cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in mammalian nerve by iodoacetic acid.

Abstract— Cat sciatic nerves were exposed to iodoacetate for a period of 5–10 min and after washing out the iodoacetate, the enzymes, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (d-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate: NAD oxidoreductase (phosphorylating); EC 1.2.1.12) and lactate dehydrogenase (l-lactate: NAD oxidoreductase; EC 1.1.1.27) were extracted from the high-speed supernatant fraction of nerve homogenates. Concentrations of iodoacetate as low as 2.5 mm could completely block activity of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase but had no effect on lactate dehydrogenase. These findings are in accord with the classical concept shown earlier for muscle that iodoacetate blocks glycolysis by its action on glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. A complete block of activity of the enzyme was found after treatment with 2 to 5 mm-iodoacetate for a period of 10 min and such blocks were irreversible for at least 3 h. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity was NAD specific, with NADP unable to substitute for NAD. The results are discussed in relation to the effect of iodoacetate in blocking glycolysis and in turn the fast axoplasmic transport of materials in mammalian nerve.
Northernmost Limit of Rhizophora mangle (Red Mangrove; Rhizophoraceae) in St. Johns County, Florida

The northernmost record of Rhizophora mangle (red mangrove), recently vouchered from Fort Matanzas National Monument in St. Johns County, Florida, is discussed in reference to the ecology, morphology, and preservation of the species.
Molecular genesis of non-muscle-invasive urothelial carcinoma (NMIUC)

Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is the most common type of bladder cancer in Western nations. Most patients present with the non-muscle-invasive (NMIUC) form of the disease, while up to a third harbour the invasive form (MIUC). Specifically, the aetiology of NMIUC appears to be multifactorial and very different from that of MIUC. Loss of specific tumour suppressor genes as well as gain-of-function mutations in proteins within defined cellular signalling pathways have been implicated in NMIUC aetiology. The regions of chromosome 9 that harbour CDKN2A, CDKN2B, TSC1, PTCH1 and DBC1 are frequently mutated in NMIUC, resulting in functional loss; in addition, HRAS and FGFR3, which are both proto-oncogenes encoding components of the Ras-MAPK signalling pathway, have been found to harbour activating mutations in a large number of NMIUCs. Interestingly, some of these molecular events are mutually exclusive, suggesting functional equivalence. Since several of these driving changes are amenable to therapeutic targeting, understanding the signalling events in NMIUC may offer novel approaches to manage the recurrence and progression of this disease.
Do infants show social preferences for people differing in race

Do infants develop meaningful social preferences among novel individuals based on their social group membership? If so, do these social preferences depend on familiarity on any dimension, or on a more specific focus on particular kinds of categorical information? The present experiments use methods that have previously demonstrated infants' social preferences based on language and accent, and test for infants' and young children's social preferences based on race. In Experiment 1, 10-month-old infants took toys equally from own- and other-race individuals. In Experiment 2, 2.5-year-old children gave toys equally to own- and other-race individuals. When shown the same stimuli in Experiment 3, 5-year-old children, in contrast, expressed explicit social preferences for own-race individuals. Social preferences based on race therefore emerge between 2.5 and 5 years of age and do not affect social choices in infancy. These data will be discussed in relation to prior research finding that infants' social preferences do, however, rely on language: a useful predictor of group or coalition membership in both modern times and humans' evolutionary past.
The Kidd Blood Group and Urea Transport

Shortly after the development of the antiglobulin test for the detection of red cell antibodies, the first example of a Kidd antibody was reported by Allen et al. (1951). They described a patient, Mrs. Kidd, who produced an antibody that caused hemolytic disease in her newborn son. After determining that the new antigen was independent of the other then-known blood groups, it was given the name Jk a. Soon afterwards, the allele was found by Plaut et al. (1953) and designated Jk b . Pinkerton et al.(1959) found the first example of the null phenotype, i.e., Jk(a—b—), in a woman who had produced an antibody that appeared to be anti-Jka plus anti-Jkb. Since the specificities were inseparable, the antibody was renamed anti-Jk3 which recognizes an antigen found whenever Jka or Jkb is present. To date, no low-frequency antigens have been associated with the Kidd blood group. Thus, the International Society of Blood Transfusion has designated Kidd as the ninth blood group system (009000) comprised of the three antigens Jka (009001), Jkb (009002), and Jkab (009003).
Wetland Surveying and Mapping

Wetland definitions are reviewed and procedures explained for surveying and mapping wetlands. Satellite multi-spectral scanners, aerial photography, and land survey methods are mentioned. Survey of the water boundary by small boat is considered in detail with emphasis on position fixing by horizontal sextant angles. Mapping requirements are stated for water depth and plant species as well as horizontal topography.
Effect of Base-Pairing Partner on the Thermodynamic Stability of the Diastereomeric Spiroiminodihydantoin Lesion.

Oxidation of guanine by reactive oxygen species and high valent metals produces damaging DNA base lesions like 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoG). 8-oxoG can be further oxidized to form the spiroiminodihydantoin (Sp) lesion, which is even more mutagenic. DNA polymerases preferentially incorporate purines opposite the Sp lesion, and DNA glycosylases excise the Sp lesion from the duplex, although the rate of repair is different for the two Sp diastereomers. To further understand the biological processing of the Sp lesion, differential scanning calorimetry studies were performed on a series of 15-mer DNA duplexes. The thermal and thermodynamic stabilities of each of the Sp diastereomers paired to the four standard DNA bases were investigated. It was found that, regardless of the base-pairing partner, the Sp lesion was always highly destabilizing in terms of DNA melting temperature, enthalpic stability, and overall duplex free energy. We found no significant differences between the two Sp diastereomers, but ch...
Effects of Adult Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Ear Feeding on Irrigated Field Corn in Colorado

Effects of adult western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, feeding on corn yield were assessed over a 4-year period by confining beetles in various densities to corn ears. Corn rootworm survival was good under conditions of the study and generally resulted in a direct positive correlation between beetle number and superficial injury. However, analysis of yield parameters (kernel weight, and kernel number per ear quarter and per ear) indicated that densities of up to 20 beetles per ear did not significantly reduce yield. Some evidence of compensation was observed, with the tip quarter of the ear often exhibiting a positive linear response to beetle density, and the other ear quarters exhibiting nonlinear responses. Similarly, mechanical defoliation studies suggested that moderate levels of silk clipping could be tolerated.
Applying Model-Based Development (MBD) to embedded systems

The use of Model-Based Development (MBD) for embedded systems is growing. The MBD makes development processes more efficient, such as being able to identify systemlevel problems in the upstream development phase and easily secure traceability for requirements. To develop embedded software more efficiently, we have explored ModelBased Development such as Hardware-In-the-Loop Simulation (HILS), Model-In-the-Loop Simulation (MILS), auto code generation and verifying state transition. We researched about applying MBD to rocket electromechanical actuator control software. From this research, we found that it is possible to reduce the additional man-hours by a combination of MILS, verifying control logic by using a plant model and HILS, verifying control logic by using an actual system. In addition, we tried to use auto-code generation for electromechanical actuator control software. The difference between man-made and autogeneration code performance was small, so auto-code generation is useful to cut down coding time and make coding more effective.
(No) Foundations of dominant-strategy mechanisms: a comment on Chung and Ely (2007)

This comment revisits Chung and Ely (Rev Econ Stud 74:447–476, 2007) in which robustly optimal auctions where investigated. Chung and Ely used a maxmin approach to define robust optimality. Chung and Ely provided conditions under which dominant strategy auctions are robustly optimal in their sense. This comment proposes a refinement of Chung and Ely’s criterion and shows that, with this refined criterion, dominant strategy auctions are not optimal if there are at least three bidders. According to the refinement the auctioneer should not choose dominated auctions, that is, auctions for which there exist other mechanisms that never generate lower expected revenue, and sometimes higher expected revenue. We construct such a dominating mechanism for dominant strategy auctions. The construction exploits the possibility of side bets when beliefs are not derived from common priors. Chung and Ely (Rev Econ Stud 74:447–476, 2007) admitted such beliefs.
Do Surface Porosity and Pore Size Influence Mechanical Properties and Cellular Response to PEEK

Despite its widespread use in orthopaedic implants such as soft tissue fasteners and spinal intervertebral implants, polyetheretherketone (PEEK) often suffers from poor osseointegration. Introducing porosity can overcome this limitation by encouraging bone ingrowth; however, the corresponding decrease in implant strength can potentially reduce the implant’s ability to bear physiologic loads. We have previously shown, using a single pore size, that limiting porosity to the surface of PEEK implants preserves strength while supporting in vivo osseointegration. However, additional work is needed to investigate the effect of pore size on both the mechanical properties and cellular response to PEEK. (1) Can surface porous PEEK (PEEK-SP) microstructure be reliably controlled? (2) What is the effect of pore size on the mechanical properties of PEEK-SP? (3) Do surface porosity and pore size influence the cellular response to PEEK? PEEK-SP was created by extruding PEEK through NaCl crystals of three controlled ranges: 200 to 312, 312 to 425, and 425 to 508 µm. Micro-CT was used to characterize the microstructure of PEEK-SP. Tensile, fatigue, and interfacial shear tests were performed to compare the mechanical properties of PEEK-SP with injection-molded PEEK (PEEK-IM). The cellular response to PEEK-SP, assessed by proliferation, alkaline phosphatase activity, vascular endothelial growth factor production, and calcium content of osteoblast, mesenchymal stem cell, and preosteoblast (MC3T3-E1) cultures, was compared with that of machined smooth PEEK and Ti6Al4V. Micro-CT analysis showed that PEEK-SP layers possessed pores that were 284 ± 35 µm, 341 ± 49 µm, and 416 ± 54 µm for each pore size group. Porosity and pore layer depth ranged from 61% to 69% and 303 to 391 µm, respectively. Mechanical testing revealed tensile strengths > 67 MPa and interfacial shear strengths > 20 MPa for all three pore size groups. All PEEK-SP groups exhibited > 50% decrease in ductility compared with PEEK-IM and demonstrated fatigue strength > 38 MPa at one million cycles. All PEEK-SP groups also supported greater proliferation and cell-mediated mineralization compared with smooth PEEK and Ti6Al4V. The PEEK-SP formulations evaluated in this study maintained favorable mechanical properties that merit further investigation into their use in load-bearing orthopaedic applications and supported greater in vitro osteogenic differentiation compared with smooth PEEK and Ti6Al4V. These results are independent of pore sizes ranging 200 µm to 508 µm. PEEK-SP may provide enhanced osseointegration compared with current implants while maintaining the structural integrity to be considered for several load-bearing orthopaedic applications such as spinal fusion or soft tissue repair.
Selective delivery of drugs encapsulated in liposomes: Natural targeting to macrophages involved in various disease states

In recent years, a considerable effort has been made to promote the use of liposomes as potential carriers for systemically administered chemotherapeutic agents. It is our belief that much of this proselytizing has ignored the normal and unavoidable fate of systemically administered liposomes, which is clearance by the reticuloendothelial system. Rather than attempting to avoid this phenomenon, we suggest that this occurrence could be advantageous for the selective delivery of agents to cells of the monocyte-macrophage series involved in various disease states.
The role of ultrasound in ovulation induction: a critical appraisal.

Twenty-five cycles induced by human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) were serially studied by ultrasound. The developing follicles were observed up to and beyond human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration. Ovulation as determined by subsequent pregnancy or a sustained elevation of basal temperature was seen in 18 of these cycles. Among these patients the follicular size ranged between 24 and 13 millimeters. No pregnancies occurred where the follicular size was below 15mm. A shortened luteal phase was noted in three cycles where the follicular size was either 13 or 14mm. Multiple follicles greater than 10mm were observed in 14 of the ovulating cycles, but in no case did a multiple pregnancy occur. Fifteen millimeters is therefore suggested as a minimum size for satisfactory ovulation, but it does not appear that an optimum size exists. We conclude that ultrasound can play an important role in the monitoring of ovulation induction but does not replace the present methods.
The Effect of Sacral Nerve Stimulation for Bladder Control During Pregnancy: A Case Report

AbstractNeural stimulation was used to reduce bladder hyperreflexia and incontinence in a woman with myelodysplasia. The stimulation was delivered via an electrode placed in a sacral foramen and attached to a stimulator placed subcutaneously. The patient activated the device to inhibit the bladder and deactivated it to allow voiding. The device proved to be helpful in reducing bladder hyperreflexia and its use during pregnancy did not seem to have any adverse effect.
Bison with benefits: towards integrating wildlife and ranching sectors on a public rangeland in the western USA

The North American model of wildlife conservation, based on the public trust doctrine, is credited for the recovery of several charismatic wildlife species, including the plains bison Bison bison. In that model, wildlife is a public resource from which the private sector may not profit either individually or collectively. In recent years, however, resilience thinking is driving changes in the traditional state-run wildlife management model to allow for integrated multi-sector approaches at the landscape scale. A free-ranging herd of bison on public land in the Henry Mountains of Utah is used as a case study to consider if and how a community-based conservation programme could be developed for a state-managed wildlife resource to benefit all stakeholders. The Henry Mountains bison, which are disease-free, share the rangeland with cattle that are privately owned by individual ranchers and corporations with various economic goals and environmental values. The ranchers currently derive no benefits from the bison and have concerns regarding competition between bison and cattle. However, a threshold harvesting strategy with community participation could generate revenue to offset these concerns. It could also provide benefits to the local community, increase state revenue, and increase the size of the bison population while securing its long-term genetic viability. Implementation would initially require facilitation by policy specialists, after which we suggest a Henry Mountains bison partnership could serve as a model for bison recovery efforts elsewhere in North America.
Transverse patterning, aging, and neuropsychological correlates in humans

Transverse patterning is a learning and memory adaptation of the 'rock/paper/scissors' problem that has been though to depend on the hippocampus, is sensitive to aging, and requires pattern separation to solve. Previous investigators dichotomized cognitively normal older adults who passed a cognitive screening into impaired and unimpaired subsets, and found that impaired older adults were disproportionately deficient in pattern separation abilities. However, this variability in pattern separation ability has not been examined using a transverse patterning task. Our aims, then, were two-fold: First, to determine if impaired older adults were inferior on transverse patterning compared to unimpaired older adults and young adults; second, to identify the neuropsychological correlates of transverse patterning. Our findings revealed that impaired older adults required more trials to criterion on the transverse patterning task than both young adults and unimpaired older adults. Unimpaired older adults also required more trials to criterion than young adults. A detailed analysis of the transverse patterning task confirmed that the aforementioned group differences were only observed in high interference conditions when pattern separation demands were at their peak. Finally, regression analyses showed that both memory and executive functioning neuropsychological composite scores were related to different indices of transverse patterning performance. Consistent with the pattern separation literature, and despite passing a cognitive screening, we found disproportionate transverse patterning deficits in impaired older adults. Forthcoming work should determine if transverse patterning performance is similar between impaired older adults and patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Accelerating Technology Development for Economic Competitiveness

The United States is emerging from the Cold War era into an exciting, but challenging future. Improving the economic competitiveness of our nation is essential both for improving the quality of life in the United States and for maintaining a strong national security. The research and technical skills used to maintain a leading edge in defense and energy now should be used to help meet the challenge of maintaining, regaining and establishing U.S. leadership in industrial technologies. Companies recognize that success in the world marketplace depends on products that are at the leading edge of technology, with competitive cost, quality and performance.
Uncertainty quantification for seismic responses of bilinear SDOF systems: A semi-closed-form estimation

Abstract The ability to accurately quantify uncertainty in structural system seismic responses is a critical component of performance based earthquake engineering (PBEE). Currently, for nonlinear systems, this is achieved empirically using a large number of simulations with different excitation inputs (ground motion suites) and numerically randomized structural model samples. This study focused on one of the simplest nonlinear hysteretic systems, the bilinear single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) oscillator, to develop a semi-closed-form solution for seismic response uncertainty as a function of 1) intensity-independent ground motion characteristics, 2) structural parameters, and 3) ground motion intensity level. This approach included the development of a parametric model for bilinear system IDA curves with intensity independent ground motion parameters and structural parameters. The accuracy of the proposed model was validated through nonlinear time history analysis (NLTHA) simulations.
Second-Order Necessary Conditions for Set Constrained Nonsmooth Optimization Problems via Second-Order Projective Tangent Cones

We present second-order necessary optimality conditions for constrained minimization problems involving locally Lipschitz functions. We extend some second-order necessary conditions of extremum due to J.P Penot for twice Frechet differentiable objective functions subject to a constraint set given just as a set. We describe the second-order tangent sets and then the higher-order tangent sets to the null-set of a mapping between two Banach spaces. Also we characterize the higher-order adjacent sets and the related higher-order tangent cones in Pavel sense to the null-sets of such a mapping. The effectiveness of our results is illustrated on some examples.
SoftAccess: Cloud-Based Software Defined Virtualized Wireless Mobile Access Networks

Mainly due to exponential growth in smart devices based mobile computing, the access networks are gaining tremendous momentum. Software defined networking (SDN), along with cloud computing and virtualization techniques, is considered as a major step forward from the conventional networking. Although SDN is being widely deployed in the data centers and enterprise networks, its adaptation in wireless mobile networks is still in an infancy stage. Unreliable channel and intermittent network connectivity limit the scope of SDN in the wireless context. However, by dealing with these issues, the benefits of the centralized control philosophy of SDN can be reaped for optimum spectrum sharing, QoS support and other services. In this paper, we propose SoftAccess, a cloud-based architecture for mobile wireless access networks that follows SDN principles and implements virtualization techniques. Seamless network connectivity and mobility management are the crucial aspects of wireless access networks. The proposed model addresses these challenges while making sure to achieve optimum performance and robustness against failures by harnessing capabilities of SDN and cloud computing. We deployed a testbed to evaluate the proposed architecture. The comparative experimental results are presented to corroborate the effectiveness of the proposal.
Complex and Hermitian Structures on a Vector Space

Let V be a real vector space of dimension n. V is said to have a complex structure if there exists a linear endomorphism J: V → V, such that J2 = −1, where 1 denotes the identity endomorphism. An eigenvalue of J is a complex number λ such that the equation Jx = λx has a non-zero solution x ∈ V. Applying J to this equation, we get $$ - x = {J^2}x = \lambda Jx = {\lambda^2}x $$ It follows that λ2 = −1 or λ = ± i. Since the complex eigenvalues occur in conjugate pairs, it follows that V must be of even dimension n = 2m. The following relations are immediately verified: $$ \left( {J - i} \right)\left( {J + i} \right) = \left( {J + i} \right)\left( {J - i} \right) = 0 $$ (2.1) .
An Open Letter: Judith Ortiz Cofer, 24 February 1952–30 December 2016

Dear Judith:This morning in the alley below my studio window, seven men are spreading and smoothing concrete—laying a foundation for loft apartments. Through a missing pane, I can hear the hum of t...
Teacher participatory action research (TPAR): A methodological framework for political teacher research:

These are dire times for teachers, particularly those who work with marginalized youth. There is a pressing need to further the political reach of teacher research so that teachers can be heard and...
Internationalised justice and democratisation: how international tribunals can empower non-reformists

This article examines the relationship between international criminal justice and democratisation processes in post-conflict settings, illustrating that international tribunals did not contribute t...
Four and a half LIM domain protein signaling and cardiomyopathy.

Four and a half LIM domain (FHL) protein family members, FHL1 and FHL2, are multifunctional proteins that are enriched in cardiac muscle. Although they both localize within the cardiomyocyte sarcomere (titin N2B), they have been shown to have important yet unique functions within the context of cardiac hypertrophy and disease. Studies in FHL1-deficient mice have primarily uncovered mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) scaffolding functions for FHL1 as part of a novel biomechanical stretch sensor within the cardiomyocyte sarcomere, which acts as a positive regulator of pressure overload-mediated cardiac hypertrophy. New data have highlighted a novel role for the serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP5) as a deactivator of the FHL1-based biomechanical stretch sensor, which has implications in not only cardiac hypertrophy but also heart failure. In contrast, studies in FHL2-deficient mice have primarily uncovered an opposing role for FHL2 as a negative regulator of adrenergic-mediated signaling and cardiac hypertrophy, further suggesting unique functions targeted by FHL proteins in the “stressed” cardiomyocyte. In this review, we provide current knowledge of the role of FHL1 and FHL2 in cardiac muscle as it relates to their actions in cardiac hypertrophy and cardiomyopathy. A specific focus will be to dissect the pathways and protein-protein interactions that underlie FHLs’ signaling role in cardiac hypertrophy as well as provide a comprehensive list of FHL mutations linked to cardiac disease, using evidence gained from genetic mouse models and human genetic studies.
The Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Dayton peace agreement signed in Paris on December 14, 1995, ended almost four years of devastating war. The treaty provides for the continued existence of Bosnia and Herzegovina within its previous internationally recognized borders and its governance under a central (state) government with very limited powers. The state is responsible for the country’s foreign relations. The most important economic responsibilities of the state are monetary and foreign-exchange-rate policy (through a new central bank), external borrowing, and the formulation of countrywide trade and customs tariff policies. Other economic responsibilities are carried out mainly by two entities and their subunits.
Metabolic Syndrome as a Risk Factor for Stroke

MetS is closely associated with the pathogenesis of heart disease and stroke. Acquired risk factors for MetS and stroke include central adiposity and physical inactivity, both of which can elicit insulin resistance. At the molecular level, insulin resistance is accompanied by increase in triglycerides, saturated fatty acids, and ceramide leading to ROS and AGE generation, low-grade inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. Inflammation is a key pathogenic component of atherosclerosis. It promotes thrombosis, a process that is closely associated with the pathogenesis of stroke. Neurochemical changes in stroke include energy failure, free fatty acid release, ROS production, increase in expression of proinflammatory cytokines, alterations in calcium homeostasis, and activation of proteases, phospholipases, nitric oxide synthases, and protein kinases. It is proposed that interactions among adipokines, insulin signaling, endothelial cell dysfunction, and platelet aggregation in MetS and stroke along with alterations in the expression of transcription factors may play a crucial role in the vascular damage closely associated with the pathogenesis of MetS and stroke.
Prevalence and Resolution of Left Atrial Thrombus in Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation and Flutter With Oral Anticoagulation

Left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation or flutter (AF) is a major cause of stroke and presents a therapeutic dilemma in a rhythm-control strategy. The prevalence and resolution of LAA thrombus has not been studied well in the era of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulant use. This study sought to establish (1) the prevalence of LAA thrombus (2) the prevalence of LAA thrombus despite antithrombotic therapy, (3) the rate of persistence of LAA thrombus despite appropriate anticoagulant prescriptions, and (4) determinants of LAA thrombus persistence. Consecutive transesophageal echocardiograms (TEE) performed in patients with AF were reviewed to estimate the overall prevalence of LAA thrombus and the resolution rate in those with repeat studies. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify clinical and echocardiographic predictors of thrombus resolution. Of 1,485 patients with AF, 117 (8%) had LAA thrombus. Of those, 62 had repeat TEE within 1 year and 58 (94%) were prescribed adequate anticoagulation in TEE studies (mean interval 96 ± 72 days). Thirty-seven patients (60%) had LAA thrombus resolution. Thrombus resolution rate was only 79% in patients considered on appropriate anticoagulation. Patients with persistent LAA thrombus were more likely to have diabetes; no other clinical or echocardiographic variable was independently associated with thrombus resolution. There was no significant difference in LAA thrombus resolution between non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants and warfarin. LAA thrombus persistence despite adequate anticoagulation is relatively common and difficult to predict clinically; TEE before electrical cardioversion should be considered regardless of anticoagulation status.
Trends in Dinophysis abundance and diarrhetic shellfish toxin levels in California mussels (Mytilus californianus) from Monterey Bay, California.

Diarrhetic shellfish toxins (DSTs) are produced by the marine dinoflagellate, Dinophysis, as well as select species of benthic Prorocentrum. The DSTs can bioaccumulate in shellfish and cause gastrointestinal illness when humans consume high levels of this toxin. Although not routinely monitored throughout the U.S., recent studies in Washington, Texas, and New York suggest DSTs may be widespread throughout U.S. coastal waters. This study describes a four-year time series (2013-2016) of Dinophysis concentration and DST level in California mussels (Mytilus californianus) from Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf (SCMW) in Monterey Bay, California. Results show a maximum Dinophysis concentration of 9404 cells/L during this study and suggest Dinophysis persists as a member of the background phytoplankton community throughout the year. In California mussels, DSTs were found at persistent low levels throughout the course of this study, and exceeded the FDA guidance level of 160 ng/g 19 out of 192 weeks sampled. Concentrations of Dinophysis alone are a positive but weak predictor of DST level in California mussels, and basic environmental variables (temperature, salinity, and nutrients) do not sufficiently explain variation in Dinophysis concentration at SCMW. This study demonstrates that Dinophysis in Monterey Bay are producing DSTs that accumulate in local shellfish throughout the year, occasionally reaching levels of concern.
Politics, the environment, and USF St. Petersburg students

The Republican and Democratic parties have long had different agendas that have changed through time. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationship between political party platforms, the political leanings of college students at the St. Petersburg campus of the University of South Florida and their perspective on selected environmental issues. How do college students feel about the environment? Are Republican college students more or less supportive of environmental issues? What about Democratic college students? There are many environmental issues, but this study focuses on organic food consumption, recycling and solar energy. This research contains an examination of 2016 Republican and Democratic party platforms on the environment; a literature review of organic food consumption, recycling and solar power; and it features results and analysis from an online survey of more than 100 USF St. Petersburg students. The most important finding is that although most of our student respondents claimed to be supporters of organic food consumption, recycling and solar energy use—larger percentages of supporters of all three of these environmental/sustainability activities came from those identifying with the left side of the political spectrum (moderate Democrats, progressive Democrats and Socialists).
Cell-free prototyping of limonene biosynthesis using cell-free protein synthesis

Metabolic engineering of microorganisms to produce sustainable chemicals has emerged as an important part of the global bioeconomy. Unfortunately, efforts to design and engineer microbial cell factories are challenging because design-built-test cycles, iterations of re-engineering organisms to test and optimize new sets of enzymes, are slow. To alleviate this challenge, we demonstrate a cell-free approach termed in vitro Prototyping and Rapid Optimization of Biosynthetic Enzymes (or iPROBE). In iPROBE, a large number of pathway combinations can be rapidly built and optimized. The key idea is to use cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) to manufacture pathway enzymes in separate reactions that are then mixed to modularly assemble multiple, distinct biosynthetic pathways. As a model, we apply our approach to the 9-step heterologous enzyme pathway to limonene in extracts from Escherichia coli. In iterative cycles of design, we studied the impact of 54 enzyme homologs, multiple enzyme levels, and cofactor concentrations on pathway performance. In total, we screened over 150 unique sets of enzymes in 580 unique pathway conditions to increase limonene production in 24 hours from 0.2 to 4.5 mM (23 to 610 mg/L). Finally, to demonstrate the modularity of this pathway, we also synthesized the biofuel precursors pinene and bisabolene. We anticipate that iPROBE will accelerate design-build-test cycles for metabolic engineering, enabling data-driven multiplexed cell-free methods for testing large combinations of biosynthetic enzymes to inform cellular design. TOC Figure O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=50 SRC="FIGDIR/small/057737v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (24K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@19aa729org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@547698org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@13604b6org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@16f6718_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG HighlightsO_LIApplied the iPROBE framework to build the nine-enzyme pathway to produce limonene C_LIO_LIAssessed the impact of cofactors and 54 enzyme homologs on cell-free enzyme performance C_LIO_LIIteratively optimized the cell-free production of limonene by exploring more than 580 unique reactions C_LIO_LIExtended pathway to biofuel precursors pinene and bisabolene C_LI
Promoting Forgiveness at a Christian College: A Comparison of the REACH Forgiveness and Forgive for Good Methods:

The present study is the first randomized, controlled trial comparing REACH Forgiveness and Forgive for Good, two of the most commonly used approaches to promote forgiveness. Additionally, the comb...
Pharmaceutical technologies with potential application to insecticide discovery

Novel neuroactive insecticides are discovered/registered differently, have a lower value in use, and exert their physiological actions in manners distinct from neuroactive pharmaceuticals, but there are clear similarities in their biochemical modes of action. Insecticides are generally discovered using whole pest insect screens, and this eases difficulties in 'translational science' from laboratory to field, as opposed to pharmaceutical translation from biochemical or cell-based targets to animal models to human clinical trials to registered drug. This paper examines recent trends in pharmaceutical science and identifies some technologies which may represent complementary approaches to insecticide discovery screening and mode of action determination beyond the sound processes in common practice today. Examples will be drawn from nanoparticle delivery of neuroactives, unique ligand-polymer conjugates, proposed advances in insect cell culture following from pharmaceutical cell biology, and laboratory or organ-on-a-chip approaches. It is hoped that these concepts will stimulate novel thinking which may enable discovery of efficacious new neuroactive insecticides. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
Construction Project Management Dimensions in Transportation Agencies: Case Study of the US Department of Transportation

AbstractTransportation projects require unique and specific management processes, making an investigation of the particular dimensions of project management relevant to such projects necessary. The...
Accuracy and reproducibility of effective atomic number and electron density measurements from sequential dual energy CT.

Purpose This study assesses the accuracy of effective atomic number (Zeff ) and electron density measurements acquired from dual energy CT and characterizes the response to clinically relevant variables representative of challenges in patient imaging, including: phantom size, material position within the phantom, variation over time, off-center positioning, and large cone beam angle. Methods The Gammex Multi-Energy CT head and body phantoms were used to measure Zeff and electron density from 35 rod inserts that mimic tissues and varying concentrations of iodine and calcium. Scans were performed on a Canon Aquilion ONE Genesis CT scanner over a period of 6 months using default dual energy protocols appropriate for each phantom size. Theoretical Zeff and electron density values were calculated using data provided by the phantom manufacturer and compared to the measurements. Sources of variance were separated and quantified to identify the influences of random photon statistics, ROI placement, and variation over time. A subset of measurements were repeated with the phantom shifted in the vertical and horizontal directions, and over all slices in the volumetric scan. Results All measurements showed strong correlation (r > 0.98) with their corresponding theoretical values; however, the system did demonstrate a bias of -0.58 atomic units in the body phantom and 0.28 atomic units in the head phantom for Zeff measurements. The mean absolute percent error (MAPE) was 6.3% for the body phantom and 3.2% for the head phantom. Electron density measurements of the body and head phantoms gave MAPE values of 4.6% and 1.0%, respectively. Zeff and electron density measurements significantly varied within the solid water background, showing a positional dependence within the phantom that dominated the total standard deviation in measurements. Zeff values dropped by 0.2 atomic units when the phantom was off-center; electron density measurements were less affected by phantom position. Along the z-axis, the accuracy drops off markedly at more than 50-60 mm from the central slice. Conclusion The Canon dual energy system offers an accurate way of measuring the Zeff and electron density of clinically relevant materials. Accuracy could be improved further by calibration to remove bias, careful attention to centering within the FOV, and avoiding measurements at the edges of the cone beam.
The Internal Negative-Pressure Wound Control System: A Paradigm Shift for Promoting Deep Space Healing in Complex Surgically Created Wounds

This article introduces a new technology to minimize seroma and promote more predictable healing in surgically created deep space wounds. Its novel design internalizes the delivery of a continuously generated high negative pressure (-125 mmHg) throughout the surgically created space by means of a multibranched Manifold. In a small prospective cohort case study of 24 patients undergoing full abdominoplasty, all patients underwent placement of this device, which was removed 7 days postoperatively. Results at 30 days revealed no evidence of wound-healing problems, no clinical seroma, and no device malfunction. The internalization of a constant negative-pressure wound therapy provided by this system has the potential to significantly reduce clinical seroma, and to produce more consistent apposition of interfaces in deep tissue spaces in complex wounds seen in plastic surgery and other surgical disciplines.
Apixaban and rivaroxaban use for atrial fibrillation in patients with obesity and BMI ≥50 kg/m2

BACKGROUND Apixaban and rivaroxaban are increasingly used for thromboembolism prophylaxis in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) and commonly in patients with obesity and body mass index (BMI) ≥50 kg/m2 despite limited data. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to establish the effectiveness and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban in patients with NVAF and BMI ≥50 kg/m2 . METHODS A single health-system, retrospective cohort study evaluated the effectiveness and safety of apixaban and rivaroxaban initiated in adult patients (≥18 years of age) with BMI ≥50 kg/m2 and NVAF. Outcomes of ischemic stroke, systemic embolic events, and bleeding were compared to a cohort of patients with BMI 18 to 30 kg/m2 . RESULTS After 1,619 patient-years' worth of follow up in 595 patients, the primary endpoint of incidence of ischemic stroke was numerically similar in both groups, 1.3 per 100 patient-years in the BMI ≥50 kg/m2 group, compared to 2.0 per 100 patient-years in the BMI <30 kg/m2 group (RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.38-1.82, p = 0.544). Incidence of major bleeding and clinically relevant non-major bleeding was also numerically similar between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrated that apixaban and rivaroxaban in patients with a BMI ≥50 kg/m2 for treatment of NVAF may be safe and effective at preventing thromboembolic events and had no increased risk of bleeding. Although, findings should be interpreted with caution and confirmed with additional studies. This study contributes to the growing body of evidence that direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) may be effective and safe to use for the treatment of NVAF in patients with BMI ≥50 kg/m2 .
Inositol pentakis- and hexakisphosphate metabolism adds versatility to the actions of inositol polyphosphates. Novel effects on ion channels and protein traffic.

The discovery of receptor-dependent regulation of inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P 3*]-mediated cellular Ca2+ mobilization was a pivotal breakthrough in the field of signal transduction (Berridge and Irvine, 1989). One consequence of this development has been the unraveling of a complex metabolic network of inositol phosphates emanating from Ins(1,4,5)P 3 (Figure 1). As these studies progressed, it emerged that Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P 5 and InsP 6 usually comprise the bulk of the mammalian cell’s inositol polyphosphate content (for reviews, see Berridge and Irvine, 1989; Shears, 1992). At first, it was generally believed that Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P 5 and lnsP 6 were somewhat metabolically inert compounds (e.g., Michell et al., 1988), and their existence in animal cells caused little excitement. The renaissance of interest in the functions of these metabolites (Hughes and Michell, 1993; Menniti et al., 1993b) owes much to the discovery (Stephens et al., 1993; Menniti et al., 1993a) that the cellular pools of these polyphosphates turn over rapidly in animal cells. The purpose of this chapter is to update these recent metabolic developments and also to evaluate the growing body of evidence suggesting that there are important roles in cell biology for Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P 5, InsP 6, and their metabolites. An underlying theme is the considerable versatility of these inositol phosphates in the control of diverse cellular activities.
The employment effects of flexible integrated automation in small and medium firms

Aims to point out some effects caused by the implementation of flexible integrated automation on employment in small and medium Italian firms. Debates some economic theses such as: intra‐firm diffusion, deskilling labour process, the role of training and, finally, the creation of technological unemployment. Concludes that the first three examples of empirical evidence have largely confirmed the theoretical consensus on the employment effects of flexible integrated automation implementation. The fourth empirical evidence is, on the contrary, quite discordant.
Weyl's geometry and massive vector fields

Dirac's revitalization of Weyl's gauge invariant geometry is examined. Weyl's geometry is characterized by the breaking of the symmetries of charge conjugation (C) and time reversal (T), but not CT. When an attempt is made to introduce a very simple form of symmetry breaking material into the theory, it is found that the geometric role formerly played by the electromagnetic field is suddenly taken over by a very short range massive vector field.
Moral Duties in Business and Their Societal Impacts: The Case of the Subprime Lending Mess

A worldwide recession of unusual breadth and depth is causing harm to many individuals and businesses. While the causes are complex, the recession got its start with failures in the subprime mortgage market. The process of creating such loans is complex and often includes securitization after loans are approved. The reasons for the subprime lending mess can be at least partly traced to decisions made by individual mortgage brokers and lending officers. These individuals had moral or ethical responsibilities because of their positions. An analysis of the rights and duties approach to ethics shows that some of these individuals failed in their moral duties and that their failure is partly to blame for the resulting harmful consequences.
1H and 31P NMR Lipidome of Ethanol-Induced Fatty Liver

Background: Hepatic steatosis (fatty liver), an early and reversible stage of alcoholic liver disease, is characterized by triglyceride deposition in hepatocytes, which can advance to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately to hepatocellular carcinoma. In the present work, we studied altered plasma and hepatic lipid metabolome (lipidome) to understand the mechanisms and lipid pattern of early-stage alcohol-induced-fatty liver. Methods: Male Fischer 344 rats were fed 5% alcohol in a Lieber-DeCarli diet. Control rats were pair-fed an equivalent amount of maltose-dextrin. After 1 month, animals were killed and plasma collected. Livers were excised for morphological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical studies. The lipids from plasma and livers were extracted with methyl-tert-butyl ether and analyzed by 750/800 MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and phosphorus (31P) NMR spectroscopy on a 600 MHz spectrometer. The NMR data were then subjected to multivariate statistical analysis. Results: Hematoxylin and Eosin and Oil Red O stained liver sections showed significant fatty infiltration. Immunohistochemical analysis of liver sections from ethanol-fed rats showed no inflammation (absence of CD3 positive cells) or oxidative stress (absence of malondialdehyde reactivity or 4-hydroxynonenal positive staining). Cluster analysis and principal component analysis of 1H NMR data of lipid extracts of both plasma and livers showed a significant difference in the lipid metabolome of ethanol-fed versus control rats. 31P NMR data of liver lipid extracts showed significant changes in phospholipids similar to 1H NMR data. 1H NMR data of plasma and liver reflected several changes, while comparison of 1H NMR and 31P NMR data offered a correlation among the phospholipids. Conclusions: Our results show that alcohol consumption alters metabolism of cholesterol, triglycerides, and phospholipids that could contribute to the development of fatty liver. These studies also indicate that fatty liver precedes oxidative stress and inflammation. The similarities observed in plasma and liver lipid profiles offer a potential methodology for detecting early-stage alcohol-induced fatty liver disease by analyzing the plasma lipid profile.