cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of hematin administration to patients with protoporphyria and liver disease

Hepatic damage in protoporphyria appears to be caused by a toxic effect of excess protoporphyrin. Therapy which reduces the formation of excess protoporphyrin may, therefore, be helpful. We examined the effects of hematin administered i.v. to two patients with protoporphyria and decompensated cirrhosis. Neither patient had side effects from the compound or manifested signs of toxicity. The vascular disappearance of hematin in one patient was similar to that in patients with porphyria who do not have structural liver disease. In both patients, biochemical changes occurred that were compatible with a reduced rate of protoporphyrin formation. Thus, hematin administration may be useful in treating patients with protoporphyria who develop liver disease.
Rhoptry organelles of apicomplexan parasites

Abstract Rhoptries are the unifying structural feature of the intracellular, opicomplexon parasites and are implicated in having a central role in host cell invasion. Ultrastructural strdies of zoites of different genera suggest that the participation of rhoptries in the invasion of the respective host cells is morphologically similar. However, biochemical analysis of their protein constituents reveals a considerable degree of diversity between different coccidion parasites. In this article Margaret Perkins asks whether there are common structural determinants of the rhoptry components of different genera and if the underlying mechanism of rhoptry function is similar in all opicomplexon parasites.
TRAUMA AND IMMUNE RESPONSE – EFFECT OF GENDER DIFFERENCES

A major consequence of traumatic injury is immunosuppression. Findings from previous studies suggest that the depression of immune functions is severe in young males, ovariectomised and aged females. In contrast, the immune functions in proestrus females following trauma-haemorrhage are maintained. Studies have also shown that the survival rate in proestrus females following trauma-haemorrhage and the induction of subsequent sepsis is significantly higher than in age-matched males and ovariectomised females. Furthermore, administration of female sex hormone 17beta-oestradiol in males and ovariectomised females after trauma-haemorrhage prevents the suppression of immune response. Thus, these findings suggest that sex hormones play a significant role in shaping the host response following trauma. This article reviews studies delineating the mechanism by which sex hormones regulate immune cell functions in the experimental model of trauma-haemorrhage. The findings from the studies reviewed in this article suggest that sex steroids can be synthesised by the immune cell. The findings further indicate that T cell and macrophages express receptors for androgen and oestrogen. Since these cells are also the cells that produce cytokines, local synthesis of active steroids in these cells may become the significant factor in modulating their cytokine production.
Quantitative Evaluation of the Mitochondrial DNA Depletion Syndrome

Background: The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndromes (MDDSs) are autosomal recessive disorders characterized by a reduction in cellular mtDNA content. Mutations in at least 9 genes [ POLG , polymerase (DNA directed), gamma; DGUOK , deoxyguanosine kinase; TK2 , thymidine kinase, mitochondrial; TYMP , thymidine phosphorylase; MPV17 , MpV17 mitochondrial inner membrane protein; SUCLA2 , succinate-CoA ligase, ADP-forming, beta subunit; SUCLG1 , succinate-CoA ligase, alpha subunit; RRM2B , RRM2B , ribonucleotide reductase M2 B (TP53 inducible); and C10orf2 , chromosome 10 open reading frame 2 (also known as TWINKLE )] have been reported to cause mtDNA depletion. In the clinical setting, a simple method to quantify mtDNA depletion would be useful before undertaking gene sequence analysis. Methods: Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to measure the mtDNA content in blood, muscle, and liver samples and in skin fibroblast cultures from individuals suspected of mitochondrial disorders, with or without deleterious mutations in genes responsible for MDDS. Results: The mtDNA content was quantified in 776 tissue samples (blood, n = 341; muscle, n = 325; liver, n = 63; skin fibroblasts, n = 47) from control individuals. mtDNA content increased with age in muscle tissue, decreased with age in blood samples, and appeared to be unaffected by age in liver samples. In 165 samples (blood, n = 122; muscle, n = 21; liver, n = 15; skin fibroblasts, n = 7) from patients with molecularly proven MDDSs, severe mtDNA depletion was detected in liver and muscle tissue with high specificity and sensitivity. Blood samples were specific but not sensitive for detecting mtDNA depletion, and skin fibroblasts were not valuable for evaluating mtDNA depletion. Mutations in the POLG , RRM2B , and MPV17 genes were prospectively identified in 1 blood, 1 liver, and 3 muscle samples. Conclusions: Muscle and liver tissues, but not blood or skin fibroblasts, are potentially useful for rapid screening for mtDNA depletion with real-time qPCR.
The Western U.S. Drought: How Bad Is It?

Historical stream flow records and the forecast for 2004 make the current (1999–2004) drought in the southwestern United States the worst one in the past 80 years for portions of the Upper Colorado River Basin (UCRB). For the Colorado River (near Cisco, Utah), the cumulative stream flow deficit (departure from long-term mean) for the current drought is almost 11 km8, or approximately 2 years of average stream flow Although the current drought is the most significant, based on historical stream flow records, is it the worst ever?
Consumer antibacterial soaps: effective or just risky?

Background. Much has been written recently about the potential hazards versus benefits of antibacterial (biocide)‐containing soaps. The purpose of this systematic literature review was to assess the studies that have examined the efficacy of products containing triclosan, compared with that of plain soap, in the community setting, as well as to evaluate findings that address potential hazards of this use—namely, the emergence of antibioticresistant bacteria. Methods. The PubMed database was searched for English-language articles, using relevant keyword combinations for articles published between 1980 and 2006. Twenty-seven studies were eventually identified as being relevant to the review. Results. Soaps containing triclosan within the range of concentrations commonly used in the community setting (0.1%‐0.45% wt/vol) were no more effective than plain soap at preventing infectious illness symptoms and reducing bacterial levels on the hands. Several laboratory studies demonstrated evidence of triclosan-adapted crossresistance to antibiotics among different species of bacteria. Conclusions. The lack of an additional health benefit associated with the use of triclosan-containing consumer soaps over regular soap, coupled with laboratory data demonstrating a potential risk of selecting for drug resistance, warrants further evaluation by governmental regulators regarding antibacterial product claims and advertising. Further studies of this issue are encouraged.
Efficient computation of the circular error probability (CEP) integral

A novel method for evaluating the circular error probability (CEP) integral using a recurrence relation is presented. This approach is highly efficient, accurate, and reliable. It can easily be used, in conjunction with the Newton-Raphson iteration, to determine the CEP. The CEP expressions have been generalized elsewhere to include correlation between x and y coordinate measurements. Since modern guidance and control techniques have greatly improved accuracy, we may also wish to generalize the 0.5 probability associated with the CEP to some other value, P. These generalizations are included in the presented technique. >
Vitamin D Regulates Anti-Mullerian Hormone Expression in Granulosa Cells of the Hen

Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is involved in the regression of the Mullerian ducts in mammalian and avian male embryos as well as the right oviduct in avian female embryos. AMH is expressed by granulosa cells of adult hens and mammals and is thought to be involved in the recruitment of follicles from the primordial pool as well as in regulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) sensitivity. We have shown that AMH expression by the granulosa layer of hens is high in the small follicles but decreased in the larger hierarchical follicles. The decline in expression of AMH with increasing follicle size is associated with an increase in expression of the receptor for FSH (FSHR )i n the granulosa layer, although the mechanism is not known. In this study, we tested whether vitamin D (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) regulates expression of AMH mRNA in granulosa cells of the hen. Granulosa cell layers were removed from follicles 3–5 mm and 6–8 mm in size, dispersed, and cultured for 24 h in Medium 199 + 5% fetal bovine serum (n ¼7). The medium was removed and replaced with Medium 199 + 0.1% bovine serum albumin and vitamin D (at doses of 0, 10, and 100 nM) and cultured for 24 h. Cells were harvested and RNA was extracted for use in quantitative PCR. Parallel 96-well plates were set up to examine cell proliferation. AMH and FSHR mRNA expressions were evaluated, and all values were standardized to 18S reactions. There was a significant (P , 0.05) dose-related decrease in the expression of AMH mRNA in granulosa cells of 3- to 5-mm and 6- to 8-mm follicles in response to vitamin D. Additionally, FSHR mRNA and cell proliferation were significantly (P , 0.05) increased by vitamin D in both groups. Western blot analysis for the vitamin D receptor (VDR) showed doublet bands at the expected sizes (58 and 60 kDa) in protein isolated from the chicken granulosa layer. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify VDR within the follicle, and it predominantly localized to the nucleus of granulosa cells. VDR mRNA expression in the granulosa layer, relative to follicle development, was increased (n ¼ 4; P , 0.05) with follicle development, with greatest expression in the F1 follicle. There was no evidence for expression (mRNA or protein) of the calcium-binding protein, calbindin (CALB1), in the ovary or granulosa layer. Overall, these results suggest that vitamin D regulates AMH expression, and thereby may influence follicle selection in the hen.
Influenza Viruses: Transmission Between Species

The only direct evidence for transmission of influenza viruses between species comes from studies on swine influenza viruses. Antigenically and genetically identical Hsw1N1 influenza viruses were isolated from pigs and man on the same farm in Wisconsin, U.S.A. The isolation of H3N2 influenza viruses from a wide range of lower animals and birds suggests that influenza viruses of man can spread to the lower orders. Under some conditions the H3N2 viruses can persist for a number of years in some species. The isolation, from aquatic birds, of a large number of influenza A viruses that possess surface proteins antigenically similar to the viruses isolated from man, pigs and horses provides indirect evidence for inter-species transmission. There is now a considerable body of evidence which suggests that influenza viruses of lower animals and birds may play a role in the origin of some of the pandemic strains of influenza A viruses. There is no direct evidence that the influenza viruses in aquatic birds are transmitted to man, but they may serve as a genetic pool from which some genes may be introduced into humans by recombination. Preliminary evidence suggests that the molecular basis of host range and virulence may be related to the RNA segments coding for one of the polymerase proteins (P3) and for the nucleoprotein (NP).
AP-1 Is a Component of the Transcriptional Network Regulated by GSK-3 in Quiescent Cells

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health Grant R01 CA18689 (GMC) and by American Cancer Society Grant IRG-72-001-33-IRG (JWT). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. (R01 CA18689 - National Institutes of Health; IRG-72-001-33-IRG - American Cancer Society)
Design, demonstration and performance of a versatile electrospray aerosol generator for nanomaterial research and applications

Carbon nanotubes are difficult to aerosolize in a controlled manner. We present a method for generating aerosols not only of carbon nanotubes, but also of many reference and proprietary materials including quantum dots, diesel particulate matter, urban dust, and their mixtures, using electrospraying. This method can be used as a teaching tool, or as the starting point for advanced research, or to deliver nanomaterials in animal exposure studies. This electrospray system generates 180 microg of nanotubes per m(3) of carrier gas, and thus aerosolizes an occupationally relevant mass concentration of nanotubes. The efficiency achievable for single-walled carbon nanotubes is 9.4%. This system is simple and quick to construct using ordinary lab techniques and affordable materials. Since it is easy to replace soiled parts with clean ones, experiments on different types of nanomaterial can be performed back to back without contamination from previous experiments. In this paper, the design, fabrication, operation and characterization of our versatile electrospray method are presented. Also, the morphological changes that carbon nanotubes undergo as they make the transition from dry powders to aerosol particles are presented.
Furosemide Pharmacokinetics in Adult Rats become Abnormal with an Adverse Intrauterine Environment and Modulated by a Post-Weaning High-Fat Diet

Adult individuals born with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have physiological maladaptations that significantly increase risk of chronic disease. We suggested that such abnormalities in organ function would alter pharmacokinetics throughout life, exacerbated by environmental mismatch. Pregnant and lactating rats were fed either a purified control diet (18% protein) or low-protein diet (9% protein) to produce IUGR offspring. Offspring were weaned onto either laboratory chow (11% fat) or high-fat diet (45% fat). Adult offspring (5 months old) were dosed with furosemide (10 mg/kg i.p.) and serum and urine collected. The overall exposure profile in IUGR males was significantly reduced due to a ~35% increase in both clearance and volume of distribution. Females appeared resistant to the IUGR phenotype. The effects of the high-fat diet trended in the opposite direction to that of IUGR, with increased drug exposure due to decreases in both clearance (31% males, 46% females) and volume of distribution (24% males, 44% females), with a 10% longer half-life in both genders. The alterations in furosemide pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics were explained by changes in the expression of renal organic anion transporters 1 and 3, and sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter-2. In summary, this study suggests that IUGR and diet interact to produce subpopulations with similar body-weights but dissimilar pharmacokinetic profiles; this underlines the limitation of one-size-fits-all dosing which does not account for physiological differences in body composition resulting from IUGR and diet.
Enhanced anticancer efficacy by ATP-mediated liposomal drug delivery

A liposome-based co-delivery system composed of a fusogenic liposome encapsulating ATP-responsive elements with chemotherapeutics and a liposome containing ATP was developed for ATP-mediated drug release triggered by liposomal fusion. The fusogenic liposome had a protein-DNA complex core containing an ATP-responsive DNA scaffold with doxorubicin (DOX) and could release DOX through a conformational change from the duplex to the aptamer/ATP complex in the presence of ATP. A cell-penetrating peptide-modified fusogenic liposomal membrane was coated on the core, which had an acid-triggered fusogenic potential with the ATP-loaded liposomes or endosomes/lysosomes. Directly delivering extrinsic liposomal ATP promoted the drug release from the fusogenic liposome in the acidic intracellular compartments upon a pH-sensitive membrane fusion and anticancer efficacy was enhanced both in vitro and in vivo.
Colonization of abandoned swimming pools by larval mosquitoes and their predators following Hurricane Katrina

Thousands of flooded swimming pools were abandoned in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and provided a natural experiment to examine colonization of a novel aquatic habitat by mosquito larvae and their aquatic predators. We conducted a randomized survey of flooded swimming pools in two neighborhoods in January 2006 and found that 64% contained mosquito larvae, 92% contained predatory invertebrates, and 47% contained fishes. We collected 12,379 immature mosquitoes representing five species, primarily Culiseta inornata, and secondarily, the arboviral vector Culex quinquefasciatus. Dragonfly nymphs in the families Aeshnidae and Libellulidae were the most common predatory invertebrates collected among a total of 32 non-mosquito invertebrate species. Eleven species of fishes were collected, with Gambusia affinis accounting for 76% of the catch. Diversity of fishes in swimming pools was positively correlated with proximity to a levee breach and the fish assemblage found in swimming pools was similar to that found along shorelines of Lake Pontchartrain and drainage canals that flooded the study area. Mosquito larvae were rare or absent from pools containing fishes; however, path analysis indicated that the presence of top predators or abundant competitors may somewhat mitigate the effect of Gambusia affinis on mosquito presence.
SDN Architecture-Based Bearer Network and BNG Device Evolution

This paper introduces a new bearer network architecture that splits controlling and bearing. We analyze current software-defined network(SDN) technology and bearer network characteristics and propose steps for migrating the bearer network and broadband network gateway(BNG) devices to SDN architecture. Gradual deployment of SDN networks will accelerate the speed of technological innovation of the Internet, and this will give more vitality to future communication networks.
A miniature closed-loop gas chromatography system

This paper reports the characterization of a miniaturized circulatory column system that is capable of magnifying the effective column length by forming a circulatory loop with chip-scale columns, thus ultimately achieving high-efficiency target separation. The circulatory column system is composed of a tandem of 25 cm microcolumns and six valves for fluidic flow control in order to enable chromatographic separation in circulatory motions while requiring only 5.5 kPa of pressure, which current micropumps are currently capable of supplying. The developed column system (1) successfully demonstrated 16 times elongation of a virtual column length up to 800 cm by only utilizing two 25 cm microcolumns, which is the longest column length reported by any MEMS-scale functioning GC column, (2) achieved a high theoretical plate number of 68,696 with pentane circulating after 15.5 circulatory cycles, which corresponds to the plate number per length-pressure of 1611 plate m(-1) kPa(-1), the highest record reported yet, and (3) demonstrated successful separation of target molecules during circulation by utilizing a pentane/hexane mixture, resulting in magnification of the two corresponding peaks via circulation.
An Incompatible Activities Mechanism

This paper designs a mechanism that generalizes Ronald Coase’s farmer-rancher example of nuisance law from his seminal article, “The Problem of Social Costs.” The mechanism incentivizes truthful reporting of the agents’ private net benefits and costs of bilateral activity levels, thereby addressing Coase’s concern that judges might not know how to determine the optimal activity levels. The model determines a property rights regime endogenously as a dominant strategy equilibrium that enables strategic agents with asymmetric information to arrive at efficient outcomes. Mechanism design encompasses the Pigouvian-social-planner and Coasean-transaction-cost paradigms as special cases, while accommodating alternative societal objectives, various equilibrium concepts, endogenous transaction costs, strategic agents, private information, truthful revelation of private costs and benefits, incentive compatibility, voluntary participation, and budgetary feasibility. These features extend previous paradigms and test their robustness in more sophisticated economic environments. The mechanism design paradigm provides modern theoretical foundations for economic analysis of law.
Fahrenheit 18 E3

Comment on Grosse et al, page [3350][1] In this issue of Blood , Grosse and colleagues present a completely novel autoinflammatory syndrome and a completely novel inflammatory mechanism. Autoinflammatory diseases are inherited disorders characterized by random episodes of unprovoked inflammation
Effect of graphite features on the properties of metal-organic framework/graphite hybrid materials prepared using an in situ process.

Metal–organic framework (MOF)/graphite hybrid materials were prepared using an in situ process. Graphites with various chemical and physical features were used, and HKUST-1 was selected as the MOF ...
Oxygen Isotope Indicators of Selenate Reaction with Fe(II) and Fe(III) Hydroxides

Selenate (SeO42-) reduction to elemental selenium is an important Se immobilization process in subsurface environments that could be mediated by Fe(II)-rich minerals or selenate-respiring microorganisms. We report the kinetic isotope effects for 18O within selenate during abiotic reactions with iron-bearing hydroxides within laboratory experiments. Selenate was reduced to Se(0) by a green rust (chloride interlayer type) and ferrous hydroxide, the two known environmentally relevant mineral reductants for selenate. Reaction kinetics are described by a rapid, low-fractionating uptake step caused by diffusive exchange between selenate and chloride followed by a slower, high-fractionating reduction step caused by electron transfer from structural Fe(II). The dual-phase kinetics cannot be described with the traditional Rayleigh fractionation model; however, well after the initial uptake step, the extent of selenate reaction is well correlated with δ18O values in accordance with the Rayleigh model. Selenate-18O ...
Less commonly recognized features of childhood nephrotic syndrome

This article reviews aspects in the clinical presentation of nephrotic syndrome that are not generally considered characteristics of the syndrome's definition. The importance of various general clinical aspects such as hematuria, hypertension, and other laboratory or histologic findings are discussed. The clinical relevance and management of other specific aspects such as lipid alterations, coagulation abnormalities, calcium and vitamin D metabolism, and nutritional complications derived from the nephrotic syndrome also are included in this review.
Retailer Perception of In-Store Customer Responsibility: Managerial Implications

Customer in-store social responsibility is relatively a new concept that this paper seeks to explore. Several dimensions of such responsibility were brain-stormed, pretested, and then built-into a questionnaire which was then personally administered during an interview with selected retail managers. Retailer perceptions and expectations of in-store customer social responsibility reveal several gaps, which both managers and customers could bridge in bringing about higher levels of mutual satisfaction.
BASIC AND CLINICAL STUDIES WITH HEMATOPORPHYRIN DERIVATIVE PHOTORADIATION THERAPY (HPD-PRT)

In the three years that we have been employing HPD-PRT, 149 patients have been treated at 588 different sites. The locations of the malignancies have fallen primarily into the following anatomical regions: chest wall (breast cancer recurrences), head and neck (oral cavity, nasopharynx, vocal cords), lung, female genital (cervix, vagina, vulva), and miscellaneous areas that Included cancers such as Kaposi sarcoma, melanoma, basal cell nevus, angiosarcoma, and Merkel cell carcinoma. Seventy-two percent of all sites showed a favorable response (partial or complete response). For individual anatomical groups the percent favorable response were as follows: chest wall, 83%; head and neck, 53%; lung, 67%; genital, 67%; and miscellaneous, 32%.
Promising role of dual time FDG-PET imaging in assessing focal and diffuse bone marrow disorders

650 Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if the dual-time-point FDG-PET imaging can predict the nature of the pathological bone marrow disorders. Particularly, in those with diffuse patterns. Methods: Eighty-one (38 male, 43 female, age 60 ±16) patients with suspected spinal bone marrow (SBM) pathology were included in this retrospective analysis. All patients underwent dual time FDG-PET imaging, in which following intravenous administration of FDG, both early (approximately 60 minutes) and delayed (approximately 90 minutes) PET imaging were acquired. All PET findings were correlated with histopathology and/or clinical follow up. Patients were divided into 3 groups: 33 subjects with normal bone marrow, 18 who had received chemotherapy within 6 months of the study, and 30 with malignant SBM involvement. The average percentage change in the maximal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the SBM between the early and delayed images was calculated. The results were compared between the three groups using ANOVA and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves analysis. Results: The 33 subjects with normal bone marrow revealed uniform FDG uptake, whereas 48 patients revealed abnormally increased FDG uptake in the SBM. The percentage change in SUVmax of the SBM (mean ± SD) was -3.1% ±10% (95% confidence interval (CI), -3.5% to +0.4%) in the normal bone marrow group, +9.3% ±5.6%, (95% CI, -2.6% to +11.9%) in patients with the history of chemotherapy, and +18.3% ±9.5% (95% CI, -3.4% to +21.7%) for those with malignant involvement of the SBM (p 0.80. Conclusions: The findings from the analysis indicate that there is a significant difference in the dynamics of FDG uptake over time in different histopathological states of the SBM. Malignant involvement of the bone marrow results in significantly higher levels of accumulation of FDG over time than those affected by chemotherapeutic agent, while there is a substantial decrease in the FDG uptake in normal bone marrow. The findings can be of importance in differentiating the nature of diffuse pathological bone marrow involvement and may also be of help in making an accurate diagnosis in the appropriate settings.
Energy efficiency of wireless cooperation

We study the energy efficiency of wireless transmissions for a class of networks where a large number of proximal nodes co-operate over the wireless medium to reliably decode the message from a distant transmitter (the source). The objective is to minimize the sum total of energy expenditure (per bit) over all transmissions in the network. The wireless medium is assumed to be affected by Gaussian noise and symmetric fading with the channel state information known at the receivers but not at the transmitters. Furthermore, we assume the possibility of wideband communication and no delay constraints. In a network with k proximal nodes, where the links amongst the nodes are much better than the link between the source and the nodes, the lower bound on the energy per bit could reduce by as much as k−1 (in k) up to a certain point. This suggests a large potential benefit in co-operating with proximal nodes. We first propose and analyze an estimate-and-forward transmission scheme inspired by the Gaussian CEO problem but show that it does not have such an asymptotic behavior (in k) under most conditions. Next, we propose a simple, uncoded aggregate-and-forward scheme and show that it has an almost optimal asymptotic behavior.
Effects of nutrients on autotroph-herbivore interactions

The addition of herbivory to the purely autotrophic systems studied in Chapters 3 and 4 is the next step in the progression from simpler to more complex nutrient cycling phenomena. There are two perspectives one can take at this stage. One perspective is to examine how the addition of herbivory alters the dynamics of the nutrient pool-autotroph-detritus systems already studied. The second perspective is to explore how the inclusion of nutrient cycling affects the dynamics of autotroph-herbivore systems. This second perspective is suggested by the fact that there is a vast body of research on autotroph-herbivore systems, generally without explicit consideration of the influence of a limiting nutrient.
Legal Issues: Smart Phones and Cell Towers: Finding the Legal Limits

Police procedural TV shows have introduced a generation of viewers to amazing crime-fighting technologies and technicians, that seem to be able to “identify the killer” with the smallest of clues. The rise of these kinds of shows have actually created a problem for criminal trial lawyers – both prosecutors and defense attorneys – through something called “The CSI Effect”, or the expectation by jurors that some amazing technology, whether it’s DNA, blood splatter, forensics, or computer tracking, will clearly – and in just an hour – identify the culprit. One of the more popular of these on-screen technologies is that of cell phone tracking, where skilled scientists are able to access telephone company records to triangulate which cell phone towers were handling a particular call and pinpoint the person’s location. It not only makes for great television, but like a lot (but not all) of on-screen technologies, happens to have a real-word counterpart. It was at the center of the criminal case of Quartavious Davis, who was convicted of seven armed robberies in southern Florida over a 4 month period of 2010.
E2 Conversion Coefficients of the 245-keV Transition in Sm152 and the 344-keV Transition in Gd152

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the E2 conversion coefficients of the 245-keV transition in Sm152 and the 344-keV transition in Gd152. If the new scattered corrected f value of Hultberg is applied, the αK of the 344-keV transition would be an additional 8% lower than theory—it is already about 6% low—and the αK of the 245-keV transition would be about 20% lower than theory. Such large deviations are not consistent with other E2 conversion coefficients in this energy region. The error limits were large on the external conversion lines in the experiment described in the chapter, but it would be easier to increase the external line areas than to decrease them. Therefore, it is easier to lower αK than to raise it.
Overview of Lasers Used in Dermatology

Before one can efficiently utilize laser technology, one must first have a basic understanding of laser-tissue interactions. This chapter aims to provide a quick reference outlining the currently available laser devices and their associated indications. A brief overview of the physical properties of the major cutaneous chromophores including thermal relaxation times and absorption spectra are also discussed. It is important to note that as laser technology evolves, new laser devices are being developed and indications for use are constantly expanding; therefore, this chapter may serve as a guide to the currently used devices and common indications, but should not be considered comprehensive.
The “big red button” is too late: an alternative model for the ethical evaluation of AI systems

As a way to address both ominous and ordinary threats of artificial intelligence (AI), researchers have started proposing ways to stop an AI system before it has a chance to escape outside control and cause harm. A so-called “big red button” would enable human operators to interrupt or divert a system while preventing the system from learning that such an intervention is a threat. Though an emergency button for AI seems to make intuitive sense, that approach ultimately concentrates on the point when a system has already “gone rogue” and seeks to obstruct interference. A better approach would be to make ongoing self-evaluation and testing an integral part of a system’s operation, diagnose how the system is in error and to prevent chaos and risk before they start. In this paper, we describe the demands that recent big red button proposals have not addressed, and we offer a preliminary model of an approach that could better meet them. We argue for an ethical core (EC) that consists of a scenario-generation mechanism and a simulation environment that are used to test a system’s decisions in simulated worlds, rather than the real world. This EC would be kept opaque to the system itself: through careful design of memory and the character of the scenario, the system’s algorithms would be prevented from learning about its operation and its function, and ultimately its presence. By monitoring and checking for deviant behavior, we conclude, a continual testing approach will be far more effective, responsive, and vigilant toward a system’s learning and action in the world than an emergency button which one might not get to push in time.
Reverse genetics demonstrate the role of mucosal C-type lectins in food particle selection in the oyster Crassostrea virginica

Prey selection governs species interactions and regulates physiological energetics of individuals and populations. Suspension-feeding bivalves represent key species in coastal and estuarine systems for their ecological and economic value. These animals are able to sort and selectively ingest nutritious microalgae from dilute and composite mixtures of particulate matter. This aptitude was suggested to be mediated by interactions between carbohydrates associated with the surface of microalgae and C-type lectins present in mucus covering the feeding organs, although a direct, unequivocal, role of lectins in food sorting in bivalves remains elusive. This study was designed to identify and characterize mucosal C-type lectins from oysters and manipulate the expression of these proteins in order to obtain decisive information regarding their involvement in food choice. Thus, two mucosal C-type lectins (CvML3912 and CvML3914) were identified based on transcriptomic and proteomic information. Transcripts of these lectins were detected in the feeding organs and their expression was upregulated following starvation. Recombinant lectin (rCvML3912) competitively inhibited the binding of commercial mannose/glucose-specific lectins to microalgae. Short Dicer-substrate small interfering RNA (DsiRNA) targeting these two lectins were designed and used to evaluate the effect of gene silencing on food particle sorting. As a result, the abundance of the two cognate transcripts significantly decreased and food sorting ability was significantly reduced among silenced oysters as compared with control animals. Overall, these findings propose a novel concept establishing the role of carbohydrate-protein interactions to provide efficient food particle sorting, and establish a new dimension for the role of evolutionarily conserved mannose/glucose-binding proteins in metazoans.
Microtubules in Prostate Cancer

The microtubule (MT) network plays several essential roles throughout the cell cycle beyond its established role in mitosis; in prostate cancer (PC) cells, MTs have been directly implicated in facilitating the nuclear translocation of androgen receptor (AR) and in the activation of its downstream signaling activity.
A novel framework for integrating discrete event system control and diagnosis

This paper describes a framework that provides a clear semantics and well-developed algorithms for both the control and diagnostics of discrete event Systems. This framework integrates important characteristics of two discrete event system representations, finite state machines (used primarily for control) and causal networks (used primarily for diagnosis). We provide a clear semantics for system models that incorporates control and diagnosis, extending the framework of both finite state machines and causal networks. We show mappings between the two representations, and demonstrate the enhanced power of this integrated representation over the existing representations.
Practical assessment of rock damage due to blasting

Abstract Blasting is the most cost effective methodology to break rock for mining or civil engineering applications. A good production blast will break only the rock that is needed to be removed, leaving the host rock with minimal damage. The control of rock damage due to blasting is very important when it comes to mine or construction design, safety, and cost. Damage to the host rock due to a production blast could result in failures, overbreak and unstable ground. Knowing how far the fractures generated by a production blast will go into the host rock is a valuable tool for engineers to design a safe highwall while keeping the actual excavation close to the design. Currently, there are several methods available to predict damage due to blasting. The accuracy of many of these methods is questionable, and in most cases, the methodologies over predict the results. This often leads to inefficient mines and poor construction works. When the current methodologies are reviewed, each one presents sound approaches, but in many cases they also lack consideration of other variables that, according to the authors, need to be included when predicting blast damage. This paper presents a practical methodology to assess the rock damage from blasting by combining other methodologies. The proposed method allows consideration of more variables when compared to available methods, resulting in a more accurate rock damage assessment. The method uses the estimation of the generated levels of peak particle velocity with the distance from a production blast presented by Persson and Holmberg, the peak particle velocity damage ranges proposed by Forsyth and the relationship between the static compressive strength and dynamic compressive strength of rocks from Liu. The new methodology was validated using the data published in a large-scale study performed in granite by Siskind.
Effect of ethanol on Munc13‐1 C1 in Membrane: A Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study

Background EtOH has a significant effect on synaptic plasticity. Munc13-1 is an essential presynaptic active zone protein involved in priming the synaptic vesicle and releasing neurotransmitter in the brain. It is a peripheral membrane protein and binds to the activator, diacylglycerol (DAG)/phorbol ester at its membrane-targeting C1 domain. Our previous studies identified Glu-582 of C1 domain as the alcohol-binding residue (Das, J. et al, J. Neurochem., 126, 715-726, 2013). Methods Here, we describe a 250 ns molecular dynamics (MD) simulation study on the interaction of EtOH and the activator-bound Munc13-1 C1 in the presence of varying concentrations of phosphatidylserine (PS). Results In this study, Munc13-1 C1 shows higher conformational stability in EtOH than in water. It forms fewer hydrogen bonds with phorbol 13-acetate in the presence of EtOH than in water. EtOH also affected the interaction between the protein and the membrane and between the activator and the membrane. Similar studies in a E582A mutant suggest that these effects of EtOH are mostly mediated through Glu-582. Conclusions EtOH forms hydrogen bonds with Glu-582. While occupancy of the EtOH molecules at the vicinity (4A) of Glu-582 is 34.4%, the occupancy in the E582A mutant is 26.5% of the simulation time. In addition, the amount of PS in the membrane influences the conformational stability of the C1 domain and interactions in the ternary complex. This study is important in providing the structural basis of EtOH's effects on synaptic plasticity.
EQUILIBRIUM AND KINETIC CORRELATIONS OF THE PARTIAL REACTIONS OF THE Ca 2+ TRANSPORT CYCLE

Publisher Summary The specific functional feature of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicles is the active transport of Ca2+, which is coupled to the utilization of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The Ca2+ dependent ATPase of SR vesicles is the operator of this function and the utilization of ATP includes the formation of a phosphorylated enzyme intermediate because of the transfer of the ATP terminal phosphate to an aspartyl residue at the catalytic site. The transducing mechanism of SR ATPase is based on a tight interdependence of catalytic and calcium binding sites, whereby the occupancy of the binding sites by calcium permits the utilization of ATP by the catalytic site and the phosphorylation of the catalytic site by ATP produces dissociation of Ca from the binding sites. The Ca2 + dependence of SR ATPase and the established ratio of two calcium ions transported per enzyme cycle are an obvious indication of calcium binding to the enzyme. However, it should be understood that the shape of a curve representing the enzyme dependence on Ca2 + concentration is not necessarily identical to that representing actual calcium binding.
Biographies of two ‘big men’ in Zimbabwe: a review essay

Robert Mugabe (1924–2019) and Solomon Mujuru (1945–2011) worked in tandem as the top civilian and military leaders in independent Zimbabwe from 1980 to 1992. Prior to independence, they worked hand...
Shadows on the wall: Deterrence and disarmament

It is commonplace in Washington DC to see equally-credentialed nuclear experts taking opposite sides on important policy issues. In Shadows on the Wall, Keith Payne provides an insightful framework...
Minding the Gap: An Exploratory Study Applying Theory to Nonprofit Board Management of Executive Transitions

Nonprofit boards of directors are responsible for overseeing executive transitions, and the practitioner literature is rich with prescriptive guidance of how they should fulfill this vital responsibility. Nevertheless, we have limited evidence of what boards actually do as they navigate the space between an outgoing and an incoming executive, and moreover, we have no research that seeks to explain this critical juncture from a theoretical perspective. This exploratory study sought to fill this gap by applying theories commonly used in other literature about nonprofit governance in the context of an executive transition. Using a sample of twenty-nine US-based nonprofits that had recently experienced an executive transition, interviews were conducted and the resulting analysis is insightful about the approach boards took, the priorities they had, and their reflections on the transitions. The findings are discussed in terms of their implications for both research and practice.
Design thinking for innovation: Considering distinctions, fit, and use in firms

Abstract As firms struggle with high failure rates when developing new products and services, they seek new approaches to innovation. One method garnering attention is design thinking (DT), a design-based method of problem solving. Businesses as varied as Airbnb and PepsiCo are embracing DT in growing numbers, but some may be joining the bandwagon without understanding its distinctions compared to the main alternative, the Stage-Gate (SG) methodology. SG, a project-review process, is used in many firms today to create innovations. To guide managerial consideration of DT, this article provides an explanation of DT as compared with SG, a framework to assess DT’s fit with the firm, and ways DT may be effectively used.
Understanding barriers to medical instruction access for older adults: implications for AI-assisted tools

Recalling medical instructions provided during a doctor's visit can be difficult due to access barriers, primarily for older adults who visit doctors multiple times per year and rely on their memory to act on doctor's recommendations. There are several interventions that aid patients in recalling information after doctors' visits; however, some have been proven ineffective, and those that are effective can present additional challenges for older adults. In this paper, we explore the challenges that older adults with chronic illnesses face when collecting and recalling medical instructions from multiple doctors' visits and discuss implications for AI-assisted tools to enable older adults better access medical instructions. We interviewed 12 older adults to understand their strategies for gathering and recalling information, the challenges they face, and their opinions about automatic transcription of their conversations with doctors to help them recall information after a visit. We found that participants face accessibility challenges such as hearing information and recalling medical instructions that require additional time or follow-up with the doctor. Therefore, patients saw potential value for a tool that automatically transcribes and helps with recall of medical instructions, but desired additional features to summarize, categorize, and highlight critical information from the conversations with their doctors.
Traumatic Brain Injury: A Social Worker Primer with Implications for Practice

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is a devastating medical condition mat can happen to anyone at anytime, despite precautions. This paper provides details regarding etiology, symptoms, prognosis, and tr...
Functional validation of a finding from a mouse genome-wide association study shows that Azi2 influences the acute locomotor simulant response to methamphetamine.

In a previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) using outbred Carworth Farms White (CFW) mice, we identified a locus that influenced the stimulant response to methamphetamine and colocalized with an eQTL for Azi2. Based on those findings, we hypothesized that heritable differences in Azi2 expression were causally related to the differential response to methamphetamine. To test that hypothesis, we created a mutant Azi2 allele on an inbred C57BL/6J background. The mutant allele enhanced the locomotor response to methamphetamine. However, the GWAS had suggested that lower Azi2 would decrease the locomotor response to methamphetamine. We also sought to explore the mechanism by which Azi2 influenced methamphetamine sensitivity. A recent publication reported that the 3'UTR of Azi2 mRNA downregulates the expression of Slc6a3, which encodes the dopamine transporter, which is a key target of methamphetamine. We evaluated the relationship between Azi2, Azi2 3'UTR and Slc6a3 expression in the ventral tegmental area of wildtype, mutant Azi2 heterozygotes and mutant Azi2 homozygotes and in a new cohort of outbred CFW mice where both allele mapped in our prior GWAS were segregating. We did not observe any correlation between Azi2 and Slc6a3 in either cohort. However, RNA sequencing confirmed that the Azi2 mutation altered Azi2 expression and also revealed a number of potentially important genes and pathways that were regulated by Azi2, including the metabotropic glutamate receptor group III pathway and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor signaling pathway. Our results support a role for Azi2 in methamphetamine sensitivity; however, the exact mechanism does not appear to involve regulation of Slc6a3.
Microbial-based cancer therapy—bugs as drugs: History & the essential role of medical imaging

Microbial-based cancer therapy aims to use tumor-specific infectious microbes to fulfill the unmet medical needs for patients with difficult-to-treat malignancies. The NIH is calling to revisit the old concept from new perspectives, by incorporating advances in science and technology, to establish an alternative to the traditional categories of cancer managements. Medical imaging offers unique insight into the mechanisms of action, assessment of success/failure, and advantages/pitfalls of microbial-based cancer therapy, which in turn should facilitate the advances of this new initiative in modern medical oncology.