cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Morphology and Morphogenesis of the Buccal Organelles in Paramecium with Particular Reference to their Systematic Significance

SUMMARY. A comparative cytological study of the buccal organelles in seven species of Paramecium and a critical analysis of their morphogenesis during binary fission are presented. The. results show several heretofore overlooked features of the buccal system which may possess considerable systematic significance. On the basis of the morphology of the buccal apparatus and its mode of stomatogenesis, the genus Paramecium, traditionally placed among the trichostomes, is considered to be a true member of the order Hymenostomatida. The taxonomic utility of the buccal organelles and their phylogenetic implications are discussed in the light of the fundamental principles underlying the “new systematics” of ciliated protozoa.
Socioeconomic and Psychosocial Factors Mediate Race Differences in Nocturnal Blood Pressure Dipping

BACKGROUND Reduced nocturnal blood pressure (BP) dipping is more prevalent among blacks living in the United States than whites and is associated with increased target organ damage and cardiovascular risk. The primary aim of this study was to determine whether socioeconomic and psychosocial factors help to explain racial differences in dipping. In order to address the limited reproducibility of dipping measures, we investigated this question in a sample of participants who underwent multiple ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) sessions.
The prevention of alcoholic fatty liver using dietary supplements: dihydroxyacetone, pyruvate and riboflavin compared to arachidonic acid in pair-fed rats.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed for 30 days a high-fat liquid ethanol diet with dihydroxyacetone, pyruvate and riboflavin added as supplements (AMA-). Plasma triglyceride (TG) levels were 6-fold greater in these rats than in those fed and alcohol with without the supplements (AA-). The liver TG content in rats fed the AMA-diet was similar to that of rats fed a control diet (CA-) in which alcohol was replaced with isocaloric amounts of dextrose. Livers of rats fed the AA- diet had 3 times more TG than controls. Alcohol ingestion also enhanced the hepatic content of cholesteryl esters (CE) and phospholipids (PL). These lipids were reduced to levels found in livers of rats fed the control diet (CA-) when dihydroxyacetone, pyruvate and riboflavin were included in the alcohol diet. The fatty acid compositions of TG, CE and PL from livers of rats fed the AMA-diet were similar to those of corresponding lipids from rats fed the control diet (CA-) but differed from compositions when fed the alcohol diet (AA-). Regardless of the diet fed, TG had the same fatty acid composition in plasma and liver. The same was true of PL fatty acid composition. However, the fatty acid composition of CE differed between liver and plasma. The major fatty acid in liver CE was 18∶1 whereas in plasma it was arachidonic acid (20∶4). Reduced fatty liver was observed in an earlier study when rats were fed ad libitum an ethanol diet containing 20∶4. In the present study, we pair-fed the same diet and fatty liver was not reduced. Dihydroxyacetone, pyruvate and riboflavin did not prevent alcohol-induced fatty liver when 20∶4 was included in the AMA-diet. Our results confirm that dietary dihydroxyacetone, pyruvate and riboflavin prevent alcohol-induced fatty liver, and show that this effect may result from increased mobilization of fat from liver.
The Cruelest Cure? Ethical Issues in the Implementation of Exposure-Based Treatments

Numerous studies have provided supportive evidence for the efficacy of exposure-based treatments for many psychological disorders. However, surprisingly few therapists use exposure therapy in the clinical setting. Although the limited use of exposure-based treatments may be partially attributable to a shortage of suitably trained therapists, exposure therapy also suffers from a “public relations problem” predicated upon concerns that it is cruel and at odds with some ethical considerations (e.g., first do no harm). This article provides an overview of ethical issues and considerations relevant to the use of exposure therapy. It is argued that the degree to which ethical issues become problematic in implementing exposure-based treatments is largely dependent upon the therapist's ability to create an adequately safe and professional context. Specific strategies that may be employed for avoiding potential ethical conflicts in the use of exposure-based treatments are discussed.
Converging visual and somatic sensory cortical input to the intraparietal sulcus of the rhesus monkey

Abstract A cyto- and myeloarchitectonic study reveals the presence of a distinct cortical zone (‘area POa’) in the lower bank of the intraparietal sulcus of the rhesus monkey. Using both autoradiographic and silver impregnation techniques, an analysis of cortical connections shows two overlapping projections to this sulcal zone. These come from (1) the middle portion of the preoccipital gyrus (area OA) and (2) the rostral inferior parietal lobule (area PF).
Action of various centrally acting agents in mice with unilateral caudate brain lesions.

Abstract Mice with unilateral lesions of the caudate nucleus exhibit characteristic postural asymmetries when treated with pharmacological agents which functionally enhance or reduce central dopaminergic transmission. The lesioned mouse preparation thus provides a simple and rapid method for elucidating the mechanism of interaction of pharmacological agents with central dopaminergic systems.
Fibronectin and integrins in cell adhesion, signaling, and morphogenesis

Fibronectin and integrins play crucial roles in a variety of morphogenetic processes, in which they mediate cell adhesion, migration, and signal transduction. They induce hierarchical transmembrane organization of cytoskeletal and signaling molecules into multimolecular complexes of more than 30 proteins. Organization of these complexes is a synergistic process dependent on integrin aggregation and occupancy, as well as tyrosine phosphorylation. Integrins also cooperate with growth-factor receptors to enhance signaling. Fibronectin and integrins induce a variety of downstream effects, including enhanced transcription factor activity, induction of over 30 genes (> half novel), and altered expression of over 100 proteins. Fibronectin and integrins therefore trigger a hierarchy of signaling responses involved in regulating processes crucial for normal morphogenesis, including cell adhesion, migration, and specific gene expression.
Dimerization and heme binding are conserved in amphibian and starfish homologues of the microRNA processing protein DGCR8.

Human DiGeorge Critical Region 8 (DGCR8) is an essential microRNA (miRNA) processing factor that is activated via direct interaction with Fe(III) heme. In order for DGCR8 to bind heme, it must dimerize using a dimerization domain embedded within its heme-binding domain (HBD). We previously reported a crystal structure of the dimerization domain from human DGCR8, which demonstrated how dimerization results in the formation of a surface important for association with heme. Here, in an attempt to crystallize the HBD, we search for DGCR8 homologues and show that DGCR8 from Patiria miniata (bat star) also binds heme. The extinction coefficients (e) of DGCR8-heme complexes are determined; these values are useful for biochemical analyses and allow us to estimate the heme occupancy of DGCR8 proteins. Additionally, we present the crystal structure of the Xenopus laevis dimerization domain. The structure is very similar to that of human DGCR8. Our results indicate that dimerization and heme binding are evolutionarily conserved properties of DGCR8 homologues not only in vertebrates, but also in at least some invertebrates.
Demonstration of the Performance of an Inclined Anaerobic Digester in Wine Stillage and Pea Blancher Wastewater Treatment

Disposal of high strength wastes has been a problem in the fruit and vegetable processing industries. We have designed and tested an inclined continuous anaerobic digester for the rapid treatment of unmodified wine stillage (21,000–25,000 mg COD per liter) and waste water from a pea blancher (20,000 mg COD per liter). The digester was successfully operated for periods up to 9 months using feed rates as high as 10.7g COD per liter per day (hydraulic detention time of 2.4 days). COD removal efficiency ranged from 95.9% to 99.5%, and effluent suspended solids were less than 800 mg per liter.
Subtherapeutic anticoagulation with dabigatran following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery

We report a 66-year-old male with a history of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery who began dabigatran for new onset atrial fibrillation. After 5 weeks of therapy, his transesophageal echocardiogram prior to electrocardioversion showed severe spontaneous echo contrast. Cardioversion was postponed and anticoagulant therapy was continued. The following day, he suffered a thromboembolic stroke. Concern arose that postoperative malabsorption could have resulted in subtherapeutic anticoagulation. This notion was strengthened by a second patient who had subtherapeutic serum levels despite maximal dosing. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to report impaired absorption of dabigatran following Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery. .
Racism, Slavery, and Free Enterprise: Black Entrepreneurship in the United States before the Civil War

In reconstructing the early business history of black America, Professor Walker emphasizes the diversity and complexity of antebellum black entrepreneurship, both slave and free. With few exceptions, prevailing historical assessments have confined their analyses of pre-Civil War black business participation to marginal enterprises, concentrated primarily in craft and service industries. In America's preindustrial mercantile business community, however, blacks established a wide variety of enterprises, some of them remarkably successful. The business activities of antebellum blacks not only offer insights into the multiplicity of responses to the constraints of racism and slavery, but also highlight relatively unexplored areas in the historical development of the free enterprise system in the United States.
The Contributions and Challenges of Family Communication to the Field of Communication

(1993). The contributions and challenges of family communication to the field of communication. Journal of Applied Communication Research: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp. 103-110.
Postoperative ileus after radical cystectomy: looking for answers to an age-old problem.

causes of postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing radical cystectomy [4]. Patients undergoing radical cystectomy with urinary diversion were randomized to alvimopan (a peripherally acting opioid receptor antagonist) or placebo. Standard enhanced recovery programs were used for each patient. There were significant improvements in time to GI recovery and length of stay in the treatment group. Additionally, the number of patients experiencing prolonged hospital stay (>7 d) was lower in the treatment group. There were no differences in readmission rates within 30 d or in adverse events, including cardiovascular events, between the treatment and placebo groups. An economic analysis of the current study has also shown a
Novel functions of the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex may mediate diverse oxidant-induced changes in mitochondrial enzymes associated with Alzheimer's disease

Abstract Measures in autopsied brains from Alzheimer's Disease (AD) patients reveal a decrease in the activity of α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC) and an increase in malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity. The present experiments tested whether both changes could be caused by the common oxidant H 2 O 2 and to probe the mechanism underlying these changes. Since the response to H 2 O 2 is modified by the level of the E2k subunit of KGDHC, the interaction of MDH and KGDHC was studied in cells with varying levels of E2k. In cells with only 23% of normal E2k protein levels, one-hour treatment with H 2 O 2 decreased KGDHC and increased MDH activity as well as the mRNA level for both cytosolic and mitochondrial MDH. The increase in MDH did not occur in cells with 100% or 46% of normal E2k. Longer treatments with H 2 O 2 inhibited the activity of both enzymes. Glutathione is a major regulator of cellular redox state and can modify enzyme activities. H 2 O 2 converts reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG), which reacts with protein thiols. Treatment of purified KGDHC with GSSG leads to glutathionylation of all three KGDHC subunits. Thus, cellular glutathione level was manipulated by two means to determine the effect on KGDHC and MDH activities. Both buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), which inhibits glutathione synthesis without altering redox state, and H 2 O 2 diminished glutathione to a similar level after 24 h. However, H 2 O 2 , but not BSO, reduced KGDHC and MDH activities, and the reduction was greater in the E2k-23 line. These findings suggest that the E2k may mediate diverse responses of KGDHC and MDH to oxidants. In addition, the differential response of activities to BSO and H 2 O 2 together with the in vitro interaction of KGDHC with GSSG suggests that glutathionylation is one possible mechanism underlying oxidative stress-induced inhibition of the TCA cycle enzymes.
EEG findings in an adult with severe case of alobar holoprosencephaly.

Abstract Holoprosencephaly is a category of congenital brain malformation that is frequently associated with epilepsy. Epileptic spasms and partial seizures are reported with a variety of electrographic ictal and interictal EEG findings. We report a case of severe alobar holoprosencephaly with cortical tissue limited to inferior–anterior–frontal areas and a thin mantle over the posterior areas, and no appreciable connective fibers to the subcortical structures. Interictal EEG consisted mainly of 2–3Hz irregular delta activity during wakefulness and sleep. Clinical seizures had two different semiologies: (1) epileptic spasms lasting 0.5s during state change and (2) prolonged tonic spasms lasting 5–8s followed by appendicular clonic activity, abnormal nystagmoid eye movements and eye flutter lasting 5–8s. Preceding the epileptic spasms, there was 1–2s of electrodecrement in the EEG. During prolonged tonic spasms there was also electrodecrement in the EEG. No other electrographic activity was seen. Due to lack of any appreciable connecting fibers between cortical and subcortical structures, these findings suggest an increase in brain stem excitability with inefficient (or lack of) cortical modulation as a possible underlying mechanism for epileptic spasms in this patient.
Church-Based Social Support and Suicidality Among African Americans and Black Caribbeans

This study explores the relationship between church-based informal social support and lifetime prevalence of suicide ideation and attempts within a representative national sample of African American and Black Caribbean adults. Characteristics of church-based social support networks, as well as emotional support and negative interaction with church members were examined in relation to lifetime suicide ideation and attempts. This study used data from the National Survey of American Life (2001-2003). Frequency of interaction with church members was positively associated with suicide attempts, while subjective closeness to church members was negatively associated with suicide ideation. Emotional support, service attendance, and negative interaction with church members were unrelated to both suicide ideation and attempts. Findings are discussed in relation to research on church-based support networks, different models linking church support and suicidality, and the mechanisms by which church-based networks deter suicide ideation and attempts.
Cost-effective sequence-based nonhuman primate MHC class I genotyping from RNA

The major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I region of nonhuman primates (NHPs) is highly polymorphic and has undergone complex segmental duplications such that the number of expressed genes differs between individuals. In addition the relative abundance of transcripts varies more than 100-fold between NHP class I genes. This unparalleled complexity makes rapid, efficient class I genotyping difficult for NHPs. The ‘gold standard’ of cDNA library construction, screening and sequencing is both costly and labor-intensive. Several rapid genotyping methods have been utilized, but all require some degree of prior sequence knowledge. Here, we describe a method for sequence-based MHC class I genotyping which reduces cost by (1) pooling molecularly barcoded class I cDNA-PCR amplicons for cloning and (2) targeting sequencing of a region of concentrated polymorphism spanning the two exons encoding the peptide binding domain. This method can efficiently genotype both known and novel MHC class I alleles. In addition, full-length cDNA amplicons with novel sequences can be resequenced in their entireties to expand the repertoire of characterized MHC class I sequences for NHPs.
Dynamic mechanical characterization of magnetic tapes using nanoindentation techniques

The continuous stiffness measurement (CSM) technique was used to study the contact stiffness, elastic modulus, hardness, and creep behavior of a metal-particle (MP) tape, metal evaporated (ME) tapes with and without diamond like carbon (DLC) coating and a PET substrate. Nanoscratch and wear experiments were conducted using a nanoindenter with a nanoscratch attachment and a ball-on-flat tribometer, respectively. A good correlation between mechanical properties and scratch/wear damage was found. The relationship between tape structures and mechanical/tribological properties is discussed.
Performance-based Fire Safety Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams:

A numerical model, in the form of a computer program, is presented for tracing the fire behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams over the entire range of loading from pre-fire conditions to collapse under fire. The three stages associated with the analysis of fire resistance; namely, establishing the fire temperature-time development, calculating the heat transfer through the structure from the fire, and the structural analysis are explained. The model, which accounts for nonlinear material properties at elevated temperatures, is capable of predicting the fire resistance of RC beams under realistic fire scenarios, load levels, and failure criteria. The validity of the numerical model is established by comparing the predictions from the computer program with results from full-scale fire resistance tests. Through the results of numerical study, it is shown that the type of failure criterion, load level, and fire scenario have significant influence on fire resistance of RC beams. The computer program can be used to undertake performance-based fire safety design of RC beams for any value of the significant parameters, such as fire exposure, concrete cover thickness, section dimensions, concrete strength, concrete type, and load intensity.
Shielding Properties of Thick Conducting Cylindrical Shells

The shielding properties of a thick cylindrical shell of finite conductivity is presented. The analysis uses straightforward separation of variables methods via cylindrical harmonic functions. The results show that significant attenuation of the incident fields are achieved for thick cylindrical shields thus demonstrating that the resonances noted in earlier work using thin shell models can be alleviated.
Smokeless tobacco and aerodigestive tract cancers: recent research directions.

Though smokeless tobacco, which includes chewing tobacco and snuff, was the most common form of tobacco used at the turn of the century (1), its use declined over subsequent decades. In the mid-1970s, however, its popularity again rose, leading to a 56% increase in snuff use from 1970 to 1985, accounted for by moist snuff, and a 36% increase in chewing tobacco, attributed to loose-leaf tobacco (2). With the exception of a leveling off around 1987, this upward trend in use has continued (3).
Multistable and Multistep Dynamics in Neutrophil Differentiation

Cell differentiation has long been theorized to represent a switch in a bistable system, and recent experimental work in micro-organisms has revealed bistable dynamics in small gene regulatory circuits. However, the dynamics of mammalian cell differentiation has not been analyzed with respect to bistability. Here we studied how HL60 promyelocytic precursor cells transition to the neutrophil cell lineage after stimulation with the differentiation inducer, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Single cell analysis of the expression kinetics of the differentiation marker CD11b (Mac-1) revealed all-or-none switch-like behavior, in contrast to the seemingly graduated change of expression when measured as a population average. Progression from the precursor to the differentiated state was detected as a discrete transition between low (CD11bLow) and high (CD11bHigh) expressor subpopulations distinguishable in a bimodal distribution. Hysteresis in the dependence of CD11b expression on DMSO dose suggests that this bimodality may reflect a bistable dynamic. But when an "unswitched" (CD11bLow) subpopulation of cells in the bistable/bimodal regime was isolated and cultured, these cells were found to differ from undifferentiated precursor cells in that they were "primed" to differentiate. These findings indicate that differentiation of human HL60 cells into neutrophils does not result from a simple state transition of a bistable switch as traditionally modeled. Instead, mammalian differentiation appears to be a multi-step process in a high-dimensional system, a result which is consistent with the high connectivity of the cells' complex underlying gene regulatory network.
Nonlinear stability of rotating pseudo-rigid bodies

A rigorous nonlinear stability analysis of rotating homogeneous elastic bodies is presented, which exploits the hamiltonian structure and symmetries inherent to homogeneous elasticity by means of the energy-momentum method. It is shown that stability of a relative equilibrium is implied by the definiteness of the second variation of a modified hamiltonian restricted to an appropriate subspace. The analysis makes crucial use of a special parametrization of the constrained space of admissible variations, which results in a nearly diagonal second variation. The stability conditions obtained by this method include the conditions for stability of the equilibrium configuration as a rigid body and satisfaction of the Baker-Ericksen inequalities. As an application of our results, we obtain complete, explicit stability conditions for a particular form of relative equilibria for three classes of materials: for two of these, Ciarlet-Geymonat and St Venant-Kirchhoff materials, these equilibria are always stable; for the third, a compressible Mooney-Rivlin material, both stable and unstable equilibria exist.
A Flash Flood from a Lake-Enhanced Rainband

Abstract An analysis of a flash flood caused by a lake-enhanced rainband is presented. The flood took place near Erie, Pennsylvania, on 17 September 1996. It was found that the flood resulted from a complex interplay of several scales of forcing that converged over the Erie region. In particular, the flood occurred during a period when 1) a lake-enhanced convective rainband pivoted over the city of Erie with the pivot point remaining quasi-stationary for about 5 h; 2) a deep, surface-based no-shear layer, favorable for the development of strong lake-induced precipitation bands, passed over the eastern portion of Lake Erie; 3) the direction of flow in the no-shear layer shifted from shore parallel to onshore at an angle that maximized frictional convergence; 4) an upper-level short-wave trough contributed to low-level convergence, lifting, and regional destabilization; and 5) a strong land–lake diurnal temperature difference produced a lake-scale disturbance that locally enhanced the low-level convergence....
Topical therapy II: retinoids, immunomodulators, and others

Use of topical therapy for mild and moderate psoriasis continues to be a mainstay of treatment. The previous chapter introduced topical corticosteroids and vitamin D analogs as the most common therapies for psoriasis (see Tab. 1). Here the newly available topical retinoids and immunomodulators, along with the traditional therapies of tars, anthralin, and salicylic acid, will be discussed in detail.
Creativity, Policy, and Practice in Three States: An Exploration of Definitions of Creativity among State Art Education Policies, the Life Contexts, and Professional Practice of Middle Level Art Educators

More than any other time in history, creativity is a necessary outcome for education. A global and networked society requires creative people to innovate within a variety of economic, political, and social realities. The need for creativity highlights a crucial role for art education in contemporary education. Yet, a lack of understanding about creativity in art education inhibits actionable activities from policies to classrooms. In order to forward creativity as an educational outcome, a clear understanding of the definition of creativity in U.S. education policy and practice is necessary. Therefore, the focus of this research is to gain knowledge on the representation of creativity in the art education policies of U.S. states. This study also examines the definitions of creativity held by middle level art educators in order to identify relationships between the contexts of policy and practice. Other factors explored as possible mediating factors on definitions of creativity include the life experiences, education level, and work contexts of middle level art educators. Additionally significant, this study provides and tests for problem-based, practical categorizations of creativity, a new and meaningful way to frame creativity within and across domains.
Bis(μ-2-hy­droxy­methyl-2-methyl­propane-1,3-diolato)bis­[di­chlorido­titanium(IV)] diethyl ether disolvate

The title complex, [Ti2Cl4{CH3C(CH2O)2(CH2OH)}2], lies across a centre of symmetry with a diethyl ether solvent mol­ecule hydrogen bonded to the –CH2OH groups on either side of it. The TiIV atom is coordinated in a distorted octa­hedral geometry by a tripodal ligand and two terminal chloride atoms. There are three coordination modes for the tripodal ligand distinguishable on the basis of their very different Ti—O bond lengths. For the terminal alkoxo ligand, the Ti—O distance is 1.760 (1) A, the asymmetric bridge system has Ti—O bond lengths of 1.911 (1) and 2.048 (1) A. The Ti—O bond length for the alcohol O atom is the longest at 2.148 (1) A.
Host Immune Response to Clostridium difficile Infection in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) affects patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to compare humoral response to C. difficile toxins in IBD patients and control outpatients. Methods We prospectively followed adult IBD patients and control subjects with serum and stool samples obtained at enrollment and during periods of CDI and tested by PCR. Semiquantitative serum levels of IgM, IgG, and IgA to C. difficile toxins A and B were measured. Results Overall, 119 stool and 117 serum samples were obtained from 150 subjects. Different levels of IgA to toxin A (P = 0.0016) and toxin B (P = 0.0468) were noted between different IBD groups. Toxin A IgA levels were higher in the Crohn's disease group (P = 0.0321) and ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) group (P = 0.001) compared with the ulcerative colitis (UC) group, and toxin B IgA levels were higher in the IPAA group compared with the UC group (P = 0.0309). There were lower levels of toxin A IgA in IBD patients compared with those in subjects without new CDI (P = 0.0488) and higher levels in IBD patients with compared with those in subjects without CDI history before enrollment (P = 0.016). There were nonsignificant lower toxin A IgG levels in IBD patients compared with those in subjects without prior CDI (P = 0.095) and higher levels in control subjects with a history of CDI compared with IBD patients with prior CDI (P = 0.049). Conclusions Patients with UC have lower IgA levels to C. difficile toxins compared with those with Crohn's disease and those after IPAA. Patients with IBD with prior CDI failed to demonstrate any increase in antitoxin IgG. Our findings suggest that IBD patients may benefit from immunization strategies targeting C. difficile toxins.
Synthesis of Tungsten and Molybdenum Carbon Dioxide Complexes

Tungsten and molybdenum η2-CO2 complexes of the form TpM(NO)(L)(η2-CO2), where M = W, Mo, Tp = tris(pyrazolyl)borate, and L = PMe3, 1-methylimidazole, have been synthesized by displacement of an η2-aromatic ligand under elevated CO2 pressure. These complexes have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The η2-CO2 complexes are air stable and resist decomposition in solution. In addition, the molybdenum η2-CO2 complex undergoes chemical reduction of the η2-CO2 ligand to form TpMo(NO)(1-methylimidazole)(CO).
Duplex destabilization by four ribosomal DEAD-box proteins

DEAD-box proteins are believed to participate in the folding of RNA by destabilizing RNA secondary or tertiary structures. Although these proteins bind and hydrolyze ATP, the mechanism by which nucleotide hydrolysis is coupled to helix destabilization may vary among different DEAD-box proteins. To investigate their abilities to disrupt helices and couple ATP hydrolysis to unwinding, we assayed the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ribosomal DEAD-box proteins, Dbp3p, Dbp4p, Rok1p, and Rrp3p utilizing a series of RNA substrates containing a short duplex and either a 5' or 3' single-stranded region. All four proteins unwound a 10 bp helix in vitro in the presence of ATP; however, significant dissociation of longer helices was not observed. While Dbp3p did not require a single-stranded extension to disrupt a helix, the unwinding activities of Dbp4p, Rok1p, and Rrp3p were substantially stimulated by either a 5' or 3' single-stranded extension. Interestingly, these proteins showed a clear length dependency with 3' extensions that was not observed with 5' extensions, suggesting that they bind substrates with a preferred orientation. In the presence of AMPPNP or ADP, all four proteins displayed displacement activity suggesting that nucleotide binding is sufficient to facilitate duplex disruption. Further enhancement of the strand displacement rate in the presence of ATP was observed for only Dbp3p and Rrp3p.
PlumX from Plum Analytics: Not Just Altmetrics

ABSTRACTAlternative metrics, or Altmetrics have been a topic of increased interest for librarians and other academics for some time, but how these measures can be integrated with traditional metrics has been unclear. Plum Analytics’ PlumX Metrics integrates traditional measures such as citations, and shows them alongside Altmetrics, including electronic usage data, bookmarks, blog posts and social media measures to show a more complete picture of scholarly impact. This review will provide a profile of the features and capabilities of this resource.
Mis)Steps for Attracting High Resilience Workers

Organizations are becoming increasingly likely to incorporate measures of trait resilience into their selection batteries despite the challenges and validity questions described by Britt, Shen, Sinclair, Grossman, and Klieger (2016). Organizations can overcome some of the challenges of selecting high resilience workers by improving attraction and recruitment methods. In the following commentary, we describe common organization efforts to attract high resilience workers for occupations with risk of psychological trauma. We integrate research on organizational attraction and trait resilience to predict which of these approaches are likely to have the desired (attract high resilient workers) or undesired (attract low resilient workers) effect.
Evapotranspiration of urban lawns in a semi-arid environment: An in situ evaluation of microclimatic conditions and watering recommendations

As many regions worldwide are increasingly affected by water scarcity caused by unprecedented climate change and population growth, current practices of landscape irrigation need to be evaluated to develop scientifically based water-saving recommendations. We compared widely used evapotranspiration (ET) based guidelines of turfgrass watering requirements with ET from 8 irrigated turfgrass lawns (4 unshaded and 4 shaded by various degree) measured in situ by portable chambers in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area. ET from unshaded lawns was 40% higher than recommended irrigation inputs and ET from shaded lawns was mostly within recommended ranges. We evaluated the microclimate coefficient (kmc), a factor used to adjust ET from reference surfaces to local microclimatic conditions. While in situ kmc was mostly within the ranges recommended for California, (1) kmc ranges for particular landscape types deviated from observations, (2) minimum and maximum kmc were beyond recommended ranges, and (3) kmc had clear seasonal changes overlooked by current methodology. We propose a method to quantitatively estimate the effect of shade on kmc and improved categories and coefficients for applying the landscape coefficient method under realistic urban conditions.
Speech Perception and Hearing Aids

Poor speech perception nearly always accompanies sensorineural hearing loss. Although listeners with poorer auditory thresholds experience more difficulty, there is considerable variability in speech perception across individual listeners. Areas of greatest difficulty may include communication in background noise, difficulty understanding talkers with soft voices, hearing speech at a distance, and conversing over the telephone. Some deficits can be easily addressed with hearing aids, while others present challenges. This chapter reviews the effects of hearing loss on speech perception and discusses how hearing aids can compensate for those effects. Topics include patient-specific factors ranging from differences in cochlear damage patterns that affect speech perception to influences of cognitive ability. Environmental factors include the acoustic cues present in the rapidly varying speech signal; the effects of speech spectrum and level, which affect audibility; and effects of background noise and reverberation. The chapter closes with a review of core hearing aid features, focusing on how technology can be used to address issues relevant to speech perception.
An Examination of Factors Associated With Self-Efficacy for Food Choice and Healthy Eating among Low-Income Adolescents in Three U.S. States

Background: Self-efficacy is a crucial component in effective health communication and health promotion interventions and serves as a moderator for behavior change. Although awareness and risk perception are important in the behavior change process, self-efficacy gives people the necessary confidence in their ability to engage in advocated health behaviors. In addressing childhood obesity, self-efficacy plays a crucial role in dietary decisions. Informed by the social cognitive theory, this study examines the behavioral and environmental factors that determine self-efficacy for healthy food choices and healthy eating among adolescents in low income communities. Method: A survey was administered among adolescents in 6th to 8th grades from three U.S. States -- Kansas, Ohio and South Dakota (N=410). Results: Results show a correlation between efficacy for healthy food choice and the adolescent’s perceptions of behavioral control or sense of empowerment. Attitudes towards overall health predict efficacy for healthy eating and for healthy food choice. Other predictors for healthy eating include perceptions of peers’ health concerns and perceptions on healthy food availability whereas perceived control influences efficacy for healthy food choice. Gender played a significant role in adolescents’ perceptions of peers’ health concerns whereas geographical location (state played a role in their in adolescents’ attitudes toward health. Ethnicity was a more significant factor in their perceived barriers for healthy eating, perceptions for healthy food availability and in attitudes towards health. Conclusion: The study suggests ethnic-specific nutrition education that focuses on attitudes towards health as well as community partnerships that would support a healthy food environment to enhance self-efficacy and healthy dietary behaviors among adolescents.
Chest Wall Tumors

The musculoskeletal structure of the chest wall serves to protect the thoracic and mediastinal viscera, while providing integrity for respiration. The complex relationship of all anatomic components contributes to its function but also makes it susceptible to a wide variety of pathology. Thus, tumors of the chest wall represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Chest wall masses have a broad differential diagnosis including local extension of intrathoracic lesions, presentations of systemic diseases or inflammatory processes, metastasis, and less frequently, primary tumors of the chest wall, which can be benign or malignant. More than 50 % are malignant and are most commonly a result of direct invasion or metastasis from adjacent thoracic tumors [1]. Overall, primary chest wall tumors make up less than 5 % of thoracic malignancies and vary widely in pathology, as they arise from all anatomic structures comprising the chest wall [2, 3]. This chapter reviews the pathology, options for diagnosis, and standard treatment of the various lesions arising from the chest wall.
Racial Inequality in Democratic Accountability: Evidence from Retrospective Voting in Local Elections

One important and, to date, overlooked component of democratic accountability is the extent to which it might exacerbate existing societal inequalities if the outcomes for some groups of citizens are prioritized over others when voters evaluate governmental performance. We analyze a decade of California school board elections and find evidence that voters reward or punish incumbent board members based on the achievement of white students in their district, whereas outcomes for African American and Hispanic students receive comparatively little attention. We then examine public opinion data on the racial education achievement gap and report results from an original list experiment of California school board members that finds approximately 40% of incumbents detect no electoral pressure to address poor academic outcomes among racial minority students. We conclude by discussing the implications of these findings for several scholarly literatures, including retrospective voting, racial inequality in political influence, intergovernmental policymaking, and education politics.
INFLUENCE OF SACUBITRIL/VALSARTAN ON GLYCEMIC CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES AND HEART FAILURE WITH REDUCED EJECTION FRACTION

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is an independent risk factor for heart failure progression. Sacubitril/valsartan, an angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor, improves morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and was shown to improve
The Detection and Characterization of QoI-Resistant Didymella rabiei Causing Ascochyta Blight of Chickpea in Montana

Ascochyta blight (AB) of pulse crops (chickpea, field pea, and lentils) causes yield loss in Montana, where 1.2 million acres was planted to pulses in 2016. Pyraclostrobin and azoxystrobin, quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides, have been the choice of farmers for the management of ascochyta blight in pulses. However, a G143A mutation in the cytochrome b gene has been reported to confer resistance to QoI fungicides. A total of 990 isolates of Ascochyta blight-causing fungi were isolated and screened for QoI resistance. Out of these, 10% were isolated from chickpea, 81% were isolated from dry peas, and 9% isolated from lentil. These were from a survey of grower’s fields and seed lots (chickpea = 17, pea = 131, and lentil = 21) from 23 counties in Montana sent to the Regional Pulse Crop Diagnostic Laboratory, Bozeman, MT for testing. Fungicide-resistant Didymella rabiei isolates were found in one chickpea seed lot each sent from Daniels, McCone and Valley Counties, MT, from seed produced in 2015 and 2016. Multiple alignment analysis of amino acid sequences revealed a missense mutation that replaced the codon for amino acid 143 from GGT to GCT, introducing an amino acid change from glycine to alanine (G143A), which is reportedly associated with QoI resistance. Under greenhouse conditions, disease severity was significantly higher on pyraclostrobin-treated chickpea plants inoculated with QoI-resistant isolates of D. rabiei than sensitive isolates (p-value = 0.001). These results suggest that disease control may be inadequate at locations where resistant isolates are present. D. rabiei-specific polymerase chain reaction primer sets and hydrolysis probes were developed to efficiently discriminate QoI-resistant and - sensitive isolates
Development of a Premixed Combustion Capability for Dual-Mode Scramjet Experiments

Hypersonic airbreathing engines rely on scramjet combustion processes, which involve high-speed, compressible, and highly turbulent reacting flows. The combustion environment and the turbulent flam...
Improved Outcomes With Integrated Intensivist Consultation for Cardiac Surgery Patients.

This study examined the impact of integrated intensivist consultation in the immediate postoperative period on outcomes for cardiac surgery patients. A retrospective cohort study was conducted in 1...
Proinflammatory enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase bridges obesity to colonic inflammation and potential carcinogenesis.

Obesity and chronic inflammation are two well-recognized risk factors for the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). In PNAS, Wang et al. (1) use lipidomic profiling analysis to identify a significant mechanistic link between obesity and colonic inflammation via enhancing the proinflammatory enzyme soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). The aberrant metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and particularly arachidonic acid, is thought to be a key inflammatory mediator contributing to colorectal carcinogenesis. The role of cytochrome P450 epoxygenase in this metabolism, though, and the role of its epoxy fatty acid metabolites in obesity and CRC are not … [↵][1]1Email: g-yang{at}northwestern.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Sclerostin and parathyroid hormone responses to acute whole-body vibration and resistance exercise in young women

Whole-body vibration (WBV) has been shown to improve bone mineral density, and muscle strength and power. No studies to date have examined sclerostin and parathyroid hormone (PTH) responses to WBV combined with resistance exercise (RE). This randomized crossover study compared acute serum sclerostin and PTH responses to RE and WBV + RE in young women (n = 9) taking oral contraceptives. Participants were exposed to 5 1-min bouts of vibration (20 Hz, 3.38 peak–peak displacement, separated by 1 min of rest) before high intensity resistance exercise. Fasting blood samples were obtained before (PRE), immediately after WBV (POSTWBV), immediately post RE (IP) and 30 min post RE (30P). Pre-exercise sclerostin and PTH levels were not significantly different between conditions. Sclerostin levels significantly (p < 0.05) increased from PRE to IP for the WBV + RE condition, then decreased back to the pre-exercise level. PTH significantly decreased from PRE to 30P (p < 0.05) and IP to 30P (p < 0.01) for both conditions. Correcting for hemoconcentration eliminated the significant sclerostin responses, but the significant decrease in PTH remained (p < 0.05). There were no significant relationships found between sclerostin and PTH. In conclusion, sclerostin concentrations increased in response to the WBV + RE condition, which may have been mediated by plasma volume shifts. There was no transient PTH increase, but it showed a large decrease at 30P for both conditions. Based on these findings, the addition of WBV exposures prior to high intensity RE did not alter sclerostin and PTH responses to RE in young women.
A Comparison of the 1988 and 1994 Diagnostic Criteria for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is an illness that involves severe, prolonged fatigue as well as neurological, immunological, and endocrinological system pathology. Because the pathogenesis of CFS has yet to be determined, case definitions have relied on clinical observation in classifying signs and symptoms for diagnosis. In an attempt to address various criticisms and inconsistencies in diagnostic criteria, there have been several revisions of the CFS case definition. The current investigation examined the differences between 1988 and 1994 definitions as well as participants who had a psychiatric explanation for their fatigue. Dependent measures included psychiatric comorbidity, symptom frequency, and functional impairment. The 1988 criteria, compared to the 1994 criteria, appeared to select a group of participants with more symptomatology and functional impairment, but these groups did not significantly differ in psychiatric comorbidity. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Surgical Techniques: Pectoralis Minor Tenotomy for NTOS

Brachial plexus compression in neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) may occur either at the level of the supraclavicular scalene triangle and/or the infraclavicular subcoracoid space. As highlighted elsewhere by Sanders ( Chap. 15), it has only recently been recognized that nerve compression at the level of the pectoralis minor muscle tendon can make a substantial contribution to symptoms in neurogenic TOS, and that in many cases nerve compression at this level may dominate over that occurring at the level of the scalene triangle. Untreated pectoralis minor compression of the brachial plexus may therefore represent an important factor in persistent or recurrent symptoms following operations for neurogenic TOS, and undoubtedly explains a proportion of surgical failures in previous clinical series. Moreover, it is now apparent that a significant number of patients may have a clinical diagnosis of neurogenic TOS represented by isolated brachial plexus compression at the level of the pectoralis minor muscle, for whom isolated pectoralis minor tenotomy may provide a minimally-invasive surgical option associated with rapid postoperative recovery and a high likelihood of clinical success. Recognition and treatment of this condition has therefore been an important step in our evolving understanding of neurogenic TOS.
Radiative Transfer in a One-Dimensional Single Angle Plant Canopy

The radiative transfer equation for photons interacting with the phytoelements (primarily leaves) of a plant canopy of finite height is solved by application of Siewert’s FN numerical algorithm. A ...
Possessive Pronouns and Reflexives in Russian

In this chapter, I discuss the distribution of possessive pronouns and reflexives in Russian and present experimental results of a study with native Russian-speaking children. The experimental results are shown to support the account of children’s errors discussed in previous chapters. I begin with the theoretical issue concerning Russian possessive pronouns and reflexives.
Magnetic Stimulation of the Heart and Safety Issues in Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Our group at Purdue University has been studying the physiological effects of pulsed magnetic fields for several years. The initial work was directed toward cardiac pacing with a pulsed magnetic field. Our motivation was the development of a non-invasive and relatively pain-free method for cardiac stimulation. We were the first to induce cardiac ectopic beats with pulsed magnetic fields in the closed-chest dog [1,2]. Unfortunately, the large energies required to stimulate the heart preclude the development of a portable magnetic cardiac pacemaker.
Board and Management-Level Factors Affecting the Maturity of IT Risk Management Practices

ABSTRACT The Securities and Exchange Commission's 2009 enhanced proxy disclosure requirements and the updated Committee of Sponsoring Organizations' (COSO) Internal Control Framework have caused or...