cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of miRNA in the regulation of cannabidiol-mediated apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells.

// Esraah Alharris 1 , Narendra P. Singh 1 , Prakash S. Nagarkatti 1 and Mitzi Nagarkatti 1 1 Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC 29209, USA Correspondence to: Mitzi Nagarkatti, email: mitzi.nagarkatti@uscmed.sc.edu Keywords: miRNA; cannabidiol; neuroblastoma; hsa-let-7a; hsa-miR-1972 Received: September 29, 2018 Accepted: December 13, 2018 Published: January 01, 2019 ABSTRACT Neuroblastoma (NBL) is one of the most common childhood cancers that originate from the immature nerve cells of the sympathetic system. Studies with NBL cancers have also shown that miRNAs are dysregulated and may play a critical role in pathogenesis. Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive compound found in marijuana which has been previously shown by our laboratory and others to induce apoptosis in cancer cells. However, there are no studies reported to test if CBD mediates these effects through regulation of miRNA. In the current study, therefore, we investigated if CBD induces apoptosis in human NBL cell lines, SH SY5Y and IMR-32, and if it is regulated by miRNA. Our data demonstrated that CBD induces apoptosis in NBL cells through activation of serotonin and vanilloid receptors. We also found that caspase-2 and -3 played an important role in the induction of apoptosis. CBD also significantly reduced NBL cell migration and invasion in vitro . Furthermore, CBD blocked mitochondrial respiration and caused a shift in metabolism towards glycolysis. CBD altered the expression of miRNA specifically, down-regulating hsa-let-7a and upregulating hsa-mir-1972. Downregulation of let-7a increased expression of target caspase-3, and growth arrest specific-7 (GAS-7) genes. Upregulation of hsa-mir-1972 caused decreased expression of BCL2L1 and SIRT2 genes. Together, our studies suggest that CBD-mediated apoptosis in NBL cells is regulated by miRNA.
Dynamic angular stiffness about the metatarsophalangeal joint increases with running speed

Abstract Altering the longitudinal bending stiffness of footwear has the potential to affect mechanics of the metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint. Recent efforts have been put forth to identify an optimal bending stiffness of footwear to improve running performance. However, little is known about how this optimal bending stiffness may change with running speed. The purpose of this study was to investigate how dynamic angular stiffness about the MTP joint changes across running speeds. Eighteen participants ran at five speeds from 3.89 to 6.11 m/s. Metatarsophalangeal joint angles, moments, and stiffness were estimated for each speed. Two MTPJ load-displacement metrics were defined, active and critical stiffness. Instantaneous stiffness of the MTP joint was also quantified. There was a significant main effect of speed on critical stiffness (p
ABOLIÇÃO, PODER E LIBERDADE NO NORTE DE GOYAZ: O CASO DE FAUSTINO PEREIRA E JOAQUIM AYRES.

Ao longo de toda decada de 1880 nas paginas impressas, nas ruas, nos trieiros, clubes e outros ambientes a abolicao da escravidao ocupava significativo espaco nas mentes goianas, principalmente em relacao as incertezas quanto aos desdobramentos que causaria. Na cidade de Porto Imperial, Joaquim Ayres da Silva, proprietario de escravos, acompanhou de perto as conversas atento aos muitos posicionamentos sobre a questao. Nesse trabalho a proposta e perscrutar a trama entre poder e liberdade que envolveu Joaquim Ayres e um negro chamado Faustino Pereira de Oliveira, bem como seus desdobramentos atuais na cidade portuense. O episodio, que ainda suscita ecos, foi acompanhado pelos principais jornais goianos se tornando um simbolo do jogo de forcas travado entre a populacao goiana sobre como as ideias abolicionistas se assentariam em Goias.
Abstract MP06: Kinin B1 Receptor Mediates Orexin System Hyperactivity In Salt-sensitive Hypertension

Hyperactivity of the orexin system contributes to several animal models of hypertension and enhances arginine vasopressin (AVP) release. We previously reported higher neuronal kinin B1 receptor (B1...
On the transient growth of Nesterov’s accelerated method for strongly convex optimization problems

Compared to standard descent-based algorithms, accelerated first-order methods for strongly convex smooth optimization problems may exhibit large transient responses. For quadratic problems, this phenomenon arises from the presence of non-normal dynamics and the modes that yield an algebraic growth in early iterations. In this paper, we employ the framework of integral quadratic constraints to examine the transient response of Nesterov’s accelerated method. We prove that a bound on the largest value of the Euclidean distance between the optimization variable and the global minimizer is proportional to the square root of the condition number. For problems with large condition numbers we demonstrate tightness of this bound up to constant factors, thereby establishing the merits of our approach.
Deep learning algorithm identifies risk of ARDS or in-hospital mortality in mechanically ventilated patients and validation on COVID-19 patients

Introduction: ARDS is often unrecognized. We aimed to developed and validate a deep learning algorithm using EHR structured data to identify patients at risk for ARDS or in-hospital mortality in pre-COVID and COVID-19 inpatient population. Method: The initial cohort consisted of adult ICU patients on mechanical ventilation (MV) from 2017 to 2018 at 3 hospitals at Montefiore Medical Center. Independently trained physician reviewed all chest x-rays in patients with PaO2/FiO2 ratio ≤ 300 to determine ARDS as per Berlin criteria. We used 66 discrete EHR variables to generate 135 features based on variable types. We longitudinally sampled hourly and missing data were forwardly imputed. We trained a preliminary Long Short-Term Memory network to determine the probability of ARDS or in-hospital mortality in the 2017-2018 cohort. Using active learning process, we applied this preliminary model to additional MV patients admitted between 2016-2017 and 2018-2019 to expand the sample size with additional ARDS and non-ARDS patients. The expanded pre-COVID cohort (2016-2019) was split into training and validation cohort (80 and 20%). A new and final LSTM model were trained on the pre-COVID training cohort. Validations were performed on the pre-COVID validation cohort and a population of mechanically ventilated and non-ventilated COVID-19 patients between March-April 2020. Result: The pre-COVID cohort included 3905 MV patients in the ICU from final 2016-2019. 1646 (42.4%) had ARDS and 1033 (26.5%) died during hospitalization. COVID-19 cohort included 5672 patients and 907 (16%) died. 803 (14.2%) were mechanically ventilated including 583 ARDS patients(10.3% of COVID cohort and 72.6% of MV COVID patients) and 418 (52.1%) who died (Table 1). The model ROC was 0.78 for pre-COVID validation cohort. At model cutoff 0.90, the sensitivity was 86% and specificity was 57% (Table 1) In the COVID-19 cohort, the ROC was 0.83 (sensitivity of 70% and specificity of 84%). On the COVID-19 +MV sub-cohort, the model ROC was 0.70 and accurately diagnosed 91.6% of ARDS or death. The model was able to identify ARDS or death close to the time of intubation and ARDS label time in both pre-COVID and COVID-19 cohort (Table 1). Conclusion: Our LSTM algorithm accurately and timely identified the probability ARDS or in-hospital in mechanically ventilated patients. When we applied the model to a larger cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 which had a higher prevalence of ARDS, the sensitivity, and positive predictive value remains high but specificity is much lower among MV patients.
Acknowledging breathlessness post-covid.

Covid-19 is a respiratory infection, although it can be associated with both acute and long term systemic complications. Breathlessness is among the most common symptoms reported in people followed up after hospital admission,1 following infection identified in the community,2 and in those reporting that they have long-covid.3 Consistent with this, Ayoubkhani and colleagues report rates of respiratory disease, …
Regression and Random Forest Machine Learning Have Limited Performance in Predicting Bowel Preparation in Veteran Population

Inadequate bowel preparation undermines the quality of colonoscopy, but patients likely to be affected are difficult to identify beforehand. This study aimed to develop, validate, and compare prediction models for bowel preparation inadequacy using conventional logistic regression (LR) and random forest machine learning (RFML). We created a retrospective cohort of patients who underwent outpatient colonoscopy at a single VA medical center between January 2012 and October 2015. Candidate predictor variables were chosen after a literature review. We extracted all available predictor variables from the electronic medical record, and bowel preparation from the endoscopy database. The data were split into 70% training and 30% validation sets. Multivariable LR and RFML were used to predict preparation inadequacy as a dichotomous outcome. The cohort included 6,885 Veterans, of whom 964 (14%) had inadequate preparation. Using LR, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for the validation cohort was 0.66 (95% CI 0.62, 0.69) and the Brier score, in which a lower score indicates better performance, was 0.11. Using RFML, the AUC for the validation cohort was 0.61 (95% CI 0.58, 0.65) and the Brier score was 0.12. LR and RFML had similar performance in predicting bowel preparation, which was modest and likely insufficient for use in practice. Future research is needed to identify additional predictor variables and to test other machine learning algorithms. At present, endoscopy units should focus on universal strategies to enhance preparation adequacy.
When Agency Priorities Matter: Risk Aversion for Organizational Autonomy and Turf Protection in Mandated Collaboration

Most studies in collaborative governance examine system-level or agency-level drivers in voluntary bargaining situations, but few have studied how agency-level incentives shape risk management under collaboration mandates. We argue that when mandated to collaborate, local agencies’ priority is to reduce risk by protecting their organizational autonomy and turf. These concerns can overwhelm other collaboration drivers when agencies commit to a regionally integrated framework. We test this argument by examining the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA), a large-scale governance reform experiment passed by the California legislature in 2014, with data derived from archival records and a statewide survey of local groundwater managers. We show that agencies are more likely to commit to a regionally integrated collaboration arrangement if (1) their mission addresses a broader issue focus (lower issue specificity), (2) they have core stakeholder groups with less concentrated interests, and (3) they have a less rigid and risk-averse culture. By theoretically and empirically unpacking the agency-specific sources of turf and reputation protection in the context of inter-agency collaboration mandates, this study contributes to both bureaucratic turf and collaborative governance research. The study also connects these two bodies of scholarship to the broader literature on collective action and common-pool resource management, providing mandate design implications for public managers.
Antisemitism and the American Far Left

Stephen H. Norwood has written the first systematic study of the American far left's role in both propagating and combating antisemitism. This book covers Communists from 1920 onward, Trotskyists, the New Left and its black nationalist allies, and the contemporary remnants of the New Left. Professor Norwood analyzes the deficiencies of the American far left's explanations of Nazism and the Holocaust. He explores far left approaches to militant Islam, from condemnation of its fierce antisemitism in the 1930s to recent apologies for jihad. Norwood discusses the far left's use of long-standing theological and economic antisemitic stereotypes that the far right also embraced. The study analyzes the far left's antipathy to Jewish culture, as well as its occasional efforts to promote it. He considers how early Marxist and Bolshevik paradigms continued to shape American far left views of Jewish identity, Zionism, Israel, and antisemitism.
Gnotobiotes as Useful Tools in Studies in Carcinogenesis with Cycasin, a Natural Glucoside

Experimental studies in our laboratory have established marked oncogenic properties of the glucoside cycasin, β-D-glucosyl-oxyazoxymethane. The glucoside is extractable from seeds or tubers of ancient gymnosperms belonging to the family of Cycadacea. This plant was widely distributed during the mesozoic period, but todays members are found only in tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Starch prepared from seeds and tubers are used by many people as a source of food. It was apparently known to these populations for an unknown period of time that the crude starch contained a poison, and similar methods for removal of the poison have been practiced by them. The interested reader is referred to an excellent review of the toxicity of cycads by Marjorie Grant Whiting covering what was known about cycad toxicity up to 1963 (1).
The Seven Pillars of the Analytic Hierarchy Process

The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) provides the objective mathematics to process the inescapably subjective and personal preferences of an individual or a group in making a decision. With the AHP and its generalization, the Analytic Network Process (ANP), one constructs hierarchies or feedback networks, then makes judgments or performs measurements on pairs of elements with respect to a controlling element to derive ratio scales that are then synthesized throughout the structure to select the best alternative.
Abstract T P89: Curcumin Encapsulated Stem Cell Exosomes Attenuate Ischemic Brain Injury in Type 1 Diabetic Akita Mice

Background and Purpose: Stroke in type-1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is severe in terms of exacerbated brain damage and severe functional decline as compared to non-diabetic stroke. Curcumin possesses remarkable medicinal properties and stem cells exosomes (nano-vesicles; 40-100 nm) have paracrine effects with neovascularization properties. The therapy available for stroke (tissue plasminogen activator) is not effective in diabetic stroke and leads to excessive vasodilation and hemorrhagic transformations. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that encapsulating curcumin to mouse embryonic stem cell exosomes mitigates type-1 diabetic stroke injury. Methods: We employed 8-10 weeks old male genetic T1DM Ins2+/- Akita mice. Ischemia was performed for 40 min and reperfusion for 7 days in the following mice groups: 1) Sham Akita , 2) Sham Akita + cur-exo , 3) IR Akita , 4) IR Akita + cur-exo . Exosomes were isolated from mouse embryonic stem cells culture conditioned media and encapsulated with curcumin ( cur-exo ). Therapeutic exo-cur units were used for mice treatment intranasally for 7 days. Brain cryo-sections were analyzed for vascular (VCAM, VE-cadherin), glial (GFAP), neuronal (Tuj1, nNOS) coupling in ipsilateral area. Neuronal loss, neurodegeneration was analyzed with NeuN, fluorojade-C staining. White matter damage was examined with luxol fast blue. Intra-carotid FITC-BSA infusion was used to assess venular leakage. Passive avoidance and auditory brainstem response tests were used to determine cognitive functions. Results: Treatment with cur-exo alleviated Infarct volume, edema, and vascular damage in IR Akita + cur-exo mice as compared to IR Akita mice. The axonal-glia damage and venular permeability were exacerbated in IR Akita mice, as compared to sham Akita , which were mitigated after cur-exo treatment. Cur-exo also ameliorated neurodegeneration and promoted neuronal survival as determined through immunolocalization studies. Further, cur-exo remarkably restored cognitive functions (p Conclusion: Our results suggested that combining the therapeutic efficacy of curcumin and stem cells exosomes represent a novel treatment for stroke during T1DM. Acknowledgement: This work was supported by NIH grant HL107640.
Playing with Culture: The Serious Side of Humor

The chapter devoted to women in charreria will be of great interest to scholars in the field of women's studies. Sands shows that the position of females is ambiguous, for they embody the aristocratic tradition of femininity and gentility while at the same time being required to demonstrate bravery, physical prowess, and independent action. Unlike their male counterparts, their performance has no basis in ranching skills; women's participation is considered primarily aesthetic and social. Thus the females are caught in a "cultural fantasy about capable, strong women cloaked in gentility and beauty" (p. 176) that is reminiscent of the ranchers' attitudes toward their women in Marriott's book. Women in charreria are expert riders who are admired for competitive achievement, yet they must maintain a facade of elegance and ease. Sands argues that these paradoxical gender concepts reflect societal expectations and ambivalence about women's roles in Mexican and Mexican-American cultures. She observes that women do not strive to change their status within the tradition but only to make their established roles in charreria more significant. Neither did the ranch women interviewed by Marriott wish to change their lot. Their acceptance of gender differences is illustrated by an informant whose thoughts and feelings while watching a rodeo contrasted sharply with those of her husband. Their opposite reactions reveal the differences in perspective between ranch women and men that existed in that day and made viable the complementarity of roles that was the norm. Thus Sands's and Marriott's studies converge on the issue of sex roles, and each contributes an important dimension to knowledge about women's status in ranching societies. These two books represent solid achievements and will be appreciated by anthropologists working in related areas. Sands's study of charreria adds to the growing body of material on the ways in which performance and sport reflect the concerns of the societies in which they occur. As Marriott notes, "So much of the fun to be had on ranches comes, like the rodeo, from the skills of daily life" (p. 212). Because of the similarities and differences between rodeo and charreada, Charreda Mexicana will be useful in broadening the understanding of cultural aspects of the American cowboy complex through comparison. Hell On Horses and Women provides insights into ranch life that are both unique and profound. The book is written with remarkable skill in a brisk humor-laced style that uses the language of the informants themselves to express, through their personal histories, the tenor of society at the time and place in which they lived. Few works in anthropology contribute such valuable data with such charm, wit, brevity, and clarity as Marriott's. Few are so provocative in inspiring fresh thought about what constitutes ideal relationships between the sexes and in stimulating reexamination of the role of women in society that has changed so rapidly in the decades since the interviews were recorded.
N-heterocyclic phosphenium and phosphido nickel complexes supported by a pincer ligand framework

A chelating diphosphine ligand with a central N-heterocyclic phosphenium cation (NHP(+)) has been used to explore the coordination chemistry of NHPs with nickel. Treatment of the chlorophosphine precursor [PPP]Cl (1) with stoichiometric Ni(COD)2 affords (PPP)NiCl (8), which is best described as a Ni(II)/NHP(-) phosphido complex formed via oxidative addition of the P-Cl bond. In contrast, treating [PPP]Cl (1) with excess Ni(COD)2 results in a mixture of the trimetallic complex (PPP)2Ni3Cl2 (9) and the reduced NHP-bridged dimer [(PPP)Ni]2 (10). Compound 9 is found to be a Ni(II)Ni(II)Ni(0) complex in which the two NHP ligands act as bridging NHP(-) phosphidos, while complex 10 is a Ni(I)Ni(I) complex that is highly delocalized throughout the symmetric Ni2P2 core. In contrast, the reaction of [PPP][PF6] (11) with Ni(COD)2 affords an asymmetrically-bridged dication [(PPP)Ni]2[PF6]2 (12), which is found to contain two bridging NHP(+) cations bridging two Ni(0) centers. Comproportionation of 10 and 12 affords monocationic [(PPP)Ni]2[PF6] (13), completing the redox series. Nickel complexes 8-10 and 12 are largely similar to their Pd and Pt analogues, but a paramagnetic monocation such as 13 was not observed in the Pd and Pt case. Computational studies lend further insight into the electronic structure and bonding in complexes 8-10 and 12-13, and further support the potential redox non-innocent properties of NHP ligands.
Deconstructing the language of bleeding.

In the beginning, there was 1 definition of bleeding complications. The TIMI (Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction) definition of bleeding was designed to analyze the safety of 2 different thrombolytic regimens in the context of a landmark ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI)
Neural correlates of response inhibition in pediatric bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Impulsivity, inattention and poor behavioral inhibition are common deficits in pediatric bipolar disorder (PBD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study aimed to identify similarities and differences in the neural substrate of response inhibition deficits that are associated with these disorders. A functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study was conducted on 15 unmedicated PBD patients (Type I, manic/mixed), 11 unmedicated ADHD patients, and 15 healthy controls (HC) (mean age = 13.5 years; S.D. = 3.5). A response inhibition task examined the ability to inhibit a motor response to a target when a stop cue appeared shortly after. The PBD and ADHD groups did not differ on behavioral performance, although both groups were less accurate than the HC group. fMRI findings showed that for trials requiring response inhibition, the ADHD group, relative to the PBD and HC groups, demonstrated reduced activation in both ventrolateral (VLPFC) and dorsolateral (DLPFC) prefrontal cortex, and increased bilateral caudate activation compared with HC. The PBD group, relative to HC, showed decreased activation in the left VLPFC, at the junction of the inferior and middle frontal gyri, and in the right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Prefrontal dysfunction was observed in both the ADHD and PBD groups relative to HC, although it was more extensive and accompanied by subcortical overactivity in ADHD.
Power selection for maximizing SINR in femtocells with sectorized antennas

In two tier cellular networks with femtocells suited within a macrocell, interference limits the throughput per link. In this paper we study the effect of using sectorized antennas for femtocell BSs to decrease the interference power resulting from transmitter power of femtocell BSs and increase the minimum achievable SINR in femtocells subject to a constraint on the minimum SINR required for macrocell connections.
Optical Control Of Millimeter Wave Devices

Coherent mixing of optical radiation from a tunable CW ring dye laser and a stablized HeNe laser was used to inject broadband microwave signals into GaAs MESFETs (FETs), AlGaAs-GaAs HEMTs and monolithic FET amplifiers up to 55 GHz. Using this technique, amplification of an optically injected signal at 32 GHz, direct injection locking of a 17 GHz GaAs oscillator, and frequency tuning of a 40 GHz oscillator by laser intensity modulation were demonstrated. Comparison of the millimeter wave frequency generation mechanism, noise sources and system performance with other techniques used for signal synchronization and distributed control application are discussed.
HB(3,5-Me2pyrazolyl)3− as an encapsulating ligand for BaII

Abstract Reaction of BaI 2 with K[HB(3,5-Me 2 pz) 3 ] in THF gives Ba[HB(3,5-Me 2 pz) 3 ] 2 , which retains its solid-state S 6 symmetry in THF solution. The large metal ion is effectively shielded from intermolecular interactions. There are no short intramolecular methyl/Ba contacts. The metal thus has coordination number six, with a BaN bond length of 2.760(1) A and an intraligand angle ∢NBaN of 71.48(5)°.
Prospects for Riboswitch Discovery and Analysis

An expanding number of metabolite-binding riboswitch classes are being discovered in the noncoding portions of bacterial genomes. Findings over the last decade indicate that bacteria commonly use these RNA genetic elements as regulators of metabolic pathways and as mediators of changes in cell physiology. Some riboswitches are surprisingly complex, and they rival protein factors in their structural and functional sophistication. Each new riboswitch discovery expands our knowledge of the biochemical capabilities of RNA, and some give rise to new questions that require additional study to be addressed. Some of the greatest prospects for riboswitch research and some of the more interesting mysteries are discussed in this review.
Comparison of cellular and nuclear flow cytometric techniques for discriminating apoptotic subpopulations.

We compared cellular flow cytometric methods employing carboxyfluorescein (CF), Hoechst 33342, and Hoechst 33258 with a nuclear method in their ability to discriminate apoptotic subpopulations in rat thymocyte cultures exposed to dexamethasone or tributyltin. In the nuclear technique, apoptotic cells appeared as a single population containing reduced DNA content, while in the cellular techniques, apoptotic cells appeared as two or more subpopulations exhibiting increased fluorescence. Of these subpopulations, early apoptotic cells [which excluded propidium iodide (PI), indicating maintenance of membrane integrity] exhibited higher fluorescence but the same level of axial light loss (i.e., size/refractive index) as viable cells; late apoptotic and dead cells (which incorporated PI) exhibited decreased axial light loss. However, while the Hoechst dyes allowed discrimination of late apoptotic from dead cells, CF did not. In comparing sensitivity to staining conditions, Hoechst 33258 fluorescence was the most stable over time, Hoechst 33342 the least, and CF fluorescence not only varied with time, but with tri-n-butyltin methoxide concentration. Comparison of single-parameter analyses revealed that axial light loss was sensitive only to late apoptotic changes; nuclear fluorescence was a better indicator of apoptotic subpopulations, but still underestimated the total percentage of affected cells, and Hoechst 33342 distinguished early apoptotic cells as those with elevated fluorescence. Early apoptotic cells stained with Hoechst 33258 also exhibited increased fluorescence, but could not be distinguished from late apoptotic and dead cells without a second parameter. These findings indicate that of the methods investigated, the method of choice for detecting apoptosis depends on the goal of analysis: Hoechst 33258 was best for discriminating apoptotic subpopulations, and CF was best for assessing alterations of membrane fluidity. For single-parameter analyses, Hoechst 33258 was best for determining the total percentage of affected cells, while Hoechst 33342 could be used to determine the percentage in early apoptosis.
The Problem of the Rotating Magnet

The analysis of the problem of the rotating magnet previously given by us is extended. For the special cases considered, it is shown that, while the magnet exerts equal and opposite torques on the portions of the current circuit inside and outside of the magnet, neither of these portions individually exerts any torque on the magnet itself. The analysis is applied also to the case where the magnet is replaced by a solenoid, and to the case where the magnet is replaced by a brass cylinder and the flux through it is supplied by an outside coaxial solenoid. Pietenpol and Westerfield's recent criticism of our previous analysis is shown to be mistaken, and the fault in their method of attacking the problem is found to lie in the application of Amp\`ere's original law to the interaction between two current elements where in general it is invalid.
Automated assay of soluble preparations of sodium-potassium activated adenosinetriphosphatase

An automated method for the assay of Lubrol-solubilized (Na+ + K+)-activated adenosinetriphosphatase from guinea pig brain has been developed. This method appears to be more precise than the manual method, and it can handle a considerably larger number of samples in a day's operation.
Model updating for spectral calibration maintenance and transfer using 1-norm variants of Tikhonov regularization.

In this study, calibration maintenance confronts the problem of updating a model developed in the primary condition to accurately predict the calibrated analyte in samples measured in new secondary...
The chromic acid etching of polyolefin surfaces, and adhesive bonding

Abstract Chromic acid solutions were used to oxidatively etch linear (high density) and branched (low density) polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene. Etched surfaces were characterized by surface IR spectroscopy, wettability, electron microscopy and aqueous adhesive bonding (peel test). Polypropylene was found to etch rapidly, but showed little residual chemical or topographical change. The polyethylenes etched more slowly, especially in the case of the linear polymer, but showed large changes in surface chemistry as a result of oxidative attack. Adhesion onto polyolefin films and fabric increased very rapidly during the first few seconds of attack. This increase is interpreted in terms of wettability, topography and cohesive strength of the surface layer. The differences in etch behavior between the polyolefins is interpreted in terms of ease of oxidative attack at branch points, and surface accessibility to the acid.
Structural characterization of the mitomycin 7‐O‐methyltransferase

Mitomycins are quinone-containing antibiotics, widely used as antitumor drugs in chemotherapy. Mitomycin-7-O-methyltransferase (MmcR), a key tailoring enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of mitomycin in Streptomyces lavendulae, catalyzes the 7-O-methylation of both C9{beta}- and C9{alpha}-configured 7-hydroxymitomycins. We have determined the crystal structures of the MmcR-S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) binary complex and MmcR-SAH-mitomycin A (MMA) ternary complex at resolutions of 1.9 and 2.3 {angstrom}, respectively. The study revealed MmcR to adopt a common S-adenosyl-L-methionine-dependent O-methyltransferase fold and the presence of a structurally conserved active site general acid-base pair is consistent with a proton-assisted methyltransfer common to most methyltransferases. Given the importance of C7 alkylation to modulate mitomycin redox potential, this study may also present a template toward the future engineering of catalysts to generate uniquely bioactive mitomycins.
Quantitative Evaluation of Perspective and Stereoscopic Displays in Three-Axis Manual Tracking Tasks

Optimal presentation of three-dimensional information on a two-dimensional display screen requires careful design of the projection to the display surface. Monoscopic perspective projection alone is usually not sufficient to represent three-dimensional spatial information. It can, however, be improved by the adjustment of perspective parameters and by geometric visual enhancements such as reference lines and a background grid. Stereoscopic display is another method of providing three-dimensional information to the human operator. Two experiments are performed with three-axis manual tracking tasks. The first experiment investigates the effects of perspective parameters on tracking performance. The second experiment investigates the effects of visual enhancements for both monoscopic and stereoscopic displays. Results indicate that, though stereoscopic displays do generally permit superior tracking performance, monoscopic displays can allow equivalent performance when they are defined with optimal perspective parameters and provided with adequate visual enhancements.
The condensation pump: An improved form of high vacuum pump

Abstract Two new types of condensation pump are described, one built wholly of glass and the other wholly of mental. In these pumps a blast of mercury vapor carries the gas into a condenser. This action is similar to that in a steam ejector and in a Gaede diffusion pump. The method by which the gas is brought into the mercury vapor blast in the condensation pump is based on a new principle which is essentially different from that employed in the steam ejector or Gaede diffusion pump. In the new pumps the gas to be exhausted is caught by the blast of vapor and is forced by gas friction to travel along a cooled surface. By maintaining this surface at such a low temperature that the condensed mercury does not re-evaporate at at appreciable rate, it is possible to keep the mercury vapor from escaping into the vessel being exhausted. The action of this pump therefore de- pends primarily upon the fact that all the atoms of mercury strik- ing a mercury-covered surface are condensed (no matter what the temperature), instead of even a fraction of them being reflected from the surface. It is for this reason that the term condensation pump is proposed. The condensation pump is characterized by extreme speed (3000–4000 Cc. per second, or even more, if desired), by sim- plicity and reliability, and by the absence of lower limit (other than zero) to which the pressure may be reduced. By the aid of this pump pressures lower than 10−5 bars have been produced and measured. To obtain the full benefit of the high speed of these pumps, it is necessary to use connecting tubing of very large size. Equa- tions are given by which the effect on the speed of exhaustion produced by tubing of any given dimensions may be calculated.
An evaluation of the accuracy of the ORange (Gen II) by comparing it to the IOLMaster in the prediction of postoperative refraction.

Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of ORange® Gen II (WaveTec Vision, Aliso Viejo, CA).
Application of the Reciprocity Theorem to Nondestructive Evaluation

A review is given of the application of the reciprocity theorem to acoustic measurement of flaws. Starting from the reciprocity theorem derived by Auld and Kino, a discussion of how the theory is applied to cracks and to bulk flaws is given. The experimental results obtained for measurement of crack size and stress intensity factor agree well with the theory.
Photodriven heterogeneous charge transfer with transition-metal compounds anchored to TiO2 semiconductor surfaces

A critical review of light-driven interfacial charge-transfer reactions of transition-metal compounds anchored to mesoporous, nanocrystalline TiO2 (anatase) thin films is described. The review highlights molecular insights into metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) excited states, mechanisms of interfacial charge separation, inter- and intra-molecular electron transfer, and interfacial charge-recombination processes that have been garnered through various spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques. The relevance of these processes to optimization of solar-energy-conversion efficiencies is discussed (483 references).
Use of flow cytometry in an apoptosis assay to determine pH and temperature stability of shiga-like toxin 1.

Abstract Shiga toxins and Shiga-like toxins (Stx) are a relatively large group of cytotoxins produced by certain serotypes of Shigella and E. coli (STEC) . These toxins are responsible for diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis and may induce hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) with serious consequences in young children. The toxins are proteins made up of 5 small B subunits responsible for binding to an outer membrane ligand on host cells and surround the larger, biologically active A subunit. For Shiga-like toxin 1 (Stx1), the cellular receptor is the carbohydrate globotriose. Stx1was purified from STEC. We utilized induction of apoptosis in the human monocyte cell line THP-1, as a biological endpoint to test the stability of Stx1 activity added to fruit punch at different pH (2–9) and temperatures (4 and 20 °C). A flow cytometric method was used to test for early and late apoptotic events based on binding of R -phycoerytherin-labeled annexin V to exposed membrane phosphatidyl serine. Membrane permeability to 7-Amino-actinomycin corresponds with late apoptosis or necrosis. The combination of acid pH and higher storage temperature resulted in greatest degree of toxin inactivation. This approach provides a rapid and high throughput method to determine the functional activity of Stx1, and related toxins in a food matrix.
Why CSCW needs science policy (and vice versa)

This paper explores the relationship between CSCW studies of scientific collaboration and the larger worlds of science practice and policy they are embedded in. We argue that CSCW has much to learn from debates in science policy, including questions around the changing nature of science and science-society relations that are partly but obliquely referenced in technology- or data-centered accounts of scientific change. At the same time, science policy has much to learn from CSCW -- about design, infrastructure, and the organizational complexities of distributed collaborative practice. We conclude with recommendations for a better integration of the CSCW and science policy literatures around collaboration and new infrastructure development in the sciences, and speculation around what a post-normal cyberinfrastructure -- and post-normal CSCW -- might look like.
Resonance effects on the inner-valence levels of SF6 in the photon-energy range 52–72 eV

Abstract We report the photoionization partial cross section and asymmetry parameter in the 52–72 eV photon-energy range for the inner-valence orbitais (3t1u, 2eg, and 4a1g) in gaseous SF6. These results, combined with those for the (inner valence)/(outer valence) branching ratio, indicate resonant enhancement of the inner-valence levels at ≈ 59 eV photon energy which we associate with the 3t1u → eg shape resonance predicted by MSM Xα calculations.
Pregnancy-Specific Changes in Uterine Artery Endothelial Cell Signaling in Vivo Are Both Programmed and Retained in Primary Culture

Ovine uterine artery (UA) endothelial cells (UAEC) maintained in culture to passage 4 retain pregnancy-specific changes in vasodilator production, which in turn is associated with differences in Ca2+ and ERK 1/2 signaling. The question remains whether this is an accurate portrayal of the situation in vivo, or more simply whether these same signaling responses seen at passage 4 accurately reflect those functioning in the cells in vivo. Small groups of endothelial nitric oxide synthase-positive cells from both pregnant and nonpregnant ewes were freshly isolated and used to image changes in the intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) using fura 2 and to detect ERK 1/2 phosphorylation by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, detailed comparisons of mRNA species were made between freshly isolated and cultured (passage 4) cells using cDNA microarray analysis and verified, where possible, using PowerBlot analysis. Freshly isolated cells showed no detectable [Ca2+]i elevation in response to angiotensin II,...
Pathological changes following salivary duct ligature in cockroaches

Abstract Ligature of the ducts in the salivary complex of Periplaneta americana, Blabera gigantea , and Gramphodorina portentosa induces the formation of cysts in which protein material is encapsulated and melanized. They occur only in parts of the salivary complex distal to the point of ligature. Neither mitotic figures nor DNA synthesis could be detected in cells of the cyst, and it is concluded that they are not tumors but arise as encapsulating hemocytes gather about foci of cell and salivary secretion which are degenerating in response to impounding by ligature. Damage to the recurrent nerve does not influence the formation of the cysts.
Nanocomposites of rigid polyamide dispersed in flexible vinyl polymer

Abstract Polymer composites consisting of a rigid poly( p -benzamide) (PBA) and a flexible poly(vinyl chloride-co-vinyl acetate-co-2-hydroxypropyl acrylate) (PVVH) were prepared by a two-step method. A nanoscale level of mixing in the solid state was achieved. In the first step, a turbid, viscous PBA dispersion was obtained by the direct polycondensation of p -aminobenzoic acid in N,N′ -dimethylacetamide (DMAc) under mild reaction conditions. In the second step, the PBA dispersion was mixed with a solution of PVVH in DMAc. A clear and homogeneous solution, which may be under certain conditions thermodynamically stable, was thus obtained, from which the polymer composite was recovered by precipitation in methanol. The composites could be re-dissolved in DMAc, generating slightly turbid solutions. The thin films prepared via casting exhibited rather good transparency. FT i.r. revealed the presence of hydrogen bonding between the two polymers. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the presence of uniformly dispersed PBA particles with sizes between 50 and 70 nm. The yield and tensile strengths and Young's modulus increased two- to three-fold, while the elongation decreased, when the PBA content increased from 0 to 25 wt%. Within the scanning range, a single T g was identified in the composites by differential scanning calorimetry, which increased with increasing PBA content during the first thermal scanning; only the T g of the PVVH was detected during the second scanning. The chemical resistance of PBA/PVVH composites was significantly enhanced compared to that of PVVH. The strong interactions between PBA and PVVH, which act as physical cross-linkers, are responsible for the behaviour of these composites.
To Wrap or Not: The Controversy Continues

McAteer and colleagues1 use the Pediatric Health Information System database to evaluate factors associated with progression to antireflux procedures (ARPs) in children hospitalized for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Theydemonstrated that children younger than 2 months are more likely to undergo ARPs compared with older children. Furthermore, childrenwith additional comorbidites are more likely to undergo ARPs. These findings are not new and are expected within the pediatric surgical community. Buriedwithin this report is the true controversy regarding the management of GERD in children. Physiologic reflux/ regurgitation iscommonin infantsand,giventime,asignificant proportion of childrenwill simply outgrow their reflux symptoms. The authors point out that no uniformworkupwas performedbefore theoperative intervention.Furthermore, the indicationsforARPsvaried.Thus,theauthors logicallymakeaplea for standardization of theworkup and indications for ARPs in children todeterminewhich children reallyneedoperative interventionvs time tooutgrow their symptoms.Unfortunately, thisstudydoesnothingtoaddressthosepleasforstandardmedicalmanagement andworkup before proceedingwith ARPs. Given that an ARP remains one of the most common operationsperformedbypediatric surgeons, I amperplexed that a standard workup and clear indications for such procedures in childrendonot exist as theydo inadults.One reason for this difference is that children with GERD typically present with feeding problems and have additional comorbidities that influence the need for an ARP. It is common to see a newborn with severe cardiac disease and minimal physiologic reserve who cannot tolerate oral feedings. Should only a gastrostomy tube be inserted, with the risk of aspiration and even death given the patient’s fragile state, or should an ARP be performed (despite no clinical evidence of GERD) in addition to the gastrostomy tube? Another common scenario is a newbornwithneurologic compromisewhoonly tolerates continuous feedings via a postpyloric feeding tube.Oral/gavage feedings result inemesiswithoccasional apneaandcyanotic spells. How long should this patient remain in the hospital and be treated medically to determine whether he or she will outgrowthesesymptoms?Should thesurgeonrecommendanARP to facilitate discharge from the hospital and to prevent future complications (eg, aspirationpneumonia)?Areadditional studies required in either patient to make these decisions? As demonstrated above, care of children with GERD is complex and involves many different factors. Although the authors recognize the ongoing controversy in the management of GERD in infants and children, the data reported in this study are derived from an administrative database that simply does not provide enough details to make any significant conclusions.
Opioid Prescribing: Can the Art Become More Science?

There is controversy regarding the effectiveness and safety of long-term opioid therapy for the treatment of chronic pain. Since the 1980s, a four-fold increase in opioid prescribing has been correlated with a four-fold increase in unintentional opioid overdose deaths and a six-fold increase in substance abuse treatment admissions for prescription opioid addiction. 1 Unrealistic expectations by patients, patients’ families and providers regarding the benefits of opioids, and lack of understanding of the potential risks and harms complicate opioid prescribing. While not all patients with chronic pain improve on chronic opioid therapy, 2 some do. For those patients who do not respond, uncontrolled dose escalation often ensues, all in a desperate yet futile attempt to obtain pain relief. In this issue of JGIM, Becker and colleagues address important issues for the safe and effective use of opioids in treating chronic pain in primary care. 3 They suggest key areas of research aimed at reducing inappropriate prescribing. They begin by characterizing “appropriate ongoing opioid prescribing” and then identify quality improvement priorities, including: 1) developing brief, patient-administered screening checklists that incorporate items related to safety, efficacy and misuse; 2) developing treatment pathways to manage safety-related issues, low efficacy and problems related to misuse; and 3) promoting patient-centered, multimodal treatment plans. I agree with their characterization that appropriate prescribing should include measures of efficacy, safety and harm; however the devil is in the details. Measures of efficacy, safety and harm are subjective impressions of the patient and the provider, even when assessed using validated “objective” multidimensional scales such as the Brief Pain Inventory. 4 How much improvement in pain, functionand quality of life is enough to say the opioid treatment is efficacious for any given patient? Does a pain score that improves from 9 to 7 on a 10point scale warrant continued opioid therapy? Is walking an additional block to the store once per week enough functional
Role of positron emission tomography in the staging of lung cancer.

Early detection and staging of lung cancer is important in initiating rapid treatment and improving prognosis. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging have a high resolution and are able to reveal structural abnormalities, but still have problems differentiating benign from malignant lesions. Lesion size is used as a distinguishing parameter but definite diagnosis still relies on invasive procedures. Positron emission tomography (PET) is based on imaging of biochemical processes in vivo. PET is unique by disclosing metabolic differences between benign and malignant disease, e.g. glucose utilization. Here, the role of PET in diagnosis and (re)-staging of lung cancer as well as monitoring of therapy response will be reviewed.