cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparing the next generation of scientists in translation research.

Aim: Four questions about translation research are considered in this article. (1) Why should there be concern about preparing nurse scientists for translation research? (2) Are current research-intensive doctoral programs in nursing preparing graduates for translation research? (3) Should targeted efforts be made to systematically prepare nurses in translation research? (4) What strategies would be useful? Question 1: It is argued that translation research is needed in order to increase the odds that interventions found to be efficacious can be effectively translated into practices that will produce desired outcomes. Thus, evidence from translation research is a very important component of the science base needed to guide innovation in practice. Another reason of concern in preparing translation researchers is the growing pace of research into the efficacy of interventions, which accelerates the need for translation research. Furthermore, the emergence of clinical doctoral programs in nursing that will be seeking faculty with expertise in translation research supports the need for preparing scientists in translation research. Question 2: To determine whether translation research was visible in current research-intensive doctoral programs, a Web-based review of these programs offered by colleges and universities in the database of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) was conducted in the fall of 2003. The search revealed that in the 79 programs surveyed, no school identified an area of emphasis in terms that suggested a component of translation science such as research dissemination or utilization, knowledge transfer, diffusion of innovation, or technology transfer. Less than a dozen courses could be located that focused on topics related to translation research or translation science. Questions 3 and 4: The case is made that more attention should be given to preparing translation scientists in research-intensive doctoral programs in nursing, and several strategies were suggested for moving toward that goal.
Choosing and choice making are not the same: Asking "what do you want for lunch?" is not self-determination

Promoting choice making has become an important focus of disability services and supports and a basic component in service delivery. Although much of the choice making literature has involved demonstrations that individuals with intellectual and severe intellectual disabilities can be taught to make choices, limited research exists on the types of choices individuals make and the extent to which these choices are supported. Further, input about choice making has ostensibly been obtained from service providers or support personnel and not from consumers themselves. This study examines input provided by consumers with varying support needs, served in different types of employment programs, on the choice-making opportunities they were provided, if their choices were supported, and if they thought choice making was important, among other questions. The implications of the findings are discussed.
History matching time-lapse seismic data using the ensemble Kalman filter with multiple data assimilations

The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) has become a popular method for history matching production and seismic data in petroleum reservoir models. However, it is known that EnKF may fail to give acceptable data matches especially for highly nonlinear problems. In this paper, we introduce a procedure to improve EnKF data matches based on assimilating the same data multiple times with the covariance matrix of the measurement errors multiplied by the number of data assimilations. We prove the equivalence between single and multiple data assimilations for the linear-Gaussian case and present computational evidence that multiple data assimilations can improve EnKF estimates for the nonlinear case. The proposed procedure was tested by assimilating time-lapse seismic data in two synthetic reservoir problems, and the results show significant improvements compared to the standard EnKF. In addition, we review the inversion schemes used in the EnKF analysis and present a rescaling procedure to avoid loss of information during the truncation of small singular values.
Role of a pro-sequence in the secretory pathway of prothyrotropin-releasing hormone.

The biogenesis of rat thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) involves the processing of its precursor (proTRH) into five biologically active TRH peptides and several non-TRH peptides where two of them had been attributed potential biological functions. This process implicates 1) proper folding of proTRH in the endoplasmic reticulum after its biosynthesis and exit to the Golgi apparatus and beyond, 2) initial processing of proTRH in the trans Golgi network and, 3) sorting of proTRH-derived peptides to the regulated secretory pathway. Previous studies have focused on elucidating the processing and sorting determinants of proTRH. However, the role of protein folding in the sorting of proTRH remains unexplored. Here we have investigated the role in the secretion of proTRH of a sequence comprising 22 amino acid residues, located at the N-terminal region of proTRH, residues 31–52. Complete deletion of these 22 amino acids dramatically compromised the biosynthesis of proTRH, manifested as a severe reduction in the steady state level of proTRH in the endoplasmic reticulum. This effect was largely reproduced by the deletion of only three amino acid residues, 40PGL42, within the proTRH31–52 sequence. The decreased steady state level of the mutant ΔPGL was due to enhanced endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation. However, the remnant of ΔPGL that escaped degradation was properly processed and sorted to secretory granules. Thus, these results suggest that the N-terminal domain within the prohormone sequence does not act as “sorting signal” in late secretion; instead, it seems to play a key role determining the proper folding pathway of the precursor and, thus, its stability.
Analysis of WT1 in Granulosa Cell and Other Sex Cord-Stromal Tumors

The molecular genetic events involved in the etiology of granulosa cell, Sertoli cell, and Leydig cell tumors are unknown. The expression of the Wilms' tumor suppressor gene WT1 in granulosa and Sertoli cells prompted us to analyze this gene for mutations in 11 granulosa cell tumors, three Leydig cell tumors, and one Sertoli/Leydig cell tumor. Although most of these tumors express WT1 mRNA, none harbors a WT1 mutation in the zinc finger domains where > 90% of WT1 mutations in sporadic Wilms' tumors have been found. In addition we were able to exclude tumor-specific loss of heterozygosity in 13 of 15 cases. Taken together these results suggest that the WT1 gene is unlikely to play an important role in the development of sex cord-stromal tumors.
The Magnetic Behavior of Mud Bacteria

When separated from the substrate, Blakemore’s mud bacteria swim back to the bottom of the sea following the earth’s magnetic field lines. Their magnetotactic response appears to be due to the presence of internal ferromagnetic dipole moments of single-domain properties.
Deletion of Secretory Group V Phospholipase A2 Attenuates Cell Migration and Airway Hyperresponsiveness in Immunosensitized Mice

We investigated the role of group V phospholipase A2 (gVPLA2) in OVA-induced inflammatory cell migration and airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) in C57BL/6 mice. Repeated allergen challenge induced biosynthesis of gVPLA2 in airways. By aerosol, gVPLA2 caused dose-related increase in airway resistance in saline-treated mice; in allergic mice, gVPLA2 caused persistent airway narrowing. Neither group IIa phospholipase A2, a close homolog of gVPLA2, nor W31A, an inactive gVPLA2 mutant with reduced activity, caused airway narrowing in immune-sensitized mice. Pretreatment with MCL-3G1, a blocking Ab against gVPLA2, before OVA challenge blocked fully gVPLA2-induced cell migration and airway narrowing as marked by reduction of migrating leukocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and decreased airway resistance. We also assessed whether nonspecific AHR caused by methacholine challenge was elicited by gVPLA2 secreted from resident airway cells of immune-sensitized mice. MCL-3G1 also blocked methacholine-induced airway bronchoconstriction in allergic mice. Blockade of bronchoconstriction by MCL-3G1 was replicated in allergic pla2g5 −/− mice, which lack the gene encoding gVPLA2. Bronchoconstriction caused by gVPLA2 in pla2g4 −/− mice was comparable to that in pla2g4 +/+ mice. Our data demonstrate that gVPLA2 is a critical messenger enzyme in the development of AHR and regulation of cell migration during immunosensitization by a pathway that is independent of group IVa phospholipase A2.
Fragile X and other trinucleotide repeat diseases

Hereditary unstable DNA is composed of strings of trinucleotide repeats, in which three nucleotides are repeated over and over (ie CAGCAGCAGCAG). These repeats are found in several sites within genes; depending on their location, the number of triplet repeats in a string can change as it is passed on to offspring. When the number of repeats increases to a critical size, it can have a variety of affects on gene function. The repeats may cause a loss in gene function (as in Fragile X) or may result in the gain of a new, abnormal protein and thus a new function (as in myotonic dystrophy and Huntington disease). Although a variety of trinucleotide repeat diseases have been reported and merit consideration, this discussion will focus primarily on Fragile X syndrome, myotonic dystrophy, and Huntington disease.
Reinventing and contesting identities in constitutive discourses: Between diaspora and its others

This paper explores how diasporic identities are reinvented through constitutive rhetoric to legitimate certain forms of collective power and action. Diasporic collectivities are constituted in relationship to nation‐state systems as well as other groups with whom they share histories and compete to establish claims to the homeland. The collective “we”; emerges as a shifting formation as the identity of the diaspora, its borders, and who counts as its members is constantly contested and repositioned. The paper analyzes discourses reinventing Polish American diasporic identity within the changing political situation of Poland including its democratization and incorporation within Western political structures.
An Evaluation of Alternative Measures for Assessing Language Proficiency Skills of Junior Level Students in a School of Communications and Professional Studies.

For a total sample of more than 900 junior-level college students in a school of communications and professional studies (CAPS) and for a subsample of at least 50 students in each of nine departments within this school, concurrent validity coefficients were determined between scores on several examinations reflecting competencies in standard written English and an external criterion measure of cumulative college grade point average (GPA). These examinations consisted of (a) the Test of Standard Written English (TSWE) of the Admissions Testing Program of the College Board (Educational Testing Service, 1974-1978, 1978a, 1978b), (b) the Diagnostic Test in Written English (DTWE), Revised Version, Form B (Brengelman and Frey, c. 1975) consisting of four subtests in Spelling and Word Formation, Sentence Structure, Vocabulary, and Essay Organization, and (c) a locally devised essay test (CAPS Essay Examination) requiring thirty minutes of writing time. For the entire sample the TSWE, the DTWE—Total (Score), and ...
Disruption of endothelial-cell caveolin-1alpha/raft scaffolding during development of monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension.

Background— In the monocrotaline (MCT)-treated rat, there is marked stimulation of DNA synthesis and megalocytosis of pulmonary arterial endothelial cells (PAECs) within 3 to 4 days, followed by pulmonary hypertension (PH) 10 to 14 days later. Growing evidence implicates caveolin-1 (cav-1) in plasma membrane rafts as a negative regulator of promitogenic signaling. We have investigated the integrity and function of endothelial cell–selective cav-1α/raft signaling in MCT-induced PH. Methods and Results— Although PH and right ventricular hypertrophy developed by 2 weeks after MCT, a reduction in cav-1α levels in the lung was apparent within 48 hours, declining to ≈30% by 2 weeks, accompanied by an increase in activation of the promitogenic transcription factor STAT3 (PY-STAT3). Immunofluorescence studies showed a selective loss of cav-1α and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 in the PAEC layer within 48 hours after MCT but an increase in PY-STAT3. PAECs with cav-1α loss displayed high PY-STAT3 and nuclear immunostaining for proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Biochemical studies showed a loss of cav-1α from the detergent-resistant lipid raft fraction concomitant with hyperactivation of STAT3. Moreover, cultured PAECs treated with MCT-pyrrole for 48 hours developed megalocytosis associated with hypo-oligomerization and reduction of cav-1α, hyperactivation of STAT3 and ERK1/2 signaling, and stimulation of DNA synthesis. Conclusions— MCT-induced disruption of cav-1α chaperone and scaffolding function in PAECs likely accounts for diverse alterations in endothelial cell signaling in this model of PH. Received February 13, 2004; de novo received April 13, 2004; revision received May 24, 2004; accepted May 25, 2004.
The Boltzmann-Hamel Equations for the Optimal Control of Mechanical Systems with Nonholonomic Constraints

In this paper we generalize the Boltzmann-Hamel equations for nonholonomic mechanics to a form suited for the kinematic or dynamic optimal control of mechanical systems subject to nonholonomic constraints. In solving these equations one is able to eliminate the controls and compute the optimal trajectory from a set of coupled first order differential equations with boundary values. We compare our approach to standard approaches on a sample of mechanical problems. In particular we derive a set of differential equations that yields the optimal reorientation path of a free rigid body. In the special case of a sphere, we show that the optimal trajectory coincides with the cubic splines on SO(3).
The Role of Thermal Excitation of D Band Electrons in Ultrafast Laser Interaction With Noble (Cu) and Transition (Pt) Metals

The temperature dependences of the electron heat capacity and electron-phonon coupling factor for noble (Cu) and transition (Pt) metals are investigated based on the electron density of states (DOS) obtained from ab initio electronic structure calculations. For Cu, d band electrons could be thermally excited when the electron temperature exceeds ∼3000 K, leading to a significant increase, up to an order of magnitude, in the electron-phonon coupling factor and strong enhancement of the electron heat capacity away from the linear dependence on the electron temperature, which is commonly used in most of the current computational and theoretical investigations of ultrafast laser interactions with metals. Opposite to the case in Cu, the thermal excitation of d band electrons in Pt leads to a monotonic decrease of the electron-phonon coupling factor and contributes to significant negative deviations of the electron heat capacity from the linear dependence in the range of electron temperatures that are typically realized in ultrafast laser material processing applications. Strong and drastically different temperature dependences of the thermophysical properties predicted for Cu and Pt point to the importance of the electron DOS effects and the necessity of full consideration of thermal excitation of d band electrons for realistic modeling of short pulse laser interaction with noble and transition metals.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Tactile-visual perception and cross-modal transfer.

Observations of 12 young children suggested that by age 4 they were able to match tactually seen objects and to match visually objects explored tactually.
Use of the Articulation Index to Design a Wavelet Packet-Based Method for Improving Speech Intelligibility

Speech transients are important cues for identifying and discriminating speech sounds, and several studies have suggested that selective amplification of these transients can improve the intelligibility of speech in noise. This paper describes an improved version of a wavelet-based method for extracting transient speech that we described in [9] and the use of the articulation index to select optimal parameters for the method. The new method combines subband decomposition by wavelet packets and transition rate characterization based on the first derivative of short-time energy. The method also incorporates a threshold which, when varied, controls the amount of quasi-steady-state activity that is included in the transient speech signal. The speech modification scheme is optimized and intelligibility improvement is estimated using the articulation index.
Capabilities of Oat Extracts in Inhibiting Cholesterol and Long Chain Fatty Acid Oxidation During Heating

ABSTRACT The antioxidant activities of oat groat extracts using different solvents were investigated. For acetone, hexane, and methanol extracts, the total phenolic compound contents were 12.83, 8.56, and 26.17 μg of catechin equivalent/g, respectively. Their corresponding free radical scavenging activities measured using the DPPH (2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) method were 0.68, 0.35, and 0.79 μmol of Trolox equivalent/g, respectively. All oat extracts presented significantly greater capability in preventing cholesterol oxidation than the control (no extract added) during heating at the three levels of addition (1, 5, and 10 mg). The capability of the hexane or acetone extract in preventing cholesterol oxidation was not as effective as the methanol extract. In the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, C22:6) oxidation test, all oat extracts at the level of 5 and 10 mg had greater inhibition capability on DHA oxidation than the control (DHA only). No significant inhibition was found for the hexane and acetone extra...
Influences on My Early Academic Career.

Anna Ingeborg Petursdottir (Fig. ​(Fig.1)1) received her Ph.D. in psychology from Western Michigan University and is currently an associate professor of psychology at Texas Christian University. Her primary area of research is verbal behavior and its acquisition. Her applied research interests include strategies for enhancing verbal behavior acquisition of children diagnosed with autism, whereas more basic research interests include typically developing children’s language acquisition and how research and theory in this area may translate into effective language interventions. Dr. Petursdottir’s research has been published in the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis (JABA), the Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior (JEAB), and The Analysis of Verbal Behavior (TAVB), among other journals. She is past editor of TAVB and the current Publication Board Coordinator of the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI). She also currently serves as the associate editor of JABA and an editorial board member of JEAB and the European Journal of Behavior Analysis, in addition to having served on the editorial boards of various other journals. Dr. Petursdottir is a past president of the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) encompasses practices and therapeutic modalities that fall outside of the mainstream of conventional medicine. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health (NCCAM, NIH)(2008) identifies four domains of CAM therapies, including mind–body, touch, energy, and biological therapies (www.nccam.nih.gov). Children with cancer use therapies from all domains; most often used are prayer and spiritual practices, mind—body-relaxation interventions, massage, and herbal therapies and supplements. In addition, NIH acknowledges whole medical systems that have philosophies and practices that are independent from conventional Western medicine and use a combination of therapies from the four domains, including traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurvedic medicine, Naturopathic medicine, and homeopathy. Most families use CAM therapies in combination with conventional medical therapy (complementary), as opposed to replacing mainstream treatment (alternative). Integrative pediatric oncology blends CAM with standard care to manage symptom distress and emphasize healing and wellness.
Morphology of Normal Erythrocyte and Acanthocyte Using Nomarski Optics and the Scanning Electron Microscope

The morphology of normal erythrocytes and of acanthocytes from five patients with abetalipoproteinemia was studied by two relatively new technics. Interference microscopy with Nomarski optics was used to study the red blood cells in the living state; the scanning electron microscope was utilized to give a three dimensional appearance of the fixed red blood cells. Isotonic saline washing of normal red blood cells produces multiple small uniform projections on the surface of the cell: the crenated red cell. Acanthocytes after saline washings also develop similar projections: the crenated acanthocyte. Crenation of both the normal red blood cell and the acanthocyte is reversed by restitution of a plasma environment and by chemical fixation by glutaraldehyde or osmic acid but the characteristic shape of the acanthocyte is preserved. A comparison was made of the changes in the shape of the normal red blood cells and acanthocytes induced by alterations in the tonicity of the surrounding medium.
Activation of Vanadium Phosphorus Oxide Catalysts for Alkane Oxidation Oxygen Storage and Catalyst Performance

The reaction of n-butarie with “reactor-equilibrated” (VO) 2 P 2 O 7 based catalysts activated with different oxygen treatments has been investigated using a combination of high speed transient response and temperature programmed techniques. Results indicate that (VO) 2 P 2 O 7 has a unique “storage/supply” system capable of adsorbing oxygen and efficiently channeling it to the active catalytic site. It is proposed that storage occurs via the transformation of (VO) 2 P 2 O 7 into V +5 compounds and the supply mechanism involves the reverse reaction.
A Scale Invariant Clustering using Minimum Volume Ellipsoids

This paper develops theory and algorithms concerning a new metric for clustering data. The metric minimizes the total volume of clusters, where volume of a cluster is defined as the volume of the minimum volume ellipsoid (MVE) enclosing all data points in the cluster. This metric has the scale-invariant property, that is, the optimal clusters are invariant under an affine transformation of the data space. We introduce the concept of outliers in the new metric and show that the proposed method of treating outliers asymptotically recovers the data distribution when the data comes from a single multivariate Gaussian distribution. Two heuristical algorithm are presented that attempt to optimize the new metric. On a series of empirical studies on real and simulated data sets, we show that volume-based clustering out-performs the k-means algorithm.
RF power amplifiers

In this thorough overview, Mihai Albulet presents a full account of RF amplifiers and shows that understanding large-signal RF signals is simply a matter of understanding basic principles and their applications. In addition to discussing the basic concepts used in the analysis and design of RF power amplifiers, detailed mathematical derivations indicate the assumptions and limitations of the presented results, allowing the reader to calculate their usefulness in practical designs. Covered are amplification classes, circuit topologies, bias circuits, and matching networks.
Erratum to “A Review of Substance Use Disorder Treatment in Developing World Communities”

The publisher regrets that there was an error in the Objective section of the Abstract. It should read, “The aim of this review was to present recommendations for collaborative writing with a focus on early career investigators in HICs and LMICs.” The publisher would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused. 2214-9996/a 2014 Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Department of Medical Education Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY; e-mail: jasleen.salwan@mssm.edu http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aogh.2014.10.003
Ileal Caeca in the Eumastacidae (Orthoptera)

In one of several papers on the internal genitalia of female Orthoptera it was noted that those species which belonged to the family Eumastacidae each had six well-developed, fmgerlike diverticula or caeca attached to the hindgut not far from its anterior end (Slifer, 1943). Approximately 340 species of Orthoptera, distributed through four related families (Tetrigidae, Eumastacidae, Proscopiidae and Acrididae), were examined in this series of studies on the genitalia and since caeca were found on the hindgut in none except members of the Eumastacidae their presence in this one group would seem to deserve closer attention.
Insurance Financing Increased For Mental Health Conditions But Not For Substance Use Disorders, 1986–2014

This study updates previous estimates of US spending on mental health and substance use disorders through 2014. The results reveal that the long-term trend of greater insurance financing of mental health care continued in recent years. The share of total mental health treatment expenditures financed by private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid increased from 44 percent in 1986 to 68 percent in 2014. In contrast, the share of spending for substance use disorder treatment financed by private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid was 45 percent in 1986 and 46 percent in 2014. From 2004 to 2013, a growing percentage of adults received mental health treatment (12.6 percent and 14.6 percent, respectively), albeit only because of the increased use of psychiatric medications. In the same period, only 1.2–1.3 percent of adults received substance use disorder treatment in inpatient, outpatient, or residential settings, although the use of medications to treat substance use disorders increased rapidly.
Vitamin D in Disorders of Vitamin D Action: Vitamin D-Dependent Rickets Type I

A 2-year-old previously healthy Thai girl presented with a 9-month history of regression of gross motor milestones and failure to thrive. She had been pulling to stand and walking at the age of 9 and 12 months, respectively. At 15 months of age, she lost the ability to stand holding on, and by the time of presentation, her gross motor regressed to only being able to sit without support. Her personal social, receptive language, and expressive language were well preserved. She was the only child born to non-consanguineous parents, with no family history of familial hereditary disease or metabolic bone disease. She consumed 28 oz of milk daily. She was adequately exposed to sunlight. On the examination, her weight was 8.5 kg (−2.6 SDS), her length was 74 cm (−3.8 SDS), and upper/lower segment ratio was 1.5:1. Her anterior fontanelle was large. Rachitic rosary, genu varum, and widening of wrists and ankles were observed. Otherwise the remainder of the exam was normal.
Reprogramming of avian neural crest axial identity and cell fate

Neural crest populations along the embryonic body axis of vertebrates differ in developmental potential and fate, so that only the cranial neural crest can contribute to the craniofacial skeleton in vivo. We explored the regulatory program that imbues the cranial crest with its specialized features. Using axial-level specific enhancers to isolate and perform genome-wide profiling of the cranial versus trunk neural crest in chick embryos, we identified and characterized regulatory relationships between a set of cranial-specific transcription factors. Introducing components of this circuit into neural crest cells of the trunk alters their identity and endows these cells with the ability to give rise to chondroblasts in vivo. Our results demonstrate that gene regulatory circuits that support the formation of particular neural crest derivatives may be used to reprogram specific neural crest–derived cell types.
Submandibular approach to anterior C2-C4 disc space in the management of an aneurysmal bone cyst

Abstract We report a case of a ten-year-old girl with a large posterior neck mass, an aneurysmal bone cyst involving the upper cervical spine. Patient underwent tumor resection through a posterior approach and required subsequent anterior fusion and instrumentation of C2-C4 for stability. We describe a challenging transcervical submandibular approach that allowed anterior cervical discectomy with placement of interdisc spacer using pre-contoured allograft and plating to achieve anterior fusion. We demonstrated that this approach is safe and effective in children, and provides excellent visualization for direct access with a surprisingly large operative field for instrumentation.
Science Fiction Film: A Trajectory of the American Science Fiction Film

In order to understand how the American science fiction film works and what it has, over its history, managed to accomplish, we need to view it against a brief chronological background. In fact, as is typically the case with cultural texts, we probably need to keep in mind several histories whose confluence and overlap have helped to shape our experience of the genre in film. For example, among other stories that this history implicates, we shall have to tap into the body of mythic and folkloric narratives in Western culture on which the larger field of science fiction draws, the development of a distinctive literary genre, particularly in the nineteenth century, the rise of pulp literature that finally gives the genre its name in the twentieth century, the early history of cinema that at moments seems practically synchronous with the appearance of the science fiction film itself, the development of a technological attitude in what we have come to know as the Machine Age (1900–40), and the gradual formation of a distinct cinematic formula, especially within the American cinema. In point of fact, though, it is almost impossible to isolate any one of these histories from the others, to speak of each separately without doing some injustice to the absent yet always-informing other discourses. Thus the following history, while proceeding in a roughly chronological and, in that respect, fairly conventional fashion, aims to contextualize the film genre within the continuum of generic, cultural, and even technological developments on which it has drawn and to which it bears constant witness.
Dopamine Receptor Signaling in MIN6 β-Cells Revealed by Fluorescence Fluctuation Spectroscopy

Insulin secretion defects are central to the development of type II diabetes mellitus. Glucose stimulation of insulin secretion has been extensively studied, but its regulation by other stimuli such as incretins and neurotransmitters is not as well understood. We investigated the mechanisms underlying the inhibition of insulin secretion by dopamine, which is synthesized in pancreatic β-cells from circulating L-dopa. Previous research has shown that this inhibition is mediated primarily by activation of the dopamine receptor D3 subtype (DRD3), even though both DRD2 and DRD3 are expressed in β-cells. To understand this dichotomy, we investigated the dynamic interactions between the dopamine receptor subtypes and their G-proteins using two-color fluorescence fluctuation spectroscopy (FFS) of mouse MIN6 β-cells. We show that proper membrane localization of exogenous G-proteins depends on both the Gβ and Gγ subunits being overexpressed in the cell. Triple transfections of the dopamine receptor subtype and Gβ and Gγ subunits, each labeled with a different-colored fluorescent protein (FP), yielded plasma membrane expression of all three FPs and permitted an FFS evaluation of interactions between the dopamine receptors and the Gβγ complex. Upon dopamine stimulation, we measured a significant decrease in interactions between DRD3 and the Gβγ complex, which is consistent with receptor activation. In contrast, dopamine stimulation did not cause significant changes in the interactions between DRD2 and the Gβγ complex. These results demonstrate that two-color FFS is a powerful tool for measuring dynamic protein interactions in living cells, and show that preferential DRD3 signaling in β-cells occurs at the level of G-protein release.
8.10 Chromatographic Separations and Analysis: Cyclodextrin Mediated HPLC, GC and CE Enantiomeric Separations

Cyclodextrins (CDs) and CD derivatives are versatile chiral selectors. They have played a fundamental role in almost every enantiomeric separation and characterization method. In this chapter, an overview of CD-mediated enantiomeric separation methods will be provided, with an emphasis on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography (GC), and capillary electrophoresis (CE), which are the three most important analytical techniques for the separation of enantiomers. A general introduction to CDs and their properties will be presented. In the following section, binding chemistries, categories of CD-bonded stationary phases for HPLC, and their general separation mechanisms will be discussed. In the third part on GC, the main types of CD-based chiral selectors, their separation mechanism in the gas phase, and their applications will be discussed. The last section is focused on CD-mediated enantiomeric separation in CE. An introduction to the four main classes of CDs that are used as chiral additives, as well as their use, effectiveness, and limitations is provided.
Antibullying Interventions to Enhance Self-Efficacy in Children With Disabilities

ABSTRACTBullying is a serious and widespread issue that plagues schools across the nation. This is particularly true among children with disabilities who are bullied at statistically higher rates and are at an increased risk of being targeted when compared to their peers without disabilities. Despite the severity of this issue, effective counseling interventions and strategies for empowering this population are lacking. To address this gap, this article will introduce an experiential group activity that promotes self-efficacy, self-determination, and social skills among children with disabilities who experience bullying at school. Considerations and limitations of this activity are discussed.
Impact of Rapid Lymphocyte and Monocyte Recovery on Overall Survival Post-Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) with Fludarabine/Melphalan Conditioning

Abstract 3040 We have previously shown that both lymphocyte and monocyte recovery are strongly associated with improved survival post-myeloablative allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant for acute leukemia (Thoma et al, Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation, in press). We hypothesized that rapid lymphocyte and monocyte recovery would have a similarly positive impact on overall survival in reduced intensity conditioning (RIC) HSCT with fludarabine/melphalan. To test our hypothesis, we analyzed 118 consecutive patients who underwent allogeneic HSCT with fludarabine/melphalan conditioning for AML (n=49) and MDS/MPN (n=38), ALL (n=7) and other lymphoid malignancies (n=24) at our institution from 2001–2010. The absolute lymphocyte counts and monocyte counts (ALC and AMC, respectively) derived from routine complete blood counts were determined longitudinally at days +15, +30, +60, +100 and correlated with clinical outcomes. At the day +30 time point, both ALC and AMC > 0.3 × 10(9) cells/L were strongly associated with improved survival (OS 29.6 months vs. 5.4 months, p=0.006 and 25.3 months vs. 5.1 months, p=0.01 respectively), a pattern that continued through the day +100 evaluation. Multivariate analysis including age, CD34+ cell dose, unrelated vs. related HSCT, presence of aGVHD, remission status, and longitudinal hematologic parameters revealed that day +100 ALC (RR 0.21, 95% CI 0.07–0.66, p= 0.0096) and day +100 AMC (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.2–0.9, p=0.047) were the only independent predictors of survival in the model. Pairwise correlations showed moderate negative associations between aGVHD and day +60 and day +100 ALC and AMC. To further explore whether any inherent patterns in the timing of lymphocyte and monocyte recovery had prognostic value post-HSCT, we performed unsupervised hierarchical clustering on the longitudinal hematopoietic parameters studied in this cohort and identified four clusters of patients, clusters A-D. Patient clusters A and C both demonstrated improved ALC and AMC recovery at the day +60 and day +100 time points and had significantly improved OS compared with clusters B and D (not reached for A and C vs. 54.9 and 22.3 months, respectively, p 0.3 × 10(9) cells/L, and these patients experienced more acute GVHD (p=0.006) and relapse (8 of 14 patients, p=0.002) compared with clusters A, B, and C (p=0.002). 29 patients who were unable to be clustered with this algorithm, predominantly due to early toxic deaths, had a median survival of 6 months. Consistent with previous observations in our myeloablative cohort, both lymphocyte and monocyte recovery are predictive of overall survival post-RIC HSCT. However, compared to the myeloablative cohort, monocyte recovery in this series appears slightly less strongly associated with survival. Our results also extend the observation of improved survival of ALC and AMC recovery post-HSCT to diseases beyond acute leukemia. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The effect of biologically-inspired mechanisms in spiking neural networks for neuromorphic implementation

An open question in neuromorphic computing is what neuron and synapse models should be used and what level of biological detail should be included in those models. For neuromorphic systems, the complexity level of the neuron and synapse model have a corresponding effect on the complexity of the hardware, and thus potentially affect the scale of network that can be feasibly implemented as well as the device's efficiency. In this work, we seek to determine what effect the inclusion of two biological mechanisms have on performance. We start with a basic spiking neural network model that currently has multiple hardware implementations and examine the effect of including two additional biologically-inspired mechanisms (simple potentiation/depression weight-change mechanisms on the synapses and leak on the neurons). We compare the performance of networks with and without these mechanisms on three simple applications. We found that, in general, these two mechanisms had relatively little effect on training and generalization performance, indicating that they may be able to be omitted in future neuromorphic implementations.
Exserohilum turcicum Race Population Distribution in the North Central United States.

Northern leaf blight (NLB) of corn, caused by Exserohilum turcicum, is a yield reducing foliar disease common across corn production regions of the world, including those in the north central U.S. Previous race population distribution studies identified 5 physiological races present in the U.S., prior to 1995. For this study, 156 E. turcicum isolates were screened on corn differential lines containing Ht1, Ht2, Ht3, Htm1, and Htn1 resistance genes. Isolates were collected from fields in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin, which included 143 isolates collected between 2007 and 2014 and 13 isolates collected between 1979 and 1985. Twenty different physiological races were observed based on the symptom response of the differential corn lines. E. turcicum race 0, 1, and 1mn were the most prevalent races, comprising 21%, 27%, and 13% of the 156 isolates, respectively. Race populations were diverse within states and years. Virulence to multiple Ht resistance genes within ind...
Be Responsive To Get In Print Faster

The vast majority of questions received by peer-reviewed journal editors revolve around one repeated and sometimes frantic theme: when will my article appear in print? Manuscript authors sometimes forget how many different procedural and sequential steps must occur before even the most scholarly and well-conceived “print-ready” article makes it into print. However, the most important steps where timelines seem to get unexpectedly extended are not actually those phases controlled by the publishers or the reviewers or the editors, but the critical steps related to the responsiveness of the authors themselves. The bottom line to helping publishers get scholarly work you can be proud of published in a timely matter is for authors to posture themselves in rapid response mode, replying promptly to correspondence from the journal.
Impaired Postprandial Gastric Slow Waves in Patients with Functional Dyspepsia

The aim of this study was to investigate gastricmyoelectrical activity in patients with functionaldyspepsia. Thirteen healthy subjects and 14 patientswith functional dyspepsia participated in the study. The electrogastrogram (EGG) recording was madein each subject for 30 min in the fasting state and 120min after a standard test meal of 475 calories. Spectralanalysis methods were applied to derive quantitative EGG parameters. There was no difference in theEGG between the patients and controls in the fastingstate. However, abnormalities in the postprandial EGGwere found in the patients. The percentage of 2-4 cpmwaves was significantly lower (74.4 ± 4.0% vs85.7 ± 1.6%, P < 0.03) and the postprandialincrease in EGG dominant power was significantly less(–0.52 ± 0.92 dB vs 2.24 ± 0.88 dB,P < 0.03) in patients than in controls. It was alsofound that the percentage of postprandial 2-4 cpm wavescould be used to differentiate the patients withfunctional dyspepsia from the healthy controls with a specificity of 100% and a sensitivity of 43%. It was concluded that a subset of patients withfunctional dyspepsia have impaired gastric myoelectricalactivity in the fed state.
$\Lambda^+_c$ PRODUCTION, DECAY, AND LIFETIME RESULTS AT CLEO

Production, decay, and lifetime measurements of the are presented by the CLEO collaboration using e+e- annihilation data collected on or just below the ϒ(4S) resonance at CESR. These measurements provide insight into the dynamics of heavy-quark production and decay.
Rb-Sr geochronology of rocks from the Kolar schist belt, South India

This Paper presents the results of whole-rock age measurements based on the Rb-Sr method of one specimen of the “Champion gneiss” and two specimens of both the “Patna granite” and biotite-granites from Bisanattam, bordering the main Kolar schist belt. The analysed specimens define an iscchron of 2666±96 my with an initial 87Sr/86Sr ratic of 0.702 ± 0.002. The ages obtained are much older than those reported by Ramamurthy and Sadashivaiah (1967) and Crawford (1969) for the “Champion gneiss”. They conform more to the dates given by Venkatasubramanian et al. (1971) and confirm that the emplacement of the “Champion gneiss” and the “Patna granite” was a very early geological event in the evolution of the Peninsular gneissic complex.
Market Discipline in Life Insurance: Insureds' Reaction to Rating Downgrades in the Context of Enterprise Risks

There is serious debate about the effectiveness of the market to discipline regulated industries like banks and insurance. In this paper, we examine empirically the reaction of consumers to changes in the financial ratings of life insurers. We find that downgraded life insurers in the period 1994-2003 experience a decline in demand for life insurance policies in the year after a downgrade. This occurs in spite of mitigation strategies like adjusting premium rates. It occurs in the context of a spectrum of enterprise risk measures and other controls such as financial risk (leverage), product risk (premiums written in various lines), asset risk (a proxy called opportunity asset risk), operational risks (use of derivatives, organizational structure and distribution system), regulatory risk (risk-based capital ratio), and size (total assets). Our findings comport with similar research in banking on the reactions of depositors to changes in the risk taking of banks. Moreover, our model is able to estimate the magnitude of the decline in demand for individual insurers. Using the notion of Granger causality, we are also able to demonstrate that the direction of the relationship flows from ratings downgrade to decline in demand, rather than the reverse. These findings have potentially strong impacts on the issue of appropriateness of risk models that regulators and the industry are developing in parallel: The parallel tracks may need to align with a third rail.
Genotypic variation in disease susceptibility among cultured stocks of elkhorn and staghorn corals

Disease mortality has been a primary driver of population declines and the threatened status of the foundational Caribbean corals, Acropora palmata and A. cervicornis. There remain few tools to effectively manage coral disease. Substantial investment is flowing into in situ culture and population enhancement efforts, while disease takes a variable but sometimes high toll in restored populations. If genetic resistance to disease can be identified in these corals, it may be leveraged to improve resistance in restored populations and possibly lead to effective diagnostic tests and disease treatments. Using a standardized field protocol based on replicated direct-graft challenge assays, we quantified this important trait in cultured stocks from three field nurseries in the Florida Keys. Field tests of 12 genotypes of A. palmata and 31 genotypes of A. cervicornis revealed significant genotypic variation in disease susceptibility of both species measured both as risk of transmission (percent of exposed fragments that displayed tissue loss) and as the rate of tissue loss (cm2 d-1) in fragments with elicited lesions. These assay results provide a measure of relative disease resistance that can be incorporated, along with consideration of other important traits such as growth and reproductive success, into restoration strategies to yield more resilient populations.
Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Nitrous oxide is used as an inhaled anesthetic and as a propellant in the food industry, such as whipped cream bulbs. Intentional abuse or excess occupational exposure can result in neurotoxicity.
Status of plastics waste in circular economy in the USA

Circular economy, an economic system where waste is utilized as an economic input, is currently the subject of much interest. Methods to incorporate all wastes into circular economy have not been developed. This paper discusses the current status and options for including plastics wastes in circular economy in the USA. Utilizing some plastics wastes as fuel is the most feasible path to doing so at present. Completely closed-loop circular economy for plastics would require fundamental changes in how plastics-based products are designed and manufactured.