cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dioxygen Complexes as Intermediates in Metal-Catalyzed Oxidation of Organic Substances

The direct oxidation of organic substances by metal ions is well known and many systems have been thoroughly investigated. Oxidation of organic substrates by molecular oxygen in the presence of metal ions may occur through the same mechanism, i.e., by direct oxidation of the organic ligand through an inner sphere electron transfer from the ligandto the metal ion followed by reoxidation of the metal ion in solution by molecular oxygen. In certain cases evidence has been found for a concerted reaction involving a metal-ligand dioxygen complex. For this reason it is of interest to explore the evidence for dioxygen complexes as intermediates in metal catalyzed oxidation reactions. In many systems the presence of an oxygen complex as an intermediate has been inferred through a study of reaction kinetics. Such complexes are usually unstable and exist in solution in trace amounts that are undetectable. With the recent advances that have occurred in the synthesis of a wide variety of dioxygen complexes of metal ions (primarily cobalt(II)), it is now possible to study the direct oxidation of organic substrates by di-oxygen complexes. It is of interest to study such reactions as models for oxidase and oxygenase enzyme systems, and for the information that redox reactions of dioxygen complexes would provide on analogous reactions in which a dioxygen complex occurs only as a reactive intermediate at very low concentration.
Effect of Rheology and Slip on Lubricant Deformation and Disk-to-Head Transfer During Heat-Assisted Magnetic Recording (HAMR)

The high-temperature laser heating during heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) causes the media lubricant to deform and transfer to the head via evaporation/condensation. The ability of the lubricant to withstand this writing process and sufficiently recover post-writing is critical for robust read/write performance. Moreover, the media-to-head lubricant transfer causes a continuous deposition of contaminants originating from the media at the head near field transducer, challenging the reliability of HAMR drives. Most previous studies on the effects of laser exposure on lubricant depletion have assumed the lubricant to be a viscous fluid and have modeled its behavior using traditional lubrication theory. However, Perfluoropolyether lubricants are viscoelastic fluids and are expected to exhibit a combination of viscous and elastic behavior at the timescale of HAMR. In this paper, we introduce a modification to the traditional Reynolds lubrication equation using the linear Maxwell constitutive equation and a slip boundary condition. We study the deformation and recovery of the lubricant due to laser heating under the influence of thermocapillary stress and disjoining pressure. Subsequently, we use this modified lubrication equation to develop a model that predicts the media-to-head lubricant transfer during HAMR. This model simultaneously determines the deformation and evaporation of the viscoelastic lubricant film on the disk, the diffusion of the vapor phase lubricant in the air bearing, and the evolution of the condensed lubricant film on the head. We investigate the effect of viscoelasticity, lubricant type (Zdol vs Ztetraol), molecular weight, slip, and disjoining pressure on the lubricant transfer process.
Neuropeptide Y receptor interactions regulate its mitogenic activity

Abstract Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a multifunctional neurotransmitter acting via G protein-coupled receptors - Y1R, Y2R and Y5R. NPY activities, such as its proliferative effects, are mediated by multiple receptors, which have the ability to dimerize. However, the role of this receptor interplay in NPY functions remains unclear. The goal of the current study was to identify NPY receptor interactions, focusing on the ligand-binding fraction, and determine their impact on the mitogenic activity of the peptide. Y1R, Y2R and Y5R expressed in CHO-K1 cells formed homodimers detectable on the cell surface by cross-linking. Moreover, Y1R and Y5R heterodimerized, while no Y2R/Y5R heterodimers were detected. Nevertheless, Y5R failed to block internalization of its cognate receptor in both Y1R/Y5R and Y2R/Y5R transfectants, indicating Y5R transactivation upon stimulation of the co-expressed receptor. These receptor interactions correlated with an augmented mitogenic response to NPY. In Y1R/Y5R and Y2R/Y5R transfectants, the proliferative response started at picomolar NPY concentrations, while nanomolar concentrations were needed to trigger proliferation in cells transfected with single receptors. Thus, our data identify direct and indirect heterotypic NPY receptor interactions as the mechanism amplifying its activity. Understanding these processes is crucial for the design of treatments targeting the NPY system.
Change in Plant-Based Diet Quality Is Associated with Changes in Plasma Adiposity-Associated Biomarker Concentrations in Women.

BACKGROUND A healthful plant-based diet is associated with lower risk of cardiometabolic diseases. However, it is still unclear whether such benefits are due to its favorable effects on adiposity-associated biomarkers. OBJECTIVE We investigated the associations between biomarkers and 3 plant-based diet indices: an overall plant-based diet index (PDI); a healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI); and an unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI). METHODS In the Nurses' Health Study II, 831 women [baseline mean age: 45 y; body mass index (BMI, kg/m2): 24.6] were randomly selected from those who provided 2 blood samples in 1996-1999 and 2010-2011 to measure plasma concentrations of adiponectin, leptin, soluble leptin receptor (sOB-R), insulin, retinol-binding protein-4, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Plant-based diet indices were derived from semiquantitative food frequency questionnaires assessed at each blood collection. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate cross-sectional associations, and general linear models were used to evaluate longitudinal associations. RESULTS In cross-sectional analyses with multivariable adjustment including BMI, higher hPDI was associated with lower concentrations of leptin, insulin, and hsCRP, and higher adiponectin and sOB-R concentrations (biomarker differences per 10-point higher hPDI: -7.2%, -10.0%, -13.6%, 3.0%, and 1.9%, respectively; P ≤ 0.025). A higher uPDI was associated with higher concentrations of leptin and insulin (4.4% and 4.8%, respectively; P ≤ 0.048). In longitudinal analyses with multivariable adjustment including weight change, an increase in hPDI (improved plant-based diet quality) was inversely associated with changes in leptin and hsCRP (biomarker changes per 10-point hPDI increase: -7.7% and -17.8%, respectively; P ≤ 0.005), whereas an increase in uPDI (worsened plant-based diet quality) was positively associated with changes in leptin, hsCRP, and IL-6 (10.1%, 13.5%, and 12.4%, respectively; P ≤ 0.021). CONCLUSIONS Adherence to a healthful plant-based diet is associated with favorable long-term changes in adiposity-associated biomarker concentrations in women.
Fostering Civic Health: An Analysis of the Generative and Mediating Activities of Community-Based Organizations:

Civic engagement in U.S. political life has declined since the 1950s resulting in a deluge of studies that explore its causes and implications. Research to date has directed little attention to the...
The effects of open captions in a medical drama on the acquisition of medical terminology about chronic health conditions related to physical injury

ABSTRACTBackground: Despite previous efforts to improve health literacy through entertainment media, current practice seems to address only a few public health topics. Purpose: We examined the impa...
Post-translational modification of BUB3, a mitotic checkpoint protein, by SUMO and ubiquitin in the development of cancer.

5210 Primary cultures derived from benign epithelial tumors (cystadenomas) were infected with an adenoviral vector for SV40 large T antigen, leading to the isolation of a cell strain called ML10. These cells can be propagated for at least 40 population doublings in vitro before undergoing a crisis characterized by severe numerical chromosomal instability resulting in aneuploidy. A clone of ML10, called MCV50, spontaneously immortalized, providing a longitudinal in vitro model of ovarian cancer development. We hypothesized that the post-translational modifications catalyzed by ubiquitin and SUMO are associated with the phenomena of in vitro crisis and immortalization. Hence, nuclear protein extracts isolated from ML10 (mortal) and MCV50 (immortal) cells were separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and analyzed by Western blotting using antibodies against ubiquitin and SUMO. Two protein complexes, with respective molecular weights of 40kDa and 105kDa, appeared to be differentially ubiquitinated and sumoylated in ML10 and MCV50 cells. Protein sequencing analyses revealed that both protein complexes contained BUB3, an important checkpoint protein that plays a critical role in mitotic regulation by ensuring that cells with misaligned chromosomes do not prematurely enter anaphase. This is achieved in part by inhibition of the anaphase promoting complex (APC), an ubiquitin ligase necessary for chromosomal separation. Western blot analysis of ML10 and MCV50 nuclear protein extracts confirmed that BUB3 co-immunoprecipitated with both post-translational modifier proteins in complexes of similar sizes to those observed in the two-dimensional gels. A higher abundance of the sumoylated 105kDa complex was seen in ML10, while a higher abundance of the ubiquitinated 40kDa complex was seen in MCV50. Given that ML10 cells typically undergo a G2/M arrest as they approach crisis and given the role of BUB3 in ensuring proper chromosomal segregation, we hypothesize that formation of the sumoylated 105 kDa protein complex may be triggered by mitotic errors and plays an active role in the establishment of cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase in response to such errors. This would explain why immortal cells such as MCV50, that have recovered from crisis and have a stable ploidy compared to cells in crisis, only show trace amounts of this sumoylated complex. The apparent inverse relationship between expression of the sumoylated 105kDa BUB3 complex and that of the ubiquitinated 40kDa BUB3 complex suggests a role for ubiquitination in down-regulation of the 105kDa complex.
Telomere length in COPD: Relationships with physical activity, exercise capacity, and acute exacerbations.

Rationale Shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with reduced health-related quality of life and increased risk for acute exacerbations (AEs) and mortality in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Increased physical activity and exercise capacity are associated with reduced risk for AEs and death. However, the relationships between LTL and physical activity, exercise capacity, and AEs in COPD are unknown. Methods Data from 3 COPD cohorts were examined: Cohort 1 (n = 112, physical activity intervention trial), Cohorts 2 and 3 (n = 182 and 294, respectively, separate observational studies). Subjects completed a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) and provided blood for LTL assessment using real-time PCR. Physical activity was measured as average daily step count using an accelerometer or pedometer. Number of self-reported AEs was available for 1) the year prior to enrollment (Cohorts 1 and 3) and 2) prospectively after enrollment (all cohorts). Multivariate models examined associations between LTL and average daily step count, 6MWT distance, and AEs. Results A significant association between longer LTL and increased 6MWT distance was observed in the three combined cohorts (β = 3x10-5, p = 0.045). No association between LTL and average daily step count was observed. Shorter LTL was associated with an increased number of AEs in the year prior to enrollment (Cohorts 1 and 3 combined, β = -1.93, p = 0.04) and with prospective AEs (Cohort 3, β = -1.3388, p = 0.0003). Conclusions Among COPD patients, increased LTL is associated with higher exercise capacity, but not physical activity. Shorter LTL was associated with AEs in a subgroup of cohorts.
A significação no domínio do discurso e na relação indivíduo-sociedade

Este trabalho parte do pressuposto de que a capacidade simbolica, base da significacao, e condicao de integracao humana a linguagem. A instauracao de um lugar de significacao na linguagem e explicada neste texto por meio da teorizacao de Emile Benveniste sobre a atualizacao da lingua em discurso. Por nascer na cultura (BENVENISTE, 1995; 1989), o locutor, a cada ato de enunciacao, realiza um acontecimento diferente e novo para fazer a passagem a sujeito e, nessa passagem, registra, no discurso, o modo como se instaura nos valores culturais impressos na lingua da sociedade onde vive. Nesse sentido, o locutor se inclui no discurso, implanta o outro diante de si e se situa na sociedade. A partir disso, o estudo procura responder a seguinte questao: como propor um estudo de texto a partir dessa abordagem de linguagem? Para fundamentar a reflexao, analiticamente, e apresentado o estudo de um texto escrito, com a exploracao do modo como o locutor sintagmatiza formas no discurso para produzir sentidos para o alocutario.
The Corporate Supply of (Quasi) Safe Assets

Investors value safety services in financial assets, such as the ability to serve as a store of value, to serve as collateral, or to meet mandatory capital and liquidity requirements. I present a model in which investors value safety services not only in traditional safe assets such as US Treasuries, but also in corporate debt. Shareholders thus maximize the value of the firm by complementing standard business operations with safe asset creation. Based on this theoretical framework, I use the CDS-bond basis to derive a measurement of the safety premium of corporate bonds. I document substantial cross sectional variation in the safety premium of corporate bonds, which allows me to test the model's predictions. I show that a high safety premium leads to a marked increase in debt issuance by relatively safer firms. These debt proceeds have a small impact on real investment and are largely used instead for equity payouts. This mechanism can explain why, in the aftermath of the financial crisis, non-financial investment grade companies significantly increased their debt issuance and equity payout while investment remained weak.
Practical Operational Readiness Gambits: Operations Training Simulations for the Curiosity Rover

The Mars Science Laboratory team had been putting in effort to make a Training Venue to allow for parallel shadow tactical operations for trainees to actively work alongside the prime tactical operations personnel without affecting operations, since staffing constraints and shortened operations timelines were straining the tactical process in supporting operations trainees in the traditional way. The COVID- 19 Pandemic presented further challenges in continuing on-console training for MSL operations trainees. The MSL operations team switched to fully remote operations, thus hampering the direct mentorship a trainee would normally receive while on site at JPL. The Mars 2020 training team had developed a concept for rover operations training simulations based on Johnson Space Center's extensive simulations training program for astronauts and flight controllers. The MSL team borrowed this idea, and implemented these training simulations which are called Practical Operational Readiness Gambits (PORGs). The PORGs so far have focused on the Science Planner and Rover Planner roles, which are two crucial roles in tactical operations that engage in key interactions throughout a shift. PORGs are based on actual sol scenarios that have occurred on Mars and follow the tactical operations process and timeline as closely as possible. However, unlike an operations shift, PORGs can slow down or pause to allow for more mentoring time. PORGs can focus on particular skills to test the trainees on their understanding of a concept. PORGs increase in complexity with each scenario to ease the trainees into more typical tactical operations workloads. As more trainees join the MSL operations team, more roles are being incorporated into PORGs. There are plans to incorporate certified operations personnel into PORGs to practice anomaly response situations. PORGs have become an essential part of the MSL operations training program and will continue even after the return to on-site operations at JPL.
Genetic and phenotypic characterization of the fungal pathogen Cytospora plurivora from western Colorado peach orchards and the development of a ddPCR assay for detection and quantification.

Cytospora canker is one of the most important diseases affecting peach production in Colorado, yet previous efforts to characterize Cytospora species diversity in Colorado have relied exclusively on morphological traits. Recently, several new Cytospora species were described from peach orchards within the United States using molecular and morphological data, prompting the need to reexamine Cytospora spp. present on peach trees in Colorado. A total of 137 isolates of Cytospora spp. were collected from eight orchards in western Colorado. Isolates were sequenced at the ITS (internal transcribed spacer) region and EF1a (elongation factor 1 alpha) and assessed with reference sequences in phylogenetic analyses. All isolates from western Colorado peach trees resolved with the newly described Cytospora plurivora. In addition to molecular characterization, temperature growth and virulence assays were conducted to assess phenotypic variation among the isolates from western Colorado. Variation across isolates was found both in growth at different temperatures and in virulence. Ancestral state reconstruction analyses resolved the most virulent (and most often collected) haplotypes together in a well-supported clade from which a single monophyletic origin of high virulence can be inferred. Finally, a droplet digital PCR assay was developed for use in ongoing and future studies to detect and quantify C. plurivora from field and laboratory samples.
Does Combined Temporomandibular Joint Reconstruction With Patient-Fitted Total Joint Prosthesis and Orthognathic Surgery Provide Stable Skeletal and Occlusal Outcomes in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Patients?

Purpose To determine skeletal and occlusal surgical changes and long-term stability outcomes for patients diagnosed with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) after TMJ reconstruction with TMJ Concepts patient-fitted total joint prostheses (TJP) and concomitant maxillary orthognathic surgery. Material/Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted of all patients diagnosed with JIA, receiving TJP, and concomitant maxillary orthognathic surgery between 1991 and 2019, at Baylor University Medical Center treated by 1 surgeon. Patient evaluations presurgery (T1), immediate postsurgery (T2), and at longest follow-up (LFU) (T3) were analyzed using 20 cephalometric landmarks to compute 29 linear and angular measurements to determine surgical changes, long-term skeletal and occlusal stability, as well as oropharyngeal airway changes. Comparative data were tested for significance (α = 0.05) using paired and unpaired t tests. Results Forty-two patients met the JIA inclusion criteria, with a median age of 17.5 years and median postsurgical follow-up of 26 months. There were significant surgical changes (T1-T2) (P ≤ .05) for all parameters associated with mandibular linear and angular surgical changes, except for the horizontal position of posterior nasal spine and the vertical/horizontal position of gonion, indicating highly stable surgical outcomes. There were significant improvements in the oropharyngeal airway dimensions. Conclusions This study suggests that TMJ Concepts patient-fitted TJP for TMJ reconstruction in conjunction with maxillary orthognathic surgery for counterclockwise rotation of the maxillo-mandibular complex for the JIA patients provides long-term skeletal and occlusal stability as well as dimensional improvement in the oropharyngeal airway.
La Ciudad de México y el fin de la utopía

En este articulo se aprecia un recuento de la vision que han tenido diversos autores sobre la Ciudad de Mexico en sus textos literarios, dicha revision va desde la poesia azteca, los grandes cronistas como Cortes y Diaz del Castillo, los poetas novohispanos como Bernardo de Balbuena, Fernandez de Lizardi, y algunos autores contemporaneos. A traves de los textos se constata un proceso que va del optimismo de la descripcion citadina al pesimismo de los autores al referirse a la ciudad, y donde la utopia que encarnaba la ciudad finaliza.
Files, Indexicals and Descriptivism

Recanati’s book contains stimulating discussions of a great many interesting problems and repays careful reading. My comments focus on some questions about indexicals and descriptions. Recanati defends Singularism against Descriptivism. The Singularist claims (i) the semantic contribution of a referring term to the proposition expressed by an utterance in which it figures is its referent; (ii) one needs acquaintance with, or more generally an epistemically rewarding (ER) relation to the referent, if one is to think a singular thought about it. On Recanati’s view, Singularists can better defend these two theses by including mental files in their account, using files to play the roles usually assigned to modes of presentation. Descriptivism denies (i), holding that referring terms contribute descriptive content to the proposition expressed, where this content in turn determines reference. Descriptivism runs into trouble, according to Recanati, because it neglects the ‘relational character of reference determination’ (22). He makes a good point here — this neglect is arguably the root of Descriptivism’s vulnerability to the socalled ‘modal argument.’1 But of course Descriptivism can be modified to address the problem by injecting relational properties into the descriptive content associated with a referring term.2 For example, one sees Mt. Blanc and thinks ‘that peak is dramatic.’ The amended
Chapter 1 – Theories of acquired immunity

Publisher Summary The Latin words “immunitas” and “immunis” have their origin in the legal concept of an exemption: initially, in ancient Rome, they were described as the exemption of an individual from service or duty, and later in the Middle Ages, the exemption of the Church and its properties and personnel from civil control. This chapter describes the theories of acquired immunity, it has as minimal prerequisites: the concept of an etiologic agent, a concept of transmission of agent, an understanding of the specificity and general reproducibility of a disease, and some concept of host–parasite interaction. The chapter also explains a distension theory: iatrophysics. The new physical sciences had important implications for contemporary medical thought, and affected the manner in which diseases were viewed and their therapies formulated. Two new schools of medicine arose as a result of the scientific advances, each vying to apply its theories and its therapeutic regimens to the diseased patient. In addition, some of the depletion theories are also explained, such as Cotton Mather: 1724, Thomas Fuller: 1730, the innate seed, and James Kirkpatrick: 1754.
The Last Afternoon

W? have been having sex twice a week For as long as I can remember. I see no reason this day should be different. We're long past what the species needs in our acts; We are enough our own morphology to do as we like. To give a little license shows but how, With measures out of hand, you fall to The base of our lives and petty hysterias. I shall be no party. The time each morning I put aside to work in the garden this morning Will be spent working in the garden. Economics Jingoism geopolitics and pounding Your worn flesh on that rough mattress is not My concern. Think of how at the first The thing will be like McClellan's July Fourth fireworks. Years we have been past the dramatic?on the porch, Or in the bed. Enjoy the goddamned sight.
Time series infrared spectroscopy of long period variables

Time series spectra of 4 Miras and 5 SRa variables have been measured. The Miras may be grouped into at least 2 kinematic classes. The photospheres SR variables exhibit amplitudes of a few km s−1. In addition, both the SR and Mira variables have a non-cyclic velocity variations of a few km s−1.
RANTES-Induced Chemokine Cascade in Dendritic Cells

Dendritic cells (DC) are the most potent APCs and the principal activators of naive T cells. We now report that chemokines can serve as activating agents for immature DC. Murine bone marrow-derived DC respond to the CC chemokine RANTES (10–100 ng/ml) by production of proinflammatory mediators. RANTES induces rapid expression of transcripts for the CXC chemokines KC and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2, the CC chemokines MIP-1β and MIP-1α, and the cytokines TNF-α and IL-6. Synthesis of KC, IL-6, and TNF-α proteins were also demonstrated. After 4 h, autoinduction of RANTES transcripts was observed. These responses are chemokine specific. Although DC demonstrated weak responses to eotaxin, DC failed to respond to other chemokines including KC, MIP-2, stromal-derived factor-1α, MIP-1β, MIP-1α, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, T cell activation gene 3, or thymus-derived chemotactic agent 4. In addition, RANTES treatment up-regulated expression of an orphan chemokine receptor termed Eo1. Chemokine induction was also observed after treatment of splenic DC and neonatal microglia with RANTES, but not after treatment of thymocytes or splenocytes depleted of adherent cells. TNF-α-treated DC lose responsiveness to RANTES. DC from mice deficient for CCR1, CCR3, and CCR5 respond to RANTES, indicating that none of these receptors are exclusively used to initiate the chemokine cascade. RANTES-mediated chemokine amplification in DC may prolong inflammatory responses and shape the microenvironment, potentially enhancing acquired and innate immune responses.
Unexpected Inflammatory Effects of Intravaginal Gels (Universal Placebo Gel and Nonoxynol-9) on the Upper Female Reproductive Tract: A Randomized Crossover Study.

Intravaginal anti-HIV microbicides could provide women with a self-controlled means for HIV prevention, but results from clinical trials have been largely disappointing. We postulated that unrecognized effects of intravaginal gels on the upper female reproductive tract might contribute to the lower-than-expected efficacy of HIV microbicides. Our objective was to study the effects of intravaginal gels on the immune microenvironment of the cervix and uterus. In this randomized crossover study, 27 healthy female volunteers used a nightly application of intravaginal nonoxynol-9 (N9) gel as a “failed” microbicide or the universal placebo gel (UPG) as a “safe” gel (intervention cycles), or nothing (control cycle) from the end of menses to the mid-luteal phase. At a specific time-point following ovulation, all participants underwent sample collection for measurements of T-cell phenotypes, gene expression, and cytokine/chemokine protein concentrations from 3 anatomic sites above the vagina: the cervical transformation zone, the endocervix and the endometrium. We used hierarchical statistical models to estimate mean (95% CI) intervention effects, for N9 and UPG relative to control. Exposure to N9 gel and UPG generated a common “harm signal” that included transcriptional up-regulation of inflammatory genes chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 20 (macrophage inflammatory factor-3alpha) and interleukin 8 in the cervix, decreased protein concentrations of secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor, and transcriptional up-regulation of inflammatory mediators glycodelin-A and osteopontin in the endometrium. These results need to be replicated with a larger sample, but underscore the need to consider the effects of microbicide agents and gel excipients on the upper female reproductive tract in studies of vaginal microbicides.
Visual Analysis of Program Flow Data with Data Propagation

Host based program monitoring tools are an essential part of maintaining proper system integrity due to growing malicious network activity. As systems become more complicated, the quantity of data collected by these tools often grows beyond the ability of analysts to easily comprehend in a short amount of time. In this paper, we present a method for visual exploration of a system program flow over time to aid in the detection and identification of significant events. This allows automatic accentuation of programs with irregular file access and child process propagation, which results in more efficient forensic analysis and system recovery times.
Electronic Forms-Based Computing for Evidentiary Analysis

The paperwork associated with evidentiary collection and analysis is a highly repetitive and time-consuming process which often involves duplication of work and can frequently result in documentary errors. Electronic entry of evidencerelated information can facilitate greater accuracy and less time spent on data entry. This manuscript describes a general framework for the implementation of an electronic tablet-based system for evidentiary processing. This framework is then utilized in the design and implementation of an electronic tablet-based evidentiary input prototype system developed for use by forensic laboratories which serves as a verification of the proposed framework. The manuscript concludes with a discussion of implications and recommendations for the implementation and use of tablet-based computing for evidence analysis.
Successful treatment of intravenously abused oral Opana ER‐induced thrombotic microangiopathy without plasma exchange

In January 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported an illness associated with intravenous (IV) abuse of oral Opana ER (oxymorphone) in Tennessee. The clinical presentation of this syndrome was reported to resemble that of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura in the 15 patients reported; 12 were treated with plasma exchange. We report a similar case series of 15 patients with 18 episodes of thrombotic microangiopathy associated with recent IV abuse of oral Opana ER. In our series, we demonstrate that therapeutic plasma exchange is unnecessary; supportive care and treatment of underlying infections and renal dysfunction (without use of plasma exchange) resulted in clinical improvement in all patients. Thus, it appears that plasma exchange with associated costs and risks can be safely omitted in patients with thrombotic microangiopathy resulting from IV abuse of oral Opana ER.
Treatment of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency with ergocalciferol is associated with reduced vascular access dysfunction in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is highly prevalent among patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to determine the relationship between vitamin D and frequency of vascular access dysfunction (VAD) in hemodialysis (HD) patients. We reviewed medical records of all HD patients who had serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) levels at 4 outpatient dialysis facilities between January 2011 and January 2012. Patients were included if they were ≥18 years of age, had been on maintenance dialysis for ≥3 months, and had native arteriovenous fistula or synthetic polytetrafluoroethylene grafts for dialysis access. Patients with catheters were excluded. 25-Hydroxyvitamin D levels <30 ng/mL were documented in 183 patients (86%). Median and interquartile range [Q1, Q3] of 25OHD level was 16 [11, 25] ng/mL. Among 213 dialysis patients, 102 had VAD. Median 25OHD level was significantly lower in patients who had VAD than in those without VAD (14.5 [10, 22] vs. 19 [12, 27.5] ng/mL; P = 0.003). There was significant association between VAD and the lowest quartile relative to the highest quartile of 25OHD level. A 25OHD level <12 ng/mL was associated with more than doubling of risk for VAD (OR 2.56; 95% CI [1.05-6.23], P < 0.05). Of 213 patients, 140 were treated with ergocalciferol and 73 were not treated. Treatment was associated with significant reduction in VAD (OR = 0.36; 95% CI [0.19-0.68], P = 0.002). Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency is an independent risk factor for VAD in HD patients; its treatment with ergocalciferol is associated with decreased VAD.
Angular Momentum Transport in Protostellar Disks

Analyses of angular momentum transport in protoplanetary disks are important for the investigation of star formation as well as the origin of the solar system. During the formation stages, the disk dynamics are regulated by mixing of infalling material and disk gas. In the outermost regions of the disk, self, gravity may promote thegrowth of non axisymmetric perturbations and the associated tidal torque can provide an effective angular momentum transfer mechanism. After infall is switched off, convectively driven turbulence provides an effective angular momentum transfer which yields an evolutionary timescale of the order 105–6 y. Convection in protoplanetary disks may eventually be stabilized by surface heating. When the grains in the disk settle into the midplane region, the disk can neither generate its own energy through viscous dissipation nor reflect radiation from the central star. Consequently, the infrared excess vanishes and the young stellar objects become “naked T Tauri stars.” Protoplanetary formation modifies the structure and evolution of the disk when protogiant planets acquire sufficient mass to truncate the disk. In this case, a protoplanet’s tidal torque induces the opening of a gap in the vicinity of the protoplanet’s orbit. Gap formation also leads to the termination of protoplanetary growth by accretion. The condition for proto-Jupiter to acquire its present mass implies that the viscous evolution timescale for the disk to be comparable to the age of typical T Tauri stars with circumstellar protoplanetary disks.
Both metal binding sites in the homodimer are required for metalloregulation by the CadC repressor

The cadCA operon of plasmid pI258, which confers resistance to the soft metals Cd(II), Pb(II) and Zn(II), is regulated by CadC, a metal-responsive transcriptional repressor. CadC is a 27.6 kDa homodimer composed of two 122-residue monomers. Three cysteine residues, Cys-7, Cys-58 and Cys-60, have been shown to be required for sensing soft metals. Thus, the repressor has two potential inducer binding sites, one on each monomer. However, it is not known whether both binding sites are required for derepression or whether binding of metal to a single site would result in transcript. In this study, heterodimers were purified in which one binding site was wild type and the other had substitutions of the cysteine residues. The wild type-mutant heterodimers retained the ability to bind to cad operator/promoter DNA but did not dissociate from the DNA upon addition of soft metal ions. The results indicate that both subunits in the dimer must have functional metal binding sites for metal sensing to lead to derepression
Swallows as a Sentinel Species for Contaminant Exposure and Effect Studies

Tree swallows are an important model species to study the effects of contaminants in wild bird populations and have been used extensively in studies across North America. The advantages of swallows compared to other avian species are detailed. Three case histories are provided where swallows have been successfully used in Natural Resource Damage and Ecological Risk Assessments. The final two sections of this chapter are for individuals who want more in-depth information and include a summary of the chemical classes for which there are swallow data, including effect levels when known. Information provided in this section can be used to put exposure to most classes of contaminants into context with other sites across North America. Finally, commonly used endpoints, ranging from population-level down to cellular and genetic endpoints, are discussed including considerations and pitfalls, and when further work is needed to more fully understand the role of environmental and biological variation in interpreting these endpoints.
Left superior vena cava isolation in patients undergoing pulmonary vein antrum isolation: Impact on atrial fibrillation recurrence

Background A persistent left superior vena cava (SVC) can be an arrhythmogenic source in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) through connections from the coronary sinus (CS) and the left atrium (LA). The left SVC can be electrically isolated. However, little clinical data about the impact of left SVC disconnection on AF outcome are available. We report on six patients with left SVC and recurrent AF. Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of left SVC isolation on AF recurrence. Methods Six patients (4 men and 2 women; age 50 ± 6.4 years) with symptomatic drug-refractory AF and persistent left SVC presented to our laboratory for treatment. Four of the patients had left SVC isolation only because there was no conduction recovery in the pulmonary veins (PVs) after several previous procedures. Results Conduction between the left SVC and the CS and LA was documented, as was spontaneous ectopies in three patients that degenerated into AF in one patient. Isolation of the left SVC was successful in all patients. Isolation was relatively easy to perform (10.25 ± 1.6 minutes), with no complications. After follow-up of 13 ± 7.4 months, all patients were in sinus rhythm and free from AF without antiarrhythmic drugs. Conclusion This study stresses the importance of looking for unusual sources of AF in patients presenting for repeat procedures or in those in whom the PVs have been ruled out as a source triggering AF. We present clinical evidence that in patients with AF and left SVC, isolation of the PVs only may not be sufficient to suppress AF. Thus, diagnosis and isolation of the left SVC appears critical to preventing AF recurrence in patients with AF when ablation is considered.
Chromosomal abnormalities in a psychiatric population.

Over a 3.5 year period of time, 345 patients hospitalized for psychiatric problems were evaluated cytogenetically. The patient population included 76% males and 94% children with a mean age of 12 years. The criteria for testing was an undiagnosed etiology for mental retardation and/or autism. Cytogenetic studies identified 11, or 3%, with abnormal karyotypes, including 4 fragile X positive individuals (2 males, 2 females), and 8 with chromosomal aneuploidy, rearrangements, or deletions. While individuals with chromosomal abnormalities do not demonstrate specific behavioral, psychiatric, or developmental problems relative to other psychiatric patients, our results demonstrate the need for an increased awareness to order chromosomal analysis and fragile X testing in those individuals who have combinations of behavioral/psychiatric, learning, communication, or cognitive disturbance. 5 refs., 1 fig., 2 tabs.
Validity of the Wide Range Intelligence Test: Differential Effects across Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Education Level.

This study investigated the differential validity of the Wide Range Intelligence Test, which is a new, brief measure of ability. Participants (N= 744) ranged in age from 5 through 85 years (M = 26.7 years, SD = 21.4 years) and varied by the demographic variables of gender, race/ethnicity (Anglo, African American, Hispanic), and education level (less than high school degree, high school degree, some postsecondary training, college and beyond). General, Verbal, and Visual IQs from the WRIT were used to predict Reading, Mathematics, and Spelling criteria on the Wide Range Achievement Test-Third Edition. Differences in prediction were evaluated among demographic subgroups via Potthoff s technique. Of the 90 simultaneous tests, 65 revealed no statistically significant between-group differences. The majority of statistically significant differences were found to have little practical influence when measures of effect size were considered. Results are discussed in the context of other ability measures that were ...
Chemoradiotherapy for cervical cancer

Cervical cancer remains a major health problem worldwide, despite advances in screening. For patients with locally advanced stage disease, failure to obtain local-regional control usually results in death. In an effort to improve local-regional tumour control, neoadjuvant and concurrent chemoradiation has been tested. Recently, five randomised trials performed by the Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG), Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) and the SouthWest Oncology Group (SWOG) studying cisplatin-based chemoradiation have demonstrated a significant survival advantage. Three of the trials compared cisplatin-based concurrent chemotherapy and radiation to radiation alone and two trials compared cisplatin-based concurrent chemotherapy and radiation to radiation with hydroxyurea. In all of the trials, cisplatin-based chemotherapy administered concurrently with radiation therapy was more effective at reducing the risk of death by 30-50%. Acute toxicities, principally neutropenia and gastrointestinal, were more common with chemoradiation, but were transient and the rates of late complications (complications that persisted or occurred for more than 60 days after the treatment) were similar. Based on the results of these five randomised trials, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) released a Clinical Announcement stating that cisplatin-based chemotherapy, as used in these trials (i.e. concurrently with radiation therapy), as the new standard of therapy for cervical cancer.
Boron Concentration Model and Effects of Boron Holdup on Axial Offset Anomaly (AOA) in PWRs

A significant number of current PWRs are experiencing axial offset anomaly (AOA), a condition that continues to elude prediction and thus creates an operational difficulty of being unable to accurately estimate safety margin. The cause of AOA is complex, involving both thermal-hydraulics and chemistry of core operation and design. This paper considers the structure of crud layers, which lead to AOA, and presents a thermal performance and neutron absorber concentration model for the crud layer that satisfactorily predicts the amount of boron accumulated to match that required to cause the observed power shifts.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Arc-commutated launcher

Arc-commutated launchers are a new type of linear electric motor being investigated by the electromagnetic acceleration group at M.I.T. The most promising is a coaxial discrete coil accelerator that uses the motion of the projectile itself to break down a linear array of gap switches via vapor arcing. The switches connect individual coils to a distributed energy source producing a traveling magnetic wave that is literally mechanically synchronized to the projectile position. This manner of switching is potentially much faster and certainly lighter and cheaper than conventional SCR switching. Since an arc is the only required electrical connection to the projectile, no sliding contacts are necessary. The projectile being guided by the magnetic field can ultimately achieve very high velocities (greater than 10 km/s).
Inhibition of spider mite ATPases by plictran and three organochlorine acaricides.

Abstract The ATPase enzyme system from two-spotted spider mites, Tetranychus urticae (Koch) was sensitive, in vitro, to four acaricides. Tricyclohexylhydroxytin (PlictranR) was an outstanding inhibitor of oligomycin-sensitive (mitochondrial) Mg2+ATPase from fish brain and spider mite homogenates. The I50 values were 6.6×10−11M and 6.2×10−10M, respectively. Less effective were chlorbenside, chlorfenethol and ovotran. Plictran at a higher concentration (2×10−7M) was also more effective on Na+-K+ATPase both in mites and fish brain homogenates as compared to chlorfenethol, chlorbenside and ovotran. Plictran inhibited oligomycin-insensitive Mg2+ATPase at concentrations of 10−8M but stimulated at high concentrations (5×10−6M and higher).
Be´zier curves of positive curvature

Abstract Sufficient conditions on the control points of an nth degree curve are given which insure that the curve has positive curvature. The conditions allow greater a priori control of the shape of parametric curves.
Remediating agitation-induced antibody aggregation by eradicating exposed hydrophobic motifs

Therapeutic antibodies must encompass drug product suitable attributes to be commercially marketed. An undesirable antibody characteristic is the propensity to aggregate. Although there are computational algorithms that predict the propensity of a protein to aggregate from sequence information alone, few consider the relevance of the native structure. The Spatial Aggregation Propensity (SAP) algorithm developed by Chennamsetty et. al. incorporates structural and sequence information to identify motifs that contribute to protein aggregation. We have utilized the algorithm to design variants of a highly aggregation prone IgG2. All variants were tested in a variety of high-throughput, small-scale assays to assess the utility of the method described herein. Many variants exhibited improved aggregation stability whether induced by agitation or thermal stress while still retaining bioactivity.
Progress on the Advanced Turbine Technology Applications Project (ATTAP), and Automotive Gas Turbine Outlook

Of the four key technology areas attendant to the automotive gas turbine (ACT), structural ceramic components are the prime focus of the Department of Energy (DOE)-sponsored, NASA-managed ATTAP. The General Motors (GM) ATTAP team first focused on the ceramic gasifier turbine rotor, and in 1990 achieved full design temperature (2500°F TIT) at 100%N1 (gasifier speed). Four generations of axial-rotor design have led to such success, which also includes demonstrated resistance to foreign object impact; functionality after impact and minor damage; survivability in high-speed tip rub; and a 1000-hour durability demonstration. The ceramic gasifier turbine static structure, comprising scroll and vaneset (plus other support components), has also been successfully demonstrated at full (2500°F) design conditions, including successful completion of a 100-hour durability test of an all-ceramic gasifier stage. This major contractual milestone was completed during 1991. These successes represent fundamental technology progress, not only in the GM designs, but in the materials and processes implemented by the Kyocera Corporation, Norton/TRW Ceramics, and GTE Labs.Heat management (regenerator system and thermal insulation) and combustion are other key AGT technologies. Ceramic regenerator disk efforts with Corning focus on developing extrusion technology in concert with evaluation of four ceramic material systems, to provide a disk with the requisite geometry, strength, survivability, and cost characteristics. Insulation activities with Manville target developing a ceramic refractory fiber-based system, which is wet injection molded directly in-place, and has the required thermal, adhesion, durability, and erosion properties. During 1991 a turbine engine component was successfully injection molded with this system. Some ATTAP effort has been directed toward design of a prevaporizing/premixing combustor to meet the California 0.2 gm/mile NOx standard.Copyright © 1992 by ASME
Analysis of Accumulation of Inadvertent Interchange Energy and Time Error in Interconnected Power Systems

The causes of accumulation of inadvertent interchange energy are investigated using two area analysis. This analysis is based on vector decomposition and is illustrated on the two dimensional (?,Ii) plane. Accumulation of inadvertent interchange energy Ii and the decomposed vector components caused by areas i and r, (?i, Iii) and (?r, Iir), are investigated through the computer simulation of a six-area system. The selective participation in time error correction and the effect of introducing frequency offset are considered. It is shown that the present two-step correction scheme of time error and inadvertent interchange energy can be modified to reduce unnecessary regulation.