cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mapping Myofibrillar Protein Interactions by Mutational Proteomics

The myofibril is a multiprotein complex that performs the contractile activity of the muscle cell. Biochemical experiments over the past decades have revealed protein interactions that are critical for regulated contractile activity and for maintaining myofibril integrity and structural stability. Most of this information has emerged from in vitro binding studies of only a handful of proteins, primarily from vertebrate systems. Here we present a large scale and unbiased approach, termed mutational proteomics, for identifying interacting proteins and mapping their binding sites. The approach entails a broad interrogation of mutant myofibrillar proteomes to identify proteins whose expressions are altered as a result of a particular mutation. We discuss the many advantages that are available from the study of Drosophila flight muscle to serve as a platform for a comprehensive survey of protein interactions, and the eventual goal of providing a complete map of all the protein-protein interactions in the myofibril.
[282-POS]: Apelin as a novel therapeutic target in preeclampsia

Objectives The endogenous apelin system is an emerging target for the regulation of cardiovascular homeostasis; however its role in pregnancy is not understood. We previously reported that total immunoreactive apelin was lower in the placenta of preeclamptic women (PRE) compared to normotensive women (NT). Since the processing of apelin precursor may yield a number of bioactive peptides, we established whether differences exist in the expression of the various molecular forms of apelin in the human placenta and whether the distribution pattern of apelin is altered in PRE. Methods Placental samples were pooled from NT ( n = 4) or PRE ( n = 4) at 37–38 weeks of gestation and the apelin forms resolved by HPLC coupled to an apelin radioimmunoassay. Results Total apelin content was lower in the placenta of PRE compared to NT (4.2 vs. 6.1 pg/mg wet weight). The HPLC analysis revealed negligible levels of apelin-36 from the placentas of NT and PRE (NT: 0.09, PRE: 0.11 pg/mg weight). A peak of apelin-17 was detected in both NT and PRE samples, but the shorter forms of apelin were more abundant. Therefore, separation conditions were tailored to achieve greater resolution of the lower molecular weight forms of apelin. This analysis revealed that the predominant apelin in both PRE and NT placentas was pyroglutamylated apelin-13 (Pyr-apelin-13; NT: 7.1, PRE: 6.6 pg/mg weight); however, apelin-12 and apelin-13 were lower in PRE vs. NT placentas (1.8 and 22 fold, respectively). Moreover, we show that systemic infusion of apelin-13 (2 mg/kg/day) from day 13 to 20 of gestation reduced mean blood pressure (144 ± 1 vs. 163 ± 5 mmHg, n = 4–6, p Conclusions Pyr-apelin-13 is the predominant endogenous isoform of apelin in both NT and PRE placentas, while apelin-13 and apelin-12 are downregulated in PRE placentas. As a novel therapeutic agent, apelin may prevent the development of preeclampsia. Disclosures L.M. Yamaleyeva: None. M.C. Chappell: None. K. Brosnihan: None. L. Anton: None. N. Pirro: None. C. McGee: None. D.C. Merrill: None. H.L. Mertz: None.
Data mining for seismic slip

Seismic data during the time interval between larger earthquakes could contain information about fault displacements and potential for future failure, suggest analyses of data from laboratory and real-world slow-slip earthquakes using machine-learning techniques.
Full-field strain prediction using mode shapes measured with digital image correlation

Abstract Health and condition monitoring of composite structures are critical in engineering especially in the wind, civil, aviation, and auto industries. However, considering the geometry and size of the structures, analyzing critical locations can become challenging. Traditional sensors such as strain-gauges are widely used to collect operating data, but these conventional methods cannot present full-field data and only show the measurement data at a few discrete locations. Baqersad and Bharadwaj have recently developed a Strain Expansion-Reduction Approach (SERA) to bridge this gap and to expand a limited set of measurements and obtain full-field strain data. This approach uses the strain mode shapes from Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to develop a transformation matrix that expands the limited strain data measured using strain-gauges and predicts full-field strain over the entire structure. However, for many structures, it is challenging to accurately model the geometry or material properties for finite element analysis. Many of these structures are made of composite materials and material modes for these structures might not be readily available. In this paper, we use the strain mode shapes extracted using Digital Image Correlation (DIC) in the expansion process. These mode shapes represent actual properties of the structures. The strain mode shapes for a sample structure of a product can be extracted in a test facility using this approach (e.g., a wind turbine blade or a suspension A-arm). An in situ limited set of measurement can be performed using strain-gauges or fiber optic sensors on the structure. Then, the limited data can be expanded using the strain mode shapes to extract full-field strain results. To demonstrate the merit of the approach, we applied the proposed technique to expand real-time operating data measured using a few strain-gauges mounted to a composite spoiler. Using a transformation matrix generated using the DIC operating deflection shapes, the expansion technique predicted the full field strain on the spoiler. It was shown that the proposed methodology could effectively expand the strain data at limited locations to accurately predict the strain at locations where no sensors were placed.
Language socialization across borders: Producing scalar subjectivities through material-affective semiosis

Abstract Recent scholarship on language use has developed a resurgent interest in the complex interrelationship of language and materiality; given its longstanding investigation of both non-verbal communication and political economy, language socialization research is well-positioned to make important contributions to this investigation of language materiality. This paper advances such a project by demonstrating how the discursive processes of language socialization make the material affectively meaningful. Through an exploration of prompting interactions in cross-border conversations within transnational Salvadoran families, the paper elucidates how processes of material-affective semiosis produce subject positions that are made normative for some individuals, in this case, differentiating between migrant and non-migrant kin. Drawing out the role of materiality in such processes thus reveals how language socialization functions as a scale-making resource that turns the inequalities of transnational migration into constitutive features of family life.
Positron emission tomography reporter gene strategy for use in the central nervous system

There is a growing need for monitoring or imaging gene therapy in the central nervous system (CNS). This can be achieved with a positron emission tomography (PET) reporter gene strategy. Here we report the development of a PET reporter gene system using the PKM2 gene with its associated radiotracer [18F]DASA-23. The PKM2 reporter gene was delivered to the brains of mice by adeno-associated virus (AAV9) via stereotactic injection. Serial PET imaging was carried out over 8 wk to assess PKM2 expression. After 8 wk, the brains were excised for further mRNA and protein analysis. PET imaging at 8 wk post-AAV delivery showed an increase in [18F]DASA-23 brain uptake in the transduced site of mice injected with the AAV mice over all controls. We believe PKM2 shows great promise as a PET reporter gene and to date is the only example that can be used in all areas of the CNS without breaking the blood-brain barrier, to monitor gene and cell therapy.
Does Online Course-taking Increase High School Completion and Open Pathways to Postsecondary Education Opportunities?

Recent increases in high school graduation rates have been linked anecdotally to online course-taking for credit recovery. Online course-taking that supports high school completion could open oppor...
A critique of everyday reason: Johann Michael Sailer and the Catholic Enlightenment in Germany

Johann Michael Sailer was a Catholic theologian and philosopher whose career spanned the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Still relatively unknown outside of Catholic historiography,...
Evolutionism, Including Social Darwinism

Classical evolutionism, as represented by Jean Baptiste Lamarck, Herbert Spencer, and the founders of British and American anthropology, pictured a developmental unfolding of inner tendencies from lower to higher stages along similar lines. Following publication of Darwin's Origin of Species (1859), a second strain of evolutionism instead explained change in terms of responses to specific, historical circumstances, stressing mechanism (natural selection) over cosmic laws and external over internal causes. Although many pseudo-Darwinians accepted evolutionism while rejecting natural selection, this mechanism gained support in the neo-Darwinism of the 1890s, resulting in a proliferation of social selectionist theories.Critics adopted the pejorative term social Darwinism to describe both strains of social evolutionism. But the label misrepresented the theories to which it was applied, whether classical evolutionists who distanced themselves from Darwinism; defenders of laissez faire and liberal reformers, who embraced different versions of social Lamarckianism/social Spencerianism; or social selectionists who contrasted the brutality of uncontrolled struggle with the benefits of government-imposed order in imperialism, eugenics, or legalized racial segregation. Combined with a temporary eclipse of Darwinism in biology and attacks on evolutionism in the social sciences after 1900, the phrase social Darwinism remained a popular weapon in the interwar years against attempts to ground social theory in biology.After 1940, the emergence of the Darwinian ‘modern synthesis,’ combined with advances in ethology and neuropsychology, paved the way for a revival of social evolutionism and selectionism in anthropology and sociology. After 1975, sociobiology became the dominant form of social selectionism, refined in the 1980s in coevolutionist theories relating culture and biology. By the 1990s, new criticism of the modern synthesis fueled attacks on ‘ultra-Darwinist’ social theory, echoing many of the cultural and religious concerns of a century earlier.
The Fungal Toenail: Topical, Oral, and Laser Treatments

Onychomycosis remains a common, progressive, and difficult disease to manage successfully. Early diagnosis and treatment are important irrespective of risk factors or comorbidities. Confirming the diagnosis of onychomycosis is paramount, especially before starting a systemic medication. Choosing other modalities, such as topical antifungals or non-surgical options to treat the nail, whether as monotherapy or as a combination regimen, should be tailored to each patient. Clinicians have more options than ever to manage fungal nail disease and ultimately improve quality of life for affected patients.
In Vitro Dissolution of Fluconazole and Dipyridamole in Gastrointestinal Simulator (GIS), Predicting in Vivo Dissolution and Drug-Drug Interaction Caused by Acid-Reducing Agents.

Weakly basic drugs typically exhibit pH-dependent solubility in the physiological pH range, displaying supersaturation or precipitation along the gastrointestinal tract. Additionally, their oral bioavailabilities may be affected by coadministration of acid-reducing agents that elevate gastric pH. The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of a multicompartmental in vitro dissolution apparatus, Gastrointestinal Simulator (GIS), in predicting in vivo dissolution of certain oral medications. In vitro dissolution studies of fluconazole, a BCS class I, and dipyridamole, a BCS class II weak bases (class IIb), were performed in the GIS as well as United States Pharmacopeia (USP) apparatus II and compared with the results of clinical drug–drug interaction (DDI) studies. In both USP apparatus II and GIS, fluconazole completely dissolved within 60 min regardless of pH, reflecting no DDI between fluconazole and acid-reducing agents in a clinical study. On the other hand, seven-fold and 15-fold higher co...
Linda Duncombe, Editorial Board Member

It is with great sadness that we tell of the passing of Linda A. (Werkley) Duncombe, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, 73, from Newton, MA, on June 29, 2020. Linda passed peacefully surrounded by her loving famil...
Waitlist Outcomes for Heart Transplant Candidates with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) before and after the 2018 UNOS Allocation Policy Change

Purpose The UNOS Policy change in 2018 reclassified all adult CHD patients as status 4, as this patient population is not as well supported by inotropes or other forms of mechanical support which would normally increase a patient's status. We performed an analysis of competing outcomes in patients on the waitlist one year before (PRE) and after (POST) this policy change (10/18/2018). Methods Patients with CHD on the waitlist for heart transplant were identified through the UNOS database one year before (PRE, n=149) and after (POST, n=166) the UNOS policy change. Baseline characteristics were compared using Mann-Whitney U test and Chi-square test as appropriate. Competing outcomes analysis was performed to compare (1) death or deterioration, (2) heart transplant or recovery, or (3) continuation on waitlist at 6 months. Results At 180 days, a greater proportion of POST patients were transplanted (50.0% vs 40.3%, p=0.026). There was no significant difference in death or deterioration (7.38% vs 7.23%, p=0.97), or continuation on waitlist (52.4% vs 42.8%, p=0.138). Patients in POST had fewer days on the waitlist (110.5, IQR 29.5-296.8 vs 171, IQR 73.0-453.0, p Conclusion After the policy change, a greater proportion of CHD patients were transplanted or recovered, with a shorter amount of time on the waitlist. There was no difference in death or deterioration or continuation on the waitlist at 6 months. Further study is warranted, including analysis by congenital heart disease type, in order to further assess the efficacy of the policy change.
Development of T-cell immunity in a liver and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipient following coronavirus disease 2019 infection.

Abstract The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disproportionately affected patients with comorbidities, including recipients of solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplants (SCT). Upon recovery from COVID-19, the degree of the immunological protection from reinfection remains unclear. Here we describe a 33-year-old patient with erythropoietic protoporphyria (EPP) who had undergone liver transplantation with splenectomy followed by allogeneic SCT in 2013 after an initial failed liver and umbilical cord transplant. The patient developed mild upper respiratory symptoms in the spring of 2020 and was found to have anti-SARS-CoV2 antibodies suggesting past infection. A comprehensive analysis of T cell functionality in peripheral blood from this patient revealed robust in vitro responses against SARS CoV2 antigens Spike (S) 1 and 2, membrane (M) and nucleoprotein (NP), comparable to the reactivity against common antigens from CMV, EBV, Ad and BK viruses, while only low reactivity was seen in healthy donors without documented history of COVID-19. Moreover, the patient displayed a marked recognition of counterpart antigens from related human coronaviruses (hCoVs) 229E, OC43, NL63 and HKU1. Thus, despite lifelong immunosuppression, this survivor of COVID-19 retained a remarkable degree of immunocompetence and showed broad-spectrum T cell memory specific for SARS-CoV2 and related hCoVs including less studied hCoV M and NP antigens. The study highlights the role of cellular immunity after natural COVID-19 infection, suggesting broader use of T cell assays as a tool for risk stratification, measurement of immunocompetence and/or post-infection or post-vaccination protection, and possible T cell-based adoptive immunotherapy strategies in high-risk patients.
Introduction to Urinary Bladder Pathology

Bladder diseases are very common clinically and pathologically. Among them, bladder cancer is a major public health concern, particularly in men, with both high incidence and high mortality. Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in adult males, surpassed only by prostate, lung, and colon cancers, and the eighth most common cause of death in males in the United States. Understanding normal bladder histology, benign abnormalities, cancer prevalence, and carcinogenesis is important for bladder disease diagnosis as well as for the effective management of bladder diseases. This chapter will explore bladder cancer incidence, carcinogenesis, and clinical management to provide a brief pathologic point of view and guide the reader for further interest of the subsequent chapters.
Spontaneous N2 formation by a diruthenium complex enables electrocatalytic and aerobic oxidation of ammonia.

The electrochemical conversion of ammonia to dinitrogen in a direct ammonia fuel cell (DAFC) is a necessary technology for the realization of a nitrogen economy. Previous efforts to catalyse this reaction with molecular complexes required the addition of exogenous oxidizing reagents or application of potentials greater than the thermodynamic potential for the oxygen reduction reaction—the cathodic process of a DAFC. We report a stable metal–metal bonded diruthenium complex that spontaneously produces dinitrogen from ammonia under ambient conditions. The resulting reduced diruthenium material can be reoxidized with oxygen for subsequent reactions with ammonia, demonstrating its ability to spontaneously promote both half-reactions necessary for a DAFC. The diruthenium complex also acts as a redox mediator for the electrocatalytic oxidation of ammonia to dinitrogen at potentials as low as −255 mV versus Fc0/+ and operates below the oxygen reduction reaction potential in alkaline conditions, thus achieving a thermodynamic viability relevant for the future development of DAFCs. The use of ammonia as an alternative fuel relies on its electrochemical conversion to dinitrogen in a fuel cell. Now a stable metal–metal bonded diruthenium complex is shown to spontaneously produce dinitrogen from ammonia under ambient conditions and is also able to electrocatalyse the oxidation of ammonia to dinitrogen at low potentials.
Applications of Carbon-13 and Sodium-23 NMR in the Study of Plants, Animal, and Human Cells

Carbon-13 and sodium-23 NMR have been applied to the study of a variety of plant, animal and human cell types. Sodium NMR, in combination with dysprosium shift reagents, has been used to monitor sodium transport kinetics in salt-adapted, and non-adapted cells of P. milliaceum and whole D. spicata plants. The sodium content of human erythrocytes and leukemic macrophages was measured. Carbon-13 NMR was used to determine the structure and metabolism of rat epididymal fat pad adipocytes in real time. Insulin and isoproterenol-stimulated triacylglycerol turnover could be monitored in fat cell suspensions. [1-13C] glucose was used as a substrate to demonstrate futile metabolic cycling from glucose to glycerol during lypolysis. Cell wall polysaccharide synthesis was followed in suspensions of P. milliaceum cells using [1-13C] glucose as a precursor. These results illustrate the wide range of living systems which are amenable to study with NMR.
Influence of environmental factors on the rotifer assemblage in an artificial lake

Seasonal changes of the plankton rotifer community in an eutrophic Czech reservoir were evaluated in relation to 46 environmental variables. To do this, data of rotifer abundance from three growing seasons (1993–1995) were analyzed. The seasonal dynamics of rotifers in all three years were characterized by two distinctive aspects: (1) the spring peak, with both maximum density and maximum species diversity, was dominated by Keratella cochlearis, K. hiemalis, K quadrata and Polyarthra dolichoptera; (2) the summer-autumnal peak (or several lower peaks) of about half the intensity of the spring one, was composed mainly of Keratella cochlearis, Trichocerca similis and Polyarthra vulgaris. The separation between these two peaks coincided with the decline of phytoplankton and development of a clear-water phase in this reservoir. In redundancy analysis, species-abundance data for rotifers were related to all measured environmental variables. Date, abundance of Cyclops vicinus, total nitrogen, primary production, surface temperature, and density of heterotrophic nanoflagellates were identified as the most important variables. Partial redundancy analysis was used to assess the significance of pure and date-structured environmental factors influencing rotifers during the season. Date-structured environmental factors (such as physical and chemical variables, food, competition, and predation) significantly affected the rotifer community. This study shows that the rotifers in the reservoir are controlled by both abiotic and biotic factors.
Pavement Applications for Steel Fibrous Concrete

A number of significant field experiments have been carried out to evaluate the suitability of steel fibrous concrete as an overlay for bridges and pavements, and to study such variables as concrete mix design, fiber type and quality, joint spacing and design, overlay thickness, and the type of bonding to the old surface. Some general observations and comments are relevant: (1) Steel fibrous concrete overlays can be prepared using existing mixing and placing equipment; (2) steel fibers are available for experimental evaluation in reasonably large quantities in the United States; (3) steel fibrous concrete overlays as thin as two inches may be suitable in some applications; (4) there are reasons for expecting safisfactory performance from fibrous concrete overlays containing relatively low quantities of fibers; (5) mix and overlay design changes have helped eliminate premature cracking (nonlive load) of the overlays; (6) the use of shrinkage compensating cements and debonding techniques offers the potential of significant increases in joint spacing.
Unilateral Synthesis of Reovirus Double-Stranded Ribonucleic Acid by a Cell-Free Replicase System

Abstract A large-particle fraction obtained from reovirus-infected L cells contained both replicase and transcriptase activity. The in vitro replicase reaction slowed down soon after initiation, whereas the transcriptase reaction proceeded at an unabated rate. The replicase and transcriptase were both template-bound and could be separated from one another by controlled chymotryptic digestion followed by centrifugation in a CsCl gradient. The transcriptase was recovered as a sharp band (ρ = 1.43) and resembled virus core derived from mature virions. In contrast, replicase activity was distributed throughout the gradient, indicating that replicase is associated with structures of various density in CsCl. In subsequent experiments, the replicase product was found to be indistinguishable from the double-stranded ribonucleic acid (RNA) reovirus genome with respect to its buoyant density in cesium-salt gradients and denaturation-annealing characteristics. A “hybridization-competition” experiment in which the replicase product was denatured and annealed in the presence of an excess of plus-RNA indicated that the in vitro replicase reaction proceeded by means of a unilateral synthesis of minus-RNA upon a preexisting plus-RNA template, presumably of single-stranded form.
Epithelial to mesenchymal transition is associated with rapamycin resistance

// Ashley M. Holder 1, 2 , Argun Akcakanat 3 , Farrell Adkins 4 , Kurt Evans 3 , Huiqin Chen 5 , Caimiao Wei 5 , Denai R. Milton 5 , Yisheng Li 5 , Kim-Anh Do 5 , Filip Janku 3 , Funda Meric-Bernstam 1, 3 1 Department of Surgical Oncology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 2 Department of Surgery, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA 3 Department of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA 4 Department of Colorectal Surgery, Cleveland Clinic Florida, Weston, FL, USA 5 Department of Biostatistics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA Correspondence to: Funda Meric-Bernstam, e-mail: fmeric@mdanderson.org Keywords: epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), rapamycin, trametinib, biomarker, E-cadherin Received: September 02, 2014 Accepted: March 25, 2015 Published: April 13, 2015 ABSTRACT Rapamycin analogues have antitumor efficacy in several tumor types, however few patients demonstrate tumor regression. Thus, there is a pressing need for markers of intrinsic response/resistance and rational combination therapies. We hypothesized that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers rapamycin resistance. We found that the epithelial marker E-cadherin protein is higher in rapamycin sensitive (RS) cells and mesenchymal breast cancer cell lines selected by transcriptional EMT signatures are less sensitive to rapamycin. MCF7 cells, transfected with constitutively active mutant Snail, had increased rapamycin resistance (RR) compared to cells transfected with wild-type Snail. Conversely, we transfected two RR mesenchymal cell lines—ACHN and MDA-MB-231—with miR-200b/c or ZEB1 siRNA to promote mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition. This induced E-cadherin expression in both cell lines, and ACHN demonstrated a significant increase in RS. Treatment of ACHN and MDA-MB-231 with trametinib modulated EMT in ACHN cells in vitro . Treatment of MDA-MB-231 and ACHN xenografts with trametinib in combination with rapamycin resulted in significant growth inhibition in both but without an apparent effect on EMT. Future studies are needed to determine whether EMT status is predictive of sensitivity to rapalogs and to determine whether combination therapy with EMT modulating agents can enhance antitumor effects of PI3K/mTOR inhibitors.
Political Violence and the Illicit Economies of West Africa

This comparative analysis draws on field research in several West African countries to illustrate the dynamic relationships between political violence and organized crime in this sub-region. These relationships are often transactional, and almost always on a temporary basis. While some alliances of convenience may be forged, in other cases an adversarial relationship exists between organized crime and terrorist networks. In some cases, key actors within West African governments have benefited from these relationships. We then examine recent policies and strategies pursued by the U.S. and the international community that, in the name of combating terrorism, seek to constrain the illicit economies of the region, but in doing so may do more harm than good. The article concludes with some policy recommendations based on this analysis.
The REH theory of protein and nucleic acid divergence - A retrospective update

Over half a decade has passed since the quantitative REH theory of evolutionary divergence in nucleic acids and proteins was published. The principle tenant of this theory is that natural selection and stochastic processes interact, the main effect of the former being to restrict those codon sites which may fix mutations. At the time it was published the theory predicted a magnitude for the total number of fixed nucleotide replacements that was appreciably larger than estimates then current. 'In the last two years these predictions have been confirmed in those protein families for which the experimental data base is large: cytochromec, α-hemoglobin,β-hemoglobin, and myoglobin. It has come to our attention, chiefly through private correspondance, but also in one published review, that certain aspects of the REH theory have caused confusion among some users. This paper discusses these particular aspects in some detail, restates the theory in a manner which emphasizes its essential simplicity, analyzes the magnitude of possible sources of errors, and considers some important statistical matters not dealt with elsewhere. The calculational methodology is simplified by replacing tables and graphs by polynomial expressions, and deriving a more simple expression for calculating the number of codons which have been free to fix mutations during some part of the period of divergence of two species. A statistical bias in the estimation of the fixation intensity is corrected. It is hoped these changes will make the method more accessible to those without extensive computing facilities.
Supercharge Nerve Transfer to Enhance Motor Recovery: A Laboratory Study

Purpose To investigate the ability of a supercharge end-to-side (SETS) nerve transfer to augment the effect of regenerating native axons in an incomplete rodent sciatic nerve injury model. Methods Fifty-four Lewis rats were randomized to 3 groups. The first group was an incomplete recovery model (IRM) of the tibial nerve complemented with an SETS transfer from the peroneal nerve (SETS-IRM). The IRM consisted of tibial nerve transection and immediate repair using a 10-mm fresh tibial isograft to provide some, but incomplete, nerve recovery. The 2 control groups were IRM alone and SETS alone. Nerve histomorphometry, electron microscopy, retrograde labeling, and muscle force testing were performed. Results Histomorphometry of the distal tibial nerve showed significantly increased myelinated axonal counts in the SETS-IRM group compared with the IRM and SETS groups at 5 and 8 weeks. Retrograde labeling at 8 weeks confirmed increased motoneuron counts in the SETS-IRM group. Functional recovery at 8 weeks showed a significant increase in muscle-specific force in the SETS-IRM group compared with the IRM group. Conclusions An SETS transfer enhanced recovery from an incomplete nerve injury as determined by histomorphometry, motoneuron labeling within the spinal cord, and muscle force measurements. Clinical relevance An SETS distal nerve transfer may be useful in nerve injuries with incomplete regeneration such as proximal Sunderland II- or III-degree injuries, in which long regeneration distance yields prolonged time to muscle reinnervation and suboptimal functional recovery.
Integrating emotion with identity in European Union strategy

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a more extensive and overt use of emotion in building popular support for the EU.Design/methodology/approach – The approach takes the form of identifying and analyzing historical and modern evidence for the uses of emotion by organizations and states attempting to build or protect their identities, and proposing a new EU communication strategy that builds on existing and previous experience.Findings – Emotion was extensively used by early states; its value is being relearned by corporations and national governments. However, the EU has not been making effective use of emotion.Practical implications – The EU must manage its communication needs in a new way.Originality/value – The EU has neglected a critical area of communication effectiveness, and should address this problem by applying historical precedent to the activities of modern non‐government organizations.
Correlated electrons in the eu-exchanged preyssler anion [EuP5W30O110]n-

The Eu-encrypted Preyssler anion, [EuP5W30O110]n-, demonstrates unusual electronic properties as a function of applied potenial. The Preyssler anion itself, when exchanged with a nonredox active trivalent ion such as La3+, is electroactive in acidic solution, reversibly accepting up to 10 electrons under reducing conditions. Encrypted Eu, which is trivalent at rest potential, is reduced concomitantly with the framework. The details of this reduction are probed with Eu L3-XANES, coulometry, and magnetic susceptibility. The results are interpreted in terms of a bonding interaction between the Eu f-states and the W−O framework band, facilitated by the crossing of the framework Fermi level with the localized states. Such behavior has been previously observed in intermediate-valent and correlated-electron systems. The observation of such behavior in an isolated cluster opens the door for new avenues of research into correlated-electron behavior.
Structural model for pseudobinary semiconductor alloys.

Using the Keating valence-force-field model with large periodic supercells, we analyze the structural relaxations of pseudobinary III-V and II-VI semiconductor alloys. We quantitatively predict the dependence of bond lengths and second-neighbor distances on alloy composition, and show that the multimodal distributions of second-neighbor distances may be explained in terms of a simple set of local geometries. Intrinsic alloy broadening of bond-length distributions is also calculated and compared with experimentally measured values.
An extension of Lighthill's result on asymptotic evaluation of multiple Fourier integrals

Abstract An Asymptotic form for the solution of a linear constant coefficient partial differential equation with a small parameter, ϵ, appearing in the lower order terms, and its error estimation are obtained, based on the assumptions that a radiation condition is satisfied and ϵ√(x2+y2+z2) = O(1). An application to the problem of steady three-dimensional flow of a stratified fluid with uniform density gradient and unbounded extent is made.
SU-DD-A4-06: Visualization of Micro-Calcifications in a Prototype Breast CT Scanner

Purpose: To evaluate the ability of a prototype breast CT scanner to detect micro‐calcifications, and to understand the influence that tube potential and radiation dose have on this. Method and Materials: Commercially available micro‐calcifications (μCa) of various sizes (200 to 425 μm) were embedded inside a 12.7 mm polyethylene tube filled with gelatin (to simulate glandular tissue). The gelatin tube was then placed inside a 14 cm diameter adipose equivalent cylindrical phantom and scanned using various tube potentials (60 to 100 kVp) and tube currents. CTimages were reconstructed with both Ramp and Shepp‐Logan filters, with a reconstructed voxel size of about 320×320×200 μm. The μCa were then evaluated quantitatively using signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) metric, and subjective appraisals were made as well. A dedicated breast CT visualization workstation was used for subjective evaluation. Results: Results for 250–280 mm μCa imaged at 80 kVp shown that the μCa are clearly visible when the rod is scanned by itself, but extremely difficult to locate when placed inside the 14 cm phantom. The visualization of the μCa improved overall for larger μCa, and overall visualization improves as the radiation levels are increased, as expected. Conclusion: These initial results suggested that the pixel size may not be a critical factor when determining the ability of the prototype system to visual micro‐calcifications, as the current objects scanned are only about 48% of the reconstructed voxel size. Maximum intensity projection (MIP) display for thick‐slice imaging was found to be most useful for subjective viewing of micro‐calcification clusters.
Polymerase chain reaction and its uses as a diagnostic tool for cardiovascular disease.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR), initially developed approximately a decade ago by Kary Mullis, has revolutionized the basic science and clinical research study of human disease. The beauty and utility of this method derive from its simplicity and automation. PCR amplifies a single copy of DNA sequence into millions of identical copies in a matter of hours, allowing rapid detection of subtle differences in sequence, gene cloning, and mutation analysis, among other uses. In this review, the basic technique of PCR and its applications as a diagnostic tool for cardiovascular disease are discussed.
A Cultural Sensitivity Training Workshop for Psychiatry Residents

Efforts have been made to develop a core curriculum for cultural sensitivity training for psychiatry residents. There is a lack of literature reporting effectiveness of various teaching modalities for such training. The authors report their experience with a 4-hour pilot workshop to teach psychiatry residents ethnic and cultural issues in patient care. Pretest and posttest questionnaires were designed to measure residents’ knowledge of cultural issues. There was statistically significant improvement in performance on questionnaires after the workshop (F = 30.6; P<0.001). Further studies are necessary to examine teaching modalities in residency education.
Pylephlebitis, portal-mesenteric thrombosis, and multiple liver abscesses owing to perforated appendicitis.

The authors report a case of a ruptured retrocecal appendix presenting with pylephlebitis, portal-mesenteric thrombosis, and multiple liver abscesses in an 8-year-old boy. A right hemicolectomy was performed, and liver abscesses were drained. The patient was treated with long-term antibiotics and anticoagulation. This the only case of perforated appendicitis associated with these 3 morbid complications in the modern literature.
The Person and the Social Context: Future Directions for Research on the Traumatic Effects of Child Soldiering Around the World

In his seminal article “Toward an Experimental Ecology of Human Development,” Bronfenbrenner (1977) urged researchers to attend to the significance of the social context when studying human develop...
Sedimentary Evidence for the Allochthonous Origin of Stigmaria, Carboniferous, Nova Scotia

The usual mode of occurrence of Stigmaria, sub-parallel to the bedding and with Appendices attached to it in radial arrangement, has long been considered unambiguous proof of growth in situ of this plant fossil. Four sedimentary features of Stigmaria in the Carboniferous cliff sections of Nova Scotia, Canada, contradict the general validity of this argument and indicate, instead, transportation of the stigmarian specimens. These features are: (1) preferred orientation of Stigmaria axes, (2) their fragmentation, (3) filling of stigmarian fragments with sediment different from the enveloping rock, and (4) evidence of rapid accumulation of beds containing Stigmaria. The Appendices , commonly believed to have been very soft, may in fact have been rather stiff. Paleoecological interpretations of stigmarian beds, if originally based on the supposed growth in situ of Stigmaria, will require reconsideration.
Integration of Basic Materials Research Into the Design of Cast Components by a Multi-Scale Methodology

We present a formal methodology to integrate basic materials research results into a design procedure for engineering components. Although the methodology is generic, we demonstrate its development and application in designing a cast automotive control arm. Specifically, we propose a multi-scale analysis whereby the local mechanisms of deformation are accounted for by an internal state variable constitutive model embedded within a non-linear elastic-plastic finite element analysis. Multiple fundamental materials research approaches at different length scales are utilized to quantify the pertinent deformation mechanisms, such as atomistic simulations, microscopy, micromechanical finite element simulations, and mechanical testing. The current methodology is a step toward a larger goal of interactively integrating basic materials science research into engineering system design.
NESSUS/EXPERT - An expert system for probabilistic structural analysis methods

An expert system (NESSUS/EXPERT) is presented which provides assistance in using probabilistic structural analysis methods. NESSUS/EXPERT is an interactive menu-driven expert system that provides information to assist in the use of the probabilistic finite element code NESSUS/FEM and the fast probability integrator. NESSUS/EXPERT was developed with a combination of FORTRAN and CLIPS, a C language expert system tool, to exploit the strengths of each language.
Symbolic interaction theory and its implications for the field of mental retardation

(1974). Symbolic interaction theory and its implications for the field of mental retardation. Peabody Journal of Education: Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 254-260.
A carbocyanine dye, DiOC6(3), acts as a mitochondrial probe in human neutrophils

Summary Membrane potential changes have been monitored in human neutrophils using the carbocyanine dye DiOC 6 (3) (3,3′-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide). Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that the carbocyanine dye DiOC 6 (3) partitions predominantly into subcellular organelles, probably mitochondria. Fluorescence spectroscopy demonstrated that activation of the neutrophil by f-met-leu-phe and phorbol myristate acetate is followed by a short lag period where no change in fluorescence was observed followed by a rapid loss of fluorescence — an apparent depolarization. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that this loss of fluorescence was from the mitochondria. The fluorescence loss was inhibited by electron transport inhibitors, cyanide and rotenone, and by the oxidative phosphorylation uncouplers, CCCP and dinitrophenol. Thus DiOC 6 (3) predominantly reported changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and not transplasmalemmal membrane potential. The apparent discordance in membrane potential results obtained using carbocyanine dye and the lipophilic cation TPMP + may be explained on the basis of differences in probe distribution.
Non-iron mediated alteration in hepatic transferrin gene expression in the nephrotic rat.

Non-iron mediated alteration in hepatic transferrin gene expression in the nephrotic rat. Both transferrin and the iron it carries are lost in the urine in the nephrotic syndrome. Patients may develop hypochromic microcytic anemia and synthesis of transferrin, a protein regulated in large part by iron availability, is increased. Transferrin synthesis has also been reported to be increased in liver slices from rats with hereditary analbuminemia, and their plasma transferrin levels are increased, suggesting that transferrin synthesis may be stimulated by processes other than iron depletion in this hypoalbuminemic condition. Transferrin metabolism was studied in rats with Heymann nephritis (HN), in a strain of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats with hereditary analbuminemia [Nagase analbuminemic rats (NAR)], and in normal SD rats. Plasma transferrin concentration and mass was decreased significantly in HN, but increased in NAR. Transferrin synthesis was increased both in NAR (measured either as the disappearance of [ 125 I] labeled transferrin or as the incorporation of [ 3 H] phenylalanine) and in HN (incorporation of [ 3 H] phenylalanine). The fractional rate of transferrin catabolism was unchanged in NAR. Thus transferrin mass was increased in NAR entirely as a consequence of increased synthesis. Transferrin and albumin synthesis correlated with one another in both HN and SD (P
The Use of Warfarin for DVT Prophylaxis Following Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: How Often Are Patients Within Their Target INR Range?

The purpose of this study was to determine the percentage of time that patients are therapeutic when prescribed warfarin for chemical thromboprophylaxis following a hip or knee arthroplasty procedure. One hundred eighty-four patients receiving warfarin for 4weeks postoperatively, dosed using a Web-application accounting for patient demographics, INR levels, and concomitant medication use, were included. Patients with a target INR range between 1.7 and 2.7 were therapeutic for only 54.4% of the time (32.5% subtherapeutic, 13.0% supratherapeutic) while patients with a target INR range between 2.0 and 3.0 were therapeutic for only 45.9% of the time (39.2% subtherapeutic, 14.8% supratherapeutic). Patients receiving warfarin for chemical thromboprophylaxis are within their targeted INR range for only a limited period of time during their postoperative course.
Membrane Fusion Triggering: THREE MODULES WITH DIFFERENT STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION IN THE UPPER HALF OF THE MEASLES VIRUS ATTACHMENT PROTEIN STALK *

The measles virus (MV) fusion apparatus consists of a fusion protein and an attachment protein named hemagglutinin (H). After receptor-binding through its cuboidal head, the H-protein transmits the fusion-triggering signal through its stalk to the fusion protein. However, the structural basis of signal transmission is unclear because only structures of H-heads without their stalk have been solved. On the other hand, the entire ectodomain structure of the hemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein of another Paramyxovirus revealed a four-helix bundle stalk. To probe the structure of the 95-residue MV H-stalk we individually substituted head-proximal residues (positions 103–153) with cysteine, and biochemically and functionally characterized the resultant proteins. Our results indicate that most residues in the central segment (positions 103–117) can be cross-linked by engineered disulfide bonds, and thus may be engaged in a tetrameric structure. While covalent tetramerization disrupts fusion triggering function, disulfide bond reduction restores it in most positions except Asp-113. The next stalk segment (residues 123–138) also has high propensity to form covalent tetramers, but since these cross-links have little or no effect on function, it can conduct the fusion-triggering signal while remaining in a stabilized tetrameric configuration. This segment may act as a spacer, maintaining H-heads at an optimal height. Finally, the head-proximal segment (residues 139–154) has very limited propensity to trap tetramers, suggesting bifurcation into two flexible linkers clamped by inter-subunit covalent links formed by natural Cys-139 and Cys-154. We discuss the modular structure of the MV H-stalk in the context of membrane fusion triggering and cell entry by Paramyxoviruses.
A flux tube model of the finite temperature deconfining transition in QCD

Abstract A flux tube model describing the finite temperature deconfining transition in QCD is constructed. The difference between SU(2) and SU(3) is pointed out. An explanation for the disappearance of the SU(3) transition for light quark masses is given.
Perceptions of self and of ideal mates: Similarities and differences across the sexes

For 19 mating-relevant traits, single males (N= 53) and single females (N= 86) rated (a) themselves relative to their same-sex peers, (b) their perceptions of the qualities desired by members of the opposite sex in an ideal partner, and (c) the qualities desired in their own ideal romantic partner. Several themes emerged from the data. First, males’ and females’ judgments of what members of the opposite-sex seek were generally accurate. Second, males and females both feel that they fall short of perceived opposite-sex expectations in a few areas. Third, both males and females desire an ideal partner better than themselves, but this is especially true for females. These findings are discussed in terms of evolutionary social psychological principles.
Spectroscopic Study of the Uranyl Acetohydroxamate Adduct with Tributyl Phosphate

The ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic studies carried out for the system UO2(NO3)/AHA/TBP (uranyl–acetohydroxamate–tributyl phosphate) confirmed the presence of the adduct of UO2(NO3)(AHA) 2TBP with 1:1 stoichiometry for UO2:AHA (acetohydroxamic acid). The spectrum of this complex is identical to the infrared spectrum of the organic phase formed in the uranium distribution experiments with 30% TBP/n-dodecane and AHA present in aqueous phase. Disappearance of the hydroxyl stretching band and a shift in the position of the carbonyl band in the infrared spectra revealed that both the hydroxyl and the carbonyl group of acetohydroxamic acid are involved in the chelate ring with uranium. Also, acetic acid, accrued after acidic hydrolysis of acetohydroxamic acid, was identified in the extraction organic phase.