cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aerobic performance and the function of myoglobin in human skeletal muscle

the role of myoglobin as an oxygen storage protein in the muscles of diving birds and mammals is well-established ([8][1]). In contrast, the function of the lower myoglobin content in striated muscles of humans and other terrestrial vertebrates has long been a subject of debate. In a seminal review
Genetic control of epithelial tube fusion during Drosophila tracheal development

During development of tubular networks such as the mammalian vascular system, the kidney and the Drosophila tracheal system, epithelial tubes must fuse to each other to form a continuous network. Little is known of the cellular mechanisms or molecular control of epithelial tube fusion. We describe the cellular dynamics of a tracheal fusion event in Drosophila and identify a gene regulatory hierarchy that controls this extraordinary process. A tracheal cell located at the developing fusion point expresses a sequence of specific markers as it grows out and contacts a similar cell from another tube; the two cells adhere and form an intercellular junction, and they become doughnut-shaped cells with the lumen passing through them. The early fusion marker Fusion-1 is identified as the escargot gene. It lies near the top of the regulatory hierarchy, activating the expression of later fusion markers and repressing genes that promote branching. Ectopic expression of escargot activates the fusion process and suppresses branching throughout the tracheal system, leading to ectopic tracheal connections that resemble certain arteriovenous malformations in humans. This establishes a simple genetic system to study fusion of epithelial tubes.
A High-Capacity, Capsid-Modified Hybrid Adenovirus/Adeno-Associated Virus Vector for Stable Transduction of Human Hematopoietic Cells

To achieve stable gene transfer into human hematopoietic cells, we constructed a new vector, ΔAd5/35.AAV. This vector has a chimeric capsid containing adenovirus type 35 fibers, which conferred efficient infection of human hematopoietic cells. The ΔAd5/35.AAV vector genome is deleted for all viral genes, allowing for infection without virus-associated toxicity. To generate high-capacity ΔAd5/35.AAV vectors, we employed a new technique based on recombination between two first-generation adenovirus vectors. The resultant vector genome contained an 11.6-kb expression cassette including the human γ-globin gene and the HS2 and HS3 elements of the β-globin locus control region. The expression cassette was flanked by adeno-associated virus (AAV) inverted terminal repeats (ITRs). Infection with ΔAd5/35.AAV allowed for stable transgene expression in a hematopoietic cell line after integration into the host genome through the AAV ITR(s). This new vector exhibits advantages over existing integrating vectors, including an increased insert capacity and tropism for hematopoietic cells. It has the potential for stable ex vivo transduction of hematopoietic stem cells in order to treat sickle cell disease.
Uncertainty in Category-Based Induction: When Do People Integrate across Categories?.

Two experiments investigated how people perform category-based induction for items that have uncertain categorization. Whereas normative considerations suggest that people should consider multiple relevant categories, much past research has argued that people focus on only the most likely category. A new method is introduced in which responses on individual trials can be classified as using single or multiple categories, an improvement on past methods that relied on null effects as evidence for single-category use. Experiment 1 found that people did use multiple categories when the most likely category gave an ambiguous induction but that few people did so when it gave an unambiguous induction. Experiment 2 suggested that the reluctance to use multiple categories arose from a cognitive shortcut, in which only one source of information is consulted. The experiments revealed significant individual differences, suggesting that use of multiple categories is one of a number of strategies that can be used rather than being the basis for most category-based induction.
Intersubjectivity as a way of informing teaching design for a community of learners classroom

In this paper, I relate concepts from research (mainly psychological) on intersubjectivity to problems emerging in designing classroom learning environments by considering one of my undergraduate teacher education classrooms, which I designed to run according to an educational philosophy ofcommunity of learnersa, and I consider the issues emerging from these e!orts. It seems that the notion of intersubjectivity is helpful both for understanding di$culties one can face with a teaching design for acommunity of learnersa classroom and for improving such a design. I consider three aspects of intersubjectivity corresponding to the teaching design di$culties described here: (1) intersubjectivity as having something in common, (2) intersubjectivity as coordination of participants' contributions, and (3) intersubjectivity as human agency. The paper is limited to the issues of internal teaching design and does not address institutional constraints. 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
Reverting cholesterol auxotrophy of NS0 cells by altering epigenetic gene silencing

NS0 is a cholesterol-requiring mouse myeloma cell line widely used in the production of recombinant antibodies. We have previously reported that the deficiency of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type7 (Hsd17b7) is responsible for the cholesterol auxotrophy of NS0 cells. Here we demonstrate DNA methylation to be the mechanism underlying transcriptional suppression of Hsd17b7 in cholesterol dependent NS0 cells. Analysis of the DNA methylation pattern revealed methylation of the CpG-rich region upstream of the Hsd17b7 transcription start site in NS0 cells. This is in contrast to the unmethylated status of this sequence in a naturally isolated cholesterol independent revertant cell population (NS0_r). This transcriptional repression was relieved after treating cells with the demethylating drug, 5-azacytidine. Drug treatment also gave rise to high frequency cholesterol-independent variants. Characterization of revertants revealed substantially elevated transcript level of 17beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type7 (Hsd17b7) gene along with hypomethylation of the CpG-rich region. These results affirm that deficiency of Hsd17b7 causes cholesterol dependence of NS0 cells. Furthermore, induction of cholesterol independence by altering DNA methylation pattern alludes to the role of epigenetics in the metabolic adaptation of NS0 cells. With the widespread use of NS0 cells, this finding will have a significant impact on the optimization of recombinant antibody production processes.
InterWell: an integrated school-based primary care model

The Intergenerational School is an innovative, high-performing public school in Cleveland, Ohio that fosters lifelong learning and individual and community health. Narrative approaches, information technology enhancements, art and music enrichments, and nature-based programming foster brain health in the service of purposeful and healthy living in the community. A newly designed integrated primary and public healthcare model, called InterWell, which is planned to be based in the school, has the potential to transform conceptions and practices of health. Interprofessional care supporting chronic disease self-management and transdisciplinary research are foundational to our model. Over the 13-year history of the school, barriers to acceptance of this model of education and health have been reduced and greater community support engendered, but challenges of priorities and funding remain. Can this new model help support human flourishing in this time of global ecological and social disruption?
Hepatitis C Infection Among Hispanics in California

Hispanics in California are more likely to be infected with hepatitis C, and those infected have had their infection detected later. A total of 1,567 Hispanic and Caucasian individuals were tested for antibodies to hepatitis C from 2000 through 2013. Interviewers administered the Risk Behavior Assessment. Hepatitis C-infected Hispanics were incarcerated longer than hepatitis C-infected Caucasians, and they used marijuana less and illicit methadone more. They were more likely to use crack, heroin, speedballs, and to have been in methadone treatment. Hispanics need hepatitis C testing linked to methadone treatment and written information in Spanish and English.
Autonomous tracking and counting of footsteps by mobile phone cameras

In this paper, we present an autonomous method to track and count footsteps by using the camera data from mobile phones or tablets. Many step counters, relying on accelerometer data, are widely available. However, accelerometer-based algorithms are prone to overcounting. In our proposed method, feature points are detected first. Then, in order to increase robustness and accuracy especially in the case of highly-textured ground and floor surfaces, Kalman filter based tracking is performed. The proposed method is compared with existing accelerometer- based step counters. Experiments are performed with multiple subjects carrying five mobile devices simultaneously, including smart phones and watches, at different locations on their body. A Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone is used to capture the videos. The results show that the proposed camera-based footstep counting has the lowest average error rate for different users, and is more reliable compared to accelerometer-based counters. The average error rate for the proposed method is 2.68%, and the standard deviation of the error is 2.39%.
Effect of System Conditions for Biodiesel Production via Transesterification Using Carbon Dioxide–Methanol Mixtures in the Presence of a Heterogeneous Catalyst

A mixed carbon dioxide (CO2) and methanol (MeOH) system is shown to successfully transesterify triolein into methyl oleate at moderate pressures and temperatures below 100 °C in the presence of Nafion NR50, a heterogeneous catalyst. An experimental design was developed to explore the effects of mono-, bi-, and tri-phasic CO2–MeOH–triolein systems through pressure, temperature, and methanol loading, all of which influence the system phase behavior. It was found that one particular set of conditions (>80 °C, 9.5 MPa, 3.6% v/v reactor, ambient MeOH) demonstrated nearly complete yields due to the preferable phase behavior at these conditions. Cloud point curves of the ternary system (MeOH, CO2, and substrate, including triolein, diolein, monoolein, glycerol, and methyl oleate) are reported to describe this complex system phase behavior. Results indicate that optimized yields (>98% methyl oleate at 95 °C) are achieved when the reaction is carried out in a three-phase system (not including the solid catalyst as...
Furosemide promotes patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants with the respiratory-distress syndrome

Furosemide stimulates the renal synthesis of prostaglandin E2, a potent dilator of the ductus arteriosus. We administered this drug to 33 premature infants with the respiratory-distress syndrome, to determine whether it increased the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus. Chlorothiazide, a diuretic that does not stimulate prostaglandin E synthesis, was used as the control drug in 33 other infants. During the study, the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus was significantly higher (P less than 0.02) in the furosemide group (18 of 33 infants) than in the chlorothiazide group (8 of 33). Eleven infants in the furosemide group and seven in the chlorothiazide group required ductal ligation (P greater than 0.2). An additional six infants (all from the furosemide group) who did not have evidence of a patent ductus during the study were later found to have one. Overall survival was 76 and 61 per cent in the furosemide and chlorothiazide groups, respectively (P greater than 0.2). Small (less than twofold) increases in the urinary excretion of prostaglandin E were seen after the initial dose of both drugs. When the analysis was repeated after the fifth day of life, prostaglandin E excretion tripled after furosemide administration, whereas no increase occurred with chlorothiazide. We conclude that furosemide increases the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants with the respiratory-distress syndrome, probably through a prostaglandin-mediated process.
Blind Source Separation for Nonlinearly Mixed Mechanical Vibration Signals

Equipment condition signal processing is the foundation of condition monitoring and fault diagnosis.In the actual environment,the mechanical vibration signals collected by the sensors are probably the nonlinear mixture of the source vibration signals or distorted signals.The traditional vibration signal processing methods are not good enough for processing the nonlinearly mixed signals.However,nonlinear Blind Sources Separation(BSS),due to its unique superiority in blind processing,can remove noises and external perturbations in the collected signals effectively and extract the source signals.As a result,it raises the accuracy of the diagnostic performance.In this paper,applying the nonlinear BSS technique,the vibration signals of bearing faults in a helicopter gearbox were extracted.The results show that the method of nonlinear BSS is an effective method for signal processing in the field of mechanical fault diagnosis.
The Drive for Power and Conceptual Inertia

This presentation has considered only two of many psychological factors that contribute to the nuclear predicament. These are the power drive and conceptual inertia and how they encourage the propensity to violence. Psychotherapists can make an indirect but significant contribution toward human survival by calling attention particularly to the pernicious psychological effects of the misuse of language, either deliberate or resulting from conceptual inertia. We should seek to inform and educate the public, including political leaders, about this phenomenon. Those of us who have young children or grandchildren should seek to introduce into school and college curricula issues created by the splitting of the atom, since the young are best able to achieve the massive psychological changes necessary for coping with a new and unprecedented predicament.
One surgeon's experience with the piggyback versus the standard technique in orthotopic liver transplantation : is one better than the other ?

Background/Aim : Traditionally, orthotopic liver transplantation has consisted of a total native hepatectomy that included retrohepatic inferior vena cava. The so-called piggyback technique was described by Tzakis et al.(2). It consists of a recipient hepatectomy with preservation of the native retrohepatic IVC and subsequent anastomosis of the homograft suprahepatic IVC to a cuff fashioned from the recipient's suprahepatic veins. In this study, a single surgeon's experience with both techniques during the same period of time is discussed to analyze any significant differences in survival, intraoperative blood loss, length of stay in the ICU, and total length of stay in the hospital. Materials and Methods : Over a three year period, 128 patients were transplanted at the University of Pittsburgh. Of these, 66 patients (51.6%) had a piggyback (PB) operation while the remaining 62 (48.4%) had a standard (ST) operation. Results : The actual 6 month survival was 81.8% in the PB group (54/66) and 74.2% in the ST group (46/62), with no statistical difference between the two. The median intraoperative blood usage was 6 units for the PB group versus 10 units for the ST group (p>0.02). The median ICU length of stay was the same at 4 days, as was the total hospitalization duration, 21 days. The in-hospital deaths were included in the analysis. Conclusions : The piggyback technique has some advantages, including less bleeding and absence of brachial plexus or phrenic nerve injury. Several other important considerations are discussed. In conclusion, the results with the piggy back technique are equivalent to those obtained with the standard approach.
Manufacturing the Norm: The Origin and Development of Candid Wedding Photography

AbstractWedding photography has developed over the years as a communicative practice that is highly influenced by constructed situations which viewers typically interpret as reality. While photographs are often considered to be the sole creations of specific individuals, aided by a progression of technological developments, styles have evolvedfrom a variety of sources and their endurance influences the social construct of the wedding itself. Historical photographs and interviews with photographers inform this study of the evolution and influence of wedding photography.
Studies of Azetidin-2-one as a Reactive Enolate Synthon of β-Alanine for Condensations with Aldehydes and Ketones.

Studies describe formation of the lithium enolate of N-(4-methoxybenzyloxy)azetidin-2-one (1) and characterization of representative aldol reactions with aldehydes and ketones. Diastereoselectivity features the production of anti-aldol adducts from α,β-unsaturated ketones and α-branched aliphatic aldehydes. The stereoselectivity is rationalized via closed, six-membered transition-state arrangements leading to the formation of Felkin–Anh and anti-Felkin products. Examples illustrate the direct incorporation of monocyclic β-lactams into a variety of molecular architectures. The utility of 1 as an enolate synthon of homoglycine (β-alanine) is illustrated by the efficient synthesis of novel β-amino acid derivatives, including complex 4-hydroxy-2-pyridinones.
Covariate Balancing through Naturally Occurring Strata.

Objective To provide an alternative to propensity scoring (PS) for the common situation where there are interacting covariates. Setting We used 1.3 million assessments of residents of the United States Veterans Affairs nursing homes, collected from January 1, 2000, through October 9, 2012. Design In stratified covariate balancing (SCB), data are divided into naturally occurring strata, where each stratum is an observed combination of the covariates. Within each stratum, cases with, and controls without, the target event are counted; controls are weighted to be as frequent as cases. This weighting procedure guarantees that covariates, or combination of covariates, are balanced, meaning they occur at the same rate among cases and controls. Finally, impact of the target event is calculated in the weighted data. We compare the performance of SCB, logistic regression (LR), and propensity scoring (PS) in simulated and real data. We examined the calibration of SCB and PS in predicting 6-month mortality from inability to eat, controlling for age, gender, and nine other disabilities for 296,051 residents in Veterans Affairs nursing homes. We also performed a simulation study, where outcomes were randomly generated from treatment, 10 covariates, and increasing number of covariate interactions. The accuracy of SCB, PS, and LR in recovering the simulated treatment effect was reported. Findings In simulated environment, as the number of interactions among the covariates increased, SCB and properly specified LR remained accurate but pairwise LR and pairwise PS, the most common applications of these tools, performed poorly. In real data, application of SCB was practical. SCB was better calibrated than linear PS, the most common method of PS. Conclusions In environments where covariates interact, SCB is practical and more accurate than common methods of applying LR and PS.
Role of the leukocyte response in normal and immunocompromised host after Clostridium difficile infection.

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of healthcare-associated infections in the United States. Clinically, C. difficile-associated disease can present as asymptomatic colonization, self-limited diarrheal illness or severe colitis (that may result in death). This variability in disease course and outcomes suggests that host factors play an important role as key determinants of disease severity. Currently, there are several scoring indices to estimate severity of C. difficile-associated disease. Leukocytosis and renal failure are considered to be the most important predictors of C. difficile disease severity in hosts with a normal immune system. The degree of leukocytosis which is considered significant for severe disease and how it is scored vary amongst scoring indices. None of the scores have been prospectively validated, and while total WBC count is useful to estimate the magnitude of the host response in most patient populations, in immune-compromised patients like those receiving chemotherapy, solid organ transplant patients or hematopoietic stem cell transplants the WBC response can be variable or even absent making this marker of severity difficult to interpret. Other cellular subsets like neutrophils, eosinophils and lymphocytes provide important information about the host immune status and play an important role in the immune response against C. difficile infection. However, under the current scoring systems the role of these cellular subsets have been underestimated and only total white blood cell counts are taken into account. In this review we highlight the role of host leukocyte response to C. difficile challenge in the normal and immunocompromised host, and propose possible ways that would allow for a better representation of the different immune cell subsets (neutrophils, lymphocytes and eosinophils) in the current scoring indices.
Circulating Charcot-Leyden crystals in the hypereosinophilic syndrome

A patient who had malignant melanoma associated with the hypereosinophilic syndrome died of cardiovascular thrombotic lesions. Widespread tissue eosinophilia was accompanied by numerous Charcot-Leyden crystals in the tumor as well as in various organs, including the renal tubules. A unique observation, not previously described, is the finding of Charcot-Leyden crystals in the thrombi and vessels, including the renal glomeruli. While little is known of the significance of Charcot-Leyden crystals, it is speculated that the circulating crystals injure the endothelium and trigger intravascular coagulation, resulting in thrombosis. A search for the crystals in blood and/or urine may be of additional aid in the evaluation of the extent of the thrombotic process. A special staining method is proposed to facilitate recognition of the crystals, since these are virtually not visualized by routine stain. With the use of such a staining method, future observations in other cases of the hypereosinophilic syndrome may elucidate the role of Charcot-Leyden crystals in the pathogenesis of the thrombotic cardiovascular lesions of this syndrome.
Computational Design of High-χ Block Oligomers for Accessing 1 nm Domains.

Molecular dynamics simulations are used to design a series of high-χ block oligomers (HCBOs) that can self-assemble into a variety of mesophases with domain sizes as small as 1 nm. The exploration of these oligomers with various chain lengths, volume fractions, and chain architectures at multiple temperatures reveals the presence of ordered lamellae, perforated lamellae, and hexagonally packed cylinders. The achieved periods are as small as 3.0 and 2.1 nm for lamellae and cylinders, respectively, which correspond to polar domains of approximately 1 nm. Interestingly, the detailed phase behavior of these oligomers is distinct from that of either solvent-free surfactants or block polymers. The simulations reveal that the behavior of these HCBOs is a product of an interplay between both “surfactant factors” (headgroup interactions, chain flexibility, and interfacial curvature) and “block polymer factors” (χ, chain length N, and volume fraction f). This insight promotes the understanding of molecular features...
‘The Secret Life of Textiles: Synthetic Materials’

‘Synthetic Materials’ was the third instalment of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s ‘The Secret Life of Textiles’ exhibition series featuring garments and accessories from the Costume Institute’s co...
End of Life with Left Ventricular Assist Device in Both Bridge to Transplant and Destination Therapy.

Abstract Background: The difference of end-of-life care for left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients, between destination therapy (DT) and bridge to transplant (BTT), and the effect of palliative care in this population remain unknown. Objective: The primary outcomes of this retrospective cohort study were the place of death, do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order, palliative care consultation in the last month, and hospice enrollment. Secondary outcomes were time on the LVAD, life-sustaining treatment in the last week of life, LVAD deactivation, and clinical trajectory. Setting/Subjects: Eighty-nine patients who newly underwent LVAD therapy between 2010 and 2016 and died before May 2017 were divided into DT (59) and BTT (30). Results: At death, BTT patients (61.1 ± 8.9 years) were significantly younger (p = 0.046) than DT patients (65.8 ± 12.9 years). Median (25th–75th percentile) time on LVAD was significantly shorter (p = 0.042) in BTT (152 days, 41.3–375.8) than in DT (358 days, 64–892), but the Kaplan–...
Minnesota timber industry, 2014

This resource update provides an overview of timber product output (TPO) and use in Minnesota based on questionnaires designed to determine the size and composition of the State's primary wood-using industry, its use of roundwood and its generation and disposition of wood residues. This study was a cooperative effort between the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN-DNR) and the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) unit at the Northern Research Station (NRS) of the USDA Forest Service. MN-DNR surveyed primary wood-using mills and FIA processed and analyzed the survey responses. This update presents results from the 2014 survey with comparisons to the 2010 survey. Sawmills that reported less than 5 thousand cubic feet of receipts in the 2010 study were not surveyed for the 2014 study. Receipts in 2010 at the 124 sawmills that were not surveyed in 2014 totaled 217,000 cubic feet of roundwood, accounting for roughly 0.5 percent of the total receipts of all sawmills. Certain terms used in this report--retained, export, import, production, and receipts--have specialized meanings and relationships unique to the FIA program that surveys timber product output (Fig. 1). Additional definitions and a list of the TPO species groups are on pages 5 and 6 of this report.
Oral Xa Inhibitors versus low molecular weight heparin for thromboprophylaxis after nonoperative spine trauma

Abstract Background Thromboprophylaxis with oral Xa inhibitors (Xa-Inh) are recommended after major orthopedic operation; however, its role in spine trauma is not well-defined. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of Xa-Inh in spinal trauma patients managed nonoperatively. Methods A 4-y (2013-2016) review of the Trauma Quality Improvement Program database. We included all patients with an isolated spine trauma (Spine-abbreviated injury scale ≥3 and other-abbreviated injury scale Results We analyzed a total of 58,936 patients, of which 1056 patients (LMWH: 704, Xa-Inh: 352) were matched. Matched groups were similar in demographics, vital and injury parameters, length of hospital stay (P = 0.31), or time to thromboprophylaxis (P = 0.79). Patients who received Xa-Inh were less likely to develop a deep venous thrombosis (2.3% versus 5.7%, P Conclusions Oral Xa-Inh seems to be more effective as prophylactic pharmacologic agent for the prevention of deep venous thrombosis in patients with nonoperative spinal trauma compared to LMWH. The two drugs had similar safety profile. Further prospective trials should be performed to change current guidelines.
Duty to treat: conscience and pluralism.

Physicians have a right to conscientiously object to certain medical practices and services that they find to be morally objectionable. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Bone morphogenetic proteins in the nervous system

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the TGF-β superfamily of growth factors and morphogens. BMPs regulate neurulation, the sequence of morphogenetic events that specify neural tissue. Thereafter, BMPs and the closely related Growth/Differentiation Factors (GDFs) are prominently expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems as well as in target tissues of sensory and motor neurons. The actions of BMPs and GDFs on neural tissue are both profound and diverse. They have been implicated in crucial developmental events such as: specification of neural and glial cell lineages, neural cell survival and proliferation, dorsal-ventral patterning, segmentation, axonal guidance, determination of neurotransmitter phenotype, regulation of dendritic growth and synapse formation. In addition, BMPs and GDFs are neuroprotective in mature animals in models of stroke and Parkinson’s disease. In a previous article, we surveyed the effects of BMPs and GDFs on neural tissue [1]. In this review, we update summaries of some of the more rapidly advancing research areas. Other recent reviews have examined neural actions of TGF-β [2] and the roles of BMPs and their antagonists in neural induction [3, 4], neural crest development [5] and dorsal-ventral patterning [6, 7]. Therefore, these topics are not considered here.
Path-Integral Calculations for the First Excited State of Hydrogen Atom

Consider a path-integral \(E_x e^{\int_0^t {V(X)(s))ds} } \varphi (X(t))\) which is the solution to a diffusion version of the generalized Schro¨dinger's equation \(\frac{{\partial u}}{{\partial t}} = Hu,u(0,x) = \varphi (x)\). Here \(H = A + V\), where A is an infinitesimal generator of a strongly continuous Markov Semigroup corresponding to the diffusion process \(\{ X(s),0 \leqslant s \leqslant t,X(0) = x\}\). For \(A = \frac{1}{2}\Delta\) and V replaced by \( - V\) one obtains \(\overline H = - H = - \frac{1}{2}\Delta + V\), which represents a quantum mechanical Hamiltonian corresponding to a particle of mass 1 (in atomic units) subject to interaction with potential V. This paper is concerned with computer calculations of the second eigenvalue of \( - \frac{1}{2}\Delta - \frac{1}{{\sqrt {x^2 + y^2 + z^2 } }}\) by generating a large number of trajectories of an ergodic diffusion process.
Oxidation kinetics of ferrocene derivatives with dibenzoyl peroxide

Abstract Chemical oxidation of ferrocene and related derivatives by dibenzoyl peroxide in acetonitrile solution produces ferrocenium and benzoic acid after acidification. The rate law is first order in oxidant and in reductant. Steric effects and activation parameters are consistent with a rate-controlling outer-sphere single-electron transfer (ET) step, and reorganization energies are obtained using Marcus theory with B3LYP calculations. Energetics, optimized structures, and solvent effects indicate that rate is affected more by anion than cation solvation and that oxidation of decamethylferrocene by 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid does not occur by ET.
Comments on “The density, dynamic viscosity and kinematic viscosity of protic and aprotic polar solvents (pure and mixed) systems: An experimental and theoretical insight of thermophysical properties”

Abstract A search of the chemical and engineering literature revealed that the excess molar volumes given in the published paper by Alam and coworkers for both binary water + N,N-dimethylformamide mixtures and binary water + dimethyl sulfoxide mixtures differ significantly from values determined by several independent research groups.
A Mouse Thyrotropin Receptor A-Subunit Transgene Expressed in Thyroiditis-Prone Mice May Provide Insight into Why Graves' Disease Only Occurs in Humans.

Background: Graves' disease, caused by autoantibodies that activate the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor (TSHR), has only been reported in humans. Thyroiditis-prone NOD.H2h4 mice develop autoantibodies to thyroglobulin (Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) but not to the TSHR. Evidence supports the importance of the shed TSHR A-subunit in the initiation and/or amplification of the autoimmune response to the holoreceptor. Cells expressing the gene for the isolated A-subunit secrete A-subunit protein, a surrogate for holoreceptor A-subunit shedding. NOD.H2h4 mice with the human TSHR A-subunit targeted to the thyroid (a "self" antigen in such transgenic (Tgic) animals), unlike their wild-type (wt) siblings, spontaneously develop pathogenic TSHR antibodies to the human-TSH holoreceptor. These autoantibodies do not recognize the endogenous mouse-TSH holoreceptor and do not cause hyperthyroidism. Methods: We have now generated NOD.H2h4 mice with the mouse-TSHR A-subunit transgene targeted to the thyroid. Tgic mice and wt littermates were compared for intrathyroidal expression of the mouse A-subunit. Sera from six-month-old mice were tested for the presence of autoantibodies to Tg and TPO as well as for pathogenic TSHR antibodies (TSH binding inhibition, bioassay for thyroid stimulating antibodies) and nonpathogenic TSHR antibodies (ELISA). Results: Expression of the mouse TSHR A-subunit transgene in the thyroid was confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction in the Tgics and had no effect on the spontaneous development of autoantibodies to Tg or TPO. However, unlike the same NOD.H2h4 strain with the human-TSHR A-subunit target to the thyroid, mice expressing intrathyroidal mouse-TSHR A subunit failed to develop either pathogenic or nonpathogenic TSHR antibodies. The mouse TSHR A-subunit differs from the human TSHR A-subunit in terms of its amino acid sequence and has one less glycosylation site than the human TSHR A-subunit. Conclusions: Multiple genetic and environmental factors contribute to the pathogenesis of Graves' disease. The present study suggests that the TSHR A-subunit structure (possibly including posttranslational modification such as glycosylation) may explain, in part, why Graves' disease only develops in humans.
Convolution Theorem and Asymptotic Efficiency

The optimality of the maximum likelihood estimate developed in Chapters 8 and 9 is in terms of the asymptotic variance of the solution of estimating equations. However, this optimality goes much deeper. In this chapter the maximum likelihood estimate, as well as estimates that are asymptotically equivalent to it, are shown to have the smallest asymptotic variance among all regular estimates, which is a much wider class of estimates than solutions of estimating equations. The theory underlying this general result – the framework of Local Asymptotic Normality and the Convolution Theorem – is systematically developed. This is an amazingly logical system that leads to far-reaching results with a small set of assumptions. Some techniques introduced in this chapter, such as Le Cam’s third lemma and the convolution theorem, will also be useful for developing local alternative distributions for asymptotic hypothesis tests in Chapter 11.
Wheat germ agglutinin liposomes with surface grafted cyclodextrins as bioadhesive dual-drug delivery nanocarriers to treat oral cells.

Abstract Topical management of oral infection requires combined use of multiple classes of drugs and frequent dosing due to low drug retention rates. The sustained, co-delivery of drugs with different solubilities to cells using nanoparticle drug delivery systems remains a challenge. Here, we developed wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) conjugated liposomes with surface grafted cyclodextrin (WGA-liposome-CD) as bioadhesive dual-drug nanocarriers. We effectively encapsulated two physiochemically different drugs (ciprofloxacin and betamethasone) and demonstrated sustained co-drug release in saliva over a 24 h period in vitro. As proof of therapeutic utility in oral cells, we infected oral keratinocytes with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, a bacterial pathogen responsible for chronic periodontal disease. Drug release, resulting from nanocarrier cell binding, produced a significant increase in oral cell survival and synergistically reduced inflammation. These results suggest that WGA-liposome-CD nanocarriers are novel cyto-adhesive candidates for delivering multiple drugs with sustained therapeutic activity for localized drug delivery to oral cells.
Presentation of a distractor speeds the decay of a pentobarbital-insensitive nonopioid hypoalgesia in rats

Higher psychological/neural processes are thought to be involved in brief, but not long, shock-induced hypoalgesia. Researchers have shown that three brief (0.75-sec) tailshocks produce a hypoalgesia that is eliminated by spinalization, decerebration, pentobarbital anesthesia, and a post-shock distractor. In contrast, three long (25-sec) tailshocks produce a hypoalgesia that is eliminated by spinalization but not decerebration. Although it has been assumed that this hypoalgesia would survive pentobarbital anesthesia and exposure to a distracting stimulus, this has not been previously tested. Experiment 1 demonstrates that pentobarbital has no effect on long shock-induced hypoalgesia. Contrary to our expectations, this nonopioid hypoalgesia was attenuated by a postshock distractor (Experiment 2). This distractor effect appears to be opioid mediated because it was blocked by naltrexone (Experiment 3) and a low dose of morphine effectively substituted for the distractor (Experiment 4). The role of memorial processing in hypoalgesia is discussed.
“We are the Unusual Factor”: Queering Family Communication Norms with Gay Adoptive Parents

Same-sex parenting in the United States (U.S.) is a rich site for scholars across disciplines to deepen more nuanced and complex understandings of diverse family dynamics. Despite the existence of ...
A Novel Approach of Bulk Strength Enhancement through Microbially-Mediated Carbonate Cementation for Mylonitic Coal

Mylonite coal is known to be highly tectonically deformed coal and is a result of crushing original coal into fine-grained coal under multiple tectonic events. Because of its granular nature and th...
An analecta of visualizations for foodborne illness trends and seasonality.

Disease surveillance systems worldwide face increasing pressure to maintain and distribute data in usable formats supplemented with effective visualizations to enable actionable policy and programming responses. Annual reports and interactive portals provide access to surveillance data and visualizations depicting temporal trends and seasonal patterns of diseases. Analyses and visuals are typically limited to reporting the annual time series and the month with the highest number of cases per year. Yet, detecting potential disease outbreaks and supporting public health interventions requires detailed spatiotemporal comparisons to characterize spatiotemporal patterns of illness across diseases and locations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) FoodNet Fast provides population-based foodborne-disease surveillance records and visualizations for select counties across the US. We offer suggestions on how current FoodNet Fast data organization and visual analytics can be improved to facilitate data interpretation, decision-making, and communication of features related to trend and seasonality. The resulting compilation, or analecta, of 436 visualizations of records and codes are openly available online.
Strong Incompatibility of Tribimaximal Mixing with Quark-Lepton Complementarity

Although tribimaximal mixing (TBM) and quark–lepton complementarity (QLC) are both compatible with experimental data within one standard deviation (1 σ), the TBM and QLC assumptions are mutually exclusive by 47 σ.
Insider Trading Regulation - A Comparative Analysis

As evidenced by the enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the most extensive revision of the U.S. securities laws since the New Deal era, the focus on corporate accountability and standards of conduct has become magnified. Related to this development is the continued emphasis on insider trading regulation. Tales of alleged insider trading abuse by Martha Stewart highlight this scrutiny in the United States. To an increasing degree, other developed markets also are becoming more sensitized, as George Soros' predicament in France illustrates. From a comparative perspective, this article analyzes insider trading regulation in the United States and other developed markets. On a different level, the article also discusses the application of Jewish law principles to the propriety of insider trading. The article concludes by positing that, while the United States' insider trading regimen is less stringent than that of many other developed markets, the United States' markets remain preeminent largely due to the relatively effective enforcement of the prevailing statutory and regulatory mandates. Whether this status will remain intact in light of the challenging dilemmas confronting the U.S. capital markets and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is uncertain.
Selective Oxidative Coupling of Amines Using Mesoporous MoOx Catalysts

Herein, we report a synthesis method for highly porous molybdenum oxide via molybdenum-oxo cluster formation under acidic conditions providing extraordinary stability. Synthesized materials indicat...
Assessing monocyte phenotype in poly(γ-glutamic acid) hydrogels formed by orthogonal thiol-norbornene chemistry.

Hydrogels with tunable properties are highly desirable in tissue engineering applications as they can serve as artificial extracellular matrix to control cellular fate processes, including adhesion, migration, differentiation, and other phenotypic changes via matrix induced mechanotransduction. Poly(γ-glutamic acid) (PGA) is an natural anionic polypeptide that has excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability, and water solubility. Moreover, the abundant carboxylic acids on PGA can be readily modified to introduce additional functionality or facilitate chemical crosslinking. PGA and its derivatives have been widely used in tissue engineering applications. However, no prior work has explored orthogonal crosslinking of PGA hydrogels by thiol-norbornene (NB) chemistry. In this study, we report the synthesis and orthogonal crosslinking of PGA-norbornene (PGANB) hydrogels. PGANB was synthesized by standard carbodiimide chemistry and crosslinked into hydrogels via either photopolymerization or enzymatic reaction. Moduli of PGA hydrogels were readily tuned by controlling thiol-NB crosslinking conditions or stoichiometric ratio of functional groups. Orthogonally crosslinked PGA hydrogels were used to evaluate the influence of mechanical cues of hydrogel substrate on the phenotype of naive human monocytes and M0 macrophages in 3D culture.
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry of Simulated Arson Residue Using Gasoline as an Accelerant

Because gasoline is the most common accelerant used in arson [1], the forensic scientist would like to be able to determine whether or not fire residues contain traces of gasoline. This is a difficult analytical problem since (1) gasoline is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and special purpose additives and its composition varies unpredictably by brand and refinery runs, and (2) the changes in gasoline composition during the vagaries of a fire are not easy to predict.
Measures on Locally Compact Spaces

Chapter 7 is devoted to the Riesz representation theorem and related results. The first section (Section 7.1) contains some basic facts about locally compact Hausdorff spaces, the spaces that provide the natural setting for the Riesz representation theorem, while the second section (Section 7.2) gives a proof of the Riesz representation theorem. The next two sections (Sections 7.3 and 7.4) contain some useful and relatively basic related material. The results of Sections 7.5 and 7.6 are needed for dealing with large locally compact Hausdorff spaces; for relatively small locally compact Hausdorff spaces (those that have a countable base), very few of the results in those two sections are needed.
SURVIVAL OF CYTOMEGALOVIRUS (CMV) ON ENVIRONMENTAL SURFACES

Transmission of CMV from infected newborns to nursery personnel, other adults and other newborns can occur. The role of fomites in this process is unknown. To assess CMV survival on environmental surfaces, fresh urine specimens were obtained from 5 patients (1-5) with congenital and 1 patient (6) with acquired CMV infection. Urine in each urine specimen was quantitated in quadriplicate by plaque assay using a methylcellulose overlay technique. Seven 0.2 ml aliquots of each urine specimen were placed on plexiglass that had been cleaned 15 minutes earlier with 0.07% quaternary ammonium chloride and 70% isopropyl alcohol (standard incubator disinfectants in our nursery), and also on a double layer of fresh laundered cotton blanket. Plexiglass and blanket were maintained at room temperature (25-27° C) in room air. Separate aliquots were sampled with a moist cotton swab at 1,2,4,8,12,24 and 48 hours and cultured in duplicate on human foreskin fibroblasts. Live CMV may survive for several hours on nonabsorptive surfaces and at least one hour on absorptive surfaces. Pretreatment of plexiglass with two common nursery disinfectants still permitted viral recovery. Contaminated environmental surfaces may serve as potential reservoirs for nosocomial transmission of CMV.
Case study of remission in adults with immune thrombocytopenia following cessation of treatment with the thrombopoietin mimetic romiplostim

Objectives: In adults, immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), characterized by platelet counts 1 year, mean baseline platelets 20.9 × 109/l, median preremission maximum dose 3.0 µg/kg, 12/27 (44%) were splenectomized at baseline, and there were 40–276 cumulative weeks of romiplostim with median time to remission 7.1 months....
Discharging Fiduciary Debts

Under section 523(a)(4) of the Bankruptcy Code, a debt is not dischargeable if it results from “fraud or defalcation” while the debtor is acting in a “fiduciary capacity.” Although this provision has existed in various incarnations in the bankruptcy law since 1841, the meaning of both the terms “defalcation” and “fiduciary capacity” is subject to confusion and disagreement among the courts. This piece explores the meaning of these terms from the nineteenth century for today, and demonstrates that the best meaning of “defalcation” while acting in a “fiduciary capacity” is the failure of one who holds the funds of another in a trust-like situation to account for those funds. A split of authority among the circuit courts has existed for years regarding these issues, but the Supreme Court has recently granted certiorari to decide these issues in the case of Bullock v. Bankchampaign.
Identification of the altered bases in mutated single-stranded DNA: III. Mutagenesis by ultraviolet light

The mutagenic specificity of ultraviolet light was studied by testing the effects of five reference mutagens (hydroxylamine, ethyl methanesulfonate, 5-bromo-deoxyuridine, nitrous acid and 2-aminopurine) on the reversion of sixteen S13 mutants induced by ultraviolet light. It was concluded that in eleven mutants cytosine had been changed to thymine, and in the remaining five mutants either cytosine had been changed to thymine or the mutants had not been produced by transition mutations.
Identification of an unexpected 2-oxonia[3,3]sigmatropic rearrangement/aldol pathway in the formation of oxacyclic rings. Total synthesis of (+)-aspergillin PZ

This paper reports the first unambiguous evidence that the cascade synthesis of tetrahydrofuran-containing oxacyclic molecules depicted in Scheme 12 can take place by a 2-oxonia[3,3]sigmatropic/aldol mechanism rather than by a Prins cyclization/pinacol rearrangement sequence. The 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl aldehyde products of this reaction, 20 and 29, were employed to complete the first total synthesis of the structurally remarkable isoindolone alkaloid (+)-aspergillin PZ (1). The lack of activity seen in two tumor cell lines for synthetic (+)-aspergillin PZ calls into question the suggestion that aspergillin PZ, like many aspochalasin diterpenes, might exhibit useful antitumor properties.