cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Immunity to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in children with chronic HIV infection receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy.

Our objective was to describe the CD4-mediated human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-specific cell-mediated immunity (CMI) and its virologic and immunologic correlates in children with chronic HIV infection on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Twelve HIV-infected children on stable antiretroviral therapy with a median level of CD4+ lymphocytes (CD4%) of 25.5% and a median viral load (VL) of 786 HIV RNA copies/ml were enrolled in this study. Nine of these children were also cytomegalovirus (CMV) seropositive. Blood mononuclear cells, stimulated with HIV and CMV antigens, were used to measure lymphocyte proliferation and to enumerate gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-producing CD4+ cells. HIV CMI and CMV CMI were detected in similar proportions of patients and correlated with each other, although the HIV responses were less robust. HIV lymphocyte proliferation significantly increased with lower HIV VL and showed a trend to increase with higher CD4% and longer time on HAART. The in vitro IFN-γ response to HIV or CMV was not affected by CD4%, VL, or HAART. Pediatric patients with established HIV infection on HAART frequently exhibit HIV CMI despite undetectable HIV replication. We concluded that the association between HIV CMI and CMV CMI indicates that the same factors govern responsiveness to either antigen.
The use of web-based technology in an introductory environmental engineering course

This paper focuses on the use of web-based technology in the course Introduction to Environmental Engineering (CE 280). An extensive website, web-based quizzes and homework assignments, and tutorials have been developed and are available on the course website (www.egr.msu.edu/classes/ce280). In 1999, web-based quizzes and tutorials were introduced. In 2001, homework assignments were computerized using the CAPA (Computer Assisted Personalized Approach) software developed at Michigan State University. As with the homework assignments, all examinations were individualized. After completing the CAPA examinations, the students were given their CAPA-correction examinations. The correction-examination followed the same format as the in-class examination except that the multiple-choice problems had a different selection of choices and the quantitative problems had different numbers. The students were required to complete the entire correction-examination in order to obtain additional examination points.
A Novel Benzodioxole-Containing Inhibitor of Toxoplasma gondii Growth Alters the Parasite Cell Cycle

Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate intracellular parasite that can cause disease in the developing fetus and in immunocompromised humans. Infections can last for the life of the individual, and to date there are no drugs that eliminate the chronic cyst stages that are characteristic of this parasite. In an effort to identify new chemical scaffolds that could form the basis for new therapeutics, we carried out a chemoinformatic screen for compounds that had the potential to interact with members of a superfamily of parasite-secreted kinases and assayed them for growth inhibition in vitro. Of 17 candidate compounds, we identified one with potent antiparasitic activity. The compound has a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) of ~2 nM, and structure-function analyses implicate the benzodioxole moiety in its action. The compound does not appear to be cytotoxic to host cells. Using microarray analyses of both parasites and host cells treated with the compound, we found that the levels of very few host cell transcripts are altered by the compound, while a large number of parasite transcripts have a different abundance after compound treatment. Gene ontology analyses of parasite transcripts with a different abundance revealed an enrichment of cell cycle-related genes, suggesting that the compound alters progression of the parasite through the cell cycle. Assaying the nuclear content of treated parasites demonstrated that compound treatment significantly increased the percentage of parasites in the S/M phase of the cell cycle compared to controls. This compound and its analogs represent a novel scaffold with antiparasitic activity.
A Bayesian Foundation for Active Stereo Vision 1

Sensing three-dimensional shape is a central problem in the development of robot systems for autonomous navigation and manipulation. Stereo vision is an attractive approach to this problem in several applications; however, stereo algorithms still lack reliability and generality. We address these problems by modelling the stereo depth map as a discrete random field, by formulating the matching problem in terms of Bayesian estimation, and by using this framework to develop a "bootstrap" procedure that employs fine camera motion to initialize stereo fusion. First, one camera is translated parallel to the stereo baseline to acquire a narrow-baseline image pair; then, the depth map obtained from the narrow-baseline image pair is used to constrain matching in a "wide-baseline" image pair consisting of one image from each camera. The result of our procedure is an estimate of depth and depth uncertainty at each pixel in the image. This approach produces accurate depth maps reliably and efficiently, applies to indoor and outdoor domains, and extends naturally to multi-sensor systems. We demonstrate the potential of this approach by showing results c lined with scale models of difficult, outdoor scenes.
Cytotoxic Agents in the Era of Molecular Targets and Genomics

Cancer treatment is evolving due to the development of molecularly targeted agents and the utilization of pharmacogenomics and pharmacogenetics to identify patients who are at an increased risk for toxicity or may be uniquely responsive to cytotoxic therapies. By identifying polymorphisms in the human genome that confer changes in the ability to metabolize or activate cancer agents, a more patient-specific treatment approach can be initiated. Molecularly targeted therapies such as PS-341, flavopiridol, Iressa, and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor antibodies may help to overcome resistance to cytotoxic therapies by lowering the apoptotic threshold and increasing cytotoxicity. Using molecularly targeted agents in combination with traditional cytotoxic agents may increase the percentage of patients who achieve disease stabilization and prolonged survival. With the development of genetic tools and genotyping of tumor and patient prior to initiating treatment, antitumor efficacy may be increased with a substantial reduction in toxicity.
Damage from stimulated emission in optically pumped GaInN multiple quantum wells

Optically induced damage in GaInN multiple quantum wells was observed during the course of gain measurements using the variable excitation length method. Stimulated emission intensity from the doped sample was measured as a function of time, and damage patterns deduced.
Endothelin rather than 20-HETE contributes to loss of pial arteriolar dilation during focal cerebral ischemia with and without polymeric hemoglobin transfusion

Partial exchange transfusion with a cell-free hemoglobin (Hb) polymer during transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) reduces infarct volume but fails to increase blood flow, as might be expected with the induced decrease in hematocrit. In ischemic brain, endothelin antagonists are known to produce vasodilation. In nonischemic brain, pial arterioles constrict after Hb exchange transfusion, and the constriction is blocked by an inhibitor of 20-HETE synthesis. We tested the hypothesis that a 20-HETE synthesis inhibitor and an endothelin A receptor antagonist increase pial arteriolar dilation after Hb exchange transfusion during MCAO. Pial arteriolar diameter was measured in the ischemic border region of the distal MCA border region through closed cranial windows in anesthetized rats subjected to the filament model of MCAO. During 2 h of MCAO, pial arteriolar dilation gradually subsided from 37 ± 3 to 7 ± 5% (±SE). Compared with residual dilation at 2 h of MCAO with vehicle superfusion (14 ± 3%), loss of dilation was not prevented by superfusion of a 20-HETE synthesis inhibitor (21 ± 5%), partial Hb exchange transfusion (7 ± 5%) that decreased hematocrit to 23%, or a combination of the two (5 ± 5%). However, loss of dilation was prevented by superfusion of an endothelin A receptor antagonist with (35 ± 4%) or without (32 ± 5%) Hb transfusion. Pial artery constriction during reperfusion was attenuated by HET0016 alone and by BQ610 with or without Hb transfusion. Systemic administration of the endothelin antagonist during prolonged MCAO increased blood flow in the border region. Thus loss of pial arteriolar dilation in the ischemic border region during prolonged MCAO depends on endothelin A receptor activation, and this effect was independent of the presence of cell-free Hb polymers in the plasma. In contrast to previous work in nonischemic brain, inhibition of oxygen-dependent 20-HETE synthesis does not significantly influence the pial arteriolar response to polymeric Hb exchange transfusion during focal ischemia.
Cyclosporine: Present Status of Therapeutic Monitoring

Therapeutic monitoring of cyclosporine has been a controversial area. The unique physiological and pharmacological properties of cyclosporine are partly responsible for the inconsistent correlation between blood concentrations and clinical effect. The variety of analytical methods has also contributed to conflicting opinions. Recently, a number of selective methods for cyclosporine in whole blood have become available, which should help produce consistent results between laboratories. The value of therapeutic monitoring appears to be decreasing the incidence of nephrotoxicity and identifying noncompliance.
Parasites of Heliothis spp. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Parasitism and Seasonal Occurrence for Host Crops in the Texas Rolling Plains

Heliothis spp. eggs and larvae were collected from alfalfa, corn, cotton, and sorghum in two areas, and from potatoes in one area, of the Texas Rolling Plains during 1981 and 1982. Five species of parasites were reared from eggs. The egg parasite complex was 66.0% Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 29.0% Telenomus heliothidis Ashmead, and 5.0% other parasite species. Over the study period, egg parasitism averaged 3.2% in alfalfa, 28.3% in corn, 14.8% in cotton, 24.6% in potatoes, and 40.0% in sorghum. Collections of larvae produced 20 species of parasites, but most were of minor importance. Campoletis sonorensis (Cameron) dominated the parasite complex in alfalfa and potatoes during April and May. Tachinid parasites did not appear in collections until June. Microplitis croceipes (Cresson), Eucelitoria bryani Sabrosky, and Archytas marmoratus (Townsend) were the common parasites from June through October. Larval parasitism was higher in most crops than egg parasitism. Larval parasitism averaged 34.4% in alfalfa, 9.0% in corn, 29.1% in cotton, 60.0% in potatoes, and 38.6% in sorghum. Average percent parasitism for the various-sized larvae, collected from all crops in both locations, was 19.4% for small, 34.3% for medium, and 25.9% for large-sized larvae. Larvae that died from unknown causes during the rearing process were dissected and examined for parasite larvae to assess parasitism more accurately.
Quantum mechanics and computation in nanophotonics

This chapter covers the basic concepts of quantum mechanics as they apply to nanophotonic structures and devices. Single- and multiquantum wells, superlattices, tunneling barriers, resonant tunneling barriers, and two- and three-dimensional quantum-confined structures are developed from first principles. The emphasis is on obtaining numerical solutions, although analytical expressions are also derived in many cases for completeness. The origin of band structures is explained as an extension of one-dimensional coupled quantum wells and illustrated through numerical examples. These concepts are then used to explain three of the most prevalent quantum-engineered devices—quantum-well lasers, quantum well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs), and quantum-cascade lasers (QCLs).
Toxicity determination of four kinds of insecticides against Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus larva

Objective To evaluate the toxic effect of four kinds of insecticides against Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus larva in five districts of Nanning.Methods WHO larva immersion method.Results The LC50 of Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus larva to DDVP,propoxur,cypermethrin and abate were 0.984 1~1.295 6,0.006 1~0.020 9,0.001 9～0.003 2,0.001 2～0.002 4 mg/m3. Conclusion The toxic effect of abate is better than propoxur and cypermethrin,the worst one is DDVP.
Intestinal vitamin B12 absorption in the dog: II. Characterization of vitamin B12 binders in dog gastrointestinal mucosae and secretions

Summary The secretory, immunological, electrophoretic, chromatographic, and physiological properties of the vitamin B 12 binders in dog gastric juice and dog gastrointestinal mucosal extract were studied to determine whether they resembled intrinsic factor of other species. Total B 12 binding capacity of histamine- and urecholine-stimulated dog fundic gastric juice was much higher than that reported for man. Extracts of fundic gastric mucosa showed B 12 binding capacity far higher than that of dog antrum or intestine, indicating that the fundus is the main site of the B 12 binders secretion in the dog. Paper electrophoresis of dog fundic gastric juice revealed a single B 12 binder whose mobility and isoelectric point differed from that of human intrinsic factor, and which was highly susceptible to peptic digestion. When the B 12 binding materials of fundic gastric juice were separated by sequential chromatography on Sephadex G-25, Amberlite IRC-50, and Sephadex G-100 columns, two B 12 binders were obtained, whose electrophoretic mobilities differed from those of human intrinsic factor. These two binders were also inactive on guinea pig and dog intestinal mucosa homogenate assay for intrinsic factor. The secretion of B 12 binders in dog gastric juice, following histamine and urecholine stimulation, also showed a different pattern from that of intrinsic factor in man. Finally, none of the B 12 binders from dog gastric juice or mucosal extracts cross-reacted with the antibody to human intrinsic factor contained in pernicious anemia serum. These results indicate that the B 12 binders of dog gastric juice and dog gastrointestinal mucosa have none of the secretory, immunological, physicochemical, and physiological properties of intrinsic factor in other species but are rather similar to the "tertiary" B 12 binders related to mucosubstances of the gastrointestinal tract.
WE-H-BRB-01: Overview of the ASTRO-NIH-AAPM 2015 Workshop On Exploring Opportunities for Radiation Oncology in the Era of Big Data

Big Data in Radiation Oncology: (1) Overview of the NIH 2015 Big Data Workshop, (2) Where do we stand in the applications of big data in radiation oncology?, and (3) Learning Health Systems for Radiation Oncology: Needs and Challenges for Future Success The overriding goal of this trio panel of presentations is to improve awareness of the wide ranging opportunities for big data impact on patient quality care and enhancing potential for research and collaboration opportunities with NIH and a host of new big data initiatives. This presentation will also summarize the Big Data workshop that was held at the NIH Campus on August 13–14, 2015 and sponsored by AAPM, ASTRO, and NIH. The workshop included discussion of current Big Data cancer registry initiatives, safety and incident reporting systems, and other strategies that will have the greatest impact on radiation oncology research, quality assurance, safety, and outcomes analysis. Learning Objectives: 1.To discuss current and future sources of big data for use in radiation oncology research 2.To optimize our current data collection by adopting new strategies from outside radiation oncology 3.To determine what new knowledge big data can provide for clinical decision support for personalized medicine L. Xing, NIH/NCI Google Inc.
The Transformative Mind: Expanding Vygotsky's Approach to Development and Education

The book suggests a transition from a relational worldview premised on the socio-political ethos of adaptation towards a transformative worldview premised on the ethos of solidarity and equality. Expansively developing Vygotsky's revolutionary project, the Transformative Activist Stance integrates insights from a vast array of critical and sociocultural theories and pedagogies and moves beyond their impasses to address the crisis of inequality. This captures the dynamics of social transformation and agency in moving beyond theoretical and political canons of the status quo. The focus is on the nexus of people co-creating history and society while being interactively created by their own transformative agency. Revealing development and mind as agentive contributions to the 'world-in-the-making' from an activist stance guided by a sought-after future, this approach culminates in implications for research with transformative agendas and a pedagogy of daring. Along the way, many key theories of mind, development and education are challenged and radically reworked.
Gtpase Immunity-Associated Protein Family Member 4 Contributes to the Enhanced Expansion of HSPCs in RUNX1 Deficient Mice

RUNX1 is the transcription factor described as the master regulator of hematopoiesis. Due to its central role during blood development, numerous RUNX1 mutations have been reported in hematologic abnormalities. Mice null for Runx1 die during embryogenesis, lacking definitive HSCs. Conditional Runx1 Δ/Δ mice are viable, but exhibit a variety of blood abnormalities. The most salient defect in these Runx1 Δ/Δ mice is expansion of the hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) population, measured as an increase in number of lineage negative, Sca1 positive, cKit positive (LSK) cells. A shortened form of RUNX1 ( RUNX1SF ) lacking the C-terminal and part of the N-terminal domain (41-214) acts as a dominant negative regulator of RUNX1 and hence also models RUNX1 loss-of-function. A differential gene expression analysis of HSPCs derived from Runx1 Δ/Δ compared to wild type mice uncovered GTPase immunity-associated protein family member 4 (GIMAP4) as one of the genes most highly upregulated. Previous studies have focused almost exclusively on the role of GIMAP4 as a pro-apoptotic protein during T-cell development. This study illuminates a novel non-apoptotic role of GIMAP4 in a formerly unstudied HSPC context. Runx1 Δ/Δ mice were crossed with Gimap4 -/- mice to generate a double knockout (dKO) mouse line. These dKO mice exhibited attenuated HSPC proliferation in comparison to Runx1 Δ/Δ mice, suggesting that GIMAP4 functions in this HSPC expansion phenotype. BMT experiments using lethally irradiated C57 mice and RUNX1S F transduced wild type versus Gimap4 -/- bone marrow confirmed this result. GIMAP4 also worked independently and coordinately with RUNX1 to influence individual progenitor populations. Common lymphoid progenitors (CLP) were affected only by GIMAP4. Gimap4 -/- mice exhibited an expansion of the CLP population, consistent with its pro-apoptotic role in lymphoid populations. Conversely, both RUNX1 and GIMAP4 coordinately exerted an effect on myeloid progenitor populations. Runx1 Δ/Δ mice harbored expanded granulocyte-macrophage progenitor (GMP) and common myeloid progenitor (CMP) populations. This expansion was not observed when GIMAP4 was also ablated. This suggests a pro-proliferative role of GIMAP4 specifically in myeloid populations. These opposing roles of GIMAP4 in lymphoid versus myeloid cells suggest a more contextual, cell-specific role of this GTPase protein. Ultimately, this study provides insight into how RUNX1 and GIMAP4 may coordinate to maintain HSPC homeostasis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Segmented imidazolium ionenes: Solution rheology, thermomechanical properties, and electrospinning

Abstract Segmented imidazolium ionenes with poly (tetramethylene oxide) (PTMO) soft segments and ionic, bis-imidazolium hard segments formed nonwoven fibrous mats upon electrospinning. The segmented imidazolium ionenes exhibited high thermal stability, excellent mechanical properties, and two glass transition temperatures indicative of microphase separation. Tensile analysis revealed strain-induced crystallization for ionenes with a 2 kg/mol PTMO soft segment and increased stress at break with increasing soft segment molecular weight. Solution rheology enabled the determination of solvent quality, overlap and entanglement concentrations, and the influence of ion content on solution properties. Fiber diameters for polymeric fibers electrospun from acetonitrile suggested solution polyelectrolyte behavior that was independent of the PTMO molecular weight. This work reports the successful electrospinning of segmented imidazolium-containing ionenes and an in-depth analysis of their thermomechanical and solution properties.
A mutation in the heptad repeat 2 domain of MFN2 in a large CMT2A family

Dominant mutations in MFN2 cause a range of phenotypes, including severe, early-onset axonal neuropathy, "classical CMT2," and late-onset axonal neuropathies. We report a large family with an axonal polyneuropathy, with clinical onset in the 20s, followed by slow progression.
Biochemical Plant Defenses Against Herbivores

Fossil evidences from some of the earliest terrestrial communities indicate that insect herbivory began near the close of the Silurian, around 420 million years ago (MYA), by early insects with primitive piercing and sucking mouthparts (Labandeira, 1998). During the Early Permian (∼280 MYA), plant foliar feeding and skeletonization evolved on some seed-bearing plants. Approximately 200 MY later, specialized associations between plants and their insect herbivores, such as feeding by hispine Chrysomelid beetles on ginger, occurred in the late Cretaceous (Wilf et al., 2000). Many arthropods living prior to the Jurassic (∼200 MYA) were polyphagous, but shifts in arthropod feeding from polyphagy to specialized ­oligophagous feeding and subsequently monophagy occurred ­during this period. The occurrence of plant alkaloid and terpenoid metabolites at a ­similar point in the fossil record suggests that plants began to actively evolve these compounds for defensive purposes. These compounds, along with the phenolics, are collectively known as defensive allelochemicals or antiherbivory compounds (Whittaker, 1970).
Engaging Elementary Students in Scientific Modeling: The MoDeLS Fifth-Grade Approach and Findings

We present our work engaging elementary students in scientific modeling from the Modeling Designs for Learning Science (MoDeLS) project. First, we outline the MoDeLS approach, discussing our conceptual and methodological frameworks. Second, we report our efforts, as part of the larger project, to facilitate fifth-grade students’ participation in a model-centered curriculum unit on evaporation and condensation. We discuss the model-centered instructional sequence (MIS) that we developed and incorporated into our fifth-grade modeling-centered curriculum unit on evaporation and condensation and how the unit was implemented. Finally, we present the empirical outcomes of our approach in two fifth-grade classrooms (N = 34), examining the effects of MIS components on students’ modeling practices. Our findings indicate three components of MIS—empirical investigations, computer simulations, and social interactions—affected students’ modeling practices to varying degrees. We conclude this chapter by discussing our findings and how MIS can be further developed as a pedagogical tool for modeling.
Inequality in Language: Taking for Granted.

L'article examine la signification sociale impliquee dans l'evaluation des langues et en particulier sur la dialectique entre aptitude reelle et aptitude potentielle. L'auteur envisage trois aspects de l'inegalite dans les langues : l'egalite potentielle, l'inegalite reelle et la narration orale
Expert Memory, Psychology of

An overview of the psychology of human expertise is presented. Expertise is argued to be an adaptation of memory and cognitive processes optimized to facilitate the performance of recurrent tasks. Among these adaptations are the formation of larger cognitive units that expand the functional size of working memory. In addition, memory units are more abstracted in the expert, supporting various forms of inference and reasoning. These memory changes are in concert with processes of automaticity that develop over time such that much of mental activity can be conducted without deliberate control. Automated processing frees cognitive capacity that can be used for planning and for guided allocation of cognitive resources. Major studies bearing on these characteristics of expertise are presented.
School Nurses’ Perceived Challenges With Concussion Management Procedures in the Secondary School Setting:

School nurses have an integral role in managing student health concerns throughout the school day, yet little is known about their specific role in concussion management. Therefore, the purpose of ...
Personal, reproductive, and familial characteristics associated with bilateral oophorectomy in premenopausal women: A population-based case-control study.

Abstract Objectives We investigated the association of personal, reproductive, and familial characteristics with bilateral oophorectomy performed for nonmalignant indications in a US population. Study design In an established cohort study, we used the records-linkage system of the Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP http://www.rochesterproject.org ) to identify 1653 premenopausal women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy in Olmsted County, Minnesota between 1988 and 2007 for a nonmalignant indication. Each woman was matched by age (±1 year) to a population-based referent woman who had not undergone bilateral oophorectomy as of the index date. We used case-control analyses to investigate several characteristics associated with bilateral oophorectomy. Odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals were adjusted for race, education, and income. Results In the overall analyses, infertility was more common in women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy than in the controls, whereas use of oral contraceptives, a history of breast feeding, and fibrocystic breast disease were less common. The women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy weighed more than controls, had a higher body mass index and were younger at menarche. The associations were more pronounced for women who underwent the bilateral oophorectomy before age 46 years, and some associations were different for women with or without a benign ovarian indication. Reported family histories of uterine and other cancers were more common in women without a benign ovarian indication. Conclusions We identified a number of personal, reproductive, and familial characteristics that were associated with bilateral oophorectomy over a 20-year period. Our historical findings may help inform decision-making about oophorectomy in the future.
Favorable Cardiovascular Health at Young and Middle Ages and Dementia in Older Age-The CHA Study.

Background Data are sparse on the association of cardiovascular health (CVH) in younger/middle age with the incidence of dementia later in life. Methods and Results We linked the CHA (Chicago Heart...
A canon of one's own: A comparative analysis of cultural production in gastronomy and the visual arts

Abstract This paper examines the processes used by cultural producers to create products that are at once inserted into existing canons yet distinctive from conventional patterns of creation. We identify three mechanisms – juxtaposition, transformation, and self-insertion – that explain how creators balance demands of conformity and originality into their work, ultimately leading to the formation of a personal canon. Empirically, our study draws on a comparative historical analysis of the trajectories of two producers that have become epitomes of innovation in their fields: Ferran Adria in gastronomy and Takashi Murakami in visual arts. The paper includes a discussion of the implications of our findings to studies on innovation and cultural production.
Harvesting 62Zn from an aqueous cocktail at the NSCL

“Isotope harvesting” is a technique that offers access to exotic radionuclides created as by-products during nuclear science research. Ongoing exploratory work at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) is directed towards the production and extraction of rare radionuclides from a flowing-water target and intends to pave the way for future harvesting efforts at the upcoming Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). Here we present the collection of 62Zn from an aqueous matrix irradiated with a 150 MeV per nucleon 78Kr beam, while synergistically capturing other gaseous reaction products. In addition to the production rate for 62Zn (9.08(30) × 10−5 62Zn per incoming 78Kr), the rates of formation for several other radionuclides were determined as well. The purification of 62Zn from a large number of co-produced radionuclides was performed by anion exchange chromatography, allowing the isolation of 80.5(5.2)% of the generated 62Zn. With the decay of 62Zn the radioactive daughter 62Cu is generated, and with the isolation of pure 62Cu eluate, the principle of a medical radionuclide generator could be demonstrated. To illustrate the applicability of the obtained 62Zn, the isolated product was used in free and DTPA-labelled form in a proof of principle plant uptake study with garden cress employing phosphor imaging for visualization.
Emerging therapies for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: A systematic review.

To describe the mechanism, efficacy, and safety of novel agents that have reached phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of biopsy-proven nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). A literature search was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines of MEDLINE databases (1990 to October 2020) with the following MeSH terms: NASH, nonalcoholic liver disease, fatty liver, liver diseases, steatohepatitis, liver fibrosis; combined with obeticholic acid, FXR agonist, cenicriviroc, CCR5 receptor antagonist, elafibranor, PPAR, selonsertib, ASK-1 inhibitor, resmetirom, THR-β receptor, arachidyl amido cholanoic acid (Aramchol™), and SCD-1 modulator. Results were verified via clinicaltrials.gov, Google Scholar, and Google. Articles were included if the medications of interest had ongoing or completed phase 3 trials in biopsy-proven NASH with outcomes directly related to NASH resolution. Eleven studies were identified involving obeticholic acid (OCA), elafibranor, cenicriviroc, Aramchol, and resmetirom. Two agents have reported data from phase 3 trials: OCA and elafibranor. OCA demonstrated safety and efficacy in NASH with a primary end point of improvement or NASH resolution; a new drug approval has been submitted. Elafibranor failed to show efficacy in NASH in the preliminary report from the RESOLVE-IT trial; however, the study is being extended to reassess outcomes. The remaining agents demonstrated positive results in phase 2b studies and have initiated phase 3 trials. With projections for increased prevalence of patients with NASH and the current lack of treatment options, novel agents with targeted mechanisms could potentially change the treatment landscape. The manufacturer of OCA is first to submit a new drug application for the treatment of NASH. These novel agents may fill a pharmacotherapy gap in patients with NASH and possibly prevent progression to advanced liver disease.
The Effect of Non-optional Green Practices in Hotels on Guests’ Behavioral Intentions

New types of green practices called “non-optional” are trending in hotels replacing single-use mini toiletries in bathrooms and eliminating the use of plastic straws and plastic water bottles. This...
Manipulating the solution environment to control the surface roughness of elastin-based polymer coatings.

Elastin-like polypeptides (ELP) have been used as a genetically-engineered, biocompatible substitute for elastin. Cell culture coatings prepared using ELP conjugated to low molecular weight polyeth...
Semiparametric estimation of signaling games with equilibrium refinement

We study an econometric modeling of a signaling game where one informed player may have multiple types. For this game, the problem of multiple equilibria arises and we achieve the uniqueness of equ...
mTORC2: The other mTOR in autophagy regulation.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) has gathered significant attention as a ubiquitously expressed multimeric kinase with key implications for cell growth, proliferation, and survival. This kinase forms the central core of two distinct complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2, which share the ability of integrating environmental, nutritional, and hormonal cues but which regulate separate molecular pathways that result in different cellular responses. Particularly, mTORC1 has been described as a major negative regulator of endosomal biogenesis and autophagy, a catabolic process that degrades intracellular components and organelles within the lysosomes and is thought to play a key role in human health and disease. In contrast, the role of mTORC2 in the regulation of autophagy has been considerably less studied despite mounting evidence this complex may regulate autophagy in a different and perhaps complementary manner to that of mTORC1. Genetic ablation of unique subunits is currently being utilized to study the differential effects of the two mTOR complexes. RICTOR is the best-described subunit specific to mTORC2 and as such has become a useful tool for investigating the specific actions of this complex. The development of complex-specific inhibitors for mTORC2 is also an area of intense interest. Studies to date have demonstrated that mTORC1/2 complexes each signal to a variety of exclusive downstream molecules with distinct biological roles. Pinpointing the particular effects of these downstream effectors is crucial toward the development of novel therapies aimed at accurately modulating autophagy in the context of human aging and disease.
The European encounter with Hinduism in India: by Jan Peter Schouten, translated by Henry Jansen, Leiden – Boston, Brill Rodopi, 2020, xi + 209 pp., €49.00 US$57.00 (paperback), ISBN 978 90 04 42006 9

This volume is translated from a Dutch work of which the introductory title ‘Aangenaam Kennis te maken,’ equivalent to ‘Nice to meet you,’ has been dispensed with. This omission gives the translati...
Blackmailing for Mutual Good: A Reply to Russell Hardin

Blackmail is the demand for money, or other valuable consideration, coupled with a threat, typically, to expose information the blackmailee prefers to keep secret. For example, I threaten that unless you give me $1,000, I will tell your wife that you have been unfaithful to her. Since you value your marriage more than this amount of money, you pay me for my silence. As a result, you gain the difference between these two amounts. If my silence is worth $5,000, you benefit to the tune of $4,000. My gain is roughly $1,000 because sending a letter to your wife telling her about your peccadillo, and enclosing the pictures I have of you in the act will cost me only postage and a moment of time. As such, blackmail is like any other mutually beneficial economic transaction, at least in the ex ante sense.
A wireless sensing system for continuous monitoring of intracompartmental pressures

Acute compartment syndrome (ACS) is a true orthopaedic emergency. The potential sequelae of an undiagnosed ACS include muscle necrosis, contracture, and in some cases amputation. We have developed a simple, wireless, passively-powered sensor that has the potential to provide continuous monitoring of intracompartmental pressure in vivo. This will allow clinicians to make an early diagnosis of ACS which is essential to preventing sequelae and unnecessary fasciotomies.
PRESENTISM, PERSISTENCE AND COMPOSITION

Pace Benovsky's ‘Presentism and Persistence,’ presentism is compatible with perdurantism, tropes and bundle-of-universals theories of persisting objects. I demonstrate how the resemblance, causation and precedence relations that tie stages together can be accommodated within an ersatzer presentist framework. The presentist account of these relations is then used to delineate a presentist-friendly account of the inter-temporal composition required for making worms out of stages. The defense of presentist trope theory shows how properties with indexes other than t may be said to exist at t. This involves an account of how times other than t exist at t, and how times may be multiply located at any given time. Benovsky's objection to bundles of universals is shown to assume that a bundle of properties must have the properties of its element properties.
PARTICLE BEAM FUSION RESEARCH

A review of Sandia Laboratories' program to investigate the feasibility of achieving inertial confinement fusion using pulsed power technology to produce focused electron and ion beams is presented. Recent results are discussed, including beam focusing, target interaction studies, and accelerator development.
A critical assessment of an accelerated storage test.

The accelerated storage test proposed by Rogers enables the rate constant (at a known temperature) and the energy of activation of a reaction occurring in solution to be calculated from a single experiment. This test has been applied to a number of first and second order reactions, including the heat inactivation of horse serum cholin-esterase. The theoretical and practical limitations of the technique are discussed. It is concluded that the test has an important role in determining the stability of pharmaceutical and related compounds in solution and in comparing the stabilities of different batches of the same preparation.
A comparative study of serum progesterone levels in pregnancy and in various types of pseudopregnancy in the rat

The changes in the peripheral serum levels of progesterone in the pregnant rat werecompared with those found during ordinarypseudopregnancy, the pseudopregnancy of lactation (large litter), and the pseudopregnancies prolonged by decidualization, or by acute or chronic hysterectomy. The level in the ordinary pseudopregnant rat rose steadily to a peak on day 5 and remained at a plateau of about 70 ng/ml until day 9, after which it fell progressively. Neitheracute hysterectomy nor decidualization increased the level significantly above that found in ordinary pseudopregnancy but both treatments extended the plateau to at least day 16. In the pregnant rat, the progesterone level did not differ significantly from that of these types of pseudopregnancy until after day 11, when it rose to a peak of about 130 ng/ml on day 15; a rapid fall began after day 19. In contrast to the above, both the lactating and the chronically hysterectomized rats' progesterone levels rose steeply to values of over 120 ng/ml by day 5, ...
Theoretical Analysis of High Prandtl Number Heat Transfer in Non-Isothermal Pipe Flow

Based on Fourier expansion, an analytical solution is developed for the high Prandtl number heat transfer in both fully developed laminar and turbulent non-isothermal pipe flow. Both of the mathematical expressions of the temperature distribution and the local Nusselt number have been obtained. A parametric study illustrates the characteristics of high Prandtl number heat transfer in non-isothermal pipe flow in detailed. The solutions obtained can be used for the numerical construction of the solution to the more general problems of heat transfer in the developed turbulent wall-bounded shear flows.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Coal/Petroleum Residuum Interactions during Coprocessing under Noncatalytic, Low Solvent/Coal Ratio Conditions

Coprocessing reactions were carried out using five coals and three petroleum residua at 350, 400, and 450 °C with N2 and H2. No catalyst was used. The interactions between the coal and the petroleum residua were investigated in terms of following the conversions and yields of THF-insolubles. The influence of temperature, time, petroleum residua, and coal characteristics was examined. Conversions at or below 400 °C are primarily determined by the nature of the coal. The characteristics of the residuum have little influence on the coal conversions. The residuum behaves like a liquid medium for the coal fragments at this temperature regime and does not have properties of a hydrogen donor or hydrogen shuttler. The maximum coal conversion is ≈40 wt %, comparable to the conversions obtained in pyrene under the given conditions. At temperatures >400 °C retrogressive reactions are observed, indicated by low or even overall negative conversions (−20 wt %). The retrogressive reactions are a result of the interactio...
PPPS-2013: Over-moded W-band traveling wave tube (TWT) amplifier

A 94 GHz over-moded coupled-cavity TWT has been designed and cold test structures of the over-moded cavities analyzed. An experimental beam test is underway, with implementation of the TWT to follow.
Measurement of Hydroxy Carbonyls and Other Carbonyls in Ambient Air Using Pentafluorobenzyl Alcohol as a Chemical Ionization Reagent

Hydroxy carbonyls and other carbonyls were measured in air by sampling with impingers filled with an aqueous solution of O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine hydrochloride (PFBHA), further reacting the PFBHA derivatives of hydroxy carbonyls with bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA), and detecting the derivatives with gas chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry. Molecular weight determinations of ultratrace (pptv) levels of the derivatives in the presence of coeluting interferences was made possible by using pentafluorobenzyl alcohol (PFBOH) as a chemical ionization reagent. Methyl vinyl ketone, methacrolein, methylglyoxal, glycolaldehyde, and hydroxyacetone were identified in air collected in Azusa, CA. Methyl vinyl ketone, methacrolein, methylglyoxal, hydroxyacetone, glyoxal, and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone were identified in samples collected in Davis, CA. To our knowledge, this is the first report of hydroxyacetone and 3-hydroxy-2-butanone in the ambient atmosphere. This work is a significa...
Osmotic Shock Stimulates GLUT4 Translocation in 3T3L1 Adipocytes by a Novel Tyrosine Kinase Pathway

Similar to insulin, osmotic shock of 3T3L1 adipocytes stimulated an increase in glucose transport activity and translocation of GLUT4 protein from intracellularly localized vesicles to the plasma membrane. The docking/fusion of GLUT4 vesicles with the plasma membrane appeared to utilize a similar mechanism, since expression of a dominant interfering mutant of syntaxin-4 prevented both insulin- and osmotic shock-induced GLUT4 translocation. However, although the insulin stimulation of GLUT4 translocation and glucose transport activity was completely inhibited by wortmannin, activation by osmotic shock was wortmannin-insensitive. Furthermore, insulin stimulated the phosphorylation and activation of the Akt kinase, whereas osmotic shock was completely without effect. Surprisingly, treatment of cells with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor, genistein, or microinjection of phosphotyrosine antibody prevented both the insulin- and osmotic shock-stimulated translocation of GLUT4. In addition, osmotic shock induced the tyrosine phosphorylation of several discrete proteins including Cbl, p130(cas), and the recently identified soluble tyrosine kinase, calcium-dependent tyrosine kinase (CADTK). In contrast, insulin had no effect on CADTK but stimulated the tyrosine phosphorylation of Cbl and the tyrosine dephosphorylation of pp125(FAK) and p130(cas). These data demonstrate that the osmotic shock stimulation of GLUT4 translocation in adipocytes occurs through a novel tyrosine kinase pathway that is independent of both the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and the Akt kinase.
Supply-Side Constraints Are Insufficient to Explain the Ontogenetic Scaling of Metabolic Rate in the Tobacco Hornworm, Manduca sexta

Explanations for the hypoallometric scaling of metabolic rate through ontogeny generally fall into two categories: supply-side constraints on delivery of oxygen, or decreased mass-specific intrinsic demand for oxygen. In many animals, supply and demand increase together as the body grows, thus making it impossible to tease apart the relative contributions of changing supply and demand to the observed scaling of metabolic rate. In larval insects, the large components of the tracheal system are set in size at each molt, but then remain constant in size until the next molt. Larvae of Manduca sexta increase up to ten-fold in mass between molts, leading to increased oxygen need without a concomitant increase in supply. At the molt, the tracheal system is shed and replaced with a new, larger one. Due to this discontinuous growth of the tracheal system, insect larvae present an ideal system in which to examine the relative contributions of supply and demand of oxygen to the ontogenetic scaling of metabolic rate. We observed that the metabolic rate at the beginning of successive instars scales hypoallometrically. This decrease in specific intrinsic demand could be due to a decrease in the proportion of highly metabolically active tissues (the midgut) or to a decrease in mitochondrial activity in individual cells. We found that decreased intrinsic demand, mediated by a decrease in the proportion of highly metabolically active tissues in the fifth instar, along with a decrease in the specific mitochondrial activity, contribute to the hypoallometric scaling of metabolic rate.
Effects of perinatal exposure to aspartame on rat pups

Abstract Possible effects of perinatal exposure to L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine methyl ester (aspartame) on rat pups were investigated. Adult female rats, and later their pups, were exposed, via their drinking water, to aspartame (0.007%, 0.036%, 0.18% or 0.9% w/v) or phenylalanine (0.45% w/v) for 12 days prior to conception until the pups were 38 days old. Control rats were given plain water. The adults exposed to aspartame consumed an average of 14, 68, 347 and 1614 mg/kg/day of aspartame and those exposed to phenylalanine consumed an average of 835 mg/kg/day of phenylalanine. After weaning the pups given aspartame consumed an average of 32, 154, 836, and 3566 mg/kg/day of aspartame and those given phenylalanine consumed an average of 1795 mg/kg/day of phenylalanine. No effect of aspartame or phenylalanine was detected on either two measures of morphological development (i.e., latencies to pinnae detachment and eye opening) or two tests of reflex development (i.e., latencies for surface righting at 7 days of age and negative geotaxis at 8 days of age). All groups were similar in spatial memory as assessed with two different mazes with pups 30–36 days old. The number of arms before reentry in an 8-arm radial-arm maze and the acquisition curves from a milk maze did not differ between groups. Furthermore, the latencies of mothers to retrieve their litters was also unaffected by the aspartame and phenylalanine. These results indicate that perinatal exposure to aspartame, when voluntarily consumed by mothers (14–1614 mg/kg/day) and later directly by the rat pups (32 to 3566 mg/kg/day) does not affect reflex development, morphological development or spatial memory.
GM1 ganglioside enhances cholinergic parameters in the brain of senescent rats.

Abstract GM1 ganglioside and nerve growth factor both promote the recovery of injured central cholinergic neurons in young animals. Brain cholinergic activity declines with aging and nerve growth factor has been shown to correct cholinergic deficits in senescent animals. We have administered GM1, to young (three months old) or senescent (22–24 months old) rats and evaluated acetylcholine and choline content, choline acetyltransferase and acetylcholinesterase activity as well as choline uptake in striatum, hippocampus and frontal cortex. For some studies, nerve growth factor was administered alone or together with GM1. Our results indicate that cholinergic neurochemical parameters are decreased in some brain areas of senescent animals and that both GM1 and nerve growth factor can enhance their recovery.