cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac Pacemakers From the Patient’s Perspective

There are about 3 million people worldwide with pacemakers, and each year 600 000 pacemakers are implanted. With rare exception, implantation of a pacemaker does not change the recipient’s activities or lifestyle. Although most people who receive pacemakers are aged 60 years or older, people of any age, even children, may need pacemakers. Almost all pacemakers are implanted to treat slow heart beating, which is called “bradycardia.” At rest, the heart usually beats about 50 to 70 times each minute, and the heart rate may increase 2- to 3-fold during stress or exercise. If the heart beats too slowly, the brain and body do not get enough blood flow and a variety of symptoms may result. Extreme slowing or complete stopping of the heartbeat can be fatal. In other cases, people may have no symptoms but are at high risk for dangerously slow heart rates because of disturbances of the electrical system of the heart. A pacemaker may be recommended for these people before symptoms occur. The normal heartbeat is controlled by a natural pacemaker in the heart called the sinus node. The electrical signal generated by the sinus node spreads throughout the heart causing it to beat. The most common reason for pacemaker implantation is because the sinus node function becomes too slow from age, heart disease, or heart medications. The other leading cause for pacemaker implantation is failure of the normal electrical signal to reach …
Salinity tolerance of Kosteletzkya virginica. II. Root growth, lipid content, ion and water relations

Abstract.Kosteletzkya virginica (L.) Presl., a dicot halophyte native to brackish tidal marshes, was grown on nutrient solution containing 0. 85, 170 or 255 mol m 3 NaCl, and the effects of external salinity on root growth, ion and water levels, and lipid content were examined in successive harvests. Root growth paralleled shoot growth trends, with some enhancement observed at 85 mol m 3 NaCl and a reduction noted at the higher salinities. Root Na+ content increased with increasing external NaCl, but remained constant with time for each treatment. K+ content, although lower in salt-grown plants after 14 d salinization, subsequently increased to levels comparable to unsalinized plants. A strong K+ affinity was reflected in the increased K+/Na+ selectivity of salt-grown plants and by their low Na+/K+ ratios. Cl levels rose in salinized plants and values were double or more those for Na+, indicating the possibility of a sodium-excluding mechanism in roots. Root phospholipids and sterols, principal membrane constituents, were maintained or elevated and the free sterol/phospholipids ratio increased in salinized K. virginica plants, suggesting retention of overall membrane structure and decreased permeability. This response, considered in light of root calcium maintenance and high potassium levels, suggests that salinity-induced changes in membrane lipid composition may be important in preventing K+ leakage from cells.
A Double-Loop Tracking System

A nonlinear analysis which can be used to assess certain statistical characteristics of double-loop tracking systems is presented. It takes into account the mutual coupling effects of the loops in the system. Two approaches are taken to obtain steady-state probability density functions (pdf's) of the system phase errors, φ 1 and φ 2 From these pdf's, important system performance statistics, e.g., the phaseerror variances, can be calculated, thus illustrating the application and usefulness of the analysis. The analysis is applied to a satellite transponder as an example.
Adaptation of evoked auditory potentials: A midbrain through frontal lobe map in the unanesthetized cat

Adaptation patterns of auditory potentials were investigated with stereotaxically oriented concentric bipolar electrodes at 4628 points in the brains of 18 unanesthetized but restrained cats. Binaural click stimuli were presented at rates of 1, 2, 5, and 10 and 20/sec through hollow ear bars. The results are presented as a map from P2-A21. Evoked auditory potentials were recorded in both lemniscal and extralemniscal structures. Adaptation, the decrement in amplitude of evoked potentials observed upon repetitive stimulation, was mot pronounced during the first few clicks. This rapidly occuring decrement was not considered most closely correlated with the learning process of habituation. Two major patterns of adaptation were observed: partial and complete. No potentials in the lemniscal structures adapted completely although some in the inferior colliculus and medial geniculate adapted partially. Many potentials recorded in extralemniscal structures adapted completely. Most extralemniscal structures exhibited non-adapting as well adapting potentials. However, certain ‘non-auditory’ cortical areas only produced potentials which adapted completely, and certain thalamic nuclei as well ad the subthalamus only produced potentials which adapted completely or partially. Contrary to earlier studies, potentials in lemniscal and extralemniscal structures adapted after a similar number of stimulus repetitions.
Lagniappe: The Impact of Headache Disorders in America*

The immense burden of headache disorders in America has been very rarely considered during the formal deliberations of Congress. On February 14, 2012, the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the United States Senate held a public hearing on Pain in America: Exploring Challenges to Relief. During that hearing, Senator Bernard Sanders of Vermont entered into the Congressional Record testimony on the impact of headache disorders on behalf of the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy.
Output feedback eigenstructure assignment using two Sylvester equations

The eigenstructure assignment problem with output feedback is studied for systems satisfying the condition p+m>n. The main tool used is the concept of (C, A, B)-invariance and two coupled Sylvester equations, the solution of which leads to the computation of an output stabilizing feedback. A computationally efficient algorithm for the solution of these two coupled equations, which leads to the computation of a desired output feedback, is presented. >
MARVEL: a system that recognizes world locations

To use a world model, a mobile robot must be able to determine its own position in the world. To support truly autonomous navigation, I present MARVEL, a system that builds and maintains its own models of world locations and uses these models to recognize its world position from stereo vision input. MARVEL is designed to be robust with respect to input errors and to respond to a gradually changing world by updating its world location models. In over 1000 recognition tests using real-world data, MARVEL yielded a false negative rate under 10% with zero false positives. MARVEL also fits into a world modeling system under development.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Importance of MUC1 and spontaneous mouse tumor models for understanding the immunobiology of human adenocarcinomas

Many important aspects of cancer biology, such as cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis, have been studied in animal models, mostly mice. As long as cancer was considered primarily a genetic disease, the study of transplantable mouse tumors, or even human tumor xenografts in immunocompromised mice, appeared to suffice. Many important genetic events that lead to transformation and in vivo tumor growth were elucidated. However, many even more important factors that determine whether or not the genetic potential of a tumor cell will be realized, such as the host response to the tumor and the tumor microenvironment that influences this response over a long period of time of tumor development, remained untested and unappreciated. This is slowly changing with the advent of molecular techniques that have spurred efforts to engineer better mouse models of human tumors. In this review, we show results of our efforts to combine a genetic mouse model of spontaneous human adenocarcinomas based on a Kras mutation, with an important human molecule MUC1 that is abnormally expressed on human adenocarcinomas, promoting oncogenesis, proinflammatory tumor microenvironment, and immunosurveillance.
Simultaneous optical modulation and detection using graphene integrated on a silicon waveguide

A dual-mode, graphene optical modulator and detector for the near-IR is demonstrated in a single device. Gate dependent photocurrent and optical transmission allow the device to operate in a highly novel mode of simultaneous optical modulation and detection.
Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Deficiency Reduces Insulin Resistance and the Diabetic Phenotype in Mice with Polygenic Insulin Resistance *

Mice heterozygous for insulin receptor (IR) and IR substrate (IRS)-1 deficiency provide a model of polygenic type 2 diabetes in which early-onset, genetically programmed insulin resistance leads to diabetes. Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) dephosphorylates tyrosine residues in IR and possibly IRS proteins, thereby inhibiting insulin signaling. Mice lacking PTP1B are lean and have increased insulin sensitivity. To determine whether PTP1B can modify polygenic insulin resistance, we crossed PTP1B-/- mice with mice with a double heterozygous deficiency of IR and IRS-1 alleles (DHet). DHet mice weighed slightly less than wild-type mice and exhibited severe insulin resistance and hyperglycemia, with approximately 35% of DHet males developing diabetes by 9-10 weeks of age. Body weight in DHet mice with PTP1B deficiency was similar to that in DHet mice. However, absence of PTP1B in DHet mice markedly improved glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity at 10-11 weeks of age and reduced the incidence of diabetes and hyperplastic pancreatic islets at 6 months of age. Insulin-stimulated phosphorylation of IR, IRS proteins, Akt/protein kinase B, glycogen synthase kinase 3beta, and p70(S6K) was impaired in DHet mouse muscle and liver and was differentially improved by PTP1B deficiency. In addition, increased phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase expression in DHet mouse liver was reversed by PTP1B deficiency. In summary, PTP1B deficiency reduces insulin resistance and hyperglycemia without altering body weight in a model of polygenic type 2 diabetes. Thus, even in the setting of high genetic risk for diabetes, reducing PTP1B is partially protective, further demonstrating its attractiveness as a target for prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
Rapid Synthesis of Pt or Pd/Carbon Nanocomposites Using Microwave Irradiation

Pt or Pd/Vulcan carbon nanocomposites containing metal nanoclusters highly dispersed on the carbon support are formed from precursor/Vulcan carbon composite materials in < 1 min of total microwave irradiation. Metal halide salts or organometallic complexes can serve as metal precursors. A palladium-allyl complex affords nanoclusters of interstitial Pd-carbide compositions. Metal nanoclusters are formed with small average sizes and rather narrow particle size distributions, even at metal loadings as high as 20 wt %. The high surface area and electrical conductivity of Vulcan carbon powder is probably responsible for its rapid rate of heating by microwave irradiation. A quick and convenient method for preparing metal/carbon nanocomposites using readily available metal compounds is reported.
Free-Living Stages of the Parasitic Copepod, Kroyeria Elongata Pillai, 1967 (Siphonostomatoida, Kroyeriidae) Reared from Eggs

[Three naupliar stages and the infective copepodid stage of Kroyeria elongata Pillai, 1967 are described based on free-living larvae reared from eggs detached from ovigerous females infecting the branchial lamellae of the white smoothhound, Mustelus griseus Pietschmann, 1908. The nauplii and the infective copepodid of the Kroyeriidae are compared with those of Pennellidae and Caligidae. Among Siphonostomatoida parasitic on fish, K. elongata is the first representative known to have three naupliar stages in its life cycle. Trois stades naupliens et le stade copepoditique infectant de Kroyeria elongata Pillai, 1967 sont decrits a partir des larves libres elevees a partir des oeufs detaches des femelles ovigeres fixees sur les lamelles branchiales de l'emissole Mustelus griseus Pietschmann, 1908. Les nauplies et le copepodite infectant des Kroyeriidae sont compares avec ceux des Pennellidae et des Caligidae. Parmi les Siphonostomatoida parasites de poissons, K. elongata est le premier representant connu a avoir trois stades naupliens dans son cycle de vie., Three naupliar stages and the infective copepodid stage of Kroyeria elongata Pillai, 1967 are described based on free-living larvae reared from eggs detached from ovigerous females infecting the branchial lamellae of the white smoothhound, Mustelus griseus Pietschmann, 1908. The nauplii and the infective copepodid of the Kroyeriidae are compared with those of Pennellidae and Caligidae. Among Siphonostomatoida parasitic on fish, K. elongata is the first representative known to have three naupliar stages in its life cycle. Trois stades naupliens et le stade copepoditique infectant de Kroyeria elongata Pillai, 1967 sont decrits a partir des larves libres elevees a partir des oeufs detaches des femelles ovigeres fixees sur les lamelles branchiales de l'emissole Mustelus griseus Pietschmann, 1908. Les nauplies et le copepodite infectant des Kroyeriidae sont compares avec ceux des Pennellidae et des Caligidae. Parmi les Siphonostomatoida parasites de poissons, K. elongata est le premier representant connu a avoir trois stades naupliens dans son cycle de vie.]
Cultural Thinking and Discourse Organizational Patterns Influencing Writing Skills in a Chinese English-as-a-Foreign-Language (EFL) Learner

AbstractWriting patterns of a Chinese English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learner were analyzed as a case study from linguistic, pragmatic, and psycholinguistic perspectives. Alternative assessments were used by American pre-service teachers and a Taiwanese EFL instructor for rating linguistic developmental problems referring to format, style, syntax, and grammar. In addition, researchers conducted deeper linguistic analyses of discourse organization and cultural thinking styles. The case study also presents patterns found, some conclusions, and theoretical and practical educational implications.
Development of an immersive training vest

Teams of students across four semesters have serially designed subsystems to be integrated into a cohesive immersive training vest system for military applications. The vest enhances the ability to provide realistic and real-time feedback on both battlefield effects (e.g. weapons fire) as well as performance information (e.g. correct/incorrect cultural response). The integrated system provides improved capabilities for real time training performance feedback though the following technology development efforts: robust zigbee wireless mesh networking, composite plate-mounted tactor motors for haptic feedback, hand/arm gesture tracking, and indoor location tracking. These technologies have been developed and tested as subsystems and are being integrated into a mock training facility at Missouri ST from requirements derivation, functional analysis, guided trade studies, interface control, etc. towards a final detailed design. The students were personally mentored by faculty and PhD students, as well as industry mentors from the Boeing Company through a structured three phase design review process. Students applied analytical tools for system optimization and simulation to derive design parameters and estimate system performance against technical requirement thresholds. Currently, the subsystems have been prototyped and tested to meet functional requirements and the full integrated system is expected to be completed by May 2012 and will begin design validation at that time.
Effects of nonionic surfactants on the UV/visible absorption of bacterial cells.

Nonionic surfactants are used in a number of different microbiological applications, including solubilization of cell membranes, washing bacterial cultures prior to experimentation, and enhancing biodegradation of low-solubility compounds. An important consideration in these applications is the potential for the surfactant to alter the cell membrane. One potential means to monitor the impact of surfactants on the bacterial cell membrane is through monitoring the absorbance spectrum of the bacterial suspension. This is due to the colloidal nature of bacteria, where the absorbance of a bacterial suspension is related to the size and refractive index of the bacterial cells. Through a systematic study it was shown that there can be a significant change in the bacterial absorbance spectrum due to the presence of nonionic surfactants, with the effect a function of surfactant structure and concentration, solution ionic strength and cation valence. The effects were most pronounced with Na(+) as the cation, with surfactants having mid-range hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) values, and with surfactant concentrations above the CMC. The results indicate that measurement of the absorbance spectrum of bacterial cultures can provide a means to monitor the effects of nonionic surfactants on the bacterial cell membrane. In addition, depending on the specific application, appropriate selection of surfactant structure and media composition can be made to enhance or minimize the effects.
Masking inconsistency: The Tonkin gulf crisis

Because crises evoke images of threatening events appearing beyond control, they supercede previous rhetorical acts and assessments of them, helping to reconcile potential contradictions within an administration's stance. President Lyndon Johnson's response to the August 1964 naval skirmishes in Tonkin Gulf is a case in point. As the early months of 1964 unfolded, Johnson became convinced of the necessity of a United States intervention in Vietnam. This sentiment, however, was not reflected in his public discourse; there thus emerged a disjunction between the president's private image and public persona and between his actions and the proposed policies of Barry Goldwater—Johnson's political rival. The naval encounters in Tonkin Gulf allowed Johnson to reconcile his public persona with his private image without arousing suspicion. Tonkin Gulf, therefore, was an episode in masking inconsistency. It demonstrated how international crises permit chief executives to establish a credible and consistent public image.
Overlooked aspects in the education of science professionals: Mentoring, ethics, and professional responsibility

Science as profession is generally defined narrowly as research. Science education as preparation for a profession in research is usually perceived as course work and laboratory training, even though the necessary knowledge and skills to pursue a research career are more extensive and diverse and are learned in one-on-one interaction with mentors. A complete education of science professionals includes the values, ethical standards and conventions of the discipline since they are fundamental to the profession. Mentoring and education in the responsible conduct and reporting of research and in the ethical dimensions of science are among the professional responsibilities of scientists and need to be discussed as part of science education. Moreover, science as an enterprise is much more than research and includes a number of other components, including science teaching, science journalism, and science policy. Each of these contributes to the nature of science and its role in society.
Mode–I Fracture Toughness of Tetrahedral Amorphous Diamond-like Carbon (ta-C) MEMS

Mode-I fracture toughness studies were conducted on hydrogen-free tetrahedral amorphous diamond-like carbon (ta-C) MEMS specimens of various thicknesses. Mathematically sharp edge pre-cracks were generated through micro indentation on the Silicon dioxide sacrificial layer. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was employed to measure the precise length and orientation of each pre-crack. Upon wet etching and release the freestanding uniform width and varying thickness MEMS-scale specimens were tested in Mode-I using a custom-made micro-tensile tester. Fracture toughness values were computed from the test data using linear elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) for a finite width specimen with an edge crack in the fixed grip loading configuration. The average Mode-I fracture toughness for 0.5 micron thick specimens was found to be % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaagKart1ev2aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn % hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqr1ngB % PrgifHhDYfgasaacH8srps0lbbf9q8WrFfeuY-Hhbbf9v8qqaqFr0x % c9pk0xbba9q8WqFfea0-yr0RYxir-Jbba9q8aq0-yq-He9q8qqQ8fr % Fve9Fve9Ff0dmeaabaqaciGacaGaaeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacaaI0a % GaaiOlaiaaikdacaaI1aGaeyySaeRaaGimaiaac6cacaaI3aGaaeyt % aiaabcfacaqGHbWaaOaaaeaacaqGTbaaleqaaaaa!4243! $$4.25 \pm 0.7{\text{MPa}}\sqrt {\text{m}} $$ while the average mode-I fracture toughness for 1 micron specimens was % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+- % feaagKart1ev2aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn % hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXatLxBI9gBaerbd9wDYLwzYbItLDharqqr1ngB % PrgifHhDYfgasaacH8srps0lbbf9q8WrFfeuY-Hhbbf9v8qqaqFr0x % c9pk0xbba9q8WqFfea0-yr0RYxir-Jbba9q8aq0-yq-He9q8qqQ8fr % Fve9Fve9Ff0dmeaabaqaciGacaGaaeqabaWaaeaaeaaakeaacaaI0a % GaaiOlaiaaisdacqGHXcqScaaIWaGaaiOlaiaaisdacaqGnbGaaeiu % aiaabggadaGcaaqaaiaab2gaaSqabaaaaa!4183! $$4.4 \pm 0.4{\text{MPa}}\sqrt {\text{m}} $$ .
Values and Change Over a Generation: Kelantan, Malaysia

This article presents the results of two semantic differential studies that focus on cultural values and modernization, which were carried out in Kelantan, Malaysia, first in 1969 and the second in 2001.The results of these quantitative psychological anthropology studies, complimented by more than 3 years of traditional fieldwork, provide a finely textured means to assess both the direction and the degree of sociocultural change in what has been a very traditional, conservative, Islamic, peasant community, but which now, with some notable exceptions, appears to be rapidly modernizing. Utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data resulting from our investigation, the authors discuss the continuing dominance of Islam in the conceptual and value system of virtually all Kelantanese Malays and some of its consequences for peace in the country and throughout the region.
Bioluminescent response of the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum to developing flow: Tuning of sensitivity and the role of desensitization in controlling a defensive behavior of a planktonic cell

Dinoflagellate bioluminescence is believed to serve a defensive function, decreasing grazing at night. Previous characterization of bioluminescence stimulated by fully developed flows might have underestimated the true sensitivity of bioluminescence by not observing the initial response. Also, it has been suggested that bioluminescence may be more sensitive to time-varying flow than to constant flow conditions. We used developing laminar Couette flow to characterize the sensitivity of the initial bioluminescent response of the dinoflagellate Lingulodinium polyedrum in time-varying flow. Both the absolute sensitivity (threshold) and dynamic sensitivity were consistent with that determined previously in fully developed flows, although there were differences between different cultured isolates of the same species and between those isolates and cells harvested from a unialgal bloom of the same species. When the rate of increase of shear was varied while keeping the maximum shear level similar, the threshold was independent of the rate of increase of shear. Surprisingly, the integrated bioluminescence was strongly dependent on the rate of increase of shear. The mechanism behind the preferential response to rapidly increasing shear was determined to be desensitization. Desensitization may influence which naturally occurring flows strongly stimulate bioluminescence either by allowing cells to avoid producing a primary response in certain slowly changing flows or, more generally, to avoid the cost of repeated stimulation when entrained in environmental flows containing above-threshold shears.
Visual Map Development: Bidirectional Signaling, Bifunctional Guidance Molecules, and Competition

Topographic maps are a two-dimensional representation of one neural structure within another and serve as the main strategy to organize sensory information. The retina’s projection via axons of retinal ganglion cells to midbrain visual centers, the optic tectum/superior colliculus, is the leading model to elucidate mechanisms of topographic map formation. Each axis of the retina is mapped independently using different mechanisms and sets of axon guidance molecules expressed in gradients to achieve the goal of representing a point in the retina onto a point within the target. An axon’s termination along the temporal-nasal mapping axis is determined by opposing gradients of EphAs and ephrin-As that act through their forward and reverse signaling, respectively, within the projecting axons, each of which inhibits interstitial branching, cooperating with a branch-promoting activity, to generate topographic specific branching along the shaft of the parent axons that overshoot their correct termination zone along the anterior-posterior axis of the target. The dorsal-ventral termination position is then determined using a gradient of ephrin-B that can act as a repellent or attractant depending on the ephrin-B concentration relative to EphB levels on the interstitial branches to guide them along the medial-lateral axis of the target to their correct termination zone, where they arborize. In both cases, axon-axon competition results in axon mapping based on relative rather than absolute levels of repellent or attractant activity. The map is subsequently refined through large-scale pruning driven in large part by patterned retinal activity.
Omentalization of a nonresectable uterine stump abscess in a dog

One month after ovariohysterectomy, a 2-year-old spayed female Golden Retriever was evaluated because of an extensive uterine stump abscess. Clinical signs included intermittent vomiting, signs of depression, lethargy, and pollakiuria. The dog underwent abdominal surgery; the greatly enlarged uterine stump was tightly adhered to the dorsal surface of the bladder, encompassing the distal portions of the ureters and the bladder's neurovascular supply. En bloc resection of the uterine stump was not considered an acceptable treatment option because of the risk of surgical damage to and subsequent devitalization of the bladder or ureters, urinary incontinence, or urinary tract obstruction. Therefore, the diseased uterine tissue that extended cranial to the bladder was resected, and the remaining abscess cavity was lavaged and packed with omentum. The dog recovered fully from the procedure. The omentum is an effective physiologic drain; its extensive vascular and lymphatic networks absorb fluid and actively promote elimination of infection. Omentalization appears to be an option for surgical management of nonresectable uterine stump abscesses in dogs.
Model of myosin node aggregation into a contractile ring: the effect of local alignment

Actomyosin bundles frequently form through aggregation of membrane-bound myosin clusters. One such example is the formation of the contractile ring in fission yeast from a broad band of cortical nodes. Nodes are macromolecular complexes containing several dozens of myosin-II molecules and a few formin dimers. The condensation of a broad band of nodes into the contractile ring has been previously described by a search, capture, pull and release (SCPR) model. In SCPR, a random search process mediated by actin filaments nucleated by formins leads to transient actomyosin connections among nodes that pull one another into a ring. The SCPR model reproduces the transport of nodes over long distances and predicts observed clump-formation instabilities in mutants. However, the model does not generate transient linear elements and meshwork structures as observed in some wild-type and mutant cells during ring assembly. As a minimal model of node alignment, we added short-range aligning forces to the SCPR model representing currently unresolved mechanisms that may involve structural components, cross-linking and bundling proteins. We studied the effect of the local node alignment mechanism on ring formation numerically. We varied the new parameters and found viable rings for a realistic range of values. Morphologically, transient structures that form during ring assembly resemble those observed in experiments with wild-type and cdc25-22 cells. Our work supports a hierarchical process of ring self-organization involving components drawn together from distant parts of the cell followed by progressive stabilization.
Identification of RASAL1 as a major tumor suppressor gene in thyroid cancer

RAS proteins control many cellular processes, including cell migration, proliferation, differentiation, and survival (1). Extracellular signals are transduced intracellularly through the RAS pathway, and the amplitude and duration of this signaling are critical to appropriate biological responses of the cell. The normal signaling of this pathway is delicately regulated by various modulators that function as enhancers or inhibitors of RAS and its downstream pathways. The main pathways downstream of RAS in human tumorigenesis include RAF→ MEK → ERK (MAPK) and PI3K→AKT→mTOR (PI3K) pathways. The RAS GTPase-activating protein (RasGAP) RASAL1 that catalyzes RAS inactivation (2–5) and other negative modulators of the RAS signaling system (6–17) are presumably tumor suppressor genes (TSGs), and their aberrant silencing has been observed in various cancers. Germline genetic alterations in some of these negative modulators, such as NF1, SPRED1, PTEN, LKB1, TSC1, and TSC2, are associated with inherited cancer syndromes and development of a variety of cancers (18,19). Thus, like the genetic activation of the classical components of RAS signaling–coupled pathways, such as RAS and BRAF in the MAPK pathway and RAS and PIK3CA in the PI3K pathway, genetic or epigenetic inactivation of the negative modulators of these pathways is presumably an important alternative mechanism in human tumorigenesis. Follicular cell–derived thyroid cancer is a common endocrine malignancy with a rapidly rising incidence globally (20,21). Thyroid cancer histologically consists mainly of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), follicular thyroid cancer (FTC), and anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) (22). RAS-coupled MAPK and PI3K pathways play a fundamental role in thyroid tumorigenesis (23). Genetic alterations are the fundamental driving force for the aberrant activation of these two pathways in thyroid cancer and occur in a thyroid tumor type–predilected manner. BRAF mutation that activates the MAPK pathway is most common in PTC (24,25), whereas RAS, PTEN, and PIK3CA mutations that activate the PI3K pathway are most common in FTC and ATC (26). These classical genetic alterations activating the MAPK and PI3K pathways account for about 65% to 70% of thyroid cancers, leaving 30% to 35% of thyroid cancers with no known genetic background responsible for aberrant signaling of the RAS-coupled MAPK and PI3K pathways (23). In this study, we investigated alternative RAS signaling–related genes that may play an important role in thyroid tumorigenesis through the RAS-coupled MAPK and PI3K pathways. We focused on negative modulators of RAS signaling that are potential TSGs and, for the first time, specifically identified RASAL1 as a major TSG with common epigenetic and genetic alterations in thyroid cancer.
Benefit analysis of user assistance improvements

In this paper, we describe a study conducted to examine the impact of changes to our user assistance model in our enterprise software systems. In this study, we examined both a traditional user assistance model, as well as our new user assistance model. In the traditional user assistance model, users of a general ledger prototype were given inline error messages and access to a PDF version of the help manual from a help icon at the top of the page. In the new user assistance model, error messages appeared in pop-up windows with links to specific areas where users could correct the errors. Fields that needed to be changed were highlighted with a red border and when clicked, a description of the required change would appear. When users needed help, they could select from lists of relevant help topics available at different levels based on where they were working in the system.
Debris-fan reworking during low-magnitude floods in the Green River canyons of the eastern Uinta Mountains, Colorado and Utah: COMMENT

The recent paper by [Larsen et al. (2004)][1] provides interesting new data that extend concepts developed for the Grand Canyon's Colorado River to the Green River, Utah. However, previous work is misrepresented and an internal inconsistency causes confusion about the conclusions. In [Larsen et al
Lymph Node Dissection at the Time of Radical Nephrectomy for High-Risk Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma: Indications and Recommendations for Surgical Templates

Abstract Background Observational studies suggest a proportion of patients with lymph node metastases will benefit from lymph node dissection (LND) at the time of nephrectomy for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Objective Our aim was to report the performance of five previously identified high-risk pathologic features assessed by intraoperative examination on prediction of lymph node metastases and propose a template for LND based on locations of lymph node involvement. Design, setting, and participants The study included a historical cohort of consecutive patients from a single institution who received LND in conjunction with nephrectomy for high-risk clear cell RCC between 2002 and 2006. Interventions All patients underwent nephrectomy and LND. Measurements Patients were considered high risk for nodal metastasis if two or more of the following features were identified during intraoperative pathologic assessment of the primary tumor: nuclear grade 3 or 4, sarcomatoid component, tumor size ≥10cm, tumor stage pT3 or pT4, or coagulative tumor necrosis. Based on these features, LND was performed at the time of nephrectomy, and the numbers and sites of regional lymph node metastasis were recorded for each patient. Results and limitations Of the 169 high-risk patients, 64 (38%) had lymph node metastases. All patients with nodal metastases had nodal involvement within the primary lymphatic sites of each kidney prior to involvement of the nodes overlying the contralateral great vessel. A limitation of the study is the lack of a standardized LND performed throughout the study period. Conclusions Pathologic features of renal tumors are associated with the risk of regional lymph node metastases and lymph node metastases that appear to progress though the primary lymphatic drainage of each kidney. Based on these findings we recommend that when performing LND the lymph nodes from the ipsilateral great vessel and the interaortocaval region be removed from the crus of the diaphragm to the common iliac artery.
Correlation of Structure and Mechanical Properties of Polyolefin Surfaces by Ir + Visible Sum Frequency Generation Vibrational Spectroscopy and Atomic Force Microscopy

The surface vibrational spectrum of atactic polypropylene was measured using IR+Visible Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) vibrational spectroscopy, in the temperature range 23 to -50 °C. A sharp rise in the intensity of the C-H symmetric stretch of CH2 groups is observed in the temperature range 0 to -20 °C. The elastic modulus and friction of the same polymer were measured with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) in the same temperature range i.e. 23 to -50 °C. There is a sharp rise in the modulus and a sharp decrease in the friction coefficient, at temperatures between 23 and 0 °C. These changes are attributed to the glass transition in atactic polypropylene which is expected to occur in the temperature range 10 to -10 °C. The temperature at which the glass transition is observed, from changes detected in AFM experiments, is higher than that observed by SFG experiments and that expected from bulk measurements. This elevation in the glass transition temperature has been attributed to the high pressure applied to the polymer under the AFM tip.
Jiang Shigong 强世功 on “Written and Unwritten Constitutions” and Their Relevance to Chinese Constitutionalism

Chinese constitutionalism is usually analyzed and found wanting in the West. The deficiencies of Chinese constitutionalism stem in part from its differences from the forms and sensibilities of gove...
Hierarchical reconstruction for discontinuous Galerkin methods on unstructured grids with a WENO-type linear reconstruction and partial neighboring cells

The hierarchical reconstruction (HR) [Y.-J. Liu, C.-W. Shu, E. Tadmor, M.-P. Zhang, Central discontinuous Galerkin methods on overlapping cells with a non-oscillatory hierarchical reconstruction, SIAM J. Numer. Anal. 45 (2007) 2442-2467] is applied to the piecewise quadratic discontinuous Galerkin method on two-dimensional unstructured triangular grids. A variety of limiter functions have been explored in the construction of piecewise linear polynomials in every hierarchical reconstruction stage. We show that on triangular grids, the use of center biased limiter functions is essential in order to recover the desired order of accuracy. Several new techniques have been developed in the paper: (a) we develop a WENO-type linear reconstruction in each hierarchical level, which solves the accuracy degeneracy problem of previous limiter functions and is essentially independent of the local mesh structure; (b) we find that HR using partial neighboring cells significantly reduces over/under-shoots, and further improves the resolution of the numerical solutions. The method is compact and therefore easy to implement. Numerical computations for scalar and systems of nonlinear hyperbolic equations are performed. We demonstrate that the procedure can generate essentially non-oscillatory solutions while keeping the resolution and desired order of accuracy for smooth solutions.
Development of Drugs That Target Proteopathic Seeds Will Require Measurement of Drug Mechanism in Human Brain

The notion that many neurodegenerative diseases are caused by seeded protein aggregation is almost 20 years old (Jarrett and Lansbury, Cell 73:1055–1058, 1993; Lansbury, Neuron 19:1151–1154, 1997). Recent data, some of it summarized here, suggest that this mechanism may account for cell-to-cell transmission throughout the brain by “proteopathic seeds.” There are many scientific questions that remain to be solved, including what is the best approach to interfere with the seeding process in vivo. But it may be more important to address the practical bottleneck that is common to all therapeutic strategies: how can one demonstrate potential efficacy of an experimental drug in a small, inexpensive clinical trial? This manuscript will address the issues that, together, have produced this bottleneck and will suggest some possible approaches to stimulate drug development for neurodegeneration.
Behavior of Prestressed Composite Steel Beams

An analytical study is presented of the ductile behavior of simply supported, prestressed composite steel beams with a constant eccentric prestressing force applied along the entire span. The stress conditions at the point of maximum moment are presented and the moment angle-change characteristics of the structure are developed for various stages of loading to the ultimate load condition. Comparisons are presented between the moment capacities of the conventional and the prestressed composite beam. The prestressed beam exhibits higher yield and ultimate resistance to applied moment if prestressing is efficiently used. Furthermore, in prestressed construction, more efficient use is made of the concrete slab in carrying its share of the applied load, and higher ultimate moment capacities are obtainable because of the more favorable distribution of the rectangular stress blocks. The yield moment capacities of the prestressed beams were 25% to 35% greater than the yield moment capacities of the conventional composite beams, and the ultimate moment capacities of the prestressed beams were 10% to 20% greater.
Perspectives of an underconsidered stakeholder group: Citizen journalists’ views of public relations practitioners and their materials

Abstract Scholars have long studied the relationships between professional journalists and public relations practitioners. However, public relations literature (both scholarly and trade) has not sufficiently examined the nature of the relationships between citizen journalists and public relations practitioners. This study addresses that gap through surveying U.S. citizen journalists on their views of public relations professionals and their materials. Study findings point to ambivalence among citizen journalists: they are not sure of the value of public relations people or the usefulness of their material, but they voice a positive regard for public relations people the more they interact with them. These findings indicate that a more carefully considered outreach to citizen journalists can allow public relations practitioners to build better relationships with these non-traditional reporters and, therefore, enhance the opportunity for practitioners to be more effective conveying information within the online news ecology.
Intrinsically disordered proteins and biomineralization

In vertebrates and invertebrates, biomineralization is controlled by the cell and the proteins they produce. A large number of these proteins are intrinsically disordered, gaining some secondary structure when they interact with their binding partners. These partners include the component ions of the mineral being deposited, the crystals themselves, the template on which the initial crystals form, and other intrinsically disordered proteins and peptides. This review speculates why intrinsically disordered proteins are so important for biomineralization, providing illustrations from the SIBLING (small integrin binding N-glycosylated) proteins and their peptides. It is concluded that the flexible structure, and the ability of the intrinsically disordered proteins to bind to a multitude of surfaces is crucial, but details on the precise-interactions, energetics and kinetics of binding remain to be determined.
Efficacy and safety of inhaled human insulin (Exubera) compared to subcutaneous insulin in children ages 6 to 11 years with type 1 diabetes mellitus: results of a 3-month, randomized, parallel trial.

Aim To compare the efficacy and safety of Exubera® (EXU) with subcutaneous (SC) insulin in children, ages 6-11 years, with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Design and methods 121 children were randomized to receive EXU or SC insulin, plus intermediate/ long-acting insulin for 12 weeks. Change in HbA1c was the primary efficacy endpoint. Results Decreases from baseline HbA1c were comparable between treatment groups ( difference between adjusted mean decrease from baseline [EXU - SC insulin], -0.23 [95% CI, -0.49, 0.03]). Differences between groups on pulmonary function tests were small and not significant. Mild to moderate cough occurred in 24.6% of EXU versus 6.8% of SC insulin patients. The risk for hypoglycemia was comparable between EXU and SC insulin (relative risk 0.88 [95% CI, 0.71, 1.11]). Increased insulin antibodies with EXU were not associated with clinical findings. Conclusion The efficacy and safety profiles shown in this study are the foundation for further investigation of EXU in this population.
A Changing Tide: What the New 'Foundations of Behavior' Section of the 2015 Medical College Admissions Test® Might Mean for Undergraduate Neuroscience Programs

Each year over 50,000 college students and alumni take the Medical College Admissions Test® (MCAT) and apply for admissions to medical school. After an extensive review process, the MCAT has undergone a major revision in form and content in order to better reflect the competencies medical students will need to be successful in their training and practice. Starting in April 2015, for the first time since the test’s inception, the MCAT will include social and behavioral sciences content. The new section of the MCAT exam titled “The Psychological, Social and Biological Foundations of Behavior” will test pre-health competencies that combine content knowledge with scientific inquiry and reasoning skills. Anticipating growing interest in curriculum related to the new competency based content on the exam, the AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) established the Pre-health Collection within MedEdPORTAL’s iCollaborative, a free repository of teaching resources. This online space gives faculty members the opportunity to share access to instructional resources in order to prepare or revise courses to include pre-health competencies. As a result of the increased content related to mind-body connections, undergraduate pre-medical students will be more likely to enroll in neuroscience courses to learn these competencies, or declare neuroscience majors, as the typical neuroscience major course requirements now meet most of the suggested pre-requisite competencies for medical school.
The impact of body mass on managelent of patients with renal colic

Objective: To study the impact of bodymass on diagnosis and initial response tomedical treatment in patients presenting withrenal colic. Patients and methods: Onehundred and sixty-five consecutive patientspresenting with symptoms of renal colic havebeen examined. Patients were divided in 3groups according to their body mass index:normal-weight (BMI ≤ 24.9 kg/m2),overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg/m2) and obese(BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2). Diagnosis of renal colicwas based on history, clinical examination,presence of hematuria in a urine sample,appearance of a stone on a plain radiograph,and/or presence of hydronephrosis inultrasonography. In addition, previous historyof renal colic, time to seek medical advice andtime to pain relief following administration ofmedications were examined. Results: Meanbody mass index did not differ between patientswith a history of ≤1, 1–5 and ≥5 renalcolics (P = 0.65). Prevalence rates of appearanceof either lithiasis or hydronephrosis vs normalfindings on the Kidney-Ureter-Bladder plainradiograph or ultrasonography were notdifferent between normal-weight, overweight andobese subjects (P = 0.38 and P = 0.90respectively). The time to seek for medicaladvice and the response to treatment were notdifferent between the study groups (P = 0.24 andP = 0.53 respectively). Conclusion: Bodymass does not have any impact on diagnosis,time to seek for medical advice or response totreatment in patients with renal colic.
Tolerance of a Knotted Near-Infrared Fluorescent Protein to Random Circular Permutation

Bacteriophytochrome photoreceptors (BphP) are knotted proteins that have been developed as near-infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP) reporters of gene expression. To explore how rearrangements in the peptides that interlace into the knot within the BphP photosensory core affect folding, we subjected iRFPs to random circular permutation using an improved transposase mutagenesis strategy and screened for variants that fluoresce. We identified 27 circularly permuted iRFPs that display biliverdin-dependent fluorescence in Escherichia coli. The variants with the brightest whole cell fluorescence initiated translation at residues near the domain linker and knot tails, although fluorescent variants that initiated translation within the PAS and GAF domains were discovered. Circularly permuted iRFPs retained sufficient cofactor affinity to fluoresce in tissue culture without the addition of biliverdin, and one variant displayed enhanced fluorescence when expressed in bacteria and tissue culture. This variant displa...