cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantitative photoacoustics to measure single cell melanin production and nanoparticle attachment.

Photoacoustics can be used as a label-free spectroscopic method of identifying pigmented proteins and characterizing their intracellular concentration over time in a single living cell. The authors use a microscopic laser irradiation system with a 5 ns, Q-switched laser focused onto single cells in order to collect photoacoustic responses of melanoma cells from the HS936 cell line and gold nanoparticle labeled breast cancer cells from the T47D cell line. The volume averaged intracellular concentration of melanin is found to range from 29–270 mM for single melanoma cells and the number of gold nanoparticles (AuNP) is shown to range from 850–5900 AuNPs/cell. Additionally, the melanin production response to UV-A light stimulus is measured in four melanoma cells to find a mass production rate of 5.7 pg of melanin every 15 min.
Effect of petroleum hydrocarbons on the biliary bile acid composition of rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri).

Abstract 1. 1. Biliary bile acid profiles were investigated by thin layer and gas liquid chromatography in fish exposed per os with a Venezuelan crude petroleum or a triglyceride rich oil, olive oil. 2. 2. Neither volume of bile nor bile acid pools were affected, compared to controls, in fish fed either petroleum or olive oil. 3. 3. The response was not uniform, but a small increase in the ratio of the primary bile acids, cholic to chenodeoxycholic, was observed in a number of fish exposed to petroleum. 4. 4. Petroleum appeared not to simply mimic a fatty food source in altering the cholic to chenodeoxycholic acid ratio. 5. 5. The hypothesis that the elevation of mixed function oxygenase enzymes by such potent inducers as petroleum hydrocarbons could markedly alter bile acid profiles, or result in the production of novel bile acid metabolites, was not supported in this study.
The Moderating Effect of Organizational Safety Climate on Text Message Use and Work-Related Accidents: An Organizational-Level Investigation

Employersâ€™ increased acceptance and use of mobile technology has provided employees with the ability to be in constant contact with their employer and clients through multiple communication platforms. While mobile technology has increased employee productivity, research is beginning to show an association between an upward trend of mobile technology use to an increase of fatal and nonfatal accidents. The purpose of this study was to determine if organizational safety climate influences the relationship between text message use and work-related accidents. A significant relationship was found between text message use and work-related accidents. However, there was no statistically significant main effect of organizational safety climate on work-related accidents, or interaction effect of text message use and organizational safety climate on work-related accidents. Additional research is recommended to investigate the relationships between the variables â€“ both quantitative with larger and more diverse samples and qualitative for more in depth information about the phenomenon.
STIMULUS-RESPONSE COMPATIBILITY EFFECTS IN A MANUAL TRACKING TASK

The purpose of this study was to determine whether there are stimulus-response (S-R) compatibility effects in a manual tracking task for male and female subjects of different ages. 20 healthy men and 20 healthy women in each of three different age groups (20 to 39, 40 to 59, and 60 to 79 years) participated (total N = 120). Subjects performed extension and flexion movements of the index finger metacarpophalangeal joint to track a computer-screen cursor along a target sine wave. The hand and forearm were positioned so that the finger movement was either vertical or horizontal, and the computer monitor was positioned so that the voluntary cursor movement was either vertical or horizontal. Each subject performed four different tracking tests corresponding to the four different ensembles of hand-forearm position and monitor position. There were significant differences in tracking performance between test ensembles in both women and men aged 60 to 79 years, and the compatible ensembles showed the superior performance. The results suggest that S-R compatibility effects exist in elderly women and elderly men performing a finger-movement tracking task, and these effects are consistent with impaired information processing in elderly persons. More research is needed on how S-R compatibility affects performance in persons with cerebral lesions.
Hyperion and CBERS satellite image classification intercomparison for Cerrado and agricultural mapping

The Cerrado is a savanna ecoregion with grassland and woodland subtypes covering ~one-quarter of Brazil and is considered to be a biodiversity hotspot, threatened by land-use conversion. Hyperspectral remote sensing enables spatio-temporal monitoring, while providing the possibility of vegetation-mapping at a high level of specificity. However, because imaging spectrometer data availability/coverage is currently limited, a need exists for effective exploitation of multispectral satellite imagery with broad-area spatial coverage. The objective was to assess the utility of hyperspectral Hyperion and multispectral CBERS-2 satellite imagery in discriminating among Cerrado subtypes and agricultural classes. Temporally-coincident field-transect data for Cerrado physiognomies and agricultural sites were collected, including biophysical metrics. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis were used to identify potential environmental gradients of biophysical groupings. Four Cerrado subclasses were identified: Campo Limpo (Open Cerrado Grassland), Campo Sujo (Shrub Savanna), Cerrado Tipico (Wooded Cerrado), and Cerrado Denso (Cerrado Woodland). Subclasses were then merged, forming two Cerrado subclasses. To facilitate sensor intercomparison, image classification involved PCA transformations, followed by unsupervised clustering of the component images. Results indicate that both dimensionality-reduced Hyperion and CBERS datasets were sufficient in distinguishing between the two more general Cerrado subclasses and agriculture, but the Hyperion-derived classification was more accurate.
Energy transfer rates for vibrationally excited gas-phase azulene in the electronic ground state

Abstract Gas-phase azulene molecules were prepared with 17200 cm −1 vibrational energy in the S 0 state by laser excitation of the S 1 state and subsequent internal conversion. Rates of vibrational energy removal (for several collision partners) were determined from the decay of the CH-stretch fluorescence at 3.3 μm. A stepladder model indicates each azulene-azulene collision removes 3500 cm −1 of vibrational energy.
Real-Time Imaging and Quantification of Bioluminescent Bacteria in Root Canals In Vitro

The detection of microorganisms in root canals is generally limited to qualitative or semiquantitative methods. We describe a new and nondestructive in vitro method to quantify root-canal bacteria over sequential treatment procedures using real-time imaging in conjunction with the bioluminescent reporter strain Pseudomonas fluorescens 5RL. Induced bacterial photon emission can be monitored by sensitive optical photonic imaging and luminometry, providing images as well as spatial and quantitative measurements. Bioluminescence imaging and luminometry determined that the lower limit of detection of bacteria in root canals occurred between 2 × 10 2 and 2 × 10 3 cells, with high correlation between cell counts and detection devices ( r ≥ 0.981). A preliminary study assessed the efficacy of sequential irrigation procedures to remove 5 × 10 6 bacteria from root canals ( n = 5; apical size 60) using a 28-gauge, endodontic needle positioned 1 mm from working length; 9.2% ± 3.1% and 8% ± 3.6% of bacteria remained after 3 and 6 ml irrigation, respectively (p = 0.03), corresponding to approximately 4 × 10 5 bacteria remaining after 6 ml. This method can be used to study the efficacy of sequential endodontic treatment procedures in removing bacteria from root canals.
30 años después : la ciencia política y las relaciones Fuerzas Armadas, Estado y Sociedad.

El trabajo relaciona la evolucion que han tenido las relaciones entre las fuerzas armadas, el Estado y la sociedad en las ultimas tres decadas en Chile con los principales temas que la ciencia politica ha tratado en el enfoque del autoritarismo y la democratizacion. La explicacion del golpe militar, la naturaleza de los regimenes militares, el caracter de la transicion y su influencia en los procesos posteriores a ella son algunos de los temas que se destacan. El trabajo propone tambien una manera de ampliar el analisis del quiebre de la democracia y los procesos politicos atendiendo a la contribucion que las fuerzas armadas hacen a ellos desde sus procesos institucionales especificos. Finalmente, el estudio sugiere conclusiones sobre el futuro de las relaciones civiles-militares a partir de una comparacion con anteriores procesos de quiebre y transicion en Chile.
GREEN'S FUNCTION FORMALISM IN GENERALIZED TAYLOR DISPERSION THEORY†

Green's function formalism is applied to obtain the asymptotically long-time solution of the multidimensional, phase-space, convective-diffusion equation governing transport and temporal evolution of the conditional probability density P of a Brownian tracer particle. In the long-time limit, P (as well as its infinite sequence of polyadic moments) is shown to be derivable from a pair of time-independent scalar fields characterizing the local-space transport process. These two functions are employed to obtain the global phenomenological coefficients occurring in the physical-space (global) equation governing the asymptotically long-time, locally-averaged, conditional probability density distribution
Scolopax: exploratory analysis of scientific data

The formulation of hypotheses based on patterns found in data is an essential component of scientific discovery. As larger and richer data sets become available, new scalable and user-friendly tools for scientific discovery through data analysis are needed. We demonstrate Scolopax, which explores the idea of a search engine for hypotheses. It has an intuitive user interface that supports sophisticated queries. Scolopax can explore a huge space of possible hypotheses, returning a ranked list of those that best match the user preferences. To scale to large and complex data sets, Scolopax relies on parallel data management and mining techniques. These include model training, efficient model summary generation, and novel parallel join techniques that together with traditional approaches such as clustering manipulate massive model-summary collections to find the most interesting hypotheses. This demonstration of Scolopax uses a real observational data set, provided by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. It contains more than 3.3 million bird sightings reported by citizen scientists and has almost 2500 attributes. Conference attendees have the opportunity to make novel discoveries in this data set, ranging from identifying variables that strongly affect bird populations in specific regions to detecting more sophisticated patterns such as habitat competition and migration.
Course of motor and associative pallidothalamic projections in monkeys.

As a result of the frequent performance of lesioning and electrical stimulation procedures targeting the globus pallidus internus (GPi) to treat medically intractable hypokinetic and hyperkinetic movement disorders, the course of the pallidothalamic projections originating, in particular, from the motor territory of GPi has important clinical relevancy. To assess the organization of pallidothalamic projections originating from motor and associative portions of GPi, small quantities of the anterograde/ retrograde tracer, biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) were injected into localized regions of the caudal GPi in squirrel monkeys. The localization to motor and associative territories in GPi was confirmed by examining the corresponding regions of retrograde labeling in the striatum and subthalamic nucleus (STN). The labeled pallidothalamic fibers projected principally medially across the inferior edge of the internal capsule. The fiber bundle ventral to the caudal GPi was mainly devoid of labeling. Fibers labeled along the medial and inferior borders of GPi at centrorostral levels were traceable to the medial edge of the injections. The densest fiber labeling at rostral levels was produced by those injections with the greatest extent of rostral labeling of neurons. In opposition to generally accepted schemes, the findings from this study suggest that the pallidothalamic fibers originating from the caudal portions of GPi, including the motor territory, do not course ventromedially to form the ansa lenticularis, but rather, travel predominately medially through the lenticular fasciculus en route to the thalamus. Thus, proposed surgical schemes to target fibers ventral to the caudal GPi or at the rostral pole of GPi appear to be misguided. J. Comp. Neurol. 429:490–501, 2001. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Lemierre syndrome : a complication of acute pharyngitis

Lemierre syndrome, otherwise known as postanginal sepsis or necrobacillosis, is an illness that originates as an acute pharyngitis or tonsillitis which progresses to sepsis, usually fusobacterial, due to suppurative thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein. Septic thromboemboli then seed various organs, resulting in multiple organ system pathology, most commonly affecting pulmonary and hepatic systems and joints. Although rare in the age of antibiotics, this disease typically affects previously healthy adolescents with varied clinical manifestations depending upon organ system involvement (A. Lemierre, Lancet March (1936) 701-703; J. Barker, H.T. Winer-Muram, S. Grey, Southern Med. J. 89 (1996) 1021-1023). Prompt diagnosis based on clinical presentation, radiologic findings, particularly CT scanning with contrast and a high index of suspicion, is necessary in order to institute often life saving therapy (J. Barker, H.T. Winer-Muram, S. Grey, Southern Med. J. 89 (1996) 1021-1023). We will present two cases of Lemierre syndrome, review it's clinical presentation, anatomic considerations, particularly it's relationship to the parapharyngeal space, radiographic findings, potential life threatening complications and finally, a unique approach to therapy.
Nutrition history; an essential tool in dietary counseling for prevention and control of dental caries.

Abstract The reduction in the daily diet of refined carbohydrates and sugars is one of the methods advocated for the prevention and control of dental caries. For effective dietary counseling in accomplishing this, an adequate knowledge of the food habits of the patient is essential. The form of a diet record which can be employed in private dental practice for the investigation of the diet pattern of a patient is presented. A procedure regarding the use of the diet record for the taking of a satisfactory nutrition history and a method for evaluating it are described.
Extracorporeal irradiation of the blood and corneal transplantation. A survey with a report of the first case.

A brief discussion of the cellular —- delayed type —- hypersensitivity with special regard to graft rejection is given. Various methods of suppressing this process are mentioned, followed by a description of one of the more specific and clinically promising methods - namely extracorporeal irradiation of the blood (ECIB). The first known case in which ECIB was performed prior to and after a corneal transplantation in a previously transplantated eye is reported. The favourable result, although standing alone and not conclusive, should stimulate further, controlled investigation.
TLR9 stimulation drives naïve B cells to proliferate and to attain enhanced antigen presenting function.

Mechanisms that regulate naive B cell proliferation and function are incompletely defined. In this study, we test the hypothesis that naive B cell expansion, survival and ability to present antigen to T lymphocytes can be directly modulated by Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists. In the absence of B cell receptor stimulation, CpG oligonucleotide, a TLR9 agonist, was particularly efficient in inducing naive B cell proliferation and survival. Although the expanded naive B cells did not mature into CD27+ or IgG+ memory B cells, these cells did differentiate into IgM-secreting cells with increased surface expression of HLA-DR, CD40 and CD80. This was associated with an increased potential for these B cells to activate allogeneic T cells. We propose that the activation and expansion of naive B cells induced by TLR9 agonists could enhance the potential of these cells to interact with cognate antigens and facilitate cell-mediated immune responses.
Nonsurgical Management of Spontaneous Intracerebral Hematoma

This report describes our experience with the use of osmotic diuretics, governed by continuous monitoring of intracranial pressure (ICP), as the primary treatment for 12 consecutive patients suffering from an acute, supratentorial intracerebral hematoma. In all cases the hematoma, as shown by computed tomographic scan, had a long axis of greater than 4.0 cm. ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure were successfully maintained within the assigned limits in all patients, and in none was surgical evacuation required. There was one death during the 6-month follow-up period. With appropriate weighting to differences in admission status, statistical comparison of the patient outcome in the present series with that reported by McKissock et al. suggests that ICP monitoring can improve the outcome of conservatively (and perhaps surgically) treated patients.
Initial opportunity to use marijuana and the transition to first use: United States, 1979–1994

A renewed American interest in marijuana has coincided with our research group's focus on the earliest stages of drug involvement. Here, we have studied the transition from an initial opportunity to try marijuana to the subsequent use of this drug. We analyzed self-report interview data gathered from nationally representative samples of the United States National Household Surveys on Drug Abuse, 1979-1994. The evidence indicates that the estimated prevalence of an opportunity to try marijuana has been rather stable for 15 years. However, there are recent increases in the probability of rapidly progressing from first marijuana opportunity to first marijuana use, among persons given an opportunity to use. In addition, the transition from first marijuana opportunity to eventual marijuana use seems to depend upon age at first opportunity. This epidemiological evidence on the transition from marijuana opportunity to marijuana use, the first to be published based on a nationally representative US sample, highlights directions for future research and a focus for prevention efforts.
SmartFiles: an OO approach to data file interoperability

Data files for scientific and engineering codes typically consist of a series of raw data values whose description is buried in the programs that interact with these files. In this situation, making even minor changes in the file structure or sharing files between programs (interoperability) can only be done after careful examination of the data files and the I/O statements of the programs interacting with this file. In short, scientific data files lack self-description, and other self-describing data techniques are not always appropriate or useful for scientific data files. By applying an object-oriented methodology to data files, we can add the intelligence required to improve data interoperability and provide an elegant mechanism for supporting complex, evolving, or multidisciplinary applications, while still supporting legacy codes. As a result, scientists and engineers should be able to share datasets with far greater ease, simplifying multidisciplinary applications and greatly facilitating remote collaboration between scientists.
Fast focal length solution in partial panoramic image stitching

Accurate estimation of effective camera focal length is crucial to the success of panoramic image stitching. Fast techniques for estimating the focal length exist, but are dependent upon a close initial approximation or the existence of a full circle panoramic image sequence. Numerical solutions of the focal length demonstrate strong coupling between the focal length and the angles used to position each component image about the common spherical center. This paper demonstrates that parameterizing panoramic image positions using spherical arc length instead of angles effectively decouples the focal length from the image position. This new parameterization does not require an initial focal length estimate for quick convergence, nor does it require a full circle panorama in order to refine the focal length. Experiments with synthetic and real image sets demonstrate the robustness of the method and a speedup of 5 to 20 times over angle based positioning.
Arabidopsis nonhost resistance gene PSS1 confers immunity against an oomycete and a fungal pathogen but not a bacterial pathogen that cause diseases in soybean

Background: Nonhost resistance (NHR) provides immunity to all members of a plant species against all isolates of a microorganism that is pathogenic to other plant species. Three Arabidopsis thaliana PEN (penetration deficient) genes, PEN1, 2 and 3 have been shown to provide NHR against the barley pathogen Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei at the prehaustorial level. Arabidopsis pen1-1 mutant lacking the PEN1 gene is penetrated by the hemibiotrophic oomycete pathogen Phytophthora sojae, the causal organism of the root and stem rot disease in soybean. We investigated if there is any novel nonhost resistance mechanism in Arabidopsis against the soybean pathogen, P. sojae. Results: The P. sojae susceptible (pss) 1 mutant was identified by screening a mutant population created in the Arabidopsis pen1-1 mutant that lacks penetration resistance against the non adapted barley biotrophic fungal pathogen, Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei. Segregation data suggested that PEN1 is not epistatic to PSS1. Responses of pss1 and pen1-1 to P. sojae invasion were distinct and suggest that PSS1 may act at both pre- and post-haustorial levels, while PEN1 acts at the pre-haustorial level against this soybean pathogen. Therefore, PSS1 encodes a new form of nonhost resistance. The pss1 mutant is also infected by the necrotrophic fungal pathogen, Fusarium virguliforme, which causes sudden death syndrome in soybean. Thus, a common NHR mechanism is operative in Arabidopsis against both hemibiotrophic oomycetes and necrotrophic fungal pathogens that are pathogenic to soybean. However, PSS1 does not play any role in immunity against the bacterial pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. glycinea, that causes bacterial blight in soybean. We mapped PSS1 to a region very close to the southern telomere of chromosome 3 that carries no known disease resistance genes. Conclusions: The study revealed that Arabidopsis PSS1 is a novel nonhost resistance gene that confers a new form of nonhost resistance against both a hemibiotrophic oomycete pathogen, P. sojae and a necrotrophic fungal pathogen, F. virguliforme that cause diseases in soybean. However, this gene does not play any role in the immunity of Arabidopsis to the bacterial pathogen, P. syringae pv. glycinea, which causes bacterial blight in soybean. Identification and further characterization of the PSS1 gene would provide further insights into a new form of nonhost resistance in Arabidopsis, which could be utilized in improving resistance of soybean to two serious pathogens.
Early tension loss in an anterior cruciate ligament graft. A cadaver study of four tibial fixation devices.

Background: The tensile force applied to an anterior cruciate ligament graft determines the maximal anterior translation; however, it is unknown whether the tensile force is transferred to the intra-articular portion of the graft and whether the intra-articular tension and maximal anterior translati
Biotechnology education: the role for biomedical engineering within a multidisciplinary field

New tools and understanding in molecular and cellular biology are enabling the identification of novel products. The translation of new, associated technologies from the laboratory to the commercial scale plays an important role in the affordable delivery of biotechnology products to consumers. Expanding the scope of biotechnology education to include these technologies is an emerging priority for both Industry and academia. Traditional biotechnology education must be revised to include eukaryotic systems design which demands an understanding of cellular and molecular biology from an engineering perspective. Biomedical engineering curricula are typically well positioned for extension into this type of multidisciplinary and industrially relevant education. Other engineering disciplines generally lack the necessary biology prerequisites for effective instruction in eukaryotic biotechnology. Life science students in biophysics or cellular and molecular biology are unfamiliar with the necessary engineering fundamentals. A novel plan for modern biotechnology education will be described which leverages the diverse academic training of engineers and life scientists. The authors aim to produce students with training appropriate to enable the commercial realization of new biotechnology products now available only at the laboratory scale. This plan is a component of an NSF ERC application for bioengineering education proposed by an academic (Harvard University/Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern University, University of Texas) and industrial consortium centered at Vanderbilt University.
A Novel Mutator of Escherichia coli Carrying a Defect in the dgt Gene, Encoding a dGTP Triphosphohydrolase

A novel mutator locus in Escherichia coli was identified from a collection of random transposon insertion mutants. Several mutators in this collection were found to have an insertion in the dgt gene, encoding a previously characterized dGTP triphosphohydrolase. The mutator activity of the dgt mutants displays an unusual specificity. Among the six possible base pair substitutions in a lacZ reversion system, the G.C-->C.G transversion and A.T-->G.C transition are strongly enhanced (10- to 50-fold), while a modest effect (two- to threefold) is also observed for the G.C-->A.T transition. Interestingly, a two- to threefold reduction in mutant frequency (antimutator effect) is observed for the G.C-->T.A transversion. In the absence of DNA mismatch repair (mutL) some of these effects are reduced or abolished, while other effects remain unchanged. Analysis of these effects, combined with the DNA sequence contexts in which the reversions take place, suggests that alterations of the dGTP pools as well as alterations in the level of some modified dNTP derivatives could affect the fidelity of in vivo DNA replication and, hence, account for the overall mutator effects.
The role of emotion perception in adaptive functioning of people with autism spectrum disorders

Cognitive functioning has historically been used to predict adaptive outcomes of people with autism spectrum disorders; however, research shows that it is not a complete predictor. The current study explored whether emotion perception was a predictor of adaptive outcomes, and more specifically, hypothesized that emotion perception (Diagnostic Analysis of Nonverbal Accuracy-2 error scores) would mediate adaptive functioning of people with autism spectrum disorder (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales, Second Edition). People with autism spectrum disorders demonstrated significantly lower adaptive functioning and emotion perception skills compared to typically developing individuals. Emotion perception acted as a significant mediator for socialization, but not communication or daily living skills, highlighting that in people with autism spectrum disorders, lower socialization abilities is the result, in part, of emotion perception deficits. It was unexpected that emotion perception was not a mediator for communication skills. This may be related to sample restrictions, or the narrow focus on emotion perception. Future research should involve a larger, more inclusive autism spectrum disorder sample, broaden approaches to exploring relationships between social perception and adaptive outcomes, and relate findings to brain mechanisms underlying emotion perception.
What is the optimum duration of an asynchronous distance learning course

An online, lecture/laboratory course in Human Physiology was run in two sections in five consecutive summers. In each year, the two sections were identical in content, assignments, and assessments but were different in duration; the shorter section was 1 mo and the longer section lasted 2 mo. The shorter section had a higher enrollment and a higher attrition rate. A postcourse survey revealed that the majority of the students in the shorter course believed that they would have spent more time studying and would have received a better grade had they taken the longer class. Interestingly, in any one year, there was no significant difference between the mean final grades earned by students in the two sections and by males and females. All students who completed the longer section and the majority of students in the shorter section of the course stated that they would recommend the longer class to a friend who was committed to taking this online course.
Efficacy of Unanesthetized Spiral Computed Tomography Scanning in Initial Evaluation of Childhood Leukocoria

Purpose: To evaluate the use of spiral/helical computed tomography (CT) in the preoperative evaluation of pediatric leukocoria. Methods: A total of 34 patient charts and imaging studies were reviewed from a consecutive series of children referred with the diagnosis of presumed retinoblastoma. Of these patients, 31 had a confirmed diagnosis of retinoblastoma. Three patients had simulating lesions, including one patient with persistent hyperplastic primary vitreous and two with Coats disease. Results: In all patients, a diagnosis of intraocular retinoblastoma could be established or excluded at the same clinical level by spiral CT as by conventional CT. Spiral CT of the eye, orbit, and midline structures was performed without a requirement for patient anesthesia. This technique resulted in a reduced volume of contrast material required for evaluation of the central nervous system and a small decrease in total radiation exposure. There was an attendant reduction in the amount of monitoring equipment required and the necessity for attending anesthesia staff. Conclusions: The primary advantage of spiral CT is reduced anesthesia risk in small children. In addition, this technique provides necessary clinical information with a reduction in image acquisition time, monitoring equipment, and monitoring staff.
Pressure-dependent ionization of Tyr 9 in glutathione S-transferase A1-1: Contribution of the C-terminal helix to a “soft” active site

The glutathione S-transferase (GST) isozyme A1-1 contains at its active site a catalytic tyrosine, Tyr9, which hydrogen bonds to, and stabilizes, the thiolate form of glutathione, GS-. In the substrate-free GST A1-1, the Tyr 9 has an unusually low pKa, approximately 8.2, for which the ionization to tyrosinate is monitored conveniently by UV and fluorescence spectroscopy in the tryptophan-free mutant, W21F. In addition, a short alpha-helix, residues 208-222, provides part of the GSH and hydrophobic ligand binding sites, and the helix becomes "disordered" in the absence of ligands. Here, hydrostatic pressure has been used to probe the conformational dynamics of the C-terminal helix, which are apparently linked to Tyr 9 ionization. The extent of ionization of Tyr 9 at pH 7.6 is increased dramatically at low pressures (p1/2 = 0.52 kbar), based on fluorescence titration of Tyr 9. The mutant protein W21F:Y9F exhibits no changes in tyrosine fluorescence up to 1.2 kbar; pressure specifically ionizes Tyr 9. The volume change, delta V, for the pressure-dependent ionization of Tyr 9 at pH 7.6, 19 degrees C, was -33 +/- 3 mL/mol. In contrast, N-acetyl tyrosine exhibits a delta V for deprotonation of -11 +/- 1 mL/mol, beginning from the same extent of initial ionization, pH 9.5. The pressure-dependent ionization is completely reversible for both Tyr 9 and N-acetyl tyrosine. Addition of S-methyl GSH converted the "soft" active site to a noncompressible site that exhibited negligible pressure-dependent ionization of Tyr 9 below 0.8 kbar. In addition, Phe 220 forms part of an "aromatic cluster" with Tyr 9 and Phe 10, and interactions among these residues were hypothesized to control the order of the C-terminal helix. The amino acid substitutions F220Y, F2201, and F220L afford proteins that undergo pressure-dependent ionization of Tyr 9 with delta V values of 31 +/- 2 mL/mol, 43 +/- 3 mL/mol, and 29 +/- 2 mL/mol, respectively. The p1/2 values for Tyr 9 ionization were 0.61 kbar, 0.41 kbar, and 0.46 kbar for F220Y, F220I, and F220L, respectively. Together, the results suggest that the C-terminal helix is conformationally heterogeneous in the absence of ligands. The conformations differ little in free energy, but they are significantly different in volume, and mutations at Phe 220 control the conformational distribution.
GENETICS OF TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION IN YEAST: Connections to the RNA Polymerase II CTD

Transcriptional regulation is important in all eukaryotic organisms for cell growth, development, and responses to environmental change. Saccharomyces cerevisiae, or bakers' yeast, has provided a powerful system for genetic analysis of transcriptional regulation, and findings from the study of this model system have proven broadly applicable to higher organisms. Transcriptional regulation requires the interactions of regulatory proteins with various components of the transcription machinery. Recently, genetic analysis of a diverse set of transcriptional regulatory responses has converged with studies of the function of the RNA polymerase II carboxy-terminal domain (CTD) to reveal regulatory roles for proteins associated with the CTD. These proteins, designated Srb/mediator proteins, are broadly involved in both positive and negative regulatory responses in vivo. This review focuses on the connections between genetic analysis of transcriptional regulation and the functions of the Srb/mediator proteins associated with the RNA polymerase II CTD.
In Sickness and in Health: Coronary Artery Calcium or Risk Factors.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.—Albert Einstein [(1)][1] Risk stratification using historical elements (age, smoking and family history), clinical examination (hypertension) or biomarkers (lipids and glucose, etc.) predates the availability of
Regional anesthesia with monitored anesthesia care for surgical repair of selected open globe injuries.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE To investigate clinical features and visual acuity outcomes associated with the use of regional anesthesia with monitored anesthesia care (RA/MAC) versus general anesthesia for open globe injuries in adult reparable eyes. PATIENTS AND METHODS Retrospective, consecutive case series including all adults with open globe injuries repaired at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute between 2000 and 2003. RESULTS The study included 238 eyes of 238 patients with a median age of 41 years. RA/MAC was employed in 141 (59%) eyes and general anesthesia in 97 (41%) eyes. Patients who had RA/MAC were significantly (P< .001) more likely to have anterior wound location (64% corneal/limbal vs 50%), shorter wound length (6.5 vs 12 mm), and formed anterior chamber (82% vs 56%), and were significantly less likely to have an afferent pupillary defect (12% vs 43%). The improvement from presenting visual acuity to each postoperative follow-up interval was similar for the two groups. CONCLUSIONS RA/MAC is a reasonable alternative to general anesthesia for selected patients with open globe injuries.
A New Antaeotricha Species from Utah and New Mexico (Gelechioidea: Elachistidae: Stenomatinae)

ABSTRACT. The new species Antaeotricha utahensis is described from San Juan Co., Utah and Catron, Grant and Santa Fe counties, New Mexico. Adults and genitalia are illustrated.
Taking swarms to the field: A framework for underwater mission planning

Large scale missions in unpredictable and unstable underwater environments are beyond the capabilities of a single intelligent and complex robot. Relying on one robot is far from optimal as loss of the unit means failure of the whole mission. On the contrary, robotic swarms depend on large numbers of simple, cheap, and error-prone robots that exhibit global desirable features like fault-tolerance, scalability, and robustness. The study of underwater robotic swarms from the overall mission-planning perspective has been very limited. Planning specific parts of a mission has mostly been the focus of previous research. We propose a general framework for designing and planning underwater swarm missions. We break a typical mission down into its primary constituents and study the requirements for each sub-mission separately. Initially, the swarm self-organizes to form a shape that maximizes residual energy and minimizes water resistance during transport towards the target. This is followed by path planning and shape maintenance, in which the swarm strives to maintain its collective shape and move in cohesion on a collectively-selected path. Next, another self-organization phase takes place to optimize mission-core accomplishment at the target. Remaining phases, in the back trip, are the counterparts of the first two. Related work in each phase is presented and discussed and future work is also highlighted.
Toxicity of acidization fluids used in California oil exploration

ABSTRACTThere has been considerable public interest regarding the toxicity of chemicals used in hydraulic fracturing, but little is known about its sister technique, acidizing. Little to no research has been done on what the chemicals of acidization are and what impact they could have on humans and the environment. This paper discusses the differences between three acidizing techniques (acid maintenance, matrix acidization, and acid fracturing) and quantifies the amounts of the chemicals used for each. Washington State's Quick Chemical Assessment Tool is used to identify F-graded toxins, which are known carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive toxins, developmental toxins, endocrine disruptors, or high acute toxicity chemicals. The analysis of the present data shows that there have been over 600 instances of acidizing in urbanized Southern and Central California from April 2013 to August 2015. Although most of the chemicals of acidizing are similar to hydraulic fracturing, those used most frequently are differ...
The Radical Phase of the Oxford Movement

Hitherto we have depended on the State, i.e. on the ruling powers in the country—the King and the aristocracy … But these recollec-tions of the past must not engross our minds, or hinder us in looking at things as they are, and as they will be soon, and inquiring what is intended by Providence to take the place of the time-honoured instrument which he has broken (if it is yet to be broken) the regal and aristocratic power, I shall disgust many men when I say, we must look to the people’. (J. H. Newman, British Magazine, 1833).
Finding Stories to Tell: Metafiction and Narrative in David Mitchell's Cloud Atlas

Though David Mitchell's novel Cloud Atlas was only published in 2004, critics have already written a number of articles and book chapters about this work. The complex structure and numerous ideas Mitchell explores lend themselves to viewing the novel through a variety of critical lenses, leading to more articles than one might expect on a novel less than a decade old. Thus far, though, people have been writing on subjects such as the novel's comments on environmentalism, genetics, or cloning, while others focus on Mitchell's view of history. Whenever the novel's structure is discussed, critics spend most of their time identifying Mitchell's literary inspirations or discussing the story-within-story structure as little more than a postmodern trick. However, Mitchell uses metafiction and intertextuality differently than those who have come before him, using such devices as a way of forcing the reader to consider the importance of narrative in one's life and in the world, in general.
The surprising origins of life's complexity.

The article discusses research on evolutionary theory and biocomplexity, with information on Darwinian selection in biological evolution as hypothesized by the 19th-century naturalist Charles Darwin. Topics include adaptations which increase an organism's complexity; theories of natural selection; and research by paleobiologist Daniel W. McShea and Robert N. Brandon on the measure of an organism's complexity.
MR arthrography of the elbow: normal anatomy and diagnostic pitfalls.

Purpose Our goal was to determine the normal MR arthrographic appearance of the elbow and to identify the potential diagnostic pitfalls of this technique. Method MRI with intra-articularly administered gadopentetate dimeglumine was performed in seven elbow joints derived from cadavers. Coronal, sagittal, and axial SE T1-weighted images with fat suppression and coronal 3D SPGR images with fat suppression were obtained in each elbow. The elbows were then sectioned. Results This technique allowed depiction of the cartilaginous surfaces of the elbow joint as well as clear delineation of the inner surface of the collateral ligaments. Potential diagnostic pitfalls included fat pads projecting into the joint, synovial folds, and cartilaginous pseudoerosions. Conclusion MR arthrography allows clear delineation of the intraarticular structures of the elbow. However, diagnostic pitfalls exist that increase the difficulty of interpreting MR arthrographic images.
Acquiring a Farm

One can acquire land for farming in the following ways: (1) buying it, (2) leasing it, (3) inheriting it or having it given to him and (4) adverse possession for a sufficient length of time (usually 20 years).
Role of Sport in International Relations: National Rebirth and Renewal

The modern history of sports is inextricably intertwined with national pride, international prestige, and world politics. In many ways, sport has created spillover effects that go beyond sporting results. First, it has played an important role in nation-building and as a benchmark of national identity. Second, it has served as a vessel through which nations and people assert political independence and to express a distinctive identity. Third, it acts as a conduit of power, allowing nations such as Australia to augment its global status and position on the world stage. Last, sport constitutes a means of contextualizing the renewal or rebirth of a nation, like the success of the 1964 Tokyo Games for post-war Japan.
The Duplex Mission of "Preservation" and "Survival"——Particularity of Preservation of Music Intangible Cultural Heritage

This thesis conducts pectination of the basic concept of preservation of music intangible cultural heritage,distinguishes "heritage" and "heritage needs protection",analyzes the technical,behavioral,symbolic and intangible features as well as the spirituality,reliability on audience and fugitiveness of the achievement of " music intangible cultural heritage",thus suggests two strategies,namely "preservative protection" and "survival protection",and sets forth that key to setting up way of "survival" is to build up the colony of audience.
Forces for structural optimizations in correlated materials within a DFT+embedded DMFT functional approach

We implemented the derivative of the free energy functional with respect to the atom displacements, so called force, within the combination of density functional theory and the embedded dynamical mean-field theory. We show that in combination with the numerically exact quantum Monte Carlo (MC) impurity solver, the MC noise cancels to a great extend, so that the method can be used very efficiently for structural optimization of correlated electron materials. As an application of the method, we show how strengthening of the fluctuating moment in FeSe superconductor leads to a substantial increase of the anion height, and consequently to a very large effective mass, and also strong orbital differentiation.
Treatment of Angio-Seal-Related Femoral Artery Occlusion Using Directional Atherectomy—Primary Results and Midterm Follow-Up:

Objective:We describe a novel approach for the endovascular treatment of femoral artery occlusion as a result of Angio-Seal closure device deployment.Background:Angio-Seal is the most commonly used vascular closure device following percutaneous coronary and peripheral catheterizations worldwide. A rare complication of Angio-Seal deployment is an occlusion of the femoral artery leading to limb ischemia requiring revascularization. Given its unique ability to cut both atherosclerotic plaque and the Angio-Seal anchor with a collagen plug at operator-directed planes, TurboHawk/HawkOne atherectomy device can be a fast and effective approach to treat Angio-Seal-associated femoral artery occlusions.Methods:We studied 13 consecutive patients who developed Angio-Seal-associated femoral artery occlusions that occurred from 3 hours to several weeks after catheterization. These patients were successfully treated with TurboHawk/HawkOne directional atherectomy followed by balloon angioplasty with no complications. Duri...
The Mixed Plate: A Field Experience on the Cultural and Environmental Diversity of the Big Island of Hawai'i

In recent years a number of innovative methodologies and strategies have been proposed for and implemented in the teaching of geography. Many of these innovations place emphasis on the application ...
Metabolizing Data in the Cloud

Cloud-based bioinformatic platforms address the fundamental demands of creating a flexible scientific environment, facilitating data processing and general accessibility independent of a countries' affluence. These platforms have a multitude of advantages as demonstrated by omics technologies, helping to support both government and scientific mandates of a more open environment.
New Modified Nitrogen-Doped Graphene (N-G)/Metal Organic Framework (MOF) Derived Microporous Catalyst for Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR)

Nitrogen-doped graphene (N-G), which is one of non-platinum group metal (non-PGM) catalysts, has a huge potential in many electrochemical systems such as fuel cells due to the high raw material cost of PGM catalyst. However, there is a significant gap between the current level of electrochemical performance of N-G catalysts and that of PGM catalysts. A new approach, which is modifying the N-G catalyst by metal-organic framework materials (MOFs) with nanoscale high energy wet ball milling method, is investigated to enhance the electrochemical performance of N-G catalysts. The physical and chemical properties of new synthesized N-G/MOF catalysts are characterized several characterization methods such as XPS, XAS, SEM-EDS, TEM, XRD, BET and RRDE. The processing control of the synthesis process is studied by characterizing a series of N-G/MOF catalysts synthesized with different grinding speed and grinding time. The successful accomplishment of the new N-G/MOF catalysts will provide the substantial way to the cost-effective and fuel-efficient energy conversion system.