cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of phenylephrine in the management of low systolic blood pressure after renal transplantation.

Background Phenylephrine can be used to treat postoperative hypotension after renal transplantation. However, its effect on the renal allograft is unknown. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of this approach. Study Design A retrospective cohort study of 307 renal transplant recipients between November 2005 and October 2011 was conducted, including 75 who required phenylephrine, 46 of whom were deceased donors renal transplant (DDRT) recipients and 29 who were living donor transplant (LDRT) recipients. These were compared with 75 controls matched by sex, age, type of transplant, and etiology of renal failure. The primary outcome was rate of delayed graft function (DGF). The following statistical tools were used: paired t -test for continuous data, McNemar's test for categorical data, and a nonlinear mixed decay model for change in serum creatinine (Cr). Results Of 46 DDRT recipients who required phenylephrine, 17 developed DGF compared with 10 matched controls (relative risk [RR] 2.9, CI 1.4 to 6.0, p = 0.0040). Only one LDRT recipient required hemodialysis (DGF). No differences were noted in the number of hemodialysis treatments required (mean 2.7 in treatment group vs 3.4 in control). No significant differences were observed between phenylephrine and control groups in renal function on postoperative days 30, 90, and 365 Cr or graft survival. The immediate postoperative normalization of Cr was slower in the DDRT phenylephrine group compared with DDRT controls (p Conclusions Although there is a brief association between phenylephrine administration and a slower rate of transplanted kidney recovery, there is no clinically or statistically significant impaired outcome in the phenylephrine group at time of discharge. Administration of phenylephrine to support low blood pressure after renal transplant appears safe.
Lexical and syntactic predictors of the distribution of pause time in reading.

This experiment investigated the predictability of pause time in a 1537 word spoken message. A professionally read rendition paced at 164 wpm was analyzed from three points of view: ( a ) an immediate constituent, or surface structure, syntactic analysis; ( b ) a stochastic information analysis of all lexical items in context; and ( c ) a deep structure analogue or clause analysis. Results indicated that 64% of the pause variance could be predicted from the syntactic measures. Both the surface structure and deep structure analogue measures of syntactic complexity yielded reliable predictive variance not accounted for in the overlap of the two variables, suggesting that both levels of linguistic representation were important determiners of pause structure in an oral reading performance.
Microdialysis sampling of cytokines.

Abstract Microdialysis sampling is a well-known method for collection of low molecular weight hydrophilic analytes. Due to the success of this sampling technique for these analytes, many researchers have wanted to extend the use of this method to a wider range of analytes—particularly proteins and peptides. These analytes pose unique challenges during microdialysis sampling. The primary challenges are the reduced recovery across the dialysis semi-permeable membrane and the volume limitations/requirements for the typical immunoassay methods used for detection of proteins. This review covers the practical and theoretical aspects needed for in vivo microdialysis sampling of cytokines, which are a vitally important class of signaling proteins. In addition to the basics of the microdialysis method for sampling cytokines, the use of the microdialysis device as a localized cytokine delivery method is also described. Since relative recovery of cytokines is often low during microdialysis sampling, methods to improve the membrane recovery are discussed for in vitro and in vivo applications.
WordNet then and now

We briefly discuss the origin and development of WordNet, a large lexical database for English. We outline its design and contents as well as its usefulness for Natural Language Processing. Finally, we discuss crosslinguistic WordNets and complementary lexical resources.
Optimal Management of Behavioural Disorders Associated with Dementia

Behavioural disorders occur with great frequency in patients with dementia. They are the major reason for admission of these patients to nursing homes. However, there have been few controlled trials of many of the commonly used drugs to guide therapy. To treat these conditions successfully, an adequate description of target symptoms of the behaviours to be corrected and a thorough investigation to identify precipitating causes are essential.
Disparities in fetal death and first day death: the influence of risk factors in 2 time periods.

Objectives. We examined how changes in risk factors over time influence fetal, first day, and combined fetal–first day mortality and subsequent racial/ethnic disparities.Methods. We selected deliveries to US resident non-Hispanic White and Black mothers from the linked live birth–infant death cohort and fetal deaths files (1995–1996; 2001–2002) and calculated changes over time of mortality rates, odds, and relative odds ratios (RORs) overall and among mothers with modifiable risk factors (smoking, diabetes, or hypertensive disorders).Results. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) for fetal mortality overall (AOR = 0.99; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.96, 1.01) and among Blacks (AOR = 0.98; 95% CI = 0.93, 1.03) indicated no change over time. Among women with modifiable risk factors, the RORs indicated no change in disparities. The ROR was not significant for fetal mortality (ROR = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.83, 1.01) among smokers, but there was evidence of some decline. There was evidence of increase in RORs in fetal death...
Lightweight concurrency primitives for GHC

The Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC) has quite sophisticated support for concurrency in its runtime system, which is written in low-level C code. As GHC evolves, the runtime system becomes increasingly complex, error-prone, difficult to maintain and difficult to add new concurrency features.This paper presents an alternative approach to implement concurrency in GHC. Rather than hard-wiring all kinds of concurrency features, the runtime system is a thin substrate providing only a small set of concurrency primitives, and the remaining concurrency features are implemented in software libraries written in Haskell. This design improves the safety of concurrency support; it also provides more customizability of concurrency features, which can be developed as Haskell library packages and deployed modularly.
Constructing Legal Rules on Appellate Courts

Ultimate power over legal policy in the United States lies mainly in appellate courts, particularly the Supreme Court. These courts do not and could not hear all cases themselves. Rather, appellate courts make policy by laying down rules for disposing of cases, rules that the lower court judges who hear the vast majority of cases are to apply in their decisions. The problem is that, in the United States and many other countries, appellate courts are multimember, or collegial. The individual judges that compose such courts often differ in their policy goals, which is to say that they might prefer different case outcomes and different rules for disposing of cases. This raises the problem of whether judicial preferences over rules can be aggregated in a meaningful way. A lone judge could issue a rule to tell lower courts how to decide cases her way, but can a collegial court do the same? Can a collegial court operating under majority rule construct a coherent legal doctrine? The answer is far from obvious— –social choice theory shows that even mildly complex preferences often cannot be combined to form a rational group preference, such that there is no policy that can be said to represent “the” majority. In short, we lack a theory as to how preferences that take the form of legal rules can be aggregated, even though this is a foundational issue for the study of judicial policy making. In this paper, I ask whether and how judges on a collegial court can aggregate their preferred rules. I contend that there is a meaningful way to construct a collegial rule, one that reflects differences among individual judges, but still captures their preferences in a majoritarian fashion. I also consider the implications of collegiality and how it affects the structure and content of legal rules. That is, can collegial rules fulfill the same
Toward a more holistic perspective of soil erosion: Why aeolian research needs to explicitly consider fluvial processes and interactions

Soil erosion is driven by not only aeolian but also fluvial transport processes, yet these two types of processes are usually studied independently, thereby precluding effective assessment of overall erosion, potential interactions between the two drivers, and their relative sensitivities to projected changes in climate and land use. Here we provide a perspective that aeolian and fluvial transport processes need to be considered in concert relative to total erosion and to potential interactions, that relative dominance and sensitivity to disturbance vary with mean annual precipitation, and that there are important scale-dependencies associated with aeolian–fluvial interactions. We build on previous literature to present relevant conceptual syntheses highlighting these issues. We then highlight relative investments that have been made in soil erosion and sediment control by comparing the amount of resources allocated to aeolian and fluvial research using readily available metrics. Literature searches suggest that aeolian transport may be somewhat understudied relative to fluvial transport and, most importantly, that only a relatively small number of studies explicitly consider both aeolian and fluvial transport processes. Numerous environmental issues associated with intensification of land use and climate change impacts depend on not only overall erosion rates but also on differences and interactions between aeolian and fluvial processes. Therefore, a more holistic viewpoint of erosional processes that explicitly considers both aeolian and fluvial processes and their interactions is needed to optimize management and deployment of resources to address imminent changes in land use and climate.
An auxin-inducible gene from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) is differentially expressed in mature and juvenile-phase shoots and encodes a putative transmembrane protein

We have isolated a gene from loblolly pine, 5NG4, that is highly and specifically induced by auxin in juvenile loblolly pine shoots prior to adventitious root formation, but substantially down-regulated in physiologically mature shoots that are adventitious rooting incompetent. 5NG4 was highly auxin-induced in roots, stems and hypocotyls, organs that can form either lateral or adventitious roots following an auxin treatment, but was not induced to the same level in needles and cotyledons, organs that do not form roots. The deduced amino acid sequence shows homology to the MtN21 nodulin gene from Medicago truncatula. The expression pattern of 5NG4 and its homology to a protein from Medicago involved in a root-related process suggest a possible role for this gene in adventitious root formation. Homology searches also identified similar proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. High conservation across these evolutionarily distant species suggests essential functions in plant growth and development. A 38-member family of genes homologous to 5NG4 was identified in the A. thaliana genome. The physiological significance of this redundancy is most likely associated with functional divergence and/or expression specificity of the different family members. The exact biochemical function of the gene is still unknown, but sequence and structure predictions and 5NG4::GFP fusion protein localizations indicate it is a transmembrane protein with a possible transport function.
Why Are There Rossby Wave Maxima in the Pacific at 10°S and 13°N?

Observations indicate the existence of two bands of maximum thermocline depth variability centered at ;108S and 138N in the tropical Pacific Ocean. The analysis of a numerical integration performed with the National Center for Atmospheric Research ocean general circulation model (OGCM) forced with observed fluxes of momentum, heat, and freshwater over the period from 1958 to 1997 reveals that the tropical centers of thermocline variability at 108S and 138N are associated with first-mode baroclinic Rossby waves forced by anomalous Ekman pumping. In this study the factors that may be responsible for the Rossby wave maxima at 108S and 138N, including the amplitude and spatial coherency of the forcing at those latitudes, are systematically investigated. A simple Rossby wave model is used to interpret the OGCM variability and to help to discriminate between the different factors that may produce the tropical maxima. These results indicate that the dominant factor in producing the maximum variability at 108S and 138 Ni s thezonal coherency of the Ekman pumping, a characteristic of the forcing that becomes increasingly more pronounced at low frequencies, maximizing at timescales in the decadal range. Local maxima in the amplitude of the forcing, while not explaining the origin of the centers of variability at 108S and 138N, appear to affect the sharpness of the variability maxima at low frequencies. Although the Rossby wave model gives an excellent fit to the OGCM, some discrepancies exist: the amplitude of the thermocline variance is generally underestimated by the simple model, and the variability along 13 8 Ni s westward intensified in the wave model but reaches a maximum in the central part of the basin in the OGCM. Short Rossby waves excited by small-scale Ekman pumping features, or the presence of higher-order Rossby wave modes may be responsible for the differences in the zonal variance distribution along 138N.
Recent progress in electrophysiological neuroimaging

We review the recent development and investigation in electrophysiological neuroimaging, which we refer to the approach of quantitatively estimating and localizing the intracranial neural sources corresponding to scalp electroencephalographic recordings. Examples on electrophysiological neuroimaging obtained in our laboratory are provided to illustrate the applications of electrophysiological neuroimaging.
Histidine 167 Is the Phosphate Acceptor in Glucose-6-phosphatase-β Forming a Phosphohistidine Enzyme Intermediate during Catalysis

The glucose-6-phosphatase (Glc-6-Pase) family comprises two active endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated isozymes: the liver/kidney/intestine Glc-6-Pase-α and the ubiquitous Glc-6-Pase-β. Both share similar kinetic properties. Sequence alignments predict the two proteins are structurally similar. During glucose 6-phosphate (Glc-6-P) hydrolysis, Glc-6-Pase-α, a nine-transmembrane domain protein, forms a covalently bound phosphoryl enzyme intermediate through His176, which lies on the lumenal side of the ER membrane. We showed that Glc-6-Pase-β is also a nine-transmembrane domain protein that forms a covalently bound phosphoryl enzyme intermediate during Glc-6-P hydrolysis. However, the intermediate was not detectable in Glc-6-Pase-β active site mutants R79A, H114A, and H167A. Using [32P]Glc-6-P coupled with cyanogen bromide mapping, we demonstrated that the phosphate acceptor in Glc-6-Pase-β is His167 and that it lies inside the ER lumen with the active site residues, Arg79 and His114. Therefore Glc-6-Pase-α and Glc-6-Pase-β share a similar active site structure, topology, and mechanism of action.
Communication Across Cultures: Classroom Dilemmas from a Global Perspective.

Abstract An important learning objective for business students is that with whom one chooses to do business should be based on objective business factors rather than subjective stereotypes. The goal of this exploratory study was to examine the effect of formal interventions in the classroom on students' choices of group members and whether the interventions helped to alleviate subjective choice strategies. In this experiment, data were collected from MBA students representing five major racioethnic identity groups. It was hypothesized that experiential learning exercises would modify the effects of identity group membership. Repeated measures ANOVAs revealed that the experiential learning exercises had a significant and positive influence on subjects' ability to acquire and assimilate information concerning potential group members beyond the stereotypical categorization of identity group membership. One disturbing aspect of the findings was the parochial response of the Caucasian subjects. While the thrus...
Maternal tobacco smoking, nicotine replacement and neurobehavioural development

Abstract The adverse effects of prenatal cigarette smoke exposure on human reproductive outcomes are a major scientific and public health concern. In the United States, approximately 25% of women of childbearing age currently smoke cigarettes, and only a small percentage of these individuals quit after learning of their pregnancy. Women interested in smoking cessation during pregnancy have a number of options, including behavioural and pharmacological aids, but nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is by far the most common approach. While NRT avoids exposure to the myriad compounds present in tobacco smoke, nicotine itself causes damage to the developing nervous system. The purpose of this article is to review the detrimental effects of developmental tobacco smoke exposure on short- and long-term outcomes with particular emphasis on neurobehavioural consequences. In conclusion based on the clear, adverse effects of nicotine on brain development observed in human and animal studies, we suggest that safer alternatives for smoking cessation in pregnancy are badly needed.
Zooplankton trends in Massachusetts Bay, USA: 1998–2008

Zooplankton community analyses in Massachusetts Bay (Gulf of Maine, USA) from 1998 to 2008 with 102 μm mesh nets revealed seasonal and interannual variability in zooplankton abundance, with maxima in summer and minima in winter. Zooplankton was dominated by copepod nauplii, copepodites and adults, mostly of the small cyclopoid copepod Oithona similis. Time-series analyses revealed a multi-year decline in total zooplankton abundance from 2000 to 2008, especially due to declines in Oithona similis and Pseudocalanus spp. This decline was not exhibited by barnacle nauplii and Calanus finmarchicus. There were no significant relationships between surface or mean water column temperature and salinity for any zooplankton group except for significantly higher abundances of C. finmarchicus at higher surface salinity. There was a significant positive correlation between total zooplankton abundance and integrated chlorophyll. The decline in zooplankton abundance since 2000 was not obviously related to diversion of sewage effluent from the Boston Harbor outfall to Massachusetts Bay, or to natural hydrographic variability. The zooplankton decline in Massachusetts Bay highlights the importance of multi-year sampling to characterize interannual variability. Comparisons of our results with those of other programs in the Gulf of Maine are complicated by differences in sampling net meshes, but our results shared some similarities with other studies during years when these studies overlapped with ours. In particular, small copepods declined in abundance beginning around 2000-2001, Calanus finmarchicus was abundant and salinities were high during 2002 through 2004, and zooplankton and chlorophyll levels declined from 2000 through 2004.
An algebra for switch-level simulation

A methodology is presented for computing the steady-state solution of switch-level networks. The method is based on a matrix algebra similar in many respects to circuit nodal analysis. The formulation steps are similar to the nodal equation formulation steps and the network matrix has the same dimension and structure as the nodal admittance matrix, except that logic operations (min and max operations) are used in formulating and solving the network equations. Solution algorithms are then developed using the new algebra. The approach has been implemented as a part of a mixed-mode simulator which uses partitioning and sparse matrix solution techniques in analyzing a circuit. In its switch-level mode, the simulator can perform logic and concurrent fault simulation using realistic fault models, including bridging faults, and has been found to be competitive with existing switch-level simulators. >
Occult dural arteriovenous fistula causing rapidly progressive conus medullaris syndrome and paraplegia after lumbar microdiscectomy

Background context A spinal dural arteriovenous fistula (DAVF) is a known cause of venous congestive myelopathy. These lesions are thought to be acquired. There exist two prior reports that describe DAVF presenting with slowly progressive myelopathy years after lumbar disc surgery. Purpose We report the first case of a preexistent, asymptomatic DAVF that became acutely symptomatic after lumbar microdiscectomy causing rapidly progressive conus medullaris syndrome and paraplegia. Study design Case report. Methods A 53-year-old Caucasian male presented with urinary retention, fecal incontinence, and progressive loss of function in bilateral lower extremities less than 3 months after a lumbar discectomy at an outside facility. The patient underwent microdiscectomy at L4/L5 and L5/S1 for left-sided radicular symptoms and evidence of herniated discs on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The patient's preoperative pain improved after the discectomy, but his bowel, bladder, and lower extremity function deteriorated steadily after discharge. Postoperative MRI showed salient serpentine vessels in the region of L1 and L2 with an enlarged T2 bright conus medullaris. Retrospective review of preoperative MRI revealed the presence of similar but less pronounced findings. A spinal arteriogram confirmed concerns of an arteriovenous malformation. The patient was transferred to our facility for definitive management of his DAVF via catheter embolization. Results Complete fistula obliteration was confirmed at the time of embolization and at 8 weeks follow-up with selective spinal angiography. The appearance of the conus medullaris normalized on follow-up MRI. The patient made a slow but significant recovery in rehabilitation. He regained the ability to independently ambulate but remains significantly disabled secondary to residual lower extremity weakness and spasticity. He continues self-catheterization for persistent neurogenic bladder dysfunction. Conclusions This represents the first case of an occult spinal DAVF becoming acutely symptomatic after lumbar disc surgery. Although the etiology of the lesion and its symptomatic progression remains unknown, an alteration of blood flow through the DAVF as a result of surgery may have resulted in progressive venous congestive myelopathy. The present case highlights the importance of considering a spinal DAVF in the differential diagnosis of any patient with signs of myelopathy or conus medullaris syndrome after lumbar discectomy. In addition, this case underscores the gravity of recognizing subtle features that suggest the presence of an occult vascular malformation on preoperative imaging, as symptomatic progression of these lesions carries significant potential morbidity.
Peritoneal Loss of Growth Hormone in Children on Automated Peritoneal Dialysis

♦ Objective: To provide quantitative data regarding the daily dialytic loss of growth hormone (GH) in children on peritoneal dialysis (PD). ♦ Design: Prospective study involving 24-hour dialysate collections on 3 consecutive days in patients with and without recombinant human GH (rhGH) treatment. ♦ Setting: Single-center outpatient PD program. ♦ Patients: Twenty-six children undergoing automated PD (APD): 6 with and 20 without daily rhGH. ♦ Main Outcome Measures: Daily peritoneal losses of GH, α 1 -, β 2 -microglobulin, transferrin, and albumin. ♦ Results: The mean (±SEM) daily dialytic GH loss was 2.18 ± 0.62 μg/1.73 m 2 per day in rhGH-treated patients and 0.42 ± 0.28 μg/1.73 m 2 per day in untreated patients, (p < 0.05). The intraindividual coefficient of variation of daily GH loss was 65%. The peritoneal loss of GH was positively correlated with that of β 2 -microglobulin (r = 0.77, p < 0.001) and α 1 -microglobulin (r = 0.51, p < 0.01). The variability in β β β β 2 -microglobulin and α α α α α 1 -microglobulin elimination, together with the use of rhGH, explained 66% of the total variability of daily GH excretion. In patients without rhGH therapy, the daily peritoneal GH loss was approximately 0.05% of the estimated daily endogenous production rate based on previous estimates in children with end-stage renal failure. In patients on rhGH therapy, less than 0.1% of the injected rhGH dose was eliminated by dialysis. ♦ Conclusion: Peritoneal losses of GH in children on APD account only for a minute fraction of endogenous metabolic clearance, and do not explain the variability of the rhGH treatment response. The assessment of dialytic GH elimination may be used to estimate time-integrated mean plasma GH concentrations, and to monitor rhGH treatment compliance.
ACIDITY OF HALF‐SOUR DILL PICKLES

Factors affecting the acidity of half-sour dill pickles prepared by recipes published in cookbooks were investigated. Recipes varied widely in ingredient proportions and procedures. The pH of cucumber-brine homogenates simulating unfermented products exceeded pH 4.6 with 10 of 14 recipes examined. The pH of fermented half-sour pickles was excessively high if products contained insufficient vinegar and were prepared with boiling rather than cool brine.
Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Ligands as Potential Therapeutics for Addiction

There is now compelling evidence that the excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter glutamate plays a pivotal role in drug addiction and alcoholism. As a result, there has been increasing interest in developing glutamate-based therapies for the treatment of addictive disorders. Receptors for glutamate are primarily divided into two classes: ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) that mediate fast excitatory glutamate transmission, and metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), which are G-protein coupled receptors that mediate slower, modulatory glutamate transmission. Most iGluR antagonists, while showing some efficacy in animal models of addiction, exhibit serious side effects when tested in humans. mGluR ligands, on the other hand, which have been advanced to testing in clinical trials for various medical conditions, have demonstrated the ability to reduce drug reward, reinforcement, and relapse-like behaviors in animal studies. mGluR ligands that have been shown to be primarily effective are Group I (mGluR1 and mGluR5) negative allosteric modulators and Group II (mGluR2 and mGluR3) orthosteric presynaptic autoreceptor agonists. In this review, we will summarize findings from animal studies suggesting that these mGluR ligands may be of potential benefit in reducing on-going drug self-administration and may aid in the prevention of relapse. The neuroanatomical distribution of mGluR1, mGluR2/3, and mGluR5 receptors and the pharmacological properties of Group I negative allosteric modulators and Group II agonists will also be overviewed. Finally, we will discuss the current status of mGluR ligands in human clinical trials.
Solvent-induced collapse of α-synuclein and acid-denatured cytochrome c

The cell's interior is crowded with small and large molecules (Fulton 1982; Yancey et al. 1982), yet most studies of biological reactions are conducted in dilute solutions. A number of biologically relevant proteins appear to be fully or partially unfolded in dilute solution (Weinreb et al. 1996; Uversky et al. 2000), but in several instances it has been shown that crowding can induce collapse to more compact states (Shearwin and Winzor 1990; Baskakov and Bolen 1998). Crowding-induced collapse is important because it may lead to aggregation (van den Berg et al. 1999), which is associated with several neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, prion diseases, and dementia with Lewy bodies (Wanker 2000). Most studies that probe the effect of crowding focus on the stability of native globular proteins. Here we focus on the collapse of unfolded states. The motivation for this work is twofold: to understand the effect of molecular crowding by sugars, and to apply this knowledge to two unfolded proteins, one of medical importance. Crowding-induced collapse and structure formation have only been studied in a few proteins, including RNase A (Qu et al. 1998), RNase T1, a staphylococcal nuclease variant (Baskakov and Bolen 1998), and glucocorticoid receptor fragments (Baskakov et al. 1999). For this study we chose two unfolded proteins: acid-denatured cytochrome c and α-synuclein. Cytochrome c is one of the most studied proteins (Moore and Pettigrew 1990). Its primary function lies in the mitochondrial eukaryotic respiratory chain, but its role in apoptosis (Kluck et al. 1997) and Parkinson's disease (Hashimoto et al. 1999) is under intense investigation. Native cytochrome c has a hydrated radius of 18 Å, but at pH 2 it unfolds, causing the radius to increase to 30 Å (Wilkins et al. 1999). α-Synuclein is associated with Parkinson's disease, the second most common neurodegenerative disease and the most common age-related movement disorder. The cause of Parkinson's disease is unknown, but a possible clue is the presence in some nigral neurons of cytoplasmic inclusions, called Lewy bodies (Galvin et al. 1999). The major component of Lewy bodies is the presynaptic protein α-synuclein (Spillantini et al. 1997). α-Synuclein is a 140-amino acid protein of unknown function that is highly expressed in the human brain (Iwai et al. 1995). Human α-synuclein is unstructured in aqueous solution (Weinreb et al. 1996). Understanding its physiological structure and function is an important step in elucidating the cause of Parkinson's disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. Here we investigate the solvent-induced collapse of α-synuclein and acid-denatured ferricytochrome c in crowded and dilute solutions by using sugars as crowding agents, pulsed-field gradient NMR to probe protein radius, and circular dichroism to probe secondary structure.
A SCREENING MODEL FRAMEWORK FOR ESTUARINE ASSESSMENT

This screening model framework is intended to provide a preliminary assessment of hydrodynamic and/or water quality behavior within an estuary. Since the model is diagnostically designed, it can readily incorporate available information; its generic structure allows application to any system. Another characteristic, the kinematic formulation of current fields, provides an alternative to the formidable task of solving a full set of geophysical, fluid-dynamics equations. Hydrodynamic features, either known or postulated, can thus be incorporated through appropriate boundary conditions. The model is steady-state, two-dimensional, depth-averaged and uses a finite element solution technique. The model was applied to Breton Sound (Louisiana) to investigate the significance of gross circulation features and the possible effects of a proposed fresh water diversion on salinity distributions. The results contributed to the formulation of a field monitoring program to support the development of an eventual real-time modeling application that will be used in determining an operating schedule for the diversion structure. The results, as presented, demonstrate the utility of the modeling framework for identifying processes, controlling circulation, future research needs, and appropriate follow-up modeling approaches.
P2U purinergic receptor inhibits apical IsK/KvLQT1 channel via protein kinase C in vestibular dark cells.

Vestibular dark cells (VDC) are known to electrogenically secrete K+ via slowly activating K+(IsK) channels, consisting of IsK regulatory and KvLQT1 channel subunits, and the associated short-circu...
Identifying sources of soil landscape complexity with spatial adjacency graphs

Abstract Soil landscapes often exhibit complex spatial patterns, with some aspects of soil variation apparently unrelated to measurable variations in environmental controls. However, these local, contingent complexities are not truly random or intrinsically unknowable. The purpose of this work is to develop and apply a method for identifying or teasing out causes of soil landscape complexity. Soil spatial adjacency graphs (SAG) represent the geography of soil landscapes as a network that can be analyzed using algebraic graph theory. These SAGs include linear sequential subgraphs that represent sequences of soil forming factors. The number and length of these soil factor sequences (SFS), and their associated spectral radius values, determine whether the SFS are sufficient to explain the spatial pattern of soil adjacency. SAGs and associated graph theory methods provide useful tools for guiding pedological investigations and identifying gaps in knowledge. The methods also allow sources of soil landscape complexity and variability to be determined in a way that can help assess the underlying deterministic sources of chaos and dynamical instability in pedology. The approach is applied to a soil landscape in central Kentucky, producing a SAG with 13 nodes (soil types) and 36 links indicating whether the soils occur contiguously. Five SFS were identified, the sum of whose spectral radius values is 6.35. The spectral radius of the SAG is 6.56, indicating that the SFS can explain most, but not all, of the complexity of the soil relationships. The analysis also points to potential environmental controls that could potentially enable full explanation.
Health Care Perceptions: Do They Change for the Standardized Patient?

The use of standardized patients (SPs) for education and assessment at all levels of medical training continues to grow. The present study is part of a five-year longitudinal study to examine the impact of participation as a standardized patient on the perceptions of the standardized patients’ own health care. SPs participating in the 1993 and 1994 Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for medical students (at the end of their first clinical year) were requested to respond to mailed questionnaires before, immediately after and one year after their participation in the OSCE(s). Results indicated that, overall, the SPs perceptions of their own medical care and of the interpersonal style/skills of their own physician were positive both before and after participation as an SP. However, when significant changes in perception were found, the changes were in the negative direction, i.e., perceiving the physician as ‘worse’ after participation as an SP.
Autoantibodies to αIIbβ3 in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura bind primarily to epitopes on αIIb

Chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disease caused by platelet destruction resulting from autoantibodies against platelet surface proteins, particularly platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (alpha(IIb)beta(3)). To localize the auto-epitopes on platelet alpha(IIb)beta(3), the binding of autoantibodies to Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells expressing either alpha(IIb)beta(3) or alpha(v)beta(3) was studied. Thirteen of 14 ITP autoantibodies bound only to CHO cells expressing alpha(IIb)beta(3). Because these 2 integrins have the same beta chain (beta(3)), these results show that most epitopes in chronic ITP are dependent on the presence of glycoprotein alpha(IIb.) (Blood. 2001;97:2171-2172)
Effect of WIC Food Package Changes on Dietary Intake of Preschool Children in New Mexico

Objectives This study examined WIC policy change effects on dietary intake of preschool children from WIC-participating households in rural New Mexico communities. Methods Dietary intake of children enrolled in Head Start in 8 communities was compared before and after 2009 WIC food package changes. Results Following the policy change, participants reported significantly increased consumption of lower-fat milk, reduced consumption of saturated fat (grams), and decreased consumption of vegetables without potatoes. No significant differences in fruit, fruit juice, vegetables including potatoes, whole-grains and saturated fat (percent-energy) consumption were observed. Conclusions WIC policy changes have the potential to improve children's saturated fat intake. More research with robust designs is necessary to examine long-term effects of WIC policy changes.
The Effect of Hydrogen on the Structure and Electrical and Optical Properties of Silicon-Germanium Alloys

The transport properties of intrinsic micro-crystalline and amorphous SiGe films are investigated. In the amorphous system it is found that the electron lifetime is relatively independent of band gag while the electron mobility of a-Ge:H is a factor of ten less than that of a-Si:H. Micro-crystalline silicon films have greater excess photo-conductivity as compared to a-Si:H predominantly due to longer effective lifetimes. Films containing micro-crystalline silicon in a matrix of a-SiGe:H have been prepared and are found to have comparatively poor transport.
ESTIMATION OF RELATEDNESS BETWEEN PHYTOPHTHORA SPECIES BY ANALYSIS OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA

The relatedness between four Phytophthora megasperma isolates [P. megasperma f. sp. glycinea (Pmg) from soybean, P. megasperma f. sp. medicaginis (Pmm) from alfalfa, and two broad host-range isolates from apple or alfalfa], P. cactorum, P. cryptogea, and P. parasitica var. nicotianae (Ppn) was investigated by a quantitative analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphisms of mitochondrial DNAs. Nucleotide sequence divergence values among P. megasperma isolates were within the same range as between the P. megasperma isolates and the three other Phytophthora species. An unrooted phylogenetic network based on nucleotide sequence divergence values indicated that several evolutionary lines exist for P. megasperma. These data are consistent with the observed variability of morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics within this fungal group and support the contention that P. megasperma comprises several biological species which are the result of convergent evolution and which are not closely related. A consensus restriction map of the mtDNAs of Pmg, Pmm, and Ppn was constructed, and numerical analyses of conserved and variable restriction cleavage sites also support the separation of Pmg and Pmm into distinct species.
Depression of plasma albumin by steroid therapy.

SummaryThe effect of steroid therapy on human plasma albumin has been studied. Daily oral ingestion of 5 mg of norethynodrel and 0.75 mg of ethynylestradiol-3-methyl ether depressed albumin levels by 20.9% (p < 0.002). A possible relationship of plasma albumin to the effectiveness of estrogenic therapy in older subjects recovering from a myocardial infarction is noted.
Tilting and Tumbling of Janus Nanoparticles at Sheared Interfaces

We investigate the response of a single Janus nanoparticle adsorbed at an oil–water interface to imposed shear flows using molecular dynamics simulations. We consider particles of different geometry, including spheres, cylinders, and discs, and tune their degree of amphiphilicity by controlling the affinity of their two sides to the fluid phases. We observe that depending on the shape, amphiphilicity, and the applied shear rate, two modes of rotational dynamics takes place: a smooth tilt or a tumbling motion. We demonstrate that irrespective of this dynamic behavior, a steady-state orientation is eventually achieved as a result of the balance between the shear- and capillary-induced torques, which can be tuned by controlling the surface property and flow parameters. Our findings provide insight on using flow fields to tune particle orientation at an interface and to utilize it to direct their assembly into ordered monolayers.
Design of Corona Cage Placed in Artificial Climate Chamber

In order to accurately simulate audible noise,radio Interference,corona loss generated by corona in UHV or EHV transmission lines of high altitude area,the corona cage was designed with which the corona characteristics of different types of wires could be tested in an artificial climate environmental test chamber.By current design principles of conventional corona cage,we adopted the electromagnetic field calculation software ANSYS to calculate the voltage of different types of wires in corona cage when the specified surface electric field strength was reached.At different altitudes,the insulation properties of the corona cages with different cross section in size were analyzed to get an appropriate value of section size of corona cage,and the length of the corona cage was determined by the actual available space size of artificial climate chamber.Finally,mainly based on the parameters of eight-split wire,the corona cage was designed which could be placed in the artificial climate chamber,and the corona cage was placed in an artificial climate environment for measurement to display radio interference excitation function curve of test results,indicating that the value of radio interference increased as the altitude increased.
Renal cell carcinoma: recognition and treatment of synchronous solitary contralateral adrenal metastasis.

Abstract We report 2 cases of renal cell carcinoma in which careful preoperative angiographic assessment detected the presence of solitary contralateral adrenal metastasis. Preoperative identification of such metastasis permits excision at the same time as contralateral radical nephrectomy.
Chromosomal microarray analysis as the first-tier test for the identification of pathogenic copy number variants in chromosome 9 pericentric regions and its challenge.

Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has been recommended and practiced routinely in the large reference laboratories of U.S.A. as the first-tier test for the postnatal evaluation of individuals with intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorders, and/or multiple congenital anomalies. Using CMA as a diagnostic tool and without a routine setting of fluorescence in situ hybridization with labeled bacterial artificial chromosome probes (BAC-FISH) in the large reference laboratories becomes a challenge in the characterization of chromosome 9 pericentric region. This region has a very complex genomic structure and contains a variety of heterochromatic and euchromatic polymorphic variants. These variants were usually studied by G-banding, C-banding and BAC-FISH analysis. Chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) was not recommended since it may lead to false positive results. Here, we presented a cohort of four cases, in which high-resolution CMA was used as the first-tier test or simultaneously with G-banding analysis on the proband to identify pathogenic copy number variants (CNVs) in the whole genome. CMA revealed large pathogenic CNVs from chromosome 9 in 3 cases which also revealed different G-banding patterns between the two chromosome 9 homologues. Although we demonstrated that high-resolution CMA played an important role in the identification of pathogenic copy number variants in chromosome 9 pericentric regions, the lack of BAC-FISH analysis or other useful tools renders significant challenges in the characterization of chromosome 9 pericentric regions. Trial registration: None; it is not a clinical trial, and the cases were retrospectively collected and analyzed.
Progress in RF inductors on silicon-understanding substrate losses

The recent progress in the integration of inductors on silicon substrates is reviewed first. The substrate losses, which present the main difference to the well-established inductor integration on quasi-ideal GaAs or printed circuit boards, are then investigated through specific experiments to support the inductor optimization and modeling. Metal ground shield structures, that potentially isolate the spiral inductor coil from the lossy silicon, are evaluated as well.
Sleep Structure and Neuroendocrine Rhythms

Current knowledge of affective disorders leads to the conclusion that these disorders entail dysfunction in many systems and do not reflect simply alterations in mood. Since many of the core symptoms of affective disorder represent changes in regulatory systems, investigators have frequently searched for biological correlates, possible markers of vulnerability and explored the interdependencies among aspects of biological and psychological functioning. Such an approach has yielded promising findings with regard to electroencephalographic (EEG) sleep abnormalities. Furthermore, the study of EEG sleep in affective states is now affording an opportunity to examine (among other biological variables) how aberrations in neuroendocrine pathways and circadian rhythms may be responsible for the various biological disturbances in depression.
Support for Sunshine Bargaining in Florida: A Decade Later

Collective bargaining with public employees in Florida is conducted in the sunshine. This empirical study examines support for sunshine bargaining (SB) in Florida and the effects of open meeting requirements on negotiations. Perceptions of the pros and cons of open bargaining are reported, and the effects of predictor variables on support for SB are analyzed. Findings show substantial support for open bargaining and suggest the need for revisions in generalizations reported in the literature concerning the consequences of public participation on negotiations. Experience-based attitudinal factors were more powerful than level of participation or demographic factors in explaining support for SB.
Antimicrobial treatments to control Listeria monocytogenes in queso fresco.

Queso fresco, is a Hispanic non-fermented cheese highly susceptible to contamination with L. monocytogenes. This research was aimed to determine the effect of GRAS antimicrobial ingredients to control L. monocytogenes. Antimicrobials included caprylic acid (CA), Nisaplin® (N, 2.5% nisin), a mixture of sodium lactate and sodium diacetate (SL/SD), Lactococcus lactis sbp. lactis DPC 3147, monolaurin, and lactic acid (LA). Batches of queso fresco curds were inoculated with 104 CFU/g and stored at 4 °C for three weeks. During storage the count of L. monocytogenes reached 7 to 8 Log CFU/g in control samples. Most individual antimicrobial treatments resulted in less than 1 Log CFU/g reductions in final counts, with the exception of N (0.5 g/kg) and CA (2.9 g/kg) that caused more than 3 and 5 Log CFU/g differences with controls, respectively. Mixtures of ingredients were more effective in inhibiting L. monocytogenes growth, and treatments with N and CA consistently delivered 6 Log CFU/g less counts than controls. Supplementation of 12 g/kg LA to treatments with SL/SD (3%/0.22%) caused differences of more than 4 Log CFU/g in final Listeria populations. Samples treated with the binary mixtures of N and CA (0.5 and 0.7 g/kg, respectively) were evaluated in a consumer panel (n = 67). Panelists slightly preferred control and commercial over treated samples, but all samples were in average rated between “slightly liking” and “moderately liking.” These experiments indicated that combined use of antimicrobial ingredients may be an effective way to control the population of Listeria monocytogenes in queso fresco.