cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the interaction force between Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and solid surfaces.

Interaction force profiles between single Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and positively charged, silane-coated silica particles were measured in aqueous solutions using an atomic force microscope. The oocysts were immobilized for the measurements by entrapment in Millipore polycarbonate membranes with 3 μm pore size. Experiments were performed in both NaCl and CaCl2 solutions at ionic strengths ranging from 1 to 100 mM. For both electrolytes, the decay length of the repulsive force profile was found to be nearly independent of the ionic strength and always much larger than the theoretical Debye length of the system. In addition, the magnitude of the force was found to be essentially the same for both electrolytes, suggesting that the long-range repulsive forces are primarily steric in nature. These results support the theory that the interaction force between oocysts and surfaces is controlled by an outer, weakly charged or uncharged carbohydrate layer. Measurements were also performed with oocysts that h...
Making MR Imaging Child's Play - Pediatric Neuroimaging Protocol, Guidelines and Procedure

Within the last decade there has been an increase in the use of structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural basis of human perception, cognition and behavior 1, 2. Moreover, this non-invasive imaging method has grown into a tool for clinicians and researchers to explore typical and atypical brain development. Although advances in neuroimaging tools and techniques are apparent, (f)MRI in young pediatric populations remains relatively infrequent 2. Practical as well as technical challenges when imaging children present clinicians and research teams with a unique set of problems 3, 2. To name just a few, the child participants are challenged by a need for motivation, alertness and cooperation. Anxiety may be an additional factor to be addressed. Researchers or clinicians need to consider time constraints, movement restriction, scanner background noise and unfamiliarity with the MR scanner environment2,4-10. A progressive use of functional and structural neuroimaging in younger age groups, however, could further add to our understanding of brain development. As an example, several research groups are currently working towards early detection of developmental disorders, potentially even before children present associated behavioral characteristics e.g.11. Various strategies and techniques have been reported as a means to ensure comfort and cooperation of young children during neuroimaging sessions. Play therapy 12, behavioral approaches 13, 14,15, 16-18 and simulation 19, the use of mock scanner areas 20,21, basic relaxation 22 and a combination of these techniques 23 have all been shown to improve the participant's compliance and thus MRI data quality. Even more importantly, these strategies have proven to increase the comfort of families and children involved 12. One of the main advances of such techniques for the clinical practice is the possibility of avoiding sedation or general anesthesia (GA) as a way to manage children's compliance during MR imaging sessions 19,20. In the current video report, we present a pediatric neuroimaging protocol with guidelines and procedures that have proven to be successful to date in young children.
Successfully Integrating Novel Games into the Curriculum: Netball for All

(2007). Successfully Integrating Novel Games into the Curriculum: Netball for All. Strategies: Vol. 20, No. 6, pp. 8-16.
ICD therapy in the new millennium.

The frequency of use of the automatic implantable cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD) has increased more that 100-fold since it was first approved about 15 years ago. This increase can be attributed to several factors, including the documentation of the reduction of mortality rate with ICD use in high-risk populations 3,67 ; the simplification of the implantation process, which allows greater dissemination of this technology with lower perioperative morbidity and mortality 57,89,128 ; and the high arrhythmia recurrence rates and lack of mortality-rate reductions with trials of antiarrhythmic drugs. 20,40,65,100,115,122 The explosive growth of the ICD likely will continue, with further broadening of the indications for implantation as well as continued engineering advances. The purpose of this article is to summarize the clinical use of ICDs and to describe further advances under evaluation. At present, initial ICD implantations are performed almost exclusively with transvenous lead systems and active pectoral pulse generators. The use of nonthoracotomy lead systems, including transvenous configurations, was a major advance in ICD technology because it simplifies the surgical procedure and reduces the perioperative morbidity and mortality rates, duration of hospitalization, and costs, compared with epicardial lead systems. 57,75,89,118,125,128 Without the need for a thoracotomy, ICD implantation can be performed safely by electrophysiologists, often without the use of an operating room. 27,104,108,116 In addition, pectoral placement of pulse generators simplifies the implantation procedure, 5,77,103 further reducing morbidity rates and costs associated with the implantation. 34,40 More recently, dual-chamber ICD systems have been developed that allow for atrioventricular (AV) sequential pacing to optimize hemodynamic function, as well as for atrial sensing to aid in the discrimination of tachyarrhythmias. The classification of these systems as dual-chamber ICDs is somewhat of a misnomer. These devices are capable of pacing and sensing in the right atrium and ventricle; however, cardioversion and defibrillation are restricted to the ventricle. True dual-chamber shocking ICDs now have been developed that allow for both the diagnosis and the treatment of atrial tachyarrhythmias. Although controlled clinical trials demonstrating the superiority of dual-chamber ICDs for any objective outcome are lacking, these devices are rapidly gaining acceptance and likely will be more commonly implanted than single-chamber systems in the near future. 46
Physics issues in simulations with dynamical overlap fermions

We discuss the impact of various improvements on simulations of dynamical overlap fermions using the Hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm. We focus on the usage of fat links and multiple pseudofermion fields.
Prevalence and Correlates of At-Risk Drinking Among Older Adults: The Project SHARE Study

BACKGROUND At-risk drinking, excessive or potentially harmful alcohol use in combination with select comorbidities or medication use, affects about 10% of elderly adults and is associated with higher mortality. Yet, our knowledge is incomplete regarding the prevalence of different categories of at-risk drinking and their associations with patient demographics.
Estimating porosity of partially saturated sediments

Abstract The electrical resistivity of an unconsolidated sediment, depends, among other factors, on the fraction of the pore space that is filled with fluid. An empirical relation can be formed that relates measured resistivity and fluid content to the percent saturation. The formula is applied to a core taken from a freshwater lake, and the volume of gas in the sediment is estimated to a depth of 6 m into the lake bottom. The procedures described can lead to improved estimates of porosity and bulk density.
A Geometric Parametric Analysis of a Magnetorheological Engine Mount

Engine vibration has caused a great deal of research for isolation to be performed. Traditionally, isolation was achieved through the use of pure elastomeric (rubber) mounts. However, with advances in vehicle technology, these types of mounts have become inadequate. The inadequacy stems from the vibration profile associated with the engine, i.e. high displacement at low frequency and small displacement at high frequency. Ideal isolation would be achieved through a stiff mount for low frequency and a soft mount for high frequency. This is contradictory to the performance of the elastomeric mounts. Hydraulic mounts were then developed to address this problem. A hydraulic mount has variable stiffness and damping due to the use of a decoupler and an inertia track. However, further advances in vehicle technology have rendered these mounts inadequate as well. Examples of these advances are hybridization (electric and hydraulic) and cylinder on demand (VCM, MDS & ACC). With these technologies, the vibration excitation has a significantly different profile, occurs over a wide range of frequencies, and calls for a new technology that can address this need. Magnetorheological (MR) fluid is a smart material that is able to change viscosity in the presence of a magnetic field. With the use of MR fluid, variable damping and stiffness can be achieved. An MR mount has been developed and tested. The performance of the mount depends on the geometry of the rubber part as well as the behavior of the MR fluid. The rubber top of the mount is the topic of this study due to its major impact on the isolation characteristics of the MR mount. To develop a design methodology to address the isolation needs of different hybrid vehicles, a geometric parametric finite element analysis has been completed and presented in this paper.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
An evaluation of myotypic respecification in axolotls

Nerves supplying forearm flexor muscles were exchanged (crossed) with those supplying forearm extensors. After complete recovery, the movements of the forelimb were the same as those of normal limbs. Dissections showed that the nerves remained crossed, and electrical stimulation of the crossed nerves close to the muscles they supplied showed that the nerves were functionally connected to the foreign muscles. On the basis of these criteria, it appeared that axolotl nerves could respecify themselves. Stimulation of the crossed nerves further from the muscles they innervated, however, yielded contractions in the muscles that the nerves had originally supplied. Therefore, one of the two crossed nerves was severed at the shoulder and allowed to degenerate so that any movements elicited by subsequent electrical stimulation could be ascribed unambiguously to the remaining, non-degenerated nerve. Electrical stimulation now showed clearly that the nerve which had originally innervated forearm flexors continued to produce flexion responses after it was crossed, and the nerve which had formerly innervated extensors continued to produce extension. Thus the fibers had somehow recrossed to reinnervate their original muscles. It therefore appears from the present investigation that axolotl nerves do not respecify themselves. Instead, a few fibers find their way back to their original muscles, and this is enough to produce normal movement.
Patient Self-Perceptions of Swallowing Difficulties as Compared to Expert Ratings of Videofluorographic Studies

Background/Aims: Research investigating the relationship between subjective and objective assessment of dysphagia in patients with various diagnoses has yielded conflicting results.
SUEDE: iterative, informal prototyping for speech interfaces

SUEDE is a speech interface prototyping tool that enables rapid, iterative creation of prompt-response speech interfaces. It explicitly supports iterative design, allowing a designer to quickly create an interface prototype, conduct user studies, and analyze the test data in a single tool. SUEDE offers an electronically supported Wizard of Oz (WOz) technique that captures user test data. Before building the tool that we present here, we built a paper and an interactive prototype and tested the prototypes with a total of fifteen users. We also interviewed six professional speech UI designers at their workplace about their current design practice. These designers encouraged us to build a tool that lets them start with examples when designing and simulate recognition error during testing. Our current tool is a culmination of this iterative design.
Influential Structural Engineers: A Project in a Third‐year Structural Analysis Course

A study of structural analysis is enhanced by an exposure to the pioneers in the field. Students can more fully appreciate the tools and techniques of structural analysis when given life through a study of those engineers who developed and used them. Of special significance in this age of powerful computer capabilities is the technological context within which many of the important engineers lived and made their contributions. This paper describes a special project undertaken in the second of a two course sequence in structural analysis during the Spring quarter, 1992, in the Department of Civil Engineering and Construction at North Dakota State University. The class of 65 students was divided into 13 groups of five students each. With some guidance, each group chose an engineer who made a significant contribution to modern structural engineering theory and/or practice. Each group was required to research the life and work of the chosen engineer and present an oral, in-class demonstration, experiment, or other visual illustration of a theoretical or applied concept that characterized a major contribution of the selected individual. In addition, each student was required to submit an independently written paper addressing one of a set of standard questions posed to all groups. The project encouraged the students to discover the unique engineering skills demonstrated by some of the great engineers who made important contributions to modern structural engineering practice. By integrating the stories of influential engineers and their achievements into a quantitative analysis course, the students experienced the technical material within a broader context, helping them to appreciate the practice of engineering as a living, human endeavor.
Recovery of saccadic dysmetria following localized lesions in monkey superior colliculus

Damage to the monkey superior colliculus (SC) produces deficits in the generation of saccadic eye movements. Recovery of the accuracy of saccades is rapid, but saccadic latency and peak velocity recover slowly or not at all. In the present experiments we revisited the issue of recovery of function following localized lesions of the SC using three methodological advances: implantation of wire recording electrodes into the SC for the duration of the experiment to ensure that we were recording from the same site on the SC map on successive days; quantification of changes in saccadic accuracy, latency, and velocity using a standard grid of target points in the visual field contralateral to the SC lesion; measurement of movement field size to quantitatively determine any changes following the lesion. We confirmed a decrease in saccadic accuracy following electrolytic lesions of the SC, and we found that this dysmetria recovered within about 4 days. Saccadic latency increased for saccades to the lesion area and this deficit persisted. Peak saccadic velocity decreased immediately after the lesion and decreased further during the 10 days to 2 weeks of the experiment. We found no indication of an expansion of the movement fields of neurons adjacent to the lesion area. This lack of reorganization suggests that movement field changes within the SC cannot mediate the recovery in accuracy of the saccade. The persistence of the latency and velocity deficits despite the recovery of amplitude deficits indicates that saccadic latency and peak velocity are dependent upon the SC whereas saccadic amplitude is not.
Applications of circularly polarized luminescence spectroscopy to biochemical systems

Abstract Circularly polarized luminescence from Tb(III) bound to the protein calmodulin at micromolar concentrations is reported. The CPL is monitored as equivalents of the lanthanide are added to the protein solution. Maximum optical activity is obtained when two equivalents are added. These results can be interpreted in terms of conformational changes of the protein.
Demonstration of cortisol in fish blood.

PREVIOUS investigators1 have shown the presence of glycogenic activity, presumably of adrenal steroidal origin, in the plasma of the salmon (Salmo salar). An appreciable part of the activity could be accounted for by steroids reacting as 17-hydroxycorticoids by the Nelson–Samuels analytical method2. Since this technique measures a variety of materials having a dihydroxyacetone side-chain on the 17 carbon, the specificity of the determination is questionable in species of which the pattern of adrenal steroid secretion has not been established. Moreover, although cortisol (which is measured by the Nelson–Samuels method) is the chief steroid in the plasma of some mammals, in others the chief steroid, corticosterone, is not detectable by this method. This is especially important because Hatey found the concentration of glycogen-depositing activity to be much higher than could be accounted for by the 17-hydroxycorticosteroids1. The nature of the steroid responsible for a large part of the biological activity of salmon plasma remains uncertain. An attempt has therefore been made to determine the nature of the circulating steroids in fish blood by application of paper chromatography.
Nosocomial Viral Infections Revisited

In 1980 and 1981, Valenti et al. (l-4) published a series of ground-breaking articles that addressed, for the first time in a comprehensive manner, the epidemiology and control of nosocomial viral infections. Since then, significant advances have been made in viral diagnosis, prophylaxis, and treatment of viral infections. Moreover, these guidelines were published before the recognition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and before the implementation of “standard” precautions in the health care setting. The following, then, is an overview and an update on the detection and prevention of nosocomial viral infections. Nosocomial viral infections can be separated into different categories based on their mode of transmission. Bloodborne viruses, such as cytomegalovirus (CMV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), HCV, hepatitis D virus, HIV1 and -2, parvovirus, HTLV-I, and HTLV-II, are transmitted by transfusion and blood and blood products. In addition, undergoing dialysis or organ-transplantation and contact with certain body fluids have also been shown as routes of transmission for some of these viruses (5). Airborne transmission by smallparticle aerosol nuclei ( Gum in size) has been implicated for influenza, measles, and varicella-zoster (VZV) viruses. Large-droplet (>5pm) aerosol transmission occurs with adenovirus, influenza virus, mumps virus, parainfluenza virus, parvovirus B 19, rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus, and rubella virus. Enteric adenoviruses, enteroviruses, hepatitis A virus (HAV), rotavirus, and other gastroenteritis viruses are transmitted by the fecal-oral route or by contact with contaminated objects or surfaces in the patient’s environment. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) and VZV are spread by direct contact with patient lesions; CMV and HSV are spread by intimate contact with infectious secretions (2,6,7).
Time Domain Robustness Analysis for Linear Regulators

This paper addresses the aspect of Robustness of Linear Regulators in time domain. First a Stability Robustness condition in time domain (in terms of eigenvalues) is presented and it is shown that the proposed robustness condition is less conservative than i) the corresponding frequency domain condition and ii) another time domain condition recently proposed (in terms of singular values). Next a technique is presented to further reduce the conservatism of the proposed condition. Finally a design algorithm that incorporates both "Stability Robustness" and "Performance Robustness" into the design procedure is suggested and simple examples are presented to illustrate the proposed concepts.
Adaptive noise radar for simultaneous bistatic SAR and GMTI

The adaptive noise radar algorithm allows computation of compressed pseudo-pulses from a received noise radar signal at the receiver ADC rate. This is accomplished through use of LMS channel identification algorithms commonly exploited in wireless communications. This paper shows how having access to compressed pseudo-pulses at the ADC rate may be exploited to simultaneously implement SAR and GMTI modes in two parallel Doppler-processing chains. Simultaneous SAR and GMTI will aid in tracking of alternately moving and stationary targets.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The Costs of Reducing U.S. CO2 Emissions - Further Sensitivity Analyses

In a previous paper, we used the Global 2100 model to explore the implications of a carbon constraint upon domestic energy costs and the resulting effects on the U.S. economy as a whole (Manne and Richels, 1990). The impact of a CO2 limit will depend on the technologies and resources available for meeting demands as well as on the demands themselves. Given the enormous uncertainty surrounding these factors, losses were calculated under alternative assumptions about each.
A note on a paper of Srinivasan

B. R. Srinivasan has defined a weakly inverse semigroup in his paper "Weakly Inverse Semigroups" El], using the following terminology. An idempotent e in a semigroup S is called a principal idempotent of S if f e f = f e for all idempotents f in S. An element a in S is called a principal element of S if there exists an inverse a' of a such that aa' is a principal idempotent. Let Ea denote the set of principal inverses of the element a (the inverses of a which are principal elements of S). Then a semigroup S is called weakly inverse if for each element a in S, the set Ea is not null, and for an), elements a, b in S,
Use of new contact devices in phenol treating unit

In recent years it has become necessary to produce new series of lubricating oils that meet the requirements of the highest category of quality; also, crudes with low potential contents of high-V.l, components are being processed for lube production. Therefore, it has been necessary to improve processes for the selective treatment of lube cuts with phenol. Commercial solvent treating units most often employ extraction columns packed with Raschig rings.
Distance, proximity, and freedom: Identifying conflicting priorities regarding urban backyard livestock slaughter

In many U.S. cities, a new generation of urban residents is taking up gardening, canning, and keeping small livestock. Within this urban homesteading movement, the backyard slaughter of chickens and rabbits for household food production has become increasingly popular in some cities, including Oakland, California, where the practice has incited strong feelings and public debate. Based on a survey of 345 San Francisco Bay Area residents, this quantitative and qualitative research identifies three perspectives among respondents. Some subjects want backyard slaughter prohibited, either to maintain emotional distance from slaughter or because they believe it is inappropriate for urban space. Others express strong support for backyard slaughter, which they see as a humane, healthful alternative to meat from intensive animal production systems. A third group of subjects support urban residents’ right to slaughter animals, placing a high value on individual (human) liberties whether or not they personally approve of backyard slaughter. Each of these perspectives was further associated with a cluster of demographic factors, food shopping and production practices, and personal experiences with slaughter. We suggest that different underlying orientations toward the food system – that is, valuing distance, proximity, or freedom – can be seen in the discourses in which subjects discuss slaughter, how their city should regulate the practice, and in their own food procurement practices. The paper concludes by considering both contributions to related literature and the implications of findings for alternative food systems and for the municipal regulation of urban agriculture.
SU-E-J-129: Target-Specific Optimization of Four-Dimensional Cone Beam Computed Tomography.

Purpose: Undersampling artifacts are a major problem in four‐dimensional cone‐beam computed tomography (4D‐CBCT) and may compromise evaluation of target motion. The role of the target characteristics in scan parameter selection has not been previously investigated. In this work, we evaluated 4D‐CBCT performance by assessing the accuracy of target motion measurements for various target sizes and motions. The results may serve as patient‐specific guidelines for selection of scan parameters in 4D‐CBCT. Methods: We acquired 4D‐CBCT scans of a moving phantom consisting of six water‐filled sphere targets of sizes 10 to 37 mm, with various scan times ranging from 30 sec to 3 min. Two different (3‐sec and 6‐sec) periods of motions were tested. We used automatic image registration to extract the target motion trajectories and evaluated the accuracy of the measurement for the various target sizes and motions for various combinations of scan parameters. Results: The most important object parameter to 4D‐CBCT performance was the period of motion. Measurements for the 6‐sec motion were always systematically less accurate than measurements for the 3‐sec motion for 34 of 36 target sizes/motions for any given scan time. For any given target size, a 45‐sec scan for the 3‐sec motion yielded nearly equivalent accuracy to a 3‐min scan for a 6‐sec motion. The second most important parameter was the target size. A 1‐min scan was needed for sub‐mm motion measurement accuracy of 28‐mm target, whereas a 1.5‐min scan was needed for the 22‐mm target. For all sizes and motions, temporal blurring was observed when the number of phases was fewer than 8. Conclusions: Scan time should be set according to target size and motion. We have provided figures that provide the minimum scan time needed to achieve the particular motion measurement accuracy for a particular size and period of motion.
Early mitochondrial dysfunction leads to altered redox chemistry underlying pathogenesis of TPI deficiency.

Triose phosphate isomerase (TPI) is responsible for the interconversion of dihydroxyacetone phosphate to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate in glycolysis. Point mutations in this gene are associated with a glycolytic enzymopathy called TPI deficiency. This study utilizes a Drosophila melanogaster model of TPI deficiency; TPIsugarkill is a mutant allele with a missense mutation (M80T) that causes phenotypes similar to human TPI deficiency. In this study, the redox status of TPIsugarkill flies was examined and manipulated to provide insight into the pathogenesis of this disease. Our data show that TPIsugarkill animals exhibit higher levels of the oxidized forms of NAD+, NADP+ and glutathione in an age-dependent manner. Additionally, we demonstrate that mitochondrial redox state is significantly more oxidized in TPIsugarkill animals. We hypothesized that TPIsugarkill animals may be more sensitive to oxidative stress and that this may underlie the progressive nature of disease pathogenesis. The effect of oxidizing and reducing stressors on behavioral phenotypes of the TPIsugarkill animals was tested. As predicted, oxidative stress worsened these phenotypes. Importantly, we discovered that reducing stress improved the behavioral and longevity phenotypes of the mutant organism without having an effect on TPIsugarkill protein levels. Overall, these data suggest that reduced activity of TPI leads to an oxidized redox state in these mutants and that the alleviation of this stress using reducing compounds can improve the mutant phenotypes.
A Novel Radio Link Protocol for TCP Throughput Enhancement

To support TCP-based multimedia services on cellular networks, radio link protocols (RLP) are usually used to shield the channel related losses from TCP. In this paper, we categorize the RLP frames obtained by fragmenting a single TCP segment as crucial and non-crucial, and propose that different forward error correcting (FEC) schemes be applied to them. We find the fraction that constitute the crucial frames. We consider preemptive transmissions i.e., retransmissions of dropped or corrupt frames are given priority over new frames. Through qualitative analysis we demonstrate that the proposed RLP performs better than the traditional ones. We also show how the TCP throughput is improved because of the new RLP.
Role of long-range Coulomb interactions in granular superconductors.

This paper uses the self-consistent phase-phonon approximation to study the effect of long-range Coulomb interactions in a superconducting array. We find that crucial features of the results of mean-field theory are confirmed: long-range interactions enhance the superconducting state and lower the critical value of the grain diameter, below which superconductivity is impossible. However, the reentrant phase transition found in the mean-field solution is absent from the self-consistent results. This may be because the self-consistent approximation is invalid when the superconducting state is suppressed and phase fluctuations are large, such as in the reentrant regime of the mean-field theory.
A field emission study of carbon monoxide on hcp metals rhenium and ruthenium

Abstract The surface migration, work function increments, and desorption of carbon monoxide on two hcp metals, rhenium and ruthenium, were observed with field emission techniques. Carbon monoxide is weakly bound to ruthenium and more strongly bound to rhenium. For a complete monolayer, the work function increment is 1.3 eV for ruthenium and 0.8 eV for rhenium. Surface migration commences at a readily observable rate at about 125 K on ruthenium. The migration is characterized by a sharp boundary that becomes boundary free in the later stages. Because desorption precedes surface migration for CO on rhenium, the onset of migration is ill defined. Two well defined binding states α and α, are seen for CO on rhenium.
Primary CNS lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma: A case report and review of literature

Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma is a chronic lymphoproliferative disorder characterized by a proliferation of plasma cells, small lymphocytes, plasmacytoid lymphocytes and the production of monoclonal IgM. Primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) are rare non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL) that can be found in the brain, leptomeninges, eyes or spinal cord, and are mostly intracerebral. PCNSLs constitute 3-4% of primary brain tumors, and in most cases are diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL).(1) Low grade lymphomas as primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma are very rare. We present here a case report of a woman who presented with headache and was found to have primary intracranial lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma (LPL).
Abstract A30: Inhibiting histone methylation as an epigenetic therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer

We evaluated the potential of an investigational histone methylation reversal agent, 3-deazaneplanocin A (DZNep), in improving the chemosensitivity of pancreatic cancer to nucleoside analogs (i.e., gemcitabine). DZNep brought delayed but selective cytotoxicity to pancreatic cancer cells without affecting normal human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) cells. Co-exposure of DZNep and gemcitabine induced cytotoxic additivity or synergism in both well- and poorly-differentiated pancreatic cell lines. In contrast, DZNep exerted antagonism with gemcitabine against HPDE cells with significant reduction in cytotoxicity compared with the gemcitabine-alone regimen. DZNep marginally depended on purine nucleoside transporters for its cytotoxicity, but the transport dependence was circumvented by acyl derivatization. Drug exposure studies revealed that a short priming with DZNep followed by gemcitabine treatment rather than co-treatment of both agents to produce a maximal chemosensitization response in both gemcitabine-sensitive and gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. DZNep rapidly and reversibly decreased trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 but increased trimethylation of lysine 9 in an EZH2- and JMJD1A/2C-dependent manner, respectively. However, DZNep potentiation of nucleoside analog chemosensitization was found to be temporally coupled to trimethylation changes in lysine 27 and not lysine 9. Polymeric nanoparticles engineered to chronologically release DZNep followed by gemcitabine produced pronounced chemosensitization and dose-lowering effects. Together, our results identify that an optimized DZNep exposure can presensitize pancreatic cancer cells to anticancer nucleoside analogs through the reversal of histone methylation, emphasizing the promising clinical utilities of epigenetic reversal agents in future pancreatic cancer combination therapies. Citation Format: Rajgopal Govindarajan. Inhibiting histone methylation as an epigenetic therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chromatin and Epigenetics in Cancer; Jun 19-22, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(13 Suppl):Abstract nr A30.
An interpretation of the Magsat anomalies of central Europe

Abstract Magsat studies of central Europe have revealed correspondence between tectonic elements /geological structures and long-wavelength satellite-altitude anomalies. The most striking correlation is the two Magsat anomalies (one positive and the other negative) associated with either side of the Tornquist-Teisseyre Zone (TTZ). The TTZ, which extends from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea, represents the structural boundary (suture) between the younger, thinner, and hotter crust of the Hercynide or Paleozoic block (negative anomaly) and the older, thicker, and colder crust of the East European Precambrian Platform (positive anomaly). This produces a gradient of approximately 18 nT (peak-to-trough) and a half-wavelength of 720 km along a Magsat orbit at 325 km altitude. This anomaly pair is the result of the juxtaposition of these two significantly different crustal blocks. To model this field, two irregular three-dimensional bodies were used to represent the Precambrian and Paleozoic crust. The former was modeled with a normal magnetization vector while the latter was modeled with a reverse vector. Aeromagnetic anomalies in western Germany and rock magnetic measurements from Germany and Scandinavia support a model in which reversely magnetic geologic units, extending from upper-crustal metasediments to mid-crustal sources produce this negative anomaly.
Achievement domain and life expectancies in Japanese civilization.

Previous studies have found that the expected life span of eminent personalities may vary systematically according to the domain of achievement. The current investigation examines this phenomenon more closely by 1) introducing methodological controls for potential gender and cohort artifacts, 2) adding substantive predictors (e.g., suicide and homicide) that provide clues regarding the substantive basis for the differences, 3) scrutinizing a greater variety of achievement domains in both creativity and leadership, and 4) using a non-Western sample of historical figures (1,632 Japanese born between 450 and 1883 A.D.). Multiple regression analyses revealed domain contrasts in life expectancy (e.g., the shorter life spans of fiction authors and political figures, but the longer life spans of religious leaders and sword makers). In addition, the analyses helped decipher the extent to which these domain differences were due to violent death or to the stress of occupying high positions of power.
2-Mercaptoacetic (thioglycollic) acid as a reagent for zirconium

Abstract Thioglycollic acid has been shown to be a suitable reagent for the quantitative precipitation of zirconium at a pH of about 4.5. A basic zirconyl thioglycollate is formed and therefore the analysis is completed by weighing the zirconium oxide. Interference due to several metal ions is discussed.
Argonaute Divides Its RNA Guide into Domains with Distinct Functions and RNA-Binding Properties

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) guide Argonaute proteins to silence mRNA expression. Argonaute binding alters the properties of an RNA guide, creating functional domains. We show that the domains established by Argonaute-the anchor, seed, central, 3' supplementary, and tail regions-have distinct biochemical properties that explain the differences between how animal miRNAs and siRNAs bind their targets. Extensive complementarity between an siRNA and its target slows the rate at which fly Argonaute2 (Ago2) binds to and dissociates from the target. Highlighting its role in antiviral defense, fly Ago2 dissociates so slowly from extensively complementary target RNAs that essentially every fully paired target is cleaved. Conversely, mouse AGO2, which mainly mediates miRNA-directed repression, dissociates rapidly and with similar rates for fully paired and seed-matched targets. Our data narrow the range of biochemically reasonable models for how Argonaute-bound siRNAs and miRNAs find, bind, and regulate their targets.
What is Patient-Centered Care? A Typology of Models and Missions

Recently adopted health care practices and policies describe themselves as “patient-centered care.” The meaning of the term, however, remains contested and obscure. This paper offers a typology of “patient-centered care” models that aims to contribute to greater clarity about, continuing discussion of, and further advances in patient-centered care. The paper imposes an original analytic framework on extensive material covering mostly US health care and health policy topics over several decades. It finds that four models of patient-centered care emphasize: patients versus their parts; patients versus providers; patients/providers/states versus “the system”; and patients and providers as persons. Each type is distinguishable along three dimensions: epistemological orientations, practical accommodations, and policy tools. Based on this analysis, the paper recommends that four questions be asked of any proposal that claims to provide patient-centered care: Is this care a means to an end or an end in itself? Are patients here subjects or objects? Are patients here individuals or aggregates? How do we know what patients want and need? The typology reveals that models are neither entirely compatible nor entirely incompatible and may be usefully combined in certain practices and policies. In other instances, internal contradictions may jeopardize the realization of coherent patient-centered care.
Infanticide by virgin CF-1 and wild male house mice (Mus musculus): effects of age, prolonged isolation, and testing procedure

The frequency of infanticide by juvenile, young-adult, and adult male house mice (Mus musculus) was compared in CF-1 albino mice and the F1-F4 male offspring of wild mice trapped in Missouri. When tested in their home cages for their behavior toward a single 2-day-old pup after being individually housed for 5 days, juvenile CF-1 and wild males were equally likely to exhibit infanticide (about 35%). But, adult wild males were significantly more likely to exhibit infanticide (about 90%) than were adult CF-1 males (about 45%). We propose that differences in exposure to testosterone during fetal life may contribute to the difference in the incidence of infanticide between CF-1 and wild males. Prolonged isolation (45 days) significantly reduced the proportion of wild male mice that exhibited infanticide when the males were tested in their home cages, but not when the males were tested by being placed into the cage of lactating females and their 2-day-old young. Virtually all adult wild males exhibited infanticide when they were tested in their home cages (with either a 2-day-old or 7-day-old pup) or when they were placed into the cages of lactating wild female mice and their 2-day-old young. But, when adult wild males were placed with lactating wild females on Day 7 postpartum, the females attacked the males and most males were prevented from exhibiting infanticide.
A Novel Electrochemical Method for the Detection of Nerve Gases

Abstract A novel electrochemical detection technique was developed for selective detection of nerve gases based on double-potential-step chronoamperometry (DPSCA) and the oxidation of nerve gas by electrochemically generated iodine. Diethyl cyanophosphonate (DECP) was used as a nerve gas mimic. The double-potential-step chronoamperometry has a detection limit of 2×10 −6 M for DECP and is more sensitive than the currently available electrochemical techniques for detection of nerve gases. The DPSCA technique, which uses the ratio of anodic to cathodic currents as a measuring parameter, was found to be more sensitive than the single-potential-step technique. Changes in the area and activity of the electrode and the concentration of the catalyst do not influence the current ratio, which contributes to the high reproducibility of the DPSCA technique.
Fringe Banking in Milwaukee The Rise of Check-Cashing Businesses and the Emergence of a Two-Tiered Banking System

Check-cashing businesses constitute a growing industry, particularly in low-income and non-white neighborhoods. This case study of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, finds that check-cashing businesses are concentrated in the central city while conventional banks are concentrated in outlying city and suburban communities. These services are growing, despite relatively high fees, primarily because of their convenient hours and locations for central-city residents, exclusionary behavior by conventional institutions, and financial problems of area households. More effective marketing by conventional banks and more aggressive enforcement of community reinvestment requirements by regulatory agencies would blunt development of two-tiered banking and facilitate revitalization of distressed communities.
Population structure of Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b isolates from sporadic human listeriosis cases in the United States from 2003 to 2008.

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes can cause severe food-borne disease (listeriosis). Numerous outbreaks have involved three serotype 4b epidemic clones (ECs): ECI, ECII, and ECIa. However, little is known about the population structure of L. monocytogenes serotype 4b from sporadic listeriosis in the United States, even though most cases of human listeriosis are in fact sporadic. Here we analyzed 136 serotype 4b isolates from sporadic cases in the United States, 2003 to 2008, utilizing multiple tools including multilocus genotyping, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, and sequence analysis of the inlAB locus. ECI, ECII, and ECIa were frequently encountered (32, 17, and 7%, respectively). However, annually 30 to 68% of isolates were outside these ECs, and several novel clonal groups were identified. An estimated 33 and 17% of the isolates, mostly among the ECs, were resistant to cadmium and arsenic, respectively, but resistance to benzalkonium chloride was uncommon (3%) among the sporadic isolates. The frequency of clonal groups fluctuated within the 6-year study period, without consistent trends. However, on several occasions, temporal clusters of isolates with indistinguishable genotypes were detected, suggesting the possibility of hidden multistate outbreaks. Our analysis suggests a complex population structure of serotype 4b L. monocytogenes from sporadic disease, with important contributions by ECs and several novel clonal groups. Continuous monitoring will be needed to assess long-term trends in clonality patterns and population structure of L. monocytogenes from sporadic listeriosis.
Nanoparticles with Precise Ratiometric Co-Loading and Co-Delivery of Gemcitabine Monophosphate and Cisplatin for Treatment of Bladder Cancer

Combination chemotherapy is a common practice in clinical management of malignancy. Synergistic therapeutic outcome is only achieved when tumor cells are exposed to cells in an optimal ratio. However, due to diverse physicochemical properties of drugs, no free drug cocktails or nanomaterials are capable of co-loading and co-delivering drugs at an optimal ratio. Herein, we develop a novel nano-platform with precise ratiometric co-loading and co-delivery of two hydrophilic drugs for synergistic anti-tumor effects. Based on previous work, we utilize a solvent displacement method to ratiometrically load dioleoyl phosphatidic acid (DOPA)-gemcitabine monophosphate and DOPA coated cisplatin-precipitate nanocores into the same PLGA NP. These cores are designed to have similar hydrophobic surface properties. GMP and cisplatin are engineered into PLGA NP at an optimal synergistic ratio (5:1, mol:mol) with over 70% encapsulation efficiency and were ratiometrically taken up by tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. These PLGA NP exhibit synergistic anti-cancer effects in a stroma-rich bladder tumor model. A single injection of dual drugs in PLGA NP can significantly inhibit tumor growth. This nanomaterial-system solves problems related to ratiometric co-loading and co-delivery of different hydrophilic moieties and provides possibilities for co-loading hydrophilic drugs with hydrophobic drugs for combination therapy.
Eye movement control during reading: I. The location of initial eye fixations on words

Sixty-six college students read two chapters from a contemporary novel while their eye movements were monitored. The eye movement data were analyzed to identify factors that influence the location of a reader's initial eye fixation on a word. When the data were partitioned according to the location of the prior fixation (i.e. launch site), the distribution of fixation locations on the word (i.e. landing site distribution) was highly constrained, normal in shape, and not influenced by word length. The locations of initial fixations on words can be accounted for on the basis of five principles of perceptuo-oculomotor control: a word-object has a specific functional target location, a saccadic range error occurs that produces a systematic deviation of landing sites from the functional target location, the saccadic range error is reduced somewhat for saccades that follow longer eye fixations, there exists perceptuo-oculomotor variability that is a second, nonsystematic source of variation in landing sites, and the perceptuo-oculomotor variability increases with distance of the launch site from the target.
Parallelism and the perception of illusory contours.

The role of symmetry in the perception of illusory contours has been a subject of controversy ever since Kanizsa proposed his theory of illusory contours based on Gestalt principles. Today it is widely agreed that illusory contours do not necessarily occur more readily with inducers that can be ‘amodally’ completed to symmetrical objects than with inducers that cannot. But the question of whether symmetrical inducers produce weaker illusory contours than do unsymmetrical ones is still controversial.A novel determinant of illusory contour strength, parallelism, is proposed. Experiments are reported which indicate that illusory contours induced by ‘blobs’ which have boundaries that are nearby and parallel to the illusory contour are weaker than illusory contours induced by blobs that do not have this property. It is suggested that the display that has been most widely used by researchers to support their claims for a weakening of illusory contours with symmetrical inducers is weak primarily because of paral...