cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hepatic arterial infusional chemotherapy in the management of colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Colorectal liver metastases (CRLM) receive their blood supply predominantly through the hepatic artery. Intra-arterial drug delivery can optimize the dose and time exposure of chemotherapy to tumor cells while limiting systemic toxicity. Chemotherapy is most commonly administered through a catheter surgically placed in the gastroduodenal artery and connected to a subcutaneous pump. Due to its pharmacokinetics features, floxuridine is the most commonly used drug in the USA with hepatic arterial infusional (HAI) chemotherapy. To date, many clinical trials have shown the positive impact of HAI in the management of CRLM. Hence, in unresectable patients, HAI is associated with high response rates and commonly enables subsequent resection in both chemonaive and previously treated patients. Outcomes in patients converted to complete resection are similar to patients who present with initially resectable disease. In the adjuvant setting, HAI with floxuridine improves survival as well as hepatic and overall diseas...
GGGGCC microsatellite RNA is neuritically localized, induces branching defects, and perturbs transport granule function

Microsatellite expansions are the leading cause of numerous neurodegenerative disorders. Here we demonstrate that GGGGCC and CAG microsatellite repeat RNAs associated with C9orf72 in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/frontotemporal dementia and with polyglutamine diseases, respectively, localize to neuritic granules that undergo active transport into distal neuritic segments. In cultured mammalian spinal cord neurons, the presence of neuritic GGGGCC repeat RNA correlates with neuronal branching defects, and the repeat RNA localizes to granules that label with fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP), a transport granule component. Using a Drosophila GGGGCC expansion disease model, we characterize dendritic branching defects that are modulated by FMRP and Orb2. The human orthologs of these modifiers are misregulated in induced pluripotent stem cell-differentiated neurons (iPSNs) from GGGGCC expansion carriers. These data suggest that expanded repeat RNAs interact with the messenger RNA transport and translation machinery, causing transport granule dysfunction. This could be a novel mechanism contributing to the neuronal defects associated with C9orf72 and other microsatellite expansion diseases.
Stress myocardial perfusion imaging by computed tomography a dynamic road is ahead.

The recent adoption of cardiac computed tomography (CCT) into clinical practice has invigorated the debate regarding the strengths and limitations of directly imaging coronary atherosclerosis (i.e., anatomy) versus imaging myocardial perfusion (i.e., physiology). Although proponents of CCT point to
Prognostic influence of pretreatment characteristics in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

An analysis of 55 adult patients (age >15 yr) with previously untreated acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) was undertaken to correlate presenting clinical features with outcome of treatment. Patients achieving complete remission (CR) were compared to those without CR for the presence or magnitude of 24 pretreatment characteristics. The effect of each characteristic on remission duration and survival was studied using the proportional hazards method. Younger age predicted longer remission duration and survival but was not related to attainment of CR. The L1 FAB subtype was more frequently associated with CR than was L2. It predicted longer remission duration and survival compared to L2, but when age was considered concurrently, the effect of FAB subtype was lost for remission duration and considerably diminished for survival. The absence of infection favored attainment of CR, and elevated serum creatinine had a negative effect on survival. Statistically less certain associations were marrow cellularity >90% and absence of weight loss favoring CR; female sex and lower neutrophils and hemoglobin favoring longer remission duration; and lower aspartate transaminase favoring longer survival. Total numbers of white cells, blasts or platelets, fever, purpura, organomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and other serum chemistries were not significantly related to outcome. For adults with ALL, these results both confirm and repudiate previously noted prognostic associations and demonstrate that many important prognostic indicators of childhood ALL do not apply to the adult disease.
Intracoronary brachytherapy for in-stent restenosis of drug-eluting stents.

Purpose: Given the limited salvage options for in-stent restenosis (ISR) of drug-eluting stents (DES), our high-volume cardiac catheterization laboratory has been performing intracoronary brachytherapy (ICBT) in patients with recurrent ISR of DES. This study analyzes their baseline characteristics and assesses the safety/toxicity of ICBT in this high-risk population. Methods and materials: A retrospective analysis of patients treated with ICBT between September 2012 and December 2014 was performed. Patients with ISR twice in a single location were eligible. Procedural complications included vessel dissection, perforation, tamponade, slow/absent blood flow, and vessel closure. Postprocedural events included myocardial infarction, coronary artery bypass graft, congestive heart failure, stroke, bleeding, thrombosis, embolism, dissection, dialysis, or death occurring within 72 hours. A control group of patients with 2 episodes of ISR at 1 location who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention without ICBT was identified. Unpaired t tests and c 2 tests were used to compare the groups. Results: There were 134 (78%) patients in the ICBT group with 141 treated lesions and 37 (22%) patients in the control group. There was a high prevalence of hyperlipidemia (>95%), hypertension (>95%), and diabetes (>50%) in both groups. The groups were well-balanced with respect to age, sex, and pre-existing medical conditions, with the exception of previous coronary artery bypass graft being more common the ICBT group. Procedural complication rates were low in the control and ICBT groups (0% vs 4.5%, P Z .190). Postprocedural event rates were low (<5%) in both groups. Readmission rate at 30 days was 3.7% in the ICBT group and 5.4% in the control group (P Z .649). Conclusions: This is the largest recent known series looking at ICBT for recurrent ISR of DES. ICBT is a safe treatment option with similarly low rates (<5%) of procedural and postprocedural complications compared with percutaneous coronary intervention alone. This study establishes the safety of ICBT in a high-risk patient cohort.
A Note on Generalized Semilinear Transformations

(1970). A Note on Generalized Semilinear Transformations. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 147-149.
Effect of Sorbitol and Sucrose on Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure and Urine Output

SummaryParallel experiments have been carried out on 9 pairs of dogs. 50% sorbitol, in a dosage of 2.5 cc/kg, injected intravenously at a rate of 7 cc/min causes a more marked and protracted fall in cerebrospinal fluid pressure, and a greater diuresis, than does an equivalent amount of sucrose.
Influence of Nitrogen on Population Parameters of Potato Insects: Abundance, Development, and Damage of the Colorado Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Population parameters of Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata (Say), were compared on potatoes fertilized with different levels of nitrogen (N) (0, 56, 84, 140, and 224 kg/ha). In general, abundance of CPB was similar for all treatments. Trends in the data showed that CPB larvae, adults, and egg masses were consistently more abundant (although not consistently statistically different) in the lowest and highest N treatments. The degree-days (°D11.035.0) required for caged individuals to complete larval development were similar for all N treatments. Developmental rate of each population of CPB in each treatment was estimated by regressing the mean age of each population per sample date on accumulated °D11.035.0. Developmental rates were similar for most N treatments, but were negatively correlated with foliar concentrations of N. Estimates of partial defoliation by CPB were similar for all treatments. However, partial defoliation was greater (although not significant) in the lowest N treatment at the end of the growing season. Significance of these results concerning nutritional ecology of CPB and role of N in management of CPB is discussed.
Detection of Antibodies Specific for Herpes Simplex Virus in Human Sera by the Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used for the detection in human sera of antibody to herpes simplex virus antigens. Development and standardization of the assay suggested that antigenic purity, temperature of reactions, concentration of enzyme-conjugated antiglobulin, and concentrations of test sera are all critical parameters of a successful ELISA procedure. When ELISA titers of 30 human sera were compared to micro-complement fixation titers of the same sera, a significant degree of correlation was observed, but quantitatively ELISA was found to be up to 200 times more sensitive. The sensitivity of the assay and its adaptability to automation should provide an additional method for study or diagnosis of infection with herpes simplex virus.
Awareness, Usage, and Perception of Small Business Administration’S Counseling Programs

Small Business play a vital role in the economic well being of the U.S. To assist small business owners/ operators, federal government passed the Small Business Act in 1953. Passage of this act was responsible for the creation of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). One of the major areas of assistance to the small business owners/operators provided by the SBA is management and technical assistance. Under this program, the SBA provides both in-house and outside counseling. The in-house counseling to small business owners/operators is provided by the management assistance staff (MAS), and the outside counseling by the SCORE/ACE counselors and the Small Business Institute (SBI). Awareness plays an extremely important role in the usage of the counseling services provided by the SBA. This study was, therefore, designed to determine primarily the awareness, usage, and perception of the counseling programs and the areas in which they were used. Analysis of the data provided by 86 small businesses located in Michigan revealed that the awareness was "poor." Perception of the counseling programs was rated as "about average", and most had "never used" the available services. Counseling was mostly received in the areas of accounting, finance, marketing, and marketing research. Any attempt by the SBA to reorganize the counseling programs must investigate the reasons for not using the programs. Based on the results of such an investigation, corrective steps must be taken to design and deliver effective counseling.
The Temple of Vespasian

Antiquity When the emperor Vespasian died in 79 CE, his son, Titus, succeeded him. In the next year, the Senate canonized the deceased emperor, and shortly thereafter Titus began the temple for his father. After Titus’ premature death in 81, Domitian, his brother and successor, continued the project and finished it before 87. Despite its prominent location and rich decoration (Figs. 0.4, 1.3, 10.6–10; see pp. 192−195), during the reign of Domitian, only the poet Statius mentioned it briefly in a flowery composition that celebrates the emperor’s now long-lost equestrian statue in the Forum. Thereafter, we hear nothing of the temple until its restoration by Septimius Severus, an event commemorated by a grand dedication in gilt bronze letters on the front of the entablature (infra, pp. 192−193). References to the temple in late antiquity suggest that it still stood, although it may have been quite damaged by the fire in the reign of Carinus (283) or by the sacks of Alaric (410) and the Vandals (455 CE). After Antiquity Since the excavators of 1829 found layers of carbonized wood and fused metal on the podium, a fire (before 1000 CE?) must have burned the interior and the roof, but the cella’s marble pavement and fittings may have already disappeared. Some of its materials were probably used in later buildings like the Church of Saints Sergius and Bacchus built in the seventh century. The church is adjacent to the modern entrance to the Forum from the Via dei Fori Imperiali, but the apse of an outbuilding, its deaconate, stood close to the northeast corner of the temple. More of the temple may have disappeared when Pope Hadrian I (CE 772–795) rebuilt the church.
Experiments of distributed control for multiple mobile robots with limited sensing/communication capacity

In this paper, we present the experimental testing results of distributed cooperative control algorithms for multiple mobile robots with limited sensing/communication capacity and kinematic constraints. In the proposed distributed control, the input/output linearization via feedback is used to deal with nonlinear robot model constraints, and accordingly the linear distributed control is applied based on robots' current position and information exchange with their neighbors. The information exchange is done through a strategy accommodating the local sensing/communication capability of the robot platform used in the experiments. In other words, there is no a centralized system used in the experiments for localization. Instead, images acquired by the robot's own onboard Kinect sensor are used to convert the initial positions in robots' local coordinate frames into those in a global coordinate frame. Then the position data are communicated with neighboring robots via an ad-hoc peer-to-peer wireless TCP/IP connection for execution of distributed control rules. The experiments successfully demonstrate the practical implementation of our developed cooperative control algorithms through which both rendezvous and formation control problems are addressed.
International Institutions Affecting Shadow Banking

Previous chapters have already discussed international regulation that specifically addressed the particular areas under discussion, but this concluding chapter reviews the international regimes that are instrumental in the regulation of shadow banking entities. Included are the G20; the Financial Stability Board (FSB) created by the G20, together with a detailed review of the FSB’s mission and its toolkit for economic functions; methodologies for identifying global systemically important financial institutions (G-SIFIs), and related discussion; the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO); the European Union (EU) and particularly its Roadmap for Financial Reform of shadow banking; the European Commission’s Green Paper concerning the twin pillars of the shadow banking system; and the efforts of China and other national entities concerning shadow banking.
FREE CHOLESTEROL-INDUCED CYTOTOXICITY : A POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO MACROPHAGE FOAM CELL NECROSIS IN ADVANCED ATHEROSCLEROTIC LESIONS

Abstract A major characteristic of advanced atherosclerotic lesions is the necrotic, or lipid, core, which likely plays an important role in the clinical progression of these lesions. Recent data suggest that the necrotic core forms primarily as a consequence of macrophage foam cell necrosis. Lesional macrophages initially accumulate mostly cholesteryl esters, but macrophages in advanced lesions contain large amounts of unesterified, or free, cholesterol (FC). Although there are many theories as to why macrophage foam cells die in advanced lesions, the fact that a high FC:phospholipid (PL) ratio in cellular membranes can be toxic to cells suggests that FC-induced cytotoxicity may contribute to foam cell necrosis. The mechanism of FC cytotoxicity can be explained by disturbances in membrane protein function as a result of "stiffening" of the bilayer and by formation of intracellular FC crystals that can cause physical damage to cellular organelles. Macrophages appear to respond to FC loading by a fascinating adaptive response, namely the induction of PL biosynthesis, which initially keeps the cellular FC:PL ratio below toxic levels. Studies with cultured macrophages have demonstrated that a failure of this adaptive response leads to FC-induced foam cell cytotoxicity and necrosis, and thus a similar series of events in advanced atherosclerotic lesions could provide an explanation for the development of the necrotic core. (Trends Cardiovasc Med 1997;7: 256–263). © 1997, Elsevier Science Inc.
Detection and Differentiation of Leishmania spp. in Clinical Specimens by Use of a SYBR Green-Based Real-Time PCR Assay.

ABSTRACT Leishmaniasis in humans is caused by Leishmania spp. in the subgenera Leishmania and Viannia. Species identification often has clinical relevance. Until recently, our laboratory relied on conventional PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) region (ITS2-PCR) followed by sequencing analysis of the PCR product to differentiate Leishmania spp. Here we describe a novel real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) approach based on the SYBR green technology (LSG-qPCR), which uses genus-specific primers that target the ITS1 region and amplify DNA from at least 10 Leishmania spp., followed by analysis of the melting temperature (Tm) of the amplicons on qPCR platforms (the Mx3000P qPCR system [Stratagene-Agilent] and the 7500 real-time PCR system [ABI Life Technologies]). We initially evaluated the assay by testing reference Leishmania isolates and comparing the results with those from the conventional ITS2-PCR approach. Then we compared the results from the real-time and conventional molecular approaches for clinical specimens from 1,051 patients submitted to the reference laboratory of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for Leishmania diagnostic testing. Specimens from 477 patients tested positive for Leishmania spp. with the LSG-qPCR assay, specimens from 465 of these 477 patients also tested positive with the conventional ITS2-PCR approach, and specimens from 10 of these 465 patients had positive results because of retesting prompted by LSG-qPCR positivity. On the basis of the Tm values of the LSG-qPCR amplicons from reference and clinical specimens, we were able to differentiate four groups of Leishmania parasites: the Viannia subgenus in aggregate; the Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani complex in aggregate; the species L. (L.) tropica; and the species L. (L.) mexicana, L. (L.) amazonensis, L. (L.) major, and L. (L.) aethiopica in aggregate.
Zika virus infection of Hofbauer cells

Recent studies have linked antenatal infection with Zika virus (ZIKV) with major adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes, including microcephaly. There is a growing consensus for the existence of a congenital Zika syndrome (CZS). Previous studies have indicated that non-placental macrophages play a key role in the replication of dengue virus (DENV), a closely related flavivirus. As the placenta provides the conduit for vertical transmission of certain viruses, and placental Hofbauer cells (HBCs) are fetal-placental macrophages located adjacent to fetal capillaries, it is not surprising that several recent studies have examined infection of HBCs by ZIKV. In this review, we describe congenital abnormalities associated with ZIKV infection, the role of HBCs in the placental response to infection, and evidence for the susceptibility of HBCs to ZIKV infection. We conclude that HBCs may contribute to the spread of ZIKV in placenta and promote vertical transmission of ZIKV, ultimately compromising fetal and neonatal development and function. Current evidence strongly suggests that further studies are warranted to dissect the specific molecular mechanism through which ZIKV infects HBCs and its potential impact on the development of CZS.
The Effect of Body Mass on Outdoor Adult Human Decomposition.

Forensic taphonomy explores factors impacting human decomposition. This study investigated the effect of body mass on the rate and pattern of adult human decomposition. Nine males and three females aged 49–95 years ranging in mass from 73 to 159 kg who were donated to the Complex for Forensic Anthropology Research between December 2012 and September 2015 were included in this study. Kelvin accumulated degree days (KADD) were used to assess the thermal energy required for subjects to reach several total body score (TBS) thresholds: early decomposition (TBS ≥6.0), TBS ≥12.5, advanced decomposition (TBS ≥19.0), TBS ≥23.0, and skeletonization (TBS ≥27.0). Results indicate no significant correlation between body mass and KADD at any TBS threshold. Body mass accounted for up to 24.0% of variation in decomposition rate depending on stage, and minor differences in decomposition pattern were observed. Body mass likely has a minimal impact on postmortem interval estimation.
Numerical experiments for Gromov’s stochastic particle flow filters

We show the results of numerical experiments for a new algorithm for stochastic particle flow filters designed using Gromov’s method. We derive a simple exact formula for Q in certain special cases. The purpose of using stochastic particle flow is two fold: improve estimation accuracy of the state vector and improve the accuracy of uncertainty quantification. Q is the covariance matrix of the diffusion for particle flow corresponding to Bayes’ rule.
Ausblick: Biomechanik des Ellenbogenkunstgelenks

Die Entwicklung von Kunstgelenken fur Hufte und Knie hat einen kontinuierlichen Verbesserungsprozess durchlaufen. Der Entwicklungsstand von Ellenbogenprothesen weist im Vergleich dazu jedoch trotz der erheblichen mechanischen Belastung auf solchen Gelenken einen deutlichen Ruckstand auf. Die Ergebnisse nach Ellenbogenarthroplastik (TEA) sind im Vergleich zu den Resultaten nach Huft- und Kniearthroplastik weniger dauerhaft und schlechter voraussehbar mit Versagerquoten, die 30 % nach 5 Jahren erreichen konnen (Skytta et al. 2009). Alternative Methoden zur Behandlung der Ellenbogenarthrose/-arthritis und komplexen Traumafolgen sind sogar noch weniger erfolgreich. Die Interpositionsarthroplastik des Ellenbogens beispielsweise ist selten erfolgreich; nur ein Viertel der Patienten weist nach 6 Jahren ein ausgezeichnetes Resultat auf (Larson und Morrey 2008). Unglucklicherweise bedeutet eine fehlgeschlagene Ellenbogenarthroplastik meist eine Katastrophe fur den betroffenen Patienten mit schwerer Beeintrachtigung der Funktion der ganzen oberen Extremitat.
Evaluation of Consumer Acceptance and Quality of Thermally and High Hydrostatic Pressure Processed Blueberries and Cherries Subjected to Cellulose Nanofiber (CNF) Incorporated Water-Resistant Coating Treatment

This study evaluated the influence of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) incorporated layer-by-layer water-resistant coating on consumer acceptance of blueberries and cherries processed in light syrup thermally (TP, 97 °C for 7 min) or non-thermally (high hydrostatic pressure (HHP), 414 MPa for 10 min). The coating technique was validated on canned blueberries in a commercial canning operation. Consumers (n = 75 and 77 for blueberry and cherry study, respectively) scored overall, color, aroma, and texture likeness of coated and uncoated processed fruits using a 9-point hedonic scale and firmness intensity using a 5-point just about right (JAR) scale. Coating treatment significantly (P < 0.05) increased aroma and texture liking scores of TP and HHP blueberries compared with uncoated ones, but did not impact overall and color liking scores. Coated TP (2.67) and HHP (2.96) blueberries received closer to JAR score in firmness that uncoated ones (1.88 and 2.57, respectively). Informing consumers about the benefit of developed coatings altered consumers’ attitude from negative (~ 80 and ~ 57% gave “neutral” and “disliking” scores on TP and HHP samples, respectively) into positive status (“I would like the overall appearance”). Coating treatment resulted in higher aroma liking scores in HHP cherries, but decreased (P < 0.05) overall and color liking scores on both TP and HHP cherries due to the presence of visible coating substances onto fruit surface. In commercial canning process, coated blueberries showed great retention of bioactive compounds and firmness. This study demonstrated that CNF incorporated layer-by-layer coating is promising to produce high quality of processed fruits in light syrup.
Bureaucratic Capitalism, Mass Incarceration and Race and Ethnicity in America

Much scholarly attention has focused on the negative aspects of mass incarceration and rightly so. However, we know of no one that has paid attention to the role of large-scale organizations (or the millions of people they employ) that profit from or derive their livelihood off of mass incarceration and ancillary industries. We argue that the US system of mass incarceration is foundational to the reconfigured post-industrial economy. Millions of Americans, indeed entire communities, are dependent upon the millions of convicts and ex-convicts for their very sustenance. Every year, universities across the US graduate more than 60,000 students with majors in Homeland Security and Law Enforcement. These “controllogy” disciplines are perfecting the science of keeping people under control. Furthermore, race and racism undergird this system. Residents of highly policed “million dollar block” neighborhoods characterized by failing schools, low rates of home ownership, and limited access to credit, fuel the now multi-generational school-to-prison pipeline. Consequently, society has grown dependent upon black and brown incarcerated bodies to maintain a significant part of the US economy. We conclude the chapter by advancing a counter-system to this system of mass incarceration that allows us to reverse course.
Duration of Insulin Supply in Type 1 Diabetes: Are 90 Days Better or Worse Than 30 Days?

Objective. There have been few studies regarding the duration of insulin prescriptions and patient outcomes. This study evaluated whether A1C varied with the duration of insulin prescription in patients with type 1 diabetes. Methods. We conducted a longitudinal investigation (from 2001 to 2015) within a nationwide private health insurer. A cohort study was first used to compare A1C after 30-day only, 90-day only, and a combination (30-day and 90-day) of insulin prescriptions. Second, a self-controlled case series was used to compare A1C levels after 30-day versus 90-day prescriptions for the same person. Results. In the cohort study, there were 16,725 eligible patients. Mean A1C was 8.33% for patients with 30-day prescriptions compared to 7.69% for those with 90-day prescriptions and 8.05% for those who had a combination of 30- and 90-day prescriptions (P Conclusion. There was a statistically significant but clinically modest decrease in A1C with 90-day versus 30-day insulin prescriptions in adults. A mailed 90-day insulin prescription may be a reasonable choice for adults with type 1 diabetes.
Diagnosis and Treatment-Related Complications of Acute Leukemia

Children diagnosed with acute leukemia are challenged not only by the life-threatening disease itself but a myriad of potential lethal complications related to treatment, some of which can result in end-organ dysfunction requiring pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) management. Such complications of leukemia treatment and/or the disease itself range from hyperleukocytosis and tumor lysis syndrome to typhlitis, pancreatitis, and serious coagulopathies. It is important that healthcare providers caring for children and adolescent patients with acute leukemia can recognize these potential complications in order to appropriately triage and manage them. As the overall survival for children with acute leukemia continues to improve, research has focused on novel strategies to further decrease the burden of therapy and lower the rates of toxic death while maintaining these very good outcomes. This chapter provides an overview of some of the more common oncologic emergencies occurring in children with acute leukemia that may require PICU care, focusing on the diagnosis and management.
Higher EBV response is associated with more severe gray matter and lesion pathology in relapsing multiple sclerosis patients: A case-controlled magnetization transfer ratio study.

Background:Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection has been associated with higher clinical activity and risk of multiple sclerosis (MS).Objective:To evaluate associations between EBV-specific humoral r...
The challenge for medical ethicists: Weighing pros and cons of advanced reproductive technologies to screen human embryos during IVF

Abstract Embryo screening technologies offer important benefits to individuals who use them and society. These techniques can expand the reproductive options of many prospective parents and can contribute to reducing the burdens of disease and disability. Nonetheless, embryo screening techniques present individuals and societies with important ethical challenges. Here, I explore some of them. In particular, I discuss the costs for prospective parents of increased reproductive choices, as well as concerns about sanctioning problematic social norms, increasing social injustice, limiting the ways societies can tackle diseases and disabilities, and promoting the commodification of children.
Refinement of protein Fe(II) binding characteristics utilizing a competition assay exploiting small molecule ferrous chelators.

Abstract Iron is the most prevalent metal in biology. Its chemical and redox versatility allows it to direct activity of many Fe binding proteins. While iron's biological applications are diverse, challenges inherent in having Fe(II) present at high abundance means cells must ensure delivery to the correct recipient, while also ensuring its chemistry is regulated. Having a detailed understanding of the biophysical characteristics of a protein's iron binding characteristics allows us to understand general cellular metal homeostasis events. Unfortunately, most spectroscopic techniques available to measure metal binding affinity require protein be in a homogeneous state. Homogeneity creates an artificial environment when measuring metal binding since within cells numerous additional metal binding biomolecules compete with the target. Here we investigate commercially available Fe(II) chelators with spectral markers coupled to metal binding and release. Our goal was to determine their utility as competitors while measuring aspects of metal binding by apoproteins during a metal binding competition assay. Adding chelators during apoprotein metal binding mimics heterogeneous metal binding environments present in vivo, and provides a more realistic metal binding affinity measurement. Ferrous chelators explored within this report include: Rhod-5N, Magfura-2, Fura-4F, Fura-2, and TPA (Tris-(2-byridyl-methyl)amine; each forms a 1:1 complex with Fe(II) and combined cover a binding range of 5 orders of magnitude (micromolar to nanomolar Kd). These chelators were used to calibrate binding affinities for yeast and fly frataxin (Yfh1 and Dfh, respectively), involved in mitochondrial Fe S cluster bioassembly.
The impact of discharge contracture on return to work after burn injury: A Burn Model System investigation

Abstract Introduction Despite many advances in burn care, the development of extremity contracture remains a common and vexing problem. Extremity contractures have been documented in up to one third of severely burned patients at discharge. However, little is known about the long-term impact of these contractures. The purpose of this study was to examine the association of extremity contractures with employment after burn injury. Methods We obtained data from the Burn Model System database from 1994 to 2003. We included in the study cohort all adult patients who were working prior to injury and identified those discharged with and without a contracture in one of the major extremity joints (shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee and ankle). We classified contracture severity according to mild, moderate and severe categories. We performed descriptive analyses and predictive modeling to identify injury and patient factors associated with return to work (RTW) at 6, 12, and 24 months. Results A total of 1,203 participant records met criteria for study inclusion. Of these, 415 (35%) had developed a contracture at discharge; 9% mild, 12% moderate, and 14% severe. Among 801 (67%) participants who had complete data at 6 months after discharge, 70% of patients without contracture had returned to work compared to 45% of patients with contractures (p Conclusions This study indicates an association between discharge contracture and reduced employment 6, 12 and 24 months after burn injury. Among many other identified patient, injury, and hospitalization related factors that are barriers to RTW, the presence of a contracture at discharge adds a significant reintegration burden for working-age burn patients.
Factors Associated with the Discordance between Perception of Being HIV Infected and HIV Sexual Risk Taking among Social Media–Using Black, Hispanic, and White Young Men Who Have Sex with Men:

Among HIV-uninfected, social media-using black, Hispanic, and white young men who have sex with men (YMSM) who had condomless anal sex but had not been HIV tested within the past year, we aimed to determine the extent of discordance between perception of having an undiagnosed HIV infection and HIV risk-taking behaviors. Despite reporting condomless anal sex without HIV testing, 64% of 358 YMSM participants perceived having an undiagnosed HIV infection as "unlikely" and 12% as "impossible." Having a primary care provider and being Hispanic were associated with greater discordance. Interventions to decrease the discordance between perceived and actual HIV risk are needed for this higher HIV risk population.
HAND-REHA: dynamic hand gesture recognition for game-based wrist rehabilitation

Hand-gesture recognition systems have recently gained more popularity. Moreover, there is a growing interest in building games for other purposes apart from entertainment, such as education and rehabilitation. This paper focuses on developing a novel game-based system for wrist rehabilitation, called HandReha. The idea is to automatically recognize pre-defined hand gestures using a web-camera, so to control an avatar in a three dimensional maze run game. The pre-defined gestures are picked from a pool of well-defined gestures suitable for wrist rehabilitation. Deep learning techniques were utilized to perform real-time hand gesture recognition from the images. To evaluate the performance of the developed wrist rehabilitation system, a preliminary study with 12 healthy participants was conducted. The results showed that the developed wrist rehabilitation system is intuitive and engages the user, which is crucial for rehabilitation purposes.
Early Warning Malaria Outbreaks Using ENSO Climate Forcing

Early malaria warning is important to ensure how many people will be affected. In the previous Chapter, we discussed that vegetation health-based modeling for one-two months advanced prediction of malaria area and intensity. However, longer-term malaria prediction (3–5 months in advance of the start of malaria) provides a more efficient and lower cost method in fighting the spread of the disease. This Chapter is devoted to an earlier (several months) malaria warning system based on a specific climate signal, called ENSO (El Nino-Southern Oscillation). Scientific research has proven that as a result of ENSO events, certain annual/seasonal precipitation and temperature patters are developed across the world. Following ENSO, scientists have been able to predict variations in precipitation and temperature, especially in tropical and sub-tropical ecosystems. Moreover, some research shows that ENSO-triggered weather patterns might be a predictor of variations in malaria activity. Therefore, we will investigate if (1) there is teleconnection between Vegetation Health (VH) indices and ENSO activity; (2) if VH-estimated land surface moisture and thermal conditions match with precipitation and temperature patterns set by ENSO and if it corresponds to the research of weather impacts on malaria activity; (3) if satellite-derived Vegetation Healthy indices (VCI, TCI and VHI) can be used as 3–5 months predictors of malaria intensity and area following ENSO phases.
Neglected to Indispensable: Lessons from beyond Access for Global Public Library Reform and Development

Beyond Access was the first major global attempt to connect the international development and public library worlds. Taking the form of a series of projects in a dozen countries meant to help catal...
Joint ex vivo MRI and histology detect iron-rich cortical gliosis in Tau and TDP-43 proteinopathies

ABSTRACT Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) is a heterogeneous spectrum of age-associated neurodegenerative diseases that include two main pathologic categories of tau (FTLD-Tau) and TDP-43 (FTLD-TDP) proteinopathies. These distinct proteinopathies are often clinically indistinguishable during life, posing a major obstacle for diagnosis and emerging therapeutic trials tailored to disease-specific mechanisms. Moreover, MRI-derived measures have had limited success to date discriminating between FTLD-Tau or FTLD-TDP. T2*-weighted (T2*w) ex vivo MRI has previously been shown to be sensitive to non-heme iron in healthy intracortical lamination and myelin, and to pathological iron deposits in amyloid-beta plaques and activated microglia in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, an integrated, ex vivo MRI and histopathology approach is understudied in FTLD. We apply joint, whole-hemisphere ex vivo MRI at 7T and histopathology to the study autopsy-confirmed FTLD-Tau (n=3) and FTLD-TDP (n=2), relative to an AD disease-control brain with antemortem clinical symptoms of frontotemporal dementia and an age-matched healthy control. We detect distinct laminar patterns of novel iron-laden glial pathology in both FTLD-Tau and FTLD-TDP brains. We find iron-positive ameboid and hypertrophic microglia and astrocytes largely in deeper GM and adjacent WM in FTLD-Tau. In contrast, FTLD-TDP presents prominent superficial cortical layer iron reactivity in astrocytic processes enveloping small blood vessels with limited involvement of adjacent WM, as well as more diffuse distribution of punctate iron-rich dystrophic microglial processes across all GM lamina. This integrated MRI/histopathology approach reveals ex vivo MRI features that are consistent with these pathological observations distinguishing FTLD-Tau and FTLD-TDP, including prominent irregular hypointense signal in deeper cortex in FTLD-Tau whereas FTLD-TDP showed upper cortical layer hypointense bands and diffuse cortical speckling. Moreover, differences in adjacent WM degeneration and iron-rich gliosis on histology between FTLD-Tau and FTLD-TDP were also readily apparent on MRI as hyperintense signal and irregular areas of hypointensity, respectively that were more prominent in FTLD-Tau compared to FTLD-TDP. These unique histopathological and radiographic features were distinct from HC and AD brains, suggesting that iron-sensitive T2*w MRI, adapted to in vivo application at sufficient resolution, may offer an opportunity to improve antemortem diagnosis of FTLD proteinopathies using tissue-validated methods.
Predictable Price Pressure

Abstract We demonstrate that predictable uninformed cash flows forecast market and individual stock returns. Buying pressure from dividend payments (announced weeks prior) predicts higher value-weighted market returns, four times greater on the top quintile of payment days than the lowest. This effect holds internationally, varies with reinvestment intensity, and increases with high VIX. Selling pressure leads predictable high stock expense firms to have lower returns when selling restrictions lift, by 117 bp in four days. We estimate market-level price multipliers of 1.5 to 2.3. These results suggest price pressure is a widespread result of flows, rather than an anomaly.
Imidazolylacetolphosphate aminotransferase. Properties of the apoprotein produced in a pyridoxine auxotroph of Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract The biosynthesis of the pyridoxal phosphate-dependent enzyme imidazolylacetolphosphate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.9) was investigated in a pyridoxine auxotroph of Salmonella typhimurium grown under conditions in which the intracellular pool size of pyridoxal phosphate would be expected to be low. In the absence of cofactor the apoprotein is synthesized at a normal rate and is stable in vivo. The protein assumes a tertiary and quaternary structure very similar to that of holoenzyme since apoenzyme sediments through sucrose gradients at the same rate as the holoenzyme and apoenzyme can be constituted in vitro with pyridoxal phosphate. We conclude that there is no stoichiometric cofactor involvement during the biosynthesis of this protein. The cofactor does play a positive role in maintaining the structural integrity of the protein since apoprotein loses its ability to be constituted after short incubations at 45° and after chromatography through Sephadex G-200 gels. Binding of cofactor to apoprotein protects against both perturbations.
Photoemission studies of mixed valency: C e ( Ag 0.3 Pd 0.7 ) 3 , Ce Pd 3 , and Ce Rh 3

Photoemission studies of a Ce-compound system previously identified as spanning the entire mixed-valent range are presented. Valence-band spectra of ${\mathrm{C}\mathrm{e}({\mathrm{Ag}}_{0.3}{\mathrm{Pd}}_{0.7})}_{3}$, Ce${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$, Ce${\mathrm{Rh}}_{3}$, and La${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$ suggest that Ce in Ce${\mathrm{Pd}}_{3}$ is 3 + -like while in Ce${\mathrm{Rh}}_{3}$ it is more 4 + -like. However, resonant photoemission and partial-yield spectra show that Ce in Ce${\mathrm{Rh}}_{3}$ is not in a formal ${f}^{0}$ configuration as has been widely accepted.
Structural biology of bacterial RNA polymerase.

Since its discovery and characterization in the early 1960s (Hurwitz, J. The discovery of RNA polymerase. J. Biol. Chem. 2005, 280, 42477–42485), an enormous amount of biochemical, biophysical and genetic data has been collected on bacterial RNA polymerase (RNAP). In the late 1990s, structural information pertaining to bacterial RNAP has emerged that provided unprecedented insights into the function and mechanism of RNA transcription. In this review, I list all structures related to bacterial RNAP (as determined by X-ray crystallography and NMR methods available from the Protein Data Bank), describe their contributions to bacterial transcription research and discuss the role that small molecules play in inhibiting bacterial RNA transcription.
Differential Deserialization for Optimized SOAP Performance

SOAP, a simple, robust, and extensible protocol for the exchange of messages, is the most widely used communication protocol in the Web services model. SOAPs XML-based message format hinders its performance, thus making it unsuitable in high-performance scientific applications. The deserialization of SOAP messages, which includes processing of XML data and conversion of strings to in-memory data types, is the major performance bottleneck in a SOAP message exchange. This paper presents and evaluates a new optimization technique for removing this bottleneck. This technique, called differential deserialization (DDS), exploits the similarities between incoming messages to reduce deserialization time. Differential deserialization is fully SOAPcompliant and requires no changes to a SOAP client. A performance study demonstrates that DDS can result in a significant performance improvement for some Web services.
Synaptic Vesicle Proteins

Synaptic transmission underlies much of interneuronal communication and is essential for nervous system function. Small vesicles, initially observed by morphological methods, and abundant in the nerve terminal, are filled with neurotransmitters and fuse with the plasma membrane, enabling secretion into the synaptic cleft. In the last 10 years, molecular details of the synaptic vesicle life cycle have emerged, allowing a more complete understanding of neurotransmitter secretion. Keywords: vesicle; synapse; SNARE; synaptic transmission
The Quaternions and the Spaces S 3 , SU(2), SO(3), and ℝ ℙ 3

In this chapter, we discuss the representation of rotations of ℝ3 in terms of quaternions. Such a representation is not only concise and elegant, it also yields a very efficient way of handling composition of rotations. It also tends to be numerically more stable than the representation in terms of orthogonal matrices.
Asset Market Experiments

Laboratory evidence indicates that prices of financial assets such as stocks and bonds respond to changes in the assets' fundamental value but are also sometimes distorted by investors' cognitive and other biases. Keywords: fundamental value; cognitive biases; bubbles; overconfidence; agent-based modeling
Playback signal in perpendicular recording for an off-centered GMR element

Summary form only given. The general form for the single pulse in perpendicular recording is well understood. Here we give a quantitative analysis of the signal dependence on specific parameters. Neglecting edge effects, a 2D geometry is assumed. Due to the asymmetry in the construction of the head, the sensor is off-centered, with one gap (shield-to-element) distance g/sub 1/=g/spl delta/ typically double the other gap distance g/sub 2/=g - /spl delta/. By reciprocity, the signal is the convolution of the magnetic charge distribution at the two surfaces of the perpendicular medium and the potential along these surfaces. Using finite element software, the potential at the ABS surface of the head is characterized for a range of SUL permeabilities and head geometries. The total flux through the sensor is the inverse Fourier transform of the product of the surface potential, a spacing factor and the magnetization transition derivative transform (we assumed a 'tanh' transition).
Bacterial trace fossils in eocene kaolin of the huber formation of Georgia; phylloderma microsphaeroides, n. ichnogen., n. ichnosp.

An Eocene kaolin deposit in Georgia contains microspheres of tangentially oriented kaolinite enclosing authigenic cristobalite/tridymite overgrown with kaolinite. These structures resemble cutans of clay minerals that surround polysaccharide‐covered bacteria in recent soils and sediments. Bacteria actively synthesize anionic mucopolysaccharides as adhesives for attachment to surfaces. Empty cutans are common; these polymer‐bound clay mineral microspheres persist following cell death and lysis. Even though the void space thus created and associated organic material influence subsequent diagenetic changes, sedimentary microfabrics attributable to bacterial activity are preserved.
Mapping aluminum/phosphorus connectivities in aluminophosphate glasses

Abstract Two-dimensional 27Al/31P cross-polarization magic-angle spinning (CPMAS) NMR experiments are performed on sodium aluminophosphate glasses in the xNaAlO2·(1−x)NaPO3 compositional range, providing direct detection of particular aluminum species connected to specific phosphorus species. In particular, the spectral-editing capabilities of two-dimensional experiments allow the elucidation of phosphorus resonances that are strongly correlated to four-, five- and six-coordinate aluminum species. Results from two-dimensional contour plots and projections of spectra along the 31P dimension allow the assignment of phosphate structures that cannot be directly assigned from one-dimensional 31P MAS spectra. Q10, Q30 and Q21 species have all been identified in these aluminophosphate glasses and tetrahedral aluminum species are bonded to each of these phosphate moieties. Changes in the phosphate/aluminate ordering are also monitored by inspection of the phosphorus subspectra of the two-dimensional CPMAS experiments, demonstrating a change in aluminum/phosphorus connectivity correlated to changes in molar composition.