cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3D Cell Cultures: Mimicking In Vivo Tissues for Improved Predictability in Drug Discovery

Abstract The use of 2D cell culture has been the mainstay of cell biology and has been applied to all of our modern day drug discovery and development activities. However, the identification of new therapeutics has not achieved the success rates anticipated. One potential explanation is the complexity and lack of predictability of our current research methods, including 2D cell culture. Numerous studies have indicated that cells grown in a flat environment lose critical parameters and thus could provide false information when used in a drug discovery paradigm. In this chapter we describe the advances in 3D cell culture and the potential applications to drug discovery. Highlighted are the differences between cells grown in 2D versus 3D with respect to cell physiology and their responses to external stimuli. These differences can have profound effects on the type of compounds identified and prioritized for further research or development.
Philosophy and Medicine in Medieval and Renaissance Italy

The efforts to establish a link between philosophy and medicine in which Hans Jonas has taken an active part and which find expression in the title and content of this volume are of rather recent origin. Earlier during this century, and for most of the nineteenth century, medicine and philosophy had been almost completely separated from each other. The two fields coexisted, to be sure, as different subjects within the common framework of the universities, but the teachers and students, the courses and subjects taught, were entirely different. With some notable exceptions such as, for example, Karl Jaspers or Kurt Goldstein, few philosophers have shown a specific interest in medicine and few physicians in philosophy. Even the philosophers of science have focused their attention on mathematics and physics and have taken little notice of medicine and of its specific problems.
Rubidium-82 lung uptake in cardiac PET/CT - Is there a clinical value?

1712 Objectives Integrated positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) using Rubidium-82 is increasingly being utilized for myocardial perfusion imaging. Rb-82 is a potassium analogue like Thallium-201, for which lung uptake has been shown to have incremental prognostic value. But the clinical value of Rb-82 lung uptake is poorly defined. Methods Out of a total group of 249 patients which underwent rest/dipyridamole Rb-82 PET-CT for clinical work-up of suspected or known CAD, 20 were identified to have cardiac events (death, myocardial infarction, late cardiac catheterization, rehospitalization for angina). Those were compared to a group of 20 subjects without events and normal perfusion PET-CT. Standardized ROIs for measurement of lung/heart (L/H) ratio were positioned using CT and transferred to static PET images. Results Overall, L/H ratio at stress was higher in patients with left ventricular ejection fraction Conclusions L/H ratio of Rb-82 is elevated in the presence of LV dysfunction and flow limiting CAD, but technical factors such as the lung density used for PET attenuation correction seem to play a role, too. Its value in the prediction of cardiac events may be limited
A Systematic Review of Research on Intimate Partner Violence Among Bisexual Women

Bisexual women are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence (IPV) than lesbian or heterosexual women; however, they are under-represented in IPV literature. This study used a systematic review ...
Perceived racism in relation to telomere length among African American women in the Black Women's Health Study.

Abstract Purpose Telomere length is considered a biomarker of human aging and premature morbidity and mortality which has been associated with chronic stress. Methods We assessed the relation between perceived racism and telomere length in the Black Women's Health Study, a follow-up study of U.S. black women begun in 1995. Participants were asked about frequency of “everyday racism” (e.g., “people act as if they think you are not intelligent”) and “institutional racism” (e.g., “ever treated unfairly due to race by police”). Using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction assay, relative telomere lengths (RTL) were measured as the copy number ratio of telomere repeat to a single control gene in 997 participants. Associations of racism variables with log-RTL were estimated by multivariable linear regression, with adjustment for age at blood draw and potential confounders. Results Participants were aged 40–70 years (mean = 55.6 years), and mean telomere length was 0.77 (range 0.21–1.38). In stratified analyses, there was an inverse association between everyday racism and log-RTL among women who did not discuss their experiences of racism with others (β = −0.1104; 95% CI = −0.2140 to −0.0067; P = .045). Conclusions Everyday racism was associated with shorter telomere length among women who reported not discussing those experiences with others.
Publishing Productivity of Sociologists at American Colleges and Universities: Institution Type, Gender, and Other Correlates of Book and Article Counts:

This study examines the 2013–2017 publishing productivity of sociology faculty at six types of colleges and universities (e.g., research universities, master’s institutions, and top liberal arts co...
Neonatal bacterial colonization of the intestine—Implications for the practitioner

Background: Neonatal intestinal bacterial colony balance has correlations with positive and negative health situations. The understanding of how neonate colonization occurs is therefore extremely important in providing life-extending and holistic care for infants. Certain medical interventions can impede optimal intestinal colonization. However, with proper screening and identification, side effects can be limited and compensated for, and complications can be minimized in an already compromised population. This study aims to identify influences on neonate microbiomes to create best practices for increased health outcomes. Develop mitigations for factors leading to intestinal microbiome conditions linked to negative neonate outcomes and increase opportunities for healthy colonization. Methods: The research team conducted a literature review via PubMed, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and Academic Search Ultimate to collect data regarding neonatal bacterial colonization of the intestine. Results: Normal colonization is affected by birth age, birthing method, time spent in direct skin to skin contact with mother and feeding type. Iatrogenic influences include the use of oral and topical antibiotics, proton blockers, and practices that limit direct contact. Conclusion: The nursing process and policy adaptations can have a positive effect on developing a protective neonate intestinal microbiome. Awareness of risks and early clinical signs can improve positive interventions that may prevent life-threatening complications in susceptible neonates.
Worry about Lung Cancer is Related to Numeracy and Risk Perception of Diseases Associated with Smoking

ABSTRACTBackground: Numeracy is one’s ability to use numbers in context and influence’s decision making and perceptions of health risk. Worry about lung cancer is an indicator of perceived risk (PR...
Dietary flavonols and risk of Alzheimer dementia

Objective To determine whether dietary intake of flavonols is associated with Alzheimer dementia. Methods The study was conducted among 921 participants of the Rush Memory and Aging Project (MAP), an ongoing community-based, prospective cohort. Participants completed annual neurologic evaluations and dietary assessments using a validated food frequency questionnaire. Results Among 921 MAP participants who initially had no dementia in the analyzed sample, 220 developed Alzheimer dementia. The mean age of the sample was 81.2 years (SD 7.2), with the majority (n = 691, 75%) being female. Participants with the highest intake of total flavonols had higher levels of education and more participation in physical and cognitive activities. In Cox proportional hazards models, dietary intakes of flavonols were inversely associated with incident Alzheimer dementia in models adjusted for age, sex, education, APOE ɛ4, and participation in cognitive and physical activities. Hazard ratios (HRs) for the fifth vs first quintiles of intake were as follows: for total flavonol, 0.52 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33–0.84); for kaempferol, 0.49 (95% CI, 0.31–0.77); for myricetin, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.4–0.97); and for isorhamnetin, 0.62 (95% CI, 0.39–0.98). Quercetin was not associated with Alzheimer dementia (HR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.43–1.09). Conclusion Higher dietary intakes of flavonols may be associated with reduced risk of developing Alzheimer dementia.
Disparities in patient enrollment on glioblastoma clinical trials.

Aim: To determine if enrollment on glioblastoma (GBM) interventional clinical trials (ICTs) in the USA is representative of the population. Materials & methods: We queried ClinicalTrials.gov for all ICTs in GBM from 1994 to 2019. Demographics were obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov or the trial publication and compared with population data from Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States. Results: In total, 10617 GBM patients were enrolled in 118 adult ICTs: median age was 54.0 (10.05 years younger than Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States). Age was most discrepant in recurrent tumors, nonrandomized trials and consortium studies. Median age improved from 52.0 to 59.5 over 25 years. Women represented 37.5% of subjects. Conclusion: GBM ICTs under-represent older patients but representation of women reflects the population. ICTs need to be designed to better represent the population.
Capital Gains and Higher Education: The Entrepreneurial University and the Community College as Facilitator of American Social Mobility in the 1990s

The 1990s solidified the economic role of higher education on the national scale as neoliberal ideals took hold of the national agenda. With the emergence of the entrepreneurial university, academic capitalism, and the community college’s overt intention to serve the economic needs of the local business community and marketplace, the intentional socio-economic purpose of the separate institutions was formalized. This created an environment in which tertiary institutions responded to specific market demands—the university was to create knowledge capital and the community college, human capital.
STATISTICAL THEORY OF FISSION AND SUPERHEAVY ELEMENTS

Fission is one of the important properties of superheavy elements, an understanding of which is helpful. The statistical theory of fission will be reviewed. All experiments the theory is formulated to explain, including that of asymmetric fission, have been explained. Recent work on spin distribution provides the most convincing arguments supporting the theory. The knowledge of fission may be used to our advantage in the search of superheavy elements. If SHE should exist at all, their formation in heavy ion collisions would end up largely in symmetric fission. If they do not exist with a reasonably long lifetime, the compound system would end up largely in asymmetric fission (quasifission). It is proposed to determine the ratio of symmetric to asymmetric fission for various compound systems to map out the suspected regions on the nuclear chart. If islands should be found inside which this ratio should be much higher than that outside, then the islands have a high probability to be the abode of SHE. While the experiment does not establish the existence of stable or long-lived SHE, it does establish their existence in an excited state and their location on the nuclear chart. The search of SHE would be half accomplished.
Sequence variants in the renin-angiotensin system genes are associated with isolated multicystic dysplastic kidney in children.

BACKGROUND Multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK) is a common form of congenital cystic kidney disease in children. The etiology of MCDK remains unclear. Given an important role of the renin-angiotensin system in normal kidney development, we explored whether MCDK in children is associated with variants in the genes encoding renin-angiotensin system components by Sanger sequencing. METHODS The coding regions of renin (REN), angiotensinogen (AGT), ACE, and angiotensin 1 receptor (AGTR1) genes were amplified by PCR. The effect of DNA sequence variants on protein function was predicted with PolyPhen-2 software. RESULTS 3 novel and known AGT variants were found. 1 variant was probably damaging, 1 was possibly damaging and one was benign. Out of 7 REN variants, 4 were probably damaging and 3 were benign. Of 6 ACE variants, 3 were probably damaging and 3-benign. 3 AGTR1 variants were found. 2 variants were possibly damaging, and one was benign. CONCLUSION We report novel associations of sequence variants in REN, AGT, ACE, or AGTR1 genes in children with isolated MCDK in the United States. Our findings suggest a recessive disease model and support the hypothesis of multiple renin-angiotensin system gene involvement in MCDK. IMPACT Discovery of novel gene variants in renin-angiotensin genes in children with MCDK. Novel possibly damaging gene variants discovered. Multiple renin-angiotensin system gene variants are involved in MCDK.
Infrequent Seizures (Oligoepilepsy)

Infrequent seizures can pose a treatment dilemma. Selected patients with a history of 1–2 seizure(s) may be a candidate for observation without antiseizure medication (ASM), especially if recurrence is rare or inter-seizure interval is widely spaced. The putative beneficial effects of ASM are often dependent upon a patient’s seizure type, desire to begin ASM, and lifestyle or occupation. Some epilepsy syndromes have limited likelihood of recurrence and typically do not require treatment after a first seizure. Even patients with seizures that are either poorly substantiated by historical recount, those potentially provoked, or when the patient desires to defer ASM can delay initial treatment despite risk. Treatment-emergent adverse effects including memory loss, gait unsteadiness and altered balance, and metabolic bone disease may be subtle and develop over time. Informed consent, close observation, and seizure precautions should be maintained. In contrast those patients with convulsions, high-risk occupations, and anticipatory anxiety for impending seizures should be recommended to pursue treatment despite infrequent seizures. While some seizure disorders may have a benign clinical course over years, the risks of ASM must be balanced against the risks of breakthrough seizures. Ultimately, the care and management of the patient with seizures are to minimize adverse effects of therapy while promoting a risk-free lifestyle without limitations.
Temporal Trends and Predictors in Diagnosing Pathologic Node-Positive Prostate Cancer in Clinically Node-Negative Patients.

Abstract INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND: Management of pathologically node positive (pN+) prostate cancer (PCa) is controversial. We describe the temporal patterns and predictors of pN+ PCa in men with initially surgically managed clinically node negative (cN-) PCa. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is an observational retrospective analysis of nonmetastatic, cN- PCa diagnosed from 2010-2017, within the National Cancer Database. Temporal trends in surgical management and diagnosis of cN-, pN+ PCa are described. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify covariates associated with pN+ disease. Cox proportional hazards modeling and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to evaluate survival patients undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP) +/- pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND). RESULTS: The rates of RP in men with International Society of Urologic Pathology (ISUP) grade group (GG) 4 and GG5 increased from 47.6% to 53.1% and from 42.5% to 49.5%, respectively. The annual rate of pN+ PCa increased from 2.02% in 2010 to 5.12% in 2017 (p CONCLUSION: Among cN- PCa patients, the diagnosis of pN+ PCa has become more common over time. GG4 and GG5 are the strongest independent predictors of pN+ disease. As incidental pN+ results in upstaging, often requiring adjuvant treatment with radiation and systemic therapies, these data are useful for informing discussions prior to RP. MicroAbstract The proportion of men without clinically node negative prostate cancer found to have positive lymph nodes at the time of prostatectomy is increasing over time, with grade group 4 and 5 disease being the strongest predictor for pathologic node positivity. These findings help identify patients that are likely to require additional treatments after prostatectomy including radiation and hormone therapy.
Multi-year movements of adult and subadult bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas): philopatry, connectivity, and environmental influences

Understanding the movement ecology of marine species is important for conservation management and monitoring their responses to environmental change. In this study, adult and subadult bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas; n = 16) were acoustically tagged in Biscayne Bay, Florida (USA), where they were tracked locally via an array of 40 passive acoustic receivers, as well as regionally via cooperative acoustic telemetry networks, with individuals tracked up to 4.5 years. Detection data were used to assess philopatry, regional connectivity, and environmental correlates of shark habitat use. Spatial range varied per individual; however, most individuals displayed high residency to Biscayne Bay, exhibiting strong philopatric behavior to the tagging area. A generalized linear mixed model revealed a seasonal pattern in habitat use, with mature females displaying high residency in Biscayne Bay during the colder dry season (November to February) and lower residencies during the warmer wet season (June to October). These seasonal patterns were supported by catch data from long-term fishery-independent shark surveys in the study area. During summer months when residencies of C. leucas declined in Biscayne Bay, their residencies increased in other regions (e.g., Florida Gulf Coast), demonstrative of seasonal migrations. Connectivity between areas of high use (Biscayne Bay and Florida Gulf Coast) was demonstrated by some individuals traveling between these areas. Results from generalized additive mixed models suggest that these movement patterns could be partially driven by seasonal changes in environmental variables as well as an individual’s life stage, including reproductive status.
Modernizing Mortgage Law

Modern mortgage law is designed for a world that no longer exists. The residential mortgage transaction of today looks nothing like it did during the formative period when the property laws governing mortgages were developed. What was once a local dealing between two individuals and largely for commercial or quasi-commercial purposes has now become a housing- centric financial transaction-turned-asset between multiple distant and often invisible parties that operate as part ofa national market. Yet, although the mortgage transaction has changed, mortgage law has not. Property law rules that once balanced the rights of mortgagors and mortgagees now completely fail to furnish aggrieved mortgagors with meaningful relief when faced with wrongs that stem from the complexities of the securitization of mortgage loans and the acts of intermediaries. The result is that consumers suffer wrongs at the hands of mortgage creditors and their contractors but have no remedies to right them. This is particularly true in light of the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic and the threat of a coming wave of foreclosures that, if the 2008 financial crisis is any indication, promise to leave households vulnerable and completely at the mercy of the mortgage finance machine. This Article shows why an overhaul to mortgage law’s most basic doctrines is long overdue.
Social dominance and multiple dimensions of psychopathology: An experimental test of reactivity to leadership and subordinate roles.

Author(s): Johnson, Sheri L; Swerdlow, Benjamin; Tharp, Jordan A; Chen, Serena; Tackett, Jennifer; Zeitzer, Jamie | Abstract: BackgroundTheory and research suggest that social dominance is important for multiple forms of psychopathology, and yet few studies have considered multiple dimensions of psychopathology simultaneously, and relatively few have used well-validated behavioral indices.MethodAmong 81 undergraduates, we used a well-validated experimental approach of assigning participants to a leadership or subordinate position, and we examined how self-rated severity of depression, social anxiety, manic tendencies, and psychopathy relate to psychophysiological and affective reactivity to this role.ResultsConsistent with hypotheses, manic symptoms related to more discomfort in the subordinate role compared to the leadership role, as evidenced by more decline in positive affect, more discomfort, and a larger RSA decline, while depression symptoms related to a more positive response to the subordinate role than the leadership role, including more positive affect and more comfort in the assigned role. Social anxiety was related to discomfort regardless of the assigned role, and those with higher psychopathy symptoms did not show differential response to assigned roles.LimitationsFindings are limited by the mild symptom levels and absence of hormonal data.ConclusionsFindings provide novel transdiagnostic evidence for the importance of social dominance to differentiate diverse forms of psychopathology.
Two-Dimensional Terahertz Spectroscopy of Collective Excitations in Solids

Using two-dimensional (2D) terahertz spectroscopy we investigate fundamental electronic, lattice, and spin excitations in solids, and the couplings between them.
Suicide inhibition of canine myocardial cytosolic calcium-independent phospholipase A2. Mechanism-based discrimination between calcium-dependent and -independent phospholipases A2.

The majority of phospholipase A2 activity in myocardium is calcium-independent and selective for hydrolysis of plasmalogen substrate (Wolf, R. A., and Gross, R. W. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 7295-7303; Hazen, S. L., Stuppy, R. J., and Gross, R. W. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 10622-10630). Accordingly, identification of an inhibitor which selectively targets calcium-independent phospholipases A2 would facilitate elucidation of the biologic significance of this class of intracellular phospholipases. We now report that the haloenol lactone, (E)-6-(bromomethylene)tetrahydro-3-(1-naphthalenyl)-2H-pyran-2-one (Compound 1), is a potent, irreversible, mechanism-based inhibitor of myocardial calcium-independent phospholipase A2 which is greater than 1000-fold specific for inhibition of myocardial calcium-independent phospholipase A2 in comparisons with multiple calcium-dependent phospholipases A2. Mechanism-based inhibition of myocardial cytosolic calcium-independent phospholipase A2 by Compound 1 was established by demonstrating: 1) time-dependent irreversible inactivation; 2) covalent binding of [3H]Compound 1 to the purified phospholipase A2; 3) ablation of covalent binding of [3H]Compound 1 after chemical inactivation of phospholipase A2 enzymic activity; 4) identical inhibition of myocardial phospholipase A2 by Compound 1 in the absence or presence of nucleophilic scavengers; 5) Compound 1 is a substrate for myocardial calcium-independent phospholipase A2 resulting in the generation of the electrophilic alpha-bromomethyl ketone; 6) phospholipase A2 inhibition requires the in situ generation of the reactive electrophile (i.e. neither the alpha-bromomethyl ketone nor the diproteoenol lactone analog are inhibitory); and 7) concomitant attenuation of the inhibitory potency and the extent of covalent adduct formation in the presence of saturating substrate. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the haloenol lactone, Compound 1, is a substrate for, covalently binds to, and irreversibly inhibits canine myocardial cytosolic calcium-independent phospholipase A2.
Performance analysis of linear consensus networks with structured stochastic disturbance inputs

In this paper, we investigate global performance deterioration of linear consensus networks subject to exogenous disturbance inputs. It is assumed that the dynamics of the network is influenced by two types of external disturbances: additive noise input and measurement noise. The effect of these disturbance inputs on the global performance of the network is measured by the square of the ℋ 2 -norm of the system from the disturbance inputs to the outputs. We exploit the structure of the underlying graph of the network in order to derive explicit expressions for the performance measure in terms of the underlying graph structure. Finally, we consider several scenarios and characterize several scaling laws for each case and show that the performance measure scales with the network size.
Damping Control of a Large Flexible Manipulator through Inertial Forces of a Small Manipulator

Damping control is applied to a detailed computer model of a long-reach flexible manipulator test bed. The test bed consists of a long slender link with a dextrous manipulator mounted at its tip. The movement of the dextrous manipulator is controlled to create inertial damping forces on the long link. Parameter identification and sequential loop-closure are used to design a controller that feeds back relative tip position and velocity of the long link to control the azimuth angle of the dextrous manipulator. The controller is designed to be robust to varying manipulator loading conditions and reliable under sensor failures.
Josephson Junction Triangular Prism Qubits Coupled to A Resonant LC Bus

We investigate the properties of Josephson junction triangular prism qubits coupled by mutual inductance to a resonant LC bus. We show how the symmetries of the qubit potential may be used to implement the Duan Cirac Zoller scheme for holonomic quantum computation.
Writing for computer science: a taxonomy of writing tasks and general advice

Computer science graduates lack written communication skills crucial to success in the workplace. Professional and academic organizations including ACM, IEEE, ABET, CSAB, and NACE have stressed the importance of teaching computer science undergraduates to write for years, yet the writing problem persists. In this paper we provide guidance to computer science instructors who want student writing skills to improve. First, we organize prior work on writing for computer science into a goal-oriented taxonomy of writing tasks. Each task includes a clear, concise, and detailed model that can be used as the framework for a student writing assignment. Second, we provide general advice for incorporating writing into any computer science course. Finally, we discuss the application of our taxonomy and advice to writing tasks in several computer science courses.
Antitumor effect of donor marrow graft rejection induced by recipient leukocyte infusions in mixed chimeras prepared with nonmyeloablative conditioning: critical role for recipient-derived IFN-γ

Some patients lose chimerism following nonmyeloablative hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), yet, surprisingly, enjoy sustained tumor remissions. We hypothesized that host-versus-graft (HVG) alloresponses might induce antitumor effects against recipient tumors. We explored this question in mice by administering recipient leukocyte infusions (RLIs) to mixed chimeras established with nonmyeloablative conditioning. Mixed chimeras were prepared in the B10.A (H2a)-->B6 (H2b) strain combination using depleting anti-T-cell monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), cyclophosphamide, and thymic irradiation. B6 myeloid leukemia cells (MMB3.19) were administered 7 days following donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) or RLI on day 35. Conversion to full donor chimerism occurred without graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) following DLI, whereas RLI led to loss of chimerism. Both RLI and DLI significantly delayed tumor mortality. In another strain combination (B10.BR [H2k]-->BALB/c [H2d]), RLI-induced or spontaneous loss of chimerism was associated with antitumor effects against the host-type B-cell lymphoma A20. HCT was essential for the antitumor effect of RLI. RLI induced elevated serum interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels, and recipient-derived IFN-gamma was critical for their antitumor effects. Thus, HVG reactions (spontaneous or induced by RLI) mediate antitumor effects against hematologic malignancies via a recipient-derived IFN-gamma-mediated mechanism. A novel approach to achieving anti-tumor effects without the risk of GVHD is suggested.
Synthesis of high porosity, monolithic alumina aerogels

Abstract Many non-silica aerogels are notably weak and fragile in monolithic form. In particular, few monolithic aerogels with densities less than 50 kg/m 3 have any significant strength. It is especially difficult to prepare uncracked monoliths of pure alumina aerogels that are robust and moisture stable. In this paper, we discuss the synthesis of unusually strong, stable, monolithic, high porosity (>98% porous) alumina aerogels, using a two-step sol–gel process. The alumina aerogels have a polycrystalline morphology that results in enhanced physical properties. For an alumina aerogel with a density of 37 kg/m 3 , the specific surface area is 376 m2/g, the elastic modulus is 550 kPa, and the thermal conductivities at 30°C, 400°C and 800°C, are 29, 98 and 298 mW/mK, respectively. All of the measured physical properties of the alumina aerogels except the specific surface area are superior to those for silica aerogels for equivalent densities.
Blind deconvolution of quantum-limited incoherent imagery: maximum-likelihood approach

Previous research presented by the author and others into maximum-likelihood image restoration for incoherent imagery is extended to consider problems of blind deconvolution in which the impulse response of the system is assumed to be unknown. Potential applications that motivate this study are wide-field and confocal fluorescence microscopy, although applications in astronomy and infrared imaging are foreseen as well. The methodology incorporates the iterative expectation-maximization algorithm. Although the precise impulse response is assumed to be unknown, some prior knowledge about characteristics of the impulse response is used. In preliminary simulation studies that are presented, the circular symmetry and the band-limited nature of the impulse response are used as such. These simulations demonstrate the potential utility and present limitations of these methods.
Single molecule electron transport junctions: Charging and geometric effects on conductance

A p-benzenedithiolate (BDT) molecule covalently bonded between two gold electrodes has become one of the model systems utilized for investigating molecular transport junctions. The plethora of papers published on the BDT system has led to varying conclusions with respect to both the mechanism and the magnitude of transport. Conductance variations have been attributed to difficulty in calculating charge transfer to the molecule, inability to locate the Fermi energy accurately, geometric dispersion, and stochastic switching. Here we compare results obtained using two transport codes, TRANSIESTA-C and HUCKEL-IV, to show that upon Au-S bond lengthening, the calculated low bias conductance initially increases by up to a factor of 30. This increase in highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) mediated conductance is attributed to charging of the terminal sulfur atom and a corresponding decrease in the energy gap between the Fermi level and the HOMO. Addition of a single Au atom to each terminal of the extended BDT molecule is shown to add four molecular states near the Fermi energy, which may explain the varying results reported in the literature.
The mean-integral representation of rectangles

To assess perceptual interaction between the height and width of rectangles, we used an accuracy variant of the Garner paradigm. We measured the discriminability of height and width (baseline tasks) and size and shape (correlated tasks). From thed′ values in these conditions, we estimated perceptual distances and inferred amean-integral representation in which height and width corresponded to nonindependent dimensions in a perceptual space. This model accounted well for performance in these two-stimulus conditions, and it also explained 70% –80% of the decline in performance in selective and divided attention. In a second experiment, conducted for purposes of comparison with the rectangle discrimination Experiment, we studied the discrimination of horizontal and vertical line segments connected in an L-shape. In size discrimination, observers were equally good with line pairs and rectangles, suggesting holistic perception; but in shape discrimination, they appeared to combine information from the two line-pair components of the rectangle independently. The mean-integral model was again successful in relating performance in the Garner tasks quantitatively.
Mutational analysis of phenylalanine β85 in the valine β6 acceptor pocket during hemoglobin S polymerization

Hemoglobin (Hb) S containing Leu, Ala, Thr, or Trp substitutions at beta 85 were made and expressed in yeast in an effort to evaluate the role of Phe-beta 85 in the acceptor pocket during polymerization of deoxy Hb S. The four Hb S variants have the same electrophoretic mobility as Hb S, and these beta 85 substitutions do not significantly affect heme-globin interactions and tetramer helix content. Hb S containing Trp-beta 85 had decreased oxygen affinity, whereas those with Leu-, Ala-, and Thr-beta 85 had increased oxygen affinity. All four supersaturated beta 85 variants polymerized with a delay time as does deoxy Hb S. This is in contrast to deoxy Hb S containing Phe-beta 88, Ala-beta 88, Glu-beta 88, or Glu-beta 85, which polymerized with no clear delay time (Adachi K, Konitzer P, Paulraj CG, Surrey S, 1994, J Biol Chem 269:17477-17480; Adachi K, Reddy LR, Surrey S, 1994, J Biol Chem 269:31563-31566). Leu substitution at beta 85 accelerated deoxy Hb S polymerization, whereas Ala, Thr, or Trp substitution inhibited polymerization. The length of the delay time and total polymer formed for these beta 85 Hb S variants depended on hemoglobin concentration in the same fashion as for deoxy Hb S: the higher the concentration, the shorter the delay time and the more polymer formed. Critical concentrations required for polymerization of deoxy Hb SF veta 85L, Hb SF beta 85A, Hb SF beta 85T, and Hb SF beta 85W are 0.65-, 2.2-, 2.5- and 3-fold higher, respectively, than Hb S.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Morphological study of changes in the baboon oviductal epithelium during the menstrual cycle.

Oviductal epithelium of the baboon, Papio cynocephalus, was studied utilizing light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopy. Results of counts made of nonciliated, ciliated, and ciliogenic cells were analyzed statistically. The percentages of nonciliated cells of the fimbria and ampulla during the early proliferative and late secretory stages of the menstrual cycle were significantly greater than those during the mid-proliferative and late proliferative-early secretory stages, due to deciliation. This paper emphasizes previously unreported apical surface morphology as viewed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The microvillar pattern of the fimbrial secretory cells differs from that of the ampullar and isthmic cells in that the microvilli originate from thick apical protrusions and vary greatly in length and number as related to the cycle. A ridge demarcating the apical intercellular junction is composed of rows of microvilli during the early proliferative and late secretory stages. During the early proliferative and late secretory stages an increased degree of invagination of the basal and lateral plasma membranes occurs as the height and width of the cells decreases. The general numbers and distribution of the organelles of the various types of oviductal cells agree with that described for the ampulla and isthmus by Verhage et al. [(1990) Am. J. Anat., 187:81–90]; however, fimbrial epithelium was not included in that study. Other cyclic ultrastructural changes not examined previously include variation in the number of lipid droplets and their location, and in the number and relationships of glycogen particles to other structures. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
In vitro production of corticosteroid binder IB in the presence of proteolytic inhibitors.

Abstract The effect of proteolytic inhibitors on the temperature-dependent formation of corticosteroid binder IB in rat kidney cytosol was examined. Antipain increased the apparent binding of [ 3 H]-triamcinolone acetonide in the cytosol. Leupeptin, chymostatin, soya bean trypsin inhibitor and lima bean trypsin inhibitor did not affect total binding, while l -1-tosylamide-2-phenylethyl chloromethyl ketone, N α-p- tosyl - l - lysine chloromethyl ketone and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride markedly reduced the charcoal resistant steroid binding. However, none of the inhibitors added during tissue homogenization, steroid binding or activation affected the extent of heat-dependent conversion of the [ 3 H]-triamcinolone acetonide-receptor complexes to the IB form, which was characterized by its exclusion from DEAE-Sephadex ion exchanger. In contrast, sodium molybdate (10 mM) effectively inhibits IB formation without inhibiting protease activity of rat kidney cytosol. These observations indicate that the temperature-dependent formation of corticosteroid binder IB in vitro does not involve proteolytic transformation of unbound or steroid-bound cytosolic proteins. Addition of antipain (3 mM) to the cytosol markedly increased the radioactivity in the buffer prewash of DEAE-cellulose columns (apparent IB) only when the inhibitor was added prior to charcoal adsorption. However, a similar peak in the prewash also was obtained with receptor-free cytosol. Antipain had no effect on the rate of dissociation of preformed [ 3 H]-triamcinolone-acetonide-receptor complexes nor did it increase the amount of receptor adsorbed to hydroxylapatite. Chromatography on Sephadex G-25 and P-2 columns showed that the increased activity in the charcoal-resistant fraction in the presence of antipain is due to unbound steroid. Thus, antipain interferes with the ability of charcoal to remove unbound steroid from the cytosol.
An updated review of acitretin--a systemic retinoid for the treatment of psoriasis.

Background: Acitretin is a systemic retinoid used for psoriasis. It normalizes cellular differentiation and maturation and is also used as a chemopreventive agent against cutaneous malignancies. However, it is not used frequently because of its side-effect profile. Objective: Safety and efficacy of acitretin was evaluated as monotherapy, as well as in combination with other systemic agents. Methods: Medical literature from 2005 to 2008 was reviewed. The most scientifically rigorous clinical trials were selected for Psoriasis Area and Severity Index. Articles were limited to case reports or clinical trials, human subjects and English language journals. Results/conclusion: Acitretin is effective as monotherapy for pustular and erythrodermic psoriasis and for plaque psoriasis (with other systemic agents). Side effects of acitretin use occur more commonly with high doses. Hence, acitretin is safe and effective for psoriasis.
FOBT is not an effective way to screen for gastric cancer.

The only established objectives of screening asympomatic people for occult stool blood are to detect curable olorectal cancer and to prevent colorectal cancer (CRC) y detecting and resecting premalignant polyps [1]. Colrectal cancer and polyps are suitable targets for faecal ccult blood test (FOBT) screening because they are comon and lethal, and they usually have a long pre-clinical hase during which they are easily detectable and curable 2]. Most large colorectal polyps and early cancers shed mall amounts of blood into the colonic lumen continuously r intermittently. Randomized controlled trials proved that nnual FOBT screening followed by colonoscopy for those ith positive screens substantially reduces both the morality and incidence of colorectal cancer [3,4]. In addition, OBT screening for colorectal neoplasia has been shown to e highly cost-effective, costing less than $15,000 per year of ife saved which is appreciably more cost-effective than many urrently-accepted preventive medical interventions [5]. In contrast, gastric cancer is now much less common in estern countries and it has no well-defined pre-clinical hase during which curable cancer can reliably be detected by creening. No method of screening for gastric cancer has been hown to be effective or cost-effective in Western countries. hen gastric cancers are diagnosed because they have caused astrointestinal (GI) bleeding or abdominal symptoms, most re advanced and incurable. The Minnesota FOBT Trial showed that a program of nnual screening of asymptomatic individuals over the age f 50 years using a sensitive FOBT will detect over 90% of ll colorectal cancers [6]. Specificity of screening, however, s relatively low—there are many “false-positive” screens here complete colonoscopy reveals no neoplasia. Since
Optimal Temperature for Hypothermia Intervention in Mouse Model of Skeletal Muscle Ischemia Reperfusion Injury

Ischemia–reperfusion (IR) in skeletal muscles is a prevalent problem associated with many diseases and injuries. It can result in loss of muscle mass and function, and in severe cases, amputation or even death. Hypothermia has been shown to be effective in protecting muscles from the IR injury, but the minimal effective hypothermic temperature has not been clearly defined. This is a problem because excessively low temperatures may have undesired pathophysiological consequences. Thus, in this study, we performed a series of experiments aimed at identifying the minimal hypothermic temperature that is needed for protection against IR injury. In the experiment, a pressure inflating cuff and hypothermia cuff were designed to provide more controllable ischemia and hypothermia. Our results indicate that a hypothermic temperature of 17 °C can completely protect skeletal muscle contractile function and morphology from the damaging effects of 1-h ischemia. Thus, hypothermic intervention may reach the maximum protective effects in the deep hypothermia range near 17 °C for skeletal muscles against 1-h IR injuries. The results suggest that hypothermic temperatures below 17 °C may not offer further benefits while risking pathophysiological complications.
Growth of ZrC thin films by aerosol-assisted MOCVD

Abstract Thin films of zirconium carbide (ZrC) have been grown on Si(1 1 1) substrates in the temperature range 400–600 °C by aerosol-assisted metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (AA-MOCVD) from tetraneopentylzirconium (ZrNp 4 ) in benzonitrile (PhCN). Preliminary equilibrium calculations suggested that a minimal level of H 2 was needed to prevent codeposition of solid carbon, and the minimum level decreased with decreasing temperature. Films were grown at different values of temperature, pressure, and H/Zr inlet molar ratio, as well as carrier gas (H 2 , He, or N 2 ), and were judged by their X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns to be amorphous. The trends in the measured composition (Auger electron spectroscopy, AES) of each film were qualitatively consistent with those of the equilibrium calculation, while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses confirmed the formation of Zr–C and Zr–O bonds. It was not possible to grow films in N 2 carrier gas or using tetrabenzylzirconium (ZrBn 4 ). The results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations on ZrNp 4 and ZrBn 4 supported this latter result.
“5 Mins of Uncomfyness Is Better than Dealing with Cancer 4 a Lifetime”: an Exploratory Qualitative Analysis of Cervical and Breast Cancer Screening Dialogue on Twitter

Twitter.com is a "micro-blogging" website. Although Twitter use is growing rapidly, little is known about health behavior discussions on this site, even though a majority of messages are publicly available. We retrieved publicly available Twitter messages during a 5-week period in early 2012, searching separately for the terms "Pap smear" and "mammogram." We used content analysis to code each 140-character message, generating a separate coding framework for each cancer screening term and calculating the frequencies of comments. Using the brief account description, we also coded the author as individual, organization, or news media outlet. There were 203 Pap smear and 271 mammogram messages coded, over three fourths of which were from individual accounts. Overall, 22 % of Pap smear messages and 25 % of mammogram messages discussed personal experiences, including attending appointments, negative sentiment about the procedure, and results. Other messages from both individuals and organizations (8 % Pap smear, 18 % mammogram) promoted screening. About one quarter of the messages expressed personal experiences with cancer screening. This demonstrates that Twitter can be a rich source of information and could be used to design new health-related interventions.
Pulse Transit Time: Relationship to Blood Pressure and Myocardial Performance

The purpose of this research was to evaluate, in human subjects, the degree to which pulse transit time (PTT) covaries with systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure, and the degree to which PTT is sensitive to sympathetic influences on myocardial performance. Six studies were performed involving 118 young adult males. In all subjects, cardiovascular activity was assessed in both the resting state and during three stressors: the cold pressor, a pornographic movie and unsignaled shock avoidance reaction time task. The studies differed with respect to where on the arterial tree the pulse wave was transduced, whether blood pressure was measured invasively or noninvasively, and whether the myocardial sympathetic innervations were intact or not. It was observed that PTT covaried quite consistently with SBP but very inconsistently with DBP. The degree of covariation was influenced by the individual's reactivity and, with DBP, by the type of stress. PTT was appreciably influenced by myocardial sympathetic excitation and to a lesser degree by vascular processes. The use of PTT as an index of blood pressure and myocardial performance is discussed.
Small molecules: big players in the evolution of protein synthesis.

Abstract The aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are responsible for selecting specific amino acids for protein synthesis, and this essential role in translation has garnered them much attention as targets for novel antimicrobials. Understanding how the aaRSs evolved efficient substrate selection offers a potential route to develop useful inhibitors of microbial protein synthesis. Here, we discuss discrimination of small molecules by aaRSs, and how the evolutionary divergence of these mechanisms offers a means to target inhibitors against these essential microbial enzymes.
Formation of an Fe(III)-tyrosinate complex during biomineralization of H-subunit ferritin

An iron(III)-tyrosinate complex was identified in ferritin by ultraviolet-visible and resonance Raman spectroscopies. Previously, a specific amino acid side chain coordinated to iron in ferritin was not known. Ferritin protein was overexpressed in Escherichia coli from complementary DNA sequences of bullfrog red cell ferritin. The purple iron(III)-tyrosinate intermediate that formed during the first stages of iron uptake was replaced by the amber multinuclear iron(III)-oxo complexes of fully mineralized ferritin. Only the H subunit formed detectable amounts of the iron(III)-tyrosinate complex, which may explain the faster rates of iron biomineralization in H- compared to L-type ferritin.
Room-temperature catalytic hydrodefluorination of C(sp3)-F bonds.

Room-temperature catalytic hydrodefluorination of the strong C(sp3)−F bonds in benzotrifluorides and fluoropentane is catalyzed by Et3Si[B(C6F5)4] and uses Et3SiH as the source of H. Ar−CF3 compounds are converted to Ar−CH3 and fluropentane to pentane. The reaction is thought to proceed via abstraction of F- by Et3Si[B(C6F5)4], and the substituent effects are consistent with this hypothesis.