of umbilical or central line-associated bloodstream infections per 1,000 umbilical or central line-days and the number of ventilator-associated pneumonias per 1,000 ventilator days, were not correlated with a unit's site-specific device utilization. These data suggest that calculation of device-associated NI rates in NICUs using device-days as the denominator helps to control for the duration of exposure to the primary risk factor and will be more meaningful for purposes of interhospital comparison.
Polynomial identity rings as rings of functions, II

Abstract In characteristic zero, Zinovy Reichstein and the author generalized the usual relationship between irreducible Zariski closed subsets of the affine space, their defining ideals, coordinate rings, and function fields, to a non-commutative setting, where “varieties” carry a PGL n -action, regular and rational “functions” on them are matrix-valued, “coordinate rings” are prime polynomial identity algebras, and “function fields” are central simple algebras of degree n. In the present paper, much of this is extended to prime characteristic. In addition, a mistake in the earlier paper is corrected. One of the results is that the finitely generated prime PI-algebras of degree n are precisely the rings that arise as “coordinate rings” of “n-varieties” in this setting. For n = 1 the definitions and results reduce to those of classical affine algebraic geometry.
Facilitating superscalar processing via a combined static/dynamic register renaming scheme

A superscalar implementation of a conventional instruction set architecture (ISA) requires N(N-1) comparators to determine dependencies between the N instructions issuing concurrently and 2N register file read ports to handle the 2 operands that each instruction can potentially source. On the other hand, if the compiler is allowed to specify part of the renaming tag, we show that we can eliminate the comparators needed to detect data dependencies between instructions issuing concurrently, and we can reduce the number of read ports from 16 to about 7 without losing performance. Finally, we show that this approach more efficiently implements predicated execution than can be done with a conventional ISA on a machine that renames registers.
Endothelial cell retraction is induced by PAK2 monophosphorylation of myosin II.

The p21-activated kinase (PAK) family includes several enzyme isoforms regulated by the GTPases Rac1 and Cdc42. PAK1, found in brain, muscle and spleen, has been implicated in triggering cytoskeletal rearrangements such as the dissolution of stress fibers and reorganization of focal complexes. The role of the more widely distributed PAK2 in controlling the cytoskeleton has been less well studied. Previous work has demonstrated that PAK2 can monophosphorylate the myosin II regulatory light chain and induce retraction of permeabilized endothelial cells. In this report we characterize PAK29s morphological and biochemical effect on intact endothelial cells utilizing microinjection of constitutively active PAK2. Under these conditions we observed a modification of the actin cytoskeleton with retraction of endothelial cell margins accompanied by an increase in monophosphorylation of myosin II. Selective inhibitors were used to analyze the mechanism of action of PAK2. Staurosporine, a direct inhibitor of PAK2, largely prevented the action of microinjected PAK2 in endothelial cells. Butanedione monoxime, a non-specific myosin ATPase inhibitor, also inhibited the effects of PAK2 implicating myosin in the changes in cytoskeletal reorganization. In contrast, KT5926, a specific inhibitor of myosin light chain kinase was ineffective in preventing the changes in morphology and the actin cytoskeleton. The additional finding that endogenous PAK2 associates with myosin II is consistent with the proposal that cell retraction and cytoskeletal rearrangements induced by microinjected PAK2 depend on the direct activation of myosin II by PAK2 monophosphorylation of the regulatory light chain.
Timing recovery for the magnetic recording channel using the wave difference method

Timing recovery using the wave difference method is proposed for use in a magnetic recording read channel. The scheme uses an oversampling ratio of two and is suitable for mixed-signal or digital implementations. A simple class of prefilter that significantly improves the signal-to-interference ratio of the generated timing-error estimate is described. This prefilter also allows a simple implementation based on an absolute value, rather than squaring or fourth-order nonlinearity. Simulation results for this scheme are presented for a range of recording densities and channel noise levels.
Results of Dasatinib Therapy in Patients With Early Chronic-Phase Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Purpose Dasatinib is effective therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) after imatinib failure. In this study, we investigate the efficacy of dasatinib as initial therapy for patients with CML in early chronic phase. Patients and Methods Patients with newly diagnosed CML in early chronic phase were randomly assigned to receive dasatinib 100 mg once daily or 50 mg twice daily as initial therapy. Results Among 50 patients observed for at least 3 months, 49 patients (98%) achieved a complete cytogenetic response (CCyR), and 41 patients (82%) achieved a major molecular response (MMR). Responses occurred rapidly, with 94% of patients achieving CCyR by 6 months. There was no difference in response rate by treatment arm. The projected event-free survival rate at 24 months is 88%, and all patients are alive after a median follow-up time of 24 months. Grade ≥ 3 neutropenia and thrombocytopenia occurred in 21% and 10% of patients, respectively. Nonhematologic toxicity was usually grade 1 to 2. There was no signif...
Optimal Designs for Contingent Response Models

We study D- and c-optimal designs for the contingent response models of (1995). In the contingent response model there are two types of failure. We call one failure type toxicity and the other disease failure. No toxicity and no disease failure is a success or cure. We assume disease failures are contingent on toxicity in that they can only be observed in the absence of toxicity. We also assume the probability of toxicity increases with the dose, and the probability of disease failure given no toxicity decreases with dose. Interest is in finding c-optimal designs for estimating the dose that maximizes the cure probability.
Lymphedema: incidence, pathophysiology, management, and nursing care.

Purpose/objectives To review the incidence, pathophysiology, and management of lymphedema and discuss relevant nursing implications. Data sources Published articles, book chapters, and clinical experience. Data synthesis Lymphedema may result from cancer and cancer treatment. Any surgical intervention and radiation therapy can result in interruption and obstruction of the lymph channels. Signs and symptoms of lymphedema include edema, pain, numbness, and limited range of motion. Conclusions Physical and psychological distress may result from lymphedema. Implications for nursing practice Nursing care should focus on patient education that emphasizes risk factors for the development of lymphedema, prevention measures, and self-care activities. Nursing research is needed to determine specific informational needs of the patient, appropriate teaching techniques, and optimal times for delivery of information.
Quantitative Research Methods

Scientific knowledge is only as sound as the research methods used to obtain it. Quantitative research methods encompass three broad categories: design, measurement, and analysis issues. The key features and elements within each of these three areas are outlined in the article. For design issues, sampling and generalizabilty as well as randomized and quasi-experimental designs for causal inference are discussed. For measurement issues, different types of reliability and validity of measurement are presented. For analysis issues, the commonly used analysis techniques to quantify the relationships among variables are introduced, including the techniques for different types of outcome, the techniques for cross-sectional and longitudinal data, the techniques to deal with measurement error and missing data, the techniques to take into account dependency among observations, and the techniques to classify subjects. The article concludes with general recommendations to researchers.
What Is the Impact of Comorbidities on Self-rated Hand Function in Patients With Symptomatic Trapeziometacarpal Arthritis?

The thumb trapeziometacarpal joint is one of the most common sites of arthritic degeneration prompting specialty care. Surgical treatment algorithms are based on radiographic arthritic progression. However, the pain and disability attributable to trapeziometacarpal arthritis do not correlate with arthritic stage, and depression has independently predicted poorer self-rated hand function both at baseline and after treatment in patients’ atraumatic hand conditions. (1) Does thumb trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis impact both self-perceived general health and hand function? (2) Do depression and other comorbid conditions differentially impact patient-rated hand function based on the presence or absence of symptomatic trapeziometacarpal arthritis? (3) How do disease-specific, patient demographics and comorbid conditions impact self-reported hand function in patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis? This cross-sectional study compared patients with symptomatic trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis (n = 47) with matched control subjects without a symptomatic hand condition (n = 47). All participants self-reported medical (including depression) and musculoskeletal comorbidities and completed the SF-36 and the Michigan Hand Questionnaire (MHQ). Bivariate statistical analyses contrasted the patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis to control subjects. Linear regression modeling determined the impact of subject demographic data, comorbidity burden, and examination findings on total MHQ scores in patients with trapeziometacarpal arthritis. Patients with scored trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis indicated poorer perceived general health on the SF-36 categories of limitations resulting from physical health (52 ± 29 versus 71 ± 31, mean difference 19 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 7–31], p = 0.003) and limitations resulting from emotional problems (50 ± 27 versus 67 ± 50, mean difference 17 [95% CI, 3–33], p = 0.022) compared with control subjects. Self-reported depression was associated with worse hand function (total MHQ score) in patients with trapeziometacarpal arthritis (69 ± 20 versus 49 ± 22: mean difference −20 [95% CI, −5 to−36], p = 0.012) but not in control patients (90 ± 13 versus 84 ± 20: mean difference −5 [95% CI, −8 to 19], p = 0.404). In multivariate modeling, depression (β −20, [95% CI, −5 to −34], p = 0.009) and upper extremity comorbidities (β −25, [95% CI, −10 to −40], p = 0.002) were both associated with reduced total MHQ scores in patients with trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, and those factors accounted for 34% of the variance in the MHQ score. When interpreting patient-rated hand disability in patients presenting with symptomatic trapeziometacarpal osteoarthritis, scores should be interpreted after accounting for the presence of depression and upper extremity comorbidities. Level III, prognostic study.
The Influence of Temperature on the Seasonal and Geographic Distribution of Three Marine Fungi

The effects of temperature on growth in vitro of Asteromyces cruciatus, Sigmoidea marina, and Varicosporina ramulosa are compared with their worldwide geographic distribution and seasonal occurrence in North Carolina. Each fungus grew best at a temperature range corresponding to its observed natural temperature regime. Asteromyces cruciatus is a temperate-water fungus, observed in the North Atlantic, and North and South Pacific. Optimum growth of A. cruciatus occurs between 20 and 30 C; its growth range is 10-30 C. Sigmoidea marina is also a temperate-water species, occurring where A. cruciatus is found, but also inhabiting subtropical regions of the Western Atlantic. Sigmoidea marina grows at 20 and 30 C (optimum temperatures) and is inactive at 10 and 35 C. Varicosporina ramulosa is a tropical-subtropical species, found in the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, with maximum growth at 35 and 40 C. This study demonstrates that growth tests of temperature tolerance can be used to indicate possible geographical distribution patterns of marine fungi. Data on new collecting sites and a distribution map of the three species are provided.
A cross-cultural look at the relationship between age and innovative behavior.

This study investigates the relationship of age to innovativeness when the effects of opportunity have been controlled. Data were obtained from the Basic Village Education Project. The analysis was conducted on two groups of farmers, the Spanish-speaking Ladino population found in Eastern Guatemala and the Quiche-speaking Mayan population found in the mountains of Western Guatemala. Each group was subdivided into young, middle age and old categories. Innovativeness was defined as the level of agricultural technology utilized by individual farmers at the end of the BVE-project period. A separate analysis was conducted for each culture and findings for both indicate that younger farmers were more likely than their older counterparts to adopt new agricultural practices when economic opportunity is controlled. These findings are of three fold importance: they indicate the importance of economic constraints to innovation; they contain implications for policies concerning target development programs, and they c...
Star Wars bad even if it works

Even if effective defense against ballistic missiles is possible, deploying such a system would set the superpowers on an intense and volatile new round of competition in offensive and defensive weapons.
Patterns of Nutritional Deficiency in Head and Neck Cancer

A nutritional assessment battery consisting of anthropometric measurements, skin tests, laboratory assessment of visceral and somatic proteins, and a questionnaire was used to characterize the nutr...
Seeming, seeming: The illusion of enough

Wherever it comes from, morality or the aesthetic, the anti-theatrical prejudice is a conceptual vanity, subject to or victimized by theatre, while going through every nerve-end to the dubious heart of drama, which has from whatever beginnings always distrusted the theatre. I’m not merely referring here, with the author living or dead, to a certain protectionism of the text against the depredations of the stage, a tradition extending, at times with egregious vigilance, from Ben Jonson to Samuel Beckett to, recently and unexpectedly, Sam Shepard – once with-it in the counter-culture, and its polymorphous perversions – who refused to allow a production of True West if the combative brothers were misgendered, enacted by women. Propriety aside, and social construction, the liability of the prejudice, whose contingency is theatre, is that it’s constrained ontologically even before it’s thought, for as Heidegger said of language: ‘Language itself is – language and nothing else besides. Language itself is language.’
Stanley N. Werbow, ed.,Formal Aspects of Medieval German Poetry: Austin: The University of Texas Press, 1969. Pp. 129

(1972). Stanley N. Werbow, ed., Formal Aspects of Medieval German Poetry. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 47, No. 4, pp. 294-296.
Optical linear sideband chirp compression for microwave arbitrary waveform generation

A novel approach for the practical implementation of photonic arbitrary waveform generation of microwave signals is explored. Here we describe and demonstrate linear sideband chirp compression over 1 GHz bandwidth with a compression factor of >4000.
Higher autism in children of women with psychiatric diagnoses

Abstract Background To determine the extent to which medical record history of maternal psychiatric diagnoses was associated with offspring autism risk in a large, socio-demographically diverse birth cohort. Method This retrospective cohort study linked hospital discharge records for 8,951,763 California singleton births occurring 1/1/91-12/31/08 from the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development with diagnostic and service records from the Department of Developmental Services. Medical records documenting maternal mood and anxiety disorders and schizophrenia ICD-9-CM codes were identified, and 42,423 children were categorized with a DSM-IV diagnosis of ‘autistic disorder’. Log-linear Poisson models explored the relationships between maternal psychiatric disorders and autism, adjusting for maternal education, race, country of birth, and parental age. Results Rates of maternal psychiatric diagnoses were lower than expected for the population, reflecting under-recognition and under-reporting by inpatient clinicians. In adjusted analyses, mothers diagnosed with one individual psychiatric condition were 1.2–2.8 times more likely to have a child who developed autism. Mothers diagnosed with any one or more psychiatric condition were twice as likely to have a child with autism compared with unaffected or unreported women (RR = 1.97; 95% CI 1.83–2.12). Conclusions Women with a documented inpatient medical record history of psychiatric diagnosis were nearly twice as likely as women without such diagnoses to have a child later diagnosed with autism. These findings highlight the need for routine prenatal screening for psychiatric conditions, as well as enhanced neurobehavioral assessment of children born to these mothers to detect early autism signs and optimize intervention timeliness.
Dynamic Ferroelectricity of Trojan Electrons on Face-Centered Square Lattice

We show that hydrogen atoms placed on the face-centered two-dimensional square lattice and excited to Trojan electron states exhibit dynamic ferroelectric order when all Trojan Wave Packets move coherently in phase on circular orbits.
Recursive random forest algorithm for constructing multilayered hierarchical gene regulatory networks that govern biological pathways.

Background Present knowledge indicates a multilayered hierarchical gene regulatory network (ML-hGRN) often operates above a biological pathway. Although the ML-hGRN is very important for understanding how a pathway is regulated, there is almost no computational algorithm for directly constructing ML-hGRNs. Results A backward elimination random forest (BWERF) algorithm was developed for constructing the ML-hGRN operating above a biological pathway. For each pathway gene, the BWERF used a random forest model to calculate the importance values of all transcription factors (TFs) to this pathway gene recursively with a portion (e.g. 1/10) of least important TFs being excluded in each round of modeling, during which, the importance values of all TFs to the pathway gene were updated and ranked until only one TF was remained in the list. The above procedure, termed BWERF. After that, the importance values of a TF to all pathway genes were aggregated and fitted to a Gaussian mixture model to determine the TF retention for the regulatory layer immediately above the pathway layer. The acquired TFs at the secondary layer were then set to be the new bottom layer to infer the next upper layer, and this process was repeated until a ML-hGRN with the expected layers was obtained. Conclusions BWERF improved the accuracy for constructing ML-hGRNs because it used backward elimination to exclude the noise genes, and aggregated the individual importance values for determining the TFs retention. We validated the BWERF by using it for constructing ML-hGRNs operating above mouse pluripotency maintenance pathway and Arabidopsis lignocellulosic pathway. Compared to GENIE3, BWERF showed an improvement in recognizing authentic TFs regulating a pathway. Compared to the bottom-up Gaussian graphical model algorithm we developed for constructing ML-hGRNs, the BWERF can construct ML-hGRNs with significantly reduced edges that enable biologists to choose the implicit edges for experimental validation.