cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modulation of AMPA receptors by cAMP-dependent protein kinase in PreBötzinger complex inspiratory neurons regulates respiratory rhythm in the rat

We hypothesize that phosphorylation of AMPA receptors or associated synaptic proteins modulates the excitability of respiratory neurons in the preBotzinger Complex (preBotC), affecting respiratory rhythm. Using neonatal rat medullary slices that spontaneously generate respiratory rhythm, we examined the role of the cAMP–PKA pathway (PKA:cAMP-dependent protein kinase) in modulating glutamatergic synaptic transmission, the excitability of inspiratory neurons in the preBotC and respiratory rhythm. Microinjection of forskolin, an activator of adenylate cyclase, into the preBotC with or without the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), decreased the period (increased the frequency) of respiratory-related rhythmic motor output in the hypoglossal nerve (XIIn) to 84 % (without IBMX) and to 72% (with IBMX) of the pre-injection baseline. In the presence of MK-801, a non-competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, microinjection of forskolin plus IBMX decreased the period to 66% of baseline levels. Microinjection of Rp-adenosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphothioate (Rp-cAMPS), a PKA inhibitor, increased the period to 145% of baseline levels. Concurrent microinjection of Rp-cAMPS and forskolin had no effect on the period. Bath application of 7β-deacetyl-7β-[γ-(morpholino)butyryl]-forskolin hydrochloride (7Db-forskolin, a water-soluble derivative of forskolin): (1) decreased the period to 67% of baseline levels without affecting the amplitude of integrated XIIn inspiratory discharge, (2) induced a tonic inward current of 29 pA and enhanced inspiratory drive current (the amplitude increased to 183% and the integral increased to 184% of baseline) in voltage-clamped (holding potential =−60 mV) preBotC inspiratory neurons and (3) increased the frequency to 195 % and amplitude to 118% of spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) during expiratory periods. Dideoxy-forskolin did not have these effects. Intracellular perfusion with the catalytic subunit of PKA (cPKA) into preBotC inspiratory neurons progressively enhanced inspiratory drive currents and, in the presence of TTX, increased the inward currents induced by local ejection of AMPA; the latter currents were blocked by 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-6-nitro-2,3-dioxo-benzo[f]quinoxaline-7-sulphonamide (NBQX, an AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist). The effects of cPKA were blocked by co-application of PKA inhibitor (6–22) amide (PKI). These results suggest that phosphorylation of postsynaptic AMPA receptors through the cAMP–PKA pathway modulates both tonic and phasic excitatory amino acid synaptic transmission and excitability of inspiratory neurons in the preBotC and, therefore, regulates respiratory rhythm. Moreover, the basal level of endogenous PKA activity appears to be a determinant of resting respiratory frequency.
New frontiers in dating of geological, paleoclimatic and anthropological applications using accelerator mass spectrometric measurements of 14C and 10Be in diverse samples

Abstract A wide range of climatic, geologic and archeological records can be characterized by measuring their 14 C and 10 Be concentrations, using the accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). These records are found not only in the traditional sampling sites such as lake sediments and ice cores, but also in diverse natural accumulates and biogeochemical products such as: loess/paleosol deposits, corals, speleothems, forest-fire horizons and weathered meteorites. The in-situ production of cosmogenic radionuclides in terrestrial materials provides several possibilities of determining their chronology. The purpose of this review is to highlight selected applications of AMS, which have bearing to our understanding of both chronology of archival materials, and learning about climatic changes in the past.
Bones are not enough: Analogues, knowledge, and interpretive strategies in zooarchaeology

Abstract Zooarchaeologists have become accustomed to high levels of confidence in their inferences about the origins, functions, and responses to stress of animal remains. This confidence rests on the causal and functional links between attributes of these remains and the processes and contexts which generate them. Their investigations are presently moving toward wider inferences about the context and functions of bones in ancient hominids' behavioral systems and in regional ecosystems. This transition involves a shift toward lower levels of inferential confidence. These arise from several sources and must be dealt with differently. Zooarchaeologists now need a different set of inferential strategies than that which characterized their preceding phase of research. This essay explores the various causes of lowered inferential confidence and suggests strategies for coping with them. It advances a philosophical argument for juxtaposing multiple, independent clusters of relational analogies, drawn from a wide variety of sources, including those outside zooarchaeology.
Molecular identification of the lugaro cell in the cat cerebellar cortex

The cerebellar cortex contains five major classes of neurons that can be differentiated from one another on the basis of their location, size, shape, and, in some cases, molecular characteristics. The cerebellar cortex also contains other, less numerous neuronal types, including the Lugaro cell, which has been described on only a few occasions. The Lugaro cell is a relative rare cell type and is characterized by a fusiform cell body with thick, horizontally oriented dendrites. It is located in or slightly below the Purkinje cell layer. Because the Lugaro cell shares some morphological characteristics with the other large granular layer neurons, it often has been classified as a Golgi cell. In the present study we have taken advantage of differences in the molecular properties of neurons and have used monoclonal antibodies to identify and classify the Lugaro cell. Three large neuronal types in the cerebellar cortex were examined with cell-type-specific antibodies: Cat-301 and Cat-304 for Lugaro cells; Rat-303 for Golgi cells; and anti-calbindin for Purkinje cells. Double label immunocytochemistry on sections of the cat cerebellum was performed with subclass- or species-specific secondary antibodies. Each of the three antibodies was selective for one of the three large neuron classes. Cat-301 and Cat-304 recognized Lugaro cells but not Golgi or Purkinje cells. Our results demonstrate that the Lugaro cells are molecularly, as well as morphologically, distinct from Purkinje and Golgi cells and thus constitute a distinct cell type in the cerebellar cortex.
High-power harmonic gyro-TWT's. I. Linear theory and oscillation study

A linear theory using Laplace transforms which is applicable to both gyrotron traveling wave amplifiers (gyro-TWTs) and gyrotron backward-wave oscillators (gyro-BWOs) is presented. The validity of the linear theory is verified by comparing it with an existing nonlinear self-consistent theory based on a different approach. In conjunction with a time-dependent multimode particle simulation code, the linear theory is applied to study the stability of harmonic gyro-TWTs. It is shown that a harmonic gyro-TWT can be made stable to all forms of spontaneous oscillations by employing a multistage interaction structure and that it can generate power levels far in excess of those possible for a fundamental gyro-TWT. The linear bandwidth of a second-harmonic gyro-TWT amplifier is also calculated. >
Expression of MSY2 in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos.

Translational control plays a central role during oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis, as these processes occur in the absence of transcription. MSY2, a member of a multifunctional Y-box protein family, is implicated in repressing the translation of paternal mRNAs. Here, we characterize MSY2 expression in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos. Northern blot analysis indicates that MSY2 expression is highly restricted and essentially confined to the oocyte in the female mouse. MSY2 transcript and protein, as assessed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, respectively, are expressed in growing oocytes, metaphase II-arrested eggs, and 1-cell embryos, but then are degraded by the late 2-cell stage; no expression is detectable in the blastocysts. During oocyte maturation, MSY2 is phosphorylated and following fertilization it is dephosphorylated. Quantification of the mass amount of MSY2 reveals that it represents 2% of the total protein in the fully grown oocyte, i.e., it is a very abundant protein. Both endogenous MSY2 and MSY2-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), which is synthesized following microinjection of an mRNA encoding MSY2-EGFP, are primarily localized in the cytoplasm, and about 75% of the MSY2 remains associated with oocyte cytoskeletal preparations. Results of these studies are consistent with the proposal that MSY2 functions by stabilizing and/or repressing the translation of maternal mRNAs.
Sparse BEM for potential theory and Stokes flow using variable order wavelets

Wavelets for the discretization of boundary integral operators usually have fixed order and are constructed in some parameter space of the surface. Here a new approach is presented, where the order is flexible and no parameterizations are needed. The wavelets are restrictions of piecewise polynomial functions in three variables on the boundary manifold. This construction is especially suited for surfaces with complicated geometries. If the polynomial order is suitably adjusted to the level of the wavelet, then the non-standard form of a large class of boundary integral operators can be truncated to contain only O(N) non-vanishing entries while retaining the asymptotic convergence of the full Galerkin scheme. An algorithm which sets up the basis and the non-standard form in O(N) operations will be discussed. The method is applied to problems from potential theory and Stokes flow and compared with the Fast Multipole Method.
Hypoxically inducible barley lactate dehydrogenase: cDNA cloning and molecular analysis

Abstract In the roots of barley and other cereals, hypoxia induces a set of five isozymes of L-lactate dehydrogenase [LDH; (S)-lactate:NADH oxidoreductase, EC 1.1.1.27]. Biochemical and genetic data indicate that the five LDH isozymes are tetramers that arise from random association of the products of two Ldh loci. To investigate this system, cDNA clones of LDH were isolated from a lambda gt11 cDNA library derived from hypoxically treated barley roots. The library was screened with antiserum raised against barley LDH purified approximately 3000-fold by an improved three-step procedure. Immunopositive clones were rescreened with a cDNA probe synthesized by the polymerase chain reaction using primers modeled from the amino acid sequences of two tryptic LDH peptides. Two types of LDH clones were found. Nucleotide sequence analysis of one representative insert of each type (respectively, 1305 and 1166 base pairs) revealed open reading frames encoding 10 peptide fragments of LDH. The 1305-base-pair insert included the entire coding region of a 356-residue LDH monomer. The nucleotide sequences of the two LDH cDNAs were 92% identical in the coding region, but highly divergent in the 3' noncoding region, and thus probably correspond to the two postulated Ldh loci. The deduced amino acid sequences of the two barley LDHs were 96% identical to each other and very similar to those from vertebrate and bacterial LDHs. RNA blot hybridization showed a single mRNA band of 1.5 kilobases whose level rose about 8-fold in roots during hypoxic induction, as did the level of translatable LDH message.
Registration of real-time 3-D ultrasound images of the heart for novel 3-D stress echocardiography

Stress echocardiography is a routinely used clinical procedure to diagnose cardiac dysfunction by comparing wall motion information in prestress and poststress ultrasound images. Incomplete data, complicated imaging protocols and misaligned prestress and poststress views, however, are known limitations of conventional stress echocardiography. We discuss how the first two limitations are overcome via the use of real-time three-dimensional (3-D) ultrasound imaging, an emerging modality, and have called the new procedure "3-D stress echocardiography:" We also show that the problem of misaligned views can be solved by registration of prestress and poststress 3-D image sequences. Such images are misaligned because of variations in placing the ultrasound transducer and stress-induced anatomical changes. We have developed a technique to temporally align 3-D images of the two sequences first and then to spatially register them to rectify probe placement error while preserving the stress-induced changes. The 3-D spatial registration is mutual information-based. Image registration used in conjunction with 3-D stress echocardiography can potentially improve the diagnostic accuracy of stress testing.
Lucene and Juru at Trec 2007: 1-Million Queries Track

Lucene is an increasingly popular open source search library. However, our experiments of search quality for TREC data and evaluations for out-of-the-box Lucene indicated inferior quality comparing to other systems participating in TREC. In this work we investigate the differences in measured search quality between Lucene and Juru, our home-brewed search engine, and show how Lucene scoring can be modified to improve its measured search quality for TREC. Our scoring modifications to Lucene were trained over the 150 topics of the tera-byte tracks. Evaluations of these modifications with the new - sample based - 1-Million Queries Track measures - NEU-Map and �-Map - indicate the robustness of the scoring modifications: modified Lucene performs well when compared to stock Lucene and when compared to other systems that participated in the 1-Million Queries Track this year, both for the training set of 150 queries and for the new measures. As such, this also supports the robustness of the new measures tested in this track. This work reports our experiments and results and describes the modifications involved - namely normalizing term frequencies, different choice of document length normalization, phrase expansion and proximity scoring.
Outlier detection by sampling with accuracy guarantees

An effective approach to detecting anomalous points in a data set is distance-based outlier detection. This paper describes a simple sampling algorithm to effciently detect distance-based outliers in domains where each and every distance computation is very expensive. Unlike any existing algorithms, the sampling algorithm requires a xed number of distance computations and can return good results with accuracy guarantees. The most computationally expensive aspect of estimating the accuracy of the result is sorting all of the distances computed by the sampling algorithm. The experimental study on two expensive domains as well as ten additional real-life datasets demonstrates both the effciency and effectiveness of the sampling algorithm in comparison with the state-of-the-art algorithm and there liability of the accuracy guarantees.
Space radiation environmental testing on POSS coated solar cell coverglass

Light weight, flexible, radiation hardened solar cells coatings are of interest for applications on satellite power generation owing to the potential advantages in terms of having higher specific power (lightweight), lower specific volume (flexible), and higher end-of-life power (superior radiation resistance), as compared to current state-of-the-art Ce-doped micro sheet solar cell coverglass. The space radiation environment causes gradual optical performance degradation of coverglass and coatings, thus limiting the lifetime of the solar array. The objective of this project is to assess the POSS (polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane) coating in simulated space proton radiation environments. Due to the unique molecular structure, POSS may be equipped with suitable optical property along with superior radiation hardness, thus better protecting the solar cells.
General Motors: The Electric Revolution

The recent explosion in demand for electric vehicles, fueled by both increasing gas prices and rising awareness of consumers to environmental concerns, has challenged traditional car manufacturers to explore alternatives to gas-powered automobiles. Of the new models presenting alternatives to traditional gas-powered cars, the award-winning Tesla Model S and Nissan Leaf have commanded the majority of the attention and sales in the electric car market. General Motors’ Volt, on the other hand, has seen lukewarm sales after missing its high production and consumption expectations. As the inevitable pursuit of sustainable solutions for energy use continues, GM is placed in a precarious situation. On the one hand, their attempts at entering the electric car market have been unsuccessful thus far. On the other hand, retreating from the emerging industry may be detrimental if gas-powered cars become vestigial in the future. Should GM simply continue to manufacture standard automobiles? Or should they invest further in electric vehicles, acquiring the necessary technology to compete with market leaders?
Mothers' compliance with physicians' recommendations on infant feeding.

The revised formulation Health Belief Model (HBM) served as a framework for studying mothers compliance with physicians recommended infant feeding practices. 9 general practitioners and 1 pediatrician in 2 central Pennsylvania communities and 131 of their patients -- 1st-time mothers with only 1 infant under 15 months of age -- participated in this study. The majority of the mothers were in their early 20s and had completed a mean of 1 year past high school. Wording of the items on the physicians questionnaires was in terms of their "usual recommendations" for normal healthy infants. The mothers questionnaire included items about their current feeding practices of their infants as well as instruments to measure nutritional knowledge health-related attitudes and beliefs and demographic data. There was a wide range of recommendations by physicians. The majority recommended the introduction of solid foods and unmodified cows milk at an earlier age than recommended by the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Only 1/2 of the physicians recommended the use of iron-fortified formula. All physicians recommended using skim milk occasionally when the infant was overweight. 8 of 10 physicians recommended giving vitamin supplements to all infants even those receiving commercial formulas fortified with vitamins and minerals. Nearly 30% of the women admitted non-compliance with their physicians advice on a self-reported measure. An average non-compliance rate for all items was 44%. High non-compliance rates were found with repect to practices concerning the age at which to introduce cows milk vitamin supplements and solid foods. The length of time the mother had been under the physicians care was negatively correlated with the compliance score. Nutritional knowledge was positively correlated with compliance scores for bottle feeding mothers but not for breast feeding mothers. For breast feeding mothers only scores on the health-related attitude scales "nutrition is important" and "concern for health" were significantly and positively correlated with compliance scores. The study demonstrated that scales which have construct validity and reliability have utility for measuring certain dimensions of the Health Belief Model.
The United States and Democracy in Africa: Discrepant Orientations of Anglophone and Francophone Africa Toward Democratic Practices (Good Governance, Administrative Reforms and Human Rights)

President Obama’s first trip to Africa [as US President] in July 2009 took him to Ghana. The U.S. President made Ghana his first stop on the continent because he was probably highly impressed by the institutionalization of democratic processes in the country. While in Ghana, the president highlighted that country's commitment to peaceful democratic transition and establishment of effective governance practices. Obama also called on other African leaders to follow the example of Ghana by creating democratic institutions, embracing good governance practices, and showing respect for the human rights of their citizens. The recently concluded U.S.-Africa Summit (August 6-7, 2014) convened by President Obama in Washington, D.C. was no doubt initiated to advance the political agenda of his 2009 visit to Ghana, and also to establish stronger economic and cultural ties with Africa. The 2014 summit brought together an unprecedented number of African leaders to Washington, D.C. for a two day conference that covered a broad array of topics ranging from health Care, trade and investments, security and terrorism, to good governance, democratic institutions and human rights. A partnership between the United States and Africa is important and strategic because both partners must work together in order to function effectively in a complex global environment that is increasingly plagued by terrorism, political instability, devastating public health epidemics, economic inequalities, poor governance and the failure to effect credible administrative reforms in a number of African nations. This paper proposes to examine the content of U.S. support for the establishment of democratic institutions and good governance practices in Africa against the backdrop of the inability, unwillingness, or failure of some African nations to fully embrace the processes upon which such US support is supposed to be predicated. It is apparent that The Anglophone nations in West, East and South Africa have been more responsive to the political practices advocated by the United States and are in fact reforming their administrative processes and procedures, while most Francophone nations in West and Central Africa are content with the status quo. Why is there a discrepancy between the English-speaking and French-speaking African nations toward embracing democratic and good governance practices? It is to answering this question that this paper aspires to accomplish through a comparative analysis of the performance records of a select number of Anglophone and Francophone states in West and Central Africa. How have these English (Ghana, Botswana, South Africa) and French-speaking( Cameroon, Ivory Coast, and the Democratic Republic of Congo) countries fared since President Obama first acknowledged the great strides made by Ghana during his 2009 visit?
Exploring the Impact of Virtual and Physical Dissection Activities on Students’ Understanding of Engineering Design Principles

Product dissection has become a popular pedagogy for actively engaging engineering students in the classroom through practical hands-on experiences. Despite its numerous advantages, dissection of physical products has many drawbacks, including not only the costs required to start-up and maintain such activities but also the workspace and storage space needed for the products and tools used to dissect them. This paper presents results from on-going research that is investigating the extent to which dissection of virtual representations of products — what we refer to as virtual dissection — can be used in lieu of physical product dissection in the classroom. In particular, we found positive learning gains in students’ ability to identify and describe the function and production method of components contained in a hand-held power drill, for both physical and virtual dissection groups. However, the data also reveal differences in the overall maximum level attained as well as differences in the range and types of components identified between the groups. While we recognize that virtual dissection will never provide the same hands-on experiences as physical dissection, we contend that virtual dissection can be used effectively in the classroom to increase students’ understanding of engineering design principles. By substantiating this impact, we can help establish cost-effective sets of computer-based dissection activities that do not require extensive workspace and storage spaces and can be easily scaled to any size classroom.© 2008 ASME
End-of-Life Care Policies and Practices in Pediatric Skilled Nursing Facilities:

Although most children with intellectual and developmental disabilities reside in the community, a subset of children with severe intellectual disability and complex medical needs reside in pediatric skilled nursing facilities. These children have elevated mortality with end-of-life care (EOLC) routinely provided. The present study explored policies and practice in such settings by surveying administrators, nursing directors, and medical directors in facilities across the United States. In addition to EOLC policies and practices, staff reported on their understanding of definitions of do-not-resuscitate orders, family involvement in EOLC planning, and the availability of in-service training. The presence of an official EOLC policy was associated with higher ratings of perception of effectiveness among staff. Staff felt more prepared and comfortable providing EOLC when in-service training was provided.
The Mini-Max Property of the Tychonoff Product Topology

(1973). The Mini-Max Property of the Tychonoff Product Topology. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 80, No. 8, pp. 925-927.
Glycoform Analysis of Recombinant and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Envelope Protein gp120 via Higher Energy Collisional Dissociation and Spectral-Aligning Strategy

Envelope protein gp120 of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is armored with a dense glycan shield, which plays critical roles in envelope folding, immune-evasion, infectivity, and immunogenicity. Site-specific glycosylation profiling of recombinant gp120 is very challenging. Therefore, glycoproteomic analysis of native viral gp120 is still formidable to date. This challenge promoted us to employ a Q-Exactive mass spectrometer to identify low abundant glycopeptides from virion-associated gp120. To search the HCD-MS data for glycopeptides, a novel spectral-aligning strategy was developed. This strategy depends on the observation that glycopeptides and the corresponding deglycosylated peptides share very similar MS/MS pattern in terms of b- and y-ions that do not contain the site of glycosylation. Moreover, glycopeptides with an identical peptide backbone show nearly resembling spectra regardless of the attached glycan structures. For the recombinant gp120, this “copy–paste” spectral pattern of glycopeptide...
Mechanism of the reaction C2H5 + O2 from 298 to 680 K

The reaction C2H5 + O2 has been studied by steady-state photolysis of mixtures containing Cl2, C2H6, and O2 over the temperature range 298−680 K at a constant density of 6.8 × 1018 molecules cm-3. Limited experiments were also performed as a function of pressure (200−1300 Torr) at four temperatures. After UV irradiation, the mixtures were analyzed by GC/MS to determine the product yields. The yield of C2H4 increases slowly between 298 and 450 K (Ea ∼ 1 kcal mol-1) and then increases sharply (Ea ∼ 25 kcal mol-1) reaching a yield of 100(±10)% of the O2 reaction channel by 630 K. For T < 450 K, the C2H4 yield depends on the inverse of the pressure, indicating that the ethylene is formed via a chemically activated (C2H5O2*) radical as has been observed previously. Above 500 K, the C2H4 yield is independent of pressure indicating that a new channel has opened. This is confirmed by the observation that the ratio β (= C2H4/C2H5Cl) increases sharply (from 0.8 to 3.5) between 450 and 500 K. If the C2H5 radical rem...
INFLEXIBLE COGNITION PREDICTS FIRST ONSET OF MAJOR DEPRESSIVE EPISODES IN ADOLESCENCE.

Background Major depressive disorder often is characterized by a lack of cognitive and emotional flexibility, resulting in an impaired ability to adapt to situational demands. Adolescence is an important period of risk for the first onset of depression, yet relatively little is known about whether aspects of inflexibility, such as rumination and deficits in attentional shifting, could confer risk for the development of the disorder during this time. Method In the present study, a sample of 285 never-depressed adolescents completed self-report and behavioral measures of rumination and attentional shifting at a baseline visit, followed by up to 4 years of annual prospective follow-up diagnostic assessments. Results Survival analyses indicated that adolescents with greater levels of rumination or poorer attentional shifting experienced a shorter time until the first onset of major depressive episodes, even after accounting for baseline symptoms and demographic characteristics. Although girls were twice as likely as boys to experience the first onset of depression, rumination predicted a shorter time until depression onset only for boys. Rumination and attentional shifting were not correlated and predicted time until onset of major depression independently of one another. Conclusions These results provide evidence that components of cognition that are characterized by rigidity and perseveration confer risk for the first onset of major depression during adolescence. Evaluating rumination and attentional shifting in adolescence may be useful in identifying individuals who are at risk for depression and who may benefit from interventions that target or alter the development of these characteristics.
An analysis on hygienic detection results of 170 salt and liquor-saturated aquatic products of animal origin in Ningbo City

Objective To survey the hygiene situation of the salt and liquor-saturated aquatic products of animal origin in Ningbo City,and to seek the cause of the unqualified products.Methods The hygienic detection data and the investigation data during December 2005 and July 2008 in Nigbo City obtained from 170 inspected samples including salted crabs,salted snails and salted razor clams,were statistically analyzed.Results The qualified rate was 52.35%(89/170)for all the detected samples,and was 32.86%(23/70)for salted crabs,73.86%(65/88)for salted snails.There was significant difference in qualified rate between salted crabs and snails(χ2=26.57,P0.01). Conclusion The qualified rate was lower for salt and liquor-saturated aquatic products of animal origin.Production process may have a certain impact on hygiene status of the products,indicating that modifying the process is a key method to increase the qualified rate.
Collagen and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 expression in human osteochondral allograft in storage media

BACKGROUND: It has been well known that mechanical loading could affect articular cartilage;however,the effects of mechanical loading on articular cartilage stored in tissue media have rarely been reported so far.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of loading environment on osteochondral allografts stored in tissue culture media.METHODS: Normal human osteochondral allografts were divided into three groups: control group,in which fresh grafts were used;common group,in which the osteochondral allografts were stored using common tissue culture media;mechanical loading group,in which osteochondral allografts stored in common tissue culture media were given a persistent periodical mechanical loading by a shaking table as a dynamic loading device.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: At 2 weeks after storage,western blot analysis and transmission electron microscopy showed that the dynamic loading condition kept tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 expression and collagen fibril ultrastructure in articular cartilage significantly better than in static condition (P 0.01).The results showed that the loading condition benefits the chondrocyte function and collagen ultrastructure in articular cartilage of human osteochondral allograft in storage media.The dynamic noncontact loading may provide a better method in storing human osteochondral allografts.
Rural Land Shareholding System ——the Optimal Choice of Rural Land Circulation System in China

There exists property right deficiency and the relative law imperfection in our current rural land transference system in China. Through comparing the current rural land transference system, and analyzing institutional advantage of the rural land share-holding system, the author comes to the conclusion that the rural land share-holding system is the optimal choice of our rural land transference system.
Rearranged and chimaeric primate polyomavirus genomes.

Recombination between different primate polyomavirus genomes (SV40, JCV, BKV) or within the genome of the same species (e.g. archetype to rearranged type virus) might contribute to the establishment of SV40-like viruses within the human population. Alternatively, it is possible that these polyomaviruses might, upon co-infection of human cells, complement each other's growth through direct virus-virus interactions or by indirect effects on host cell permissiveness. Our laboratory has investigated the activity of JCV-BKV-SV40 chimaeras constructed in vitro, and some of them exhibit altered lytic, host range, and oncogenic behaviour. Our work has also included the PCR analysis of human tissue specimens for the presence of polyomaviral sequences. Archetype and rearranged variants of JC virus have been detected in normal and diseased tissues, but evidence for naturally arising JCV-BKV or JCV-SV40 recombinant genomes has not been obtained.
THE ECONOMIC SCENE

This chapter focuses on the different aspects related to the emerging economic scene. The basic economic and social problem the United Nations has faced during the last three decades is that of global poverty. Efforts to close the gap between the world's rich and poor have been continuous over the past 30 years but, for a variety of reasons, there has been little success. Analyses of this experience led the developing countries to conclude that though their situations and problems differed widely, they did share one overwhelming problem—a system of global rules and practices that worked consistently against their interests. The essence of the new order demanded by the developing countries is their full and complete economic emancipation. The General Assembly followed its call for the establishment of a New International Economic Order with the adoption, in December 1974, of a Charter of Economic Rights and Duties of States.
Determining Cost-Effectiveness of Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Using the Short Form-6D Utility Measure.

Abstract Background With the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, cost-effectiveness analyses are becoming increasingly important for resource allocation, and particularly for the justification of costly procedures, such as total knee and total hip arthroplasties (TKAs and THAs). Therefore, using the Short Form-6D (SF-6D) utility values, the purpose of this study was to determine (1) the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained and (2) and the cost-effectiveness of undergoing THA and TKA. Methods A total of 844 patients (357 men, 487 women) who had a mean age of 65 years (range, 39 to 80 years) underwent primary TKA, and 224 patients who had a mean age of 69 years (range, 44 to 88 years) underwent primary THAs at 7 institutions. The SF-6D values were derived for each patient preoperatively and at 1-year follow-up. QALYs were estimated at 1 year, and lifetime QALYs gained were determined using predicted life-expectancy values, at a discounted rate of 3% per year of life expectancy, to reflect a diminishing gain with time. National-level costs were determined using the 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample, and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were deduced for both groups. Results The preoperative SF-6D values for the THA and TKA cohorts were 0.614 (range, 0.37 to 1) and 0.62 (range, 0.3 to 0.93). Postoperatively, SF-6D values improved significantly at 1 year in both groups. One-year QALYs for TKA and THA were 0.768 and 0.799. Lifetime QALYs gained for the groups were 2.07 and 1.85 (1.39 and 1.34 if discounted at a rate of 3% per year). The estimated ICER for TKA vs baseline presurgery was $43,107 per QALY, and $39,453 per QALY for THA vs baseline presurgery. Conclusion The ICER showed that THA and TKA are cost-effective, compared to the $50,000 USD/QALY threshold for cost-effectiveness, and justify resources allocated to these surgeries. The SF-6D can utilize existing functional outcome data, which makes these cost calculations considerably easier and more feasible for practicing orthopedists.
Electron Beam-induced Light Emission and Transport in GaN Nanowires

The authors report observations of electron beam-induced light from GaN nanowires grown by chemical vapor deposition. GaN nanowires were modified in-situ with deposited opaque platinum coatings to estimate the extent to which light is channeled to the ends of nanowires. Some evidence of light channeling was found, but wire microstructure and defects play an important role in light scattering and transport, limiting the extent to which light is confined
TravelCenters of America

A New York-based hedge fund must decide whether to invest in TravelCenters of America (TA), a recent spin-off from a U.S.-based real estate investment trust. The case confronts students with the question: To what extent is this spin-off opportunity attractive from a value-investing standpoint? Historically, spin-offs have been attractive investments because of supply-demand dynamics associated with their investor base. The case is an opportunity to ask whether the same dynamics will operate for TA.
Thoughts on Originality, Reuse, and Intertextuality in Buddhist Literature Derived from the Contributions to the Volume

Studies in originality, authorship, and intertextuality in the contexts of the South Asian and Tibetan Buddhist literature are indispensible for uncovering the direct and indirect referential connections and the diverse modes of their production in an extensive mosaic of Buddhist texts. They also highlight the multifarious functions of textual reuses and re-workings in cultural productions and religious and literary reinvigorations. Moreover, a reintegration of explicit and silent citations and creative paraphrases and a recirculation of narrative adaptations, which have been often sidelined in the study of Buddhist literature, have been shown to be integral to the formation of a textual authority and to the restructuring of cultural and doctrinal meanings.
Dual Mode of Action for Plusbacin A3 in Staphylococcus aureus.

We have used C{F}, N{F}, and N{P} rotational-echo double resonance NMR to determine the location and conformation of 19F and 15N double-labeled plusbacin A3 and of double-labeled deslipo-plusbacin A3, each bound to the cell walls of whole cells of Staphyloccocus aureus grown in media containing [1-13C]glycine. The 31P is primarily in wall teichoic acid. Approximately 25% of plusbacin headgroups (the cyclic depsipeptide backbone) are in a closed conformation (N–F separation of 6 A), while 75% are in a more open conformation (N–F separation of 12 A). The closed headgroups have no contact with wall teichoic acid, whereas the open headgroups have a strong contact. This places the closed headgroups in hydrophobic regions of the cell wall and the open headgroups in hydrophilic regions. None of the plusbacin tails have contact with the 31P of either wall teichoic acid or the cell membrane and thus are in hydrophobic regions of the cell wall. In addition, both heads and tails of plusbacin A3 have contact with the...
FIRST ASSESSMENT OF A NOVEL IGRT DEVICE FOR STEREOTACTIC BODY RADIATION THERAPY

Introduction: A new device has been developed for image-guided Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). The Vero SBRT System (known as “TM2000” in Japan), a joint product of MHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) and BrainLAB (BrainLAB AG, Feldkir-chen, Germany) utilizes a rotating, rigid ring structure to integrate a beam delivery platform and image guidance systems. An inline 6 MV C-band LINAC with MLC is mounted on orthogonal gimbals that are in turn built into the ring structure. An electronic portal imaging device (EPID) and two kV imaging devices are also integrated in the ring. Opening commissioning measurements and stereotactic “hidden target” tests were performed to assess dosimetric and targeting characteristics as well as clinical capabilities of this SBRT dedicated device.
Communicable disease surveillance, prevention and control in Cyprus

The Medical and Public Health Services of the Ministry of Health of Cyprus have recently developed a new Network for the Surveillance and Control of Communicable Diseases
Abstract 20629: Long-Term Outcomes Disparities in Survivors of Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: Sex, race and socioeconomic status may affect long-term mortality after cardiac arrest (CA). It is unknown if this is mediated by differential access to cardiac catheterization (cath), implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) placement, and/or geographic proximity to care. Hypothesis: 1) Female sex, black race and residence in a low income neighborhood independently predict reduced odds of undergoing cath and ICD placement after CA. 2) These demographics predict worse long-term survival. 3) The protective effects of cath and ICD differs across demographics. Methods: We included CA patients surviving to hospital discharge at five hospitals in Pennsylvania from 2005 to 2013, with follow-up through 2014. We obtained sex, race, arrest location, initial rhythm, median ZIP code income, post-arrest illness severity, cath, ICD placement, urban residence and drive time from residence to the nearest acute care hospital. We used logistic regression to test if demographic features predict ICD and cath, and Cox proportional hazard models identify predictors of survival. Results: We included 891 patients followed for 2,081 patient-yrs. There were 340 deaths with median survival 6 yrs. Female sex, black race and low income were independently associated with reduced odds of cath after controlling for rhythm, arrest location and illness severity. Black race and residence >30 minutes from a hospital predicted worse survival (black race hazards ratio (HR) 1.16; 95%CI 1.02 - 1.31), residence HR 1.50; 95%CI 1.15 - 2.59). In adjusted models, female sex predicted better survival (adjusted HR (aHR) 0.83; 95%CI 0.75 - 0.91) whereas residing >30 minutes from a hospital predicted worse survival (aHR 1.86; 95%CI 1.15 - 3.00). The protective effects of cath and ICD were lower in poor and female subjects, respectively. Conclusions: Race, proximity to hospital and sex predict long-term outcome after CA. Female and low-income subjects benefited less from ICD and cath.
Abstract 18758: Epigenetic Regulation of Acute Coronary Syndromes

Background: Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA) are long transcripts of more than 200 nt of length not encoding for proteins; they represent a novel source of molecules with a regulatory function at trans...
Hormonal aspects of melanoma

Several lines of evidence suggest a relationship between the biologic behavior of melanoma and hormone action. Epidemiologic observations have included sex-associated differences in survival and incidence, rarity of melanoma in prepubescent individuals and studies of the effects of pregnancy on melanoma growth. Attempts to define the specificity of hormonal influence on melanoma have included various regimens of endocrine manipulation as well as investigations to evaluate the presence of hormone receptors in melanoma tissues. Laboratory, clinical and epidemiologic evidence has implicated sex steroids, melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH), adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and other peptide hormones in the growth and development of melanoma. This chapter will consider the historical evidence for hormonal influence on melanoma and review evidence for specific steroid and peptide hormone interaction with melanoma.
Male reprotoxicity and endocrine disruption

Mammalian reproductive tract development is a tightly regulated process that can be disrupted following exposure to drugs, toxicants, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), or other compounds via alterations to gene and protein expression or epigenetic regulation. Indeed, the impacts of developmental exposure to certain toxicants may not be fully realized until puberty or adulthood when the reproductive tract becomes sexually mature and altered functionality is manifested. Exposures that occur later in life, once development is complete, can also disrupt the intricate hormonal and paracrine interactions responsible for adult functions, such as spermatogenesis. In this chapter, the biology and toxicology of the male reproductive tract is explored, proceeding through the various life stages including in utero development, puberty, adulthood, and senescence. Special attention is given to the discussion of EDCs, chemical mixtures, low-dose effects, transgenerational effects, and potential exposure-related causes of male reproductive tract cancers.
Positional Cyclization Scanning: A New Method to Evaluate the Bioactive Conformation of Glucagon

Glucagon is a polypeptide hormone, which consists of 29 amino acid residues. Secreted from pancreas, it has an importance role in glucose homeostasis. The conformation of glucagon has been examined by various biophysical methods including X-ray crystallography [1] and 2D-NMR spectroscopy [2]. Although an amphiphilic helical conformation was observed at the C-terminal region of glucagon by both methods, the rest of the molecule displayed different conformations depending on the method used to examine them. The glucagon receptor is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) which resides on the membrane surface, and unfortunately, it is still extremely difficult to examine a bioactive conformation of a ligand when it binds to its receptor. Therefore, in an attempt to obtain information about the bioactive conformation of glucagon, a new approach, “positional cyclization scanning”, was developed to determine secondary structures in the bioactive conformation.
Perceived Conflicts in Peer Reviewed Accounting Research

The Accounting Review (TAR) is regarded as an eminent accounting journal on the advancement of accounting concepts and dissemination of accounting knowledge (Williams, 1985). However, manuscripts published in TAR are beset with author acknowledgements of editorial review board members and editors/senior editors from the same university as manuscript author(s). This paper reports the acknowledgements that lead to noticeable organizational affiliation matches among authors and journal editorial staff at TAR. The results of this study have provided significant evidence of perceived affiliation conflict and perceived editorial conflict in manuscripts published in TAR over the sample period.