cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prescribing of Opioid Analgesics and Buprenorphine for Opioid Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Importance: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical care, impacting prescribing of opioid analgesics and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. Understanding these patterns can help address barriers to care. Objective: To evaluate how prescribing of opioid analgesics and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder changed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic among both new and existing patients. Design, Setting, and Participants: In this cross-sectional study, use of opioid analgesics and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder from March 18 to September 1, 2020, was projected using a national database of retail prescriptions from January 1, 2018, to March 3, 2020. Actual prescribing was compared with projected levels for all, existing, and new patients. Exposures: The data include prescriptions to patients independent of insurance status or type and cover 90% of retail prescriptions, 70% of mail-order prescriptions, and 70% of nursing home prescriptions. Main Outcomes and Measures: Prescriptions for opioid analgesics and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder. Outcomes included total number of prescriptions, total morphine milligram equivalents, mean morphine milligram equivalents per prescription, mean dispensed units per prescription, and number of patients filling prescriptions. Results: A total of 452â¯691â¯261 prescriptions for opioid analgesics and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder were analyzed for 90â¯420â¯353 patients (50â¯921â¯535 female patients [56%]; mean [SD] age, 49 [20] years). From March 18 to May 19, 2020, 1877 million total morphine milligram equivalents of opioid analgesics were prescribed weekly vs 1843 million projected, a ratio of 102% (95% prediction interval [PI], 94%-111%; P = .71). The weekly number of opioid-naive patients receiving opioids was 370â¯051 vs 564â¯929 projected, or 66% of projected (95% PI, 63%-68%; P < .001). Prescribing of buprenorphine was as projected for existing patients, while the number of new patients receiving buprenorphine weekly was 9865 vs 12â¯008 projected, or 82% (95% PI, 76%-88%; P < .001). From May 20 to September 1, 2020, opioid prescribing for new patients returned to 100% of projected (95% PI, 96%-104%; P = .95), while the number of new patients receiving buprenorphine weekly was 10â¯436 vs 11â¯613 projected, or 90% (95% PI, 83%-97%; P = .009). Conclusions and Relevance: In this cross-sectional study, existing patients receiving opioid analgesics and buprenorphine for opioid use disorder generally maintained access to these medications during the COVID-19 pandemic. Opioid prescriptions for opioid-naive patients decreased briefly and then rebounded, while initiation of buprenorphine remained at a low rate through August 2020. Reductions in treatment entry may be associated with increased overdose deaths.
Abstract SY19-01: TGFβ and immune evasion in metastatic cancer

TGF-β and Immune Evasion in Metastatic Cancer Transforming growthfactor-β (TGF-β) is a major regulator of development,immune homeostasis, tissue regeneration, and cancer. TGF-β signaling suppresses tumor initiation but promotestumor progression through mechanisms that are increasingly understood. TGF-β inhibitsthe expansion and function of many components of the immune system and itspresence in the tumor microenvironment limits the effectiveness of current immunotherapies. To betterdefine the potential benefit of targeting TGF-β in cancer, we investigated therole of TGF-β in metastasis. Metastasis, the main cause of deathfrom cancer, is driven by stem-like disseminated cancer cells (“metastasisinitiating cells”, MICs) capable of reversible quiescence, immune evasion, organ-specificoutgrowth, and drug resistance. We developed models oflung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) metastatic dormancy and outbreak by isolating MICs thatrecapitulate the developmental and regenerative phenotypes of carcinoma cellsin human metastases. We find that TGF-β in thetumor microenvironment has different tumorigenic effects on early-stageprogenitor MICs and their progenies. In SOX2-rich early progenitor MICs, TGF-βinduces dormancy by imposing a growth-inhibited epithelial to mesenchymaltransition (EMT). Pharmacologic inhibition of TGF-β in this context causes MICsto exit from this immune evasive dormancy and become exposed to immune attack. Incontrast, SOX9-rich MIC progeny cells respond to TGF-β with an EMT that iscoupled to expression of fibrogenic cytokines. Deletion of TGF-β receptor orits fibrogenic target genes in the carcinoma cells prevents intratumoralfibrosis and inhibits metastatic outgrowth. These insights suggest that targetingTGF-β in metastatic cancer can improve treatment outcomes by forcing MICs outof immune evasive quiescence and suppressing intra-tumoral fibrosis, inaddition to relieving innate and adaptive immunity from TGF-β mediated inhibition. Citation Format: Joan Massague. TGFβ and immune evasion in metastatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr SY19-01.
Renewable Energy Mix of Futuristic NEOM City

This paper presents the developed sustainable model of NEOM city which is part of 2030 Saudi Arabia vision. The city which is located in the northwest of Saudi Arabia is planning to construct a power system that will shift the dependence on fossil fuels and achieve 100% renewable energy to energize the city and also provide clean energy for the country. The location is considered as one of the wealthiest natural resources in the region of solar energy and wind energy. NEOM's objective is to be a self-sustainable city and a center of renewable carbon-free energy. The paper consists of modeling solar panels and wind turbines technologies including nuclear power plant and simulations of the interconnected systems to achieve sustainable, reliable and resilient system. The modeling of the energy systems is performed by Vensim software considering different scenarios and power outages to provide an insight into the entire system's behavior and to ensure optimum sustainability. Moreover, the system will emphasize several variables that influence the structure of the system such as population, climate, and demand growth in residential, commercial, and industrial sectors.
Calcific aortic stenosis: Study of serum cholesterol: With observations on calcific aortic stenosis in familial xanthomatosis and hypercholesteremia

Abstract The serum cholesterol of eighty-six patients with aortic stenosis, forty-three men and forty-three women, and of sixty-seven patients with chronic rheumatic valvular disease, twenty-two men and forty-five women, was determined. Using Keys' standards, 48.8 per cent of the females and 18.6 per cent of the males with aortic stenosis were hypercholesteremic, whereas of those with chronic rheumatic valvular disease 13.3 per cent of the females and 13.6 per cent of the males were hypercholesteremic. By using standards derived from a study of a random sample of a union population in New York City (The Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America), 53.5 per cent of the females and 27.9 per cent of the males with aortic stenosis were hypercholesteremic; and of those with rheumatic valvular disease 20 per cent of the women and 18.2 per cent of the men were hypercholesteremic. Of the patients with aortic stenosis 70 per cent apparently had had previous rheumatic infection. Three patients with xanthomatosis and hypercholesteremia and one with familial hypercholesteremia who also had aortic stenosis were observed. Only one of these had had rheumatic fever. One was a man aged 20. Our material favors the hypothesis that in persons with hypercholesteremia aortic stenosis may be caused by atherosclerosis of a normal aortic valve, but that in most instances it is caused by a secondary atherosclerosis implanted on aortic cusps scarred by ancient rheumatic infection.
Does Education Really Disadvantage Women in the Marriage Market

The last several decades have seen profound changes in the roles of women in the labor market and the family, with both the media and academic research emphasizing the conflict that women face between their roles in the two spheres. One recurring theme is the 'success penalty', or the disadvantage career success poses to women in the marriage market. In this paper I use data from the U.S. Census to track this success penalty in terms of the relationship between education and marriage for women age 40-44 over the period 1980 through 2000. In 1980, the relationship between education and marriage was essentially an inverted 'U', peaking at 12-16 years of education. When measured as the difference between the likelihood of marriage at the peak of the 'U' and the likelihood at the highest level of education, the penalty fell substantially in both the 1980's and 1990's. In each year, there are 'sheepskin effects' which appear as peaks in the 'Currently Married' profiles at high school and college completion, but there are no comparable sheepskin effects in the 'Ever Married' profiles. The relationship between education and marriage is also studied for men, by race, and allowing for cohabiting in the definition of marriage. I also track the relationship between education and motherhood; the tradeoff between these two outcomes appears to be declining as well. The decline in the disadvantaged faced by educated women in terms of family outcomes suggests that specialization and exchange is playing less of a role in marriage, and/or that the social norm for hypergamy (i.e., women 'marrying up') has shifted.
Malignant phyllodes tumor in a patient with hereditary retinoblastoma: a case report and literature review

Patients with hereditary retinoblastoma are at increased risk for second malignancies, most notably sarcomas, particularly after treatment with radiation. Malignant phyllodes tumor is a rare secondary malignancy in these patients. We present a review of the literature and report of a patient with hereditary retinoblastoma who developed two secondary malignancies, including malignant phyllodes tumor. The patient’s phyllodes tumor presented as a palpable breast mass with suspicious findings on mammogram and ultrasound. The mass was shown to be at least a borderline phyllodes tumor via sonographic percutaneous biopsy and confirmed malignant phyllodes tumor on final surgical excision.
Biological Warfare: History and Current Developments

Biological warfare (BW) is the deliberate promulgation of infectious agents to make war. Defence against BW attacks will call on the utmost of our moral as well as technological ingenuity. Keywords: biological warfare; biological weapons; infectious disease; bioterrorism; anthrax
The use of diet to control pathogens in animals

Publisher Summary The microbial population that inhabits the Gastrointestinal (GI) tract of mammals is a highly complex microcosm that forms symbiotic, commensal, and parasitic relationships with the host. The GI microbial population is a very dynamic and changing environment subjected to external and internal factors that define the composition of the microbial species. Among those external determinants of the intestinal microbial communities, the diet probably has the greatest impact. The feed ingredients not only provide microorganisms with nutrients to grow and colonize the intestine, but they also serve as a physical substrate to their transit through the GI tract. Diet is one of the most immediate factors to investigate whenever fecal foodborne pathogens are related to livestock animals, because of its prominent role in determining the GI tract microbial communities. Certain types of feed might stimulate the growth and colonization of bacterial pathogens that may lead to increased prevalence in the feces of animals consuming those feeds. Similarly, other feed components might be inhibitory to specific microorganisms and the challenge for researchers is to identify those diets that might be used for control of pathogenic organisms. This chapter provides a general overview of the different types of diets that are currently used in cattle production, their influence on pathogen prevalence, the specific feed ingredients that are currently tested for pathogen control, and the future trends in this area of research.
Pancreatic Cancer: Molecular Genetics and Clinical Applications

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a relatively common type of cancer with a dismal prognosis. Recent advances in molecular biology allowed the identification of many of the genes involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis; currently, it is accepted that PC is fundamentally a genetic disease caused by inherited and acquired (somatic) mutations in cancer-associated genes (oncogenes, tumour-suppressor genes, genome-maintenance genes). Other genetic/molecular pathways (such as telomere shortening, upregulation and overexpression of growth factors or their receptors (such as EGFR, TGFβ), tumour angiogenesis and alterations of developmental signalling pathways (such as the Hedgehog signalling pathway)) are also involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis. Pancreatic carcinogenesis is a multistep phenomenon, characterised by the progressive accumulation of multiple genetic alterations, which occur in an ordered sequence rather than a random fashion. Advances in our understanding of molecular biology of PC will improve clinical management of patients with PC by providing better diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tools. Key Concepts: Pancreatic cancer has been associated with inherited and acquired (somatic) mutations in cancer-related genes. Genes involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis include oncogenes, tumour-suppressor genes and genome-maintenance genes. Other genetic/molecular pathways are also involved in pancreatic carcinogenesis, such as telomere shortening, developmental signalling pathways (such as the Hedgehog signalling pathway), and upregulation and overexpression of growth factors or their receptors (such as EGFR, TGFβ, VEGF-A, VEGFR1, VEGFR2). Pancreatic carcinogenesis is a multistep phenomenon, characterised by the progressive accumulation of multiple genetic/molecular alterations, occurring in an ordered sequence rather than a random fashion. Potential clinical implications include the recognition of groups of individuals with high risk for PC development (in these groups an as yet undefined programme of intensive surveillance may diagnose pancreatic lesions at a pre-invasive stage) and the development of new and effective diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic tools. Keywords: pancreas; cancer; molecular biology; genes; oncogenes; surgery; management; diagnosis; treatment
A new reconstruction of the skull of Sebecus icaeorhinus (Crocodyliformes: Sebecosuchia) from the Eocene of Argentina

A new reconstruction of the skull of Sebecus icaeorhinus The previous reconstruction of the skull of Sebecus icaeorhinus is too long, because the left maxilla was incorrect restored. The maxilla bore ten, not eleven, teeth. The quadrate was more vertical in its orientation and the articular condyle for the mandible was nearly horizontal. The snout of S. icaeorhinus has inclined, nearly straight lateral sides, and is apparently relatively lower and longer than in Barinasuchus , Bergisuchus , Bretesuchus and Zulmasuchus .
Susceptibility-weighted imaging in pediatric neuroimaging

Susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) has become a key MR sequence in pediatric neuroimaging. The usage of SWI has significantly expanded recently. The strength of SWI lies not just in its ability to identify hemorrhage, calcium or nonheme iron by virtue of its susceptibility artifact, but also more importantly, the blood oxygen level dependent venography principle whereby several diseases can be diagnosed earlier. We are continuing to harness the power of SWI in the field of pediatric neuroimaging. In this paper, we will make a comprehensive review and discuss the utility of SWI in pediatric neuroimaging in establishing the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and also understanding the pathomechanism of various pediatric brain pathologies.
Security policy foundations in context UNITY

Security certification includes assessing an information system to verify its compliance with diverse, pre-selected security controls. The goal of certification is to identify where controls are implemented correctly and where they are violated, creating potential vulnerability risks. Certification complexity is magnified in software composed of systems of systems where there are limited formal methodologies to express management policies, given a set of security control properties, and verify them against the interaction of the participating components and their individual security policy implementations. In this paper, we extend Context UNITY, a formal, distributed, and context aware coordination language to support policy controls. The new language features enforce security controls and provide a means to declare policy specifics in a manner similar to declaring variable types. We use these features in a specification to show how verifying system compliance with selected security controls, such as those found in the NIST SP800-53 document, can be accomplished.
Complications of essential amino acid hyperalimentation in children with acute renal failure.

ABSTRACT. The metabolic effects of intravenous hyperalimentation, using an essential amino acid (EAA) and glucose solution, were evaluated in 2 children with acute renal failure. Hyperammonemia and hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis associated with elevated plasma methionine and depressed plasma citrulline, ornithine, arginine, and histidine levels complicated the nutritional therapy. Initial infusion of a complete amino acid (CAA) solution was not associated with these aberrations and reintroduction of a CAA solution after the EAA trial resulted in a progressive amelioration of or complete recovery from these metabolic disturbances. It is likely that the hyperammonemia was due to an arginine deficiency, while excess methionine and presumably sulfate production may have contributed to the hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis in these two children.
Inflation, tax advantages to homeownership and the locational choices of households

Abstract The U.S. tax system encourages investment in owner-occupied housing by allowing consumers to deduct mortgage interest and to exclude net imputed rental income from taxable income. The primary purpose of this paper is to analyze how this tax treatment affects the housing and locational choices of urban households. It is shown that the effect of the tax treatment on these choices is sensitive to the preferences of consumers and the rate of anticipated inflation. To illustrate the likely size and direction of these effects, an example is constructed based upon econometric estimates of the parameters of the model.
Lifting representations of ℤ-groups

LetK be the kernel of an epimorphismG→ℤ, whereG is a finitely presented group. IfK has infinitely many subgroups of index 2,3 or 4, then it has uncountably many. Moreover, ifK is the commutator subgroup of a classical knot groupG, then any homomorphism fromK onto the symmetric groupS2 (resp. ℤ3) lifts to a homomorphism ontoS3 (resp. alternating groupA4).
Synthesis of a library of complex macrodiolides employing cyclodimerization of hydroxy esters.

The synthesis of complex macrodiolides involving microwave-accelerated transesterification of chiral, nonracemic, hydroxy esters is described. Methodology development studies indicate that both microwave power and reaction temperature play an important role in the efficiency of cyclodimerizations. Hydroxy ester monomer pairs were evaluated using an analytical rehearsal leading to the preparation of a 127-member library of highly diverse and stereochemically well-defined macrodiolides. Preliminary assays identified a novel macrodiolide antagonist of the κ opioid receptor.
Effect of methaqualone on plasma corticosterone in rats: Possible sites of action

Methaqualone produces large increases in plasma corticosterone in rats. This effect does not involve a direct stimulation of either the adrenal glands or pituitary, nor is it the result of a significant alteration in the clearance of circulating corticosterone. Methaqualone may therefore be influencing brain mechanisms which ultimately regulate hypothalamic CRH secretion, although a peripheral site of action has not yet been ruled out.
Proteinase inhibitors suppress the development of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) induced in animals by sensitization with white matter or with myelin basic protein (BP)1,2. EAE is dependent on cell-mediated immune (CMI) reactions requiring T-cell sensitization2–4, and demyelination is observed in the vicinity of perivascular infiltrates of mononuclear cells5. However, the mechanisms by which CMI reactions initiate the clinical and pathological expression of EAE have not been well defined. Numerous mechanisms have been proposed for the degradation of myelin, including activated components of the complement system6,7 and the action of enzymes released by inflammatory cells8,9. Among these enzymes, lipases, lysosomal acid proteinases and lymphocyte proteinases have been stressed8–14. Recent reports from this laboratory have suggested that damage to the myelin sheath may be initiated by the release of neutral proteinases, including plasminogen activator, from macrophages activated during an immune response15. If neutral proteinases and, particularly, plasmin, generated from plasminogen by plasminogen activator, have a key role in initiating the clinical signs and pathology of the demyelinating diseases, it might be expected that inhibitors of these enzymes would protect sensitized animals against EAE. Here we have shown that aminomethylcyclohexane carboxylic acid (AMCA), e-amino-caproic acid (EACA) and p-nitrophenylguanidinobenzoate (NPGB), which are inhibitors of plasminogen activator and other neutral proteinases, gave significant protection against the clinical expression of EAE in Lewis rats. Other protease inhibitors gave partial or no protection.
Finite element approximation of field dislocation mechanics

Abstract A tool for studying links between continuum plasticity and dislocation theory within a field framework is presented. A finite element implementation of the geometrically linear version of a recently proposed theory of field dislocation mechanics (J. Mech. Phys. Solids 49 (2001) 761; Proc. Roy. Soc. 459 (2003) 1343; J. Mech. Phys. Solids 52 (2004) 301) represents the main idea behind the tool. The constitutive ingredients of the theory under consideration are simply elasticity and a specification of dislocation velocity and nucleation. The set of equations to be approximated are non-standard in the context of solid mechanics applications. It comprises the standard second-order equilibrium equations, a first-order div–curl system for the elastic incompatibility, and a first-order, wave-propagative system for the evolution of dislocation density. The latter two sets of equations require special treatment as the standard Galerkin method is not adequate, and are solved utilizing a least-squares finite element strategy. The implementation is validated against analytical results of the classical elastic theory of dislocations and analytical results of the theory itself. Elastic stress fields of dislocation distributions in generally anisotropic media of finite extent, deviation from elastic response, yield-drop, and back-stress are shown to be natural consequences of the model. The development of inhomogeneity, from homogeneous initial conditions and boundary conditions corresponding to homogeneous deformation in conventional plasticity, is also demonstrated. To our knowledge, this work represents the first computational implementation of a theory of dislocation mechanics where no analytical results, singular solutions in particular, are required to formulate the implementation. In particular, a part of the work is the first finite element implementation of Kroner's linear elastic theory of continuously distributed dislocations in its full generality.
Mild hypoglycemia-induced Cognitive Dysfunction is limited to Diabetic Subjects † 421

We have previously reported deterioration of cognitive function in children with IDDM during mild hypoglycemia. We now have examined the relationship between age, anxiety and cognitive functioning during mild hypoglycemia (HYPO) in 25 individuals with IDDM (age=18.6±5.4 yrs; duration=8.9±9.5 yrs; M±SD) and 16 age-matched nondiabetic controls. Each subject participated in a euglycemic (Eu) and a Hypo clamp, in random order, 2 months apart. During the Hypo clamp, plasma glucose was dropped from 100 mg/dl to 60 mg/dl and maintained for 60 min. Comparing both clamps, we found that during Hypo, significant (p≤0.5) increases in self-reported anxiety (Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory) occured in both groups, whereas significant declines on cognitive tests of attention (Letter Rotation Reaction Time Test; Digit Vigilance) and mental flexibility (Trail Making B) were limited to IDDM subjects. In controls cognitive change correlated with age but not anxiety levels. In diabetics, there was a small relationship between Trail Making B and anxiety (r=0.3; p=0.017) but not age.
The induction of calcium binding protein biosynthesis in intestine by vitamin D3.

Abstract The effect of vitamin D 3 on de novo biosynthesis of the calcium-binding protein of chick intestinal mucosa, and the temporal relationship between such synthesis and the stimulation of intestinal calcium transport by the vitamin was investigated. When doses of 20 IU of vitamin D 3 were administered to either frankly D-deficient (“rachitic”) or partially D-deficient (“marginal”) chicks, the rate of biosynthesis of Ca-binding protein as measured by incorporation of [ 3 H]leucine was increased. In rachitic chicks, incorporation into Ca-binding protein was initiated from an undetectable to a substantial rate in 24 h. In marginal chicks, a three to four-fold increase in incorporation rate was seen in 12 h. Incorporation of isotope into total mucosal protein was unaffected at the 20 I.U. dose level in either type of chick, but was stimulated 50 % in 24 h by treatment of rachitic chicks with high doses of 500 I.U. This indicated that large doses of the vitamin may elicit rapid non-specific stimulatory effects on growth and metabolism, in contrast to the apparently specific effects on calcium transport of small doses. Simultaneous measurement of the effect of vitamin D on calcium transport and rate of Ca-binding protein biosynthesis in marginal chicks indicated that the rate of Ca-binding protein biosynthesis was stimulated by the vitamin several hours before any effect on transport could be detected. 9 h after the administration of 20 I.U., [ 3 H]leucine incorporation into pure Ca-binding protein was stimulated two to three-fold, with no effect whatsoever on calcium transport. Ca-binding protein content in the mucosal tissue appeared to increase in parallel with the rate of calcium transport. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that vitamin D acts at the genetic level, and also suggests that Ca-binding protein may play a primary role in vitamin D-mediated calcium transport.
Effect of boron on gate oxide degradation and reliability in PMOS devices

Abstract Modern CMOS technology widely utilizes dual poly gate technology to create surface channel PMOS devices with low threshold voltage. The paper presents analysis of degradation and gate oxide reliability in 50 A oxide p+-poly PMOS transistors. The post boron implant anneal temperature is used to vary amount of boron penetration into the oxide. Results indicate significant role of boron in reduction of the gate oxide lifetime of PMOS devices and enhanced electron trapping in the oxide. The degradation correlates with the threshold voltage variation due to channel doping change. No effect of the boron penetration on stress-induced leakage current was observed. The results are discussed in terms of boron-related oxide defects and deteriorated interface of boron-doped polysilicon.
RGD-containing Peptides Activate S6K1 through β3 Integrin in Adult Cardiac Muscle Cells

The enzyme p70S6 kinase (S6K1) is critical for cell growth, and we have reported its activation during cardiac hypertrophy. Because cardiac hypertrophy also involves integrin activation, we analyzed whether integrins could contribute to S6K1 activation. Using adult feline cardiomyocytes, here we report that integrin-interacting Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) peptides activate S6K1 as observed by band shifting, kinase activity and phosphorylation at Thr-389 and Thr-421/Ser-424 of S6K1, and S6 protein phosphorylation. Perturbation of specific integrin function with blocking antibodies and by overexpressing the β1A cytoplasmic tail revealed that β3 but not β1 integrin mediates the RGD-induced S6K1 activation. This activation is focal adhesion complex-independent and is accompanied by the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1/2 (ERK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Studies using specific inhibitors and dominant negative c-Raf expression in cardiomyocytes indicate that the S6K1 activation involves mTOR, MEK/ERK, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathways and is independent of protein kinase C and c-Raf. Finally, addition of fluorescent-labeled RGD peptide to cardiomyocytes exhibits its internalization and localization to the endocytic vesicles, and pretreatment of cardiomyocytes with endocytic inhibitors reduced the S6K1 activation. These data suggest that RGD interaction with β3 integrin and its subsequent endocytosis trigger specific signaling pathway(s) for S6K1 activation in cardiomyocytes and that this process may contribute to hypertrophic growth and remodeling of myocardium.
Peer Tutoring Inservice Program: Effects On Home Economics Teachers' Knowledge And Attitudes

This study investigated the effects of a peer tutoring inservice program on home economics teachers' knowledge of procedures for using peer tutors, and attitudes toward integrating the handicapped student into the regular classroom. Forty-two home economics teachers selected one of the two inservice sessions scheduled during the state vocational conference. Using separate samples in a pretest-posttest design, 28 teachers in one session were tested prior to the peer tutoring service and served as the control. Fourteen teachers in the second session were tested subsequent to the inservice session and served as the experimental group. Control and experimental group knowledge test and attitude survey means were compared using an analysis of variance. The variables of: a) utilization of tutors, b) experience teaching handicapped students, c) college credit in special education, and d) inservice in special education were examined in the analysis of variance with knowledge test and attitude survey means. The inservice program was effective in significantly increasing knowledge; however, attitudes toward integrating the handicapped student in the regular classroom remained unchanged. The variables of experience and education had no effect on teachers' knowledge or attitudes.
Escherichia coli DegP Protease Cleaves between Paired Hydrophobic Residues in a Natural Substrate: the PapA Pilin

The DegP protein, a multifunctional chaperone and protease, is essential for clearance of denatured or aggregated proteins from the inner-membrane and periplasmic space in Escherichia coli. To date, four natural targets for DegP have been described: colicin A lysis protein, pilin subunits and MalS from E. coli, and high-molecular-weight adherence proteins from Haemophilus influenzae. In vitro, DegP has shown weak protease activity with casein and several other nonnative substrates. We report here the identification of the major pilin subunit of the Pap pilus, PapA, as a natural DegP substrate and demonstrate binding and proteolysis of this substrate in vitro. Using overlapping peptide arrays, we identified three regions in PapA that are preferentially cleaved by DegP. A 7-mer peptide was found to be a suitable substrate for cleavage by DegP in vitro. In vitro proteolysis of model peptide substrates revealed that cleavage is dependent upon the presence of paired hydrophobic amino acids; moreover, cleavage was found to occur between the hydrophobic residues. Finally, we demonstrate that the conserved carboxyl-terminal sequence in pilin subunits, although not a cleavage substrate for DegP, activates the protease and we propose that the activating peptide is recognized by DegP's PDZ domains.
Two CACGTG Motifs with Proper Spacing Dictate the Carbohydrate Regulation of Hepatic Gene Transcription

Regulatory sequences involved in the transcriptional induction of the rat S14 gene in response to increased glucose metabolism in the hepatocyte were investigated and compared with those of the liver-type pyruvate kinase (L-PK) gene. The carbohydrate response element (ChoRE) of the S14 gene was found to consist of two motifs related to the consensus binding site for the c-myc family of transcription factors, CACGTG. These two motifs are separated by five base pairs, a similar arrangement to that found in the L-PK ChoRE. In its natural context, the S14 ChoRE requires a novel accessory factor to support the full response to glucose. This factor, as well as the factor hepatic nuclear factor-4, are both capable of binding to the L-PK gene to enhance its carbohydrate regulation. The need for an accessory factor for supporting the glucose response can be overcome in two ways. First, multimers of the ChoREs of either the L-PK or S14 genes can function independently to support the glucose response. Second, mutations in the S14 ChoRE that create a perfect match to the consensus CACGTG motif at each locus no longer require an accessory factor site. The spacing of the two CACGTG motifs, but not the nature of the bases within the spacer, are critical for control. These observations suggest that a carbohydrate responsive factor binds to both motifs in a highly specific spatial orientation to confer the response to increased carbohydrate metabolism.
Modulation of leucine oxidation and turnover by graded amounts of carbohydrate intake in obese subjects

Our previous in vitro studies with rat tissues have suggested that ketone bodies may regulate the oxidation of branched-chain amino acids. To investigate the physiological and clinical significance of this observation, we determined the effect of starvation-induced ketosis on leucine metabolism in obese subjects. Rates of turnover, plasma clearance, and expiratory 14CO2 production (indicator of oxidation) after intravenous infusion of a trace amount of [1-14C]-leucine were measured before and one week after starvation (80 cal/day). This dietary treatment caused a significant increase in the rate of 14CO2 production, but significantly reduced the turnover (9.1 versus 7.0 mmole/hr) and plasma clearance (65 versus 34 L/hr) of leucine. When ketosis was prevented by a daily intake of 300 calories of carbohydrate, the rate of 14CO2 production was significantly decreased. On the other hand, starvation-induced decreases in turnover and plasma clearance of leucine, increases in plasma concentrations of branched-chain amino acids (marker for heightened proteolysis), decreases in plasma concentrations of alanine (marker for stimulated hepatic gluconeogenesis), and decreases in plasma concentrations of glucose and insulin were not prevented until carbohydrate intake was increased to 500 or 800 calories per day. Increases in daily carbohydrate intake (up to 500 calories) were accompanied by decreases in urinary excretion of nitrogen, but not 3-methylhistidine (marker for muscle proteolysis). Our data suggest that: (1) ketosis directly or indirectly enhances oxidation of leucine, (2) starvation-induced ketosis, proteolysis, and gluconeogenesis can be prevented sequentially by carbohydrate diets providing fro 300–800 calories per day, (3) the reduced turnover of leucine in starvation is most likely the result of reduced protein synthesis, and (4) diminution of branched-chain amino acid catabolism is a component of the nitrogen-sparing effect of carbohydrate.
Utbi and the Ghaznavids at the Foot of the Mountain

The beginnings of the genre of dynastic history in Islamic historiography can actually be traced to a single text1—a rhetorical tour de force in Arabic called Kitab al-Yamini, written by Abu Nasr a...
Factors regulating the synthesis of a cyclic peptide pathotoxin produced by Cochliobolus carbonum

The cyclic tetrapeptide, HC-toxin, is a host-selective virulence determinant produced by the foliar pathogen of maize, Cochliobolus carbonum race 1. HC-toxin is synthesized by a multifunctional peptide synthetase (HTS) encoded by the HTS1 gene. Analyses of culture filtrates identified low toxin-producing and high toxin-producing strains among field isolates of the pathogen. These strains were analyzed by reverse transcription PCR to determine whether synthesis of the toxin is directly influenced by HTS1 transcript levels. The results indicated that expression of HTS1 was up-regulated and reached maximal levels several days before the toxin was detected in the culture medium and that HTS1 transcript levels were not correlated with toxigenicity. These observations suggest that genes in addition to HTS1 are involved in regulation of HC-toxin biosynthesis. The toxin-producing ability of low toxin-producing isolates was enhanced following inoculation and reisolation from leaves of susceptible maize genotypes, suggesting that additional factors within the host environment influence toxin production during pathogenesis.
Reserve Planning Using Outage Probabilities and Load Uncertainties

Installed generating reserve requirements may be determined from both single-area and two-area loss-of-load probability studies. An example system is used to introduce the results of a single-area study and to illustrate the interpretations. A general procedure for including load uncertainties is traced for the example, and the results are analyzed.
Ethnic Attitudes of Hungarian Students in Romania

Participants in this study were ethnic Hungarian secondary students attending high schools in Romania in which Hungarian was the primary language of instruction. Attitudes of participants toward ethnic and cultural groups were measured using a variation of the Bogardus (1933) Scale of Social Distance. Results were consistent with predictions based on Allport's intergroup contact theory. Students reported a wide range of tolerance levels for majority and minority ethnic groups with which they were likely to have contact in Romania. However, the students reported little difference in tolerance levels for groups that are not a recognized part of the Romanian cultural landscape, such as people of Hispanic origin, and Native Americans.
Routing and admission control in general topology networks with Poisson arrivals

Emerging high-speed networks will carry traffic for services such as video-on-demand and video teleconferencing that require resource reservation along the path on which the traffic is sent. High bandwidth-delay product of these networks prevents circuit rerouting, i.e., once a circuit is routed on a certain path, the bandwidth taken by this circuit remains unavailable for the duration (holding time) of this circuit. As a result, such networks will need effectiveroutingandadmission controlstrategies. Recently developed on-line routing and admission control strategies have logarithmic competitive ratios with respect to theadmission ratio(the fraction of admitted circuits). Such guarantees on performance are rather weak in the most interesting case where the rejection ratio of the optimum algorithm is very small or even 0. Unfortunately, these guarantees cannot be improved in the context of the considered models, making it impossible to use these models to identify algorithms that are going to perform well in practice. In this paper we develop routing and admission control strategies for a probabilistic model, where the requests for virtual circuits between any two points arrive according to a Poisson process and where the circuit holding times are exponentially distributed. Our model is close to the one that was developed to analyze and tune the (currently used) strategies for managing traffic in long-distance telephone networks. We strengthen this model by assuming that the rates of the Poisson processes (the “traffic matrix”) are unknown to the algorithm and are chosen by the adversary. Our strategy is competitive with respect to the expectedrejection ratio. More precisely, it achieves an expected rejection ratio of at mostR*+?, whereR* is the optimum expected rejection ratio. The expectations are taken over the distribution of the request sequences, and, whereris the maximum fraction of an edge bandwidth that can be requested by a single circuit. Our result should be viewed in the context of the previous competitive routing and admission control strategies that requirer?1/logn, but are not able to formally analyze the (intuitively clear) relation betweenrand the performance achievable in realistic situations.
Laser chain alignment with low power local light sources

Timely and repeatable alignment of the 192 beam National Ignition Facility (NIF) laser will require an automatic system. Demanding accuracy requirements must be met with high reliability at low cost while minimizing the turnaround time between shots. We describe an approach for internally self-consistent alignment of the mirrors in the laser chains using a network of local light sources that serve as near field and far field alignment references. It incorporates a minimum number of alignment lasers, handles many beams in parallel, and utilizes simple control algorithms.
Potentiation of the rat delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction by the Fc portion of human IgG1.

Abstract Fc fragments derived from a human IgG 1 myeloma protein potentiate the rat delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction to antigen challenge. Lewis rats immunized with heat-killed tubercle bacilli give augmented DTH reactions to the purified protein derivative of tuberculin when Fc fragments are included in the challenge dose. Similar potentiation of DTH by pFc′ fragments indicates that the active site is located in the CH 3 domain of IgG 1 . Histologic evaluation of the augmented reaction sites revealed predominantly mononuclear cell infiltrates characteristic of DTH reactions. Skin tests of tubercle bacilli-sensitized rats with an unrelated antigen and/or Fc fragments fail to elicit significant reactions. Augmentation of the DTH reaction to purified protein derivative is restricted to the Fc or pFc′ region fragments since intact monomeric IgG 1 , Fab fragments, and bovine serum albumin were all shown not to be active potentiators. The DTH reaction of ovalbumin-sensitized rats was similarly augmented when Fc fragments were included with a challenge dose of ovalbumin, thus supporting the general nature of the phenomenon. These results support the concept of Ig molecules as multifunctional proteins that can not only serve effector functions but also participate in the regulation of immune responses.
3-D Nanoengineering of Metal Oxides and Oxyhydroxides by Aqueous Chemical Growth

Advanced nanoparticulate thin films of transition metal oxides consisting of nanorods with different orientations onto various substrates have been successfully grown by aqueous chemical growth without template, surfactant, or applied electric/magnetic field. The synthesis involves the aqueous condensation of metal ions from solutions of metal salts or metal complexes. Such low-cost fabrication of nanoengineered 3-D arrays consisting of 1-D nanorods of iron oxide (hematite), zinc oxide (zincite), and manganese oxyhydroxide (manganite) with parallel and perpendicular orientations onto various substrates are presented.
Nuclear-spin relaxation in paramagnetic solutions when the electronic zero-field splitting and zeeman interactions are of arbitrary magnitude

Expressions for the dipolar nuclear-spin relaxation rates in paramagnetic salt solutions have been derived under conditions where the electronic zero-field splitting (zfs) and Zeeman interactions are of arbitrary magnitude and when electron-spin relaxation is rapid compared to molecular reorientation. The theory is intended to provide continuity between the limiting analytical expressions previously derived for the Zeeman limit [SolomonBloembergen-Morgan (SBM) theory] and the zfs limit (R. Sharp, J. Chem. Phys. 93, 692 I, 1990). The more general solutions parallel the forms of both of these limiting theories in that they are comprised of sums of terms, each term consisting of a mean-square dipolar coupling energy times a spectral density function at one of the transition frequencies of the coupled I-S spin system. Geometric aspects of the problem are exhibited in simplest form in terms of spherical tensors, and the resulting expressions reduce in a straightforward manner to the Zeeman- and zfs-limit equations. As in the limiting theories, the electronspin relaxation time is treated as a parameter of the theory rather than calculated in detail from the time dependence of the electron-spin Hamiltonian. The theory has been applied to the analysis of magnetic field-dependent proton relaxation data of the ligand methyl protons in solutions of tris( acetylacetonato)Mn(III). The agreement with experiment is much superior to that found for SBM theory. o
Enzymatic glucose sensor based on Au nanoparticle and plant-like ZnO film modified electrode.

Abstract A novel electrochemical glucose sensor was developed by employing a composite film of plant-like Zinc oxide (ZnO) and chitosan stabilized spherical gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) on which Glucose oxidaze (GOx) was immobilized. The ZnO was deposited on an indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass and the AuNPs of average diameter of 23 nm were loaded on ZnO as the second layer. The prepared ITO/ZnO/AuNPs/GOx bioelectrode exhibited a low value of Michaelis–Menten constant of 1.70 mM indicating a good bio-matrix for GOx. The studies of electrochemical properties of the electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) showed that, the presence of AuNPs provides significant enhancement of the electron transfer rate during redox reactions. The linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) shows that the ITO/ZnO/AuNPs/GOx based sensor has a high sensitivity of 3.12 μA·mM− 1·cm− 2 in the range of 50 mg/dL to 400 mg/dL glucose concentration. The results show promising application of the gold nanoparticle modified plant-like ZnO composite bioelectrode for electrochemical sensing of glucose.
Hydrogen migration to the lunar poles by solar wind bombardment of the moon

Abstract We investigate the deposition of hydrogen at the lunar poles from the incident solar wind proton flux. We follow an incident solar wind proton as it interacts with the lunar surface, is emitted into the atmosphere, and migrate through a series of ballistic hops across the surface of the Moon. We trace the path of the particle until it is removed from the system by photo-processes such as ionization or dissociation, by thermal escape, by surface chemistry, or by reaching a cold trap. Iterating with various compounds formed through surface chemistry, we follow all hydrogen atoms input into the system, regardless of their molecular composition. Accumulating statistics on the outcomes for various input particles, we determine that .6 of the hydrogen forms H2 through chemical sputtering. Most of the remaining H thermally desorbs as atomic in a fraction of .27. Although the amount converted to OH is small (10%), most hydrogen reaches the pole through OH migration, .008 OH/H+. Finally, we calculate the amount of time required for the solar wind to supply the amount of hydrogen detected at the poles by the Lunar Prospector Neutron Spectrometer to be 7 Myr. If the poles only retain water due to the low freezing points of the other molecules, the time required is 100 Myr.