cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bio-Conjugated CNT-Bridged 3D Porous Graphene Oxide Membrane for Highly Efficient Disinfection of Pathogenic Bacteria and Removal of Toxic Metals from Water

More than a billion people lack access to safe drinking water that is free from pathogenic bacteria and toxic metals. The World Health Organization estimates several million people, mostly children, die every year due to the lack of good quality water. Driven by this need, we report the development of PGLa antimicrobial peptide and glutathione conjugated carbon nanotube (CNT) bridged three-dimensional (3D) porous graphene oxide membrane, which can be used for highly efficient disinfection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 bacteria and removal of As(III), As(V), and Pb(II) from water. Reported results demonstrate that versatile membrane has the capability to capture and completely disinfect pathogenic pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 bacteria from water. Experimentally observed disinfection data indicate that the PGLa attached membrane can dramatically enhance the possibility of destroying pathogenic E. coli bacteria via synergistic mechanism. Reported results show that glutathione attached CNT-bridged 3D graphene oxide membrane can be used to remove As(III), As(V), and Pb(II) from water sample at 10 ppm level. Our data demonstrated that PGLa and glutathione attached membrane has the capability for high efficient removal of E. coli O157:H7 bacteria, As(III), As(V), and Pb(II) simultaneously from Mississippi River water.
Engineering Protein Kinases with Specificity for Unnatural Nucleotides and Inhibitors

Publisher Summary Kinase substrates are difficult to identify because of the large size of the kinase superfamily (over 500 human kinases) and the large number of low-abundance substrates that kinases are predicted to phosphorylate. Current methods for identification of kinase substrates include searching protein sequence databases for known phosphorylation motifs; screening for efficient substrates in expression libraries; and detecting stable association between kinase and substrates by screening yeast two-hybrid libraries. Each of these methods has identified interesting candidate substrates, some of which have been validated using various biochemical tests. However, these methods do not take into account key aspects of kinase substrate recognition, such as subcellular localization, co-localization of kinase and substrate in large supramolecular protein complexes, and temporal activation/deactivation of kinase activity Therefore, the vast majority of kinase substrates remain to be identified. Many protein kinases are considered potential drug targets for treatment of various human diseases. The key challenge in the design of kinase inhibitors for research or drug development has been to achieve target specificity. A novel chemical genetic approach has been developed that possesses many advantages over purely genetic or chemical approaches for the study of protein kinase function. It is generalizable, with the potential of being applied to every protein kinase in the genome. This method is likely to be increasingly used in cell biology studies and significantly accelerate the elucidation of various functions that kinases carry out in eukaryotic cells.
Preservation of Biological Material by Freezing and Thawing

Mankind is fascinated with the relationship between living systems and low temperature. This fascination has stimulated both scientific inquiry and literary license. As early as 1683, Robert Boyle found that fish and frogs could survive for short periods of time if a fraction of the body water remained unfrozen.(1) Looking to the possible future potential of cryopreservation, science fiction writers have envisioned the day when biological systems as complex as the human body will be preserved reversibly by freezing and storage at low temperatures. But what is the present state of affairs as we stand between early scientific observations on the one hand and the dreams of science fiction writers on the other?
Mechanistic insight into the reactivity of Chlorine-derived radicals in the aqueous-phase UV–Chlorine advanced oxidation process: Quantum mechanical calculations

The combined ultraviolet (UV) and free chlorine (UV–chlorine) advanced oxidation process that produces highly reactive hydroxyl radicals (HO•) and chlorine radicals (Cl•) is an attractive alternative to UV alone or chlorination for disinfection because of the destruction of a wide variety of organic compounds. However, concerns about the potential formation of chlorinated transformation products require an understanding of the radical-induced elementary reaction mechanisms and their reaction-rate constants. While many studies have revealed the reactivity of oxygenated radicals, the reaction mechanisms of chlorine-derived radicals have not been elucidated due to the data scarcity and discrepancies among experimental observations. We found a linear free-energy relationship quantum mechanically calculated free energies of reaction and the literature-reported experimentally measured reaction rate constants, kexp, for 22 chlorine-derived inorganic radical reactions in the UV–chlorine process. This relationship...
A Rapid Blood Test To Determine the Active Status and Duration of Acute Viral Infection.

The ability to rapidly detect and diagnose acute viral infections is crucial for infectious disease control and management. Serology testing for the presence of virus-elicited antibodies in blood is one of the methods used commonly for clinical diagnosis of viral infections. However, standard serology-based tests have a significant limitation: they cannot easily distinguish active from past, historical infections. As a result, it is difficult to determine whether a patient is currently infected with a virus or not, and on an optimal course of action, based off of positive serology testing responses. Here, we report a nanoparticle-enabled blood test that can help overcome this major challenge. The new test is based on the analysis of virus-elicited immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody present in the protein corona of a gold nanoparticle surface upon mixing the gold nanoparticles with blood sera. Studies conducted on mouse models of influenza A virus infection show that the test gives positive responses only in ...
Accurate Quantification of Si/SiGe Interface Profiles via Atom Probe Tomography

Pulsed laser atom probe tomography (APT) has enabled the investigation of semiconducting materials at sub-nm length scales and 10 ppm chemical sensitivity. This has enabled APT to be the best technique for nanoscale detection of dopant distributions and low levels of chemical segregation at interfaces, which are both important for semiconductor processing; however, the accuracy of measured interfacial profiles is typically compromised by aberrations. Interfacial profiles in APT data will vary with respect to different interfacial combinations, especially when the evaporation field between two materials is drastically different. Here, the ability of APT to measure SiGe/Si/SiGe interfacial profiles is tested with an 8 nm Si well embedded in SiGe. The APT measurements are compared to those measured using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) to evaluate reconstruction and post-reconstruction processing methods to appropriately measure interfacial profiles using APT. Without post-APT reconstruction processing, the measured Si/SiGe interfacial widths between APT and STEM match poorly, but after applying the z-redistribution algorithm, the interfacial profiles are in good agreement. These results indicate that APT can be used to accurately identify SiGe/Si/SiGe interfacial profiles after application of the z-redistribution algorithm, which will greatly impact the synergy between growth and characterization of semiconductor devices using Si/SiGe interfaces.
Health Care of American Indian Elderly: Determinants of the Perceived Difficulty Obtaining Access to Health Care

This study examines the perceived areas of difficulty in obtaining access to health care and the factors influencing that difficulty among elderly American Indians in a rural environment. One hundred thirty-seven elderly Indians in the Ponca and Pawnee tribes of Oklahoma were interviewed. Four major difficulties are reported: a long waiting period at Indian health centers, difficulty in making appointments to see physicians, language and cultural barriers to communication with the health care providers, and lack of available transportation. The long waiting period is the most serious problem, and lack of transportation is the least serious. The results of probit analysis show that physical health, automobile ownership, education, employment, and the presence of an informal caregiver are related to difficulty obtaining access to health care. Ways to minimize this difficulty are discussed.
Regulation of HIV-1 gene expression by the transactivator protein Tat.

The regulation of HIV-1 gene expression is an area of intense investigation. Like all retroviruses, HIV-1 integrates into cellular DNA, and its gene expression is dependent on host cell transcription factors and polymerases (Gaynor 1992). Cellular transcription factors are able to interact with distinct regulatory regions in the long terminal repeat to modulate gene expression (Gaynor 1992). In addition, viral-encoded proteins are critical to the control of HIV-1 gene expression. A number of important questions exist concerning the mechanisms which regulate HIV-1 gene expression. What cellular factors are responsible for increases in HIV-1 gene expression in response to T-lymphocyte activation? What are the mechanisms that repress HIV-1 gene expression in quiescent cells? How do HIV-1 transactivator proteins stimulate increases in gene expression? An understanding of these questions is critical to determining the interplay between viral and cellular factors which regulate HIV-1 gene expression.
Inheriting power: Somaliland's political institutions and the 2017 presidential election

SUMMARYThis briefing sheds light on Somaliland’s political institutions, election dynamics and candidates who contested the state leadership in the 2017 presidential election. It argues that in spite of recurrent postponing of parliamentary elections, the 2017 presidential election has shown that Somaliland’s democratic process and legitimacy of its political institutions have remained relatively strong in the otherwise politically unstable neighbourhood.
Iloprost attenuates hyperoxia-mediated impairment of lung development in newborn mice.

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2/PTGS2) mediates hyperoxia-induced impairment of lung development in newborn animals and is increased in the lungs of human infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). COX...
Regular Versus Irregular TSV Placement for 3D IC

Through-silicon via (TSV) is the enabling technology for fine-grained integration of multiple dies into a single 3D stack. However, TSVs occupy significant silicon area due to their sheer size, which has a great effect on the power and performance of 3D ICs. Whereas well-managed TSVs alleviate routing congestion, reduce wirelength, and improve performance, excessive or ill-managed TSVs not only increase the die area but also degrade performance and power. In this chapter, we study the impact of TSVs on the quality of 3D IC layouts. We first study two design schemes, namely TSV co-placement (irregular TSV placement) and TSV site (regular TSV placement), for the design of 3D ICs. In addition, we develop a force-directed 3D gate-level placement algorithm to find optimal locations of TSVs and gates. One key problem to solve in regular TSV placement is how to assign 3D nets to pre-placed TSVs. To solve this problem effectively, we study two TSV assignment algorithms, compare them with other TSV assignment algorithms, and analyze the impact of the quality of TSV assignment algorithms on 3D ICs. Experimental results show that the wirelength of 3D ICs is shorter than that of 2D ICs by up to 25 %. We also compare timing and power of 2D and 3D ICs.
The Rooting and Emergence of Regional Science as a Major Field of Study

The year 1956 saw three developments significant for the association and regional science in general. First, there was a major step forward in the formal recognition of the association as a legitimate social science organization and consequently its incorporation in the Allied Social Science Associations group. This involved the inclusion of its officers and December sessions in the combined ASS A printed program for the December 1956 meetings of nine associations. The nine were: American Economic Association, American Finance Association, American Marketing Association, Industrial Relations Research Association, American Farm Economics Association, Econometric Society, American Association of Teachers of Insurance, Regional Science Association—holding joint meetings with: Catholic Economic Association.
Corporations and the rise of Chicago law and economics

This paper explores the dynamic relationship between corporations and Chicago law and economics from 1946 through the mid-1950s. It argues that corporations and Chicago law and economics had a mutu...
A systemic approach to leveraging student engagement in collaborative learning to improve online engineering education

Online higher education is transformative and quite different from residential college education. Lacking effective and consistent pedagogical engagement has been criticised for a high drop-out rate in the online education in general. This study aims to find a solution to facilitate learning engagement in an online engineering education setting. By relying on the known knowledge in the pedagogies of engagement in college education, this paper proposes a systemic framework for promoting positive online students' learning engagement. Different from empirical studies of conducting hypothesis tests, we show a practical and model-driven approach to assessing and enhancing problem-based collaborative teaching/learning practices. The proposed framework is explored through both a pilot test and a confirming test. Rules of thumb are identified and generalised, which could be used to help students/instructors retune their collaborative practices in a proactive manner for retaining positive and effective learning engagement in an online engineering education setting.
A Brief Measure of Mathematics Symbols: Performance at Grades 1, 3, and 5:

To understand mathematics, children must interpret mathematics symbols. In this study, we designed a brief assessment of mathematics symbols for children in the elementary grades. For each of 23 sy...
IL-21 regulates the innate immune response to Staphylococcus aureus pulmonary infection.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a major complication of viral respiratory infections and immunodeficient states. Although the innate immune response mediated by neutrophils plays a major role in the clearance of MRSA, the cytokine regulation of this process is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the role of IL-21 in the host response to pulmonary MRSA infection. In experiments using a mouse model, Il21r -deficient mice more efficiently cleared pulmonary MRSA infection, suggesting a negative role for IL-21 in MRSA clearance. Interestingly, Il21r KO mice displayed an enhanced “interferon signature” response after pulmonary MRSA infection as compared to WT mice, and blocking the type I IFN response eliminated the ability of Il21r KO mice to more efficiently clear the infection. Despite the more efficient clearing of pulmonary MRSA in Il21r KO than in wild-type mice, when IL-21 was administered to wild-type mice, there was enhanced clearance of MRSA, and this clearance was accompanied by the induction of cytolytic proteases and other components of pulmonary defense. Correspondingly, human peripheral blood neutrophils responded directly to IL-21 with the induction of cytolytic proteases including granzymes, and they displayed enhanced IL-21-induced killing of MRSA that was granzyme-dependent. These data demonstrate that although the chronic absence of IL-21 signaling in Il21r KO leads to the dominant action of type I IFN responses that result in MRSA clearance, IL-21 directly induces a cytolytic program in both human and mouse neutrophils that results in MRSA killing. These data suggest that manipulation of IL-21 signaling may be a strategy for controlling bacterial infections.
Hystersisters: messages of social support in an online health support group for women

Background: Online social support groups have become a popular source of health information for patients and the comments exchanged there can be regarded as a kind of social support.Purpose: The ai...
Caspase-8/-10 associated RING domain proteins (CARP) 1/2 are novel E3 ligases for p53

3643 Caspase-8/-10 associated RING domain proteins (CARP1 and CARP2) are a new family of IAP-like apoptotic inhibitors, specifically targeting caspases 8 and 10 for degradation via a proteasome-mediated pathway (McDonald III et al., PNAS, 2004,101:6170-5). Because CARP silencing sensitizes cells to chemotherapeutic agents, we investigated the role of p53 in CARP signaling. We observed that CARP1 and CARP2 bind to p53 protein in different human tumor cell lines (H460, U2OS, HCT116 and SW480). Interaction between CARPs and p53 was enhanced if the CARP RING domain was point-mutated, resulting in loss of E3 ligase activity. Adriamycin -induced endogenous p53 was found to interact with endogenous CARP2 in H460 and U2OS cells, which contain wild type p53 proteins. To further investigate if interaction of CARPs and p53 could attenuate binding of MDM2 to p53, exogenously expressed MDM2 in SW480 was co-immunoprecipitaed with p53 and CARPs, MDM2 protein facilitated the interaction between CARPs and p53 as compared to controls. A weak interaction was detected between CARPs and MDM2 in p53-null HCT116 cells. Our observations indicate that CARPs interact with p53 and this interaction is improved in the presence of MDM2. Since CARPs were demonstrated as an E3 ligase to ubiquitylate caspases 8 and 10, the effect of CARPs on p53 ubiquitylation was studied. In the presence of the proteasome inhibitor, MG-132, the interaction between CARPs and p53 was enhanced in Hela and H460 cell lines in a manner that requires the RING domain of CARPs. Knockdown of CARP1 and CARP2 in H460 cells increased p53 levels in chemotherapy treated cells. Wild-type CARPs inhibited p53-mediated luciferase reporter activity, and point mutation of the RING domain in CARPs abrogated this inhibition. Overexpressed wild-type CARPs led to a much higher level of ubiquitylation of p53 than the mutant CARPs in H460 cells. Our data strongly suggests that CARPs can mediate p53 ubiquitylation. Since up-regulation of CARPs is frequently found in human tumors and tumor cell lines, CARP-mediated ubiquitylation of p53 may imply involvement of CARPs in p53-dependent resistance to chemotherapy.
Abstract 580: Cardiovascular Risks of Oxidative DNA Damage

G-quadruplexes (or G4s) are nucleic-acid structures formed by guanine-rich sequences. G4s must be timely unfolded in cells; otherwise, they can interfere with DNA replication, RNA transcription, an...
Spatial Distribution of Intracranial Vessel Wall Enhancement in Hypertension and Primary Angiitis of the CNS.

We hypothesized a difference in the spatial distribution of intracranial vessel wall enhancement between CNS vasculitis and risk factors for intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD). Fifty-five vessel wall MR imaging (VWI) exams were included in this retrospective observational study. Intracranial arteries were evaluated for vessel wall enhancement by branching pattern (e.g., primary, secondary, and tertiary segments). Demographic and laboratory data as well as ICAD risk factors, including a diagnosis of hypertension, were collected. A diagnosis of primary angiitis of the CNS (PACNS) was confirmed by biopsy or clinical assessment by a stroke neurologist. Univariate and multivariate Poisson regression models were fit for the outcomes. In multivariate analyses, hypertension showed significant associations with primary (β = 1.31, 95% CI 0.78–1.88, p < 0.0001) and secondary (β = 1.15, 95% CI 0.29–2.18, p = 0.05) segments, contrasting with PACNS which showed a distal spatial distribution with significant associations with secondary (β = 0.77, 95% CI 0.14–1.39, p = 0.05) and tertiary (β = 1.34, 95% CI 0.68–2.01, p < 0.0001) segments. Our results suggest the spatial distribution of vessel wall enhancement is an important consideration when interpreting VWI exams, particularly in patients with a comorbid diagnosis of hypertension. Given the global prevalence of hypertension, these results are impactful and may improve image interpretation of VWI in stroke patients.
Index and follow-up costs of endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair from the Endurant Stent Graft System Post Approval Study (ENGAGE PAS)

Abstract Objective Trials for endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) report lower perioperative mortality and morbidity, but also higher costs compared with open repair. However, few studies have examined the subsequent cost of follow-up evaluations and interventions. Therefore, we present the index and 5-year follow-up costs of EVAR from the Endurant Stent Graft System Post Approval Study. Methods From August 2011 to June 2012, 178 patients were enrolled in the Endurant Stent Graft System Post Approval Study de novo cohort and treated with the Medtronic Endurant stent graft system (Medtronic Vascular, Santa Rosa, Calif), of whom 171 (96%) consented for inclusion in the economic analysis and 177 participated in the quality-of-life (QOL) assessment over a 5-year follow-up period. Cost data for the index and follow-up hospitalizations were tabulated directly from hospital bills and categorized by Uniform Billing codes. Surgeon costs were calculated by Current Procedural Terminology codes for each intervention. Current Procedural Terminology codes were also used to calculate imaging and clinic follow-up reimbursement as surrogate to cost based on year-specific Medicare payment rates. Additionally, we compared aneurysm-related versus nonaneurysm-related subsequent hospitalization costs and report EuroQol 5D QOL dimensions. Results The mean hospital cost per person for the index EVAR was $45,304 (interquartile range [IQR], $25,932-$44,784). The largest contributor to the overall cost was operating room supplies, which accounted for 50% of the total cost at a mean of $22,849 per person. One hundred patients had 233 additional post index admission inpatient admissions; however, only 32 readmissions (14%) were aneurysm related, with a median cost of $13,119 (IQR, $4570-$24,153) compared with a nonaneurysm-related median cost of $6609 (IQR, $1244-$26,466). Additionally, 32 patients were admitted a total of 37 times for additional procedures after index admission, of which 14 (38%) were aneurysm-related. The median cost of hospitalization for aneurysm-related subsequent intervention was $22,023 (IQR, $13,177-$47,752), compared with a median nonaneurysm-related subsequent intervention cost of $19,007 (IQR, $8708-$33,301). After the initial 30-day visit, outpatient follow-up imaging reimbursement averaged $550 per person per year ($475 for computed tomography scans, $75 for the abdomen), whereas annual office visits averaged $107 per person per year, for a total follow-up reimbursement of $657 per person per year. There were no significant differences in the five EuroQol 5D QOL dimensions at each follow-up compared with baseline. Conclusions Costs associated with index EVAR are driven primarily by cost of operating room supplies, including graft components. Subsequent admissions are largely not aneurysm related; however, cost of aneurysm-related hospitalizations is higher than for nonaneurysm admissions. These data will serve as a baseline for comparison with open repair and other devices.
Functional characterization of the adenine transporter EaAdeP from the fire blight pathogen Erwinia amylovora and its effect on disease establishment in apples and pears.

Erwinia amylovora is the causal agent of fire blight, an economically important disease of apples and pears. As part of the infection process, Er. amylovora propagates on different plant tissues each with distinct nutrient environments. Here, the biochemical properties of the Er. amylovora adenine permease (EaAdeP) are investigated. Heterologous expression of EaAdeP in nucleobase transporter-deficient Escherichia coli strains, coupled with radiolabel uptake studies, revealed that EaAdeP is a high affinity adenine transporter with a Km of 0.43 ± 0.09 μM. Both Es. coli and Er. amylovora carrying extra copies of EaAdeP are sensitive to growth on the toxic analog 8-azaadenine. EaAdeP is expressed during immature pear fruit infection. Immature pear and apple fruit virulence assays reveal that an E. amylovora ΔadeP::Camr mutant is still able to cause disease symptoms, however, with growth at a lower level, indicating that external adenine is utilized in disease establishment.
Targeting histone K4 trimethylation for treatment of cognitive and synaptic deficits in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease

Epigenetic aberration is implicated in aging and neurodegeneration. Using postmortem tissues from patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD mouse models, we have found that the permissive histone mark H3K4me3 and its catalyzing enzymes are significantly elevated in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Inhibiting H3K4-specific methyltransferases with the compound WDR5-0103 leads to the substantial recovery of PFC synaptic function and memory-related behaviors in AD mice. Among the up-regulated genes reversed by WDR5-0103 treatment in PFC of AD mice, many have the increased H3K4me3 enrichment at their promoters. One of the identified top-ranking target genes, Sgk1, which encodes serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1, is also significantly elevated in PFC of patients with AD. Administration of a specific Sgk1 inhibitor reduces hyperphosphorylated tau protein, restores PFC glutamatergic synaptic function, and ameliorates memory deficits in AD mice. These results have found a novel epigenetic mechanism and a potential therapeutic strategy for AD and related neurodegenerative disorders.
Direct Measurement of Electron Intervalley Relaxation in a Si / Si - Ge Quantum Dot

The presence of nondegenerate valley states in silicon can drastically affect electron dynamics in silicon-based heterostructures, leading to electron spin relaxation and spin-valley coupling. In the context of solid-state spin qubits, it is important to understand the interplay between spin and valley degrees of freedom to avoid or alleviate these decoherence mechanisms. Here we report the observation of relaxation from the excited valley state to the ground state in a $\mathrm{Si}/\mathrm{Si}$-$\mathrm{Ge}$ quantum dot at zero magnetic field. Valley-state readout is aided by a valley-dependent tunneling effect, which we attribute to valley-orbit coupling. We find a long intervalley relaxation time of 12.0 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.3 ms, a value that is unmodified when a magnetic field is applied. Furthermore, we compare our findings with the spin relaxation time and find that the spin-valley ``hot spot'' relaxation is roughly 4 times slower than intervalley relaxation, consistent with established theoretical predictions. The precision of this technique, adapted from electron spin readout via energy-dependent tunneling, is an improvement over indirect valley relaxation measurements and could be a useful probe of valley physics in spin-qubit and valley-qubit implementations.
Seafood Salad: A diverse latest Cretaceous flora from eastern Montana

Abstract The Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary (KPB) marks a mass extinction resulting in global biotic turnover. Exposures of the Hell Creek Formation in northeastern Montana contain some of the most well-studied vertebrate localities recording this mass extinction; however, very little is known of the floral record in this area. As part of an effort to reconstruct floral changes across the KPB in northeastern Montana, this study presents a taxonomically diverse flora from the Seafood Salad locality, located ~65 m below the KPB in the Hell Creek Formation, Garfield County, Montana. Leaves, stems, and reproductive structures (e.g., cones and seeds) are preserved as compression and impression fossils in massive, bedded siltstones and very fine sandstones. Seafood Salad is significant in that it represents a “pre-disaster” community approximately 1.3 m.y. before the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. We interpret the plants in these deposits as reflecting a local riparian community. The vegetation was taxonomically diverse and dominated by angiosperm trees; it also included abundant conifer specimens of a few taxa and relatively few ginkgoes and ferns. We describe 34 morphotypes and propose taxonomic affinities to modern groups and to fossil taxa from contemporaneous-age deposits in Montana and North Dakota. The Seafood Salad flora shares several taxa with other Late Cretaceous floras of the Western Interior, but substantial differences in taxonomic composition and relative abundances among these assemblages indicate that regional plant communities in the latest Cretaceous were spatially heterogeneous, rapidly changing, or both.
Neurocognitive effects associated with proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 inhibitor use: a narrative review.

Neurocognitive adverse events have been observed with the widespread use of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors or “statins,” which reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C...
Lessons About Projecting the Metropolis

The city is an object of study, a site of practice, a material artifact of power, and the locus of the imaginary. It is a cultural formation, warranting attention from anthropologists along with many others. It eludes disciplining. It resists singular descriptions. It condemns us to work together. This essay considers the particular ways in which the city can serve as an object of scholarly investigation, dealing with research experiences carried out at UCLA and setting new methodological proposals in the field of spatial ethnography.
Reproductive Complications After Bariatric Surgery in Males and Females

Adiposity affects all organ systems in the body and reproductive system is no exception. By means of hormonal imbalances and inflammation, functions of ovulation, spermatogenesis as well as fertilization, and pregnancy outcomes are affected. It stands to reason that bariatric surgery, by reducing adiposity should improve the reproductive functions. While it is true for most part, there is evidence that some aspects of reproductive physiology are adversely affected after bariatric surgery. In this chapter, we will do a review of the known mechanism by which obesity and subsequently bariatric surgery affects various aspects of reproductive health and fertility.
Bidirectional propagation of low frequency oscillations over the human hippocampal surface

The hippocampus is diversely interconnected with other brain systems along its axis. Cycles of theta-frequency activity are believed to propagate from the septal to temporal pole, yet it is unclear how this one-way route supports the flexible cognitive capacities of this structure. We leveraged novel thin-film microgrid arrays conformed to the human hippocampal surface to track neural activity two-dimensionally in vivo. All oscillation frequencies identified between 1–15 Hz propagated across the tissue. Moreover, they dynamically shifted between two roughly opposite directions oblique to the long axis. This predominant propagation axis was mirrored across participants, hemispheres, and consciousness states. Directionality was modulated in a participant who performed a behavioral task, and it could be predicted by wave amplitude topography over the hippocampal surface. Our results show that propagation directions may thus represent distinct meso-scale network computations, operating along versatile spatiotemporal processing routes across the hippocampal body. New microgrid recordings on the human hippocampal surface reveal that oscillations travel in reversing directions. The route of travel at a given moment was related to behavior and topographic patterns of activity strength, suggesting directions may be biomarkers of hippocampal cognitive processes.
Racial and ethnic differences in all-cause mortality among Hispanics diagnosed with follicular lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia in the Bronx, NY.

Purpose Research suggests better survival among Hispanics with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) compared to non-Hispanic Whites (NHW); however, less is known about racial/ethnic survival differences in follicular lymphoma (FL) and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Methods We identified incident FL and CLL cases diagnosed between 2005 and 2016 at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. Cox proportional hazards regression assessed the association between race/ethnicity and all-cause mortality among FL and CLL separately. Results Of the 201 FL patients, 39.3% were NHW, 19.4% non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and 41.3% Hispanic, with a similar distribution among CLL patients. After adjusting for International Prognostic Index factors, sex, and chemotherapy, Hispanics with FL had lower all-cause mortality compared to NHWs (HR = 0.22; 95% CI 0.08-0.63), similar to prior DLBCL findings. All-cause mortality did not differ between NHBs and NHWs for FL or by any race/ethnicity for CLL. Conclusion In our diverse, urban population, we found that Hispanic diagnosed with FL had lower all-cause mortality compared to NHWs. We found no significant difference in all-cause mortality between Hispanics and NHWs diagnosed with CLL. Our study adds to the growing literature on racial and ethnic differences in survival among Hispanics with hematologic malignancies.
In Situ Reconstruction of a Painful Sternal Z-Deformity Nonunion in a Severely Osteoporotic and Kyphotic Patient: A Case Report.

CASE An osteoporotic and kyphotic 72-year-old woman presented with sternal pain, severe chest instability, and shortness of breath secondary to a traumatic sternal nonunion resulting from an unhealed sternal fracture sustained in a motor vehicle accident several months earlier. One-year functional and radiographic outcomes are presented with complete resolution of symptoms. CONCLUSION Consideration for treatment with multiplanar, contourable, locked plating, augmented by autogenous graft, is warranted in the setting of sternal deformity and nonunion, particularly in the setting of osteoporosis and other sagittal plane deformity.
Hilfssätze der Analysis

In den bisherigen Ausfuhrungen haben wir uns des ofteren auf Tatsachen aus Analysis, Geometrie und Topologie berufen, welche als grundsatzlich bekannt vorausgesetzt werden durften, so das bei ihrer Benutzung blose Feststellungen oder Hinweise auf die einschlagige Literatur haufig ausreichten. Im Nachfolgenden benotigen wir nun eine Reihe weiterer spezieller Resultate hauptsachlich aus den Gebieten der reellen Analysis und der Topologie der Punktmengen. Obwohl diese alle — meistens handelt es sich um Spezialfalle allgemeiner Satze — prinzipiell aus der vorhandenen Literatur herausgelesen werden konnen, so bereitet es doch oft erhebliche Schwierigkeiten, fur die Hilfssatze in der genauen hier benotigten Form ein Literaturzitat anzugeben. Da uberdies der Leser dieses Buches moglicherweise nicht mit allen diesen Dingen vertraut ist, so erscheint es als ratsam, die spater erforderlichen Tatsachen in diesem Kapitel zusammenzustellen, und zwar grostenteils mit ihren vollstandigen Beweisen, welche oft viel kurzer sind als die Beweise derselben Tatsachen in ihrer allgemeinsten Gultigkeit. Eine systematische Lekture ist nicht unbedingt erforderlich. Der Leser wird vielmehr von Fall zu Fall hierher zuruckkommen.
Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor Nuclear Translocator (ARNT) (Hypoxia Inducible Factor β [HIF‐1β])

This article has no abstract. Keywords: aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) (hypoxia inducible factor β [HIF-1β])
The Responsibility of the Rulemaker: Comparative Approaches to Patent Administration Reform

Patent administrators across the globe currently face the most challenging operating environment they have ever known. Soaring application rates, lean fiscal policies and an increasingly ambitious range of patentable subject matter are among the difficulties faced by the world's leading patent offices. These trends have resulted in persistent concerns over the quality of issued patents. Responding to recent writings questioning the value of maintaining high levels of patent quality, Professor Jay Thomas asserts both that patent quality matters, and that increasing the responsibilities of patent applicants provides a fair and efficient mechanism for improving patent office work product. This Article then' assesses recent reform agendas pursued by the European Patent Office, Japanese Patent Office and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office that have elevated applicant obligations. After distilling broader policy trends from these distinct programs, Professor Thomas presents several proposals for patent administration reform.
The Relationship of Histone Phosphorylation to Deoxyribonucleic Acid Replication and Mitosis during the HeLa S-3 Cell Cycle

Abstract There are two distinct kinds of histone phosphorylation in continuously dividing HeLa S-3 cells. Histones f22a1 and f22b (or f22a2, or both) molecules incorporate [32P]orthophosphate throughout the cell cycle at fairly uniform rates which are proportional to the amounts of these polypeptides. These phosphorylations are neither coupled with DNA replication in S phase nor obviously related to increased RNA synthesis in G1 of the cell cycle. The function of this kind of histone phosphorylation is unknown. The second kind of phosphorylation begins in S phase and ultimately converts over 90 % of all histone f1 molecules into one of two principal phosphorylated forms by the end of G2 phase of the cell cycle. After mitosis histone f1 molecules are extensively dephosphorylated during G1 until DNA replication begins, at which time the phosphorylation cycle commences once again. This simultaneous phosphorylation of both "old" and newly synthesized histone f1 molecules is partially coupled with DNA replication and increases more than 10-fold in rate as the cells proceed from G1 into S phase. Continuous labeling, pulse-chase, and inhibitor experiments indicate that the phosphorylation of histone f1 polypeptides is neither correlated with "gene activation" (increases in RNA synthesis) nor does it appear to be related to histone transport from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. The results of these experiments do suggest that the phosphorylation of histone f1 molecules may be related to the separation and condensation of sister chromatids prior to and during mitosis.
Vision impairment and combined vision and hearing impairment predict cognitive and functional decline in older women.

Author(s): Lin, Michael Y; Gutierrez, Peter R; Stone, Katie L; Yaffe, Kristine; Ensrud, Kristine E; Fink, Howard A; Sarkisian, Catherine A; Coleman, Anne L; Mangione, Carol M; Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group | Abstract: ObjectivesTo determine the association between vision and hearing impairment and subsequent cognitive and functional decline in community-residing older women.DesignProspective cohort study.SettingFour metropolitan areas of the United States.ParticipantsA total of 6,112 women aged 69 and older participating in the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF) between 1992 and 1994.MeasurementsFive thousand three hundred forty-five participants had hearing measured, 1,668 had visual acuity measured, and 1,636 had both measured. Visual impairment was defined as corrected vision worse than 20/40. Hearing impairment was defined as the inability to hear a tone of 40 dB or greater at 2,000 hertz. Participants completed the modified Mini-Mental State Examination and/or a functional status assessment at baseline and follow-up. Cognitive and functional decline were defined as the amount of decline from baseline to follow-up that exceeded the observed average change in scores by at least 1 standard deviation.ResultsAbout one-sixth (15.7%) of the sample had cognitive decline; 10.1% had functional decline. In multivariate models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics and chronic conditions, vision impairment at baseline was associated with cognitive (odds ratio (OR)=1.78, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.21-2.61) and functional (OR=1.79, 95% CI=1.15-2.79) decline. Hearing impairment was not associated with cognitive or functional decline. Combined impairment was associated with the greatest odds for cognitive (OR=2.19, 95% CI=1.26-3.81) and functional (OR=1.87, 95% CI=1.01-3.47) decline.ConclusionSensory impairment is associated with cognitive and functional decline in older women. Studies are needed to determine whether treatment of vision and hearing impairment can decrease the risk for cognitive and functional decline.
Scalable performance analysis: the Pablo performance analysis environment

Developers of application codes for massively parallel computer systems face daunting performance tuning and optimization problems that must be solved if massively parallel systems are to fulfill their promise. Recording and analyzing the dynamics of application program, system software, and hardware interactions is the key to understanding and the prerequisite to performance tuning, but this instrumentation and analysis must not unduly perturb program execution. Pablo is a performance analysis environment designed to provide unobtrusive performance data capture, analysis, and presentation across a wide variety of scalable parallel systems. Current efforts include dynamic statistical clustering to reduce the volume of data that must be captured and complete performance data immersion via head-mounted displays. >
Cardiac Myocytes and Local Signaling In Nano-Domains

It is well known that calcium-induced calcium-release in cardiac myocytes takes place in spatially restricted regions known as dyads, where discrete patches of junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum tightly associate with the t-tubule membrane. The dimensions of a dyad are so small that it contains only a few Ca²⁺ ions at any given time. Ca²⁺ signaling in the dyad is therefore noisy, and dominated by the Brownian motion of Ca²⁺ ions in a potential field. Remarkably, from this complexity emerges the integrated behavior of the myocyte in which, under normal conditions, precise control of Ca²⁺ release and muscle contraction is maintained over the life of the cell. This is but one example of how signal processing within the cardiac myocyte and other cells often occurs in small "nano-domains" where proteins and protein complexes interact at spatial dimensions on the order of ∼1-10 nm and at time-scales on the order of nanoseconds to perform the functions of the cell. In this article, we will review several examples of local signaling in nano-domains, how it contributes to the integrative behavior of the cardiac myocyte, and present computational methods for modeling signal processing within these domains across differing spatio-temporal scales.
The physics of space charge instabilities and temporal chaos in extrinsic photoconductors

This paper reviews experimental and theoretical work carried out on space charge instabilities and temporal chaotic behavior in cooled extrinsic p-type Germanium photoconductors. Measured dc current-voltage (I–V) characteristics of these devices are strongly nonlinear for moderate electric fields ≧0.1 V/cm due to field dependence of the rates of free hole capture and impurity impact ionization. Below the threshold field for impurity breakdown, Ge samples behave like damped nonlinear oscillators, exhibiting characteristic chaotic response when driven by a time-periodic voltage. Above impurity breakdown, we observe voltage-controlled negative differential resistance (NDR) in the I–V curves accompanied by spontaneous current oscillations due to moving space charge domains with velocities 103 to 104 cm/s. Measurements are well explained by a simple rate equation model in which negative differential behavior in the impact ionization rate plays a crucial role. Related work on semiconductor chaos and possible future directions for research are also mentioned.
Spectrograph design using a transmission sliced multilayer as a diffraction element for the x-ray region

Spectrograph designs are presented that utilize a transmission sliced multilayer as a diffraction and focusing element. The multilayer utilizes the coincidence of Bragg and diffraction orders to achieve higher efficiency and resolution than a conventional grating. Traditionally, the lattice spacing in a crystal is used to achieve dispersion in the x-ray region. However, a multilayer as a diffraction element has some significant advantages. The layer thicknesses can be adjusted for any wavelength and for any angle of incidence. The transmission sliced multilayer is a dispersion element that satisfies the desirable properties of spectroscopy: high dispersion, high throughput, and high resolution. The sliced multilayer grating with a variable period can be used for both dispersion and imaging. Designs are studied for 17 keV and 34 keV with applications in mammography and IC chip inspection.
Electromigration in nanometer Al-Cu interconnect lines

Nanometer Al-Cu interconnect lines were fabricated and stress-tested to access their electromigration properties. Lifetimes up to thousands of hours under a stress current density of 5 × 10 6 A/cm 2 at 250°C were observed. However, these nanometer lines appeared to suffer early failures that might have resulted from microstructural factors. Several unique electromigration features of these narrow lines were observed. Anomalous bumps formed in all groups of test lines. The bumps were morphologically different from hillocks observed in other electromigration testing of larger dimensions. These bumps were expansions of line segments, and had spheroidal shapes with smooth surfaces and larger diameters than the lines. Narrowing of segments in the lines was also observed. Introduction of triangular transition segments that make a gradual width change from contact patterns to the narrow lines helped to increase the reliability of the pad-to-line transitions.
Cloning and expression of a group IV cytosolic Ca2+-dependent phospholipase A2 from rat pancreatic islets. Comparison of the expressed activity with that of an islet group VI cytosolic Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2.

Abstract Stimulation of pancreatic islets with glucose induces phospholipid hydrolysis and accumulation of nonesterified arachidonic acid, which may play signaling or effector roles in insulin secretion. Of enzymes that catalyze phospholipid hydrolysis, islet β -cells express low molecular weight secretory phospholipases A 2 (PLA 2 ) and a Group VI, Ca 2+ -independent PLA 2 (iPLA 2 ). Previous studies indicate that islets also express a protein recognized by antibodies against a Group IV, cytosolic, Ca 2+ -dependent PLA 2 (cPLA 2 ). To further examine the possible expression of cPLA 2 by islets, we screened a rat islet cDNA library with a probe that recognizes cPLA 2 sequence, and isolated a full-length cPLA 2 cDNA. The rat islet cPLA 2 -deduced amino acid sequence is 96% identical to those of human and mouse cPLA 2 . Transfection of COS-7 cells with cPLA 2 cDNA in an expression vector induced expression of Ca 2+ -dependent PLA 2 activity and of a protein recognized by anti-cPLA 2 antibody. Comparison of recombinant islet cPLA 2 and iPLA 2 activities expressed in transfected COS-7 cells indicated that iPLA 2 but not cPLA 2 is stimulated by ATP. Both activities are similarly sensitive to inhibition by arachidonyltrifluoromethyl ketone, but iPLA 2 is more effectively inhibited by a haloenol lactone suicide substrate than cPLA 2 . RT-PCR experiments with RNA from purified islet β -cells and from an α -cell-enriched population prepared by fluorescence-activated cell-sorting indicated that cPLA 2 mRNA is more abundant in the β -cell population. Immunoblotting analyses indicate that islets express cPLA 2 -immunoreactive protein, and that interleukin-1 does not affect its expression. The cPLA 2 is thus one of at least three classes of PLA 2 enzymes with distinct properties expressed in β -cells.