cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Severing of the Species: Implications of Genetic Editing and Artificial Intelligence on the Human Substrate 1

This paper reports on the confluence of current data gathering such as genomic-wide association studies, related to the heritability and manipulation of traits, and bioengineered processors, which combined have the potential to influence the further development of our species. Specifically addressed are: genetic editing for enhanced cognition; the technology of implantable bioengineered devices (e.g. synthetic DNA digital constructs); regulatory considerations; and ethical implications. In the near term implantable devices will couple biotechnology platforms and 5-G telemetry within an anatomically interior intranet communicating with the Internet. It reasonably can be presumed that combined, these developments will lead to a distinct techno/bio human demographic, which collectively are intrusive, threaten autonomy, and may change “what it means to be human,” raising questions as to the appropriate level of government regulation and the extent to which society permits commercial interests to control the operation, distribution and use of technology that alters the human construct.
Measuring the Kinetics of Neutral Pair Evaporation from Cluster Ions of Ionic Liquid in the Drift Region of a Differential Mobility Analyzer.

Singly charged clusters [C+A-]nC+ or [C+A-]nA- of two salts [C+A-] are produced by electrospray ionization of alcohol solutions of the ionic liquids 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluorophosphate (EMI-FAP) and 1,2-Dimethyl-3-propylimidazolium-Methide (EMI-Me). The rate of neutral pair evaporation into [C+A-] + [C+A-]n-1C+ or [C+A-]n-1A- is studied in atmospheric pressure air as a function of temperature T for the positive trimer ion (n=2) of DMPI-Me and the negative trimer ion of EMI-FAP. The trimer is separated from all other electrosprayed ions in a first differential mobility analyzer (DMA1), transferred through a cooled tube to a second DMA whose drift gas is kept at a controlled temperature (25oC<T<100oC). Singular characteristics of the DMA are a residence time ~ 0.1-1 ms, with essentially uniform temperature and . The decomposition occurring within DMA2 results in a complex mobility spectrum associated with dimer product ions, with apparent mobilities intermediate between t...
Chronic opioid use in women following hysterectomy: Patterns and predictors.

BACKGROUND Most women are prescribed an opioid after hysterectomy. The goal of this study was to determine the association between initial opioid prescribing characteristics and chronic opioid use after hysterectomy. METHODS This study included women enrolled in a commercial health plan who had a hysterectomy between 1 July 2010 and 31 March 2015. We used trajectory models to define chronic opioid use as patients with the highest probability of having an opioid prescription filled during the 6 months post-surgery. A multivariable logistic regression was applied to examine the association between initial opioid dispensing (amount prescribed and duration of treatment) and chronic opioid use after adjusting for potential confounders. RESULTS A total of 693 of 50 127 (1.38%) opioid-naive women met the criteria for chronic opioid use following hysterectomy. The baseline variables and initial opioid prescription characteristics predicted the pattern of long-term opioid use with moderate discrimination (c statistic = 0.70). Significant predictors of chronic opioid use included initial opioid daily dose (≥60 MME vs <40 MME, aOR: 1.43, 95% CI: 1.14-1.79) and days' supply (4-7 days vs 1-3 days, aOR: 1.28, 95% CI: 1.06-1.54; ≥8 days vs 1-3 days, aOR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.05-1.89). Other significant baseline predictors included older age, abdominal or laparoscopic/robotic hysterectomy, tobacco use, psychiatric medication use, back pain, and headache. CONCLUSION Initial opioid prescribing characteristics are associated with the risk of chronic opioid use after hysterectomy. Prescribing lower daily doses and shorter days' supply of opioids to women after hysterectomy may result in lower risk of chronic opioid use.
Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator Use in an Acute Stroke Patient With Tuberous Sclerosis

Tuberous sclerosis (TS) is an autosomal dominant disease known for over a century and recognized by characteristic hamartomatous lesions involving any organ. In this report, we are presenting a patient with TS who presented with acute embolic stroke and received tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and had a mechanical thrombectomy (MT). She had a dramatic response without any hemorrhagic complications. She is a 68-year-old Caucasian woman with the past medical history of TS since childhood who presented to the hospital with symptoms of left middle cerebral artery (MCA) syndrome (right-sided weakness, sensory loss, right facial droop, aphasia, hemianopia, and dysarthria). National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 19. Head computed tomography (CT) was negative for any acute abnormality except cortical tubers, subependymal ventricular calcification. CT angiography of the head and neck showed proximal occlusion of the left internal carotid artery. After ruling out all exclusion criteria, the patient received tPA and had an MT with complete reperfusion (thrombolysis in cerebral infarction (TICI) 3). Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed an acute stroke in the multivessel territories (bilateral parietal cortices, the left lentiform nucleus, medial left temporal lobe, left thalamus, and right occipital lobe) suggestive of an embolic phenomenon and did not show any hemorrhagic complication. TS patients are at increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage either in the setting of vascular malformation or due to hemorrhage into the subependymal giant cell astrocytoma. The best explanation for the latter could be secondary to elevated venous pressure from increased intracranial pressure. Fortunately, our TS patient who presented with acute ischemic stroke was within the window and received tPA and MT. The patient not only did not have any hemorrhagic side effects afterward but also had a significant improvement in her neurologic symptoms. To our best knowledge, this is the only case report of tPA administration in a TS patient. Moreover, we need more case reports to evaluate the safety of tPA in these patients. J Neurol Res. 2020;10(4):140-143 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jnr595
Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Tibial Plateau in Children and Adolescents: A Case Series.

Background:Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the knee is a relatively well-known condition, most commonly arising in the femoral condyle. Lesions arising in the tibial plateau are rarely described...
EVALUATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI FOR THEIR EFFECTIVENESS AS BIO-CONTROL AGENTS OF MAJOR VINEYARD PESTS

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are considered as important biological control agents of insect pests. They present many advantages in pest control including environmental safety, selective action and ability to infect their host through the cuticle via contact. However, they are able to be pathogenic against insect pests only under a narrow spectrum of environmental conditions. Several biotic and abiotic factors affect viability and pathogenicity of EPF. The effects of temperature, relative humidity (RH) and thermal stress on Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus were evaluated in the present assay. Temperature significantly influenced the percentage of spore germination of the fungi. The optimum temperature for conidial germination of both the fungi was 25˚C while B. bassiana germinated better in temperature values as high as 30˚C. Spore germination was also significantly affected by the exposure of conidia to low (3˚C) or high (40˚C) temperatures for 1 hour (thermal stress). In this case, B. bassiana was negatively affected by the exposure to low temperatures while P. fumosoroseus performed adequately. Relative humidity influenced both spore germination and the pathogenic ability of the fungi to cause infection. Third instar larvae of Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) were treated with conidial suspensions to evaluate pathogenicity. G. mellonella is considered as an insect vulnerable to infections by microbial pathogens and as such, it can be used as a model organism to estimate behavioural responses of other insects caused by EPF. Evaluation of EPF was aimed to provide important data for present and future studies regarding biological control of vineyard pests such as Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) and Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), as well as information about the potential role of EPF within vineyards’ micro-ecosystems
Cognitive Adaptation: A Pragmatist Perspective

1. Cognitive adaptation: objects and inquiry 2. The human situation: uncertainty and adaptation 3. Time and memory: historical sensibilities 4. Education: learning from others, neurogenesis 5. Cognitive and neurobiological basis of religious inquiry.
Chivalry, Masculinity, and the Importance of Maleness to Judicial Decision Making

Social science research on gender in the legal system has largely focused on the woman as the \other." This research has looked for ways in which women judge or are judged dierently from the norm. The results of this line of research have been mixed. Male-centered theories of masculinity and chivalry provide promising tools help researchers understand the contribution that maleness has on outcomes in the legal system. Immigration appeals provide an ideal test of these theories, which predict that male judges will be harder on male immigrants and easier on female litigants than will female judges. In this paper, we implement a research design that takes seriously both female-centric and male-centric explanations of decision outcomes. Using an original database of immigration appeals in the U.S. Courts of Appeal, we nd evidence to support the research of maleness on its own terms. We nd that elements of chivalry and masculinity theory both operate to frame the decisions made by male judges. The introduction of women on the panel of judges is associated with signicant changes in the relative success of male and female petitioners, but not in a way that is consistent with theories of women judges as representatives.
Inaccuracy and the recognition of tRNA.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the central role of glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase (GlnRS) in misaminoacylation (or mischarging) and the implication of these results for the recognition of tRNA by GlnRS. One way of ensuring correct charging is to build mechanisms for error correction into aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Thus, in an ATP-dependent step, noncognate aminoacyl-tRNAs are hydrolyzed before dissociation of the incorrectly aminoacylated product from the enzyme or an editing mechanism with the noncognate aminoacyl-adenylate is hydrolyzed prior to acylation onto tRNA. Therefore, this spectrum of suppression can be used as an assay for the mischarging by GlnRS, and is central to the mischarging phenomena discussed in this chapter. The availability of a selection for mutants of supF mischarged with glutamine prompted the search for mutants of GlnRS that can misacylate supF. Using the spectrum of suppression of the lacZ1000 amber mutation, mischarging of supF tRNA by a mutated form of the GlnRS enzyme can be detected.
Densitometry as an aid in amniotic fluid gel acetylcholinesterase analysis.

Abstract We have performed gel acetylcholinesterase analysis blindly on 1,300 consecutive amniotic fluid samples sent to our laboratory for α-fetoprotein measurement. Faint acetylcholinesterase bands were identified in nine of 1,300 samples, and all of these were associated with pregnancies free of major fetal malformations. Dense acetylcholinesterase bands were identified in four samples, and all were associated with major fetal malformations. Densitometric analysis of acetylcholinesterase bands provided additional objectivity in classifying band density.
Pigmented striae of the anterior lens capsule and age-associated pigment dispersion of variable degree in a group of older African-Americans: an age, race, and gender matched study.

Purpose: To investigate pigmented striae of the anterior lens capsule in African-Americans, a potential indicator of significant anterior segment pigment dispersion. Methods: A group of 40 African-American subjects who exhibited pigmented lens striae (PLS) were identified from a non-referred, primary eye care population in Chicago, IL, USA. These subjects were then compared to an age, race, and gender matched control group relative to refractive error and the presence or absence of diabetes and hypertension. Results: The PLS subjects (mean age = 65.4 ± 8.8 years, range = 50–87 years) consisted of 36 females and 4 males. PLS were bilateral in 36 (85%) of the40 subjects. Among the eyes with PLS, 21 (55%) of 38 right eyes and 22 (61%) of 36 left eyes also had significant corneal endothelial pigment dusting, commonly in the shape of a Krukenberg’s spindle. Ten (25%) of the PLS subjects had either glaucoma or ocular hypertension (7 bilateral, 3 unilateral).The presence of trabecular meshwork pigment varied from minimal to heavy. The mean SD (range) refractive error of the PLS right eyes was +1.61 ± 1.43D (-1.50 to +5.00D) and +1.77 ± 1.37D (-1.00 to +5.00D) for the left eyes. Based on these data, the PLS right eyes were +1.63D (Student's t, p = 0.0001; 95% CI = +0.82 to +2.44D) more hyperopic on average than the control right eyes, and the PLS left eyes were +1.77D (p = 0.0001; 95%CI = +0.92 to +2.63D) more hyperopic on average than the control left eyes. Trend analysis showed a gradually increasing likelihood of PLS with increasing magnitude of hyperopia in both eyes (Mantel-Haenszel chi-square, p = 0.001). Among PLS subjects, 24 (60%) of 40 were hypertensive and 9 (23%) of 40 were diabetic. However, these proportions were not significantly different (two-tailed Fisher's exact test; hypertension: p = 0.30; diabetes: p = 0.70) from the randomly selected controls. Conclusions: Among our African-American group, which consisted predominately of females >50 years of age, the likelihood of PLS increased with increasing hyperopic refractive error. This finding is consistent with the possibility that PLS may, in some circumstances, indicate a significant pigment dispersal process due to iris-lens rubbing that may be associated with crowding of anterior segment structures. Additional study is warranted to further assess the nature of PLS, their precise relationship with an age-related pigment dispersal process, and their true significance as a risk factor for development of glaucoma.
Thyroidectomy in the professional singer-neural monitored surgical outcomes.

Background: Voice changes commonly occur from thyroidectomy and may be due to neural or nonneural causes. Such changes can be a source of significant morbidity for any patient, but thyroidectomy in the professional singer carries special significance. We test the hypothesis that the career of singers and professional voice users is not impaired after neural monitored thyroid surgery. Methods: A quantitative analysis of pre- and postoperative neural monitored thyroid surgery voice outcomes utilizing three validated vocal instruments—Voice Handicap Index (VHI), Singing Voice Handicap Index (SVHI), and Evaluation of Ability to Sing Easily (EASE)—in a unique series of professional singers/voice users was performed. Additional quantitative analysis related to final intraoperative electromyography (EMG) amplitude, the time to return to performance, and vocal parameters affected during this interval was performed. Results: Twenty-seven vocal professionals undergoing thyroidectomy were identified, of whom 60% had...
Effect of time of 7E3 administration on rt-PA-induced reperfusion: study in a canine model of thrombus-based occlusion–reperfusion

Abstract Chimeric version of the murine monoclonal antibody, 7E3 has been proposed for the early restoration of coronary artery patency during thrombolytic therapy. We determined the optimal time for administration of 7E3 during recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA)-induced thrombolysis using a canine model of coronary artery thrombosis. After 30 min of thrombotic occlusion, microspheres were injected to assess regional myocardial blood flow, followed by a 90-min rt-PA infusion. Dogs were randomized to three groups wherein 7E3 (0.8 mg kg−1, i.v.) was administered either 5 min before rt-PA (Group I), at the first evidence of thrombolysis (Group II), or after the completion of rt-PA infusion (Group III). Hemodynamic parameters were monitored for 6 h after which infarct size was estimated. Time to occlusion/reperfusion was similar in all groups. In the rt-PA alone group, 78% arteries reoccluded after 60 min of reperfusion. The incidence of reocclusion was lower in Groups II (25%, P=0.04) and III (0%, P
Divide and Prosper: Consumers' Reaction to Partitioned Prices

Many firms divide a product's price into two mandatory parts, such as the base price of a mail-order shirt and the surcharge for shipping and handling, rather than charging a combined, all-inclusive price. The authors call this strategy partitioned pricing. Although firms presumably use partitioned pricing to increase demand and profits, there is little clear empirical support that these prices increase demand or any theoretical explanation for why this should occur. The authors test hypotheses of how consumers process partitioned prices and how partitioned pricing affects consumers' processing and recall of total costs and their purchase intentions and certain types of demands. The results suggest that partitioned prices decrease consumers' recalled total costs and increase their demands. The manner in which the surcharge is presented and consumers' affect for the brand name also influence how they react to partitioned prices.
Detection of platelet deposition at the site of peripheral balloon angioplasty using indium-111 platelet scintigraphy.

Abstract Restenosis after balloon angioplasty may be mediated through platelet deposition at the site of arterial dilatation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether platelet deposition at the site of dilatation could be detected using indium-111 platelet scintigraphy. Fifteen patients, aged 60 ± 9 years, with iliac or femoral (n = 12), renal artery (n = 2) or distal aortic (n = 1) stenoses were studied. All patients received intravenous heparin at the time of dilatation. Labeled platelets containing 471 ± 65 μCi indium-111 were injected 0.25 to 4 hours after dilatation and 1 to 24 hours after imaging. In 11 of 12 patients with iliac and femoral dilatations, focal uptake was demonstrated at the angioplasty site. In 4 patients (2 patients with renal, 1 patient with iliofemoral, and 1 with distal aortic stenoses), uptake at the dilatation sites was not detected. This preliminary study indicates that despite intravenous heparin, platelets accumulate at sites of balloon dilatation. Platelet scintigraphy may be useful in predicting sites of future narrowing after angioplasty and may be used to test the efficacy of antiplatelet therapy in retarding restenosis.
Simulating dependent discrete data

This article describes a method for simulating n-dimensional multivariate non-normal data, with emphasis on count-valued data. Dependence is characterized by either Pearson correlations or Spearman correlations. The simulation is accomplished by simulating a vector of correlated standard normal variates. The elements of this vector are then transformed to achieve the target marginal distributions. We prove that the method corresponds to simulating data from a multivariate Gaussian copula. The simulation method does not restrict pairwise dependence beyond the limits imposed by the marginal distributions and can achieve any Pearson or Spearman correlation within those limits. Two examples are included. In the first example, marginal means, variances, Pearson correlations, and Spearman correlations are estimated from the epileptic seizure data set of Diggle et al. [P. Diggle, P. Heagerty, K.Y. Liang, and S. Zeger, Analysis of Longitudinal Data, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2002]. Data with these means an...
Embedded self-adaptation to escape from local optima

Self-adaptation in genetic algorithms has been suggested asa strategy to enhance evolutionary algorithms for optimization tasks. We consider continuous self-adaptation schemes called strategies that are governed by evolutionary rules, and suggest to incorporate multiple strategies to improve the performance of genetic algorithms. We show that employing multiple strategies, and letting evolutionary pressure steer adaptation,can overcome the problem of premature convergence. To demonstrate the power of our method we apply it to optimization problems of uncapacitated facility location. The method outperforms both methods with a single strategy and previously reported methods on several benchmarks.In these runs, algorithms that incorporate multiple strategies avoid getting stuck in local optimum, and converge to better solutions.
Cultural competence in nursing education: practicing what we preach

Abstract Nurse educators face challenges in how to teach and mentor an increasingly diverse student nurse population. This article reviews some of the difficulties and challenges associate degree nurse educators face in providing culturally competent nursing education for today's community college nursing students. Excerpts from interviews with students are provided to promote an enhanced understanding of the issues faced by this group. Strategies for use in the classroom and clinical setting are described.
Binding of human recombinant interleukin 2 to murine erythrocytes is erythropoietin receptor mediated

Murine red blood cells (RBC) incubated with recombinant human interleukin 2 (rIL2) bound 10%–20% of the added cytokine with 41% ± 5% of the population positive for bound cytokine as determined by fluorescence activated cell scanning (FACS) analysis. Since a high degree of homology exists between the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) and the IL2βR chain (based both on amino acid sequence and hydrophobicity alignment), we hypothesised that the rIL2 was binding to residual EPOR on murine RBC. Upon bioassay, it was found that reticulocytes (RET), which express a higher percentage of EPOR than normal RBC, bound 400% more rIL2 as compared to normal RBC. FACS analysis using fluorescently labelled rIL2 revealed a log higher fluorescence intensity on RET compared to RBC. Therefore, the population of immature or young RBC in circulation which are expressing residual EPOR are binding rIL2 due to cross-reactivity between the EPOR and IL2βR.
Form and function of citations in discussion sections of master's theses and research articles

Abstract The use of source texts in academic writing has been explored in at least two groups of EAP studies, those on the reading-writing connection in student writing and those on citation practices in disciplinary discourse. In recent years, there have been a growing number of studies on the rhetorical functions of intertextual links in different academic genres such as research articles and theses, and studies have also compared citation use by novice and more established writers. Following a brief analysis of citation forms, this article explores the functions of source text use in the discussion sections of master's theses and research articles from biology using two typologies, one created by Thompson, 2001 , Thompson, 2005 and, the second, an expanded model described in this paper, which reflects the rhetorical progression of this part-genre. Previous genre studies have only referred to the use of literature in one move in discussions, “commenting on results.” However, the results of this study show that intertextual links are used for a variety of rhetorical functions throughout discussions in master's theses and journal articles. This article concludes with a discussion of implications from this study for the EAP classroom to facilitate the development of advanced second language writers.
What are Schur complements, anyway?

Abstract Given a matrix M= A B C D , the Schur complements of A in M are the matrices of the form S = D − CaB, where a is a generalized inverse of A. We survey several recent characterizations of Schur complements, and discuss where they arose and how they are related.
The vital capacity in bronchial asthma

Abstract This report concerns a study of the vital capacity in 88 cases of bronchial asthma under varying conditions. There was a diminution in the capacity during the attack proportional to the severity of the latter. The average vital capacity between attacks was considerably decreased in adults but very little altered in children. This may be interpreted as a greater tendency to complications in adults. Although the nature of this tendency has not been definitely ascertained it is thought that emphysema is the most likely possibility. The presence of a chronic cough diminished the vital capacity still further. These and other observations seem to indicate that vital capacity determinations may be employed to great advantage in bronchial asthma to determine the progress and prognosis due to complications. This study also shows that bronchial asthma is frequently capable of producing permanent and organic changes, especially in adults, sufficiently marked to be discernible by vital capacity tests. It is suggested that bronchial asthma with its resultant complications is a disabling ailment more frequently than is ordinarily assumed.
Diuretics, Serum and Intracellular Electrolyte Levels, and Ventricular Arrhythmias in Hypertensive Men

Objective. —To investigate the patterns of electrolyte abnormalities resulting from thiazide administration and whether they cause ventricular arrhythmias, and to help resolve the controversy over whether clinicians should routinely prescribe potassium-conserving therapy to all patients treated with thiazides. Design. —Double-blind, randomized controlled trial. Participants. —A total of 233 hypertensive men aged 35 to 70 years. Interventions. —Participants were withdrawn from prior diuretic treatment and were replenished with oral potassium chloride and magnesium oxide. They were then randomized to 2 months of treatment with (1) hydrochlorothiazide; (2) hydrochlorothiazide with oral potassium; (3) hydrochlorothiazide with oral potassium and magnesium; (4) hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene; (5) chlorthalidone; or (6) placebo. Main Outcome Measures. —Ventricular arrhythmias on 24-hour Holter monitoring and serum and intracellular potassium and magnesium levels. Results. —Of the 233 participants, 212(91%) completed the study. Serum potassium levels were 0.4 mmol/L lower in the hydrochlorothiazide group than in the placebo group ( P P P =.02). Serum magnesium and intracellular potassium and magnesium levels were not reduced by hydrochlorothiazide, nor were they related to ventricular arrhythmias. Conclusions. —In the majority of hypertensive patients, treatment with 50 mg/d of hydrochlorothiazide does not cause marked hypokalemia or ventricular arrhythmias. However, because some individuals will develop hypokalemia after starting diuretic therapy, serum potassium levels should be monitored and potassiumsparing strategies should be used when indicated. ( JAMA . 1992;267:1083-1089)
Adolescent social defeat increases adult amphetamine conditioned place preference and alters D2 dopamine receptor expression

Components of the brain's dopaminergic system, such as dopamine receptors, undergo final maturation in adolescence. Exposure to social stress during human adolescence contributes to substance abuse behaviors. We utilized a rat model of adolescent social stress to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying this correlation. Rats exposed to repeated social defeat in adolescence (P35-P39) exhibited increased conditioned place preference (CPP) for amphetamine (1 mg/kg) in adulthood (P70). In contrast, rats experiencing foot-shock during the same developmental period exhibited amphetamine CPP levels similar to non-stressed controls. Our previous experiments suggested adolescent defeat alters dopamine activity in the mesocorticolimbic system. Furthermore, dopamine receptors have been implicated in the expression of amphetamine CPP. Therefore, we hypothesized that alteration to dopamine receptor expression in the mesocorticolimbic system may be associated with to heightened amphetamine CPP of adult rats exposed to adolescence defeat. We measured D1 and D2 dopamine receptor protein content in the medial prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and dorsal striatum following either adolescent social defeat or foot-shock stress and then adult amphetamine CPP. In controls, amphetamine CPP training reduced D2 receptor protein content in the NAc core. However, this down-regulation of NAc core D2 receptors was blocked by exposure to social defeat but not foot-shock stress in adolescence. These results suggest social defeat stress in adolescence alters the manner in which later amphetamine exposure down-regulates D2 receptors. Furthermore, persistent alterations to adult D2 receptor expression and amphetamine responses may depend on the type of stress experienced in adolescence.
Toxicity and carcinogenicity of riddelliine following 13 weeks of treatment to rats and mice

Toxicity studies of riddelliine, a member of a class of pyrrolizidine alkaloids, were conducted because riddelliine has been found to contaminate human food sources. Groups of male and female Fischer rats were administered riddelliine by gavage in phosphate buffer at doses up to 10 mg/kg, and B6C3F1 mice at doses up to 25 mg/kg, five times a week. The animals were necropsied after 13 weeks of treatment or after a 7 or 14 week recovery period. Body weight gains were inversely related to dose in both rats and mice. Body weight of the 1.0 and 3.3 mg/kg female rats and 10.0 and 25.0 mg/kg mice remained depressed during the 14 week recovery period. At 13 weeks, significant findings included dose-related hepatopathy and intravascular macrophage accumulation in rats and hepatocytomegaly in mice. During the 14 week recovery period these lesions persisted and hepatic foci of cellular alteration in male rats and bile duct proliferation in female rats and male and female mice increased in severity. In the 10 mg/kg group of female rats adenomas of the liver occurred in two of ten at 13 weeks and in one of five at the 14 week recovery period. In separate studies, the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes in peripheral blood was increased in male mice administered a single dose (150 mg/kg) of riddelliine. Increases in unscheduled DNA and S-phase syntheses were detected in primary hepatocytes from rats and mice treated with riddelliine at doses up to 25.0 mg/kg for 5 or 30 days. In mating trials in rats and mice, pup weights from treated dams at birth and during suckling were lower than controls. Thus, riddelliine is genotoxic and carcinogenic and may cross the placenta and/or be found in milk, causing developmental toxicity in rodents.
Target-oriented utility theory for modeling the deterrent effects of counterterrorism

Optimal resource allocation in security has been a significant challenge for critical infrastructure protection. Numerous studies use game theory as the method of choice, because of the fact that an attacker can often observe the defender’s investment in security and adapt his choice of strategies accordingly. However, most of these models do not explicitly consider deterrence, with the result that they may lead to wasted resources if less investment would be sufficient to deter an attack. In this paper, we assume that the defender is uncertain about the level of defensive investment that would deter an attack, and use the target-oriented utility to optimize the level of defensive investment, taking into account the probability of deterrence.
Further development of an Augmentative and Alternative Communication symbol taxonomy

This paper is a continuation of the Lloyd and Fuller (1986) manuscript that proposed the aided/unaided dichotomy as the superordinate level of an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) symbol taxonomy. Possible categories for the proposed subordinate levels of the taxonomy are based on three sources: (1) previously published AAC symbol selection considerations, (2) the recently published output/input modalities scheme (van Balkom & Welle Donker-Gimbrere, 1988), and (3) the static/dynamic classification, which was discussed in the previous taxonomy paper. Using six criteria (the five mentioned in Lloyd & Fuller, 1986, in addition to a sixth criterion), the static/dynamic, the iconic/opaque, and the set/system classifications are proposed as subordinate levels under the superordinate “aided/unaided.” This taxonomy is proposed to stimulate further discussion and research in an attempt to expand our field's clinical/educational and research/theoretical base.
A Theory of Spatial Competition with Biased Voters: Party Policies Viewed Temporally and Comparatively

The spatial maps of parties' policy programmes published by the Manifesto Research Group (MRG) for the European Consortium for Political Research reveal the following empirical patterns: that parties differentiate their policy positions from one another; that parties rarely leapfrog each other; that parties shift their positions over time but only within ‘ideologically delimited’ areas of the policy space. These findings are not well explained by existing spatial models of party competition, which typically predict policy convergence and which moreover do not examine temporal patterns of party policies. This article modifies the standard Downsian model to incorporate a concept originally developed by Chapman that, in addition to policies, voters are motivated by non-policy considerations arising from such factors as party leaders' images, social-psychological attachments rooted in class, religion, ethnicity and so on. For this ‘biased vote’ model I present illustrative arguments that vote-seeking parties are motivated to differentiate their policy positions from each other, and that over time they can be expected to vary their policy proposals but without leapfrogging – predictions that accord well with the MRG's empirical findings. I apply the biased vote model to empirical data on the distributions of voter preferences in recent British and French elections. My results support the illustrative arguments, and also suggest that these arguments apply even when the degree of voter bias in the electorate is quite low.
Transfer of reducing equivalents into mitochondria by the interconversions of proline and Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate

Direct evidence is presented for a proline cycle using a cell-free experimental system which sequentially transfers 3H from [1-3H]glucose to NADP+ to Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate and yields [3H]proline. The formation of [3H]proline depends on the presence of NADP, Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate, and the enzymes glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase. The production of [3H]proline from unlabeled proline in the presence of mitochondria provides direct evidence for one complete turn of a proline cycle which transfers reducing equivalents produced by glucose oxidation in the pentose pathway into mitochondria. In this cycle, proline is oxidized to Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate by mitochondrial proline oxidase. Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate is released from mitochondria and is recycled back to proline by Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase with concomitant oxidation of NADPH. At the maximal rate observed, 60% of Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate produced is recycled back to proline. This cycle provides a mechanism for transferring reducing equivalents from NADPH into mitochondria and is linked to glucose oxidation in the pentose pathway by NADPH turnover.
On the Frontier: Impact-Oriented Multidisciplinary Research

This paper discusses how to make multidisciplinary research more effective at influencing policies related to deforestation. It reviews previous experiences with multidisciplinary farming systems research and the difficulties bringing together researchers from different disciplines. Leadership, value added, timeliness, targeted communications, and work at multiple scales are identified as important characteristics of policy-effective research. Three examples of effective multidisciplinary research are presented: IPAM's research on deforestation for soybeans and beef in the Brazilian Amazon, CIFOR's research on pulp and paper in Indonesia, and IPAM's research on logging concessions in Brazil.
Conformational Motions of K+ Channel RCK Domains

Ligand binding sites within ion channel domains can interact by allosteric mechanisms, to modulate binding and control channel function. By determining crystal structures of regulator of K conductance (RCK) domains from K+ channels, we identify possible mechanisms of allosteric coupling among Ca2+ regulatory sites in the channel. Combining this structural analysis with complementary electrophysiological analysis of channel gating, we arrive at a working hypothesis for chemical interactions that are important for modulation of ligand binding and subsequent channel opening.
Modification of EBR-II plant to conduct loss-of-flow-without-scram tests

Abstract This paper describes the details of and the philosophy behind changes made to the EBR-II plant in order to conduct loss-of-flow-without-scram tests. No changes were required to conduct loss-of-heat-sink-without-scram tests.
Lagged correlation in study of spatial pattern of wells contamination

Abstract The present communication summarizes and analyzes the results of an investigation conducted since 1977 in a section of South Windsor. Connecticut. A sanitary survey of drinking water wells in this area revealed that, out of 66 individual wells, 19 had counts of fecal and total coliforms in excess of what is recommended for potable water quality by guidelines set by the Public Health Code of the State of Connecticut. The data of this survey were subjected to lagged cross-correlation and spectral analysis in order to quantify spatial interactions between individual wells and, thus, to identify the pattern and the origin of contamination. Results indicated that there was a channeled flow of bacterial pollution through the study area with very little lateral diffusion. The study demonstrated that in some situations biological contaminants can travel large distances underground without substantial attenuation by the aquifer material.
Probing the Conformational States of the SH1-SH2 Helix in Myosin: A Cross-Linking Approach †

Previous biochemical studies have shown that the SH1 (Cys707) and SH2 (Cys697) groups on rabbit skeletal myosin subfragment 1 (S1) can be cross-linked by using reagents of different cross-linking lengths. In the presence of nucleotide, this cross-linking is accelerated. In the crystal structure of S1, the SH1 and SH2 residues are located on an alpha-helix, 19 A apart. Thus, the cross-linking results could be indicative of helix melting or increased flexibility in the presence of nucleotides. Nucleotide-induced changes in this region were examined in this study by monitoring the cross-linking of SH1 and SH2 on S1 with dimaleimide reagents of spans ranging from 5 to 15 A. A method was devised to directly measure the kinetic effects of nucleotides on the rates of cross-linking reactions. The slow and reagent-insensitive rates of the SH1-SH2 cross-linking in the absence of nucleotides reveal that the equipartitioning of the SH1-SH2 helix among states with different SH1-SH2 separations occurs infrequently. In the presence of MgADP, MgATP, and MgATPgammaS, the rates of SH1 and SH2 cross-linking were increased approximately 2-7-fold for the shortest reagent (5-8 A). Rate accelerations were much greater for the longer reagents (9-15 A): 40-50-fold for MgADP, 25-40-fold for MgATP, and 80-270-fold for MgATPgammaS. To account for any nucleotide-dependent differences in the reactivities of the reagents toward SH2, the rates of monofunctional SH2 modification on SH1-labeled S1 were also measured for each reagent. These experiments showed that the nucleotide-induced increases in the rates of SH2 modification were similar for all of the reagents. Thus, the changes observed in the cross-linking rates are due not only to the type of nucleotide bound in the active site but also to the span of the cross-linking reagent. These findings are interpreted in terms of nucleotide-induced shifts in the equilibria among conformational states of the SH1-SH2 helix.
Adult hematopoietic stem cells require NKAP for maintenance and survival

Steady-state hematopoiesis is sustained through differentiation balanced with proliferation and self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Disruption of this balance can lead to hematopoietic failure, as hematopoietic differentiation without self-renewal leads to loss of the HSC pool. We find that conditional knockout mice that delete the transcriptional repressor NKAP in HSCs and all hematopoietic lineages during embryonic development exhibit perinatal lethality and abrogation of hematopoiesis as demonstrated by multilineage defects in lymphocyte, granulocyte, erythrocyte and megakaryocyte development. Inducible deletion of NKAP in adult mice leads to lethality within 2 weeks, at which point hematopoiesis in the bone marrow has halted and HSCs have disappeared. This hematopoietic failure and lethality is cell intrinsic, as radiation chimeras reconstituted with inducible Mx1-cre NKAP conditional knockout bone marrow also succumb with a similar time course. Even in the context of a completely normal bone marrow environment using mixed radiation chimeras, NKAP deletion results in HSC failure. NKAP deletion leads to decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis of HSCs, which is likely due to increased expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21Cip1/Waf1 and p19Ink4d. These data establish NKAP as one of a very small number of transcriptional regulators that is absolutely required for adult HSC maintenance and survival.
Elevated copper and lowered zinc in the placentae of pre-eclamptics

Selected cations (Ca, Co, Cu, Mg, Zn, Si, and K) were determined in the placentae of 18 women. Between pre-eclamptic and normal subjects there were significant (p < 0.05) differences in copper and zinc concentrations and borderline significant differences in cobalt concentration. In the placentae of the ten women with a normal pregnancy, the average concentrations of copper and zinc were 53 and 192 μg atoms/kg placenta, respectively. In the placentae of 8 women with preeclampsia, the concentrations were 124 and 134 μg atoms/kg placenta for copper and zinc, respectively. Elevation of copper and decrease in zinc may be an exaggera; tion of normal pregnancy physiology that occurs in pre-eclampsia.
Horizontal Plane Transesophageal Echocardiography May Be False Negative for Large Tricuspid Vegetations

A 37-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with fever. Because of a history of intravenous drug abuse, and a picture consistent with septic pulmonary emboli, right-sided endocarditis was suspected. However, transthoracic echocardiography did not reveal any vegetations. Transesophageal echocardiography was therefore done, and excellent visualization of the tricuspid valve with the horizontal plane view showed what appeared to be a normal tricuspid valve. However, the vertical plane image clearly showed a large tricuspid vegetation. This case illustrates the advantage of the biplane transesophageal transducer, as the diagnosis would have been missed with a standard single plane probe. transesophageal echocardiography, tricuspid vegetation, biplane transesophageal echocardiography
Towards resolution of the scalar meson nonet enigma: Gell-Mann-Okubo revisited

Abstract The new SU(3) nonet mass formula 2M 2 (s s ) + 3M 2 (n n , I = 1) = 4M 2 (s n ) + M 2 (n n , I = 0) (n = u, d), obtained in our previous paper by using Regge phenomenology, is rederived for the pseudoscalar and scalar mesons in the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio model with instanon-induced interaction and applied to the problem of the correct q q assignment for the scalar meson nonet. The results strongly favor the masses of the scalar isoscalar mostly octet and mostly singlet states in the vicinity of 1.45 and 1.1 Gev, respectively.
Femtosecond studies of fundamental materials issues in III-nitride ultraviolet photodetectors

We have used femtosecond time-resolved optical techniques to study fundamental materials issues in III-nitride semiconductors relevant to the realization of high quality ultraviolet photodetectors. Intensity dependent pump-probe reflectivity and transmission measurements have been employed in the investigation of carrier dynamics in AlGaN alloys with Al content ranging from ~0.15 to 0.4. For the Al0.15Ga0.85N sample, the intensity dependence of the (Delta) R decay suggests that at high intensity the shallow traps are saturated and ultrafast nonradiative recombination dominates the carrier dynamics. For the Al0.25Ga.75N and Al0.4Ga0.6N samples (Delta) R decays faster with decreasing intensity and changes sign. Moreover, the decays are faster for a given in tensity in the higher Al content sample. This behavior suggests that in these cases the dynamics are governed by trapping at localized states that become deeper and more numerous as the Al content increases. Within this context the sign change in (Delta) R in A;0.4Ga0.6N may be indicative of the onset of photoinduced absorption associated with the excitation of carriers from the localized states to the bands, which has also been observed in time-resolved transmission measurements. This localization may be associated with alloy fluctuations that broaden the absorption edge of the material and degrade the long-wavelength performance of photodetectors. In addition, time-resolved electroabsorption measurements on an AlGaN/GaN heterojunction p-i-n photodiode have been used to study the transient electron velocity overshoot for transport in the c-direction in wurzite GaN. The velocity overshoot is observed at fields well below the field at which the calculated peak steady-state velocity occurs, and it increases with electric field up to ~320 kV/cm, at which field a peak velocity of 7.25x107 cm/s is attained within the first 200 fs after photoexcitation. These results are consistent with theoretical Monte Carlo calculations incorporating a GaN full-zone band structure, which show that because of band nonparabolicity in the (Gamma) valley the majority of electrons do not attain sufficient energy to effect intervalley transfer until they are subjected to higher fields (>325kV/cm). This behavior may have important implications for avalanche photodiodes, for which electrons are promoted to higher lying bands for participating in the avalanche process.