cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Root protein metabolism in association with improved root growth and drought tolerance by elevated carbon dioxide in creeping bentgrass

Abstract Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration has been increasing and is predicted to further increase in the future along with the climatic changes which may increase evaporative demand on plants. Elevated CO2 concentration has a positive effect on plant growth and tolerance to drought stress with regard to above-ground plant organs but limited information is available describing effects of elevated CO2 concentration on root growth and the subsequent impact on plant responses to drought stress. The specific proteins and metabolic pathways controlling root functions regulated by CO2 that may contribute to improved root growth and drought stress damages are not well understood. In this study with creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera cv. Penncross), a widely-used perennial grass for forage and turf, elevated CO2 concentration (800 μL L−1) promoted root proliferation compared to the ambient CO2 concentration (400 μL L−1). Under drought stress, roots developed under elevated CO2 concentration were able to maintain improved membrane integrity as demonstrated by lower electrolyte leakage. Proteins were extracted from roots of creeping bentgrass exposed to both elevated and ambient CO2 concentration under well-watered and drought stress conditions. Drought- and CO2-responsive proteins were separated with two-dimensional electrophoresis and identified using mass spectrometry. Root proteins were mainly classified into the following functional categories: cellular growth, energy, metabolism, and defence. The improved root growth and mitigation of drought stress in creeping bentgrass under elevated CO2 could be mainly associated with alteration of proteins governing primary metabolism involving nitrogen metabolism (glutamine synthetase), energy metabolism involving respiration (glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase), and stress defence by strengthening antioxidant metabolism (ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase) and chaperone protection (HSP81-1).
How agricultural biotechnology scientists perceive intellectual property rights (IPRs) and their implications: insights from developing Asia

This paper presents the results of a web-survey of scientists and researchers from India, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam, conducted to measure their awareness, attitudes and perspectives towards the new intellectual property rights (IPRs) paradigm in agriculture. Results indicate that respondents are aware on IPR and its features and have openness in answering IPR-related questions despite the current ambiguity and debate surrounding IPRs in public sector research. They also understand global policy trends and some of the risk factors involved. However, they need to have more exposure to, and training on, the use of the different IPR instruments. Interestingly, respondents disclosed that even with expanding IPR in agriculture, they did not have problems accessing new biological materials and genetic resources from local and international research centres. Results can serve as important reference for institutions implementing IP capability programmes for better appreciation of the importance of IPR for public research institutions.
An apparent lunar tidal cycle of phytoplankton blooming and community succession in the Gulf of Maine

Abstract Concentrations of diatoms in the surface waters off Monhegan Island, Maine U.S.A., bloomed in phase with a lunar cycle during the summer of 1978. Highest abundances of diatoms were associated with the major spring tide of each month. Dinoflagellates were more abundant during the intervening minor spring and neap tides. Variations in vertical mixing during the spring to neap tidal cycle appeared to have influenced the vertical transport of chlorophyll upwards, thus causing an increase in the surface cell counts. Succession within the major phytoplankton communities was also related to the lunar tidal cycle. The community assemblages were most pronounced immediately before or after the spring tide diatom bloom, but not during. The transition from one community to another occurred during the more stable neap and minor spring tides. Epidemic blooms of the toxic dinoflagellate, Gonyaulax excavata (Braarud) Balech, occurred during major spring tides; prediction of the toxic blooms may be aided by using tidal data.
Preventive Strategies of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome

Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a life-threatening complication of ovarian stimulation with gonadotropins. Although great progress has been made over the past 30 years in optimizing IVF ovarian stimulation protocols, the prevention of the unintended complication of OHSS remains a significant challenge. Several approaches have been proposed for preventing OHSS, including identification of risk factors, individualized ovarian stimulation protocols, judicious administration of gonadotropins, and careful monitoring of follicular development and serum estradiol level. Current preventive management of OHSS includes coasting, GnRH agonist ovulatory trigger, avoiding embryo transfer and embryo cryopreservation, in vitro maturation, albumin infusion, metformin and GnRH antagonist. Using a combination of these strategies, the incidence of OHSS can be significantly reduced. However, none of the above strategies is universally successful. Improvements in predictive tests of ovarian reserve could reduce the incidence of OHSS. Further research is needed to develop predictors of OHSS that can be used in the clinical setting. All the currently available preventive measures mentioned above have reduced but not totally eliminated the incidence of OHSS. To some degree, the occurrence of OHSS is dependent on the aggressiveness of stimulation protocols rather than the intervention. Indeed, large prospective randomized trials are needed to further assess the available strategies for avoiding this most serious syndrome.
Structural and dielectric properties of crystalline and amorphous ZrO2

Abstract We first review earlier work in which we computed the first-principles structural, vibrational, and lattice dielectric properties of the cubic, tetragonal, and monoclinic phases of ZrO 2 and HfO 2 . We then discuss two approaches to the construction of realistic models of amorphous ZrO 2 : a “melt-and-quench” ab-initio molecular dynamics approach, and an “activation–relaxation technique”. The structural, vibrational, and dielectric properties of the resulting models are then analyzed in detail. The overall average dielectric constant is computed and found to be comparable to that of the monoclinic phase. These techniques show promise for future modeling of high-K dielectric ultrathin films and interfaces.
Stability properties of and scaling laws for a dry radiative-convective atmosphere

This work is a theoretical and numerical study of the stability properties and scaling laws associated with an idealized radiative-convective model. We find that the linear-stability threshold in the model can be described by a radiative Rayleigh number, a parameter that incorporates radiative effects but otherwise resembles the classical Rayleigh number. The energy method is used to find a nonlinear-stability threshold below which all perturbations, whether infinitesimal or finite-amplitude, decay. The model behaviour when weakly nonlinear convection occurs is studied via the mean-field equations. We find that changing the values of viscosity, thermal diffusivity, and radiative damping has only weak effects on the vertical convective heat flux, in contrast to the case for weakly nonlinear Rayleigh-Benard convection. Finally, we propose scaling laws for the vertical convective heat flux, vertical velocity, and temperature perturbations.
Using a discrete choice model to identify consumer meal preferences within a prix fixe menu.

Previous research has shown that consumers form perceptions of value when buying a bundle through the comparison of a bundle price to the sum of associated individual prices. The perceptions of value are then directly related to preference or choice. Using a prix fixe menu as a bundle exemplar, the above notion of value perception was empirically tested by investigating whether consumers were more likely to choose higher priced a la carte items to be included in their bundles when given an opportunity to choose between various prix fixe menus. The study finds that price differences among a la carte items indeed influenced consumers' choice decisions when selecting a prix fixe menu; consumers attached more importance to the higher priced appetizer and entree items than the lower priced ones.
Comparison of diagnostic accuracy of plain film radiographs between original film and smartphone capture: a pilot study

The use of mobile devices for medical image capture has become increasingly popular given the widespread use of smartphone cameras. Prior studies have generally compared mobile phone capture images to digitized images. However, many underserved and rural areas without picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) still depend greatly on the use of film radiographs. Additionally, there is a scarcity of specialty-trained or formally licensed radiologists in many of these regions. Subsequently, there is great potential for the use of smartphone capture of plain radiograph films which would allow for increased access to economical and efficient consultation from board-certified radiologists abroad. The present study addresses the ability to diagnose a subset of radiographic findings identified on both the original film radiograph and the captured camera phone image.
Host-Directed Therapeutics for Tuberculosis: Can We Harness the Host?

SUMMARY Treatment of tuberculosis (TB) remains challenging, with lengthy treatment durations and complex drug regimens that are toxic and difficult to administer. Similar to the vast majority of antibiotics, drugs for Mycobacterium tuberculosis are directed against microbial targets. Although more effective drugs that target the bacterium may lead to faster cure of patients, it is possible that a biological limit will be reached that can be overcome only by adopting a fundamentally new treatment approach. TB regimens might be improved by including agents that target host pathways. Recent work on host-pathogen interactions, host immunity, and host-directed interventions suggests that supplementing anti-TB therapy with host modulators may lead to shorter treatment times, a reduction in lung damage caused by the disease, and a lower risk of relapse or reinfection. We undertook this review to identify molecular pathways of the host that may be amenable to modulation by small molecules for the treatment of TB. Although several approaches to augmenting standard TB treatment have been proposed, only a few have been explored in detail or advanced to preclinical and clinical studies. Our review focuses on molecular targets and inhibitory small molecules that function within the macrophage or other myeloid cells, on host inflammatory pathways, or at the level of TB-induced lung pathology.
Input-to-state stability of self-triggered control systems

Event-triggered and self-triggered control have recently been proposed as an alternative to periodic implementations of feedback control laws over sensor/actuator networks. In event-triggered control, each sensing node continuously monitors the plant in order to determine if fresh information should be transmitted and if the feedback control law should be recomputed. In general, event-triggered control substantially reduces the number of exchanged messages when compared with periodic implementations. However, such energy savings must be contrasted with the energy required to perform local computations. In self-triggered control, computation of the feedback control law is followed by the computation of the next time instant at which fresh information should be sensed and transmitted. Since this time instant is computed as a function of the current state and plant dynamics, it is still much larger than the sampling period used in periodic implementations. Moreover, no energy is spent in local computations at the sensors. However, the plant operates in open-loop between updates of the feedback control law and robustness is a natural concern. We analyze the robustness to disturbances of a self-triggered implementation recently introduced by the authors for linear control systems. We show that such implementation is exponentially input-to-state stable with respect to disturbances.
Impact of electron-phonon transport on the thermal resistance of metal-nonmetal interfaces

In this work, we study the impact of the phonon thermal conductivity of Silver (Ag) and Gold (Au) on the interface resistance of metal-nonmetal contacts at room temperature. The thermal conductivity of both metals is determined for bulk and thin films of varying thickness using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) simulations. Likewise, we determine the thermal interface resistance due to phonons of metal films embedded in a nonmetal layer composed of Silicon (Si). Based on a two-temperature model (TTM) for electrons and phonons, we determine the thermal resistance due to electron-phonon interactions and the variation of the film resistance of Ag and Au layers as a function of their thickness. The latter considering the estimated phonon contribution to the thermal conductivity of the studied metals obtained with our NEMD simulations. Two important results are presented in this work. First, we have found for the studied metals that at room temperature phonons contribute less than 1.0 % to the bulk thermal conductivity; and that their relative contribution to the conductivity and its variation with the film thickness significantly impacts the overall film resistance of metallic films.
Evidence for earthquake-induced subsidence about 1100 yr ago in coastal marshes of southern Puget Sound, Washington

Buried forest and high marsh soils indicate abrupt changes in relative sea level at four coastal localities in southern Puget Sound. At Little Skookum Inlet and Red Salmon Creek, Douglas fir stumps in growth position are buried by salt-marsh peat. At localities along McAllister Creek and the Nisqually River, high marsh soils are buried by tidal-flat mud. Localized liquefaction coincided with submergence of the high marsh soil at McAllister Creek. Dramatic changes in seed and diatom assemblages across these contacts confirm rapid submergence. At Little Skookum Inlet and Red Salmon Creek, salt-marsh peat immediately above a buried forest soil contains diatoms indicative of low marsh and tidal-flat environments. At McAllister Creek and Nisqually River, low-marsh and tidal-flat diatoms are abundant in laminated mud directly over high marsh peat. Inferences from modern analogs indicate at least 1 m of subsidence at each site and possibly up to 3 m at Skookum Inlet. Abrupt burial of lowland soils in southern Puget Sound is best explained by coseismic subsidence. Some of the submergence may be the result of coseismic compaction and postearthquake settlement. Widespread buried soils, large amounts of subsidence, coeval submergence across a wide area, and ground shaking at the time of subsidence all point to a large earthquake between 1150 and 1010 cal yr B.P. in southern Puget Sound as the most likely cause of subsidence.
Motivations and Impediments to Service Contracting, Consolidations, and Strategic Alliances in Public Transit Organizations

This article uses survey data to determine motivations and impediments to collaboration (i.e., contracting, merger/consolidation, and strategic alliance) among public transit systems in the United States. The results suggest that transit systems are more likely to contract out passenger service if they are involved in the initiation of the collaboration effort and if they are motivated by the possibility of increased resources and by government pressure. The impediments to contracting include resistance from other agencies and government funding agency restrictions. Mergers are motivated by cost savings and government initiatives (or pressure). Strategic alliances are motivated by the promise of increased service effectiveness but not so much by service quality, cost savings, or increased resources. An impediment to the formation of strategic alliances is size of required capital investment (cost of vehicles, equipment, and facilities). The article also examines the policy implications of these results.
Egg Weight in Relation to Production Part I. The Relationship of the Weights of the Parts of the Egg to the Total Egg Weight

Abstract The possibility of the existence of a change in egg weight as production increases makes necessary a thorough study of the problem, in order to determine, first, the nature of the change in egg weight, and second, the causes affecting the relationship of egg weight to egg production. The ordinary method of measuring egg production in the domestic fowl is in terms of the number of eggs produced per bird in a given unit of time, arbitrarily established for pullets as one year from the date the first egg is laid. A few observations have been made concerning the relationship of egg weight to production, but, so far as the writer is aware, no definite conclusions have been drawn concerning the causes of changes in weight per egg as production increases. The objects of this study are, therefore, first, to determine the extent to which the parts of the egg, . . .
Activation of hypoxia signaling is marker of poor prognosis in myelodysplasia

Hypoxic-triggered signaling has been shown to lead to increased metastasis, drug resistance and poorer prognosis in cancer [1,2]. Chronic hypoxia can initiate a genetic transition to a more resistant phenotype and lead to adverse prognosis in these patients. Hematological malignancies are often characterized by alterations in the marrow microenvironment, which can trigger hypoxia-mediated signaling and activate transcription factors such as hypoxia-inducible factor-1 α (HIF-1 α ). HIF-1 α can enhance the ability of malignant cells to breach key cellular checkpoint mechanisms such as p53 targeting, apoptosis and autophagy during transformation [3]. Under normoxic conditions, phosphorylated HIF-1 α (post-translational modifi cation) interacts with a tumor suppressor VHL (Von Hippel – Lindau) gene which facilitates HIF-1 α degradation by the “ ubiquitinproteosomal ” pathway. Conversely in hypoxia, the lack of a phosphorylated moiety on HIF-1 α circumvents its binding to VHL and leading to its stabilization and switching on a myriad of hypoxia-inducible genes. Th ese genes enable the cancer cell to survive in a hypoxic environment. In parallel, hypoxia-independent mechanisms (growth factors) have also been shown to activate and increase synthesis of HIF-1 α via the mitogen-activated protein kinase/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (MAPK/PI3K) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathways [4]. Myelodysplasia (MDS) is a well-known clonal heterogeneous bone marrow failure syndrome which spans across a spectrum ranging from bone marrow suppression in early stages to a higher-risk transformation into a leukemic subtype at later stages. Apart from the eff ect of infl ammatory cytokines on the bone marrow niche, depletion of functionally reconsitutable hematopoietic stem cells, pancytopenia and leukemic blasts may also contribute to altered O 2 tension in the marrow and lead to activation of HIF-1 α . Th is activation may contribute to the activation of proliferation pathways that may be important in the transformation of MDS into acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Th us, it is possible that chronic hypoxia may be critical for leukemic transformation by transactivation of notable hypoxia response elements (HREs) promoting cell proliferation, metastasis, drug resistance and, most importantly, vasculogenesis by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) [5]. Th e current study shows that HIF-1 α expression correlates with a more aggressive phenotype of MDS and indirectly supports this hypothesis. Th e current study also shows that HIF-1 α is a marker of
Development and evaluation of hardware for Point-of-Care assessment of upper-limb motor performance

This paper presents prototypes of a hardware interface that is directed towards possible integration with a Point-of-Care Testing Environment for Neurological Assessment (POCTENA). While the complete system is intended to assist with diagnosis of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), the focus of this paper is to present designs of necessary hardware that can be used to assess upper-limb motor performance in a point-of-care setting. The hardware interface is expected to facilitate execution of several visuomotor tasks in an attempt to reliably quantify motor deficits. System usability results are shown to corroborate future directions of the POCTENA system.
Configuring RBF neural networks

A novel method (based on the characteristics of scatter matrices and frequency-sensitive competitive learning) for training the hidden layer of a radial basis function neural network is proposed. The method is demonstrated to be robust and to outperform the state-of-the-art algorithm.
184-inch synchrocyclotron decommissioning

Decommissioning work on the 184-inch Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory synchrocyclotron included relocation of Van de Graaff and biomedical programs, radiation measurements, planning, estimate preparation, tooling design and procurement, scheduling, shipping arrangements, rigging studies, obtaining of permits, waste disposal coordination, and cleanup. Descriptions of the disassembly, electrical and radiation safety, and waste are given. It is concluded that the decommissioning has been done safely, on budget, and on schedule. >
Some unified results on comparing linear combinations of independent gamma random variables

In this paper, a new sufficient condition for comparing linear combinations of independent gamma random variables according to star ordering is given. This unifies some of the newly proved results on this problem. Equivalent characterizations between various stochastic orders are established by utilizing the new condition. The main results in this paper generalize and unify several results in the literature including those of Amiri, Khaledi, and Samaniego [2], Zhao [18], and Kochar and Xu [9].
Characteristics of pediatric chemotherapy medication errors in a national error reporting database

BACKGROUND. Little is known regarding chemotherapy medication errors in pediatrics despite studies suggesting high rates of overall pediatric medication errors. In this study, the authors examined patterns in pediatric chemotherapy errors. METHODS. The authors queried the United States Pharmacopeia MEDMARX database, a national, voluntary, Internet-accessible error reporting system, for all error reports from 1999 through 2004 that involved chemotherapy medications and patients aged <18 years. RESULTS. Of the 310 pediatric chemotherapy error reports, 85% reached the patient, and 15.6% required additional patient monitoring or therapeutic intervention. Forty-eight percent of errors originated in the administering phase of medication delivery, and 30% originated in the drug-dispensing phase. Of the 387 medications cited, 39.5% were antimetabolites, 14.0% were alkylating agents, 9.3% were anthracyclines, and 9.3% were topoisomerase inhibitors. The most commonly involved chemotherapeutic agents were methotrexate (15.3%), cytarabine (12.1%), and etoposide (8.3%). The most common error types were improper dose/quantity (22.9% of 327 cited error types), wrong time (22.6%), omission error (14.1%), and wrong administration technique/wrong route (12.2%). The most common error causes were performance deficit (41.3% of 547 cited error causes), equipment and medication delivery devices (12.4%), communication (8.8%), knowledge deficit (6.8%), and written order errors (5.5%). Four of the 5 most serious errors occurred at community hospitals. CONCLUSIONS. Pediatric chemotherapy errors often reached the patient, potentially were harmful, and differed in quality between outpatient and inpatient areas. This study indicated which chemotherapeutic agents most often were involved in errors and that administering errors were common. Investigation is needed regarding targeted medication administration safeguards for these high-risk medications. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Nocturnal activity of the endangered Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis)

Acoustic monitoring and radio-tracking were used to study the nocturnal activity of adult female Indiana bats Myotis sodalis at a maternity site in Michigan, U.S.A. Pregnant bats did not use the day roost at night, but lactating females returned 2–4 times/night for 32±7 (se) min/visit, presumably to feed their young. Both pregnant and lactating females night roosted as solitary individuals in trees within their foraging areas; night roosting occurred 0–6 times/night for 14±1 min each time. Bats foraged for most of the night, with the total duration of flight equalling 375±16 min/night. The bats used 13 different foraging areas that were located 0.5–4.2 km from the day roost. Bats did not fly over open fields but travelled along wooded corridors, even though such behaviour increased commuting distance by 55±11%. Current models of habitat suitability for this endangered species should be modified, taking into account the use of wooded commuting corridors and the large home range of these bats.
Isolation of Retinal Progenitor Cells From Post-Mortem Human Tissue and Comparison With Autologous Brain Progenitors

The goal of the present study was threefold: to determine whether viable human retinal progenitor cells (hRPCs) could be obtained from cadaveric retinal tissue, to evaluate marker expression by these cells, and to compare hRPCs to human brain progenitor cells (hBPCs). Retinas were dissected from post-mortem premature infants, enzymatically dissociated, and grown in the presence of epidermal growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. The cells grew as suspended spheres or adherent monolayers, depending on culture conditions. Expanded populations were banked or harvested for analysis by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and flow cytometry. hBPCs derived from forebrain specimens from the same donors were grown and used for RT-PCR. Post-mortem human retinal specimens yielded viable cultures that grew to confluence repeatedly, although not beyond 3 months. Cultured hRPCs expressed a range of markers consistent with CNS progenitor cells, including nestin, vimentin, Sox2, Ki-67, GD2 ganglioside, and CD15 (Lewis X), as well as the tetraspanins CD9 and CD81, CD95 (Fas), and MHC class I antigens. No MHC class II expression was detected. hRPCs, but not hBPCs, expressed Dach1, Pax6, Six3, Six6, and recoverin. Minority subpopulations of hRPCs and hBPCs expressed doublecortin, beta-III tubulin, and glial fibrillary acidic protein, which is consistent with increased lineage restriction in subsets of cultured cells. Viable progenitor cells can be cultured from the post-mortem retina of premature infants and exhibit a gene expression profile consistent with immature neuroepithelial cells. hRPCs can be distinguished from hBPC cultures by the expression of retinal specification genes and recoverin.
Somatosensory cortex : A comparison of the response to noxious thermal, mechanical, and electrical stimuli using functional magnetic resonance imaging

In the present study, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to examine pain perception in humans. Three types of noxious stimuli were presented: electric shock (20.8 mA, 2 Hz), heat (48°C), and mechanical, as well as a control tactile stimulus. The significance of activation at the level of the voxel was determined using correlation analysis. Significant region of interest (ROI) activation was determined by comparing the percentage of active voxels in each ROI to activation in a control ROI in the visual cortex. In response to tactile and shock stimuli, consistent activation was seen in the postcentral gyrus, parietal operculum, and ipsilateral cerebellar cortex. No significant cortical activation was detected in response to noxious heat or mechanical stimulation when compared to nonpainful intensity levels. The data did not indicate adaptation, although further study in this area is necessary. Stationary noxious thermal and mechanical stimulation are “pure” noxious stimuli, while electrical stimulation influenced nociceptive and nonnociceptive receptors. Lack of detectable activation in response to pure noxious stimuli supports the idea that nociceptive and nonnociceptive fibers are interspersed in the somatosensory cortex. Conflicting results from recent functional imaging studies of pain perception regarding cortical activation indicate that it is essential to consider both the tactile and nociceptive components of the stimuli used, the spatial extent of stimulation, and the possibility of adaptation to the response. Furthermore, these results suggest that subtractive or correlative methods may not be sufficiently sensitive to image the activity of nociceptive cells, which are sparsely distributed throughout the somatosensory cortex. Hum. Brain Mapping 6:150–159, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Phylogenetic diversity of gram-positive bacteria cultured from marine sediments.

Major advances in our understanding of marine bacterial diversity have been gained through studies of bacterioplankton, the vast majority of which appear to be gram negative. Less effort has been devoted to studies of bacteria inhabiting marine sediments, yet there is evidence to suggest that gram-positive bacteria comprise a relatively large proportion of these communities. To further expand our understanding of the aerobic gram-positive bacteria present in tropical marine sediments, a culture-dependent approach was applied to sediments collected in the Republic of Palau from the intertidal zone to depths of 500 m. This investigation resulted in the isolation of 1,624 diverse gram-positive bacteria spanning 22 families, including many that appear to represent new taxa. Phylogenetic analysis of 189 representative isolates, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence data, indicated that 124 (65.6%) belonged to the class Actinobacteria while the remaining 65 (34.4%) were members of the class Bacilli. Using a sequence identity value of ≥98%, the 189 isolates grouped into 78 operational taxonomic units, of which 29 (37.2%) are likely to represent new taxa. The high degree of phylogenetic novelty observed during this study highlights the fact that a great deal remains to be learned about the diversity of gram-positive bacteria in marine sediments.
What destroys our restraints against suicide

There seems to exist an inherent barrier to the achievement of any extreme biological state, be it massive intravascular coagulation, intense euphoria, or the inalterable decision to kill oneself. Moreover, defenses against suicide may in themselves be pathological, producing other types of maladaption. Indeed, certain lethality indicators possess a threshold, below which they act as a barrier against suicide. Wrist-cutting, self-treatment with drugs and alcohol, and psychosis itself all can play a defensive role in the organism's struggle for survival. Language: en
What is damaging the kidney in lupus nephritis

Despite marked improvements in the survival of patients with severe lupus nephritis over the past 50 years, the rate of complete clinical remission after immune suppression therapy is <50% and renal impairment still occurs in 40% of affected patients. An appreciation of the factors that lead to the development of chronic kidney disease following acute or subacute renal injury in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus is beginning to emerge. Processes that contribute to end-stage renal injury include continuing inflammation, activation of intrinsic renal cells, cell stress and hypoxia, metabolic abnormalities, aberrant tissue repair and tissue fibrosis. A deeper understanding of these processes is leading to the development of novel or adjunctive therapies that could protect the kidney from the secondary non-immune consequences of acute injury. Approaches based on a molecular-proteomic-lipidomic classification of disease should yield new information about the functional basis of disease heterogeneity so that the most effective and least toxic treatment regimens can be formulated for individual patients.
MICE: Its Program of Ionization Cooling Measurements in the Subsequent Steps

Abstract The Muon Ionization Cooling Experiment collaboration is constructing a complete unit cell of a muon ionization cooling channel. The set of cooling experiments to be performed and the progress on the construction are described.
Comparison of CYP2D6 genotyping by allele-specific PCR with DXT phenotype and gene chip testing

AIM: To evaluate association of genotype and phenotype of CYP2D6 and the application of oligonucleotide microarray hybridization genetic testing in CYP2D6 multiple alleles analyses. METHODS: Two hundred forty-two healthy volunteers were recruited, and a 60 mg oral dose of dextromethorphan (DXT) was administered to each for assessment of the DXT metabolic ratio . A 20 ml blood sample was also collected for DNA isolation and testing. CYP2D6 alleles *2--*11; *17 and multiple CYP2D6 gene copies were tested by allele-specific PCR and/or the affymetrix CYP450 gene chip assay. Five of the CYP2D6 alleles (*3, *4, *6, *7, and *9) were evaluated by both PCR and the CYP450 gene chip assay. RESULTS: The CYP2D6 genotype was more informative and reflective in CYP2D6 enzyme expression than a phenotype. Genetic tests for the CYP2D6 *3, *4, *6, *7 and *9 alleles showed a high degree of concordance between the CYP450 gene chip and AS-PCR methods. CONCLUSION: Oligonucleotide microarray hybridization is a promising and reliable approach for detecting multiple alleles at gene loci.
Ibrutinib in Waldenström macroglobulinemia: latest evidence and clinical experience:

Ibrutinib is an oral Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, which has recently gained approval by the United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the treatment of patients with symptomatic Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM). Herein, we review the role of BTK in the pathophysiology of WM, and present the results of the preclinical and clinical studies that led to the initial investigation and later approval of ibrutinib in WM. We also discuss aspects associated with ibrutinib therapy in WM patients, especially focusing on genomic profiling and the impact on response to ibrutinib, and the management of adverse events.
Lipid recovery from wet oleaginous microbial biomass for biofuel production: A critical review

Abstract Biological lipids derived from oleaginous microorganisms are promising precursors for renewable biofuel productions. Direct lipid extraction from wet cell-biomass is favored because it eliminates the need for costly dehydration. However, the development of a practical and scalable process for extracting lipids from wet cell-biomass is far from ready to be commercialized, instead, requiring intensive research and development to understand the lipid accessibility, mechanisms in mass transfer and establish robust lipid extraction approaches that are practical for industrial applications. This paper aims to present a critical review on lipid recovery in the context of biofuel productions with special attention to cell disruption and lipid mass transfer to support extraction from wet biomass.
Spatial Dynamics and Historical Process in the Central Plains Tradition

Little recent consideration has been given to analyzing space/time relations or to modeling the historical processes involved in Central Plains tradition origins, expansion, and demise. Using the c...
Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase in Immune Escape: Regulation and Therapeutic Inhibition

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the work that defines indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) as an important mediator of the peripheral tolerance. It provides the findings about the IDO dysregulation in cancer cells and explains the development of the anticancer modalities that employ the IDO inhibitors. Malignant development is accompanied by a breakdown of normal cellular physiology. This process involves the acquisition of cell-intrinsic traits, which includes immortalization, growth sufficiency, insensitivity to growth inhibitory signals, and apoptosis resistance, as well as the acquisition of cell-extrinsic traits—including angiogenesis, invasive capability, metastatic capacity, and immune escape. The immune escape is a terminal feature of immune-editing, which consists of surveillance, equilibrium, and escape of the tumor cells from effective control by the immune system. The survival benefit of this mechanism to a tumor cell is balanced by the cost of depriving itself of an essential amino acid. Immune escape has gained wide recognition among cancer geneticists as a crucial feature of malignant development.
Neurologic Sequelae of Enterovirus 17 Infection

The long-term neurologic sequelae, neurodevelopment, and cognitive function of 142 children with a history of enterovirus (EV) 17 infection with CNS involvement were determined in a study at the National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei; and Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
Friedens- und Konfliktforschung – Herausforderung für die Internationalen Beziehungen?

Die Verhinderung weiterer Kriege mit wissenschaftlichen Mitteln bildet den Ausgangspunkt sowohl der politikwissenschaftlichen Teildisziplin „Internationale Beziehungen“ als auch der Friedens- und Konfliktforschung. Doch ihre Entwicklungen sind unterschiedlich verlaufen und die Unterscheidung der zwei Forschungsfelder spielt auch heute immer wieder eine nicht unerhebliche Rolle. Aufgrund ihres Anspruchs nach politischer Relevanz und kritischer Reflexion ihrer Forschung und ihrer Ergebnisse setzen sich die Ansatze der Friedens- und Konfliktforschung einer standigen Infragestellung aus. Weil bei dieser Reflexion der eigenen Perspektivitat immer auch die Rolle der Wissenschaft und ihrer Erkenntnisprozesse fur die Einsichten uber internationale Politik, Krieg und Frieden thematisiert werden, bleiben die Internationalen Beziehungen davon nicht unberuhrt.
Gas-Phase Fragmentation Behavior of Oxidized Prenyl Peptides by CID and ETD Tandem Mass Spectrometry

Farnesylation and geranylgeranylation are the two types of prenyl modification of proteins. Prenylated peptides are highly hydrophobic and their abundances in biological samples are low. In this report, we studied the oxidized prenylated peptides by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and identified them by collision-induced dissociation (CID) and electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) tandem mass spectrometry. Modified prenyl peptides were generated utilizing strong and low strength oxidizing agents to selectively oxidize and epoxidize cysteine sulfur and prenyl side chain. We selected three peptides with prenyl motifs and synthesized their prenylated versions. The detailed characteristic fragmentations of oxidized and epoxidized farnesylated and geranylgeranylated peptides were studied side by side with two popular fragmentation techniques. CID and ETD mass spectrometry clearly distinguished the modified version of these peptides. ETD mass spectrometry provided sequence information of the highly labile modified prenyl peptides and showed different characteristic fragmentations compared with CID. A detailed fragmentation of modified geranylgeranylated peptides was compared by CID and ETD mass spectrometry for the first time.
Breastfeeding Practices and Barriers to Implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding in Mississippi Hospitals.

Background:Mississippi has the lowest rates of breastfeeding in the United States at 6 and 12 months. There is growing evidence that the rates and duration of infant breastfeeding improve after hos...
Food and drug administration approval process for dermatology drugs in the United States.

Aim: The purpose of this review is to elucidate the steps involved in the FDA’s approval of new dermatology drugs.Methods: To help illustrate the process of drug approval, we use examples from the ...
Refining Aging Criteria for Northern Sea Otters in Washington State

Abstract Measurement of skull ossification patterns is a standard method for aging various mammalian species and has been used to age sea otters Enhydra lutris from Russia, California, and Alaska. ...
A flexible testing environment for visual question answering with performance evaluation

Abstract In order to move toward efficient autonomous learning, we must have control over our datasets to test and adaptively train systems for complex problems such as Visual Question Answering (VQA). Thus, we created a testing environment around MNIST images with optional cluttering. Although less complex than publicly available VQA datasets, the new environment generates datasets that decouple answers from questions and incorporate abstract ideas (content, context, and arithmetic) that must be learned. In addition, we analyze the performance of merged CNNs and LSTMs using the environment while exploring different ways to incorporate pretrained object classifiers. We demonstrate the usefulness of our environment as well as provide insight on the limitations of simple architectures and the complexities of different questions.
Lorentz Transmission Electron Microscopy Image Simulations of Experimental Nano-Chessboard Observations in Co-Pt Alloys

The magnetization configuration of a novel nano-chessboard structure consisting of L10 and L12 phases in a Co40Pt60 alloy is investigated using Lorentz transmission electron microscopy (LTEM) and micro-magnetic simulations. We show high-resolution LTEM images of nano-size magnetic features acquired through spherical aberration correction in Lorentz Fresnel mode. Phase reconstructions and LTEM image simulations are carried out to fully understand the magnetic microstructure. The experimental Fresnel images of the nano-chessboard structure show zig-zag shaped magnetic domain walls at the inter-phase boundaries between L10 and L12 phases. A circular magnetization distribution with vortex and anti-vortex type arrangement is evident in the phase reconstructed magnetic induction maps as well as simulated maps. The magnetic contrast in experimental LTEM images is interpreted with the help of magnetic induction maps simulated for various relative electron beam-sample orientations inside the TEM.
In Situ Atomic-Level Tracking of Heterogeneous Nucleation in Nanocrystal Growth with an Isocyanide Molecular Probe.

We report the use of 2,6-dimethylphenyl isocyanide (2,6-DMPI) as a spectroscopic probe to study the heterogeneous nucleation and deposition of Pd on Ag nanocubes under different conditions by surface-enhanced Raman scattering. As a major advantage, the spectroscopic analysis can be performed in situ and in real time with the nanoparticles still suspended in the reaction solution. The success of this method relies on the distinctive stretching frequencies (νNC) of the isocyanide group in 2,6-DMPI when it binds to Ag and Pd atoms through σ donation and π-back-donation, respectively. Significantly, we discovered that νNC was sensitive to the arrangement of Pd adatoms on the Ag surface. For example, when the isocyanide group bound to one, two, and three Pd atoms, we would observe the atop, bridge, and hollow configurations, respectively, at different νNC frequencies. As such, the νNC band could serve as a characteristic reporter for the Pd adatoms being deposited onto different types of facets on Ag nanocubes...
Hypoxia modulates free radical formation in brain microvascular endothelium.

Although free radical species (ROS; i.e., O 2 - , -OH, H2O2) among other mediators, may be involved in altering the blood-brain barrier (BBB), little is known about the endogenous ability of cerebromicrovascular endothelium to generate ROS. This study examines the capacity of rat endothelial cells (RBEC) to produce ROS in normoxia and hypoxia/reoxygenation. Cultured RBEC were exposed to an oxygen-depleted atmosphere (containing 95% N2 and 5% CO2) for 4 hr at 37°C and air (10 min) at room temperature to simulate “ischemia/reperfusion”. Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction [formation of nitroblue formazan (NBF)] served as a marker for the production of ROS. The release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and [3H]arachidonic acid (AA) was used to assess cellular integrity. RBEC exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation produced up to 59% greater NBF formation than controls without affecting the LDH or AA release. The production of ROS was calcium-dependent and not affected by AA or its metabolites. The findings indicate that the RBEC can produce superoxide dismutase (SOD)-inhibita-ble ROS which are augmented by hypoxia/reoxygenation. It is suggested that in vivo cerebromicrovascular endothelium may contribute to the formation of ROS and play a role in ischemic brain edema.
Brook Ziporyn: Ironies of oneness and difference: coherence in early Chinese thought: prolegomena to the study of li 灆

Brook Ziporyn’s new book addresses a topic that should arouse the interest of philosophers of religion: conceptions of reality among ancient Chinese philosophers. For various reasons, it is hard to read, however. One reason is the inherent complexity of the subject matter. It can be difficult to conceptualize ontologies that diverge from one’s own. But Ziporyn’s presentation makes the book tougher than it needs to be. Ironies of Oneness and Difference is intended as prolegomena (as the second of the two sub-titles indicates) to a “companion volume”1 that will trace the various meanings of the Chinese term li . The two books should have been released together, because there are simply too many instances where Ziporyn advances a controversial position only to terminate the discussion prematurely with the explanation that the issue will be covered more fully in the “companion volume.” For example, the long chapter entitled “What Is Coherence?” (49–88) would surely have been easier to follow if the very defense of the translation of li as “coherence” (which informs not only the first sub-title of the book, but also this and several other chapter headings) had not been deferred to the “companion volume.” The same goes for the second footnote, which anticipates objections to the rendering “coherence” (and occupies two full single-spaced pages, 269–270), and for the discussion of “sameness” and “difference” in the philosopher Xunzi , which Ziporyn also orients around the term li (e.g., 201f.). Another impediment is that Ziporyn’s prose is overwrought. The book does not read like a book; it reads like a journal article that has been allowed to wax to the length of a book. Readers daunted by page-long paragraphs (one paragraph, 67–69,
Data model development for fire related extreme events: an activity theory approach

Post-analyses of major extreme events reveal that information sharing is critical for effective emergency response. The lack of consistent data standards for current emergency management practice, however, hinders efficient critical information flow among incident responders. In this paper, we adopt a third-generation activity theory guided approach to develop a data model that can be used in the response to fire-related extreme events. This data model prescribes the core data standards to reduce information interoperability barriers. The model is validated through a three-step approach including a request for comment (RFC) process, case application, and prototype system test. This study contributes to the literature in the area of interoperability and data modeling; it also informs practice in emergency response system design.