cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Considerations in the quantitative analysis of autoradiograms from 2-dimensional gels

Abstract Two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis has been used in conjunction with autoradiography and computerized optical densitometry for quantitating specific protein synthesis. However, accurate quantitation of 2-D autoradiograms requires the prior assessment of such parameters as linearity, reciprocity, and reproducibility. The present study was performed to determine the contribution of each of these to the dissimilation of β-emission and autoradiographic density, and of density and protein synthesis. Various aliquot volumes of a single complex protein specimen labeled with 35S-amino acids were subjected to 2-D gel electrophoresis, and these gels were serially exposed at graded intervals. The peak densities and volumes of the 111 visualized spots were used to examine the above parameters. In our computerized scanning system, the peak density is a more accurate and reproducible parameter of optical density than is spot volume. Approximately 30% of the dynamic range of peak density is non-linear; quantitation of spots above or below the linear range leads to inaccuracies in quantitation. In addition, the phenomenon of reciprocity, which states that density is directly proportional to exposure (β-emission of 35S × time), is shown to fail as aliquot volume, or mass of 35S increases. The implications of reciprocity failure to accurate quantitation are discussed. Finally, the sources of variance in autoradiographic analysis were examined, by assessing the intra-scan, intra-gel run, and inter-gel run coefficients of variation. The results of this study show that autoradiographic densitometry is an effective method for quantitation of 2-D gels, but linearity, reciprocity, and reproducibility must be assessed prior to its experimental use. Restrictions of such use are suggested.
The relationship of indebtedness, race, and gender to the choice of general or subspecialty pediatrics.

BACKGROUND. Little research has examined indebtedness and the choice of continued subspecialty training. Concerns about a decline in the proportion of primary care physicians obliges medical educators to understand factors that influence the choice of subspecialty training. METHOD. Survey data on 43
The Experience of Chronically Ill Elderly Mexican-American Men With Spouses as Caregivers

Chronic illnesses are projected to affect 157 million individuals in the United States by the year 2020. Few studies have investigated the experience of chronic illnesses in minority groups. The pu...
Rheological Properties of Corn Oil Emulsions with Methylcellulose

Flow properties of a series of emulsions containing methylcellulose 1,500 cps. in eight concentrations and corn oil in 10 concentrations were measured. Known equations for non-Newtonian flow were not satisfactory for these systems, and a new equation, called the “viscoelastic flow equation” was derived and fitted to the data. The equation is ηa = Ae−αS + Be−βS + η∞, where ηa is apparent viscosity, S is shear rate, η∞ is ultimate viscosity, and the other terms are constants. From this expression limiting viscosity, η0 could be obtained as A + B + η∞ Values of η0 were then fitted to fluidity plots to obtain intrinsic viscosities. These values agree with Taylor's equation only where the dispersion medium had high viscosity.
Therapeugenic factors in psychotherapy: The effects of fee and title on credibility and attraction

Led male (N = 69) and female (N = 75) Ss to believe that they were rating the accuracy of a description of a mental health professional used to help clients choose their therapist. Ss were exposed to descriptions that were identical in content, with exception of the level of fee, high vs. low, and the title of the therapist, psychiatrist vs. clinical psychologist vs. counselor. Ss were asked to rate the individual in the description on various dimensions of credibility and attraction. The results indicate that Ss were not affected by the level of fee charged except on their willingness to seek therapy from the therapist. Ss consistently rated the psychiatrist higher than the counselor, who in turn was rated higher than the clinical psychologist. Explanations for this and the implications of these findings are discussed.
An incipient synthesis

Patterns and Processes of Vertebrate Evolution. ROBERT L. CARROLL. Cambridge University Press, New York, 1997. xvi, 448 pp., illus. $85 or £70, ISBN 0-521-47232-6; paper, $39.95 or £24.95, ISBN 0-521-47809-x. Cambridge Paleobiology, 2.
Double-strand break motions shift radiation risk notions?

The key biologic hazard of ionizing radiation is damage to cellular DNA. Although DNA damage has long been studied in radiotherapeutic research as a means to kill cancer cells, it is also of interest to NASA's Space Radiation Program (1), which seeks to understand radiobiological risks to astronauts posed by cosmic radiation. Closer to home, DNA damage is also a focus of the US Department of Energy Low Dose Research Program, whose overall goal is to support biological research aimed at assessing risks posed by workplace, waste cleanup, and environmental radiation exposures (2). Such risks are obviously a direct public concern as well, no doubt heightened in the wake of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant incident (3). In PNAS (4), Neumaier et al. revisit common imaging-based methods used to assess cellular DNA damage from radiation exposure, and show how standard interpretation of those assays may be flawed. In the process, this study glimpses a DNA damage management dynamic that, if borne out in further study, stands to revise our understanding of damage repair in mammalian cells.
Growth Behavior of Au on Semiconductor and Insulating Substrates

There is a great deal of interest in forming Au grains on semiconductor and insulating substrates for device application. Reduction in density of grain boundaries is known to cause improvement of electromigration in thin films. Transmission electron microscopy and diffraction have been used to study the growth behavior and morphology of vapor deposited Au on these substrates. Electron beam evaporation techniques were used to evaporate Au at high rates (50A/sec or higher) on substrates held at low temperature (Rm. Temp. to 250°C). Large Au grains have been found to form on both amorphous (Si3N4 and SiO2) and single crystal Si substrates. The grain size of Au was also found to be dependent on substrate surface roughness; rough surfaces tended to retard the formation of large grains. Grains as large as 1/2 µ in a matrix of smaller ones were observed in films as thin as 350A Annealing up to 350°C, subsequent to deposition, did not appreciably increase the size of the larger grains, although the smaller ones grew by about 10%. The TEM analysis together with RBS and AES data showed no significant interaction between Au and Si (that is to say no atomic intermixing or silicide formation) under all deposition conditions as well as annealing heat treatments. The significance of this in relation to the growth behavior of Au on the insulating and single crystal Si substrates will be shown.
Inhibition of the NF-κB Pathway by Varicella-Zoster Virus In Vitro and in Human Epidermal Cells In Vivo

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is an alphaherpesvirus that causes varicella and herpes zoster. Using human cellular DNA microarrays, we found that many nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB)-responsive genes were down-regulated in VZV-infected fibroblasts, suggesting that VZV infection inhibited the NF-kappaB pathway. The activation of this pathway causes a cellular antiviral response, including the production of alpha/beta interferon, cytokines, and other proteins that restrict viral infection. In these experiments, we demonstrated that VZV interferes with NF-kappaB activation in cultured fibroblasts and in differentiated epidermal cells in skin xenografts of SCIDhu mice infected in vivo. VZV infection of fibroblasts caused a transient nuclear translocation of p50 and p65, the canonical NF-kappaB family members. In a process that was dependent upon the presence of infectious VZV, these proteins rapidly became sequestered in the cytoplasm of VZV-infected cells. Exclusion of NF-kappaB proteins from nuclei was associated with the continued presence of IkappaBalpha, which binds p50 and p65 and prevents their nuclear accumulation. IkappaBalpha levels did not diminish even though the protein became phosphorylated and ubiquitinated, as determined based on detection of the characteristic high-molecular-weight form of the protein, and the 26S proteasome remained functional in VZV-infected cells. VZV infection also inhibited the characteristic degradation of IkappaBalpha that is induced by exposure of fibroblasts to tumor necrosis factor alpha. As expected, herpes simplex virus 1 caused the persistent nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB proteins, which has been shown to facilitate its replication, whereas VZV infection progressed without persistent NF-kappaB nuclear localization. We suggest that VZV has evolved a mechanism to limit host cell antiviral defenses by sequestering NF-kappaB proteins in the cytoplasm, a strategy that appears to be unique among the herpesviruses.
Reconfigurable processor for energy-scalable computational photography

Computational photography applications, such as lightfield photography [1], enable capture and synthesis of images that could not be captured with a traditional camera. Non-linear filtering techniques like bilateral filtering [2] form a significant part of computational photography. These techniques have a wide range of applications, including High-Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging [3], Low-Light Enhanced (LLE) imaging [4], tone management and video enhancement. The high computational complexity of such multimedia processing applications necessitates fast hardware implementations [5] to enable real-time processing. This paper describes a hardware implementation of a reconfigurable multi-application processor for computational photography.
Heat storage and energy balance fluxes for a temperate deciduous forest

Hourly observations of forest-atmosphere energy balance components are presented for the Morgan-Monroe State Forest, south-central Indiana, USA for the period March 1998 to December 2001, with particular emphasis on the storage heat flux (DQS). The sub-components of DQS showed strong diurnal variability, although ground heat flux dominated the seasonal change of storage heat flux. The annual storage heat balance for the three complete years showed a small but consistent deficit averaging 16.18 MJ m � 2 a � 1 . On a per-hour basis this is small compared with potential error highlighted in sensitivity testing of a range of methodological issues. Under-sampling of biomass temperature yielded the greatest uncertainty. Energy balance closure, determined by linear regression, found turbulent fluxes to underestimate available energy by 28% (r 2 = 0.92), with no statistically significant difference in closure found between years or between months. On a diurnal basis, weaker closure was associated with low friction velocity and low turbulent heat flux magnitude. Increasing turbulent flux block averaging time from 15 to 60 min resulted in a small improvement in closure at 60 min averages (2.5%). In addition, co-spectral corrections to the latent heat flux to account for long-tube damping effects generated a much larger improvement in closure (16%). The mean annual Bowen ratio was 0.59, ranged from 0.57 to 0.61 and inter-annual variability of all energy balance components over the period was very small (less than 6% departure from mean). # 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Multidimensional Measurement of Regional Strains in the Intact Heart

The continuum mechanics approach to characterizing the function of the heart wall uses mechanical variables such as the stress and strain tensors and the relation between them, that is, the material properties of myocardium. Difficulties with the measurement of stresses and material properties in the beating heart have led investigators to pursue the study of local deformation or strain that is more amenable to observation. However, the complexity of ventricular deformation under both normal and pathophysiologic conditions has provided the impetus for increasingly sophisticated strain measurements during the last decade. In this chapter, a brief review is given of attempts to quantify ventricular function using one-dimensional measurements including their inherent drawbacks, the analysis of deformation and strain in two and three dimensions is delineated, results and their interpretation are given for strains measured in the normal heart, and observations of abnormal strain patterns under conditions of ventricular pacing and acute ischemia are described.
Montane Amphibian and Reptile Communities in Madagascar

; Two habitats in Madagascar, secondary, montane heathland and high plateau prairie, are considered artificial, having been created by human-set fires soon after the island was colonized less than 2000 years ago. These prairie and secondary heathland habitats are also thought to be degraded and faunistically depauperate. To test the depauperate fauna hypothesis we measured levels of herpetofaunal (amphibian and reptile) endemicity between primary forest, montane secondary heathland, and high plateau prairie. We found no species endemic to high plateau prairie, but a significant percentage of the montane herpetofauna is restricted to post-fire secondary heathland. These results support the human-origin hypothesis for prairie, but secondary heathland appears to be a natural, post-fire successional stage that leads to a climax of sclero-phyllous forest. This suggests that careful management of montane heathland could establish new dispersal corridors between currently isolated montane forest blocks and, therefore, could offer new opportunities for conservation in Madagascar. Despite widespread burning, the montane heathlands of Madagascar have diverse herpetofaunal communities, demonstrating that these montane communities are not as seriously degraded as previously believed, and that they may be naturally resistant to fire. En Madagascar los habitats de brezal secundario de montana y los de la pradera alta (High Plateau) son considerados como artificiales debido a que se originaron por incendios provocadospor humanos poco despues de la colonizacion de la isla menos de 2000 anos a.C. Tambien se piensa que estas habitats estan degradados y la fauna se encuentra en condiciones pauperrimas. Para evaluar la hipotesis de pauperizacion de la fauna, medimos los niveles de endemismo de la herpetofauna (anfibios y reptiles) entre bosque primario, brezal secundario y la pradera High Plateau. No encontramos especies endemicas a la pradera High Plateau, pero un procentaje significativo de la herpetofauna de montana esta restringido a tierras de post-in-cendio secundario. Estas resultados soportan la hipotesis de origen-humano para las regiones de pradera, pero los habitats de brezal secundarios parecen presentar un estado serai natural post-incendio que conducen a un climax de bosque esclerofilo. Esto sugiere que un manejo cuidadoso de los brezales de montana puede permitir nuevos corredores de dispersion entre bloques de bosque de montana actualmente aislados y de esta manera ofrecer nuevas oportunidades de conservacion en Madagascar. A pesar de los tan comunes incendios, los brezales de montana de Madagascar poseen comunidades diversas de herpetofauna que demuestran que estas areas no se encuentran seriamente degradadas como previamente se habia pensado, ademas de que pueden presentar resistencia natural al fuego.
Chemical analysis of some standard carbonate rocks

Abstract Twenty limestone, dolomite and limestone-dolomite blends were analyzed. The samples, which are available from the G. Fredrick Smith Chemical Company of Columbus, Ohio, were issued with an analysis certificate listing values for SiO 2 , Fe 2 O 3 , CaO and MgO. Additional analyses are reported and results compared with certificate values.
Fluorescence Lifetime Spectroscopy of Glioblastoma Multiforme

Abstract Fluorescence spectroscopy of the endogenous emission of brain tumors has been researched as a potentially important method for the intraoperative localization of brain tumor margins. We investigated the use of time-resolved, laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy for demarcation of primary brain tumors by studying the time-resolved spectra of gliomas. The fluorescence of human brain samples (glioblastoma multiforme, cortex and white matter: six patients, 23 sites) was induced ex vivo with a pulsed nitrogen laser (337 nm, 3 ns). The time-resolved spectra were detected in a 360–550 nm wavelength range using a fast digitizer and gated detection. Parameters derived from both the spectral- (intensities from narrow spectral bands) and the time domain (average lifetime) measured at 390 and 460 nm were used for tissue characterization. We determined that high-grade gliomas are characterized by fluorescence lifetimes that varied with the emission wavelength (>3 ns at 390 nm, <1 ns at 460 nm) and their em...
Efficacy and safety of ezetimibe and ezetimibe plus statin therapy in patients aged under 65, 65–74 and 75 years and older

Although the greatest burden of cardiovascular disease occurs after age 65 years, limited efficacy and safety data are available for cholesterol-lowering drugs in elderly patients. We undertook a pooled analysis of individual data from 13,282 patients aged 18–93 years in 16 published trials of ezetimibe and ezetimibe added on to or coadministered with a statin (ezetimibe/statin). Overall, ezetimibe reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 20% compared with placebo and ezetimibe/statin reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 17% compared with a statin alone, with consistent treatment effects across age groups (<65, 65–74 and ≥75 years). Rates of any adverse or drug-related adverse events were also similar across age groups. We conclude that the lipid efficacy and safety of ezetimibe and ezetimibe/statin in those aged 65–74 and 75 years and older are similar to those observed in patients aged under 65 years.
An Enhanced Monomeric Blue Fluorescent Protein with the High Chemical Stability of the Chromophore

Commonly used monomeric blue fluorescent proteins suffer from moderate brightness. The brightest of them, mTagBFP, has a notably low chemical stability over time. Prolonged incubation of mTagBFP leads to its transition from a blue fluorescent state with absorbance at 401 nm to a non-fluorescent state with absorbance at 330 nm. Here, we have determined the chemical structure of the degraded product of the blue mTagBFP-like chromophore. On the basis of mTagBFP we have developed an improved variant, named mTagBFP2. mTagBFP2 exhibits 2-fold greater chemical stability and substantially higher brightness in live cells than mTagBFP. mTagBFP2 is also 1.2-fold and 1.7-fold more photostable than mTagBFP in widefield and confocal microscopy setups, respectively. mTagBFP2 maintains all other beneficial properties of the parental mTagBFP including the high pH stability and fast chromophore formation. The enhanced photostability and chromophore chemical stability of mTagBFP2 make it a superior protein tag. mTagBFP2 performs well in the numerous protein fusions and surpasses mTagBFP as a donor in Forster resonance energy transfer with several green fluorescent protein acceptors.
Databases of genomic variation and phenotypes: Existing resources and future needs

Massively parallel sequencing (MPS) has become an important tool for identifying medically significant variants in both research and the clinic. Accurate variation and genotype–phenotype databases are critical in our ability to make sense of the vast amount of information that MPS generates. The purpose of this review is to summarize the state of the art of variation and genotype–phenotype databases, how they can be used, and opportunities to improve these resources. Our working assumption is that the objective of the clinical genomicist is to identify highly penetrant variants that could explain existing disease or predict disease risk for individual patients or research participants. We have detailed how current databases contribute to this goal providing frequency data, literature reviews and predictions of causation for individual variants. For variant annotation, databases vary greatly in their ease of use, the use of standard mutation nomenclature, the comprehensiveness of the variant cataloging and the degree of expert opinion. Ultimately, we need a dynamic and comprehensive reference database of medically important variants that is easily cross referenced to exome and genome sequence data and allows for an accumulation of expert opinion.
Aspartyl β-Hydroxylase (Asph) and an Evolutionarily Conserved Isoform of Asph Missing the Catalytic Domain Share Exons with Junctin

The mouse aspartyl β-hydroxylase gene (Asph, BAH) has been cloned and characterized. The mouseBAH gene spans 200 kilobase pairs of genomic DNA and contains 24 exons. Of three major BAH-related transcripts, the two largest (6,629 and 4,419 base pairs) encode full-length protein and differ only in the use of alternative polyadenylation signals. The smallest BAH-related transcript (2,789 base pairs) uses an alternative 3′ terminal exon, resulting in a protein lacking a catalytic domain. Evolutionary conservation of this noncatalytic isoform of BAH (humbug) is demonstrated in mouse, man, andDrosophila. Monoclonal antibody reagents were generated, epitope-mapped, and used to definitively correlate RNA bands on Northern blots with protein species on Western blots. The gene for mouse junctin, a calsequestrin-binding protein, was cloned and characterized and shown to be encoded from the same locus. When expressed in heart tissue, BAH/humbug preferably use the first exon and often the fourth exon of junctin while preserving the reading frame. Thus, three individual genes share common exons and open reading frames and use separate promoters to achieve differential expression, splicing, and function in a variety of tissues. This unusual form of exon sharing suggests that the functions of junctin, BAH, and humbug may be linked.
CYP2C29 produces superoxide in response to shear stress.

Objective Activation of CYP2C29 releases superoxide during shear stress-induced dilation (SSID).
Stock Repurchases and TARP in the Financial Industry

In this paper, we examine the relation between the inadequate levels of capital during the recent financial crisis and the shareholder dividend and stock repurchase activities in the banking industry. In 2008, the Treasury Department initiated a bailout of the banking industry through the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Over the years leading up to this bailout, 2004-2007, shareholder payout activity increased dramatically. We first explore the efficient capital market motivations for the share repurchases of our sample of banking firms. Consistent with studies in the non-financial industry we find some support for the excess cash, undervaluation, and stock compensation hypotheses. However, we observe a structural shift in the model in 2007 that is inconsistent with efficient capital market behavior. Next, we explore the relation between firms that accepted funds from the Capital Purchase Program (CPP), the largest program within TARP, and the increasing levels of shareholder payouts. We find that firms that accepted CPP funds returned a higher proportion of their available capital to shareholders in the periods leading up to the financial crisis than firms that did not accept CPP funding. Finally, we document the improvement in for the capital adequacy of the CPP participant firms, and we provide anecdotal evidence on the impact of CPP on the largest four participating banks.
The Influence of Conflict, Marital Problem Solving and Parenting on Children's Adjustment in Nondivorced, Divorced and Remarried Families

In this chapter, I examine how marital conflict, divorce, and remarriage affect parenting, parent-child and sibling relationships, and the adjustment of children as they move from early to mid-adolescence. The association between marital and family discord, marital transitions and child adjustment is well established. Children and adolescents living in contentious homes or divorced or remarried families in comparison; with those in harmonious nondivorced families are higher in externalizing behavior problems (antisocial behavior, aggression, noncompliance) and internalizing behavior problems (inhibited, withdrawn behavior, anxiety, depression) and lower in social responsibility, self-esteem, and social and cognitive competence (see Amato, 2001; Amato & Keith, 1991a; Cummings, Goeke-Morey, & Rapp, 2001; Hetherington, Bridges, & Insabella, 1998; Hetherington & Stanley-Hagan, 2000; 2002; McLanahan, 1999, for reviews). Although conduct disorders decline in young adulthood, substance abuse, alcoholism and troubles with the law remain higher in youths from conflicted, divorced and remarried families. Youths who have experienced their parent's marital transitions also are more likely to be single parents, to experience lower socioeconomic and educational attainment and to be on welfare. In addition, they have more problems with family members, in intimate relations, in marriage and in the workplace. Their divorce rate is higher and their reports of general well-being and life satisfaction are lower (Amato, 1999; 2001; see Chapter 8, in this book); Amato & Booth, 1996; Amato & Keith, 1991b; Hetherington, 1999a; 2003; Hetherington & Kelly, 2002).
Class 8 Vehicle Fuel Savings using Sealed Single and Dual Open Aft Cavities

Over-the-road tests have been conducted to evaluate and optimize sealed single and dual open aft cavity geometries for drag reduction on Class 8 tractor-trailers. Several tractor-trailer combinations and methods were used over various routes in northern New York. Additional testing on the most promising geometries was carried out by Volvo Technology of America, Inc. at the Transportation Research Center Inc. in Ohio according to the Recommended Practice J1321 Joint TMC/SAE Fuel Consumption Test Procedure Type II. An over-theroad improvement of 0.63 mpg was observed in the back to back runs in New York, which corresponds to an estimated fuel savings of about 10% for present day class 8 loaded tractor-trailers. Reported results from the SAE test indicated a fuel savings of 3.9% to 4.7% which is estimated to be approximately 0.46 to 0.57 mpg based on the as tested empty tractor-trailer configurations. The optimal geometry for the sealed aft cavity was found to be 15 deg inset on the side top panels, and a 7 deg inset on the bottom. It was observed during the New York tests that a noticeable shift in the data occurred over time, attributed to the warming of the fuel during the test, and this underscores the necessity for back to back run testing.
See Sovereignty, Native American See-Savers, and the Svalbard Vault: The Epistemology of Germplasm as Property

Seeds are the essence of life. Without their varied yields, the earth would lack agriculture, livestock, food systems, and ecological stability. In all shapes, sizes, and distributions, seeds are genetic powerhouses that store life's codes; they are as foundational a resource as the water and soil that nourish them. Nonetheless, mounting evidence demonstrates steady erosion of the see biodiversity necessary for viable food systems (FAO 2010, 2013).
Intracellular Concentration of Hepatic Glycerol-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase in Normal, Diabetic, and Hormonally Manipulated Rabbits

AbstractA radioimmunoassay (RIA) for cytosolic glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) was developed as a means of determining enzyme concentration independent of assayable activity. The GPDH concentration (nmole/g wet wt), activity (units/g wet wt), specific activity (units/nmole GPDH), total liver concentration (nmole/liver/kg body wt), and total liver activity (units/liver/kg body wt) were determined under conditions favorable and unfavorable to gluconeogenesis. Fasted rabbits showed a decrease in total liver nanomoles of GPDH per killigram of body weight. Cortisone, triamcinolone, and thyroxine administration caused increases in total liver units and total liver nanomoles of GPDH per killigram of body weight in the fed animal. The increases or decrease observed correlated directly with changes in liver size. Diabetic, insulin-controlled diabetic, and glucagon-treated fed animals showed neither GPDH activity nor concentration changes. There was no change in the specific activity of GPDH under any con...
Temperature-sensitive mutants of Mycoplasma pneumoniae. I. In vitro biologic properties.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae, the only mycoplasma which has been definitely shown to cause disease in man [1], is responsible for a significant segment of acute lower respiratory disease, especially in older children and young adults [2]. Efforts to provide protection against disease caused by M. pneumoniae by parenteral administration of inactivated vaccine have been only partially successful ?at best a 5096 protective effect has been observed [3]. For this reason there was interest in developing an attenuated strain of M. pneumoniae which might provide more effective protection. Although a partial attenuation of M. pneumoniae was observed previously, following serial passage in mycoplasma broth medium, this was associated with reduced infectivity, and the residual virulence of the organisms passaged in broth medium made them unsuitable for large scale immunization [3, 4]. An additional approach to the development of an attenuated M. pneumoniae vaccine was recently undertaken. An attempt was made to produce conditional lethal temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of the organism by exposing it to a potent mutagen, N-methyl-N' -nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG). Ts mutants represent a potentially useful class of mutants, since (1) almost any gene can be affected, (2) the capacity of the mutants to grow is dependent upon environmental conditions, and (3) the extent of the temperature limitation can be imposed by the selection procedure employed by the investigator. Until now the capacity of most genes to undergo ts mutation has been employed primarily for mapping the genome of viruses and bacteria
Matrix metalloproteinase expression and activity in isolated myocytes after neurohormonal stimulation

Changes in myocardial matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) activity and expression have been associated with left ventricular (LV) remodeling. A recent study demonstrated that LV myocytes synthesize and ...
The thing about rainbows

What is it about rainbows? This beautiful optical phenomenon seems to have attracted more than its fair share of scientific attention and learned controversy, particularly following the publication of Newton's Opticks, which first appeared 300 years ago in 1704.
Assessing the Efficiency Justifications for the NCAA Player Compensation Restrictions

College football and basketball generate huge broadcast and attendance revenues. The NCAA, however, limits the compensation to athletes in these sports to cover, at most, the cost of attending college, which is well below the financial contribution to the schools of the top level college athletes. These compensation restrictions have recently come under attack in the courts in the O’Bannon and Jenkins cases, among others, as being anticompetitive. The NCAA has argued that its restrictions have procompetitive justifications. In this paper we set out first to evaluate the purported justification for the NCAA’s pay restrictions related to amateurism. We argue that the evidence from a number of Olympic and other now professional sports reveals little relationship between amateurism and demand. Rather than amateurism, we propose that the defining and distinguishing characteristic of college sports is the linkage to the universities. That athletes are also students is integral to the demand for college sports r...
Freedom without law

Untangling the relationship of law and liberty is among the core problems of political theory. One prominent position is that there is no freedom without law. This article challenges the argument t...
Initial Hodgkin treatment of the frail elderly.

In this issue of Blood, Friedberg and colleagues present results of a clinical trial that suggests a new treatment option for frail Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) patients, age 60 years and older. 1
Shaking up and making up China: how the party-state compromises and creates ontological security for its subjects

A growing chorus of observers has warned of threats to regime stability in China in recent years. In spite of these concerns, the party-state’s grip on power in many respects appears as strong today as at any time since 1989, making it a remarkable outlier in a shrinking pool of long-surviving authoritarian regimes. This article addresses the debate over the resilience of the Chinese party-state by suggesting that one source of this resilience lies in the regime’s distinct functions in citizens’ experience of ontological security. Ontological security refers to a basic need of individuals for a sense of continuity and order in events. The main argument is that China’s party-state has developed a mode of rule that both compromises and creates ontological security for its citizens. On one level, the party-state undermines individuals’ ontological security. The regime has engineered profound transformations of Chinese society, producing conditions that compromise its subjects’ ontological security. At the same time, the party-state provides individuals with resources to buttress their ontological security. Official discourses function as anchors that assist individuals in this pursuit. A survey of research on Chinese politics supports these conclusions.
Androgens, Gender and Brain Differentiation

Genetic and hormonal influences on phenotypic sex determination in humans have been shown to be similar to those in other mammals. Many animal studies have also demonstrated that hormones are essential for sexual differentiation of the brain during development and for the maintenance of sexually dimorphic behavior throughout life. However, the effect of hormonal influences on sexual dimorphic differences in the human nervous system and on gender identity and sex differences in human behavior is still an emerging field. This article discusses the importance of androgens in (1) determination of male gender identity and (2) cognitive function by reviewing specific inherited genetic defects in androgen biosynthesis and action. The complex interaction of nature versus nurture is also addressed.
Lipid-lowering therapy for prevention of ventricular tachyarrhythmias

In this issue of the Journal , Mitchell et al. [(1)][1]report that lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) was associated with a 36% relative risk reduction (RRR) in all-cause mortality in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) enrolled in the Antiarrhythmics Versus Implantable Defibrillator (AVID) trial.
PRC estimation with varying width intervals

The definition of the infinitesimal phase-resetting curve implies that the period of oscillation is known and constant for all values of the perturbation phase. Experimental estimation of the infinitesimal phase-resetting curve in neurons requires estimation of the unperturbed period of oscillation and the changes in the period in response to perturbations along the phase. Action potentials provide well-defined, yet stochastic endpoints of the cycle of oscillation. Experimental estimation of the phase-resetting curve is substantially complicated as a result. Here, we discuss a common problem with experimental PRC estimation caused by using the mean interspike interval (ISI) to describe the resting period. We propose a solution through truncated estimators of the firing period, conditioned upon observed phase: i.e., an estimate of the period given that we have experienced up to phase τ.
The Examined Externship is Worth Doing: Critical Self-Reflection and Externship Pedagogy

Externships are a popular and important component of law schools’ experiential offerings that provide students with structured learning opportunities bridging the gap between the classroom and practice. Yet the classes taught as part of externship programs have not fully developed a pedagogy of their own that addresses the particular role that externships serve in a student’s education. These classes have traditionally focused on topics such as issues of professionalism, workplace challenges, ethics and critiquing the institutions where externs work. This paper argues that one essential goal of these classes should be to teach students how to learn through critical self-reflection. Developing the habit of reflection enables externs to extract profound lessons from the role models and practice experiences they encounter in the field. It prepares them to keep learning throughout their careers. Drawing from externship and in-house clinical literature, this paper explores how externship educators can effectively use two teaching methods, simulations and rounds, to teach critical self-reflection. These examples are intended to spur development of externship pedagogy to deepen its incorporation of habits of self-reflection. They also speak to the need for greater integration and allocation of resources by law schools and law faculties in externship programs.
The Influence of Men’s Body Dissatisfaction in Appearance-Related Behaviors: The Moderator Role of Public Self-Consciousness: An Abstract

This study investigated how Generation Y men’s body dissatisfaction would influence their appearance-related behaviors, including appearance management and clothing purchase behavior, and whether public self-consciousness would play a moderator role in the relationship between body dissatisfaction and those appearance-related behaviors. Specifically, this study investigated heterosexual men only as they may have different perceptions toward their body and appearance-related behaviors compared to homosexual men.
The Semigroup of Surjective Transformations on an Infinite Set

For an infinite set X, denote by Ω(X) the semigroup of all surjective mappings from X to X. We determine Green’s relations in Ω(X), show that the kernel (unique minimum ideal) of Ω(X) exists and de...
PD60-05 AUTOMATED DETECTION OF PROSTATE CANCER ON MULTIPARAMETRIC MRI USING DEEP NEURAL NETWORKS TRAINED ON SPATIAL COORDINATES AND PATHOLOGY OF BIOPSY CORES

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:The role of multiparametric MRI in clinical care is rapidly expanding due to its ability to improve prostate cancer detection. However, MRI interpretation suffers from a...
Prevalence of Maxillary Sinus Pathology Based on Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Evaluation of Multiethnicity Dental School Population.

Objective The goal of the study was to evaluate prevalence of maxillary sinus pathology among populations considered for possible sinus augmentation procedures for dental implants. Study design Eight hundred twenty-one cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans were retrospectively evaluated for prevalence of maxillary sinus pathology. Scans were classified based on the type of sinus pathology detected. Categories of sinus findings were healthy, mucosal thickening larger than 3 mm, polypoidal mucosal thickening, partial opacification, complete opacification, and others. Age, sex, ethnicity, and dentition status were evaluated to determine associated relationships with the incidence of pathology. Results Sixty-two percent (62.79%) of scans presented with bilateral healthy sinuses and 37.21% of scans exhibited pathology. 73.38% of sinuses were classified as clinical healthy, 14.93% presented with mucosal thickening, 8.53% with polypoidal mucosal thickening, 2.13% with partial opacification, 0.66% with complete opacification, and 0.37% with a foreign body. Sex is found to be a significant factor with higher pathology incidence rates in male patients. Age is a significant factor with higher pathology incidence rates in older subjects. Dentition status and ethnicity did not have a significant association with pathology incidence rates. Conclusions The prevalence of maxillary sinus pathologies and associations with age, sex, ethnicity, and dentition status were obtained. Thirty-seven percent of scans would require further medical consultation before proceeding with maxillary sinus augmentation surgery for dental implants.
Analysis of the Impact of Typhoons on the Pacific

Abstract : The long-term goal of this work was to observe, understand, quantify and parameterize upper-ocean mixing in the cold wake of a typhoon. A second goal is to create an improved ocean heat content estimates are critical for forecasts of tropical cyclone formation, intensity, and structure.
Differential Effects of Extracellular Vesicles of Lineage-Specific Human Pluripotent Stem Cells on the Cellular Behaviors of Isogenic Cortical Spheroids.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) contribute to a variety of signaling processes and the overall physiological and pathological states of stem cells and tissues. Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have unique characteristics that can mimic embryonic tissue development. There is growing interest in the use of EVs derived from hiPSCs as therapeutics, biomarkers, and drug delivery vehicles. However, little is known about the characteristics of EVs secreted by hiPSCs and paracrine signaling during tissue morphogenesis and lineage specification. Methods: In this study, the physical and biological properties of EVs isolated from hiPSC-derived neural progenitors (ectoderm), hiPSC-derived cardiac cells (mesoderm), and the undifferentiated hiPSCs (healthy iPSK3 and Alzheimer’s-associated SY-UBH lines) were analyzed. Results: Nanoparticle tracking analysis and electron microscopy results indicate that hiPSC-derived EVs have an average size of 100–250 nm. Immunoblot analyses confirmed the enrichment of exosomal markers Alix, CD63, TSG101, and Hsc70 in the purified EV preparations. MicroRNAs including miR-133, miR-155, miR-221, and miR-34a were differently expressed in the EVs isolated from distinct hiPSC lineages. Treatment of cortical spheroids with hiPSC-EVs in vitro resulted in enhanced cell proliferation (indicated by BrdU+ cells) and axonal growth (indicated by β-tubulin III staining). Furthermore, hiPSC-derived EVs exhibited neural protective abilities in Aβ42 oligomer-treated cultures, enhancing cell viability and reducing oxidative stress. Our results demonstrate that the paracrine signaling provided by tissue context-dependent EVs derived from hiPSCs elicit distinct responses to impact the physiological state of cortical spheroids. Overall, this study advances our understanding of cell‒cell communication in the stem cell microenvironment and provides possible therapeutic options for treating neural degeneration.
Evaluation of Switchgrass Genotypes for Cold-Tolerant Seed Germination from Native Populations in the Northeast USA.

The focus of this research was to evaluate genotypes for cold-tolerant germination from wild switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) populations collected in the Northeast USA. Switchgrass nurseries were established in 2008 and 2009 with seed collected from native stands of switchgrass in the Northeast USA between 1991 and 2008. Switchgrass seed harvested from individual genotypes was evaluated for cold-tolerant germination in a series of laboratory experiments. Germination assays of seed of 13 switchgrass genotypes harvested in the fall of 2016 are the primary focus of this reported research. The selected genotypes were evaluated for cold-tolerant seed germination in three experiments, during the spring of 2017, fall of 2017 and spring of 2018, (with and without stratification) using a 10/15 °C regime with a 12 h photoperiod. Germination tests showed that several genotypes had significantly higher percentage germination as well as faster germination rates expressed as T50 (number of days required to reach 50% maximum germination) when compared to Cave-in-Rock, a moderately sensitive cold-tolerant commercial cultivar established in the original switchgrass nursery as a control. A final germination test was conducted to compare seed from the original population (no selection cycle 0), with one of the top performing cold-tolerant germination genotypes, and a commercial cultivar, ‘Espresso’, developed for low seed dormancy and low temperature germination. In this test, the selected genotype had significantly higher percentage germination in the stratified treatment and was not significantly different than Espresso in the non-stratified test. These data indicate successful selection for cold-tolerant germination in switchgrass genotypes from native germplasm collected in the Northeast USA.
Sectarian ethics and the moral point of view? Buddhist views on withdrawal of care

Summary Presented here for analysis are distinct and opposed Buddhist perspectives on the issue of withdrawing life support from a brain-dead individual. Of the four views considered, Peter Harvey argues that withdrawal of care and cessation of treatment is justifiable in a Buddhist context. Another perspective (Scott Stonington and Pinit Ratanakul) points out that the Buddhist physician who withdraws a respirator acquires a karmic demerit that can negatively affect this life and future lives. This second view then concludes that Western bioethical resources are inadequate to address the problem of withdrawal of care. In light of these opposing ethical stances grounded in sectarian viewpoints, this presentation will argue that religious ethics should not be considered “irrational” due to their religious foundations. Furthermore, importing local religious concepts can be deemed morally justifiable if doing so endorses the “moral point of view” in its appeal to universalizability, impartial justice, beneficence, and adherence to a set of normative principles. Can ethics criticize religious views that do not conform to the moral point of view or that seem scientifically uninformed, irrational, sectarian, or in some cases even fanatical ? Even though Western concepts for bioethical analysis should not be accepted uncritically, appeal to the moral point of view is necessary for resolving moral problems even if specifics of that perspective may be backgrounded in non-Western contexts.
Clara: Performance Clarity for SmartNIC Offloading

The gap between CPU and networking speeds has motivated the development of SmartNICs for near-network processing. Recent work has shown that many network functions can benefit from SmartNIC offloading, but identifying the best porting strategy requires hand-tuning and workload-specific optimizations. The developer has no easy way to understand the ported performance beforehand We are developing a tool called Clara, whose goal is to provide performance clarity for SmartNIC offloading. Clara can analyze an unported NF in its original form, and predict its performance when ported to a SmartNIC target. This automated workflow enables the developer to easily customize offloading strategies, obtain performance insights, and identify suitable SmartNIC models for her workloads. Clara's key technical roadmap is to emulate a compiler, lowering an unported program to a SmartNIC target logically, without performing code generation. This results in a mapping from core NF logic to SmartNIC hardware resources, and Clara then plugs in NIC parameters to predict the performance for specific workloads. We describe our progress so far, and report initial validation results with Netronome hardware.