cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical energy storage in a sustainable modern society

The storage of electrical energy in a rechargeable battery is subject to the limitations of reversible chemical reactions in an electrochemical cell. The limiting constraints on the design of a rechargeable battery also depend on the application of the battery. Of particular interest for a sustainable modern society are (1) powering electric vehicles that can compete with cars powered by the internal combustion engine and (2) stationary storage of electrical energy from renewable energy sources that can compete with energy stored in fossil fuels. Existing design strategies for the rechargeable battery have enabled the wireless revolution and the plug-in hybrid electric car, but they show little promise of providing safe, adequate capacity with an acceptable shelf and cycle life to compete in cost and convenience with the chemical energy stored in fossil fuels. Electric vehicles that are charged overnight (plug-in vehicles) offer a distributed energy storage, but larger battery packs are needed for stationary storage of electrical energy generated from wind or solar farms and for stand-by power. This paper outlines the limitations of existing commercial strategies and some developing strategies that may overcome these limitations.
Nonlinear electric field structures in the inner magnetosphere

Recent observations by the Van Allen Probes spacecraft have demonstrated that a variety of electric field structures and nonlinear waves frequently occur in the inner terrestrial magnetosphere, including phase space holes, kinetic field-line resonances, nonlinear whistler-mode waves, and several types of double layer. However, it is nuclear whether such structures and waves have a significant impact on the dynamics of the inner magnetosphere, including the radiation belts and ring current. To make progress toward quantifying their importance, this study statistically evaluates the correlation of such structures and waves with plasma boundaries. A strong correlation is found. These statistical results, combined with observations of electric field activity at propagating plasma boundaries, are consistent with the identification of these boundaries as the source of free energy responsible for generating the electric field structures and nonlinear waves of interest. Therefore, the ability of these structures and waves to influence plasma in the inner magnetosphere is governed by the spatial extent and dynamics of macroscopic plasma boundaries in that region.
Acetylcholine Release at Neuromuscular Junctions of Adult Tottering Mice Is Controlled by N-(Cav2.2) and R-Type (Cav2.3) but Not L-Type (Cav1.2) Ca2+ Channels

The mutation in the α1A subunit gene of the P/Q-type (Cav2.1) Ca2+ channel present in tottering ( tg ) mice causes ataxia and motor seizures that resemble absence epilepsy in humans. P/Q-type Ca2+channels are primarily involved in acetylcholine (ACh) release at mammalian neuromuscular junctions. Unmasking of L-type (Cav1.1–1.2) Ca2+ channels occurs in cerebellar Purkinje cells of tg mice. However, whether L-type Ca2+ channels are also up-regulated at neuromuscular junctions of tg mice is unknown. We characterized thoroughly the pharmacological sensitivity of the Ca2+ channels, which control ACh release at adult tg neuromuscular junctions. Block of N- and R-type (Cav2.2–2.3), but not L-type Ca2+ channels, significantly reduced quantal content of end-plate potentials in tg preparations. Neither resting nor KCl-evoked miniature end-plate potential frequency differed significantly between tg and wild type (WT). Immunolabeling of Ca2+ channel subunits α1A, α1B, α1C, and α1E revealed an apparent increase of α1B, and α1E staining, at tg but not WT neuromuscular junctions. This presumably compensates for the deficit of P/Q-type Ca2+channels, which localized presynaptically at WT neuromuscular junctions. No α1C subunits juxtaposed with pre- or postsynaptic markers at either WT or tg neuromuscular junctions. Thus, in adult tg mice, immunocytochemical and electrophysiological data indicate that N- and R-type channels both assume control of ACh release at motor nerve terminals. Recruitment of alternate subtypes of Ca2+ channels to control transmitter release seems to represent a commonly occurring method of neuronal plasticity. However, it is unclear which conditions underlie recruitment of Cav2 as opposed to Cav1-type Ca2+ channels.
Five Minds for the Entrepreneurial Future: Cognitive Skills as the Intellectual Foundation for Next Generation Entrepreneurship Curricula

This article proposes a new perspective on entrepreneurship curriculum design, one that is founded upon the emerging research into the cognitive skills that successful entrepreneurs possess and deploy. Specifically, this article utilises Gardner’s ‘minds’ approach as a theoretical framework specific to the challenge of developing curriculum for teaching entrepreneurship. Following Gardner, each entrepreneurial mind developed in this article is a meta-category representation of a host of cognitive sub-skills that have been identified through research to be unique to successful entrepreneurs. The five minds for the entrepreneurial future are: (1) The Opportunity Recognising Mind, (2) The Designing Mind, (3) The Risk Managing Mind, (4) The Resilient Mind and (5) The Effectuating Mind. Taken as a whole, these five minds provide an intellectual foundation for entrepreneurship education and curriculum development. The articulation of the aggregated cognitive sub-skills in terms of entrepreneurial minds provides...
Antimicrobial treatment of peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

A multitude of therapeutic regimens have been proposed for the management of peritonitis associated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). There are, however, few clinical trials that have evaluated the efficacy of these proposed regimens in a prospective, comparative fashion. This retrospective report is a tabulation of the published data on antimicrobial treatment of CAPD-related peritonitis. The results are presented for combination and mono-drug therapies; Gram-positive bacterial, Gram-negative bacterial and fungal infections; intravenous, oral and intraperitoneal (i.p.) routes of drug administration; various dosages and dosing intervals; and clinical response and relapse rates. The apparent optimal combination regimen for empiric treatment of peritonitis is vancomycin administered in 1 dialysis exchange/week with ceftazidime. This regimen avoids the toxicity associated with the use of aminoglycosides while maintaining effectiveness.
Transitory demineralization of the hip in pregnancy. A report of three cases.

Three cases have been presented of a syndronme occurring in pregnant women. This syndrome is characterized by pain of varying severity in one or both hips or thighs and develops in the last trimester of pregnancy. Roentgenograms show a spotty demineralization with sharply localized margins, involving one or both femoral heads, a small part of the femoral neck, and the acetabulum. In each of the three patients, the pain subsided and the roentgenographic appearance returned to normal within several months after delivery. We do not know the cause of this syndrome, but suspect it to be of neurogenic origin.
Inviting Participation through IoT: Experiments and Performances in Public Spaces

This paper proposes a workshop on the Internet of Things (IoT) for participation in public life. We will bring together artists, designers, practitioners, and academics interested in site-specific projects involving lighting and other ambient technologies intended to serve community interests such as representation and safety. The authors share their current inquiry on stairwells as an example. Discussion of this project and others will help us locate, trace, and develop networked environments.
Antibacterial activity of achievable epithelial lining fluid exposures of Amikacin Inhale with or without meropenem

Objectives While Amikacin Inhale (BAY41-6551), an integrated drug-device combination under development, achieves an estimated amikacin epithelial lining fluid (ELF) concentration of ∼ 5000 mg/L, its target site pharmacodynamics are unknown. We evaluated the pharmacodynamics of ELF exposure of inhaled amikacin ± meropenem. Methods ELF exposures of inhaled amikacin (400 mg every 12 h), intravenous meropenem (2 g every 8 h) and a combination of both were studied in an in vitro pharmacodynamic model. Seven Klebsiella pneumoniae and 10 Pseudomonas aeruginosa with amikacin/meropenem MICs of 1 to 32,768/≤ 0.125 to >128 mg/L were included. Efficacy was assessed over 24-72 h. Results The mean ± SD 0 h bacterial density was 6.5 ± 0.1 log10 cfu/mL. Controls grew to 8.0 ± 0.5 log10 cfu/mL by the end of the experiments. Simulation of inhaled amikacin monotherapy rapidly achieved and sustained bactericidal activity near the limit of detection over 24 h for all 13 isolates with amikacin MIC ≤ 256 mg/L except only ∼ 2 log10 cfu/mL reduction was observed in K. pneumoniae 375 (amikacin/meropenem MIC 64/32 mg/L) and P. aeruginosa 1544 (amikacin/meropenem MIC 64/128 mg/L). No activity was seen against the three isolates with amikacin MIC ≥ 2048 mg/L. Among the six isolates tested with meropenem monotherapy, five (meropenem MIC ≥ 16 mg/L) grew similarly to the controls while one (meropenem MIC 2 mg/L) achieved ∼ 2.5 log10 cfu/mL decrease. Among seven isolates tested in combination, four (amikacin/meropenem MIC ≤ 64/32 mg/L), including K. pneumoniae 375, maintained limit of detection until 72 h, whereas P. aeruginosa 1544 sustained a 1 log reduction. Combination therapy had no activity against the two isolates with amikacin MIC ≥ 2048 mg/L. Conclusions Inhaled amikacin monotherapy showed bactericidal activity against most isolates tested with amikacin MICs ≤ 256 mg/L. Adjunct inhaled amikacin plus meropenem sustained this activity for 72 h for the tested isolates with amikacin/meropenem MIC ≤ 64/32 mg/L.
Theory of Solid He 4

Using a phenomenological approach, it is shown first that solid ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ in equilibrium with liquid ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ II along the phase separation line, as well as at pressures somewhat above the melting pressure, should have anomalous thermal properties over a finite temperature range or, at least, at isolated temperatures. Such a behavior of the solid results from a correlation of thermodynamic character of its thermal properties with those of the anomalous liquid. The predicted anomalies of the solid will then be effectively verified in terms of rigorous thermodynamics and somewhat incomplete data available on liquid and solid ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ along the melting line over a finite temperature interval. A specific anomaly of the melting pressure consisting in a shallow temperature minimum will be predicted at low temperatures, where both the liquid and solid phases are assumed to exhibit normal static thermal properties. The persistence of the anomalous equilibrium properties of liquid ${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$ II on solidification will be discussed qualitatively as suggesting a similar origin of these anomalies in both phases, such a situation having been shown previously to exist with respect to the thermal anomalies of liquid and solid ${\mathrm{He}}^{3}$.
Comparison of Molecular and Primitive Solvent Models for Electrical Double Layers in Nanochannels.

In a recent article (Lee et al. J. Comput. Theor. Chem., 2012, 8, 2012–2022.), it was shown that an electrolyte solution can be modeled in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a uniform dielectric constant in place of a polar solvent to validate Fluid Density Functional Theory (f-DFT) simulations. This technique can be viewed as a coarse-grained approximation of the polar solvent and reduces computational cost by an order of magnitude. However, the consequences of replacing the polar solvent with an effective permittivity are not well characterized, despite its common usage in f-DFT, Monte Carlo simulation, and Poisson–Boltzmann theory. In this paper, we have examined two solvent models of different fidelities with MD simulation of nanochannels. We find that the models produce qualitatively similar ion density profiles, but physical quantities such as electric field, electric potential, and capacitance differ by over an order of magnitude. In all cases, the bulk is explicitly modeled so that surface ...
Sequence Analysis and Biophysical Characterization Reveals the Presence of a Long Disordered Region in the CapA Membrane Protein from F. Tularensis

The capA gene (FTT_0807) from Francisella tularensis subsp. tularensis SCHU S4 encodes a 44.4 kDa integral membrane protein composed of 403 amino acid residues. The gene is part of an apparent operon with genes encoding two other membrane proteins, CapB, and CapC. Together, these proteins have been proposed to be involved in the biosynthesis of a polymeric-based capsule in this bacterium1,2. Membrane topology and secondary structure predictions show that CapA may have two transmembrane helices located at the N- and C-termini and a very large hydrophilic domain which is predicted to be mostly α-helical. We have overexpressed the capA gene in E. coli as a His6-tagged fusion with a folding reporter green fluorescent protein (GFP). Dynamic light scattering indicated that the purified CapA-GFP was highly monodisperse with a size that was dependent upon the protein concentration and choice of detergent. Circular dichroism showed that CapA-GFP was stable over a wide range of pH values. The CapA-GFP protein requires a high ionic strength to keep its secondary structure, indicating that electrostatic interactions are playing a key role in the stability of the protein. Analysis of the sequence by disorder predictors reveals that the CapA membrane protein contains a long disordered region of approximately 60 residues, suggesting that the ionic strength dependence arises due to electrostatic interactions involving the disordered region. Specifically, the addition of salt might minimize unfavorable intra- or inter-molecular electrostatic repulsions in the disordered region, allowing the formation of α-helices. Proteolysis experiments using proteinase K also confirmed that this disordered region is highly solvent exposed, which may indicate that it may play a role in binding to other proteins.
The Trend towards Flatness in M-ICT

In the M-ICT era, the trend of flatness is evident in physical equipment,network deployment, and business processes. At the physical equipment level, pools of all kinds of resources have become the main trend. In the network deployment level, software-defined networking(SDN), network function virtualization(NFV), and other technologies can make the network flatter. In the business process level, bigdata system provides the technical basis for flatness. We point out that the safely problem become general and security boundaries become blurred. We need to pay attention to these two aspects. We emphasize that the M-ICT era will be a comprehensive flat era.
Established and Screened of Directed Evolution Library of Interferon Gene in Swine

Objective To construct a library of α-interferon gene.Methods A library of human,swine,and avian interferon gene was constructed using both DNA shuffling technique and phage display technology.Results The titers of un-amplified and the amplified library are 3.5×107 pfu/ml,respectively.3 of the human interferon DNA sequences show a high degree of homology with pig interferon.Conclusion A high quality interferon gene library was constructed successfully.
County and Township Government in 1946

The first postwar year found rural local government facing problems of readjustment. As the rural units had felt the impact of war less forcefully than the states and cities, so their reconstruction problems were less acute; but they were none the less genuine and significant. To mention but a few, these included the construction of deferred public-works projects, the provision of housing and various forms of assistance for returned veterans, the modernization and expansion of public-welfare services, the securing of additional revenues adequate to finance an expanded program of local activities, and the reorganization of local areas and machinery with a view to fostering economy and efficiency in a period of mounting governmental costs. Though less than a dozen state legislatures held regular sessions, the year's enactments served both to initiate reconstruction programs begun a year earlier in many states and to indicate the nature of other measures likely to be more generally adopted in the future. Statutes of previous years formed the basis of various improvements in local government which were effected in 1946.The school-consolidation programs begun in the preceding year in Illinois and Kansas continued to make progress. At the beginning of October, 174 consolidations involving 897 districts had been effected in Illinois. In Kansas, some 2,000 districts have already been eliminated, and it has been estimated that the program in that state, as revised early in 1947, may ultimately reduce the number of districts, originally well over 8,000, to only 3,000.
Crosslinking/MS Studies of Cholesterol Interactions with Human α1 Glycine Receptor

The glycine receptor (GlyR) belongs to a superfamily of pentameric ligand-gated ion channels (pLGICs) known to mediate fast neurotransmission throughout the brain and spinal cord. GlyR typically modulates inhibitory transmission by antagonizing membrane depolarization through anion influx. Allosteric interactions between the receptor and its lipid surroundings affect receptor function, and cholesterol is essential for pLGIC activity. However, cholesterol at compositions below approximately 33 mol percent is reported to have negligible chemical activity. Taken together, the findings suggest that specific interactions between membrane proteins and cholesterol may become significant only at concentrations above this stoichiometric threshold, while interactions at lower cholesterol levels are primarily indicative of non-specific accessibility to the surrounding bilayer. Human α1 GlyR was purified from baculovirus infected insect cells and reconstituted in unilamellar vesicles at cholesterol:lipid ratios above and below the cholesterol activity threshold. Equivalent aliquots of azi-cholesterol, a photoactivatable cholesterol analog, were incorporated into reconstituted vesicles of varying cholesterol/lipid ratios. After photoactivation, covalently crosslinked cholesterol-GlyR were trypsin digested and mass fingerprinted. Mass shifted peptides containing cholesterol were identified by ESI-Q-TOF MS, and sites of cholesterol crosslinks in peptides were identified by targeted MS/MS. Differential sites of crosslinking as a function of cholesterol concentration were identified, with crosslinks found primarily in TM4 and extramembranous loops of GlyR. Concentration-dependent sites of interaction between cholesterol and GlyR were identified, highlighting sites of non-specific interactions of the receptor with its surrounding lipids, as well as potential specific cholesterol binding sites in GlyR.
The Siderophore Product Ornibactin Is Required for the Bactericidal Activity of Burkholderia contaminans MS14.

Burkholderia contaminans MS14 was isolated from soil in Mississippi. When cultivated on nutrient broth—yeast extract (NBY) agar medium, the colonies exhibit bactericidal activity against a wide range of plant pathogenic bacteria. Only a bacteriostatic compound with siderophore activity was successfully purified, which was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to be ornibactin. The isolation of the bactericidal compound has not yet been achieved, thus, the exact nature of the bactericidal compound is still unknown. In an attempt to isolate bactericidal compound, an interesting relationship between the production of ornibactin and the bactericidal activity of MS14 was characterized. Transposon mutagenesis resulted in two strains that lost bactericidal activity; an insertional mutation in a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) gene for ornibactin biosynthesis and a luxR family transcriptional regulatory gene. Co-culture of these two mutant strains resulted in the restoration of the bactericidal activity. Furthermore, the addition of ornibactin to the NRPS mutant restored the bactericidal phenotype. In MS14, it has been demonstrated that ornibactin has an alternative function aside from iron sequestration. Comparison of the ornibactin biosynthetic genes in Burkholderia species show diversity among the regulatory elements, while the gene products for ornibactin synthesis are conserved. This is an interesting observation given that ornibactin is supposed to have the same defined function within Burkholderia species. Ornibactin is produced by most Burkholderia species and further consideration for its role in regulating secondary metabolites production should be investigated. Importance Identification of the antibacterial product from strain MS14 is not the key feature to this study. We display a series of experiments that demonstrate that ornibactin is directly involved in the bactericidal phenotype of MS14. This observation provides evidence for an alternative function for ornibactin aside from iron sequestration. Ornibactin should be further evaluated for its role in regulating secondary metabolite biosynthesis in other Burkholderia species.
Concurrent babesiosis and serological evidence of Lyme disease in a young patient

Human babesiosis co-infected with Lyme disease in a young patient is an important condition. Here, we describe a case of a 39-year-old male patient with concurrent babesiosis and Lyme disease. Co-infections of tick borne diseases are often difficult to diagnose and underreported, and resulting in significant morbidity and mortality to patients. While co-infections have been infrequently described, it is of paramount importance that clinicians should be able to diagnose early and treat them effectively according to the patient geographical area and history of tick bite.
Selective reminding of prospective memory in Multiple Sclerosis

ABSTRACTObjective: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with prospective memory (PM) deficits, which may increase the risk of poor functional/health outcomes such as medication non-adherence. This study examined the potential benefits of selective reminding to enhance PM functioning in persons with MS.Method: Twenty-one participants with MS and 22 healthy adults (HA) underwent a neuropsychological battery including a Selective Reminding PM (SRPM) experimental procedure. Participants were randomly assigned to either: (1) a selective reminding condition in which participants learn (to criterion) eight prospective memory tasks in a Selective Reminding format; or (2) a single trial encoding condition (1T).Results: A significant interaction was demonstrated, with MS participants receiving greater benefit than HAs from the SR procedure in terms of PM performance. Across diagnostic groups, participants in the SR conditions (vs. 1T conditions) demonstrated significantly better PM performance. Individuals with MS...
Ricci curvature in Kähler geometry

These are the notes for lectures given at the Sanya winter school in complex analysis and geometry in January 2016. In Sec. 1, we review the meaning of Ricci curvature of Kahler metrics and introduce the problem of finding Kahler–Einstein metrics. In Sec. 2, we describe the formal picture that leads to the notion of K-stability of Fano manifolds, which is an algebro-geometric criterion for the existence of a Kahler–Einstein metric, by the recent result of Chen–Donaldson–Sun. In Sec. 3, we discuss algebraic structure on Gromov–Hausdorff limits, which is a key ingredient in the proof of the Kahler–Einstein result. In Sec. 4, we give a brief survey of the more recent work on tangent cones of singular Kahler–Einstein metrics arising from Gromov–Hausdorff limits, and the connections with algebraic geometry.
Dispersion of the discrete arbitrarily-varying channel with limited shared randomness

The second-order behavior of the discrete memoryless arbitrarily-varying channel is considered in the fixed error regime when the encoder and decoder share randomness that is independent from the adversarial choice of state. The dispersion (coefficient of the second-order term) is exactly characterized for most channels of interest when infinite shared randomness is allowed, and it is shown that precisely the same dispersion is achievable with only O (log n) bits of shared randomness. We also show that the dispersion is identical to that of the non-adversarial channel induced by the adversary simply choosing an i.i.d. state sequence according to the correct distribution. Further, we present some remarks on the connection to the compound channel, as well as on cost constraints for input and state sequences.
The Street is My Pulpit

Mwenda Ntarangwi’s The Street is My Pulpit is both biography and autoethnography. It is a biography of the Kenyan hip hop artist Juliani (Julius Owino) who, as a born again Christian, uses his musi...
Some indicators of welfare of crated veal calves on three dietary iron regimens.

Holstein calves were managed from less than 1 wk of age as in the special-fed veal industry but subjected to three dietary regimens (n = 10/group): low dietary iron (LI = approximately 5 mg iron/kg dry milk replacer) throughout 16 wk; 2) high then low dietary iron (H-LI = 140 mg/kg through d 18, then approximately 5 mg/kg through wk 16; a typical industrial scheme) or 3) high dietary iron (HI = approximately 105 mg/kg throughout the study). Several physiologic, behavioral and health indicators of welfare were monitored at various times. From wk 7 on, blood hemoglobin concentration was higher in HI calves than in LI, whereas that in H-LI calves was intermediate. Blood red cell count was higher in HI calves than in LI from wk 11 to 16, and was higher in HI than in H-LI from wk 14 to 16. Ratio of blood segmented neutrophils to lymphocytes (an indicator of stress) did not differ due to dietary regimen. Between wk 2 and 16, lying time increased from 69.5 to 76.6% of total time. Oral behaviors (e.g., licking and gnawing) occupied less than 15% of total time. Dietary regimen did not affect time spent either lying or engaging in oral behaviors. Calves in all dietary-regimen and slaughter-age groups experienced high frequencies of pneumonia, digestive-tract maladies and trichobezoars, but neither disease nor medical-treatment frequency was related to dietary regimen. Live, hot-dressed carcass and liver weights of the five calves/group slaughtered at 16 wk were not affected by dietary regimens, but carcass grade was highest for LI calves and lowest for HI.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Local–Global Linkages, Environmental Aspects

One of the ‘grand queries’ in science is understanding linkages between macroscale and microscale phenomena and processes. In the environmental and ecological sciences, multiple processes converge in localities, and their impacts play out at local and regional scales. At the same time, global changes are shaped by an aggregation of phenomena that arise in specific localities, and large-scale (global, national, or large-regional) processes and structures in turn shape what happens locally. Consequently, any effort to understand environmental issues in a comprehensive way calls for attention to multiple scales and to linkages between the different scales.
Dual Functionalized 5-Fluorouracil Liposomes as Highly Efficient Nanomedicine for Glioblastoma Treatment as Assessed in an In Vitro Brain Tumor Model.

Abstract Drug delivery to the brain has been a major challenge due to the presence of the blood-brain barrier, which limits the uptake of most chemotherapeutics into brain. We developed a dual-functionalized liposomal delivery system, conjugating cell penetrating peptide penetratin to transferrin-liposomes (Tf-Pen–conjugated liposomes) to enhance the transport of an anticancer chemotherapeutic drug, 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), across the blood-brain barrier into the tumor cells. The in vitro cellular uptake study showed that the dual-functionalized liposomes are capable of higher cellular uptake in glioblastoma (U87) and brain endothelial (bEnd.3) cells monolayer. In addition, dual-functionalized liposomes demonstrated significantly higher apoptosis in U87 cells. The liposomal nanoparticles showed excellent blood compatibility and in vitro cell viability, as studied by hemolysis and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, respectively. The 5-FU–loaded dual-functionalized liposomes demonstrated higher transport across the brain endothelial barrier and delivered 5-FU to tumor cells inside poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-chitosan scaffold (an in vitro brain tumor model), resulting in significant tumor regression.
The Effectiveness of a Peer-Staffed Crisis Respite Program as an Alternative to Hospitalization.

Objective:This study assessed whether peer-staffed crisis respite centers implemented in New York City in 2013 as an alternative to hospitalization reduced emergency department (ED) visits, hospita...
ABHD6: Its Place in Endocannabinoid Signaling and Beyond

The endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling system modulates neurotransmission and inflammation, among other physiological functions. Its newest member, α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 (ABHD6), has emerged as a promising therapeutic target to treat several devastating diseases, including epilepsy. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that mediate and control eCB signaling and, within it, the specific role of ABHD6. We also discuss how ABHD6 controls the abundance of additional lipids and the trafficking of ionotropic receptors to plasma membranes. We finish with several unexplored questions regarding this novel enzyme. Our current understanding of the molecular mechanism and biological function of ABHD6 provides a strong foundation for the development of small-molecule therapeutics to treat devastating diseases.
A Frequency Domain Control Perspective on Xenon Resistance for Load Following of Thermal Nuclear Reactors

Xenon (Xe) is a noble gas with an isotope (Xe-135) that has an extremely high absorption cross section of neutrons moving at thermal energies. Xe-135 is produced through a chain of decay of isotopes resulting from nuclear fission, in addition to directly resulting from fission. The decay chain results in a phase lag between Xe-135 concentration and the neutron flux or power in a nuclear reactor. The phase lag results in oscillations and several hours of delay between the set power and the response power of a reactor. To enable rapid load following of reactors to a maximum of one change per hour, or a frequency of $2.7\times 10^{-4}$ Hz ( $1.74\times 10^{-3}$ rad/s), a Bode-step controller is designed to expand the functional bandwidth of the reactor and to stabilize the control loop. The resulting controller is capable of projecting the Xe-135 concentrations and providing a phase lead to overcome the inherited phase lag. The controller was found to eliminate the power oscillation and enable the targeted “one change per hour” power set point change.
Reply to Comments on “Wideband Radiation Reconfigurable Microstrip Patch Antenna Loaded With Two Inverted U-Slots”

We appreciate the comments given in [1] on active scattering parameters and realized gain of the antenna in [2] . In this correspondence, we would like to address the aforementioned parameters, which were simply overlooked in [2] , by slightly modifying the antenna structure in [2] . The resultant antenna is now capable of radiating both the broadside and conical patterns over a 45% active impedance bandwidth, which is still much greater than that of the microstrip patch antennas with reconfigurable radiation patterns reported in [3] – [13] . The modifications to [2] to improve the isolation between the two ports include incorporating an H-shaped stub, inspired by the one in [14] , at the center of the patch, as shown in Fig. 1(a) , and placing shorting vias at appropriate positions on the antenna, which extends from the top layer of the patch to the ground plane. These vias, along with the narrow slits at the center of the patch, considerably aided in reducing the mutual coupling between the probes. The H-shaped stub and the shorting vias on it facilitated in improving the impedance matching. In the interest of maximizing the overall active reflection coefficients of both the modes of operation, i.e., SUM and DIFFERENCE modes, L-shaped probes are used to excite the antenna structure in lieu of the SMA probes. To integrate the L-probes, the profile of the antenna is now increased from $\sim 0.02\lambda _{\mathrm {d}}$ to $\sim 0.08\lambda _{\mathrm {d}}$ , where $\lambda _{\mathrm {d}}$ is the dielectric wavelength at the center frequency of operation.
Characteristics of Membrane Filters for Particle Collection

A summary is given of the aerosol filtration models for membrane filter media. While the capillary tube model has been shown to accurately predict the particle collection characteristics of Nuclepore membrane filters, thefibrous filter model gives more accurate prediction for the conventional solvent-cast membranes. Excellent agreement has been found between the effective fiber diameter used in the model and the diameter of the fiber-like structures in the conventional membrane. Results are presented showing the comparisons of the measured filter penetration with the theoretically predicted value for various particle sizes and filtration velocities. Excellent agreement has been obtained both in the degree of particle penetration through the filter and the location of the most penetrating particle size. For i the conventional membranes the most penetrating particle size is typically in the range of 0.05 to 0.2 um diameter.
How strain differences could help decipher the neurobiology of mammalian playfulness: What the less playful Fischer 344 rat can tell us about play.

Play is common among the young of many mammalian species. How that play is exhibited results from a dynamic interplay between genetic framework and experiential influences that, in turn, operate on...
Gold nanorods with size-controlled polydopamine coating for spectral imaging (Conference Presentation)

This study details a polydopamine-coated gold nanorod synthesis for photoacoustic imaging. The most important finding is that the photoacoustic intensity and spectrum shifted upon coating with polydopamine. We used this photoacoustic signal change to identify samples in a phantom. Additionally, the polydopamine-coated gold nanorods exhibited an increase in stability over bare nanorods under photoacoustic irradiation. Future studies will study drug release and will monitor from the polydopamine coating and monitor the fate of the gold nanorods over time in vivo.
Controlled growth of InGaN quantum dots on photoelectrochemically etched InGaN quantum dot templates

Abstract Controlled growth of InGaN quantum dots (QDs) using photoelectrochemically (PEC) etched InGaN QD templates is demonstrated. The InGaN QDs are grown by a self-assembly (SA) method using metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on templates consisting of planar GaN and PEC etched InGaN QDs for comparison. The InGaN QD templates are formed using quantum-size-controlled PEC etching of planar InGaN layers on GaN, which produces controlled QD radiuses with a statistical mean (μ) of 17.3 nm and standard deviation (σ) of 6.2 nm, and densities of 1.2 × 1010 cm−2. The PEC etched QDs are capped with an AlGaN interlayer and GaN barrier layer to recover a planar surface morphology for subsequent SA growth of QDs. The PEC QD templates behave as seeds via localize strain near the PEC QDs which provide improved control of the SA QD growth. The SA grown QDs on PEC QD templates are smaller and have controlled radiuses with μ = 21.7 nm and σ = 11.7 nm compared to the SA QDs on planar GaN templates with radiuses of μ = 37.8 nm and σ = 17.8 nm. Additionally, the dot densities of the SA QDs on PEC QD templates are ~3 times higher and more closely match the underlying densities of the template (8.1 × 109 cm−2). Multiple quantum dots (MQDs) are also grown on both templates that consist of 4 periods of SA QDs and AlGaN/GaN interlayer/barrier layers. The MQDs grown on PEC QD templates better retain their planarized smooth surfaces after barrier layer growth, and exhibit ~3 times stronger PL intensity at room temperature compared to MQDs grown on planar GaN.
CURCUMIN PRE-EXPOSURE IN VIVO PREVENTS ACETAMINOPHEN-INDUCED APOPTOTIC AND NECROTIC CELL DEATHS IN THE LIVER

Curcumin (CUR; diferuloylmethane), a rhizome extract of Curcuma longa is commonly used as a food coloring and flavoring agent. Although Oriental and the Ayurvedic medicines have traditionally used ...
Development of the materials analysis and particle probe for Proto-MPEX.

The Prototype Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (Proto-MPEX) is a linear plasma device being used in plasma source research and development (R&D) for the proposed MPEX. Once the R&D is completed, this device can also be used to perform plasma–material interaction studies. To perform these studies, a new materials analysis and particle probe (MAPP) has been constructed. The MAPP’s components are a sample holder and manipulator and a custom vacuum chamber with ports to facilitate surface chemistry diagnostics. The MAPP’s overall design enables rapid sample turnaround and in vacuo surface characterization. The surface analysis vacuum chamber has ports for x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectroscopy, back-scatter ion scattering spectroscopy, forward-scatter ion scattering spectroscopy, and direct recoil spectroscopy. The sample manipulator and holder is a Lesker/UHV Multi-Centre Analytical Stage, which is used to place the samples in the exposure region of the Proto-MPEX or the analysis position in the MAPP vacuum chamber. The sample holder has a heating capability of up to 1200 °C for heated exposure and for desorption studies. In this work, we present the MAPP’s design and the first tungsten sample exposure with ex situ analysis that shows a surface deposition layer on the exposed target, highlighting the need for additional in situ measurements on the Proto-MPEX.
Is fast-food consumption a problem among adolescents in Malaysia? An analysis of the National School-Based Nutrition Survey, 2012.

Fast-food consumption is an unhealthy dietary behaviour because it increases the risk of diet-related chronic diseases. We aimed to investigate factors associated with fast-food consumption, namely sociodemographic characteristics, body mass index-for-age, meal away from home habit, and intake of various food groups among adolescents in Malaysia. We analysed data from the National School-Based Nutrition Survey (NSNS). The NSNS was a nationwide, cross-sectional survey. Multiple-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was applied to obtain a representative sample of adolescents’ population. This study recruited adolescents aged 10–18 years who were attending schools. Pre-tested self-administered questionnaires in Malay language were used to obtain relevant information. Frequency of fast-food consumption per week was classified into three groups: “consumed fast-food four to seven days”, “consumed fast-food one to three days”, and “did not consume fast-food”. Intake of food groups was assessed by self-administered food frequency questionnaire. Descriptive and complex sample multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed in data analysis. A total of 26,383 from 40,012 selected adolescents completed all the relevant questions for this study. Of those surveyed, 13.5% of the respondents consumed fast-food 4 to 7 days, 69.3% of the respondents consumed fast food 1 to 3 days, and 17.2% of them did not consume fast-food in a typical week. Frequency of fast-food consumptions (4 to 7 days and 1 to 3 days per week) was significantly associated with age; sex; ethnicity; locality of schools; frequency of eating out; and not consuming recommended intake of cereals or grains, vegetables, and meat or poultry or eggs. In conclusion, age; sex; ethnicity; locality of schools; frequency of eating out per week; imbalanced intake of cereals or grains, meat, or poultry or eggs; and inadequate vegetable intake were significantly associated with fast-food consumption among adolescents in Malaysia. The findings of this study will be useful for policy makers in promoting healthy food choices among adolescents in Malaysia.
Motivators, goal setting, and helpful feedback for weight management among individuals with spinal cord injury.

Objective: To gain a fuller understanding, in the context of biopsychoecological factors, of drivers/motivators, goal setting, and feedback, individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) find helpful to gauge their weight management progress. Research Method/Design: We conducted in-depth interviews around weight management in SCI. Participants included veterans and civilians with SCI. Thematic analysis methodology was used to categorize data into relevant recurrent and/or conceptually significant themes. Results: Twenty-five individuals identified three primary reasons they wanted to participate in weight management, including overall health and wellness, appearance, and functional mobility. Their self-identified weight management goals included reaching/maintaining a specific body weight and/or trimming a focused body part; engaging in any or more physical activity/exercise; gaining strength and endurance; participating in life and activities; and alleviating weight-related health symptoms (e.g., pain). Individuals identified progress assessments, recognition, regular check-ins, and encouragement as helpful feedback toward weight management achievement. Conclusions/Implications: Our work identified what drives weight management in individuals with SCI, what is important to them in terms of goal setting, and what feedback they would find helpful. These findings may be used in intervention planning and program development to facilitate participation and behavior modification. Weight management efforts and interventions are needed that 1) incorporate motivators for weight management that are important to individuals with SCI; 2) help them identify actionable process and performance goals to facilitate achievement of self-identified meaningful outcome goals; and 3) provide person-centered weight management progress feedback such as those identified in this study (progress assessments, recognition, regular check-ins, and encouragement). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Isolation and Use of lonophores for Studying Ion Transport across Natural Membranes

One of the most important and interesting membrane-based processes is the transport of ions in and out of cells and cell organelles. In the study of ion transport across membranes, the concept of ionophoric activity has emerged. The term ionophoric activity has been used to mean various properties of a substance, depending on the method used to assay for the ionophorous material. Using the characteristic common to all methods, we may generally define an ionophore as a substance that enhances the movement or incorporation of an ion from an aqueous phase into a hydrophobic phase (Shamoo and Goldstein, 1977). An ionophore so defined is not necessarily involved in ion transport across biological membranes.
Chapter 5 Adenylyl cyclase and CAMP regulation of the endothelial barrier

Summary cAMP was the first second messenger discovered. Since its original description,elements of the cAMP signal transduction cascade have grown in complexity. The idea that cAMP quickly and evenly disperses within the cytosolic compartment to achieve a uniform cell signal has slowly faded. The challenge before us is to understand how CAMP signaling is achieved with spatio-temporal fidelity. This fidelity is cell-type specific and in accordance with any cell's unique function. To fully accomplish such a high level of understanding, identifying the molecular anatomy of the cAMP signaling scaffold must be put in context with a cell's specialized phenotype. Pulmonary microvacular endothelial cells must maintain a tight barrier function to limit fluid, solute and macromolecular flux, and preserve alveolar gas exchange. Therefore, membrane cAMP concentrations are maintained at a high level, and CAMP spillover into the bulk cytosol is limited by high, membrane-associated phosphodiesterase activity. This arrangement allows CAMP to achieve concentrations high enough to activate localized effectors that promote barrier function, while maintaining bulk cytosolic cAMP concentrations below a threshold required to activate effectors that disrupt barrier function. Calcium inhibition of membrane cAMP allows transient gap formation. Generation of cAMP outside the membrane compartment produces a sustained increase in microvascular endothelial cell permeability. In this context, pulmonary microvascular endothelium has developed a highly ordered and specialized mechanism for regulating cAMP production to dynamically control alveolar-capillary stability on a moment-to-moment basis.
Incentivizing self-regulation: Federal vs. state-level voluntary programs in US climate change policies

How does program sponsorship influence the design of voluntary programs? Why and how do voluntary programs on climate change sponsored by the state and federal governments in the United States vary in their institutional design? Scholars emphasize the signaling role of voluntary programs to outside stakeholders, and the excludable benefits that induce firms to take on non-trivial costs of joining voluntary programs. Scholars have noted several types of benefits, particularly reputational benefits programs provide, but have not systematically studied why different programs emphasize different types of benefits. We suggest that excludable benefits are likely to take different forms depending on the institutional context in which program sponsors function. We hypothesize that federal programs are likely to emphasize less tangible reputational benefits while state programs are likely to emphasize more tangible benefits, such as access to technical knowledge and capital. Statistical analyses show the odds of a voluntary program emphasizing tangible benefits increases by several folds when the program is sponsored by the state as opposed to federal government.
Survey of Scanner and Printer Forensics at Purdue University

This paper describes methods for forensic characterization of scanners and printers. This is important in verifying the trust and authenticity of data and the device that created it. An overview of current forensic methods, along with current improvements of these methods is presented. Near-perfect identification of source scanner and printer is shown to be possible using these techniques.
Past-President's Message

The Indian power sector is presently going through a process of reform and restructuring, Independent regulatory commissions are being set up, and vertically integrated utilities are being unbundled into corporate entities. Efforts are also being made to facilitate competition wherever feasible, and the choice of an appropriate power market model assumes significance in this context. The recent reforms in the Indian power sector have exemplified changes in the players' role for providing policy directions, regulating, and running the sector for over 50 years. New institutional entities are being established in the power sector, and a healthy relationship between these institutions is presumed crucial to ensure a sustained development of the sector and to realize the reform goals. A three-phase, nine-step action plan for reform encourages an integrated national grid; tariff setting, DSM options, energy conservation, and T&D loss reduction as possible strategies to overcome the problem of power deficit.
Link-up of mini-fractures from perforated holes

The link-up of mini-fractures from perforated holes on a deviated wellbore is analyzed in this chapter. The link-up of mini-fractures depends on the in situ stresses, fluid pressure, wellbore orientation, and the spacing between perforations.