cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transdermal Delivery of Metoprolol II: In-Vitro Skin Permeation and Bioavailability in Hairless Rats

Abstract The absolute bioavailability of metoprolol (MP) was evaluated following oral and transdermal administration in hairless rats. The absolute bioavailability of MP following oral administration was 3.48 ± 1.73%, indicating that MP is subject to extensive hepatic first‐pass metabolism. Transdermal delivery of MP, via an adhesive delivery device, resulted in a bioavailability of 30.07 ± 4.84%, indicating that the transdermal delivery of MP can significantly increase systemic bioavailability compared with oral administration. Preliminary skin irritation studies indicated that neither MP nor the adhesive used in the device caused any appreciable skin irritation in the hairless rats.
An algorithm for the construction of spatial coverage designs with implementation in SPLUS

Abstract Space-filling “coverage” designs are spatial sampling plans which optimize a distance-based criterion. Because they do not depend on the covariance structure of the process to be sampled, coverage designs are computed more efficiently than designs that are optimal for mean-squared-error criteria. This paper presents an efficient algorithm for the construction of coverage designs and evaluates its performance in terms of computation time and effectiveness at finding “good” designs. Results suggest that near-optimal designs for reasonably large problems can be computed efficiently. The algorithm is implemented in the statistical programming language SPLUS and examples of the construction of coverage designs are given involving an existing network of ozone monitoring sites.
Characterization of pH-Dependent Poly(acrylic Acid) Complexation with Phospholipid Vesicles

Abstract The pH-dependent complexation of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) with phospholipid (phosphatidylcholine) vesicles was characterized by fluorescence polarization, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and surface pressure measurements of phospholipid monolayers. The complexation was pronounced below pH 4, when the polymer carboxyl groups are protonated, as shown by the binding of PAA to vesicles and the decrease in polymer mobility. The complexation was strong at low polymer concentrations and was weaker at higher polymer concentrations. PAA complexation increased the gel to liquid crystalline (LC) phase transition temperature ( T m ) and enthalpy (Δ H ) of the vesicles accompanied by a decrease in the transition cooperativity. This is most likely due to perturbations in the phospholipid headgroup upon PAA interaction. The effect of polymer adsorption on the phospholipid surface was investigated at the phospholipid/water interface. The ability of PAA to penetrate between the phospholipid molecules as a function of pH was determined by the lateral expansion of the monolayer at a constant surface pressure. The ability of the polymer to penetrate into the monolayer increased with decreasing pH. These results suggest that PAA complexation leads to expansion of the phospholipid packing of the vesicles by altering the phospholipid headgroup conformation.
The Hearing-Aid Speech Perception Index (HASPI)

Abstract This paper presents a new index for predicting speech intelligibility for normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners. The Hearing-Aid Speech Perception Index (HASPI) is based on a model of the auditory periphery that incorporates changes due to hearing loss. The index compares the envelope and temporal fine structure outputs of the auditory model for a reference signal to the outputs of the model for the signal under test. The auditory model for the reference signal is set for normal hearing, while the model for the test signal incorporates the peripheral hearing loss. The new index is compared to indices based on measuring the coherence between the reference and test signals and based on measuring the envelope correlation between the two signals. HASPI is found to give accurate intelligibility predictions for a wide range of signal degradations including speech degraded by noise and nonlinear distortion, speech processed using frequency compression, noisy speech processed through a noise-suppression algorithm, and speech where the high frequencies are replaced by the output of a noise vocoder. The coherence and envelope metrics used for comparison give poor performance for at least one of these test conditions.
Autonomic function and spinal cord injury: are we at a crossroads?

This presentation was originally given as ‘The Sullivan Lecture’ at the International Spinal Cord Society Meeting in Reykjavik, Iceland on 30 June 2007. Named lecture at an international meeting. The development of the autonomic component standards of the International Standards for the Neurologic Classification is described. Research pertaining to sexual responses after spinal cord injury is presented as a model for ways the impact of varying patterns of spinal cord injuries on other organ systems could be studied. Future challenges and opportunities facing the field of spinal cord injury are also discussed. The addition of a standard form of communicating the impact of spinal cord injury on autonomic responses should improve clinical care and research related to spinal cord injury. Using the knowledge that can be obtained from detailed assessment of persons with spinal cord injuries will help provide increased understanding of neuroanatomy in the able-bodied persons. This added value from studying persons with spinal cord injuries provides further justification for research in this area.
COGNITIVE, MOTIVATIONAL AND TEMPERAMENTAL INDICANTS OF CREATIVITY AND INTELLIGENCE1

Relationships between measures of creativity and measures of intelligence were analysed to show that even when the intercorrelations among the former are not appreciably larger than correlations between creativity and intelligence measures, dimensions of creativity are found to be psychometrically and conceptually distinct from dimensions of intelligence. One hundred eighty-eight art and engineering college students were administered objective tests and questionnaires designed to tap a number of ability and nonability indicants of creativity and intelligence. Some of these measures were of a kind that some investigators would regard as “criterion” measures of creativity and intelligence. Data were analysed by means of correlational and factor analytic procedures. Eight major influences were indicated by independent factors rotated to approximate simple structure. The influences represented by these factors were identified as: fluid intelligence, crystallized intelligence, memory, fluency, rule-orientation versus intuitive thinking, and self-sufficient-calculated-risk-taking. The fourth, seventh, and eighth factors were discussed as representing distinct cognitive, motivational, and temperamental aspects of creativity. At the level of test intercorrelations discriminant validity did not obtain–measures of creativity did not intercorrelate more highly among themselves than they correlated with measures of intelligence. The putative factors of creativity did correlate more highly with creativity criteria, however, than did the factors identified as representing intelligence. Moreover, the intelligence factors were more highly related to intelligence criteria than to creativity criteria. Thus the evidence of this study suggests that it is useful to think of creativity and intelligence as the outgrowths of distinct (although overlapping) sets of influences, even when this is not well indicated by discriminant-convergent validation analyses carried out with respect to tests (in contrast to factors).
Cold Front Variability in the Southern United States and the Influence of Atmospheric Teleconnection Patterns

The variability of cold front passages in the southern United States and the effects of three teleconnection patterns on cold front frequencies are analyzed in this study. The Southern Oscillation is weakly correlated with cold front frequencies. However, cold front passage frequencies during El Nino and La Nina events are not significantly different. The Pacific/North American (PNA) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) teleconnection patterns exert a significant influence on cold front variability in this region. The PNA pattern is most strongly tied to variations in cold front passage frequencies in Florida. Meridional (zonal) flow conditions are associated with a southward (northward) displacement of storm tracks over the eastern United States, resulting in an increase (decrease) in cold front passages in Florida. Various parts of the southern United States are affected by the NAO. High NAO months are characterized by an expanded Atlantic Subtropical High which often results in fewer cold front passage...
Antigen-Specific CD8+ T Cells and the Development of Central Memory during Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection

Whether true memory T cells develop in the face of chronic infection such as tuberculosis remains controversial. To address this question, we studied CD8+ T cells specific for the Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESAT6-related Ags TB10.3 and TB10.4. The shared epitope TB10.3/10.4(20-28) is presented by H-2 K(d), and 20-30% of the CD8+ T cells in the lungs of chronically infected mice are specific for this Ag following respiratory infection with M. tuberculosis. These TB10.3/10.4(20-28)-specific CD8+ T cells produce IFN-gamma and TNF and express CD107 on their cell surface, which indicates their likely role as CTL in vivo. Nearly all of the Ag-specific CD8+ T cells in the lungs of chronically infected mice had a T effector cell phenotype based on their low expression of CD62L and CD45RB. In contrast, a population of TB10.3/10.4(20-28)-specific CD8+ T cells was identified in the lymphoid organs that express high levels of CD62L and CD45RB. Antibiotic treatment to resolve the infection led to a contraction of the Ag-specific CD8+ T cell population and was accompanied by an increase in the proportion of CD8+ T cells with a central memory phenotype. Finally, challenge of memory-immune mice with M. tuberculosis was accompanied by significant expansion of TB10.3/10.4(20-28)-specific CD8+ T cells, which suggests that these cells are in fact functional memory T cells.
School Mental Health and Prevention Science in the Baltimore City Schools

This article provides background on school mental health (SMH) programs in Baltimore and efforts to integrate evidence-based preventive interventions into the schools served by these programs. We describe the triangular model of SMH promotion, building at the base from environment and relationship enhancement, followed by universal and selective prevention, efforts taken at each of these levels, challenges experienced, and ideas for overcoming challenges. The agenda to integrate evidence-based preventive interventions into schools offers much promise for improving valued outcomes for students and schools. This is a difficult agenda, however, with many dimensions, including program infrastructure, training, building and sustaining school administrator and staff support, and addressing competing contingencies and tendencies toward drift. Better linkage between SMH, prevention science, and implementation science is called for. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A new rhodopsin in R8 photoreceptors of Drosophila: evidence for coordinate expression with Rh3 in R7 cells

The photoreceptor cells of the Drosophila compound eye are precisely organized in elementary units called ommatidia. The outer (R1-R6) and inner (R7, R8) photoreceptors represent two physiologically distinct systems with two different projection targets in the brain (for review see Hardie, 1985). All cells of the primary system, R1-R6, express the same rhodopsin and are functionally identical. In contrast, the R7 and R8 photoreceptors are different from each other. They occupy anatomically precise positions, with R7 on top of R8. In fact, there are several classes of R7/R8 pairs, which differ morphologically and functionally and are characterized by the expression of one of two R7-specific opsins, rh3 or rh4. Here, we describe the identification of a new opsin gene, rhodopsin 5, expressed in one subclass of R8 cells. Interestingly, this subclass represents R8 cells that are directly underneath the R7 photoreceptors expressing rh3, but are never under those expressing rh4. These results confirm the existence of two subpopulations of R7 and R8 cells, which coordinate the expression of their respective rh genes. Thus, developmental signaling pathways between R7 and R8 lead to the exclusive expression of a single rhodopsin gene per cell and to the coordinate expression of another one in the neighboring cell. Consistent with this, rh5 expression in R8 disappears when R7 cells are absent (in sevenless mutant). We propose a model for the concerted evolution of opsin genes and the elaboration of the architecture of the retina.
Race and Gender Inequality in Homeownership: Does Place Make a Difference?*

Racial differences in homeownership have long been a topic of sociological study. Previous studies, however, neglected to consider differences in levels of homeownership between nonmarried black and white women in the context of place. Accordingly this paper focuses on the interaction between place, race, and gender and its impact on homeownership for nonmarried persons. The study employs the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) and logistic regression analysis to address the following questions: Has the racial differential in homeownership for nonmarried women changed from 1970 to 1990? How do place, race, and gender interact to determine the levels of homeownership for nonmarried women? The findings reveal that, although black women were less likely than white women to own homes, the racial differential declined dramatically in rural areas over the two-decade period. The overall trend of decline was opposite to that for urban areas. Language: en
Bleeding and Clotting Disorders in Pediatric Liver Disease

The coagulopathy of liver disease in pediatric patients presents an unusual set of challenges. Little pediatric data have been published, so this review is based largely on adult studies. There is a precarious balance between deficiencies of clotting factors and anticoagulation factors in liver disease that result in abnormal prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) tests that would suggest a bleeding tendency, yet the patients can form a clot and are at risk of thromboembolic disease. Attention has centered on thromboelastography and thrombin-generation assays to clarify the patient's ability to control bleeding, but these tests are not routinely available to many treating physicians.
Visualizing Alzheimer's disease research: a classroom collaboration of design and science

"There is a space of highly complex systems for which we lack deep understanding because few techniques exist for visualization of data whose structure and content are continually changing." -Benjamin Fry, http://acg.media.mit.edu/people/fry/As the quote suggests, there is a need for new techniques to visualize both emerging and accumulated data in complex fields such as the biological sciences. This paper reports on the early exploration of visualization techniques through the interdisciplinary development of a research data visualization tool at the University of Cincinnati. Undergraduate Digital Design students under the combined instruction of design and biomedical faculty formed collaborative teams to develop a prototype visual-verbal, web-based, dynamic information model (DISPLAY) for extracting, comparing and manipulating research findings related to Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Although the initial prototype focused on AD, the goal was to identify principles and techniques applicable to all types of biological data.
The Association of Patient-Held Records and Completion of Immunizations

Patient-held records have been advocated as a means of increasing knowledge of and compliance with the processes of health care. The association between one type of patient-held record, the immunization record, and completion of the recommended immunizations for the first year is examined. Immunization completion rates varied by socioeconomic and medical care use variables; but, for all variables studied, completion rates were higher for those infants for whom immunization records were available than those without such records. An experimental assessment of the usefulness of patient-held immunization records as a means of improving compliance and meeting national goals for levels of immunization is suggested.
Modulation of cross-frequency coupling by novel and repeated stimuli in the primate ventrolateral prefrontal cortex.

Adaptive behavior depends on an animal’s ability to ignore uninformative stimuli, such as repeated presentations of the same stimulus, and, instead, detect informative, novel stimuli in its environment. The primate prefrontal cortex (PFC) is known to play a central role in this ability. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the ability to differentiate between repeated and novel stimuli are not clear. We hypothesized that the coupling between different frequency bands of the local field potential (LFP) underlies the PFC’s role in differentiating between repeated and novel stimuli. Specifically, we hypothesized that whereas the presentation of a novel stimulus induces strong cross-frequency coupling, repeated presentations of the same stimulus attenuates this coupling. To test this hypothesis, we recorded LFPs from the ventrolateral PFC (vPFC) of rhesus monkeys while they listened to a novel vocalization and repeated presentations of the same vocalization. We found that the cross-frequency coupling between the gamma-band amplitude and theta-band phase of the LFP was modulated by repeated presentations of a stimulus. During the first (novel) presentation of a stimulus, gamma-band activity was modulated by the theta-band phase. However, with repeated presentations of the same stimulus, this cross-frequency coupling was attenuated. These results suggest that cross-frequency coupling may play a role in the neural computations that underlie the differentiation between novel and repeated stimuli in the vPFC.
Intrinsic hardware evolution for the design and reconfiguration of analog speed controllers for a DC Motor

Evolvable hardware provides the capability to evolve analog circuits to produce amplifier and filter functions. Conventional analog controller designs employ these same functions. Analog controllers for the control of the shaft speed of a DC motor are evolved on an evolvable hardware platform utilizing a second generation field programmable transistor array (FPTA2). The performance of an evolved controller is compared to that of a conventional proportional-integral (PI) controller. It is shown that hardware evolution is able to create a compact design that provides good performance, while using considerably less functional electronic components than the conventional design. Additionally, the use of hardware evolution to provide fault tolerance by reconfiguring the design is explored. Experimental results are presented showing that significant recovery of capability can be made in the face of damaging induced faults.
Estimates of Tax-Favored Retirement Saving Behavior of the Self-Employed

Self-employment activity has increased in the United States in recent years, and this growth has expanded the role of saving by self-employed workers as a source of funds for investment. A major if not the primary motive for saving by the self-employed is to provide for income during retirement. Retirement saving via Keogh plans receives preferential tax treatment not unlike that accorded IRAs, yet Keogh saving behavior has generally been overlooked in econometric research. This article presents empirical estimates of the determinants of the decision to participate in a Keogh savings plan and the amount of annual contributions to the plan.
Hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal surgery using GelPort

Background: An easily usable hand access device will optimize success in hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS). The authors describe their initial series of HALS colorectal resections using GelPort to evaluate their current technique and results with this new device. Methods: A retrospective study investigated 33 HALS colorectal procedures including total colectomy (n = 16) and low anterior resection (n = 10). All operative data, including intraoperative GelPort performance, were prospectively recorded and retrospectively analyzed. Results: In this study, 3 (9.1%) of 33 HALS procedures were converted to open surgery, and 4 (13.3%) of 30 HALS procedures required minimal enlargement of incisions to facilitate extracorporeal procedures. The operative time was 263 ± 85 min, and the blood loss was 282 ± 148 ml. There were no device malfunctions. Three major complications (9.1%) and 7 minor wound infections (21%) were noted postoperatively. The mean hospital stay was 7.9 ± 3.8 days. Conclusion: When performed with GelPort, HALS is safely and reliably applicable for various colorectal procedures.
T Helper 2 (Th2) T Cells Induce Acute Pancreatitis and Diabetes in Immune-compromised Nonobese Diabetic (NOD) Mice

Autoimmune diabetes is caused by the CD4+, T helper 1 (Th1) cell-mediated apoptosis of insulin-producing β cells. We have previously shown that Th2 T cells bearing the same T cell receptor (TCR) as the diabetogenic Th1 T cells invade islets in neonatal nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice but fail to cause disease. Moreover, when mixed in excess and cotransferred with Th1 T cells, Th2 T cells could not protect NOD neonates from Th1-mediated diabetes. We have now found, to our great surprise, the same Th2 T cells that produced a harmless insulitis in neonatal NOD mice produced intense and generalized pancreatitis and insulitis associated with islet cell necrosis, abscess formation, and subsequent diabetes when transferred into immunocompromised NOD.scid mice. These lesions resembled allergic inflamation and contained a large eosinophilic infiltrate. Moreover, the Th2-mediated destruction of islet cells was mediated by local interleukin-10 (IL-10) production but not by IL-4. These findings indicate that under certain conditions Th2 T cells may not produce a benign or protective insulitis but rather acute pathology and disease. Additionally, these results lead us to question the feasibility of Th2-based therapy in type I diabetes, especially in immunosuppressed recipients of islet cell transplants.
The evolutionary status of the first Americans

The physical nature of the first men to enter the New World from Asia has long been a matter of dispute. Changes in the conventional wisdom on this subject since 1930 are reviewed. Hrdlicka's opinion provides the base line. Certain important developments since his death are outlined. Although there is good reason now to believe that only Homo sapiens existed in eastern Asia at the time, it is still not certainly established. Actual proof in the form of human skeletal remains is still elusive.
An East Asian Cold Surge: Case Study

Abstract Since a cold surge is a hazardous weather phenomenon in east Asia, the rapid population increase and economic growth over the past two decades require improvement in forecasting cold surges and their related weather events over this region. However, without a better understanding of these events, this task cannot be accomplished. A cold surge with a well-defined cold front passing through Taiwan was selected to illustrate its impact on the east Asian weather system. This case is typical of a large portion of surges occurring in the region. Major findings of this study are as follows. Coupling with the upper ridge–trough structures of the wave train straddling the eastern seaboard of northeast Asia, cold surges occur sequentially. A cold front with a prefront high pressure zone is formed by the new surge outflow interacting with the anticyclone of the aging surge. The warm moist air advected northeastward along the cold front assists the development of the new surge's low center, while the prefron...
Product Market Advertising, IPO Valuation, and Long-Run Stock Returns

We study the impact of product market advertising on IPO valuation and long-run post-IPO stock returns. We find that a firm going public with a greater extent of advertising in its IPO year is valued higher both in the IPO as well as in the immediate market, and experiences lower long-run post-IPO stock returns. Such an IPO firm is also characterized by a greater upward price revision from the mid-point of its filing range during its book-building period. We conjecture that the above results are due to the effect of advertising on the heterogeneity in IPO market investor beliefs about the prospects of the firm going public: advertising may make retail investor investors more optimistic about the firm (leaving institutional investors unaffected), thus increasing the heterogeneity in beliefs among investors as a whole. This, in turn, increases both IPO valuation and immediate aftermarket valuation, and lowers long-run stock returns. We test this "heterogeneous beliefs hypothesis" using the dispersion in analysts' earnings forecasts and the stock turnover in the IPO aftermarket as proxies for the degree of heterogeneity in investor beliefs. We document three important findings consistent with the heterogeneous beliefs hypothesis. First, product market advertising increases both analyst forecast dispersion about the firm going public and stock turnover in the IPO aftermarket. Second, a greater extent of product market advertising is associated with a smaller fraction of equity holdings in the IPO firm's stock by institutional investors. Third, the higher IPO valuation and long run post-IPO stock returns induced by product market advertising are related to the higher analyst forecast dispersion, the higher stock turnover, and the lower institutional investor holdings experienced by the IPO firm.
Suppression of seashore paspalum in bermudagrass with herbicides.

Abstract A mixture of seashore paspalum (Paspalum vaginatum Swartz) with bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) results in an overall poor quality turf on golf course fairways. A field experiment was conducte...
The Sabermetric Revolution: Assessing the Growth of Analytics in Baseball Benjamin Baumer and Andrew Zimbalist. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014.

The Sabermetric Revolution: Assessing the Growth of Analytics in Baseball Benjamin Baumer and Andrew Zimbalist. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014.The baseball purist and hard core baseball fan will enjoy reading the re search-laden text offered by Baumer and Zimbalist in The Saberme trie Revolution: Assessing the Growth of Analytics in Baseball, a seven-chap ter discourse on the study of saberme tries and its influence on baseball scouting and player evaluation in the poststeroids era. The authors begin their research by defining key terms used throughout the book. First, saberme tries is defined as "the use of statistical methods to analyze player performance and game strategy" (xiii), while baseball analytics is the use of stats to evaluate team and league business decisions (xiii). From the beginning, this book, which is reserved for the hardcore statistical baseball fan who is interested in how and why baseball statistics work, goes into far more detail than hits, walks, and runs batted in.Baumer and Zimbalist commence their research by drawing comparisons between the 2003 book Money - ball written by Michael Lewis and the 2011 feature film Moneyball In the latter, the Oakland A's tried to remain competitive by using certain statistics in order to identify undervalued players who could fit within their system in order to compete for a World Series title. However, the film fails to provide a full representation of what happened in Oakland. Meanwhile, Lewis's book provided the argument that through new statistical analysis, the A's were able to field a competitive team despite having a small budget (7). The authors claim that the book and movie can be recognized mostly as entertainment media, but both leave a distorted reality of the saber metric theory (21). Due to the increasing salary value on players, scouts and managers have relied upon the use of statistical analysis in order to assess today's players. The authors opine that "statistical analysis is here to stay" (22).In the text, the authors note that it is arduous to understand every sab er metric equation or formula, and, as a result, most assistant general managers have a background in some type of quantitative training (24). For example, Table Two illustrates that, in 2012, thirty teams had employees with an analytic back- ground (26). Due to the explosion of the Internet and social media, the use of sab er metrics has now grown rapidly, many MLB offices have employees who work primarily with analytics, and information is much greater for scouts and managers than ever before (37). …
Selective Surface Decoration of Corannulene

The reaction of corannulene (C20H10) with 1,2-C2H4Hal2 (Hal = Cl or Br) in the presence of AlCl3 affords stable nonplanar carbocations C20H10CH2CH2Hal+ (Hal = Cl (1) and Br (2)) with an −CH2CH2Hal moiety attached to the interior carbon atom of the bowl. In the analogous reaction with 1-bromo-2-chloroethane, the selective (up to 98%) abstraction of chloride is observed with the formation of cation 2. The molecular structures of bowl-shaped carbocations 1 and 2 crystallized as salts with AlCl4– counterions are revealed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The reaction of 2 with methanol or ethanol provides further decoration of the nonplanar polyarene upon the nucleophilic addition of alkoxy groups to the exterior carbon atom of the corannulene moiety. The 1H NMR investigation of the corresponding products, C20H10(CH2CH2Br)(OCH2R) (R = H (3) and CH3 (4)), shows the formation of intramolecular H···O and H···Br hydrogen bonds.
The Safe and Rational Use of Analgesics: Non-opioid Analgesics

Non-opioid medications have long been part of a comprehensive pain management strategy for acute conditions. Many pharmacologic agents that fall into this heterogeneous group are inexpensive and readily available, and are perceived to have a lower risk of adverse events when compared to opioids. This narrative review provides an overview of several classes of non-opioid analgesics and discusses some of the evidence that examines their effectiveness. Three cases are used to highlight specific situations in which non-opioid medications could be considered. NSAIDs and acetaminophen have been demonstrated to be effective compared to placebo in a variety of settings for the treatment of acute and chronic pain. Tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, and gabapentin are commonly used for chronic neuropathic pain. Important safety considerations exist, and clinicians should be aware of the contraindications and potential for adverse events for any non-opioid analgesic they plan to prescribe.
High-throughput assay for profiling the substrate specificity of Rab GTPase-activating proteins.

Measurement of intrinsic as well as GTPase-activating Protein (GAP) catalyzed GTP hydrolysis is central to understanding the molecular mechanism and function of GTPases in diverse cellular processes. For the Rab GTPase family, which comprises at least 60 distinct proteins in humans, putative GAPs have been identified from both eukaryotic organisms and pathogenic bacteria. A major obstacle has involved identification of target substrates and determination of the specificity for the Rab family. Here, we describe a sensitive, high-throughput method to quantitatively profile GAP activity for Rab GTPases in microplate format based on detection of inorganic phosphate released after GTP hydrolysis. The method takes advantage of a well-characterized fluorescent phosphate sensor, requires relatively low protein concentrations, and can, in principle, be applied to any GAP-GTPase system.
The French Connection: Implications for Law, Crime, and Social Justice:

Employant une orientation theorique, l'A. detaille les contributions de certains theoriciens sociaux de la premiere vague postmoderne (Lacan, Foucault...) et explique comment leurs idees ont ete appropriees dans la loi, le crime et la justice sociale par une deuxieme vague. Des problemes d'ordre social et legal sont traites : les maladies mentales ou encore les theories raciales
Deferred Action and the Bounds of Agency Discretion: Reconciling Policy and Legality in Immigration Enforcement

To assess the legality of President Obama’s immigration reform initiative, Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), we should look to a now-neglected implement in the lawmaker’s toolbox: the art of legislative compromise. The landmark 1965 Immigration Act, which dismantled the discredited regime of national origin quotas that for decades had marred U.S. immigration law, also confirmed that U.S. immigration law operated against a backdrop of difficult choices. Legislators were well aware of the broad international appeal of the benefits of lawful residence in the U.S., including the ability to work legally. They also candidly acknowledged that the U.S. could not accept all foreign nationals who hoped to attain these benefits. By facilitating work authorization for almost 40% of the United States’ current undocumented population, DAPA undermines the key compromise in the 1965 Act between liberalizing legal immigration and deterring illegal immigration. Congress has long recognized that untrammeled executive discretion could undermine the compromise that produced the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as we know it today. Sharing that concern, immigration officials have historically limited discretionary grants of immigration benefits to those that are expressly authorized by Congress or bridges to a form of legal status under the INA. This cabining of immigration discretion preserves the INA’s balance. DAPA ventures far beyond that settled practice, by facilitating work permits to a sizeable proportion of the U.S. undocumented population that lacks a clear path to a legal status. DAPA’s exercise of unilateral discretion threatens to up-end Congress’s comprehensive scheme and strain the constitutional fabric of separation of powers. To guard against these risks, courts should hold that DAPA exceeds the ambit of discretion that the INA delegates to the executive branch.
Why Should We All Be Cultural Psychologists? Lessons From the Study of Social Cognition

I call the attention of psychologists to the pivotal role of cultural psychology in extending and enriching research programs. I argue that it is not enough to simply acknowledge the importance of ...
Accurate Low-Space Approximation of Metric k -Median for Insertion-Only Streams

We present a low-constant approximation for metric k-median on an insertion-only stream of n points using \(O(\epsilon ^{-3} k \log n)\) space. In particular, we present a streaming \((O(\epsilon ^{-3} k \log n), 2 + \epsilon )\)-bicriterion solution that reports cluster weights. It is well-known that running an offline algorithm on this bicriterion solution yields a \((17.66 + \epsilon )\)-approximation.
The Sound-Poetry of the Instability of Reality: The audio reality effect and mimesis

This article proposes the audio reality effect as a meaningful translation of Roland Barthes’s literary reality effect to the sonic realm. This refinement of transcontextuality and source recognition is applied to electroacoustic music and soundscape composition using the works and writings of Emmerson, Truax, Wishart, Smalley, Fischman, Young, Norman and Field. Lastly, this study mimetically analyses 2 seconds / b minor / wave by Michael Pisaro and Taku Sugimoto in order to demonstrate the relevance of mimesis and the audio reality effect for understanding current musical practice.
Spike Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP)

We mentioned spike timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) in Section 33.2 already. Experimental evidence for STDP was presented in [68]: The connection from cell A to cell B was shown to be strengthened when A fired just before B (Hebbian learning), and weakened when B fired just before A (anti-Hebbian learning). To model STDP at a synapse, we make the maximum conductance \(\overline{g}_{\mathrm{syn}}\) associated with the synapse (see eq. (20.8)) time-dependent. In analogy with Sections 39.1 and 39.2, we first describe a model in which the value of \(\overline{g}_{\mathrm{syn}}\) jumps discontinuously, and then turn it into a differential equations model in which the change is rapid but continuous.
Some views on the life of Muslim women in Turkestan in the late XIX - early XX centuries

Issues of public health and education of Muslim women much gained in importance in Russian Turkestan in the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth centuries. In the 1880s European classes, clinics and other institutions were set up in local towns. The first clinic for indigenous Muslim women and children, for instance, appeared in Tashkent in 1883. Gradually they caught on. These changes were well reflected in mass media, mostly newspapers, which constitute an important yet poorly studied primary source for the study of pre-Revolutionary Turkestan.
Indications for invasive mediastinal staging in patients with early non-small cell lung cancer staged with PET-CT

Abstract Purpose/Objective(s) Appropriate use of invasive mediastinal staging in patients with clinically node-negative NSCLC staged by PET-CT is critical in selecting patients for curative-intent therapy such as surgery or SBRT, but little data exists to guide this decision-making. We examined a large population of patients with clinical stage I NSCLC referred for mediastinoscopy or EBUS to find risk factors for occult N2 lymph nodes and determine which patients benefit from invasive staging. Materials/Methods We identified consecutive clinical T1-2N0 NSCLC patients being evaluated for curative-intent therapy between 2011 and 2015. None had evidence of nodal disease by PET-CT; the endpoint was pathologic confirmation of occult N2 disease by EBUS or mediastinoscopy. Tumor size, location, histology, SUVmax, and radiographic appearance were evaluated as determinants of occult N2 disease. Two group comparisons of continuous variables were done with independent t-tests and categorical variables were compared with χ2 or Fisher’s exact test. Results In 284 patients with PET-CT-staged clinical T1-2N0 disease, the prevalence of occult N2 metastases was 7.0%. The negative predictive value of PET-CT was 92.9% and the negative predictive value of mediastinoscopy/EBUS was 96.3%. T2 tumors were more likely to have occult N2 disease than T1 tumors (11.8% v 3.6% p = 0.009). Pure solid tumors had greater involvement of N2 nodes than tumors with any ground glass component (12.6% v 3.1%, p Conclusions Invasive mediastinal staging should be strongly encouraged in central tumors and solid T2 tumors because the risk of occult nodal involvement is greater than 10% in these cohorts. However, for patients with peripheral T1 tumors or peripheral T2 tumors with a significant ground glass component, the yield of invasive staging after a negative PET-CT is very low and invasive staging may not be warranted.
A Survey of Fishery Programs in Colleges and Universities in the United States

Abstract Data provided by 50 institutions of higher education indicated that there is a wide variety of fishery and fishery-related programs throughout the United States. With present facilities, faculty, and operational funding, most of the institutions responded that their programs are responsive to both student and industry/employment needs. However, more than 50% of the institutions project new faculty recruitment, expansion of existing or building of new facilities, and acquisition of new equipment.
Independence from Political Influence—A Shaky Shield: A Study of Ten Inspectors General

Granting structural independence to investigative bodies has historically been designed to shield them from political influence. This analysis of ten offices of inspector general in the United States, however, suggests that while formal independence is important, it alone may not be enough to protect the integrity of inspectors general's corruption-fighting mission. The personal integrity of political officials can be just as important. This study broadens the understanding of investigative independence in the literature and suggests alternative factors that also play a role in protecting the integrity of corruption-control mechanisms.
Applying U.S. national guidelines for ototoxicity monitoring in adult patients: perspectives on patient populations, service gaps, barriers and solutions.

Objectives: To promote establishment of effective ototoxicity monitoring programs (OMPs), this report reviews the U.S. national audiology guidelines in relation to “real world” OMP application. Bac...
The pathogenesis of renal sodium retention and ascites formation in Laennec's cirrhosis.

This chapter critically reviews our current understanding of the pathogenesis, clinical syndrome, and therapy of the disturbances of renal sodium handling, renal perfusion, and glomerular filtration rate that occur in patients with Laennec’s cirrhosis. Avid renal sodium reabsorptiori, a characteristic feature of cirrhosis, occurs independent of moderate changes in renal function and precedes the onset of ascites. The initiation of sodium retention may be a direct consequence of the hepatic disease process and may also result from defective intravascular filling. In the presence of ascites the most important sodium retaining signal is a defective intravascular volume. The principal effectors of renal sodium retention and vasoconstriction are stimulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis and augmentation of renal sympathetic nerve activity. Deficient production of natriuretic hormone(s) and endogenous renal vasodilators, such as Prostaglandins and kinins, also contributes to the sodium retention and renal hypoper-fusion seen in cirrhosis. The hepatorenal syndrome is an extreme imbalance in these renal vasoconstrictor and vasodilator forces. In the therapy of ascites in Laennec’s cirrhosis, abstention from alcohol, sodium restriction, and cautious diuresis are the principal therapeutic measures. A grave prognosis accompanies the diagnosis of the hepatorenal syndrome although recoveries have been reported.
Abstract 18055: Induced Growth of Hypoplastic Cardiac Structures to Facilitate Repair of Congenital Defects

Introduction: Congenital heart defects (CHD) may include hypoplastic valves, ventricles and vessels which complicate repairs. Our hypotheses were that hypoplastic structures are developmental rathe...
Neurostimulant Prescribing Patterns in Children Admitted to the Intensive Care Unit after Traumatic Brain Injury.

Abstract Neurostimulant medications are commonly prescribed following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in adults; little is known about their use in children with TBI. Our objective was to analyze neur...
Effects of Spinal Fusion for Idiopathic Scoliosis on Lower Body Kinematics During Gait.

Abstract Study Design Prospective. Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare gait among patients with scoliosis undergoing posterior spinal fusion and instrumentation (PSFI) to typically developing subjects and determine if the location of the lowest instrumented vertebra impacted results. Summary of Background Data PSFI is the standard of care for correcting spine deformities, allowing the preservation of body equilibrium while maintaining as many mobile spinal segments as possible. The effect of surgery on joint motion distal to the spine must also be considered. Very few studies have addressed the effect of PSFI on activities such as walking and even fewer address how surgical choice of the lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) influences possible motion reduction. Methods Individuals with scoliosis undergoing PSFI (n = 38) completed gait analysis preoperatively and at postoperative years 1 and 2 along with a control group (n = 24). Comparisons were made with the control group at each time point and between patients fused at L2 and above (L2+) versus L3 and below (L3–). Results The kinematic results of the AIS group showed some differences when compared to the Control Group, most notably decreased range of motion (ROM) in pelvic tilt and trunk lateral bending. When comparing the LIV groups, only minor differences were observed, and the results showed decreased coronal trunk and pelvis ROM at the one-year visit and decreased hip rotation ROM at the two-year visit in the L3– group. Conclusions Patients with AIS showed decreased ROM preoperatively with further decreases postoperatively. These changes remained relatively consistent following the two-year visit, indicating that most kinematic changes occurred in the first year following surgery. Limited functional differences between the two LIV groups may be due to the lack of full ROM used during normal gait, and future work could address tasks that use greater ROM. Level of Evidence Level II.
Monomolecular tetrahelix of polyguanine with a strictly defined folding pattern.

The G3TG3TG3TG3 (G3T) sequence folds into a monomolecular quadruplex with all-parallel G3 segments connected to each other by chain-reversal loops. The homopolymer consisting of n number of G3T domains directly conjugated to each other folds into an uninterrupted and unusually stable polymer, tetrahelical monomolecular DNA (tmDNA). It was demonstrated that the tmDNA architecture has strong potential in nanotechnologies as highly programmable building material, high affinity coupler and the driving force for endergonic reactions. Here, we explore capability of analogous DNA sequences (i.e., monomolecular quadruplexes with G2 or G4 segments) to construct tmDNA architecture. The study demonstrates that tmDNA can have only one building pattern based on a quadruplex domain with three G-tetrads and single-nucleotide loops, G3N (N = G, A, C and T); all other domains demonstrate antiparallel topologies unsuitable for tmDNA. The present study also suggests that polyguanine is capable of tmDNA formation with strictly defined building pattern; G3 segments connected to each other by chain-reversal G-loops. These findings can have significant impact on (i) DNA nanotechnologies; (ii) structure prediction of G-rich sequences of genome; and (iii) modeling of abiogenesis.
Allogeneic marrow engraftment by cross circulation in lethally irradiated dogs.

Dogs given 1200 r of total body irradiation were cross-circulated with dogs having normal marrow function. Irradiated controls died in from 4 to 11 days with marrow aplasia. Dogs cross-circulated daily for 6 to 9 days showed histologic evidence of bone marrow repopulation after 1 week. Male dogs cross-circulated with female partners showed typical female drumsticks on mature granulocytes after repopulation had occurred. Cytogenetic studies of an irradiated male dog cross-circulated with a female partner showed all mitotable cells from the bone marrow and peripheral blood to be of female donor type. Allogeneic bone marrow engraftment was associated with an early and severe secondary syndrome which resulted in the death of the animals in the second week. When methotrexate was given, survival was increased to 3 weeks. It was concluded that (1) cross circulation provided leukocytes and platelets adequate for support during the period of radiation-induced marrow aplasia, (2) allogeneic marrow engraftment was produced consistently by cells transferred in the peripheral blood of the normal cross circulation partner, (3) the grafts were associated with an early and severe form of secondary disease, and (4) methotrexate given during the early period of engraftment reduced the severity of the secondary disease.