cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies of Testosterone Binding Globulin

ABSTRACT Normal and pregnancy plasma contains testosterone binding substances. Binding activity is essentially abolished by heating plasma to 60 C or lowering pH to <5. Albumin has low affinity but high capacity for testosterone while testosterone binding of whole plasma or albumin-free plasma has high affinity and relatively low capacity. Studies of pregnancy plasma with 3H-testosterone using Sephadex G-200 chromatography, immunoelectrophoresis and plasma electrophoresis on paper, indicate that the high affinity binding substance has characteristics of a beta globulin. Testosterone binding globulin (TBG) activity tested by dextran coated charcoal particle adsorption of free labeled testosterone is increased in pregnancy or estrogen administration and appears slightly more active in normal female than male plasma Studies based upon displacement of 3H-testosterone from pregnancy plasma TBG indicate a high degree of stereospecificity for binding which differs completely from the characteristics of cortisol ...
Cross-resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis toxin CryIF in the diamondback moth (Plutella xylostella)

Selection with Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki, which contains CryIA and CryII toxins, caused a >200-fold cross-resistance to CryIF toxin from B. thuringiensis subsp. aizawai in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella. CryIE was not toxic, but CryIB was highly toxic to both selected and unselected larvae. The results show that extremely high levels of cross-resistance can be conferred across classes of CryI toxins of B. thuringiensis.
Mechanisms driving postfire abundance of a generalist mammal

Changes in vertebrate abundance following disturbance are commonly attributed to shifts in food resources or predation pressure, but underlying mechanisms have rarely been tested. We examined four hypotheses for the commonly reported increase in abundance of deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus (Wagner, 1845)) following forest fires: source-sink dynamics, decreased predation, increased food resources, and increased foraging efficiency. We found that reproduction of deer mouse was considerably higher in burned versus unburned forests and survival did not differ between habitats, indicating that burned forests were not sink habitats. Comparable survival also suggested that predation rates were similar between habitats. Increased reproduction in burned versus unburned forest suggested better resource conditions, but abundance of seeds and arthropods (the primary food resources for mice) either did not differ between habitats or were higher overall in unburned forest. Foraging experiments indicated that seed removal from depots was substantially higher in burned versus unburned forests after controlling for mouse density. Additionally, in both habitats, mice were captured more often in open microhabitats and the odds of individual insect removal increased with decreasing cover during certain sampling periods. Of the four hypotheses tested, greater foraging efficiency provided the best explanation for elevated populations of deer mouse. However, predation risk may have influenced foraging success.
Effects of Antioxidants Coenzyme Q10 and Lipoic Acid on Interleukin-1β-Mediated Inhibition of Glucose-Stimulated Insulin Release from Cultured Mouse Pancreatic Islets

During the development of the autoimmune disease, insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) islet cell death is thought to be mediated in part by oxygen and nitrogen free radicals and interleukin 1beta (IL-1beta), secreted by activated macrophages. Free radicals disrupt the homeostasis of biological systems by damaging major constituent molecules such as lipids, proteins, and DNA. Islet cells are quite susceptible to oxidative damage due to low levels of antioxidant enzymes involved in free radical consumption. If IDDM is associated with an imbalance of oxidative stresses and antioxidant responses in islet cells, then it may be possible to ameliorate disease by supplementating antioxidant defenses. In this study, the antioxidants coenzyme Q10 and lipoic acid were able to block IL-1beta-mediated inhibition of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from islet cells at 10(-12) M and 10(-9) M, respectively.
How new top managers use control systems as levers of strategic renewal

This research is a longitudinal study of 10 newly-appointed top managers; the research focuses on understanding (1) their business vision and strategy and (2) how they use formal control systems as levers of strategic change and renewal. The results reported in the paper are based on data collected over a period of approximately 18 months following the appointment of each new manager. Analysis of the data suggests that control systems are important levers used to manage both evolutionary and revolutionary change. In situations of strategic change, control systems are used by top managers to formalize beliefs, set boundaries on acceptable strategic behavior, define and measure critical performance variables, and motivate debate and discussion about strategic uncertainties. In addition to traditional measuring and monitoring functions, control systems are used by top managers to overcome organizational inertia; communicate new strategic agendas; establish implementation timetables and targets; and ensure continuing attention to new strategic initiatives.
PKA phosphorylation of cardiac troponin I modulates activation and relaxation kinetics of ventricular myofibrils.

Protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation of myofibril proteins constitutes an important pathway for β-adrenergic modulation of cardiac contractility and relaxation. PKA targets the N-terminus (Ser-23/24) of cardiac troponin I (cTnI), cardiac myosin-binding protein C (cMyBP-C) and titin. The effect of PKA-mediated phosphorylation on the magnitude of contraction has been studied in some detail, but little is known about how it modulates the kinetics of thin filament activation and myofibril relaxation as Ca(2+) levels vary. Troponin C (cTnC) interaction with cTnI (C-I interaction) is a critical step in contractile activation that can be modulated by cTnI phosphorylation. We tested the hypothesis that altering C-I interactions by PKA, or by cTnI phosphomimetic mutations (S23D/S24D-cTnI), directly affects thin filament activation and myofilament relaxation kinetics. Rat ventricular myofibrils were isolated and endogenous cTn was exchanged with either wild-type cTnI, or S23D/S24D-cTnI recombinant cTn. Contractile mechanics were monitored at maximum and submaximal Ca(2+) concentrations. PKA treatment of wild-type cTn or exchange of cTn containing S23D/S24D-cTnI resulted in an increase in the rate of early, slow phase of relaxation (kREL,slow) and a decrease in its duration (tREL,slow). These effects were greater for submaximal Ca(2+) activated contractions. PKA treatment also reduced the rate of contractile activation (kACT) at maximal, but not submaximal Ca(2+), and reduced the Ca(2+) sensitivity of contraction. Using a fluorescent probe coupled to cTnC (C35S-IANBD), the Ca(2+)-cTn binding affinity and C-I interaction were monitored. Ca(2+) binding to cTn (pCa50) was significantly decreased when cTnI was phosphorylated by PKA (ΔpCa50 = 0.31). PKA phosphorylation of cTnI also weakened C-I interaction in the presence of Ca(2+). These data suggest that weakened C-I interaction, via PKA phosphorylation of cTnI, may slow thin filament activation and result in increased myofilament relaxation kinetics, the latter of which could enhance early phase diastolic relaxation during β-adrenergic stimulation.
User Experience in Training a Personalized Hearing System

In this paper, we introduce Awear, a context-aware hearing system comprising two state-of-the-art hearing aids, an Android smartphone, and a body-worn Streamer to wirelessly connect them. Awear aims to improve the sound quality perceived by individual hearing aid wearers by learning from their stated preferences. Users personalize, or “train,” the system by performing several listening evaluations daily. The Awear app features two types of user-initiated listening evaluations, the A/B Test and the Self-Adjustment Screen. After a longitudinal (6-week) study in which hearing impaired participants (n = 16) used Awear, 10 of the participants stated a preference for training their system using the A/B Test, 3 preferred using the Self-Adjustment Screen, and 3 stated No Preference. Of the 10 who chose the A/B Test, 7 named simplicity or intuitiveness as the primary reason for this preference. We also found a strong correlation between user level of functionality and listening evaluation preference, and a supplemental interview (n = 24) verified this correlation. Lastly, we discuss the most important aspects of the user experience: cognitive, functional, and psychological dimensions.
Enforcing data dependencies in cooperative information systems

Interdependent data are data objects in a cooperative information environment that are related by mutual consistency requirements. A flexible framework for specifying the dependency requirements of interdependent data using data dependency descriptors is discussed. A mechanism called polytransactions is presented to automatically generate actions to restore the consistency between interdependent data. The design of two concurrency control mechanisms for concurrent execution of polytransactions is given. The first is a deadlock-free graph-locking mechanism and the second is a variant of multiversion timestamps with rollback that never rejects operations arriving out of timestamp order. A conceptual system architecture is outlined for the execution of polytransactions. The notion of a multidatabase monitor is discussed. >
CaMKII regulation of cardiac ryanodine receptors and inositol triphosphate receptors.

Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) and inositol triphosphate receptors (InsP3Rs) are structurally related intracellular calcium release channels that participate in multiple primary or secondary amplified Ca2+ signals, triggering muscle contraction and oscillatory Ca2+ waves, or activating transcription factors. In the heart, RyRs play an indisputable role in the process of excitation-contraction coupling as the main pathway for Ca2+ release from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), and a less prominent role in the process of excitation-transcription coupling. Conversely, InsP3Rs are believed to contribute in subtle ways, only, to contraction of the heart, and in more important ways to regulation of transcription factors. Because uncontrolled activity of either RyRs or InsP3Rs may elicit life-threatening arrhythmogenic and/or remodeling Ca2+ signals, regulation of their activity is of paramount importance for normal cardiac function. Due to their structural similarity, many regulatory factors, accessory proteins, and posttranslational processes are equivalent for RyRs and InsP3Rs. Here we discuss regulation of RyRs and InsP3Rs by CaMKII phosphorylation, but touch on other kinases whenever appropriate. CaMKII is emerging as a powerful modulator of RyR and InsP3R activity but interestingly, some of the complexities and controversies surrounding phosphorylation of RyRs also apply to InsP3Rs, and a clear-cut effect of CaMKII on either channel eludes investigators for now. Nevertheless, some effects of CaMKII on global cellular activity, such as SR Ca2+ leak or force-frequency potentiation, appear clear now, and this constrains the limits of the controversies and permits a more tractable approach to elucidate the effects of phosphorylation at the single channel level.
HOPS Interacts with Apl5 at the Vacuole Membrane and Is Required for Consumption of AP-3 Transport Vesicles

Adaptor protein complexes (APs) are evolutionarily conserved heterotetramers that couple cargo selection to the formation of highly curved membranes during vesicle budding. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, AP-3 mediates vesicle traffic from the late Golgi to the vacuolar lysosome. The HOPS subunit Vps41 is one of the few proteins reported to have a specific role in AP-3 traffic, yet its function remains undefined. We now show that although the AP-3 delta subunit, Apl5, binds Vps41 directly, this interaction occurs preferentially within the context of the HOPS docking complex. Fluorescence microscopy indicates that Vps41 and other HOPS subunits do not detectably colocalize with AP-3 at the late Golgi or on post-Golgi (Sec7-negative) vesicles. Vps41 and HOPS do, however, transiently colocalize with AP-3 vesicles when these vesicles dock at the vacuole membrane. In cells with mutations in HOPS subunits or the vacuole SNARE Vam3, AP-3 shifts from the cytosol to a membrane fraction. Fluorescence microscopy suggests that this fraction consists of post-Golgi AP-3 vesicles that have failed to dock or fuse at the vacuole membrane. We propose that AP-3 remains associated with budded vesicles, interacts with Vps41 and HOPS upon vesicle docking at the vacuole, and finally dissociates during docking or fusion.
Female high-school varsity athletics: an opportunity to improve bone mineral density.

The present study investigated whether moderate, organized physical activity during high school has a positive residual effect on bone mineral density (BMD) in 30–35-year-old females. Seventy-three female former high-school varsity athletes and 67 self-reported low-activity age-matched controls completed a collegiate women's health survey and participated in a one-time clinical visit with bone scan. Lumbar (L1–L4) spine BMD, total hip BMD, percentage body fat, age at menarche, history of amenorrhea, family history of osteoporosis, college alcohol consumption, number of high school varsity seasons, as well as current nutritional intake (including calcium), number of weekly weight training sessions, and caloric expenditure were assessed. Using a saturated linear regression model, current percentage body fat and number of high school seasons predicted 22% of the observed variation in total hip BMD and 25% of the observed variation of lumbar (L1–L4) spine BMD (P < 0.001). High school athletes were more likely to be frequent adult exercisers (P < 0.001). Athletic participants were more likely to have denser hip and spine bones than low-activity controls. Results suggest that participation in high school athletics is associated with greater BMD. Additionally, the varsity athletes continued to exercise frequently in their early 30s.
Quine's Dilemma of Underdetermination

Summary I examine an internal tension between Quine's empiricist methodology and his doctrine of naturalism — a tension that bears on his well-known thesis of empirical underdetermination of scientific theory., viz., that there can be empirically equivalent but logically incompatible formulations of comprehensive scientific theory. Quine recognizes the tension and tries to resolve it via his distinction between the conditions that justify belief in a theory and the conditions that warrant the attribution of truth to a theory. I argue that Quine's resolution is unsatisfactory, but that there is a more defensible resolution via Quine's own theory of ontological relativity; and moreover, the latter mode of resolution avoids certain undesirable aspects of Quine's problematic notion of evidence. Summary Resume J'examine la tension interne entre la methodologie empiriciste de Quine et sa doctrine naturaliste — tension qui porte sur sa these de la sous-determination des theories scientifiques, these qui affirme qu'il peut y avoir des formulations empiriquement equivalentes, mais logiquement incompatibles de grandes theories scientifiques. Quine admet cette tension et cherche a la resoudre par sa distinction entre des conditions qui justifient la croyance en une theorie et d'autres qui garantissent l'attribution d'une valeur de veritea cette theorie. Je pretends que la solution de Quine est insatisfaisante, mais on peut en proposer une autre, plus defendable, en se basant sur sa propre theorie de la relativite ontologique. En outre, cette derniere solution evite certains aspects indesirables de la notion, problematique chez Quine, d'evidence empirique. Zusammenfassung Ich untersuche ein internes Spannungsverhaltnis zwischen Quines empirischer Methodologie und seiner naturalistischen Doktrin — ein Spannungsverhaltnis, das in seiner bekannten These der empirischen Unterdeterminiertheit einer wissenschaftlichen Theorie begrundet liegt, d.h. in der These, wonach es empirisch aquivalente, aber logisch inkompatible Formulierungen einer umfassenden wissenschaftlichen Theorie geben kann. Quine erkennt diese Spannung und versucht, sie durch seine Unterscheidung zwischen den Bedingungen, die den Glauben in eine Theorie rechtfertigen, und den Bedingungen, die die Zuschreibung von Wahrheit an diese Theorie begrunden, aufzulosen. Ich argumentiere, dass Quines Losung unbefriedigend ist, aber dass eine besser verteidigbare Losung existiert, die an Quines eigene Theorie der ontologischen Relativitat anknupft; zudem vermeidet die letztgenannte Losung gewisse unerwunschte Aspekte von Quines problematischem Begriff eines empirischen Belegs.
The Sympathetic Nervous System Is Involved in the Maintenance but Not Initiation of the Hypertension Induced by Nω-Nitro-l-Arginine Methyl Ester

Abstract Studies in anesthetized animals have advanced the theory that there is an important neurogenic component to the hypertension caused by pharmacological inhibition of nitric oxide, but studies in conscious animals have produced conflicting evidence for and against this theory. To try to reconcile the seemingly contradictory data, we hypothesized that the neurogenic component of this hypertension is time dependent such that the sympathetic nervous system is involved primarily in the maintenance, rather than the initiation, of the hypertension. We measured intra-arterial pressure in conscious, unrestrained rats with and without guanethidine-induced sympathectomy during varying durations of intravenous N ω -nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME). The major new finding is that sympathectomy had no effect on the hypertensive response to bolus injections of L-NAME but in the same rats it produced a greater than 50% attenuation in the hypertension seen after 6 days of continuous L-NAME (change in mean arterial pressure, 23±4 versus 55±4 mm Hg, P
Endoscopic Considerations in Morbid Obesity

Obesity is a serious public health crisis associated with increased morbidity and mortality and decreased quality of life. According to the World Health Organization, in 2005 there were approximately 1.6 billion overweight adults and at least 400 million obese adults worldwide. The prevalence of obesity has increased so rapidly over the last few decades that it is now considered a global epidemic. Surgical treatments have become the most successful therapy for morbid obesity in the USA. The number of operations performed has increased significantly in the last decade, and weight loss with gastric bypass approaches 60–80 % of excess body weight in large series. While morbidity from surgical treatments has improved over the same time period, the most common operation performed, laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, still carries anastomotic leak rates of 0.5–3 %. Surgical mortality rates are low (<1 %), but the incidence of significant morbidity still approaches 20–30 %.
Characterization of platelet-activating factor binding sites on uterine membranes from pregnant rabbits.

One of the earliest signs of endometrial preparation for blastocyst implantation is a localized increase in capillary permeability, an event that is essentially inflammatory in character and thought to be a prerequisite for subsequent decidual tissue formation. Platelet-activating factor (PAF), chemically identified as 1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine, is a very potent vasoactive compound that recently has been implicated in the implantation process. In the present study, PAF binding sites are characterized in the rabbit uterus. A specific, reversible, saturable, and thermally labile binding of [3H]PAF to uterine membranes has been demonstrated, exhibiting multiple binding sites. The equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of the higher affinity binding site (type 1) was 3.6 +/- 0.4 nM (mean +/- SD) with a binding capacity (Bmax) of 3.4 +/- 1.6 pmol/mg protein. The second (lower affinity) binding site (type 2) had an apparent Kd of 114.6 +/- 13.5 nM and a Bmax of 164.3 +/- 17.6 pmol/mg membrane protein, under the conditions of maximal [3H]PAF binding, 25 degrees C, 150 min. Incubations at 4 degrees C for up to 3 h yielded only 30% of the Bmax observed at 25 degrees C. In crude and purified endometrial membrane preparations in which the PAF binding was predominantly located, the affinity of the binding for PAF was significantly higher than for the whole uterus, giving Kds of 1.5 +/- 0.8 and 0.8 +/- 0.5 nM; these latter values were not significantly different. However, the Bmax values of 3.9 +/- 0.9 pmol/mg protein and 376.8 +/- 163.3 fmol/mg protein for the two endometrial preparations, respectively, did differ significantly. Kinetic analysis at 25 degrees C resulted in a calculated Kd of 3.28 +/- 1.14 nM, which did not differ from the value for for the whole uterus at the same temperature, but was greater than for the endometrial preparations. Using 4 nM [3H]PAF to selectively label only the type 1 binding sites, the relative potencies of PAF and its antagonists in displacing [3H]PAF were lyso-PAF greater than CV3988 greater than PAF greater than U66985 greater than A02405 greater than BN52021 greater than U66982. The antagonists SRI 63,441 and L652,731 were ineffective in displacing [3H]PAF at up to 5000-fold molar excess of [3H]PAF. [3H]Lyso-PAF binding at 4 nM was displaceable by PAF. All cations tested, i.e. Ca2+, Mg2+, K+, Na+, and Li+, inhibited [3H]PAF binding. Serine hydrolase inhibitors, diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF), inhibited binding, but bacitracin, leupeptin, and antipain stabilized it.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
How does interstitial cystitis begin

Background: Interstitial cystitis (IC) does not start as an endstage disease, it has a beginning when symptoms are milder, intermittent and the disease is misdiagnosed. To determine how IC develops patients were interviewed on when their symptoms began, what they were and are now as well as the various diagnoses that they received before they were determined to have IC. Methods: One hundred female IC patients were screened. They filled out a questionnaire asking about the age their disease presented, their initial and current symptoms, what their original diagnoses were, effect of the menstrual cycle and sexual activity on their symptoms and about any relatives with bladder symptoms or a current diagnosis of IC. Results: By age 30, 81% of patients had bladder symptoms, 21% before age 10. The first symptom was frequency in 81%, pain present in 59% and the symptoms were intermittent in 64%. Most common early misdiagnosis was UTI in 74% with 93% reporting negative urine cultures. Sex was painful and causes symptom flares in 82%, symptoms flared the week before the menses in 75%. Most common gynecologic diagnosis was yeast vaginitis, 42%. Urge incontinence was present in 33%. There were 51% that reported bladder symptoms in a first degree female relative. Conclusions: IC begins primarily with frequency and is intermittent in most patients with symptom flares associated with sexual activity. Pain and urgency incontinence tend to be a later symptoms. When IC flares the most common misdiagnosis is UTI. Symptoms begin before age 30 in most but an IC diagnosis is often not made until age 40. Genetics appear to play a significant role. It is important to consider these facts when evaluating women with “early IC” because correct diagnosis will result in proper therapy and reduced health care costs.
Phase Resetting Curve Analysis of Global Synchrony, the Splay Mode and Clustering in N Neuron all to all Pulse-Coupled Networks

We use phase resetting curve (PRC) theory to analyze phase-locked patterns in pulse-coupled all to all network of N neurons that receive multiple inputs per cycle. The basic principles are that the phase must be updated each time an input is received, and simultaneous inputs do not sum linearly for strong coupling, but the conductances do. Therefore, the dependence of the resetting on conductance must be known. We analyze a splay mode in which no neurons fire simultaneously, global synchrony in which all neurons fire together, and clustering modes in which the firing breaks up into a small number of clusters. The key idea is to identify the appropriate perturbation in order to determine the stability of a given mode. For the splay mode, jitter is introduced into all firing times. For synchrony, a single neuron is perturbed from the rest, and for the two cluster mode, a single neuron is perturbed from one cluster. Global synchrony can be destabilized by increasing the network size or the strength of the individual synapses. At most, a small number of M clusters form because the M − 1 locking points are more likely to sample destabilizing regions of the PRC as M increases. Between cluster interactions can enforce synchrony on subclusters that are incapable of synchronizing themselves. For the two cluster case, general results were obtained for clusters of any size. These results can be used to gain insights into the activity of networks of biological neurons whose PRCs can be measured.
Reply to 'Comment on: Intravitreal aflibercept for macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion in patients with prior treatment with bevacizumab or ranibizmab'.

Reply to ‘Comment on: Intravitreal aflibercept for macular oedema secondary to central retinal vein occlusion in patients with prior treatment with bevacizumab or ranibizmab’
Universally Conserved Relationships between Nuclear Shape and Cytoplasmic Mechanical Properties in Human Stem Cells

The ability of cells to proliferate, differentiate, transduce extracellular signals and assemble tissues involves structural connections between nucleus and cytoskeleton. Yet, how the mechanics of these connections vary inside stem cells is not fully understood. To address those questions, we combined two-dimensional particle-tracking microrheology and morphological measures using variable reduction techniques to measure whether cytoplasmic mechanics allow for discrimination between different human adherent stem cell types and across different culture conditions. Here we show that nuclear shape is a quantifiable discriminant of mechanical properties in the perinuclear cytoskeleton (pnCSK) of various stem cell types. Also, we find the pnCSK is a region with different mechanical properties than elsewhere in the cytoskeleton, with heterogeneously distributed locations exhibiting subdiffusive features, and which obeys physical relations conserved among various stem cell types. Finally, we offer a prospective basis to discriminate between stem cell types by coupling perinuclear mechanical properties to nuclear shape.
Institutional Complexity and the Embedded Logics of Public School Reform

Limited research on the role of institutional logics inside organizations means it is difficult to answer questions about how actors inside those organizations set boundaries on which work practice...
Sinus Computed Tomography Imaging in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis: Added Value?

Study ObjectiveTo evaluate the prevalence of computed tomography (CT) sinus imaging in a pediatric cystic fibrosis (CF) population, determine changes in Lund Mackay (LM) scores over time, and estimate radiation exposure.Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingTertiary care children’s hospital.Subjects and MethodsIn total, 202 pediatric patients with CF who underwent endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) were included. The total number of CT scans was calculated for each patient, with specific focus on the indications for and subsequent outcomes of the sinus CT scan subgroup.ResultsPatients underwent a total of 1718 CT scans, 832 of which were sinus CT scans (mean of 4.2 sinus scans per patient). Disease evaluation (54%) and preoperative planning (35%) were the most common indications. Otolaryngologists were more likely to order imaging for preoperative evaluation, and those scans were more likely to result in surgery compared with those requested by other physicians (P < .001). Ninety CT scans (10.8%) l...
Dye sensitization of four low index TiO2 single crystal photoelectrodes with a series of dicarboxylated cyanine dyes.

Four dicarboxylated cyanine dyes were used to sensitize single-crystal anatase (001), anatase (101), rutile (001), and rutile (100) surfaces. Incident photon to current efficiencies (IPCE) spectra and isotherms were gathered for the different combination of dyes and surfaces. The maximum coverage of the surface-bound dyes on the TiO2 crystal surfaces was determined by photochronocoulometric measurements. The IPCE spectra of the surface-bound dyes revealed that both the dye monomers and H-aggregates were both present and generated photocurrent. The relative abundance of dye monomers and H-aggregates was found to be strongly dependent on the crystallographic face used as the substrate for sensitization. The ratio of dye monomer to H-aggregate was quantified by fitting the IPCE spectra with a sum of the dye monomer and H-aggregate solution spectra.The trends in surface coverage were explained using a simple “lattice matching” model where the distance between the coordinatively unsaturated Ti binding sites on...
Improving the student success and retention of under achiever students in introductory computer science

In many universities, student success and retention in computer science are an ongoing concern to faculty. Finding best practices to improve the success and retention rate of less than the best students, has been a particular challenge. This study, conducted at a public teaching university, has focused on enhancements to introductory computer science courses to aid in the retention of students in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors. The majority of these students had no prior programming or computer science experience. All computer science majors and some other STEM majors are required to take the first course in programming (CS0). The PLTL (Peer Led Team Learning) methodology, successful with Chemistry majors elsewhere, was used to improve student success in CS via collaborative workshops. Quantitative grade data and attitudinal surveys are combined to show the success of this study on the student success rates, which contributed to the retention of these students over the past 3 years. Over 80% of the students who attended PLTL workshops, said that future students should attend PLTL workshops in this and follow on CS courses. The progress of the students' success, and the enthusiasm of the students in introductory CS classes shows the contribution PLTL has made in the retention of STEM students.
Preserves (Jams), Jellies And Related Products

Preserves (jams) and jellies are couered by USDA Standards for Grades and by FDA Standam3 oflhtity.
Truth and D.A.R.E.: Is D.A.R.E.’s new Keepin’ it REAL curriculum suitable for American nationwide implementation?

The study investigates the effectiveness and appropriateness of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) Keepin’ it REAL (KiR) curriculum – America’s most prevalent in-school prevention progr...
The Struggle to Find a Home in the Affordable Care Act and a Place in History

When discussing the prospect of change to the structure of the American health care system, a little background is in order. Historically, the pharmaceutical industry has yielded to certain cyclical patterns that emerge when a new drug or treatment is introduced to the marketplace or new regulations come into effect, resulting in an initial surge followed in time by greater restraints imposed from both the federal and state level. Since its inception in 2010, the Affordable Care Act has in many ways preempted these cycles as it seeks to provide a nearly universal health care blanket by constructing a new foundation made of regulatory building blocks aimed at shifting emphasis from a cost based to a performance driven philosophy that it believes will reduce fraud and waste, thereby lowering costs across the board. Within its folds exist a number of pharmaceutical specific studies and programs designed to more accurately police the industry as the federal government attempts to curtail spending. With the emergence of the ACA, today’s pharmaceutical companies find themselves in an all too familiar situation, overlooking a vast new horizon of potentiality while beset by a host of new rules, where the prospect of greater market opportunity grapples with the restrictions that accompany increased regulation.
Suppressing the fundamental thermo-optic noises of a high-Q microresonator

We report a novel approach to dramatically suppress the fundamental temperature fluctuations and thermo-optic noises of a high-Q microresonators by orders of magnitudes, achieved remarkably via pure optical means without cooling the device temperature.
Update to Assessing Economic Damages in Personal Injury andWrongful Death Litigation: The State of Utah

Abstract Current changes to personal injury and wrongful death litigation in the state of Utah.
Prognosis in bundle branch block

Abstract In A previous communication the factors influencing the survival time in right bundle branch block were analyzed. The purpose of this paper is to analyze in a similar fashion a consecutive series of 555 patients showing the electrocardiographic pattern of left bundle branch block.
Beyond Grammar: Tracking Perceptions of Quality in Student E-mail:

This research explores a presumed link between today’s use of digital media and an ever-increasing lack of rhetorical awareness in students. Specifically, the study pilots a method for measuring rh...
Pre-operative and post-operative changes in CRP and other biomarkers sensitive to inflammatory status in patients with severe obesity undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy.

Abstract Introduction C-reactive protein (CRP) is often elevated in patients living with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2). However, there is limited information on how CRP, and other inflammation responsive biomarkers, change in response to weight loss following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG). We studied how CRP, ferritin and albumin change following LSG surgery in relation to obesity, metabolic syndrome (MetS) ATPIII risk components and diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods Laboratory parameters (including CRP) were examined in 197 patients prior to LSG, and at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. Changes in laboratory parameters, and laboratory investigations, were also examined in a 125 patient subgroup at both pre-LSG and at the 12 month follow-up visit. Results All patients had BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2. CRP levels positively correlated with BMI (r = 0.171, p = 0.016) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP; r = 0.309; P Conclusion The negative correlation between CRP and albumin levels in obesity may indicate a low grade inflammatory process affecting both. LSG related weight loss decreased CRP and ferritin, likely explained by improvement in inflammatory status.
Keratolimbal allograft for limbal stem cell deficiency after severe corneal chemical injury: a systematic review.

Purpose To review the published literature on outcomes of keratolimbal allograft (KLAL) for the surgical treatment of limbal stem cell deficiency (LSCD) and corneal blindness after severe corneal chemical injury. Methods Literature searches were conducted in the following electronic databases: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index, CINAHL, LILACS and the Cochrane Library. Standard systematic review methodology was applied. The main outcome measure was the proportion of eyes with best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) ≥20/200 at last follow-up. Other measures of allograft success were also collected. Results We identified six reports in which KLAL outcomes in the eyes after chemical injury could be distinguished. There were no randomised controlled studies. The outcomes of KLAL in 36 eyes of 33 patients were analysed. One study with seven eyes did not specify KLAL follow-up specific to chemical injury. Median postoperative follow-up for the other 29 eyes in 26 patients was 42 months (range 6.2–114 months). In the same 29 eyes, 69% (20/29) had BCVA ≥20/200 at the last follow-up examination. Eighty-nine per cent of all eyes (32/36) underwent penetrating keratoplasty simultaneous or subsequent to KLAL. Conclusions The number of studies where outcomes of KLAL in eyes with severe corneal chemical injury could be discerned was limited, and variability was observed in outcome reporting. The quality of evidence to support the use of KLAL in LSCD in severe chemical corneal burns was low. Standardisation and longer follow-up are needed to better define evidence-based best practice when contemplating surgical intervention for blindness after corneal chemical injury. PROSPERO registration number CRD42017054733.
Fulminant Diabetes in a Patient with Advanced Melanoma on Nivolumab.

Background. Anti-PD-1 agents were approved for advanced melanoma after the landmark trial Checkmate-037. Anti-PD-1 agents can breach immunologic tolerance. Fulminant diabetes is an immune endocrinopathy that results from a violent immune attack leading to complete destruction of pancreatic beta cells in genetically predisposed people. We present a rare case of fulminant diabetes precipitated by anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Case. A 61-year-old male with advanced melanoma presented with a three-day history of nausea, vomiting, and malaise. He was started on nivolumab and ipilimumab. After the third dose, he developed a generalized rash and was prescribed high-dose prednisone. Labs revealed potassium 9.5 mmol/L, sodium 127 mmol/L, bicarbonate 31 mmol, arterial blood pH 7.14, and beta-hydroxybutyrate 13.7 mmol/L. He was diagnosed with diabetic ketoacidosis. Hemoglobin A1C was 6.9%. C-peptide was undetectable (<0.1 ng/ml). Glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies, zinc transporter 8 autoantibodies, insulin autoantibodies, islet antigen 2 autoantibodies, and islet cell antibodies were all negative. Conclusion. Anti-PD-1 immunotherapy is effective in cancers refractory to standard chemotherapy. These agents can precipitate autoimmune disorders. As the use of anti-PD-1 agents is expected to rise, physicians should be educated about the potential side effects. We recommend conducting routine blood glucose checks in patients on these agents.
Retrieving Mean Temperature of Atmospheric Liquid Water Layers Using Microwave Radiometer Measurements

AbstractA remote sensing method to retrieve the mean temperature of cloud liquid using ground-based microwave radiometer measurements is evaluated and tested by comparisons with direct cloud temper...
Assessment of myofascial medialization following posterior component separation via transversus abdominis muscle release in a cadaveric model

Posterior component separation (PCS) via the transversus abdominis release (TAR) procedure continues to gain popularity. However, neither the physiologic basis nor the extent of myofascial medialization after TAR is established. We aimed to assess both anterior and posterior rectus fascia (AF and PF) medialization following each step of the TAR procedure. Ten fresh cadavers underwent PCS via TAR. Steps included midline laparotomy (MLL), retrorectus dissection (RRD), incision of the posterior rectus sheath (IPL), transversus abdominis muscle division (TAD), and retromuscular dissection (RMD). Medial advancement of AF and PF was measured following application of 2.5, 5.0 lb, and maximal tension to the fascial edge. Values are represented as mean advancement past midline in centimeters. MLL allowed advancement of 2.5, 3.7, and 4.9 cm. RRD provided advancement of 4.1, 5.9, and 7.6 cm for AF and 4.4, 6.2, and 7.5 cm for PF. IPL provided advancement of 4.2, 6.1, and 8.0 cm for AF and 4.6, 6.6, and 8.3 cm for PF. TAD provided advancement of 4.5, 6.6, and 8.6 cm for AF and 5.3, 7.5, and 9.5 cm for PF. RMD provided advancement of 5.5, 7.9, and 9.9 cm for AF and 6.9, 9.6, and 11.2 cm for PF. Overall, the complete TAR procedure provided AF advancement of 102% and PF advancement of 129%, over baseline. The TAR procedure provides for substantial medial advancement of both anterior and posterior myofascial components of the abdominal wall. Retromuscular dissection deep to the divided transversus abdominis muscle appears to be the key step of the procedure, allowing for effective reconstruction of very wide (≈ 20 cm) defects.
Evolution of the Hominid Hip

The morphology of the hip region, and its functional implications, have figured prominently in discussions of the origin and nature of hominid bipedality (Dart, 1949; Broom and Robinson, 1950; Washburn, 1950; Le Gros Clark, 1955; Mednick, 1955; Napier, 1964, 1967; Day, 1969, 1973; Robinson, 1972; Lovejoy et al., 1973; McHenry, 1975; Wood, 1976; McHenry and Corruccini, 1978; Stern and Susman, 1983, 1991; Susman et al., 1984; Lovejoy, 1988; Berge, 1991; Jungers, 1991). During most of human bipedal gait, the body is balanced over one lower limb (Inman et al., 1981), a biomechanical problem not faced by quadrupeds. The solution to this problem has involved major changes in the form of the human pelvis and proximal femur (as well as structures more distal in the lower limb) from that of our primate quadrupedal contemporaries, and presumably ancestors (Le Gros Clark, 1959).
Plain Meaning and Mitigating Measures: Judicial Interpretations of the Meaning of Disability

When the Americans with Disabilities Act2 was enacted in 1990 supporters heralded it as a broad and even transformative piece of legislation. Senator Tom Harkin, one of the Act's chief sponsors, asserted that the ADA was "the most important legislation Congress will ever enact for persons with disabilities."3 No less enthusiastic, President George Bush signed the bill into law stating: "[WJith today's signing of the landmark Americans for [sic] Disabilities Act, every man, woman and child with a disability can now pass through once closed doors into a bright new era of equality, independence and freedom."4 Central to their enthusiasm was a belief that the new Act would promote the independence and economic self-sufficiency of millions of people with disabilities.5 As Jane West has noted, to achieve these lofty goals, the ADA "require[d] us to change our thinking about people with disabilities. The ADA demands that we focus on people, not on disabilities; that we focus on what they can do, not on what they cannot do."6 Yet as the papers in this symposium convincingly demonstrate,7 the impact of the ADA has been less dramatic than predicted. An overwhelming number of plaintiffs have lost their claims.8 In part, this is because much of the focus in ADA
Evaluating APIs: a call for design science research

In a business world characterized by ecosystem-based competition, APIs are key determinants of success. However, there is very little guidance on how organizations should go about making decisions about APIs. API design must account for the needs of both present and future application developers who use the API, and API outcomes depend on the success of the applications which incorporate that API. As a result, the design of APIs poses unique challenges that would benefit from design science inquiry. At the same time, these multiple sources of input in API design pose special challenges for carrying out design science research. This paper focuses on developing a foundation for future design science research in the API domain by addressing the first two steps of the design science research methodology recommended by Peffers et al: We view these as preliminary steps towards the development of a methodology for the design of APIs.
Heparan sulfate proteoglycans and signalling in cell adhesion.

Studies on cell adhesion to isolated and purified extracellular matrix molecules in vitro clearly show that substratum-bound matrix molecules can influence cytoskeletal architecture, through some form of transmembrane signalling process. Fibronectin is one such matrix molecule, and its biological properties in terms of the induction of cell adhesion are now known to be mediated by several domains of the molecule, including the “cell”-binding domain which binds to integrin receptors of the β 1 family (reviewed in Hynes, 1990; Ruoslahti, 1988). Fibronectin has, in addition, both an amino-terminal 29-kD and a 31-kD heparin-binding domain, which we showed previously were involved in the organization of spread cells (Woods et al., 1986). Cells not only attach to fibronectin, but also spread and can form specialized adhesion structures, focal adhesions (reviewed in Burridge et al. 1988; Hynes, 1990; Woods & Couchman, 1988; and see Fig. 1). These are highly specialized foci of cell-matrix interaction where concentrations of specific membrane and cytoskeletal components form a continuum from the substrate to which the cells are attached to the internal microfilament system (Woods & Couchman, 1988). These structures are not found in highly motile cells (Couchman & Rees, 1979), and form concomitantly as migratory cells stop moving and start to export endo-genously synthesized extracellular matrix. Thus, fibroblasts in vitro can exhibit either a locomotory phenotype or a stationary phenotype characterized by the ability of the cells to alter their environment. This is of great importance in many disease processes, since loss of anchorage, and changes in matrix deposition are often causative events in various connective tissue diseases.
Relationship between Aging and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation

ABSTRACT Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is increasingly utilized as a treatment for malignancies in the elderly population. At the same time, research has elucidated the impacts of HCT on bone marrow progenitor cells, one of which is accelerated aging. Clonal hematopoiesis has also been observed to occur in the aging population, both with and without HCT. The interplay between natural aging, clonal hemoatpoiesis, and the effects of HCT on the bone marrow, has not yet been addressed. Herein we explore this relationship, and its important clinical implications.
Comparison of the Utility of Transesophageal Echocardiography in Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke and Transient Ischemic Attack Stratified by Age Group (<60, 60 to 80, ≥80 Years)

The objective was to study the utility of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) in affecting acute ischemic stroke treatment of older adults (age ≥80 years). Patients hospitalized in January 2010 and February 2015 were included who had TEE ordered as part of their diagnostic workup at a tertiary medical center. We studied 515 hospitalized patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack who underwent TEE. The proportion of patients with important TEE findings was 35%. However, TEE changed management in only 2.5% of cases. When anticoagulation for proximal mobile aorta atheroma was excluded, no change in management resulted from TEE for patients older than 80 years. In conclusion, TEE has a low likelihood of a pathologic finding that resulted in a change in treatment strategy, especially in patients ≥80 years of age.
Does Health Information Exchange Improve Patient Outcomes? Empirical Evidence From Florida Hospitals.

Achieving widespread exchange of health information is a national health policy objective, for it is believed to boost treatment efficiency, reduce health care costs, and improve patient outcomes. ...
Thermal and Electromagnetic Transients in Liquid Metal Surfaces of the FNSF

AbstractThe Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) is an intermediate step in the path to commercial fusion energy that will accommodate the extreme fusion nuclear environment and the complex integ...