cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
GESNOMA (Geneva Study group on Noma): an aetiological research on noma disease

Noma is a devastating gangrenous disease that leads to severe tissue destruction in the face. It is seen almost exclusively in children living in developing countries. The exact prevalence of the disease is unknown and the cause also remains unknown. Risk factors are malnutrition, a compromised immune system, poor oral hygiene and a lesion of the gingival mucosal barrier, as well as an unidentified bacterial factor. Herpes viruses might also contribute. Studies of the buccal flora in acute phases of noma and comparison with control children are presently non-existent. Our study takes place in Niger, Africa. For each child (cases and controls), we take samples of gingival fluid, saliva, blood and mouth mucosal swabs. The samples are then analysed in Geneva in different laboratories. We control the serologies for Herpes viruses and measles. We also perform a nutritional assessment and the mucosal swabs are cultivated for the presence of viruses. The gingival flora is investigated by microarrays. These microarrays are instrumental to test for the presence of thousands of different bacteria in each clinical sample. This method allows a qualitative and quantitative description of the oral flora in children with noma and control cases.
Aircraft parameter identification using state-sensitivity functions

The problem presented in this paper is the identification of eleven parameter values of a 4th-order state equation used to model the incremental lateral dynamics of an aircraft subject to a step aileron deflection. The objective is to minimize the difference between the model's response and recorded inflight test data in a least squares sense. State sensitivity functions, which describe the variation in the model's state response for small, constant parameter perturbations, are used to develop an iterative solution to the identification problem. Results for three sets of initial parameter values show that the method rapidly converges to the same solution set.
Inhibition of Ultraviolet B-induced Activator Protein-1 (AP-1) Activity by Aspirin in AP-1-Luciferase Transgenic Mice

Aspirin is under consideration as a promising chemopreventative agent for human cancers. To study the usefulness of aspirin as a chemopreventative agent for UV-induced human skin cancer, we investigated the effect of aspirin on UVB-induced activator protein-1 (AP-1) activity. In the JB6 cell culture system, aspirin or sodium salicylate (SA) inhibited UVB-induced AP-1 activity in a dose-dependent manner; this inhibitory effect occurred only in cells pretreated with aspirin or SA before UVB irradiation but not cells treated with aspirin or SA after UVB irradiation. Furthermore, these inhibitory effects on UVB-induced AP-1 activity appeared to be mediated through blocking of activation of MAP kinase family members, including extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases, c-Jun N-terminal kinases, and p38. It was not due to absorption of UVB light by aspirin. In the skin of AP-1-luciferase transgenic mice, UVB irradiation induced a rapid increase in AP-1 activity, which reached the peak at 48 h post-UVB irradiation. The topical pretreatment of mouse skin with aspirin markedly blocked the UVB-induced AP-1 transactivation in vivo. These data provide the first evidence that aspirin and SA are inhibitors of UV-induced signal transduction and thus could be used as a chemopreventative agent for skin cancer.
Emission and transmission tomography: An overview

The development of powerful imaging techniques using X- and gamma-ray detection as well as other imaging systems using nuclear magnetic resonance and ultrasound has resulted in the ability to diagnose correctly many disease states. The fact that several imaging modalities may be used for a given condition means that hard decisions must be made as to the choice of the appropriate imaging procedure or the appropriate set of imaging procedures. Therefore it is important that each procedure extract all of the information possible. Since most imaging procedures basically identify structure or morphology, the additional information often lies in the determination of the underlying function or physiology. In the case of computed tomography, the basic imaging procedure measures a quantity closely related to electron density. By use of dual energy techniques, it is possible to observe average atomic number as well as electron density, providing further information on the tissue characteristics. Emission tomography provides useful information on many aspects of human physiology since a wide variety of radiopharmaceuticals may be employed. For this reason, ECT may assume greater importance in the future when used with other imaging techniques.
Effect of sampling strategy on measures of VO2peak obtained using commercial breath-by-breath systems.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of sampling strategy (i.e., number of breaths) on measured peak rate of oxygen uptake (VO2peak) elicited by a range of severe intensity exercise bouts. The hypothesis was that a smaller sample (i.e., fewer breaths) would produce a higher measure of VO2peak and that this effect would be greater in shorter tests than in longer tests. Thirty-three university students performed constant-power cycle ergometer tests at intensities selected to elicit fatigue in ~3.0 min (short duration), ~5.5 min (medium duration), and ~8.0 min (long duration). Values for VO2peak were the highest rates of oxygen uptake obtained using the following sampling methods: single breath, and 3-, 5-, 15- and 30-breath rolling averages. As hypothesized, measures of VO2peak increased systematically with decreasing sample size. Contrary to the hypothesis, the effect of sample size was greater in medium duration and long duration tests than in the short duration tests. The interaction between test duration and sample size on measures of VO2peak highlights the importance of standardizing the analysis protocol for exercise in the severe domain. If such standardization is not feasible, it should be recognized that specific analysis protocols may exert a substantial effect upon the reported VO2peak.
Population Density, Poverty, and Food Retail Access in the United States: An Empirical Approach

This article uses a random sample of census block groups to describe the adequacy of the local food retail environment in the continental United States. It builds upon simple empirical relationships between population density, poverty rates, vehicle access, and proximity to the nearest supermarket. In contrast with the conventional wisdom, the results show that highpoverty block groups had closer proximity to the nearest supermarket than other block groups did, on average: 85.6% of high-poverty block groups had a supermarket within 1 mile, while 76.8% of lower-poverty block groups had a supermarket within this distance. Population density is a strong predictor of proximity to the nearest supermarket. Block groups with very high population density generally had very close proximity to a nearest supermarket. In block groups lacking a nearby supermarket, rates of automobile access generally were quite high (more than 95%), although this still leaves almost 5% of the population in these areas lacking both an automobile and a nearby supermarket.
Innate Immune Suppression Enables Frequent Transfection with RNA Encoding Reprogramming Proteins

Background: Generating autologous pluripotent stem cells for therapeutic applications will require the development of efficient DNA-free reprogramming techniques. Transfecting cells with in vitro-transcribed, protein-encoding RNA is a straightforward method of directly expressing high levels of reprogramming proteins without genetic modification. However, long-RNA transfection triggers a potent innate immune response characterized by growth inhibition and the production of inflammatory cytokines. As a result, repeated transfection with protein-encoding RNA causes cell death. Methodology/Principal Findings: RNA viruses have evolved methods of disrupting innate immune signaling by destroying or inhibiting specific proteins to enable persistent infection. Starting from a list of known viral targets, we performed a combinatorial screen to identify siRNA cocktails that could desensitize cells to exogenous RNA. We show that combined knockdown of interferon-b (Ifnb1), Eif2ak2, and Stat2 rescues cells from the innate immune response triggered by frequent long-RNA transfection. Using this technique, we were able to transfect primary human fibroblasts every 24 hours with RNA encoding the reprogramming proteins Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and Utf1. We provide evidence that the encoded protein is active, and we show that expression can be maintained for many days, through multiple rounds of cell division. Conclusions/Significance: Our results demonstrate that suppressing innate immunity enables frequent transfection with protein-encoding RNA. This technique represents a versatile tool for investigating expression dynamics and protein interactions by enabling precise control over levels and timing of protein expression. Our finding also opens the door for the development of reprogramming and directed-differentiation methods based on long-RNA transfection.
Lactic and hydrochloric acids induce different patterns of inflammatory response in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells

Metabolic acidosis frequently complicates sepsis and septic shock and may be deleterious to cellular function. Different types of metabolic acidosis (e.g., hyperchloremic and lactic acidosis) have ...
Structure of the Human Autophagy Initiating Kinase ULK1 in Complex with Potent Inhibitors.

Autophagy is a conserved cellular process that involves the degradation of cellular components for energy maintenance and cytoplasmic quality control that has recently gained interest as a novel target for a variety of human diseases, including cancer. A prime candidate to determine the potential therapeutic benefit of targeting autophagy is the kinase ULK1, whose activation initiates autophagy. Here, we report the first structures of ULK1, in complex with multiple potent inhibitors. These structures show features unique to the enzyme and will provide a path for the rational design of selective compounds as cellular probes and potential therapeutics.
A flexible architecture for remote server-based emulation

Network emulation allows one to perform experiments in a controlled laboratory environment by applying network characteristics to live traffic. With recent advances in parallel simulation, it is becoming feasible to emulate large-scale networks at a high level of fidelity. However, high performance computing platforms are required. When such facilities are not locally available, remote computing facilities might be used. This approach is problematic, however, because of the latency introduced in the real time emulation environment to access the remote parallel machine. A distributed server-based architecture is proposed that utilizes local low-fidelity emulators to provide real-time QoS information to distributed applications, coupled with a remote high-fidelity simulator that is used to update and calibrate the local low-fidelity emulators continuously. The accuracy of this server-based emulation system is evaluated using test cases involving a worm propagation scenario.
Recognition of Membrane Receptor by Atomic Force Microscopy

Membrane receptors play important roles in the signal pathway to regulate cell functions, and therefore, they are usually the main drug targets. However, the study of cell membrane receptors in situ on molecular level is difficult due to the current technical limitations. The recent development of atomic force microscopy (AFM) opens a new way to study the functionalities of cell membrane receptors. In this paper, techniques involving the use of AFM to probe the membrane proteins are introduced. The technique for characterizing specific single receptor using the functionalized AFM tip is discussed. An example of probing angiotensin II type 1 (ATI) receptor on sensory neuron's membrane is also given in this paper.
Cellular Coverage Planning

Many current cellular systems employ fixed channel assignment (FCA) schemes, where the cells are permanently assigned a subset of the available channels according to a frequency reuse plan. This chapter discusses the issues associated with radio coverage planning for cellular systems. Several schemes are suggested for improving the spectral efficiency in a cellular system including cell sectoring, cell splitting, reuse partitioning, switched beam smart antenna systems, selective base station (BS) diversity, and overlay/underlay schemes. Although the concepts are developed for systems that employ FCA, they will in many cases apply to those that use dynamic channel assignment (DCA).
Setting 2 variables at a time yields a new lower bound for random 3-SAT (extended abstract)

Let X be a set of n Boolean variables and denote by C(X) the set of all 3-clauses over X, i.e. the set of all 8(3 ) possible disjunctions of three distinct, non-complementar y literais from variables in X. Let F(n, m) be a random 3-SAT formula formed by selecting, with replacement, m clauses uniformly at random from C(X) and taking their conjunction. The satisfiabili~y threshold conjecture asserts that there exists a constant ra such that as n --+ c¢, F(n, rn) is satisfiable with probability that tends to 1 if r r3. Experimental evidence suggests rz ~ 4.2. We prove rz > 3.145 improving over the previous best lower bound r3 > 3.003 due to Frieze and Suen. For this, we introduce a satisfiability heuristic that works iteratively, permanently setting the value of a pair of variables in each round. The framework we develop for the analysis of our heuristic allows us to also derive most previous lower bounds for random 3-SAT in a uniform manner and with little effort.
Organic nanofibrils based on linear carbazole trimer for explosive sensing

Organic fluorescent nanofibrils were fabricated from a linear carbazole trimer and employed for expedient detection of nitroaromatic explosives (DNT and TNT) and highly volatile nitroaliphatic explosives (nitromethane).
Disruption of the NF-κB/IκBα autoinhibitory loop improves cognitive performance and promotes hyperexcitability of hippocampal neurons

Background: Though originally discovered in the immune system as an important mediator of inflammation, NF-B has recently been shown to play key roles in the central nervous system, such as synaptogenesis, synaptic plasticity, and cognition. NF-B activity is normally tightly regulated by its primary inhibitor, IBa, through a unique autoinhibitory loop. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the IBa autoinhibitory loop ensures optimal levels of NF-B activity to promote proper brain development and function. To do so, we utilized knock-in mice which possess mutations in the IBa promoter to disrupt the autoinhibitory loop (IBa M/M KI mice). Results: Here, we show that these mutations delay IBa resynthesis and enhance NF-B activation in neurons following acute activating stimuli. This leads to improved cognitive ability on tests of hippocampal-dependent learning and memory but no change in hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Instead, hippocampal neurons from IBa M/M KI mice form more excitatory and less inhibitory synapses in dissociated cultures and are hyperexcitable. This leads to increased burst firing of action potentials and the development of abnormal hypersynchronous discharges in vivo. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the IBa autoinhibitory loop is critical for titrating appropriate levels of endogenous NF-B activity to maintain proper neuronal function.
Hypoxemic versus normoxemic reperfusion in a large animal model of severe ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Background Prior studies have suggested a significant benefit of using deliberate hypoxemia to reperfuse ischemic tissue beds, primarily by reducing free radical injury. We sought to examine the effects of a hypoxemic reperfusion strategy in a large animal model of severe truncal ischemia. Materials and Methods Adult swine were subjected to 30 min of supraceliac aortic occlusion and randomized to two groups: normoxemia group (n = 9), with resuscitation at a pO2 >100 mmHg or hypoxemia group (n = 10), with initial resuscitation at a pO2 of 30–50. The two groups were compared using physiologic parameters, fluid and pressor requirements, inflammatory and oxidative markers, and histologic analysis of end-organ injury. Results All animals developed significant hemodynamic instability immediately upon reperfusion. Average mean arterial pressure at baseline rose significantly after 30 min of cross-clamp (76.8 versus 166.3 mmHg, P Conclusions A hypoxemic reperfusion strategy in this large animal model failed to demonstrate any significant clinical benefit. Although there was chemical evidence of improved antioxidant capacity with hypoxemia, it was associated with more instability, metabolic and physiologic derangements, and no evidence of end-organ protection.
Using Human Universals to Teach Multicultural Perspectives

Teaching college students about multicultural perspectives is now ubiquitous in college learning environments, especially in the humanities and social sciences. Methods employed, however, for bringing about the goals of social justice and commercial opportunity are somewhat superficial for internalizing and influencing long-term behaviors. The effects are more accessible when starting from the point of universal human fears and needs and then examining the behaviors and rationales for behaviors dissimilar peoples use to allay those fears and meet their needs. Learning outcomes that demonstrate an understanding of how universal fears and needs influence behaviors of human beings may be more likely to promote justice and opportunity in people’s daily work and lives and likely to be more enduring.
Deriving in-use PHEV fuel economy predictions from standardized test cycle results

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) have potential to reduce or eliminate the United States' dependence on foreign oil. Quantifying the amount of petroleum each uses, however, is challenging. To estimate in-use fuel economy for conventional vehicles, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducts chassis dynamometer tests on standard historic drive cycles and then adjusts the resulting “raw” fuel economy measurements downward. Various publications, such as the forthcoming update to the SAE J1711 recommended practice for PHEV fuel economy testing, address the challenges of applying standard test procedures to PHEVs. This paper explores the issue of how to apply an adjustment method to such raw PHEV dynamometer test results in order to more closely estimate the in-use fuel and electricity consumption characteristics of these vehicles. The paper discusses two possible adjustment methods, and evaluates one method by applying it to dynamometer data and comparing the result to in-use fleet data (on an aftermarket conversion PHEV). The paper also presents the methodologies used to collect the data needed for this comparison. The predictions using the proposed method are shown to provide close agreement with the in-use observations when the actual fleet charging characteristics are included.
Local Stability Analysis for Uncertain Nonlinear Systems

We propose a method to compute provably invariant subsets of the region-of-attraction for the asymptotically stable equilibrium points of uncertain nonlinear dynamical systems. We consider polynomial dynamics with perturbations that either obey local polynomial bounds or are described by uncertain parameters multiplying polynomial terms in the vector field. This uncertainty description is motivated by both incapabilities in modeling, as well as bilinearity and dimension of the sum-of-squares programming problems whose solutions provide invariant subsets of the region-of-attraction. We demonstrate the method on three examples from the literature and a controlled short period aircraft dynamics example.
Estimation of oil thickness and aging from hyperspectral signature

While remote detection of oil spills is well-studied, very little success has been reported in estimation of thickness and aging of oil slicks. In this case study, spectral signatures (350 nm – 2400 nm) of oil samples of 5 different thicknesses on saltwater were measured regularly for 2 months. Changes in spectral behaviors were observed over time. Based on our observation, the spectrum of fresh oil surface was initially different from that of saltwater but eventually came to resemble the saltwater spectrum after volatilization and precipitation. Spectra of thinner samples changed more rapidly over time than those of thicker samples. Spectral unmixing was studied of the thin oil samples using thick oil and pure saltwater as endmembers.
Thermo-Economic Limitations of Passive Air-Cooled Ambient Heat Rejection Systems

This paper presents the preliminary results of a thermo economic optimization of passive air-cooled ambient heat rejection systems. Although a lot of effort has been put into the thermal efficiency of various cooling technologies, there is a need for a comprehensive thermo-economic study cross comparing the different options. This study considers passive ambient heat rejection from bonded and extruded fin arrays. The outcome is a general Pareto front showing the limitations of different passive cooling technologies such as natural convection through extruded and bonded fin arrays or enhanced heat transfer via chimney effect. The obtained Pareto front allows making cost effective decisions regarding which technology to implement depending on the thermal requirements of the system. A bi-objective optimization is carried out using genetic algorithms. The two parameters to minimize are the overall thermal resistance and the total cost of the system. It is shown that, generally, there is a negative correlation between the cost of the system and the thermal resistance. At low heat flux, natural convection through extruded fin arrays is the most economical choice. As more stringent thermal loads act on a system, the thermal resistance of the heat sink can be reduced at an additional cost by enhancement of convective heat transport through buoyancy-driven flows. For the considered geometry, the maximal cooling power without a chimney amounts 1887W at a heat flux of 0.87W/cm2. By adding a 5m chimney, a 43% increase in the cooling power is reached, allowing the removal of up to 2695W at a heat flux of 1.26 W/cm2.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Selective disruption of E-cadherin function in early Xenopus embryos by a dominant negative mutant

E-cadherin function was disrupted in vivo in developing Xenopus laevis embryos through the expression of a mutant E-cadherin protein lacking its cytoplasmic tail. This truncated form of E-cadherin was designed to act as a dominant negative mutant by competing with the extracellular interactions of wild-type endogenous E-cadherin. Expression of truncated E-cadherin in the early embryo causes lesions to develop in the ectoderm during gastrulation. In contrast, expression of a similarly truncated N-cadherin protein failed to cause the lesions. The ectodermal defect caused by the truncated E-cadherin is rescued by overexpression of wild-type E-cadherin, by co-injection of full-length E-cadherin RNA along with the RNA for the truncated form. Overexpression of full-length C-cadherin, however, is unable to compensate for the disruption of E-cadherin function and can actually cause similar ectodermal lesions when injected alone, suggesting that there is a specific requirement for E-cadherin. Therefore, E-cadherin seems to be specifically required for maintaining the integrity of the ectoderm during epiboly in the gastrulating Xenopus embryo. Differential cadherin expression reflects, therefore, the requirement for distinct adhesive properties during different morphogenetic cell behaviors.
Real-World Reinforcement Learning via Multifidelity Simulators

Reinforcement learning (RL) can be a tool for designing policies and controllers for robotic systems. However, the cost of real-world samples remains prohibitive as many RL algorithms require a large number of samples before learning useful policies. Simulators are one way to decrease the number of required real-world samples, but imperfect models make deciding when and how to trust samples from a simulator difficult. We present a framework for efficient RL in a scenario where multiple simulators of a target task are available, each with varying levels of fidelity. The framework is designed to limit the number of samples used in each successively higher-fidelity/cost simulator by allowing a learning agent to choose to run trajectories at the lowest level simulator that will still provide it with useful information. Theoretical proofs of the framework's sample complexity are given and empirical results are demonstrated on a remote-controlled car with multiple simulators. The approach enables RL algorithms to find near-optimal policies in a physical robot domain with fewer expensive real-world samples than previous transfer approaches or learning without simulators.
Ivan Illich’s H 2 O and the Waters of Forgetfulness

His eyes darted around the room, in a startling reminder of the mischievous gaze of Harpo Marx. His acute face was an etching of discipline and stamina. Here was the universal iconoclast creating en “epilogue to the industrial age.” Ivan Illich began to speak: to the history seminar. Did I hear correctly? Yes, he was discussing the water closets of Victorian London. That was my introduction, in 1986, to the author and the themes of H 2 O and The Waters of Forgetfulness
Arkansas Cyclocephalini with Notes on Burmeister Types (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae)

In connection with some biological investigations on Cyclocephala immaculata (Oliv.), I have made a study of other Arkansas species within the same tribe. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to present a key for the identification of the males of known Arkansas Cyclocephalini, to record briefly their distribution within the state, and to point out and illustrate certain taxonomic characters that heretofore have received little attention.
Book Review: Journalism of Ideas: Brainstorming, Developing, and Selling Stories in the Digital Age, by Daniel Reimold

Daniel Reimold Journalism of Ideas: Brainstorming, Developing, and Selling Stories in the Digital Age. New York: Routledge, 2013. 367 pp.Daniel Reimold's book is not your typical textbook for teaching journalism. Reimold recognized that when he states on his blog, http://collegemediamatters.com (November 13, 2013), that he is compiling a list. He hopes to gather on his blog a million story ideas (". . .fun digital story ideas fountain") from professionals and others to inspire student journalists. His goal, specifically, is ". . . to localize, adapt and reinvent a range of stories-quirky and mainstream, text-based and visual, interactive and investiga- tory," and to provide a "barebones blueprint" for writing them.This, he says, is also the goal of his book. The blog story ideas fountain will keep the generation of story ideas "fresh" and up to date.Reimold is an assistant professor of journalism and a student newspaper advisor at St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia. In addition, he is the "College Beat" columnist for USA Today College and a contributor for Poynter, PBS MediaShift, and The Huffington Post. He is the author of the book Sex and the University: Celebrity, Controversy, and a Student Journalism Revolution published in 2010 by Rutgers University Press.Journalism of Ideas is a valuable guidebook for college-level student journalists. It is packed full of quotations, anecdotes, and words of wisdom that a student might receive from a sage advisor or mentor. The reader of this book, however, can through this one source tap into hundreds of perspectives and pieces of advice from journalism profession- als, educators, college student peers, and others. Readers are assumed to be college stu- dents involved in campus publications. A student journalist could certainly benefit from this practical book for generating story ideas and for apprenticeship-like support.From a teaching perspective, instructors who teach beginning-level reporting classes or courses for preparing high school and college-level publication advisors will find this book to be useful for teaching basic reporting, as well as journalism 2.0 tech- niques. Chapters 1 and 2 set the stage for the remainder of the book by defining the role of the journalist as storyteller and defining the "WOW" story. According to Reimold, a WOW story "possesses all or most of the following buzzwords"- Innovative, Impacting, Accurate, Timely, Interesting, Fresh, Objective, Informative, and Concrete (p. 6). Nearly all of the twenty chapters of Journalism of Ideas follow the same format that includes teaching aids, such as "Assignment Alerts" (i.e. suggested assignments) and "Ideas, Online" (i.e. online exercises). Throughout the book, the author shares Internet links to online information and websites. The chapter headings are indicative of the content within each, such as "Location, Location, Location," "Data Journalism," "Building a Beat," and "Digital and Mobile Story Mining. …
Effect of gangliosides on adenylate cyclase activity in rat cerebral cortical membranes.

The addition of 50 µM mixed brain gangliosides to membrane preparations from rat cerebral cortex caused a 50-95% increase in the basal adenylate cyclase activity. The activation was rapid at all temperatures and was relatively irreversible, as evidenced by the fact that repeated washing of the membrane after exposure to gangliosides failed to restore adenylate cyclase activity to its basal level. The V max of the enzyme was increased with no apparent change in the K m for the substrate, ATP. The expression of activation of adenylate cyclase by gangliosides showed a marked temperature dependence, with maximal effects seem in the 30-40° range and no activation seen at either 10° or 50°. The activation of adenylate cyclase by brain gangliosides was additive with respect to activation by NaF and detergents, but was not additive with respect to activation by GppNHp or lysolecithin. The activation of the enzyme by gangliosides was unaffected by the presence of calcium ions, calcium-dependent activator protein, or EGTA. The addition of brain gangliosides to the membranes caused a consistent restoration of the responsiveness of the adenylate cyclase system to activation by β-adrenergic agents, an effect similar in magnitude to that observed by addition of GppNHp to the membrane preparations.
Use of linoleic acid hydroperoxide in the determination of absolute spectra of membrane-bound cytochrome P-450.

Linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LAHP) destroys cytochrome P-450 in microsomes without destroying cytochrome b5. This is the basis for a simple and direct method of determining the absolute spectra of membrane-bound cytochrome P-450. The method consists of adding LAHP to the reference cuvette of a spectrally balanced pair of cuvettes containing the same microsomal suspension and observing the resulting difference spectrum. The absolute spectra of oxidized, reduced, or reduced carbon monoxide-complexed cytochrome P-450 in microsomes from untreated or phenobarbital- or 3-methylcholanthrene-treated rats were very similar to corresponding spectra that have been reported for a highly purified preparation of P-450LM2 with the exception that the oxidized spectrum of membrane-bound cytochrome P-450 represented a mixture of high-and low-spin forms of cytochrome P-450, whereas P-450LM2 gives a typical low-spin spectrum.
Genetic effects on ADHD symptomatology in 7- to 13-year-old twins: results from a telephone survey.

The magnitude of genetic and environmental factors and the influence of contrast effects on attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptomatology were examined on a sample of 900 twin pairs, aged 7–13, participating in the Virginia Twin Study of Adolescent Behavioral Development (VTSABD). In addition, the genetic and environmental correlations between ADHD and oppositional-defiant disorder/conduct disorder (ODD/CD) symptomatology were estimated. A series of structural models was applied to maternal ratings from a telephone survey, designed to screen for the three dimensions of ADHD symptomatology (hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention) and ODD/CD symptomatology. Model-fitting results suggested that ADHD symptomatology is highly heritable and influenced mostly by additive genetic, specific environmental, and contrast effects. However, this analysis could not exclude with statistical significance additional effects from dominance. The results of the best-fitting bivariate model suggested that the genetic correlation between the two traits is 50% and replicated previous findings of a common genetic factor influencing the comorbidity of ADHD and ODD/CD symptomatologies.
INTRODUCTION TO PERFORMANCE PRISM: A TOOL OF PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM

This research paper describes and illustrates the practical application of a new measurement framework- The Performance Prism- Which addresses the shortcomings of many of the traditional measurement frameworks being used by organizations today. The Performance Prism, with its comprehensive stakeholder orientation, encourages executives to consider the wants and needs of all the organization's stakeholders, rather than a subset, as well as the associated strategies, processes and capabilities. DHL's board for the UK have used this framework to re-engineer their corporate measurement and reporting system and the research paper explain DHL and other firms' experiences with the Performance Prism. An extensive literature survey on performance measurement is used to identify the main aspects of the review in such systems. Various dimensions related to the characteristics of Performance Prism are explored. All the findings are then routinely put together to develop the proposed conceptual framework. The paper presents a conceptual model to review performance measurement systems (PMS) which are designed based on Performance Prism. The presented framework categorizes review processes and tools into two main categories; Business Performance Review (BPR) and Performance Measurement System Review (PMSR). In BPR, a loop is presented in three levels with regards to the five facets of Performance Prism which indicates the performance management process. PMSR deals with reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of the design and implementation of the PMS it. Several methods and tools have been gathered from the literature in this section to examine the relevance of measures and some have been introduced to study and challenge the validity of strategic assumptions and strategies and appropriateness of the infrastructure. Implications of various factors such as organizational culture, change management and characteristics of the measures are highlighted. The framework provides a procedural action for reviewing both business performance and PMS performance when applying the Performance Prism in practice. It provides a foundation for further empirical research. This study adds to the body of literature, by proposing a comprehensive review framework to be used in Performance Prism.
Calcium, Bone Strength and Fractures

Publisher Summary Calcium is an important building block for bone. It is necessary for bone acquisition in childhood and bone maintenance in adulthood. Calcium can only be obtained from the diet, so nutrition plays a large part in bone health. This chapter focuses on calcium, but other nutritional elements such as vitamin D, phosphorus and protein are just as important for overall bone health. These nutrients' effects on skeletal health are complementary and likely additive. In nature, these nutrients are packaged and consumed together and their individual effects on bone cannot be separated from each other.
A framework for investigating the role of big data in service parts management

Abstract Increased demand for responsive, cost efficient, and sustainable operations requires service parts consideration and adoption of new business models and solutions that span the entire life-cycle of products. Many firms are turning to big data analytics. Though service parts managers have long relied on analysis & optimization, big data analytics are considered to be more encompassing and thus especially promising. Herein, big data and its related applications are proposed as a means of improving service parts management practices. More specifically, data collected from interviews with service parts managers is used to construct a framework depicting the challenges of service parts management. This framework then serves as the basis for big data related proposals for overcoming the highlighted challenges. Thus, the research answers the call for service parts management related frameworks while providing a number of suggestions for managerial consideration and scholarly investigation.
Geologic origin effects on mineralogy, index properties and fabric of a fine-grained carbonatic deposit

Abstract This paper addresses the relationship between geological history and depositional environment and the characteristics of natural soils, based on an experimental study conducted on a soft fine-grained lacustrine carbonatic deposit formed about 22,000 BP during the Wisconsin glaciation in the southwestern part of the State of Indiana, USA. The carbonatic soil layer characterized in this study is approximately 4 m thick, and is formed by the repetition of thin sublayers of two different soils with distinct composition and engineering properties. The differences in index properties between these two soils and their relationship to the mineral composition derived from X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses are discussed in detail. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to describe the microstructure of the two soils, including the morphology of select minerals (pyrite and calcite) and the biological intrusions present in one of them. These observations combined with a detailed study of the local geology lead to hypothesize that different source materials and sedimentary environments alternated during the formation process of the deposit.
A reconnaissance microearthquake survey of the Hot Springs, Virginia area

abstract The Hot Springs, Virginia area is the largest concentration of thermal springs in the eastern United States. The region9s anomalous geophysical and geological character is indicated by: (1) apparent low heat flow, (2) an “earthquake shadow” of considerable extent, (3) great crustal thickness, (4) a structural transition zone between the central and southern Appalachians, and (5) the presence of Eocene igneous intrusives. As a first step toward geophysical study of the area a 10-day reconnaissance microearthquake survey was conducted. Seven sites were occupied to collect a total of 438 hr of low-noise data. A 4-day swarm of 43 events was recorded at one site (20 km northeast of the Hot Springs) while the other six sites exhibited no activity. Continuation of this type of study is needed to define the seismic regime of this important area.
Helicobacter pylori recurrence after eradication in Latin America: Implications for gastric cancer prevention.

Helicobacter pylori recurrence after eradication in Latin America: Implications for gastric cancer prevention
Tissue-specific bioactivity of soluble tendon-derived and cartilage-derived extracellular matrices on adult mesenchymal stem cells.

Biological scaffolds composed of tissue-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) can promote homologous (i.e., tissue-specific) cell differentiation through preservation of biophysical and biochemical motifs found in native tissues. Solubilized ECMs derived from decellularized tendon and cartilage have recently been promoted as tissue-specific biomaterials, but whether tissue-specific bioactivity is preserved following solubilization is unknown. This study explored the tissue-specific bioactivity of soluble decellularized tendon and cartilage ECMs on human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) presented across different culture microenvironments, including two-dimensional (2D) tissue culture plastic, aligned electrospun nanofibers, cell pellets, and cell-seeded photocrosslinkable hydrogels. Tendon and cartilage ECMs were decellularized using established methods and solubilized either via pepsin digestion or urea extraction. The effect of soluble ECMs on cell proliferation and differentiation was initially explored by supplementing basal medium of human MSCs cultured on 2D tissue culture plastic. In subsequent experiments, MSCs were cultured on aligned electrospun nanofibers, ascell pellets, or encapsulated within photocrosslinkable methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) hydrogels. Urea-extracted tendon and cartilage ECMs were added as supplements. Pepsin-digested ECMs did not promote homologous differentiation in human MSCs, whether provided as a medium supplement or three-dimensional (3D) hydrogels. In contrast, urea-extracted ECMs tended to promote tissue-specific differentiation of MSCs cultured in 2D and 3D microenvironments. The application of the small molecule TGF-β signaling inhibitor SB-431542 largely negated the tissue-specific gene expression patterns mediated by tendon and cartilage ECMs. This suggests that the action of endogenous TGF-β was required, but was not sufficient, to impart tissue-specific bioactivity of urea-extracted ECMs. When urea-extracted cartilage ECM was incorporated within a photocurable GelMA hydrogel it independently enhanced chondrogenesis in encapsulated MSCs, and showed additive prochondrogenesis upon TGF-β supplementation in the medium. Urea-extracted ECM fractions of decellularized tendon and cartilage are soluble supplements capable of enhancing tissue-specific differentiation of adult stem cells.
Temperature and heat flux at residential surfaces due to solar-beam radiative selectivity, geography/climate, insulation/structural configuration, humidity, and sky condition

Abstract Extensive recent published literature has shown that the use of selectively highly reflecting coatings for solar beam radiation incident on roof surfaces during the summer has increased the solar albedo and decreased the need for electricity consumption to maintain building temperatures. In this paper, other issues relevant to the temperatures, heat fluxes, and human comfort related to solar energy are addressed. In particular, numerical simulation is used to focus on limited locations in the United States (Phoenix, AZ, Miami, FL, and Minneapolis, MN) for mid-summer and mid-winter climatic conditions. At these locations, two different insulation systems relevant to residential housing in the United States are considered. Not only is solar beam radiation taken into account, but also is infrared sky radiation, humidity of the surrounding air, cloud cover, air temperature, and the emissivity of water vapor droplets. The results presented include: (a) diurnal temperature and heat flux variations at the exterior surfaces, (b) temperatures and heat fluxes at internal surfaces, (c) heat flowing from the internal surfaces, (d) an accounting of the heat transferred respectively by conduction, convection, and radiation at the exterior surface, (e) convective heat transfer coefficients at the exterior surface. The results are presented over a 24-h period on both June 21 and December 21. Equal focus was given to summer-season and winter-season performance of the radiatively selective coating. It was found that although the coating was highly advantageous for summer conditions, it significantly increased the power requirements for winter heating.
Prediction of Psychosis Through the Prodromal Syndrome

Can prevention models now common to medicine be extended to psychotic disorders? Advances in early detection and intervention in cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer have led to substantial reductions in morbidity and mortality and improved quality of life among individuals with these conditions (Adams et al. 2007; Berenson 2005; Parekh et al. 2006; Peters et al. 1996). The success of these programs is based on four primary factors: (1) they target disorders with relatively high prevalence; (2) risk is known to be greatest among particular demographic groups, facilitating efficiency of screening; (3) accurate and objective assessment methods exist for early detection; and (4) an array of interventions are available that scale in invasiveness with stage of illness.
Introduction to Noise-Reduced Correlations Using Singular Spectrum Analysis

We summarize new results for estimating correlations for use in risk management. These estimates have better behavior than traditional estimation approaches from both a business standpoint and a technical standpoint. We smooth time series using Singular Spectrum Analysis (SSA) and compute correlations based on these smoothed series. We demonstrate that SSA-based correlation estimates have less noise than standard correlation estimates between unsmoothed series using: the signal-to-noise ratio, and distances from noise using polynomials generalizing the z-score and random matrix theory constructs. New useful analytic estimates for all eigenvalues of a random matrix are described. SSA-based correlations also enjoy superior time stability. Technical aspects are given in four accompanying papers, including extensive analyses of time stability and the noise-reduction tests described in this short paper.
The biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of the oxime acetylcholinesterase reactivator RS194B in guinea pigs.

Abstract Organophosphorus-based (OP) nerve agents represent some of the most toxic substances known to mankind. The current standard of care for exposure has changed very little in the past decades, and relies on a combination of atropine to block receptor activity and oxime-type acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivators to reverse the OP binding to AChE. Although these oximes can block the effects of nerve agents, their overall efficacy is reduced by their limited capacity to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). RS194B, a new oxime developed by Radic et al. (J. Biol. Chem., 2012) has shown promise for enhanced ability to cross the BBB. To fully assess the potential of this compound as an effective treatment for nerve agent poisoning, a comprehensive evaluation of its pharmacokinetic (PK) and biodistribution profiles was performed using both intravenous and intramuscular exposure routes. The ultra-sensitive technique of accelerator mass spectrometry was used to quantify the compound's PK profile, tissue distribution, and brain/plasma ratio at four dose concentrations in guinea pigs. PK analysis revealed a rapid distribution of the oxime with a plasma t1/2 of ∼1 h. Kidney and liver had the highest concentrations per gram of tissue followed by lung, spleen, heart and brain for all dose concentrations tested. The Cmax in the brain ranged between 0.03 and 0.18% of the administered dose, and the brain-to-plasma ratio ranged from 0.04 at the 10 mg/kg dose to 0.18 at the 200 mg/kg dose demonstrating dose dependent differences in brain and plasma concentrations. In vitro studies show that both passive diffusion and active transport contribute little to RS194B traversal of the BBB. These results indicate that biodistribution is widespread, but very low quantities accumulate in the guinea pig brain, indicating this compound may not be suitable as a centrally active reactivator.
Spectroscopy of Trapped Negative Ions

Negative ions, while similar to neutral atoms and molecules and positive ions in many respects, have properties which set them distinctly apart. The lack of a long range coulomb interaction between the extra electron and the neutral has some important consequences. The number of bound states in atomic negative ions is very small (usually one) much to the spectroscopist’s dismay. Electron correlations play a primary role in determining binding energies and other properties and thus negative ions should be a good testing ground for atomic theory. Photodetachment cross sections, at least near threshold, can be described in simple terms.