cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the δ-opioid receptor found in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells

Abstract The δ-opioid receptor found in SH-SY5Y cells was characterized in terms of binding profile and ability to mediate the inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Both DPDPE ([ d -Pen2, d -Pen5]enkephalin) and deltorphin II, compounds reported to be selective for the δ1- and δ2-opioid receptor respectively, were potent agonists in these cells. Binding studies indicated that naltrindole benzofuran (NTB) had significantly higher affinity than 7-benzylidenenaltrexone (BNTX); however, both compounds have high affinity for the δ-opioid receptor found in SH-SY5Y cells. Naltrindole benzofuran was found to be a potent antagonist, with an IC50 of less than 1 nM, while 7-benzylidene naltrexone was found to be a relatively weak antagonist, requiring greater than 100 nM to inhibit 50% of agonist activity. Binding to intact SH-SY5Y cells was compared to binding to cell membranes and guinea-pig brain membranes. In each case, binding affinities were very similar. These studies suggest that the receptor found in SH-SY5Y cells could probably be classified as a δ2-opioid receptor. However, the very similar binding characteristics of SH-SY5Y cells and guinea-pig brain membranes call into question the ability to label δ1-opioid receptors. © Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Correctness criteria for multilevel secure transactions

The benefits of distributed systems and shared database resources are widely recognized, but they often cannot be exploited by users who must protect their data by using label-based access controls. In particular, users of label-based data need to read and write data at different security levels within a single database transaction, which is not currently possible without violating multilevel security constraints. The paper presents a formal model of multilevel transactions which provide this capability. We define four ACIS (atomicity, consistency, isolation, and security) correctness properties of multilevel transactions. While atomicity, consistency and isolation are mutually achievable in standard single-site and distributed transactions, we show that the security requirements of multilevel transactions conflict with some of these goals. This forces trade-offs to be made among the ACIS correctness properties, and we define appropriate partial correctness properties. Due to such trade-offs, an important problem is to design multilevel transaction execution protocols which achieve the greatest possible degree of correctness. These protocols must provide a variety of approaches to making trade-offs according to the differing priorities of various users. We present three transaction execution protocols which achieve a high degree of correctness. These protocols exemplify the correctness trade-offs proven in the paper, and offer realistic implementation options.
Exploratory procedures for material properties: the temperature perception

Any time there is a need to physically interact with the external world in an unstructured environment, a robotic system must be able to extract physical, geometrical, and substance properties of that environment. The authors use, and further define, the paradigm of exploratory procedures (EP's). The EP's are stereotypical motoric procedures executed by humans when exploring an object. They adapt these for use in the robotics domain. Among the many EP's, they concentrate on one specific case: the EP that returns the thermal property of an unknown object. They present a new approach for the design and modeling of thermal sensors for robotic applications. A model of one such sensor is developed and its validity is experimentally verified with different objects. Finally, an EP for acquiring the temperature property of an unknown object is described. >
Effect of heating rate on steam pressure induced in crack-like cavities in moisture saturated polymer matrix composites

Abstract When moisture saturated composites are rapidly heated, the steam pressure inside cavities can cause the composite to delaminate. We study the effect of heating rate on the steam pressure inside an isolated long thin “crack-like” cavity of thickness h assuming that the chemical potential of water is continuous across the cavity/polymer interface. For such a cavity in an infinite plate, we show there is sufficient moisture for the steam pressure to reach the saturated steam pressure, irrespective of the heating rate. However, for a plate of thickness L exposed to dry air, the cavity pressure reaches a maximum value, which depends only on the normalized plate thickness, α = L/h and normalized heating rate, β = T ˙ h 2 / T 0 D ( T 0 ) where T ˙ is the heating rate, D(T0) is the moisture diffusivity at the initial temperature T0, before it decays to zero because of the dry air outside. For this case, the maximum steam pressure can be significantly less than the saturation pressure. The results in this work can also be used to study ‘popcorning’ observed in electronic packages.
The politics of climate knowledge: Sir Giddens, Sweden and the paradox of climate (in)justice

There is a widespread assumption that most people will not effectively respond to climate risk until they personally experience its negative effects. Yet this assumption raises some interesting questions in the Swedish context. The majority of Swedes say that they have not experienced the negative effects of climate change, but they are among the world's citizens most concerned about and active on the issue. These observations raise the questions – why do many Swedes act progressively if they do not feel environmental risks “closer to home”? Is there something exceptional about Swedish environmental ethics, political culture or governance structures? This paper explores these questions, using the Swedish case to challenge essentialising concepts such as “Giddens’ paradox” which, too often, equate risk perception with self-interest, neglect concern for climate justice and depoliticise climate knowledge. This research suggests that concern for climate justice, rather than self-interest, proves to be a more ...
The R-R interval and R-R variability in normal infants during sleep.

Summary: Eighteen normal infants were studied in the first 2 wk of life during sleep and subsequently at their monthly birthdays for the first 4 months of life. The R-R interval was measured with an accuracy of 0.2 msec. Sleep staging was performed visually using electroencephalogram, electrooculogram, and electromyogram, and behavioral criteria. Our results show that the R-R interval and the beat-to-beat variability are, in general, smaller in rapid eye movement than in quiet sleep. The two sleep states, however, are best differentiated by the overall variability which is characteristically higher in rapid eye movement sleep. The R-R interval as well as the overall and the beat-to-beat variability show minimal values at 1 month and maximal rates of increase between 2 and 3 months of age, indicating that the R-R interval and R-R variability are not simple linear functions of age. Speculation: We suspect that the large variability in the R-R interval in rapid eye movement sleep is attributable to the wide fluctuations in the activity of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system characteristic of this sleep state. Because peripheral vasodilatation is known to occur in rapid eye movement sleep, we speculate further that the decrease in R-R interval in rapid eye movement sleep may be an adjustment to maintain the cardiac output and blood pressure.
Japanese dependency analysis using a deterministic finite state transducer

A deterministic finite state transducer is a fast device for analyzing strings. It takes O(n) time to analyze a string of length n. In this paper, an application of this technique to Japanese dependency analysis will be described. We achieved the speed at a small cost in accuracy. It takes about 0.17 millisecond to analyze one sentence (average length is 10 bunsetsu, based on PentiumIII 650MHz PC, Linux) and we actually observed the analysis time to be proportional to the sentence length. The accuracy is about 81% even though very little lexical information is used. This is about 17% and 9% better than the default and a simple system, respectively. We believe the gap between our performance and the best current performance on the same task, about 7%, can be filled by introducing lexical or semantic information.
Optimal Control of a Paired-Kidney Exchange Program

Organ exchanges are expected to increase the utilization of living donors and to alleviate the critical shortage of organs for transplantation. The typical arrangement involves adirect exchange between two blood-type incompatible donor-candidate pairs. An alternate possibility is anindirect exchange between one such pair and the highest priority candidate on the regular waiting list for cadaveric organs. This paper focuses on the mix of direct and indirect exchanges that maximizes the expected total discounted quality-adjusted life years (QALY) of the candidates in the participating pairs. Direct exchanges are preferable because the candidate receives a living-donor organ instead of the inferior cadaveric organ an indirect exchange provides. However, the latter involves a shorter wait. To capture this tradeoff, we develop a double-ended queueing model for an exchange system with two types of donorcandidate pairs, and obtain an optimal dynamic exchange policy by invoking a Brownian approximation. The policy takes the form of a two-sided regulator in which new pairs will join the exchange system to wait for a direct exchange if and only if the process modeling the exchange system is within the regulator's two barriers. In all other circumstances, new pairs will participate in an indirect exchange. Expressions for the optimal barriers are obtained under a variety of assumptions about the objective function, including one of complete candidate autonomy. The analysis identifies three design principles that will amplify the likelihood of an exchange program's success. First, exchange programs must involve the coordinated activities of multiple local transplant centers to enjoy the substantial benefits of resource pooling. Second, participant wait must be controlled through indirect exchanges. Third, the program must respect participants' autonomy and weigh that autonomy against the broader goal of maximizing their overall welfare.
Complicated grief and bereavement in young adults following close friend and sibling loss.

Background This study examined the association between types of loss (i.e., sibling or close friend) and relationship quality (i.e., depth and conflict) with complicated grief, depression, somatic symptoms, and world assumptions in bereaved young adults. Methods Participants were 107 young adults aged 17–29 years who were either bereaved or had never experienced a loss. Among bereaved participants, 66 lost a close friend and seven lost a sibling within the past 3 years (M = 1.63 years). Results Nineteen percent of the young adults met criteria for complicated grief and 31% had mild to severe depression. Participants with a deceased sibling reported greater depth in the relationship as compared to those who lost a friend. They were also more likely to have complicated grief (57% versus 15%) and report significantly higher levels of grief, depression, and somatic symptoms. Those who lost a sibling reported a lower sense of meaningfulness and benevolence of the world and self-worth as compared with those who lost a close friend or had not experienced a loss. Conclusions Complicated grief and depression are common among bereaved young adults. Sibling loss is particularly distressing to young adults, due in part to the high level of relationship depth, and is associated with increased psychological and physical symptoms postloss.
Rhomboid proteins: conserved membrane proteases with divergent biological functions

The rhomboid gene was discovered in Drosophila, where it encodes a seven transmembrane protein that is the signal-generating component of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor signaling during development. Although metazoan developmental regulators are rarely conserved outside the animal kingdom, rhomboid proteins are conserved in all kingdoms of life, but the significance of this remains unclear. Recent biochemical reconstitution and high-resolution crystal structures have provided proof that rhomboid proteins function as novel intramembrane proteases, with a serine protease-like catalytic apparatus embedded within the membrane bilayer, buried in a hydrophilic cavity formed by a protein ring. A thorough consideration of all known examples of rhomboid function suggests that, despite biochemical similarity in mechanism and specificity, rhomboid proteins function in diverse processes including quorum sensing in bacteria, mitochondrial membrane fusion, apoptosis, and stem cell differentiation in eukaryotes; rhomboid proteins are also now starting to be linked to human disease, including early-onset blindness, diabetes, and parasitic diseases. Regulating cell signaling is at the heart of rhomboid protein function in many, but not all, of these processes. Further study of these novel enzymes promises to reveal the evolutionary path of rhomboid protein function, which could provide insights into the forces that drive the molecular evolution of regulatory mechanisms.
Corrective spinal surgery may be protective against stroke in patients with blunt traumatic vertebral artery occlusion.

OBJECT Approximately 10% of patients with blunt traumatic extracranial cerebrovascular injury have a complete occlusion of the vertebral artery (VA). Ischemic stroke due to embolization of thrombus from an occluded VA following cervical spine surgery has been observed. The risk of ischemic stroke with cervical spine surgery in the presence of an occluded VA, however, has never been determined. METHODS A retrospective chart review of 52 patients with a VA occlusion following a blunt trauma was performed. Clinical and radiographic characteristics were collected and analyzed. RESULTS Ten patients (19.2%) suffered an ischemic stroke attributable to a traumatic VA occlusion. Univariate analysis demonstrated that patients with ischemic stroke were significantly older (p = 0.042) and had a lower rate of cervical spine surgery (p < 0.005). Multivariate analysis found cervical spine surgery to be protective against ischemic stroke (OR 0.049 [95% CI 0.014–0.167], p = 0.014); increasing age and bilateral VA injury (...
Assessing improvement in students' team skills and using a learning style inventory to increase it

It is important to develop effective team skills in undergraduate students. Indeed, a fundamental role of undergraduate engineering curricula is to improve these skills in students. A survey to evaluate a student's team skills has been reported by others, but it has not been used to assess the improvement of such skills. This paper presents such an approach and provides details on the use of a formal learning style inventory to enhance the improvement.
One dimensional simulations of MHD shock heating of a stratified solar coronal hole

Our one dimensional numerical simulations describe the evolution of large amplitude Alfven waves excited in the lower corona as they travel upwards guided by the open magnetic field lines of a gravitationally stratified solar coronal hole. When the waves reach the region where β ≪ 1 they develop into magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) shocks. The shock waves seem to produce sufficient heat fluxes to be important contributors to the heating of the solar corona.
Can developing countries achieve adequate improvements in child health outcomes without engaging the private sector

The private sector exerts a significant and critical influence on child health outcomes in developing countries, including the health of poor children. This article reviews the available evidence on private sector utilization and quality of care. It provides a framework for analysing the private sector's influence on child health outcomes. This influence goes beyond service provision by private providers and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Pharmacies, drug sellers, private suppliers, and food producers also have an impact on the health of children. Many governments are experimenting with strategies to engage the private sector to improve child health. The article analyses some of the most promising strategies, and suggests that a number of constraints make it hard for policy-makers to emulate these approaches. Few experiences are clearly described, monitored, and evaluated. The article suggests that improving the impact of child health programmes in developing countries requires a more systematic analysis of how to engage the private sector most effectively. The starting point should include the evaluation of the presence and potential of the private sector, including actors such as professional associations, producer organizations, community groups, and patients' organizations.
Changing sources of soil respiration with time since fire in a boreal forest

Radiocarbon signatures (D 14 C) of carbon dioxide (CO2) provide a measure of the age of C being decomposed by microbes or respired by living plants. Over a 2-year period, we measured D 14 C of soil respiration and soil CO2 in boreal forest sites in Canada, which varied primarily in the amount of time since the last stand-replacing fire. Comparing bulk respiration D 14 C with D 14 Co f CO 2 evolved in incubations of heterotrophic (decomposing organic horizons) and autotrophic (root and moss) components allowed us to estimate the relative contributions of O horizon decomposition vs. plant sources. Although soil respiration fluxes did not vary greatly, differences in D 14 C of respired CO2 indicated marked variation in respiration sources in space and time. The 14 C signature of respired CO2 respired from O horizon decomposition depended on the age of C substrates. These varied with time since fire, but consistently had D 14 C greater (averaging � 120%) than autotrophic respiration. The D 14 C of autotrophically respired CO2 in young stands equaled those expected for recent photosynthetic products (70% in 2003, 64% in 2004). CO2 respired by black spruce roots in stands 440 years old had D 14 Cu p to 30% higher than recent photosynthates, indicating a significant contribution of C stored at least several years in plants. Decomposition of O horizon organic matter made up 20% or less of soil respiration in the younger (o40 years since fire) stands, increasing to � 50% in mature stands. This is a minimum for total heterotrophic contribution, since mineral soil CO2 had D 14 C close to or less than those we have assigned to autotrophic respiration. Decomposition of old organic matter in mineral soils clearly contributed to soil respiration in younger stands in 2003, a very dry year, when D 14 C of soil respiration in younger successional stands dropped below those of the atmospheric CO2.
Deciding what to design: closing a gap in software engineering education

Software has jumped "out of the box" - it controls critical systems; it pervades business and commerce; it is embedded in myriad mechanisms; it infuses entertainment, communication, and other activities of everyday life. Designs for these applications are constrained not only by traditional considerations of capability and performance but also by economic, business, market, and policy issues and the context of intended use. The diversity of applications requires adaptability in responding to client needs, and the diversity of clients and contexts requires the ability to discriminate among criteria for success. As a result, software designers must also get out of their boxes: in addition to mastering traditional software development skills, they must understand the contextual issues that discriminate good solutions from merely competent ones. Current software engineering education, however, remains largely "in the box": it neglects the rich fabric of issues that lie between the client's problem and actual software development. At Carnegie Mellon we have addressed this major shortcoming with a course that teaches students to understand both the capabilities required by the client and the constraints imposed by the client's context. This paper presents our view of the engineering character of software engineering, describes the content and organization of our new course, reports on our experience from the first three offerings of our course, and suggests ways to adapt our course for other educational settings.
Sleep Terror Disorder and Insomnia Treated with Trazodone: A Case Report

AbstractA 7-year-old girl who suffered from severe sleep terror disorder was unsuccessfully treated with imipramine, hydroxyzine, and thioridazine. Trazodone at night provided a remarkable relief of the symptoms of her sleep terror disorder. Trazodone might be another alternative in the treatment of this rare disorder.
Challenges and opportunities of sensory plasticity after SCI.

Even in cases of spinal cord injury (SCI) where sensory perceptions do not arise from stimuli applied to below-level regions, sensory input to the spinal cord, carried by spinal sensory afferents, still occurs and influences the central and autonomic nervous systems (CNS, ANS). This is true also of the vagal system which provides non-spinal innervation of viscera below many spinal cord injuries. It is therefore important to consider (1) how the neurochemical, anatomical, and electrophysiological properties of these sensory neurons, and the processing of the inputs by the CNS and ANS, is altered by SCI, (2) whether and how they may play a role in pathologies, and (3) how they may interact with treatment strategies. This Research Topic addresses plasticity of sensory systems after SCI, with a non-exclusive focus on systems below the level of the injury. POST-SCI AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTIONS The ANS controls systems below the level of consciousness and this is often taken for granted until something goes awry. Those living with SCI are acutely aware of the functions regulated, or more often dysregulated, by the ANS. One of the most pressing of these issues is autonomic dysreflexia (AD), a chronic and com
Limits on the thermoacoustic detectability of electric and magnetic charges

The energy loss is estimated for a slow magnetic monopole traveling through a conductor. The thermoacoustic signal derived from this process is compared to the acoustic phonon fluctuation pressure. The results show that single-monopole detectability is strongly limited by thermal noise. These calculations also imply severe limits for the detectability of charged-particle cascades.
The Status of Louisiana's Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin) Populations in the Wake of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill: Insights from Population Genetic and Contaminant Analyses

Abstract We studied the population-genetic structure of the Diamondback Terrapin (Malaclemys terrapin pileata) in Louisiana and used data from previous studies to compare our results with rangewide patterns of genetic diversity. We analyzed blood plasma to examine the contaminant load in Louisiana terrapins in the wake of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Using 16 polymorphic microsatellite loci, we tested for genetic structure to infer site fidelity, connectivity, and gene flow among terrapins in Louisiana estuaries. We found no evidence for population structure within Louisiana, even among sites up to 120 km apart. Comparing our Louisiana samples to data from previous studies using four loci, we found relatively low genetic diversity in Louisiana and other Gulf Coast terrapins. Based on their genetic similarity, our results support previous recommendations that two Gulf Coast subspecies be grouped into one management unit. The low genetic diversity we observed in Gulf Coast populations may be attrib...
Effects of elevated ecdysteroid on tissue expression of three guanylyl cyclases in the tropical land crab Gecarcinus lateralis: possible roles of neuropeptide signaling in the molting gland.

Two eyestalk (ES) neuropeptides, molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH) and crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH), increase intracellular cGMP levels in target tissues. Both MIH and CHH inhibit ecdysteroid secretion by the molting gland or Y-organ (YO), but apparently through different guanylyl cyclase (GC)-dependent pathways. MIH signaling may be mediated by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and NO-sensitive GC. CHH binds to a membrane receptor GC. As molting affects neuropeptide signaling, the effects of ecdysteroid on the expression of the land crab Gecarcinus lateralis β subunit of a NO-sensitive GC (Gl-GC-Iβ), a membrane receptor GC (Gl-GC-II) and a NO-insensitive soluble GC (Gl-GC-III) were determined. Gl-GC-Iβ isoforms differing in the absence or presence of an N-terminal 32-amino acid sequence and Gl-GC-III were expressed at higher mRNA levels in ES ganglia, gill, hepatopancreas, ovary and testis, and at lower levels in YO, heart and skeletal muscle. Three Gl-GC-II isoforms, which vary in the length of insertions (+18, +9 and +0 amino acids) within the N-terminal ligand-binding domain, differed in tissue distribution. Gl-GC-II(+18) was expressed highly in striated muscle (skeletal and cardiac muscles); Gl-GC-II(+9) was expressed in all tissues examined (ES ganglia, YO, gill, hepatopancreas, striated muscles and gonads); and Gl-GC-II(+0) was expressed in most tissues and was the dominant isoform in ES and thoracic ganglia. ES ablation, which increased hemolymph ecdysteroid, increased Gl-GC-II(+18) mRNA level in claw muscle. Using real-time RT-PCR, ES ablation increased Gl-GC-Iβ, Gl-GC-III and ecdysone receptor mRNA levels in the YOs ∼ten-, ∼four- and∼ twofold, respectively, whereas Gl-GC-II mRNA level was unchanged. A single injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone into intact animals transiently lowered Gl-GC-Iβ in hepatopancreas, testis and skeletal muscle, and certain Gl-GC-II isoforms in some of the tissues. These data suggest that YO and other tissues can modulate responses to neuropeptides by altering GC expression.
Urinary Calcium Binding Proteins and Renal Calculi

All urinary stones are in part composed of proteinaceous organic matrix, however, there has been much debate as to the importance of this material in urinary stone formation1–4. It has been suggested that matrix has an active role in stone formation and may act as a binding or cementing material that is necessary for crystal aggregation and growth. Others believe that this material plays only a passive role in stone formation and represents adsorption of non-specific urinary proteins onto a growing crystal. Vitamin D has been suggested as having a role in active stone formation and interestingly Vitamin D sensitive intestinal and renal calcium binding proteins have been identified in several biologic systems5–7. One investigator has identified an electrophoretically homogeneous calcium binding protein which is present in both normal and pathological urine8 but to date no investigations have been made to study the presence of calcium binding proteins in a group of active stone formers. The present investigation was designed to determine if excretion of this substance(s) was related to urinary stone formation.
Interlocution, perception, and memory

En reponse a l'article precedent intitule «Testimony, memory and the limits of the a priori» («Philosophical studies», 86, 1, 1997, pp. 1-20), l'A. clarifie et developpe certains aspects de sa conception du droit a priori a la comprehension a travers l'interlocution, developpee dans son essai intitule «Content preservation» («The philosophical review», 102, 1993, pp. 457-88)
Gravitational Settling Effects on Unit Cell Predictions of Colloidal Retention in Porous Media in the Absence of Energy Barriers

Laboratory column experiments for colloidal transport and retention are often carried out with flow direction oriented against gravity (up-flow) to minimize retention of trapped air. However, the models that underlie colloidal filtration theory (e.g., unit cell models such as the Happel sphere-in-cell and hemispheres-in-cell) typically set flow in the same direction as gravity (down-flow). We performed unit model simulations and experimental observations of retention of colloids with different size and density in porous media in the absence of energy barriers under both up-flow and down-flow conditions. Unit cell models predicted very different deposition (e.g., for large or dense colloids with gravity number N(G) > 0.01 at pore water velocity of 4 m/day) under down-flow versus up-flow conditions, which reflect underlying influences of gravity and flow on simulated colloid trajectories that resulted in very different distributions of attached colloids over the model surfaces. The Happel sphere-in-cell model showed greater sensitivity to flow orientation relative to gravity than the hemispheres-in-cell model. In contrast, experimental results were relatively insensitive to orientation of flow with respect to gravity, as a result of the variety of orientations of flow relative to gravity and to the porous media surface that exist in actual porous media. Notably, the down-flow simulations corresponded most closely to the experimental results (for near neutrally buoyant colloids); which justifies the common practice of comparing up-flow experiments to theoretical predictions developed for down-flow conditions.
Hygienic Status of 896 Sauced Meat Products in Jurong

Objective To understand the hygienic status of sauced meat products whether which may be contaminated by coliform in Jurong,in order to improve the hygienic standards of the products and to prevent the occurrence of food poisoning. Method Sauced meat products collected from 2006 to 2008 in Jurong area were detected for coliform. Results The qualified rate of sauced meat for the total number of colonies in 2006,2007 and 2008 were 75. 9% , 80. 4% ,84. 9% and that for coliform were 21. 3% ,34. 5% and 45. 8% respectively. The difference of hygienic status between years was statistically significant by χ2 test. Conclusion The quality of sauced meat products in Jurong has improved year by year,but improving the overall passed rate is still the focus of inspection.
MRP6, Multiple Drug Resistance Protein 6

MRP6 is a 180 kDa ABC protein that belongs to the ABCC subfamily of multidrug resistance proteins. It is mainly expressed in …
Inhibitors to Responsibility-Based Professional Development with In-Service Teachers.

Researchers of continuing professional development (CPD) in physical education have called for new models that move beyond the traditional CPD model. The outcomes of CPD protocols are hard to predict even when they align with the best practices. Responsibility-based CPD has become the focus of recent attention to assist physical educators in increasing the use of responsibility-based teaching strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine inhibitors to responsibility-based CPD based on Hellison's teaching personal and social responsibility model. A novel CPD protocol was introduced to a group of teachers but was inhibited by philosophical differences between the teachers and university collaborators, perceptions of students' ability to take on responsibility, and strategic compliance with grant-related work.
The Organization of Visual Cortex in Primates

The purpose of this chapter is to consider how visual cortex is subdivided and interconnected in primates. Subdividing neocortex has long been a problem for neuroscientists. It has been clear that for each sensory system the cortex contains a number of interrelated parts or areas, but it has been difficult to determine the exact number, location, and interconnections of the cortical areas of a system in any mammal. Differences in histological structure were first used to subdivide neocortex, but it was difficult or impossible to determine the significance of most of the areas so demarcated. Thus, Campbell (1905) parceled the neocortex of man into 20 distinct zones; Brodmann (1909) followed with 47, and C. and O. Vogt (1919) distinguished 200 fields. Later investigators postulated various numbers, with Lashley and Clark (1946) taking an extreme position and arguing that the cortex of man (or rat for that matter) contained no more than 7–10 subdivisions of functional significance. Later, considerable progress was made when the electrophysiological investigations of Woolsey, Adrian, and others established the primary and secondary sensory areas as detailed representations of sensory surfaces. More recently, microelectrode recordings have been used to determine the extent and boundaries of such sensory representations accurately and to relate these areas precisely to histological subdivisions of neocortex. In the more advanced brains, the sensory and motor areas, so clearly delimited by electrophysiological means, were found to constitute only a fraction of the total cortical surface. Much of the cortex, the so-called association cortex, was “silent” during recording and further subdivision was not possible. This condition has proven to be largely an artifact of the anesthetics popular at the time, and it is now clear that most of the cortex of higher primates responds to at least one modality. Furthermore, microelectrode recordings indicate that much of “association cortex” is subdivided into a number of separate areas, each of which contains a detailed map of a sensory surface such as the retina, skin, or cochlear partition.
Pilot phase II study of metronomic chemotherapy in combination with bevacizumab in patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract Introduction The goal of this study was to explore the efficacy and tolerability of metronomic chemotherapy, a novel anti-angiogenic treatment strategy, in combination with bevacizumab in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods Subjects with newly diagnosed stage IV NSCLC were treated with 4-week cycles of paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 and gemcitabine 300 mg/m2 weekly for three weeks, plus bevacizumab 10 mg/kg every two weeks. Radiologic assessments were performed every 8 weeks. The primary endpoint was progression free survival (PFS). An exploratory objective was to correlate plasma levels of angiogenic biomarkers with treatment response. Results Thirty-nine subjects were included in the intent to treat (ITT) analysis. The objective response rate (ORR) was 56%, the median PFS was 8.5 months, and median overall survival (OS) was 25.5 months. The PFS rate at 6, 12, and 24 months was 61%, 21%, and 11% respectively. The OS rate at 12 and 24 months was 74% and 53% respectively. Treatment was well tolerated, without significant myelosuppressive, gastrointestinal, or neurologic events. Subjects with less than median baseline values of angiopoietin-2 and IL-8 experienced significantly longer PFS. Longer OS was associated with subjects with less than the median baseline values for PLGF and angiopoietin-2. There were statistically significant differences in median values of several biomarkers between cycles 1 and 3 in subjects with objective responses. Conclusions The combination of paclitaxel and gemcitabine, delivered in a metronomic schedule, in combination with bevacizumab, appears to be an effective and tolerable treatment strategy in patients with advanced NSCLC.
Early dietary amino acid restrictions and flaxseed oil supplementation on the leanness of pigs and quality of pork: Growth performance, serum metabolites, carcass characteristics, and physical and sensory characteristics of pork

Abstract A total of 64 pigs (Yorkshire) were used to investigate the effect of early dietary amino acid (AA) restrictions [100 or 80% of the 2012 NRC standardized ileal digestible (SID) Lys requirements during the grower and finisher-1 phases] and flaxseed oil supplementation [0 or 3% (+2% poultry fat)] in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments on grower-finisher pigs. At 24.7 ± 0.5 kg body weight (BW), pigs were randomly assigned to 4 grower diets with 4 gilt and 4 castrated male pens/treatment and 2 gilts or 2 castrated males/pen, and switched to fnisher-1 diets when they reached 51.2 ± 0.3 kg. Pigs were offered common finisher-2 diets after 80.0 ± 0.4 kg, and those received 0 or 5% lipids during the grower and finisher-1 phases were continued to receive 0 or 5% lipids. Ultrasound backfat measurements and blood samples were collected at the end of the grower, finisher-1, and finisher-2 phases, and pigs were harvested at 110.5 ± 0.5 kg to assess carcass traits and physical and sensory characteristics of pork. During the grower phase, although pigs consumed less feed, SID Lys, and digestible energy (DE; P P = 0.042) and utilized SID Lys more efficiently ( P P = 0.007) but greater BW gain ( P = 0.03) during the grower phase, and their BW gain:feed ( P P P P = 0.095). Serum urea-N ( P P = 0.027) at the end of the grower phase was increased by the dietary AA restrictions. The dietary lipids tended to increase and increased serum triglycerides at the end of the grower ( P = 0.075) and finisher-1 and 2 ( P P = 0.037) at the end of the finisher-2 phase. At the end of the finisher-1 phase, the dietary lipids increased serum cholesterol in pigs fed the unrestricted diet but had no effect on those fed the AA restricted diet (AA restrictions x lipid supplementation, P = 0.029). The dietary AA restrictions tended to reduce the initial tenderness ( P P = 0.048) of pork slightly. Belly firmness ( P P = 0.007) was increased slightly by the dietary lipids. There was no effect of dietary treatments on ultrasound backfat. In conclusion, the dietary lipids improved BW gain:feed but reduced belly firmness and increased off-flavor slightly. The dietary AA restrictions had no effect on overall BW gain or FFL gain but improved overall efficiency of AA and DE utilization for BW gain and FFL gain.
Locating Marginalized Historical Narratives at Kingsley Plantation

I am interested in locating marginalized historical narratives at Kingsley Plantation, searching the landscape for what McKittrick (2006:133) calls “demonic grounds,” the grounds that locate “the complex position and potentiality of black women’s sense of place” and are understood not as erased, but disavowed. Complexity is disavowed at Kingsley Plantation, and in its place is the implementation of truncated historical narratives reaching for unobtainable cohesion. Historical narratives are left in their bounded spaces, with Ann Kingsley, the Black plantation mistress, being spoken of mainly in a domestic setting. Zephaniah Kingsley, the planter/enslaver, maintains his omnipotent positionality, being discussed everywhere, while the enslaved are referenced in domestic and labor spaces. What I argue is that, for the sake of cohesion, plantation sites present historical narratives of the enslaved, the plantation mistress, and the planter/enslaver in spaces that do not offer complexity and do not challenge plantation spatial dynamics, but instead orient visitors to the White male planter’s perspective of the past.
Changing Initial Glaucoma Medical Therapy Increases Healthcare Resource Utilization.

Abstract Purpose: To determine the frequency and economic impact of changing initial glaucoma therapy for patients with newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma (OAG) or ocular hypertension (OHT). Methods: This retrospective longitudinal cohort study identified individuals within a large managed care network in the United States, who were newly diagnosed with OAG or OHT from 2001 to 2012 and were prescribed either a topical beta blocker (BB) or a prostaglandin analog (PGA). Claims data were analyzed over the 12-month period following their index prescription to determine physician prescribing habits, healthcare resource utilization patterns, and sociodemographic factors which may have contributed to changing the initial treatment strategy. Results: A total of 15,019 beneficiaries were identified with newly diagnosed OAG or OHT and whose index therapy was either a topical BB or PGA. Among these enrollees 80.9% were started on PGAs, while 19.1% were started on BBs. Of these beneficiaries, 29.2% of those started ...
Nrf2 Regulates Sensitivity of Leukemias to Artemisinins

Abstract The artemisinins are a class of drugs widely used to treat severe malaria due to their potency and few adverse effects. In addition to antimalarial activity, artemisinins have been shown to have potent anti-cancer activity, specifically in leukemia. Therefore, artesunate (AS), the WHO-recommended treatment for severe malaria, and a new dimeric artemisinin derivative (ART-838) are promising agents to repurpose for leukemia treatment. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in the mechanism of artemisinin activity in both malaria and cancer; however, the full mechanisms of artemisinin activity in cancer have not yet been elucidated. In 2014, Ariey et al, published a paper on malaria identifying the Kelch (K13) propeller domain as a molecular marker for artemisinin resistance. Since Keap1 – the human homolog of K13 – is involved in ROS regulation, it may also play a role in artemisinin action in cancer. To investigate the role of Keap1-Nrf2 signaling cascades in mediating artemisinin action and resistance in leukemia, qPCRs and Western blots were performed to quantify endogenous levels of selected Keap1 pathway molecules (Keap1, Nrf2, Nqo1, and Gsta1) in 23 human acute leukemia cell lines. However no significant correlation was observed between the levels of these molecules (mRNA or protein) and AS/ART-838 sensitivity. Using an antioxidant response element (ARE) luciferase reporter that can be activated by Nrf2, a significant increase in ARE activity was observed in K562 cells upon AS or ART-838 treatment. In addition to increased transcription upon drug treatment, the ARE downstream proteins Nqo1 and Gsta1 were upregulated upon AS or ART-838 treatment. K562 cell lines with Keap1 and Nrf2 stably knocked down (KD) were generated. The Nrf2 KD K562 cell line had increased sensitivity to AS and ART-838. In contrast, KD of Keap1 did not result in a substantial change in drug sensitivity to either artemisinin. In conclusion, these studies suggest involvement of Nrf2 in human leukemia cell resistance to artemisinins. Further studies on Nrf2 may help us better understand the molecular actions of the artemisinins in order to optimize their efficacy as single agents or in drug combinations for leukemia treatment. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A Probabilistic Framework for Seismic Risk Assessment of Electric Power Systems

Abstract Uncertainty quantification in seismic risk assessment of spatially distributed infrastructure systems such as electric power systems poses two main challenges: (i) seismic hazard modeling that considers both the spatial variation in intensity for each hazard event as well as the probability of occurrence of the event, and (ii) system performance formulation that captures the probabilistic nature of component vulnerability and accessibility. This paper introduces a framework for seismic risk assessment of electric power systems that takes into account these challenges. Seismic hazard is modeled using a probabilistically weighted deterministic hazard scenarios approach in which a suite of earthquake scenarios with their corresponding annual probabilities of occurrence is considered. System performance is modeled using a probabilistic topological-based approach that considers component accessibility and vulnerability. The framework is demonstrated using a notional electric power system assumed to be located in Charleston, South Carolina, and New York City, New York. The framework can be used for pre-disaster preparation, mitigation, and post-disaster response planning.
Pulsed Radiofrequency for Treating Trigeminal Neuralgia

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia is the most common cause of facial pain but can be challenging to treat. Some patients fail on medications, and while surgical procedures achieve short-term efficacy, they can be associated with numerous complications. We present a case series suggesting the efficacy and safety of using pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) through the transcoronoid approach to treat trigeminal neuralgia. Methods: This retrospective analysis included 8 cases with data collected from the electronic medical record. Outcomes were pain scores before and after the procedure as well as the percent improvement after the procedure (improvement in severity, frequency, and duration). Results: Patients had an average age of 56.4 ± 13 years. All patients reported improvement after the procedure, and 3 patients reported that their improvement was ongoing at the time of follow-up. No complications were reported by any of our patients. Conclusion: PRF through the transcoronoid approach may be a safe and effective approach for treating trigeminal neuralgia in patients resistant to conservative management.
American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) Centers of Excellence Program

In 2003, in response to the public perception of dramatic variability in outcomes after bariatric surgery, the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) established a quality assurance initiative known as the Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence (BSCOE). Previously, no minimal standards existed for hospitals or surgeons to perform bariatric surgery. ASMBS established an independent, nonprofi t organization known as the Surgical Review Corporation (SRC) to establish quality criteria for hospitals and surgeons as well as to evaluate, certify, and monitor individual hospitals and surgeons. The primary goal of the BSCOE is to allow patients, referring physicians, and health insurance carriers to identify hospitals and surgeons that are performing bariatric surgery at a high standard. The secondary goal is to ensure continued quality improvement in all qualifying BSCOE sites. To qualify as a BSCOE, surgeon practices and hospitals are required to submit documentation supporting the fact that they meet facility and practice standards. All sites must pass a rigorous onsite inspection in order to acquire fi nal approval. In addition, all certifi ed BSCOEs must collect and submit selected outcome data periodically for analysis. The following are the specifi c requirements for obtaining full approval as a BSCOE. The Bariatric COE program is designed to ensure that:
Conditional Random Fields for Scene Labeling

Abstract High-level, or holistic, scene understanding involves reasoning about objects, regions, the 3D relationships between them, etc. Scene labeling underlies many of these problems in computer vision. Reasoning about scene images requires the decomposition into semantically meaningful regions over which a graphical model can be imposed. Typically, representational models, learned from data, are defined in terms of a unified energy function over the appearance and structure of the scene-under-investigation. In this chapter, we explore energy functions defined within the context of conditional random fields (CRF) and examine in detail, one learning and inference technique that can be used to reason about the scene. We specifically review methods involving semantic categorization (such as grass, sky, foreground, etc.) and geometric categorization (typically the vertical plane, the ground plane, and the sky plane). CRFs are an effective tool for partitioning images into their constituent semantic or geometric level regions and assigning the appropriate class labels to each region. We also present specific algorithms from the literature that have successfully used CRFs for labeling scene images.
The Importance of Diversity in Welfare Reform

In 1996, Congress passed and President Clinton signed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA; P.L. 104–193). This act replaced the Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) entitlement program, dissolved Emergency Assistance (EA), eliminated the Job Opportunities and Basic Skills Training (JOBS) Program, and substituted a single capped block grant for states, the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program, the funding of which is based on prior state welfare spending (Corbett, 1997; Zaslow, Tout, Smith, & Moore, 1998). The intent of this new welfare law is to turn custodial parents into breadwinners; public assistance is intended to become only a short-term phase of transition to self-sufficiency (Kondratas, 1997, p. 1).