cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treatment goal weight in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: use of BMI percentiles.

Objective: There is a lack of consensus as to how to determine treatment goal weight in the growing adolescent with anorexia nervosa (AN). Resumption of menses (ROM) is an indicator of biological health and weight at ROM can be used as a treatment goal weight. This study determined the BMI percentile for age at which ROM occurs. Method: A secondary analysis of a prospective cohort study examining 56 adolescent females with AN, aged 12–19 years, followed every 3 months until ROM. BMI percentiles for age and gender at ROM were determined using the nutrition module of Epi Info 2002. Results: At 1-year follow-up, 36 participants (64.3%) resumed menses and 20 (35.7%) remained amenorrheic. Mean BMI percentile at ROM was 27.1 (95% CI = 20.0–34.2). Fifty percent of participants who resumed menses, did so at a BMI percentile between the 14th and 39th percentile. Conclusion: A BMI percentile range of 14th–39th percentile can be used to assign a treatment goal weight, with adjustments for prior weight, stage of pubertal development, and anticipated growth. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord, 2008
Demonstration of a class of proteins loosely associated with secretory granule membranes

Abstract It is shown, in this study, that rat secretory granule membrane preparations, as prepared by the method of Amsterdam et al. [(1971) J. Cell Biol. 50, 187–200], contain a protein fraction which is removed by washing in isotonic medium. This fraction contains unusually high levels of Pro, Gly and Glx, and appears to label rapidly if the rats are pulsed with [14 c ] amino acids prior to removal of the glands. The fraction, which may represent specifically adsorbed secretory protein(s) or peripheral membrane protein, is significant to investigators using this model system to study secretory phenomena.
Abstract 5640: Preclinical of assessment of oxidative stress and apoptotic mechanisms of garlic extract in the prevention of acute promyelocytic leukemia

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL INTRODUCTION: Garlic supplementation in diet has been shown to benefit patients with cancer. Recently, the pharmacological role of garlic in the prevention and treatment of cancer has received increasing attention. However, the mechanisms by which garlic extract (GE)-induced cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in cancer cell remain largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to use HL-60 cells as test model to evaluate whether or not GE-induced cytotoxicty and apoptosis in human leukemia (HL-60) cells is mediated through oxidative stress. METHODS: Human leukemia (HL-60) cells were treated with increasing concentrations of GE for 12 h. Cell survival was determined by MTT assay. The extent of oxidative cell/tissue damage was determined by measuring lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) concentrations by spectrophotometry. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry assessment (Annexin-V and caspase-3 assays) and DNA laddering analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Data obtained from the MTT assay indicated that GE significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the viability of HL-60 cells in a dose-dependent manner. We detected a significant (p < 0.05) increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in GE-treated HL-60 cells compared to the control. Flow cytometry data showed a strong concentration-response relationship between GE exposure and Annexin-V positive HL-60 cells. Similarly, a statistically significant and dose-dependent increase (p <0.05) was recorded with regard to caspase-3 activity in HL-60 cells undergoing late apoptosis. These results were confirmed by data of DNA laddering assay showing a clear evidence of nucleosomal DNA fragmentation in GE-treated cells. CONCLUSION: Our finding indicates that GE-induced cytotoxicity and apoptosis in HL-60 cells are executed by cell death, phosphatidylserine externalization, activation of caspase-3, and nucleosomal DNA fragmentation under the overproduction of MDA, a by-product of lipid peroxidation and biomarker of oxidative stress. We conclude that GE at therapeutic concentrations induces cytotoxic effect and apoptosis in human leukemia (HL-60) cells through oxidative stress. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5640. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5640
Optimal flow rate for antegrade cerebral perfusion

Objective Antegrade cerebral perfusion is widely used in neonatal heart surgery, yet commonly used flow rates have never been standardized. The objective of this study was to determine the antegrade cerebral perfusion flow rate that most closely matches standard cardiopulmonary bypass conditions. Methods Nine neonatal piglets underwent deep hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass at a total body flow of 100 mL/kg/min (baseline). Antegrade cerebral perfusion was conducted via innominate artery cannulation at perfusion rates of 10, 30, and 50 mL/kg/min in random order. Cerebral blood flow was measured using fluorescent microspheres. Regional oxygen saturation and cerebral oxygen extraction were monitored. Results Cerebral blood flow was as follows: baseline, 60 ± 17 mL/100 g/min; antegrade cerebral perfusion at 50 mL/kg/min, 56 ± 17 mL/100 g/min; antegrade cerebral perfusion at 30 mL/kg/min, 36 ± 9 mL/100 g/min; and antegrade cerebral perfusion at 10 mL/kg/min, 13 ± 6 mL/100 g/min. At an antegrade cerebral perfusion rate of 50 mL/kg/min, cerebral blood flow matched baseline ( P = .87), as did regional oxygen saturation ( P = .13). Antegrade cerebral perfusion at 30 mL/kg/min provided approximately 60% of baseline cerebral blood flow ( P P = .93). Antegrade cerebral perfusion at 10 mL/kg/min provided 20% of baseline cerebral blood flow ( P P = .011). Cerebral oxygen extraction at antegrade cerebral perfusion rates of 30 and 50 mL/kg/min was equal to baseline ( P = .53, .48) but greater than baseline ( P Conclusion Cerebral blood flow increased with antegrade cerebral perfusion rate. At an antegrade cerebral perfusion rate of 50 mL/kg/min, cerebral blood flow was equal to baseline, but regional oxygen saturation and cerebral oxygen extraction trends suggested more oxygenation than baseline. An antegrade cerebral perfusion rate of 30 mL/kg/min provided only 60% of baseline cerebral blood flow, but cerebral oxygen extraction and regional oxygen saturation were equal to baseline. An antegrade cerebral perfusion rate that closely matches standard cardiopulmonary bypass conditions is between 30 and 50 mL/kg/min.
An algorithm for fast polynomial approximation

An algorithm is presented for the computation of the coefficients of least square fitting polynomials. The algorithm is such that multiplication is not required with respect to the data points. Since the only multiplication required is by system constants, and that only for the final computation, this algorithm is suitable for real time computation on small microprocessors. Explicit coefficients are given for the quadratic case.
Isospin structure of pairing collective motion

The isospin degree of freedom of the pairing force is studied in the framework of the rotational ($\ensuremath{\Delta}\ensuremath{\ne}0$) and vibrational ($\ensuremath{\Delta}=0$) models. The magnitude $\ensuremath{\Delta}$ is the BCS gap parameter. The predictions of the two models concerning two-nucleon transfer reactions and energy levels are compared and contrasted. Some of the available experimental material around ${\mathrm{Ni}}^{56}$ is discussed in this framework. Further experiments are suggested which would help decide between the coupling schemes.
Responsibilities of Presidents and Advisers: A Theory and Case Study of Vietnam Decision Making

Speculation about the responsibilities of advice givers and advice seekers has not (with minor exceptions) received systematic attention by scholars concerned with the philosophical and moral dimensions of the policy process. Nor has philosophical speculation about official responsibility generally attempted to tailor its insights to the particular constraints of public office. The following analysis attempts to remedy both of these shortcomings. It critically considers various conceptions of responsibility in the advisory relationship and then presents an alternative conception that takes the acquired, role-grounded obligations of the official seriously but recognizes the need for departure from official role based upon broader allegiance to specified democratic goals and principles. Two cases of foreign policy decision making are then presented and examined, and this alternative conception of responsibility is applied to each of them.
Structure development in multistage stretching of PTFE films

The structure of expanded poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (ePTFE) films that were produced by uniaxial or biaxial stretching of a calendared sheet were studied by wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), small angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy. The molecular orientation of the stretched films was analyzed by WAXD flat films and pole figures. Biaxial orientation factors were computed to interpret the level of orientation quantitatively. DSC scans showed that oriented samples exhibited two melting peaks, one at the commonly observed temperature in the range 340–345 °C and one around 380 °C. The possible causes of this high-temperature melting peak and its relation to previously described processes is discussed. The microporous nature of the ePTFE films is also briefly discussed. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2010
Possible mechanistic overlap between cavernous malformations and cerebral developmental venous anomalies.

See related article, pages 2479–2480. The authors report interesting observations that could potentially provide significant insight into the pathogenesis of cavernous malformations (CCMs) and cerebral developmental venous anomalies (CVMs). Most notably, the authors demonstrate that in this individual family, CCMs and CVMs occur independently in different individuals, and that this CCM/CVM dissociation is related to the presence or absence of a frameshift mutation in the CCM1 ( KRIT1 ) gene. In other words, they demonstrate that in this family, possession of this CCM1 mutation is associated with CCMs, whereas CVMs occurred in …
Experimental and clinical aspects of total electrocardiographic alternation

Abstract A laboratory model of total electrocardiographic alternation has been developed which consists of an excised, perfused rabbit heart contained in a 6.35 cm diameter fluid-filled spherical chamber. Under these conditions in about a fourth of spontaneously beating hearts bistable (“flip-flop”) movements will develop that lock in with the heartbeat. Computer-processed signals derived from 20 evenly distributed surface electrodes showed total electrocardiographic alternation during such periods. Swinging angular movements of the oscillating heart tended to be quite vigorous and could amount to 50 or 60 °. Torsional rotations of up to 35 ° about the vertical axis were also recorded. Two previously unreported cases of electrical alternans associated with massive pericardial effusion are briefly described and interpreted in the light of the experimental observations. The study supports the “anatomic rotation hypothesis” of total alternans. The concept of critical cardiac compression as an important accessory factor may yet apply to some clinical cases although it appears to serve no role in the experimental model. A simple mechanistic hypothesis is offered to explain the anatomic rotation that occurred both in this model and in a few reported cases.
Nonpolarized expression of a secreted murine leukemia virus glycoprotein in polarized epithelial cells

Vaccinia virus recombinants were generated which express the intact gp70/p15E of Friend mink cell focus inducing virus (F-MCFV) or truncated forms of the glycoprotein that lack the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. The transport of the intact and truncated envelope glycoproteins to apical or basolateral surfaces was studied in the polarized epithelial MDCK cell line. Infection of MDCK cells with the recombinant expressing the intact F-MCFV envelope glycoprotein resulted in transport exclusively to the basolateral surfaces, whereas the recombinant expressing the truncated glycoprotein was found to be secreted from both the apical and basolateral surfaces. Thus removal of the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the p15E protein results in a loss of directional transport to the basolateral membrane of polarized epithelial cells.
Overview of general physiologic features and functions of vitamin D

Vitamin D3 is a prohormone produced in skin through ultraviolet irradiation of 7-dehydrocholesterol. It is biologically inert and must be metabolized to 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 in the liver and then to 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in the kidney before function. The hormonal form of vitamin D3, ie, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, acts through a nuclear receptor to carry out its many functions, including calcium absorption, phosphate absorption in the intestine, calcium mobilization in bone, and calcium reabsorption in the kidney. It also has several noncalcemic functions in the body. This overview provides a brief description of the physiologic, endocrinologic, and molecular biologic characteristics of vitamin D. It also provides information on new selective analogs of 1alpha,25-dihydroyvitamin D3 for therapy.
Ruptured Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm: Factors Affecting Survival and Long-Term Results

Although elective resection of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is now a safe operation, the mortality related to a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) remains significant. To evaluate fact...
An asymptotically optimal random modem and detector for robust communication

Coherent communication over a waveform channel corrupted by thermal noise and by an unknown and arbitrary interfering signal of bounded power is considered. For a fixed encoder, a random modulator/demodulator (modem) and detector are derived. They asymptotically minimize the worst-case error probability as the blocklength of the encoder becomes large. This optimal modem is independent of the encoder, and the optimal detector is the standard correlation receiver. A simple upper bound to the performance of any encoder when used with the optimal modem and detector is presented. These results provide a benchmark with which the performance of spread-spectrum modems and robust detection rules can be compared. >
Public mandates, market monitoring, and nonprofit financial disclosures

Public officials have recently sought increased regulation of financial disclosures from not-for-profit organizations as a means of improving accountability with the public. One objective of this study is to examine whether not-for-profit entities already subject to audit requirements submit financial reports in compliance with GAAP. Further, since the majority of not-for-profit organizations are not subject to public audit mandates, this study also ascertains whether other market actors such as donors monitor and demand accrual-based financial information. The empirical analyses indicate that not-for-profit organizations subject to public audit mandates are largely in compliance with GAAP, although a significant minority of organizations subject to state requirements is not; further analyses suggest that external oversight significantly influence the use of accrual reporting. Models are also tested on a subsample of not-for-profits that switched from cash to accrual reporting, with the results suggesting that increasing public and market oversight have a significant effect on the decision to switch methods. The overall results suggest that public and market actors demand accrual-based financial reporting from not-for-profit organizations.
Dogfight in Spectrum: Jamming and Anti-Jamming in Multichannel Cognitive Radio Systems

Primary user emulation attack in multichannel cognitive radio systems is discussed. An attacker is assumed to be able to send primary-user-like signals during spectrum sensing period and thus jam the secondary user sensing the corresponding channels. An anti-jamming approach for the secondary user is to do random hopping over the multiple channels. When different channels have different qualities (e.g. probabilities of being idle), the secondary user needs to find the optimal tradeoff between choosing good channels and avoiding the jamming of the attacker. The procedure of jamming and anti-jamming is coined dogfight in spectrum due to its nature of pursuit and evasion. For the one-stage case, the dogfight is modeled as a normal zero-sum game and the Nash equilibrium strategy (max-min point) is obtained. For the case of multi-stage game, the dogfight is essentially a stochastic game with partial observations and imperfect monitoring. The game is analyzed by fixing the strategy of the secondary user and finding the optimal attacking strategy of the attacker using the framework of partially observable Markov decision process (POMDP). The optimal strategies are numerically computed for both one-stage and multi-stage games.
A comparison of BSET transfer students from ABET-accredited and non-accredited community colleges

The New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Bachelor of Science in Engineering Technology (BSET) program is a transfer program accepting students from county/community colleges throughout the state. Some of the feeder colleges are TAC/ABET accredited and some are not. The NJIT Electrical Engineering Technology program, a TAC/ABET accredited program, has been in existence for more than 15 years and a large amount of data is available on the success rate of these students. By comparing the data of students from TAC/ABET accredited lower-division programs with data of students from lower-division programs not TAC/ABET accredited, some conclusions can be drawn on the effectiveness of the TAC/ABET accreditation. Even though the programs listed in the catalogs are virtually identical, students from TAC/ABET accredited colleges are more successful academically than those from colleges not ABET accredited. >
The wasp genus Clystopsenella in Early Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic (Hymenoptera: Scolebythidae)

A new species of scolebythine wasp (Chrysidoidea: Scolebythidae) is described and figured from a female beautifully preserved in Early Miocene amber from the Dominican Republic. The specimen is the first fossil record of the extant genus Clystopsenella Kieffer, and is quite similar to the extant Clystopsenella longiventris Kieffer, a species that occurs widely from Brazil to Belize. Clystopsenella mirabilis Engel, new species, is distinguished from C. longiventris on the basis of size; head, pronotal, and pterostigmal shape; and putative color differences. The living and fossil diversity of the family is summarized and evolutionary patterns within the clade are discussed.
Sensory modalities conveyed in the hindlimb somatic afferent input to nucleus tractus solitarius

To determine the somatic sensory modalities conveyed by hindlimb somatic afferent inputs, the discharge of neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarius was recorded in anesthetized rats after electric...
Public Control of Land Use in Europe

It is not much more than a century ago that Europe first began to be considered somewhat of a unity in its political, economic, and humanitarian philosophies. But at present it looks doubtful whether we ought longer to continue to look upon Europe as a conglomeration of peoples whose ways and means of organizing their industrial and agricultural activities can be surveyed and summarized under one caption. Yet with this doubt as to the immediate present and future in mind, it still seems permissible to trace broadly some of the common traits of European policies adopted and pursued during the last two or three generations. In doing so we must exclude Russia, because even in the Tsarist era her agricultural structure was different from that of the occident. We may properly include, however, the northern and western successor states, Finland, Esthonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland, because these, since the revolution of 1917, have adopted west-European policies and have emphatically emancipated themselves from the course chosen beyond the western boundary of the Eurasiatic Soviet Empire.' Within the non-Russian group of twenty-seven European nations, despite all their wide differences in economic and political development and their wide range of organizations and policies, we may discover a degree of unity as to our topic of land use control. In order to find the common traits we will have to ignore ephemeral details and seek out the aims and the spirit behind the numerous judicial decisions and the codified legislation. In many a European country, even the topic of land use control may not be known. And yet no country could possibly escape establishing, from earliest history on, very definite rules and laws regulating the use of land by the community, the family, or the individual. In predominantly agricultural countries, the statutes referring to the control of the use of land may even be the core of their legislation. The reshaping of the customs and laws comprising the agrarian structure has been a most powerful influence behind the continuing
Bovine Virus Diarrhea Virus

This chapter provides an overview of the classification and description of the bovine virus diarrhea (BVD), its hosts, the key developments regarding the virus, and the diagnostic techniques and reagents. BVD virus is also known as mucosal disease complex. The hosts that are infected by BVD virus include cattle, sheep, goats, caribou, pronghorns, white-tailed deer, mule deer, and pigs. Young calves are particularly affected by BVD virus showing fever, diarrhea, erosions, and hemorrhages along the alimentary tract. BVD virus may cause abortion in older cattle as well as ocular and cerebellar defects. Cattle may be persistently infected. Sometimes the disease entity is referred to as bovine virus diarrhea-mucosal complex. The immune response in fatal infections has been reported.
Perturbations in polar lipids, starvation survival and reproduction following exposure to unsaturated fatty acids or environmental toxicants in Daphnia magna

Acclimating to toxicant stress is energy expensive. In laboratory toxicology tests dietary conditions are ideal, but not in natural environments where nutrient resources vary in quality and quantity. We compared the effects of additional lipid resources, docosahexaenoic acid (n-3; DHA) or linoleic acid (n-6; LA), or the effects of the toxicants, atrazine or triclosan on post-treatment starvation survival, reproduction, and lipid profiles. Chemical exposure prior to starvation had chemical-specific effects as DHA showed moderately beneficial effects on starvation survival and all of the other chemicals showed adverse effects on either survival or reproduction. Surprisingly, pre-exposure to triclosan inhibits adult maturation and in turn completely blocks reproduction during the starvation phase. The two HR96 activators tested, atrazine and LA adversely reduce post-reproduction survival 70% during starvation and in turn show poor fecundity. DHA and LA show distinctly different lipid profiles as DHA primarily increases the percentage of large (>37 carbon) phosphatidylcholine (PC) species and LA primarily increases the percentage of smaller (<37 carbon) PC species. The toxicants atrazine and triclosan moderately perturb a large number of different phospholipids including several phosphatidylethanolamine species. Some of these polar lipid species may be biomarkers for diets rich in specific fatty acids or toxicant classes. Overall our data demonstrates that toxicants can perturb lipid utilization and storage in daphnids in a chemical specific manner, and different chemicals can produce distinct polar lipid profiles. In summary, biological effects caused by fatty acids and toxicants are associated with changes in the production and use of lipids.
Crystal structure of phase X, a high pressure alkali-rich hydrous silicate and its anhydrous equivalent

Phase X, ascribed by Luth (1995) to a hydrous K-rich silicate formed from the breakdown of K-amphibole at high pressures, was synthesized at 1250–1300 °C and 10–16 GPa in four different compositions: Na1.78(Mg1.89Al0.13)Si2.02O7 (anhydrous sodic phase X), Na1.16K0.01(Mg1.89Al0.14) Si2.02O7H0.65 (sodic phase X), K1.85Mg2.06Si2.01O7 (anhydrous phase X), and K1.54Mg1.93Si1.89O7H1.04 (phase X). A general chemical formula for these phases can be expressed as A2− x M2Si2O7H x , with A = K and/or Na, M = Mg and/or Al, and x = 0–1. Structure determination from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data shows that anhydrous sodic phase X is trigonal with space group P 31 m , whereas the other three have an identical structure with space group P 63 cm . Both P 31 m and P 63 cm structures are characterized by MgO6 octahedral layers that are stacked along the c axis and inter-linked together by Si2O7 tetrahedral dimers and K or Na cations. Within the MgO6 layers, each MgO6 octahedron shares three edges with neighboring MgO6 octahedra to form brucite-like layers with one out of three octahedral sites vacant. Large K or Na cations are situated right below and above each occupied octahedron in the MgO6 layers, whereas the Si2O7 groups are located below and above each vacant octahedron in the layers. The two types of structures, however, differ in the relative orientation of MgO6 octahedral layers, the coordination of K or Na, and the configuration of SiO4 tetrahedral dimers. By comparison, the Na2Mg2Si2O7 phase synthesized by Gasparik and Litvin (1997) appears to have the stoichiometry identical to anhydrous sodic phase X. Hence, these two high-pressure phases are likely to possess the same structure, or at least are closely related to each other structurally.
The Influence of Humidity on the Effectiveness of Certain Fumigants Against the Eggs and Adults of Tribolium Confusum Duv.

Ethylene oxide, carbon disulfide and chloropicrin were investigated with respect to their toxicity to eggs and adults of Tribolium Confusum Duval. It was found that toxicity to adults is not affected by ordinary variations in relative humidity. On the other hand dry air conditions reduce materially the effect of chloropicrin and carbon disulfide on eggs. Under all moisture conditions tested, ethylene oxide was more effective against the eggs of Tribolium , whereas carbon disulfide and chloropicrin were more so against the adults. Contrary to the generally accepted view that the egg is a particularly resistant stage, ethylene oxide appears to be nine times as toxic to the eggs as to the adults of Tribolium .
Perspective: biomedicine--menace or straw man? Reexamining the biopsychosocial argument

More than 30 years after its introduction by George Engel, the biopsychosocial model exerts a major influence on the rhetoric and intentions of academic medicine. However, advocates of the model do not feel that it has significantly altered the practice of physicians, whom they portray as tightly clinging to a biomedical approach. Using Engel's original writings, those of his successors, and the work of medical historians, the author asserts that biopsychosocial advocates use clinical biomedicine as a straw man to support their argument. Proceeding from that point, the author attempts to demonstrate that excessive focus on this straw man has inhibited critique of the biopsychosocial model and the argument supporting it. He identifies failures to address clinical medicine's functional specificity and relationship with broader social trends as contributors to the biopsychosocial model's stagnation. The author proposes that it would be more productive to view clinical biomedicine as an epiphenomenon of the human traits of overenthusiasm and the need for security. Recognizing that medicine is made up of heterogeneous tasks, he observes that no one model, including the biopsychosocial model, tends to all of them. The biopsychosocial model would be best served by shedding the biomedical straw man and modifying its ambitions.
Colonial British America : essays in the new history of the early modern era

"Taken together, these essays constitute a better summing up--part critique, part appreciation--than anything else in print of work done in any field of American history. Nowhere else can we learn so easily and so well what to read about colonial America...A very useful volume of considerable distinction".--William Abbott, editor, "The Papers of George Washington".
Calcium antagonists. History and perspective.

Abstract The calcium channel antagonists are a heterogeneous group of drugs acting on one class of voltage-dependent channel. Their modes and sites of actions are reviewed in this historical perspective and placed in the context of the cellular events underlying homeostasis. Calcium channel antagonists should be regarded as a subset of a larger family of Ca2+ modulators, agents that block or activate functions at a variety of control loci for Ca2+ homeostasis. In a number of important respects, the Ca2+ channel may be viewed as a pharmacologic receptor that defines the existence of specific drug binding sites and their regulation by homologous and heterologous influences. We describe the factors that define the selectivity of action of channel antagonists, with particular emphasis on state-dependent interactions controlled by voltage-modulated drug interactions, and discuss future developments in Ca2+ channel ligands, emphasizing the contributions of molecular biology and the development of more specific and selective agents.
Manic symptom severity correlates with COMT activity in the striatum: A post-mortem study.

AbstractObjectives: The enzyme catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which catalyses the degradation of dopamine and norepinephrine, is posited to participate in the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia. In support of this notion, rich evidence has documented that the severity of various BD and schizophrenia symptoms is moderated by rs4680, a single nucleotide polymorphism of the COMT gene featuring a valine (Val)-to-methionine (Met) substitution that results in lower catalytic activity. Nevertheless, the specific relevance of COMT enzymatic activity in the pathophysiology of BD and schizophrenia dimensions remains elusive.Methods: We measured COMT catalytic activity in post-mortem prefrontal cortices, striata and cerebella of schizophrenia and BD patients, as well as non-affected controls. These values were then correlated with rs4680 genotypes and psychopathology scores in the last week of life.Results: No direct correlation between COMT activity and rs4680 genotypes was found; howe...
Non-Acoustic Sensors

The focus of the chapter is to provide a cross section of progress in the area of non-acoustic sensors for underwater mobile platforms and to provide a framework for structuring the subject of oceanographic non-acoustic sensors. State-of-the-art non-acoustic sensor systems are a summation of five areas: advanced analytical detectors, distributed computing, network technology, automation and power systems. The current state of sensor technology is partitioned and reviewed using a chemical, biological and physical sensing systems approach. A commentary on future directions for the three classes of sensor systems is also provided. Sampling technology with programmable fluidic processing systems capable of sampling with offline or online detectors is additionally presented to augment real-time non-acoustic sensor technology. The packaging of these types of sensor is briefly presented. Applications of ocean engineered AUV-based (AUV : autonomous underwater vehicles) sensing and sampling systems are also mentioned throughout the chapter to highlight the emergence of this class of ocean technology.
Multi-method approach to wellness predictive modeling

Patient wellness and preventative care are increasingly becoming a concern for many patients, employers, and healthcare professionals. The federal government has increased spending for wellness alongside new legislation which gives employers and insurance providers some new tools for encouraging preventative care. Not all preventative care and wellness programs have a net positive savings however. Our research attempts to create a patient wellness score which integrates many lifestyle components and a holistic patient prospective. Using a large comprehensive survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, models are built combining both medical professional input and machine learning algorithms. Models are compared and 8 out of 9 models are shown to have a statistically significant (p = 0.05) increase in area under the receiver operating characteristic when using the hybrid approach when compared to expert-only models. Models are then aggregated and linearly transformed for patient-friendly output. The resulting predictive models provide patients and healthcare providers a comprehensive numerical assessment of a patient’s health, which may be used to track patient wellness so at to help maintain or improve their current condition.
Carbon monoxide releasing molecule-2 inhibition of snake venom thrombin-like activity: novel biochemical “brake”?

A complication of defibrinogenation therapy with snake venom enzymes such as ancrod is hypofibrinogenemia associated bleeding secondary to no human-derived inhibitor being available to inactivate or diminish the activity of such enzymes. Of interest, ancrod contains a critical histidine residue without which enzymatic activity is inhibited, and carbon monoxide has been demonstrated to inhibit biomolecular function by interacting with histidine moieties in ion channels. We tested the hypothesis that exposure of three different snake venoms containing serine proteases with thrombin-like activity (which included ancrod) to carbon monoxide derived from carbon monoxide releasing molecule-2 would diminish their effects on plasmatic coagulation as assessed by thrombelastography. In the case of the Malayan pit viper and Eastern diamondback rattlesnake venoms, carbon monoxide diminished the effects of thrombin-like activity. In contrast, timber rattlesnake venom demonstrated enhancement of "thrombin-generating" activity with simultaneous loss of thrombin-like activity in response to carbon monoxide exposure. These findings may serve as the rational basis for not just continuing to investigate the potential of snake venom enzymes as clinical defibrinogenating agents, but to also to assess the potential to stop such agents from becoming a catalytic "runaway train" by judicious application of a biochemical "brake" such as carbon monoxide.
Person, psychologist, and psychology suspended in a phase 1 science:

Is a psychology of the “person” a science? An art? Or is it a case of a “phase 1 science”—with its own logical rules and with a continuous character of changeability? Can it be any other than this,...
Short Bowel Syndrome: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Adaptation

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a relatively common, often lethal, and highly costly medical problem in North America. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the leading cause of SBS in the United States. An important fact to remember is that the length of the small bowel in a 28-week preterm infant is about 150 cm and in a term infant is about 250 cm. Twenty percent of this length is generally sufficient to allow dependence on parenteral nutrition (PN) via intestinal adaptation. This process is driven by significant increases in circulating trophic hormones, such as cholecystokinin, epidermal and keratinocyte growth factors, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, and glucagon-like peptide-2. These hormones produce hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the villi, along with increases in specific brush border membrane absorption mechanisms, such as glucose-sodium cotransport (via SGLT-1) and peptide transport (via Pep-T1). Currently, the best clinical markers of intestinal adaptation are the calculated percentage of enteral versus parenteral calories in a growing infant who has SBS and the serum concentrations of citrulline, an amino acid synthesized by mature enterocytes that has been used as a measure of functional intestinal mass.
The Software Design of an Intelligent Water Pump

In an effort to increase handpump reliability, the Messiah College Collaboratory and the Department of Computer and Information Science are developing the Intelligent Water Project (IWP) system. IWP measures and reports the functionality of handpumps and volume of water extracted on two-hour intervals daily. Additionally, IWP will measure groundwater levels which can be used to evaluate well yields. Data from handpumps is automatically collected and transmitted to a remote database. Once in the database, the data is analyzed and distributed to stakeholders via web and mobile applications and customizable alerts. Besides monitoring water extraction, handpump performance, and borehole health, the IWP system processes data to alert stakeholders of failure or degrading conditions (imminent failure). Coupled with appropriate field management processes, this information can lead to improved handpump availability and lowered cost of ownership. The key goal is to dramatically increase the reliability of handpumps. A secondary goal is the collection of handpump data from all IWP enabled pump sources providing a rich resource of data to enabling WASH practitioners, managers, hydrologist and donors to make more informed decisions. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the key IWP software design considerations and to discuss the key software design decisions made and the rationale for the same.
Rank My Update, Please

Updating a given a matrix Am × n by a rank-one matrix B = cdT, where c and d are appropriately sized column vectors, is a common practice throughout all applied areas of mathematics, science, and e...
Holiness and Health: An Examination of the Relationship between Christian Holiness and Mental Health:

This writer proposes that functional integration of clinical psychology and Christian theology requires a consideration of the relationship between holiness and mental health. The nature of this re...
The Third Reich as Rogue Regime: Adam Tooze’s Wages of Destruction

What was the connection between the structure of the German economy in the 1930s and German aggression in World War ii? Adam Tooze’s Wages of Destruction forcefully poses this issue, but fails to adequately resolve it. Instead, on this decisive question, his analysis oscillates uneasily between two equally unconvincing models: rational-choice theory and cultural determinism. This surprising explanatory failure derives from an inadequate theorisation of German imperialism as the expression of the combined and uneven development of the German economy and society in the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries.
Direct Writing and Controlling of Hierarchical Functional Metal-Oxides: Bio-inspired Multiphase Processing, 3D Printing and Hierarchical Cellular Structuring

Nature-inspired processing of complex reticular/cellular architected materials by selectively incorporating multiphase materials in emulsions with targeted interactions is reported in this work. In particular, structuring of TiO2 foams at different scales is realized by combining colloidal processing and 3D printing with fundamental understanding of the TiO2 nanoparticle system. Specifically, hybrid TiO2/Ti-organic aqueous suspensions are emulsified with bio-compatible and naturally synthesized oil stabilizers where air bubbles are trapped, forming the cells of the wet foams, which are subsequently directly written as planar and three-dimensional free-standing and spanning structures. Variations in the formulation of these emulsions are implemented to tune their viscosity and render diverse cell morphologies (i.e., open- or closed-cell foam configurations) while controlling their micro-, meso- and macro-porosity. Investigation of the foams’ curing using heat versus UV light indicates differences in the emulsion’s oil-phase elimination mechanism with effects in their microstructure, which, added to the characteristic relationships between the foams’ microstructures and their photocatalytic activity, can be used to target specific properties. Our synthesis method, adjusted from the cosmetics industry, combines inorganic processing with emulsion systems of non-toxic and abundant material precursors to realize hierarchically ordered mesoporous titania foams. This method can be further exploited with other metal-oxide materials systems and even more complex emulsions to meet the needs of the currently growing technologic application fields. Moreover, we anticipate our family of foams to be readily relevant for a plethora of applications including catalysis, energy harvesting and recovery, and biomedical. Designed to be safe and water-compatible, our multi-phase emulsion systems marry high control over the materials’ microstructure and interfaces with scalable, affordable and responsible manufacturing.
Basic Setup, Principles, and Troubleshooting in Robotic Surgery

The robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) platform is a highly sophisticated and complex surgical tool that requires formal training for initial credentialing and the progressive accumulation of experience for surgical proficiency. This chapter presents a general overview of the RAS platform and its many hardware components with an emphasis on maximizing pre-procedural planning and equipment setup. Principles for safe and efficient use of this advanced surgical technology are discussed, and key differences between RAS and laparoscopic surgery are also explored. Although a comprehensive explanation of all of the complexities of RAS is beyond the scope of this text, some troubleshooting tips and strategies for addressing commonly encountered surgical challenges are provided.
Distribution effectiveness for space radiation dosimetry.

A simplified risk basis and a theory of hematological response are presented and applied to the problem of dosimetry in the manned space program. Unlike previous studies, the current work incorporates radiation exposure distribution effects into its definition of dose equivalent. The fractional cell lethality model for prediction of hematological response is integral in the analysis.
Photocatalytic reduction of uranyl: Effects of organic ligands and UV light wavelengths

Although previous studies demonstrate the photochemical reduction of uranyl (UO22+) in the presence of various organic compounds, the actual roles of organic molecules as ligands and electron donors during the photoreaction are poorly understood. In this study, photochemical reduction of uranyl is examined with respect to organic ligands as electron donors and complexing agents, the role of titanium oxide (TiO2) nanoparticles as a photocatalyst, and the influence of UV light irradiation with emission peaks in the UV-A, UV-B, and UV-C ranges. Organic compounds with different binding affinities to uranyl such as acetate, ethylenediaminetetracetate (EDTA), oxalate, and hydroquinone were selected. Uranyl solutions prepared with one organic compound in a 1:8 molar ratio were irradiated under anoxic and acidic conditions (O2
Magma chambers: what we can, and cannot, learn from volcano geodesy

Geodetic observations on volcanoes can reveal important aspects of crustal magma chambers. The rate of decay of deformation with distance reflects the centroid depth of the chamber. The amplitude of the deformation is proportional to the product of the pressure change and volume of the reservoir. The ratio of horizontal to vertical displacement is sensitive to chamber shape: sills are efficient at generating vertical displacement, while stocks produce more horizontal deformation. Geodesy alone cannot constrain important parameters such as chamber volume or pressure; furthermore, kinematic models have no predictive power. Elastic response combined with influx proportional to pressure gradient predicts an exponentially decaying flux, leading to saw-tooth inflation cycles observed at some volcanoes. Yet many magmatic systems exhibit more complex temporal behaviour. Wall rock adjacent to magma reservoirs cannot behave fully elastically. Modern conceptual models of magma chambers also include cumulate and/or mush zones, with potentially multi-level melt lenses. A viscoelastic shell surrounding a spherical magma chamber significantly modifies the predicted time-dependent response; post-eruptive inflation can occur without recharge if the magma is sufficiently incompressible relative to the surrounding crust (Segall P. 2016 J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 121, 8501-8522). Numerical calculations confirm this behaviour for both oblate and prolate ellipsoidal chambers surrounded by viscoelastic aureoles. Interestingly, the response to a nearly instantaneous pressure drop during an explosive eruption can be non-monotonic as the rock around the chamber relaxes at different rates. Pressure-dependent recharge of a non-Newtonian magma in an elastic crust leads to an initially high rate of inflation which slows over time; behaviour that has been observed in some magmatic systems. I close by discussing future challenges in volcano geodesy. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Magma reservoir architecture and dynamics'.
Letrozole Compared With Clomiphene Citrate for Unexplained Infertility: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE:To estimate the clinical effectiveness, as determined by positive pregnancy test, of letrozole compared with clomiphene citrate for ovarian stimulation in patients with unexplained infertility.DATA SOURCES:We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of data from electronic databases
What have we learned from animal models of idiosyncratic, drug-induced liver injury?

Idiosyncratic, drug-induced liver injury (IDILI) continues to plague patients and restrict the use of drugs that are pharmacologically effective. Mechanisms of IDILI are incompletely understood, an...
Mammalian SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler is essential for reductional meiosis in males

Abstract BRG1, a catalytic subunit of the mammalian SWI/SNF nucleosome remodeler is essential for male meiosis1. In addition to BRG1, multiple subunits (~10-14) some of which are mutually exclusive, constitute biochemically distinct SWI/SNF subcomplexes, whose functions in gametogenesis remain unknown. Here, we identify a role for the PBAF (Polybromo - Brg1 Associated Factor) complex in the regulation of meiotic cell division. The germ cell-specific depletion of PBAF specific subunit, ARID2 resulted in a metaphase-I arrest. Arid2cKO metaphase-I spermatocytes displayed defects in chromosome organization and spindle assembly. Additionally, mutant centromeres were devoid of Polo-like kinase1 (PLK1), a known regulator of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC)2. The loss of PLK1 coincided with an abnormal chromosome-wide expansion of centromeric chromatin modifications such as Histone H3 threonine3 phosphorylation (H3T3P) and Histone H2A threonine120 phosphorylation (H2AT120P) that are critical for chromosome segregation3,4. Consistent with the known role of these histone modifications in chromosome passenger complex (CPC) recruitment, Arid2cKO metaphase-I chromosomes display defects in CPC association. We propose that ARID2 facilitates metaphase-I exit by regulating spindle assembly and centromeric chromatin.
Trends in Medial Ulnar Collateral Ligament Repair and Reconstruction From 2007 to 2016: A Population-Based Study of a Large Private Insurance Database:

Background: Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction and UCL repair of the elbow are commonly performed procedures, resulting in high return-to-play rates. Whether the incidence rate of UCL r...