cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lipid biomarkers in ooids from different locations and ages: evidence for a common bacterial flora.

Ooids are one of the common constituents of ancient carbonate rocks, yet the role that microbial communities may or may not play in their formation remains unresolved. To search for evidence of microbial activity in modern and Holocene ooids, samples collected from intertidal waters, beaches and outcrops in the Bahamas and in Shark Bay in Western Australia were examined for their contents of lipid biomarkers. Modern samples from Cat and Andros islands in the Bahamas and from Carbla Beach in Hamelin Pool, Western Australia, showed abundant and notably similar distributions of hydrocarbons, fatty acids (FAs) and alcohols. A large fraction of these lipids were bound into the carbonate matrix and only released on acid dissolution, which suggests that these lipids were being incorporated continuously during ooid growth. The distributions of hydrocarbons, and their disparate carbon isotopic signatures, were consistent with mixed input from cyanobacteria together with small and variable amounts of vascular plant leaf wax [C_(27)–C_(35); δ^(13)C −25 to −32‰Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (VPDB)]. The FAs comprised a complex mixture of C_(12)–C_(18) normal and branched short-chain compounds with the predominant straight-chain components attributable to bacteria and/or cyanobacteria. Branched FA, especially 10-MeC_(16) and 10-MeC_(17), together with the prevalence of elemental sulfur in the extracts, indicate an origin from sulfate-reducing bacteria. The iso- and anteiso-FA were quite variable in their ^(13)C contents suggesting that they come from organisms with diverse physiologies. Hydrogen isotopic compositions provide further insight into this issue. FAs in each sample show disparate δD values consistent with inputs from autotrophs and heterotrophs. The most enigmatic lipid assemblage is an homologous series of long-chain (C_(24)–C_(32)) FA with pronounced even carbon number preference. Typically, such long-chain FA are thought to come from land plant leaf wax, but in this case, their ^(13)C-enriched isotopic signatures compared to co-occurring n-alkanes (e.g., Hamelin Pool TLE FA C_(24)–C_(32); δ^(13)C −20 to −24.2‰ VPDB; TLE n-alkanes δ^(13)C −24.1 to −26.2 −‰VPDB) indicate a microbial origin, possibly sulfate-reducing bacteria. Lastly, we identified homohopanoic acid and bishomohopanol as the primary degradation products of bacterial hopanoids. The distributions of lipids isolated from Holocene oolites from the Rice Bay Formation of Cat Island, Bahamas were very similar to the beach ooids described above and, in total, these modern and fossil biomarker data lead us to hypothesize that ooids are colonized by a defined microbial community and that these microbes possibly mediate calcification.
Residual Stress Analysis of Al Alloy Thin Films by X-Ray Diffraction as a Function of Film Thickness

Residual stress has been measured as a function of layer thickness in thin films of an Al alloy on oxidized Si by the x-ray “d” versus sin2ψ technique. Samples with and without a passivation layer were examined. The results show an increase in residual stress with decreasing film thickness for the passivated samples and indicates that the interface between the metal film and SiO2 may be a region of high stress.
Intratumoral T cells, tumor-associated macrophages, and regulatory T cells: Association with p53 mutations, circulating tumor DNA and survival in women with ovarian cancer

Abstract Objectives Forty percent of women with ovarian cancer have circulating free tumor DNA. We sought to determine if the tumor immune infiltrate varied based on tumor p53 mutation status or presence of circulating tumor DNA. Methods We performed immunohistochemistry on 119 ovarian cancer specimens with CD3 and CD8 (Intratumoral T cells (TILs)), CD68 (tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs)), and FoxP3 (T regulatory cells (Tregs)). Tumors had been previously sequenced for mutations in exons 4–10 of p53, and plasma from women characterized for free tumor DNA. Results TIL and TAM levels were positively correlated ( P P =0.005). p53 mutations were associated with more TILs ( P =0.008). The presence of circulating tumor DNA did not correlate with TILs, TAMs, or Tregs. In the subgroup with a low host antitumor immune response, the intermediate response Tregs group did have a survival advantage ( P =0.049). Conclusions p53 mutations are associated with higher levels of TILs. The ratio of Tregs to TILS may be more important than absolute levels. A brisk T cell response within the tumor predicts adequacy of cytoreduction, suggesting successful cytoreduction may be partially due to underlying tumor biology and host response.
The biology of SPARC, a protein that modulates cell-matrix interactions.

An extracellular matrix-associated glycoprotein expressed in a variety of tissues during embryogenesis and repair, SPARC contains modular domains that can function independently to bind cells and matrix components. Because SPARC can selectively disrupt cellular contacts with matrix and thereby effect changes in cell shape, it has been referred to as an antiadhesin. Inhibition of the expression of SPARC altered axial development in frogs, and deregulated expression in nematode worms resulted in a derangement of muscle attachment and embryonic lethality. SPARC also inhibits cell cycle progression in vitro, in part through a cationic, disulfide-bonded region that is homologous to a repeated domain in the cytokine inhibitor, follistatin. Moreover, SPARC binds specifically to the B chain of platelet-derived growth factor and alters the response of cells to several cytokines. Although information concerning the expression, biochemical properties, and cellular activities of SPARC has increased significantly over...
When a day means more than a year: Effects of temporal framing on judgments of health risk

We demonstrate the differential effects of framing health hazards as occurring every day versus every year, two reference periods that objectively refer to the present but subjectively seem different. Through three studies, we show that every day framing makes risks appear more proximal and concrete than every year framing, resulting in increased self-risk perceptions, intentions to exercise precautionary behavior, concern and anxiety about the hazard, and effectiveness of risk communication. Across different health domains, we show that, while temporal frames moderate self-positivity biases (study 1), difficulty of preventive behaviors (study 2) and outcome valence (study 3) moderate temporal framing effects.
Women Entrepreneurship Across Racial Lines: Current Status, Critical Issues, and Future Implications

This article begins with a look at women employment over the years and the historical place of women entrepreneurship in today’s economy. It continues by analyzing data statistically on women entre...
Binge eating disorder treatment: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Objective: The Research Triangle Institute-University of North Carolina Evidence Based Practice Center (RTI-EPC) systematically reviewed evidence on efficacy of treatment for binge eating disorder (BED), harms associated with treatments, factors associated with treatment efficacy, and differential outcome by sociodemographic characteristics. Method: We searched six major databases for studies on the treatment of BED published from 1980 to September, 2005, in all languages against a priori inclusion/exclusion criteria and focused on eating, psychiatric or psychological, or biomarker outcomes. Results: Twenty-six studies, including medication-only, medication plus behavioral intervention, and behavioral intervention only designs, met inclusion criteria. The strength of the evidence for medication and behavioral interventions was moderate, for self-help and other interventions was weak, for treatment-related harms was strong, for factors associated with efficacy of treatment was weak, and for differential outcome by sociodemographic factors was nonexistent. Individual or group CBT reduces binge eating and improves abstinence rates for up to 4 months after treatment but does not lead to weight loss. Medications may play a role in treating BED patients. Conclusion: The literature regarding treatment efficacy for BED is variable. Future directions include the identification of optimal interventions that are associated with both sustained abstinence from binge eating and permanent weight loss.
Sorption of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to particulate material

Iron-oxidizing thiobacilli oxidize many sulfide minerals. It has been suggested that one mechanism of the oxidation involves a mineral surface attack by the bacteria, thereby catalyzing chemical reactions that normally proceed at slow rates. Evidence for a direct surface attack by acidophilic thiobacilli has been obtained from scanning electron microscope studies in which organisms have been shown to colonize mineral surfaces, eventually resulting in pitting and corrosion of the substratum. Scanning electron microscopic characterization of bacterial-mineral interactions is limited in that the technique is not readily suitable to estimate the kinetics of the bacterial sorption to particles. In a search for suitable methods for evaluating bacterial sorption, autoradiographic techniques have been investigated; similarly, measurements of biomass have been used to examine the time course of bacterial sorption. In the present work, cell protein was used as a measure of monitoring the sorption of Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to various fine-grain particulates. The materials chosen for the study include both oxidizable substrates and inert particles that were not chemically altered during their exposure to the bacteria suspensions. In the present communication, the term ''sorption'' is used without regard to the electrochemical properties, charge effects, and biological mechanism of attachment, all of which influencemore » the bacterial sorption on solids.« less
Autonomic features of the IBM DB2 universal database for linux, UNIX, and windows

Thevast majority of the world's structured data are now stored and managed by relational database management systems (RDBMSs). These systems provide powerful data management capabilities. However, as the power and functionality of these systems has grown, so has the complexity of their administration. In this paper, we show how the IBM DB2 Universal Database for Linux, UNIX, and Windows (DB2 UDB) product has exploited autonomic computing to reduce this administration complexity and become more self-managing. We survey the major autonomic computing features in the DB2 UDB product and describe the benefits, with experimental data in some cases
Service Differentiation in the Internet to Support Multimedia Traffic

The current best-effort infrastructure in the Internet lacks key characteristics in terms of delay, jitter, and loss, which are required for multimedia applications (voice, video, and data). Recently, significant progress has been made toward specifying the service differentiation to be provided in the Internet for supporting multimedia applications. In this paper, we identify the main traffic types, discuss their characteristics and requirements, and give recommendations on the treatment of the different types in network queues. Simulation and measurement results are used to assess the benefits of service differentiation on the performance of applications.
Degenerate four wave mixing and laser induced fluorescence of pyrazine and pyridazine

Abstract Results from degenerate four wave mixing (DFWM) and laser induced fluorescence (LIF) of pyrazine and pyridazine are presented. The DFWM spectrum of pyrazine from a supersonic jet reflected faithfully the absorption probability, while the LIF spectrum was complicated by rotation-dependent intersystem crossing. The low fluorescence yield of pyridazine prohibited direct LIF measurements, but its DFWM spectrum was in good agreement with previous abasorption spectra. DFWM is an absorption based technique, so it is deal for high resolution spectroscopy studies when the upper state dynamics are unfavorable for LIF detection.
The Spatial Dimension of Time

Archaeological research commonly focuses on various temporal aspects of archaeological deposits, such as their age and the sequencing or the relative temporal order of one deposit to another. Another aspect is the concern for temporal scale and resolution, or the degree of contemporaneity shared by deposits, treated elsewhere in this volume by Jones and Beck and also by Zvelebil and colleagues.
KEA: kinase enrichment analysis

Motivation: Multivariate experiments applied to mammalian cells often produce lists of proteins/genes altered under treatment versus control conditions. Such lists can be projected onto prior knowledge of kinase–substrate interactions to infer the list of kinases associated with a specific protein list. By computing how the proportion of kinases, associated with a specific list of proteins/genes, deviates from an expected distribution, we can rank kinases and kinase families based on the likelihood that these kinases are functionally associated with regulating the cell under specific experimental conditions. Such analysis can assist in producing hypotheses that can explain how the kinome is involved in the maintenance of different cellular states and can be manipulated to modulate cells towards a desired phenotype. Summary: Kinase enrichment analysis (KEA) is a web-based tool with an underlying database providing users with the ability to link lists of mammalian proteins/genes with the kinases that phosphorylate them. The system draws from several available kinase–substrate databases to compute kinase enrichment probability based on the distribution of kinase–substrate proportions in the background kinase–substrate database compared with kinases found to be associated with an input list of genes/proteins. Availability: The KEA system is freely available at http://amp.pharm.mssm.edu/lib/kea.jsp Contact: ude.mssm@nayaam.iva
Electrodeposition of Nanomodulated Ceramic Thin Films

Electrochemistry can be used for the atomic-level architecture of ceramic materials. In this report, ceramic superlattices based on the TlaPbbOc/TldPbeOf system were electrodeposited with individual layer thicknesses as thin as 3nm. The superlattices were deposited from a single aqueous solution at room temperature, and the layer thicknesses were galvanostatically controlled. Substitution of Tl2O3 into PbO2 appears to stabilize a face-centered cubic structure with an average lattice parameter of 0.536nm. The lattice parameters for the T1aPbbOc. mixed oxides vary by less than 0.3% when the Pb/Tl ratio is varied from 0.84 to 7.3. Because the modulation wavelengths are of electron mean free path dimensions, this new class of degenerate semiconductor metal-oxide superlattices may show thickness-dependent quantum optical, electronic, or optoelectronic effects.
Modeling Uncertainties in Intents, Guidance, and Pilot Actions for Advanced Trajectory Synthesis

This paper presents a systematic framework for modeling intents, guidance strategies, and pilot actions, as well as their uncertainties for advanced trajectory synthesis. At a given time, three independent tactical intents are needed to completely specify flight objectives in the longitudinal, vertical, and lateral directions. In this paper, likely intent variables are classified into six groups. A complete set of tactical intents can be uniquely defined through group specification, variable selection, and value definition. To define strategic intents, a trajectory window is divided into a series of tactical intent segments that are connected through appropriate capture conditions. In comparison, guidance strategies are defined that assign trajectory controls to tactical intents at each segment. Sources of uncertainties in intents and guidance strategies are discussed. Next, pilot actions are described using manual control and feedback linearization, and variations of pilot actions among a pilot population are examined. Monte Carlo simulations of aircraft flights are used to evaluate the impacts of uncertainties in pilot actions, intent variable types, guidance strategies, and intent variable values on both nominal trajectories and variations of predicted trajectories in the presence of uncertainties. In particular, effects of different guidance strategies on the tradeoffs between dispersions of time of arrival and fuel burn at a specified position are studied.
C-band tunable 6 mW vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers

We demonstrate micro-electromechanical vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (MEM-VCSELs) that couple >6 mW of power into a single-mode fiber. These devices are continuously tunable across the entire c-band and offer error-free transmission over >500 km of single-mode fiber at OC-48 data rates.
The Unique Antigen Receptor Signaling Phenotype of B-1 Cells Is Influenced by Locale but Induced by Antigen

Normal animals contain an autoreactive B lymphocyte subset, the B-1 subset, which is controlled by undefined mechanisms to prevent autoimmunity. Using a VH11Vκ9 Ig transgenic mouse, with a specificity prototypic of the subset, we have explored conditions responsible for the previously reported Ag hyporesponsiveness of these cells. We report that peritoneal VH11Vκ9 B cells exhibit typical B-1 behavior with high basal intracellular free Ca2+ and negligible receptor-mediated calcium mobilization. However, splenic B cells from this mouse, while phenotypically similar to their peritoneal counterparts, including expression of CD5, mount robust B-2-like responses to Ag as measured by calcium influx and altered tyrosine phosphorylation responses. When these splenic cells are adoptively transferred to the peritoneal cavity and encounter their cognate self-Ag, they acquire a B-1 signaling phenotype. The ensuing hyporesponsiveness is characterized by increases in both basal intracellular calcium and resting tyrosyl phosphorylation levels and is highlighted by a marked abrogation of B cell receptor-mediated calcium mobilization. Thus, we show that self-Ag recognition in specific microenvironments such as the peritoneum, and we would propose other privileged sites, confers a unique form of anergy on activated B cells. This may explain how autoreactive B-1 cells can exist while autoimmunity is avoided.
3D Doppler ultrasound in the study of placental vascularization

AbstractThis review aims to provide the reader with an overview of the potential clinical applications in 3D Doppler ultrasound for the evaluation of vascularity and blood flow within the placenta. Significant innovations have recently occurred, improving the visualization and evaluation of placental vascularity, resulting from enhancements in delineation of tissue detail through electronic compounding and harmonics, as well as enhancements in signal processing of frequency- and/or amplitude-based color Doppler ultrasound. Spatial representation of vascularity can be improved by utilizing 3D processing. Greater sensitivity of 3D Doppler ultrasound to macro- and microvascular flow has provided improved anatomicand physiologic assessment throughout pregnancy. The rapid development of these new sonographic techniques will continue to enlarge the scope of clinical applications in placental studies. Three-dimensional Doppler sonography is a unique ultrasound technique that enables assessment of vascular signal...
Sliding Mode Control of a Quadrotor Helicopter

In this paper, we present a new design method for the flight control of an autonomous quadrotor helicopter based on sliding mode control. Due to the under-actuated property of a quadrotor helicopter, the controller can make the helicopter move three positions (x, y, z) and the yaw angle to their desired values and stabilize the pitch and roll angles. A sliding mode control is proposed to stabilize a class of cascaded under-actuated systems. The global stability analysis of the closed-loop system is presented. The advantage of sliding mode control is its insensitivity to the model errors, parametric uncertainties and other disturbances. Simulations show that the control law robustly stabilizes a quadrotor.
Is The Scaling Measure Used For Cash Flows Important In Predicting Financially Distressed Firms

This paper attempts to determine whether the measure used to scale the three net cash flows reported on a statement of cash flows affects binary financial distress prediction results. The results of this study suggest that the scaling measure used does affect the incremental predictive ability of each cash flow. Results indicate that tone should scale cash flow from operating activities by current assets, cash flow from investing activities by sales, and cash flow from operating activities by owners equity.
What Google Can't Tell Us About Internet Auctions (And What It Can)

No initial public offering in the history of the United States capital markets has been as intensely discussed as the August 2004 offering of Class A Common Stock of Google, Inc. From the announcement of the IPO itself to the details of its innovative Internet auction to the post-IPO share price, the investing world has been continuously discussing Google for almost a year. One aspect of Google's IPO that received much attention before the offering was the fact that Google chose an online auction process as the mechanism to distribute its original IPO shares. In keeping with Google's nonconformist image, the founders of Google chose an IPO mechanism that is used only once or twice a year in the U.S. Many detractors of the traditional bookbuilding mechanism declared that the Google auction foreshadowed an upheaval in the cliquish investment banking industry. Although Google's auction was predicted to be the beginning of a trend, if anything, the auction process was blamed for low investor demand in the weeks leading up to the offering and a last-minute slash in the price range. In addition, in the year since the Google auction, only two other issuers have launched an online IPO. As observers of the intersection of the Internet and the securities markets, we are left to wonder whether the Google auction was a harbinger of change, a meaningless electronic blip, or even worse, a marketing event for the public relations-conscious issuer. This article analyzes this historic IPO and explores what important the Google IPO has for the campaign for online IPO auctions. Unfortunately, because Google was a unique issuer in many respects, both positive and negative, its offering cannot be used to herald an immediate sea change in the bookbuilding IPO market. However, Google's auction will only assist other issuers in negotiating with underwriters for alternative offering mechanisms.
A Better Way to Spend $500,000: How the Juvenile Justice System Fails Girls

This article argues that placement in detention facilities may not only fail to address girls issues but may actually cause them further damage. In analyzing an individual case study the juvenile justice system spent hundreds of thousands of dollars our four and one-half years and the girl experienced no positive outcome. This article offers a legal and clinical analysis of one young woman's experience and examines the manner in which the system, as it currently exists, fails girls. The article also proposes a model that will address the institutional flaws identified.
The World Shakespeare Bibliography, 1980 – 1996. Edited by James L. Harner. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (in association with the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC), 2000. CD-ROM. $810.

In the 1970s, during the first major wave of stage-centered Shakespeare scholarship, Shakespeare Quarterly started dedicating so much space to reviews of contemporary Shakespeare productions that it took up a whole issue. Space pressures created a dilemma for editors and contributors: should the reviews document (listing personnel, cuts and alterations, and running time) describe (concept, tone, unusual line readings, and business) or assess (individual actors and overall effectiveness)? That wave, and the annual dedicated issue of Shakespeare Quarterly, passed (with another journal, Shakespeare Bulletin, taking up the banner). One legacy of that era has been the continuing efforts of the World Shakespeare Bibliography, published annually as a special number of Shakespeare Quarterly, to record as much as it can about Shakespeare in the theatre — not just scholarly books and articles, but contemporary productions and journalistic reviews.
The implementation of (ultra-low dose) CT protocols in PET/CT

2612 Objectives The risks and benefits of using computed tomography (CT) as opposed to another imaging modality to accomplish a particular clinical goal should be weighed carefully. To accurately assess radiation risks and keep radiation doses as low as reasonably achievable, radiology departments must be knowledgeable about the doses delivered during various types of CT studies performed on patients. During treatment of cancer, a large number of patients go through multiple PET/CT for tumor treatment response and monitoring. Options to appropriately manage or reduce the radiation dose from during the CT are being implemented. One way of this is modulation of the x-ray tube current during scanning is one effective method of managing the dose. This can degrade the image quality. A hybrid iterative reconstruction algorithm iDose© (Philips Healthcare) may reduce image noise and improve image quality. The Ingenuity TF PET/CT 128 (Philips Healthcare, Cleveland, OH) is the first PET/CT system that includes iDose in its features. Methods 15 patients where done with standard protocol CT attenuation/localization scan of 120KVP, 150 mAs modulation, 5 mm slices recon of FBP for torso CT imaging. These same patients came back for follow up PET/CT with new protocol CT attenuation /localization scan, 100KVP, 30-50 mAs modulation, 5 mm slices and iDose reconstruction. Results This technique consistently reduced the patient exposure without the degradation of the CT image quality. This technique changed a one patient’s exposure from 6.6 mSv to 1.8 mSv using this novel technique. The combination of 100 KVP and 30-50 mAs and iDose lowered dose to patient and still meet the requirements for localization acceptability. Conclusions The iDose can help reduce radiation dose of the CT by greater then 50% to 75%relative to routine protocols, while maintaining localization image quality.
Characterization of Isolated Defects for NIF Targets Using PSDI with an Analysis of Shell Flipping Capability

AbstractCapsules for the National Ignition Facility require measurement of isolated defects on the capsule surface. A phase-shifting diffraction interferometer (PSDI) is used to identify, locate, and measure defects by capturing 71 overlapping ~500-μm-diam charge coupled device height maps for software analysis. Using capsules with drilled holes for the purpose of alignment, PSDI data were confirmed with atomic force microscopy by comparing defect data from corresponding equatorial bands. We explored the limitations of the PSDI resulting from unwrapping errors caused by defect slopes greater than the Nyquist sampling theorem. White light interferometry proved to be a useful complementary tool to measure defects that could not be unwrapped by the analysis software. Implementing the PSDI in conjunction with the shell flipper, both developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, allowed for full mapping of shell surfaces by mounting corresponding hemispheres onto the PSDI within a 2-deg accuracy.
Effect of Alloxan on Malic Dehydrogenase Activity of Microdissected Mammalian Pancreatic Islets.

SummaryMalic dehydrogenase activity was determined in the microdissected islets obtained from normal and alloxanized rats. There was no change in the enzyme activity up to 12 hours after alloxan administration. At 24 hours after alloxan, enzyme activity was decreased to about half the value found in the normal; at 72 hours it was decreased to one-third. By contrast, enzyme activity in the acinar tissue was not changed at these time periods, but was significantly decreased at 168 hours after alloxan administration. The malic dehydrogenase activity in the islet is about 3 times greater than that in the acinar pancreas; enzyme activity of the beta cell appears to be considerably greater than that in the alpha cell.
A War for the Soul of America: A History of the Culture Wars

The current presidential campaign in the United States is only the latest evidence that Americans are as polarized as they have been in recent memory. One only needs to look at the surprising succe...
Ameloblastin peptide encoded by exon 5 interacts with amelogenin N-terminus

Interactions between enamel matrix proteins are important for enamel biomineralization. In recent in situ studies, we showed that the N-terminal proteolytic product of ameloblastin co-localized with amelogenin around the prism boundaries. However, the molecular mechanisms of such interactions are still unclear. Here, in order to determine the interacting domains between amelogenin and ameloblastin, we designed four ameloblastin peptides derived from different regions of the full-length protein (AB1, AB2 and AB3 at N-terminus, and AB6 at C-terminus) and studied their interactions with recombinant amelogenin (rP172), and the tyrosine-rich amelogenin polypeptide (TRAP). A series of amelogenin Trp variants (rP172(W25), rP172(W45) and rP172(W161)) were also used for intrinsic fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence spectra of rP172 titrated with AB3, a peptide encoded by exon 5 of ameloblastin, showed a shift in λmax in a dose-dependent manner, indicating molecular interactions in the region encoded by exon 5 of ameloblastin. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of amelogenin titrated with AB3 showed that amelogenin was responsible for forming α-helix in the presence of ameloblastin. Fluorescence spectra of amelogenin Trp variants as well as the spectra of TRAP titrated with AB3 showed that the N-terminus of amelogenin is involved in the interaction between ameloblastin and amelogenin. We suggest that macromolecular co-assembly between amelogenin and ameloblastin may play important roles in enamel biomineralization.
Molecular biology of bladder cancer

Recent studies have provided the first clues into the molecular mechanisms responsible for bladder carcinogenesis. Nonrandom changes of certain chromosomes have been identified, including monosomy of chromosome 9 in early lesions. Activated oncogenes including ras and erbB have been reported, although their exact roles in bladder cancer are not yet clear. Inactivation of the p53 and retinoblastoma tumor suppressor genes also appears to be important in the pathogenesis of bladder cancer, and evidence suggests that inactivation of p53 correlates with the acquisition by cancer cells of the invasive phenotype.
Matrix metalloproteinase 23

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structural chemistry and the biological aspects of matrix metalloproteinase 23. Matrix metalloproteinase 23 (MMP-23) is the first type II transmembrane matrix metalloproteinase described in the matrix metalloproteinase family. It has been isolated from multiple species including human, mouse and rat. The first evidence of its sequence was reported by describing the identification of two MMPs genes named MMP-21 and MMP-22 in duplicate within the human chromosome lp36.3 region, which is frequently implicated in tumor suppression. Recombinant mouse MMP-23 can be inhibited by the synthetic MMP inhibitor BB-94 and recombinant TIMP-2. TIMP-1 appears to be able to inhibit the autoactivation of the MMP-19-pro-human-MMP-23-cat fusion protein expressed in bacteria. It behaves like a classic MMP requiring zinc and calcium for activity. MMP-23/CA-MMP is a type II transmembrane protein composed of a short cytoplasmic domain, a signal anchor, a putative propeptide, a conserved catalytic domain, a cysteine array and then an Ig-fold domain. There is a furin cleavage site between its putative prodomain and the catalytic domain and shown to be processed in the cells that release the active enzyme into the extracellular milieu.
Teaching Students to Become Creative and Reflective Teachers in Their Discipline

Departments should prepare students for careers in their disciplines, including discipline-specific teaching careers. In some cases, there is an acute need for teacher preparation. For example, the Chemistry-Teacher Education Coalition (CTEC) has highlighted the shortage of highly-trained science teachers in the U.S. and implores, “ … we are asking college and university chemistry departments across the U.S. to include teacher preparation as part of their mission and curriculum.” 1 Minimally, departments must effectively mentor teaching assistants and graduate-student instructors. Beyond understanding a discipline well, conveying expertise to the next generation is a skill in and of itself. Skills are acquired through practice, and although trial-and-error teacher preparation can sometimes eventually work, it is certainly more expeditious and less painful to provide guidance. Self-guidance is also possible via the practice of reflective self-analysis. Teaching can likewise be enhanced through encouraging the creative use of examples and counterexamples, memorable demonstrations, and the highlighting of unexpected connections. Using the example of GMU’s linguistics program, this session shows how coursework, a practicum, and internship opportunities have prepared students for careers as teachers of English as a second language (ESL) and other languages. It also describes how doctoral students are mentored as instructors of theoretical linguistics, and how an effort is underway to connect linguistics students with conducting research in language pedagogy.This session thus provides a variety of useful ideas applicable to the mentoring and training of discipline-specific teachers. 1 (2016). Retrieved March 19, 2916, from http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/educators/chemistry-teacher-education-coalition.html
Therapeutic Use of Biologic Agents in Systemic Vasculitides

Treatment of aggressive small, medium and large vessel vasculitides has relied on various chemotherapeutic agents, such as cyclophosphamide and methotrexate, that are generally effective but carry various risks for side effects. In an effort to develop safer forms of therapies for these disorders, various biological agents blocking particular lymphoid subpopulations and cytokines have been evaluated. This manuscript reviews the results of these investigations. As of now, no biological agents are yet the gold standard for treatment of any form of vasculitis, although they likely have roles in the treatment of particular patients.
Changes in coping behavior in a randomized controlled trial of concurrent treatment for PTSD and alcohol dependence.

Abstract Objective The current study examines changes in coping among 165 adults meeting DSM-IV criteria for co-morbid posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol dependence (AD). Method Participants were randomized to receive naltrexone or placebo, with or without prolonged exposure (PE). All participants received supportive counseling focused on alcohol use (BRENDA). Assessments of coping, PTSD, and AD were conducted at pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, 3-month follow-up, and 6-month follow-up. Results Participants exhibited significant decreases in both avoidant coping and adaptive coping from pre-treatment to 6-month follow-up across all groups. Participants who received PE showed faster decreases in avoidant coping during this period than participants who did not receive PE. PTSD symptom reduction was associated with changes in both avoidant and adaptive coping across groups. Improvement in PTSD symptoms was related to a faster rate of reduction in avoidant coping in the PE groups compared to those receiving BRENDA alone. Conclusions The current results suggest that concurrent treatment for co-morbid PTSD-AD decreases avoidant and adaptive coping, and participants who show greater reductions in PTSD symptoms also show greater changes in coping style. Consistent with theorized mechanisms of change in PE, the addition of PE to supportive counseling for AD was associated with a greater reduction of avoidant coping than supportive counseling alone.
Unified robot learning of action labels and motion trajectories from 3D human skeletal data

Currently, robot learning of human activities is mainly studied in two largely disconnected domains: high level semantics understanding in human activity recognition, and low level motion trajectory reproduction in robot imitation learning. The critical problem of human activity unified learning (HAUL) was not well studied in previous work. One important challenge is the lack of a representation that can be learned from both levels. We introduce a novel approach to address this HAUL problem at the representation level, by simultaneously learning action labels and motion trajectories from publicly available 3D human skeletal datasets, thus avoiding additional human labor for data collection. Our approach builds a subject and body position independent shared skeleton, and extracts features of skeletal activities based on this model. Then the extracted features are encoded by the parameter set of Gaussian Mixture Models to construct the unified representations. The proposed compact representation can be directly applied to identify activity labels when combined with Support Vector Machines, and can be also employed to generate trajectories of the learned activities when combined with Gaussian Mixture Regression on a robot. Finally, an inverse kinematic mapping is developed to transfer human skeletal trajectories to joint angle sequences in the robot's embodiment. Empirical studies using simulation and real humanoid robots demonstrate that our approach achieves promising performance on robot unified learning of human action labels and motion trajectories, effectively addressing the HAUL problem.
Interfacial Pressure/Area Sensing: Dual-Fluorescence of Amphiphilic Conjugated Polymers at Water Interfaces

Exciton migration to emissive defects in π-conjugated polymers is a robust signal amplification strategy for optoelectronic sensors. Herein we report end-capped conjugated polymers that show two distinct emissions as a function of interpolymer distances at the air–water and hydrocarbon–water interfaces. Amphiphilic poly(phenylene ethynylene)s (PPEs) end-capped with perylene monoimides display two distinct emission colors (cyan from PPE and red from perylene), the relative intensity of which depends on the surface pressure applied on the Langmuir monolayers. This behavior produces a ratiometric interfacial pressure indicator. Relative quantum yields are maintained at the different surface pressures and hence display no sign of self-quenching of the excitons in an aggregated state. These polymers can be organized at the micelle–water interface in lytropic liquid crystals, thereby paving the way for potential applications of end-capped amphiphilic conjugated polymers in biosensors and bioimaging.
Dietary protein is associated with musculoskeletal health independently of dietary pattern: the Framingham Third Generation Study

Background: Above-average dietary protein, as a single nutrient, improves musculoskeletal health. Evaluating the link between dietary protein and musculoskeletal health from a whole-diet perspective is important, as dietary guidelines focus on dietary patterns. Objective: We examined the prospective association of novel dietary protein food clusters (derived from established dietary pattern techniques) with appendicular lean mass (ALM), quadriceps strength (QS), and bone mineral density (BMD) in 2986 men and women, aged 19–72 y, from the Framingham Third Generation Study. Design: Total protein intake was estimated by food-frequency questionnaire in 2002–2005. A cluster analysis was used to classify participants into mutually exclusive groups, which were determined by using the percentage of contribution of food intake to overall protein intake. General linear modeling was used to 1) estimate the association between protein intake (grams per day) and BMD, ALM, appendicular lean mass normalized for height (ALM/ht2), and QS (2008–2011) and to 2) calculate adjusted least-squares mean outcomes across quartiles of protein (grams per day) and protein food clusters. Results: The mean ± SD age of subjects was 40 ± 9 y; 82% of participants met the Recommended Daily Allowance (0.8 g · kg body weight–1 · d–1). The following 6 dietary protein food clusters were identified: fast food and full-fat dairy, fish, red meat, chicken, low-fat milk, and legumes. BMD was not different across quartiles of protein intake (P-trend range = 0.32–0.82); but significant positive trends were observed for ALM, ALM/ht2 (P < 0.001), and QS (P = 0.0028). Individuals in the lowest quartile of total protein intake (quartile 1) had significantly lower ALM, ALM/ht2, and QS than did those in the higher quartiles of intake (quartiles 2–4; (P ranges = 0.0001–0.003, 0.0007–0.003, and 0.009–0.05, respectively). However, there were no associations between protein clusters and any musculoskeletal outcome in adjusted models. Conclusions: In a protein-replete cohort of adults, dietary protein is associated with ALM and QS but not with BMD. In this study, dietary protein food patterns do not provide further insight into beneficial protein effects on muscle outcomes.
CRT-200.24 Association between Arterial Access Site and Anticoagulation Strategy on Major Bleeding and Mortality in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: a Historical Cohort Analysis in the Veteran Population

Studies have shown a reduction in major bleeding with trans-radial intervention (TRI) compared with trans-femoral intervention (TFI), and with use of bivalirudin compared with heparin + glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI). We compared major bleeding and mortality in Veterans stratified by
Multifaceted Effects of Delta Opioid Receptors and DADLE in Diseases of the Nervous System.

Background The opioid system is considered a potential therapeutic target in a variety of neurological disorders. Delta opioid receptors (DORs) are broadly expressed in the brain, and their activation protects cells from hypoxic/ischemic insults by counteracting disruptions of ionic homeostasis and initiating neuroprotective pathways. The DOR agonist D-Ala2-D-Leu2-Enkephalin (DADLE) promotes neuronal survival, mitigates apoptotic pathways, and protects neurons and glial cells from ischemia-induced cell death, thus making DADLE a promising therapeutic option for stroke. The significant amount of research regarding DORs and DADLE in the last decades also suggests their potential in treating other neurological disorders. Methods This review compiled relevant literature detailing the role of DORs and agonists in central nervous system function and neuropathologies. Results Several studies demonstrate potential mechanisms implicating a key interaction between DORs and DADLE in conferring neuroprotective benefits. A better understanding of DOR function in disease-specific contexts is critical to transitioning DOR agonists into the clinic as a therapy for stroke and other neurological diseases. Conclusion Evidence-based studies support the potential of the delta-opioid family of receptors and its ligands in developing novel therapeutic strategies for stroke and other brain disorders.
Microsomal ethanol oxidation: activity in vitro and in vivo.

The oxidation of ethanol to acetaldehyde by components of the microsomal fraction of mammalian liver has been proposed as a route of alcohol metabolism ancillary to the alcohol dehydrogenase pathway (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). First reported by Orme-Johnson and Ziegler in 1965 (6), the in vitro reaction has since been examined in a number of laboratories. These studies have produced conflicting opinions of the enzymic mechanism, however. Initially, the reaction was thought to be mediated by the hepatic microsomal drug detoxification enzymes in a mechanism that did not involve either of the known alcohol oxidizing enzymes, alcohol dehydrogenase or catalase (1, 2, 6). The possibility of a mutual pathway for the metabolism of alcohol and other drugs stimulated great interest in this process. Later evidence indicated, however, that the reaction was hydrogen peroxide dependent, and it was suggested that catalase,as a contaminant of the microsomes, was the enzyme responsible for the conversion of ethanol to acetaldehyde (7, 8, 9, 10).
DIATOM METHODS | Salinity Reconstructions from Continental Lakes

The species composition of diatoms preserved in lake sediments can be used to infer changes in salinity or conductivity, driven by changes in the balance between precipitation and evaporation through time. This approach works best in topographically closed lake basins in arid or semiarid regions that have limited groundwater flow. The inference of salinity from changes in the species composition of diatoms is based on knowledge about diatom ecological tolerances derived from studying modern lakes, and in most cases salinity inferences can be made with a high degree of confidence. Effective reconstruction of climate from salinity change relies on a good understanding of the factors that control the hydrologic mass balance of individual lakes. Diatom-inferred salinity changes have been used to document Quaternary environmental change from modern and ancient lake basins on all continents and from high to low latitudes. The majority of studies are from the Americas and Africa, where diatoms have been used to document major changes in precipitation associated with global temperature change and changes in insolation at orbital and millennial timescales. Diatoms also have been used increasingly in high-resolution analyses that seek to reconstruct the natural variability of drought under the changing boundary conditions spanning the period from the Last Glacial Maximum to the Holocene.
The kidney gets caught in a macrophage trap

Myogloblin released from dead muscle is shown to induce acute kidney injury through a mechanism dependent on platelets and macrophage extracellular traps.
Going Fully Online: Reflections on Creating an Engaging Environment for Online Learning

When faced with the major pedagogical shift of moving face-to-face classes online, two professors reflect on the process, the learning, and the ways in which they can retain face-to-face engagement in an asynchronous online environment. They share the re sults of student surveys and colleague emails, along with their own thoughts about moving classes online.
Space and Exploration Automation

Space-faring nations are actively exploring outer space and planetary bodies in our solar system both individually and as collaborators with other nations. In most endeavors, the inherent risk to human life has been mitigated by the use of automation and robotics to conduct space missions. Missions extending from low-Earth orbit to Earthʼs moon and beyond to destinations throughout the solar system have been successfully conducted. Robots and human astronauts assisted by automated systems have been used on space missions. Infrastructure and service automation in the context of space missions are discussed in this chapter. Automation and robotics have played a substantial role in installing space exploration infrastructure such as Earth-orbiting satellites and space stations occupied for extended periods by astronauts as well as satellites that operate for extended periods in orbit around other planets. General background information about automation and robotics for exploration of space is presented. Challenges of applying automation in space and planetary environments are highlighted for robots that operate in Earth orbit, at the Moon, at Mars, and other destinations. A look forward to what the future will hold for further space and exploration automation is provided, including mention of advancements in technological capabilities that will be needed to accomplish more ambitious space missions.