cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RGL2 Deficiency Impairs Human Erythropoiesis By Altering Terminal Erythroid Differentiation and Apoptosis.

Abstract Several members of the Ras-GTPases have been shown to play major roles as molecular switches in various signaling pathways in hematopoietic cells. The roles of Ras/MAPKs/ERK signaling pathways in EPO-induced erythroid differentiation have been explored in the past on animal models. Recently, the Ras/RalGEFs/Ral pathway has been a focus of research in oncology given its roles in tumorigenesis. However, its role in normal human erythropoiesis is poorly understood. The seven RalGEF family members are guanine nucleotide exchange factors with unique as well as overlapping roles. They bridge activated Ras to activation of RalA and RalB while they have also been shown to promote Akt activation. Recently, we identified and characterized a homozygous splicing variant (c.1580+4T>A) in RGL2 (Ral Guanine Nucleotide Dissociation Stimulator-Like 2) gene, one of the RalGEFs, in a 16 month-old female patient with a recessive form of familial syndromic pancytopenia, more severe in the erythroid lineage with transfusion-dependent anemia, hepatosplenomegaly, liver fibrosis, and cardiac dysfunction. We verified by RT-PCR that this splicing variant was associated by a decrease in the RGL2 expression levels by 70-96% in the white blood cells and reticulocytes of the patient. We hypothesized that decreased RGL2 expression leads to defective human erythropoiesis by altering terminal erythroid differentiation, erythroblast cell cycle progression and/or apoptosis. To test our hypothesis, we transduced human bone marrow derived CD34+ cells (donated by healthy volunteers under an IRB-approved research protocol in our institution) with lentivirus encoding shRNA targeting RGL2 mRNA and then cultured them in a previously validated 3-phase culture system that recapitulates erythropoiesis ex vivo. A scrambled shRNA sequence was used as control. The efficiency of the shRNAs used to knock-down (KD) RGL2 expression was initially validated by qRT-PCR after transduction of K562 cells. Our study demonstrated that knockdown of RGL2 expression resulted in decreased erythroid cell growth in ex vivo erythropoiesis accompanied by increased apoptosis. We further showed that knockdown of RGL2 expression also led to delayed terminal erythroid differentiation by flow cytometric analysis using glycophorin A (GPA), band 3, and α4-integrin as markers of maturing erythroblasts. This finding was corroborated by morphology studies using Wright staining in cytospins from RGL2-KD cultures and control. Together, our studies indicate an essential role for RGL2 and the Ras/RGL2/Ral pathway in human erythropoiesis, affecting both terminal erythroid differentiation and apoptosis. Our findings not only provide insights into regulation of normal erythropoiesis but also indicate that RGL2 may be a novel candidate gene associated with inherited bone marrow failure syndromes. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Twenty years and counting: The past, present, and future of ACEs research

Abstract In 1995, the landmark CDC-Kaiser ACE Study was launched to examine the contribution of early-life adversities to multiple behavioral risks and adverse health outcomes across the lifespan. Since the seminal study, there have been multiple ACE Study replications and applications of the research findings. This chapter outlines the history of the original ACE Study, and current efforts in the field to address and prevent early childhood trauma.
A meta-analysis of 1-year outcomes of transcatheter versus surgical aortic valve replacement in low-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis

Background Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) for the treatment symptomatic severe aortic stenosis (AS) is indicated in patients with intermediate or higher surgical risk. Latest trials showed TAVR, and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) perform similarly at 1-year for the composite outcomes of mortality, stroke and rehospitalization. We performed a comprehensive meta-analysis to compare individual outcomes at 1-year for TAVR compared to SAVR in low-risk patients. Methods PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane central were searched for all the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that reported 1-year comparative outcomes of TAVR and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR). Our conclusions are based upon the random-effects model using DerSimonian-Laird estimator. Results Data from 4 trials and 2887 randomized patients showed that TAVR had lower rates of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and atrial fibrillation compared to SAVR at 1-year follow-up (P < 0.05 for all). Also, TAVR was also associated with a significantly higher risk of permanent pacemaker implantation and moderate-severe paravalvular leak (P < 0.05). Conclusions The latest randomised trial data demonstrates that in short-term, TAVR is safe and effective in reducing all-cause mortality or stroke. Longer follow-up of RCTs is needed to determine the durability of clinical benefits in TAVR over SAVR in low-risk patients.
Radiology Nursing Ethics and Moral Distress

Abstract Ethics in health care is a topic that has been around since ancient times. It was the basis for the Hippocratic Oath. With the development of modern nursing and specialties in nursing, ethics in nursing becomes an important topic for consideration. This article gives an overview of the history of ethics, with particular considerations to nursing ethics. It provides an overview of moral distress within nursing and how ethical decisions affect care. It also provides examples of ethics within radiology nursing.
Perioperative Anesthetic Techniques to Reduce Surgical Morbidity After Amputation

Anesthetic modalities to mitigate the development of phantom limb pain have not been standardized into an evidence-based, multimodal anesthesia protocol to promote improved patient outcomes. This quality improvement project involved the implementation of a lower extremity, amputation-specific anesthesia protocol. In the postimplementation group, 94 patients were anesthetized for their amputation using an Amputation Improved Recovery Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol. Patient outcomes before and after protocol implementation were compared. The rate of continuous peripheral nerve block placement was higher in the postimplementation group (37.2%) than the preimplementation group (29.6%, P = .337). The 2 groups did not differ on average pain scores and morphine equivalent consumption rates per patient during hospitalization. The postimplementation group had significantly lower mean pain scores during the first 24 hours after amputation (P = .046); fewer postoperative complications (P = .001), amputation revisions (P = .003), 30-day hospital readmissions (P = .049), and readmissions related to amputation surgery (P = .019); and higher rates of early phantom limb pain that resolved during hospitalization (P = .012). Use of a standardized anesthetic protocol designed for patients undergoing amputation improved patient outcomes. Trials of this protocol elsewhere may contribute to improved recovery for patients undergoing amputations.
193 Differences in thyroid immune-related adverse events between lung cancer types, a retrospective analysis

Background Immune modulation of the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is a promising treatment of various malignancies however, alteration of the pathway is known to cause many immune related adverse events (irAEs) including thyroid dysfunction. Whether the frequency of thyroid irAEs differ between lung cancer types has not yet been studied. Methods A total of three hundred twenty-nine lung cancer patients treated with immunotherapy at East Carolina University between April 2014 and July 2019 were included in a retrospective cohort analysis. Baseline TSH and TSH at each treatment cycle were recorded along with the type of lung cancer, specific agent used, timing of thyroid dysfunction and need for levothyroxine replacement. The frequency of thyroid irAEs as defined by TSH 4.0 and its relationship with lung cancer types were analyzed using chi square tests and logistic regression. Results Of the three hundred twenty-nine patients; 54.4% had adenocarcinoma, 31.6% had squamous cell carcinoma, 11.3% had small cell carcinoma and 2.7% had poorly differentiated lung cancer. Overall, 135 patients (41.0%) developed thyroid irAEs (table 1). Pearson’s chi square test was used to compare the frequencies of thyroid irAEs for each type of lung cancer against all other lung cancer types. Patients with squamous cell carcinoma developed significantly less thyroid irAEs (32.7%), compared to all other lung cancers (44.9%), X2 (1, N = 329) = 4.4, p = 0.037. Conversely, patients with lung cancer types other than squamous cell carcinoma were more likely to develop thyroid irAEs, OR = 1.68 (95% CI: 1.03 – 2.73). Conclusions Thyroid irAEs occurred significantly less frequently in patients with squamous cell carcinoma than those with other lung cancer types. This analysis may allow clinicians to better identify patients more likely to develop irAE thyroid dysfunction based on lung cancer type.
Survive of the Indonesia farmers in during the Covid-19 Pademic: Findings of the South Sumatra

This research aims to perform an empirical analysis of rural farmer conditions in South Sumatera during the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak. To fulfill the research objectives, there are some things focused on economic and demographic features, levels and patterns of income and consumption, the magnitude of debt factors, and social conditions and the position of farmers in society. This research is a survey study with multiple regression analysis methods. The sample selection is carried out in a multilevel with a sample number of 300 farmers in South Sumatra. Based on this study, first, during the pandemic, farmers were in a difficult condition because of the low income from agricultural products that was not balanced with consumption expenditure. Farmers' income during the pandemic amounted to 104.54 USD, a decrease from the previous year amounting to 218.28 USD. Decreased by 52.16 percent before the pandemic. Second, they survive by making debt loans. Third, reduced income and large amounts of debt have caused farmers to be unable to meet their basic needs, where around 65.22 percent of total consumption is spent on non-durable goods or only to fulfill their basic needs.
Coronary Artery Calcium: Where Do We Stand After Over 3 Decades?

Abstract In 2018, cardiovascular society cholesterol guidelines recommended use of coronary artery calcium to guide statin therapy in patients 40-79 years who are at intermediate risk by multiple risk factor equations, i.e., estimated 10-year risk for atherosclerotic disease 7.5-19.9%, but in whom statin benefit is uncertain. Many such patients have no coronary calcium and remain at
Introduction: Phenomenology of Quantum Mechanics

The collection of essays in this special issue point toward the rich and diverse themes under which the phenomenologist might analyze quantum mechanics. The authors in the collection demonstrate that the tradition inaugurated by Husserl promises to dispel the many experiential quandaries of quantum mechanics. They interrogate the meaning of the theoretical entities described by the mathematical equations and analyze their manner of appearing to the physicist. To this end, the efforts of the authors show that increased clarity at forefront of physics requires more than progressively refined models and instruments, but understanding how the subject grasps nature.
Characterization of the telomerase modulating activities of yeast DNA helicases.

Abstract Eukaryotes with linear chromosomes circumvent the end replication problem via the action of a specialized ribonucleoprotein reverse transcriptase known as telomerase. Cells lacking telomerase activity will senesce when their chromosome ends shorten to a critical length. In contrast, cancer cells can become immortalized by upregulating telomerase to lengthen telomeres during each cycle of DNA replication. Thus, the regulation of telomerase is critical for normal telomere homeostasis. Of the various known ways that telomerase activity is modulated in vivo, recent studies have demonstrated that DNA helicases are involved. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the Hrq1 and Pif1 helicases act in a pathway that regulates telomerase extension at telomeres and at DNA double-strand DNA breaks. In vitro analysis demonstrates that when these helicases are combined in reactions, they synergistically inhibit or stimulate telomerase activity depending on which helicase is catalytically active. Here, we describe the methods for the overproduction and purification of Hrq1 and Pif1. We also report the preparation of partially purified cell extracts with telomerase activity and how the effects of these helicase on telomerase activity can be assessed in vitro.
Valuation and Optimality in Exchange Economies with a Countable Number of Agents

We present versions of the two fundamental welfare theorems of economics for exchange economies with a countable number of agents and an infinite dimensional commodity space. These results are then specialized to the overlapping generations model.
Basis of transport discrimination of arginine from other basic amino acids in Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract Salmonella typhimurium, like Escherichia coli, takes up arginine both by an arginine-specific transport system and by a system accepting lysine and ornithine as well as arginine. The kinetic parameters for the two routes of arginine transport were obtained first by several direct methods of kinetic analysis under the mass-action law. The total uptake of arginine was then formally shown to be indeed the sum of the two assumed components, by eliminating first one component (the high affinity, arginine-specific component) through specific inhibition by homoserine, and then the other component (the nonspecific component) by specific inhibition with lysine, ornithine, or histidine. The kinetic parameters obtained for arginine uptake by these approaches were in reasonable agreement with those obtained directly. The action of homoserine as an inhibitor of the arginine-specific system is based on a limited recognition of the hydroxyamino acid, i.e. a recognition not leading to its transport. Not only is the position of the hydroxyl group critical to this partial recognition, whether on carbon atoms 3, 4, or 5 of the hydroxyamino acid; but also its orientation in space is decisive, trans-hydroxyproline being an effective inhibitor; cis-hydroxyproline, ineffective. By analogy and from the circumstance that replacement of the e-nitrogen hydrogen atom of homoarginine with a methyl group eliminates transport reactivity, we conclude that the group g NH at the secondary nitrogen atom represents one essential point of recognition of the guanidino amino acids, and the cationic structure of the other nitrogen atoms of the guanidine group a second essential point.
Thermal Injury and Recovery of Salmonella typhimurium and Its Effect on Enumeration Procedures

Exposure of Salmonella typhimurium 7136 to sublethal heating produced a temporary change in the tolerance of the organism to a particular stress medium. After sublethal heat treatment at 48 C for 30 min, greater than 90% of the viable population was unable to reproduce on Levine Eosin Methylene Blue Agar containing 2% NaCl. This sensitivity was dependent on the pH of the heating menstruum. In addition, the heated cells displayed a sensitivity to Brilliant Green Agar, Levine Eosin Methylene Blue Agar, Salmonella-Shigella Agar, and Desoxycholate Citrate Agar. Unheated cells displayed a sensitivity to Brilliant Green Agar, Salmonella-Shigella Agar, and Desoxycholate Citrate Agar. When the injured cells were placed in a suitable medium (Trypticase Soy Broth), they recovered and grew at a rate equal to that of normal cells. Recovery was also possible in Nutrient Broth, Lactose Broth, and Lauryl Tryptose Broth. Although recovery of the injured cell occurred in Tetrathionate Broth and Selenite F Broth, they were less than ideal growth media for the organism.
Induction of deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis in the liver of the intact animal.

Abstract Based in part on observations made in blood-mixing experiments with intact and 70 and 90% hepatectomized rats, a mixture of chemicals has been devised that induces nuclear DNA formation and mitosis in the parenchymal liver cells of the unoperated animal. The mixture (TAGH solution) contains 3,3',5-triiodo-l-thyronine (triiodothyronine), amino acids, glucagon, and heparin. Each component of the stimulatory solution contributes to the enhancement in DNA synthesis but triiodothyronine is the single most important constituent. Given with the AGH solution (amino acids, glucagon, and heparin), as little as 2 µg of the hormone has a detectable effect and 10 µg is about two-thirds as effective as 100 µg or 2 mg. The time curve of the response of unoperated rats to the TAGH solution is the same as after 70% hepatectomy. With both stimuli, liver DNA formation begins at 14 hours. Unoperated rats can be initially treated with triiodothyronine, however, so that DNA synthesis is already high at 10 hours from the start of the infusion of the AGH solution. Several pieces of evidence are given to show that the TAGH solution does not induce DNA replication by damaging some of the cells of the intact liver. The TAGH solution, just as 70% hepatectomy, causes in the liver an increase in the rate of ribosome formation, an accumulation of glycerides, and changes in fatty acid composition. Unlike partial hepatectomy, however, the solution does not produce rises in the rates of synthesis of serum albumin or of total hepatic protein.
Abstract 92: Prevalence and Predictors of Apparent Treatment-Resistant Hypertension among Individuals with a History of Physician-Diagnosed Stroke or TIA

Background: Uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) and use of multiple antihypertensive medication classes are common among persons with a history of stroke, suggesting prevalence of resistant hypertension may be high in this population. In a cohort of persons with hypertension, we sought to determine prevalence of apparent treatment-resistant hypertension (aTRH) among those with a history of stroke and/or TIA. Additionally, demographics and clinical factors associated with aTRH were determined. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis used data from REGARDS, a national, population-based, longitudinal study of 30,239 black and white adults ≥ 45 years, enrolled 2003-2007. Baseline data collection included centralized telephone interview for medical history, including self-report of physician diagnosed stroke or TIA. Analysis was restricted to 14,160 participants with hypertension, defined as SBP ≥ 140 mmHg, DBP ≥ 90 mmHg, or self-reported use of antihypertensive medications. aTRH was defined as: 1) uncontrolled BP (systolic BP ≥ 140 mmHg and/or diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg) with concurrent use of ≥ 3 antihypertensive medication classes, or 2) use of ≥ 4 antihypertensive medication classes, regardless of BP level. We used Poisson regression to calculate predictors of aTRH. Results: Among all hypertensive participants, 2,208 (15.6%) had aTRH, however, 433/1,961 (22.1%) with a history of stroke/TIA had aTRH . After adjustment for age, race and sex, participants with history of stroke/TIA were more likely to have aTRH (prevalence ratio [PR] = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.30 - 1.57) although the association was partially mediated by adjustment for risk factors and socio-economic status (PR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.04 - 1.28). Among stroke/TIA participants, aTRH was more common in blacks (PR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.43 - 2.02), larger waists (PR = 1.31 per 15 cm; 95% CI: 1.22 - 1.42), diabetes (PR = 1.62; 95% CI: 1.37 - 1.91), albumin-to-creatinine ratio ≥ 30 mg/g (PR = 1.87; 1.59 - 2.20), and history of myocardial infarction (PR = 1.34; 95% CI: 1.12 - 1.59). Conclusions: In this study, over 20% of persons with stroke/TIA had aTRH. As current guidelines recommend BP reduction in these individuals, our results support identification of those who may need more intensive BP monitoring and management.
Sophocles and Machiavelli on the Limits of Virtue

“For I know well that you are all ill, and sick though you be, there are none whatsoever equally sick as I. For the pain of yours comes to one alone to his own downright self, and no other, but my soul mourns with respect to the city and me and you altogether.” Sophocles, O.T., lines 59-64, my translation. Sophocles’ Oedipus the King is about the collapse of the public and the private. Oedipus thinks his own experience proves the reconcilability of the public and the private and that he is justice’s realization. One might say, the plot of the O.T. challenges and refutes Oedipus’ understanding. By the end of the play it is clear that Oedipus no longer simply embodies the public and the private. Creon orders him out of the public realm and the play closes with his grieving over the cursed future of his own weeping daughters. Like Sophocles’ O.T., Machiavelli’s The Prince is also about the collapse of the public and the private, but The Prince displays the opposite movement. It begins with the centrality of the prince’s good. Justice or the public good takes a back seat to or is sacrificed to the good of the Prince. By the end of The Prince, however, public and private are seemingly brought together, as Machiavelli exhorts the Prince to unite Italy and to expel the barbarians from the fatherland. The Prince concludes with the suggestion that the one and the many can be simultaneously made whole. So at first blush Machiavelli suggests that the moderns are superior to the ancients. Whereas the ancients saw tragedy and aporia, the moderns see solutions and relief from suffering. This interpretation is problematic, however, for it ignores what happens to the Prince as a condition for the final solution presented in Chapter 26. Public and private are not so much reconciled as the Prince becomes absolutely public. Machiavelli guts him and deprives him of the means by which to experience a genuine private happiness. The Prince turns a prince into THE Prince, a particular prince into an empty universal, and all the while making it seem that everything is being said for his happiness. In O.T., tragedy is the result of the splitting apart of public and private. In The Prince, tragedy is not so much overcome as suppressed; the good of the ruler or of the one is suppressed. If The Prince does not really solve the fundamental political problem, and Machiavelli knew this, in what sense is Machiavelli really a modern or the founder of modern political life? Did Machiavelli mean to found modernity? In seeing itself as Machiavelli’s heir, is modernity deluding itself? In juxtaposing Sophocles’ Oedipus the King and Machiavelli’s The Prince, this paper will shed light on the conflict between the ancients and the moderns, and in particular, on Machiavelli’s intention in writing The Prince.
Localization of Membrane Protein Synthesized After Infection with Bacteriophage T4

The synthesis of membrane protein after infection with bacteriophage T4 was examined. Protein constituents of both the cytoplasmic and outer membrane are made during the infective cycle. In addition, newly synthesized membrane protein is found in material which has a buoyant density greater than that of either of the two host membrane fractions. Polyacrylamide gel analyses and solubilization studies using the detergent Sarkosyl indicate that synthesis of most of the membrane proteins made during the first 5 min of infection is directed by bacterial genes. New membrane proteins synthesized at times greater than 6 min after infection appear to be distinct from those of the host, and new proteins of the outer membrane are different from those of the inner. Proteins in the new dense membrane fraction are similar to those of the outer membrane.
Phosphorus and potassium release pattern from leucaena leaves in three environments of Haiti.

In tropical ecosystems trees have the potential to supply nutrients essential to crops. Leucaena [Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) De Wit] leaf decomposition experiments were established at three sites in Haiti representing diverse soil types to assess the potential of leucaena leaves to supply P and K to crops and to determine their pattern of release. Mesh bags containing 17.4 g of air-dried leucaena leaves were placed in plots receiving 100 kg ha−1 of N as ammonium sulfate and leucaena prunings as mulch with and without 60 kg ha−1 of P and 40 kg ha−1 of K fertilizers for each crop. One bag from each plot was retrieved periodically over a period of 32 weeks for ash free dry matter, P and K determination. In the three locations applications of P–K inorganic fertilizer had no significant effects on leucaena leaf ash free dry matter remaining, P and K concentration nor content of leaves. Cumulative leucaena leaf P content release after 32 weeks of decay for the three sites averaged 4.9 kg ha−1. Cumulative leucaena leaf K content release for the three sites was about 35.4 kg ha−1. The rate of K release was higher in very humid climate than in semi-humid climate. The pattern of leucaena leaf ash free dry matter remaining, residual P and K content followed a double exponential model of decomposition for the three locations. Leucaena leaves applied at the three sites showed potential to supply P and K to crops. Plant material quality, time of decomposition and tree age should be investigated in future studies.
Mate choice in female convict cichlids ( Amatitlania nigrofasciata ) and the relationship between male size and dominance

We examined how male size and fighting ability influence a female’s mate assessment process and her eventual mate choice in the monogamous convict cichlid, Amatitlania nigrofasciata. Females always chose the larger of two males when they were allowed to see a larger male next to a smaller one and when a larger male defeated a smaller one in a fight. They did not differentiate between large and small males when they did not see the two males together nor did they choose a dominant over a subordinate male when both were the same size. We suggest that females select on the basis of male size because it is a better predictor of both direct and indirect benefits (i.e., future competitive interactions and foraging ability) than dominance behavior only. Despite selecting one male over the other early in the courtship period, females continued to visit both males until spawning. Our evidence suggests that this assessment behavior more closely resembles a bet-hedging tactic rather than the female’s indecision as to which male will be her mate.
FURTHER DATA ON A STRESS SYNDROME RELATED TO ACHIEVEMENT MOTIVATION: RELATIONSHIPS WITH AGE AND BASAL SERUM CHOLESTEROL LEVEL.

A cross-validation of a standard method of measuring striving-induced stress is described. The sensitivity of the previously reported stress measures, based on heart-rate elevation, is verified. The procedure is demonstrably applicable to more varied populations than those used in the original standardization. While a tendency toward higher over-all heart rates with increased age was observed, the principal specific finding was a positive association of basal serum cholesterol level with post-stress heart rate, independent of age. Individuals with higher serum cholesterol levels showed less complete recovery following stress and higher initial heart rates, but they did not necessarily show a stronger immediate response to the stressors. Psychosomatic implications are discussed.
Connecting math achievement to parental influences

Abstract This study determined the causal paths of parental and school variables related to the mathematics achievement of fifth- and sixth-grade students. The sample included 437 students identified as gifted and 364 students enrolled in “average” classes in the same schools. The only ethnic groups included in these analyses were Asian Americans and Caucasians. Parental influence was determined from the children's perception of family practices related to schooling. PLSPath (Sellin, 1983) was used to estimate the different path weights. The study found that the parental variables accounted for 22% of the math achievement variance. The model showed that ethnicity directly influences parental influence, which in turn influences achievement. Other published causal models have not been able to relate ethnicity and parental influence so clearly. The study also found that a multivariate mix of parental factors effects achievement. Asian American parents provide moderate levels of pressure, help, and monitoring, which enhances achievement. American parents provide less of these influences but supply more psychological support to increase achievement.
Secretion of Sr85 and Ca47 in Human Saliva.

SummaryIn a study of secretion of Sr85 and of Ca47 in saliva, the ratio of saliva concentration to plasma concentration varied from 1/5 to 1/3 for Sr85 and from 2/5 to almost unity for Ca47. The average ratios favored secretion of Ca47 by a factor of more than 2, the difference in secretion of the 2 isotopes being highly significant. Values for Ca47 were in accord with the levels of stable calcium found by us in saliva and previously reported by others. No difference in Sr85/Ca47 ratios of saliva in relation to plasma was found between patients on low and on high Ca intake. The high degree of discrimination of the salivary glands against the secretion of Sr85 contrasts with the action of the kidneys in favoring secretion of Sr85 over that of radiocalcium by a factor of approximately 3 to 1.
Grape response to phosphorus fertilizer: Petiole to blade P ratio as a guide for fertilizer application

Abstract A two‐year fertilizer study on a mature vineyard of grapes (Vitis vinifera L., cv. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’ and ‘Sauvignon blanc') was conducted on a White House sandy loam (fine, mixed, thermic Ustollic Haplargid) soil at the University of Arizona Oracle Agricultural Center. Two cultivars were grown and treated with different levels of N and P fertilizer and tested for total P and NO3‐N content of plant tissues. Available P was evaluated with two extracting methods (Olsen and Bray P1). Relationships between soil pH, extractable Al, Fe, Mn, and Zn with the availability indexes of soil P were also examined. Furthermore, the effects of P rates and placement on the P content of plant tissue, grape yield, and petiole to blade P ratios were investigated. Three fertilizer placements (0, 25, and 50 cm depths) at rates of 88 g P and 80 g N per vine were used for both cultivars in 1987, whereas, in 1988, three P rates (0, 88, and 176 g P per vine) and 207 g of N per vine were applied. The results of this inve...
Systems and Microcomputer Approach to Anticoagulant Therapy

A modem systems approach to the warfarin (an oral anticoagulant drug) dosage control problem is developed and analyzed on numerous patient data sets. Except for the initial statistics generation, all of the computer programs are developed for the relatively inexpensive Commodore PET 2001 microcomputer. A stabilized extended Kalman filter is employed to determine two patient dependent parameters from a series of Quick prothrombin time measurements in addition to estimating the prothrombin complex activity. The resultant parameters are then employed in an interactive graphics simulation program to determine a near-optimal dosage strategy.
single-mode saturation of a linearly unstable plasma

The nonlinear oscillations of an electron plasma described by the collisionless Vlasov equation are studied using a perturbation technique previously applied by Simon and Rosenbluth [Phys. Fluids 19, 1567 (1976)]. It is proved by a characteristic argument that the plasma is globally stable, so that Bogoliuboff’s method of ‘‘secular regularization’’ is applicable. Assuming the plasma is confined in a box, and that only the lowest mode is unstable, it is shown that the ‘‘eigenmode dominance’’ approximation of Simon and Rosenbluth fails to conserve energy, but that energy and momentum conservation can be regained by considering interaction between the discrete and continuum modes. A formula is derived for the amplitude and phase of the saturated nonlinear oscillations. In a subsidiary result, it is shown that nonlinear effects damp the steady‐state oscillations predicted by linearized theory for some stable plasmas.
Improved performance of a field effect transistor

Abstract In GaAs or Si FETs, the mobility of charge carriers in the channel is influenced by the electric field. The real velocity profiles of the carriers in the channel limits the transfer time. In order to improve the velocity of carriers we suggest: i) Create a doping gradient in the channel. ii) Use a series of independent gates each having a different DC bias. The Si multigate and GaAs dual-gate were fabricated. Measurements revealed that transconductance increased from 19.5 mS/mm to 30.5 mS/mm for the Si Device, and increased from 480 mS/mm to 640 mS/mm for the GaAs Device.
Synthesis and hydrogen permeation properties of asymmetric proton-conducting ceramic membranes

Abstract Asymmetric proton-conducting SrCe 0.95 Tm 0.05 O 3− δ membranes consisting of a dense thin film and a thick porous support of the same material were prepared by conventional and cost-effective dry pressing method. Green powder of SrCe 0.95 Tm 0.05 O 3− δ was prepared by wet chemical method using metal nitrates precursors. Smaller particle size powder was used to make the dense top layer while the larger particle size powder produced porous substrate. The particle size of the powder was revealed to be an important factor that affects the porosity and shrinkage of the sintered disks. A close match between the shrinkage of the support and the top layer led to the defect-free asymmetric disks. The film thickness was varied from 800 μm to 150 μm by varying the amount of the powder in the top layer. H 2 permeation flux of these thin films was measured under various operating conditions. The H 2 permeation rates were found to be inversely proportional to the thickness of the film indicating that bulk diffusion rather than surface reaction played a dominant role in H 2 transport within the studied thickness range (1.6 mm–150 μm). Activation energy of H 2 flux was 120 kJ/mol in 600–700 °C which decreased to 20 kJ/mol in 700–950 °C. This indicates a change in the mechanism of protonic/electronic transport around 700 °C.
The Severinghaus square root of time relationship for anesthetic uptake and its implications for the stability of compartmental pharmacokinetics

For nitrous oxide, the first anesthetic for which uptake was measured in humans, Severinghaus noted empirically that a plot of the log of uptake against the log of elapsed time produced a straight line with slope −0.5, suggesting that uptake is proportional to the inverse square root of time. This result is something of a black box model, based on empirical curve fitting without regard to physiology. Some authors (e.g., Lowe) repeatedly returned to this inverse square root of time model as a benchmark while others (e.g., Hendrickx) questioned its validity and demanded the relationship be expressed with a physiologic model whose structure matches the known physiology being modeled. Nevertheless, the fact that authors have repeatedly come back to this inverse square root of time model as a benchmark suggests that it might have some underlying validity which has not previously been recognized. We re-explored this mathematically in an attempt to reveal hitherto undiscovered insights or limitations. In this study, we examined the square root of time model (viewed as a power function) and compared it with multi-compartment models. Further, we explored the stability of this relationship to systematic variation in the power value and also to the superimposition of noise-like perturbations, seeking conditions under which it might not work. Based upon this theoretical analysis, we also speculate on the existence of a physiological compartment with a time constant between that of the vessel-rich group (VRG) and muscle, and what the identity of such a compartment might be.
Abstract 5148: CanDrA: Cancer-specific driver missense mutation annotation with optimized features.

Driver mutations are somatic mutations that provide growth advantage to tumor cells, while passenger mutations are those that are not functionally associated with oncogenesis. Distinguishing drivers from passengers is challenging because drivers occur much less frequently than passengers, they turn to have low prevalence, and their functions are multifactorial. Missense mutations are excellent candidates for driver identification, as they occur more frequently and are potentially easier to target than other types of mutations. Although several methods have been developed for predicting the functional impact of missense mutations, only a few are specifically designed for identifying driver mutations. As more mutations are being discovered, more accurate predictive models can be developed using machine learning approaches that systematically characterize the commonality and peculiarity of somatic mutations under specific cancer background. Here, we present such a Cancer Driver Annotation (CanDrA) tool that assesses the driver potential of missense somatic mutations based on a set of 95 structural and evolutionary features computed by over 10 functional prediction algorithms from SNVBOX, VEP, ANNOVAR and Mutation Assessor. Through feature optimization and supervised training, CanDrA outperforms existing tools in analysing the glioblastoma multiforme and the ovarian carcinoma data in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia project. Citation Format: Yong Mao, Han Chen, Han Liang, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Gordon Mills, Ken Chen. CanDrA: Cancer-specific driver missense mutation annotation with optimized features. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5148. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5148
A new measure of dysconjugacy in INO: the first-pass amplitude.

Abstract Background : The ratios of abducting to adducting eye movements (versional dysconjugacy index, VDI) for saccadic velocity and acceleration have been useful measures by which to objectively characterize internuclear ophthalmoparesis (INO). Amplitude measures of dysconjugacy have been less useful, given that many patients maintain the ability to ultimately reach a centrifugal fixation target and that traditional amplitude measures of VDI have focused on this ‘final amplitude’ (FA) position. Methods : We utilized infrared oculography to define a new amplitude measure of dysconjugacy in 42 multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with INO. The first-pass amplitude (FPA)-VDI is the ratio of abduction/adduction eye movement amplitudes computed at the time when the abducting eye initially achieves the centrifugal horizontal fixation target. Results : FPA-VDI values were significantly more sensitive and specific than FA-VDI values in demonstrating dysconjugacy in INO, and there was a 14-fold increase in dysconjugacy as measured by FPA-VDI Z -scores when compared to FA-VDI Z -scores. Conclusion : Consideration of velocity (pulse) and amplitude (step) components of dysconjugacy in patients with INO can provide a greater understanding of the dynamic aspects of this syndrome. We propose to characterize the relationship between the pathophysiology of INO and neuroradiologic measures of tissue injury in MS.
Plasma Membrane Ca2+-ATPase Associates with the Cytoskeleton in Activated Platelets through a PDZ-binding Domain

The plasma membrane Ca(2+)-ATPase (PMCA) plays an essential role in maintaining low cytosolic Ca(2+) in resting platelets. During platelet activation PMCA is phosphorylated transiently on tyrosine residues resulting in inhibition of the pump that enhances elevation of Ca(2+). Tyrosine phosphorylation of many proteins during platelet activation results in their association with the cytoskeleton. Consequently, in the present study we asked if PMCA interacts with the platelet cytoskeleton. We observed that very little PMCA is associated with the cytoskeleton in resting platelets but that approximately 80% of total PMCA (PMCA1b + PMCA4b) is redistributed to the cytoskeleton upon activation with thrombin. Tyrosine phosphorylation of PMCA during activation was not associated with the redistribution because tyrosine-phosphorylated PMCA was not translocated specifically to the cytoskeleton. Because PMCA b-splice isoforms have C-terminal PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1 homology domain (PDZ)-binding domains, a C-terminal peptide was used to disrupt potential PDZ domain interactions. Activation of saponin-permeabilized platelets in the presence of the peptide led to a significant decrease of PMCA in the cytoskeleton. PMCA associated with the cytoskeleton retained Ca(2+)-ATPase activity. These results suggest that during activation active PMCA is recruited to the cytoskeleton by interaction with PDZ domains and that this association provides a microenvironment with a reduced Ca(2+) concentration.
Awareness of and receptiveness to active learning strategies among STEM faculty

Despite strong evidence of the positive impact of active learning strategies, STEM faculty demonstrate a spectrum of receptiveness to incorporating active learning into their classrooms, and for a variety of reasons, engineering classes continue to be dominated by a passive lecture style. This paper draws on data from a four-year study that investigated the use of five social instruction strategies, including active learning. Twenty-four STEM faculty at 4 institutions were interviewed regarding their understanding of and attitudes toward these strategies. This paper focuses on the results of the active learning component of these interviews. Faculty most often interpreted active learning as what students do and viewed self-motivation as a key component of what students think while active learning. These results, while drawn from a small sample population, can nevertheless make an important contribution to understanding why passive learning remains predominant in the STEM classroom. This paper examines how the findings from this study can inform efforts to promote changes in STEM education that would bring more active learning to the classroom.
Dicarboxylate ω-amidase of Bacillus subtilis-168: Evidence for a membrane-associated form

Abstract The membrane-associated enzymatic activity from Bacillus subtilis responsible for the formation of succinyl hydroxamate from succinate and hydroxalamine has been identified as a dicarboxylate ω-amidase (ω-amido dicarboxylate amidohydrolase EC 3.5.1.3) rather than succinyl CoA synthetase. One third to one fourth of the total B. subtilis ω-amidase is found associated with cell membranes isolated by sucrose gradient centrifugation. This membrane-associated ω-amidase can be removed by treatment of the membranes with detergents or extensive sonication. The biosynthesis of B. subtilis ω-amidase is strongly repressed by the presence of ammonia whereas ammonia has no effect on the catalytic activity of B. subtilis ω-amidase.
Aerodynamics for a Winged, Circular-Body, Single-Stage-to-Orbit Spacecraft Configuration

Experimental aerodynamic characteristics were obtained for a generic, winged, circular-body, single-stage-toorbit spacecraft cone guration. The baseline cone guration was longitudinally stable and trimmable at almost all Mach numbers from 0.15 to 10.0, with the exception occurring at low supersonic speeds. Landing speed and subsonic-to-hypersoniclongitudinal stability and control appear to be within design guidelines. A lack of sufe cient supersonic longitudinal control power and lateral-directional instabilities found over the entire speed range, however, create a problem area, which could be alleviated by modifying the cone guration’ s directional stabilization devices. Longitudinal aerodynamicpredictionsmadeutilizing theAerodynamicPreliminary AnalysisSystem were in qualitative, and often quantitative, agreement with experimental values.
Strategic transformation as the essential last step in the process of business turnaround

Abstract Just over a decade ago, the work of strategic management scholars helped to broaden the perspectives of executives caught in the throes of declining organizational performance. In addition to the traditional turnaround options that stabilized financial performance, managers were shown approaches that they could deploy to reduce the chances of a recurrence of the turnaround situation. This article updates the progress that has since been made in understanding the turnaround process. Further, we look at an ambitious approach to redirecting the strategies of a reemerging company toward a more promising competitive position, as the essential last step in the process of business turnaround. Called strategic transformation, this approach to reformulating strategy cultivates company growth in strong or emerging markets.
Link-layer protection in 802.11i WLANS with dummy authentication

The current 802.11i standard can provide data confidentiality, integrity and mutual authentication in enterprise Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs). However, secure communication can only be provided after successful authentication and a robust security network association is established. In general, the wireless link layer is not protected by the current standard in WLANs, which leads to many possible attacks, especially in public open-access wireless networks. We argue that regardless of the type of network under consideration, link-layer protection and data confidentiality are of great importance in wireless applications. In this paper, we first identify and analyze the security issues ignored by the current 802.11 security standard. Then we propose our solution to patch the current 802.11i standard and address all those issues with a new dummy authentication key-establishment algorithm. Dummy means no real authentication for a user. In dummy authentication, we apply public-key cryptography's key-establishment technique to the 802.11 MAC protocol. Our solution can provide link-layer data encryption in open-access wireless networks, separate session encryption keys for different users, and protection for important frames such as management and null data frames as well as Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) messages.
Application of the level crossing rate function to sea clutter

The contribution of this paper is to propose, and compute the level crossing rate (LCR), average calm duration (ACD) and average surge duration (ASD) in the context of radar clutter and false alarm analysis. The derived formulas for the LCR, ACD and ASD are then compared to their measured values calculated from experimental radar sea clutter and are shown to be in good agreement. These quantities are useful for false alarm analysis and synthetic clutter validation. In the clutter region, they provide an estimate of the expected number of spikes per second, the mean spike duration and the mean interval between spikes.