cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of a leukotriene receptor antagonist in prevention of hyperoxic lung injury in newborn rabbits.

Abstract Prolonged exposure to hyperoxia can result in significant lung injury and has been associated with the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia. Leukotrienes (LT) recruit polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) to the lung, increase vascular permeability, and have therefore been postulated to play a role in the pathogenesis of hyperoxic lung injury. This study investigates ICI 198,615 (ICI), and LTD 4 and LTE 4 receptor antagonist in preventing hyperoxic lung injury in newborn rabbits. Matched littermates of 7-day-old rabbits received ICI (0.1 or 1.0 μM/kg/h) or vehicle alone, were exposed to >95% O 2 , and sacrificed after 48, 72, 84 and 96 h of exposure. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) of the left lung was analyzed for white cell count, differential, absolute number of PMNs, total protein, and cyclooxygenase products 6-keto-PGF 1α , and thromboxane B 2 . Lung water was quantified utilizing the right lung. Results demonstrated no significant differences between the ICI groups or between the ICI groups and controls. In conclusion, the administration of the LTD 4 and LTE 4 receptor antagonist ICI 198,615 was insufficient to reduce the formation of pulmonary edema, reduce mortality or attenuate hyperoxic lung injury. These experiments suggest that a number of other mediators may be involved in the hyperoxic lung injury process and that the functional inhibition of a portion of the arachidonic acid cascade was not sufficient to either prevent or attenuate hyperoxic lung injury in newborn rabbits.
Informing the Elderly: A Comparison of Four Methods

Providing elderly persons with understandable information with which they can make informed health care decisions is a difficult, yet critical, task. Four methods of enhancing understanding of the Resident's Bill of Rights were evaluated in residents of the board and care section of a long-term care facility. The methods included the use of large print and simplified language, a storybook, and a videotape. There was no significant improvement for performance on the comprehension test after any of the methods of presentation of the Bill of Rights. A number of subjects were found to be very deficient in short term memory or in verbal knowledge. When these subjects were eliminated from the analyses, significant improvement was demonstrated with the simplified version of the Bill of Rights yielding the most improvement. These findings indicate that many elderly people can benefit from an informed consent procedure that provides information clearly and simply. Furthermore, with relatively simple cognitive screening procedures, it should be possible to identify those unable to process the information necessary to participate in common health care decisions.
Measurability of Nuclear Electric Dipole Moments

The possibility of measuring a very small nuclear electric dipole moment is explored by calculating the interaction of this moment with an external electric field. It is shown that for a quantum system of point, charged, electric dipoles in an external electrostatic potential of arbitrary form, there is complete shielding; i.e., there is no term in the interaction energy that is of first order in the electric dipole moments, regardless of the magnitude of the external potential. This is true even if the particles are of finite size, provided that the charge and dipole moment of each have the same spatial distribution. Relativistic and second-order effects are uninterestingly small. There is, however, a first-order interaction if the charge and moment distributions are different, and also for a point electric dipole if it also carries a magnetic dipole moment. Explicit calculations of both effects are given for hydrogen and helium atoms. It is found that the effective electric field at a ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$ nucleus arising from the magnetic dipole effect is about a hundred times that arising from the finite size effect, and is roughly ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ times the external electric field.
Anatomy and malalignment of the patellofemoral joint: its relation to patellofemoral arthrosis.

Patellofemoral joint function involves a complex orchestration of a number of dynamic, static, and neuromuscular factors. I will discuss the components of patellofemoral anatomy and whether the presence of certain anatomic variables may increase the risk of patellofemoral arthrosis. The patellofemor
Imaging reactions of acetone with oxygen adatoms on partially oxidized TiO2(110)

Understanding the interaction of O2 with ketones on metal oxide surfaces is important for the photo-oxidation of toxic organic molecules. The consecutive reaction steps of acetone molecules with oxygen adatoms (Oa's) on partially oxidized TiO2(110) surfaces have been studied using high-resolution scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) at 300 K. The sequential isothermal STM images reveal two types of acetone–Oa species as a result of reactions of acetone with an oxygen adatom and a bridging bound oxygen vacancy (VO). One such species is the Ti5c-bound acetone–Oa diolate formed from Ti5c-bound acetone reacting with Oa. The diolate is mobile at 300 K and can assist the diffusion of surface Oa by exchanging the acetone oxygen with the Oa. The second acetone–Oa species is the VO-bound acetone–Oa complex formed from a VO-bound acetone reacting with an Oa located on the neighboring Ti row. The VO-bound complex is stationary at 300 K. This species has not been reported previously.
Prevalence and risk of migraine headaches in adult fragile X premutation carriers

FMR1 premutation carriers are common in the general population (1/130-260 females and 1/250-810 males) and can be affected by fragile X-associated tremor ataxia syndrome, fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency, anxiety, depression, hypertension, sleep apnea, fibromyalgia, and hypothyroidism. Here we report the results of a pilot study to assess the prevalence and risk of migraine in FMR1 premutation carriers. Three hundred fifteen carriers (203 females; 112 males) and 154 controls (83 females; 71 males) were seen sequentially as part of a family study. A standardized medical history, physical examination and confirmation of diagnosis of migraine headaches were performed by a physician. The prevalence of migraine was 54.2% in female carriers (mean age/SD: 49.60/13.73) and 26.79% in male carriers (mean age/SD: 59.94/14.27). This prevalence was higher compared to female (25.3%; mean age/SD: 47.60/15.21; p = 0.0001) and male controls (15.5%; mean age/SD; 53.88/13.31; p = 0.0406) who underwent the same protocol and were confirmed to be negative for the FMR1 mutation by DNA testing. We hypothesize that the increased prevalence of migraine headaches in FMR1 premutation carriers is likely related to the mitochondrial abnormalities that have recently been reported. Screening for migraine should be considered when evaluating FMR1 premutation carriers in the future.
Testing a Convective-dispersive Model of Two-dimensional Root Growth and Proliferation in a Greenhouse Experiment with Maize Plants

Abstract Soil water, solute, heat and gas transport processes are often simulated using convective-dispersive or diffusion-type equations. These models have to be coupled with a root activity model to simulate plant development. To make such coupling easier, a generic convective-dispersive model of root growth and proliferation is proposed. The submodels of root growth rate and root convective and dispersive propagation rates are built so that statistical hypothesis testing can be used to reject an hypothesis on dependence of the rates on root and soil variables. The objective of this work is to test this model using maize plants grown in pots whose walls and bottom mechanically restrict root growth. Treatments included supplying the normal and double the normal amount of fertilizer and water. Plant development was monitored by weekly destructive harvests until 45 d after emergence. Root concentrations were determined in 24 sections of the pots along with shoot parameters. The modular soil and root process simulator 2DSOIL was used to simulate root development. The model explained 73–77% of variation in the value of the logarithm of the root concentration measured in the experiments. Statistical hypothesis testing led to rejection of the hypothesis that root diffusivity did not depend on root concentration. The hypotheses that there is no geotropic root development and that root growth rate decreases with the growth of root concentration could not be rejected.
Controlled generation of the oscillations of a magneto-sensitive elastic sphere

Magneto-sensitive (MS) elastomers are a class of smart materials whose mechanical properties change instantly by the application of a magnetic field. The control of spherically symmetric oscillations of initially inflated MS elastic sphere by a homogeneous magnetic field is considered. The presented results can be used for generation of spherically symmetric acoustic waves.
Mechanistic insights into triterpene synthesis from quantum mechanical calculations. Detection of systematic errors in B3LYP cyclization energies

Most quantum mechanical studies of triterpene synthesis have been done on small models. We calculated mPW1PW91/6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G* energies for many C30H51O+ intermediates to establish the first comprehensive energy profiles for the cationic cyclization of oxidosqualene to lanosterol, lupeol, and hopen-3β-ol. Differences among these 3 profiles were attributed to ring strain, steric effects, and proton affinity. Modest activation energy barriers and the ample exothermicity of most annulations indicated that the cationic intermediates rarely need enzymatic stabilization. The course of reaction is guided by hyperconjugation of the carbocationic 2p orbital with parallel C–C and C–H bonds. Hyperconjugation for cations with a horizontal 2p orbital (in the plane of the ABCD ring system) leads to annulation and ring expansion. If the 2p orbital becomes vertical, hyperconjugation fosters 1,2-methyl and hydride shifts. Transition states leading to rings D and E were bridged cyclopropane/carbonium ions, which allow ring expansion/annulation to bypass formation of undesirable anti-Markovnikov cations. Similar bridged species are also involved in many cation rearrangements. Our calculations revealed systematic errors in DFT cyclization energies. A spectacular example was the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G* prediction of endothermicity for the strongly exothermic cyclization of squalene to hopene. DFT cyclization energies for the 6-311+G(2d,p) basis set ranged from reasonable accuracy (mPW1PW91, TPSSh with 25% HF exchange) to underestimation (B3LYP, HCTH, TPSS, O3LYP) or overestimation (MP2, MPW1K, PBE1PBE). Despite minor inaccuracies, B3LYP/6-31G* geometries usually gave credible mPW1PW91 single-point energies. Nevertheless, DFT energies should be used cautiously until broadly reliable methods are established.
Therapeutic landscapes and healing gardens: A review of Chinese literature in relation to the studies in western countries

Abstract The paper deciphers the Chinese literature to English speaking scholars and bridges the gap between China and the western countries on the topics of therapeutic landscapes and healing gardens. Three parts of contents are included in the paper. Firstly, four schools of theories explaining how and why nature can heal, are introduced based on the studies in western countries with the examination of terminology used. In the second part, 71 publications in Chinese are systematically reviewed, with 19 significant studies analyzed in details, including focus areas, the research method, and major findings. In the final part, Chinese studies are evaluated in relation to the theories in western countries.
Plasma levels of osteopontin identify patients at risk for organ damage in systemic lupus erythematosus

Introduction: Osteopontin (OPN) has been implicated as a mediator of Th17 regulation via type I interferon (IFN) receptor signaling and in macrophage activity at sites of tissue repair. This study assessed whether increased circulating plasma OPN (cOPN) precedes development of organ damage in pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus (pSLE) and compared it to circulating plasma neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (cNGAL), a predictor of increased SLE disease activity. Methods: cOPN and cNGAL were measured in prospectively followed pSLE (n = 42) and adult SLE (aSLE; n = 23) patients and age-matched controls. Time-adjusted cumulative disease activity and disease damage were respectively assessed using adjusted-mean SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) (AMS) and SLICC/ACR damage index (SDI). Results: Compared to controls, elevated cOPN and cNGAL were observed in pSLE and aSLE. cNGAL preceded worsening SLEDAI by 3-6 months (P = 0.04), but was not associated with increased 6-month AMS. High baseline cOPN, which was associated with high IFNalpha activity and expression of autoantibodies to nucleic acids, positively correlated with 6-month AMS (r = 0.51 and 0.52, P = 0.001 and 0.01 in pSLE and aSLE, respectively) and was associated with SDI increase at 12 months in pSLE (P = 0.001). Risk factors for change in SDI in pSLE were cOPN (OR 7.5, 95% CI [2.9-20], P = 0.03), but not cNGAL, cumulative prednisone, disease duration, immunosuppression use, gender or ancestry using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. The area under the curve (AUC) when generating the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) of baseline cOPN sensitivity and specificity for the indication of SLE patients with an increase of SDI over a 12 month period is 0.543 (95% CI 0.3470.738; positive predictive value 95% and negative predictive value 38%). Conclusion: High circulating OPN levels preceded increased cumulative disease activity and organ damage in SLE patients, especially in pSLE, and its value as a predictor of poor outcome should be further validated in large longitudinal cohorts.
Most Frequently Missed Fractures in the Emergency Department

This study quantified the types of extremity fractures most commonly missed on plain radiographs by pediatric emergency medicine specialists after an initial emergency department (ED) encounter. From February 2006 to June 2009, extremity radiographs obtained in a pediatric ED in which a radiologist categorized the ED attendings' read of normal as incorrect were tabulated. The authors also counted the total number of each type of radiograph completed when radiologists were unavailable. The percentage of each type of fracture missed was calculated based on the total number of missed fractures. It was found that a total of 220 fractures were missed during ED encounters in the study period. The most frequently missed fractures were of the hand phalanges (26.4%) followed by metatarsus (9.5%), distal radius (7.7%), tibia (7.3%), and phalanges of the foot (5.5%). Emergency physicians should be aware that the most commonly missed fractures were phalanges of the hand and metatarsal fractures.
Radioprotective effect of captopril on the mouse jejunal mucosa

Abstract Purpose: Captopril, an inhibitor of angiotensin I converting enzyme, has been shown to modify radiation damage and prevent radiation injury of normal tissue in rats and pigs. The present study was carried out to determine whether captopril would reduce radiation changes in the proximal small bowel in mice. Methods and Materials: Mice were subjected to whole body irradiation with 9 Gy or 15 Gy. Captopril was administered in drinking water at a regimen of 62.5 mg/kg/day (captopril group I) and 125 mg/kg/day (captopril group II), continuously from 7 days before irradiation to the end of each designed experiment. The jejunal damage was evaluated microscopically by crypt count per circumference and by histologic damage grading. Results: Crypt number in the sham-irradiated control was 133 ± 6.8/circumference. In both captopril group I and II, crypt numbers and histologic scores were not significantly different from those in the normal group. The 9 Gy and 15 Gy radiation alone groups showed significantly lower crypt counts and histologic scores compared with the sham-irradiated control group ( p p p Conclusion: Our results suggest that captopril provides protection from acute radiation damage to the jejunal mucosa in mice.
Modifications of glutamate dehydrogenase by various drugs which affect behavior.

The studies presently reported are consistent with the concept that chlorpromazine, certain isosteres of phenothiazine, and haloperidol (all drugs known to affect behavior) are inhibitors of glutamate dehydrogenase. These drugs apparently are bound to a site on the enzyme distinctly different from the active or purine nucleotide-binding sites. A lysine group on the enzyme molecule which is quite reactive with pyridoxal phosphate and is essential for full enzyme activity and allostery does not seem to be part of the drug-binding site. However, after this lysine group has reacted with pyridoxal phosphate, chlorpromazine will not inhibit the enzyme. Since binding of these drugs alters the absorption spectrum, fluorescence, and sedimentation coefficient of the enzyme, it is believed that inhibition by these drugs is secondary to an induced change in the conformation of the enzyme. In general the drugs are more inhibitory if the enzyme is already in a rather inactive conformation, i.e., if high concentrations of DPNH or GTP are present, and much less inhibitory if the enzyme is in an activated conformation, i.e., in the presence of high concentrations of ADP or DPN. Therefore the conformational changes produced by the drugs seem to be enhanced in the inactivated enzyme and retarded in the activated enzyme. In the presence of TPNH the drugs have little effect unless GTP is present. The drugs are extremely inhibitory in the presence of DPNH only if the concentration of DPNH is sufficiently high to produce substrate inhibition. ATP does not markedly alter the inhibitory action of the drugs with either coenzyme, and none of the drugs is a potent inhibitor in the presence of ADP or DPN. Therefore these agents would be most effective as inhibitors of ammonia incorporation if the DPNH:DPN and ATP:ADP ratios are high or if the concentrations of both TPNH and GTP are high. A detailed structure-activity study of the effects of many isosteres of promazine on glutamate dehydrogenase was performed, and the essential parts of the drug molecule necessary for binding to the drug site were characterized. The effects of these isosteres on glutamate dehydrogenase correlate closely with their antipsychotic activity in vivo.
Eszopiclone and fluoxetine enhance the survival of newborn neurons in the adult rat hippocampus

Clinical research has shown that co-administration of eszopiclone, a sedative-hypnotic sleeping agent, and fluoxetine, a serotonin uptake inhibitor, exerts an additive antidepressant action in treating patients with both depression and insomnia. Preclinical studies demonstrate that the behavioural actions of antidepressants are linked to neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus. To test the hypothesis that the additive effects of eszopiclone and fluoxetine could act via such a mechanism, the influence of combined administration of these agents on the proliferation and survival of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labelled newborn cells in the hippocampus of adult rats was determined. Chronic eszopiclone+fluoxetine co-administration significantly increased the survival, but not proliferation, of newborn neurons in dorsal hippocampus by approximately 50%, an effect greater than either drug alone. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that eszopiclone enhances the antidepressant action of fluoxetine, in part via a novel mechanism that increases the survival of newborn neurons.
An Approach to Identify Joint Motions for Dynamically Stable Walking

Biped robots are more versatile than conventional wheeled robots, but they tend to tip over easily. The dynamic stability of a biped robot needs to be maintained during walking. In this paper, a novel approach to compute dynamically stable walking motions of a planar six degree-of-freedom biped is presented. This approach is analytical and is based on the need for periodicity of the motion. The resulting gait satisfies the dynamic stability criteria. Sets of joint motions for different step sizes and speed of walking, i.e., quasi-statically and dynamically stable walking patterns, can be obtained.
Universal access to ECE undergraduate information via the Web

The World Wide Web is being used as the gateway to all academic information appropriate to 1500 undergraduates in the Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Department at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Our goal is to change the behavior of students so that they will look to department home page first in search of answers to any question related to classes, curricula, and extracurricular activities. Advising materials include explanations of all curricular requirements, links to course catalog and timetable information, on-line lookup of advisor name and homepage, and links to professional societies. We are actively pursuing a departmental goal that students be able to access home pages for all their ECE courses in order to obtain materials such as instructor names and office hours, class assignments, course notes, and old exams. Bulletin boards are integrated into the home pages to encourage interaction among students and instructors. We are pioneering the use of asynchronous learning technology for computer grading of homework exercises and access to teaching assistants around the clock. Our undergraduate organizations (e.g. IEEE and HKN) promote their many valuable services over the web, including publishing of surveys of courses and undergraduate research opportunities.
Upcoming candidate cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease

Dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is estimated to reach epidemic proportions by the year 2030. Given the limited accuracy of current AD clinical diagnosis, biomarkers of AD pathologies are currently being sought. Reductions in cerebrospinal fluid levels of β-amyloid 42 (a marker of amyloid plaques) and elevations in tau species (markers of neurofibrillary tangles and/or neurodegeneration) are well-established as biomarkers useful for AD diagnosis and prognosis. However, novel markers for other features of AD pathophysiology (e.g., β-amyloid processing, neuroinflammation and neuronal stress/dysfunction) and for other non-AD dementias are required to improve the accuracy of AD disease diagnosis, prognosis, staging and therapeutic monitoring (theragnosis). This article discusses the potential of several promising novel cerebrospinal fluid analytes, highlights the next steps critical for advancement in the field, and provides a prediction on how the field may evolve in 5-10 years.
The melanocortin 1 receptor is the principal mediator of the effects of agouti signaling protein on mammalian melanocytes.

The agouti gene codes for agouti signaling protein (ASP), which is temporally expressed in wild-type mouse follicular melanocytes where it induces pheomelanin synthesis. Studies using purified full-length agouti signaling protein has shown that it competes with (a)-melanocyte stimulating hormone for binding to the melanocortin 1 receptor. We have investigated whether ASP binds exclusively to the melanocortin 1 receptor expressed on mouse melanocytes in primary culture, or additionally activates a receptor that has not been identified yet. We have compared the responses of congenic mouse melanocytes derived from C57 BL/6J-E(+)/E(+), e/e, or E(so)/E(so) mice to (alpha)-MSH and/or ASP. E(+)/E(+) melanocytes express the wild-type melanocortin 1 receptor, e/e melanocytes express a loss-of-function mutation in the melanocortin 1 receptor that results in a yellow coat color, and E(so)/E(so) is a mutation that causes constitutive activation of the melanocortin 1 receptor and renders melanocytes unresponsive to (alpha)-melanocyte stimulating hormone. Mouse E(+)/E(+) melanocytes, but not e/e or E(so)/E(so) melanocytes, respond to agouti signaling protein with decreased basal tyrosinase activity, and reduction in levels of tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related proteins 1 and 2. Only in E(+)/E(+) melanocytes does agouti signaling protein abrogate the stimulatory effects of (alpha)-melanocyte stimulating hormone on cAMP formation and tyrosinase activity. These results indicate that a functional melanocortin 1 receptor is obligatory for the response of mammalian melanocytes to agouti signaling protein.
Optical Properties of Nd:NaYF4 and Ho:NaYF4

Spectroscopy on the new laser host crystal NaYF4 doped with Nd indicates that this host has both strong broad absorption bands suitable for diode pumping and an integrated cross-section higher than that of YAG. Ho:NaYF4 shows similar properties with broad emission bands suitable for tunable laser operation.
Enabling and Legitimization of Imperialism: Ideological Underpinnings in Germany and the United States During the Age of New Imperialism

From the late 18th though the first decades of the 20th Century, three overlapping and often conflicting ideologies arose and influenced policy making and political action in the United States and Germany. Broadly distinguished as philosophical, religious, and scientific, the three ideological threads were both an integral part of and instruments of change within the cultures of the two nations. These ideological threads coalesced as an imperial ideology enabling and legitimizing the irruption of New Imperialism in the later part of the 19th and early 20th centuries.
Formation mechanisms and optimization of trap-based positron beams

Described here are simulations of pulsed, magnetically guided positron beams formed by ejection from Penning-Malmberg-style traps. In a previous paper [M. R. Natisin et al., Phys. Plasmas 22, 033501 (2015)], simulations were developed and used to describe the operation of an existing trap-based beam system and provided good agreement with experimental measurements. These techniques are used here to study the processes underlying beam formation in more detail and under more general conditions, therefore further optimizing system design. The focus is on low-energy beams (∼eV) with the lowest possible spread in energies (<10 meV), while maintaining microsecond pulse durations. The simulations begin with positrons trapped within a potential well and subsequently ejected by raising the bottom of the trapping well, forcing the particles over an end-gate potential barrier. Under typical conditions, the beam formation process is intrinsically dynamical, with the positron dynamics near the well lip, just before ej...
Radiotherapeutic bandage for the treatment of squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

Abstract Introduction Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer in the United States. The efficacy of a pharmaceutically elegant radiotherapeutic bandage, previously described by us for application against SCC of the skin, was tested for the first time in vivo using a subcutaneous SCC mouse model and a therapeutically relevant radiation dose. Methods Female athymic nude mice were injected with human Colo-16 SCC cells subcutaneously and after eight days (average tumor volume: 35 ± 8.6 mm3) received no treatment, or were exposed to non-radioactive or radioactive (92.5 ± 18.5 MBq) bandages for approximately 1 h (n = 10 per group). After treatment, tumors were measured over fifteen days, tumor volume ratios (TVRs) compared and histopathology performed. Results Fifteen days after treatment, the TVR of the radioactive bandage treatment group was 3.3 ± 4.5, while TVRs of the non-radioactive bandage treatment and no treatment control groups were 33.2 ± 14.7 and 26.9 ± 12.6, respectively. At the time of necropsy, there was mild focal epidermal hyperplasia surrounding a small area of epidermal ulceration in the radioactive bandage group. No other examined tissue (i.e., muscle, liver, kidney, lung, spleen and heart) showed significant lesions. Conclusions Our radiotherapeutic bandage exhibits promising efficacy against SCC of the skin in a mouse model. It can be individually tailored for easy application on tumor lesions of all shapes and sizes, and could complement or possibly replace surgery in the clinic.
Testimonium: Risky Business: Russian Trade in the Ottoman Empire in the Early Nineteenth Century

Irregularities in the implementation of Russian–Ottoman trade accords often turned commercial promise into risky business for Russian merchant shipping in the Levant. The Russian archival records presented here for the first time in English translation — four restitution requests and trade loss inventories submitted to the Sublime Porte by the Russian envoy in 1816 — provide telling detail not just on the perils of Russian trade but on the extent of Russia's commercial networks in the Ottoman Empire. The documents offer a Russian perspective on trade issues in the Levant and suggest the commercial dimension of Russian involvement in the Eastern Question.
Diffusion in Accessory Minerals: Zircon, Titanite, Apatite, Monazite and Xenotime

In this chapter, an overview of the findings to date from laboratory measurements of diffusion of cations in the accessory mineral phases zircon, monazite, apatite, titanite (sphene) and xenotime is presented. These minerals differ widely from one another in structure and composition, but share some common characteristics. While they are generally low in modal abundance, they tend to incorporate elements that are important tracers of geochemical processes (e.g., the rare earth and high-field strength elements) as well as U and/or Th, which make them valuable as geochronometers. Two other phases commonly considered “accessory,” rutile and baddeleyite, are discussed in other chapters (Farver 2010; Van Orman and Crispin 2010), and a third, allanite, is not considered in this review because no diffusion data exist. Since other chapters in this volume review diffusion of the noble gases (Baxter 2010, this volume) and oxygen (Farver 2010, this volume) in minerals, diffusion of these elements is not discussed in detail here. Because of the importance of these phases in geochronometry and trace-element budgets in geologic systems, attempts have been made for nearly four decades to measure diffusion (especially of Pb) in these accessory minerals. While diffusivities of certain elements in some of these minerals can be relatively fast, in most cases diffusivities in these phases are comparatively slow, requiring analytical methods capable of high depth resolution. In the last two decades or so profiling techniques with better depth resolution have been employed, resulting in much new diffusion data for accessory minerals. These diffusion findings have important implications for isotopic dating, closure temperatures, geothermometry, and formation and preservation of primary chemical composition and zoning. Several of these mineral phases have also been proposed as materials for nuclear waste storage, where reliable diffusion data are critical in order to evaluate their long-term stability …
Specification of Patronage Models for Retail Center Choice

The author explores possible specification biases of conventional retail patronage models stemming from important omitted variables and from the composition of the set of alternative retail centers...
Motion - the available treatments for hepatitis C are cost effective: arguments for the motion.

The treatment of hepatitis C has evolved over the past decade, and a combination of interferon (IFN), pegylated or standard type, and ribavirin is now acknowledged as the therapy of choice. Questions remain, however, about the duration of treatment and which patients are the most likely to benefit from therapy. Cost effectiveness analyses (CEAs) have been employed to answer these questions. Before the results can be interpreted appropriately, however, clinicians must make themselves aware of the underlying assumptions and the nature of the ‘reference’ case. Moreover, certain parameters, including quality-of-life evaluations, may not be easily translated from one jurisdiction to another. The costs and benefits of treatment are often very sensitive to such factors as patient age, viral load, histological severity and the viral genotype. Randomized controlled clinical trials, and the CEAs on which they are based, have shown that combination therapy is more cost effective than IFN monotherapy, and that both are cost effective compared with no treatment. Ongoing research on the use of pegylated IFN, weight-adjusted dosing of ribavirin, and the treatment of relapsers and nonresponders will provide valuable data that could be incorporated into future CEAs. Health care resources are vast, but not limitless. Therefore, health care providers need to become aware of how best to allocate resources to the general population. CEAs can facilitate this process by determining which treatment strategies are likely to yield the greatest clinical benefits without excessive expenditures.
Connecting Grassroots and Government for Disaster Response

Leaders in disaster response are finding it necessary to adapt to a new reality. Although community actions have always been the core of the recovery process, collective action from the grassroots has changed response operations in ways that few would have predicted. Using new tools that interconnect over expanding mobile networks, citizens can exchange information via maps and social media, then mobilize thousands of people to collect, analyze, and act on that information. Sometimes, community-sourced intelligence may be fresher and more accurate than the information given to the responders who provide aid. This report explores approaches to the questions that commonly emerge when building an interface between the grassroots and government agencies, with a particular focus on the accompanying legal, policy, and technology challenges.
Parental involvement laws and parent-daughter communication: policy without proof.

This editorial focuses upon the issue of parental involvement (PI) laws required in some states for a daughter to obtain an abortion. It discusses a conducted review of literature to determine if there is evidence that legally mandated communication in the form of PI laws benefit of harm parent-daughter communication. It reviews and assesses the strengths and weaknesses of the literature and makes recommendations to clinicians researchers and advocates regarding areas for future research and policymaking. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Chordoma. An immunohistochemical study of 20 cases

Twenty chordomas from 20 patients, including 17 nonchondroid and three chondroid types, were studied with a variety of antibodies directed against cytokeratin (AE-1/3), epithelial membrane antigen, carcinoembryonic antigen, S100 protein, vimentin, alpha 1-antichymotrypsin, and lysozyme. All 17 nonchondroid chordomas stained for cytokeratin, and most (16) stained for epithelial membrane antigen. In contrast, two chondroid chordomas failed to stain for either cytokeratin or epithelial membrane antigen, while one of them did stain for both antigens. Sixteen of the 20 chordomas (80%) stained for S100 protein, including all three chondroid chordomas. Vimentin was found in six (30%), and alpha 1-antichymotrypsin in 16 chordomas (80%). Carcinoembryonic antigen and lysozyme were each found in two specimens (10%). While these findings basically agree with the immunohistochemical studies of other investigators, there are a few discrepancies. Most significant is the lack of epithelial markers in two of three chondroid chordomas located at the base of the skull. Possible reasons for the discrepancies are discussed.
Arsenic Trioxide Induced p53-Dependant Apoptotic Signals in a Temperature Sensitive (Ts) p53 Mutant, BRK Cell Line.

Mutations in the p53 gene are the most common genetic abnormality in human cancers and are the cause for drug resistance. Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is an effective chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) and is being tested in phase II studies in various types of cancers. We have previously shown that ATO is a potent inducer of apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells, engaging the intrinsic apoptotic pathway in cells expressing w.t. p53 whereas in cells expressing mutant p53, both the intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways are engaged. To further establish the differential effect of ATO in relation to the p53 status we studied the effect of temperature shift in temperature sensitive (Ts)-p53 expressing baby rat kidney (BRK) cells. We studied by Western immunoblotting the activation of the intrinsic and the extrinsic apoptotic pathways in ATO-induced apoptosis of BRK cells cultured at 32°C (w.t. p53 phenotype) and 37°C (mutant p53 phenotype). As expected, at 32°C, we observed a G1 arrest through activation of p21. We also observed depolarization of mitochondrial membrane; the release of cytochrome C and activation of caspase-9 and apoptosis as measured by Annexin V. We also observed release of SMAC at 32°C. In contrast, at 37°C we observed a G2/M arrest with no activation of p21 with activation of the extrinsic apoptotic pathway through early induction of TRAIL and TRAIL receptor- R2, activation of caspase-8, activation of BID, degradation of FLIP, rapid depolarization of mitochondrial membrane and release of AIF from mitochondria to the cytosol. We also demonstrate by flow cytometry and confocal imaging translocation of AIF to the nucleus in ATO-induced apoptosis at 37°C but not at 32°C. These results further substantiate our p53 model (Akay and Gazitt, Cell Cycle2:258–268, 2003).
Mutagenic analysis of the role of the PSDTSSK domain of human SLUG protein in its repressor function in breast cancer cells

B89 SLUG is a transcriptional repressor protein implicated to have major roles in the oncogenesis and metastasis of human breast cells. It inhibits the expressions of many genes whose products are involved in the cell-cell adhesion and cellular proliferation. Our objective is to study the structure activity relationships in the SLUG protein in order to develop a mechanism based chemical intervention that abolishes the repressor function of SLUG. Towards that goal, we identified two essential domains in the repressor segment of the human SLUG (hSLUG) protein by deletion/modification analyses. They are the N-terminal SNAG domain and the internal PSDTSSK domain (P-domain). Deletion/alteration of each of these domains abrogated the repressor activity of the hSLUG protein. Repressor activity of the native hSLUG or the hSLUG derivatives were determined by the over expression of the protein in MDA-MB-468 cells (SLUG-negative cell) that are expressing Renilla luciferase from the human claudin 7 gene promoter. The human claudin 7 gene promoter has seven E2 box sequences which are potential binding sites for hSLUG. Thus, the activity of this promoter is very sensitive to hSLUG action and is an ideal assay system for the structure function analyses of hSLUG. Since the SNAG domain is common to several transcriptional repressors including SNAIL, Gfi1 etc., the development of aptamers against the SNAG domain will not only inhibit hSLUG but also other SNAG domain bearing proteins. We are thus focusing on the detailed analysis of the P-domain of hSLUG to find out whether a peptide aptamer against this domain may be a specific inhibitor against hSLUG protein function in human breast cells. One of the breast cancer disparities among African American and Caucasian women is that in the former population breast cancer is significantly more aggressive with a quick and fatal outcome. SLUG is supposedly a determinant factor for the aggressiveness of breast cancer. Development of a specific functional antagonist against SLUG may thus particularly help to slow the fatal development of breast carcinoma in African American women. Supported by the DOD-CDMRP IDEA Grant #W81XWH-06-1-0466, Komen Foundation for the Cure grant BCTR0707627 and the NCI SPORE subproject grant # 3 P50 CA098131 03S1 to GC.
RBL-2H3 Proliferation is Modulated by Treatments that Shift Transition Temperatures in Isolated Plasma Membrane Vesicles

Giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs) isolated from a variety of cell types appear homogeneous at physiological temperatures but separate into distinct liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered phases below their transition temperature (Tmix). Previous work in the lab has shown that Tmix is higher in GPMVs isolated from sparsely plated cells than those plated at a higher density (Gray et al. PLoS One 10(9):e0137741 (2015)). Since these cells are also contact inhibited, we hypothesize that differences in Tmix are related to their different growth rates. This previous study also found that Tmix is elevated in GPMVs isolated from cells preparing to undergo cell division compared to cells in other phases of the cell cycle. Based on these past results, we hypothesized that compounds which shift GPMV Tmix also affect the rate of cell growth when incubated with intact cells. To test this hypothesis, we incubated intact RBL-2H3 cells in n-alcohols and combinations of n-alcohols which we have previously shown to alter Tmix when added to isolated GPMVs (Machta et al. Biophys. J. 111(3):537-45 (2016)). We find that these treatments also alter cell growth as measured by counting cells present after 24h of incubation with compounds in complete media at 37°C. Specifically, fewer cells are counted in dishes containing n-alcohols that lower Tmix in GPMVs than that of a control, whereas an even greater number of cells are counted in dishes containing an n-alcohol that raises Tmix in GPMVs. In addition, we find that cells adapt their membrane composition to compensate for the effect of n-alcohols on GPMV Tmix when incubated with n-alcohols for 24h. Ongoing experiments are being conducted to illuminate the biochemical pathways underlying the observed changes in cell proliferation.
Malingered Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder on the Conners’ Adult ADHD Rating Scales: Do Reasons for Malingering Matter?

Malingering is a significant assessment concern in adults undergoing evaluations for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and may occur for a number of reasons, including access to medic...
Conductive grain systems: Relaxation under strong electric fields

In an external electric field, a system of conductive grains embedded in a dielectric matrix becomes unstable and relaxes towards a conductive state. We describe and discuss the elementary acts of this relaxation. When the grains packing density is large, the relaxation is controlled by narrow gaps separating neighboring grains. The electric fields in some gaps are enhanced, relative to the external field, by the factor R/l, R being the grain radius and l the width of the gap. These enhanced fields trigger dielectric breakdown in the gaps. Both breakdown events and grain motions increase the permittivity of the composite; advancement of the breakdown process leads to global failure of insulation. The non-linear and hysteretic charge-discharge behavior of the system is determined by the main parameters characterizing the breakdown, the delay time relative to electric field increase, and the lifetime of breakdown conductivity after the supporting current has vanished.
Parental Exposure to Dim Light at Night Prior to Mating Alters Offspring Adaptive Immunity

Exposure to dim light at night (dLAN) disrupts natural light/dark cycles and impairs endogenous circadian rhythms necessary to maintain optimal biological function, including the endocrine and immune systems. We have previously demonstrated that white dLAN compromises innate and cell mediated immune responses in adult Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). We hypothesized that dLAN has transgenerational influences on immune function. Adult male and female Siberian hamsters were exposed to either dark nights (DARK) or dLAN (~5 lux) for 9 weeks, then paired in full factorial design, mated, and thereafter housed under dark nights. Offspring were gestated and reared in dark nights, then tested as adults for cell-mediated and humoral immunity. Maternal exposure to dLAN dampened delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses in male offspring. Maternal and paternal exposure to dLAN reduced DTH responses in female offspring. IgG antibodies to a novel antigen were elevated in offspring of dams exposed to dLAN. Paternal exposure to dLAN decreased splenic endocrine receptor expression and global methylation in a parental sex-specific manner. Together, these data suggest that exposure to dLAN has transgenerational effects on endocrine-immune function that may be mediated by global alterations in the epigenetic landscape of immune tissues.
Cyber defense via event-based modeling: An approach for modeling and querying system of systems behaviors for unwanted states

This paper presents a new approach for identifying unknown and/or unwanted states within a system of systems (SoS) architecture using a graphical representation of the event-based modeling language, Monterey Phoenix. The paper demonstrates how the graphical modeling tool can create a single model that contains a mix of human, system, and environmental events, all of which contain event attributes. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate a new approach to cyber defense by evaluating attributes of human, system, and environmental events.
Nano-scale characterization of nano-hydroxyapatite incorporated chitosan particles for bone repair.

Abstract In this study, injectable porous spherical particles were fabricated using chitosan (CS) biopolymer, sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP), and nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA). TPP was primarily used as an ionic crosslinker to crosslink 2% (w/v) CS droplets. 2% (w/v) nHA was used to prepare nHA incorporated particles. The surface morphological properties and nanomechanical properties such as topography, deformation, adhesion, and dissipation of CS particles with and without nHA were studied using contact mode and peakforce quantitative nanomechanical property mapping mode in atomic force microscopy. The nHA spots have higher density than CS which leads to higher forces acting on the probe tip and higher energy dissipation to lift the tip from nHA areas. The cumulative release data showed that about 87% of total BMP-2 encapsulated within the particles was released by third week of experiment period. Degradation study was conducted to understand how the particles degradation occurs in the presence of phosphate buffered saline with continues shaking in an incubator at 37° C. In addition, BMP-2 release from the 2% nHA/CS particles was studied over a three weeks period and found that BMP-2 release was governed by the simple diffusion rather than the degradation of particles.
Micro- and macroevolutionary adaptation through repeated loss of a complete metabolic pathway.

There is growing evidence for the convergent evolution of physically linked gene clusters encoding chemical defense pathways. Metabolic clusters are proposed to evolve because they ensure co-inheritance of all required genes where the defense is favored, and prevent inheritance of toxic partial pathways where it is not. This hypothesis rests on the assumption that clusters evolve in species where selection favors intraspecific polymorphism for the defense; however, they have not been examined in polymorphic species. We examined metabolic cluster evolution in relation to an adaptive polymorphism for cyanogenic glucoside (CNglc) production in clover. Using 163 accessions, we performed CNglc assays, BAC sequencing, Southern hybridizations and molecular evolutionary analyses. We find that the CNglc pathway forms a 138-kb cluster in white clover, and that the adaptive polymorphism occurs through presence/absence of the complete cluster. Component genes are orthologous to those in the distantly related legume Lotus japonicus. These findings provide empirical support for the co-inheritance hypothesis, and they indicate that adaptive CNglc variation in white clover evolves through recurrent deletions of the entire pathway. They further indicate that the shared ancestor of many important legume crops was likely cyanogenic and that this defense was lost repeatedly over the last 50 Myr.