cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional Asymmetry for the Active Sites of Linked 5-Aminolevulinate Synthase and 8-Amino-7-Oxononanoate Synthase

5-Aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS) and 8-amino-7-oxononanoate synthase (AONS) are homodimeric members of the α-oxoamine synthase family of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzymes. Previously, linking two ALAS subunits into a single polypeptide chain dimer yielded an enzyme (ALAS/ALAS) with a significantly greater turnover number than that of wild-type ALAS. To examine the contribution of each active site to the enzymatic activity of ALAS/ALAS, the catalytic lysine, which also covalently binds the PLP cofactor, was substituted with alanine in one of the active sites. Albeit the chemical rate for the pre-steady-state burst of ALA formation was identical in both active sites of ALAS/ALAS, the k(cat) values of the variants differed significantly (4.4±0.2 vs. 21.6±0.7 min(-1)) depending on which of the two active sites harbored the mutation. We propose that the functional asymmetry for the active sites of ALAS/ALAS stems from linking the enzyme subunits and the introduced intermolecular strain alters the protein conformational flexibility and rates of product release. Moreover, active site functional asymmetry extends to chimeric ALAS/AONS proteins, which while having a different oligomeric state, exhibit different rates of product release from the two ALAS and two AONS active sites due to the created intermolecular strain.
Feasibility and cost savings of outpatient electrophysiologic testing

Abstract The feasibility of outpatient electrophysiologic testing was examined by reviewing 100 consecutive outpatient tests performed in 95 patients. Seventy-one of the patients (75%) had no underlying heart disease. The electrophysiologic tests were performed to evaluate supraventricular tachycardias (n = 47), nonsustained ventricular tachycardia (n = 20), unexplained syncope (n = 21), palpitation (n = 9) or intermittent heart block (n = 2). A mean of 2.8 ± 0.5 6F electrode catheters were inserted through a femoral vein. An electrode catheter was inserted into a subclavian or internal jugular vein in 28 tests and a 5F cannula was inserted into a femoral artery to monitor the blood pressure in 20 tests. The results of 61 tests (61%) were abnormal. Patients were monitored for a mean of 3.8 ± 1.2 h after the procedure and then discharged. No complications occurred. For cost analysis a subgroup of 60 of these patients was matched for age, gender, heart disease and indication for electrophysiologic testing with a group of 60 patients who underwent electrophysiologic testing as inpatients. Physicians' fees for the two groups were similar; however, the mean hospital charge was $5,845 ± 3,763 for the inpatient group compared with only $2,120 ± 1,244 for the outpatient group (p
SLA2 mutations cause SWE1-mediated cell cycle phenotypes in Candida albicans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The early endocytic patch protein Sla2 is important for morphogenesis and growth rates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans, but the mechanism that connects these processes is not clear. Here we report that growth defects in cells lacking CaSLA2 or ScSLA2 are associated with a cell cycle delay that is influenced by Swe1, a morphogenesis checkpoint kinase. To establish how Swe1 monitors Sla2 function, we compared actin organization and cell cycle dynamics in strains lacking other components of early endocytic patches (Sla1 and Abp1) with those in strains lacking Sla2. Only sla2 strains had defects in actin cables, a known trigger of the morphogenesis checkpoint, yet all three strains exhibited Swe1-dependent phenotypes. Thus, Swe1 appears to monitor actin patch in addition to actin cable function. Furthermore, Swe1 contributed to virulence in a mouse model of disseminated candidiasis, implying a role for the morphogenesis checkpoint during the pathogenesis of C. albicans infections.
Synthesis and structure of anthramycin analogs via hydride reduction of dilactams

Hydride reduction of pyrrolo[1,4]benzodiazepine-5,10-diones to carbinolamines is possible if a sufficiently electron-withdrawing group is present on the aromatic ring; the X-ray structure of one such product is given.
Potential Overwintering Locations of Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae) Colonizing Soybean in Ohio and Wisconsin

Soybean aphids, Aphis glycines Matsumura, depend on long-distance, wind-aided dispersal to complete their life cycle. Despite our general understanding of soybean aphid biology, little is explicitly known about dispersal of soybean aphids between winter and summer hosts in North America. This study compared genotypic diversity of soybean aphids sampled from several overwintering locations in the Midwest and soybean fields in Ohio and Wisconsin to test the hypothesis that these overwintering locations are sources of the soybean colonists. In addition, air parcel trajectory analyses were used to demonstrate the potential for long-distance dispersal events to occur to or from these overwintering locations. Results suggest that soybean aphids from overwintering locations along the Illinois-Iowa border and northern Indiana-Ohio are potential colonists of soybean in Ohio and Wisconsin, but that Ohio is also colonized by soybean aphids from other unknown overwintering locations. Soybean aphids in Ohio and Wisconsin exhibit a small degree of population structure that is not associated with the locations of soybean fields in which they occur, but that may be related to specific overwintering environments, multiple introductions to North America, or spatial variation in aphid phenology. There may be a limited range of suitable habitat for soybean aphid overwintering, in which case management of soybean aphids may be more effective at their overwintering sites. Further research efforts should focus on discovering more overwintering locations of soybean aphid in North America, and the relative impact of short- and long-distance dispersal events on soybean aphid population dynamics.
Two parallel computational geometry algorithms: a discrete Voronoi diagram with disappearing seeds and convex hull

Summary form only given. Two parallel computational geometry algorithms are presented: One to calculate a discrete Voronoi diagram when one of the seeds is removed and one to calculate the convex hull in two dimensions. The model of parallel processing used for these algorithms assumes the availability of one processor per pixel. The recent growth in the capacity of FPGAs and systems-on-a-chip makes these algorithms interesting again.
Successful Development and Implementation of Statistical Outlier Techniques on 90nm and 65nm Process Driver Devices

Burn-in and the concomitant post-burn-in retest are significant cost adders to the overall IC manufacturing and test process. Methods to reduce burn-in capacity are continually sought. Traditional outlier screens such as fixed-limit analyses with parametric or non-parametric statistics, when applied to the newest technologies, result in excessive Type I or II errors which cannot be tolerated. In this paper, we describe the results from applying statistical burn-in avoidance techniques using time-zero sort test responses to driver designs fabricated in 90nm and 65nm low leakage technologies and libraries.
Petrogenesis of an ultrahigh‐pressure garnet‐bearing ultramafic body from Maowu, Dabie Mountains, east‐central China

The Maowu garnet-bearing ultramafic body (∼ 250 × > 50 m2) in the Dabie ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) terrane has several distinct petrologic characteristics: (i) most rocks are layers of garnet-bearing ultramafics including orthopyroxenite and clinopyroxenite with minor harzburgite and omphacite-rich layers; these compositional layers range in thickness from 5 cm to 1.6 m; (ii) rutile is ubiquitous and is most abundant in clinopyroxenite (up to 1–2 vol%); (iii) monazite is common as inclusions in silicates and as a matrix phase; (iv) exsolved plates of magnetite occur in olivine (Fo93), and monazite in apatite; (v) chromite occurs as fine-grained inclusions in enstatite and clinohumite; (vi) hydrous phases including talc, clinochlore and amphibole are common as inclusions in coarse-grained garnet; and (vii) major silicates are high in Mg/(Mg + Fe) values. Most of the ultramafic rocks are high in rare earth elements (REE), P, Cr and TiO2, and are significantly different from Mg–Cr or Fe–Ti garnet peridotites which are common in the western Alps, Western Gneiss Region, and the Bohemian Massif. Well-foliated orthopyroxenite is composed of Grt (Prp60–74) + En (En92–96; 0.05–0.14 wt% Al2O3) + Chl (2–3 wt% Cr2O3) ± clinohumite ± magnesite ± Di (Di94–97) + chromite. Omphacitic rocks contain mainly elongated omphacite (> 90 vol%) with rare garnet (Prp45Alm41Gr13), rutile, apatite, and monazite. Omphacites (Jd63–67Ac6–12Aug20–31) display pronounced compositional zoning and contain inclusions of coesite relics and quartz pseudomorphs after coesite. Minor retrograde phases include talc/tremolite after Px, Chl after Grt, Cpx (Jd49Ac13Aug38) and Ab after omphacite. Garnet-bearing ultramafic and omphacitic rocks have been subjected to UHP metamorphism at pressures of ∼ 35–50 kbar and 750 ± 50 °C under extremely low XCO2 conditions (< 0.001); a minor amphibolite facies overprint took place at P < 15 kbar and 650 °C. The protoliths may be Proterozoic ultramafic crustal cumulates that were subjected to metasomatism prior to Triassic subduction to mantle depths of more than 100 km during the collision of the Sino-Korean and Yangtze Cratons.
The Relative Impact of Anger and Efficacy on Collective Action is Affected by Feelings of Fear

Two well-established predictors of collective action are perceptions of group effi cacy and feelings of anger. The current research investigates the extent to which the relative impact of these variables differs when fear is or is not also included as a predictor of collective action. The results of two experiments indicate that when fear is not assessed, the importance of anger as a predictor of action is underestimated while the importance of group effi cacy is overestimated. The results further indicate that fear, in addition to affecting the impact of known causes of collective action (anger and group effi cacy), is a powerful inhibitor of collective action. The implications for current theoretical models of collective action instigators are discussed.
The nature of rainfall variability over Africa on time scales of decades to millenia

This paper begins with an overview of the African rainfall regime, noting in particular the contrast among various regions . of the continent, followed by a description of the nature of climatic i.e., rainfall variability over Africa on time scales of decades and centuries. The decadal scale is examined using modern data covering the twentieth century. The century scale is examined using historical reconstructions of climate, based on a combination of geologic, geographic and historical . information e.g., lake chronologies, landscape descriptions, archives and diaries . The presentation includes some results of an analysis of a new historical semi-quantitative data set for Africa covering the last two centuries. It was produced using a combination of historical information, nineteenth century rainfall records, and statistical relationships among various sectors of Africa. Presented here are reconstructions of lake level fluctuations for numerous lakes of eastern and southern Africa. This overview of climatic fluctuations is utilized to uncover inherent spatial and temporal characteristics of the rainfall variability. The dominance over time of various spatial modes is emphasized and the questions of synchroneity of the hemispheres and the abruptness of change are considered. The contrast between the two hemispheres is also surveyed, notably the different time scales of variability and potential causal factors in the variability. One of the most important contrasts is the multi-decadal persistence of anomalies over most of northern Africa. This has implications for the causes of long-term fluctuations, even those historical and paleo-time scales. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
A cooperative algorithm for stereo matching and occlusion detection

Presents a stereo algorithm for obtaining disparity maps with occlusion explicitly detected. To produce smooth and detailed disparity maps, two assumptions that were originally proposed by Marr and Poggio (1976, 1979) are adopted: uniqueness and continuity. That is, the disparity maps have a unique value per pixel and are continuous almost everywhere. These assumptions are enforced within a three-dimensional array of match values in disparity space. Each match value corresponds to a pixel in an image and a disparity relative to another image. An iterative algorithm updates the match values by diffusing support among neighboring values and inhibiting others along similar lines of sight. By applying the uniqueness assumption, occluded regions can be explicitly identified. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm, we present the processing results from synthetic and real image pairs, including ones with ground-truth values for quantitative comparison with other methods.
Fore-optics systems designed for electronic streak cameras using fiber optics

The general principles that should be considered in designing a fore-optics system to image signals from optical fibers onto the photocathode of a streak tube are described. Important design considerations of these systems include lens design (resolution, magnification, relative aperture, field size, and transmission), use of supplementary field lenses, and the configuration of the fiber arrays. Provisions made in these systems to evaluate all channels of the complete fiber system and to align the fiber-array images on the photocathode are discussed. Typical applications of these fore-optics systems include simultaneous filtering of multiple channels of optical signals, reducing the size of the image, or using a streak camera that has a curved front window.
Host resource supplies influence the dynamics and outcome of infectious disease

Pathogens and their host organisms share a wide range of resource needs that are required to support normal metabolism and growth. Because the development of infectious disease on or within the host involves the processes of invasion and resource consumption, competition for growth-limiting resources potentially may occur between pathogens and cellular or sub-cellular components of the host ecosystem. Examples from the plant, animal, and microbiological literature provide unambiguous evidence that external resource supplies to the host organism can have profound effects on the outcome of infection by a broad diversity of bacterial, fungal, metazoan, protozoan, and viral pathogens.
An Optimization Model for Corporate Financial Planning

This paper describes the development and actual implementation of an optimization model for strategic planning in a large diversified organization. In contrast to previous discussions of the applicability of financial theory and mathematical programming methods in corporate planning, emphasis is placed on providing useful decision information within the practical limitations of theory, available computational capabilities, and established planning practices. The corporate model reflects the full range of financial decisions, including internal capital budgeting, acquisitions, divestments, debt creation/repayment, stock issue/repurchase, and dividend payout. Operating as an integral part of the corporate planning process, the mixed integer programming model selects optimal investment and financing programs over a multiperiod planning horizon. An on-line computational system permits extensive parametric analysis. The major features of the model, the supporting computational system, and implementation experience are presented.
Protein structure comparison : implications for the nature of 'fold space', and structure and function prediction

The identification of geometric relationships between protein structures offers a powerful approach to predicting the structure and function of proteins. Methods to detect such relationships range from human pattern recognition to a variety of mathematical algorithms. A number of schemes for the classification of protein structure have found widespread use and these implicitly assume the organization of protein structure space into discrete categories. Recently, an alternative view has emerged in which protein fold space is seen as continuous and multidimensional. Significant relationships have been observed between proteins that belong to what have been termed different 'folds'. There has been progress in the use of these relationships in the prediction of protein structure and function.
Influence of cimetidine on verapamil kinetics and dynamics

The kinetics and dynamics of single doses of verapamil (10 mg iv and 120 mg by mouth) were followed in eight subjects on oral cimetidine (300 mg every 6 hr) and placebo. Cimetidine had no effect on intravenous verapamil kinetics but induced a significant rise in oral verapamil bioavailability. Other kinetic parameters of verapamil were not altered by cimetidine. Verapamil induced a significant slowing of atrioventricular conduction (39.8 msec intravenous; 24.5 msec oral). Although there was a significant increase in oral verapamil bioavailability after cimetidine, there was no change in PR interval prolongation with either oral or intravenous verapamil. Our data demonstrate the importance of correlating measurable drug effects with kinetic studies when drug interactions are studied and their clinical significance is assessed. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1984) 36, 551–554; doi:10.1038/clpt.1984.218
Attributes of atmospheric carbon monoxide oxidation by Maine forest soils.

CO, one of the most important trace gases, regulates tropospheric methane, hydroxyl radical, and ozone contents. Ten to 25% of the estimated global CO flux may be consumed by soils annually. Depth profiles for {sup 14}CO oxidation and CO concentration indicated that CO oxidation occurred primarily in surface soils and that photooxidation of soil organic matter did not necessarily contribute significantly to CO fluxes. Kinetic analyses revealed that the apparent K{sub m} was about 19 nM (17 ppm) and the V{sub max} was 6.9 {micro}mol g (fresh weight){sup {minus}1}h{sup {minus}1}; the apparent K{sub m} was similar to the apparent K{sub m} for atmospheric methane consumption, but the V{sub max} was more than 100 times higher. Atmospheric CO oxidation responded sensitively to soil water regimes; decreases in water content in initially saturated soils resulted in increased uptake, and optimum uptake occurred at water contents of 30 to 60%. However, extended drying led to decreased uptake and net CO production. Rewetting could restore CO uptake, albeit with a pronounced hysteresis. The responses to changing temperatures indicated that the optimum temperature for net uptake was between 20 and 25 C and that there was a transition to net production at temperatures above 30more » C. The responses to methyl fluoride and acetylene indicated that populations other than ammonia oxidizers and methanotrophs must be involved in forest soils. The response to acetylene was notable, since the strong initial inhibition was reversed after 12 h of incubation; in contrast, methyl fluoride did not have an inhibitory effect. Ammonium did not inhibit CO uptake; the level of nitrate inhibition was initially substantial, but nitrite inhibition was reversible over time. Nitrite inhibition appeared to occur through indirect effects based on a biological formation of NO.« less
Comparative digestion of timothy ( Phleum pratense ) fibre by ruminants, equines and rabbits

1. The abilities of cattle, sheep, goats, equines and rabbits to digest mature timothy (Phleum pratense) hay were compared. Apparent digestibilities were partitioned into true digestibility, metabolic faecal output (MFO) and fibre digestibility. The aid of the study was to determine the relative effects of fermentation site (among groups) and of body-weight (within groups) on the efficiency of digestion. 2. The ruminants were superior to equines, which were in turn superior to rabbits, in digesting fibre-components of the hay. A large individual variation in digestibility was noted only for the equines. Increasing body-weight was associated with higher digestibility in ruminants, but no such trends were seen in the non-ruminants. 3. The MFO expressed as a proportion of dry matter intake gave similar values for all groups (0.085-0.118). As a proportion of available microbial substrate originating from the feed, the values were found to be 0.167 for the ruminant, 0.425 for the equines and 2.13 for the rabbits. The value for the rabbits shows that their lower tract microflora must obtain energy from non-fibre components of the feed. No appreciable digestion of the generated microbes by the host was suggested by the values obtained for the equines.
Distributive Justice in Resource-Allocation

In Chapters 5 through 10, we examined how people allocate their resources in varying types of resource-allocation tasks. In Chapters 5 through 7, we examined resource-allocation behavior in job- and technical-oriented tasks. In these chapters, U.S. Coast Guard personnel were the participants instructed to solve resource-allocation problems involving the scheduling of helicopters or boats with varying fuel and personnel requirements. The tasks presented in Chapters 5–7 are only a few examples of the resource-allocation tasks that people undertake as part of their occupation.
Conditional Modality Fusion for Coreference Resolution

Non-verbal modalities such as gesture can improve processing of spontaneous spoken language. For example, similar hand gestures tend to predict semantic similarity, so features that quantify gestural similarity can improve semantic tasks such as coreference resolution. However, not all hand movements are informative gestures; psychological research has shown that speakers are more likely to gesture meaningfully when their speech is ambiguous. Ideally, one would attend to gesture only in such circumstances, and ignore other hand movements. We present conditional modality fusion, which formalizes this intuition by treating the informativeness of gesture as a hidden variable to be learned jointly with the class label. Applied to coreference resolution, conditional modality fusion significantly outperforms both early and late modality fusion, which are current techniques for modality combination.
Hemispheric asymmetries for simple visual judgments in the split brain

While it is commonly noted that the right cerebral hemisphere is specialized for visuospatial processing, the scope and nature of this specialization remain somewhat ill defined. Our previous research with callosotomy ('split-brain') patients has suggested that the asymmetry may be limited to conditions that have an explicit spatial component. To investigate this we compared the performance of the divided hemispheres of two callosotomy patients on four simple visual-matching tasks. These tasks were orientation discrimination, vernier offset discrimination, size discrimination, and luminance discrimination. In each task, two stimuli were presented briefly to one visual hemifield and the patient was asked to discriminate whether they were the same or different. The first three tasks (orientation, vernier, and size) were all spatial in nature and were performed better by the right hemisphere. The luminance discrimination task, which is non-spatial, was performed equivalently by the two hemispheres. These results support the view that the fundamental difference in visual function between the hemispheres is in the ability to perform spatial discriminations.
Elimination of Square Roots from Ballistics Equations

T Note contains a simple procedure which eliminates the necessity for computing square roots in the numerical solution of ballistics equations used for endo-atmospheric trajectory prediction. This results in an appreciable reduction in computer time for those machines which do not have a hard-wired square root function. The technique was developed for use in an airborne weapon delivery system where computer time was at a premium.' 2 The procedure should prove useful in other ballistic applications.
Battered Women Speak Out Welfare Reform and Their Decisions to Disclose

Recent attention has been given to the challenges and unintended negative consequences of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Act of 1996 on the economic well-being and safety of battered women and their children. This study focused on battered women's perceptions and experiences of disclosing their abuse histories to welfare-to-work case managers. The study found that women are prepared and expect to disclose, but various factors influence their ability to do so. In addition, battered women themselves have specific suggestions for improving the understanding and skills of case managers.
Toward Theory-Based Research in Political Communication.

can do quite well in seeking policy benefits. In the case of the Contract With America, conservative business interests joined forces with Republican legislators and communications consultants to promote a legislative program with clear beneficiaries. Those who are organized and have big financial interests can gain disproportionate government benefits. All of this suggests that Schattschneider's (1960) fears about the interest group chorus singing with an upper-class bias are coming true.
Prophecy and Doubt in Just Above My Head

Written in the aftermath of the civil rights era’s expansive hopes, James Baldwin’s last novel, Just Above My Head (1979), examines a fundamental issue, the choice between hope and skepticism, or prophecy and doubt. Baldwin approaches this issue by questioning two cornerstone ideas of his fiction, the need for prophetic art and this art’s focus on anticipating a renovated society, often pictured in terms adapted from apocalyptic biblical texts and Gospel music lyrics. Just Above My Head is Baldwin’s fullest presentation of this kind of art and its linkage to apocalyptic hopes. He dramatizes these ideas in the art of his Gospel singer protagonist, particularly in a climactic scene of artistic dedication whose Gospel lyric envisions “tearing down the kingdom of this world.” Yet Baldwin also unsparingly questions these same ideas through plot and the blues-inflected skeptical-tragic consciousness of his narrator. Responding to a 1970s moment when hopes for transcendent justice seemed passe, Just Above My Head ’s unique contribution is not to try to resolve the ideas it counterposes, but to face both the possible falseness of prophetic hope and our continuing need for it, and to present the necessity for choice in a final dream that holds the key to the novel’s meaning. In presenting this issue through a sustained double-voiced narrative that reexamines its author’s artistic practice and raises fundamental choices in outlook and conduct, Just Above My Head evidences the continuing artistic vitality of Baldwin’s late fiction.
Astrometry with Optical/IR Interferometers

This paper is a tutorial on astrometry with long-baseline ground-based interferometers. There are two types of astrometric measurements with ground-based interferometers: global astrometry and narrow angle astrometry. The ultimate limits for both types of measurements are set by the atmosphere. However, the instrumental considerations for the two types of measurements are quite different. This paper gives an overview of the instrumental aspects of these two different types of astrometric instruments.
Development of an analytical method to quantify PBDEs, OH-BDEs, HBCDs, 2,4,6-TBP, EH-TBB, and BEH-TEBP in human serum

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) flame retardants (FRs) were phased-out in the mid-2000s (penta- and octaBDE) and 2013 (decaBDE); however, their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-BDEs) are still commonly detected in human serum. Today, novel FRs such as Firemaster® 550, a mixture that contains two brominated compounds, EH-TBB and BEH-TEBP are used as replacements for PBDEs in some applications, and there is a need to develop a comprehensive analytical method to assess exposure to both legacy PBDEs and novel FRs. This study developed a solid-phase extraction (SPE)-based method to analyze PBDEs, OH-BDEs, 2,4,6-tribromophenol (TBP), hexabromocylcododecane isomers (HBCDs), EH-TBB, and BEH-TEBP in human serum. Briefly, serum proteins were first denatured with formic acid, and then the target analytes were isolated using a SPE column. Finally, the extract was cleaned and fractioned using a silica SPE column. Method performance was assessed by spiking fetal bovine serum with 1-2 ng of the target analytes, and method accuracy was quantified by comparison to a serum Standard Reference Material (SRM). The developed method showed good recovery and accuracy for all target analytes with the exception of the very low and very high molecular weight PBDE congeners. Using this method, 43 serum samples collected from the Healthy Pregnancy, Healthy Baby Study (HPHB) cohort in Durham, NC, USA were analyzed for FRs. A novel finding was the ubiquitous detection of 2,4,6-TBP, at levels greater than the individual PBDE congeners. Furthermore, 2,4,6-TBP was positively correlated with PBDEs, suggesting that they may have a similar source of exposure, or that 2,4,6-TBP may result from metabolism of PBDEs in vivo.
More on masking of stimulus control during generalization testing

Twenty-four pigeons were given single-stimulus training with a white vertical line on a yellow (576 nm) background. For half of the Ss, the houselight was on during the entire experiment, while for the other half it was off. A generalization test along the angularity dimension was conducted, with the 576-nm surround present on only half of the stimulus presentations. In the houselight-off group, the relative generalization gradient was flatter with the yellow surround present, indicating masking of angularity by wavelength; however, there was no such difference in the houselight-on group.
Vimentin Is Required For LPS-Induced Inflammasome Activation And Lung Injury

Inflammation is required to properly restore homeostasis after an infectious or noxious insult, but when excessive or prolonged Rationale: it can be more damaging than the insult itself. The inflammasome is a multi-protein complex that regulates the maturation and release of proinflammatory cytokines of the interleukin 1 (IL-1) family, which is one of the earliest events upon perception of danger signals. Vimentin, a type III intermediate filament involved in motility, maintenance of cell shape and endurance of mechanical stress in cells of mesenchymal origin, has also been implicated in inflammatory responses. Therefore, we set to determine whether vimentin is required for the activation of the inflammasome and survival in a mouse model of LPS-induced lung injury.
The Subsurface Hydrogen Barrier Layer in Plasma-Treated Silicon

The near-surface hydrogen profile was measured using the 15N hydrogen profiling technique in silicon. By depositing an adlayer of Al on the surface we were able to observe the separation of the near-surface hydrogen profile in silicon from the surface contamination layer. The hydrogen profiling of the near-surface region revealed the existence of a subsurface hydrogen layer which acts as a barrier to the transfer of hydrogen into the bulk. The observed subsurface layer is saturated with molecular hydrogen and its profile drops off sharply with increasing depth. The structure of this molecular hydrogen barrier and its thermal stability were studied.
Effect of N Supply on Yield and Protein Content and Its Mechanism in Fodder Hybrid Rice

Effect of N supply on yield and protein content and its mechanism in Weiyou 56, a fodder hybrid rice combination, was studied by methods of field experiment and plant analysis. The results showed that: ①With the increase of N supply and top dressing rate at panicle and spikelet formation stage, the contents of total N, protein N and non protein N and the activities of glutamine synthase (GS) and PEP carboxylase (PEPC) in leaves and grains and protein content in brown rice were increased. ②Excessive N application reduced both sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) activity in leaves and the activities of sucrose synthase (SS) and ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADPG PPase) in grains, inhibited the formation of sucrose in leaves and that of starch in grains, which results in decrease in economical yield. ③Application of 225 kg/hm 2 plus 50% N for topdressed application at panicle and spikelet formation stage had high SPS, GS and PEPC activities in leaves, and high SS and ADPG PPase activities and starch content in grains, which benefits the formation of super high yield and high protein content.
Detemination of the content of hesperidin in Zhenkeling mixture by RP-HPLC

Objective:To establish a RP-HPLC method for determination of the content of besperidin in Zhenkeling mixture.Methods: The separation was performed on a Hypersil ODS2 (4.6 mm×200 mm,5μm) column.The mobile phase was acetonitrile-water (19:81),the flow rate was 1.0 mL/min,the detecting wavelength was at 283 nm.Results:The hesperidin had a good linear relation be- tween 0.6328～5.0624μg/mL (r=0.9999,n=6),the average recovery was 101.10%,RSD was 1.54%.Conclusions:This method was simple,accurate and repeatable.It can be used for quality control in production of Zhenkeling mixture.
Costs and benefits of thermal energy storage for augmenting indirect/direct evaporative cooling systems

Most data center cooling systems are designed to match installed cooling capacity to peak cooling demand at the most challenging ambient condition which typically occurs for only a period of the diurnal cycle. Evaporative coolers are provide economical cooling but use large quantities of water and are generally constrained to the ASHRAE A2 limits [1]. Direct expansion ‘topping’ systems are a common technology to extend the temperature-humidity range, however, direct expansion systems require substantial electrical power which negatively affects the operating costs. Phase change materials have potential for economical thermal energy storage. Used instead of direct expansion, thermal energy storage can reduce the cost of cooling energy. By storing cooling capacity, thermal energy storage enables time-shifting of cooling demands and extends the temperature-humidity limits for evaporative cooling beyond the ASHRAE A2 limits. An added benefit, thermal energy storage with indirect/direct evaporative coolers reduces water consumption.
Abstract 4242: Rhodamine esters as fluorescent tumor painting agents for glioblastoma

Proceedings: AACR 107th Annual Meeting 2016; April 16-20, 2016; New Orleans, LA GBM remains one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Despite surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, tumors invariably recur. There is a strong correlation between extend of resection and subsequent time to recurrence and ultimate patient survival. A key challenge for the neurosurgeon is to minimize removal normal brain tissue whilst being as aggressive as possible with regards of removal of tumor tissue. Defining tumor boundary during surgery remains challenging. Fluorescent dyes such as 5- Aminolevulinic acid, have been studied as aids for tumor delineation but have failed to gain widespread acceptance in clinical practice. It has long been known that a substantial number of cancers, including Glioblastoma, exhibit a hyperpolarization of the plasma and mitochondrial membrane potential. This hyperpolarization is manifest by increased retention of lipophilic cationic dyes (Nernstian probes), such as the SPECT-CT probes 99Tc-Sestamibi and 99Tc-Tetrofosmin in both glioma cells in culture and primary tumors. We synthesized a series of ester derivatives of Rhodamine B with high fluorescence quantum yield in the red spectrum and a very favorable biological safety profile. Utilizing a series of intracranial xenografted glioblastoma pre-clinical mouse models, we show that a single I.V. injection of 1 mg/kg fluoroethylrhodamine ester (RhoFe) results in dramatic selective fluorescence in tumor but not surrounding normal brain tissue. This was observed even in tumors with minimal breakdown of the blood brain barrier, as determined by T1-contrast enhancing agents. RhoFe-tumor-selective fluorescence can remain visible up to 72 hours after injection. Similar results were obtained with Tetramethylrhodamine ester (TMRE) and rhodamine 123 (Rho123), but unlike RhoFe, TMRE proved highly toxic, while Rho123 fluorescence was both weaker and in the green spectrum, accompanied by higher endogenous auto-fluorescence. While well tolerated in vivo, RhoFe shows strong photoxicity in cell culture, suggesting potential as a photodynamic therapy agent. Taken together, these data suggest that RhoFe may be a promising tumor painting agent, with potential utility in fluorescence guided surgery as well as photodynamic therapy. Citation Format: Yu-Hsi Lin, Steven Millward, Seth Gammon, Nikunj Satani, Naima Hammoudi, Joshua Philip Gray, Lindsay E. Kelderhouse, Argentina Ornelas, Haley Schroeder, Florian L. Muller. Rhodamine esters as fluorescent tumor painting agents for glioblastoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 4242.
Perceptions of HIV Pre-Exposure Chemoprophylaxis among HIV-Negative, Post-Incarcerated, African American MSM

Aims: To explore barriers and facilitators to using and adhering to Truvada, among HIV-negative, post-incarcerated, African American men who have sex with men (MSM). Background: African American MSM represent only 2% of the U.S. population, yet account for 73% of new HIV infections among African American men. Truvada was FDA approved in 2012 for chemoprophylaxis in HIV-negative persons at high HIV risk. According to CDC guidelines, Truvada is most efficacious when used daily in addition to consistent condom use from the beginning to end of sex, and with 2-3 month medical checks and counseling. Methods: In this qualitative ethnographic study we used convenience and snowball sampling. Participants were recruited from Men’s Central Jail in Los Angeles in collaboration with the Center for Health Justice. Data were gathered using semi-structured questions in one and one half hour, audio-recorded, focus group sessions. Analysis: Transcripts were analyzed using AtlasTi qualitative software. Findings: 1. HIV-related stigma continues in African American communities 2. Post-incarcerated HIV-negative African American MSM may not consistently use or adhere to Truvada 3. Use of Truvada may mean that the user is HIV positive or gay, and 4. African American MSM may not use condoms with Truvada. 5. Truvada should be given to men who are incarcerated.
The Effect of self-censorship on news credibility: public's perception of Hong Kong newspapers after the 1997 Handover

Since the 1997 handover when Hong Kong became a special administration of China, scholars have expressed concern over a perceived decline in freedom and credibility of once a vibrant media system. This survey study builds on previous scholarship that documents a growing rate of self-censorship in Hong Kong newsrooms. The results indicate that Hong Kong citizens are aware of this phenomenon and that they trust newspapers less than they did before 1997. Regression analyses find that perceptions of self-censorship, attitudes toward China, and attitudes toward media in general, as well as demographic characteristics, are related to this decline in newspaper credibility.
Protection from late-occurring anthracycline-related cardiotoxicity among childhood cancer survivors with a RARG coding variant.

130Background: Susceptibility to late-occurring anthracycline-related left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is poorly understood. While higher dose of anthracyclines, radiation therapy, and younger age at exposure are relevant, heterogeneity persists. A recent report suggests that survivors with the rs2229774 retinoic acid receptor γ (RARG) variant represent a high-risk group. We sought to replicate this finding in our population of adult survivors of childhood and young adult cancer. Methods: We collected germline DNA among 455 survivors of childhood and young adult cancer seen in the Memorial Sloan Kettering Long-Term Follow-Up Programs. Participants were 48% male and more that 90% were white, non-Hispanic. Median age at diagnosis was 15 years and median time from diagnosis was 17.8 years. The most common diagnosis was Hodgkin Lymphoma (31%) followed by sarcoma (29%) and leukemia (10%). Initial genetic testing was performed using a low density SNP array (Illumina Exomearray), followed by full gene analysis ...
Implementing Family-Centered Care Through Facilitated Sensemaking

The Society of Critical Care Medicine has released updated recommendations for care of the family in neonatal, pediatric, and adult intensive care units. Translation of the recommendations into practice may benefit from a supporting theoretical framework. Facilitated sensemaking is a mid-range theory built from the same literature that formed the basis for recommendations within the guidelines. The process of facilitated sensemaking may be used to help nurses adopt the SCCM recommendations into practice through the development of caring relationships, promoting family presence, teaching family engagement strategies, and supporting families with communication, information gathering, and participation in decision-making.
The Volume-outcome Relationship in Deceased Donor Kidney Transplantation and Implications for Regionalization

Objective:The aim of this study was to investigate the volume-outcome relationship in kidney transplantation by examining graft and patient outcomes using standardized risk adjustment (observed-to-expected outcomes). A secondary objective was to examine the geographic proximity of low, medium, and h
Modeling the impact of thermal effects on luminous flux maintenance for SSL luminaires

Meeting the longevity requirements of solid-state lighting (SSL) devices places extreme demands on the materials and designs that are used in SSL luminaires. Therefore, understanding the aging characteristics of lens, reflectors, and other materials is essential to projecting the long-term performance of LED-based lighting systems. Overlooking these factors at either the design or product specification stage can result in premature failure of the device due to poor luminous flux maintenance and/or excessive chromaticity shifts. This paper describes a methodology for performing accelerated stress testing (AST) on materials intended for use in SSL luminaires. This test methodology, which consists of elevated temperature and humidity conditions, produces accelerated aging data that can be correlated to expected performance under normal luminaire operating conditions. The correlations can then be leveraged to produce models of the changes in the optical properties of key materials including transmittance versus wavelength of lenses and reflectance versus wavelength for housings and other reflectors. This information has been collected into a lumen maintenance decision support tool (LM-DST) and together with user supplied inputs (e.g., expected operation conditions) can provide guidance on lifetime expectations of SSL luminaires. This approach has been applied to a variety of materials commonly found in SSL luminaires including acrylics, polycarbonates, and silicones used for lenses and paints, coatings, films, and composites used for reflectors.
Stretch activation properties of Drosophila and Lethocerus indirect flight muscle suggest similar calcium-dependent mechanisms.

Muscle stretch activation (SA) is critical for optimal cardiac and insect indirect flight muscle (IFM) power generation. The SA mechanism has been investigated for decades with many theories propos...
Trimester-Specific Changes in Maternal Thyroid Hormones: Implications for Iodine Nutrition

This chapter focuses on the implications for iodine nutrition due to trimester-specific changes in maternal TH concentrations. During the first trimester of pregnancy, the demand for thyroid hormone (TH) increases by approximately 50%. Since the normal ranges of thyroid function tests change across pregnancy, gestation-specific reference intervals are important in providing normal ranges for comparison and facilitating clinical management of thyroid disease in pregnancy. Physiological changes associated with pregnancy require a 40–100% increase in TH synthesis to meet maternal and fetal needs during gestation. The fetus is totally dependent on maternal iodine supply throughout gestation, and on thyroxine supply during the first trimester of pregnancy for normal neurological development and nervous system maturation. It is therefore imperative that TH synthesis is adequate and is met with the appropriate iodine intake. Accordingly, it is important to know the trimester-specific reference intervals for THs and other thyroid functions in pregnancy. Trimester-specific reference intervals for thyroid functions are especially important, since thyroid insufficiency may be associated with fetal neurodevelopmental deficits and adverse obstetric outcomes. The availability of normal ranges of TH concentrations throughout pregnancy allows individualized thyroxine therapy, as well as iodine supplementation when necessary. Normal trimester-specific intervals can change with the method of analysis.
Optical coherence tomographic angiography identifies peripapillary microvascular dilation and focal non-perfusion in giant cell arteritis

Aims We set out to determine the optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCT-A) characteristics of arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AAION) in the context of giant cell arteritis (GCA). Methods This is an observational case series of four patients with AAION secondary to GCA, three with unilateral AAION and one with bilateral AAION. We reviewed the charts, fundus photography, visual fields, fluorescein angiography (FA) and OCT-A images for all patients to identify a unifying theme in a range of AAION clinical severity. Imaging of two healthy control eyes from two patients of similar age to the patients in our series were used for comparison. Results Superficial peripapillary capillary dilation was seen in eyes with acute AAION. It was also noted in the fellow eyes of two patients. Retinal capillary perfusion defects corresponded to visual field loss. Dense optic disc oedema and cotton-wool spots imparted blockage effects. OCT-A laminar analysis did not highlight the choroidal/choriocapillaris perfusion defects seen on FA in two patients. Follow-up OCT-A was obtained in two patients and revealed progression to superficial peripapillary capillary attenuation that corresponded with visual field loss. Conclusions There are acute and chronic vascular changes in AAION that are detectable by OCT-A that correspond with visual function. Though the microvascular changes seen in GCA and AAION are not specific, the nearly ubiquitous findings among preclinical and clinically affected eyes in this series of patients with GCA support OCT-A as a potentially useful adjunctive diagnostic test in the work-up of ambiguous cases of suspected ischaemic optic neuropathy.