cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Efficient conversion of lignin into a water-soluble polymer by a chelator-mediated Fenton reaction: optimization of H2O2 use and performance as a dispersant

Room temperature Fenton (FEN) and chelator-mediated Fenton (CMF) reactions were examined for transforming lignin into a water-soluble polymer. Compared to depolymerization of lignin, this has the advantage of potentially yielding a product directly without requiring further upgrading. With the goal of optimizing the use of the expensive reagent H2O2, initial studies were performed with lignin from an organsolv process (OS) in thin films with a multi-well format that allows simultaneous assay of 76 reaction conditions. The results showed that H2O2 is more efficiently used in CMF compared with FEN, and that the greatest amount of lignin solubilized per mass of H2O2 consumed occurs at low initial concentrations of H2O2 (<1%). Further optimization of reaction conditions was performed with OS lignin in powder form. Results obtained upon optimizing reactant concentrations, pH and Fe-chelator, and with O2 bubbling indicate that a yield of 1 g lignin solubilized per g of H2O2 consumed is achievable. Chemical and molecular weight analyses showed that the reaction results in extensive opening of the aromatic rings and generation of acid groups, yielding a water-soluble polymer with molecular weight distribution that is comparable to that of the starting material but with a small amount of low MW species. Similar yields and extents of ring opening resulted for three other distinctly different lignins. The effectiveness of the OS lignin-derived polymeric material in dispersing alumina particles was studied by zeta potential, light scattering, and Turbiscan stability measurements. These measurements showed that the lignin-derived material performs comparably to poly(acrylic acid) PAA of similar molecular weight. Considering that the selling price for bulk PAA is greater than twice that of H2O2 on a per mass basis, this approach holds promise for generating value from lignin.
Effect of Combined Adsorption and Absorption in Migration of Soil Contaminants

Abstract Four different mathematical models based on chromatographic systems are proposed to describe the convection, dispersion, and mass transfer in soil voids with water films covering the surfaces of soil aggregates. Absorption in the water films and adsorption at the liquid-solid interface are included. Retention time and concentration band variance (first and second moments) are compared for (1) capillary tubes with inner surface covered with a uniform-thickness water film, (2) beds of solid spheres covered with a uniform-thickness water film, (3) porous spherical aggregates with intra-particle pores covered with a uniform-thickness water film, (4) porous spherical aggregates with intraparticle pores completely filled with water.
A voxel-based remeshing framework for the simulation of arbitrary three-dimensional crack growth in heterogeneous materials

Abstract A framework for the simulation of fully arbitrary three-dimensional crack growth in heterogeneous materials is proposed. The framework relies on iteratively updating a voxel-based representation of a heterogeneous material and crack surface. The voxel-based framework operates by generating a conformal surface mesh from the voxel-based representation, optionally smoothing the surface mesh to mitigate stair-stepped boundaries, creating a volume mesh from the surface mesh, and duplicating (thus, releasing) nodes upon the predicted crack surface. The voxel-based framework is highly robust and flexible, which is substantiated by three proof-of-concept simulations demonstrating: (1) intergranular and transgranular crack growth, (2) flexibility in crack-growth criterion and constitutive model, (3) realistically complex crack surfaces, and (4) the interaction of multiple cracks (e.g. coalescing cracks). The method proposed offers a relatively simple and direct way to simulate crack-growth in heterogeneous materials, where the trade-off is that the accuracy of the mesh is bounded by the user-specified voxel resolution.
Probabilistic seismic and tsunami damage analysis (PSTDA) of the Cascadia Subduction Zone applied to Seaside, Oregon

Abstract This study presents a probabilistic seismic and tsunami damage analysis (PSTDA) due to both earthquake shaking and tsunami inundation from tsunamigenic earthquake events at a coastal community. In particular, this study evaluates the annual exceedance probability (AEP) of seismic and tsunami hazards through earthquake and tsunami modeling that share the same fault sources. Then, estimates of earthquake and tsunami impact on the built environment utilizing fragility functions is predicted spatially. The PSTDA evaluates the combined impacts of earthquake and tsunami through a stochastic approach that accounts for the accumulated damage due to seismic shaking and subsequent tsunami inundation. A case study is setup and applied to Seaside, Oregon, for tsunamigenic earthquake events originating from the Cascadia Subduction Zone (CSZ) in order to illustrate the application of the PSTDA evaluation framework. The PSTDA integrates as a step within a resilience-focused risk-informed decision making process, which includes the assessment of direct and indirect socio-economic losses due to tsunamigenic earthquake events.
Latent Class Analysis of Barriers to Care Among Emergency Department Patients.

Author(s): Abar, Beau; Holub, Ashley; Hong, Steven; Aaserude, Eric; DeRienzo, Vincent | Abstract: Introduction: Emergency department (ED) patients experience a variety of barriers to care that can lead to unnecessary or repeated visits. By identifying the patterns of barriers experienced by subsets of the ED patient population, future researchers might effectively design interventions to circumvent these barriers and improve care. This study sought to identify classes of individuals with regard to perceived barriers to care. Methods: Over a 10-week period, two medical students distributed surveys to eligible patients ≥18 years who presented to the ED. After consent, patients provided demographics data and rated their perceived access to care on nine specific items (scored 1-5). We used latent class analysis (LCA), a parametric clustering method, to determine patient groups. Demographic characteristics were then compared across classes.Results: We enrolled a total of 637 patients. Results of the LCA indicated that a six-class solution fit best: 1) low barriers (60%); 2) “work responsibility” barriers (13%); 3) economic-related barriers (10%); 4) “appointment difficulty” barriers (8%); 5) “illness and care responsibilities” barriers (6%); and 6) diverse barriers (2%). Patients in the low-barriers class were the oldest across classes (pl.001). Individuals in the low-barriers class were also more likely to be White (p=.015) and have private insurance (pl.001) than those in the “appointment difficulty,” “illness and care responsibilities,” and diverse barriers classes. Conclusion: LCA suggests there are six distinct classes of patients with regard to perceived access to care. These classes may be used as a potential starting point in designing targeted interventions for ED patients to improve continuity of care.
Preoperative Frailty Evaluation: A Promising Risk-stratification Tool in Older Adults Undergoing General Surgery.

Abstract Purpose General surgical procedures are among the most commonly performed operations in the United States. Despite advances in surgical and anesthetic techniques and perioperative care, complications after general surgery in older adults remain a significant cause of increased morbidity, mortality, and health care costs. Frailty, a geriatric syndrome characterized by multisystem physiologic decline and increased vulnerability to stressors and adverse clinical outcomes, has emerged as a plausible predictor of adverse outcomes after surgery in older patients. Thus, the goal of this topical review is to evaluate the evidence on the association between preoperative frailty and clinical outcomes after general surgery and whether frailty evaluation may have a role in surgical risk-stratification in vulnerable older patients. Methods A PubMed database search was conducted between September and October 2018 to identify relevant studies evaluating the association between frailty and clinical outcomes after general surgery. Key words (frailty and surgery) and Medical Subject Heading term (general surgery) were used, and specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Findings The available evidence from meta-analyses and cohort studies suggest that preoperative frailty is significantly associated with adverse clinical outcomes after emergent or nonemergent general surgery in older patients. Although these studies are limited by a high degree of heterogeneity of frailty assessments, types of surgery, and primary outcomes, baseline frailty appears to increase risk of postoperative complications and morbidity, hospital length of stay, 30-day mortality, and long-term mortality after general surgical procedures in older adults. Implications Evidence supports the further development of preoperative frailty evaluation as a risk-stratification tool in older adults undergoing general surgery. Research is urgently needed to quantify and differentiate the predictive ability of validated frailty instruments in the context of different general surgical procedures and medical acuity and in conjunction with existing surgical risk indices widely used in clinical practice. Practical applicability of frailty instrument as well as geriatrics-centered outcomes need to be incorporated in future studies in this line of research. Furthermore, clinical care pathways that integrate frailty assessment, geriatric medicine focused perioperative and postoperative management, and patient-centered interdisciplinary care models should be investigated as a comprehensive intervention approach in older adults undergoing general surgery. Finally, early implementation of palliative care should occur at the outset of hospital encounter in frail older patients who present with indications for emergent general surgery.
On preferential debonding during demolding of a sandwiched elastomeric layer

Abstract Separation of an elastomeric layer sandwiched between two flexible molds is a common processing step in the fabrication of soft articles such as ophthalmic lenses. The demolding process is typically engineered for the interfacial separation to preferentially occur at a desired interface by applying displacements at suitably selected locations. This study addresses the potential to predispose debonding along the desired interface by exploring roles of (i) the relative flexibilities of the two molds, (ii) differential preheating of the two molds and the interlayer, and (iii) the interlayer curvature. These objectives are accomplished by numerically analyzing the axisymmetric deformations of an elastomeric layer of uniform thickness sandwiched between the flexible molds, the flanges of which are pried apart by applying displacements along the axis of symmetry. The debonding at each interface between the molds and the interlayer is modeled by using a bilinear traction-separation (TS) relation. It is found that (i) debonding initiates preferentially from the edge of the interface between the elastomer and the mold of lower bending rigidity; (ii) preferential debonding can be engineered by differentially preheating the assembly; (iii) edge debonding is inherently biased to the interface with the smaller radius (inner) mold interface, and (iv) the occurrence of the preferential edge debonding at an interface can be attributed to a bias in the opening shear towards that interface. However, when the overall confinement of the system is large enough as dictated by the flexural rigidities of the molds for an elastomeric layer of given modulus and thickness, debonding may nucleate internally and complicate the progression of the separation process. Internal debonding may also occur when the temperature differential between the two molds is large enough at a given absolute level of temperature increment. Sensitivities of the predicted debonding mechanisms to prescribed biases in the TS parameters are assessed. These results could prove useful in design of demolding processes to achieve desired separation characteristics.
Lifetime Trauma and Cardiometabolic Risk in Sexual Minority Women.

Abstract Background: Sexual minority women (SMW; such as lesbian, bisexual, and mostly lesbian) exhibit excess cardiometabolic risk, yet factors that contribute to cardiometabolic risk in this popu...
Spatial patterns in soil water fluxes along a forest-marsh transect in the southeastern United States

Time series of water levels in piezometer nests along a forest-marsh transect near North Inlet, SC, show fluctuations that are attributable to recharge by precipitation and tidal flooding and to removal by evapotranspiration (ET) and seepage out of the soil. Volumes of water associated with these water level changes were estimated by correlating rain-induced water level increases with measured rainfalls. In the forest the ratio of water table rise to rainfall is about 10. This ratio increases with decreasing elevation to about 40 in the mid marsh where the antecedent soil moisture is generally higher. The relative influence of removal by ET and seepage and recharge by rain and tides varies systematically along the transect. In the mainland forest, loss of water by ET is somewhat less than infiltration, leading to a net recharge of fresh water which eventually discharges in the adjacent mid marsh. With decreasing elevation, the relative importance of recharge by rain decreases as recharge by tidal flooding increases. In the low marsh, however, these mechanisms of loss and recharge can not be discerned in the water level time series because the water table rarely, if ever, drops below the marsh surface.
Prevalence, incidence, and characteristics of dysphagia in those with unilateral vocal fold paralysis

Objectives/hypothesis The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of dysphagia definition on the incidence and overall prevalence of dysphagia in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVP) stratified by etiology. Study design Retrospective medical chart review. Methods Data was collected from the records of individuals diagnosed with UVP from 2013 to 2018, including patient demographics, dysphagia questionnaire total scores, clinical evaluation dysphagia symptoms, and instrumental swallow assessment outcomes. The annual incidence and overall prevalence of dysphagia were calculated by etiology as counts and percentages across five operational definitions of dysphagia. Results A total of 415 individuals met inclusion criteria for the study. Annual prevalence estimates ranged from 19% to 55%, depending on the definition of dysphagia used. The highest prevalence of dysphagia occurred when defined by symptoms or signs identified by the clinician (55%). The lowest prevalence of dysphagia occurred using a definition of abnormal swallowing function documented during instrumental assessment (19%). Dysphagia questionnaire scores were more frequently abnormal in those with iatrogenic than idiopathic etiology of UVP (adjusted P = 0.014). Rate of instrumental assessment and documentation of aspiration was highest for central UVP etiology (33%). On average, pneumonia was rare (6%) irrespective of UVP etiology. Conclusion Up to 55% of patients diagnosed with UVP complained of dysphagia, but only 21% had dysphagia symptoms severe enough to prompt instrumental assessment. Incidence and severity of dysphagia varied depending on UVP etiologic category as well as dysphagia definition. The etiology of UVP may impact dysphagia risk and severity in this population and warrants further investigation. Level of evidence IV Laryngoscope, 130:2397-2404, 2020.
A System Dynamics Model for Construction Safety Behavior

Abstract Construction Industry has always been reputed by its high incident rates and poor safety performance. Construction accidents are, in most cases, resulted from the unsafe behaviors of construction workers on site. The study of workers’ behavior is crucial in order to understand the causation of unsafe behaviors. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to simulate construction safety behavior in order to predict the number of safety incidents and better understand their causation factors. The simulation model illustrates how construction system influences construction labors on site in terms of unsafe behavior. The standard leading indicators of safety performance are first identified from the literature. Afterwards, a system dynamics model is developed to simulate the factors that affect safety behavior of workers on site. Furthermore, cellular automaton is introduced to account for the effect of safety climate/environment on workers’ behavior, and thus, to study construction safety as an emergent behavior. The model involves dependencies among managerial factors as well as environmental conditions and aims to serve as a tool for the simulation of various project and managerial decisions. A hypothetical project case study is used in order to test the model results as well as the dependencies between the dynamic variables.
Understanding Trends in the Concentration of Infant Mortality Among Disadvantaged White and Black Mothers in the United States, 1983-2013: A Decomposition Analysis.

The United States compares unfavorably with other high-income countries in infant mortality, which recent literature has attributed to the poor birth outcomes among disadvantaged (i.e., unmarried and less-educated) mothers. Describing and decomposing the trend of the concentration of infant mortality among disadvantaged mothers thus provides important clues for improving birth outcomes. We develop the infant mortality disadvantage index (IMDI) to measure such concentration. Using the 1983–2013 Birth Cohort Linked Birth and Infant Death data, we show that although the IMDI—as a measure of mortality inequality—was persistently higher for Blacks than Whites, the trends were different between the two groups. The IMDI declined for Black women; for White women, however, it increased in the 1980s, then plateaued until the early 2000s, and declined thereafter. We then use Das Gupta’s decomposition method to assess the contribution of five demographic/social factors (age, education, marriage, fertility, and infant mortality) to the IMDI trend. Nonmarital fertility among women with less than 12 years of education contributed most to Whites’ changing IMDI; for Blacks, a shrinking proportion of the less-educated group and declines in infant mortality among disadvantaged mothers contributed to their declining IMDI. These findings explicate links between population-level compositional changes and infant mortality inequality.
An Automated Wireless Irrigation System by Using Moisture Sensor and DTMF Technology

Irrigation management is one of the most important features of producing a successful harvest, and an automated and wireless control irrigation system is an innovative way to optimize the use of water. The system is based on two kinds of control system; one is wireless control which depends on dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) technology and another is automated control which depends on moisture sensor. The system saves not only water but also energy and labor. If there is a large area of irrigation, it is not effortless and cheap to irrigate the field traditionally. The irrigation system is much easier for using this proposed automation technology in agriculture. Moreover, the device is cost-friendly for general farmers. The programmed microcontroller Arduino UNO controls the water pump consequent to the output of the soil moisture sensor and DTMF decoder.
The Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale predicts overall survival after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

To evaluate the impact of psychosocial risks on post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) outcomes, we prospectively conducted psychosocial assessment of 556 consecutive allogeneic HSCT patients who received their first allogeneic transplant at our center between 2003 and 2017. The Transplant Evaluation Rating Scale (TERS) score was prospectively assessed by a psychologist before transplantation, and patients were categorized as low, intermediate, or high risk based on their TERS score. Patients in the high-risk TERS group had significantly longer hospital stays during the first 180 days and 1 year post-allogeneic HSCT compared with the low-risk group (16 vs 13 and 21 vs 16 days; P = .05 and .02, respectively). The survival estimates for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk TERS groups at 3 year were as follows: overall survival (OS), 73%, 60%, and 65%; disease-free survival (DFS), 63%, 55%, and 60%; nonrelapse mortality (NRM), 11%, 20%, and 17%; and relapse, 26%, 25%, and 23%, respectively. In a multivariable analysis, intermediate- and high-risk TERS scores predicted for inferior OS, similar DFS, and higher NRM compared with low-risk TERS score. In a subset analysis of patients with low/intermediate risk per Disease Risk Index, multivariable analysis showed that high- and intermediate-risk TERS scores predicted for significantly worse OS, worse DFS, higher NRM, and similar relapse rates compared with low-risk TERS score. Our findings show that psychosocial factors as measured by TERS score are strong predictors of morbidity and mortality after HSCT among patients with low/intermediate disease risk.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency contributes to metabolic abnormality and pulmonary hypertension

We have previously reported that several patients with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (PH) had different types of G6PD deficiency. However, the role of G6PD in PH is multifactorial because G6PD ...
International Implications of Sarbanes-Oxley: Raising the Rent on US Law

The spectacular crashes and frauds of Enron and other US companies triggered a legislative response in the US in the form of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (“Sarbanes-Oxley”). This Act is likely to have unintended effects not only in the US, but also in international securities markets in which the US is a dominant player. Sarbanes-Oxley reflects a potential shift in the philosophy underlying the US securities laws from disclosure to substantive regulation of corporate governance. This shift could deter foreign firms from listing in the US, or otherwise becoming subject to US law. This is significant because some foreign firms in effect “rent” US law in order to overcome deficiencies in their home country law. By raising this rent, Sarbanes-Oxley may reduce the demand for US law, blocking non-US firms from moving toward more efficient governance, and impeding the internationalisation of securities markets and laws. Alternatively, the SEC and perhaps Congress may forestall such flight by subjecting foreign...
Crisis Couture: A Study on Motivations and Practices of Mask Makers During A Crisis

The landscape of everyday fashion has been transformed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Part of this can be attributed to different types of communities (e.g. fashion, makers, sewing), who have designed and fabricated masks to counter global shortages and negative culture backlashes. In this paper, we present a mix-methods study of individuals and groups within these communities on their motivations and practices in designing and creating face masks during a global crisis. We conducted a survey with 66 mask makers in the Summer of 2020, and we interviewed 23 of them about their attitudes and reflections on their mask making processes, their unique innovations, and the meaning of contributing in an impactful manner in local and global communities. We unpack themes around technology, self-expression and statement making, making and remixing, sustainable practices, as well as the role of design inspirations on methods and practices for mask makers during a crisis.
First-Principles Search for Alloying Elements that Increase Corrosion Resistance of Mg with Transition Metal Impurities

A significant challenge for applications of Mg alloys is their poor corrosion resistance and hence Mg alloys designs with built-in corrosion resistance are of significant interest. Corrosion can result from the coupling of anodic dissolution of Mg and cathodic reduction of water on impurities such as Iron (Fe)-rich precipitates. Experiments have shown that small quantities of Arsenic (As) or Germanium (Ge) can inhibit Mg corrosion, possibly slowing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as the cathodic reaction on Fe surfaces. Since a broader experimental search across the periodic table for other Mg corrosion inhibiting elements is unavailable, we designed thermodynamic and HER criteria, and used high-throughput computations to search a pool of 68 elements including As and Ge. Our computational procedure predicts that six p-block elements meet these criteria, and they rank according to their ability to reduce H adsorption energies and the HER rate as follows: As > Ge > Si > Ga > P ≈ Al. Results for As, the most effective corrosion-inhibiting element, and Ge are in qualitative accord with recent experiments. While none of the 68 elements was found to enhance H adsorption, the six p-block elements reduce H adsorption via strong orbital overlap (Pauli repulsion) between their outer-shell orbitals and the s orbitals of H adsorbates. These p-block elements are also found to have the potential to reduce HER on Ni precipitates according to the same criteria, but not on Cu precipitates.
Functionally distinct roles for eEF2K in the control of ribosome availability and p-body abundance.

Processing bodies (p-bodies) are a prototypical phase-separated RNA-containing granule. Their abundance is highly dynamic and has been linked to translation. Yet, the molecular mechanisms responsible for coordinate control of the two processes are unclear. Here, we uncover key roles for eEF2 kinase (eEF2K) in the control of ribosome availability and p-body abundance. eEF2K acts on a sole known substrate, eEF2, to inhibit translation. We find that the eEF2K agonist nelfinavir abolishes p-bodies in sensory neurons and impairs translation. To probe the latter, we used cryo-electron microscopy. Nelfinavir stabilizes vacant 80S ribosomes. They contain SERBP1 in place of mRNA and eEF2 in the acceptor site. Phosphorylated eEF2 associates with inactive ribosomes that resist splitting in vitro. Collectively, the data suggest that eEF2K defines a population of inactive ribosomes resistant to recycling and protected from degradation. Thus, eEF2K activity is central to both p-body abundance and ribosome availability in sensory neurons. Processing bodies are phase separated compartments enriched in translationally repressed mRNAs. Here, Smith et al. show that, in sensory neurons, eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) plays key roles in the regulation of processing body abundance and the formation of translationally inactive ribosomes.
Status of the Drinking Water Standards Program in the United States

The 1996 Amendments to the Safe Drinking Water Act permit standards to be set on a risk management basis. They are driven by: sound peer reviewed science; availability of adequate data and information; prioritized rule making based on risk; increased stakeholder involvement and regulatory negotiations; cost-benefit analysis; better clarity; timely guidance as to provisions of the standards; and implementation assistance though training and guidance materials. The priority rulemaking activities include: standards for harmful microbiological contaminants, disinfectants and disinfectant byproducts; a ground water rule to protect ground water systems from microbiological pathogens; and standards for radon, radionuclides, and arsenic. Additionally, a contaminant candidate list (CCL) must be published every five years to identify potential substances for subsequent regulation. From the CCL, at least five candidates must be identified to consider for regulation within a five year period. A maximum of thirty contaminants for monitoring by water systems must be published by 1999 and every five years thereafter. Monitoring information derived serves as a basis for future standard setting activities. Drinking water standards are set based on health effects and occurrence information through a two step process. First USEPA establishes a non-enforceable maximum contaminant level goal (MCLG) which is the maximum permissible level of a contaminant where no adverse health effects occur. Once the MCLG is established, a maximum contaminant level (MCL) is promulgated as close to the MCLG as feasible.
To manage change, manage the big picture

Purpose – This paper aims to emphasize that the best way to implement change is not to micro‐manage but rather focus on a bigger picture.Design/methodology/approach – The paper explains the importance of change, considers the best ways of achieving it, and looks at its implementation at document company Xerox.Findings – The paper describes how managers typically spend 90 percent of their time making rules, regulations and procedures, when it would be better if they spent 90 percent of their time keeping people focused.Practical implications – The paper stresses the need to keep it simple and remember that there is no way to control every detail or accurately to predict the future. It argues that, if managers make a constant effort to teach the big picture, there will be less risk of change going badly.Social implications – The paper highlights ways of improving the chances of achieving successful change in any organization, and so has wide application across society.Originality/value – The paper puts forw...
A small-molecule furin inhibitor inhibits cancer cell motility and invasiveness

Furin, a member the proprotein convertase (PC) family, processes inactive precursor proteins to functional proteins within the Golgi/trans-Golgi network secretory pathway. Furin and other PC family members (furin/PCs) activate proteins vital to proper physiological functioning, including growth factors and hormones, receptors, plasma proteins, and matrix metalloproteases (MMPs). Additionally, the expression and activity of furin/PC are necessary for processing substrates important for cell transformation and tumor progression, metastasis, and angiogenesis. Furin processing of the remodeling protease membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) enhances cellular motility and invasiveness, contributing to aggression and metastatic potential cancer cells. Whereas overexpression and activity of furin/PC exacerbate the cancer phenotype, inhibition of its activity decreases or nullifies furin/PC-mediated effects, and thus, inhibition of furin may be a viable route to cancer therapy. Recently, we identified a small-molecule inhibitor of furin, named B3, by high-throughput screening with a Ki and IC50 of 12µM. Here, we show that this cell-permeable, small-molecule compound inhibits furin-mediated cleavage of proMT1-MMP, resulting in decreased MMP-2 activation and cell motility in CHO cells expressing proMT1-MMP. Additionally, this molecule inhibited proMT1-MMP processing, complete MMP-2 maturation, and invasiveness of human fibrosarcoma cells (HT1080).
X-ray imaging with collimators, masks and grids

The basic principles of X-ray and gamma-ray imaging for astronomy with non-focusing optics are briefly reviewed. Specific topics include coded masks, and bigrid and multigrid collimators. The advantages and limitations of the various design options are discussed and illustrated with representative examples.
Dynamic self-guiding analysis of Alzheimer's disease.

// Alexei Kurakin 1 and Dale E. Bredesen 1,2 1 Mary S. Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Department of Neurology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA 2 Buck Institute for Research on Aging, Novato, CA, USA Correspondence to: Alexei Kurakin, email: // Dale E. Bredesen, email: // Keywords : Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, degeneration, cytoskeletal networks, cell adhesions Received : March 25, 2015 Accepted : April 08, 2015 Published : May 20, 2015 Abstract We applied a self-guiding evolutionary algorithm to initiate the synthesis of the Alzheimer’s disease-related data and literature. A protein interaction network associated with amyloid-beta precursor protein (APP) and a seed model that treats Alzheimer’s disease as progressive dysregulation of APP-associated signaling were used as dynamic “guides” and structural “filters” in the recursive search, analysis, and assimilation of data to drive the evolution of the seed model in size, detail, and complexity. Analysis of data and literature across sub-disciplines and system-scale discovery platforms suggests a key role of dynamic cytoskeletal connectivity in the stability, plasticity, and performance of multicellular networks and architectures. Chronic impairment and/or dysregulation of cell adhesions/synapses, cytoskeletal networks, and/or reversible epithelial-to-mesenchymal-like transitions, which enable and mediate the stable and coherent yet dynamic and reconfigurable multicellular architectures, may lead to the emergence and persistence of the disordered, wound-like pockets/microenvironments of chronically disconnected cells. Such wound-like microenvironments support and are supported by pro-inflammatory, pro-secretion, de-differentiated cellular phenotypes with altered metabolism and signaling. The co-evolution of wound-like microenvironments and their inhabitants may lead to the selection and stabilization of degenerated cellular phenotypes, via acquisition of epigenetic modifications and mutations, which eventually result in degenerative disorders such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Minority disparities in disability between Medicare beneficiaries.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) strategic plan addressing health disparities (fiscal years 2000–2006)1 defines health disparities as “a difference in the incidence, prevalence, mortality, and burden of disease and other adverse health conditions that exist among specific population groups in the United States.” Considerable evidence exists demonstrating the prevalence of racial disparities in health and disability. Studies have substantiated a higher prevalence of disability in blacks than in non-Hispanic whites2–6 and in Hispanics than in whites.7–9 For these reasons, Healthy People 2010 lists the elimination of racial disparities in health as a top priority.10 Achieving this goal requires longitudinal monitoring of health and disability status in subgroups of the population based on age, sex, race, and socioeconomic status.5 A number of studies have reported improvements in age-specific disability over the past 20 years.4,11–14 Several authors have reported a reduction in disability disparities between racial groups,4,13,15 whereas others did not find such a reduction.2,5,16–18 One study4 examined prevalence in chronic disability in activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) in black and white adults aged 65 and older (years 1982–1999) and reported that disability prevalence was declining over time, with faster declines in blacks than in whites. Another study5 followed 6,158 non-Hispanic blacks and whites (aged ≥65) for approximately 6 years (study duration: 1993–2002) and found no clear evidence that there was a decrease in disability disparities between blacks and whites as the cohort aged. These researchers primarily compared racial disparities between blacks, Hispanics, or both and whites. Thus, gaps exist in understanding of racial and ethnic disparities in health and disability because of limited research examining disability between various racial and ethnic groups in a single study. The purpose of this study was to examine racial and ethnic disparities in mobility limitation, ADLs, and IADLs in older adults enrolled in Medicare from 1992 to 2004 by addressing the following questions: Have self-reported disability-related outcomes changed over time, and is the pattern of change consistent across racial and ethnic groups? Do self-reported disability-related outcomes measured longitudinally in Medicare beneficiaries vary according to race or ethnicity after adjusting for age, sex, living status, and socioeconomic status?
Intelligent Image Databases: Towards Advanced Image Retrieval

List of Figures. Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Survey of Contemporary Content-Based Image Retrieval Systems. 3. Indexing Structures for Image Databases. 4. Building an Advanced Region-Based Image Retrieval System (ARBIRS). 5. The Texture Detection Subsystem. 6. The Region-Based Subsystem. 7. The Histogram-Based Subsystem. 8. The Database Query Subsystem. 9. Experimental Evaluations and Discussions. References. Index.
Studies on the mechanism of serotypic transformation in Paramecium aurelia: II. The effects of actinomycin D, puromycin, and chloramphenicol on transformations induced by patulin, acetamide, and antiserum

Abstract The effects of actinomycin D, puromycin, and chloramphenicol on four more induced antigenic transformations in Paramecium aurelia , all in stock 51, syngen 4, have been studied: that of D to B induced by patulin, those of D and of B to E induced by acetamide, and that of B to D induced by homologous antiserum. The results of these experiments extend and confirm those reported in our first study on the effects of the same antibiotics on the antiserum-induced transformation of serotype D to B. All these induced transformations can be both inhibited and stimulated by the antibiotics. In general, simultaneous treatment with high concentrations of both antibiotics and inducers gives an inhibition of transformation. As the concentrations of both inducer and antibiotic are reduced, or as the concentrations of the antibiotics alone are reduced, points are reached where further reduction stimulates the transformation. Furthermore, stimulation of transformation has been obtained from a combination of a high concentration of actinomycin D and a low concentration of patulin, thus confirming results obtained when a high concentration of actinomycin D and a low concentration of homologous antiserum were previously used in the transformation of D to B. Finally, the same low concentration of an antibiotic may inhibit the transformation if added after the inducer, yet increase the percentages transformed in a given time if added before the inducer. The data give strength to (1) the view that transformation from one serotype to another involves repression or a gene for one antigen and derepression of a gene for a different antigen; or, at the level of protein synthesis, cessation of synthesis of one antigenic protein followed by synthesis of a different protein; and (2) the hypothesis that when the antibiotics, actinomycin D, puromycin, and chloramphenicol inhibit or accelerate transformation, they are working essentially in the same way, i.e., by inhibiting a synthesis, that of the induced antigen in inhibition, that of the pre-transformation antigen in acceleration.
Hegemony and Heteronormativity: Revisiting “The Political” in Queer Politics edited by María do Mar Castro Varela, Nikita Dhawan, and Antke Engel

The contributors to Hegemony and Heteronormativity: Revisiting “The Political” in Queer Politics bring together two complex concepts to explore how they enhance and challenge each other. On the one...
Economic Models of Communication Networks

Standard performance evaluations of communication networks focus on the technology layer where protocols define precise rules of operations. Those studies assume a model of network utilization and of network characteristics and derive performance measures. However, performance affects how users utilize the network. Also, investments by network providers affect performance and consequently network utilization. We call the actions of users and network providers the “economic layer” of the network because their decisions depend largely on economic incentives. The economic and technology layers interact in a complex way and they should be studied together. This tutorial explores economic models of networks that combine the economic and technology layers.
Automatic Region Building for Spatial Analysis

High-resolution spatial data have become increasingly available with modern data collection techniques and efforts. However, it is often inappropriate to use the default geographic units to perform spatial analysis due to unstable estimates with small areas (e.g. cancer rates for census blocks or tracts). Regionalization is aggregating small units into relatively larger areas while optimizing a homogeneity measure (such as the sum of squared differences). For exploratory spatial analysis, regionalization may help remove spurious data variation through aggregation and discover hidden patterns in data (such as areas of unusually high cancer rates). Towards this goal, this research introduces several improvements to a recent group of regionalization methods – REDCAP (Guo 2008) and conducts evaluation experiments with synthetic data sets to assess and compare the capability of regionalization methods for exploratory spatial analysis. One of the major improvements is the integration of a local empirical Bayes smoother (EBS) with the regionalization methods. We generate a large number of synthetic data sets with controlled spatial patterns to evaluate the performance of both new and existing methods. Evaluation results show that the new methods (integrated with EBS) perform significantly better than their original versions and other methods (including the EBS method on its own) in terms of detecting the true patterns in the synthetic data sets.
Regulation of Gene Expression by Thyroid Hormones: Relation to Growth and Development

The sections in this article are: 1 Thyroid Hormone Response Elements 1.1 Standard Configuration and Sequences 1.2 Complex and Unusual Response Elements 1.3 Single Half-Site Elements 1.4 Influence of Response Element Position and Orientation on Gene Regulation 1.5 Elements that Confer a Negative Response to Thyroid Hormone 1.6 Response Elements that Confer Thyroid Hormone Receptor Isoform Specificity 2 Thyroid Hormone Regulation of Growth Hormone and Growth Factor Gene Expression 2.1 Characterization of DNA Elements that Confer Thyroid Hormone Response 2.2 Species Differences in Growth Hormone Gene Regulation 2.3 Influence of Retinoic Acid and cAMP on Thyroid Hormone Regulation of Gene Expression 2.4 Interactions of Thyroid Hormone Receptor and Pit-1 in Regulation of Growth Hormone Gene Expression 2.5 Thyroid Hormone Stimulation of Growth Hormone–Releasing Hormone Receptor Gene Expression 2.6 Thyroid Hormone Regulation of Growth Factors 3 Regulation of Gene Expression in Nervous System Development 3.1 Expression of Thyroid Hormone Receptor Isoforms in Neural Development 3.2 Effects of Hypothyroidism on Neural Development 3.3 Regulation of Neural Gene Expression 4 Regulation of Gene Expression in Bone 4.1 Clinical Effects of Thyroid Hormone on Bone 4.2 In Vitro Effects of Thyroid Hormone on Bone Cells 5 Thyroid Hormone Metabolism: Regulation of Ligand Availability 5.1 Characteristics and Tissue Distribution of Deiodinases 5.2 Regulation of Deiodinase Expression 5.3 Developmental Regulation of Deiodinase Expression 6 Thyroid Hormone Regulation of Gene Expression in Amphibian Metamorphosis 6.1 Regulation of Thyroid Hormone Receptor Gene Expression 6.2 Prolactin–Thyroid Hormone Interactions and Effects on Gene Expression 7 Growth and Developmental Abnormalities as A Consequence of Thyroid Hormone Deficiency 7.1 Congenital Hypothyroidism 7.2 Hypothyroidism of Infancy and Childhood 7.3 Iodine and Selenium Deficiency 7.4 Endemic Cretinism 8 Influence of Mutant Thyroid Receptors on Growth and Development 8.1 Genetic Basis of Resistance to Thyroid Hormone 8.2 Influence of Response Element Configuration and Thyroid Hormone Receptor Isoform on Response Inhibition by Mutant Receptors 8.3 Growth in Resistance to Thyroid Hormone as a Function of the Thyroid Hormone Receptor Mutant and Thyroid Hormone Treatment 8.4 Pituitary Resistance to Thyroid Hormone, Clinical Manifestations, and Mechanism 8.5 Animal Models of Resistance to Thyroid Hormone 9 Summary
Coverage dependent rate of cell deposition

A quantitative criterion is developed for the applicability of a previous diffusional model for cell deposition on surfaces, using as a starting point a modified Fokker-Planck equation. The previous model for cell deposition through a stagnant liquid is extended to include the coverage-dependent effect of the deposited cells on subsequent deposition. This effect is shown to be responsible for an experimentally measured increase in the rate of cellular deposition with time, in contrast with the ever-decreasing rate of deposition predicted by the previous model. The present model also predicts that the decay in the fraction of cells in solution depends on the initial number of cells, again in contrast with the prediction of the previous model.
Molecular characterization of the PmrA regulon.

The two-component system PmrA/PmrB of Salmonella enterica controls expression of several loci including those mediating modifications in the lipopolysaccharide that result in polymyxin resistance. To gain insight in the regulation of polymyxin resistance, we mapped the transcription start sites of the PmrA-regulated genes pmrC, pmrG, pbgPE, and ugd and identified a conserved sequence in the promoter region of the first three genes. His-tagged PmrA protein could gel shift DNA fragments containing the promoters of the pmrC, pmrG, and pbgPE genes but not the udg promoter. DNase I footprinting analysis of the pmrC, pmrG, and pbgPE promoters indicate that phosphorylated as well as unphosphorylated PmrA bind to a 16-base pair imperfect inverted repeat sequence (5′-TTAAKTTCTTAAKGTT-3′), which is found 40, 80, and 38 nucleotides upstream from the transcription start sites of the pmrC, pmrG, and pbgPE genes, respectively. Our data suggest that a PmrA dimer activates transcription of the divergent pmrG and pbgPE promoters by binding to a single site in the pmrG-pbgPE intergenic region and that the ugd gene is regulated by the PmrA/PmrB system only indirectly.
Thin films of ZnSnP2: Vacuum growth and electrical properties

Abstract Thin films of polycrystalline ZnSnP2 have been grown on (100) GaAs and quartz substrates using a vacuum growth technique utilizing three elemental sources. The study showed that Zn Sn flux ratio at the substrate is critical for stoichiometric film growth. Film growth rates were 50–70 A/min and 60–90 A/min on GaAs and quartz substrates, respectively. The films showed p-type conductivity only with mobility of 42.6 cm2/V s at 300 K. Grown films have thermally activated resistivity ρ=ρ 0 exp ( −E a kT ) with the activation energy Ea = 0.046 eV.
Lipopolysaccharide pre-treatment induces resistance against subsequent focal cerebral ischemic damage in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Abstract Ischemic tolerance was induced in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) by injection of a single dose of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0.9 mg/kg, i.v.) 1–7 days prior to permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Infarct volume, evaluated 24 h after MCAO, was significantly reduced by LPS administration 2, 3 or 4 days prior to MCAO (22.8, 25.9 and 20.5%, respectively). The beneficial effect of LPS pre-treatment was completely nullified by concurrent administration of TNFbp. On this basis, the tolerance to ischemia induced by LPS is likely to be mediated by TNF-α.
Low-latency Science Exploration of Planetary Bodies: a Demonstration Using ISS in Support of Mars Human Exploration

We summarize a proposed experiment to use the International Space Station to formally examine the application and validation of low-latency telepresence for surface exploration from space as an alternative, precursor, or potentially as an adjunct to astronaut "boots on the ground." The approach is to develop and propose controlled experiments, which build upon previous field studies and which will assess the effects of different latencies (0 to 500 msec), task complexity, and alternate forms of feedback to the operator. These experiments serve as an example of a pathfinder for NASA's roadmap of missions to Mars with low-latency telerobotic exploration as a precursor to astronaut's landing on the surface to conduct geological tasks.