cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mesocortical dopamine neurons. Lack of autoreceptors modulating dopamine synthesis.

The regulation of dopamine (DA) synthesis in rat mesocortical DA neurons was studied and compared with DA synthesis in nigrostriatal DA neurons. The increase in striatal DA content caused by γ-butyrolactone (GBL) was reversed by activation of nerve-terminal DA autoreceptors by apomorphine. In contrast, the GBL-induced increase in prefrontal cortical DA was unaffected by DA agonists. By using the accumulation of dopa after the administration of the dopa decarboxylase inhibitor Ro4-4602 as an index of DA synthesis, it was demonstrated that the increase in striatal DA following GBL was due to an acceleration of DA synthesis. In contrast, GBL did not increase cortical dopa accumulation. However, GBL completely prevented the rapid decline of DA seen following α-methyltyrosine treatment, indicating that DA turnover had been inhibited in the mesocortical neurons, as has been previously demonstrated with other DA neurons. The monoamine oxidase inhibitor pargyline increased both striatal and cortical DA levels, leading to greatly attenuated dopa accumulation (tyrosine hydroxylation in vivo) in both regions. Finally, the DA antagonist haloperidol greatly accelerated striatal dopa accumulation, but effected only a modest change in cortical dopa accumulation, which was completely prevented by the GBL-induced inhibition of impulse flow. These results suggest that transmitter synthesis in the prefrontal cortical terminals of mesocortical DA neurons is subject to end product inhibition and is regulated by changes in neuronal impulse flow. However, the synthesis of DA in these terminals does not seem to be modulated by DA autoreceptors.
5,6-Di­bromo-1H-indole-2,3-dione

The title compound, C8H3Br2NO2, crystallizes with two near planar mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, with non-H atoms possessing mean deviations from planarity of 0.012 and 0.014 A. The two molecules are connected by an N—H⋯O and a C—H⋯O hydrogen bond. In the crystal, mol­ecules connect through a series of bifurcated N—(H,H)⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains propagating along the [1-1-1] direction. The mol­ecules are further linked through inter­molecular halogen inter­actions, including a Br⋯O close contact of 2.9409 (3) A, and two C—H⋯Br inter­actions of 3.777 (3) and 3.845 (3) A. These inter­actions link the chains into sheets lying parallel to the (1-23) plane.
Modulation of CSV 5' and 3' LTR transcription in c-myc activation

Chicken syncytial virus (CSV) activates c-myc in chicken B-cell lymphomas by integrating within the c-myc locus and promoting c-myc transcription from the 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR. Such myc-associated proviruses are frequently partially deleted, and, in contrast to wild-type proviruses which initiate {dollar}amp;gt;{dollar}98% of viral transcription in the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR, these proviruses initiate {dollar}amp;gt;{dollar}98% of viral transcription in the 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR. Structural and transcriptional analysis of one of these myc-associated CSV proviruses shows that {dollar}{bsol}sim{dollar}80% of the viral genome is deleted and that 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR transcription is inhibited by deletion of a positive regulatory element in the leader sequence and possibly by a silencer within the envelope gene. The 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR is intact, however, and outside of the proviral context, it is transcriptionally competent. Within the proviral context, the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} and 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR s are differentiated and regulated by the viral sequences adjacent to each. A positive regulatory element for transcription from the 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR lies within 53 bp upstream of the 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR, and deletion of this sequence from the myc-associated provirus substantially reduces transcription from the 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR. Similarly, a positive regulatory element for transcription from the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR lies within 87 bp downstream of the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR, and deletion of this sequence from a wild-type CSV provirus abolishes transcription from the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR. This sequence is deleted in the myc-associated provirus, and restoration of it activates transcription from the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR. This 87 bp sequence promotes transcription from the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR in the sense orientation and inhibits it in the antisense orientation. Moreover, to fully activate transcription from the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR, this 87 bp requires sequences in the R and/or U5 region of the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR. Activation of 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR transcription by restoration of this 87 bp to the myc-associated provirus substantially reduces c-myc transcription from the 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR. This suggests that transcription from the 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR interferes with the transcription from the 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR and that the silencing of 5{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR transcription is an essential step in CSV activation of c-myc by 3{dollar}{bsol}sp{bsol}prime{dollar} LTR promoter insertion. Therefore, the oncogenic potential as well as the LTR transcriptional activity of CSV proviruses are modulated by viral sequences outside of the LTR s.
Responses to intimate partners’ attempts to change health behavior: The role of readiness

Intimate partners seeking to influence one another’s health may do so by providing support for positive health behavior and attempting to change negative health behavior (social control). Research ...
Creativity in Chinese Schools: Perspectival Frames of Paradox and Possibility

Is creativity occurring in China’s primary and secondary schools? The thesis undergirding this article is that creativity is a paradox and possibility within this test-centric culture. Discussion i...
The Judicial Disabling of the Employment Discrimination Provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act

This article explores a series of Supreme Court decisions making it more difficult for disabled individuals to assert rights under the employment discrimination provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Court first held that ADA claimants must have their disabilities considered in their corrected or medicated condition. So long as they are able to use prostheses, hearing aids, medication, or other means to control their conditions, they are not to be considered disabled. The Court further held that persons will only be considered disabled if they have conditions that severely limit them with respect to a major life activity. These limitations must be so substantial, that if they qualify as disabled, they will most likely be unable to demonstrate that they are otherwise qualified individuals who can perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation. To demonstrate that they are regarded as disabled - a second part of the definition of disabled - they must show that the employer regards them as having a condition that, if they had it, would substantially limit them with respect to a major life activity. If employers merely refuse to hire them due to provincial stereotypes of non-disabling conditions, they will not be covered. The article suggests that the definition of disabled individuals should be expanded to include less debilitating conditions that employers may use to deny positions to otherwise qualified persons.
From Microbial Fossils to Astrobiology

Dr. Jan Toporski is a research Fellow in Geoand Astrobiology at the Carnegie Institute of Washington, Geophysical Laboratory, Washington D.C. He obtained his Ph.D. (2001) from the University of Portsmouth, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Portsmouth, UK. His current research focuses on the mineralization, preservation and detection of bacterial biomarkers. He obtained the Gerry Soffen Award (2001) by Mary Ann Liebert Publishing Inc for outstanding young investigators in Astrobiology.
Social Simulation: Computational Approaches

Growing interest in complex adaptive systems has attracted greater attention to computer simulation in the social sciences. It has also shifted the focus from prediction to exploration and from factors (system attributes) to actors (agent-based models). Despite growing popularity, simulation continues to invite skepticism, especially when used as an exploratory tool for theoretical research rather than as a data-analytical predictive tool. This reflects continued use of the term ‘simulation’ whose meaning was shaped by earlier techniques centered on predictive accuracy. Yet current usage increasingly refers to highly abstract ‘thought experiments’ that apply to an artificial world. Making these models more realistic would add complexity that undermines their usefulness as theoretical tools.
Predator Effects on Metamorphosis: The Effects of Scaring Versus Thinning at High Prey Densities

Organisms with complex life cycles face the challenge of when to switch between habitats and foraging strategies over ontogeny in ways that improve their fitness. Metamorphosis is a well-studied life history event in animals, and ecologists have spent decades trying to understand how the size at and time to metamorphosis are altered by natural stressors such as competition and predation. The challenges in interpreting the effects of predators on metamorphic decisions include the need to compare predator species that pose different levels of risk, compare the roles of predators inducing fear versus thinning of the density of prey, and examine prey life history traits and behavior over ontogeny. We addressed these challenges in a mesocosm experiment in which we introduced a high initial density of hatchling Northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens) and exposed them to three different species of caged predators (to induce three different levels of fear), three rates of hand-thinning (to mimic the thinning effect...
Robustness of Relations between the MJO and U.S. Tornado Occurrence

AbstractThe Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is the leading mode of tropical variability on subseasonal time scales and has predictable impacts in the extratropics. Whether or not the MJO has a disc...
Provider Payments And The Receipt Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Among Privately Insured Adolescents

Financial concerns such as high vaccine purchase costs and inadequate insurance reimbursement are cited as a key barrier to human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination of adolescents who are covered by ...
Purchase and Maintenance of Gymnastic Equipment

(1960). Purchase and Maintenance of Gymnastic Equipment. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 31, No. 1, pp. 39-45.
Call for civil inattention: “RaceFail ’09” and counterpublics on the internet

ABSTRACTScholarship of counterpublics has long illuminated the rhetorical dynamics whereby the dominant public excludes marginalized groups from the public sphere and labels them undeserving of coe...
Atrial Fibrillation is Associated with Increased Incidence of Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients with Left Ventricular Assist Device: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) can be a devastating complication after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common arrhythmia in LVAD patients. Little is known about the association between AF and GIB in LVAD population. Method We performed a comprehensive literature search through March 2019 using MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and the Cochrane Library. Included studies were prospective or retrospective cohort studies that compared the risk of developing GIB in LVAD patients with and without AF. We calculated pooled odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and I2 statistic using the random-effects model. Results Five studies were considered for the analysis including 1,258 LVAD patients; 512 with AF (40.7%) and 746 without AF (59.3%). After a median follow-up period of 9 months to 2 years, 349 (27.7%) patients developed GIB; 167 (32.6%) patients in AF group and 182 (24.4%) patients in non-AF group. There was a significant association between AF and increased incidence of GIB during LVAD support (OR = 1.50; 95%CI = 1.16-1.93, p = 0.002) (I2 =0%). Conclusion Our meta-analysis suggests that nearly half of LVAD population have concomitant AF. Presence of AF is associated with an increased risk of GIB during LVAD support. This should be taken into consideration when choosing anticoagulation strategy for LVAD patients with AF.
Optimizing inspection routes in pipeline networks

Abstract Maintaining an aging network is a challenge for many water utilities due to limited budgets and uncertainty surrounding the physical condition of buried pipeline assets. The deployment of robotic inspections provides high quality data, but these platforms have limited use due to cost and operational constraints. To facilitate cost-efficient inspections, operators need to identify high-risk assets while accounting for the effectiveness of the tools at hand. This paper addresses inspection planning with the goal of finding an optimal route while considering tool limitations. An exact integer programming formulation is presented where only three factors are used to characterize tool constraints. Two classes of solution methods are explored: 1) tree based searches, and 2) integer programming. This paper demonstrates how each method can be used to identify optimal paths within a real water distribution system. Empirical trials suggest that tree-based search methods are the most efficient when the path limit is short, but do not scale well when the path length increases. In contrast, integer-programming methods are more effective for longer path lengths but have scalability issues for large network sizes. Data preprocessing, where the input network size is reduced, can provide large computation time reductions while returning near-optimal solutions.
Modeling interdependencies in infrastructure systems using multi-layered network flows

Abstract We consider the problem of optimizing the operations of interdependent infrastructure systems in a resource-constrained environment. In this problem, decisions consist of determining the set of components that will be operational and how services from different infrastructures will be delivered to operational components. We propose an interdependent multi-layered network flow (IMN) model to solve this problem. In this model, interdependent infrastructures are represented by networks and movement of commodities or services by flows. We seek to maximize the reward obtained from operational components minus the cost of routing flows. We show that IMN is NP-hard in the strong sense even in the case of a single-layer network. We further propose families of valid inequalities for the integer programming formulation of IMN, which are then utilized to develop a solution approach for the problem. The solution approach is tested on synthesized data sets of interdependent infrastructure systems. Our computational results demonstrate that our solution approach can obtain high-quality solutions in less computational time when compared to the mixed integer programming (MIP) formulation solved with standard software for most of the instances. We also show the capability of IMN over the previous models in the literature on interdependent infrastructures’ operations.
NONLINEAR CONTROL OF HIGH PERFORMANCE AIRCRAFT USING ADAPTIVE PARTIAL GAUSSIAN NETWORKS

The inherent nonlinearity of high performance aircraft has prompted many researchers to utilize nonlinear control techniques based on dynamic inversion or input/output linearization. Unfortunately, this approach hinges upon minimal modeling error as mismatch can degrade performance or even destablize the system. To eliminate model error, proponents of neural networks have augmented controllers with adaptive networks which learn the entire plant inverse. This approach yields large multidimensional learning networks and may not take full advantage of a priori knowledge regarding relative uncertainties within the model. This paper delves into a method which uses partial Gaussian networks only for those portions of the dynamics which are least certain. These adaptive networks coupled with Lyapunov based control yield a stable, robust controller which reduces network complexity and utilizes a priori information regarding uncertainty. However, the technique requires the partial Gaussian network to simultaneously identify both the approximated dynamics and the state partial derivatives of the approximated dynamics. Hence, these networks are partial in the sense that they approximate only part of the plant dynamics and they identify partial derivatives.
Effectiveness at 24 Months of Single-Source Generic Carbamazepine, Lamotrigine, or Levetiracetam in Newly Diagnosed Focal Epilepsy.

BACKGROUND Kaiser Permanente advocates using single-source generics for brand-name drugs. We compared the effectiveness of 3 different-generation generic antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in patients with focal epilepsies. OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of the 3 most commonly used AEDs (carbamazepine [CBZ], lamotrigine [LTG], and levetiracetam [LEV]) after 24-month monotherapy. METHODS This is a retrospective data analysis of 646 consecutive AED-naive patients aged 1-88 years treated with CBZ, LTG, or LEV between 2006 and 2012 with dosing adjustments permitted during the first 6 months. Chi-squared test with p < 0.05 was used to calculate seizure-freedom and tolerability rates. RESULTS At the end of the 24-month study period, 65.69% patients in the CBZ group continued to remain seizure free, 25.98% were drug failures, and 8.33% dropped out due to adverse events, with the corresponding numbers being 66.49%, 23.94%, and 9.57% in the LTG group and 72.44%, 12.99%, and 14.57% in the LEV group. Rash was the most common adverse event for CBZ (3.43%) and LTG (6.38%), and mood changes were the most commen adverse event for LEV (7.87%). Among the 3 groups (n = 646), AED tolerance rates and AED retention rates showed no significant difference (p = 0.08 and p = 0.23, respectively). Seizure-freedom rate difference among the 3 groups (n = 574) was significant (p = 0.003), and seizure-freedom rate for LEV was superior to CBZ (p = 0.001) and to LTG (p = 0.006). CONCLUSION At the end of the 24-month study period, in a head-to-head comparison of single-source bioequivalent generic formulations, superior seizure-freedom rate and comparable tolerability and retention rates for LEV were observed when compared with CBZ and LTG.
Genetic architecture of type 2 diabetes and its shared genetic component with low birth weight in African Americans.

Purpose of review Recent large-scale multiancestry efforts has contributed to our knowledge of the hereditary basis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The present review will summarize findings of the genetic basis of T2D in African Americans, a population group with a disproportionate burden of this disease. Recent findings To date, >400 risk genetic variants have been found to be associated with the risk of T2D across populations of different ancestries. Although these findings are based on primarily European-ancestry populations, most of the identified loci show similar associations in African Americans. Ancestry-specific analyses including genome-wide associations studies (GWAS) in African Americans, Africans; as well as admixture mapping scans in African Americans have identified additional risk variants and genomic loci associate with the risk of T2D. These efforts have also uncovered new genetic links between low birth weight and T2D. In particular, admixture mapping approaches have identified a shared genetic ancestry component of both phenotypic traits in African Americans. Summary Recent findings have helped us to better understand the genetic basis of T2D in African Americans. Of particular interest are new genetic discoveries linking low birth weight and T2D, two conditions with a much higher prevalence in African Americans compared to U.S. whites. Continuing work, including large-scale sequencing efforts would add to our knowledge of the genetic architecture of T2D in African Americans, as well as genetic links with other conditions.
A Framework for Strategic Value Management

This paper builds the framework for coupling the established work of competitive advantage with the emerging discipline of value marketing. The outcome of this linkage is the concept of strategic value management. This idea defines the marketing structure for building and maintaining a value advantage. The strategy stresses the firms ability to combine and manage the dimensions of price, product/ service quality and customer service in a way that a strategic competitive leverage is created. The outcome provides long-term profitability for the firm and satisfaction for the customer segment.
Evaluation of Graphite Fiber Reinforced Plastic Composites for Use in Unlubricated Sliding Bearings

Conforming shoe-type specimens of radial fiber graphite/epoxy, tangential fiber graphite/epoxy, and radial fiber graphite/polyimide were fabricated and evaluated as bearing materials. Their performance was compared against that of specimens cut from commercially available Teflon-lined (TFE-lined) bearings of MS 21240 type. All the test specimens were run against hardened steel sleeves. Test conditions included bearing loads ranging from 9 to 30 ksi (6.2 × 10 7 to 20.7 × 10 7 N/m 2 ); oscillatory motion of ′25 deg at 30 or 60 cpm (0.5 or 1.0 Hz); equilibrium sleeve temperatures at the start of test ranging from 80 to 400°F (300 to 477 K); and test durations of 2 h except where earlier specimen failure occurred. Compressive strength and thermal conductivity measurements were also made on the graphite/epoxy materials. At temperatures of 350°F (450 K) and lower, the TFE material exhibited the best friction and wear characteristics of the four materials tested. The graphite/polyimide material exhibited friction and wear performance superior to that of either of the graphite/epoxy materials over the range of conditions used. At combinations of high load and temperatures in excess of 350°F (450 K), the wear rate of graphite/polyimide material was comparable to that of the TFE material, although friction was higher.
Provision of community-wide benefits in public health intervention research: the experience of investigators conducting research in the community setting in South Asia.

Background: This article describes the types of community-wide benefits provided by investigators conducting public health research in South Asia as well as their self-reported reasons for providing such benefits. Methods: We conducted 52 in-depth interviews to explore how public health investigators in low-resource settings make decisions about the delivery of ancillary care to research subjects. In 39 of the interviews respondents described providing benefits to members of the community in which they conducted their study. We returned to our narrative dataset to find answers to two questions: What types of community-wide benefits do researchers provide when conducting public health intervention studies in the community setting, and what reasons do researchers give when asked why they provided community-wide benefits? Findings: The types of community-wide benefits delivered were directed to the health and well-being of the population. The most common types of benefits delivered were the facilitation of access to health care for individuals in acute medical need and emergency response to natural disasters. Respondents' self-reported reasons when asked why they provided such benefits fell into 2 general categories: intrinsic importance and instrumental importance.
Chapter 6 Pesticide biotransformation in fish

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the pesticide biotransformation in fish. Aquatic organisms, such as fish that live in and use the aquatic environment, are frequently exposed to pesticides and their derivatives. Exposures are rare from point source discharges, but are more commonly because of the runoff from agricultural fields, domestic uses or specific applications to aqueous environments. Fish are likely to receive exposure through three specific routes: branchial, dermal, and oral primarily through the diet. The chapter explains the biotransformation of pesticide classes in fish such as insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, effects of mixtures on biotransformation enzymes, species differences and resistance, and environmental factors that affect pesticide biotransformation. The chapter also explains the biotransformation and methods to assess biotransformation. In general, biotransformation of an organic chemical can lead to bioactivation and detoxification in most organisms including fish. The primary organ of biotransformation is the liver, although significant extrahepatic activities have also been observed in kidney, gut, and gill tissues of fish. Biotransformation plays a significant role in species differences in susceptibility with many resistant species capable of pesticide detoxification, whereas susceptible species tend to bioactivate compounds to more reactive intermediates which may be more toxic.
Photographing Teaching Artists at Work: A Photo Essay and Commentary

ABSTRACT A physician/photographer/musician explores the visual dimension of the relationship between TAs and their students.
Synergistic interactions in trimetallic bonding: A comparison of the ZnNMRu(001) (NM = Cu, AgorAu) systems

The properties of Ag-Zn alloy films on Ru(001) have been examined using thermal desorption spectroscopy and photoemission. The results were compared to those previously reported for Cu-Zn and Au-Zn alloys on Ru(001). For the Zn-noble-metal alloys, the mechanism of decomposition was always the same: evolution of Zn into gas phase, with the noble metal remaining solid. In thick alloys with a low concentration of Zn, the decomposition temperature of Ag-Zn (600 K) was lower than that of Cu-Zn (640 K) or Au-Zn (670 K). Alloy formation induced only small shifts ( −0.2 to −0.3 eV) in the position of the Zn 2p, 3s and 3d levels. In contrast, the core and valence levels of the noble metals showed large shifts toward higher binding energy. For small amounts of Cu, Ag and Au dissolved in Zn multilayers, the shifts in the noble-metal core levels follow the sequence: Ag(3d52), 0.72 eV < Cu(2p32), 0.85 eV < Au(4f72), 1.40 eV. These shifts reflect a nd → (n + l)s,p rehybridization in the valence levels of the noble metal induced by the formation of bonds with Zn. Two-dimensional (2D) alloys of Zn and a noble metal in contact with Ru(001), θZn + θNM ⩽1, show Zn-Ru and Zn-NM bonds more stable than the corresponding bonds in ZnRu(001) or thick three-dimensional (3D) alloys. This phenomenon is caused by synergistic interactions that involve the Ru-Zn, Ru-NM and Zn-NM bonds. The strength of these interactions depends on the ability of the noble metal to form strong metal-metal bonds: Ag < Cu < Au. The supported 2D alloys show noble-metal core levels shifted toward lower binding energy with respect to those of thick 3D alloys. These shifts and the large thermal stability of the supported 2D alloys can be attributed to a cooperative charge transfer from Ru to Zn to the noble metal.
Regulation of Syrm and Nodd3 in Rhizobium Meliloti

The early steps of symbiotic nodule formation by Rhizobium on plants require coordinate expression of several nod gene operons, which is accomplished by the activating protein NodD. Three different NodD proteins are encoded by Sym plasmid genes in Rhizobium meliloti, the alfalfa symbiont. NodD1 and NodD2 activate nod operons when Rhizobium is exposed to host plant inducers. The third, NodD3, is an inducer-independent activator of nod operons. We previously observed that nodD3 carried on a multicopy plasmid required another closely linked gene, syrM, for constitutive nod operon expression. Here, we show that syrM activates expression of the nodD3 gene, and that nodD3 activates expression of syrM. The two genes constitute a self-amplifying positive regulatory circuit in both cultured Rhizobium and cells within the symbiotic nodule. We find little effect of plant inducers on the circuit or on expression of nodD3 carried on pSyma. This regulatory circuit may be important for regulation of nod genes within the developing nodule.
Microbial Iron Oxidation in the Arctic Tundra and Its Implications for Biogeochemical Cycling

The role that neutrophilic iron-oxidizing bacteria play in the Arctic tundra is unknown. This study surveyed chemosynthetic iron-oxidizing communities at the North Slope of Alaska near Toolik Field Station (TFS) at Toolik Lake (lat 68.63, long -149.60). Microbial iron mats were common in submerged habitats with stationary or slowly flowing water, and their greatest areal extent is in coating plant stems and sediments in wet sedge meadows. Some Fe-oxidizing bacteria (FeOB) produce easily recognized sheath or stalk morphotypes that were present and dominant in all the mats we observed. The cool water temperatures (9 to 11°C) and reduced pH (5.0 to 6.6) at all sites kinetically favor microbial iron oxidation. A microbial survey of five sites based on 16S rRNA genes found a predominance of Proteobacteria, with Betaproteobacteria and members of the family Comamonadaceae being the most prevalent operational taxonomic units (OTUs). In relative abundance, clades of lithotrophic FeOB composed 5 to 10% of the communities. OTUs related to cyanobacteria and chloroplasts accounted for 3 to 25% of the communities. Oxygen profiles showed evidence for oxygenic photosynthesis at the surface of some mats, indicating the coexistence of photosynthetic and FeOB populations. The relative abundance of OTUs belonging to putative Fe-reducing bacteria (FeRB) averaged around 11% in the sampled iron mats. Mats incubated anaerobically with 10 mM acetate rapidly initiated Fe reduction, indicating that active iron cycling is likely. The prevalence of iron mats on the tundra might impact the carbon cycle through lithoautotrophic chemosynthesis, anaerobic respiration of organic carbon coupled to iron reduction, and the suppression of methanogenesis, and it potentially influences phosphorus dynamics through the adsorption of phosphorus to iron oxides.
A pilot trial of injectable, extended-release naltrexone for the treatment of co-occurring cocaine and alcohol dependence.

Background There is a high co-occurrence of cocaine and alcohol use disorders, and patients with both of these problems are difficult to treat. There is a reasonable rationale and some empirical data to justify a pilot trial of an injectable, extended-release formulation of naltrexone for treating co-occurring cocaine and alcohol addiction. Methods Eighty cocaine (n = 80) and alcohol dependent, treatment-seeking subjects were randomly assigned to receive either two monthly extended-release injections of naltrexone or two matching placebo injections in an 8-week clinical trial, with weekly medical management plus cognitive behavioral therapy visits. Results No differences in reduction in cocaine or alcohol use were observed between the injectable naltrexone and placebo groups during the 8-week trial. Conclusions Injectable extended-release naltrexone, while an ideal method for ensuring medication adherence in these traditionally hard-to-treat patients, did not result in any measurable reduction in cocaine or alcohol use over the course of 8 weeks of treatment. (Am J Addict 2014;23:591–597)
Development of a Single-Gene, Signature-Tag-Based Approach in Combination with Alanine Mutagenesis To Identify Listeriolysin O Residues Critical for the In Vivo Survival of Listeria monocytogenes

Listeriolysin O (LLO) is a pore-forming toxin of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin (CDC) family and a primary virulence factor of the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. LLO mediates rupture of phagosomal membranes, thereby releasing bacteria into the growth-permissive host cell cytosol. Several unique features of LLO allow its activity to be precisely regulated in order to facilitate phagosomal escape, intracellular growth, and cell-to-cell spread. To improve our understanding of the multifaceted contribution of LLO to the pathogenesis of L. monocytogenes, we developed a screen that combined saturation mutagenesis and signature tags, termed in vivo analysis by saturation mutagenesis and signature tags (IVASS). We generated a library of LLO mutant strains, each harboring a single amino acid substitution and a signature tag, by using the previously described pPL2 integration vector. The signature tags acted as molecular barcodes, enabling high-throughput, parallel analysis of 40 mutants in a single animal and identification of attenuated mutants by negative selection. Using the IVASS technique we were able to screen over 90% of the 505 amino acids present in LLO and identified 60 attenuated mutants. Of these, 39 LLO residues were previously uncharacterized and potentially revealed novel functions of the toxin during infection. The mutants that were subsequently analyzed in vivo each conferred a 2- to 4-orders of magnitude loss in virulence compared to wild type, thereby validating the screening methods. Phenotypic analysis of the LLO mutant library using common in vitro techniques suggested that the functional contributions of some residues could only have been revealed through in vivo analysis.
THE ASSIGNMENT OF MEN TO MACHINES: AN APPLICATION OF BRANCH AND BOUND

This paper presents a branch and bound algorithm for assigning men to machines in a production system. The labor assignment problem of concern in this paper occurs when 1) a single operator can service several semi-automatic machines simultaneously, 2) the service and machine processing times are different among the machines and are deterministic, 3) a strict cyclic service discipline is assumed, and 4) the combined costs of idle labor and machine time are to be minimized. The paper includes a formal definition of the labor assignment problem, a description of the branch and bound algorithm, and a discussion of the computational experience with the algorithm.
The structure of the cubic coincident site lattice rotation group.

This work is intended to be a mathematical underpinning for the field of grain-boundary engineering and its relatives. The inter-relationships within the set of rotations producing coincident site lattices in cubic crystals are examined in detail. Besides combining previously established but widely scattered results into a unified context, the present work details newly developed representations of the group structure in terms of strings of generators (based on quaternionic number theory, and including uniqueness proofs and rules for algebraic manipulation) as well as an easily visualized topological network model. Important results that were previously obscure or not universally understood (e.g. the Σ combination rule governing triple junctions) are clarified in these frameworks. The methods also facilitate several general observations, including the very different natures of twin-limited structures in two and three dimensions, the inadequacy of the Σ combination rule to determine valid quadruple nodes, and a curious link between allowable grain-boundary assignments and the four-color map theorem. This kind of understanding is essential to the generation of realistic statistical models of grain-boundary networks (particularly in twin-dominated systems) and is especially applicable to the field of grain-boundary engineering.
STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF POLY(ϵ-CAPROLACTONE) AND POLY(ϵ-CAPROLACTONE-b-ISOBUTYLENE-b-ϵ-CAPROLACTONE) BLOCK COPOLYMERS BY MALDI-TOF MASS SPECTROMETRY

Poly(ϵ-caprolactone)(PC1) and PC1-polyisobutylene-PC1 (PC1-PIB-PC1) block copolymers were synthesized in anhydrous toluene by in situ conversion of 2-methyl-1-propanol (2M1P) and α,ω-dihydroxy PIB, respectively, to the corresponding aluminum alkoxide by reaction with a stoichiometric amount of triethylaluminum (TEA) followed by the addition of e-caprolactone. Structural characterization of 2M1P-initiated PCl by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) demonstrated the presence of cyclic oligomers, which are produced by intramolecular transesterification reactions that become significant at high monomer conversions. A minor fraction of chains bearing carboxylic acid termini was also observed in the MALDI-TOF mass spectrum; however, carboxylic acid chain ends could not be detected by 13C NMR analysis. Thus, the likely origin of the carboxylic acid termini is fragmentation of the initiator residue from the chain end ...
Scientific English: A Program for Addressing Linguistic Barriers of International Research Trainees in the United States

Within the international research environment, English is indisputably the lingua franca, and thus, the majority of the world’s scientists must adapt to a second language. Linguistic barriers in science affect not only researchers’ career paths but institutional productivity and efficiency as well. To address these barriers, we designed and piloted a specialized course, Scientific English. The pedagogical approach is based on English for specific purposes methodology in which curriculum and content are driven by the types of daily language used and interactions which occur in the participants’ occupation, in this case, cancer research. The 11-week program was organized into three sections: presentation skill, meeting and discussion skills, and writing skills. Effectiveness of the course was measured by the number of participants able to produce the presentations and written products with a score of at least 75 of 100 possible points. From January to December 2008, participant scores averaged 90.4 for presentation and 86.8 for written products. The authors provide insights and recommendations on the development and delivery of the program.
The use of categorial organization: Not an all-or-none situation ☆

Abstract Second and fifth graders memorized each of two lists of words that differed in category representativeness. In addition, they received one of three memory instructions: standard free recall, repetition, or categorial processing. Recall performance was about equal for standard vs repetition, and both were lower than category processing, especially with the highly representative items. Age did not enter this interaction, so it is concluded that at both age levels, the accessibility of categorial information influences children's use of it. This suggests multiple types of possible production deficiencies.
The implications of the fundamentals of shape selectivity for the development of catalysts for the petroleum and petrochemical industries

Attempts to explain observations of catalytic selectivity in highly ordered materials with different pore dimensions and different degrees of pore interconnectedness have driven the general theoretical development of shape selectivity in molecular sieves. Fresh theories have emerged with the discovery of new molecular sieves, or as newly found catalytic importance has shifted attention back onto older materials. Highly evolved stochastic and molecular dynamic models are able to accurately represent the primary effects of shape selectivity, yet gaps in our overall understanding still remain. The fundamental concepts underlying shape selectivity have been used very effectively in the development of new catalysts for the petroleum and petrochemical industries. While the focus has recently moved to the more extensive application of shape-selective catalysis to fine chemicals, significant advances in the form of new processes and applications of new materials continue to be made in petroleum refining and commodity petrochemical industries. As the concept of shape-selective catalysis in molecular sieves nears its forty-third anniversary, several of its theoretical bases remain topics of intense study.
The Mongolian Spot A Study of Ethnic Differences and a Literature Review

Four hundred thirty-seven consecutively born full-term neonates, delivered at Jackson Memorial Hospital, were examined for the presence of mongolian spots (MS). The spots were found in 96% of the Negro children, 46% of the Hispanic children, 9.5% of the Caucasian children, and in both of the Asian children in the series. The sacro-gluteal region was the most frequent site of pigmentation, with the shoulders next in frequency. Almost all the spots on the extremities were located on the extensor surfaces. The color was most frequently blue-green, but was also commonly greenish-blue, blue-gray, or brown. In a concurrent review of 124 newborn records, MS was not described by house officers in any, although the probability of its occurrence would have been approximately 90 cases, based on the results of the study. A comprehensive review of the history of the description of MS and theories of its development, as well as a review of the clinical aspects, is presented.
A physiological and morphological study of the horizontal cell types of the rabbit retina

A perfused, isolated retina-eyecup preparation of the rabbit was utilized to correlate the physiology and morphology of horizontal cells. Neurons were physiologically characterized by intracellular recording techniques and subsequently stained with intracellular iontophoretically injected horseradish peroxidase for morphological identification. Three types of rabbit horizontal cell recordings have been differentiated, based on variations in response waveform, amplitude-intensity properties, and area summation characteristics. These three types have been unequivocally associated with the axonless A-type horizontal cells and the somatic and axon terminal endings (each displaying its own distinct physiology) of B-type horizontal cells first described in studies using Golgi-impregnation techniques (Fisher and Boycott, 1974). In addition, the sizes of A-type horizontal cells were found to be directly related to their retinal eccentricities from the optic disk. However, a unique subclass of A-type cells has been discovered (elongated or Ae type) which displayed the largest dendritic field of any cells studied here, yet had the smallest eccentricities—within 1.4 mm of the optic disk. Moreover, elongated A-type cells exhibited long asymmetrical dendritic fields which were oriented parallel with the visual streak. The unique asymmetry and orientation of these cells suggests that they may have orientation-biased receptive field properties. Physiological evidence for an orientation-biased horizontal cell is presented in support of this notion.
Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG and Bifidobacterium longum attenuate lung injury and inflammatory response in experimental sepsis.

Introduction Probiotic use to prevent nosocomial gastrointestinal and potentially respiratory tract infections in critical care has shown great promise in recent clinical trials of adult and pediatric patients. Despite well-documented benefits of probiotic use in intestinal disorders, the potential for probiotic treatment to reduce lung injury following infection and shock has not been well explored. Objective Evaluate if Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) or Bifidobacterium longum (BL) treatment in a weanling mouse model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) peritonitis will protect against lung injury. Methods 3 week-old FVB/N mice were orally gavaged with 200 µl of either LGG, BL or sterile water (vehicle) immediately prior to CLP. Mice were euthanized at 24 h. Lung injury was evaluated via histology and lung neutrophil infiltration was evaluated by myeloperoxidase (MPO) staining. mRNA levels of IL-6, TNF-α, MyD88, TLR-4, TLR-2, NFΚB (p50/p105) and Cox-2 in the lung analyzed via real-time PCR. TNF-α and IL-6 in lung was analyzed via ELISA. Results LGG and BL treatment significantly improved lung injury following experimental infection and sepsis and lung neutrophil infiltration was significantly lower than in untreated septic mice. Lung mRNA and protein levels of IL-6 and TNF-α and gene expression of Cox-2 were also significantly reduced in mice receiving LGG or BL treatment. Gene expression of TLR-2, MyD88 and NFΚB (p50/p105) was significantly increased in septic mice compared to shams and decreased in the lung of mice receiving LGG or BL while TLR-4 levels remained unchanged. Conclusions Treatment with LGG and BL can reduce lung injury following experimental infection and sepsis and is associated with reduced lung inflammatory cell infiltrate and decreased markers of lung inflammatory response. Probiotic therapy may be a promising intervention to improve clinical lung injury following systemic infection and sepsis.
Correspondence of Low Mean Shear and High Harmonic Content in the Porcine Iliac Arteries

Background. Temporal variations in shear stress have been suggested to affect endothelial cell biology. To better quantify the range of dynamic shear forces that occur in vivo, the frequency content of shear variations that occur naturally over a cardiac cycle in the iliac arteries was determined. Method of Approach. Computational fluid dynamic calculations were performed in six iliac arteries from three juvenile swine. Fourier analysis of the time-varying shear stress computed at the arterial wall was performed to determine the prevalence of shear forces occurring at higher frequencies in these arteries. Results. While most of each artery experienced shear forces predominantly at the frequency of the heart rate, the frequency spectra at certain regions were dominated by shear forces at higher frequencies. Regions whose frequency spectra were dominated by higher harmonics generally experienced lower mean shear stress. The negative correlation between shear and dominant harmonic was significant (p=0.002). Conclusions. Since lesion development typically occurs in regions experiencing low time-average shear stress, this result suggests that the frequency content of the shear exposure may also be a contributing factor in lesion development. A better understanding of the vascular response to shear components of different frequencies might help rationalize the notion of "disturbed flow" as a hemodynamic entity.
Natural Product Structure Elucidation: 1950 → 2000

Until the early 1960s, some of the greatest organic chemists of this century honed and displayed their chemical skills by elucidating the structures of increasingly complicated natural products of the <1000 Dalton molecular range. Chemical knowledge, intuition, and laboratory skill were responsible for the solution of these problems. But as the number and power of new physical methods increased, structure elucidation has turned from chemistry into applied spectroscopy and computer-driven X-ray crystallography. What are the costs and rewards associated with these methodological changes and what intellectual and practical motivation now inspires modern natural product chemists?