cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pak1 control of E-cadherin endocytosis regulates salivary gland lumen size and shape

Generating and maintaining proper lumen size and shape in tubular organs is essential for organ function. Here, we demonstrate a novel role for p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) in defining the size and shape of the Drosophila embryonic salivary gland lumen by regulating the size and elongation of the apical domain of individual cells. Pak1 mediates these effects by decreasing and increasing E-cadherin levels at the adherens junctions and basolateral membrane, respectively, through Rab5- and Dynamin-dependent endocytosis. We also demonstrate that Cdc42 and Merlin act together with Pak1 to control lumen size. A role for Pak1 in E-cadherin endocytosis is supported by our studies of constitutively active Pak1, which induces the formation of multiple intercellular lumens in the salivary gland in a manner dependent on Rab5, Dynamin and Merlin. These studies demonstrate a novel and crucial role for Pak1 and E-cadherin endocytosis in determining lumen size and shape, and also identify a mechanism for multiple lumen formation, a poorly understood process that occurs in normal embryonic development and pathological conditions.
Understanding Cullin-RING E3 Biology through Proteomics-based Substrate Identification

Protein turnover through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway controls numerous developmental decisions and biochemical processes in eukaryotes. Central to protein ubiquitylation are ubiquitin ligases, which provide specificity in targeted ubiquitylation. With more than 600 ubiquitin ligases encoded by the human genome, many of which remain to be studied, considerable effort is being placed on the development of methods for identifying substrates of specific ubiquitin ligases. In this review, we describe proteomic technologies for the identification of ubiquitin ligase targets, with a particular focus on members of the cullin-RING E3 class of ubiquitin ligases, which use F-box proteins as substrate specific adaptor proteins. Various proteomic methods are described and are compared with genetic approaches that are available. The continued development of such methods is likely to have a substantial impact on the ubiquitin-proteasome field.
Adjuvant Chemotherapy for Early Stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

For many years adjuvant chemotherapy has been a standard treatment after complete resection in malignancies such as breast and colon but only recently has its use become standard in early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Although surgery is regarded as the best possible treatment for early stage NSCLC, only 20-25% of patients have resectable disease at presentation. Despite optimal surgical treatment, five-year survival rates for NSCLC remain 50-60% for stage IB, 40%-50% for stage II, and 20-30% for stage III (Kohler 2011; Siegel 2011). Adjuvant chemotherapy provides additional survival benefit in resected NSCLC but questions remain as to how to select patients for therapy and which regimen is best. Other than work with tegafur/uracil in Japan, the positive adjuvant trials have all utilized a cisplatin backbone, but the drug(s) to pair with cisplatin are a matter of debate and will be discussed further in this manuscript.
How experiential service-learning affects student perceptions of education in their careers and as a wildlife management activity

Wildlife education has long been critiqued for leaving students entering the workforce deficient in skills such as communication, public relations, and problem solving. This challenge may emerge from both curricula and instructional techniques focused on technical expertise rather than soft skills. Researchers have suggested several instructional techniques to address this challenge but have not empirically examined their effectiveness. This study examined how an environmental-education service-learning project affected undergraduate wildlife science students' perceptions of education as a possible career and how important they considered education as a wildlife management activity using a pre-posttreatment comparison between 36 wildlife students at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, NC, USA, during spring 2014) participating in an environmental-education service-learning project and 23 wildlife students from the same cohort who were not. In the pretest, few (10.3%) students from either group saw K–12 education as a future career, but most (98.3%) saw education as an important wildlife management activity. Most (82.0%) students also predicted they would need educator skills in their careers, but more females than males saw this as likely. The treatment was positively related to students' belief they would use teaching skills in future careers and that a career in K–12 education would be fulfilling. These results suggest that service-learning projects may be an effective tool to boost interest in education both as a career and as a wildlife management activity among future wildlife professionals regardless of gender, but that especially high interest among females could provide guidance for training and recruitment efforts attempting to mitigate the gender gap among wildlife professionals. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
Chemical synthesis of a heparan sulfate glycopeptide: syndecan-1.

The highly complex structure of syndecan-1 heparan sulfate glycopeptide was successfully assembled. The protective groups utilized and sequences for glycosyl linkage formation and protective group removal are critical for the success of synthesis. This is the first time this type of sulfated glycopeptides has been prepared, which lays the foundation to access other members of this important class of molecules.
PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS IN SEED PLANTS

Abstract— The phylogenetic relationships of nineteen extant and fossil seed plants are considered. Analysis of 31 characters produced ten topologically similar and equally parsimonious cladograms. A strict consensus tree derived from these cladograms places Lyginopteris as the sister taxon to the other seed plants included. Within this clade all the taxa considered, except medullosans and cycads, form a single monophyletic group defined by the presence of flattened seeds and saccate pollen (“platy-sperms”). Relationships between medullosans, cycads, and “platysperms” were not resolved, but within the “platysperm” clade conifers and cordaites (Cordaixylon, Mesoxylon) + Ginkgo form a monophyletic group (“coniferophytes”). The “higher platysperms” (glossopterids, Caytonia, corystosperms, Bennettitales, Pentoxylon, Gnetales, and angiosperms) are also monophyletic, but their relationship to “coniferophytes,” peltasperms, and Callistophyton is unresolved. Pentoxylon is placed as sister taxon to the Bennettitales, and together they form the sister group to a clade in which Gnetales and angiosperm are sister taxa. The Bennettitales + Pentoxylon + Gnetales + angiosperms (“anthophytes”) form a monophyletic sister group to the corystosperms. This analysis is compared with current classifications of seed plants. It does not support a close relationship between Bennettitales and cycads, it provides no evidence for seed plant polyphyly, and it strongly suggests that the current concept of seed ferns has little value in a phylogenetic context.
Representing continuous spatial variation of geographic phenomena using fuzzy logic

Variation of geographical phenomena is often gradual and continuous over space. A discrete model based on Boolean logic has been used to portray (map) this gradual and continuous spatial variation. Due to the limitation of this discrete model, spatial variation of geographic phenomena is portrayed by discrete and distinct spatial units, and changes only occur at the boundaries of these units. As a result, the gradual and continuous nature of geographical phenomena is not retained in this discrete model. The paper presents a fuzzy logic based model (referred to as a similarity model). The model consists of two components: a fuzzy representation of geographic phenomena in the attribute domain and a raster representation in the spatial domain. With the use of fuzzy logic and raster representation, a given geographic phenomenon is perceived as a continuum in both the attribute and spatial domains. A case study conducted in the area of soil survey shows that spatial variation of soils was better represented under the similarity model than under the discrete model. It was also found that information retained under the similarity model allows the quantification of uncertainty when one chooses to harden the similarity information into the conventional Boolean representation.
Induction of Drug Metabolism by Forskolin: The Role of the Pregnane X Receptor and the Protein Kinase A Signal Transduction Pathway

An extract of the plant Coleus forskohlii has been used for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine to treat various diseases such as hypothyroidism, heart disease, and respiratory disorders. Additionally, complex herbal mixtures containing this extract are gaining popularity in United States for their putative "fat-burning" properties. The active ingredient in C. forskohlii extract is the diterpene compound forskolin. Forskolin is a widely used biochemical tool that activates adenyl cyclase, thereby increasing intracellular concentration of cAMP and thus activating the protein kinase A (PKA) signal transduction pathway. We show herein that both forskolin and its nonadenyl cyclase-activating analog 1,9 dideoxyforskolin induce CYP3A gene expression in primary hepatocytes by functioning as agonists of the pregnane X receptor (PXR). We show that activation of PKA signaling potentiates PXR-mediated induction of CYP3A gene expression in cultured hepatocytes and increases the strength of PXR-coactivator protein-protein interaction in cell-based assays. Kinase assays show that PXR can serve as a substrate for catalytically active PKA in vitro. Our data provide important insights into the molecular mechanism of both the PKA-dependent and -independent effects of forskolin on the expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes in liver. Finally, our data suggest that herbal therapy with C. forskohlii extract should be approached cautiously due to the potential for herb-drug interactions in patients on combination therapy.
A Scenario-Based DSP Learning Study

Though in its formal infancy, research in engineering education has developed a substantive agenda for the coming academic generation. While compartmentalized into a variety of research areas, the methodology remains quite generalized and applicable to a wide range of engineering disciplines. In this work, we seek to address the epistemological issue of knowledge development through encouraged error and persistent remediation, commonly classified as scenario-based learning. We do so through the development of learning modules in Adobe Captivate, targeted for early undergraduate students in signals and systems. Through incremental assessment, we investigate the benefit to decision-oriented learning.
Vortex Formation Near an Iris in a Rectangular Waveguide

The generalized dual-series approach to the capacitive and inductive iris waveguide problems is presented. Currents on the iris and plots of the fields and power flow in the vicinity of the iris are given for the capacitive iris case. It is found that vortices form in the iris region when higher order scattered modes are present. The formation of these vortices and their properties will be described in this paper.
The influence of a teacher research experience on elementary teachers’ thinking and instruction

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether and how elementary teachers’ thinking and instruction changed as a result of a teacher research experience. Each teacher worked with a scientist conducting research for a period of six weeks. Data in the form of classroom observations and interviews was collected before and after the research experience. Also, document analysis of journals kept during the research experience was conducted. Case studies for three elementary teachers describe the specific changes to thinking and instruction that resulted from the research experience and how such changes differed between beginning and experienced elementary teachers.
Maternal immunity and pregnancy outcome: focus on preconception and autophagy

Modulation of the maternal immune system before conception has a major role in determining subsequent pregnancy outcome. However, this has been a neglected area of investigation. There is a correlation between the length of time a woman is exposed to semen from her male partner and the development of regulatory T cells that limit a maternal antifetal immune response. Similarly, the composition of the vaginal microbiota influences the capacity of microorganisms to bypass the cervical barrier and colonize the uterus before pregnancy. The extent that this preconception colonization influences pre- and post-implantation gestational events depends on the types of microbes present, the genetic make-up of the mother and environmental influences on the magnitude and direction of her immune responses. Prepregnancy uterine and placental colonization with commensal bacteria may be beneficial to the fetus and newborn by generating tolerance to organisms that enhance postnatal well-being. Efforts to prevent or stop the progression of premature myometrial contractions have been limited because of an incomplete understanding of the mechanism(s) that trigger this occurrence. Based on recent studies of autophagy during gestation and parturition, inhibition of autophagy in myometrial cells may be the critical factor leading to a sequence of events culminating in induction of myometrial contractions either prematurely or at term.
The 'Double Feature' of Hearsay and the Confrontation Clause, Plus Coming Attractions

The paper addresses the Rules of Evidence and the Constitution: How Do the Pieces Fit Together? Hearsay Law (Both Civil and Criminal Cases), The Confrontation Right after Crawford v. Washington (Criminal Trials Only), United States v. Washington: When is a Writing Not an OCS of a Person, So that Neither the Hearsay Rule Nor the Confrontation Clause Applies? and Forfeiture of Right to Object on Confrontation Grounds.
Diversity and Financial Reform in 2010

There is a provision in the 2010 financial reform legislation that calls for an evaluative process of the hiring decisions of firms that do business with the federal government. Under the provision, federal officials may recommend that the government terminate contracts with companies that do not make a “good faith effort” to hire women and people of color. This article explores the possibilities for assessing the good faith of financial institutions, investment and mortgage banking firms, brokers, dealers and financial services providers when making hiring decisions.
Desensitization Strategies Pre- and Post-Cardiac Transplantation

Panel reactive antibody (PRA) testing has become standard in the evaluation of patients prior to cardiac transplant. Sensitizing events such as blood transfusions, which result in the accumulation of pre-transplant antibodies, should be avoided as clinically feasible. Desensitization therapy might be considered in sensitized patients with cPRA > 50 % although distinct cutoff PRA values for initiating therapy pre-transplant are patient and transplant program dependent. Post-cardiac transplant, quantitative antibodies should also be periodically analyzed, at intervals individualized to the patient. Donor-specific antibodies (DSA) after cardiac transplantation have been shown to be associated with worsened survival. It appears that complement fixing DSA confer the greatest risk for antibody-mediated rejection post-transplant. Desensitization strategies aim to reduce the number of clinically important antibodies prior to and after transplant, both by removal of antibodies and cessation of further production. Current desensitization regimens include pharmacologic, procedural, and surgical modalities, and must be individualized to the patient. Currently, most cardiac transplant programs tailor the post-transplant immunosuppressive regimen based on clinical factors and immunologic assays and may include the use of cytolytic induction and/or intravenous immune gammaglobulin in higher risk patients.
Evaluation of Welded Tensile Specimens in the Hopkinson Bar

The high strain rate behavior of a welded interface was evaluated using a split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). The welds of interest are under-matched welds between identical aluminum alloys; the welds were processed using metal inert gas (MIG) welding. A direct tension bar setup was employed for the high strain rate testing. To accommodate both the weld and the heat affected zone in the gage length of the tensile specimen, it was necessary to use a longer specimen than is typically used for SHPB tensile testing. Limitations on specimen geometry and maintaining the weld bead intact were imposed to provide a specimen that was most representative of the material and application. Challenges associated with specimen design and testing in the pressure bar are discussed. Numerical simulations were employed to assist with specimen design and interpretation of the wave response. The experimental results obtained to date will be presented at the conference.
Ultralow Doping in Organic Semiconductors: Evidence of Trap Filling

Tail states in organic semiconductors have a significant influence on device performances by acting as traps in charge transport. We present a study of the controlled passivation of acceptor tail states in fullerene ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ by the addition of electrons introduced by molecular $n$ doping. Using ultralow doping, we are able to successively fill the traps with charges and examine the changes in conductivity, activation energy, mobility, and Fermi-level position. Passivation of the traps leads to an increase of the electron mobility in ${\mathrm{C}}_{60}$ by more than 3 orders of magnitude, to reach $0.21\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}/(\mathrm{V}\text{ }\mathrm{s})$.
Language Regression, Autism, and Epilepsy

The records of 196 consecutive children (143 males and 53 females) with language regression evaluated between 1988 and 1994 by a child neurologist were analyzed at the Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY.
Assessing impacts of land-applied manure from concentrated animal feeding operations on fish populations and communities.

Concentrated animal feeding operation (CAFO) manure is a cost-effective fertilizer. In the Midwest, networks of subsurface tile-drains expedite transport of animal hormones and nutrients from land-applied CAFO manure to adjacent waterways. The objective of this study was to evaluate impacts of land-applied CAFO manure on fish populations and communities. Water chemistry including hormone, pesticide, and nutrient concentrations was characterized from study sites along with fish assemblage structure, growth, and endocrine disruption assessed in selected fish species. Although most CAFO water samples had hormone concentrations 30 ng/L each during the period of spawning, hatching, and development for resident fishes. CAFO sites had lower fish species richness, and fishes exhibited faster somatic growth and lower reproductive condition compared to individuals from the reference site. Fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas) exposed to CAFO ditchw...
Pancreatic Splenic Lobe Organ Culture System: Viability and Amylase Release

Abstract An organ explant culture system for the intact chick pancreatic splenic lobe (SL) was characterized for exocrine function. Organ cultures were prepared using the pancreatic splenic lobe from 9- and 15-day-old male broiler chicks (Arbor Acres × Arbor Acres) to characterize amylase release as well as tissue integrity during 2, 4, 8, and 12 h of incubation. Light microscopy studies indicated necrosis of the exocrine pancreatic acini after 4 h of incubation. Changes in islets of Langerhans were noted 4 h after incubation, but islet structural integrity remained intact for up to 12 h of incubation. Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) levels measured in the culture medium did not increase significantly from 2 to 4 h of incubation. After 4 h of incubation, total LD levels increased (P
Low Impact Development Applications in Urban Watersheds: Efficacy Evaluation by Imperviousness Connctivity Estimations

Although recent studies have emphasized the benefits of Low Impact Development (LID), the influence of LID on impervious surface connectivity to downstream drainage has not yet been fully investigated by using quantitative measurements. Some previous studies have attempted to measure correlates between discharged stormwater volume and the directly connected impervious areas (DCIA), a fraction of the impervious area that is hydraulically connected to downstream drainage by a piped route. They found that DCIA could be a more accurate predictor of urban development impacts on stream ecosystems than is the total impervious area. This study measured the DCIA of urban watersheds in the Energy Corridor District, Houston, Texas, where rapid urbanization and increasing impervious surfaces have caused urban stream degradation during the past decades. This study primarily prioritized land use into four types based on the contribution of hypothetically implemented LID facilities to DCIA reduction for each land use. Stormwater infrastructure and impervious cover data were analyzed using Geographic Information Systems. Sutherland's equations taken from Sutherland, R.C. (1995) were utilized to compute DCIA at the parcel level. The results were 1) a greater value of current DCIA in commercial areas than in residential areas (single family houses 40%, multi-family houses 64%, big box retails 77%, scattered small-scale retails 71%); 2) a significant reduction of DCIA for all land uses after hypothetically implementing LID applications (reduction rates ranged from 6.4% to 52.2%); and 3) the greatest change of DCIA in big box retail areas with pervious pavement and vegetated swale installation. The results will contribute to determining which land use type is of higher priority in implementing source-control stormwater infrastructure and providing local governments with a better index to calculate drainage fees, which are currently imposed on property owners based on total impervious area.
Differential susceptibility of Dysmicoccus vaccinii (Homoptera: Pseudococcidae) to entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae).

The susceptibility of the mealy bug, Dysmicoccus vaccinii Miller & Polavarapu, to infection by various species and strains of entomopathogenic nematodes was investigated in laboratory sand-dish and sand-column assays. Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) (All strain), S. feltiae (Filipjev) (AB [Australia] strain), and S. glaseri (Steiner) (NC strain) were ineffective against individual mealybugs in sand-dish assays conducted in small petri dishes (1 cm high by 3.5 cm diameter) at 25°C with doses of infective juvenile nematodes ranging up to 500 or 1,000 infective juveniles and exposure periods up to 5 d. However, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (HP88 strain and 2 New Jersey isolates), H. hawaiiensis Gardner, Stock & Kaya (MG-13 strain), and H. indicus Poinar, Karunakar & David (EMS-13 strain) induced significant mortality (65.0-90.0%) at doses as low as 100 infective juveniles and an exposure of 5 d. H. bacteriophora (HBNJ strain) was effective at doses of 500 and 1,000 infective juveniles but, together with H. zealandica Poinar (V16 strain) and 4 other H. bacteriophora isolates from New Jersey, was ineffective at doses of 100 infective juveniles. Removal of the waxy coating from the mealybugs did not influence susceptibility to H. bacteriophora (HP88 strain). In the sand-column assay (5.5 cm high by 5 cm diameter, 5-d exposure, 25°C), which more closely resembles host-finding in the field, H. bacteriophora (HP88 strain) induced no significant mortality against individual mealybugs at doses of 100 infective juveniles but produced 93.8% mortality at 500 infective juveniles, whereas H. indicus (EMS-13 strain) induced 56.3 and 100% mortality at 100 and 500 infective juveniles, respectively. H. bacteriophora (HP88 strain and some New Jersey isolates), H. hawaiiensis (MG-13 strain), and H. indicus (EMS-13 strain) successfully reproduced in and emerged from mealybug cadavers. This study demonstrates strong variability in the susceptibility of D. vaccinii to different species and strains of entomopathogenic nematodes, and implicates certain heterorhabditids as promising candidates for the biological control of this insect.
Detecting positive surgical margins: utilisation of light-reflectance spectroscopy on ex vivo prostate specimens.

Objective To assess the efficacy of light-reflectance spectroscopy (LRS) to detect positive surgical margins (PSMs) on ex vivo radical prostatectomy (RP) specimens. Materials and methods A prospective evaluation of ex vivo RP specimens using LRS was performed at a single institution from June 2013 to September 2014. LRS measurements were performed on selected sites on the prostate capsule, marked with ink, and correlated with pathological analysis. Significant features on LRS curves differentiating malignant tissue from benign tissue were determined using a forward sequential selection algorithm. A logistic regression model was built and randomised cross-validation was performed. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, negative predictive value (NPV), positive predictive value (PPV), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for LRS predicting PSM were calculated. Results In all, 50 RP specimens were evaluated using LRS. The LRS sensitivity for Gleason score ≥7 PSMs was 91.3%, specificity 92.8%, accuracy 92.5%, PPV 73.2%, NPV 99.4%, and the AUC was 0.960. The LRS sensitivity for Gleason score ≥6 PSMs was 65.5%, specificity 88.1%, accuracy 83.3%, PPV 66.2%, NPV 90.7%, and the AUC was 0.858. Conclusions LRS can reliably detect PSMs for Gleason score ≥7 prostate cancer in ex vivo RP specimens.
Posterolateral Fusion Versus Interbody Fusion for Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

STUDY DESIGN Systematic literature review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE This study is a meta-analysis assessing the clinical outcomes of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis treated with either a posterolateral fusion (PLF) or interbody fusion (IBF) SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA.: Degenerative spondylolisthesis remains one of the most common reasons for which lumbar fusion is performed in the United States. Both PLF and IBF have been advanced as adequate surgical techniques that result in successful fusion and improved clinical outcomes. METHODS A systematic review of PubMed, Cochrane, and Embase was performed. The pooled results were performed by calculating the effect size based on the Hedges g standardized difference in means or odds ratio. Studies were weighted by the inverse of the variance. Heterogeneity was assessed using the Q statistic and I. Sensitivity analysis was performed through single elimination of studies. Publication bias was assessed by funnel plot assessment and the Egger-Harbord test. RESULTS The systematic review resulted in 865 articles. After two-reviewer assessment, five articles were found to match all of the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The combined effect size was found to be in favor of PLF for length of stay (P = 0.002); however, there were no differences in fusion rate, operative time, Estimated blood loss, Oswestry Disability Index, Short Form 36, Visual Analog Scale, or complication rate between PLF and IBF. All of the variables demonstrated relative homogeneity, with I < 25. The sensitivity analysis validated the results of the model and there was no publication bias detected. CONCLUSION Patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis can be effectively managed with either a PLF or IBF with no significant differences in clinical outcomes or fusion rate between the two groups. Length of stay was the only variable that was found to be in favor of either group, with the PLF group demonstrating a shortened hospitalization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Gallium-67 scanning for carcinoma of the lung

Gallium-67 citrate scanning was prospectively evaluated in 55 patients who had lung lesions suspected to be primary carcinoma on chest x-ray films and in whom subsequent histologic diagnosis was obtained. Of 47 patients with histologically proved carcinoma of the lung, 44 (94 per cent) had a positive 67Ga scan. No patient with a positive scan had a benign lesion, so that the positive scan accuracy rate was 100 per cent. All 8 patients with a benign lesion and 3 patients with a malignant lesion had negative scans, for a negative scan accurary rate of 72 per cent for benign lesions. These results give statistical validity for the usefulness of the 67Ga scan in diagnosing carcinoma of the lung (p
Lithic Studies: Some Theoretical Considerations

AbstractIn this paper it is argued that there is an implicit definition of lithic studies as the study only of flaked chert and obsidian artifacts belonging to hunter-gatherer or early agricultural societies. This definition reflects the sorts of questions asked by most archaeologists: questions formulated to make use of the principal components of the archaeological record. A unified field of lithic studies, however, may be expanded to include the entire range of techniques and processes used to transform lithic raw materials (of whatever kind) into finished artifacts and features. Such an expansion is necessary if questions are to be directed towards understanding social and economic processes in complex as well as simpler societies. The list of lithic resources includes every raw material utilized in antiquity (silicates; igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks; gem-stones; minerals; metals and metalliferous rocks). An outline of the techniques and processes included as part of lithic studies may c...
Fasting Guidelines: Do They Need to Be Different?

The purpose of fasting guidelines is to reduce the incidence of aspiration during induction and maintenance of anesthesia. Although the traditional dogma of ‘nothing by mouth for 8 hours’ has been accepted for years, there is a lack of scientific evidence in support of this practice. Furthermore, preoperative fasting has been shown to be associated with some unintended unfavorable metabolic and psychological consequences. As a result, patients may be better served if fasting guidelines were approached from a patient and/or procedure specific perspective. Differences in fasting recommendations may therefore have to be accepted as the norm, rather than an exception.
Optical phase anisotropy in layered black phosphorus

We developed an interferometric spectroscopy and imaging technique to exploit the optical phase anisotropic properties of layered black phosphorus. The optical contrast is an order of magnitude larger than that with purely intensity-based measurements.
NMR Resolves Phospholamban's Allosteric Regulation of the Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+-ATPase

Disruption of cardiac calcium cycling due to dysregulation of the sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) by the small transmembrane protein, phospholamban (PLN) leads to severe phenotypes including arrhythmia and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). In order to understand how inherited mutations in PLN lead to these severe phenotypes it is essential to map PLN's binding interaction with SERCA and how this binding interaction is modulated by post-translational modifications in PLN.Here we have applied both magic angle spinning (MAS) and oriented solid-state NMR techniques to characterize the structure, dynamics, and topology of monomeric constructs of PLN in complex with SERCA to better understand how post-translational modifications and mutations in PLN alter SERCA's activity. By combining chemical shift perturbations, dipolar couplings, and other structural restraints with molecular dynamics simulations, we have built a model of the PLN-SERCA complex that outlines a mechanism for PLN's allosteric regulation of SERCA via its cytoplasmic domain.
Carbon nanotube capsules enhance the in vivo efficacy of cisplatin.

Over the past few years, numerous nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems have been developed in an effort to maximize therapeutic effectiveness of conventional drug delivery, while limiting undesirable side effects. Among these, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are of special interest as potential drug delivery agents due to their numerous unique and advantageous physical and chemical properties. Here, we show in vivo favorable biodistribution and enhanced therapeutic efficacy of cisplatin (CDDP) encapsulated within ultra-short single-walled carbon nanotube capsules (CDDP@US-tubes) using three different human breast cancer xenograft models. In general, the CDDP@US-tubes demonstrated greater efficacy in suppressing tumor growth than free CDDP in both MCF-7 cell line xenograft and BCM-4272 patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. The CDDP@US-tubes also demonstrated a prolonged circulation time compared to free CDDP which enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effects resulting in significantly more CDDP accumulation in tumors, as determined by platinum (Pt) analysis via inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
Chemistry in Three Dimensions

Prior to van’t Hoff and Le Bel, chemistry was two-dimensional. Since 1874, however, we have had to deal with the third dimension in molecular models, projection formulae, configurational descriptors and, most recently, computer algorithms used to describe and specify configuration. The problem is complicated because chirality, an important aspect of three-dimensional structure, is an attribute of the molecule as a whole whereas the commonly used Cahn-Ingold-Prelog configurational descriptors require factorisation of chirality into individual chiral elements. This paper deals with the history of chirality and the present status of describing it.
A Framework for Collecting YouTube Meta-Data

Abstract YouTube is currently the most popular and successful video sharing website. The videos on YouTube have become a treasure of data, which can be used in various fields of research ranging from STEM education to Medical science. However, all the previous research, studies, and analysis so far, are only conducted on very small volume of YouTube video data. To date, no mechanism exists to systematically and continuously collect, process and store the rich set of YouTube data. In this paper, we present a methodology to fill the gap, i.e., systematically and continuously mine and store the YouTube data. The methodology has two modules, a video discovery and a video meta-data collection. Our methodology is robust, efficient and scalable. Over the period of two months, using our methodology, we discovered 16,000,000 videos and mined the complete meta-data of more than 42,000 videos.
Reflections on the messiness of initiating a systematic literature review on broadening participation in engineering and computer science

The rigorous, structured, and transparent review of literature on a particular topic can lead to promising insights about research directions, practical solutions, and potential policies. While the Systematic Literature Review (SLR) is a well-established methodology, it is rarely used in the field of engineering education. Though the use of the term “systematic” suggests a clear-cut process and there are resources available to describe the major steps of the method, the initial steps of a SLR are inherently messy — i.e., they heavily rely on the researcher's judgement and decision-making. Unfortunately, the messiness embedded in these steps is rarely discussed or described in existing resources. In this study, we reflect on the “messiness” of initiating a SLR on broadening participation in engineering and computer science. Informed by two existing approaches to reflection, we used the STAARA (Situation-Task-Affect-Action-Result-Aftermath) framework to reflect on the ways in which we resolved important decisions associated with one overarching situation and several corresponding tasks, affects, actions; the aftermath is also discussed. This paper includes insights from our experience that can help other researchers navigate the initial steps of a SLR.
A machine learning based approach to mobile cloud offloading

Modern mobile devices are resource limited. We can utilize cloud computing to ensure optimum utilization of mobile device resources. Energy consumption and device latency can be reduced significantly by computation offloading. To ensure optimum utilization of mobile device resources and environment resources such as bandwidth and latency, computation offloading must be done in a strategic way. We have extended our work on a previous paper by proposing a dynamic algorithm based on machine learning which considers network topologies and device resources and makes a decision to offload computation to the cloud. The algorithm adopts with changes in environment and device parameters at run-time. We have designed a framework that resides both in the device, and in the cloud. The device framework monitors device and network parameters and based on user activity decides whether or not to offload computation to the cloud. When the device and network parameters crosses a certain threshold then it sends data to the cloud server using python sockets. The cloud framework receives the data and runs the app in the cloud. After executing the app in the cloud, the framework retrieves the output and sends it back to the local device. The device framework then gives the data to the app and the app completes its execution. We have performed a simulation of the system in a cloud server, and showed that energy can be saved by computation offloading. We also present a financial estimation to calculate the cost of computation offloading.
Protein turnover and enzymatic adaptation.

In bacteria, the presence or absence of specific enzyme activities can frequently be related to the presence or absence in the medium of the homologous substrate. This relationship between enzyme and substrate is surprisingly specific and frequently rapid (of the order of minutes), and considerable evidence has been adduced concerning the independence of this process from cellular division (1). In view of the nature and circumstances of these relationships this phenomenon is thought to be concerned with the adaptive control of enzyme formation. Factors controlling enzyme formation have been of considerable interest in mammalian studies and have been pursued along numerous lines; a voluminous literature on endocrine factors, for instance, exists. However, with respect to substrate-induced changes in enzyme concentration, investigations of mammalian tissue have been quite different from the bacteriological studies. In general, the specificity of the relationship was poor. Furthermore, the periods involved were of the order of weeks. The work of Lightbody and Kleinman (2) and, more recently, of Mandelstam and Yudkin (3) is typical in this regard; the content of dietary protein was precisely correlated with activity in rat liver arginase after several weeks of feeding. It is apparent that adaptation, in the sense of the bacteriologic experiments, had not been demonstrated here. In 1951 Knox showed that the tryptophan peroxidase system of rat liver was under adaptive control (4). The intraperitoneal administration of L-tryptophan to the intact rat resulted, within a very few hours, in a lo-fold increase in enzyme activity, and the specificity of this relationship was demonstrated in the adrenalectomized rat. Consequently, this was the first specific demonstration of a rapid, substrate-induced change in enzyme activity, corresponding to the general criteria developed from microbiological studies. We have been interested in the significance of protein turnover in mammals, and it, was in view of Knox’s experiments that we have investigated
Approaches for the Identification and Characterization of RNA-Protein Interactions

Based on analyses of conventional RNA binding motifs, there are well over 550 RNA binding proteins produced in living cells. Thus a detailed understanding of the mechanisms of post-transcriptional regulation requires an understanding of how these trans-acting factors act in both local and combinatorial fashions. The goal of this chapter is to provide a roadmap for approaching the identification of RNA–protein interactions and how to decipher fundamental aspects of their roles in the regulation of gene expression. Many of the techniques outlined below are applicable to the study of RNA–RNA interactions as well. Collectively they should provide a rational approach to gain mechanistic insights into a variety of post-transcriptional processes.
Left ventricular assist device failure due to outflow graft compression by thrombofibrotic exudate.

Three cases of LVAD outflow graft compression by material accumulated within a polytetrafluoroethylene external protective graft are presented.
Decoding Position to Analyze Spatial Information Encoding in a Large-Scale Neuronal Network Model of Rat Dentate Gyrus

Spatial information is encoded by the hippocampus, and the factors that contribute to the amount of information that can be encoded and the transformation of spatial information through the trisynaptic circuit remain an important issue. A large-scale neuronal network model of the rat entorhinal-dentate system was developed with multicompartmental representations of the neurons within the dentate gyrus. Spatial information was introduced to the network via grid cell activity, and the spatial information encoding capabilities of the network were assessed using a recursive decoding algorithm to estimate the position of a virtual rat using the dentate activity. To obtain a measure for the information that the network could convey, decoding error was calculated for different decoding population sizes. Decoding error decreased exponentially as a function of population size. Therefore, the time constant and the asymptote of the error curve could be used as metrics to compare the changes in encoding performance. In conjunction with the large-scale model, this paradigm can be used to characterize how neural properties, network composition, and the interactions between different subfields affect spatial information encoding.
BIOSYNTHESIS OF AMINOCYCLITOLS AND GUANIDINOCYCLITOLS

SUMMARY: Aminocyclitols and guanidinocyclitols are components of many antibiotics synthesized by actinomycetes soil bacteria. Our cell-free studies have indicated that, in the cases of streptidine, bluensidine, and 2-deoxystreptamine, amino groups are usually introduced onto cyclitol rings by transaminations from the 2-amino group of L-glutamine to keto-cyclitol derivatives. Exchange transaminations, employing labeled cyclitol derivatives, can be utilized both for enzyme assays and for substrate specificity studies. Amino groups are converted to guanidino groups, following phosphorylation of the hydroxyl group para to the amino group, by transamidination from L-arginine. Characteristics of enzymic reactions involved in biosynthesis of the most complex cyclitol derivative, the streptidine moiety of streptomycin, are briefly described. To synthesize a guanidino group from an hydroxyl group five reactions are required: a dehydrogenation, transamination, phosphorylation, transamidination, and dephosphorylation. Possible evolutionary relationships between the bluensidine and streptidine biosynthetic pathways are discussed as an example of evolution-in-action, involving gene duplication and divergence, with both ancestral and derived strains (or plasmids) coexisting in nature.
Adociasulfates 1−6, Inhibitors of Kinesin Motor Proteins from the Sponge Haliclona (aka Adocia) sp.

Adociasulfates 1−6 (1−6) were isolated from an extract of the Palauan sponge Haliclona (aka Adocia) sp. that inhibited the transport of stabilized microtubules by the motor protein kinesin, which was immobilized on a microscope slide. The structures of adociasulfates 1−6, the relative stereochemistry of adociasulfates 1, 2, 5, and 6, and the relative stereochemistry of subunits of adociasulfates 3 and 4 were determined by interpretation of spectroscopic data. In a quantitative assay that measures ATP hydrolysis by kinesin, adociasulfates 2 and 6 were the most active.
Weighing epistemic and practical reasons for belief

This paper is about how epistemic and practical reasons for belief can be compared against one another when they conflict. It provides a model for determining what one ought to believe, all-things-considered, when there are conflicting epistemic and practical reasons. The model is meant to supplement a form of pluralism about doxastic normativity that I call ‘Inclusivism’. According to Inclusivism, both epistemic and practical considerations can provide genuine normative reasons for belief, and both types of consideration can contribute to (metaphysically) determining what beliefs one ought, all-things-considered, to have.
Pseudoscientific Therapies for Autism Spectrum Disorder

This chapter provides an overview of the characteristics of pseudoscientific therapies provided to persons who meet the DSM-5 criteria for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), a disabling developmental disability whose precise etiology remains elusive. A distinction is drawn between cures and treatments, noting that there are not yet any cures for ASD. A description is provided for the development of what are properly labeled research-supported interventions, a lengthy process of conducting increasingly well-controlled clinical experiments that help reduce the role of bias, placebo influences, the passage of time, and other potential confounds. In contrast, pseudoscientific therapies typically lack a substantial body of research studies and are supported more by anecdotal testimonies and scientifically implausible theories. Some pseudoscientific practices for ASD are promoted by persons who are genuinely misguided, perhaps unduly influenced by the apparent responses of their child to an intervention. But many promoters of bogus therapies are motivated by mendacious and financial reasons. Some guidelines are outlined that can be used to identify potentially pseudoscientific therapies, and selected examples of such ineffective treatments are illustrated. The ethical impropriety of mental health and other professional providing pseudoscientific therapies is discussed.