cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Semiconducting nanocrystals, conjugated polymers, and conjugated polymer/nanocrystal nanohybrids and their usage in solar cells

As one of the major renewable energy sources, solar energy has the potential to become an essential component of future global energy production. With the increasing demand in energy, the harvesting of solar energy using inexpensive materials and manufacturing methods has attracted considerable attention. Organic/inorganic (i.e., conjugated polymer/nanocrystal (CP/NC)) nanohybrid solar cell, including both physically mixed CP/NC composites and covalently linked CP-NC nanocomposites, is one of the several most promising alternative, cost-effective concepts for solar-to-electric energy conversion that has been offered to challenge conventional Si solar cells over the past decade. It has low fabrication cost and capability of large-scale production. However, to date, the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic/inorganic nanohybrid solar cells has been reported to be only 5.5%, which is still lower than the theoretical prediction of more than 10%. Several problems, i. e., microscopic phase separation of semiconducting CPs and NCs, low charge injection, and low carrier collection, have not been well addressed. More research remains to be done to improve the efficiency of CP/NC nanohybrid solar cells. In this review article, the recent advances in solving these problems were discussed. For the CP/NC solar cells prepared by physically mixing electron donating CP and electron accepting NC (i.e., forming CP/NC composites), methods involving the use of solvent mixtures and ligand modification to control the phase separation at the nanoscale are discussed; the implications of intriguing anisotropic NCs as well as their assemblies (i.e., NC arrays) on improving the charge collection are presented. For newly developed CP/NC solar cells prepared by chemically tethering CP chains on the NC surface (i.e., yielding CP-NC nanocomposites, thereby preventing microscopic phase separation of CP and NC and improving their electronic interaction), recent strategies on the synthesis of such nanocomposites and their photovoltaic performance are discussed.
The status of the concept of intelligence

Psychometric studies have shown that “general intelligence” should be broken down into the ability to apply learned solutions to new problems (crystallized intelligence) and the ability to deal with novel intellectual problems (fluid intelligence). This distinction has been amplified upon by studies of individual differences in information processing. Crystallized intelligence depends on the problem-solving schema that people have acquired and upon their efficiency in accessing information in long-term memory. Fluid intelligence is associated with the ability to access and manage relatively large amounts of information in working memory. Measures of fluid and crystallized intelligence are important predictors of objectively measured workplace performance. Studies of actual and simulated workplaces have shown that this is largely due to differences in people's ability to manage information and the speed with which the details of a job can be grasped.
Social Function and Communication in Optimal Outcome Children and Adolescents with an Autism History on Structured Test Measures

Youth who lose their ASD diagnosis may have subtle social and communication difficulties. We examined social and communication functioning in 44 high-functioning autism (HFA), 34 optimal outcome (OO) and 34 typically developing (TD) youth. Results indicated that OO participants had no autism communication symptoms, no pragmatic language deficits, and were judged as likable as TD peers. Some group differences were found: OO youth had less insight into social relationships and poorer friendship descriptions than TD youth. OO participants had attention, self-control, and immaturity difficulties that may impact social abilities. However, OO participants were most engaged, friendliest, warmest, and most approachable. Overall, OO participants had no social and communicative impairments, although some exhibited mild social difficulties that often accompany attentional problems.
On the more insidious manifestations of bias in scientific reporting.

Although bias in scientific reporting has been the focus of prior commentary, more insidious aspects of such bias often excape attention by authors, reviewers, editorial boards, and commentators. Such bias is no longer simply academic because health care policy, which is increasingly predicated upon evidence-based scientific literature, may be adversely impacted by lack of balanced and objective publications in peer reviewed journals.
Distance Judgments in Space

The optimum conditions of stereoptics in relation to man's capabilities of distance judgment are discussed in this paper. It is suggested that by using stereo-optical instrumentation combined with the apparent movement phenomenon, a better visual effect will be produced than by using the stereoptic effect alone.
The Institutional Character of Computerized Information Systems

Examines how important social and technical choices become part of the history of a computer‐based information system (CBIS). Argues that CBIS should be developed in terms of their social, as well as their information‐processing characteristics. Demonstrates that developing CBIS as an institutional system is important because: the useability is more critical than the technology; a well‐used CBIS with a stable structure is more difficult to replace than an unstable, ill‐used one; and CBIS vary from one social setting to another. Illustrates with a case study of a failed attempt at conversion.
Assessment of using fingerstick blood sample with i-STAT point-of-care device for cardiac troponin I assay.

Abstract Purposes The purpose of this study is to compare fingerstick point-of-care (POC) testing for cardiac troponin I to conventional venipuncture POC testing using the i-STAT device. Basic procedures This study was conducted with institutional review board approval in the emergency department (ED) of a 535-bed suburban level I trauma center from June to August 2011. Fingerstick blood samples were collected from consenting patients for whom standard-of-care venipuncture POC troponin (POCT) testing had been ordered as part of their workup. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) assays were performed using the i-STAT 1 device (Abbott Point of Care, Princeton, NJ). The data were subjected to categorical comparison, linear regression, and Bland-Altman agreement analysis using SAS 9.2 software (SAS, Cary, NC). Main findings Eighty-nine cTnI levels were measured by both fingerstick and standard venipuncture ED POC testing. Four resulted in cartridge error; the remaining 85 were analyzed. Fingerstick testing, compared with standard ED POCT, has a positive predictive value of 1.00 (0.48, 1.00), negative predictive value of 0.96 (0.89, 0.99), sensitivity of 0.625 (0.24, 0.91), and specificity of 1.00 (0.95, 1.00). The relationship between methods appears linear, with linear regression equation ED POCT level = 0.0062 + 1.3752 * fingerstick level (P Principal conclusions Fingerstick cTnI testing using the i-STAT device is not accurate enough to determine the exact troponin level without the application of a corrective term. Fingerstick testing is, however, accurate in qualifying troponin levels as negative, borderline, or positive and is, therefore, capable of providing clinical information that may guide diagnostic and therapeutic decision making.
Platelet MAO and amitriptyline treatment

Some tricyclic antidepressants have been reported to inhibit monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in vitro in addition to blocking the reuptake of norepinephrine and/or serotonin. While the inhibition of MAO is reversible, platelet MAO activity in depressed patients responding to amitriptyline treatment has been reported to be reduced after drug treatment. In a reverse design, we measured platelet MAO activity and drug levels in patients chronically being treated with amitriptyline and again 2 and 4 weeks after stopping the medication. Although tricyclic drug concentrations were initially within the therapeutic range and undetectable on placebo treatment, platelet MAO activities were unchanged.
Syntheses, Structures, and Physical Properties of the New Quaternary Rare-Earth Chalcogenides RbNd2CuS4, RbSm2CuS4, CsLa2CuSe4, CsSm2CuSe4, RbEr2Cu3S5, CsGd2Ag3Se5, CsTb2Ag3Se5, and Rb2Gd4Cu4S9

Abstract Eight quaternary rare-earth chalcogenides, RbNd 2 CuS 4 , RbSm 2 CuS 4 , CsLa 2 CuSe 4 , CsSm 2 CuSe 4 , RbEr 2 Cu 3 S 5 , CsGd 2 Ag 3 Se 5 , CsTb 2 Ag 3 Se 5 , and Rb 2 Gd 4 Cu 4 S 9 , have been synthesized at 973 K with the use of a reactive flux of A 2 Q 3 ( A =Rb, Cs; Q =S, Se). All structural data were obtained at 153 K. The isostructural compounds ALn 2 Cu Q 4 ( Ln =rare earth) crystallize with four formula units in the KGd 2 CuS 4 structure type in space group Cmcm of the orthorhombic system; the isostructural compounds ALn 2 M 3 Q 5 ( M =Cu, Ag) crystallize with four formula units in the RbSm 2 Ag 3 Se 5 structure type in space group Cmcm of the orthorhombic system; and Rb 2 Gd 4 Cu 4 S 9 crystallizes with two formula units in space group C 2/ m of the monoclinic system. The cell dimensions of ALn 2 Cu Q 4 ( a , b , c (A)) are as follows: RbNd 2 CuS 4 , 4.0762(3), 13.954(1), 13.964(1); RbSm 2 CuS 4 , 4.0391(3), 13.815(1), 13.860(1); CsLa 2 CuSe 4 , 4.3129(6), 14.959(2), 14.798(2); CsSm 2 CuSe 4 , 4.2066(3), 14.6101(9), 14.5164(9). The corresponding R 1 indices for the refined structures are 0.0264, 0.0196, 0.0258, and 0.0224. The cell dimensions of ALn 2 M 3 Q 5 are as follows: RbEr 2 Cu 3 S 5 , 3.9283(3), 13.897(1), 16.348(1); CsGd 2 Ag 3 Se 5 , 4.2943(4), 15.424(1), 17.501(2); CsTb 2 Ag 3 Se 5 , 4.2779(4), 15.429(2), 17.426(2). The R 1 indices are 0.0257, 0.0255, and 0.0241. The cell dimensions of Rb 2 Gd 4 Cu 4 S 9 ( a , b , c (A), β (°)) is 13.897(1), 3.9883(3), 16.054(1), 109.273(1), and the R 1 index is 0.0199. All eight compounds have closely related three-dimensional tunnel structures. All alkali metal atoms in the tunnels are coordinated to eight Q atoms. Their anionic frameworks are built from LnQ 6 octahedra and MQ 4 tetrahedra. ALn 2 Cu Q 4 contains 1 ∞ [Cu Q 3 ] chains of vertex-sharing tetrahedra; Rb 2 Gd 4 Cu 4 S 9 contains 1 ∞ [Cu 4 S 8 ] chains of tetrahedra; and ALn 2 M 3 Q 5 contains 2 ∞ [ M 3 Q 5 ] layers of tetrahedra. Rb 2 Gd 4 Cu 4 S 9 and RbEr 2 Cu 3 S 5 , which are paramagnetic, obey the Curie–Weiss law, and have effective magnetic moments of 7.9(2) μ B for Gd 3+ and 9.43(5) μ B for Er 3+ . A band gap of 1.94 eV for Rb 2 Gd 4 Cu 4 S 9 was deduced from its diffuse reflectance spectrum, and the typical 4 f –4 f optical transitions for Er 3+ were found in RbEr 2 Cu 3 S 5 at about 1.6, 1.9, and 2.5 eV.
Fine Structural Correlates of Calcium Dynamics in the Presynaptic Terminal

Correlative morphological changes brought about by synaptic function have proven to be illusive. We have been interested in the fine structural correlates of synaptic fatigue in the frog sartorius neuromuscular preparation brought about by tetanic stimulation of the sartorius nerve with a suction electrode (Rose, et al., 1978). It has been suggested that the decrement of presynaptic transmitter release may be due to the decrement in the synaptic vesicle population, as the vesicular release of ACh at the neuromuscular junction exceeds the replacement of the vesicles when the presynaptic nerve stimulation is greatly augmented (Heuser and Reese, 1973). Examination with the electron microscope of the same presynaptic nerve terminal from which postsynaptic endplate potentials were recorded does not support the vesicle depletion theory. Extensive studies on identified synapses in the frog sartorius neuromuscular preparation indicated that there was no correlation with the decrease of the end-plate potential following stimulation and the number of vesicles present in the presynaptic ending (Rose, et al., 1978). It has also been reported that the steady decrease in the amount of transmitter being released during tetanic stimulation does not deplete the amount of ACh present in the presynaptic ending (Kriebel, et al., 1976). One can reasonably conclude that if the synaptic vesicle population or the presynaptic stores of ACh are not critically affected, then some other factor such as the obligatory role that calcium ions play in depolarization secretion-coupling may be critically affected and may bring about synaptic fatigue (cf. Augustine et al., 1987).
Combined autoradiography and immunohistochemistry for simultaneous localization of radioactively labeled steroid hormones and antibodies in the brain.

A combined technique of autoradiography and immunohistochemistry is described for localization of radioactively labeled ligands and antibodies to neuropeptides, protein hormones and neurotransmitter synthesizing enzymes in the brain. This method permits the simultaneous visualization of radioactively labeled cells and neuropeptide-producing cells in the same tissue preparation. Autoradiograms are fixed with weak paraformaldehyde solution prior to photographic processing for subsequent immunoperoxidase staining. With this procedure 3H-estradiol is localized in neurophysin I and arginine vasopressin-producing cells of the mouse supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei, neurophysin-producing cells of the guinea pig hypothalamus, and dopamine-β-hydroxylase-containing neurons of the rat lower brainstem; 3H-dihydrotestosterone in pituitary gonadotropes and thyrotropes; and 3H-1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D3 in pituitary thyrotropes and pancreatic B-cells.
Computer-assisted analysis of radial symmetry in human airway epithelial cilia: assessment of congenital ciliary defects in primary ciliary dyskinesia.

The ultrastructural analysis of cilia and diagnosis of primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) in biopsies of airway epithelium is sometimes confounded by poor sampling, inconsistencies in tissue quality and processing, and other technical problems. Although clinical findings maylead to a presumptive diagnosis, ultrastructural analysis of ciliary axonemes is the standard for confirmation of PCD. The ultrastructural features of the ciliumwhen viewed in crosssection by transmission electron microscopy confer a radial symmetry to the axoneme. Current digital image processing techniques can be applied to such images to reinforce signal, diminish noise, and confirm consistency of position of axonemal structures,a process that can augment ultrastructural analysis for PCD. In this study, computer-assisted digital image processing was used to evaluate cross sections of cilia in airway epithelial biopsies from patients previously diagnosed with PCD as well as in control subjects with normal cilia. These studies supported...
Electrical engineering laboratory for first-year and non-engineering students

"Exploring Engineering" is a required course for all first-year engineering students at Bucknell University (USA), and approximately one-fifth of the students in the course are nonengineering majors. The course uses lectures, laboratories, and design projects to illustrate the essence of engineering. This paper describes an electrical engineering laboratory that was developed for Exploring Engineering and offered during the fall of 1993. The title of the laboratory is "Sine Waves and Hearing", and the objective is to teach the basic properties of sine waves through several experiments related to hearing.
Deregulation of translation due to post-transcriptional modification of rRNA explains why erm genes are inducible

A key mechanism of bacterial resistance to macrolide antibiotics is the dimethylation of a nucleotide in the large ribosomal subunit by erythromycin resistance methyltransferases. The majority of erm genes are expressed only when the antibiotic is present and the erythromycin resistance methyltransferase activity is critical for the survival of bacteria. Although these genes were among the first discovered inducible resistance genes, the molecular basis for their inducibility has remained unknown. Here we show that erythromycin resistance methyltransferase expression reduces cell fitness. Modification of the nucleotide in the ribosomal tunnel skews the cellular proteome by deregulating the expression of a set of proteins. We further demonstrate that aberrant translation of specific proteins results from abnormal interactions of the nascent peptide with the erythromycin resistance methyltransferase-modified ribosomal tunnel. Our findings provide a plausible explanation why erm genes have evolved to be inducible and underscore the importance of nascent peptide recognition by the ribosome for generating a balanced cellular proteome.
Life Span of Cercariae of Postharmostomum helicis (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) Under Different Temperatures and Relative Humidity

Abstract Survivorship of cercariae of Postharmostomum helicis (Trematoda: Brachylaimidae) was examined under different temperatures and relative humidities. Cercariae were isolated from naturally infected snails (Anguispira alternata) and maintained at combinations of 3 temperatures (16.6, 22.2, and 29.4°C) and 5 relative humidities (0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%). Cercariae maintained at low relative humidities (0–50%) died rapidly at all temperatures, surviving 30 min or less on average. At higher relative humidities, life span extended for 3 or more hr. Vapor pressure deficit was a good predictor of life span except for trials at 100% relative humidity, wherein cercariae often died prior to desiccation of the mucous trails in which they were shed. The results of the present investigation suggest that life span is highly limited except under the moistest conditions.
Characterization of the Influence of Semen-Derived Enhancer of Virus Infection on the Interaction of HIV-1 with Female Reproductive Tract Tissues

The majority of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmission events occur in women when semen harboring infectious virus is deposited onto the mucosal barriers of the vaginal, ectocervical, and endocervical epithelia. Seminal factors such as semen-derived enhancer of virus infection (SEVI) fibrils were previously shown to greatly enhance the infectivity of HIV-1 in cell culture systems. However, when SEVI is intravaginally applied to living animals, there is no effect on vaginal transmission. To define how SEVI might function in the context of sexual transmission, we applied HIV-1 and SEVI to intact human and rhesus macaque reproductive tract tissues to determine how it influences virus interactions with these barriers. We show that SEVI binds HIV-1 and sequesters most virions to the luminal surface of the stratified squamous epithelium, significantly reducing the number of virions that penetrated the tissue. In the simple columnar epithelium, SEVI was no longer fibrillar in structure and was detached from virions but allowed significantly deeper epithelial virus penetration. These observations reveal that the action of SEVI in intact tissues is very different in the anatomical context of sexual transmission and begin to explain the lack of stimulation of infection observed in the highly relevant mucosal transmission model. IMPORTANCE The most common mode of HIV-1 transmission in women occurs via genital exposure to the semen of HIV-infected men. A productive infection requires the virus to penetrate female reproductive tract epithelial barriers to infect underlying target cells. Certain factors identified within semen, termed semen-derived enhancers of virus infection (SEVI), have been shown to significantly enhance HIV-1 infectivity in cell culture. However, when applied to the genital tracts of living female macaques, SEVI did not enhance virus transmission. Here we show that SEVI functions very differently in the context of intact mucosal tissues. SEVI decreases HIV-1 penetration of squamous epithelial barriers in humans and macaques. At the mucus-coated columnar epithelial barrier, the HIV-1/SEVI interaction is disrupted. These observations suggest that SEVI may not play a significant stimulatory role in the efficiency of male-to-female sexual transmission of HIV.
The Effects of Television Advertising and Product Class Involvement on Attribution Processes and Level of Attribute Confidence

This paper addresses those effects that television advertising and involvement might have on attribution processes and confidence. Involvement has been used explain the impact of advertising messages on a variety of consumer cognitive and affective responses (Laczniak, Meuhling and Grossbart 1989). An information processing rationale would also suggest a variety of situational factors at the time of measurement that could affect the attribution process and, therefore, the resultant effects on attribute confidence. (Gill, Grossbart and Laczniak 1988).
New frontiers in pediatric oncologic imaging.

As imaging technologies advance, a paradigm shift is emerging in the assessment of tumor response to therapy. The traditional method of measuring tumor size may not reflect changes in tumor viability induced by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Today's oncologists and radiologists seek objective methods for assessing tumor metabolism and blood flow, measures that provide earlier, more accurate information about treatment effects. Pediatric imaging presents unique challenges not encountered in adult imaging, including the need for sedation and consideration of the long-term effects of radiation exposure in a growing child. Therefore, the potential risks and benefits of new imaging approaches for monitoring anticancer treatment in children require careful consideration. Several new imaging techniques are currently under investigation for use in pediatric oncology. These include dynamic enhanced magnetic resonance imaging and quantitative contrast-enhanced ultrasonography for assessment of blood flow in solid tumors such as osteosarcoma and neuroblastoma, and nuclear imaging, including positron emission tomography–computed tomography, for assessment of pediatric musculoskeletal tumors and neuroblastoma. The potential value, relative advantages, and limitations of these new methods in monitoring anticancer therapy in children are discussed.
Antidepressants Give Cancer Cells the Blues

With the ever present need for novel treatments of human diseases, processes that accelerate the progress from bench to bedside are constantly being sought. While developing a new small molecule from the ground up takes a great deal of time and resources, repurposing drugs that have already been approved for the use of other indications allows their clinical use to occur in a very timely manner. Here, we highlight a new bioinformatics approach to finding new uses for old drugs, using data that are already available, that was recently published by Jahchan et al.
Adaptive resource allocation based on utility optimization in OFDM

This paper investigates efficient and fair resource allocation, which is realized by using utility functions to measure the quality of service of users, in multiuser orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) networks. To achieve the optimal resource allocation, we develop a series of efficient utility-based resource allocation algorithms that cover many conditions, including various dynamic subcarrier assignment and power allocation algorithms. The simulation results show that utility functions, together with dynamic subcarrier allocation, adaptive power allocation, and low-pass time window, can obtain multiuser, frequency, and time diversity, and significantly improve network efficiency as well as fairness.
Regulation of Iron Regulatory Protein 1 during Hypoxia and Hypoxia/Reoxygenation

Given the important relationship between O2 and iron (Fenton chemistry) a study was undertaken to characterize the effects of hypoxia, as well as subsequent reoxygenation, on the iron-regulatory proteins 1 and 2 (IRP1 and IRP2) in a rat hepatoma cell line. IRP1 and IRP2 are cytosolic RNA-binding proteins that bind RNA stem-loops located in the 5'- or 3'-untranslated regions of specific mRNAs encoding proteins that are involved in iron homeostasis. In cells exposed to hypoxia, IRP1 RNA binding was decreased approximately 2. 8-fold after a 6-h exposure to 3% O2. Hypoxic inactivation of IRP1 was abolished when cells were pretreated with the iron chelator desferrioxamine, indicating a role for iron in inactivation. IRP1 inactivation was reversible since re-exposure of hypoxically-treated cells to 21% O2 increased RNA binding activity approximately 7-fold after 21 h with an increase in activity seen as early as 1-h post-reoxygenation. IRP1 protein levels were unaffected during hypoxia as well as during reoxygenation. Whereas the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide did not block IRP1 inactivation during hypoxia, it completely blocked IRP1 reactivation during subsequent reoxygenation. Reactivation of IRP1 during reoxygenation was also partially blocked by the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid. Finally, reactivated IRP1 was found to be resistant to inactivation by exogenous iron known to down-regulate its activity during normoxia. These data demonstrate that IRP1 RNA binding activity is post-translationally regulated during hypoxia and hypoxia/reoxygenation. Regulation of IRP1 by changing oxygen tension may provide a novel mechanism for post-transcriptionally regulating gene expression under these stresses.
Cutaneous injury following acute UV-B radiation in a mouse model: a pilot histological study

Epidemiological and clinical studies have implicated solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, especially the UV-B radiation (290–320 nm wavelengths) as the principal agent that elicits sunburn, transient inflammation, melanoma and non-melanoma cancer, and premature skin aging. The common form of skin damage described as ‘photoaging’ is caused by repeated sun exposures; it can induce epithelial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage, and alter the structure and function of dermal connective tissue and extracellular matrix. The present study was aimed to elucidate the effects of a single exposure of different doses of UV-B radiation on the dorsal skin in the hairless mouse. The histopathologic sequels of such exposures were analyzed by using common staining methods, immunohistochemistry, and histomorphometry. Single UV-B exposures seem to elicit dose-graded histological changes some of which have been described in experiments with chronic exposure in this species.
Augmented Tumor Necrosis Factor Response to Lipopolysaccharide After Thermal Injury Is Regulated Posttranscriptionally

Background and Objective: Thermal injury has been shown to enhance macrophage sensitivity to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), resulting in augmented tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) production. This study was designed to examine whether enhanced TNF-α response after thermal injury and LPS stimulation is regulated at the level of transcription. Design: Tumor necrosis factor α release in alveolar macrophages harvested from sham- or thermal-injured Wistar rats was determined using an L929 cytotoxicity bioassay on days 1, 3, and 5 following 40% scald burn and incubation for 24 hours with LPS (0 or 10 μg/mL). Separate groups of rats underwent intraperitoneal injection of LPS (5 mg/kg) 3 days following sham or thermal injury. Lung tissue RNA was isolated and probed for TNF-α messenger RNA (mRNA), using nuclease protection analysis. Finally, pooled alveolar macrophages were harvested 3 days following sham or thermal injury and cultured in the presence or absence of LPS (10 μg/mL) for 4 hours. The RNA from the pooled alveolar macrophages was extracted and probed for TNF-α mRNA levels. Results: Thermal injury alone did not significantly increase alveolar macrophage TNF-α bioactivity, whole-lung TNF-α mRNA levels, or pooled alveolar macrophages TNF-α mRNA levels when compared with levels in sham-injured rats. However, alveolar macrophages from postburn day 3 (PBD 3) demonstrated increased sensitivity to LPS (10 μg/mL) compared with alveolar macrophages from sham-injured animals undergoing similar LPS treatment (2365±1011) vs 169±79 ng/mL; P Conclusions: Thermal injury induces priming of alveolar macrophages, resulting in significant increases in macrophage TNF-α production after exposure to LPS. The majority of this effect appears to be regulated at a post-transcriptional level, since there were only moderate increases in TNF-α mRNA levels after LPS stimulation, which did not coincide with large differences in bioactivity. (Arch Surg. 1994;129:1198-1203)
The problem with the farmer’s voice

In this essay we present three biases that make it difficult to represent farmer voices in a meaningful way. These biases are information bias, individual bias, and short-term bias. We illustrate these biases through two case studies. One is the case of Golden Rice in the Philippines and the other is the case of Bt cotton in India.
Ly49A Transgenic Mice Provide Evidence for a Major Histocompatibility Complex–dependent Education Process in Natural Killer Cell Development

The Ly49 natural killer (NK) cell receptors are class I MHC-specific inhibitory receptors that are distributed to overlapping NK cell subsets. The formation of the Ly49 receptor repertoire was examined with transgenic mice that express Ly49A in all NK cells. In MHC class I-deficient mice, the Ly49A transgene did not prevent expression of endogenous Ly49 genes. However, in H-2(d) mice that express a Ly49A ligand, the transgene caused clear alterations in the endogenous Ly49 repertoire. The frequency of NK cells expressing another H-2(d)-specific receptor, Ly49G2(+), was substantially reduced. Reduced numbers of cells expressing endogenous Ly49A was suggested by reduced endogenous Ly49A mRNA levels. These results support the existence of an MHC-dependent education process that limits the number of NK cells that coexpress multiple self-specific Ly49 receptors. Ligand-dependent downregulation of Ly49 cell surface levels was also examined. Cell-surface downregulation occurred even when the transgene was expressed at low levels. The results demonstrate that downregulation of Ly49A cell surface levels is a posttranscriptional event, and argue against a model in which Ly49 receptors are calibrated to specific cell surface levels depending on the available class I ligands.
Library services for persons with disabilities: twentieth anniversary update.

In recognition of the twentieth anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this survey updates the progress and reflects on the status of academic health sciences library services for people with disabilities since the Nelson study in 1996. 1 The results of this survey extend beyond academic libraries to hospital libraries and include areas where all libraries can improve disability access. Based on a 24% response rate, libraries have addressed accessibility of technology in cost-effective and relatively easy ways. Libraries are reactively rather than proactively making changes to services for persons with disabilities.
Justice and Human Development

Psychologists have studied certain elements of wellness, and various aspects of fairness, but they have seldom studied the interaction between the two. As a result, it is not surprising that there is a paucity of educational, community, clinical and social interventions to promote wellness and fairness in concert. In this paper I present a framework of justice consisting of substantive and contextual types. Distributive and procedural justice constitute the two main types of justice. Interpersonal, organizational, cultural and communal justice are contextual types which embed within them the two substantive aspects of justice. I explore how these various kinds of justice impact human development across six facets of well-being: interpersonal, communal, occupational, physical, psychological and economic. I claim that for children and adults to achieve optimal human development, these facets of well-being must be supported by various types of justice.
Dissecting the Torture Memos

Although the media are replete with contradictory allegations regarding the merit of the recently released "torture memos," it is difficult to find a clear, concise analysis allowing for an independent evaluation. This very short piece (4 pages long) attempts to supply such an analysis of the memos' principal claims. It demonstrates the utter frivolity of the memos' legal reasoning, and concludes by suggesting that their authors' clear professional failures should result in sanctions for professional-ethics violations.
The Law and Policy of Environmental Federalism: Introduction

The introduction begins by laying a foundation for the book, introducing the concept of federalism broadly, as well as environmental federalism specifically, in the interest of making the book more accessible to students and non-academic readers. This is followed by a brief overview of each chapter and explanation of how the editor has endeavored to organize them for this book.
Overspending driven by oversized single dose vials of cancer drugs

Peter B Bach and colleagues call for an end to contradictory regulatory standards in the US that allow drug manufacturers to boost profits by producing single dose vials containing quantities that increase leftover drug
Incidence, Cause, and Prevention of Egg Shell Breakage in Commercial Production

Abstract Estimates for the incidence of broken eggs in commercial production range from 6 to 8% of all eggs produced. This breakage can be categorized into a number of stages, and the incidence at these stages varies. Attempts to decrease the incidence of shell breakage should be approached by studying the underlying factors that contribute to breakage under a specific situation. The factors discussed include: 1) the physiology of the bird, with emphasis on the interval between and time of oviposition, rate of shell deposition, uterine environment, and metabolism; 2) egg characteristics, with emphasis on egg shape, color, membrane, and deformities of the shell; 3) behavior, with emphasis on stance and flightiness; 4) housing equipment; 5) management; 6) environment, with emphasis on environmental temperature; 7) nutrition, with emphasis on Ca, phase feeding, and vitamin D; and 8) age and its relationship with increasing egg size and 9) genetic variation.
Basis of learning disorders: Management implications.

There are many potential causes for a child's inability to learn in the school environment. If one moves away from learning disorders as being specifically problems of perception and sensory processing and toward the concept that a child may not be learning for more general reasons, then the physician must consider a number of possibilities for impairments in learning. These potential causes may be viewed from an organic and a functional perspective. The specific child in question may have more than one definable reason for his inability to learn and may represent a combination of etiologic factors of both the organic and the functional variety. Thus, the physician is cautioned about "labeling" a child with specific entities thus excluding the possibility of secondary and tertiary causes as well as ignoring the dynamic nature of change in the developing child. The categories to be mentioned are to be used~as guidelines onlyto provide a foundation for thought from which to further elucidate the specific problems of the individual child.
Ultrafast Chemical Reactions in Shocked Nitromethane Probed with Dynamic Ellipsometry and Transient Absorption Spectroscopy

Initiation of the shock driven chemical reactions and detonation of nitromethane (NM) can be sensitized by the addition of a weak base; however, the chemical mechanism by which sensitization occurs remains unclear. We investigated the shock driven chemical reaction in NM and in NM sensitized with diethylenetriamine (DETA), using a sustained 300 ps shock driven by a chirped Ti:sapphire laser. We measured the solutions' visible transient absorption spectra and measured interface particle and shock velocities of the nitromethane solutions using ultrafast dynamic ellipsometry. We found there to be a volume-increasing reaction that takes place around interface particle velocity up = 2.4 km/s and up = 2.2 km/s for neat NM and NM with 5% DETA, respectively. The rate at which transient absorption increases is similar in all mixtures, but with decreasing induction times for solutions with increasing DETA concentrations. This result supports the hypothesis that the chemical reaction mechanisms for shocked NM and NM with DETA are the same. Data from shocked NM are compared to literature experimental and theoretical data.
Magnetism and Mn Clustering in (In,Mn)Sb Magnetic Semiconductors

Previously, high-temperature ferromagnetism with a Curie temperature in excess of 400 K was reported in the magnetic semiconductor (In,Mn)Sb films grown by metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). To determine the role of Mn distribution on its magnetic properties, the Mn 2p core-level X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) of (In,Mn)Sb films was measured. For films grown on an InSb substrate, Mn composition is spatially inhomogeneous and its concentration increases with increasing deposition temperature. Spin-orbit splitting energy of the Mn 2p core-level was found to increase with increasing Mn concentration. From the dependence of the measured spin-orbit splitting energy on the Mn concentration, evidence of atomic-scale Mn cluster formation was observed. The measured magnetic moment per Mn atom decreases from 3.0 μB/Mn to 1.8 μB/Mn with increasing Mn concentration, which is attributed to atomic-scale clusters that are ferromagnetic or ferrimagnetic. This detailed investigation gives an insight into the Mn distribution, phase composition and origin of magnetism in MOVPE-grown (In,Mn)Sb magnetic thin films.
The Difficulty of Politics

If we pause to think about it, managing politics was a far easier, indeed an immensely easier matter, say, a century ago. The increasing difficulty of politics results from many reasons. Intellectually it goes back to the late sixties, when the campus revolution brought to the fore a new democratic primitivism. However, the seeds of difficult politics are also technological and have a lot to do with video-democracy. And, in the interim, we are confronted with degenerative processes, especially an escalation of political corruption that corrupts politics itself.
Combined Effects of pH and Temperature on Listeriolysin O Production by Listeria monocytogenes SLCC 5764

Listeria monocytogenes SLCC 5764 was propagated at 4, 25, or 37°C in tryptic soy broth (TSB) acidified with either acetic acid at pH 5.2, 5.7, or 7.0, or hydrochloric acid at pH 5.0, 5.7, or 7.0; or made alkaline with sodium hydroxide at pH 7.5, 8.5, or 9.5. These studies were undertaken to determine the combined effects of temperature and pH on the production of listeriolysin O (LLO). The LLO activity was greatest after the cells were propagated in TSB acidified by either acid to pH 7.0 at 37°C. Very little LLO activity was detected for cells propagated at 4° under acidic conditions. There were no significant differences found between the LLO produced in media acidified with either acid. The LLO activity was highest after the cells were propagated in media at pH 7.5 at 37°C.
BH3 mimetic Obatoclax (GX15-070) mediates mitochondrial stress predominantly via MCL-1 inhibition and induces autophagy-dependent necroptosis in human oral cancer cells

// Prasad Sulkshane 1 and Tanuja Teni 1 1 Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre (TMC), Kharghar, Navi Mumbai-410210, Maharashtra, India Correspondence to: Tanuja Teni, email: tteni@actrec.gov.in Keywords: MCL-1, Obatoclax, autophagy, necroptosis, mitochondria Received: December 26, 2015 Accepted: July 23, 2016 Published: August 05, 2016 ABSTRACT We have previously reported overexpression of antiapoptotic MCL-1 protein in human oral cancers and its association with therapy resistance and poor prognosis, implying it to be a potential therapeutic target. Hence, we investigated the efficacy and mechanism of action of Obatoclax, a BH3 mimetic pan BCL-2 inhibitor in human oral cancer cell lines. All cell lines exhibited high sensitivity to Obatoclax with complete clonogenic inhibition at 200–400 nM concentration which correlated with their MCL-1 expression. Mechanistic insights revealed that Obatoclax induced a caspase-independent cell death primarily by induction of a defective autophagy. Suppression of autophagy by ATG5 downregulation significantly blocked Obatoclax-induced cell death. Further, Obatoclax induced interaction of p62 with key components of the necrosome RIP1K and RIP3K. Necrostatin-1 mediated inhibition of RIP1K significantly protected the cells from Obatoclax induced cell death. Moreover, Obatoclax caused extensive mitochondrial stress leading to their dysfunction. Interestingly, MCL-1 downregulation alone caused mitochondrial stress, highlighting its importance for mitochondrial homeostasis. We also demonstrated in vivo efficacy of Obatoclax against oral cancer xenografts and its synergism with ionizing radiation in vitro . Our studies thus suggest that Obatoclax induces autophagy-dependent necroptosis in oral cancer cells and holds a great promise in the improved management of oral cancer patients.
A simple efficient approximation algorithm for dynamic time warping

Dynamic time warping (DTW) is a widely used curve similarity measure. We present a simple and efficient (1 + e)- approximation algorithm for DTW between a pair of point sequences, say, P and Q, each of which is sampled from a curve. We prove that the running time of the algorithm is O([EQUATION]n log σ) for a pair of k-packed curves with a total of n points, assuming that the spreads of P and Q are bounded by σ. The spread of a point set is the ratio of the maximum to the minimum pairwise distance, and a curve is called K- packed if the length of its intersection with any disk of radius r is at most Kr. Although an algorithm with similar asymptotic time complexity was presented in [1], our algorithm is considerably simpler and more efficient in practice.We have implemented our algorithm. Our experiments on both synthetic and real-world data sets show that it is an order of magnitude faster than the standard exact DP algorithm on point sequences of length 5, 000 or more while keeping the approximation error within 5--10%. We demonstrate the efficacy of our algorithm by using it in two applications - computing the k most similar trajectories to a query trajectory, and running the iterative closest point method for a pair of trajectories. We show that we can achieve 8--12 times speedup using our algorithm as a subroutine in these applications, without compromising much in accuracy.
Local radiotherapy and GM-CSF in metastatic cancer: lessons from a proof of principle trial

ABSTRACTIonizing radiation contributes key danger signals within the tumor microenvironment that are sensed by the immune system. When combined with immunotherapy it can act to successfully vaccinate the carrier against the irradiated tumor. Recruitment and activation of dendritic cells are key components involved in antigen cross presentation and successful vaccination. The clinical translation of preclinical evidence of combining radiation with dendritic cell growth factors confirms their important role for successful, individualized vaccination.
Liquid Biopsies for Cancer: Coming to a Patient near You

The use of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) as a novel and non-invasive test for the diagnosis and surveillance of cancer is a rapidly growing area of interest, with sequencing of ctDNA acting as a potential surrogate for tissue biopsy. Circulating tumor DNA has been detected incidentally during noninvasive prenatal testing and additionally in more than 75% of known cancer patients participating in ctDNA studies evaluating its sensitivity. In the setting of mutation-based targeted tumor therapy, it shows a concordance rate >80% when compared with gold-standard tissue biopsies. Through ctDNA detection and sequencing, a simple blood test becomes a liquid biopsy for cancer, surveying a patient’s entire circulation with the goal of early detection, prognostic information, personalized therapy options, and tracking for recurrence or resistance, all with fewer or no tissue biopsies. Given the recent first-ever FDA approval of a liquid biopsy, it is important for clinicians to be aware of the rapid advancements likely to bring these tests into our practices soon. Here we review the biology, clinical implications, and recent advances in circulating tumor DNA analysis.
Support Vector Machines

There is a growing interest in support vector machines (SVMs) as tools in ecological prediction and classification. SVMs use separating hyperplanes and exploit theorems bounding the actual risk by the empirical risk to find the optimal decision rule. SVMs do not rely on any distributional assumptions or asymptotic arguments and therefore can be used on small data sets. They are especially valuable for high-dimensional data. This article introduces the underlying mathematical theory of SVMs and discusses their use in ecological investigations.
Treatment of Established Human Graft-Versus-Host Disease by Antithymocyte Globulin

Forty successful marrow grafts have been carried out since April 1972 for the treatment of severe refractory aplastic anemia or acute leukemia. All patients were HL-A identical and nonreactive in mixed leukocyte culture tests with the marrow donor. Nineteen of the patients developed moderately severe to severe graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and were treated with rabbit or goat antihuman antithymocyte globulin (ATG). Under ATG therapy, 12 of the 19 showed complete resolution of GVHD, five showed improvement of most organ systems involved, and two showed no change except for improvement in skin lesions. Six of the 19 became long-term survivors. Five of the six are alive between 276 and 629 days after grafting, and one died on day 346 with chronic respiratory failure. Of the remaining 13 patients, 11 died with interstitial pneumonitis of predominantly viral etiology, and two died with fungal and bacterial infections. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates the relative effectiveness of ATG in reversing human GVHD. Death with interstitial pneumonitis was the single most serious impediment to successful treatment of GVHD by ATG.
Designing and Implementing a Network for Sensing Water Quality and Hydrology across Mountain to Urban Transitions

Water resources are increasingly impacted by growing human populations, land use, and climate changes, and complex interactions among biophysical processes. In an effort to better understand these factors in semiarid northern Utah, United States, we created a real-time observatory consisting of sensors deployed at aquatic and terrestrial stations to monitor water quality, water inputs, and outputs along mountain to urban gradients. The Gradients Along Mountain to Urban Transitions (GAMUT) monitoring network spans three watersheds with similar climates and streams fed by mountain winter-derived precipitation, but that differ in urbanization level, land use, and biophysical characteristics. The aquatic monitoring stations in the GAMUT network include sensors to measure chemical (dissolved oxygen, specific conductance, pH, nitrate, and dissolved organic matter), physical (stage, temperature, and turbidity), and biological components (chlorophyll-a and phycocyanin). We present the logistics of designing, implementing, and maintaining the network; quality assurance and control of numerous, large datasets; and data acquisition, dissemination, and visualization. Data from GAMUT reveal spatial differences in water quality due to urbanization and built infrastructure; capture rapid temporal changes in water quality due to anthropogenic activity; and identify changes in biological structure, each of which are demonstrated via case study datasets.