cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Induction of stress proteins in cultured myogenic cells. Molecular signals for the activation of heat shock transcription factor during ischemia.

Expression of major stress proteins is induced rapidly in ischemic tissues, a response that may protect cells from ischemic injury. We have shown previously that transcriptional induction ofheat-shock protein 70 by hypoxia results from activation of DNA binding of a preexisting, but inactive, pool of heat shock factor (HSF). To determine the intracellular signals generated in hypoxic or ischemic cells that triggerHSF activation, we examined the effects of glucose deprivation and the metabolic inhibitor rotenone on DNA-binding activity of HSF in cultured C2 myogenic cells grown under normoxic conditions. Whole-cell extracts were examined in gel mobility shift assays using a 39-bp synthetic oligonucleotide containing a consensus heat-shock element as probe. ATP pools were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography and intracellular pH (pH1) was measured using a fluorescent indicator. Glucose deprivation alone reduced the cellularATP pool to50% ofcontrol levels but failed to activate HSF. However, 2 X 10'M rotenone inducedDNA binding ofHSF within 30 min, in association with a fall inATP to30% ofcontrol levels, and a fall in pHifrom 7.3 to 6.9. Maneuvers (sodium proprionate and amiloride) that lowered pH, to 6.7 without ATP depletion failed to activate HSF. Conversely, in studies that loweredATP stores at normal pH (high K+/nigericin) we found induction ofHSF-DNA binding activity. Our data indicate that the effects ofATP depletion alone are sufficient to induce the DNA binding of HSF when oxidative metabolism is impaired, and are consistent with a model proposed recently for transcriptional regulation ofstress protein genes during ischemia. (J. Clin. Invest. 1992.89:1685
Reply to Vikrant and Verma about ''Monitor Lizard Envenoming''

We read with concern the case report by S. Vikrant and B.S.Verma (Renal Failure online early DOI: 10.3109/0886022X.2013.868223), claiming a bite from a monitorlizard caused systemic envenoming and fatal renal failure. Inthe patient’s location a variety of venomous snakes exist,including Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii), envenoming bywhich would certainly be able to cause the constellation ofeffects and outcome experienced by this patient. Snakebitecauses at least an estimated 45,000 fatalities in India everyyear
Improving power line utilization and performance with D-FACTS devices

This paper discusses the use of massively-dispersed mass-manufactured communications-enabled sensor, power-converter and actuator networks to realize a smart, fault tolerant, controllable and asset efficient power grid. A critical unfulfilled need, power flow control on existing lines, is solved using many modules of a distributed static series compensator (DSSC) device that can be clamped on to existing power lines, and can be operated so as to control the impedance of the conductor - realizing the first in a family of distributed flexible AC transmission system or D-FACTS devices. This approach promises important system-wide benefits including - increased line and system capacity; increased reliability; improved asset utilization; improved operation under contingencies; reduced environmental impact; incremental deployment; and rapid implementation.
Delegation Protocols Founded on Trust

Delegations are the basic mechanism through which agents in a multiagent system coordinate. Delegations are also a major source of insecurity in a multiagent system. In this paper, we outline delegation protocols based on trust. Through these protocols, we address the problem associated with delegation decisions in a multiagent system
Sacred Space Reborn: Protestant Monasteries in Twentieth Century Europe

After the Reformation, monasteries and sacred space disappeared from Protestant Europe and did not reemerge until the twentieth century. This chapter explores the theologies and social movements behind both the disappearance and reemergence of Protestant monasteries and Protestant sacred space. Monasteries disappeared because the theology that supported them was deemed “works righteousness” by Luther, Zwingli and Calvin. Christians entered monasteries believing them to be a fast track to heaven. The Reformers argued that the path to righteousness was faith, not works. Since believers could experience faith just as easily outside the monastery as within, monasteries were dissolved. The understanding of the Eucharist also changed, transforming Protestants’ experience of the church sanctuary. Rather than being seen as a holy place for the body and blood of Christ, the building became a meeting place. In the mid-nineteenth century, Protestantism experienced a “crise de foi.” Secularization was emptying the pews. As Kierkegaard and later Barth pondered the problem, charismatic groups arose to inspire a new kind of Protestantism that included monasteries. These groups played a role in bringing monasteries back to Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and France: deaconesses, Moravians, ecumenism, Scouting, the Oxford Group, and the high church movement. Over 40 monastic communities emerged in Protestant Europe by the second half of the twentieth century, the most famous of them being Taize. By analyzing the ways Taize both is and is not representative of the Protestant monastic movement and the reemergence of sacred space in Protestant Europe, Protestant monasteries are illuminated. Creation stories, community organization, liturgy, architecture and relationships with Catholicism are explored. Today, while there are relatively few Protestants in monasteries, their impact on Protestantism is profound.
Internet use in the contemporary media environment.

Although a significant amount of research has focused on traditional media choice and use, and even on some ‘new’ media, these studies have either neglected the Internet and World Wide Web or were conducted prior to their recent popularity. This study offers a novel exploration of individuals' use of three Internet functions (information retrieval, information giving, and conversation capabilities) in the context of the use of other communication media. Data from 684 individuals demonstrate that the Internet is a multidimensional technology used in a manner similar to other, more traditional media. Specifically, conversation features of the Internet align with mediated interpersonal technologies (the telephone and electronic mail), whereas the Internet's information-retrieval and information-giving features are used in ways similar to mass media channels (newspapers, television, and books and magazines). In addition, needs fulfilled by these channels cluster in ways consistent with past research, regardless of the technologies employed to meet them.
The effects of vaccination in an age-dependent model for varicella and herpes zoster

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is responsible for the infectious diseases varicella and herpes zoster, more commonly known as chickenpox and shingles. The United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved a VZV vaccine for use in children to prevent chickenpox. The VZV vaccine was tested in Japan, Korea, and the United States, and these extensive experimental investigations led to final approval in the United States. In this paper, an age-dependent model for varicella and herpes zoster is formulated. Using statistics for the United States, parameter values for the model are estimated and numerical solutions are calculated. The effects of various control strategies, designed to decrease the number of individuals susceptible to varicella and zoster, are investigated. In particular, the effect of vaccination on the average age of infection, the average number of infections per person during their lifetime, and the ratio of number of tester cases after control to those before control are investigated.
Evaluation and treatment of deformities of the chin.

Deformities of the chin are commonly present in patients pursuing cosmetic facial surgery. Most commonly, the patient presents requesting a rhinoplasty and is unaware of the associated chin deformity. A patient will occasionally present with the chin being the focus of their concerns, however. In this discussion, we will focus on the evaluation of chin deformities and then provide a brief overview of treatment modalities for such deformities.
Species-genus ratios reflect a global history of diversification and range expansion in marine bivalves

The distribution of marine bivalve species among genera and higher taxa takes the form of the classic hollow curve, wherein few lineages are species rich and many are species poor. The distribution of species among genera (S/G ratio) varies with latitude, with temperate S/G9s falling within the null expectation, and tropical and polar S/G9s exceeding it. Here, we test several hypotheses for this polar overdominance in the species richness of small numbers of genera. We find a significant positive correlation between the latitudinal range of a genus and its species richness, both globally and within regions. Genus age and species richness are also positively related, but this relationship breaks down when the analysis is limited to genera endemic to climate zones or with narrow latitudinal ranges. The data suggest a link between speciation and range-expansion, with genera expanding out of the tropical latitudinal bins tending to speciate more prolifically, both globally and regionally. These genera contain more species within climate zones than taxa endemic to that zone. Range expansion thus appears to be fundamentally coupled with speciation, producing the skewed distribution of species among genera, both globally and regionally, whereas clade longevity is achieved through extinction—resistance conferred by broad geographical ranges.
Multicultural Training in Spirituality: An Interdisciplinary Review

Is spiritual diversity a neglected dimension in preparation for multicultural competency? The authors present an interdisciplinary overview of research related to multicultural training in spirituality and religion to address this issue. Findings indicate that counseling program leaders have minimal preparation in spiritual and religious diversity and interventions. In addition, spiritual and religious themes appear to be minimally present in counseling program curricula. Some evidence also indicates that religious and spiritual diversity is not considered as important in multicultural training as are other kinds of diversity. A movement to include spirituality and religious content in accreditation guidelines, however, points to a possible shift to expand preparation for religious and spiritual competency. The article concludes with implications for counselor preparation and supervision.
The natural history of the WRKY–GCM1 zinc fingers and the relationship between transcription factors and transposons

WRKY and GCM1 are metal chelating DNA-binding domains (DBD) which share a four stranded fold. Using sensitive sequence searches, we show that this WRKY-GCM1 fold is also shared by the FLYWCH Zn-finger domain and the DBDs of two classes of Mutator-like element (MULE) transposases. We present evidence that they share a stabilizing core, which suggests a possible origin from a BED finger-like intermediate that was in turn ultimately derived from a C2H2 Zn-finger domain. Through a systematic study of the phyletic pattern, we show that this WRKY-GCM1 superfamily is a widespread eukaryote-specific group of transcription factors (TFs). We identified several new members across diverse eukaryotic lineages, including potential TFs in animals, fungi and Entamoeba. By integrating sequence, structure, gene expression and transcriptional network data, we present evidence that at least two major global regulators belonging to this superfamily in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Rcs1p and Aft2p) have evolved from transposons, and attained the status of transcription regulatory hubs in recent course of ascomycete yeast evolution. In plants, we show that the lineage-specific expansion of WRKY-GCM1 domain proteins acquired functional diversity mainly through expression divergence rather than by protein sequence divergence. We also use the WRKY-GCM1 superfamily as an example to illustrate the importance of transposons in the emergence of new TFs in different lineages.
Pilot Trial of Combined BRAF and EGFR Inhibition in BRAF Mutant Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients

Purpose: BRAF -mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) forms an aggressive subset of colorectal cancer with minimal response to selective RAF inhibitors. Preclinical data show that reactivation of EGFR signaling occurs in colorectal tumor cells treated with RAF inhibitors and that the addition of an EGFR inhibitor enhances antitumor activity. These data suggest that combined therapy with RAF and EGFR inhibitors could be an effective strategy for treating BRAF V600E mCRC. Experimental Design: We undertook a pilot trial to assess the response rate and safety of the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib combined with anti-EGFR antibody panitumumab in patients with BRAF -mutant mCRC. Patients received standard approved doses of panitumumab and vemurafenib. Results: Fifteen patients were treated. Performance status was Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) 0 in 4 patients (27%) and ECOG 1 in 11 patients (73%). All patients had progressed through at least one standard treatment regimen, and 8 (53%) had received previous fluoropyrimidine, oxaliplatin, and irinotecan chemotherapy. Treatment was well tolerated, with less cutaneous toxicity than would be expected with either agent, and no cases of keratoacanthomas/squamous cell carcinomas. Tumor regressions were seen in 10 of 12 evaluable patients with partial responses in 2 patients (100% and 64% regression lasting 40 and 24 weeks, respectively), and stable disease lasting over 6 months in 2 patients. Conclusions: Combined RAF and EGFR inhibition is well tolerated, with less cutaneous toxicity than would be expected with either agent, and results in modest clinical activity in this highly aggressive and chemoresistant subset of CRC. Clin Cancer Res; 21(6); 1313–20. ©2015 AACR .
Identification of a new class of protein kinases represented by eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase.

The several hundred members of the eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily characterized to date share a similar catalytic domain structure, consisting of 12 conserved subdomains. Here we report the existence and wide occurrence in eukaryotes of a protein kinase with a completely different structure. We cloned and sequenced the human, mouse, rat, and Caenorhabditis elegans eukaryotic elongation factor-2 kinase (eEF-2 kinase) and found that with the exception of the ATP-binding site, they do not contain any sequence motifs characteristic of the eukaryotic protein kinase superfamily. Comparison of different eEF-2 kinase sequences reveals a highly conserved region of ≈200 amino acids which was found to be homologous to the catalytic domain of the recently described myosin heavy chain kinase A (MHCK A) from Dictyostelium. This suggests that eEF-2 kinase and MHCK A are members of a new class of protein kinases with a novel catalytic domain structure.
Control analysis of an ejector based fuel cell anode recirculation system

An ejector based recirculation system is incorporated on the anode side of the fuel cell to address anode flooding. The objective of the recirculation system is to regulate anode humidity with recirculating flow, while safeguarding the membrane and supporting the electric load. These objectives can be achieved by a control system that uses two actuators, namely the fuel supplied from the fuel source and a back pressure valve placed in the recirculation path. For these actuators, the control analysis presented in this paper identifies anode pressure, along with either return manifold pressure or recirculation flow rate, as variables to be tracked in order to facilitate meeting of the control objectives, while assuring internal stability. Feedback regulation of these variables with a minimum number of pressure sensors is addressed by identifying appropriate sensor locations. The sensor selection and corresponding observer design for the system are treated from the points of view of the observability requirements and robustness to sensor noise. The performance of various sensor combinations shows that measurement of anode pressure is adequate for a full order observer based state feedback controller.
The pre-health collection within MedEdPORTAL's iCollaborative: helping faculty prepare students for the competencies in the new MCAT(2015) exam.

To help faculty prepare and revise courses in all the disciplines represented in the MCAT2015, the American Association of Medical Colleges, through its MedEdPORTAL's iCollaborative, has established the Pre-health Collection, a repository of reviewed web resources that are openly and freely available to faculty, and indirectly through them to students. The Pre-health Collection initiative makes use of the Internet to centralize teaching resources and to help faculty at institutions with fewer available resources to incorporate high quality teaching material specifically reviewed to assist students in obtaining the required pre-health competencies. As biochemistry competencies are increasingly represented in the new exam, it is important to grow the number of quality teaching resources for biochemistry within the portal and to develop a community of users and contributors. A description of the Pre-Health Collection and mechanisms for contributions are presented. © 2013 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 41(2):76-78, 2013
Rebuilding WR-340 and WR-284 waveguide switches to meet higher power at the Advanced Photon Source

The high-power S-band switching system for the Advanced Photon Source (APS) linear accelerator (linac) provides for a hot spare for two of the four S-band transmitters. The system utilizes four-port S-band switches of aluminum construction that are pressurized with sulfur hexafluoride during normal operation and are commercially available. A high-power S-band transmitter test stand at the APS linac has shown that processes that include the hand working and electropolishing of sharp edges internal to the aluminum construction of these switches have measurably improved power handling characteristics.
Ribonucleotides of RNA: Separation by Chromatography on Sheets of Diethylaminoethylcellulose

The four main ribonucleotides of RNA can be separated on diethylaminoethylcellulose paper sheets, with results comparable to column chromatography, by irrigation with 0.05M formic acid for 2 to 3 hours, and then reversing the direction of irrigation with 4M formic acid.
Outpatient intravenous ketamine for the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome: a double-blind placebo controlled study.

Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a severe chronic pain condition that most often develops following trauma. The pathophysiology of CRPS is not known but both clinical and experimental evidence demonstrate the important of the NMDA receptor and glial activation in its induction and maintenance. Ketamine is the most potent clinically available safe NMDA antagonist that has a well established role in the treatment of acute and chronic pain. This randomized double-blind placebo controlled trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of intravenous ketamine in the treatment of CRPS. Before treatment, after informed consent was obtained, each subject was randomized into a ketamine or a placebo infusion group. Study subjects were evaluated for at least 2 weeks prior to treatment and for 3 months following treatment. All subjects were infused intravenously with normal saline with or without ketamine for 4 h (25 ml/h) daily for 10 days. The maximum ketamine infusion rate was 0.35 mg/kg/h, not to exceed 25 mg/h over a 4 h period. Subjects in both the ketamine and placebo groups were administered clonidine and versed. This study showed that intravenous ketamine administered in an outpatient setting resulted in statistically significant (p < 0.05) reductions in many pain parameters. It also showed that subjects in our placebo group demonstrated no treatment effect in any parameter. The results of this study warrant a larger randomized placebo controlled trial using higher doses of ketamine and a longer follow-up period. 2009 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Influence of Heating on the Polyphenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Grape Seed Flour

: The production of grape seed flour (GSF) from a waste product generated during winemaking, is of interest in product development applications due to its potential health benefits. However, before GSF can used in baking as a source of additional antioxidants, research on its heat stability is required. The overall objective of this study was to assess changes in phenolic content and antioxidant activity of GSF during heating. Merlot GSF was heated at 5 temperatures (120 to 240 °C) for 0 to 90 min. At each time/temperature combination, total phenolic content (TPC), total flavanoid content (TFC), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), 2,2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, and ferric ion reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the extracts were determined. Specific polyphenolic compounds, including catechin, gallocatechin, epicatechin, and gallic acid were also measured. Results showed that when Merlot GSF was heated to ≥180 °C, significant decreases in the TPC and antioxidant activity, measured using FRAP, DPPH, and TEAC, were observed. Longer heating times also caused a reduction in antioxidant capability. Catechin and epicatechin content decreased with increasing heating temperature while gallocatechin and gallic acid content increased. Both catechin and epicatechin content had strong positive correlations (r > 0.91) with TPC and TFC, as well with FRAP and TEAC, suggesting that the GSF antioxidant activity is related to the presence of these particular compounds. Overall, while a decrease in antioxidant content was observed during heating, this occurred at higher baking temperatures. Thus GSF may be suitable for use as an ingredient in baked goods to bolster antioxidant content. Practical Application: In order for Merlot grape seed flour (GSF) to be used in baking as a source of additional antioxidant compounds, the impact of heating on the polyphenolic compounds in the GSF needed to be examined. Thermal treatment of Merlot GSF caused significant decreases in the TPC, antioxidant power, and specific polyphenolic compounds when heated ≥180 °C. Thus while antioxidant content decreased with higher heating temperatures, this occurred at higher baking temperatures. Thus, GSF may be suitable for use as an ingredient in baked goods to bolster antioxidant content.
Platelets as a source of fibroblast growth-promoting activity.

Abstract Evidence is presented that platelets are an enriched source of growth-promoting activity for 3T3 cells, an established line of mouse fibroblasts. Rat or human serum stimulates 3T3 cell growth more than autologous plasma; this increased activity is at least partly due to the release of a growth-promoting activity from platelets disrupted during the clotting process. Platelet extract stimulation of 3T3 cell growth is approx. 5 times greater than an equal amount of autologous serum. This platelet growth activity is (1) pH-stable; (2) pepsin-labile; (3) heat-stable at 56 °C; (4) non-dialysable, and (5) similar in size to the serum 3T3 growth-promoting molecule. 3T3 cells transformed by Simian virus 40 show an equivalent stimulation by the platelet solution and serum.
Vehicle Traction Performance on Snowy and Icy Surfaces

Snow and ice have been considered the main factors that contribute to reduced vehicle traction forces and potential traffic accidents during winter. To increase a vehicle's traction on snow and icy surfaces, studded and nonstudded winter tires have been used in cold regions. However, the use of studded tires causes significant pavement damage, such as accelerated pavement rutting and pavement marking damage. Since spring 1994, the Alaska Department of Transportation and Public Facilities has asked the Transportation Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks to conduct a series of research studies related to vehicle traction performance on snow and icy surfaces in Alaska. One of the studies conducted in 1995 is summarized. The main objectives of the study were to evaluate (a) traction performance of used winter tires on roadways, (b) traction performance comparison of lightweight studded tires with other winter tires, (c) traction performance of vehicles with two front studded tires, and (d) ef...
Estimating professional service productivity: theoretical model, empirical estimates and external validity

Productivity of professional service is difficult to measure, due to the high degree of customization, variable throughput time, and high degree of labor intensity. Using the complex design engineering for large construction projects as an example, this study reviews the common professional service productivity measurement problem of determining surrogate measures of inputs and outputs. This research was sponsored by the construction industry, and required a team of academic and construction executives to work closely to develop a procedure and a comprehensive empirical model for measuring engineering design productivity. The model addresses the complexity of productivity estimation arising from the interactions among the multiple outputs and variability of labor hours, both requiring surrogate measures. The mathematical model was statistically estimated using data from a large number of design engineering organizations. The statistical results and the model were externally validated in several organizati...
Extended mixture factor analysis model with covariates for mixed binary and continuous responses

Finite mixture factor analysis provides a parsimonious model to explore latent group structures of high-dimensional data. In this modeling framework, we can explore latent structures for continuous responses. However, dichotomous items are often used to define latent domains in practice. This paper proposes an extended finite mixture factor analysis model with covariates to model mixed continuous and binary responses. We use a Monte Carlo expectation-maximization (MCEM) algorithm to estimate the model. In the E step, closed-form solutions are not available for the conditional expectation of complete data log likelihood, so it is approximated by sample means, which are in turn generated by the Gibbs sampler from the joint conditional distribution of latent variables. To monitor the convergence of the MCEM algorithm, we use bridge sampling to calculate the log likelihood ratio of two successive iterations. We adopt a diagnostic plot of the log likelihood ratio against iterations for monitoring the convergence of the MCEM algorithm. We compare different models based on BIC, in which we approximate the observed data log likelihood by using a Monte Carlo method. We investigate the computational properties of the MCEM algorithm by simulation studies. We use a real data example to illustrate the practical usefulness of the model. Finally, we discuss limitations and possible extensions.
Chance constrained quality control

Abstract Consideration of quality implicitly introduces the need to adjust inputs in order to obtain desired output. Output evaluation must consider quality as well as cost. Real decisions may involve other objectives as well. Production problems often involve a dynamic situation where the relationship between cost and quality must be experimentally developed. The proposed method is to use regression as a means of identifying input-output relationships, to include variance. A chance constrained multiobjective model can be developed, and decision maker preference incorporated through interactive analysis. Through application of the proposed method, efficient solutions providing as much quality as desired at minimum cost are capable of identification. Past applications in the area are discussed, as are data collection, modeling, and solution procedures. A number of multiobjective concepts are reviewed in light of the chance constrained model. Constrained techniques are considered more appropriate than weighting techniques for this class of problem. The abilities of currently available solution techniques to support multiobjective analysis for this class of problems are also discussed.
Fungal Functional Genomics: Tunable Knockout-Knock-in Expression and Tagging Strategies

Strategies for promoting high-efficiency homologous gene replacement have been developed and adopted for many filamentous fungal species. The next generation of analysis requires the ability to manipulate gene expression and to tag genes expressed from their endogenous loci. Here we present a suite of molecular tools that provide versatile solutions for fungal high-throughput functional genomics studies based on locus-specific modification of any target gene. Additionally, case studies illustrate caveats to presumed overexpression constructs. A tunable expression system and different tagging strategies can provide valuable phenotypic information for uncharacterized genes and facilitate the analysis of essential loci, an emerging problem in systematic deletion studies of haploid organisms.
Opiate blockade enhances hypoglycemic counterregulation in normal and insulin-dependent diabetic subjects.

To examine the impact of opiate blockade on glucose counterregulation we performed two hypoglycemic insulin clamp studies with and without naloxone in healthy subjects and well-controlled insulin-d...
Treatment of Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency

Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is the reduced secretion of exocrine pancreatic enzymes into the duodenum. Its severity can range from mild to moderate insufficiency, causing no symptoms to severe (≥90% reduction of maximal enzyme secretion), which causes malabsorption (1) and malnutrition and may significantly impact on morbidity and mortality (2). Causes of exocrine insufficiency include cystic fibrosis, pancreatic cancer, surgical removal of the pancreas, trauma to the pancreas and chronic pancreatitis (CP). In principle, treatment of exocrine insufficiency is simple: replace enzyme secretion by ingesting adequate amounts of pancreatic enzymes with meals. Unfortunately, in practice, although carbohydrate and protein malabsorption can be easily abolished, fat malabsorption or steatorrhea is rarely abolished (3). Reasons for inadequate treatment of fat malabsorption include giving an insufficient amount of pancreatic enzymes, improper timing and dosing of enzymes, and destruction of the ingested enzymes by acid denaturation and proteolytic digestion. All these problems will be summarized and the treatment recommendations will be discussed in this chapter.
A review of the environmental implications of in situ remediation by nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI): Behavior, transport and impacts on microbial communities

The increasing use of strategies incorporating nanoscale zero valent iron (nZVI) for soil and groundwater in situ remediation is raising some concerns regarding the potential adverse effects nZVI could have on indigenous microbial communities and ecosystem functioning. This review provides an overview of the current literature pertaining to the impacts of nZVI applications on microbial communities. Toxicity studies suggest that cell membrane disruption and oxidative stress through the generation of Fe(2+) and reactive oxygen species by nZVI are the main mechanisms contributing to nZVI cytotoxicity. In addition, nZVI has been shown to substantially alter the taxonomic and functional composition of indigenous microbial communities. However, because the physico-chemical conditions encountered in situ highly modulate nZVI toxicity, a better understanding of the environmental factors affecting nZVI toxicity and transport in the environment is of primary importance in evaluating the ecological consequences that could result from a more extensive use of nZVI.
The General Solution of a Differential-Functional Equation

(1971). The General Solution of a Differential-Functional Equation. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 78, No. 1, pp. 37-42.
Brill–Noether varieties of k-gonal curves

We consider a general curve of fixed gonality k and genus g . We propose an estimate ρ‾g,k(d,r) for the dimension of the variety Wdr(C) of special linear series on C , by solving an analogous problem in tropical geometry. Using work of Coppens and Martens, we prove that this estimate is exactly correct if k≥15g+2, and is an upper bound in all other cases. We also completely characterize the cases in which Wdr(C) has the same dimension as for a general curve of genus g.
Honey Bees (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as Indicators of Radionuclide Contamination: Investigating Contaminant Redistribution Using Concentrations in Water, Flowers, and Honey Bees

As part of ongoing research concerning the use of honey bees, Apis mellifera L., as indicators of environmental radionuclide contamination, samples of water, flowers, and honey bees were collected for 2 consecutive years. The samples were collected within a study site containing radionuclide contamination above background levels. The samples were analyzed for concentrations of radionuclide's, and the results were compared using rank sum, correlation, and trend analysis. Results were then used to assess the redistribution pathway of radionuclide's within the study site. Results indicate that honey bees receive the majority of their contamination directly from the source, a radioactive waste lagoon. The amount of contamination the honey bees receive from flowers during nectar collection appears to be insignificant compared to the amount received during water collection. Results did not demonstrate significant patterns of correlation or trend between the lagoon, bees, or flowers. Sample results showed a significant boo accumulation of cobalt-60 and sodillm-22 within the honey bees but no significant boo accumulation within the flowers.
Two-substrate kinetics of drug-metabolizing enzyme systems of hepatic microsomes.

Two-substrate kinetics was employed to show that more than one microsomal system functions in the dealkylation of drugs. Evidence is also presented to show that in some dealkylation reactions a common enzyme system on rate-limiting component is involved. Employing microsomes from the male rat, it was concluded that the same enzyme system or rate-limiting component is involved in the N -demethylation of the l- and d -forms of 3-methoxy- N -methylmorphinan and in the N -deethylation of the tertiary amine, 2-diethylaminoethyl 2,2-diphenylvalerate·HCl (SKF 525-A), and its analogue, the secondary amine, 2-ethylaminoethyl 2,2-diphenylvalerate·HBr (SKF 8742-A). Using microsomes from untreated rats or from rats treated with phenobarbital or 3-methylcholanthrene, it was shown that the same enzyme system N -demethylates ethylmorphine and N -methylaniline. Different enzyme systems or rate-limiting components appear to be involved in the N -demethylation of morphine and the O -demethylation of norcodeine. Using microsomes from untreated rats, different N -demethylase systems metabolized ethylmorphine and morphine, but microsomes from phenobarbital-treated rats employed the same system. ACKNOWLEDGMENT The authors gratefully acknowledge the able technical assistance of Mrs. Jannice Shoeman.
The Case of Low Platelets

A 30-year-old female presents for outpatient transfusion of one unit of red blood cells (RBCs). The patient’s hemoglobin (Hgb) level is 7.5 g/dL and the platelet count is 25 K/µL (the patient is known to have a history of thrombocytopenia). A type and screen sample (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, EDTA anticoagulant) is submitted to the blood bank. The patient has no history of transfusion or pregnancy.
The isolation and characterization of trigalactosyl diglyceride from potato tubers

Trigalactosyl diglyceride has been isolated from tubers of potato (Solanum tuberosum) by a combination of chromatographic methods. This galactolipid, which constitutes approximately 1% by weight of the total lipids, was characterized by analysis of the intact lipid and its deacylation product. The fatty acids:glycerol:galactose molar proportions were shown to be close to 2:1:3. Evidence was obtained that suggests that trigalactosyl diglyceride is a higher homologue of mono- and di-galactosyl diglycerides and contains an additional d-galactopyranosyl moiety that is linked α-(1→6) to the terminal galactose unit of digalactosyl diglyceride.
Abstract P645: Chronic Angiotensin-(1-7) Improves Whole-Body Insulin Sensitivity in High-Fat Fed Mice by Enhancing Skeletal Muscle Glucose Uptake

Angiotensin (Ang)-(1-7) is a vasodilatory peptide implicated in the pathophysiology of hypertension, in part by opposing deleterious Ang II cardiovascular actions. Recent studies show that Ang-(1-7) restoration lowers blood pressure and improves glycemic control in animal models of cardiometabolic syndrome. The tissue-specific sites of action and blood pressure dependence for these metabolic effects, however, remain unclear. We hypothesized that Ang-(1-7) improves insulin sensitivity by enhancing peripheral glucose delivery. To test this hypothesis, adult male C57BL/6 mice were placed on standard chow or 60% high-fat diet for 11 weeks, with Ang-(1-7) [400 ng/kg/min] or saline given during the last 3 weeks of diet by subcutaneous osmotic mini-pump. Hyperinsulinemic (4 mU/kg/min) euglycemic clamps were performed in conscious, unrestrained mice at the end of the treatment period. High-fat fed mice exhibited modest hypertension (systolic blood pressure: 137±3 high-fat vs. 123±5 mmHg chow; p=0.043), which was not altered by Ang-(1-7) infusion (141±4 mmHg; p=0.516). Body weight, body composition, and fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels were not significantly different following Ang-(1-7) treatment in chow or high-fat fed mice. Ang-(1-7) increased the glucose infusion rate (GIR) needed to maintain euglycemia in high-fat fed mice (steady-state GIR: 31±5 Ang-(1-7) vs. 16±1 mg/kg/min vehicle; p=0.017) indicating enhanced whole-body insulin sensitivity, with no significant effect in chow fed mice. The improvement in insulin sensitivity in high-fat fed mice was due to an enhanced rate of whole-body glucose disappearance (Rd: 34±5 Ang-(1-7) vs. 20±2 mg/kg/min vehicle; p=0.049), with increased rates of glucose uptake in gastrocnemius, vastus, and soleus muscle. There was no effect of Ang-(1-7) on insulin-mediated suppression of hepatic glucose production. Our data shows that Ang-(1-7) has direct insulin-sensitizing effects on skeletal muscle, which are independent of changes in body weight or systemic blood pressure. These overall findings provide new insight into mechanisms by which Ang-(1-7) improves insulin action, and provide further support to targeting this peptide for treatment of cardiometabolic disease.
User survey finds rapid evidence reviews increased uptake of evidence by Veterans Health Administration leadership to inform fast-paced health-system decision-making

To provide evidence synthesis for faster-paced healthcare decision-making, rapid reviews have emerged as a streamlined alternative to standard systematic reviews. In 2012, the Veterans Affairs Evidence-based Synthesis Program (VA ESP) added rapid reviews to support Veterans Health Administration (VHA) operational partners’ more urgent decision-making needs. VHA operational partners play a substantial role in dissemination of ESP rapid reviews through a variety of routes, including posting on the VA ESP’s public website ( http://www.hsrd.research.va.gov/publications/esp/ ). As demand for rapid reviews rises, much progress has been made in characterizing methods and practices. However, evidence synthesis organizations still seek to better understand how and when rapid reviews are being used. The VA ESP administered an online survey to rapid review operational partners. The survey assessed the nature of decision-making needs, overall perception of review content, resulting actions, and implementation timeframe. We use descriptive statistics and narrative methods to summarize findings. Between October 2011 and April 2015, we completed 12 rapid reviews for 35 operational partners. Operational partners were primarily non-academic subject matter experts with VA operations’ decision-making authority. The most common topic categories reviewed were policy or system (50 %) or process of care (42 %) initiatives. Median report completion time was 14.5 weeks. Survey response rate was 46 %, with at least one operational partner responding for 92 % of reports. Reviews served multiple purposes including policy directive or regulation (72 %), supporting program development and evaluation (55 %), identifying future research needs (45 %), and determining implementation strategy (45 %). Overall, operational partners’ perception of report content was positive. A majority of rapid reviews were used immediately and informed actions ranking high on the Institute of Medicine’s Degrees of Impact framework: 45.4 % effected change, 18.2 % inspired action, 18.2 % informed the field, 9.1 % received recognition, and 9.1 % spread a message. VA ESP rapid reviews have increased the VHA’s uptake of evidence to inform time-sensitive system-level decision-making. Key areas of interest for future evaluation include assessing user perception of our streamlined methods and the quality of our efforts to inform users of these methods, as well as comparing the usability and impact of our rapid and standard systematic reviews.
Ethnoarchaeology and Plio-Pleistocene sites: Some lessons from the Hadza

Abstract Exploration and analyses of early archaeological sites and their faunal assemblages have grown increasingly sophisticated since the sites were first proposed to be home bases where ancestral hunters brought meat to share with their mates and offspring. Debates about that proposition motivated quantitative attention to hunting, scavenging, butchery and transport of big game among modern Hadza and the faunal assemblage characteristics and archaeological sites they create. Findings prompted a hypothesis about competitive scavenging that might explain the character and ecological context of the early sites, a hypothesis since strengthened by consensus among archaeologists working at Olduvai that the sites are not home bases. Hadza carcass procurement rates calibrate estimates for ancestral populations without similar technology, underscoring the likelihood that other food resources were especially important in human evolution.
Scaphotrapeziotrapezoid and Scaphocapitate Fusion in Kienböck’s Disease

The lunate represents the central load-bearing column of the wrist and is critical to wrist function. The osteonecrosis of Kienbock’s disease compromises the load-bearing capabilities of the lunate. The principle of treatment for Kienbock’s disease, therefore, is to preserve the lunate and the architecture of the surrounding carpus by redirecting the loads traversing the wrist around the lunate rather than through it. The ability to adjust the scaphoid and then stabilize it with STT and SC fusion allows the scaphoid to take a load through the radial column of the wrist and effectively unloads the lunate in Kienbock’s disease, improving force transmission across the wrist and therefore grip strength.
Development of nanoparticle embedded sizing for enhanced structural health monitoring of carbon fiber composites

Carbon fiber composites experience sudden, catastrophic failure when exposed to sufficient stress levels and provide no obvious visual indication of damage before they fail. With the commercial adoption of these high-performance composites in structural applications, a need for in-situ monitoring of their structural integrity is paramount. Therefore, ways in which to monitor these systems has gathered research interest. A common method for accomplishing this is measuring through-thickness resistance changes of the composite due to the fact that carbon fiber composites are electrically conductive. This provides information on whole-body stress levels imparted on the composite and can help identify the presence of damage. However, this technique relies on the carbon fiber and polymer matrix to reveal a resistance change. Here, an approach is developed that increases damage detection sensitivity. This is achieved by developing a facile synthesis method of integrating semiconducting nanomaterials, such as silicon carbide, into carbon fiber sizing. The piezoresistive effect exhibited by these nanomaterials provides more pronounced resistance changes in response to mechanical stress as compared to carbon fiber alone. This is investigated through fabricating a unidirectional composite and subsequently monitoring the electrical resistance during mechanical testing. By establishing this route for integrating nanomaterials into carbon fiber composites, various nanomaterials can see future composite integration to realize novel properties.
The Thermodynamic Effects of Ligand Structure on the Molecular Recognition of Mononuclear Ruthenium Polypyridyl Complexes with B‐DNA

ITC, CD, and ESI-MS techniques were used to study the thermodynamics of RPC*DNA complex formation for binding three different RPCs to duplex DNA. RPCs were [Ru(phen)₃]2+ (1), [Ru(phen)₂(dppz)]2+ (2), and [Ru(phen)₂(tatpp)]2+ (3). We examined the binding of enatiomerically pure Δ-RPC and Λ-RPC isomers as well as racemic RPC mixtures to B-DNA. RPC*B-DNA binding is characterized by a combination of groove binding and intercalation, with the thermodynamics being similar for binding both the enantiomerically pure compounds and the racemic mixtures. The ΔG values for RPC*DNA complex formation range from -5.6 to -9.1 kcal/mol. In all cases, complex formation is driven by a favorable change in entropy with values for -TΔS ranging from -7.3 to -14.0 kcal/mol. To better understand the intercalation versus groove binding contributions to the overall binding energy we compared the thermodynamics for formation of the 1, 2, and 3 DNA complexes to the thermodynamics for formation of the [Ru(phen)₂(tatpp)Ru(phen)₂]4+ (4) DNA complex. The RPC DNA binding affinities follow the trend: 1< 4 < 2 < 3. Differences in the affinity for binding 1 versus 2 or 3 are almost entirely due to the size of the intercalating moiety, e.g. phen vs. dppz or tatpp. The lower affinity for 4 (containing the tatpp bridge) is due to the solvation penalty for the second Ru core complex that extends out from the major groove.
Gatekeeper persuasion and issue adoption: Amnesty International and the transnational LGBTQ network

ABSTRACTNetwork theory is a valuable tool for understanding how transnational human rights advocacy emerges and develops; how norms become salient; and how nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) gain prominence within networks. This article evaluates political network theory through the case study of the transnational lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) advocacy network. Through interviews with key figures at human rights and LGBTQ NGOs, I suggest that the transnational LGBTQ network emerged through contestation with the human rights gatekeeper, Amnesty International, and its US section, AIUSA. This process of contestation would produce a specific type of gatekeeper activism that would become a defining feature of the network. Over time, the network would evolve from a collection of national groups engaging in direct action to a highly professional and international network with a dual focus on movement building in the Global South and the advancement of LGBTQ rights at the United Nations.
A System for Using R&D Project Evaluation Methods

(1978). A System for Using R&D Project Evaluation Methods. Research Management: Vol. 21, No. 5, pp. 29-37.