cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms in the interconversion of ribose 5-phosphate and hexose 6-phosphate in human hemolyzates. II. Erythrose 4-phosphate as intermediate and rate regulator in the interconversion of ribose 5-phosphate and hexose 6-phosphate.

Abstract Erythrose 4-phosphate (E-4-P) is converted rapidly in the homolyzate to an unidentified ester which gives neither the fructose cysteine-H 2SO 4 color reaction of tetroses nor the color reactions of pentose, hexose, heptose, or octose. This reaction follows the course of a unimolecular reaction which reaches, an apparent equilibrium after about 1 hr, at 33 °C. E-4-P reacts with a mixture of ribose 5-phosphate and keptopentose 5-phosphates (P-5-P) with formation of a mixture of G-6-P and F-6-P. The rate of this reaction is independent, of the concentration of P-5-P above 0.12 μmole/ml, but increases with the concentration of E-4-P, though less than in a linear way. This reaction is reversible, since G-6-P and triose phosphate (TrP) added to the hemolyzale, produce about equivalent amounts of E-4-P and P-5-P. In addition to the latter two esters, another thus far unidentified alkali-labile compound is formed in the homolyzate incubated with G-6-P, and fructose-1,6-diphosphate (EDP) and TrP which yields, with Bial's reagent, a product with an absorption maximum of about 665 mμ. An unidentified ester which gives a similar reaction is formed also when E-4-P and P-5-P are incubated for 5 min. with the hemolyzate. E-4-P at. a concentration of 0.33/μmole/ml. strongly inhibits the enzymes transketolase and G-6-P isomerase. The inhibition of the transketolase reaction between E-4-P and xylulose 5-phosphate sharply increases with the time after addition of E-4-P to the hemolyzate. Preincubation of the hemolyzate with 0.165 μmole E-4-P/ml. before addition of P-5-P does not affect the rate of the reaction between the two esters. The inhibition of the transketolase is due to a product of the reaction of E-4-P with P-5-P.
Two-dimensional correlation analysis of spectra collected without knowing sampling order

Abstract Two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy (2DCOS) without a priori knowledge of meaningful spectral sampling order is considered. Construction of synchronous 2D correlation spectrum does not require the knowledge of sampling order, and disrelation spectrum derived from synchronous spectrum possesses useful features similar to those of asynchronous spectrum. Disrelation analysis may provide enhanced spectral resolution and distinction of bands arising from different sources but not the sequential order of intensity variations. Dataset sampled in an arbitrary or scrambled order may be reassembled into a more structured form by rank ordering the spectra with the intensity of a select band. If there is no meaningful data structure, asynchronous 2D correlation should not be attempted, although synchronous and disrelation spectra may still be useful. The intrinsic ambiguity in the direction of sampling order may sometimes be resolved using additional physical information known about the sample system.
Abstract P329: Educational Attainment and Lifetime Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Background: Estimates of lifetime risk may help raise awareness of the extent to which educational inequalities affect risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). To date, no study has reported the lifet...
Characterization of Gastrointestinal Fate of Nanoemulsions

Abstract There is a growing interest in designing nanoemulsions intended for oral ingestion that have beneficial health effects, such as increasing the bioavailability of bioactive agents, targeting delivery of bioactive agents to specific regions of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), or eliciting specific hormonal responses (such as hunger, satiety, or satiation). The development of these products relies on understanding the gastrointestinal fate of nanoemulsions. This chapter provides an overview of the physicochemical and physiological events that occur in the different regions of the GIT (the mouth, stomach, small intestine, and colon) and discusses how the composition and structure of nanoemulsions impact their gastrointestinal fate.
A Neural Architecture for Automated ICD Coding.

The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) provides a hierarchy of diagnostic codes for classifying diseases. Medical coding – which assigns a subset of ICD codes to a patient visit – is a mandatory process that is crucial for patient care and billing. Manual coding is time-consuming, expensive, and error prone. In this paper, we build a neural architecture for automated coding. It takes the diagnosis descriptions (DDs) of a patient as inputs and selects the most relevant ICD codes. This architecture contains four major ingredients: (1) tree-of-sequences LSTM encoding of code descriptions (CDs), (2) adversarial learning for reconciling the different writing styles of DDs and CDs, (3) isotonic constraints for incorporating the importance order among the assigned codes, and (4) attentional matching for performing many-to-one and one-to-many mappings from DDs to CDs. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods on a clinical datasets with 59K patient visits.
The Quantity and Rate of Calcium Uptake in Normal and Hypertrophied Hearts

The pump performance of the heart depends on the contractile characteristics of the myocytes and the geometric organization of the myocytes to make up the macroscopic pump structure. Under steady state conditions the beat to beat force which the myocytes contribute to the development of intraventricular pressure depends on the following: 1) excitation contraction coupling (ECC) events; 2) the integrity of the contractile system (actin and myosin); and 3) high energy phosphate stores and production. This review addresses some aspects of the excitation contraction coupling events.
Altered serum immunoglobulin concentration in chronic marijuana smokers.

Marijuana smoking has been reported to produce a variety of effects on the immune system of animals and man (1). Even before the reports of an apparent marijuana depression of the cell-mediated immune response (2,3), several factors suggested that marijuana might interfere with immunological mechanisms: Tobacco smoking was an immunosuppressant of both humoral (4) and cellular (5) immune pathways; 2) marijuana like tobacco, stimulated the pituitary-adrenal axis (6) which could initiate involution of the thymus (1), a primary organ of the immune system; 3) cannabinoids have a specific affinity for lung tissue (7), a major organ for phagocytosis, providing prolonged exposure of drug to macrophages irrespective of route of administration of cannabinoids; 4) marijuana has influenced alveolar macrophage structure, function, and mobilization (8); 5) cannabis use has evoked allergic reactions (9); 6) cannabinoids might perform as haptens because of their nearly complete binding to plasma proteins (10,11); and 7) cannabinoids have repressed bone marrow leukopoiesis (12).
Ischiopagus tetrapus twins: Urological aspects of separation and 10-year followup

Conjoined twins occur once in 50,000 births. Only 6% of conjoined twins are of the ischiopagus type in which the twins are joined symmetrically at the pelvis and fusion begins at the level of the common umbilicus. The longitudinal axis extends in a straight line in opposite directions and the genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts are shared. Tetrapus is a subtype in which all 4 lower extremities are present and oriented at right angles to the axis of the common trunk. Two sets of female ischiopagus tetrapus twins were born in 1977 and successfully separated at the St. Louis Children's Hospital in the following year. We describe the genitourinary and associated anomalies, surgical separation and long-term urological followup of these 2 sets of ischiopagus tetrapus twins.
Existence of a Rate Function

Let E be a Polish space and π(x,•) a transition probability function on E. Set Ω = E η and let {Px: x ∈ E} be the Markov family on Ω with transition function π (i.e. Px (X(0) = x) = 1 and Px is a Markov process with transition function π). For n ≥ 1 and ω ∈ Ω, define $$ {L_n}(\Gamma, \omega ) = \frac{1}{n}\sum\limits_0^{{n - 1}} {{X_{\Gamma }}(X(k,\omega ))\quad, \quad \Gamma \in {B_E}} $$ , and $$ L_n^l(\Gamma, \omega ) = L_n^l(\Gamma, {\theta_1}\omega ) = \frac{1}{n}\quad \sum\limits_1^n {{X_{\Gamma }}(X(k,\omega ))} $$ 10. Finally, define Qn,x and Qn,x on m1(m1E)) to be the distribution of Ln and L n 1 , respectively, under Px.
Biosurfactant-functionalized porphyrin chromophore that forms J-aggregates

Structurally complex biosynthesized building blocks whose structures can be systematically varied are of great interest for the synthesis of manipulable self-organizing supramolecular systems. Sophorolipids (SLs) are an important class of glycolipid biosurfactants that consists of a sophorose (glucose disaccharide) polar head group that allows structural diversification by full or selective acetylation at the 6′- and 6′′-positions. Porphyrins are a group of naturally-occurring heterocyclic macromolecular organic compounds that have efficient charge transfer properties. Herein we describe the synthesis of SL–porphyrin conjugates where the number of sophorolipid arms, availability of hydrogen bonding sophorose hydroxyl groups and rigidity of the lipid chain were systematically varied. SLs differing in ‘sophorose acetylation’ and ‘lipid unsaturation’ were conjugated to zinc-porphyrin dyes by copper(I)-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) ‘click’ chemistry. Mono-, di-, and tetra-conjugation of SL-arms to the zinc-porphyrin core provided variation in SL-arm steric effects. UV-vis spectra in methanol/water reveal features indicative of supramolecular J-type aggregates. The synthesized compounds were designed to provide a library of unique bio-based molecules with built-in variation in non-covalent interactions, hydrogen-bonding, π–π stacking, metal–ligand coordination, dipole–dipole, van der Waals, and hydrophobic interactions for future interrogation of supramolecular self-assembly into functional materials for electro-optical applications.
External validation of the epidemiology-based mortality score in status epilepticus in an American intensive care population

Abstract Introduction Although overall mortality of status epilepticus is high, baseline patient characteristics and co-morbidities may be helpful to predict outcomes and shape treatment decisions. Two previously published scoring systems exist to predict outcomes: the Status Epilepticus Severity Score (STESS) and the Epidemiology-based Mortality Score in Status Epilepticus (EMSE). However, a comparison of the two scores has not previously been completed in an American intensive care unit. We hypothesize that both scores will adequately predict the primary outcome of in-hospital death, but that the EMSE may more accurately predict functional outcomes, and significantly impact treatment decisions for both clinicians and families. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of all cases of status epilepticus admitted to the Neuro-Critical Care Unit (NCCU) at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center from 6/1/2014 – 8/31/2015. We collected data on age, comorbidities, EEG findings, and seizure history. The primary outcome measured was in-hospital death; secondary outcomes included length of stay in the NCCU, placement of a tracheostomy and/or a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy upon discharge, and discharge location were used as surrogate markers for outcome severity. A sensitivity and specificity analysis was carried out, in addition to a student’s t-test for a comparison of the two scores. ANOVA was completed to compare secondary outcomes Results Forty-six patients were admitted to the NCCU for management of status epilepticus during June 2014 and January 2016, thirteen of which experienced in-hospital death. The median age of the sample was 60, with approximately half of the sample (52.63%) having 3 or more comorbidities. The sensitivity of both EMSE and STESS were very high (100% and 90% respectively); however, the specificities were very low (28.6% and 42.9% respectively). A student’s t-test between those who experienced in-hospital death and those who did not was only significant for EMSE at the p Conclusions The EMSE and STESS may be useful to predict outcomes of status epilepticus in populations with few comorbid conditions, but are less helpful when patients have multiple medical problems. Secondly, while neither score may be specific enough to differentiate for the primary outcome of death, their utility may be helpful to predict secondary outcomes that strongly affect clinical decisions. Based on these results, we believe a prospective trial of EMSE and STESS should be carried out to obtain more information on their utility, especially in American patients who may have more relevant comorbidities than in other countries.
Reactivation of Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B (HBV) is one of the most common viral infections of the liver worldwide. There are more than two billion people that have been infected, four million acute cases per year, and one million deaths per year. Out of those, 350–400 million are chronic carriers, and 25% of carriers die from chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer.
Structural Geology Field Exercises of Intermediate to More Advanced Complexity from the Classic Black Hills of South Dakota

Training geoscience students in the methods of modern structural field analysis occurs in some degree during conventional coursework, on field trip excursions, in the process of undertaking undergraduate or graduate research projects, and while participating in extended programs usually referred to as “field camp.” Until the mid- to later 1980s, field course curricula were required for most university or college geoscience degrees in the USA. This educational fixture has declined over the last few decades, becoming lost or optional from many geology degree programs. Most recently, industry, government, and academia have recognized this decrease in emphasis as a mistake. The basic understanding of geological field methods is essential in many contexts beyond structural analysis. Advanced courses or those that include advanced problems are also of great benefit to students who will study structural geology as application in economic geology, local and regional tectonics, petrology, geochemical and geophysical studies, etc. The Black Hills of South Dakota in the USA is a region long exploited for instruction in field methods, because of its centrality, relatively accessible from much of the nation. It is also a small area rich in many classic, wonderful examples of structural features in diverse tectonic relationship. Certain localities within the Precambrian core of this uplift have provided great case study exercises to extend structural analysis beyond the basics. Five areas described for advanced instruction offer “hard rock” associations of metamorphic and some intrusive complexities.
Pediatric firearm incidents: It is time to decrease on-scene mortality.

BACKGROUND Previous epidemiological studies on pediatric firearm mortality have focused on overall mortality rather than on-scene mortality. Despite advances in trauma care, the number of potentially preventable deaths remains high. This study used the National Emergency Medical Services Information Systems database to characterize patterns of on-scene mortality in order to identify patients who may benefit from changes to prehospital care practices. METHODS National Emergency Medical Services Information Systems database was searched for all pediatric firearm incidents from 2010 to 2015. Data on demographics, anatomic location of injury, intent and location of incident, and on-scene mortality were analyzed using Student's t test for continuous variables and χ test for categorical variables. A linear regression model was used to calculate independent predictors of mortality. RESULTS Sixteen thousand eight hundred eight patients were identified, with a mortality rate of 6.1%. Most mortalities suffered cardiac arrest on-scene; 72.6% of these were prior to Emergency Medical Services (EMS) arrival, which carried a significantly higher mortality rate than arrest after EMS arrival. No difference was seen in anatomic location of injury in those who arrested before and after EMS arrival. Compressible injuries were most common with the lowest mortality. Noncompressible injuries together accounted for 25.8% of injuries and 23.5% of mortalities. CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the largest study of on-scene mortality in pediatric firearm injury. Cardiac arrest prior to EMS arrival was a considerable source of on-scene mortality; significantly more of these patients died than those who arrested after EMS arrival. The mortality of compressible injuries was very low, implying that use of compression and tourniquets have been effective in stopping life-threatening extremity bleeding. Noncompressible injury mortality could be decreased with education of bystanders and more aggressive on-scene intervention. Through the evaluation of on-scene mortality specifically, this study offers insight into potential areas of focus to improve prehospital care of pediatric gunshot victims. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic/Care management, level IV.
The Effect of Body Size Awareness on Bmi Change in a Pediatric Obesity Intervention

Objectives: Body size awareness may motivate weight loss in obesity interventions. Our primary aim was to evaluate the effect of body size awareness on BMI change among pediatric participants in a comprehensive community-based weight management program. Our secondary aims were to: a) examine the effect of maternal awareness of the child’s body size on BMI outcomes in their children, and b) identify child and maternal characteristics that influenced the relationship between body size awareness and BMI change. Methods: We analyzed data from 113 overweight or obese Latino youths ages 7-15 …
“People Like Us”: Theorizing First-Generation College as a Marker of Difference

Although composition scholars have long advocated for working-class and under-represented populations on campus, the emergence of “first-generation college” as a marker of difference in public, administrative, and scholarly discourses invites further consideration of how we theorize this marker. As a bureaucratic marker (originating in higher education administration) that exhibits potential for organizing students for self-advocacy across difference, “first-generation college” warrants particular attention from scholars interested in the intersections between literacy studies and rhetoric. This article initiates a conversation about FGC as a marker of difference, observing that the bureaucratic and rhetorical nature of “first-generation college” as a marker necessitates a constitutive rhetorical approach to the term, an investigation of how the use of the term articulates a literate positionality, situates it within local and cultural narratives, and assigns it value. Placing composition scholarship in conversation with interviews with 17 first-generation college and low-income students and alumni of a large state university, this article reads first-generation college literate positionality in light of students’ own use of the identifier and within the context of their accounts of navigating class difference in college.
Omental flaps in patients undergoing abdominoperineal resection for rectal cancer

Following abdominoperineal resection (APR) for rectal cancer, perineal wound complications are common. Omental flap creation may allow for decreased morbidity. The aim of this study was to assess wound complications in rectal cancer patients undergoing APR with and without the addition of an omental flap. The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Proctectomy targeted database from 2016 to 2017 was used to identify all patients undergoing APR for rectal cancer. The primary outcomes were wound complications such as superficial site infection, deep wound infection, organ space infection, and wound dehiscence. There were 3063 patients identified. One hundred seventy-three (5.6%) patients underwent APR with an omental flap repair while 2890 (94.4%) patients underwent APR without an omental flap repair. Patients in both groups were similar with regard to age, gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesia class, and neoadjuvant cancer treatment (all p > 0.05). Patients who underwent an omental flap repair were significantly more likely to have a postoperative organ space infection (10.4% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.04). There was no significant difference in rates of superficial site infection, deep wound infection, wound dehiscence, or reoperation between the two patient groups. In multivariable analysis, omental flap creation was independently associated with organ space infection (OR 1.72, 95%CI 1.02–2.90, p = 0.04). This is the largest study to evaluate omental flap use in rectal cancer patients undergoing APR. Omental flaps are independently associated with organ space infection.
An Introduction to Congenital and Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus

This chapter will provide an overview of cerebrospinal fluid dynamics and then review the literature on childhood and adult forms of hydrocephalus.
Photoacid-Modified Nafion Membrane Morphology Determined by Resonant X-ray Scattering and Spectroscopy

Covalent attachment of photoacid dye molecules to perfluorinated sulfonic acid membranes is a promising route to enable active light-driven ion pumps, but the complex relationship between chemical ...
Functional measurement post-stroke via mobile application and body-worn sensor technology

Background: Long-term management of individuals post-stroke is essential due to the resultant chronic disability and risk for recurrent stroke. Mobile health technology shows increasing promise to provide cost-effective monitoring and support systems for the patient, caregiver, and healthcare team. Ideally, such systems will include stroke management adherence support, mechanisms to link patients and caregivers to resources, and secure longitudinal data collection with archive that are employed to optimize recovery. However, healthcare providers and computer science application developers must first collaborate to identify meaningful measures and develop methods to reliably gather such data remotely via mobile systems. Methods: mStroke is a mobile health system composed of two sensors and a mobile application designed to support optimal recovery for stroke survivors. Using the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health model (ICF model), the authors identified 4 measures that are commonly used in the clinic and developed the mobile application features to support remote data collection: National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) items 5 and 6 (Motor Arm and Leg function), Functional Reach Test (FRT), and 10 Meter Walk Test (10MWT). At a local inpatient rehabilitation facility, each measure was executed with 35 stroke survivors through simultaneous scoring by the mStroke system and standardized clinical assessment. Correlation coefficients were calculated for clinician versus mStroke system scoring. Results: All four clinical measures significantly correlated with mStroke system app scoring: NIHSS Motor Arm—0.839, P<0.001; NIHSS Motor Leg—0.736, P<0.001; FRT—0.630, P<0.01; 10MWT—0.994, P<0.001. Conclusions: Results should be approached with caution as significant data skew was present for NIHSS Motor Arm and Motor Leg tests and the FRT results are not strong enough for broad translation. However, positive findings were demonstrated that support further investment in development, refinement, and testing of mobile health systems to provide clinically meaningful remote measurement via mobile technology. The ICF model was a helpful framework for guiding clinician and application developer collaboration and identifying meaningful features for app development.
The Changing Landscape of Glycemic Targets: Focus on Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) provides comprehensive assessment of daily glucose measurements for patients with diabetes and can reveal high and low blood glucose values that may occur even when a patient’s A1C is adequately controlled. Among the measures captured by CGM, the percentage of time in the target glycemic range, or “time in range,” (typically 70–180 mg/dL) has emerged as one of the strongest indicators of good glycemic control. This review examines the shift to using CGM to assess glycemic control and guide diabetes treatment decisions, with a focus on time in range as the key metric of glycemic control.
The number of shipments in the CITES Trade Database does not accurately reflect the volume of traded wildlife

Abstract Volume estimation of the wildlife trade is crucial for effective biodiversity protection. Recently, Mair et al. (Biol. Conserv. 2019, 239, 108260) used the number of shipments reported in the CITES Trade Database as an estimate of the total traded volume of species to rapidly assess the appropriateness of species listings in CITES Appendices. The aims of the present study were to (1) test the presumed relationship between the number of shipments and the volume of various traded terms converted to whole organism equivalents (WOEs) and (2) compare the distribution of species in defined trade volume categories based on different calculation methods. The number of shipments did not reflect traded volume in 15% of species. Different calculation methods led to different categorisations for more than one-third of the species. In general, the number of shipments underestimates the volume of species traded in small-sized terms that allow trade in larger and less-frequent shipments and vice versa. In contrast, WOEs quantification does not consider the species that are traded in non-convertible terms (e.g., meat) or units (e.g., kilograms). Due to the structure of the data in the CITES Trade Database, it is not possible to find the only objective method of trade quantification for the whole data set. However, we recommend to use shipments approach only to exclude species with zero trade, and evaluate the real volume using WOEs where possible.
Absence of superconductivity in the Hubbard dimer model for kappa-(BEDT-TTF)_2X

In the most studied family of organic superconductors kappa-(BEDT-TTF)_2X, the BEDT-TTF molecules that make up the conducting planes are coupled as dimers. For some anions X, an antiferromagnetic insulator is found at low temperatures adjacent to superconductivity. With an average of one hole carrier per dimer, the BEDT-TTF band is effectively 1/2-filled. Numerous theories have suggested that fluctuations of the magnetic order can drive superconducting pairing in these models, even as direct calculations of superconducting pairing in monomer 1/2-filled band models find no superconductivity. Here we present accurate zero-temperature Density Matrix Renormalization Group (DMRG) calculations of a dimerized lattice with one hole per dimer. While we do find an antiferromagnetic state in our results, we find no evidence for superconducting pairing. This further demonstrates that magnetic fluctuations in the effective 1/2-filled band approach do not drive superconductivity in these and related materials.
Hydrosilane σ-Adduct Intermediates in an Adaptive Zinc-Catalyzed Cross-dehydrocoupling of Si-H and O-H Bonds.

Three-coordinate Ph BOX Me2 ZnR (Ph BOX Me2 =phenyl-(4,4-dimethyl-oxazolinato; R=Me: 2 a, Et: 2 b) catalyzes the dehydrocoupling of primary or secondary silanes and alcohols to give silyl ethers and hydrogen, with high turnover numbers (TON; up to 107 ) under solvent-free conditions. Primary and secondary silanes react with small, medium, and large alcohols to give various degrees of substitution, from mono- to tri-alkoxylation, whereas tri-substituted silanes do not react with MeOH under these conditions. The effect of coordinative unsaturation on the behavior of the Zn catalyst is revealed through a dramatic variation of both rate law and experimental rate constants, which depend on the concentrations of both the alcohol and hydrosilane reactants. That is, the catalyst adapts its mechanism to access the most facile and efficient conversion. In particular, either alcohol or hydrosilane binds to the open coordination site on the Ph BOX Me2 ZnOR catalyst to form a Ph BOX Me2 ZnOR(HOR) complex under one set of conditions or an unprecedented σ-adduct Ph BOX Me2 ZnOR(H-SiR'3 ) under other conditions. Saturation kinetics provide evidence for the latter species, in support of the hypothesis that σ-bond metathesis reactions involving four-centered electrocyclic 2σ-2σ transition states are preceded by σ-adducts.
Mutations in myosin S2 alter cardiac myosin-binding protein-C interaction in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in a phosphorylation-dependent manner.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an inherited cardiovascular disorder primarily caused by mutations in the β-myosin heavy-chain gene. The proximal subfragment 2 region (S2), 126 amino acids of myosin, binds with the C0-C2 region of cardiac myosin-binding protein-C to regulate cardiac muscle contractility in a manner dependent on PKA-mediated phosphorylation. However, it is unknown if HCM-associated mutations within S2 dysregulate actomyosin dynamics by disrupting its interaction with C0-C2, ultimately leading to HCM. Herein, we study three S2 mutations known to cause HCM: R870H, E924K, and E930Δ. First, experiments using recombinant proteins, solid-phase binding, and isothermal titrating calorimetry assays independently revealed that mutant S2 proteins displayed significantly reduced binding with C0-C2. In addition, CD revealed greater instability of the coiled-coil structure in mutant S2 proteins compared with S2Wt proteins. Second, mutant S2 exhibited 5-fold greater affinity for PKA-treated C0-C2 proteins. Third, skinned papillary muscle fibers treated with mutant S2 proteins showed no change in the rate of force redevelopment as a measure of actin–myosin cross-bridge kinetics, whereas S2Wt showed increased the rate of force redevelopment. In summary, S2 and C0-C2 interaction mediated by phosphorylation is altered by mutations in S2, which augment the speed and force of contraction observed in HCM. Modulating this interaction could be a potential strategy to treat HCM in the future.
Multi-excitation fluorescence imaging for identifying clarity enhancement in gemstones

Clarity enhancement is a common treatment method to improve the appearance of gemstones. Classifying the level of enhancement is an important task to gemological laboratories since it is associate with gemstone’s value. Current visual observation based evaluation requires considerable time and experience to identify the filling materials consistently. It is also unable to record the distribution, nor to quantify the visual influence of fracture filling. To improve the quality of identification, we demonstrate a treatment detection technique based on multi-excitation fluorescence imaging. The system is designed to reveal the filling materials while mitigate the background fluorescence from the mineral. Proper excitation wavelengths were selected based on preliminary spectroscopy and imaging studies. The experimental prototype used multiple light emitting diodes as the light sources; and adapted color camera combined with filters to monitor the fluorescence image of treated gemstones. This research utilized emerald treatment detection for demonstration. The system can reveal popular fillers in emerald such as oil, resin, and mixture of chemical compounds, and demonstrates rapid detection of clarity enhancement in emeralds.
Incidental Findings in Cardiac CTA

Coronary artery CT evaluation is now widely performed on MDCT scanners with protocols optimized for high spatial resolution and reconstruction in various planes and fields of view [1]. Additionally, techniques may utilize contrast and thinner slice selection. This presents an opportunity to visualize and analyze other organs and structures besides the heart. Most commonly, the lungs, mediastinum, pulmonary vasculature, diaphragm, upper abdomen, and osseous as well as soft tissue structures of the thorax can be included in the field of view [2]. There has been a surge of reported extracardiac incidental findings that are discovered on coronary CT examination and acknowledging them may be necessary as some are clinically significant and may require immediate action versus follow-up recommendations [3].
Jean Rhys: A Caribbean woman lost in Europe?: After Leaving Mr MacKenzie and the question of gender

Miss Dufreyne, for such was the Lady's name, was a weak, sentimental, very lazy, entirely harmless creature, pathetically incapable of lies or intrigue or even of self-defence – till it was too late. She was also sensual, curious, reckless, and had all her life aroused a strong curiosity in men. So much for her. (‘In the Rue de l'Arrivee’, TLB , 1927; CSS , 1987: 51) Gradually passivity replaced her early adventurousness. She learned, after long and painstaking effort, to talk like a chorus girl, to dress like a chorus girl and to think like a chorus girl – up to a point. Beyond that point she remained apart, lonely, frightened of her loneliness, resenting it passionately. She grew thin. She began to live her hard and monotonous life very mechanically and listlessly. ( Q : 16) But on some days her monotonous life was made confused and frightened by her thoughts. Then she could not stay still. She was obliged to walk up and down the room consumed with hatred of the world and everybody in it – especially of Mr Mackenzie. ( ALMM : 12) Since Francis Wyndham observed in 1950 that Rhys heroines in After Leaving Mr MacKenzie, Voyage in the Dark and Good Morning, Midnight could be said to be similar women in different circumstances, the issue of ‘the Rhys woman’ has been alive in Rhys criticism, especially in feminist critical approaches (Baldanza 1978; Nebeker 1981; Le Gallez 1990).
Competitive Adsorption Behaviour of Binary Mixtures on Titanium Dioxide

Exploration of the adsorption mechanism for mixtures at photocatalyst surfaces is a prerequisite for a full understanding of photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) technology for treatment of gaseous contaminants in indoor air applications. However, there has been very little work on the competitive adsorption of photocatalysts. In this article, an experimental and analytical study on the co-adsorption of nine binary mixtures on a commercial PCO filter was investigated using a bench-scale single-pass continuous flow system. Adsorption tests were performed with a concentration of 500 ppb for the selected mixtures at various molar ratios. The experiments were performed at 40 % RH, 21 °C, and a gas flow rate of 10 L/min. Quantitative methods were developed to describe inhibitory and facilitatory effects on the adsorption of one component by the other. It was found that for the non-polar mixture of p-xylene and toluene, the polar mixture of MEK and acetone, and the polar/non-polar mixture of MEK and p-xylene, adsorption selectivity varied from 0.83–1.81, 1.80–1.21, and 2.60–1.78, respectively, when mixing ratio of each mixture changed from 1:2.33 to 2.33:1. In addition, a time-dependent co-adsorption model was developed and validated with the experimental results. It was concluded that competitive adsorption performance is dependent upon the composition of the gas mixture, the natures of the adsorbate and substrate, and the initial molar ratio of VOCs.
3-Phosphoglycerate phosphatase in plants. I. Isolation and characterization from sugarcane leaves.

Abstract 3-Phosphoglycerate phosphatase from sugarcane leaves (Saccharum) was purified 2530-fold to a specific activity of 740. The molecular weight was estimated to be about 160,000 by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. During electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate the protein divided into three or four subunits. The phosphatase was unstable above pH 7.5 but very stable from pH 4.5 to 6.5 at 4° or -18°. Optimal activity of the purified enzyme was at pH 5.9; the isoelectric point was at pH 6.5 to 6.8. The enzyme specificity was not absolute; however, 3-phosphoglycerate was the preferred substrate. The Michaelis constant for 3-phosphoglycerate was 2.8 x 10-4 m, and it was hydrolyzed stoichiometrically to glycerate and inorganic phosphate. No cofactors were required for activity, and the enzyme was stable in 1 mm ethylenediaminetetraacetate and other metal-complexing agents. The phosphatase was inhibited by 1 mm Zn++ and Cu++. Fluoride, l-(+)-tartrate, and molybdate gave typical phosphatase inhibition at 1 mm. Glycidol phosphate was not hydrolyzed by the phosphatase, but inhibited the enzyme irreversibly and competitively. Three phosphonic acid derivatives were slightly stimulatory and were not hydrolyzed by the enzyme.
Political Advertising and Political Perceptions- the 2008 U.S. Presidential Campaign

Does political advertising influence voter turnout in America? In the past communication researchers answered this question by focusing solely on the impact of candidate advertising, with their research yielding contradictory results. This paper breaks the current impasse by broadening the research agenda to include third party sponsors who run attack ads. Through a controlled experiment on a nationwide sample of 505 subjects in the 2008 presidential election, we show that a character attack ad sponsored by a third party advertiser demobilizes turnout, while the exact same ad from a more credible source, a presidential candidate, has no effect. These results suggest that the messenger is more important than the message in influencing participation, and source credibility is most likely the determining factor of such impact. Further, the research design is noteable as it is one of the first in the social sciences to use inexpensive technologies such as Facebook and online polling to conduct an experiment.
Evidence for two classes of nociceptive modulating neurons in the periaqueductal gray

The midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) and the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) are important links in a neuronal network that modulates nociceptive transmission. In the RVM, 2 classes of cells have been identified that show changes in activity at the time of the tail-flick response (TF) elicited by noxious heat (Fields et al., 1983a). We now report that neurons in the PAG region also show changes in activity related to TF. Extracellular recordings were made from the PAG and the ventrally adjacent tegmentum at sites from which it was possible to inhibit TF using stimulating currents of 10 microA or less. Cell activity, time of TF occurrence, and tail temperature were recorded during 5 repetitions of the heat stimulus. Periresponse and peristimulus histograms were plotted with reference to the TF and tail temperature, respectively. A significant number of neurons in the PAG region showed changes in activity that preceded the TF. “Midbrain On- cells” (13.6% of the sample) displayed an abrupt increase in firing just prior to the TF. “Midbrain Off-cells” (4.4%) paused just prior to the TF. The remaining neurons (241 of 294, or 82%) did not exhibit changes in firing prior to the TF. Thus, cells with changes in activity related to the TF are present in the PAG region as well as in the RVM. The PAG has a large projection to the RVM, and microinjection of morphine in the PAG increases activity of RVM Off-cells and decreases that of RVM On-cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
ES cell differentiation to the cardiac lineage.

Publisher Summary ES cells are derived from the preimplantation embryo (inner cell mass or epiblast), which distinguishes these cells from embryonic carcinoma (EC) and embryonic germ (EG) cells. ES cells are characterized by the capacity to proliferate in vitro (self-renew) and have an ability to generate large numbers of differentiated cell progeny from all three primary germ lineages, including mesoderm-derived cardiomyocytes. The In vitro differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells therefore provides an alternative source to study cardiomyocytes in culture. Numerous studies have demonstrated that cardiogenic induction in ES cells faithfully recapitulates many of the physical and molecular properties of developing myocardium in vivo . The In vitro derived populations of cardiomyocytes are, however, not uniform but consist of multiple cell types typical of primary myocardium, atrium, ventricle, sinus node or the His-Purkinje system, some of which can show enhanced selection based on culture conditions. ES cell differentiation to the cardiac lineage facilitates developmental analyses of heart cells. This chapter presents methods to cultivate and differentiate mouse ES cells into cardiomyocytes in vitro .
British Imperial Literature, 1870-1940: Writing and the Administration of Empire

Introduction 1. Agents and the problem of agency: the context 2. Why Africa needs Europe: from Livingstone to Stanley 3. Kipling's 'Law' and the division of bureaucratic labor 4. Agent, instrument, and novelist: Cromer, Gordon, Conrad and the problem of imperial character 5. 'Gladness of abasement': T. E. Lawrence and the erotics of imperial discipline 6. Resurrecting individualism: the interwar novels of imperial manners Conclusion: work as rule Bibliography.
Novel protein kinase C-β isoform selective inhibitor JTT-010 ameliorates both hyper- and hypoalgesia in streptozotocin- induced diabetic rats

Aim: Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) is thought to play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic microvascular complications. PKC-β is elevated in hyperglycaemic conditions, both in vivo and in vitro. In this study, pharmacological effects of a novel PKC-β isoform selective inhibitor, JTT-010 ((2R)-3-(2-aminomethyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-3a-azacyclopenta(a)inden-8-yl)-4-phenylaminopyrrole-2,5-dione monomethanesulphonate), on diabetic neuropathy were examined. Methods: PKC inhibitory activity of JTT-010 was evaluated with an enzyme assay. For the in vivo study, streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats were treated with JTT-010 for 12 weeks and tail/sciatic nerve conduction velocity (NCV) evaluated. Hyper/hypoalgesia was evaluated using tail-flick and formalin tests. Results: JTT-010 inhibited PKC-βI and -βII with IC50 values of 4.0 and 2.3 nm respectively. For other PKC isoforms, IC50 values were 54 nm or greater. In STZ-induced diabetic rats showing a reduction in tail/sciatic nerve conduction velocities, JTT-010 (0.3–3 mg/kg) ameliorated the reduction of these velocities. In a formalin test, STZ-induced diabetic rats had hyperalgesia in the first phase. JTT-010 reduced nociceptive response at doses of 0.1 mg/kg or higher. Furthermore, STZ-induced diabetic rats showed hypoalgesia in the second phase of the formalin test and tail-flick test. JTT-010 also ameliorates these symptoms at doses of 0.1 mg/kg or higher. Conclusions: These observations suggest that PKC-β contributes not only to diabetic hyperalgesia, but also to hypoalgesia and also contributes to defects in NCV. PKC-β inhibitor, JTT-010, may be beneficial in suppressing the development of diabetic nerve dysfunction, including hyperalgesia and hypoalgesia.
Perspectives on the kinetics of diol oxidation over supported platinum catalysts in aqueous solution

Abstract The catalytic oxidation of a variety of terminal alcohols was performed over Pt/C with 10 bar dioxygen at 343 K in aqueous solvent at low pH. The influences of Pt particle size, carbon support, alcohol structure, and start-up conditions were explored. Although the turnover frequency was not affected by particle size or the carbon support, the structure of the alcohols affected their initial rate of conversion. Both the rate of oxidation of α,ω-diols and selectivity of the diols to the diacids increased with increasing carbon chain length. The rate of 1,6-hexanediol oxidation was independent of dioxygen pressure and the order of reaction with respect to diol concentration depended on the start-up conditions. A kinetic model involving two types of metal sites was proposed to account for the experimental observations.
Paleogene sea levels and climates: U.S.A. eastern Gulf Coastal Plain

Abstract Biostratigraphic zonation of the Paleogene formations in the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain of the U.S.A., based on calcareous nannoplankton, allows a reassessment of the timing and pattern of changing sea levels and climates in the region. General similarity is recognizable between the gross pattern of Paleogene transgressions/regressions in the eastern Gulf Coastal Plain and the recently published (Vail et al., 1977) scheme of eustatic sea-level changes. Local tectonism and sedimentation have, however, overprinted intra-cycle shoreline fluctuations on the eustatic pattern. A hiatus, spanning at least calcareous nannoplankton Zone NP 11 exists between the early Eocene Hatchetigbee and Tallahatta Formations. Another significant hiatus representing most or all of NP 23 exists between the early Oligocene Bucatunna Clay and the late Oligocene Chickasawhay Limestone. Nannoplankton assemblages suggest temperate sea-surface waters during the early and early late Paleocene, followed by subtropical sea-surface conditions from latest Paleocene to earliest Oligocene. Climatic conditions were cooler during the remainder of the early Oligocene.
Preparation, structure and ionic conductivity of lithium phosphide

Abstract Lithium phosphides (LiP and Li 3 P) were synthesized by the exothermic reaction between lithium melt and phosphorus powder in an inert atmosphere. The structure of these compounds was studied using X-ray diffraction and elemental analysis. LiP crystallizes in a monoclinic structure and has a black metallic luster. Li 3 P crystallizes in a hexagonal structure and has brown color. LiP is an insulator, but Li 3 P shows ionic conductivity higher than 10 −4 (Ω cm) −1 at ambient temperature. Li 3 P has a good stability in contact with a lithium electrode and acts as a membrane for lithium transport without phase transformation. Lithium phosphide may have potential application as an electrolyte for solid state devices.
Preference for disclosure of information among patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective To quantify preference for disclosure of information among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to examine sex-specific correlates of information preference. Methods We interviewed patients with RA and assessed preference for disclosure of information using 4 questions from the previously validated “Information Preference Seeking Scale.” Three questions addressed preference for disclosure of side effects and 1 question addressed preference for disclosure of therapeutic options. Associations between preference for information and patient characteristics were examined using stepwise multiple linear regression. Results One hundred RA patients (mean age 68 ± 12 years; 73% female) were interviewed; 89 respondents agreed or strongly agreed with all 4 statements reflecting a preference for full disclosure, and an additional 8 respondents agreed or strongly agreed with 3 of the 4 statements. The mean score (± SD) for information preference was 86 ± 13, on a scale from 0 to 100 where 100 reflected a strong preference for full disclosure. In bivariate analyses, female sex and current employment were associated with stronger preferences for being informed (mean score for women 88 ± 11, for men 80 ± 15 [P= 0.02]; for employed 92 ± 11, for unemployed 84 ± 13 [P= 0.04]). Multivariate sex-specific analyses demonstrated that current employment and higher education level were positively associated with preference for disclosure among women and men, respectively. Conclusion The results of our survey suggest that RA patients want to be fully informed about the risks associated with medications and about alternative options. The challenge remaining for rheumatologists is how to effectively communicate the risks and benefits related to the many options that are currently available for RA patients.