cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Morphological and functional types of visual cortical neurons in rabbits during postnatal development

1. Eight types of responses of visual cortical neurons are distinguished in rabbits to flashes, and the representative of each type is identified morphologically. 2. It is shown that primary excitation spreads mainly to nonpyramidal neurons in the middle layers of the visual cortex, whereas inhibition predominates in the initial responses of pyramidal cells. 3. Closest agreement between the intracellular response and the primary EP in laminar recordings is observed with nonpyramidal neurons, and secondary responses of the pyramids correspond to the slow surface-negative potential. 4. In early ontogeny (before the animals are able to see) most neurons give responses that cannot be subdivided into types, with the exception of cells responsible for reception of the afferent flow. 5. The absence of reversal of EP in the depth of the visual cortex at an early age can be explained by immaturity of the nonpyramidal neurons which play an important role in the genesis of visual cortical EPs. 6. Maturation of the function of the afferent stellate cells by the moment of acquisition of vision and of the inhibitory interneurons in the second week of postnatal life leads to increased complexity of the responses of the pyramidal cells and to qualitative changes in the organization of the visual cortex.
THE EFFECTS OF COHERENCE EXPLICITNESS ON COLLEGE READERS' PROSE COMPREHENSION

This study was designed to investigate the comparative effects of the ex- plicitness of two types of intersententi al coherence relations on college students' com- prehension. The explicitness of argument repetitions (AR) and connective concepts (CC) was varied across forms of an experimental passage resulting in the following four versions: explicit AR/implicit CC, explicit CC/implicit AR, both explicit, both implicit. College students were randomly assigned to one of the four versions. They silently read the passage and then immediately wrote their recall protocols. The results indicated that there were no significant differences among the groups at either the micro or macro levels in terms of reading times, amount recalled, or reading time/amount recalled ratios. There were, however, significant differences among the variances in the four groups. These results are discussed in terms of processing theories and in terms of possi- ble individual difference variables. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of the explicitness of argu- ment repetitions and connective concepts on college readers' prose comprehension. Because argument repetitions and connectives are both types of coherence relations, it was predicted that making either of these intersentential links implicit rather than ex- plicit would add to processing difficulty by requiring the reader to make inferences in order to integrate the information in text. It was also predicted that the effects of these two variables would be additive. Recent research in reading comprehension has indicated that one essential part of the process seems to be the establishment of coherence links between recently processed and incoming information. Though many types of semantic relations between clauses have been investigated as indices of the processing effects of varying levels of passage coherence, the two most generally included in presently available models of comprehen- sion are argument repetition, the repetition of word concepts from one clause to the next, and inter-clausal connectives which link clauses by means of concepts like causali- ty, comparison, and time-sequence.
Rebuttal from James P. Butler, Robert L. Owens, Atul Malhotra and Andrew Wellman.

We challenge the arguments presented in the ‘PRO’ side of this debate by our friends and colleagues, Schwartz & Smith (2013), in two important areas. (1) They claim that the effective peripharyngeal pressure is Pcrit. We dispute this on several grounds. Pcrit itself is a construct, most often measured by extrapolation to the intraluminal pressure that would be required to effect near or complete obstruction (Gleadhill et al. 1991). The appropriate peripharyngeal pressure for a Starling resistor would be analogous to peribronchial pressure in intrathoracic airways, which is a relatively well defined concept (Mead et al. 1970). But absent a significant stress jump across the air/tissue interface in the pharynx, there is a continuous pressure variation in the tissues from intraluminal pressure to atmospheric pressure at the body surface (Strohl et al. 2012). Thus, the very concept of an extraluminal (or tissue) pressure is vague and Fig. 1 in Schwartz & Smith (2013) is potentially misleading. (2) For infinitely compliant conduits, their claim is that, as downstream pressure decreases, flow increases up to a point of flow limitation; beyond this, flow remains constant at a plateau (Elliott & Dawson, 1977). This is true in some individuals. In others, increasingly negative downstream pressures do cause the flows to decrease, often substantially, and even, in some, to complete or near occlusion (Schwartz et al. 1988; Owens et al. 2012). This behaviour is inconsistent with the properties of a Starling resistor. When negative effort dependence (NED) is marked, their interpretation is that somehow nasal or upstream pressure (Pus) must have decreased below Pcrit. While Pus Pcrit. These ideas may suffice for a simple floppy tube, but are unable to explain the profound reductions in inspiratory airflow observed frequently in sleep apnoea patients. Finally, we remark that clinical Pcrit features (pressure gradients determining severity of obstruction, efficacy of CPAP, decreases in neuromuscular tone leading to obstruction, phenotypic factors of age, weight, sex, etc.) do not constitute evidence for Starling resistor behaviour, insofar as other models (e.g. the distributed tippy tongue model) also fits these variations as well. For us, the important features are these: (a) the simple Starling resistor does not explain the flow/pressure relationship of the upper airways in individuals with marked NED, and (b) NED is important clinically and woefully underappreciated.
Intelligent Monitoring and Energy Management Platform of New Energy Power Station in the Islands

The new energy power station in the islands is the central node with the ocean current energy,wind energy, solar energy,energy storage equipment and other types of new energy power generation confluencing,achieved intelligent monitoring and energy management for new energy power in the islands.Refer three layer and two network architecture of smart substation,presents the islands’s new energy power monitoring and energy management platform architecture,describes specific function and implementation method of the new energy power station with process layer,spacer layer and energy management layer.Based on the IEC 61850 ( Second Edition ) and IEC 61400-25 standard,the new energy power stations in the islands were standardized modelling,to ensure the platform standard and open.
Formal Specification and Experimental Analysis of an Interactive Epidemic Simulation Framework

Modeling environments to study epidemic outbreaks can be used as decision support tools by decision makers to support public health policies. However, although the current high performance simulation engines have become adept at rapidly simulating disease diffusion, computational environments for exploring complex mitigation strategies are fairly rudimentary. Interactive simulations provide a natural way to study the complicated co-evolution of disease dynamics and public policies. In this paper, we formalize the problem of interactive simulations and present experimental results based on an interactive simulation platform that we have recently developed.
Diaminosugars—IV : The synthesis of 2,6-diamino-2,6-dideoxy-l-idose

Abstract The synthesis of the title compound could be achieved by inversion of C-5 in a suitably substituted derivative of 2,6-diamino-2,6-dideoxy- d -glucose (V). Purification of the product by preparative thin layer chromatography and its apparent conformational instability are being emphasized. Its identity with natural paromose has been established.
Prevalence of post traumatic stress disorder and other psychiatric diagnoses in three groups of abused children (sexual, physical, and both).

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and other diagnoses in three groups of abused children, sexual only (N = 127), physical only (N = 43), and BOTH (N = 34). Method: The children, aged 7 to 13 years, were referred to the project from several sources at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and from associated local agencies. The victims and caregivers were separately administered the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents, Revised Version (DICA). Additionally, caregivers and classroom teachers completed the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Characteristics of the abuse were obtained from an investigative questionnaire. Results: Both victims and caregivers endorsed high rates of disorders, with caregivers generally giving higher rates than children and boys having more externalizing diagnoses than girls. Children in the BOTH group had more diagnoses overall. Concordance between victims and caregivers was modest. PTSD was significantly comorbid with most affective disorders. On the CBCL, caregivers rated girls less disturbed than boys and the sexually abused only group less disturbed than the other groups. Teachers rated the boys more adversely than girls but did not see differences by abuse group. A younger age of onset of sexual abuse and coercion to maintain secrecy predicted a higher number of total diagnoses. Also, children who were physically abused by males had more diagnoses than those physically abused by females. Conclusions: Children who have been both physically/sexually abused appear to be at highest risk of psychiatric disturbance. PTSD, though common (circa one-third of victims), is generally comorbid with other affective disorders.
Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Impairs Diabetic Wound Healing Through Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 2 Dephosphorylation

Objective— Impaired wound healing is a major complication of diabetes mellitus. The mechanisms that govern wound healing, however, are complex and incompletely understood. In the present study, we determined the inhibitory role of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) in the process of diabetic wound healing. Approach and Results— First, by comparing the wound healing process in PTP1B knockout (PTP1B −/− ) mice, ob/ob mice and their wild-type littermates in the presence or absence of streptozotocin treatment, we showed that the inhibition of mouse wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic conditions is because of the upregulation and activation of PTP1B. Second, the impaired wound healing in ob/ob mice and streptozotocin-treated wild-type mice was rescued by a PTP1B inhibitor. Third, PTP1B, which is upregulated under hyperglycemic condition, inhibited the tube formation, proliferation, and migration of human microvascular endothelial cells induced by vascular endothelial growth factor, whereas this inhibition was largely abolished by the PTP1B inhibitor. Finally, mechanism study further indicated that PTP1B likely suppressed the proliferation, migration, and tube formation of vascular endothelial cells through dephosphorylation of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2. Conclusions— Our study demonstrated that PTP1B negatively modulated the diabetic wound healing process by dephosphorylating the endothelial cell vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 and that the specific inhibitor of PTP1B might serve as a potential novel therapeutic tool for diabetic wound healing.
Impaired endothelial function in preadolescent children with type 1 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the prevalence of endothelial dysfunction as measured by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery and carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT) in relationship to vascular inflammatory biomarkers in preadolescent children with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We studied 21 type 1 diabetic children (aged 8.3 ± 0.3 years with diabetes duration of 4.3 ± 0.4 years) and 15 group-matched healthy siblings (aged 7.6 ± 0.3 years). Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), lipid profile, HbA 1c , high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen, homocysteine, and erythrocyte (red blood cell [RBC]) folate were evaluated in all subjects. Each subject underwent c-IMT and brachial artery FMD percentage (FMD%) measurements using high-resolution vascular ultrasound. RESULTS Type 1 diabetic children had higher FPG (173.4 ± 7.9 mg/dL vs. 81.40 ± 1.7 mg/dL; P 1c (8.0 ± 0.2% vs. 5.0 ± 0.1%; P P = 0.017) than control children without significant differences in BMI, homocysteine, and fibrinogen levels; RBC folate content; and c-IMT between the groups. Children with type 1 diabetes had lower FMD% than control children (7.1 ± 0.8% vs. 9.8 ± 1.1%; P = 0.04), whereas c-IMT did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS Preadolescent children with type 1 diabetes and mean diabetes duration of 4 years displayed evidence of low-intensity vascular inflammation and attenuated FMD measurements. These data suggest that endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation, known harbingers of future cardiovascular risk, are present even in preadolescent children.
NRC/NAS report: “Energy in Transition, 1985–2010”

The National Academy of Sciences released a report, ‘Energy in Transition, 1985–2010,’ which sums up the findings of a 4-year study that cost over $4 million. In a sense, the study was in response to the hue and cry of ‘What are we doing about the energy problem?’ Probably the events that have come to pass since the study began were not anticipated. Nonetheless, aside from political considerations, the report attempts to assess the exceedingly difficult energy problems of the future. There was a large commitment of effort in the study to intersperse problems of the environment with those of the energy needs. It is this commitment to maintain a clean environment that left the conclusions more or less undefined. The report seems to hold the view that not only will energy be in short supply, and that conservation alone will not suffice, but that most of the energy technologies envisioned to replace conventional energy sources will be hazardous. The ‘clean’ energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, and nuclear fusion, are either not well enough developed to make large contributions to the nation's energy needs or are too costly at this stage. In a discussion of the report in Chemical and Engineering News, the policy of the NRC/NAS committee is summarized as twofold: vigorous conservation, coupled with enhanced U.S. production of petroleum products. One of the NRC committee members is quoted as summarizing the conclusion, ‘Use less oil; get more oil.’ (Chem. Eng. News, 39–40, January 28, 1980). Nuclear fusion, particularly the liquid-metal fast breeder reactor, is to be needed during the next 30 years and beyond (it states that breeder reactors can extend the supply of nuclear fuel for hundreds of thousands of years). Coal will also have to be used in great quantities, and in judging the combined effect on the environment, another committee member is quoted as writing ‘We do not really know whether carbon dioxide is worse than plutonium.’
How Defensible Is Writing as an Objective in Short-Term Foreign Language Experiences?.

The overemphasis of writing in foreign language instruction deserves examination. Large segments of time are allotted to writing because, traditionally, grades for written work are often the only ones employed to evaluate achievement. The origins of these practices are to be found primarily in Luther's rejection of the oral tradition of the Church, and in his attempt to transmit the word of God as accurately as possible by returning to the original sources in his bible translation. Luther considered the salvation of the soul to be the most compelling objective of education. The subsequent coincidence of the founding of public schools, which later served as models for our own, and the ascendance to primacy of the written word, conceived the writing bias. As modern educators, we must attempt to de-mythologize writing by scrutinizing the function of writing in society and in the schools. The majority of our students have neither the psychological nor the practical need to learn to write the foreign language. Speech must be promoted by reorganizing classroom activities around oral exercises and tests, making use of the cassette recorder. These practices will result in a greater sense of student achievement and a proportionate decrease in hostility toward foreign language study.
Evidence that channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque), mortality is not linked to ingestion of the hepatotoxin microcystin-LR

Catfish farms located in the south-eastern USA using brackish (3-5 g NaCI L - 1 ) well water experience sporadic fish kills sometimes with high mortality. An investigation of three catastrophic losses occurring in this region identified no involvement of infectious diseases or traditional water quality problems, including oxygen, ammonia or nitrite. The high mortality and time course of the problem was indicative of exposure to a toxin. Attempts by other workers to explain the cause of this unique syndrome (high chloride associated toxicosis of catfish, HCTC), suggested that the losses might be because of microcystin-producing blooms of Microcystis aeruginosa, but our investigations failed to support this conclusion. We found that (1) the liver histology of catfish experimentally exposed to pure microcystin-LR is very different from that of catfish sampled during outbreaks of HCTC; (2) measurements of microcystin-LR concentrations in the three cases were far lower than the concentration required to kill catfish by experimental immersion; (3) the HCTC toxin appears to have a short half-life, whereas microcystin-LR does not; (4) experimental gavage of catfish with massive amounts of microcystin-LR does not cause the acute mortality typical of HCTC; (5) outbreaks of HCTC appear to be associated with heavy blooms of Anacystis marina, a halophytic cyanobacteria, not with blooms of M aeruginosa.
Risk-based composite power system vulnerability evaluation to cascading failures using importance sampling

Large-scale blackouts typically result from cascading failure in power systems operation. Their mitigation in power system planning calls for the development of methods and algorithms that assess the risk of cascading failures due to relay overtripping, short-circuits induced by overgrown vegetation, voltage sags, line and transformer overloading, transient instabilities, voltage collapse, to cite a few. This paper describes such a method based on composite power system reliability evaluation via sequential Monte Carlo simulation. One of the impediments of the study of these phenomena is the prohibitively large computational burden involved by the simulations. To overcome this difficulty, importance sampling technique utilizing the Weibull distribution is applied. It is shown that the method significantly reduce the number of samples that need to be investigated while maintaining the accuracy at a given level. To illustrate the developed approach, a case study is conducted and analyzed on the IEEE reliability test system.
The novel synaptogenic protein Farp1 links postsynaptic cytoskeletal dynamics and transsynaptic organization

Synaptic adhesion organizes synapses, yet the signaling pathways that drive and integrate synapse development remain incompletely understood. We screened for regulators of these processes by proteomically analyzing synaptic membranes lacking the synaptogenic adhesion molecule SynCAM 1. This identified FERM, Rho/ArhGEF, and Pleckstrin domain protein 1 (Farp1) as strongly reduced in SynCAM 1 knockout mice. Farp1 regulates dendritic filopodial dynamics in immature neurons, indicating roles in synapse formation. Later in development, Farp1 is postsynaptic and its 4.1 protein/ezrin/radixin/moesin (FERM) domain binds SynCAM 1, assembling a synaptic complex. Farp1 increases synapse number and modulates spine morphology, and SynCAM 1 requires Farp1 for promoting spines. In turn, SynCAM 1 loss reduces the ability of Farp1 to elevate spine density. Mechanistically, Farp1 activates the GTPase Rac1 in spines downstream of SynCAM 1 clustering, and promotes F-actin assembly. Farp1 furthermore triggers a retrograde signal regulating active zone composition via SynCAM 1. These results reveal a postsynaptic signaling pathway that engages transsynaptic interactions to coordinate synapse development.
Stuck on you How dedication moderates the way constraints feel

Theorists agree that commitment has different components, but the interaction between two fundamental aspects of commitment—dedication (interpersonal commitment) and constraint (external pressures to stay together)—has not been examined to our knowledge. The effects of the interaction between dedication and constraint on several measures of discomfort were examined among adults in opposite-sex dating relationships (N = 1,294). In the context of lower dedication, greater material or perceived constraint was associated with more psychological distress, feelings of entrapment, and anxiety about abandonment. These results indicate that constraints feel subjectively different depending on interpersonal commitment to the relationship. Examining such interactions may help researchers better understand the role of constraints in the developmental course of romantic relationship commitment.
Relationship between psychosocial variables and compliance in patients with heart failure

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe the socio-demographic, psychosocial, and social support variables that predict compliance to treatment regimens in HF patients. Design And Setting: Semistructured interviews were conducted on 82 patients at an outpatient heart failure clinic to gather data related to compliance behaviors. Five standardized instruments were used to gather data on patients' psychosocial health status and perceived social support. Results: The overall compliance rate was 85.13 (10.01%). Higher levels of compliance (>90%) were noted for follow-up appointments, medications, smoking, and alcohol cessation. Poor compliance was observed with dietary and exercise recommendations (71% and 53%, respectively). In a multivariate model, higher education, higher mental and physical health status, and neuroticism independently contributed to 24% of the variance in overall compliance. Conclusion: The study supports that HF patients had poor compliance with dietary and exercise regimens. Since following a dietary and exercise regimen has been demonstrated to reduce morbidity in this population, strategies to increase compliance should be rigorously pursued.
Calcium hydroxylapatite (Radiesse): safety, techniques and pain reduction.

Although the cosmetic applications of injectable calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) commenced in the first years of the 21 st century, only recently has the clinical use of this filler been optimized. This update will review safety, techniques, pain reduction by mixing with lidocaine and the use of CaHA in ethnic skin.
Direct Method of Hydraulic Conductivity Structure Identification for Subsurface Transport Modeling

AbstractSolute transport in aquifers is strongly influenced by the spatial distribution of subsurface hydraulic conductivity (K), while limited drilling typically results in lack of data characterizing both the K and the in situ fluid-flow boundary conditions (BC). To characterize such environments, this paper presents an efficient direct inverse method to simultaneously identify an aquifer’s K pattern, values, and flow field. The method ensures fluid-flow continuity using local approximate solutions of the governing flow equation conditioned to limited measurements, while the physics of flow are enforced, making the inverse problem well-posed. A single system of equations is assembled and solved, from which parameters and BC can be simultaneously estimated. For problems with irregular and regular K distributions, inversion is demonstrated for different measurement types, qualities, and quantities. When measurement error is increased, the estimated K pattern is largely insensitive to the error, although t...
Mechanism of attenuated thirst in aging: role of central volume receptors

To test the hypothesis that the inhibitory action of central blood volume expansion on thirst and renal fluid regulation is attenuated with aging, we monitored the drinking and renal responses of dehydrated older (70 +/- 2 yr, n = 6) and younger (24 +/- 1 yr, n = 6) subjects during 195 min of head-out water immersion (HOI), which shifts blood centrally and increases plasma volume (PV). Subjects dehydrated by exercising for 2 h at 36 degrees C in the evening and refraining from fluids overnight before HOI in 34 degrees C water or a seated control in water perfusion suit [time control (TC)] the next morning. Ad libitum water intake was allowed after 15 min of HOI. Dehydration decreased PV by 10.6 +/- 1 and 7.3 +/- 1.8% (P < 0.05) and increased plasma osmolality by 6 +/- 2 and 7 +/- 1 mosmol/kg H2O (P < 0.05) in older and younger subjects, respectively. Thirst ratings increased in both groups, but pre-HOI thirst perception on a line rating scale was lower in older (69 +/- 8 mm) than younger (94 +/- 6 mm, P < 0.05) subjects. Fifteen minutes of HOI restored PV by 7.8 +/- 1.0 and 5.7 +/- 1.0% in older and younger subjects, respectively, but suppressed thirst rating in younger subjects only (P < 0.05). Fluid intake was reduced in HOI compared with TC in younger (6.3 +/- 0.5 vs. 14.3 +/- 2.2 ml/kg, P < 0.05) but not in older (6.7 +/- 2.1 vs. 8.4 +/- 3.3 ml/kg) subjects. During HOI, older subjects had smaller suppression of plasma renin activity and aldosterone concentration but a greater increase in the plasma atrial natriuretic peptide concentration (P[ANP], P < 0.05). HOI increased fractional sodium excretion in both groups, but mean arterial pressure increased only in the older subjects (P < 0.05). We conclude that the inhibitory influence of central volume expansion on thirst and drinking behavior is diminished with aging. Furthermore, in contrast to younger people, HOI natriuresis is associated with exaggerated increases in P[ANP] and arterial blood pressure in older people, suggesting arterial baroreceptors may be involved in the fluid regulatory response to central blood volume expansion in older people.
Screening for HIV.

A 19-year-old woman presents to the university health clinic for a well-woman examination. She reports no problems and mentions that she is sexually active with one male partner, who usually uses condoms. She has never been screened for a sexually transmitted infection.
Advances in Cardiac Diagnosis: Nuclear Cardiology

Nuclear cardiology offers an exciting array of techniques to visualize the structure and measure the function of the heart. These techniques include thallium perfusion scanning, isotope angiocardiography, and myocardial infarct scanning. Accurate and clinically relevant diagnostic information is provided by these methods.
Current Development of Protein Arginine Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Abstract Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) methylate numerous nuclear and cytoplasmic substrates and play key roles in various biological processes, including cell death, cell cycle progression, and RNA processing. PRMTs are one of the regulating enzymes that participate in chromatin remodeling through histone posttranslational modification, thus are considered as epigenetic modulators. Abnormality of PRMTs is related to many pathological conditions, including cancer. Selective and potent inhibitors of PRMTs are important because they can be used as chemical tools to help understand the function of PRMTs in epigenetics and oncology, and also they are potential therapeutics targeting PRMT up-regulation in various diseases. Here we summarize the PRMT inhibitors by their chemical structures and targeting enzymes, and also present our prospective on the current state, future direction, and opportunities of this field.
The New Destination Disadvantage: Disparities in Hispanic Health Insurance Coverage Rates in Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan New and Established Destinations

Hispanics have the lowest health insurance rates of any racial/ethnic group, but rates vary significantly across the U.S. The unprecedented growth of the Hispanic population since 1990 in rural areas with previously small or non-existent Hispanic populations raises questions about disparities in access to health insurance coverage. Identifying spatial disparities in Hispanic health insurance rates can illuminate the specific contexts within which Hispanics are least likely to have health care access and inform policy approaches for increasing coverage in different spatial contexts. Using county-level data from the 2009/2013 American Community Survey, I find that early new destinations (i.e., those that experienced rapid Hispanic population growth during the 1990s) have the lowest Hispanic adult health insurance coverage rates, with little variation by metropolitan status. Conversely, among the most recent new destinations that experienced significant Hispanic population growth during the 2000s, metropolitan counties have Hispanic health insurance rates that are similar to established destinations, but rural counties have Hispanic health insurance rates that are significantly lower than those in established destinations. Findings demonstrate that the new destination disadvantage is driven entirely by higher concentrations of immigrant non-citizen Hispanics in these counties, but labor market conditions were salient drivers of the spatially uneven distribution of foreign-born non-citizen Hispanics to new destinations, particularly in rural areas.
A Cassette Approach for the Identification of Intein Insertion Sites

Over the past decade split inteins have established themselves as powerful tools for protein engineering, protein semisynthesis, and protein functional control approaches. Their key advantage lies in the protein trans-splicing (PTS) reaction that enables posttranslational protein assembly from two independent, even synthetic, peptide precursors. However, since most split intein applications deal with fragmentation and modification of proteins, various issues can arise, ranging from reduced stability to impairment of protein folding. In this chapter I address how the usage of DNA encoded intein cassettes can streamline and speed up the identification of functional split intein insertion sites in novel proteins of interest (POI).
A Comparison of Third-year Medical Student Clinical and Examination Performances in a Traditional Psychiatry Clerkship to a Novel Pilot, LSI Curriculum

Objective: The goal of this study was to compare educational outcomes of medical students who participated in a longitudinal pilot curriculum to those who participated in the existing, traditional curriculum during their third-year of medical school. Method: The authors reviewed clinical evaluations and examination performances of 15 students enrolled in a pilot curriculum to 60 students who participated in the traditional curriculum. The nove Lead.Serve.Inspire. (LSI) curriculum consisted of a longitudinal integrated hybrid of internal medicine, neurology, and psychiatry rotations and didactic instruction spanning nearly four months. Results: The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) subject examination class averages of students enrolled in the combined internal medicine, neurology, and psychiatry pilot program were not significantly different compared to students completing these examinations and enrolled in the traditional block rotations during the same time period. On clinical performance measures in psychiatry, students performed above average on clinical measures of medical knowledge, communication skills, and diagnostic assessment and critical analysis skills. Conclusion: Preliminary data from the pilot program is promising, suggesting that the Lead.Serve.Inspire. (LSI) curriculum may offer an equitable alternative to the traditional discipline-specific block rotations.
Feasibility of Multiagency Change Teams Involving the Department of Corrections and Community Substance Abuse Treatment Agencies

This study demonstrates the feasibility of forming multiagency change teams including correctional and community agencies involved in the community reentry of prisoners with histories of substance ...
Deeply Learned View-Invariant Features for Cross-View Action Recognition

Classifying human actions from varied views is challenging due to huge data variations in different views. The key to this problem is to learn discriminative view-invariant features robust to view variations. In this paper, we address this problem by learning view-specific and view-shared features using novel deep models. View-specific features capture unique dynamics of each view while view-shared features encode common patterns across views. A novel sample-affinity matrix is introduced in learning shared features, which accurately balances information transfer within the samples from multiple views and limits the transfer across samples. This allows us to learn more discriminative shared features robust to view variations. In addition, the incoherence between the two types of features is encouraged to reduce information redundancy and exploit discriminative information in them separately. The discriminative power of the learned features is further improved by encouraging features in the same categories to be geometrically closer. Robust view-invariant features are finally learned by stacking several layers of features. Experimental results on three multi-view data sets show that our approaches outperform the state-of-the-art approaches.
Rapid elemental composition analysis of intermetallic ternary nanoalloys using calibration-free quantitative Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS)

Intermetallic ternary nanoalloys (NA) have increasingly gained prominence as excellent catalysts. But, their size, morphology and chemical compositions affect their catalytic and interfacial activities significantly. In this study, we present laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for rapid quantitative elemental composition characterization of ternary NAs with different elemental ratios. Specifically, we use a calibration-free approach with LIBS to estimate the elemental ratios of PtCuCo ternary NAs with various stoichiometric ratios synthesized via our in-house laser ablation synthesis in solution-galvanic replacement reactions (LASiS-GRR) technique. The size and morphology of the samples are determined from transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) measurements. The LIBS quantitative estimations for the NA samples are compared with results from inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The elemental ratio results of quantitative LIBS show good agreement with ICP-OES results, while being devoid of any external standard requirements or extensive sample preparations.
Mass spectrometric determination of the rate of depurination of 7-methylguanine, 3-methyladenine and 7-methyladenine after reaction of methyl methanesulfonate with DNA

1554 Extensive studies on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and endogenous and synthetic estrogens have demonstrated that covalent binding of carcinogens to the N-7 of guanine (Gua) and N-3 and N-7 of adenine (Ade) causes cleavage of the glycosyl bond between the purine base and deoxyribose, leading to depurination of these adducts. The resulting apurinic sites represent a critical intermediate in the production of mutations by error-prone repair (Chakravarti, et. al. Oncogene 20: 7945, 2001). Studies with estradiol-3,4-quinone (E2-3,4-Q) and E2-2,3-Q indicated that depurination of the N3Ade adduct is instantaneous, whereas the N7Gua depurinates slowly with a half life of 3 h. At the same time we observed that treatment of E2-3,4-Q on SENCAR mouse skin generated specifically A to G mutations in the H-ras oncogene. These findings suggest that the apurinic (AP) sites generated by rapid depurination of the N3Ade adduct induce mutations by error-prone repair, whereas the apurinic sites generated by slow depurination can be repaired without mutation. To substantiate this hypothesis, we studied the rate of depurination of 7-CH3guanine (7-CH3Gua), 3-CH3adenine (3-CH3Ade) and 7-CH3Ade after treatment of DNA with methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). MMS is an alkylating agent, which predominantly methylates nitrogen atoms in purine bases. The removal of these lesions leads to the formation of AP sites and could generate AT→TA or GC→TA transversions, if depurination is rapid. Reaction mixtures containing 0.87 mM MMS, 3 mM calf thymus DNA in 0.067 M sodium-potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) in a total volume of 10 ml were incubated at 37°C for 0.5 to 200 h. At each time-point, the DNA was precipitated with two volumes of ethanol and the supernatant was analyzed for methylated adducts by LC-MS. The half lives of 7-CH3Gua, 3-CH3Ade and 7-CH3Ade were found to be approximately 70, 50 and 50 h, respectively. The slow rate of depurination of these adducts will allow further study on the role of fast and slow depurination in mutagenesis. (Supported by grant PO1 CA49210 and RO1 CA49917)
Eficácia do uso de corticoides tópicos no tratamento da fimose primária em crianças e adolescentes

Introduction: Primary phimosis is a frequent problem in child health clinic with a prevalence of 11% at 3 years of age. Objective: The aim of this review is to evaluate the efficacy of topical corticosteroids (CCT) in reduction of foreskin retractile limitation in children and adolescents. Methods: The research was performed using the National Guideline Clearing House, Canadian Medical Association Practice Guidelines InfoBase, Cochrane Library, DARE, Bandolier, Evidence Based Medicine Online, Trip Database Online and PubMed databases using the terms “phimosis and steroids”. Clinical guidelines, meta-analyses, systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were searched in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The Levels of Evidence of Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine were used. Results: A total of 148 articles were found, of which only six fulfilled the inclusion criteria: one guideline and five RCTs. Since 2013 the European Society of Pediatric Urology recommends the use of CCT in primary phimosis. The RCTs included a total of 624 children and adolescents aged between zero and 15 years and different CCTs and therapeutic approaches were tested. A significant improvement in prepuce retraction was observed with the use of CCT compared to placebo achieving a therapeutic efficacy of 66% and 90%. Conclusion: The studies used in this work support the use of CCTs in the treatment of primary phimosis in children and adolescents. However, we consider to be of added value the implementation of larger and methodologically homogeneous studies in order to clarify what is the best CCT therapeutic method.
Abstract P5-07-09: Identification of miRNA biomarkers for early diagnosis of basal-like breast cancer

The routine screening for breast cancer relies primarily on imaging techniques such as mammography and ultrasonography, but it is often not sensitive enough for early detection and requires complementary approaches. Recent studies suggest that microRNAs (miRNAs) could be used as biomarkers for breast cancer due to its relative stability in archived formalin-fixed tissues as well as in bodily fluids. However, the identity of unique miRNAs that could discriminate proliferative and malignant states of the disease has remained elusive. Since TGFβ-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) represents a critical step during tumor progression and intravasation, studying the cancer cell at the mesenchymal state and its precursor could help to identify these critical diagnostic biomarkers. To identify novel biomarkers for early detection, we performed miRNA gene expression profiling of an established basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) model system with and without disruption of TGFβ signaling. We have identified a panel of miRNAs, including miR-210-3p, that are highly expressed in the motile, mesenchymal stage, which could potentially be used as markers in liquid biopsies for early detection of invasive BLBC. Conversely, we also found some miRNAs, including miR-200c and miR-4417, highly expressed in the noninvasive, epithelial stage. Transient overexpression of miR-4417 in mesenchymal BLBC cells was able to suppress migration and mammosphere formation in vitro, suggesting that it could block progression of BLBC, a disease highly prevalent in young African-American women and lacks targeted therapy. Citation Format: Wong CK, Thiagalingam S. Identification of miRNA biomarkers for early diagnosis of basal-like breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-07-09.
Student demographics, school working conditions, and teacher mobility

I analyse how the inclusion of working condition data influences the estimated marginal effects of student demographics on teacher mobility. Using detailed administrative data on public schools, co...
Sequential combined Treatment of Pifithrin-α and Posiphen Enhances Neurogenesis and Functional Recovery After Stroke.

Objective:Although cerebral ischemia can activate endogenous reparative processes, such as proliferation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and subgranular zone...
Examining a Comprehensive College Transition Program: An Account of Iterative Mixed Methods Longitudinal Survey Design

There are few accounts in the higher education literature of mixing methods at the survey design stage and very little guidance targeting higher education researchers and practitioners who want to implement a mixed methods approach to design survey tools. This article explores an eight-step, iterative, mixed methods approach for creating a longitudinal, multi-institutional survey to assess how participation in a comprehensive college transition program is related to students’ psychosocial and academic outcomes. In the context of a college transition program study, our mixed methods strategy to develop a survey instrument included initial qualitative data collection and review of psychosocial constructs, psychometric pilot, baseline survey, focus groups, case study research, cognitive interviews, follow-up pilot, and follow-up survey. This article makes a unique contribution to higher education research, providing a potential model for others seeking guidance in mixing methods at the study design and instrument development stage. Major lessons learned from the mixed methods survey design process are discussed.
Embedded boundary methods for modeling 3D finite-difference Laplace-Fourier domain acoustic-wave equation with free-surface topography

ABSTRACTWe have developed embedded boundary methods to handle arbitrarily shaped topography to accurately simulate acoustic seismic wave propagation in the Laplace-Fourier domain. The purpose is to...
EFFECTS OF CHRONIC EXOGENOUS OPIOID ADMINISTRATION ON LEVELS OF ONE ENDOGENOUS OPIOID (β-ENDORPHIN) IN MAN

Preliminary findings from this initial study carried out to determine the effects of long-term administration of a long-acting exogenous opioid, methadone, on plasma levels of one endogenous opioid, β-endorphin, in man show that levels of β-endorphin are not abnormally high in patients maintained on methadone. Although levels of β-endorphin are low in many patients, such levels are observed in control subjects also.
Kinetic and Spectroscopic Investigations of Surface Chemical Processes

The study of the surface-catalyzed decomposition of molecules on single crystal surfaces is one of the major themes in surface chemistry today. This theme, combined with the study of the chemical structure of surface species, forms a driving force for the development of a systematic understanding of surface chemistry. Such a systematic picture of molecules and processes at surfaces will ultimately yield a predictive and a conceptual basis of understanding which may be extended beyond the realm of model systems.
Cardiac output and renal function during insulin hypertension in Sprague-Dawley rats

Hyperinsulinemia has been reported to cause hypertension in rats; however, the renal and hemodynamic mechanisms are not known. In this study, changes in renal function, cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were measured during chronic insulin infusion in eight rats (approximately 350 g). After a 4-day control period, a 7-day insulin infusion was begun (1.5 mU.kg-1.min-1 iv), together with glucose (22 mg.kg-1.min-1 iv) to prevent hypoglycemia. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), CO, TPR, and heart rate were measured 24 h/day. MAP increased from 92 +/- 1 to 100 +/- 2 mmHg on day 1 and was 108 +/- 4 mmHg by day 7 of insulin. CO tended to decrease during insulin infusion, although not significantly, averaging 94 +/- 4% of the control value of 121 +/- 7 ml/min. Heart rate did not change significantly from the control value of 384 +/- 8 beats/min. TPR increased significantly to 122 +/- 11% of control by day 7. In five rats, glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow decreased to 73 +/- 4 and 66 +/- 5% of control, respectively, during insulin. Urinary sodium excretion averaged 2.6 +/- 0.1 and 2.7 +/- 0.1 meq/day during the control and insulin-infusion periods, respectively. These results indicate that insulin hypertension in rats is initiated by an increase in TPR rather than by increased CO. Also, the fact that sodium balance was maintained at elevated arterial pressure suggests that the ability of the kidneys to excrete sodium was impaired chronically during insulin infusion.
Reaction time dependent investigation on the properties of the Bi 2 S 3 nanoparticles: Photocatalytic application

Abstract Different morphologies of the Bi2S3 nanostructures (nanorods and nanoparticles) were successfully synthesized with a facile reflux method with small reaction time (10 min, 20 min and 30 min) at 120°C. The morphology was transformed from nanorods to nanoparticles when the reaction time is increased. The effect of reaction time on the morphology, particle size, band gap and photocatalytic performance of the Bi2S3 products have been investigated. The Bi2S3 nanostructures have been formed with bismuth nitrate and thiourea as starting reactants, ethylene glycol as the reaction medium and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as the structure-directing reagent. The obtained products are characterized by Powder X-Ray Diffraction, SEM, EDAX, UV-Vis Spectroscopy and FT-IR. XRD patterns show that the Bi2S3 nanoparticles obtained are of orthorhombic structure. The Scanning electron microscopic images confirm the formation of nanoparticles. The results of the energy dispersive analysis of X-ray (EDAX), UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), FT-IR studies are compared and discussed. The photocatalytic activity studies reveal that the synthesized Bi2S3 nanorods exhibit excellent photocatalytic performance in degrading methylene blue dye solution under UV irradiation.
A Different Methodology to Control and Predict Ground Vibrations from Mine Blasting

Ground vibration prediction and control from mine blasting is a complex task involving disciplines such as geotechnical engineering, explosives engineering, and geology. Despite the importance of c...