cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Socioeconomic Disparities in Carotid Revascularization Procedures.

Objectives Several studies have demonstrated healthcare disparities in postoperative outcomes after carotid endarterectomy and carotid artery stenting, including increased hospital mortality, postoperative stroke, and readmission rates. The objective of the present study was to examine the intersectionality between race/ethnicity, insurance status, and postoperative outcomes in carotid procedures. Design Records of adults from 2007 to 2014 were retrospectively identified, and patients with appropriate International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision Clinical Modification codes for carotid endarterectomy or carotid artery stenting were identified. Primary outcomes were unadjusted rates and adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of postoperative in-hospital mortality, stroke, combined stroke/mortality, and cardiovascular complications. Setting Data were sourced from the State Inpatient Databases data from California, Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, and New York during the years 2007 to 2014. Participants Patients undergoing carotid revascularization procedures. Interventions The effects of race and insurance status as independent variables and as effect modifiers on postoperative outcomes. Measurements and Main Results Multivariable logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between race and/or insurance status with respect to study outcomes. Race, but not payer status, was significantly associated with adverse outcomes after carotid artery procedures, with blacks, Hispanics, and other non-Caucasian races demonstrating a significantly greater risk of postoperative stroke and mortality (aOR range 1.24-1.59). This relationship persisted even when stratified by procedure type (aOR range 1.25-1.56) and symptomatology (aOR range 1.51-1.63). Conclusions These results suggest that disparities in postoperative outcomes after carotid artery procedures are associated with race but not with primary insurance status. Multiple contributing factors exist, including racial inequities in prevalence of comorbidities, health literacy, and procedure type performed.
Maternal Race/Ethnicity and Postpartum Diabetes Screening: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Introduction: Fifty percent of women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may progress to type 2 diabetes with highest risk among black women. This study aims to characterize postpartum diabete...
Joint Approach to Beam Optimization and User Association

Efficiently managed user-cell association is important for self-optimization of communication networks. Edge user performance and fairness of the service quality can be improved by offloading heavily loaded cells to neighboring cells. In this paper, an algorithm for joint optimization of antenna parameters with load balancing is presented to distribute users to cells while optimizing the antenna parameters. The proposed approach does not only change the serving range of each cell but also re-assign users to cells for effective system capacity. The performance evaluations show that the presented approach increases the edge user capacity by 27% compared to conventional approach.
P-014 Applications of a novel microangioscope for neuroendovascular intervention

Visualization in neuroendovascular interventions relies on biplanar fluoroscopy and digital subtraction. Radiation and contrast-related complications are the two major drawbacks. Angioscopy, direct endoluminal optical visualization, does not require radiation or contrast but has limited utility in neurointerventions due to limitations in size and stiffness. A recently developed microangioscope has the miniaturization and flexibility necessary to navigate small, tortuous intracranial vessels, allowing the practical use of neurovascular angioscopy for the first time. The prototype is a coherent fiber bundle microangioscope embedded in a 0.0165’ microcatheter. In human cadaveric experiments, that the microangioscope is compatible with the human intracranial vasculature beyond the Circle of Willis (eg. navigation into and visualization of the M2 origin). In in vivo swine model experiments, the microangioscope has adequate resolution and illumination to identify and differentiate between various intravascular pathologies (eg. red thrombus versus white thrombus). With flow arrest and irrigation, mechanical thrombectomy (both with stent retriever and direct aspiration), coil embolization, stent deployment, and balloon angioplasty were precisely performed under direct visualization with the microangioscope. After deployment, the microangioscope enables direct inspection of devices, providing complementary information to standard angiography. Imaging quality, illumination, and flexibility of the microangioscope progressively improved through modifications to the image bundle. Based on these results, the microangioscope is compatible with the human distal cerebrovasculature; it also provides adequate direct visualization for neurointerventions. Disclosures V. Srinivasan: None. T. Lazaro: None. P. Cooper: 5; C; Vena Medical, Inc. M. Phillips: 5; C; Vena Medical, Inc. R. Garcia: None. S. Chen: None. J. Johnson: None. J. Burkhardt: None. D. Collins: None. P. Kan: 2; C; Medtronic, Cerenovus.
Clinical laboratory role in viral pandemic response: Focus on COVID-19

Background: The global focus on COVID-19 provides a spotlight for the critical role of the clinical laboratory scientist in monitoring and managing pandemic disease. Laboratory management and the laboratory team must understand the signs, symptoms and routes of transmission of the pandemic infectious disease, ensure the safety of their employees, and determine the most effective testing methods for implementation in a rapid time frame. Methods: An examination of the current literature regarding characteristics of airborne viral outbreaks, safety practices, and emergency use testing methods were compiled. Results: The protection of laboratory employees is mediated by emergency preparedness plans prior to pandemic threats, insurance that personnel are vaccinated when possible and have appropriate PPE available; includes respirators or face masks. The primary method of early detection of novel pandemic viral threats, such as COVID-19, is molecular testing via nucleic acid extraction from patient specimens and rRT-PCR as indicated from the issuance of FDA Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) from February to April of 2020. Conclusions: Prior pandemics and standard laboratory practice have prepared clinical laboratories for mitigating the spread of disease among employees. NAAT (nucleic acid amplification testing) has emerged as the earliest testing modality for monitoring pandemic viral disease presence and other methods include viral culture, serological assays, and biomarker testing will be used to monitor progression and treatment. The clinical laboratory investigations and response to viral pandemics has the benefit of increasing our technical knowledge in handling future pandemic threats.
Implementation and Initial Evaluation of a Research and Scholarship Training Pathway in a Doctor of Pharmacy Curriculum.

Objective. To design, implement, and assess the initial impact of a pharmacy student research and scholarship training pathway. Methods. The Research and Scholarship in Pharmacy (RASP) pathway was designed to create a longitudinal, elective pathway within a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum at a single institution. The pathway consisted of three elective courses built around a faculty-mentored scholarly project where students framed an answerable question, generated and interpreted relevant data, and communicated their findings in oral and written form. Following implementation, a retrospective, multi-method analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of the program on the initial two student cohorts that completed it and assess their perceptions of the value of the pathway. Results. Fifty students (25 in each of two cohorts) completed the three-course sequence. Students were supported by 33 distinct faculty mentors. Thirty-eight (76%) students presented an abstract derived from their project at a national meeting. The first cohort exit survey (96% response rate) revealed positive student perceptions regarding the value of and satisfaction with the research pathway. Twenty-three (96%) students were satisfied with their research experience, 21 (88%) were satisfied with their faculty mentor, and 24 (100%) were satisfied with their development of project management skills. In the first cohort, 10 (40%) students published an original research manuscript within one year of graduation. Conclusion. The Research and Scholarship in Pharmacy pathway feasibly and effectively provided a mechanism for students to engage in a faculty-mentored longitudinal research experience within a PharmD curriculum that promoted skill development and opportunities for scholarship. Initial implementation demonstrated high rates of student satisfaction, low rates of student attrition, and high rates of scholarly output.
The Indigenous Shôjo: Transmedia Representations of Ainu Femininity in Japan’s Samurai Spirits, 1993–2019

Little scholarly attention has been given to the visual representations of the Ainu people in popular culture, even though media images have a significant role in forging stereotypes of indigeneity. This article investigates the role of representation in creating an accessible version of indigenous culture repackaged for Japanese audiences. Before the recent mainstream success of manga/anime Golden Kamuy (2014–), two female heroines from the arcade fighting game Samurai Spirits (Samurai supirittsu)—Nakoruru and her sister Rimururu—formed a dominant expression of Ainu identity in visual culture beginning in the mid-1990s. Working through the in-game representation of Nakoruru in addition to her larger mediation in the anime media mix, this article explores the tensions embodied in her character. While Nakoruru is framed as indigenous, her body is simultaneously represented in the visual language of the Japanese shojo, or “young girl.” This duality to her fetishized image cannot be reconciled and is critical to creating a version of indigenous femininity that Japanese audiences could easily consume. This paper historicizes various representations of indigenous Otherness against the backdrop of Japanese racism and indigenous activism in the late 1990s and early 2000s by analyzing Nakoruru’s official representation in the game franchise, including her appearance in a 2001 OVA, alongside fan interpretations of these characters in self-published comics (dojinshi) criticized by Ainu scholar Chupuchisekor.
Polanyi Symposium: A Conversation on Embeddedness

This conversation, transcribed from a conference in April 2002, is intended to illuminate current debates about the use and abuse of the embeddedness concept in economic sociology.
Re-Assessing Bridge Options in the Detroit-Windsor Corridor: Economics and Pragmatism Versus Politics

For the last decade, the Government of Canada has been determined to build a new bridge across the Detroit River – the busiest trade corridor on the Canada-United States border. This drive led Canada to agree in its 2012 “Crossing Agreement” with Michigan to basically finance the entire project and to take all of the financial risk related to its future operations. Yet, these blanket commitments may prove problematic as project costs estimates for its “Gordie Howe Bridge” project continue to grow. Official project estimates were re-set in April 2018 to C$4.8 million – 17% above the original C$4 billion budget. The proposed construction of the Gordie Howe Bridge comes at a time of significantly declining traffic volumes across the Canada-U.S. border. Traffic on the Ambassador Bridge, the main full service crossing in the Detroit-Windsor corridor, was down 44% between 2000-2017. With traffic stagnating, toll revenues are unlikely to grow in the years ahead. This paper lays out the issues around the Gordie Howe project and calculates the estimated required annual Canadian Government subsidy to the Bridge and related infrastructure. It compares three scenarios: status quo, a doubling of tolls, and a tripling of tolls. Under the most optimistic scenario, Canadian taxpayers, by the terms of the Crossing Agreement, will be required to subsidize the Gordie Howe Bridge a rate of US$100 million per year. The paper then assesses an alternative approach: embracing the proposal by the owners of the Ambassador Bridge to build a new privately funded span adjacent to the existing crossing. The estimated cost of achieving basically an equivalent outcome in infrastructure functionality would be C$420 million - less than one-tenth of the cost of the Gordie Howe project. Ultimately, the paper asks, how much is public ownership and control of a bridge worth? The paper concludes that the significant financial liabilities surrounding the Gordie Howe Bridge suggest that the project be shelved.
Women with Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Have Higher Odds of Midlife Stroke: The Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study.

Background: A history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) is associated with increased risk of future cardiovascular disease, including stroke. Few large U.S. population-based surveys included dat...
PREVENTING POSITIVE PORE WATER PRESSURES WITH A GEOCOMPOSITE CAPILLARY BARRIER DRAIN

The Geocomposite Capillary Barrier Drain (GCBD) has been developed and tested to prevent positive pore pressures from developing by laterally draining water while it is still in tension. The GCBD consists of two key layers that function as long as the water pressures in the system remain negative: (1) a transport layer that laterally drains water and (2) a capillary barrier layer that prevents water from moving downward. prototype GCBD systems have been tested in a 3 m long lateral drainage test apparatus. For most test conditions, the GCBD systems drained water under negative pressures at a rate sufficient to prevent any positive water pressures from developing in the overlying soil. Further, the drain system served as a barrier as it prevented downward flowing water from moving into the underlying soil.
Chastity and the Practice of the World in Hume's Treatise

Commentaries on the Treatise have not always been clear as to why Hume includes a discussion of the virtue of female chastity among the apparently different artificial virtues of justice, promises, and allegiance. Placing Hume's discussion of chastity within its specific historical location can illuminate its presence and role in Book 3 of the Treatise and demonstrate how chastity is a virtue of social utility. An examination of the "practice of the world" can show how female chastity was a necessary virtue for the emerging "middling" classes of the eighteenth century in their pursuit of economic stability and social status.
PRAM optimization using an evolutionary algorithm

PRAM (Post Randomization Method) was introduced in 1997 but it is still one of the least used methods in statistical categorical data protection. This fact is because of the difficulty to obtain a good transition matrix in order to obtain a good protection. In this paper, we describe how to obtain a better protection using an evolutionary algorithm with integrated information loss and disclosure risk measures to find the best matrix. We also provide experiments using a real dataset of 1000 records in order to empirically evaluate the application of this technique.
Steroid Receptors in Breast Tumors—Current Status

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the role of several hormones and their receptors in breast cancer tissues and examines mechanisms of control. Breast cancer is often hormone-responsive because growth or regression of tumors can often be modulated by appropriate endocrine manipulations. Estrogen and progesterone appear to be the major hormones involved in the regulation of breast tumor growth. The inference that each hormone acts independently through its receptor to control tumor growth is belied by the current studies showing that certain hormones are capable of regulating the receptor sites, metabolism, or nuclear translocation of others. This may begin to explain the complex hormonal interactions and the requirements of normal and neoplastic breast tissues. Considerable progress has, thus, been made in understanding the basis for success of various ablative therapies. Many of the studies on hormone-dependent breast carcinoma employ animal models, particularly carcinogen-induced rat mammary tumors, which regress after endocrine ablative surgery. The chapter discusses the relevance of these animal models to the clinical problem of human breast cancer. It illustrates the physiological principles of hormone action in breast cancer tissue so that an appreciation of the mechanism of endocrine-induced breast tumor regression will develop. Such an understanding should lead to a more rational approach for selecting or rejecting endocrine therapy for advanced breast cancer patients.
CO2 Production from Galactose in Galactose-1-Phosphate Uridyl Transferase-Deficient Escherichia coli

Escherichia coli K-12 deficient in galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase is capable of converting significant amounts of d-[1- 14 C]galactose to 14 CO 2 , whereas strains deficient in other enzymes of the Leloir pathway cannot do so. Images
Flavonoid Effects Relevant to Cancer

Flavonoids, such as daidzein and genistein, present in dietary plants like soybean, have unique chemical properties with biological activity relevant to cancer. Many flavonoids and polyphenols, including resveratrol in red wine and epigallocatechin gallate in green tea, are known antioxidants. Some of these compounds have estrogenic (and antiestrogenic) activity and are commonly referred to as phytoestrogens. A yeast-based estrogen receptor (ER) reporter assay has been used to measure the ability of flavonoids to bind to ER and activate estrogen responsive genes. Recently, estrogenic compounds were also shown to trigger rapid, nongenomic effects. The molecular mechanisms, however, have not been completely detailed and little information exists regarding their relevance to cancer progression. As a preliminary step toward elucidating rapid phytoestrogen action on breast cancer cells, we investigated the effect of 17-beta estradiol (E2), genistein, daidzein and resveratrol on the activation status of signaling proteins that regulate cell survival and invasion, the cell properties underlying breast cancer progression. The effect of these estrogenic compounds on the activation, via phosphorylation, of Akt/protein kinase B (Akt) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) were analyzed in ER-positive and -negative human breast cancer cell lines. E2, genistein and daidzein increased whereas resveratrol decreased both Akt and FAK phosphorylation in nonmetastatic ER-positive T47D cells. In metastatic ER-negative MDA-MB-231 cells, all estrogenic compounds tested increased Akt and FAK phosphorylation. The inhibitory action of resveratrol on cell survival and proliferation is ER dependent. Therefore, all estrogenic compounds tested, including resveratrol, may exert supplementary ER-independent nongenomic effects on cell survival and migration in breast cancer cells.
Reliability in one-repetition maximum performance in people with Parkinson's disease.

Strength training is an effective modality to improve muscular strength and functional performance in people with Parkinson's disease (PWP). One-repetition maximum (1-RM) is the gold standard assessment of strength; however, PWP suffer from day-to-day variations in symptom severity and performance characteristics, potentially adversely affecting the reliability of 1-RM performance. Herein, we assessed the reliability of 1-RM in PWP. Forty-six participants completed two sessions of 1-RM testing of knee extension, knee flexion, chest press, and biceps curl at least 72 hours apart. Significantly differences between testing sessions were identified for knee extension (P 0.90) was also identified between sessions. Interestingly, almost third of subjects failed to perform better on the second testing session. These findings suggest that 1-RM testing can be safely performed in PWP and that disease-related daily variability may influence 1-RM performance.
Controversies in translational research: drug self-administration

Rationale Laboratory animal and human models of drug self-administration are used to evaluate potential pharmacotherapies for drug abuse, yet the utility of these models in predicting clinically useful medications is variable.
Plant Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases

Abstract Plant systems utilize a diverse array of cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) in their biosynthetic and detoxification pathways. The classic forms of these enzymes are heme-dependent mixed function oxidases that utilize NADPH or NADH and molecular oxygen to produce functionalized organic products. The nonclassical forms are monooxygenases that either do not utilize flavoproteins for dioxygen activation or fail to incorporate molecular oxygen into their final product. Biosynthetic P450s play paramount roles in the synthesis of lignin intermediates, sterols, terpenes, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, furanocoumarins, and a variety of other secondary plant products. Other catabolic P450s metabolize toxic herbicides and insecticides into nontoxic products or, conversely, activate nontoxic substances into toxic products. Biochemical and molecular characterizations on a number of plant P450s have indicated that the relationships between these heme proteins and their substrates are at least as complex as th...
The use of thermogravimetry to follow the rate of evaporation of an ingredient used in perfumes

Ingredients used in the manufacture of perfumes can be investigated by thermogravimetry. In this study the evaporation of methyl benzoate was investigated using a simultaneous TG-DTA unit. A rising temperature method of thermal analysis was used for the study. The rate of evaporation of the ingredient was calculated from a simple plot of percentage mass lossvs. time. A derivative plot of the same was used to calculate the coefficient of evaporation in a controlled atmosphere and regulated air flow rate. In a series of programmed temperature runs on the TGDTA unit it was shown that the evaporation process is zero order, and that the evaporation coefficients at each temperature can be fitted into the Arrhenius equation. The energy of activation, Eact can be calculated from the slope of the line. It was found to be 47 kJ mol−1. This value was compared and shown to approach the enthalpy of vaporization as calculated using the Troutons or Clausius Clapeyron equation
Establishment of an immortal turkey turbinate cell line suitable for avian metapneumovirus propagation

Until recently, there has not been a homologous avian cellular substrate which could continuously produce high titer avian metapneumovirus (AMPV); development of such a cell line should provide an excellent model system for studying AMPV infection. We have established a non-tumorigenic immortal turkey turbinate cell line (TT-1) to propagate sufficiently high AMPV titers. Currently, immortal TT-1 cells are growing continuously at 1.2-1.4 population doublings per day and are at passage 160. Kinetic analysis suggests that AMPV can infect and replicate more rapidly in TT-1 compared to Vero cells, although both cell types undergo apoptosis upon infection. The non-tumorigenic, reverse transcriptase negative TT-1 cell line can serve as an excellent homologous cellular substrate for virus propagation.
Daily Alcohol Use and Romantic Relationship Functioning: Evidence of Bidirectional, Gender-, and Context-Specific Effects

Whether beneficial or harmful, cause or effect, the nature of associations between drinking and close relationship processes remains unclear. The present study examined these issues by using daily reports of alcohol use and relationship functioning from 69 heterosexual couples over 3 weeks. Multilevel modeling indicated that alcohol had both positive and negative effects on relationship processes and that effects were more positive for women, and when small amounts were consumed, partners drank together, or they consumed similar amounts. Interestingly, however, positive effects on intimacy and partner behaviors were not mediated by sexual contact. In the reverse direction, women were found to drink more than men in response to relationship difficulties and feeling disconnected from their partner (i.e., low intimacy). Overall findings indicate that associations between drinking and relationship processes are complex and bidirectional and that they may be more important for women than men.
Getting the urine to the lab: time to think outside of the specimen cup.

Rucker and colleagues examine the relationship between distance to a nephrologist and the likelihood of seeing a nephrologist. They demonstrate that increasing distance from a nephrologist has a ‘protective effect' against seeing a nephrologist and is associated with a greater risk of hospitalization, a longer hospitalization, and a greater mortality risk. Implications of these associations as well as the mechanisms supporting them are explored.
Would you mind being watched by machines? Privacy concerns in data mining

Data mining is not an invasion of privacy because access to data is only by machines, not by people: this is the argument that is investigated here. The current importance of this problem is developed in a case study of data mining in the USA for counterterrorism and other surveillance purposes. After a clarification of the relevant nature of privacy, it is argued that access by machines cannot warrant the access to further information, since the analysis will have to be made either by humans or by machines that understand. It concludes that the current data mining violates the right to privacy and should be subject to the standard legal constraints for access to private information by people.
Taking aim at protein translation in AML.

In this issue of Blood , Tamburini and colleagues have studied the regulation of protein translation control in primary AML cells and describe a mTORC1-independent mechanism of regulation of the translation initiation complex that can be targeted with 4EGI-1, a small molecule inhibitor of translation, leading to death of the cells.[1][1] This and other recent studies add to a growing body of evidence that AML cells have a critical dependence on active protein translation, which may provide an Achilles' heel for the tumor cells that can be targeted therapeutically. [1]: #ref-1
Changes in a surface-labelled galactoprotein and in glycolipid concentrations in cells transformed by a temperature-sensitive polyoma virus mutant.

IN hamster cells transformed by a temperature-sensitive mutant of polyoma virus we have found that the external label in a galactoprotein disappears and the cellular concentration of lactosylceramide increases when the cells are grown at the permissive temperature. These changes can be reversed at the non-permissive temperature.
Circular dichroism of α-deuteriophenylethanes

Abstract CD measurements on a series of α-deuteriophenylethanes (1) which owe their chirality solely to deuterium substitution show that all compounds of related configuration display positive Cotton effects with pronounced fine structure for the 1 L b band of benzene (240–270 nm), as do the configurationally related chiral 1-substituted phenylethanes (2) where the α-substituent is N, O or halogen. From a discussion of conformational preferences and a quadrant sector rule, the sign of the Cotton effects permits conclusions to be drawn regarding the confomational equilibrium in α-deuteriophenylethanes.
Temperature-sensitive switch from composite poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) sponge gels

Thermally sensitive polymers change their properties with a change in environmental temperature in a predictable and pronounced way. These changes can be expected in drug delivery systems, solute separation, enzyme immobilization, energy-transducer processes, and photosensitive materials. We have demonstrated a thermal-sensitive switch module, which is capable of converting thermal into mechanical energy. We employed this module in the control of liquid transfer. The thermally sensitive switch was prepared by cross-linking poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) gel inside the pores of a sponge to generate the composite PNIPAAm/sponge gel. This gel, contained in a polypropylene tube, was inserted into a thermoelectric module equipped with a fine temperature controller. As the water flux through the composite gel changes from 0 to 6.6 x 10{sup 2} L m{sup -2} h, with a temperature change from 23 to 40 degrees C, we can reversibly turn on and off the thermally sensitive switch.
Recognizing the sex of a walker from a dynamic point-light display

The sex of human walkers can be recognized without familiarity cues from displays of pointlight sources mounted on major joints. Static versions of these abstract displays do not permit accurate recognition of sex. Variation in the degree of armswing or in walking speed generally interferes with recognition, except that faster speeds are associated somewhat with improved recognition of females. Lights on upper-body joints permit more accurate guesses than do Lights on lower-body joints, but identification is possible even from minimal displays, with lights placed only on the ankles. No feedback was given to observers. Confidence judgments of sex relate to the accuracy of responses in a manner that suggests that viewers know what they are doing.
Relation of Increment Thresholds to Brightness and Luminance

Under ordinary conditions, both the brightness and the increment threshold of an illuminated disk vary directly with its luminance. However, when the disk is surrounded by an annulus more intense than the disk, the brightness of the disk decreases while its luminance remains unchanged.This set of experiments was performed to determine whether, when brightness is varied independently of luminance, the increment threshold depends upon the luminance or upon the brightness of the disk, or upon both factors. We measured the increment threshold for a flash added to the center of a large illuminated disk when the disk was surrounded by a contiguous annulus whose luminance could be varied. Measurements were also taken of the increment threshold as a function of time after the onset of the annulus. Correcting for light scattered in the eye, we found the increment threshold under all conditions to be independent of the luminance of the annulus (and thus independent of the brightness of the region), and dependent only upon the retinal illuminance of the region to which the test flash was added. It is concluded that brightness and the increment threshold cannot depend upon the same properties of the visual system.
The role of the 5-HT4 receptor in Cl- secretion in human jejunal mucosa.

Abstract 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is a mediator of chloride ion (Cl−) secretion in the intestine which can be seen as a rise in short circuit current (ISC) in the Ussing chamber model. We investigated the 5-HT receptor mediating 5-HT-induced Cl− secretion in the human jejunum in vitro. Jejunal segments obtained from patients having gastric bypass surgery for obesity, were stripped of muscularis and mounted in Ussing chambers and short-circuited. The 5-HT receptor agonist-induced change (Δ) in ISC was recorded in the presence and absence of 5-HT receptor antagonists. The rank order of agonist potency was: 5-HT > 5-methoxytryptamine > renzapride (BRL 24924) > α-methyl-5-HT > > 2-methyl-5-HT. In the presence of Cl−-free media or 100 μM furosemide, 5-HT-induced ΔISC was significantly reduced. It was also antagonized by ≥ 1 μM tropisetron (a 5-HT3/5-HT4 receptor antagonist) and ≥ 10 nM GR 113808 (a selective 5-HT4 receptor antagonist) with pA2 values of 6.5 and 7.9, respectively. Another 5-HT4 receptor antagonist, SC 53606 (0.1 μM), antagonized the 5-HT-induced response with a pA2 of 7.3. 5-HT1-like/5-HT2 (methysergide), 5-HT1P [N-acetyl-5-hydroxytryptophyl 5-hydroxytryptophan amide (5-HTP-DP)], 5-HT2A (ketanserin) and 5-HT3 (ondansetron) receptor antagonists and tetrodotoxin, had no significant effect on the EC50 for 5-HT. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that in the human muscle-stripped jejunum in vitro, 5-HT induced change in short circuit current is mediated by a 5-HT4 receptor via a non-neural pathway.
Tumour suppression: something for nothing?

Increasing the activity of the p53 tumour suppressor in mice protects them from cancer, but this has also been associated with an unwanted side effect, specifically, premature ageing. However, a new strain of 'super p53' mice are resistant to cancer but age gracefully, suggesting that protection from cancer doesn't always come at a price.
Selecting Maritime Disaster Response Capabilities

Using a structured, qualitative evaluation schema complemented by expert rating, we evaluate the capabilities and utility of ships in the United States Navy and United States Military Sealift inventory. We find that there are specific types of vessels with significant disaster response utility and recommend a flotilla type that would be best suited for these types of operations. Utilizing an exploratory framework that evaluates three diverse disaster cases, we scale the utility of each vessel using subject matter experts. This work should be of interest to national policy-makers as well as international governing bodies and leaders of naval institutions for its recommendations on the type of ships most useful for contributing to effective disaster response. The capabilities identified in this research are found in various naval and maritime organizations throughout the world, and this work can help assist those organizations identify the types of capabilities that are most useful in the event of a disaster. DOI: 10.12660/joscmv6n2p40-58 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.12660/joscmv6n2p40-58
RAMP: accelerating wireless sensor hardware design with a reconfigurable analog/mixed-signal platform

The requirements of many wireless sensing applications approach, or even exceed, the limited hardware capabilities of energy-constrained sensing platforms. To achieve such demanding requirements, some sensing platforms have included low-power application-specific hardware---at the expense of generality---to pre-process the sensor data for reduction to only the relevant information. While this additional hardware can save power by reducing the activity of the microcontroller and radio, a unique hardware solution is required for each application, which presents an unrealistic burden in terms of design time, cost, and ease of integration. To diminish these burdens, we present a reconfigurable analog/mixed-signal sensing platform in this work. At the hardware-level, this platform consists of a reconfigurable integrated circuit containing many commonly used signal-processing blocks and circuit components that can be connected in any configuration. At the software level, this platform provides a framework for abstracting this underlying hardware. We demonstrate how to quickly develop new applications on this platform, ranging from standard sensor interfacing techniques to more complicated intelligent pre-processing and wake-up detection. We also demonstrate how to integrate this platform with commonly used wireless sensor nodes and embedded-system platforms.
Multiple antiferromagnet/ferromagnet interfaces as a probe of grain-size-dependent exchange bias in polycrystalline Co/Fe50Mn50

Abstract We have used ferromagnet/antiferromagnet/ferromagnet trilayers and ferromagnet/antiferromagnet multilayers to probe the grain size dependence of exchange bias in polycrystalline Co/Fe 50 Mn 50 . X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy show that the Fe 50 Mn 50 (FeMn) grain size increases with increasing FeMn thickness in the Co (30 A)/FeMn system. Hence, in Co(30 A)/FeMn( t AF A)/Co(30 A) trilayers the two Co layers sample different FeMn grain sizes at the two antiferromagnet/ferromagnet interfaces. For FeMn thicknesses above 100 A, where simple bilayers have a thickness-independent exchange bias, we are therefore able to deduce the influence of FeMn grain size on the exchange bias and coercivity (and their temperature dependence) simply by measuring trilayer and multilayer samples with varying FeMn thicknesses. This can be done while maintaining the (1 1 1) orientation, and with little variation in interface roughness. Increasing the average grain size from 90 to 135 A results in a fourfold decrease in exchange bias, following an inverse grain size dependence. We interpret the results as being due to a decrease in uncompensated spin density with increasing antiferromagnet grain size, further evidence for the importance of defect-generated uncompensated spins.
Boron Clusters in Liquid Crystals

Abstract 3-Dimensional aromatic moiety was used for the first time in the synthesis of liquid crystals. Several of the prepared compounds, based on σ- aromatic boron clusters 1 and 2, show only nematic mesophases with relatively high Ti, good electrochemical but limited thermal stability. Absorption and emission spectra of pyridine derivative 15 are reported. Semiempirical methods were employed in evaluation of molecular properties and design of molecules with large coaxial dipole moments.
Laboratory and Greenhouse Evaluation of Quicklime Sources for Suitability as Agricultural Liming Materials

Abstract Quicklime or burnt lime (CaO), is a highly soluble liming material recognized as an acceptable means for neutralization of acid soils in the United States. Blending CaO and MgO with agricultural lime (CaCO3) may prove an alternative to ground agricultural limestone for raising soil pH and providing fertilizer Ca and Mg for crop growth. The objectives of this study were to determine the chemical properties of several CaO, MgO, and CaCO3 liming blends compared to carbonate limestones, and analyze their respective effects on soil solution chemistry and shoot yield of a sorghum-sudangrass hybrid grown under greenhouse conditions. Three formulations of oxide liming materials (CaO, CaO + CaCO3, and CaO + MgO + CaCO3) were evaluated in the laboratory to determine their respective effectiveness as soil amendments compared to two dolomitic limestones (ground and pelletized) and reagent-grade calcium hydroxide [Ca(OH)2]. A 150-day incubation study was conducted to determine the effects of liming materials ...
"Units of comparison" across languages, across time

Lardiere's keynote article adverts to a succession of `units of comparison' that have been employed in the study of cross-linguistic differences, including mid-twentieth-century structural patterns, generative grammar's parameters, and (within contemporary Minimalism) features. This commentary expands on the idea of units of cross-linguistic comparison, first by developing Lardiere's observations about recent scholarship and, second, by identifying some earlier reflexes of the notion. I close by suggesting that thinking about `units of comparison' across time prepares us to better appreciate a feature-based conceptualization of L2 acquisition, and its likely trajectory.
Characteristics of treeline plant communities in Alaska

The treeline in Alaska is usually mapped as the limit of white spruce Picea glauca (Moench) Voss along the south slope of the Brooks Range and in western Alaska and as the limit of Sitka spruce Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. on Kodiak Island and in the Alaska Peninsula. In some localities black spruce Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P. and paper birch Betula papyrifera Marsh. form components of the treeline community with white spruce. Of special interest are the groves of balsam poplar Populus balsamifera L. occurring on the north slope of the Brooks Range and to the west and southwest of the spruce treeline. There is some question as to whether trees survived in unglaciated portions of Alaska during the last glacial period. Spruce trees became prevalent about 10000 yr ago and may still be expanding to their climatic limits. In some areas of Alaska the treeline was more expanded during the Hypsithermal period than it is at present, but in other regions evidence for such an expansion is lacking. Treeline in some areas seems to have been stable for the last several centuries, but is has been expanding rapidly for the last 40 yr in central and western Alaska and for a longer period on Kodiak Island.
Screening for diabetes.

Abstract The possibility of performing large numbers of blood glucose tests which automation makes available reopens questions about the propriety and priority of screening in this way for diabetes mellitus. Problems in definition of the disease in its early stages and doubt as to the value of early specific intervention with the therapy currently available both suggest exercising caution in the groups of persons to which this testing should be extended.
Efficacy of Do-It-Yourself Whitening as Compared to Conventional Tooth Whitening Modalities: An In Vitro Study

Clinical Relevance Professionally applied in-office whitening, professionally dispensed patient-applied home whitening, and the use of an over-the-counter product are effective in changing tooth color toward a lighter shade, whereas do-it-yourself whitening is not an effective tooth whitening modality.
Deporting fathers: Involuntary transnational families and intent to remigrate among salvadoran deportees

One-fourth of deportees from the United States are parents of US-citizen children. We do not know how separation from families affects remigration among deportees, who face high penalties given unlawful reentry. We examined how family separation affects intent to remigrate among Salvadoran deportees. The majority of deportees with children in the United States were also separated from their spouse, and the vast majority had US-citizen children. Family separation was the single most important factor affecting intent to remigrate. We interpret these findings in light of immigration policy debates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Differential elimination of radioiodine from single- and double-stranded 125I-DNA.

[125I]Iododeoxyuridyl residues in heat-denatured I-DNA underwent deiodination in solutions of sodium bisulfite. In 0.5 M bisulfite containing 1 M trimethylamine, 92% of the iodine was released from denatured DNA in 2.5 min at 60°C. By contrast iodine in native I-DNA remained stably bound under the same condition. The deiodination of [125I]I-deoxyuridine residues incorporated by enzymatic copying of oligomers 60 nucleotides in length was found to be pairing dependent. While 125I in iododeoxyuridine paired to deoxyadenosine in a complementary oligomer remained 90% covalently bound in the presence of 1 M bisulfite at 60°C, when the iodouridylate residue was mismatched > 96% was eliminated in 4 min. The presence of mismatches in the two nucleotides adjacent to a [125I]iododeoxyuridine/deoxyadenosine pair increased the elimination of iodine. The results indicate that the deiodination reaction might be applied for the rapid detection of variations in natural DNA sequences.
The Role of Whirlpool in Wound Care

Evidenced-based-wound management continues to be a cornerstone for advancing patient care. The purpose of this article is to review the use of whirlpool as a wound treatment in light of evidence, outcomes, and potential harm. Whirlpool was initially harnessed as a means to impart biophysical energy to a wound or burn to enhance mechanical debridement and cleansing. Other credible single-patient-use technologies which provide an alternative to whirlpool in wound care are presented.
In situ immunocytochemical evidence that a homolog of protein translation elongation factor EF-1alpha is associated with microtubules in carrot cells

Evidence indicates that elongation factor-1α (EF-1α), a ubiquitous and abundant protein factor involved in the first step of peptide elongation, is also associated with the cytoskeleton in a variety of organisms. Although the effects of these associations on EF-1α's translational function have not been examined, the associations do appear to result in non-passive effects on the cytoskeleton. A carrot homolog of EF-1α, pp 50, has been reported to interact with microtubules in vitro, inducing the formation of microtubule bundles that can be dissociated by Ca2+/calmodulin. The characterization of anti-pp 50 antibodies is reported here. Immunocytochemistry, using anti-pp 50 and anti-tubulin antibodies, was used to investigate the co-localization of pp 50 and microtubules in situ. In carrot protoplasts fixed after detergent lysis, at least a fraction of pp 50 appears to be associated with microtubules. Treatment of such protoplasts with amiprophos-methyl (APM) reduced both the presence of microtubules and the co-localizing pp 50-associated fluorescence. In taxol-treated protoplasts, increases in both microtubules and the colocalizing pp 50-associated fluorescence were observed. When carrot protoplasts were fixed prior to detergent extraction, confocal laser scanning microscopy likewise revealed co-localization. Furthermore, what is likely to be a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between fluorochromes associated with anti-pp 50 and anti-tubulin reporters was observed, indicating that some pp 50 is intimately associated with microtubules. The in situ cytoarchitectural evidence is consistent with a function previously proposed for pp 50 based on in vitro experiments — that pp 50 is a plant microtubuleassociated protein (MAP) whose function can be modulated by a Ca2+/calmodulin signal transduction mechanism in plant cells.
Mercury concentrations in Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears: Variation based on stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen

Total Hg concentration was measured in hair and whole blood of 52 adult Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus) captured in the spring of 2005. Stable isotopic signatures (i.e., 13C/12C, delta13C; 15N/14N, delta15N) in hair and two blood compartments (packed blood cells/clot and serum) were determined to assess the variation of Hg concentrations among polar bears in relation to their feeding ecology and other biological factors. Concentrations of Hg in hair and blood (2.2-23.9 microg/g dry wt and 0.007-0.213 microg/g wet wt, respectively) were within the range of values previously reported for polar bears in Canada and East Greenland. Mercury concentration in hair from females was higher than that in hair from males, and concentration was related to interactions between delta13C, delta15N, and longitude of capture location. Mercury concentrations in hair were inversely correlated to delta13C in hair and blood, suggesting that polar bears with greater total Hg concentrations fed more on pelagic prey, such as ringed seals or beluga whale, than on benthic prey. Variability in Hg concentrations in polar bear hair and blood may be the result of intraspecific or regional variation in prey selection rather than strictly trophic level interactions.
Role of the Functional Groups of Complexing Agents in Copper Slurries

We investigate the role of -NH 2 and -COOH functional groups of complexing agents in H 2 O 2 -based slurries in controlling copper (Cu) removal rates. Slurries containing complexing agents with two of the same functional groups (succinic acid: HOOC-CH 2 CH 2 -COOH, ethylene diamine: H 2 N-CH 2 CH 2 -NH 2 ) and a complexing agent containing one each of the functional groups (β-alanine: H 2 N-CH 2 CH 2 -COOH), all with the same carbon chain length, were investigated. Along with dissolution and disk polish experiments, potential-pH diagrams were constructed for these three systems in the presence of H 2 O. The dissolution and polish rates are consistent with the known activity of carboxylic acids (with -COOH groups) at acidic conditions and that of amines (with -NH 2 groups) in an alkaline environment. The observed trends in the removal rates with all these slurries are explained using potential-pH diagrams, UV/visible spectra, and electrochemical experiments. When compared to glycine (H 2 N-CH 2 -COOH), β-alanine (H 2 N-CH 2 CH 2 -COOH) produced higher removal rates at acidic pH values and lower removal rates at alkaline pH values. Finally, succinic acid and β-alanine-based slurries were found to result in lower dissolution rates and higher polish rates compared to glycine-based slurries at pH 4.