cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transcription: In tune with the histones

The regulation of transcription in eukaryotes relies upon the histone proteins in several essential ways. The incorporation of the binding sites for the basal transcriptional machinery into nucleosomes serves to repress transcription. Specific regulatory molecules other than the basal transcriptional machinery exist that can associate with nucleosomal DNA and initiate a chain of events that disrupt repressive histone-DNA complexes. The main players in this story have been defined physically and genetically and include positioned nucleosomes, interactions of the histone tetramer (H3-H4)2 with DNA, the N-terminal tails of histones H3 and H4, and a large general activator complex. How they fit together biochemically is yet to be defined. The genetic data demonstrate that the disruption of histone-DNA complexes plays a major role in the induction of transcription from many genes. However, not all genes are repressed by nucleosome assembly: certain promoters make use of the staged assembly of chromatin in vivo and a rapid and tight association of transacting factors with promoter elements to remain constitutively active. Moreover, nucleosome assembly is not necessarily repressive, since the folding of DNA by the histones can facilitate the activation of genes by bringing widely separated regulatory elements into juxtaposition. Thus, histones provide the necessary infrastructure for the correct and efficient operation of the transcriptional machinery; however, their exact contributions to the transcriptional regulation of an individual gene may depend on the spatial distribution of regulatory elements, the transcription factors involved, and the three-dimensional folding of DNA that they direct.
Closed-chest cell injections into mouse myocardium guided by high-resolution echocardiography

The mouse is an important model for the development of therapeutic stem cell/bone marrow cell implantation to treat ischemic myocardium. However, its small heart size hampers accurate implantation ...
Potentiation by propranolol of stress-induced changes in passive avoidance and open-field emergence tests in mice.

Noradrenergic and serotonergic systems are known to be stimulated during various forms of stress. The present study examined the effect of the β-adrenergic serotonin1A receptor blocker propranolol on the ability of stress to elicit behavioral inhibition in mice. Mice were given the drug before immobilization or tube-restraint stress, and then were tested for either passive avoidance performance or time to emerge into an open field. Propranolol markedly potentiated stress-induced increases in latency in both of these tests, suggesting that it exacerbated reactions to stress. These results agree with previous data indicating that under certain conditions, propranolol can potentiate the effects of stress in rodents. The results support the hypothesis that the response of the noradrenergic and/or serotonergic systems to stress may have anxiolytic or antistress effects.
Modern surface pollen from three transects across the Southern Sonoran desert margin, Northwestern Mexico

Surface pollen samples collected along three transects that cross the southern margin of the Sonoran Desert east of the Gulf of California reflect regional vegetation gradients but also show strong local variability, notably within the southern desert. Chenopodiaceae‐Amaranthaceae (Cheno‐Am) and Gramineae pollen dominate in tropical deciduous forest; Pinus and Quercus in temperate‐climate vegetation at high elevations; and Gramineae and High‐Spine Compositae in the central Sonoran Desert (>29° N). The ERA group (composed largely of Euphorbiaceae, Rutaceae, Anacardiaceae), Gramineae, Cheno‐Am, and High‐Spine Compositae pollen inter‐vary but dominate as a group in the southern desert; Cheno‐Am here may signal irrigated agriculture. Coastal sites differ from the above, with Cheno‐Am pollen strongly dominant in saline conditions.
Non-prisoner’s dilemma

Abstract All prisoner’s dilemma experiments pre-select contestants, prevents them from communicating and changing partners in the middle of things. This brief experiment changes all three of these conditions, and gets a very high degree of cooperation.
The beta ray spectrum and the average beta energy of several isotopes of interest in medicine and biology.

Abstract The beta ray spectra and the average energy has been calculated for 59 isotopes of interest in medicine and biology. For each isotope, the average energy, the beta ray spectrum, and a table including the pertinent input data used for computation, is given.
A survey of very-long-term outcomes after traumatic brain injury among members of a population-based incident cohort

Abstract To assess quality of life and barriers to participation in vocational and community life for persons with traumatic brain injury (TBI) over the very-long term, a population-based cohort was identified in Olmsted County, Minnesota; 1623 individuals were identified as having experienced a confirmed TBI while a resident of Olmsted County, Minnesota, during the period from 1935–2000. A survey was sent to eligible individuals that included elements of standardized instruments addressing health status and disability, and questions that assessed issues important to successful social reintegration after TBI. Of 1623 eligible participants sent surveys, 605 responded (37% response rate). Thirty-nine percent of respondents were female and 79% had mild injuries. Mean age at injury was 30.8 years, and mean years since injury was 28.8. Overall, respondents reported living in the community; the majority were married and had achieved education beyond high school. Problems with memory, thinking, and physical and ...
Anterior olfactory nucleus or lateral olfactory tract destruction in rats and changes in appetitive and aversive behavior.

Abstract Previous research with rats demonstrated a continuum of behavioral and biochemical effects following variable olfactory system damage. In general, increased removal of olfactory tissue along an antero-posterior axis amplified both behavioral and biochemical changes. The present experiments were undertaken to explore possible roles of the anterior olfactory nucleus (AON) and lateral olfactory tract (LOT) in the observed behavioral phenomena. Destruction of either structure decreased passive avoidance performance but selectively affected shuttle box avoidance performance; viz, AON destruction decreased it slightly whereas LOT destruction enhanced it. Animals with LOT destruction were also more emotional than AONs when handled and, when extensively lesioned, were more active in an open field than all other groups. In a bar pressing task for continuous reinforcement, AONs pressed significantly more than SHAMs during extinction although the LOT mean was also higher. When lesion size was correlated with the scores on several tests, AONs correlated positively with passive avoidance, shuttle box avoidance, and time to reach the extinction criterion in the bar pressing test while LOT lesions correlated negatively with shuttle box avoidance and bar press extinction time. The results were discussed against a background of other olfactory system lesions and some possible roles of the LOT and AON in reactivity to stimulation and responsiveness to reinforcement were considered. The close anatomical connections between the olfactory and limbic systems and similar behavioral changes after both limbic and olfactory lesions suggested a possible basis for the observed effects.
Low parent health literacy is associated with ‘obesogenic’ infant care behaviours

Commentary on : Yin HS, Sanders LM, Rothman RL, et al. Parent health literacy and “obesogenic” feeding and physical activity-related infant care behaviours. J Pediatr 2014;164:577–83.e1.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3][Web of Science][4] Family-centred childhood obesity prevention programmes are recommended from the prenatal period onwards.1 ,2 Such programmes address obesogenic infant care behaviours including: infant feeding including formula feeding, provision of sweet drinks and early introduction … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DJ%2BPediatr%26rft.volume%253D164%26rft.spage%253D577%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252Fj.jpeds.2013.11.014%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24370343%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.11.014&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=24370343&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F18%2F2%2F46.atom [4]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000331539100030&link_type=ISI
Simulating the Stability of Colloidal Amorphous Iron Oxide in Natural Water

Considerable uncertainty exists as to whether existing thermodynamic equilibrium solid/water partitioning paradigms can be used to assess the mobility of insoluble manufactured nanomaterials in the aquatic environment. In this work, the traditional Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek theory of colloidal particle stability was examined by using three published expressions for estimating critical coagulation concentrations (CCCs; i.e., the minimum ionic strength needed to induce rapid self-aggregation) via incorporation of diffuse-layer potential estimates obtained from MINTEQA2 geochemical model implementations of an enhanced version of the MIT diffuse-layer model (DLM) and the historical triple-layer model (TLM). Amorphous iron oxide was selected as a test colloid in this assessment and its electrostatic properties were simulated over a pH range of 4 to 10 in 0.7 M seawater, 0.1 M diluted seawater, world average river water, US continental average groundwater and Midwestern US 50th percentile rainwater. Findings from the study included: (1) sources of variation in predictions of the onset of rapid colloidal particle self-aggregation were observed to occur in the following order: aquatic chemistry > selection of DLM vs. TLM diffuse-layer potentials > uncertainties in the Hamaker constant > selection of CCC equation ≈ the distance to the plane of shear (with the DLM), (2) the magnitude of the DLM diffuse-layer potential estimates exceeded that of the TLM estimates, (3) TLM diffuse-layer potential estimates were consistent with a conjecture by Loux and Anderson, Colloids and Surfaces A, 177, 123–131, (2001) that the magnitude of environmental interfacial potentials were likely to be less than RT/F (~25 mV) and DLM estimates were not, and (4) TLM estimates predict that amorphous iron oxide suspensions are likely to be relatively stable only in high pH rainwater; DLM estimates predict relative colloidal iron oxide suspension stability in rainwater and extreme pH river waters. These predictions of rapid aggregation are at least qualitatively in accord with data published in the literature.
Rehabilitation of Cracked Aluminum Connections with GFRP Composites for Fatigue Stresses

The original design of existing aluminum overhead sign structures (OSS) did not consider fatigue as a limit state. Cracks propagate in the welds of the connection between the main chord and branches of OSS due to fatigue stresses caused by wind-induced vibration, which occasionally lead to complete fracture of the welds. A rehabilitation method for cracked aluminum welded connections using glass fiber-reinforced Polymer (GFRP) composites is investigated for its effectiveness under fatigue stresses. The results of constant amplitude fatigue tests for three types of aluminum connections from actual OSS are presented: (1) connections with no known cracks; (2) cracked connections rehabilitated with GFRP composites; and (3) connections with 90% of the weld removed and subsequently repaired with GFRP composites. The fatigue limits of the three connection types are established for four stress ranges including the constant amplitude fatigue limit threshold. The rehabilitated connections from OSS exceeded the fati...
Normalization of Modules

We introduce techniques to derive estimates for the degrees of the generators of the integral closure of several classes of Rees algebras of modules, and to bound the length of normalization processes. In the case of regular base rings, the bounds are expressed in terms of Buchsbaum–Rim multiplicities and a module version of Briancon–Skoda numbers.
Integration of gastric distension and gustatory responses in the parabrachial nucleus.

Palatable gustatory stimuli promote feeding, whereas gastric distension generally inhibits this behavior. We explored a neural basis for integration of these opposing sensory signals by evaluating the effect of gastric distension on gustatory responses in the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) of anesthetized rats. Sixteen percent of 92 taste cells were coactivated; they responded to independent taste or gastric distension stimulus application. Modulation of taste responses by distension was more prevalent; taste responses declined 37% in response to distension in 25% of the cells and increased by 46% in 10% of cells. Across the whole population, however, the suppressive effect of distension on taste responses was small (6%). The incidence of modulation did not vary as a simple hedonic function of gustatory sensitivity, i.e., similar proportions of sucrose-, citric-acid-, and QHCl-best, but not NaCl-best, neurons were modulated by gastric distension. Coactivated, modulated, and nonmodulated gustatory-responsive cells were intermingled in the gustatory zone of the caudal PBN. The suppression of PBN taste responses by visceral stimulation may reflect a mechanism for satiation and further implicates the PBN in the control of ingestive function.
Recognition of Z-RNA and Z-DNA Determinants by Polyamines in Solution: Experimental and Theoretical Studies

Abstract Protonated polyamines are among the most efficient cations that induce the left-handed Z-form in certain polynucleotides. It is not known, however, whether these cations bind to specific sites on Z-sequences in solution. We have studied potential polyamine binding sites by measuring the effects of polyamines on the binding of purified immunoglobulins (IgGs) to different regions of the Z-helix and by molecular mechanics modeling. The specific binding of anti-Z-DNA and anti-Z-RNA IgGs to Z-helices was studied as a function of spermidine or spermine concentration. The effect of polyamines on the antibody-nucleic acid interaction was different for lgGs with different specificities for various determinants on the Z-helix. Polyamines inhibit the binding of certain anti-Z IgGs directed against specific sites probably at or near the interface between the major convex surface and the phosphate backbone, most likely by competing with the antibody binding site(s). In contrast, polyamines have no effect on o...
Explicit and default negation in databases and logic programs

Both relational databases and logic programs adopt some form of nonmonotonic reasoning in order to infer negative information. Relational databases adopt the Closed World Assumption (CWA) of Reiter. It can be easily seen that much greater expressivity is gained if negative information can be explicitly stated. This turns out to be especially true in the presence of uncertain or incomplete information in the database. The aim of this work is to investigate the handling of incomplete information in an open world setting. For logic programs, the class of extended logic programs has already been defined and studied. Of the programs declared contradictory by most of the semantics proposed so far, some programs may in fact have an appropriate meaning. In this paper, we present a new semantics for logic programs with explicit negation where the derivation of a literal is tied to the derivation of its complement.
Developmental potential and dynamic behavior of hematopoietic stem cells

We have used retrovirus-mediated gene transfer to mark hematopoietic stem cells in vitro and have tracked the fate of these cells after their transplantation into lethally irradiated recipients. Several classes of stem cells are demonstrated, including cells whose progeny completely repopulate all hematopoietic lineages as well as cells that contribute predominantly to certain lineages or to specific anatomical locations. In a majority of recipients, we find that few (1 or 2) stem-cell clones account for the majority of the mature hematopoietic cells. These results coupled with retransplantation studies suggest an in vivo mechanism for the temporal control of stem-cell use. Further studies based on periodic sampling of primary recipients suggest that normal hematopoiesis results from the sequential activation of different stem-cell clones rather than from an averaged contribution of the entire stem-cell pool.
A Heuristic for Clock Selection in High-Level Synthesis

Clock selection has a significant impact on the performance and quality of designs in high-level synthesis. In most synthesis systems, a convenient value of the clock is chosen or exact (and expensive) methods have been used for clock selection. This paper presents a novel heuristic approach for near-optimal clock selection for synthesis systems. This technique is based on critical paths in the dataflow graph. In addition, we introduce and exploit a new figure of merit called the activity factor to choose the best possible clock. Extensive experimental results show that the proposed technique is very fast and produces optimal solutions in a large number of cases; in those cases, where it is not optimal, we are off by just a few percent from optimal.
Autoantibody and tumor promotion.

SummaryFollowing treatment of Strain A mice with either croton oil or TPA, autoantibodies were detected by passive hemagglutination in the sera of the mice.Autoantibody to skin was induced in Strain A mice by the repeated injection of syngeneic skin and liver. Higher levels of antibody were achieved by injection of xenogeneic skin.Mice initiated with DMBA were injected with syngeneic liver and skin. The injected mice developed significantly higher levels of tumors than did noninjected controls. Xenogeneic skin injections produced high levels of autoantibody but did not promote tumor development.The results suggest that autoantibody may play a role in the promotion of tumors.
BEHAVIORAL COACHING IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF SKILLS IN FOOTBALL, GYMNASTICS, AND TENNIS

A review of the literature indicates that methods of skill acquisition based on the operant paradigm have been scientifically validated with many motor behaviors. However, these procedures have been limited to the use of positive reinforcement for correct performance when applied to the acquisition of complex sports skills in natural settings. To find complementary procedures to enhance skill acquisition, a coaching method involving several behavioral techniques was developed that focused on remediation of errors. This coaching method combined the following components: (1) systematic use of verbal instructions and feedback, (2) positive and negative reinforcement, (3) positive practice, and (4) time out. Three sports, football, gymnastics, and tennis, were selected to determine the effectiveness and generality of this behavioral coaching method. A total of 23 male and female subjects, ranging in age from 11 to 35, was included in this study. Baseline data were first collected for each sport under standard coaching conditions. Next, the behavioral coaching method was evaluated depending on the sport in either a multiple baseline or a reversal design. The behavioral dimensions selected were blocking in football; backward walkovers, front hand springs, and reverse kips in gymnastics; and the forehand, backhand, and serve in tennis. Behavioral coaching was immediately effective in increasing the correct execution of complex skills in all three sports. Gains of up to 10 times the baseline performance were achieved in each sport. In football, behavioral coaching resulted in an increase in correct blocking performance from a baseline average of 5% to 51.3%. Gymnasts' performances increased from baseline averages of 2.7% to 52.6% across the three skills. In tennis, standard coaching produced an average of 6% correct performance which increased dramatically under behavioral coaching to 57% across the three strokes. The success of the behavioral coaching package used here suggests that a technology of behavior may offer additional and complementary strategies to the acquisition of motor skills in the natural environment.
Effect of nursing on Brucella abortus infection of mammary glands of goats.

Eight 1 -year-old, goats were inoculated intravenously with Brucella abortus (B. abortus) on the day of parturition and necropsied at 28 days after inoculation. Four nursed their kids and four did not (milk was not removed from the udders). Tissues and fluids were examined by bacterial isolation, light microscopy, and serologic methods. Nonnursing goats had high titers of brucellae (I 1 On organisms/ml) in milk (brucellae were isolated from four of four udders), had marked enlargement of supramammary lymph nodes, and had lymphoplasmacytic and histiocytic interstitial mastitis. Immunoperoxidase staining revealed that brucellae were primarily in macrophages and neutrophils of the mammary alveolar and ductal lumens and in macrophages of the subcapsular sinuses of the supramammary lymph node. In contrast, nursing goats excreted brucellae inter- mittently at low concentrations (< lo3 organisms/ml) in milk; brucellae were isolated at necropsy from one of four udders; supramammary lymph nodes were not enlarged; and mammary lesions were not seen. Brucellae were detected in more tissues other than the udder, and serum anti-Brucella antibody titers were higher in nonnursing goats than in nursing goats. The present study indicates that the failure to nurse or release milk enhances localization and replication of B. abortus in mammary glands of goats after parturition, and that mammary gland infection may result in increased systemic spread and persistence of brucellae in the host. Brucella abortus, a Gram-negative, facultative-in- tracellular bacterium, has a marked affinity for mam- mary glands and supramammary lymph nodes in per- sistently infected cows.4,7,11,12,28 Mammary gland infection is typically clinically inapparent, and gross lesions are not detected. Microscopically, there is a lobular and periductal, lymphoplasmacytic and histio- cytic interstitial mastitis with leukocytes in alveoli and duct^.^,^,^^ Lesions are not seen in all infected mammae
The psychophysics of temperature perception and thermal-interface design

This research is focused on the development and evaluation of a thermal display that could be incorporated into a haptic device. A review of the research on human temperature perception has assisted in specifying the characteristics required for such a display, and has revealed areas in which there is insufficient knowledge to make these specifications. For example, the number of cooling and/or warming elements that could be processed independently is unknown, as is the extent to which spatial summation would influence the perception of these independent inputs. A thermal display is being developed with the objective of determining how thermal cues should best be presented to subjects. A preliminary study on the perception of thermal cues from materials of varying thermal conductivity was conducted and revealed that when only thermal information is available for materials with high thermal conductivity differences in the order of 200-300 W m/sup -1/ k/sup -1/ are required in order to perceive that two samples with similar surface structure differ.
Tracing Consumer-Derived Nitrogen in Riverine Food Webs

The flux of consumer-derived nutrients is recognized as an important ecosystem process, yet few studies have quantified the impact of these fluxes on freshwater ecosystems. The high abundance of bivalves in both marine and freshwater suggests that bivalves can exert large effects on aquatic food webs. The objective of our study was to determine the importance of unionid mussel-derived nitrogen (MDN) to the food web. We used a stable isotope tracer approach in conjunction with nutrient uptake and excretion experiments. We fed mussels (Lampsilis siliquiodea, n = 249) a 15N-enriched algal diet and placed them into a N-limited stream for 63 days. Mussel hemolymph was non-lethally sampled over the course of the experiment to measure tissue turnover of δ15N and excretion experiments were done to model the amount of N mussels provided in comparison to stream N uptake demand. Multiple food web pools were sampled twice prior and five times following the mussel addition to trace the 15N through the food web. Our mussel excretion rates in comparison to areal uptake demand suggested that mussel excretion can account for 40% of the total N demand in this stream. Our enrichment showed that MDN was entering the food web and supplied up to 19% of the N in specific compartments of the food web near the mussel bed. When scaled to a natural mussel aggregation, our results suggest up to 74% of N in the food web may be mussel-derived. Our results show that N supplied by mussels can be an important nutrient subsidy that provides food web support.
Causality in Epidemiology

This article provides an introduction to the meaning of causality in epidemiology and methods that epidemiologists use to distinguish causal associations from non-causal ones. Alternatives to causal association are discussed in detail. Hill’s guidelines, set forth approximately 50 years ago, and more recent developments are reviewed. The role of religious and philosophic views in our understanding of
Eosinophils Act as Antigen-Presenting Cells to Induce Immunity to Strongyloides stercoralis in Mice

The objective of the present study was to explore the ability of eosinophils to present Strongyloides stercoralis antigen in naive and immunized mice. Antigen-pulsed eosinophils were injected intraperitoneally into naive or immunized mice, and then mice were examined for antigen-specific immune responses. A single inoculation of antigen-pulsed eosinophils was sufficient to prime naive mice and to boost immunized mice for antigen-specific T helper cell type 2 (Th2) immune responses with increased interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 production. Mice inoculated 3 times with live eosinophils pulsed with antigen showed significant increases in parasite antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) M and IgG levels in their serum. Antigen-pulsed eosinophils deficient in major histocompatibility complex class II molecules or antigen-pulsed dead eosinophils failed to induce immune responses, thereby demonstrating the requirement for direct interaction between eosinophils and T cells. These experiments demonstrate that eosinophils function as antigen-presenting cells for the induction of the primary and the expansion of the secondary Th2 immune responses to S. stercoralis in mice.
Adeno-Associated Virus as a Vector for Liver-Directed Gene Therapy

Factors relevant to the successful application of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for liver-directed gene therapy were evaluated. Vectors with different promoters driving expression of human α-1-antitrypsin (α-1AT) were injected into the portal circulation of immunodeficient mice. α-1AT expression was stable but dependent on the promoter. Southern analysis of liver DNA revealed approximately 0.1 to 2.0 provirus copies/diploid genome in presumed head-to-tail concatamers. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis revealed expression in approximately 5% of hepatocytes clustered in the pericentral region. These results support the use of AAV as a vector for diseases treatable by targeting of hepatocytes.
Anthropogenic nitrogen sources and relationships to riverine nitrogen export in the northeastern U.S.A.

Human activities have greatly altered the nitrogen (N) cycle, accelerating the rate of N fixation in landscapes and delivery of N to water bodies. To examine relationships between anthropogenic N inputs and riverine N export, we constructed budgets describing N inputs and losses for 16 catchments, which encompass a range of climatic variability and are major drainages to the coast of the North Atlantic Ocean along a latitudinal profile from Maine to Virginia. Using data from the early 1990’s, we quantified inputs of N to each catchment from atmospheric deposition, application of nitrogenous fertilizers, biological nitrogen fixation, and import of N in agricultural products (food and feed). We compared these inputs with N losses from the system in riverine export.
Induction of the 70 kDa heat shock protein stress response inhibits autophagy: possible consequences for pregnancy outcome

AbstractAim: The induction of heat shock protein synthesis and activation of autophagy are intracellular processes stimulated under adverse conditions. We evaluated the relationship between intracellular concentrations of the inducible 70 kDa heat shock protein (hsp70) and autophagy induction in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) following exposure to sera from pregnant and non-pregnant women.Methods: Autophagy was induced in PBMCs by incubation for 48 h with sera from 42 pregnant women at mid-gestation and 45 non-pregnant women. Intracellular concentrations of hsp70 and p62 were measured by ELISA. p62 is a cytoplasmic protein that is consumed during autophagy induction. Its concentration in the cytoplasm is inversely proportional to the extent of autophagy induction (high p62 = low autophagy).Results: The p62 concentration was highly correlated with the hsp70 level utilizing sera from both pregnant (Spearman r = 0.4731, p = 0.0015) and non-pregnant (Spearman r = 0.6214, p < 0.0001) women. M...
Composites as Biomaterials

The search for new biomaterials concerns many different workers, including clinicians who are able to define their needs in terms of what a device will do and for how long. This is generally derived from the nature and behavior of the tissue or organ which is in need of augmentation or replacement. However, a very long and complex process begins once a need is identified, a process which involves materials scientists who can prescribe materials with properties which match the requirements of the clinicians, engineers who must design and fabricate a functioning device from such materials and toxicologists, biochemists, bacteriologists, pathologists who must ensure that the introduction of devices made from these materials will not produce effects in the patient other than those intended. Investigations are concerned mainly with the effect of the implant material on local and distant tissues but must also examine the effect of body fluids and the physiological environment on materials, which may be unexpected.
Evaluating Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: A Performance Index and Statistical Model

This work is concerned with defining a performance index that can be used as an objective measure in the evaluation and comparison of ad hoc networking protocols. Specifically, we introduce a performance index that aggregates performance results from multiple response metrics into a single scalar value that quantifies overall system performance, leading to more objective evaluations and comparisons. Using a statistical-based experimental design and analysis strategy, we illustrate the advantages of the proposed performance index by comparing two ad hoc networking systems over a wide range of networking scenarios. Based on the results of this analysis, we develop an empirical model that characterizes the relationship between the proposed performance index, four response metrics (packet delivery ratio, end-to-end delay, routing overhead, and jitter) and four influential factors (node mobility, offered load, network size, and routing protocol).
Pioneers of Parametrics: Origins and Evolution of Software Cost Estimation

This article provides an historical account of the development of the field of software cost estimation, specifically the area of parametrics, through information obtained during interviews of 13 pioneers in the field. Cost model developers, users, and practitioners were interviewed with the intent to capture their views on the impact between cost estimation research and practice. Each perspective sheds light on the areas in which the field of parametrics has had an impact and which synergies have been influential in the development of the field. The implications of the findings are discussed in light of the future challenges for the field of parametrics.
Non-initiation of hepatitis C virus antiviral therapy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus co-infection

Non-initiation of hepatitis C virus antiviral therapy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus co-infection
Real-Ear Attenuation under Laboratory and Industrial Test Conditions as Provided by Selected Hearing Protectors

To determine if controlled laboratory measurement procedures could yield realistic estimates of actual hearing protector performance achieved in the workplace, laboratory and field studies were performed using a like set of test protocols and hearing protection devices (HPDs). The laboratory experiment, using 40 naive subjects, investigated the effects of HPD wearing time, activity movement, and 2 fitting conditions (naive subject-fit vs. trained subject-fit), on spectral attenuation afforded by a slow-recovery foam earplug, premolded plug, foam cushion earmuff, and the muff worn over the foam plug. The field study, using 40 noise-exposed industrial workers, determined the protection obtained over 6 weeks of HPD use in 5 industrial workplaces. Statistical contrasts of mean data across frequency showed that the laboratory post-activity task (i.e., worst case) attenuation results overestimated the field attenuation by 8.3 dB (under the subject-fit) and 5.7 dB (under the trained-fit) for the user-molded foam...
Brain chromatin activity of morphine-treated rats.

SummaryBrain chromatin isolated from morphine-treated rats exhibited a significantly lower capacity to promote RNA synthesis than chromatin from control rats. The effect was not caused by either ribonuclease or an RNA polymerase inhibitor extracted during the isolation of chromatin. Removal of protein from chromatin DNA abolished the effect. The in vitro addition of morphine to brain chromatin from untreated animals produced no effect.
Momentum-Entire Wavelets with Discrete Rotational Symmetries in 2D

We introduce wavelet bases consistent with the eigenspaces of the action of rotation by the angle 2π/N in dimension d = 2. Our particular construction yields wavelets that are momentrum-entire (a property weaker than the compact support property). The orthogonality of wavelets in a given eigenspace is based on an inner product that depends on the eigenspace, while the eigenspaces themselves form a super-orthogonal system over a certain family of Hilbert spaces. (We describe this notion in the Introduction.) The existence of a gradient-orthonormal basis of momentum-entire wavelets is an issue that remains open.
Cost-effectiveness analysis on the HIV voluntary counseling and testing in Xinjiang

Objectives To evaluate the economics of Xinjiang acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS) free voluntary counseling and testing work efficiency.Methods Cost-effectiveness analysis was used in investigating and analyzing the 2008-2010 AIDS funding for counseling and testing resources,the number of detected cases,cost in each case detection,the number of people infected by HIV,used EXCEL2010 software to establish a database and data analysis.Results The implement of HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing(VCT) from 2008 to 2010 provided for 128 606 persons;the average cost of VCT in 2010 was 24.03 RMB each person,the average cost of confirming HIV infection in 2010 was 549.28 RMB each person;the average cost of VCT in 2009 was 29.52 RMB,the average cost of confirming HIV infection in 2010 was 471.14 RMB;the average cost of VCT in 2008 was 37.71 RMB each person,the average cost of confirming HIV infection in 2010 was 509.28 RMB each person.Conclusion The system of HIV VCT has good effect;more people engaged in HIV VCT would take more cost effective value;Implementation on the HIV Voluntary Counseling Testing work should bet promoted.
Fast(er) MR imaging.

The author reviews the methods used for rapid MR scanning, including gradient echo, fast spin echo, and planar sequences. Each of these approaches can be understood by evaluation of the relationship of the fundamental MR parameters such as T1 and T2 values to operator selected variables such as TR, TE, and flip angles. Strategies for phase view acquisition and the application of high performance gradients are discussed.
Evidence that dopamine-2 mechanisms control renal function.

Dopamine is synthesized by the kidney, and dopamine-2 (DA2) receptors are present in the renal glomerulus. However, no role for DA2 receptors in the kidney has been defined. We investigated the possible role of DA2 receptors in control of renal function by intrarenal infusion of a highly specific DA2 antagonist YM-09151 (YM), in conscious uninephrectomized dogs (n = 5) in metabolic balance at Na intake 40 meq/day. YM infused at 0.01 pmol.kg-1.min-1 did not cause any changes in urinary flow rate or Na excretion. Administration of YM (infusions from 0.1 to 10.0 pmol.kg-1.min-1) caused a significant dose-dependent diuresis (F = 20.3; P less than 0.001) and natriuresis (F = 35.2; P less than 0.0001) and an increase in glomerular filtration rate (F = 45.4; P less than 0.0001), renal plasma flow (F = 209.3; P less than 0.0001), and filtration fraction (F = 11.2; P less than 0.0001). No significant changes in plasma renin activity, plasma aldosterone concentration, or mean arterial blood pressure occurred with a...
Nursing Student Attrition and Implications for Pre-Admission Advisement

The current shortage of nurses and the decreasing student applicant pool supports the need for institutions of higher education to examine the problem of nursing student attrition and possible solutions. This study surveyed 227 non-returning students to identify attrition factors. The results implicate problems with class scheduling, inadequate financial resources, and employment responsibilities. Twenty four nursing faculty members were additionally surveyed to identify factors. The faculty respondents target poor study skills as the primary problem, a finding not agreed on by the former students. These identified problem areas implicate inadequate preadmission advisement. Students should be made aware of the personal and financial costs of a nursing education prior to admission. Preadmission advising that provides an applicant with a more complete understanding of the nursing educational process may help prevent student attrition and the loss of new nurses to the profession.
Optogenetic analysis of striatal circuits

The striatum receives inputs from both cortical and subcortical structures, reflecting the role of the striatum as a limbic-motor interface. The relative simplicity of the cellular architecture of the striatum belies the complexity of the circuitry. Because synaptic inputs are intermingled, using classical methods to selectively activate or inhibit known populations of neurons has not been possible. The advent of optogenetics has enabled population-selective activation or inhibition in intact animals. In this review, I describe how optogenetic analysis can be used to study striatal circuits. First, I briefly introduce optogenetics and the widely used channelrhodopsin for excitation and halorhodopsin for inhibition. Next, I categorize optogenetic studies based on the approaches optogenetics have made possible, specifically (1) selective activation of identified synaptic inputs, (2) activation of convergent inputs to identify weak synaptic connections, (3) selective activation of identified neuronal populations in freely moving animals, and (4) cell identification for in vivo recording, and I discuss new insights into striatal circuits. Optogenetic approaches made impossible experiments possible and help to resolve the function of intact brain circuitry.
An Extension to Simulated Web-Based Threats and Their Impact on Knowledge Communication Effectiveness

This paper presents an extension to the study by Kock, Chatelain-Jardon, and Carmona (2008), An Experimental Study of Simulated Web-Based Threats and Their Impact on Knowledge Communication Effectiveness, and empirically validates their results. Kock and colleagues reported that enhanced memorization capacity can be used in computer interfaces to exploit knowledge communication. They evaluated the impact of an evolutionary adaptive web-simulated threat (simulated web-based snake attack) on the effectiveness of knowledge communication and reported positive and significant outcomes. This research extends their study by using a technology-related web-simulated threat and measuring its impact on knowledge communication effectiveness. This research showed that the subjects in the treatment condition performed approximately 34% better than those in the control condition, which, provides empirical support to the original study and shows how to exploit automatic brain mechanisms to enhance knowledge communication effectiveness throughout the design of computer interfaces.
Information Access Alliance Challenging anticompetitive behavior in academic publishing

Information Access Alliance (IAA) est une initiative impliquant plusieurs organisations professionnelles de bibliotheques aux Etats-Unis, destinee a lutter contre la tendance de l'edition scientifique et technique a la concentration economique et aux pratiques anticompetitives. La strategie d'IAA s'appuie sur la preparation d'un livre blanc denoncant l'impact des fusions entre editeurs sur les prix des revues, ainsi que sur la creation d'un reseau de porte-parole informes et influents.
Dynamic Force Analysis

For a kinematic chain, it is important to know how forces and moments are transmitted from the input to the output so that the links can be properly designated. The friction effects are assumed to be negligible in the force analysis. A particle is an object whose shape and geometrical dimensions are not significant to the investigation of its motion. An arbitrary collection of matter with total mass m can be divided into N particles, the i th particle having the mass, m i . A rigid body can be considered as a collection of particles in which the number of particles approaches infinity and the distance between any two points remains constant. The acceleration of the mass center can be related to the external forces acting on the system. This relationship is obtained by applying Newton's laws to each of the individual particles in the system. Any such particle is acted on by two types of forces. One type is exerted by other particles that are also part of the system. Such forces are called internal forces (internal to the system). Additionally, a particle can be acted on by a force that is exerted by a particle or object not included in the system. Such a force is known as an external force (external to the system).
Massively parallel simulations of relativistic fluid dynamics on graphics processing units with CUDA

Relativistic fluid dynamics is a major component in dynamical simulations of the quark–gluon plasma created in relativistic heavy-ion collisions. Simulations of the full three-dimensional dissipative dynamics of the quark–gluon plasma with fluctuating initial conditions are computationally expensive and typically require some degree of parallelization. In this paper, we present a GPU implementation of the Kurganov–Tadmor algorithm which solves the 3 + 1d relativistic viscous hydrodynamics equations including the effects of both bulk and shear viscosities. We demonstrate that the resulting CUDA-based GPU code is approximately two orders of magnitude faster than the corresponding serial implementation of the Kurganov–Tadmor algorithm. We validate the code using (semi-)analytic tests such as the relativistic shock-tube and Gubser flow.
Neurourologic evaluation and urologic management of spinal dysraphism

The urologic management of the spina bifida child has evolved considerably over the past 10 years. Clinicians now more fully understand the nature of the bladder dysfunction and are therefore able to modify this behavior by either conservative or surgical measures. The spina bifida child and parents can now be confident that the bladder can be appropriately rehabilitated with significant improvement in quality of life.
Engineered Regulatory Systems Modulate Gene Expression of Human Commensals in the Gut.

The gut microbiota is implicated in numerous aspects of health and disease, but dissecting these connections is challenging because genetic tools for gut anaerobes are limited. Inducible promoters are particularly valuable tools because these platforms allow real-time analysis of the contribution of microbiome gene products to community assembly, host physiology, and disease. We developed a panel of tunable expression platforms for the prominent genus Bacteroides in which gene expression is controlled by a synthetic inducer. In the absence of inducer, promoter activity is fully repressed; addition of inducer rapidly increases gene expression by four to five orders of magnitude. Because the inducer is absent in mice and their diets, Bacteroides gene expression inside the gut can be modulated by providing the inducer in drinking water. We use this system to measure the dynamic relationship between commensal sialidase activity and liberation of mucosal sialic acid, a receptor and nutrient for pathogens. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
Single-trigger dual-responsive nanoparticles for controllable and sequential prodrug activation

Here we have developed a novel approach where two synergistically acting drugs were completely inactivated upon chemical immobilization on a nanoparticle template and activated in response to a chemical stimulus. The activation rate of each drug payload is controlled using a biologically inert bioorthogonal chemistry approach. By exploiting the subtle differences in the ‘click-to-release’ bioorthogonal reaction, we engineered a single delivery platform capable of releasing the payloads in a time-staggered manner in response to a single dose of a highly specific, yet reactive, small molecule. Incorporation of both di-axial, ‘fast release’, and di-equatorial, ‘slow release’, TCO linkers into our nanodrug assembly inhibited the activity of the drug molecules and enabled us to control the timing and activation of each payload. This single-trigger dual-responsive nanoparticle construct and its release kinetics were characterized using two molecular fluorescent probes and tested in vitro for efficient delivery of molecular payloads. In this manuscript we show that this approach was also successful in the treatment of triple negative BT-20 breast cancer cells. Our nanodrug loaded with the slow-releasing doxorubicin and fast-releasing PAC-1 prodrugs displayed a greater therapeutic response than the nanodrug which released both payloads simultaneously.
Prosthetic trauma and politics in the National September 11 Memorial Museum

The National September 11 Memorial Museum opened in New York City in May 2014. Like other memorial museums, it uses affect and experience to produce in visitors what Alison Landsberg calls a “prosthetic memory” of 9/11: an individual, personal memory of 9/11 whether or not the visitor actually experienced the event. However, the museum also constructs 9/11 as an event that is collectively, culturally traumatic. Thus, the prosthetic memory might be better conceived as a “prosthetic trauma” that, in recreating for visitors the trauma of 9/11, encourages strong identification with the victims as embodiments of the American cultural identity that was targeted by the ideology of the terrorists. In this article, I examine how the 9/11 Museum constructs 9/11 as cultural trauma and uses the act of bearing witness to create “prosthetic trauma” and a simplistic dualism between good and evil that has important political implications.