cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance of Calculated and Directly Measured Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol in a Pediatric Population.

Objectives An assessment of methods for the accurate measurement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) at decreased concentrations has not yet been carried out. We evaluated the performance of the Friedewald equation, a direct enzymatic assay, and a novel equation for determining LDL-C levels in a pediatric population with elevated triglycerides and reduced LDL-C levels. Methods LDL-C concentrations of 127 pediatric patients were determined by the Friedewald equation, a direct enzymatic assay, and a novel equation. The bias of each approach was assessed at selected LDL-C cutoffs and after stratifying samples by triglyceride content. The concordance of each approach, relative to the reference method, was determined at LDL-C cut-points of less than 70, 70 to 99, and 100 to 129 mg/dL. Results The Friedewald equation substantially underestimated pediatric LDL-C concentrations below 100 mg/dL in the presence of elevated triglycerides. The Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (Raritan, NJ) direct LDL assay was positively biased at low LDL-C levels. The novel equation most effectively reduced the bias of the Friedewald equation at all LDL-C concentrations and increased the concordance of sample classification to the reference method. Conclusions The novel equation should be used for accurate measurement of pediatric LDL-C when the concentration is below 100 mg/dL in the presence of elevated triglycerides (150-399 mg/dL).
Use of the HOME inventory with families of young visually impaired children

The study reported here examined the usefulness of the Infant-Toddler and the Early Childhood forms of the HOME Inventory as applied to children who are visually impaired. The results indicated tha...
Hypermnesia for Words in Serial Learning

Subjects were exposed to 16 words under serial learning instructions and then received a serial recall test. Following this initial test, subjects (a) attempted recognition, (b) were prompted with extralist associative stimuli, or (c) again attempted serial recall. Subjects in the latter group then attempted recognition or were prompted for recall. Analyses of recall probabilities conditional on prior failure to recall showed that (a) subjects were more likely to recall prior failures of recall on a second serial test than on a second recognition test, and (b) recognition yielded more recalls of prior failures than did prompting. Secondary analyses showed that neither response criterion shifts, item selection artifacts, nor extra recall time accounted for the superiority of the second serial test. The results are interpreted to be inconsistent with a critical assumption underlying encoding specificity theory, and to be consistent with a recent stimulus-sampling version of generation-recognition theory.
Minimizing Retraction by Pia-Arachnoidal 10-0 Sutures in Intrasulcal Dissection.

BACKGROUND In contemporary microneurosurgery reducing retraction-induced injury to the brain is essential. Self-retaining retractor systems are commonly used to improve visualization and decrease the repetitive microtrauma, but sometimes self-retaining retractor systems can be cumbersome and the force applied can cause focal ischemia or contusions. This may increase the morbidity and mortality. Here, we describe a technique of retraction using 10-0 sutures in the arachnoid. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the imaging and clinical results in patients where 10-0 suture retraction was used to aid the surgical procedure. METHODS Adjacent cortex was retracted by placing 10-0 nylon suture in the arachnoid of the bank or banks of the sulcus. The suture was secured to the adjacent dural edge by using aneurysm clips, allowing for easy adjustability of the amount of retraction. We retrospectively analyzed the neurological outcome, signal changes in postoperative imaging, and ease of performing surgery in 31 patients with various intracranial lesions including intracranial aneurysms, intra- and extra-axial tumors, and cerebral ischemia requiring arterial bypass. RESULTS Clinically, there were no injuries, vascular events, or neurological deficits referable to the relevant cortex. Postoperative imaging did not show changes consistent with ischemia or contusion due to the retraction. This technique improved the visualization and illumination of the surgical field in all cases. CONCLUSION Retraction of the arachnoid can be used safely in cases where trans-sulcal dissection is required. This technique may improve initial visualization and decrease the need for dynamic or static retraction.
Active surveillance of prostate cancer in African-Americans during the MRI era.

108Background: Many patients with low-risk prostate cancer are encouraged by their physicians to pursue active surveillance (AS). AS has increasingly been utilized, however there remains anxiety by patients and their physicians that more aggressive disease will be missed and allowed to progress. African-American (AA) patients may present with more aggressive disease and higher rates of upgrading at the time of radical prostatectomy. Due to these factors, physicians may be hesitant to recommend AS to AA patients. We examined the role of AS in these patients in the era of MRI targeted biopsies. Methods: A prospectively maintained database was queried for all patients who underwent an MRI guided fusion biopsy from 2007 to 2016 and chose AS as their primary management strategy. Patents with Gleason Group (GG) 1 or 2 were eligible. Patients were then followed with yearly PSA, exam, MRI and biopsy if warranted. MRI Fusion biopsies were reviewed to determine any GG progression. Results: A total of 19 AA and 143 ...
Immunochemical Detection Methods for Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes in Foods

Although sporadic in nature, accounts of foodborne illness continue to make headlines in the news and in infectious disease reports. The seriousness of foodborne diseases resulting from bacterial contamination, including Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes, is well documented. Foods of animal origin (meat, poultry, and dairy- products) are the primary vehicles for these disease outbreaks. The lack of available rapid, sensitive, and reliable detection methods continues to be a limitation in the investigation of these outbreaks as well as in monitoring programs established by public health or regulatory agencies and the food industry. Historically, standard culture techniques, which are cumbersome and frequently require lengthy enrichment steps, have been used for the detection of foodborne pathogens. This has been especially true when pathogens are present in low levels and in an environment consisting of numerous and sometimes high levels of competitive flora. There has been an increasing emphasis on the need for development of more expedient and sensitive methods for detecting pathogens in food products and in food manufacturing environments. Recent advances in immunochemical technology have provided opportunities for the application of these techniques to the detection of foodborne pathogens.
1020-LB: PREDICATION OF POSITIVE FLOW CROSSMATCH BY USING MEAN FLUORESCENCE INTENSITY OF LUMINEX SINGLE ANTIGEN BEAD ASSAY

Methods Data from candidates of heart, kidney, lung and pancreas transplantation from Dec 2006 - Nov 2011, were studied. Retrospective review included records of FCXM, HLA antibody analysis by Luminex SAB, and HLA DNA typing. Statistical analysis was done with SPSS software. Aim With availability of precise information of HLA antibody specificities obtained from HLA single antigen bead assay (SAB), more consideration was put into the correlation between the results of SAB and the flow cytometric crossmatch (FCXM). We present here the data of a retrospective analysis of our five-year experience using SAB and FCXM. Results There were 3666 serum samples from 1602 patients, paired with donor cells, yielded 2886 recipient-donor pairs, totaling 4765 FCXMs. Five hundred thirty-nine (33.6%) patients were sensitized based on the presence of detectable HLA antibodies. T cell and/or B cell positive FCXM were observed in 405 recipient-donor pairs (14.0%). There were a total of 363 records with complete concurrent SAB and FCXM test data (hence MFI and MCS data) collected for further analysis. If multiple donor-specific HLA antibodies (DSA) existed, for analysis of B cell FCXM, sum of MFI of both class I and class II DSAs was used, for T cell FCXM, sum of MFI of class I DSAs was used. The correlation between the MFI values of DSAs detected by Luminex SAB and the MCS values of FCXM was significant (p 2 = 0.606 for B cell curve, R 2 = 0.637 for T cell curve). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed MFI cutoff were 4519 for B cell FCXM, with specificity of 85.61% (78.4-91.1%) and sensitivity of 76.96% (71.0-82.2%); and 3138 for T cell FCXM, with specificity of 86.25% (76.4-92.9%) and sensitivity of 71.57% (64.7-77.8%). Calculations from the regression equations got the similar results. Conclusions This study analyzed the relationship between the results of SAB and FCXM using clinical data instead of laboratory defined serum and surrogate cells. The correlation between MFI of SAB and MCS of FCXM was significant. MFI cutoffs of SAB test to predict positive FCXM estimated from both regression and ROC analyses were very close to each other. These cutoff values could be used in future clinical tests to validate their reliability.
Phytoremediation of Aged Petroleum Sludge: Effect of Inorganic Fertilizer

Phytoremediation is a promising new technology that uses higher plants to enhance biodegradation. Nutrient availability is an important factor governing the success of phytoremediation and can be regulated through the addition of fertilizer. A greenhouse study was conducted to assess the importance of nitrogen and phosphorus for the phytoremediation of petroleum sludge. Degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) was quantified for six fertilization rates and three vegetation treatments: bermuda grass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.], tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), and an unvegetated control. During the first 6 mo of the experiment, TPH declined by an average of 49% with no significant differences between treatments. After 1 yr, TPH degradation was significantly greater in both vegetated treatments with a mean TPH reduction of 68% for bermuda, 62% for fescue, and 57% for the unvegetated control. Degradation of TPH in the fescue and bermuda treatments was significantly lower in the treatments in which no fertilizer was added or N and P were added simply to maintain plant growth compared with the higher rates of fertilization. For this short-term, greenhouse experiment, optimal remediation was obtained by fertilization that produced a C to N to P ratio of 100:2:0.2.
Modeling and behavior of composite MRFs with concrete filled steel tubular columns subject to earthquake loading

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the results of research undertaken in conjunction with the US-Japan Cooperative Research Program in Earthquake Engineering on Composite and Hybrid Structures. A composite moment resisting frame (MRF) is designed with high strength concrete filled steel tubular (CFT) columns. The members and connections of the structure are modeled to account for the effects of local buckling, concrete crushing and cracking, connection deformations, and P-delta effects. The frame is analyzed using the DRAIN-2DX computer program. To account for the possibility of concrete crushing, concrete cracking, steel yielding, and steel local buckling, the CFT columns in the frame are modeled using a fiber element. The wide flange steel beams are modeled using steel fibers located in the plastic hinge region of the beam to capture the effects of cyclic yielding, strain hardening, and local buckling. Outside the plastic hinge region, the beam is modeled using an elastic beam element. The maximum overstrength of the MRF is 3.29 at a corresponding roof drift index of 2.3%. In the static pushover that maximum storey drift is 5.26%. The inelastic deformations in the structure are concentrated in all the floor beams and at the base of the ground floor columns.
Computer Technology, Science Education, and Students with Learning Disabilities.

The ways computer technology could be used to teach science to students with learning disabilities (LD) are explored. Science is for all students and that includes students with LD. Learning science has both cognitive and affective implications for students with LD. In this context, computer technology provides cognitively engaging and motivating instructional tools for individualizing the mode of delivery; developing expert tutors; anchoring instruction; integrating science with other subjects; reducing cognitive load on working memory; and motivating students to stay on task. These applications are discussed with implications for teaching science to students with LD.
Sparse Coding Enables the Reconstruction of High-Fidelity Images and Video from Retinal Spike Trains

The optic nerve transmits visual information to the brain as trains of discrete events, a low-power, low-bandwidth communication channel also exploited by silicon retina cameras. Extracting high-fidelity visual input from retinal event trains is thus a key challenge for both computational neuroscience and neuromorphic engineering. Here, we investigate whether sparse coding can enable the reconstruction of high-fidelity images and video from retinal event trains. Our approach is analogous to compressive sensing, in which only a random subset of pixels are transmitted and the missing information is estimated via inference. We employed a variant of the Locally Competitive Algorithm to infer sparse representations from retinal event trains, using a dictionary of convolutional features optimized via stochastic gradient descent and trained in an unsupervised manner using a local Hebbian learning rule with momentum.We used an anatomically realistic retinal model with stochastic graded release from cones and bipolar cells to encode thumbnail images as spike trains arising from ON and OFF retinal ganglion cells. The spikes from each model ganglion cell were summed over a 32 msec time window, yielding a noisy rate-coded image. Analogous to how the primary visual cortex is postulated to infer features from noisy spike trains arising from the optic nerve, we inferred a higher-fidelity sparse reconstruction from the noisy rate-coded image using a convolutional dictionary trained on the original CIFAR10 database.To investigate whether a similar approach works on non-stochastic data, we demonstrate that the same procedure can be used to reconstruct high-frequency video from the asynchronous events arising from a silicon retina camera moving through a laboratory environment.
Abstract 426: Variant allele frequency changes and treatment responses in advanced prostate cancer

Introduction: Serial monitoring of genomic alterations in tumors is gaining interest as a research tool to better understand the biology of disease progression in different tumor types, including prostate cancer (PC). We hypothesized that intra-patient enrichment of mutations shared among different tumor samples from patients with advanced PC (castration-resistant or neuroendocrine) may parallel their clinical behavior in response to systemic therapy. Methods: We examined patients with PC enrolled in our prospective Precision Medicine cohort, with at least 2 consecutive tissue or/and liquid biopsies available. By whole exome sequencing (WES) we assessed the variant allele frequencies (VAF) in gene alterations which were shared between spatiotemporally different samples from the same patients. We investigated associations between VAF changes and radiologic responses using the Chi-square test. Results: Six patients with paired WES from samples 1-15 months apart with advanced PC were studied. Distribution of VAF in shared gene alterations and treatment outcomes (response vs. progression of disease) are presented in Table 1. In progressing patients (N=5), 20/25 (80%) of VAFs of shared genes were increased while 5/25 (20%) were reduced. In the one responding patient, 6/6 (100%) VAF of shared genes were decreased between samples. A significant association was found between VAF and radiologic responses (p = 0.0006). Conclusions: Serial monitoring of VAF of shared genes between spatiotemporally distinct tumors within the same patient may assist in predicting radiologic responses to systemic therapies in advanced PC. Testing of these hypothesis-generating analysis results in larger, prospective studies is suggested. Table 1. Citation Format: Panagiotis J. Vlachostergios, Ana M. Molina, David M. Nanus, Himisha Beltran, Scott T. Tagawa. Variant allele frequency changes and treatment responses in advanced prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 426.
Impact of aging on immune response and survival in melanoma.

e21079Background: Age is an independent predictor of worse survival in melanoma. Multiple factors may contribute to this observation including decline in host anti-tumor immune response with aging....
A Sensing Framework for Indoor Spatial Awareness for Blind and Visually Impaired Users

In this paper, we present Bluetooth low energy (BLE)-based sensing framework that provides real time spatial awareness for blind and visually impaired (BVI) users while navigating independently through large public venues. The proposed framework includes the following functionalities using only the received signal strength indicator obtained from the BLE sensors: 1) determining the location of the user, 2) estimating the user's moving direction, and 3) detecting the proximity of landmarks next to the user. We evaluate these functionalities individually. Moreover, we incorporate the proposed framework in PERCEPT indoor navigation system and test it with BVI users in a large public venue. Testing results show that the location, moving direction, and landmark proximity computed by the framework, although not very accurate, provide sufficient information to enable BVI users to independently navigate in large indoor venues. This conclusion aligns with Nobel Prize winning findings that confirm the spatial nature of the entorhinal-hippocampal system and the existence of a positioning system in the brain.
Staff perceptions of risk factors for violence and aggression in ambulatory care.

Background Management of violent acts of patients and their visitors in psychiatric and hospital settings has been studied. However, violence has not yet been addressed in the ambulatory care environment. Objective To identify potential risk factors for patient and visitor violence [PVV] and staff perceptions of the impact of these risk factors in ambulatory care. Methods A review of psychiatric inpatient research was conducted examining violence and aggression including risk factors for PVV. Identified risk factors for violence were incorporated into a survey tool and distributed to staff in a community clinic asking for their perception of the impact of these risk factors on aggression in their work environment. Results Risk factors for violence and aggression were categorized as static or dynamic or as related to characteristics of staff or the environment of care. All of the risk factors were identified as possible contributors to PVV by the staff while items related to substance abuse and the clinic environment were selected by the staff as "highly likely" to contribute to PVV in their setting. Conclusions Continued research is needed in this area to better understand risk factors for PVV and develop appropriate safety interventions and crisis training for ambulatory care settings.
PI3K inhibitors protect against glucocorticoid-induced skin atrophy.

Abstract Background Skin atrophy is a major adverse effect of topical glucocorticoids. We recently reported that REDD1 (regulated in development and DNA damage 1) and FKBP51 (FK506 binding protein 5), negative regulators of mTOR/Akt signaling, are induced by glucocorticoids in mouse and human skin and are central drivers of steroid skin atrophy. Thus, we hypothesized that REDD1/FKBP51 inhibitors could protect skin against catabolic effects of glucocorticoids. Methods Using drug repurposing approach, we screened LINCS library ( http://lincsproject.org/LINCS /) to identify repressors of REDD1/FKBP51 expression. Candidate compounds were tested for their ability to inhibit glucocorticoid-induced REDD1/FKBP51 expression in human primary/immortalized keratinocytes and in mouse skin. Reporter gene expression, microarray, and chromatin immunoprecipitation were employed to evaluate effect of these inhibitors on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling. Findings Bioinformatics analysis unexpectedly identified phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/mTOR/Akt inhibitors as a pharmacological class of REDD1/FKBP51 repressors. Selected PI3K/mTOR/Akt inhibitors-Wortmannin (WM), LY294002, AZD8055, and two others indeed blocked REDD1/FKBP51expression in human keratinocytes. PI3K/mTOR/Akt inhibitors also modified global effect of glucocorticoids on trascriptome, shifting it towards therapeutically important transrepression; negatively impacted GR phosphorylation; nuclear translocation; and GR loading on REDD1/FKBP51 gene promoters. Further, topical application of LY294002 together with glucocorticoid fluocinolone acetonide (FA) protected mice against FA-induced proliferative block and skin atrophy but did not alter the anti-inflammatory activity of FA in ear edema test. Interpretation Our results built a strong foundation for development of safer GR-targeted therapies for inflammatory skin diseases using combination of glucocorticoids with PI3K/mTOR/Akt inhibitors. Fund Work is supported by NIH grants R01GM112945, R01AI125366, and HESI-THRIVE foundation.
Compliance with daily, home-based collection of urinary biospecimens in a prospective, preconception cohort.

Background Exposures in the periconceptional environment may impact fertility and future health. Assessing time-varying exposures during the periconceptional window requires identifying approximate fertile windows around ovulation. In this prospective cohort study, we instructed women in daily cervical fluid observation and interpretation to identify incipient ovulation; they used this information to time daily urine collection for both partners. Timing and completeness of collection were compared to expert review. Methods One hundred seventy couples planning pregnancy enrolled from community volunteers from 2011 to 2015; women were taught the Peak Day method to identify fertile windows. Both partners collected daily urine specimens from the first day of fertile-quality fluid (estimator of the beginning of fertile window). Men discontinued on the estimated day of ovulation/conception +2 days; women continued through the onset of next menses, or positive pregnancy test at estimated day of ovulation/conception +18 days. We compared dates from samples with participants' fertility charts to determine proportion correctly collected. Also, expert reviewers judged on which days urine should have been collected, determining investigator-identified sampling days. Results One hundred sixty-nine couples submitted 6,118 urine samples from 284 cycles. Reviewers and participants agreed in 87% of cycles for the date of the beginning of the fertile window ±3 days (65% exact-day agreement); agreement on ovulation date, ±3 days, was 93% (75% exact-day agreement). Five thousand three hundred twenty-nine female samples were expected based on investigator-identified sampling days, and 4,546 were collected, of which 82% were correctly collected on expected days. Fifty-nine percent of male samples were correctly collected relative to investigator-identified sampling days. Conclusions Intensively-scheduled, biologically-triggered, at-home biospecimen collection can successfully be targeted to the periconceptional window and completed in a longitudinal cohort study.
Understanding Racial Differences in Diagnosing ODD Versus ADHD Using Critical Race Theory

Although both oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention-deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are associated with poor long-term outcomes, ODD may lead to worse outcomes. While epidemio...
The Pharmacologic Basis for the Treatment of Developmental and Acute Laminitis

The treatment of laminitis has been fraught with confusion and controversy for several decades, mainly because of a lack of understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease process. However, recent advances in laminitis research have greatly improved our understanding of the disease process. This article discusses the various treatment options for laminitis in the context of the findings of recent scientific investigations of laminitis pathophysiology.
A hybrid solar air conditioning system

A new system is proposed that is a hybrid, being partly an absorption system and partly a vapor compression system. Hence, it combines the two most popular types of solar refrigeration systems. The proposed system offers the advantages of a lower initial cost than the absorption system and a lower operating cost, and power consumption, than the vapor-compression system. It permits designing with an optical mix of solar and electrical energy for driving the system. (WDM)
Interdependence and Superordinate Goals: The Revenge of the Dualists

Appearances can be misleading, but not in the social sciences. Based on the statistical aggregation of intuitions (observations, self-reports, interviews) about reality across individuals that converge while seeking a 1:1 relation, the primary model of decision making attempts to make intuitions rational. But despite its many claims to the contrary, the social sciences have failed in building a successful predictive theory, including in economics where the results from this failure, re-labeled as irrational, have won Nobel prizes, yet irrational humans in freely organized and competitive teams strangely manage to be extraordinarily innovative. In contrast to traditional social science, the most predictive theory in all of science is the quantum theory, each prediction confirmed by new discoveries leading to new predictions and further discoveries, but the dualist nature of the quantum theory makes it counterintuitive despite more than a century of intense, unflagging debate. By re-introducing dualism into social science with a quantum-like theory of social interdependence, we offer an opportunity to rehabilitate social science by successfully making predictions and new discoveries about human teams that account for the abysmal performance of interdisciplinary science teams; that generalizes to the newly arising problem of how to engineer hybrid teams (arbitrary combinations of autonomous humans, machines and robots); and that explains the counterintuitive prediction that highly interdependent teams do not generate Shannon information, but instead “darken” as a team becomes perfect, meaning, intuitively, that structural information about a team can be gained only under competition (i.e., perturbation theory).
Trends, Diagnoses, and Hospitalization Costs of Child Abuse and Neglect in the United States of America.

We conducted a secondary analysis of the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) to examine child abuse and neglect hospitalization from 1998–2016. The NIS is the largest all-payer, inpatient care database in the United States and is maintained by the Health Care Utilization Project. Participants were youth 18 years and younger with discharged diagnoses of child abuse and neglect from hospitals. The rate of child abuse or neglect hospitalizations did not vary significantly over the study period (1998–2016), which on average was 6.9 per 100,000 children annually. Males (53.0%), infants (age < 1; 47.3%), and young children (age 1–3; 24.2%) comprised most of the child maltreatment cases. Physical abuse was the most frequent type of maltreatment leading to hospitalization. Government insurance was the most common payer source, accounting for 77.3% of all child maltreatment hospitalizations and costing 1.4 billion dollars from 2001–2016. Hospitalizations due to child abuse and neglect remain steady and are costly, averaging over $116 million per year. The burden on government sources suggests a high potential for return on investment in effective child abuse prevention strategies.
Varying Intensities of Introgression Obscure Incipient Venom-Associated Speciation in the Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus).

Ecologically divergent selection can lead to the evolution of reproductive isolation through the process of ecological speciation, but the balance of responsible evolutionary forces is often obscured by an inadequate assessment of demographic history and the genetics of traits under selection. Snake venoms have emerged as a system for studying the genetic basis of adaptation because of their genetic tractability and contributions to fitness, and speciation in venomous snakes can be associated with ecological diversification such as dietary shifts and corresponding venom changes. Here, we explored the neurotoxic (type A)–hemotoxic (type B) venom dichotomy and the potential for ecological speciation among Timber Rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) populations. Previous work identified the genetic basis of this phenotypic difference, enabling us to characterize the roles geography, history, ecology, selection, and chance play in determining when and why new species emerge or are absorbed. We identified significant genetic, proteomic, morphological, and ecological/environmental differences at smaller spatial scales, suggestive of incipient ecological speciation between type A and type B C. horridus. Range-wide analyses, however, rejected the reciprocal monophyly of venom type, indicative of varying intensities of introgression and a lack of reproductive isolation across the range. Given that we have now established the phenotypic distributions and ecological niche models of type A and B populations, genome-wide data are needed and capable of determining whether type A and type B C. horridus represent distinct, reproductively isolated lineages due to incipient ecological speciation or differentiated populations within a single species.
Laccase-catalyzed synthesis of 2,3-ethylenedithio-1,4-quinones

Abstract Laccases (benzenediol:oxygen oxidoreductase EC 1.10.3.2) belong to the family of multicopper oxidases. These environmentally friendly enzymes require O2 as their only co-substrate and produce H2O as their sole by-product. As a result, they have acquired increasing use in biotechnological applications, particularly in the field of organic synthesis. In the current study, laccases have been employed to successfully couple 1,2-ethanedithiol to various substituted hydroquinones to produce novel 2,3-ethylenedithio-1,4-quinones in good yields via an oxidation–addition–oxidation–addition–oxidation mechanism. The reactions proceeded in one-pot under mild conditions (room temperature, pH 5.0). This study further supports the use of laccases as green tools in organic chemistry. Furthermore, it provides evidence that laccase-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions involving small thiols are possible, in spite of research that suggests small thiols are potent inhibitors of laccases.
Functional Imaging in Hereditary Dystonia

dopamine, DYT1, DYT6, motor activation, positron emission tomography, primary torsion dystonia Received 3 August 2009 Accepted 5 March 2010 Background: Impaired cortical inhibiton and maladaptive cortical plasticity are functional hallmarks of sporadic focal dystonias. Whether or not these mechanisms translate to generalized dystonias and whether these features reflect state or trait characteristics are topics of research in hereditary dystonias. Methods: We present a series of studies using a multitracer approach with positron emission tomography (PET) and diffusion tensor MRI (DTI) in the DYT1 and the DYT6 genotype. Results: In these hereditary dystonias functional and microstructural abnormalities were found in cortico-striatal-pallido-thalamocortical (CSPTC) and cerebellar-thalamo-cortical circuits. Genotype-specific abnormalities were localized to the basal ganglia, SMA and cerebellum. Functional changes, as potential correlates of maladaptive sensorimotor plasticity were found throughout the sensorimotor system and were more pronounced in affected mutation carriers than in their non-manifesting counterparts. In both genotypes, striatal metabolic abnormalities were paralleled by genotype-specific reductions in D2 receptor availability. However, these reductions failed to show a clear association with clinical or functional markers of the disease. By contrast, microstructural changes of cerebellar pathways clearly related to penetrance and may thus represent the main intrinsic abnormality underlying cortical downstream effects, such as increased sensorimotor responsivity. Conclusions: These studies are consistent with the view of primary torsion dystonia as a neurodevelopmental circuit disorder involving CSPTC and related cerebellar pathways.
Ultrasonic Sensor Based Fuzzy-Neural Control Algorithm of Obstacle Avoidance for Mobile Robot

This paper presents a novel fuzzy-neural control algorithm to realize obstacle avoidance of a mobile robot. A heuristic fuzzy-neural network is developed based on heuristic fuzzy rules and the Kohonen clustering network. By applying the off-line and unsupervised training method to this network, the pattern mapping relation between ultrasonic sensory input and velocity command is established. This paper describes mechanical design of the mobile robot, the arrangement of ultrasonic sensors, the obstacle avoidance system based on FKCN, classification of obstacle, the control algorithm for obstacle avoidance and training data library. In order to verify the effectiveness of this algorithm, we give the results of simulation in a computer virtual environment.
Substance use disorder and personality disorder

Personality disorders (PDs) and substance use disorders (SUDs) frequently co-occur in both the general population and in clinical settings. Literature is reviewed documenting high comorbidity between these two classes of disorders, possible mechanisms of comorbidity, and the clinical implications of this comorbidity. Special emphasis is given to antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and borderline personality disorder (BPD) as these disorders not only co-occur frequently with SUDs in the clinical populations and present clinical challenges, but also because recent research points to etiologic processes that are common to these specific PDs and SUDs. Although most attention on comorbidity between PDs and SUDs has focused on ASPD and BPD, it is also clear that other PDs (in particular, avoidant PD and paranoid PD) are prevalent among those suffering from SUDs.
Postmortem findings in morbidly obese individuals dying after gastric bypass procedures

Summary Mortality has been reported to complicate gastric bypass, with common causes of death attributable to anastomotic leaks, sepsis, hemorrhage, and bowel obstruction. We evaluated autopsy reports from 10 patients having undergone gastric bypass. Medical records were reviewed to identify comorbidities. Data of interest included preoperative electrocardiogram (EKG) abnormalities, cause of death, body weight, anastamosis appearance, heart weight, extent of coronary artery disease, ventricular size, liver weight, and gall bladder status. A total of 7 men and 3 women were autopsied. Average age was 40 years (range, 30-49 years), and mean body mass index at autopsy was 60.3 kg/m 2 (range, 33.2-80.9 kg/m 2 ). Evidence of anastomotic leaks was present in 7 cases, resulting in 4 deaths. Death was attributed to pulmonary embolism in one case. There were 5 cardiac-related deaths, all attributed to arrhythmias. Microscopic evidence of coronary artery disease was observed in 6. Cardiomegaly was seen in all patients, left ventricular hypertrophy in 8, right ventricular hypertrophy in 3, and hepatomegaly in all 10. Nine patients were status post cholecystectomy. Of the 8 preoperative EKG available, abnormalities were identified in 5. After gastric bypass, death was attributed to cardiac-related causes, pulmonary embolism, and operative complications. A significant proportion of cardiac-related deaths occured in the absence of atherosclerosis. Most patients had preoperative EKG abnormalities. As a high incidence of cardiomegaly was observed, operative stress associated with the procedure may increase the risk of arrhythmia in morbid obesity. Consequently, in morbidly obese patients, a detailed preoperative cardiovascular evaluation is warranted to reduce postoperative mortality.
Minimum bounding boxes for regular cross-polytopes

In recent years there has been significant use of regular cross-polytopes (regular octahedrons or hyper-diamonds) as constructs to simplify problem solving in high-dimensional database queries, collision detection algorithms and graphic rendering techniques. Many of the algorithms for these applications use minimum volume bounding boxes as approximations of the polytopes to minimize computational complexity. The standard method [1] for finding these boxes in three dimensions uses the constraint of having two edges of a polyhedron coincident with two adjacent faces of the minimum bounding box. In this paper, we show that for a uniform cross-polytope in three dimensional space, a minimum volume bounding box would have a face flush with the convex hull of the polytope for all possible orientations of the polyhedron defined. We also show that the projections of the minimum bounding box of an n-dimensional regular cross-polytope are locally optimal with respect to the projections of the enclosed cross-polytope. We use this result to provide a necessary condition for the minimum bounding boxes of such polytopes. Finally, we show that if the two dimensional planar projections of a three dimensional uniform cross-polytope are simultaneously locally optimal then the polytope itself is optimally oriented.
Magnetic levitation of liquid helium

We report on the stable levitation of liquid helium drops of up to 2 cm diameter at temperatures down to 1.5 K. We frequently observe two drops in the magnetic trap which are held in apparent contact for up to 3 minutes without coalescing. This non-coalescence effect appears to occur only above the superfluid transition temperature and is explained in terms of the existence of a vapor layer between the drops.
The preparation of oriented morphologies of the thermotropic aromatic copolyester of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and 80 mole percent p‐acetoxybenzoic acid

Highly oriented morphologies of poly(ethylene terephthalate) and 80 mole percent p-acetoxybenzoic acid were prepared by shearing in an optical plate-plate rheometer and by melt fiber drawing in a temperature range at which the copolyester was either in the semicrystalline state or liquid crystalline phase. The optical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the oriented films and drawn fibers depended significantly on the processing temperature.
Epigenetic regulation by decitabine of melanoma differentiation in vitro and in vivo

Apoptosis genes, such as TP53 and p16/CDKN2A, that mediate responses to cytotoxic chemotherapy, are frequently nonfunctional in melanoma. Differentiation may be an alternative to apoptosis for inducing melanoma cell cycle exit. Epigenetic mechanisms regulate differentiation, and DNA methylation alterations are associated with the abnormal differentiation of melanoma cells. The effects of the deoxycytidine analogue decitabine (5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine), which depletes DNA methyl transferase 1 (DNMT1), on melanoma differentiation were examined. Treatment of human and murine melanoma cells in vitro with concentrations of decitabine that did not cause apoptosis inhibited proliferation accompanied by cellular differentiation. A decrease in promoter methylation, and increase in expression of the melanocyte late-differentiation driver SOX9, was followed by increases in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKN) p27/CDKN1B and p21/CDKN1A that mediate cell cycle exit with differentiation. Effects were independent of the TP53, p16/CDKN2A and also the BRAF status of the melanoma cells. Resistance, when observed, was pharmacologic, characterized by diminished ability of decitabine to deplete DNMT1. Treatment of murine melanoma models in vivo with intermittent, low-dose decitabine, administered sub-cutaneously to limit high peak drug levels that cause cytotoxicity and increase exposure time for DNMT1 depletion, and with tetrahydrouridine to decrease decitabine metabolism and further increase exposure time, inhibited tumor growth and increased molecular and tumor stromal factors implicated in melanocyte differentiation. Modification of decitabine dose, schedule and formulation for differentiation rather than cytotoxic objectives inhibits the growth of melanoma cells in vitro and in vivo.
Computational modeling of cardiac electrophysiology: A novel finite element approach

The key objective of this work is the design of an unconditionally stable, robust, efficient, modular, and easily expandable finite element-based simulation tool for cardiac electrophysiology. In contrast to existing formulations, we propose a global–local split of the system of equations in which the global variable is the fast action potential that is introduced as a nodal degree of freedom, whereas the local variable is the slow recovery variable introduced as an internal variable on the integration point level. Cell-specific excitation characteristics are thus strictly local and only affect the constitutive level. We illustrate the modular character of the model in terms of the FitzHugh–Nagumo model for oscillatory pacemaker cells and the Aliev–Panfilov model for non-oscillatory ventricular muscle cells. We apply an implicit Euler backward finite difference scheme for the temporal discretization and a finite element scheme for the spatial discretization. The resulting non-linear system of equations is solved with an incremental iterative Newton–Raphson solution procedure. Since this framework only introduces one single scalar-valued variable on the node level, it is extremely efficient, remarkably stable, and highly robust. The features of the general framework will be demonstrated by selected benchmark problems for cardiac physiology and a two-dimensional patient-specific cardiac excitation problem. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Attitudes toward abortion, religion, and party affiliation among college students

Public attitudes toward abortion have long been an issue in American political debates. Theoretical understanding of influences on abortion attitudes may assist researchers in determining contributors of the attribution. Accordingly, this study administered a 40-item abortion opinion survey to 396 college students at a Midwestern university to determine potential factors correlated with abortion attitudes. Several factors such as religious involvement, knowledge of someone who has an abortion, and one’s definition as to when life begins were correlated with abortion attitudes. Furthermore, Democrats reported stronger pro-choice views than Republicans did. Similarly, Liberals were more pro-choice oriented than Conservatives. Although causal relationships were not directly explored, theoretical explanations and support provide for a thorough understanding of potential factors of abortion attitude formation and a preliminary model. Future implications are also discussed.
A Comparison of the Predictive Validity of a Measure of General Intelligence and a Piaget-Derived Test Relative to an Achievement Examination in High School Chemistry

Intelligence test scores and the Piaget-derived Longeot test scores were compared as predictors of chemistry achievement. It was found that intelligence test scores (IQ scores) did predict both con...
Polymer Electrolytes Based on Unsaturated Ethylene Oxide-Segmented Polymers

Polymer electrolytes were prepared from LiClO{sub 4} and high molecular weight unsaturated ethylene oxide-segmented polymers with the generic formula {minus}[(CH{sub 2}){sub x}CH{double{underscore}bond}CH(CH{sub 2}){sub x}O(CH{sub 2}CH{sub 2}O){sub y}]{sub n}--([C{sub x}{pi}C{sub x}EO{sub y}]{sub n}). Synthesized by metathesis polymerization of {alpha}, {omega}-dienes that contain oligomeric poly(ethylene oxide) cores, these polymers are tacky, adhere well to glass and metal surfaces, and have glass transition temperatures between {minus}70 and {minus}80 C. Polymers that contain relatively long alkyl or polyether segments are crystalline below room temperature, but adding LiClO{sub 4} to the polymers converts them to amorphous polymer electrolytes with room-temperature conductivities (20 C) of {approx}2 x 10{sup {minus}5} S/cm. The T{sub g}s of the materials can be fit by a simple model based on the Fox equation, and an analysis of the results indicates that the Li{sup +}:monomer repeat unit stoichiometry is 1:1 for polymers with long block lengths, and decreases to 1:2 for polymers with poly(ethylene oxide) segments with less than 4 repeat units.
Detection of anti-IgG using cantilever-type resonant microstructures vibrating in in-plane flexural modes

This work presents a cantilever-based mass-sensitive microsensor platform for the detection of biomolecules in the liquid phase. The resonant microstructures feature integrated thermal excitation and piezoresistive detection elements to excite and sense the structure's fundamental in-plane flexural mode. A gold film on the cantilevers allows for the local immobilization of biomolecules using gold-thiol chemistry. Using the in-plane flexural mode, quality factors of the order of 30–50 are obtained in water at resonance frequencies around 500 kHz. The reduced liquid damping enables closed-loop operation of the resonators with frequency stabilities in the ppm-range. Using a microfabricated flow cell, anti-IgG is detected in PBS with limits of detection on the order of 50 ng/ml.
Design of a low cost self powered “Stick-on” current and temperature wireless sensor for utility assets

Utilities require improved monitoring of their assets to ensure reliable power for their customers. Sensors presently available in the market cater to measuring multiple asset parameters and thus are expensive. This inhibits the utilities' ability to deploy such sensors on a large scale. This paper addresses design and implementation of a low cost self-powered “Stick-on” wireless current and temperature sensor that can be mass deployed by utilities. Novel energy harvesting circuit design techniques have been discussed and shown to operate over a wide current range. Technical challenges pertaining to energy storage, communication network, temperature and current sensing have been analyzed given the constraints of low cost. A first prototype has been developed and shown to operate successfully. The envisioned Stick-on sensor has the capability to monitor a variety of utility assets. Technology solutions like these hold prime importance as the power grid moves towards a Smart Grid.
Receptor-mediated activation of G proteins is reduced in postmortem brains from Alzheimer's disease patients

Abstract The effects of Alzheimer's disease (AD) on [ 35 S]GTPγS binding to G proteins was examined in postmortem cerebrocortex. Stimulation of the β-adrenergic or muscarinic cholinergic receptors in control tissue with selective agonists resulted in increases in [ 35 S]GTPγS binding to Gα proteins in a receptor-specific fashion. The responses were markedly reduced in brain tissues from AD patients. In contrast, basal [ 35 S]GTPγS binding to the Gα proteins was relatively intact in AD brains. Immunoblot analyses reveal that levels of cerebrocortical Gα proteins in AD are not altered. The results suggest that in AD the decrease in agonist-stimulated [ 35 S]GTPγS binding to G proteins may be a result of decoupling between receptors and their associated G proteins.