cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
LYMPH NODE UPTAKE OF 99MTc‐MDP DURING BONE SCINTIGRAPHY IN DOGS

Localization of 99mTc-MDP in lymph nodes was apparent on the three-hour bone-scan image in seven dogs. In six dogs injection or leakage of the radiopharmaceutical into the perivascular tissues was associated with subsequent uptake in an ipsilateral lymph node. In the remaining dog, 99mTc-MDP localized in a lymph node infiltrated by metastatic osteosarcoma. This aided staging of the tumor. Possible mechanisms of 99mTc-MDP localization in soft tissues are briefly reviewed.
Silver Fluoroborate Promoted Sulfur Alkylation of β-Silyl Ethyl Sulfides. Selective Synthesis of β-Thioglycosides

Abstract Silver (I) activation of α-glucosyl bromide in the presence of 2-trimethylsilylethyl sulfides as sulfur nucleophiles selectively provides β-thioglycosides.
Impact of a wellness portal on the delivery of patient-centered preventive care

Background: The objective of this study was to determine the impact of the Wellness Portal—a novel, web-based patient portal that focuses on wellness, prevention, and longitudinal health—on the delivery of patient-centered preventive care by examining the behavior and experiences of both patients and primary care clinicians and the degree to which recommended services were individualized and provided. Methods: We conducted a 3-year, systematic portal development and testing study, which included a 6-month feasibility and acceptability pilot in 2 primary care practices followed by a 12-month cluster randomized controlled trial in 8 clinician practices (4 in each study group). Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted to compare service delivery between intervention and control arms. Results: Ninety percent of patients in the pilot study found the portal easy to use, 83% found it to be a valuable resource, and 80% said that it facilitated their participation in their own care. The cluster randomized controlled trial included 422 adults 40 to 75 years of age and the parents of 116 children 2 to 5 years of age. Seventy three percent of patients used the portal during the study. Both patient activation (measured via the 13-item Patient Activation Measure) and participants9 perception of patient-centeredness of care (measured via the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems instrument) increased significantly in the portal group compared with control (P = .0014 and P = .037, respectively). A greater proportion of portal users received all recommended preventive services (84.4% intervention vs 67.6% control; P Conclusions: A comprehensive patient portal integrated into the regular process of primary care can increase the patient-centeredness of care, improve patient activation, enhance the delivery of both age- and risk factor–appropriate preventive services, and promote the utilization of web-based personal health records.
Purification and partial characterization of bovine heart mitochondrial pyridine dinucleotide transhydrogenase

Abstract Bovine heart mitochondrial pyridine dinucleotide transhydrogenase has been purified to near-homogeneity by a six-step procedure. The final preparation is characterized by a single major band with minor contaminants on sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gels. The minimal molecular weight is estimated to be 120,000. The protein of the major band is identified as the transhydrogenase by its (a) protection against trypsinolysis with NADH and enhanced degradation in the presence of NADPH, (b) inhibition by low concentrations of palmitoyl-CoA and by Mg 2+ , and (c) pH-rate profile. The specific activity of purified transhydrogenase is increased over twofold after sonication with mitochondrial phospholipids. The enzyme contains no flavin and is not contaminated with cytochromes, NADH dehydrogenase, or NADPH dehydrogenase.
Insulin, cortisol and thyroid hormones modulate maternal protein status and milk production and composition in humans.

The partitioning of dietary and endogenous nutrients during lactation is not well understood. To examine associations between plasma hormone and substrate profiles and indices of either maternal body protein metabolism or lactational performance, we measured plasma insulin, cortisol, prolactin, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, individual amino acid, blood urea nitrogen, and prealbumin concentrations in lactating and nulliparous women in the postabsorptive state. We related these measurements to the subjects' nitrogen balance, urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion, (1- '3C)leudne metabolism and milk production. Insulin concentrations showed significant positive relationships with nitrogen balance and prealbumin concentrations; cortisol levels showed a significant negative relationship with nitrogen balance and a significant positive rela tionship with leucine incorporation into protein. Thyroid hormone concentrations showed significant positive relationships with urinary 3-methylhistidine excretion, leucine incorporation into protein, and milk production. Proline concentrations were associated positively with nitrogen balance and negatively with leucine incorpo ration into protein, whereas glutamate-glutamine con centrations showed positive associations with leucine oxidation and milk nitrogen concentrations. We propose that insulin and cortisol modulate the channeling of nutrients between anabolic and anti-anabolic aspects of maternal body protein metabolism, whereas thyroid hor mones and cortisol modulate nutrient partitioning toward milk production and visceral protein synthesis. We suggest that some nonessential amino acids (proline, glutamate-glutamine) may become limiting during lac tation because of their unique contributions to milk protein synthesis. J. Nutr. 124: 1248-1257, 1994.
Persistence of North Pacific Sea Surface Temperature and Atmospheric Flow Patterns

Abstract North Pacific monthly sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies are more persistent than a first-order Markev process, often lasting for more than 5 months. Sea surface temperature persistence undergoes an annual cycle that is attributable to the depth of the surface mixed layer and to the annual cycle of focing. For a given lag, the pattern correlation is minimum when it involves SST during the summer months and maximum when it involves SST during the winter months. Average winter SST anomalies that have exhibited greatest persistence during the last four decades have been negative in the central North Pacific and positive along the West Coast but antipersistent SST anomalies have not confermed to a repeated pattern. The atmospheric 700 mb height anomalies associated with high persistence SST cases indicate that strong SST persistence is associated with long-lasting atmospheric anomaly patterns. For highly persistent January SST anamalies, 700 mb anomalies often last from December through February...
Troubled Teens and Monstrous Others: Problematic Depictions of Characters with Mental Illness in Young Adult Literature

Young adult literature has never shied away from taboo topics, particularly if the topics effect or concern adolescents. Recent studies have indicated that one fifth of the American population, about 50 million people including children and adults, live with some form of mental illness. Mental illness is clearly an issue that impacts young people, yet there are very few examples of authentic representations of characters with profound mental illness in young adult (YA) literature. This article discusses two texts that contribute to stereotypes about mental illness.
Interactions in Ternary Mixtures of MnO2, Al2O3, and Natural Organic Matter (NOM) and the Impact on MnO2 Oxidative Reactivity

Our previous work reported that Al2O3 inhibited the oxidative reactivity of MnO2 through heteroaggregation between oxide particles and surface complexation of the dissolved Al ions with MnO2 (S. Taujale and H. Zhang, "Impact of interactions between metal oxides to oxidative reactivity of manganese dioxide" Environ. Sci. Technol. 2012, 46, 2764-2771). The aim of the current work was to investigate interactions in ternary mixtures of MnO2, Al2O3, and NOM and how the interactions affect MnO2 oxidative reactivity. For the effect of Al ions, we examined ternary mixtures of MnO2, Al ions, and NOM. Our results indicated that an increase in the amount of humic acids (HAs) increasingly inhibited Al adsorption by forming soluble Al-HA complexes. As a consequence, there was less inhibition on MnO2 reactivity than by the sum of two binary mixtures (MnO2+Al ions and MnO2+HA). Alginate or pyromellitic acid (PA)-two model NOM compounds-did not affect Al adsorption, but Al ions increased alginate/PA adsorption by MnO2. The latter effect led to more inhibition on MnO2 reactivity than the sum of the two binary mixtures. In ternary mixtures of MnO2, Al2O3, and NOM, NOM inhibited dissolution of Al2O3. Zeta potential measurements, sedimentation experiments, TEM images, and modified DLVO calculations all indicated that HAs of up to 4 mg-C/L increased heteroaggregation between Al2O3 and MnO2, whereas higher amounts of HAs completely inhibited heteroaggregation. The effect of alginate is similar to that of HAs, although not as significant, while PA had negligible effects on heteroaggregation. Different from the effects of Al ions and NOMs on MnO2 reactivity, the MnO2 reactivity in ternary mixtures of Al2O3, MnO2, and NOM was mostly enhanced. This suggests MnO2 reactivity was mainly affected through heteroaggregation in the ternary mixtures because of the limited availability of Al ions.
Exploring optimal walleye exploitation rates for northern Wisconsin Ceded Territory lakes using a hierarchical Bayesian age-structured model

We assessed population dynamics of walleye (Sander vitreus) in multiple Ceded Territory lakes, which support recreational and tribal fisheries, using a hierarchical Bayesian age-structured model. W...
Survival of Cercospora sojina on Soybean Leaf Debris in Illinois

Zhang, G., and Bradley, C. A. 2014. Survival of Cercospora sojina on soybean leaf debris in Illinois. Plant Health Progress doi:10.1094/PHP-RS-140005. Historically, frogeye leaf spot (FLS, caused by Cercospora sojina) of soybean has been observed more frequently in the southern United States than the north-central United States. However, in recent years, FLS field observations have increased in the north-central United States. To better understand the survival rate of C. sojina in Illinois, a field study was conducted at three locations: Monmouth (west-central Illinois), Urbana (east-central Illinois), and Dixon Springs (southeastern Illinois). At each location, soybean leaves affected by FLS were placed at depths of 0, 10, and 20 cm and retrieved at different durations up to 24 months. To determine the viability of C. sojina in the collected leaves, a greenhouse bioassay was used. Survival of C. sojina declined equally with time at all three locations through 19 months. After 24 months, C. sojina from leaves that had been placed at Monmouth and Urbana were no longer viable, whereas leaves that had been placed at Dixon Springs produced viable inoculum. Depth of leaf placement had no effect on survival of C. sojina at any of the locations. These results suggest that planting a nonhost crop for two years in central Illinois will reduce levels of C. sojina inoculum to a negligible amount; however, soybean farmers in southern Illinois may need a longer rotation for FLS management.
Curcumin directly inhibits the transport activity of GLUT1

Curcumin, a major ingredient in turmeric, has a long history of medicinal applications in a wide array of maladies including treatment for diabetes and cancer. Seemingly counterintuitive to the documented hypoglycemic effects of curcumin, however, a recent report indicates that curcumin directly inhibits glucose uptake in adipocytes. The major glucose transporter in adipocytes is GLUT4. Therefore, this study investigates the effects of curcumin in cell lines where the major transporter is GLUT1. We report that curcumin has an immediate inhibitory effect on basal glucose uptake in L929 fibroblast cells with a maximum inhibition of 80% achieved at 75 μM curcumin. Curcumin also blocks activation of glucose uptake by azide, glucose deprivation, hydroxylamine, or phenylarsine oxide. Inhibition does not increase with exposure time and the inhibitory effects reverse within an hour. Inhibition does not appear to involve a reaction between curcumin and the thiol side chain of a cysteine residue since neither prior treatment of cells with iodoacetamide nor curcumin with cysteine alters curcumin's inhibitory effects. Curcumin is a mixed inhibitor reducing the Vmax of 2DG transport by about half with little effect on the Km. The inhibitory effects of curcumin are not additive to the effects of cytochalasin B and 75 μM curcumin actually reduces specific cytochalasin B binding by 80%. Taken together, the data suggest that curcumin binds directly to GLUT1 at a site that overlaps with the cytochalasin B binding site and thereby inhibits glucose transport. A direct inhibition of GLUT proteins in intestinal epithelial cells would likely reduce absorption of dietary glucose and contribute to a hypoglycemic effect of curcumin. Also, inhibition of GLUT1 activity might compromise cancer cells that overexpress GLUT1 and be another possible mechanism for the documented anticancer effects of curcumin.
How Place Matters: A View from the Sunbelt

Place Matters speaks eloquently of the shifts within and between US metropolitan areas, and the problems of growing racial and economic segregation. It’s argument is more compelling, however, in de...
Effects of acute thermal stress and amount of feed intake on concentrations of somatotropin, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-II, and thyroid hormones in plasma of lactating Holstein cows.

Our objective was to evaluate effects of acute thermal stress, independent of reduced feed intake caused by elevated temperatures, and of reduced feed intake in thermal comfort on plasma concentrations of somatotropin, insulin-like growth factors I and II, thyroxine, and triiodothyronine. Six Holstein cows (averaging 475 +/- 18 kg BW, 2.3 +/- .3 parities, and 96 +/- 12 d in lactation) surgically fitted with catheters in the hepatic portal vein, mesenteric vein, and intercostalis posterior artery were exposed to treatments of thermal comfort environments with ad libitum or restricted (75% of ad libitum) DM intake and a thermal stress environment with ad libitum intake in two balanced 3 x 3 Latin squares. Thermal stress increased rectal temperatures and respiration rates. Dry matter intake of the thermal-stressed cows offered feed ad libitum (11.1 +/- .7 kg/d) was similar to the experimentally imposed reduction in DM intake of the thermal comfort restricted group (11.5 +/- .7 kg/d). Dry matter intake of cows in thermal comfort was 15.1 +/- .7 kg/d. Plasma somatotropin concentrations tended (P less than .08) to decrease during thermal stress but were unchanged by amount of feed intake in thermal comfort environments. Concentrations of IGF-I were not affected by treatments. Concentrations of IGF-II tended (P less than .14) to increase with thermal stress compared with thermal comfort treatments. Thyroxine concentrations tended (P less than .15) to increase in the thermal stress treatment compared with the thermal comfort restricted intake treatment. Triiodothyronine tended (P less than .11) to decrease with restriction in feed intake in the thermal comfort environment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Functional and Crystallographic Studies of Hetero-Multimeric K+ Channels

Voltage gated potassium channels (Kv channels) consist of four identical subunits that form a central permeation pathway in which changes in diameter of an inner constriction known as the activation gate (AG) catalyzes their transition from the closed to the open state. Kv channels play a major role in shaping and regulating the action potential in all excitable cells. Expressed as homotetramers as well as heterotetramers, Kv channels have a crucial role in excitability disorders such as arrhythmias, long QT syndrome, hyperactivity disorders, epilepsia and many other behavioral disorders. This renders heteromeric Kv channels as potential pharmaceutical targets but challenges arise because of their hetero-multimeric nature and diverse sequence identity, which make the smart design of safer and more specific therapeutic drugs difficult. Thus, it is of significant importance to study in detail the structure-function relationship in heteromeric Kv channels. Since KcsA is the bona fide structural and functional surrogate of the pore domain of Kv channels, we have constructed tandem-tetramer constructs of KcsA in which all four protomers are expressed as a single polypeptide chain by engineering linkers between the protomers. We were able to express, purify and solved the crystal structure of functional KcsA tandem-tetramer. This opens up a new and unprecedented avenue to introduce dose dependent mutations in the channel tetramer to evaluate the cooperative behavior of the channel function i.e., ion permeation, gating and ion selectivity, from a functional and structural point of view by using electrophysiology and X-ray crystallography approaches.Founding: AHA-11SDG5440003, NIH 1RO1GMo97159-01A1 and Welch Foundation BI-1757
Reactivity of the [Mo3(mu3-S)(mu2-S2)3Br6]2- anion toward the imidodiphosphinochalcogenido ligands.

Reactions of imidodiphosphinochalcogenido ligands [N(QPPh2)2]- (Q = S, Se) with [Mo3(μ3-S)(μ2-S2)3Br6]2- (1) afford the first Mo complexes of such ligands: [Mo(μ3-S)(μ2-S2)3{N(SPPh2)2}3]Br (2) and...
Ignition and flame characteristics of cryogenic hydrogen releases

Abstract In this work, under-expanded cryogenic hydrogen jets were investigated experimentally for their ignition and flame characteristics. The test facility described herein, was designed and constructed to release hydrogen at a constant temperature and pressure, to study the dispersion and thermo-physical properties of cryogenic hydrogen releases and flames. In this study, a non-intrusive laser spark focused on the jet axis was used to measure the maximum ignition distance. The radiative power emitted by the corresponding jet flames was also measured for a range of release scenarios from 37 K to 295 K, 2–6 barabs through nozzles with diameters from 0.75 to 1.25 mm. The maximum ignition distance scales linearly with the effective jet diameter (which scales as the square root of the stagnant fluid density). A 1-dimensional (stream-wise) cryogenic hydrogen release model developed previously at Sandia National Laboratories (although this model is not yet validated for cryogenic hydrogen) was exercised to predict that the mean mole fraction at the maximum ignition distance is approximately 0.14, and is not dependent on the release conditions. The flame length and width were extracted from visible and infra-red flame images for several test cases. The flame length and width both scale as the square root of jet exit Reynolds number, as reported in the literature for flames from atmospheric temperature hydrogen. As shown in previous studies for ignited atmospheric temperature hydrogen, the radiative power from the jet flames of cold hydrogen scales as a logarithmic function of the global flame residence time. The radiative heat flux from jet flames of cold hydrogen is higher than the jet flames of atmospheric temperature hydrogen, for a given mass flow rate, due to the lower choked flow velocity of low-temperature hydrogen. This study provides critical information with regard to the development of models to inform the safety codes and standards of hydrogen infrastructure.
Urologist Use of Cystoscopy for Patients Presenting With Hematuria in the United States.

Objective To evaluate the prevalence of cystoscopy and factors associated with use among hematuria patients presenting to urologists, based on results from a nationally representative survey. Methods Using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2006-2012), we identified outpatient visits to urologists for hematuria, and excluded visits associated with benign diagnoses (eg, urinary tract infection). Our primary outcome was performed or planned cystoscopy. We hypothesized that major risk factors (ie, gross hematuria, tobacco use, age >50, male gender) would be associated with increased cystoscopy use. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between available patient, provider, and practice setting factors and use of cystoscopy. Results Among an estimated 10.8 million hematuria visits to urologists, cystoscopy was planned or performed after 34.7% of visits (95% confidence interval [CI] 30.7-39.0). Patients with gross hematuria (adjusted odds ratio 2.17, 95% CI 1.28-3.69) and current tobacco users (adjusted odds ratio 2.48, 95% CI 1.40-4.39) had over twice the odds of undergoing cystoscopy compared to patients without those risk factors. We estimated that there are over 20,000 missed cancer cases annually among moderate- and high-risk hematuria patients, and nearly 230,000 excess cystoscopy cases annually for patients with near-zero cancer risk. Conclusion Despite guidelines emphasizing the importance of cystoscopy in hematuria evaluations, just over one-third of patients diagnosed with hematuria by urologists undergo this procedure. There also appears to be considerable misallocation of cystoscopy for hematuria patients, with excessive use among low-risk patients and significant potential for missed cancer cases among those at higher risk of malignancy.
The Australopithecine Brain: Controversies Perpetual

While paleoneurology has undergone major changes relevant to hominid evolution, largely through newer computer-driven segmentation techniques using CT, laser, MRI, and other imaging technologies, so-called state-of-the-art techniques still require expert understanding of underlying endocranial morphology. The australopithecine endocranial remains, whether from natural endocasts such as Taung, Sts60, SK1585, or those made from rubber, silicone-based reagents, such as AL 444-2, or CT scans (MH1), still occasion major differences of interpretation and thus controversy, and the controversy initiated by Dart in 1925 for the Taung specimen is still alive and well. The newer non-invasive techniques have much to offer human paleontologists regarding the evolution of the brain as long as basic anatomical realities are appreciated.
Are thyroid function tests necessary in patients with suspected sleep apnea

Thyroid evaluation is frequently performed in patients with sleep apnea because of a suspected causal relationship between hypothyroidism and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to determine the actual prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients referred for polysomnography and evaluate whether its rate was higher in patients with OSA than those without OSA. Ultrasensitive thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) was performed on 255 of 279 consecutive patients referred for polysomnography from the neurology service of a large HMO. Hypothyroidism was detected in 1.6% (4/243) of all patients, 1.5% (3/194) of patients referred to evaluate OSA, and 2.0% of patients referred to evaluate the presence of periodic leg movement disorder (PLMD)/narcolepsy/parasomnia. There was no significant difference in rates of hypothyroidism in patients with documented OSA (2.9%, 3/103) compared to those without OSA (0.7%, 1/135). Two of the four patients with elevated TSHs had previously documented hypothyroidism and were on thyroxine replacement. Rates of hyperthyroidism were as high or higher than those of hypothyroidism in all groups. We conclude that thyroid screening does not appear to be appropriate for patients with suspected, or confirmed, OSA in the absence of signs or symptoms consistent with hypothyroidism or unless they are in a high risk group (women over the age of 60).
TorsinA controls TAN line assembly and the retrograde flow of dorsal perinuclear actin cables during rearward nuclear movement

The nucleus is positioned toward the rear of most migratory cells. In fibroblasts and myoblasts polarizing for migration, retrograde actin flow moves the nucleus rearward, resulting in the orientation of the centrosome in the direction of migration. In this study, we report that the nuclear envelope-localized AAA+ (ATPase associated with various cellular activities) torsinA (TA) and its activator, the inner nuclear membrane protein lamina-associated polypeptide 1 (LAP1), are required for rearward nuclear movement during centrosome orientation in migrating fibroblasts. Both TA and LAP1 contributed to the assembly of transmembrane actin-associated nuclear (TAN) lines, which couple the nucleus to dorsal perinuclear actin cables undergoing retrograde flow. In addition, TA localized to TAN lines and was necessary for the proper mobility of EGFP-mini-nesprin-2G, a functional TAN line reporter construct, within the nuclear envelope. Furthermore, TA and LAP1 were indispensable for the retrograde flow of dorsal perinuclear actin cables, supporting the recently proposed function for the nucleus in spatially organizing actin flow and cytoplasmic polarity. Collectively, these results identify TA as a key regulator of actin-dependent rearward nuclear movement during centrosome orientation.
Motive and Opportunity Test Survives Congressional Death Knell in Private Securities Litigation Reform Act

Congress enacted the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act in 1995, in an effort to stop frivolous securities fraud suits. Key to the effort was the imposition of a heightened pleading standard requiring plaintiffs to "state with particularity facts giving rise to a strong inference that the defendant acted with the required state of mind." There has been considerable controversy regarding whether Congress codified the "motive and opportunity" prong of the pleading standard historically used by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. This Note argues that Congress intended to halt use of the motive and opportunity test in favor of a heightened and uniform
Local Cues Establish and Maintain Region-Specific Phenotypes of Basal Ganglia Microglia

Microglia play critical roles in tissue homeostasis and can also modulate neuronal function and synaptic connectivity. In contrast to astrocytes and oligodendrocytes, which arise from multiple progenitor pools, microglia arise from yolk sac progenitors and are widely considered to be equivalent throughout the CNS. However, little is known about basic properties of deep brain microglia, such as those within the basal ganglia (BG). Here, we show that microglial anatomical features, lysosome content, membrane properties, and transcriptomes differ significantly across BG nuclei. Region-specific phenotypes of BG microglia emerged during the second postnatal week and were re-established following genetic or pharmacological microglial ablation and repopulation in the adult, indicating that local cues play an ongoing role in shaping microglial diversity. These findings demonstrate that microglia in the healthy brain exhibit a spectrum of distinct functional states and provide a critical foundation for defining microglial contributions to BG circuit function.
Body mass and correlated ecological variables in the North American muskrat lineage: evolutionary rates and the tradeoff of large size and speciation potential

AbstractThis study tracks evolutionary change in body mass (W) and correlated ecological variables over the 3.75 million year history of the North American muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus). A new model is presented suggesting muskrat body mass has been in equilibrium for most of its history. Four pulses of pronounced size increase are correlated with glacial dynamics and volcanic events. Ranges of evolutionary rates in darwins and a new metric based on percent change in W document episodic size change. Proportional size change is independent of interval length, with a background range attributed to natural selection ≤25–30%. In increasing body mass by a factor of ten to about 1 kg mass-specific metabolism was halved, home range quadrupled, population density decreased fourfold, and average biomass more than doubled. Estimates of species diversity in ancient cotton rats (Sigmodon) and muskrats are calculated from a function derived from the correlation of numbers of North American rodent species and mean W. Th...
Liquid metal actuator driven by electrochemical manipulation of surface tension

We examine the electrocapillary properties of a fluidic actuator composed of a liquid metal droplet that is submerged in electrolytic solution and attached to an elastic beam. The beam deflection is controlled by electrochemically driven changes in the surface energy of the droplet. The metal is a eutectic gallium-indium alloy that is liquid at room temperature and forms an nm-thin Ga2O3 skin when oxidized. The effective surface tension of the droplet changes dramatically with oxidation and reduction, which are reversibly controlled by applying low voltage to the electrolytic bath. Wetting the droplet to two copper pads allows for a controllable tensile force to be developed between the opposing surfaces. We demonstrate the ability to reliably control force by changing the applied oxidizing voltage. Actuator forces and droplet geometries are also examined by performing a computational fluid mechanics simulation using Surface Evolver. The theoretical predictions are in qualitative agreement with the experi...
Microbiological Investigations of a Aquifer Polluted by Hydrocarbons and Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Respect of Microbiological Treatment

Flothmann et al. (1986) have depicted the dumping size, the polution of the aquifer with hydrocarbons and chlorinated hydrocarbons, and the plans for treatment. Schonborn (1986) has dealt with the microbiological in-situ treatment and microbiological investigations needed. Here, the microflora of the underground and its supply with mineral nutrients will be described.
Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumor Syndromes (GI NETS)

Gastrointestinal neuroendocrine tumor (GI NET) syndromes are clinical syndromes caused by the release of biologically active peptides/amines by GI neuroendocrine tumors. NETs comprise carcinoid tumors and pancreatic endocrine tumors and are derived from amine- and peptide-producing cells of the diffuse neuroendocrine system.
Metric dependence and a sum of distances

In a real normed linear space B a point q is said to be metrically dependent on [pl, ...,Phi if there exists a set of weights [a i] (non-negative numbers with sum i) such that for each n w in B d(w,q) ~ ~ aid(w, Pi) . 1 Theorem i. q lies inside the convex cover of a set if and only if it is metrically dependent on the set. Theorem 2. Given a point q, if there exists a set of weights such that the weighted average of distances from q to pl, ...,p n is greater than the average with the same weights of distances from pj to pl, ...,p n for each j, then q is not metrically dependent on the set. That is q lies outside its convex cover. These theorems are used to prove Theorem 3. In any real normed linear space~ given r points on the boundary of the unit sphere, if their convex cover contains the origin, the sum of their distances is at least 2(r i) .
Commonly overlooked pain syndromes responsive to simple therapy.

Patients suffer needlessly because of a lack of awareness by physicians of painful conditions that respond dramatically to local anesthesia. Three examples are scapulocostal syndrome, infraspinatus syndrome, and piriform syndrome. The first of these can masquerade as tension headache, whiplash, or hyperventilation-anxiety, and the second as bursitis. The third can mimic herniated intervertebral disk.
The Second Industrial Revolution and its Educational, Economic and Social Challenges

Wiener’s thinking on automatization and its socio-economic consequences was far ahead of its time. Guided by his clear perception of the electronic computer (cf. his 1940 memorandum, § 13D), and his sharp understanding of feedback, derived from his war work and physiological interests (§ 14E, 15B), he had concluded by about 1942 that a high-speed computer, properly programmed, could be made to run an automatic factory. In his words: … the modern ultra-rapid computing machine was in principle an ideal central nervous system to an apparatus for automatic control; and … its input and output need not be in the form of numbers or diagrams but might very well be, respectively, the readings of artificial sense organs. such as photoelectric cells or thermometers, and the performance of motors or solenoids. With the aid of strain gauges or similar agencies to read the performance of these motor organs and to report, to “feed back,” to the central control system as an artificial kinesthetic sense, we are already in a position to construct artificial machines of almost any degree of elaborateness of performance. [61c, pp. 26, 27] (emphasis added)
Perceptions of Personal and Family Impact

We have seen that Sansei whose parents were interned differed significantly from No-Camp Sansei in their general levels of ethnic preference and confidence about their rights. However, to fully understand the impact of the internment, we need to explore the more specific ways in which Sansei children of former internees thought that their lives have been shaped by their parents’ camp experience. Quotes from Project participants such as the one above provided rich information in this regard and indicated that their lives have been affected in many ways.
Consultation for Elevated Blood Eosinophils: Clinical Presentations, High Value Diagnostic Tests, and Treatment Options

The workup of a patient found to have eosinophilia should follow a thorough path with a detailed history and physical examination aimed at eliciting eosinophilic organ involvement, followed by histological confirmation whenever possible. The differential diagnosis of hypereosinophilia is extensive, but a rational approach beyond the history and physical examination including serologic, blood, and bone marrow cell analyses, genetic testing, and radiologic imaging can distinguish many of the causes. Often input from specialists (eg, hematology, dermatology, pulmonary, gastroenterology, and neurology) can help narrow down the possibilities and eventually result in a specific diagnosis. An accurate diagnosis is key to choosing the optimal treatment for a particular condition, and this is certainly true for eosinophilic disorders. Myeloid neoplasms that present with eosinophilia, for example, may respond to medicines that the allergist may be less accustomed to using, such as immunosuppressive agents and kinase inhibitors. Similarly, newly approved biologics that target IL-5 and eosinophils may provide new options for management. What follows is a case-based approach that helps to underscore key features of diagnosis, management, and follow-up when faced with a patient with a potential eosinophil-related disorder.
Identification of myosin II as a cripto binding protein and regulator of cripto function in stem cells and tissue regeneration

Cripto regulates stem cell function in normal and disease contexts via TGFbeta/activin/nodal, PI3K/Akt, MAPK and Wnt signaling. Still, the molecular mechanisms that govern these pleiotropic functions of Cripto remain poorly understood. We performed an unbiased screen for novel Cripto binding proteins using proteomics-based methods, and identified novel proteins including members of myosin II complexes, the actin cytoskeleton, the cellular stress response, and extracellular exosomes. We report that myosin II, and upstream ROCK1/2 activities are required for localization of Cripto to cytoplasm/membrane domains and its subsequent release into the conditioned media fraction of cultured cells. Functionally, we demonstrate that soluble Cripto (one-eyed pinhead in zebrafish) promotes proliferation in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and stem cell-mediated wound healing in the zebrafish caudal fin model of regeneration. Notably, we demonstrate that both Cripto and myosin II inhibitors attenuated regeneration to a similar degree and in a non-additive manner. Taken together, our data present a novel role for myosin II function in regulating subcellular Cripto localization and function in stem cells and an important regulatory mechanism of tissue regeneration. Importantly, these insights may further the development of context-dependent Cripto agonists and antagonists for therapeutic benefit.
Chapter 11 – Cancer Therapy

Over the last two decades, iron oxide nanoparticles have demonstrated great progress and potential for use in oncological medicine. Due to their overall utility for a vast number of applications, iron oxides have been extensively investigated. This type of nanoparticle has numerous desirable properties such as facile synthesis, ease of functionalization, favorable magnetic characteristics, and biocompatible and biodegradable and is generally considered safe. Cancer therapy has already benefited in a number areas from the use of iron oxide nanoparticles in such areas as cancer imaging, a variety of therapeutic approaches including immunotherapy, cell tracking and monitoring, improved efficacy, and safety. While several forms of magnetite-based nanoparticle formulations are FDA approved as either magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents or iron-deficiency therapeutics, there are still a number of other applications that these nanoparticles can be used for. Iron oxide nanoparticles can come in a number of shapes, sizes, and composition and can have modifiable coatings with targeting molecules such as antibodies, peptides, and small molecules. These surface moieties can improve tumor-targeting capabilities, while the nanoparticle itself can allow for monitoring by MRI and even optical methods depending on the modifications used and intended applications. Other potential cancer applications include improved delivery of cancer therapeutics, magnetic hypothermia, photothermal ablation, personalized medicine approaches, and photodynamic therapy. These approaches can result in multifunctional and/or theranostic nanoparticles suitable for diagnosis, treatment, and treatment monitoring of cancer.
JUMP LANDING MECHANICS OF ADOLESCENT ATHLETES DURING AGES OF PEAK ACL INJURY RISK: IDENTIFYING SEX DIFFERENCES WITH A PORTABLE MOTION SENSOR:

Background:Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury rates in adolescent female athletes are 3x greater than males, with peak incidence at 16 and 17 years of age for girls and boys, respectively. As ...
The Determination of Soil Boron Fractions, Their Relationships to Soil Properties and the Availability to Olive (Olea europea L.) Trees

This study was conducted to investigate the various boron fractions in olive tree grown soils. The correlations between boron fractions in leaves, fruits and soil properties were examined. For this purpose cv “Gemlik” olive (Olea europaea L.) orchards were visited. Soil samples from 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm deep, the leaf and fruit samples were collected. The greatest proportion of total soil boron is present in residual form (85–88%). It is followed by organically bound B (2.84–4.50%), specifically adsorbed on soil colloid surfaces (0.93–1.31%), oxides (manganese oxyhydroxides, amorphous Fe and Al oxides, crystalline Fe and Al oxides) bound B (7.27–8.31%). The smallest one readily soluble (extracting plant available) boron values were composed of only 0.40–0.50% of total boron ranging. To determine readily soluble boron five different extraction solutions were in the order Hot water ˃ 0.01 M CaCl₂ ˃ 1 M NH₄OAc ˃ 0.1 M KCl ˃ 0.005 M DTPA. Fruit boron concentration and soil boron fractions showed close correlations than leaf boron concentration.
Engineering of bio-mimetic substratum topographies for enhanced early colonization of filamentous algae

This work reveals a set of surface topography parameters that are significant for algal attachment to natural rock substrata. Topography analysis of rock surfaces from a stream identifies three descriptive areal parameters (Smr, Sv, and Sa) that correlate with the presence of natural periphyton community. A method was developed and validated to reverse engineer and manufacture artificial substrata with topographic complexity defined by these parameters, using computational modeling and additive manufacturing. Results from colonization experiments with filamentous algae show statistically significant increases in early biomass accrual rates on substrata with higher values of Sa and Sv parameters and lower values of Smr parameter. These results suggest that manipulation of the level of roughness (peak-to-valley distance and material ratio above the mean) and the distribution of hill and dale sequences can control initial colonization locations and biomass accrual rates, presumably by enhancing growth and recruitment of cells from the overlying flow into protected refugia spaces. As such, these findings provide an approach for optimizing the design of substratum for increased early biomass productivity for attached growth algae cultivation systems.
Investigating Potential Biomarkers in Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background: Early identification and treatment of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) improves outcomes, but specific evidence needed to individualize treatment recommendations is lacking. Biomarkers that could be routinely measured within the clinical setting could potentially transform clinical care for patients with ASD. This demonstration project employed collection of biomarker data during regular autism specialty clinical visits and explored the relationship of biomarkers with clinical ASD symptoms. Methods: Eighty-three children with ASD, aged 5-10 years, completed a multi-site feasibility study integrating the collection of biochemical (blood serotonin, urine melatonin sulfate excretion) and clinical (head circumference, dysmorphology exam, digit ratio, cognitive and behavioral function) biomarkers during routine ASD clinic visits. Parents completed a demographic survey and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist-Community. Cognitive function was determined by record review. Data analysis utilized Wilcoxon two-sample tests and Spearman correlations. Results: Participants were 82% male, 63% White, 19% Hispanic, with a broad range of functioning. Group means indicated hyperserotonemia. In a single regression analysis adjusting for race and median household income, higher income was associated with higher levels of blood serotonin and urine melatonin sulfate excretion levels (p=.004 and p=.04, respectively). Melatonin correlated negatively with age (p= 0.048) and reported neurologic problems (p=0.02). Dysmorphic status correlated with higher reported stereotyped behavior (p=0.02) and inappropriate speech (p=0.04). Conclusions: This demonstration project employed collection of multiple biomarkers, allowed for examination of associations between biochemical and clinical measures, and identified several findings that suggest direction for future studies. This clinical research model has promise for integrative biomarker research in individuals with complex, heterogeneous neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD.
Conjure: Summoning Proxies from Unused Address Space

Refraction Networking (formerly known as "Decoy Routing") has emerged as a promising next-generation approach for circumventing Internet censorship. Rather than trying to hide individual circumvention proxy servers from censors, proxy functionality is implemented in the core of the network, at cooperating ISPs in friendly countries. Any connection that traverses these ISPs could be a conduit for the free flow of information, so censors cannot easily block access without also blocking many legitimate sites. While one Refraction scheme, TapDance, has recently been deployed at ISP-scale, it suffers from several problems: a limited number of "decoy" sites in realistic deployments, high technical complexity, and undesirable tradeoffs between performance and observability by the censor. These challenges may impede broader deployment and ultimately allow censors to block such techniques. We present Conjure, an improved Refraction Networking approach that overcomes these limitations by leveraging unused address space at deploying ISPs. Instead of using real websites as the decoy destinations for proxy connections, our scheme connects to IP addresses where no web server exists leveraging proxy functionality from the core of the network. These phantom hosts are difficult for a censor to distinguish from real ones, but can be used by clients as proxies. We define the Conjure protocol, analyze its security, and evaluate a prototype using an ISP testbed. Our results suggest that Conjure can be harder to block than TapDance, is simpler to maintain and deploy, and offers substantially better network performance.
Examining the in vivo pulmonary toxicity of engineered metal oxide nanomaterials using a genetic algorithm-based dose-response-recovery clustering model

Abstract This article presents the examination of the pulmonary toxicity of engineered metal oxide nanoparticles using a dose-response-recovery clustering model for the purpose of revealing toxicologically distinct clusters. Current recommended exposure limits published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) consider “ultrafine” metal oxide particles to pose significantly increased health risks as compared to larger particles. The unique combination of physical and chemical characteristics afforded by the metal oxide nanoparticles has enabled them to find use in various large-scale industrial setting leading to a risk of exposure for current and future workers. This paper presents an algorithmic examination of the metal oxide nanoparticles by their categorization into toxicologically distinct clusters. Based on a dataset composed of peer-reviewed in vivo experimental studies in rodents, the metal oxide nanoparticle variants are divided into sub-classes based on their dose-response-recovery similarity and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) of the family of models. Results indicate the presence of 4 toxicologically unique classes based on 5 toxicity endpoints selected. The cluster with greatest potency was found to be 400,000 times more potent than the cluster with the lowest potency indicative of substantial variation across all the responses. The absence of coherent characterization data for the metal oxide nanoparticle variants analyzed in this study prevents the designation of significant physical characteristic-based labels which could have assisted in identifying the key factors affecting the toxic potential of the metal oxide nanoparticles. The standardized potency of the 4 metal oxide nanoparticle clusters was compared: 3 clusters (I, II and IV) showed signs of elevated immune system activity and cell membrane damage. These clusters were primarily composed of iron oxide nanoparticles (cluster I) silica (cluster II), and titanium dioxide (cluster IV). One cluster (III) showed comparatively reduced toxicity across all 5 responses; this cluster primarily featured zinc oxide and cerium oxide nanoparticles.
Successful use of once-daily high-dose darunavir and dolutegravir in multidrug-resistant HIV.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE?: Antiretroviral (ARV) resistance may result during periods of consistently poor adherence. We report the successful use of a novel once-daily (QD) ARV regimen in a patient with multidrug-resistant (MDR) HIV. CASE SUMMARY: Once-daily darunavir 1200 mg/ritonavir 100 mg, dolutegravir and emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide was initiated with directly observed therapy. With the assistance of therapeutic drug monitoring, dolutegravir dosing was increased to 150 mg daily. The patient maintained virologic suppression for 18 months. WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS?: In this case, QD darunavir/ritonavir achieved similar trough concentrations to twice daily dosing with dolutegravir dose titration necessitated and resulted in HIV virologic control.