cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Known to Influence the Development of Necrotizing Enterocolitis to Modify Expression and Activity of Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase in a Newborn Neonatal Rat Model.

Introduction Prematurity, formula feeding, and early weaning strongly influence enterocyte differentiation. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP), an endogenous protein expressed in the intestines, is one enzyme that is affected by these factors. IAP supplementation decreases the severity of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) injury. We, therefore, hypothesized that prematurity predisposes this population to NEC due to IAP deficiency and investigated IAP expression and function in a neonatal rat model. Materials and Methods Pre- and full-term newborn Sprague-Dawley rat pups were sacrificed on consecutive days of life both after vaginal or cesarean birth and following either breast or formula feeding. Results Compared with controls, cesarean delivery and formula feeding are associated with lower levels of IAP. The formula-fed pups continued to have low baseline IAP activity. Neither prematurity nor formula feeding led to differences of intestinal injury. Conclusion Prematurity and formula feeding are associated with inhibition of IAP expression and activity. Both may increase the risk of NEC and early enteral supplementation of IAP to newborns at risk of NEC may be of therapeutic benefit.
Science and Sociobiology

This paper focuses upon the logical structure, the theoretical vocabulary, and the empirical testability of sociobiology. It begins with an informal description of its fundamental theses, together with consideration of its controversial character. These theses are given a semi-formal formulation, and sociobiology, thus summarized, is examined from the perspective of various accounts of scientific theories. Adopting (an intensional version of) a conception first advanced by Campbell sixty years ago, a formalization is provided to illustrate the logical structure of sociobiological laws. The extent to which sociobiology properly qualifies as “scientific” is finally assessed.
Steiner Minimal Trees in E 3 : Theory, Algorithms, and Applications

Let’s say that you are going to design a new electronic circuit at the molecular/atomic level where you know beforehand the basic number of atomic elements of the circuit and you wish to arrange them so that they achieve an optimal configuration that is both compact, stable, and integrated electrically. How would you configure the atoms? If one assumes that the cost of putting together the molecular structure is proportional to distance i.e. the potential energy in the system, then you would want to minimize the overall interconnecting distance between the atoms. This is fundamentally the Steiner problem in E 3. Figure 1 demonstrates a geometric construction for the Steiner Minimal Tree of N=6 vertices in E 3.
Hemoglobin potentiates oxidant injury in isolated rat lungs

Isolated perfused rat lungs were subjected to oxidant injury induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (t-buOOH), which caused a significant increase in capillary permeability as assessed by the change in the capillary filtration coefficient. t-buOOH caused an increase in the change in the capillary filtration coefficient (delta Kfc) of 0.27 +/- 0.05 ml.min.cmH2O-1.100 g lung tissue-1 (mean +/- SE) that was accompanied by an increase in thiobarbituric acid reactive products of lipid peroxidation in the lung perfusate. The addition of hemoglobin to the perfusate potentiated t-buOOH-induced lung injury as evidenced by a significantly greater (P = 0.007) delta Kfc of 0.43 +/- 0.05. t-buOOH also caused hemoglobin to release large quantities of free iron in vitro. The potentiation of t-buOOH-induced lung injury by hemoglobin was prevented by apotransferrin as evidenced by a significant reduction (P = 0.001) in delta Kfc to 0.13 +/- 0.02. No statistically significant (P greater than 0.05) changes in segmental resistances or pulmonary vascular pressures occurred in any of the lungs injured with t-buOOH when compared with time controls. These results demonstrate that t-buOOH causes an oxidant injury in isolated rat lungs that can be potentiated by free iron released from hemoglobin.
Thyroid disease in children: part 2 : State-of-the-art imaging in pediatric hyperthyroidism.

Hypothyroidism, defined as inadequate production of thyroid hormone, can be secondary to various underlying abnormalities in the pediatric population. Most frequently, hypothyroidism is related to structural abnormalities of the gland (dysgenesis), particularly in the neonatal population. However, other etiologies including intrinsic biochemical (dyshormonogenesis) and autoimmune abnormalities, as well as other rare causes, must be considered. Imaging is required to differentiate among the various etiologies of hypothyroidism and can be helpful in guiding therapy. This review aims to present an organized approach to hypothyroidism in the pediatric population, and assist the imager in guiding patient care.
Using aggregated data under time pressure: a mechanism for coping with information overload

ABSTRACTDecision makers are accustomed to using decision support systems to support decision making using summarized or aggregate data. Although aggregate data minimizes the amount of data a decisi...
Urinary Continence Outcomes in Classic Bladder Exstrophy: A Long-Term Perspective.

Purpose:We investigated surgical approaches to urinary incontinence and long-term continence outcomes after successful bladder reconstruction in a heterogeneous patient population with classic blad...
Hund's metal physics: From SrNiO 2 to LaNiO 2

Using SrNiO${}_{2}$ as a reference system, the authors find multiorbital Hund's metal behavior in the new Ni-based superconductor Nd${}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}$ SrxNiO${}_{2}$ by many-body $a\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}b$ $i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}n\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}t\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}i\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}o$ calculations. They show that both the weights of Ni 3$d$ multiplets and total Ni 3$d$ occupancy are barely changed from the typical Hund's metal SrNiO${}_{2}$ to LaNiO${}_{2}$ in spite of the large charge-carrier doping. The calculations are well justified by existing experiments with important implications on the pairing mechanism.
Decade in review: a new era for RET-rearranged lung cancers

Targeted therapy has become the standard of care for non-small cell lung cancers with a range of targetable alterations, including ALK and ROS1 kinase fusions. RET fusions drive the oncogenesis of 1-2% of NSCLCs and represent a substantial global burden of disease. Although these fusions were first identified more than thirty years ago, targeted therapy for RET fusion-positive lung cancers was only explored in the last decade. Whereas repurposed multikinase inhibitors were initially tested, selective inhibitors RET inhibitors have dramatically improved outcomes for patients whose tumors harbor these alterations. In 2020, the US Food and Drug Administration approved selpercatinib, a selective RET inhibitor, for adults with lung and thyroid cancers with RET rearrangements or mutations, making it the first targeted therapy to be approved for RET-altered cancers. While resistance to selective RET inhibition has been described, next-generation RET inhibitors are already being explored for patients who progress on prior RET kinase inhibitors.
Chicago Political Economy, and Its Virginia Cousin

This essay explores the Chicago origin of two forms of contemporary political economy. One form was initiated at Chicago through George Stigler. The other form was initiated at Virginia through James Buchanan and is generally designated as public choice. Stigler and Buchanan were both students of Frank Knight, and their distinctive approaches to political economy are both evident in Knight’s oeuvre. Comparing Stigler and Buchanan is like comparing two parabolas, X2 and -X2: they share a common origin, but they point toward different analytical territory. Chicago-style political economy incorporates politics into the theory of competitive equilibrium, thereby neutralizing any independent impact of politics on markets. In contrast, Virginia-style political economy distinguishes the political from the economic within society, bringing into the analytical foreground tectonic interaction among market and political entities within society.
Nonhematopoietic Nrf2 Deficiency Worsens Chronic Intravascular Hemolysis but Not Cardiomyopathy in Transgenic Sickle Cell Mice

Background: Cardiopulmonary complications are the leading causes of death in sickle cell disease (SCD). Cardiac complications in SCD include left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy and LV systolic or diastolic dysfunction. In SCD, intravascular hemolysis (IVH) contributes to multiorgan damage, but its role in cardiac injury is unknown. We previously reported that nonhematopoietic deficiency of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that controls antioxidative and anti-inflammatory genes, worsens the severity of IVH in SCD mice. Here, we first sought to determine if Townes transgenic SCD mice develop an abnormal cardiac phenotype, utilizing a cross-sectional study of varying-aged mice to test the hypothesis that these mice develop an age-related cardiomyopathy. Second, we determined whether IVH associated with absence of Nrf2 in the nonhematopoietic system worsens SCD cardiomyopathy. Methods: To identify a SCD cardiac phenotype, we performed echocardiography in a cross sectional cohort of Townes transgenic sickle cell mice (SS) and matched AA controls of varying ages (1-10 months). LV echocardiography dimensions were normalized to body weight. To determine the role of IVH and Nrf2 on the SCD cardiac phenotype, we transplanted whole bone marrow cells from SS mice to irradiated Nrf2-/- mice or C57BL/6 (Nrf2+/+) mice, to generate bone marrow chimeric sickle mice with Nrf2 deficiency in nonhematopoietic tissues (SSNHNrf2-/-) or chimeric sickle controls (SSNrf2+/+), respectively. Serial echocardiography was performed for up to 10 months, and hearts were harvested post-mortem for histology and molecular studies. Results: Cross-sectional study: Echocardiography showed cardiac abnormalities, most pronounced by 10 months, in the SS (n=8-9) compared to AA mice (n=9-13), respectively: LV hypertrophy was evidenced by a larger LV internal diameter (0.16 ± 0.01 vs. 0.13 ± 0.10 mm/g, p=0.005), higher LV mass index (5.2 ± 0.5 vs. 4.0 ±0.2 mg/g, p=0.02) and higher post-mortem heart weight (7.8 ± 0.3 vs. 5.2 ± 0.2 mg/g, p Conclusions: Townes transgenic sickle mice exhibit an age-dependent cardiomyopathy, with LV eccentric hypertrophy, systolic dysfunction, and myocardial fibrosis by 10 months of age. We reaffirm that Nrf2 deficiency in non-hematopoietic tissue worsens markers of IVH in SCD mice and unveil an unexpected decoupling phenomenon whereby despite increasing IVH in SSNHNrf2-/- mice, anemia improves. The amelioration of the SCD cardiac phenotype in SSNHNrf2-/- mice suggests that chronic IVH conferred by Nrf2 deficiency does not principally drive SCD-associated cardiomyopathy. While the improvement in anemia that we observed with Nrf2 deficiency may have played a role in amelioration of cardiomyopathy, further study is warranted to explore a possible cardiac protective effect of Nrf2 deficiency in SCD mice. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Identification of Functional Limitations and Discharge Destination in Patients With COVID-19

Abstract Objectives The objectives of this study were to identify functional limitations in patients with coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) admitted to acute care hospitals; to evaluate functional limitations by demographic, medical, and encounter characteristics; and to examine functional limitations in relation to discharge destination. Design and Setting:This is a cross-sectional, retrospective study of adult patients with COVID-19 who were discharged from 2 different types of hospitals (academic medical center and a community hospital) within 1 health care system from January 1 to April 30, 2020. Participants Patients were identified from the Cedars-Sinai COVID-19 data registry who had a new-onset positive test for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. A total of 273 patients were identified, which included 230 patients who were discharged alive and 43 patients who died and were excluded from the study sample. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Functional limitations in patients with COVID-19 in acute care hospitals and the predictors for discharge disposition. Results A total of 230 records were analyzed including demographic, encounter, medical, and functional variables. In a propensity score–matched cohort based on age and comorbidity, 88.2% had functional physical health deficits, 72.5% had functional mental health deficits, and 17.6% experienced sensory deficits. In the matched cohort, individuals discharged to an institution experienced greater physical (62.7% vs 25.5%, P Conclusions This research highlights that functional status is a strong predictor for discharge destination to an institution for patients with COVID-19. Patients who were older, in the acute care hospital longer, and with comorbidities were more likely to be discharged to an institution. Rehabilitation is a significant aspect of the health care system for these vulnerable patients. The challenges of adjusting the role of rehabilitation providers and systems during the pandemic needs further exploration. Moreover, additional research is needed to look more closely at the many facets and timing of functional status needs, to shed light in use of interdisciplinary rehabilitation services, and to guide providers and health care systems in facilitating optimal recovery and patient outcomes.
Machine learning assisted propeller design

Propellers are one of the most widely used propulsive devices for generating thrust from rotational engine motion both in marine vehicles and subsonic air-crafts. Due to their simplicity, robustness and high efficiency, propellers remained the mainstream design choice over the last hundred years. On the other hand, finding the optimal application-specific geometry is still challenging. This work in progress report describes application of modern and rapidly developing Machine Learning (ML) techniques to gain novel designs. We rely on a rich set of preexisting parametric design patterns and accumulated engineering knowledge supplemented by high-fidelity simulation models to formulate the design process as a supervised learning problem. The aim of our work is to develop and evaluate machine learning models for the parametric design of propellers based on application-specific constraints. While the application of ML techniques in optimal propeller design is at a very nascent level, we believe that our early results are promising with a potentially significant impact on the overall design process. The ML-assisted design flow allows for a more automated design space exploration process with less dependency on human intuition and engineering guidance.
Female song can be as long and complex as male song in wild House Finches (Haemorhous mexicanus)

In temperate zone avian species, female song is typically less common and structurally complex than male song. Although anecdotal accounts suggest that female House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) song is less complex, it has never been compared quantitatively with male song. We analyzed songs from 2 House Finch populations in southern New York to investigate the degree of sexual dimorphism in complexity, as measured by concavity, frequency excursion, and length of song. We found that, although females sing at a significantly higher mean frequency and lower bandwidth, there is no significant sex difference in the structural complexity of song. Future research should investigate whether female House Finch song has an unrecognized function, or whether the retention of complexity is a byproduct of selection on a correlated trait.
The Power of Ideals: The Real Story of Moral Choice

Acknowledgements Introduction Chapter 1: Wrong Turns in the New Science of Morality Chapter 2: The Active, Ideal-Seeking, Motivated Moral Self Chapter 3: Towards A Moral Psychology in Full Chapter 4: Truthfulness Chapter 5: Humility Chapter 6: Faith Chapter 7: The Universal Search for Moral Truth
Microbially mediated reduction and immobilization of uranium in groundwater

Aquifers near uranium mines are frequently contaminated with uranium and other metals. Under certain conditions, indigenous microbes can be used to clean up the groundwater. U(VI) can be reduced and precipitated as the mineral uraninite (UO2). A short summary of published work is given. Experimental results obtained by the authors are presented on immobilization of uranium and other metals in sandstone/groundwater mixtures. The significance of neo-formed iron sulfide (mackinawite) to control and maintain reducing conditions is pointed out.
Defining and Experiencing Authorship(s) in the Composition Classroom: Findings from a Qualitative Study of Undergraduate Writing Students at the City University of New York

Theories of authorship and models of the author have been influential in shaping various approaches to composition theory and pedagogy. While discussions of the role of the author and authorship in composition studies have been going on for some time, tensions be- t ween the theoretical (author as social construct) and practical (author as agent) dimensions of authorship remain unresolved. Presenting the findings of a qualitative study of undergraduate writers at The City University of New York, this article explores student perspectives on models of authorship, the relationships between these models and student experiences of authorship in different writing situations, and proposes the importance of distinguishing between the multiple models and definitions of authorship and the rhetorical contexts associated with each. KE YWORDS: authorship, authorships, Romantic author, authorial construction, audience construction, students, writers, authors
Entropy Analysis of Multiple Scale Causality and Qualitative Causal Shifts in Spatial Systems

Abstract Spatial systems are typically characterized by multiple controlling factors and processes operating at different spatial and temporal scales (multiple scale causality [MSC]). An entropy decomposition-based approach to MSC is presented here in two contexts. First, given maps or distributions of an observed phenomenon at two or more scales, the contribution at more local or global (relative to the primary scale of observation) controls to the observed entropy can be estimated. Second, a theoretical treatment of the entropy decomposition equations shows that as the range of scale is increased by broadening or narrowing resolutions or by incorporating more controls, the influence of larger or smaller-scale influences not only changes, but may change qualitatively, e.g., in terms of having positive (entropy-increasing) or negative (information-increasing) effects. Such qualitative causal shifts have implications for efforts to use any single causal explanation across the molecular to planetary spatial...
Characteristics of part mix complexity measure for manufacturing systems

The authors provide a general framework for measuring planning and scheduling complexity associated with a group of parts to be manufactured simultaneously. An application of this research could be in generating part mixes with a wide range of part mix complexity for simulation models of manufacturing systems, so as to test the system performance under different levels of complexity. The authors identify special properties of the proposed information-theoretic entropy measure that can be used by system planners to select a set of parts or operations from given alternatives. They study the behavior of this complexity measure with respect to part similarity, and show synergistic effects of different variables on this measure. >
It’s Just Secured Credit! The Natural Law Case in Defense of Some Forms of Secured Credit

For decades scholars have been debating whether of not the institution of security can be explained and justified. After much discussion from varying points of view and hermeneutics, although some insights have been gained, the answer to the original question remains unresolved. This article attempts to bring new life to this debate by building on Professors Mooney and Harris’ idea of security interest as property right while taking account of the valid concerns of scholars such as Elizabeth Warren and Lynn Lopucki that certain results produced by the current system seem unjust. This reconciliation of these two strands of secured credit theory is rooted in the article’s wider scope of consideration which Lynn M. Lopucki called “one of the few truly new ideas about secured credit to come along in the past decade.” Security Interests cannot be evaluated normatively outside of the contexts in which they are employed. Using the natural law theory of usury and business credit to distinguish the lending of money for consumption from the investment of capital in a business, the article concludes that the use of security as a device for achieving various agreements among capital investors in a business venture is just. Once the system in principle is justified, the article suggests three specific changes to particular aspects of existing law which are necessary to conform more completely secured credit law in the business finance context to this normative theory which provides for its justification. Thus, the conclusion may be more modest than the hopes of the original debate. All security is not explained and justified in every context. Yet, this more limited scope may provide the key to solving the puzzle of secured credit. Perhaps scholars have failed to agree on the answer to the original question because the answer is more subtle than a simple yes or no. Secured Credit can be explained and justified but not for the same reason in every context. The article provides the answer in the context of business credit by exploring the interaction of security with the principles of natural law theory of business credit and investment.
How is telepathology being used to improve patient care

Telepathology, as a subspecialty of telemedicine, involves the use of telecommunications technologies to transmit images to distant sites for the purpose of communicating diagnostic information or for teaching. Recent advances in technology have greatly increased the feasibility of performing diagnosis by telepathology, but there are still significant obstacles to implementation. In this review, I will discuss the technologies and organizations involved in telepathology, with examples of current practice in the US and abroad.
Exercise electrocardiogram testing and prognosis. Novel markers and predictive instruments.

Exercise stress testing has traditionally been thought of as a means of diagnosing hemodynamically significant obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), with primary attention paid to the behavior of the ST segment during and immediately after exercise. 19 Although extensive literature has demonstrated that exercise testing has some value for diagnostic purposes, particularly in patients with an intermediate pretest likelihood for having disease, 16,19 recent work has drawn attention to three serious limitations of exercise testing as a diagnostic modality. First, when compared to results of coronary angiography, ST-segment changes have only a modest sensitivity and specificity for detecting or excluding obstructive coronary lesions. 18 Second, almost every study done has suffered from sequential work-up bias, or verification bias, by which the performance of the gold standard coronary angiogram is at least in part determined by the results of the exercise test. This verification bias leads to overestimation of sensitivity and underestimation of specificity. 7,52 Indeed, a large recent study reported that the true sensitivity of exercise testing in a population free of work-up bias was only 40% to 50%. 17 Third, the gold standard itself, namely coronary angiography, suffers from its own inherent deficiencies, limiting its usefulness for accurately assessing severity of disease. 60 Over the past 10 to 15 years, increasing attention has been focused on the exercise test as a prognostic modality. As reviewed by Hlatky, 28 relatively few studies of prognosis have been reported because of the need for large sample sizes and long follow-up periods. Nonetheless, a number of groups have successfully followed large cohorts of patients who have undergone stress testing in a variety of settings and have been able to identify powerful markers of risk. 1,20,34,38,42,46,47,48,62 This review will focus on three measures that are routinely available in the vast majority of stress tests: the Duke exercise treadmill score, 41,42 the chronotropic response to exercise, 35,38 and heart rate recovery immediately after exercise. 8,9,47
Basketball, civil society and the post colonial state in the Commonwealth Caribbean.

In this paper the autonomous voluntary organizations of basketball leagues in ten countries of the Commonwealth Caribbean are examined. An index reflecting the strength of basketball organization, play and popular support in each country was constructed and and a framework to account for these differences was employed. The authors suggest that the significance of basketball organization lies in the fact that voluntary associations are poorly developed in the region. West Indian scholars have tied the stunted development of a civil society in the region to the historically rooted overly centralized political structures characteristic of Caribbean states. The weakness of civil society has restricted the democratic content of West Indian societies, despite the presence of formal democratic institutions. Finally, the implications of the existence and differential strength of basketball associations for the development of civil society and participatory democracy in the Anglophone Caribbean are explored.
2,3-Diphenyl-1,3-thia-zolidin-4-one.

The title compound, C15H13NOS, is a chiral mol­ecule crystallized as a racemate, with two molecules in the asymmetric unit. In each of the mol­ecules, the five-membered thia­zine ring has an envelope conformation, with the S atom forming the flap. In one mol­ecule, the angle between the two phenyl-ring planes is 82.77 (7)°, while in the other it is 89.12 (6)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked into chains along the b-axis direction by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.
Implementation of consistent embedding for a larger system–Amorphous silica

We examine the performance and behavior of the consistent embedding multi-scale simulation techniques described in the preceding article. The test is bulk amorphous silica, primarily in the small-strain regime. We also examine some practical issues that arise when the technique is used to model mechanical failure. For context, we present results of classical molecular dynamics simulations of fracture mechanisms of amorphous silica.
Times, They Are a-Changing

Powerful economic forces are threatening the foundations of modern health care. Most western societies can no longer afford all the care that we physicians advocate. Recommended treatments are being questioned and limits are being placed on our ability to order diagnostic studies and treatments. We are at a critical inflection point where individual professional autonomy is giving way to multispecialty teams that include allied professionals, epidemiologists, public health officials, and government administrators. The paternalistic attitude of traditional physician knows best medicine is ceding authority to evidence-based medicine that prizes clinical research and patient-reported outcomes and experiences. These changes are occurring on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean but are evolving along different pathways and at different speeds. The goals, however, are remarkably similar. Most European countries have adopted universal health care systems. The United States provides universal health care to citizens aged 65 yr, but for younger patients relies on a private, fee-for-service system that is increasingly out of reach for many citizens. Each society is grappling with the same issues of how much health care and what types of health care should be universally provided.
Activity of abrB310 promoter in wild type and spo0A-deficient strains of Clostridium acetobutylicum

In Clostridium acetobutylicum, abrB310 is transcribed from two transcription start sites (designated A1 and A2) forming an abundant large, and a five- to tenfold less abundant small transcript, respectively throughout exponential, acidogenic growth and early in the transitional period to stationary, solventogenic growth. β-galactosidase reporter vectors were constructed to compare the transcriptional activity of the entire abrB310 promoter and the A1 and A2 transcription start sites individually. In stark contrast to the primer extension data, the A2 start site was threefold more active than the entire promoter, which was threefold more active than the A1 start site in wild type C. acetobutylicum. The activity expressed from all three reporter vectors declined as the cultures transitioned from exponential to stationary growth. In the spo0A-deficient strain SKO1, reporter vector activity continued for 10 h into stationary growth. The removal of the putative Spo0A binding site from all three vectors had no significant effect on promoter activity in either wild type or SKO1. We conclude that the presence of both the A1 and A2 transcription start sites is required for the correct control of abrB310 expression, and that AbrB310 is necessary but not sufficient for the correct transition between acidogenic and solventogenic growth.
Eccrine porocarcinoma of the eyelid treated with Mohs micrographic surgery.

Background. Eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC) is a rare malignant tumor of the eccrine sweat glands. The lesions are reported to occur most commonly on the lower extremity with variable prognosis. Objective. To discuss the clinical and histologic features and the prognosis of EPC. Methods. We report a 71-year-old man who presented with an asymptomatic lesion on his lower eyelid that had been present for 6 weeks. Results. The 4×4-mm lesion was removed in two stages using the Mohs micrographic surgery fresh-tissue technique. The histopathologic diagnosis was primary EPC. Conclusion. EPCs most commonly occur on the lower extremity. This case is interesting because the lesion was located on the lower eyelid.
Pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease: the role of nuclear receptors

Ethanol consumption causes fatty liver, which can lead to inflammation, fibrosis, cirrhosis and even liver cancer. The molecular mechanisms by which ethanol exerts its damaging effects are extensively studied, but not fully understood. It is now evident that nuclear receptors (NRs), including retinoid x receptor alpha and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors, play key roles in the regulation of lipid homeostasis and inflammation during the pathogenesis of alcoholic liver disease (ALD). Given their pivotal roles in physiological processes, NRs represent potential therapeutic targets for the treatment and prevention of numerous metabolic and lipid-related diseases including ALD. This review summarizes the factors that contribute to ALD and the molecular mechanisms of ALD with a focus on the role of NRs.
Getting Immigration Reform Right

In a broad analysis of the nation's past immigration policy mistakes, former labor secretary Ray Marshall puts his finger on this most delicate of issues. The United States needs and values its immigrants. But unless it gets policy right, argues Marshall, the number of illegal immigrants will have doubled in twenty years and the situation will be still harder to control. He presents hard-edged and practical solutions to the many issues.
Structural and Mechanistic Studies on Klebsiella pneumoniae 2-Oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline Decarboxylase

The stereospecific oxidative degradation of uric acid to (S)-allantoin was recently shown to proceed via three enzymatic steps. The final conversion is a decarboxylation of the unstable intermediate 2-oxo-4-hydroxy-4-carboxy-5-ureidoimidazoline (OHCU) and is catalyzed by OHCU decarboxylase. Here we present the structures of Klebsiella pneumoniae OHCU decarboxylase in unliganded form and with bound allantoin. These structures provide evidence that ligand binding organizes the active site residues for catalysis. Modeling of the substrate and intermediates provides additional support for this hypothesis. In addition we characterize the steady state kinetics of this enzyme and report the first OHCU decarboxylase inhibitor, allopurinol, a structural isomer of hypoxanthine. This molecule is a competitive inhibitor of K. pneumoniae OHCU decarboxylase with a Ki of 30 ± 2 μm. Circular dichroism measurements confirm structural observations that this inhibitor disrupts the necessary organization of the active site. Our structural and biochemical studies also provide further insights into the mechanism of catalysis of OHCU decarboxylation.
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation as an Epigenetic Consequence of Epstein-Barr Virus Infection of Immortalized Keratinocytes

ABSTRACT The oral cavity is a persistent reservoir for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with lifelong infection of resident epithelial and B cells. Infection of these cell types results in distinct EBV gene expression patterns regulated by epigenetic modifications involving DNA methylation and chromatin structure. Regulation of EBV gene expression relies on viral manipulation of the host epigenetic machinery that may result in long-lasting host epigenetic reprogramming. To identify epigenetic events following EBV infection, a transient infection model was established to map epigenetic changes in telomerase-immortalized oral keratinocytes. EBV-infected oral keratinocytes exhibited a predominantly latent viral gene expression program with some lytic or abortive replication. Calcium and methylcellulose-induced differentiation was delayed in EBV-positive clones and in clones that lost EBV compared to uninfected controls, indicating a functional consequence of EBV epigenetic modifications. Analysis of global cellular DNA methylation identified over 13,000 differentially methylated CpG residues in cells exposed to EBV compared to uninfected controls, with CpG island hypermethylation observed at several cellular genes. Although the vast majority of the DNA methylation changes were silent, 65 cellular genes that acquired CpG methylation showed altered transcript levels. Genes with increased transcript levels frequently acquired DNA methylation within the gene body while those with decreased transcript levels acquired DNA methylation near the transcription start site. Treatment with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor, decitabine, restored expression of some hypermethylated genes in EBV-infected and EBV-negative transiently infected clones. Overall, these observations suggested that EBV infection of keratinocytes leaves a lasting epigenetic imprint that can enhance the tumorigenic phenotype of infected cells. IMPORTANCE Here, we show that EBV infection of oral keratinocytes led to CpG island hypermethylation as an epigenetic scar of prior EBV infection that was retained after loss of the virus. Such EBV-induced epigenetic modification recapitulated the hypermethylated CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) observed in EBV-associated carcinomas. These epigenetic alterations not only impacted gene expression but also resulted in delayed calcium and methylcellulose-induced keratinocyte differentiation. Importantly, these epigenetic changes occurred in cells that were not as genetically unstable as carcinoma cells, indicating that EBV infection induced an epigenetic mutator phenotype. The impact of this work is that we have provided a mechanistic framework for how a tumor virus using the epigenetic machinery can act in a “hit-and-run” fashion, with retention of epigenetic alterations after loss of the virus. Unlike genetic alterations, these virally induced epigenetic changes can be reversed pharmacologically, providing therapeutic interventions to EBV-associated malignancies.
ECD peptides inhibit in vitro fertilization in mice

Abstract Cyclic and linear peptides containing the conserved ECD sequence from the disintegrin domain of the β-subunit of fertilin were synthesized and tested as inhibitors of sperm-egg fusion in in vitro mouse fertilization assays. At 500 μM concentrations, reduced ECD peptides inhibited fertilization, whereas oxidized dimers did not. Control peptides suggest that more than three amino acids of the disintegrin domain are recognized by its receptor.
A simplified method for the evaluation of antioxidants

A procedure is described for rapid evaluation of antioxidants. Dilute aqueous emulsions of an antioxidant, carotene and lipid were prepared in spectrometer tubes. The oxidative destruction of carotene in the emulsion was observed directly with a colorimeter. The antioxidants were then evaluated according to their effect on the rate of carotene decolorization.
Planar hyperlens based on a modulated graphene monolayer

The canalization of terahertz surface plasmon polaritons using a modulated graphene monolayer is investigated for subwavelength imaging. An anisotropic surface conductivity formed by a set of parallel nanoribbons with alternating positive and negative imaginary conductivities is used to realize the canalization regime required for hyperlensing. The ribbons are narrow compared to the wavelength and are created electronically by gating a graphene layer over a corrugated ground plane. Good quality canalization of surface plasmon polaritons is shown in the terahertz even in the presence of realistic loss in graphene, with relevant implications for subwavelength imaging applications.
Online Monitoring of Nanoparticle Contamination in Reactive Gases

Numerous manufacturing processes require extremely low levels of nanoparticulate contamination to ensure product quality. While modern filters efficiently remove nanoparticles, online monitoring of the cleanliness of possibly reactive process gases is frequently necessary for quality control purposes. For most manufacturing processes, product quality depends on the concentration of particles above a specific threshold size. This paper will describe how to design an online nanoparticle monitoring system (NMS) for reactive (and inert) process gases from commercially available components, and will discuss how to adapt this system to varying process requirements, such as particle threshold size, and type and pressure of process gas. This paper will also describe a method to determine experimentally the performance of an NMS to ensure quality control.
Ladder-Type Polyenazine Based on Intramolecular S···N Interactions: A Theoretical Study of a Small-Bandgap Polymer

Ladder-type polyenazine (LPEA, 2), a nitrogen-containing polymer analogous to polyacetylene (PA), is proposed, based on molecule 1 synthesized and characterized earlier.8 By using density functional theory calculations, we show that the ladder-type structure of the proposed polymer arises from the intramolecular S···N interactions, which reduce the bond length alternation of the polymer and hence lead to a significantly narrower bandgap compared to the parent PA. A σ-conjugated pathway is found along the ···S−S···N−N···S--S··· linkage due to the noncovalent S···N interactions and NN through-space interactions. The theoretically predicted electron affinity of the proposed LPEA lies in the range for n-type semiconductors. We examine the energy barrier from the equilibrium geometry to the geometry of uniform bond length pattern and find that the estimated energy barrier is very similar to that of the parent PA.
Intravenous Gentamicin for Infectious Complications in Children with Acute Leukemia

Twenty-five children with acute leukemia were treated with a combination of intravenous gentamicin and other antibiotics for gram-negative infections. Fourteen had bacteremia; six recovered. Of four patients with soft-tissue infections, three responded. In the remaining seven cases, sepsis was not documented microbiologically, and only one child responded satisfactorily. All patients responding achieved hematologic remission during the antibiotic therapy. No adverse effects were noted from the use of intravenous gentamicin. Severe infections with gram-negative organisms are an increasing problem in the treatment of
Mass and Angular Momentum Diagnostics of Cyclones within Numerically Simulated Linear Baroclinic Waves

Abstract The mass and angular momentum budgets of extratropical cyclones within three numerically simulated adiabatic linear baroclinic waves are investigated through quasi-Lagrangian diagnostics. The waves analyzed, wavenumbers 5, 11 and 17, were chosen to represent a range of baroclinically active horizontal scales observed in the atmosphere within which cyclonic circulations develop. Results are compared with diagnostics of an observed atmospheric cyclone in order to examine the extent to which linear baroclinic instability theory explains extratropical cyclone development in the real atmosphere. Diagnostics are computed in both isobaric and isentropic coordinates. In the isobaric framework, inward mass and angular momentum transport occurs in the lower troposphere of the linear cyclones while the transport is outward in the upper troposphere Upward transport of these quantities throughout the troposphere redistributes these quantities vertically. Within isobaric coordinates the mass and angular moment...
Adsorption of CdSe Nanoparticles to Thiolated TiO2 Surfaces: Influence of Intralayer Disulfide Formation on CdSe Surface Coverage

Mixed monolayers of hexadecanoic acid (HDA) and 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (MHDA) were adsorbed to nanocrystalline TiO2 films, and CdSe nanoparticles were attached to the mixed monolayer functionalized surfaces. IR absorption spectroscopy was used to characterize the equilibrium binding of HDA and MHDA to TiO2. Surface adduct formation constants (Kad) of (4 ± 2) × 103 M-1 and (6 ± 4) × 103 M-1 were measured for HDA and MHDA, respectively. CdSe nanoparticles were adsorbed to the terminal thiol groups of MHDA. The surface coverage of CdSe was greater on mixed monolayers, consisting of approximately 12% MHDA and 88% HDA, than on pure MHDA monolayers. A mechanism is proposed wherein intralayer disulfide formation between MHDA thiol groups causes decreased reactivity toward CdSe nanoparticles. Disulfide formation is less significant at low fractional surface coverages of MHDA. The mechanism is supported by an increase of CdSe adsorption upon chemical reduction of surface disulfides to thiols. Our findings hi...
Conserved “PAL” sequence in presenilins is essential for γ-secretase activity, but not required for formation or stabilization of γ-secretase complexes

Generation of A beta from the beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) requires a series of proteolytic processes, including an intramembranous cleavage catalyzed by an aspartyl protease, gamma-secretase. Two aspartates in presenilins (PS) are required for gamma-secretase activity (D257 and D385 of PS1), suggesting that PS may be part of this protease. Little is known concerning the importance of other sequences in PS for activity. We introduced point mutations (P433L, A434D, L435R) into a completely conserved region C-terminal to transmembrane domain eight of PS1. The P433L mutation abolished PS1 endoproteolysis as well as gamma-secretase cleavage of APP and Notch in PS1/2 K/O cells. In HEK cells, expression of PS1/P433L reduced A beta production and caused accumulation of APP C-terminal stubs. When the P433L mutation was introduced into the non-cleavable Delta exon 9 (Delta E9) variant of PS1, it abolished gamma-secretase cleavage of APP and Notch. The P433L holoprotein is stable and incorporated into the high molecular weight gamma-secretase complex, arguing that P433 is not necessary for formation or stabilization of the gamma-secretase complex. Other non-conservative mutations in the invariant P(433)A(434)L(435) sequence also result in a phenotype that is indistinguishable from the aspartate mutants, suggesting a direct involvement of this sequence in gamma-secretase activity.
Chronopotentiometry of uranium(iv)

Abstract The chronopotentiometry of uranium at platinum electrodes has been investigated. A determination of uranium has been devised based on the conversion of the uranium to uranium(IV) and the oxidation of the uranium (IV). The effect of several possible interfering substances has been checked.
A resonance ionization spectroscopy/resonance ionization mass spectrometry data service. II, Data sheets for Al, Ca, Cs, Cr, Co, Cu, Kr, Mg, Hg and Ni

Abstract A data service has been established at the National Institute of Standards and Technology to provide the necessary information to apply the techniques of Resonance Ionization Spectroscopy (RIS) and Resonance lonization Mass Spectrometry (RIMS) to routine use in analytical chemistry. This service collects and calculates the relevant atomic data, chooses appropriate resonance ionization schemes, and indicates pertinent operating details of successful RIMS studies. The first group of data sheets was published previously covering the elements As, B, Cd, C, Ge, Au, Fe, Pb, Si and Zn. The second group of data sheets is presented here. It covers the elements Al, Ca, Cs, Cr, Co, Cu, Kr, Mg, Hg and Ni. Others will be published periodically. Reprints of RIS/RIMS work are solicited so that those efforts may be included in future data sheets.
Adaptation to Starch in Steers Fed by Nipple Pail

Abstract In a crossover design, four Holstein steers averaging eight months of age were fed liquid diets (20-25% solids) by nipple pail for two 8-wk periods. On a dry basis, diets contained 25.2% dried skimmilk, 7.2% fish flour, 10% emulsified lard oil, and 57.6% corn starch or lactose. Between the fifth and seventh week of treatment, aqueous test meals containing 4.4 g carbohydrate per kg body weight of both lactose and starch were administered and blood sugar responses measured. Following the feeding periods, all calves were fed only the starch ration for 6 days while nutrient digestibilities were determined by total collection. Gains were significantly higher (P
Circuit simulation as an aid in teaching the principles of power electronics

The ways in which computer simulation can assist power electronics education at the undergraduate level are described. It is shown that using PSpice as an instructional tool for an introductory-level power electronics course has increased students' abilities to comprehend the behavior of several power electronics circuits. The graphics post-processor Probe, which accompanies PSpice, is used to display voltage and current waveforms. Probe's capability of doing numerical computations reduces the effort needed to determine power-related quantities in nonlinear circuits. Fourier analysis capabilities of PSpice enable harmonics to be investigated. Examples of PSpice simulations are included. >
Failure of Quasi-Isotropic Composite Laminates with Free Edges

Failure in quasi-isotropic (π/4 and π/3) laminates with free edges under on-axis and off-axis loads has been studied experimentally and analytically. Although these laminates are isotropic in stiff...
The uronidic linkages in heparitin sulfate.

β–glucuronidase preparations obtained from various sources were shown to liberate free D–glucuronic acid from heparitin sulfate oligosaccharides. Some free L–iduronic acid could also be detected in the hydrolyzates indicating the presence of an iduronidase in the preparations. The data presented indicate that heparitin sulfate contains a substantial amount of β–D–glucuronidic and some α–L–iduronidic linkages.