cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Internal Switches Modulating Electron Flow in bc1 Complex

Ubiquinol-cytochrome c oxidoreducase (BC1) protein complex is a smart machine which employs an internal signal transduction network, regulated by the binding of natural ligands to either Qo or Qi sites, to modulate electron transfer rates between different redox pairs. Binding of natural ligands or some inhibitors leads to local conformational changes which propagate through protein and control the conformation of key residues involved in the electron tunneling pathway. Aromatic-aromatic interactions are highly utilized in this internal network since the key residues are aromatic in nature. Molecular dynamics simulations of native BC1, natural ligand and inhibitor-bound BC1 homo-dimers in membrane were performed to investigate and compare the dynamics of those key residues in their respective environments. In addition, molecular dynamics simulations reveals the transduction pathway induced by the binding of a ligand or inhibitor at their sites. Electron tunneling calculations show that there is a substantial correlated change of the electron transfer rates between different redox pairs depending on the binding of natural ligands or inhibitors.
Practical treatment for hypertension: splanchnicectomy, adrenalectomy and nephrectomy.

In long-term management of severe hypertensive cardiovascular disease, splanchnicectomy and supplemental drug therapy afford definite advantages. The author outlines the identification of adrenal and renal abnormalities as the source of hypertension.
ROLE OF COLPOSCOPY IN THE EXAMINATION OF DIETHYLSTILBESTROL-EXPOSED WOMEN

Both epithelial and structural abnormalities of the lower genital tract are known to occur in women exposed in utero to DES with greater frequency than in the general population. These changes are usually easily identified by pelvic and colposcopic examination. In general, no treatment is suggested for benign changes. DES-exposed women, however, must be carefully followed-up because of the potential, although rare, of the development of clear cell adenocarcinoma and the increased incidence of squamous intraepithelial neoplasia. With rare exception, screening at yearly intervals is sufficient.
The risk of pain syndrome affecting a previously non-painful limb following trauma or surgery in patients with a history of complex regional pain syndrome

Abstract Background and purpose Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a challenging complication after surgery or trauma. This study sought to determine the incidence of CRPS after a second inciting event in a previously unaffected extremity in patients with a history of an ongoing CRPS diagnosis in another extremity. Methods A retrospective review identified patients with CRPS seen in clinic over a 20-month period. The incidence of CRPS after subsequent surgery or injury in a previous unaffected extremity was determined and compared to an average incidence reported in the literature. Results Ninety-three patients had a diagnosis of primary CRPS. Nineteen (20.4%) developed CRPS in one or more additional extremity compared to the incidence of 23.4 per 100,000 (0.0234%) in the literature (odds ratio 1069.6, p Conclusions These result suggest that patients with a history of CRPS are more likely to develop secondary CRPS compared to the rates reported in the literature among the general population. Implications Patients with a history of CRPS should be counselled that they may be at risk for developing secondary CRPS if they undergo surgery or sustain trauma to another extremity.
Janus structured Pt–FeNC nanoparticles as a catalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction

We present a new Janus structured catalyst consisting of Pt nanoparticles on Fe–N–C nanoparticles encapsulated by graphene layers for the ORR. The ORR activity of the catalyst increases under potential cycling as the unique Janus nanostructure is further bonded due to a synergetic effect. The present study describes an important advanced approach for the future design of efficient, stable, and low-cost Pt-based electrocatalytic systems.
Reincarceration Risk Among Men with Mental Illnesses Leaving Prison: A Risk Environment Analysis

Reentry interventions for persons with mental illness leaving prison have consisted primarily of linkage to mental health services and have produced mixed results on psychiatric and criminal recidivism. These interventions primarily focus on intra-individual risk factors. However, social and environmental factors may also increase risk of reincarceration by constraining choices and pro-social opportunities for community reintegration upon release from prison. In order to add to the knowledge base on understanding reincarceration risk for men with mental illnesses leaving prison, we examined interpersonal and environmental factors that exposed men to heightened risk for reincarceration. As part of a larger study examining the effectiveness of Critical Time Intervention for men with mental illness leaving prison, in-depth interviews were conducted with 28 men within 6 months of release from prison. Policies and practices at local and state levels, community conditions, and interpersonal obligation and conflict were identified as increasing risk for reincarceration.
Abstract 369: Isolation and Characterization of Developmentally and Functionally Discrete Subsets of Cardiac Fibroblasts

Although cardiac fibroblasts (CF) are the most prominent cell types in the heart, little is known about their origin and development. Fibroblasts play a key role in regulating the normal myocardial function, as well as the adverse remodeling that occurs with injury. Fundamental to understanding cardiac development is the ability to determine when and where CFs are generated, their ancestry, and how they move to reside in their final position. We used novel transgenic mouse models to lineage trace the developmental origin of CFs and their contribution to fibrosis in response to injury. Here, we show that a subset of cardiac fibroblasts is derived from Mesp1-expressing cells (multipotent cardiac progenitor cells that contribute to precursors of both heart fields). Using Mesp1-Cre;mT/mG mice, in which cells derived from Mesp1-expressing cells are indelibly marked by the GFP reporter protein, we demonstrate that approximately 65% of CFs share an embryonic origin with cardiomyocytes, vascular smooth muscle, and endothelial cells. In addition, experimental myocardial fibrosis did change this proportion. In an attempt to identify the source of the fibroblasts that are non-MesP1-derived, we evaluated contribution from: (i) the bone marrow stromal cells and hematopoietic stem cells, (ii) endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition, (iii) circulating cells, and (iv) epicardial-derived cells. Transplantation of GFP-bone marrow into irradiated wildtype mice resulted in an insignificant contribution of stromal-derived fibroblasts in the heart in response to injury. Using Tie2-Cre;mT/mG mice, we did not observe cardiac fibroblasts originating from endothelial cells in injured hearts. Finally, using a parabiotic pair of GFP and wildtype mice where blood chimerism is established, no evidence for homing of circulating fibroblasts to the heart upon injury was noted. However, we provide unequivocal evidence that epicardial-derived cells migrate to myocardium as fibroblasts to contribute to fibrosis. In summary, using lineage-tracing systems, we provide evidence for two sources of fibroblasts in the heart, one that shares an embryonic origin with the cardiovascular lineages and the other from a non-cardiac origin, which is primarily derived from the epicardium.
Cross-transferability of SSR markers in Osmanthus

Developing a molecular tool kit for hybrid breeding of Osmanthus species and related genera is an important step in creating a systematic breeding program for this species. To date, molecular resources have been aimed solely at Osmanthus fragrans with little work to develop markers for other species and cultivars. The objectives of this study were to (1) determine cross-transferability of O. fragrans and Chionanthus retusus derived SSRs in diverse Osmanthus taxa, (2) quantify the influence of locus-specific factors on cross-transferability, and (3) determine the genetic relationships between accessions. We tested 70 SSR markers derived from O. fragrans and C. retusus in 24 accessions of Osmanthus. Sixty-seven markers showed transfer to at least one other Osmanthus species with an overall transfer rate of 84% of loci across taxa. Genotyping with 42 microsatellite markers yielded a total of 367 loci. Number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 17 with a mean of 8.7 ± 4.8. Mean observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.560 ± 0.225 and 0.688 ± 0.230, respectively. Percent of polymorphic loci ranged from 40% in Osmanthus delavayi to 100% in O. fragrans. Osmanthus fragrans had the highest mean number of alleles per locus (4.2) while O. delavayi had the lowest (1.1). A reduced suite of eight-markers can distinguish between accessions with non-exclusion probabilities of identity from 3.91E−04 to 2.90E−07. The SSR markers described herein will be immediately useful to characterize germplasm, identify hybrids, and aid in understanding the level of genetic diversity and relationships within the cultivated germplasm.
Spherical Harmonic Spectral Estimation on Arbitrary Grids

AbstractThis study explores the use of nonuniform fast spherical Fourier transforms on meteorological data that are arbitrarily distributed on the sphere. The applicability of this methodology in the atmospheric sciences is demonstrated by estimating spectral coefficients for nontrivial subsets of reanalysis data on a uniformly spaced latitude–longitude grid, a global cloud resolving model on an icosahedral mesh with 3-km horizontal grid spacing, and for temperature anomalies from arbitrarily distributed weather stations over the United States. A spectral correction technique is developed that can be used in conjunction with the inverse transform to yield data interpolated onto a uniformly spaced grid, with optional triangular truncation, at reduced computational cost compared to other variance conserving interpolation methods, such as kriging or natural spline interpolation. The spectral correction yields information that can be used to deduce gridded observational biases not directly available from othe...
Black Progress Through Business Improvement: Two Articles by Joseph R. Houchins, 1900-1989

In the spirit of further expanding the heretofore unsung contributions of African American economists, we present two unpublished works from the 1930s of Joseph Roosevelt Houchins. They focus on Bl...
Comment on Van Belleghem et al. 2016: Habitat choice mechanisms in speciation and other forms of diversification.

Several mechanisms of habitat choice can contribute to speciation. Empirical studies of habitat choice mechanisms provide important insights into the relative roles of these mechanisms in speciation. A recent paper by Van Belleghem and colleagues characterizes the mechanistic basis of a component of habitat choice-departure behavior-in two salt marsh beetle ecotypes that inhabit different environments. The authors compare the departure behavior between the two ecotypes in response to an environmental cue and find that ecotypes differ in their tendency to depart in response to this cue and that the environment experienced by immature beetles affects the departure behavior of adult beetles. The authors conclude that such plastic behavioral differences between ecotypes should reduce gene flow and thereby facilitate reproductive isolation between ecotypes. We question whether such a mechanism of departure behavior would effectively reduce gene flow between ecotypes. Furthermore, their study highlights the need for some clarification of habitat choice mechanisms and related concepts, as conceptual inconsistencies are common in the literature. Here, we clarify major mechanisms of habitat choice and discuss how each mechanism might facilitate speciation. We emphasize that future empirical work should be guided by careful consideration of the natural history of species under study.
Rhabdomyolysis: a rare complication of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis precipitated by statin therapy

Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) or chronic lymphocytic thyroiditis is the most common form of primary hypothyroidism. Muscular manifestations like weakness, pain, stiffness and elevated muscle enzymes have been noticed in hypothyroidism. Statins are also known to cause myositis and rhabdomyolysis. This is a case of a middle-aged man, on statin therapy, who presented with severe muscle aches and pain and was found to have rhabdomyolysis. Further evaluation revealed an underlying HT as the culprit for his condition. He was managed with intravenous fluids and levothyroxine along with cessation of statins, following which he improved.
Cold ischemia time is an important risk factor for post–liver transplant prolonged length of stay

Risk analysis of cold ischemia time (CIT) in liver transplantation has largely focused on patient and graft survival. Posttransplant length of stay is a sensitive marker of morbidity and cost. We hypothesize that CIT is a risk factor for posttransplant prolonged length of stay (PLOS) and aim to conduct an hour-by-hour analysis of CIT and PLOS. We retrospectively reviewed all adult, first-time liver transplants between March 2002 and September 2016 in the United Network for Organ Sharing database. The 67,426 recipients were categorized by hourly CIT increments. Multivariate logistic regression of PLOS (defined as >30 days), CIT groups, and an extensive list of confounding variables was performed. Linear regression between length of stay and CIT as continuous variables was also performed. CIT 1-6 hours was protective against PLOS, whereas CIT >7 hours was associated with increased odds for PLOS. The lowest odds for PLOS were observed with 1-2 hours (odds ratio [OR], 0.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.45-0.92) and 2-3 hours (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.55-0.78) of CIT. OR for PLOS steadily increased with increasing CIT, reaching the greatest odds for PLOS with 13-14 hours (OR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.57-2.67) and 15-16 hours (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.27-3.33) of CIT. Linear regression revealed a positive correlation between length of stay and CIT with a correlation coefficient of +0.35 (P < 0.001). In conclusion, post-liver transplant length of stay is sensitive to CIT, with a substantial increase in the odds of PLOS observed with nearly every additional hour of cold ischemia. We conclude that CIT should be minimized to protect against the morbidity and cost associated with posttransplant PLOS. Liver Transplantation 24 762-768 2018 AASLD.
Configuring Switched-Capacitor Power Converters Using Interleaving Regulation Techniques

Due to their inherent switching operations, both switch mode and SC power converters exhibit output voltage ripples and current ripples, which lead to substantial switching noise. The switching actions in many power converters can cause their input current to be discontinuous. This can generate severe di/dt noise, which will propagate into the entire system. In the meanwhile, a discontinuous output current can severely impact the load regulation performance of SC converters. Such converters will respond to sudden load changes only at the start of the next switching cycle, which can cause large output voltage variations.
Pharmacotherapy of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has attracted the attention of many investigators from time immemorial because of the rarity of the disease, the distinctive clinical picture, and the ego-alien nature of the symptoms. Over time, many methods of treatment have been tried, unfortunately, with little success. Thus, pessimism has been generally expressed by many workers regarding the outcome of therapeutic intervention (Kolb, 1968; Lewis, A., 1935; Pollitt, 1957). However, with the progress achieved over the past 20 years in the psychological and somatic treatments of this disorder, there is reason for optimism. Hopefully, the new directions will also provide new insights in the understanding of this crippling disorder. Basic to treatment and evaluation of efficacy are the problems of diagnosis, assessment, and the rationale for treatment.
Day-to-day variation of continuously monitored glycaemia: a further measure of diabetic instability.

Differences between paired blood glucose values during two successive 24-h periods of continuous blood glucose analysis were investigated during 22 studies in seven unstable diabetics, three stable diabetics, and three normal subjects. The absolute means (without regard to sign) of daily differences (MODD) were high in unstable diabetics (36.6 to 158.1 mg/100 ml), intermediate in stable diabetics (10.2 to 35.1 mg/100 ml), and low in normals (6.2 to 8.2 mg/100 ml). MODD was a measure of the blood glucose changes resulting from day-to-day variation in response to therapy that was kept as constant as possible. When therapy was deliberately intensified through the use of four daily injections of short-acting insulin, MODD decreased in five of six such experiments. In two diabetics retested at intervals of 5 to 7 months without change in insulin regimen, MODD values remained similar. MODD quantifies another characteristic of blood glucose behaviour, the between-day variability; this is an important complement of the mean amplitude of glycaemic excursions (MAGE, a measure of within-day variability) and of the mean blood glucose concentration, MBG (the overall level of glycaemia during the variability measurements).
The distance of the primary intimal tear from the left subclavian artery predicts aortic growth in uncomplicated type B aortic dissection.

Abstract Objective Controversy exists about the optimal treatment of acute uncomplicated type B aortic dissection (auTBAD). Optimal medical therapy (OMT) provides excellent short-term outcomes, but long-term results are poor. Ideally, auTBAD patients who will fail to respond to OMT in the chronic phase could be identified and undergo thoracic endovascular aortic repair. The purpose of this study was to identify radiographic predictors of auTBAD patients who will fail to respond to OMT. Methods A review of the Emory aortic database from 2000 to 2017 identified 320 auTBAD patients initially treated with OMT. From this cohort, 121 patients with two or more contrast-enhanced imaging scans were available for analysis. These patients were initially divided into groups based on growth of the thoracic aorta ≥10 mm or intervention due to aneurysmal growth: growth (n = 72) and no growth (n = 49). TeraRecon (Foster City, Calif) imaging software was used to analyze characteristics of the primary intimal tear (PIT), false lumen, and overall aortic size. Finally, Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to estimate hazard ratios and to identify predictors of OMT failure. Results The mean age of all patients was 54 ± 11 years, and 67% were male. Thirty-eight patients (53%) in the growth group underwent intervention. There were no differences between groups in age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, tobacco abuse, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The distance of the PIT from the left subclavian artery in patients with auTBAD was significantly shorter in the growth group (growth, 27 mm [9-66 mm]; no growth, 77 mm [26-142 mm]; P 45 mm as independent predictors of failure of OMT. Partial false lumen thrombosis was not a predictor of aortic growth. Conclusions The distance of the PIT from the left subclavian artery is a predictor of aortic growth in auTBAD. Patients with a primary tear located in zone 3 of the proximal descending thoracic aorta should be monitored closely and may be considered for early thoracic endovascular aortic repair in the setting of auTBAD.
Device challenges for near term superconducting quantum processors: frequency collisions

The outstanding progress in experimental quantum computing with superconducting Josephson-junction based qubits over the past few decades has pushed coherence times many orders of magnitude above that of the first measured. We are also in the midst of scaling towards complex architectures of multi-qubit processors where maintaining very low gate error rates at the limits supported by coherence times is extremely important. Here we will review some of the critical materials and device challenges for superconducting qubits from the perspective of improved coherence and improved error rates. In particular we will focus on the problem of frequency allocations in order to target multi-qubit lattices for fixed-frequency microwave-based gates.
Archaeology, Mormonism, and the Claims of History

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Mormonism”) is one of the fastest growing religions in the world today (Stark 1998a, b), including India, where membership (especially in the South) has increased dramatically over the last decade. With notable exceptions (e.g., Leone 1979; Murphy 1999; Olsen 2000; Rodseth and Olsen 2000), however, Mormonism has been neglected in the anthropology of religion. The purpose of this paper is to act as a corrective to this imbalance by addressing changes in Mormonism’s conception of itself as a world religion that makes certain claims about its own history. Specifically, I examine Mormonism’s claim – possibly unique among the major world religions -- that a large part of its scriptural tradition took place in ancient America. My purpose is not to explore the history of this claim, nor to take any position on its validity. Instead, I explore the claim itself as it unfolds with reference to a particular domain, Mesoamerican archaeology, and a particular object – the so-called “Tree of Life” stone (also known as Izapa Stela Five) that some Mormons occasionally cite as archaeological evidence for the ancient American origins of the Book of Mormon.
On the Ostrogradski Instability; or, Why Physics Really Uses Second Derivatives

Candidates for fundamental physical laws rarely, if ever, employ higher than second time derivatives. Easwaran (2014) sketches an enticing story that purports to explain away this puzzling fact and thereby provides indirect evidence for a particular set of metaphysical theses used in the explanation. I object to both the scope and coherence of Easwaran's account, before going on to defend an alternative, more metaphysically deflationary explanation: in interacting Lagrangian field theories, it is either impossible or very hard to incorporate higher than second time derivatives without rendering the vacuum state unstable. The so-called Ostrogradski instability represents a powerful constraint on the construction of new field theories and supplies a novel, largely overlooked example of non-causal explanation in physics.
Gay Asian Americans Are Seen as More American Than Asian Americans Who Are Presumed Straight

Four studies investigate whether gay Asian Americans are stereotyped as more American than Asian Americans who are presumed straight. Gay Asian American men (Study 1) and women (Study 2) were rated...
Assessing the Influence of Syntax, Semantics, and Pragmatics in Student Interpretation of Multiply Quantified Statements in Mathematics

This study compares the relative influence of syntax, semantics, and pragmatics in university students’ interpretation of multiply quantified statements in mathematics, both before and after instruction. Like previous studies, results show that semantics plays a heavy role in student interpretation, especially before instruction. Unlike previous studies, our data suggests that the patterns of student interpretation rely more upon the mathematical context than upon the order of the quantifiers. We operationalize two of Grice’s (1975) pragmatic Maxims to evaluate whether they help explain which interpretations are harder for students to adopt for various statements. Our data support the claim that students find it easier to construct relevant interpretations, but do not support the claim that students find it easier to construct interpretations that render the statement true. Finally, based on our sample from six Transition to Proof classes across the US, we observe that after their experiences in such courses students became more sensitive to syntax in their interpretation of the statements.
Electrochemically Determined O-H Bond Dissociation Free Energies of NiO Electrodes Predict Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Reactivity.

Redox reactions at metal oxide (MOx) surfaces are implicated in many catalytic and energy conversion processes involving proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET). Nonetheless, the fundamental thermo...
Social and Economic Components of Resilient Multihazard Building Design

AbstractIn 2017, United States damages from natural hazard events exceeded $300 billion, suggesting that current targets for building performance do not sufficiently mitigate loss. The significant ...
DeepAtom: A Framework for Protein-Ligand Binding Affinity Prediction

The cornerstone of computational drug design is the calculation of binding affinity between two biological counterparts especially a chemical compound, i.e. a ligand, and a protein. Predicting the strength of protein-ligand binding with reasonable accuracy is critical for drug discovery. In this paper, we propose a data-driven framework named DeepAtom to accurately predict the protein-ligand binding affinity. With 3D Convolutional Neural Network (3D-CNN) architecture, DeepAtom could automatically extract binding related atomic interaction patterns from the voxelized complex structure. Compared with the other CNN based approaches, our light-weight model design effectively improves the model representational capacity, even with the limited available training data. With validation experiments on the PDBbind v.2016 benchmark and the independent Astex Diverse Set, we demonstrate that the less feature engineering dependent DeepAtom approach consistently outperforms the other state-of-the-art scoring methods. We also compile and propose a new benchmark dataset to further improve the model performances. With the new dataset as training input, DeepAtom achieves Pearson's $\mathrm{R}=0.83$ and $\text{RMSE}=1.23\ \ pK$ units on the PDBbind v.2016 core set. The promising results demonstrate that DeepAtom models can be potentially adopted in computational drug development protocols such as molecular docking and virtual screening.
Examination of the Association Between Latent Variables for Social Determinants of Health and Blood Pressure Control in Immigrants using Structural Equation Modeling.

Abstract Background Hypertension is responsible for about 12.8% of deaths around the world. Immigrants' risk of developing hypertension increases with length of residency. There is limited work on the role of social determinants of health and blood pressure control in immigrants. We created a theory-based conceptual model for immigrant-specific and general social determinants variables and their relationship to blood pressure. Purpose Use a theory-based model to identify latent variables for immigrant-specific social determinants using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) to test theoretical validity and relationship with blood pressure (BP). Methods CFA was used to identify latent variables for global socioeconomic status, stressors of immigration, adaptation to immigration, acculturation, and burden of disease. SEM was used to test the structural relationships between latent variables and BP. Results 181 immigrants were included in the analysis. The final model (chi2 (68, n = 181) = 149.87, p Conclusions One latent variable measuring need was significantly associated with BP in an immigrant sample. This suggests that interventions targeting burden of disease are likely to be effective in controlling blood pressure in immigrants.
Chapter 24.2 The Nucleic Acid Database

The Nucleic Acid Database (NDB) was one of the earliest relational databases for use in structural biology. Today, it provides valuable resources for researchers and students. Users can search the archive using a variety of constraints, and generate quick and detailed reports. Structures can be explored through an online atlas organized by experimental and structure type. The NDB has developed and hosts standards and software tools, and offers special programs for exploring RNA structure. Keywords: Nucleic Acid Database; DNA; RNA; nucleic acids
Composite Solid Electrolytes with NASICON-Type LATP and PVdF–HFP for Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Utilizing Li-ion conductors as solid electrolytes is essential in solid-state lithium (Li) batteries (SSLBs), which is a promising solution for the next-generation electrochemical energy storage systems that require high energy and high levels of safety. Among various Li-ion conductors, Li₁.₅Al₀.₅Ti₁.₅(PO₄)₃ (LATP), a NASICON-type ceramic, has attracted intensive attention due to its advantages of air stability and fast Li⁺ conductivity. However, to reach a decent ionic conductivity and reduce grain boundary resistance, LATP requires high temperatures for densification, which is time-consuming and expensive for large-scale applications. Herein, we report a simple solution-casting synthesis for new composite solid electrolytes by embedding LATP ceramic into a PVdF–HFP matrix. In the LATP/PVdF–HFP composite solid membranes, the NASICON-type crystal structure of LATP is well maintained. Without taking any additional liquid electrolyte absorption, the prepared composite solid electrolytes with 10 wt % LATP show the highest ionic conductivity of 2.3 × 10–⁴ S cm–¹ at room temperature, three times higher than that of polymer electrolyte (7.1 × 10–⁵ S cm–¹). In addition, the LiLiFePO₄ (LFP) battery with LATP/PVdF–HFP composite electrolyte exhibits enhanced cycling performance of both capacity and stability as compared to the polymer electrolyte-based battery.
Translational Approaches with Antioxidant Phytochemicals against Alcohol-Mediated Oxidative Stress, Gut Dysbiosis, Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction, and Fatty Liver Disease

Emerging data demonstrate the important roles of altered gut microbiomes (dysbiosis) in many disease states in the peripheral tissues and the central nervous system. Gut dysbiosis with decreased ratios of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes and other changes are reported to be caused by many disease states and various environmental factors, such as ethanol (e.g., alcohol drinking), Western-style high-fat diets, high fructose, etc. It is also caused by genetic factors, including genetic polymorphisms and epigenetic changes in different individuals. Gut dysbiosis, impaired intestinal barrier function, and elevated serum endotoxin levels can be observed in human patients and/or experimental rodent models exposed to these factors or with certain disease states. However, gut dysbiosis and leaky gut can be normalized through lifestyle alterations such as increased consumption of healthy diets with various fruits and vegetables containing many different kinds of antioxidant phytochemicals. In this review, we describe the mechanisms of gut dysbiosis, leaky gut, endotoxemia, and fatty liver disease with a specific focus on the alcohol-associated pathways. We also mention translational approaches by discussing the benefits of many antioxidant phytochemicals and/or their metabolites against alcohol-mediated oxidative stress, gut dysbiosis, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and fatty liver disease.
Cyber Deception for Wireless Network Virtualization Using Stackelberg Game Theory

Wireless virtualization is becoming a popular solution to resource sharing problems integral in providing access to future wireless networking applications by enabling access to the same physical wireless infrastructure by multiple virtual networks concurrently. This paper investigates cyber deception using game theory model for defining the deceptive interactions between a cyber attacker and the defender. We consider both the naive attacker who is not aware of the defender's strategy, and the rational (powerful) attacker who knows the defense strategy. In the Stackelberg game, the defender controls the observable configuration of the network when probed by an attacker. We show that the process for selecting an optimal defense strategy against a naive attacker is NP-hard. We also proposed an algorithm for computing optimal strategy for a naive attacker and a greedy based algorithm for selecting the optimal strategy against a powerful attacker. Results from extensive simulation runs show the scalability and effectiveness of the proposed approaches based on the run time in finding the optimum defense strategy as well as minimizing the attacker's utility are better than the approaches in state of the art literature.
2DEGs formed in AlN/GaN HEMT structures with AlN grown at low temperature

Integration of nitrides with other material systems has recently become of interest due to the high performance of GaN-based high-electron mobility transistors. However, the elevated growth temperatures often used to grow high quality AlN pose challenges toward metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on temperature sensitive substrates such as processed wafers. In this work, the growth of AlN was conducted at temperatures below 550 °C via MOCVD using a flow-modulated epitaxy scheme, and their morphological, compositional, and electronic properties of these films were investigated. Sheet charges up to 2.1 × 1013 cm−2 and mobilities on the order of 400 cm2/V s were measured for two dimensional electron gases, which formed at the interface between the low temperature grown AlN layers and the semi-insulating GaN base layers deposited at high temperatures. Despite their low growth temperatures, nominally pure AlN barrier layers exhibited measurable unintentional gallium incorporation adjacent to the GaN interface. The result sets the stage for the integration of nitride-based electronics via epitaxy-based schemes on temperature sensitive substrates.
Inelastic Collisions of Atoms and Molecules with Metal Surfaces: The Accommodation Coefficient

When a gas atom or molecule whose energy corresponds to the temperature T0 strikes the surface of a solid at temperature T1≠T0, an exchange of energy can occur as a result of the interaction of the surface atoms with the incoming atoms (adatoms) or molecules. After remaining on the surface in accordance with their mean adsorption lifetime, the adatoms desorb from the surface with an average energy kT2 (Fig.6.1.a). As a measure of this energy exchange, Knudsen [393, 397] has defined a “thermal accommodation coefficient” α. If the energy exchange between the incident particle with mean energy E0 and the surface with molecular energy E1 is incomplete, so that the particles leave the surface with an energy E2 which lies between E0 and E1, the accommodation coefficient* is defined as $$\alpha = \mathop {\lim }\limits_{E_1 \to E_0 } \frac{{E_2 - E_0 }} {{E_1 - E_0 }}.$$ (6.1-1)
Spectroscopic Diagnostics and an Arc Jet Heated Air Plasma

Spectral radiation measurements were made in the range of 200 to 900 nm across a section of the plenum of an arc jet wind tunnel using a series of optical fibers. The spectra contained line radiation from Oxygen and Nitrogen atoms and molecular radiation from N2(+), N2, and NO. Abel inversion technique is used to obtain radial distribution of the spectra. The analysis yielded radial profiles of the electronic excitation, vibrational and rotational temperatures of the flow field. Spectral fitting yielded branching ratios for different vibrational and rotational bands. Relatively mild flow conditions, i.e. enthalpy and mass flow rate, were used for prolonged measurements of up to and over two hours to establish the best experimental methods of temperature determinations. Signal to noise was improved by at least an order of magnitude enabling the molecular vibrational band heads of N2(+) (first negative system), N2 (second positive system), and NO (beta, gamma, delta, and epsilon systems) to be resolved in the lower ultraviolet wavelength regions. The increased signal to noise ratio also enabled partial resolution of the rotational lines of N2(+) and N2 in certain regions of minimal overlap. Comparison of the spectra with theoretical models such as the NEQAIR2 code are presented and show potential for fitting the spectra when reliable calibration is performed for the complete wavelength range.
WE‐G‐BRB‐01: The Importance of NIH Funding in Innovation in Radiation Therapy

Over the past 20 years the NIH has funded individual grants, program projects grants, and clinical trials which have been instrumental in advancing patient care. The ways that each grant mechanism lends itself to the different phases of translating research into clinical practice will be described. Major technological innovations, such as IMRT and proton therapy, have been advanced with R01-type and P01-type funding and will be discussed. Similarly, the role of program project grants in identifying and addressing key hypotheses on the potential of 3D conformal therapy, normal tissue-guided dose escalation and motion management will be described. An overview will be provided regarding how these technological innovations have been applied to multi-institutional NIH-sponsored trials. Finally, the panel will discuss regarding which research questions should be funded by the NIH to inspire the next advances in radiation therapy. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the different funding mechanisms of the NIH 2. Learn about research advances that have led to innovation in delivery 3. Review achievements due to NIH-funded program project grants in radiotherapy over the past 20 years 4. Understand example advances achieved with multi-institutional clinical trials NIH
Farmer education and economic efficiency: Northern farms in 1860

Abstract A non-parametric production frontier approach is used to analyze the influence of education on the productivity of a sample of U.S. farms for the year 1860. This approach avoids many of the pitfalls of traditional approaches to measuring the impact of education on farmer productivity.
Study to identify and begin to evaluate future communications candidates for the far-term National Airspace System (NAS): A forward looking study to identify candidates for meeting the communication needs of the NAS during a 50 year modernization time horizon

• An initial study to identify and begin to evaluate candidates for meeting future (post NextGen) NAS ATM data comm. needs has been completed — Several IEEE Conference Papers on the study have been published, and NASA is planning to publically release the final comprehensive study report — Before any candidate would seriously be considered for NAS operations, further analysis, stakeholder vetting, additional cost/benefits, etc. is needed • It is hoped that NAS architects consider the results of this study to ensure that planned investments to upgrade the NAS systems are on a path that is consistent with meeting the long-term needs.
Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide Superconducting to Normal Transition Characterization for a Solenoid Configuration

Research in High Temperature Superconductivity (HTSc) has proceeded at a rapid pace since the discovery of Yttrium Barium Copper Oxide (YBCO) in January 1987.This compound is a superconductor that has a transition temperature (Tc) of 95 K and works reasonably well at liquid nitrogen temperatures (77.4 K). Although it is susceptible to moisture degradation, is brittle and exhibits low critical current densities, YBCO in bulk form can be fabricated quite readily and enjoys an unusually high critical field(Hc). The critical current density of this material at 77.4 K and 1 T has been improved from 1,000 A/cm2 (reference 1) to 17,000 A/cm2 (reference 2) in less than 20 months. It is therefore conceivable that this material (or another of the “high temperature superconductors”) may be usable for the design and construction of some specialized superconducting magnets in future. Understanding its stability and quench characteristics is an important step towards designing a HTSc magnet conductor. This paper describes the experimental setup and test results of the D.C. and A.C. measurements we performed on a small YBCO solenoid. Plans for experimental study of the coil’s quench characteristics is also discussed.
United States Government Regulations and International Standards Related to Food Analysis

Knowledge of government regulations relevant to the chemical analysis of foods is extremely important to persons working in the food industry. Federal laws and regulations reinforce the efforts of the food industry to provide wholesome foods, to inform consumers about the nutritional composition of foods, and to eliminate economic frauds. In some cases, they dictate what ingredients a food must contain, what must be tested, and the procedures used to analyze foods for safety factors and quality attributes. This chapter describes the US federal regulations related to the composition of foods. The reader is referred to references (1–4) for comprehensive coverage of US food laws and regulations. Many of the regulations referred to in this chapter are published in the various titles of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) (5). This chapter also includes information about food standards and safety practices established by international organizations. Internet addresses are given at the end of this chapter for many of the government agencies, organizations, and documents discussed.
The Russian Labor Market in Transition: Time to Work or Time to Take a Rest?

This paper studies the effect of labor market shocks on the allocation of non-market time in transitional Russia. The model of a two-sector labor market with restricted hours of work in the state sector of employment and high fixed costs of entry in the private sector implies that earnings are a better approximation of worker's well-being than wages. Cross-sectional and panel data analysis shows the population enjoyed more leisure during transition than before and movement to and from employment took place mostly at the expense of leisure hours. In response to higher earning opportunities employed men reduced leisure while employed women also cut down on childcare and housework.
Integrative Biological Chemistry Program Includes The Use Of Informatics Tools, GIS And SAS Software Applications

Wesley College is a private, primarily undergraduate minority-serving institution located in the historic district of Dover, Delaware (DE). The College recently revised its baccalaureate biological chemistry program requirements to include a one-semester Physical Chemistry for the Life Sciences course and project-based experiential learning courses using instrumentation, data-collection, data-storage, statistical-modeling analysis, visualization, and computational techniques. In this revised curriculum, students begin with a traditional set of biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics major core-requirements, a geographic information systems (GIS) course, a choice of an instrumental analysis course or a statistical analysis systems (SAS) programming course, and then, students can add major-electives that further add depth and value to their future post-graduate specialty areas. Open-sourced georeferenced census, health and health disparity data were coupled with GIS and SAS tools, in a public health surveillance system project, based on US county zip-codes, to develop use-cases for chronic adult obesity where income, poverty status, health insurance coverage, education, and age were categorical variables. Across the 48 contiguous states, obesity rates are found to be directly proportional to high poverty and inversely proportional to median income and educational achievement. For the State of Delaware, age and educational attainment were found to be limiting obesity risk-factors in its adult population. Furthermore, the 2004-2010 obesity trends showed that for two of the less densely populated Delaware counties; Sussex and Kent, the rates of adult obesity were found to be progressing at much higher proportions when compared to the national average.
Malacoplakia of testis

A case of malacoplakia of testis with a typical clinical course, related to urogenitalE. coli infection is presented. By means of electron microscopy, we have identified several forms of Michaelis-Gutmann bodies within the lesion. X-ray spectral analysis revealed that these bodies contain large amounts of calcium, phosphate, sulfur, sodium and chloride. The pathogenesis of malacoplakia and the formation of Michaelis-Gutmann bodies is shortly discussed.
Efficient Whole-body Transduction with Trans-splicing Adeno-associated Viral Vectors

Limited packaging capacity has hampered adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy for many common genetic diseases such as cystic fibrosis (CF) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Trans-splicing AAV (tsAAV) vectors double AAV packaging capacity but their transduction efficiency has been too low to be useful. We have recently overcome this hurdle by rational vector design. We have shown that a pair of optimized mini-dystrophin tsAAV vectors can reach the same transduction efficiency as that of a single AAV vector after local injection in dystrophic muscle. However, global gene transfer is required to treat diseases like DMD. To test whether systemic delivery can be achieved with tsAAV vectors, we generated a set of optimized alkaline phosphatase (AP) tsAAV vectors. We delivered AAV serotype 9 pseudotyped AP tsAAV intravenously to newborn mice. Six weeks later, we observed high-level transduction in all body skeletal muscle and the heart, the tissues that are affected in DMD. We also detected efficient transduction in the lung, the primary organ affected in CF. Our results provide the first evidence of whole-body transduction with tsAAV vectors and further raise the hope of tsAAV gene therapy for DMD and CF.
Effect of insulin therapy on nonglycemic variables during acute illness.

ABSTRACT Objective To review the possible mechanisms for the reported clinical finding of better outcomes for hospitalized and critically ill patients as the result of improved metabolic control. Results Insulin inhibits free fatty acids, proinflammatory cytokines, and inflammatory growth factors, all of which may be detrimental in critically ill patients. Furthermore, insulin enhances nitric oxide synthesis, which promotes vasodilation. The mechanisms of insulin regulation of these factors are complex, although insulin seems to have a direct effect on the transcriptional factor, nuclear factor-κβ (NF-κβ). In turn, NF-κβ modulates the proinflammatory cytokines, adhesion molecules, and chemokines. In a euglycemic or slightly hyperglycemic environment, NF-κβ is suppressed by insulin; however, with more profound hyperglycemia, NF-κβ is induced and the proinflammatory cytokines are thus increased. Conclusion Although considerable research must be completed to identify the apparent relationship between stringent metabolic control and improved outcomes in acutely ill patients, current evidence suggests that both the treatment (glucose-insulin-potassium infusion) and the resultant plasma glucose concentrations may be independent important components of the underlying mechanisms. (Endocr Pract. 2004;10[Suppl 2]:63-70)
AN EVALUATION OF TETANY PRODUCED BY ELECTRIC SHOCK

The undesirable complicating effect of tetany, in experiments using measures of pain from electric shock, is stressed. An electrode system is described that has proven low in producing tetany. This system is compared with a variety of other systems of types commonly used. Both constant current and controlled voltage stimulation is used. The concentric shock electrode most consistently produced the least tetany. Possible reasons for its effectiveness in avoiding tetany are considered.