cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Silk's cancer applications as a biodegradable material

Abstract Silk is a polymer commonly found in silkworm Bombyx mori (B. mori) cocoons and has great potential as the next notable sustainable biomaterial of the medical field. It primarily comprises two proteins: sericin and fibroin, the latter of which is removed in primary silk processing. The regenerated silk solution that results from silk processing may then be converted into a multitude of forms such as gels, foams, nanoparticles, and wafers. Some of its inherent properties such as its high biodegradability, biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and unique chemical structure have garnered the attention of many researchers across different fields. These many properties are manipulable in nature and offer further routes of optimization in silk's applications, especially in the field of cancer drug delivery. Researchers have managed to exploit some of silk's properties such as its first-order drug release profile and pH sensitivity for applications in the cancer tumor microenvironment, such as sustained drug delivery and pH-triggered drug release of silk nanoparticles. Silk possesses unique advantages in gene delivery, as transfection efficiency can be enhanced through the addition of cationic charges and functional groups (e.g., tumor-homing peptide, nuclear localization sequence) via chemical and physical modifications. Here, we review the in vivo and in vitro applications of silk fibroin as a sustainable and biodegradable biomaterial for cancer drug delivery.
Abstract 960: RNF43 G659fs is an oncogenic mutation in colorectal cancer and sensitizes tumor cells to PI3K/mTOR inhibition

Introduction: RNF43 is a transmembrane E3 ubiquitin ligase and WNT signaling suppressor that is commonly mutated in colorectal cancer (CRC). A C-terminal RNF43 hotspot mutation, RNF43_G659fs, occurs in approximately 36% (55/151) of microsatellite-instability (MSI)-high CRCs, but its underlying mechanism and function remain poorly understood. This study investigated the functional role of RNF43_G659fs in order to evaluate potential novel therapeutic approaches for tumors harboring this mutation. Methods: Isogenic RNF43117mut and RNF43659mut cell line models were generated using the CRISPR/Cas9 system to evaluate CRC tumorigenesis and WNT dependency. RNF43659mut was screened with a novel high-throughput drug repurposing library that employed a set of 5363 small molecules to identify compounds capable of selectively inhibiting RNF43659mut cell growth. Small molecules that selectively killed the RNF43659mut cells were validated in organoid models. Proteomic analysis, RNA-Seq and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) were performed to characterize mechanistic interactions and related signaling pathways of RNF43659mut in CRC. Results: Unlike N-terminal RNF43 frameshift mutations, we observed that RNF43659mut conferred a growth advantage over RNF43WT cells independent of WNT signaling. Furthermore, RNF43659mut and RNF43WT exhibited differential drug responses in the high-throughput drug repurposing screen which revealed that RNF43659mut cells were vulnerable to PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors, including BYL-719 (Alpelisib). Enhanced AKT and mTOR activation was observed in RNF43659mut cell and attenuated by BYL-719 treatment in a dose-dependent manner. These results were subsequently validated in patient-derived organoid models. Furthermore, immunoprecipitation and proteomic analysis revealed interactions between RNF43_G659fs and p85, a negative regulator of PI3K. We also demonstrated that the RNF43_G659fs mutant activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling through binding and degradation of p85. Consistent with the role of PI3K in immunomodulation, our RNA-Seq results showed that the RNF43_G659fs mutation was positively related to NF-kB activation (Normalized Enrichment Score=1.842, p Conclusion: This study confirms that RNF43659mut is an essential driver mutation in CRC and provides evidence that patients harboring RNF43_G659fs-mutant tumors may respond favorably to PI3K inhibition. Citation Format: Lishan Fang, Dane Ford-Roshon, Max Russo, Casey O9Brien, Carino Gurjao, Maximilien Grandclaudon, Steven M. Corsello, Srivatsan Raghavan, Namrata Udeshi, James Berstler, Ewa Sicinska, Kimmie Ng, Marios Giannakis. RNF43 G659fs is an oncogenic mutation in colorectal cancer and sensitizes tumor cells to PI3K/mTOR inhibition [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 960.
#Hackademics: Hacks toward success in academia

OBJECTIVE The Sausage of Science is a podcast for the Human Biology Association and the American Journal of Human Biology through which we introduced a special series called #Hackademics. The podcast was initially used to highlight the scholarship and humanity of fellow human biologists through interviews about "how the sausage is made" in research-that is, the nuts and bolts that go into our publications. However, we soon realized there is much more a weekly podcast can do to help colleagues in our interrelated fields. METHODS Here we introduce the different contributions to this #Hackdemics special issue. Through #Hackademics, we address under-discussed topics in academia such as work-life integration, hostile academic environments, decolonization of research and teaching, and science communication, among others. RESULTS The feedback received from listeners for the #Hackademics series reinforced a need for more tools for navigating the academic side of our disciplines. Furthermore, there was a need to decentralize what is often termed "institutional knowledge" by sharing it in a more authoritative medium-a special issue of peer-reviewed articles in our Association's esteemed journal. This special issue's contributions also elevate diverse voices with multiple authors at different career stages. CONCLUSIONS Using the institutional credibility of peer-review to legitimize these topics, this issue's articles can be a resource for those looking to initiate conversations or change within their departments or institutions with the hope of creating a kinder, more respectful, collaborative, equitable, and accessible academic environment.
Using Adverse Childhood Experiences to Explore the Usefulness of Community Health Needs Assessments to Monitor Complex Determinants of Health at the Local-Level

Abstract Background Hospital-led community health needs assessments (CHNAs) are intended to help medical care organizations assess determinants of health within the communities they serve. This study demonstrates the utility of data from non-profit hospital CHNAs to monitor complex health issues such as adverse childhood events (ACEs) at the local-level. Methods CHNA data were collected from August to November 2019 and analyzed July 2021. A series of logistic regressions were used to analyze associations between ACEs, mental health conditions, and self-rated health from a convenience sample of 2,831 adults from two regional hospitals that service five counties located in central Appalachia. Results ACEs were associated with increased odds of experiencing all metal health conditions after adjusting for other exposures and demographics, including: bipolar disorder (AOR: 2.42, CL: 1.78, 3.30), chronic pain (AOR: 1.61, CL: 1.438, 1.87), depression (AOR: 2.05, CL: 1.76, 2.36), PTSD (AOR: 3.83, CL: 2.95, 4.98), and poor self-rated health (AOR: 1.88, CL: 1.65, 2.15). Conclusion Findings suggest hospital CHNAs are a useful way to assess local data and should include factors known to antecede disease including associated risks and outcomes. CHNAs may provide an opportunity to fill important gaps in community surveillance and inform local prevention and treatment strategies.
Strongly chaotic Newtonian and non-Newtonian mantle convection

The topic of hard turbulent thermal convection is discussed with application to the earth sciences. These new ideas, stimulated by laboratory experiments initiated by physicists, may be useful for understanding the dynamics of magma oceans developed in the early stages of terrestrial planets. Results drawn from two-dimensional numerical simulations of base-heated thermal convection for both linear and non-linear rheologies are presented to show by visualization of the temperature, viscosity and vorticity fields in the transition to the hard turbulent regime. The vorticity fields may provide a good diagnostic measure for the transition to hard turbulence. Both the vorticity and viscosity fields in the non-Newtonian hard turbulent regime reveal small-scale motions and the contours of these heterogeneities assume a fractal-like appearance. The threshold Nusselt number, around 20, for the transition to hard turbulence is lower for base-heated non-Newtonian convection than for Newtonian solutions, thus making it possible for the Earth’s upper mantle to be in a hard-turbulent state today.
Service provider perceptions of long-term care access in American Indian and Alaska Native communities.

Background. The need for long-term care services for American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs) is great since this population is experiencing some of the highest rates in the United States of chronic disease and disability. Methods. Between 2005 and 2007, a survey on access and barriers to long-term care was mailed to key informants at 305 tribes and tribal consortia. Targeted key informants included Health Directors, Social Service Directors, Older Americans Act Title VI Directors, and Community Health Representative or Community Health Aide Directors. Survey-adjusted data were analyzed descriptively. Results. Four hundred and forty-two respondents returned surveys representing 220 tribes and consortia. Human services were overall more available than health services. There was a high level of interest for long-term care services among consumers and tribal leaders. Funding issues were the most prevalent reported factors adversely affecting long-term care development. Conclusions. Efforts are needed to improve AI/ANs access to these services.
Personal Emotions and Political Decision Making: Implications for Voter Competence

According to what criteria do citizens make political decisions, and what do these criteria say about democratic competence? An impressive body of evidence suggests that voters competently evaluate diagnostic information such as macroeconomic trends and their personal financial circumstances to reward good performance while ridding themselves of leaders who are corrupt, incompetent, or ineffective. However, what if some voters' personal emotional reactions to events completely unrelated to public affairs influence their voting decisions? The conflation of personal emotions with political cognition challenges traditional conceptions of citizen competence and democratic accountability. We explore whether emotional reactions unrelated to incumbent performance affect voting behavior by assessing the electoral impact of local college football games, events that government has nothing to do with and for which no government response would be expected. On average, a win before Election Day causes the incumbent to receive about one percentage point more of the vote, with the effect being larger for teams with stronger fan support. We corroborate these aggregate-level results with a survey conducted during the 2009 NCAA Men's College Basketball Tournament, where we find that sports-induced emotional change affects approval of President Obama and assessments of the health of the country. Voters' decisions and attitudes are thus shown to depend considerably on events that affect their personal level of happiness even when those events are entirely disconnected from government activity. Our results provide new evidence on the significant limitations of the electorate's capacity to hold elected officials accountable for their actions.
Comparison of rapid methods for the extraction of bacterial DNA from colonic and caecal lumen contents of the pig.

K . L . A N D E R S O N A N D S . L E B E P E - M A Z U R . 2003. Aims: The increasing uses of DNA methodologies to study the micro flora of the pig gastrointestinal tract requires an efficient recovery of bacterial DNA from the intestinal sample. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine which DNA extraction methods are most effective for luminal samples from pigs. Several routinely used nucleic acid extraction procedures were compared based upon quantity and purity of extracted DNA. Methods and Results: DNA was extracted from pig colonic and caecal lumen samples using 19 methods for bacterial DNA extraction. The quantity of total DNA recovered by each extraction method was determined and compared. Two methods using extraction with polyvinylpolypyrrolidone (PVPP) or phenol and two methods involving bead mill homogenization were found to provide the greatest quantity of extracted DNA for both colonic and caecal lumen. Extracted DNA from these four methods was further analysed for purity based upon the presence of PCR inhibitors, which was ascertained by determining the efficiency of amplification of a segment of the 16S rDNA. PCR amplification could be readily achieved with DNA extracted by each of these four methods, but efficiency of amplification tended to be higher with DNA from two of the methods (one extracted with PVPP and one with bead mill homogenization). Conclusions: Four extraction methods proved to be significantly superior in quantity of DNA extracted from luminal samples. Of these four, no strong inhibitors of PCR amplification were detected in any of the extracted DNA. However, the efficiency of amplification tended to be lower in DNA samples from two of the methods, suggesting the presence of low levels of PCR inhibitors. Significance and Impact of the Study: Results of this study provide a basis for choosing which DNA extraction procedures are most effective for use with samples of pig lumen.
Animal models of gene–environment interaction in schizophrenia: A dimensional perspective

Schizophrenia has long been considered as a disorder with multifactorial origins. Recent discoveries have advanced our understanding of the genetic architecture of the disease. However, even with the increase of identified risk variants, heritability estimates suggest an important contribution of non-genetic factors. Various environmental risk factors have been proposed to play a role in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia. These include season of birth, maternal infections, obstetric complications, adverse events at early childhood, and drug abuse. Despite the progress in identification of genetic and environmental risk factors, we still have a limited understanding of the mechanisms whereby gene-environment interactions (G × E) operate in schizophrenia and psychoses at large. In this review we provide a critical analysis of current animal models of G × E relevant to psychotic disorders and propose that dimensional perspective will advance our understanding of the complex mechanisms of these disorders.
Autotransfusion in gynecologic hemoperitoneum

The loss of blood associated with acute hemoperitoneum accounts for a significant portion of the mortality in gynecologic practice. This report proposes the salvage of intraperitoneal blood for autotransfusion by a device developed for use in open heart operations. Two cases are presented which exemplify the indications for and limitations of autologous transfusion from hemoperitoneum.
Wavelet modulation: a prototype for digital communication systems

The wavelet transform has had an explosive development as a powerful tool of signal representation. It has been used successfully in many fields such as image processing, data compression and signal processing. Due to the fact that a wavelet can be chosen from a flexible class of analysis functions with different time-frequency localization properties, its performance surpasses that of the Fourier transform when dealing with transient, or time localized signals. It also has some applications in communication systems. The authors discuss the possibility of using wavelet functions in a digital communication system. It is shown to possess advantages of bandwidth, noise performance and complexity of synchronization.
Personnel costs and preparation time in a centralized intravenous admixture program

The amount of time and the cost of personnel time associated with the preparation of injectable products were determined. A time study consisting of 9041 observations during a seven-day period was conducted to determine the amount of time required of pharmacists and technicians for the preparation of total parenteral nutrient (TPN) solutions, large-volume injectables, antibiotic admixtures, antineoplastic admixtures, and investigational drugs. The established times were used to calculate relative value units for each product line and to determine the cost of pharmacist and technician time associated with the preparation of each product line. Preparation times ranged from 3.7 minutes for an antibiotic admixture to 49 minutes for a pediatric TPN solution. Total personnel costs ranged from $0.71 for an antibiotic admixture to $10.70 for a pediatric TPN solution. The calculated relative value units indicated that existing departmental time standards did not allow sufficient time for the preparation of some products. Establishing relative value units and calculating the cost of personnel time associated with the preparation of injectable products can be helpful for comparing the cost of purchasing ready-to-use products with the cost of preparing the same products.
Premenstrual symptoms and the female employee

A survey was taken of working women concerning any premenstrual symptoms they may have experienced and the self-reported effect(s) on their job productivity. The sample consisted of n = 197 completed survey instruments. The most commonly listed symptoms (listed by more than 50% of the respondents) were: irritability, bloating, mood changes, depression, weight gain, headaches, and anger. These symptoms were reported as affecting job performance by 57% of the women and 40% indicated feeling less productive during the onset of premenstrual symptoms. The symptoms of mood changes, irritability, anger, and depression were significantly correlated with lower job performance as reported by the women. When the sample was divided into three groups, based on age, there were no significant differences in the reporting of premenstrual symptoms and the severity of the symptoms. However, the three groups did show significant differences in the way the symptoms were reported to have affected their job performance. The younger group of women had a significantly higher proportion of respondents reporting that their premenstrual symptoms were adversely affecting their lives and job performance/productivity. Finally, when the sample was divided between managerial and non-managerial women, no significant differences were found.
The Use of Carbon Substrate Utilization Patterns in Environmental and Ecological Microbiology

Carbon substrate utilization patterns have found increasing use in environmental and ecological microbiology over the past five years. Ninety six-well microtiter plates containing various carbon substrates permit these patterns to be determined quickly, economically, and effectively. The use of these patterns to characterize and differentiate strains isolated from the environment has been very effective in providing information on the culturable fraction of the microbial community. Another approach involves the direct inoculation of natural samples into these microtiter plates; this approach has several fundamental problems. The inoculation of low cell densities into the wells means that the technique is a culture-based method in which the biases of enrichment culture may render the results unrepresentative of the native microbiota. The physiological state of the inoculated microbes may affect the kinetics and pattern of substrate utilization. As a measure of the functional diversity of microbial communities, this approach suffers because the tested substrates do not accurately represent the types of substrates present in ecosystems, and the metabolic redundancy of species implies that changes in the response may only crudely represent the actual microbial population dynamics. Therefore, although this approach can be used to determine whether environmental samples differ in their response patterns, it is unclear how it can be used to provide fundamental information on questions of microbial diversity.
Fever and Neutropenia in Pediatric Patients with Cancer

Aggressive treatment of childhood cancers including systemic antineoplastic and radiation therapy has secondary effects on a variety of normal cells including hematopoietic elements of the bone marrow, often causing neutropenia. Neutropenia increases the risk for serious infection and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The approach to the treatment of the febrile neutropenic pediatric patient has evolved considerably because high- and low-risk criteria have been defined and broad-spectrum antibiotics developed. This article reviews the concepts involved in the evaluation and management of febrile, neutropenic, pediatric cancer patients.
DNA targets for certain bZIP proteins distinguished by an intrinsic bend

In spite of the large amount of sequence conservation among the DNA binding segments of basic region leucine zipper (bZIP) proteins, these proteins can discriminate differently between target sequences that differ in half-site spacing. Here it is shown that the half-site spacing preferences of bZIP proteins are the result of (i) the differential intrinsic curvature in target binding sites that differ by insertion or deletion of a single base pair and (ii) the ability of some bZIP proteins to overcome this intrinsic curvature through a mechanism dependent on basic segment residues.
Procedure for Statistical Categorization of Overweight Vehicles in a WIM Database

AbstractRecently observed increases in the numbers of permitted and illegal overweight trucks travelling over U.S. highways have raised concerns over their contributions to the reduction in the service lives of pavements and bridges and the costs of maintaining, upgrading and replacing the highway infrastructure system. Cost allocation studies are used by transportation officials to help their asset management processes and to establish truck traffic and permitting policies taking into consideration information on the composition of overweight trucks and their permit categorization. In recent years, cost allocation studies have heavily relied on data assembled by weigh-in-motion (WIM) systems which provide information on traffic counts, truck axle configurations and weights for various highway classes and economic regions. However, WIM data by themselves do not provide information on the numbers of illegal overweight trucks because many of the overweight trucks may have been issued permits that allow them...
Capacity reliability of water distribution networks

Abstract The carrying capacity of a deteriorating water distribution network decreases as the internal roughness of water mains increases with the aging of pipes. A probabilistic approach is adopted to treat the internal roughness coefficient as a random variable due to its large uncertainty. A methodology is developed in this paper to assess the capacity reliability—the probability that the carrying capacity meets the demand. The introduction of the definition of critical vectors in capacity networks leads to a calculation procedure for capacity reliability that applies to general capacity networks. The procedure for calculating the lower and upper bounds of the capacity reliability is also developed for general capacity networks. The calculation of capacity reliability reduces to a step-by-step procedure when a network is of a series-parallel structure. An algorithm to generate a hydraulic reliability measure is proposed through combining the capacity reliability with the mechanical reliability.
Generalized Aperture and the Three-Dimensional Diffraction Image

It is shown that when a lens produces an image of a point source the three-dimensional diffraction pattern which results is the three-dimensional Fourier transform of a generalization of the lens aperture. This implies similar Fourier relations in one and two dimensions. An explicit form of the former is derived which demonstrates that the amplitude distribution on an arbitrarily directed line through the focus is the Fourier transform of the projection of the generalized aperture onto that line. These relations hold in aberrant as well as in ideal systems. Some examples are worked out by using the one-dimensional relation.
A simple method of measuring aqueous humor flow with intravitreal fluoresceinated dextrans.

Abstract Fluoresceinated dextran was injected into the vitreous cavity of rabbits and its concentration was followed in the vitreous and aqueous humors for a period of weeks by slit-lamp fluorometry. The concentrations in both fluids fell in parallel and in an exponential manner where the time constant was determined by the molecular weight of the dextran. The rate of movement of the dextran from the vitreous into the anterior chamber is controlled by passive diffusion and may be assumed to be relatively steady; accordingly, the faster the rate of flow in the aqueous humor the lower will be the concentration of dextran in it. Circadian variations in the aqueous flow were observed, a drop at night time being noted. These were small enough for changes due to systemic influences to be determined; in particular, it was found that general anesthesia with ketamine had no significant effect. The ratio of the concentration in the anterior chambers of the two eyes of one animal normally remains constant with time. Changes in the ratio can be used to determine the influence of unilateral interventions. This was illustrated by the use of adrenergic drops which led to a brief rise in flow rate and then a longer-lasting fall, and by X-ray irradiation with 1000 rads, which caused an immediate fall in flow rate interrupted for a time by a phase of increased flow. An absolute estimate of the aqueous flow can be derived from measurements of the total amount of dextran in the eye and its concentration in the anterior chamber. A definite value has not yet been established owing to ambiguities in determining the former quantity.
Primitive permutation groups with small orbitals

Ga- A 4 or for which G A -~ $4 and is faithful. We also consider primitive groups G which have an orbital A of prime length p > 5 such that IG~l<2p, and reduce the classification problem to that of classifying simple groups with maximal dihedral subgroups of order 2p. The notation and terminology for permutation groups will be that of Wielandt [-8]. We also adopt the notation N(c~)= G~,~(~) and N'(~)= G~uA,(c~) , where A' is the orbital of G paired with A. The definition of orbital is given by D. G. Higman in [2]. 2. In this section we prove a result which, under rather restrictive conditions, gives a strong bound on IG=l. The approach was first pointed out by G. Glauberman for the particular case IAl= 5 and [GA[= 20.
Properties of n‐butyl methacrylate copolymer latex films derived from crosslinked latex particles

Films obtained from copolymer latexes of n-butyl methacrylate (BMA) with a series of crosslinking monomers [i.e., a macromonomer crosslinker (Mac), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA), and aliphatic urethane acrylate] exhibited differences in their tensile properties and swelling behaviors. For P(BMA-co-EGDMA) copolymer, a dependence on the initiator type was obtained. It is postulated that the network microstructures for the various copolymers evolved as the result of the copolymerization reactions between the monomer pairs during the synthesis in the miniemulsion free-radical copolymerization. These network microstructures are, therefore, hypothesized to influence the mechanical properties of the resultant films. Copolymers prepared with Mac were tough in comparison with copolymers made with EGDMA. The presence of longer linear or lightly crosslinked poly(n-butyl methacrylate) (PBMA) chains and the looseness of the crosslinked network structures in the PBMA-co-Mac copolymers appear to be the factors responsible for the differences. All of the copolymer films disintegrated into swollen individual microgels when they were immersed in tetrahydrofuran. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 88: 42–49, 2003
Albumin-bound paclitaxel: a next-generation taxane

Taxanes are standard treatment for metastatic breast cancer; however, the solvents used as vehicles in these formulations cause severe toxicities. The FDA recently approved a solvent-free formulati...
Clinical and Laboratory Evaluation of Amoxicillin (BRL 2333) in the Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections

Abstract Amoxicillin (alpha-amino-p-hydroxybenzyl penicillin) is a new oral semisynthetic penicillin with antibacterial activity similar to that of ampicillin; however, it is more completely absorbed and urinary concentrations are higher. Twenty-seven patients during 28 episodes of urinary tract infection were treated with oral amoxicillin given either as 250- or 500-mg doses. Clinical cure or improvement occurred in 23 of 27 infections (85%); eradication of the responsible organisms occurred in 23 of 26 infections (88%); and both clinical cure or improvement and eradication occurred in 20 of 25 infections (80%). Three infections relapsed. Failure to respond bacteriologically was associated with resistant organisms in two patients and with chronic pyelonephritis (Proteus mirabilis) is one. Concentrations of amoxicillin in serum obtained 2 h after administration were more variable than those previously reported for reasons which were obscure. In vitro studies revealed amoxicillin to be comparable to ampicillin when tested against most gram-negative bacilli; however, in this situation amoxicillin may be more effective than ampicillin against enterococci.
EXCHANGE LISTING AND STOCK LIQUIDITY

Two measures are used to estimate the liquidity of stocks that switch their places of trading (from OTC to NYSE, from OTC to AMEX, and from AMEX to NYSE). Using an event-type methodology, results are obtained that indicate a decline in liquidity for stocks leaving the OTC market. Stocks switching from the AMEX to the NYSE experience an initial increase in liquidity, followed by a decline almost to previous levels.
Fluorometric monitoring of the effects of adrenergic agents on oxidative metabolism in intact cerebral cortex

Abstract Amphetamine and other adrenergic agents were shown to alter the rate of oxidative metabolic activity measured by nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NADH) fluorometry in intact cerebral cortex of cats and rats. Both amphetamine and isoproterenol administration produced a similar triphasic metabolic response pattern in brain: (1) an initial decrease in the NADH level, followed by (2) a more prolonged increase in the NADH redox level, and (3) a later large decrease in the level of reduced coenzyme. This pattern is interpreted to reflect increased “recovery” metabolism associated with enhanced cellular activity. Reserpine administration resulted in similar metabolic redox patterns except this drug produced a later increase in NADH level to a greater than baseline level. Chlorpromazine and propranolol increased the NADH level. Propranolol blocked the triphasic response patterns of both amphetamine and isoproterenol. When propranolol or chlorpromazine were given after either amphetamine or isoproterenol, the injection was followed by an increased level of NADH. It is thought that the effects of propranolol, chlorpromazine and reserpine are due to decreased tissue activity while the amphetamine and isoproterenol actions are mediated through central β-receptors. These experiments demonstrate the feasibility of optically monitoring oxidative metabolic activity in situ during drug administration and indicate the importance of combining this technique with biochemical assay procedures.
No need to read messages right now: helping mediators to steer educational forums using statistical and visual information

In an education environment, a forum provides a valuable tool that can be used to foster reflection and a deeper analysis of subjects being discussed. However, as an asynchronous communication tool, participation can occur at any time, demanding a constant attention of the teacher to satisfactorily mediate the group and the discussion. In addition, a reasonable number of messages can be posted in a short period of time, making it hard to follow up and coordinate the discussion. This paper proposes an approach based on statistical and visual analysis of messages characteristics to alert the teacher about potential problems.
Effects of a pragmatic teaching strategy for requesting information by communication board users

The effects of a pragmatic teaching strategy on 4 nonspeaking children's abilities to initiate requests for information (i.e., who, what, and where) using manual communication boards were investigated. A teaching strategy based on milieu teaching and time-delay procedures was developed and embedded in naturally structured communication tasks to evoke information requests. Results indicated that information requests using the communication board occurred only after the pragmatic teaching strategy was applied sequentially to the three request types during the experimental condition. This effect was demonstrated repeatedly across the 4 subjects. Although generalization across request types was not demonstrated, substantial generalization was found across partners and environments. A social validation measure confirmed the treatment effectiveness. Independent raters perceived significant differences when viewing before- and after-training videotapes on 7 of 10 communication variables for all subjects.
Noble gases in the moon and meteorites: Radiogenic components and early volatile chronologies

One of the reasons noble gases make such good tracers of processes occurring in rocks is their scarcity. Thus, a process that converts a small fraction of a relatively rare element into a noble gas can have a large effect on the noble gas. Radioactive decay can be such a process. In a meteorite which has formed very early in the solar system’s history and been little altered since, the effect can be even more dramatic. Furthermore, since radioactive decay proceeds at a known rate, radiogenic noble gases, those produced by decay, have been crucial in deciphering the chronology of the solar system. Several “radionuclides,” radioactive isotopes that decay to noble gases, are listed in Table 1⇓. In a radioactive decay, the radioactive isotope is referred to as the “parent” isotope, while the decay product, the noble gas isotope, is referred to as the “daughter” isotope. In some cases listed, there is more than one mode of decay possible. In other cases, a single decay starts a chain that will ultimately produce several noble gas atoms. To take both into account, the yield (the number of noble gas atoms produced for each parent atom) is also given. Finally, radionuclides that fission may produce any of the several different isotopes of Xe in a characteristic spectrum (Table 2⇓). All of the systems listed, with the exception of the decay of U and Th to Xe, have been exploited in extraterrestrial samples at one time or another. View this table: Table 1: Radiogenic noble gas isotopes and their parents View this table: Table 2: Xenon fission spectra of actinides A typical analysis of radiogenic noble gases involves trying to find the ratio of the daughter isotope to some other, stable, isotope of the parent element, for example, the ratio 129Xe*/127I or 40Ar*/40K, where …
Use of Trial 1 of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) as a Screening Measure of Effort: Suggested Discontinuation Rules

Trial 1 of the Test of Memory Malingering (TOMM) has been suggested as a screening tool, with several possible cut-off scores proposed. The purpose of the present study was to replicate the utility of previously suggested cut-off scores and to characterize neuropsychological profiles of persons who "pass" the TOMM but obtain Trial 1 scores < 45 and of persons with cognitive disorders. A total of 229 veterans were administered the TOMM as part of a neuropsychological evaluation. Trial 1 scores ≥ 41 and ≤ 25 showed good utility as discontinuation scores for adequate and poor effort, respectively, beyond which administration of additional trials were unnecessary. Findings suggest better Trial 1 performance is significantly related to better speeded mental flexibility and memory.
Reduction of three-dimensional, volume-preserving flows with symmetry

We develop a general, coordinate-free theory for the reduction of volume-preserving flows with a volume-preserving symmetry on three-manifolds. The reduced flow is generated by a one-degree-of-freedom Hamiltonian which is the generalization of the Bernoulli invariant from hydrodynamics. The reduction procedure also provides global coordinates for the study of symmetry-breaking perturbations. Our theory gives a unified geometric treatment of the integrability of three-dimensional, steady Euler flows and two-dimensional, unsteady Euler flows, as well as quasigeostrophic and magnetohydrodynamic flows.
The Effects of Computer-Aided Instruction on Learning and Attitudes in Economic Principles Courses.

The Teaching Information Processing System (TIPS) has been the subject of many research projects in economic education. Henry and Ramsett go beyond mere replication of previous studies, however, to add still another dimension to the work of Allen Kelley and others. The usual independent variables are included in their analysis, but the emphasis given to the benefits of TIPS as perceived by students is perhaps greater than that found in any other study of this teaching technique. Some consideration is also given to residual effects of TIPS and to installation costs. This report should prove valuable to any economics instructor contemplating the use of TIPS in the classroom.
RecA Force Generation by Hydrolysis Waves

We present a simple theory of the dynamics of force generation by RecA during homologous strand exchange and a continuous, deterministic mathematical model of the proposed process. Calculations show that force generation is possible in this model for certain reasonable values of the parameters. We predict the shape of the force-velocity curve for the Holliday junction, which exhibits a distinctive kink at large retarding force, and suggest experiments which should distinguish between the proposed model and other models in the literature.
Toward the merging of real and virtual spaces

In hybrid environments, where real and virtual overlap, participants naturally see, touch, and manipulate the object at hand.
Responses from the exposed human auditory nerve to pseudorandom noise

Whole-nerve responses to lowpass-filtered noise (2.5 kHz) and broadband click stimuli were recorded from the exposed intracranial portion of the eighth nerve in patients with normal hearing who were undergoing neurosurgical operations to relieve vascular compression of cranial nerves V, VII, and VIII. Cross-correlograms between the response and the noise showed a large degree of individual variation. When noise of 95 dB SPL was used, the correlograms in some patients had a large peak that represented a positive correlation between a negative nerve potential and the rarefaction phase of the sound and that peak could usually be identified at a delay that was close to the latency of the main negative peak in the response to high-intensity broadband click sounds (3.0-3.5 ms). The amplitude of these components decreased when the sound intensity was decreased, and, at stimulus intensities below 80 dB, the correlograms became dominated by components at longer delays. In other patients, peaks of a similar amplitude appeared in the cross-correlograms between delays of 2 and 12 ms in the entire range of sound intensities that were studied (65-105 dB SPL). In all patients the location of the peaks was little affected by the stimulus intensity in the range studied. All reproducible peaks that appeared at delays longer than 2.8 ms shifted towards longer delays when the recording electrode was moved from a location near the porus acusticus to a more central location (near the brainstem) on the exposed intracranial portion of the eighth nerve, indicating that components at longer delays than 2.8 ms result from propagated neural activity in the auditory nerve. It is assumed on the basis of the results that these correlograms are measures of phase-locking of neural activity to a complex stimulus sound (noise).
Intestinal spirochetosis in homosexual men

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated intestinal spirochetosis in rectal biopsy specimens from 2 to 7 percent of heterosexual and 36 percent of homosexual patients, but the role of intestinal spirochetosis in the pathogenesis of intestinal disease remains unclear. To assess the clinical, histologic, and microbiologic correlates of intestinal spirochetosis in a high-risk group, rectal biopsy specimens from 130 homosexual men, 92 percent of whom had intestinal symptoms, were evaluated. All men were extensively evaluated for rectal and enteric pathogens. Intestinal spirochetosis was identified in rectal biopsy specimens from 39 (30 percent) men; 15 percent of biopsy specimens revealed intestinal spirochetosis on hematoxylin and eosin plus alcian blue staining, and positive results were found in 30 percent on silver staining. No rectal biopsy specimens from 79 control patients with a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms demonstrated evidence of spirochetosis on hematoxylin and eosin, alcian blue, or silver staining (p
An empirical BSSRDF model

We present a new model of the homogeneous BSSRDF based on large-scale simulations. Our model captures the appearance of materials that are not accurately represented using existing single scattering models or multiple isotropic scattering models (e.g. the diffusion approximation). We use an analytic function to model the 2D hemispherical distribution of exitant light at a point on the surface, and a table of parameter values of this function computed at uniformly sampled locations over the remaining dimensions of the BSSRDF domain. This analytic function is expressed in elliptic coordinates and has six parameters which vary smoothly with surface position, incident angle, and the underlying optical properties of the material (albedo, mean free path length, phase function and the relative index of refraction). Our model agrees well with measured data, and is compact, requiring only 250MB to represent the full spatial- and angular-distribution of light across a wide spectrum of materials. In practice, rendering a single material requires only about 100KB to represent the BSSRDF.
PCB Migration and Cleanup Scenarios in Natural Gas Pipelines

A model for tracking PCB migration under a variety of solvent injection scenarios is presented. The model serves as a tool for evaluating the efficacy and efficiency of solvents as a means of decontaminating PCB-contaminated natural gas pipelines. The model accounts for the continuous mass transfer between the pipe wall and the multiphase fluids flowing in the pipeline. Consideration is given to the processes of PCB desorption from the pipe wall, and the possibility of subsequent re-adsorption to the pipe wall. To capture the multiple mechanisms involved adequate coupling of hydrodynamic, thermodynamic, and mass transfer modeling is called for and used in this study. The study shows that PCBs concentrate in the liquid phase which is the primary transport phase. It also demonstrates that the model could be used to design an optimal pipeline decontamination scenario.
Parenteral Nutrition in Critical Illness: Can it Safely Improve Outcomes?

Total parenteral nutrition was developed in the 1960s and has since been implemented commonly in the intensive care unit (ICU). Studies published in the 1980s and early 1990s indicate that the use of total parenteral nutrition is associated with increased mortality and infectious morbidity. These detrimental effects were related to hyperglycemia and overnutrition at a period when parenteral nutrition was not administered according to the all-in-one principle. Because of its beneficial effects on the gastrointestinal tract, enteral nutrition alone replaced parenteral nutrition as the gold standard of nutritional care in the ICU in the 1980s. However, enteral nutrition alone is frequently associated with insufficient coverage of the energy requirements, and subsequent protein-energy deficit is correlated with a worse clinical outcome. Recent evidence suggests that all-in-one parenteral nutrition has no significant effect on mortality and infectious morbidity in patients in the ICU if a glycemic control is obtained and hyperalimentation avoided. Thus, the time has come to reconsider the use of parenteral nutrition in the ICU. Supplemental parenteral nutrition could prevent onset of nutritional deficiencies when enteral nutrition is insufficient in meeting energy requirements. Clinical studies are warranted to show that the combination of parenteral and enteral nutrition could improve the clinical outcome of patients in the ICU.
Dynamics of Controlled Release of Potassium Nitrate from a Highly Swelling Binary Biopolymeric Blend of Alginate and Pectin

Novel polymeric sodium alginate (Na‐Alg) beads have been prepared by crosslinking Na‐Alginate–pectin blend using CaCl2 as a crosslinking agent to form biopolymeric beads. A series of beads of varying composition were prepared by varying the amounts of sodium alginate, pectin and CaCl2 in the feed mixture. These beads were loaded with KNO3 taking as a model agrochemical and used for release of KNO3. The prepared unloaded and loaded sodium alginate and pectin beads were characterized by FTIR spectral and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) techniques to investigate the molecular structure and morphology of beads, respectively. The swelling experiments were performed for different compositions of beads and at varying pH and temperature of the aqueous media. The release of KNO3 was investigated for 8 days in 25 ml of distilled water as a release medium. The release experiments were performed under static and varying experimental conditions and the release data obtained conductometrically were fitted to Ficks e...
The Crooked Line: From Populist Mobilization to Participatory Democracy in Chávez-Era Venezuela

This article challenges the widely held view that populist mobilization and participatory democracy are incompatible. Ethnographic data from Chavez-era Venezuela show that while populist mobilization cannot directly generate participatory democracy, it can set in motion a process that indirectly leads to this result: By creating but failing to fulfill expectations for participatory democracy and falling short in other ways, a poorly performing local populist regime can precipitate a grassroots backlash that, under certain circumstances, can lead to the election of a post-populist regime with the interest and ability to successfully implement participatory reform. My data show that this can occur in municipalities led by the Left or Center-Right, complicating the idea that successful participatory democracy requires a Left party.