cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polyethylene Glycol-Modified Interleukin-2 and Thymosin α1 in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection

The safety and antiviral effects of polyethylene glycolated interleukin-2 (PEG-IL-2) and thymosin alpha 1 in addition to zidovudine were studied in 12 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected subjects with 50-250 CD4 T cells/mm3. PEG-IL-2 was administered by intravenous infusions every 2 weeks at 10(6) IU/m2 for 20 weeks. Thymosin alpha 1 was administered subcutaneously at 400 microgram/m2 after four doses of PEG-IL-2, escalating to 1600 microgram/m2 weekly for an additional 2 months. Significant elevations of CD4 T cell numbers of 30%-40% were seen after PEG-IL-2 infusions, but no additional increase in CD4 cell count was observed with thymosin alpha 1. Virologic monitoring by polymerase chain reaction quantitation of proviral DNA and plasma RNA and p24 antigen assays showed no evidence of increased HIV activation during PEG-IL-2 or thymosin alpha 1 therapy. Patients tolerated both PEG-IL-2 and thymosin alpha 1 without significant toxicities.
Strategies to prevent rheumatoid arthritis in high-risk patients.

Purpose of review To examine potential interventions, including modification of environmental risk factors and use of pharmacologic agents, in at-risk populations to prevent progression to (or development of) rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This review is timely given the increasing interest in early intervention strategies and new opportunities to identify patients early in the pathogenesis of RA. Recent findings Despite the growing literature demonstrating a link between anticitrullinated protein antibodies, synovitis, genetic and environmental risk factors such as smoking and RA, there are no studies that have evaluated the effect of modifying environmental risk factors in late preclinical RA. This article describes several studies that have evaluated the ability of pharmacologic interventions to modify outcomes in patients at risk for RA. Summary The prevention of RA in at-risk populations is feasible; however, this will necessitate novel efforts to identify patients very early in disease development to examine the effectiveness and cost of preventive interventions.
Genome Sequence of the Multiantibiotic-Resistant Enterococcus faecium Strain C68 and Insights on the pLRM23 Colonization Plasmid

ABSTRACT Enterococcus faecium infections are a rising concern in hospital settings. Vancomycin-resistant enterococci colonize the gastrointestinal tract and replace nonresistant strains, complicating the treatment of debilitated patients. Here, we present a polished genome of the multiantibiotic-resistant strain C68, which was obtained as a clinical isolate and is a useful experimental strain.
Anomalous diffusion in neutral evolution of model proteins

Protein evolution is frequently explored using minimalist polymer models, however, little attention has been given to the problem of structural drift, or diffusion. Here, we study neutral evolution of small protein motifs using an off-lattice heteropolymer model in which individual monomers interact as low-resolution amino acids. In contrast to most earlier models, both the length and folded structure of the polymers are permitted to change. To describe structural change, we compute the mean-square distance (MSD) between monomers in homologous folds separated by $n$ neutral mutations. We find that structural change is episodic, and, averaged over lineages (for example, those extending from a single sequence), exhibits a power-law dependence on $n$. We show that this exponent depends on the alignment method used, and we analyze the distribution of waiting times between neutral mutations. The latter are more disperse than for models required to maintain a specific fold, but exhibit a similar power-law tail.
Effects of atorvastatin and pravastatin on immune activation and T-cell function in antiretroviral therapy-suppressed HIV-1-infected patients

This retrospective study was designed to assess statin effects on T-cell activation from HIV-infected individuals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from antiretroviral therapy suppressed HIV-infected individuals receiving atorvastatin or pravastatin were evaluated for T-cell activation, exhaustion and function. Atorvastatin was associated with a significant reduction in CD8 T-cell activation (HLA-DR, CD38/HLA-DR) and exhaustion (TIM-3, TIM-3/PD-1) whereas pravastatin had no effect. In contrast, pravastatin increased antigen specific interferon γ production. These results suggest a differential effect of statins on immune activation and function.
Lifestyle Profile of Frequent Patrons of Beauty Salons: A Focus on Working Women

The purpose of this study was to attempt to distinguish on the basis of lifestyle characteristics between frequent and less-frequent patrons of beauty salons. The results indicated that, statistically, lifestyles can be used to discriminate effectively between these two groups of working women.
An Overview of the Modified Buckley–Leverett Equation

We study the modified Buckley-Leverett (BL) equation, which is a simple model for two-phase fluid in a porous medium.
A Double Standard and Dubious Ethics in Determining Quality Teaching.

Double Standard was created by the actors who appeared in the accompanying video in spring 2014, as part fulfillment of the requirements for a master’s-level class highlighting ethics in education for future educational administrators. A double standard comes into focus as an incoming middle school principal establishes procedures she associates with a well-run school. The White principal insists that lesson plans be submitted for review and applies a double standard in deciding that one Black teacher should be penalized—ostensibly because of her failure to turn in lesson plans—while another White teacher who does not turn in lesson plans is treated leniently. In the process, the principal pressures her White assistant principal to comply with her actions.
The analysis and resolution of ethical dilemmas

Perhaps no other field of medicine illustrates the ethical dilemmas occasioned by the explosion of technology more than neurology. Many dilemmas which at first appear to be ethical, however, are actually biotechnical, informational, or interpersonal in nature. For those which are, indeed, ethical, a review of existing information and acquisition of additional data can often serve to identify the proper response. When the optimal course of action remains unclear, the comprehensive, structured approach described in this chapter is both philosophically rigorous and clinically relevant. It takes into account a variety of critical considerations - including rights, duties, consequences, virtues, and similar cases - while utilizing both inductive and deductive methods. The end result is the "least bad" of available options, or, at the very least, a practical response which preserves future options and avoids crucial mistakes.
The Pythagorean Theorem and Square Roots

By about 2000 b.c. the Egyptians knew (or believed) that if a right triangle had legs of lengths 3 and 4 units, then the hypotenuse—the side opposite the right angle—had a length of 5 units.
Big Bone! Kentucky's Original Stick-in-the-Mud

(1981). Big Bone! Kentucky's Original Stick-in-the-Mud. Rocks & Minerals: Vol. 56, Kentucky, pp. 115-118.
Building interactive simulations in a Web page design program

A new Web software architecture, NumberLinX (NLX), has been integrated into a commercial Web design program to produce a drag-and-drop environment for building interactive simulations. NLX is a library of reusable objects written in Java, including input, output, calculation, and control objects. The NLX objects were added to the palette of available objects in the Web design program to be selected and dropped on a page. Inserting an object in a Web page is accomplished by adding a template block of HTML code to the page file. HTML parameters in the block must be set to user-supplied values, so the HTML code is generated dynamically, based on user entries in a popup form. Implementing the object inspector for each object permits the user to edit object attributes in a form window. Except for model definition, the combination of the NLX architecture and the Web design program permits construction of interactive simulation pages without writing or inspecting code.
Highly Potent Non-Carboxylic Acid Autotaxin Inhibitors Reduce Melanoma Metastasis and Chemotherapeutic Resistance of Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Autotaxin (ATX, aka. ENPP2) is the main source of the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in biological fluids. This study reports on inhibitors of ATX derived by lead optimization of the benzene-sulfonamide in silico hit compound 3. The new analogues provide a comprehensive structure–activity relationship of the benzene-sulfonamide scaffold that yielded a series of highly potent ATX inhibitors. The three most potent analogues (3a, IC50 ∼ 32 nM; 3b, IC50 ∼ 9 nM; and 14, IC50 ∼ 35 nM) inhibit ATX-dependent invasion of A2058 human melanoma cells in vitro. Two of the most potent compounds, 3b and 3f (IC50 ∼ 84 nM), lack inhibitory action on ENPP6 and ENPP7 but possess weak antagonist action specific to the LPA1 G protein-coupled receptor. In particular, compound 3b potently reduced in vitro chemotherapeutic resistance of 4T1 breast cancer stem-like cells to paclitaxel and significantly reduced B16 melanoma metastasis in vivo.
Going Home, the Afterlife, and Other Beliefs About Death

Dying yields to science; death does not. Dying, for instance, has been subject to scientific inquiries about advance directives, analgesic regimens, decision-making strategies, do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders, disease trajectories, prognostic predictions, and cost-benefit analyses. But death stubbornly retains its mystery. Though inaccessible to medical science, the experiences of physical death and the afterlife are an important concern for many dying patients and their survivors. Health professionals, therefore, must be prepared to discuss people’s beliefs about death despite all its mystery. Health professionals should expect that such beliefs will differ, perhaps dramatically, from person to person, and that some questions will never have answers.
Wideband zero-index metacrystal with high transmission at visible frequencies [Invited]

Materials with zero refractive index exhibit unprecedented optical properties including no spatial phase change and infinitely large phase velocity. Several zero-index material designs including artificial layered metallic/dielectric medium were proposed and demonstrated at microwave, terahertz, and IR wavelengths. However, realizing a zero-index material with low-losses, none-dispersion, and relatively wide bandwidth operation at visible frequencies is quite challenging due to optical losses in metals. Here, we propose and numerically demonstrate a three-dimensional zero-index metacrystal (ZIM) with low loss, low dispersion, and wide bandwidth at visible frequencies. The ZIM simply consists of periodic Ag nanocube arrays embedded inside a dielectric medium with same lattice constant in all directions. The calculated effective refractive index using a parameter retrieval method reveals a relatively wide band (∼40 nm) of near-zero index (<0.02) and achromatic behavior for designed metacrystal in the visible frequency. Using full-field electromagnetic (EM) simulations, we have theoretically demonstrated that the EM wave always propagates normal to the ZIM–air interface in spite of oblique incidence cases or any arbitrary wavefront of illumination. Our proposed zero-index metacrystal for visible frequencies could find use in many practical applications of wide-bandwidth and low-loss achromatic photonic devices for steering light propagation, arbitrary wavefront conversion, directional emission, and obstacle-free light guiding.
Analysis of thin-walled steel beams retrofitted by bonding GFRP stiffeners: Numerical model and investigation of design parameters

Abstract Enhancing the load capacity of aged and deficient thin-walled steel structures can be accomplished by increasing member stiffness in buckling prone regions. The literature shows that composite materials have become a major player in retrofitting applications. A new strengthening concept, Strengthening-by-Stiffening (SBS), is applied to buckling prone web panels in thin walled steel beams by bonding pultruded glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) sections. The first part of present study is focused on the construction of a finite element (FE) model for accurate simulation of experimentally obtained results. Initial imperfections, material non-linearity, interlaminar fracture law to simulate adhesive debonding, and GFRP rupture or delamination are accounted for in the construction of the FE model. The second part of the study was focused on parametric studies using the validated FE model to investigate different GFRP sizes, contact areas, panel aspect ratio and slenderness of the web panels on steel beam with SBS retrofitting. Results from the parametric study were used to establish some limits to assist in SBS design. Finally, possible use of SBS strengthening method in new construction was investigated by substituting all steel stiffeners with bonded composite GFRP stiffeners for the improvement of fatigue related behavior that is known to start at the weld toes of steel stiffeners.
Fibrinolytic and Anticoagulation Therapy in Patients Undergoing Ultrasound-Assisted Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis for Pulmonary Embolism.

Background Ultrasound-assisted, catheter-directed thrombolysis (UA-CDT) relieves right ventricular stress without a significant increase in the risk of bleeding compared to systemic thrombolysis. Although concomitant anticoagulation is provided to prevent thrombus expansion, the optimal anticoagulation regimen in patients receiving UA-CDT remains unknown. Objective We sought to describe anticoagulation practices for patients receiving UA-CDT. Methods Patients receiving UA-CDT for acute pulmonary embolism (PE) between Jan 1, 2013 to Sept 30, 2014 at a single center were analyzed. We collected patient characteristics, fibrinolytic and anticoagulant usage as well as clinical outcomes. Results Fourteen patients were included in the final analysis. The mean alteplase dose was 16.8 ± 5.6 mg and 24.3 ± 3.4 mg in unilateral and bilateral PE, respectively. Mean unfractionated heparin (UFH) rates were 7.4 (±2.17) IU/kg/hr and 12.4 (±3.1) IU/kg/hr during and after fibrinolytic therapy, respectively. The median aPTT was 42.4 sec [IQR 34.5-51.8] and 77.9 sec [IQR 66.5-96.8] during and after fibrinolytic therapy, respectively. There were no recurrent VTE within 30 days of hospital discharge. One patient had a major bleeding event (intracranial hemorrhage). Conclusion In patients with acute PE, our institution utilized low levels of anticoagulation during fibrinolytic administration and therapeutic doses after completion of fibrinolytic infusion. Standardized protocols for anticoagulation during UA-CDT are warranted.
Theories of Institutional Corruption

Normative theorists of corruption have developed an institutional conception that is distinct from both the individualist approaches focused on quid pro quo exchanges and other institutional approaches found in the literature on developing societies. These theorists emphasize the close connection between patterns of corruption and the legitimate functions of institutions. The corruption benefits the institution while undermining it. Reforms therefore should be directed toward finding alternatives for the functions the corruption serves. Also, institutional corruption does not require that its perpetrators have corrupt motives, and it is not limited to political institutions. This review examines four leading theories and discusses criticisms of their approach. A tripartite framework for analyzing the elements of institutional corruption is proposed. Although the theories are useful for distinguishing institutional corruption from the more familiar forms of individual corruption, they could be enriched by ...
Immobilized Glucose Oxidase and Catalase in Controlled Pore Titania

The immobilization of glucose oxidase and catalase by adsorption within the pores of controlled-pore titania has indicated that catalase acts as a stabilizer for glucose oxidase in this material. Flow rates effect the apparent activity of the immobilized enzyme system. Carrier parameters were varied to obtain optimum loading and stability information.
Regulation of the Tetrapyrrole Biosynthetic Pathway

This chapter describes what is known, or can be deduced from genomic analyses, about transcriptional regulation of the tetrapyrrole biosynthesis genes in purple anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. The major emphasis is on describing regulatory events that occur when oxygen levels change, as it is a key parameter controlling the expression of these genes. An overview of the common biosynthetic pathway is followed by a comparative description of the known regulatory features about each gene in Rhodobacter (Rba.) sphaeroides and Rba. capsulatus, the two purple anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria in which this topic has been investigated most extensively. Finally, the information available for the Rhodobacter species is used to explore the DNA sequence databases for other bacteria belonging to this group. First, the results of a survey of the DNA sequences for genes encoding the key regulatory proteins are presented. Second, the tetrapyrrole biosynthesis genes in the sequenced strains of the purple anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria are identified, and the outcome of an inspection of their upstream sequences for the presence of any known target sequences representing DNA binding sites for the regulatory proteins are presented. While the significance of the regulatory sequences will require experimental determination, a number of conclusions can be made as to the distribution of the regulatory proteins and the tetrapyrrole biosynthesis genes among these bacteria.
Development of a carbon calculator tool for riparian forest restoration

AIM(S): Methods for estimating carbon sequestration in riparian forest biomass are needed to qualify riparian restoration and conservation projects for funding through carbon credits. As part of a proposed accounting methodology for California's cap‐and‐trade system, we described five riparian vegetation associations and created a tool to predict their rates of carbon accumulation under different restoration and land‐use scenarios. LOCATION: California, USA. METHODS: We assembled a database of 654 forest inventory plots of known age (3–108 years) from replanted and naturally recruiting California riparian forests. We then used detrended correspondence analysis and agglomerative hierarchical clustering to detect vegetation structure in the plots and delineate distinct forest types. We used allometric equations to estimate biomass from individual trees’ diameters and calculate total biomass for each plot. Next, we fitted sigmoid growth functions to the plot biomass data to generate expected values for live‐tree biomass over a 100‐year period for each forest type. Finally, we created an algorithm to match user‐inputted data for an intended restoration project with a look‐up table that predicts carbon accumulation appropriate to the user's scenario. RESULTS: California riparian vegetation was divided into willow scrub, cottonwood–willow, mixed riparian, upland riparian and riparian woodland types. Total carbon sequestration in riparian vegetation and soil varied from 75.7 to 137.4 Mg C/ha at 30 years post‐restoration and from 95.1 to 175.8 Mg C/ha 100 years after stand initiation. Vegetation types dominated by taller, more shade‐tolerant trees developed more slowly than scrubby and pioneer stands, but came to a higher maximum biomass. Our models put riparian biomass accumulation in the range of the few extant literature values for mediterranean systems, but uncertainties are high, and soil carbon may be underestimated. CONCLUSIONS: Our workflow and methods should be transferable to the development of carbon accounting tools for any other woody vegetation type. However, our difficulty in finding appropriate published data for the analysis suggests a critical need for field surveys appropriate to biomass estimation in woodland and forest communities not exploited for timber. The most important measurements are the age of the stand and a census of tree species, height and diameter.
Fracture Toughness of Thermal Spray Ceramics: Measurement Techniques and Processing Dependence

Fracture toughness measurements are critical for materials design and characterization but can be difficult to perform on overlay coatings due to a range of geometric factors and substrate constraints. Thermal spray (TS) coatings bring additional complications to measurement interpretation due to their defected, anisotropic structures. Toughness of free-standing coatings has been studied in the past, and literature results indicate promise in measurement with a range of methods. One of these, single-edge, notched beam (SENB) method offers a straight forward approach for measuring fracture toughness and lends itself well for use with TS coatings. In this work, SENB method is used with deliberate modifications to specific parameters of the test specimens, namely free-standing thickness, notch depth, notch sharpness, and heat treatment state, to ascertain the impact of these modifications on the measurement results for air plasma spray Al2O3. Additionally, two methods adapted from the literature, a modified adhesion method and a tensile elongation method, are evaluated for use with three different Al2O3 coatings, including by air plasma spray, flame spray, and high velocity oxy-fuel processes. Results indicate good correlation between SENB and the modified methods for all three coating variants and give insight into the orientation-dependent toughness properties of TS coatings.
The Eagle Ford and Bakken shale regions of the United States: A comparative case study

Abstract The Eagle Ford and Bakken shale oil plays in the United States (US) have experienced dramatic production increases since 2010, with implications for their communities in Texas and North Dakota (and to a lesser extent, Montana). In both cases, production increased from insignificant or low levels to about a quarter of US production each over five years, largely due to prices and the availability of modern horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing techniques. This comparative case study of the Eagle Ford and Bakken regions focuses on the effects of these rapid changes on communities. Overall, this work finds that dynamics associated with strained infrastructure followed patterns similar to those seen in other modern US boom regions. Bakken participants perceived impacts as more severe than Eagle Ford participants, potentially due to greater isolation and limitations associated with extreme winter conditions. In both regions, anticipation of a bust affected behavior in a manner not commonly observed in regions where prior boom/bust cycles do not exist in living memory. Both Bakken and Eagle Ford participants described an idealized future where long-term shale-related prosperity could stabilize their communities, despite an understanding that this was an unlikely outcome.
Mesoscale-submesoscale interactions in the Gulf of Mexico: From oil dispersion to climate

Abstract In the ocean, forcing acts at planetary scales and dissipation at the microscales. In between are the mesoscales, in a lot of respects akin to nearly two-dimensional, quasi-geostrophically, balanced turbulence. Eddies and fronts, extending from ten to hundred kilometers, represent their best-known dynamical expression. At the ocean boundary layers, near the surface and at the bottom, smaller ageostrophic, coherent flow structures may appear in the form of vorticity filaments, density fronts or coherent vortices, with typical scales of hundreds of meters to few kilometers and a lifespan of few days. These so-called submesoscale circulations provide a pathway for energy transfer towards smaller scales, contribute to the global overturning budget, and impact substantially lateral and diapycnal mixing. They develop in presence of density gradients in the turbulent boundary layers, and their statistics are not well known in a global sense, but are likely to change in the future due to projected changes in near surface stratification. This perspective presents an overview of recent studies illustrating physical and biogeochemical interactions across mesoscale and submesoscale flows focusing on the Gulf of Mexico, where much modeling and observational work has been taking place following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blow-out. The physical interpretation of several biogeochemical data-sets illustrates how mesoscale and submesoscale circulations impact the dispersion of biologically and climatically relevant tracers, from coral larvae to carbon. The ultimate goal is present the reader with examples of spatial and temporal multiscale interactions in a complex, chaotic system such as the ocean that is key to the future evolution of the climate system with its enormous storage capacity of heat and carbon.
Meteorological input data effect on sizing stand-alone photovoltaic systems

Abstract The exploitation of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) has already been proved as a promising power source for a sustainable future in energy supply, to cover the world’s energy demand. Solar energy is considered the most abundant RES of all, while being available in every part of our planet makes it favorable for distributed RES energy production systems. Solar-based stand-alone power systems, installed in remote areas far from the main local electricity networks, can be cost efficient and even provide energy security given that they have been carefully sized. Moreover, stand-alone photovoltaic systems can highly contribute to distributed renewable energy and microgrid networks even without other RES combination if they integrate with an appropriate energy storage (ES) system. During the sizing procedure of a photovoltaic (PV) plant, the solar potential of the area is the dominant parameter. The use of solar energy values, which may deviate from the actual values, has a relatively small impact on the overall energy assessment of interconnected photovoltaic installations. However, in the case of stand-alone PV systems, where the user requires energy autonomy, it is necessary to use hourly solar radiation along with air temperature values with increased reliability in order to determine the most cost effective combination of PV-ES system. Although there is an extended literature on stand-alone PV systems sizing procedures, the effect of using different input meteorological data on system’s size has not been sufficiently addressed. In this context, the present study examines the use of different meteorological input data of solar radiation and air temperature with data series from 12 individual years, a Mean Year (MY) and a Typical Meteorological Year (TMY). Although the TMY has been mainly used in building’s energy calculations, the results of the present work prove that the use of a TMY increases the power system reliability if compared with sizing the system by using time series of individual years or a MY. The case study presented in the specific work concerns an application of combined PV-ES able to provide energy autonomy to a domestic consumer, in a remote area in the island of Rhodes.
U-10Zr and U-5Fs: Fuel/cladding chemical interaction behavior differences

Abstract A fuel performance phenomenon that has previously limited the peak cladding temperature of metallic fast reactor fuel is fuel/cladding chemical interaction (FCCI). This study examined the differences in the phenomenon exhibited by the more recent fuel alloy, U-10Zr and a previously used fuel alloy, U-5Fs (Fs – fissium). Fs is comprised of Mo, Ru, Pd, Zr and Rh simulated fission products representing reprocessing carryover. Studies on the U-Zr alloy had shown the often controlling influence on FCCI of lanthanide (Ln) fission products (Ln: Ce, Nd, Sm, etc.) while a review of the U-Fs alloy behavior indicated a dominance of basic fuel/cladding interdiffusion (Fe, Ni with U). The recent studies on U-Zr fuel showed that migration of lanthanide fission products to the fuel/cladding interface facilitated the Ln dominance of FCCI behavior. This study was focused on understanding why Ln’s do not migrate in the U-5Fs alloy to the extent that they do in U-10Zr, or why they do not interact with the cladding like in U-10Zr fuel pins. A small fuel/cladding interaction layer was found containing the cladding and lanthanide components. However, it was also found that the lanthanide fission products are at least partially bound to agglomerates that also contained Pd, Rh and Zr, all minor components of Fs.
A Case Report of Cake Frosting as a Source of Copper Toxicity in a Pediatric Patient.

Author(s): Tsao, Hoi See; Allister, Lauren; Chiba, Takuyo; Barkley, Jonathan; Goldman, Rose H. | Abstract: Introduction: Copper is an uncommon source of metal toxicity in children that requires a high index of suspicion for diagnosis.Case Report: We describe the unique presentation of a 12-month-old girl who developed acute onset of vomiting and diarrhea after ingestion of a copper-contaminated birthday cake.Conclusion: This case highlights the presentation, evaluation, and management of the rare pediatric patient who presents with copper poisoning. This case also illuminates the public health implications of potential metal poisoning when using non-edible decorative products in homemade and commercially prepared baked goods.
IQGAP1 binds AMPK and is required for maximum AMPK activation

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a fundamental component of a protein kinase cascade that is an energy sensor. AMPK maintains energy homeostasis in the cell by promoting catabolic and inhibiting anabolic pathways. Activation of AMPK requires phosphorylation by the liver kinase B1 or by the Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase 2 (CaMKK2). The scaffold protein IQGAP1 regulates intracellular signaling pathways, such as the mitogen-activated protein kinase and AKT signaling cascades. Recent work implicates the participation of IQGAP1 in metabolic function, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are poorly understood. Here, using several approaches including binding analysis with fusion proteins, siRNA-mediated gene silencing, RT-PCR, and knockout mice, we investigated whether IQGAP1 modulates AMPK signaling. In vitro analysis reveals that IQGAP1 binds directly to the α1 subunit of AMPK. In addition, we observed a direct interaction between IQGAP1 and CaMKK2, which is mediated by the IQ domain of IQGAP1. Both CaMKK2 and AMPK associate with IQGAP1 in cells. The ability of metformin and increased intracellular free Ca2+ concentrations to activate AMPK is reduced in cells lacking IQGAP1. Importantly, Ca2+-stimulated AMPK phosphorylation was rescued by re-expression of IQGAP1 in IQGAP1-null cell lines. Comparison of the fasting response in wild-type and IQGAP1-null mice revealed that transcriptional regulation of the gluconeogenesis genes PCK1 and G6PC and the fatty acid synthesis genes FASN and ACC1 is impaired in IQGAP1-null mice. Our data disclose a previously unidentified functional interaction between IQGAP1 and AMPK and suggest that IQGAP1 modulates AMPK signaling.
Ethnic Socialization in Current and Prospective Parents

Few studies have examined whether the manner in which one has been parented impacts one’s subsequent parenting style regarding ethnic socialization. We examined this question in current and prospec...
Means, quasi-scalar product and covariance of fuzzy numbers

In this paper, we discuss extreme properties of means of fuzzy numbers. The proposed new definition quasi-scalar product and covariance between fuzzy numbers, and their properties are considered. As an application of the introduced concepts, the problem of optimal linear approximation of a fuzzy number by a given system of fuzzy numbers is considered.
The impact of preoperative supine radiographs on surgical strategy in adult spinal deformity.

OBJECTIVE Preoperative planning for adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery is essential to prepare the surgical team and consistently obtain postoperative alignment goals. Positional imaging may allow the surgeon to evaluate spinal flexibility and anticipate the need for more invasive techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine whether spine flexibility, defined by the change in alignment between supine and standing imaging, is associated with the need for an osteotomy in ASD surgery. METHODS A single-center, dual-surgeon retrospective analysis was performed of adult patients with ASD who underwent correction of a thoracolumbar deformity between 2014 and 2018 (pelvis to upper instrumented vertebra between L1 and T9). Patients were stratified into osteotomy (Ost) and no-osteotomy (NOst) cohorts according to whether an osteotomy was performed (Schwab grade 2 or higher). Demographic, surgical, and radiographic parameters were compared. The sagittal correction from intraoperative prone positioning alone (sagittal flexibility percentage [Sflex%]) was assessed by comparing the change in lumbar lordosis (LL) between preoperative supine to standing radiographs and preoperative to postoperative alignment. RESULTS Demographics and preoperative and postoperative sagittal alignment were similar between the Ost (n = 60, 65.9%) and NOst (n = 31, 34.1%) cohorts (p > 0.05). Of all Ost patients, 71.7% had a grade 2 osteotomy (mean 3 per patient), 21.7% had a grade 3 osteotomy, and 12.5% underwent both grade 3 and grade 2 osteotomies. Postoperatively, the NOst and Ost cohorts had similar pelvic incidence minus lumbar lordosis (PI-LL) mismatch (mean PI-LL 5.2° vs 1.2°; p = 0.205). Correction obtained through positioning (Sflex%) was significantly lower for in the osteotomy cohort (38.0% vs 76.3%, p = 0.004). A threshold of Sflex% < 70% predicted the need for osteotomy at a sensitivity of 78%, specificity of 56%, and positive predictive value of 77%. CONCLUSIONS The flexibility of the spine is quantitatively related to the use of an osteotomy. Prospective studies are needed to determine thresholds that may be used to standardize surgical decision-making in ASD surgery.
Child Abuse Among Children with Disabilities: What We Know and What We Need to Know

Abstract Information concerning abuse and neglect of children with disabilities is scarce, research suffers from definitional and methodological shortcomings, and few studies examine why these children are at an increased risk of abuse. In this chapter, we first discuss general definitional and methodological limitations, specific issues related to the abuse of children with disabilities, and efforts of child abuse researchers to overcome these limitations. We then discuss the prevalence of maltreatment among children with disabilities. Next, we present and apply to children with disabilities an ecological approach to child abuse, showing how certain societal, familial, parental, and child characteristics function to increase these children's risk of abuse and neglect. We conclude by describing four research directions for better understanding the abuse of children with disabilities.
Symbolic String Verification: An Automata-Based Approach

We present an automata-based approach for the verification of string operations in PHP programs based on symbolic string analysis. String analysis is a static analysis technique that determines the values that a string expression can take during program execution at a given program point. This information can be used to verify that string values are sanitized properly and to detect programming errors and security vulnerabilities. In our string analysis approach, we encode the set of string values that string variables can take as automata. We implement all string functions using a symbolic automata representation (MBDD representation from the MONA automata package) and leverage efficient manipulations on MBDDs, e.g., determinization and minimization. Particularly, we propose a novel algorithm for language-based replacement. Our replacement function takes three DFAs as arguments and outputs a DFA. Finally, we apply a widening operator defined on automata to approximate fixpoint computations. If this conservative approximation does not include any badpatterns (specified as regular expressions), we conclude that the program does not contain any errors or vulnerabilities. Our experimental results demonstrate that our approach works quite well in checking the correctness of sanitization operations in real-world PHP applications.
Nonlinear Time-Varying Controllers for Uniform Stabilization

This paper is devoted to the topic of (robust) uniform stabilizability of families of linear time-invariant (LTI) plants arising from additive and multiplicative descriptions of unstructured uncertainty. Our results extend some previous work reported in [9], and show that there is no advantage in using general nonlinear time-varying (NLTV) controllers over LTI ones for certain problems of (robust) uniform stabilization. Some auxiliary results on L ? -norm approximation theory are also obtained.
A review of microsoft products, strategy and technologies

Recent surveys for e-business future in western European countries, show that there is a huge growth potential as the total amount spent on ebusiness (B2B and B2C) is forecasted to rise from 150BUSD in 2004 to 650BUSD in 2008 and web buyers will rise from 67M in 2004 to 94M in 2008 [source, IDC 2004]. Interestingly, Greece seems to have an even greater potential with a forecast of increasing e-business transactions from 2.861mUSD in 2004 to 13000mUSD in 2008 [source, IDC 2004]. As a result, all major software vendors are working on strategy, products and technologies in order to obtain the pole position in business-to-business and business-to-consumer commerce. This paper discusses the e-business strategy, products and technologies of a major software vendor, which is expected to have a key role in this area during the next years, Microsoft Corporation. Firstly, an architectural and functions’ overview of Microsoft e-business servers, namely “Biztalk Server”, “Content Management Server” and “Commerce Server” is provided. Secondly, “Jupiter”, the codename for Microsoft’s e-business roadmap and vision is presented and discussed. With “Jupiter” Microsoft aims at reducing IT complexity and connect people, processes and information through an integrated, standards-based e-business infrastructure. Finally, the underlying technologies of the abovementioned products and strategy, such as XML, Web services, SOAP, .NET, are presented, together with the latest advancements in e-business facilitator standards, such as web services interoperability standards.
Foreword: Problem-Solving Courts: From Innovation to Institutionalization

The phenomenal growth of drug courts and other forms of 'problem-solving' courts has followed a pattern that is characteristic of many successful innovations: An individual or small group has or stumbles upon a new idea; the idea is put into practice and appears to work; a small number of other actors adopt the innovation and have similar experiences; if there is great demand for the innovation-for example, because it responds to a widely-perceived crisis or satisfies an institutional need and resolves tensions within organizations that adopt it-the innovation rapidly diffuses through the networks in which the early adopters interact. Eventually, what was originally an innovation becomes institutionalized.
Use of the Cranial Base in the Identification of Fire Victims

Techniques exist for using the cranial base to estimate the race and sex of skeletalized individuals in forensic science cases. The applicability of these techniques to remains of fire victims has been uncertain because of possible cranial-base shrinkage that may result from burning. To determine the amount of shrinkage resulting from low-temperature burning (less than 800 degrees C), the cranial bases of eight dissecting room cadavers were measured, the bones then burned, and the cranial fragments remeasured. The wet-bone measurements were compared to the burned-bone measurements, and the percentage of shrinkage was calculated. The average change from wet to burned bone is less than 1.00%, a figure in agreement with other published studies. Since a change of 1.00% is less than intraobserver error, it is argued that low-temperature burning--such as an average house fire--does not significantly impair the accuracy of the identification techniques. Therefore, the techniques should be applicable to many fire victims.
The effects of ambient noise upon signal detection.

One aspect of the sensory interaction phenomenon was reviewed, the effect of ambient noise upon signal detection performance. An objective of this review was to arrive at possible generalizations about the effects of noise through an examination of variables affecting both similarities and divergencies of results. A second objective was to discuss some of the limitations of noise research for theory and practice, using sonar surveillance in undersea warfare as a reference operation. The conclusions from the review were organized under two major headings:(I) effects of noise for the alerted operator case involving threshold sensitivity, and (2) effects of noise for the unalerted operator case involving vigilance behavior. The limitations of the literature for theory and practice were also discussed under these major headings.
Hepatitis C Virus Infects Rhesus Macaque Hepatocytes and Simianized Mice

UNLABELLED: At least 170 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Owing to the narrow host range of HCV and restricted use of chimpanzees, there is currently no suitabl ...
Vanilloid receptor TRPV1-mediated phosphorylation of ERK in murine adjuvant arthritis.

Summary Objective The vanilloid receptor transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), expressed by sensory neurons that innervate joints, is implicated in arthritis but the mechanisms are not fully understood. One possibility is that downstream effects of activation of TRPV1 are mediated by the extracellularly-regulated kinase (ERK). ERK is phosphorylated (p-ERK) in sensory neurons in response to noxious stimuli and its inhibition has been found to be antinociceptive in several pain models. We here wanted to ascertain whether TRPV1 may contribute to the pain hypersensitivity and inflammation of arthritis via an ERK-mediated pathway. Methods We used a model of adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) of the ankle and investigated the changes in expression of p-ERK in sensory afferent neurons in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal dorsal horn of TRPV1-knockout (KO) mice, compared to wild-type (WT) mice of the same genetic background, using multiple immunofluorescence. Results Two to three weeks after inducing AIA in mice, the number of neurons in DRG and spinal cord that expressed p-ERK was significantly higher on the side of AIA than on the contralateral, vehicle-injected side. The fraction of p-ERK-positive neurons in the DRG that also expressed TRPV1 was increased, indicating that activation of ERK occurred preferentially in TRPV1-positive neurons. Moreover, TRPV1-KO mice had reduced activation of ERK in sensory neurons, compared to WT mice. These changes in expression of p-ERK correlated with changes in pain behavior and joint histopathology: TRPV1-KO mice had reduced nociceptive behavior and severity of arthritis, compared to WT mice. Conclusion Our results support the idea that activation of ERK in primary afferent neurons is mediated, at least in part, by TRPV1. In the absence of TRPV1, the signs of arthralgia and histopathology in the mouse model of AIA are reduced. We conclude that TRPV1, expressed by neurons in the articular afferent pathway, contributes to the pathogenesis of arthritis via an ERK-mediated pathway.
Extending local canonical correlation analysis to handle general linear contrasts for fMRI data

Local canonical correlation analysis (CCA) is a multivariate method that has been proposed to more accurately determine activation patterns in fMRI data. In its conventional formulation, CCA has several drawbacks that limit its usefulness in fMRI. A major drawback is that, unlike the general linear model (GLM), a test of general linear contrasts of the temporal regressors has not been incorporated into the CCA formalism. To overcome this drawback, a novel directional test statistic was derived using the equivalence of multivariate multiple regression (MVMR) and CCA. This extension will allow CCA to be used for inference of general linear contrasts in more complicated fMRI designs without reparameterization of the design matrix and without reestimating the CCA solutions for each particular contrast of interest. With the proper constraints on the spatial coefficients of CCA, this test statistic can yield a more powerful test on the inference of evoked brain regional activations from noisy fMRI data than the conventional t-test in the GLM. The quantitative results from simulated and pseudoreal data and activation maps from fMRI data were used to demonstrate the advantage of this novel test statistic.
Peak Undrained Resistance of Loose Sands

The peak undrained resistance (σd, u peak) of a loose sand during liquefaction under monotonic loading does not necessarily occur on or near the Mohr Coulomb failure envelope. Instead, it occurs as that combination or product of a decreasing effective confining pressure (σ3) and an increasing stress level (SL). The condition in which this product is a maximum occurs at a particular point on a plot of the deviator stress (σd) versus volumetric strain (ϵv) as assessed from a drained triaxial test. A method is presented whereby a single drained test with volume change measurement can be used to assess this undrained peak. This is a refinement of a more complete effective stress method of liquefaction analysis that requires only drained triaxial testing.
A novel pathway in the photooxygenation of cyclic allenes.

The photooxidation of cyclic allenes gives rise to cyclic 1,2,3-trione hydrates. The formation of these compounds points to a novel photooxidation mechanism involving both singlet and triplet oxygen. Upon placement of a methyl group on the allene, the mechanism shifts to predominantly an “ene” reaction. The corresponding cycloadditions with 4-methyl-1,3,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (MTAD) with cyclic allenes involve 2 equiv of MTAD. The dipolar intermediates are trapped with H2O to give α-urazole-substituted 2-cycloalkenones.
Nutrients removal and recovery in bioelectrochemical systems: A review

Abstract Nutrient removal and recovery has received less attention during the development of bioelectrochemical systems (BES) for energy efficient wastewater treatment, but it is a critical issue for sustainable wastewater treatment. Both nitrogen and phosphorus can be removed and/or recovered in a BES through involving biological processes such as nitrification and bioelectrochemical denitrification, the NH 4 + / NH 3 couple affected by the electrolyte pH, or precipitating phosphorus compounds in the high-pH zone adjacent a cathode electrode. This paper has reviewed the nutrients removal and recovery in various BES including microbial fuel cells and microbial electrolysis cells, discussed the influence factors and potential problems, and identified the key challenges for nitrogen and phosphorus removal/recovery in a BES. It expects to give an informative overview of the current development, and to encourage more thinking and investigation towards further development of efficient processes for nutrient removal and recovery in a BES.