cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of polyamines on voltage‐activated calcium channels in mouse neuroblastoma cells.

1. Putrescine has been implicated in modulating cytoplasmic calcium concentration and is correlated with selective neuronal vulnerability in cerebral ischaemia. In order to determine whether putrescine modulates voltage-activated calcium channels, whole-cell and single channel patch clamp experiments were performed with N1E-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells. 2. L-type calcium channel currents showed a 34 +/- 21% increase (n = 6 cells) during external application of 1 mM putrescine. There was no change in the kinetics of the current and no shift in the current-voltage relationship along the voltage axis. 3. T-type calcium channel currents were not affected by 1 mM putrescine. 4. The effect of putrescine on single L-type calcium channels was studied using the cell-attached configuration of the patch clamp technique. Putrescine (5 mM) applied to the bathing solution, but not present in the pipette, caused an increase in open time of the single channel current without changing the conductance of the channel. In 345 depolarizing steps compiled from three cells, the number of channel openings longer than 3 ms increased from six to seventy-six, and the number of channel openings longer than 9 ms increased from zero to twenty-seven. This single channel study supports the hypothesis that putrescine acts on the L-type channel from the inside of the cell. 5. External application of 1 mM spermine and 1 mM spermidine had no effect on T- and L-type calcium channels. Thus, the effect of putrescine is probably not mediated by the higher polyamines. 6. In order to test whether the effect of putrescine is mediated by a second messenger, specific protein kinase C and cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitors, staurosporine and KT5720, respectively, were applied prior to putrescine. When cells were preconditioned with 200 nM staurosporine, the increase of the L-type calcium current by 1 mM putrescine was inhibited. By contrast, 200 nM KT5720 did not inhibit the putrescine effect. Therefore, the increase of L-type channel currents by putrescine may be mediated by protein kinase C but not the cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. 7. The putrescine-induced enhancement of the L-type calcium channel activity may play an important role in calcium-induced neurotoxicity.
Neurobiological aspects of suicide and suicide attempts in bipolar disorder

Suicide and bipolar disorder (BD) are challenging, complex, and intertwined areas of study in contemporary psychiatry. Indeed, BD is associated with the highest lifetime risk for suicide attempt and completion of all the psychiatric conditions. Given that several clinical risk factors for both suicide and BD have been well noted in the literature, exploring the neurobiological aspects of suicide in BD may provide insights into both preventive measures and future novel treatments. This review synthesizes findings regarding the neurobiological aspects of suicide and, when applicable, their link to BD. Neurochemical findings, genes/epigenetics, and potential molecular targets for current or future treatments are discussed. The role of endophenotypes and related proximal and distal risk factors underlying suicidal behavior are also explored. Lastly, we discuss the manner in which preclinical work on aggression and impulsivity may provide additional insights for the future development of novel treatments.
Who buys that? Who does what? Analysis of cross-cultural consumption behaviours among tourists in Hawaii

The purpose of this paper is to investigate planned product and service consumption patterns among US, Canadian, Japanese, Chinese, South Korean and Australian/New Zealand tourists in Hawaii. Using multiple analyses of variance, the first study empirically explores the influence of a tourist's residential country of origin on planned product and service consumption. The second study explores the planned consumption differences between, and among, American and Japanese first-time and repeat visitors to Hawaii. The results reveal significant cross-cultural differences in consumption patterns among international tourists to Hawaii.
Corticolimbic Blood Flow During Nontraumatic Emotional Processing in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Context Recent brain imaging studies implicate dysfunction of limbic and paralimbic circuitry, including the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), in the pathogenesis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) during traumatic recollection and imagery. However, the relationship between activity in these regions and general emotional processing unrelated to traumatic experience has not been fully examined. Objective To investigate activity in the limbic and paralimbic brain regions in PTSD in response to a challenge with emotionally salient generic visual images. Design Cross-sectional, case-control study. Setting Academic medical center. Participants Sixteen Vietnam veterans with combat-related PTSD (PTSD group), 15 combat-exposed Vietnam veterans without PTSD (combat control group), and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (normal control group). Main Outcome Measures We used positron emission tomography to study regional cerebral blood flow while participants viewed complex visual pictures with negatively valenced/aversive, nonaversive (“neutral”), and blank pictures. Psychophysiologic and emotional self-report data were also recorded. Results All 3 groups activated the dorsal MPFC to general salient content. Controls without PTSD activated the left amygdala in response to aversive stimuli. Normal controls activated the ventral MPFC and combat-exposed non-PTSD and PTSD participants exhibited either no response or deactivation in these regions, respectively, during negative emotional experience. Conclusions Consistent with current functional neuroanatomic models, patients with PTSD exhibited altered neural responses in the amygdala and ventral MPFC during the processing of emotionally salient but trauma-unrelated stimuli, potentially reflecting disorder-specific changes. Activation of the amygdala and lack of ventral MPFC deactivation to negatively valenced images in combat controls may reflect compensatory changes after trauma exposure that are not associated with PTSD.
siRNA-mediated gene silencing in colorectal cancer: A novel anti-angiogenic targeted therapy

Abstract Introduction. RNA interference (RNAi) allows for the specific targeting and silencing of genes, mediated by small interfering RNA (siRNA). VEGF is one of the most potent pro-angiogenic factors for tumor growth and is expressed in virtually all solid tumors. Furthermore, recent clinical trials have demonstrated efficacy of anti-VEGF therapy in colon cancer. We therefore investigated the effect of siRNA mediated silencing of VEGF in human colorectal cancer cells. Methods. siRNAs, designed in silico using a bioinformatics approach, were synthesized as double-stranded RNA and screened for VEGF gene silencing efficacy in human colon cancer cells. VEGF expression was quantified by sandwich ELISA analysis and confirmed by Northern and Western blot analysis. Tumor proliferation was measured by WST proliferation assay. Results. A series of VEGF-specific siRNAs were synthesized targeting the coding region of VEGF and four showed evidence of significant gene silencing in a variety of human colon cancer cell lines including RKO and HCT 116. Greater than 95% knockdown was seen on ELISA assay with some sequences, and gene silencing occurred in a dose-dependent manner. A significant effect on tumor proliferation was seen on WST assay with treatment with VEGF targeted siRNA compared to a scrambled control siRNA sequence, as seen in the figure (P = .033), and 0.1 nM siRNA was sufficient to show some effect. We are currently testing the efficacy of these siRNAs in inhibiting tumor growth in a mouse xenograph tumor model. Conclusion. SiRNA targeted therapy is effective in silencing VEGF gene expression leading to decreased tumor proliferation in human colorectal cancer cells. This approach represents a potentially effective therapeutic approach to the treatment of a broad range of malignancy. Download : Download full-size image
Higher-Order Curvature and Local Solvability of Dθ

Abstract Let E and F be vector bundles and D:E → F an operator of order k. We associate a sequence of invariants H⃝(l)(D), l ≥ 0 with D which generalize the concept of curvature in a natural way. In the case where D = Dθ is the differential operator of a connection θ on a vector bundle E, H⃝(1)(Dθ) is the classical curvature. Furthermore, we find an interesting geometric interpretation for H⃝(2)(Dθ). Finally, given regularity assumptions, we find, with the aid of these invariants, necessary and sufficient conditions for local solvability of Dθ.
Selenium proteins in ovine tissues. II. Spectral properties of a 10,000 molecular weight selenium protein.

Abstract A selenium-containing protein of 10,000 molecular weight, which is absent in muscle of selenium deficient lambs, was purified from the muscle extract of lambs injected with selenium. The absorption, circular dichroic, and magnetic circular dichroic spectra of the protein with and without dithionite markedly resemble the oxidized and reduced spectra reported for cytochrome C. Thus, this protein contains a heme group identical to cytochrome C, and may be a selenium containing cytochrome.
BRCA1-Associated Epigenetic Regulation of p73 Mediates an Effector Pathway for Chemosensitivity in Ovarian Carcinoma

The majority of tumors arising in BRCA1 mutation carriers exhibit inactivation of p53, a key effector of cell death after DNA damage. Despite the loss of p53, BRCA1-deficient tumor cells exhibit increased sensitivity to cisplatin, and patients with BRCA1-associated ovarian carcinomas experience improved outcomes with platinum-based chemotherapy compared with sporadic cases. Although it is known that chemosensitivity in BRCA1-associated cancers is associated with unrepaired DNA damage, the specific effector pathway mediating the cellular response to platinum-induced damage in these tumors is poorly understood. Here, we show that the p53-related gene p73, encoding a proapoptotic protein that is linked to chemosensitivity in many settings, is upregulated through a novel epigenetic mechanism in both human and murine models of BRCA1-associated ovarian carcinoma. BRCA1-deficient ovarian carcinoma cells exhibit hypermethylation within a p73 regulatory region, which includes the binding site for the p73 transcriptional repressor ZEB1, leading to the abrogation of ZEB1 binding and increased expression of transactivating p73 isoforms (TAp73). Cisplatin chemotherapy induces TAp73 target genes specifically in BRCA1-deficient cells, and knockdown of TAp73 in these cells causes chemoresistance while having little or no effect on BRCA1-expressing tumor cells. In primary ovarian carcinomas, ZEB1 binding site methylation and TAp73 expression correlate with BRCA1 status and with clinical response. Together, these findings uncover a novel regulatory mechanism that supports the contribution of TAp73 as an important mediator of the response to platinum chemotherapy in a subset of ovarian carcinomas. TAp73 might represent a response predictor and potential therapeutic target for enhancing chemosensitivity in this disease.
Nitric oxide and cyclic guanosine monophosphate signaling in the eye.

Abstract This brief review describes the components and pathways utilized in nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) signaling. Since the discovery of the effects of NO and cGMP on smooth muscle relaxation about 30 years ago, the field has expanded in many directions such that many, but not all, biochemical and biological effects seem to be regulated by these unique signaling molecules.While many of the effects of NO are due to activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) that can be considered the receptor for NO, cGMP, in turn, can activate a cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) to phosphorylate an array of proteins. Some of the effects of cGMP can be independent of PKG and are due to effects on ion channels or cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases. Also, some of the effects of NO can be independent of sGC activation. The isoenzymes and macromolecules that participate in these signaling pathways can serve as molecular targets to identify compounds that increase or decrease their activation and thus serve as chemical leads for discovering novel drugs for a variety of diseases. Some examples are given. However, with about 90,000 publications in the field since our first reports in 1977, this brief review can only give the readers a sample of the excitement and opportunities we have found in this cell signaling system.
New elevated temperature mold compound adhesion test method using a dynamic mechanical analyzer

This paper outlines the development and application of a testing technique for measuring the adhesion strength of a mold compound to leadframe material, that utilizes a dynamic mechanical analyzer in the film tension mode. This technique allows for the utilization of standard transfer molding processes and equipment coupled with a standard electronic device configuration. The technique allows for rapid heating and equilibration of the sample to the test temperatures and the accurate determination of the yield tensile shear force associated to the adhesion failure of the mold compound leadframe interface. The data that will be presented highlights the profound effects that device conditioning, mold compound chemistry, and leadframe composition have on the adhesion properties of these interfaces. It will be shown that the sensitivity of this technique can differentiate adhesion performance relating to effects of conditioning, mold compound chemistries, and leadframe material selection. The resulting data will be used for correlation to other analytical techniques for proper materials selection, and as criteria for FEA modeling verification to improve the predictive performance of materials and processing.
Economic Necessity or Noble Cause? A Qualitative Study Exploring Motivations for Gestational Surrogacy in Gujarat, India

In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 surrogates from India. Two themes are discussed: (1) motivations for becoming surrogates and (2) role of family and community i...
Leakage evaluation in vitro of the root canal sealer cement Sealapex

Summary. Sealapex was compared with two other root canal sealers for leakage in gutta-percha filled extracted teeth using a silver stain technique. The extent of leakage in vitro in the root canal systems over a 30-day period between the three root canal sealers was not statistically different. However, each sealer group leaked significantly less than the control group filled with gutta-percha only. The results support previous findings that a sealer with gutta-percha prevents apical leakage of the root canal system.
The rise and fall of the inhibitory mechanism: Toward a unified theory of cognitive development and aging

Abstract In this article I introduce a framework that represents a first step toward a unified explanation of diverse expressions of cognitive development and aging. Its basic tenet is that resistance to interference (i.e., the capacity for inhibition) is a major, albeit underrated, factor in the development of intellectual competence and declining mental ability later in life. To support this claim, I review evidence suggesting that young children, older adults, and individuals with frontal lobe lesions demonstrate a similar pattern of performance deficits in a wide range of interference-sensitive tasks, including the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, measures of field dependence, illusions of judgment, the Stroop Test, selective attention tasks, the Brown-Peterson task, and text processing. The linchpins of the framework are the frontal lobes of the brain, a system that is heavily involved in the ability to effectively inhibit or suppress stimuli or associations that are not relevant to the task at hand. It is also the last region of the brain to develop and appears to be the first to undergo involution later in life.
The current programming language standards scene V: PL/I

Abstract Developments in the standardisation of PL/I during the period January 1980 to May 1983 are reviewed. This includes completion of the work on a standard for a general purpose subset of PL/I, and the technical committee has returned to work on a revision of the standard for the full language. The ongoing effort reflects what may be a slightly different attitude from the original language development, with the focus on making the language more usable without making it larger in toto.
Child Soldiers, International Humanitarian Law, and the Globalization of Childhood

This article reviews the development of the laws and treaties regulating the use of child soldiers and the political, social, and cultural context in which these developments are grounded. Humanitarian and human rights groups have undertaken a major initiative to end the use of young combatants. These efforts are part of a larger children's human rights project designed to create a universal definition of “childhood.” Casting the proposed ban on child soldiers in the language of human rights deflects attention from the enormity of the social and cultural changes involved in the proposed transnational restructuring of age categories. Treaty-making efforts reflect an emerging “politics of age” that shapes the concept of “childhood” in international law, and in which different international, regional, and local actors make use of age categories to advance particular political and ideological positions.
Truth and deception in AIDS information brochures.

Abstract This essay documents state governmental subversion of expansive constructions of HIV-disease. While it is clear that governments frequently practice deception and secrecy with the justification that the public would become dangerously emotional and irrational if fully informed, there is no evidence that the public would, in fact, behave that way. The essay concludes with a ranking of state AIDS brochures for accuracy and totality of information.
U-Shaped Development in Math: 7-Year-Olds Outperform 9-Year-Olds on Equivalence Problems

What is the nature of the association between age (7-11 years) and performance on mathematical equivalence problems (e.g., 7 + 4 + 5 = 7 +_)? Many prevailing theories suggest that there should be a positive association. However, change-resistance accounts (e.g., N. M. McNeil & M. W. Alibali, 2005b) predict a U-shaped association. The purpose of the present research was to test these differing predictions. Results from two studies supported a change-resistance account. In the first study (N = 87), performance on equivalence problems declined between the ages of 7 and 9 and improved between the ages of 9 and 11. The decrements in performance between the ages of 7 and 9 were then replicated in a second study (N = 35). Results suggest that the association between age and performance on equivalence problems is U-shaped.
Role of Na+/Ca2+ exchange and the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump in hormone-mediated Ca2+ efflux from pancreatic acini.

The relative contributions of the Na+/Ca2+ exchange and the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump to active Ca2+ efflux from stimulated rat pancreatic acini were studied. Na+ gradients across the plasma membrane were manipulated by loading the cells with Na+ or suspending the cells in Na+-free media. The rates of Ca2+ efflux were estimated from measurements of [Ca2+] i using the Ca2+-sensitive fluorescent dye Fura 2 and45Ca efflux. During the first 3 min of cell stimulation, the pattern of Ca2+ efflux is described by a single exponential function under control, Na+-loaded, and Na+-depleted conditions. Manipulation of Na+ gradients had no effect on the hormone-induced increase in [Ca2+] i . The results indicate that Ca2+ efflux from stimulated pancreatic acinar cells is mediated by the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump. The effects of several cations, which were used to substitute for Na+, on cellular activity were also studied. Choline+ and tetramethylammonium+ (TMA+) released Ca2+ from intracellular stores of pancreatic acinar, gastric parietal and peptic cells. These cations also stimulated enzyme and acid secretion from the cells. All effects of these cations were blocked by atropine. Measurements of cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-OP)-stimulated amylase release from pancreatic acini, suspended in Na+, TMA+, choline+, or N-methyl-d-glucamine+ (NMG+) media containing atropine, were used to evaluate the effect of the cations on cellular function. NMG+, choline+, and TMA+ inhibited amylase release by 55, 40 and 14%, respectively. NMG+ also increased the Ca2+ permeability of the plasma membrane. Thus, to study Na+ dependency of cellular function, TMA+ is the preferred cation to substitute for Na+. The stimulatory effect of TMA+ can be blocked by atropine.
Health care utilization and expenditures for children with autism: data from U.S. national samples.

Little is known about the use of medical services by children who have autism (ASD). Provide nationally representative data for health service utilization and expenditures of children with ASD. Cross-sectional survey using the Medical Expenditure Panel (MEPS), and National (Hospital) Ambulatory Medical Care Surveys (N(H)AMCS). A total of 80 children with ASD were identified from N(H)AMCS (weighted sample size (wss) 186,281), and 31 (wss 340,158) from MEPS. They had more outpatient visits, physician visits, and medications prescribed than children in general. They spent more time during physician visits than other children. Annual expenses for children with autism spectrum disorder ($6,132) were more than for other children ($860). Children with ASD have a substantial burden of medical illness.
Relation of hyperglycemia early in ischemic brain infarction to cerebral anatomy, metabolism, and clinical outcome

We studied the relation of serum glucose level measured in the first 12 hours of symptoms to the clinical findings, results of computed tomography (CT), and patterns of cerebral metabolism in 39 patients who had acute ischemic cerebral infarction. Structural damage was assessed by CT. Metabolic disruption was assessed using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose and positron emission tomography (PET). Median initial serum glucose concentration was 155 mg/dl (6.7 mM). Clinical recovery was significantly poorer in patients with initial serum glucose levels higher than the median (p less than 0.05, chi square). PET tended to show normal results or minor abnormalities in patients with initial glucose levels less than the median, as opposed to lobar or multilobe abnormalities in patients with levels that were higher than the median (p less than 0.05, Kendall's Tau b). The severity of hypometabolism in the ischemic region, expressed as the percent asymmetry of local cerebral glucose metabolism between homologous brain regions, was greater in patients with initial glycemia concentrations higher than the median (p less than 0.001, t test). Relationships of serum glucose level with metabolic derangement and structural damage, but not outcome, held true in patients without a history of diabetes mellitus.
Preschoolers' communicative strategies in gaining compliance from peers: A developmental study

The present study investigated preschoolers' use of verbal compliance‐gaining strategies in naturally occurring conflicts with peers. It was found that the older the child, the more complex and adaptive compliance‐gaining became. The growing adaptiveness of their compliance‐gaining strategies reflected their awareness of their opponent's need for information, and their awareness of the communicative demands of conflict situations. With increasing age, children's conflict episodes also became more complex. Conflicts among twos were brief episodes in which physical force and nonword vocal signals predominated. By five, children's conflict episodes consisted of sustained discourse focusing on a triggering event and several side issues. Coalitions developed during disputes and children collaborated in pursuing common aims.
A new approach to lunar librational stability

Abstract The total stability of lunar librational motion is studied in this paper. The analysis is made by extending the concept of Liapunov stability to that of total stability, or stability under constantly acting disturbances, as first introduced by Doubochine. The equations of librational motion in the absence of disturbing torques are expressed in the first-order vector form x′(τ) =f(x, τ), where x(τ) represents the motion from the Earth-pointing equilibrium. By adding an expression for external disturbing torques this equation becomes x′(τ) =f(x, τ) +g(x, τ). Expressions are found for δ 1 (e) and δ 2 (e) such that if x(t) is a solution to the perturbed equation, if |x(τ 0 )| 1 (e) and if (in a certain neighborhood of the equilibrium) |g(x, τ)| 2 (e), then |x(τ)| 0 . The expressions for the bounds δ 1 and δ 2 depend on physical parameters of the Moon.
Molecular basis for selective advantage of glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase-deficient individuals exposed to malaria.

Abstract It is proposed that glutathione disulphide (G.S.S.G.) in glucose-6-phosphatedehydrogenase (G.-6-P.D.)-deficient red blood-cells inhibits protein synthesis by the intracellular malaria parasite. By lowering the rate of parasite proliferation and interfering with the synchrony of that proliferation, G.S.S.G. provides the molecular basis for the selective advantage of G.-6-P.D. deficiency in individuals exposed to malaria. The hypothesis is supported by an experimental demonstration of G.S.S.G. inhibition of protein synthesis in rabbit reticulocytes.
New alcator C-Mod rotated 10° 4-strap ICRF antenna

We have developed a design for a new rotated 4-strap ICRF antenna. The design is based on a modification of the existing C-Mod antennas with the antenna rotated 10° such that the entire structure is perpendicular to total magnetic field. This rotation is implemented in an attempt to reduce ICRF impurity production. The rotation results in an antenna with less surface area than the previous antennas and therefore a higher power density will be obtained for a given input power of 3 MW. The power density would reach 15MW/m2, near the world record power density obtained in Tore Supra. We will describe the RF of this new design. The RF analysis was accomplished using the CST computer code. The fields were studied to minimize E field breakdown in the feed system and to accomplish the symmetry required for reduced impurity production in the four straps.
Graduate Education of the Top Contributors to the School Psychology Literature: 1987-1995

This study examined who has been publishing in the major school psychology journals, the universities where they received their graduate training, and the categories of publications of graduates of selected universities as one measure of the quality of graduate education in school psychology. The journals included were the Journal of School Psychology, School Psychology International, School Psychology Revieuw, School Psychology Quarterly, Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment, and Psychology in the Schools as these are the major journals representingthe profession. Results indicated E. Scott Huebner as the most prolific author in the school psychology literature during the period under investigation and graduates of the University of Georgia as making the greatest contribution to the literature. Results are discussed in relation to previous research and surveys evaluating graduate program quality.
Secondary growth and wood histology of Welwitschia

New observations regarding secondary growth and vascular tissues in Welwitschia are based on roots (used because of the longitudinal orientation of most vascular tissues). Welwitschia has successive cambia that produce xylem and phloem. Contrary to previous reports, the cambia produce secondary phloem with phloem rays and secondary xylem that has readily definable xylem rays and axial parenchyma. Internal sculpturing (grooves associated with pit apertures) of tracheary elements is figured with SEM; observations confirm the descriptions of Bierhorst (1960) . Tori and vesturing are apparently absent on pits of tracheary elements. Abundance of gelatinous secondary walls may be related to water economy to a minor extent. A feature recently reported for Ephedra wood is newly reported for xylem rays, phloem rays and conjunctive tissue of Welwitschia : presence of minute calcium oxalate crystals lining intercellular spaces. This feature is apparently limited to the two genera. The ontogenetic origin of vascular strands added by secondary activity can be traced to phelloderm. In this feature, Welwitschia differs from Gnetum , in which the ultimate origin of new cambia can be traced to cortical tissues.
Clinical Leadership and Asymmetric Information: The Impact of Physician Advice on Smoking Cessation

A knowledge gradient exists between experts in a given field and consumers of that knowledge. When the need arises, not knowing the best path, an average individual typically relies on the advice of an expert. Given the steep knowledge gradient between patient and provider, clinicians play an essential role in the clinical setting, acting as both a health leader and a health facilitator; however, this asymmetric information implies that clinical providers face an acute pressure not only to advise but to advise correctly. This paper explores the importance of physician advice within the context of smoking cessation, addressing two specific research questions: (1) among current smokers, do patients have a higher probability of any quit attempts in the last twelve months if a physician advised them to quit over the same period? and, (2) among current smokers who were advised to quit, do patients have a higher probability of any quit attempts in the past twelve months based, at least in part, on the specific quitting strategy suggested by the physician? The results suggest that physicians play a crucial role in promoting smoking cessation efforts. The findings further highlight a significant association between the advised cessation strategy and any quit attempts, although the direction of this relationship varies by the cessation strategy suggested.
Preoperative radiotherapy decreases lymph node yield of neck dissections for head and neck cancer.

ObjectiveDetermine if preoperative radiation therapy (RT) decreases the lymph node (LN) yield found at the time of neck dissection.Study DesignCross-sectional analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database.MethodsThe SEER database was queried for patients presenting between 1998 and 2002 with tonsil, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and laryngeal primary lesions. Tabulation was made by LNs examined, type of neck dissection performed, and timing of RT. Data from 2441 patients were retrieved. Descriptive statistics were used.ResultsOne hundred sixty-one patients with RT preoperatively had a median of 20 LNs sampled (0-72). In total, 647 patients receiving no RT had a median of 27 LNs examined (0-88), and 1643 patients receiving RT postoperatively had a median of 29 (0-89). Mann-Whitney P = .02 was derived for RT preoperatively compared with no RT/RT postoperatively.ConclusionIn the head and neck, preoperative RT contributes to lower neck dissection LN yield.
The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution: A Model for the Delivery of Earth Science Professional Development to Minority-Serving Teachers

The Texas Earth and Space Science (TXESS) Revolution was a 5-y teacher professional development project that aimed to increase teachers' content knowledge in Earth science and preparing them to teach a 12th-grade capstone Earth and Space Science course, which is new to the Texas curriculum. The National Science Foundation-supported project was designed around six principles that proved to be critical to in its success: (1) model best practices in workshop presentations, (2) use authentic Earth science data and cybertechnology to teach up-to-date content, (3) provide ongoing training to cohorts of learners over a 2-y period, (4) involve geoscience consortia and programs that can provide proven content for classrooms, (5) use ongoing evaluations to guide future workshops, and (6) provide opportunities for leadership development through participation in research and curriculum development projects. The project served 177 science teachers by supporting them with the pedagogical, technological, and scientific tools to teach modern geoscience. TXESS Revolution teachers directly impacted more than 29,000 students, of which about 69% are nonwhite, by exposing students in Texas to the geosciences and planting the seeds for them to pursue geoscience as a field of study. Using a train-the-trainer approach, TXESS Revolution teachers shared their professional development with other Texas teachers, strengthening Earth science education at all K-12 levels throughout the state, an impact that extends beyond preparation in Earth and space science. 2013 National Association of Geoscience Teachers. (DOI: 10.5408/12-348.1)
Human immunodeficiency virus vpr product is a virion-associated regulatory protein.

Abstract The vpr product of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) acts in trans to accelerate virus replication and cytopathic effect in T cells. Here it is shown that the HIV-1 viral particle contains multiple copies of the vpr protein. The vpr product is the first regulatory protein of HIV-1 to be found in the virus particle. This observation raises the possibility that vpr acts to facilitate the early steps of infection before de novo viral protein synthesis occurs.
The New Information Age and International Intellectual Property Law—Emerging and Recurring Issues for the Next Millennium

This paper examines the impact that globalization and technological advancements, particularly the Internet, have had on world intellectual property law, and will attempt to identify trends and developments for the future. As any good economist or stock market analyst will know, a review of the past and an examination of the present are not perfect indicants or predictors of the future, but together, if understood in proper context, they provide some of the best tools we have for divining the imminent and, perhaps, the inevitable. Accordingly, this paper will begin with an examination of the past and present developments in global intellectual property law, with particular emphasis placed on the Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property (‘TRIPs’) and its requirements, loopholes, and ambiguities. Thereafter, a review of the stakeholders in the intellectual property debate, with special focus on the concerns and demands of developing countries, will take place. Finally, the effects of the collision of newly emerging, high-tech information with the laggard paradigm of intellectual property law will summon forth some predictions on emerging legal and business issues. Oddly enough, these issues for the next century and beyond will be quite recognizable, even familiar, despite the rapid changes that have occurred with the technological revolution of the last quarter century. Indeed, they never die, but appear merely to be recast in different form. Moreover, the paper will conclude that these historic struggles will never cease, but must, by design, form the essential tensions that characterize intellectual property’s core basis.
Potent Effector Function of Tumor-Sensitized L-Selectinlow T Cells against Subcutaneous Tumors Requires LFA-1 co-Stimulation:

OBJECTIVE: Animal tumor models have demonstrated that adoptive transfer of tumor-draining lymph node (TDLN) T lymphocytes can cure established tumors in many anatomic sites. However, subcutaneous tumors are relatively refractory and have required maximally tolerated doses of cells. The goals of this study were to determine whether a subset of TDLN T lymphocytes varying in expression of the cell adhesion molecule L-selectin (CD62L) had augmented therapeutic efficacy and to determine the co-stimulatory requirements for trafficking and anti-tumor effector function.STUDY DESIGN: TDLNs were recovered from mice bearing progressive MCA 205 fibrosarcomas, and the T lymphocytes were segregated into CD62Llow and CD62Lhigh subsets and activated ex vivo with anti-CD3 mAb and IL-2. Mice bearing established subcutaneous MCA 205 tumors were treated with activated T cell subsets and in some experiments with additional mAb against cell adhesion molecules.RESULTS: Adoptive transfer of as few as 5 × 106 activated cells cure...
Risk Perception, Behavior, and Consumer Response to Genetically Modified Organisms: Toward Understanding American and European Public Reaction

Public debate about the acceptability of genetically modified organisms in the production of food and feed has included controversy about risks of harming human health and/or the natural environment. Consumer and public response to the risks can be volatile, as manifested in some of the extreme protest actions in Europe. These reactions are due, in part, to strong judgments formed from memorable events. Such judgments are common when individuals do not have a good understanding of risks. Economic and psychological theories of decision making provide understanding of how these judgments are formed, how they might evolve, and what can be done to influence them. Public dialogue and action must account for cognitive difficulties assessing risks to stimulate public evaluation that gives full consideration to the benefits and cost of genetically modified organisms.
Scanning Tunneling Spectroscopy of Insulating Self-Assembled Monolayers on Au(111)

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of dodecanethiol (DDT), octadecanethiol (ODT), and resorcinarene C10 tetrasulfide (RC10TS) on Au(111) were characterized by scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS) under ultrahigh vacuum conditions and evaluated as ultrathin resists. A voltage division factor η was used to parametrize the equilibrium Fermi energy level Ef in terms of an applied voltage bias. Nominally symmetric tunneling (η ∼ 0.5) conditions were established by acquiring conductance spectra over a range of set point voltages. The electrical conductivity of the monolayers was observed to be dependent on both the monolayer thickness and the nature of the Au/S bonding. Leakage current densities across DDT and RC10TS SAMs on Au were estimated, with the latter comparing favorably with a 1.5-nm layer of SiO2 on Si.
Building sustainable societies: A Swedish case study on the limits of reflexive modernization

Environmental problems have inspired a wide range of responses from citizens and states alike. My research focuses on Swedish individuals’ attempts to minimize perceived environmental risks via consumption practice. The growth of “sustainable consumerism” is often explained by generalized theories of reflexive modernization, but the Swedish case illustrates that many citizen-consumers acting in the interest of sustainability are misunderstood by these popular explanations. Their perspectives and actions support the need for a more historically and locally grounded approach to sustainable consumerism in Sweden and elsewhere, one that not only recognizes individual choice but also takes into account considerations of power and history.
Accuracy of Screening for Fecal Occult Blood on a Single Stool Sample Obtained by Digital Rectal Examination: A Comparison With Recommended Sampling Practice

A fecal occult blood test (FOBT) on a single sample of stool obtained by digital rectal examination is a poor method for screening for colorectal neoplasia. The test detects only 4.9% of patients w...
Polypyromellitimides: Details of pyrolysis

Polyimide films from 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl ether and pyromellitic dianhydride were pyrolyzed at 400–600°C. in non-oxidative systems. Major gaseous products were carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide; hydrogen evolution occurred above 525°C. A mobile n-imide-isoimide equilibrium is in accord with the gas evolution data. Carbon dioxide arises from isoimide decomposition and carbon monoxide arises from the normal imide.
“Editing” Genes: A Case Study About How Language Matters in Bioethics

Metaphors used to describe new technologies mediate public understanding of the innovations. Analyzing the linguistic, rhetorical, and affective aspects of these metaphors opens the range of issues available for bioethical scrutiny and increases public accountability. This article shows how such a multidisciplinary approach can be useful by looking at a set of texts about one issue, the use of a newly developed technique for genetic modification, CRISPRcas9.
PANTOPRAZOLE PHARMACOKINETICS IN OBESITY: WHERE GENES AND SIZE COLLIDE

Background Limited dosing guidelines exist for overweight children (≈30% pediatric population). This prospective study examines the pharmacokinetics (PK) of pantoprazole (CYP2C19 substrate) in overweight vs. normal-weight children. Methods Using TaqMan techniques, 51 children (6–17 yrs) were genotyped for CYP2C19 loss-of-function ( *2, *3, *4 ) and gain-of-function ( *17 ) alleles. After a single oral dose of pantoprazole (1.2 mg/kg lean body weight), 10 plasma samples were collected over 8hrs, pantoprazole/metabolite concentrations measured by HPLC-UV, and PK parameters generated via non-compartmental methods. Using a two-tailed unpaired t-test, parameters were compared between overweight/obese (n=24) and normal-weight (n=25) children, and the effect of CYP2C19 genotype ( *1/*1 , n=24; *1/*17 , n=15; *1/*2 , n=7; *2/*17 , n=3; *2/*2 , n=2) on drug disposition was analyzed using a one-way ANOVA; α=0.05. Results Dose-adjusted AUC tot , CL/F and other PK parameters were not significantly different between overweight/obese and normal-weight children. Independent of weight, mean AUC tot for pantoprazole was 2-fold greater in children with 1 loss-of-function vs. 1 gain-of-function allele (p=0.01). CL/F was increased only in children with *1/*17 genotype compared to all other genotypes (p *2/*17 . In children with *1/*1 genotype (n=24), CL/F was significantly reduced (0.25±0.1 vs. 0.41±0.23 L/h/kg; p tot increased (5.3±3.5 vs. 3.1±1.5 mg*h/L; p=0.05) in overweight/obese vs. normal-weight children. AUC tot was significantly increased in obese vs. normal-weight children (8.1±4.6 vs. 3.1±1.5 mg*h/L; p tot and BMI (r 2 =0.4; p=0.01). Conclusions CYP2C19 genotype appears to be the primary determinant of pantoprazole PK in children, whereas BMI may explain individual variability within genotype groups.
The first diploaspidid (Chelicerata: Chasmataspidida) from North America (Silurian, Bertie Group, New York State) is the oldest species of Diploaspis

A single specimen of a new species of the chasmataspidid Diploaspis Stormer, 1972 is described from the upper Silurian (Pridoli) Phelps Member of the Fiddlers Green Formation (Bertie Group) in Herkimer County, New York State, USA. Diploaspis praecursor sp. nov. is distinguished by the shape of the posterolateral margins of the buckler, which are drawn out into angular epimera, and by the lack of elongate tubercles on the postabdomen. This discovery increases the taxonomic diversity of the Bertie Group by extending the geographic extent of Diploaspididae into North America. D. praecursor pre-dates previously known species of Diploaspis by more than 10 million years.
Improving Word Accuracy with Gabor Feature Extraction

A novel type of feature extraction for automatic speech recognition is investigated. Two-dimensional Gabor functions, with varying extents and tuned to different rates and directions of spectro-temporal modulation, are applied as filters to a spectro-temporal representation provided by mel spectra. The use of these functions is motivated by findings in neurophysiology and psychoacoustics. Data-driven parameter selection was used to obtain Gabor feature sets, the performance of which is evaluated on the Aurora 2 and 3 datasets both on their own and in combination with the Qualcomm-OGI-ICSI Aurora proposal. The Gabor features consistently provide performance improvements.
HDGB Implicit Membrane Model with a van Der Waals Dispersion Term

The Heterogeneous Dielectric Generalized Born (HDGB) model(1) allows simulations of membrane-bound systems with an implicit membrane formalism using dielectric profiles matched against explicit membrane simulations. In this study, an extension of the original model is described where the solvent-accessible surface area term is extended with a van der Waals dispersion term to improve the estimation of the non-polar components of the free energy of solvation. This is especially important in the hydrophobic region of bilayer systems where charged and polar groups are rarely interacting. The dispersion term was modeled after the AGBNP method originally introduced by Gallicchio et al.(2) but extended to the membrane environment via atom-type dependent density profiles along the membrane normal. The model was initially parametrized against membrane insertion free energy profiles of amino acid analogs from explicit lipid simulations. Further validation involved the energetics of model compound interactions and peptide-peptide interactions within the membrane.[1] Tanizaki, S. et al. 2005, J. Chem. Phys. 122, 124706.[2] Gallicchio, E. et al. 2004, J Comput. Chem. 25, 479-499.
Lactate metabolism is associated with mammalian mitochondria

It is well established that lactate secreted by fermenting cells can be oxidized or used as a gluconeogenic substrate by other cells and tissues. It is generally assumed, however, that within the fermenting cell itself, lactate is produced to replenish NAD+ and then is secreted. Here we explore the possibility that cytosolic lactate is metabolized by the mitochondria of fermenting mammalian cells. We found that fermenting HeLa and H460 cells utilize exogenous lactate carbon to synthesize a large percentage of their lipids. Using high-resolution mass spectrometry, we found that both 13C and 2-2H labels from enriched lactate enter the mitochondria. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) inhibitor oxamate decreased respiration of isolated mitochondria incubated in lactate, but not of isolated mitochondria incubated in pyruvate. Additionally, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed that LDHB localizes to the mitochondria. Taken together, our results demonstrate a link between lactate metabolism and the mitochondria of fermenting mammalian cells.
Design and Analysis of Bidirectional Dc-Dc Converter for Electric Vehicle Application

This project presents design and analysis of a bidirectional DC-DC converter it is suitable for power electronic interface between the main energy storage system and the electric traction drive in hybrid electric vehicles. A hybrid energy storage system composed of a battery unit and an ultra-capacitor pack is considered. A parallel dc-linked multi input converter with a half-bridge bidirectional DC-DC cell topology is chosen to link the battery/ultra capacitor storage unit with the dc-link. The paper focuses on modeling the proposed converter for both dynamic and steady state analysis. Averaging and linearization techniques are applied to obtain the averaged state space models and small signal models of the converter in both boost and buck operation modes. A criterion for sizing the converter passive components based on the imposed design specifications and constraints is illustrated. Simulation results of the buck-boost converter during normal functioning and under faulty conditions are presented. In particular, short-circuit faults and open-circuit faults of diodes and transistors are analyzed .