cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Al-Jurjani: A Pioneer of Grammatical and Linguistic Studies

SUMMARYMost of the early Arab grammarians were chiefly concerned with the description of language structure and particularly the problem of explaining the inflectional marks. Al-Jurjanf, in the fifth century AH/eleventh century AD, was the first among Arab grammarians to depart from earlier trend of linguistic analysis and to put forward a demonstrable theory for the study of language and grammar in terms of the interrelationships that bind the constituents of speech together. According to al-Jurjani, there are three types of relationships: syntactic relationships, semantic relationships, and the relationship between syntax and semantics. This paper contains a systematic account of these syntactic-semantic interrelationships in particular, and al-Jurjani's approach and methodology to language and grammar in general. Our investigation is based on an intensive study of the concepts of nazm (discourse arrangement) and tacliq (interrelationship) which al-JurjanT discussed with ample evidence and cogent reasoning in his major work Dala'il al-fjaz (Illustrations of the Inimitability [of the Qur'an]). A distinctive feature of this research is the effort made to show the connection between al-Jurjani's linguistic concepts and equivalent notions used in modern linguistics. The study concludes with an important fact; namely, that al-JurjanT was one of the frontier scholars to call for the study of language on the basis of syntactic-semantic functions and as a discipline independent of grammatical regents.RESUMELa plupart des grammairiens Arabes s'interessaient a la description de la structure des langues et, en particulier, au probleme de l'explication des signes d'inflexion. Au cinquieme siecle AH/XIe siecle A.D., al-Jurjani etait le premier des grammairiens Arabes a diverger de ce genre traditionnel d'analyse linguis-tique et a avancer une theorie pratiquable pour l'etude des langues et de la grammaire sous forme de rapports qui relient les constituants de la parole. Selon al-JurjanT, il existe trois genres de rapports: relations syntaxiques, relations semantiques, et relations entre la syntaxe et la semantique. Cette etude contient un recit systematique de ces rapports syntacto-semantiques en particulier, et l'approche et la methodologie d'al-Jurjanl envers la langue et la grammaire en general. Notre recherche est basee sur une etude pousse des concepts du nazm ('organisation du discours') et de tacliq ('interrelation') qu'al-Jurjanl a discute avec ample evidence et un raisonnement convaincant dans son ouvrage principal Dala'il al-Icjaz (Demonstrations de l'Inimitabilite [du Koran]). Un point distinctif de cette recherche c'est l'effort fait pour de montrer la connection entre les conceptions linguistiques d'al-Jurjanl et des notions equivalen-tes utilisees dans la linguistique moderne. L'etude termine sur un point important, a savoir qu'al-Jurjani etait un des premiers savants qui ont exige une etude de la langue basee sur les fonctions syntactiques-semantiques et comme une discipline independante des regents grammaticaux.
Selective approach to use of upper gastroesophageal imaging study after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

Abstract Background Many institutions routinely perform upper gastroesophageal imaging (UGI) studies on their laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) patients after surgery. We had routinely studied our patients with UGI on postoperative day 1 to rule out an anastomotic leak or obstruction, until recently when we abandoned this practice. As previously reported, we found that routine UGI did not contribute significantly to patient care. The purpose of this study was to determine whether patient outcomes were affected by this change in protocol. Methods From March 2004 to September 2005, 508 LRYGB cases were performed at our institution. Linear cutting staplers were used to create both the gastrojejunostomy and the jejunojejunostomy. In each case, the Roux limb was brought up in an antecolic, antegastric configuration. Before changing our protocol, 194 LRYGB cases were performed, and each patient underwent a routine UGI study (group 1). After abandoning this practice, 314 LRYGB cases were performed (group 2), and an UGI study was obtained only if clinical indicators (e.g., tachypnea, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, low urine output, and/or abdominal pain) were present. The patient demographics, including gender, age, body mass index, length of hospital stay, and complications were recorded in our bariatric database and reviewed retrospectively. Results A postoperative UGI study was obtained in 204 patients—in 194 patients routinely (group 1) and in 10 patients because of clinical indications (group 2). No obstructions or leaks were found in any of these 204 patients. In group 2, 304 patients were discharged without an UGI series and did well without any leak or obstruction, except for 1 patient who returned 3 months postoperatively with a stricture at his jejunojejunostomy. No statistically significant differences were found between the 2 groups. Conclusion The results of our study have shown that routine UGI studies after LRYGB do not contribute significantly to postoperative patient care at our institution. We now perform them selectively according to clinical indications, without this change adversely affecting our clinical outcomes.
Addressing eHealth literacy and the digital divide: Access, affordability and awareness

EDITOR'S SUMMARY The Internet is beyond the reach of about six percent of Americans, limiting their access to general information and communications and to health information in particular. Eight of 10 Internet users look online for a range of health-related information to understand medical conditions and treatments, access care providers and learn about insurance. Consumers, the federal government, the business community and access providers all have a stake in eHealth information access. The government has promoted awareness and understanding of health issues and provided funding for broadband and wireless telecommunications infrastructure. Businesses rely on consumers to make use of health information, and several major telecom firms have provided hardware and training to enable eHealth endeavors. Efforts must address basic Internet connectivity and user costs and awareness, obstacles that undermine availability of important health information to consumers.
Psychophysiological correlates of electrodermal lability.

This study of 75 college student subjects investigated the psychophysiological correlates of electrodermal lability. Resting-stabile and resting-labile subjects were defined as those who were respectively below and above the median of all same-sex subjects in frequency of nonspecific skin conductance responses during rest, whereas stimulus-stabile and stimulus-labile subjects were those respectively below and above the median in trials to habituation of the skin conductance orienting response. These two classification systems were found to be highly correlated with one another, but not entirely equivalent. With both lability measures, labiles had higher resting skin conductance levels than stabiles and also exhibited larger skin conductance orienting responses to both signal and nonsignal tones. Labiles produced orienting responses with shorter latencies, rise times, and half recovery-times. Resting-labiles also differed from resting-stabiles in the components of the triphasic heart rate response to the tones, having larger decelerative responses. The data are consistent with the view that labiles are better able than stabiles to allocate attentional capacity to environmental events and to respond to changing demands in an attentional situation.
Virtual Movie Sets and Branching Video: Developing Interactive Educational Machinima with Second Life and YouTube

Machinima is the technique of using real-time 3D technologies such as computer games or virtual worlds in the creation of animated video productions. The Second Life virtual world provides an open landscape where inexpensive virtual movie sets, props, costumes, and characters may be created to meet specialized educational purposes. Interactive video techniques used to create online video simulations, virtual tours, adventure games, or interactive tutorials can be coupled with machinima to create interactive educational machinima products. YouTube supports this technique by providing both video hosting and the Annotations tool, which enables linking from video to video. Usage and demographic data may be collected on YouTube automatically to identify patterns of use. This paper illustrates the process of interactive educational machinima design and prototype development using a combination of Second Life and YouTube technologies. Usage data from YouTube is presented and its potential value for evaluation of interactive educational video design is discussed. Initial conclusions suggest directions for future research in interactive educational machinima.
Corporate Social Performance Revisited

This article defines corporate social performance (CSP) and reformulates the CSP model to build a coherent, integrative framework for business and society research. Principles of social responsibility are framed at the institutional, organizational, and individual levels; processes of social responsiveness are shown to be environmental assessment, stakeholder management, and issues management; and outcomes of CSP are posed as social impacts, programs, and policies. Rethinking CSP in this manner points to vital research questions that have not yet been addressed.
On Factors Affecting Fertility at Different Stages in the Reproduction History: An Exercise in Cohort Analysis

Age-parity-specific birth probabilities and central birth rates cumulated over successive five-year age groups for U.S. birth cohorts (whites only) are analyzed using age, period, and cohort as possible independent variables. The main effects of age and period jointly account for virtually all of the variance of age-parity-specific birth probabilities; period accounts for a greater proportion of the variance at higher parities, while the opposite is true of age. The main effects of age and period and the age-period interaction jointly account for virtually all of the variation in central birth rates; about two-thirds of the overall age-period interaction is captured by the interaction components of observations in the age group 20 to 24 years. Both the variation by parity of the age and period effects on birth probabilities and the presence of age-period interaction in the case of reproduction in successive age segments, support the proposition that different fertility determinants come into prominence at different stages in reproduction history. Do different factors affecting fertility come into prominence at different stages in the reproduction history? This question has received considerable attention in the literature lately (see, e.g., Mishler and Westoff; Namboodiri, a, b, c; Rosenweig and Seiver; West). But few studies have examined the issue from a macro perspective, using especially the cohort approach. Following Norman Ryder's (a,b,) suggestion that social scientists have a good deal to gain by investing research efforts on macro models in analyzing social phenomena, this paper examines whether an analysis of fertility using age, period, and birth cohort as independent variables sheds any light on the issue just mentioned. Two measures of fertility are used in
Finkelstein's test: a biomechanical analysis.

Purpose Finkelstein's test is the classic diagnostic test for de Quervain's disease. Finkelstein hypothesized that the entry of the muscle bellies of the extensor pollicis brevis (EPB) and abductor pollicis longus (APL) tendons into the first extensor compartment was responsible for the findings observed in his now eponymous test. We agree with Finkelstein's hypothesis and further hypothesize that this position would induce measurable bulk (muscle mass within the retinaculum) and tethering (stretching of synovial tissue) effects within the compartment. To test this latter hypothesis we measured the excursion and gliding resistance of the EPB and APL tendons within the first compartment. Methods Fifteen fresh-frozen cadavers were used. Gliding resistance and excursion were measured in 4 different wrist positions, including the wrist position of Finkelstein's test (30° ulnar deviation). The bulk and tethering effect was calculated based on the mean gliding resistance over the tendon proximal/distal excursion cycle and the gliding resistance at the terminal distal excursion. Results The EPB tendon excursion was significantly more distal in 30° ulnar deviation than in 60° extension. Additionally the bulk and tethering resistance was significantly greater in 30° ulnar deviation compared with 60° extension. For the APL tendon there was no significant difference in either the tendon excursion or the bulk and tethering resistance between 30° ulnar deviation and 60° extension. Conclusions We showed that in the position of Finkelstein's test the EPB tendon is significantly more distal and has significantly greater bulk and tethering effect compared with the other EPB positions. This is not the case for the APL tendon in the position of Finkelstein's test. These results suggest that an abnormal Finkelstein's test reflects differences of the EPB more than it does the APL.
Ten Heuristics for Interdisciplinary Modeling Projects

Complex environmental and ecological problems require collaborative, interdisciplinary efforts. A common approach to integrating disciplinary perspectives on these problems is to develop simulation models in which the linkages between system components are explicitly represented. There is, however, little guidance in the literature on how such models should be developed through collaborative teamwork. In this paper, we offer a set of heuristics (rules of thumb) that address a range of challenges associated with this enterprise, including the selection of team members, negotiating a consensus view of the research problem, prototyping and refining models, the role of sensitivity analysis, and the importance of team communication. These heuristics arose from a comparison of our experiences with several interdisciplinary modeling projects. We use one such experience—a project in which natural scientists, social scientists, and local residents came together to investigate the sustainability of small indigenous communities in the Arctic—to illustrate the heuristics.
Evaluation of Pyrimidine PNA Binding to ssDNA Targets from Nonequilibrium Melting Experiments

Slow kinetics of homopyrimidine PNA binding to single stranded DNA and RNA targets is manifested in significant hysteresis in thermal UV absorption experiments. We have compared temperatures of dissociation (Tdis) and reassociation (Tass) for triplexes formed by DNA and single or bis PNAs with K50 derived from gel mobility experiments. Results indicated there was no correlation between Tdis and K50 while reasonable correlation between Tass and K50 was found. This correlation enabled use of easy thermal UV absorption experiments for evaluation of PNA binding to DNA/RNA targets.
Limited Scale-Free Overlay Topologies for Unstructured Peer-to-Peer Networks

In unstructured peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, the overlay topology (or connectivity graph) among peers is a crucial component in addition to the peer/data organization and search. Topological characteristics have profound impact on the efficiency of a search on such unstructured P2P networks, as well as other networks. A key limitation of scale-free (power-law) topologies is the high load (i.e., high degree) on a very few number of hub nodes. In a typical unstructured P2P network, peers are not willing to maintain high degrees/loads as they may not want to store a large number of entries for construction of the overlay topology. Therefore, to achieve fairness and practicality among all peers, hard cutoffs on the number of entries are imposed by the individual peers, which limits scale-freeness of the overall topology, hence limited scale-free networks. Thus, it is expected that the efficiency of the flooding search reduces as the size of the hard cutoff does. We investigate the construction of scale-free topologies with hard cutoffs (i.e., there are not any major hubs) and the effect of these hard cutoffs on the search efficiency. Interestingly, we observe that the efficiency of normalized flooding and random walk search algorithms increases as the hard cutoff decreases.
Flipping the Work Design in an industrial engineering course

Educational practice and the concept of ‘active learning’ have had a significant impact on engineering education. Challenging students with questions and problem-solving activities to learn course material is what we do in engineering courses. However, how do we continue to cover the amount of material we need to cover and still open up class time to include the active learning strategies so necessary in engineering? This paper describes the design and implementation of an instructional strategy called ‘the classroom flip’ or inverted classroom that was put into practice in an industrial engineering course. Initial results from the classroom provide feedback and insight into how this technique might be best utilized to enhance learning in engineering education.
Stress Ulcer Prophylaxis: Reducing Non-Indicated Prescribing after Hospital Discharge

Background:Gastric acid suppressant medications used as stress ulcer prophylaxis (SUP) in the intensive care unit (ICU) are often prescribed inappropriately after discharge. We present tools to reduce the use and cost of non-indicated SUP.Objective:To reduce the non-indicated use of SUP after hospital discharge originally started in the ICU, using an education intervention and pharmacist-led medication reconciliation on patient care rounds and at hospital discharge.Methods:In a retrospective medical record review using a historic control, 356 consecutively admitted patients to the medical/surgical ICU at the University of Wisconsin Hospital were assessed for the appropriate use of SUP at admission to the ICU, at transfer to a general care unit, and at hospital discharge. The education intervention involved teaching both the medical and pharmacist staff about indications for SUP using a memorandum and a pocket guide. Pharmacists also conducted medication reconciliation during daily patient care rounds and ...
Diet-dependent survival of protein repair-deficient mice ☆

Protein l-isoaspartyl (d-aspartyl) O-methyltransferase (PCMT1) is a protein-repair enzyme, and mice lacking this enzyme accumulate damaged proteins in multiple tissues, die at an early age from progressive epilepsy and have an increased S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) to S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) ratio in brain tissue. It has been proposed that the alteration of AdoMet and AdoHcy levels might contribute to the seizure phenotype, particularly as AdoHcy has anticonvulsant properties. To investigate whether altered AdoMet and AdoHcy levels might contribute to the seizures and thus the survivability of the repair-deficient mice, a folate-deficient amino acid-based diet was administered to the mice in place of a standard chow diet. We found that the low-folate diet significantly decreases the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio in brain tissue and results in an almost threefold extension of mean life span in the protein repair-deficient mice. These results indicate that the increased AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio may contribute to the lowered seizure threshold in young PCMT1-deficient mice. However, mean survival was also extended almost twofold for mice on a control folate-replete amino acid-based diet compared to mice on the standard chow diet. Survival after 40 days was similar in the mice on the low- and high-folate amino acid-based diets, suggesting that the survival of older PCMT1-deficient mice is not affected by the higher brain AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio. Additionally, the surviving older repair-deficient mice have a significant increase in body weight when compared to age-matched normal mice, independent of the type of diet. This weight increase was not accompanied by an increase in consumption levels, indicating that the repair-deficient mice may also have an altered metabolic state.
The Origin of Sexual Behavior

Sexual reproduction involves the coordinated activity of two separate organisms leading to the production of progeny. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how males and females coordinate their behavior to form a reproductive unit and, in turn, how the resulting reproductive behavior acts on the female’s physiology to promote pregnancy. The approach to this study of behavioral mechanisms is functional; that is, we are most interested in those physiological mechanisms and sexual behavior patterns that increase the reproductive fitness of animals that reproduce by sexual means. It might be argued that since all behavior is adaptive (else any given species of animal would not exist in its contemporary form), there is no need to invoke speculative—if not spurious—discussions about function or adaptation. In the modern study of behavior it is not necessary to demonstrate that evolutionary processes shape animal behavior; we take that as axiomatic. Rather, we use the concept of function to help understand the detailed operation of defined behavior patterns in a number of species. Our task is not to demonstrate adaptativeness in general but to discover which of many possible functions a behavior pattern serves. A particular species has a unique evolutionary history and is adapted to a particular ecological niche. Hence, to understand fully a particular response sequence, we should examine the behavior, its physiological causation, and the “job” or function of behavior in promoting reproductive success, that is, its functional significance.
Spatiotemporal Delay Control for Low-Duty-Cycle Sensor Networks

Data delivery is a major function of sensor network applications. Many applications, such as military surveillance, require the detection of interested events to be reported to a command center within a specified time frame, and therefore impose a real-time bound on communication delay. On the other hand, to conserve energy, one of the most effective approaches is to keep sensor nodes in the dormant state as long as possible while satisfying application requirements. Obviously a node cannot communicate if it is not active. Therefore, to deliver data in a timely manner for such extremely low duty-cycle sensor networks, communication needs to be carefully managed among sensor nodes. In this work, we introduce three different approaches to provide real-time guarantee of communication delay. First, we present a method for increasing duty-cycle at individual node. Then we describe a scheme on placement of sink nodes. Based on previous two methods, we discuss a hybrid approach that shows better balance between cost and efficiency on bounding communication delay. Our solution is global optimal in terms of minimizing the energy consumption for bounding pairwise end-to-end delay. For many-to-one and many-to-many cases, which are NP-hard, we propose corresponding heuristic algorithms for them. To our knowledge, these are the most generic and encouraging results to date in this new research direction. We evaluate our design with an extensive simulation of 5,000 nodes as well as with a small-scale running test-bed on TinyOS/Mote platform. Results show the effectiveness of our approach and significant improvements over an existing solution.
Changes in physiologically free circulating estradiol and testosterone during exposure to levonorgestrel.

The biological activity of circulating sex steroids is dependent upon the relative binding to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Only that fraction which is not specifically bound to the high affinity binding protein is available to the receptors or for metabolism. Levonorgestrel (d-Ng), a synthetic gestagen used for contraception, decreases hepatic production of SHBG. Volunteers wearing contraceptive vaginal rings containing estradiol (E2) and d-Ng were studied to determine the changes in sex steroid binding which occur when d-Ng is administered in a sustained release fashion. The percentage of steroid not specifically bound to SHBG was measured by fractionatingthe serum proteins with ammonium sulfate precipitation. A binding capacity assay was used to quantitate SHBG. During normal menstrual cycles in control subjects, the unbound fractions of both E2 and testosterone (T) remained constant throughout the cycle at about 25% of total E2 and 10% of total T. During treatment with d-Ng, however, the percen...
Economics of Weed Management: Principles and Practices1

Abstract Weed scientists and invasive plant biologists must find cost-effective, ecologically based methods to manage undesirable plants. Economic analyses are needed for management, policy making, and setting research priorities. The fundamental economic principle for weed management is simple: act only if the benefits exceed the costs. Implementation of the principle is difficult, however, with the many and typically uncertain costs and benefits of management. The economic threshold is a well-known but not practical implementation of this fundamental economic principle. However, adoption of the threshold concept has spurred the development of decision models and use of methods of decision analysis. With these tools, scientists have quantified some risks of management and the value of information about the weed population in a field for management decisions or the value of specific information about weed biology for identifying new management strategies. Meaningful analysis for economic weed management i...
Research Consultation Assessment: Perceptions of Students and Librarians

Abstract Both students and librarians evaluated face-to-face research consultations scheduled in an academic library. The survey asked both participants to rate usefulness of the interaction and to mark a list of the resources that were used. Results showed that librarians frequently underestimated the effectiveness of the consultation, a phenomenon known as provider pessimism, and that students were confused by the library terminology used for resources. Research consultations are potentially important “teaching moments” as long as students and librarians speak the same language and librarians verify learning outcomes using communication cues during the consultation.
The Conferences on “The Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena”: Excursions into “Cross-Overs” between Science and the Arts and Literature

A brief history is given of how the “The Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena” (INSAP) conferences came to be. Details of the events themselves are provided. A couple of cross-collaborations are illustrated.
Excluded Homeomorphism Types for Dual Complexes of Surfaces

We study an obstruction to prescribing the dual complex of a strict semistable degeneration of an algebraic surface. In particular, we show that if \(\Delta \) is a complex homeomorphic to a 2-dimensional manifold with negative Euler characteristic, then \(\Delta \) is not the dual complex of any semistable degeneration. In fact, our theorem is somewhat more general and applies to a certain class of complexes homotopy equivalent to such a manifold. Our obstruction is provided by the theory of tropical complexes.
Staying in the Hood: Black Lesbian and Transgender Women and Identity Management in North Philadelphia

The concept Don't Ask, Don't Tell regarding Black LGBT sexuality in Black communities has been an acceptable form of identity management for Black LGBT people. In other words, Black LGBT people are accepted as long as they are not vocal about their sexuality. However, this is changing with the issue of gay marriage, which is creating a space where Black LGBT people are more open about their gender identity and sexuality in heterosexual Black spaces. This new form of openness allows Black LGBT people to "stay in" their communities, as opposed to coming out. In this article I examine how Black LGBT women in North Philadelphia stay in their communities: being politically active regarding LGBT issues, disengaging from LGBT issues, passing, and educating straight Black people about issues affecting the Black LGBT community. I conclude with implications of staying in and intersectionality among Black heterosexual and LGBT women fighting for social change.
Semiconductor–Electrocatalyst Interfaces: Theory, Experiment, and Applications in Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting

ConspectusLight-absorbing semiconductor electrodes coated with electrocatalysts are key components of photoelectrochemical energy conversion and storage systems. Efforts to optimize these systems have been slowed by an inadequate understanding of the semiconductor–electrocatalyst (sem|cat) interface. The sem|cat interface is important because it separates and collects photoexcited charge carriers from the semiconductor. The photovoltage generated by the interface drives “uphill” photochemical reactions, such as water splitting to form hydrogen fuel. Here we describe efforts to understand the microscopic processes and materials parameters governing interfacial electron transfer between light-absorbing semiconductors, electrocatalysts, and solution.We highlight the properties of transition-metal oxyhydroxide electrocatalysts, such as Ni(Fe)OOH, because they are the fastest oxygen-evolution catalysts known in alkaline media and are (typically) permeable to electrolyte. We describe the physics that govern the...
Discussions on Working Methods of University Director under New Situations

Aiming at the problem of working innovation of university directors under new situations,some specific countermeasures are put forward from three aspects,including mastering the psychological characteristics of undergraduates,shaping a democratic atmosphere of classes and building a good study environment of classes.
Evaluation of 6,17α-dimethyl-6-dehydroprogesterone for treatment of recurrent and metastatic gynecologic malignancy

6,17 α -Dimethyl-6-dehydroprogesterone in large doses was evaluated as a therapeutic agent. In 61 cases of metastatic and recurrent carcinoma of the endometrium, there was a 21 per cent objective response; in 9 of metastatic and recurrent ovarian carcinoma, there was a 22 per cent objective response; and in 3 of metastatic and recurrent carcinoma of the cervix, there was no response. The drug also was used in conjunction with 5-fluorouracil or cyclophosphamide with no success in 7 cases of endometrial carcinoma and with limited success in 2 of 4 cases of uterine sarcoma. There were no significant toxic effects.
Synergistic Enhancement of the Efficacy of the Bioreductively Activated Alkylating Agent RSU-1164 in the Treatment of Prostatic Cancer by Photodynamic Therapy

Abstract Bioreductively activated alkylating agents (BAA) require metabolic reduction to become cytotoxic. Hypoxia induces a massive increase in reductive metabolism activating BAA to their cytotoxic form. One of these BAA agents is cis-2,3-dimethyl 1 -(2-nitro- 1 -imidazolyl)-3- (l-aziridinyl)-2- propanol referred to as RSU-1164. In a hypoxic environment, RSU-1164 is activated to a highly reactive bifunctional alkylating agent capable of crosslinking macromolecules which results in cell death. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a treatment modality which consists of the initial accumulation of hematoporphyrin derivative (HPD) within a tumor followed by the activation of the HPD by 630 nm. light to induce a cytotoxic response. The precise mechanism of PDT is not known, however, two actions of the activated HPD have been documented. The first is a direct cytotoxic effect, secondary to singlet oxygen production. The second is through vascular collapse and subsequent hypoxia. The combination of a chemotherapeutic agent like RSU-1164, which is activated by hypoxia, with PDT to produce such hypoxia, therefore, should greatly increase the efficiency and utility of RSU-1164. To test this hypothesis, Copenhagen rats bearing established Dunning R-3327 AT-2 prostate cancers were treated with PDT treatment alone (HPD 20 mg./kg. injected IP and then 24 hr. later, the tumor exposed to 630 nm. light at 400 mW/cm.2 for 30 min. [total dose 720 J/cm.2]), RSU-1164 alone (injected IP at a dose of 200 mg./kg.) or with the combination of this PDT treatment plus RSU-1164 given 30 min. before light exposure. These results demonstrated that this combinational treatment synergistically produces a greater retardation in the growth of the AT-2 tumor than either of the monotherapies of RSU-1164 or PDT alone.
Spatiotemporal Reconstruction of the Human Blastocyst by Single-Cell Gene-Expression Analysis Informs Induction of Naive Pluripotency

Human preimplantation embryo development involves complex cellular and molecular events that lead to the establishment of three cell lineages in the blastocyst: trophectoderm, primitive endoderm, and epiblast. Owing to limited resources of biological specimens, our understanding of how the earliest lineage commitments are regulated remains narrow. Here, we examined gene expression in 241 individual cells from early and late human blastocysts to delineate dynamic gene-expression changes. We distinguished all three lineages and further developed a 3D model of the inner cell mass and trophectoderm in which individual cells were mapped into distinct expression domains. We identified in silico precursors of the epiblast and primitive endoderm lineages and revealed a role for MCRS1, TET1, and THAP11 in epiblast formation and their ability to induce naive pluripotency in vitro. Our results highlight the potential of single-cell gene-expression analysis in human preimplantation development to instruct human stem cell biology.
Investigation of a second 15S-lipoxygenase in humans and its expression in epithelial tissues.

The first reports of a lipoxygenase in animal cells, the 12S-lipoxygenase of platelets, were published in 1974–75 (Hamberg and Samuelsson, 1974; Nugteren, 1975). At nearly the same time, Rapoport and colleagues recognized the existence of the 15S-lipoxygenase in reticulocytes (Schewe et al., 1975), and discovery of the leukocyte 5S-lipoxygenase was reported in the following year (Borgeat et al., 1976). Subsequent metabolism studies and molecular analyses indicated the occurrence of the same enzymes in selected other tissues; for example, both the 12S-and 15S-lipoxygenases were expressed also in skin (Nugteren and Kivits, 1987; Hussain et al., 1994; Takahashi et al., 1993). For the past two decades it had appeared that the three enzymes could account for all known lipoxygenase activities in man.
Modeling the Effects of Conservation, Demographics, Price, and Climate on Urban Water Demand in Los Angeles, California

With a service area population exceeding four million people and with close to 90 % of the water supply being imported from sources outside the city, the Los Angeles water system is subject to multiple stressors, including climate change and population growth. The influence of various factors on water demand in Los Angeles was evaluated through development and application of multiple linear regression models for residential, commercial, industrial, and governmental water demand categories from 1970 to 2014 in the service area of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Performance of the models in describing historical water demand was compared using the coefficient of determination, mean average percent error, and normalized root mean square error. Overall, the results of the linear regression models demonstrated that each water demand category is affected by different parameters. However, price and population were found to have the most significant impact on all categories. The seasonality of residential water demand was well described with the model based on monthly data, with precipitation and temperature being highly significant factors. Fitting of the residential data furthermore revealed that price and conservation have significantly counteracted the impact of population growth on water demand.
I'm not sure if we're okay: uncertainty for attackers and defenders

Asymmetry and uncertainty have been written about at length in the context of computer security. Indeed, many cutting edge defensive techniques provide system protection by relying on attacker uncertainty about certain aspects of the system. However, with these defensive countermeasures, typically the defender has the ability to derive full knowledge of the system (as is the case in, for example, Instruction Set Randomization), but the attacker has limited knowledge.In this paper, we concern ourselves with the case in which neither the attacker nor the defender have perfect knowledge of the system, but where the level of uncertainty tolerable to both parties is different. In particular, we explore scenarios where the attacker's need for certainty is lower than that of the defender, and ask if non-determinism can be used as a weapon. We provide an example in the malware arena, demonstrating the use of quorum sensing as a potential application of this technique. We argue that this idea of mutual uncertainty is a new paradigm which opens the way to novel solutions in the space.
CaMKII modulates sodium current in neurons from epileptic Scn2a mutant mice

Monogenic epilepsies with wide-ranging clinical severity have been associated with mutations in voltage-gated sodium channel genes. In the Scn2aQ54 mouse model of epilepsy, a focal epilepsy phenotype is caused by transgenic expression of an engineered NaV1.2 mutation displaying enhanced persistent sodium current. Seizure frequency and other phenotypic features in Scn2aQ54 mice depend on genetic background. We investigated the neurophysiological and molecular correlates of strain-dependent epilepsy severity in this model. Scn2aQ54 mice on the C57BL/6J background (B6.Q54) exhibit a mild disorder, whereas animals intercrossed with SJL/J mice (F1.Q54) have a severe phenotype. Whole-cell recording revealed that hippocampal pyramidal neurons from B6.Q54 and F1.Q54 animals exhibit spontaneous action potentials, but F1.Q54 neurons exhibited higher firing frequency and greater evoked activity compared with B6.Q54 neurons. These findings correlated with larger persistent sodium current and depolarized inactivation in neurons from F1.Q54 animals. Because calcium/calmodulin protein kinase II (CaMKII) is known to modify persistent current and channel inactivation in the heart, we investigated CaMKII as a plausible modulator of neuronal sodium channels. CaMKII activity in hippocampal protein lysates exhibited a strain-dependence in Scn2aQ54 mice with higher activity in F1.Q54 animals. Heterologously expressed NaV1.2 channels exposed to activated CaMKII had enhanced persistent current and depolarized channel inactivation resembling the properties of F1.Q54 neuronal sodium channels. By contrast, inhibition of CaMKII attenuated persistent current, evoked a hyperpolarized channel inactivation, and suppressed neuronal excitability. We conclude that CaMKII-mediated modulation of neuronal sodium current impacts neuronal excitability in Scn2aQ54 mice and may represent a therapeutic target for the treatment of epilepsy.
Reoxidation of the Thiol-Disulfide Oxidoreductase MdbA by a Bacterial Vitamin K Epoxide Reductase in the Biofilm-Forming Actinobacterium Actinomyces oris.

Posttranslocational protein folding in the Gram-positive biofilm-forming actinobacterium Actinomyces oris is mediated by a membrane-bound thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase named MdbA, which catalyzes oxidative folding of nascent polypeptides transported by the Sec translocon. Reoxidation of MdbA involves a bacterial v itamin K ep o xide r eductase (VKOR)-like protein that contains four cysteine residues, C93/C101 and C175/C178, with the latter forming a canonical CXXC thioredoxin-like motif; however, the mechanism of VKOR-mediated reoxidation of MdbA is not known. We present here a topological view of the A. oris membrane-spanning protein VKOR with these four exoplasmic cysteine residues that participate in MdbA reoxidation. Like deletion of the VKOR gene, alanine replacement of individual cysteine residues abrogated polymicrobial interactions and biofilm formation, concomitant with the failure to form adhesive pili on the bacterial surface. Intriguingly, the mutation of the cysteine at position 101 to alanine (C101A mutation) resulted in a high-molecular-weight complex that was positive for MdbA and VKOR by immunoblotting and was absent in other alanine substitution mutants and the C93A C101A double mutation and after treatment with the reducing agent β-mercaptoethanol. Consistent with this observation, affinity purification followed by immunoblotting confirmed this MdbA-VKOR complex in the C101A mutant. Furthermore, ectopic expression of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis VKOR analog in the A. oris VKOR deletion (ΔVKOR) mutant rescued its defects, in contrast to the expression of M. tuberculosis VKOR variants known to be nonfunctional in the disulfide relay that mediates reoxidation of the disulfide bond-forming catalyst DsbA in Escherichia coli Altogether, the results support a model of a disulfide relay, from its start with the pair C93/C101 to the C175-X-X-C178 motif, that is required for MdbA reoxidation and appears to be conserved in members of the class ActinobacteriaIMPORTANCE It has recently been shown in the high-GC Gram-positive bacteria (or Actinobacteria) Actinomyces oris and Corynebacterium diphtheriae that oxidative folding of nascent polypeptides transported by the Sec machinery is catalyzed by a membrane-anchored oxidoreductase named MdbA. In A. oris, reoxidation of MdbA requires a bacterial VKOR-like protein, and yet, how VKOR mediates MdbA reoxidation is unknown. We show here that the A. oris membrane-spanning protein VKOR employs two pairs of exoplasmic cysteine residues, including the canonical CXXC thioredoxinlike motif, to oxidize MdbA via a disulfide relay mechanism. This mechanism of disulfide relay is essential for pilus assembly, polymicrobial interactions, and biofilm formation and appears to be conserved in members of the class Actinobacteria, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Lessons Learned from Burn Disasters in the Post-9/11 Era

Although every disaster scenario is unique, certain themes have emerged repeatedly during management of burn disasters. These lessons learned are useful when planning an individual burn unit's role in future disaster response.
Address-Based Sampling for Recruiting Rural Subpopulations: A 2-Phase, Multimode Approach.

Purpose This article describes recruitment of a subpopulation of women in a rural area, extending an existing method of a 2-phase address-based sampling protocol to include a mixed-mode approach. Methods Phase 1 included a household enumeration questionnaire mailed to randomly selected households (n = 1,950) in 3 Ohio Appalachian counties to identify members of the eligible subgroup. The second phase of recruitment involved contacting 1 randomly selected eligible woman enumerated by each household, based on return of the questionnaire. These women (n = 599) were invited by field interviewers to participate in a one-time in-person health survey. Findings Of the women invited to participate, a total of 408 completed the interview. Based on American Association for Public Opinion Research Response Rate 1 calculations, the response rates were 44.4% and 70.3% for phases 1 and 2, respectively. Response rates in this study were encouraging, especially for the second phase in-person interview. Conclusion We discuss implications for future research using a mixed-mode approach in this subpopulation.
Electronic effects on a one-pot aromatization cascade involving alkynyl-Prins cyclization, Friedel-Crafts alkylation and dehydration to tricyclic benzo[f]isochromenes.

A three-step domino reaction between 1-aryl-3-hexyne-2,6-diol derivatives and aldehydes is used to construct tricyclic 1,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[f]isochromenes. The cascade is initiated by BF3·OEt2 and involves alkynyl-Prins cyclization, Friedel–Crafts alkenylation, and dehydration/aromatization to create a new, central aromatic ring and eliminate 2 equiv. of water. Electron-donating substituents on the aryl ring of the 1-aryl-3-hexyne-2,6-diols significantly increase overall yields as do electron-rich aldehyde reaction partners. For 2,4-disubstituted 2H-benzo[f]isochromene products, diastereoselectivities in the alkynyl-Prins reaction are ∼1.4 : 1 in favor of the cis-diastereomer. The stereochemistry of one cis-product was verified by X-ray crystallographic analysis and a second structure was also verified by X-ray analysis.
Current insight in the localized insulin-derived amyloidosis (LIDA): clinico-pathological characteristics and differential diagnosis.

Abstract Background In diabetic patients, subcutaneous insulin injection may cause several types of injection site-related lesions, such as lipoatrophy, insulin-induced cutaneous lipohypertrophy (IICL), allergic reaction, and iatrogenic localized insulin-derived amyloidosis (LIDA). Among these complications, both IICL and LIDA present as tumor-like and slow growing lesions; and they may be confused with one another. The clinical implication and management of IICL and LIDA are different. LIDA causes poor blood glycemic controls due to inadequate absorption of the insulin. Thus, accurate diagnosis of the lesion is critical in diabetic patients. Review of literature LIDA is an extremely rare complication and often overlooked, it is managed by a surgical intervention. Whereas, IICL is a common side effect and can be managed by a non-surgical approach. Furthermore, in long-standing diabetics, patients may develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, proteinuria, peripheral, and autonomic neuropathy; these symptoms can be mistaken for a systemic amyloidosis. It is also necessary to distinguish LIDA from the systemic amyloidosis, which requires a more aggressive systemic therapy. LIDA should also be distinguished from primary cutaneous amyloidosis, with high risk of progression to a systemic amyloidosis. In this effort we reviewed 25 published manuscripts, including case reports and case series studies. We also summarized the literature and discussed differential diagnosis, including the approach to diagnose LIDA. Conclusion The identification of amyloid material and immunoreactivity with anti-insulin antibodies are key diagnostic features of LIDA. Although several clinical and animal studies were made in recent years, the lesion is still under-diagnosed and underreported. The clinical suspicion and knowledge of the lesion play a crucial role for the accurate diagnosis of LIDA. Surgical excision of the lesion can dramatically decrease insulin requirement and improve glycemic control.