cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Duloxetine treatment adherence across mental health and chronic pain conditions

Purpose This study applied a uniform methodology for measuring and comparing duloxetine adherence in the treatment of multiple chronic medical conditions. Materials and methods Study patients 18-64 years of age initiating duloxetine therapy during 2008 were identified from a large managed care database. The study was restricted to patients with continuous health plan eligibility for 12 months pre- and post-duloxetine initiation. Study patients had ≥1 medical claim with an inpatient or outpatient diagnosis of one (and only one) of the following conditions: major depressive disorder (MDD); generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); fibromyalgia, diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain; or chronic musculoskeletal pain, as established in studies in patients with osteoarthritis and chronic lower back pain (CLBP). Patients initiating duloxetine who had two or more of the six studied conditions were not included in this study, thereby avoiding the need to differentiate between primary and secondary diagnoses from the claims records. Adherence rate was defined as the percentage of patients with a 365-day medication possession ratio ≥0.8. Results A total of 20,490 patients initiated duloxetine treatment during 2008 with a diagnosis of one of the studied conditions during the study period. The adherence rate in our sample was 34.6% and was highest among patients with MDD (37.3%) and lowest for patients with CLBP (29.9%). In general, adherence among patients with MDD and GAD was greater than among those with a chronic pain condition. Conclusion Adherence among newly initiated duloxetine patients varied modestly across the medical conditions for which it was used. After adjusting for potential confounders, differences between the mental conditions (MDD and GAD) and the chronic pain conditions (CLBP, osteoarthritis, and diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain) were statistically significant. These results may be useful in the determination of expectations of adherence, and how it may differ for each of the conditions studied.
Sequential autoantigenic determinants of the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein Sm D shared by human lupus autoantibodies and MRL Ipr/lpr antibodies

Autoantibodies directed against the Sm proteins of the spliceosome complex are found in approximately 25% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients sera. To determine which regions of the Sm D polypeptide are involved in the lupus autoimmune response, binding to overlapping octapeptides of Sm D has been evaluated with sera from nine Sm D-positive patients, six patients with other autoimmune serology, and five normal human sera. Lupus patient sera which are Sm precipitin-positive bind various combinations of five regions of the peptide. The major antigenic region, Epitope 5 (REAVA(GR)10GGPRR), is bound by eight of nine Sm precipitin-positive sera tested. This region of Sm D shows significant sequence homology with Epstein-Barr nuclear antigen-1. To determine the fine specificity of the murine Sm response, four unique Sm D MoAbs derived from MRL lpr/lpr mice and three adult anti-Sm-positive MRL lpr/lpr mouse sera have been analysed. Two of these monoclonals, KSm 4 and Y12, as well as the MRL lpr/lpr sera tested, show binding with Epitope 5. Another of these monoclonals, KSm 2, binds octapeptides 84-91, DVEPKVKSKKREAVAG, which corresponds to Epitope 4 of this study. Antibodies from SLE patients with autoimmune serology other than anti-Sm bind the carboxyl glycine-arginine repeat (GR)10 peptides of Sm D. However, none of the antibodies tested from patients who do not have lupus and who have different autoimmune serology binds any of the Sm D octapeptides. Normal controls did not significantly bind any of the Sm D octapeptides. These results describe two major regions of shared antigenicity of Sm D between sera from SLE patients and MRL lpr/lpr mice, thereby establishing a basis for the cross-species similarity of autoimmunity to the Sm autoantigen in SLE.
Multi-variable adaptive back-stepping control of submersibles using SDU decomposition

A multi-variable adaptive autopilot for the dive-plane control of submarines is designed. The vehicle is equipped with bow and stern hydroplanes for maneuvering. It is assumed that the system parameters are not known, and the disturbance force is acting on the vehicle. Based on a back-stepping design approach, an adaptive control law is derived for the trajectory control of the depth and the pitch angle. To prevent singularity in the control law, the SDU decomposition of the high-frequency gain matrix is used for the design. In the closed-loop system, asymptotic tracking of the reference depth and pitch angle trajectories is accomplished. Simulation results are presented which show that the submarine performs dive-plane maneuvers in spite of the uncertainties in the system parameters and disturbance forces.
Kutambuwa ugonjuwa: concepts of illness and transformation among the Tabwa of Zaire.

Abstract Beginning with the description of a single instance of problematic illness, this paper moves toward the comprehension of Tabwa therapeutics by placing them in their most complete conceptual context. Decisions made regarding methods of treatment, the loci of therapy (both physical and social), and the means of assessing therapeutic effectiveness reflect an epistemology which includes the overlapping domains of physiology, diagnosis, divination and religious and magical practices; domains whose different contents are nevertheless tightly interwoven by a relatively small number of underlying principles. The articulation of these principles makes clear that Tabwa concepts of illness and transformation form a coherent whole within which both traditional and European medicines take their appropriate and complementary places.
NK Activating Receptor, NKG2D: —function and Biological Roles—

Abstract Natural Killer (NK) cells play important roles in host defense, especially the clearance of viral or bacterial infected cells and the elimination of tumor cells. NK cells have cytotoxicity against target cells as well as the ability of cytokine production. NK cells not only eliminate infected cells directly by cytotoxicicity but also induce acquired immunity by cytokines. These functions of NK cells are regulated by the balance of activating or inhibitory signaling. The inhibitory NK cell receptors are well understood, however, less is known about the activating signaling pathways. An activating receptor, NKG2D is expressed in all NK cells, γδ + T cells and activated/memory CD8 + T cells. By recent studies, NKG2D is best characterized as an activating receptor. This review summarizes recent topics and our findings focus on the role of NKG2D in NK cells and in CD8 + T cells, including tumor immunity and autoimmune diabetes.
An Ecological Approach to Privacy: “Doing” Online Privacy at Midlife

Though a complex behavior, online privacy regulation has been considered by social media researchers to be a function of making information available or in the enactment of privacy controls, resulting in a perceived contradiction between concern for privacy and actual behaviors. Using data from interviews of 23 midlife adults, this study explores privacy management within social media use by examining privacy behaviors and strategies through an ecological lens, which considers how an individual's behavior intersects with the technological, social and discursive dimensions of the social media environment. This perspective highlights that social strategies such as connection selectivity and discursive treatments related to the quality of communicated information factor significantly into privacy management, behaviors which may be overlooked because they leave scant evidence. These findings provide further insight in the reconciliation of the privacy paradox, and offer more nuance to the understanding of how...
Nutritional challenges in the elderly with diabetes

Abstract Adults age 60 and older will comprise two-thirds of the diabetic population by the year 2025. Older patients with diabetes are more likely to have coexistent chronic conditions like hypertension, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease that may impact their nutritional requirements. The issue of attainment and maintenance of an optimal body weight in elderly diabetic persons may not be as straightforward as in other age groups, and the risk-benefit ratio may be different as well. Although increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in the elderly contributes to insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, older inhabitants of long-term care facilities who suffer from diabetes tend to be underweight. Both may signify inadequate nutritional status and lead to increased morbidity and mortality. The attendant problems of appetite changes, palatability of food, dietary restrictions, loneliness, and depression may affect the type and quantity of food consumed by elderly persons. Structured screening tools may identify nutrition-related issues that warrant evidence-based interventions. Although glucose control and health concerns are important factors in diet modification in the older population, other considerations include quality of life and individual preferences. Customizing of nutritional guidelines to the needs of the older diabetic patient makes sense.
Evaluation of sequence variants in the pre-B cell leukemia transcription factor 1 gene : A positional and functional candidate for type 2 diabetes and impaired insulin secretion

Pre-B cell leukemia transcription factor 1 (PBX1) encodes a homeodomain containing protein that is essential for pancreatic development and interacts with insulin promoter factor 1 to regulate insulin secretion. PBX1 maps to chromosome 1q22, a region with replicated linkage to type 2 diabetes (T2DM). We screened for sequence variation in nine exons, intronic regions flanking the exons, the 3' untranslated region (3' UTR), as well as 1-kb upstream of exon 1 in 16 Caucasians and 16 African American individuals with T2DM. We evaluated 18 variants including the nonsynonymous substitution G21S in exon 1, one 4 bp insertion/deletion, and one 7 bp insertion/deletion. We typed 10 variants on the basis of frequency and linkage disequilibrium patterns unrelated Caucasian subjects with T2DM and controls, and nine common variants in 129 Caucasian individuals for whom we had detailed assessments of insulin action and insulin secretion. We typed four common variants in African Americans individuals and additional SNPs in pooled DNA samples from both populations. No coding variant was associated with diabetes and no association was found among African American subjects. However, three variants in Caucasians (78287, 91227, and 252050 bp) were associated with T2DM (p<0.05), as were four marker haplotypes that included intron 2 variants. Additionally, three variants including G21S (61 bp) and the diabetes associated SNP at 78287 were significant determinants of insulin sensitivity (S(I)) in interaction with body mass index (p<0.02). Sequence variants in different locations of the PBX1 gene may have modest pleiotropic effects on T2DM susceptibility in Caucasians.
Variations in the Oligosaccharides on Free and Combined α-Subunits of Human Choriogonadotropin in Pregnancy

The glycoprotein hormone hCG and a free asubunit are secreted by trophoblastic cells during pregnancy. We have purified the a-subunit of hCG and the free α-subunit population from pregnancy urine. Dissociation of hCG with 10 M urea at 37 C, followed by chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, resulted in separation of α- from β-subunit, as hCGα does not bind to DEAE in the presence of urea, while β-subunit does bind. Similar treatment of the free a population resulted in fractionation into two populations, a nonbinding fraction of free a and a population which was retained by DEAE in the presence of urea (free α2). The three populations, hCGα, free α, and free α2, were further purified by affinity chromatography using anti-α antisera linked to Sepharose. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the preparations showed that hCGa consisted of a single component with an apparent mol wt of 22,000, while free a and free al consisted of multiple components. Radioactive labeling of sialic acid by lim...
Three-dimensional organization of testicular interstitial tissue and lymphatic space in the rat

Rat testes fixed by vascular perfusion were examined by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. This revealed a complex organization of the interstitial tissue and an extensive "testicular lymphatic space" composed of continuous "peritubular lymphatic sinusoids." No cellular connections exist between the interstitium and the tubules. Each sinusoid completely surrounds an individual seminiferous tubule, and adjacent sinusoids communicate freely through fenestrae in the interstitium. Thus, material must enter the lymph to gain access to the tubules. The sinusoids are delimited by separate endothelial cell layers over the tubules and interstitium. The layer over the interstitium is discontinuous in specific areas according to the geometry of the tubule packing. Interstitial tissue located in the flattened biconcave interstices between two adjacent tubules is consistently covered with endothelial cells, while that located in the open, triangular interstices between three or more tubules consistently lacks an endothelium. Most of the Leydig cells are located in the "open interstitium" and are directly exposed to the lymph. Physiological implications of the "testicular lymphatic space" and additional features of the interstitium are discussed.
Does Knowledge of Medical Diagnosis Bias Auditory-Perceptual Judgments of Dysphonia?

Summary Objective/Hypothesis To determine whether knowledge of medical diagnosis biases listeners with varied experience levels in their judgments of dysphonia. Study Design Prospective, mixed experimental and comparative design. Methods Twenty-six speakers with dysphonia and four normal controls provided speech recordings. Twenty novice and eight experienced clinicians evaluated speech samples for roughness and breathiness using 100-mm visual analog scales. In one condition, the speech samples were presented without diagnostic information; in the second condition, samples were presented in conjunction with the medical diagnosis. Results Regardless of experience level, listeners judged the samples as significantly more severe when the speakers' diagnoses were known. Specifically, novice listeners (NLs) significantly increased the severity of judgments for speakers who were mildly breathy or mildly or moderately rough when diagnostic information was known. In addition, listeners in both groups judged speakers with mass lesions to be significantly rougher when diagnosis was known; this bias was not observed for speakers with other diagnoses. NLs also trended toward increasing the severity of breathiness judgments for individuals with known vocal fold paralysis but not other diagnoses. Conclusions Sources of bias such as knowledge of medical diagnoses should be considered when listeners with varied experience levels use auditory-perceptual measures to evaluate dysphonia.
Testosterone 5α‐Reductase in Spinal Cord of Xenopus laevis

Testosterone 5 alpha-reductase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, is present in the spinal cord of Xenopus laevis. In adult males the enzymatic activity is optimal at pH 7.4 and 27 degrees C; the apparent Km is 2.0 x 10(-5) M and the Vmax is 10.0 pmol/mg protein/h. Enzymatic activity was assayed in segments of the spinal cord in each of four groups: control untreated males, females, castrated males, and sexually active clasping males. Striking differences in both the amount of dihydrotestosterone produced with time and in the pattern of its distribution were seen in spinal cords of clasping males compared with those of the other groups. The differences are greatest in the basal medulla and rostral segments of the spinal cord. Neurons in these segments innervate the muscles primarily involved in clasping.
Cardiac repolarization instability during psychological stress in patients with ventricular arrhythmias

Abstract Introduction Changes in the autonomic nervous system activity are a major trigger of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VTAs). Mental arithmetic, a condition administered in a laboratory setting, can provide insight into the autonomic nervous system activity effects on cardiac physiology. We examined the responses of cardiac repolarization to laboratory-induced psychological stressors in patients with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) with the objective of identifying the indices that differentiate patients with and without subsequent VTA in follow-up. Methods Continuous electrocardiographic signals were recorded using 3 standard bipolar (Holter) leads in 56 patients (age, 63.6 ± 11.9; female, 12%; left ventricular ejection fraction, 32.3 ± 11) with ICDs during mental arithmetic. The patients were separated into those with subsequent VTA during 3 to 4 years of follow-up (group 1: n = 9) and those without VTA (group 2: n = 47). Changes in repolarization (QT interval, mean T wave amplitude [Tamp], and T wave area) were analyzed during 5 minutes at baseline, stress, and recovery. The temporal instability of Tamp and T wave area was examined using the range (Δ) and variance ( σ 2 ) of beat-to-beat variations of the corresponding parameters. Results There were no significant differences in heart rate between the 2 groups at baseline (61 vs 63 beats per minute, P = .97), stress (64 vs 65 beats per minute, P = .40), and recovery (62 vs 61 beats per minute, P = .88). However, during mental stress and poststress recovery, ΔTamp was almost 2-fold greater in group 1 compared with group 2 (111 [57-203] vs 68 [44-94] μ V, P = .04, respectively). Changes in QT intervals were also greater in group 1 compared with group 2 ( P = .02). Conclusion Among patients with ICDs, changes of Tamp after psychological stress were greater in those with subsequent arrhythmic events. This might signal proarrhythmic repolarization response and help identify patients who would benefit the most from ICD implantation and proactive management.
“Tearing Down the Burning House”: James Buchanan's use of Edmund Burke

The 1854 Ostend Manifesto has long been scorned as an expansionist treatise, a leading indicator of “Young America's” hold on the antebellum Democratic Party, and a signal of Franklin Pierce's failed presidency. Unnoticed is the genesis of the document's most famous metaphor, of Cuba representing a neighbor's “burning house” that could cause American intervention. The primary author of the Manifesto was minister to Great Britain and future president James Buchanan, and he attempted to smooth over the rough suggestion of an American takeover of the island by borrowing imagery from Edmund Burke's 1791 Reflections on the Revolution in France. Buchanan's use of Burke, the anti‐revolutionary English philosopher of prudence and critic of ideology, demonstrates the wide but underappreciated popularity of Burke with American politicians of all parties. Not just Whigs and Southern planters, but also Northern Doughface Democrats such as Buchanan, especially in the 1850s, used Burke to preach calm, moderation, and p...
The heating of a turbulent water jet discharged vertically into a steam environment

Abstract Available experimental results for the heating of turbulent waterjets discharged downward into a steam environment are reviewed in terms of the Kutateladze theory for such a system. That theory defines an eddy diffusivity for heat that is proportional to the local jet Reynolds number, e H / ν = E ( ur 1 / ν ), and the factor E is evaluated for the experimental results. The large range in the values of E so obtained remains essentially unexplainable and the design problem of specifying the heating of the water jet remains unresolved despite the very substantial experimental effort that has been devoted to this problem.
Tenascin‐C: A novel mediator of hepatic ischemia and reperfusion injury

Hepatic ischemia/reperfusion (IRI) injury remains a major challenge in clinical orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Tenascin-C (Tnc) is an extracellular matrix protein (ECM) involved in various aspects of immunity and tissue injury. Using a Tnc-deficient mouse model, we present data that suggest an active role for Tnc in liver IRI. We show that Tnc-deficient mice have a reduction in liver damage and a significant improvement in liver regeneration after IRI. The inability of Tnc(-/-) mice to express Tnc significantly reduced the levels of active caspase-3/transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) apoptotic markers and enhanced the expression of the proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) after liver IRI. The lack of Tnc expression resulted in impaired leukocyte recruitment and decreased expressions of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and CXCL2 after liver reperfusion. Tnc-deficient livers were characterized by altered expression patterns of vascular adhesion molecules, such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 post-IRI. Moreover, matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) synthesis, which facilitates leukocyte transmigration across vascular barriers in liver IRI, was markedly down-regulated in the absence of Tnc. We also show that Tnc is capable of inducing MMP-9 expression in isolated neutrophils through Toll-like receptor 4. Therefore, our data suggest that Tnc is a relevant mediator of the pathogenic events underlying liver IRI. The data also support the view that studies aimed at further understanding how newly synthesized ECM molecules, such as Tnc, participate in inflammatory responses are needed to improve therapeutic approaches in liver IRI.
Volume and Composition of Pilocarpine- and Isoproterenol-stimulated Submandibular Saliva of Early Postnatal Rats

Submandibular saliva was collected from early postnatal rats by cannulation of the main excretory duct of individual glands after i.p. injections of pilocarpine (10 mg/kg body weight) or isoproterenol (10 mg/kg body weight). With this method of saliva collection, a secretory response to pilocarpine was observed at two wk of age. The average weight of 40 glands was 35.6 ± 1.6 mg, and the average volume of saliva secreted in 60 min was 32 ± 2.2 μl. By three wk of age, the gland had approximately doubled in size (average weight of 39 glands = 61.9 ± 3.1 mg), and the average total volume of saliva secreted in 60 min was more than three times larger (120.4 ± 10.5 μl) than that secreted by two-week-old rats. The relationship between electrolyte (Na+, K+, Ca++ ) and protein concentrations and rate of flow was similar to that observed in pilocarpine-stimulated adult saliva, and did not differ appreciably in the saliva of two-and three-week-old animals. A measurable secretory response to isoproterenol was observed...
Using medical examiner/coroner-generated Death Certificates in research: advantages and limitations.

certificates (DC) are often used by researchers as a valuable! data source. While the information provides a broad overview of cause and manner of death, there are limitations to DC use in research studies.
Autoactivation of human ADAM8: a novel pre-processing step is required for catalytic activity.

Members of the ADAM (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase) family of proteins possess a multidomain architecture which permits functionalities as adhesion molecules, signalling intermediates and proteolytic enzymes. ADAM8 is found on immune cells and is induced by multiple pro-inflammatory stimuli suggesting a role in inflammation. Here we describe an activation mechanism for recombinant human ADAM8 that is independent from classical PC (pro-protein convertase)-mediated activation. N-terminal sequencing revealed that, unlike other ADAMs, ADAM8 undergoes pre-processing at Glu 158 , which fractures the Pro (pro-segment)-domain before terminal activation takes place to remove the putative cysteine switch (Cys 167 ). ADAM8 lacking the DIS (disintegrin) and/or CR (cysteine-rich) and EGF (epidermal growth factor) domains displayed impaired ability to complete this event. Thus pre-processing of the Pro-domain is co-ordinated by DIS and CR/EGF domains. Furthermore, by placing an EK (enterokinase) recognition motif between the Pro- and catalytic domains of multiple constructs, we were able to artificially remove the pro-segment prior to pre-processing. In the absence of pre-processing of the Pro-domain a marked decrease in specific activity was observed with the autoactivated enzyme, suggesting that the Pro-domain continued to associate and inhibit active enzyme. Thus, pre-processing of the Pro-domain of human ADAM8 is important for enzyme maturation by preventing re-association of the pro-segment with the catalytic domain. Given the observed necessity of DIS and CR/EGF for pre-processing, we conclude that these domains are crucial for the proper activation and maturation of human ADAM8.
Development of the innervation of fetal mesenteric microvasculature.

The innervation of the mesenteric microvasculature was studied in fetal and neonatal rabbits with the aid of methods demonstrating fluorescence of catecholamines and cholinesterase activity as well as a silver impregnation procedure. The results showed that: (1) adrenergic nerve fibers were present, coursing independently in the mesentery by day twenty-one of gestation, and were found routinely in the adventitia of arterioles and venules by day 25 of gestation; (2) cholinesterase positive cells and fibers of the myenteric plexus were present by day 18 of gestation but cholinergic fibers were not present in the mesentery until day 26; the latter not being associated with blood vessels; and (3) nerve fibers in the mesentery thought to be sensory stained positively with the Holmes silver method on day 18 of gestation.
Interferon Alfa-associated Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy

Purpose To report a possible association between interferon alfa therapy and anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION). Design Database study and review of the literature. Participants Thirty-six case reports from spontaneous reporting systems and the literature. Methods Case reports from a review of the literature were combined with spontaneous reports from the National Registry of Drug-Induced Ocular Side Effects, the World Health Organization, and the Food and Drug Administration looking for reports on interferon therapy associated with optic neuropathy. Main Outcome Measures Data from the spontaneous reports include the type of interferon, age, gender, adverse drug reaction (ADR), dosage, duration of therapy until onset of ADR, concomitant drugs, systemic disease, and dechallenge and rechallenge data. Results Thirty-six case reports of AION are described in association with interferon alfa therapy. The average age of subjects was 54.5 years; 26 were male and 10 were female. The median duration of therapy to onset of AION was 4.5 months, with 50% of subjects having some form of permanent vision loss. Anterior ischemic optic neuropathy was bilateral in 67% of subjects. There are 3 positive rechallenge case reports. Conclusions Interferon alfa's association with AION can be classified as "possible" using the World Health Organization classification system. If optic neuropathy is suspected, rapid cessation of interferon therapy may portend a better prognosis because multiple case reports indicate visual defects may be permanent if this possible ADR remains unrecognized. Financial Disclosure(s) Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references.
A Population Density Domain Model for Calcium-Inactivation of L-Type Calcium Channels

We present a minimal whole cell model of stochastic domain Ca-mediated inactivation of low-density L-type Ca channels. Our approach avoids the computationally demanding task of resolving spatial aspects of global Ca signaling by using probability densities and associated moment equations to represent heterogeneous local Ca signals [Williams et al. Biophys J. 92(7):2311-28, 2007; Biophys J. 95(4):1689-703, 2008]. using a minimal Markov chain model of an L-type Ca channel, simulated whole cell responses to a two-pulse voltage clamp protocol yield an inactivation function for the whole cell Ca current that is similar to - but may deviate from - that obtained by assuming instantaneous formation and collapse of Ca domains [Sherman, Keizer, Rinzel. Biophys J. 58(4):985-95, 1990]. Parameter studies reveal that when domain Ca formation and collapse are slow compared to channel kinetics (e.g., fast voltage-dependent gating), the population density description is required to accurately represent the dynamics of Ca inactivation of whole cell L-type currents. When channel kinetics are slow, the population density approach agrees with - and thus generalizes - “instantaneous domain” models of Ca inactivation.
Temperament ratings in early childhood by parents, teachers, and students☆

Temperament ratings were made by mothers, teachers, and students enrolled in a child development course in order to determine the level of agreement across observers having varied experience with preschool and kindergarten children. Contrary to expectations, agreement did not increase with the age of the children. Furthermore, teacher and parent ratings were in no greater agreement than parent and student ratings. Instead, the teachers and students displayed the highest number of significant correlations for the temperament dimensions. Results are examined from a contextual perspective and suggest that child behavior may be differentially expressed dependent on the observational setting.
Glucose modulates [Ca2+]i oscillations in pancreatic islets via ionic and glycolytic mechanisms

Pancreatic islets of Langerhans display complex intracellular calcium changes in response to glucose that include fast (seconds), slow ( approximately 5 min), and mixed fast/slow oscillations; the slow and mixed oscillations are likely responsible for the pulses of plasma insulin observed in vivo. To better understand the mechanisms underlying these diverse patterns, we systematically analyzed the effects of glucose on period, amplitude, and plateau fraction (the fraction of time spent in the active phase) of the various regimes of calcium oscillations. We found that in both fast and slow islets, increasing glucose had limited effects on amplitude and period, but increased plateau fraction. In some islets, however, glucose caused a major shift in the amplitude and period of oscillations, which we attribute to a conversion between ionic and glycolytic modes (i.e., regime change). Raising glucose increased the plateau fraction equally in fast, slow, and regime-changing islets. A mathematical model of the pancreatic islet consisting of an ionic subsystem interacting with a slower metabolic oscillatory subsystem can account for these complex islet calcium oscillations by modifying the relative contributions of oscillatory metabolism and oscillatory ionic mechanisms to electrical activity, with coupling occurring via K(ATP) channels.
Prediction of phosphorus uptake by two tomato cultivars growing under insufficient and sufficient phosphorus soil conditions using a mechanistic mathematical model

The Claassen and Barber mechanistic mathematical model was used to predict P uptake by two tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivars, C-37 and Knox. The model was evaluated by comparing observed P uptake by tomato plants growing 13, 16, 19, and 22 days under sufficient and insufficient soil P conditions with predicted P uptake. Root morphological and physiological characteristics and soil P-supply parameters were combined, in the model, to predict P uptake. There was a high correlation (r=0.97 and r=0.99) between predicted and observed P uptake by tomato plants grown at both soil-P levels. However, at the insufficient level the model underpredicted uptake.
Diets and weight responses of Spanish goats used to control Gambel oak

Abstract Diet composition and weight changes of Spanish goats ( Capra hircus ) were monitored as they defoliated Gambel oak ( Quercus gambelii ) dominated plant communities. Use of juvenile oak browse increased from 57% in June to 86% and 85% in July and August, respectively. About 4% of the oak consumed throughout the trials was the twig fraction. Goats gained weight in June, lost weight in July, and gained again in August. Rates of gain in August, when diets were composed of juvenile oak browse and senescent grass, were close to those in June when diets consisted of less juvenile oak and phenologically younger grass. Selection for juvenile oak apparently was related to delayed oak phenology relative to other plants. This was due to the repeated defoliation of the oak. Previous work may have underestimated the nutritional value of juvenile Gambel oak.
Blue/green laser diodes and light emitting diodes

Abstract We report the properties of blue/green laser diodes and light emitting diodes based on ZnSe-related II–VI semiconductor heterostructures. For blue/green laser diodes, threshold voltages for stimulated emission as low as 12 V at 77 K have been achieved using HgSe ohmic contacts. Differential quantum efficiencies as large as 36% per (uncoated) facet has been obtained for some of the laser diodes. Stimulated emission at wavelengths as short as 467.5 nm has been observed at 77 K. In addition, blue/green LED encapsulated lamps have been fabricated and tested. Power efficiencies as large as 7×10 -4 have been obtained at 300 K for green LEDS which employ ZnSTeSe quantum wells. These devices exhibit power efficiencies greater than one percent (>10 -2 ) in the temperature range 120–200 K.
Phonological Awareness: Implications for Whole Language and Emergent Literacy Programs.

This article reviews the relationship between phonological awareness and early reading. Follow-up data from a group of first-grade children who had low letter-sound knowledge (n = 38) in kindergarten are presented from a phonological awareness intervention that included three groups: 1) phonological
Development of ultrasound transducer diffractive field theory for nonlinear propagation-based imaging

In nonlinear ultrasound imaging the images are formed using the second harmonic energy generated due to the nonlinear nature of finite amplitude propagation. This propagation can be modeled using the KZK wave equation. This paper presents further development of nonlinear diffractive field theory based on the KZK equation and its solution by means of the slowly changing profile method for moderate nonlinearity. The analytical expression for amplitudes and phases of sum frequency wave are obtained in addition to the second harmonic wave. Also, the analytical expression for the relative curvature of the wave fronts of fundamental and second harmonic signals are derived. The media with different nonlinear properties and absorption coefficients were investigated to characterize the diffractive field of the transducer at medical frequencies. All expressions demonstrate good agreement with experimental results. The expressions are novel and provide an easy way for prediction of amplitude and phase structure of nonlinearly distorted field of a transducer. The sum frequency signal technique could be implemented as well as second harmonic technique to improve the quality of biomedical images. The results obtained are of importance for medical diagnostic ultrasound equipment design.
Surface characterization of lead ion selective electrodes : life after adsorption

Abstract The interaction of interfering ions with the lead ion selective electrode membrane is much more complex than comparable interactions on other solid state ion selective electrode membranes. The possible mechanisms of interaction are identified, and a theoretical model, supported by experimental results and developed with the goal of predicting them, is described.
Skill Progression Demonstrated by Users in the Scratch Animation Environment

The Scratch environment exemplifies a tool+community approach to teaching elementary programming skills, as it includes a website where users can publish, discuss, and organize animations that are programs. To explore this environment's effectiveness for helping people to develop programming skills, a quantitative analysis of 250 randomly selected users' data, including more than 1,000 of their animations, was performed. Skill based on 4 models that had proven useful in prior empirical studies was measured. Overall, mixed results about the environment's effectiveness were found. Among users who do not drop out, an increasing progression in social skills was found. However, an extremely high drop-out rate was also observed. Moreover, a flat or decreasing level of demonstrated skill was observed on virtually every measure. These results call into question whether simply combining an animation tool and an online community is sufficient for keeping people engaged long enough to learn elementary programming sk...
Treatment of carotid sinus syncope with demand pacemaker.

We report a patient with cardioinhibitory carotid sinus syndrome treated with a demand pacemaker. Implantation of a demand pacemaker is suggested as an alternative to the previously reported modes of surgical or irradiation therapy. We believe that the treatment with a demand pacemaker may be preferable because of its reliability.
“Sorp-vection”: An unusual membrane-based separation

A nonstandard membrane process is described that involves highly selective sorption of a compound “A” at a large absolute weight fraction ωA, coupled with a significant diffusionally induced flux of a second component “B.” The flux of B convectively moves A from a dilute external mass fraction relative to component B upstream to an enriched mass fraction downstream. The general form of the process has potential applications involving dilute feeds where current membranes processes perform poorly for such removal as a result of excessive solubility of the smaller component B. The most important widespread application is expected to be the separation of small organic solutes from supercritical carbon dioxide to facilitate the recycling and reuse of CO2 while minimizing costly and energy-intensive recompression steps. We consider the utility of this concept by modeling the separation efficiency of phenol from supercritical carbon dioxide. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2005
Group strategic decision making: asynchronous GSS using structured conflict and consensus approaches

This longitudinal experiment investigated the efficiency, effectiveness and group member perceptions of dialectical inquiry (DI) and constructive consensus (CC) approaches to strategic decision making in an asynchronous (distributed) computer-mediated-communications (CMC) environment. There were no differences between DI and CC groups in terms of decision effectiveness. DI groups required significantly more asynchronous meeting time to complete their recommendations and had higher perceived depth of evaluation than CC groups. CC groups reported greater decision acceptance and willingness to work together again than DI groups. Relatively few experiential effects were observed. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for group support systems research and design. >
Analysis Of The Interaction Of The Nucleotide Base With The Myosin Catalytic Pocket And The Effect On Substrate Efficacy

Myosin has been shown it to be a promiscuous enzyme that can utilize a number nucleotide and non-nucleoside triphosphate substrates. However, the chemomechanical efficacy of the alternative substrates varies widely. In particular, the ability of “nanalog” substrates (an amino-ethyl or -propyl linker and a substituted phenyl ring in lieu of the ribose and the nucleotide base) to completely decouple substrate hydrolysis from motility clearly indicates that the correct interaction of myosin with the ribose and base is essential for myosin function. As a first step to understand better the myosin-substrate interaction and how interactions other than with the triphosphates are essential for motility, we have used molecular dynamics simulations of the Dictyostelium ADP•BeFx x-ray structure to investigate the interactions of myosin with ATP, CTP (effective substrate) and GTP (poor substrate) docked at the active site. The simulations with ATP suggest a “troika” of conserved amino acids lining the nucleotide site that form a cyclical chain of nucleotide-protein hydrogen bonding interactions: ATP (N6) → Y135 → Y116 → N188 → ATP (N7). In the simulations, substitution of CTP at the active site maintains this coordination. Substitution of GTP at the active site perturbs the interaction. Thus the simulations suggest a set of crucial protein-substrate interactions that must be maintained for an effective substrate. The modeling has predictive power. “In silico” mutation experiments suggest that the mutation Y135K preserves troika-mediated pattern with GTP at the active site, but destroys it with ATP at the active site. The prediction would be that the Y135K mutation would make myosin a more effective GTPase and a less effective ATPase.
Surface-profile dependence of photon-plasmon-polariton coupling at a corrugated silver surface

The influence of the surface-profile Fourier decomposition on photon–surface-plasmon-polariton (SPP) coupling at a corrugated silver surface, as probed by changes in diffraction-order intensities, line shapes, and peak positions, is explored. The effect of higher spatial harmonics on diffraction orders is considered for coupling to the SPP in the vicinity of a grating-induced minigap as well as away from the minigap region. Numerical results are obtained with the reduced Rayleigh equations, which are accurate in the range of corrugation strengths that optimize photon–SPP coupling for silver. Under first-order-coupling conditions away from the minigap region the presence of a particular spatial harmonic in the surface profile enhances a specific diffraction order in an easily predictable way. The selectivity, sensitivity, and associated line-shape changes for enhancement are examined as a function of harmonic amplitude for several higher harmonics. In connection with recent experiments [ J. Opt. Soc. Am. B8, 1348 ( 1991)] we investigate the influence of the second and the third spatial harmonics on the propagating orders in the vicinity of the (+ 1, −2) minigap region of an 870-nm grating at 633 nm. The interaction between first- and second-order couplings to the opposite branches of the SPP dispersion relation is tuned by variation of the corrugation depth. It is found that changes in the profile Fourier decomposition with corrugation depth, which arise in the holographic fabrication of diffraction gratings, can explain the observed momentum gap in the −1 diffraction order in this case.
Antifibrotic effects of an sGC activator in rat models of liver fibrosis

Background Liver fibrosis and cirrhosis are late complications common to liver diseases of different etiology such as viral hepatitis and alcoholic liver disease. Irrespective of the initial cause of liver disease, activation of hepatic stellate cells is a crucial step in the fibrotic pathomechanism. Activated hepatic stellate cells produce excess collagen as well as profibrotic cytokines and change to a contractile phenotype which reduces the diameter of the hepatic sinusoids. Activation of hepatic stellate cells is reduced by an increase in intracellular cyclic guanosine monophoshate (cGMP). Stable cGMP analogues also reduce the contractile response of hepatic stellate cells. However, cGMP production is downregulated in the cirrhotic liver due to reduced activity of the endothelial NO synthase. The recently discovered activators of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) increase cGMP production independently of NO. We therefore investigated the effects of an sGC activator in two classical rat models of liver fibrosis, the pig serum model and the carbon tetrachloride model.
Immunotherapy for malignant glioma

Malignant gliomas (MG) are the most common type of primary malignant brain tumor. Most patients diagnosed with glioblastoma (GBM), the most common and malignant glial tumor, die within 12–15 months. Moreover, conventional treatment, which includes surgery followed by radiation and chemotherapy, can be highly toxic by causing nonspecific damage to healthy brain and other tissues. The shortcomings of standard-of-care have thus created a stimulus for the development of novel therapies that can target central nervous system (CNS)-based tumors specifically and efficiently, while minimizing off-target collateral damage to normal brain. Immunotherapy represents an investigational avenue with the promise of meeting this need, already having demonstrated its potential against B-cell malignancy and solid tumors in clinical trials. T-cell engineering with tumor-specific chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) is one proven approach that aims to redirect autologous patient T-cells to sites of tumor. This platform has evolved dramatically over the past two decades to include an improved construct design, and these modern CARs have only recently been translated into the clinic for brain tumors. We review here emerging immunotherapeutic platforms for the treatment of MG, focusing on the development and application of a CAR-based strategy against GBM.
Prospective tracing of MLL-FRYL clone with low MEIS1 expression from emergence during neuroblastoma treatment to diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome.

We prospectively observed a child exposed to intensive multimodality therapy for metastatic neuroblastoma from emergence of a MLL translocation to disease diagnosis. The t(4;11)(p12;q23) was detected in the marrow 17 months after starting treatment following topoisomerase II poisons, alkylating agents, local radiation, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, anti-GD2 monoclonal antibody with granulocyte macrophage–colony-stimulating factor, and a high cumulative dose of oral etoposide. Reciprocal genomic breakpoint junctions and fusion transcripts joined MLL with FRYL, the Drosophila melanogaster protein homologue of which regulates cell fate. Etoposide metabolites induced topoisomerase II cleavage complexes that could form both breakpoint junctions. Cells harboring the translocation replaced the marrow without clinical evidence of leukemia and differentiation appeared unaffected for 37 months. Subsequent bilineage dysplasia and increased blasts in addition to the translocation fulfilled criteria for MDS. The MEIS1 target gene of typical MLL fusion oncoproteins was underexpressed before and at MDS diagnosis. These results are consistent with repair of topoisomerase II cleavage from etoposide metabolites as the translocation mechanism, whereas other agents in the regimen may have contributed to progression of the clone with the translocation to MDS. MLL-FRYL did not increase MEIS1 expression, conferred a proliferative advantage without altering differentiation, and had protracted latency to disease.
Integrating the Principles of Effective Intervention into Batterer Intervention Programming: The Case for Moving Toward More Evidence-Based Programming

The majority of batterer intervention program (BIP) evaluations have indicated they are marginally effective in reducing domestic violence recidivism. Meanwhile, correctional programs used to treat a variety of offenders (e.g., substance users, violent offenders, and so forth) that adhere to the "principles of effective intervention" (PEI) have reported significant reductions in recidivism. This article introduces the PEI-the principles on which evidence-based practices in correctional rehabilitation are based-and identifies the degree to which they are currently integrated into BIPs. The case is made that batterer programs could be more effective if they incorporate the PEI. Recommendations for further integration of the principles into BIPs are also provided.