cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Principles to Optimize Drug Dosage Selection: Example of Antibiotic Therapy Management

Optimal drug dose selection through the establishment of exposure–response relationships can improve the safety and efficacy of drugs. These exposure–response relationships can be initially evaluated using in vitro and in vivo systems to help define doses that can be tested in early clinical trials. Unfortunately, data generated from early clinical trials can sometimes lead to selection of suboptimal dosage regimens which can lead to the failure of a potentially active new molecular entity (NME) during Phase III clinical trials. If the NME is successful in Phase III trials and is actively marketed as a drug, the approved dosage regimens may still not be generalizable to a more heterogeneous "end-user" patient population. As a result, therapeutic drug monitoring is often sought as a mechanism for delivery of personalized medicine in the clinical setting. However, drug-specific assays are often not available for newly marketed drugs, and the ability to define an effect using single-sample concentration–time data is frequently difficult to establish. To overcome this problem, sophisticated mathematical approaches have been developed to integrate exposure–time (pharmacokinetic) with exposure–effect (pharmacodynamics) information. These mathematical approaches include population pharmacokinetic modeling, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses, and Monte Carlo simulation. Population pharmacokinetic analysis leads to the development of a model that can accurately estimate drug exposure using relevant covariates. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analyses can then be used to define a target drug exposure associated with a safety or efficacy endpoint. Finally, Monte Carlo simulation can be used to establish the probability for attainment of a specific pharmacodynamic target using the population pharmacokinetic model to test alternative dosage regimens. This integrated approach helps to better define dosage regimens, and allows for the continuous refinement of drug doses at the population and individual levels to improve the safety and efficacy of marketed drugs. This chapter reviews optimal dose selection from an antimicrobial drug perspective. We show how the science of pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics has been used to improve the dosing of drugs in “special” patient populations that may not have been evaluated during drug development.
Spirit-driven Gospel Communities of Transformation

Studies of mission have started using the category of “renewalist” particularly in regard to the statistics of Christian growth across the world. This embraces those with links to classical Pentecostal, charismatic and evangelical approaches to faith. It is a helpful way of seeing the growth of pentecostal-like movements over the last century. However, little has been done to clarify renewalist identity and what might constitute a renewalist approach to mission. This article seeks to review the development of this identity against the wider background of missiology to then clarify key aspects of renewalist identity. It then suggests elements of a renewalist approach to mission with reference to both practice and theology. These highlight the work of the Holy Spirit, the importance of the gospel and community, the desire for wider integration and the emphasis on transformation. In providing more depth to existing terminology this article seeks to contribute to wider mission studies.特别在使用世界上基督徒快速成长的数据时，宣教研究开始使用‘更新者’这样的类别。这包括了那些信奉传统的五旬宗，灵恩派及福音派的信徒。这样的使用很帮助我们了解过去一个世纪来五旬宗式运动的成长。但是，更新者的身份及他们宣教的方式却很少被阐明过。本文寻求在广泛的宣教背景下查考这身份的发展及其主要方面，然后提出更新者在实践和神学上宣教的模式。借此显明的乃是圣灵的工作、福音及群体的重要、人们对整合的渴求以及对转化的重视。透过对现存的术语更深的解读，本文试图对宣教研究做出些许贡献。Los estudios de la mision han empezado a utilizar la categoria de “carismaticos o de renovacion”, especialmente en relacion a estadisticas sobre el crecimiento cristiano global. Abarca a aquellos que tienen vinculos con enfoques de fe de tipo pentecostal clasico, carismatico y evangelico. Es una manera util de observar el crecimiento de movimientos similares a los pentecostales durante el siglo pasado. Sin embargo, poco se ha hecho para esclarecer el significado de una identidad carismatica o de renovacion y lo que podria conformar un enfoque carismatico o de renovacion de la mision. Este articulo busca revisar el desarrollo de esta identidad en el contexto mas amplio de la misionologia para luego aclarar aspectos clave de la identidad carismatica o de renovacion. A continuacion, sugiere elementos de un enfoque carismatico o de renovacion de la mision con referencia tanto a la practica como a la teologia. Estos destacan la obra del Espiritu Santo, la importancia del evangelio y la comunidad, el deseo de una mayor integracion y el enfasis sobre la transformacion. Al trabajar con mas profundidad la terminologia existente, este articulo busca contribuir a un estudio mas amplio de las mision.This article is in English.
Covalency in Americium(III) Hexachloride

Developing a better understanding of covalency (or orbital mixing) is of fundamental importance. Covalency occupies a central role in directing chemical and physical properties for almost any given compound or material. Hence, the concept of covalency has potential to generate broad and substantial scientific advances, ranging from biological applications to condensed matter physics. Given the importance of orbital mixing combined with the difficultly in measuring covalency, estimating or inferring covalency often leads to fiery debate. Consider the 60-year controversy sparked by Seaborg and co-workers (Diamond, R. M.; Street, K., Jr.; Seaborg, G. T. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1954, 76, 1461) when it was proposed that covalency from 5f-orbitals contributed to the unique behavior of americium in chloride matrixes. Herein, we describe the use of ligand K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and electronic structure calculations to quantify the extent of covalent bonding in—arguably—one of the most difficult syst...
All-dielectric metamaterials: irrelevance of negative refraction to overlapped Mie resonances

All-dielectric metamaterials comprised of identical resonators draw a lot of attention as low-loss media providing for negative refraction, which is commonly attributed to the double negativity of effective material parameters caused by overlapping of Mie resonances. We study dispersion diagrams of such metamaterials composed of dielectric rod arrays and show that bandwidths of positive and negative refraction and its type are irrelevant to the negativity of effective parameters; instead, they are unambiguously defined by the shape and the location of the second transmission branch in dispersion diagrams and thus can be controlled by the lattice constants.
The electrical properties and distribution of indium in germanium crystals

Abstract Indium doped germanium crystals were grown in a hydrogen atmosphere using the Czochralski method. The electrical properties of indium doped germanium crystals were measured by Hall effect at 77 K. The axial and radial distributions of indium in the germanium crystals were investigated. The effective segregation coefficient of indium in germanium is determined to be 0.0009 with the concentration of indium from 3 × 1012~1 × 1019 cm−3. The interface shape between melt and crystal determined the radial distribution of indium in germanium crystals.
Diffusion MR Imaging in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Remarkable advances have been made in the last decade in the use of diffusion MR imaging to study mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Diffusion imaging shows differences between mTBI patients and healthy control groups in multiple different metrics using a variety of techniques, supporting the notion that there are microstructural injuries in mTBI patients that radiologists have been insensitive to. Future areas of discovery in diffusion MR imaging and mTBI include larger longitudinal studies to better understand the evolution of the injury and unravel the biophysical meaning that the detected changes in diffusion MR imaging represent.
Regulatory Mechanisms Controlling Prothrombin and the Development of Blood Coagulation Factors During Gestation

Disorders of blood coagulation are common in newborn infants. Major hemorrhage or thrombosis was found in 40% of neonatal deaths in one survey and intraventricular hemorrhage was detected in 26% of 101 autopsies of newborn infants in another [1,2]. Thus, problems related to hemorrhage and/or thrombosis play a major role in the mortality of newborn infants, particularly premature infants. The relationship between the increased risk for hemorrhage and thrombosis and abnormalities of blood coagulation is unclear. Decreased levels of blood coagulation factor activities in the newborn are less easily defined because the range of normal in the newborn is greater than in the adult and low levels of a number of blood coagulation factor activities based upon adult standards are present even in normal full-term newborns. Furthermore, the levels of many coagulation factors (including prothrombin and factors VII, IX, and X) differ depending on the gestational age of the infant with the lowest levels found in premature infants.
Postmodernist Bourgeois Liberalism

Complaints about the social irresponsibility of the intellectuals typically concern the intellectual's tendency to marginalize herself, to move out from one community by interior identification of herself with some other community – for example, another country or historical period, an invisible college, or some alienated subgroup within the larger community. Such marginalization is, however, common to intellectuals and to miners. In the early days of the United Mine Workers its members rightly put no faith in the surrounding legal and political institutions and were loyal only to each other. In this respect they resembled the literary and artistic avant-garde between the wars. It is not clear that those who thus marginalize themselves can be criticized for social irresponsibility. One cannot be irresponsible toward a community of which one does not think of oneself as a member. Otherwise runaway slaves and tunnelers under the Berlin Wall would be irresponsible. If such criticism were to make sense there would have to be a supercommunity one had to identify with – humanity as such. Then one could appeal to the needs of that community when breaking with one's family or tribe or nation, and such groups could appeal to the same thing when criticizing the irresponsibility of those who break away. Some people believe that there is such a community. These are the people who think there are such things as intrinsic human dignity, intrinsic human rights, and an ahistorical distinction between the demands of morality and those of prudence.
OMEGA - ordering messy GA: solving permutation problems with the fast messy genetic algorithm and random keys

This paper presents an ordering messy genetic algorithm (OmeGA) that is able to solve difficult permutation problems efficiently. It is essentially a fast messy genetic algorithm (fmGA) using random keys to represent chromosomes. Experimental results that show the random key-based simple genetic algorithm (RKGA) being outperformed by its messy competitor in 32-length ordering deceptive problems are presented.
A Moral Argument

It is an obvious truth about a person’s moral obligations (his over-all obligations, not his prima facie ones) that his fulfilling them is of overriding importance to him, not in the sense that he believes that it is of overriding importance, but in the sense that his well-being will in fact be significantly affected by his fulfilling or not fulfilling those obligations, whether or not he believes this to be so. Plato tried to account for this by claiming that the nature of the human soul is such that a person’s wrongdoing inexorably harms him, regardless of whether he is punished by others. I shall return to Plato’s theory later in the chapter. Much more recently, Kurt Baier has offered us this explanation of the overriding importance of our avoiding wrongdoing.
Assimilation of Satellite Data in Improving Numerical Simulation of Tropical Cyclones: Progress, Challenge and Development

Tropical cyclones originate over the ocean where conventional data are very sparse. Satellites provide a very useful source of data for studying tropical cyclones. This paper gives a brief review on the recent progress in satellite data assimilation for improving the numerical simulations and forecasts of tropical cyclones. The general problems and challenges in tropical cyclone forecasting and satellite data assimilation and potential improvements in the future are also addressed in light of the most recent research.
The Effects of Interaction Between Morphine and Interleukin-1 on the Immune Response

Both morphine and IL-1 have been shown to affect the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. For the past two decades, the immunomodulatory effects of morphine, a drug well known for its analgesic and addictive effects, have been the focus of investigation.1 In addition to acting directly through opioid receptors on immune cells to alter the body’s defense mechanisms, morphine is also thought to indirectly mediate immune responses via the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and possibly other neuro- endocrine pathways.2 Interleukin-1 (IL-1), a pro-inflammatory cytokine released by immune cells in response to stress or disease, acts directly on immune cells to initiate and potentiate immune responses. IL-1 can also affect the body’s defense system by stimulating the HPA axis to produce ACTH and glucocorticoids, 3 both of which are anti-inflammatory substances4 which serve as feedback controls on IL-l’s stimulatory actions. We have hypothesized that there is an interaction between morphine and IL-1 through which their effects converge and impact the immune response at both central and peripheral levels. To test this hypothesis, we have examined two aspects of this interaction: (1) the effects of opiates on IL-1-dependent pathways, and (2) the effects of IL-1 on the expression of opioid receptors.
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Pancreatic Duct Drainage (EUS-PD)

Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has evolved from primarily a diagnostic tool to a therapeutic one with the recent advances in endoscopic equipment and accessories. An emerging indication of EUS is therapeutic drainage of the pancreatic duct (PD). Until recently, percutaneous or surgical drainage were the primary therapeutic alternatives for patients who failed conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP); however, EUS-guided pancreatic duct drainage (EUS-PD) now offers patients a minimally invasive, safe, and efficacious alternative. While the procedure continues to remain performed at highly specialized centers, further refinement and standardization of the procedure as well as improvement in technology will likely allow for adoption at other centers.
Development of Longitudinal Data Analysis in Mental Health Research For Military Service Members.

INTRODUCTION Since the 1991 Gulf War, mental health conditions of military Service members have received increasing public attention and are a major focus for the U.S. government. A substantial proportion of military health research has been devoted to examining the pattern of change over time in mental health symptoms and diagnostic status among Service members. Unfortunately, many researchers continue to use somewhat obsolete methods to analyze trends and transitions in mental health, despite advances in statistical methodology that permit attention to the unique features inherent in longitudinal data. MATERIALS AND METHODS This article defines and describes data features and structures, and basic specifications of longitudinal data analysis to military health researchers. In particular, we highlight the respective impacts of missing data and intra-individual correlation on longitudinal data analysis. Based on the descriptions of the basic features in longitudinal data, we introduce several popular techniques to analyze a variety of longitudinal data types. RESULTS We demonstrate that traditional analytic techniques do not properly account for missing data and intra-individual correlation inherent in longitudinal data. Failure to use correct, appropriate models and methods can result in major bias in analytic results and mental health predictions. CONCLUSIONS Failure to use correct, appropriate models and methods in longitudinal data analysis can have unfortunate repercussions on a military health system that needs accurate findings to support valid policy decisions. By applying adequate models and methods, military health researchers will be able to better understand the complex interactions of biological, psychological, and social factors on mental health trends and transitions among military Service members.
An empirical analysis of county-level residential PV adoption in California

Abstract To understand long term PV deployment, it is important to explore the underlying mechanisms that drive PV market diffusion. This paper examines the relationships between several social and economic factors and residential PV market diffusion on a county level. The Bass diffusion model was used to estimate diffusion parameters for 46 counties in California. Regression analysis was then applied to find associations between these parameters and several socio-demographic, economic, and political variables in each county. Finally, a Generalized Bass Model was employed to explore the price effect on PV diffusion. We have found supporting evidence of the inverse relationship between attainment of higher education and the coefficient of imitation. We have clearly shown evidence for heterogeneity between counties in one or more of our observed dimensions, or unobserved and possibly confounding factors. Although not significant at the conventional 5% and 10% levels, our Generalized Bass Model nonetheless supports the presence of price-based fluctuations in adoption rates.
Computational Modeling of Brainstem Circuits Controlling Locomotor Frequency and Gait

A series of recent studies identified key structures in the mesencephalic locomotor region and the caudal brainstem of mice involved in the initiation and control of slow (exploratory) and fast (escape-type) locomotion and gait. However, the interactions of these brainstem centers with each other and with the spinal locomotor circuits are poorly understood. Previously we suggested that commissural and long propriospinal interneurons are the main targets for brainstem inputs adjusting gait (Danner et al., 2017). Here, by extending our previous model, we propose a connectome of the brainstem-spinal circuitry and suggest a mechanistic explanation of the operation of brainstem structures and their roles in controlling speed and gait. We suggest that brainstem control of locomotion is mediated by two pathways, one controlling locomotor speed via connections to rhythm generating circuits in the spinal cord and the other providing gait control by targeting commissural and long propriospinal interneurons.
Hashtags and heroes: perceptions of nursing on Twitter following a high profile nurse arrest

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this research was to extract the perceptions of nursing by analyzing Twitter tweets following a high-profile nurse arrest. Background A Utah registered nurse arrest was covered extensively on national and international news programming and social media, including Twitter. Methods Tweets related to arrest were retrieved and analyzed by text analysis techniques, Latent Dirichlet Allocation models and sentiment analysis. Results 56,931 consisting of 14,150 unique tweets we retrieved. Twelve topics were identified, of which four related to nursing: nurses as protector, protecting the protector, nurses as innocent victim, and nurses as important team member. “Trust” (44.3%) was assigned to the majority of tweets. Implications To our knowledge, this is the first study examining the perceptions of nursing in Tweets. Social media provides a powerful resource to strengthen general perceptions of the nursing profession and has implications for education and outreach.
A Tie2-Notch1 signaling axis regulates regeneration of the endothelial bone marrow niche

Loss-of-function studies have determined that Notch signaling is essential for hematopoietic and endothelial development. By deleting a single allele of the Notch1 transcriptional activation domain we generated viable, post-natal mice exhibiting hypomorphic Notch signaling. These heterozygous mice, which lack only one copy of the transcriptional activation domain, appear normal and have no endothelial or hematopoietic phenotype, apart from an inherent, cell-autonomous defect in T-cell lineage development. Following chemotherapy, these hypomorphs exhibited severe pancytopenia, weight loss and morbidity. This phenotype was confirmed in an endothelial-specific, loss-of-function Notch1 model system. Ang1, secreted by hematopoietic progenitors after damage, activated endothelial Tie2 signaling, which in turn enhanced expression of Notch ligands and potentiated Notch1 receptor activation. In our heterozygous, hypomorphic model system, the mutant protein that lacks the Notch1 transcriptional activation domain accumulated in endothelial cells and interfered with optimal activity of the wildtype Notch1 transcriptional complex. Failure of the hypomorphic mutant to efficiently drive transcription of key gene targets such as Hes1 and Myc prolonged apoptosis and limited regeneration of the bone marrow niche. Thus, basal Notch1 signaling is sufficient for niche development, but robust Notch activity is required for regeneration of the bone marrow endothelial niche and hematopoietic recovery.
Spectral and angular dependence of the giant nonlinear refraction of Indium Tin Oxide excited at epsilon-near-zero

We report beam-deflection measurements of indium tin oxide excited around epsilon-near-zero (ENZ), but probed far from ENZ. Nonlinear refraction is very large even far from ENZ and enhanced as the excitation is tuned through ENZ. © 2019 The Author(s)
Imager and sounder data fusion to generate sounder retrieval products at an improved spatial and temporal resolution

The Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) imaging instrument on the polar-orbiting Suomi-National Polar-orbiting Partnership and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-20 satellite platforms has infrared window bands but no carbon dioxide and water vapor absorption bands; the latter are essential for accurately deriving atmospheric variables (such as temperature and moisture profiles, cloud properties). An approach for fusing a high spatial resolution imager (e.g., VIIRS) and a high spectral resolution sounder [e.g., Cross-track Infrared Sounder (CrIS)] offers the opportunity to construct new spectral band radiances (radiance fusion) as well as sounder retrieval products (product fusion) at high spatial resolution. Furthermore, temperature and humidity profiles can also be provided at a high temporal resolution when geostationary imager [Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI)] data are used in combination with polar orbiting sounder (CrIS) data in a fusion approach. Promising results from VIIRS/CrIS and ABI/CrIS fusion are presented.
Disparate effects of gefitinib and lapatinib on egfr mutant lung cancer

3636 BACKGROUND: Activating mutations in the kinase domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) have been found in ~10-15% of all lung cancers. EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors, gefitinib and erlotinib, are particularly effective treatments for patients with non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC) harboring somatic mutations in EGFR. Lapatinib is a dual EGFR and ERBB2 kinase inhibitor. Unlike gefitinib or erlotinib, lapatinib preferentially binds the inactive conformation of EGFR. Activating mutations in EGFR promote the active conformation of EGFR which may alter the efficacy of lapatinib, but not gefitinib or erlotinib which bind the active conformation of EGFR, in EGFR mutant lung cancers. Lapatinib has not been specifically tested in EGFR mutant NSCLC model systems. METHODS: The in vitro sensitivity to gefitinib, lapatinib and CP-654,577 (pure ERBB2 inhibitor) of NSCLC cell lines harboring EGFR (H3255 (L858R), HCC827 (del A746_E750), HCC4006 (del L747¬_E749), PC9 (del A746_E750)), HER2 (H1781 (insVC G776)) and KRAS (A549 (G12S), H441(G12V)) activating mutation, HER2 amplification (Calu3, H1819) as well as HNSCC cell lines with wild-type EGFR, HER2 and KRAS loci (HN11) was assayed using MTS assay. The effects of inhibitors on signaling in NSCLC cell lines was measured using phosphospcific proteins against EGFR, HER-2, AKT and ERK1/2. The effects of gefitinib, lapatinib and CP-654,577 on EGFR autophosphorylation and cell viability was assayed using NIH-3T3 cells and Ba/F3 cells expressing different ERBB receptors, respectively. RESULTS: In the EGFR mutant NSCLC cell lines, the IC50s for gefitinib were significantly lower (range 10-50 nM) compared to lapatinib (range 800 nM - 2 μM). Similarly, in Ba/F3 cells expressing EGFR L858R or exon 19 deletion, lapatinib was significantly less effective at inhibiting growth (IC50 10 and 30 nM for gefitinib vs. 900 nM and 1.2 μM for lapatinib). In contrast, in HN11, which have wild-type EGFR and HER2, lapatinib was as effective as gefitinib (IC50 for lapatinib 1.5 μ versus 2μ for gefitinib). In HER2 amplified NSCLC cell lines and in Ba/F3 cells lapatinib was more effective than gefitinib. Similarly, lapatinib was less effective at inhibiting the phosphorylation of mutant EGFR but not wild type EGFR in both NSCLC cell lines or in NIH-3T3 cells expressing wild type or mutant forms of EGFR. CONCLUSIONS: Our studies suggest that lapatinib is less effective than gefitinib at inhibiting mutant but not wild type EGFR and may be clinically less effective than gefitinib or erlotinib in NSCLC patients with EGFR mutations.
Charge-product control approach to electrostatic leader-follower formations in LEO plasma wakes

Abstract The feasibility of using electrostatic forces to stabilize a close-proximity leader-follower formation is investigated. The leader craft is equipped with a set of affixed spheres whose charge is modulated to hold the charged follower craft along a proscribed trajectory to its nominal leader-relative position. This charge structure and the follower craft are constrained to remain in the plasma wake generated behind all LEO craft because the more-dense ambient plasma outside the wake prevents object charging and electric field propagation. Once the formation is achieved, a controlled electric field is generated by the leader to counter relative accelerations from perturbations like differential drag and solar radiation pressure, holding the follow near its nominal position. Two controllers are derived for the system described, incorporating Coulomb accelerations and linearized gravity and drag accelerations. Simulations are run under unmodeled perturbations and sensor noise for different scenarios, demonstrating the challenges and benefits associated with electrostatic actuation.
Compression of Na–Montmorillonite Swelling Clay Interlayer Is Influenced by Fluid Polarity: A Steered Molecular Dynamics Study

The compressive responses of an interlayer of the dry sodium-montmorillonite (Na-MMT) swelling clay as well as the clay intercalated with organic fluids of a wide range of dielectric constants from 110 (formamide) to 20 (acetone) are quantitatively evaluated using steered molecular dynamics simulations. Representative dry clay and clay with fluid (clay-fluid) molecular models are constructed, and the stress-strain relationships upon compression of these models are studied using constant force steered molecular dynamics (SMD) simulations. Our results show that the polarity of the fluids and the amount of the fluid molecules in the clay interlayer play a significant role in the interlayer spacing, interlayer volume, interlayer strain, interlayer modulus, nonbonded interactions, and conformation of the fluid molecules upon externally applied stresses. The clay interlayer responses upon compression are essential for the development of multiscale modeling of swelling clays and prediction of the reliable compressive behavior, which are critical for the accurate analysis and economical design of the infrastructures in swelling clay areas and the densification of clays for ceramics manufacturing.
Sociedades dramatizadas: la ficción televisiva de calidad en España y México

Over the last decade, Spain and Mexico have produced an extraordinary abundance of television drama and are considered as leaders in their respective continents. Only in 2014, Mexico produced more than one hundred thousand hours of television that were exported to over one hundred countries. Unlike the more fragile and vulnerable case of cinema, which depends on government subsidies and is dominated by Hollywood in local theatres, television in both countries is a very successful industry, connecting with domestic audiences and taking US production off the grid. This paper aims to explore the significant similarities between these two territories. To do so, it uses the study of the most relevant cases of dramatized fiction in each of the two countries.
Low-pressure hydrothermal processing of mixed polyolefin wastes into clean fuels

Abstract The amount of polyolefin waste, which is 63% of the total plastic waste, has grown exponentially over the past six decades. Its degradation products pose a serious threat to ecosystems and human health. Polyolefins can be converted to clean oils or fuels by using the supercritical water liquefaction (SWL) method at high pressures (≥23 MPa), which require high capital and energy costs. A new low-pressure (~2 MPa) hydrothermal processing (LP-HTP) method is developed to convert polyolefin waste with 50% or more polypropylene into oils with 87% yield at 450 °C and 45 min. The oils, which are C4 to C25 hydrocarbons, can be distilled into clean gasoline and ultra-low sulfur diesel. With this method, up to 190 million tons of fuels can be produced annually from polyolefin waste, resulting in savings of 92% of the energy and 71% of the GHG emissions compared to conventional methods for producing fuels.
Mechanical and Structural Consequences of Associative Dynamic Cross-Linking in Acrylic Diblock Copolymers

The composition of low-Tg n-butylacrylate-block-(acetoxyaceto)ethyl acrylate block polymers is investigated as a strategy to tune the properties of dynamically cross-linked vinylogous urethane vitrimers. As the proportion of the cross-linkable block is increased, the thermorheological properties, structure, and stress relaxation evolve in ways that cannot be explained by increasing cross-link density alone. Evidence is presented that network connectivity defects such as loops and dangling ends are increased by microphase separation. The thermomechanical and viscoelastic properties of block copolymer-derived vitrimers arise from the subtle interplay of microphase separation and network defects.
Template for a program tailored ACS/APDS phase 1 curriculum: From needs assessment to implementation.

Abstract Background The Phase 1 ACS/APDS skills curriculum standardizes intern training. Despite this, institutional implementation varies and is nationally low. We aimed to use Kern’s six-steps to tailor this to our program, providing a framework to improve implementation. Methods Problem identification and general needs assessment were performed. Targeted needs assessment (TNA) of incoming interns (‘interns’), current residents, and attendings determined perceived importance of skills and intern’s previous experience and confidence. Educational strategies were developed. Learner knowledge was assessed before and after modules, deficiencies identified enabled employment of active learning strategies. Modular and curricular evaluations were completed. Results TNA determined all interns had been taught knot tying and suturing, and were most confident with suturing, knot tying, and urethral catheterization. Educational strategies included simulation and lectures. Evaluations demonstrated improvement in test scores (pre-v post-) and skills confidence on curricula completion. Conclusion Our framework utilizes institutional resources and expertise while focusing on determining existing knowledge, skill, and technical deficiencies of learners. This approach demonstrated improvement in knowledge and confidence, and could improve implementation rates of the Phase 1 curriculum.
Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in the Reduction of Arenes by SmI2-Water Complexes.

The presence of water has a significant impact on the reduction of substrates by SmI2. The reactivity of the Sm(II)-water reducing system and the relationship between sequential or concerted electron-transfer, proton-transfer is not well understood. In this work, we demonstrate that the reduction of an arene by SmI2-water proceeds through an initial proton-coupled electron transfer. The use of thermochemical data available in the literature shows that upon coordination of water to Sm(II) in THF, significant weakening of the O–H bond occurs. The derived value of nearly 73 kcal/mol for the decrease in the bond dissociation energy of the O–H bond in the Sm(II)–water complex is the largest reported to date for low-valent reductants containing bound water.
Nonstructural carbohydrates of soybean plants grown in subambient and superambient levels of CO2

Elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration increases plant photosynthesis, biomass and carbohydrate accumulation. Since plants have grown in low CO2 (200 to 300 µmol mol−1) for the last several million years, how will they use extra photoassimilate as the atmospheric CO2 continues to rise? The objectives were to determine the effects of past, present and projected future levels of CO2 on diurnal and seasonal patterns of total nonstructural carbohydrate (TNC) concentration of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] tissues. Plants were grown at 160, 220, 280, 330, 660 and 990 µmol mol−1 CO2 in outdoor, sunlit chambers wherein CO2 uptake rates were measured continuously. Early morning and late afternoon plant samples were taken at eight dates. The TNC concentration of leaves, petioles and stems increased as CO2 increased. Canopy photosynthetic rates also increased with increasing CO2, apparently without any negative impact of increased leaf TNC. Concentrations of TNC in all vegetative tissues were lower in the morning than the afternoon, which indicates overnight mobilization and utilization of carbohydrates for growth processes. The concentration of TNC was lowest in all plant components during rapid vegetative growth at V8 to R2 developmental stages. Leaves of all plants, especially those grown in superambient CO2, contained large pools of TNC at plant maturity, which indicated that not all of the reserves were utilized for seed yield. Soybean cultivars for the future should be designed to utilize carbohydrates more readily for seed production so that greater benefit can be realized from rising atmospheric CO2.
VIOLOGEN DYE INHIBITION OF METHANE FORMATION BY METHANOBACILLUS OMELIANSKII

Wolin, E. A. (University of Illinois, Urbana), R. S. Wolfe, and M. J. Wolin. Viologen dye inhibition of methane formation by Methanobacillus omelianskii. J. Bacteriol. 87:993–998. 1964.—Low concentrations of methyl or benzyl viologen inhibit the formation of CH4 from ethanol and CO2 by washed cells of Methanobacillus omelianskii. Hydrogen, which is normally formed from ethanol, accumulates in greater quantities when CH4 formation is inhibited by viologens. The viologens do not stimulate H2 formation from ethanol in the absence of CO2. Inhibition of CH4 formation by the viologens is not reversed by H2. A variety of other dyes and possible electron acceptors were tested for inhibition, and none was inhibitory in the same low-concentration range at which the viologens were effective.
Dopamine and Glutamate in Huntington's Disease: A Balancing Act

Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by a CAG repeat expansion in exon 1 of the HD gene resulting in a long polyglutamine tract in the N-terminus of the protein huntingtin. Patients carrying the mutation display chorea in early stages followed by akinesia and sometimes dystonia in late stages. Other major symptoms include depression, anxiety, irritability or aggressive behavior, and apathy. Although many neuronal systems are affected, dysfunction and subsequent neurodegeneration in the basal ganglia and cortex are the most apparent pathologies. In HD, the primary hypothesis has been that there is an initial overactivity of glutamate neurotransmission that produces excitotoxicity followed by a series of complex changes that are different in the striatum and in the cortex. This review will focus on evidence for alterations in dopamine (DA)–glutamate interactions in HD, concentrating on the striatum and cortex. The most recent evidence points to decreases in DA and glutamate neurotransmission as the HD phenotype develops. However, there is some evidence for increased DA and glutamate functions that could be responsible for some of the early HD phenotype. Significant evidence indicates that glutamate and dopamine neurotransmission is affected in HD, compromising the fine balance in which DA modulates glutamate-induced excitation in the basal ganglia and cortex. Restoring the balance between glutamate and dopamine could be helpful to treat HD symptoms.
Pentopyranosyl Oligonucleotide Systems, Communication No. 10, Theα-L-Lyxopyranosyl-(4′→2′)-oligonucleotide System

To determine whether the remarkable chemical properties of the pyranosyl isomer of RNA as an informational Watson-Crick base-pairing system are unique to the pentopyranosyl-(4′2′)-oligonucleotide isomer derived from the RNA-building block D-ribose, studies on the entire family of diastereoisomeric pyranosyl-(4′2′)-oligonucleotide systems deriving from D-ribose, L-lyxose, D-xylose, and L-arabinose were carried out. The result of these extended studies is unambiguous: not only pyranosyl-RNA, but all members of the pentopyranosyl-(4′2′)-oligonucleotide family are highly efficient Watson-Crick base-pairing systems. Their synthesis and pairing properties will be described in a series of publications in this journal. The present paper describes the α-L-lyxopyranosyl-(4′2′)-system.
A coverage algorithm in 3D wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) made up of many small sensing devices equipped with memory, processors, and short-range wireless communication provides an unprecedented amount of detailed measurements over wide geographic areas. Communication between nodes requires the expenditure of energy, a scarce commodity in most WSNs. Thus, making effective use of data require scalable, self organizing, and energy-efficient data dissemination algorithms. In this paper, contrary to existing techniques, the coverage problem in a three dimensional space is analyzed. The "coverage hole" problem is also analyzed and a substitute plan is proposed where sensor nodes that are almost out of energy or already dead, are substituted by nodes that covers their sensing region and have more energy supply.
CYR61: A new measure of lung cancer outcome

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4545 Cysteine-rich protein 61 (Cyr61) is a member of a family of growth factor-inducible, immediate-early genes. In this report, we measured the expression of Cyr61 mRNA in 94 human lung tumors and their normal matched lung samples. The Cyr61 mRNA levels were quantified by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and calculated as a tumor / normal Cyr61 mRNA ratio in each case. Compared with normal matched lung tissues, expression of Cyr61 was decreased in seventy-four of ninety-four lung tumors (79%). Differences in distribution of patient characteristics, such as gender, age, tumor size, and pathological diagnosis, between high or low Cyr61 expressing groups were not statistically significant. However, differences in distribution of clinical stage between high or low Cyr61 expressing groups was statistically significant; that is, the Cyr61 low expressor group was clinically more advanced than the Cyr61 high expressor group (P=0.046). Further, Cyr61 levels of the patients with N0 and N1 disease were significantly higher than the expression in the N2 patients (P=0.047). The 3-year survival between the Cyr61 very low tumor expressor group compared to matched normal lung (39 patients) and the higher Cyr61 expressor group (52 patients) was statistically significant (59% v/s 91%; P=0.05). Taken together, Cyr61 appears to guard against metastatic disease because low expression is associated with more advanced disease; and therefore, expression levels of Cyr61 correlate with the prognosis of lung cancer.
Collaborative Narratives: Collaborative Learning in the Blogosphere

This research explores the use of Blogs as an application that is well suited for the development of a learning community. When aggregated through the use of syndication technologies, student-maintained Blogs form a community known as a Blogosphere. The study proposes that such a Blogosphere promotes the construction of a learning community where individuals are able to conduct reflective analysis, observe how others grapple with new information, interact with classmates, and receive feedback from the instructor. This interaction takes place through narrative construction, and fosters cognitive and social processes that influence both individual and group knowledge acquisition. This ability to construct and articulate knowledge collectively through the use of narratives is considered to be superior to learning new concepts individually and in the abstract.
Expression of Acidothermus cellulolyticus endoglucanase E1 in transgenic tobacco: biochemical characteristics and physiological effects.

The expression of the Acidothermus cellulolyticus endoglucanase E1 gene in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) was examined in this study, where E1 coding sequence was transcribed under the control of a leaf specific Rubisco small subunit promoter (tomato RbcS-3C). Targeting the E1 protein to the chloroplast was established using a chloroplast transit peptide of Rubisco small subunit protein (tomato RbcS-2A) and confirmed by immunocytochemistry. The E1 produced in transgenic tobacco plants was found to be biologically active, and to accumulate in leaves at levels of up to 1.35% of total soluble protein. Optimum temperature and pH for E1 enzyme activity in leaf extracts were 81°C and 5.25, respectively. E1 activity remained constant on a gram fresh leaf weight basis, but dramatically increased on a total leaf soluble protein basis as leaves aged, or when leaf discs were dehydrated. E1 protein in old leaves, or after 5h dehydration, was partially degraded although E1 activity remained constant. Transgenic plants exhibited normal growth and developmental characteristics with photosynthetic rates similar to those of untransformed SR1 tobacco plants. Results from these biochemical and physiological analyses suggest that the chloroplast is a suitable cellular compartment for accumulation of the hydrolytic E1 enzyme.
Removal of ectopic intrauterine contraceptive devices aided by laparoscopy.

Abstract Eight instances of intraperitoneal intrauterine contraceptive devices (IUD's) extracted with the aid of laparoscopy are reported. Five different types of devices were removed with accessory instruments. Laparoscopy is a good surgical procedure for observing the location of the intraperitoneal IUD and enables their extraction under observation. It is safer to remove an iatrogenic foreign body (an open or closed loop device) than to await the onset of clinical symptoms.
Perceptions of One's Neighborhood and Mammogram Use among a Sample of Low-Income Women at Risk for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Sexually Transmitted Infections.

Abstract Background Neighborhood disorder, signs of physical and social disorganization, has been related to a range of poor mental and physical health outcomes. Although individual factors have been widely associated with getting a mammogram, little is known about the impact of the neighborhood environment on a woman's decision to get a mammogram. Methods In a sample of women at risk for human immunodeficiency virus and sexually transmitted infections, we explored the role of perceptions of one's neighborhood on getting a mammogram. The study included two samples: women 40 to 49 years ( n = 233) and women 50 years and older ( n = 83). Data were collected from May 2006 through June 2008. Results Women age 50 years and older who lived in a neighborhood with disorder were 72% less likely to get a mammogram compared with women who lived in neighborhoods without disorder. There was no relationship for women age 40 to 49 years. Conclusions Interventions are needed to increase awareness and encourage women living in neighborhoods with disorder to get a mammogram. In addition to interventions to increase mammography, programs are needed to decrease neighborhood disorder. Increasing neighborhood cohesion, social control, and empowerment could integrate health promotion programs to both reduce disorder and increase health behaviors.
The role of grammatical aspect in the dynamics of spatial descriptions

What role does grammatical aspect play in the time course of understanding spatial language, in particular motion events? Although processing differences between past progressive (was walking) and simple past (walked) aspect suggest differences in prominence of certain semantic properties, details about the temporal dynamics of aspect processing have been largely ignored. The current work uses mouse-tracking [1] to explore spatial differences in motor output response to contextual descriptions and aspectual forms. Participants heard descriptions of terrain (difficult or easy) and motion events described with either the past progressive or simple past aspectual form while placing a character into a scene to match this description. Overall, terrain descriptions modulated responses to past progressive more than to simple past in the region of the screen corresponding to the path. These results, which suggest that perceptual simulation plays a role in the interpretation of grammatical form, provide new insights into the understanding of spatial descriptions that include motion.
The Contributions and Prospects of Plant Biotechnology — an Assessment

The power, promise and potential benefits of plant biotechnology in producing better and improved plants and plant products are widely recognised and appreciated. There are, however, only a few selected instances of limited value where these benefits have actually been realised. Applications of plant biotechnology to the improvement of major crop species must await intensive further research in the basic understanding of plant growth and development, and the molecular biology of plant gene structure and function, in addition to adaptation of the appropriate technologies to crops of interest. A plea is made to tone down the rhetoric and the hype of plant biotechnology and to concentrate more on developing the basic scientific competence to achieve the stated goals.
Multi-state power system optimization

An overall control strategy for power flow optimization is defined. In normal and alert states, reactive power control variables are used to minimize transmission losses and improve the reactive power security level, respectively. In the emergency state, any type of constraint violation is eliminated by using reactive power control variables to eliminate voltage violations and real power control variables to eliminate line overcurrents. Complete decoupling between real and reactive power flows is assumed, and coordination between the real and reactive power control variables is used to eliminate any type of constraint violations. The problem is linearized using simplified and constant sensitivity relationships, and the optimal solution is obtained using dual simplex linear programming with a relaxation technique. Test results on the IEEE-39 bus and the IEEE-118 bus systems have been included to show the effectiveness of the algorithm. >