cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Components of signaling pathways for insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I in muscle myoblasts and myotubes

To survey and compare the signaling pathways from the insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptors in undifferentiated and differentiated muscle cells, we examined the phosphotyrosine (Ptyr)-containing polypeptides elicited in L6 and Sol8 myoblasts and myotubes by the combination of insulin and IGF-I. These polypeptides were detected by immunoblotting with antibodies against Ptyr. In the L6 myoblasts and myotubes and the Sol8 myoblasts, Ptyr polypeptides of approximately 240, 175, 115, 100, 41, and 37 kilodaltons (kDa) appeared in response to insulin-IGF-I. With the Sol8 myotubes, the 240-, 175-, and 37-kDa Ptyr polypeptides were detected in basal cells, and only the Ptyr content of the 175-kDa one increased in response to insulin-IGF-I. The polypeptides of 175, 41, and 37 kDa were tentatively identified as the insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS1) and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1 and -2), respectively, by immunoblotting with antibodies specific for these proteins, and the 115- and 100-kDa polypeptides are probably the beta-subunits of the insulin and IGF-I receptors. The amounts of IRS1, ERK1, and ERK2 were roughly the same in the L6 and Sol8 myoblasts and myotubes. Thus, differentiation of the myoblasts to myotubes was not accompanied by the detectable appearance of new insulin-IGF-I-elicited Ptyr polypeptides or marked changes in the amounts of known participants in their signaling pathways.
Toscin for 'young men in a hurry' with apologies to F.M. Cornford's Microcosmographia Academica: Being a Guide for the Young Academic Politician

The politics of getting published, promoted, and tenured is serious stuff. The International Journal of Economics and Accounting will help scholars in this struggle. It is important however not to waste space here with platitudes and cliches. We will use the opportunity to deliver a few cautions, lessons, and 'unpleasant truths' (but in true North American style, there will be a happy ending – for some). The paper interweaves its arguments about the present with quotations from a classic 'blast from the past' (1908 to be exact): F.M. Cornford's Microcosmographia Academica: Being a Guide for the Young Academic Politician. This work is a sober reminder that there is nothing new under the sun.
Incident solar irradiance at the sea surface

Computations have been performed of the incident spectral irradiance at the sea surface using LOWTRAN-7 as the basis to describe the incident scalar and vector irradiance in terms of the true solar zenith angle and the nominal visibility in the atmosphere. These computations have been used to describe the contributions to the incident irradiance from the direct and the sky components of the total irradiance and the average cosine of the sky component as a measure of the radiance distribution of the sky for varying atmospheric conditions. Comparisons of the computations from LOWTRAN-7 have been made with the results from other models, and with data obtained from field measurements, and excellent agreement has been obtained for the daily profiles of the vector and scalar irradiance at the surface. These computations have been used to provide a description of the irradiance at the sea surface for use in the analysis of remotely sensed data based on information on the radiative transfer through the atmosphere above the sea surface.
OP04.04: The myocardial performance (Tei) index is more reliable than shortening fraction (LVSF) in early late trimester fetuses for determining ventricular function

M. Habli2,3, J. F. Cnota1, A. Divanovic1, T. M. Crombleholme3, M. Kinsel-Ziter1, R. Keller1, E. C. Michelfelder1 1Fetal Heart Program, The Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 2Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA; 3Fetal Care Center of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA
The impact of prospect theory based framing tactics on advertising effectiveness

Abstract Among the most important decisions managers make is the determination of the most effective advertising strategies (and their associated tactics) and the determination of the market segments for which each strategy will be effective. Little research has explored the application of prospect theory based framing tactics (described in the text) to advertising. In this research we empirically test three framing tactics simultaneously, to study their individual main effects, and the interaction effects among them. We also test the moderating effect of buyers' prior knowledge of the product category. We used a fractional factorial experimental design to study purchase likelihood as a function of the above framing tactics, using 216 women, ages 25 to 49, who owned or were thinking of buying a video camera. Some of the most interesting results involved significant two-way interaction effects. As expected, subjects responded differently, depending on their level of product category knowledge. One framing tactic was more influential on high knowledge subjects than on low or moderate knowledge subjects. Other interactions among the several framing tactics yielded significant and interesting results.
Domestic Politics and Foreign Investment: British Development of Mexican Petroleum, 1889–1911

Business historians and students of political economy quite often analyze the success of foreign investors in the periphery in terms of the entrepreneur's competitive advantage and of the host country's beneficial economic policies. One cannot explain the extraordinary success of British engineer Sir Weetman Pearson in Mexico's early oil history according to such criteria, however, for his American competitors had experience in the technologically advanced U.S. petroleum industry and should have prevailed. Sir Weetman succeeded because Mexican politicians, pursuing their own internal political interests, willed and nurtured his success.
US Food and Drug Administration's Total Diet Study: Dietary intake of perchlorate and iodine

US Food and Drug Administration's Total Diet Study: Dietary intake of perchlorate and iodine
Late developmental changes in the ability of adenosine A1 receptors to regulate synaptic transmission in the hippocampus

Abstract Paired-pulse facilitation (PPF) of CA3–CA1 excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) was compared in hippocampal slices from juvenile (postnatal day (P) 15–21) and young adult rats (P28–P35) following application of adenosine. Relative to juveniles, young adults expressed an increase in baseline synaptic strength that was accompanied by a decrease in PPF suggesting a developmental increase in transmitter release. While adenosine depressed the EPSP slope to a similar extent in juveniles and young adults, PPF increased during adenosine application only for young adults. The differential effect of adenosine on PPF was not due to differences in receptor function or in extracellular ligand levels, since the A1 antagonist cyclopentyltheophylline (CPT) did not differentially affect PPF across age. Adenosine could increase PPF in juvenile slices under conditions of enhanced transmitter release, through an increase in the bath Ca2+ concentration, or addition of forskolin to the bath. These data indicate that the ability to modify synaptic transmission through presynaptic adenosine A1 receptors increases across postnatal development with the maturation of release mechanisms.
Development of a Graduate Course on Modeling and Control of Large-Scale Systems

This paper presents a graduate course in the area of modeling and control of large-scale systems. The objective of the course is to study 1) model simplification techniques in the analysis and simulation of large-scale systems, 2) procedures in assessing systems behavior, and 3) decentralized and hierarchical control design methods. A unique feature of the course is the use of a number of interactive computer programs to assist students in studying in depth and understanding the particularities of large-scale system modeling and control design techniques. The paper describes course contents and the utilization of the interactive computer programs to enhance student comprehension of the concepts involved. Typical homework assignments are discussed to illustrate the utilization of the computer programs. The course is presently offered at West Virginia University.
Myocardial and microcirculatory kinetics of BR14, a novel third-generation intravenous ultrasound contrast agent

AbstractObjectives: This study sought to investigate the myocardial and microvascular kinetics of BR14, a novel third-generation ultrasound contrast agent.Background: BR14 produces persistent myoca...
Correlates of women's cancer screening and contraceptive knowledge among female emergency department patients

Lack of knowledge regarding preventive health services for women might impede campaigns to expand these services in the emergency department setting. For 18–55-year-old English-speaking women visiting an urban emergency department, we aimed to: (1) Ascertain their knowledge regarding the applicability, purpose, and recommended intervals of three women's cancer screening and three contraceptive methods; and (2) Determine if patient age, race/ethnicity, medical insurance status, and current or recent usage of these methods are associated with greater or lesser knowledge about them. Emergency department-based survey on recent or current usage and knowledge about Pap smears, breast self-examinations, mammograms, condoms, birth control, and emergency contraception. Analyses included calculation of summary statistics and creation of multivariable logistic regression models. Of 1,100 patients eligible for the study, 69.9% agreed to participate. Most of the participants were < age 35, white, single (never married and no partner), Catholic, and had private medical insurance. Participant's recent or current usage of a particular cancer screening or contraceptive method varied by type of method: Pap smear within the past year (69.1%), breast self-exam within the past month (45.5%), mammogram within the past year (65.7% for women age 45–55), condom usage during every episode of sexual intercourse (15.4%), current usage of birth control pills (17.8%), and ever use of emergency contraception (9.3%). The participants correctly answered 87.9% of all survey questions about condoms, 82.5% about birth control pills, 78.5% about breast self-exams, 52.9% about Pap smears, 35.4% about mammograms, and 25.0% about emergency contraception. In multivariable logistic regression models, survey participants who had private medical insurance and those who recently or currently used a given screening or contraceptive method had a greater odds of correctly answering all questions about each cancer screening or contraceptive method. Although these female ED patients demonstrated strong knowledge on some women's cancer screening and contraceptive methods, there were several areas of knowledge deficit. Women without private medical insurance and those who have not used a particular cancer screening or contraceptive method demonstrated less knowledge. Reduced knowledge about women's cancer screening and contraceptive methods should be considered during clinical encounters and when instituting or evaluating emergency department-based initiatives that assess the need for these methods.
Comparative assessment of the composition and charge state of nitrogenase FeMo-cofactor.

A significant limitation in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of biological nitrogen fixation is the uncertain composition of the FeMo-cofactor (FeMo-co) of nitrogenase. In this study we present a systematic, density functional theory-based evaluation of spin-coupling schemes, iron oxidation states, ligand protonation states, and interstitial ligand composition using a wide range of experimental criteria. The employed functionals and basis sets were validated with molecular orbital information from X-ray absorption spectroscopic data of relevant iron-sulfur clusters. Independently from the employed level of theory, the electronic structure with the greatest number of antiferromagnetic interactions corresponds to the lowest energy state for a given charge and oxidation state distribution of the iron ions. The relative spin state energies of resting and oxidized FeMo-co already allowed exclusion of certain iron oxidation state distributions and interstitial ligand compositions. Geometry-optimized...
The chemistry of poisons in amphibian skin

Poisons are common in nature, where they often serve the organism in chemical defense. Such poisons either are produced de novo or are sequestered from dietary sources or symbiotic organisms. Among vertebrates, amphibians are notable for the wide range of noxious agents that are contained in granular skin glands. These compounds include amines, peptides, proteins, steroids, and both water-soluble and lipid-soluble alkaloids. With the exception of the alkaloids, most seem to be produced de novo by the amphibian. The skin of amphibians contains many structural classes of alkaloids previously unknown in nature. These include the batrachotoxins, which have recently been discovered to also occur in skin and feathers of a bird, the histrionicotoxins, the gephyrotoxins, the decahydroquinolines, the pumiliotoxins and homopumiliotoxins, epibatidine, and the samandarines. Some amphibian skin alkaloids are clearly sequestered from the diet, which consists mainly of small arthropods. These include pyrrolizidine and indolizidine alkaloids from ants, tricyclic coccinellines from beetles, and pyrrolizidine oximes, presumably from millipedes. The sources of other alkaloids in amphibian skin, including the batrachotoxins, the decahydroquinolines, the histrionicotoxins, the pumiliotoxins, and epibatidine, are unknown. While it is possible that these are produced de novo or by symbiotic microorganisms, it appears more likely that they are sequestered by the amphibians from as yet unknown dietary sources.
Bit mapping for balanced PCM cell programming

Write bandwidth is an inherent performance bottleneck for Phase Change Memory (PCM) for two reasons. First, PCM cells have long programming time, and second, only a limited number of PCM cells can be programmed concurrently due to programming current and write circuit constraints,For each PCM write, the data bits of the write request are typically mapped to multiple cell groups and processed in parallel. We observed that an unbalanced distribution of modified data bits among cell groups significantly increases PCM write time and hurts effective write bandwidth. To address this issue, we first uncover the cyclical and cluster patterns for modified data bits. Next, we propose double XOR mapping (D-XOR) to distribute modified data bits among cell groups in a balanced way. D-XOR can reduce PCM write service time by 45% on average, which increases PCM write throughput by 1.8x. As error correction (redundant bits) is critical for PCM, we also consider the impact of redundancy information in mapping data and error correction bits to cell groups. Our techniques lead to a 51% average reduction in write service time for a PCM main memory with ECC, which increases IPC by 12%.
The effects of temperature, sex and circadian rhythm on oxygen consumption in two species of cockroaches

Abstract 1. In neither of the species, Blaberus craniifer and B. giganteus, is there a significant difference in oxygen consumption in response to temperature variations (16–36°C), except in the case of B. giganteus at 36°. 2. Over the range of temperatures used, the Q10 for B. craniifer is approximately 2·00. In B. giganteus, the average Q10, in both sexes, is 1·35, between 16 and 26°C. Between 26 and 36°C there is a disproportionate rise in the rate of oxygen consumption. 3. At room temperature (26°C) the rate of oxygen consumption is consistently greater in B. craniifer than in B. giganteus measured under a 12-12 day-night cycle, under 24 hr of complete darkness or under 24 hr of continuous light. 4. In both species there is evidence that oxygen metabolism is subject to an endogenous rhythmic control characterized by a more intense metabolic response to prolonged (24 hr) darkness by B. craniifer and a less intense, non-cyclic response, in both species, to a prolonged period of light.
Injuries, arthritis, and hearing impairment: A case study of chronic health problems among western coal miners

Coal mining has been, and continues to be, a hazardous occupation with some of the highest rates of death and injury. The authors conducted a study of former and current coal miners from the western United States to identify the prevalence of acute injuries as well as arthritis and hearing impairment. Of the 102 randomly selected miners, 69 (67.6%) had experienced one or more injuries during their mining careers, with back injuries the most often identified. Thirty‐eight (37.3%) reported currently suffering health‐related quality of life effects from one or more injuries, including pain and activity restrictions. Forty‐four (43.1%) identified arthritis and 60 (58.8%) reported hearing impairment. These results were higher than national data for the general population of the United States when controlling for age. Based upon respondent‐reported health status, the miners identified themselves as being in poorer overall health compared with national data and a control group from the same study area. The need ...
Lateral hypothalamus dopamine D1-like receptors and glucose-conditioned flavor preferences in rats

This study examined the role of dopamine D1-like receptor transmission in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) in flavor preference learning induced by intragastric (IG) infusions of glucose. Rats fitted with gastric catheters were injected daily in the LH with either saline or SCH23390 (12 nmol/brain), 10 min prior to training sessions with a flavor (CS+) paired with IG infusions of 8% glucose and a different flavor (CS-) paired with IG water infusions. In a post-training two-bottle test, SCH-treated rats preferred the CS+ to the CS- although their preference was weaker than that of the Control rats (61% vs. 87%). The same dose of SCH23390 reduced CS+ intake of the Control rats in a subsequent test but did not suppress their CS+ preference (90%). These results show that D1-like receptor activation in the lateral hypothalamus modulates the acquisition, but not the expression of flavor preference learning induced by the post-oral reinforcing properties of glucose.
An Evolving History and Methodology of Pastoral Theology, Care, and Counseling

This article explores a history of contemporary pastoral theology closely related to issues of identity and methodology. Pastoral theologians and caregivers have attempted to find out pastoral, theological, and professional identities appropriate to their faith traditions and communities, while working with careseekers and supervisees in an interdisciplinary and multicultural context. In the process of finding proper identities pastoral theologians have sharpened their methodology of constructing pastoral theology by interweaving lived experience with pastoral practice, pastoral action with reflection, and theological wisdom with cultural perspectives. This article addresses historical lessons and implications for future directions.
Mapping Concepts of Agency in Educational Contexts.

The purpose of this conceptual paper is to explore and map the "espoused theories" (Argyris and Schon 1978) of agency used in educational contexts. More precisely, we limit the focus on the normative view of student agency assumed within dominant school practices, desired by educational practitioners, leaving out non-normative emerging agencies such as student agency of resistance. Agency is a "tricky" concept, and often scholars who use the concept of agency do not define or operationalize it (e.g., Archer 2000). One reason is that there is no consensus among scholars about the notion of agency, especially when applied to educational contexts (Hitlin and Elder Sociological Theory, 25 (2), 170-191, 2007). Moreover, the recent neoliberal framing of individuals' agency as fully autonomous, flexible, and self-entrepreneur is adding the dilemma of agency manipulation in the sphere of education (Gershon 2011; Sidorkin 2004). To tackle this dilemma in educational contexts, we suggest to further interrogating the normative notion of agency in all its modes and develop a more nuanced conceptualization. We hope that such conceptualization would produce an understanding of the diverse manifestations and definitions of agency within a human ideal, educational content, behaviors, and social settings. We observed diverse uses of the normative term "agency" in educational discourse. We examined the term as used by researchers and practitioners. We also looked at the different ways it has been used in philosophical discussions of education, political framing of the civic role of schooling, disciplinary policy statements, school mission statements, and in everyday common use. It is worthy to note that our categorization of the use and meaning of the normative term "agency" depends on the scholars' epistemological paradigmatic assumptions, socio-political and historical situatedness, and ontological projects being translated into diverse scholarships of education. As a result of our research, we suggest four major normative conceptual frameworks related to agency mainly being adopted in educational contexts that we labeled as: 1) instrumental, 2) effortful, 3) dynamically emergent, and 4) authorial. In this paper, we discuss these normative approaches to agency as we compare and contrast the assumptions and their consequences for the current field of education, mostly from a point of view of authorial definition of agency (our bias).
The Vulnerable System: An Analysis of the Tenerife Air Disaster

The Tenerife air disaster, in which a KLM 747 and a Pan Am 747 collided with a loss of 583 lives, is examined as a prototype of system vulnerability to crisis. It is concluded that the combination of interruption of important routines among interdependent systems, interdependencies that become tighter, a loss of cognitive efficiency due to autonomic arousal, and a loss of communication accuracy due to increased hierarchical distortion, created a configuration that encouraged the occurrence and rapid diffusion of multiple small errors. Implications of this prototype for future research and practice are explored.
Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease in the Presence of Mixed Cognitive and Affective Symptoms

Dementia and depression are the two most common mental illnesses in late life, and it is probable that they will coexist in many patients. This coexistence is complicated by the fact that both illnesses can be mistaken for each other, so that many patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) may initially be diagnosed as depressed, whereas depression is a recognized cause of cognitive impairment. It is important to correctly differentiate between these two diagnoses; if depression is the cause of the cognitive impairment, full recovery is possible. It is also important to recognize depression in patients with AD, because depression represents a treatable source of additional disability. For patients with AD living in the community, functional limitation can determine whether the patient remains at home or is institutionalized, so treatment that can improve functional ability should be strongly considered. The newer antidepressants are better tolerated without increase in cost, so these drugs may provide a therapeutic advantage over the older tricyclic drugs. This article focuses primarily on techniques for establishing a differential diagnosis, with particular emphasis on patients in the primary care setting, and briefly considers the value and impact of treatment.
User-level QoS-adaptive resource management in server end-systems

Proliferation of QoS-sensitive client-server Internet applications such as high-quality audio, video-on-demand, e-commerce, and commercial Web hosting has generated an impetus to provide performance guarantees. These applications require a guaranteed minimum amount of resources to operate acceptably to the users, thus calling for QoS-provisioning mechanisms. One good place to locate such mechanisms is in server communication subsystems. Server-side communication subsystems manage an increasing number of connection end-points, thus readily controlling important bottleneck resources. We propose, implement, and evaluate a novel communication server architecture that maximizes the aggregate utility of QoS-sensitive connections for a community of clients even in the case of overload. A contribution of this architecture is that it manages QoS from the user space and is transparent to the application. It does not require modifications to the OS kernel, which improves portability and reduces development cost. Results from an experimental evaluation on a microkernel indicate that it achieves end-system overload protection and traffic prioritization, improves insulation between independent clients, adapts to offered load, and enhances aggregate service utility.
The Influence of Initiative Signature‐Gathering Campaigns on Political Participation

Objective: This article studies the effect of initiative signature-gathering campaigns on political participation within a state. Methods: Using data on signatures gathered for eight initiatives and four different elections, we conduct grouped logit regression to test whether counties that are subject to more intense signature-gathering campaigns, measured by the number of signatures gathered per capita, experience greater levels of turnout and ballot roll-off in the subsequent election. Results: Our analysis provides evidence that the intensity of signature-gathering campaigns has a moderate effect on both of these measures of political participation. Conclusion: Initiative campaigns influence turnout not just at the state level, but variation in campaigns leads to differences within states as well.
Planning for the Unplanned: Recovering from Crises in Megacities by Aseem Inam

Aseem Inam is an Assistant Professor of Urban Planning in the Taubman College of Architecture and Urban Planning at The University of Michigan. Besides his graduate degrees from l′Ecole d'Architect...
Fracture Mechanics of Unidirectional Composites

A new approach to the fracture mechanics analysis of unidirectional com posites has been formulated. First, using the shear-lag model, we obtained an approximate stress-analysis for composites containing cracks and longitudinal splits. From this new stress analysis, we derived expressions for the energy release rate due to both self-similar crack propagation and to longitudinal splitting. The new expressions are easy to use. Be cause material heterogeneity, material anisotropy, finite width effects, and various possible failure modes are all specifically taken into account, we suggest that these new expressions should replace conventional fracture mechanics for analyzing fracture data in unidirec tional composites. Experimental work has verified that the new expressions fit experimen tal data significantly better than conventional fracture mechanics expressions.
Evidence of Breed and Sex Differences in the Weight of Chicks Hatched from Eggs of Similar Weights

Abstract It has been demonstrated that breed differences exist in rate of embryonic growth (Byerly, 1930; Blunn and Gregory, 1935; Kaufman, 1936; and others), but differences in body weight are usually not present at hatching due to the effects of egg size. During a study of the genetic control of growth in the fowl, a difference between breeds and sexes was noted for chick weight, as expressed by “the percentage chick weight is of original egg weight” (percentage utilization). Baby chicks from Rose Comb Black Bantams (RCB), White and Barred Plymouth Rocks (WPR and BPR), and reciprocal crossbreeds between the large and small breeds were compared. In the case of the Bantam × Barred Plymouth Rock matings, all eggs were individually weighed prior to incubation and the chicks were individually hatched. The eggs and chicks were weighed and identified only according to kind in the Bantam × White Plymouth Rock series . . .
Anton: A Specialized Machine for Millisecond-Scale Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Proteins

The ability to perform long, accurate molecular dynamics (MD) simulations involving proteins and other biological macromolecules could in principle lead to important scientific advances and provide a powerful new tool for drug discovery. A wide range of biologically important processes, however, occur over time scales on the order of a millisecond -- several orders of magnitude beyond the duration of the longest previous MD simulations. Our research group has recently completed a specialized, massively parallel machine called Anton, which is capable of calculating millisecond-scale molecular trajectories at an atomic level of detail. The machine has greatly extended the power of simulation as a tool for understanding the structure and dynamics of proteins, and has already allowed us to observe and analyze important biological phenomena that have not previously been accessible to either computational or experimental study.
Gabapentin overdose in a military beneficiary.

ABSTRACTWe report the case of a 59-year-old military beneficiary that presented to the emergency department after ingesting approximately 90 g of gabapentin immediate-release capsules during a deliberate self-harm attempt. Her serum gabapentin level was 72.8 mcg/mL approximately 3 hours after ingestion. Her renal function panel, complete blood count, and liver function panel were normal. Her urine drug screen, aspirin, ethanol, and acetaminophen level were negative. Her electrocardiogram was normal, including a normal QTc interval. Her only symptoms were nausea and mild sedation. She was admitted for observation with no sequelae noted. She was transferred to a psychiatric facility at that time for further evaluation and treatment. We report a case of gabapentin overdose that presented to the emergency department. Given the large volume ingestion with minimal morbidity, it appears that gabapentin has a wide therapeutic margin and may be safe in overdose.
The status of life‐cycle assessment as an environmental management tool

As environmental awareness increases, industries and businesses have responded by providing "greener" products and using "greener" processes. Many companies have found it advantageous to explore ways of moving beyond compliance, using pollution prevention strategies and environmental management systems, to improve their environmental performance. One such way is life-cycle assessment (LCA). This concept considers the entire life cycle of a product, process, or an activity. Evaluating environmental impacts holistically from raw material acquisition, through manufacture, use, and disposal using a life-cycle perspective is gradually being viewed by environmental managers and decision makers as an important element in achieving environmental sustainability. The use of a holistic, life-cycle approach can help industry and government avoid the unintended trading of one environmental problem for another. This paper addresses ongoing research in LCA methodology in the US EPA's National Risk Management Research Laboratory. Two key areas of this research include life-cycle inventory (LCI) data availability and life-cycle impact assessment (LCIA) modeling. To address the issue of data availability, EPA developed a website entitled LCAccess. Although LCAccess does not itself contain data, it is a searchable global directory to potential data sources. LCAccess also serves as a central source for LCA information. In addition, EPA developed TRACI (the Tool for the Reduction and Assessment of Chemical and other environmental Impacts), which allows the characterization of ozone depletion, global warming, acidification, eutrophication, tropospheric ozone (smog) formation, ecotoxicity, human particulate effects, human health, fossil fuel depletion, and land use effects. TRACI can be used with life-cycle inventory to further analyze and understand the data.
Mechanosensitive channels in the lateral wall can enhance the cochlear outer hair cell frequency response.

We present the results of a modeling study on the impact of mechanosensitive channels in the lateral wall of the outer hair cell on the cell frequency response. The model includes the electrical properties of the cell membrane, piezoelectricity associated with a membrane motor mechanism, and mechanosensitive channels in the cell lateral wall. The outer hair cell is loaded by the vibrating basilar and tectorial membranes, and this loading generates strain in the lateral wall. Our analysis reveals a property, the strain rate sensitivity, that, in concert with the piezoelectric effect, can enhance the cell frequency response. We discuss possible viscoelastic-type mechanisms of the channel’s strain rate sensitivity that is consistent with the organization of the composite cell lateral wall. The parameters of our model are chosen on the basis of the previously estimated electrical and piezoelectric properties as well as typical conductance and density of the mechanosensitive channels in cells. We found that the strain rate sensitivity of the channels can result in receptor potentials greater than those predicted by the RC (resistance and capacitance) analysis. The effect of the channels is especially significant in an intermediate range of sound frequencies, and the channel-related gain is up to 3–4 times between 3 and 15 kHz.
How Physiological Methods and Concepts Can Be Useful in Conservation Biology

SYNOPSIS. The single and synergistic effects of man-made changes to the environment, such as habitat destruction, climate change, introduction of novel, long-lived chemicals into the environment, transport of exotic species and pathogens into new geographical areas, and other factors are predicted to cause widespread population declines and species extinctions of plants and animals in this century. From its inception, physiology has dealt with organismal capacities to deal with environmental change. This essay argues that physiologists, their methods and concepts can make more substantial contributions to Conservation Biology than they have to date. A few of the many ways in which physiologists can participate in Conservation Biology include formulating standards for proof of cause-and-effect relations and providing information about how environmental change could affect organismal energetics, host-pathogen relations, immune defenses, and others.
A Recording System for the Study of Tinnitus Through Auditory Evoked Potentials

Tinnitus is a consciously experienced 'ringing' sensation in the auditory system, which occurs without the presence of an actual auditory stimulation. The study of tinnitus has resulted in a number of speculated mechanisms and suspected origins in the auditory pathway, however a definite model for this phenomenon has not been confirmed. In the majority of cases, external acoustic stimulation masks the tinnitus sensation and the offset of tinnitus is preceded by the complete withdrawal of acoustic stimulus. This paper describes a research effort to study the neurological expressions of tinnitus by analyzing auditory evoked potentials (AEP). The signals constituting the evoked response are many times smaller than the surrounding EEG signals. The paper describes the methodology and the instrument design to overcome this problem. The study concentrates in the analysis of AEP signals during silence, as well as the transitional nature of the AEP in order to identify possible EEG correlates of tinnitus
A Bayesian Framework to Improve MicroRNA Target Prediction by Incorporating External Information

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that play key gene-regulatory roles in diverse biological processes, particularly in cancer development. Therefore, inferring miRNA targets is an essential step to fully understanding the functional properties of miRNA actions in regulating tumorigenesis. Bayesian linear regression modeling has been proposed for identifying the interactions between miRNAs and mRNAs on the basis of the integrated sequence information and matched miRNA and mRNA expression data; however, this approach does not use the full spectrum of available features of putative miRNA targets. In this study, we integrated four important sequence and structural features of miRNA targeting with paired miRNA and mRNA expression data to improve miRNA-target prediction in a Bayesian framework. We have applied this approach to a gene-expression study of liver cancer patients and examined the posterior probability of each miRNA–mRNA interaction being functional in the development of liver cancer. Our method achieved better performance, in terms of the number of true targets identified, than did other methods.
The chemistry of radical ion formation on aluminum silicates

Abstract The current status of the chemistry involved in the single electron transfer, which results in radical ion formation on the surfaces of aluminum silicates, is assessed. The conclusion is reached that in many cases oxygen molecules act as the electron acceptor.
Platelet C4d is associated with acute ischemic stroke and stroke severity.

Background and Purpose— Platelets bearing complement C4d were recently reported to be 99% specific for a diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and associated with neuropsychiatric lupus. We compared the prevalence of platelet C4d and investigated the clinical associations of platelet C4d in patients with acute ischemic stroke. Methods— We recruited 80 patients hospitalized for acute ischemic stroke. Stroke severity was measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIH-SS). Infarct volume was determined by MRI. Platelet C4d was measured by flow cytometry. Results— Mean age was 57.9 years (range: 24.6 to 86.8 years), 58% were male, and 91% were white. Eight patients (10%) with acute ischemic stroke were platelet C4d-positive, which was significantly higher in prevalence compared to healthy controls (0%, P<0.0001) and non-SLE patients with immune/inflammatory disease (2%, P=0.004). The median NIH-SS score and infarct volume for acute stroke patients were 6 (interquartile range [IQR]: ...
Alignment with Editors’ Expectations

Library publishing is a growing area of interest for academic libraries as journal editors are increasingly seeking the services offered by libraries to start new journals, revive older journals, or cross over from commercial publishers. The purpose of this paper is to reflect upon how library publishers can align with journal editors’ expectations. Six categories are discussed, and recommendations are proposed relating to: (a) variation in editor expectations; (b) preservation, access, and discoverability; (c) tools and services; (d) training and education; (e) resource sharing; and (f ) library publisher-editor relationships.
A Statistical Analysis of Spacecraft Maneuvers for a Deep Space Mission

The process of trajectory design and analysis is described, with particular focus on the determination, to within 99% probability, of the required fuel necessary to complete the mission. The MESSENGER mission to Mercury is used as an example. A Monte Carlo sampling is performed to provide 500 initial conditions with the prescribed mean and variance, by sampling the square root information matrix. The 500 sample trajectories are mapped through seven encounters and 21 maneuvers to the target, using the terminal position of the previous leg as the initial position of the next. Results are presented in histograms and tables.
A constructive proof of the partial fraction decomposition

(1988). A Constructive Proof of the Partial Fraction Decomposition. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 95, No. 7, pp. 651-653.
Restraint use and risky driving behaviors across drug types and drug and alcohol combinations for drivers involved in a fatal motor vehicle collision on U.S. roadways.

While driving impaired is a well-recognized risk factor for motor vehicle (MV) crash, recent trends in recreational drug use and abuse may pose increased threats to occupant safety. This study examines mechanisms through which drug and/or alcohol combinations contribute to fatal MV crash. The Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) for 2008–2013 was used to examine drugs, alcohol, driver restraint use, driver violations/errors and other behaviors of drivers of passenger vehicles who were tested for both alcohol and drugs (n = 79,932). Statistical analysis was based on Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression. Associations of restraint use and other outcomes with alcohol and drug use were measured by estimated odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs). More than half (54.8 %) of the study population were positive for drugs or alcohol at the time of crash. Approximately half of drivers were belted, but this varied from 67.1 % (unimpaired) to 33.0 % (drugs plus alcohol). Compared to the unimpaired, the odds of a driver being unbelted varied: alcohol and cannabis (OR 3.70, 95 % CI 3.44–3.97), alcohol only (3.50,3.36–3.65), stimulants (2.13,1.91–2.38), depressants (2.09,1.89–2.31), narcotics (1.84,1.67–2.02) and cannabis only (1.55,1.43–1.67). Compared to belted drivers, unbelted drivers were over 4 times more likely to die. Driving violations varied across drug/drug alcohol combinations. Speed-related violations were higher for drivers positive for stimulants, alcohol, cannabis, and cannabis plus alcohol, with a more than two fold increase for alcohol and cannabis (2.36, 2.05, 2.71). Mechanisms through which drugs, alcohol and substance combinations produce increased risks to occupant safety include lowered restraint use and increases in risky driving behaviors, including speeding, lane, passing, turning and signal/sign violations.
Modeling prostate cancer response to continuous versus intermittent androgen ablation therapy

Due to its dependence on androgens, metastatic prostate cancer is typically treated with continuous androgen ablation. However, such therapy eventually fails due to the emergence of castration-resistance cells. It has been hypothesized that intermittent androgen ablation can delay the onset of this resistance. In this paper, we present a biochemically-motivated ordinary differential equation model of prostate cancer response to anti-androgen therapy, with the aim of predicting optimal treatment protocols based on individual patient characteristics. Conditions under which intermittent scheduling is preferable over continuous therapy are derived analytically for a variety of castration-resistant cell phenotypes. The model predicts that while a cure is not possible for androgen-independent castration-resistant cells, continuous therapy results in longer disease-free survival periods. However, for androgen-repressed castration-resistant cells, intermittent therapy can significantly delay the emergence of resistance, and in some cases induce tumor regression. Numerical simulations of the model lead to two interesting cases, where even though continuous therapy may be non-viable, an optimally chosen intermittent schedule leads to tumor regression, and where a sub-optimally chosen intermittent schedule can initially appear to result in a cure, it eventually leads to resistance emergence. These results demonstrate the model's potential impact in a clinical setting.
Human Conflict: Beware Politicized Science

I am writing in reaction to the cover photo and accompanying caption selected for the 18 May [special issue][1] on Human Conflict. It seems disingenuous to claim that of all the world's conflicts, a building identified as destroyed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) was “not [chosen] for any
Necrotizing fasciitis. A perioperative case study.

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a serious and life-threatening disease. The diagnosis is difficult to make because the early symptoms can be suggestive of other types of skin infections. Prompt recognition and intervention is critical to the treatment of NF. The perioperative case study illustrates how one healthy woman started with "the flu" and was admitted through the emergency room for what was eventually diagnosed as NF. Though her course of treatment did not necessarily fit all the recommended treatments as described in the literature, she was able to survive her case of NF.
Chenodeoxycholic acid: uses and limitations.

Conclusions about the efficacy and safety of this agent for dissolving cholesterol gallstones must wait until late next year, when results of large clinical trials are available. But results from many studies are available, as are preliminary clinical data from trials of a possible alternative, ursodeoxycholic acid. At any rate, an alternative to the choice between observation and surgery seems on the horizon.
Preparing school principals in the Chilean scenario: lessons from Australia, England and the United States

ABSTRACTIn this paper will be analysed three different educational contexts for preparing school principals such as Australia, England and the United States. This study analyses the professional development of academic leadership in the countries previously mentioned in order to apply the successful aspects to the Chilean education system, a system greatly need of improvement. The main finding of this study is that school administrator development is unproductive when the administrators themselves are not given the power to make decisions such as selecting teaching staff and managing finances. In this context, legal and bureaucratic structures in Chile act as barriers in consolidating and practicing these new ideas and recommendations.
Characteristics of pediatric pulmonary hypertension trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov.

The investigation of pediatric pulmonary hypertension (PH) drugs has been identified as a high priority by the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH). Studying pediatric PH is challenging due to the rare and heterogeneous nature of the disease. We sought to define the pediatric PH clinical trials landscape, to evaluate areas of trial success or failure, and to identify potential obstacles to the study of pediatric PH drugs. Interventional pediatric (ages 0–17 years) PH trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov from June 2005 through December 2014 were analyzed. There were 45 pediatric PH trials registered during the study period. Median (IQR) projected trial enrollment was 40 (24–63), with seven trials (16%) targeting > 100 participants. Industry was the most common trial sponsor (n = 23, 50%), with only two (4.4%) NIH-sponsored trials. Phosphodiesterase inhibitors were the most frequently studied drug (n = 18, 39%). Single group study designs were used in 44% (n = 20) with an active comparator (...
CHAPTER 13 – The Use of Particle-Mediated Gene Transfer for Immunotherapy of Cancer

This chapter discusses the use of particle-mediated gene transfer (PMGT) for immunotherapy of cancer. PMGT technology is a relatively new approach for mammalian gene transfer. This method of gene delivery uses a burst of helium to accelerate DNA-coated gold particles into target cells. Resulting transgene expression levels are often significantly higher than those achieved by other direct DNA delivery methods. Moreover, it takes only several seconds to complete a single treatment by PMGT. Significant advantages of PMGT include the ability to physically confer gene expression by nonviral means; direct the particle delivery to the anatomic site of interest; transfect resting, non dividing cells, irrespective of cell lineage; and simultaneously deliver multiple candidate therapeutic genes into one cell or neighboring cells. The latter feature of PMGT can be beneficial for genetic immunization strategies when a gene for a tumor-associated antigen is employed in combination with cytokine genes. Rigorous clinical evaluation of PMGT, with careful immunological monitoring, is needed to determine the potential clinical importance of this technology.