cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bio-inspired photon detection using chromophore/nanotube hybrids (Conference Presentation)

The human eye is an exquisite optical system with the ability to detect individual photons at room temperature. However, the complexity of this system, optimized over millions of years, has been difficult to reproduce using synthetic techniques. Here we discuss a bio-inspired approach for photon detection based on chromophore/nanotube hybrids, where the chromophore plays a similar role to the retinal molecule in the human eye, and the signal transduction is provided by electronic transport in the carbon nanotube. In this presentation, I will present the concept and discuss our progress in realizing this type of photodetection mechanism.
Tithing and income measurement

This article shows that the concept of income measurement goes back at least to Biblical times. The institution of tithing is examined and is seen to imply a concept of income.
Design, synthesis, and biological activity of second-generation synthetic oleanane triterpenoids.

We report the synthesis and biological activity of C-24 demethyl CDDO-Me 2 and the C-28 amide derivatives 3 and 4, which are analogues of the anti-inflammatory synthetic triterpenoid bardoxolone methyl (CDDO-Me) 1. Demethylation of the C-24 methyl group was accomplished via “abnormal Beckmann” rearrangement and subsequent ring A reformation. Amides 3 and 4 were found to be potent inhibitors of the production of the inflammatory mediator NO in vitro.
Results of pectus excavatum correction using a minimally invasive approach with subxyphoid incision and three-point fixation.

This study reviews the results of our previously described modification of the minimally invasive (Nuss) procedure for correction of pectus excavatum. It utilizes a subxyphoid incision with central fixation to maximize safe bar passage and minimize bar displacement. Consecutive patients corrected with the modified Nuss procedure between 2010 and 2015 form the basis of this study. During the study period, 73 patients had correction of their pectus excavatum by the modified Nuss procedure, utilizing subxyphoid incision and central fixation. Average age was 14.3 (range 8–19). 54 patients were male, 19 female. The average Haller index was 4.3 (range 3.2–7.2). No episodes of cardiac perforation, hemothorax or significant pneumothorax were recorded. Bar displacement occurred in two patients (2.7%) with one late recurrence after bar removal. Our modification of the Nuss procedure is effective at preventing intrathoracic complications and cardiac perforation. Central fixation had a lower rate of bar displacement compared to published reports. Additional efforts are needed to further reduce bar displacement.
Model-based multi-parametric programming strategies towards the integration of design, control and operational optimization

Abstract Operational uncertainty is a critical aspect associated with a process plant’s overall performance. In this work we formulate a mixed integer dynamic design optimization problem while taking into consideration the optimal control and control-aware scheduling decisions as a function of the design, via multi-parametric programming, following our PAROC framework. The approach is applied on a residential scale cogeneration unit for the production of usable heat and electrical power.
John De Witt: The Makeshift Executive in a “Ständestaat”

The variety and the drama in the life of John de Witt are such that it will bear frequent retelling.1 Yet the modern study of the rise and the fall of Holland’s greatest Grand Pensionary must seek explanation of his career in more than qualities of personality, striking and significant as these were. The situation in which he worked was distinctive in crucial ways, and to neglect the special characteristics of the history of the Dutch Republic in the decades between 1650 and 1672 is to present a gravely distorted picture of what he did and what he could not or would not do. It is one of these special characteristics which concerns me in this paper; it emerges with particular clarity when we examine the constitutional structure of the Republic in the light of our increasing understanding of the phenomenon of the Standestaat in early modern Europe. This special characteristic is the novelty of the role played by John de Witt as the principal executive officer of the Republic.
Associations between Work Activity and Work Setting Categories and Dimensions of Pharmacists' Quality of Work Life.

The goal for this study was to use data from the most recently conducted National Pharmacist Workforce Survey to compare eight components of quality of work life for actively practicing pharmacists in the United States categorized by (1) work activity and (2) work setting. The eight components of quality of work life were: (1) time stress; (2) responsibility stress; (3) level of control; (4) work in harmony with home life; (5) home life in harmony with work; (6) job satisfaction; (7) professional commitment; and (8) organizational commitment. Data for this study were obtained from the 2014 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey. For inclusion in analysis, respondents needed to report that they were practicing as a pharmacist. In addition, they needed to provide usable responses for both their percent time devoted to medication providing and to patient care services. This resulted in a total of 1191 responses for the analysis. Data were analyzed using cluster analysis, factor analysis, Cronbach coefficient alpha, chi-square analysis, ANOVA, and linear regression. The findings provide a description of pharmacists’ quality of work life in 2014 and show how type of work, variety of work, and work setting categories are associated with quality of work life for pharmacists.
District Subdivision and the Location of Smallholder Forest Conversion in Sumatra

A unique GIS data set from Indonesia that distinguishes smallholder and plantation operations is used to test the impact of district subdivision, which enhances local control of natural-resource revenues, on the location of smallholder forest conversion. Nonparametric analyses show that in subdivided districts, smallholders convert forests on steeper land that is farther from the nearest road and deeper into the forest. Smallholders are also less responsive to forest protection in subdivided districts. District subdivision imposes external costs of $1,629 to $4,941 per hectare due to increased carbon emissions associated with smallholder conversion deeper into the forest.
Multimodal Reconstruction Using Vector Representation

Recent work has demonstrated that neural embedding from multiple modalities can be utilized to focus the results of generative adversarial networks. However, little work has been done towards developing a procedure to combine vectors from different modalities for the purpose of reconstructing input. Generally, embeddings from different modalities are concatenated to create a larger input vector. In this paper, we propose learning a Common Vector Space (CVS) where similar inputs from different modalities cluster together. We develop a framework to analyze the extent of reconstruction and robustness offered by CVS. We apply the CVS for the purpose of annotating, generating and captioning images on MS-COCO. We show that CVS is on par with techniques used for multiple modality embeddings while offering more flexibility as the number of modalities increases.
Who matters most? Social support, social strain, and emotions:

This research investigates the way in which social support and social strain stemming from spouses, children, and friends have different impacts on emotional states. While previous studies have com...
Spatial-Temporal constraints guided dynamic fluorescence tomographic model for enhanced imaging of organs and functional structures in small animals

We present here a new dynamic fluorescence tomographic model that makes use of spatial-temporal constraints in order to reconstruction both fluorescent biomarkers and anatomical structure simultaneously within reasonable accuracy. A discrete cosine transformation (DCT) is used to compress images in the spatial and temporal domains. The appropriate set of dominant DCT components is found from analyzing mouse internal structure and measurements of dynamic time traces of fluorescent signals. These sought characteristic functions are used later as spatial-temporal constraints in the reconstruction, which can aid to bring internal structure of major organs as well as fluorescent biomarkers into the reconstruction image. We use radiative transfer equation (RTE) as a light propagation model that provides more accurate predictions of light distribution in small geometries and high absorbing media. In addition, the reconstructed tomographic images are processed with principal components analysis (PCA) in order to differential between various regions with different functional kinetic behaviors. The performance of this new method is tested using a dynamic data of fluorescent signals resulting from changes in tumor vasculature in response to anti-angiogenesis, and the preliminary results have been presented to show the potential of the proposed dynamic fluorescence tomographic model.
Interrogation of CYP2D6 Structural Variant Alleles Improves the Correlation Between CYP2D6 Genotype and CYP2D6-Mediated Metabolic Activity

The cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) gene locus is challenging to accurately genotype due to numerous single nucleotide variants and complex structural variation. Our goal was to determine whether the CYP2D6 genotype-phenotype correlation is improved when diplotype assignments incorporate structural variation, identified by the bioinformatics tool Stargazer, with next-generation sequencing data. Using CYP2D6 activity measured with substrates dextromethorphan and metoprolol, activity score explained 40% and 34% of variability in metabolite formation rates, respectively, when diplotype calls incorporated structural variation, increasing from 36% and 31%, respectively, when diplotypes did not incorporate structural variation. We also investigated whether the revised Clinical Pharmacogenetics Implementation Consortium (CPIC) recommendations for translating genotype to phenotype improve CYP2D6 activity predictions over the current system. Although the revised recommendations do not improve the correlation between activity score and CYP2D6 activity, perhaps because of low frequency of the CYP2D6*10 allele, the correlation with metabolizer phenotype group was significantly improved for both substrates. We also measured the function of seven rare coding variants: one (A449D) exhibited decreased (44%) and another (R474Q) increased (127%) activity compared with reference CYP2D6.1 protein. Allele-specific analysis found that A449D is part of a novel CYP2D6*4 suballele, CYP2D6*4.028. The novel haplotype containing R474Q was designated CYP2D6*138 by PharmVar; another novel haplotype containing R365H was designated CYP2D6*139. Accuracy of CYP2D6 phenotype prediction is improved when the CYP2D6 gene locus is interrogated using next-generation sequencing coupled with structural variation analysis. Additionally, revised CPIC genotype to phenotype translation recommendations provides an improvement in assigning CYP2D6 activity.
Free is My Favorite Flavor! Using OER Course Materials in GenEd Courses.

Faculty and students have long complained about the prohibitive costs of textbooks. The National Bureau of Labor Statistics has found that the price of textbooks has risen more than 1000 percent since the 1970s and a study by Public Research Interest Group found that of all students have skipped purchasing a textbook because of the cost. This problem is acute at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), an HBCU located northwest of Houston, TX. This study uses survey and grade distribution data to examine the effectiveness a pilot program designed to increase student accessibility to textbooks as well as improve students’ academic performance. We found statistically significant impacts on early assignments and positive increases in student attitudes towards their classes.
Fabrication of hybrid artificial spin ice arrays with periodic site-specific local magnetic fields

We describe the microfabrication and magnetic behavior of composite/hybrid, two-dimensional, magnetostatically interacting, array of nanomagnets of Fe and exchange-biased bilayer Fe/IrMn heterostructures. Such an interacting array of nanomagnets, forming an artificial spin ice lattice, but with a hybrid structure has not been demonstrated before. These devices are fabricated of epitaxially grown Fe/IrMn thin films by a two-stage electron beam lithography process involving metal mask transfer and controlled ion milling. Following the epitaxial deposition of Fe/IrMn bilayer films, the first step involves electron beam lithography fabrication of nanomagnet arrays, followed by selective removal of exchange-bias by etching away IrMn layer at specific nanomagnet elements by ion milling. The technique described provides a way to apply a site-specific magnetic field at the nanometer length scale, utilizing the phenomenon of exchange-bias, as demonstrated here for an array with local fields applied at twice the period of the artificial spin ice lattice. This technology can also be readily extended to different spintronic devices requiring spatial distribution of exchange-bias fields.
On the inclusive determination of Vub from the lepton invariant mass spectrum

Bauer, Ligeti and Luke have recently proposed a new method for measuring |Vub| in inclusive semileptonic B decays, using a cut √q2 > MB−MD on the lepton invariant mass to discriminate against b→c transitions. We investigate the structure of the heavy-quark expansion for this case and show that to all orders the magnitude of the leading perturbative and non-perturbative corrections is controlled by a hadronic scale μc mc depending on the minimal value of q2. These corrections can be analyzed using a modified version of the heavy-quark expansion (``hybrid expansion''). We find that the theoretical uncertainty in the extraction of |Vub| is a factor 2.5 larger than previously estimated, which allows for a determination with 10% accuracy.
Data-Driven Fast Electrostatics and TDDB Aging Analysis**This work is supported in part by NSF grants under No. CCF-1816361, in part by NSF grant under No. CCF-2007135 and No. OISE-1854276

Computing the electric potential and electric field is a critical step for modeling and analysis of VLSI chips such as TDDB (Time dependent dielectric breakdown) aging analysis. Data-driven deep learning approach provides new perspectives for learning the physics-law and representations of the physics dynamics from the data. In this work, we propose a new data-driven learning based approach for fast 2D analysis of electric potential and electric fields based on DNNs (deep neural networks). Our work is based on the observation that the synthesized VLSI layout with multi interconnect layers can be viewed as layered images. Image transformation techniques via CNN (convolutional neural network) are adopted for the analysis. Once trained, the model is applicable to any synthesized layout of the same technology. Training and testing are done on a dataset built from a synthesized CPU chip. Results show that the proposed method is around 138x faster than the conventional numerical methods based software COMSOL, while keeping 99% of the accuracy on potential analysis, and 97% for TDDB aging analysis.
Physicians’ Experiences of Recommending the HPV Vaccine to Females with an Intellectual Disability

Over the past two decades cancer was acknowledged as a new health concern for individuals with an intellectual disability (ID). Despite such recognition, no research in the US has sought to examine the uptake of the cancer-preventing, HPV vaccine in people with ID. Physicians act as powerful recommenders of the HPV vaccine and interact with patients and their caregivers. As such, physicians can provide useful contextual insight into this population’s vaccination uptake. The purpose of this study was to examine physicians’ experiences of recommending the HPV vaccine to females with an ID. An online open-ended survey was employed. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. Forty-nine out of 51 physicians had previously recommended the HPV vaccine to females with an ID. Physicians believed the HPV vaccine was important because of this population’s noncompliance with pap smears and risk of sexual abuse. Physicians believed the vaccine was less important for patients who were likely sexually inactive. Physicians generally described parents as uncertain, but receptive of the vaccine. There were a few physicians who implied caregivers believed their child would never be sexually active and therefore were not at risk for contracting HPV. Both physicians and parents (as described by physicians) believed receiving immunizations could be traumatic for this population. In conclusion, physicians were supportive of the HPV vaccine for females with an ID and perceived parents as wanting to protect their child, but uncertain about the vaccine’s necessity. Further research is needed to better understand this population’s gynecological health care needs.
Telehealth: from the abstract to necessity to competency.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruption in medical education. With disruption comes the opportunity for innovation. Telehealth had been growing rapidly in many fields of medicine prior to the pandemic, however, the necessities of social distancing, scarcity of personal protective equipment, and mandates to prevent unnecessary exposures for healthcare workers and patients alike, brought opportunities for the exponential expansion of telehealth. With expansion of telehealth services came the need to expand curriculum in telehealth to prepare medical students to return to vastly transformed clinical settings as well as prepare them for a future clinical landscape likely to incorporate telehealth to a much greater degree. The University of Colorado School of Medicine (CUSOM) rapidly developed a course in telehealth to prepare students for this changing clinical environment. Simultaneously, a faculty development curriculum was created to support clinical faculty new to telehealth in basic skills and teaching in a virtual environment. Lastly, adaptations were made to the summative Clinical Practice Exam administered to students at the completion of clerkships to incorporate telehealth. Recognizing the importance of achieving competence in telehealth, the CUSOM has taken steps to invest in the development of comprehensive and integrated telehealth curricula. Many creative and innovative solutions have been adopted in the wake of this pandemic to allow medical education to continue despite many hurdles and barriers; many of these will not persist past the pandemic. However, we expect telehealth clinical skills and the curricula developed to support them to remain relevant long past the time when the COVID-19 pandemic has faded into history.
Paraspinal muscle morphology and composition in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A histological analysis.

Background Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is a condition resulting in spinal deformity and tissue adaptation of the paraspinal muscles. Although prior studies have demonstrated asymmetries in fiber type and other energetic features of muscle on the concave side of the curve, muscle morphology, architecture, and composition have not been evaluated. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare differences in paraspinal muscle microarchitecture and composition between concave and convex sides of a scoliotic curve in individuals with AIS. Methods Paraspinal muscle biopsies were obtained at the apex of the scoliotic curve in 29 individuals with AIS undergoing surgical deformity correction. Histological assays were performed to quantify fiber size, evidence of muscle degeneration and regeneration, and tissue composition (proportion of muscle, collagen, and fat). Differences between contralateral muscle samples were compared using two-tailed paired Student's t tests, and relationships between clinical characteristics (age and curve severity) and muscle characteristics were investigated using Pearson correlations. Results Muscle fibers were significantly larger on the convex side of the curve apex (P = .001), but were lower than literature-based norms for healthy paraspinal muscle. There were no differences in amount of degeneration/regeneration (P = .490) or the proportion of muscle and collagen (P > .350) between the concave and convex sides, but high levels of collagen were observed. There was a trend toward higher fat content on the concave side (P = .074). Larger fiber size asymmetries were associated with greater age (r = .43, P = .046), and trended toward an association with greater curve severity (r = .40, P = .069). Conclusions This study demonstrates that although muscle fibers are larger on the convex side of the scoliotic curve in AIS, muscles on both sides are atrophic compared to non-scoliotic individuals, and demonstrate levels of collagen similar to severe degenerative spinal pathologies. These findings provide insight into biological maladaptations occurring in paraspinal muscle in the presence of AIS.
Citizen Surveillance of Misleading Food Labeling

At its core, a food label is a marketing device food manufacturers use to display their product’s most positive attributes in hopes of increasing product sales. In 1906, Congress charged the Food and Drug Administration with policing misleading labeling of food products to ensure that manufacturers present their products truthfully. As the number of food products on grocery store shelves has soared, the FDA has become a less effective enforcer of its statutory mandate. In lieu of government enforcement, state consumer protection statutes, modeled after the Federal Trade Commission Act, have given citizens the ability to directly hold food manufacturers accountable for their misleading marketing choices on food products. Consumers have taken up the mantle of surveillance of food labeling claims, and food labeling litigation has skyrocketed in the last ten years. Nevertheless, one hurdle has consistently blocked litigants from holding companies accountable for their intentionally vague labeling: the reasonable consumer test. Deferring to the Federal Trade Commission’s Deception Policy, state consumer protection statutes uniformly require a plaintiff to prove that a reasonable consumer is likely to be misled by the product’s labeling to succeed on a misleading labeling claim. In practice, this test has frequently prevented plaintiffs from succeeding beyond the motion to dismiss stage because judges have inserted their own views of “reasonable” interpretations of labeling claims, even when those interpretations are in direct contravention with known consumer interpretations of the claim and despite confirming that it is a fact question to be reserved for the jury. As a result, citizen surveillance of misleading food labeling has been restricted. This Article seeks to promote robust citizen surveillance of labeling claims by proposing that the FTC release guidance reframing the reasonable consumer test as a risk-utility analysis, similar to the factor test frequently applied in design defect litigation. A risk-utility analysis of food labeling claims would shift the focus of the inquiry from critiquing the reasonableness of the consumer’s suggested interpretation to an assessment of whether the labeling claim had a capacity to mislead given known consumer interpretations of the claim and disclaimers used by the manufacturer to clarify labeling ambiguities. This framework shift would obligate food manufacturers to be more judicious in examining known consumer interpretations and potential risks of deception when deciding whether to include labeling claims to sell their products. If food manufacturers conclude that a food labeling claim is subject to significant consumer confusion, the risk-utility analysis would require manufacturers to take steps to clarify the claim with disclaimers, further educate consumers on the meaning of the ambiguous claim, or halt use of the claim altogether.
What is Theatre?: An Introduction and Exploration

Introduction * Part One: What is Theatre? * The Power of the Theatre * Plays * Theatres * Audiences * Audience * Actors * Stage Design * Production * Thinking about Theatre * Part Two: Theatre-making * Dramatists and Plays * Actors and Performance * Directors and Production * Scenography: Stages and Audiences * Administrators and Finance * The Public * Suggestions for Further Reading * Index
The Long Walk Home to Politics

W th the Supreme Court now in the hands of seven solidly conservative justices, liberals face a long walk home to the political activism which they participated in during the 1950s and 1960s. Along the way they may find Gerald Rosenberg's The Hollow Hope a sobering review of the last generation during which litigation rather than activism became the major channel for pursuing liberal goals. In lengthy case studies of school desegregation and abortion, and shorter studies of gender discrimination, criminal procedure, reapportionment, and environmental protection, Rosenberg sifts the empirical record for evidence that judicial victories have achieved real gains for the social movements that pursued them. Rosenberg's hard-nosed review of the data (supplemented by the creation of some original measures) is animated by a desire to challenge what he views as the pernicious myth that the Warren and early Burger Courts were the great engine of political transformation from the 1950s to the 1970s. In most instances he finds little for advocates of litigation to cheer about: court decisions sometimes do achieve ef-
Scale of dark QCD

Most of the mass of ordinary matter has its origin from quantum chromodynamics (QCD). A similar strong dynamics, dark QCD, could exist to explain the mass origin of dark matter. Using infrared fixed points of the two gauge couplings, we provide a dynamical mechanism that relates the dark QCD confinement scale to our QCD scale, and hence provides an explanation for comparable dark baryon and proton masses. Together with a mechanism that generates equal amounts of dark baryon and ordinary baryon asymmetries in the early Universe, the similarity of dark matter and ordinary matter energy densities can be naturally explained. For a large class of gauge group representations, the particles charged under both QCD and dark QCD, necessary ingredients for generating the infrared fixed points, are found to have masses at 1--2 TeV, which sets the scale for dark matter direct detection and novel collider signatures involving visible and dark jets.
Not Any One Thing

Abstract The complex legacy of social class on African American lesbians in relationships was examined using a case study approach. Six highly educated, middle class African American lesbians in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties were interviewed in this exploratory study. Differences in social class were perceived as the reason for the conflict in these relationships. Conversely, similarities in social class were described as making relationships operate more smoothly. Although similarities in race can generate shared cultural values, it is the meaning given to a couple's perceived similarities and differences that influences the quality of the communication between partners. These preliminary findings highlight a previously unexplored contribution to the dynamics in African American lesbian relationships.
Case Study of 'Engineering Peer Meetings' in Jpl's St-6 Project

This design process error-proofing case study describes a design review practice implemented by a project manager at NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. There are many types of reviews at NASA: required and not, formalized and informal, programmatic and technical. Standing project formal reviews such as the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) and Critical Design Review (CDR) are a required part of every project and mission development. However, the engineering peer reviews that support teams technical work on such projects are often informal, ad hoc, and inconsistent across the organization. This case study discusses issues and innovations identified by a project manager at JPL and implemented in "engineering peer meetings" for his group.
Judicial Takings and Scalia’s Shifting Sands

In this article, we examine the background of the judicial takings doctrine, discuss the Supreme Court’s ruling in Stop the Beach, react to that decision in light of Cato’s amicus brief, and contrast Justice Antonin Scalia’s views of Substantive Due Process as expressed in Stop the Beach with that in another high-profile case whose plurality opinion he joined, McDonald v. City of Chicago, to argue that the judicial takings doctrine is necessary to a robust constitutional protection of property rights.
Incidental retention of speaker's voice.

Geiselman and Bellezza (1976) concluded that any retention in memory of the sex of a speaker of verbal material is automatic. Two possible reasons for this were hypothesized: the voice-connotation hypothesis and the dual-hemisphere parallel-processing hypothesis. In Experiment 1, the to-be-remembered sentences contained either male or female agents. Incidental retention of sex of speaker did not occur. This result does not support the dual-hemisphere parallel-processing hypothesis, which indicates that retention of voice should be independent of sentence content. In Experiment 2, the sentences contained neutral agents and incidental retention of sex of speaker did occur. The results of Experiments 1 and 2 support the connotation hypothesis. The different results with regard to incidental retention of speakers’s voice found in Experiments 1 and 2 were replicated in Experiment 3 using a within-subjects design. Experimemt 4 was conducted to determine if a speaker’s voice does, in fact, influence the meaning of a neutral sentence. In agreement with the voice-connotation hypothesis, sentences spoken by a male were rated as having more “potent” connotations than sentences spoken by a female.
Identification of disulfide bonds in protein proteolytic degradation products using de novo-protein unique sequence tags approach.

Disulfide bonds are a form of posttranslational modification that often determines protein structure(s) and function(s). In this work, we report a mass spectrometry method for identification of disulfides in degradation products of proteins, and specifically endogenous peptides in the human blood plasma peptidome. LC-Fourier transform tandem mass spectrometry (FT MS/MS) was used for acquiring mass spectra that were de novo sequenced and then searched against the IPI human protein database. Through the use of unique sequence tags (UStags) we unambiguously correlated the spectra to specific database proteins. Examination of the UStags’ prefix and/or suffix sequences that contain cysteine(s) in conjunction with sequences of the UStags-specified database proteins is shown to enable the unambigious determination of disulfide bonds. Using this method, we identified the intermolecular and intramolecular disulfides in human blood plasma peptidome peptides that have molecular weights of up to ~10 kDa.
Determination of amino acid sequences in peptide mixtures by mass spectrometry.

Abstract A critical limitation in the present general procedure for the determination of the amino acid sequence of polypeptides is the requirement that the oligopeptides resulting from the degradation steps must be of relatively high purity for the Edman sequence determination. It is shown that at least partial sequence information can be obtained on oligopeptide mixtures by mass spectrometry utilizing exact mass, partial vaporization, and metastable ion data.
ALTERATIONS IN FETAL GLUCOSE HOMEOSTASIS FOLLOWING MATERNAL MORPHINE ADMINISTRATION

Prolonged fetal narcotic exposure has been demonstrated to result in intrauterine growth retardation in both humans and in animal models. The mechanism of this growth impairment is unclear. For this reason the effects of maternally administered morphine on fetal nutrition have been examined in the chronically catheterized fetal lamb. The ewes exhibited a transient increase in blood glucose levels 15 to 30 minutes following a single intramuscular injection of morphine. No significant changes in umbilical blood flow or fetal oxygen consumption were noted during the 120 minute observation period. Fetal glucose uptake fell in spite of the rise in maternal glucose levels. In most cases this fall resulted in a net fetal glucose excretion. Fetal glucose excretion appeared to be the result of elevations in umbilical arterial glucose concentration. Umbilical vein glucose concentrations tended to fall slightly. Consistent changes in fetal lactate and pyruvate uptakes were not seen. These data suggest that morphine induced hyperglycemia occurs in both mother and fetus. This response resulted in fetal glucose excretion and may be important in altering the intrauterine environment in a manner which results in intrauterine growth retardation during chronic narcotic administration (supported by funds from SOADAP, NIMH-DA00633-01).
Inhibition of fatty acid metabolism ameliorates disease activity in an animal model of multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an inflammatory demyelinating disease of the central nervous system and a leading cause of neurological disability. The complex immunopathology and variable disease course of multiple sclerosis have limited effective treatment of all patients. Altering the metabolism of immune cells may be an attractive strategy to modify their function during autoimmunity. We examined the effect of inhibiting fatty acid metabolism in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. Mice treated with an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (CPT-1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the beta-oxidation of fatty acids, showed a reduction in disease severity as well as less inflammation and demyelination. Inhibition of CPT-1 in encephalitogenic T-cells resulted in increased apoptosis and reduced inflammatory cytokine production. These results suggest that disruption of fatty acid metabolism promotes downregulation of inflammation in the CNS and that this metabolic pathway is a potential therapeutic target for multiple sclerosis.
Rheolytic thrombectomy in the management of acute and subacute limb-threatening ischemia.

PURPOSE To evaluate the use of a percutaneous mechanical thrombectomy (PMT) catheter (AngioJet) as an initial treatment for acute ( MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 86 (acute, n = 65; subacute, n = 21) patients were available for retrospective analysis, averaging 65 ± 14 years of age. Outcomes assessed include initial angiographic success (failure = less than 50% luminal restoration [LR]; partial success=50%–95% LR; success=more than 95% LR), pre- and postprocedural ankle-brachial index (ABI), device-related and systemic complications, 1-month amputation, mortality, and short-term patency. RESULTS Angiographic success was evaluated in 83 of 86 patients (guide wire unable to traverse lesion in three patients). The procedure failed in 13 of 83 (15.6%) patients, partial success was seen in 19 of 83 patients (22.9%), and successful recanalization was noted in 51 of 83 patients (61.4%). Adjunctive thrombolysis was used in 50 of 86 patients (58%). However, thrombolysis resulted in angiographic improvement at the site of PMT in only seven of 50 of these patients (14%). Adjunctive thrombolysis was uniformly unsuccessful in patients in whom initial PMT failed. The median increase in ABI was 0.64 (95% CI: 0.43–0.81). Success was more likely in the setting of in situ thrombosis, with 61 of 68 (90%) procedures successful, compared to embolic occlusions, with nine of 15 (60%) procedures successful ( P = .011). Angiographic outcome was not dependent on the duration of occlusion (acute, 51 of 62; subacute, 19 of 21; P = .35) or the conduit type (graft, 28 of 31; native vessel, 42 of 52; P = .35). An underlying stenosis was identified in 53 of the 70 patients (75.7%) with a successful PMT, and 51 of these 53 unmasked lesions were successfully treated. Follow-up data were available in 56 patients for patency assessment at a median of 3.9 months (range, 0.1–28.5 months). Patency at 6 months was 79% (95% CI: 65–92). Systemic complications occurred in 16.3% of patients, local complications were noted in 18.6%, and 1-month amputation and mortality rates were 11.6% and 9.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION PMT offers the potential to rapidly reestablish flow to an ischemic extremity and may be the only available treatment option in patients at high risk for open surgery or with contraindications to pharmacologic thrombolysis.
Acute oxygen deprivation: neuropsychological profiles and implications for rehabilitation.

Objective : To investigate areas of neuropsychological functioning in severe anoxia survivors that have received little prior attention but that have significant implications for rehabilitation. Design : Residents of a long-term neurobehavioural rehabilitation facility were administered comprehensive neuropsychological protocols. Areas assessed were arousal and attention, executive abilities, reasoning, language, visuospatial abilities, motor, praxis, memory, affective regulation, and insight into deficits. Results : Subjects were impaired in all areas except in performing automatized tasks. Areas of dysfunction not previously emphasized included praxis, affective regulation, and verbal fluency. Conclusion : Areas of compromise not previously emphasized were identified. Their routine assessment can assist rehabilitation professionals in better serving anoxic encephalopathy survivors, particularly those with profound behavioural dysregulation.
Dendritic cell homeostasis and trafficking in transplantation

Hematopoietic cell transplantation and solid organ transplantation are definitive therapies for several otherwise fatal conditions. Post-transplant immune reactions are the major cause of morbidity after transplantation and limit the extended use of these critical therapies. Post-transplant immune complications include graft rejection by the host and injury to the host mediated by the graft. Dendritic cells (DCs), a population of professional antigen-presenting cells, are thought to be crucial in triggering primary immune responses against both the graft and the host. Here, we review studies on DC homeostasis and trafficking after transplantation, and examine the role of the host and graft DC in post-transplant immune responses. We also discuss the therapeutic implications of these studies.
Age-dependent changes in pyruvate uptake by nonsynaptic and synaptic mitochondria from rat brain

Changes in the uptake of pyruvate by nonsynaptic and synaptic mitochondria from brains of young adult and old rats were investigated. An age-dependent decrease in State 3 respiration in the presence of pyruvate plus malate as substrate was observed in cerebral mitochondrial populations but not in liver mitochondria. Addition of exogenous cytochrome c to nonsynaptic and synaptic mitochondria enhanced the rate of State 3 respiration but the age-dependent decrease in State 3 respiration persisted in both types of mitochondria. A decrease in the uptake of pyruvate as measured by the inhibitor-stop and rapid centrifugation techniques was observed in both nonsynaptic and synaptic mitochondria from 24-month-old rats compared to 3-month-old rats. The results suggest that the decrease in the uptake of pyruvate may be one of the factors responsible for the observed reduction in State 3 respiration in the presence of pyruvate plus malate by both nonsynaptic and synaptic mitochondria from brains of senescent rats compared to young adults.
Gene Expression in Mouse Ovarian Follicle Development In Vivo versus an Ex Vivo Alginate Culture System

Ovarian follicle maturation results from a complex interplay of endocrine, paracrine, and direct cell-cell interactions. This study compared the dynamic expression of key developmental genes during folliculogenesis in vivo and during in vitro culture in a 3D alginate hydrogel system. Candidate gene expression profiles were measured within mouse two-layered secondary follicles, multi-layered secondary follicles, and cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). The expression of 20 genes involved in endocrine communication, growth signaling, and oocyte development was investigated by real-time PCR. Gene product levels were compared between i) follicles of similar stage and ii) COCs derived either in vivo or by in vitro culture. For follicles cultured for 4 days, the expression pattern and the expression level of 12 genes were the same in vivo and in vitro. Some endocrine (cytochrome P450, family 19, subfamily A, polypeptide 1 (Cyp19a1) and inhibin βA subunit (Inhba)) and growth-related genes (bone morphogenetic protein 15 (Bmp15), kit ligand (Kitl), and transforming growth factor β receptor 2 (Tgfbr2)) were downregulated relative to in vivo follicles. For COCs obtained from cultured follicles, endocrine-related genes (inhibin α-subunit (Inha) and Inhba) had increased expression relative to in vivo counterparts, whereas growth-related genes (Bmp15, growth differentiation factor 9, and kit oncogene (Kit)) and zona pellucida genes were decreased. However, most of the oocyte-specific genes (e.g. factor in the germline α (Figla), jagged 1 (Jag1), and Nlrp5 (Mater)) were expressed in vitro at the same level and with the same pattern as in vivo-derived follicles. These studies establish the similarities and differences between in vivo and in vitro cultured follicles, guiding the creation of environments that maximize follicle development and oocyte quality.
Effect of Zone Cooling on Milk Yield, Thyroid Activity and Stress Indicators

Abstract Ten lactating dairy cows were used to study the effect of limited zone cooling on milk yield, milk fat percentage, rectal temperature, respiration rate, and thyroid activity. The 10 cows were paired, divided into two groups, control and zone cooled, and subjected to a switchback design with three 3-wk periods. Treated cows were cooled approximately 14 h a day by locking their heads in a plywood enclosure with an air supply of 23.5 C. Control cows were on the opposite side of the same open shed without zone cooling. Cows were released to similar paddocks at night where sorghum silage was fed ad libitum; alfalfa hay ad libitum and concentrates according to production were fed during the day. Mean daily milk yields of the two groups were 20.97 kg zone cooled and 19.68 kg control. Milk fat percentage and thyroid activity were not altered by zone cooling. Respiration rate and rectal temperature decreased in zone cooled cows.
Effects of Castration on Mitochondria of Rat Ventral Prostate1

It has been demonstrated that castration in the rat is followed by significant reductions of several prostatic enzymes which are primarily mitochondrial in origin (1–3). The studies described in this report show that comparable decreases in the actual number of mitochondria occur after castration, thus providing an explanation for the changes in enzyme activity previously observed. Further support for this concept stems from our added observation that the enzyme activity of isolated prostatic mitochondria (specifically, succinate cytochrome C dehydrogenase) does not differ significantly between intact and castrate rats.
Ankyrin-B Reduction Enhances Calcium Sparks via CamkII

Ankyrin-B (AnkB) is a scaffolding protein that tethers to the cytoskeleton and targets select membrane proteins, including the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger and Na+/K+-ATPase, key regulators of cardiac contractility and arrhythmogenesis. Humans with loss-of-function mutations in AnkB and mice heterozygous for a null mutation in AnkB (AnkB+/- mice) display a complex cardiac phenotype that includes ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. We have previously shown that AnkB reduction alters cardiac Na+ and Ca2+ transport and enhances the coupled ryanodine receptor (RyR) openings, leading to more frequent Ca2+ sparks and waves although the total sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ leak is unaffected. Here we tested the hypothesis that the bias toward more coordinated RyRs openings in AnkB+/- myocytes is due in part to enhanced RyR activation by the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII). We found that spontaneous Ca2+ spark frequency (CaSpF) increases with rising the pre-conditioning frequency in intact myocytes from Ank+/- mice (by 50% from 0.5 to 2 Hz), although the amount of Ca2+ in the SR was practically unnchanged. This effect was significantly smaller in WT myocytes (only 5% CaSpF increase from 0.5 to 2 Hz). CaMKII inhibition with KN-93 reduced CaSpF in myocytes from Ank+/- mice (by 24%, 39% and 26% at 0.5, 1 and 2 Hz, respectively) and greatly attenuated the dependence of CaSpF on the pre-conditioning frequency. In contrast, KN-93 had no significant effect on CaSpF in WT myocytes. In fact, with KN-93 CaSpF was higher in WT vs. Ank+/- myocytes at all pre-conditioning frequencies. These data suggest that RyR activation by CaMKII plays an important role in the enhanced spark-mediated SR Ca2+ leak and may in part explain the higher propensity for triggered arrhythmias in AnkB deficiency.
N-sulfoöxy-2-aminofluorene is the major ultimate electrophilic and carcinogenic metabolite of N-hydroxy-2-acetylaminofluorene in the livers of infant male C57BL/6J×C3H/HeJ F1 (B6C3F1) mice

The hepatic DNA of 12-day-old male B6C3F1 (C57BL/6J X C3H/HeJ) mice given an i.p. dose of 0.06 or 0.11 mumol/g body weight of N-hydroxy-[3H]-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-hydroxy-AAF) contained at 9 h approximately 3 or 6 pmol of N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-aminofluorene adducts per mg. Together the level of the two acetylated adducts N-(deoxyguanosin-8-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene and 3-(deoxyguanosin-N2-yl)-2-acetylaminofluorene was less than or equal to 10% of this amount. The same doses of unlabeled carcinogen induced by 10 months a 100% incidence of hepatomas with averages of 10 and 15 hepatomas per mouse, respectively. Injection of 0.04 mumol/g body weight of pentachlorophenol (PCP) 45 min before the dose of N-hydroxy-AAF decreased the number of adducts in the DNA by 90% and the average number of hepatomas per liver by 80-90%. As compared to their normal male littermates, male brachymorphic B6C3F2 mice, which are deficient in hepatic 3'-phosphoadenosine-5'-phosphosulfate (PAPS), treated with N-hydroxy-AAF formed only 25% as many hepatic DNA adducts and developed only 10% as many hepatomas. Hepatic cytosols from 12-day-old B6C3F1 mice contained PAPS-dependent sulfotransferase activity for N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene (N-hydroxy-AF), a previously unrecognized activity, as well as sulfotransferase activity for N-hydroxy-AAF; both activities were inhibited 60% by 1 microM and greater than or equal to 80% by 10 microM PCP. Cytosolic acetyl coenzyme A-dependent acetyltransferase activity for N-hydroxy-AF, cytosolic N,O-acyltransferase activity for N-hydroxy-AAF, and microsomal deacetylase for N-hydroxy-AAF were not significantly inhibited by PCP under these conditions. The above data strongly indicate that N-sulfooxy-2-aminofluorene is the major ultimate electrophilic and carcinogenic metabolite of N-hydroxy-AAF in the livers of infant male B6C3F1 mice.
Treatment of recurrent Clostridium difficile infection: a systematic review

Background Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) recurs in nearly one-third of patients who develop an initial infection. Recurrent CDI (RCDI) is associated with considerable morbidity, mortality, and cost. Treatment for RCDI has not been not well examined.
Coaching: A Powerful Metaphor for Mentoring and Character Development: An Interview with Rebecca Chopp, President of Colgate University

Colgate's President Rebecca Chopp explains why colleges should maintain a balance between academics and sports competition.