cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LncRNA OIP5-AS1/cyrano suppresses GAK expression to control mitosis

// Jiyoung Kim 1 , Ji Heon Noh 1 , Seung-Kyu Lee 1 , Rachel Munk 1 , Alexei Sharov 1 , Elin Lehrmann 1 , Yongqing Zhang 1 , Weidong Wang 1 , Kotb Abdelmohsen 1 and Myriam Gorospe 1 1 Laboratory of Genetics and Genomics, National Institute on Aging-Intramural Research Program, NIH, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA Correspondence to: Jiyoung Kim, email: kim.jiyoung@elixirgen.com Myriam Gorospe, email: myriam-gorospe@nih.gov Keywords: lncRNA, proliferation, mitosis Received: January 22, 2017 Accepted: March 22, 2017 Published: April 19, 2017 ABSTRACT Some long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can regulate gene expression programs, in turn affecting specific cellular processes. We sought to identify the mechanism through which the lncRNA OIP5-AS1 , which is abundant in the cytoplasm, suppressed cell proliferation. Silencing of OIP5-AS1 in human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells triggered the appearance of many aberrant (monopolar, multipolar, misaligned) mitotic spindles. Through a combination of approaches to pull down mRNAs bound to OIP5-AS1 and identify proteins differentially expressed when OIP5-AS1 was silenced, we identified a subset of human cell cycle regulatory proteins encoded by mRNAs that interacted with OIP5-AS1 in HeLa cells. Further analysis revealed that GAK mRNA, which encodes a cyclin G-associated kinase important for mitotic progression, associated prominently with OIP5-AS1 . The interaction between these two transcripts led to a reduction in GAK mRNA stability and GAK protein abundance, as determined in cells in which OIP5-AS1 levels were increased or decreased. Importantly, the aberrant mitotic cell division seen after silencing OIP5-AS1 was partly rescued if GAK was simultaneously silenced. These findings indicate that the abnormal mitoses seen after silencing OIP5-AS1 were caused by an untimely rise in GAK levels and suggest that OIP5-AS1 suppresses cell proliferation at least in part by reducing GAK levels.
The effect of practice plus information upon learning theory: A book review

Hilgard’s revised edition of Theories of Learning is in many respects a new book and an improvement over the earlier edition. Its clarity and comprehensiveness make it an excellent text for a variety of courses, but the absence of a systematic framework for the consideration of theories of learning limits its utility for more advanced and serious students. Perhaps this is an inevitable result to trying to please as many people as possible as much of the time as possible. In the end no one is completely satisfied.
Is Argentina ready for managed care

The author describes the evolution and present status of health insurance and prepaid medical care in Argentina, with particular reference to the opportunities for the development of managed care systems and techniques there. He claims that as US health care corporations enter that country's marketplace there are lessons to be learned that will probably be applicable in other countries of the Americas.
Recognition and Management of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)-Related Eye Disease

One of the major conditions looming in the background of many eye diseases, particularly in ocular surface disease, is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Recognizing the signs and symptoms of OSA is critical for every practicing ophthalmologist given the major impact it has on the patient’s cardiovascular health. Only recently have we begun to appreciate its impact on many ocular diseases. The following three real cases highlight the importance of OSA in ophthalmology and underline the need for considering OSA in every case by using appropriate screening questions and referring the patient for definitive diagnosis and management.
Consequences of EPR–Proton Qubits Populating DNA

Abstract Quantum information processing is an active field in which quantum entanglement properties of superposition states are exploited to enhance speed, versatility, and performance of measuring quantum information and executing resulting instructions. This report reviews recent studies implying the relatively rapid emergence of sustainable life on planet Earth—~4.1 billion years ago—is a consequence of EPR-generated entangled proton qubits populating duplex segments of primordial RNA–ribozyme systems. Survival of ribozyme–RNA duplex segments required selection of “Grover’s-type” quantum processors, where quantum probability measurements of the 20-different available entangled proton qubit states yielded quantum entanglement origins of the triplet code, utilizing 43 codons for ~ 22 l -amino acids. Analyses imply Grover’s-type enzyme quantum processor measurements of EPR-generated entangled proton “qubit pairs” can simulate dynamic evolution, and further, identify entangled proton “qubit pairs” as the smallest “measurable” genetic informational unit, specifying evolution instructions with “measured” quantum information.
Theory of Differential and Integral Inequalities with Initial Time Difference and Applications

Recently [4], an investigation of initial value problems of differential equations where the initial time changes with each solution in addition to the change of space (or dependent) variable is initiated. Since it is impossible not to make errors in the starting time, it is natural and important to vary the initial time as well. This creates problems in comparing any two solutions and there could be more than one choice of measuring the difference between any two solutions starting at different initial times. In [4], some preliminary results are attempted to understand the possible intricacies in dealing with such situations.
Behavior Therapy-Generated Insight

For nearly 20 years, evidence has been accumulating that behavior therapy can be integrated with psychotherapy to create a powerful treatment regimen for troubled individuals (Goldfried & Castonguay, 1992; Beitman, Goldfried, & Norcross, 1989; London & Palmer, 1988; Marmor & Woods, 1980). The past decade has witnessed a growing eclectic orientation among mental health practitioners and efforts toward theoretical integration by psychotherapy researchers (Garfield & Bergin, 1986). During this period an interdisciplinary group of mental health practitioners and clinical researchers formed an organization for eclectically oriented clinicians: the Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration. Their Journal of Psychotherapy Integration is now over 10 years old and serves as a forum for those using multimodal therapies.
Cell Biology of the Endometrium

The uterus is an extremely dynamic organ the normal function of which is orchestrated by a regular procession of cellular and molecular events that occur in response to changing levels of ovarian hormones secreted during the female reproductive cycle. This is well exemplified by the human menstrual cycle as depicted in Figs. 1 and 2. The menstrual cycle is named for the one overt indication of the cyclic nature of female reproductive function, that is, the periodic discharge of blood from the vagina, which results from sloughing of the endometrium. The average menstrual cycle is 28 days in length. The first part of the cycle, the proliferative phase, is the phase when follicles grow. Ovulation occurs about midway through the cycle (day 14), and the remainder of the cycle, the secretory phase, reflects corpus luteum function.
Boundary conditions that enforce Mach’s principle in general relativity

It is argued that the boundary conditions that require the line element to degenerate to ds2=c2dt2 at infinity in the spatial co-ordinates enforce Mach’s principle in general relativity. Physically this leads to space closure at co-ordinate infinity.
Novel Immunotherapeutic Agents for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B-cell malignancy characterized by the abnormal proliferation of clonal plasma cells in the bone marrow leading to end-organ manifestations. Despite the advancement in the therapy and care of patients with MM, relapse and resistance to standard therapy remain significant.
Incidence of androgen receptor and androgen receptor variant 7 coexpression in prostate cancer.

Background Prostate cancer (PRCA) is an androgen-driven disease, where androgens act through the androgen receptor (AR) to induce proliferation and survival of tumor cells. Recently, AR splice variant 7 (ARv7) has been implicated in advanced stages of PRCA and clinical recurrence. With the widespread use of AR-targeted therapies, there has been a rising interest in the expression of full-length AR and ARv7 in PRCA progression and how these receptors, both independently and together, contribute to adverse clinicopathologic outcomes. Methods Despite a multitude of studies measuring the expression levels of AR and ARv7 in PRCA progression, the results have been inconsistent and sometimes contradictory due to technical and analytical discrepancies. To circumvent these inconsistencies, we used an automated multiplexed immunostaining platform for full-length AR and ARv7 in human PRCA samples and objectively quantified expression changes with machine learning-based software. With this technology, we can assess receptor prevalence both independently, and coexpressed, within specific tissue and cellular compartments. Results Full-length AR and ARv7 expression increased in epithelial nuclei of metastatic samples compared to benign. Interestingly, a population of cells with undetectable AR persisted through all stages of PRCA progression. Coexpression analyses showed an increase of the double-positive (AR+ /ARv7+ ) population in metastases compared to benign, and an increase of the double-negative population in PRCA samples compared to benign. Importantly, analysis of clinicopathologic outcomes associated with AR/ARv7 coexpression showed a significant decrease in the double-positive population with higher Gleason score (GS), as well as in samples with recurrence in under 5 years. Conversely, the double-negative population was significantly increased in samples with higher GS and in samples with recurrence in under 5 years. Conclusions Changes in AR and ARv7 coexpression may have prognostic value in PRCA progression and recurrence. A better understanding of the prevalence and clinicopathologic outcomes associated with changes in these receptors' coexpression may provide a foundation for improved diagnosis and therapy for men with PRCA.
Oxidative Stress Biomarker Decreased in Preterm Neonates Treated With Kangaroo Mother Care.

Objective:Due to physiological and metabolic immaturity, prematurely born infants are at increased risk because of maternal separation in many neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The stress indu...
Harvest Techniques for Hops (Humulus lupulus)

Hops (Humulus lupulus) are perennial plants commonly harvested for their mature strobiles, also referred to as cones, which are primarily dried and used as a bittering agent and preservative in beer production. The two primary factors of harvest timing and harvest method can have large impacts on the quality and economics of the finished product. The decision of when and how to harvest is important and should rely upon growing-region-specific environmental conditions, physical observations of the cones, and the wants and needs of the individual producer. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department describes the primary methods used in hop harvesting, including field, indoor, and machine harvesting. Written by Sean Michael Campbell and Brian J. Pearson.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep578
Role of ureides in source-to-sink transport of photoassimilates in non-fixing soybean

Nitrogen (N)-fixing soybean plants use the ureides allantoin and allantoic acid as major long-distance transport forms of N, but in non-fixing, non-nodulated plants amino acids mainly serve in source-to-sink N allocation. However, some ureides are still synthesized in roots of non-fixing soybean, and our study addresses the role of ureide transport processes in those plants. In previous work, legume ureide permeases (UPSs) were identified that are involved in cellular import of allantoin and allantoic acid. Here, UPS1 from common bean was expressed in the soybean phloem, which resulted in enhanced source-to-sink transport of ureides in the transgenic plants. This was accompanied by increased ureide synthesis and elevated allantoin and allantoic acid root-to-sink transport. Interestingly, amino acid assimilation, xylem transport, and phloem partitioning to sinks were also strongly up-regulated. In addition, photosynthesis and sucrose phloem transport were improved in the transgenic plants. These combined changes in source physiology and assimilate partitioning resulted in increased vegetative growth and improved seed numbers. Overall, the results support that ureide transport processes in non-fixing plants affect source N and carbon acquisition and assimilation as well as source-to-sink translocation of N and carbon assimilates with consequences for plant growth and seed development.
Two Sides to Every Fall: Patient and Nurse Perspectives.

Background Despite vast evidence describing risk factors associated with falls and fall prevention strategies, falls continue to present challenges in acute care settings. Objective To describe and categorize patient and nurse perspectives on falls and nurses' suggestions for preventing falls. Methods To improve transparency about the causes of falls, nurses interviewed patients in a 48-bed progressive cardiac care unit who had experienced a fall. A content analysis approach was used to examine responses to 3 open-ended items: why patients said they fell, why nurses said the patients fell, and nurses' reflections on how each fall could have been prevented. Results Over a 2-year period, 67 falls occurred. Main themes regarding causes of falls were activity (41 falls, 61%), coordination (16 falls, 24%), and environment (10 falls, 15%). Patients said they fell because they slipped, had a medical issue, were dizzy, or had weak legs. Nurses said patients fell because they had a medical issue or did not call for assistance. Conclusions Nurses and patients agreed on the causes of assisted falls but disagreed on the causes of unassisted falls. Nurses frequently said that the use of a bed alarm could have prevented the fall.
Relationship Between Parental Intolerance of Uncertainty and Decisional Conflict in Pediatric Otolaryngologic Surgery.

ObjectiveTo assess the relationship between depression, anxiety, stress, worry, intolerance of uncertainty (IU), and shared decision making (SDM) in parents of pediatric otolaryngology surgical pat...
Increasing central serotonin with 5-HTP disrupts the inhibition of social gaze in non-human primates.

To competently navigate the world, individuals must flexibly balance distinct aspects of social gaze, orienting toward others and inhibiting orienting responses, depending on the context. These behaviors are often disrupted in patient populations treated with serotonergic drugs. However, the field lacks a clear understanding of how the serotonergic system mediates social orienting and inhibiting behaviors. Here, we tested how increasing central concentrations of serotonin with the direct precursor 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) would modulate the ability of rhesus macaques (both sexes) to use eye movements to flexibly orient to, or inhibit orienting to, faces. Systemic administrations of 5-HTP effectively increased central serotonin levels and impaired flexible orientation and inhibition. Critically, 5-HTP selectively impaired the ability of monkeys to inhibit orienting to face images, whereas it similarly impaired orienting to face and control images. 5-HTP also caused monkeys to perseverate on their gaze responses, making them worse at flexibly switching between orientating and inhibiting behaviors. Furthermore, the effects of 5-HTP on performance correlated with a constriction of the pupil, an increased time to initiate trials, and an increased reaction time, suggesting that the disruptive effects of 5-HTP on social gaze behaviors are likely driven by a downregulation of arousal and motivational states. Taken together, these findings provide causal evidence for a modulatory relationship between 5-HTP and social gaze behaviors in non-human primates and offer translational insights for the role of the serotonergic system in social gaze.SignificanceBehavioral changes arising from pharmacological agents that target serotonergic functions are complex and difficult to predict. Here, we examined the causal impacts of administering serotonin's direct precursor, 5-Hydroxytroptohan (5-HTP), on orienting and inhibiting social gaze in non-human primates. 5-HTP increased central concentrations of serotonin and selectively impaired the ability of monkeys to inhibit orienting to faces while similarly impairing monkeys' ability to orient to face and control images. These behavioral gaze impairments were systematically associated with a downregulation of arousal and motivational states, indexed by constriction of the pupil, increased time to initiate trials, and increased reaction time. These findings provide a causal link between 5-HTP and social gaze behaviors in non-human primates and provide translational insights about serotonergic interventions.
Newborn screening for inherited metabolic disease

Routine screening of all newborns for inherited disorders began in the 1960s after Horst Bickel had established an effective dietary therapy for phenylketonuria (PKU) and Robert Guthrie introduced a simple bacterial inhibition assay to detect elevated concentrations of phenylalanine in dried blood spots, a type of specimen universally known as the “Guthrie card.” Over time newborn screening was extended to several other treatable metabolic and endocrine disorders including galactosemia, maple syrup urine disease, biotinidase deficiency, hypothyroidism, congenital adrenal hyperplasia, and hemoglobinopathies. Beginning in the late 1990s, the scope of newborn screening has leaped forward exponentially by the introduction of acylcarnitine and amino acid analysis in Guthrie cards by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). This technology has been used in biochemical genetics laboratories for the detection and analysis of acylcarnitines since the 1980s and has become amenable to newborn screening because of the development of automated, high-throughput techniques of sample preparation (typically to butyl esters derivatives) and injection into the instrument, as well as simultaneous quantitative analysis of amino acids and acylcarnitines under 2 min per sample. Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Acylcarnitines are formed from free carnitine and acyl-CoA moieties derived from fatty acids and organic acids (which may have been derived from amino acids) through the action of one of several carnitine-acyl-CoA transferases. This multiplex platform therefore enables the concurrent detection of disorders of amino acid, fatty acid, and organic acid intermediary metabolism and thus several of the most prevalent treatable inborn errors of metabolism. The concentrations of amino acids and acylcarnitine species fluctuate in response to many possible metabolic defects leading to complex profiles with more than 60 informative markers that require various degrees of differential diagnosis. In other words, the significant progress achieved at the analytical level has no remedy, or substitute, for the inevitable complexity of post-analytical interpretation. Additional MS/MS applications have been proposed for newborn screening, most notably several enzyme assays for lysosomal storage disorders, and lysophosphatidylcholines for X-adrenoleukodystrophy.
Morbidly Obese vs Nonobese Aseptic Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty: Surprisingly Similar Outcomes

Abstract Background We aimed to compare the outcomes between matched morbidly obese (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m 2 ) and nonobese (BMI 2 ) patients undergoing first-time aseptic revision THA with at least 4 years of follow-up. Methods Groups were matched 1:1 using sex, age, and date of revision surgery (123 patients in each group). Results The overall incidence and risk of complication, reoperation, and re-revision were similar between groups. Morbidly obese patients were more likely to dislocate (odds ratio [OR], 3.3; P = .03), but were less likely to develop polyethylene wear (OR, 0.1; P = .04) and aseptic loosening (OR, 0.3; P = .03). Conclusion Quality outcome measures such as hospital readmission were not addressed by this study and could be the basis for future studies. Level of evidence: level III, prognostic study.
Extracellular matrix macroassembly dynamics in early vertebrate embryos.

This chapter focuses on the in vivo macroassembly dynamics of fibronectin and fibrillin‐2—two prominent extracellular matrix (ECM) components, present in vertebrate embryos at the earliest stages of development. The ECM is an inherently dynamic structure with a well‐defined position fate: ECM filaments are not only anchored to and move with established tissue boundaries, but are repositioned prior to the formation of new anatomical features. We distinguish two ECM filament relocation processes—each operating on different length scales. First, ECM filaments are moved by large‐scale tissue motion, which rearranges major organ primordia within the embryo. The second type of motion, on the scale of the individual ECM filaments, is driven by local motility and protrusive activity of nearby cells. The motion decomposition is made practically possible by recent advances in microscopy and high‐resolution particle image velocimetry algorithms. We demonstrate that both kinds of motion contribute substantially to the establishment of normal ECM structure, and both must be taken into account when attempting to understand ECM macroassembly during embryonic morphogenesis. The tissue‐scale motion changes the local amount (density) and the tissue‐level structure (e.g., orientation) of ECM fibers. Local reorganization includes filament assembly and the segregation of ECM into specific patterns. Local reorganization takes place most actively at Hensen's node and around the primitive streak. These regions are also sites of active cell migration, where fibrillin‐2 and fibronectin are often colocalized in ECM globules, and new fibrillin‐2 foci are deposited. During filament assembly, the globular patches of ECM are joined into larger linear structures in a hierarchical process: increasingly larger structures are created by the aggregation of smaller units. A future understanding of ECM assembly thus requires the study of the complex interactions between biochemical assembly steps, local cell action, and tissue motion.
CLASSIFICATION AND PATHOLOGY OF CONGENITAL ANOMALIES.

Abstract The value of a classification depends on its suitability for the intended purpose and may consist of few or many categories depending on the number of cases to be considered and the detail to be desired. If the purpose were to indicate probable cause of death, malformations would preferably be grouped into recognized entities as tetralogy of Fallot, Down's disease, and so on. If one intended to classify all abnormalities so that they could be studied individually a much more detailed classification would be required. The pathology of congenital developmental defects may consist of localized abnormalities in the form of certain parts of the body, of abnormality of an entire type of tissue wherever present in the body, of disturbances in various parts of the body occurring in recognized combinations, or in seemingly random association. Such defects may be a primary manifestation of the action of certain genes noxious agents or they may be secondary to a change produced in another tissue which was the primary target of the responsible agent. Also included as congenital defects may be conditions whose fundamental pathology consists of chromosomal or chemical abnormalities and in which abnormality of form may not exist.
Rectus sheath catheters for continuous analgesia after laparotomy--without postoperative opioid use.

Objective. Opioid and epidural analgesia have been the mainstay for postoperative pain control following laparotomies, yet have many potential side effects, risks, and limitations. This case report offers an alternative to opioid as well as epidural analgesia, which may be beneficial in some patients. Design. We report a case of a patient who underwent a laparotomy with extensive lysis of adhesions who was treated postoperatively with continuous bilateral rectus sheath catheters and multimodal adjuncts including gabapentin, clonidine, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories. Results. We successfully used a novel, multimodal approach that avoided the use of epidural analgesia and postoperative opioids. The patient was extremely satisfied, reported minimal discomfort, ambulated early, advanced her diet quickly, and was discharged home after a short hospital stay. Conclusions. This report may be the first description of a successful multimodal postoperative analgesic regimen including continuous bilateral rectus sheath blocks without inpatient postoperative opioid use or epidural analgesia following a midline laparotomy.
Transient and stable transformation of Ceratopteris richardii gametophytes

Ferns, being vascular yet seedless, present unparalleled opportunities to investigate important questions regarding the evolution and development of land plants. Ceratopteris richardii, a diploid, homosporous fern has been advanced as a model fern system; however, the tenuous ability to transform the genome of this fern greatly limited its usefulness as a model organism. Here we report a simple and reliable Agrobacterium-mediated method for generating transient and stable transformants of mature C. richardii gametophytes. Transformation success was achieved by enzyme treatment that partially digested the cell walls of mature gametophytes to facilitate Agrobacteria infection. Co-incubation of Agrobacteria with enzymatically treated gametophytes was sufficient to generate transient transformants at a frequency of nearly 90% under optimal conditions. Stable transformation was achieved at a rate of nearly 3% by regenerating entire gametophytes from single transformed cells from T0 gametophytes on selective media. This transformation method will allow for the immediate observation of phenotypes in the haploid gametophytes of transformed plants, as well as the generation of stably transformed C. richardii lines for further analysis. Transformation capability will greatly facilitate gene functional studies in C. richardii, more fully realizing the potential of this model fern species. These protocols may be adapted to other plant species that are recalcitrant to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
A modified priority list-based MILP method for solving large-scale unit commitment problems

This paper presents a two-step modified priority list (MPL) based mixed integer linear programming (MILP) method for improving the computational speed of unit commitment (UC) programs while preserving optimality. In the first step, the heuristics of UC results for a given generation fleet are investigated to develop the MPL. A subset of the generators are determined to be online (committed) or offline (uncommitted) within a planning period (e.g., a week), based on the demand curve and generator priority list. Then, for generators whose on/off status is predetermined, the corresponding binary variables are removed from the MILP solving process. After this simplification, the remaining problem can be solved much faster using an off-the-shelf MILP solver, based on the branch-and-bound algorithm. Scale factors are used to adjust the tradeoff between solution speed and level of optimality. Simulation results show that the proposed method can significantly speed up the large-scale UC problem with negligible compromise in optimality by selecting appropriate scale factors.
Abstract 13311: Cardiac SIRT1 Deficiency Sensitizes Myocardium to Ischemia and Reperfusion Injury

Introduction: A “longevity” gene, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is a conserved NAD+-dependent protein deacetylase that regulates life span extension. We have reported that SIRT1 is down-regulated in the aged heart which shows larger infarct size and deteriorative heart function during ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) compared with that of young heart. Hypothesis: Cardiac specific SIRT1 deficiency could increase the sensitivity of heart to ischemic insults caused by ischemia and reperfusion. Methods: Male SIRT1flox/flox mice and tamoxifen-inducible, cardiac-specific SIRT1 KO mice were subjected to I/R, which were induced by occluding the left anterior descending coronary (LAD) and subsequent releasing it. Langendorff-perfused heart model was used to monitor the heart function during I/R. Results: Adult cardiac-specific SIRT1 KO demonstrated significant cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and macrophage infiltration under normal physiological conditions versus the SIRT1flox/flox hearts by immunohistochemical staining (all p<0....
Glucocorticoids Inhibit Trypsin-Induced DNA Release from Phytohemagglutinin-Stimulated Blood Lymphocytes

Trypsin-induced DNA release from phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human lymphocytes is inhibited by different glucocorticosteroid compounds at low pharmacologic concentrations, in a dose-dependent manner, and in order of the known anti-inflammatory potency of the different preparations, In contrast, PHA-stimulated cell growth is 100- to 1000-fold less sensitive to inhibition by the same glucocorticoids. Nonglucocorticoid steroids have little effect on either DNA release or cell growth except at high concentrations. Inhibition of DNA release appears to be mediated through glucocorticoid receptors since progesterone, which is ineffective alone, competitively inhibits the effect of dexamethasone. The glucocorticoid effect on DNA release is tightly coupled to the initial, PHA-induced stimulus. Glucocorticoids are maximally effective when added to cultures 1 hr before PHA. When added 6 hr after PHA, their effect is minimal or absent, even though they are then continuously present until DNA release is measured 5 days later. Lymphocytes from certain donors in these studies were resistant to glucocorticoids; these individuals all had allergies, including asthma, allergic rhinitis, and bee sting hypersensitivity.
Chloride transport across placental microvillous membranes measured by fluorescence.

Chloride transport across human placental microvillous vesicle membrane was investigated using the fluorescent probe SPQ (6-methoxy-N[3-sulfopropyl]quinolinium). Chloride influx (JCl) was calculated from the initial rate of quenching of intravesicular SPQ fluorescence by chloride. JCl measured by SPQ fluorescence was not significantly different from JCl measured by uptake of 36Cl; SPQ did not affect measurements of JCl.JCl was increased 51% by a 58-mV membrane potential (internal positive). Voltage-stimulated JCl showed a saturable dependence on chloride concentration with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 18 +/- 5 mM and was inhibited by diphenylamine-2-carboxylate with an apparent inhibitory constant of 0.13 +/- 0.03 mM. The activation energy calculated for voltage-stimulated JCl was 4.6 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol. JCl was also stimulated by a reduction in the external pH from 7.0 to 5.5 (internal pH = 7.0). pH-stimulated chloride influx was increased by trans-HCO3 (25 mM) and was inhibited by dihydro-4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-disulfonic stilbene. Uptake of 36Cl into microvillous vesicles was stimulated by trans-Cl. pH-stimulated JCl showed a saturable dependence on chloride with a Kd of 38 +/- 6 mM but was not affected by membrane potential. No evidence was found for Na- or K-coupled chloride cotransport. These findings demonstrate the presence of a saturable chloride conductance and an electroneutral chloride-bicarbonate exchanger in the placental microvillous membrane.
Implementation of a neuromuscular-like control for compliance on a PUMA 560 robot

In comparison with robot manipulators, it is acknowledged that primate limbs excel robots in movements requiring compliance control. After certain salient properties of the neuromuscular system have been identified in our earlier works, a neuromuscular-like controller was proposed. This paper extend our findings in modeling the biological muscle-reflex mechanism to actual applications. Experiments on a PUMA 560 robot demonstrated that the neuromuscular-like controller will reflex to any changing displacement and enhance the compliant forces for the changing motion without using a force sensor. The proposed controller can adapt to either position control or force control.
Fabrication and characterization of conducting polyvinyl alcohol nanofibers

Abstract Conducting polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofibers with diameters ranging from 100 nm to 300 nm were fabricated by an electrospinning method from spinning dopes of the dissolved PVA polymer in aqueous dispersion of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). Using a chemical cross-linking agent, glutaraldehyde (GA), water insoluble conducting PVA nanofibers were obtained through an in-situ crosslinking of PVA polymer during electrospinning. The cross-linked conducting nanofibers maintained fiber morphology after a soaking in water and exhibited high conductivity (4–8 S m− 1). To create PVA nanofibers that were both conducting and had a persistent negative surface charge, Poly(methyl vinyl ether-alt-maleic anhydride) (PVMA) polymer was added to the spinning dope. Organic conducting PVA nanofibers with or without negatively charged surfaces will potentionally be used to create highly sensitive, real-time electrically based sensors for biological and chemical species and for radiation detection.
On-Site Disposal of Hazardous Waste via Assisted Hydrothermal Oxidation

Assisted Hydrothermal Oxidation (AHO) is a disposal process through which halogenated and other wastes are fully destroyed under conditions avoiding the production of acid gases and the accumulation of product salts on reactor walls. A sodium carbonate bed is employed in water just above its critical temperature (374°C), with the addition of oxygen or other oxidants. The bed, rather than the reactor walls, is the site for salt deposition. Thorough destruction of a range of wastes is provided under conditions which accelerate oxidation rates up to 3 orders of magnitude above those for supercritical water oxidation at comparable temperatures.
A randomized study comparing endometrial cryoablation and rollerball electroablation for treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding.

Abstract Study Objective To determine the effectiveness of endometrial cryoablation in comparison with rollerball electroablation. Design Prospective, randomized study (Canadian Task Force classification I). Setting Ten university and private medical centers in the United States. Patients Two hundred seventy-nine women with menorrhagia due to benign causes. Intervention Endometrial ablation using a Her Option cryoablation device in 193 women and rollerball electroablation in 86. Measurements and Main Results Women treated by cryoablation received significantly less general anesthesia (46%) than those treated by electroablation (92%). Subjects maintained menstrual diaries for at least one cycle before and for 12 months after the procedure. Success was defined as reduction of menstrual bleeding to a score of 75 or less in the absence of retreatment. Success rates in the cryoablation and electroablation groups were 77.3% and 83.8%, respectively. Bleeding declined by 92% and 94%, respectively. Both procedures led to significant improvements in a broad range of symptoms including menses-related pain, mood, and overall improvement in quality of life. Conclusion Endometrial cryoablation is a safe and effective procedure in treatment of dysfunctional uterine bleeding. Its advantages include technical ease of performance, direct ultrasonographic view of depth of ablation, little anesthetic, and avoidance of potential complications related to distention media.
Immune enhancement by tumor-therapeutic drugs and endotoxins

Five tumor chemotherapeutic drugs: adriamycin (ADM), formyl leurosine (FLE), 1,2–5,6-dianhydrogalactitol (DAD), 5-fluorouracyl (5-FU), and vincristine (VCR) were tested for their effect on the immune response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice in the Jerne plaque assay. It was found that four of these can act as both immunostimulators and immunosuppressants, depending upon the time elapsing between their application and immunization. VCR was found to be slightly immunopotentiating.
The effects of fire frequency and grazing on tallgrass prairie productivity and plant composition are mediated through bud bank demography

Periodic fire, grazing, and a variable climate are considered the most important drivers of tallgrass prairie ecosystems, having large impacts on the component species and on ecosystem structure and function. We used long-term experiments at Konza Prairie Biological Station to explore the underlying demographic mechanisms responsible for tallgrass prairie responses to two key ecological drivers: fire and grazing. Our data indicate that belowground bud banks (populations of meristems associated with rhizomes or other perennating organs) mediate tallgrass prairie plant response. Fire and grazing altered rates of belowground bud natality, tiller emergence from the bud bank, and both short-term (fire cycle) and long-term (>15 year) changes in bud bank density. Annual burning increased grass bud banks by 25% and decreased forb bud banks by 125% compared to burning every 4 years. Grazing increased the rate of emergence from the grass bud bank resulting in increased grass stem densities while decreasing grass bud banks compared to ungrazed prairie. By contrast, grazing increased both bud and stem density of forbs in annually burned prairie but grazing had no effect on forb bud or stem density in the 4-year burn frequency treatment. Lastly, the size of the reserve grass bud bank is an excellent predictor of long-term ANPP in tallgrass prairie and also of short-term interannual variation in ANPP associated with fire cycles, supporting our hypothesis that ANPP is strongly regulated by belowground demographic processes. Meristem limitation due to management practices such as different fire frequencies or grazing regimes may constrain tallgrass prairie responses to interannual changes in resource availability. An important consequence is that grasslands with a large bud bank may be the most responsive to future climatic change or other global change phenomena such as nutrient enrichment, and may be most resistant to exotic species invasions.
Weak ties and the core discussion network: Why people regularly discuss important matters with unimportant alters

Abstract Researchers have paid increasing attention to the core discussion network, the set of friends and family people turn to when discussing important matters. For nearly thirty years, social network researchers have argued that the network is composed of ego's closest or most important alters. This assumption, however, has not been tested empirically. Using original data on an online representative quota survey of 2000 respondents, I find that 45% of the core discussion network is composed of people whom respondents do not consider important to them. In fact, the core discussion network includes doctors, co-workers, spiritual leaders, and other alters whom ego confides in without feeling emotionally attached to. I examine what respondents consider important matters and why they approach weak ties to discuss these. Placing emphasis on the process through which ego mobilizes alters, I develop two theoretical perspectives, which focus on how people identify those appropriate to a topic and how they respond to opportunities in interactional contexts. Findings suggest that ego discusses important matters with non-close alters at times because they are known to be knowledgeable (targeted mobilization) and at times because they are available when important issues arise (opportune mobilization). Results suggest that recent findings about changes in the core discussion network of Americans are consistent with several different possibilities about the nature of strong ties, including those in which there has been no change at all.
BILINGUAL EDUCATION: TEACHERS' NARRATIVES.Nancy Lemberger. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum, 1997. Pp. ix + 206. $24.95 paper.

Nancy Lemberger's Bilingual education: Teachers' narratives is an interesting book, although probably not to SLA-type scholars. Bilingual education is written “to inform preservice and veteran teachers about the field of bilingual education on a very personal level” (back cover), presumably to be used as a text.
Serum T4 level in term newborns: Comparison between breast-fed and formula-fed infants

Abstract Serum thyroxine measurement ([ 125 I] T 4 -RIA) was performed on the third day of life in 1759 normal, full-term infants. The T 4 concentrations were similar in the 680 formula-fed infants (16.32±0.09 μg/dl) and in the 1079 breast-fed infants (16.46±0.08 μg/dl). A male breast-fed infant was discovered to have hypo-TBG-emia. Our findings show that breast feeding from birth will not interfere with neonatal screening for hypothyroxinemia on the third day of life. Additionally, the mean T 4 value in the formulafed males was significantly lower than the breast-fed males, (15.88±0.13 μg/dl vs 16.32±0.11 μg/dl, p 4 concentration when compared with the formula-fed females.
Swab Type, Moistening, and Preenrichment for Staphylococcus aureus on Environmental Surfaces

We compared five swabs, dry or premoistened and with or without preenrichment, to detect surface contamination with Staphylococcus aureus. Sensitivities varied based on swab type, as follows: 71.9% and 75% for rayon, 71.2% for cotton, 81.3% for polyester, and 53.2% for calcium alginate. Preenrichment improved sensitivity (80%, versus 61.3% for direct-plated specimens), as did premoistening (83.4%, versus 57.5% for dry swabs). All of the premoistened, preenriched swabs were positive.
Symptomatology and histopathology of fibrous roots of rough lemon (citrus limon) infected with Fusarium solani

Fibrous-root decay and epidermal and cortical sloughing were common on blight trees in two citrus groves with severe symptoms in October 1975. These symptoms were present to varying extent on blight trees in other groves, and some fibrous-root decline also was present on apparently healthy trees. Fusarium solani was present in declining fibrous roots of diseased and healthy trees and occurrence appeared to be limited to the fibrous roots. Fusarium infection resulted in early cortical degeneration, leaving epidermal sleeves on intact, infected steles. Generally, in the xylem and cortex with advanced symptoms, only chlamydospores were present. Sites of early infection conained abundant hyphae and immature chlamydospores. Hyphae penetrated the cortex intracellularly and intercellularly, and all cell types of the xylem appeared to be infected predominantly through pits. Fusarium was found on the surface of the epidermis and in broken epidermal cells of healthy-appearing and diseased roots.
On Generating Isochoric Finite Deformations

New isochoric finite deformations may be generated from any such deformation described in rectangular Cartesian coordinates by changing coordinate systems.
A simulation of the stress field in a tubular bone due to a forced-in shaft of a prosthesis☆

Abstract The state of stress and deformation in a hollow orthotropic non-homogeneous viscoelastic cylinder is determined assuming that a rigid shaft is pressed instantaneously in the hole of the cylinder. Axially symmetric plane stress fields are found in two limit cases: at the moment of loading and after an infinitely long time. A numerical example involving a standard linear model is examined in more detail, and the results displayed graphically.
Spectroelectrochemical Studies of Nickel Oxidation in Aerated Phosphate Solutions

As part of a research effort to obtain an understanding at a fundamental level of the oxidation of Ni, in situ near normal incidence UV−visible spectroelectrochemistry has been used to study the process in aerated phosphate solutions at pH 5.4. The variation of film thickness with applied potential has been studied. At potentials preceding that of the passive region, the surface film is found to consist primarily of Ni(OH)2. In the passive region, the surface film consists of both Ni(OH)2 and NiO. Reasonable estimates of passive film thickness can be obtained by this methodology. It is demonstrated that the exact sequence of potentials utilized in the oxidation of the Ni electrode has a bearing on film growth.
On Some Properties of the Unified Skew Normal Distribution

Like some other multivariate skew normal distributions, the unified skew normal (SUN) distribution preserves important properties of the normal distribution. In this article, we show that for a random vector with a unified multivariate skew normal distribution all column (row) full rank linear transformations are in the same family of distributions. Using this property, we provide a characterization for the SUN distribution. In addition, we show that the joint distribution of the independent SUN random vectors is again a SUN distributed random vector. With this property and closure under the linear transformation, we finally show the closure of sums of independent SUN random vectors, and as expected it belongs to the same family.
Robust adaptive dynamic programming for linear and nonlinear systems: An overview $

The field of adaptive dynamic programming with diverse applications in control engineering has undergone rapid progress over the past few years. A new theory called “Robust Adaptive Dynamic Programming” (for short, RADP) is developed for the design of robust optimal controllers for linear and nonlinear systems subject to both parametric and dynamic uncertainties. A central objective of this paper is to give a brief overview of our recent contributions to the development of the theory of RADP and to outline its potential applications in engineering and biology.
The Dentist Scientist Award program and prosthodontics

Abstract The Dentist Scientist Award (DSA) program was started by the National Institute of Dental Research (NIDR) in 1984 to prepare dentists for careers as clinical research scientists who would be highly skilled investigators and potential leaders in the full scope of oral health research. The DSA program provides support for dentists to undertake 5 years of intensive preparation in a course of study that includes basic and clinical science components integrated with a supervised research experience. From 1984 to 1994, the NIDR has invested $66.1 million dollars in the individual and institutional Dentist Scientist Award programs. Almost 250 people have been or are involved now in the DSA career development activity. Men comprise 72% of the recipients and women 28%.
Enhanced nucleic acid binding to ATP-bound hepatitis C virus NS3 helicase at low pH activates RNA unwinding

The molecular basis of the low-pH activation of the helicase encoded by the hepatitis C virus (HCV) was examined using either a full-length NS3 protein/NS4A cofactor complex or truncated NS3 proteins lacking the protease domain, which were isolated from three different viral genotypes. All proteins unwound RNA and DNA best at pH 6.5, which demonstrate that conserved NS3 helicase domain amino acids are responsible for low-pH enzyme activation. DNA unwinding was less sensitive to pH changes than RNA unwinding. Both the turnover rate of ATP hydrolysis and the Km of ATP were similar between pH 6 and 10, but the concentration of nucleic acid needed to stimulate ATP hydrolysis decreased almost 50-fold when the pH was lowered from 7.5 to 6.5. In direct-binding experiments, HCV helicase bound DNA weakly at high pH only in the presence of the non-hydrolyzable ATP analog, ADP(BeF3). These data suggest that a low-pH environment might be required for efficient HCV RNA translation or replication, and support a model in which an acidic residue rotates toward the RNA backbone upon ATP binding repelling nucleic acid from the binding cleft.