cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Unusual Case of Nicotine Poisoning

(1977). An Unusual Case of Nicotine Poisoning. Clinical Toxicology: Vol. 10, No. 4, pp. 391-393.
A modulator based regulatory network for ERα signaling pathway

Estrogens control multiple functions of hormone-responsive breast cancer cells. They regulate diverse physiological processes in various tissues through genomic and non-genomic mechanisms that result in activation or repression of gene expression. Transcription regulation upon estrogen stimulation is a critical biological process underlying the onset and progress of the majority of breast cancer. ERα requires distinct co-regulator or modulators for efficient transcriptional regulation, and they form a regulatory network. Knowing this regulatory network will enable systematic study of the effect of ERα on breast cancer. To investigate the regulatory network of ERα and discover novel modulators of ERα functions, we proposed an analytical method based on a linear regression model to identify translational modulators and their network relationships. In the network analysis, a group of specific modulator and target genes were selected according to the functionality of modulator and the ERα binding. Network formed from targets genes with ERα binding was called ERα genomic regulatory network; while network formed from targets genes without ERα binding was called ERα non-genomic regulatory network. Considering the active or repressive function of ERα, active or repressive function of a modulator, and agonist or antagonist effect of a modulator on ERα, the ERα/modulator/target relationships were categorized into 27 classes. Using the gene expression data and ERα Chip-seq data from the MCF-7 cell line, the ERα genomic/non-genomic regulatory networks were built by merging ERα/ modulator/target triplets (TF, M, T), where TF refers to the ERα, M refers to the modulator, and T refers to the target. Comparing these two networks, ERα non-genomic network has lower FDR than the genomic network. In order to validate these two networks, the same network analysis was performed in the gene expression data from the ZR-75.1 cell. The network overlap analysis between two cancer cells showed 1% overlap for the ERα genomic regulatory network, but 4% overlap for the non-genomic regulatory network. We proposed a novel approach to infer the ERα/modulator/target relationships, and construct the genomic/non-genomic regulatory networks in two cancer cells. We found that the non-genomic regulatory network is more reliable than the genomic regulatory network.
Relationship of Acute Phase Reactants and Fat Accumulation during Treatment for Tuberculosis.

Background. Tuberculosis causes inflammation and muscle wasting. We investigated how attenuation of inflammation relates to repletion of body composition during treatment in an underserved population. Design. Twenty-four patients (23 to 79 years old) with pulmonary tuberculosis and inflammation (pretreatment albumin =2.96±0.13 g/dL, C-reactive protein [CRP] =6.71±1.34 μg/dL, and beta-2-microglobulin =1.68±0.10 μg/L) were evaluated and had BIA over 24 weeks. Results. Weight increased by 3.02±0.81 kg (5.5%; 𝑃=0.007) at week 4 and by 8.59±0.97 kg (15.6%; 𝑃<0.0001) at week 24. Repletion of body mass was primarily fat, which increased by 2.09±0.52 kg at week 4 and 5.05±0.56 kg at week 24 (𝑃=0.004 and 𝑃<0.0001 versus baseline). Fat-free mass (FFM), body cell mass (BCM), and phase angle did not increase until study week 8. Albumin rose to 3.65±0.14 g/dL by week 4 (𝑃<0.001) and slowly increased thereafter. CRP levels declined by ~50% at each interval visit. Conclusions. During the initial treatment, acute phase reactants returned towards normal. The predominant accrual of fat mass probably reflects ongoing, low levels of inflammation.
Models for Active Sites of Metalloenzymes: Comparison of Zinc and Beryllium Containing Complexes

Metal containing models of the active site of the metalloenzyme carboxypeptidase were studied by quantum chemical ab initio calculations. The comparative properties of [Zn(OH)(NH3)2]+ and [Be(OH)(NH3)2]+ indicate some of the characteristics of the role of transition metals in biological systems: the Zn complex, but not the Be complex, generates directionality constraints for an incoming ligand that are compatible with the geometrical features identified in the crystal structure of the active site — substrate complex. Moreover, an incoming ligand (H2O) is perturbed more strongly by the Zn complex than by the Be complex. This perturbation (a charge transfer and a characteristic polarization of the electronic density along the metal–ligand axis) is in good agreement with the proposed effect of the metal in the active site on the reactivity of a carbonyl carbon in a peptide bond. The perturbation caused by the incoming ligand in the electronic structure of the metal containing complex is also larger for the Zn complex than for the Be complex. These findings indicate that while the Be complex may simulate some of the purely electrostatic effects of the Zn containing model of the active site, it does not represent as well as the Zn complex some of the reactivity elements that have been implicated in the role of the metal in the catalytic mechanism of carboxypeptidase.
Interferon-γ and Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Protect Mice from Invasive Aspergillosis

The immunopathogenesis of invasive aspergillosis and the role played by cytokines are not fully understood. The roles of interferon (IFN)-gamma and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha were investigated in BALB/c mice infected intravenously with 5 x 10(5) Aspergillus fumigatus conidia. Eight groups of animals were studied, including 2 control groups (mice only infected with A. fumigatus and those given cortisone acetate and infected with A. fumigatus) and 6 groups of infected mice either treated or not treated with cortisone acetate and given IFN-gamma, anti-IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, or anti-TNF-alpha. No deaths occurred among the mice treated with IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha, compared with 40%-80% mortality in the other groups. IFN-gamma- and TNF-alpha-treated mice also had fewer organs from which A. fumigatus could be cultured or demonstrated on histologic examination. These observations suggest that IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha have protective roles in invasive aspergillosis.
The Physiologic Impact of Cardiac Surgery: The Nursing Perspective

Cardiac surgery has a profound impact on a patient’s physiology. Those who provide care for these patients pre and post operatively must be cognitive of these changes and provide adequate therapeutic interventions. What happens to the patient who enters the operating suite normothermic, anxious, and normotensive? Two to four hours later we care for a comatose, cold, clammy, edematous, hypertensive, tachycardiac patient. This chapter will explore the physiologic impact of cardiac surgery, specifically the areas of hypothermia, cardiopulmonary bypass and from the point of view of the type of surgical procedure.
Ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition and in situ characterization of titanium oxide thin films

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of titanium oxide films has been performed for the first time under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions. The films were deposited through the pyrolysis reaction of titanium isopropoxide, Ti(OPri)4, and in situ characterized by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). A small amount of C incorporation was observed during the initial stages of deposition, through the interaction of precursor molecules with the bare Si substrate. Subsequent deposition produces pure and stoichiometric TiO2 films. Si–O bond formation was detected in the film-substrate interface. Deposition rate was found to increase with the substrate temperature. Ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHV-CVD) is especially useful to study the initial stages of the CVD processes, to prepare ultra-thin films, and to investigate the composition of deposited films without the interference from ambient impurities.
Correlation of Knee Extension Force and Torque with Gait Speed in Patients with Stroke

The purpose of this study was to determine and compare among 26 patients with stroke the correlations between gait speed and static knee extensor muscle force (KEMF) and between gait speed and knee extensor muscle torque (KEMT) that were either normalised or not normalised against (divided by) body weight. The gait speed of the patients was determined as they walked an 8-metre expanse of floor. Their KEMF was measured bilaterally with an Ametek hand-held dynamometer. Their KEMT was calculated from their KEMF measurement and also measured bilaterally directly with a Cybex II isokinetic dynamometer. All the KEMF and KEMT measures (normalised and not normalised) of the paretic side were correlated significantly (P<0.01) with gait speed (r = 0.603-0.677). The measures on the non-paretic side were not correlated significantly with gait speed. On the paretic side, the correlations between gait speed and KEMF and gait speed and KEMT did not differ significantly. Normalisation of the KEMF and KEMT measures did no...
The Woodcock–Johnson Tests of Cognitive Abilities III’s Cognitive Performance Model Empirical Support for Intermediate Factors Within CHC Theory

The Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability Third Edition is developed using the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) measurement-theory test design as the instrument's theoretical blueprint. The instrument provides users with cognitive scores based on the Cognitive Performance Model (CPM); however, the CPM is not a part of CHC theory. Within the instrument's Technical Manual the authors provide some information about the CPM; however, the structural/theoretical support for the validity of the CPM is limited. Recent research found empirical support for the CPM as intermediate factors within Carroll's three-stratum theory of intelligence. The results from the present study also provide empirical support of the CPM as intermediate factors lying between the second- and third-strata of a CHC-based theoretical model. In addition, a previously unidentified research-based two-factor CPM is identified as the best-fitting model among several competing CPM.
Serum 'anti-myelin antibodies': a spectrofluorometric assay procedure.

— A simple spectrofluorometric procedure has been devised to determine serum antibodies, directed to constituents of the myelin sheath. It is an adaptation of the indirect immunofluorescent technique. A suspension of highly purified bovine myelin is incubated successively with a test rabbit serum and fluoresceinisothiocyanate-conjugated anti-rabbit gamma-globulin. Intensity of fluorescence in the final myelin suspension is determined spectrofluorometrically. Sera from rabbits with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, induced by whole bovine spinal cord, generally gave fluorescence at least 10 times that of normal rabbit serum. Fluorescence of sera with high demyelinating activity was more intense than that of sera with equivocal demyelinating activity. The assay is specific for immunoglobulins directed to myelin constituents, organ-specific and species-independent. Rabbit anti-galactosylceramide serum with known demyelinating activity gave high fluorescence similar to that in sera of rabbits inoculated with whole spinal cord. Galactosylceramide could absorb a substantial portion of‘anti-myelin antibodies’of the anti-galactosylceramide serum but it did not absorb‘anti-myelin antibodies’of serum of rabbits with whole tissue-induced experimental allergic encephalomyelitis. This assay system may be useful for further studies of ‘anti-myelin antibodies’.
Relapsed and Refractory Hodgkin's Lymphoma: New Avenues?

Relapse or progression following therapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma occurs in 10% to 60% of patients depending on initial clinical stage. Patterns of failure in advanced disease determine prognosis of salvage therapy. Progression or early relapse after less than 12 months requires intensive salvage therapy. Only late, isolated, asymptomatic relapse, which occurs in less than 25% of those relapsing from systemic therapy, can be treated with conventional-dose chemotherapy with or without radiation. Overall about 40% to 50% of relapses from advanced disease can be salvaged with higher percentages for patients relapsing from early stage disease.
Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles by a Bryophilous Rhizoctonia Species

We demonstrate the synthesis of silver nanoparticles by a potentially benign species of bryophilous Rhizoctonia in two different media. The first medium supports fungal growth and the up-regulation of nitrate reductase, while the second medium supports fungal growth and the repression of nitrate reductase. For both media, the resulting silver nanoparticles were ca. 25–50nm and were subglobose to broadly ellipsoidal in shape. The optical analysis of the silver nanoparticles from both media demonstrated plasmon resonance at 415nm, confirming their metallic properties. The liquid colour change typically observed for extracellular silver nanoparticle formation was absent in both media. The silver nanoparticles in the two different media displayed different chemical associations; fewer associated chemicals were found with the media, which supported the up-regulation of nitrate reductase. Another difference included plate-like silver nanoparticle conglomerations, which were only encountered on hyphae from the m...
Genetic or pharmacologic disruption of the calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T- cells axis prevents social stress-induced voiding dysfunction in a murine model

Abstract Objective Social stress can suppress the voiding reflex, with resultant diminished voiding frequency and increased volumes. The calcineurin-NFAT (nuclear factor of activated T cells) pathway is important in memory development. It was hypothesized that interruption of the calcineurin-NFAT pathway might prevent social stress-induced voiding dysfunction. Methods Mice were subjected to social stress in an established resident-intruder model for 1 h, followed by 23 h of barrier separation. NFATc3, NFATc4 knockout (KO) and wild-type (WT) mice were studied. At two weeks, voiding patterns were collected; this was followed by sacrifice. Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) mRNA expression in Barrington's nucleus (BN) was determined by in-situ hybridization. Results Social stress decreased voiding frequency and increased voided volumes in WT strains. At baseline, NFATc3 KO mice showed decreased voids and increased volumes, while the NFATc4 KO mice resisted social stress. However, CRF mRNA increased in WT mice following social stress and was increased at baseline in NFATc3 KO mice. It was found that CRF mRNA did not increase following social stress in NFATc4 KO mice. The administration of CsA to WT mice normalized voiding patterns following social stress, albeit with no effect on CRF mRNA in BN. Conclusion Disrupting the calcineurin-NFAT axis by either genetic or pharmacologic approaches confers resistance to the development of social stress-induced voiding and dysfunction.
Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease: Do not misinterpret the recommendations.

Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) for prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke, is likely something that comes up frequently at family physician appointments. Acetylsalicylic acid has substantial benefits for secondary prevention in most cases.
The clinical efficacy of thoracolumbar fascia release for shoulder pain

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate the effects of thoracolumbar fascia release (TLFR) on the degree of pain and disability in patients with shoulder pain. Design: Randomized control trial. Methods: Thirty subjects with shoulder pain participated in this study. They were allocated to TLFR group (n
Physiological consequences of NaCl ingestion by Na(+)-depleted rats

We investigated the temporal relationships between NaCl intake, gastrointestinal Na+ content, and plasma concentrations of Na+, aldosterone, and plasma renin activity (angiotensin). Rats depleted of approximately 2.2 mmol Na+ by combined dietary Na+ restriction and furosemide injection (10 mg sc) drank a preload of 1, 2, or 3 mmol 0.5 M NaCl. Intake of a test 0.5 M NaCl solution given 15, 30, 60, or 120 min later was reduced by approximately 50% of the preload content, irrespective of the interval between preload and test. At 15 min after starting to drink, 61-71% of ingested Na+ remained in the stomach, 15-18% in the small intestine, approximately 5% was calculated to be in extracellular fluid, and less than 1% was excreted. Rates of gastric and gastrointestinal clearance of Na+ were related to the quantity of NaCl ingested. Whereas gastric emptying was initially very rapid (30-61 mumol/min) and decreased with time, gastrointestinal clearance was constant (16-39 mumol/min). Drinking 3 mmol NaCl reliably reduced plasma aldosterone concentrations within 15 min and renin activity within 30 min. Drinking 1 or 2 mmol NaCl reliably reduced levels of these hormones within 30-60 min. The results describe for the first time the distribution of Na+ after Na(+)-depleted rats drink NaCl. They suggest that the rat determines the quantity of Na+ it requires within the first 15 min of ingestion and thus does not depend on signals generated by the prolonged influence of Na+ in the gastrointestinal tract or the fall in plasma concentrations of aldosterone and angiotensin.
Prox1-Heterozygosis Sensitizes the Pancreas to Oncogenic Kras-Induced Neoplastic Transformation

The current paradigm of pancreatic neoplastic transformation proposes an initial step whereby acinar cells convert into acinar-to-ductal metaplasias, followed by progression of these lesions into neoplasias under sustained oncogenic activity and inflammation. Understanding the molecular mechanisms driving these processes is crucial to the early diagnostic and prevention of pancreatic cancer. Emerging evidence indicates that transcription factors that control exocrine pancreatic development could have either, protective or facilitating roles in the formation of preneoplasias and neoplasias in the pancreas. We previously identified that the homeodomain transcription factor Prox1 is a novel regulator of mouse exocrine pancreas development. Here we investigated whether Prox1 function participates in early neoplastic transformation using in vivo, in vitro and in silico approaches. We found that Prox1 expression is transiently re-activated in acinar cells undergoing dedifferentiation and acinar-to-ductal metaplastic conversion. In contrast, Prox1 expression is largely absent in neoplasias and tumors in the pancreas of mice and humans. We also uncovered that Prox1-heterozygosis markedly increases the formation of acinar-to-ductal-metaplasias and early neoplasias, and enhances features associated with inflammation, in mouse pancreatic tissues expressing oncogenic Kras. Furthermore, we discovered that Prox1-heterozygosis increases tissue damage and delays recovery from inflammation in pancreata of mice injected with caerulein. These results are the first demonstration that Prox1 activity protects pancreatic cells from acute tissue damage and early neoplastic transformation. Additional data in our study indicate that this novel role of Prox1 involves suppression of pathways associated with inflammatory responses and cell invasiveness.
Behavioral and Toxicological Responses of Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera: Reduviidae) to the Insect Repellents DEET and IR3535.

,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide (DEET) is a broad-spectrum insect repellent used by millions of people since the 1950s. Ethyl 3-[acetyl(butyl)amino]propanoate (IR3535) is a repellent developed more recently that is still not used as extensively. This study compares the behavioral and toxicological effects of both substances in fifth-instar nymphs of the blood-sucking bug Rhodnius prolixus Stal (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), one of the main vectors of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). Repellency was quantified using filter paper discs as experimental arenas. Half the discs were treated with solution of repellent in acetone, and the other half with acetone alone. The lowest observed effect level was identical for both substances, 74 µg/cm2. Nymph age (between 1-3 h and 99 d from last ecdysis) had no influence on repellency. Topical application of 750 µg of DEET per nymph produced a mortality rate between 0% (24 h after application) and 40% (7 d later). The same dose of IR3535 produced no mortality during the same period of time. Simultaneous treatment with piperonylbutoxide (a mixed function microsomal oxidase inhibitor) synergized the lethal effect of DEET. Only DEET increased locomotor activity in nymphs exposed to a treated surface. Nymph antennectomy abolished DEET repellency but not its effect on locomotor activity. The concentrations of both these compounds required to produce either behavioral or toxicological effects are too high to have any practical applications in the control of R. prolixus.
Intracellular Oxidation-Reduction Studies

1. Of the simple and substituted indophenols used, all except those containing a sulfonate radical could be detected in living Echinoderm ova after immersion in the indicators dissolved in sea-water. All the indophenols containing the sulfonate radical and the three indigo sulfonates do not penetrate. The amphoteric dyes F, N , and the basic dyes Q, Q 1, R, S 1 and V readily penetrate the ova. 2. Under aerobic conditions all the penetrating dyes down to and including methylene blue can be completely reduced within the ova. Ultimately, however, through progressive intracellular accumulation of the oxidant, the dyes all impart a visible coloration to the cytoplasm. There is an apparent relationship between the time necessary for the ultimate visible coloration and the ease with which the dye is reduced in the cytoplasm. 3. Eggs, immersed in the penetrating indicators, eventually die without undergoing segmentation. On the other hand, the eggs immersed in solutions of all but one of the non-penetrating indicators developed into swimming larvae. 4. Upon cytolysis the increased permeability of the disintegrated remains of the eggs permits the washing out of the contained indicator. The dissipation of reducing power has been shown to occur in several instances upon cytolysis by tearing. The agent or agents responsible for the reducing activity of protoplasm apparently escapes from the cytolysed cell debris into the surrounding medium in which it may still exert its reducing action.
Alfalfa Stem-Removal Methods and Their Efficiency in Predicting Actual Numbers of Alfalfa Weevil Larvae (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Five stem-removal methods were compared for usefulness in recovering alfalfa weevil, Hypera posttca (Gyllenhal), larvae during shake-bucket sampling of alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. Fate of larvae residing on the stem was partitioned into those not counted because they were lost when the stem was picked, larvae which were shaken into the bucket, and overlooked larvae discarded with the stem. Up to 1.5 larvae per stem were dislodged on average before the stem reached the bucket. Methods that involved more movement of the stem during the separation process (snapping the wrist or ripping out a stem) tended to show the greatest losses. In most instances, fewer larvae were lost with the finger-shear, palm-tip, and knife methods. Numerically, the knife, palm-tip, and finger-shear methods yielded higher larval counts in the bucket. The unmodified bucket count yielded 57-83% of the larvae actually inhabiting the sampled alfalfa stems. No differences among relative methods were noted in numbers of discarded larvae. From 0.5 to 2.0 larvae per stem were overlooked and discarded during shake-bucket sampling. Using the conscientious consultant approach (bucket count plus nspecting some discarded stems) increased the accuracy of the population estimate to >80% of the true value. Sampler differences were less obvious under the conscientious consultant approach than under the traditional uncorrected bucket count. We recommend producers, onsultants, and Extension personnel use the finger-shear, palm-tip, or knife methods when taking alfalfa weevil samples for shake-bucket evaluations.
Neurologic critical care in patients with human immunodeficiency virus 1 infection.

Neurologic illness related to HIV-1 infection can involve the entire neurax- is and result in a wide range of neurologic syndromes. This article reviews intracerebral mass lesions, meningitis, myelopathy, peripheral neuropathy, and occupational exposure to HIV-1.
Agreement in Youth-Parent Perceptions of Parenting Behaviors: A Case for Testing Measurement Invariance in Reporter Discrepancy Research.

While conventional wisdom suggests that parents and their adolescent offspring will often disagree, the nature of discrepancies in informant reports of parenting behaviors is still unclear. This article suggests testing measurement invariance in an effort to clarify if discrepancies in informant scores reflect true differences in perspectives on the same construct, or if the instrument is simply not measuring the same construct across parents and youth. The study provides an example by examining invariance and discrepancy across child, adolescent, and parent reports on the Alabama Parenting Questionnaire. The sample for this study was 255 youth (51.4 % male) aged 6–17 years (M age = 12.3 years) and an accompanying parent. A five-factor model of the measure was found to provide approximately equivalent measurement across four participant groups (children under 12 years, adolescents aged 12–18 years, and parents of each group, respectively). Latent mean levels of reported parenting constructs varied greatly across informants. Age moderated the association between reports of two subscales, Parental Involvement and Positive Parenting, such that adolescents were more consistent with parents. The findings highlight the utility of testing measurement invariance across informants prior to evaluating differences in their reports, and demonstrate the benefits of considering invariance in the larger conversation over informant discrepancies.
Quantifying over-estimation in early stopped clinical trials and the “freezing effect” on subsequent research:

Background:Despite the wide use of the design with statistical stopping guidelines to stop a randomized clinical trial early for efficacy, there are unsettled debates of potential harmful consequen...
Building cells for quantitative, live-cell analyses of collective motor protein functions.

Abstract Examining the collective mechanical behaviors of interacting cytoskeletal motors has become increasingly important to dissecting the complex and multifaceted mechanisms that regulate the transport and trafficking of materials in cells. Although studying these processes in living cells has been challenging, the development of new Synthetic Biology techniques has opened unique opportunities to both manipulate and probe how these motors function in groups as they navigate the native cytoskeleton. Here, we describe an approach to engineer mammalian cells for a new class of inducible cargo motility assays that utilize drug-dependent protein dimerization switches to regulate motor—cargo coupling and transport. Our adaptations provide genetic-level control over the densities of motor proteins coupled to, as well as the sizes of endogenous vesicular cargos in these assays. By allowing the examination of transport responses to changes in motor density and cargo size-dependent viscous drag force, such control can enable quantitative comparisons of mechanistic distinctions between the collective behaviors of different types of processive cytoskeletal motors.
Temporal and Regional Patterns of Commercial Litigation in Post-Soviet Russia

An American lawyer, political scientist, and specialist on Russian law and its application in the business environment examines the evolution of commercial litigation in arbitrazh courts. The research—based on analysis of official statistical forms that individual courts submit annually to the Higher Arbitrazh Court and interviews with business managers—focuses on trends and regional variations in the number and types of cases decided by these courts, including those involving nonpayments, bank services, collateral, commercial paper, damage to business reputation, and participation of foreigners. Coverage also extends to the speed and cost of litigating as well as to the appeals process. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: K10, K20, K41. 9 tables, 36 references.
Corporate Tax Reform Part 1: The Urgent Problem of 'Locked Out' Foreign Profits

Now that Congress has resolved the federal budget for a year or more, it should turn its attention to corporate tax reform. Although many Democrats as well as Republicans talk about reducing the domestic tax rate on corporate profits from 35% to 25%, this is not politically feasible. Instead, Congress should concentrate on the most urgent aspect of tax reform – freeing up almost $2 trillion in foreign profits of U.S. corporations, “locked out” of the U.S. because of perverse U.S. tax rules.
Gifts without Givers: Secular Spirituality and Metaphorical Cognition

The option of being ‘spiritual but not religious’ deserves much more philosophical attention. That is the aim here, taking the work of Robert Solomon as a starting point, with focus on the particular issues around viewing life as gift. This requires analysis of ‘existential gratitude’ to show that there can be gratitude for things without gratitude to someone for providing things, and also closer attention to the role that metaphor plays in cognition. I consider two main concerns with gift and gratitude thinking, that the nonreligious justification is too instrumentalist in its approach and that viewing life as gift, whether in a religious or nonreligious way, is simply too optimistic.
Arthroscopic Treatment: Layout of the Operating Room Surgical Approaches—Lateral

The lateral approach to hip arthroscopy was first developed in the early 1980s in an effort to create a reproducible method to enter the central compartment of the joint. The idea came from doing hip replacement in the lateral decubitus position, a popular method at the time. The indications, layout of the operating suite, and technical considerations are important for a successful and optimal outcome. Currently, all hip arthroscopic procedures in all compartments and the peripheral space may be performed using a lateral approach.
Unsupervised feature selection on networks: a generative view

In the past decade, social and information networks have become prevalent, and research on the network data has attracted much attention. Besides the link structure, network data are often equipped with the content information (i.e, node attributes) that is usually noisy and characterized by high dimensionality. As the curse of dimensionality could hamper the performance of many machine learning tasks on networks (e.g., community detection and link prediction), feature selection can be a useful technique for alleviating such issue. In this paper, we investigate the problem of unsupervised feature selection on networks. Most existing feature selection methods fail to incorporate the linkage information, and the state-of-the-art approaches usually rely on pseudo labels generated from clustering. Such cluster labels may be far from accurate and can mislead the feature selection process. To address these issues, we propose a generative point of view for unsupervised features selection on networks that can seamlessly exploit the linkage and content information in a more effective manner. We assume that the link structures and node content are generated from a succinct set of high-quality features, and we find these features through maximizing the likelihood of the generation process. Experimental results on three real-world datasets show that our approach can select more discriminative features than state-of-the-art methods.
Methane Storage: Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Room-Temperature Adsorption in Zn4O(BDC)3 (MOF-5)

In this paper we study how the methane adsorption properties of the ionic MOF-5 are derived from the local structure of its coordinated metal-cluster. Density functional theory is used to study the adsorption process and identify the key interactions which drive it at ambient temperatures. A detailed adsorption model which represents the adsorption process is derived and used to extract thermodynamic properties from previously reported adsorption isotherms. We find that after adsorption of a single molecule to the face of the metal cluster, a nanostructured surface is formed which enables adsorption of additional CH4 molecules at reduced entropic penalty thanks to on-surface hopping motions and retention of significant translational freedom. Binding of the CH4 molecules to the MOF is dominated by electrostatic interactions with negatively charged carboxylate groups, while CH4–CH4 dispersion interactions are important only at high pressures. Last, the MOF-specific adsorption model is compared against the s...
Protein Crystallization in Restricted Geometry: Advancing Old Ideas for Modern Times in Structural Proteomics

In the structural genomics period traditional methods for protein crystallization have been eclipsed by automation using batch or vapor diffusion equilibration to find conditions conducive for protein crystal growth. Although many globular and soluble proteins predominantly from prokaryotes have been crystallized and their structures solved by high throughput approaches, the remaining difficult proteins require more systematic and reflective methods combining miniaturization and integration of modern and traditional crystallography techniques. One of these conventional methods is growing crystals in restricted geometry, which is a historically well-known concept and a practical technique under-used by today's crystallographers. This chapter presents practical guidelines to use capillaries for microbatch crystallization screening and counter-diffusion crystallization as valuable techniques to obtain protein crystals in confined volumes. The emphasis in the authors' application is to perform broad-based screening with a microgram amount of protein, optimize crystal growth in a supersaturation gradient, and undergo in situ x-ray data analysis for x-ray crystallography without invasive manipulation. Applications and concepts presented here bring to light future prerequisites for the next generation of automation for structural genomics.
Surgical Correction of the Resistant Club Foot: ONE-STAGE POSTEROMEDIAL RELEASE WITH INTERNAL FIXATION A PRELIMINARY REPORT

A method is described for the early one-stage surgical correction of the resistant, idiopathic, congenital club foot that has failed to respond to non-operative treatment, or has recurred following previous soft-tissue surgery. The method is derived from the procedures previously described by, among others, Codivilla, Brockman, McCauley, and Bost. Of the thirty-one feet which have been followed two years or more postoperatively, one was a failure necessitating further surgery, three were considered to be fair results and the rest were rated good or excellent by rigid clinical and roentgenographic criteria. Based on the preoperative roentgenographic and clinical findings, as well as the operative findings in this small series, it is concluded that (1) a complete correction is best attained with a one-stage posterior and medial soft-tissue release, (2) a lasting corrections is attained only if the correction at operation is complete and temporarily stabilized by internal fixation, and (3) a stress dorsiflexion lateral roentgenogram is the most accurate and reliable method of assessing the correction of the deformity. The technique described has obviated the problems with wound healing, postoperative stiffness, and recurrent deformity which, in the past, have been raised as objections to early soft-tissue surgery. Despite the fact that many of the feet in this series have not been followed until they were skeletally mature, the results to date indicate that a lasting correction can be obtained by a one-stage operation in which the correction is stabilized by transfixing the talonavicular joint with a Kirschner wire and that the best results are obtained when the operation is performed when the child is under two years of age.
Replication-dependent histone isoforms: a new source of complexity in chromatin structure and function

Replication-dependent histones are expressed in a cell cycle regulated manner and supply the histones necessary to support DNA replication. In mammals, the replication-dependent histones are encoded by a family of genes that are located in several clusters. In humans, these include 16 genes for histone H2A, 22 genes for histone H2B, 14 genes for histone H3, 14 genes for histone H4 and 6 genes for histone H1. While the proteins encoded by these genes are highly similar, they are not identical. For many years, these genes were thought to encode functionally equivalent histone proteins. However, several lines of evidence have emerged that suggest that the replication-dependent histone genes can have specific functions and may constitute a novel layer of chromatin regulation. This Survey and Summary reviews the literature on replication-dependent histone isoforms and discusses potential mechanisms by which the small variations in primary sequence between the isoforms can alter chromatin function. In addition, we summarize the wealth of data implicating altered regulation of histone isoform expression in cancer.
AN EXAMINATION OF ONE FACTOR IN SCHOOL REFORM: INCREASED TEACHER ACCOUNTABILITY IN TWO URBAN SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Beginning in 2009, and with the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, school districts across the United States began to be held to higher standards and their progress publicly reported. Student achievement began to be measured by standardized testing and great efforts were being made to reduce the achievement gap. This paper is based on a five-year study of teacher evaluation in two urban districts in Massachusetts where improving teacher practice was seen as an important factor in raising student achievement. This research studied efforts to address those teachers who were identified as underperforming and were supported through individual improvement plans. This paper used a case study approach to show what the practices of a sampling of these teachers looked like, teachers’ reactions to being rated unsatisfactory, and teachers’ reactions to the improvement planning process.
Chapter 9 – Applying Financial Modeling Techniques: To Value, Structure, and Negotiate Mergers and Acquisitions

Publisher Summary This chapter explores application of financial modeling techniques in context of mergers and acquisitions. Financial modeling refers to the application of spreadsheet software to define simple arithmetic relationships among variables within the firm's income, balance sheet, and cash-flow statements and to define the interrelationships among the various financial statements. The primary objective of applying financial modeling techniques is to create a computer-based model, which facilitates the acquirer's understanding of the effect that changes in certain operating variables have on the firm's overall performance and valuation. Once in place, these models can be used to simulate alternative plausible valuation scenarios to determine which one enables the acquirer to achieve its financial objectives without violating identifiable constraints. This chapter illustrates a process for building a financial model in the context of a merger or acquisition. The process allows the analyst to determine the minimum and maximum prices for a target firm and the initial offer price. The chapter also provides a simulation model for assessing the impact of various offer prices on postmerger EPS and discusses how this capability can be used in the negotiating process. The flexibility of these modeling techniques is illustrated by showing how they may be applied to special situations, such as when the acquirer or target is part of a parent firm or when the objective is to value, structure, and negotiate a joint venture or business alliance.
Finding and Fixing Performance Pathologies in Persistent Memory Software Stacks

Emerging fast, non-volatile memories will enable systems with large amounts of non-volatile main memory (NVMM) attached to the CPU memory bus, bringing the possibility of dramatic performance gains for IO-intensive applications. This paper analyzes the impact of state-of-the-art NVMM storage systems on some of these applications and explores how those applications can best leverage the performance that NVMMs offer. Our analysis leads to several conclusions about how systems and applications should adapt to NVMMs. We propose FiLe Emulation with DAX (FLEX), a technique for moving file operations into user space, and show it and other simple changes can dramatically improve application performance. We examine the scalability of NVMM file systems in light of the rising core counts and pronounced NUMA effects in modern systems, and propose changes to Linux's virtual file system (VFS) to improve scalability. We also show that adding NUMA-aware interfaces to an NVMM file system can significantly improve performance.
The Internal Process of Policy Implementation

Most studies of policy implementation—especially in social programs such as job training, education, and health—have focused on relationships within and among large bureaucracies in which the dominant theme has often been the subtle distortion of program intent through delay and resistance by officials defending their traditional programs or responding to local resistance.1 From our perspective, however, many of these problems arose because the statutory framers were unable or unwilling to minimize the number of veto/clearance points involved and to assign implementation to sympathetic agencies that would give the new program high priority. In addition, decision procedures in these bureaucracies were sufficiently complex that it was difficult for outsiders to monitor the process and to effectively present their case.2
Modeling of microscope images for early detection of fatigue cracks in structural materials

From the perspectives of health monitoring and life extension of structural materials, this paper addresses the problem of early detection of fatigue cracks in metallic materials (e.g., polycrystalline alloys). To this end, optical images have been collected from an ensemble of test specimens to construct computationally efficient models of crack evolution; these images are segmented into two major categories. The first category comprises images of (structurally) healthy specimens, while the second category contains images of specimens with cracks, including those in early stages of crack evolution. Based on this information, algorithms for early detection of crack formation are formulated in the setting of image classification, where the bag-of-words (BoW) technique has been used to develop models of the sensed images from a microscope, resulting in computationally efficient crack detection algorithms. To evaluate the performance of these crack detection algorithms, experiments have been conducted on a special-purpose fatigue testing apparatus, equipped with a computer-controlled and computer-instrumented confocal microscope system. The results of experimentation with multiple test specimens show excellent crack detection capabilities when the proposed BoW-based feature extraction is combined with quadratic support vector machine (QSVM) for pattern classification. Comparative evaluation with other classification tools establishes superiority of the proposed BoW/QSVM technique.
A case of hemorrhagic pneumonitis resulting from heavy use of cannabis vaporizer products

The use of vaporizer products for the consumption of nicotine and cannabis extracts has seen large increases in recent years, especially among young people, but the long-term health effects from th...
Chapter 20 – Sexual Behaviors

Publisher Summary This chapter offers a brief overview of several key issues related to the display of male and female sexual behavior. Attraction, motivation, and performance are the three main constituents of sexual behavior in males and females. Males are sexually receptive as long as testosterone levels are high. Castration results in a gradual decline in sexual behavior that, in rats, takes approximately 10–14 days. There are four epochs of time in the lives of mammalian females during which fluctuations in ovarian hormones are behaviorally important: puberty, the estrous or menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and menopause. For inducing courtship and mating behaviors in laboratory mice and rats, the optimal pattern and timing of ovarian hormone administration mimics the natural estrous cycle. Four lines of evidence prove that estrogens act in the brain to promote female sexual behaviors. First, estrogens circulating in the blood are bound and retained in the cell nuclei of the same hypothalamic nerve cells whose destruction abolishes lordosis behavior, the primary female rodent sex behavior.
Kakar's Psychoanalytic Interpretation of Indian Childhood: The Need to Emphasize the Father and Multiple Caregivers in The Socialization Equation

Kakar's psychoanalytic analysis of the role of the father in the East Indian child's socioemotional development during the early childhood period is examined. Furthermore, maternal employment and multiple caregiving are considered in broad terms. Using findings from observational studies of parent-infant interactions and care in diverse cultures around the world as a barometer, it is argued that fathers are more centrally involved in the Indian child's life than has been previously acknowledged. It is proposed that the Indian mother remains the primary caregiver with other socialization agents assuming complementary but nonequivalent roles in the Indian child's social development. Future discussions of Indian childhood development could further delineate the role of the father and multiple caregivers in the socialization process.
Electronic structure and tight-binding molecular dynamics simulations for calcium and strontium

Abstract Alkaline earth metals, Calcium and Strontium, are soft materials with a stable fcc crystal structure. In this work we have applied the Naval Research Laboratory Tight-Binding (NRL-TB) method to these materials using total energies and energy bands inputs generated by the Linearized Augmented Plane Wave (LAPW) method using the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA) for treatment of exchange and correlation. Accurate TB Hamiltonians have been obtained for Ca and Sr that fit very well the LAPW results of the fcc, bcc and sc structures for the total energy and band structure. Also, properties that were not fitted including elastic constants and phonon frequencies reproduce well the measured values, as well as producing total energies for the evaluation of structural differences. In addition, our model is successful in performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to derive quantities such as mean-squared displacements, vacancy formation energies and thermal expansion coefficients. Finally, we have shown that Sr which is known to have semi-metallic behavior can be turned into a semiconductor (possibly a topological insulator) upon applying spin-orbit interaction.