cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Screening for Substance Use and Associated Medical Conditions

Early onset of substance use leads to a higher risk of developing psychosocial problems and a lifelong substance use disorder, which makes screening, prevention, and early intervention instrumental in moderating potential harm. Substance use can be viewed along a continuum from experimentation to problematic substance use and to mild, moderate, and severe substance use disorders. Nonmedical use of prescription medications also operates under a similar continuum and is particularly relevant to the adolescent age group since prescription medications may be more available to young people in some settings than are other substances. This chapter discusses key revisions from the DSM-IV to the DSM-5 and briefly explains how shifts in the diagnostic process impact the implementation of various screening tools. Evidence-based screening instruments are presented and described in detail. Additional health screening recommendations are outlined due to the high-risk behaviors associated with substance use.
Super-resolution Imaging of Synaptic and Extra-synaptic Pools of AMPA Receptors with Different- sized Fluorescent Probes

Whether AMPA receptors (AMPARs) enter into neuronal synapses, by exocytosis from an internal pool, or by diffusion from an external membrane-bound pool, is hotly contested. 3D super-resolution fluorescent nanoscopy to measure the dynamics and placement of AMPAR is a powerful method for addressing this issue. However, probe size and accessibility to tightly packed spaces can be limiting. We have therefore labeled AMPARs with differently sized fluorophores: small organic fluorescent dyes (~ 4 nm), small quantum dots (sQD, ~10 nm in diameter), or big (commercial) quantum dots (bQD, ~ 20 nm in diameter). We then compared their diffusion rate, trajectories, and placement with respect to a postsynaptic density (PSD) protein, Homer 1c. Labeled with the small probes of sQDs or organic fluorophores, we find that AMPARs are located largely within PSDs (~73-93%), and generally reside in "nanodomains" with constrained diffusion. In contrast, when labeled with bQDs, only 5-10% of AMPARs are within PSDs. The results can be explained by relatively free access, or lack thereof, to synaptic clefts of the AMPARs when labeled with small or big probes, respectively. This implies that AMPARs primarily enter PSDs soon after their exocytosis and not from a large diffusive pool of extrasynaptic AMPARs.
“No One Wants to Believe It”: Manifestations of White Privilege in a STEM-Focused College

The lagging behind of underrepresented minority (URM) students in higher education, and particularly in the STEM fields, is well documented. In this paper we draw on critical race theory in educati...
Circadian Rhythm of Allergic Rhinitis, Skin Testing and Allergen Immunotherapy

Allergic rhinitis (AR) follows a 24-h diurnal pattern of variation in symptoms. A study by Reinberg et al. recruited 765 patients with AR and followed them for over an 11-month period. Participants self-assessed severity of symptoms such as sneezing, rhinorrhea, obstruction, pruritus of the eyes and nose, cough and/or wheezing four times daily over a 1-week period via visual analogue scales. Overall, symptoms were reported to be the most severe in the morning with a mild peak in early evening. In addition, circannual changes in allergic reactivity were noted.
Surgical Stabilization of Rib Fractures in a Patient with Empyema: A Case Report.

CASE A patient sustained flail chest and diaphragmatic rupture with perforation of the stomach. She underwent gastrorrhaphy with chest lavage. She developed empyema and underwent decortication. Intraoperative cultures grew bacteria and yeast. She failed extubation because of pain despite maximal medical therapy. She underwent surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF). Intraoperative cultures remained positive. She was extubated 9 days after SSRF. She was ultimately discharged to home with a total of 2 months of antibiotics and no need for plate removal. CONCLUSION The presence of infection should not be considered a contraindication to SSRF in patients who are mechanical ventilation dependent due to flail chest.
Lead-free perovskite thin film solar cells from binary sources

The development of lead-free, all inorganic perovskites is a potential pathway to overcoming the stability limitations and the environmental hazards associated with the dominant organic/inorganic hybrid lead halide based absorber layers. As with all thin films solar cells, scalable roll-to-roll methods with broad processing windows are desirable. Here, we present promising initial materials and photovoltaic device results on vapor deposited CsGeI 3 . The perovskite was fabricated by a simple anneal of stacked binary, metal-iodide, precursors. The resulting perovskite had an optical bandgap of 1.7 eV. An initial test device had an efficiency of 0.58%, and 445 mV V OC .
Mitochondrial Oxidative Phosphorylation Regulates the Fate Decision between Pathogenic Th17 and Regulatory T Cells.

Summary Understanding metabolic pathways that regulate Th17 development is important to broaden therapeutic options for Th17-mediated autoimmunity. Here, we report a pivotal role of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) for lineage specification toward pathogenic Th17 differentiation. Th17 cells rapidly increase mitochondrial respiration during development, and this is necessary for metabolic reprogramming following T cell activation. Surprisingly, specific inhibition of mitochondrial ATP synthase ablates Th17 pathogenicity in a mouse model of autoimmunity by preventing Th17 pathogenic signature gene expression. Notably, cells activated under OXPHOS-inhibited Th17 conditions preferentially express Foxp3, rather than Th17 genes, and become suppressive Treg cells. Mechanistically, OXPHOS promotes the Th17 pioneer transcription factor, BATF, and facilitates T cell receptor (TCR) and mTOR signaling. Correspondingly, overexpression of BATF rescues Th17 development when ATP synthase activity is restricted. Together, our data reveal a regulatory role of mitochondrial OXPHOS in dictating the fate decision between Th17 and Treg cells by supporting early molecular events necessary for Th17 commitment.
Comparative analysis and improvement of grid-based wind farm layout optimization

Abstract Among the main grid-based wind farm layout optimization studies addressed in the literature, 14 layouts have been recomputed by selecting the levelized cost of energy as a primary objective function. Relying on 120 wind turbine combinations, a previously developed optimization method targeting best turbine selection has then been applied. All literature layouts were optimized, as capacity factors were (slightly) increased (78.89–80.90 to 83.02–83.07%), while levelized costs of energy were (significantly) reduced (130.37–370.42 to 54.01–142.64 $/MWh). This study concluded that neither the discrete nor the continuous optimization model can be recommended in all scenarios. In general, a capacity factor increase does not necessarily imply a decrease in levelized cost of energy. The latter may be minimized by decreasing the overall wind farm capacity, the number of turbines, or selecting turbines with lower rotor diameters or rated powers. By contrast, capacity factor may be maximized by installing turbines with higher hub heights or lower rated speeds. Contradicting various findings, using turbines with different rotor diameters, rated powers or hub heights is not recommended to minimize the levelized cost of energy. Although addressed within several optimization studies, maximization of energy production is a misleading target, as involving the highest costs of energy.
Fine structure of abscission zones

Changes in the cells comprising the abscission zones of Lycopersicon esculentum and Nicotiana tabacum flower pedicels were observed, apparently associated with the separation of the flowers from the plants. Special attention is devoted to changes which occurred in the fine structure of intracellular components of the abscission cells. Microbodies with crystalloid cores in cells comprising the abscission tissue of the pedicels were observed to undergo structural changes. These changes occurred prior to the cell-wall degradation which resulted in cell separation. At the time of cell separation, the number of microbodies present in the abscission cells was greatly diminished. The changes in the fine structure of the crystalloid core may represent the release of latent enzymes into an active form which then induces cell separation in the abscission tissue. Other structures in the cells in which changes occurred are the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the nucleolus. Prior to, and during cell-wall disintegration, an abundance of rough ER was observed within the abscission cells. The occurrence of rough ER may represent an increase in the synthesis of protein for export from the cells of the abscission region and/or for the synthesis of certain enzymes associated with the degradation of cell walls in the abscission zone itself. In some abscission cells, prior to the cell-separation phase, nucleoli were observed which appeared as though they had segregated spatially. In such cases, the amorphous zone was the only nucleolar component observed. The possible significance of these observations is discussed.
The interaction between pubertal timing and childhood maltreatment on the risk of human papillomavirus infection among adolescent girls and young women.

Abstract Purpose The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of pubertal timing, and its interaction with prior childhood maltreatment, on the risk of cervical human papillomavirus (HPV) among sexually active adolescent minority female adolescents and young adults. Methods This cross-sectional study includes 842 adolescent girls and young women (aged 12 to 20 years; predominately Black and Hispanic) enrolled in an HPV vaccine surveillance study at a large adolescent health clinic in New York City between 2007 and 2016. Pubertal timing was assessed by self-reported age at menarche at baseline, with “early” and “late” defined as one standard deviation below ( 13 years) the mean. Childhood exposure to abuse (sexual, physical and emotional) and neglect (physical and emotional) was assessed using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Over 40 types of HPV infection were detected using the polymerase chain reaction in cervical Pap specimens. Results Results from multivariable logistic regression showed that early and late pubertal timing were marginally associated with a higher risk of HPV infection, adjusting for demographic and health covariates. Childhood maltreatment moderated the association between early pubertal timing and HPV infection: early pubertal timing was associated with a higher risk for HPV infection among maltreated girls (OR = 3.32, 95%CI:1.61–6.85), but not among non-maltreated girls (OR = 0.96, 95%CI:0.61–1.50; p-interaction Conclusions Variation in the timing of puberty and history of childhood maltreatment may have implications for adolescent sexual and reproductive health. Findings suggest that clinicians need to assess the biological and psychosocial risks in caring for youth.
Femoral-Peroneal Bypass for Severe Calcific Disease Using Tourniquet Occlusion

A patient with ischemic ulcer in the foot underwent femoral to peroneal in situ bypass with severe calcific occlusive disease using tourniquet occlusion. Postoperative arteriogram showed patent bypass with small residual arteriovenous fistula with faint filling of the deep vein. Management of residual arteriovenous fistula is described.
Extending the second stage of labor in nulliparous women with epidural analgesia: a cost-effectiveness analysis

The objective of this study was to evaluate maternal outcomes with an extended second stage of labor and determine if an extended second stage is cost effective. This theoretical model evaluated ex...
Integrating Vector and Nuisance Mosquito Control for Severe Weather Response

ABSTRACT Ideally, all mosquito control programs would have public health–driven and nuisance population–focused components in their mosquito control plan. However, due to resource limitations many ...
Potential Impact of a Pass or Fail United States Medical Licensing Exam Step 1 Scoring System on Radiology Residency Applications.

Rationale and Objectives To assess the anticipated impact of the change in United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scoring from numerical to pass or fail on the future selection of radiology residents. Materials and Methods An anonymous electronic 14-item survey was distributed to 308 members of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology and included questions regarding the anticipated importance of various application metrics when Step 1 becomes pass or fail. Secondary analyses compared responses based on the current use of a Step 1 scoring screen. Results Eighty eight respondents (28.6% [88/308]) completed the survey. Most (64% [56/88]) noted that the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) score will likely be one of the top three most important factors in assessing applicants, followed by class ranking or quartile (51% [45/88]) and the Medical Student Performance Evaluation/Dean's Letter (42% [37/88]). Over 90% (82/88) of respondents anticipate potentially or definitively requiring Step 2 CK scores before application review, and 50% (44/88) of respondents anticipate extending interview invites at a later date to receive Step 2 CK scores. These results did not significantly differ between programs who currently use a Step 1 scoring screen and those who do not. Conclusion As Step 1 transitions from a numerical score to pass or fail, radiology residency program directors will likely rely on Step 2 CK scores as an objective and standardized metric to screen applicants. Further investigation is needed to identify other objective metrics to evaluate applicants before Step 1 becomes pass or fail.
Akurojin-no-hi: Construction of an Urban Legend

Akurojin-no-hi is a flamelike ghost that was thought to appear in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Little information is known about this creature other than its basic physical characteristics and that it appears on rainy nights. Through utilization of translated primary and secondary sources from Japan as well as analysis of older documents, this paper aims to draw connections between natural disasters, and economic factors that occurred during the Edo Period of Japan. This article considers all these elements and describes how they influenced the conceptualization of Akurojin-no-hi. This paper begins by observing the economic developments of the period and then connects these new developments to other events also occurring in Japan at the time, such as the long journeys of the Shikoku Pilgrims who traveled along wide, expansive roads like the Tokaido. Natural disasters which occurred during the Edo Period are also discussed, mainly the large, widespread fires which affected cities both big and small, and also how these fires influenced the conceptualization of the Akurojin-no-hi. Finally, this article compares the characteristics of the Akurojin-no-hi to the characteristics of other fire yokai and analyzes their differences and similarities.
The effect of COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine period on physical activity and dietary habits of college-aged students.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to sudden extreme changes in lifestyle, potentially causing adverse changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and dietary habits. The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 quarantine on physical activity, dietary habits, and food insecurity among college students who were impacted by the quarantine periods and campus closures. The findings of the study will provide preliminary evidence on dietary, physical activity, and sedentary behavior changes induced by the pandemic among college students. Participants: (n = 403) completed a cross-sectional self-report online questionnaire, evaluating the physical activity, sedentary behavior, and dietary behaviors before- and during-COVID-19 campus closures (March-May 2020). Sociodemographic and descriptive information was also obtained from each participant. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to assess changes in physical activity, sedentary behavior, and dietary habits. McNemar's test was used to compare food insecurity changes. Data were presented as median and interquartile range.A total of 291 participants who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled in the study (college-aged, 18-24 years). Physical activity decreased at vigorous (2 days/week to 1 day/week, p < 0.001), moderate (4 days/week to 1 day/week, p < 0.001), and light (4 days/week to 2 days/week, p < 0.001) intensity levels, while sedentary behavior increased (4 h/day to 7 h/day, p < 0.001) from pre- to during-COVID-19 quarantine period. Frequencies of meals at home and alcohol consumption increased (Z = -3.911 and Z = -4.022, p < 0.001), while frequency of fruit consumption decreased (Z = -2.116, p < 0.001) from pre- to during-COVID-19 quarantine period. Daily alcohol intake also increased during COVID-19 quarantine period (Z = -4.442, p < 0.001). Lastly, the percentage of individuals reporting food insecurity significantly increased during COVID-19 quarantine (p < 0.001).College-aged students in quarantine significantly decreased physical activity participation and increased sedentary behavior. Changes in dietary habits were observed, including increased meals at home, alcohol consumption, and decreased fruit consumption. Food insecurity also doubled among college-aged students during quarantine. Public health strategies to attenuate these changes in lifestyle habits should be implemented during a global pandemic.
Discourse and Hierarchies in Opportunity Programs

I have highlighted but a portion of the contentious history of underrepresented, marginalized students in American education. Similarly, the history of opportunity programs is important to note, because it is an outgrowth of the continued move toward educational integration and “uplift,” toward completing students’ “Americanization” by finally bringing them into the academic hierarchy itself.
Surface oximetry. A new method to evaluate intestinal perfusion

Accepted methods to evaluate intestinal vascularity intraoperatively include standard clinical criteria (SCC), doppler ultrasound (DUS), and intravenous fluorescein (FLF). A combination of methods is often used to overcome disadvantages of individual techniques. Assessment of intestinal vascularity by FLF was compared to SCC, DUS, and pulse oximetry (POX) in segments of intestine demonstrating arterial, venous and arteriovenous occlusion, to determine if POX might supplement the assessment of intestinal vascularity. POX uses a commercially available instrument to assess tissue oxygenation and arterial flow, and is rapid, reproducible, and noninvasive. POX appears to be a superior technique when compared to SCC and DUS.
Aspects of the Eyeblink during Simulated Driving as a Function of Alcohol

Eyeblink frequency and closure durations were recorded while subjects operated a driver simulator. Two films were viewed wider both sober and intoxicated conditions. Results demonstrate that a significant increase in the incidence of long-duration blink closures occurred while subjects were intoxicated. There was also a significant increase in the frequency of blinks and long-duration closures as a function of time-on-task.
Convergence of EEG and fMRI measures of reward anticipation

Deficits in reward anticipation are putative mechanisms for multiple psychopathologies. Research indicates that these deficits are characterized by reduced left (relative to right) frontal electroencephalogram (EEG) activity and blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal abnormalities in mesolimbic and prefrontal neural regions during reward anticipation. Although it is often assumed that these two measures capture similar mechanisms, no study to our knowledge has directly examined the convergence between frontal EEG alpha asymmetry and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during reward anticipation in the same sample. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate if and where in the brain frontal EEG alpha asymmetry and fMRI measures were correlated in a sample of 40 adults. All participants completed two analogous reward anticipation tasks--once during EEG data collection and the other during fMRI data collection. Results indicated that the two measures do converge and that during reward anticipation, increased relative left frontal activity is associated with increased left anterior cingulate cortex (ACC)/medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) activation. This suggests that the two measures may similarly capture PFC functioning, which is noteworthy given the role of these regions in reward processing and the pathophysiology of disorders such as depression and schizophrenia.
Reasoning about Resources and Hierarchical Tasks Using OWL and SWRL

Military training and testing events are highly complex affairs, potentially involving dozens of legacy systems that need to interoperate in a meaningful way. There are superficial interoperability concerns (such as two systems not sharing the same messaging formats), but also substantive problems such as different systems not sharing the same understanding of the terrain, positions of entities, and so forth. We describe our approach to facilitating such events: describe the systems and requirements in great detail using ontologies, and use automated reasoning to automatically find and help resolve problems. The complexity of our problem took us to the limits of what one can do with owl , and we needed to introduce some innovative techniques of using and extending it. We describe our novel ways of using swrl and discuss its limitations as well as extensions to it that we found necessary or desirable. Another innovation is our representation of hierarchical tasks in owl , and an engine that reasons about them. Our task ontology has proved to be a very flexible and expressive framework to describe requirements on resources and their capabilities in order to achieve some purpose.
Systematic Literature Review of AbobotulinumtoxinA in Clinical Trials for Blepharospasm and Hemifacial Spasm.

The aim was to elucidate clinical trial efficacy, safety, and dosing practices of abobotulinumtoxinA (ABO) treatment in adult patients with blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. To date, most literature reviews for blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm have examined the effectiveness of all botulinum neurotoxin type A products as a class. However, differences in dosing units and recommended schemes provide a clear rationale for reviewing each product separately.A systematic literature review was performed to identify randomized controlled trials and other comparative clinical studies of ABO in the treatment of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm published in English between January 1991 and March 2015. Medical literature databases (PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE) were searched. A total of five primary publications that evaluated ABO for the management of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm were identified and summarized.Data included 374 subjects with blepharospasm and 172 subjects with hemifacial spasm treated with ABO. Total ABO doses ranged between 80 and 340 U for blepharospasm and 25 and 85 U for hemifacial spasm, depending on the severity of the clinical condition. All studies showed statistically significant benefits for the treatment of blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. ABO was generally well tolerated across the individual studies. Adverse events considered to be associated with ABO treatment included: ptosis, tearing, blurred vision, double vision, dry eyes, and facial weakness.These data from 5 randomized clinical studies represents the available evidence base of ABO in blepharospasm and hemifacial spasm. Future studies in this area will add to this evidence base.
Supported Organotransition Metal Compounds

Supported transition metal complexes were first prepared in the 1960s as a potential method for the immobilization of homogeneous catalysts. Although this goal is yet to be commercially realized, the chemistry of supported complexes has given insight to the preparation of heterogeneous catalysts as, for example, in the use of discrete metal complexes as precursors to heterogeneous polymerization catalysts. The purpose of this article is to review the general methods for the immobilization of transition metals with examples of each type of immobilization technique. Keywords: zeolites; alumina; silica; imprinting; phosphine; surface hydroxyl; nafion; metal carbonyls; rhodium complexes
Atmospheric pressure laser desorption/ionization of plant metabolites and plant tissue using colloidal graphite

Colloidal graphite is a promising matrix for atmospheric pressure laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. Intact [M+H]+ and [M–H]− ions are readily produced from a wide range of small molecule plant metabolites, particularly anthocyanins, fatty acids, lipids, glycerides, and ceramides. Compared with a more traditional organic acid matrix, colloidal graphite provides more efficient ionization for small hydrophobic molecules and has a much cleaner background spectrum, especially in negative ion mode. Some important metabolites, e.g., fatty acids and glycosylated flavonoids, can be observed from Arabidopsisthaliana leaf and flower petal tissues in situ. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variola minor in Bragança Paulista County, 1956: lack of evidence indicating the influence of contaminated classrooms on spread of the disease.

Space-time interaction analysis was applied to data from 101 elementary school children who contracted variola minor during an epidemic in Braganca Paulista County, Brazil. One school had two and the other three shifts of students occupying the same classrooms each day. There was no evidence found for excessive numbers of cases to occur among unvaccinated students occupying the same desks or seated near the desks occupied by cases occurring during another shift. Only three cases occurred among the 31 unvaccinated students occupying desks of students with variola from other shifts. Only one of these three subsequent cases occurred at a time interval suggestive of transmission. For the three models tested there was no evidence of space-time interaction between time of onset of the disease and location of desk for pairs of students from different shifts.
Serendipitous Images of Methanol in Comet Levy (1990 XX)

Reuter's (1992) model of the IR fluorescence of methanol is used to retrieve a methanol production rate of 3 +/- 1 x 10 exp 26/s and an abundance relative to water of about 0.1 percent. It is argued that calibration is of paramount importance and that a near-simultaneous spectrum is necessary for achieving a reliable estimate of the continuum underlying the emission feature.
Simulation and verification II: event-triggered environments for verification of real-time systems

The growing complexity and the safety-critical requirements of the embedded software in avionics systems present many challenges to current test-based verification technology. The use of formal verification methods can increase design assurance by exploring a larger range of system behaviors and fault conditions than can feasibly be covered by testing or simulation. However, one of the most challenging tasks faced in any formal verification activity is the construction of an adequate model for the environment with which the analyzed system interacts. For real-time systems where the timing characteristics are critical to correct performance this task is even more difficult. In this paper we discuss how an event-triggered model of time (as found in discrete event simulations) can be used as the basis for the environment needed to verify real-time avionics software.
A Musculoskeletal Model With Prosthetic Knee During a Walk Cycle

Musculoskeletal models of movement typically use simplified representation of joints (i.e the knee joint as a hinge). This simplification can influence prediction of knee loading and muscle activation. Therefore, simulations that incorporate more realistic representation of knee structures, contact mechanics and muscle forces could increase our knowledge and understanding of joint and tissue loading during movement.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Modeling of solid/porous wall boundary conditions for the validation of computational fluid dynamics codes

A computational study has been undertaken to investigate method of modeling solid and porous wall boundary conditions in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) codes. The procedure utilizes experimental measurements at the walls to develop a flow field solution based on the method of singularities. This flow field solution is then imposed as a boundary condition in a CFD simulation of the internal flow field. The effectiveness of this method in describing the boundary conditions at the wind tunnel walls using only sparse experimental measurements has been investigated. Position and refinement of experimental measurement locations required to describe porous wall boundary conditions has also been considered.
Antipyretic effect of acetaminophen suppositories in rats

An animal model used yeast-fevered rats to measure the relative antipyretic effects of different commercially available acetaminophen-containing suppositories. A laboratory-prepared acetaminophen-containing suppository and placebo suppositories also were investigated. Release from the suppositories was measured in vitro. All acetaminophen products containing 600 mg of drug elicited significant decreases in the rectal temperature of fever-induced rats.
Existence of efficient solutions in infinite horizon optimization under continuous and discrete controls

For time-varying deterministic infinite horizon control problems, we provide conditions for the existence of efficient solutions, i.e., solutions which are optimal to each of the states through which they pass. A sufficient condition is that the mappings from controls to states be open. Applications to production planning are considered.
Filament condition-specific response elements control the expression of NRG1 and UME6, key transcriptional regulators of morphology and virulence in Candida albicans.

Candida albicans is the most frequently isolated human fungal pathogen and can cause a range of mucosal and systemic infections in immunocompromised individuals. Morphogenesis, the ability to undergo a reversible transition from budding yeast to elongated filaments, is an essential virulence trait. The yeast-to-filament transition is associated with expression of genes specifically important for filamentation as well as other virulence-related processes, and is controlled, in part, by the key transcriptional regulators Nrg1 and Ume6. Both of these regulators are themselves controlled at the transcriptional level by filament-inducing environmental cues, although little is known about how this process occurs. In order to address this question and determine whether environmental signals regulate transcription of UME6 and NRG1 via distinct and/or common promoter elements, we performed promoter deletion analyses. Strains bearing promoter deletion constructs were induced to form filaments in YEPD plus 10% serum at 37°C, Spider medium (nitrogen and carbon starvation) and/or Lee’s medium pH 6.8 (neutral pH) and reporter gene expression was measured. In the NRG1 promoter we identified several distinct condition-specific response elements for YEPD plus 10% serum at 37°C and Spider medium. In the UME6 promoter we also identified response elements for YEPD plus 10% serum at 37°C. While a few of these elements are distinct, others overlap with those which respond to Lee’s pH 6.8 medium. Consistent with UME6 possessing a very long 5’ UTR, many response elements in the UME6 promoter are located significantly upstream from the coding sequence. Our data indicate that certain distinct condition-specific elements can control expression of C. albicans UME6 and NRG1 in response to key filament-inducing environmental cues. Because C. albicans encounters a variety of host microenvironments during infection, our results suggest that UME6 and NRG1 expression can be differentially modulated by multiple signaling pathways to control filamentation and virulence in vivo.
Verification of a depth-integrated sample arm as a means to reduce solids stratification bias in urban stormwater sampling

A new water sample collection system was developed to improve representation of solids entrained in urban stormwater by integrating water-quality samples from the entire water column, rather than a single, fixed point. The depth-integrated sample arm (DISA) was better able to characterize suspended-sediment concentration and particle size distribution compared to fixed-point methods when tested in a controlled laboratory environment. Median suspended-sediment concentrations overestimated the actual concentration by 49 and 7% when sampling the water column at 3- and 4-points spaced vertically throughout the water column, respectively. Comparatively, sampling only at the bottom of the pipe, the fixed-point overestimated the actual concentration by 96%. The fixed-point sampler also showed a coarser particle size distribution compared to the DISA which was better able to reproduce the average distribution of particles in the water column over a range of hydraulic conditions. These results emphasize the need for a water sample collection system that integrates the entire water column, rather than a single, fixed point to properly characterize the concentration and distribution of particles entrained in stormwater pipe flow.
Testosterone implanted in the preoptic area of male Japanese quail must be aromatized to activate copulation

Abstract Intracranial implantation of minute pellets of gonadal steroids was combined with aromatase inhibitor treatment to determine if aromatization within the preoptic area (POA) is necessary for androgens to activate sexual behavior in the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). In this species, implantation of pellets of testosterone propionate (TP) or estradiol benzoate (EB) in the POA of castrated males restores male-typical copulatory behavior. In Experiment 1, adult male castrated quail were implanted intracranially with 200-μg pellets of equimolar mixtures of crystalline TP +cholesterol (CHOL), TP + 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione (ATD, an aromatase inhibitor), EB + ATD, or CHOL and behavior-tested with intact males and females. Copulation was stimulated by POA implants containing TP or EB (three of six CHOL + TP males and two of seven ATD + EB males copulated vs zero of four CHOL males), but copulation was not inhibited by combining ATD with TP (three of four ATD + TP males copulated). In Experiment 2, adult male castrated quail were injected systemically with ATD or oil for 6 days prior to and 14 days after intracranial implantation of 200-μg pellets containing the same amounts of TP or EB as in Experiment 1. The ATD injections completely blocked copulatory behavior in males with TP implants in the POA such that ATD TP and Oil/TP mount frequencies differed significantly, but failed to block copulation in males with EB implants in the POA (proportions of males copulating were ATD EB , 6 8 ; ATD TP , 0 6 ; Oil/TP, 4 7 ). The cloacal foam gland, an androgen-sensitive secondary sex character, was unaffected by the dose of ATD used. We conclude that activation of copulatory behavior by TP implants in the POA is not due to nonspecific effects of high local testosterone concentrations but rather to aromatization. These redults support the hypothesis that cells within the POA aromatize testosterone to estrogens, which directly stimulate the cellular processes leading to activation of male-typical copulatory behavior.
Ulnar nerve function following total elbow arthroplasty: a prospective study comparing preoperative and postoperative clinical and electrophysiologic evaluation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

A study was conducted to determine the incidence of ulnar and peripheral neuropathy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis undergoing total elbow arthroplasty and the effect it has on ulnar nerve function after surgery. Preoperative and postoperative clinical and electrodiagnostic examinations were completed in 10 patients. Before surgery 4 patients had clinical and electrophysiologic evidence of a neuropathy (2 each with a peripheral neuropathy and an ulnar neuropathy). One patient had subclinical evidence of a chronic T-1 radiculopathy. After surgery 2 patients showed neurologic improvement (1 had ulnar neuropathy and 1 had diabetic neuropathy). One patient who had normal test results before surgery developed transient ulnar sensory symptoms after surgery. An electrodiagnostic study confirmed an ulnar neuropathy that was not detected on physical examination; the electrodiagnostic findings improved 4 months later. We found that a large percentage of patients (40%) with rheumatoid arthritis had evidence of ulnar or peripheral neuropathy before surgery. The presence of an ulnar or peripheral neuropathy did not predispose patients to develop postoperative ulnar nerve dysfunction either clinically or electrophysiologically. Preoperative and postoperative physical and electrodiagnostic examination results correlated in 9 of the 10 patients.
Responsiveness of Human Subjects to Human Growth Hormone: Relation to Bone Age

ABSTRACT In 3 types of short children, the effect of 7 days' treatment with human growth hormone (hGH) on daily balances of N, P, Na and K and on body weight was measured. Group I consisted of 17 children with short stature (<3rd percentile) and retarded bone age (<80% of chronologic age) caused by growth hormone (GH) deficiency; Group IIa, 10 children with short stature, normal serum GH response to insulin and arginine, and normal bone age; Group IIb, 9 children with short stature, normal serum GH response to insulin and arginine, and retarded bone age. Four daily doses of hGH were used: A, 0.0168 U/kg body wt3'4; B. 0.0532 U/kg body wt¾; C, 0.168 U/kg body wt¾; D, 0.532 U/kg body wt¾. At each dose, responses by Group I were 1.5 to 3 times greater than those of Group IIb and responses of Group IIb were 3 to 4 times greater than those of Group IIa. The data show that in short children with normal serum growth hormone response to insulin and arginine, responsiveness to hGH is proportional to degree of reta...
DDM: decision support system for hierarchical dynamic decision making

Abstract A simulation-based decision support system for AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) is presented in this paper. The software, named DDM (Dynamic Decision Making), is applicable to dynamic decision scenarios where probabilistic interactions exist between the factors in the AHP hierarchy. Decision scenarios are generated using probability information specified by the user. The output of the simulation is the relative frequency of the selection of each alternative rather than a single final selection. The decision maker will evaluate the distribution histogram and make final selection based on his or her own inherent disposition to risk. DDM can be used for forecasting or for evaluating strategic planning options.
Secretory phospholipase A2-IIa is a target gene of the HER/HER2-elicited pathway and a potential plasma biomarker for poor prognosis of prostate cancer†

BACKGROUND Our previous study showed that prostate cancer cells overexpress and secrete secretory phospholipases A2 group IIa (sPLA2-IIa) and plasma sPLA2-IIa was elevated in prostate cancer patients. The current study further explored the underlying mechanism of sPLA2-IIa overexpression and the potential role of sPLA2-IIa as a prostate cancer biomarker. METHODS Plasma and tissue specimens from prostate cancer patients were analyzed for sPLA2-IIa levels. Regulation of sPLA2-IIa expression by Heregulin-α was determined by Western blot and reporter assay. RESULTS We found that Heregulin-α enhanced expression of the sPLA2-IIa gene via the HER2/HER3-elicited pathway. The EGFR/HER2 dual inhibitor Lapatinib and the NF-kB inhibitor Bortezomib inhibited sPLA2-IIa expression induced by Heregulin-α. Heregulin-α upregulated expression of the sPLA2-IIa gene at the transcriptional level. We further confirmed that plasma sPLA2-IIa secreted by mouse bearing human prostate cancer xenografts reached detectable plasma concentrations. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of patient plasma specimens revealed that high levels of plasma sPLA2-IIa, with the optimum cutoff value of 2.0 ng/ml, were significantly associated with high Gleason score (8–10) relative to intermediate Gleason score (6–7) prostate cancers and advanced relative to indolent cancers. The area under the ROC curve (area under curve, AUC) was 0.73 and 0.74, respectively. CONCLUSION We found that Heregulin-α, in addition to EGF, contributes to sPLA2-IIa overexpression in prostate cancer cells. Our findings support the notion that high levels of plasma sPLA2-IIa may serve as a poor prognostic biomarker capable of distinguishing aggressive from indolent prostate cancers, which may improve decision-making and optimize patient management. Prostate 72:1140–1149, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Calming music and hand massage with agitated elderly.

Background: Agitated behavior is a widespread problem that adversely affects the health of nursing home residents and increases the cost of their care. Objective: To examine whether modifying environmental stimuli by the use of calming music and hand massage affects agitated behavior in persons with dementia. Method: A four group, repeated measures experimental design was used to test the effect of a 10-minute exposure to either calming music, hand massage, or calming music and hand massage simultaneously, or no intervention (control) on the frequency and type of agitated behaviors in nursing home residents with dementia (N = 68). A modified version of the Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory was used to record agitated behaviors. Results: Each of the experimental interventions reduced agitation more than no intervention. The benefit was sustained and increased up to one hour following the intervention (F = 6.47. p <.01). The increase in benefit over time was similar for each intervention group. When types of agitated behaviors were examined separately, none of the interventions significantly reduced physically aggressive behaviors (F = 1.93, p =.09), while physically nonaggressive behaviors decreased during each of the interventions (F = 3.78, p < 01). No additive benefit resulted from simultaneous exposure to calming music and hand massage. At one hour following any intervention, verbally agitated behavior decreased more than no intervention. Conclusion: Calming music and hand massage alter the immediate environment of agitated nursing home residents to a calm structured surrounding, offsetting disturbing stimuli, but no additive benefit was found by combining interventions simultaneously.
Graph coloring with quantum heuristics

We present a quantum computer heuristic search algorithm for graph coloring. This algorithm uses a new quantum operator, appropriate for nonbinary-valued constraint satisfaction problems, and information available in partial colorings. We evaluate the algorithm empirically with small graphs near a phase transition in search performance. It improves on two prior quantum algorithms: unstructured search and a heuristic applied to the satisfiability (SAT) encoding of graph coloring. An approximate asymptotic analysis suggests polynomial-time cost for hard graph coloring problems, on average.
Identification of carcinogens by mutagenicity for arabidopsis

Abstract Of 56 known or suspected carcinogens and neoplastic chemicals of diverse structures, previously tested with animals, approx, 88% were found to be mutagenic for the plant Arabidopsis. This correlation is about as good as that observed in using the Ames test of Salmonella/microsomes. But the plant assay does not require previous activation of the chemicals or any other special treatment. The false negatives in Arabidopsis do not entirely overlap those of the bacterial assay. This plant assay is faster and less expensive than most direct mutagenic tests with other higher eukaryotes; also it encompasses a broad range of genetic alterations involving thousands of loci with many sites.
Pre-steady-state kinetic studies of Saccharomyces cerevisiae myristoylCoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase mutants identify residues involved in catalysis.

MyristoylCoA:protein N-myristoyltransferase (Nmt, EC 2.3.1.97), a member of the GCN5 acetyltransferase (GNAT) superfamily, is an essential eukaryotic enzyme that catalyzes covalent attachment of myristate (C14:0) to the N-terminal Gly of proteins involved in myriad cellular functions. The 2.5 A resolution structure of a ternary complex of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Nmt1p with a bound substrate peptide (GLYASKLA) and nonhydrolyzable myristoylCoA analogue [Farazi, T. A., et al. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 6335] was used as the basis for a series of mutagenesis experiments designed to define the enzyme's catalytic mechanism. The kinetic properties of an F170A/L171A Nmt mutant are consistent with the proposal that their main chain amides, located in a β-bulge structure conserved among GNATs, function as an oxyanion hole to polarize the thioester carbonyl of bound myristoylCoA prior to subsequent nucleophilic attack. Removal of the two C-terminal residues (M454 and L455) produces a 300−400-fold reduction in the chem...
Concentration Fields in the Solidification Processing of Metal Matrix Composites

Abstract A numerical investigation of the solidification of a binary alloy (Al-1.0 wt.% Cu) around cylindrical fibers with different fiber layouts and thermophysical properties was undertaken to gain insight into the processing of fiber-reinforced metal matrix composites. The focus of this study was on solute transport and redistribution during the solidification process, and the resulting concentration fields in the solidified alloy matrix. Change of phase in the alloy was formulated using a modified version of the temperature-transforming method for the energy equation. A source term that accounts for the solute rejection at the interface was incorporated into the solute concentration equation to model solute redistribution at the interface. Detailed results were obtained from the numerical simulations of low-(alumina) and high-(copper) conductivity fibers in inline and staggered configurations. Effects of the fiber pitch (longitudinal spacing) and transverse spacing were investigated. Higher concentrations of solute were seen to accumulate around copper fibers than for alumina fibers. With an initial, uniform concentration of 1.0 wt.% Cu in the melt, the maximum-recorded solute concentration in the domain for alumina fibers was 1.26% while that for copper fibers was 3.11%. For inline fibers, increasing the fiber pitch beyond a critical value did not change the overall shape of the local solute distribution around the fibers: the critical pitch for alumina fibers was found to be roughly 2.5 fiber diameters while that for copper was 2 fiber diameters.
Statistical atomic models with piecewise exponentially decaying electron densities

If it is assumed that the electron density of an atom in its ground state is piecewise exponentially decreasing as a function of the distance from the nucleus, then it is shown that much improved values for the energy, and electron densities exhibiting shell structure, are obtained from optimization of the density functionals of Thomas-Fermi, Thomas-Fermi-Dirac, and Thomas-Fermi-Dirac with inhomogeneity correction. An inhomogeneity correction which is one-ninth of the original Weizsacker correction is favored. Numerical results are presented for all first-row atoms and selected second-row atoms, and comparisons are made with results of other methods.