cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Grade-1 titanium soaked in a DMEM solution at 37°C

DMEM (Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium) solutions are used in performing in vitro cell culture experiments to assess the cell biocompatibility of synthetic biomaterials. In this study, Hepes-buffered, phenol red- and sodium pyruvate-free DMEM solutions were used, for the first time as immersion media at 37°C, to test alkali-treated (5M NaOH, 60°C, 24h) grade-1 titanium substrates. Such DMEM solutions were found to deposit X-ray-amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), in one or two weeks, on the soaked grade-1 Ti substrates. A limited number of previous studies focusing on the biomimetic coating of alkali-treated Ti6Al4V coupons in DMEM have actually used different DMEM solutions, which were not Hepes-buffered and containing phenol red and sodium pyruvate. The previous studies with such DMEM solutions reported the deposition of cryptocrystalline apatitic calcium phosphate (Ap-CaP) on Ti6Al4V substrates, but not ACP. An inorganic solution (free of amino acids, vitamins, glucose, sodium pyruvate and phenol red), simulating the ion concentrations of the DMEM solutions, was also used for the first time in depositing ACP on grade-1 Ti substrates upon soaking at 37°C for only 24h. The solutions and deposits of this study were analyzed by AAS, ICP-AES, FTIR, XRD, XPS, and surface profilometry.
Dimaprit stimulation of gastric acid secretion in rhesus monkeys and dogs

Tests were performed to characterize the gastric secretory effect of the H2 agonist, dimaprit, in rhesus monkeys. Dose-response studies were performed. The monkeys were chaired, and increasing doses of dimaprit (0.03 to 3.0 mg/kg hr) were infused intravenously. Gastric secretions were collected continuously through a nasogastric tube and were measured at 15-min intervals. The completeness of collection was confirmed based on the recovery of an intragastric marker. Dimaprit dose dependently increased the total acid output (ED50 = 0.198 mg/kg hr) and the volume of gastric secretion. Ranitidine (1 mg/kg hr, i.v.) shifted the dimaprit dose-response curve to the right in a parallel fashion causing a 13-fold increase in the ED50 for acid output (2.54 mg/kg hr). Similarly, ranitidine competitively inhibited the secretory effect of dimaprit in the gastric fistula dog. In addition, when a single dose of dimaprit was infused over a 4-hr period, both the monkey and dog exhibited a secretory plateau followed by a secretory “fade.” We conclude that the secretory effects of dimaprit are qualitatively similiar for rhesus monkeys and dogs.
Early Ordovician bathyurid province lithofacies, biofacies, and correlations ‐their relationship to a proto‐Atlantic Ocean

The Early Ordovician bathyurid faunal province includes North America, Greenland, Spitsbergen, Scotland, and western Ireland and Norway. Dominant provincial lithofacies and biofacies include a Dolomite Suite with molluscan-stromatolite fossil content rimmed by Limestone Belts with dominantly trilobite-brachiopod faunas on a platform. Shale Belt rocks bearing graptolites, deposited on the platform slopes, rim the Limestone Belts. Volcanic rock-rich terrain partly borders the Shale Belts. Correlation between the lithofacies indicates that change from an expansion to contraction phase of a proto-Atlantic coincided with uplift of the carbonate platform and with tectonic activity in the Atlantic volcanic rock rich terrain. Brachiopods replaced trilobites as dominant faunal elements in more shallow platform waters at the same time. High trilobite diversity remained in deeper waters near platform margins. The changes took place in Earliest Mohawk-ian (Latest Arenig-Earliest Llanvirn).
CRISPR interference: RNA-directed adaptive immunity in bacteria and archaea

Sequence-directed genetic interference pathways control gene expression and preserve genome integrity in all kingdoms of life. The importance of such pathways is highlighted by the extensive study of RNA interference (RNAi) and related processes in eukaryotes. In many bacteria and most archaea, clustered, regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPRs) are involved in a more recently discovered interference pathway that protects cells from bacteriophages and conjugative plasmids. CRISPR sequences provide an adaptive, heritable record of past infections and express CRISPR RNAs — small RNAs that target invasive nucleic acids. Here, we review the mechanisms of CRISPR interference and its roles in microbial physiology and evolution. We also discuss potential applications of this novel interference pathway.
The surgical management of insulinomas in children.

Purpose Insulinomas are rare pediatric tumors for which optimal localization studies and management remain undetermined. We present our experience with surgical management of insulinomas during childhood.
The tritium content of three stony meteorites and one iron meteorite

Abstract Tritium determinations for the chondrites, Bruderheim and Harleton, gave values in line with determinations of other radio isotopes. For Walters a terrestrial age of a little over one tritium half-life can be estimated. This supports the generally accepted view that its time-of-fall is identical with the observation of a spectacular fireball in the same area shortly before the find. As others have previously found, the iron, Aroos, contains an order of magnitude less tritium that is expected on theoretical grounds.
A separator theorem for one-dimensional graphs under linear mapping

Abstract For integers a , b >0, let G =〈 Z n , E ab 〉, where Z n = {0, 1,…, n −1} and E ab ={( i , j )∣ j =( ai + b ) mod n for i ∈ Z n }. G has a separator of size O( n /√log a n ).
The effect of focal cerebral atrophy in positron emission tomographic studies of aging and dementia

We used x-ray computed tomographic (XCT) scans to measure the degree of cerebral atrophy in brain regions defined by a region of interest (ROI) anatomy atlas. The same atlas was employed for quantitation of local cerebral glucose metabolic rates (LCMRglc) by PET. PET data were obtained from 9 young controls, 7 healthy elderly controls, and 10 patients with dementia. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in atrophic brain regions was assumed to be metabolically inert, and LCMRglc measurements were corrected for the degree of atrophy. Significantly greater atrophy was seen for 7 of 8 regions in comparisons between demented patients and age-matched controls. This atrophy was most pronounced in superior parietal (SP) regions. Decreases in parietal LCMRglc in dementia patients and SP LCMRglc in old controls were no longer significant after correction for atrophy. These results emphasize the need to consider focal atrophy effects in regional quantitative analyses of emission tomographic data.
Spontaneous Encephalitozoonosis in an Experimental Group of Guinea Pigs

5,21 the presence of histologic lesions may interfere with the interpretation of experimental data, especially in those animals in which functional and morphological evaluation of the central nervous system must be performed. In this report, spontaneous encephalitozoonosis is described in a 36-day-old guinea pig from an experiment designed to evaluate possible behavioral, biochemical, and morphological alterations in the brain following prenatal exposure to low levels of lead. During the study, no clinical signs of neurologic disease were detected in this or any of the experimental animals. At 36 days of age, this guinea pig
Dynamic Kingdon trap.

The dynamic Kingdon trap is a trap designed for the permanent storage of charged particles. While the Paul trap is based on the principle of strong focusing, the dynamic Kingdon trap uses strong defocusing to achieve trapping. It is shown that the dynamic Kingdon trap exhibits a sequence of period-doubling bifurcations. A numerical solution of the Laplace equation for a finite-length dynamic Kingdon trap with holding caps shows that this trap can be implemented in the laboratory.
Phase instability reduction by four-wave mixing

Coherent ladar detection which is virtually free of oscillator instabilities (random phasing effects) may be obtained through the use of two local oscillator frequencies and subsequent four-wave mixing for heterodyne square-law detection. Such a stabilized four-wave system will allow for more compact, lighter, simpler, and shorter-wavelength coherent ladars.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Generalized coulomb gauge without gribov ambiguity

Abstract We discuss a global gauge-fixing prescription that is free of the Gribov problem, preserves reflection positivity and contains as a limiting case the (maximal) Coulomb gauge. In such a formalism it is very easy to check that only color singlet states propagate in Euclidean time, for any value of β.
The Hiring and Compensation Practices of Business School Deans

This study uses a mixed methods approach to examine how business school deans alter the appointment status and salary structure of their faculty. In addition to analyzing interviews with deans, we examined faculty-level data for more than 200 business colleges between the 1997–1998 and 2005–2006 academic years. We find that business deans are substantially restructuring their full-time faculty toward a model of increased use of non-tenure track instructors. Deans are also changing their compensation practices so that salaries are less differentiated across academic rank and more differentiated among professors within the same rank.
Effect of the structure of cationic polymers on the flocculation and the electrophoretic mobility of crystalline silica

Abstract A number of cationic polyethyleneimine polymers with molecular weights ranging from about 200 to 32000 were prepared and characterized. Their behavior as flocculants for crystalline silica was examined by means of filtration and electrophoretic methods. The charge on the silica, which is negative, was changed to positive by the addition of the positively charged polymers. The concentration of polymer at which the charge reversed, 0.03–0.1 p.p.m. for 0.04 weight per cent silica dispersion was quite close to the concentration at which the refiltration rate of the silica reached a maximum at pH of 4.0, 6.0, and 9.0. Further addition of cationics rapidly increased the electrophoretic mobility to a high positive value which remained essentially constant even up to high concentrations. With polymers up to 5200 molecular weight an increase in concentration beyond the optimum had but little effect on refiltration, but with higher molecular weight polymers an increase soon caused redispersal of the flocs and very poor refiltration. Flocculation and good filtration of silica by cationic polymers occur at much lower molecular weights than is required with anionic and nonionic polymers, and are the result of reversal of the negative charge on the silica by the positively charged polymer. This is followed by a bridging between particles by the polymer molecules. The effect of chain length and polymer charge on the charge reversal and bridging is discussed.
Competitive and allosteric interactions of 6-chloro-5,10-dihydro-5-[(1-methyl-4-piperidinyl)acetyl]-11h-dibenzo[b,e][1, 4]diazepine-11-one hydrochloride (UH-AH 37) at muscarinic receptors, via distinct epitopes

Abstract 6-Chloro-5,10-dihydro-5-[(1-methyl-4-piperidinyl)acetyl]-11 H -dibenzo[ b , e ][1,4]diazepine-11-one hydrochloride (UH-AH 37) is an analog of pirenzepine that has previously been reported to interact with classical muscarinic antagonists in a competitive manner, yet its binding has also been found to be sensitive to the same epitope as is that of the allosteric ligand gallamine. The present study was carried out with wild-type and chimeric muscarinic receptors to determine whether UH-AH 37 might also have an allosteric mode of action. In assays that detect only allosteric interactions, UH-AH 37 slowed the rate of dissociation of [ 3 H] N -methylscopolamine (NMS) from all five muscarinic receptor subtypes, with the highest apparent affinity at m2. By contrast, studies carried out under equilibrium conditions have found UH-AH 37 to have the lowest affinity for the m2 subtype. Studies with m2/m5 chimeric receptors found the allosteric potency of UH-AH 37 to be sensitive to an epitope in the seventh transmembrane domain (TM). Again, this contrasts with equilibrium studies, wherein an epitope in the sixth TM has been implicated. Simultaneous analysis of the interactions between UH-AH 37 and [ 3 H]NMS at the m2 receptor under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions found that a simple allosteric model could not accommodate both sets of data. On the other hand, the model did accommodate such data for gallamine; gallamine also displays concordance in order-of-potency and epitope sensitivity between equilibrium and non-equilibrium assays. Based on these results, we conclude that UH-AH 37 interacts at the classical muscarinic binding site with high affinity and at a second (allosteric) site with lower affinity.
Duplicated Longitudinal Bracketed Epiphysis ‘Kissing Delta Phalanx’ in the Hand:

The duplicated longitudinal bracketed epiphysis ("kissing delta") phalanx has been described rarely. These delta bones have a bizarre appearance and are often associated with other developmental abnormalities such as central polydactyly. We have seen a total of 13 kissing delta phalanges in the hands. We discuss their natural history, look at the associated anomalies and consider the treatment options for this very rare congenital anomaly.
Targeted endomyocardial injections of therapeutic cells using x-ray fused with MRI guidance

The utility of X-ray fused with MRI (XFM) using external fiducial markers to perform targeted endomyocardial injections in infarcted hearts of swine was tested. Endomyocardial injections of feridex-labeled mesenchymal stromal cells (Fe-MSC) were performed in the previously infarcted hearts of 12 Yucatan miniswine (33-67 kg). Animals had pre-injection cardiac MRI, XFM-guided endomyocardial injection of Fe-MSC suspension spiked with tissue dye, and post-injection MRI. 24 hours later, after euthanasia, the hearts were excised, sliced and stained with TTC. During the injection procedure, operators were provided with 3D surfaces of endocardium, epicardium, myocardial wall thickness and infarct registered with live XF images to facilitate device navigation and choice of injection location. 130 injections were performed in hearts where diastolic wall thickness ranged from 2.6 to 17.7 mm. Visual inspection of the pattern of dye staining on TTC stained heart slices correlated (r=0.98) with XFM-derived injection locations mapped onto delayed hyperenhancement MRI and the susceptibility artifacts seen on the post-injection T2*-weighted gradient echo MRI. The in vivo target registration error was 3.17±2.61 mm (n=64) and 75% of injections were within 4 mm of the predicted location. 3D to 2D registration of XF and MR images using external fiducial markers enables accurate targeted endomyocardial injection in a swine model of myocardial infarction. The present data suggest that the safety and efficacy of this approach for performing targeted endomyocardial delivery should be evaluated further clinically.
Primary plasmacytoma of lymph nodes

Primary plasmacytoma of the lymph nodes is very rare, and there are fewer than 20 reported cases. These cases appeared to have a better prognosis than other extramedullary plasmacytomas, with rare recurrence and no progression to myeloma after treatment. To better characterize the clinicopathological features and the pathogenesis of primary plasmacytoma of the lymph nodes, we reviewed our consultation files and retrieved seven such cases. The age of presentation ranged from 39 to 76 years (median age, 59 years), with three women and four men. The clinical follow-up varied from 1 to 14 years. All patients presented with enlarged lymph nodes and had an indolent clinical course, except for one patient with slow progression and increasing numbers of bone marrow plasma cells. Five patients were treated with excision only and two with excision and chemotherapy. None of the patients had recurrence or developed multiple myeloma. All cases showed immunoglobulin light chain restriction, four with monotypic lambda and three with monotypic kappa. One patient had extensive nodal amyloid deposition. Four cases had monoclonal heavy chain expression, three with monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) G and one with monoclonal IgM. All cases were negative for CD20 and CD43, and six cases expressed CD79a. Overexpression of p53 and bcl-2 was not detected by immunostaining in any of the cases. Epstein-Barr viral (EBV) RNA was not detected in all seven cases by in situ hybridization, and no Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) DNA sequences were detected by polymerase chain reaction in five cases. Our results confirm a more favorable outcome and rare progression to multiple myeloma in primary nodal plasmacytomas after excision or chemotherapy. The results of oncoprotein and viral studies suggest that the pathogenesis of primary nodal plasmacytoma may not be due to bcl-2- and p53-associated changes or viral-induced changes by EBV and KSHV.
The rise [or fall] of lottery adoption within the logic of collective action : some empirical evidence

This paper builds upon previous work on the economics of lottery adoption by incorporating the collective action logic developed in an important series of works by Mancur Olson. Public choice research points out that legislators are rational maximizers, and act within a costbenefit framework in attempting to implement means of budget finance. Discrete-time hazard models presented suggest that lottery adoption is more likely to occur in older states where rent seeking groups are older and more organized, and can more effectively engage in efforts for collective action (and benefits). By implementing lotteries as taxshifting mechanisms, the role of, government and the direction of social evolution are also altered.
Enumeration of Methanobrevibacter smithii in human feces.

A platin medium containing cephalothin and clindamycin was developed for enumeration and isolation of methanogens in human feces. Specimens from nine CH4-producing subjects had total anaerobe counts of 1–8×1011/g dry weight. Methanogen counts on the antibiotic medium ranged from 0.001–12.6% of the total anaerobe count. There was no correlation between age, sex, or percent dry fecal weight and the ratio of methanogens to total counts. Specimens from eight non-CH4-producing individuals contained bacteria thay yielded nonmethanogenic colonies on the antibiotic medium. The means±SD of the logarithm of the total counts per gram dry weight were 11.4±0.29 and 11.38±0.44 for the positive and negative groups respectively. Values for the antibiotic-resistant flora were 8.8±1.13 and 7.78±1.08 respectively. Methanogens were isolated from the most dilute inoculum of each specimen from CH4-producing subjects. All isolates were morphologically, physiologically, and immunologically identical to Methanobrevibacter smithii. Growth of methanogens in media that were essentially extracts of CH4-negative feces suggested that no nutrients were lacking or inhibitors present in intestinal contents that prevent the growth of methanogens in these individuals.
A Unique Role for Heat Shock Protein 70 and Its Binding Partner Tissue Transglutaminase in Cancer Cell Migration

Cell migration is essential for several important biological outcomes and is involved in various developmental disorders and disease states including cancer cell invasiveness and metastasis. A fundamental step in cell migration is the development of a leading edge. By using HeLa carcinoma cells as an initial model system, we uncovered a surprising role for the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) and its ability to bind the protein cross-linking enzyme, tissue transglutaminase (tTG), in cancer cell migration. Treatment of HeLa cells with EGF results in the activation of a plasma membrane-associated pool of tTG and its redistribution to the leading edges of these cells, which are essential events for EGF-stimulated HeLa cell migration. However, we then found that the ability of tTG to be localized to the leading edge is dependent on Hsp70. Similarly, the localization of tTG to the leading edges of MDAMB231 breast carcinoma cells, where it also plays an essential role in their migration, has a strict requirement for Hsp70. Treatment of these different cell lines with inhibitors against the ATP hydrolytic activity of Hsp70 prevented tTG from localizing to their leading edges and thereby blocked EGF-stimulated HeLa cell migration, as well as the constitutive migration normally exhibited by MDAMB231 cells. These findings highlight a new and unconventional role for the chaperonin activity of Hsp70 in the localization of a key regulatory protein (tTG) at the leading edges of cancer cells and the important consequences that this holds for their ability to migrate.
Asynchronous expression of the alcohol and supernatant malate dehydrogenase loci during Barbus hybrid development (Cypriniformes, Teleostei)

Abstract 1. 1. The tissue specificity and ontogeny of supernatant malate dehydrogenase (s-MDH) and alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) are reported for the tiger barb ( Barbus tetrazona ), the rosy barb ( Barbus conchonius ) and their reciprocal hybrids. 2. 2. The tissue distribution of s-MDH and ADH isozymes in both species is consistent with spatial profiles reported for other teleosts. 3. 3. The expression of alleles of paternal origin at the s-Mdh-B and Adh loci are delayed in reciprocal hybrids as compared to their expression intraspecifically; suggestive of a low degree of affinity between maternally derived regulatory factors and paternal regulative elements controlling structural gene activation.
Best Practices for Increasing Ejournal Usage

As library budgets shrink and the cost of ejournals continues to rise, usage plays an increasingly important role in collections decisions. In 2013, the University of North Carolina (UNC) University Library Advisory Council's E-Journal Efficiencies Working Group created a document outlining best practices for increasing ejournal usage to assist UNC System libraries in improving their efficiency regarding ejournal spending. This article will address and elaborate on those practices, which include raising the visibility of ejournals on the library's website, using third-party services such as discovery tools and apps to create additional access points, facilitating outreach to faculty, and analyzing usage data.
Rifaximin treatment for reduction of risk of overt hepatic encephalopathy recurrence

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common problem in patients with chronic liver disease and is characterized by diminished mentation and neuromuscular abnormalities. Symptoms range from subtle cognitive changes to coma and death. Gut-derived toxins such as ammonia are thought to play a central role in the pathogenesis of HE. Treatment strategies are directed at increased elimination or reduction of gut-derived ammonia in addition to correction of dynamic conditions that provoke bouts of HE. The standard of care for treatment of acute HE is lactulose, a nonabsorbable disaccharide that is thought to increase elimination and reduce absorption of ammonia. Although lactulose seems to work in the acute setting, the rate of recurrent HE on maintenance lactulose is high. Medications have been sought that reduce the rate of recurrent HE in patients at high risk for HE but none have been identified. Rifaximin is a poorly absorbed antibiotic that is thought to reduce ammonia production by eliminating ammonia-producing colonic bacteria. Many small studies have suggested that rifaximin is effective in treating acute HE and is extremely well tolerated. This led to a randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter, multinational trial investigating the efficacy of rifaximin over a 6-month period in reducing the risk of recurrent HE in patients at baseline, but with a history of at least two bouts of acute HE in the previous 6 months prior to enrollment. Lactulose could be administered at the discretion of the investigator. A total of 299 patients were randomized to receive rifaximin or placebo; 91% of patients in each group received lactulose. Compared with placebo, patients at high risk for recurrent HE in the rifaximin group had highly statistically significant reductions in bouts of acute HE (58%) and reductions in hospitalizations related to HE (50%) over a 6-month period. The medication was well tolerated with a side-effect profile comparable to placebo. This led to the approval of rifaximin for reduction of risk of recurrent HE by the US Food and Drug Administration in March 2010. It is recommended that patients with a history of recurrent acute HE should be maintained on rifaximin with or without lactulose to reduce the risk of recurrent HE and related hospitalization.
Improving Type 1 Diabetes Management With Mobile Tools: A Systematic Review

This study aims to provide a better understanding of the ability of mobile health tools to offer glycemic control for patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Data gained from research articles searched in PubMed, Ovid (Medline), and CINAHL from 2005 to 2013 focused on interventions introduced to a type 1 diabetic population. Articles were screened to identify interventions that examined mobile health tools effect on glycemic control using %A1C as a proxy. Fourteen articles were included in this study. Descriptive data, %A1C difference, and statistical significance, if available, were extracted for comparison. Five major categories were identified across the spectrum of interventions, including "Internet," "Mobile," "Mobile and Internet," "Phone," and "Videoconference and phone." Seven of the 14 articles reported statistically significant decreases in measured outcomes. Seven studies examine a single cohort, and 7 examined a double cohort. Eleven of the 14 authors (79%) reported success with their intervention. Twelve studies reported a decrease in %A1C values in their intervention groups. Initial results for glycemic control through these tools appear promising, though inconclusive. Additional measures of mobile health tool efficacy should be assessed more directly. More rigorous study methods are also needed to improve the reliability of results.
The behavior of the ministates in the United Nations, 1971–1972

This article examines the voting behavior of the exceptionally small states (population less than one million) in the UN General Assembly. It uses modified Rice-Beyle techniques (Index of Cohesion and Index of Agreement) to measure the cohesiveness of 23 ministates in four issue-areas: political, colonial, economic, and social, humanitarian and cultural. Ministate voting patterns are compared with those of the US, the USSR, the former colonial powers, and the African-Asian caucusing group. The study's major findings are that: 1) there is greatest ministate cohesion on colonial and economic issues and less cohesion on social, humanitarian, and cultural questions. Political issues divide the ministates; 2) the ministates and the USSR vote similarly on colonial and economic questions, whereas the ministates' voting is more similar to that of the US and the colonial powers on social, humanitarian, and cultural issues. On political issues the ministates are neither a bloc nor the subservient clients of the superpowers; 3) with few exceptions ministate voting patterns are similar to those of the African-Asian group in the UN. These findings extend the generalizations of Kay, et al., with reference to the concerns of the newer nations. In addition, the findings indicate that size alone does not appear to be a significant differentiating variable. The existence of shifting alignments and majorities in different issue-areas underscores the political sophistication and relative independence from large power pressure of ministate voting in the UN.
Vesicular trafficking through cortical actin during exocytosis is regulated by the Rab27a effector JFC1/Slp1 and the RhoA-GTPase–activating protein Gem-interacting protein

Cytoskeleton remodeling is important for the regulation of vesicular transport associated with exocytosis, but a direct association between granular secretory proteins and actin-remodeling molecules has not been shown, and this mechanism remains obscure. Using a proteomic approach, we identified the RhoA-GTPase–activating protein Gem-interacting protein (GMIP) as a factor that associates with the Rab27a effector JFC1 and modulates vesicular transport and exocytosis. GMIP down-regulation induced RhoA activation and actin polymerization. Importantly, GMIP-down-regulated cells showed impaired vesicular transport and exocytosis, while inhibition of the RhoA-signaling pathway induced actin depolymerization and facilitated exocytosis. We show that RhoA activity polarizes around JFC1-containing secretory granules, suggesting that it may control directionality of granule movement. Using quantitative live-cell microscopy, we show that JFC1-containing secretory organelles move in areas near the plasma membrane deprived of polymerized actin and that dynamic vesicles maintain an actin-free environment in their surroundings. Supporting a role for JFC1 in RhoA inactivation and actin remodeling during exocytosis, JFC1 knockout neutrophils showed increased RhoA activity, and azurophilic granules were unable to traverse cortical actin in cells lacking JFC1. We propose that during exocytosis, actin depolymerization commences near the secretory organelle, not the plasma membrane, and that secretory granules use a JFC1- and GMIP-dependent molecular mechanism to traverse cortical actin.
High Order Recursive Neural Networks

This paper modifies the previously introduced recursive neural network (RNN) to include higher order terms. Applications of the new structure in systems theory are discussed.
Transmission of Infectious Diseases in Children

A rational approach to the control of pediatric infectious diseases requires an appreciation of their epidemiology and mechanisms of transmission. The setting in which the exposure occurs may have a major influence on the risk of infection. Unfortunately, the epidemiology of many important pediatric pathogens is complex and incompletely understood. Recent advances in diagnostic microbiology and molecular epidemiology may help to solve some of the remaining riddles.
Analysis of piezoelectric bimorphs and plates with segmented actuators

Elastic plates with distributed or segmented piezoelectric layers have been analyzed using the classical laminated plate theory, the first-order shear deformation theory, and the results are compared with an analytical solution. The plate theories and the analytical solution take into account both the direct and the converse piezoelectric effects, and assume generalized plane strain deformations. The transverse displacements from both theories are in reasonable agreement. The classical lamination theory gives a discontinuous longitudinal stress at the edges of the segments whereas the analytical solution predicts a continuous curve with steep gradients. Piezoelectric bimorphs with the axis of transverse isotropy inclined at an angle to the thickness direction are also studied using the three formulations. The displacements and stresses obtained from the first-order shear deformation theory are in very good agreement with the analytical solution even for thick plates. It is advantageous to use shear bimorphs since the stresses induced in them are smaller than those in extension bimorphs. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
SOME COMMENTS ON LOHMAN (2008): PSEUDOSTUTTERING AS A TRAINING METHOD'

This letter addresses some issues in Lohman's (2008) article on students' perceptions of face-to-face pseudostuttering experiences. Concerns include the valuation of the pseudostuttering experiences on the telephone as compared to face-to-face experiences in training graduate students in speech-language pathology.
Steady Flow Analysis of Mechanical Cavopulmonary Assistance in MRI‐Derived Patient‐Specific Fontan Configurations

This numerical study examined the performance of an intravascular axial flow blood pump for mechanical hemodynamic support of patients in the setting of Fontan failure, which presently has few treatment options. Three anatomically accurate geometries of the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) were generated using patients' magnetic resonance imaging data. These patient-specific geometries, as well as an idealized version with cylindrical vessels, were computationally analyzed with and without a pump in the inferior vena cava. Pressure flow characteristics, energy gain calculations, and blood damage analyses were performed for each model. The pump produced pressures of 1-14 mm Hg for 1500-4000 revolutions per minute, flow rates of 1-4 L/min, and pulmonary artery pressures of 8-24 mm Hg. Comparison of pump performance among the four models showed minimal intermodel differences (<5% deviation) in the pressure rise generated by the pump, the IVC pressure, and the energy imparted to the system by the pump. Blood damage analysis showed maximum fluid scalar stress values of 372 Pa or less, and the blood damage index was less than 2% in all of the models. These results suggest that this axial flow blood pump performs consistently in a variety of TCPC vessel geometries with low risk of blood trauma.
Roles for common MLL/COMPASS subunits and the 19S proteasome in regulating CIITA pIV and MHC class II gene expression and promoter methylation

Studies indicate that the 19S proteasome contributes to chromatin reorganization, independent of the role the proteasome plays in protein degradation. We have previously shown that components of the 19S proteasome are crucial for regulating inducible histone activation events in mammalian cells. The 19S ATPase Sug1 binds to histone-remodeling enzymes, and in the absence of Sug1, a subset of activating epigenetic modifications including histone H3 acetylation, H3 lysine 4 trimethylation and H3 arginine 17 dimethylation are inhibited at cytokine-inducible major histocompatibilty complex (MHC)-II and class II transactivator (CIITA) promoters, implicating Sug1 in events required to initiate mammalian transcription. Our previous studies indicate that H3 lysine 4 trimethylation at cytokine-inducible MHC-II and CIITA promoters is dependent on proteolytic-independent functions of 19S ATPases. In this report, we show that multiple common subunits of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL)/complex of proteins associated with Set I (COMPASS) complexes bind to the inducible MHC-II and CIITA promoters; that overexpressing a single common MLL/COMPASS subunit significantly enhances promoter activity and MHC-II HLA-DRA expression; and that these common subunits are important for H3 lysine 4 trimethylation at MHC-II and CIITA promoters. In addition, we show that H3 lysine 27 trimethylation, which is inversely correlated with H3 lysine 4 trimethylation, is significantly elevated in the presence of diminished 19S ATPase Sug1. Taken together, these experiments suggest that the 19S proteasome plays a crucial role in the initial reorganization of events enabling the relaxation of the repressive chromatin structure surrounding inducible promoters.
Who continues using the diaphragm and who doesn't: implications for the acceptability of female-controlled HIV prevention methods

Abstract Objectives This study examines the acceptability of the diaphragm with the aim of facilitating the development of female-controlled human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention methods. More specifically, we assess associations between being a current (vs. former) diaphragm user and characteristics that are hypothesized to influence the acceptability of contraceptive methods; and explore reasons for discontinuing use of the diaphragm among former diaphragm users. Design The study involved a cross-sectional telephone survey with women who were members of a nonprofit health maintenance organization and who were either a current ( n = 215) or former ( n = 172) diaphragm user. Methods Participants were interviewed about the importance of contraceptive attributes; perceptions for the diaphragm; diaphragm use self-efficacy; perceived risk of and motivation to avoid pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted infections; and demographic characteristics, sexual, and contraceptive behavior. Results The likelihood of being a current diaphragm user (vs. former) increased with age, greater confidence in being able to use the diaphragm, greater perceived risk of pregnancy and more positive perceptions of the diaphragm. Women who valued attributes of hormonal contraceptives were less likely to be current users. Former diaphragm users reported that the following reasons were moderately to extremely important in their decision to stop using the diaphragm: difficulty inserting or removing the diaphragm (50.8%), dislike of leaving the diaphragm inside the vagina (46.8%), and wanting a more effective method for preventing pregnancy (44.2%). Conclusions The findings suggest that specific characteristics of a product influence continued use and have implications for improving the acceptability of existing and new female-controlled HIV prevention methods.
Can gas-exchange characteristics help explain the invasive success of Lythrum salicaria?

Since its introduction to North America, Lythrum salicaria (L.) (purple loosestrife) has become invasive in marshy and riparian habitats. We compared gas-exchange responses to external CO2 partial pressure and light, as well as related leaf structural and biochemical characteristics, of L. salicaria with those of co-occurring native Asclepias syriaca (common milkweed) and Solidago graminifolia (lance-leaved goldenrod) along a pond bank in the Black Rock Forest, Cornwall, New York, USA to examine if the invasive success of L. salicaria may be influenced by robust leaf gas-exchange characteristics, including relatively high rates of photosynthesis and low rates of respiration, compared with those of less successful co-occurring native plant species. Neither the mean rate of net photosynthesis measured at ambient CO2 and saturating photon flux density (A) nor the mean dark respiration rate (RD) differed significantly between L. salicaria and either of the native species, while both the mean maximum rate of photosynthesis at saturating CO2 concentration and photon flux density (A max) and the mean rate of respiration measured in light (RL) were significantly higher in L. salicaria than A. syriaca, but no different between L. salicaria and S. graminifolia. Likewise, photosynthetic nitrogen-use efficiency was greater in L. salicaria than A. syriaca only, while photosynthetic water-use efficiency was significantly less in both L. salicaria and S. graminifolia than in A. syriaca. Despite limited interspecific differences in leaf photosynthesis, respiration, and resource-use efficiency, particularly between L. salicaria and S. graminifolia, we found that L. salicaria assimilated 208% more carbon per unit of energy invested in leaf biomass than either of the co-occurring native species, suggesting that increased photosynthetic energy-use efficiency may influence its observed invasive success.
From threat to safety: Instructed reversal of defensive reactions

Cues that signal the possibility of receiving an electric shock reliably induce defensive activation. To determine whether cues can also easily reverse defensive reactions, a threat reversal paradigm was developed in which a cue signaling threat of shock reversed its meaning across the course of the study. This allowed us to contrast defensive reactions to threat cues that became safe cues, with responses to cues that continued to signal threat or safety. Results showed that, when participants were instructed that a previously threatening cue now signaled safety, there was an immediate and complete attenuation of defensive reactions compared to threat cues that maintained their meaning. These findings highlight the role that language can play both in instantiating and attenuating defensive reactions, with implications for understanding emotion regulation, social communication, and clinical phenomena.
BG9719 (CVT-124), an A1 adenosine receptor antagonist, protects against the decline in renal function observed with diuretic therapy

Background— Adenosine may adversely affect renal function via its effects on renal arterioles and tubuloglomerular feedback, but effects of adenosine blockade in humans receiving furosemide and ACE inhibitors is unknown. Methods and Results— This was a randomized, double-blind, ascending-dose, crossover study evaluating 3 doses of BG9719 in 63 patients with congestive heart failure. Patients received placebo or 1 of 3 doses of BG9719 on 1 day and the same medication plus furosemide on a separate day. Renal function and electrolyte and water excretion were assessed. BG9719 alone caused an increase in urine output and sodium excretion (P<0.05). Although administration of furosemide alone caused a large diuresis, addition of BG9719 to furosemide increased diuresis, which was significant at the 0.75-μg/mL concentration. BG9719 alone improved glomerular filtration rate (GFR) at the 2 lower doses. Furosemide alone caused a decline in GFR. When BG9719 was added to furosemide, however, creatinine clearance remain...
PCR‐mediated Gene Modification Strategy for Construction of Fluorescent Protein Fusions in Candida parapsilosis

Candida parapsilosis is a common cause of invasive candidiasis, especially in premature infants, even surpassing Candida albicans as the most frequently identified Candida species in some newborn intensive care units. Whereas many molecular tools are available to facilitate the study of C. albicans, relatively few have been developed for C. parapsilosis. In this study, we show that plasmids harbouring green, yellow and mCherry fluorescent protein sequences, previously developed for expression in C. albicans, can be used to construct fluorescent fusion proteins in C. parapsilosis by PCR-mediated gene modification. Further, the strategy can be used in clinical isolates of C. parapsilosis, which are typically prototrophic, because the plasmids include NAT1, a dominant selectable trait that confers resistance to the antibiotic nourseothricin. Overall, these tools will be useful to yeast researchers who require the ability to visualize C. parapsilosis directly, e.g. in in vitro and in vivo infection models. In addition, this strategy can be used to generate fluorescence in other C. parapsilosis clinical isolates and to tag sequences of interest for protein localization studies. Lastly, the ability to express up to three different fluorescent proteins will allow researchers to visualize and differentiate C. parapsilosis and/or C. albicans clinical isolates from each other in mixed infection models.
Fast nearest neighbor retrieval for bregman divergences

We present a data structure enabling efficient nearest neighbor (NN) retrieval for bregman divergences. The family of bregman divergences includes many popular dissimilarity measures including KL-divergence (relative entropy), Mahalanobis distance, and Itakura-Saito divergence. These divergences present a challenge for efficient NN retrieval because they are not, in general, metrics, for which most NN data structures are designed. The data structure introduced in this work shares the same basic structure as the popular metric ball tree, but employs convexity properties of bregman divergences in place of the triangle inequality. Experiments demonstrate speedups over brute-force search of up to several orders of magnitude.
Multi-linear regression models predict the effects of water chemistry on acute lead toxicity to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas.

article i nfo The current study examined the acute toxicity of lead (Pb) to Ceriodaphnia dubia and Pimephales promelas in a variety of natural waters. The natural waters were selected to range in pertinent water chemistry parameters such as calcium, pH, total CO2 and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Acute toxicity was determined for C. dubia and P. promelas using standard 48 h and 96 h protocols, respectively. For both organisms acute toxicity varied markedly according to water chemistry, with C. dubia LC50s ranging from 29 to 180 μg/L and P. promelas LC50s ranging from 41 to 3598 μg/L. Additionally, no Pb toxicity was observed for P. promelas in three alkaline natural waters. With respect to water chemistry parameters, DOC had the strongest protective impact for both organisms. A multi-linear regression (MLR) approach combining previous lab data and the current data was used to identify the relative importance of individual water chemistry components in predicting acute Pb toxicity for both species. As anticipated, the P. promelas best-fit MLR model combined DOC, calcium and pH. Unexpectedly, in the C. dubiaMLR model the importance of pH, TCO2 and calcium was minimal while DOC and ionic strength were the controlling water quality variables. Adjusted R 2 values of 0.82 and 0.64 for the P. promelas and C. dubia models, respectively, are comparable to previously developed biotic ligand models for other metals.
DCG: an efficient, retargetable dynamic code generation system

Dynamic code generation allows aggressive optimization through the use of runtime information. Previous systems typically relied on ad hoc code generators that were not designed for retargetability, and did not shield the client from machine-specific details. We present a system, dcg, that allows clients to specify dynamically generated code in a machine-independent manner. Our one-pass code generator is easily retargeted and extremely efficient (code generation costs approximately 350 instructions per generated instruction). Experiments show that dynamic code generation increases some application speeds by over an order of magnitude.
The value of sampling anomalous taxa in phylogenetic studies: Major clades of the Asteraceae revealed

The largest family of flowering plants Asteraceae (Compositae) is found to contain 12 major lineages rather than five as previously suggested. Five of these lineages heretofore had been circumscribed in tribe Mutisieae (Cichorioideae), a taxon shown by earlier molecular studies to be paraphyletic and to include some of the deepest divergences of the family. Combined analyses of 10 chloroplast DNA loci by different phylogenetic methods yielded highly congruent well-resolved trees with 95% of the branches receiving moderate to strong statistical support. Our strategy of sampling genera identified by morphological studies as anomalous, supported by broader character sampling than previous studies, resulted in identification of several novel clades. The generic compositions of subfamilies Carduoideae, Gochnatioideae, Hecastocleidoideae, Mutisioideae, Pertyoideae, Stifftioideae, and Wunderlichioideae are novel in Asteraceae systematics and the taxonomy of the family has been revised to reflect only monophyletic groups. Our results contradict earlier hypotheses that early divergences in the family took place on and spread from the Guayana Highlands (Pantepui Province of northern South America) and raise new hypotheses about how Asteraceae dispersed out of the continent of their origin. Several nodes of this new phylogeny illustrate the vast differential in success of sister lineages suggesting focal points for future study of species diversification. Our results also provide a backbone exemplar of Asteraceae for supertree construction.
Introduction: Spatial Econometrics

In spatial econometrics, various topics have their own importance: specification, estimation and testing are the main building blocks of a spatial econometric model.
Pharmacologic/Mechanical Lytic Therapy for Occluded Dialysis Access

Pharmacological and mechanical lytic therapy is performed to treat occluded dialysis access. This chapter describes indications, essential steps, variations, and complications of this procedure. It provides a detailed template operative note for the procedure.