cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thyroxine Analogs. Synthesis and Antigoitrogenic Activity of 3′-Chloro- and 3′,5′-Dichloro-3,5-diiodo-L-thyronines in the Rat1

3′-Chloro-3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine was shown to be more active than 3′,5′- dichloro-3,5-diiodo-L-thyronine in the rat antigoiter assay. (Endocrinology 76: 312, 1965)
A simulation-based approximate dynamic programming approach for the control of the Intel Mini-Fab benchmark model

This paper presents initial results on the application of a simulation-based Approximate Dynamic Programming (ADP) for the control of the benchmark model of a semiconductor fab denominated the Intel Mini-Fab. The ADP approach utilized is based on an Average Cost Temporal-Difference TD(λ) learning algorithm and under an Actor-Critic architecture. Results from simulation experiments, on which both policies generated via ADP and commonly utilized dispatching rules were utilized in the Mini-Fab, demonstrated that ADP yielded policies that provided a good performance in average Work-In-Process and average Cycle Time with respect to the dispatching rules considered.
The association of endothelial cell signaling, severity of illness, and organ dysfunction in sepsis

Introduction: Previous reports suggest that endothelial activation is an important process in sepsis pathogenesis. We investigated the association between biomarkers of endothelial cell activation and sepsis severity, organ dysfunction sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, and death. Methods: This is a prospective, observational study including adult patients (age 18 years or older) presenting with clinical suspicion of infection to the emergency department (ED) of an urban, academic medical center between February 2005 and November 2008. Blood was sampled during the ED visit and biomarkers of endothelial cell activation, namely soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1), plasminogen activator inhibitors -1 (PAI-1), sE-selectin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule (sICAM-1), and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM-1), were assayed. The association between biomarkers and the outcomes of sepsis severity, organ dysfunction, and inhospital mortality were analyzed. Results: A total of 221 patients were included: sepsis without organ dysfunction was present in 32%, severe sepsis without shock in 30%, septic shock in 32%, and 6% were non-infected control ED patients. There was a relationship between all target biomarkers (sFlt-1, PAI-1, sE-selectin, sICAM-1, and sVCAM-1) and sepsis severity, P < 0.05. We found a significant inter-correlation between all biomarkers, including the strongest correlations between sFlt-1 and sE-selectin (r = 0.55, P < 0.001), and between sFlt-1 and PAI-1 (0.56, P < 0.001). Among the endothelial cell activation biomarkers, sFlt-1 had the strongest association with SOFA score (r = 0.66, P < 0.001), the highest area under the receiver operator characteristic curve for severe sepsis of 0.82, and for mortality of 0.91. Conclusions: Markers of endothelial cell activation are associated with sepsis severity, organ dysfunction and mortality. An improved understanding of endothelial response and associated biomarkers may lead to strategies to more accurately predict outcome and develop novel endothelium-directed therapies in sepsis.
Terminplanung in der Netzplantechnik bei variablem Einsatzmittelbedarf

Die Modelle der Netzplantechnik, die beschrankt verfugbare Einsatzmittel berucksichtigen, erfordern im allgemeinen, das der Einsatzmittelbedarf jeden Vorganges vor Beginn der Planungsrechnung fest vorgegeben wird [1], [23, [8]. Weiterhin wird im allgemeinen angenommen, das die jeweils erforderlichen Einsatzmittel wahrend der gesamten Dauer eines Vorganges in gleichbleibender Hohe benotigt werden. Nur wenige Arbeiten betrachten die Einsatzmittelbedarfe als Modellvariable, die im Rahmen der Modelloptimierung ebenfalls bestimmt werden mussen, so das eine mengenmasige Anpassung der Produktionsfaktoren an die Gegebenheiten moglich sind, z. B. [5], [9], [10]. Teilweise wird dieser Modelltyp erwahnt, ohne praktikable Verfahren explizit anzugeben (3], [4]. Bei gegebener Arbeitsmenge werden dabei wahrend der Terminplanung die fur die Modelloptimierung gunstigsten Einsatzmittelbedarfe und die sich daraus ergebenden Vorgangsdauern bestimmt. Diese Modelle unterscheiden sich von den Kostenoptimierungsverfahren wie z. B. CPM-COST dadurch, das in jedem Zeitintervall des Projektablaufs die EinsatzmitteIkapazitat (EMK) als strenge Obergrenze der verfugbaren Einsatzmittel gegeben ist.
Using Embeddedness Theory to Understand and Promote Persistence in STEM Majors

Student retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors is a national concern. Research typically emphasizes attrition in STEM fields by examining factors driving students to switch career paths. This study used embeddedness theory to instead focus on factors that better anchor students within their majors. Focus groups were conducted with 21 junior and senior students majoring in STEM to contextualize the 3 tenets of embeddedness: fit, links, and sacrifice. Results supported embeddedness theory as a viable framework for understanding and promoting STEM student retention because fit, links, and sacrifice were all cited as factors that enriched the student experience. Gender differences suggested a heightened sense of pride for women as compared with men who pursue STEM degrees. Results inform ways to contextualize quantitative measures of STEM embeddedness. To facilitate retention, career counselors, instructors, and others may assist students to frame challenge as normal among persisting STEM upperclassmen.
A Probabilistic Approach to Determine Wave Forces on Ocean Pile Structures

Multiple linear regression analysis is applied to predict horizontal velocities and acceleration of water particles subjected to waves. Furthermore it was used to predict the coefficient of drag for circular piles. The mean value functions of the parameters are calculated and the assumption of their lognormal distribution reasonably well verified. The method used here is free from theoretical assumptions about wave mechanisms and, hence, explains the behavior of experimental results. Using Monte Carlo simulation these regression relations were then utilized to generate the distribution functions of wave forces. Using the Morison force equation, in this simulation, the distribution function for the drag and the inertial components of the force are determined separately. A linear superposition of those time varying processes was performed to obtain the distribution of the total maximum force. Finally a probabilistic wave height-wave force relationship was developed for the purpose of creating a force distribution function given a random sea state.
Opera Addict: The Rake's Progress and W.H. Auden's Operatic Theory

The article demonstrates how W.H. Auden's newfound knowledge of the operatic tradition influenced his approach to writing the libretto for The Rake's Progress, his 1951 collaboration with co-librettist Chester Kallman and composer Igor Stravinsky. It contends that the opera's protagonist, Tom Rakewell, ironically dramatizes Auden's evolving ideas about the singular capacities of music and opera to represent the subjective experience of the will's free movement within the bounds of time. Forsaking any claim to realist objectivity, The Rake's Progress celebrates artifice as it explores the relationships between tradition and innovation, cyclicality and linearity, and recurrence and becoming.
Incidence of methylated histones H3K4 and H3K79 in cat germinal vesicles is regulated by specific nuclear factors at the acquisition of developmental competence during the folliculogenesis

This study aims to characterize the regulations of histone methylations, key epigenetic markers of oocyte competence, in germinal vesicle (GV) from different follicles (preantral, early, small, or large antral stage) using the domestic cat model. In Experiment 1, the incidence of H3K4me3 or H3K79me2 was determined in GVs from the diverse follicle stages directly or after exposure to (1) a methyltransferase inhibitor, (2) sonication to fracture the cytoplasmic membranes and wash away the cytoplasmic content, or (3) methyltransferase inhibitor followed by sonication. In Experiment 2, the presence and maintenance of nuclear methyltransferases SMYD3 and DOT1L (regulating H3K4me3 and H3K79me2, respectively) was characterized in separate GV stages before and after sonication. Functionality of GVs from the various follicle stages (with or without transient isolation from the cytoplasm) then was assessed in Experiment 3 by transfer into recipient competent oocytes. The incidence of histones H3K4me3 and H3K79me2 within the GV were influenced by the cytoplasmic environment at all stages except at the transition to the early antral stage where nuclear regulating factors appeared to be mainly involved. The methyltransferase SMYD3 and DOT1L also appeared tightly bound to the nucleus at that transition. Interestingly, oocytes reconstructed with a GV isolated from the cytoplasm for a prolonged period had the capacity to form an embryo after fertilization which proved that communication between the donor GV and the host cytoplasm (likely including the regulation of epigenetic factors) could be restored. Histone methylation apparently becomes regulated by specific nuclear factors at the acquisition of competence during the folliculogenesis and does not seem to be disrupted by prolonged isolation from the surrounding cytoplasm.
Cardiovascular disease genetics: a long and winding road.

Purpose of reviewThis review has two major goals. The first goal is to raise some of the methodological problems associated with studying the genetics of complex disorders, specifically cardiovascular diseases. The second is to update the reader with the most recent findings in the area of genotype-
Interferon-gamma induces persistent depletion of internal Ca2+ stores in a human salivary gland cell line.

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), in the presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), decreases proliferation of a human salivary gland ductal cell line, HSG (Wu, A., R. Kurrasch, J. Katz, P. F...
In Vitro Selection of ssDNA Aptamers Against Lung Cancer Cells by SELEX

Objective: To screen ssDNA aptamers that can specifically bind to the lung cancer cell line Anip973.Methods: A single strand DNA library with 88nt in length containing a random sequence of 30nt was synthesized in vitro.The aptamers that against the Anip973 cells were obtained by SELEX after multiple screening.The affinity between the aptamers and Anip973 cells was determined by Biotin-HRP-Streptavidin system and the ssDNA which has highest affinity was cloned and sequenced.Results: After 11 rounds positive and 7 rounds negative selection,the affinity between lung cancer cells and aptamers increased from 0.08±0.02 to 0.98±0.28.Meanwhile,the specificity between Anip973 cells and aptamers was identified by flow cytometry.Conclusion: Aptamer that bind the Anip973 cells specifically was obtained successfully.
Determination of 16 PAHs from atmospheric particulate matter PM 2.5 by HPLC

Objective To develop a method for simultaneous determination of 16 kinds of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons( PAHs) in atmosphere particulate matter( PM 2. 5) by high performance liquid chromatography( HPLC). Methods The samples were extracted by ultrasonic with dichloromethane,and brought to volume by acetonitrile after enrichment,separated by reversed phase HPLC and gradient elution with acetonitrile an water as mobile phase,and detected by ultraviolet-fluorescence detector. Results Separation and linear relationship( r 0. 999) of 16 kinds of PAHs were good. The average recovery ranged77. 5%-104. 0%,the relative standard deviation ranged 1. 1%-6. 8%,the LODs ranged 0. 1 μg / L-2. 3 μg / L,the LOQs ranged 0. 3 μg / L-7. 5 μg / L,which were in line of the methodology requirement. In the sampling site,the PM 2. 5 samples were collected for quantitative analysis. The toxic equivalent quantities were respectively calculated with 16 kinds of PAHs as toxic equivalent factors. Conclusion The method is simple,reliable,sensitive,and it can be used for determining the content of PAHs in atmospheric particulate matter.
Occupational skin disease in the pharmaceutical industry.

Occupational skin disease is important to recognize in the setting of pharmaceutical development and manufacture, because it may have implications for the employees and even for the marketability of a product. This article reviews the occurrence of skin diseases, particularly contact dermatitis, in the synthesis, manufacture, and dispensing of pharmaceuticals.
Diagnostic fine needle aspiration of soft tissue metastases from cancer of the prostate.

Abstract Pathologic confirmation of soft tissue metastases is necessary for staging and followup of patientswith cancer of the prostate. Fine needle aspiration with cytologic evaluation is recommended over other biopsy procedures because it is safe, accurate and applicable to deep and superficial lesions. Small metastases, such as lymph nodes or skin nodules, remain in situ as useful tumor markers to follow the course of the disease and response to treatment.
Methods for Studying Checkpoint Kinases – Chk1

Attempts to passage through mitosis with unrepaired DNA damage or incompletely replicated DNA leads to genome instability and/or cell death. To prevent this from occurring, an ancient checkpoint (known as the G2 DNA damage checkpoint) that inhibits the activation of the mitotic cyclin-dependent kinase is activated to hold cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle. The effector of this checkpoint is Chk1, a protein serine-threonine kinase. Chk1 contains an N-terminal catalytic domain, and C-terminal regulatory domain. Within the regulatory domain there are two residues, Serine-317 (S317) and Serine-345 (S345), which are phosphorylated in active Chk1 molecules, and subsequently dephosphorylated to inactivate Chk1 and allow mitotic entry. Phospho-specific antibodies can be used to detect these activating phosphorylations, and this provides a simple and sensitive marker of Chk1 activation.
The Basic Biology of Estrogen and Bone

Estrogens preserve the adult skeleton by suppressing bone turnover and maintaining a focal balance between the rate of bone resorption and formation. Slowing of bone remodeling is due to the attenuating effects of estrogens on the generation of osteoclast and osteoblasts. Maintenance of a focal balance between formation and resorption apparently results from a pro-apoptotic effect on osteoclasts and an anti-apoptotic effect on osteoblasts and osteocytes. Conversely, loss of estrogens leads to a decrease in bone mass due to an increase in bone resorption and formation, with resorption exceeding formation. Bone cells are direct targets of estrogens which bind, predominantly, to the ERα. Estrogens suppress the proliferation of osteoblast progenitors and the apoptosis of osteoblasts and osteocytes and also modulate osteoblast differentiation. The anti-apoptotic actions of estrogens on osteoblasts and osteocytes are mediated by extranuclear kinases and do not require the DNA-binding function of the ER. In cells of the osteoclast lineage, estrogens inhibit the differentiation of osteoclast progenitors and promote the apoptosis of mature osteoclasts. Moreover, estrogens can inhibit osteoclastogenesis indirectly, via the attenuation of the production of osteoclastogenic cytokines by bone marrow mononuclear cells, T lymphocytes, or osteoblast-lineage cells. Importantly, most of the effects of estrogens on bone cells are mediated via an anti-oxidant mechanism of action.
A Hybrid Consensus Protocol for Pointwise Exponential Stability with Intermittent Information

Abstract: We propose a solution to the problem of achieving consensus of the state of multiple systems connected over a network (over a directed graph) in which communication events are triggered stochastically. Our solution consists of a protocol design that, using intermittent information obtained over the network, asymptotically drive the values of their states to agreement, with stability, globally and with robustness to perturbations. More precisely, we propose a protocol with hybrid dynamics, namely, an algorithm with variables that jump at the communication events and evolve continuously in between such events. We design the protocols by recasting the consensus problem as a set stabilization problem and applying Lyapunov stability tools for hybrid systems. We provide sufficient conditions for exponential stability of the consensus set. Furthermore, we show that under additional conditions this set is also partially pointwise globally exponentially stable. Robustness of consensus to certain classes of perturbations is also established. Numerical examples confirm the main results.
Clinical pearls from the World Congress on Systemic Sclerosis, February, 2016

The World Scleroderma Foundation Conference produced a number of abstracts of potential clinical interest. Multiple treatments for systemic sclerosis (SSC) are being brought forward; among these ar...
Dense depth maps from correspondences derived from perceived motion

Many computer vision applications require finding corresponding points between images and using the corresponding points to estimate disparity. Today’s correspondence finding algorithms primarily use image features or pixel intensities common between image pairs. Some 3-D computer vision applications, however, do not produce the desired results using correspondences derived from image features or pixel intensities. Two examples are the multimodal camera rig and the center region of a coaxial camera rig. We present an image correspondence finding technique that aligns pairs of image sequences using optical flow fields. The optical flow fields provide information about the structure and motion of the scene, which are not available in still images but can be used in image alignment. We apply the technique to a dual focal length stereo camera rig consisting of a visible light—infrared camera pair and to a coaxial camera rig. We test our method on real image sequences and compare our results with the state-of-the-art multimodal and structure from motion (SfM) algorithms. Our method produces more accurate depth and scene velocity reconstruction estimates than the state-of-the-art multimodal and SfM algorithms.
Content without Misrepresentation: A Pragmatic Theory

In Chapters 2 and 3 we have seen the arguments for the thesis that no naturalistic theory of mental content can allow for misrepresentation. The attempts to define meaning by a restricted class of uses are unsuccessful, as are attempts to ground a new analytic/synthetic distinction on idealized causal roles, inferential roles, conceptual roles, or adaptational roles. All these attempts were circular or begged the question by assuming semantic properties in their analyses. So, either we consider all uses meaning-fixing or we must reject a use theory altogether. Yet, in Chapter 1 we saw both that non-use theories have various insurmountable problems and also that they do not make room for misrepresentation. So we must have a use theory, and the only non-circular, non-question-begging use theory involves all actual and counterfactual uses, the entire conceptual role of the representation, to define meaning. I will call such a theory of content, built on an unlimited, non-idealized, unmodified conceptual role, Strict Conceptual Role Theory (SCRT). In accepting this theory that has been forced upon us, we also must accept what it entails: There can be no misrepresentation, and thus no error or false belief. I come reluctantly to this conclusion, since it does great damage to our intuitive views of representation and belief. The problem is that we have no theory that succeeds in accommodating our intuitions. So we are forced into a dilemma: either accept nihilism or have a use theory which does not allow misrepresentation. It is not a happy ending to the search for a theory of content, but a conceptual role theory with no misrepresentation is the best we can do. In pursuing this result, we reject that last empiricist dogma of meaning, that meaning requires the possibility of error (and that representation presupposes the possibility of misrepresentation). To help sustain this result, I propose a pragmatic theory of concept change that captures most, but not all, of what we wanted to get from error and misrepresentation. Such a theory will not cure this lack of misrepresentation, but it is recommended a possible treatment. It will allow us to make do with that part of the notion of meaning that we can coherently retain, and which mitigates some of the pain and apparent absurdity of the no-misrepresentation result.
Phase Incremented Pulses in NMR with Applications

Abstract Phase incremented pulse (PIP) in NMR was used around the early 1980s to achieve frequency-shifted excitation while preserving the phase coherence among the RF pulses applied before and after the PIP. At that time, the amount of frequency shift and the locations of all the effective RF fields were well-known. The strengths and phases, on the other hand, remained under explored until a theory about PIP was presented in 1996. It turned out that all the effective RF fields could be described by only two more terms: a scaling factor and a universal phase shift. Thereafter, the phase shifted unsymmetrical excitation bands by a PIP became apparent. Later, a procedure for establishing the phase coherence in PIPs was introduced. As a result, the Bloch vector model that was used almost solely in the conventional rotating frame is now applicable to multiple Eigenframes of PIPs as if it were still in the conventional rotating frame and a number of NMR experiments, such as the broadband inversion, Hahn spin echo, and offset modulated composite pulse, all composed of PIPs, were constructed systematically. In addition, some of the applications of the PIPs in decoupling and selective excitation were developed and the RF interference in the form of the Bloch-Siegert offset shift was addressed quantitatively by a near neighbour approximation.
Leveraging Conversational Systems to Assists New Hires During Onboarding

The task of onboarding a new hire consumes great amounts of resources from organizations. The faster a “newbie” becomes an “insider”, the higher the chances of job satisfaction, retention, and advancement in their position. Conversational agents (AI agents) have the potential to effectively transform productivity in many enterprise workplace scenarios so applying them to the onboarding process can prove to be a very solid use case for such agents. In this work, we present a conversational system to aid new hires through their onboarding process. Users interact with the system via an instant messaging platform, to fulfill their work related information needs as if it were a human assistant. We describe the end-to-end process involved in building a domain specific conversational system and share our experiences in deploying it to 344 new hires in a month-long study. The feasibility of our approach is evaluated by analyzing message logs and questionnaires. Through three different measures, we observed an accuracy of about 60% at the message level and a higher than average retention rate for the agent. Our results suggest that this agent-based approach can very well compete with the existing tools for new hires.
Genistein inhibits the regulation of active sodium-potassium transport by dopaminergic agonists in nonpigmented ciliary epithelium.

PURPOSE. To determine whether dopamine receptor stimulation regulates Na,K-ATPase-mediated ion transport in cultured nonpigmented ciliary epithelium (NPE). METHODS. Using a rabbit NPE cell line, active Na-K transport activity was determined by measuring ouabain-sensitive potassium ( 86 Rb) uptake in cell monolayers. Western blot analysis of membrane material obtained from cell homogenates was conducted to examine tyrosine phosphorylation of membrane proteins. RESULTS. Ouabain-sensitive potassium ( 86 Rb) uptake was inhibited in the presence of either dopamine or the D 1 -selective agonist SKF82958. The response was suppressed by SCH23390, a D 1 antagonist, but not by sulpiride, a D 2 -selective antagonist. Quinpirole, a D 2 -selective agonist, did not cause inhibition of ouabain-sensitive potassium ( 86 Rb) uptake. Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was detectably increased in SKF82958-treated cells, although the concentration of SKF required to elevate cell cAMP was higher than the concentration needed to inhibit ouabain-sensitive potassium ( 86 Rb) uptake. The protein kinase A inhibitor H89 prevented the 86 Rb uptake response to SKF82958. Genistein, an inhibitor of tyrosine kinases, also prevented the 86 Rb uptake response to SKF82958. Membrane material isolated from cells exposed to SKF82958 showed an increase in the density of several phosphotyrosine bands. These changes in phosphotyrosine immunoblot density were not observed in material isolated from cells that received either genistein or SCH23390 before SKF82958 treatment. CONCLUSIONS. The results of this study suggest D 1 agonists cause a reduction of Na,K-ATPase-mediated ion transport by a mechanism that could involve a tyrosine kinase step.
Recruitment of New Immigrants Into a Randomized Controlled Prevention Trial: The Live Well Experience

Minority populations are hard to reach with prevention interventions because of cultural and logistical barriers to recruitment. Understanding how to overcome these barriers is pertinent to reducing the elevated burden of obesity within these underserved communities. To inform this literature gap, we explore the processes and outcomes of recruitment for Live Well—a randomized controlled obesity prevention intervention targeting new immigrant mothers and children from Brazil, Latin America, and Haiti who were residing in the greater Somerville, MA area. We employed community-based participatory research principles to develop and implement five culturally-adapted recruitment activities (posters and flyers, media announcements, church outreach, participant referrals, and community organization partnerships) and tracked enrollment for the total and stratified samples of 406 dyads (37% Brazilian, 29% Latino, 33% Haitian). We describe how strategic partnerships were built and sustained within the intervention community, and detail the key adjustments that contributed to our success. Ultimately, community organization partnerships and participant referrals enrolled a collective majority of participants (34% and 25%, respectively); however, stratified analyses revealed variation by ethnicity: Haitian immigrants responded best to ethnic-based media announcements (44%), whereas Latino and Brazilian immigrants were most responsive to community organization outreach (45% and 38%, respectively). Implications from our findings enhance the literature on recruiting hard-to-reach communities into prevention research: some less integrated communities may respond more to grassroots activities with direct engagement, whereas communities with more social capital may be more responsive to top-down, community-wide collaborations. Furthermore, we suggest that strategic and trusting partnerships are key facilitators of recruitment, and future researchers must understand communities’ culture and social networks when building relationships. Our analyses provide rare insight into best practices to overcome specific cultural barriers to recruitment which future investigators can use to better reach underserved communities with prevention research.
The Effect of Service Cost, Quality, and Location on the Length of Online Reviews

The use of costly sanctioning by individuals has been found to enhance cooperation and pro-social behavior, especially when a centralized system of authority is either non-existent or unable to sanction anti-social behavior. Online review systems have offered a centralized location for decentralized social control: individuals who are unhappy with a service provided can offer negative feedback, harming the reputation of the service provider. The cost of services provided and the quality of service received may determine the level of motivation individuals have to compose a detailed online review. Furthermore, differences between markets and cultural norms regarding sanctioning behavior may also affect how much effort individuals will spend on online sanctioning. These relationships are tested using a corpus of reviews pulled from an online review system for various home, auto, and medical services.
Important Questions About the Impact of Medical Marijuana on People With Serious Mental Illness

Many people are interested in using marijuana for therapeutic purposes as legalization expands across the country. The impact of marijuana depends upon the consumed potency and dose of its major psychoactive components, tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol, which have very different psychiatric effects. This Open Forum discusses what is known about the impact of these marijuana constituents on people with serious mental illnesses, who may experience many adverse effects and more easily develop addiction with marijuana use. As use of medical marijuana increases, mental health clinicians can help prevent or address adverse effects by informing themselves and others about marijuana's effects and by coordinating with marijuana prescribers.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the Canada warbler (Cardellina canadensis)

AbstractThe Canada warbler (Cardellina canadensis) is a migratory neotropical warbler species of conservation concern. The 16,807 bp genome was sequenced and contains a 1224 bp control region, 37 g...
Computer usage and cognitive capability of older adults: Analysis of data from the Health and Retirement Study

As America’s older population continues to grow, more individuals are experiencing cognitive decline in the United States. At the same time, we live in an age where technology has increasingly beco...
Tree Root Growth and Development. I. Form, Spread, Depth and Periodicity

Abstract Root form is governed by seedling genetics and soil characteristics including texture, compaction, depth to the water table, fertility, moisture content and other factors. Trees develop lateral roots growing parallel to the surface of the soil. These are generally located in the top 30 cm (12 in) of soil. Fine roots emerge from lateral roots and grow into the soil close to the surface. If soil conditions permit, some trees grow tap and other vertically oriented roots capable of penetrating several feet into the soil. Many trees, particularly those planted in urban landscapes, do not generate tap roots. Lateral roots spread to well beyond the edge of the branches. Their growth in governed by competition from other plants, available water, soil temperature, fertility, stage of shoot growth and other factors.
Frequency of Primary Neck Pain in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury/Concussion Patients.

Abstract Objectives To determine (1) the frequency of neck pain overall and relative to other symptoms in patients presenting to a level I trauma center emergency department (ED) with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and (2) the predictors of primary neck pain in this population. Design Cohort study. Setting Level I trauma center ED. Participants Patients presenting to the ED with symptoms of mTBI having been exposed to an event that could have caused mTBI (N=95). Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Frequency of self-reported neck pain as measured by Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 3 (SCAT3) symptom questionnaire at Results The frequency of any reported neck pain was 68.4%, 50.6%, 49%, and 41.9% within 72 hours and at 8, 15, and 45 days, respectively. Frequency of primary neck pain (equal or worse/worse definitions) was 35.8%/17.9%, 34.9%/14.5%, 37%/14.8%, and 39.2%/10.8% across the 4 follow-up assessments. Participants who sustained their injuries in motor vehicle collisions had a higher rate of primary neck pain than those with other mechanisms of injury. Conclusions A sizable percentage of patients who present to level I trauma center EDs with mTBI report neck pain, which is commonly rated as similar to or worse than other mTBI-related symptoms. Primary neck pain is more common after motor vehicle collisions than with other mechanisms of injury. These findings support consensus statements identifying cervical injury as an important potential concurrent diagnosis in patients with mTBI.
The efficacy of DNA MMR enzyme immunohistochemistry as a screening test for hypermutated gliomas

ABSTRACT A subset of gliomas has DNA repair defects that lead to hypermutated genomes. While such tumors are resistant to alkylating chemotherapies, they may also express more mutant neoantigens on their cell surfaces, and thus be more responsive to immunotherapies. A fast, inexpensive method of screening for hypermutated gliomas would therefore be of great clinical value. Since immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins Msh2, Msh6, Mlh1, and Pms2 is already used to screen for hypermutated colorectal cancers, we sought to determine whether that panel might have similar utility in gliomas. MMR IHC was scored in 100 WHO grade I-IV gliomas with known tumor mutation burdens (TMB), while blinded to TMB data. Eight of 100 cases showed loss of one or more MMR proteins by IHC, and all 8 were hypermutated. Among the remaining 94 gliomas with intact MMR IHC, only one was hypermutated; that tumor had an inactivating mutation in another DNA repair gene, ATM. Overall accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity were 99%, 89%, and 100%, respectively. The strongest correlates with hypermutation were prior TMZ treatment, MGMT promoter methylation, and IDH1 mutation. Among MMR-deficient hypermutated gliomas, 50% contained both MMR-lost and MMR-retained tumor cells. Together, these data suggest that MMR IHC could be a viable front-line screening test for gliomas in which immunotherapy is being considered. They also suggest that not all cells in a hypermutated glioma may actually be MMR-deficient, a finding that might need to be considered when treating such tumors with immunotherapies.
Compound effects of water clarity, inflow, wind and climate warming on mountain lake thermal regimes

Many studies have examined the effects of climate warming on lake stability, but few have addressed environmental changes concomitant with climate change, such as alterations in water clarity and lake inflow. Although air temperature rise is a predominant factor linked to lake thermal characteristics, climate-driven changes at watershed scales can substantially alter lake clarity and inflow, exacerbating the effects of future air warming on lake thermal conditions. Without accounting for potential changes in clarity and inflow, future thermal predictions could be inaccurate. We employed the General Lake Model to simulate future thermal conditions (relative thermal resistance to mixing; RTRM) of small (< 12 ha) mountain lakes of the western United States by calibrating the model to a set of lakes in the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA. We found that after air temperature, alterations in inflow had the largest effect on lake thermal conditions, changes in wind had the least effect, and larger lakes experienced more than double the increase in lake stability than smaller lakes. Generally, clear, high inflow lakes had the lowest stability now, and in the future, while the largest overall increase in thermal stability occurred in larger lakes with low inflows and high turbidity. Assuming air temperature rise alone, summer stability of mountain lakes of the western United States was predicted to increase by 15–23% at + 2 °C air temperatures, and by 39–62% at + 5 °C air temperatures. When accounting for associated changes in clarity and inflow, lake stability was predicted to increase by 208% with + 2 °C air warming and 318% with at 5 °C air warming. Thus, ignoring the multivariate effects of climate change can substantially underestimate changes to mountain lake thermal and stratification regimes. Dimictic lakes may become more strongly stratified and polymictic lakes will experience more prolonged stratification. While predicted changes to lake temperatures may not be harmful to trout species that currently inhabit mountain lakes, longer and more intense stratification could cause indirect effects, such as hypoxia, that could reduce growth and survival of these organisms.
An in vitro platform for engineering and harnessing modular polyketide synthases

To harness the synthetic power of modular polyketide synthases (PKSs), many aspects of their biochemistry must be elucidated. A robust platform to study these megadalton assembly lines has not yet been described. Here, we in vitro reconstitute the venemycin PKS, a short assembly line that generates an aromatic product. Incubating its polypeptides, VemG and VemH, with 3,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, ATP, malonate, coenzyme A, and the malonyl-CoA ligase MatB, venemycin production can be monitored by HPLC and NMR. Multi-milligram quantities of venemycin are isolable from dialysis-based reactors without chromatography, and the enzymes can be recycled. Assembly line engineering is performed using pikromycin modules, with synthases designed using the updated module boundaries outperforming those using the traditional module boundaries by over an order of magnitude. Using combinations of VemG, VemH, and their engineered derivatives, as well as the alternate starter unit 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, a combinatorial library of six polyketide products is readily accessed.
Experimenter- and Infrared Thermography-Derived Measures of Capsaicin-Induced Neurogenic Flare Among Non-Hispanic White and Black Adults.

Objective Capsaicin is a widely utilized experimental pain stimulus; however, few studies have reported on ethnic differences in pain responses to capsaicin. The present study used infrared thermography to 1) measure differences in capsaicin-induced neurogenic flare between non-Hispanic black (NHB) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) adults and 2) determine the association between neurogenic flare and secondary hyperalgesia. Methods Fifty-four participants (NHB N = 28) underwent heat/capsaicin sensitization model procedures. Neurogenic flare was examined using experimenter (i.e., subjective) and thermography (i.e., objective) measurements. A typically nonpainful mechanical punctate probe was used to measure secondary hyperalgesia. Results Ethnic groups did not significantly differ in age, sex, marital status, or personal income. Although experimenters rated a significantly wider area of capsaicin-related neurogenic flare among NHW compared with NHB participants (F1, 52 = 8.33, P = 0.006), thermography results showed no differences between groups in neurogenic flares (F1, 52 = 0.01, P = 0.93). Further, although NHB individuals reported greater average pain during the capsaicin procedures compared with NHW individuals (NHB = 58.57 [3.67], NHW = 46.46 [3.81]; F2, 51 = 5.19, P = 0.03), the groups did not differ in secondary hyperalgesia (F2, 51 = 0.03, P = 0.86), and ethnicity did not moderate the association between neurogenic flare and secondary hyperalgesia (F3, 50 = 0.24, P = 0.87). Conclusions Findings cautiously support the use of infrared thermography over subjective experimenter report when measuring neurogenic inflammation in diverse samples. However, infrared thermography should not be used as a diagnostic tool for pain, given the lack of association between these factors. Future research is warranted to replicate these findings in a larger and more diverse sample to determine accurate neurogenic inflammation measures across other ethnic minority populations.
Site-specific radioiodination of an anti-HER2 single domain antibody fragment with a residualizing prosthetic agent.

Abstract Introduction As a consequence of their small size, high stability and high affinity, single domain antibody fragments (sdAbs) are appealing targeting vectors for radiopharmaceutical development. With sdAbs binding to internalizing receptors like HER2, residualizing prosthetic agents can enhance tumor retention of radioiodine, which until now has been done with random labeling approaches. Herein we evaluate a site-specific strategy utilizing a radioiodinated, residualizing maleimido moiety and the anti-HER2 sdAb 5F7 bearing a GGC tail for conjugation. Methods Maleimidoethyl 3-(guanidinomethyl)-5-iodobenzoate ([131I]MEGMB) and its N-succinimidyl ester analogue, iso-[125I]SGMIB, were labeled by halodestannylation and conjugated with 5F7GGC and 5F7, respectively. Radiochemical purity, immunoreactivity and binding affinity were determined. Paired-label experiments directly compared iso-[125I]SGMIB-5F7 and [131I]MEGMIB-5F7GGC with regard to internalization/residualization and affinity on HER2-expressing SKOV-3 ovarian carcinoma cells as well as biodistribution and metabolite distribution in athymic mice with subcutaneous SKOV-3 xenografts. Results [131I]MEGMIB-5F7GGC had an immunoreactivity of 81.3% and Kd = 0.94 ± 0.27 nM. Internalization assays demonstrated high intracellular trapping for both conjugates, For example, at 1 h, intracellular retention was 50.30 ± 3.36% for [131I]MEGMIB-5F7GGC and 55.95 ± 3.27% for iso-[125I]SGMIB-5F7, while higher retention was seen for iso-[125I]SGMIB-5F7 at later time points. Peak tumor uptake was similar for both conjugates (8.35 ± 2.66%ID/g and 8.43 ± 2.84%ID/g for iso-[125I]SGMIB-5F7 and [131I]MEGMIB-5F7GGC at 1 h, respectively); however, more rapid normal tissue clearance was seen for [131I]MEGMIB-5F7GGC, with a 2-fold higher tumor-to-kidney ratio and a 3-fold higher tumor-to-liver ratio compared with co-injected iso-[125I]SGMIB-5F7. Consisted with this, generation of labeled catabolites in the kidneys was higher for [131I]MEGMIB-5F7GGC. Conclusion [131I]MEGMIB-5F7GGC offers similar tumor targeting as iso-[125I]SGMIB-5F7 but with generally lower normal tissue uptake. Advances in knowledge and implication for patient care The site specific nature of the [131I]MEGMIB reagent may facilitate clinical translation, particularly for sdAb with compromised affinity after random labeling.
Oxidative stress in aging: stayin’ alive?

There is still ongoing controversy about the oxidative stress theory of aging, particularly in mammals, after a significant number of studies have been conducted to test this theory. Results generated from the studies strongly indicate that accumulation of oxidative damage alone does not play a significant role as an underlying mechanism of aging, which calls into question that significant modifications to the theory are required to understand the relationship between oxidative stress and aging. To examine the exact role of oxidative stress in aging and age-related diseases, our laboratory has been conducting studies with unique animal models: 1) mice overexpressing or down-regulating thioredoxin (Trx) in the cytosol (Trx1) or in mitochondria (Trx2); and 2) rats overexpressing Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD). Results generated from these studies strongly indicate that: 1) changes in oxidative stress and redox state could play more important roles in age-related pathological changes, e.g., cancer and metabolic disorders; 2) redox regulation of signaling pathways could play more important roles in aging than accumulation of oxidative damages; 3) the potential benefit of changes in oxidative stress and redox state could be organ/tissue specific; 4) the roles of oxidative stress could vary in different stages of life (i.e., young versus old); and 5) synergetic effects of changes in oxidative stress in multiple cellular compartments may be required to have a significant impact on aging. Therefore, the studies with more careful approach would uncover the exact roles and pathophysiological consequences of oxidative stress during aging. Keywords: Oxidative stress, aging, age-related diseases, cancer, obesity, healthspan
Prolactin makes rodent dads care for their rug rats

![Graphic][1] Most mammals relegate all parental duties to mom. However, some mammal dads, such as common house mice ( Mus musculus ), do share caregiving duties. Male mice normally bully unrelated babies, but soon after they sire their own offspring, they pitch in with caretaking. In
Machine learning strategies for high-entropy alloys

The study of high-entropy (HE) alloys has seen dramatic growth in recent years as, in some cases, these systems can exhibit exceptional properties, including enhanced oxidation resistance, superior mechanical properties, and desirable magnetic properties. The identification of promising HE alloys is, however, extremely challenging due to the extraordinarily large number of distinct systems that may be fabricated from the available palette of elements. For this reason, machine learning strategies have been employed to reduce the size of the associated chemistry/composition space. In this review, we outline several computational strategies that have led to the identification of useful alloys and discuss the relative merits and shortcomings of these approaches. We also present short tutorials illustrating the use of selected computational approaches to HE characterization and design.
Nuclear-electronic orbital Ehrenfest dynamics.

The recently developed real-time nuclear–electronic orbital (RT-NEO) approach provides an elegant framework for treating electrons and selected nuclei, typically protons, quantum mechanically in nonequilibrium dynamical processes. However, the RT-NEO approach neglects the motion of the other nuclei, preventing a complete description of the coupled nuclear–electronic dynamics and spectroscopy. In this work, the dynamical interactions between the other nuclei and the electron–proton subsystem are described with the mixed quantum–classical Ehrenfest dynamics method. The NEO-Ehrenfest approach propagates the electrons and quantum protons in a time-dependent variational framework, while the remaining nuclei move classically on the corresponding average electron–proton vibronic surface. This approach includes the non-Born–Oppenheimer effects between the electrons and the quantum protons with RT-NEO and between the classical nuclei and the electron–proton subsystem with Ehrenfest dynamics. Spectral features for vibrational modes involving both quantum and classical nuclei are resolved from the time-dependent dipole moments. This work shows that the NEO-Ehrenfest method is a powerful tool to study dynamical processes with coupled electronic and nuclear degrees of freedom.
How Fast Can a Li-Ion Battery Be Charged? Determination of Limiting Fast Charging Conditions

Fast-charge protocols that prevent lithium plating are needed to extend the life span of lithium-ion batteries. Here, we describe a simple experimental method to estimate the minimum charging time ...
Abstract MP21: Mobile Interventional Stroke Teams Lead to Improved Outcomes in the Early Time Window for LVO Stroke

Introduction: Endovascular therapy (EVT) for large vessel occlusion (LVO) stroke is time-sensitive. At Mount Sinai Health System, we developed a novel Mobile Interventional Stroke Team (MIST) that ...
Is China Imperialist? Economy, State, and Insertion in the Global System:

According to Marxist theory, imperialism is not a policy pursued by certain states, but rather a structural relation emerging from the dynamics of some modes of production. In the capitalist era th...