cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fate and groundwater impacts of produced water releases at OSPER “B” site, Osage County, Oklahoma

Abstract For the last 5 a, the authors have been investigating the transport, fate, natural attenuation and ecosystem impacts of inorganic and organic compounds in releases of produced water and associated hydrocarbons at the Osage-Skiatook Petroleum Environmental Research (OSPER) “A” and “B” sites, located in NE Oklahoma. Approximately 1.0 ha of land at OSPER “B”, located within the active Branstetter lease, is visibly affected by salt scarring, tree kills, soil salinization, and brine and petroleum contamination. Site “B” includes an active production tank battery and adjacent large brine pit, two injection well sites, one with an adjacent small pit, and an abandoned brine pit and tank battery site. Oil production in this lease started in 1938, and currently there are 10 wells that produce 0.2–0.5 m3/d (1–3 bbl/d) oil, and 8–16 m3/d (50–100 bbl/d) brine. Geochemical data from nearby oil wells show that the produced water source is a Na–Ca–Cl brine (∼150,000 mg/L TDS), with high Mg, but low SO4 and dissolved organic concentrations. Groundwater impacts are being investigated by detailed chemical analyses of water from repeated sampling of 41 boreholes, 1–71 m deep. The most important results at OSPER “B” are: (1) significant amounts of produced water from the two active brine pits percolate into the surficial rocks and flow towards the adjacent Skiatook reservoir, but only minor amounts of liquid petroleum leave the brine pits; (2) produced-water brine and minor dissolved organics have penetrated the thick (3–7 m) shale and siltstone units resulting in the formation of three interconnected plumes of high-salinity water (5000–30,000 mg/L TDS) that extend towards the Skiatook reservoir from the two active and one abandoned brine pits; and (3) groundwater from the deep section of only one well, BR-01 located 330 m upslope and west of the site, appear not to be impacted by petroleum operations.
Myocardin New Therapeutic Agent in Vascular Disease

There is a general consensus that perturbations to the vessel wall provoke a population of mature vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) to either dedifferentiate into proliferating/migrating cells or transdifferentiate into new cell types.1 Such phenotypic plasticity has stimulated much research on the signaling pathways and transcriptional mediators, coordinating the expression of a growing number of genes (both coding and noncoding) that constitute a unique transcriptome for the differentiated state of VSMCs. The majority of such genes harbor 1 or more 10-bp codes known as CArG boxes to which the serum response factor (SRF) binds.2 More than 60 proteins interact with SRF to drive cofactor-dependent programs of gene expression. One prominent SRF cofactor is myocardin (MYOCD), which was first described as a cardiac muscle–enriched transcription factor that powerfully stimulates CArG-dependent promoters driving expression of cardiac-specific genes and contributes to normal cardiac muscle gene expression in vivo.3 Soon after its discovery in 2001, MYOCD was shown to similarly enhance activity of VSMC-restricted promoters in a CArG-dependent manner and induce expression of several of the corresponding endogenous transcripts in a cell line that does not express VSMC-restricted genes. Furthermore, Myocd mRNA was discovered to be abundantly expressed in aortic SMC, only to be reduced when such cells are placed in culture, suggesting MYOCD is important in maintaining the normal VSMC contractile phenotype.4 Subsequent studies confirmed and extended many of these findings, thus validating the role of MYOCD as a key component …
Microstructure, Tensile, and Creep Behavior of Boron-Modified Ti-15Al-33Nb (at.%)

The effect of boron on the microstructure, tensile, and creep behavior of a Ti-15Al-33Nb (at. pct) alloy was investigated. In addition to the normal constituent phases present in the unmodified alloy, the boron-modified alloys contained borides enriched in titanium and niobium. These borides made up to 9 pct of the volume and were present in the form of needles/laths. Boron additions of 5 at. pct resulted in significant strengthening and stiffening and reduced elongation-to-failure. Smaller boron additions of 0.5 at. pct did not as significantly impact the RT tensile properties, but reduced the 650 °C yield strength by 45 pct. Constant load, tensile-creep experiments were performed in the stress range of 150 to 400 MPa and the temperature range of 650 °C to 710 °C, in both air and vacuum environments. The addition of 5 at. pct boron significantly improved the creep resistance, whereas the addition of 0.5 at. pct boron degraded the creep resistance. In-situ tensile-creep experiments indicated that localized grain boundary cracking was prevalent at the prior-β grain boundaries.
Isometry groups of separable metric spaces

We show that every locally compact Polish group is isomorphic to the isometry group of a proper separable metric space. This answers a question of Gao and Kechris. We also analyze the natural action of the isometry group of a separable ultrametric space on the space. This leads us to a structure theorem representing an arbitrary separable ultrametric space as a bundle with an ultrametric base and with ultrahomogeneous fibers which are invariant under the action of the isometry group.
Retrospective exposure assessment in a chemical research and development facility.

Abstract The objective of this exposure assessment was to reconstruct cumulative historical exposures for workers who have been exposed to multiple chemicals and chemical groups to better understand a cluster of brain cancers within a research and development lab. Chemicals of interest, including acrylates, bis-chloromethyl ether (BCME), chloromethyl methyl ether (CMME), isothiazolones and nitrosoamines, were selected on the basis of the plausibility of penetrating the blood–brain barrier and the uniqueness of the chemical's biological activity. In a complicated exposure setting such as a chemical R&D facility, multiple exposure estimation methods were needed. First, similarly exposure groups (SEGs) were created for these materials based on department group, time period of the department's existence and function associated with job titles. A probabilistic framework for assessing exposures was developed using Bayesian analysis of historical monitoring data, mathematical exposure modeling and professional judgments of current and former industrial hygienists at the facility were used to reconstruct the exposure history for acrylates, BCME and CMME for each SEG over the time period of interest. Since sufficient measurement data for isothiazolones and nitrosoamines were not available, the exposure histories for each SEG for these chemicals were estimated. This was done using objective formaldehyde levels and subjective employee interviews. The interviews assessed workplace determinants of exposure as distinct surrogates for estimating inhalation and dermal exposures. The exposure assessments by these methods were compared against each other to estimate the potential for exposure misclassification. A job exposure matrix (JEM) was constructed that contained the exposures obtained from above multiple approaches for each of these chemical groups for each SEG for each year of interest. The combination of methods used in this work is a unique and potentially helpful framework that can be used in analogous workplace settings involving multiple exposures with incomplete objective measurement information.
Dexamethasone protects auditory hair cells against TNFα-initiated apoptosis via activation of PI3K/Akt and NFκB signaling

Background Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) is associated with trauma-induced hearing loss. Local treatment of cochleae of trauma-exposed animals with a glucocorticoid is effective in reducing the level of hearing loss that occurs post-trauma (e.g., electrode insertion trauma-induced hearing loss/dexamethasone treatment). Hypothesis Dexamethasone (Dex) protects auditory hair cells (AHCs) from trauma-induced loss by activating cellular signal pathways that promote cell survival. Materials and methods Organ of Corti explants challenged with an ototoxic level of TNFα was the trauma model with Dex the otoprotective drug. A series of inhibitors were used in combination with the Dex treatment of TNFα-exposed explants to investigate the signal molecules that participate in Dex-mediated otoprotection. The otoprotective capacity of Dex against TNFα ototoxicity was determined by hair cell counts obtained from fixed explants stained with FITC-phalloidin labeling with investigators blinded to specimen identity. Results The general caspase inhibitor Boc-d-fmk prevented TNFα-induced AHC death. There was a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in the efficacy of Dex otoprotection against TNFα ototoxicity when the following cellular events were blocked: (1) glucocorticoid receptors (Mif); (2) PI3K (LY294002); (3) Akt/PKB (SH-6); and (4) NFκB (NFκB-I). Conclusion Dex treatment protects hair cells against TNFα apoptosis in vitro by activation of PI3K/Akt and NFκB signaling.
Elasticity of high‐porosity sandstones: Theory for two North Sea data sets

We have analyzed two laboratory data sets obtained on high-porosity rock samples from the North Sea. The velocities observed are unusual in that they seem to disagree with some simple models based on porosity. On the other hand, the rocks are unusually poorly-cemented (for laboratory studies, at least), and we investigate the likelihood that this is the cause of the disagreement. One set of rocks, from the Oseberg Field, is made of slightly cemented quartz sands. We find that we can model their dry-rock velocities using a cementation theory where the grains mechanically interact through cement at the grain boundaries. This model does not allow for pressure dependence. The other set of rocks, from the Troll Field, is almost completely uncemented. The grains are held together by the applied confining pressure. In this case, a lower bound for the velocities can be found by using the Hertz-Mindlin contact theory (interaction of uncemented spheres) to predict velocities at a critical porosity, combined with the modified Hashin-Strikman lower bound for other porosities. This model, which allows for pressure-dependence, also predicts fairly large Poisson9s ratios for saturated rocks, such as those observed in the measurements. The usefulness of these theories may be in estimating the nature of cement in rocks from measurements such as sonic logs. The theories could help indicate sand strength in poorly consolidated formations and predict the likelihood of sand production. Both theoretical methods have analytical expressions and are ready for practical use.
On the design of an interactive, patient-specific surgical simulator for mitral valve repair

Surgical repair of the mitral valve is a difficult procedure that is often avoided in favor of less effective valve replacement because of the associated technical challenges facing non-expert surgeons. In the interest of increasing the rate of valve repair, an accurate, interactive surgical simulator for mitral valve repair was developed. With a haptic interface, users can interact with a mechanical model during simulation to aid in the development of a surgical plan and then virtually implement the procedure to assess its efficacy. Sub-millimeter accuracy was achieved in a validation study, and the system was successfully used by a cardiac surgeon to repair three virtual pathological valves.
Do Analysts Add Value When They Most Can? Evidence From Corporate Spin-Offs

This article investigates how securities analysts help investors understand the value of diversification. By studying the research that analysts produce about companies that have announced corporate spin-offs, we gain unique insights into how analysts portray diversified firms to the investment community. We find that while analysts' research about these companies is associated with improved forecast accuracy, the value of their research about the spun-off subsidiaries is more limited. For both diversified firms and their spun-off subsidiaries, analysts' research is more valuable when information asymmetry between the management of these entities and investors is higher. These findings contribute to the corporate strategy literature by shedding light on the roots of the diversification discount and by showing how analysts' research enables investors to overcome asymmetric information.
Concerted Regulation of the Porcine Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein Gene Promoter Activity by Follicle-Stimulating Hormone and Insulin-Like Growth Factor I in Granulosa Cells Involves GATA-4 and CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein β

We previously demonstrated that FSH alone or in combination with IGF-I activated the porcine steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene promoter in a concerted manner in primary cultures of granulosa cells. Studies were undertaken to further delineate cis- and trans-acting elements of the porcine promoter and mechanisms mediating FSH stimulation and its augmentation by IGF-I. Mutation of several putative regulatory elements localized hormone-stimulated activity to the highly conserved GATA site and identified novel nucleotides downstream as a functional CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)β site. In granulosa cell nuclear extracts, GATA-4 and C/EBPβ formed a high-molecular-weight complex with an oligonucleotide spanning −76 to −32 bp of the porcine promoter. The intensity of this high-molecular-weight complex was increased in granulosa cell nuclear extracts by treatment with FSH alone and was enhanced with the combination of FSH and IGF-I at 2–3 h of treatment. GATA-4 and C/EBPβ proteins were uniformly...
Recruiting Teen Smokers in Shopping Malls to a Smoking- Cessation Program Using the Foot-in-the-Door Technique

Persuading teen smokers to volunteer for smoking-cessation programs is a challenging yet understudied problem. As a method of dealing with this problem, we used and tested a foot-in-the-door (FITD) approach. Teen smokers were intercepted at malls and were assigned randomly to request compliance with a small behavior request of either (a) answering a few questions (light FITD) or (b) answering the same questions and a few additional ones, plus watching a short video about the effects of nicotine (heavy FITD). Participants were then called back by telephone several weeks later and asked to comply with a large behavior request of joining a cessation program that involved the use of self-help materials and telephone counseling. Although no differences were found in responses from the light and heavy groups, consent to enter the program was obtained from 12% of the pooled qualified intercepts and their parents (for those under 18 years). This recruitment rate was considered good, given that this is one of the only reported studies that recruited teen smokers from the general population to cessation programs.
Self-gravitating strings in 2+1 dimensions.

We present a family of classical spacetimes in 2+1 dimensions. Such a spacetime is produced by a Nambu-Goto self-gravitating string. Because of the special properties of three-dimensional gravity, the metric is completely described as a Minkowski space with two identified world sheets. In the flat limit, the standard string is recovered. The formalism is developed for an open string with massive end points, but applies to other boundary conditions as well. We consider another limit, where the string tension vanishes in geometrical units but the end masses produce finite deficit angles. In this limit, our open string reduces to the free-masses solution of Gott, which possesses closed timelike curves when the relative motion of the two masses is sufficiently rapid. It is shown that the induced world sheet Liouville mode obeys (classically) a sinh- or cosh-Gordon differential equation, which reduces to the Liouville equation in the flat limit. A quadratic-action formulation of this system is presented. The possibility and significance of quantizing the self-gravitating string is discussed.
Domestic Violence and Housing Problems A Contextual Analysis of Women's Help-seeking, Received Informal Support, and Formal System Response

This study examined housing problems and homelessness after separation in a sample of 110 women who had experienced domestic violence. Of the sample, 38% reported homelessness. Similar percentages reported housing problems (e.g., late paying rent, skipping meals, threatened with eviction). Predictors of more housing problems included experiencing a greater severity of violence, contacting fewer formal systems, having less informational support, and receiving a negative response from welfare. Women's odds of reporting homelessness were reduced by 30% if police officers responded positively. These findings highlight the importance of changing system responses in an effort to reduce women's housing problems and risks for homelessness after separation.
Industrial electrotechnology development

New and improved industrial technologies have a tremendous role in enhancing productivity, minimising waste, reducing overall energy consumption, and mitigating environmental impacts. The electric utility industry plays a major role in developing these new and improved technologies. This paper describes several major advances and their potential impacts.
More than Meets the Eye: the Relationship between Pupil Size and Locus Coeruleus Activity.

Using both direct neural recordings and electrical microstimulation, Joshi et al. (2016) show that locus coeruleus (LC) activity closely matches moment-to-moment changes in pupil size. But what causes these two measures to be related is not straightforward.
Seizures at the scale of individual neurons

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Single unit action potentials in humans and the effect of seizure activity’ by Merricks et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/awv208). Seizures are commonly accepted to be events characterized by brief periods of abnormal neuronal firing. However, the basic physiology of what occurs during a seizure remains poorly understood. This significant shortfall prevents us from developing new treatments for the one-third of patients with epilepsy who do not obtain substantial control of their seizures with maximal medical therapy. Beginning in the 1950s, researchers began to address the physiology gap with recordings in models of seizures, including recordings of neural activity in small numbers of individual neurons. First in animal models and now more recently in human patients, studies of individual neurons have described how neural activity changes as seizures start, spread and terminate. These studies, however, have also fuelled additional questions about how seizures can be defined, characterized and ultimately brought under control. The canonical view of a typical seizure is that it represents excessive or ‘hypersynchronous’ activity in a large group of neurons. This textbook model is a satisfactory shorthand for the overall process of a seizure, but neglects noteworthy heterogeneity and important unknowns. In the last decade or so, work from many groups using a …
Computational Analysis of Proteins

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction: Definitions Databases Sequence Motifs and Domains Sequence Alignment Modeling Classification and Prediction Natural Language Processing Future Trends References ]]>
Robotic observations of high wintertime carbon export in California coastal waters

Abstract. Biologically mediated particulate organic and inorganic carbon (POC and PIC) export from surface waters is the principal determinant of the vertical oceanic distribution of pH and dissolved inorganic carbon and thus sets the conditions for air–sea exchange of CO2; exported organic matter also provides the energy fueling communities in the mesopelagic zone. However, observations are temporally and spatially sparse. Here we report the first hourly-resolved optically quantified POC and PIC sedimentation rate time series from an autonomous Lagrangian Carbon Flux Explorer (CFE), which monitored particle flux using an imaging optical sedimentation recorder (OSR) at depths below 140 m in the Santa Cruz Basin, CA, in May 2012, and in January and March 2013. Highest POC vertical flux ( ∼ 100–240 mmol C m−2 d−1) occurred in January, when most settling material was millimeter- to centimeter-sized aggregates but when surface biomass was low; fluxes were ∼ 18 and ∼ 6 mmol C m−2 d−1, respectively, in March and May, under high surface biomass conditions. An unexpected discovery was that January 2013 fluxes measured by CFE were 20 times higher than that measured by simultaneously deployed surface-tethered OSR; multiple lines of evidence indicate strong undersampling of aggregates larger than 1 mm in the latter case. Furthermore, the January 2013 CFE fluxes were about 10 times higher than observed during multiyear sediment trap observations in the nearby Santa Barbara and San Pedro basins. The strength of carbon export in biologically dynamic California coastal waters is likely underestimated by at least a factor of 3 and at times by a factor of 20.
Lithium Ion Intercalation Performance of Niobium Oxides: KNb5O13 and K6Nb10.8O30

Polycrystalline KNb5O13 and K6Nb10.8O30 were prepared by the conventional solid-state reaction. The position of the Nb5+/Nb4+ couple in two oxide hosts, KNb5O13 and K6Nb10.8O30, that exhibit reversible Li insertion in the targeted voltage range, 1.0−1.5 V.
A Central Venous Catheter Line Protocol by the Surgical Continuum of Care and Nursing Decreases Line Infection/Complications in All Hospitalized Patients Two Steps Beyond a Checklist

Background. Central line–associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is the third most common nosocomial infection reported from the medical/surgical ICU setting. Rationale. The implementation of a c...
Low-Voltage-Activated CaV3.1 Calcium Channels Shape T Helper Cell Cytokine Profiles

Activation of T cells is mediated by the engagement of T cell receptors (TCRs) followed by calcium entry via store-operated calcium channels. Here we have shown an additional route for calcium entry into T cells-through the low-voltage-activated T-type CaV3.1 calcium channel. CaV3.1 mediated a substantial current at resting membrane potentials, and its deficiency had no effect on TCR-initiated calcium entry. Mice deficient for CaV3.1 were resistant to the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and had reduced productions of the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) by central nervous system (CNS)-infiltrating T helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells. CaV3.1 deficiency led to decreased secretion of GM-CSF from in vitro polarized Th1 and Th17 cells. Nuclear translocation of the nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) was also reduced in CaV3.1-deficient T cells. These data provide evidence for T-type channels in immune cells and their potential role in shaping the autoimmune response.
Determination of tris-(hydroxymethyl) amino methane (THAM).

Summary1. A modification of Rosen's method for Tris-(THAM) has been presented. Both Rosen's method and this modification are based on the oxidation of Tris-(THAM) by potassium dichromate after chromatographic separation to remove interfering substances. 2. Tris-(THAM) recoveries of over 95% were obtained without interference from amino acids or Penicillin. There was PAH interference by up to 35% of added PAH. 3. This method is applicable for use with small quantities of plasma and urine following injection of Tris-(THAM) in recommended pharmacological doses. 4. Pending development of a specific chemical test, this method is recommended for general use because of its simplicity and reproducibility.
Analysis on the contributory causes of death in cancer decedents from 2002 to 2004 Ningbo

[Objective] To estimate the state of contributory causes of death in cancer decedents Ningbo municipality. [Methods] The data of the Ningbo death reports and death certificates from 2002 to 2004 were collected and analyzed. [Results] The proportion of contributory causes of cancer death was 16.22 per 100 persons,higher in the male than in the female.The proportion was 19.56 per 100 cases.Liver,stomach and lung cancer were the first three contributory causes of cancer death.Communicable diseases and digestive system diseases were the main contributory causes of liver cancer deaths,digestive system diseases were the main ones of stomach cancer deaths,respiratory diseases were the main ones of lung cancer deaths. [Conclusion] The preventive and curative measures should aim at the contributory causes of cancer death.
Reason's Grief: Best Life Pluralism and Reason's Regret

What is never chosen as a means to something else we call more final than that which is chosen both as an end in itself and as a means to something else. What is always chosen as an end in itself and never as a means to something else is called final in an unqualified sense. For the present we define as “self-sufficient” that which taken by itself makes life something desirable and deficient in nothing. Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (1097a:30–35 and 1097b–15) Even if there is no kind of value that is loftier than Werther's lover, always overriding and pure, it still might be true that there is some way of life that is better than any other at integrating the many things that give a good life its worth. The view that there is can be called best life pluralism. What follows is an investigation of the strengths of this view, including its advantages over the moralistic versions of supreme value pluralism, for an account of tragedy. At stake is the issue of whether a certain kind of project can succeed, namely, the project envisioned by Martha Nussbaum and many others of finding an ethic in the Classical Greek tradition that can serve as a model for modern persons in liberal democracies. I will argue that it cannot succeed without moving tragic concepts more to the center of ethical thought than its optimism can allow. Here the issue will be what is lost in even the best of lives.
Considerations for racial differences in the athlete's heart.

Exercise training is associated with changes in left ventricular morphology commonly referred to as the athlete’s heart. The magnitude of these changes appears to be due in part to the type, intensity, and duration of training. Certain athletes develop more marked alterations in left ventricular morphology, however. This raises the consideration of whether the cardiac response to athletic training may also be influenced by genetic or racial factors.
Reading to Learn Science

Just such an assumption is engraved in many of the stage-models of reading (e.g., Chall, 1983, 1996); it is embodied in our commercial reading programs (Pearson Scott Foresman, 2015; Macmillan, 2015), and it is a key plank in many reform movements, such as No Child Left Behind (NCLB, 2002). The two of us question the validity of the distinction and have been committed for several years to conducting research to eradicate this phrase from the professional discourse around early reading pedagogy.
Primary excision and prompt grafting as routine therapy for the treatment of thermal burns in children. 1976.

SUMMARY There is much evidence that the most important factor in the successful treatment of skin destruction after thermal injury is to remove dead tissue and promptly close the wound. While the exact methods employed to achieve this goal may vary, in the cases reported here three basic methods were used: (1) simple excision of burn eschar with immediate closure with autograft for small and medium-sized burns; (2) excision and immediate wound closure with autograft supplemented by allograft, with replacement of allograft by autograft before extensive allograft rejection, for large burns; and (3) immunosuppression and temporary skin transplantation for massive third degree burns. All have markedly decreased hospital stay and complications, and in large and massive burns mortality was substantially reduced.
A Comparative Study of Sales Managers from Two Disparate Political, Cultural and Economic Environments

It is frequently asserted that the political, cultural, and economic environments in which managers work play a significant role in their managerial behavior. On the other hand, some researchers claim that the process of globalization of trade diminishes the effects of these important environmental factors. As far as could be ascertained, no studies have been conducted to test these hypotheses in the sales management area. This paper reports the findings of a study of two randomly selected groups of sales managers in two countries with very disparate political, cultural, and economic environments - South Africa and the USA. It was established that there was substantial similarity between the two groups with respect to several areas of managerial behavior.
Vaccinia virus K1 ankyrin repeat protein inhibits NF-κB activation by preventing RelA acetylation.

The vaccinia virus (VACV) K1 protein inhibits dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) activation. A consequence of this function is that K1 inhibits PKR-induced NF-κB activation during VACV infection. However, transient expression of K1 also inhibits Toll-like receptor (TLR)-induced NF-κB activation. This suggests that K1 has a second NF-κB inhibitory mechanism that is PKR-independent. This possibility was explored by expressing K1 independently of infection and stimulating NF-κB under conditions that minimized or excluded PKR activation. K1 inhibited both TNF- and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced NF-κB activation, as detected by transcription of synthetic (e.g. luciferase) and natural (e.g. CXCL8) genes controlled by NF-κB. K1 also inhibited NF-κB activity in PKRkd cells, cells that have greatly decreased amounts of PKR. K1 no longer prevented IκBα degradation or NF-κB nuclear translocation in the absence of PKR, suggesting that K1 acted on a nuclear event. Indeed, K1 was present in the nucleus and cytoplasm of stimulated and unstimulated cells. K1 inhibited acetylation of the RelA (p65) subunit of NF-κB, a nuclear event known to be required for NF-κB activation. Moreover, p65–CBP (CREB-binding protein) interactions were blocked in the presence of K1. However, K1 did not preclude NF-κB binding to oligonucleotides containing κB-binding sites. The current interpretation of these data is that NF-κB–promoter interactions still occur in the presence of K1, but NF-κB cannot properly trigger transcriptional activation because K1 antagonizes acetylation of RelA. Thus, in comparison to all known VACV NF-κB inhibitory proteins, K1 acts at one of the most downstream events of NF-κB activation.
Trans-Species Interfaces: A Manifesto for Symbiogenisis

Artist/inventor Ken Rinaldo looks to natural living systems, mimesis and communication to reveal the underlying coevolved wisdom of the biological world as it intertwines and coevolves with our technological world. He postulates the symbiotic junctures where machine, animal, plant, bacteria and humans meet are where our future as a species exist. He reveals this philosophy by showing numerous interactive robotic installations showing how we are becoming symbiont and his works pioneer interspecies communication, where the biological and technological naturally intertwine. Using coevolution as model, Rinaldo proposes we can, as a species design technologies that are more sensitive to other living things focused on directing technology for the good of all living species, we share the planet with.
Influence of temperature and application rate on efficacy of a diatomaceous earth formulation against Tribolium castaneum adults

Abstract Unsanitary storage bins can harbor grain-infesting insects, including the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst). In a previous study involving heat treatment of empty bins, temperatures in the range of 50–55 °C for 2–4 h were effective in completely killing stored-product insects. Previous research in flour mills showed improved efficacy in killing stored-product insects by using diatomaceous earth (DE) dusts at temperatures below 50 °C. In the current study, the efficacy of a diatomaceous earth formulation (DiaFil® 610) applied to concrete arenas, to simulate floor of empty bins, was examined at three application rates (0, 2.5 and 5.0 g/m2) to control T. castaneum adults at five constant temperatures (28, 36, 42, 44, and 46 °C). Ten adults of T. castaneum were placed on individual untreated and DE-treated concrete arenas for 4, 8, 12, and 24 h at each of the five temperatures. The efficacy of DE against T. castaneum adults increased with an increase in temperature and exposure time. Generally more adults died at 5.0 g/m2 when compared with 2.5 g/m2. In 2.5 and 5.0 g/m2 DE treatments, exposure for 12 h at a temperature of 42 °C resulted in 73–77% mortality of adults with 100% mortality observed after 24 h. At 44 and 46 °C, 100% mortality of adults was observed after 24 h of exposure at both DE rates. At these two temperatures, the high mortality in untreated arenas (controls) at 8, 12, and 24 h exposures ranged from 27 to 100% confounding the true effects of DE. Our results suggest that combined use of DE and temperatures below 50 °C can be used as an integrated approach for controlling insects in empty bins prior to storage of newly-harvested grain.
Using Single-Virion Fusion Assay to Study Hemifusion Kinectics of Influenza a Viruses and Influenza Pseudotypes

Influenza A viruses are membrane-enveloped viruses and infect host cells via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In late endosome, pH drop triggers conformational change of influenza hemagglutinin (HA) result in the fusion of viral and endosomal membrane and further form a pore that allows the viral RNAs to be released into the cytosol. Neuraminidases (NA) are enzymes that cleave sialic acid groups from glycoproteins during viruses egress. Typically, to study entry of highly pathogenic strains of influenza like avian flu and H5N1, viral pseudotyping systems are employed, whereby the fusion proteins are expressed on the backbone of a low pathogenic virus such as vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV). However, few studies have been carried out which compare the entry kinetics of native viruses and their pseudotyped analogs. In this study, we exploit influenza viruses since they require both HA and NA to become infectious. We produced various VSV pseudotypes containing H3 of influenza virus (A/Aichi/68-X31(H3N2)) and N2 from influenza virus (A/X31(H3N2)), influenza virus (A/Japan/305/57) or influenza virus (A/chicken/Korea/MS96/96). We performed single-virion fusion assay to determine the fusion kinetics using the total internal reflective fluorescence microscopy. Results illustrate that matching pseudoparticles H3N2 (X31/X31) behaved similar to native influenza X31. However, pseudoparticles H3 (X31), pseudoparicles H3N2 (X31/Japan) and pseudoparticles H3N2 (X31/MS96) fuse significantly slower than native influenza X:31 at all pHs. The quantitative western blot was then used to determine HA density on viral membranes of pseudoparicles. As expected, HA density of matching pseudoparticle H3N2 (X31/X31) is the highest among four samples. Immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was used to clarify the HA trafficking and expression in HA/NA-transfected cells. The results indicate native HA/NA pair is required for successfully producing effective pseudovirus. The study provides better insight on the evolution of influenza virus.
Techniques and Challenges for Characterizing Metal Thin Films with Applications in Photonics

The proliferation of laser technologies has profoundly increased the demand for high-quality optical thin films whose physical properties are tunable and well defined. Such films are frequently deposited in thicknesses much shorter than the wavelengths of visible light and consequently present challenges for characterization by traditional microscopy. Metal films in particular exemplify these challenges, due to their broad range of refractive indices, optical absorption and often near-complete reflectivity in the visible spectrum. However, due to their relatively consistent crystalline structure, the bulk optical properties of metal thin films are chiefly dependent on their thickness. This review therefore presents a compendium of viable alternative characterization techniques to highlight their respective utilities, limitations and resolutions, specifically with regard to the characterization of the thickness of metal films. Furthermore, this review explicitly addresses the operating theories, methods and analyses relating to the five most predominantly utilized techniques: X-ray Reflectivity (XRR), Spectroscopic Ellipsometry (SE), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS). This work is intended as an introductory guide to thin film characterization modalities and their applicability for metal and optically-absorptive films, while also identifying AFM and SEM/EDS as being amongst the more reliable of the techniques.
Controversies in VTOS: What to Do About the Contralateral Side?

Very little information is available regarding the natural history of the contralateral side in patients with venous TOS (VTOS). Despite the sparse data, some conclusions can be drawn – patients with VTOS do appear to be at an increased risk of developing contralateral VTOS, and abnormal venographic findings on the contralateral side are common in patients with VTOS. Asymptomatic venous stenosis with positional obstruction can progress to symptomatic venous obstruction, but the rate at which this occurs is not known. Screening for contralateral pathology is reasonable in patients with VTOS (interviews alone, with imaging reserved for only those with active symptoms), prophylactic surgery on the contralateral side is not indicated, and, lastly, the same principals used in treating primary VTOS should be applied when considering VTOS on the contralateral side.
Early Northwest South American Littoral

relative time period: Follows the Late Paleo-Indian tradition and precedes the Late Northwest South American Littoral tradition.
CSR und Unternehmenskultur – Beispiel betapharm Arzneimittel GmbH

„Ich will beweisen, dass man auch mit Anstand und Fairness gegenuber Mitarbeitern und Kunden sehr erfolgreich sein kann.“ Dies war die Vision von Peter Walter, dem ersten Geschaftsfuhrer des Pharmaunternehmens betapharm. Der folgende Beitrag beschreibt die Entwicklung des CSR bei betapharm von 1993 bis 2010. Durch seine besondere Unternehmenskultur wurde das Generikaunternehmen zum CSR-Pionier. Es gelang ihm, in einem Markt vollig austauschbarer Produkte eine unverwechselbare Identitat aufzubauen. Anhand von betapharm lasst sich zeigen, dass verantwortungsvolles Unternehmertum nicht nur „nice to have“ ist. Bis heute gilt der in vielen Studien erwahnte und evaluierte „Fall betapharm“ als idealtypisches Lehrbeispiel, das illustriert, wie CSR ein Unternehmen zu erstaunlichem wirtschaftlichen Erfolg fuhren kann. Ein Engagement, das vielfach ausgezeichnet wurde. Diese Geschichte will letztlich dazu inspirieren, die gewonnenen Erfahrungen auch in anderen Bereichen und Branchen fruchtbar zu machen.
Magnetic field control of microstructural development in melt-spun Pr2Co14B

Abstract In the processing of commercial rare earth permanent magnets, use of external magnetic fields is limited mainly to the alignment of anisotropic particles and the polarization of the finished magnets. Here we explore the effects of high magnetic fields on earlier stages of magnet synthesis, including the crystallization and chemical phase transformations that produce the 2:14:1 phase in the Pr-Co-B system. Pr 2 Co 14 B alloys produced by melt-spinning were annealed in the presence of strong applied magnetic fields (H=90 kOe). The resulting materials were characterized by x-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, and magnetization measurements. We find that magnetic fields suppress the nucleation and growth of crystalline phases, resulting in significantly smaller particle sizes. In addition, magnetic fields applied during processing strongly affects chemical phase selection, suppressing the formation of Pr 2 Co 14 B and α -Co in favor of Pr 2 Co 17 . The results demonstrate that increased control over key microstructural properties is achievable by including a strong magnetic field as a processing parameter for rare-earth magnet materials.
Pro-Angiogenesis Therapy and Aging: A Mini-Review.

Apart from major illnesses and chronic afflictions, the elderly experience lesser ailments, such as muscle weakness, cold intolerance, and transient memory lapses. Physical signs in the aged include wrinkled skin and the slow healing of skin abrasions. These ailments and signs are grouped together because they may be due in part to an age-linked, waning microcirculation. A reduced capillary density (CD) throughout the body of aged people and animals has been reported in over 40 papers. The reduced CD is due in turn to declining levels of angiogenic growth factors (AGFs) throughout the body during old age, as documented in 7 reports in the literature. From this perspective, old age is a deficiency state of AGFs, much like the reduced testosterone levels in elderly males. The above data on reduced CD and AGFs are the basis for the “angiogenesis hypothesis of aging”, whose corollary suggests pro-angiogenesis therapy for symptoms and signs of old age. Several AGFs are now available in recombinant forms (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor) and have been used safely in animal experiments and in short-term clinical trials.
Microgroove and Collagen-poly(ε-caprolactone) Nanofiber Mesh Coating Improves the Mechanical Stability and Osseointegration of Titanium Implants

The effect of depositing a collagen (CG)-poly-e-caprolactone (PCL) nanofiber mesh (NFM) at the microgrooves of titanium (Ti) on the mechanical stability and osseointegration of the implant with bone was investigated using a rabbit model. Three groups of Ti samples were produced: control Ti samples where there were no microgrooves or CG-PCL NFM, groove Ti samples where microgrooves were machined on the circumference of Ti, and groove-NFM Ti samples where CG-PCL NFM was deposited on the machined microgrooves. Each group of Ti samples was implanted in the rabbit femurs for eight weeks. The mechanical stability of the Ti/bone samples were quantified by shear strength from a pullout tension test. Implant osseointegration was evaluated by a histomorphometric analysis of the percentage of bone and connective tissue contact with the implant surface. The bone density around the Ti was measured by micro–computed tomography (μCT) analysis. This study found that the shear strength of groove-NFM Ti/bone samples was significantly higher compared to control and groove Ti/bone samples (p < 0.05) and NFM coating influenced the bone density around Ti samples. In vivo histomorphometric analyses show that bone growth into the Ti surface increased by filling the microgrooves with CG-PCL NFM. The study concludes that a microgroove assisted CG-PCL NFM coating may benefit orthopedic implants.
Charles Mills for and against liberalism

Charles Mills both severely criticizes and reluctantly accepts liberal political theory’s approach to race and racism. In this new book, he develops contract theory’s understanding of race and raci...
Central Role of the NF-κB Pathway in the Scgb1a1-Expressing Epithelium in Mediating Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Induced Airway Inflammation.

Lower respiratory tract infection with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) produces profound inflammation. Despite an understanding of the role of adaptive immunity in RSV infection, the identity of the major sentinel cells initially triggering inflammation is controversial. Here we evaluate the role of nonciliated secretoglobin (Scgb1a1)-expressing bronchiolar epithelial cells in RSV infection. Mice expressing a tamoxifen (TMX)-inducible Cre recombinase-estrogen receptor fusion protein (CreERTM) knocked into the Scgb1a1 locus were crossed with mice that harbor a RelA conditional allele (RelAfl ), with loxP sites flanking exons 5 to 8 of the Rel homology domain. The Scgb1a1CreERTM/+ × RelAfl/fl mouse is a RelA conditional knockout (RelACKO) of a nonciliated epithelial cell population enriched in the small bronchioles. TMX-treated RelACKO mice have reduced pulmonary neutrophilic infiltration and impaired expression and secretion of NF-κB-dependent cytokines in response to RSV. In addition, RelACKO mice had reduced expression levels of interferon (IFN) regulatory factor 1/7 (IRF1/7) and retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I), components of the mucosal IFN positive-feedback loop. We demonstrate that RSV replication induces RelA to complex with bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), a cofactor required for RNA polymerase II (Pol II) phosphorylation, activating the atypical histone acetyltransferase (HAT) activity of BRD4 required for phospho-Ser2 Pol II formation, histone H3K122 acetylation, and cytokine secretion in vitro and in vivo TMX-treated RelACKO mice have less weight loss and reduced airway obstruction/hyperreactivity yet similar levels of IFN-γ production despite higher levels of virus production. These data indicate that the nonciliated Scgb1a1-expressing epithelium is a major innate sensor for restricting RSV infection by mediating neutrophilic inflammation and chemokine and mucosal IFN production via the RelA-BRD4 pathway.IMPORTANCE RSV infection is the most common cause of infant hospitalizations in the United States, resulting in 2.1 million children annually requiring medical attention. RSV primarily infects nasal epithelial cells, spreading distally to produce severe lower respiratory tract infections. Our study examines the role of a nonciliated respiratory epithelial cell population in RSV infection. We genetically engineered a mouse that can be selectively depleted of the NF-κB/RelA transcription factor in this subset of epithelial cells. These mice show an impaired activation of the bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) coactivator, resulting in reduced cytokine expression and neutrophilic inflammation. During the course of RSV infection, epithelial RelA-depleted mice have reduced disease scores and airway hyperreactivity yet increased levels of virus replication. We conclude that RelA-BRD4 signaling in nonciliated bronchiolar epithelial cells mediates neutrophilic airway inflammation and disease severity. This complex is an attractive target to reduce the severity of infection.
Infrastructure Needs for R&D and Education

A substantial infusion of resources is needed for enhancement of fabrication, processing, and characterization equipment that must be made available to large numbers of users in the nanostructure community. It is also necessary to continue the process, already underway, of modifying the culture of universities to enable more interdisciplinary research to prosper, as well as to enable more industrial cooperation.
Healthcare reform: it's working in Oregon.

Oregon is beginning to operate a highly controversial program with explicit definitions of coverage. Oregon's Director of the Health Plan, Jean Thorne, has focused on the national and state political attention that Oregon is receiving and knows that "...there are many people who are waiting for us to fail." Thorne has requested that we keep our focus on making major changes to improve the chance that more people in poverty will receive coverage. We continue to believe that the Oregon Health Plan will improve overall healthcare in our state and serve as a blueprint for others to study and improve.
Stability of Difference Schemes

The most powerful and most general method for constructing approximate solutions of hyperbolic partial differential equations with prescribed initial values is to discretize the space and time variables and solve the resulting finite system of equations. How to discretize is a subtle matter, as we shall demonstrate.
State-of-the-art Behavioral and Pharmacological Treatments for Alcohol Use Disorder

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) and its associated consequences remain significant public health concerns. Given that AUD represents a spectrum of severity, treatment options represent a con...