cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of voltage-gated K channels in synaptosomes by sn-1,2- dioctanoylglycerol, an activator of protein kinase C

Tracer efflux studies were used to determine the effect of activation of protein kinase C on K channel function in rat brain synaptosomes. Hippocampal synaptosomes were treated with sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (diC8), a synthetic diacylglycerol (DG) analog that activates protein kinase C. DiC8 inhibited depolarization-induced 86Rb efflux through voltage-gated K channels but did not affect the component of efflux corresponding to Ca-activated K channels. In time-course experiments, diC8 inhibited two components of 86Rb efflux: efflux through a rapidly inactivating, voltage-gated K channel (responsible for the “A” current) and that through a slowly inactivating, voltage-gated K channel (believed to be the “delayed rectifier”). Experiments with specific blockers of these voltage-gated K channels supported this observation. Inhibition of K-stimulated 86Rb efflux by diC8 was time dependent: at least 15 sec of preincubation was required before the effect could be observed. The effect of diC8 was concentration dependent: 50 microM diC8 produced a half-maximal inhibition of K-stimulated 86Rb efflux. The idea that the inhibition of synaptosome K channels by diC8 resulted from activation of C kinase was supported by pharmacological evidence. The action of diC8 was mimicked by 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol, another DG analog that activates protein kinase C, but not by deoxy-diC8, a DG analog that does not activate C kinase. Inhibition of C kinase by sphingosine or H-7 prevented the diC8 effect. These studies demonstrate that synaptosomes are a good model in which to study modulation of mammalian CNS K channels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Our Case Debut: A Case Presentation from the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers

This ‘‘Case Debut’’ was accidentally left out of the June 2007 issue. We are pleased to lead this new and innovative case presentation series with the work of Drs. Macht, Pasqualini and Taba concerning the use of cognitive behavioral strategies for Parkinson’s disease. For some time, the editors of the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, the official journal of the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers have planned to develop a case presentation series that illustrates the important advances, contributions and clinical thinking which psychologists have brought to their work in medical and health care settings. The feature patterns itself after the case presentations in the New England Journal of Medicine in which cases are discussed by various clinicians with appropriate medical, laboratory, radiographic and pathology data included along with psychological and neuropsychological tests. We believe that the practice of psychology in these health settings has reached a level of sophistication and maturity that a case series of this type is warranted for this specialization. There are many experienced and senior medical/ health psychologists who can contribute substantially to this literature by illustrating their cases and perspectives. These are not traditional case presentations in which a case and a specific intervention are given but instead the clinical process, diagnosis, prognosis and decision-making of several clinicians are shared. Education and discussion are the primary goals for the series rather than ‘‘the correct diagnosis or correct intervention.’’ We hope by developing this series and bringing it to the attention of health and medical psychologists that it will serve to be a teaching tool for students and a platform for discussion and continuing education for experienced and senior psychological clinicians. We are excited and thrilled about this series and present in this issue of JCPMS the initial case presentation. The time has come for medical and health psychologists to share their clinical wisdom, experience and contributions to patient care.
Integrating writing and speaking skills into the engineering curriculum

Examines a methodology for incorporating effective communication skills into the engineering curriculum. Engineers need to develop better skills in problem definition and in communication. One should view engineering as an integrative process in which analysis, synthesis, and creativity combine to serve societal needs. A starting point might be to integrate written and oral communication skills directly into the engineering curriculum. Laboratory and senior design projects are ideal for an interdisciplinary approach to improving communication skills. Instructional staff from the school of humanities could assist the engineering faculty to meet these goals. The author suggests a sequence of communication courses to help improve engineering communication skills. >
Effect of pioglitazone on body composition and energy expenditure: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Several clinical studies have demonstrated that body weight increases after treatment with thiazolidinediones (TZDs). Prior studies have demonstrated an increase in insulin-stimulated lipid storage in adipose tissue. Some, but not all, studies demonstrate reductions in visceral adipose tissue. Changes in body weight are the result of changes in energy intake, energy expenditure, or both. Objectives: Based on these findings, the primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of TZDs on visceral, subcutaneous, and total body fat. Secondary aims were to determine the effects of pioglitazone on (a) energy expenditure, (b) hunger and satiety, (c) blood lipids, and (d) the role of insulinemia/sulfonylurea usage on weight gain in patients with type 2 diabetes. Subjects and Methods: We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 48 men and women with type 2 diabetes who had not previously received treatment with TZDs. Patients were treated for 24 weeks with 45 mg/d of pioglitazone or a matching placebo. Body composition was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Visceral and subcutaneous fat were measured by computed tomography. Resting metabolic rate and thermogenic response to a test meal were measured by indirect calorimetry before and after a standardized meal. Hunger and satiety were measured with visual analog scales before and after the same test meal. Blood was collected for the measurement of fasting glucose and insulin levels, hemoglobin A1c levels, and lipid content. Results: Pioglitazone treatment resulted in a decrease in hemoglobin A1c level by 0.96 F 1.1% vs 0.11 F 0.8% in the placebo group (P b .005). Body weight and fat increased steadily in the patients treated with pioglitazone during the 6 months of the study (+3.9 F 3.1 kg at 6 months in pioglitazone-treated patients vs 0.8 F 3.4 kg in the placebo-treated patients). Subcutaneous fat in the trunk, arms, and legs were all increased in the pioglitazone-treated group. Visceral fat did not change significantly in either group. Neither resting metabolic rate nor the thermogenic responses to a meal were altered by pioglitazone. Subjective measures of hunger (visual analog scale) did not change with pioglitazone treatment. Triglycerides fell in the pioglitazone-treated group (58.5 F 124 mg/dL, P b .003). Neither the prior use of sulfonylureas nor the level of insulinemia before treatment was a predictor of weight or fat change. Conclusion: Pioglitazone increased subcutaneous body fat, but not visceral fat. There was no measurable effect on energy expenditure or hunger/satiety. In contrast to the placebo-treated patient with diabetes, weight gain occurs in the face of falling hemoglobin A1c and triglyceride levels.
Tryptophan Operon of Escherichia coli: Regulatory Behavior in Salmonella typhimurium Cytoplasm

Hybrids hemizygous for the tryptophan genes were prepared by episomal transfer of an Escherichia coli element into Salmonella typhimurium. Regulation of enzyme production by hybrids carrying wild-type E. coli genes in response to changes in the growth medium occurs in precisely the same manner as in haploid E. coli wild type. Mutant alleles of the anthranilate synhetase gene of E. coli which prevent derepression in E. coli function identically in S. typhimurium. At least one Salmonella tryptophan regulatory gene unlinked to the structural genes is known. Any dijferences which may exist between the tryptophan regulatory genes of E. coli and Salmonella have little effect on the regulation of enzyme formation in hybrids.
Head and Neck Cancer Stem Cells From Identification to Tumor Immune Network

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the most common form of head and neck cancer. Annually, more than half a million individuals are diagnosed with this devastating disease, with increasing incidence in Europe and Southeast Asia. The diagnosis of HNSCC often occurs in late stages of the disease and is characterized by manifestation of a high-grade primary tumor and/or lymph node metastasis, precluding timely management of this deadly cancer. Recently, HNSCC cancer stem cells have emerged as an important factor for cancer initiation and maintenance of tumor bulk. Like normal stem cells, cancer stem cells can undergo self-renewal and differentiation. This unique trait allows for maintenance of the cancer stem cell pool and facilitates differentiation into heterogeneous neoplastic progeny when necessary. Recent studies have suggested coexistence of different cancer stem cell populations within a tumor mass, where the tumor initiation and metastasis properties of these cancer stem cells can be uncoupled. Cancer stem cells also possess resistant phenotypes that evade standard chemotherapy and radiotherapy, resulting in tumor relapse. Therefore, understanding distinctive pathways relating to cancer stem cells will provide insight into early diagnosis and treatment of HNSCC. In this review, we highlight current advances in identifying cancer stem cells, detail the interactions of these cells with the immune system within the tumor niche, and discuss the potential use of immunotherapy in managing HNSCC.
The Logic of Analogy and the Role of the Sufi Shaykh in Post-Marinid Morocco

In spite of the fact that it has been a favorite subject of scholars for more than seventy years, the religious history of Morocco, especially concerning the period before the French protectorate, remains at best incompletely studied and at worst completely misunderstood. This does not mean, however, that theories and indeed dogmatic assumptions have not been advanced, most notably in the study of what has been termed "popular religion," that exotic blend of "orthodox" scholasticism and "heterodox" praxis that has made "Moroccan Islam" so interesting. While more modern works such as that of Eickelman' have included critical examinations of the works of French and other colonialist scholars and have pointed out certain social or political prejudices that served to distort many of their conclusions, most contemporary studies remain based upon the data compiled by these same supposedly discredited and out-of-date colonialists, while neglecting a reexamination of the primary and secondary Moroccan sources essential to the provision of a factual basis for any historical reconstruction of earlier periods. This has resulted in the rather paradoxical situation of critics unconsciously perpetuating some of the same faulty assumptions that have provided the foundations for the theories they have criticized. In the field of anthropology two works, Islam Observed by Clifford Geertz2
Temperature Profile Analysis in Combustion Synthesis: I, Theory and Background

An analysis of the use of temperature profiles in the determination of the kinetic parameters of self-sustaining combustion synthesis is provided. Two mathematical approaches are discussed. In the first approach, the analysis focuses on the initial portion of the temperature profile and thus emphasizes the kinetics of the initial stages (η≲ 1.0) of this process. The second approach emphasizes both the initial and final stages of the process (η∼ 1.0). With the simultaneous measurements of the velocity of the combustion wave, temperature profile analysis provides values for the effective thermal diffusivity of the reactants.
Triiodothyronine causes rapid reversal of α1/cyclic adenosine monophosphate synergism on brown adipocyte respiration and type II deiodinase activity

Previous studies have shown that thyroid status affects the response of brown adipose tissue (BAT) to the sympathetic nervous system. For example, hypothyroidism is associated with the development of a marked synergism between alpha 1- and beta-adrenergic pathways to stimulate type II iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity. Hypothyroidism also attenuates the respiratory response (thermogenesis) of isolated brown adipocytes to norepinephrine. To explore the interactions of the sympathetic nervous system and thyroid status in these cells, we compared the thermogenic and 5'-deiodinase responses to adrenergic agonists in isolated brown adipocytes from hypothyroid rats during treatment with 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3). The fivefold synergism of alpha 1- and beta-adrenergic catecholamines to increase the deiodinase activity was progressively reduced, reaching a control euthyroid value of unity after 5 days of T3 treatment. Hypothyroidism reduced both the O2max (twofold to threefold) and increased the concentration of agonist required for 50% stimulation (10-fold) for both norepinephrine and forskolin. In hypothyroid cells, there was a twofold synergism between the alpha 1-agonist cirazoline and forskolin to increase respiration, which was blocked by prazosin and reproduced by the calcium ionophore, A23187. This synergistic effect of the alpha 1-agonist was lost within 2 days of T3 administration. These studies identify a second Ca(2+)-dependent intra-adrenergic synergism, which functions to ameliorate the reduced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responsiveness of the hypothyroid brown adipocyte.
Dissociation reduction in body therapy during sexual abuse recovery

The study purpose was to examine dissociation in body therapy for women receiving psychotherapy for childhood sexual abuse. An initial intervention study provided an opportunity to examine dissociation; the sample of 24 women received eight, 1-h body therapy sessions. The Dissociative Experiences Scale served as the predictor variable, and the outcome measures reflected psychological and physical health, and body connection. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine dissociation reduction across time. Pearson correlations were used to describe associations between the relative change in dissociation and outcomes. The results demonstrated that the greatest change was the reduction of dissociation; there was an incremental effect across time and a strong association between change in dissociation and health outcomes. High dissociation at baseline (moderate levels) predicted positive outcomes. The results demonstrated the importance of moderate dissociation as an indicator of distress, and the central role of dissociation reduction in health and healing.
Dopamine, oxytocin, and vasopressin receptor binding in the medial prefrontal cortex of monogamous and promiscuous voles

Comparisons between monogamous and promiscuous vole species have proven useful in examining neurobiological mechanisms underlying social attachment. Reward processing is important for social attachment, and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) exerts a direct influence on reward pathways. Dopamine (DA), oxytocin (OT), and arginine vasopressin (AVP) all have been implicated in the regulation of social attachment in monogamous voles. Therefore, we used radiolabeled ligands to examine dopamine D1- and D2-like, OT, and AVP V1a receptor binding densities in the mPFC of monogamous and promiscuous voles. Species differences were found; monogamous voles had higher densities of D2-like and OT receptor binding and lower densities of D1-like and V1a receptor binding than did promiscuous voles. Sex differences also were found; females had higher densities of OT receptor binding but lower densities of V1a receptor binding than did males in both species. Further, the laminar distribution of receptor binding indicates the possibility of an interaction between DA and OT systems in the mPFC in the regulation of social attachment. Differences in D1- and D2-like receptor binding between species are discussed in terms of how they might modulate cortical activity and subsequent DA release in the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). © 2005 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
The vestibulosympathetic reflex in humans: neural interactions between cardiovascular reflexes.

1. Over the past 5 years, there has been emerging evidence that the vestibular system regulates sympathetic nerve activity in humans. We have studied this issue in humans by using head-down rotation (HDR) in the prone position. 2. These studies have clearly demonstrated increases in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and calf vascular resistance during HDR. These responses are mediated by engagement of the otolith organs and not the semicircular canals. 3. However, differential activation of sympathetic nerve activity has been observed during HDR. Unlike MSNA, skin sympathetic nerve activity does not increase with HDR. 4. Examination of the vestibulosympathetic reflex with other cardiovascular reflexes (i.e. barorereflexes and skeletal muscle reflexes) has shown an additive interaction for MSNA. 5. The additive interaction between the baroreflexes and vestibulosympathetic reflex suggests that the vestibular system may assist in defending against orthostatic challenges in humans by elevating MSNA beyond that of the baroreflexes. 6. In addition, the further increase in MSNA via otolith stimulation during isometric handgrip, when arterial pressure is elevated markedly, indicates that the vestibulosympathetic reflex is a powerful activator of MSNA and may contribute to blood pressure and flow regulation during dynamic exercise. 7. Future studies will help evaluate the importance of the vestibulosympathetic reflex in clinical conditions associated with orthostatic hypotension.
The elastic properties of hamster kidney cells evaluated by ultrasonic atomic force microscopy

Ultrasonic atomic force microscopy (U-AFM) was used to image the elastic properties of hamster kidney (BHK) cells. Force-distance curves and finite element analysis were also used to assist in the description of the U-AFM images. These tools helped explain the differences in contrast seen from the center to the edge of the cell. The explanation of the U-AFM image contrast will lead to more analytical tools to investigate both non-viable and viable materials.
Scale invariance of daily runoff time series in agricultural watersheds

Abstract. Fractal scaling behavior of long-term records of daily runoff time series in 31 sub-watersheds covering a wide range of size were examined using the shifted box-counting method and Hurst rescaled range (R/S) analysis. These sub-watersheds were associated with four agricultural watersheds of different climate and topography. The results showed that the records of daily runoff rate exhibited scale invariance over certain time scales. Two scaling ranges were identified from the shifted box-counting plots with a break point at about 9~12 months. Similar fractal dimensions were obtained for the sub-watersheds within each watershed, indicating that the runoff of these sub-watersheds have similar distribution of occurrence. The Hurst R/S analysis showed that the long-term memory was not present in runoff time series. The presence of scaling is not certain for runoff time series in agricultural watersheds.
Evaluation of a brushing machine for estimating density of spider mites on grape leaves.

Direct visual inspection and enumeration for estimating field population density of economically important arthropods, such as spider mites, provide more information than alternative methods, such as binomial sampling, but is laborious and time consuming. A brushing machine can reduce sampling time and perhaps improve accuracy. Although brushing technology has been investigated and recommended as a useful tool for researchers and integrated pest management practitioners, little work to demonstrate the validity of this technique has been performed since the 1950’s. We investigated the brushing machine manufactured by Leedom Enterprises (Mi-Wuk Village, CA, USA) for studies on spider mites. We evaluated (1) the mite recovery efficiency relative to the number of passes of a leaf through the brushes, (2) mite counts as generated by the machine compared to visual counts under a microscope, (3) the lateral distribution of mites on the collection plate and (4) the accuracy and precision of a 10 % sub-sample using a double-transect counting grid. We found that about 95 % of mites on a leaf were recovered after five passes, and 99 % after nine passes, and mite counts from brushing were consistently higher than those from visual inspection. Lateral distribution of mites was not uniform, being highest in concentration at the center and lowest at the periphery. The 10 % double-transect pattern did not result in a significant correlation with the total plate count at low mite density, but accuracy and precision improved at medium and high density. We suggest that a more accurate and precise sample may be achieved using a modified pattern which concentrates on the center plus some of the adjacent area.
The Evaluation of Lung Nodules in Pediatric Bone Tumors

One of the most important prognostic variables for patients with primary bone malignancy is the presence or absence of metastatic disease at presentation. About 20 % of patients with osteosarcoma, and 25 % of patients with Ewing’s sarcoma will have metastases at presentation, and the lung is the most common site of distant involvement for both diseases. The sensitivity of modern imaging techniques has allowed the identification of tiny lung nodules in cancer patients, including many which may not be malignant at all and may actually represent scarring from prior infection or small lymph nodes. Because the impact of pulmonary involvement on prognosis and management in primary bone sarcoma patients is profound, it is important to characterize the lesions as completely as possible when they are identified. In this section, the imaging characteristics, identification strategies, effects on management, and indications for biopsy of lung nodules in patients with bone malignancy are reviewed.
Boundaries of Gender and Ethnicity: Gujarati Hindu Women in Artesia's "Little India"

Within the boundaries of Artesia's "Little India," working-class Hindu women have reconfigured their ethnic identities and gendered roles. This article is based upon our study of a cohort of twenty women who work as seamstresses, cooks, beauticians, and saleswomen in the roughly sixty Indian-owned businesses—grocery, jewelry, music, and craft stores, in Little India, an enclave in the southeastern corner of Los Angeles County bordering Orange County. All belong to the linguistic community of Gujaratis.The boundaries of Little India itself, we argue, are both literal and symbolic, at once flexible, complex, and sometimes contradictory, especially for those women who choose to remain and work within the ethnic enclave. In addition, we explore various gendered notions of Indian identity including Bharatiyanari and Pativrata Dharma, and notions of Indian space including bahir and ghar, and Lakshman Resha in order to understand more fully the complexity of the work choices these women make.
The Costs of Litigation: A Proposal to Amend Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure 39(a)(4)

In 2009, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals wrote the concluding chapter in the Exxon Valdez litigation, which had spanned more than twenty years from the date of the oil spill on March 24, 1989. The concluding chapter related to appellate costs. Over the course of the nearly two decades of appellate litigation, Exxon paid approximately $70 million in costs, the majority of which went to secure a bond on the original $5 billion in punitive damages. The Ninth Circuit had to determine whether the plaintiffs should pay any of these costs. The U.S. Supreme Court was silent on the issue, and the applicable Federal Rule of Appellate Procedure — Rule 39(a)(4) — merely directed the judges to award costs "only as the court orders." The result: an angry dialogue between the majority, which thought each party should shoulder its own costs, and the dissent, which would have the plaintiffs pay most of Exxon's costs. This Article proposes that the current costs rule in mixed result cases provides insufficient guidance and that it should be amended so that courts know what to analyze in apportioning costs. In particular, this Article advocates that the rule be amended to provide that, in the ordinary case, each party bear its own costs, but where that would prove inequitable, courts should consider a variety of factors including the following: (1) which party prevailed, (2) the public interest, (3) the parties' ability to pay, (4) the parties' arguments and positions throughout the litigation, (5) attempts to settle, (6) the reasonableness of the costs, (7) the amount of costs, (8) federal statutes in related areas, (9) related state-court rules, and (10) the interests of justice.
Multiple forms of esterases from human erythrocytes.

SummaryA system is described in which multiple bands of esterase activity can be resolved from human red cell hemolysates by zone electrophoresis in starch gel. Variations from the normal pattern were observed in certain patients with liver disorders and associated anemias. Another atypical esterase pattern was found in a pair of monozygotic twins and their mother indicating that the observed variation is under genetic control.
Seasonality influences cuticle melanization and immune defense in a cricket: support for a temperature-dependent immune investment hypothesis in insects

SUMMARY To improve thermoregulation in colder environments, insects are expected to darken their cuticles with melanin via the phenoloxidase cascade, a phenomenon predicted by the thermal melanin hypothesis. However, the phenoloxidase cascade also plays a significant role in insect immunity, leading to the additional hypothesis that the thermal environment indirectly shapes immune function via direct selection on cuticle color. Support for the latter hypothesis comes from the cricket Allonemobius socius , where cuticle darkness and immune-related phenoloxidase activity increase with latitude. However, thermal environments vary seasonally as well as geographically, suggesting that seasonal plasticity in immunity may also exist. Although seasonal fluctuations in vertebrate immune function are common (because of flux in breeding or resource abundance), seasonality in invertebrate immunity has not been widely explored. We addressed this possibility by rearing crickets in simulated summer and fall environments and assayed their cuticle color and immune function. Prior to estimating immunity, crickets were placed in a common environment to minimize metabolic rate differences. Individuals reared under fall-like conditions exhibited darker cuticles, greater phenoloxidase activity and greater resistance to the bacteria Serratia marcescens . These data support the hypothesis that changes in the thermal environment modify cuticle color, which indirectly shapes immune investment through pleiotropy. This hypothesis may represent a widespread mechanism governing immunity in numerous systems, considering that most insects operate in seasonally and geographically variable thermal environments.
Neuropsychiatric Disorders Caused by Cobalamin Deficiency in the Absence of Anemia or Macrocytosis

Among 141 consecutive patients with neuro-psychiatric abnormalities due to cobalamin deficiency, we found that 40 (28 percent) had no anemia or macrocytosis. The hematocrit was normal in 34, the mean cell volume was normal in 25, and both tests were normal in 19. Characteristic features in such patients included paresthesia, sensory loss, ataxia, dementia, and psychiatric disorders; longstanding neurologic symptoms without anemia; normal white-cell and platelet counts and serum bilirubin and lactate dehydrogenase levels; and markedly elevated serum concentrations of methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine. Serum cobalamin levels were above 150 pmol per liter (200 pg per milliliter) in 2 patients, between 75 and 150 pmol per liter (100 and 200 pg per milliliter) in 16, and below 75 pmol per liter (100 pg per milliliter) in only 22. Except for one patient who died during the first week of treatment, every patient in this group benefited from cobalamin therapy. Responses included improvement in neuropsychiatric abnormalities (39 of 39), improvement (often within the normal range) in one or more hematologic findings (36 of 39), and a decrease of more than 50 percent in levels of serum methylmalonic acid, total homocysteine, or both (31 of 31). We conclude that neuropsychiatric disorders due to cobalamin deficiency occur commonly in the absence of anemia or an elevated mean cell volume and that measurements of serum methylmalonic acid and total homocysteine both before and after treatment are useful in the diagnosis of these patients.
Disciplinary differences between cognitive psychology and mathematics education: A developmental disconnection syndrome. Reflections on 'Challenges in Mathematical Cognition' by Alcock et al. (2016)

As the participants in this collaborative exercise who are mathematics education researchers espouse a cognitive perspective, it is not surprising that there were few genuine disagreements between them and the psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists during the process of generating a consensual research agenda. In contrast, the prototypical mathematics education researcher will mostly likely find the resulting list of priority open questions to be overly restrictive in its scope of topics to be studied, highly biased toward quantitative methods, and extremely narrow in its disciplinary perspectives. It is argued here that the fundamental disconnects between the epistemological foundations, theoretical perspectives, and methodological predilections of cognitive psychologists and mainstream mathematics education researchers preclude the prospect of future productive collaborative efforts between these fields. [Commentary on: Alcock, L., Ansari, D., Batchelor, S., Bisson, M.-J., De Smedt, B., Gilmore, C., . . . Weber, K. (2016). Challenges in mathematical cognition: A collaboratively-derived research agenda. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 2, 20-41. doi:10.5964/jnc.v2i1.10]
Safe Investigation of NiTi Rotary Instruments in Clinical Application

Objective To understand the failure incidence of NiTi rotary instruments in clinical application, and serve for safe application in clinic. Methods 48 new NiTi rotary instruments were received from warehouse gradually. The first use time, use frequency, the time and length of broken, deformation of NiTi rotary instruments were recorded carefully; Root canal curvature was checked with X ray. Results It was safe to use NiTi rotary instruments 13 times repeatedly; It was broken 1 time of SX, S1, F2, 6 times of F1, 3 times of F3, and 2 times in great curved root canal in 48 NiTi rotary instruments. Conclusion It is safe to use NiTi rotary instruments in clinic, but there were some risks.
Application of Molecular Marker to Identification of Rice Blast Resistant Gene Pi9(t) in Some High-generation Breeding Materials

This paper applied molecular marker PB8 to identify rice blast resistant gene Pi9(t) in some high-generation breeding materials.It was found that 27 materials contained Pi9(t) gene,and 11 materials contained homozygous Pi9(t) gene.The materials containing homozygous Pi9(t) gene were inoculated by Sichuan provincial major physiological races of rice blast,and their resistance frequency reached 78.13%~87.50%,indicating that Pi9(t) gene was the major resistant gene to rice blast in Sichuan rice area,and it showed strong resistance to the major rice blast physiological races in Sichuan.
Clinical inquiries. Which regimen treats vitamin D deficiency most effectively

Several vitamin D replacement regimens are effective. Cumulative dosing may be more important than frequency of dosing (strength of recommendation [SOR]: C, inconsistent results from randomized controlled trials [RCTs] of disease-oriented outcomes).Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) may increase serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations more effectively than vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) (SOR: C, a single RCT of disease-oriented outcomes).
Gel-Permeation Liquid Chromatographic Method for Determination of Polymerized Triglycerides in Oils and Fats: Summary of Collaborative Study

The IUPAC Commission on Oils, Fats and Derivatives undertook development of a method and collaborative study for determination of polymerized triglycerides in oils and fats. Two collaborative studies were carried out by IUPAC in 1985 and 1986. Both studies consisted of 4 materials, including animal fat, frying oil with average content of polymers, and blends of frying oil containing varying amounts of polymers. Thirteen and 17 laboratories were included in the first and second IUPAC collaborative studies, respectively. Another collaborative study conducted by inspectorate for Health Protection, Food Inspection Service, The Netherlands, included 13 laboratories. Six heat-processed fat samples (3 pairs of split samples) containing 14-28% (w/w) of polymerized triglycerides were studied. The method was adopted by AOAC INTERNATIONAL as an IUPAC-AOCS-AOAC method.
Augmentation of Nipple Projection in Breast Reconstruction Using Artecoll (ArteFill)

Nipple Areola Complex (NAC) reconstruction is an essential component of breast reconstruction procedure for improving patient satisfaction and restoring body image. Loss of nipple projection over time is commonly seen post breast reconstruction, irrespective of technique used. Loss of projection is often managed by either over compensating at the time of primary NAC reconstruction or using additional augmentation procedures at the time of secondary or tertiary NAC reconstruction. The authors describe a novel technique of using Artecoll (polymethylmethacrylate microspheres suspended in bovine collagen) in the form of injectable filler for patients with inadequate nipple projection following failed local flap procedures.
Alternating Presidentialism: A Proposal

Presidentialism and parliamentarism are single-engine mechanisms. In the first system the engine is the president, in the second the engine is parliament. And far more often than not the presidential engine falters in its downward parliamentary crossings, while the parliamentary engine disarrays, in its upward ascent, the governing function. Semi-presidentialism is, instead, a double-engine system. However, since its two engines operate simultaneously, what if they start pulling in opposite directions and work against one another? While the French system is able to handle divided government, still the risk of having two counter-pulling engines cannot be ruled out.
Authors’ reply to Ramachandran

Prompted by the recently proposed US amendment S.2978 to exempt from mandatory reporting through the Open Payments program any payments from drug manufacturers to physicians related to physician education,1 Ramachandran asks whether we conducted analyses examining the association between prescribing and any payments related to educational materials.2 3 In response, we performed a subgroup analysis focused on payments for continuing medical education (CME) speaker fees and for educational materials, including journal articles and …
Comparison of non-real-time and real-time simulators with relays in-the-loop for adaptive overcurrent protection

Abstract Non-real-time or real-time simulators with relays in-the-loop can be used to test and validate adaptive protection systems. In this paper, the non-real-time and real-time simulator test procedures with relays in-the-loop for an adaptive overcurrent protection system in a microgrid with distributed generators (diesel generators) were described, contrasting the test set-up and experiment preparation. In addition, test results for the non-real-time and real-time simulators with relays in-the-loop were compared. Selectivity, reliability and speed for an adaptive overcurrent protection system was validated using both relays in-the-loop test procedures. Of 44 tripping tests ran for both relays in-the loop techniques, the breakers near the fault tripped and the other breakers remained closed in 34 cases, and backup relays tripped when primary relays did not trip in 10 cases (backup tests). Inverse time overcurrent elements tripped breakers at maximum fault currents in less than 0.5 s. To test adaptive overcurrent protection systems, it is recommended to use the relays in-the-loop with real-time simulator instead of non-real-time simulator, to optimize the test validation of primary and backup relays working together.
The Influence of Hand Immersion Duration on Manual Performance

Objective:To investigate the effect of hand immersion duration on manipulative ability and tactile sensitivity.Background:Individuals in maritime settings often work with hands that have been immer...
Reorganization of Axonal Cytoskeleton Following β, β′-Iminodipropionitrile (IDPN) Intoxication

β,β ′-Iminodipropionitri1e (IDPN), NH=(CH2CH2CN)2, is a synthetic compound closely related to the osteolathyrogen B-aminopropionitrile (NH2CH2CH2CN). Intoxication of various experimental animals with IDPN produces the excitement, circling and choreathetosis (ECC) or waltzing syndrome (Selye, 1957), a permanent symptom complex indicating irreparable damage to the central nervous system (CNS). Early histopathological studies have described large, amorphous bodies in the anterior horn cells of spinal cord and in other large neurons throughout the nervous system. These amorphous bodies were originally misinterpreted as degenerated neuronal perikarya and were called “ghost cells” (Bachhuber et al., 1955; Ule, 1962). It was shown subsequently by Chou and Hartman (1964; 1965) that the “ghost cells” were actually huge balloons and swollen axons connected to the cell body by an apparently normal initial segment (Fig. 1). They suggested that “axostasis,” caused by a “plug” of particulate organelles in the proximal axon, produced the axonal swellings.
Strategic Planning on a Military Air Station: Calm Skies or Turbulence Up Ahead?

This disguised case provides a strategic plan devised and used on a military base. Senior officers clarified their strategy, outlined capabilities needed, and designed measures to assess. The organization's mission statement/charter, goals, and metrics are available for evaluation. Is the vision clear and could the goals be successfully translated into action? Does the plan lend itself to become part of the culture and daily business life on the base? Excerpt UVA-OB-0818 Rev. Feb. 8, 2017 Strategic Planning on a Military Air Station: Calm Skies or Turbulence Up Ahead? To provide the people we serve with high-quality products and services in a timely and cost-effective manner, through a well-trained, properly equipped, and highly motivated workforce. —Camnam Military Air Station Mission Statement . . .
The origin of double-peaked narrow lines in active galactic nuclei - III. Feedback from biconical AGN outflows

We apply an analytic Markov Chain Monte Carlo model to a sample of 18 AGN-driven biconical outflows that we identified from a sample of active galaxies with double-peaked narrow emission lines at z < 0.1 in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. We find that 8/18 are best described as asymmetric bicones, 8/18 are nested bicones, and 2/18 are symmetric bicones. From the geometry and kinematics of the models, we find that these moderate-luminosity AGN outflows are large and energetic. The biconical outflows axes are randomly oriented with respect to the photometric major axis of the galaxy, implying a randomly oriented and clumpier torus to collimate the outflow, but the torus also allows some radiation to escape equatorially. We find that 16/18 (89%) outflows are energetic enough to drive a two-staged feedback process in their host galaxies. All of these outflows geometrically intersect the photometric major axis of the galaxy, and 23% of outflow host galaxies are significantly redder or have significantly lower specific star formation rates when compared to a matched sample of active galaxies.
Achalasia of the Cardia

The understanding of achalasia has evolved over time, and today the disease is defined manometrically by a non-relaxing lower oesophageal sphincter (LES) in association with aperistalsis of the oesophageal body.
Vomiting in Children.

1. T. Matthew Shields, MD* 2. Jenifer R. Lightdale, MD, MPH* 1. *Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA * Abbreviations: 5-HT: : 5-hydroxytryptamine CHS: : cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome CTZ: : chemoreceptor trigger zone CVS: : cyclic vomiting syndrome EGD: : esophagogastroduodenoscopy FPIES: : food protein–induced enterocolitis syndrome GER: : gastroesophageal reflux GERD: : gastroesophageal reflux disease IEM: : inborn error of metabolism PS: : pyloric stenosis SMA: : superior mesenteric artery 1. There are at least 4 known physiologic pathways that can trigger vomiting, 3 of which are extraintestinal. 2. Understanding which pathway is causing a patient’s vomiting will help determine best treatment options, including which antiemetic is most likely to be helpful to mitigate symptoms. 3. Bilious emesis in a newborn should indicate bowel obstruction. 4. Cyclic episodes of vomiting may be indicative of a migraine variant. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Understand the main pathways that trigger vomiting via the emetic reflex. 2. Differentiate among acute, chronic, and cyclic causes of vomiting. 3. Create a broad differential diagnosis for vomiting based on a patient’s history, physical examination findings, and age. 4. Recognize red flag signs and symptoms of vomiting that require emergent evaluation. 5. Recognize when to begin an antiemetic medication. 6. Select antiemetic medications according to the presumed underlying mechanism of vomiting. Vomiting is a common symptom of numerous underlying conditions for which children frequently present for healthcare. Although vomiting can originate from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract itself, it can also signal more generalized, systemic disorders. Vomiting in children is often benign and can be managed with supportive measures only. Still, clinicians must be able to recognize life-threatening causes of vomiting and to avoid serious associated complications, including electrolyte abnormalities, dehydration, or even bowel necrosis. Vomiting is defined as the forceful expulsion of gastric contents through the mouth and/or nose. Vomiting differs from gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and regurgitation in that the latter 2 conditions are characterized by effortless retrograde flow of duodenal or gastric …
Neural network identification of critical factors in a dynamic just-in-time kanban environment

Prior research has examined the proper number of kanbans to be used in various just-in-time environments, but relatively little work has been done in exploring which factors internal and external to a shop in a given time period are critical in determining the necessary number of kanbans to be specified for the next period. The research reported here examines the identification of shop factors in a dynamic and stochastic just-in-time environment. In particular, three questions are addressed: does information from a prior period help in setting the kanban level in the current period? If so, which endogenous and exogenous factors considered individually help the most? And finally, what grouping of individual factors is most important in deciding the number of kanbans? The methodology employed is to use artificial neural networks to fit simulated shop data to learn the relationship between prediction factors and overall shop performance. Appropriate non-parametric statistical tests are then used to answer the questions. The answers obtained, although shop specific, may also be generated by firms willing to follow the procedure presented here for conditions specific to their particular operation.
Union Citizenship for UK Citizens

With Brexit, UK citizens will lose freedom of movement, and Europeans resident in Britain will lose the protection afforded by Union citizenship. More worrying still, Brexit threatens to unravel the postwar achievements of European integration. The EU must act to ensure that Brexit is a failure. It can do this by crafty deployment of a carrot and stick strategy. The stick should come in the form of refusing the UK any privileged access to the Single Market without accepting freedom of movement. The carrot comes in the form of citizenship-based freedom of movement. One step in the right direction would be for the EU to move towards a form of Union citizenship unmediated by any prior national citizenship. Many UK citizens will jump at the opportunity.
Hybrid Probabilistic-Geometric-Shaped 8-PAM Suitable for Data Centers’ Communication

We propose a hybrid probabilistic-geometric-shaped (HPGS) 8-PAM signaling scheme, as a candidate suitable for data centers’ communications. The properly chosen HPGS 8-PAM parameters for different SNR-regions allows us to closely approach the Shannon limit. We demonstrate that LPDC-coded HPGS 8-PAM outperforms both probabilistic-shaped and uniform LDPC-coded 8-PAM schemes.
Mutation Status of RAS, TP53, and SMAD4 is Superior to Mutation Status of RAS Alone for Predicting Prognosis after Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases.

Purpose: Somatic gene mutations have been increasingly recognized to impact prognosis following resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM). We aimed to determine the impact of combinations of somatic mutations on survival in patients undergoing CLM resection. Experimental Design: We identified patients who underwent initial CLM resection during 2007-2017 and had genetic sequencing data available. Risk factors for overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) were determined using Cox proportional hazards models. Results: Of 1460 patients who underwent CLM resection during the study period, 507 met the inclusion criteria. Multigene testing revealed mutation rates greater than 10% for TP53 (mutated in 70.8% of patients), APC (53.5%), RAS (50.7%), PIK3CA (15.8%), and SMAD4 (11.0%). BRAF was mutated in 2.0% of patients. BRAF, RAS, TP53, and SMAD4 mutations were significantly associated with OS, and RAS, TP53, and SMAD4 mutations were significantly associated with RFS. Coexisting mutations in RAS, TP53, and SMAD4 were associated with significantly worse OS and RFS than coexisting mutations in any 2 of these genes and mutations in 1 or none of these genes. Coexisting mutations in 2 genes conferred significantly worse OS and RFS than single mutation or no mutations. OS and RFS did not differ significantly between patients with RAS mutation and wild-type TP53 and SMAD4 and patients with wild-type RAS (P = 0.858 and 0.729, respectively). Conclusions: RAS mutation status alone is not sufficient for precisely predicting prognosis after CLM resection.