cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Examining unconscious bias embedded in provider language regarding children with autism

In healthcare settings, language used by healthcare providers can influence provider-patient encounters with individuals with autism spectrum disorder, impacting feelings of stigma and marginalization. This study highlights the unconscious biases healthcare providers might have regarding their patients with autism spectrum disorder and how those beliefs are articulated. Seven pediatric dentists participated in two focus groups to describe strategies to improve oral care for children with autism spectrum disorder. While completing the primary analyses, additional codes emerged related to healthcare provider biases; these data are the focus of this study. Three themes were identified: (i) "healthcare microaggressions" describe how healthcare providers portray their patients in subtly negative ways; (ii) "marginalization" denotes the use of exclusionary language identifying children with autism spectrum disorder as different; and (iii) "preconceptions" include comments that highlight biases about patients. The findings provide insight into the implicit biases that might be held by healthcare providers and how they manifest in language. Despite increased emphasis on cultural competency, healthcare providers might unconsciously use language that could negatively impact patient-provider rapport and increase stigma in already marginalized populations. Further research is necessary to explore how these biases could relate to quality of care.
Uremia Therapy in the Twenty-First Century

Planning for health care in the next century in a complex, computer-maintained society,1 requires an inventory of current programs as well as a crystal ball. With less than 17 years remaining until the twenty-first century, it may be appropriate to assess the extraordinary progress of the past 20 years in treating renal failure. At the close of 1981, more than 145,000 persons around the world, who would formerly have died, are living because of a functioning kidney transplant or regular dialysis. In stark contrast, prior to Scribner’s introduction of chronic hemodialysis by invention of the external plastic arteriovenous shunt in 1960, all that could be offered the dying uremic patient was early euthenasia. Addis’s text illustrates this point: Paraldehyde gives a very natural and dreamless sleep. The dose can be repeated whenever the patient shows signs of restlessness, and the quantity given can be safely increased up to as much as 60 cc every 6 hr. or so, for here also uremia seems to carry with it a greatly increased tolerance, and there is a wide margin between the dose that makes the patient just drowsily unconscious and the amount required to induce a deep sleep. It is the quiet drowsiness we want. The disease itself will soon bring the deep sleep.2
Glucocerebrosidase and its relevance to Parkinson disease

Mutations in GBA1, the gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase, are among the most common known genetic risk factors for the development of Parkinson disease and related synucleinopathies. A great deal is known about GBA1, as mutations in GBA1 are causal for the rare autosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease. Over the past decades, significant progress has been made in understanding the genetics and cell biology of glucocerebrosidase. A least 495 different mutations, found throughout the 11 exons of the gene are reported, including both common and rare variants. Mutations in GBA1 may lead to degradation of the protein, disruptions in lysosomal targeting and diminished performance of the enzyme in the lysosome. Gaucher disease is phenotypically diverse and has both neuronopathic and non-neuronopathic forms. Both patients with Gaucher disease and heterozygous carriers are at increased risk of developing Parkinson disease and Dementia with Lewy Bodies, although our understanding of the mechanism for this association remains incomplete. There appears to be an inverse relationship between glucocerebrosidase and α-synuclein levels, and even patients with sporadic Parkinson disease have decreased glucocerebrosidase. Glucocerebrosidase may interact with α-synuclein to maintain basic cellular functions, or impaired glucocerebrosidase could contribute to Parkinson pathogenesis by disrupting lysosomal homeostasis, enhancing endoplasmic reticulum stress or contributing to mitochondrial impairment. However, the majority of patients with GBA1 mutations never develop parkinsonism, so clearly other risk factors play a role. Treatments for Gaucher disease have been developed that increase visceral glucocerebrosidase levels and decrease lipid storage, although they have yet to properly address the neurological defects associated with impaired glucocerebrosidase. Mouse and induced pluripotent stem cell derived models have improved our understanding of glucocerebrosidase function and the consequences of its deficiency. These models have been used to test novel therapies including chaperone proteins, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and gene therapy approaches that enhance glucocerebrosidase levels and could prove efficacious in the treatment of forms of parkinsonism. Consequently, this rare monogenic disorder, Gaucher disease, provides unique insights directly applicable to our understanding and treatment of Parkinson disease, a common and complex neurodegenerative disorder.
Equivocal Significance of Prior Malignancies to Predict Overall Survival of Multiple Myeloma Patients after Autologous Hematopoietic Cell Transplant

Introduction Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT)-specific comorbidity index (Sorror et al. Blood 2005) is highly recommended by National Marrow Donor Program as a risk assessment tool before HCT. Prior malignancies has one of the highest weighted score of 3 in this risk model. The isolated prognostic value of prior malignancies has not been evaluated in Multiple Myeloma (MM) patients (pts) who underwent autologous HCT (AHCT) in large databases. We hereby used national cancer database (NCDB) to evaluate this. Methods NCDB covers more than 70% of newly diagnosed cancer pts in the U.S. We reviewed NCDB, using ICD-O code of 9732, to identify pts who were diagnosed with MM between 2010 and 2014, underwent systemic treatment within 90 days of the diagnosis, and subsequently AHCT. Prior malignancy was not incorporated into Charlson comorbidity index at NCDB and reported separately. Average annual transplant volume of a cancer center for MM is calculated among pts who met the inclusion criteria. Overall survival (OS) was estimated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log-rank test. Cox hazard analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of OS. Results We reviewed 12,427 pts and included 4358 pts who met inclusion criteria. Of which, 2481 (57%) were male, 693 (16%) were black, and 412 (10%) had at least one malignancies prior to MM. Median age at the diagnosis and time to initiation of systemic treatment after the diagnosis were 60 years (range: 25 – 80) and 17 days (range: 1 – 90), respectively. The Charlson comorbidity index was 0, 1, and ≥2 for 3646 (84%), 558 (13%), 154 (3%) pts, respectively. Durie-Salmon stage (DSS) at diagnosis was 1, 2, and 3 for 562 (13%), 1040 (24%), 2756 (63%) pts, respectively. Patient and treatment characteristics are compared between prior and no prior malignancy cohorts in table 1. Median follow-up time of pts was 36 months. Five-year OS of MM pts with and without prior malignancies was 75.6% (95% CI: 69.6 – 82.2) and 73.9% (95% CI: 71.6 – 76.2), respectively (p = 0.7) (Figure 1A). On multivariable analysis, each 10-year increase in age (HR 1.14, 95% CI: 1.02 – 1.26, p = 0.017), each 1 increase in comorbidity index (HR 1.24, 95% CI: 1.08 – 1.42, p=0.002) and year of MM diagnosis (HR 1.15, 95% CI: 1.06 – 1.24, p = 0.0008), DSS 3 vs 1 or 2 (HR 1.38, 95% CI: 1.16 – 1.64, p=0.0002), immunotherapy prior to AHCT (HR 0.72, 95% CI: 0.61 – 0.86, p = 0.0001), and each 10 increase in annual AHCT volume of a cancer center for MM (HR 0.98, 95% CI: 0.97 – 0.99, p = 0.016) were independent predictors of OS (Table 2). Conclusion In this large cohort analysis, prior malignancy was not a predictor of OS for MM pts who underwent AHCT. The role of prior malignancies in defining "transplant eligibility" requires future evaluation and the weighted value of this item in the comorbidity index should be considered for downward revision.
Perceptions of older adults living in long-term care institutions regarding recreational physiotherapy: a qualitative study.

Background: Long-term care institutions (LTCIs) present a limiting environment. Physiotherapy through recreational exercises can stimulate older adults.Objective: To explore LTCIs residents’ percep...
Reactive species generated by heme impair alveolar epithelial sodium channel function in acute respiratory distress syndrome

Abstract We previously reported that the highly reactive cell-free heme (CFH) is increased in the plasma of patients with chronic lung injury and causes pulmonary edema in animal model of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) post inhalation of halogen gas. However, the mechanisms by which CFH causes pulmonary edema are unclear. Herein we report for the first time that CFH and chlorinated lipids (formed by the interaction of halogen gas, Cl2, with plasmalogens) are increased in the plasma of patients exposed to Cl2 gas. Ex vivo incubation of red blood cells (RBC) with halogenated lipids caused oxidative damage to RBC cytoskeletal protein spectrin, resulting in hemolysis and release of CFH. Patch clamp and short circuit current measurements revealed that CFH inhibited the activity of amiloride-sensitive epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) and cation sodium (Na+) channels in mouse alveolar cells and trans-epithelial Na+ transport across human airway cells with EC50 of 125 nM and 500 nM, respectively. Molecular modeling identified 22 putative heme-docking sites on ENaC (energy of binding range: 86–1563 kJ/mol) with at least 2 sites within its narrow transmembrane pore, potentially capable of blocking Na+ transport across the channel. A single intramuscular injection of the heme-scavenging protein, hemopexin (4 μg/kg body weight), one hour post halogen gas exposure, decreased plasma CFH and improved lung ENaC activity in mice. In conclusion, results suggested that CFH mediated inhibition of ENaC activity may be responsible for pulmonary edema post inhalation injury.
Friction force reduction for electrical terminals using graphene coating

Multi-layer graphene, serving as a conductive solid lubricant, is coated on the metal surface of electrical terminals. This graphene layer reduces the wear and the friction between two sliding metal surfaces while maintaining the same level of electrical conduction when a pair of terminals engage. The friction between the metal surfaces was tested under dry sliding in a cyclical insertion process with and without the graphene coating. Comprehensive characterizations were performed on the terminals to examine the insertion effects on graphene using scanning electron microscopy, four-probe resistance characterization, lateral force microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. With the thin graphene layers grown by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition on gold (Au) and silver (Ag) terminals, the insertional forces can be reduced by 74 % and 34 % after the first cycle and 79 % and 32 % after the 10th cycle of terminal engagement compared with pristine Au and Ag terminals. The resistance of engaged terminals remains almost unchanged with the graphene coating. Graphene stays on the terminals to prevent wear-out during the cyclic insertional process and survives the industrial standardized reliability test through high humidity and thermal cycling with almost no change.
A Case of Outpatient Hysterectomy in the Setting of Gitelman Syndrome

Gitelman syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder involving a defect in the sodium-chloride cotransporter, which is expressed in the apical membrane of the distal convoluted tubule. Electrolyte abnormalities commonly occur in patients with Gitelman syndrome as a result, including hypokalaemia, hypomagnesemia, and metabolic alkalosis. As a result, the disorder may present with various clinical manifestations, including fatigue, weakness, muscle tetany, facial paresthesias, and a predisposition to the development of various ventricular arrhythmias. As a result, the perioperative management of patients with this disorder presents unique challenges with regard to fluid and electrolyte management and the prevention and management of potential arrhythmias. In addition, the pharmacology of various anesthetics may present additional complexity with regard to perioperative management in this particular patient population. The following case presentation of a 42-year-old female with Gitelman syndrome undergoing elective outpatient hysterectomy for suspected endometriosis serves to illustrate the challenges that arise with regard to perioperative management in this particular patient population and demonstrates how they may be addressed.
Inter-Individual Variability and Non-linear Dose-Response Relationship in Assessing Human Health Impact From Chemicals in LCA: Addressing Uncertainties in Exposure and Toxicological Susceptibility

Current life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) practices use a characterization factor to linearly scale chemical emission to human health impact assuming a homogeneous exposure and toxicological susceptibility for the entire population. However, both exposure and toxicological susceptibility may vary within the population, making the same emission elicit disproportionate impacts. Here we explore how inter-individual variabilities in human exposure and toxicological susceptibility interact to affect the estimated overall health impacts on the population level. For exemplification, we use the PROTEX model to simulate the exposure of the general American population to dieldrin and heptachlor, two organochlorine pesticides that tend to accumulate in food items. Using a Monte-Carlo analysis, we characterize inter-individual variabilities in exposure by considering variations in anthropometrics and dietary patterns between ages, sexes, and racial groups. We assess the overall health impact on the population level in five scenarios with different combinations of assumptions in exposure (homogeneous/heterogeneous) and the dose-response relationship (linear/non-linear, homogeneous/heterogeneous susceptibility). Our results indicate human exposure can vary by a factor of six among the different demographic groups. Combined with a non-linear dose-response relationship with heterogeneous susceptibility, the estimated overall health impact is substantially higher than the results using homogeneous susceptibility. However, the current LCIA practice of using a linear dose-response relationship produces even higher results that may overestimate the health impacts.
Third-Party BK Virus-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte Therapy for Hemorrhagic Cystitis Following Allotransplantation.

PURPOSEBK virus-associated hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV-HC) is a common complication of allogenic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT), particularly in recipients of alternative donor trans...
Developing and Empirically Grounding the Draw-An-Engineering-Teacher Test (DAETT)

National reform documents and shifts in educational standards have continued to highlight the importance of engineering and engineering practices within science literacy. High-quality engineering o...
E-learning in ophthalmology among undergraduate medical students in India during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: The purpose of the study was to assess electronic learning (E-learning) effectiveness in understanding theoretical and clinical concepts in ophthalmology among undergraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Material and methods: Third-year medical students in the ophthalmology term were enrolled after obtaining informed consent. Online classes were conducted from April 2020 after the commencement of lockdown. An online survey in the form of a questionnaire was issued to the students to evaluate the effectiveness of E-learning — 136 students participated in the survey. Students’ perception of access to information technology (IT), internet connectivity, feedback on online learning of clinical skills, and theoretical concepts were evaluated. Students answered the questionnaire based on the Likert scale. The effectiveness of online teaching was assessed by student’s performance in the online examination. Results: The percentage of students who had access to a computer was 72.2%. Regarding understanding theory, 54.8% of students felt E-learning was effective, while 25.25% thought it was beneficial for clinics. The use of Power-Point was considered valuable among 47.5% of students, and videos and images were helpful to understand concepts better. The barriers to E-learning were: lack of face-to-face interaction with teachers, peers (57%), connectivity (53.3%), and hardware and software issues (45.2%). The 50.8% of students assessed online teaching as a method comparable to traditional teaching. Conclusion: E-learning was found to be an effective alternative mode of learning concepts in ophthalmology. In the current setting of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the need to maintain social distancing, this mode of learning is very useful.
A Note on Science, Materials and the Real World

Because these Institute meetings are almost exclusively devoted to certain fundamentals and basic phenomena of solid materials, yielding a climate rather remote from the practical application of solid materials and thereby perhaps creating in the minds of some external observers illusions of an unreal world, the writer was asked to attempt to bring into better focus the interaction between science such as discussed at these meetings and the materials problems of the real world.
Introduction: New Directions John Clare Studies

The John Clare Conference, organized by the John Clare Society of North America, March 21-22, 2003, was held at the Belmont Conference Center, an eighteenth-century manor house surrounded by gently rolling meadows near Baltimore, Maryland. The program explored new directions in Clare scholarship and celebrated the completion of the Oxford English Text edition of John Clare's poetry. This rich feast of social and cultural activities included a reading of Clare's poetry by Galway Kinnell, an exhibition of original prints and watercolors by Barbara Weber, and a recital of Clare's folk songs by Victoria Robinson and Tim White. Participants, including undergraduates, graduates, junior and senior Romanticists, and nonspecialist readers of Clare's poetry, came from all over the U.S. and U.K. The publication of the final volume in the monumental nine-volume Oxford English Text edition of John Clare's poetry is truly a milestone in Clare studies, representing the completion of a forty-year editorial project that was started in 1963 by Eric Robinson and Geoffrey Summerfield, continued with assistance from David Powell and Margaret Grainger, and completed with the collaboration of P.M.S. Dawson. The final volume--Poems of the Middle Period, volume 5--was on display at the conference, and several participants remarked on its indispensable features, which include a list of corrections to the eight previous volumes, a consolidated glossary, and consolidated lists of titles and first lines. The completion of this definitive edition marks the end of an era when many of Clare's poems languished in manuscript and were known only to a handful of specialists. By making all of Clare's poetry available to scholars, this edition provides an essential starting-point for all future Clare criticism. The papers in this collection reveal the emerging contours of Clare's poetic career and will, we hope, stimulate new studies as well. This selection of papers reflect new directions in Clare studies, the energy and enthusiasm of the scholars. The first three papers reassess Clare's relationship with the nature. David Simpson examines the question of poetic genre in "The Lament of Swordy Well," observing that the poem gives voice to an unbounded place, "thereby inventing a form of personification unrecorded in rhetorical theory." Bridget Keegan is likewise concerned with the question of poetic genre in "Clare's River Poems," arguing that Clare "originally and interestingly diverts the history of river poetry, to claim it for laboring-class poets." Alan Vardy examines the "natural history prose elegies" identifiable in Clare's 1824-25 journal, a form of "imaginative reverie" that typically engages in melancholy reflection on time and change in the landscape. Each paper is centrally concerned with Clare's sense of place, not only in terms of his life but also his engagement with literary tradition, his grief in the face of environmental devastation, and his tacit critique of British nationalism, Romantic nostalgia, and the heritage industry. …
Competition Law Chapter in the Oxford Handbook of Comparative Law

The rapid pace of economic globalization and the dramatic turn toward economic competition as the central factor in public policy thinking would seem to augur well for comparative competition law scholarship. Together, they have brought a wave of new antitrust statutes and increased the perceived importance of existing competition laws. Moreover, economic globalization brings those laws into increasingly frequent and direct contact and sometimes confrontation. Yet comparative analysis in this area has seldom gone beyond pure description to provide analytical insights into such issues. With notable exceptions, scholarship in the area remains limited, superficial, and often distorted. This essay examines where such scholarship is, why it is not elsewhere, and how it might be developed to respond more effectively to the challenges of globalization. It looks first at the current state of the literature - what has been and is being written? Which subjects are treated from which angles and subject to what kinds of influences. I then identify some of the forces that have created this literature and that are at work today. Finally, I envision a path for comparative antitrust law scholarship that may allow it to realize more fully its potential value and respond more effectively to the challenges of economic globalization. Three main themes run through this essay. One is that US law dominates the world of comparative competition law scholarship. It provides the background that frames such scholarship, and it thereby colors and shapes it as well. A second, and related, theme is that the centrality of US law and experience divides the writing in the area and often distorts it. This dominance generates two fundamentally different perspectives on competition law. In one, US writers look out at the world and say "follow us." In the other, non-US writers ask, "How do we assess US experience and how do we respond to US power and pressure?" The third thread that runs through this chapter identifies the potential impact of economic globalization on the agenda of comparative competition law and the opportunities it creates for writers in that area to contribute to creating a sounder policy framework for transnational markets.
Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling

An Introduction to Animal Assisted Therapy. Research in Animal Assisted Counseling and Related Areas. Selecting an Animal for Therapy Work. Training a Pet for Therapy Work. Evaluation of a Pet for Therapy Work. Risk Management and Ethical and Legal Considerations in Animal Assisted Counseling. Animal Assisted Interventions and Counseling Theories. Animal Assisted Counseling Practices. Equine Assisted Counseling. A Variety of AAT Applications. Sensitivity to Cultural Differences and Populations with Special Needs. Crisis and Disaster Response Counseling with Therapy Animals. Establishing a School-based Program for Animal Assisted Therapy and Education. International Considerations and Applications of Animal Assisted Therapy. Appendices: College and University Programs in Animal Assisted Therapy and Related Areas. Client Screening Form for Animal Assisted Therapy. Psychosocial Session Form. Animal Assisted Therapy Animal Illustrations: Instructions and Activities. Sample Course Syllabus for Counselor Training in Animal Assisted Therapy. Educational Resources for Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activities. Sample Policy and Procedures for the Practice of Animal Assisted Therapy in a Counselor Training Program. Recommended Competency Areas and Accompanying Performance Guidelines for the Practice of Animal Assisted Therapy in Mental Health Counseling. Several Hospitals with AAA/AAT Programs. Sample Policies and Procedures for the Practice of Animal Assisted Therapy in an Agency or Private Practice.
The mobius strip: Team teachers reflecting on disability studies and critical thinking

This essay combines personal and academic reflection on teaching critical thinking through a disability studies perspective, and is illustrated by our experiences and insights teaching an undergraduate, general education course. We began with the understanding that disability studies is itself a critical engagement with a dominant ideology of bodily normalcy, value, access and power. We perhaps assumed that to teach disability studies at all would already entail critical thinking. But our experiences teaching this class challenged our beginning assumptions and raised the following questions, which form the focus for this discussion: Do disability studies classes (or any classes for that matter) enact critical thinking agendas by their content alone? What is the role of DS pedagogy in the goal of teaching critical thinking, and how can the teaching itself work to facilitate this goal by all engaged parties? We suggest that teachers incorporating DS consider the concept of "critical progress" rather than assuming that critical thinking is an end goal.
Lunar E cape-to-Orbit Systems Simulation (LESS) Using Simplified Manual Control

A fixed-base piloted simulator investigation of the feasibility of using a class of very simplified and lightweight vehicles for emergency escape from the lunar surface has been made. The escape-to-orbit vehicles accommodate two men, but one man performs all of the manual guidance and control functions. Three types of attitude control—kinesthetic, all-jet, and double-gimbaled main thruster—were used successfully over a vehicle (including men and pressure suits) moment-of-inertia range of 340 to 16,200 kg-m2 (250 to 12,000 slug-ft2). Five pilots made approximately 350 simulated escape-to-orbit flights, including 10 flights with a pilot wearing a full pressure suit. The pilots also had to cope with typical amounts of misalined thrust, uneven propellant drain, and thrust deficiency. Approximately 96% of the simulated flights resulted in the establishment of lunar orbits having pericynthions greater than 15 km (« 50,000 ft). Special attention is given to the analysis of the kinesthetic control results. Nomenclature 633 = direction cosine of thrust vector with respect to local vertical gm = value of lunar-gravity acceleration, at lunar surface Ixxjlyv — moments of inertia of LES (including astronauts) about the body roll and pitch axes, respectively m = instantaneous mass of LES (including astronauts) p,q,r = angular velocity components about the body roll, pitch, and yaw axes, respectively T = main thrust of the LES Vz = "indicated-velocity-along-thrust-axis" signal, assumed derived from output of integrating accelerometer alined with the thrust axis of the LES W = Earth weight of the LES Wo = Earth weight of the LES at takeoff w = component of total linear velocity in the direction of Z body axis of the LES AZ = Z body-axis component of LES e.g. shift B = pitch angle (zero when thrust axis pointed upward along local vertical) 61,62 = reference pitch angles used in primary guidance plans for the LES X = kinesthetic torquing gain (see Fig. 5) = roll angle
Microbial Dynamics of Biofilms

Biofilm is formed through the attachment and growth of microorganisms on a surface submerged in an aqueous medium. It is characterized as a matrix of cells and an associated extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) matrix. The biofilm systems can be beneficial in biological wastewater treatment for contaminants and nutrient removal. However, biofilm formation also leads to a variety of operational problems in industry and water supply systems. A distinct feature of biofilm is the heterogeneity of structure and metabolism. In terms of biofilm structure heterogeneity, the physical structure (e.g., porosity, biomass density), EPS, and channel structure inside biofilm are extensively explored in this article. In terms of biofilm metabolic heterogeneity, the differing activity of cells associated with the depth in biofilm is discussed. In addition, the microbial dynamics in two important biofilm wastewater treatment systems, sulfur reducing biofilm and nitrification/denitrification biofilm, are discussed. Finally, different mechanisms for biofilm detachment, which is the comprehensive result of mature biofilm, microbial stratification, and anoxic/anaerobic bacteria inside biofilm, are described. Keywords: biofilm; structure heterogeneity; dynamic heterogeneity; EPS; biofilm formation; biofilm detachment; biological wastewater treatment
Radio Counterparts of X-ray Sources and X-ray Counterparts of Radio Stars

Some of the implications of the data on radio counterparts of X-ray sources are discussed. Data on the radio counterpart of Cyg X-3 is compared with the data on the radio star β Persei (Algol), to show that similar radio emission mechanisms are involved. The data for such radio stars not yet known as X-ray sources imply that such objects should be transient X-ray sources.
Evolutionary Conservation and Expression of Human RNA-Binding Proteins and Their Role in Human Genetic Disease

RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are effectors and regulators of posttranscriptional gene regulation (PTGR). RBPs regulate stability, maturation, and turnover of all RNAs, often binding thousands of targets at many sites. The importance of RBPs is underscored by their dysregulation or mutations causing a variety of developmental and neurological diseases. This chapter globally discusses human RBPs and provides a brief introduction to their identification and RNA targets. We review RBPs based on common structural RNA-binding domains, study their evolutionary conservation and expression, and summarize disease associations of different RBP classes.
Confidence Interval About the Mean Using the TINV Function and Hypothesis Testing

This chapter explains how to find the 95 % confidence interval about the mean for a set of data, and how to test hypotheses about your data using this confidence interval. You will learn how to estimate the population mean (average) for a group of events or objects at a 95 % confidence level so that you are 95 % confident that the population mean is between a lower limit of the data and an upper limit of the data. The formula for computing this confidence interval is presented, explained, and a sample problem is given using your calculator. You will then learn how to use Excel commands to determine the 95 % confidence interval about the mean using Excel’s TINV function. The second half of this chapter explains hypothesis testing and how you can test hypotheses about your data using Excel commands to find the 95 % confidence about the mean for your data. Seven steps are presented for this test, and you will be given specific explanations of how to write both the result and the conclusion of a hypothesis test. Alternative ways to summarize the result of a hypothesis test are also presented. Three practice problems are given at the end of the chapter to test your Excel skills, and the answers to these problems appear in Appendix A of this book. An additional practice problem is presented in the Practice Test given in Appendix B along with its answer in Appendix C of this book.
Sound source localization in reverberant environments using an outlier elimination algorithm

Differences in the arrival times of acoustic waves at multiple sensors permit computation of the source's location. The computation depends upon delay estimation between sensor pairs. In severe acoustic environments, the estimates are degraded by reverberation and interfering noise, and some estimates are poor, constituting outliers. This report describes a computational method for outlier elimination to improve the accuracy of source location.
Atropine 0.01% Eyedrops Significantly Reduce the Progression of Childhood Myopia

Abstract Purpose: Atropine 0.01% eyedrops have been shown to slow childhood myopic progression in primarily Asian populations. We studied its effects on an ethnically diverse population over a broad range of myopia. Methods: A retrospective case–control study was performed on 60 children (6–15 years) with initial myopic spherical equivalents from −0.25 to −8.00 diopters (D). The primary outcome was the rate of myopic progression per year. Secondary outcomes were the proportion of subjects with slow or rapid myopic progression, atropine-related side effects, and rates of myopic progression for subgroups with low, moderate, or higher initial myopia. Results: The average initial age (10.2 years) and refraction (−2.0 D) were identical between groups. After 1.1±0.3 years follow-up, atropine subjects had significantly lower rates of myopic progression (−0.1±0.6 D/year) than controls (−0.6±0.4 D/year) (P=0.001), including 24 of 32 (75%) with slow progression ≤−0.25 D/year versus only 5 of 28 (18%) controls. Thre...
Linear Logic and Computation: A Survey

edu Abstract. This is a survey of computational aspects of linear logic related to proof search.
La psicología moral de Sócrates

Although in the Apology Socrates claims that he goes around exhorting people to moral excellence, in the dialogues we never see him exhorting anyone, but only examining definitions of virtue. We can understand Socrates’ claim by appreciating his intellectualism: he believes that human beings naturally seek the good; only by knowing what is good can they achieve it. According to this view, the soul can be likened to a set of propositions. The soul can achieve the good only if all the propositions are consistent. On this model many of Socrates’ paradoxical views make sense. Moral agents do not need exhortation but logical examination; virtue is not teachable, but it is achievable through constant examination.
Spatial frequency masking in human vision: binocular interactions.

Binocular contrast interactions in human vision were studied psychophysically. Thresholds were obtained for sinewave grating stimulation of the right eye in the presence of simultaneous masking gratings presented to the right eye (monocular masking) or left eye (dichoptic masking). In the first experiment, thresholds were measured at 0.25, 1.0, 4.0, and 16.0 cycle per degree (cpd) as a function of the contrast of masking gratings of identical frequency and phase. Thresholds rose nonmonotonically with masking contrast. At medium and high contrast levels, dichoptic masking was more effective in elevating contrast thresholds than monocular masking, and approached Weber’s Law behavior. In the second experiment, spatial frequency tuning functions were obtained for test gratings at five spatial frequencies, by measuring threshold elevation as a function of the spatial frequency of constant-contrast masking gratings. At 1.0, 4.0, and 16.0 cpd, the tuning functions peaked at the test frequencies. The dichoptic tuning functions had a bandwidth of about 1 octave between half-maximum points, narrower than the ± 1 octave bandwidths of the monocular tuning functions. At 0.125 and 0.25 cpd, the tuning functions were broader and exhibited a shift in peak masking to frequencies above the test frequencies.
Infrared and Raman spectra, conformational stability, and ab initio calculations of trans-1-fluoro-2-butene and 3-fluoro-2-methylpropene

The infrared (3200 to 20 cm-1) and Raman (3200 to 10 cm-1) spectra of gaseous and solid trans-1-fluoro-2-butene, trans-CH3HCequalsCHCH2F, and 3-fluoro-2-methylpropene, CH2equalsC(CH3)CH2F, have been recorded. Additionally, the Raman spectra of the liquids with qualitative depolarization data have also been obtained. These spectral data have been interpreted on the basis that these molecules exist in the fluid phases as a mixture of the low energy synclinal (fluorine atom oriented cis to the double bond) and high energy anticlinal (gauche) conformations. Ab initio calculations employing the RHF/6-31G* and MP2/6-31G* basis sets are consistent with the synclinal conformer being the more stable rotamers for both molecules.
Attracting investment: : Governments' strategic role in labor rights protection

What is the relationship between respect for labor rights and foreign direct investment (FDI)? This study explores this connection with an emphasis on the strategic role of governments in attracting FDI. We present a formal model demonstrating that governments can do so by setting the level of labor rights protection and, as a consequence, investors will choose to invest in the face of tough labor regulations or cease investing, anticipating that the costs of abiding by these regulations will be too high. The model also suggests that governments will have an incentive to implement labor regulations when enforcement costs are sufficiently low or the profits from investment are sufficiently high. Using data from developing countries across time, error correction models test the dynamic nature of these hypotheses and find support for them: strict labor laws tend to decrease inflow of FDI, but more FDI tends to encourage better labor practices.
The roles of medullary extracellular and cerebrospinal fluid pH in control of respiration.

Abstract To determine the effective stimulus to the central chemoreceptors, we measured CSF and medullary extracellular fluid (ECF) pH and phrenic activity in 11 anesthetized, paralyzed, vagotomized and glomectomized cats. Flat-tipped pH electrodes (2 mm diam.) were used to measure ECF pH on the ventral surface of the medulla and CSF pH 2 mm above the surface. Changes in alveolar/arterial P CO 2 were produced by airway occlusions of 10–20 sec durations. Changes in CSF P CO 2 and pH were made by infusing 100% CO 2 or an acid buffer into the CSF. Airway occlusion caused an increase of alveolar/arterial P CO 2 . ECF pH began to fall 6–10 sec later, with a maximum decrease of 0.032 pH unit at 21.9 sec. Phrenic activity increased as ECF pH decreased, the greatest activity occurring when ECF pH was most acid. CSF pH decreased after a longer delay. Its maximum decrease at 54.1 sec was smaller (0.026 pH unit) than ECF pH and did not correlate with the increase of phrenic activity. Addition of 100% CO 2 or an acid buffer into the CSF produced an acid shift in the CSF pH but no change in ECF pH or phrenic activity. Prolonged (> 30 min) increase of acidity of CSF did not alter phrenic activity until ECF pH developed a delayed acid shift. Even then, the change of ECF pH was much smaller than that of CSF. We conclude that medullary chemoreceptors do not respond to changes of CSF pH or P CO 2 and that change of pH of CSF minimally affects ECF pH. On the other hand, respiratory responses are closely linked to changes in ECF pH.
The effects of an exercise training upon subsequently induced cardiac enlargement.

AbstractOne group of rats was trained in a 10-week exercise program and a comparable group left in their cages. The animals of both groups were then subjected to abdominal aortic constriction and injection with [3H]thymidine 3 days later. After one more day the hearts were removed and perfused with degradative enzymes. Following separation of cell types, greater levels of [3H]thymidine incorporation were found in muscle and nonmuscle cells of trained rats.
The dynamic and elusive membrane estrogen receptor-α

Many studies have demonstrated the nuclear forms of steroid receptors and their activities, while fewer investigators have identified and described the membrane forms of these receptors. Our immuno-identification approaches for the qualitative and quantitative comparison of the membrane form of the estrogen receptor-alpha (mER alpha) to its nuclear counterpart now allow us to address questions about the comparative levels and regulation of these receptor forms. ER alpha-specific antisense oligonucleotides eliminate mER alpha expression, while only mildly reducing the nuclear ER alpha. Success of immuno-identification for the mER alpha is very sensitive to different fixation protocols, affecting cell permeability (and thus distinction from the intracellular form) and differential epitope preservation. All such identifications must be accompanied by proof of cell membrane integrity and focal plane assessments. The mER alpha expression on selected cells declines rapidly with cell passage number and cell density. Expression of mER alpha is enhanced by serum starvation and selection for specific phases of the cell cycle. The hinge region of the protein is sensitive to ligand-induced epitope masking and to antibody-induced changes in receptor-mediated responses. Responsive cells are often diluted within cell populations by loss of the membrane receptor form. The bimodality of the rapid estrogen action, with inhibitory doses between picomolar and nanomolar stimulatory concentrations, requires detailed dose-response curves. Finally, responsive cells can be lost from assays, as upon estrogen treatment they rapidly round up and leave the substrates to which they are attached. These regulatory phenomena demonstrate that levels of the membrane form of the estrogen receptor are very dynamic.
Desert paleoenvironmental data from cave speleothems with examples from the Chihuahuan, Somali-Chalbi, and Kalahari deserts

Abstract Pollen-bearing lake, bog, and spring sediments are relatively scarce in many arid and semiarid regions of the world, and few are dateable beyond the 14C range. We have obtained pollen spectra from speleothems collected from caves in the Somali-Chalbi and Kalahari deserts suggesting that these deposits may be an important future source of desert paleovegetation data. As cave speleothems can be dated by the 230Th/234U method to c. 350,000 yr B.P., and by the TL and ESR methods potentially to 1 m.y. B.P., and can sometimes give paleotemperature and paleohydrologic data, they could provide a first glimpse of desert paleoenvironments during isotope stages 4–9. Ages of speleothems from the Chihuahuan, Kalahari, and Somali-Chalbi deserts suggest that there was more available moisture in the southwestern U.S.A. and in northwestern Bostwana during glacials and interstadials of the last c. 300,000 years, but that wetter conditions in the Horn of Africa corresponded with interglacials and perhaps to a lesser extent with interstadials. Pollen from three northern Somalia speleothems indicate more mesic conditions in the Horn of Africa at 10,000, 11,800, and 176,500 yr B.P., while speleothem pollen spectra from Matupi Cave in northeastern Zaire, presently surrounded by tropical rainforest, suggest a savanna grassland at this cave c. 14,000 yr B.P.
Ligand-Induced Conformational Changes in Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases and Cyclic Nucleotide-Dependent Protein Kinases

Three methods have been used to assess the conformational effects associated with ligand binding to two unrelated cyclic nucleotide receptor proteins: the cGMP-binding, cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase (cGB-PDE or PDE5A) and the cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG). The methods should be applicable to other proteins and to other types of modification such as phosphorylation. The procedures use either ion-exchange chromatography, size-exclusion chromatography, or native gel electrophoresis of these proteins in the absence and presence of regulatory ligands. Measurements from these respective approaches allow documentation of changes in the quaternary structure, surface electronegativity, and relative compactness (Stokes radius) of the protein molecule. The combined data allow the changes in protein conformation to be quantitated in terms of alterations in the axial ratio or length/width dimension of the molecule. The methods can be applied to partially purified proteins and to proteins that are available in limited quantities. Conformational changes due to stable modifications of proteins can be potentially examined in crude extracts of intact cells. Each of the methods can be tailored to optimize resolution of a particular protein under a variety of conditions. Activity measurements, Coomassie brilliant blue or silver staining of gels, radioautography, or Western blot analysis can be used for detection of the protein.
Effect of erodent properties on the erosion of alumina

The effect of erodent particle properties for solid particle erosion in a series of alumina ceramics was investigated using alumina and SiC erodents. Using a new model analysis, the results were interpreted in terms of particle fragmentation effects and related erodent-target properties. An increase in the erosion rate with increase in the particle-target hardness ratio reported in the literature is related to these effects but is not actually a direct consequence of hardness. Changes in the velocity exponents for erosion were observed and can be explained by blunting due to crushing and fragmentation of larger erodent particles. The quasi-static model for erosion predicts a reduction in the velocity exponent as the particle-tip blunting increases. In steady state, SEM observations show that lateral crack controlled erosion mechanisms operate in all cases but, for certain combinations of erodent and target properties, damage accumulation by plastic punching occurs.
Preparation and characterization of myosin copy DNA.

Abstract The AMV reverse transcriptase has been used to make a copy DNA utilizing purified myosin mRNA isolated from polysomes derived from 14 day embryonic chick leg muscle. The cDNA efficiently hybridizes to its template, but not to heterologous RNA's. When the probe is hybridized to mRNA isolated from presumptive myosin messenger ribonucleoprotein particles (mRNPs), the observed kinetics indicate that at least 80% of this mRNA contains identical or similar sequences found in the mRNA isolated from polysomes.