cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiple growth factors are released from mechanically injured vascular smooth muscle cells

Local release of mitogenic and chemotactic signals during angioplasty-induced vascular injury may initiate restenosis. We investigated whether mechanical injury to vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) results in the release of biologically active peptide growth factors. Monolayers of bovine SMC cultures were mechanically injured by cell scraping. Conditioned medium (CM) from control and injured SMC cultures was collected, and the mitogenic activity was measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation in recipient SMC cultures. Mitogenic activity from injured CM was detected within 15 min after injury. When the CM from injured cells was removed 15 min after injury and replaced with serum-free media, there was no detectable mitogenic activity in the replacement CM assessed 1-6 days postinjury. Suramin, a nonspecific peptide growth factor antagonist, significantly inhibited the mitogenic activity of injured CM. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF A chain), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were detected in CM from injured cells by immunoblot analysis. The mitogenic activity of injured CM was significantly inhibited with neutralizing antibodies to bFGF (34%), PDGF-AA (32%), PDGF-BB (25%), and EGF (25%). A neutralizing antibody to transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta had no effect. In conclusion, bFGF, PDGF, and EGF are immediately released from mechanically injured VSMC. VSMC likely contain preformed, biologically active growth factors that are efficiently released from the cell cytoplasm following mechanical injury. Conditioned medium from injured VSMC is highly mitogenic, and this activity is probably due to multiple growth factors interacting synergistically.
Opening doors for others and holding fast to your beliefs: keys for women's leadership.

It was a treat to be in Brazil to share in the Fourth ADEA International Women’s Leadership Conference. The American Dental Education Association and especially Dr. Jeanne Sinkford should be congratulated for their efforts to continuously strive to develop and improve leadership skills for our
Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and contact lens intolerance.

To investigate whether underlying rhinoconjunctivitis contributes to contact lens intolerance, we surveyed 885 contact lens wearers by questionnaire. Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was defined as the presence of nasal symptoms and positive skin tests for inhalant allergens (definite allergy group). Subjects with nasal symptoms and positive family history of atopy or seasonality of symptoms were grouped under presumptive allergy. Absolute intolerance (AI) was defined as abandoning lenses and wearing glasses. Partial intolerance (PI) was defined as changing lenses or cleaning solutions to alleviate eye discomfort. Seventy-six percent of those with allergy exhibited AI or PI as compared to 60% of those with no allergy. Furthermore, the frequency of seasonal exacerbation of eye symptoms when using contact lenses was significantly higher in subjects with allergy compared to those without allergy (spring, 49% vs. 19%, P less than .0001; summer, 35% vs. 20%, P less than .001; fall, 27% vs. 12%, P less than .0001). We conclude that underlying allergic rhinoconjunctivitis may contribute to contact lens intolerance.
Language(s) and Nationality: Prime Markers of Diaspora Identities?

This chapter seeks to demystify existing perceptions of people with an African background in Australia by addressing the following crucial questions: How have African identities evolved over time? What are the perceived identities of Africans in Australia? What do the different groups of African people call themselves? What do other (non-African) people call them? How do existing perceptions and stereotypes about African and other migrant identities influence approaches to service provision by government and non-government agencies? This chapter focuses on the problematic nature of categorizing or identifying people using monolithic and homogenizing taxonomies of language and nationality. It is argued that African migrants in Australia are often seen as a homogeneous group of people with very few, if any, differences between them. The popular perception of who Africans are appears to go like this: because they all look alike (by virtue of the colour of their skin), originate from the same continent (Africa) and are presumed to be speakers of shared ‘standard’ African languages, then their behaviours, their needs, their attitudes and the things they are capable (or not capable) of doing are the same.
Heat transfer coefficient measurements in the thermal boundary layer of microchannel heat sinks

This study describes the use of optical pump-probe diagnostics to characterize the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) in a developing thermal boundary layer in a microchannel. We use a differential form of the anisotropic time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) technique to measure the HTC as a function of fluid flow rate (or Reynolds number, Re). The testing environment/geometry consists of single-phase, degassed water flowing in a rectangular microchannel (hydraulic diameter Dh ≅ 480 µm) with local spot heating by the pump TDTR laser beam. Relative to the HTC measured with non-flowing (static) fluids, we find a 30% increase in the HTC for single-phase water flowing at Re ∼ 1800.
Should Destination Marketers Avoid Dark Movies in the Marketing Plans

In the destination marketing literature, the exploration of movie-induced tourism has generated great interest in recent years. The basic purpose for movie-induced tourism studies is to explore the image enhancement opportunities that exist through the medium of movies and television programs. While many destination marketers take a positive view on movies’ potential impact on place images, some professionals have asked the question as to whether dark movies will have any adverse influence on destination images. For example, according to The Detroit News (2010), when the crime drama Detroit 187 was shot in Detroit, the city expressed its concern of the show’s potential damage to its reputation. Some of the City Council members believed that the show portrayed Detroit as the crime capitol and proposed to oppose the show’s production on the site. The major questions now for destination marketers are: Will the viewers of dark movies tend to generate more favorable destination images or more unfavorable destination images? Will the viewers of dark movies tend to be more interested or less interested in visiting the embedded tourism site? The objective of this study is to explore these interesting questions which have not been addressed in the literature.
Natural cubic interpolating spline for the heat capacity of gadolinium

A time-dependent one-dimensional model of the Active Magnetic Regenerator (AMR) that takes into account most of the physical and practical design problems for the AMR is given as a highly nonlinear system of partial differential equations. The accurate approximation function for the heat capacity of the magnetic material (gadolinium) is obtained by using the natural cubic spline and the least squares curve fitting techniques.
Assembly and activation of the Escherichia coli divisome

Cell division in Escherichia coli is mediated by a large protein complex called the divisome. Most of the divisome proteins have been identified, but how they assemble onto the Z ring scaffold to form the divisome and work together to synthesize the septum is not well understood. In this review, we summarize the latest findings on divisome assembly and activation as well as provide our perspective on how these two processes might be regulated.
Boom–bust economics and vegetation dynamics in a desert city: How strong is the link?

In cities, human activities such as supplemental watering and plantings of ornamental species are thought to decouple vegetation diversity from biophysical processes. Consequently, socioeconomics may arguably be one of the most important factors influencing the pattern and dynamics of vegetation in urban ecosystems. Socioeconomic disturbances, like The Great Recession of 2007 to post-2010, disrupt normal social and economic activity causing changes to the ecology of cities that have yet to be examined. Using the rapidly growing metropolitan area of Phoenix, Arizona, USA, as a case study, we explored the dynamics of residential vegetation diversity from before to after The Great Recession. Our findings linked changing plant community composition and increasing richness with socioeconomics of the housing boom, (from 2000 to 2006) followed by the Great Recession (from 2007 to post-2010). Specifically, we found that the housing market boom–bust episode acted as a socioeconomic driver of overall plant community composition. However, plant species with annual reproduction strategies were instead linked to the previous winter's precipitation and did not respond to socioeconomic disturbance, a behavior expected in native desert plant communities, but not from constructed and managed urban plant communities. This study demonstrates how disturbances to socioeconomic components of ecosystems can result in changes to plant community diversity and dynamics; though, biophysical drivers remain important to short-lived annual species regardless. Undertakings that aim to maintain or increase urban biodiversity for ecosystem services and human well-being need to systematically approach the effects of socioeconomic fluctuations on urban flora. Cross-site comparisons will be key to developing a broader understanding of these coupled dynamics across older and newer, mesic and arid, and growing and shrinking cities.
Steady and Unsteady Spilling Breakers: Theory

Background. The phenomena of wave breaking is one of the most important basic unsolved problems in hydrodynamics, see Longuet-Higgins 1980a. Therefore we have begun the study of spilling breakers at the OEL (UCSB) in 1985. The goal of this initial theoretical study, forming the dissertation of R. Cointe (1987), is to explain and understand the earlier experimental studies of J. Duncan (1981,83), on steady breaking and to answer a number of fundamental questions. This work has been reported elsewhere while in progress, Tulin & Cointe (1986), which also contained a brief review of previous work, while a more detailed review is given in Cointe (1986). More experimental work on this subject is underway at the OEL (UCSB), particularly on 2D & 3D unsteady spilling breakers, and more theoretical work at IFP, where R. Cointe is currently employed.
Health problems of newly arrived migrants and refugees in Europe

Background The number of migrants and refugees in Europe in the past few years has increased dramatically due to war, violence or prosecutions in their homeland. Migration may affect physical, mental and social health. The objective of this article is to assess migrants and refugees' health problems, and to recommend appropriate interventions. Methods A PubMed search of published articles on health problems of newly arrived migrants and refugees was conducted from 2003 through 2016, focusing on the current refugee crisis in Europe. Results In addition to communicable diseases, such as respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatologic infections, non-communicable diseases, including chronic conditions, mental and social problems, account for a significant morbidity burden in newly arrived migrants and refugees. Vaccine-preventable diseases are also of outmost importance. The appropriate management of newly arrived refugees and migrants' health problems is affected by barriers to access to health care including legal, communication, cultural and bureaucratic difficulties. There is diversity and lack of integration regarding health care provision across Europe due to policy differences between health care systems and social services. Conclusion There is a notable burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases among newly arrived migrants and refugees. Provision of health care at reception and temporary centres should be integrated and provided by a multidisciplinary team Appropriate health care of migrants and refugees could greatly enhance their health and social status which will benefit also the host countries at large.
Showing Up: The Gendered Effects of Social Engagement on Educational Participation in U.S. Correctional Facilities:

The United States is home to the world’s largest correctional system where the majority of released ex-convicts reoffend. Consequently, accessing successful methods of reducing recidivism has becom...
Breeding System, Seed Germination and Recruitment of A Threatened, Southeastern U.S. Endemic, Ribes echinellum (Grossulariaceae)

abstract Reproductive ecology studies of rare species can provide information pertinent to population growth and persistence. One rare species confined to two disjunct localities, one on private land located in Florida and the other one that is composed of two subpopulations on public land in South Carolina, is the federally threatened Miccosukee gooseberry, Ribes echinellum. Studies were carried out in the Florida population to determine change in abundance between 1992 and 2012 and to understand the lack of seedling recruitment in the wild. In Florida, the number of patches increased in the northern part of the study area but decreased in the southern part. Hand pollination experiments indicate Ribes echinellum exhibits a mixed mating system. Although autogamous pollination occurred, it did not result in fruit production. Reduced seed set of selfed flowers and seedling size provided some support for inbreeding depression, yet small sample sizes precluded full evaluation. No asexual seed production was d...
A cm-Scale 2.4-GHz Wireless Energy Harvester With NanoWatt Boost Converter and Antenna-Rectifier Resonance for WiFi Powering of Sensor Nodes

The widespread use of WiFi in the 2.4-GHz ISM band creates the potential for RF powering using WiFi radios. This paper presents the design of a cm-scale RF-energy harvester including antenna, rectifier, and dc–dc boost converter for RF powering in the 2.4-GHz ISM band. The rectifier and boost converter are designed while considering cold-start operation and nanowatt-scale available power from the rectifier for RF incident power $\times $ and ~2 $\times $ improvement in range compared to prior art. Measurements using a commercial WiFi TX demonstrate the ranges of up to 1.25 m for 14-dBm output power with 1.3% TX duty-cycling in WiFi access-point mode, demonstrating the feasibility of powering sensors from RF power beacons in the 2.4-GHz ISM band as well as from background WiFi transmissions.
Optimal Asset Allocation Across Investment Horizons

We investigate the optimal portfolio mix of bonds and stocks across investment horizons. Sharpe ratios are computed using simulated returns for portfolios ranging from 100% bonds to 100% stocks where the portfolio mix is varied in increments of five percentage points. Holding periods from one to 25 years are examined under alternate return correlation assumptions. The optimal mix of bonds and stocks is identified as the portfolio with the highest Sharpe ratio for each holding period. The results show that optimal asset allocation varies across investment horizons and depends on whether security returns are independent or autocorrelated. If returns are independent over time, the weight of bonds increases as the investment horizon lengthens. If returns are autocorrelated over time, the weight of stocks increases as the investment horizon grows longer.
Omega-3 fatty acids and ERPR(-) and HER2/neu(+/-) breast cancer prevention.

TPS1589Background: The most aggressive breast cancer subtypes tend to be estrogen and progesterone receptor negative (ERPR(-)) and human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 positive (HER2(+)). ...
Spotlight on Public History: Virginia Tech Undergraduates Design Exhibit for the American Civil War Museum at Appomattox

This year’s volume also includes a new feature entitled Spotlight on Public History, where we focus in on a public history project completed by undergraduates at Virginia Tech. This year’s spotlight looks at the Enacting Freedom: Black Virginians in the Age of Emancipation exhibit at the American Civil War Museum at Appomattox, which was created by a team of Virginia Tech undergraduate and graduate students working under Dr. Paul Quigley.
Emergent patterns between salamander prey and their predators

Abstract Predator-prey interactions can impose strong selective pressures that scale up to affect the structure and function of communities and ecosystems. Salamanders are prey to a variety of predators that differ in their foraging tactics (e.g., specialists vs. generalists), morphologies, behaviors, and ecologies. Salamanders are an ideal group to explore and quantify patterns that may affect the evolution and persistence of defensive strategies. We examined patterns of predator diversity and body-size relationships of salamander species and their predators by compiling a database of observations documenting predator-prey interactions using natural history notes published in Herpetological Review (1975–2018), Herpetology Notes (2008–2018) and other outside sources. Our database contains 156 salamander predator-prey interactions comprised of 69 salamander species that were preyed upon by 89 predator species. Snakes were the most frequently reported predators (35% of predations reported), followed by salamanders (24%), and birds (16%). We found that snake predators consistently consumed salamander prey that was smaller than themselves, whereas invertebrate predators consumed salamanders across a broader body size range. Snakes are gape-limited predators and unable to eat prey that attain a certain size class, whereas invertebrate predators can use other tactics (e.g., use of venom, chewing mouthparts) to consume prey larger than themselves. These patterns can serve to help generate hypotheses on the evolution of defensive strategies in salamanders.
Reduced texaphyrin: A ratiometric optical sensor for heavy metals in aqueous solution

We report here a water-soluble metal cation sensor system based on the as-prepared or reduced form of an expanded porphyrin, texaphyrin. Upon metal complexation, a change in the redox state of the ligand occurs that is accompanied by a color change from red to green. Although long employed for synthesis in organic media, we have now found that this complexation-driven redox behavior may be used to achieve the naked eye detectable colorimetric sensing of several number of less-common metal ions in aqueous media. Exposure to In(III), Hg(II), Cd(II), Mn(II), Bi(III), Co(II), and Pb(II) cations leads to a colorimetric response within 10 min. This process is selective for Hg(II) under conditions of competitive analysis. Furthermore, among the subset of response-producing cations, In(III) proved unique in giving rise to a ratiometric change in the ligand-based fluorescence features, including an overall increase in intensity. The cation selectivity observed in aqueous media stands in contrast to what is seen in organic solvents, where a wide range of texaphyrin metal complexes may be prepared. The formation of metal cation complexes under the present aqueous conditions was confirmed by reversed phase high-performance liquid chromatography, ultra-violet-visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies, and high-resolution mass spectrometry.
Engagement Norms Buffer Academic Risks Associated with Peer Rejection in Middle School.

The current study examined school variations in academic engagement norms and whether such norms affect those most susceptible to peer influence. We presumed that behaviors associated with perceive...
SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine Acceptance: We May Need to Choose Our Battles.

In this issue, Fisher and colleagues report the results of a nationally representative U.S. survey that found that only approximately 6 in 10 respondents said that they will get vaccinated when a vaccine for coronavirus disease 2019 becomes available. The editorialist discusses the findings and why closing the intention-to-behavior gap for those willing to be vaccinated rather than focusing on those hesitant about vaccination is likely to have the population health benefit.
Metal-Organic frameworks-derived multifunctional carbon encapsulated metallic nanocatalysts for catalytic peroxymonosulfate activation and electrochemical hydrogen generation

Abstract Synthesis of high-efficiency metal catalysts and their application in catalyzing critical chemical processes holds the key to the sustainable supply of water and energy. However, reaction-induced atomistic modifications of nanoclusters often result in reduced stability and efficacy. Herein, we report a highly active and multifunctional transition metal nanocatalysts encapsulated in porous carbon network (M@C where M = Cu, Ni, Fe, Co) prepared by leveraging the sacrificial templating properties of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The as-synthesized M@C nanocatalysts were employed for oxidative degradation of organic pollutants and electrocatalytic hydrogen generation. Fenton like catalytic studies revealed that the nanocatalysts were highly active and reusable following the order of Co@C > Fe@C > Cu@C > Ni@C. On the other hand, Ni@C electrocatalyst displayed superior activity towards hydrogen evolution reaction as compared to others, delivering a low onset potential of 61 mV, Tafel slope of 82 mV/dec and an overpotential of 286 mV at 10 mA‧cm−2. The activity was essentially unchanged even after 500 cycles, suggesting the long‐term stability under acidic conditions. The impressive multifunctional catalytic performances of M@C nanocatalysts are attributed to their unique porous carbon matrix doped by transition metal nanoparticles which provide a large number of interconnected catalytically active sites.
Patients unable to return to play following medial patellofemoral ligament reconstructions demonstrate poor psychological readiness.

Medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction (MPFLR) is often indicated in athletes with lateral patellar instability to prevent recurrence and allow for a successful return to play. In this patient population, the ability to return to play is one of the most important clinical outcomes. The purpose of the current study was to analyze the characteristics of patients who were unable return to play following MPFL reconstruction. A retrospective review of patients who underwent MPFL reconstruction and subsequently did not return to play after a minimum of 12-months of follow-up was performed. Patients were evaluated for their psychological readiness to return to sport using the MPFL-Return to Sport after Injury (MPFL-RSI) score, which is a modification of the ACL-RSI score. A MPFL-RSI score > 56 is considered a passing score for being psychologically ready to return to play. Additionally, reasons for not returning to play including Visual Analog Scale for pain (VAS), Kujala score, satisfaction, and recurrent instability (including dislocations and subluxations) were evaluated. The study included a total of 35 patients who were unable to return to play out of a total cohort of 131 patients who underwent MPFL reconstruction as treatment for patellar instability. Overall, 60% were female with a mean age of 24.5, and a mean follow-up of 38 months. Nine patients (25.7%) passed the MPFL-RSI benchmark of 56 with a mean overall score of 44.2 ± 21.8. The most common primary reasons for not returning to play were 14 were afraid of re-injury, 9 cited other lifestyle factors, 5 did not return due to continued knee pain, 5 were not confident in their ability to perform, and 2 did not return due to a feeling of instability. The mean VAS score was 1.9 ± 2.3, the mean Kujala score was 82.5 ± 14.6, and the mean satisfaction was 76.9%. Three patients (8.7%) reported experiencing a patellar subluxation event post-operatively. No patient sustained a post-operative patellar dislocation. Following MPFL reconstruction, patients that do not return to play exhibit poor psychological readiness with the most common reason being fear of re-injury. IV.
Cannabis Legalization and College Mental Health.

To assess how the changing landscape of marijuana use affects the developing brain and mental health of college students. Legalization of cannabis may facilitate use in the college population, with 38% of college students, whose brains are still maturing, regularly using marijuana products. Earlier and increased use, higher potency, pre-existing issues, and genetic predispositions increase negative outcomes by precipitating or worsening mental illness and ultimately impacting academic success. In the USA, the sharpest increase in cannabis users following legalization has been in the college age population (18–25 years of age). This population is especially vulnerable to the negative impacts and risks associated with cannabis use, including risk for the onset of major psychiatric illness. College mental health practitioners should remain informed about health effects of cannabis use, assess patient use on a regular basis, provide education and be familiar with interventions to reduce harm.
Government and social trust vs. hotel response efficacy: A protection motivation perspective on hotel stay intention during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Based on protection motivation theory (PMT), this study conceptualizes a research framework to explain and examine customer intentions regarding hotel stays during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from 700 U.S. consumers via a crowdsourcing website in July 2020. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the collected data for testing proposed hypotheses. The analytical results showed that the level of threat perceived by customers significantly reduced their intention to stay at a hotel. On the contrary, individual customer response efficacy significantly enhanced their intention to stay at a hotel. Additionally, both government and social trust, as well as hotel response efficacy, were found to significantly increase hotel stay intention by mediating the effects of threat perception and individual response efficacy. To the best of our knowledge, this study is one of the first attempts to apply PMT to explain customer hotel stay intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
HIV Stigma Among a National Probability Sample of Adults with Diagnosed HIV—United States, 2018–2019

HIV stigma is a barrier to achieving the goals of the US Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative. We analyzed data from the Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) collected during 6/2018–5/2019 from 4050 US adults with diagnosed HIV. We reported national estimates of HIV stigma and assessed their associations with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Disclosure concerns and stigma related to negative public attitudes were common. Stigma was higher among younger age groups, women and transgender people, Black and Hispanic/Latino men and women, and Black and Hispanic/Latino men who have sex with men. Stigma was associated with lower antiretroviral therapy use and adherence, missed HIV care visits, and symptoms of depression or anxiety. The estimates presented provide a benchmark from which the nation can monitor its progress. The findings suggest the need for enhanced stigma-reduction efforts among specific groups and the importance of addressing stigma around disclosure and community attitudes.
A Review of “Sustainable Food Planning: Evolving Theory and Practice”

The profession of planning lays claim to building healthy, livable places. Yet, until the latter part of the 20th century the profession largely ignored a critical element of what enables people to...
Right Breast Mastectomy and Reconstruction with Tissue Expander under Thoracic Paravertebral Blocks in a 12-Week Parturient

Paravertebral blocks are becoming increasingly utilized for breast surgery with studies showing improved postoperative pain control, decreased need for opioids, and less nausea and vomiting. We describe the anesthetic management of an otherwise healthy woman who was 12 weeks pregnant presenting for treatment of her breast cancer. For patients undergoing breast mastectomy and reconstruction with tissue expanders, paravertebral blocks offer an anesthetic alternative when general anesthesia is not desired.
Extracting rules by destructive learning

A method is presented for extracting general rules from a trained artificial neural network (ANN), which is trained by destructive learning. The method presented here takes advantage of the pruned network which contains more exact knowledge regarding the problem. The method consists of three phases: training, pruning, and rule-extracting. The training phase is concerned with ANN learning, using a general backpropagation (BP) algorithm. In the pruning phase, redundant hidden units and links are deleted trained network, and then, the link weights remaining in the network are re-trained to obtain near-saturated outputs from hidden units. The rule-extracting algorithm uses the pruned network to extract rules. After applying the proposed method to the MONK's problems testbed, we found 6, 27, and 20 rules which could classify all 432 testing data with 100, 100, and 98.1% accuracy for each MONK's problem, respectively. In addition, the proposed method outperformed most other machine learning methods with which it was compared. >
Symbolic probabilistic inference in large BN20 networks

A BN20 network is a two level belief net in which parent interactions are modeled using the noisy-or interaction model. In this paper we discuss application of the SPI local expression language [1] to efficient inference in large BN2O networks. In particular, we show that there is significant structure which can be exploited to improve over the Quickscore result. We further describe how symbolic techniques can provide information which can significantly reduce the computation required for computing all cause posterior marginals. Finally, we present a novel approximation technique with preliminary experimental results.
Internet Advertising vs. Traditional Advertising

Abstract The Internet is rapidly becoming an accepted communication/promotion medium for all types and sizes of businesses. It is especially significant in reference to the major marketing functions of advertising and sales. Individual Internet users are rapidly moving from the upper income/educational demographic to a more median level. Needs exist for clearer understanding of the terminology developing around this medium, as well as for a system of advertising effectiveness measurement as related to measuring traditional advertising effectiveness.
The effects of the novel benzodiazepine receptor inverse agonist Ru 34000 on ethanol-maintained behaviors.

Ru 34000 [5-ethyl-7-methoxy-imidazo (1,2-a) pyrimidin-2-yl cyclopropyl methanone] is a novel imidazopyrimidine benzodiazepine inverse agonist that exhibits low affinity for central benzodiazepine receptors (Ki approximately 0.98 microM). The present study examined the in vivo actions of Ru 34000 (0.5-5 mg/kg) following intraperitoneal (i.p.), subcutaneous (s.c), oral (p.o.), and intraventral tegmental administration in alcohol-preferring (P) rats trained under a concurrent operant schedule (FR4-FR4) for ethanol (10% v/v) and a palatable saccharin (0.025% or 0.75% w/v) reinforcer. Ru 34000 (i.p., s.c., p.o.) markedly reduced ethanol responding by 28-96% of control levels without affecting saccharin responding, except for the highest dose level. Clear dose-dependent suppressant effects were observed with all routes of administration on ethanol responding. Flumazenil [ethyl-8-fluro-5, 6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-4H-imidazo [1,5-a]-[1,4]-benzodiazepine-3-carboxylate] (6 mg/kg; i.p.), a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist reversed the Ru 34000-reduction of ethanol responding, suggesting that the effects were mediated at the benzodiazepine receptor. Bilateral microinjections of Ru 34000 (50, 100, 200 ng) into the ventral tegmental area dose-dependently reduced ethanol responding by as much as 97% of control levels. The results suggest that the in vivo actions of Ru 34000 are determined not only by its binding affinity, but also by its bioavailability at active benzodiazepine sites and route of drug administration. Low affinity imidazopyrimidines may be useful pharmacological probes to further understand the role of the GABA(A)-benzodiazepine receptor complex in ethanol motivated behaviors.
Glutathione peroxidase overexpression inhibits cytochrome C release and proapoptotic mediators to protect neurons from experimental stroke.

Background and Purpose— Ischemic injury and reperfusion increases superoxide (O2−) production and reduces the ability of neurons to scavenge free radicals, leading to the release of cytochrome c and apoptosis. Here we test whether overexpression with the use of gene therapy of the antioxidant glutathione peroxidase (Gpx), delivered before or after experimental stroke, is protective against ischemic injury. Methods— Sixty-two rats underwent middle cerebral artery occlusion for 1 hour. Defective herpes simplex viral vectors expressing Gpx/lacZ or lacZ alone (control) were delivered into each striatum 12 hours before or 2 or 5 hours after ischemia onset. Results— Striatal neuron survival at 2 days was improved by 36% when Gpx was delivered 12 hours before ischemia onset, 26% with a 2-hour delay, and 25% when delayed 5 hours. After ischemia, Gpx overexpression significantly reduced cytosolic translocation of cytochrome c and increased the proportion of Bcl-2–positive cells compared with cells transfected with...
A homogeneous chemiluminescent immunoassay method

A new homogeneous chemiluminescent immunoassay method featuring the use of specific binding members separately labeled with an acridan-based chemiluminescent compound and a peroxidase is reported. Formation of an immunocomplex brings the chemiluminescent compound and the peroxidase into close proximity. Without any separation steps, a chemiluminescent signal is generated upon addition of a trigger solution, and the intensity is directly correlated to the quantity of the analyte.
Role of secondary structure in protein-phospholipid surface interactions: reconstitution and denaturation of apolipoprotein C-I:DMPC complexes.

Binding of protein to a phospholipid surface is commonly mediated by amphipathic α-helices. To understand the role of α-helical structure in protein−lipid interactions, we used discoidal lipoproteins reconstituted from dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and human apolipoprotein C-I (apoC-I, 6 kDa) or its mutants containing single Pro substitutions along the sequence and differing in their α-helical content in solution (0−48%) and on DMPC (40−75%). Thermal denaturation revealed that lipoprotein stability correlates weakly with the protein helix content: proteins with higher α-helical content on DMPC may form more stable complexes. Lipoprotein reconstitution upon cooling from the heat-denatured state and DMPC clearance studies revealed that protein secondary structure in solution and on DMPC correlates strongly with the maximal temperature of lipoprotein reconstitution: more helical proteins can reconstitute lipoproteins at higher temperatures. Interestingly, at Tc = 24 °C of the DMPC gel-to-liquid cry...
Assessing determinate and presumptive sentencing—Making research relevant*

As of 2002, 17 states had switched from “indeterminate” to “determinate” sentencing (i.e., eliminating parole and requiring judges to order definite-length sentences), 18 states and the federal courts operated “presumptive sentencing” systems restricting judicial discretion (9 “offensebased” systems like that in Ohio and 9 with grid-based “guidelines”), and 8 states had developed “voluntary” guidelines (Stemen, Rengifo, and Wilson, 2005).1 In addition, every state had one or more “mandatory minimums” (most often for drug and weapon offenses) and minimum time-served requirements (i.e., “truth in sentencing”), and 80% of states had adopted habitual offender statutes (e.g., “three strikes”). The most sweeping of these reforms, the determinate and presumptive sentencing systems, sought a variety of policy objectives, most notably to eliminate racial and ethnic disparities (gender disparity has been of less concern to lawmakers) and to ensure that punishment is based primarily on offense severity, criminal history, or other factors deemed legally relevant by state legislatures. In some instances, lawmakers explicitly sought to increase imprisonment for certain offenders, and some states sought to use guidelines as a tool for limiting growth in their prison populations (Marvell and Moody, 1996). With the exception of changes in parole and truth-insentencing laws, these reforms have been aimed at regulating the sentencing practices of judges.
Phosphorylation of RUNX1 by Cyclin-dependent Kinase Reduces Direct Interaction with HDAC1 and HDAC3

RUNX1 regulates formation of the definitive hematopoietic stem cell and its subsequent lineage maturation, and mutations of RUNX1 contribute to leukemic transformation. Phosphorylation of Ser-48, Ser-303, and Ser-424 by cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) increases RUNX1 trans-activation activity without perturbing p300 interaction. We now find that endogenous RUNX1 interacts with endogenous HDAC1 or HDAC3. Mutation of the three RUNX1 serines to aspartic acid reduces co-immunoprecipitation with HDAC1 or HDAC3 when expressed in 293T cells; mutation of these three serines to alanine increases HDAC interaction, and mutation of each serine individually to aspartic acid also reduces these interactions. GST-RUNX1 isolated from bacterial extracts bound in vitro translated HDAC1 or HDAC3, and these interactions were weakened by mutation of Ser-48, Ser-303, and Ser-424 to aspartic acid. The ability of RUNX1 phosphorylation and not only serine to aspartic acid conversion to reduce HDAC1 binding was demonstrated using wild-type GST-RUNX1 phosphorylated in vitro using cdk1/cyclinB and by exposure of 293T cells transduced with RUNX1 and HDAC1 to roscovitine, a cdk inhibitor. Finally, RUNX1 or RUNX1(tripleD), in which Ser-48, Ser-303, and Ser-424 are mutated to aspartic acid, stimulated proliferation of transduced, lineage-negative murine marrow progenitors more potently than did RUNX1(tripleA), in which these serines are mutated to alanine, suggesting that stimulation of RUNX1 trans-activation by cdk-mediated reduction in HDAC interaction increases marrow progenitor cell proliferation.
Changes in the Mitogenome Announcement manuscript category.

Readers of Mitochondrial DNA may have noticed several developments in the pages of the journal. We will start with some of the less obvious. First, we have begun to publish plastid genome announcem...
Rainfall impacts on traffic safety: rain-related fatal crashes in Texas

This study uses fatal crash data and geospatial analysis to examine the temporal and spatial distribution of rain-related fatal crashes in Texas from 1982 to 2011. The data were obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System maintained by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Getis–Ord Gi*(di) statistic was used to identify spatial clustering patterns of rain-related fatal crashes and their correlation with rainfall and compare them to spatial patterns of other crashes. The spatial statistical analysis reveals spatial patterns for rain-related crashes that are clustered in different areas at different levels of confidence. The temporal variability of raw and normalized fatal crashes and rain-related crashes was also investigated at the state level. Although the population of Texas increased by more than 67% over the study period, with a corresponding increase in the number of vehicles, the fatal crashes and rain-related crashes in Texas did not increase but decreased instead. Resul...
The Pacman Effect: A Supramolecular Strategy for Controlling the Excited-State Dynamics of Pillared Cofacial Bisporphyrins

The molecular recognition properties of dizinc(II) bisporphyrin anchored by dibenzofuran (DPD), Zn2(DPD) (1), were evaluated as a strategy for utilizing the Pacman effect to control the excited-state properties of cofacial bisporphyrin motifs. Crystallographic studies establish that DPD furnishes a cofacial system with vertical flexibility and horizontal preorganization. The structure determination of a substrate-bound DPD species, Zn2(DPD)(2-aminopyrimidine) (2), completes a set of structurally homologous zinc(II) porphyrin host and host−guest complexes, which offer a direct structural comparison for the Pacman effect upon substrate complexation. Binding studies reveal that pyrimidine encapsulation by the DPD framework is accompanied by a markedly reduced entropic penalty (∼60 J mol-1K-1) with respect to traditional face-to-face bisporphyrin systems, giving rise to a smaller conformational energy cost upon substrate binding. Transient absorption spectroscopy reveals that substrate encapsulation within th...
Metastable Pb1−xCdxS epitaxial films II: Electrical properties

Abstract The electrical properties of (100)-oriented Pb 1− x Cd x S epitaxial films grown on (100) NaCl substrate surfaces (0 ⩽ × ⩽ 0.16) were examined. Significant differences were observed in the temperature dependences of the Hall coefficients of n- and p-type material which indicated that an impurity level is present in these alloys 18 meV below the conduction band. No evidence was found that the chlorine impurity from the CdS was responsible for this defect which may be due to a cadmium band which is just beginning to develop. Carrier scattering was similar to that of the lead salts, with lattice scattering dominating at high temperatures and grain boundary scattering at low temperatures. Other properties were similar to those found by Rogers and Crocker in the PbCdTe system.
Terminal Sedation: Ethical Implications in Different Situations

Terminal sedation (TS) is a recently coined term that may apply to a variety of practices with differing ethical implications. Two hypothetical cases are presented and contrasted. The first presents the more common scenario in which sedation is used for severe distress in a patient very close to death, who has stopped eating and drinking. The second case is more problematic: a nonterminally ill spinal cord injury patient requests sedation because of psychic distress. Sedation is supported in the former, but not the latter case. Suggested principles guiding the ethical use of sedation are: (1) While respect for autonomy is important, we are not obliged under all circumstances to provide sedation. (2) Physician intent matters. In providing sedation the physician's primary intent should be to alleviate suffering. (3) Reasonable inferences of intent can be made from physician actions, providing safeguards to ensure proper care. Sedatives should be titrated to observable signs of distress. (4) Proximity to death is a more useful concept than terminality in weighing benefits and burdens of sedation. (5) The nature of physician action should depend upon the nature of the suffering. Not all suffering is appropriately treated with sedation. (6) In patients close to death who have already stopped eating and drinking, sedation cannot be said to hasten death through dehydration or starvation. (7) Where TS is otherwise appropriate and where dehydration may in fact hasten death, ethical concerns may be addressed through informed consent. If hydration is refused, TS cannot be considered synonymous with euthanasia.
Fike et al. reply

Replying to: K. Grey & C. R. Calver , doi: 10.1038/nature06360 (2007). Calver and Grey1 point out the difficulties of relating the Australian acritarch record to the global record of environmental change. This results from the lack of documented stratigraphic sections that have overlapping chronologies of both acritarch evolution and global chemostratigraphic proxies, such as δ13Ccarb, and we agree that coupled records are required to confirm our hypothesis2. Until such records exist, any correlations between Australian acritarch-bearing strata and strata containing records of global secular variations in δ13Ccarb are necessarily tenuous. This uncertainty, however, does not affect the principal conclusion of our paper, which emphasizes the evidence for sequential chemical oxidation of the Ediacaran ocean. Our inferred correlation between chemical oxidation and biological evolution is supported by subsequent results on strata containing strong geochronologic tie-points and a robust biostratigraphic and chemostratigraphic record3,4.
Hydrogenation of SiC: Theory and experiments☆

Abstract The effects of hydrogen on the microstructure of a pressureless-sintered α-SiC is currently under study. Thermodynamic calculations have been made and compared with results from various microstructural and microchemical methods. A full thermodynamic evaluation was performed, showing that hydrogen will tend to cause a silicon-rich solid. Microstructural results confirm that an α-SiC material that is high in carbon will tend to decarburize when annealed in hydrogen at 1400°C. High voltage electron microscope in situ studies at lower temperatures show that the graphite in the system disintegrates when in contact with hydrogen while a reaction involving both SiC and carbon also seems to be taking place.
Development of the wake of an airfoil with riblets

Tests were conducted on a NACA 0012 airfoil with riblets at a freestream Reynolds number of 2.5 x 105 in an indraft wind tunnel. The riblets used in the investigation were of symmetric v-groove type with the heights of 0.0229, 0.076, and 0.152 mm. Measurements of the mean velocity profiles, turbulence, and integral quantities in the near and intermediate wakes indicated that the growth of the wake of an airfoil with riblets was similar to that of a clean airfoil. It was also observed that even at a distance of 600 momentum thicknesses downstream of the trailing edge wake equilibrium has not been reached for any of the configurations tested; however, riblet effectiveness was indicated by a marked decrease in the level of maximum shear stress, especially for the 0.152 mm riblets.
Toxoplasma gondii Infections in Chickens (Gallus domesticus): Prevalence, Clinical Disease, Diagnosis and Public Health Significance

Summary Chickens are considered one of the most important hosts in the epidemiology of Toxoplasma gondii infection because they are an efficient source of infection for cats that excrete the environmentally resistant oocysts and because humans may become infected with this parasite after eating undercooked infected chicken meat. The objective of this study is to review worldwide prevalence of T. gondii infection in chickens and to assess the role of infected chickens in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis in humans. A very high prevalence of the parasite was found in chickens raised in backyards (up to 100%) and free-range organic (30–50%) establishments.
Swahili advertising in Nairobi: innovation and language shift

Advertisers are increasingly using urban slang and other non-standard forms of Swahili to reach out to a broader audience in the densely multilingual Nairobi. Influenced by social and linguistic shifts in the city, and keeping pace with trends in other societies, Nairobi advertisers are gradually transforming the advertising discourse as they seek to reach out to newer consumers. Specifically, by incorporating non-standard Swahili into the ads, advertisers not only reinterpret the identity of the product and enhance the societal attitudes towards the urban slang, Sheng, but they also redefine the traditional language roles in Nairobi. The shift in discourse transcends commercial advertising and is also evident in HIV/AIDS awareness campaign. Advertisements such as Zii ‘No way [to sex]’, Ni poa kuchill ‘It's cool to chill (abstain)’, and kuME2U ‘to me-to-you’ are but a few of a growing number of memorable ads that take full advantage of the Nairobi's language contact environment. While focusing primarily ...