cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discovering Drug-Drug Interactions and Associated Adverse Drug Reactions with Triad Prediction in Heterogeneous Healthcare Networks

Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are of great importance in drug safety. Currently, DDI signal detection mainly depends on post-marketing surveillance. Various data sources have been used by researchers for DDI detection such as spontaneous reporting system, electronic health records, Pharmacological Databases, and biomedical literatures. However, these data sources are limited by either high underreporting ratio, access difficulty, or long publication cycle. In this work, we propose to utilize consumer-contributedcontents from online health communities, a publicly available, mountainous, and timely data source, for identifying DDI signals and association adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Specifically, we first construct a heterogeneous healthcare network, extract different topological types of Drug-Drug-ADR triad, explore node-based, link-based, and triad-based features, and then formulate the signal detection as a supervised learning problem. The experiment results show that our proposed techniques are effective in detecting DDI signals and associated ADRs at the same time.
National academies piece on integrated STEM

Advocates of more connected approaches to teaching the STEM subjects argue that such integration, especially in the context of real-world issues, can make these fields more relevant to students and...
An investigation of 2,5-di-tertbutyl-1,4-bis(methoxyethoxy)benzene in ether-based electrolytes

Abstract The identification and development of conductive electrolytes with high concentrations of redox active species is key to realizing energy-dense nonaqueous flow batteries. Herein, we explore the use of ether solvents (1,3-dioxolane (DOL), 1,2-dimethoxyethane (DME), diethylene glycol dimethyl ether (DEGDME), and tetraethylene glycol dimethyl ether (TEGDME)) as the basis for redox electrolytes containing a lithium ion supporting salt (LiBF 4 or LiTFSI) and 2,5-di-tert-butyl-1,4-bis(2-methoxyethoxy)benzene (DBBB) as an active material. An automated high-throughput platform is employed to screen various electrolyte compositions by measuring solution conductivity and solute solubility as a function of solvent and salt type, component concentration, and temperature. Subsequently, the electrochemical and transport properties of select redox electrolytes are characterized by cyclic voltammetry using glassy carbon disk electrodes and by linear sweep voltammetry using carbon fiber ultramicroelectrodes. In general, improvements in electrolyte conductivity and solute solubility are observed with ether-based formulations as compared to previously reported propylene carbonate (PC)-based formulations. In particular, the addition of DOL to a DME-based electrolyte increases the conductivity and decreases the temperature for solubilization at high LiTFSI and DBBB concentrations. The redox behavior of DBBB remains consistent across the range of concentrations tested while the diffusion coefficient scales with changes in solution viscosity.
KRAS Switch Mutants D33E and A59G Crystallize in the State 1 Conformation.

KRAS switch loop movements play a crucial role in regulating RAS signaling, and alteration of these sensitive dynamics is a principal mechanism through which disease-associated RAS mutations lead to aberrant RAS activation. Prior studies suggest that despite a high degree of sequence similarity, the switches in KRAS are more dynamic than those in HRAS. We determined X-ray crystal structures of the rare tumorigenic KRAS mutants KRASD33E, in switch 1 (SW1), and KRASA59G, in switch 2 (SW2), bound to GDP and found these adopt nearly identical, open SW1 conformations as well as altered SW2 conformations. KRASA59G bound to a GTP analogue crystallizes in the same conformation. This open conformation is consistent with the inactive “state 1” previously observed for HRAS bound to GTP. For KRASA59G, switch rearrangements may be regulated by increased flexibility in the 57DXXGQ61 motif at codon 59. However, loss of interactions between side chains at codons 33 and 35 in the SW1 33DPT35 motif drives changes for KRASD...
The paradox of canine conspecific coprophagy

Canine conspecific coprophagy, the tendency or predisposition of some dogs to eat their own faeces or those of other dogs, seems paradoxical because dogs typically show an aversion to conspecific faeces. In an attempt to resolve this paradox, we set out to determine the factors associated with the occurrence of this behaviour and to evaluate the efficacy of 11 products marketed for treating coprophagy as well as behaviour modification procedures. Because a large sample of dogs was needed to address these issues, two web-based surveys were utilized. One, intended to compare coprophagic dogs and non-coprophagic dogs, yielded 1552 returns. The other, yielding 1475 usable returns, specifically recruited owners of coprophagic dogs to gather information about the characteristics of coprophagy and treatment success. The findings revealed that 16% of dogs sampled engaged in frequent conspecific coprophagy, defined as having been seen eating stools at least six times. No evidence was found relating the coprophagy to diet or the dog's age. Coprophagic dogs were as easily house trained as non-coprophagic dogs, suggesting a normal aversion to faeces. Coprophagic dogs were more likely to be reported as greedy eaters than non-coprophagic dogs. The reported success rate of the commercial products and behaviour modification approaches was close to zero, indicating that the behaviour is not readily changed. The coprophagy was overwhelmingly directed at fresh stools, defined as being no more than 2 days old. A hypothesis is offered that coprophagy reflects a tendency inherited from the ancestral wolf to keep the den area free of faecal-borne intestinal parasites that might be deposited in the den resting area and would typically have parasite ova that are not initially infective, but could develop infective larvae after 2 days. An evolved parasite defence strategy to consume fresh faeces in the rest area would be adaptive.
Acute Traumatic Anterior Shoulder Instability

The complex relationship between increased range of motion and decreased stability subjects the shoulder to more episodes of subluxation and dislocation than other joints in the body. Traumatic anterior glenohumeral dislocation remains a common problem not only in young athletes but also for older individuals after a fall. The most common mechanism of injury remains shoulder abduction with forced external rotation. The shoulder is a complex joint composed of static and dynamic stabilizers. During an episode of shoulder abduction and forced external rotation, the humeral head places significant stress on the anterior-inferior labrum. At the time of dislocation, the humeral head experiences axial loading, external rotation, and anterior translation. The pathoanatomy of the traumatic anterior dislocation in young patients is typically the Bankart lesion (also known as the Perthes-Bankart lesion), where the anterior-inferior capsulolabral complex is forcefully pulled from the glenoid during the dislocation.
NEW IN VITRO THIAMIN REACTIONS CATALYZED BY RAT TISSUES

Two new in vitro transformations involving thiamin are reported in rat tissues. Incubation of 35S-thiamin (20 μM) with rat heart or spleen extracts at an alkaline pH results in binding of part of the isotope to protein and modification of part to a thiochrome-negative compound. The binding reaction was separated from the nonprotein modifying reaction by gel filtration, which also resolved a factor that inhibited both of these activities. After proteolytic digestion of the 35S-thiamin-heart protein complex, approximately 45% of the isotope released was recovered as thiochrome-negative material and the rest as thiamin. The thiochrome-negative material behaved unlike thiamin disulfide or a thiamin phosphate. The product of the nonprotein thiamin modifying factor was rendered thiochrome positive by cysteine, suggesting that it is thiamin disulfide.
Organization and Evolution of the Maize Mitochondrial Genome

The plant mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) has long presented a puzzle to plant molecular biologists. The research has fallen far behind that of the other organelle DNAs. An important event that increased the interest in the study of the plant mtDNA was the finding that the genetic determinants responsible for the cytoplasmic male sterile (cms) phenotype were located in the mitochondrial genome (Leaver and Gray, 1982; Levings, 1983; Laughnan and Gabay-Laughnan, 1983; Sederoff, 1984). Cms was shown in many cases to segregate along with mtDNA modifications as observed on restriction enzyme profile. This stimulated an extensive effort to study the plant mitochondrial genome. As a result, we have now begun to understand its organization. The early literature reporting the use of restriction enzymes revealed a very complex organization for the plant mitochondrial genome (Quetier and Vedel, 1977). Those complex mtDNA restriction enzyme profiles with submolar and multimolar bands, which led to the idea of genomic molecular heterogeneity has reinvigorated interest in studying plant mtDNA structure by electron microscopy. Unfortunately, a broad size range of mostly linear molecules was visualized, probably representing artefacts of the isolation procedure as it was not possible as yet to isolate intact mtDNA molecules. Closed circular mtDNA molecules represented only a few percent of the total and were of diverse size (Quetier and Vedel, 1977; Levings and Pring, 1978; Levings et al., 1979). For maize, the circles could be graphed into discrete size classes of different abundance (Levings et al., 1979). It is only through the approach of cloning technology during the last six years that the structure of the plant mt genome has been elucidated. It is indeed a complex organization where recombination between repeated sequences plays an important role.
A caregiver–child socioemotional and relationship rating scale

This paper reports the construction and pilot reliability, validity, and psychometric properties of a new caregiver-child rating scale that emphasizes caregiver-child social-emotional interactions and relationships. While the scale was developed and studied in the context of orphanages for young children, it potentially could be used in non-residential early care and education settings as well as for parent-child interactions in the home. The intent was to assess a few dimensions that comprehensively cover the range of caregiver-child social-emotional interactions and relationships but could be administered in a relatively short period of time in a variety of situations and would not require extensive coder training, manuals, or materials. Results showed that the scale can be reliably administered even using observation periods as short as five minutes, reliability was replicated over seven different coders working in three different orphanages, and ratings of caregivers were similar across different types of caregiving activities (i.e., feeding, dressing/bathing, free play) and for caregivers attending to children birth to 4 and 4 to 8 yrs. of age. In the orphanage context, factor analyses showed the scale primarily reflects caregiver-child mutual engagement and relationship with subordinate components of caregiver punitiveness and caregiver- vs. child-directed behaviors and intrusiveness.
Changes in RNA, DNA and protein during aerobic regeneration of mitochondria in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Abstract The source and type of the RNA synthesized by yeast cells during the aerobic regeneration of mitochondria has been studied. During regeneration under conditions prohibiting cellular division, the RNA content of yeast cells increases by 58%, the DNA by 40%, total protein by 20% and the dry weight by 46%. The increased RNA content is not affected by agents inhibiting the synthesis of mitochondrial macromolecules, suggesting that the newly synthesized RNA is the result of a transcription of the nuclear genome. The relative amount of the ribosomal RNAs in the cell changes little during this period, but an increase in the levels of low and intermediate molecular weight RNA has been observed.
Marginalized Groups and the Mirror Image In the Works of Mayra Santos-Febres

Nuestra senora de la noche is based on the historical figure Isabel Luberza Oppenheimer, a legendary madam from Ponce who lived in the early twentieth century. Santos-Febres uses the character Isabel la Negra to symbolize a rebellion against racism and the subjugation of women by patriarchal society in Puerto Rico. Using the sociological theory of Aida Hurtado, the article demonstrates how the actions of the female characters rotate around the white male incarnated in the character Fernando Fornaris. The article also shows how Isabel's reaction of rebellion is based on her rejection by Fornaris, who abandons a pregnant Isabel to marry a white woman of high society. Similarly, the article develops the way in which the alcoholism and madness of the legitimate white wife are due to her total dependency on the white male who is dominant in society. In this sense, Fornaris becomes the narrative axis of the novel.
An Examination of Transition Models and Processes: Introduction of an Integrated Approach

A transition is the process initiated in response to a change event. It is characterized as an adaptive response to change over time marked by periods of disruption and distress. Many researchers have proposed models to facilitate transition management and successful adaptation. However, a review of the literature revealed while there were multiple transition models, many were limited in their scope and few offered a comprehensive approach to transition management. Furthermore, although studies revealed transitions were essential to successful adaptation, few studies examined transition as a central concept in normative change and adaptive processes. This paper reviews transition models and proposes an integrated framework with a comprehensive approach to transition management.
Methods for Robust and Accurate Image Acquisition

This chapter presents the proposed visual sensing method for humanoid robots. A consistent treatment of the irradiance signals for robust image acquisition and optimal dynamic-range expansion through image fusion is presented.
Managing for Stakeholders and the Purpose of Business

The benefits or harms achieved by a business is determined in part by the choices that business leaders make. One important driver of these choices is a leader's view of the purpose of business. This note: (1) outlines the history of debates about corporate purpose, (2) calls out some myths that persist in the way that people think about corporate purpose, and (3) introduces a view of business called “managing for stakeholders” that has become increasingly influential. Excerpt UVA-E-0415 Rev. Nov. 13, 2020 Managing for Stakeholders and the Purpose of Business Introduction Business has the potential to benefit many groups such as customers with new products and services, employees with meaningful work and wages, communities as engines of growth and employment, and shareholders through investment opportunities that provide a reasonable return and fit their values. Business also has the potential to harm these same groups through faulty products, accounting fraud, environmental damage, and increased social inequality. The balance of the benefits or harms achieved by a business is determined in part by the choices that business leaders make. One important driver of these choices is a leader's view of the purpose of business. This note: (1) outlines the history of debates about corporate purpose, (2) calls out some myths that persist in the way that people think about corporate purpose, and (3) introduces a view of business called “managing for stakeholders” that has become increasingly influential. The basic idea of managing for stakeholders is that businesses and the executives who manage them, actually do—and should—create value for customers, suppliers, employees, communities, and financiers. To manage sustainable businesses, leaders need to pay careful attention to how stakeholder relationships are managed and how value gets created to ensure that all core stakeholders are receiving value for their efforts and choose to continue to support the firm. Value here is understood as things that stakeholders value, which includes financial value as well as other forms of value (e.g., upholding values, treating people fairly, and improving the world). This view is contrasted with the shareholder-centric model of business activity; namely, that businesses are to be managed solely for the benefit of shareholders, and the only value that matters is financial value. According to this view, any other benefits (or harms) that are created for other groups are incidental. . . .
Preference-Based Assistance Prediction for Human-Robot Collaboration Tasks

Human-Robot Collaboration (HRC) aims to develop robots that provide assistance to human workers while performing physical tasks. Such assistance comes in the form of supportive behaviors that are different from the actions part of the task, and that are meant to help a human worker more effectively accomplish the task. Learning how to provide useful behaviors that are tailored to a human peer represents a difficult challenge. This is due to the need of large amounts of training data in the form of real world observations that include information about such preferences. This data needs to encode not only the structure and progression of the task, but also the different workers' preferences with respect to when and what assistance the robot should provide. Our work separates the challenge of learning a model of the task (which requires a large amount of training data) from that of learning supportive behavior preferences for the interaction (which has obvious restrictions for the number of user-provided demonstrations to which we have access). We first learn a hidden Markov model (HMM) from a training set consisting of observed human workers performing the considered task in simulation. We then use this model to predict, while observing the human peer, what supportive behaviors a robot should offer throughout the task. Building upon the hidden state representation, our system is able to learn the supportive behaviors based on as few as five user-annotated demonstrations, learning a personalized supportive behavior model. We evaluate our system on a user study with 14 participants, and show results on par with human-level prediction for the task.
Early prediction of acute kidney injury following ICU admission using a multivariate panel of physiological measurements

The development of acute kidney injury (AKI) during an intensive care unit (ICU) admission is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Our objective was to develop and validate a data driven multivariable clinical predictive model for early detection of AKI among a large cohort of adult critical care patients. We utilized data form the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) for all patients who had a creatinine measured for 3 days following ICU admission and excluded patients with pre-existing condition of Chronic Kidney Disease and Acute Kidney Injury on admission. Data extracted included patient age, gender, ethnicity, creatinine, other vital signs and lab values during the first day of ICU admission, whether the patient was mechanically ventilated during the first day of ICU admission, and the hourly rate of urine output during the first day of ICU admission. Utilizing the demographics, the clinical data and the laboratory test measurements from Day 1 of ICU admission, we accurately predicted max serum creatinine level during Day 2 and Day 3 with a root mean square error of 0.224 mg/dL. We demonstrated that using machine learning models (multivariate logistic regression, random forest and artificial neural networks) with demographics and physiologic features can predict AKI onset as defined by the current clinical guideline with a competitive AUC (mean AUC 0.783 by our all-feature, logistic-regression model), while previous models aimed at more specific patient cohorts. Experimental results suggest that our model has the potential to assist clinicians in identifying patients at greater risk of new onset of AKI in critical care setting. Prospective trials with independent model training and external validation cohorts are needed to further evaluate the clinical utility of this approach and potentially instituting interventions to decrease the likelihood of developing AKI.
New Horizons Observations of the Atmosphere of Pluto

New Horizons data provide a snapshot of the current state of Pluto's atmosphere. Winds are slow and mostly controlled by sublimation of surface ices. Molecular nitrogen is the primary constituent b...
Reward Anticipation Is Encoded Differently by Adolescent Ventral Tegmental Area Neurons

Abstract Background Elucidating the neurobiology of the adolescent brain is fundamental to our understanding of the etiology of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and addiction, the symptoms of which often manifest during this developmental period. Dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) are strongly implicated in adolescent behavioral and psychiatric vulnerabilities, but little is known about how adolescent VTA neurons encode information during motivated behavior. Methods We recorded daily from VTA neurons in adolescent and adult rats during learning and maintenance of a cued, reward-motivated instrumental task and extinction from this task. Results During performance of the same motivated behavior, identical events were encoded differently by adult and adolescent VTA neurons. Adolescent VTA neurons with dopamine-like characteristics lacked a reward anticipation signal and showed a smaller response to reward delivery compared with adults. After extinction, however, these neurons maintained a strong phasic response to cues formerly predictive of reward opportunity. Conclusions Anticipatory neuronal activity in the VTA supports preparatory attention and is implicated in error prediction signaling. Absence of this activity, combined with persistent representations of previously rewarded experiences, may provide a mechanism for rash decision making in adolescents.
Tropical Diseases in HIV

With the rise of HIV, its impact on tropical infections has been undeniable. The presence of some tropical pathogens can facilitate the transmission of HIV, whereas untreated HIV infection can lead to the earlier and more severe presentation of a variety of tropical diseases and can make their treatment more challenging. Although the quality and availability of antiretroviral therapy has advanced significantly over the last two decades, it may not be readily available to all populations in low-resource regions. In addition, very little research has been done regarding drug interactions between antiretroviral therapy and medications used to treat tropical diseases. This article reviews existing data on coinfections of the most common tropical diseases and HIV, as well as current strategies for their treatment and control.
Co–Cr–Mo alloys: Improved wear resistance through low-temperature gas-phase nitro-carburization

Abstract UNS R31538, a Co–Cr–Mo alloy for biomedical applications, was surface-engineered by LTNC (low-temperature nitro-carburization), leading to co-infusion of concentrated interstitially dissolved carbon and nitrogen. LTNC was performed by encapsulating the alloy together with solid urea in a silica ampoule, evacuated and backfilled with Ar. Upon heat treatment, pyrolysis of the urea generates molecular species that provide carbon and nitrogen to diffuse into the alloy and, at the same time, “activate” the surface for carbon and nitrogen infusion by removing the alloy's native surface oxide and forming a micrometer-scale nitride layer. The treatment generates an outer zone rich in nitrogen and an inner zone rich in carbon. While the outer zone contains nitride precipitates, the inner zone consists of a uniform solution of interstitially dissolved carbon with atom fractions up to 0.035, orders of magnitude higher than the equilibrium solubility limit of carbon in UNS R31538. The treatment increases the surface hardness of UNS R31538 to 16 GPa, twice as high as that of the as-received state. Moreover, it improves the wear resistance (wear-loss volume) and the accompanying acoustic emissions (“squeaking”) by one order of magnitude. Accordingly, surface engineering by LTNC has potential to improve the performance of load-bearing Co–Cr–Mo components, e.g. in medical implants.
Dispersion and Aggregation of Polymer Grafted Particles in Polymer Nanocomposites Driven by the Hardness and Size of the Grafted Layer Tuned by Attractive Graft–Matrix Interactions

We use molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and Polymer Reference Interaction Site Model (PRISM) theory with a coarse-grained (CG) model to study polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) comprised of polymer grafted nanoparticles in a polymer matrix. Specifically, we describe the impact of increasing graft–matrix attraction on the PNC structure quantified in terms of the extent of interpenetration of matrix and graft chains (i.e., grafted layer wetting) and dispersion/aggregation of the grafted particles in the matrix via intermolecular pair correlation functions and structure factors. Past work on PNCs with attractive graft–matrix interactions had already established that grafted layer wetting–dewetting and dispersion-aggregation are two distinct phase transitions with the former being a continuous transition and the latter being a first-order transition with increasing graft–matrix attraction. In this paper, we go beyond that previous work and show that the dispersion and aggregation of polymer grafted particles in...
Reprogramming progressive cells display low CAG promoter activity

There is wide variability in the propensity of somatic cells to reprogram into pluripotency in response to the Yamanaka factors. How to segregate these variability to enrich for cells of specific traits that reprogram efficiently remains challenging. Here we report that the variability in reprogramming propensity is associated with the activity of the MKL1/SRF transcription factor and concurs with small cell size as well as rapid cell cycle. Reprogramming progressive cells can be prospectively identified by their low activity of a widely used synthetic promoter, CAG. CAGlow cells arise and expand during cell cycle acceleration in the early reprogramming culture of both mouse and human fibroblasts. Our work illustrate a molecular scenario underlying the distinct reprogramming propensities and demonstrate a convenient practical approach for their enrichment.
Epidiolex-induced skin rash

Epidiolex® (cannabidiol, aka CBD) is a recently approved FDA prescription drug for the treatment of epilepsy associated with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, and is increasingly used for treatment-resistant epilepsy. Rash was rarely reported in Epidiolex® clinical trial data. We report a case of Epidiolex®-related skin rash that developed in a delayed fashion in a 23-year-old female with medically refractory epilepsy. We also review the potential mechanism of Epidiolex®-related skin rash.
Liposomal delivery of azithromycin enhances its immunotherapeutic efficacy and reduces toxicity in myocardial infarction

A growing body of evidence shows that altering the inflammatory response by alternative macrophage polarization is protective against complications related to acute myocardial infarction (MI). We have previously shown that oral azithromycin (AZM), initiated prior to MI, reduces inflammation and its negative sequelae on the myocardium. Here, we investigated the immunomodulatory role of a liposomal AZM formulation (L-AZM) in a clinically relevant model to enhance its therapeutic potency and avoid off-target effects. L-AZM (40 or 10 mg/kg, IV) was administered immediately post-MI and compared to free AZM (F-AZM). L-AZM reduced cardiac toxicity and associated mortality by 50% in mice. We observed a significant shift favoring reparatory/anti-inflammatory macrophages with L-AZM formulation. L-AZM use resulted in a remarkable decrease in cardiac inflammatory neutrophils and the infiltration of inflammatory monocytes. Immune cell modulation was associated with the downregulation of pro-inflammatory genes and the upregulation of anti-inflammatory genes. The immunomodulatory effects of L-AZM were associated with a reduction in cardiac cell death and scar size as well as enhanced angiogenesis. Overall, L-AZM use enhanced cardiac recovery and survival after MI. Importantly, L-AZM was protective from F-AZM cardiac off-target effects. We demonstrate that the liposomal formulation of AZM enhances the drug’s efficacy and safety in an animal model of acute myocardial injury. This is the first study to establish the immunomodulatory properties of liposomal AZM formulations. Our findings strongly support clinical trials using L-AZM as a novel and clinically relevant therapeutic target to improve cardiac recovery and reduce heart failure post-MI in humans.
Vortex-induced vibration of elliptic cylinders and the suppression using mixed-convection

Abstract Transverse vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a two-dimensional, elliptic cylinder with various aspect ratios and stiffness is studied. The cylinder is elastically mounted and heated, and the flow direction is aligned with the direction of the thermal-induced buoyancy force. The transverse VIV can be suppressed as the thermal control parameter, the Richardson number ( R i ), increases. Complete suppression is achieved when R i is above a critical value, R i c . The critical R i increases with the aspect ratio. For elliptic cylinders in lock-in regime, R i c is the optimal value since both VIV suppression and the minimum drag are achieved. A maximum drag reduction of 50.2% was found for an aspect ratio (AR) 2 cylinder at R i c . For VIV in the unsynchronized regime, even though the thermal control can suppress the vibration, the corresponding drag coefficient, however, can be higher than that in the case of without control. Therefore, the thermal control is more effective to suppress VIV in the lock-in regime. When suppressing the vibration of an AR 4 cylinder in the flexible VIV regime using thermal control, we observed the cross-2S vortex mode, in which the typical 2S vortices generated at near field can cross the centerline and switch sides after a few vibration cycles.
School Nurse Perspectives on Do-It-Yourself Automated Pancreas Systems in the School Setting

Do-it-yourself (DIY) artificial pancreas systems (APSs) are gaining popularity among children with type 1 diabetes. Little is known about how school systems provide care for children who use DIY AP...
What's in a Name? The Worrisome Interchange of Juvenile "Adjudications" with Criminal "Convictions"

Juvenile delinquency adjudications are increasingly considered to be criminal convictions for purposes of sentencing enhancement in subsequent adult proceedings, leading to a renewed call for extension of the right to jury trial in the juvenile court so as to legitimize the use of adjudications. Such an extension is troubling, however, because regardless of the factfinder, it is improper to equate juvenile delinquency adjudications with criminal convictions for several reasons. First, the juvenile court remains distinct from the criminal court in its purpose and procedure. Second, the prevalence of juvenile pleas raises questions about whether juveniles defend against delinquency charges with the same vigor as they would against criminal charges. Finally, the necessity for a system of transfer into adult criminal court is questionable if adjudications can ex post facto be considered convictions. Although fairness dictates that juvenile adjudications should not be considered convictions, if they are consistently used as such, the infancy defense should be available in the juvenile court.
SUMO and Its Role in Human Diseases

The covalent attachment of small ubiquition-like modifier (SUMO) polypeptides, or sumoylation, is an important regulator of the functional properties of many proteins. Among these are many proteins implicated in human diseases including cancer and Huntington's, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases, as well as spinocerebellar ataxia 1 and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The results of two more recent studies identify two additional human disease-associated proteins that are sumoylated, amyloid precursor protein (APP), and lamin A. APP sumoylation modulates Aβ peptide levels, suggesting a potential role in Alzheimer's disease, and decreased lamin A sumoylation due to mutations near its SUMO site has been implicated in causing some forms of familial dilated cardiomyopathy.
State of Travesty: Jokes and the Logic of Socio-Cultural Improvisation in Africa

What can humour accomplish when faced with unbending state power in a continent ravaged by the most horrendous fatalities? If comics cannot remove sit-tight despots, of what use are they? How does one manage to laugh in the roiling pool of kindred blood? These and other important dilemmas have framed scholarly debates on the efficacy of jokes as capacitors of social change. Using these dilemmas as an analytic pivot, the article ponders the utility of humour as a means of socio-cultural improvisation in Africa. With Nigeria as immediate backdrop, the article accounts for both the emergence of the humour industry in the context of recent socio-political liberalisation, and the historicity of jokes themselves as 'coping strategies' and symbolic instruments of social transgression. I suggest that, ultimately, humour's essence can be captured only in relation to specific social referents. Thus, in Africa, humour must be seen as integral to a reality in which the postcolonial subject is condemned to endless imp...
Neutrino Mass Matrix a la Mode

With the accumulation of many years of solar and atmospheric neutrino oscillation data, the approximate form of the 3 times 3 neutrino mixing matrix is now known. What is not known is the (presumably Majorana) neutrino mass matrix M_{nu} itself. In this chapter, the approximate form of M_{nu} is derived, leading to seven possible neutrino mass patterns: three have the normal hierarchy, two have the inverse hierarchy, and two have three nearly degenerate masses. The generalization of this to allow U_{e3} not equal 0 with maximal CP violation is also discussed. A specific automatic realization of this M_{nu} from radiative corrections of an underlying non-Abelian discrete A_4 symmetry in the context of softly broken supersymmetry is presented.
Release of [3H]serotonin from brain slices.

— 1. Labelled serotonin ([3H]5-HT) accumulated by slices of rat brain either in vivo or in vitro is released by depolarizing procedures such as electrical stimulation or high external potassium concentrations. Electrical stimulation predominantly affects the liberation of the unchanged amine, rather than of its principal metabolite, 5-HIAA. 2. Release of [3H]5-HT does not appear to be calcium-dependent. 3. Amount of release parallels the density of serotonin-containing nerve terminals in each of several cerebral regions tested. Release from several extracerebral tissues was similar to that obtained from cerebral tissues having relatively little endogenous 5-HT. 4. Electrically induced release of [3H]5-HT is markedly inhibited by desipramine, chlorpromazine, LSD, lithium and ouabain.
Mixed type I and II BBO OPO pumped at 355 nm provides good beam quality, bandwidth, and efficiency

For ns 355nm pumped simple type II BBO OPOs, two problems still remain even after rotated cavity design 1,2. The first problem is that the efficiency is still low. The other problem is the requirement of adjusting the waveplate inserted in the rotated cavity during the wide tuning range. Here, we propose and demonstrate a simple prism rotated cavity1, which uses both a type I and a type II BBO crystals pumped at 355nm.
MEMS membrane mirrors for focus adjustment and aberration correction in endoscopic confocal and OCT imaging instruments

This paper explores the use of deformable membrane mirrors for primary focus control and spherical aberration correction in confocal microscopes and optical coherence tomography instruments that are miniaturized for in situ imaging. System requirements for membrane performance are explored for both high and low numerical aperture regimes. Examples of both confocal imaging and focus-tracking optical coherence tomography using vari-focus silicon nitride MEMS mirrors are presented. It is envisioned that future instruments with enhanced-stroke adaptive membrane mirrors will provide high fidelity microscopy and optical coherence tomography for diagnostic imaging of intact, living tissue.
Current theoretical and political perspectives of western sociological theorists

While sociological theorists frequently express concern about theoretical fragmentation and the politicization of sociology, little research has been done to demonstrate the actual state of the field. In an earlier study of sociologists in general, Sanderson and Ellis (1992) found a high degree of theoretical fragmentation and a close correspondence between sociologists’ political views and their theory preferences. The current study extends this line of analysis to sociological theorists. Data gathered from over half of the members of the American Sociological Association (ASA) Theory Section show sociological theorists to be enormously divided with respect to their preferred theoretical perspectives, their conceptions of the most important social theorists, and their stance on modern theoretical debates and controversies (such as the virtues of postmodernism). As was the case with sociologists in general, political ideology was the strongest correlate of theory choice, and gender was less closely related to theory choice than would be expected. From these data, a picture is painted of the current state of social theory as we approach the next millennium.
Does the implementation of a combination competitive strategy yield incremental performance benefits? A new perspective from a transition economy in Sub-Saharan Africa

This study examines the performance implications of implementing generic competitive strategies, and whether the implementation of a combination competitive strategy yields an incremental performance benefit over a single generic competitive strategy using data from Ghana, a Sub-Saharan African economy implementing economic liberalization policies. Two types of singular generic competitive strategies are analyzed: cost-leadership and differentiation. Our findings from the overall sample provide support for the viability and profitability of implementing coherent generic competitive strategies — cost-leadership, differentiation, and the combination of the singular strategies. The results further indicate that firms implementing a combination strategy tend to experience substantial incremental performance benefits over those implementing only the cost-leadership strategy. However, the incremental performance benefits to firms implementing a combination strategy do not significantly differ from the performance of firms implementing only the differentiation strategy. Furthermore, firms that implement a coherent competitive strategy (combination, cost-leadership, or differentiation) tend to gain considerable incremental performance benefits over firms that are stuck-in-the-middle. Implications are discussed.
Novel linear quadrupole ion trap/FT mass spectrometer: performance characterization and use in the comparative analysis of histone H3 post-translational modifications.

We describe the design and performance of a prototype high performance hybrid mass spectrometer. This instrument consists of a linear quadrupole ion trap (QLT) coupled to a Fourier transform ion cy...
Nicotine enhances expression of the neutrophil elastase gene and protein in a human myeloblast/promyelocyte cell line

The pathogenesis of emphysema is considered to be an imbalance of protease and antiprotease activity in the lower respiratory tract leading to uninhibited degradation of lung interstitium by elastolytic enzymes. An increased amount of the serine protease neutrophil elastase (NE) is though to play a major role in this degradation. Because the expression of NE is limited to neutrophil precursors in the bone marrow, we hypothesized that nicotine, which is readily absorbed from lung and distributed to tissue, including bone marrow, would increase expression of the NE gene and protein. HL-60 cells, a myeloblast/promyelocyte cell line, were cultured in the presence or absence of 0.06 and 0.8 microM nicotine for 5 d. Both concentrations of nicotine caused a 2.4- to 3.3-fold increase, respectively, in NE gene expression over unstimulated cells, and NE protein increased 4.8- to 3.4-fold over unstimulated cells, respectively, similar to our positive control DMSO. Nicotine did not induce upregulation of the NE gene by initiating cell differentiation. Both low and high nicotine concentrations upregulate the NE gene in HL-60 cells leading to increased NE protein concentration per cell suggesting a pathophysiologic mechanism for emphysema.
Spatial and temporal expression levels of specific microRNAs in a spinal cord injury mouse model and their relationship to the duration of compression

Abstract Background context MicroRNAs, a class of small nonprotein-coding RNAs, are thought to control gene translation into proteins. The latter are the ultimate effectors of the biochemical cascade occurring in any physiological and pathological process. MicroRNAs have been shown to change their expression levels during injury of spinal cord in contusion rodent models. Compression is the most frequent mode of damage of neural elements in spinal cord injury. The cellular and molecular changes occurring in the spinal cord during prolonged compression are not very well elucidated. Understanding the underlying molecular events that occur during sustained compression is paramount in building new therapeutic strategies. Purpose The purpose of our study was to probe the relationship between the expression level changes of different miRNAs and the timing of spinal cord decompression in a mouse model. Study design A compression spinal cord injury mouse model was used for the study. Methods A laminectomy was performed in the thoracic spine of C57BL/6 mice. Then, the thecal sac was compressed to create the injury. Decompression was performed early for one group and it was delayed in the second group. The spinal cord at the epicenter of the injury and one level rostral to it were removed at 3, 6, and 24 hours after trauma, and RNA was extracted. Expression levels of six different microRNAs and the relationship to the duration of compression were analyzed. This work was supported in part by the University Research Council Grants Program at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio (Grant 130267). There are no specific conflicts of interest to be disclosed for this work. Results Expression levels of microRNAs in the prolonged compression of spinal cord model were significantly different compared with the expression levels in the short duration of compression spinal cord injury model. Furthermore, microRNAs show a different expression pattern in different regions of the injured spinal cord. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that spinal cord compression causes alterations in the expression of different miRNAs in the acute phase of injury. Their expression is related to the duration of the compression of the spinal cord. These findings suggest that early decompression of the spinal cord may have an important modulating effect on the molecular cascade triggered during secondary injury through the changes in expression levels of specific microRNAs.
Effect of Potassium Promotion on Iron-Based Catalysts for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis

The effect of potassium on Fischer–Tropsch catalyst activity, kinetic parameters, and selectivity has been investigated for a precipitated iron catalyst that was employed with low H2/CO ratio synthesis gas. A wide range of synthesis gas conversions have been obtained by varying space velocities over catalysts with various potassium loadings. Differing trends in catalyst activity with potassium loading were observed depending on the space velocity of synthesis gas conversion. As potassium loading increased, the catalyst activity either decreased (low conversion), passed through a maximum (intermediate conversion), or increased (high conversion). This is shown to be a result of the increasing dependency of the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis on the hydrogen formed by the water-gas shift reaction with increasing synthesis gas conversions. Both the rate constant and the adsorption parameter in a common two-parameter Fischer–Tropsch rate expression decreased with potassium loading; therefore, observed maxima in Fischer–Tropsch rate with potassium loading can be due to the opposing influences of these parameters. The effect of potassium on alkene selectivity was dependent on the number of carbon atoms of the hydrocarbons as well as the carbon monoxide conversion level. The extent of isomerization of 1-alkene product decreased with potassium loading, while the selectivity to methane decreased only slightly with increasing potassium content at CO conversions about 50% and higher.
Modeling and simulation of wireless link quality (ETT) through principal component analysis of trace data

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is a powerful method in data analysis. In this paper, we employ the capabilities of PCA combined with statistical fits to trace data to develop tractable models that can be used to simulate the quality of links in wireless mesh networks using the expected transmission time (ETT) metric. We apply principal component analysis to ETT traces from a wireless mesh network to determine what features in the ETT traces are important and to extract any meaningful relationships therein. We demonstrate that PCA can be used to efficiently approximate large volumes of ETT values. In particular, the ETT trace for each link can be expressed as a combination of two basis vectors -- one fairly stable and the other containing the variations in time. We also show how the extracted features can be employed to simulate ETT for a given network topology with and without known ETT trace data.
Advances in the molecular diagnosis of hepatitis C and their clinical implications

Serologic assays for diagnosis of hepatitis C infection may yield indeterminate results despite improvements in sensitivity and specificity through second- and third-generation assays. Direct detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA based on qualitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or transcription-mediated amplification allows diagnosis in the early stages of acute infection and in patients unable to mount an antibody response. Quantitative HCV RNA assays are useful for selecting appropriate antiviral therapies, but until recently they have lacked comparability between tests. More sensitive qualitative assays should be used for determining duration of treatment or recognizing a sustained virologic response to therapy. Hepatitis C virus genotyping can be performed from a limited sequence analysis of the viral genome by using various techniques. Although newer genotyping methods are relatively practicable and are satisfactory for the discrimination of the majority of genotypes, discrimination between subtypes can be challenging. Serologic typing of HCV lacks sensitivity and specificity compared with molecular-based techniques. Recent advances in serologic assays and nucleic acid detection techniques allow physicians to make accurate diagnoses, and these assays serve as important tools in treatment planning.