cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Expanding the RfD Concept to Incorporate and Optimize Beneficial Effects While Preventing Toxic Responses from Nonessential Toxicants

Increasing evidence that low-level exposure to toxic agents induces beneficial effects indicates the need to examine if and how the current EPA reference dose (RfD) derivation process could take this phenomenon into account. This paper examines conditions that affect how the RfD process could incorporate chemically induced beneficial effects while preventing toxic responses. Incorporation of beneficial responses in the RfD process will be affected by: (i) Size of the dosage range over which the beneficial effects are observed; (ii) proximity of the optimal beneficial response dosage to the NOAEL; and (iii) size of the intraspecies UF. Based on data estimating the distance of the median dosage of the optimal beneficial response from the NOAEL and the recently described lack of independence of the inter- and intraspecies uncertainty factors (UFs), noncarcinogenic toxic substances whose RfDs are based on animal model data are predicted to have their toxic effects prevented and possible beneficial effects optimized in the general population by use of an intraspecies UF of 5. In contrast, current EPA practices of employing a 10-fold UF for intraspecies variation in animal model-based RfD derivation, while also protecting against harmful effects, leads to the general population missing estimated beneficial effects. Such a conclusion has important policy implications since no debate has been directed toward the distribution of population-based pollution-related benefits but only toward the prevention of their harmful effects.
REFERENCE TO LOCATIONS

We propose a semantics for locative expressions such as near Jones or west of Denver, an important subsystem for NLP applications. Locative expressions denote regions of space, and serve as arguments to predicates, locating objects and events spatially. Since simple locatives occupy argument positions, they do NOT participate in scope ambiguities---pace one common view, which sees locatives as logical operators. Our proposal justifies common representational practice in computational linguistics, accounting for how locative expressions function anaphorically, and explaining a wide range of inference involving locatives. We further demonstrate how the argument analysis may accommodate multiple locative arguments in a single predicate. The analysis is implemented for use in a database query application.
Genetics and the Blood Pressure Response to Exercise Training

Regular physical activity is an effective and safe way to prevent development of hypertension and to lower elevated resting blood pressure. However, there are considerable inter-individual differences in blood pressure responses to exercise training, ranging from marked decreases to no changes to considerable increases. Family and twin studies have shown that blood pressure responses to exercise aggregate in families with heritability estimates ranging mainly from 20 to 40 %. While heritability of blood pressure training responses has been established, little progress has been made in terms of characterizing the molecular genetic basis of the blood pressure responses to exercise training. Several candidate genes have been tested for associations with exercise blood pressure phenotypes, but none of these associations has been confirmed in subsequent studies. The main problem with molecular genetic studies of health-related phenotype responses such as blood pressure to exercise training is the limited number of appropriate studies available and the small sample sizes of the individual studies, leading to lack of statistical power and inability to replicate potential leads. It is possible that emerging new approaches based on “omics” technology (e.g., genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics, and bioinformatics) will eventually lead to a better understanding of the inter-individual variation in the BP response to exercise.
Nanotechnology and Nanoparticles

Developing effective therapeutics to treat disorders of the back of the eye is an extremely difficult task due to the inability to deliver therapeutically relevant drug levels to the back of the eye using traditional methods (topical and systemic modes of administration). Innovative techniques and approaches are required to overcome the limitations associated with developing effective therapeutics to treat disorders of the back of the eye. Nanotechnology is a field that advances materials with a nano-dimension and provides several means for innovative design of nano-size drug delivery systems (nanosystems) to overcome biological barriers. Nanosystems based on polymers, lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates hold significant promise in enhancing drug delivery and hence, efficacy of small as well as large molecules intended for treating disorders of the back of the eye.
Dramatic Resolution of an Unresectable Giant Basal Cell Carcinoma Treated with Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy (IMRT) - A Case Report

A 59-year-old man presented with an unresectable bulky giant basal cell carcinoma on his upper back. A trial of chemotherapy did not help relieve his symptoms or reduce the tumor. He was referred for and received definitive radiation therapy via IMRT with dramatic regression. The patient had been unable to lie on his back for many years but currently can sleep comfortably on his back without pain, which has dramatically improved his quality of life.
Behavioral and hormonal influence on blood volume restitution after hemorrhage in swine

Hemorrhage of 14 ml.kg-1.5 min-1 was done in two groups of chronically prepared, splenectomized Yorkshire pigs that were conditioned behaviorally to lie in a Panepinto sling. In group 1 the conditioning included early use of active restraint. It was done before the preparative surgery and on postoperative day 3 before the experiment on day 4. In group 2 the use of active restraint was minimized during conditioning that was extended to postoperative days 4 and 5 before the experiment on day 6. Before hemorrhage, core temperature and plasma catecholamines, cortisol, adrenocorticotropin, vasopressin, and renin were greater in group 1 than in group 2; but blood volume, hematocrit, and body weight were identical. Peak hormonal concentrations were greater or more sustained during the 1st h after hemorrhage in group 1 than in group 2. Restitution of blood volume was greater in group 1 than in group 2 at 4 and 7 h. Greater total peripheral resistance at 2 h after hemorrhage and greater restitution of plasma protein by 7 h in group 1 contributed to its accelerated volume restoration. Comparison of arterial pressure and of right atrial volume (conductance catheter) between groups suggested that a greater response of arterial or right atrial stretch receptors in group 1 could not account for the results. We suggest that the method and duration of behavioral conditioning and the time for recovery from surgery are important determinants of the hemodynamic and hormonal responses to hemorrhage and their subsequent influence on the restitution of blood volume.
Attachment and Proliferation of Bacteria on Meat

The attachment of bacteria ( Serratia marcescens , Staphylococcus aureus , Streptococcus faecalis , Salmonella arizonae , Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Listeria monocytogenes ), to lean muscle tissue and fat tissue was investigated. The number of cells attached to the meat was directly proportional to the initial cell concentrations present. There was no significant difference in the number of cells attached between the lean muscle tissue and fat tissues among the organisms tested. All bacteria tested except P. aeruginosa proliferated better on the lean muscle tissues than on the fat tissue at ambient temperature for 72 h. No significant attachment competition to tissue samples was seen between L. monocytogenes and P. aeruginosa , however, the numbers of P. aeruginosa were greater than L. monocytogenes (after 24 h). Similarly, no competitive attachments between S. aureus and S. marcescens , S. faecalis and S. arizonae were observed; but the numbers of S. marcescens were greater than S. aureus , and S. arizonae were greater than S. faecalis , when the inoculated meat was incubated at room temperature for 24 h.
Chemistry of bone mineral, based on the hypermineralized rostrum of the beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris

Carbonate-substituted hydroxylapatite is the inorganic component in bone. The nanometer size of bone crystallites and their interweaving with subequal volumes of collagen fibrils make the chemical analysis of the bone mineral extremely difficult. The few chemical analyses that are available commonly were made on ashed bone, which, in addition to mineral, also includes chemical residues of collagen. For the present study, we chose the rostrum of the whale Mesoplodon densirostris. Its mineral content of up to 96 wt% makes it an ideal material for pursuing the chemistry of bioapatite within bone. Both bulk (X-ray fluorescence, thermogravimetry, and carbon analysis) and point analyses and element mapping (electron microprobe) were applied to this densest of bone materials. Its bioapatite has an average carbonate content of ~8 wt% and an average Ca/P atomic ratio of 1.7. The rostrum shows extremely low-concentration trace elements (Al, Si, Fe, Ti and Sr) and some minor elements (K and Cl) as in typical bone materials. Homogeneity of elemental distribution is demonstrated in typical mineral-dominated areas within the rostrum sections except around a few vascular holes and vessels. The very good correlation between electron microprobe point analyses and the XRF bulk analyses of the rostrum indicate the latter to be a useful chemical model of bone mineral. The bulk analysis shows that the bioapatite in the rostrum has an average composition of (Ca8.40Mg0.20Na0.54)[(PO4)4.87(CO3)1.13] (OH)0.87.
Ozone and unsaturated fatty acids.

The earliest manifestation of the toxicity of ozone in an in vitro system utilizing human erythrocytes had been previously suggested to be due to the breakdown of unsaturated fatty acids in the cell membrane. To confirm that destruction of unsaturated fatty acids does occur in biological membranes exposed to ozone, red cell fatty acids were extracted, methylated, and quantitated by gas-liquid chromatography. After ozone exposure there was a relative decrease in unsaturated fatty acids as compared to saturated fatty acids, and the more unsaturated the fatty acid, the greater the loss. These findings are interpreted as additional evidence supporting the concept that the peroxidation or ozonization of unsaturated fatty acids in biological membranes is a primary mechanism of the deleterious effects of ozone.
Social Interaction Moderates Human-Robot Trust-Reliance Relationship and Improves Stress Coping

Previous work with non-social human-robot interaction has found no links between trust and reliance (Desai et al., 2013). The current study tested the question: Can social interactions moderate trust-reliance relationship? Human-robot interactions may share similar characteristics to social and emotional interactions between humans. We investigated how social and emotional human-robot interactions moderate the trust-reliance relationship and impacts perceived stress coping abilities. In the experimental condition, social and emotional interactions were used to guide the dialogue between a participant and a virtual robot in order to promote team building. In the matched control condition, the interactions were information-focused, without social or emotional interaction. We show that social interaction moderated the effect of trust on reliance such that higher trust led to greater reliance on the robot. The experimental condition also had higher perceived stress coping abilities. These findings contribute to the existing literature and suggest that creating deeper social and emotional interactions with a robot teammate can facilitate human-robot partnership.
Electricity current heating and bondable insulation system for hermetic motor

Fujikura has carried out to shorten the bonding time of SBWS thermosetting system by using current heating method for hermetic motor processing than external curing by oven that is widely now used. This report relates to heating methods and their properties in hermetic motor insulation. From the results, Fujikura gets a conclusion that the bonding and curing rate of current heating system is approximately 30 times as same as that of conventional external heating system without decreasing the reliability as bondable insulation system for hermetic use.
On the Road Without a Map: The Women of the Beat Writers

Many of the women who consorted with the early Beat writers suffered poverty, abortions, abandonment, and, in some cases, physical and sexual abuse. Were they merely passive facilitators and financial supporters of the talented but careless men — the kind of conformists that they and the Beat men detested? This interpretation would not do them justice. Five brief portraits of these women appear in this article, showing how once freed, years later, from the suffocating influence of the frenetic, immature men, some of these early fellow travelers emerged as major talents of their own. The article is a cautionary tale for bright women tempted to throw themselves at self-centered young men.
Clinical examination: Skin

Inspection of the skin and nails and evaluation for symptoms of pruritus are valuable tools in evaluation of liver diseases. In addition to providing clues for the diagnosis of liver diseases, recognition of these dermatological features can provide further reassurance, guidance, and potential treatment of the patient's dermatological concerns and conditions.
Immersive paleoart: reconstructing dreadnoughtus schrani and remediating the science documentary for cinematic virtual reality

This project is a synthesis of digital paleoart reconstruction, prototype VR pipeline design, and the remediation of structural narrative principles for immersive media. We approach common issues associated with the accurate portrayal of dinosaurs in media, Cinematic Virtual Reality (CVR) production, and the direction of viewer attention in immersive digital environments. After developing and testing a stable CVR workflow, we designed and produced a piece of scientific VR Paleoart content intended for educational outreach. Our production methods include a state-of-the-art CGI dinosaur reconstruction informed by comparative anatomy and biomechanical simulation, stereoscopic spherical rendering, and photographic CVR film production. Our approach is validated through the completion of a CVR documentary about the titanosaur Dreadnoughtus schrani, one of the largest dinosaurs yet discovered. This documentary, starring paleontologist Dr. Ken Lacovara, will be made publicly available for all common VR distribution platforms. Our goal is to make scientific CVR content accessible to an audience of mobile device owners, taking advantage of the VR media disruption to establish new design guidelines for educational media.
Associations Between Neurotransmitter Genes and Fatigue and Energy Levels in Women After Breast Cancer Surgery

Abstract Context Fatigue is a common problem in oncology patients. Less is known about decrements in energy levels and the mechanisms that underlie both fatigue and energy. Objectives In patients with breast cancer, variations in neurotransmitter genes between lower and higher fatigue latent classes and between the higher and lower energy latent classes were evaluated. Methods Patients completed assessments before and monthly for six months after surgery. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify distinct latent classes for fatigue severity and energy levels. Thirty candidate genes involved in various aspects of neurotransmission were evaluated. Results Eleven single-nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes (i.e., ADRB2 rs1042718, BDNF rs6265, COMT rs9332377, CYP3A4 rs4646437, GALR1 rs949060, GCH1 rs3783642, NOS1 rs9658498, NOS1 rs2293052, NPY1R Haplotype A04, SLC6A2 rs17841327, and 5HTTLPR + rs25531 in SLC6A4 ) were associated with latent class membership for fatigue. Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms or haplotypes (i.e., NOS1 rs471871, SLC6A1 rs2675163, SLC6A1 Haplotype D01, SLC6A2 rs36027, SLC6A3 rs37022, SLC6A4 rs2020942, and TAC1 rs2072100) were associated with latent class membership for energy. Three of 13 genes (i.e., NOS1 , SLC6A2 , and SLC6A4 ) were associated with latent class membership for both fatigue and energy. Conclusions Molecular findings support the hypothesis that fatigue and energy are distinct, yet related symptoms. Results suggest that a large number of neurotransmitters play a role in the development and maintenance of fatigue and energy levels in breast cancer patients.
Microelectronics meets biomedicine: Integrated MOSFET-embedded cantilever sensor and diagnostics system

Recent advances in nanotechnology promise considerable and realistic potential for the development of innovative and high performance sensing and diagnostic approaches in biomedical field. In particular, the microcantilever detection paradigm based on direct transduction of molecular binding induced surface stress into a nanomechanical motion of microcantilevers, has attracted considerable attention for label-free detection of biomolecules. As an alternative to the currently deployed optical, piezoresistive, and capacitance nanomechanical detection techniques, we introduce a new electronic transduction paradigm comprising two-dimensional microcantilever arrays with geometrically configured metal-oxide-semiconductor-field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs) embedded in the high stress region of the microcantilevers. We have shown that the deflection of the microcantilever induced by specific ligand-analyte binding events leads to a precise, measurable and reproducible change in the drain current of the MOSFET buried in the microcantilevers. High current sensitivity of MOSFET- embedded platform enables detecting nanoscale cantilever deflection from specific biomolecular binding events at very low concentration of analytes with sensitivity in the parts-per-trillion (ppt) range. We have shown ultra-sensitive detection of streptavidin-biotin based biomolecular interactions and biomarkers for cardiovascular diseases. Our novel detection mechanisms offer an excellent platform for variety of different biomolecular sensing applications, ranging from clinical diagnostics and environmental monitoring to drug discovery, as well as gas and chemical sensing by integrating receptors on MOSFET cantilevers.
Exploring the predictive potential of artificial neural networks in conjunction with DEA in railroad performance modeling

Abstract This paper is an investigation into the feasibility of using artificial neural networks (ANN) in conjunction with data envelopment analysis (DEA) for performance measurement and prediction modeling of Class I railroads in the United States. For this exploratory study, DEA-ANN are combined into a two-stage modeling approach. While it is frequently used as a benchmarking tool, DEA lacks predictive capabilities. However, ANN has strong nonlinear mapping and adaptive prediction functionality. In this study, the advantages of combining these complementary methods into an integrated performance measurement and prediction model are explored. For this combined approach, a Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes (CCR) DEA model is used to evaluate the efficiency of each decision making unit (DMU) and to capture the efficiency trend of each railroad. Based upon those DEA results, the follow-on backpropagation neural network (BPNN) model predicts an efficiency score and target output for each DMU. This is a new attempt to extend the BPNN model for purposes of best performance prediction. The resulting framework is an effective benchmarking and decision support system which adds adaptive prediction capabilities to current benchmarking practices.
Aberrant tyrosinase expression in an atypical fibroxanthoma: A case report

Atypical fibroxanthoma (AFX) is a histologic mimicker of a variety of spindle cell neoplasms, and careful microscopic and immunohistochemical evaluation is critical in establishing the correct diagnosis. Here we report the histologic and immunohistochemical work up of a 1 cm nodule involving the left dorsal hand of a 66-year-old patient. Light microscopy revealed fascicles of spindled and pleomorphic cells within the dermis showing increased mitotic activity occurring in the background of sun-damaged skin. There were numerous multinucleated cells with hyperchromatic nuclei and ample finely vacuolated or foamy cytoplasms. There was strong and diffuse CD10 and patchy CD68 expression among the spindled cells and multinucleated cells. The neoplastic cells did not show immunoreactivity against S100, p75-NGFR, HMB-45 or a panel of keratinocytic, vascular and smooth muscle markers. Tyrosinase and Melan-A were not expressed within the spindle cell component of this neoplasm; however, there was tyrosinase expression among numerous multinucleated giant cells. Melan-A expression was also observed among rare multinucleated giant cells. Tyrosinase expression has not previously been reported in AFX.
Computer Science Education Research at the Crossroads: A Methodological Review of Computer Science Education Research

Methodological reviews have been used successfully to identify research trends and improve research practice in a variety of academic fields. Although there have been three methodological reviews of the emerging field of computer science education research, they lacked reliability or generalizability. Therefore, because of the capacity for a methodological review to improve practice in computer science education and because the previous methodological reviews were lacking, in this dissertation, a large-scale, reliable, and generalizable methodological review of the recent research on computer science education was conducted. The purpose of this methodological review was to have a valid and convincing basis on which to make recommendations for the improvement of computer science education research and to promote informed dialogue about its practice. After taking a proportional stratified sample of 352 articles from a population of 1,306 computer science education articles published from 2000 to 2005, each article was coded in terms of their general characteristics; report elements; research methodology; research design; independent, dependent, and mediating/moderating variables examined; and statistical practices. A second rater coded a reliability subsample of 53 articles so that estimates of interrater reliability could be established. The major findings were that (a) the majority of investigations were insufficiently controlled to make generalized causal inferences, (b) there were no differences in the methodological quality of articles published in journals or those published in conference proceedings, and (c) there was a decreasing yearly trend in the number of articles that only presented anecdotal evidence and the number of articles using explanatory descriptive (e.g., qualitative) research methods. Also, (d) it was found that the region of the first author's affiliation covaried with proportion of articles that reported on experimental or quasi-experimental investigations, explanatory descriptive investigations, and on proportion of articles in which attitudes were the sole dependent measure. In addition, several differences in research practices across the fields of computer science education, educational technology, and education research proper were found.
Five New Species of the Endemic Hawaiian Genus Cyanea (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae)

Five new species of Cyanea (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae) are described from the Hawaiian Islands, U.S.A. The first, C. magnicalyx Lammers (West Maui), is a member of the C. grimesiana complex, related
Humor, laughter, learning, and health! A brief review

Human emotions, such as anxiety, depression, fear, joy, and laughter, profoundly affect psychological and physiological processes. These emotions form a set of basic, evolved functions that are shared by all humans. Laughter is part of a universal language of basic emotions that all humans recognize. Health care providers and educators may utilize the power of laughter to improve health and enhance teaching and learning. This is an important consideration because teaching is not just about content: it is also about forming relationships and strengthening human connections. In this context, when used effectively, humor is documented to build relationships and enhance performance. Specifically, humor improves student performance by attracting and sustaining attention, reducing anxiety, enhancing participation, and increasing motivation. Moreover, humor stimulates multiple physiological systems that decrease levels of stress hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine, and increase the activation of the mesolimbic dopaminergic reward system. To achieve these benefits, it is important to use humor that is relevant to the course content and not disparaging toward others. Self-effacing humor illustrates to students that the teacher is comfortable making mistakes and sharing these experiences with the classroom. In this brief review, we discuss the history and relationship between humor, laughing, learning, and health with an emphasis on the powerful, universal language of laughter.
Towards Realizing a Distributed Event and Intrusion Detection System

Power system blackouts would cause a significant impact on social and economic activities. Therefore, a key underlying requirement for a resilient power system is to detect cyber attacks and provide an appropriate response in nearly real time. However, due to limited computing resource and latency of the current power system Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), they are not capable to detect cyber attacks for a large-scale system in real time.
Bayesian Analysis: A Practical Approach to Interpret Clinical Trials and Create Clinical Practice Guidelines

Bayesian analysis is firmly grounded in the science of probability and has been increasingly supplementing or replacing traditional approaches based on P values. In this review, we present gradually more complex examples, along with programming code and data sets, to show how Bayesian analysis takes evidence from randomized clinical trials to update what is already known about specific treatments in cardiovascular medicine. In the example of revascularization choices for diabetic patients who have multivessel coronary artery disease, we combine the results of the FREEDOM trial (Future Revascularization Evaluation in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus: Optimal Management of Multivessel Disease) with prior probability distributions to show how strongly we should believe in the new Class I recommendation ("should be done") for a preference of bypass surgery over percutaneous coronary intervention. In the debate about the duration of dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation, we avoid a common pitfall in traditional meta-analysis and create a network of randomized clinical trials to compare outcomes after specific treatment durations. Although we find no credible increase in mortality, we affirm the tradeoff between increased bleeding and reduced myocardial infarctions with prolonged dual antiplatelet therapy, findings that support the new Class IIb recommendation ("may be considered") to extend dual antiplatelet therapy after drug-eluting stent implantation. In the decision between culprit artery-only and multivessel percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, we use hierarchical meta-analysis to analyze evidence from observational studies and randomized clinical trials and find that the probability of all-cause mortality at longest follow-up is similar after both strategies, a finding that challenges the older ban against noninfarct-artery intervention during primary percutaneous coronary intervention. These examples illustrate how Bayesian analysis integrates new trial information with existing knowledge to reduce uncertainty and change attitudes about treatments in cardiovascular medicine.
Nanodust released in interplanetary collisions

Abstract The lifecycle of near-Earth objects (NEOs) involves a collisional cascade that produces ever smaller debris ending with nanoscale particles which are removed from the solar system by radiation pressure and electromagnetic effects. It has been proposed that the nanodust clouds released in collisions perturb the background interplanetary magnetic field and create the interplanetary field enhancements (IFEs). Assuming that this IFE formation scenario is actually operating, we calculate the interplanetary collision rate, estimate the total debris mass carried by nanodust, and compare the collision rate with the IFE rate. We find that to release the same amount of nanodust, the collision rate is comparable to the observed IFE rate. Besides quantitatively testing the association between the collisions evolving large objects and giant solar wind structures, such a study can be extended to ranges of smaller scales and to investigate the source of moderate and small solar wind perturbations.
The Post-colonial Enterprise: Hybridity, Hyperreality, and the Myth of Star Trek in Rushdie's “Chekov and Zulu”

(2014). The Post-colonial Enterprise: Hybridity, Hyperreality, and the Myth of Star Trek in Rushdie's “Chekov and Zulu”. South Asian Review: Vol. 35, Salman Rushdie, pp. 95-110.
Alternative configuration and timing control for beam chopping system at the SNS linac

The Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) beam chopping system uses a segmented electrostatic lens in the Low Energy Beam Transport (LEBT) line to deflect the beam out of the Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) input aperture to create gaps in the 1 ms beam macro-pulse for extraction from the Ring, or fully displace the beam. The lens is split azimuthally into four quadrants which are pulsed independently by four bipolar high voltage pulse generators. The chopper timing control system creates trigger pulses to the pulse generators which deflect the beam sequentially to four positions on the chopper target. In the present chopper configuration, all four segments are powered simultaneously with a 1 MHz burst repetition rate within the macro-pulse. To improve chopping performance, faster switches and higher voltages are required. An alternative chopping system configuration which can meet this request has been proposed, where only two opposite segments are used at a time. This will facilitate pulse generator performance by reducing switching frequency and power dissipation in the high voltage switches while operating at increased voltages, and make beam deflection more effective, stable and reliable. The new chopping configuration requires changes in the LEBT timing control patterns, upgrading the pulse generator, and changing the azimuthal position of the lens segments in the LEBT structure. This paper will review the timing control patterns for present and suggested configurations, compare the pulse generator performance for both cases, and show the advantages of the new chopping modes. The results of the simulated beam distribution at the RFQ input for different deflecting voltages will also be presented.
Uncoupling of G-Protein Coupled Receptors in vivo: Insights from Transgenic Mice

Heart failure is a problem of increasing importance in medicine. An important characteristic of heart failure is reduced agonist-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity (receptor desensitization) due to both diminished receptor number (receptor down regulation) and impaired receptor function (receptor uncoupling). These changes in the s-adrenergic receptor (s-AR) system, may in part account for some of the abnormalities of contractile function in this disease. Myocardial contraction is closely regulated by Gprotein coupled s-adrenergic receptors through the action of the second messenger cAMP. The s-AR receptors themselves are regulated by a set of specific kinases, termed the Gprotein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs). The study of this complex system in vivo has recently been advanced by the development of transgenic and gene targeted (“knockout”) mouse models. Combining transgenic technology with sophisticated physiological measurements of cardiac hemodynamics is an extremely powerful strategy to study the regulation of myocardial contractility in the normal and failing heart.
Communication and resilience: concluding thoughts and key issues for future research

In reflecting upon our introductory overview and individual essays, we identify three key issues related to an applied or engaged communication scholarship agenda in the area of resilience that war...
Quantum chemistry in arbitrary dielectric environments: Theory and implementation of nonequilibrium Poisson boundary conditions and application to compute vertical ionization energies at the air/water interface.

Widely used continuum solvation models for electronic structure calculations, including popular polarizable continuum models (PCMs), usually assume that the continuum environment is isotropic and characterized by a scalar dielectric constant, e. This assumption is invalid at a liquid/vapor interface or any other anisotropic solvation environment. To address such scenarios, we introduce a more general formalism based on solution of Poisson's equation for a spatially varying dielectric function, e(r). Inspired by nonequilibrium versions of PCMs, we develop a similar formalism within the context of Poisson's equation that includes the out-of-equilibrium dielectric response that accompanies a sudden change in the electron density of the solute, such as that which occurs in a vertical ionization process. A multigrid solver for Poisson's equation is developed to accommodate the large spatial grids necessary to discretize the three-dimensional electron density. We apply this methodology to compute vertical ionization energies (VIEs) of various solutes at the air/water interface and compare them to VIEs computed in bulk water, finding only very small differences between the two environments. VIEs computed using approximately two solvation shells of explicit water molecules are in excellent agreement with experiment for F-(aq), Cl-(aq), neat liquid water, and the hydrated electron, although errors for Li+(aq) and Na+(aq) are somewhat larger. Nonequilibrium corrections modify VIEs by up to 1.2 eV, relative to models based only on the static dielectric constant, and are therefore essential to obtain agreement with experiment. Given that the experiments (liquid microjet photoelectron spectroscopy) may be more sensitive to solutes situated at the air/water interface as compared to those in bulk water, our calculations provide some confidence that these experiments can indeed be interpreted as measurements of VIEs in bulk water.
The Living Genome of a Purple Nonsulfur Photosynthetic Bacterium: Overview of the Rhodobacter sphaeroides Transcriptome Landscapes

Abstract Oxygen (O 2 ) and light are key environmental factors that control metabolic choices in the purple nonsulfur anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria. Whole-genome transcription profiling has proved to be remarkably informative in assessing metabolic changes in this group of bacteria, and in uncovering the regulatory networks underlying metabolic changes. Here we review transcriptome profiling studies of Rhodobacter sphaeroides , one of the best-understood purple nonsulfur bacteria. Our focus is on the responses of R. sphaeroides to changes in O 2 concentration and light intensity, and the description of the key regulons and transcription factors controlling these changes. Transcriptomic studies have helped bring the genome of R. sphaeroides to life by showing massive restructuring of gene expression upon changes in O 2 and light levels as well as the transient nature of many transcription changes. Genome-wide transcription analyses have helped us understand metabolic strategies employed by R. sphaeroides when changing its energy generation mode from aerobic respiration to anaerobic respiration or photosynthesis. It also uncovered multiple grey areas in our understanding of adaptations of this bacterium to changing environments.
Determination of Physical Constants

The physical constants of both the original compound and at least one of its derivatives must be determined for the final recognition of a substance. As pointed out before, in addition to serving to identify a substance the physical constants may indicate its purity.
Overcoming Barriers to Delirium Screening in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

BACKGROUND Delirium is associated with poor outcomes in adults but is less extensively studied in children. OBJECTIVES To describe a quality improvement initiative to implement delirium assessment in a pediatric intensive care unit and to identify barriers to delirium screening completion. METHODS A survey identified perceived barriers to delirium assessment. Failure modes and effects analysis characterized factors likely to impede assessment. A randomized case-control study evaluated factors affecting assessment by comparing patients always assessed with patients never assessed. RESULTS Delirium assessment was completed in 57% of opportunities over 1 year, with 2% positive screen results. Education improved screening completion by 20%. Barriers to assessment identified by survey (n = 25) included remembering to complete assessments, documentation outside workflow, and "busy patient." Factors with high risk prediction numbers were lack of time and paper charting. Patients always assessed had more severe illness (median Pediatric Index of Mortality 2 score, 0.90 vs 0.36; P < .001), more developmental disabilities (moderate to severe pediatric cerebral performance category score, 54% vs 32%; P = .007), and admission during lower pediatric intensive care unit census (median [interquartile range], 10 [9-12] vs 12 [10-13]; P < .001) than did those never assessed (each group, n = 80). Patients receiving mechanical ventilation were less likely to be assessed (41.0% vs 51.2%, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Successful implementation of pediatric delirium screening may be associated with early use of quality improvement tools to identify assessment barriers, comprehensive education, monitoring system with feedback, multidisciplinary team involvement, and incorporation into nursing workflow models.
WFA-labeled Perineuronal Nets in the Macaque Claustrum.

ABSTRACTBackground: The claustrum (CLA) has been discussed as central to integrated conscious percepts, although recent evidence has emphasized a role in detecting sensory novelty or in amplifying ...
New Evidence on the Frequency of Teacher Turnover: Accounting for Within-Year Turnover:

Teacher turnover occurs during and at the end of the school year, although documentation of within-year turnover currently rests on anecdotal evidence. On average, over 4.6% of teachers turn over d...
A 13b-ENOB Noise Shaping SAR ADC with a Two-Capacitor DAC

This paper presents an active noise-shaping successive-approximation-register analog-to-digital converter. Instead of binary-weighted capacitors, it uses two equal-valued capacitors as a digital-to-analog converter (DAC). Thus, the capacitance spread in the DAC is 1, much smaller than that of the conventional binary-weighted capacitor array, and hence the mismatch error can be greatly reduced. The circuit provides first-order noise shaping, which can improve the ADC’s linearity even for a small oversampling ratio (OSR). Also, the proposed architecture uses a monotonic switching procedure which allows fewer conversion steps than for a conventional SAR ADCs. The ADC was fabricated in 0.18 um CMOS technology. For a 2kHz bandwidth, it achieved a 78.8 dB SNDR. It consumes 74.2uW power from 1.5V power supply.
Effect of inhibition of polyamine synthesis on the content of decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine

1. The content of decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) in transformed mouse fibroblasts (SV-3T3 cells) was increased 500-fold to about 0.4fmol/cell when ornithine decarboxylase was inhibited by α-difluoromethylornithine. This increase was due to the absence of putrescine and spermidine, which serve as substrates for aminopropyltransferases with decarboxylated AdoMet as an aminopropyl donor, and to the enhanced activity of AdoMet decarboxylase brought about by depletion of spermidine. The increase in decarboxylated AdoMet content was abolished by addition of putrescine, but not by 1,3-diaminopropane. 2. 5′-Methylthiotubercidin also increased decarboxylated AdoMet content, presumably by direct inhibition of aminopropyl-transferase activities, but the increase in its content and the decline in spermidine content were much less than those produced by α-difluoromethylornithine. 3. Decarboxylated AdoMet content of regenerating rat liver was measured in rats treated with inhibitors of ornithine decarboxylase. The content was increased by 60% 32h after partial hepatectomy in control rats, by 90% when α-difluoromethylornithine was given to the partially hepatectomized rats, and by 330% when 1,3-diaminopropane was used to inhibit putrescine and spermidine synthesis. After 48h of exposure to 1,3-diaminopropane, which completely prevented the increase in spermidine after partial hepatectomy, there was a 5-fold rise in hepatic decarboxylated AdoMet concentration. These increases were prevented by treatment with putrescine or with methylglyoxal bis(guanylhydrazone), an inhibitor of AdoMet decarboxylase. 4. These results show that changes in AdoMet metabolism result from the administration of specific inhibitors of polyamine synthesis. The possible consequences of the accumulation of decarboxylated AdoMet, which could, for example, interfere with normal cellular methylation or lead to depletion of cellular adenine nucleotides, should be considered in the interpretation of results obtained with such inhibitors.
The configurational stability of chiral lithio α-amino carbanions. The effect of Li-O vs. Li-N complexation.

Abstract α-Lithio pyrrolidine, as its N - t -BOC or formamidine derivative, has been generated in high enantiomeric purity via Sn-Li exchange of the enantiomerically enriched (88-95°) α-tributylstannane derivative, 4 . The alkylation of these lithio carbanions gave 2-methyl pyrrolidines as well as providing a measure of their configurational stability. It was found that the α-lithio formamidines were configurationally more stable than the t -BOC derivatives and this is attributed to the stronger O-Li bond which weakens the adjacent C-Li bond, thus allowing configurational decay to occur more readily. This is the first report wherein a difference is observed between O-Li-C and N-Li-C configurational stability.
Data for “Identifying Landscape Modification Using Open Data and Tools: The Charcoal Hearths of the Blue Mountain, Pennsylvania”

The data and methods described were used to identify charcoal hearths on the Blue Mountain of eastern Pennsylvania. The data is derived from openly available LiDAR data and was modified using LASTools. This data was used to develop a methodology for the identification of charcoal hearths via a digital elevation model, a hillshade model and a slope analysis. This enabled the identification of 758 potential charcoal hearths. Data and detailed methods description are stored in Open Context and Zenodo. The technique used to produce this data has very high reuse potential since the tools employed are all open source and LiDAR data is often openly available for many states within the US, as well as other countries. An article for the journal, Historical Archaeology, that argues for openness in historical archaeology and utilizes this data has been published recently [1]. Funding statement: The work completed by Heather Lash was directly funded by the Office of the Provost of Muhlenberg College. Training (see acknowledgements) was funded through the National Endowment for the Arts and the National Science Foundation.
The Effect of Sporting Events on Medical Transport Time at a Level 1 Trauma Center: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE We investigate how West Virginia University football games affect transport to Ruby Memorial Hospital, which shares a parking lot with Milan Puskar Football Stadium. METHODS A retrospective chart review of a trauma registry from a level 1-trauma center was conducted from 2007 to 2011 for all home and away football games. Home games served as time period of interest and away games served as a control time period. Patient charts were collected for a 36-hour time window surrounding the game. 250 patient charts were complete for home games and 185 patient charts for away games. Data analyzed were time from scene to arrival at hospital, use of air transport, transport time in relation to kick-off, and comparison between demographic and emergency department disposition of patients arriving during home games vs. patients arriving during away games. RESULTS No statistically significant differences were found for demographic data or emergency department disposition between groups. For ground transport directly from scene, the average time to arrival at the hospital was 44.9 minutes for home games and 45.1 minutes for away games. For air transport directly from the scene, the average time to arrival at the hospital was 44.9 minutes for home games and 44.0 minutes for away games. For ground transfer from another facility, the average time to arrival at the hospital was 76.4 minutes for home games and 52.9 minutes for away games. For air transport from another facility, the average time to arrival at the hospital was 37.4 minutes for home games and 24.0 minutes for away games. Air transportation utilization was increased in inter-facility transfers during home games (5/16, 31.3% vs. 4/20, 22.2%), and helicopters traveled a further distance (avg. 66.6 vs. 50.25 air miles). For patients coming from the scene during a home game, if the start of the game occurred after the trauma but before arrival to the trauma center, the average time of ground transport increased from 44.9 minutes to 120 minutes (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION A mass gathering in close proximity to a rural trauma center does affect transport patterns and transport times for trauma patients. Further investigation is warranted in order to improve patient care during mass gathering events.
Anxiety symptoms and smoking outcome expectancies among Spanish-speaking Latinx adult smokers: Exploring the role of anxiety sensitivity.

Although anxiety symptoms/disorders are consistently implicated in smoking processes, no empirical work has identified individual difference factors that may underlie such relations among Latinx sm...
Generation of cell-derived matrices that support human NK cell migration and differentiation

Human NK cells are effectors of the innate immune system that originate from hematopoietic precursors in the bone marrow. While stromal cell lines that support NK cell development from hematopoietic precursors are often used to generate mature NK cells from lymphoid precursors in vitro, the nature of contributing factors of these stromal cells to the generation of functionally mature NK cells has been poorly described. Previous studies have shown that developing NK cells adhere to, and migrate on, developmentally supportive stroma. Here, we describe the generation of cell-derived matrices (CDMs) from a commonly used murine fetal liver stromal cell line. These CDMs are derived directly from the same EL08.1D2 stromal cell line known to support NK cell differentiation and contain ECM structural components fibronectin and collagen. We demonstrate that CDMs support NK cell adhesion and migration with similar properties as intact cells. Further, we show that CDMs support NK cell maturation from lymphoid precursors in vitro, albeit with reduced cell survival compared to intact cell-based differentiation. Together, these results describe a cell-free system that supports NK cell development and that can serve as a useful model for studying the nature of the biochemical interactions between NK cell developmental intermediates and developmentally supportive substrates.