cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of primary sequence differences on the global structure and function of an enzyme: a study of pyruvate kinase isozymes.

Pyruvate kinase is an important glycolytic enzyme which is expressed differentially as four distinct isozymes whose catalytic activity is regulated in a tissue-specific manner. The kidney isozyme is known to exhibit sigmoidal kinetics, whereas the muscle isozyme exhibits hyperbolic kinetic properties. By integration of the crystallographic [Stuart, D. I., Levine, M., Muirhead, H., & Stammers, D.K. (1979) J. Mol. Biol. 134, 109-142] and primary sequence data [Noguchi, T., Inoue, H., & Tanaka, T. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 13807], it was shown that the primary sequence for the C alpha 1 and C alpha 2 regions may constitute the allosteric switching site. To provide insights into the effects of the localized sequence change on the global structural and functional behavior of the enzyme, kinetic studies under a wide spectrum of conditions were conducted for both the muscle and kidney isozymes. These conditions include measurements of enzyme activity as a function of substrate concentrations with different concentrations of allosteric inhibitors or activators. These results showed that both isozymes exhibit the same regulatory properties although quantitatively the distribution of active and inactive forms and the various dissociation constants which govern the binding of substrate and allosteric effectors with the enzyme are different. For such a majority of equilibrium constants to be altered, the localized primary sequence change must confer global perturbations which are manifested as differences in the various equilibrium constants. Structural information about these two isozymes was provided by phase-modulation measurement of the fluorescence lifetime of tryptophan residues under a variety of experimental conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Shell mats associated with microsporida in Biomphalaria glabrata: genetic studies.

Abstract Multilayered mats have been observed lining the shell of some Biomphalaria glabrata infected with Steinhausia brachynema . Occurrence of the mats is associated with extensive infection with the microsporidia in these snails, in contrast to most B. glabrata in which infection appears restricted to the intestinal wall. Observations suggest that this variation in pathology may be influenced by a genetic difference in the host snails.
A functional approach to generic programming using adaptive traversals

Writing functions over complex user-defined datatypes can be tedious and error prone. Generic (or polytypic) programming and higher order functions like foldr have resolved some of these issues, but can be too general to be practically useful for larger collections of data types. In this paper we present a traversal-based approach to generic programming using function sets. Our traversal is an adaptive, higher-order function that employs an asymmetric type-based multiple dispatch to fold over arbitrarily complex structures. We introduce our approach in the context of our Scheme library implementation, present a typed model of our system, and provide a proof of type soundness, showing that our flexible, adaptive approach is both useful and safe.
The Father's Role in Sexual Socialization of Adolescent Females in an Upper and Upper-Middle Class Population

Because fathers have been found to be minimally involved in the transmission of sex information to their daughters, the role of the father in sexual socialization has not been systematically investigated. Forty-eight sets of parents and their teenage daughters were interviewed concerning the transmission of sex information and intrafamily communication about sexual attitudes and values. While fathers are seldom involved in the transmission of sex information to their teenage daughters, fathers in this sample were found to be successful in communicating sexual attitudes and values through impersonal, oblique discussion of sociosexual issues and the behavior of other people.
Dependence of calculated binding energies and widths of η-mesic nuclei on treatment of subthreshold η-nucleon interaction

We demonstrate that the binding energies ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\ensuremath{\eta}}$ and widths ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{\ensuremath{\eta}}$ of \ensuremath{\eta}-mesic nuclei depend strongly on the subthreshold \ensuremath{\eta}-nucleon interaction. This strong dependence is made evident from comparing three different \ensuremath{\eta}-nucleus optical potentials: (1) a microscopic optical potential taking into account the full effects of the off-shell $\ensuremath{\eta}N$ interaction; (2) a factorization approximation to the microscopic optical potential where a downward energy shift parameter is introduced to approximate the subthreshold $\ensuremath{\eta}N$ interaction; and (3) an optical potential using the on-shell $\ensuremath{\eta}N$ scattering length as the interaction input. Our analysis indicates that the in-medium $\ensuremath{\eta}N$ interaction for bound-state formation is about 30 MeV below the free-space $\ensuremath{\eta}N$ threshold, which causes a substantial reduction of the attractive force between the \ensuremath{\eta} and nucleon with respect to that implied by the scattering length. Consequently, the scattering-length approach overpredicts the ${\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{\ensuremath{\eta}}$ and caution must be exercised when these latter predictions are used as guide in searching for \ensuremath{\eta}-nucleus bound states. We also show that final-state-interaction analysis cannot provide an unequivocal determination of the existence of the \ensuremath{\eta}-nucleus bound state. More direct measurements are, therefore, necessary.
Toxicity of eosinophil cationic proteins for guinea pig tracheal epithelium in vitro.

We tested the effects of four eosinophil granule cationic proteins: major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), eosinophil peroxidase (EPO), and eosinophil-derived neurotoxin (EDN), on guinea pig tracheal epithelium in vitro. Examination by inverted microscopy revealed that MBP, both the form stabilized by alkylation of sulfhydryl groups as well as the native form of the molecule, ECP, EPO by itself, as well as EPO + H2O2 + halide, but not EDN, cause dose-related damage to the tracheal epithelium. The lowest concentrations of MBP and ECP causing damage were 10 and 100 µg/ml, respectively. In contrast, EDN, although biochemically similar to ECP, did not damage the tracheal epithelium in concentrations of up to 200 µg/ml. MBP caused exfoliation, as well as bleb formation and ciliostasis. EPO in the presence of the H2O2-producing enzyme glucose oxidase (GO), Cl−, 0.11 M, and iodide caused ciliostasis, bleb formation, and exfoliation of epithelial cells at concentrations as low as 1 U/ml (3....
Polymerization of linear aliphatic diamine-based benzoxazine resins under inert and oxidative environments

A series of linear aliphatic diamine-based benzoxazine monomers have been studied. Reaction times and purification procedures have been optimized for each individual diamine. The structure of these diamine-based benzoxazine monomers has been characterized by 1 H and 13 C NMR, and infrared spectroscopy. The rate of polymerization has been studied by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as a function of the chain length of the aliphatic amines. The glass transition temperatures (Tg) of the polybenzoxazines from these monomers are also studied. The short chain amine polybenzoxazine exhibits the Tg of around 170 � C. The influence of the polymerization environment for these linear aliphatic diamine-based series of benzoxazine monomers has been studied under air and inert atmosphere. Differential scanning calorimetry is used to determine the melting points of these benzoxazines and the temperature of the peak polymerization exotherm. An anomalous polymerization behavior of ethylene diamine-based polybenzoxazine is also reported. 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chip-scale wavelength-division multiplexed integrated sensor arrays

We demonstrate a wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) technique for interrogating multiple sensors on a single chip. While wavelength- and frequency-division multiplexing (FDM) has previously been demonstrated in micro-electro-mechanical (MEMS) sensors, numerous off-chip components were required thereby increasing the system size and limiting the number of sensors. In contrast, our approach enables all components to be developed on-chip. The high Q-factor afforded by optical microcavities enables a large number of sensor elements to be interrogated using WDM. First, we demonstrate wavelength-enabled addressing of individual sensors. Next, we show how two sensors can be individually interrogated in a sensor network. Finally, we illustrate how such “sensor-networks on a chip” are fabricated. The ability to develop large-scale arrays, where each sensor has been functionalized to respond to a different analyte, enables increased selectivity for MEMS resonant chemical sensors.
Migrant deaths along the California-Mexico border: an anthropological perspective

California shares a 150-mile international border with Mexico. Traditionally, this border has seen non-stop illegal migration. In the 1990s, the Border Patrol began a concerted effort to establish and maintain control of the border, beginning in urban San Diego. This heightened law enforcement presence, known as Operation Gatekeeper, changed the westernmost segment of the border from the most permeable to the least permeable. This enforcement pushed migrants into more dangerous crossing areas in eastern San Diego and Imperial Counties, making their trip longer and more physically challenging as they made their way through treacherous mountains, deserts, and irrigation canals. Death rates soared. Political decisions impacted human lives and the caseloads of forensic anthropologists in jurisdictions along the border. Bodies decompose rapidly here, and there are minimal sources of antemortem data. Many of these migrants are never identified. This paper, and this symposium, is an attempt to bring this situation to the notice of other anthropologists and to discuss cooperative means of addressing the issue of identification.
Topical tretinoin therapy: Its use in photoaged skin

Tretinoin cream has been used extensively to reverse the changes of photoaging. It is the first topical therapy to undergo controlled clinical testing and proved to be efficacious. These results have been substantiated with photography, histopathologie examination, and skin surface replicas. The mechanism of action of retinoic acid is unknown, but it may bind to a specific receptor that alters the gene expression of the cell. Therapy is most successful when a liberal amount of tretinoin 0.1% cream is applied to the skin daily. Tretinoin cream has an excellent safety record; a local cutaneous hypervitaminosis A reaction is the only common problem.
On turbine-generator rotor equivalent circuits

This paper is, in part, an extended discussion of a paper by Atarod et al., presented at the 1992 IEEE/PES Winter Meeting. That paper raised some issues of modeling which require more extensive attention than is feasible in an ordinary discussion. In this paper, the author demonstrates that, regardless of the adequacy of second (one rotor damper branch) or third (two rotor damper branches) order models, a simple form for the rotor can be used. Physical reasoning was used by Atarod et al. to postulate the need for a "differential leakage" inductance element, representing flux linking both the field winding end damper bars but not the armature winding. The author employs circuit theory to demonstrate that this leakage element does not, by itself, contribute anything to the dynamics of rotor response, and that it is not required to adequately model the frequency response of rotor impedance. This means, that at least some of the conclusions of Atarod et al. are probably due to an artifact of the curve fitting technique used. Another curve fitting technique and its results are described. >
Suppression of Negative and Neutral Thoughts

Testing a variant of Wegner's (1989) “thought suppression” paradigm, we had subjects identify a personally-relevant negative thought that had been troubling them recently. Subjects were then randomly assigned either to a negative target thought group or to a neutral target thought (“white bear”) group, and randomly assigned either to an initial suppression condition (followed by a free expression period) or an initial free expression condition (followed by a suppression period). The results revealed that subjects in the neutral thought group experienced a decline in thoughts about white bears throughout the course of the experiment, whereas subjects asked first to suppress a personally relevant negative thought experienced nearly a three-fold increase in its frequency of occurrence when later given permission to express it. These findings suggest that negatively valent thoughts may respond differently than neutral thoughts following attempts to suppress them.
Power Aware Management of Packet Switches

In this paper, we extend the idea of dynamic power management (DPM) to network packet switches, devices whose increasing speeds and densities are leading to costly and physically cumbersome power dissipation problems. In particular, we take a system-level approach, examining how operations in an input-queued (IQ) switch can be scheduled to balance power consumption on the one hand with average delay on the other. To accomplish this, we formulate a quadratic cost model which accounts for the power / delay tradeoff and then pose the scheduling problem in terms of a dynamic program. Using techniques from the field of linear quadratic regulation (LQR), we then solve for the optimal control in a relaxed system model and use this to create a novel scheduling algorithm: power aware maximum weight matching (PAMWM). Initial simulation results suggest that, under low load conditions, our algorithm results in significant power savings compared to MWM, with little performance degradation.
Fundamental-mode basin oscillations in the Japan/East Sea

[4] In the real JES, energy dissipation exists, four straits connect to the open ocean and bottom topography is highly variable, so Rikiishi’s model may be expected to differ somewhat in period and structure from observations. We find no published report of direct observations of basin oscillations in the JES. In this paper we provide observational evidence that fundamental mode basin oscillations exist continually in the JES. The observed results are compared with Rikiishi’s model, and the forcing is investigated.
Intraperitoneal antineoplastic drug delivery: rationale and results

The use of intraperitoneal drug delivery in the treatment of malignant disease confined to the peritoneal cavity is based on the theoretical potential for increased exposure of the tumour to antineoplastic agents leading to improved cytotoxicity. Phase I studies have explored the safety and pharmacokinetic advantage of the regional administration of several drugs, including cisplatin (10 times higher than systemic delivery) and paclitaxel (1000 times higher). Phase II trials of second-line intraperitoneal chemotherapy of ovarian cancer, generally with cisplatin, have shown the potential for patients to achieve surgically-documented complete responses. Randomised trials of second-line regional therapy in patients with ovarian cancer have yet to be conducted, although non-randomised single institution experience has suggested the potential for long-term disease-free survival with this strategy. By contrast, several well-planned randomised trials of first-line intraperitoneal chemotherapy of small-volume residual advanced ovarian cancer after primary surgical cytoreduction have reported a survival advantage with regional drug delivery. Although a rationale can be proposed for intraperitoneal antineoplastic drug delivery in non-ovarian malignant disease involving the peritoneal cavity, current data do not support the use of this strategy outside the confines of well-designed clinical trials.
FLEXURAL STRENGTH AND DUCTILITY OF EXTENDED PILE-SHAFTS. I: ANALYTICAL MODEL

An analytical model, based on the commonly used equivalent cantilever concept, is developed for assessing the local ductility demand of a yielding pile-shaft when subjected to lateral loading. For elastic response of the pile-shaft, an equivalent depth-to-fixity is assumed, which can be derived by equating the lateral stiffness of the cantilever to that of the elastic soil-pile system. In adapting the equivalent cantilever model to yielding pile-shafts, however, the depth-to-maximum-moment is assumed to occur at a depth above the depth-to-fixity. The lateral strength, which depends on the depth-to-maximum-moment, is determined using the flexural strength of the pile and the ultimate pressure distribution of the soil. By assuming a concentrated plastic hinge rotation at the depth-of-maximum- moment, a kinematic model relating the local curvature ductility demand to global displacement ductility demand is developed. The kinematic relation is shown to depend on the aboveground height, depth-to-maximum-moment, depth-to-fixity, and equivalent plastic hinge length. The model is illustrated using a pile-shaft embedded in cohesive and cohesionless soils.
Random amplified polymorphic DNAs and microsatellites: what are they, and can they tell us anything we don't already know?

New methods have become available for the direct analysis of genetic variation at the DNA level. Two of the most popular and useful of these new methods are randoma amplified polymorphic DNAs and microsatellites. Despite some concern and confusion about the application of these new methods, they can provide exciting new insights into portions of the genome that have been underutilized in genetic analysis. These portions are primarily those that contain repetitive DNA sequences. Repetitive DNA sequences constitute substantial portions of most eukaryotic genomes, and they represent an enormous, largely untapped reservoir of genetic variation. Access to this reservoir is vitally important for studies of insect genomes and populations
A two-tier on-line learning model for teaching Web services

Since the advent of the Internet and the World-Wide Web (WWW), the computing model known as business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce has evolved to take advantage of the ubiquitous accessing of the Internet The concept of Web services using extensible Markup Language (XML) and Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) has become an essential subject in the curriculum of Computer Science. However, there have been too many standards to be covered in one semester. This paper discusses the pedagogical issues on teaching Web services using a two-tiered approach. This approach is deployed with a Web-based online tutorial to form the main idea of the two-tiered online learning model. This paper describes the details about the two-tiered online learning model first. Then, the teaching experience on using the Java Web Service Developer's Pack (JWSDP) tutorial is provided. Finally, the advantages of the two-tier online learning model are summarized.
Regulation of the rapamycin and FKBP-target 1/mammalian target of rapamycin and cap-dependent initiation of translation by the c-Abl protein-tyrosine kinase.

The c-Abl protein-tyrosine kinase is activated by ionizing radiation and certain other DNA-damaging agents. The rapamycin and FKBP-target 1 (RAFT1), also known as FKBP12-rapamycin-associated protein (FRAP, mTOR), regulates the p70S6 kinase (p70S6k) and the eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E)-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1). The present results demonstrate that c-Abl binds directly to RAFT1 and phosphorylates RAFT1in vitro and in vivo. c-Abl inhibits autophosphorylation of RAFT1 and RAFT1-mediated phosphorylation p70S6k. The functional significance of the c-Abl-RAFT1 interaction is further supported by the finding that eIF4E-dependent translation in mouse embryo fibroblasts from Abl−/− mice is significantly higher than that compared in wild-type cells. The results also demonstrate that exposure of cells to ionizing radiation is associated with c-Abl-mediated binding of 4E-BP1 to eIF4E and inhibition of translation. These findings with the c-Abl tyrosine kinase represent the first demonstration of a negative physiologic regulator of RAFT1-mediated 5′ cap-dependent translation.
Recursive Compositional Models for Vision: Description and Review of Recent Work

This paper describes and reviews a class of hierarchical probabilistic models of images and objects. Visual structures are represented in a hierarchical form where complex structures are composed of more elementary structures following a design principle of recursive composition. Probabilities are defined over these structures which exploit properties of the hierarchy--e.g. long range spatial relationships can be represented by local potentials at the upper levels of the hierarchy. The compositional nature of this representation enables efficient learning and inference algorithms. In particular, parts can be shared between different object models. Overall the architecture of Recursive Compositional Models (RCMs) provides a balance between statistical and computational complexity. The goal of this paper is to describe the basic ideas and common themes of RCMs, to illustrate their success on a range of vision tasks, and to gives pointers to the literature. In particular, we show that RCMs generally give state of the art results when applied to a range of different vision tasks and evaluated on the leading benchmarked datasets.
Skew‐normal Bayesian nonlinear mixed‐effects models with application to AIDS studies

Studies of HIV dynamics in AIDS research are very important in understanding the pathogenesis of HIV-1 infection and also in assessing the effectiveness of antiviral therapies. Nonlinear mixed-effects (NLME) models have been used for modeling between-subject and within-subject variations in viral load measurements. Mostly, normality of both within-subject random error and random-effects is a routine assumption for NLME models, but it may be unrealistic, obscuring important features of between-subject and within-subject variations, particularly, if the data exhibit skewness. In this paper, we develop a Bayesian approach to NLME models and relax the normality assumption by considering both model random errors and random-effects to have a multivariate skew-normal distribution. The proposed model provides flexibility in capturing a broad range of non-normal behavior and includes normality as a special case. We use a real data set from an AIDS study to illustrate the proposed approach by comparing various candidate models. We find that the model with skew-normality provides better fit to the observed data and the corresponding estimates of parameters are significantly different from those based on the model with normality when skewness is present in the data. These findings suggest that it is very important to assume a model with skew-normal distribution in order to achieve robust and reliable results, in particular, when the data exhibit skewness.
Promoter-proximal CCCTC-factor binding is associated with an increase in the transcriptional pausing index

Motivation: It has been known for more than 2 decades that after RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) initiates transcription, it can enter into a paused or stalled state immediately downstream of the transcription start site before productive elongation. Recent advances in high-throughput genomic technologies facilitated the discovery that RNAPII pausing at promoters is a widespread physiologically regulated phenomenon. The molecular underpinnings of pausing are incompletely understood. The CCCTC-factor (CTCF) is a ubiquitous nuclear factor that has diverse regulatory functions, including a recently discovered role in promoting RNAPII pausing at splice sites. Results: In this study, we analyzed CTCF binding sites and nascent transcriptomic data from three different cell types, and found that promoter-proximal CTCF binding is significantly associated with RNAPII pausing. Contact: praveen_sethupathy@med.unc.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Influence of temperature and relative humidity on the foliar activity of mesotrione

Abstract Greenhouse studies were conducted to examine the influence of temperature and relative humidity (RH) on the foliar activity of mesotrione on five weed species. Regression analysis was performed allowing for comparison of estimated GR50 (herbicide dose to inhibit growth by 50%) values for each weed response at either temperature (18 or 32 C) or RH level (30 or 85%). Temperature and relative humidity did not influence the response of ivyleaf morningglory, common cocklebur, and velvetleaf to mesotrione markedly. An increase in temperature or relative humidity increased the efficacy of mesotrione on common cocklebur and velvetleaf up to threefold. Conversely, common waterhemp and large crabgrass were six- and sevenfold more susceptible at 18 C than at 32 C, respectively. Common waterhemp and large crabgrass were four- and twofold more susceptible to mesotrione at 85% compared with 30% RH, respectively. The influence of temperature and RH on the efficacy of mesotrione in foliar applications is species...
Cytochrome P-450 metabolic-intermediate complex formation and induction by macrolide antibiotics; a new class of agents

1. By several criteria, macrolide antibiotics constitute a new class of nitrogenous cytochrome P-450 metabolic-intermediate complex-forming compounds.2. Macrolide antibiotic metabolic-intermediate complexes are only formed in livers induced with phenobarbital or with the macrolide antibiotics themselves. The extent of metabolic-intermediate complex formation in microsomes from phenobarbital-induced rats is lower than that seen for members of the amphetamine and SKF 525-A classes of compounds.3. Cytochrome P-450 induced by macrolide antibiotics, of which troleandomycin is the most potent, is extensively sequestered as a metabolic intermediate complex in vivo4. Cytochrome P-450 induced by troleandomycin differs, using several criteria, from those induced by phenobarbital, β-naphthoflavone or SKF 525-A, and those present in uninduced rats.
Etiological Approach to Characterization of Diabetes Type: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study

OBJECTIVE To describe an etiologic approach to classification of diabetes types in youth based on the 1997 American Diabetes Association (ADA) framework, using data from the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS SEARCH conducted a comprehensive assessment of 2,291 subjects aged RESULTS Most subjects fell into either the autoimmune plus IS (54.5%) or nonautoimmune plus IR categories (15.9%) and had characteristics that align with traditional descriptions of type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The group classified as autoimmune plus IR (19.5%) had similar prevalence and titers of diabetes autoantibodies and similar distribution of HLA risk genotypes to those in the autoimmune plus IS group, suggesting that it includes individuals with type 1 diabetes who are obese. The group classified as nonautoimmune plus IS (10.1%) likely includes individuals with undetected autoimmunity but may also include those with monogenic diabetes and thus requires further testing. CONCLUSIONS The SEARCH study offers researchers and clinicians a practical application for the etiologic classification of diabetes type and at the same time identifies a group of youths who would benefit from further testing.
Stabilizability of linear impulsive systems

This paper establishes the equivalence of three stabilizability-related properties for a class of linear impulsive systems. The first involves a gramian-based condition inspired by results for time-varying, discrete-time linear systems introduced decades ago. The second is the ability to achieve closed-loop exponential stability via state feedback. Finally, the third property is exponential stability of an ‘unreachable’ subsystem identified from a decomposition of the original system derived from an invariant subspace that characterizes the set of reachable states. A consequence of this analysis is that full state reachability of a linear impulsive system is not necessary for state feedback stabilization, a well-known fact for linear time-invariant systems. The main ideas of the paper are applied to the problem of synchronizing two Lorenz oscillators using underactuated impulsive control.
Fabrication of Y-junction Metal Nanowires by AAO Template-assisted AC Electrodeposition

In this communication, we report a synthetic approach to fabricate Y-junction Co nanowires and Y-junction Cu nanowires by AC electrodeposition using a hierarchically designed anodized aluminum oxide template. Morphology study showe that diameters of the stems and branches of the Y-junction nanowires were about 40 nm and 20 nm respectively. Structural analysis indicates that Co nanowires had a mixture of face-center-cubic and hexagonal-close-packed structures, whereas Cu nanowires had a face-center-cubic structure with a texture. The Y-junction Co nanowires exhibited a longitudinal coercivity of 1300 Oe and remnant magnetization of 56%, which was affected by the growth direction and microstructure. The present method can be extended to other metallic systems and thus provides a simple and efficient way to fabricate Y-junction metal nanowires.
Bringing the military back in: The politicisation of the military and its effect on democratic consolidation

Empirical research has shown how the role of institutions, civic culture, ethnic fractionalisation, the political economy, and demographic factors affect the stability of democracies, but none has explored the role of the military as an institution that can drastically influence the process of democratic consolidation. This led many scholars to notice how the study of comparative democratisation has been state-centric, but it has largely neglected the role of the military in determining post-transitional outcomes. Thus, this study takes on this challenge by examining the role of the military in the democratisation process more than 30 years after the third wave. The results suggest that highly politicised military structures among transitional states have a deleterious effect on the quality of democracy. More specifically, if the military has institutionalised its role in politics as being interventionist, the likelihood of democratic consolidation becomes difficult. The article highlights the importance ...
The evolution of the complex sensory and motor systems of the human brain.

Inferences about how the complex sensory and motor systems of the human brain evolved are based on the results of comparative studies of brain organization across a range of mammalian species, and evidence from the endocasts of fossil skulls of key extinct species. The endocasts of the skulls of early mammals indicate that they had small brains with little neocortex. Evidence from comparative studies of cortical organization from small-brained mammals of the six major branches of mammalian evolution supports the conclusion that the small neocortex of early mammals was divided into roughly 20–25 cortical areas, including primary and secondary sensory fields. In early primates, vision was the dominant sense, and cortical areas associated with vision in temporal and occipital cortex underwent a significant expansion. Comparative studies indicate that early primates had 10 or more visual areas, and somatosensory areas with expanded representations of the forepaw. Posterior parietal cortex was also expanded, with a caudal half dominated by visual inputs, and a rostral half dominated by somatosensory inputs with outputs to an array of seven or more motor and visuomotor areas of the frontal lobe. Somatosensory areas and posterior parietal cortex became further differentiated in early anthropoid primates. As larger brains evolved in early apes and in our hominin ancestors, the number of cortical areas increased to reach an estimated 200 or so in present day humans, and hemispheric specializations emerged. The large human brain grew primarily by increasing neuron number rather than increasing average neuron size.
ASSESSMENTS AND DYNAMICS OF TRADE SPECIALIZATION OF AGRI-FOOD PRODUCTS EMPIRIC EVIDENCES FROM ROMANIA

Research has focused on the analysis of the Romania’s agri-food comparative advantages based on the indices of trade specialization assessed pre- and post-accession to the EU. The method of calculation of the specialization degree index used the original Lafay index adapted on the agricultural sector. The index allows the assessment of the contribution of each product in relation to the corresponding importance in trade, which provides the ranking of products by their level of competitiveness on the international markets. The index measures the contribution of each Romanian agricultural product, aggregated by the chapters of the Combined Nomenclature at 2 digit aggregation level, to the total agri-food trade, within the period 2004-2010. The research results indicate, for the analyzed period, a decrease of the specialization level and a loss in trade diversification of the Romanian products. The detailed results provide a hierarchy of the agri-food products in relation to the highest specialization level demonstrated in Romania’s foreign trade relations.
Margins for cervical and vulvar cancer

Surgery is the primary treatment for vulvar cancer as well as early-stage carcinoma of the cervix. This article reviews the significance of margin status after surgery on overall survival, need for further surgical intervention, and role for possible adjuvant therapy. It summarizes the abundant literature on margin status in vulvar cancer and highlights the need for further investigation on the prognostic significance of margins in cervical cancer. In addition, it reviews other important operative considerations.
The national quinine pool: when quinine went to war.

1 his story actually begins in 1940 when the Nazi army invaded Holland. At the beginning of World War II, the Dutch were the controlling force for the quinine industry, producing almost ninety percent of the world's commercial supply from its East Indies properties. The East Indies had become the center of the quinine industry after the Dutch transplanted cinchona trees from South America and cultivated these aggressively to develop a hybrid that produced a superior quinine yield. Java was the site of the largest quinine factory in existence, the Banfoengsche Kininefabriek. In an attempt to prevent Nazi control of quinine supplies and production after the invasion of the Netherlands, management of this vital industry was effectively passed from Amsterdam to Bandoeng, Java on 14 May 1940.2 However, in March 1942, when the East Indies fell to the invading Japanese Army, the world's source of new quinine was in the hands of the enemy and production virtually stopped. Foreseeing a potential shortage, the U.S. military had established a reserve of cinchona and quinine long before the war started. This reserve, while estimated to be sufficient if America was pulled into either a European or an Asian conflict, was not adequate to face a global conflict where almost all of the campaigns North Africa, the Pacific, Europe, and
Orthogonal Modular Gene Repression in Escherichia coli Using Engineered CRISPR/Cas9

The progress in development of synthetic gene circuits has been hindered by the limited repertoire of available transcription factors. Recently, it has been greatly expanded using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. However, this system is limited by its imperfect DNA sequence specificity, leading to potential crosstalk with host genome or circuit components. Furthermore, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene regulation is context dependent, affecting the modularity of Cas9-based transcription factors. In this paper we address the problems of specificity and modularity by developing a computational approach for selecting Cas9/gRNA transcription factor/promoter pairs that are maximally orthogonal to each other as well as to the host genome and synthetic circuit components. We validate the method by designing and experimentally testing four orthogonal promoter/repressor pairs in the context of a strong promoter PL from phage lambda. We demonstrate that these promoters can be interfaced by constructing double and triple inverter ci...
THE CHANGING PROGNOSIS OF ARDS

It seems likely that the prognosis of ARDS has indeed improved. To what extent is still uncertain, and unfortunately, from what is unknown. As a result, we don't know where to concentrate additional effort and resources. If survival has improved, changes in supportive therapy are the most likely cause. Thus, it is cynical and misdirected to assume that all methods of "supportive" care are equivalent, and that efforts to optimize such care are less worthy than those directed toward potentially specific causes. The situation is analogous to that seen previously in the management of myocardial infarction. Although breakthroughs in thrombolysis and angioplasty have occupied our attention in the past decade, the mortality from myocardial infarction fell dramatically in the decades that preceded these new therapeutic advances. All such improvements are to be hailed and appreciated, and further improvements, both in supportive and specific therapy should be anticipated as likely and welcome.
Conclusion: Conceptualizing Afro-Latinidad

The conclusion considers the future directions of Afro-Latino/a literature including the continued focus on language and a growing emphasis on magical realism and memory. Additionally, it examines other recently published literary works and their conceptualizations of Afro-Latinidad.
The application of simple thermal models to improve dynamic load models

The classical approach to load modeling is to divide the load by customer class and then identify and model the load components corresponding to each customer class. This work explores an alternative way to break down the load using readily available data. Namely, using historical usage data and historical weather data the load can be first divided into temperature-dependent and temperature-independent portions. A simple thermal model of the structure(s) served by the electrical circuit forms the theoretical and mathematical basis of this separation. During summer peaking conditions, the temperature-dependent load is generally composed of air conditioners, which must be modeled properly in order to analyze delayed voltage recovery or other dynamic phenomenon. Once the temperature-dependent fraction of the load has been characterized, the size of compressor, fan, and pump motors can be inferred by the customer class.
Complications and thromboembolic events associated with tamoxifen therapy in patients with breast cancer undergoing microvascular breast reconstruction: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Tamoxifen therapy is integral in the treatment of patients with hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. However, there is an association between tamoxifen and thromboembolic events. Flap and systemic thromboembolic events have devastating consequences in microvascular breast reconstruction. Currently, there are conflicting data on the association between tamoxifen therapy and thromboembolic complications for patients undergoing microvascular breast reconstruction. The objective of this study is to determine if perioperative tamoxifen therapy modifies the risk of complications and thromboembolic events for patients with breast cancer undergoing microvascular breast reconstruction. A comprehensive literature search was performed across six databases from January 2003 to February 2016. Pooled estimates and relative risk (RR) were calculated using a random-effects model, confounding was examined with meta-regression, and risk of bias was evaluated. Primary outcomes were thrombotic flap complications and total flap loss. Study quality was assessed using Downs and Black criteria. Of 95 studies reviewed, 4 studies comprising 1700 patients and 2245 procedures were included for analysis. Compared to non-recipients, patients on tamoxifen were at increased risk of developing thrombotic flap complications (pooled RR 1.5; 95% CI 1.14–1.98) and total flap loss (pooled RR 3.35; 95% CI 0.95–11.91). There was no significant heterogeneity present in either outcome and no evidence of publication bias. Perioperative tamoxifen therapy may increase the risk of thrombotic flap complications and flap loss for patients with breast cancer undergoing microvascular reconstruction. These findings further the ability of providers to make evidence-based recommendations in the perioperative management of patients with breast cancer.
Albert Camus au Quotidien

Andre Benhaim and Aymeric Glacet (eds.). Albert Camus au quotidien. Villeneuve-d'Ascq: Presses universitaires du Septentrion, 2013. Pp. 199. Dans l'une des toutes premieres pages de ses Cahiers, publies a titre posthume chez Gallimard sous le nom de Carnets, Albert Camus ecrit en mars 1936 : > (CEuvres completes d'Albert Camus, Gallimard, Collection de la Pleiade, vol. II, 2006, 802). Cette petite reflexion, laquelle constitue l'ensemble de la note, se poursuit et se termine ainsi : > Ne serait-ce qu'a partir de cette introspection soi-disant passagere de l'ecrivain, l'on pourrait en deduire que, pour Camus, le travail representait une facheuse interruption survenue dans l'appreciation de l'immediat. Une autre reflexion datee d'avril 1938 semblerait d'ailleurs confirmer cette impression : > (OCII, 850). Or, quelques lignes plus loin, on trouve et c'est Camus qui souligne : > En ce qui concerne sa vie d'homme et son travail d'ecrivain, il y aurait done chez Camus une conviction fondamentale selon laquelle il faut, pour reussir a l'une comme a l'autre, s'y atteler de maniere assidue dans l'au-jour-le-jour. Meme si, a en croire Raymond Gay-Crosier, > (Lire les Carnets d'Albert Camus, Septentrion, 2012, 15), force est de constater que la place et le poids, voire la preoccupation du quotidien en tant que tel n'echappe pas a Camus. Le quotidien represente a la fois ce qui est routinier, habituel et banal, et, une fois qu'on en est conscient, autant d'instants precieux et ephemeres que Ton se doit de reconnaitre au moment meme, faute de pouvoir les revivre. Aussi, des son roman inacheve ecrit entre 1936 et 1938, La Mort heureuse, Camus situe-t-il le protagoniste et ses colocataires dans une Maison devant le Monde, d'ou ils peuvent apprecier de pres le deroulement de chaque jour : > (OC I, 1156) Quant a la valeur potentielle du quotidien, toute la pensee philosophique camusienne en temoigne--depuis Le Mytbe du Sisyphe dont le heros eponyme, embleme de l'homme absurde, s'avere superieur a son destin du fait que, >, il > (OC I, 302, 304), jusqu'a l'essai L'Homme revolte dans lequel le cogito formule par Camus campe celui qui se revoke au present de Paction : > (OC III, 79). Et Camus de preciser : > (ibid., c'est nous qui soulignons.) C'est justement a l'image de cet > (OCI, 261) evoque dans Le Mythe de Sisyphe que les contributeurs au volume collectif Albert Camus au quotidien se proposent d'aborder l'homme et son ceuvre : > (Preface, 12) Coedites par Andre Benhaim et Aymeric Glacet, le livre comprend dix essais par des chercheurs americains, frangais et anglais tous specialistes ou amateurs de Camus--qui traitent, chacun de sa maniere, cet > (OC I, 298) dont la vie et l'ceuvre de Camus font preuve. …
Systematic Review: Perioperative Systemic Therapy for Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma.

Background: Approximately 16% of patients with renal cell carcinomas (RCC) present with stage IV disease at time of diagnosis. Treatment options for metastatic clear cell RCC, the most common histologic subtype, have proliferated over the past decade and include a combination of surgery and systemic therapy. The selection of systemic agent and best timing of systemic therapy in relation to nephrectomy is an area of active research. Objective: To evaluate the evidence for perioperative systemic therapy, including presurgical and postsurgical, for metastatic RCC. Methods: A systematic literature search using PubMed and MEDLINE databases was performed in January 2017 for articles related to perioperative systemic therapy in metastatic RCC using key word search terms. The authors screened the search results and identified selected publications by predetermined inclusion criteria and consensus. Expert opinion was obtained to assess for publications missed by search. Results: Early phase clinical trials of antiangiogenic tyrosine kinase inhibitors prior to cytoreductive nephrectomy in select patients show that these systemic agents are safe and effective in the presurgical setting. There are no randomized data evaluating pre- or post-surgical systemic therapy in metastatic RCC. Conclusions: Retrospective and early-phase prospective studies on the use and timing of systemic therapy in relation to cytoreductive nephrectomy in metastatic RCC show that standard of care antiangiogenic agents are safe and effective in the perioperative setting, though randomized data are still lacking. Pre-surgical immune checkpoint therapy for metastatic RCC has strong biologic rationale and holds promise. Sequential tumor sampling in neoadjuvant and presurgical trials is necessary to determine biomarkers of response and resistance.
Systemic vasculitis with dermatomyositis, hearing loss, neuropathy, and multiorgan dysfunction

A 39-year-old woman presented with 10 months of steadily progressive weakness, myalgia, weight loss, and intermittent feet tingling. During the course of her illness, she developed refractory atrial fibrillation, left followed by right-sided hearing loss, amenorrhea, and hematuria. She had been on rituximab for years for “polyarthralgias,” which was stopped at symptom onset. Examination showed severe proximal weakness and mildly decreased toe proprioception. Deltoid biopsy (figure) was diagnostic of dermatomyositis. Liver and enteric biopsies showed lymphocytosis. Suspicion for vasculitis led to sural nerve biopsy (figure), showing large-arteriole vasculitis. Despite treatment with high-dose prednisone and cyclophosphamide, the patient died. This is a unique case of systemic vasculitis associated with dermatomyositis, hearing loss, neuropathy, and multiorgan dysfunction. The histologic findings and the relentless progression despite stopping rituximab argue against a role for rituximab in the pathogenesis.
Correlation of Amino Acid Concentrations, Permeability and Structural Changes in Monkey Brain Following both Sustained and Transient Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

The effect of ischemia on the extravasation of inulin was determined following acute middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion by comparing amounts of inulin present in ischemic areas of rhesus monkey brain to values obtained from non-ischemic areas. The degree of ischemic damage present was evaluated by both biochemical and structural methods. Increased alanine to glutamate (A:G) ratios (a biochemical index of ischemia) correlated well with increased extravasation of inulin. In a separate study, transient ischemia was studied in monkeys whose MCA was occluded for one hour followed by one week’s reperfusion. Throughout the study, local cerebral blood flow (CBF) was monitored. Following a week of reperfusion, no differences in sorbitol or inulin compartments were noted between hemispheres; in addition, A:G ratios had returned to preocclusive levels. These results are interpreted as evidence of blood-brain barrier (BBB) repair and brain metabolic recovery. Light microscopic demonstration of heterogeneous vacuolation correlated well with a biochemical permeability index (sorbitol:inulin ratio) calculated after equilibration of tissue slices in sorbitol and inulin. Equilibrium marker measurements may be useful adjuncts to light and electron microscopic evaluation of ischemic injury.