cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparation and characterization of anionic oligopeptide-modified tissue plasminogen activator for triggered delivery: An approach for localized thrombolysis

Abstract Purpose The study sought to synthesize anionic peptide-conjugated tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) for its targeted/triggered delivery, where tPA's activity would be masked in the circulation and regenerated at the thrombus site by a commonly used anticoagulant, heparin, to minimize tPA associated bleeding complications. Methods tPA was conjugated to Polyglutamate, and the activity of oligoanion-modified tPA was tested by fibrinolytic assay. Separately human serum albumin (HSA) was conjugated to protamine and the formation of its electrostatic complex with anionic peptide was monitored by Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). The masking of tPA-activity via steric hindrance created by albumin, and subsequent regeneration with therapeutic dose of heparin was tested by enzymatic assay. Stability of ‘camouflaged-tPA' was determined in human plasma. Using fluorescence microscope, binding of camouflaged-tPA with activated platelets was monitored. Heparin modulated clot-lysis was evaluated in human blood clot. Results The anionic tPA retained ~97% activity of the unmodified-tPA. FRET experiments confirmed the electrostatic interaction between polyglutamate and protamine which was subsequently reversed by heparin. Complexation with HSA-protamine masked ~60% of tPA activity which was fully regenerated by heparin. The complex retained its prodrug character in human plasma after incubation at 37°C. Fluorescence microscopic study confirmed binding of the construct with activated platelets. In lysing human clot, the camouflage could mask tPA-activity until it was triggered at a heparin level of 0.4U/mL. Conclusion Oligoanion-modified tPA could be used for targeted/triggered delivery where its enzymatic activity could be masked by HSA-protamine conjugate and successfully regenerated by therapeutic dose of heparin.
Mixed Models for Meta-Analysis and Sequencing

Mixed models are an effective statistical method for increasing power and avoiding confounding in genetic association studies. Existing mixed model methods have been designed for ``pooled'' studies where all individual-level genotype and phenotype data are simultaneously visible to a single analyst. Many studies follow a ``meta-analysis'' design, wherein a large number of independent cohorts share only summary statistics with a central meta-analysis group, and no one person can view individual-level data for more than a small fraction of the total sample. When using linear regression for GWAS, there is no difference in power between pooled studies and meta-analyses \cite{lin2010meta}; however, we show that when using mixed models, standard meta-analysis is much less powerful than mixed model association on a pooled study of equal size. We describe a method that allows meta-analyses to capture almost all of the power available to mixed model association on a pooled study without sharing individual-level genotype data. The added computational cost and analytical complexity of this method is minimal, but the increase in power can be large: based on the predictive performance of polygenic scoring reported in \cite{wood2014defining} and \cite{locke2015genetic}, we estimate that the next height and BMI studies could see increases in effective sample size of $\approx$15\% and $\approx$8\%, respectively. Last, we describe how a related technique can be used to increase power in sequencing, targeted sequencing and exome array studies. Note that these techniques are presently only applicable to randomly ascertained studies and will sometimes result in loss of power in ascertained case/control studies. We are developing similar methods for case/control studies, but this is more complicated.
Use of protein-engineered fabrics to identify design rules for integrin ligand clustering in biomaterials

While ligand clustering is known to enhance integrin activation, this insight has been difficult to apply to the design of implantable biomaterials because the local and global ligand densities that enable clustering-enhanced integrin signaling were unpredictable. Here, two general design principles for biomaterial ligand clustering are elucidated. First, clustering ligands enhances integrin-dependent signals when the global ligand density, i.e., the ligand density across the cellular length scale, is near the ligand’s effective dissociation constant (KD,eff). Second, clustering ligands enhances integrin activation when the local ligand density, i.e., the ligand density across the length scale of individual focal adhesions, is less than an overcrowding threshold. To identify these principles, we fabricated a series of elastin-like, electrospun fabrics with independent control over the local (0 to 122 000 ligands μm−2) and global (0 to 71 000 ligand μm−2) densities of an arginine–glycine–aspartate (RGD) ligand. Antibody blocking studies confirmed that human umbilical vein endothelial cell adhesion to these protein-engineered biomaterials was primarily due to αVβ3 integrin binding. Clustering ligands enhanced cell proliferation, focal adhesion number, and focal adhesion kinase expression near the ligand's KD,eff of 12 000 RGD μm−2. Near this global ligand density, cells on ligand-clustered fabrics behaved similarly to cells grown on fabrics with significantly larger global ligand densities but without clustering. However, this enhanced ligand-clustering effect was not observed above a threshold cut-off concentration. At a local ligand density of 122 000 RGD μm−2, cell division, focal adhesion number, and focal adhesion kinase expression were significantly reduced relative to fabrics with identical global ligand density and lesser local ligand densities. Thus, when clustering results in overcrowding of ligands, integrin receptors are no longer able to effectively engage with their target ligands. Together, these two insights into the cellular responses to ligand clustering at the cell–matrix interface may serve as design principles when developing future generations of implantable biomaterials.
Age and Growth of Resource Species

Estimating ages of fish and shellfish is necessary to determine aspects of their biology that are fundamental to fisheries management. These include growth of individual fish and the biomass of the species, age at maturity, and rates of mortality. Age studies form the basis of our increased knowledge of fluctuations in the strength of year classes, and the abundance that might be caused by predation, adverse weather conditions, and density of populations. Variation of growth rates associated with latitude (temperature) require aging of fish before meaningful relationships can be developed. Methods have been discovered and developed to estimate ages of aquatic organisms, and the literature that has accumulated on the subject during the last 90 years is voluminous.
Domestic Violence and the Law

This essay reflects on the family law practitioner's response to domestic violence issues over the past few decades. The author notes some progress while remaining deeply concerned that many lawyers have yet to embrace even the most basic tenets of victim safety and offender accountability. The result is that much the same focus and discourse must continue into the next century, albeit with a generally more informed bar. Lawyers' efforts must focus on the means of a coordinated community response to prevent and, when necessary, intervene effectively in violent incidents. Such efforts must balance victim safety with the offender's civil liberties, carefully weighing the state's interest in averting family violence.
Reduction of variability in the anovulatory period following medroxyprogesterone acetate injection by using jet injectors.

First 5 different types of jet injectors were tested in 4 mammalian species including man with medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA). Penetration was generally good with the Dermo-jet Press-o-jet and Hypospray but inadequate with the Syrijet. Because the Dermo-jet allowed administration of a small volume it was employed in further rat studies. Larger aggregates of MPA consistently occurred in fascial planes and within muscle bundles when 5 mg of MPA were given by needle rather than Dermo-jet. In fact in animals needle-injected large deposits of crystals could still be found after animals resumed estrous cycles. Within 24 hours after administration by either needle or Dermo-jet leukocytic infiltration occurred around the microcrystal mass; a mononuclear inflammation occurred afterwards. When 2.5 mg or more of MPA were injected both the first and third cycles after the effects of the drug wore off occurred significantly sooner in the Dermo-jet rats (p less than .01). Women should be more receptive to the form of contraception represented by the Dermo-jet than to the needle injection since there is more certainty as to when menstruation should begin again with the use of the former method. The finer distribution of MPA crystals after Dermo-jet injection may hasten absorption.
Arrested diffuse scleroderma. Report of a case.

Abstract A case of arrested scleroderma has been reported. In searching the literature, I had found only one reported case of arrested scleroderma. Certain salient features have been observed in the history of the present case: 1. 1. The patient exhibited the bronze blotchy pigmentation which occurs with arrest of the disease. 2. 2. The usual periodontal thickening was not present at the time of the radiographic oral examination, and the disease had been arrested for a period of eight years. 3. 3. The overlying oral mucosa appeared to be affected with atrophy and sclerosis, as was the dermis. 4. 4. Arrest of the disease occurred following the administration of ACTH. 5. 5. Although portions of the labial surfaces of the teeth involved were sacrificed, endodontic therapy had been performed successfully and the teeth had been readily restored. The usual periodontal thickening was not exhibited in this case, and it may be suggested that thickening of the vessel walls in the periodontal membrane can regress upon the arrest of the disease. In conclusion, it appears that arrested scleroderma may be characterized by failure of the disease to progress, by bronze blotchy pigmentation, and by possible regression of the thickened periodontal membrane.
Entomogenous Fungi of the Genus Metarrhizium on Wireworms in the Pacific Northwest

During 1932 to 1942 facilities for the culture and study of entomogenous fungi were available at the Forest Grove, Ore., station of the Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, United States Department of Agriculture. The writer devoted some time to this work, especially in the winter months, and the following information on two species of Metarrhizium was acquired at that time.
The synthesis and rate of elimination of hippuric acid after benzoate ingestion in man

Ten grams of sodium benzoate were administered to a healthy man on a diet of milk, butter, and cane sugar, i. e., glycocoll-free. The urine was collected at two hour intervals, and the relation between the elimination of hippuric acid and urea studied. As compared with the corresponding control periods on the same diet, there was observed a diminution of the urea-nitrogen eliminated during the first six hours after the benzoate ingestion, a diminution corresponding to the nitrogen eliminated as hippuric acid-nitrogen.If the hippuric acid-nitrogen be subtracted from the undetermined N (shown in parentheses), the undetermined N is comparable with that of the control periods. This indicates that in man as in rabbits and pigs, the glycocoll available for synthesis into hippuric acid may be derived at the expense of substances whose N normally appears in the urine as urea-nitrogen. At the end of six hours the greater part of the hippuric acid had been eliminated and the urea elimination had become normal again...
Some Characteristics of Organization For Long-Range Planning

In light of the growing use of formal organizational arrangements for long-range planning, this study examines the structure, functions, and personnel requirements of a number of these organization...
Short theta burst stimulation to left frontal cortex prior to encoding enhances subsequent recognition memory

Deep semantic encoding of verbal stimuli can aid in later successful retrieval of those stimuli from long-term episodic memory. Evidence from numerous neuropsychological and neuroimaging experiments demonstrate regions in left prefrontal cortex, including left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), are important for processes related to encoding. Here, we investigated the relationship between left DLPFC activity during encoding and successful subsequent memory with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). In a pair of experiments using a 2-session within-subjects design, we stimulated either left DLPFC or a control region (Vertex) with a single 2-s train of short theta burst stimulation (sTBS) during a semantic encoding task and then gave participants a recognition memory test. We found that subsequent memory was enhanced on the day left DLPFC was stimulated, relative to the day Vertex was stimulated, and that DLPFC stimulation also increased participants' confidence in their decisions during the recognition task. We also explored the time course of how long the effects of sTBS persisted. Our data suggest 2 s of sTBS to left DLPFC is capable of enhancing subsequent memory for items encoded up to 15 s following stimulation. Collectively, these data demonstrate sTBS is capable of enhancing long-term memory and provide evidence that TBS protocols are a potentially powerful tool for modulating cognitive function.
Quantifying mitochondrial content in living cells

We describe a novel version of MitoGraph, our fully automated image processing method and software, dedicated to calculating the volume of 3D intracellular structures and organelles in live cells. MitoGraph is optimized and validated for quantifying the volume of tubular mitochondrial networks in budding yeast. We therefore include the experimental protocol, microscopy conditions, and software parameters focusing on mitochondria in budding yeast. However, MitoGraph can also be applied to mitochondria in other cell types and possibly other intracellular structures. We begin with our protocol and then include substantial discussion of the validation, requirements, and limits of MitoGraph to aid a wide range of potential users in applying MitoGraph to their data and troubleshooting any potential problems that arise. MitoGraph is freely available at the Web site http://rafelski.com/susanne/MitoGraph.
RJ Reynolds has not published a negative randomised clinical trial of Camel Snus for smoking cessation

In 2009, RJ Reynolds Tobacco (RJR) created ‘The Smoker Cessation/Migration Study’, a randomised control trial, to compare Camel Snus to Nicorette nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation over 1 year. RJR also examined the effect of providing information on the health benefits of switching from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco (ST).1 ,2 RJR's clinical studies division,3 together with legal, financial, marketing and innovation teams,4 created the earliest protocols. The study had three arms, with 200 smokers in each: (1) Camel Snus with one-time relative risk ST information; (2) Camel Snus without ST information; and (3) Nicorette lozenges. All participants were given study products for 12 weeks to aid with smoking cessation.5 Biochemically-verified cigarette …
Biochemical Characterization of a Testis-Predominant Isoform of N-Alpha Acetyltransferase

N-alpha protein acetylation, catalyzed by N-alpha acetyltransferase complex, is a common protein -modification process in eukaryotic cells. Despite its widespread occurrence, the biological significance of this modification process is still unclear. We recently discovered a novel testis-predominant isoform of the catalytic subunit of the enzyme complex. Here, we describe the biochemical characterization of this testis-predominant N-alpha acetyltransferase complex, which includes protein-protein interaction study by co-immunoprecipitation experiment and functional study by N-alpha acetyltransferase assay.
Invited Commentary – Success of HPV vaccination in Fiji.

Challenges to the HPV vaccination programme surfaced at the outset, with considerable misinformation and opposition to HPV vaccination. Awareness building and an educational strategy did not effectively address the misconceptions. When the 2012 to 2013 HPV vaccination was incorporated into the National Immunization Programme targeting 12-year old girls in grade eight (N=8000), lessons learnt from the initial pilot programme were applied to an awareness campaign. This latter portion of programme achieved a 3rd dose coverage of 94%.
Prologue: The Big Casino

Suppose you’re driving down a desolate highway through the semi-arid plateau of eastern Oregon on the way home to your birthplace in Winnemucca, Nevada, at the end of your first year studying political philosophy at the University of Northern British Columbia. You daydream about the time when you will finish your studies, homestead some land near your hometown, raise sheep, eat mutton, and write papers that no one will ever read.
Asynchronous, E-Learning in Legal Education: A Comparative Study

The recent survey from Wolters Kluwer showed that only 14% of respondents were aggressively planning for online legal education, while 19% did not plan to ever offer online education, with the rest of the responses falling into the proceeding-with-caution category. The authors attribute two major factors to this state of affairs — first, the limited number of hours allowed for online courses by ABA; and second, the technological difficulties and the reluctance of professors to learn the technology necessary to offer online courses. In addition, what the report calls a “greater barrier over time” was the general “wide-scale perception that online education is worth less than on-campus education.”The question of whether online, or e-learning, education is “worth less” than the traditional classroom experience has not been empirically tested, but remains a kind of folk wisdom among legal educators. There does not appear to be any data or empirical research on this question, probably because of the small number of asynchronous law e-learning courses and opportunities to study them. Perhaps the right question is not whether online legal education is better or worse; but simply how specific parts of the course compare to traditional law course experiences. This goal of this article is to help fill the empirical gap and provide an overview of how one law school’s first completely asynchronous doctrinal course compares to “traditional” law courses.
Book Review: Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now, by Douglas Rushkoff:

Present Shock: When Everything Happens Now. Douglas Rushkoff. New York: Penguin Group, 2013. 296 pp. $26.95 pbk.In Present Shock, Douglas Rushkoff provides a high-level overview of the effects of living in today's digital society. A professor of media theory and digital economics at City University of New York/Queens, Rushkoff outlines current media and culture trends that he sees as consequences of "present shock."The title and core concept play off of Alvin Toffler's notion of "future shock." Rushkoff offers that we have moved past a society that looks ahead, and we are instead in an ultra-presentism era that is only concerned with the very recent past, which we falsely see as the present: "[O]ur culture becomes an entropic, static hum of everybody trying to capture the slipping moment." The book is divided based on the five effects Rushkoff sees of this societal presentism: "collapse of narrative," "digiphrenia," "overwinding," "fractalnoia," and "apocalypto."He connects the diminishing use of narrative in mass media to the rise of postnarrative meta-shows (e.g., "Mystery Science Theater 3000," "The Simpsons," "Community"-shows for which "viewers need to understand the media as a self-reflexive universe of references"), reality television, product placement, and online multiplayer games. He talks about the always-on-ness of media and how we feel pressure to be constantly connected because our technology is. He talks about the difficulty of seeing a long future or long history when we are so focused on the current moment. He talks about people's innate desire to make sense of the nonsensical (i.e., "to find patterns in a world with no enduring story lines"). Finally, he talks about people taking comfort in end-of-world theories as a means of psychological closure (i.e., "At least the annihilation of the human race-or its transmogrification into silicon-resolves the precarious uncertainty of present shock."). He ends with self-reflection on the difficulty of reading and writing a book in an era of "present shock."Rushkoff makes some arguments about the effect of "present shock" on the news industry and politics that could be particularly useful for students of advanced political communication or journalism. For example, in terms of journalism, he talks about the problem with a 24/7 news cycle: "A presentist mediascape may prevent the construction of false and misleading narratives by elites who mean us no good, but it also tends to leave everyone looking for direction and responding or overresponding to every bump in the road. …
An Evidence-Based Medicine Approach to Antihyperglycemic Therapy in Diabetes Mellitus to Overcome Overtreatment.

Overtreatment is pervasive in medicine and leads to potential patient harms and excessive costs in health care. Although evidence-based medicine is often derided as practice by rote algorithmic medicine, the appropriate application of key evidence-based medicine principles in clinical decision making is fundamental to preventing overtreatment and promoting high-value, individualized patient-centered care. Specifically, this article discusses the importance of (1) using absolute rather than relative estimates of benefits to inform treatment decisions; (2) considering the time horizon to benefit of treatments; (3) balancing potential harms and benefits; and (4) using shared decision making by physicians to incorporate the patient’s values and preferences into treatment decisions. Here, we illustrate the application of these principles to considering the decision of whether or not to recommend intensive glycemic control to patients to minimize microvascular and cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Through this lens, this example will illustrate how an evidence-based medicine approach can be used to individualize glycemic goals and prevent overtreatment, and can serve as a template for applying evidence-based medicine to inform treatment decisions for other conditions to optimize health and individualize patient care.
4n–1 Is a “Sweet Spot” in DNA i-Motif Folding of 2′-Deoxycytidine Homopolymers

Strands of DNA with four or more contiguous runs of 2′-deoxycytidine (dC) nucleotides have the potential to adopt i-motif folds, generally under mildly acidic conditions. Analysis of dC homo-oligonucleotide strands ranging in length from 10 to 30 nucleotides by five different pH-dependent methods identified a pattern in strand length vs stability. Beginning with dC11, which does not fold, the transition pH (pHT) increased with chain length with the addition of up to four nucleotides, after which the stability dramatically decreased, and the trend repeated this cycle up to dC27. The analysis found dCn strands of length 15, 19, 23, and 27 nucleotides (i.e., 4n–1) to have pHT values >7.2 and thermal stabilities >37 °C at pH 7.0. Model studies using thymidine nucleotides to lock in i-motif loop lengths support the conclusion that the most stable dCn i-motifs possess one nucleotide in each of the three loops and a core built of an even number of base pairs. The pattern identified from the model studies occurs ...
Alonso S. Perales and the Effort to Establish the Civil Rights of Mexican Americans as Seen Through the Lens of Contemporary Critical Legal Theory: Post-Racialism, Reality Construction, Interest Convergence, and Other Critical Themes

In this chapter, the author seeks to examine and analyze the efforts of Alonso S. Perales to establish the civil rights of Mexican Americans through the lens of contemporary critical legal theory, which offers an important set of insights and conceptual instruments to analyze issues of race. Toward this end, the author considers how Perales dealt with claims of post-racialism-the idea that racism is not a significant factor in the lives of racial minorities-by constructing an alternative reality through subjugated knowledge. He also examines how Perales' efforts to advance the cause of Mexican Americans anticipated the guidelines or framework set out in Derrick Bell's interest convergence theory. Next, he argues that Perales' effort to establish laws to prevent discrimination against Mexican Americans represents an attempt to bring an end to a state of nature-like existence for Mexican Americans. In addition, the author argues that Perales is significant because he attempts to establish the rights of Mexican Americans as a distinctive group as opposed to basing such rights on a claim that Mexican Americans are members of the white race. Finally, the chapter closes with some thoughts on Alonso S. Perales and fame.
Neuraxial labor analgesia is not an independent predictor of perineal lacerations after vaginal delivery of patients with intrauterine fetal demise.

Abstract Introduction The role of neuraxial labor analgesia in perineal trauma following live births is controversial, and no studies have assessed the association in women delivering an intrauterine fetal demise. We evaluated the relationship between neuraxial labor analgesia and perineal laceration in these patients. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study of women with a diagnosis of fetal death after 20weeks of gestation, a vaginal delivery, and an Apgar score of 0 at delivery, during the period from January 2007 through December 2015. The presence of a perineal laceration and its severity, graded from grade I to IV based on the 2014 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists guidelines, was recorded. Results A total of 329/422 (78%) patients received neuraxial, and 93/422 (22%) non-neuraxial, labor analgesia. A perineal laceration occurred in 23% in the neuraxial versus 10% in the non-neuraxial analgesia group, a difference of 13% (95% CI of difference 4% to 20%, P =0.005). After adjusting for confounder bias, greater birthweight (OR 4.22, 95% CI 3.00 to 5.92, P P =0.009), but not neuraxial analgesia (OR 1.29, 95% CI 0.47 to 3.57, P =0.61) were independent predictors of perineal laceration. The maintenance concentration of bupivacaine did not affect the rate of perineal injury. Conclusions Neuraxial labor analgesia does not appear to be an independent risk for a perineal laceration in patients with intrauterine fetal demise. Our data suggests that the use of neuraxial analgesia should not raise concern about increased rates of perineal injury.
Formation of Polyvinyl Alcohol film with graphene nanoplatelets and carbon black for electrostatic discharge protective packaging

Abstract This research investigated the synergic effect of graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and carbon black (CB) as a blended conductive filler for polymer film used as electrostatic discharge (ESD) packaging materials. Various weight ratios of GNPs/CB and combined filler concentrations were mixed and processed into Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVOH) based film. The surface resistivity and volume resistivity of the resulting film was measured under three different humidity environments. The study found that the composite with GNPs/CB ratios of 10:90 and 30:70 resulted in a sharp drop in surface resistivity by 5–8 orders of magnitude at the filler loading 8-10 wt%. The volume resistivity of the resulting film exhibited steady and consistent ranges within 108–1012 Ω cm across all loadings. The difference in conductivity between surface and volume made the film possible to be used in protecting equipment against electrostatic discharges inside of a package. The high loading of GNPs in hybrid GNPs/CB had no effect on enhancing both surface and volume conductivity of the composite film.
The Social Value of Snapchat: An Exploration of Affiliation Motivation, the Technology Acceptance Model, and Relational Maintenance in Snapchat Use

The present study proposes that affiliation motivation plays a key role in driving Snapchat use. Constructs from the technology acceptance and relational maintenance literature were incorporated to examine the normative and interpersonal goals associated with Snapchat use. It was hypothesized that these two models and their associated constructs illustrate behavioral and cognitive phenomena that are tied to and fueled by the innate human desire to affiliate with others. The study was conducted using an online survey at a large, Midwestern university with a final student sample of 236. Perceived playfulness, subjective norm, trust, and critical mass (TAM constructs), as well as assurances and positivity (RM behaviors), were all found to be significantly and positively correlated with Snapchat use. This study highlights the interpersonal value of Snapchat and adds to the existing literature examining various information and communication technologies (ICTs) as tools for relational maintenance.
PKC-zeta associates and phosphorylates IKK-α/β in breast cancer cells

LB-30 Breast cancers are highly lethal tumors and are one of the leading causes of death among women. The objective of this study was to focus on the role of protein kinase C-zeta (PKC-ζ) in breast cancer cell survival through the NF-κB pathway. It has been previously demonstrated that Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α) induces the NF-κB pathway and plays a critical role in the survival and apoptotic pathways. In the present study, we determined whether PKC-ζ associates with the inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase-α /β (IKK-α /β) in breast cancer cells. Estrogen independent MDA-MB 468 breast cancer cells were treated with PKC-ζ short interfering RNAs (siRNA) for 24, 48, and 72 hours. The cells were than treated with TNF-α for 20 minutes. Western blots of PKC-ζ in IKK-α /β immunoprecipitates depicted an association of IKK-α /β with PKC-ζ. Additionally, Western blots probing for phosphorylated IKK-α /β demonstrated that cells treated with PKC-ζ siRNA and immunoprecipitated for IKK-α /β had significantly reduced phosphorylated IKK-α /β compared to the control siRNA-A. These results suggest that treatment of MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells with TNF-α promotes the association of PKC-ζ with IKK-α /β leading to phosporylation and activation of IKK-α /β.
Oedometric Small-Angle Neutron Scattering: In Situ Observation of Nanopore Structure During Bentonite Consolidation and Swelling in Dry and Hydrous CO2 Environments.

Results of oedometric consolidation experiments linked with small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements are presented, using SWy-2 Wyoming bentonite clay in dry and water-bearing N2 and CO2 atmospheres. Oedometric SANS involves deforming a porous sample under uniaxial strain conditions with applied axial force and internal pore pressure control, and combines with SANS for in situ observation of pore structure evolution and interaction. Scattering from both interlayer (clay intra-aggregate) and free (interaggregate) pores is observed, showing decreasing pore size with dry consolidation and interactions between interlayer and free pore types with swelling and consolidation. Introduction of dry liquid CO2 at zero effective stress (axial stress minus pore pressure) produces large shifts in interlayer scatterers, but is reversible back to pre-CO2 levels upon decreasing pore pressure and increasing effective stress. Introduction of wet liquid CO2, conversely, produces large but irreversible changes in in...
Interstellar Escape from Proxima b is Barely Possible with Chemical Rockets

A civilization in the habitable zone of a dwarf star might find it challenging to escape into interstellar space using chemical propulsion.
Sensors and Instrumentation to Meet Clinical Needs

There are many challenges that still plague the development of biomedical sensors and instruments. These range from basic science through the practical application and clinical evaluation of developed devices. In this presentation we shall examine some of the special applications of sensors and instrumentation to address clinical problems. In too many cases technology is developed without a specific application, and that has to come later if at all. A different approach is to start with the clinical problem and develop technology that can address it. An example of this is work done more than 30 years ago, but it illustrates how technology can address a clinical problem. In the early days of neonatal monitoring miniaturized versions of adult electrodes were used to pick up cardiac and respiratory signals from an infant. These electrodes and their method of attachment caused irritation to the infant’s skin and also would create significant shadows when they were left in place as x-ray images were obtained. Both of these problems were overcome by the development of thin-film flexible electrodes. Another issue was related to the reliability of infant breathing and apnea sensors. A clinical study showed that the dominant technology for sensing breathing, transthoracic electrical impedance, was not very reliable when the infant was moving. In a study of 34 infants each studied for four hours, breathing signals could only be detected 43% of the time using transthoracic impedance during movement. On the other hand, fast-responding nasal temperature sensors and compliant strain gauges recorded simultaneously with the transthoracic impedance data were shown to give more reliable data at 79 and 50 percent of the time respectively. Thin-film sensors have been developed that use these more reliable methods of sensing infant breathing. Such sensors in themselves do not fully address the problem, for it is a clinical problem, and basic questions such as is what is being sensed and is it an appropriate way to deal with the disease process. In the case of infant apnea monitoring, it was found that in many cases apnea monitoring alone would not affect the basic clinical problem. Thus, while developing sensors and instrumentation is important, one must not lose sight of the clinical problem, and part of the development activities should go into clinical studies justifying the instrumentation in addressing the disease. The Collaborative Home Infant Monitor Evaluation (CHIME Study) was a major clinical study undertaken by the U. S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to determine the utility of home infant apnea monitoring. The results of this study demonstrated that infants were experiencing life-threatening episodes at times other than when apnea was occurring. Thus, such a study helped to put the technology in an appropriate clinical perspective. Other examples of sensors and instruments that address important clinical problems will be presented.
Using Biomonitoring to Assess Human Exposure to Perchlorate

Scientifically valid exposure assessment is crucial to risk assessment, risk management, and prevention of environmental disease. Biomonitoring is an excellent tool for evaluating human exposure to perchlorate from all sources, and often provides complementary information to environmental data. Analytical methods for perchlorate biomonitoring must be adequately sensitive and selective to detect sub-parts-per-billion levels in complex matrixes. Through improved exposure assessment we can better evaluate the relevance of environmental perchlorate to human exposure and health.
The Literae Humaniores Program at Oxford and R. G. Collingwood’s Response to It

The Oxford to which Collingwood came in the fall of 1908 was to exert a profound influence upon his entire life. An institution of some twenty-one colleges, with about two thousand undergraduates, many of them wealthy, Oxford combined life of lordly ease, such as that satirized in Zuleika Dobson (1911),1 with dedicated pursuit of academic excellence by some.
Herbal Medications and Vitamin Supplements

The use of dietary supplements in North America has exploded over the last two decades. Some of the most commonly used supplements include multiple vitamins; B vitamins; vitamins C, E, and D; valerian; chamomile; garlic; ginkgo; St. John’s wort; evening primrose oil; soy; aloe; and echinacea. Many patients do not disclose their use of supplements to their healthcare providers. This is problematic because many supplements have the potential to interact with medications used during the perioperative period or in an acute care setting. Interactions can be either pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic. The level of evidence supporting these interactions varies substantially, ranging from in vitro studies to findings from reliable pharmacokinetic trials. In order to maintain patient safety, incorporating supplement-specific questions into patient interviews is crucial. Dietary supplements should be discontinued 2 weeks before elective surgical procedures to avoid potential perioperative complications.
Chapter 2 – Construction of Fractal Sets

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the construction of fractal sets, some of their properties, and the concept of dimension of a set. Over the past decades, several methods for such constructions have emerged. They allow the generation and classification of a broad class of fractals that contains the classical Cantor sets, Weierstras's nowhere differentiable function, the Sierpinski gasket, and Peano curves. Fractal sets are thought of as objects that are obtained by an infinite recursive or inductive process of successive microscopic refinements. This process is one of the reasons the Hausdorff-Besicovitch dimension sometimes exceeds the topological dimension of the fractal. The chapter discusses the iterated function systems (IFSs) approach to fractals. This approach contains an analytic aspect and a probabalistic aspect. The chapter also discusses both aspects and relates to each other by using the concept of P-balanced measure. It further describes the moments of fractal sets and explains that there is a recursion relation that allows their unique and explicit calculation in terms of lower order moments and the parameters that define the IFS. The chapter also presents iterated Riemann surfaces after giving some basic complex-analytic definitions and stating results concerning Riemann surfaces. The study of these iterated Riemann surfaces is closely related to the theory of Julia sets. The chapter discusses M. F. Dekking's construction of fractal sets.
Composing the Un/Real Future

Abstract This essay elaborates the rhetorical and philosophical foundations of composition as an act of creating or inventing the un/real and the role wearable and immersive technologies can play in expanding composition’s range as a creative, productive art. The essay describes the directions that composition for wearable and immersive devices may take in the near future based on a model of emergence and the historical development of compositional technologies in our recent past, both generally and in computers and composition. Virtual, mixed, and augmented reality present new opportunities to practice digital literacy, defined here as the ability to transform and elaborate what we experience as real with the technologies of production and interpretation afforded by wearable and immersive devices.
Analysis of surface erosion of cohesionless soils using a three-dimensional coupled computational fluid dynamics – discrete element method (CFD–DEM) model

A fluid–solid interaction model has been implemented by coupling two numerical methods — computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and discrete element method (DEM) — that capture the mesoscale behaviors ...
The Neuropeptide Hormone Oxytocin in Eating Disorders

The neurohormone oxytocin (OXT) impacts food intake as well as cognitive, emotional, and social functioning—all of which are central to eating disorder (ED) pathology across the weight spectrum. Here, we review findings on endogenous OXT levels and their relationship to ED pathology, the impact of exogenous OXT on mechanisms that drive ED presentation and chronicity, and the potential role of genetic predispositions in the OXT-ED link. Current findings suggest a role of the OXT system in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa. In individuals with bulimia nervosa, endogenous OXT levels were comparable to those of healthy controls, and exogenous OXT reduced food intake. Studies in other ED are lacking. However, genetic studies suggest a broad role of the OXT system in influencing ED pathology. Highlighting findings on why OXT represents a potential biomarker of and treatment target for ED, we advocate for a systematic research approach spanning the entire ED spectrum.
The Shape of Water: An Ecopsychological Fairy Tale

Abstract Depth psychology recognizes the role of myth and fairy tales in providing insight into the unconscious aspects of people and cultures. By working with these stories, we can often find a pa...
Effects of Culturally Tailored Nutrition Education on Dietary Quality of Hispanic Mothers: A Randomized Control Trial.

Abstract Objective To assess whether participation in a culturally tailored nutrition education program increases diet quality of Hispanic mothers. Design A randomized controlled trial. Setting Community centers and universities. Participants Sixty-five mothers (35 in experimental group, 30 in control group) completed pre- and postworkshop surveys. Eligibility criteria included being of Mexican or Puerto Rican descent and having a child between the ages of 6 and 18 years who could participate in the workshops with the parent. Intervention Families in the experimental group participated in a 6-week workshop series that included weekly nutrition education classes. Main Outcome Measure Diet quality was assessed by the Rate Your Plate questionnaire. Analysis Repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare differences between the experimental and control groups. A Wilcoxon signed rank test was conducted to test for significant shifts in categorization pre- and postprogram. Results There was a significant change in diet quality categorization after participating in the workshops (P Conclusions and Implications Abriendo Caminos was effective at increasing the diet quality of Hispanic mothers who participated the most in the program. More research is needed in this at-risk population to determine the relationships among nutrition knowledge, diet quality, and achievement of healthy weight.
Genotyping Neisseria gonorrhoeae gyrA and penA antimicrobial genes from remnant Neisseria gonorrhoeae positive Cepheid Xpert® clinical specimens – A feasibility study

Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) has developed resistance to most antibiotics, making it increasingly difficult to treat. Previous studies have predicted antimicrobial NG susceptibility based on the antimicrobial gene target DNA gyrase subunit A (gyrA) codon serine 91 and the penicillin-binding protein 2 (penA) using Roche Cobas® and Hologic APTIMA™ clinical specimens. We studied whether similar methods could be used on remnant NG-positive Cepheid Xpert® specimens.
Identification of Suvorexant in Blood Using LC-MS-MS: Important Considerations for Matrix Effects and Quantitative Interferences in Targeted Assays.

Suvorexant (Belsomra®) is a novel dual orexin receptor antagonist used for the treatment of insomnia. The prevalence of suvorexant in forensic samples is relatively unknown, which demonstrates the need for robust analytical assays for the detection of this sedative hypnotic in forensic toxicology laboratories. In this study, suvorexant was isolated from whole blood using a simple acidic/neutral liquid-liquid extraction followed by analysis by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Matrix effects were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively using various extraction solvents, proprietary lipid clean-up devices and source conditions. The method was validated in terms of limit of detection, limit of quantitation, precision, bias, calibration model, carryover, matrix effects and drug interferences. Electrospray is a competitive ionization process whereby compounds in the droplet compete for a limited number of charged sites at the surface. As such, it is capacity-limited, and LC-MS-based techniques must be carefully evaluated to ensure that matrix effects or coeluting drugs do not impact quantitative assay performance. In this report, we describe efforts to ameliorate such effects in the absence of an isotopically labeled internal standard. Matrix effects are highly variable and heavily dependent on the physico-chemical properties of the substance. Although there is no universal solution to their resolution, conditions at the electrospray interface can mitigate these issues. Using this approach, the LC-MS/MS assay was fully validated and limits of detection and quantitation of 0.1 and 0.5 ng/mL suvorexant were achieved in blood.
Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) Score at 100 Days Post-allo HCT in Patients with Acute Myeloid Leukemia Predicts Overall Survival

Background Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HCT) is a potentially curative treatment modality for patients with AML. However, the success of transplant is limited by transplant-related mortality. Post-transplant complications have been linked to endothelial damage through derangements in vascular and blood cell homeostasis. The EASIX (Endothelial Activation and Stress Index) score has been studied as a marker for endothelial dysfunction in the setting of allo-HCT using routine laboratory tests (LDH) x serum creatinine (mg/dL)/ Platelets (109 cells/L). The aim of this study is to investigate the prognostic value of a post-transplant day-100 EASIX score in patients with AML. Methods In this single-center retrospective study, 237 patients with AML who underwent a first allo-HCT between 2013-2018 were included. Those alive at 100 days post-transplant were stratified by scores of less than 1, 1-1.99, 2-2.99, and 3 and above. Kaplan Meier survival analysis and hazard ratios using cox regression models were employed to assess overall survival. Results There were no significant baseline differences between groups except for recipient sex [p=0.02]. Survival analysis demonstrated a decreased overall survival with incremental increases in 100-day EASIX scores (p=0.001) with a 2-year overall survival of 67.3% ( Conclusion Endothelial dysfunction contributes significantly to the pathophysiology of complications after transplant. Our data suggests that in patients with AML undergoing HCT, a 100-day EASIX score can be used as a predictor to identify those who are at increased risk of poor outcomes after transplant. This is especially important in settings where patients are discharged from the transplant program after 100 day work-up.