cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cytokine gene variation is associated with depressive symptom trajectories in oncology patients and family caregivers.

Abstract Purpose Depressive symptoms are common in cancer patients and their family caregivers (FCs). While these symptoms are characterized by substantial interindividual variability, the factors that predict this variability remain largely unknown. This study sought to confirm latent classes of oncology patients and FCs with distinct depressive symptom trajectories and to examine differences in phenotypic and genotypic characteristics among these classes. Method Among 167 oncology outpatients with breast, prostate, lung, or brain cancer and 85 of their FCs, growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to identify latent classes of individuals based on Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression (CES-D) scores obtained prior to, during, and for four months following completion of radiation therapy. One hundred four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and haplotypes in 15 candidate cytokine genes were interrogated for differences between the two largest latent classes. Multivariate logistic regression analyses assessed effects of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics on class membership. Results Four latent classes were confirmed: Resilient (56.3%), Subsyndromal (32.5%), Delayed (5.2%), and Peak (6.0%). Participants who were younger, female, non-white, and who reported higher baseline trait and state anxiety were more likely to be in the Subsyndromal, Delayed, or Peak groups. Variation in three cytokine genes (i.e., interleukin 1 receptor 2 [IL1R2], IL10, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFA]), age, and performance status predicted membership in the Resilient versus Subsyndromal classes. Conclusions Findings confirm the four latent classes of depressive symptom trajectories previously identified in a sample of breast cancer patients. Variations in cytokine genes may influence variability in depressive symptom trajectories.
Effects of CO2 enrichment on plant-soil relationships of Lepidium latifolium

The exotic crucifer Lepidium latifolium L. (perennial pepperweed) is invading wetland and riparian habitats throughout the western United States. Based on previous field studies, our working hypothesis proposed that L. latifolium elevates soil nutrient acquisition ability in response to CO2 enrichment. Replicates of L. latifolium were grown in a high fertility and low fertility soil (along with unplanted controls) in a glasshouse at ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations (360 and 699 µmol mol −1 , respectively). Plants were harvested after 81 days and numerous plant and soil attributes measured. Above-ground plant mass was influenced by a significant CO2 treatment × soil interaction ( P 20% and increased, though not significant, tissue C:N ratio by 38% in high fertility soil and by 51% in low fertility soil. For most soil attributes measured, there was a main effect or interaction with soil fertility level. Soil attributes differed between soil fertility levels and, with the exception of SO 2− 4 , were not influenced by the presence of L. latifolium. Soil attributes increased by CO2 enrichment included acetate extractable Mg 2+ (high fertility soil only), net 30 day N mineralization potential (unplanted control soils only), available N (high fertility soil), bicarbonate extractable P, soil-solution SO 2− 4 (L. latifolium planted pots only), and soil-solution Mg 2+ (high fertility control soil only). Collectively, these data tangentially support our working hypothesis that CO2 enrichment increases nutrient availability. That availability of some nutrients increases without plant growth (control soils), however, suggests an interaction of elevated CO2 with soil microflora.
Construction of stable producer cells to make high-titer lentiviral vectors for dendritic cell-based vaccination

Lentiviral vectors (LVs) enveloped with an engineered Sindbis virus glycoprotein can specifically bind to dendritic cells (DCs) through the surface receptor DC- SIGN and induce antigen expression, thus providing an efficient method for delivering DC-directed vaccines. In this study, we constructed a stable producer line (LV- MGFP) for synthesizing DC-SIGN-targeted HIV-1-based LVs (DC-LVs) encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) by a concatemeric array transfection technique. We demon- strated that the established stable clones could routinely produce vector supernatants with titers above 10 7 transduc- tion units per milliliter (TU/mL) during a continuous 3- month cell passage. The producer cells were also capable of generating similar titers of DC-LVs in serum-free medium. Moreover, the addition of 1-deoxymannojirimycin (DMJ) enabled the producer cells to manufacture DC-LVs with both improved titers and enhanced potency to evoke anti- gen-specific CD8 þ T cell responses in mice. The stable lines could accommodate the replacement of the internal murine stem cell virus (MSCV) promoter with the human ubiqui- tin-C (Ubi) promoter in the lentiviral backbone. The result- ing DC-LVs bearing Ubi exhibited the enhanced potency to elicit vaccine-specific immunity. Based on accumulated evidence, our studies support the application of this pro- duction method in manufacturing DC-LVs for preclinical and clinical testing of novel DC-based immunization. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2012;109: 1551-1560.
Analysis of Y-Linked Mutations to Male Sterility in DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER.

The frequencies of newly induced male-sterilizing lesions on both the X and Y chromosomes of Drosophila melonogaster were determined after either 4000 r of y-irradiation or adult feeding of ethyl methanesulfonate. The Y chromosome is approximately twice as sensitive as the X chromosome to newly induced male-sterilizing lesions after y-irradiation, but slightly less sensitive after ethyl methanesulfonate treatment. A large proportion of the radiation-induced lesions are associated with Y-autosome or X-autosome translocations, with the Y chromosome recovered in translocations far in excess of the frequency expected from metaphase lengths. Although translocations between the X and Y chromosomes or between autosomes do not appear to sterilize heterozygous males, interchanges between sex chromosomes and autosomes often sterilize males carrying them in a dominant manner, suggesting that the organization of the genome is critical for normal spermatogenesis. Complementation tests between recessive Y-linked male-sterilizing mutants do not reveal the existence of any additional fertility loci beyond the six previously defined. HE Y chromosome of Drosophila melanogaster accounts for 13% of the T metaphase chromosome length in a normal diploid male (after BRIDGES, from DOBZHANSKY 1929; GOWEN and GAY 1933) but is dispensable in all cells except the germ line of the male; males lacking a Y chromosome are viable but sterile (BRIDGES 1916). In an earlier paper (KENNISON 1981) the organization of the Y chromosome of D. melanogaster into six restricted regions necessary for male fertility separated by large blocks of chromosomal material not necessary for male fertility was described. These fertility regions appear to be associated with the nonfluorescent blocks that are seen after Hoechst 33258 staining. All male-sterilizing X-Y translocations with genetic breakpoints in the same fertility region fail to complement, suggesting that each region contains only one functional unit. The X chromosome, approximately the same metaphase length as the Y chromosome (after BRIDGES, from DOBZHANSKY 1929), is estimated to contain 100-150 genes that can mutate to male sterility (LINDSLEY and LIFSCHYTZ 1972), whereas only six male fertility loci on the Y chromosome have been identified. ' The work reported here was submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy,
Towards Data Driven Model Improvement.

In the area of student knowledge assessment, knowledge tracing is a model that has been used for over a decade to predict student knowledge and performance. Many modifications to this model have been proposed and evaluated, however, the modifications are often based on a combination of intuition and experience in the domain. This method of model improvement can be difficult for researchers without high level of domain experience and furthermore, the best improvements to the model could be unintuitive ones. Therefore, we propose a completely data driven approach to model improvement. This alternative allows for researchers to evaluate which aspects of a model are most likely to result in model performance improvement. Our results suggest a variety of different improvements to knowledge tracing many of which have not been explored.
Atomic Layer Deposition for the Conformal Coating of Nanoporous Materials

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) is ideal for applying precise, conformal coatings over nanoporous materials. We have recently used ALD to coat two nanoporous solids: anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) and silica aerogels. AAO possesses hexagonally ordered pores with diameters d∼10 nm and thicknesses L∼70 microns. The AAO membranes were coated by ALD with successive layers of A1203, TiO2 and V2O5 to fabricate catalytic membranes. SEM, TEM and EDAX analysis of the membranes demonstrate that the ALD layers uniformly coat the extremely high aspect ratio (L/d∼104) AAO pores. These catalytic membranes show remarkable selectivity in the oxidative dehydrogenation of cyclohexane. Additional AAO membranes coated with ALD Pd films show promise as hydrogen sensors. Silica aerogels have the lowest density and highest surface area of any solid material. Consequently, these materials serve as an excellent substrate to fabricate novel catalytic materials and gas sensors by ALD. In this study, both thin film and monolithic aerogels were coated by ZnO ALD and the properties of the aerogels were investigated as a function of the coating thickness.
ME-plot: A QC package for bisulfite sequencing reads

Summary: Bisulfite sequencing is the gold standard method for analyzing methylomes. However, the effect of quality control in bisulfite sequencing has not been studied extensively. We developed a package ME-Plot to detect the errors in bisulfite sequencing mapping data and produce higher quality methylation calls by trimming low quality portions of the reads. Our simulation results on both randomly generated reads where methylation status is known and real world data indicate that ME-plot can detect errors in methylation mapping procedures and suggest post-processing steps to reduce the errors. ME-Plot requires SAM/BAM files for its analysis. Availability: The python package is available at the following URL. https://github.com/joshuabhk/methylsuite
Effects of Hessian fly (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) larvae and plant age on growth and soluble carbohydrates of Winoka winter wheat

‘Winoka’ wheat was infested with five levels of Hessian fly, Mayetiola destructor (Say), larvae. Plant growth traits and soluble carbohydrates were analyzed at 5 and 8 wk (3 additional weeks of cold hardening at 1.6°C) after planting. The stem and leaf number, plant weight and length, crown weight, leaf weight and length, and root weight in both plant age groups at the 1–3 larvae per plant (l/p) level were significantly less ( P < 0.05) than the control values, except for the 8-wk root weight. The plant traits at the 1–3 l/p level were significantly different than those at the other larval levels, with the exception of 5- and 8-wk plant lengths, and 5-wk leaf length, and plant, leaf and root weights. The greatest damage occurred at the 4–6, 7–9, and 10–15 l/p levels, usually with no significant difference between these levels. The soluble carbohydrates (fructan, sucrose, glucose, and fructose) in the crown of 8-wk plants were significantly greater than those in the 5-wk plants, whereas only sucrose and glucose were greater in the leaves.
Study On AIDS Knowledge,Behavior And HIV infection Among MSM In Fuyang Of Anhui Province

Objective To investigate the HIV/AIDS knowledge level,the behaviour characteristics and HIV infection rate among men who have sex with men(MSM) in Fuyang of Anhui province,provide evidence for formulating the control strategies.Methods Related information such as demographic,behavioral and AIDS knowledge of MSM were collected,and blood samples were collected for HIV testing.Results A total of 264 MSM were investigated.The AIDS knowledge awareness was 92.4%,and the HIV infection rate was 5.7%.In the past six months,87.1% of MSM had had anal sex,and 58.7% of them used condoms some time,34.8% used condoms each time.Among MSM,21.6% had sexual activity with the opposite sex,and 29.8% used condoms some time,26.3% used condoms each time.Higher age groups,divorce or widowhood,and sexual intercourse without condoms were related risk factors of HIV infection.Conclusion High-risk sexual behaviors exist generally among MSM in fuyang,and the HIV infection rate is high,corresponding intervention measures should be taken as soon as possible.
[D-Ala 2 ]Deltorphin

[D-Ala2]Deltorphin I and II, heptapeptide relatives of deltorphin, are isolated from the skin of the Argentinian frog Phyllomedusa bicolor …
Myocardial Infarction: Cell Therapy for Cardiac Regeneration

Mortality rate in patients that suffer heart failure is approximately 50 per cent in a 5-year follow up, exceeding the mortality detected in patients with cancer. Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and beta-blockers are effective to treat Myocardial Infarction (MI), but there is no effective therapy to reverse the disease. In the last two decades, cell therapy has emerged as an important treatment to be considered for patients with MI. In the present Review, I will summarize the diversity of cell therapies that have been used in pre-clinical and clinical studies, discussing the pros and cons of each therapy.
Energy Homeostasis and Neuronal Regulation of Bone Remodeling

Traditionally, bone has been viewed as a relatively static tissue only fulfilling a scaffolding function. In the past decade, however, mouse genetics has helped paint a richer picture of bone physiology. It is now clear that bone integrity and growth are under the control of neuronal inputs themselves regulated by the adipocyte-derived hormone leptin. Moreover, skeleton is also an endocrine organ affecting through the secretion of osteocalcin, an osteoblast-specific hormone, the regulation of whole-body glucose homeostasis and male reproduction. Hormones, including insulin and leptin, in turn regulate osteocalcin. This suggests that bone is an integral part of an endocrine network affecting multiple functions in the body.
A method for optimizing dosage regimens in oncology by visualizing the safety and efficacy response surface: analysis of inotuzumab ozogamicin

Purpose The aim of this investigation was to develop a quantitative method to optimize inotuzumab ozogamicin (InO) dosage regimen in patients with indolent non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) by simultaneously balancing safety and efficacy.
Bone Quality and Total Joint Arthroplasty

Advances in the performance and longevity of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) have been enabled by related progress in implant materials, device designs, and surgical techniques. Successful TJA also depends upon adequate bone quality to provide an enduring mechanical foundation. Bone quality can be defined as the ability to repetitively withstand physiologically-relevant loads without excess deformation or fracture. It is now recognized that bone quality encompasses more than just material quantity, i.e. densitometrically-measured bone mass. Bone quality is also determined by: material composition and arrangement, cortical and cancellous structure, and extent of microdamage. These properties, together with the appropriate mass, confer bone with the biomechanical competence needed to meet the repetitive load-bearing demands imposed by total joint implants. The need for TJA continues to increase in the aging global baby-boomer population. Unfortunately, this group is also experiencing increases in related comorbidities including: osteoporosis, kidney dysfunction, and diabetes, among others. Collectively these three comorbidities afflict more than 74 million Americans, and each is increasing at 2–8% annually. More importantly, each of these comorbidities negatively affects bone quality through alterations in bone turnover independent of bone mass changes commonly associated with these diseases. Specifically, alterations in bone turnover result in abnormal mineral-to-matrix ratios as measured by Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy (Fig. 1) and altered Young9s moduli (shape-independent resistance to deformation) as measured by nanoindentation (Fig. 2). These parameters are related to bones9 fracture toughness and load-bearing capabilities, respectively. Also, low bone turnover is associated with mechanically important structural changes, i.e., decreased trabecular thickness (Fig. 3), cortical thickness and cancellous volume. Furthermore, low bone turnover may result in reducing the repair rate of physiologically – induced bone microdamage. This may lead to increases in the number or length of bone cracks, crack coalescence, and ultimately reduced energy needed for fracture. Therefore, patients needing TJA who also have comorbidities associated with abnormal bone quality are at risk for inferior arthroplasty results. Recognition and treatment of the TJA-relevant biomechanical implications of these comorbidities may help improve outcomes.
Dityrosine Cross-Linking of Fibronectin Is Increased in Plasma of Human Subjects with Interstitial Lung Disease

Objective Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a variably progressive lung disorder resulting in impaired gas-exchange and respiratory failure with significant morbidity. Oxidative stress has been shown to play a role in the pathobiology of ILD, and we have previously shown that the oxidant-mediated tyrosine modification, o,o’-dityrosine, is increased within proteins in circulating plasma of ILD patients. This study sought to elucidate a protein target of o,o’-dityrosine cross-linking in plasma. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that fibronectin (FN), a tyrosine-rich extracellular matrix protein shown to play a role in the fibrotic response of ILD, is modified by o,o’-dityrosine cross-linking and is increased in plasma of ILD patients. Methods Fibronectin was immunoprecipitated from age- and sex-matched healthy control (n=20) and ILD patient (n=16) plasma and o,o’-dityrosine levels were quantified by tandem mass-spectrometry (MS/MS). The study was approved by the University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board. Data were analyzed by unpaired t test with Welch’s correction (mean ± SEM, p Results Fibronectin o,o’-dityrosine cross-linking was observed in plasma of human subjects. Furthermore, fibronectin-associated o,o’-dityrosine levels were significantly increased by 10.95 fold (14.34 ± 5.01 vs. 1.20 ± 0.16) in ILD patients when compared to healthy controls. The o,o’-dityrosine cross-linking of fibronectin was recapitulated in in vitro systems utilizing human lung fibroblasts. Conclusions These data support the idea that tyrosine residues within fibronectin are susceptible to o,o’-dityrosine cross-linking, and this modification of fibronectin is increased in the plasma of ILD patients. This covalent modification of fibronectin could alter protein function, stability, and/or create alternative breakdown products. Further understanding the role of fibronectin o,o’-dityrosine cross-linking in ILD pathophysiology could provide insight leading to identification of novel treatments for the disease. Funding: P01 HL114470, R01 AG046210, R01 HL0942230 and T32 GM008361
Maternal IL-17A in autism

Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has a strong genetic basis, its etiology is complex, with several genetic factors likely to be involved as well as environmental factors. Immune dysregulation has gained significant attention as a causal mechanism in ASD pathogenesis. ASD has been associated with immune abnormalities in the brain and periphery, including inflammatory disorders and autoimmunity in not only the affected individuals but also their mothers. Prenatal exposure to maternal immune activation (MIA) has been implicated as an environmental risk factor for ASD. In support of this notion, animal models have shown that MIA results in offspring with behavioral, neurological, and immunological abnormalities similar to those observed in ASD. This raises the question of how MIA exposure can lead to ASD in susceptible individuals. Recent evidence points to a potential inflammation pathway linking MIA-associated ASD with the activity of T helper 17 (Th17) lymphocytes and their effector cytokine interleukin-17A (IL-17A). IL-17A has been implicated from human studies and elevated IL-17A levels in the blood have been found to correlate with phenotypic severity in a subset of ASD individuals. In MIA model mice, elevated IL-17A levels also have been observed. Additionally, antibody blockade to inhibit IL-17A signaling was found to prevent ASD-like behaviors in offspring exposed to MIA. Therefore, IL-17A dysregulation may play a causal role in the development of ASD. The source of increased IL-17A in the MIA mouse model was attributed to maternal Th17 cells because genetic removal of the transcription factor RORγt to selectively inhibit Th17 differentiation in pregnant mice was able to prevent ASD-like behaviors in the offspring. Similar to ASD individuals, the MIA-exposed offspring also displayed cortical dysplasia which could be prevented by inhibition of IL-17A signaling in pregnant mice. This finding reveals one possible cellular mechanism through which ASD-related cognitive and behavioral deficits may emerge following maternal inflammation. IL-17A can exert strong effects on cell survival and differentiation and the activity of signal transduction cascades, which can have important consequences during cortical development on neural function. This review examines IL-17A signaling pathways in the context of both immunity and neural function that may contribute to the development of ASD associated with MIA.
Terminal harmony: rituals of death and social cohesion in colonial Puebla de los Ángeles

Colonial Puebla de los Angeles's mixed population of Spaniards, creoles, Native Americans, and groups of African descent confronted death frequently. Epidemic disease combined with mundane illnesses and infirmities made dying a quotidian and familiar experience among all social groups. The city's religious and secular officials recognized death as an important rite of passage and sponsored and supported scripted rituals of death designed to guide the soul to its final resting place. As they aided individual souls, priests, city council members, and cathedral representatives in Puebla also used the sacraments, spiritual and practical charity, and elaborate ceremonies including royal exequies (exequias reales), to unite the diverse city of Puebla in a common Catholic faith. This article explores these official attempts to encourage and promote a Catholic unity at death while also demonstrating how repeated bouts of epidemic disease, limited resources, and racial and socioeconomic differences served to nuanc...
American Heart Association's Life Simple 7 and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation in a Population Without Known Cardiovascular Disease: The ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) Study

Background The American Heart Association has defined metrics of ideal cardiovascular health known as Life9s Simple 7 (LS7) to prevent cardiovascular disease. We examined the association between LS7 and incident atrial fibrillation (AF) in a biracial cohort of middle‐ and older‐aged adults without known cardiovascular disease. Methods and Results This analysis included 13 182 ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study participants (mean baseline age=54±5.7 years; 56% women; 25% black) free of AF and cardiovascular disease. An overall LS7 score was calculated as the sum of the LS7 component scores and classified as inadequate (0‐4), average (5‐9), or optimal (10‐14) cardiovascular health. The primary outcome was incident AF, identified primarily by ECG and hospital discharge coding of AF through December 31, 2014. A total of 2266 (17%) incident AF cases were detected over a median follow‐up of 25.1 years. Compared with the inadequate category (n=1057), participants in the average (n=8629) and optimal (n=3496) categories each had a lower risk of developing AF in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards model (hazard ratio 0.59, 95% confidence interval 0.51, 0.67 for average; and hazard ratio 0.38, 95% confidence interval 0.32, 0.44 for optimal). In a similar model, a 1‐point‐higher LS7 score was associated with a 12% lower risk of incident AF (hazard ratio 0.88, 95% confidence interval 0.86, 0.89). Conclusions A higher LS7 score is strongly associated with a lower risk of AF in individuals without baseline cardiovascular disease. Determining whether interventions that improve the population9s cardiovascular health also reduce AF incidence is needed.
The Unfolded Protein Response as an Integrator of Response to Endocrine Therapy in Estrogen Receptor Positive Breast Cancer

Tumors expressing either estrogen receptor-alpha (ER; ESR1) and/or the progesterone receptor (PR) represent the most prevalent breast cancer molecular subtype. Patients diagnosed with this form of breast cancer are generally treated with a drug that targets estrogen receptor action. While these drugs are highly effective in improving overall survival for many of these patients, a significant proportion will eventually experience a recurrence of their breast cancer. For most of these women, recurrence will arise after their first 5 years of endocrine therapy. Since there would be no tumor to recur if the treatment had successfully eradicated all diseases, a significant component of the biology of recurrent ER+ breast cancer is related to drug resistance, whether present initially within the cells (de novo resistance) or acquired by the cells in response to treatment (acquired resistance). The acquisition of endocrine resistance is explored here from the perspective of the unfolded protein response (UPR), which plays a central role as a key integrator of response to these treatments. Evidence for upregulation of prosurvival UPR signaling in acquired resistance is presented, as are some of the cellular effects of blocking ER action that lead to UPR induction. From a systems biology perspective, integrative UPR signaling can coordinate several modular functions within breast cancer cells, including apoptosis, autophagy, and proliferation, which contribute directly to the determination of cell fate outcomes in response to treatment.
Soft-sediment deformation structures as a tool to recognize synsedimentary tectonic activity in the middle member of the Bakken Formation, Williston Basin, North Dakota

Abstract The Bakken Formation (uppermost Devonian-Lower Carboniferous) in North Dakota consists of black shales with a middle member composed of mixed siliciclastics and carbonates. Millimeter to decimeter-scale soft-sediment deformation structures (SSDS) are common in the upper third to quarter of the middle member, having been observed in sixty-three out of ninety cores studied. The nine categories identified herein reflect brittle and ductile deformation and loss of sediment shear in compressional and extensional settings. They are interpreted to form due to seismically-induced folding, liquefaction and fluidization of unconsolidated sediment, as well as microfaulting and brecciation of consolidated sediment, and reflect synsedimentary tectonic movements, e.g. along faults that were active during deposition. The distribution of SSDS follows the orientation of the major structural elements rooted in the basement of the Williston Basin. The stratigraphic and spatial distribution of SSDS suggests variable tectonic activity: cores near the most active fault systems have the highest net thickness of units with SSDS, whereas those farther from the most active faults exhibit only a few deformed units. The predominance of SSDS in the upper portion of the middle member suggests there was a change from relative tectonic quiescence to a more active regime which in turn led to modifications of basin geometry and new accommodation patterns. Synsedimentary deformation might have had a positive effect on reservoir quality in deformed units by increasing porosity and permeability as a result of cohesion loss and rearrangement of grains. Additionally, multiple injection structures and complexes of small-scale normal and reverse faults could contribute to better connectivity of reservoir units.
Preblocking Procedure to Mitigate Nonselective Protein Adsorption for Carboxyl-SAMs Used in Biosensing

Across a wide range of biomarker detection schemes, carboxyl-terminated thiol self-assembled monolayers (COOH-SAMs) on Au are utilized to functionalize the sensing surface with a bioreceptor via am...
Total synthesis of violaceimides A–E and consideration of the reported stereochemistry

Abstract Here we report the first total synthesis of violaceimides A–E, a family of sulfur-containing metabolites from Aspergillus violaceus, a sponge-associated fungus. A concise, convergent and enantioselective synthesis was developed for all five family members, from a common advanced intermediate. However, while the NMR spectral data matched that of the reported natural products, the optical rotations were of opposite sign. This result prompted the enantioselective synthesis of all four diastereomeric pairs of violaceimide E, and suggests that the stereochemistry might have been misassigned.
Distributed cooperative industrial demand response

Abstract Industrial demand response, whereby energy-intensive industrial processes shift their production to take advantage of time-varying electricity prices, is a popular topic of recent research. In a traditional demand response problem, the industrial process will have customers which set their own schedule for purchases of the industrial product, which the industrial process must meet. However, by introducing cooperation between an industrial process and its customers, additional cost savings are possible. In this work, we present an optimization framework for cooperative demand response, whereby the industrial process provides economic incentives to customers to shift their schedules to better align with the utility costs seen by the industrial process. As the industrial process and its customers are likely to be different entities which do not share their operational models, we propose a distributed algorithm for solving the problem using the alternate direction method of multipliers, which enables solving the problem with minimal information sharing. The ability of this algorithm to obtain solutions which improve upon the status quo is showcased through multiple case studies. We further demonstrate that cooperation provides the most benefit when the industrial process has limited ability to store its product and when the customer has a high degree of flexibility. We also show that this idea is practically applicable through a case study where an industrial process supplies hydrogen and nitrogen to an ammonia producer.
Threshold Color Sensing Using Coupled Oscillator Networks

In this work, we examine the dynamics of a network of Colpitts oscillators which are coupled through a series of color- filtered CdSe photocells. We establish that with the analysis of particular emergent behaviors (most notably, frequency-locking within the network), this type of system has promise as a threshold color sensor. By exploiting such emergent behaviors, this type of system may find utility in optical pattern recognition.
A functionally informed evolutionary framework for the study of LRR-RLKs during stem cell maintenance

Plants maintain populations of stem cells to generate new organs throughout the course of their lives. The pathways that regulate plant stem cell maintenance have garnered great interest over the past decades, as variation in these pathways contributes plant morphological diversity and can be harnessed for crop improvement. In order to facilitate cross-species comparisons of gene function and better understand how these stem cell regulatory pathways evolved, we undertook a functionally informed phylogenetic analysis of leucine-rich receptor-like kinases (LRR-RLK) and related proteins across diverse land plant model systems. Based on our phylogenetic analysis and on functional data, we propose a naming scheme for these stem cell signaling genes. We discovered evidence for frequent loss of protein domains in angiosperms but not in bryophytes. In addition, several clades of stem cell signaling genes are closely related to genes that function in immunity, although these distinct developmental and immune functions likely separated or after the divergence of lycophytes and angiosperms. Overall, the phylogenetic framework and evolutionary hypotheses we provide here will empower future research on cross-species comparisons of stem cell signaling pathways.
Computational chemistry considerations in catalysis: Regioselectivity and metal-ligand dissociation

Abstract The utility of a range of computational chemistry approaches for the prediction of the regioselectivity for hydroformylation processes and metal-ligand dissociation in a model organometallic system is considered to provide insight about computational strategies for use in catalysis. The hydroformylation reactions investigated are the Rh-catalyzed hydroformylation of terminal alkenes with triarylphosphine and chelating diphosphine ligands. As well, the dissociation of water from a Pt complex is considered to probe method effects on metal-ligand bonding. Several density functional theory (DFT) approaches and ab initio methods are considered. We demonstrate that the quality of the basis set selected for the calculations can play a vital role in the prediction of even the product distribution, and that correcting for basis set superposition error (BSSE) can be very important. As well, the study demonstrates a broad range of predictions achievable using a variety of DFT approaches, which is, as discussed, a manifestation of the challenges that are encountered for calculations involving transition metal molecular species, illustrating the critical need to gauge computational chemistry methods.
Use of language in the medical decision-making process for biologic therapy: Youth and parent perspectives

BACKGROUND Youth with chronic illnesses and their parents make complex medical decisions and also need to develop medical decision-making skills for transition of care to adult care. The use of inclusive (e.g. 'we decided …') and exclusive (e.g. 'they decided …') language in youth and parents' medical decision-making experiences provides insights into perceptions of engagement. This study assessed youth and parents' perceptions of engagement in medical decision-making about biologic therapy. METHODS This exploratory mixed-methods secondary analysis of semistructured interview data included youth with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and Crohn's disease (CD) and parents. Iterative qualitative coding of interviews generated themes. Exploratory analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) investigated differences in language use between youth and parents. RESULTS Parents used more inclusive language in perceptions of medical decision-making experiences than youth, which exploratory analyses found significant (p < 0.05). Youth used more exclusive language than parents in perceptions of medical decision-making. CONCLUSION This research suggests that youth with chronic illnesses perceived limited engagement in medical decision-making, with parents perceiving higher engagement. This presents challenges for youth as they prepare for the transition to adult care. Future research should assess how inclusive and exclusive language use impacts psychosocial and health outcomes.
Identification and Comparison of Peptides from Chickpea Protein Hydrolysates Using Either Bromelain or Gastrointestinal Enzymes and Their Relationship with Markers of Type 2 Diabetes and Bitterness.

The chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is one of the most important pulses worldwide. The objective was to identify, compare and evaluate peptides from chickpea hydrolysates produced by two enzymatic treatments. The antidiabetic potential and bitterness of the peptides and induction of bitter receptors were identified in silico. Proteins were isolated from the Kabuli variety. Peptides were produced from the proteins using a simulated digestive system (pepsin/pancreatin, 1:50 Enzyme/Protein, E/P), and these peptides were compared with those produced via bromelain hydrolysis (1:50 E/P). The protein profiles, sequences and characteristics of the peptides were evaluated. The biochemical inhibition and molecular docking of dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV), α-amylase and α-glucosidase were also studied. The molecular docking identified peptides from enzymatic hydrolysis as inhibitors of DPP-IV. The high hydrophobicity of the peptides indicated the potential for bitterness. There was no correlation between peptide length and DPP-IV binding. Peptides sequenced from the pepsin/pancreatin hydrolysates, PHPATSGGGL and YVDGSGTPLT, had greater affinity for the DPP-IV catalytic site than the peptides from the bromelain hydrolysates. These results are in agreement with their biochemical inhibition, when considering the inhibition of sitagliptin (54.3 µg/mL) as a standard. The bitter receptors hTAS2R38, hTAS2R5, hTAS2R7 and hTAS2R14 were stimulated by most sequences, which could be beneficial in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Chickpea hydrolysates could be utilized as functional ingredients to be included in the diet for the prevention of diabetes.
Safety and Efficacy of Prophylactic Enoxaparin Adjusted by Anti-Factor Xa Peak Levels in Pancreatic Surgery:

BackgroundRecommended prophylactic doses of enoxaparin (Lovenox) are associated with subprophylactic anti-Factor Xa (anti-Xa) levels. This study examines the safety and efficacy of anti-Xa-guided d...
A "Pragmatic Definition" of the "Cause of Action"?

Much has been written on the subject of the code cause of action in the law reviews.' A recent publication by Professor Thurman W. Arnold in the April issue of the American Bar Association Journal 2 brings the subject into the limelight again and it is believed that a re-examination of the problem involved is not out of place. This is particularly true because Mr. Arnold deals with two specific cases, so that something can be gained by examining those cases in the light of the various contentions upon the subject. In addition, Mr. Arnold's article exemplifies the philosophical inadequacies of his school of thought, particularly as it applies to any attempted rationalization of procedural law.
Theories of Counterproductive Cooperation

We have seen that there are two kinds of cooperation failures: aborted cooperation and counterproductive cooperation. Aborted cooperation refers to attempts at cooperation that do not yield expected results, because some of the essential elements of cooperation—coordination, agreement, and compliance—do not materialize for such familiar reasons as freeriding, domestic constraints, and transaction costs. These instances of cooperation failures are well understood and will not be pursued here. Counterproductive cooperation, by contrast, is less well studied and less understood: we seek to study why it occurs and what its consequences are.
Developmental Stages and Illness

To Linda, a young mother with renal failure, death means deserting her own baby as she had been deserted by her divorced parents. She thought she had overcome the sadness and conflicts from the past, but now as her physical condition begins to worsen, she finds herself experiencing the feelings as strongly as ever.
Experimental Transmission of a Murine Microsporidian in Swiss Mice

Abstract The production of ascitic fluid and splenomegaly on intraperitoneal injection in weanlings was used as a test for microsporidia after introduction by other routes and in other loci. Oral and cerebral administration was followed only by enlarged spleens which reproduced the ascitic response on passage. Microsporidia were demonstrable by phase microscopy in all fluids. Positive findings were also obtained with liver, kidney, brain, lungs, blood, and urine. Intramuscular and intranasal injection were occasionally followed by ascites, but splenomegaly again predominated. The results of contact experiments indicated that the organisms were not readily communicable either in weanlings or nurslings. Relation of the microsporidian to Encephalitozoon cuniculi (Nosema cuniculi Lainson et al.) is discussed.
OXAMIC TRANSCARBAMYLASE OF STREPTOCOCCUS ALLANTOICUS.

Bojanowski, R. (University of Illinois, Urbana), Elizabeth Gaudy, R. C. Valentine, and R. S. Wolfe. Oxamic transcarbamylase of Streptococcus allantoicus. J. Bacteriol. 87:75–80. 1964.—An improved colorimetric assay for carbamyl oxamate, which allows the precise measurement of the activity of oxamic transcarbamylase, has been developed. Activity is maximum over the pH range from 8.3 to 8.7. A cation requirement is satisfied by 2.5 × 10−3m Mg++ or Mn++. The equilibrium constant for the phosphorolysis of carbamyl oxamic acid is 1.6, corresponding to a negative free energy change of −285 cal per mole.
D{sup 4}R{sup 4} term in type IIB string theory on T{sup 2} and U-duality

We propose a manifestly U-duality invariant modular form for the ${D}^{6}{\mathcal{R}}^{4}$ interaction in the effective action of type IIB string theory compactified on ${T}^{2}$. It receives perturbative contributions up to genus three, as well as nonperturbative contributions from D-instantons and $(p,q)$ string instantons wrapping ${T}^{2}$. Our construction is based on constraints coming from string perturbation theory, U-duality, the decompactification limit to ten dimensions, and the equality of the perturbative part of the amplitude in type IIA and type IIB string theories. Using duality, parts of the perturbative amplitude are also shown to match exactly the results obtained from 11 dimensional supergravity compactified on ${T}^{3}$ at one loop. We also obtain parts of the genus one and genus $k$ amplitudes for the ${D}^{2k}{\mathcal{R}}^{4}$ interaction for arbitrary $k\ensuremath{\ge}4$. We enhance a part of this amplitude to a U-duality invariant modular form.
Ethics and the ivory tower: The case of academic departments of finance

This study reports the results from a survey of 1,000 finance faculty members within schools of business across the U.S. concerning their knowledge of ethical transgressions as well as their attitudes towards ethics training in the curriculum. Ethical breaches appear most frequently with the unauthorized duplication of licensed software and the misuse of university resources for private consulting activity. Yet knowledge of ethical misconduct is highly segmented, with significant differences in reporting frequency between groups based upon citizenship, academic rank and school size. Contrary to the implications of Hawley (1991), we find there is a widely held belief by finance educators that business ethics has a legitimate role in business curriculums and should be included in finance course work. Further, our respondents strongly reject the notions that ethical practices are inconsistent with the principle of shareholder wealth maximization or that finance is more susceptible to ethical transgressions than other functional areas of business. We conclude that finance faculty are able to serve as legitimate ethical mentors for students and by implication may positively influence future corporate ethical behavior.
Efficacy of the glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist exenatide in the treatment of short bowel syndrome.

Background Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a serious clinical disorder characterized by diarrhea and nutritional deprivation. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a key hormone, produced by L-cells in the ileum, that regulates proximal gut transit. When extensive ileal resection occurrs, as in SBS, GLP-1 levels may be deficient. In this study, we test whether the use of GLP-1 agonist exenatide can improve the nutritional state and intestinal symptoms of patients with SBS. Methods Five consecutive patients with SBS based on ≤90 cm of small bowel and clinical evidence of nutritional deprivation were selected. Baseline SBS symptoms, demographic and laboratory data were obtained. Antroduodenal manometry was performed on each subject. Each patient was then started on exenatide and over the following month, the baseline parameters were repeated. Key Results The subjects consisted of four males and one female, aged 46–69 years. At baseline, all had severe diarrhea that ranged from 6 to 15 bowel movements per day, often occurring within minutes of eating. After exenatide, all five patients had immediate improvement in bowel frequency and form; bowel movements were no longer meal-related. Total parenteral nutrition was stopped successfully in three patients. Antroduodenal manometry revealed continuous low amplitude gastric contractions during fasting which completely normalized with exenatide. Conclusions & Inferences Exenatide is a novel and safe treatment option for SBS. It produced substantial improvement in the bowel habits, nutritional status and quality of life of SBS patients. Successful treatment with exenatide may significantly reduce the need for parenteral nutrition and small bowel transplant.
Role of insulin and branched-chain amino acids in regulating protein metabolism during fasting.

This study examines the independent effects of insulin and amino acids on protein metabolism after a 12-h and 4-day fast in healthy volunteers. Leucine (Leu) kinetics were examined during sequential insulin infusions of 0 (group I) or 0.0125 (groups II and III), 1.2, and 10 mU.kg-1.min-1. Plasma Leu was maintained at 12-h fasted levels in groups I and II and at 84-h fasted levels in group III. Four-day fast (vs. 1 day, P less than 0.01) was associated with a 79% drop in plasma insulin and elevations in plasma Leu (122%), Leu rates of appearance (Ra) (21%), and Leu oxidation (56%), and no change in nonoxidative rates of disappearance (Rd). Insulin resulted in a dose-dependent suppression of endogenous Leu Ra with group III = I greater than II. Leu oxidation rose 1.7-fold in group III at the highest insulin dose but remained stable in the two other groups. In conclusion, 4-day fasting is associated with enhanced proteolysis and Leu oxidation with no change in nonoxidative Rd (protein synthesis). Elevated branched-chain (and other) amino acids were required to restore tissue sensitivity and specificity to the effects of insulin on protein metabolism after 4 days of fasting.
Pilin antigenic variation occurs independently of the RecBCD pathway in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

Type IV pilus expression has been strongly implicated in the virulence of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the causative agent of gonorrhea. In Neisseria, these pili undergo frequent antigenic variation (Av), which is presumed to allow reinfection of high-risk groups. Pilin Av is the result of RecA-mediated recombination events between the gene encoding the major pilin subunit (pilE) and multiple silent pilin locus (pilS) copies, utilizing a RecF-like recombination pathway. The role of RecBCD in pilin Av has been controversial. Previous studies measuring pilin Av in recB and recD mutants in two independent strains of N. gonorrhoeae (MS11 and FA1090) by indirect methods yielded conflicting results. In addition, these two laboratory strains have been suggested to express very different DNA repair capabilities. We show that the FA1090 and MS11 parental strains have similar abilities to repair DNA damage via UV-induced DNA damage, nalidixic acid-induced double-strand breaks, and methyl methanesulfonate-induced alkylation and that RecB and RecD are involved in the repair of these lesions. To test the role of the RecBCD pathway in pilin Av, the rate and frequency of pilin Av were directly measured by sequencing the pilE locus in randomly selected piliated progeny of both MS11 and FA1090 in recB and recD mutants. Our results definitively show that recB and recD mutants undergo pilin Av at rates similar to those of the parents in both strain backgrounds, demonstrating that efficient pilin Av is neither enhanced nor inhibited by the RecBCD complex.