cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment of Ocular Myasthenia Gravis in Children with Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine

Objective To evaluate the treatment of ocular myasthenia in children with integrated traditional and western medicine. Methods 151 cases were divided into tow groups. Group A (75 cases) was treated with western medicine including prednisone and pyridostigmin. Group B (76 cases) was applied by a Chinese patient medicine “BuZhong YiQi Pills” in addition to western medicine took in group A. Both groups were followed up more than 1 year. Results The cure rate of group A and B were 100% and 98.67% respectively,which had no statistical significant difference between two groups. The relapse rate of group A and B were 3.95% and 26.67% respectively, which had statistical significant difference between two groups (P 0.01). Conclusion Combination of traditional Chinese medicine with Western medicine could decrease the recurrence in the treatment of ocular myasthenia gravis in children.
Efficacy of S_2 as the active ingredient of sprayer and coil

Objective To measure the efficacy of S2 as the active ingredient of sprayer and coil.Methods According to the correlation part of the Laboratory Efficacy Criterions of Public Health Insecticides for Pesticide Registration.Results S2 utilized in coil as the active ingredient,the efficacy for control mosquito KT50 was 7.83(6.85～8.95) min as the content reaching 1.0%, and in spray the efficacy for control mosquito KT50was 4.96(4.32～ 5.69) min and the 24 h mortality was 100% as the content reaching 1.5%. Conclusion S2 may be utilized to control mosquito in sprayer and coil,but the efficacy was lower comparing to common insecticides.
Deindustrialization and poverty : Manufacturing decline and AFDC recipiency in Lake County, Indiana 1964-93

We combine a historical case study approach with a multivariate time series analysis to examine one of the consequences of the decline of the steel industry in Lake County, Indiana, from 1964 to 1993. Specifically, we investigate how deindustrialization contributed to the county's impoverishment, measured by the percentage of the population receiving Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). We find that the loss of manufacturing jobs, especially steel jobs, triggered a rise in AFDC recipiency rates. The growth in service jobs during the period does little to offset the negative impact of lost steel jobs. We further find that the deleterious impact of lost steel jobs on AFDC recipiency is greatest after 1980, the period of heaviest job loss in Lake County's steel industry. These results persist even after including several control variables that represent plausible alternative explanations for Lake County's rise in AFDC recipiency. We discuss the implications of our analyses for better understanding the link between deindustrialization and poverty.
Islet Cell Tumors of the Pancreas

Functioning islet cell tumors of the pancreas are uncommon lesions, each of which is associated with specific symptoms caused by the hormones produced. Whereas insulomas are overwhelmingly likely to be benign, gastrinomas, glucagonomas, VIPomas,and somatostatinomas have a high incidence of malignancy. Surgical resection is the only effective therapy for these tumors. It provides the only possibility of cure and it relieves or alleviates the hormonally induced manifestations.
“You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas”

Until the 1700s Texas was a peripheral and sparsely settled province in the Vice-Royalty of New Spain. Land grants by Spanish (until 1821) and Mexican (1821–1835) administrations stimulated an influx of Anglo-American settlers who soon seceded to form the short lived Republic of Texas (1836–1845). During this period the still prevailing system of property survey and mapping was established. In the first decades of U.S. statehood (since 1846), German immigrants were instrumental in improving the hitherto crude cadastral cartography by refining the County Maps, the key cadastral instruments in visualizing the land titles at the Texas General Land Office.
Global Investment Environment of the Post‐Quantitative Easing World: The ‘new‐old’ and ‘new‐new’ Normal

Global markets since late 2007 are not ‘normal’, where normal means market conditions we would expect to observe going forward in the absence of any new economic shocks. Financial markets have been dominated by extraordinary central bank policies that were created to deal with challenging market conditions reflecting heightened risk aversion and illiquidity. Markets in the future will have some characteristics that look more like the market conditions observed in the pre‐crisis period, which I call the ‘new‐old normal’ and other conditions that differ from the past, which I call the ‘new‐new normal’. I first review what happened during the financial crisis in terms of developments in three asset classes, equities, fixed income and currencies, to place the forward‐looking view in proper context. Then the transition period from the quantitative easing (QE) era of exceptional monetary policy to post‐QE markets is discussed. Post‐transition, we will see some features of the post‐QE world that will resemble pre‐crisis market conditions, the ‘new‐old normal’ with higher policy interest rates, wider cross‐country interest differentials, lower cross‐asset return correlations and a resurgence of the importance of cross‐country differences in fundamentals in international investing. However, some features of the post‐QE investment environment will be unlike anything observed in the past: the ‘new‐new normal’ with reduced liquidity and more days of exceptionally large volatility and asset price moves due to regulatory effects resulting in a reduced ability of market‐makers to provide inventory buffers for counterparties and electronic trading venues that shut down trading in high volatility periods; low inflation; flatter yield curves; and emerging markets providing less opportunity for diversification gains as they converge to developed financial market characteristics.
Functional nanoscale coupling of Lyn kinase with IgE-FcεRI is restricted by the actin cytoskeleton in early antigen-stimulated signaling

Spatial targeting of signaling components to activated receptors on the plasma membrane is key for initiating signal transduction. The actin cytoskeleton restricts antigen-stimulated colocalization...
The Untapped Promise of Secondary Data Sets in International and Comparative Education Policy Research.

The objective of this commentary is to call attention to the feasibility and importance of large-scale, systematic, quantitative analysis in international and comparative education research. We contend that although many existing databases are under- or unutilized in quantitative international-comparative research, these resources present the opportunity for important, policy-relevant descriptive studies. We conclude the commentary with overarching observations about the strengths and limitations of such secondary data-based analysis.
Addiction-25 Years Later.

In the 25 years since the inception of the Harvard Review of Psychiatry, enormous strides have been made in understanding the etiology and neurobiological underpinnings of addiction and in demonstrating evidence-based pharmacologic and behavioral treatments. Yet we have made minimal progress in clos
Chemokine and cytokine levels in the lumbar cerebrospinal fluid of preterm infants with post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus

Neuroinflammation has been implicated in the pathophysiology of post-hemorrhagic hydrocephalus (PHH) of prematurity, but no comprehensive analysis of signaling molecules has been performed using human cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Lumbar CSF levels of key cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, TGF-β1, IFN-γ) and chemokines (XCL-1, CCL-2, CCL-3, CCL-19, CXCL-10, CXCL-11, CXCL-12) were measured using conventional and multiplexed Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assays and compared between preterm infants with PHH and those with no known neurological injury. The relationships between individual biomarker levels and specific CSF cell counts were examined. Total protein (TP) CSF levels were elevated in the PHH subjects compared to controls. CSF levels of IL-1α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, CCL-3, CCL-19, and CXCL-10 were significantly increased in PHH whereas XCL-1 was significantly decreased in PHH. When normalizing by TP, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-12, CCL-3, and CCL-19 levels were significantly elevated compared to controls, while XCL-1 levels remained significantly decreased. Among those with significantly different levels in both absolute and normalized levels, only absolute CCL-19 levels showed a significant correlation with CSF nucleated cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes. IL-1β and CXCL-10 also were correlated with total cell count, nucleated cells, red blood cells, and neutrophils. Neuroinflammation is likely to be an important process in the pathophysiology of PHH. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate CSF levels of chemokines in PHH as well as the only one to show XCL-1 selectively decreased in a diseased state. Additionally, CCL-19 was the only analyte studied that showed significant differences between groups and had significant correlation with cell count analysis. The selectivity of CCL-19 and XCL-1 should be further investigated. Future studies will further delineate the role of these cytokines and chemokines in PHH.
The future of ‘future’: A Persian perspective on grammaticalization of future marking

Bybee et al. (1994) claimed that grammatical-types like past and future have similar paths of development cross-linguistically. Following another line of research, Poplack (2011) , Poplack and Tagliamonte (2000) and Walker et al. (2004) explored the grammaticalization of periphrastic ‘go-future’ in English, French, and Spanish from a variationist perspective and have come to the same conclusion. In this study we explore whether a new Persian future marker, MI_KHA: ‘want/will/going to’, which is gaining ground in this language, can be an instance of the grammatical-types mentioned above, and follows the same path of variation and change as that of English and French. Eight-hundred and one future-referring utterances were collected from natural conversations among Persian native speakers and subjected to variable rule analysis to discover the factors conditioning their use and variation. The findings suggest that the Persian MI_KHA: is not only conditioned by linguistic factors, it also most likely follows a path of development similar to English and French.
Data-Driven Modeling of Ride-Hailing Trajectories

Predicting the drivers' movements in a spatial ride-hailing network accurately and promptly is essential for developing both ride dispatching and dynamic pricing algorithms. In this paper, we construct a data-driven model based on recurrent neural networks. We test the performance of our model using a real-world trajectory database. We find that our approach outperforms the base model (with an accuracy of 74%~78%). We also conclude from the analysis that drivers only look ahead a short distance when making route choice decisions. This model is useful for developing operational algorithms, traffic simulators, and qualitative studies.
ChipSecure: A Reconfigurable Analog eFlash-Based PUF with Machine Learning Attack Resiliency in 55nm CMOS

We exploit randomness in static I-V characteristics and reconfigurability of embedded flash memories to design very efficient physically unclonable function. Leakage current and subthreshold slope variations, nonlinearity, nondeterministic tuning error, and sneak path current in the redesigned commercial flash memory arrays are exploited to create a unique digital fingerprint. A time-multiplexed architecture is designed to enhance the security and expand the challenge-response pair space to 10211. Experimental results demonstrate 50.3% average uniformity, 49.99% average diffuseness, and native < 5% bit error rate. The analysis of the measured data also shows strong resilience against machine learning attacks and possibility for extremely energy efficient, 0.56 pJ/b operation.
Dissecting fat-tailed fluctuations in the cytoskeleton with active micropost arrays.

The ability of animal cells to crawl, change their shape, and respond to applied force is due to their cytoskeleton: A dynamic, cross-linked network of actin protein filaments and myosin motors. How these building blocks assemble to give rise to cells’ mechanics and behavior remains poorly understood. Using active micropost array detectors containing magnetic actuators, we have characterized the mechanics and fluctuations of cells’ actomyosin cortex and stress fiber network in detail. Here, we find that both structures display remarkably consistent power law viscoelastic behavior along with highly intermittent fluctuations with fat-tailed distributions of amplitudes. Notably, this motion in the cortex is dominated by occasional large, step-like displacement events, with a spatial extent of several micrometers. Overall, our findings for the cortex appear contrary to the predictions of a recent active gel model, while suggesting that different actomyosin contractile units act in a highly collective and cooperative manner. We hypothesize that cells’ actomyosin components robustly self-organize into marginally stable, plastic networks that give cells’ their unique biomechanical properties.
Impaired motor skills and atypical functional connectivity of the sensorimotor system in 40- to 65-year-old adults with autism spectrum disorders

Abstract Impairments in fine and gross motor function, coordination, and balance in early development are common in autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). It is unclear whether these deficits persist into adulthood and whether they may be exacerbated by additional motor problems that often emerge in typical aging. We assessed motor skills and used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to study intrinsic functional connectivity of the sensorimotor network in 40- to 65-year-old adults with ASDs (n = 17) and typically developing matched adults (n = 19). Adults with ASDs scored significantly lower on assessments of motor skills compared with an age-matched group of typical control adults. In addition, functional connectivity of the sensorimotor system was reduced and the pattern of connectivity was more heterogeneous in adults with ASDs. A negative correlation between functional connectivity of the motor system and motor skills, however, was only found in the typical control group. Findings suggest behavioral impairment and atypical brain organization of the motor system in middle-age adults with ASDs, accompanied by pronounced heterogeneity.
Stressing Out about Cancer Immunotherapy

Stress has long been suspected to negatively influence cancer mortality, yet the molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect have only recently been identified. A new study identifies a stress-induced response in dendritic cells—the activation of the glucocorticoid-inducible transcriptional regulator TSC22D3—as a potent, immunosuppressive effect of stress on cancer.
Acute kidney injury associated with preeclampsia or hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelets syndrome.

Abstract Objective To determine the prevalence of acute kidney injury (AKI), placental abruption and postpartum hemorrhage in patients with preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome. Study design A retrospective study of patients with preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome treated at the University of Mississippi Medical Center from January 2000 through December 2010. Main outcome measures Relationships among the obstetric complications of placental abruption, postpartum hemorrhage, and AKI (serum creatinine >107 µmol/L) of women with preeclampsia or HELLP syndrome. Additional analysis was undertaken to explore if there was a correlation between postpartum hemorrhage/placental abruption and the severity of HELLP syndrome according to the Mississippi classification system. Results Data from 1276 women over 11 years were included in the analysis. 67 of 466 patients (14.4%) with HELLP syndrome and 38 of 810 preeclampsia patients (4.7%) met criteria for AKI. Women with either placental abruption or postpartum hemorrhage had statistically significant increased odds of also having AKI (p Conclusion HELLP syndrome, AKI and placental abruption or postpartum hemorrhage appear to be interrelated. AKI occurs more frequently in women with HELLP syndrome with or without associated postpartum hemorrhage and placental abruption.
Thin-layer sugar crystallization principles

Abstract Sugar coatings on cereals serve a multitude of purposes. In addition to providing desired appearance (frosty, glazed, etc.) and sweetness, these coatings provide a barrier between the porous cereal base and milk in the bowl during consumption. As such, sugar coatings help to enhance bowl life of the cereal when milk is added. Understanding the principles of sugar crystallization during application of sugar coatings onto cereals is the key to being able to control the process to obtain the desired result. Furthermore, a good understanding of the mechanisms that control sugar crystallization provides a base for developments in the field (e.g., sugar reduction).
Collaborative ethnographic methods: dismantling the ‘anthropological broom closet’?

Scholars and activists are increasingly carrying out collaborative research to respond to the asymmetrical privileges built into Western science by partnering with local communities and explicitly ...
Catalytic Behavior of Mono‐N‐Protected Amino‐Acid Ligands in Ligand‐Accelerated C−H Activation by Palladium(II)

Mono-N-protected amino acids (MPAAs) are increasingly common ligands in Pd-catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions. Previous studies have shown how these ligands accelerate catalytic turnover by facilitating the C-H activation step. Here, it is shown that MPAA ligands exhibit a second property commonly associated with ligand-accelerated catalysis: the ability to support catalytic turnover at substoichiometric ligand-to-metal ratios. This catalytic role of the MPAA ligand is characterized in stoichiometric C-H activation and catalytic C-H functionalization reactions. Palladacycle formation with substrates bearing carboxylate and pyridine directing groups exhibit a 50-100-fold increase in rate when only 0.05 equivalents of MPAA are present relative to PdII . These and other mechanistic data indicate that facile exchange between MPAAs and anionic ligands coordinated to PdII enables a single MPAA to support C-H activation at multiple PdII centers.
Pulmonary Function in Patients With Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia 2B

Context Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2B (MEN2B) is a rare cancer predisposition syndrome resulting from an autosomal-dominant germline mutation of the RET proto-oncogene. No prior studies have investigated pulmonary function in patients with MEN2B. Objective This study characterized the pulmonary function of patients with MEN2B. Design This is a retrospective analysis of pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and chest imaging of patients enrolled in the Natural History Study of Children and Adults with MEN2A or MEN2B at the National Institutes of Health. Results Thirty-six patients with MEN2B (18 males, 18 females) were selected based on the availability of PFTs; 27 patients underwent at least 2 PFTs and imaging studies. Diffusion abnormalities were observed in 94% (33/35) of the patients, with 63% (22/35) having moderate to severe defects. A declining trend in diffusion capacity was seen over time, with an estimated slope of -2.9% per year (P = 0.0001). Restrictive and obstructive abnormalities were observed in 57% (20/35) and 39% (14/36), respectively. Computed tomography imaging revealed pulmonary thin-walled cavities (lung cysts) in 28% (9/32) of patients and metastatic lung disease in 34% (11/32) of patients; patients with metastatic lung lesions also tended to have thin-walled cavities (P = 0.035). Conclusions This study characterized pulmonary function within a MEN2B cohort. Diffusion, restrictive, and obstructive abnormalities were evident, and lung cysts were present in 28% of patients. Further research is required to determine the mechanism of the atypical pulmonary features observed in this cohort.
Emergency Department Crowding and Other Intractable Problems

NEJM Catalyst Insights Council members and experts weigh in on the difficulties facing emergency departments and potential value-based solutions.
Precise recurrence-free fluorescence-guided surgery with color-coded cancer and stromal cells in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft model of pancreatic cancer

Abstract Aim: The aim of this study is to improve the precision of fluorescence-guided surgery (FGS) by color-coding the cancer and stromal cells. We have previously used single genetic reporters to light up cancer cells for FGS. In the present review, we describe color-coding of cancer and stromal cells in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model for improved FGS. Materials and methods: A PDOX model of pancreatic cancer was established. A tumor-specific green fluorescent protein (GFP)–containing telomerase-dependent adenovirus OBP-401 was used to label the cancer cells of a pancreatic cancer PDOX. The PDOX was previously grown in a red fluorescent protein transgenic nude mouse that stably labeled the PDOX stromal cells bright red. Results: FGS of the color-coded PDOX model enabled complete resection of the pancreatic cancer, including stroma. Dual-color FGS prevented recurrence but not single-color FGS. Bright-light surgery could not prevent local recurrence. Conclusion: Color-coding of cancer and stromal cells can increase the precision of FGS.
Contested pasts, complicated presents: Pre-service teachers’ developing conceptions of community

Abstract To prepare pre-service teachers to work with diverse student populations, many teacher educators have developed community-engaged projects. This study analyzes data collected from pre-service teachers in the U. S. South as they completed a community-engaged project, where they spent time learning about the community, created a virtual tour, and revised a lesson plan to align with the information gained. The project is offered as a mediational tool contributing to pre-service teachers’ conceptions of community and teaching. Findings suggest that pre-service teachers need explicit instruction about how to analyze communities and opportunities to learn with community members during teacher education.
Butylparaben multigenerational reproductive assessment by continuous breeding in Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD rats following dietary exposure

Abstract Butylparaben (BP) is an antimicrobial agent utilized for decades as a preservative in numerous consumer products. The safety of parabens has recently come under scrutiny based on reports of estrogenic activity and suggested adverse effects upon the reproductive system. Due to the limited availability of studies that address the potential for BP exposure to induce reproductive toxicity, and clear evidence of human exposure, the National Toxicology Program conducted a multigenerational continuous breeding study to evaluate the impact of dietary BP-exposure at 0, 5000, 15,000, or 40,000 ppm on reproductive and developmental parameters in Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD rats. BP-exposure was not associated with adverse alterations of fertility, fecundity, pubertal attainment, or reproductive parameters in F0, F1, or F2 generations. Exposure-dependent increases in liver weights, and incidences of non-neoplastic liver lesions suggest the liver is a target organ of BP toxicity. No findings were observed that would support the purported mechanism of BP-induced endocrine disruption in perinatally-exposed rodents.
Effect of gut microbiota on α-amanitin tolerance in Drosophila tripunctata.

The bacterial gut microbiota of many animals is known to be important for many physiological functions including detoxification. The selective pressures imposed on insects by exposure to toxins may also be selective pressures on their symbiotic bacteria, who thus may contribute to the mechanism of toxin tolerance for the insect. Amatoxins are a class of cyclopeptide mushroom toxins that primarily act by binding to RNA polymerase II and inhibiting transcription. Several species of mycophagous Drosophila are tolerant to amatoxins found in mushrooms of the genus Amanita, despite these toxins being lethal to most other known eukaryotes. These species can tolerate amatoxins in natural concentrations to utilize toxic mushrooms as larval hosts, but the mechanism by which these species are tolerant remains unknown. Previous data have shown that a local population of D. tripunctata exhibits significant genetic variation in toxin tolerance. This study assesses the potential role of the microbiome in α-amanitin tolerance in six wild-derived strains of Drosophila tripunctata. Normal and antibiotic-treated samples of six strains were reared on diets with and without α-amanitin, and then scored for survival from the larval stage to adulthood and for development time to pupation. Our results show that a substantial reduction in bacterial load does not influence toxin tolerance in this system, while confirming genotype and toxin-specific effects on survival are independent of the microbiome composition. Thus, we conclude that this adaptation to exploit toxic mushrooms as a host is likely intrinsic to the fly's genome and not a property of their microbiome.
Characterization of βARKct engineered cellular extracellular vesicles and model specific cardioprotection

Recent data supporting any benefit of stem cell therapy for ischemic heart disease have suggested paracrine-based mechanisms via extracellular vesicles (EVs) including exosomes. We have previously engineered cardiac-derived progenitor cells (CDCs) to express a peptide inhibitor, βARKct, of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, leading to improvements in cell proliferation, survival, and metabolism. In this study, we tested whether βARKct-CDC EVs would be efficacious when applied to stressed myocytes in vitro and in vivo. When isolated EVs from βARKct-CDCs and control GFP-CDCs were added to cardiomyocytes in culture, they both protected against hypoxia-induced apoptosis. We tested whether these EVs could protect the mouse heart in vivo, following exposure either to myocardial infarction (MI) or acute catecholamine toxicity. Both types of EVs significantly protected against ischemic injury and improved cardiac function after MI compared with mice treated with EVs from mouse embryonic fibroblasts; however, βARKct EVs treated mice did display some unique beneficial properties including significantly altered pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Importantly, in a catecholamine toxicity model of heart failure (HF), myocardial injections of βARKct-containing EVs were superior at preventing HF compared with control EVs, and this catecholamine toxicity protection was recapitulated in vitro. Therefore, introduction of the βARKct into cellular EVs can have improved reparative properties in the heart especially against catecholamine damage, which is significant as sympathetic nervous system activity is increased in HF.NEW & NOTEWORTHY βARKct, the peptide inhibitor of GRK2, improves survival and metabolic functions of cardiac-derived progenitor cells. As any benefit of stem cells in the ischemic and injured heart suggests paracrine mechanisms via secreted EVs, we investigated whether CDC-βARKct engineered EVs would show any benefit over control CDC-EVs. Compared with control EVs, βARKct-containing EVs displayed some unique beneficial properties that may be due to altered pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines within the vesicles.
Law, Politics, and Finance

The authors assess three established theories about the historical determinants of financial development. They also propose an augmented version of one of these theories. The law and finance view, stresses that different legal traditions emphasize, to differing degrees, the rights of individual investors relative to the state, which has important ramifications for financial development. The dynamic law and finance vie, augments the law and finance view, stressing that legal traditions also differ in their ability to adapt to changing conditions. The politics and finance view, rejects the central role of legal tradition, stressing instead that political factors shape financial development. The endowment view, argues that the mortality rates of European settlers, as they colonized various parts of the globe, influenced the institutions they initially created, which has had enduring effects on institutions today. When initial conditions produced an unfavorable environment for European settlers, colonialists tended to create institutions designed to extract resources expeditiously, not to foster long-run prosperity. The authors' empirical results are most consistent with theories that stress the role of legal tradition. The results provide qualified support for the endowment view. The data are least consistent with theories that focus on specific characteristics of the political structure, although politics can obviously affect the financial sector. In other words, legal origin - whether a country has a British, French, German, or Scandinavian legal heritage - helps explain the development of the country's financial institutions today, even after other factors are controlled for. Countries with a French legal tradition, tend to have weaker financial institutions, while those with common law, and German civil laws, tend to have stronger financial institutions.
The many faces of RNA-based RNase P, an RNA-world relic

RNase P is an essential enzyme that catalyzes removal of the 5′ leader from precursor transfer RNAs. The ribonucleoprotein (RNP) form of RNase P is present in all domains of life and comprises a single catalytic RNA (ribozyme) and a variable number of protein cofactors. Recent cryo-electron microscopy structures of representative archaeal and eukaryotic (nuclear) RNase P holoenzymes bound to tRNA substrate/product provide high-resolution detail on subunit organization, topology, and substrate recognition in these large, multisubunit catalytic RNPs. These structures point to the challenges in understanding how proteins modulate the RNA functional repertoire and how the structure of an ancient RNA-based catalyst was reshaped during evolution by new macromolecular associations that were likely necessitated by functional/regulatory coupling.
Interval Arithmetic for Input-output Models with Inexact Data

Input-output models are subject to uncertainty. If these models are solved without regard to the effects of the uncertainty the solutions can be substantially in error. Interval arithmetic offers a means by which the effects of this uncertainty can be assessed. They also offer a means of evaluating changes in the technical coefficients and a means of determining inverse important coefficients.
Neuroprostheses in the Management of Incontinence in Myelomeningocele Patients

Abstract A 16-year-old boy and a 17-year-old girl underwent successful closure of the meningomyelocele defect in childhood but they continued to suffer incontinence of stool and urine. After a 5-day trial with percutaneous electrostimulation of the pudendal nerve both patients received permanent neuroprosthetic implants. They became completely continent of stool and exhibited greater than 90% improvement in urinary control. These patients demonstrate that there is a small subset of meningomyelocele patients who, despite absence of spontaneous reflex tonus in the urinary and bowel sphincters, nevertheless have preserved motor capabilities. (J. Urol, 143: 779–782, 1990)
Organic syntheses by means of noble metal compounds-XLVIII : Carbonylation of butadiene catalyzed by palladium-phosphine complexes

Abstract Two moles of butadiene react with one mole of carbon monoxide in alcohol in the presence of palladium-phosphine complexes to give the 3,8-nonadienoate. The absence of halide coordinated to the palladium is essential for the catalytic carbonylation to form nonadienoate. In the presence of halide, one mole of butadiene reacts with one mole of carbon monoxide to give the 3-pentenoate.
Market Efficiency and Profitability of Technical Trading Rules: Evidence from Vietnam

Market Efficiency and Profitability of Technical Trading Rules: Evidence from Vietnam Abstract We apply several well-known and popular technical indicators to the daily data for the Vietnam Ho Chi Minh stock index (VSI) from 5/15/2002 to October 31 of 2012. The empirical results strongly support the predictive power of technical trading rules; these strong results also hold for each sub-period analyzed. Further, we ask whether a trader can use the predictive power of technical analysis to beat the profitability of the buy-and-hold strategy considering both transaction costs and risk. Designing four strategies of various trading rules, we conclude that it is possible to beat the buy-and-hold strategy even considering transaction costs and risk.
Inhibition of intraocular neovascularization caused by retinal ischemia in pigs by PKCbeta inhibition with LY333531.

OBJECTIVE: The authors tested the antiangiogenic properties of an orally administered protein kinase-Cbeta inhibitor, LY333531, in a pig model of preretinal neovascularization caused by retinal branch vein occlusion to determine the effectiveness of this therapy in preventing intraocular neovascularization from an ischemic stimulus. METHODS: In 20 eyes of 10 pigs, branch retinal vein occlusions were created in a standardized manner using photodynamic thrombosis with rose bengal dye and thermal burns from an argon laser with green light. Five animals received 1 mg/kg LY333531 daily in two oral doses, and five animals were untreated. The eyes were followed clinically for 12 weeks with ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography. A standardized grading system permitted masked assessment of disc proliferations using stereo fundus photographs. After the pigs were killed, all neovascularization was confirmed histopathologically in a masked fashion and a final grade was assigned to each eye. The Mann-Whitney test was used for statistical analysis of the median values of the unpaired data between the two eyes of each animal (data were rounded up). RESULTS: Significant inhibition of neovascularization was observed in eyes from animals treated with the study drug (P = 0.03). Although some of the treated eyes demonstrated no clinically evident new vessels, histopathologic and photographic analysis demonstrated fine new vessels on the optic disc in all eyes (mean grade 1.9). All the untreated eyes developed clinically evident neovascularization (mean grade 3.1). The oral drug was well tolerated, and no side effects were documented. CONCLUSIONS: A specific protein kinase-Cbeta inhibitor, LY333531, effectively inhibited preretinal and optic nerve head neovascularization in the pig model of branch retinal vein occlusion. This was consistent with the known pathways of signal transduction by growth factors in activated cells and suggested that inhibition of this key regulatory isozyme is effective in the treatment of ischemia-mediated neovascular diseases.
The Interaction of Triiodothyroacetic Acid with Horse Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase

Abstract Triiodothyroacetic acid is a competitive inhibitor of horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase with respect to the coenzyme. The Ki value for triiodothyroacetic acid in this system is 1.3 to 1.9 µM. Triiodothyroacetic acid appears to interact with a hydrophobic portion of the protein since it is able to displace the hydrophobic compound, 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulfonic acid from liver alcohol dehydrogenase. Triiodothyroacetic acid also displaces hydrophobic probes from human globin and bovine serum albumin. The difference spectrum of triiodothyroacetic acid bound to liver alcohol dehydrogenase is very similar to that observed for triiodothyroacetic acid in solvents less polar than water. Yonetani-Theorell plots show that triiodothyroacetic acid binds at the adenosine diphosphate ribose portion of the coenzyme binding site and that bound triiodothyroacetic acid restricts the binding of metal chelators to the zinc of the active center. It is therefore concluded that the adenosine diphosphate ribose portion of the active center resides in a hydrophobic area of the protein and that this area is near the zinc of the active center.
Spin-cluster relaxation times in the spin glass [(CH3)3NH]Co0.4Ni0.6Cl3•2H2O

Mesures de la susceptibilite differentielle d'un monocristal antiferromagnetique [(CH 3 ) 3 NH]Co 0,4 Ni 0,6 , 2H 2 O entre 2,5 et 6 K. Etude de la coexistence de l'ordre antiferromagnetique, ferromagnetique, et verre de spin
Inhibition of proliferating lens epithelium with antitransferrin receptor immunotoxin

Abstract We investigated the effect of an antitransferrin receptor immunotoxin (454A12-rRA) on proliferating human and baboon lens epithelium in vitro. Human and baboon lens epithelial cells grown in modified TC-199 medium at 35 degrees Celsius in 7% C02 were seeded in 24 well plates at a density of 17,500 cells/ml to 40,000 cells/ml. The cells were exposed to various concentrations of 454A12-rRA for seven days. The sensitivity of proliferating human lens epithelium to 454A12-rRA was dependent on the dose, with a 60% to 70% reduction in cell counts at immunotoxin concentrations of 100 ng/ml and above. The immunotoxin had no significant effect on baboon lens epithelium in vitro, which suggests that it is specific for human tissue. By preventing the proliferation of human lens epithelial cells, immunotoxin 454A12-rRA may be useful in the management of posterior capsule opacification after planned extracapsular cataract surgery.
Image compression using parameterized wavelets with feedback

There is a decision about which wavelet is best for each application and each input image/signal, since the type of wavelet chosen affects the performance of the algorithm. In the past, researchers have chosen the wavelet shape based on (a) ease of use, (b) input signal properties, (c) a 'library' search of possible shapes, and/or (d) their own experience and intuition. We demonstrate a technique that determines the best wavelet for each image from within the class of all orthogonal wavelets (tight frames) with a fixed number of coefficients. In our technique, we compress the input with a particular wavelet, calculate the PSNR, then adapt or adjust the wavelet coefficients dynamically to achieve the best PSNR. This 'feedback-based' approach is based on traditional adaptive filtering algorithms. The problem of building an adaptable or feedback-based wavelet filter was simplified when Lai and Roach developed an explicit parameterization of the wavelet scaling functions of short support (more specifically, a parameterization of all tight frames). The representation has one parameter for length-4 wavelets, two free parameters for length-6 wavelets, and multiple parameters for longer wavelets. As the parameter(s) are perturbed, the scaling function’s shape is also perturbed. However, it changes in such a way that the wavelet constraints are still fulfilled. We have applied the feedback-based approach using the parameterized wavelets in an image compression scheme. For short wavelet filters (length-4 up to length-10), we have confirmed that there is a wide range of performance as the wavelet shape is varied and the feedback procedure indeed converges towards optimal orthogonal wavelet filters for a given support size and a chosen image.
The Fertility Contribution of Mexican Immigration to the United States

Crucial to the long-term contribution of immigration to a receiving country’s population is the extent to which the immigrants reproduce themselves in subsequent, native-born generations. Using conventional projection methodologies, this fertility contribution may be poorly estimated primarily because of problems in projecting the number of immigrants who are at risk of childbearing. We propose an alternative method that obviates the need to project the number of immigrants by using the full sending-country birth cohort as the risk group to project their receiving-country childbearing. This “sending-country birth cohort” method is found to perform dramatically better than conventional methods when projecting to 1999 from base years both before and after the large increase in inflows of Mexican immigrants to the United States in the late 1980s. Projecting forward from 1999, we estimate a cumulative contribution of Mexican immigrant fertility from the 1980s to 2040 of 36 million births, including 25% to 50% more births after 1995 than are projected using conventional methods.
An Unusual Case of Cushing's Syndrome, Hilus Cell Tumor and Polycystic Ovaries

ABSTRACT An unusual case of Cushing's syndrome in a 10-yr-old girl is presented. The patient originally exhibited features of Cushing's syndrome and acanthosis nigricans, but still maintained dexamethasone suppressibility. Following adrenalectomy, virilization became more severe, leading to the diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome and hilus cell tumor of the right ovary. After bilateral wedge resection and removal of the ovarian tumor, virilism decreased only slightly. Pigmentation changes became more severe and extremely high levels of ACTH with incomplete suppression after hydrocortisone were noted. At this time, prolactin levels were elevated. A primary hypothalamic lesion is suggested in this patient, beginning as an unusual form of Cushing's syndrome with Nelson's syndrome following adrenalectomy. The process progressed over a 6-yr period to involve the LH-ovarian axis with resultant virilism, polycystic ovaries and hilus cell tumor. Prolactin hypersecretion and acanthosis nigricans probably also r...
Bicyclist commuters’ choice of on-street versus off-street route segments

When using limited funds on bicycle facilities, it would be helpful to know the extent to which a new facility will be used. If a bicycle lane is added to a street, how many bicyclists will no longer use the adjacent sidewalk? If a separate bicycle path is constructed, how many bicyclists will move from the street or sidewalk? This study seeks to identify factors that explain a bicyclist’s choice between available facility choices—off-street (sidewalk and bicycle path) or on-street (bicycle lane and roadway). This paper investigates these issues through a survey of bicyclists headed to Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN, USA. The first data collected to address these questions were “site-based”. Bicyclists were interviewed on campus at the end of their trips and asked which part of the cross-sections along their routes they had used—on-street or off-street. The characteristics of a particular cross-section of street right-of-way were then compared against the characteristics of each bicyclist and his/her observed choice of street, sidewalk, lane, or path. Later, “route-based” serial data were also added. The study developed a mixed logit model to analyze the bicyclists’ facility preferences and capture the unobserved heterogeneity across the population. Effective sidewalk width, traffic signals, segment length, road functional class, street pavement condition, and one-way street configuration were found to be statistically significant. A bicycle path is found to be more attractive than a bicycle lane. Predictions from the model can indicate where investments in particular bicycle facilities would have the most desirable response from bicyclists.
Autonomic function in type I diabetes mellitus complicated by nephropathy a cross-sectional analysis in the presymptomatic phase

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of parasympathetic and sympathetic autonomic dysfunction in long-standing type I diabetics with established nephropathy and to correlate autonomic function with cardiac risk factors. We used prospective analysis of heart rate variations to standardized testing and 24-hour blood pressure control prior to enrollment in a study utilizing various methods of intense diabetic control to prevent deterioration of kidney function. The settings were outpatient clinical research units. The patients were 42 type I diabetics with proteinuria (total urinary protein > or = 300 mg/day or urinary albumin > or = 100 mg/day) and creatinine clearance > or = 30 mL/min. Heart rate variation during respiratory cycles with change in posture from supine to upright, and during the Valsalva maneuver was recorded by a computerized method. Mean arterial blood pressure was recorded for 24 h by a computerized method. Heart rate variations in this group were abnormal during timed respiratory cycles in 26 of 40 patients (56%), during changes in posture in 15 of 40 patients (38%), and during Valsalva maneuver in 13 of 34 patients (38%) whose retinal disease permitted Valsalva testing. Blunted day/night mean arterial pressure ratios occurred in 18 of 41 (44%) patients and were more severe in men than in women (1.00 v 1.06, P < or = .05). Absence of deep tendon reflexes was associated with an increased incidence of both parasympathetic (respiratory rate variation) and sympathetic (postural rate variation) abnormalities (both P < or = .05). Loss of vibration sensation was not associated with autonomic functional abnormalities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Temporal stability of self-report measures in agoraphobia research

Abstract Forty subjects, meeting DSM-III criteria for agoraphobia completed, on two occasions, a comprehensive assessment battery. Measures encompassed anxiety, phobia, depression and general symptomatology dimensions of functioning, and consisted of instruments widely employed as outcome measures in agoraphobia research. The test-retest time periods were divided into 4-, 10- and 16-week intervals to ascertain their temporal stability, an often ignored parameter of reliability. The results indicate that agoraphobia, anxiety, depression and general symptomatology measures were temporally stable. However, test-retest reliabilities of the scales' subscores were generally inferior to those of the total score. The findings are discussed, with recommendations for more programmatic psychometric research in the assessment of anxiety disorders.
Acute Modulation of Sugar Transport in Brain Capillary Endothelial Cell Cultures during Activation of the Metabolic Stress Pathway

GLUT1-catalyzed equilibrative sugar transport across the mammalian blood-brain barrier is stimulated during acute and chronic metabolic stress; however, the mechanism of acute transport regulation is unknown. We have examined acute sugar transport regulation in the murine brain microvasculature endothelial cell line bEnd.3. Acute cellular metabolic stress was induced by glucose depletion, by potassium cyanide, or by carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, which reduce or deplete intracellular ATP within 15 min. This results in a 1.7–7-fold increase in Vmax for zero-trans 3-O-methylglucose uptake (sugar uptake into sugar-free cells) and a 3–10-fold increase in Vmax for equilibrium exchange transport (intracellular [sugar] = extracellular [sugar]). GLUT1, GLUT8, and GLUT9 mRNAs are detected in bEnd.3 cells where GLUT1 mRNA levels are 33-fold greater than levels of GLUT8 or GLUT9 mRNA. Neither GLUT1 mRNA nor total protein levels are affected by acute metabolic stress. Cell surface biotinylation reveals that plasma membrane GLUT1 levels are increased 2–3-fold by metabolic depletion, although cell surface Na+,K+-ATPase levels remain unaffected by ATP depletion. Treatment with the AMP-activated kinase agonist, AICAR, increases Vmax for net 3-O-methylglucose uptake by 2-fold. Glucose depletion and treatment with potassium cyanide, carbonyl cyanide p-trifluoromethoxyphenylhydrazone, and AICAR also increase AMP-dependent kinase phosphorylation in bEnd.3 cells. These results suggest that metabolic stress rapidly stimulates blood-brain barrier endothelial cell sugar transport by acute up-regulation of plasma membrane GLUT1 levels, possibly involving AMP-activated kinase activity.