cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mammalian tyrosinase catalyzes three reactions in the biosynthesis of melanin

The biosynthesis of melanin is initiated by the catalytic oxidation of tyrosine to dopa by tyrosinase in a reaction that requires dopa as a cofactor. Tyrosine then catalyzes the dehydrogenation of dopa to dopaquinone. The subsequent reactions can proceed spontaneously in vitro. Tyrosinase, purified from murine melanomas and the skins of brown mice, has now been shown to catalyze a third reaction in mammalian melanogenesis, namely the conversion of 5,6-dihydroxyindile to melanochrome. This reaction requires dopa as a cofactor and is inhibited by tyrosine. Conversely, 5,6-dihydroxyindole inhibits the oxidation of tyrosine to dopa, so that the relative concentrations of tyrosine and 5,6-dihydroxyindole within the mammalian pigment cell are capable of regulating melanogenesis in a previously unrecognized fashion. Tyrosinase has the unusual property of catalyzing three distinct reactions within a single biochemical pathway: the hydroxylation of a monophenol, the dehydrogenation of a catechol, and the dehydrogenation of a dihydroxyindole. The first and third of these reactions require dopa as a cofactor; in the second reaction, dopa is a substrate.
Zirconium complexes of a tacn-derived amido ligand and ring-opening to form a new diamido-amino pincer

The tribenzyl complex (Pri2tacn)Zr(CH2Ph)3 eliminates toluene upon heating with concomitant ring-opening of the anionic ancillary macrocycle to yield [CH2CHNCH2- CH2N(Pri)CH2CH2NPri ]Zr(CH2Ph)2; the latter features a new class of dianionic pincer ligand.
Related Debates in Ethics and Entrepreneurship: Values, Opportunities, and Contingency

In this paper, we review two seemingly unrelated debates. In business ethics, the argument is about values: are they universal or emergent? In entrepreneurship, it is about opportunities – are they discovered or constructed? In reality, these debates are similar as they both overlook contingency. We draw insight from pragmatism to define contingency as possibility without necessity. We analyze real-life narratives and show how entrepreneurship and ethics emerge from our discussion as parallel streams of thought.
Nocturnal thermal structure of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere region at Maui, Hawaii (20.7°N), and Starfire Optical Range, New Mexico (35°N)

[1] The nighttime thermal structure of the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region at the Starfire Optical Range (SOR), New Mexico (35.0°N, 106.5°W), and at Maui, Hawaii (20.7°N, 156.3°W), are characterized using Na lidar observations. Both locations exhibit mesospheric temperature inversion layers (MILs) between 85 and 100 km that are not predicted by the MSIS-00 model. The amplitudes of the Maui MILs (∼5.8 K) are about half of those at SOR (∼9.8 K), and the Maui MILs have a smaller width (∼11.1 km) compared to the SOR MILs (∼14.5 km). The Maui lidar temperatures are generally warmer than the MSIS-00 predictions, while the SOR lidar data are comparable to the MSIS-00, except in the MIL altitude range. Both SOR and Maui mesopause temperatures are coldest in midsummer and are warmest during the mesopause transition periods. However, the Maui mesopause is warmer than the SOR, and the amplitude of the mesopause temperature variations at Maui (∼9 K) is much smaller than at SOR (∼19 K). Two distinct levels of mesopause altitudes are clearly shown in the SOR seasonal data with a low altitude around 86.5 km in summer (May through August) and a high altitude around 101 km during the rest of the year. Abrupt transitions between the two stable levels occur in early May and early September. The lidar measurements indicate a low mesopause altitude near 87.5 km in July at Maui when averaging over a 10-hour period centered at local midnight.
Health information Websites: characteristics of US users by race and ethnicity.

We conducted a national public opinion survey of adults aged 18 years or older in the continental US to determine their use of health Websites. Of the 928 individuals contacted, 868 (94%) reported ...
Radionuclide Imaging in Urology

Radiopharmaceutic tracers are used commonly to diagnose and monitor benign and malignant conditions of the genitourinary system. Most often, these tracers assess renal function and obstruction in "normal" and transplanted renal units. More recently, especially with the advent of positron emission tomography (PET)/CT, the role of nuclear pharmaceutics in the staging and monitoring of malignancies has expanded.
Giddings and the Social Mind

The idea of a social (or general) mind was prevalent in early American sociology from the 1880s through about the 1910s. As a concept, the social mind served as a proxy for what would later be defi...
Intelligent p-Cycle Protection for Multicast Sessions in WDM Networks

In WDM networks, it is important to maintain the survivability of communication sessions when link failure occurs due to the high bandwidth provided by a fiber link. Especially, link failures have more serious impact on multicast sessions than on unicast ones, making it more critical to protect multicast sessions. For this sake, researchers have proposed tree-based, path-based, and segment-based protection schemes, which however require long restoration time. In this paper, we propose a new solution based on p-cycles to address the problem. Specifically, we identify and address the challenges in applying p-cycles for multicast protection, and develop an intelligent p-cycle (IpC) scheme that forms p-cycles on-demand to protect dynamic multicast requests. Extensive simulations have been conducted to evaluate our IpC scheme, and the results show that it outperforms existing solutions.
Interracial Couples' Experience of Leisure: A Social Network Approach

There has been a significant amount of research that has indicated divergent patterns of leisure participation among African Americans and European Americans; however, there has been a paucity of r...
Level dependence of spatial processing in the primate auditory cortex

Sound localization in both humans and monkeys is tolerant to changes in sound levels. The underlying neural mechanism, however, is not well understood. This study reports the level dependence of in...
Emergency medical service allocation in response to large-scale events

In the event of a catastrophic or large-scale event, demand for Emergency Medical Service (EMS) vehicles will almost certainly overwhelm the available supply. In such cases, it is necessary for cities to request aid (in the form of added capacity) from neighboring municipalities in order to bring the affected region back to its day-to-day levels of operation. In particular, we consider a region consisting of several cities, where each city is in charge of managing its own EMS vehicles. We propose that a centralized or statewide decision-maker coordinate the temporary transfer of resources (EMS vehicles) from cities in the unaffected region into the cities in the affected region. The control of each city’s EMS vehicles is modeled as a multi-server queueing system and classical results are used to estimate the number of vehicles available at each city. We then develop a deterministic resource allocation model to guide the allocation of available vehicles from the donor area into the affected one and a clear...
Structural biology of old world and new world alphaviruses

A. Paredes1,∗, S. Weaver2, S. Watowich3,4, and W. Chiu1 1National Center for Macromolecular Imaging, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, U.S.A. 2Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, U.S.A. 3Department of Human Biological Chemistry and Genetics, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, U.S.A. 4Department of Sealy Center for Structural Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, U.S.A.
Benefits of thickened feeds in previously healthy infants with respiratory syncytial viral bronchiolitis.

Infants with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis have an increased risk of aspiration. The optimal feeding strategy for these patients has not been described. Fifteen previously healthy and clinically stable infants with RSV bronchiolitis underwent video-fluoroscopy studies to assess swallowing using thin barium. Those with abnormal studies underwent a repeat study, using barium that was thickened with rice cereal. Nine of 15 infants had abnormal studies with thin barium. Laryngeal or tracheal penetration with thin barium was seen in 3 and 2 infants, respectively, but not with thickened barium. Aspiration of thin barium was seen in 4 infants, but it corrected in 3 of these 4 infants with thickened barium. Thickened feeds provide a simple, safe, and cost-effective intervention to improve swallowing dysfunction and prevent aspiration in infants with RSV bronchiolitis.
Cultural adaptation of an evidence-based home visitation programme: Latino clients' experiences of service delivery during implementation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the experiences of Latino clients following a naturalistic cultural adaptation made to SafeCare, an evidence-based home visiting intervention designed to address specific linguistic and cultural issues affecting the Latino community during implementation in San Diego County, California. Design/methodology/approach – Hierarchical linear models examined whether Latino clients experienced differences in perceptions of SafeCare delivery, working relationship with the home visitor and satisfaction with services when compared with non-Latino clients and whether language of service delivery and provider-client ethnic match were related to Latino clients’ experiences of the intervention. Findings – Overall, across several different dimensions, there was no decrement in experience with SafeCare for Latino clients compared to non-Latino ones, implying that adaptations made locally adequately engaged Latino and Spanish-speaking clients in services without compromising perceived adherence to the programme model. Research limitations/implications – Because this was a non-experimental study, conclusions could not be drawn as to whether the locally adapted SafeCare would fare better in Latino client ratings than SafeCare unadapted. However, the findings are important because they contradict concerns that EBPs may not be relevant to diverse client groups, and support the idea that when adaptations are made, it is possible to maintain adherence at the same level of adherence as when the programme is delivered in its non-adapted form. Originality/value – The study explicitly documents and generates knowledge around an organic adaptation made in a community to an evidence-based intervention for a client group about whom there has been documented concern regarding the relevance of and engagement in services.
Comparison of the Isoelectric Focusing Patterns of Darbepoetin Alfa, Recombinant Human Erythropoietin, and Endogenous Erythropoietin from Human Urine

Novel erythropoiesis-stimulating protein (AranespTM; darbepoetin alfa) is a glycoprotein hormone with a longer serum half-life than recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) (1). The polypeptide backbone of the human EPO molecule has an invariant amino acid sequence; however, the carbohydrate side chains exhibit microheterogeneity in sugar content and structure (2)(3)(4). A negatively charged sialic acid molecule typically caps the end of each arm of a carbohydrate chain. As a consequence, the variable nature of the sialic acid content gives rise to EPO isoforms with differences in charge (3). After purifying isoforms of rHuEPO, Egrie and coworkers (5)(6) discovered a direct correlation between the number of sialic acid groups on the carbohydrate part of rHuEPO and both its serum half-life and biological activity, as well as an inverse relationship with receptor binding. These data showed that pharmacokinetic factors have a greater influence on biological activity than receptor binding affinity. These principles explain the increased half-life and increased in vivo activity of darbepoetin alfa, which contains 5 N-linked carbohydrate chains and up to 22 sialic acids (5)(7). In contrast, rHuEPO has 3 N-linked carbohydrate chains and a maximum of 14 sialic acids (5)(7). Similar clinical responses can be achieved by administering darbepoetin alfa once a week or rHuEPO three times a week (8)(9). The efficacy of darbepoetin alfa in the treatment of anemia associated with chronic renal failure has been shown (10), and in 2001 it was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for that indication. Darbepoetin alfa is under investigation for the treatment of anemia in cancer patients (11) and other applications. Although darbepoetin alfa was approved only recently, we detected darbepoetin alfa in the urine of three athletes competing in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games …
Oxidative capacity and ageing in human muscle

This study determined the decline in oxidative capacity per volume of human vastus lateralis muscle between nine adult (mean age 38.8 years) and 40 elderly (mean age 68.8 years) human subjects (age range 25-80 years). We based our oxidative capacity estimates on the kinetics of changes in creatine phosphate content ([PCr]) during recovery from exercise as measured by (31)P magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy. A matched muscle biopsy sample permitted determination of mitochondrial volume density and the contribution of the loss of mitochondrial content to the decline in oxidative capacity with age. The maximal oxidative phosphorylation rate or oxidative capacity was estimated from the PCr recovery rate constant (k(PCr)) and the [PCr] in accordance with a simple electrical circuit model of mitochondrial respiratory control. Oxidative capacity was 50 % lower in the elderly vs. the adult group (0.61 +/- 0.04 vs. 1.16 +/- 0.147 mM ATP s(-1)). Mitochondrial volume density was significantly lower in elderly compared with adult muscle (2.9 +/- 0.15 vs. 3.6 +/- 0.11 %). In addition, the oxidative capacity per mitochondrial volume (0.22 +/- 0.042 vs. 0.32 +/- 0.015 mM ATP (s %)(-1)) was reduced in elderly vs. adult subjects. This study showed that elderly subjects had nearly 50 % lower oxidative capacity per volume of muscle than adult subjects. The cellular basis of this drop was a reduction in mitochondrial content, as well as a lower oxidative capacity of the mitochondria with age.
Accurate experimental characterization of three-ports

An accurate procedure is reported for experimentally characterizing microwave devices using two-port measurements. Only reflection measurements are used to determine three-port reflection parameters, and transmission measurements are primarily used to determine three-port transmission parameters, thus considerably reducing the sensitivity of the procedure. No assumptions about the three-port device are made. A comparison with the renormalization method of D. Woods (1977) was made using a microstrip tee, and an improvement in accuracy was confirmed. >
1,1‐Dimethoxy‐3‐trimethylsilyloxy‐1,3‐butadiene

[61539-61-5] C9H18O3Si (MW 202.32) InChI = 1S/C9H18O3Si/c1-8(12-13(4,5)6)7-9(10-2)11-3/h7H,1H2,2-6H3 InChIKey = NNEOHWMKADOBOT-UHFFFAOYSA-N (diene in Diels–Alder reactions) Physical Data: bp 84–87 °C/10 mmHg; nD23 1.4640. Analysis of Reagent Purity: 1H NMR (60 MHz, neat) δ 4.39 (s, 1 H), 4.07 (d, J = 1.0 Hz, 1 H), 3.99 (d, J = 1.0 Hz, 1 H), 3.61 (s, 3 H), 3.52 (s, 3 H), 0.14 (s, 9 H); IR (film) 1657, 1272, 1251, 850 cm−1. Preparative Method: enol silylation of 4,4-dimethoxy-3-buten-2-one, which is prepared from 4,4-dichloro-3-buten-2-one.1 Purification: distillation. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: moisture sensitive; should be handled in a well-ventilated fume hood.
Review of the Geologic History of the Pontchartrain Basin, Northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract The Pontchartrain Basin extends over 44,000 km2 from northern Mississippi to the Gulf of Mexico and includes one of the largest and most important estuarine systems in the United States. The basin supports a variety of environments, from woodlands in the north to wetlands in the south, and a growing socioeconomic infrastructure that has led to rapid development of the southern half of the basin over the past two centuries. To properly administer this infrastructure, managers need to understand the complex geologic framework of the basin and how it will respond to continued sea-level rise, variable rates and magnitudes of land subsidence, and human alteration of the landscape. This article summarizes the body of work that describes the regional evolution and stratigraphic architecture of the Pontchartrain Basin. The northern two-thirds of the basin is underlain by a stratigraphy of undifferentiated sands and clays deposited throughout the Plio-Pleistocene by glacially influenced rivers. These depo...
Lineage-specific Requirement for Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (Stat)4 in Interferon γ Production from CD4+ Versus CD8+ T Cells

CD4+ and CD8+ T cells exhibit important differences in their major effector functions. CD8+ T cells provide protection against pathogens through cytolytic activity, whereas CD4+ T cells exert important regulatory activity through production of cytokines. However, both lineages can produce interferon (IFN)-γ, which can contribute to protective immunity. Here we show that CD4+ and CD8+ T cells differ in their regulation of IFN-γ production. Both lineages require signal transducer and activator of transcription (Stat)4 activation for IFN-γ induced by interleukin (IL)-12/IL-18 signaling, but only CD4+ T cells require Stat4 for IFN-γ induction via the TCR pathway. In response to antigen, CD8+ T cells can produce IFN-γ independently of IL-12, whereas CD4+ T cells require IL-12 and Stat4 activation. Thus, there is a lineage-specific requirement for Stat4 activation in antigen-induced IFN-γ production based on differences in TCR signaling between CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
Film Cooling Effect of Rotor-Stator Purge Flow on Endwall Heat/Mass Transfer

Mass transfer measurements on the endwall and blade suction surfaces are performed in a five-blade linear cascade with a high-performance rotor blade profile. The effects of purge flow from the wheelspace cavity entering the hot gas path are simulated by injecting air through a slot upstream of the blade row at 45° to the endwall, for Reynolds number of 6×105 based on blade true chord and cascade exit velocity, and blowing ratios of 0.5, 1 and 1.5. Detailed maps of cooling effectiveness on the passage endwall and blade suction surface are generated for the cases of injection of naphthalene-free and naphthalene-saturated air. Oil-dot visualization indicates that with injection, a recirculation region is set up upstream of the leading edge, and the growth of the passage vortex is altered. The coolant exiting from the slot is drawn to the suction side of the blade and is pushed up along the suction surface of the blade by the secondary flow. For blowing ratios of 0.5 and 1.0, only a little coolant reaches the pressure side in the aft part of the passage. However, at a blowing ratio of 1.5, there is a dramatic change in the flow structure. Both the oil dot visualization and the cooling effectiveness maps indicate that at this blowing ratio, the coolant exiting the slot has sufficient momentum to closely follow the blade profile, and is not significantly entrained into the passage vortex. As a result, high cooling effectiveness values are obtained at the pressure side of the endwall, well into the mid-chord and aft portions of the blade passage.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Conditional expectations in the evaluation of fault-tolerant systems

The concept of conditional expectations for comparing fault-tolerant designs is introduced. Specifically, the traditional mean time to failure (MTTF) is shown to be one case of a more general conditional expectation function, E(T/sub f/ mod t/sub l/ >
Comparative analysis of the locus control region of the rabbit β-like globin gene cluster: HS3 increases transient expression of an embryonic ε-globin gene

The rabbit homolog to the locus control region (LCR) of the human beta-like globin gene cluster was isolated, and long segments containing the DNase I hypersensitive sites (HS) were sequenced. The order and spacing of HS4, HS3, HS2 and HS1 are conserved between rabbit and human. Alignment of these sequences with their homologs from human, goat, and mouse shows that very long segments of DNA match between species, for over a thousand base pairs on either side of the previously identified functional cores, indicating that some important functions are found outside the cores. The activity of rabbit HS2 and HS3 was tested by attaching each to a novel reporter gene constructed by inserting the luciferase coding region into the rabbit epsilon-globin gene. In contrast to previous reports showing no effect of human or mouse HS3 on transient expression, both the rabbit HS2 and HS3 DNA fragments separately increased transient expression from the epsilon-luciferase hybrid gene and expression from stably integrated constructs in K562 erythroleukemia cells.
A Metric to Evaluate and Synthesize Distributed Compliant Mechanisms

It is widely accepted that compliant mechanisms with stresses distributed evenly throughout its geometry have better load bearing ability and larger range of motion than mechanisms with compliance and stresses lumped at flexural hinges. In this paper, we present a metric to quantify how uniformly stresses and thus strain energy is distributed throughout the mechanism topology. The resulting metric is used to optimize the cross-sections of conceptual compliant topologies leading to designs with maximal distribution of stresses. This optimization framework is demonstrated for both single point mechanisms and single-input single-output mechanisms. It is observed that the optimized designs have a larger range of motion and perform more output work or store more strain energy before failure than their non-optimized counterparts. Furthermore, the nondimensional nature of the metric coupled with the physical insight enables an objective comparison of various topologies and actuation schemes based on how evenly stresses are distributed in the constituent members.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
The Structure and Biosynthesis of Lipopolysaccharides and Glycoproteins

The term recognition is defined by Webster as perceiving something clearly or perceiving something previously known. In that context, living cells are able to recognize various things in their environment, and this recognition must be one of the initial steps of many different cellular events.
Conjuring "Equal Dignity": Mapping the Constitutional Dialogue To and From Same-Sex Marriage

What a long, strange trip it’s been from Bowers v. Hardwick to Obergefell v. Hodges. Less than thirty years after the Supreme Court notoriously upheld the criminalization of same-sex sexuality, the Court now has declared that laws may not exclude gays and lesbians from marriage. How did the majority in Obergefell conjure this “equal dignity” for same-sex couples that they insist the Constitution requires? This essay analyzes the Court's approach by closely examining the majority and dissenting opinions and then providing a synthesis of trends reflected, rationales rejected, issues ignored, and opportunities opened. First, as to trends reflected, the majority tracked the overwhelming consensus emerging from the lengthy societal and judicial dialogue and from contemporary scholarly research regarding historical and current societal practices. Second, as to rationales rejected, the majority squarely repudiated the major arguments that those opposing same-sex marriage had vigorously and persistently asserted, including that constitutional protection of liberty must be limited to traditional marriage, that limiting marriage to opposite-sex couples furthers the goal of encouraging “responsible procreation,” that religious beliefs may serve as justification for laws that unequally infringe fundamental liberties, and that courts should exercise caution by leaving the question to the political process. Third, as to issues ignored, the majority simply skirted the more technical legal arguments, including the doctrinal issues regarding the appropriate level of scrutiny and degree to which discrimination based on sexual orientation is “suspect,” the question of whether the marriage bans were based on animus or invidious intent, the appeal to federalism to let each state decide, and the argument that preventing same-sex couples from marrying discriminates based on sex or gender. Finally, the essay explores the opportunities opened by Obergefell. What the Court did and did not decide creates enormous potential for further jurisprudential elaboration. In particular, the majority’s analysis invites further development within family law regarding the Court’s refusal to limit the constitutional protection of liberty to the traditional marital form and also within sexuality law regarding the Court’s powerful reaffirmation of equal constitutional protection for gays and lesbians regardless of level of scrutiny. Perhaps most importantly, the extent to which equality drove much of the Court’s liberty analysis reveals its recognition of the mutually constitutive connection between liberty and equality (which remains under-theorized). Specifically, Obergefell makes major jurisprudential contributions by freeing liberty from the discriminatory constraints of history and by insisting that the Constitution requires equal respect for personal choice regarding fundamental liberties. In a constitutional sense, this equal entitlement to protection for fundamental personal liberties may be what comprises “dignity.”
Skill Acquisition, Individual Differences, and Human Abilities:

The nature of individual differences in novel and practiced performance on skill acquisition tasks is considered from an information processing framework that incorporates concepts derived from automatic/controlled processing and attentional resource perspectives. A set of skill acquisition experiments graphically demonstrate changes in individual differences parameters via manipulating task characteristics of 1) information processing consistency, 2) memory load, 3) stimulus novelty. A further experiment illustrates the effects of novel, but consistent information processing demands on abilities, within a transfer-of-training paradigm. Results are discussed in the context of ability/skill relations.
Fabrication, Measurement, and Application of Compressible Artificial Materials

Fabrication and measurement of compressible composite artificial materials is presented. The composites are mixtures of an elastomer and a ceramic powder with effective relative permittivities ranging from 2.8 to 12.5. The fabrication procedure and its related challenges are detailed along with the benefits inherent to these materials. Accurate characterization of these composites is difficult, since compression during measurement can lead to errors in their extracted permittivities. A proposed solution to this problem uses a density normalization method to remove compression errors from the measured permittivities. Knowledge of the permittivity resulting from specific mixing ratios of the elastomer/ceramic materials benefits designers when creating devices requiring specific dielectric constants. Two microstrip applications are introduced that illustrate the benefits of heterogeneous substrates. One is an edge-loaded patch antenna, and the other is a miniaturized 90 ° hybrid coupler. The metal area of the patch antenna was miniaturized by nearly 30% with some reduction in gain and an increase in bandwidth. The coupler exhibited a reduction in area of more than 75% over a conventional design with minimum loss in bandwidth.
Expanding the use of fluorogenic enzyme reporter substrates to imaging metabolic flux changes: the activity measurement of 5α-steroid reductase in intact mammalian cells.

The study of dynamic properties of metabolic and signaling networks is hindered by the lack of methods for imaging metabolic fluxes in individual intact cells. We describe a novel optical approach for measuring the changes of metabolic fluxes in cells, based on a two-substrate competition between a physiological substrate and a fluorogenic reporter substrate. We have constructed a model cell system for a two-step metabolic pathway involved in the metabolism of testosterone. Potent androgen testosterone is converted by steroid 5α-reductase to DHT (5α-dihydrotestosterone), which is subsequently metabolized to 3α-diol (3α,17β-androstanediol) by the reductase AKR1C2 (aldo-ketoreductase 1C2), for which we have previously developed the fluorogenic reporter substrate Coumberone. Despite the medicinal importance of 5α-reductase, there are presently no probes or methods for the continuous activity readout of this enzyme in cells. We show that the activity of 5α-R1 (5α-reductase type 1) can be measured in COS-1 cel...
Dysphagia in the Elderly Stroke Patient

Of all strokes 75% occur in people over age 65, and the incidence of stroke rises with age. Because swallowing problems often result, the elderly stroke patient is at risk for dysphagia and its complications. Acute and chronic swallowing problems are associated with many complications including dehydration, malnutrition, aspiration, pneumonitis, depression and even death. These complications make swallowing problems in the aged stroke patient an important focus for nursing attention. Nurses must be aware of the complexity of normal swallowing mechanisms, knowledgeable about the aged stroke patient's risk for dysphagia, aware of the importance of early detection and treatment of dysphagia and confident about their role in dysphagia assessment and treatment regimen. This information can be used in the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of the elderly dysphagic stroke patient.
Effect of combined spa and physical therapy on pain in various chronic diseases.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to exhibit the effect of combined therapy (spa and physical therapy) on pain in various chronic diseases. METHODS: Retrospectively, 472 (58.1% female and 41.9% male) spa and physical therapy patients with a mean age of 53.4 +/- 12.5 years were evaluated during 2001-2004 from the archives of Dumlupinar University TUTAV Thermal Cure Center. Before, after therapy and before discharging, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, heart and respiratory rates, systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured for hemodynamic evaluations. RESULTS: Arthrosis (230 patient, 48.7%) was found to be the main problem in our patients. Ankle arthrosis, fibromyalgia and cervical disc herniation were found with the highest VAS values compared to other pathologies before spa therapy (p 0.05). Heart and respiratory rate were statistically increased (p 0.05) immediately after spa therapy. Before discharging, all hemodynamic parameters were found statistically decreased before treatment and immediately after spa therapy (p CONCLUSION: A combination of spa and physical therapy decreases pain and improves functional capacity without any hemodynamic risk in rheumatological, neurological and cardiac patients.
Endoscopic Ureteropyelostomy: Opening the Obliterated Ureteropelvic Junction with Nephroscopy and Flexible Ureteropyeloscopy

AbstractEndoscopic re-establishment of a totally obstructed ureteropelvic junction was accomplished in 2 patients. The combined use of rigid percutaneous nephroscopy and flexible ureteropyeloscopy provided full visualization of the obliterated segment, and allowed accurate electroincision into the ureter and placement of a wire and catheter into the lumen. This technique demonstrates the potential therapeutic applications of flexible ureteropyeloscopy and should be considered for the initial treatment of the obliterated ureteropelvic junction.
Late-onset, snowstorm-like appearance of calcium deposits coating a poly(methyl methacrylate) posterior chamber intraocular lens

An 81-year-old man developed decreased vision associated with diffuse precipitates on his poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) posterior chamber intraocular lens (IOL), on his corneal endothelium, and in his anterior chamber approximately 35 years after IOL implantation. Slitlamp evaluation showed diffuse white material on the surface of the IOL, white precipitates on the corneal endothelium, and visible debris in the anterior chamber. The patient had IOL exchange, and pathological analysis showed numerous calcium deposits within the Soemmerring ring that diffusely spread to the anterior surface of the PMMA IOL. This case of diffuse calcium precipitates on the IOL and the corneal endothelium and in the anterior chamber 35 years after implantation shows that even long after IOL implantation, lens epithelium proliferation and metabolism can result in sequestered material that can be released many years later. Financial Disclosure None of the authors has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Clouds: The Tyranny of Irony over Philosophy

Both Soren Kierkegaard and Friedrich Nietzsche maintained an abiding concern for Socrates throughout their productive lives. Kierkegaard wrote his dissertation on irony through a Socratic lens and Nietzsche once declared that try as he might, he could not completely separate his concerns from those he associated with the Greek. Kierkegaard famously favored Aristophanes’ portrait of Socrates in his comedy Clouds, claiming that it accurately portrayed the illegibility of the ironist. Nietzsche leaned toward Xenophon’s Socratic writings but most famously blamed Plato’s Socrates for the demise of tragic culture. Kierkegaard and Nietzsche engaged with the variety of Socratic depictions throughout their careers and perhaps more importantly, both employed irony in a Socratic fashion inflected by textual concerns. In other words, Kierkegaard and Nietzsche understood irony as both the indication of an epistemological limit, and as a strategy to induce the reader to think herself into the text. My article “Clouds: The Tyranny of Irony over Philosophy” analyzes this common concern and its implications for our understanding of European modernity.
Factor VIII and Platelets Cooperatively Accelerate Proteolytic Cleavage of Von Willebrand Factor by ADAMTS13 Under Shear Stress

ADAMTS13 ( A Disintegrin A nd M etalloprotease with T hrombo S pondin type 1 repeats-13) cleaves von Willebrand factor (vWF) at the Tyr 1605 -Met 1606 bond of the central A2 domain. Inability to cleave vWF results in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), which is characterized by profound thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia with various degrees of organ involvement. Previous studies have demonstrated that coagulation factor VIII (Cao et al, PNAS, 105:7416–21, 2008) or platelets (Shim et al, Blood, 111:651–7, 2008) can accelerate proteolytic cleavage of multimeric vWF in solution by ADAMTS13 under mechanic induced shear stresses. However, the concentrations of factor VIII or platelets required to achieve a detectable increase in the proteolytic cleavage product (350K) were beyond the physiological ranges. Therefore, the physiological significance of these findings remained to be determined. In this study, we assessed whether factor VIII and platelets, both of which bind vWF with high affinity, cooperatively affected the proteolytic cleavage of vWF by ADAMTS13 under high shear stress. All experiments were performed with a fixed concentration of vWF (150 nM) and ADAMTS13 (25 nM), and various concentrations of factor VIII and platelets in a buffer containing 20 mM HEPES, pH 7.5, 150 mM NaCl and 2 mM CaCl2. The reaction mixtures (total volume 20 μl in a 0.2 ml PCR tube) were subjected to vortexing at 2,500 rpm in MixMate (manufactured by Eppendorf), which generates laminar shear stress of approximately 30 dynes/cm 2 . We showed that in the absence of factor VIII, lyophilized platelets at the concentration of 1,000×10 9 per liter did not increase the proteolytic cleavage of plasma-derived vWF by ADAMTS13. An addition of factor VIII (1, 2, and 5 nM) to the reaction mixture markedly accelerated the rate enhancing effect of lyophilized platelets in a concentration-dependent manner. In the presence of physiological concentration of factor VIII (1–2 nM), the proteolytic cleavage product (350K) detected by Western blot under non-reducing conditions reached the maximal intensity at the platelet concentration of 100×10 9 per liter. B-domain deleted factor VIII (FVIII-SQ) showed the similar cooperativity with platelets accelerating proteolytic cleavage by ADAMTS13. However, a construct with the acidic region (a3) that binds vWF with high affinity removed (FVIII-2RKR) did not show any cooperativity with platelets in vWF proteolysis by ADAMTS13. We conclude that binding of factor VIII and platelets to vWF cooperatively accelerates the proteolytic cleavage of vWF by ADAMTS13 under high (arterial) shear stress. These findings provide novel insight into the regulation of ADAMTS13-mediated vWF proteolysis by a coagulation factor and platelets under physiological conditions. The data also suggest a potential role of factor VIII and platelets in the therapeutic regimen for TTP.
Correlating Tri-Accelerometer Swallowing Vibrations and Hyoid Bone Movement in Patients With Dysphagia

Swallowing accelerometry has been recently investigated as a potential non-invasive tool for dysphagia screening. This method is based on the translation of vibrations recorded from the upper aerodigestive tract structure during swallowing into a voltage signal. Some studies hypothesize the hyoid bone movement during swallowing as the source of swallow vibrations, as it is an essential component of swallowing function that contributes to protection of the airway during the swallow. However, there is still an open question about the physiological source of swallowing vibrations. In this paper, we investigate the correlation between the swallowing vibrations recorded by the tri-axial accelerometer and hyoid bone kinetics observed in video-fluoroscopic swallow imaging studies. Further, this is a first of its kind study investigating this correlation with vibration signals measured in the medial-lateral plane of accelerometry. Our hypothesis is that there exists a correlation between the recorded swallowing vibrations in three axes and hyoid bone kinetics in videofluoroscopic images.Copyright © 2016 by ASME
Depth-sensing nanoindentation measurement techniques and applications

To measure nanomechanical properties of surface layers of bulk materials and thin films, depth-sensing nanoindentation measurement techniques are used commonly. The nanoindentation apparatus continuously monitors the load and the position of the indenter relative to the surface of the specimen (depth of an indent or displacement) during the indentation process. Indentation experiments can be performed at a penetration depth of as low as about 5 nm. This paper presents an overview of various nanoindentation techniques, various measurement options, and data analysis. Data on elastic---plastic deformation behavior, hardness, elastic modulus, scratch resistance, film-substrate adhesion, residual stresses, time-dependent creep and relaxation properties, fracture toughness, and fatigue are presented.
A rare case report of vulvar necrotizing fasciitis in a healthy patient

Abstract Introduction Necrotizing fasciitis (NF), a necrotizing infection of the soft tissue, is a medical emergency usually occurring in the lower extremities and abdominal regions and often difficult to diagnose promptly. Presentation of case This case report looks at one atypical presentation of NF with the unusual location of the vulva and no known associated comorbidities or risk factors. Discussion Diagnosing this patient was particularly difficult due to the inconsistent clinical, laboratory and imaging findings. The CT scans and WBC count were indicative of NF, but the LRINEC score was not high enough to make the diagnosis of NF. As a result, we relied on the hemodynamic instability and clinical findings of the physical exam to be strong indicators of NF, and acted on that indication. Conclusion Acting quickly on the hemodynamic findings and suspicion as opposed to waiting for a confirmed diagnosis resulted in a good prognosis since immediate surgical debridement is imperative to surviving this acute condition. Despite major advancements in the imaging modalities and the introduction of a laboratory score, our case suggests that the diagnosis still heavily relies on clinical findings, such as hemodynamic instability. Furthermore, our case suggests that NF should be included in the differential regardless of atypical location and lack of common clinical associations.
Differential response in child protection: How much is too much?

Abstract Recurring maltreatment can have devastating, lifelong consequences for children who are victims of abuse and neglect. The primary mission of child protection services (CPS) agencies is to prevent the recurrence of child maltreatment by offering families services designed to prevent future maltreatment. In order for these services to be effective, however, families must actually engage in them. This study focuses on how differential response programs impact families' successful engagement in services as indicated by long-term child safety outcomes. Differential response refers to a dual track system that allows public CPS agencies to respond to accepted reports of child abuse or neglect with either a traditional investigative response (TR) or an alternative response (AR). The AR is designed to be a less authoritative and less adversarial approach to families presenting a low- to moderate-risk of maltreatment. The AR involves collaboration with the family in a comprehensive assessment of the family's needs, risks and strengths and a referral to services on a voluntary basis. States implementing DR systems statewide vary greatly in the percentage of accepted reports that are assigned to the AR track. The goal of this study is to determine what rate of AR utilization is most effective in reducing subsequent reports of abuse and neglect for cases assigned to the AR. This study compares child safety outcomes for children assigned to the AR and those assigned to the TR within each of the fourteen states which implemented DR statewide between 2000–2012. The analysis uses Cox proportional hazards regression. Data for this observational study are drawn from the 2000–2012 data in the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System (NCANDS) child files. Child safety is measured by re-reporting of the child to CPS. The theoretical model underpinning the study is McCurdy and Daro's (2001) Integrated Theory of Participant Involvement (ITPI) which outlines a conceptual model of parental engagement in services. This study hypothesizes that AR utilization rates affect the risk level of cases assigned to the AR. The ITPI model offers a possible explanation as to why higher risk cases may not be as responsive to the AR approach which depends upon the family's voluntary participation in services. The key finding of this study is that, in states assigning > 33% of reports to the AR, children on the AR track are being re-reported at equal or higher rates than those on the TR track. Only in those states utilizing the AR track for
Pediatric Bipolar Disorders and ADHD

Bipolar disorders (BD) are now recognized to occur in children and adolescents, often with other comorbid conditions, most notably attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Early recognition and treatment of BD in children and adolescents is vitally important to reduce ongoing syndromal or subsyndromal symptomatology, psychosocial morbidity and risk for suicide. BD is a familial illness and early onset depression, mood lability, or subsyndromal manic symptoms may increase the risk for the eventual emergence of manic episodes. While some longitudinal studies of clinical samples have suggested a higher risk of BD in individuals with ADHD, naturalistic longitudinal studies of community samples have not. Many youth with BD do meet symptom criteria but not the 4- or 7-day duration criteria. Symptoms of irritability, inattentiveness, and hyperactivity should be carefully assessed with longitudinal follow-up to ascertain whether these symptoms are indeed manifestations of BD (e.g., clustering of other manic symptoms, change from baseline, and functional impairment). Treatment of ADHD may benefit from stimulants after stabilizing the mood first. More treatment and longitudinal studies in comorbid BD and ADHD are needed to better understand protective and risk factors associated with brain responses and genetic/environmental factors.
Antibiotic Spacers in Shoulder Arthroplasty: Comparison of Stemmed and Stemless Implants.

Background Antibiotic spacers in shoulder periprosthetic joint infection deliver antibiotics locally and provide temporary stability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differences between stemmed and stemless spacers. Methods All spacers placed from 2011 to 2013 were identified. Stemless spacers were made by creating a spherical ball of cement placed in the joint space. Stemmed spacers had some portion in the humeral canal. Operative time, complications, reimplantation, reinfection, and range of motion were analyzed. Results There were 37 spacers placed: 22 were stemless and 15 were stemmed. The stemless spacer population was older (70.9 ± 7.8 years vs. 62.8 ± 8.4 years, p = 0.006). The groups had a similar percentage of each gender (stemless group, 45% male vs. stemmed group, 40% male; p = 0.742), body mass index (stemless group, 29.1 ± 6.4 kg/m2 vs. stemmed group, 31.5 ± 8.3 kg/m2; p = 0.354) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (stemless group, 4.2 ± 1.2 vs. stemmed group, 4.2 ± 1.7; p = 0.958). Operative time was similar (stemless group, 127.5 ± 37.1 minutes vs. stemmed group, 130.5 ± 39.4 minutes). Two stemless group patients had self-resolving radial nerve palsies. Within the stemless group, 15 of 22 (68.2%) underwent reimplantation with 14 of 15 having forward elevation of 109° ± 23°. Within the stemmed group, 12 of 15 (80.0%, p = 0.427) underwent reimplantation with 8 of 12 having forward elevation of 94° ± 43° (range, 30° to 150°; p = 0.300). Two stemmed group patients had axillary nerve palsies, one of which self-resolved but the other did not. One patient sustained dislocation of reverse shoulder arthroplasty after reimplantation. One stemless group patient required an open reduction and glenosphere exchange of dislocated reverse shoulder arthroplasty at 6 weeks after reimplantation. Conclusions Stemmed and stemless spacers had similar clinical outcomes. When analyzing all antibiotic spacers, over 70% were converted to revision arthroplasties. The results of this study do not suggest superiority of either stemmed or stemless antibiotic spacers.
Photoreceptor Development: Early Steps/Fate

This article follows the developmental events in the mammalian retina leading to the generation of photoreceptors from distinct pools of retinal progenitor cells (RPCs). We describe cell-fate specification, determination, and maturation with a focus on human photoreceptors for their relevance to blinding diseases and on the mouse as a widely used model to investigate mammalian photoreceptor development.
The Library was open “to Perpetuate the Memory of the War of 1812 to the Next Generation”

On the basis of archival research the author reconstructs the history of the Public library opening in the village Verkhnyaya Maza of Syzran District, Simbirsk province. The article is dedicated to the 200th anniversary of the Patriotic War of 1812 and the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the library.