cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The crystal structure of human hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase with bound GMP

The crystal structure of HGPRTase with bound GMP has been determined and refined to 2.5 A resolution. The enzyme has a core alpha/beta structure resembling the nucleotide-binding fold of dehydrogenases, and a second lobe composed of residues from the amino and carboxy termini. The GMP molecule binds in an anti conformation in a solvent-exposed cleft of the enzyme. Lys-165, which forms a hydrogen bond to O6 of GMP, appears to be critical for determining the specificity for guanine and hypoxanthine over adenine. The location of active site residues also provides evidence for a possible mechanism for general base-assisted HGPRTase catalysis. A rationalization of the effects on stability and activity of naturally occurring single amino acid mutations of HGPRTase is presented, including a discussion of several mutations at the active site that lead to Lesch-Nyhan syndrome.
Millimeter And Submillimeter Dielectric Loss In Glasses

The dominant contributions to the far infrared dielectric loss in glasses are reviewed. Special emphasis is placed on correlating the dielectric loss data with information obtained from other low energy probing techniques, such as inelastic neutron scattering, ballistic phonon transport, as well as Raman and Brillouin scattering.
Self-sacrifice as innovation: The strategic and tactical utility of martyrdom

This essay examines martyrdom as a cultural tool used by organizations to elicit predictable behavior from their members, even when this behavior requires the individuals in question to kill themselves in the course of a mission. These organizations have regularized or mechanized martyrdom in order to make an ordinarily rare phenomenon—individual self-sacrifice—predictable and controllable. The purpose of this cultural programming is to provide terrorist organizations with reliable control systems for their weaponry and a powerful source of legitimation. Suicide bombing thus depends on manipulation of martyrdom to provide both strategic and tactical advantages.
Response of superconducting cavities to high peak power

A technique to find the transient cavity Q from transmitted power is presented. This technique can facilitate finding the Q as a function of accelerating electric field for low power pulsed measurements, but it has a special application to analyze the thermal breakdown behavior during high peak power pulsing. With high power, in short time scales, the fields in a superconducting cavity can be driven well past the CW breakdown limit. With knowledge of the Q during breakdown, one can show that a large fraction of the surface was still superconducting as the cavity reached high fields. A lower bound to the critical RF magnetic field can then be determined. Results of pulsing a 1.3 GHz Nb cavity with 340 kW for 150 /spl mu/s are presented. The Q extraction technique is used to measure a lower limit of H/sub c//sup RF/ over the range of 2 K to 8.3 K despite the presence of a thermal defect.
Editorial Response: A Silver Bullet for Colonization and Infection with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Still Eludes Us

Within a relatively short period of time following the first for virtually every known antibiotic. Over the years, many uses of penicillin for the treatment of staphylococcal infection human pathogens have proved remarkably resourceful at scavand streptomycin for the treatment of tuberculosis, the emer- enging these determinants from their natural producers. As gence of bacterial strains resistant to these antimicrobial agents such, there is real concern that switching from one antimicrowas recognized. As we now know but did not then, the emer- bial agent to another will simply result in the emergence of gence of these two types of resistance represented two com- different and perhaps more troublesome resistance determipletely different phenomena. In the case of tuberculosis, resis- nants. tance represented the selection of a small subpopulation with Published data in support of the effectiveness of antibiotic mutations in the ribosomal RNA genes that prevented the bind- changes in reducing rates of antimicrobial resistance in nosocoing of streptomycin to the ribosome. Resistance of Staphylococ- mial pathogens are far from plentiful, but those that are availcus aureus to penicillin resulted from the acquisition of a b- able offer some hope for these strategies, at least in certain lactamase-encoding transposon, one that could subsequently be settings. Several studies published in the late 1980s or early transferred to other members of the same species. One thing 1990s suggested that changing from gentamicin to amikacin as that was clear at the time, and remains clear today, is that the the primary aminoglycoside was associated with a statistically appearance of new resistance phenotypes in bacteria is closely significant decline in resistance of gram-negative bacilli to genlinked to the clinical use of compounds against which resistance tamicin [2]. In several studies, reintroduction of gentamicin is expressed. was associated with a reappearance of the gentamicin-resistant strains. In most cases, significant increases in amikacin resistance were not observed. Whether increased amikacin resis
STUDIES IN BOVINE MASTITIS : IV. THE SOURCES OF INFECTION IN STREPTOCOCCIC MASTITIS.

1. The principal sources of streptococcic infection, aside from clinical cases, are apparently normal cows which carry the virus in the udder. 2. These carriers may be grouped as follows: (a) those that have been infected recently and have not yet developed symptoms; (b) those that have suffered from inflammation of the udder and after recovery still harbor streptococci; (c) those that have had no clinical history of mastitis. There is some evidence to lead one to regard the latter group as naturally immune. 3. A milker may readily carry streptococci on his hands from an infected to an uninfected cow. 4. The vaginae of 34 of the 64 cows examined contained non-hemolytic streptococci. Of the 34 strains isolated 32 differed in their cultural characters and agglutination affinities from those associated with mastitis. The other two strains may be regarded as of etiological significance. 5. In no instance have hemolytic streptococci been isolated from the vagina.
Hepatopulmonary syndrome : a rare diagnosis or easily missed entity?

### Learning Point for Clinicians The prevalence of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is not clear yet. The diagnosis of hepatopulmonary can be masked by other co-morbidities and the non-specific presentation. Although its presence is associated with high mortality, this condition is reversible after liver transplant. Awareness of diagnostic criteria for HPS is crucial amongst physicians. The diagnosis of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is often missed due to lack of suspicion. Patients with a diagnosis of HPS can be allocated extra points on the liver transplant wait list to enhance the possibility of receiving an organ. We present a 64-year-old male presented for evaluation of worsening ascites and shortness of breath. The oxygen saturation was 89% in the supine position and 86% when sitting up or standing. After ruling out all the obvious causes of worsening dyspnea, ABG, PFTs and Echo bubble study was performed which confirmed diagnosis of HPS. Established diagnosis of HPS in these patient advocates bad prognosis but at the same time also gives …
Trimming of mammalian transcriptional networks using network component analysis

Network Component Analysis (NCA) has been used to deduce the activities of transcription factors (TFs) from gene expression data and the TF-gene binding relationship. However, the TF-gene interaction varies in different environmental conditions and tissues, but such information is rarely available and cannot be predicted simply by motif analysis. Thus, it is beneficial to identify key TF-gene interactions under the experimental condition based on transcriptome data. Such information would be useful in identifying key regulatory pathways and gene markers of TFs in further studies. We developed an algorithm to trim network connectivity such that the important regulatory interactions between the TFs and the genes were retained and the regulatory signals were deduced. Theoretical studies demonstrated that the regulatory signals were accurately reconstructed even in the case where only three independent transcriptome datasets were available. At least 80% of the main target genes were correctly predicted in the extreme condition of high noise level and small number of datasets. Our algorithm was tested with transcriptome data taken from mice under rapamycin treatment. The initial network topology from the literature contains 70 TFs, 778 genes, and 1423 edges between the TFs and genes. Our method retained 1074 edges (i.e. 75% of the original edge number) and identified 17 TFs as being significantly perturbed under the experimental condition. Twelve of these TFs are involved in MAPK signaling or myeloid leukemia pathways defined in the KEGG database, or are known to physically interact with each other. Additionally, four of these TFs, which are Hif1a, Cebpb, Nfkb1, and Atf1, are known targets of rapamycin. Furthermore, the trimmed network was able to predict Eno1 as an important target of Hif1a; this key interaction could not be detected without trimming the regulatory network. The advantage of our new algorithm, relative to the original NCA, is that our algorithm can identify the important TF-gene interactions. Identifying the important TF-gene interactions is crucial for understanding the roles of pleiotropic global regulators, such as p53. Also, our algorithm has been developed to overcome NCA's inability to analyze large networks where multiple TFs regulate a single gene. Thus, our algorithm extends the applicability of NCA to the realm of mammalian regulatory network analysis.
Beam breakup in an annular beam

It is shown that an annular electron beam may carry six times as much current as a pencil beam for the same beam breakup (BBU) growth. This finding suggests that the RF magnetic field of the breakup mode is far more important than the RF electric field in the excitation of BBU. A proof-of-principle experiment is suggested, and the implications explored. >
Review of turbulent mixing models

Abstract Fluid mixing is an important phenomenon in many physical applications from supernova explosions to genetic structure formations. In this paper, we overview some theoretical and empirical dynamic mix models, which have been developed over the recent decades, in particular, the ensemble-average micro physical mix model, the multifluid interpenetration mix model, the phenomenological and hybrid turbulent mix models, the buoyancy drag mix model, the single fluid turbulence mix model, and the large eddy simulation mix model. The similarities, distinctions, and connections between these models and their applications are discussed.
Altered neural circuit activity: prenatal protein malnutrition and the paired pulse response

Measurements of extracellular field potentials recorded from the hippocampal dentate gyrus in response to single and paired pulse stimulation of the perforant pathway are utilized to assess the effects of prenatal protein malnutrition on the modulation of granule cell activity before, during, and after perforant path kindling in the rat. Results suggest that the prenatal dietary insult causes irreversible alterations to the modulation of dentate granule cell excitability in response to the neuroplastic reorganizations which occur within the hippocampus during kindling. Although the exact mechanism of these changes is unknown, these studies clearly identify the alterations in specific neural circuits which occur as a result of prenatal protein malnutrition and indicate that these alterations cannot be reversed by dietary rehabilitation at birth. >
Exercise-Associated Hyponatremia

Exercise-associated hyponatremia has been described after sustained physical exertion during marathons, triathlons, and other endurance athletic events. As these events have become more popular, the incidence of serious hyponatremia has increased and associated fatalities have occurred. The pathogenesis of this condition remains incompletely understood but largely depends on excessive water intake. Furthermore, hormonal (especially abnormalities in arginine vasopressin secretion) and renal abnormalities in water handling that predispose individuals to the development of severe, life-threatening hyponatremia may be present. This review focuses on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and therapy of exercise-associated hyponatremia.
High-Order Collocation Methods for Differential Equations with Random Inputs

Recently there has been a growing interest in designing efficient methods for the solution of ordinary/partial differential equations with random inputs. To this end, stochastic Galerkin methods appear to be superior to other nonsampling methods and, in many cases, to several sampling methods. However, when the governing equations take complicated forms, numerical implementations of stochastic Galerkin methods can become nontrivial and care is needed to design robust and efficient solvers for the resulting equations. On the other hand, the traditional sampling methods, e.g., Monte Carlo methods, are straightforward to implement, but they do not offer convergence as fast as stochastic Galerkin methods. In this paper, a high-order stochastic collocation approach is proposed. Similar to stochastic Galerkin methods, the collocation methods take advantage of an assumption of smoothness of the solution in random space to achieve fast convergence. However, the numerical implementation of stochastic collocation is trivial, as it requires only repetitive runs of an existing deterministic solver, similar to Monte Carlo methods. The computational cost of the collocation methods depends on the choice of the collocation points, and we present several feasible constructions. One particular choice, based on sparse grids, depends weakly on the dimensionality of the random space and is more suitable for highly accurate computations of practical applications with large dimensional random inputs. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the stochastic collocation methods.
Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita with hemangiomatous histopathologic features

Cutis marmorata telangiectatica congenita (CMTC) is a congenital cutaneous vascular malformation that is diagnosed on the typical clinical findings of persistent cutis marmorata, telangiectasia, phlebectasia, occasional ulceration and atrophy, and tendency for clinical improvement. Histopathologic findings seldom have been reported. We report a case of CMTC with atypical histopathologic findings of proliferation of vasculature in addition to dilated capillaries in the dermis. We have reviewed all cases of CMTC with histopathologic findings published in the English-language literature. The most common and prominent finding was dilation of capillaries and veins in the dermis (13/15 cases). Two cases, including our own, demonstrated proliferation of vascular channels. The implications of vascular proliferation on the clinical course of CMTC are unclear.
Promoting the use of standard questions in patient registries and research: A library of questions related to rare diseases

The Patient Registry Item Specifications and Metadata (PRISM) library was developed with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) with the primary purpose of supporting the use of standardized questions in rare disease patient registries. A patient registry is for a method of collecting, storing, retrieving and using a clearly defined set of data on identifiable individuals for a specified purpose. Standardization of patient registries can enable the sharing of health and patient data for optimal research capabilities. As the number of patient registries proliferates, there exists no single entity to drive the development of data collection, storage and retrieval standards. The PRISM library fills that void. Additionally, the PRISM library supports a bottom-up approach to standardization, and utilizes Dublin Core for indexing and, partnering with the College of American Pathologists, uses SNOMED CT to code clinical content. PRISM also supports apomediation, as well as the re-use of questions to promote standardization. The goal of PRISM is to reduce variation in registry questions used by the rare disease registry community and to support production of high quality, highly efficient patient registries. The standardization of patient registry questions can further serve to improve efficiencies and collaboration across the research and drug development communities.
On the Estimation of Nonrandom Signal Coefficients From Jittered Samples

This paper examines the problem of estimating the parameters of a bandlimited signal from samples corrupted by random jitter (timing noise) and additive, independent identically distributed (i.i.d.) Gaussian noise, where the signal lies in the span of a finite basis. For the presented classical estimation problem, the Cramer-Rao lower bound (CRB) is computed, and an Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm approximating the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator is developed. Simulations are performed to study the convergence properties of the EM algorithm and compare the performance both against the CRB and a basic linear estimator. These simulations demonstrate that by postprocessing the jittered samples with the proposed EM algorithm, greater jitter can be tolerated, potentially reducing on-chip ADC power consumption substantially.
Occult economies and the violence of abstraction: notes from the South African postcolony

Postcolonial South Africa, like other postrevolutionary societies, appears to have witnessed a dramatic rise in occult economies: in the deployment, real or imagined, of magical means for material ends. These embrace a wide range of phenomena, from "ritual murder," the sale of body parts, and the putative production of zombies to pyramid schemes and other financial scams. And they have led, in many places, to violent reactions against people accused of illicit accumulation. In the struggles that have ensued, the major lines of opposition have been not race or class but generation—mediated by gender. Why is all this occurring with such intensity, right now? An answer to the question, and to the more general problem of making sense of the enchantments of modernity, is sought in the encounter of rural South Africa with the contradictory effects of millennial capitalism and the culture of neoliberalism. This encounter, goes the argument, brings "the global" and "the local"— treated here as analytic constructs rather than explanatory terms or empirical realities—into a dialectical interplay. It also has implications for the practice of anthropology, challenging us to do ethnography on an "awkward" scale, on planes that transect the here and now, then and there,
The Early Divisome Protein FtsA Interacts Directly through Its 1c Subdomain with the Cytoplasmic Domain of the Late Divisome Protein FtsN

In Escherichia coli, FtsN localizes late to the cell division machinery, only after a number of additional essential proteins are recruited to the early FtsZ-FtsA-ZipA complex. FtsN has a short, positively charged cytoplasmic domain (FtsNCyto), a single transmembrane domain (FtsNTM), and a periplasmic domain that is essential for FtsN function. Here we show that FtsA and FtsN interact directly in vitro. FtsNCyto is sufficient to bind to FtsA, but only when it is tethered to FtsNTM or to a leucine zipper. Mutation of a conserved patch of positive charges in FtsNCyto to negative charges abolishes the interaction with FtsA. We also show that subdomain 1c of FtsA is sufficient to mediate this interaction with FtsN. Finally, although FtsNCyto-TM is not essential for FtsN function, its overproduction causes a modest dominant-negative effect on cell division. These results suggest that basic residues within a dimerized FtsNCyto protein interact directly with residues in subdomain 1c of FtsA. Since FtsA binds directly to FtsZ and FtsN interacts with enzymes involved in septum synthesis and splitting, this interaction between early and late divisome proteins may be one of several feedback controls for Z ring constriction.
Regulation of parietal cell calcium signaling in gastric glands

The ligands interacting with enterochromaffin-like (ECL) and parietal cells and the signaling interactions between these cells were investigated in rabbit gastric glands using confocal microscopy. ...
Construction of an aortic homograft conduit for right ventricle to pulmonary artery continuity

Abstract Over the past decade the aortic homograft has become the extracardiac conduit of choice for repair of many congenital cardiac defects. Anastomosis of the homograft annulus to the right ventricle may distort the valve and render it incompetent. Prosthetic tube grafts have been used to bridge the right ventricle and distal homograft. We propose and have used successfully a method for establishing right ventricle to pulmonary artery continuity that is free of prosthetic materials, is technically simple, and places the homograft valve in the hilum, away from the distorting right ventricle free wall.
Antioxidant capacity reduced in scallions grown under elevated CO2 independent of assayed light intensity

Abstract Long-duration manned space missions mandate the development of a sustainable life support system and effective countermeasures against damaging space radiation. To mitigate the risk of inevitable exposure to space radiation, cultivation of fresh fruits and vegetables rich in antioxidants is an attractive alternative to pharmacological agents. However it has yet to be established whether antioxidant properties of crops can be preserved or enhanced in a space environment where environmental conditions differ from that which plants have acclimated to on earth. Scallion ( Allium fistulosum ) rich in antioxidant vitamins C and A, and flavonoids was used as a model plant to study the impact of a range of CO 2 concentrations and light intensities that are likely encountered in a space habitat on food quality traits. Scallions were hydroponically grown in controlled environmental chambers under a combination of 3 CO 2 concentrations of 400, 1200 and 4000 μmol mol −1 and 3 light intensity levels of 150, 300, 450 μmol m −2 s −1 . Total antioxidant activity (TAA) of scallion extracts was determined using a radical cation scavenging assay. Both elevated CO 2 and increasing light intensity enhanced biomass accumulation, but effects on TAA (based on dry weight) differed. TAA was reduced for plants grown under elevated CO 2 , but remained unchanged with increases in light intensity. Elevated CO 2 stimulated greater biomass production than antioxidants, while an increase in photosynthetic photo flux promoted the synthesis of antioxidant compounds at a rate similar to that of biomass. Consequently light is a more effective stimulus than CO 2 for antioxidant production.
CULTIVATING SERVICE BRAND EQUITY

In packaged goods, the product is the primary brand. However, with services, the company is the primary brand. This article, based on primary research with 14 mature, high-performance service companies, makes a case for service branding as a cornerstone of services marketing for today and tomorrow. The article presents a service-branding model that underscores the salient role of customers' service experiences in brand formation. Four primary strategies that excellent service firms use to cultivate brand equity are discussed and illustrated. Branding is not just for tangible goods; it is a principal success driver for service organizations as well.
A Study of Islanding in Utility-Connected Residential Photovoltaic Systems Part I-Models and Analytical Methods

Residential, utility-interactive, photovoltaic systems consist of a photovoltaic (PV) array, and a Power Conditioning System (PCS), or inverter, which converts the dc array energy to an ac voltage or current at the proper frequency for connection to an electric utility distribution feeder. One of the concerns wth such an interconnection is the potential for "islanding." This is a phenomenon in which one or more PCSs continue to operate, and keep the system energized even after the utility supply is disconnected. The loss of utility may be related to a scheduled outage, or the operation of circuit breakers, sectionalizers, or fuses in response to a system disturbance. Since the electric utility company cannot exert direct control on residential photovoltaic systems, islanding is generally considered to be undesirable. Concern is primarily related to the safety of personnel attempting to restore service in a system energized by islanded PCSs. Additionally, there is cause for concern as to the effect of transients and off-nominal frequency and/or voltage on connected load and on the PCS itself. Therefore, an understanding of the islanding problem is extremely important to the commercialization of utility-interactive PV systems. The objective of the work described in this paper and its companion [1] is to develop simple analytical methods to determine if islanding is possible in a system consisting of one or more PCSs connected to a single-phase distribution lateral. Attention is focused on three commercially available PCSs, the 'Gemini' manufactured by Windworks, Inc., the 'Teslaco' manufactured by Teslaco, Inc.
Realization of NIST 1995 Luminous Flux Scale Using the Integrating Sphere Method

(1996). Realization of NIST 1995 Luminous Flux Scale Using the Integrating Sphere Method. Journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society: Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 13-22.
Advances in microbiological quality control

Abstract: During the winemaking process, the quality of a wine can quickly be affected by microbial spoilage due to a number of yeast and bacterial species present in wine. In order to prevent the microbial spoilage of wine it is essential to be able to recognize it when it occurs, understand where it is most likely to occur, and which wine microorganisms are involved. To do this, traditional microbial detection methods such as plating and microscopy are beginning to be combined with powerful new detection methods based upon molecular biology techniques utilizing polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The control of microbial growth in wine is still largely achieved through the use of SO2. However, new options such as the use of lysozyme, dimethyldicarbonate, bacteriocins, and ozone, may allow a reduction in the amount of SO2 required. The design and use of a quality control program such as hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) can be effective in integrating all the information regarding wine microbial spoilage that is now available to a modern winemaker. This systematic approach allows the identification of key spoilage problems, corrective actions that will be undertaken if a problem is found, verification of the impact of the corrective action, and documentation of the whole process.
Disrupting Americanism? A Critical and Empirical Analysis of State Policy Adoption

Under what conditions do political actors collectively and repeatedly enact policies that define different forms of American membership? Departing from immigration research that characterizes policies as either inclusive or restrictive towards immigrants, I use intersectionality as a framework to differentiate between alienage policies that: enforce a static and homogenous American identity; affirm conceptually independent ascriptive categories of difference; and, allow for multiple categories of difference to intersect with each other. Using a new dataset of state legislative bills, I empirically test prominent state policy choice hypotheses to identify socioeconomic and political conditions that prompt the repeated enactment of similar alienage policies. Tracing the repeated enactment of alienage policies assesses a collective sense of urgency among elected officials to transcend traditional notions of Americanism in response to an increasingly diversifying population. My findings suggest that explanations centering on political elites, geographic region, or the salience of criminality are only able to explain the repeated enactment of policies that enforce a static and homogenous American identity. In order to understand why political actors collectively decide to confer full and equal membership to intersectionally disadvantaged alien residents, researchers must consider structural factors such as the collective potential of an alien workforce to disrupt local economies.
Underwriter Syndicate, Reputation and Conflict of Interest in Bank Underwritten IPOs

The entry of commercial banks into underwriting business has been a subject of extensive research among practitioners and academic scholars. Studies have examined the two opposite sides of the debate. On one hand, there is the certification hypothesis and on the other the issues regarding conflict of interest. Despite the interest in the literature, research on commercial bank underwriting of equity IPOs is somewhat limited. This study examines commercial bank underwritten IPOs using recent data (i.e., from 2005 to 2012). We find that commercial banks, in order to attenuate potential conflict of interest and gain additional certification, co-led and co-managed 77 percent of IPOs they participated in with reputable investment banks prior to the financial crisis, and with investment banks in over 93 percent of their issues after the crisis. This strategy seemed to be effective as the banks not only maintained their share of IPO market during the financial crisis, but they also gained market share, at the expense of investment banks, after the credit crisis. In addition, in response to the credit crisis, commercial banks drastically reduced the number of IPOs where they were sole (only) lead underwriters. We find some evidence that commercial bank sole-led syndicates recorded lower gross spread relative to investment bank sole-led syndicates. Finally, commercial bank underwritten IPOs have lower underpricing than investment bank underwritten IPOs suggesting that the information effect outweighed the conflict of interest effect. Overall, the 2008 financial crisis has had a positive effect on commercial banks’ IPO underwriting business.
Differential expression of the intermediate filament peripherin in cutaneous neural lesions and neurotized melanocytic nevi

Peripherin is an intermediate filament involved in growth and development of the peripheral nervous system, and is produced by neurons and the beta cells of the islets of Langerhans. Recently, malignant melanomas and some melanocytic nevi have been shown to express peripherin. It is unknown if Schwann cells, also derived from the neural crest, express peripherin. Expression of peripherin was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in cutaneous lesions characterized by a prominent Schwann cell component including 26 neurofibromas (NF), 10 schwannomas (SCH), seven granular cell tumors, and five palisaded encapsulated neuromas (PEN); 13 neurotized melanocytic nevi (NMN) also were evaluated because these lesions contain Wagner-Meissnerlike structures and type C nevus cells, which exhibit a "schwannian" phenotype. Peripherin was detected in the axons of normal peripheral nerves. NF and PEN contained numerous axons dispersed throughout the lesions, whereas only scattered small nerves were seen in GCT. In SCH, only rare axons were labeled, mostly at the periphery of the lesions. All other cells in these four types of lesions, therefore including Schwann cells, were not labeled. In most NMN, labeled axons were identified within the lesions. In a few cases, rare epithelioid melanocytes within the superficial portions of the nevi were labeled. The Wagner-Meissnerlike structures and type C nevus cells (schwannian) were not labeled in any lesion; however, numerous labeled axons invested these areas. Because there are different relative numbers of peripherin-labeled axons throughout NF, PEN, some nevi, and SCH, analysis of peripherin expression may be helpful in the diagnosis of these lesions. Neurons and some epithelioid melanocytes, in contrast to type C nevus cells and Schwann cells of NF and SCH, express peripherin, providing further evidence for a transition from a more neuronal to a more schwannian phenotype during the normal maturation sequence of melanocytes in nevi.
Gamma Radiation Doses to Prevent Adult Emergence from Immatures of Mexican and West Indian Fruit Flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Quarantine treatments against tephritids generally have been concerned only with eggs and larvae because the larva leaves the fruit to pupate in the soil. However, irradiation would usually be applied after fruits are packed, and some packed fruits, such as citrus, could conceivably sit at ambient conditions for a few days before being irradiated, allowing 3rd instars to emerge and pupate within the packaging. Pupae are generally more tolerant of irradiation than are larvae and eggs. This research evaluated tolerance of immatures of Mexican and West Indian fruit flies, Anastrepha ludens (Loew) and A. obliqua (Macquart), respectively, to ionizing radiation from a 137Cs source. Although tolerance to irradiation generally increased with increasing stage of development, the insect immediately preceding 2 developmental milestones (pupariation and larval to pupal molt) was usually more susceptible than 24 h earlier. We recommend that fruits to be irradiated not remain at ambient temperatures for enough time to enable 3rd instars to develop to the phanerocephalic pupal stage, which is ≈3 d at 25°C for the 2 species studied. The 1st d of the phanerocephalic pupa is ≈40% more tolerant of irradiation than the 3rd instar, whereas the insect 24 h earlier is only ≈14% more tolerant. Mexican fruit fly 3rd instars inside grapefruits, Citrus paradisi Macf., were notably more tolerant of irradiation than 3rd instars in ambient air.
Interorgan Communication Pathways in Physiology: Focus on Drosophila

Studies in mammals and Drosophila have demonstrated the existence and significance of secreted factors involved in communication between distal organs. In this review, primarily focusing on Drosophila, we examine the known interorgan communication factors and their functions, physiological inducers, and integration in regulating physiology. Moreover, we describe how organ-sensing screens in Drosophila can systematically identify novel conserved interorgan communication factors. Finally, we discuss how interorgan communication enabled and evolved as a result of specialization of organs. Together, we anticipate that future studies will establish a model for metazoan interorgan communication network (ICN) and how it is deregulated in disease.
On the Methodology of Space Ethics

This chapter addresses space’s impact on the methods of normative and applied ethics. My primary contention, by way of the dispute between value monism and pluralism in environmental ethics , is that our knowledge of the space environment has not advanced to the point where we can say decisively what is or is not intrinsically valuable in space. Thus we do not have adequate grounds for claiming that all that is of value can be accommodated by a single underlying value. We should therefore remain open to the possibility that a pluralist account of value may best suit the ethics of space. More positively, since space is studied in fractured and piecemeal ways, the pluralist outlook may be more conducive to novel reasons for environmental protection—protection that could facilitate broader opportunities for scientific discovery than under the current planetary protection regime. I also argue that our relative ignorance about the space environment raises related difficulties for virtue-based accounts of ethics.
Development of West Syndrome in Infants with Epileptic Discharges

Of 45 infants having epileptic discharges on the EEG in early infancy, 26 developed West syndrome (WS), in a study at Okayama University, Japan.
The impact of industrial diversification on employment volatility in the 50 U.S. states, 2000-2013

Economic developers express concern for both employment growth and employment stability. This study asks whether there is a trade-off between the quantity and reliability of jobs. Does industrial d...
Comparative analysis of five observational audit tools to assess the physical environment of parks for physical activity, 2016

We reviewed prominent audit tools used to assess the physical environment of parks and their potential to promote physical activity. To accomplish this, we manually searched the Active Living Research website (http://www.activelivingresearch.com) for published observational audit tools that evaluate the physical environment of parks, and we reviewed park audit tools used in studies included in a systematic review of observational park-based physical activity studies. We identified 5 observational audit tools for review: Bedimo-Rung Assessment Tool-Direct Observation (BRAT-DO), Community Park Audit Tool (CPAT), Environmental Assessment of Public Recreation Spaces (EAPRS) tool, Physical Activity Resource Assessment (PARA), and Quality of Public Open Space Tool (POST). All 5 tools have established inter-rater reliability estimates ranging from moderate to good. However, BRAT-DO is the only tool with published validity. We found substantial heterogeneity among the 5 in length, format, intended users, and specific items assessed. Researchers, practitioners, or community coalition members should review the goal of their specific project and match their goal with the most appropriate tool and the people who will be using it.
305. A Screening Strategy for Selecting Recombinant Adeno-Associated Viral Vectors That Selectively Transduce Viral Infected Cells

Recombinant adeno-associated viral (rAAV) vectors constitute one of the most promising tools for gene transfer. Desired properties include the lack of pathogenicity in humans, broad tissue tropism, ability to transduce both dividing and non-dividing cells, and the potential to establish long-term and stable transgene expression in quiescent tissues. Additionally, the majority of transduction events are episomal, making the risk of insertional mutagenesis lower than integrating vectors. Preclinical studies have successfully utilized rAAV vectors to combat viral infections after delivering short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression cassettes for knocking down viral coding genes in infected cells. A viral infection can also be reduced using shRNAs against host cellular genes, which are required for the life cycle of the pathogen. Although combining both the targeting of viral and cellular genes has the potential to increase the success in combating viral infections, promiscuous targeting of host cellular genes in the majority of cells that remain uninfected in a tissue may be detrimental. Therefore, we have designed a strategy to select for rAAV capsids that will selectively transduce infected over uninfected cells. The selection is based on the fact that most viral infections cause phenotypic changes in a cell that likely affect at least one of the many parameters involved in rAAV transduction. For proof-of-concept, we are selecting for rAAV capsids that selectively transduce Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-infected hepatoma cells, in part because it was recently reported that HBV infection increases AAV2 and AAV8 transduction. We are currently characterizing a new highly diverse rAAV capsid library generated by shuffling of 18 parental capsids placed into a wild-type AAV genome. This library will be co-infected with wild-type Adenovirus-5 (helper virus) allowing the rAAV genomes to replicate in HBV-infected human cells. Isolation of replicating rAAV over successive passages in cultured cells will allow for stringent selection as all steps in AAV transduction, including cell entry, intracellular transport, nuclear entry and capsid uncoating, must occur in the selection scheme. After selection is completed, we will sequence and vectorize the most abundant capsids. These will be individually tested for their relative transduction of hepatoma cells that are identical except for their HBV infection status. Identifying such a rAAV capsid specific for HBV-infected cells will provide a reagent or therapeutic that can deliver a transgene that will allow one to selectively modify or potentially kill infected but not the uninfected cells contained within the liver. Moreover, we believe this strategy has the potential to be broadly applied for the selection of rAAV capsids specific for cells infected with other viruses or any disease state that results in phenotypic changes to a cell.
Neuronal Injury and Glial Changes Are Hallmarks of Open Field Blast Exposure in Swine Frontal Lobe.

With the rapid increase in the number of blast induced traumatic brain injuries and associated neuropsychological consequences in veterans returning from the operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the need to better understand the neuropathological sequelae following exposure to an open field blast exposure is still critical. Although a large body of experimental studies have attempted to address these pathological changes using shock tube models of blast injury, studies directed at understanding changes in a gyrencephalic brain exposed to a true open field blast are limited and thus forms the focus of this study. Anesthetized, male Yucatan swine were subjected to forward facing medium blast overpressure (peak side on overpressure 224–332 kPa; n = 7) or high blast overpressure (peak side on overpressure 350–403 kPa; n = 5) by detonating 3.6 kg of composition-4 charge. Sham animals (n = 5) were subjected to all the conditions without blast exposure. After a 3-day survival period, the brain was harvested and sections from the frontal lobes were processed for histological assessment of neuronal injury and glial reactivity changes. Significant neuronal injury in the form of beta amyloid precursor protein immunoreactive zones in the gray and white matter was observed in the frontal lobe sections from both the blast exposure groups. A significant increase in the number of astrocytes and microglia was also observed in the blast exposed sections compared to sham sections. We postulate that the observed acute injury changes may progress to chronic periods after blast and may contribute to short and long-term neuronal degeneration and glial mediated inflammation.
Reduction in Blood Culture Contamination Through Use of Initial Specimen Diversion Device.

Background Blood culture contamination is a clinically significant problem that results in patient harm and excess cost. Methods In a prospective, controlled trial at an academic center Emergency Department, a device that diverts and sequesters the initial 1.5-2 mL portion of blood (which presumably carries contaminating skin cells and microbes) was tested against standard phlebotomy procedures in patients requiring blood cultures due to clinical suspicion of serious infection. Results In sum, 971 subjects granted informed consent and were enrolled resulting in 904 nonduplicative subjects with 1808 blood cultures. Blood culture contamination was significantly reduced through use of the initial specimen diversion device™ (ISDD) compared to standard procedure: (2/904 [0.22%] ISDD vs 16/904 [1.78%] standard practice, P = .001). Sensitivity was not compromised: true bacteremia was noted in 65/904 (7.2%) ISDD vs 69/904 (7.6%) standard procedure, P = .41. No needlestick injuries or potential bloodborne pathogen exposures were reported. The monthly rate of blood culture contamination for all nurse-drawn and phlebotomist-drawn blood cultures was modeled using Poisson regression to compare the 12-month intervention period to the 6 month before and after periods. Phlebotomists (used the ISDD) experienced a significant decrease in blood culture contamination while the nurses (did not use the ISDD) did not. In sum, 73% of phlebotomists completed a post-study anonymous survey and widespread user satisfaction was noted. Conclusions Use of the ISDD was associated with a significant decrease in blood culture contamination in patients undergoing blood cultures in an Emergency Department setting. Clinical trials registration NCT02102087.
Event-Sampled Direct Adaptive NN Output- and State-Feedback Control of Uncertain Strict-Feedback System

In this paper, a novel event-triggered implementation of a tracking controller for an uncertain strict-feedback system is presented. Neural networks (NNs) are utilized in the backstepping approach to design a control input by approximating unknown dynamics of the strict-feedback nonlinear system with event-sampled inputs. The system state vector is assumed to be unknown and an NN observer is used to estimate the state vector. By using the estimated state vector and backstepping design approach, an event-sampled controller is introduced. As part of the controller design, first, input-to-state-like stability for a continuously sampled controller that has been injected with bounded measurement errors is demonstrated, and subsequently, an event-execution control law is derived, such that the measurement errors are guaranteed to remain bounded. Lyapunov theory is used to demonstrate that the tracking errors, the observer estimation errors, and the NN weight estimation errors for each NN are locally uniformly ultimately bounded in the presence bounded disturbances, NN reconstruction errors, as well as errors introduced by event sampling. Simulation results are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed controllers.
Cytotoxic protein from the mushroom Coprinus comatus possesses a unique mode for glycan binding and specificity

Glycans possess significant chemical diversity; glycan binding proteins (GBPs) recognize specific glycans to translate their structures to functions in various physiological and pathological processes. Therefore, the discovery and characterization of novel GBPs and characterization of glycan–GBP interactions are significant to provide potential targets for therapeutic intervention of many diseases. Here, we report the biochemical, functional, and structural characterization of a 130-amino-acid protein, Y3, from the mushroom Coprinus comatus. Biochemical studies of recombinant Y3 from a yeast expression system demonstrated the protein is a unique GBP. Additionally, we show that Y3 exhibits selective and potent cytotoxicity toward human T-cell leukemia Jurkat cells compared with a panel of cancer cell lines via inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis. Screening of a glycan array demonstrated GalNAcβ1–4(Fucα1–3)GlcNAc (LDNF) as a specific Y3-binding ligand. To provide a structural basis for function, the crystal structure was solved to a resolution of 1.2 A, revealing a single-domain αβα-sandwich motif. Two monomers were dimerized to form a large 10-stranded, antiparallel β-sheet flanked by α-helices on each side, representing a unique oligomerization mode among GBPs. A large glycan binding pocket extends into the dimeric interface, and docking of LDNF identified key residues for glycan interactions. Disruption of residues predicted to be involved in LDNF/Y3 interactions resulted in the significant loss of binding to Jurkat T-cells and severely impaired their cytotoxicity. Collectively, these results demonstrate Y3 to be a GBP with selective cytotoxicity toward human T-cell leukemia cells and indicate its potential use in cancer diagnosis and treatment.