cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sexually dimorphic, androgen sensitive, enkephalinergic afferents to a lumbar motor nucleus of rats.

In male rats, methionine-enkephalin immunoreactivity (enkephalin-ir) has been observed in the dorsal lateral nucleus (DLN), a longitudinal pool of motoneurons in the lumbar spinal cord. Within the DLN a mediodorsal crescent of intense enkephalin-ir staining surrounds the motoneurons innervating the ischiocavernosus muscle of the penis, which suggests a function of the enkephalinergic afferents in male copulatory activities. The present study attempted to determine the roles of gender and adult exposure to androgen in shaping the striking subnuclear distribution of enkephalin-ir. Transverse sections through L5–6 were obtained from mature male and female rats that were gonadally intact, gonadectomized, or gonadectomized and treated with testosterone, as well as from male rats genetically deficient in androgen receptors (Tfm). The sections were incubated with primary antiserum raised against methionine enkephalin and bound antibodies were visualized using the avidin-biotin peroxidase technique. A microphotometer was used to compare the staining density in laminae I-II of the dorsal horn, ventral grey matter, and the DLN. In all groups the DLN stained more darkly than the ventral grey, demonstrating the presence of enkephalin-ir in the DLN regardless of gender or exposure to androgen. However, the mediodorsal crescent of dense staining in the DLN was obvious only in gonadally intact males, while the entire DLN stained darkly in both sexes of gonadectomized rats treated with androgen. Therefore, the preferential distribution of enkephalin-ir in the mediodorsal crescent of the DLN is sexually dimorphic though the overall content of enkephalin-ir within the DLN responds to androgen.
When It Rains, It Pours: Future Climate Extremes and Health

Background: The accelerating accumulation of greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere is changing global environmental conditions in unprecedented and potentially irreversible ways. Climate change poses a host of challenges to the health of populations through complex direct and indirect mechanisms. The direct effects include an increased frequency of heat waves, rising sea levels that threaten low-lying communities, anticipated extremes in the global hydrologic cycle (droughts, floods, and intense storms), and adverse effects on agricultural production and fisheries due to environmental stressors and changes in land use. Indirectly, climate change is anticipated to threaten health by worsening urban air pollution and increasing rates of infectious (particularly waterborne and vector-borne) disease transmission. Objective: To provide a state-of-the-science review on the health consequences of a changing climate. Findings: Environmental public health researchers have concluded that, on balance, adverse health outcomes will dominate under these changed climatic conditions. The number of pathways through which climate change can affect the health of populations makes this environmental health threat one of the largest and most formidable of the new century. Geographic location plays an influential role the potential for adverse health effects caused by climate change, and certain regions and populations are more vulnerable than others to expected health effects. Two kinds of strategies are available for responding to climate change: mitigation policies (which aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions) and adaptation measures (relating to preparedness for anticipated impacts). Conclusions: To better understand and address the complex nature of health risks posed by climate change, interdisciplinary collaboration is critical. Efforts to move beyond our current reliance on fossil fuels to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources may offer some of the greatest health opportunities in more than a century and cobenefits beyond the health sector. Because the nations least responsible for climate change are most vulnerable to its effects, the challenge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is not merely technical, but also moral.
A light and electron microscopic study of the heart of a crayfish, Procambarus clarkii (giraud). I. histology and histochemistry†

The adventitia of the crayfish heart consists of about five layers of uninucleated cells that often contain large amounts of glycogen. The outer and inner boundaries of the adventitia are represented by amorphous, homogeneous layers that are rich in neutral and acidic carbohydrates. The myocardium has a trabeculated appearance, due to the branching and anastomosing of the muscle cells. Studies on the localization of various oxidative enzymes show that the mitochondria are contained principally in the cell periphery and the myofibrils in the cell core. Intercalated discs appear as dark, irregular lines that traverse the muscle cell at a level that corresponds to that of a Z band. The myocardial cells branch and radiate from loci that are formed either by a single stellate cell or by the common end-to-end junctions (intercalated discs) of several cells. The function of these loci is discussed. The local cardiac nervous system consists of a Y-shaped ganglionic trunk that contains eight large anterior and eight small posterior nerve cells.
The membrane disordering effect of ethanol on neural crest cells in vitro and the protective role of GM1 ganglioside.

Abstract The teratogenic effect of ethanol appears to be related to excessive cell death in selected cell populations including craniofacial neural crest. Because there is a large body of evidence suggesting that a primary site of action of ethanol is at the membrane level, the current study was designed to examine and attempt to ameliorate ethanol-induced neural crest cell membrane changes that preceed cell death. To this end, neural crest cells were grown as primary cultures from mouse cranial neural tube explants. In these cultured cells, the relationships between changes in membrane lipid lateral mobility (a measure of membrane fluidity) as determined using the technique of fluorescence recovery after photobleaching (FRAP), ethanol-induced cell death, and the protective role of GM1 ganglioside were examined. A dose-response study showed that treatment with 50, 100, 150, or 200 mM ethanol, respectively, for 24 h was positively correlated with membrane lipid lateral mobility and negatively correlated with cell viability. Pre- or cotreatment of the cells with GM1 ganglioside diminished the ethanol-induced increases in membrane fluidity and decreases in cell viability. The results of this study suggest that change in membrane fluidity can account, in part, for ethanol-induced neural crest cell death and that the protection conferred by GM1 ganglioside may result from membrane stabilization and subsequent preservation of the biophysical properties and biological function of the ethanol-exposed cell membranes.
X-ray Absorption and EPR Studies on the Copper Ions Associated with the Particulate Methane Monooxygenase from Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath). Cu(I) Ions and Their Implications

Parallel X-ray absorption edge and EPR studies of the particulate methane monooxygenase in situ reveal that the enzyme contains unusually high levels of copper ions with a significant portion of th...
Cultural Diversity in Nursing Education: Perils, Pitfalls, and Pearls

Increasing diversity in the classroom challenges nursing educators to identify issues that complicate teaching (perils), analyze barriers for themselves and their students (pitfalls), and select new strategies for working with nontraditional students (pearls). This article identifies concerns arising from attitudes and values within nursing and common approaches to diversity education, and then discusses key issues in nursing education that relate to human nature, culture, faculty workload, and student demographics. Finally, some strategies are proposed for increasing the effectiveness of professional preparation with diverse students through a focus on culturally congruent education and development of faculty cultural competence.
Factors underlying variation in receipt of physician advice on diet and exercise: applications of the behavioral model of health care utilization.

Abstract Purpose. To identify factors associated with receipt of physician advice on diet and exercise, including patient sociodemographic characteristics, health-related needs, and health care access, using Andersen's model of health care utilization. Design. A cross-sectional analysis was performed using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Setting. NHIS data were collected through personal household interviews by Census interviewers. The overall response rate for the 2000 NHIS adult sample was 82.6%. Subjects. Subjects were a representative sample of the American civilian, noninstitutionalized population aged 18 and older. After eliminating missing data and respondents who reported they did not see a doctor in the past 12 months, sample sizes for physician advice on diet and exercise were n = 26,255 and n = 26,158, respectively. Measures. Using the 2000 NHIS, the prevalence of receipt of physician advice on diet and exercise was assessed. Multiple logistic regression analyses wer...
Accuracy of liquid-based Pap tests: comparison of concurrent liquid-based tests and cervical biopsies on 782 women with previously abnormal Pap smears.

Objective To evaluate the diagnostic performance of a liquid-based Pap test, the ThinPrep Pap test (TP) (Cytyc Corp., Roxborough, allassachusetts, U.S.A.), by comparing concurrent TP and cervical biopsy results on 782 patients who were referred for colponcopy because of previously abnormal conventional Pap smears (CPs). Study Design The ability of TP diagnoses of atypical cells of undetermined significance (ASC-US) and squamous intraepithelial lesions (SILs) to predict biopsy diagnoses of cervical intraepithelial neoplasm (CIN) was analyzed using X 2 and McNemar tests. Results The rate of agreement between diagnoses of SIL by TP and CEN by biopsy was 74.7%. ASC-US accounted for 16.0% of TP diagnoses. ASC-US had biopsy diagnoses of CIN 1 in 60% and CYN 2/3 in 12.8% of cases. For TP diagnosis of low grade SIL, biopsy diagnoses of CIN 2/3 were found in 13.5% of cases. For TP diagnoses of ASC-US and higher, the proportions of TP and cervical biopsies in comparable diagnostic categories were statistically significant (p < 0.001), with TP having sensitivity of 89.4%) and positive predictive value of 89.7% for the detection of CYN. The false positive rate for TP was 8.1%, but rescreening confirmed the presence of abnormal cells in 51 of 63 (81.0%) cases of ASC-US or higher having negative biopsies. TP bad a false negative late of 8.3% and negative predictive value of 61.3%. Rescreening shoved that most (77.6%) of the false negative TP specimens failed to have abnormal cells on the slides. Conclusion For patients having previously detected cervical abnormalities by CP, concurrent TP demonstrated the following: (1) that it has high diagnostic accuracy for SIL, (2) that ASC-US was diagnostically equivalent to LSIL, and (3) that false negative TP for SIL can be attributed primarily to sampling rather than cytotechnologists' screening errors.
THE N TERMINUS OF ANTIZYME PROMOTES DEGRADATION OF HETEROLOGOUS PROTEINS

Regulated degradation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is mediated by its association with the inducible protein antizyme. The N terminus of antizyme (NAZ), although unneeded for the interaction with ODC, must be present to induce degradation. We report here that covalently grafting NAZ to ODC confers lability that normally results from the non-covalent association of native antizyme and ODC. To determine whether NAZ could act similarly as a modular functional domain when grafted to other proteins, we fused it to a region of cyclin B (amino acids 13-90) capable of undergoing degradation or to cyclin B (amino acids 13-59), which is not subject to degradation. The association with NAZ made both NAZ-cyclin B13-90 and NAZ-cyclin B13-59 unstable. Furthermore, NAZ and cyclin B 13-59 were together able to induce in vitro degradation of Trypanosoma brucei ODC, a stable protein. The ODC-antizyme complex bound to the 26 S protease but not the 20 S proteasome, consistent with the observation that ODC degradation is mediated by the 26 S protease. The association was shown to be independent of NAZ, suggesting that NAZ does not act as a recognition signal.
Labor market flexibility and investment in human capital

We consider the eect of labor market rigidities on human capital accumulation and economic growth when some human capital is dicult to observe prior to employment. We distinguish between two types of human capital, those that formal schooling and test scores can measure (“knowledge”) and those that can be observed by employers only after a period of employment (“creativity”). We build a simple model to show when employers have limited discretion to set wages or terminate employment they favor the more reliable signals of “knowledge”, such as years of schooling and class rank, at the expense of “creativity”, which stands for non-testable skills. Individuals in rigid labor markets will therefore favor greater acquisition of knowledge at the expense of creativity, which results in distorted accumulation of human capital and lower growth. We explore the implications of our model for empirical issues in the literatures in education and growth, and for education policy. We show that accounting for labor market flexibility in cross country growth regressions provides an explanation for the observed low productivity of schooling in economic growth. A key policy implication of our model is that education reform in countries with rigid labor markets is unlikely to succeed unless it is combined with labor market reform that reduces distortions in the incentives for investments in human capital.
False normal von Willebrand factor activity by monoclonal antibody-based ELISA in a patient with type 2A(IID) von Willebrand disease.

False normal von Willebrand factor activity by monoclonal antibody-based ELISA in a patient with type 2A(IID) von Willebrand disease -
Damaged Goods: Exploring Predictors of Distress in Prison Inmates

Victimization is a significant part of the incarceration experience. In this study, we assessed the effects of victimization while incarcerated and pre-existing conditions on prisoners’ distress. Data are drawn from surveys administered to 208 men recently released from prison. Using path analysis, we examined the direct effects of victimization and the direct and indirect effects, via victimization, of preprison characteristics and other control variables on distress (symptoms of post-traumatic stress [PTS] and depression). Findings reveal that victimization in prison significantly predicts the occurrence of PTS symptoms and depressive symptoms. Previous trauma, self-control, and race also have direct effects, and previous trauma and race have indirect effects on PTS and depressive symptoms.
Friending the Virgin

This article looks at how previous practice of portraiture prepared the way for self-presentation on social networking sites. A portrait is not simply an exercise in the skillful or “realistic” depiction of a subject. Rather, it is a rhetorical exercise in visual description and persuasion and a site of intricate communicative processes. A long evolution of visual culture, intimately intertwined with evolving notions of identity and society, was necessary to create the conditions for the particular forms of self-representation we encounter on Facebook. Many of these premodern strategies prefigure ones we encounter on Facebook. By delineating the ways current practices reflect earlier ones, we can set a baseline from which we can isolate the precise novelty of current practice in social networking sites.
Nicotine-induced brain metabolism associated with anger provocation

Cortico-limbic brain activity associated with anger may be susceptible to nicotine and, thus, may contribute to smoking initiation and nicotine addiction. The purpose of the study was to identify the brain regions that are most reactive to nicotine and show the greatest association with anger task performance. Twenty adult nonsmokers (9 women, 11 men) participated in two laboratory sessions to assess brain metabolism with fluoro deoxy-glucose Positron Emission Topography (FDG-PET) in response to nicotine and placebo patches during an anger provocation task. Outcome variables for the anger provocation task were reaction time, intensity and length of retaliation. Reaction time was associated with nicotine-induced changes in the left thalamus. Length of retaliation was associated with a functionally linked set of cortical and subcortical structures such as right frontal lobe, right anterior cingulate (BA 24), right uncus, left parietal lobe, left BA 11, left cingulate, left BA 25, left amygdala, left BA 30, left BA 38 and BA 9. These findings reveal the underlying brain circuitry targeted by nicotine during anger provocation.
Mechanisms limiting high gradient rf cavities

The specific mechanisms responsible for breakdown of rf cavities have been widely debated. A large number of different processes are thought to be involved, including field emission, surface contamination, mechanical stresses, plasma effects, explosive electron emission, a variety of heating mechanisms, mechanical imperfections, surface structure and chemical composition. We are attempting to model the surface effects that limit the operation of high gradient rf cavities using the HEIGHTS package. Models of individual processes are being developed and compared, in an attempt to evaluate the relative importance of these effects, specifically for the case of low frequency (200 - 800 MHz.) copper cavities, but probably applicable to other materials and frequencies.
Characterizing the cryptographic properties of reactive 2-party functionalities

In secure multi-party computation, a reactive functionality is one which maintains persistent state, takes inputs, and gives outputs over many rounds of interaction with its parties. Reactive functionalities are fundamental and model many interesting and natural cryptographic tasks; yet their security properties are not nearly as well-understood as in the non-reactive case (known as secure function evaluation). We present new combinatorial characterizations for 2-party reactive functionalities, which we model as finite automata. We characterize the functionalities that have passive-secure protocols, and those which are complete with respect to passive adversaries. Both characterizations are in the information-theoretic setting.
Analysis of the clinical problems in parkinsonism and the complications of long‐term levodopa therapy

We evaluated the current status of 131 patients with idiopathic parkinsonism who were receiving levodopa therapy. The residual parkinsonian symptoms and signs were tabulated, as were the adverse effects from medication. Response to therapy was correlated with duration of the disease and with duration of treatment. Patients with on-off or wearing-off effects were likely to have been treated for 4 years or longer. Patients treated with levodopa for 4 to 8 years were significantly more impaired with parkinsonism than patients treated for 0 to 3 years, even when patients were matched for total duration of disease. These data suggest that the deterioration of responsiveness after several years of levodopa therapy may be due to the therapy itself. Our findings support the concept that utilization of levodopa therapy should be delayed until a patient becomes significantly impaired in occupational or social situations.
Effects of the sazetidine-a family of compounds on the body temperature in wildtype, nicotinic receptor β2−/− and α7−/− mice

Abstract Nicotine elicits hypothermic responses in rodents. This effect appears to be related to nicotinic receptor desensitization because sazetidine-A, an α4β2 nicotinic receptor desensitizing agent, produces marked hypothermia and potentiates nicotine-induced hypothermia in mice. To determine the specificity of sazetidine-A induced hypothermia to β2 subunit-containing nicotinic receptors, we tested its efficacy in β2 knockout (β2 −/− ) mice. These effects were compared with wildtype (WT) and α7 knockout (α7 −/− ) mice. Confirming our earlier results, sazetidine-A elicited a pronounced and long-lasting hypothermia in WT mice. In comparison, sazetidine-A induced a much attenuated and shorter hypothermic response in β2 −/− mice. This indicates that the greater proportion of sazetidine-A induced hypothermia is mediated via actions on β2-containing nicotinic receptors, while a smaller component of hypothermia induced by sazetidine-A is mediated by non-β2 receptors. Similar to WT mice, α7 −/− mice showed the full extent of the sazetidine-A effect, suggesting that the hypothermia produced by sazetidine-A did not depend on actions on α7 nicotinic receptor subtype. Three other novel nicotinic receptor desensitizing agents derived from sazetidine-A, triazetidine-O, VMY-2-95 and YL-1-127 also produced hypothermia in WT and α7 −/− mice. Furthermore, unlike sazetidine-A, triazetidine-O and YL-1-127 did not show any hint of a hypothermic effect in β2 −/− mice. VMY-2-95 like sazetidine-A did show a residual hypothermic effect in the β2 −/− mice. These studies show that the hypothermic effects of sazetidine-A and the related compound VMY-2-95 are mainly mediated by nicotinic receptors containing β2 subunit, but that a small component of the effect is apparently mediated by non-β2 containing receptors.
Cooperative Diversity Based on Code Superposition

This paper proposes a new approach to cooperative diversity based on the algebraic superposition of channel codes over a finite field. The scenario under consideration is one in which two "partners" ? Node A and Node B ? cooperate in transmitting information to a single destination; each partner transmits both locally-generated information and relayed information that originated at the other partner. A key observation is that Node B already knows Node A's relayed information (previously sent from Node B) and can exploit that knowledge when decoding Node A's local information. This leads to an encoding scheme in which each partner transmits the algebraic superposition of its local and relayed information, and the superimposed codeword is interpreted differently at the two receivers ? i.e., at the other partner and at the destination node ? based on their different a priori knowledge. It is shown via simulation that the proposed scheme provides substantial coding gain over other cooperative diversity techniques, including those based on time sharing and signal (Euclidean space) superposition.
Adult Learning in Community: Themes and Threads.

Learning in community takes a variety of forms and generally emphasizes the community rather than the individual level of learning. Although many learning communities are homogeneous in nature, power and politics play a role, and the presence of a facilitator can change the dynamics.
The oncoprotein Bcl-3 directly transactivates through κB motifs via association with DNA-binding p50B homodimers

Abstract Bcl-3 is an IκB-related protein with ankyrin repeat motifs. Its gene is located at a site of recurrent translocations in a subset of B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias. Bcl-3 associates tightly with p50B (NFKB2, p52) homodimers in cells, and together these proteins form a ternary complex with DNA at κB sites. Such an association functionally leads to a novel and potent form of transactivation through the κB motif: the tethering of Bcl-3 to DNA via the p50B homodimers allows Bcl-3 to transactivate directly, while p50B homodimers alone cannot. Transactivation mediated by Bcl-3 requires two cooperating domains located amino- and carboxyterminal to the ankyrin domain. Bcl-3 is localized to the nucleus, and a Bcl-3-p50B complex is detected in certain lymphoid cells. Our data reveal a novel role for Bcl-3, distinct from that of the inhibitor IκB. The results have implications for tumorigenesis.
Sensate scaffolds can reliably detect joint loading.

Treatment of cartilage defects is essential to the prevention of osteoarthritis. Scaffold-based cartilage tissue engineering shows promise as a viable technique to treat focal defects. Added functionality can be achieved by incorporating strain gauges into scaffolds, thereby providing a real-time diagnostic measurement of joint loading. Strain-gauged scaffolds were placed into the medial femoral condyles of 14 adult canine knees and benchtop tested. Loads between 75 and 130 N were applied to the stifle joints at 30°, 50°, and 70° of flexion. Strain-gauged scaffolds were able to reliably assess joint loading at all applied flexion angles and loads. Pressure sensitive films were used to determine joint surface pressures during loading and to assess the effect of scaffold placement on joint pressures. A comparison of peak pressures in control knees and joints with implanted scaffolds, as well as a comparison of pressures before and after scaffold placement, showed that strain-gauged scaffold implantation did not significantly alter joint pressures. Future studies could possibly use strain-gauged scaffolds to clinically establish normal joint loads and to determine loads that are damaging to both healthy and tissue-engineered cartilage. Strain-gauged scaffolds may significantly aid the development of a functional engineered cartilage tissue substitute as well as provide insight into the native environment of cartilage.
Mediating Access to Headsprout® Early Reading for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Many children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) require instructional programs that simultaneously address academic content, interfering behavior, and potential gaps in prerequisite skills for a given curriculum. This study examined the impact of an intervention package consisting of contingent reinforcement and match-to-sample training on the independent progression of 3 children with ASD through Headsprout® Early Reading (HER), a behavior analytic online reading program. A multiple probe across participants design was used to examine the effects of the intervention package on participants’ correct interactions per minute and total episodes completed. Transfer of training to oral reading of companion print books was also assessed. All participants demonstrated an increase in correct interactions per minute. Two participants learned to independently complete a HER episode each day and could orally read companion print books. The results suggest individualized behavior analytic programs can support the use of HER as a computer-based reading program for some children with ASD.
The synthesis of taurine from sulfate. II. Chick liver phosphoadenosinephosphosulfate-transferase.

SummaryThe existence of PAPS-transferase in chick liver was demonstrated and this enzyme was isolated and partially purified. The requirement of PAPS as a substrate for this transferase in the synthesis of taurine was demonstrated. Studies on the origin of the acceptor molecule and the carbon moiety which ultimately becomes taurine indicated that methionine may be directly involved in this synthesis. Studies showed that neither the carboxyl nor the methyl carbon of methionine became taurine carbon, while some of the remaining carbons of methionine appeared in the taurine molecule.
Task, Seat Adjustability, and Postural Change:

Modern ergonomic chairs provide a variety of adjustment capabilities. Chairs may afford a posture in which the operator is tilted forward, or leaning backward. Recent studies suggest that the former posture is optimal for copy intensive work while the latter is optimal for screen intensive work. However, clear instruction to operators regarding these relationship is important. At the same time, some chair mechanisms allow postural adjustments to be fixed at a variety of orientations, while others “float” with the movement of the operator. Findings of the current study replicate earlier work with fixed mechanisms, while indicating that postural adjustments with dynamic chairs will critically depend on contextual factors such as adjustability of seat height.
AB0287 Efficacy of etanercept (etn) plus methotrexate (mtx) vs. disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (dmard) combinations with mtx in established rheumatoid arthritis (ra): duration of disease and disease severity vs. outcomes

Objectives To assess the effect of disease duration (≤2 y vs. >2 y) and severity (moderate [mod] vs. severe [sev]) on treatment outcomes in subjects with RA receiving ETN+MTX or DMARDs+MTX. Methods Data from subjects with mod-to-sev RA and an inadequate response to MTX were pooled from the APPEAL 1 (ETN 25 mg twice weekly+MTX or DMARD+MTX) and LatinRA 2 (ETN 50mg once weekly+MTX or DMARD+MTX) studies. 3 Endpoints included DAS28 (ESR) remission ( Results 478 subjects received ETN+MTX (≤2 y n=123, >2 y n=348; DAS28 3.2–5.1 [mod] n=45; DAS28 >5.1 [sev] n=431) and 245 subjects received DMARD+MTX (≤2 y n=60, >2 y n=180; DAS28 3.2–5.1 n=19; DAS28 >5.1 n=226). In the total population of each treatment group, ETN+MTX was more effective than DMARD+MTX (Table). Patients with ≤2 y numerically had a better response than >2 y, as did patients with mod compared with sev for both treatment groups. ETN+MTX significantly outperformed DMARD + MTX in the >2 y and sev groups in all endpoints; in the ≤2 y group only DAS28 and CDAI LDA were superior as the ≤2 y and mod group had too few patients to detect a treatment difference. Within the treatment groups, significantly higher proportions of subjects with disease duration of ≤2 y vs. >2 y achieved HAQ ≤0.5 with ETN+MTX (P Conclusions Combination ETN+MTX was more effective than DMARDs+MTX in subjects with disease duration of >2 y and sev disease activity. Achievement of remission and optimal response was generally achieved in a higher number of subjects with shorter disease duration and mod disease activity. References Kim HY et al. Int J Rheum Dis 2012;15:188-96. Machado D et al. PANLAR 2012: Poster. Fleischmann R, et al. Arthritis and Rheumatism 2012;64:S550. Acknowledgements This study was sponsored by Pfizer Inc. Medical writing support was provided by Kim Brown of UBC Scientific Solutions and was funded by Pfizer Inc. Disclosure of Interest R. Fleischmann Grant/research support from: Genentech Inc, Roche, Abbott, Amgen, UCB, Pfizer Inc, BMS, Lilly, Sanofi Aventis, Lexicon, MSD, Novartis, BiogenIdec, Astellas, Astra-Zeneca, Janssen, Consultant for: Roche, Abbott, Amgen, UCB, Pfizer, BMS, Lilly, Sanofi Aventis, Lexicon, Novartis, Astellas, Astra-Zeneca, Janssen, HGS, A. Koenig Employee of: Pfizer Inc., A. Szumski: None Declared, H. Nab Employee of: Pfizer Europe, L. Marshall Employee of: Pfizer Inc., E. Bananis Employee of: Pfizer Inc.
High-Resolution Visualization of Fibrinogen Molecules and Fibrin Fibers with Atomic Force Microscopy

We report an atomic force microscopy (AFM) study of fibrinogen molecules and fibrin fibers with resolution previously achieved only in few electron microscopy images. Not only are all objects triads, but the peripheral D regions are resolved into the two subdomains, apparently corresponding to the βC and γC domains. The conformational analysis of a large population of fibrinogen molecules on mica revealed the two most energetically favorable conformations characterized by bending angles of ∼100 and 160 degrees. Computer modeling of the experimental images of fibrinogen molecules showed that the AFM patterns are in good agreement with the molecular dimensions and shapes detected by other methods. Imaging in different environments supports the expected hydration of the fibrinogen molecules in buffer, whereas imaging in humid air suggests the 2D spreading of fibrinogen on mica induced by an adsorbed water layer. Visualization of intact hydrated fibrin fibers showed cross-striations with an axial period of 24...
2,2′,3,5′,6-PENTACHLOROBIPHENYL (PCB 95) AND ITS HYDROXYLATED METABOLITES ARE ENANTIOMERICALLY ENRICHED IN FEMALE MICE

Epidemiological and laboratory studies link polychlorinated biphenyls and their metabolites to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Several neurotoxic PCB congeners are chiral and undergo enantiomeric enrichment in mammalian species, which may modulate PCB developmental neurotoxicity. This study measures levels and enantiomeric enrichment of PCB 95 and its hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs) in adult female C57Bl/6 mice following subchronic exposure to racemic PCB 95. Tissue levels of PCB 95 and OH-PCBs increased with increasing dose. Dose-dependent enantiomeric enrichment of PCB 95 was observed in brain and other tissues. OH-PCBs also displayed enantiomeric enrichment in blood and liver, but were not detected in adipose and brain. In light of data suggesting enantioselective effects of chiral PCBs on molecular targets linked to PCB developmental neurotoxicity, our observations highlight the importance of accounting for PCB and OH-PCB enantiomeric enrichment in the assessment of PCB developmental neurotoxicity.
A Safety Study of VERORAB and CDBIO Rabies Vaccines

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of VERORAB and CDBIO rabies vaccines. Methods 2 430 rabies victims were included in this study. Results None of the vaccinee developed serious reaction after vaccination. The percentage of subjects having side effects after vaccination with VEROR and CDBIO was 18.1% and 14.6%,respectively. The difference is not significant. Conclusion Both VERORAB and CDBIO vaccines are clinically safe for vaccination.
The pathogenesis of experimental Escherichia coli mastitis in newly calved dairy cows

Experimental infections of the mammary gland of newly calved cows with 500 serum resistant Escherichia coli produced a very severe form of mastitis when compared with animals in mid-lactation. Ten hours after infection the bacteria had multiplied in the milk to very high numbers (10(6)--10(7)/ml) and the animals showed signs of pyrexia, anorexia and diarrhoea. Initially the gland and milk showed little or no clinical signs of mastitis, but later the secretion became a viscous, serous fluid with little or no casein or fat. A delay in diapedesis of neutrophils into the gland appears to be the reason for the peracute state and lack of clinical signs. This form of pathogenesis may produce a paradoxical situation where the most severe cases of E coli mastitis cannot be diagnosed at a stage early enough for the animal to respond to therapy.
Keeping it Ethically Real

Many clinical ethicists have argued that ethics expertise is impossible. Their skeptical argument usually rests on the assumptions that to be an ethics expert is to know the correct moral conclusions, which can only be arrived at by having the correct ethical theories. In this paper, I argue that this skeptical argument is unsound. To wit, ordinary ethical deliberations do not require the appeal to ethical or meta-ethical theories. Instead, by agreeing to resolve moral differences by appealing to reasons, the participants agree to the Default Principle-a substantive rule that tells us how to adjudicate an ethical disagreement. The Default Principle also entails a commitment to arguments by parity, and together these two methodological approaches allow us to make genuine moral progress without assuming any deep ethical principles. Ethical expertise, in one sense, is thus the ability and knowledge to deploy the Default Principle and arguments by parity.
Human Tetanus and Human Botulism

Publisher Summary This chapter describes clinical and epidemiological features of human tetanus and human botulism, the paralytic diseases caused by these most poisonous poisons. Brief mention is made of botulinum toxin's use as a therapeutic agent to produce muscle relaxation in a variety of clinical situations. In contrast, at least one malevolent government is known to have recently mass-produced approximately 1,90,001 of botulinum toxin, of which approximately 1,00,001 was incorporated into artillery shells and SCUD missiles. Botulinum and tetanus toxins share the dubious distinction of being the most poisonous substances known; the potency of tetanus toxin is exceeded only by the potency of botulinum toxin. Both toxins exist as simple bi-chain proteins, whose larger component contains the cellular binding site and whose smaller component is a Zn2+-containing endoprotease. The enzymatic light chain cleaves one of three components of the “docking” or “fusion” complex by which the synaptic vesicle fuses with the terminal cell membrane and releases its neurotransmitter. Both diseases originate from one of eight clostridial neurotoxins whose remarkable similarities of structure and mechanism indicate a common ancestral gene, yet the principal manifestations of the two diseases—spastic paralysis for tetanus and flaccid paralysis for botulism—paradoxically represent polar opposites of clinical immobility.
Structure and Function of YidC, an Insertase that Channels Newly Synthesized Proteins into the Cell Membrane

Membrane proteins, comprising almost one-third of the human genome, play crucial roles in diverse cellular processes. A number of secretory and insertion mechanisms have evolved to guide these proteins from their point of synthesis in the ribosome to their destination inside the membrane. The universally conserved YidC protein mediates this integration process either individually, or in concert with the canonical protein-conducting channel, SecY. Combining cryo-EM, covariance, and biochemical complementarity data with homology modeling and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations our group has derived one of the first all-atom structures of YidC. Following three decades of intense community-wide effort to derive the YidC structure, only now has it become possible to seek functional insights into the SecY-independent pathway of protein translocation. The specific nascent protein to be translocated via YidC is FoC, the c-ring helix from the transmembrane domain of ATP synthase. Availability of the initial and final FoC translocation states would permit simulation of the transition path connecting these two states and consequently the calculation of the free energy difference between them, which in turn would help to determine the energy cost of nascent protein translocation via YidC. As groundwork for this simulation, a 3.9 M atom structure of YidC bound to the ribosome was constructed and equilibrated. Molecular Dynamics Flexible Fitting was used to model an initial state of the nascent protein insertion pathway, in which FoC is placed within the exit tunnel where it begins to interact with YidC. The final state of the complex is provided by EM data. Steered MD was used to find the most favorable path for the nascent protein insertase. In the current work modeling of the initial ribosome-bound YidC complex and the steering protocol are presented.
The fate of terrigenous dissolved organic carbon on the Eurasian shelves and export to the North Atlantic

Dissolved lignin phenols, chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) absorption, and fluorescence were analyzed along cross-slope mooring locations in the Barents, Laptev, and East Siberian Seas to gain a better understanding of terrigenous dissolved organic carbon (tDOC) dynamics in Arctic shelf seas and the Arctic Ocean. A gradient of river water and tDOC was observed along the continental shelf eastward into the East Siberian Sea. Correlations of carbon-normalized yields of lignin-derived phenols supplied by Siberian rivers with river water fractions and known water residence times yielded in situ decay constants of 0.18–0.58 yr−1. Calculations showed ∼50% of annual tDOC discharged by Siberian rivers was mineralized in estuaries and on Eurasian shelves per year indicating extensive removal of tDOC. Bioassay experiments and in situ decay constants indicated a reactivity continuum for tDOC. CDOM parameters and acid/aldehyde ratios of vanillyl (V) and syringyl (S) lignin phenols showed biomineralization was the dominant mechanism for the removal of tDOC. Characteristic ratios of p-hydroxy (P), S, and V phenols (P/V, S/V) also identified shelf regions in the Kara Sea and regions along the Western Laptev Sea shelf where formation of Low Salinity Halocline Waters (LSHW) and Lower Halocline Water (LHW) occurred. The efficient removal of tDOC demonstrates the importance of Eurasian margins as sinks of tDOC derived from the large Siberian Rivers and confirms tDOC mineralization has a major impact on nutrients budgets, air-sea CO2 exchange, and acidification in the Siberian Shelf Seas.
Grounded understanding of abstract concepts: The case of STEM learning

Characterizing the neural implementation of abstract conceptual representations has long been a contentious topic in cognitive science. At the heart of the debate is whether the “sensorimotor” machinery of the brain plays a central role in representing concepts, or whether the involvement of these perceptual and motor regions is merely peripheral or epiphenomenal. The domain of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning provides an important proving ground for sensorimotor (or grounded) theories of cognition, as concepts in science and engineering courses are often taught through laboratory-based and other hands-on methodologies. In this review of the literature, we examine evidence suggesting that sensorimotor processes strengthen learning associated with the abstract concepts central to STEM pedagogy. After considering how contemporary theories have defined abstraction in the context of semantic knowledge, we propose our own explanation for how body-centered information, as computed in sensorimotor brain regions and visuomotor association cortex, can form a useful foundation upon which to build an understanding of abstract scientific concepts, such as mechanical force. Drawing from theories in cognitive neuroscience, we then explore models elucidating the neural mechanisms involved in grounding intangible concepts, including Hebbian learning, predictive coding, and neuronal recycling. Empirical data on STEM learning through hands-on instruction are considered in light of these neural models. We conclude the review by proposing three distinct ways in which the field of cognitive neuroscience can contribute to STEM learning by bolstering our understanding of how the brain instantiates abstract concepts in an embodied fashion.
Assessing the Potential Effectiveness of Pictorial Messages to Deter Young Women from Indoor Tanning: An Experimental Study.

The recent Surgeon General’s call-to-action to prevent skin cancer indicates an urgent need for research on messages to deter young women from tanning indoors. Answering this call, the current study assessed differences in the potential effectiveness of pictorial indoor tanning messages. We randomly assigned undergraduate female participants (N = 568) to one of three message conditions visually depicting health effects, appearance damage, or immediate risks, or to a text-only control. All participants viewed three messages within their condition and answered questions after message exposure. Factorial ANOVAs indicated that compared to the text-only condition, pictorial messages produced greater negative emotional reactions and were perceived as more effective than text-only messages. Text-only messages, however, were significantly more believable than pictorial messages. We observed several differences among the pictorial conditions and among the messages within the pictorial conditions. We conclude that ...
SCI-FII: Speculative Conversational Interface Framework for Incremental Inference on Modularized Services

We propose Sci-Fii, a speculative conversational interface framework for incremental inference on modularized services. To build one's own conversational interface with existing business logic, cloud-based modularized services offer a suite of ready-to-use components to ease development, ensure cross-platform flexibility, and encapsulate computational complexities. However developing with the modularized services often results in a chain of discrete modules with limited inter-module data sharing, which yields unnecessarily long response times of the conversational interface, aggravates user experiences, and eventually harms user retention. Sci-Fii offers a uniform framework that enables existing serviced modules to benefit from intermediate data and early parallel execution. Transparent to developers, Sci-Fii helps the end-to-end conversational interface system work fluidly and exhibit faster and more natural response times.
The index gage method to develop a flow duration curve from short-term streamflow records

Abstract The flow duration curve (FDC) is one of the most commonly used graphical tools in hydrology and provides a comprehensive graphical view of streamflow variability at a particular site. For a gaged site, an FDC can be easily estimated with frequency analysis. When no streamflow records are available, regional FDCs are used to synthesize FDCs. However, studies on how to develop FDCs for sites with short-term records have been very limited. Deriving representative FDC when there are short-term hydrologic records is important. For instance, 43% of the 394 streamflow gages in Illinois have records of 20 years or fewer, and these short-term gages are often distributed in headwaters and contain valuable hydrologic information. In this study, the index gage method is proposed to develop FDCs using short-term hydrologic records via an information transfer technique from a nearby hydrologically similar index gage. There are three steps: (1) select an index gage; (2) determine changes of FDC; and (3) develop representative FDCs. The approach is tested using records from 92 U.S. Geological Survey streamflow gages in Illinois. A jackknife experiment is conducted to assess the performance. Bootstrap resampling is used to simulate various periods of records, i.e., 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 20 years of records. The results demonstrated that the index gage method is capable of developing a representative FDC using short-term records. Generally, the approach performance is improved when more hydrologic records are available, but the improvement appears to level off when the short-term gage has 10 years or more records.
Successful Intravenous Thrombolysis Followed by Mechanical Thrombectomy in a Patient with Cerebral Ischemia and a Dural AV Fistula: A Case Report (P01.253)

OBJECTIVE: The objective is to show an example of an acute stroke patient with an incidentally found DAVF treated safely with aggresive medical and interventional therapy, and had symptomatic resolution. These therapies may be used if clinically indicated, and should be approached on an individual basis. BACKGROUND: A patient with acute ischemic stroke underwent intravenous thrombolysis and subsequent mechanical thrombectomy without complication despite an incidentally noted dural AV fistula (DAVF). No prior studies or case reports are available regarding the use of thrombolytics and endovascular clot retrieval in the setting of a DAVF. DESIGN/METHODS: Case report. RESULTS: A 75-year-old woman presented with acute onset of left hemiplegia. Her NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) was 10. Head computed tomography (CT) showed a right hyperdense distal internal carotid artery and middle cerebral artery, but was otherwise negative. Intravenous thrombolytic was administered without clinical improvement of symptoms. CT Perfusion showed a large penumbra correlating with the middle cerebral artery (MCA) distribution. CT angiogram and subsequent conventional angiogram revealed a carotid T occlusion in addition to an incidental ipsilateral frontal dural arteriovenous (AV) fistula. Mechanical thrombectomy was successful in removal of the thrombus. At time of discharge her NIHSS was 0. There were no hemorrhagic complications. CONCLUSIONS: The actual risk of thrombolytic and/or mechanical-associated intracranial hemorrhage in the setting of a DAVF is unknown. Since the CT did not show evidence of an abnormality, intravenous thrombolysis was reasonable. Given the high morbidity of carotid occlusion, we felt aggressive mechanical clot retrieval in this setting was also justified. In patients with known DAVF or with evidence of DAVF on CT, decisions regarding acute intervention in the case of ischemic stroke should be individualized. Disclosure: Dr. Katz has nothing to disclose. Dr. Flemming has nothing to disclose.