cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mitochondrial respiratory inhibition by N-methylated beta-carboline derivatives structurally resembling N-methyl-4-phenylpyridine.

Abstract Mitochondrial accumulation and respiratory inhibition are critical steps in the actions of N-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+), the toxic metabolite of the parkinsonism-inducing agent, N-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine. We examined the respiratory characteristics of 2-methylated beta-carbolines (2-Me beta Cs) and 2-methylated 3,4-dihydro-beta-carbolines (2-MeDH beta Cs), which encompass the MPP+ structure. As indoleamine derivatives, they could have endogenous roles in idiopathic parkinsonism. With rat liver mitochondria, the order for inhibition of NAD(+)-linked O2 consumption (6-min preincubations) was as follows: MPP+ = 2-methylharmine greater than 2-methylharmol = 2-methylharmaline much greater than 2-methylharmalol greater than 2-methylnorharman greater than 6-OH-2-methylharmalan much greater than 2-methylharman. Similar to MPP+, 2-MeDH beta C/2-Me beta C inhibition was potentiated by tetraphenylboron and reversed by dinitrophenol, consistent with the involvement of cationic forms. However, the participation of neutral forms was indicated by the 2-MeDH beta C/2-Me beta C inhibitory time courses, which were unlike MPP+. The neutral forms probably arise via indolic nitrogen deprotonation because the characteristics of a cationic beta-carboline that cannot N-deprotonate, 2,9-dimethylnorharman, mirrored MPP+ rather than 2-Me beta Cs. Succinate-supported respiration was also significantly blocked by 2-MeDH beta Cs/2-Me beta Cs, but results with tetraphenylboron and 2,9-dimethylnorharman indicated that cationic forms were less important than in the inhibition of NAD(+)-linked respiration. We suggest that the relatively potent inhibition by certain 2-MeDH beta Cs/2-Me beta Cs involves neutral forms for passive mitochondrial entry and cationic as well as neutral forms that act at several respiratory sites. Respiratory inhibition could reasonably underlie the reported neurotoxicity of 2-Me beta Cs.
Properties of Sun-like Stars with Planets: 51 Pegasi, 47 Ursae Majoris, 70 Virginis, and HD 114762

Radial velocity variations have revealed planets orbiting 51 Peg, 47 UMa, and 70 Vir, and a low-mass companion orbiting HD 114762. We analyze parallel records of photometric measurements in Stromgren b and y and Johnson V, R, and I passbands and Ca II H and K fluxes in those stars. In the case of 51 Peg, the high precision of the differential photometric measurements made by the 0.75 m Automatic Photoelectric Telescope and the nonvariability of the star would allow the detection of a transit of a planet as small as Earth (corresponding to an amplitude of 0.0001 mag) if its orbit were nearly coplanar with our line of sight. No transits were observed. For 51 Peg and 70 Vir, the upper limit of nondetection of photometric variability at their companion's orbital periods is Δ(b + y)/2 < 0.0002 ± 0.0002 mag. For HD 114762, it is ΔV < 0.0007 ± 0.0004 mag. Such small amplitudes of photometric variability seem to eliminate periodic velocity variations expected from p-mode oscillations. All four stars are magnetically quiet; that is, they lack the typical Ca II and photometric variability due to rotation and activity cycles expected from surface magnetic activity in solar-type stars. Such quiescence produces an interesting observational bias that favors the detection of planets from low-amplitude radial velocity or photometric variations by minimizing the contribution from intrinsic stellar variability. We discuss the circumstances for which the probability of planet detections is improved by the reduced level of variability from surface magnetic activity in G and K stars. Stars with low variability in surface activity should be the best candidates for planet searches using radial velocity and photometric techniques. Searches for planets around younger, more active stars will be impeded by variations in velocity or brightness caused by time-varying surface features. The Ca II H and K fluxes indicate that all four stars are older than 5 Gyr. Ages were estimated from the average levels of Ca II H and K fluxes and an existing relationship of the decrease of Ca II fluxes with age on the lower main sequence and were drawn from previous results based on theoretical isochrone fitting. Values of the projected rotational velocity, v sin i, are determined for 70 Vir and 47 UMa from high-resolution spectra.
Laboratory divergence of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 through unintended domestication and past selection for antibiotic resistance

Background: A common assumption of microorganisms is that laboratory stocks will remain genetically and phenotypically constant over time, and across laboratories. It is becoming increasingly clear, however, that mutations can ruin strain integrity and drive the divergence or “domestication” of stocks. Since its discovery in 1960, a stock of Methylobacterium extorquens AM1 (“AM1”) has remained in the lab, propagated across numerous growth and storage conditions, researchers, and facilities. To explore the extent to which this lineage has diverged, we compared our own “Modern” stock of AM1 to a sample archived at a culture stock center shortly after the strain’s discovery. Stored as a lyophilized sample, we hypothesized that this Archival strain would better reflect the first-ever isolate of AM1 and reveal ways in which our Modern stock has changed through laboratory domestication or other means. Results: Using whole-genome re-sequencing, we identified some 29 mutations – including single nucleotide polymorphisms, small indels, the insertion of mobile elements, and the loss of roughly 36 kb of DNA - that arose in the laboratory-maintained Modern lineage. Contrary to our expectations, Modern was both slower and less fit than Archival across a variety of growth substrates, and showed no improvement during long-term growth and storage. Modern did, however, outperform Archival during growth on nutrient broth, and in resistance to rifamycin, which was selected for by researchers in the 1980s. Recapitulating selection for rifamycin resistance in replicate Archival populations showed that mutations to RNA polymerase B (rpoB) substantially decrease growth in the absence of antibiotic, offering an explanation for slower growth in Modern stocks. Given the large number of genomic changes arising from domestication (28), it is somewhat surprising that the single other mutation attributed to purposeful laboratory selection accounts for much of the phenotypic divergence between strains. Conclusions: These results highlight the surprising degree to which AM1 has diverged through a combination of unintended laboratory domestication and purposeful selection for rifamycin resistance. Instances of strain divergence are important, not only to ensure consistency of experimental results, but also to explore how microbes in the lab diverge from one another and from their wild counterparts.
The Role of the In Source IN InN Growth from Molecular Beams

InN has been grown in a gas-source MBE system using an RF nitrogen plasma source and standard TMI, solution TMI and solid In. Both solid and solution TMI produce InN with electron and carbon concentrations ≥ 1020 cm−3. Solution TMI-derived material, however, contains significantly less oxygen (8 × 1018 cm−3 vs. ≥ 1020 cm−3 for solid TMI). While the amine used to liquefy the TMI helps to displace the ether believed to be responsible for the oxygen contamination, it also appears to interfere with the growth, resulting in poorer morphology than for standard TMI. While solid In produced the lowest carrier concentration (≤ mid-1018 cm−3), it also produced the worst morphology of the sources examined, presumably due to poor surface mobility. Based on this data, it appears that carbon can play a significant role in the electrical properties of InN, and that the In source is critical in determining the structural quality.
Eukaryotic Initiation Complex Formation EVIDENCE FOR TWO DISTINCT PATHWAYS

Two distinct pathways have been elucidated which lead to the formation of an AUG-dependent initiation complex. One pathway involves the use of initiation factor M1 (IF-M1) to promote AUG-dependent binding of the initiator tRNA to the 40 S subunit, followed by joining of the 60 S subunit in the presence of IF-M2A, IF-M2B, and GTP. The second pathway involves the IF-MP-directed binding of initiator tRNA to the 40 S subunit via a ternary complex of IF-MP-GTP-Met-tRNAf. This reaction does not require AUG codon. However, subsequent formation of an 80 S initiation complex (as determined by methionyl-puromycin synthesis) required AUG as well as IF-M2A, IF-M2B, and GTP. Since both pathways require the same complementary initiation factors (at the same level), it would appear that the only difference is the manner in which the initiator tRNA is bound to the 40 S subunit, either by IF-M1 or IF-MP. Examination of the requirements for endogenous mRNA-directed methionyl-puromycin synthesis indicates a greater difference between IF-MP and IF-M1 in that only IF-MP was capable of forming an 80 S initiation complex which was sensitive to puromycin.
THE SMALL‐LOAN INDUSTRY IN TEXAS*

THIS STUDY HAS three main purposes: to present statistical characteristics of the market, service, and institutions of the small-loan industry in Texas; to describe and analyze regulatory laws of the state which currently apply to the industry; and to present principles of small-loan regulation as a suggestion for essentials of a small-loan law for Texas. During the last forty years the small-loan industry has developed into a national and major source of consumer credit. State legislation and supervision have done much to guide the industry's growth on an ethical basis. However, the "loan-shark problem" still prevails in states without adequate small-loan statutes. Texas has no small-loan act, and loan charges exceeding an effective annual rate of 200 per cent are not uncommon in the state. In consequence, Texas has been described as a "paradise for loan sharks." Ironically, the state usury law is both the source of strength for abusive lenders and the major barrier to legitimate lender operations. A provision (adopted in 1876) of the Texas constitution limits interest to 10 per cent per annum. Nation-wide experience indicates that this rate is insufficient to induce capital investment in the smallloan industry. Thus the usury law has prevented legitimate lenders from fully competing with loan sharks collecting exorbitant charges. Today, two types of lenders operate in Texas: the certificate lender and the unregulated lender. The latter type uses various lending devices to avoid usury regulations, such as the "open note plan," the "brokerage plan," the "supplemental charge plan," and the "credit insurance plan." On the other hand, the certificate lender group is composed, in general, of ethical lenders operating according to provisions of the Industrial Loan Law (similar to an industrial banking or Morris Plan act). Statistical data for 1957 provided by the Texas Consumer Finance Association indicate that a certificate lender's loan office will make an average number of 1,274 loans, totaling $607,920 per year. While between 84 and 96 per cent of certificate lenders' assets consist of
Defining the term new in new employee research

Researchers and managers use the term ‘new’ to describe organizational members who have recently joined an organization, but how long are arriving recruits considered ‘new employees’, and what factors drive this new-to-old transition? In this paper I hypothesize that co-worker perceptions of an individual's ‘newness’ in the organization are a function of (1) the individual's relative position in the firm's tenure distribution and (2) the frequency of interaction between the rater and the individual. To evaluate these hypotheses I conducted a sociometric survey among four entrepreneurial organizations (N = 200), asking respondents to evaluate the newness of their co-workers. The results support both hypotheses, but suggest that relative tenure (defined as a member's percentile rank in the firm's tenure distribution) is the strongest predictor of organizational newness perceptions. More specifically, ‘new employees’ are the 30% of the organization with the lowest tenure. This means that organizational growth and turnover have a major effect on how long arriving recruits are considered new employees, which in turn has implications for new employee research in areas like socialization, mentoring, training and career development.
A real-time helicopter testbed for insect-inspired visual flight control

The paper describes an indoor helicopter testbed that allows implementing and testing of bio-inspired control algorithms developed from scientific studies on insects. The helicopter receives and is controlled by simulated sensory inputs (e.g. visual stimuli) generated in a virtual 3D environment, where the connection between the physical world and the virtual world is provided by a video camera tracking system. The virtual environment is specified by a 3D computer model and is relatively simple to modify compared to realistic scenes. This enables rapid examinations of whether a certain control law is robust under various environments, an important feature of insect behavior. As a first attempt, flight stabilization and yaw rate control near hover are demonstrated, utilizing biologically realistic visual stimuli as in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster.
Short-term lorazepam infusion and concern for propylene glycol toxicity: case report and review.

A 34-year-old woman with a history of renal insufficiency induced by long-term cocaine use was admitted with acute shortness of breath remarkable for submandibular and anterior throat swelling. She required intubation, mechanical ventilation, and sedation. Sedation was administered with daily infusions of intravenous lorazepam 65, 313, and 305 mg for 3 days, respectively. Forty-eight hours into the infusion the patient experienced anion gap metabolic acidosis with hyperlactatemia, hyperosmolality, and increased osmolal gap. Propylene glycol (PG), a component of lorazepam intravenous formulation, was considered the potential source of the metabolic abnormality. The patient received greater than 40 times the acceptable recommended amount of PG over 72 hours. Cessation of lorazepam produced major improvements in lactic acid, serum osmolality, and anion and osmolal gaps. The large PG exposure associated with long-term cocaine-induced renal insufficiency produced a toxic metabolic state. Agents containing PG should be avoided in patients with compromised renal function (creatinine clearance ≤ 30 ml/min) induced by cocaine use.
Some Reliability Applications of the Variability Ordering

The random variable X is said to be more variable than Y if E[fX] â¥ E[fY] for all increasing convex functions f. We prove a preservation property of this ordering under random sized sums, and then apply it to branching processes and shock models. We also give applications of this ordering to a population survival and to a Poisson shock model.
The Multifactor-Analytic Theory of Emotion

(1960). The Multifactor-Analytic Theory of Emotion. The Journal of Psychology: Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 153-171.
Effects of simplified enthalpy relations on the prediction of heat transfer during solidification of a lead-tin alloy

An investigation into the effects of enthalpy functions that vary with both concentration and temperature on the prediction of heat transfer during solidification using a volume-averaged mixture energy equation is presented. Results are presented for the solidification of a Pb-20 wt.% Sn alloy in a semi-infinite domain using both the Lever Rule and Scheil models to relate temperature and volume fraction. The effects of simplifying the enthalpy relations so that the derivatives of the phase enthalpies with respect to temperature and concentration are constant or zero are examined. The resulting predictions all underestimate the movement of the eutectic and liquidus isotherms in comparison with fully variable enthalpy terms. The additional simplifications of linearizing the phase diagram and using the same properties for the α-phase and eutectic solids introduce a small improvement in the predictions. In addition, the consequences of neglecting the effects of microscopic concentration profiles in the solid on the solid enthalpy are investigated, and the resulting predictions overestimate the movement of the eutectic and liquidus isotherms. The results should serve as an estimation of the magnitude of the differences in the modelling of heat transfer during solidification introduced by simplifying the enthalpy relations or ignoring microscopic concentration variations within the solid.
Superhorizon Perturbations and the Cosmic Microwave Background

Superhorizon perturbations induce large-scale temperature anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) via the Grishchuk-Zel'dovich effect. We analyze the CMB temperature anisotropies generated by a single-mode adiabatic superhorizon perturbation. We show that an adiabatic superhorizon perturbation in a LambdaCDM universe does not generate a CMB temperature dipole, and we derive constraints to the amplitude and wavelength of a superhorizon potential perturbation from measurements of the CMB quadrupole and octupole. We also consider constraints to a superhorizon fluctuation in the curvaton field, which was recently proposed as a source of the hemispherical power asymmetry in the CMB.
Shimmer: A wireless harvesting embedded system for active ultrasonic Structural Health Monitoring

In this paper we present a wireless embedded system that performs active ultrasonic Structural Health Monitoring (SHM). The proposed Shimmer platform is an autonomous, battery-less system, powered by an energy harvester, which uses 16 piezoelectric sensors/actuators attached to the structure surface for SHM analysis. The collected data (≈4MB) are analyzed by the on-board DSP and the result is transmitted using the 6LoWPAN protocol with IEEE802.15.4 transceiver working at 915MHz. The significant challenge is running such intense analysis on the collected data with only energy harvesting as a power source. Our system combines solar and wind energy harvesters with a dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) based task scheduling algorithm to optimize task execution with the available energy. Our solution enables Shimmer to perform 350 SHM analyses per day on average, corresponding to 80% improvement over a greedy based solution.
Does increased blood pressure cause left ventricular hypertrophy or vice versa

Excerpt Hypertension is a primary risk factor for cardiac and cerebrovascular disease, but the incidence of morbid events in patients with hypertension of average severity is relatively low and poo...
Microchannel Flow Enhancement by Microplasma Actuation

Microscale plasma actuators operate at lower voltages than their macroscale counterparts and allow easy integration into microsystems. Field-emission driven microplasma actuators can be applied for gas flow enhancement in microchannels for pumping and microcombustion applications. The present work studies the feasibility of microplasma actuation as a pump for gaseous microchannel flow. We use 2D Particle-In-Cell / Monte Carlo Collisions (PIC/MCC) method to calculate the volumetric force generated by field-emission driven micro dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). The simulations show that the induced volumetric force and heat source scale inversely with the dielectric thickness. A volumetric force of 1000 μN/mm3 with Joule heat source of 6 W/mm3 for an input power of 16 mW/m was obtained for a dielectric thickness of 3 μm per DBD. This force couples with the momentum flow in the microchannel in the solution of the Navier-Stokes equations. The flow enhancement increased with the decreasing Reynolds number (Re). In a long microchannel (40 mm) at Re = 73, the actuation lead to 22% increase in mass flow rate. However the vorticity induced by heating reduced this gain by 0.03%. In a short microchannel (1.5 mm) without pressure gradient, the actuator induced flow rate was found to be higher than that of a conventional DBD pump. The inclusion of heat source further enhanced the flow by 0.05% in the short channels.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Polyolefin and Ethylene Copolymer-based Hot Melt Adhesives

The adhesive industry in the U.S. has had a remarkably steady growth over the past 15 years. Hot melts, in particular, have grown steadily from 100 million pounds in 1970 to over 400 million pounds in 1985. The annual growth rate over this total period averages above 10%. It is rather obvious then that hot melt adhesives have been the major growth segment in the adhesive industry, with the aqueous and solvent-based products showing a decline. The growth rate for polyolefin and ethylene copolymer based hot melt adhesives has slowed down until currently it approximates the growth in GNP. Emphasis in the adhesive industry, however, is still largely centered on the hot melt products, in particular those based on new block copolymers. While it is obvious that in one sense the hot melt adhesive market is maturing, there are still many new opportunities opening up.
Size-Related Fecundity and Assortative Mating in Diapheromera veliei (Phasmatodea: Heteronemiidae)

The relationships between body size, fecundity, and assortative mating were examined in a population of Diapheromera veliei (Walsh) in central New Mexico. Heavier females carried more eggs and larger eggs than lighter females. There were no differences in body size between paired and solitary males, but paired females were significantly longer in total length than solitary females. There was a positive correlation between egg number and egg size, even after the effects of female body size were removed. Evidence for positive assortative mating by mass occurs, and we suggest that this is predominantly a result of male choice, with females either lacking choice or passively choosing dominant males.
Numerical Investigation of Tapered Sandwich Closeouts with Isotropic Functionally Graded Cores

Tapered closeouts that transition a sandwich composite to a solid laminate enable sandwich composites to be attached to other structures using mechanical fasteners. Eliminating the core provides increased normal compression and bearing strengths required at fastening locations. The non-uniform geometry at closeout sites leads to localized stress concentrations. Tapered closeouts in sandwich composites are prone to fatigue failure by delamination. The goals of this study were to elucidate the deformation and interface stresses in sandwich tapered closeouts, and to investigate the use of functionally graded material (FGM) for the cores at the closeout locations to mitigate the large deformation and stress gradients in this region. The results indicate that increasing the core modulus at the tapered closeout apex region is effective in reducing the local deformations. However, these increases lead to small increases in stress. The increase in stress in the FGM core is not a significant concern, if there is a concomitant increase in the strength of FGM materials with increase in stiffness. Decreasing the core modulus at the closeout apex regions was found to be most effective in reducing the stresses, while leading large localized deformations and reduction in structural stiffness. The analyses indicate that a FGM material with decreasing inplane modulus, but increasing out of plane and shear modulus, and increased interface strength properties will be an optimum choice for the core material at the closeout location.
Identification of Targetable ERBB2 Aberrations in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

Importance ERBB2 (formerly HER2 ) is an important drug target in breast cancer, where anti-ERBB2 therapy has been shown to lead to improvements in disease recurrence and overall survival. ERBB2 status in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been well studied. Identification of ERBB2 -positive tumors and characterization of response to ERBB2 therapy could lead to targeted treatment options in HNSCC. Objective To identify ERBB2 aberrations in HNSCCs and investigate the potential for ERBB2 -targeted therapy in HNSCCs. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective case series of patients with laryngeal (42 tumor specimens) and oral cavity (94 tumor specimens) SCC enrolled in the University of Michigan Head and Neck Specialized Program of Research Excellence was conducted. Publicly available sequencing data (The Cancer Genome Atlas), as well as data from other studies, were reviewed to identify additional mutations and overexpression in ERBB2 in HNSCC. Established HNSCC cell lines were used for follow-up in vitro analysis. The study was conducted from October 1, 2014, to August 30, 2015. Interventions With the use of targeted, amplicon-based sequencing with the Oncomine Cancer Panel, the copy number and mutation status of commonly altered genes in HNSCCs were assessed. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on tissue microarrays of HNSCCs to assess the expression of ERBB2. Western blotting for HNSCC cell line ERBB2 expression and cell survival assays after treatment with ERBB2 inhibitors were performed. Main Outcomes and Measures The prevalence of ERBB2 genetic aberrations and ERBB2 overexpression in laryngeal and oral cavity SCCs, prevalence of ERBB2 aberrations in HNSCC in The Cancer Genome Atlas, ERBB2 protein expression in HNSCC cell lines, and response of HNSCC cell lines to targeted ERBB2 inhibitors. Results Of the 42 laryngeal SCC samples screened by targeted sequencing, 4 (10%) were positive for ERBB2 amplification. Two of these samples showed ERBB2 overexpression on immunohistochemistry. Two of the 94 oral cavity SCC samples (2%) were positive for ERBB2 on immunohistochemistry. Analysis of 288 patients from publicly available HNSCC sequencing data revealed 9 amplifications (3%) in ERBB2 . Protein expression was variable across HNSCC cell lines, and a subset of these cell lines showed responsiveness to anti-ERBB2 therapy. Conclusions and Relevance ERBB2 aberrations were identified in a subset of HNSCCs. These tumors may be responsive to targeted therapy against ERBB2 . Screening for ERBB2 aberrations and applying targeted therapy in ERBB2 -positive patients may be useful in personalized therapy trials, particularly in patients who are refractory to current treatment paradigms.
Sensitivity of Anopheles sinensis to insecticides

Objective To understand the sensitivity of Anopheles sinensis to DDT,malatlion,cyfluthrin and deltamethrin in Nanyang and provide scientific evidence for its control.Methods Adult mosquitoes filter contact method recommended by WHO was used to assay the mortality rate and knockdown rate,in order to determine the resistance levels.Results Anopheles sinensis in the field of Nanyang had initial resistance to malatlion,cyfluthrin and deltamethrin,for that the discriminating dose mortality rates were between 80% and 97%.And they had become resistant to DDT,for that the mortality rate was less than 80%.Conclusion The resistance is still in high level many years after the termination use of DDT.The resistance of Anopheles sinensis to pyrethroid-type insecticides is initial formation.The resistance development of the future would be the most obstacle of malaria vectors control.So it is necessary to carry out regular and effective monitoring measures timely so as to control Anopheles sinensis effectively.
Cloning and expression of the cDNA encoding mouse neutrophil gelatinase: demonstration of coordinate secondary granule protein gene expression during terminal neutrophil maturation

The 92-kD form of human type IV collagenase (gelatinase) is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase family. It is restricted in its expression to the granulocytic lineage of white blood cells. Within neutrophils it resides in secondary granules, which are markers of terminal myeloid differentiation. We have isolated and sequenced the cDNA encoding the murine counterpart to the human 92-kD metalloproteinase from a macrophage cDNA library. The human and murine genes are highly homologous and exist in an identical form in neutrophils and monocyte- macrophages in both species. Two polyadenylation signals are present in the murine 3′ untranslated sequence, accounting for equal expression of two messenger RNAs. We have shown that expression of gelatinase mRNA is controlled in a coordinate fashion together with lactoferrin, also a component of neutrophil secondary granules, and that this control occurs at the level of transcription. This is the first definitive demonstration of coordinate transcriptional regulation of secondary granule protein gene expression, a feature of normal myelopoiesis that is deranged in leukemogenesis.
Five ways the sustainable development goals are better than the millennium development goals and why every educationalist should care

For 15 years the millennium development goals (MDGs) were a guiding force for many issues affecting the lives of children and young people around the world. Agreed by UN member states in 2001, the eight MDGs were designed as a framework around which states were expected to develop policy priorities and shape their overseas aid spending plans. The goals provided a focus for donors, international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) around an overarching ambition to reduce global poverty and its worst effects. Over this time, through a combination of economic growth, more targeted development spending, technical progress and improved cooperation, life certainly has improved for millions of children. Tremendous progress has been made in reducing preventable child deaths, getting more girls and boys into school, reducing extreme poverty and ensuring more people have access to safe water and nutritious food.However, although astonishing improvements have been made on many ‘averages’ across t...
Computational Investigation of the Transport Mechanism of Neurotransmitter Sodium Symporters using a Physiological Ion Gradient

Neurotransmitter transporter proteins serve a critical role in the synaptic cleft, aiding in the maintenance of synaptic concentrations of neurotransmitters, terminating neurotransmitter effect via a process known as reuptake. The serotonin transporter (SERT) belongs to the larger monoamine transporter (MAT) family, and is responsible for the reuptake of serotonin. The MAT proteins are implicated in several psychological disorders, including depression. All current treatment options for depression are focused on the inhibition of the MAT system, and are often selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). SSRIs act by binding to the substrate binding site of SERT, blocking the reuptake of serotonin. Our recent work has been focused on the transport mechanism of SERT, where we have employed both a dual bilayer system and a single bilayer system to investigate this phenomenon. We are utilizing the multilevel summation method of evaluating electrostatic forces with a semi-periodic system. Using boundary forces at the minimum and maximum z-values, the ion concentration on either side of the membrane remains constant, keeping the membrane potential near −70 mV, which is resting potential. Understanding more fully how the transport process occurs can aid in drug discovery and design for treatments that better alleviate symptoms of depression and other related disorders. In this poster, results from our ongoing work with the single bilayer SERT system, as well as conformational analyses will be presented.
Enamel Microabrasion for Removal of Superficial Coloration and Surface Texture Defects

Enamel microabrasion is a method of removing superficial enamel coloration defects. Brown, white, and multicolored spots and streaks in tooth surfaces have been called “dysmineralization,” and in some cases, such as fluorosis, their cause is known. In other cases in which etiology of the defect is unknown, the proper diagnosis is “idiopathic enamel dysmineralization.” Decalcification defects, which are white, result from acid dissolution of the outer layer of enamel and are the first stage in the dental caries process. Analogous to dermabrasion on skin surfaces, enamel microabrasion permanently removes coloration defects with a compound made of dilute hydrochloric acid and a fine abrasive powder, in a water-soluble silica gel. The enamel surface is reduced microscopically by simultaneous abrasion and erosion, and enamel loss is insignificant and unrecognizable. This chapter reviews the procedure of microbrasion of enamel surfaces and gives examples of treatment for decalcification, dysmineralization, and surface texture improvement. A fourth case shows 27-year postoperative results.
Newton’s Method and Gauss-Kronrod Quadrature

One of us, jointly with CALIO and MARCHETTI (1986), considered the application of Newton’s method (for large nonlinear systems of equations) in the context of computing Gauss-Kronrod quadrature rules. With the equations set up in an appropriate manner, it was found that, by careful choice of initial approximations and continued monitoring of the iteration process, the method could be made to work for rules with up to 81 nodes (40 Gauss and 41 Kronrod nodes). This was documented for the Legendre weight on [‒1,1] (where in fact formulae with up to 161 nodes were computed) and for weight functions on [0,1] involving logarithmic and algebraic singularities. Further evidence of the feasibility of Newton’s method, also for Kronrod extension of Gauss-Radau and Gauss-Lobatto formulae, is contained in NOTARIS’s thesis (1988). If one attempts, however, to repeat Kronrod extension in the manner of PATTERSON (1968), one discovers that Newton’s method quickly deteriorates and eventually fails to converge. The purpose of this note is to shed some light on the reasons for this failure of Newton’s method. One of these is the excessive magnitude of the inverse Jacobian of the nonlinear system (evaluated at the solution) which comes about because of a peculiar behavior of a certain polynomial responsible for the magnitude of this inverse. Graphical evidence is provided to underscore the phenomenon.
Relationship Between Frequent Recreational Cannabis (Marijuana and Hashish) Use and Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011 to 2012.

Background: Recreational use of cannabis, following its legalization in some countries, poses emergent oral and periodontal health concerns. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between frequent recreational cannabis (FRC) (marijuana and hashish) use and periodontitis prevalence among adults in the United States.Methods: Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011 to 2012 were analyzed. Primary outcome (periodontitis) was defined using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/American Academy of Periodontology classification as well as continuous measurements of probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment loss (AL). Exposure of interest was self-reported cannabis use, defined as “FRC use” versus “non-FRC use.” Bivariate and multivariable regression models were performed using the entire analytical sample (model 1) as well as those who had never used tobacco (never-users) (model 2).Results: Of 1,938 participants with available cannabis use data an...
BARROW, Christine, FAMILY IN THE CARIBBEAN: Themes and Perspectives

BARROW, Christine, FAMILY IN THE CARIBBEAN: Themes and Perspectives. Toronto, Ontario: Irwin Publishing, 1999, 472pp., $24.95 softcover. The past decade has witnessed a rash of scholarship on family in the Caribbean. Christine Barrow, who has authored several works on the subject, continues to contribute to this discourse. This book offers a comprehensive review and critical examination of the literature on family patterns in this region. ORGANIZATION OF THE BOOK The author constructs the book around six themes, prominent at one time or another, throughout the course of Caribbean family studies. These specific themes are as follows: the definition of the family, the debate between plural and Creole society perspectives, differences between social structure and human action approaches, the analysis of gender roles and relationships, methodology, and the theoretical importance of history and social change in explanations of familial patterns. A primary attraction of the book is the insertion of reproduced articles at the end of each chapter. This feature adds considerable value to the work, particularly if it is intended for an academic and classroom audience. The use of original articles provides the reader the immediate opportunity to review and critique original research and theoretical analysis of Caribbean families. More importantly, they are able to do so readily with or without the filter of another scholar's interpretation. CONTENT Barrow demonstrates that Caribbean familial patterns are diverse, multifaceted, and historically linked to past traditions. Yet, this interpretation of Caribbean families and households is relatively new. Original examinations of this subject were conducted primarily by U.S.: or British-born academics. Early explorations were an offshoot of the Negro family debates `in the United States, occurring prior to 1950. They focused primarily on the "origins" of black family patterns and "theoretical" explanations of the phenomena. However, Eurocentric notions of nuclear family forms, produced biased explanations of Caribbean family patterns. The many conjugal relationships, nonresident fathers, low rates of marriage, and high rates of out-of-wedlock births that existed among Caribbean households were characterized as deficient. In general, theoretical typologies and concepts developed to define and understand families did not fittingly explain Caribbean reality. Following the end of WWII, a second trend emerged. This period shifted the emphasis of study from origins and the provision of theoretical explanations to a concern with family functioning. Unlike their predecessors, many post WWII Caribbean family scholars conducted rigorous fieldwork. Yet, they remained focused on behaviors of low-income populations. Their analysis often led to deterministic interpretations that linked Caribbean familial patterns with economic status. Relative to middle-income, nuclear familial patterns, those of lowincome and non nuclear families were seen as dysfunctional. …
Exploring the potential for using drug indications to prevent look-alike and sound-alike drug errors.

ABSTRACTBackground: Look-alike, sound-alike (LASA) drug names are a cause of medication errors with resulting patient harm and healthcare costs. This study assessed to which extent the use of the generic drug name, therapeutic class, health problem, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indications might be used to differentiate LASA drug pairs.Research design and methods: We collected information about LASA drug pairs reported by the FDA to have look-alike sound-alike similarities. To assess potential for differentiating LASA drug pairs, we compared the following drug characteristics: generic name, therapeutic class, health problem, and FDA-approved indication.Results: For the 33 FDA reported LASA drug pairs we identified a total of 432 FDA-approved indications. Using the generic name, therapeutic class, health problem and drug indication we were able to differentiate 8 (24.2%), 24 (72.7%), 25 (75.8%) and 26 (78.8%), respectively of the 33 LASA drug pairs. Using the generic name, thera...
The Potential of Digital Technology to Improve Self-Care for Musculoskeletal Conditions

Digital technology offers a broad range of tools that can be used to enhance health care. We aim to summarize for the physiatrist use-cases of these tools in musculoskeletal self-care. Recent advances in and increasing prevalence of wearable sensors and mobile phones make these digital technologies ideal tools to help patients become active participants in their own healthcare. However, given digital health technologies’ fast-paced growth and turnover, implementation and research challenges remain. Digital technology provides novel methods to objectively evaluate patients and to engage them in active rehabilitation. Further research is needed to guide the adaptation of these emerging tools to enhance self-care of musculoskeletal conditions. Physiatrists, who have extensive experience in non-surgical management of mobility-limiting conditions, are particularly equipped to lead the efforts in the design and validation of these technologies.
A role for the CXCR4-CXCL12 axis in the little skate, Leucoraja erinacea.

The interaction between C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4) and its cognate ligand C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) plays a critical role in regulating hematopoietic stem cell activatio...
Risk Assessments and Management Practices for the Major Invasive Plants Recorded in the Horticultural Ecosystem of the Western Pacific

In the present study is undertaken to use an existing tools to rate potential weeds and then present existing literature information for dealing with the potentially weeding plants. The potential 20 most widespread invasive plants as Bidens alba, Panicum maximum, Stachytarpheta jamaicensis, Antigonon leptopus, Paspalum paniculatum, Miscanthus floridulus, Euphorbia heterophylla, Chromolaena odorata, Mikania micrantha, Synedrella nodiflora, Chamaesyce hirta, Mimosa pudica, Leucaena leucocephala, Pennisetum polystachion, Euphorbia cyathophora, Sida rhombifolia, Momordica charantia, Chrysopogon aciculatus, Chamaesyce hypericifolia, and Chloris barbata. The information presented is a type of data that could be useful to farmers and people on the Western Pacific. Here, risk ratings for these major invasive plant species are presented and described the management practices recommended for them in the published literature.
Framing Title IX

The passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was a pivotal moment in the history of women in education. Yet, rather than focus on the dramatic expansion in educational opportunities for women, public discourse over the last four decades deals almost exclusively with the profound influence of Title IX on scholastic athletics. Title IX and athletics are intrinsically linked in the public imagination.
Bulk moduli of Cr2GaC and Ti2GaN up to 50 GPa

Abstract Using a synchrotron radiation source and a diamond anvil cell, we measured the pressure dependencies of the lattice parameters of two Ga-containing polycrystalline MAX phases: Ti 2 GaN and Cr 2 GaC. The bulk moduli were calculated to be 189 ± 4 and 188 ± 5 GPa, respectively. Up to a pressure of about 50 GPa, no phase transformations were observed. Ti 2 GaN compresses more easily along the c -axis, while Cr 2 GaC compresses equally in both directions.
Experience constructing the Artifact Genome Project (AGP): Managing the domain's knowledge one artifact at a time

Abstract While various tools have been created to assist the digital forensics community with acquiring, processing, and organizing evidence and indicating the existence of artifacts, very few attempts have been made to establish a centralized system for archiving artifacts. The Artifact Genome Project (AGP) has aimed to create the largest vetted and freely available digital forensics repository for Curated Forensic Artifacts (CuFAs). This paper details the experience of building, implementing, and maintaining such a system by sharing design decisions, lessons learned, and future work. We also discuss the impact of AGP in both the professional and academic realms of digital forensics. Our work shows promise in the digital forensics academic community to champion the effort in curating digital forensic artifacts by integrating AGP into courses, research endeavors, and collaborative projects.
Improved Detection of Visual Field Progression Using a Spatiotemporal Boundary Detection Method.

Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and requires regular monitoring upon diagnosis to ascertain whether the disease is stable or progressing. However, making this determination remains a difficult clinical task. Recently, a novel spatiotemporal boundary detection predictor of glaucomatous visual field (VF) progression (STBound) was developed. In this work, we explore the ability of STBound to differentiate progressing and non-progressing glaucoma patients in comparison to existing methods. STBound, Spatial PROGgression, and traditional trend-based progression methods (global index (GI) regression, mean regression slope, point-wise linear regression, permutation of pointwise linear regression) were applied to longitudinal VF data from 191 eyes of 91 glaucoma patients. The ability of each method to identify progression was compared using Akaike information criterion (AIC), full/partial area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC/pAUC), sensitivity, and specificity. STBound offered improved diagnostic ability (AIC: 197.77 vs. 204.11–217.55; AUC: 0.74 vs. 0.63–0.70) and showed no correlation (r: −0.01–0.11; p-values: 0.11–0.93) with the competing methods. STBound combined with GI (the top performing competitor) provided improved performance over all individual metrics and compared to all metrics combined with GI (all p-values < 0.05). STBound may be a valuable diagnostic tool and can be used in conjunction with existing methods.
Vector Recovery for a Linear System Corrupted by Unknown Sparse Error Vectors With Applications to Secure State Estimation

A method to recover the unknown sparse error $e$ in a corrupted linear system $b=Ax+e$ is proposed. The original problem is first transformed into a convex optimization problem with equality constraints using the QR decomposition of $A$ . The transformed problem is then solved using 1-norm minimization. The proposed method is applied to the secure state estimation of a cyber physical system (CPS). Two different methods for solving such problems are also discussed.
Protocols for High Temperature Assisted-Microwave Preparation of Inorganic Compounds

Assisted-microwave heating involves the use of a susceptor to initially heat up reactants in a microwave reaction. Once hot, the reactants themselves become directly susceptible to microwave heatin...
Leveraging Human Genetics to Identify Safety Signals Prior to Drug Marketing Approval and Clinical Use

When a new drug or biologic product enters the market, its full spectrum of side effects is not yet fully understood, as use in the real world often uncovers nuances not suggested within the relatively narrow confines of preapproval preclinical and trial work. We describe a new, phenome-wide association study (PheWAS)- and evidence-based approach for detection of potential adverse drug effects. We leveraged our established platform, which integrates human genetic data with associated phenotypes in electronic health records from 29,722 patients of European ancestry, to identify gene-phenotype associations that may represent known safety issues. We examined PheWAS data and the published literature for 16 genes, each of which encodes a protein targeted by at least one drug or biologic product. Initial data demonstrated that our novel approach (safety ascertainment using PheWAS [SA-PheWAS]) can replicate published safety information across multiple drug classes, with validated findings for 13 of 16 gene–drug class pairs. By connecting and integrating in vivo and in silico data, SA-PheWAS offers an opportunity to supplement current methods for predicting or confirming safety signals associated with therapeutic agents.