cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
After the Spill is Gone: The Gulf of Mexico, Environmental Crime, and Criminal Law

The Gulf oil spill was the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history, and will be the most significant criminal case ever prosecuted under U.S. environmental laws. The Justice Department is likely to prosecute BP, Transocean, and Halliburton for criminal violations of the Clean Water Act and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, which will result in the largest fines ever imposed in the United States for any form of corporate crime. The Justice Department also may decide to pursue charges for manslaughter, false statements, and obstruction of justice. The prosecution will shape public perceptions about environmental crime, for reasons that are understandable given the notoriety of the spill and the penalties at stake. In some respects, the Gulf oil spill is similar to other environmental crimes, most notably because it involves large corporations that committed serious violations because they put profits before environmental compliance and worker safety. Yet the spill’s most distinctive qualities make it an anomalous environmental crime: the conduct was not as egregious, the harm was far worse, and the penalties bear no relation to norms for environmental crime. The Justice Department should bring criminal charges based on the Gulf oil spill, because a criminal prosecution will deter future spills better than civil penalties alone and will express societal condemnation of the negligence that caused the spill in ways that civil enforcement cannot. But criminal prosecution of the Gulf oil spill may raise questions about the role of criminal enforcement under the environmental laws, including whether ordinary negligence should result in criminal liability as well as what the proper normative relationship should be between culpable conduct and environmental harm. Nor can criminal prosecution, without more, prevent future spills; for that to occur, we must demand greater attention to safety and more rigorously enforce our drilling laws.
Winter recreation and hibernating black bears Ursus americanus

Abstract The increase of recreational activities in winter wildlife habitats is of concern because wildlife populations are under considerable stress during winter. To assess the effects of winter activities on black bears Ursus americanus, denning ecology was studied for three winters in the Sierra Nevada and Sweetwater Mountains in Nevada and California. Fourteen bears in the Sierra entered 31 dens earlier and were more selective in their choice of den sites than five Sweetwater bears using 10 dens. Bears at both sites abandoned dens and cubs in response to investigator disturbance, and all but one bear remained active after abandonment. High overlap between bear denning sites and potential winter recreation areas indicated a high potential for den abandonment due to human disturbance. Bear denning areas should be protected from human disturbance during winter.
Pathogenicity of Three Formulations of Entomopathogenic Fungi for Control of Adult Haematobia irritans (Diptera: Muscidae)

Abstract Powder formulations of three species of entomopathogenic fungi were evaluated for their pathogenic effect upon adult horn flies, Hematobia irritans (L.) (Diptera: Muscidae). Flies were treated with conidia and blastospores of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) Vuill. (strain GHA), Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin (strain ESCI), and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus (Wize) Brown & Smith (strain ARSEF 3581) in the laboratory. At 4 d postexposure, flies treated with B. bassiana had an average of 98.4% mortality versus 43.5% from treatment with M. anisopliae and 13.0% from treatment with P. fumosoroseus. At 7 d postexposure, flies treated with B. bassiana had an average of 100.0% mortality compared with 73.0% from treatment with M. anisopliae and 33.3% from treatment with P. fumosoroseus. Mean lethal time (LT50) was 2.70, 4.98, and 7.97 d for B. bassiana, M. anisopliae, and P. fumosoroseus, respectively. Entomopathogenic fungi such as B. bassiana and M. anisopliae may have the...
Warming Ocean Conditions Relate to Increased Trophic Requirements of Threatened and Endangered Salmon.

The trophic habits, size and condition of yearling Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) caught early in their marine residence were examined during 19 survey years (1981–1985; 1998–2011). Juvenile salmon consumed distinct highly piscivorous diets in cold and warm ocean regimes with major differences between ocean regimes driven by changes in consumption of juvenile rockfishes, followed by several other fish prey, adult euphausiids and decapod larvae. Notable, Chinook salmon consumed 30% more food in the warm versus cold ocean regime in both May and June. Additionally, there were about 30% fewer empty stomachs in the warm ocean regime in May, and 10% fewer in warm June periods. The total prey energy density consumed during the warmer ocean regime was also significantly higher than in cold. Chinook salmon had lower condition factor and were smaller in fork length during the warm ocean regime, and were longer and heavier for their size during the cold ocean regime. The significant increase in foraging during the warm ocean regime occurred concurrently with lower available prey biomass. Adult return rates of juvenile Chinook salmon that entered the ocean during a warm ocean regime were lower. Notably, our long term data set contradicts the long held assertion that juvenile salmon eat less in a warm ocean regime when low growth and survival is observed, and when available prey are reduced. Comparing diet changes between decades under variable ocean conditions may assist us in understanding the effects of projected warming ocean regimes on juvenile Chinook salmon and their survival in the ocean environment. Bioenergetically, the salmon appear to require more food resources during warm ocean regimes.
Mechanisms Linking Neighborhood Age Composition to Health

Purpose of the Study: Age integration theory posits that the age composition of spaces affects the social interactions in which people can engage. This study aimed to examine whether social interactions perceived to involve generativity (i.e., commitment to younger generations), daily discrimination, and/or social cohesion mediate associations between neighborhood age composition, self-reported health, and psychological well-being. Design and Methods: We applied multilevel structural equation models to data from 4,017 participants aged 30–84 who participated in the 2004–2006 wave of National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States, merged with data on their 3,714 neighborhoods from the 2010 U.S. Census. Results: Neighborhoods that represented the age distribution of the United States and neighborhoods that overrepresented older adults were contexts in which residents reported the most generativity and social cohesion. In turn, generativity and social cohesion were associated with better self-reported health and higher psychological well-being. Implications: The nature of social interaction links neighborhood age composition to health and well-being. These results clarify the results of prior studies, advance measurement, suggest elaborations to age integration theory, and point to new directions for aging-in-place initiatives.
Discontinuities in the coal market

ABSTRACTCoal has been an important source of energy in the USA for centuries. Coal prices can be quite uncertain and highly volatile, often experiencing large changes. Understanding the data-generating process of coal prices would seem critical, both from a market perspective and from a policy perspective. This study investigates the appropriate stochastic process underlying coal prices. Commonly assumed processes, such as geometric Brownian motion fail to properly account for the arrival of unanticipated information which inflicts rapid changes – or jumps – in energy markets. Such discontinuities can manifest ‘fat tails’ in the distribution of returns. To investigate the possibility of time-varying volatility, generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic models are also incorporated into the analysis. We find compelling empirical evidence that discontinuities must not be ignored, with US coal prices experiencing jumps every few days. The result has implications for the potential closure of coal...
Are We All Little Eichmanns

In this review essay, I review in detail Abram de Swann's fine new book, The Killing Compartments. The book is a theoretical analysis of the varieties and causes of genocides and other mass asymmetrical killing campaigns. I then suggest several criticisms of his analysis.
Analysis of correlations and their impact on convergence rates in Monte Carlo eigenvalue simulations

United States. Department of Energy (Consortium for Advanced Simulation of Light Water Reactors. Contract DE-AC05-00OR22725)
Expression of phospholamban in C2C12 cells and regulation of endogenous SERCA1 activity.

Phospholamban (PLB) is a regulator of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2) expressed in cardiac, slow-twitch skeletal, and smooth muscles. Phospholamban is not expressed in the sarcoplasmic reticulum of fast-twitch skeletal muscle, but it can regulate the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase activity (SERCA1) expressed in this muscle,in vitro. To determine whether phospholamban can regulate SERCA1 activity in its native membrane environment, phospholamban was stably transfected into a cell line (C2C12) derived from murine fast-twitch skeletal muscle. Differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts to myotubes was associated with induction of SERCA1 expression, assessed by Western blotting analysis using Ca2+-ATPase isoform specific antibodies. The expressed phospholamban protein was localized in the microsomal fraction isolated from C2C12 myotubes. To determine the effect of phospholamban expression on SERCA1 activity, microsomes were isolated from transfected and nontransfected C2C12 cell myotubes, and the initial rates of45Ca2+-uptake were determined over a wide range of Ca2+ concentrations (0.1–10 μM). Expression of phospholamban was associated with inhibition of the initial rates of Ca2+-uptake at low [Ca2+] and this resulted in a decrease in the affinity of SERCA1 for Ca2+ (0.27±0.02 μM in nontransfected vs. 0.41±0.03 μM in PLB transfected C2C12 cells). These findings indicate that phospholamban expression in C2C12 cells is associated within inhibition of the endogenous SERCA1 activity and provide evidence that phospholamban is capable of regulating this Ca2+-ATPase isoform in its native membrane environment.
Non-invasive ventilation in premature infants.

Non-invasive respiratory support in preterm infants traditionally consisted of the application of continuous distending positive pressure at the nose. More recently, the continuous distending pressure has been combined with intermittent positive pressure cycles using conventional ventilators or devices developed specifically for this purpose. One of the common terms used to refer to these modalities is nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV). These modalities or devices vary depending on the peak pressure of each cycle, how fast it rises, the duration of the cycle and cycling frequency and whether the positive pressure cycle can be synchronised to the spontaneous inspiration. The mechanisms of action, benefits and limitations of the different devices, modalities and/or applied settings have not been fully explored. Three separate studies sought to improve the understanding of some of these modalities of respiratory support.1–3 Bi-level positive airway pressure (BiPAP) has been proposed as a way to provide higher mean airway pressure (MAP) without the possible side effects of a continuously high distending pressure while the infant is able to breathe at both pressure levels. Lampland et al tested the hypothesis that applying BiPAP without increasing MAP would improve gas exchange compared with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP). Twenty preterm infants of median gestational age (GA) of 26 weeks and 33 days old were crossed over twice between NCPAP and BiPAP for 1 h each. During BiPAP, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and peak pressure were adjusted to provide a minimum Δ pressure of 3 cm H2O for 1 s at a rate of 20/min and match the MAP to the NCPAP level of 6 cm H2O. These investigators found arterial oxygen saturation …
Allogeneic bone marrow chimerism in germfree mice. 1. Prevention of spontaneous leukemia in AKR mice.

SummaryGF AKR (H-2k) mice were administered 1000 R X-rays (whole-body) and 24 hr later they were injected iv with viable bone marrow cells from GF DBA/2 (H-2d) mice. The chimeric GF AKR mice appeared healthy and did not develop spontaneous leukemia up to age 15 mo when the experiment was terminated. Conventional AKR mice with bone marrow cells from conventional DBA/2 mice died of GVH disease. Leukemia appeared spontaneously in conventional AKR mice transplanted with AKR bone marrow cells. Thus, leukemia was prevented in the GF AKR mice with allogeneic chimerism.
Techniques for the Growth of Large Single Crystals of Potassium of High Purity.

The preparation of large, high purity, single crystals of potassium is described. First, high initial purity is obtained by careful zone refining. Then, a modification of the Bridgman technique is applied which leads to crystals with resistivity ratios up to 6800 at 4.2 °K. The modification consisted of a heat shield as described in the test. We concluded from the magnetoacoustic experiments that were subsequently done with these samples, that the samples had mean free paths of the order of 10-2 cm. Typical crystals were ⅞ in diam and about 8 in long, with growth direction along [110]. A description is given of an easy method of orientation as well as the use of a spark erosion technique to cut and polish the surfaces.
Facile, High-Yield Functionalization of Germanium and Tin by Oxidative Insertion of Tetrelenes into the E–H Bonds of Inorganic Acids (E = C, N, O, F): Arene Elimination versus Oxidative Addition and Formation of a Germanium Cation–Water Complex

Reaction of the diarylgermylene Ge(ArMe6)2 [ArMe6 = C6H3-2,6-(C6H2-2,4,6-(CH3)3)2] with various inorganic acids (HCN, HN3, and HBF4) led to the facile oxidation of the germanium atom to yield the corresponding Ge(IV) products (ArMe6)2Ge(H)X (X = CN (1), N3 (2), F (3)). The cationic germanium–water complex [(ArMe6)2GeH(OH2)][SO3CF3] (4) was prepared by treating Ge(ArMe6)2 with triflic acid in the presence of trace amounts of moisture. The reactions provide an efficient method of installing a variety of functional groups at a germanium atom and can be used in the preparation of germanium complexes that are analogous to lighter carbon species. The tin species Sn(ArMe6)2 was also oxidized to the Sn(IV) analogue of 3. In all reactions, no evidence of arene elimination was observed, which was in contrast to the reaction of the stannylene (or bulkier germylenes) with hydrogen or ammonia, which yielded H(ArMe6), [(ArMe6)Sn(μ-H)]2, and [(ArMe6)Sn(μ-NH2)]2.
Surfactant-Replacement Therapy

SURFACTANT-REPLACEMENT therapy for premature infants born with inadequate stores of pulmonary surfactants is here to stay. A growing number of prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trials testify to both the efficacy and safety of the tracheal instillation of surfactant in treating premature infants with the respiratory distress syndrome.1 Respiratory distress syndrome, also known as hyaline membrane disease, was previously the leading cause of death in live-born preterm infants. Approximately 10,000 deaths per year were recorded in the United States in the early 1970s; the number was closer to 5000 per year in the 1980s, before the advent of surfactant-replacement therapy. Respiratory . . .
Expression of testis angiotensin-converting enzyme is mediated by a cyclic AMP responsive element.

Testis angiotensin-converting enzyme (testis ACE), an ACE isozyme that plays an important role in male fertility, is transcribed from a unique promoter active only in developing spermatids. In vitro analysis suggests the importance of a cyclic AMP response element (CRE)-like region within the testis ACE promoter, and similar DNA motifs are important in the expression of a variety of testis-specific genes. In the present study, we examined the effects of mutations in the CRE-like element on testis ACE promoter activity in vivo using transgenic mice. Disruption of this element reduced reporter gene expression to near background levels. In contrast, conversion of the CRE-like element to a consensus CRE-binding site resulted in high level expression of the reporter gene specifically in the testis. These experiments prove that the CRE-like element is essential for testis ACE promoter activity, although it does not appear to be responsible for its tissue specificity. These data provide insight into how a phenotypically differentiated tissue, ie, male gem cells, regulate tissue-specific gene expression.
Reproductive Status of Callinectes sapidus as an Indicator of Spawning Habitat in the South Atlantic Bight, USA

Stocks of estuarine migrant species can be challenging to assess due to a relative lack of abundance data in offshore areas and complex interactions between spawning behavior and estuarine geomorphology. The blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the South Atlantic Bight (SAB), USA, inhabits estuaries ranging from large semi-enclosed bays to narrow river mouths where estuarine conditions extend onto the continental shelf. Mature female reproductive status was used as an indicator to identify spawning habitat, and data from long-term fishery independent surveys were used to evaluate spatiotemporal trends in abundance of spawning females. Long-term data (1990–2011) were obtained from the Southeast Area Marine Assessment Program (SEAMAP) South Atlantic survey and the Georgia Ecological Monitoring Trawl Survey. Biological samples were obtained from estuarine and offshore areas of Georgia for a detailed analysis of habitat use. Reproductive status of mature female blue crabs (ovigery, ovary development, egg remnants) was indicative of a summer peak in spawning in Georgia that occurred primarily on the continental shelf as far as 13 km offshore. SEAMAP data provide strong evidence that blue crab females spawn on the continental shelf throughout the SAB, with substantial declines in spawner abundance over time. Empirical orthogonal function analysis of SEAMAP time series was indicative of regional spawning areas defined by biogeography which are poorly aligned with fishery management jurisdictions. Indicators of reproductive status provided a powerful method for identifying spawning habitats of an estuarine migrant species, especially when spawners may disperse over the continental shelf and occur at low density.
Risk of intracranial aneurysms in families with subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND Genetic factors may be important in the etiology of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and intracranial aneurysm (IA) formation. Several studies have reported the familial occurrence of SAH and IA, although in most cases asymptomatic family members were not studied with elective angiography. The examination of data from large sibships could provide important information about the frequency of IA occurrence in at-risk individuals and the mode of inheritance for familial SAH/IA. METHODS We reviewed published case series of sibships with SAH and at least four siblings, in which at least one sibling underwent elective angiography. Data were collected on age-of-onset, clinical events, presence of hypertension, angiographic findings, and outcome. Patients were classified as "affected" if they had a SAH or if an IA was detected by elective angiography, and "unaffected" if they were asymptomatic and had a negative angiogram. RESULTS Seven case series with 52 individuals (26 men and 26 women) met our inclusion criteria. The sibships ranged from 6 to 13 members. Most of the siblings (32 of 52, 61%) were asymptomatic, 18 (35%) had a SAH, and 2 (4%) had focal symptoms but no SAH. Elective angiography of 34 siblings showed an IA in 11 (32%) and was negative in 23 (68%). The overall rate of affecteds (SAH or IA) was 56%. CONCLUSIONS Based on data from these sibships, angiography of asymptomatic at-risk siblings demonstrated an IA in almost one-third of cases. Familial SAH/IA segregated with a pattern that was consistent with an autosomal dominant trait in this selected series of sibships, although other factors could produce these findings.
On Understanding Preference for Agile Methods among Software Developers

Agile methods are gaining widespread use in industry. Although management is keen on adopting agile, not all developers exhibit preference for agile methods. The literature is sparse in regard to why developers may show preference for agile. Understanding the factors informing the preference for agile can lead to more effective formation of teams, better training approaches, and optimizing software development efforts by focusing on key desirable components of agile. This study, using a grounded theory methodology, finds a variety of categories of factors that influence software developer preference for agile methods including self-efficacy, affective response, interpersonal response, external contingencies, and personality contingencies. Each of these categories contains multiple dimensions. Preference rationalization for agile methods is the core category that emerges from the data. It informs that while the very essence of agile methods overwhelmingly and positively resonates with software developers, the preference is contingent on external and personality factors as well.
Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla EP3 Receptor Mediates the Sympathoexcitatory and Pressor Effects of Prostaglandin E2 in Conscious Rats.

Whereas few studies have dealt with the central sympathoexcitatory action of the inflammatory prostanoid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), there is no information on the expression and cardiovascular function of different PGE2 (EP) receptors in one of the major cardiovascular-regulating nuclei, the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). The current study aimed at filling this knowledge gap as well as elucidating the implicated molecular mechanisms. To achieve these goals, we showed the expression of EP2, EP3, and EP4 receptors in the RVLM and investigated their cardiovascular roles in conscious rats, ex vivo as well as in cultured PC12 cells. Intra-RVLM PGE2 significantly increased blood pressure and sympathetic dominance (spectral analysis). Studies with selective EP receptor subtype agonists and antagonists showed that these PGE2-evoked responses were only replicated by intra-RVLM activation of the EP3 receptor with its agonist sulprostone. The RVLM of PGE2-treated rats exhibited increases in c-Fos expression and extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1/2 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase phosphorylation along with oxidative stress, and PGE2 increased l-glutamate release in PC12 cells (surrogates of RVLM neurons). Abrogation of the PGE2-evoked pressor and biochemical responses only occurred following EP3 receptor blockade (N-[(5-Bromo-2-methoxyphenyl)sulfonyl]-3-[2-(2-naphthalenylmethyl)phenyl]-2-propenamide, L-798106). These findings suggest the dependence of RVLM PGE2-mediated sympathoexcitation/pressor response on local EP3 receptor signaling in conscious rats, and highlight central EP3 receptor blockade as a potential therapeutic modality for hypertension management.
Is Computed Tomography Coronary Angiography the Most Accurate and Effective Noninvasive Imaging Tool to Evaluate Patients With Acute Chest Pain in the Emergency Department? CT Coronary Angiography Is the Most Accurate and Effective Noninvasive Imaging Tool for Evaluating Patients Presenting With Chest Pain to the Emergency Department

Patients with acute chest pain (ACP) represent a global health and economical challenge for the US healthcare system. The more than 8 million annual emergency department (ED) visits impart a significant economic burden in excess of $8 billion annually,1–3 particularly as 80% of these patients are admitted to the hospital and subsequently undergo extensive testing for what often turns out to be noncardiac chest pain. However, 2% to 8% of discharged patients inadvertently have acute coronary syndrome (ACS),4–7 which accounted for 26% of all money paid in closed malpractice claims in emergency medicine from 1985 to 2003.8,9 Response by Hendel on p 251 Based on the current classification, diagnosis, and management of patients with ACP, this article reviews the role of currently available functional diagnostic tests and potential of cardiac CT to improve management of these patients by direct and noninvasive assessment of coronary artery disease (CAD). To provide a rationale for the use of cardiac CT, we provide a summary of available data on the accuracy of cardiac CT for the detection of coronary atherosclerotic plaque and stenosis, as well as the assessment of left ventricular function. Based on a discussion of the health and economic risk benefit aspects of this new technology, we suggest how cardiac CT could be implemented into the current guidelines to improve accuracy and efficacy of current treatment of patients with acute chest pain. Acute coronary syndrome is an operational term and describes a clinical syndrome that comprises both the diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and unstable angina pectoris.10 Although myocardial necrosis caused by ischemia is the histological substrate of AMI, unstable angina pectoris (UAP) is characterized by ischemia without sufficient myocardial damage to release detectable quantities of markers of myocardial injury.10 The presence of characteristic ECG changes, …
Spinal Cord Injury in the Geriatric Population: Risk Factors, Treatment Options, and Long-Term Management

Spinal cord injuries (SCIs) are sustained by more than 12 500 patients per year in the United States and more globally. The SCIs disproportionately affect the elderly, especially men. Approximately 60% of these injuries are sustained traumatically through falls, but nontraumatic causes including infections, tumors, and medication-related epidural bleeding have also been documented. Preexisting conditions such as ankylosing spondylitis and diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis can render the spine stiff and are risk factors as well as cervical spondylosis and ensuing cervical stenosis. Treatment options vary depending on the severity, location, and complexity of the injury. Surgical management has been growing in popularity over the years and remains an option as it helps reduce spinal cord compression and alleviate pain. Elevating mean arterial pressures to prevent spinal cord ischemia and avoiding the second hit of SCI have become more common as opposed to high dose steroids. Ongoing clinical trials with pharmacological agents such as minocycline and riluzole have shown early, promising results in their ability to reduce cellular damage and facilitate recovery. Though SCI can be life changing, the available treatment options have aimed to reduce pain and minimize complications and maintain quality of life alongside rehabilitative services.
Gait, balance, and patient-reported outcomes during taxane-based chemotherapy in early-stage breast cancer patients.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a dose-limiting toxicity of several commonly used chemotherapy drugs including taxanes, vinca alkaloids, and platinum compounds. Development of CIPN is highly variable, both in self-reported symptoms and functional consequences, and can be severe enough to alter dose intensity. To describe the natural histories of both patient-reported symptoms of CIPN and functional impairments in breast cancer patients undergoing taxane-based chemotherapy. Thirty-three breast cancer patients (32 female/1 male; 47.8 ± 11.2 years; n = 17 stage II/n = 16 stage III) were enrolled. Patients completed self-reports of symptoms and function (e.g., EORTC QLQ-CIPN20) and objective measures of physical function (i.e., balance and gait testing) in an outpatient oncology clinic at five timepoints: (1) baseline—prior to starting chemotherapy, (2–4) before starting subsequent chemotherapy cycles, and (5) 1–3 months after receiving their last taxane infusion. Significant negative changes in both patient-reported outcomes and objective functional measures were observed. Decreased balance was observed after the first chemotherapy cycle (28% increase in medial–lateral excursion of the center of pressure, p = 0.016) and progressed with cumulative exposure (43% increase, p < 0.001). Patients also demonstrated slower walking speeds (5% decrease, p = 0.003) as they progressed through treatment. These functional deficits were mirrored with increased patient-reported symptom severity for all EORTC QLQ-CIPN20 subscales (all p < 0.05). This study longitudinally assessed patient-reported outcomes concurrently with balance and gait testing in patients undergoing taxane therapy. Taxane treatment was associated with the development of clinically relevant problems in both CIPN symptoms and patient function.
Structure, function and evolution of the cyanobacterial orange carotenoid protein and its homologs

Contents 'Summary' 937 I. 'Introduction' 937 II. 'The structure of the OCP' 938 III. 'OCP function' 939 IV. 'Distribution of OCPs, FRP and domains in cyanobacteria' 943 V. 'Carotenoid–protein interactions in the OCP and the HCPs' 947 VI. 'Conclusions and prospects' 948 'Acknowledgements' 948 References 949 Summary The orange carotenoid protein (OCP) is a water-soluble, photoactive protein involved in thermal dissipation of excess energy absorbed by the light-harvesting phycobilisomes (PBS) in cyanobacteria. The OCP is structurally and functionally modular, consisting of a sensor domain, an effector domain and a keto-carotenoid. On photoactivation, the OCP converts from a stable orange form, OCPO, to a red form, OCPR. Activation is accompanied by a translocation of the carotenoid deeper into the effector domain. The increasing availability of cyanobacterial genomes has enabled the identification of new OCP families (OCP1, OCP2, OCPX). The fluorescence recovery protein (FRP) detaches OCP1 from the PBS core, accelerating its back-conversion to OCPO; by contrast, other OCP families are not regulated by FRP. N-terminal domain homologs, the helical carotenoid proteins (HCPs), have been found among diverse cyanobacteria, occurring as multiple paralogous groups, with two representatives exhibiting strong singlet oxygen (1O2) quenching (HCP2, HCP3) and another capable of dissipating PBS excitation (HCP4). Crystal structures are presently available for OCP1 and HCP1, and models of other HCP subtypes can be readily produced as a result of strong sequence conservation, providing new insights into the determinants of carotenoid binding and 1O2 quenching.
Morphometric analysis of a triple negative breast cancer cell line in hydrogel and monolayer culture environments

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a belligerent carcinoma that is unresponsive to targeted receptor therapies. Development of new treatment strategies would benefit from an expanded repertoire of in vitro cell culture systems, such as those that support tridimensional growth in the presence of hydrogel scaffolds. To this end, we established protocols for maintenance of the TNBC cell line HCC70 in monolayer culture and in a commercially available basement membrane matrix hydrogel. We evaluated the general morphology of cells grown in both conditions with light microscopy, and examined their subcellular organization using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Phase contrast and confocal microscopy showed the prevalence of irregularly shaped flattened cells in monolayer cultures, while cells maintained in hydrogel organized into multi-layered spheroids. A quantitative ultrastructural analysis comparing cells from the two culture conditions revealed that cells that formed spheroids comprised a greater number of mitochondria, autophagic vacuoles and intercellular junctions than their monolayer counterparts, within the equivalent area of sampled tissue. These observations suggest that triple negative breast cancer cells in culture can alter their organelle content, as well as their morphology, in response to their microenvironment. Methods presented here may be useful for those who intend to image cell cultures with TEM, and for investigators who seek to implement diverse in vitro models in the search for therapeutic molecular targets for TNBC.
Hydrophilic directional slippery rough surfaces for water harvesting

Multifunctional surfaces that are favorable for both droplet nucleation and removal are highly desirable for water harvesting applications but are rare. Inspired by the unique functions of pitcher plants and rice leaves, we present a hydrophilic directional slippery rough surface (SRS) that is capable of rapidly nucleating and removing water droplets. Our surfaces consist of nanotextured directional microgrooves in which the nanotextures alone are infused with hydrophilic liquid lubricant. We have shown through molecular dynamics simulations that the physical origin of the efficient droplet nucleation is attributed to the hydrophilic surface functional groups, whereas the rapid droplet removal is due to the significantly reduced droplet pinning of the directional surface structures and slippery interface. We have further demonstrated that the SRS, owing to its large surface area, hydrophilic slippery interface, and directional liquid repellency, outperforms conventional liquid-repellent surfaces in water harvesting applications.
Teaching and Learning About Sexual Diversity Within Medical Education: the Promises and Pitfalls of the Informal Curriculum

Although there has been a great deal of attention to medical education concerning sexual diversity in recent years, it has focused nearly exclusively on the content presented within the formal curriculum, i.e., medical schools’ required classes and other official offerings. In this article I examine the teaching and learning about sexual diversity that occurred within the informal curriculum of a top 20 US medical school. Previous research has found that the informal milieu of medical education is a site where sexual minority medical students may experience marginalization, and I found that this continues to be the case. However, I also argue that this aspect of medical education has the potential to be a very powerful form of curriculum concerning sexual diversity. The (in)visibility of sexual diversity within the interactions that comprise the informal curriculum shaped what all students, regardless of their own sexual identity, learned about sexual diversity and its place within the medical profession. Additional ethnographic research on the informal curricular processes that produce knowledge and understandings about sexual diversity in medical education may inform the development of robust policy interventions to ensure a more equitable environment for sexual minority members of the medical profession, and perhaps ultimately, more equitable, effective care of sexual minority patients.
Effect of dispersion on metal-insulator-metal infrared absorption resonances

Metal-insulator-metal (MIM) resonant absorbers comprise a conducting ground plane, a thin dielectric, and thin separated metal top-surface structures. The dielectric SiO2 strongly absorbs near 9 μm wavelength and has correspondingly strong long-wave-infrared (LWIR) dispersion for the refractive index. This dispersion results in multiple absorption resonances spanning the LWIR, which can enhance broad-band sensitivity for LWIR bolometers. Similar considerations apply to silicon nitride Si3N4. TiO2 and AlN have comparatively low dispersion and give simple single LWIR resonances. These dispersion-dependent features for infrared MIM devices are demonstrated by experiment, electrodynamic simulation, and an analytic model based on standing waves.
The uncertain fate of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) pediatric research portfolio

Background: The amount of federal dollars allocated to improving the health of our pediatric population can serve as an indicator of the priority placed on child well-being. Although Congress has established novel mechanisms that marginally increase pediatric research funding, the pediatric research portfolio is facing an increasingly uncertain fate. Methods: This work examines pediatric, perinatal and pediatric research initiative (PRI) spending using data collected by the NIH that uses the novel research, condition and disease categorization system. Further, this work reports on recent policy developments in pediatric biomedical research and offers recommendations to insulate this portfolio from future uncertainty. Results: Federal support for pediatric research has declined with average annual growth rates of NIH pediatric spending dropping from 12.8% (FY 1998-2003) to 1.7% (FY 2004-2015). After taking into account Biomedical Research and Development Price Index growth, the pediatric research portfolio’s purchasing power has declined by 15.9% (FY 2004-2015). Conclusion: Federal support for pediatric biomedical research has plateaued in nominal terms and declined significantly in real terms. Future congressional action will be necessary to protect gains and to expand the capacity of the pediatric portfolio.
Feasibility Analysis of Dynamic Adjustment of TDD Configurations in Macro-Femto Heterogeneous LTE Networks

The dynamic adaptation of TDD configurations to traffic conditions at low power base stations (femtocells and picocells) in heterogeneous LTE networks can be used to optimize the system performance. For instance, a significant performance improvement can be achieved in DL and UL packet throughputs. However, in practical multi-cell deployments the TDD configuration adaptation may result in opposite transmission directions in the neighboring cells and thus cause new types of inter-cell interference such as BS-BS and UE-UE. These interference types are often called DL-UL cross interference and may significantly deteriorate the overall system performance. For this reason all homogeneous Macro cell TDD deployments typically operate synchronously (i.e. use same TDD configurations). However the recent advances in the field of heterogeneous networks have reopened the dynamic TDD problem since low power small cells are rather isolated from each other and thus can be considered as candidates for dynamic TDD adaptation. In this paper we provide a feasibility analysis of dynamic TDD configuration adjustment in application to Macro-Femto LTE TDD networks.
Steroidogenic Enzymes in Leydig Cells

This chapter describes the enzymes expressed in Leydig cells that are required for the biosynthesis of testosterone from cholesterol, as well as the two enzymes, steroid 5 areductase and P450arom, that metabolize testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and estradiol, respectively. The emphasis is on human and mouse enzymes.
The Systemic Autoinflammatory Diseases: Inborn Errors of the Innate Immune System

The autoinflammatory syndromes are a newly recognized group of immune disorders that lack the high titers of self-reactive antibodies and T cells characteristic of classic autoimmune disease. Nevertheless, patients with these illnesses experience unprovoked inflammatory disease in the absence of underlying infection. Here we discuss recent advances in eight Mendelian autoinflammatory diseases. The causative genes and the proteins they encode play a critical role in the regulation of innate immunity. Both pyrin and cryopyrin, the proteins mutated in familial Mediterranean fever and the cryopyrinopathies, respectively, are involved in regulation of the proinflammatory cytokine, IL-1β, and may influence the activity of the transcription factor, NFκB. NOD2, the Blau syndrome protein, shares certain domains with cryopyrin and appears to be a sensor of intracellular bacteria. PSTPIP1, mutated in the syndrome of pyogenic arthritis with pyoderma gangrenosum and acne, interacts both with pyrin and a protein tyrosine phosphatase to regulate innate and adaptive immune responses. Somewhat unexpectedly, mutations in the p55 TNF receptor lead not to immunodeficiency but to dramatic inflammatory diseasse, the mechanisms of which are still under investigation. Finally, the discovery of the genetic basis of the hyper- immunoglobulinemia D with periodic fever syndrome has provided a fascinating but incompletely understood link between cholesterol biosynthesis and autoinflammation. In this manuscriptm, we summarize the current state of the art with regard to the diagnosis, pathogenesis, adn treatment of these inborn errors of the innate immune system.
Are Small- and Medium-Sized Community Paratransit Riders Ready to Adopt Real-Time Information (RTI) Technology?:

This research seeks to understand the factors affecting who, in small and medium-sized communities, would adopt real-time information (RTI) technology when using paratransit services. It further pr...
Creating Positive Classroom Environments With Electronic Behavior Management Programs

Teachers in special education classrooms often struggle with classroom management. In response, many educators are looking for technological solutions to assist in promoting positive classroom envi...
Beyond fatalism: Information overload as a mechanism to understand health disparities.

Abstract Background Fatalism – beliefs about the causes and controllability of disease – has been negatively associated with prevention behaviors. Fatalism has been suggested as a mechanism for health disparities because ethnic minorities are especially likely to hold fatalistic beliefs. However, the construct has been criticized: Fatalism fails to account for structural barriers to health faced by vulnerable populations that also score highly on measures of fatalism. Another critique suggests that operationalizations of fatalism expose communication failures: “Fatalism” rather reflects information overload from an environment riddled with misinformation and contradictions. This study aimed to expand understanding of one mechanism through which communication may contribute to disparities by considering the context of nutrition among bicultural Latinas, who face increased risk from dietary acculturation. Method Mixed-methods (semi-structured in-depth interview, survey) with Mexican-American women ages 18–29 (n = 24) in rural California. Results Contrary to previous studies, the majority of this sample of Mexican-American women did not endorse fatalistic beliefs; most demonstrated clear understanding of the link between diet and risk of diseases: Diabetes and heart disease were understood to result from behaviors within one's control. Yet despite articulating links between diet and disease, participants felt overloaded and confused about conflicting information from public and interpersonal sources. Moreover, despite reporting feeling inundated with information, participants noted critical information gaps, distinguishing between information available and information needed. Conclusions We found minimal support for fatalistic beliefs among a sample of Mexican-American women, but considerable information overload and confusion, together with a desire for specific knowledge and skills. Results extend understanding of how communication may influence disparities: Information overload may be conflated with fatalism, challenging the notion that fatalism is a cultural belief. Moreover, inequalities in access to and ability to process information compound overload effects. We discuss opportunities to improve the clarity of communication about nutrition science and dietary recommendations.
From Blockchain to Internet-Based Voting

Blockchain is one of the hottest topics in the discussion of technologies lately. As the enabling technology for Bitcoin, the pioneering cryptocurrency, blockchain is an append-only distributed ledger that is virtually impossible to attack given sufficient scale of participants. Hence, blockchain holds great promises as the fundamental technology to enable Internet-based electronic voting. However, Internet-based voting has additional requirements than monetary transactions. In this paper, we analyze these requirements, review existing proposed solutions, and outline possible improvements. Specifically, we propose to use live biometrics of the voter to perform secure and highly reliable remote authentication. We also propose a scheme to protect the secrecy of the ballots and eliminate the influence of votes already cast. Finally, we propose to impose a hierarchy to the voting infrastructure that aligns naturally with traditional voting, which enables parallel processing of multiple blockchains, to overcome the intrinsic scalability limitation of the blockchain technology.
Putnam on Foundations: Models, Modals, Muddles

Putnam has famously offered a sketch of a mathematics without foundations, existing in two equivalent descriptions, set-theoretic and modal-logical. Here his proposal is critically examined, with attention to difficulties surrounding both the modal-logical description itself and especially the notion of equivalence of descriptions.
Low-Temperature Magnetism in Nanoscale Gold Revealed through Variable-Temperature Magnetic Circular Dichroism Spectroscopy.

The low-temperature (0.35–4.2 K) steady-state electronic absorption of the monolayer-protected cluster (MPC) Au102(pMBA)44 was studied using magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy to invest...
Useful observational research

Abstract Watching people can be better than listening to them. Observational research can illuminate the unconscious behaviors that lead to breakthrough solutions to problems. This chapter is a manual on how to use observational research to solve problems in different contexts. The chapter shows how an active form of observational research called storytelling research can yield problem-solving solutions for further testing. Using illustrations ranging from Disney World attractions to fast food restaurants, this chapter focuses on three critical steps of useful, solution-based observational research. Specifically, this is an observational research manual on (1) how to find potential breakthrough insights, (2) how to confirm them (using quantitative coding), and (3) how to use the results to develop solutions to problems.
Achieving multiple goals via voluntary efforts and motivation asymmetry

Abstract The achievement of common goals through voluntary efforts of members of a group can be challenged by the high temptation of individual defection. Here, two-person one-goal assurance games are generalized to N-person, M-goal achievement games in which group members can have different motivations with respect to the achievement of the different goals. The theoretical performance of groups faced with the challenge of multiple simultaneous goals is analyzed mathematically and computationally. For two-goal scenarios one finds that “polarized” as well as “biased” groups perform well in the presence of defectors. A special case, called individual purpose games (where there is a one-to-one mapping between agents and goals for which they have a high achievement motivation) is analyzed in more detail in form of the “importance of being different theorem”. It is shown that in some individual purpose games, groups can successfully accomplish several goals simultaneously, such that each group member is highly motivated toward the achievement of one unique goal. The game-theoretic results suggest that multiple goals as well as differences in motivations can, in some cases, correspond to highly effective groups. Applying this approach to the case of winemakers making disease control decisions in their respective vineyards shows that game outcomes need not depend on the heterogeneity in the resource value, as previously thought, but they could be more generally driven by motivation asymmetry.
Cloud Service for Edge Configuration in Home-Based Healthcare Context

The expansion of Internet of Things (IoT) and the evolution in communication technologies have an important promising trend in healthcare domain. By exploring connected medical devices, some healthcare services are moved from the hospital to the home environment and the control of patients is continuous in a comfortable home environment.