cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chat Analysis Triage Tool: Differentiating contact-driven vs. fantasy-driven child sex offenders

Investigating crimes against children, specifically sexual solicitations, are complicated because not all offenders are contact-driven, meaning they want to meet the minor for sex in the physical world; instead, some offenders are fantasy-driven, in that they are more interested in cybersex and role-play. In addition, the sheer volume of cases involving the online sexual solicitation of minors makes it difficult for law enforcement to determine whether an offender is contact-driven vs. fantasy-driven. However, research shows that there are language-based differences between minors and contact-driven offenders vs. fantasy driven-offenders. Thus, we developed the Chat Analysis Triage Tool (CATT), a forensically sound investigative tool that, based on natural language processing methods, analyzes and compares chats between minors and contact-driven vs. non-contract driven offenders. Using an SVM classifier, we were successful in differentiating the classes based on character trigrams. In a matter of seconds, the existing algorithms provide an identification of an offender's risk level based on the likelihood of contact offending as inferred from the model, which assists law enforcement in their ability to triage and prioritize cases involving the sexual solicitation of minors.
Assessing electronic personal health information use: An update on progress toward healthy people 2020 objectives

Abstract Objective To assess progress toward Healthy People 2020 health information technology objectives using nationally representative data. Methods We used data from six administrations (2003–2017) of the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) to examine trends in the proportion of Americans who manage electronic Personal Health Information (ePHI) and email their healthcare providers. Two targets were evaluated: (1) a goal to exceed 15.7% of the general population for accessing ePHI (10% improvement), and (2) a goal to exceed 15% for communicating with health providers (10% improvement). Analyses included bivariate and multivariable logistic regression models, including assessing predicted marginal for key sociodemographic variables to explain observed digital divides in health information technology use over time. Results Self-reported management of ePHI online significantly increased between 2008 and 2017 from 14.2% to 70.9% (p Conclusions Targets set forth in HP2020 were exceeded for these health information technology objectives. Though an increase in adoption of these tools was seen across all sociodemographic categories, disparities persist and have even widened for certain groups. As efforts move forward to set targets for HP2030, the persistence of the digital divide amongst these groups should be considered.
Modeling genetic epilepsies in a dish

Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells, provide a powerful platform for mechanistic studies of disorders of neurodevelopment and neural networks. hPSC models of autism, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders are also advancing the path toward designing and testing precision therapies. The field is evolving rapidly with the addition of genome-editing approaches, expanding protocols for the two-dimensional (2D) differentiation of different neuronal subtypes, and three-dimensional (3D) human brain organoid cultures. However, the application of these techniques to study complex neurological disorders, including the epilepsies, remains a challenge. Here, we review previous work using both 2D and 3D hPSC models of genetic epilepsies, as well as recent advances in the field. We also describe new strategies for applying these technologies to disease modeling of genetic epilepsies, and discuss current challenges and future directions.
From labor and delivery to left ventricular assist device: A peripartum cardiomyopathy case report

Abstract Objective To report a peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) case resulting in the implantation of a permanent left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as destination therapy. Method Electronic medical record and literature review surrounding PPCM. Results A 39-year-old African America female of 38 weeks gestation presented to labor and delivery triage complaining of lower extremity edema and shortness of breath. Evaluation yielded an ejection fraction of 20–25% with left ventricular dilation, cardiomegaly, and interstitial edema. Following delivery, the patient experienced respiratory distress and was transferred to the cardiac intensive care unit (CICU) where she was stabilized and discharged. Within four weeks, the patient experienced sudden cardiac arrest requiring intubation, induced hypothermic treatment, and intravenous vasopressor and inotrope support. The patient was transferred out of CICU and discharged home with close outpatient follow-up in the heart failure clinic before urgently receiving a LVAD. Conclusion PPCM is a life-threatening and life-changing condition requiring highly specialized interdisciplinary care.
The Phenotypes of Proliferating Glioblastoma Cells Reside on a Single Axis of Variation

Although tumor-propagating cells can be derived from glioblastomas (GBM) of the proneural and mesenchymal subtypes, a glioma stem-like cell (GSC) of the classic subtype has not been identified. It is unclear whether mesenchymal GSCs (mGSC) and/or proneural GSCs (pGSC) alone are sufficient to generate the heterogeneity observed in GBM. We performed single-cell/single-nucleus RNA sequencing of 28 gliomas, and single-cell ATAC sequencing for 8 cases. We found that GBM GSCs reside on a single axis of variation, ranging from proneural to mesenchymal. In silico lineage tracing using both transcriptomics and genetics supports mGSCs as the progenitors of pGSCs. Dual inhibition of pGSC-enriched and mGSC-enriched growth and survival pathways provides a more complete treatment than combinations targeting one GSC phenotype alone. This study sheds light on a long-standing debate regarding lineage relationships among GSCs and presents a paradigm by which personalized combination therapies can be derived from single-cell RNA signatures, to overcome intratumor heterogeneity. SIGNIFICANCE: Tumor-propagating cells can be derived from mesenchymal and proneural glioblastomas. However, a stem cell of the classic subtype has yet to be demonstrated. We show that classic-subtype gliomas are comprised of proneural and mesenchymal cells. This study sheds light on a long-standing debate regarding lineage relationships between glioma cell types.See related commentary by Fine, p. 1650.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1631.
An optimal temporally expressive planner: initial results and application to P2P network optimization

Temporally expressive planning, an important class of temporal planning, has attracted much attention lately. Temporally expressive planning is difficult; few existing planners can solve them, as they have highly concurrent actions. We propose an optimal approach to temporally expressive planning based on a SAT formulation of the problem, finding solutions with the shortest time spans. Our experiments on several temporally expressive domains showed that our planner is able to optimally solve many instances in a reasonable amount of time, comparing favorably to existing temporally expressive planners. Our second result is a temporally expressive planning problem formulation of the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) network communications. In addition to demonstrating a better performance of our new method than the only existing temporally expressive planners on several temporally expressive problem domains, we apply our new planner to find optimal communication schedules for P2P networks. Our results will be potentially useful for designing efficient communication protocols in P2P networks.
Legislative Implementation of European Social Partner Agreements: Challenges and Debates

This Working Paper analyses the development of the interpretation that the European Commission has given to the TFEU provision concerning mechanisms for extensions of collective agreements. The paper examines how the Commission has reinterpreted these provision and the challenges this poses for the social partners.
On Assessing the Scope of Missing Native Americans in Nebraska: Results From a State-Wide Study and Recommendations for Future Research: On Assessing the Scope of Missing Native American Persons: Results From a State-Wide Study and Recommendations for Future Research

Recent legislation in multiple states has called for studies on the scope of missing Native American persons. Here we report on one such study from Nebraska by first describing the practical and me...
Rapid Transition to Telemedicine During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Medical Genetics Experience

Background The coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic interrupted delivery of outpatient health care to minimize risk of exposure. This pandemic threatened to increase longstanding national concerns about access to both initial and follow-up genetics clinics services. The Medical Genetics Clinic at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Waisman Center (WCMGC) rapidly transitioned to offering appointments using telemedicine in March 2020 when the public health emergency for COVID-19 pandemic was declared. Methods Datasets were reviewed for the periods April - July 2019 (pre-COVID baseline) and April - July 2020 (COVID project data). Patient schedules were accessed to determine the number of appointments kept, no-shows, and late cancellations. A telephone survey was utilized to assess patient satisfaction with telemedicine. Results Fewer appointments were missed and providers completed more clinic visits after transitioning to telemedicine. Patients and their families were equally satisfied with care received and were amenable to telemedicine use in the future. Telemedicine allowed WCMGC to continue serving patients during a period of restricted on-site services, suggesting its continuation would improve access to genetic services.
Broader Societal Issues of Nanotechnology

Nanoscale science and engineering are providing unprecedented understanding and control over the basic building blocks of matter, leading to increased coherence in knowledge, technology, and education. The main reason for developing nanotechnology is to advance broad societal goals such as improved comprehension of nature, increased productivity, better healthcare, and extending the limits of sustainable development and of human potential. This paper outlines societal implication activities in nanotechnology R&D programs. The US National Nanotechnology Initiative annual investment in research with educational and societal implications is estimated at about $30 million (of which National Science Foundation (NSF) awards about $23 million including contributions to student fellowships), and in nanoscale research with relevance to environment at about $50 million (of which NSF awards about $30 million and EPA about $6 million). An appeal is made to researchers and funding organizations worldwide to take timely and responsible advantage of the new technology for economic and sustainable development, to initiate societal implications studies from the beginning of the nanotechnology programs, and to communicate effectively the goals and potential risks with research users and the public.
Regulation of Ca2+ stores in glial cells

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses that virtually all cell functions are regulated by the changes in the cytosolic free Ca 2+ concentration. Ca 2+ signals within cells can be local or global, can involve waves, oscillations, or even more-complex patterns, and can be modulated in terms of both amplitude and frequency. In mammals, many glial cells contain an elaborate endoplasmic reticulum. Associated with this membrane network are pumps for Ca 2+ uptake, that, as in other cells, are inhibited by thapsigargin and cyclopiazonic acid. The membranous network also contains Ca 2+ -binding proteins for Ca 2+ storage and channels for Ca 2+ induced calcium release. These include the ubiquitous IP 3 receptors and, in many cells, the ryanodine receptors. The chapter reviews that in glia, the major mechanism for Ca 2+ release from internal stores involves activation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3 ) gated Ca 2+ release channels (IP 3 receptors). It discusses that the regulation of IP 3 receptors is complex with alternative splicing of at least three different isoforms, posttranslational modification of IP 3 R by phosphorylation, and interaction with adenine nucleotides, calcium, and immunophilins or FK506 binding proteins. The mitochondria and calcium storage proteins also function as high-capacity storage sites for calcium. Other calcium binding proteins play important roles in cell signaling, maintenance of the cytoskeleton, and apoptosis.
Can a signal sequence become too hydrophobic

We have characterized several mutants that contain alterations in the hydrophilic domain (N region) of the pseudorabies virus glycoprotein gC signal sequence. In general, our results agree with previous findings and indicate that basic residues in the N region are not essential for efficient export of gC in infected cells. While reducing the N region to a net neutral charge led to a slight impairment of membrane translocation, a substantial gC export defect was not observed until a net negative charge was introduced. However, there was one exception to this pattern. The substitution of a leucine for an arginine at the carboxyl terminus of the N region led to a considerable export defect despite maintaining a net positive charge. As a consequence of the substitution, the mutant signal sequence was 1.5 times more hydrophobic than wild type, but we found that the defect could be largely corrected if an additional alteration that lessened the overall hydrophobicity of the gC signal sequence was incorporated. We suggest that an upper limit of hydrophobicity may exist for eukaryotic signal sequences; exceeding this value could lead to an export defect.
Fundamental Housing Policy Reform

This paper argues that the two most serious shortcomings of the current system of low-income housing assistance are its excessive reliance on project-based assistance and its failure to provide housing assistance to all of the poorest families who ask for help. Evidence on the performance of housing programs indicates that project-based assistance has enormously excessive cost for the housing provided. It also needlessly restricts recipient choice. The non-entitlement nature of the system is inconsistent with plausible assumptions about taxpayer preferences. The paper describes concrete actions that will eliminate the excessive cost of the system and achieve an entitlement housing assistance program for the poorest households without spending additional money, and it shows that the major objections to these proposals are inconsistent with evidence on program performance.
High-Growth Entrepreneurship in Mexico

ABSTRACTResearch from the United States finds a small percentage of firms are responsible for the great majority of net new job creation. We now have a fairly precise set of stylized facts regarding the characteristics of these high-growth firms (HGFs). However, we have little understanding of HGFs in Latin America. To address this gap, we explore the characteristics of HGFs in Mexico selected by Endeavor, a global business accelerator. We find Mexican HGFs are present in a wide range of industries, including information technology and consumer segments. Several are pursuing strategies targeting base of the pyramid consumers and/or expanding internationally. We conclude with suggestions for future research and policy implications.
Fatores geradores de (in)satisfação no trabalho do (da) enfermeiro(a): um olhar do estudante de enfermagem - DOI: 10.4025/cienccuidsaude.v8i3.9014

This is a descriptive study of qualitative approach, which aimed to identify, with 23 nurses, factors leading to satisfaction and dissatisfaction arising from daily work in various scenarios of care, and to offer the student a space for reflection of the relationship of nurses with their working environment. The study was carried out in the first half of 2008. Data were collected through interviews and the thematic analysis was the method of choice for the treatment of data. It has been observed that the satisfaction of patients/user and staff are factors leading to satisfaction of interviewed nurses and such activities contribute to the consolidation of the mission of the university and the development of critical thinking in academia. The good relationship between the team, ethics and updated knowledge are building foundations of a good work process.
Practising the British way of famine: technologies of relief, 1770–1985

In the past 200 years Britons have responded to famines in particular ways. This article explores these particularities by focusing not simply on the remarkably unchanging humanitarian representation of the victims of famine but on the changing technologies through which relief was collected and distributed. It shows how technologies of famine relief were created from the need to govern colonial populations rather than from the development of new sentimentality and ethics. The authors seek to demonstrate that, despite the changing nature of these technologies, the forms of expertise that sustained them, a set of routines and practices developed that allowed the performance of a British way with famine that slowly extended from the empire to the world. In the wake of two world wars these forms of expertise were extended to Europe and became internationalised through the work of voluntary organisations. After the formal end of Empire, these technologies were retooled and used to assist places in postcolonia...
Voluntary physician adoption of an inpatient electronic medical record by obstetrician-gynecologists

Objective The purpose of this study was to review the utilization statistics for voluntary physician adoption of a comprehensive inpatient electronic record by community obstetrician-gynecologists. Study Design A retrospective analysis of administrative data on the utilization of a modern electronic medical record system in a private hospital setting was performed. The physician statistics for order entry and physician documentation pre- and postimplementation were compared. Results During the study period monthly hospital average was 268 discharges per month and 64.9 orders per discharge. Utilizing the prior stand alone order entry system, 38.7% of orders were directly entered by physicians, and, following implementation, this rose to 72.1% with phone/verbal orders reduced by 44.9%. Monthly transcription rates of history and physical, consultations, operative and discharge summary notes were reduced by 61.5%, 75.8%, 56.6%, and 88.2%, respectively, over the study time period. Conclusion A well designed electronic medical record can be utilized in the voluntary private inpatient setting with significant physician adoption.
Comparison of Costs and Benefits of Breast Cancer Screening with Mammography, Ultrasonography, and MRI

Screening mammography performed annually on all women beginning at age 40 years has reduced breast cancer deaths by 30% to 50%. The cost per year of life saved is well within the range for other commonly accepted medical interventions. Various studies have estimated that reduction in treatment costs through early screening detection may be 30% to 100% or more of the cost of screening. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening is also cost-effective for very high-risk women, such as BRCA carriers, and others at 20% or greater lifetime risk. Further studies are needed to determine whether MRI is cost-effective for those at moderately high (15%-20%) lifetime risk. Future technical advances could make MRI more cost-effective than it is today. Automated whole-breast ultrasonography will probably prove cost-effective as a supplement to mammography for women with dense breasts.
The uncanny valley does not interfere with level 1 visual perspective taking

When a computer-animated human character looks eerily realistic, viewers report a loss of empathy; they have difficulty taking the character's perspective. To explain this perspective-taking impairment, known as the uncanny valley, a novel theory is proposed: The more human or less eerie a character looks, the more it interferes with level 1 visual perspective taking when the character's perspective differs from that of the human observer (e.g., because the character competitively activates shared circuits in the observer's brain). The proposed theory is evaluated in three experiments involving a dot-counting task in which participants either assumed or ignored the perspective of characters varying in their human photorealism and eeriness. Although response times and error rates were lower when the number of dots faced by the observer and character were the same (congruent condition) than when they were different (incongruent condition), no consistent pattern emerged between the human photorealism or eeriness of the characters and participants' response times and error rates. Thus, the proposed theory is unsupported for level 1 visual perspective taking. As the effects of the uncanny valley on empathy have not previously been investigated systematically, these results provide evidence to eliminate one possible explanation.
Temporal context and the perceptions of geriatric patients

The prevalence in later life of long-term, chronic conditions requires that researchers and clinical professionals become sensitive to the temporal context of older persons' personal and health-related perceptions. A sample of patients at a geriatric ambulatory clinic responded to a questionnaire sent prior to their appointment. The present report focuses on expectations regarding future health and treatment, general personal future projection, and perceptions of current health. Present self-rated health status and future projection were significant associates both of anticipated future health and treatment expectations. However, questions directed toward when treatment benefits were expected to begin and for how long treatment might last were characterized by few predictors. Indications of optimism and uncertainty about future health and treatment were both represented, although neither general optimism nor general uncertainty appeared in a large segment of the sample. Results suggest the salience of future perspective for older adults in the health care setting, and the complexity which may be encountered as treatment progresses.
Adolescent CF Lung Transplant Recipients Have Decreased Survival When Compared to CF Lung Transplant Recipients in Other Age Groups

Purpose Lung transplant (LTRX) is a treatment for end-stage cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. CF is the leading indication for LTRX in children (6-11) and adolescents (12-17) accounting for 56% and 72% of all transplants, respectively. The half-life of adult recipients was 5.4 years compared with 5.5 years in pediatric recipients. We hypothesize that there is a difference in survival of patients with CF based on age of recipient. Methods and Materials This study was a retrospective analysis of the UNOS Database for all LTRX recipients with CF performed in the United States from October 1999 to June 2011. Patients were grouped on the basis of age into 4 groups [children (age 6-12), adolescents (age 13-18), young adults (age 19-30), and older adults (age 31-50)]. The primary outcome of interest was patient survival. Results There were 3,302 LTRX performed in CF patients ages of 6-50 years; 143 (4%) in children, 461 (14%) in adolescents, 1,568 (48%) in young adults, and 1130 (34%) in older adults with follow-up data available for 99%. Adolescents were more likely to be female, have lower creatinine level, have shorter wait list time and donor ischemic time compared to adults (p Conclusions Adolescents comprise a minority of CF patients that undergo LTRX in the United States and have the lowest overall survival. Older adults have graft survival and patient survival that is over twice as long as adolescents. The decreased survival observed in adolescents is independent of some donor and recipient characteristics. Further study is needed to improve outcomes in this high risk group of patients.
Neurotransmitter Secretion along Growing Nerve Processes: Comparison with Synaptic Vesicle Exocytosis

In mature neurons, synaptic vesicles continuously recycle within the presynaptic nerve terminal. In developing axons which are free of contact with a postsynaptic target, constitutive membrane recycling is not localized to the nerve terminal; instead, plasma membrane components undergo cycles of exoendocytosis throughout the whole axonal surface (Matteoli et al., 1992; Kraszewski et al., 1995). Moreover, in growing Xenopus spinal cord neurons in culture, acetylcholine (ACh) is spontaneously secreted in the quantal fashion along the axonal shaft (Evers et al., 1989; Antonov et al., 1998). Here we demonstrate that in Xenopus neurons ACh secretion is mediated by vesicles which recycle locally within the axon. Similar to neurotransmitter release at the presynaptic nerve terminal, ACh secretion along the axon could be elicited by the action potential or by hypertonic solutions. We found that the parameters of neurotransmitter secretion at the nerve terminal and at the middle axon were strikingly similar. These results lead us to conclude that, as in the case of the presynaptic nerve terminal, synaptic vesicles involved in neurotransmitter release along the axon contain a complement of proteins for vesicle docking and Ca2+-dependent fusion. Taken together, our results support the idea that, in developing axons, the rudimentary machinery for quantal neurotransmitter secretion is distributed throughout the whole axonal surface. Maturation of this machinery in the process of synaptic development would improve the fidelity of synaptic transmission during high-frequency stimulation of the presynaptic cell.
Arthritis pain and disability: response to collaborative depression care.

Abstract Objective Collaborative care for depression decreases arthritis pain and disability among older adults, above and beyond mood improvement. This study investigates whether depression management is effective for improving arthritis outcomes across a range of pain severity and activity interference. Methods A multi-site randomized-controlled trial (Improving Mood, Providing Access to Collaborative Treatment — IMPACT) identified 1001 participants with both depression and arthritis (mostly osteoarthritis). Depression care managers provided 12 months of systematic depression care [antidepressant pharmacotherapy, and/or problem-solving treatment (PST)] for intervention participants in primary care settings. Control patients received care as usual. Baseline and 12-month interviews assessed arthritis pain severity and activity interference as well as depression, analgesic use, overall functional impairment and coexisting medical conditions. Results Baseline pain severity showed significant interactions with the intervention on 12-month pain severity ( t =2.28, df =68, P =.03) and disability outcomes ( t =2.03, df =177, P =.04). Interaction effects of the intervention with baseline activity interference on 12-month pain severity showed a similar trend, but were not statistically significant ( t =1.87, df =944, P =.06). Conclusions Systematic depression management was more effective than usual care in decreasing pain severity among arthritis patients with lower initial pain severity, but did not have greater benefits than usual care on pain among patients with higher initial pain severity.
Biofield therapies and psychoneuroimmunology.

In this issue of Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Lutgendorf et al. (this issue) report on a prospective randomized clinical trial that examined the effects of a biofield therapy (versus relaxation therapy or standard care) on natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC), depression and quality of life in cervical cancer patients receiving chemoradiation. Biofield therapy? This type of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) therapy includes practices such as Healing Touch, Therapeutic Touch, Qi gong, and Reiki. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) describes biofield therapies as ‘‘intended to affect energy fields that purportedly surround and penetrate the human body” (NCCAM Publication No. D347). Biofield therapies seek to work with the human body’s putative vital energy field, which has been described across cultures as chi, qi, ki, and prana, such that changes in the field interact with and lead to changes in physiology as well as mood. This theory has its roots in traditional medical practices such as Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine. Among all of the CAM modalities, biofield practices are without doubt the most controversial. They do not fit conceptually with the traditional allopathic medical understanding of the human body or with broader Western scientific concepts of physiological and biochemical systems, although there are increasing efforts to understand and describe such interfaces (e.g., Brown, 2009; Tafur et al., 2010). The use of biofield therapies, particularly in cancer patients, has increased significantly in recent years and hence presents a need for more rigorous evaluation of their potential effectiveness. Lutgendorf et al.’s study is noteworthy for several reasons. First, the design represents how biofield practices are generally used as complementary therapies in cancer (i.e., patients use these approaches in conjunction with, as opposed to as an alternative to, standard treatment). The findings suggest the need to further investigate these and other complementary strategies as part of an Integrative Medicine model. Integrative Medicine refers to the integration of conventional, allopathic medicine with complementary medicine modalities that have demonstrated strong scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness. Integrative Medicine is a more
Alterations of the aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase system during riboflavin depletion and repletion.

Abstract The alterations of the microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase system in mice during riboflavin depletion and repletion have been examined. During the development of riboflavin deficiency, there was a decrease in the activity of the flavoprotein NADPH-cytochrome c reductase accompanied by an increase in cytochrome P-450 concentration. The aryl hydroxylase activities of the deficient animals were only slightly lower than the controls when isolated microsomes were used for the assay and the extent of decrease was more pronounced when liver homogenates were used for the assay. Upon repletion of flavin to the deficient mice, there were sharp rises in both the NADPH-cytochrome c reductase and aryl hydroxylase activities and a moderate decrease in cytochrome P-450 concentration in the first 2 days. The aryl hydroxylase activity of the microsomes of deficient mice can be elevated by preincubating with FAD or FMN, suggesting that the flavin coenzyme and hence the holo-reductase is rate limiting for the overall hydroxylation. During the recovery from riboflavin deficiency, the aryl hydroxylase can be induced by 3-methylcholanthrene to a greater extent than with the controls. The implications of these observations are discussed.
Concanavalin a binding to brain particulate preparations and its effect on adenylate cyclase

Abstract [ 3 H] -Concanavalin A binding to brain particulate preparations measured by a filtration technique was found to show a characteristic regional specificity with the caudate-putamen area exhibiting the greatest density of concanavalin A (con A) binding sites. The synaptic membranes were shown to be the most highly enriched of the subcellular fractions examined in terms of lectin-binding glycoproteins. Con A was also shown to inhibit the basal adenylate cyclase activity of cerebral, cerebellar, and caudate-putamen particulate preparations in a concentration-dependent manner. This lectin sensitivity of the adenylate cyclase is apparently an intrinsic property of the enzyme complex since a detergent dispersed preparation of the cerebral cortical enzyme was equally inhibited by con A. It is proposed that one of the membrane con A binding sites in brain tissue is a component of the adenylate cyclase system.
Recreational reading for gifted children

Authors share a bibliography of recent and interesting children's books in specified categories to use with young gifted children.
Waveform reconstruction from ontological description

This article presents the details of a novel method for ontology-based waveform reconfigurability that allows radios of different hardware or software architectures, using different software APIs and even non-uniform waveform description schemas, to interoperate. In this method cognitive radios share the same base software defined radio ontology, which allows the radios to understand the concepts in a uniform way, thus enabling transfer of more complex concepts from one node to another. In the process of reconfiguration, nodes can receive specifications of waveforms expressed in Web Ontology Language (OWL) and rules and then automatically configure their processing according to the specification. Such specifications contain both structural descriptions of software components and descriptions of finite state machines necessary to compose the waveform from simpler software modules. The waveform configuration process encompasses, first, generating state machines and building a model of the waveform by generating OWL individuals and relationships between them using the inference engine and the specified rules. The constructed model is then used to instantiate state machines and other software components and to connect them according to the model. The result of the overall process is such that a cognitive radio is able to receive a description of a waveform it did not know before (from another cognitive radio) and construct the waveform from the description. Then both radios can use the waveform for further communication. A proof-of-concept system has been built confirming the feasibility of the proposed method. In the process of this system's evaluation three different waveforms (BPSK31, QPSK31 and RTTY) have been described in OWL and rules, the descriptions were successfully transferred from one node to another and then used by the receiving node to construct fully functional software modules implementing the waveforms.
Hyperspectral imaging system to discern malignant and benign canine mammary tumors

Hyperspectral imaging is an emerging technology in the field of biomedical engineering which may be used as a noninvasive modality to characterize tumors. In this paper, a hyperspectral imaging system was used to characterize canine mammary tumors of unknown histopathology (pre-surgery) and correlate these results with the post-surgical histopathology results. The system consisted of a charge coupled device (CCD) camera, a liquid crystal tunable filter in the near infrared range (650-1100 nm) and a controller. Spectral signatures of malignant and benign canine mammary tumors were extracted and analyzed. The reflectance intensities of malignant tumor spectra were generally lower than benign tumor spectra over the entire wavelength range. Previous studies have shown that cancerous tissues have a higher hemoglobin and water content, and lower lipid concentration with respect to benign tissues. The decreased reflectance intensity observed for malignant tumors is likely due to the increased microvasculature and therefore higher blood content of malignant tissue relative to benign tissue. Peaks at 700, 840, 900 and 970 nm were observed in the second derivative absorption spectra, these peaks were attributed to deoxy-hemoglobin, oxy-hemoglobin, lipid and water respectively. A ‘Tissue Optical Index’ was developed that enhances contrast between malignant and benign canine tumors. This index is based on the ratio of the reflectance intensity values corresponding to the wavelengths associated with the four chromophores. Preliminary results from 22 canine mammary tumors showed that the sensitivity and specificity of the proposed method is 85.7% and 94.6% respectively. These results show promise in the non-invasive optical diagnosis of canine mammary cancer.
Transcriptome analysis of Drosophila CNS midline cells reveals diverse peptidergic properties and a role for castor in neuronal differentiation

One of the key aspects of neuronal differentiation is the array of neurotransmitters and neurotransmitter receptors that each neuron possesses. One important goal of developmental neuroscience is to understand how these differentiated properties are established during development. In this paper, we use fluorescence activated cell sorting and RNA-seq to determine the transcriptome of the Drosophila CNS midline cells, which consist of a small number of well-characterized neurons and glia. These data revealed that midline cells express 9 neuropeptide precursor genes, 13 neuropeptide receptor genes, and 31 small-molecule neurotransmitter receptor genes. In situ hybridization and high-resolution confocal analyses were carried-out to determine the midline cell identity for these neuropeptides and the neuropeptide receptors. The results revealed a surprising level of diversity. Neuropeptide genes are expressed in a variety of midline cell types, including motoneurons, GABAergic interneurons, and midline glia. These data revealed previously unknown functional differences among the highly-related iVUM neurons. There also exist segmental differences in expression for the same neuronal sub-type. Similar experiments on midline-expressed neuropeptide receptor genes reveal considerable diversity in synaptic inputs. Multiple receptor types were expressed in midline interneurons and motoneurons, and, in one case, link feeding behavior to gut peristalsis and locomotion. There were also segmental differences, variations between the 3 iVUMs, and three hormone receptor genes were broadly expressed in most midline cells. The Drosophila Castor transcription factor is present at high levels in iVUM5, which is both GABAergic and expresses the short neuropeptide F precursor gene. Genetic and misexpression experiments indicated that castor specifically controls expression of the short neuropeptide F precursor gene, but does not affect iVUM cell fate or expression of Gad1. This indicates a novel function for castor in regulating neuropeptide gene expression.
The microwave spectrum and ground state dynamics of Kr–IH

Abstract The structure and ground state dynamics of the atom–diatom interaction between Kr and HI has been investigated by pulsed-nozzle Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy. The ground state of 84 Kr–IH is shown to have R cm =4.0526(1) A, θ =152.87(1)° while R cm =4.0195(1) A, θ =158.85(1)° for 84 Kr–ID. The potential surface from an ab initio molecular orbital calculation was scaled and shifted to yield a non-linear least-squares fit of the rovibrational state energies to the experimental data. The ground state, Kr–IH isomeric structure is similar to Ar–IH but contrasts with other members of the homologous series Kr–HX (X=F, Cl and Br).
Modeling the Selectivity of Potassium Channels with Synthetic, Ligand-Assembled π-Slides

A supramolecular ion channel model mediates transmembrane ion transport (shown schematically) with a selectivity topology similar to that of K+ channels. This supports the biological significance of flexible arene arrays as selective cation binding sites.
Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection of organotypic nerve cell cultures

In HSV-2 infected cultures, intranuclear tubule-like structures were found more commonly in fibroblasts and central nervous system (CNS) neurons than in oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, satellite and Schwann cells, but were found least often in peripheral neurons.
Utility-Theoretic Indexing.

Utility‐theoretic indexing as presented by Cooper requires prediction of the consequences of each indexing decision. Cooper appears to think that this is the most rational way of indexing and can be known a priori to be preferable to alternatives. But its practical success is not guaranteed in advance; its claim to superior rationality rests only on its appeal to the consequences of decisions. One may rationally choose either individual actions or rules and policies for action: the requirements of rationality do not exclude action according to nonpredictive rules. Areas of choice are known in which predictive rules are inferior to nonpredictive rules. If Cooper's rule is practically superior to others, this cannot be known without appeal to experience.
An updated review on drug-induced cholestasis: Mechanisms and investigation of physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetic parameters

Drug-induced cholestasis is an important form of acquired liver disease and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Bile acids are key signaling molecules, but they can exert toxic responses when they accumulate in hepatocytes. This review focuses on the physiological mechanisms of drug-induced cholestasis associated with altered bile acid homeostasis due to direct (e.g., bile acid transporter inhibition) or indirect (e.g., activation of nuclear receptors, altered function/expression of bile acid transporters) processes. Mechanistic information about the effects of a drug on bile acid homeostasis is important when evaluating the cholestatic potential of a compound, but experimental data often are not available. The relationship between physicochemical properties, pharmacokinetic parameters, and inhibition of the bile salt export pump among 77 cholestatic drugs with different pathophysiological mechanisms of cholestasis (i.e., impaired formation of bile vs. physical obstruction of bile flow) was investigated. The utility of in silico models to obtain mechanistic information about the impact of compounds on bile acid homeostasis to aid in predicting the cholestatic potential of drugs is highlighted. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 102:3037–3057, 2013
Epothilone B is a more potent antiangiogenic than paclitaxel in a human tumor-based angiogenesis model

Abstract Introduction: We have previously shown that Epothilone B, a microtubule stabilizer, is a potent antiangiogenic in an intact human tumor-based angiogenesis assay. Clinical studies have demonstrated Epothilone B can be effective in patients resistant to the microtubule stabilizer paclitaxel. Methods: We hypothesized that equimolar doses of Epothilone B would be more potent than paclitaxel in our in vitro human tumor angiogenesis assay. To evaluate our hypothesis discarded portions of eleven fresh human tumors were obtained. Tumor fragments were embedded in fibrin-thrombin clots in 96 well plates. Drug-treated wells contained a control nutrient media supplemented with Epothilone B or paclitaxel at equimolar (10–6 to 10–10 M) concentrations. Wells were assessed over time and evaluated for onset of neovessel invasion (%I) and the degree of subsequent angiogenic development (angiogenic index, AI). Epothilone B (10–8 M) and paclitaxel (10–8 M) were compared at a statistical significance level of 5%. Results: At doses of 10–6 M, both Epothilone B and paclitaxel completely inhibited angiogenesis. Epothilone B was statistically superior to paclitaxel in its ability to block angiogenic initiation in 4 of 11 (36%) of the cases studied, and demonstrated a numerical advantage in 9 out of the 11 (82%) cases. Epothilone B was statistically superior to paclitaxel in prohibiting subsequent angiogenic proliferation in 5/11(45%) tumors, and showed a numerical advantage in 8/11 (73%) specimens. Conclusions: At equimolar, clinically relevant (10–8M) drug doses, Epothilone B exhibits statistical and numerical advantage over paclitaxel's ability to inhibit human tumor-derived angiogenesis.
Real time eye movement identification protocol

This paper introduces a Real Time Eye Movement Identification (REMI) protocol designed to address challenges related to the implementation of the eye-gaze guided computer interfaces. The REMI protocol provides the framework for 1) eye position data processing such as noise removal, smoothing, prediction and handling of invalid positional samples 2) real time eye movement identification into the basic eye movement types 3) mapping of the classified eye movement data to interface actions such as object selection.
The localization of distributed acoustic sensors

This paper presents a method for the determination of array-element locations that makes no assumptions on the distribution of the sensors along the array or the array shape, and in fact, can be applied to the determination of the locations of sets of arbitrarily distributed sensors and arrays containing loops. The method employed uses multiple far-field sources
GELBANK: a database of annotated two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis patterns of biological systems with completed genomes

GELBANK is a publicly available database of two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) gel patterns of proteomes from organisms with known genome information (available at http://gelbank.anl.gov and ftp://bioinformatics.anl.gov/gelbank/). Currently it includes 131 completed, mostly microbial proteomes available from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. A web interface allows the upload of 2D gel patterns and their annotation for registered users. The images are organized by species, tissue type, separation method, sample type and staining method. The database can be queried based on protein or 2DE-pattern attributes. A web interface allows registered users to assign molecular weight and pH gradient profiles to their own 2D gel patterns as well as to link protein identifications to a given spot on the pattern. The website presents all of the submitted 2D gel patterns where the end-user can dynamically display the images or parts of images along with molecular weight, pH profile information and linked protein identification. A collection of images can be selected for the creation of animations from which the user can select sub-regions of interest and unlimited 2D gel patterns for visualization. The website currently presents 233 identifications for 81 gel patterns for Homo sapiens, Methanococcus jannaschii, Pyro coccus furiosus, Shewanella oneidensis, Escherichia coli and Deinococcus radiodurans.
Probing electroweak top quark couplings at hadron colliders

We consider QCD $t\overline{t}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and $t\overline{t}Z$ production at hadron colliders as a tool to measure the $tt\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and $ttZ$ couplings. At the Tevatron it may be possible to perform a first, albeit not very precise, test of the $tt\ensuremath{\gamma}$ vector and axial vector couplings in $t\overline{t}\ensuremath{\gamma}$ production, provided that more than $5\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{f}\mathrm{b}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of integrated luminosity are accumulated. The $t\overline{t}Z$ cross section at the Tevatron is too small to be observable. At the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) it will be possible to probe the $tt\ensuremath{\gamma}$ couplings at the few-percent level, which approaches the precision which one hopes to achieve with a next-generation ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ linear collider. The LHC's capability of associated QCD $t\overline{t}V$ ($V=\ensuremath{\gamma},Z$) production has the added advantage that the $tt\ensuremath{\gamma}$ and $ttZ$ couplings are not entangled. For an integrated luminosity of $300\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{f}\mathrm{b}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$, the $ttZ$ vector (axial vector) coupling can be determined with an uncertainty of $45\ensuremath{-}85%$ ($15\ensuremath{-}20%$), whereas the dimension-five dipole form factors can be measured with a precision of $50\ensuremath{-}55%$. The achievable limits improve typically by a factor of $2\ensuremath{-}3$ for the luminosity-upgraded ($3\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{a}\mathrm{b}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$) LHC.