cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Experimental constraints on the evolution of transitional and mildly alkalic basalts: crystallization of spinel

Abstract Melting experiments on a mildly alkalic basaltic rock show that the spinel field penetrates slightly into the transitional volume of the natural basalt phase diagram at one-atmosphere pressure and the fayalite-magnetite-quartz oxygen buffer. The examined sample contains 22.5 wt.% Al2O3 and crystallized spinel as the liquidus phase at 1290 ±11 °C, followed by plagioclase at 1261 ± 10 °C, olivine at 1175 ± 5 °C, and magnetite at 1145 ± 5 °C. The amount of crystallizing spinel is about 4 wt.% and relatively constant throughout the melting interval. Compositionally, the spinel is dominatly pleonaste with minor components of magnetite and ulvospinel in the solid solution, and shows a marked rise in Ti, Fe2+ and Fe3+ with falling temperature, reflecting the coexisting liquid. The distribution of Fe2+ and Mg between olivine and liquid defines a KDFe-Mg (ol/liq) of 0.30 ± 0.02. Similarly calculated distribution of Fe2+ and Mg between spinel and liquid, gives KDFe-Mg (p/liq) of 0.52 ± 0.03. In pseudoternary projections of the basalt system, the liquids reach pseudounivariant spinel, plagioclase, and olivine crystallization near the thermal divide, with about 64% liquid remaining and slightly hypersthene normative compositions. The position of the spinel saturated cotectic confirms that low pressure spinel crystallization is unlikely in most oceanic basalts. A survey of high pressure mantle assemblage equilibria shows that oceanic mildly alkalic and transitional basaltic glasses plot significantly away from the low variance multiply saturated cotectics representing likely mantle melting. Therefore, these types of oceanic basalts must reflect extensive olivine and plagioclase fractionation, subsequently to separation from their mantle sources and prior to augite saturation at relatively low pressures.
Studies on β-adrenoceptors of purified mast cells from guinea-pig lung☆

Abstract Ovalbumin-induced histamine release from passively sensitized monodispersed cells (2–4% mast cells) or purified mast cells (50–78%) from guinea-pig lung was inhibited by isoproterenol and sulfonterol and their relative potencies or maximum responses were similar in both cases. The apparent dissociation constant for butoxamine was also independent of mast cell purity. The results indicate that β-adrenoceptors mediating histamine release inhibition from lung are localized to mast cells and act independently of other cell types.
Flexible Exchange Rates, Northern Expansion, and the Market for Southern Cotton: 1866–1879

Anumber of economic historians, including Charles Beard, C. Vann Woodward, and others have argued that southern economic development during the nineteenth century may have been significantly hindered by the South's political and economic relations with the North. Certainly the best known of such arguments is that of Charles Beard. Beard thought that the “normal” workings of the pre-Civil War political economy would have resulted in the relative eclipse of the southern economy even in the absence of the Civil War. Wartime devastation plus such northern policies as the tariff, the Homestead Law, the National Banking Act, and emancipation of the slaves, merely hastened and worsened the South's economic decline.
Hypoxia and Stretch Regulate Intercellular Communication in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Through Reactive Oxygen Species Formation

Objective— We hypothesized that the alterations in vasomotor tone and adaptive remodeling responses that occur in the circulation because of hypoxia were dependent on changes in cell to cell commun...
Atonal, rough and the resolution of proneural clusters in the developing Drosophila retina

In the developing Drosophila retina, the proneural gene for photoreceptor neurons is atonal, a basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor. Using atonal as a marker for proneural maturation, we examine the stepwise resolution of proneural clusters during the initiation of ommatidial differentiation in the developing eye disc. In addition, evidence is provided that atonal is negatively regulated by rough, a homeobox-containing transcription factor expressed exclusively in the retina. This interaction leads to the refinement of proneural clusters to specify R8, the first neuron to emerge in the retinal neuroepithelium. Ectopic expression of atonal or removal of rough results in the transformation of a discrete ‘equivalence group’ of cells into R8s. In addition, ectopic expression of rough blocks atonal expression and proneural cluster formation within the morphogenetic furrow. Thus, rough provides retina-specific regulation to the more general atonal-mediated proneural differentiation pathway. The opposing roles of atonal and rough are not mediated through the Notch pathway, as their expression remains complementary when Notch activity is reduced. These observations suggest that homeobox-containing genes can provide tissue-specific regulation to bHLH factors.
Molecular cloning of the maize gene crp1 reveals similarity between regulators of mitochondrial and chloroplast gene expression

The maize nuclear gene crp1 is required for the translation of the chloroplast petA and petD mRNAs and for the processing of the petD mRNA from a polycistronic precursor. In order to understand the biochemical role of the crp1 gene product and the interconnections between chloroplast translation and RNA metabolism, the crp1 gene and cDNA were cloned. The predicted crp1 gene product (CRP1) is related to nuclear genes in fungi that play an analogous role in mitochondrial gene expression, suggesting an underlying mechanistic similarity. Analysis of double mutants that lack both chloroplast ribosomes and crp1 function indicated that CRP1 activates a site-specific endoribonuclease independently of any role it plays in translation. Antibodies prepared to recombinant CRP1 were used to demonstrate that CRP1 is localized to the chloroplast stroma and that it is a component of a multisubunit complex. The CRP1 complex is not associated detectably with either chloroplast membranes or chloroplast ribosomes. Models for CRP1 function and its relationship to other activators of organellar translation are discussed.
Factors affecting outcomes of pilocarpine treatment in a mouse model of temporal lobe epilepsy

Pilocarpine-treated mice are an increasingly used model of temporal lobe epilepsy. However, outcomes of treatment can be disappointing, because many mice die or fail to develop status epilepticus. To improve animal welfare and outcomes of future experiments we analyzed results of previous pilocarpine treatments to identify factors that correlate with development of status epilepticus and survival. All treatments were performed by one investigator with mice of the FVB background strain. Results from 2413 mice were evaluated for effects of sex, age, body weight, and latency between administration of atropine methyl bromide and pilocarpine. All parameters correlated with effects on outcomes. Best results were obtained from male mice, 6-7 weeks old, and 21-25 g, with pilocarpine administered 18-30 min after atropine methyl bromide. In that group only 23% failed to develop status epilepticus, and 64% developed status epilepticus and survived. Those results are substantially better than that of the total sample in which 31% failed to develop status epilepticus and only 34% developed status epilepticus and survived.
A RIDDLE AND A SONG: PLAYING WITH SIGNS IN A FOURTEENTH-CENTURY BALLADE

In a rich and learned article, Lawrence Gushee explored the tabula monochordi of Magister Nicolaus de Luduno. The tabula, which was copied into a music theory manuscript of c. 1400 of southern Italian provenance (Rome/St. Paul), consists of three associated parts. The first and third I shall call, following Gushee, the tabula figurarum (an elaborate musical example) and the tabula numerorum (an extremely elaborate table of corresponding information). Between them lies the enigmatic text of a six-stanza musical puzzle poem, ‘Ut pateat evidenter’, with which Gushee wrestled inconclusively. A concordance to the poem unknown to Gushee in an English music theory manuscript of about the same age (Bodley 842) associates these cryptic verses with a polyphonic chanson, a two-voice ballade that has never been published. The ballade is a sophisticated demonstration piece for tonal and mensural behaviours, and I believe that this song is the original complement and key to the poem’s meaning. It also offers a significant new point of entry into the complicated world of Anglo-French tonal theory as it developed in treatises and compositions of the fourteenth century.
Social Exchange and Moral Development: Dimensions of Self, Self-Image, and Identity

This paper argues that the exchange theories of sociological utilitarianism should be combined with ethical theories premised on the intrinsic value of human life in order to understand more completely the components of human interaction. This is necessary because each theory relies on a distinct social-psychological dimension of human behavior: ethical theories explicate the concept of the "self," which psychologically functions as evidence that the individual "exists," whereas social exchange theories explicate the narcissistic concept of "self-image," defined as the pleasure and/or pain of existence. It is further argued that a particularized combination of self and self-image produces an individual's concept of "identity." The value of integrating these concepts into an analysis of human interaction is most easily seen when applied to traumatic human interaction. Here the resulting psychological damage can be effectively analyzed and better understood by reference to these three dimensions: self, base...
Degradation of Bunker C Fuel Oil by White-Rot Fungi in Sawdust Cultures Suggests Potential Applications in Bioremediation.

Fungal lignocellulolytic enzymes are promising agents for oxidizing pollutants. This study investigated degradation of Number 6 “Bunker C” fuel oil compounds by the white-rot fungi Irpex lacteus, Trichaptum biforme, Phlebia radiata, Trametes versicolor, and Pleurotus ostreatus (Basidiomycota, Agaricomycetes). Averaging across all studied species, 98.1%, 48.6%, and 76.4% of the initial Bunker C C10 alkane, C14 alkane, and phenanthrene, respectively were degraded after 180 days of fungal growth on pine media. This study also investigated whether Bunker C oil induces changes in gene expression in the white-rot fungus Punctularia strigosozonata, for which a complete reference genome is available. After 20 days of growth, a monokaryon P. strigosozonata strain degraded 99% of the initial C10 alkane in both pine and aspen media but did not affect the amounts of the C14 alkane or phenanthrene. Differential gene expression analysis identified 119 genes with ≥ log2(2-fold) greater expression in one or more treatment comparisons. Six genes were significantly upregulated in media containing oil; these genes included three enzymes with potential roles in xenobiotic biotransformation. Carbohydrate metabolism genes showing differential expression significantly accumulated transcripts on aspen vs. pine substrates, perhaps reflecting white-rot adaptations to growth on hardwood substrates. The mechanisms by which P. strigosozonata may degrade complex oil compounds remain obscure, but degradation results of the 180-day cultures suggest that diverse white-rot fungi have promise for bioremediation of petroleum fuels.
REG1 binds to protein phosphatase type 1 and regulates glucose repression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract Protein phosphatase type 1 (PP1) is encoded by GLC7, an essential gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The GLC7 phosphatase is required for glucose repression and appears to function antagonistically to the SNF1 protein kinase. Previously, we characterized a mutation, glc7-T152K, that relieves glucose repression but does not interfere with the function of GLC7 in glycogen metabolism. We proposed that the mutant GLC7T152K phosphatase is defective in its interaction with a regulatory subunit that directs participation of PP1 in the glucose repression mechanism. Here, we present evidence that REG1, a protein required for glucose repression, is one such regulatory subunit. We show that REG1 is physically associated with GLC7. REG1 interacts with GLC7 strongly and specifically in the two-hybrid system, and REG1 and GLC7 fusion proteins co-immunoprecipitate from cell extracts. Moreover, overexpression of a REG1 fusion protein suppresses the glc7-T152K mutant defect in glucose repression. This and other genetic evidence indicate that the two proteins function together in regulating glucose repression. These results suggest that REG1 is a regulatory subunit of PP1 that targets its activity to proteins in the glucose repression regulatory pathway.
A case study of the reproducibility of transcriptional reporter cell-based RNAi screens in Drosophila

Off-target effects have been demonstrated to be a major source of false-positives in RNA interference (RNAi) high-throughput screens. In this study, we re-assess the previously published transcriptional reporter-based whole-genome RNAi screens for the Wingless and Hedgehog signaling pathways using second generation double-stranded RNA libraries. Furthermore, we investigate other factors that may influence the outcome of such screens, including cell-type specificity, robustness of reporters, and assay normalization, which determine the efficacy of RNAi-knockdown of target genes.
Clostridium difficile infection in the twenty-first century

Clostridium difficile is a spore-forming gram-positive bacillus, and the leading cause of antibiotic-associated nosocomial diarrhea and colitis in the industrialized world. With the emergence of a hypervirulent strain of C. difficile (BI/NAP1/027), the epidemiology of C. difficile infection has rapidly changed in the last decade. C. difficile infection, once thought to be an easy to treat bacterial infection, has evolved into an epidemic that is associated with a high rate of mortality, causing disease in patients thought to be low-risk. In this review, we discuss the changing face of C .difficile infection and the novel treatment and prevention strategies needed to halt this ever growing epidemic.
Protein docking by the underestimation of free energy funnels in the space of encounter complexes.

Similarly to protein folding, the association of two proteins is driven by a free energy funnel, determined by favorable interactions in some neighborhood of the native state. We describe a docking method based on stochastic global minimization of funnel-shaped energy functions in the space of rigid body motions (SE(3)) while accounting for flexibility of the interface side chains. The method, called semi-definite programming-based underestimation (SDU), employs a general quadratic function to underestimate a set of local energy minima and uses the resulting underestimator to bias further sampling. While SDU effectively minimizes functions with funnel-shaped basins, its application to docking in the rotational and translational space SE(3) is not straightforward due to the geometry of that space. We introduce a strategy that uses separate independent variables for side-chain optimization, center-to-center distance of the two proteins, and five angular descriptors of the relative orientations of the molecules. The removal of the center-to-center distance turns out to vastly improve the efficiency of the search, because the five-dimensional space now exhibits a well-behaved energy surface suitable for underestimation. This algorithm explores the free energy surface spanned by encounter complexes that correspond to local free energy minima and shows similarity to the model of macromolecular association that proceeds through a series of collisions. Results for standard protein docking benchmarks establish that in this space the free energy landscape is a funnel in a reasonably broad neighborhood of the native state and that the SDU strategy can generate docking predictions with less than 5 A ligand interface Cα root-mean-square deviation while achieving an approximately 20-fold efficiency gain compared to Monte Carlo methods.
Secure sensor networks for perimeter protection

Sensor networks have been identified as being useful in a variety of domains to include the battlefield and perimeter defense. We motivate the security problems that sensor networks face by developing a scenario representative of a large application class where these networks would be used in the future. We identify threats to this application class and propose a new lightweight security model that operates in the base station mode of sensor communication, where the security model is mindful of the resource constraints of sensor networks. Our application class requires mitigation against traffic analysis, hence we do not use any routing mechanisms, relying solely on broadcasts of end-to-end encrypted packets. Our model extends the broadcast range of the base station model by utilizing nodes adjacent to the base station as an intermediary hop. Additionally, our model detects and corrects some classes of aberrant node behavior. We have simulated our model and present simulation results.
Parallel construction of multidimensional binary search trees

Multidimensional binary search tree (abbreviated k-d tree) is a popular data structure for the organization and manipulation of spatial data. The data structure is useful in several applications including graph partitioning, hierarchical applications such as molecular dynamics and n-body simulations, and databases. In this paper, we study efficient parallel construction of k-d trees on coarse-grained distributed memory parallel computers. We consider several algorithms for parallel k-d tree construction and analyze them theoretically and experimentally, with a view towards identifying the algorithms that are practically efficient. We have carried out detailed implementations of all the algorithms discussed on the CM-5 and report on experimental results.
Microstructures of GaN Films Grown on a LiGaO2 New Substrate by Metalorganic Chemical Vapor Deposition

Microstructures of GaN films grown on the LiGaO2 by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). TEM and HRTEM results show that high quality single-crystal wurtzite GaN films have been deposited on the LiGaO2 and that the GaN film and the LiGaO2 have the following orientation relationship: (21 10)(0002)GaN (002)LiGaO2 ^ 5–8°. A higher density of threading dislocations and stacking faults have been observed near the GaN/LiGaO2 interface, even though the lattice mismatch of GaN to LiGaO2 is only ∼1%. Threading dislocations with burgers vector b= and b=a/3 are predominant in the GaN films. Also the GaN films contain some columnar inversion domain boundaries (IDBs). Both TEM and HRTEM results reveal that there is an unexpected amorphous or nano-crystalline inter-layer between the GaN and the LiGaO2 with a thickness of 50–100 nm.
Lattice segmentation and support vector machines for large vocabulary continuous speech recognition

Lattice segmentation procedures are used to spot possible recognition errors in first-pass recognition hypotheses produced by a large vocabulary continuous speech recognition system. This approach is analyzed in terms of its ability to reliably identify, and provide good alternatives for, incorrectly hypothesized words. A procedure is described to train and apply support vector machines to strengthen the first pass system where it was found to be weak, resulting in small but statistically significant recognition improvements on a large test set of conversational speech.
Effects of structural imperfections on the dynamic mechanical response of main‐chain smectic elastomers

We examine the influence of structural imperfections on mechanical damping in polydomain smectic main-chain liquid crystalline elastomers (MCLCE) subjected to small strain oscillatory shear. The mechanical loss factor tan δ = G″(ω)/G′(ω) exhibits a strong maximum (tan δ ≈ 1.0) near the smectic-isotropic (clearing) transition. “Optimal” elastomers that exhibit minimal equilibrium swelling in a good solvent are compared with highly swelling “imperfect elastomers” that contain higher concentrations of structural imperfections such as pendant chains. For the imperfect elastomers, tan δ is markedly enhanced in the isotropic state because of relaxation of pendant chains and other imperfections. However, within the smectic state, the magnitude of tan δ and its temperature dependence are similar for optimal and imperfect elastomers at ω = 1 Hz. The prominent loss peak near the clearing transition arises from segment-level relaxations that are insensitive to the details of chain connectivity. Smectic MCLCE can be tailored for applications as vibration-damping materials by manipulating the clearing transition temperature through the backbone structure or by deliberate introduction of structural imperfections such as pendant chains. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 3267–3276, 2007
Maleimide Functionalized Poly(ε-caprolactone)-block-poly(ethylene glycol) (PCL-PEG-MAL): Synthesis, Nanoparticle Formation, and Thiol Conjugation

Carboxylic acid terminated poly(e-caprolactone)s (PCL-COOHs) with narrow polydispersity were synthesized and coupled with poly(ethylene glycol) (HO-PEG-OH) to afford PCL-PEG-OH copolymers. The hydroxyl groups in the PCL-PEG-OHs were then converted to maleimide groups to afford maleimide terminated PCL-PEG-MALs that contained 70–90% maleimide functionality. Nanoparticles with maleimide functionality on their surfaces were prepared by impingement mixing. Particle sizes and size distributions were determined by dynamic light scattering. Conjugation of reduced glutathione with model maleimides and two MAL-functional nanoparticles was also demonstrated. The amount of accessible maleimide on the particle surface was measured using Ellman’s reagent to range between ~51–67%.
Innate immunity and inflammation in sepsis: mechanisms by which acute ethanol exposure alters the course of sepsis and the effect to TLR4 signaling

Alcohol consumption is a significant risk factor for mortality in patients with sepsis. Alcohol is the most widely abused substance worldwide and numerous studies have revealed that it has widespread effects on the immune system and leaves abusers at increased risk of a variety of infections. An increased predisposition to infection among patients with alcohol use problems may also mediate an association with sepsis.
Universal admission screening for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a level IIID neonatal intensive care unit: the first 9 months.

In response to epidemic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in the community, the Illinois General Assembly mandated that all patients admitted to intensive care units statewide be screened for MRSA. Screening was instituted at our neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in September 2007 by a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based strategy. The law created an opportunity to determine the rate of MRSA colonization among neonates, to gather information about subsequent MRSA infections, and to evaluate risk factors for MRSA colonization on admission to the NICU.
Host Plants (Cyperaceae) of Ischnodemus rufipes Van Duzee (Hemiptera: Blissidae): Cyperus erythrorhizos in Unpredictable Wetland Communities, Scirpus cyperinus in More Permanent Wetlands

Abstract. Previous information on host plants of the blissid Ischnodemus rufipes Van Duzee has been limited to single observations in Florida on each of two sedges (Cyperaceae): Cyperus erythrorhizos and C. odoratus. In the piedmont of South Carolina, during extreme drought conditions in August 2008, I. rufipes was found on redroot flatsedge, C. erythrorhizos, which had colonized mudflats on exposed shorelines of Hartwell Lake in Clemson. Surveys to determine the host-plant range of I. rufipes were conducted from 2008 to 2012 in the Blue Ridge ecoregion of Georgia and North Carolina and coastal plain and piedmont of Georgia and South Carolina. The blissid exploits the short (floriferous) growth form of C. erythrorhizos, an annual sedge of unpredictable availability in ephemeral mudflats, while maintaining populations mainly on a perennial sedge, Scirpus cyperinus, in more persistent habitats. The blissid also develops on the generally taller C. erythrorhizos plants in more permanent wetlands. Only one gen...
Inhibition of cytochrome c oxidase activity by 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE). Role of HNE adduct formation with the enzyme subunits.

The role of 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), a major lipid peroxidation product, in oxidative damage to mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) was examined. Oxidative stress was induced in mitochondria isolated from livers of male Sprague-Dawley rats by tert-butylhydroperoxide (t-BHP). COX activity was inhibited, with a concomitant increase in endogenous HNE level in mitochondria. COX activity was also inhibited following incubation of mitochondria with 50-450 microM HNE. Blocking HNE degradation intensified COX inhibition by HNE and by t-BHP-induced oxidative stress, the latter accompanied by a simultaneous increase in endogenous HNE production. On the other hand, COX inhibition by HNE was markedly reduced by potentiating HNE degradation via enhancing conjugation of HNE with reduced glutathione (GSH). Incubation of purified COX with 10-400 microM HNE resulted in HNE adduct formation with specific subunits of COX, correlated with inhibition of the enzyme activity. These data suggest that HNE may inhibit mitochondrial COX by forming adducts with the enzyme, and that this could be one mechanism underlying mitochondrial damage caused by oxidative stress. The findings also illustrate a role for GSH in protecting mitochondria from the deleterious effects of HNE.
Global Patterns of QALY and DALY Use in Surgical Cost-Utility Analyses: A Systematic Review

Background Surgical interventions are being increasingly recognized as cost-effective global priorities, the utility of which are frequently measured using either quality-adjusted (QALY) or disability-adjusted (DALY) life years. The objectives of this study were to: (1) identify surgical cost-effectiveness studies that utilized a formulation of the QALY or DALY as a summary measure, (2) report on global patterns of QALY and DALY use in surgery and the income characteristics of the countries and/or regions involved, and (3) assess for possible associations between national/regional-income levels and the relative prominence of either measure.
Optimal policy for a stochastic scheduling problem with applications to surgical scheduling

We consider the stochastic, single-machine earliness/tardiness problem (SET), with the sequence of processing of the jobs and their due-dates as decisions and the objective of minimizing the sum of the expected earliness and tardiness costs over all the jobs. In a recent paper, Baker (2014) shows the optimality of the Shortest-Variance-First (SVF) rule under the following two assumptions: (a) The processing duration of each job follows a normal distribution. (b) The earliness and tardiness cost parameters are the same for all the jobs. In this study, we consider problem SET under assumption (b). We generalize Baker's result by establishing the optimality of the SVF rule for more general distributions of the processing durations and a more general objective function. Specifically, we show that the SVF rule is optimal under the assumption of dilation ordering of the processing durations. Since convex ordering implies dilation ordering (under finite means), the SVF sequence is also optimal under convex ordering of the processing durations. We also study the effect of variability of the processing durations of the jobs on the optimal cost. An application of problem SET in surgical scheduling is discussed.
Genome Sequence of a Novel Iflavirus from the Leafhopper Graminella nigrifrons

ABSTRACT A novel iflavirus was discovered from the transcriptome of the leafhopper Graminella nigrifrons. The assembled virus genome has 9,700 nucleotides (nt) and encodes a 3,035-amino-acid polyprotein. Sanger sequencing was used to confirm the sequence encoding the polyprotein and indicated a genome length of 9,617 nt with a polyadenylated tail.
TRAF3IP2 mediates aldosterone/salt-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis

Aberrant activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to adverse cardiac remodeling and eventual failure. Here we investigated whether TRAF3 Interacting Protein 2 (TRAF3IP2), a redox-sensitive cytoplasmic adaptor molecule and an upstream regulator of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1), mediates aldosterone-induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. Wild type (WT) and TRAF3IP2-null mice were infused with aldosterone (0.2 mg/kg/day) for 4 weeks along with 1%NaCl in drinking water. Aldosterone/salt, but not salt alone, upregulated TRAF3IP2 expression in WT mouse hearts. Further, aldosterone elevated blood pressure to a similar extent in both WT and TRAF3IP2-null groups. However, TRAF3IP2 gene deletion attenuated aldosterone/salt-induced (i) p65 and c-Jun activation, (ii) extracellular matrix (collagen Iα1 and collagen IIIα1), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP2), lysyl oxidase (LOX), inflammatory cytokine (IL-6 and IL-18), chemokine (CXCL1 and CXCL2), and adhesion molecule (ICAM1) mRNA expression in hearts, (iii) IL-6, IL-18, and MMP2 protein levels, (iv) systemic IL-6 and IL-18 levels, and (iv) cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. These results indicate that TRAF3IP2 is a critical signaling intermediate in aldosterone/salt-induced myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis, and thus a potential therapeutic target in hypertensive heart disease.
Neurotoxicity of metals

Metals are frequently used in industry and represent a major source of toxin exposure for workers. For this reason governmental agencies regulate the amount of metal exposure permissible for worker safety. While essential metals serve physiologic roles, metals pose significant health risks upon acute and chronic exposure to high levels. The central nervous system is particularly vulnerable to metals. The brain readily accumulates metals, which under physiologic conditions are incorporated into essential metalloproteins required for neuronal health and energy homeostasis. Severe consequences can arise from circumstances of excess essential metals or exposure to toxic nonessential metal. Herein, we discuss sources of occupational metal exposure, metal homeostasis in the human body, susceptibility of the nervous system to metals, detoxification, detection of metals in biologic samples, and chelation therapeutic strategies. The neurologic pathology and physiology following aluminum, arsenic, lead, manganese, mercury, and trimethyltin exposures are highlighted as classic examples of metal-induced neurotoxicity.
398 THE USE OF HIGH-FREQUENCY ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN EVALUATING SUPERFICIAL AND NODULAR BASAL CELL CARCINOMAS.

Introduction Frequencies of 20 MHz may be appropriate to visualize basal cell carcinomas (BCCs), including their tumor thickness and margins. Histologic comparisons with sonographic images are related at all levels of the epidermis and corium. High-frequency ultrasonography (HFUS) proves to be an inexpensive and noninvasive modality to adequately delineate tumor margins under favorable circumstances. Methods Fifty superficial and nodular basal cell carcinomas of various locations were scanned using a 20 MHz ultrasound device. Tumors were delineated and then excised with 4 mm surgical margins and sent for histologic clearance. Morpheaform, recurrent BCCs, BCCs in areas difficult to scan, and BCCs with specific properties were excluded from this study. Results Clinical and ultrasonic measurements correlated well in terms of width, depth, and length (p Discussion HFUS was able to delineate tumor margins adequately, and it appeared to depict subclinical extension past 4 mm on less aggressive BCC variants too It may also be warranted if clinical or histologic diagnosis is uncertain. The strong association between clinical and ultrasonic measurement initiates more successful forms of therapy, risk-stratifies specific subgroups of patients, and prevents overall morbidity.
Pediatric behavior guidance in the 21st century workshop C report - advocacy and policy.

Abstract This report outlines a series of recommendations derived from an advocacy and policy workshop at the 2013 American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Behavior Guidance Symposium. The committee charge was to address two questions: (1) what should be done to change public and media perception of behavior guidance, if anything, and: (2) what should be done to insure that needed behavior guidance techniques will be available for practicing pediatric dentists in the future. Members of the workshop voiced a wide variety of opinions and impressions of how public perception and media promotion of behavior guidance affect the practice of pediatric dentistry. A diverse assortment of strategies to promote the availability of these techniques in the future was suggested. This report will serve to inform policy and advocacy efforts by AAPD to improve children's oral health and promote excellence in patient care.
Western guidelines on the prevention of postoperative infections and compliance

Postoperative infections should be comprehensively controlled in the context of infection control, rather than as activities of individual surgeons. More Japanese surgeons have recently become interested in infection control but not many studies have been done in this field in Japan. As a result, surgeons are dependent on guidelines published abroad, especially in the USA and Europe. These guidelines are generally evidence based and applicable to the Japanese medical system. However, some recommendations such as antimicrobial prophylaxis are controversial, and evidence from surgery on specific organs is lacking. This results in difficulty in accepting the guidelines by Japanese surgeons, as well as poor compliance by US surgeons. Furthermore, Japanese surgeons operate mainly on Japanese patients and perform invasive operations involving the hepatobiliary system and esophagus more frequently than Western surgeons. Evidence for infection control during and after such operations should be obtained through randomized, controlled trials performed in Japan.
Developmentalist metatheory of depression and psychotherapy.

This paper proposes a developmentalist metatheory for the psychotherapy of depressed patients. Four prototypes of depressive disorder based on psychosexual maturation—dyadic deficit depression (DDD...
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF ANKLE LIGAMENTS: Emphasis on Anatomy and Injuries to Lateral Collateral Ligaments

Ankle ligament sprains are the most frequent sports injury, and radiographic evaluation of the ankle accounts for 10% or all radiographic examinations requested from an emergency department. This article reviews the diagnosis of the ankle sprain and the anatomy and injuries of the ankle ligaments.
Frosted windows and compartmentalized intimacies: Forging relationships in a Bolivian restaurant in Madrid

ABSTRACTBolivian restaurants in Madrid, like other Spanish restaurants, obscure clients from public view, complicating the idea of restaurants as public space. These are locations of “compartmentalized intimacy” that both blur and maintain divisions between restaurant staff, customers, family members, and friends. The deliberate structuring of space to create the semi-public nature of the restaurant is part of a larger process of “culinary translation” between the multiple audiences that interact in this space. Such translations involve not only the preparation and modification of dishes but also the structure of spaces where this food and drink are consumed. In other words, how space is organized within the restaurant is as much a part of the interactions between staff and customers as the food and drink they serve. All these translations, while always context-specific and incomplete, actively forge “compartmentalized intimacies” between the Bolivian, Spanish, and Chinese clients and the Bolivian owner a...
Studies of TAK1-centered polypharmacology with novel covalent TAK1 inhibitors

Targeted polypharmacology provides an efficient method of treating diseases such as cancer with complex, multigenic causes provided that compounds with advantageous activity profiles can be discovered. Novel covalent TAK1 inhibitors were validated in cellular contexts for their ability to inhibit the TAK1 kinase and for their polypharmacology. Several inhibitors phenocopied reported TAK1 inhibitor 5Z-7-oxozaenol with comparable efficacy and complementary kinase selectivity profiles. Compound 5 exhibited the greatest potency in RAS-mutated and wild-type RAS cell lines from various cancer types. A biotinylated derivative of 5, 27, was used to verify TAK1 binding in cells. The newly described inhibitors constitute useful tools for further development of multi-targeting TAK1-centered inhibitors for cancer and other diseases.
Identification of Neuroprotective Spoxazomicin and Oxachelin Glycosides via Chemoenzymatic Glycosyl-Scanning.

The assessment of glycosyl-scanning to expand the molecular and functional diversity of metabolites from the underground coal mine fire-associated Streptomyces sp. RM-14-6 is reported. Using the engineered glycosyltransferase OleD Loki and a 2-chloro-4-nitrophenylglycoside-based screen, six metabolites were identified as substrates of OleD Loki, from which 12 corresponding metabolite glycosides were produced and characterized. This study highlights the first application of the 2-chloro-4-nitrophenylglycoside-based screen toward an unbiased set of unique microbial natural products and the first reported application of the 2-chloro-4-nitrophenylglycoside-based transglycosylation reaction for the corresponding preparative synthesis of target glycosides. Bioactivity analysis (including antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, and EtOH damage neuroprotection assays) revealed glycosylation to attenuate the neuroprotective potency of 4, while glycosylation of the structurally related inactive spoxazomicin C (3) re...
Line parameters for CO2- and self-broadening in the ν1 band of HD16O

Abstract Lorentz half-width coefficients and their temperature dependence exponents for CO2 broadening in the fundamental bands of HDO are important for reliable and accurate interpretation of Mars and Venus atmospheric data and to determine D/H. Uncertainties in the temperature dependences of the CO2-broadened half-width coefficients lead to large errors in the retrieved mixing ratios and hence in HDO column abundances. In this high-resolution FTIR laboratory study, we report first measurements of the temperature dependences of half-width coefficients for HDO transitions in the ν1 and 2ν2 bands broadened by CO2. Accurate line positions, intensities, CO2-broadened width and pressure shift coefficients, their temperature dependences, collisional line mixing coefficients for HDO-CO2 system and quadratic speed dependence parameters have been retrieved for a large number of transitions in the ν1 band. Room-temperature self-broadened half-width coefficients, self-shift coefficients, and collisional line-mixing coefficients for HDO-HDO system were also measured for the same number of ν1 transitions. Positions and intensities were measured for nearly 60 transitions in the weaker 2ν2 band along with a few room-temperature measurements of CO2- and self-broadening and pressure-shift coefficients. These results were obtained from simultaneous nonlinear least squares fittings of ten high-resolution absorption spectra recorded with the Bruker IFS-125HR FTS at JPL and two coolable sample cells. Modified Complex Robert-Bonamy (MCRB) formalism was applied to compute both types of broadening and pressure shift coefficients, and the temperature dependences of the CO2- and self-broadening parameters. Present measurements are compared with the MCRB calculations and other theoretical values reported in the literature.
Abstract IA20: Monitoring translation in space and time with ribosome profiling

The ability to sequence genomes has far outstripped approaches for deciphering the information they encode. We have developed a suite of techniques based on ribosome profiling (deep sequencing of ribosome protected fragments) that dramatically expand our ability to follow translation in vivo. I will present recent applications of our ribosome profiling approach including the following: (1) Development of ribosome profiling protocols for a wide variety of eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms. (2) Uses of ribosome profiling to globally monitor when chaperones, targeting factors or processing enzymes engage nascent chains. (3) Application of ribosome profiling to define the protein coding potential of complex genomes. (4) The development of a proximity-specific ribosome profiling assay for monitoring subcellular localized translation and its use to follow translation on the surface of the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria. Citation Format: Jonathan Weissman. Monitoring translation in space and time with ribosome profiling. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Translational Control of Cancer: A New Frontier in Cancer Biology and Therapy; 2016 Oct 27-30; San Francisco, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(6 Suppl):Abstract nr IA20.
Characterization of fission gas bubbles in irradiated U-10Mo fuel

Abstract A simple, repeatable method for characterization of fission gas bubbles in irradiated U-Mo fuels has been developed. This method involves mechanical potting and polishing of samples along with examination with a scanning electron microscope located outside of a hot cell. The commercially available software packages CellProfiler, MATLAB, and Mathematica are used to segment and analyze the captured images. The results are compared and contrasted. Baseline methods for fission gas bubble characterization are suggested for consideration and further development.
Towards wireless infrastructure-as-a-service (WlaaS) for 5G software-defined cellular systems

As a key enabling technology for 5G cellular systems, wireless virtualization allows multiple service providers to simultaneously and independently serve their users via virtualized network slices. However, differently from wired network virtualization that has been studied for many years, the research of wireless resource slicing is still at a very early stage. In this paper, based on the proposed 5G software-defined systems, novel wireless infrastructure-as-a-service (WIaaS) is introduced, which enables mobile virtual network operators to provide distinguished services to their subscribed users while sharing a common physical infrastructure. Specifically, through software-defined networking and fine-grained base station designs, a throughput-efficient resource allocation is proposed, by which, at the same time, (1) the data-rate requirements of traffic flows in virtual networks are fulfilled, (2) the isolation among applications and deployed protocols in networks is guarded, and (3) the global resource utilization is maximized. Simulations confirm that the proposed solution outperforms state-of-the-art schemes with greater system throughput and fairness support. Moreover, the performance improvement becomes significant when transmitted data has real-time requirements or the flow density and diversity are increased. Thus, WIaaS facilitates wireless resource slicing upon software-defined architectures and has opened a new research area of virtualization in next-generation cellular systems.
Reduced Cardiac Calcineurin Expression Mimics Long-Term Hypoxia-Induced Heart Defects in Drosophila

Background— Hypoxia is often associated with cardiopulmonary diseases, which represent some of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Long-term hypoxia exposures, whether from disease or environmental condition, can cause cardiomyopathy and lead to heart failure. Indeed, hypoxia-induced heart failure is a hallmark feature of chronic mountain sickness in maladapted populations living at high altitude. In a previously established Drosophila heart model for long-term hypoxia exposure, we found that hypoxia caused heart dysfunction. Calcineurin is known to be critical in cardiac hypertrophy under normoxia, but its role in the heart under hypoxia is poorly understood. Methods and Results— In the present study, we explore the function of calcineurin , a gene candidate we found downregulated in the Drosophila heart after lifetime and multigenerational hypoxia exposure. We examined the roles of 2 homologs of Calcineurin A, CanA14F, and Pp2B in the Drosophila cardiac response to long-term hypoxia. We found that knockdown of these calcineurin catalytic subunits caused cardiac restriction under normoxia that are further aggravated under hypoxia. Conversely, cardiac overexpression of Pp2B under hypoxia was lethal, suggesting that a hypertrophic signal in the presence of insufficient oxygen supply is deleterious. Conclusions— Our results suggest a key role for calcineurin in cardiac remodeling during long-term hypoxia with implications for diseases of chronic hypoxia, and it likely contributes to mechanisms underlying these disease states.
Predicting volcanic eruptions: Case study of rare events in chaotic systems with delay

Volcanic eruptions can be disastrous; it is therefore important to be able to predict them as accurately as possible. Theoretically, we can use the general machine learning techniques for such predictions. However, in general, without any prior information, such methods require an unrealistic amount of computation time. It is therefore desirable to look for additional information that would enable us to speed up the corresponding computations. In this paper, we provide an empirical evidence that the volcanic system exhibit chaotic and delayed character. We also show that in general (and in volcanic predictions in particular), we can speed up the corresponding predictions if we take into account chaotic and delayed character of the corresponding system.