cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Inhibition of Advanced Glycation End Products by Carnosine and Other Natural Dipeptides to Reduce Diabetic and Age-Related Complications

As people age they are at a greater risk for many disorders including cardiovascular, renal, and neurodegenerative diseases, and these conditions are exacerbated by diabetes. An important cause of the maladies associated with both age and diabetes is the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGE formation is initiated by glycation reactions between reducing sugars and free amine groups. A cascade of other reactions follows, leading to alterations in membrane function and damage to the proteome, such as protein crosslinking. Compounds that prevent these reactions are currently being researched, but peptides hold great potential as they tend to lack toxicity, are absorbed intact, are easily produced, and are cheaper than other options. Of the peptides researched, carnosine is the most promising. Research suggests that carnosine is absorbed into the plasma unaltered and intact. Carnosine has been shown to prevent AGE formations through reduction of blood glucose, prevention of early glycation, and even reversing previously formed AGEs. Other promising peptides and amino acids include β-alanine, L-histidine, homocarnosine, anserine, and glutathione. If bioactive peptides and amino acids can minimize the formation of AGEs, foods containing these peptides could be used to improve health.
Radiotracer techniques in modeling continuous flotation processes

Results of work on the development of a phenomenological model for the continuous flotation process using short-lived radioactive tracer techniques for determining model parameters is reported. A model that incorporates a flotation first-order rate constant and a residence time distribution based on the cross -flow finite-stage (CFFS) model has been derived and investigated. The short-lived radioactive tracer techniques and the nonlinear search methods necessary to extract the model parameters have been developed. The conditions under which all the model parametrs can be extracted from a single radiotracer experiment are detailed and illustrated. A micro-computer-based unique data logging system has been designed, assembled, and implemented for collecting the necessary transient radiotracer data. Results are reported for a continuous laboratory flotation process for the two systems, mica ore and coal.
Crop Growers’ Adaptive Capacity to Climate Change: A Situated Study of Agriculture in Arizona’s Verde Valley

Climate change will pose unprecedented challenges for agricultural producers globally, requiring the ability to adapt to new and unpredictable conditions. This study explores the adaptive capacity of crop growers in the Verde Valley, Arizona (US). Rather than examining pre-determined indicators of adaptive capacity, this study adopts a situated framework that examines material conditions, perceptions, and the larger social context. Interviewers used past experiences and future scenarios to allow factors that enhance or constrain adaptive capacity to emerge from the interviews. Findings reveal adaptation is site specific but general measures can be taken to enhance adaptive capacity. Encouraging diversity in crops and water sources, the use of drought and heat tolerant crops, and the use of water conservation practices will likely increase growers' adaptive capacity. In contrast, lack of support from organizations and government programs, lack of diverse crops and sources of water, lack of awareness about climate change, and growers' confidence in their ability to always adapt impairs adaptive capacity. Verde Valley growers will need increased support from local and national organizations to adapt to projected changes. The situated framework applied in this study reveals important insights and could be used to explore adaptive capacity in other agricultural regions.
Evaluating school and peer protective factors in the effects of interparental conflict on adolescent threat appraisals and self-efficacy.

Abstract Introduction Recent work has sought to understand how family-specific risk, such as exposure to interparental conflict, may generalize to developmentally-salient processes in adolescence. A cascade model has been identified in which conflict-specific threat appraisals may erode adolescents' self-efficacy over time, and in turn, undermine their psychological well-being. The goal of this study was to integrate success in the school and peer contexts as potential contextual protective factors that may mitigate the effects of interparental conflict on self-efficacy. Methods We tested the additive and interactive effects of success in school and peer contexts on adolescent self-efficacy to better understand these ecological contextual factors for a family risk model. Analyses were conducted using structural equation modeling with a sample of 768 two-parent U.S. families across three measurement occasions. Interparental conflict, threat appraisals, self-efficacy, and school success and peer support were measured using multiple, established scales. Results Results supported the additive effects model, in that school success and peer support significantly contributed to general self-efficacy above and beyond the effects of threat appraisals of interparental conflict, but did not moderate the association between threat appraisals and self-efficacy. Conclusions Findings indicate that strengths in school and peer contexts have potential to compensate for, but do not appear to buffer, the negative effects of threat appraisals of interparental conflict and underscore the importance of these contexts for understanding multifinality in outcomes of adolescents exposed to interparental conflict.
Current-fed Full-Bridge Boost DC-DC Converter with Adaptive Resonant Energy

This paper presents a current-fed full-bridge (FB) boost dc-dc converter with adaptive resonant energy for smooth current transition and zero-current-switching (ZCS). FB-ZCS converters utilize resonance between leakage inductance of transformer and shunt-connected resonant capacitor across the transformer winding to achieve the required quasi-resonant operation. Resonant energy stored in the capacitor is fixed by nature of its shunt-connection and must be designed for full-load condition. At reduced loading, full-load-rated energy is not required in the resonant capacitor and reduced current results in increased charging time and duty-cycle loss. Moreover, ZCS operation is lost under overload conditions with this arrangement. To overcome these drawbacks, an adaptive resonant energy storage and discharge mechanism using two resonant capacitors is proposed in this paper. Shunt resonant capacitor stores low energy suited for light-load conditions instead of full-load. The other resonant capacitor connected in series with the transformer-primary winding adaptively charges and stores resonant energy based on input current. Proposed arrangement doesn't require additional switches or complex control strategy and results in minimized duty-cycle loss and capability to maintain ZCS under overload conditions. Detailed converter analysis and simulation results are presented to validate the proposed idea.
A One-to-Many Traffic Aware Wireless Network-in-Package for Multi-Chip Computing Platforms

Platform based computing modules such as embedded systems and micro-servers are multichip systems with in-package memory and processing chips. These computation expensive and memory intensive multichip systems need an energy efficient broadcast/multicast capable interconnection infrastructure to support the cache coherence protocols and system-level synchronization mechanisms. State-of-the-art interconnections do not provide an efficient support for broadcast/multicast communication. Consequently, a small proportion of such one-to-many traffic, increases the energy consumption and message latency while decreasing the data bandwidth for chip-to-chip communication. To address this issue, we propose the design of a one-to-many traffic-aware Wireless Network-in-Package (WiNiP) architecture. Using a one-to-many traffic-aware Medium Access Control (MAC), the proposed WiNiP architecture reduces the message latency of such traffic for both homogenous and heterogeneous multichip systems with in-package memory. We demonstrate with cycle-accurate simulations that the proposed WiNiP architecture reduces the energy consumption and latency while increasing the bandwidth by up to 54.7% for multichip data transfer compared to state-of-the-art wired NiPs.
SYNTHESIS OF A 3-KETO BICYCLIC PYRAZOLIDINONE USING A CURTIUS REARRANGEMENT

Abstract The synthesis of bicyclic pyrazolidinone 2 is described. Traditional methods for penem and cephem ring cyclization were found to be unsuccessful and new methodology using a Curtius rearrangement was utilized. The 3-enamine 11 was hydrolysed to the desired β-keto ester 2b without substantial loss of the t-BOC protecting group.
A survey in uncharted territory: A collaborative study to explore the approach to atopic dermatitis patient management in allopathy and naturopathy

Background Atopic dermatitis (AD) patients frequently use both conventional and complementary medicines for treatment. Allopathic and naturopathic providers may be unaware of each other's approach to AD diagnosis, skin care, and treatment, affecting patient and provider communication, patient safety, and potential for collaborative studies. Objective To identify core commonalities and differences in allopathic and naturopathic approach to AD. Methods Thirty allopathic and 21 naturopathic providers completed an 11-question free-text comment survey, covering patient education and evaluation, skin care, and treatment of AD. Qualitative content analysis detected key ideas and concepts, and word cloud analysis provided a quantitative visual representation of recurrent words in each group's responses. Results All respondents indicated using similar physical features to diagnose AD. In both allopathic and naturopathic fields, the majority of providers did not perform routine testing for AD diagnosis. Skin care with moisturization and "soak-and-seal" bathing practices were routine in both fields. Naturopathic providers heavily emphasized the role of food and diet in AD pathogenesis, education, and management, while allopathic providers indicated little to no role for food and diet in AD. For treatment, allopathic providers favored topical steroids, phototherapy, and immunomodulators, whereas naturopathic providers recommended botanicals, supplements, and other complementary and alternative methods. Conclusions Providers should be aware of the differences between allopathic and naturopathic providers and their approach to AD management, particularly concerning the role of food and diet. There may be opportunities to harmonize skin care regimens for patients given similar approach in both fields, and to collaborate further on studies of diet in AD and treatments not yet effectively tested.
Machine Learning Stop Signal Test (ML-SST): ML-based Mouse Tracking Enhances Adult ADHD Diagnosis

Attention-deficit/Hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects the quality of life worldwide. It is commonly diagnosed and studied with specialized questionnaires and behavioral tests. However, in cases of late-onset or mild forms of ADHD, behavioral measures often fail to gauge the deficiencies well-highlighted by questionnaires. This lack of sensitivity in behavioral tests is problematic because it prevents researchers from studying pathophysiology of ADHD ranging from normal to abnormal. To improve the sensitivity of behavioral tests, in the present study we propose a novel version of the Stop-signal task (SST) - a common behavioral test of ADHD - which integrates machine learning and mouse cursor tracking (ML-SST). In one experiment, we compared ML-SST and a standard version of SST (s-SST) in their ability to detect ADHD symptoms in an adult sample. Our results indicate that introducing mouse cursor tracking and ridge regression produces the strongest and most stable associations between questionnaire data and behavioral measures.
Evaluating the Benefits of Many-Core Programming Models with Scientific Kernels: A Case Study

Case studies constitute a modern interdisciplinary and valuable teaching practice which plays a critical and fundamental role in the development of new skills and the formation of new knowledge. This research studies the behavior and performance of two interdisciplinary and widely adopted scientific kernels, a Fast Fourier Transform and Matrix Multiplication. Both routines are implemented in the two current most popular many-core programming models CUDA and OpenACC. A Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) samples a signal over a period of time and divides it into its frequency components, computing the Discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) of a sequence. Unlike the traditional approach to computing a DFT, FFT algorithms reduce the complexity of the problem from O(n2) to O(nLog2n). Matrix multiplication is a cornerstone routine in Mathematics, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This research also shows that the nature of the problem plays a crucial role in determining what many-core model will provide the highest benefit in performance.
Clinical, imaging, and molecular analysis of pediatric pontine tumors lacking characteristic imaging features of DIPG

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is most commonly diagnosed based on imaging criteria, with biopsy often reserved for pontine tumors with imaging features not typical for DIPG (atypical DIPG, ‘aDIPG’). The histopathologic and molecular spectra of the clinical entity aDIPG remain to be studied systematically. In this study, thirty-three patients with newly diagnosed pontine-centered tumors with imaging inconsistent with DIPG for whom a pathologic diagnosis was subsequently obtained were included. Neoplasms were characterized by routine histology, immunohistochemistry, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization, Sanger and next-generation DNA/RNA sequencing, and genome-wide DNA methylome profiling. Clinicopathologic features and survival outcomes were analyzed and compared to those of a contemporary cohort with imaging features consistent with DIPG (typical DIPG, ‘tDIPG’). Blinded retrospective neuroimaging review assessed the consistency of the initial imaging-based diagnosis and correlation with histopathology. WHO grade II-IV infiltrating gliomas were observed in 54.6% of the cases; the remaining were low-grade gliomas/glioneuronal tumors or CNS embryonal tumors. Histone H3 K27M mutation, identified in 36% of the cases, was the major prognostic determinant. H3 K27M–mutant aDIPG and H3 K27M–mutant tDIPG had similar methylome profiles but clustered separately from diffuse midline gliomas of the diencephalon and spinal cord. In the aDIPG cohort, clinicoradiographic features did not differ by H3 status, yet significant differences in clinical and imaging features were observed between aDIPG without H3 K27M mutation and tDIPG. Neuroimaging review revealed discordance between the classification of aDIPG and tDIPG and did not correlate with the histology of glial/glioneuronal tumors or tumor grade. One patient (3.1%) developed persistent neurologic deficits after surgery; there were no surgery-related deaths. Our study demonstrates that surgical sampling of aDIPG is well-tolerated and provides significant diagnostic, therapeutic, and prognostic implications, and that neuroimaging alone is insufficient to distinguish aDIPG from tDIPG. H3 K27M-mutant aDIPG is epigenetically and clinically similar to H3 K27M-mutant tDIPG.
Prevalence and Impact on Quality of Life of Occult Hernias among Patients Undergoing Computed Tomography.

Abstract Background With the widespread use of advanced imaging there is a need to quantify the prevalence and impact of hernias. We aimed to determine the prevalence of abdominal wall hernias among patients undergoing computed tomography (CT) scans and their impact on abdominal wall quality of life (AW-QOL). Methods Patients undergoing elective CT abdomen/pelvis scans were enrolled. Standardized physical examinations were performed by surgeons blinded to the CT scan results. AW-QOL was measured through the modified Activities Assessment Scale. On this scale, 1 is poor AW-QOL, 100 is perfect, and a change of 7 is the minimum clinically important difference. Three surgeons reviewed the CT scans for the presence of ventral or groin hernias. The number of patients and the median AW-QOL scores were determined for three groups: no hernia, hernias only seen on imaging (occult hernias), and clinically apparent hernias. Results A total of 246 patients were enrolled. Physical examination detected 62 (25.2%) patients with a hernia while CT scan revealed 107 (43.5%) with occult hernias. The median (interquartile range) AW-QOL of patients per group was no hernia = 84 (46), occult hernia = 77 (57), and clinically apparent hernia = 62 (55). Conclusions One-fourth of individuals undergoing CT abdomen/pelvis scans have a clinical hernia, whereas nearly half have an occult hernia. Compared with individuals with no hernias, patients with clinically apparent or occult hernias have a lower AW-QOL (by 22 and seven points, respectively). Further studies are needed to determine natural history of AW-QOL and best treatment strategies for patients with occult hernias.
Rethinking Identity in Political Science

Political science engages similar types of identity on different terms. There are extensive literatures describing phenomena related to national, ethnic, class, and gender identity; however, these ...
Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in laboratory medicine: why, what, and how

In the era of precision medicine, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) will continue to have significant impact on laboratory medicine in spite of the inherent challenges posed by the technology. It seeks to explain what is clinical mass spectrometry , and describes its basic framework and life cycle. It concludeds the key points of clinical LC-MS through the practical experiences of CLSI guideline and Cleveland health care clinical mass spectrometry laboratory. It then illustrates the challenges of appropriately applying LC-MS to clinical diagnostics through comparisons with research based LC-MS utilizations. Furthermore, It attempts to elucidate the challenges and endeavors It has made toward implementing clinical LC-MS in China. Finally, It discusses the prospective future of LC-MS in clinical diagnostics.(Chin J Lab Med, 2017, 40: 737-734) Key words: Chromatography, liquid; Mass spectrometry; Clinical laboratory techniques
Finely Designed P3HT-Based Fully Conjugated Graft Polymer: Optical Measurements, Morphology, and the Faraday Effect.

In this work, our group synthesized and characterized a fully conjugated graft polymer comprising of a donor–acceptor molecular backbone and regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RRP3HT) side chains...
Numerical simulation of electromagnetic wave scattering from planar dielectric films deposited on rough perfectly conducting substrates

Electromagnetic wave scattering from planar dielectric films deposited on one-dimensional, randomly rough, perfectly conducting substrates is studied by numerical simulations for both p- and s-polarization. The reduced Rayleigh equation, which is the integral equation satisfied by the scattering amplitude after eliminating the fields inside the film, is the starting point for the simulation. This equation is solved numerically by considering a random surface of finite length, and by introducing wave number cut-offs in the evanescent part of the spectrum. Upon discretization, a system of linear equations is obtained, and by solving this matrix system for an ensemble of surface realizations, the contribution to the mean differential reflection coefficient from the incoherently scattered field, $ _{incoh}$ (\nu=p,s), is obtained nonperturbatively. It is demonstrated that when the scattering geometry supports at least two guided waves, $ _{incoh}$, has, in addition to the well known enhanced backscattering peak, well-defined satellite peaks in agreement with theory, for most of the parameters considered.
Microbiome of the Aerodigestive Tract in Health and Esophageal Disease

The diverse human gut microbiome is comprised of approximately 40 trillion microorganisms representing up to 1000 different bacterial species. The human microbiome plays a critical role in gut epithelial health and disease susceptibility. While the interaction between gut microbiome and gastrointestinal pathology is increasingly understood, less is known about the interaction between the microbiome and the aerodigestive tract. This review of the microbiome of the aerodigestive tract in health, and alterations in microbiome across esophageal pathologies highlights important findings and areas for future research. First, microbiome profiles are distinct along the aerodigestive tract, spanning the oral cavity to the stomach. In patients with reflux-related disease such as gastro-esophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma, investigators have observed an overall increase in gram negative bacteria in the esophageal microbiome compared to healthy individuals. However, whether differences in microbiome promote disease development, or if these shifts are a consequence of disease remains unknown. Interestingly, use of proton pump inhibitor therapy is also associated with shifts in the microbiome, with distinct shifts and patterns along the aerodigestive tract. The relationship between the human gut microbiome and esophageal pathology is a ripe area for investigation, and further understanding of these pathways may promote development of novel targets in prevention and therapy for esophageal diseases.
Open Data Impact When Demand and Supply Meet Key Findings of the Open Data Impact Case Studies

This report seeks to remedy that informational shortcoming. Supported by Omidyar Network, the GovLab has conducted 19 detailed case studies of open data projects around the world. The case studies were selected for their sectoral and geographic representativeness. They were built in part from secondary sources (“desk research”), but also from a number of firsthand interviews with important players and key stakeholders. They are presented at length, in narrative format, on an online repository, Open Data’s Impact (odimpact.org). In this paper, we consider some overarching lessons that can be learned from the case studies and assemble them within an analytical framework that can help us better understand what works, and what doesn’t, when it comes to open data.
Elizabeth Smart: By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept (1945)

In her insightful introduction to Elizabeth Smart’s By Grand Central Station I Sat Down and Wept, the late, poetically gifted Brigid Brophy wrote that it is one of the “half dozen masterpieces of poetic prose in the world.” What’s poetic prose read like? More importantly, what makes it poetic prose? When negotiating with notions of poetic prose, one usually marks the Symbolist poets as the point of departure, Baudelaire as the poet of departure, and how his poetic prose became the foundation for the majority of prose poetry subsequently written. Incorporating Baudelaire, this chapter explores Smart’s unique use of poetic prose within the framework of a novel in a manner novel for its time (118).
Root-Zone Soil Moisture Retrieval from CYGNSS Over-Land Observations via Bistatic Vegetation Scattering model and Hybrid Global and Local Optimization Scheme

Over the past years applications of signals-of-opportunity (SoOP) for monitoring local and global environmental parameters have been widely investigated. In particular, recent studies have shown that Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) can be utilized for soil moisture retrieval. This paper proposes a method for retrieving surface-to-root-zone profiles of soil moisture (RZSM) from the Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS) over-land observations, which are in the form of delay-Doppler maps (DDMs) [1] .
Single-cell RNA sequencing of urinary cells reveals distinct cellular diversity in COVID-19-associated AKI

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common sequela of infection with SARS-CoV-2 and contributes to the severity and mortality from COVID-19. Here, we tested the hypothesis that kidney alterations induced by COVID-19-associated AKI could be detected in cells collected from urine. Methods: We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNAseq) on cells recovered from the urine of eight hospitalized COVID-19 patients with (n=5) or without AKI (n=3) as well as four non-COVID-19 AKI patients (n=4) to assess differences in cellular composition and gene expression during AKI. Results: Analysis of 30,076 cells revealed a diverse array of cell types, most of which were kidney, urothelial, and immune cells. Pathway analysis of tubular cells from patients with AKI showed enrichment of transcripts associated with damage-related pathways compared to those without AKI. ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression were highest in urothelial cells amongst cell types recovered. Notably, in one patient we detected SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in urothelial cells. These same cells were enriched for transcripts associated with anti-viral and anti-inflammatory pathways. Conclusions: We successfully performed scRNAseq on urinary sediment from hospitalized patients with COVID-19 to noninvasively study cellular alterations associated with AKI and established a dataset that includes both injured and uninjured kidney cells. Additionally, we provide preliminary evidence of direct infection of urinary bladder cells by SARS-CoV-2. The urinary sediment contains a wealth of information and is a useful resource for studying the pathophysiology and cellular alterations that occur in kidney diseases.
Fallen Angels and the History of Judaism and Christianity: The Reception of Enochic Literature

Preface List of abbreviations Introduction 1. Angelic descent and apocalyptic epistemology: the teachings of Enoch and the Fallen Angels in the Book of Watchers 2. From scribalism to sectarianism: the angelic descent myth and the social settings of Enochic pseudepigraphy 3. Primordial history and the problem of evil: Genesis, the Book of Watchers, and the fallen angels in pre-Rabbinic Judaism 4. The parting of the ways? Enoch and the Fallen Angels in Rabbinic Judaism and early Christianity 5. Demonology and the construction of Christian identity: approaches to illicit angelic instruction among proto-Orthodox Christians 6. The interpenetration of Jewish and Christian traditions in late antiquity: the exegesis of genesis and the marginalization of Enochic literature 7. The apocalyptic roots of Merkabah Mysticism? The reemergence of Enochic traditions in post-Talmudic Judaism Epilogue Bibliography.
Supersymmetry at the LHC: Searches, Discovery Windows, and Expected Signatures

Supersymmetry (SUSY) postulates a symmetry between fermions and bosons, which is a necessary ingredient to String Theories, solves the hierarchy problem in the Standard Model, and provides for Grand Unification of the coupling constants. It postulates scalar counterparts to the known fermions—so-called sleptons (\( {\tilde{\ell }} \)) and squarks (\( {\tilde{q}} \))—and fermion counterparts to the gauge bosons—so-called neutralinos (\( {{\tilde{X}}_{{1,2,3,4}}} \))charginos (\( \tilde{X}_{{1,2}}^{\pm } \)) and gluinos (u). SUSY must be broken since no direct evidence exists at low mass, but the SUSY particles should have a mass less than a few TeV/c 2 to avoid finetuning problems. In the Minimal Supersymmetric Model (MSSM), one usually supposes that R-parity, defined as +1 for particles and -1 for sparticles, is conserved, which leads to the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) being stable. MSSM introduces 105 new parameters, so it is conventional to consider more constrained models in order to express the limits and sensitivities of experiments.
Axon growth and guidance genes identify nascent, immature, and mature olfactory sensory neurons

Neurogenesis of projection neurons requires that axons be initiated, extended, and connected. Differences in the expression of axon growth and guidance genes must drive these events, but comprehensively characterizing these differences in a single neuronal type has not been accomplished. Guided by a catalog of gene expression in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry revealed that Cxcr4 and Dbn1, two axon initiation genes, marked the developmental transition from basal progenitor cells to immature OSNs in the olfactory epithelium. The CXCR4 immunoreactivity of these nascent OSNs overlapped partially with markers of proliferation of basal progenitor cells and partially with immunoreactivity for GAP43, the canonical marker of immature OSNs. Intracellular guidance cue signaling transcripts Ablim1, Crmp1, Dypsl2, Dpysl3, Dpysl5, Gap43, Marcskl1, and Stmn1–4 were specific to, or much more abundant in, the immature OSN layer. Receptors that mediate axonal inhibition or repulsion tended to be expressed in both immature and mature OSNs (Plxna1, Plxna4, Nrp2, Efna5) or specifically in mature OSNs (Plxna3, Unc5b, Efna3, Epha5, Epha7), although some were specific to immature OSNs (Plxnb1, Plxnb2, Plxdc2, Nrp1). Cell adhesion molecules were expressed either by both immature and mature OSNs (Dscam, Ncam1, Ncam2, Nrxn1) or solely by immature OSNs (Chl1, Nfasc1, Dscaml1). Given the loss of intracellular signaling protein expression, the continued expression of guidance cue receptors in mature OSNs is consistent with a change in the role of these receptors, perhaps to sending signals back to the cell body and nucleus. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Modular Digital Course in Undergraduate Neuroscience Education (MDCUNE): A Website Offering Free Digital Tools for Neuroscience Educators

We are providing free digital resources for teaching neuroscience labs at http://mdcune.psych.ucla.edu/. These resources will ultimately include materials for teaching laboratories in electrophysiology of neuronal circuits (SWIMMY), a Neuroinformatics/Bioinformatics module, and two modules for investigating the effects of hormones on early CNS development—one focusing on the development of the song system and one focusing on sex differences in spinal cord motor neurons. All of these modules are inquiry based—students gain from genuine experiences in doing actual studies rather than just simulations. These materials should provide instructors the ability to provide good quality laboratory experiences regardless of resource limitations. Currently, modules on sex differences in the spinal cord and virtual neural circuits (SWIMMY) are available on our website. More will be available in summer 2009 and 2010. SWIMMY was demonstrated at the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN) Workshop—The Undergraduate Neuroscience Education: Interactions, interdisciplines, and curricular best practices at Macalester College in July 2008.
Isolation and Characterization of Tricarboxylic Acid Cycle Mutants of Bacillus subtilis

A technique was developed for the detection, on agar, of mutants of Bacillus subtilis that lacked a functional tricarboxylic acid cycle. Mutants devoid of detectable levels of aconitase, isocitric dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase, fumarase, and malate dehydrogenase have been isolated and characterized. Several mutants with conditionally expressible lesions, including a mutant with a heat-sensitive citrate synthase, have also been isolated. All of the mutants examined express all the biochemical markers normally absent in early-stage sporulation mutants except elastase, and some of these mutants sporulated nearly as well as the prototroph.
Nedocromil sodium is rapidly effective in the therapy of seasonal allergic rhinitis

Abstract Background: Nedocromil sodium has proven to be efficacious in prophylactic and long-term therapy for the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis. We examined the speed of onset of intranasal nedocromil sodium (1%) for relief of symptoms due to ragweed allergic rhinitis. Methods: In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 104 patients received either nedocromil sodium or placebo four times daily. Patients spent 10 hours per day for 2 consecutive days in Iowa City Park during the peak of ragweed season. Only patients who had significant symptoms during 3 hourly baseline assessments received drug. Symptom scores for stuffy nose, runny nose itchy nose, and sneezing and global symptom summary scores were recorded at 19 hourly time points during the 2 days. In the evening patients recorded symptom scores for the postexposure period. Results: In comparison with placebo, nedocromil significantly improved rhinitis symptoms as evidenced by lower symptom summary scores within 2 hours ( p = 0.016). Further, this reduction in rhinitis symptoms was maintained throughout the 2-day pollen exposure period. After patients left the study site, postexposure symptom summary scores were also significantly lower in patients treated with nedocromil compared with those treated with placebo ( p Conclusions: Nedocromil significantly relieved preexisting seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms during peak pollen exposures within 2 hours of the first doss and the therapetuic benefits were maintained on a dosing regimen of four times a day.
Two Dimensional Wake Vortex Simulations in the Atmosphere: Preliminary Sensitivity Studies

A numerical large-eddy simulation model is currently being used to quantify aircraft wake vortex behavior with meteorological observables. The model, having a meteorological framework, permits the interaction of wake vortices with environments characterized by crosswind shear, stratification, and humidity. The addition of grid-scale turbulence as an initial condition appeared to have little consequence. Results show that conventional nondimensionalizations work very well for vortex pairs embedded in stably stratified flows. However, this result is based on simple environments with constant Brunt-Vaisala frequency. Results presented here also show that crosswind profiles exert important and complex interactions on the trajectories of wake vortices. Nonlinear crosswind profiles tended to arrest the descent of wake vortex pairs. The member of the vortex pair with vorticity of same sign as the vertical change in the ambient along-track vorticity may be deflected upwards.
Spontaneous disc space infections in adults

BACKGROUND Spontaneous discitis typically affects children; much less is known about the disease in adults. We examined the clinical characteristics and the role of surgery in spontaneous infectious discitis in adults. METHODS Twenty-nine consecutive adult patients (16 men, 13 women) with spontaneous infectious discitis were treated by a single surgeon (MJE) over a 5-year period. These patients were compared to 19 consecutive patients with postoperative discitis over the same time period. Mean follow-up was 2.4 years. RESULTS The average age of patients with spontaneous discitis was 69.0 years. Eleven of these patients (38%) were diabetic and 9 (31%) had a known concurrent infection. Infections occurred at cervical (10%), thoracic (34%), and lumbar interspaces (59%), and at multiple disc spaces in eight cases (28%). Ten patients (34%) had an elevated serum leukocyte count and 21 patients (72%) had an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. While Gram-positive infection was most common, a broad spectrum of microbes was isolated. All patients were treated with i.v. antibiotics for a mean duration of 6 weeks. Four patients required surgical fusion; the rest were treated with external immobilization. At follow-up, 21 patients (72%) were symptom-free, 3 patients (10%) had ongoing disease, and 5 patients (17%) had died of unrelated causes. Compared to patients with postoperative discitis treated over the same time period, spontaneous discitis in adults affected older patients and required a broader spectrum of antibiotic coverage. Outcomes were similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS While spontaneous discitis has predominantly been reported in children, the disease also affects older adults. Spontaneous discitis in adults is associated with advanced age, diabetes mellitus, and systemic infection. Elevated serum leukocyte count lacks diagnostic sensitivity. A high cure rate is achieved with antibiotics and external immobilization. Surgical treatment is rarely required.
Serum transferrin receptors: Distribution and diagnostic performance in pre-school children.

Abstract Soluble transferrin receptors have gained interest in the field of diagnosing anemias. Reference ranges differ according to the method used for the quantification of sTfR. We aim to explore the distributional properties and diagnostic performance of sTfR in pre-school healthy children as well as in children with β-thalassemia carriers, iron deficiency with normal hematological phenotype (ID) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA). Circulating sTfR as well as biochemical and hematological indices were determined in 521 pre-school children and four groups (normal children, β-thalassemia traits, ID and IDA) were formed. Diagnostic performance and distribution of sTfR according to age and in relation to several parameters were evaluated in every group. Three hundred eighty one children (261 normal, 60 β-thalassemia traits, 44 ID and 16 IDA) aged 1–6 years were included. We found that distribution of sTfR differed significantly among the four groups (Kruskal Wallis p β = − 0.12, p β = − 0.13, p = 0.035). In the β-thal and IDA groups sTfR is correlated to HbA 2 ( β = 0.34, p = 0.001) and ferritin (Spearman's rho = − 0.6, p = 0.014) respectively. An area under the curve equal to 0.63 was achieved by sTfR in distinguishing between normal and ID children. Sensitivity and specificity were 70.5% and 50% respectively at a cut-off of 2.5 mg/l. Levels of sTfR are negatively correlated to age in pre-school children while dyserythropoietic procedures like β-thal, ID, and IDA significantly affect them. These findings indicated that the accuracy of sTfR in diagnosing ID from normal children is limited. Standardization will allow the use of formulas that combine sTfR and ferritin which are of greater diagnostic value than sTfR alone.
Multipoint binding in metal-affinity chromatography II. Effect of pH and imidazole on chromatographic retention of engineered histidine-containing cytochromes c

Abstract Protein binding in immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) was studied using a set of Saccharomyces cerevisiae iso-1-cytochrome c variants which differed only in their histidine content and placement. Elution with an imidazole gradient enabled separation of cytochrome c variants based on their histidine multiplicity. Millimolar concentrations of imidazole dramatically decreased protein partitioning to the IMAC support as measured by the chromatographic capacity factors under isocratic conditions. Fitting the partitioning data to the “stoichiometric displacement” model indicates that cytochrome c variants containing from one to four surface histidines each displaced approximately three equivalents of imidazole upon adsorption. Therefore even a protein with a single surface histidine appears to coordinate to multiple copper sites on the IMAC support at neutral pH. The effect of pH on the capacity factors of these variants measured in the absence of imidazole further supports this interpretation. Although the presence of a surface histidine was required for retention at neutral pH, a variant with no surface histidines still partitioned strongly to the IMAC support at higher pH (pH > 7.5). These results indicate the contribution of additional protein-metal-coordinating groups, presumably surface amines, to chromatographic retention in IMAC.
Local anesthetics can interact electrostatically with membrane proteins.

Abstract The fluorescent probe 1-anilinonaphthalene 8-sulfonate was used to examine the binding of spin-labeled local anesthetics to lipid model systems, to the membranes of human red blood cells, and rabbit sarcoplasmic reticulum. 1-Anilinonaphthalene 8-sulfonate exhibits two distinct fluorescent lifetimes when bound to these biological membranes. The shorter lifetime represents the probe associated with the purely lipid region while the longer lifetime is associated with the protein region. The spin-labeled local anesthetic quenches the fluorescence of both of these components as indicated by the decrease in the lifetimes. Since nitroxide free radicals are known to quench fluorophores upon ‘contact’, the results reflect the relative interaction of local anesthetics with membrane lipids and proteins. The evidence is consistent with the concept of multiple binding sites for local anesthetics in membranes. Local anesthetics, once intercalated into the bilayer, may diffuse laterally and interact with membrane components, lipid as well as proteins. In biological membranes, however, positively charged local anesthetics are better able to quench 1-anilinonaphthalene 8-sulfonate in protein regions, suggesting that the interaction between local anesthetics and membrane proteins can be electrostatic in nature.
A qualitative study of individuals at risk for or who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: what do they understand about their disease?

This qualitative study examined chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) knowledge and attitudes among patients at risk for or with COPD. Participants perceived lung cancer as the primary lung disease of concern to their health and were largely unaware of COPD. Overall, the primary care patients expressed a desire to obtain additional information regarding their lung condition and, among smokers, information to help motivate them to quit smoking. An age-related metaphor, “MyLungAge” was well received and understood and may help facilitate successful management of COPD patients. Providing patients with their lung age at the point of diagnosis may be an optimum time to promote behavioral change and will require further investigation.
The metabolism of pyrimidine compounds by Tetrahymena pyriformis.

The pyrimidine requirements for growth of T. pyriformis and for reversal of the growth inhibition caused by folate deprivation have been studied. The effects of thymidine and 5-fluorodeoxyuridine have been shown to be quantitatively different from the effects of these compounds on growth and the rate of DNA synthesis in mammalian cells. Labelled nucleosides added to the medium have been found to be converted to the corresponding bases with the exception of deoxycytidine, which is first deaminated to deoxyuridine. As a result no deoxynucleosides other than thymidine specifically label DNA. The results allow deductions to be made concerning the enzymes involved in pyrimidine utilization by this organism. It is suggested that pyrimidine utilization is always channeled through uracil in the case of those compounds that can supply the pyrimidine requirement for growth.
A Taste of the Drosophila Gustatory Receptors

Insects such as the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, rely on contact chemosensation to detect nutrient-rich foods, to avoid consuming toxic chemicals, and to select mates and hospitable zones to deposit eggs. Flies sense tastants and nonvolatile pheromones through gustatory bristles and pegs distributed on multiple body parts including the proboscis, wing margins, legs, and ovipositor. The sensilla house gustatory receptor neurons, which express members of the family of 68 gustatory receptors (GRs). In contrast to mammalian chemosensation or Drosophila olfaction, which are initiated by receptors composed of dimers of one or two receptor types, the functional Drosophila GRs may include three or more subunits. Several GRs appear to be expressed in multiple cell types that are not associated with contact chemosensation raising the possibility that these proteins may have roles that extend beyond the detection of tastants and pheromones.
Preparation and specificity of antibodies to 15-keto-prostaglandin F2α

Abstract Antibodies to 15-keto-prostaglandin F2α, prepared in monkeys, recognize the C-15 keto group, the C-11 hydroxyl group, and the C-13-C-14 unsaturated bond of 15-keto-prostaglandin F2α and 15-keto-prostaglandin E2 but not the C-9 substituent of these metabolites. Thus, these anti-15-keto-prostaglandins distinguish the initial metabolic products from the pharmacologically active prostaglandins. Mild alkaline treatment of 15-keto-prostaglandin E2, which may result in dehydration at C-11 and rearrangement of the newly formed double bond, yields a product with little serologic activity and permits selective radioimmunoassay of 15-keto-prostaglandin F2α.
Speculation on the Causes of Continuing Seismicity Near Koyna Reservoir, India

The cause for continuous induced seismicity at Koyna is not well understood. A heuristic model based on various physical parameters observed at Koyna is being proposed to explain the ongoing seismicity. This model contains two essential elements: (i) intersecting faults near Koyna provide means of stress build-up in response to plate tectonic forces, (ii) The annual reservoir loading cycle and changes in the ground water table perturb this stress build-up by an influx of pore pressure in a fluid infiltrated medium. Hence, the spatial and temporal pattern of the pore pressure distribution and the seismicity will be governed by the location and hydromechanical properties of the faults and fractures. The predictions of the model can be tested by comparing the temporal and spatial pattern of seismicity with the changes in lake level and water table.
MALDI imaging mass spectrometry of integral membrane proteins from ocular lens and retinal tissue.

A tissue preparation protocol for MALDI (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization) imaging mass spectrometry of integral membrane proteins was developed using ocular lens and retinal tissues as model samples. Frozen bovine and human lenses were cryosectioned equatorially or axially at −20 °C into 20 μm-thick tissue sections. Lens sections were mounted onto gold-coated MALDI targets by methanol soft-landing to maintain tissue integrity. Tissue sections underwent extensive water washing to deplete the samples of highly abundant water-soluble proteins. Automated matrix deposition was achieved using an acoustic reagent multispotter, with sinapinic acid as matrix and high percentage acetonitrile as solvent, with a center-to-center spot spacing of 200−300 μm. Molecular images of full-length Aquaporin-0 (AQP0) and its most abundant truncation products were obtained from mass spectral data acquired across whole bovine and human lens sections. In equatorial and axial sections of bovine lenses, full-length AQP0 ...
The transverse strengths of three denture base resins

Abstract Ten specimens each of (1) Lucitone 199, short- and long-cured, (2) Accelar 20, and (3) Triad materials were broken using a 3-point load on an Instron Universal after processing and air drying. Five specimens of each resin also were broken after storage in deionized distilled water at 37° C for 30, 60, and 90 days. Triad material demonstrated the lowest transverse strengths of all three materials overall. However, Triad material was unaffected by water storage. The other resins all showed decreased strengths with water storage.
Infantile Henoch-Schönlein purpura.

Henoch-Schonlein purpura is a common cause of vasculitis in children. This condition is unusual in infants and children younger than 2 years. We describe a 4-month-old infant with infantile Henoch-Schonlein purpura and review the clinical spectrum, differential diagnoses, and the histopathologic features of the disease. Its relations to Henoch-Schonlein purpura in older children are discussed.