cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Myosin Light Chain Phosphorylation on Length-Dependent Myosin Kinetics in Rat Cardiac Ventricles

Myosin's capacity to generate force is Ca2+-regulated by thin-filament proteins and sarcomere length, which dictates the number of potential actin-myosin cross-bridge interactions throughout a heartbeat. However, the ventricular form of myosin regulatory light chain-2 (RLC) binds to the neck of myosin and is thought to modulate contraction via its phosphorylation state. Previous studies have shown that RLC phosphorylation can vary throughout the left ventricle wall, prompting the hypothesis that regional effects of RLC phosphorylation could alter myosin behavior throughout the heart. Thus, we performed biochemical analyses of flash-frozen myocardial samples to assess the relative percentage of RLC phosphorylation in the left and right ventricles. We found that RLC phosphorylation varied across the left ventricle, being significantly greater near the outside vs. the inside of the left ventricle free wall, and average RLC phosphorylation was greater in the right vs. left ventricle free wall. To assess the functional consequences of RLC phosphorylation on Ca2+-regulated contractility as sarcomere length varied, we used stochastic length-perturbation analysis in skinned rat papillary muscle strips to measure myosin cross-bridge kinetics as RLC phosphorylation varied with myosin light chain kinase incubation. Increases in RLC phosphorylation and sarcomere length both led to increased Ca2+-sensitivity of the force-pCa relationship, but RLC phosphorylation influenced this relationship more greatly at 2.2 vs. 1.9 µm sarcomere length. We found that RLC-phosphorylation slowed myosin rates of MgADP release (∼30%) and MgATP binding (∼50%) at 1.9 µm sarcomere length, whereas RLC-phosphorylation only slowed myosin MgATP binding rate (∼55%) at 2.2 µm sarcomere length. These findings suggest that RLC phosphorylation influences cross-bridge kinetics differently as sarcomere length varies and support the idea that RLC phosphorylation could vary throughout the heart to meet different contractile demands between the left and right ventricles.
Privacy Preserving Optimization of Participatory Sensing in Mobile Cloud Computing

With the rapid growth of mobile cloud computing, participatory sensing emerges as a new paradigm to explore our physical world at an unprecedented ne granularity by recruiting the pervasive sensor-enabled smart phones. While extensive optimization has been performed in the literature to coordinate the sensing activity of the cloud-based sensing server (or platform) and the participating smart phones so as to maximize the efciency of participatory sensing, the privacy issue in the optimization has been largely overlooked. In this paper, we propose a novel privacy-preserving optimization framework that allows both the cloud-based platform and mobile users to share data for the formulation and solution of the optimization, but without revealing sensitive information that may lead to privacy leakage of each other. Our method is built upon a privacypreserving version of the well-known NP-hard weighted setcoverage problem. To accommodate privacy requirements in this framework, our solution uses a modied bloom lter along with a Dife-Hellman-type exchange protocol among all participants for data aggregation, sharing, and presentation. Through extensive simulation we evaluate the privacy strength of the proposed approach and also verify its effectiveness and low overhead.
Bio-inspired decision-making and control: From honeybees and neurons to network design

We present nonlinear deterministic models and linear stochastic models of decision-making between alternatives that connect biological groups as diverse as honeybees and neurons. Using these models we explain how biological groups, with decentralized control and limited sensing and communication, select the highest quality alternative, flip a coin for nearly equal alternatives, optimally balance speed and accuracy, maintain robustness in the face of uncertainty, and leverage heterogeneity. Motivated by these remarkable behaviors, we present a generalizable agent-based model for the design and control of network dynamics with the advantageous features observed in the biological groups.
Public theology and the common good: the contribution of David Hollenbach

In October 2016, Boston College hosted a conference on “Public Theology and the Global Common Good,” centering on the contributions of David Hollenbach, SJ and celebrating the 30th anniversary of t...
Pharmaceutical and personal care products-induced stress symptoms and detoxification mechanisms in cucumber plants.

Contamination of agricultural soils by pharmaceutical and personal care products (PPCPs) resulting from the application of treated wastewater, biosolids and animal wastes constitutes a potential environmental risk in many countries. To date a handful of studies have considered the phytotoxicity of individual PPCPs in crop plants, however, little is known about the effect of PPCPs as mixtures at environmentally relevant levels. This study investigated the uptake and transport, physiological responses and detoxification of a mixture of 17 PPCPs in cucumber seedlings. All PPCPs were detected at higher concentrations in roots compared to leaves, with root activity inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. At 5-50 μg/L, the mature leaves exhibited burnt edges as well as a reduction in photosynthesis pigments. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and lipid peroxidation increased with increasing PPCP concentrations; and their contents were greater in roots than in leaves for all PPCP treatments. Enzymes involved in various functions, including oxidative stress (superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase) and xenobiotic metabolism (peroxidase and glutathione S-transferase), were elevated to different levels depending on the PPCP concentration. Glutathione content gradually increased in leaves, while a maxima occurred at 0.5 μg L-1 PPCPs in roots, followed by a decrease thereafter. This study illustrated the complexity of phytotoxicity after exposure to PPCP mixtures, and provided insights into the molecular mechanisms likely responsible for the detoxification of PPCPs in higher plants.
Do-it-Yourself Semantics for Classical Sequent Calculi, Including Ramified Type Theory

This paper revives some out-of-date ideas that contribute to the solution of present problems. We philosophical logicians have given up too much of our own past. It is our own fault: we once had the temerity to claim that mathematics is reducible to logic. It isn’t. Cowed by the failure of this takeover bid we have neglected a good deal of our heritage which, although irrelevant to the higher mathematics, still matters to our central concerns of truth and meaning, modality and identity, existence and deducibility, syntax and semantics.
Healing from the loss of a loved one to suicide

Healing from the Loss of a Loved One to Suicide is a personal journey to creatively process emotions and memories associated with losing my brother in 2012. This auto-ethnography is a patchwork that flows from present to past events in unforeseeable directions. The process of writing transported me back to the moment. I found out about my brother’s death up to present day. It engages the topics of depression, guilt, blame and trauma that survivor’s feel and offers an approach to finding inner peace.
Development of Transition between Free-Standing and Reduced-Deflection Portable Concrete Barriers

Portable concrete barriers (PCBs) are often used in applications in which limited deflection is desired during vehicle impacts, such as bridge decks and work zones. In an earlier study, a reduced-d...
Structural Volatility Impulse Response Function and Asymptotic Inference

This paper traces contemporaneous effects of independent shocks on predicted future volatilities through time. The shocks are identified through time-varying heteroscedasticity. I obtain the explicit functions of volatility impulse responses for a structural system of simultaneity. The asymptotic distributions of the derived functions are also studied in analytical forms for statistical inference. The potential of this new framework is empirically illustrated in a structural system of the U.S. commodity and stock markets.
Knotted ropes, rings, lattices and lace: Retrofitting biodiversity into the cultural landscape

The title of this lecture refers to the forms or patterns that we, as artists, have proposed or used to reintroduce biodiversity to places where nothing was left or to make connections between those special places where a biodiverse landscape still exists. These forms were developed out of considerable experience in recognizing existing or constructing new patterns. It was Dr. Wilhelm Barthlott who suggested that we might be extending the notion of saving hot spots by creating these new patterns and thus recontextualized our work in terms of ecological theory and invited us to speak.
13C nuclear magnetic resonance study of the spatial relation of the metal- and anion-binding sites of human transferrin.

Abstract One carbonate anion of the diamagnetic Co3+-transferrin-CO3 complex, which contains two metal ions and two carbonate anions, exchanges rapidly with free bicarbonate in solution while the other does not exchange at an appreciable rate. The 13C nuclear magnetic resonance absorption of the nonexchanging carbonate has been observed as a line, 14 Hz wide, occurring 104 ppm downfield of 1,4-dioxane and 8.0 ppm downfield of free bicarbonate in the same solution. The analogous absorption of the paramagnetic Fe3+-transferrin-13CO3 complex is broadened beyond detection. This broadening places an upper limit of about 9 A on the Fe3+-13C distance but is also consistent with smaller values, such as might result from direct binding of carbonate to iron. Both carbonate ions of the specific transferrin complexes of Ga3+, Zn2+, and Cu2+ exchange in minutes with bicarbonate in solution, making preparation of 13C-enriched complexes difficult.
Bayes for beginners? Some pedagogical questions

Ought we to base beginning instruction in statistics for general students on the Bayesian approach to inference? In the long run, this question will be settled by progress (or lack of progress) in persuading users of statistical methods to choose Bayesian methods. This paper is primarily concerned with the pedagogical challenges posed by Bayesian reasoning. It argues, based on research in psychology and education and a comparison of Bayesian and standard reasoning, that Bayesian inference is harder to convey to beginners than the already hard reasoning of standard statistical inference.
Interactions in Our Time

Over the past two decades, our perception of galactic collisions and mergers has changed dramatically: once thought to be interesting but rare events, they are now perceived as some of the dominant processes governing galaxy formation and evolution. I shall first briefly review the early history of the subject and our recent progress in understanding the six main types of galactic collisions. Then I shall focus on three issues: (1) the fascinating parallels that exist between the 1 Gyr old merger remnant NGC7252 and elliptical galaxies; (2) what new light the study of young (≲100 Myr) and old (≳ Gyr) starbursts is shedding on the formation of E and SO galaxies; and (3) the still fragmentary, but growing, evidence that even the bulges of disk galaxies may have formed through mergers. As we shall see, it now seems likely that the present position of a galaxy in Hubble’s morphological sequence was determined mainly by the number and severity of mergers in its past history.
Abstract IA05: Emerging therapeutic strategies for androgen indifferent prostate cancer

The development of castration resistance in prostate cancer most commonly involves reactivation of androgen receptor (AR) signaling; this knowledge has informed the clinical development of potent AR-targeted agents now commonly used in the clinic. However, a subset of prostate cancers may evolve under therapeutic pressure of the AR towards non-AR driven, or “androgen indifferent,” disease. This has been associated with aggressive clinical features with repeat biopsies enriched with TP53 and RB1 genomic loss, overexpression of MYCN, epigenetic changes, and activation of alternative lineage programs such as neuronal and neuroendocrine pathways. One extreme manifestation is complete transformation to a small cell/neuroendocrine carcinoma with loss of AR expression. Although castration-resistant neuroendocrine prostate cancer evolves clonally from prostate adenocarcinoma likely through a trans-differentiation process, it acquires molecular alterations seen in other poorly differentiated neuroendocrine cancers. This talk will focus on emerging biomarker-driven therapeutic strategies for androgen-indifferent disease, including updates on targeting the N-myc/Aurora kinase A complex, the potential role for epigenetic therapies, and new data to inform ADC and immunotherapy development for this subset. Citation Format: Himisha Beltran. Emerging therapeutic strategies for androgen indifferent prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Prostate Cancer: Advances in Basic, Translational, and Clinical Research; 2017 Dec 2-5; Orlando, Florida. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(16 Suppl):Abstract nr IA05.
Nine-Switch Detroit Rectifier

This paper proposed a novel four-level rectifier with only nine power switches, called by nine-switch Detroit rectifier. Compared with the existing four-level rectifiers, the quantity of components and the voltage stresses across components are both reduced. Four output levels are achieved with small component voltage stress in the proposed four-level rectifier, which is suitable for medium voltage (<10kV) applications and low voltage (<1kV) applications as well. A carrier-based modulation scheme of the proposed nine-switch Detroit rectifier is also presented in this paper.
Therapeutic Interventions for Scapular Kinematics and Disability in Patients With Subacromial Impingement: A Systematic Review.

Context Impaired scapular kinematics are commonly reported in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS). Various therapeutic interventions designed to improve scapular kinematics and min...
Clinic-Based Surgical Treatment for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

We provide an evidence-based review of current procedures and provide a practical guide to surgically treating hidradenitis suppurativa in the office setting. Outpatient procedural management of hidradenitis suppurativa may include incision and drainage, intralesional triamcinolone, deroofing, excision, and lasers that achieve follicular destruction. Managing recurrent lesions, scarring, and sinus tracts often requires deroofing or excision. Recurrence rates are likely similar between deroofing and excision by sharp or laser techniques, and high patient satisfaction is consistently reported. Recently published treatment guidelines support the use of a variety of procedures that can be approached in the office setting. Optimizing treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa, a debilitating chronic condition, often requires a combination of procedural and medical interventions. The ability to offer a variety of surgical interventions based on patient preference in an office setting is an important asset for clinicians caring for hidradenitis suppurativa patients. In the future, research should focus on comparing the effectiveness and tolerability of these procedures in various settings.
Comparing Values of Second Life Batteries to Different Classes of Prosumers in California

Adoption of Electric Vehicles (EV) is expected to reach a third of the global fleet, i.e. 159 million vehicles, by 2050. This means that millions of batteries will be soon made available in the market to support electric mobility. Knowing that these batteries will be considered exhausted for EV applications after only 20% of capacity decrease, one can expect serious environmental threats in the next decades coming for a sudden increase of half-drained batteries no longer useful for vehicles' industry. Finding alternatives to introduce a efficiency in the energy storage uses, by prolonging the lifetime of these batteries through a second life is an urgent condition to avoid an environmental catastrophe. A potential use for Second Life Battery (SLB) is the behind the meter space, providing benefits to prosumers and the grid. While the availability of SLB increases, the need of storage in the grid will increase, as policies are pushing towards a highly decarbonized grid. Nevertheless, the main barrier for the deployment of a SLB market oriented to distribution grid prosumers is the quantification of the economic value brought by the SLB and the effect of costumer type, operating conditions and tariff scenarios. This paper proposes a second-life valuation methodology to compare the value of SLB for different prosumers in California, under different conditions and tariffs.
Analysis of thrombin‐antithrombin complex formation using microchip electrophoresis and mass spectrometry

Preterm birth (PTB) related health problems take over one million lives each year, and currently, no clinical analysis is available to determine if a fetus is at risk for PTB. Here, we describe the preparation of a key PTB risk biomarker, thrombin-antithrombin (TAT), and characterize it using dot blots, MS, and microchip electrophoresis (µCE). The pH for fluorescently labeling TAT was also optimized using spectrofluorometry and spectrophotometry. The LOD of TAT was measured in µCE. Lastly, TAT was combined with six other PTB risk biomarkers and separated in µCE. The ability to make and characterize TAT is an important step toward the development of an integrated microfluidic diagnostic for PTB risk.
Left Ventricular Pseudoaneurysm Complicated With Very Late Rupture 5 Years After Myocardial Infarction.

AbstractThis is a case of a chronic left ventricular pseudoaneurysm after inferior myocardial infarction that remained clinically silent for 5 years before presenting with sudden rupture, leading t...
The application of quality by design in the development of the liquid chromatography method to determine empagliflozin in the presence of its organic impurities

Analysis of impurities is an important step in the quality control of pharmaceutical ingredients and final products. From drug synthesis or excipients, even in small concentrations, impurities may affect efficacy and safety. The method was developed following Quality by Design (QbD) for the analysis of the antidiabetic empagliflozin. The concept of QbD is used as a tool for the development of methods and formulations. Through predefined objectives and risk analysis, robust methodologies and reduced solvent consumption are developed. A simple HPLC method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of empagliflozin and its organic impurities from the synthesis process. The method was carried out in a Shim-pack phenyl column with a mobile phase consisting of an acetonitrile/water mixture (72 : 28), with isocratic elution and the detector wavelength was 230 nm. The validation process, in accordance with international guidelines, shows that the method was linear, precise and accurate for empagliflozin, impurity 1 and impurity 2. Limits of detection (0.01, 0.02 and 0.01 μg mL−1) and quantification (0.10, 0.10 and 0.05 μg mL−1) were determined for EMPA, IMP1 and IMP2, respectively. The HPLC method for impurity determination in empagliflozin was linear, precise, accurate and robust. It can be successfully applied in the quality control of empagliflozin and the synthesis of impurities, being adequate for routine analysis.
Are bisphosphonates a more effective treatment than intra-articular steroids in horses with distal hock osteoarthritis?

PICO question In horses that are lame due to osteoarthritis of the distal tarsal joints (bone spavin), is intra-articular medication with corticosteroids compared to systemic bisphosphonate treatment more effective in long-term lameness reduction? Clinical bottom line Category of research question Treatment The number and type of study designs reviewed Three papers were critically reviewed. Two were randomised controlled trials, and one was a retrospective study. Strength of evidence Weak Outcomes reported There is insufficient evidence to support the use of systemic bisphosphonates over intra-articular corticosteroids to treat distal hock osteoarthritis in horses. Conclusion Horses with distal hock osteoarthritis should not be treated with systemic bisphosphonates until further blinded randomised controlled trials are completed. Additionally, supportive evidence for the use of intra-articular corticosteroids as a treatment for degenerative hock osteoarthritis is limited to a retrospective study where modest, short-term improvements are reported: 58% of horses improved after an average of 56 days (Labens et al., 2007). Evidence does not support significant improvement in long-term outcomes: 50% of horses improved after 4 months (Watts et al., 2016) and only 38% of horses improved after a mean follow-up period of 787 days (Labens et al., 2007). How to apply this evidence in practice The application of evidence into practice should take into account multiple factors, not limited to: individual clinical expertise, patient’s circumstances and owners’ values, country, location or clinic where you work, the individual case in front of you, the availability of therapies and resources. Knowledge Summaries are a resource to help reinforce or inform decision making. They do not override the responsibility or judgement of the practitioner to do what is best for the animal in their care.
A Cryogenic Refrigerator for Long-Life Applications in Satellites

A new miniature cryogenic cooler for space applications is currently being developed under Air Force sponsorship. The specific objectives of this program are to demonstrate a prototype machine employing reciprocating components with an ultimate life of three years continuous unattended operation in a satellite environment. The device is to cool infrared detectors without introducing vibration-induced noise. It is to provide 2 W of refrigeration at a temperature level of 77°K with no more than 100 W of power input. Exclusive of power supply and space radiator, the refrigerator itself is to weigh less than 15 lb and be less than 8 in. in diameter and 24 in. long. The dominant requirements are reliability and minimum power consumption.
e-Government and public policy

The "e-Government and Public Policy" BoF Session had 20 attendees from a wide range of academic and public sector positions. Much of the discussion centered on the role for public participation and increased information availability in decision-making. Participants raised theoretical and practical concerns about the volume, nature, and efficacy of public input. Hopes and concerns were raised about the IT tools currently being developed to capture and analyze such data. A vigorous debate emerged around the concept of transformation and the group failed to reach a consensus about whether or not eGov was likely to produce fundamental changes in public policy processes or outputs. There was, however, general agreement that much of the optimistic speculation surrounding eGov meant that policy processes were adapting to use IT on the basis of an untested assumption that more information throughput is inherently better. Participants noted the recent eGov Act, which seeks to enhance this trend, relied on an unproven premise of a leveling effect when IT increases procedural transparency.
Commentary on 'The Effect of Financial Incentives in Experiments: A Review and Capital-Labor Production Framework'

Camerer and Hogarth have produced an insightful review of the thorny issue of financial incentives in experiments. It is much more than a survey, and proposes an intriguing capital/labor theory of decisions in experiments.
Critical current density enhancement in YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// thin films by twin domains of LaAlO/sub 3/ substrates

Magnetic flux penetration into a 0.2 /spl mu/m-thick YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-/spl delta// (YBCO) thin film grown on a crystalline LaAlO/sub 3/ (LAO) substrate was studied using magneto-optical imaging techniques. Enhanced critical current density J/sub c/ was observed at the location corresponding to twin domains on the underlying substrate. We attribute this J/sub c/ enhancement to increased pinning defects in the YBCO layer induced by the naturally formed nano-scaled surface roughness on the LAO substrate. Our results suggest that the substrate surface roughness might be helpful in J/sub c/ improvement of YBCO thin films grown on metal substrates by pulsed laser deposition.
Decentralized digital adaptive control of robot motion

A decentralized model reference adaptive scheme is developed for digital control of robot manipulators. The adaptation laws are derived using hyperstability theory, which guarantees asymptotic trajectory tracking despite gross robot parameter variations. The control scheme has a decentralized structure in the sense that each local controller receives only its joint angle measurement to produce its joint torque. The independent joint controllers have simple structures and can be programmed using a very simple and computationally fast algorithm. As a result, the scheme is suitable for real-time motion control. >
The Condition of Hydrostatic Equilibrium of Stellar Models Using Optimal Control

The condition of hydrostatic equilibrium of relativistic stellar models is formulated as an optimal control problem. Application of Pontryagin's maximum principle leads directly to the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff equation.
A short theory of multiprogramming

Pressures to use virtual memory are growing. Newer versions of application programs are growing explosively; for example, Microsoft Word, around 400K bytes in Version 3, is 25 megabytes in Version 6. Servers such as those running Windows NT use multiprogramming to share memory among jobs. We may see soon a revival of interest in the theory of multiprogramming as server administrators discover and worry about preventing thrashing. It is therefore useful to unearth the findings of the 1970s, which may be of interest to operating system designers and system administrators of the 1990s. How might one construct a self-regulating multiprogrammed virtual memory operating system that delivers near-optimal throughput? Such a system would necessarily not thrash. This is a hard problem. It is not obvious which design possibilities help solve the problem and are efficient to implement. >
An overview of traffic flow management

The traffic flow management function of the National Airspace System, which acts to balance demand on airports and airspace with the capacity of those entities, is discussed. The structure and process of traffic flow management at the local, regional, and national levels are described. >
Impact of exercise on diurnal and nocturnal markers of glycaemic variability and oxidative stress in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes or impaired glucose tolerance.

Objective: We measured the effects of a single bout of exercise on diurnal and nocturnal oxidative stress and glycaemic variability in obese subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired glucose tolerance versus obese healthy controls. Methods: Subjects (in random order) performed either a single 30-min bout of moderate-intensity exercise or remained sedentary for 30 min at two separate visits. To quantify glycaemic variability, standard deviation of glucose (measured by continuous glucose monitoring system) and continuous overlapping net glycaemic action of 1-h intervals (CONGA-1) were calculated for three 12-h intervals during each visit. Oxidative stress was measured by 15-isoprostane F2t levels in urine collections for matching 12-h intervals. Results: Exercise reduced daytime glycaemic variability (ΔCONGA-1 = −12.62 ± 5.31 mg/dL, p = 0.04) and urinary isoprostanes (ΔCONGA-1 = −0.26 ± 0.12 ng/mg, p = 0.04) in the type 2 diabetes mellitus/impaired glucose tolerance group. Daytime exercise-induced change in urinary 15-isoprostane F2t was significantly correlated with both daytime standard deviation (r = 0.68, p = 0.03) and with subsequent overnight standard deviation (r = 0.73, p = 0.027) in the type 2 diabetes mellitus/impaired glucose tolerance group. Conclusion: Exercise significantly impacts the relationship between diurnal oxidative stress and nocturnal glycaemic variability in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus/impaired glucose tolerance.
The coefficient of kinetic friction for aluminum

Abstract The translational and rotational motions of a cylinder traveling down a straight incline, which provides a constant linear acceleration, depend on the angle of inclination. For small angles above the horizontal, free rolling takes place, but, above a critical angle, rolling and slipping occur. This critical angle is used to evaluate the coefficient of friction for steel cylinders progressing over aluminum surfaces. The moment of inertia is varied by using solid and annular cylinders and the aluminum surface is smooth, rough or corrugated. The coefficient of friction is shown to be independent of the moment of inertia but to depend on the type of surface and the angle of inclination.
Correction: Modular and orthogonal synthesis of hybrid polymers and networks.

Correction for ‘Modular and orthogonal synthesis of hybrid polymers and networks’ by Shuang Liu et al., Chem. Commun., 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c4cc09568e.
Automated quality assurance for document understanding systems

To process high-volume input data, such as the scanned images of publishers' book and journal collections, content understanding systems should run automatically, continuously, and without human attendance. Ensuring the output quality of such systems is a challenging task, however, and automated quality assurance techniques are thus essential to its success. The author discusses three automated QA techniques that were developed for Hewlett-Packard's Digital Content ReMastering system.
Fractionation and distribution of selenium in soils

Abstract A modified selenium (Se) fractionation procedure was used to study Se distribution in three soils (two silt loams and one silty clay). This sequential procedure consisted of: i) 0.2 M potassium sulfate (K2SO4)‐soluble fraction, ii) 0.1 M potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4)‐exchangeable fraction, iii) 0.5 M ammonium hydroxide (NH3H2O)‐soluble fraction, iv) 6 M hydrochloric acid (HCl)‐extractable fraction, and v) residual fraction digested with perchloric (HClO4) and sulfuric (H2SO4) acids. The fractionation procedure had high recovery rates (92.5 to 106%). The Se distribution in soil was controlled by soil properties, such as pH, oxide, clay, and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) contents. In the untreated soil samples, residual Se fraction was dominant. In the Se‐enriched soils, the silty clay had significantly more Se in the NH3H2O and residual fractions while in the two silt loams the largest were KH2PO4 and residual fractions. The Se availability in the two silt loams was higher than in the silty ...
The single crystal elastic moduli of neighborite

The adiabatic elastic moduli of a single crystal of Neighborite (NaMgF3perovskite) have been measured at ambient conditions using Brillouin spectroscopy. The adiabatic aggregate (Voight-Reuss-Hill) bulk modulus is K = 75.6 GPa, and shear modulus is μ = 46.7 GPa. The experimental results show the ratio of linear compressibilities βb/βa = 0.80 for neighborite. These ratios reflect the different amounts of tilting freedom of the octahedral framework along each lattice axis of the perovskite structure. It is understood that the elastic compliance Sijof the crystal can directly sense the behavior of the octahedral tilting in the structural distortion of NaMgF3 perovskite. The octahedral tilting angles are considered to be the order parameters of the ferroelastic phase transition in the perovskite structure. Single crystal elasticity data provide a basis for understanding the role of octahedral tilting in the ferroelasticity of perovskite. Together with high pressure compressional data, one can thus elucidate the relationship between crystal structure and physical properties of perovskite. A detailed assessment indicates that the dominant compression mechanism for NaMgF3 perovskite is shortening of the octahedral [MgF] bond, which is also true for orthorhombically distorted MgSiO3 perovskite.
Knowledge and use of pre-exposure prophylaxis among an online sample of young men who have sex with men in New York City.

Understanding prior knowledge and experience with pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) is critical to its implementation. In fall 2011, NYC MSM were recruited via banner advertisements on six popular dating websites and asked questions about their knowledge and use of PrEP (n = 329). Overall, 123 (38 %) respondents reported knowledge of PrEP, of whom two (1.5 %) reported PrEP use in the past 6 months. Knowledge of PrEP was associated with high educational attainment, gay identity and recent HIV testing, suggesting an uneven dissemination of information about PrEP and missed opportunities for education. To avoid disparities in use during scale-up, MSM should be provided with additional information about PrEP.
Iterative correction of suppressed peptide profiles from FTMS measurements

Analysis of peptide profiles from a Liquid Chromatography Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (LC/FTMS) measurement reveals a non-linear distortion in intensity. Investigation of the measured CVi /C12 ratios comparing with theoretical ones shows that the non-linearity can be attributed to low intensity signal suppression of low abundance peptide peaks. We find that the suppression is homogenous for different isotopes of identical peptides but non-homogenous for different peptides. We developed an iterative correction algorithm that corrects the intensity distortions for peptides with relatively high abundance. This algorithm can be applied in a wide range of applications using FTMS.
Hopes and Cautions in Implementing Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling

Muthen and Asparouhov (2012) have proposed and demonstrated an approach to model specification and estimation in structural equation modeling (SEM) using Bayesian methods. Their contribution builds on previous work in this area by (a) focusing on the translation of conventional SEM models into a Bayesian framework wherein parameters fixed at zero in a conventional model can be respecified using small-variance priors and (b) implementing their approach in software that is widely accessible. We recognize potential benefits for applied researchers as discussed by Muthen and Asparouhov, and we also see a tradeoff in that effective use of the proposed approach introduces increased demands in terms of expertise of users to navigate new complexities in model specification, parameter estimation, and evaluation of results. We also raise cautions regarding the issues of model modification and model fit. Although we see significant potential value in the use of Bayesian SEM, we also believe that effective use will require an awareness of these complexities. Muthen and Asparouhov (2012) have proposed and demon- strated an approach to model specification and estimation in struc- tural equation modeling (SEM) using Bayesian methods. Their implementation of Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) addresses some long-standing issues and limitations in conven- tional SEM and may prove to offer significant benefits for empir- ical application. Although we recognize this potential value, we also suggest that there is a tradeoff inherent in BSEM relative to conventional likelihood-based SEM in that implementation of BSEM in practice may be subject to a variety of difficulties and uncertainties. The Bayesian approach to SEM introduces complex- ities in model specification and estimation that may not be familiar to users of likelihood-based SEM; most obvious are the specifica- tion of priors along with the complexity of Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) computational methods. 1 Moreover, how users deal with these complexities can have consequences regarding the model itself and the success of the estimation process. In addition, there are interesting open questions regarding issues such as model fit and model modification. In this commentary, we first discuss benefits we see in BSEM and then move on to raise and examine some areas of concern. Our objective is not to criticize the contribution of Muthen and Asp- arouhov (2012) or to discourage the use and study of these new methods. Indeed, we welcome their contribution to the Bayesian SEM literature and their efforts to make these methods more accessible, and we hope that BSEM methods will be proven to perform well in practice. We also hope to draw attention to some important issues so that prospective applied researchers can make informed decisions about implementing BSEM in their own work and so that methodological researchers might focus attention on some relevant questions involving performance of BSEM meth- ods.
Synthesis of Functional Proteins in X-irradiated Mammalian Cells

RECOVERY from X-ray induced division delay in Chinese hamster cells cultured in vitro requires protein synthesis but not synthesis of DNA or RNA1,2, suggesting that the primary lesion is at the level of translation. The question then arises whether or not normal proteins are synthesized during the recovery period. Although it is well established that the rate of amino-acid incorporation into polypeptide is only slightly reduced after moderate doses of X-irradiation3–6, it does not necessarily follow that the protein species synthesized in these conditions are functional. For example, cessation of functional protein in the presence of low doses of puromycin is almost immediate despite the fact that the rate of amino-acid incorporation is only slightly affected7.
Rapid procedure for the isolation of high molecular weight RNA and DNA from yeast using lyticase and sodium dodecyl sulfate

Abstract Lyticase, an enzyme preparation isolated from the culture supernatant of Oerskovia xanthineolytica , was found to lyse yeast cells in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). Undegraded nucleic acids could be isolated from the lysate demonstrating the usefulness of the described procedure for the rapid isolation of high molecular weight RNA and DNA from whole cells.
The college admissions problem is not equivalent to the marriage problem

Abstract Two-sided matching markets of the kind known as the “college admissions problem” have been widely thought to be virtually equivalent to the simpler “marriage problem” for which some striking results concerning agents' preferences and incentives have been recently obtained. It is shown here that some of these results do not generalize to the college admissions problem, contrary to a number of assertions in the recent literature. No stable matching procedure exists that makes it a dominant strategy for colleges to reveal their true preferences, and some outcomes may be preferred by all colleges to the college-optimal stable outcome.
Factorial Validity of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory.

A factor analysis of responses from 44 white female teachers to the 40-item Bern Sex-role Inventory yielded two factors, Masculinity and Femininity accounting for 20.7 and 16.2%, respectively, of the common variance. Of the 40 items 28 performed as hypothesized, suggesting sound construct validity for the total scales. 12 adjectives and phrases (gullible, flatterable, athletic, and ambitious, among others) were not perceived as associated with masculine or feminine roles, suggesting that perceptions of traditional sex roles are changing.
Fluorinated Imidazoles as Proton Carriers for Water-Free Fuel Cell Membranes

We propose an alternative new material (2,4,5-trifluoroimidazole impregnated Nafion) for use as a high-temperature, water-free membrane for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. This material has been tested computationally using molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics techniques, leading to an estimated conductivity of ∼0.06 S/cm at 177 °C. This material overcomes the weakness of the imidazole-impregnated membranes, i.e., the poisoning of the Pt electrode. We find that 2,4,5-trifluoroimidazole binds weakly to platinum surfaces, so poisoning is not expected.
Assessing the conservation value of a human-dominated island landscape: Plant diversity in Hawaii

The conversion of native habitats to pasture and other working lands, unbuilt lands modified by humans for production, is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. While some human-dominated landscapes on continents support relatively high native biodiversity, this capacity is little studied in oceanic island systems characterized by high endemism and vulnerability to invasion. Using Hawaii as a case study, we assessed the conservation value of working landscapes on an oceanic island by surveying native and non-native plant diversity in mature native forest and in the three dominant land covers/uses to which it has been converted: native, Acacia koa timber plantations, wooded pasture, and open pasture. As expected, native plant diversity (richness and abundance) was significantly higher and non-native abundance significantly lower in mature native forests than any other site type. A. koa plantations and wooded pasture supported four and three times greater, respectively, species richness of native understory plants than open pasture. Also, A. koa plantations and wooded pasture supported similar species communities with about 75% species in common. Conservation and restoration of mature native forest in Hawaii is essential for the protection of native, rare species and limiting the spread of non-native species. A. koa plantations and wooded pasture, however, may help harmonize production and conservation by supporting livelihoods, more biodiversity than open pasture, and some connectivity between native forest remnants important for sustaining landscape-level conservation value into the future.
Antioxidant and Oxidative Enzyme Effects on the Inactivation of Inclusion Bodies of the Heliothis Baculovirus by Simulated Sunlight-UV

The sunlight-UV (SUV) inactivation of field-applied viral and other microbial insecticides has been attributed to a direct effect on DNA or generation of highly reactive radicals, or both. Therefore, it may be possible to inhibit this inactivation by use of antioxidants or oxidative enzymes. Our objective was to determine whether antioxidants and oxidative enzymes would inhibit the UV inactivation of Baculovirus heliothis , a singly enveloped nucleopolyhedrosis virus (HzSNPV) of larvae of the Helicoverpal Heliothis complex. A series of blacklight fluorescent lamps, built into a temperature control cabinet, were used to simulate the ultraviolet-A and ultraviolet-B spectrum of sunlight. Three antioxidants (propyl gallate, ascorbic acid, phenylthiocarbamide) all provided some level of UV protection of polyhedral inclusion bodies (PIB) of HzSNPV. Propyl gallate, however, provided the best protection of HzSNPV (0.2 mg/ml propyl gallate gave 99% UV protection of PIB). Fifty percent UV protection with propyl gallate, ascorbic acid or phenylthiocarbamide was obtained at 0.01 mg/ml, 1.0 mg/ml, or 0.068 mg/ml, respectively. Catalase was the best of three oxidative enzymes tested. The enzyme concentration required to provide 50% UV protection of HzSNPV with either catalase, superoxide dismutase, or peroxidase was 0.4 mg/ml, 2.3 mg/ml, or 3.8 mg/ml, respectively. The increased UV stability provided by an antioxidant or oxidative enzyme supports the hypothesis that reactive radicals, generated by SUV, can cause inactivation of field-applied viral and other microbial insecticides. Although the materials we used increased persistence of HzSNPV, none could be used practically to provide UV protection of commercial microbial insecticides. Others, however, might be used as spray-tank additives, or physically bonded to PIB to provide protection against SUV.
Are lycopene metabolites metabolically active

Lycopene is the most abundant carotenoid found in tomatoes and thus has been touted as the bioactive component for the reduced risk of chronic diseases such as prostate cancer. We and others hypothesize that lycopene metabolites are responsible for positively modulating biomarkers and risk factors for the prevention of chronic diseases. Lycopene metabolites circulate in serum and accumulate in tissues at concentrations equivalent to bioactive retinoids. Recent studies report that lycopene metabolites reduce the proliferation of cancer cells, induce apoptosis, enhance gap junction communication between cells, alter normal cell cycle progression, and modulate androgen signaling pathways. Here we review recent literature and provide new evidence to suggest that lycopene metabolites may be bioactive at physiological concentrations.
IMPACT OF TOTAL ARTERIAL COMPLIANCE, ASCENDING AND DESCENDING AORTIC WALL STIFFNESS ON LEFT VENTRICULAR MASS AND GEOMETRY

Impact of Total Arterial Compliance, Ascending and Descending Aortic Wall Stiffness on Left Ventricular Mass and Geometry The compliance of the arterial tree and aortic wall stiffness influence the pulsatile load of the left ventricle (LV). Limited data are available regarding the relationships
Description of pnicogen bonding with the help of vibrational spectroscopy—The missing link between theory and experiment

Abstract The nature of the E⋯E′ pnicogen bond (E = N, P, As) in dimers such as H2FP⋯PH2F (1) and H3N⋯PHNO2 (2) can be described using vibrational spectroscopy in form of the calculated infrared and depolarized Raman scattering spectra. Utilizing the six calculated intermonomer frequencies, the corresponding local mode E⋯E′ stretching frequency and force constant are obtained, where the latter provides a unique measure of the E⋯E′ bond strength. Pnicogen bonding in 1 is relative strong (bond strength order n = 0.151) and covalent whereas pnicogen bonding in 2 is electrostatic (n = 0.047) because of a different bonding mechanism.
Predicting Drug Disposition via Application of a Biopharmaceutics Drug Disposition Classification System

A Biopharmaceutics Drug Disposition Classification System (BDDCS) was proposed to serve as a basis for predicting the importance of transporters in determining drug bioavailability and disposition. BDDCS may be useful in predicting: routes of drug elimination; efflux and absorptive transporters effects on oral absorption; when transporter-enzyme interplay will yield clinically significant effects (e.g. low drug bioavailability and drug-drug interactions); and transporter effects on post-absorptive systemic drug levels following oral and i.v. dosing. For highly soluble, highly permeable Class 1 compounds, metabolism is the major route of elimination and transporter effects on drug bioavailability and hepatic disposition are negligible. In contrast for the poorly permeable Class 3 and 4 compounds, metabolism only plays a minor role in drug elimination. Uptake transporters are major determinants of drug bioavailability for these poorly permeable drugs and both uptake and efflux transporters could be important for drug elimination. Highly permeable, poorly soluble, extensively metabolized Class 2 compounds present the most complicated relationship in defining the impact of transporters due to a marked transporter-enzyme interplay. Uptake transporters are unimportant for Class 2 drug bioavailability, (ensure space after,) but can play a major role in hepatic and renal elimination. Efflux transporters have major effects on drug bioavailability, absorption, metabolism and elimination of Class 2 drugs. It is difficult to accurately characterize drugs in terms of the high permeability criteria, i.e. > or =90% absorbed. We suggest that extensive metabolism may substitute for the high permeability characteristic, and that BDDCS using elimination criteria may provide predictability in characterizing drug disposition profiles for all classes of compounds.