cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Monte Carlo Simulation‐Based Photon Migration for Enhanced Understanding of Near‐Infrared (NIR) Diffuse Reflectance. Part I: Depth of Penetration in Pharmaceutical Materials

Abstract This is the first of a series of articles applying Monte Carlo simulation‐based photon migration to enhance understanding of near‐infrared (NIR) diffuse reflectance in pharmaceutical analysis. This article aims to enhance mechanistic understanding on the interaction between NIR light and pharmaceutical materials, specifically focusing on the physical effects on NIR absorbance and depth of penetration profiles. Variations of particle size of lactose powder and density of a model tablet were used here as examples to represent the physical effects. An NIR chemical imaging system was used to measure the light‐interrogated area and the depth of penetration. Absorption and reduced scattering coefficients of powder and tablet samples, determined by spatially resolved spectroscopy, were combined with Monte Carlo simulation‐based photon migration to illustrate the mechanism of NIR light interaction with pharmaceutical materials. The empirically measured data and simulated results were consistent with one another and demonstrated a relationship between the physical effects of pharmaceutical samples and NIR absorbance/depth of penetration. The absorption coefficients and reduced scattering coefficients were discovered to be the dominant factors in the NIR absorbance profile and depth of penetration characteristics, respectively. The enhanced understanding of the roles of absorption and scattering in NIR diffuse reflectance is expected to provide useful insights for efficient multivariate calibration, unique spectroscopic pretreatments, and depth‐resolved NIR chemical imaging. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 99: 2399–2412, 2010
EMPACK: a mathematical toolbox for electromagnetic computations

The authors summarize certain aspects of EMPACK, a toolbox of subprograms for method-of-moments calculations suitable for solving electro and magnetostatic, time-varying, and time-harmonic electromagnetic problems in various dimensions and with certain possible symmetries present. For illustrative purposes, the authors consider one important feature of EMPACK, the standardized representation of time-harmonic electromagnetic fields used in the moment matrix assembly process. EMPACK includes FORTRAN subprograms to compute static and dynamic scalar potential integrals for linear and constant source densities over various domains. >
Comparison of alterations in circulating thyroglobulin, triiodothyronine and thyroxine in response to exogenous (bovine) and endogenous (human) thyrotropin.

ABSTRACT The effects of exogenous bovine and endogenous thyrotropin (TSH) on human thyroglobulin (Tg), triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations in serum were studied. Serum Tg, T3 and T4 concentrations were determined in the same sera by use of a radioimmunoassay specific for each of the 3 thyroidal products. In 5 normal subjects given 10 IU of bovine TSH, the mean peak serum T3, T4 and Tg concentrations were reached at 8, 24 and 48 hr, respectively, after injection. The maximal increase above baseline was 94% for T3 93% for T4 and 474% for Tg. Eight normal subjects were given 200 μg of synthetic TRH iv as a bolus injection. They responded with an increase in serum TSH concentration from a mean baseline value of <4 μU/ml to the mean peak serum TSH concentration of 13.2 μU/ml reached 30 min after TRH administration. The mean peak Tg, T3 and T4 levels all occurred at 4 hr after TRH injection, with a mean increase above basal value of 47%, 70% and 34%, respectively. The possible mechanisms for...
Black youth, identity, and ethics

This article examines stage models of racial identity that researchers and educators use to explain the subjective processes that influence how black youth navigate school. Despite the explicit challenge that most models of racial identity have posed to racist discourses in the research literature, the underlying ethics of their developmental trajectories is constrained by a politics of respectability that subverts a larger project of affirming black humanity. I use interview data to propose an alternative model for how black adolescent identity is formed. I conclude with a discussion of the importance of rethinking black adolescence in the context of changes in communication technologies associated with postindustrialism and globalization.
Effect of storm size on predicted hurricane storm surge in southeast Louisiana

An investigation into the effect of hurricane storm size on resulting storm surge in southeast Louisiana is performed. Two hypothetical storms differing in size and intensity are investigated using the ADCIRC storm surge model. Three tracks are studied. The tracks chosen represent critical tracks to southeast Louisiana based on historical data. Simulations are begun 30 hours before landfall with wind ramping during the first 6 hours so that full force winds begin 24 hours prior to landfall. Prior to landfall the hurricane is assumed to be steady state. After landfall, a landfilling model is used to simulate weakening of the hurricane due to interaction with land. Before performing the hurricane simulations, the ADCIRC model is run for a two day simulation with inflow boundary conditions on the Atchafalaya and Mississippi rivers to provide correct initial water surface elevations for the storm surge simulations. Tidal dynamics are not considered. Contours of maximimum water surface elevation and elevation histories at selected locations in the metropolitan New Orleans area are presented for each simulation. The results of the study clearly indicate that storm size can affect coastal storm surge regardless of the category of the hurricane as expressed by the Safflr-Simpson scale.
Methods for Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Biomass for Efficient Hydrolysis and Biofuel Production

Biofuels produced from various lignocellulosic materials, such as wood, agricultural, or forest residues, have the potential to be a valuable substitute for, or complement to, gasoline. Many physicochemical structural and compositional factors hinder the hydrolysis of cellulose present in biomass to sugars and other organic compounds that can later be converted to fuels. The goal of pretreatment is to make the cellulose accessible to hydrolysis for conversion to fuels. Various pretreatment techniques change the physical and chemical structure of the lignocellulosic biomass and improve hydrolysis rates. During the past few years a large number of pretreatment methods have been developed, including alkali treatment, ammonia explosion, and others. Many methods have been shown to result in high sugar yields, above 90% of the theoretical yield for lignocellulosic biomasses such as woods, grasses, corn, and so on. In this review, we discuss the various pretreatment process methods and the recent literature that...
A half cleaved zirconacyclopentadiene

Abstract When the sterically strained bicyclic zirconacyclopentadiene 2 is reacted with two equivalents of iodine in the presence of copper(I) chloride, the diiodinated product 4 forms in the range of 10 h. However, when reacted only for 2 h, the monoiodinated zirconium complex 3 is isolated. 3 shows an unexpected stability towards hydrolysis and oxidation. The molecular structure of complex 3 has been determined by X-ray structural analysis.
Clinically-relevant cutaneous lesions by nitrogen mustard: useful biomarkers of vesicants skin injury in SKH-1 hairless and C57BL/6 mice.

A paucity of clinically applicable biomarkers to screen therapies in laboratory is a limitation in the development of countermeasures against cutaneous injuries by chemical weapon, sulfur mustard (SM), and its analog nitrogen mustard (NM). Consequently, we assessed NM-caused progression of clinical cutaneous lesions; notably, skin injury with NM is comparable to SM. Exposure of SKH-1 hairless and C57BL/6 (haired) mice to NM (3.2 mg) for 12–120 h caused clinical sequelae of toxicity, including microblister formation, edema, erythema, altered pigmentation, wounding, xerosis and scaly dry skin. These toxic effects of NM were similar in both mouse strains, except that wounding and altered pigmentation at 12–24 h and appearance of dry skin at 24 and 72 h post-NM exposure were more pronounced in C57BL/6 compared to SKH-1 mice. Conversely, edema, erythema and microblister formation were more prominent in SKH-1 than C57BL/6 mice at 24–72 h after NM exposure. In addition, 40–60% mortality was observed following 120 h of NM exposure in the both mouse strains. Overall, these toxic effects of NM are comparable to those reported in humans and other animal species with SM, and thus represent clinically-relevant cutaneous injury endpoints in screening and optimization of therapies for skin injuries by vesicating agents.
Deletion of CD24 impairs development of heat shock protein gp96-driven autoimmune disease through expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells.

CD24 binds to and suppresses inflammation triggered by danger-associated molecular patterns such as heat shock proteins (HSPs) and high-mobility group box 1. Paradoxically, CD24 has been shown to enhance autoimmune disease. In this study, we attempt to reconcile this paradox by deletion of CD24 (24KO) in a lupus-like disease model driven by forced expression of HSP gp96 at the cell surface (transgenic mice [tm]). As expected, tm24KO mice showed increased CD11c + dendritic cell activation coupled to a significant increase in dendritic cell–specific IL-12 production compared with tm mice. However, tm24KO mice showed less CD4 T cell activation and peripheral inflammatory cytokine production in comparison with tm mice. We characterized an enhanced immune suppressive milieu in tm24KO mice distinguished by increased TGF-β and greater regulatory T cell–suppressive capacity. We found greater absolute numbers of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in tm24KO mice and showed that the Ly6C + MDSC subset had greater suppressive capacity from tm24KO mice. Deletion of CD24 in tm mice led to diminished lupus-like pathology as evidenced by anti-nuclear Ab deposition and glomerulonephritis. Finally, we show that expanded MDSC populations were mediated by increased free high-mobility group box 1 in tm24KO mice. Thus, the deletion of CD24 in an HSP-driven model of autoimmunity led to the unexpected development of regulatory T cell and MDSC populations that augmented immune tolerance. Further study of these populations as possible negative regulators of inflammation in the context of autoimmunity is warranted.
Multiple moving target detection, tracking, and recognition from a moving observer

This paper describes an algorithm for multiple moving targets detection, tracking and recognition from a moving observer. When the camera is placed on a moving observer, the whole background of the scene appears to be moving and the actual motion of the targets must be distinguished from the background motion. To do this, an affine motion model between consecutive frames is estimated, and then moving targets can be extracted. Next, the target tracking employs a similarity measure which is based on the joint feature-spatial space. At last, the target recognition is performed by matching moving targets with target database. The average processing time is 680 ms per frame, which corresponds to a processing rate of 1.5 frames per second. The algorithm was tested on the Vivid datasets provided the Air Force Research Laboratory and experimental results show that this method is efficient and fast for real-time application.
Amphetamine redistributes dopamine from synaptic vesicles to the cytosol and promotes reverse transport

Whether amphetamine acts principally at the plasma membrane or at synaptic vesicles is controversial. We find that d-amphetamine injection into the Planorbis giant dopamine neuron causes robust dopamine release, demonstrating that specific amphetamine uptake is not required. Arguing for action at vesicles, whole-cell capillary electrophoresis of single Planorbis dopamine neurons shows that amphetamine reduces vesicular dopamine, while amphetamine reduces quantal dopamine release from PC12 cells by > 50% per vesicle. Intracellular injection of dopamine into the Planorbis dopamine neuron produces rapid nomifensine-sensitive release, showing that an increased substrate concentration gradient is sufficient to induce release. These experiments indicate that amphetamine acts at the vesicular level where it redistributes dopamine to the cytosol, promoting reverse transport, and dopamine release.
HFB Calculations for Nuclei Far from Stability

We have developed a new Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (HFB) code to study ground state and pairing properties of nuclei near the neutron and proton drip lines. The unique feature of our code is that it takes into account the strong coupling to high-energy continuum states. Using this code we investigate ground state properties of the sulfur isotopes from the line of stability up to the two-neutron dripline (34–52 S). In particular, we calculate two-neutron separation energies, quadrupole moments, and rms-radii for protons and neutrons. Evidence for shape coexistence is found in the very neutron-rich sulfur isotopes. We compare our calculations with results from relativistic mean field theory and with available experimental data.
Topographic Patterns of V2 Cortical Connections in Macaque Monkeys

Patterns of connections of dorsal and ventral portions of the second visual area (V2) were used to evaluate and extend current theories of cortical organization and processing streams in macaque monkeys. Injections of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP) and up to four different fluorochromes in V2 labeled neurons and terminations in V2 and in 1) caudal (DLc) and rostral (DLr) subdivisions of dorsolateral cortex between V2 and the middle temporal area (MT); 2) regions we define as dorsomedial (DM) and dorsointermediate (DI) areas; 3) MT, medial superior temporal area (MST), and fundal superior temporal area (FST); 4) the dorsal part of inferior temporal (TEO) cortex; and 5) two locations in posterior parietal cortex. The largest extrastriate connection zone was DLc, which occupied the caudal one-third to one-half of the fourth visual area (V4) region of other proposals. Based on the connection pattern, foveal vision in DLc is represented adjacent to foveal vision in V2, with the lower quadrant represented dorsally and the upper quadrant ventrally, as in V2, but within a much less extensive region of cortex. The sparser connections of DLr formed a more compressed but parallel visuotopic pattern. A third visuotopic pattern of connections was located in a moderately myelinated region of cortex just rostral to dorsomedial V2. Whereas the region would include parts of dorsal visual area 3 (V3), V3a, and possibly other areas of other proposals, we interpret the connection pattern as reflecting a dorsomedial visual area, DM, with foveal vision represented caudolaterally and other parts of the lower and upper quadrants represented more medially and rostrally. A fourth pattern of label in dorsointermediate cortex suggested the location and organization of another visual area (DI). Most of a fifth connection pattern with MT was congruent with the known visuotopic organization of MT area, but visuotopically mismatched foci of connections were observed as well. Sparser foci of label in MST suggested a rostrodorsal representation of foveal vision, with paracentral vision represented more caudally. Separate dorsal and ventral foci of label in FST were consistent with previous evidence for dorsal (FSTd) and ventral (FSTv) visual areas. Finally, connections with TEO and posterior parietal cortex were sparse. Our results suggest that much of visual cortex organization is similar in New and Old World monkeys. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Spectrum efficient super-channels in dynamic flexible grid networks - A blocking analysis

We analyze the blocking performance of spectrum efficient super-channels in dynamic flexible grid networks. Results demonstrate that increased spectral efficiency and flexible super-channel assignment do translate into network efficiency gains.
The effects of feeding various levels of nonphytate phosphorus in the starter phase on broiler growth performance and bone characteristics in subsequent phases

SUMMARY The ability of broilers to adapt to a deficiency or excess of nonphytate P (nPP) in the starter phase without any negative effect on growth performance and bone characteristics in subsequent phases has received very little attention. Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of feeding marginally deficient or excessive P in the starter phase on growth and bone responses of broilers in subsequent phases. Feeding below the nPP requirement for 0 to 14 d resulted in better adaptation to lower nPP in the later phases, whereas feeding above the nPP requirement for 0 to 21 d resulted in a decrease in FE.
Epidermal Growth Factor-Induced Tumor Cell Invasion and Metastasis Initiated by Dephosphorylation and Downregulation of Focal Adhesion Kinase

Upregulated epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR) expression and EGFR-induced signaling have been correlated with progression to invasion and metastasis in a wide variety of carcinomas, but the mechanism behind this is not well understood. We show here that, in various human carcinoma cells that overexpress EGFR, EGF treatment induced rapid tyrosine dephosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) associated with downregulation of its kinase activity. The downregulation of FAK activity was both required and sufficient for EGF-induced refractile morphological changes, detachment of cells from the extracellular matrix, and increased tumor cell motility, invasion, and metastasis. Tumor cells with downregulated FAK activity became less adherent to the extracellular matrix. However, once cells started reattaching, FAK activity was restored by activated integrin signaling. Moreover, this process of readhesion and spreading could not be abrogated by further EGF stimulation. Interruption of transforming growth factor alpha-EGFR autocrine regulation with an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor led to a substantial increase in FAK tyrosine phosphorylation and inhibition of tumor cell invasion in vitro. Consistent with this, FAK tyrosine phosphorylation was reduced in cells from tumors growing in transplanted, athymic, nude mice, which have an intact autocrine regulation of the EGFR. We suggest that the dynamic regulation of FAK activity, initiated by EGF-induced downregulation of FAK leading to cell detachment and increased motility and invasion, followed by integrin-dependent reactivation during readhesion, plays a role in EGF-associated tumor invasion and metastasis.
Immigrant Status as a Potential Correlate of Organizational Commitment

Propositions for the relationship between immigrant status and organizational commitment are developed. A limited test of part of the conceptual framework is tested to examine the influence of immigrant status on continuance and affective commitment. Based on a sample of 506 nurses working in Israeli hospitals who completed self-report surveys, it was found that age and immigrant status (or `years in Israel') were significant correlates of affective and continuance commitment. However, whereas the relationship between `years in Israel' and affective commitment was not significant when age was controlled, additional variance in continuance commitment could be accounted for by `years in Israel' after controlling for age. Furthermore, nurses born in Israel had significantly lower continuance commitment than those who had immigrated to the country. These results suggest that the number of years after immigration has an impact on an individual's attachment to his/her organization. Immigrant status and years li...
Benign acute childhood myositis—a rare cause of abnormal gait

Benign acute childhood myositis is a rare postviral myositis seen in school-aged children after a common upper respiratory infection (URI), most commonly caused by influenza [J Microbiol Immunol Infect 2004;37:95-98]. Predominantly seen in boys, this condition causes bilateral calf tenderness and pain with ambulation, often presenting as a refusal to bear weight. To avoid activation within the gastroc-soleus complex, the child will frequently compensate with a “Frankenstein gait,” described as a stiff-legged posture with shuffling gait [CMAJ 2009;181:711-713]. The child may also walk on his toes or refuse to walk at all. This refusal to bear weight can be alarming to both providers and parents, resulting in extensive workups. We present the case of a 5-year-old boy who presented to the emergency department with a chief complaint of leg pain and refusal to walk. Further history revealed a resolved URI approximately 5 days prior. He was noted to have an elevated creatinine kinase with no evidence of renal insufficiency. He had no progression or complications, and his symptoms resolved spontaneously with minimal supportive treatment. Benign acute childhood myositis should be considered within the broad differential that surrounds a limping child or one who refuses to bear weight. Having insight into the condition with its characteristic gait abnormalities and associated URI history can often prevent extensive workups and be treated supportively in the outpatient setting.
Effect of interdiffusion regions on penetrant flux through multilayer films

Barrier properties of polymer films can be improved in various ways, such as formation of multilayer structures by coextrusion, surface treatment, and coatings. This work explores the use of thousands of alternating layers of polymer (xyxy...) to modify the resistance to permeation. A model is presented to predict the number of layers needed in a laminate to change the flux of a permeant by a given amount. An important feature of the model is the species transport across the interdiffusion regions at the polymer-polymer interfaces where diffusivity of the penetrant, D i , is assumed to be a constant or a function of the volume fractions (Φ) of the interdiffusing polymers. For constant D i , the modeling results show that increasing the number of interfacial regions decreases the flux for a given condition, and a large number of layers are required to achieve appreciable flux reduction. For Φ-dependent D i , a balanced interdiffusion region was modeled in which the interdiffusing polymers were assumed to interpenetrate one another equally. In this particular case, the flux was predicted to always increase with the number of layers.
Recent advances in polarized electron sources

Current experimental physics programs at a number of electron accelerator laboratories worldwide require the delivery of high average current highly polarized electron beams for long periods of time. The polarized electrons are produced by near bandgap photoemission from certain semiconductor photocathodes. We observe the quantum efficiency of these cathodes to be inversely related to the total charge they have delivered. Recent developments in ultrahigh vacuum technology, electron trajectory control, photocathode preparation, and lasers have led to operationally reliable delivery of many hundreds of coulombs of polarized electrons, at rates as high as 8 coulombs/day. Currently, our photocathode operational lifetime is almost completely dominated by ion backbombardment. Further gains in the high average current lifetime of these cathodes may be expected, which will allow photoemission electron guns to be used for accelerator applications other than polarized sources.
Polarimetric Signatures from Ice Crystals Observed at 95 GHz in Winter Clouds. Part I: Dependence on Crystal Form

Abstract Based on observations made with an airborne 95-GHz polarimetric cloud radar and in situ microphysical probes, the dependence of ZDR and linear depolarization ratio (LDR) values on ice crystal type and radar beam orientation was examined. Distinct ranges of ZDR and LDR values at various radar beam orientations were identified for simple planar and columnar crystals and for melting particles. The results also show that, based on ZDR and LDR values for different beam orientations, dendritic crystals can be distinguished from simpler hexagonal and branched crystals. Polarimetric signatures are almost exclusively associated with unrimed or slightly rimed crystals, therefore the presence of such signatures can help to identify cloud regions where such crystals dominate. The data generally agrees with previously reported results, though some differences are also noted. The observed ZDR and LDR values for simple crystal types are in reasonable agreement with theoretical predictions.
Essentials of Community Intervention

This chapter presents some of the basics regarding interventions that are undertaken by different kinds of practitioners when working with and in communities. The topics that are covered include approaches to community intervention, community mapping, appreciative inquiry, community money and reducing/resolving disputes and conflicts.
Device for zone-II flexor tendon repair.

To The Editor: It was with great interest that our local hand journal club recently discussed the article “Device for Zone-II Flexor Tendon Repair. A Multicenter, Randomized, Blinded, Clinical Trial” (2005;87:923-35), by Su et al. Although we applaud the much needed and growing trend toward obtaining and reporting Level-I evidence, we have several concerns about which we would like the authors to comment. We question whether this work truly qualifies as Level-I evidence. Although the patients were randomized to suture or Teno Fix treatment groups before surgery, the surgeons switched certain patients from the experimental arm to the control arm of the study once they had exposed the lacerations. The article states that only tendons large enough to contain the Teno Fix device were retained in that arm of the study. The opportunity for intraoperative alteration of the randomization plan for any reason clearly results in the selection of the more substantial tendons for the experimental repair and also introduces a bias toward eliminating from the experimental group patients who may be perceived to be less compliant with the rehabilitation protocol. Additionally, it is not clear whether the patients were blinded to the type of repair that they had received. If not, there was once again the opportunity for bias on the part of the surgeon, therapist, and patient regarding the type of the repair and the anticipated superior or inferior outcome. On another note, all of the eighty-five injured digits in both arms of the study had flexor digitorum superficialis laceration in addition to flexor digitorum profundus laceration. Only one flexor digitorum superficialis laceration was repaired. Acceptable current practice … Corresponding author: Melvin P. Rosenwasser, MD Department of Orthopaedic Surgery The Trauma Training Center New York Presbyterian Hospital 622 West 168th Street, PH 11, Room 11-64 New York, NY 10032 mpr2{at}columbia.edu
Making Molecules and Scientific Careers in South Africa: Perspectives of Drug Discovery Scientists

This paper draws on ethnographic research at a small South African startup pharmaceutical company with an elite international scientific board, which was founded with the mission of drug discovery for TB, HIV, and malaria. This particular place provides an entry point for exploring how the location of the scientific knowledge component of pharmaceuticals – rather than their production, licensing, or distribution – matters. In this paper, I focus on why it matters for the scientists themselves. South African drug discovery is situated in a very particular historical and political context, and yet the work of the scientists is also cosmopolitan to its core. The scientists involved articulate their occupation in diverse ways, occasionally as narrowly as ‘just a job,’ sometimes as problem-solving at the molecular level, but often investing it with larger social meaning. They speak of South African drug discovery both as offering “African solutions for African problems” and as a way for African scientists to participate in the global networks of innovative science. The promise of drugs affordable to Africans and relevant to their needs jostles with the aspiration for global prestige for African scientists. I argue that although this South African company’s efforts cannot be extricated from global flows of pharmaceutical knowledge-making, it still matters who makes knowledge and where.
Polarization reconfigurable antenna for small satellite application

A polarization reconfigurable antenna design that enables integration with CubeSat solar panels is presented. The antenna reconfigures between two polarizations by switching pin diodes. The design method and results are presented.
Evidence of Hemolysis in the Initiation of Hemostasis

Older concepts of hemostasis, based on the work of many investigators, postulated the initial cohesion of platelets to be clue primarily to the liberation of adenosine diphosphate on the platelet surface. The appearance of thrombin, which renders the aggregation irreversible, was believed to occur only after the platelets had aggre­ gated. This brief summary was enlarged by Spaet and Zucker 11 into a hemostatic theory composed of three steps which closely resembled the concept of Owren. 8 The initial reaction was platelet adhesion to connective tissue fibers, resulting in the release from the platelets of a small amount of adenosine diphosphate which, in the presence of cal­ cium, brought about cohesion of the plate­ lets into masses. This aggregation of plate­ lets was made more durable and compact by the action of thrombin, which also brought about additional release of adeno­ sine nucleotides. Not all research groups, however, place the role of the blood coagulation mecha­ nisms so late in the hemostatic processes. Troup and Luscher 12 state that hemostasis is probably initiated by release of tissue thromboplastin from damaged endothelial cells, resulting in formation of thrombin on the platelet surface. Marr and associates 6 have found ultrastructural evidence of fibrin, often in close proximity to collagen and red blood cells, 15 to 20 sec. after transection of small mesenteric arterioles in guinea pigs. Welldeveloped loci of fibrin fibers can be identi­ fied by the characteristic periodicity of 240 A 30 sec. after the transection of the vessel. Marr and associates 7 have also established that 50% of the total blood adenosine tri­ phosphate is broken down to adenosine
A8V Mutation of Cardiac Troponin C Enhances Troponin I Binding

We find in our model that higher affinity for TnI is a potential mechanism by which the A8V mutation renders troponin-C (TnC) capable of causing hypertrophy in hearts carrying TnCA8V. At issue is to explain how muscle fibers reconstituted with TnCA8V are sensitized to Ca2+, i.e. requiring ∼2.3 fold less [Ca2+] to achieve 50% maximum tension compared with fibers reconstituted with wild type TnC (TnCWT). The N-helix of TnC, which is the location of alanine 8, is situated between the EF hand that binds Ca2+ and the hydrophobic patch that binds the switch peptide of troponin-I (TnIsp). Binding measurements rule out a significant change in Ca2+ affinity of TnCA8V, but TnCA8V binds TnIsp ∼1.6 fold more strongly than TnCWT. Hence, we focus on elements of the model in which the TnC-TnIsp interaction competes with the TnI-actin interaction. Tension data are well-fit by specific conditions of the model, namely, with the TnCA8V-TnIsp affinity adjusted ∼1.5 fold higher than TnCWT-TnIsp affinity for all Ca2+ concentrations. Myofibrillar ATPase assays confirm greater activation by TnCA8V at higher Ca2+ concentration, but are inconclusive at low Ca2+ concentration. To test for altered binding in low Ca2+, displacement of the environmentally sensitive fluorescence probe, bis-ANS, from TnI is monitored as a function of added TnC. Whereas Ca2+-bound TnCWT (Ca-TnCWT) displaces significantly more bis-ANS than Ca2+-free TnCWT (Mg-TnCWT) both Ca-TnCA8V and Mg-TnCA8V displace nearly the same amount of probe as Ca-TnCWT. Hence, the mutation predicted to increase hydrophobicity promotes a more intimate association with TnI independent of Ca2+, consistent with the observed increase in activation. Our work suggests that contractility is constantly above normal in hearts made hypertrophic by TnCA8V. Supported by NIH-HL103840 (JRP) and AHA-15GRNT25280004 (JRP).
Structural identification of an HER2 receptor model binding pocket to optimize lead compounds: a combined experimental and computational approach

The structural investigation of the ligand/target interactions represents a challenging task in the field of drug discovery or lead compound optimization. In the present study, a computational approach allowed the identification of the binding site of A9 peptide, within a synthetic model of HER2 receptor (HER2-DIVMP). To this aim, molecular docking calculations and molecular dynamics simulations were employed, taking into account experimental data obtained by fluorescence studies. The computational model was further validated by performing fluorescence binding studies between the ligand A9 and HER2-DIVMP mutants, prepared by replacing key amino acid residues. A new binding pocket of HER2-DIVMP was identified, which could be fruitfully exploited for future lead-optimization studies.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is Sensitive to Pathological Amelioration in a Model for Laminin-Deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy (MDC1A).

Purpose To elucidate the reliability of MRI as a non-invasive tool for assessing in vivo muscle health and pathological amelioration in response to Losartan (Angiotensin II Type 1 receptor blocker) in DyW mice (mouse model for Laminin-deficient Congenital Muscular Dystrophy Type 1A). Methods Multiparametric MR quantifications along with histological/biochemical analyses were utilized to measure muscle volume and composition in untreated and Losartan-treated 7-week old DyW mice. Results MRI shows that DyW mice have significantly less hind limb muscle volume and areas of hyperintensity that are absent in WT muscle. DyW mice also have significantly elevated muscle levels (suggestive of inflammation and edema). Muscle T2 returned to WT levels in response to Losartan treatment. When considering only muscle pixels without T2 elevation, DyW T2 levels are significantly lower than WT (suggestive of fibrosis) whereas Losartan-treated animals do not demonstrate this decrease in muscle T2. MRI measurements suggestive of elevated inflammation and fibrosis corroborate with increased Mac-1 positive cells as well as increased Picrosirius red staining/COL1a gene expression that is returned to WT levels in response to Losartan. Conclusions MRI is sensitive to and tightly corresponds with pathological changes in DyW mice and thus is a viable and effective non-invasive tool for assessing pathological changes.
Value-Based Approaches for Emergency Care in a New Era

Although emergency departments (EDs) play an integral role in the delivery of acute unscheduled care, they have not been fully integrated into broader health care reform efforts. Communication and coordination with the ambulatory environment remain limited, leaving ED care disconnected from patients' longitudinal care. In a value-based environment focused on improving quality, decreasing costs, enhancing population health, and improving the patient experience, this oversight represents a missed opportunity for emergency care. When integrated with primary and subspecialty care, emergency care might meet the needs of patients, providers, and payers more efficiently than yet realized. This article uses the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System from the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act as a framework to outline a strategy for improving the value of emergency care, including integrating quality and resource use measures across health care delivery settings and populations, encouraging care coordination from the ED, and implementing robust health information exchange systems.
Directional structure-tensor-based coherence to detect seismic faults and channels

ABSTRACTSeismic coherence is widely used in seismic interpretation and reservoir characterization to highlight (with low values) faults and stratigraphic features from a seismic image. A coherence image can be computed from the eigenvalues of conventional structure tenors, which are outer products of gradients of a seismic image. I have developed a simple but effective method to improve such a coherence image by using directional structure tensors, which are different from the conventional structure tensors in only two aspects. First, instead of using image gradients with vertical and horizontal derivatives, I use directional derivatives, computed in directions perpendicular and parallel to seismic structures (reflectors), to construct directional structure tensors. With these directional derivatives, lateral seismic discontinuities, especially those subtle stratigraphic features aligned within dipping structures, can be better captured in the structure tensors. Second, instead of applying Gaussian smooth...
Oncogenic Osteomalacia Caused by a Phosphaturic Mesenchymal Tumor of the Proximal Femur

Background: Oncogenic osteomalacia is a rare paraneoplastic syndrome, with only about 100 reported cases in the literature. It is characterized by renal phosphate wasting, hypophosphatemia, low functional vitamin D, normocalcemia, normal PTH, and increased levels of alkaline phosphatase. The majority of oncogenic osteomalacia is usually caused by phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors of mixed connective tissue. Case Description: In this case report, the authors present a case of oncogenic osteomalacia in a patient who initially presented with hip pain for bilateral femoral head osteonecrosis and was noted to have multiple insufficiency fractures of unknown cause. The patient was eventually worked up with a PET/CT scan which showed a 2cm tumor in his right proximal femur. A core biopsy of this lesion revealed it was a mesenchymal tumor. Given the patient’s osteonecrosis of the bilateral proximal femurs, we chose to treat him with a right total hip arthroplasty. As part of this surgery requires making a femoral neck cut and removing the head and neck of the femur, the femoral lesion was completely excised, and this led to resolution of his hypophosphatemia, and improvement in his symptoms.Literature Review: There have been only three case reports of a similar lesion in the proximal femur causing oncogenic osteomalacia in the literature, and each was treated differently with varying outcomes.Clinical Relevance: Although an extremely rare disease, clinicians and pathologists should be aware of oncogenic osteomalacia and phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors as a cause of unexplained insufficiency fractures in patients with hypophosphatemia.
Judicial Resistance: Mandatory Arbitration as Federal Commandeering

This Article argues that the current doctrine of preempting state substantive law in favor of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) violates core federalism principles generally, the Tenth Amendment specifically, and is contrary to well-established anti-commandeering and judicial federalism rules. These authorities are all concerned with a core federalism principle: state sovereignty. The states retained sovereignty when they joined the Union. The Tenth Amendment expressly enshrines this retention. Modern federal court doctrine, which imposes federal arbitration law on the states, encroaches on retained state sovereignty by preempting state substantive law. This is erroneous regardless of whether the FAA was enacted as a rule of federal judicial procedure or as an exercise of Congress’s substantive Commerce Clause power. Encroaching on the state’s retained sovereignty, as the FAA does, violates the fundamental federalism principle and opens a path toward disrupting the power balance between the state and federal governments that Madison considered crucial to protecting individual liberty. When one sovereign comes to dominate in a federalist system, that government begins to lose its federalist character. Consequently, conflict about the FAA is no dry procedural dispute — it is a battle over the republic’s core principles. State courts should continue to serve their federalist role and fight in their corners, and the U.S. Supreme Court should revisit its FAA interpretation.
Turbulence in Astrophysical and Geophysical Flows

Turbulence is a physical process that enjoys some unique characteristics, first among which is the fact that it is among the most ubiquitous phenomena in the physical world and yet is one of the least understood physical processes. Let us just consider that all existing stars (the number of which is around ∼ 10, not far from the Avogadro’s number) use or have used turbulence during different phases of their lifetime. The atmosphere of the earth, a habitat in which we spend all our life, is regularly turbulent and so are the oceans. Much to the surprise of anyone who begins to study the subject, one finds that the most skillful practitioners at “taming” turbulence are aerospace engineers who try to minimize the unsettling effects of air turbulence on the commonly shared assumption that a smooth flight is more exciting than a bumpy one. But to advance their skills, engineers could hardly afford waiting for a theory of turbulence to be developed and tested. Wind tunnels provide much of the needed help for the effects of a turbulent flow on the wings of an aeroplane which can be examined in detail using repeated experiments. This leads to quite a satisfactory “description” of turbulence, but that is not sufficient to build a theory. For example, the huge wealth of spectroscopy data on absorption and emission properties of gases found a simple, logical explanation only when the atomic theory was invented and disparate results were explained by a set of few simple rules. There is not yet an equivalent in the field of turbulence which among other vicissitudes, is also struggling to find a proper place in science: it straddles mathematics, physics, engineering, geophysics and astrophysics. Apocryphal stories tell that W. Heisenberg, one of the founders of quantum mechanics, who pioneered with N. Kolmogorov the concept of turbulent viscosity, wanted to ask God what turbulence was all about, not the structure of quarks, not the true mass of neutrinos, not the unification of general relativity and quantum mechanics, not the reality of strings, but turbulence. More historically certain is the assertion by another great scientist, R.P. Feynman, that turbulence remains the biggest unsolved
Clinical Characteristics, Sex Differences, and Outcomes in Patients With Normal or Near‐Normal Coronary Arteries, Non‐Obstructive or Obstructive Coronary Artery Disease

Background Normal or near‐normal coronary arteries (NNCAs) or nonobstructive coronary artery disease (CAD) are found on invasive coronary angiography in ≈55% of patients. Some attribute this to frequent referral of low‐risk patients. We sought to identify the referral indications, pretest risk, key clinical characteristics, sex, and outcomes in patients with NNCAs and nonobstructive CAD versus obstructive CAD on nonemergent invasive coronary angiography. Methods and Results Over 24 months, 925 consecutive patients were classified as having NNCAs (≤20% stenosis), nonobstructive CAD (21–49% stenosis), or obstructive CAD (≥50% stenosis). Outcomes included cardiac death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, and late revasclarization. NNCAs were found in 285 patients (31.0%), nonobstructive CAD in 125 (13.5%), and obstructive CAD in 513 (55.5%). NNCAs or nonobstructive CAD was found in 40.5% with stress ischemia, 27.9% after a non‐ST‐elevation myocardial infarction, and in 55.5% with stable or unstable angina. More women than men (53.5% versus 37.2%; P P P =0.84). Conclusions Many (44.5%) patients undergoing nonemergent invasive coronary angiography have NNCAs or nonobstructive CAD despite high pretest risk, including ischemia and troponin elevation. Although women had more NNCAs or nonobstructive CAD, there were no differences in event rates by sex. Patients with NNCAs and nonobstructive CAD had very low event rates.
Islamist parties and foreign policy in North Africa: bridging ideology and pragmatism

ABSTRACTIslamist political parties rose to lead governments in three North African countries after the 2010–11 Arab Spring: Ennahda in Tunisia, the Justice and Development Party (PJD) in Morocco, a...
LUPUS IN THE HEART

In systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), cardiac involvement is common as pericarditis is considered one of the diagnostic criteria. Overt myocarditis, however, is rare and not considered in the standard diagnostic criteria for SLE. Cardiogenic shock secondary to lupus myocarditis may seldomly be the
Teaching moves and preschoolers’ arithmetical accuracy

Several teaching moves have been suggested to support young children’s simple addition and subtraction performance, including use of a number path, directly modeling addition and subtraction, using...
Fallen, Broken Places: American Imperial Journalism and Thomas W. Knox’s Traveller Books for Boys

In early 1864, Civil War correspondent Thomas W. Knox nearly gave his life for a brave experiment to prove the labor of freedmen could be just as profitable as that of slaves on a cotton farm. Iron...
Frequencies and risk of basic core promoter region mutations of HBV in HBV-related liver diseases

Objective To evaluate the frequencies and risk of HBV mutations in basic core promoter(BCP)region in HBV-related liver diseases.Methods This case-control study enrolled a total of 2,093cases,including asymptomatic HBV carriers(ASC),chronic hepatitis B(CHB)patients,liver cirrhosis(LC)patients and hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients.HBV mutations were detected by DNA sequencing method.The association of HBV mutations with the risks of CHB,LC,and HCC was evaluated by non-conditional Logistic regression model adjusted for age and sex as compared to ASCs.Results The frequencies of all the HBV mutations,except for T1768Amutation,in the HCC patients were higher than 30%;while all the HBV mutations frequencies were lower than 30%in ASCs.The frequencies of all the 7HBV mutations gradually increased in ASCs,CHB,LC,and HCC groups in order(Ptrend0.001).The adjusted odds ratios(AOR)of all the HBV mutations,except for T1768A,were gradually increased in the CHB patients,LC patients,and HCC patients in order compared to ASCs.It was found that A1762T/G1764Awas associated with HCC(AOR=13.91;95%CI=9.66-20.03).The cumulative frequency of HBV mutations in the BCP region gradually increased with progression of hepatitis B-related diseases(Ptrend0.001).Conclusion HBV mutation frequencies in the BCP region gradually accumulate during the progression HBVrelated liver diseases,which finally leads to end-stage liver diseases.These HBV mutations can be used for early prediction of HBV-related end-stage liver disease.