cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mutual Funds, Conflicts of Interest, and Regulatory Error: A Property Rights Approach

All humans and the institutions they create err from time to time. Regulatory agencies are no exception. This essay hypothesizes that by failing to recognize mutual fund abnormal returns as an open-access common pool subject to a race to first possession, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has fundamentally misunderstood the nature of the conflicts of interest said to plague the industry. As a result, its regulatory response to the recent wave of mutual fund scandals, including rule making and civil actions, fails to maximize the institutional value of mutual funds as a savings vehicle. I rely on the property rights approach to economic theory to derive testable implications and recommend structural reforms to ensure that regulatory error is internally corrected by the common law process of adjudication and appellate review.
Reflections on physical spaces and mental spaces

This article analyzes certain reciprocal impacts from physical spaces to mental spaces. If the epistemological construction and the spatial imagination from the subject of cogito or the social collectivities are able to influence the construction and creation of the physical spaces of that subject, then the context of that physical space may also affect the cognitive or social subject's mental cognition. This article applies the methodology of iconology from art history (E. Panofsky) and sociology (P. Bourdieu) to explore correlations between the creation of imaginative and physical spaces from the collective consciousness and mental cognition. The author uses Gilles Deleuses's opinion regarding the 17th-century Baroque style and contemporary social collective symptoms as an explanation. From these theoretical studies, the author analyzes the differences of spatial epistemology generated by Taiwan's special geological text. Finally, the author applies Michel Foucault's studies on spatial context to assess the possible application of this thesis of reciprocal impacts from mental spaces to physical spaces in a nursing context.
Postremission therapy of acute myeloid leukemia in older adults.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in people over age 60 is characterized by adverse cytogenetic characteristics, prior myelodysplasia, and phenotypic features predictive of poor response to induction chemotherapy and brief leukemia-free survival. Because increased treatment-related toxicity complicates both induction and consolidation chemotherapy, most studies of AML in the elderly focus on induction regimens designed to reduce toxicity. Consolidation usually consists of a repeat cycle of conventional-dose induction chemotherapy. Older patients who achieve complete remission may represent a select population, clinically distinct from patients receiving induction therapy. Regardless of the consolidation regimen, the duration of complete remission is 3 months to 11 months, with long-term leukemia-tree survival rates of 10 percent to 28 percent. In the UCLA experience, patients over age 60 who received consolidation chemotherapy had pretreatment characteristics similar to elderly patients undergoing induction. Postremission treatment varied from standard-dose ara-C to high-dose ara-C consolidation followed by autologous stem-cell transplantation. Leukemia-free survival appears to be longer with high-dose ara-C and autologous stem-cell transplantation. Future randomized studies should be conducted to determine the feasibility of and response to postremission treatment.
Phase I trial of anti-PSMA designer CAR-T cells in prostate cancer: Possible role for interacting interleukin 2-T cell pharmacodynamics as a determinant of clinical response

BACKGROUND Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified “designer” T cells (dTc, CAR-T) against PSMA selectively target antigen-expressing cells in vitro and eliminate tumors in vivo. Interleukin 2 (IL2), widely used in adoptive therapies, was proven essential in animal models for dTc to eradicate established solid tumors. METHODS Patients under­went chemotherapy condi­tion­ing, followed by dTc dosing under a Phase I escalation with continuous infusion low dose IL2 (LDI). A target of dTc escalation was to achieve ≥20% engraftment of infused activated T cells. RESULTS Six patients enrolled with doses prepared of whom five were treated. Patients received 109 or 1010 autologous T cells, achieving expansions of 20–560-fold over 2 weeks and engraftments of 5–56%. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic analyses established the impact of conditioning to promote expansion and engraftment of the infused T cells. Unexpectedly, administered IL2 was depleted up to 20-fold with high engraftments of activated T cells (aTc) in an inverse correlation (P < 0.01). Clinically, no anti-PSMA toxicities were noted, and no anti-CAR reactivities were detected post-treatment. Two-of-five patients achieved clinical partial responses (PR), with PSA declines of 50% and 70% and PSA delays of 78 and 150 days, plus a minor response in a third patient. Responses were unrelated to dose size (P = 0.6), instead correlating inversely with engraftment (P = 0.06) and directly with plasma IL2 (P = 0.03), suggesting insufficient IL2 with our LDI protocol to support dTc anti-tumor activity under optimal (high) dTc engraftments. CONCLUSIONS Under a Phase I dose escalation in prostate cancer, a 20% engraftment target was met or exceeded in three subjects with adequate safety, leading to study conclusion. Clinical responses were obtained but were suggested to be restrained by low plasma IL2 when depleted by high levels of engrafted activated T cells. This report presents a unique example of how the pharmaco­dynamics of “drug–drug” interactions may have a critical impact on the efficacy of their co-application. A new Pilot/Phase II trial is planned to test moderate dose IL2 (MDI) together with high dTc engraftments for anticipated improved therapeutic efficacy. Prostate. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
SPATIAL FACTORS IN SOCIAL RELATIONS

This chapter discusses the part played by spatial organization in the social relations of students in the spheres of work, leisure, and residence, which represent overlapping spatial situations rather than contingent ones. Spatial factors operate in social relations in such a way that they accentuate or diminish the relevance of the student's social class identity in varying contexts. The chapter discusses the groups of various kinds which are institutionally separated in terms of the very nature of spatial and social organization of which they are a part. The institutionally defined groups based on work, leisure, and residence represent the formal framework within which student social relations are set. The chapter discusses the social and spatial distances between these groups and how they contribute to the structure of social relations.
Hopes and dreams: poverty, motherhood and health care

Racial and ethnic differences in health outcomes exist in all areas of health care even when factors related to income; insurance status and access to care are controlled. The importance of the social environment versus biological influences a person’s health status are explored in this study. Healthy People 2020 identified maternal health status to pregnancy-related health outcomes and African American women are at greater risk for poor pregnancy outcomes including increased rates of maternal, perinatal, neonatal, and infant mortality. Study Purpose: To understand the meaning of being and African-American woman living in poverty and their experiences with the health care system. Research Design: Exploratory qualitative, community-based participatory action research study used oral and digital storytelling. Participants and Setting: African American mothers residing in government subsidized housing. Data Collection and Analysis: Focus groups, storytelling, and photovoice for data collection. Thematic analysis the focus groups’ transcriptions and storyboard findings was conducted. Results: Common themes from the transcripts were “respect me…don’t stereotype me” and “be safe.” Themes from storyboards were “love of family,” “love of community,” and “hope for the future.” Courage, family, and community are the foundation of their lives. Limitation: Sample size does not allow generalization to larger populations.
Additively manufactured structures for high power microwave devices

Additive manufacturing techniques, like 3D printing, offer many benefits to the design and manufacture of high power microwave (HPM) components, including the ability to conduct rapid prototyping. A good prototype, however, must be a suitable approximation of the production device. To that end, we have evaluated metallized 3D printed plastic anodes for use in a recirculating planar magnetron [1]. While other authors have examined a metallized plastic structure in an HPM device [2], our work is the first use of a 3D printed structure, and the first where the electron beam impacts the 3D printed anode.
Accuracy of self-reported height, weight, and waist circumference in a general adult Chinese population.

Background Self-reported height, weight, and waist circumference (WC) are widely used to estimate the prevalence of obesity, which has been increasing rapidly in China, but there is limited evidence for the accuracy of self-reported data and the determinants of self-report bias among the general adult Chinese population.
Improved Whiteboard Processing for Lecture Capture

In this paper we present an improved method for capturing information presented on a whiteboard in the context of lecture capture. The method produces better results than any method currently used and builds on methods available within the field of single-frame whiteboard enhancement. We present new techniques for both removing the lecturer from in front of the whiteboard and enhancing whiteboard content.
Optimizing ultrafast wide field-of-view illumination for high-throughput multi-photon imaging and screening of mutant fluorescent proteins

Fluorescence induced by 1wo-photon absorption (2PA) and three-photon absorption (3PA) is becoming an increasingly important tool for deep-tissue microscopy, especially in conjunction with genetically-encoded functional probes such as fluorescent proteins (FPs). Unfortunately, the efficacy of the multi-photon excitation of FPs is notoriously low, and because relations between a biological fluorophore’s nonlinear-optical properties and its molecular structure are inherently complex, there are no practical avenues available that would allow boosting the performance of current FPs. Here we describe a novel method, where we apply directed evolution to optimize the 2PA properties of EGFP. Key to the success of this approach consists in high-throughput screening of mutants that would allow selection of variants with promising 2PA and 3PA properties in a broad near-IR excitation range of wavelength. For this purpose, we construct and test a wide field-of-view (FOV), femtosecond imaging system that we then use to quantify the multi-photon excited fluorescence in the 550- 1600 nm range of tens of thousands of E. coli colonies expressing randomly mutated FPs in a standard 10 cm diameter Petri dish configuration. We present a quantitative analysis of different factors that are currently limiting the maximum throughput of the femtosecond multi-photon screening techniques and also report on quantitative measurement of absolute 2PA and 3PA cross sections spectra.
Rationale for Cardio-Oncology Units

With the rapidly rising number of patients surviving cancer, often in the setting of new or pre-existing cardiovascular disease and risk factors, a need has arisen for a specialty within the realm of cardiovascular care that can evaluate and manage these patients along with our colleagues in oncology and hematology. By the same token, all health care providers involved in the care of cancer patients with heart disease must be fully aware of the impact of adverse cardiovascular effects on the survival of these patients. Collaboration is required to mitigate the effect of cardiovascular toxicity associated with these necessary life-saving cancer therapies. The cardio-oncologist plays a pivotal role in bridging the 2 specialties, by creating a comprehensive plan to address the comorbidities as well as to provide guidance on the optimal choice of therapy. In this 3-part review, we will outline: a) the significant impact of cancer therapies on the cardiovascular health of patients with cancer and cancer survivors, b) the advantage of a multidisciplinary team in addressing these cardiovascular complications, and c) the delivery of clinical care to patients with cancer and heart disease.
Tuberculin skin test and interferon-gamma release assay use among privately insured persons in the United States.

OBJECTIVE To describe tuberculin skin test (TST) and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) (i.e., QuantiFERON®-TB [QFT] and T-SPOT®.TB [T-SPOT]) use among privately insured persons in the United States over a 15-year period. METHODS We used current procedural terminology (CPT) codes for the TST and IGRAs to extract out-patient claims (2000-2014) and determined usage (claims/100 000). The χ2 test for trend in proportions was used to describe usage trends for select periods. RESULTS The TST was the dominant (>80%) test in each year. Publication of guidelines preceded the assignment of QFT and T-SPOT CPT codes by 1 year (2006 for QFT; 2011 for T-SPOT). QFT usage was higher (P < 0.01) than T-SPOT in each year. The average annual increase in the use of QFT was higher than that of T-SPOT (35 vs. 3.8/100 000), and more so when the analytic period was 2011-2014 (65 vs. 38/100 000). However, during that 4-year period (2011-2014), TST use trended downward, with an average annual decrease of 28/100 000. The annual proportion of enrollees tested ranged from 1.1% to 1.5%. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest a gradual shift from the use of the TST to the newer IGRAs. Future studies can assess the extent, if any, to which the shift from the use of the TST to IGRAs evolved over time.
The Retrieval of Information in an Elementary School Library Media Center: An Alternative Method of Classification in the Common School Library, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Abstract The problems encountered by elementary school children in retrieving information from a catalog, either the traditional card catalog or an OPAC, are the focus of this paper. This paper details an alternative system of classification using colors and symbols that was developed in The Common School of Amherst, Massachusetts. The case study finds that children do have the ability to use a classification scheme that is keyed to their developmental level and that employs both colors and symbols to facilitate their search efforts.
An acoustic lens based ultrasound imaging camera

In this paper, we have proposed and validated through computer simulation and experiment, an acoustic lens based focusing idea for ultrasound (US) imaging that eliminates synthetic aperture focusing typically used in conventional US imaging systems. The goal of the project is to incorporate US imaging functionality into our existing photoacoustic (PA) imaging probe in order to produce a dual-mode imaging camera. A Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF) film located on and perpendicular to the lens axis is used as an US plane wave generator. The propagating ultrasound plane wave is backscattered by the target first and gets focused by the acoustic lens afterwards onto a 16-channel linear transducer array. A linear frequency modulated (chirp) signal is used for signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) enhancement. We simulate our acoustic lens based imaging system using our custom-designed lens evaluation package and test the preliminary system performance through a prototype imaging camera. Clear lens-focused images are observed in both simulation and experiments with a dramatic SNR improvement.
Differential Attenuation of NMR Signals by Complementary Ion-Exchange Resin Beads for De Novo Analysis of Complex Metabolomics Mixtures.

A primary goal of metabolomics is the characterization of a potentially very large number of metabolites that are part of complex mixtures. Application to biofluids and tissue samples offers insights into biochemical metabolic pathways and their role in health and disease. 1D 1H and 2D 13C-1H HSQC NMR spectra are most commonly used for this purpose. They yield quantitative information about each proton of the mixture, but do not tell which protons belong to the same molecule. Interpretation requires the use of NMR spectral databases, which naturally limits these investigations to known metabolites. Here, a new method is presented that uses complementary ion exchange resin beads to differentially attenuate 2D NMR cross-peaks that belong to different metabolites. Based on their characteristic attenuation patterns, cross-peaks could be clustered and assigned to individual molecules, including unknown metabolites with multiple spin systems, as demonstrated for a metabolite model mixture and E. coli cell lysate.
Lenalidomide, Bortezomib, and Dexamethasone (RVD) As Induction Therapy in Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma (MM)

Background: Lenalidomide, bortezomib and dexamethasone (RVD) was demonstrated to be an effective and well tolerated induction regimen in both transplant eligible and ineligible patients. Two large randomized phase III trials show an overall response rate (ORR) >95% (Durie et al, Attal et al) supporting the combination. We have evaluated our institutional data of patients treated with RVD induction therapy. Methods: 751 newly diagnosed MM patients were treated with RVD induction therapy [R - 25 mg/day (days 1-14), V - 1.3 mg/m2 (days 1, 4 8, 11) and D - 40 mg once/twice weekly as tolerated every 21 days] from January 2008 until April 2015. Dose-adjustments were made based on the treating physicians discretion and patient tolerability. Demographic and outcomes data for the patients were obtained from our IRB approved myeloma database and responses were evaluated per IMWG Uniform Response Criteria. Results: The median age was 61 years (range 22-83). Other patient characteristics include: M/F 54%/46%; W/AA 58%/30%; ISS I/II/III 36%/24%/19%; Isotype IgG/IgA/FLC 56%/21%/17%; high risk/standard risk 28%/62%. Among the standard risk patients, t(11;14):13%, del (13): 30% comprised majority of the patients. Among high risk patients, the distribution of high risk cytogenetic abnormalities are t(4;14)/t(14;16)/del(17p): 5%/2.5%/10.5%. Complex karyoptye by conventional metaphase karyotyping was seen in 16% of the patients. A total of 562 patients (74.8%) underwent ASCT1 and 165 patients (22%) were offered deferred transplant. Among the patients that opted for deferred transplant, 56 patients (33.9%) received ASCT1 at first relapse. Median time to receive ASCT1 among these relapsed patients was 30 months (3-96 months). For others, median time for patients to receive ASCT1 was 5 months (range, 1-64 months). Post-ASCT, 70% patients were on maintenance therapy tailored to their risk (R-54%; RVD-8%; V-4%). This differed from the deferred ASCT patient population (mostly standard risk patients), where 66% of the patients received revlimid based maintenance. Median PFS1 among the deferred group was 73 months (range, 54.3-91.62). At a median follow up of 44 months for the entire cohort, the estimated median PFS was 56 months (49.85-62.15 months). Median PFS for standard risk patients was 68 months (60.62-75.37) versus 33 months for the high-risk patients (28-37.9 months), p Conclusions: This is the largest reported cohort of myeloma patients treated with RVD regimen and highlights the activity of this induction regimen with superior response rates of close to 90% ≥VGPR rates post-ASCT. This regimen should serve as an important bench mark for future studies designing optimal induction regimens. Disclosures Heffner: ADC Therapeutics: Research Funding. Boise: Abbvie: Consultancy; Eli Lilly and Company: Research Funding. Kaufman: Amgen, Novartis: Research Funding; Amgen, Roche, BMS, Seattle Genetics, Sutro Biopharma, Pharmacyclics: Consultancy. Nooka: Amgen, Novartis, Spectrum, Adaptive tecnologies: Consultancy.
Effect of Bmi1 over-expression on gene expression in adult and embryonic murine neural stem cells

The ability of isolated neural stem cells (NSCs) to proliferate as neurospheres is indicative of their competence as stem cells, and depends critically on the polycomb group (PcG) member Bmi1: knockdown of Bmi1 results in defective proliferation and self-renewal of isolated NSCs, whereas overexpression of Bmi1 enhances these properties. Here we report genome-wide changes in gene expression in embryonic and adult NSCs (eNSCs and aNSCs) caused by overexpression of Bmi1. We find that genes whose expression is altered by perturbations in Bmi1 levels in NSCs are mostly distinct from those affected in other multipotent stem/progenitor cells, such as those from liver and lung, aside from a small core of common targets that is enriched for genes associated with cell migration and mobility. We also show that genes differing in expression between prospectively isolated quiescent and activated NSCs are not affected by Bmi1 overexpression. In contrast, a comparison of genes showing altered expression upon Bmi1 overexpression in eNSCs and in aNSCs reveals considerable overlap, in spite of their different provenances in the brain and their differing developmental programs.
Surgical sponge blood salvage spinning device design and testing

One method to clear intraoperative blood from the surgical field is to remove blood with surgical sponges. Currently, absorbed blood cannot be retrieved effectively and is lost. A spinning device w...
Transcranial infrared laser stimulation enhances cross-frequency phase-amplitude coupling of brain oscillations in vivo measured by electroencephalography (Conference Presentation)

Transcranial infrared laser stimulation (TILS) refers to the use of infrared laser to photobiomodulate the human brain, which has been reported beneficial in enhancing human cognition. We previously investigated TILS-induced electrophysiological effects and observed increases of power density in alpha wave oscillation. However, clear association between the brain wave alteration and improvement of neural cognition is limited. Phase–amplitude coupling (PAC) is a recently proposed neural mechanism for coordinating information processing across brain regions. In this study, we wish to examine if TILS would create any enhanced PAC at particular frequency bands in particular brain regions. A 64-channel electroencephalography (EEG) system was employed to determine placebo-controlled, electrophysiological activities from 19 healthy human participants before, during and after TILS. After a 2-minute baseline, we applied a 1064-nm laser with a total power of 3.5 W on the right forehead of each human participant for 8 minutes, followed by a 3-minute recovery period. An EEG processing package (Brainstorm) was used to perform cross-frequency PAC analysis for each participant’s measurement, followed by group-level, paired T-tests between the placebo and TILS conditions. The statistical results showed that TILS induced significant inter-cerebral PAC among several brain oscillations, specifically (1) slow-delta (0.5-1 Hz) activity modulating both alpha band (8-11 Hz) and high gamma band (70-85 Hz) activities, and (2) alpha band (8-11 Hz) modulating high gamma band (70-85 Hz) activity. All of these results suggest that TILS is able to enhance thalamocortical, cortical-hippocampal-cortical, and hippocampal-thalamic activity, all of which lead to enhancement of human cognition.
Endocycling in the adult Drosophila accessory gland

Abstract The Drosophila melanogaster accessory gland is a functional analog of the mammalian prostate made up of two secretory epithelial cell types, termed main and secondary cells. This tissue is responsible for making and secreting seminal fluid proteins and other molecules that contribute to successful reproduction. Here, we show that similar to the mammalian prostate, this tissue grows with age. We find that the adult accessory gland grows in part via endocycles to increase DNA content and cell size. The differentiated, bi-nucleated main cells remain poised to endocycle in the adult gland, and tissue damage or upregulation of signals that promote growth are sufficient to trigger dramatic endocycling leading to increases in cell size and ploidy, independent of mating status. Our data establishes that the adult accessory gland is not quiescent, but instead uses endocycles to maintain accessory gland function throughout the fruit fly’s lifespan.
Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip

Infant screening programs can help identify cases that would benefit from early treatment. Late treatment is difficult with unpredictable results.
Competition and Health-Care Spending: Theory and Application to Certificate of Need Laws

Hospitals and other health-care providers in 34 states must obtain a Certificate of Need (CON) from a state board before opening or expanding, leading to reduced competition. We develop a theoretical model of how market concentration affects health-care spending. Our theoretical model shows that increases in concentration, such as those brought about by CON, can either increase or decrease spending. Our model predicts that CON is more likely to increase spending in markets in which costs are low and patients are sicker. We test our model using spending data from the Household Component of the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).
Perception of Social Intelligence in Robots Performing False-Belief Tasks

This study evaluated how a robot demonstrating a Theory of Mind (ToM) influenced human perception of social intelligence and animacy in a human-robot interaction. Data was gathered through an online survey where participants watched a video depicting a NAO robot either failing or passing the Sally-Anne false-belief task. Participants (N=60) were randomly assigned to either the Pass or Fail condition. A Perceived Social Intelligence Survey and the Perceived Intelligence and Animacy subsections of the Godspeed Questionnaire Series (GQS) were used as measures. The GQS was given before viewing the task to measure participant expectations, and again after to test changes in opinion. Our findings show that robots demonstrating ToM significantly increase perceived social intelligence, while robots demonstrating ToM deficiencies are perceived as less socially intelligent.
Do Police Brutality Stories Reduce 911 Calls? Reassessing an Important Criminological Finding:

This comment reassesses the prominent claim from Desmond, Papachristos, and Kirk (2016) (DPK) that 911 calls plummeted—and homicides surged—because of a police brutality story in Milwaukee (the Jud...
Impact of Parkinson's Disease on Complications, Readmission Rates, and Costs of Care following Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Large-scale studies evaluating the effects of Parkinson's disease (PD) on primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are limited. The purpose of this study was to determine if PD patients undergoing primary TKA have increased: (1) medical complications; (2) implant-related complications; (3) readmission rates; and (4) costs. A query was performed using an administrative claims database. The study group consisted of all patients undergoing primary TKA who had a history of PD. Matched non-PD patients undergoing primary TKA served as a control group. The query yielded 72,326 patients (PD = 18,082; matching cohort = 54,244). Pearson's chi-square tests, logistic regression analyses, and Welch's t-tests were used to test for significance between the cohorts. Primary TKA patients who had PD were found to have greater incidences and odds of medical complications (4.21 vs. 1.24%; odds ratio [OR]: 3.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.15–3.89, p
Astaxanthin inhibits alcohol-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in macrophages in a sirtuin 1-dependent manner.

Abstract Objectives Alcohol induces inflammation and oxidative stress, causing cell damages. We previously demonstrated that astaxanthin (ASTX), a xanthophyll carotenoid, exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in macrophages exposed to inflammatory insults. In this study, we investigated whether ASTX can inhibit alcohol-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in macrophages with the elucidation of mechanisms. Methods RAW 264.7 macrophages and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages were treated with 80 mM ethanol in the presence or absence of 25 μM of ASTX for 72 h. Subsequently, the expression of genes related to inflammation and oxidative stress, cellular reactive oxygen species accumulation, cellular NAD+ level and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) activity were measured. In addition, RAW 264.7 macrophages were treated with sirtinol or resveratrol, which are known inhibitors or activators of SIRT1 activity, respectively, to determine the contribution of SIRT1 to the inhibitory effect of ASTX on inflammation and oxidative stress in macrophages exposed to ethanol. Results Ethanol increased mRNA expression of interleukin (Il)-6, Il-1b and tumor necrosis factor α with a concomitant increase in nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB, which was abolished by ASTX. Importantly, ethanol significantly decreased SIRT1 activity and cellular NAD+ level, but ASTX markedly attenuated the decreases in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Sirtinol increased the expression of proinflammatory genes in ethanol-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. In contrast, resveratrol decreased proinflammatory gene expression. Conclusions ASTX showed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties by inhibiting decreases in SIRT1 expression and cellular NAD+ level in ethanol-treated macrophages. Therefore, ASTX may be used for the prevention of alcohol-induced cell damages.
Pattern of mercury distribution in sediments from an irregular hydrological regime estuary

Abstract The Patos Estuary, in southern Brazil, is subject to an irregular hydrological regime and receives mercury (Hg)-contaminated effluents from the city of Rio Grande since the colonial period of southern Brazil. Aiming to investigate sulfate reduction effects over Hg geochemistry in a shallow area (SA) and a salt marsh (SM) from the Patos Estuary, four sediment cores were collected during two distinct hydrological regimes (i.e., freshwater dominated and brackish water dominated). An assessment of free dissolved sulfide ( Σ S −II ) concentration and pH in pore water and metals (Fe and Hg), fine grained ( 63 μ m ) and organic carbon (OC) contents in sediment allowed us to conclude that mercury distribution in SA is chiefly controlled by 63 μ m sediments and metal sulfide formation. Furthermore, redox conditions were relatively stable during both sampling periods. Nevertheless, bioturbation promotes oxygen penetration and subsequent acidification of pore water associated with upper sediment layers in SM, especially during the brackish water period. Most likely, such oxidizing conditions hamper sulfate reduction and, thereafter, Hg immobilization via the formation of metal sulfides. No evidence of anthropogenic contamination was found in the studied sediments.
Carbene-mediated synthesis of a germanium tris(dithiolene)dianion.

While the 1 : 1 reaction of 3 with an N-heterocyclic carbene ({(Me)CN(i-Pr)}2C:) in THF resulted in ligand-substituted product 4, the corresponding 1 : 2 reaction (in the presence of H2O) gives the first structurally characterized germanium tris(dithiolene)dianion 5 as the major product and the “naked” dithiolene radical 6˙ as a minor by-product. The structure and bonding of 4 and 5 were probed by experimental and theoretical methods. Our study suggests that carbene-mediated partial hydrolysis may represent a new method to access tris(dithiolene) complexes of main-group elements.
Determination of Seven Organic Impurities in FD&C Yellow No. 6 by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography.

BACKGROUND The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) batch certifies FDC however, the UHPLC method provided more accurate results for two analytes that coelute using the HPLC method. CONCLUSIONS The UHPLC method satisfies the accuracy and precision requisites for routine certification of Y6. HIGHLIGHTS The UHPLC method is faster and generates less waste than the HPLC method while delivering better sensitivity, separation, and accuracy.
Analytical Description of Region Boundaries and Curves

Our discussion up to now has dealt with determining regions with “uniform” properties in a picture and tracing their boundaries. The next step is to describe the shape of such regions. This may either be the end product of our process or an intermediate result in a scene analysis program. The former is often the case in the recognition of characters (including numerals, Chinese characters, etc.), waveforms, chromosomes, cells, and machine parts. For this reason shape discrimination is discussed, at least implicitly, in most papers dealing with the above subjects and the size of shape related literature is indeed immense.
Mean importance measures for groups of events in fault trees

The method of moments is applied to precisely determine the mean values of three importance measures: risk reduction, partial derivative, and variance reduction. Variance reduction calculations, in particular, are significantly improved by eliminating the imprecision associated with Monte Carlo estimates. The three importance measures are extended to permit analyses of the relative importance of groups of basic and initiating events. The partial derivative importance measure is extended by assessing the contribution of a group of events to the gradient of the top event frequency. The group importance measures are quantified for the overall fuel damage equation and for 14 dominant accident sequences from an independent probabilistic safety assessment of the K Production Reactor. This application demonstrates both the utility and the versatility of the group importance measures.
Low- and middle-latitude ionospheric dynamics associated with magnetic storms

At low and middle latitudes, the dynamics of the ionosphere is affected directly by local neutral wind components parallel to the magnetic field and indirectly through the dynamo action of wind components perpendicular to the magnetic field. Electric fields may also be applied to the region through the application of an external potential at high latitudes, which results from the interaction of the magnetosphere with the interplanetary medium. The application of these fields and the modification of neutral winds by energy inputs at high latitudes produce effects that can dramatically change the usually observed environment at low and middle latitudes. The region over which the high-latitude convection pattern and the associated energy inputs are applied can expand dramatically during a storm, making the normal middle latitudes behave like auroral latitudes. Electric fields can penetrate into the equatorial region with time constants varying from a few minutes to a few hours. These dynamical influences dramatically change the distribution of ionization, with both ExB drifts and neutral winds playing a different role at different latitudes. There is a dynamic interplay between neutral wind transport, electric fields originating from internal processes and electric fields originating from external influences in an inertial frame of reference that must be considered. After examination of these effects, we find that significant questions remain concerning the role that winds and electric field play in producing the ionospheric density perturbations that so dramatically affect the performance of space-based communication and navigation systems.
Failure of Colluvial Slope

Interstate Route 279 crosses the Ohio River 9 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, PA, and continues northward along Kilbuck Run tributary valley. One section of the highway passes through a zone of colluvium on the wall of the tributary valley. When construction of this section began in 1968, several slides were initiated along ancient landslide surfaces in the colluvium. The relationship among the landslides, a weak claystone zone in the stratigraphic sequence (the Pittsburgh Redbeds), and the valley wall topography are analyzed. One typical landslide which was studied in detail is described. Friction angles of 12.5° to 15.5° were calculated for limiting equilibrium of the failure mass and residual friction angles of 13.5° to 16° were determined from repeated direct shear tests on failure surface materials. It is concluded that the average shear strength mobilized along the failure surface material. This residual strength condition is attributed to the shearing displacement of the ancient landslide.
Microbial methanogenesis and acetate metabolism in a meromictic lake.

Methanogenesis and the anaerobic metabolism of acetate were examined in the sediment and water column of Knaack Lake, a small biogenic meromictic lake located in central Wisconsin. The lake was sharply stratified during the summer and was anaerobic below a depth of 3 m. Large concentrations (4,000 μmol/liter) of dissolved methane were detected in the bottom waters. A methane concentration maximum occurred at 4 m above the sediment. The production of 14CH4 from 14C-labeled HCOOH, HCO3−, and CH3OH and [2-14C]acetate demonstrated microbial methanogenesis in the water column of the lake. The maximum rate of methanogenesis calculated from reduction of H14CO3− by endogenous electron donors in the surface sediment (depth, 22 m) was 7.6 nmol/h per 10 ml and in the water column (depth, 21 m) was 0.6 nmol/h per 10 ml. The methyl group of acetate was simultaneously metabolized to CH4 and CO2 in the anaerobic portions of the lake. Acetate oxidation was greatest in surface waters and decreased with water depth. Acetate was metabolized primarily to methane in the sediments and water immediately above the sediment. Sulfide inhibition studies and temperature activity profiles demonstrated that acetate metabolism was performed by several microbial populations. Sulfide additions (less than 5 μg/ml) to water from 21.5 m stimulated methanogenesis from acetate, but inhibited CO2 production. Sulfate addition (1 mM) had no significant effect on acetate metabolism in water from 21.5 m, whereas nitrate additions (10 to 14,000 μg/liter) completely inhibited methanogenesis and stimulated CO2 formation.
Attribute Mutability in Usage Control

The notion of Usage Control (UCON) has been introduced recently to extend traditional access controls by including three decision factors called authorizations, obligations, and conditions. Usage control also recognize two important decision properties of continuity and mutability. In access control literature, an authorization decision is commonly made by utilizing some form of subject and object attributes. Identities, security labels and roles are some examples of attributes. Traditionally these attributes are assigned to subjects and objects by a security officer and can be modified only by administrative actions. However, in modern information systems these attributes are often required to be changed as a side effect of subject’s usage on object. This requirement of updates has been recognized and defined as mutability property in usage control. In this paper, we discuss issues of this attribute mutability and show how usage control can apply this mutability property in various traditional and modern access control policies.
Immunogenicity of synthetic peptides corresponding to flexible and antibody-accessible segments of mouse lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-C4.

Abstract The immunological properties of a panel of synthetic peptides that represent the most accessible and mobile segments of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)-C4 molecule were characterized. Peptides corresponding to mouse LDH-C4 amino acid sequences: 1-14b, 5-15, 49-58, 97-110, 211-220, 231-243, 274-286, 304-316, and 318-330 were synthesized and compared in terms of binding antibodies raised in rabbits against the intact protein. Six of these sequences were covalently coupled to diphtheria toxoid and used to immunize groups of rabbits. LDH-C4-specific antibodies were detectable in immune sera by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, and immunoprecipitation assays. The immunogenicity of the mouse LDH-C4 peptides in rabbits could be ranked in the following order: 5-15, 304-316 greater than 211-220, 274-286 greater than 49-58, 97-110. The immunological properties of these short synthetic peptides did not correlate with features of the mouse LDH-C4 structure except that the most active sequences appeared to be those that differed from the somatic isozymes to the greatest extent. These results have direct bearing on the selection of immunogenic LDH-C4 peptides for contraceptive vaccine studies in humans and non-human model systems.
The Influence of T Cell Ig Mucin-3 Signaling on Central Nervous System Autoimmune Disease Is Determined by the Effector Function of the Pathogenic T Cells

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the CNS mediated by self-reactive, myelin-specific T cells. Both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells play important roles in the pathogenesis of MS. MS is studied using experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model mediated by myelin-specific T cells. T cell Ig mucin-3 (Tim-3) is a cell surface receptor expressed on CD4(+) IFN-γ-secreting Th1 cells, and triggering Tim-3 signaling ameliorated EAE by inducing death in pathogenic Th1 cells in vivo. This suggested that enhancing Tim-3 signaling might be beneficial in patients with MS. However, Tim-3 is also expressed on activated CD8(+) T cells, microglia, and dendritic cells, and the combined effect of manipulating Tim-3 signaling on these cell types during CNS autoimmunity is unknown. Furthermore, CD4(+) IL-17-secreting Th17 cells also play a role in MS, but do not express high levels of Tim-3. We investigated Tim-3 signaling in EAE models that include myelin-specific Th17, Th1, and CD8(+) T cells. We found that preventing Tim-3 signaling in CD4(+) T cells altered the inflammatory pattern in the CNS due to differential effects on Th1 versus Th17 cells. In contrast, preventing Tim-3 signaling during CD8(+) T cell-mediated EAE exacerbated disease. We also analyzed the importance of Tim-3 signaling in EAE in innate immune cells. Tim-3 signaling in dendritic cells and microglia did not affect the manifestation of EAE in these models. These results indicate that the therapeutic efficacy of targeting Tim-3 in EAE is dependent on the nature of the effector T cells contributing to the disease.
Photon-conserving Comptonization in simulations of accretion discs around black holes

We introduce a new method for treating Comptonization in computational fluid dynamics. By construction, this method conserves the number of photons. Whereas the traditional "blackbody Comptonization" approach assumes that the radiation is locally a perfect blackbody and therefore uses a single parameter, the radiation temperature, to describe the radiation, the new "photon-conserving Comptonization" approach treats the photon gas as a Bose-Einstein fluid and keeps track of both the radiation temperature and the photon number density. We have implemented photon-conserving Comptonization in the general relativistic radiation magnetohydrodynamical code KORAL and we describe its impact on simulations of mildly super-critical black hole accretion disks. We find that blackbody Comptonization underestimates the gas and radiation temperature by up to a factor of two compared to photon-conserving Comptonization. This discrepancy could be serious when computing spectra. The photon-conserving simulation indicates that the spectral color correction factor of the escaping radiation in the funnel region of the disk could be as large as 5.
Deducting the Cost of Sex Reassignment Surgery: How O’Donnabhain v. Commissioner Can Help Us Make Sense of the Medical Expense Deduction

In February 2010, the Tax Court held that a taxpayer’s expenses incurred for hormone therapy and sex reassignment surgery were deductible as medical expenses under § 213 because they treated the disease of gender identity disorder. The court, however, was deeply divided in its determination of whether sex reassignment surgery qualifies as nondeductible cosmetic surgery under § 213(d)(9). In 1990, Congress amended § 213 to exclude cosmetic surgery from the definition of deductible medical care. Since then, the Tax Court and the I.R.S. have rarely addressed the meaning and extent of that exclusion. The judges’ divergent opinions in O’Donnabhain make it clear that a thorough examination of the statutory meaning of cosmetic surgery is timely. This Note considers what should qualify as cosmetic surgery within the context of the medical expense deduction. It argues that a medical procedure that improves physical appearance should be deductible under § 213 when it is physician-prescribed treatment for a specific disease, and consistent with generally accepted medical practice. This analysis is grounded in the statutory language of § 213, and is supported by broader principles that bear on the policy debate surrounding the medical expense deduction more generally.
Fc-receptor-mediated phagocytosis is regulated by mechanical properties of the target

Phagocytosis is an actin-based process used by macrophages to clear particles greater than 0.5 microm in diameter. In addition to its role in immunological responses, phagocytosis is also necessary for tissue remodeling and repair. To prevent catastrophic autoimmune reactions, phagocytosis must be tightly regulated. It is commonly assumed that the recognition/selection of phagocytic targets is based solely upon receptor-ligand binding. Here we report an important new criterion, that mechanical parameters of the target can dramatically affect the efficiency of phagocytosis. When presented with particles of identical chemical properties but different rigidity, macrophages showed a strong preference to engulf rigid objects. Furthermore, phagocytosis of soft particles can be stimulated with the microinjection of constitutively active Rac1 but not RhoA, and with lysophosphatidic acid, an agent known to activate the small GTP-binding proteins of the Rho family. These data suggest a Rac1-dependent mechanosensory mechanism for phagocytosis, which probably plays an important role in a number of physiological and pathological processes from embryonic development to autoimmune diseases.
Tenosynovitis of the flexor hallucis longus: a clinical study of the spectrum of presentation and treatment.

Background: Symptoms associated with flexor hallucis longus (FHL) pathology can manifest themselves anywhere along its length from the posterior leg to the plantar foot and the hallux. This study describes the spectrum of clinical presentations seen with FHL pathology, illustrates the relevant physical examination findings, and outlines a treatment approach. Materials: Computerized medical data was prospectively collected on 81 patients treated between January, 1997 and March, 2002. The 55 females and 26 males had an average age of 38.3 years, with a mean follow-up of 21.3 months. Forty-five of 81 had previous therapy that failed, usually for “plantar fasciitis.” Twenty-seven were active athletically and 24 related the onset of symptoms to a specific traumatic episode. Pain was located at the posteromedial ankle in 40, plantar heel in 23, plantar midfoot in 22, and multiple locations in 16. All patients had tenderness of the FHL. Restriction of FHL excursion was demonstrated in 30 patients by limited hall...
Mechanistic and synthetic aspects of the acid-catalysed hydrolysis of 2,2-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydropyrans into 3,4-dihydro-α-pyrones and δ-keto esters

Abstract Acid-catalysed hydrolysis of 2,2-dimethoxy-3,4-dihydropyrans ( 1 ) yields mixtures of δ-keto esters ( 2 ) and 3,4-dihydro-α-pyrones ( 3 ). The amount of 3 increases with increasing alkyl substitution in the 3-, 5- and 6-position of 1 and when the hydrolysis is carried out in a two-phases system of water/dichloromethane. It is shown that 3 is formed directly from 1 whereas 2 is formed directly from 1 and by methanolysis of 3 . The mechanistic and synthetic aspects of these hydrolysis reactions are discussed.