cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Normal pressure hydrocephalus presenting as Othello syndrome: case presentation and review of the literature.

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), an obstruction in the normal flow of CSF through the subarachnoid space, typically presents with a classic “triad” of cognitive impairment, a gait disturbance, and urinary incontinence (1). The etiology of NPH includes subarachnoid spaceoccupying lesion or hemorrhage, chronic meningoencephalitis, changes following acute bacterial meningitis or spinal anesthesia, and carcinomatosis of the meninges (2). Usually, the underlying cause cannot be identified. Idiopathic NPH is clinically diagnosed in most patients during the sixth or seventh decade of life (3). The cognitive impairment in NPH most often manifests as subcortical dementia, though psychiatric and mood symptoms, most often depression, have been described. Most observations of psychiatric sequelae of NPH have been limited to case reports and have included frontal lobe symptoms such as apathy and akinetic mutism, as well as reports of mania, aggression, mood cycling, and psychosis (4–8). In this article, we report a case of NPH presenting as paranoid psychosis with delusional jealousy, otherwise known as the “Othello syndrome.” Case Presentation
Identifying gene regulatory networks from experimental data

As biology enters an era where the genomes of several organisms have been completely sequenced, the next great challenge is determining gene regulatory networks. Every gene has one or more activators, biochemical signals which are necessary to start transcription of the gene. Without the presence of the activator, only low level expression of the given gene can occur. Genes also have inhibitors, biochemical signals which prevent the expression of a particular gene even in the presence of an appropriate activator. Only a small number of genes function as activators or inhibitors, but identifying them is an important and diflicult problem. A gene regufatory network defines the complicated structure of gene products which activate/inhibit other gene products. Identifying gene regulatory networks from experimental data is now an area of extremely active research. New experimental technologies in molecular biology (particularly oligonucleotide arrays [ll] and micro arrays) now make it possible to quickly obtain vast amounts of data on gene expression in a particular organism under particular conditions. For example, Cho, etal [3] recently published a 17-point time series data set mea suring the expression level of each of 6601 d&rent genes for the yeast Saccharomycea cemhiae, obtained using an Affymetrix hybridization array. Wen, et.al [16] has generated Qpoint times series for the expression levels using RT-PCR of each of 112 genes involved in the rat nervous system development. Associating functions to genes based on this huge amount of data is en important and challenging problem.
Flame/Wall Interface: Theory and Experiment

Abstract The interface region of a steady-state methane-air flame near a cooled, moving wall has been studied using laser spectroscopy in conjunction with a theoretical analysis. Theory and experiment are qualitatively similar for the methane concentration profile parallel to and 100 μm from the wall. Both show rapid methane decay with the experimental decay being weakly dependent on wall speed. The quantitative discrepancies between theory and experiment are most likely due to the overly simple one-step reaction mechanism used in the theory. Species diffusion is found to be an important effect in fuel decay near cooled walls.
Surface modification of nanostructured ceramic membranes for direct contact membrane distillation

Abstract The objective of this research was to evaluate a select number of promising surface treatments for making ceramic membranes hydrophobic and suitable for application in direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD). Alumina anodisc™ membranes were made hydrophobic through surface treatments that utilized perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane, trimethylchlorosilane, or trichloromethylsilane. The effectiveness of each surface treatment in modifying the membrane surface chemistry was assessed using contact angle measurements with water, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), infrared adsorption, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Contact angle measurements with water showed that both perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane and trichloromethylsilane produced membrane surfaces with sufficiently high hydrophobicity and thus, suitably high pore entry pressures, for application of the membranes in DCMD. The perfluorodecyltriethoxysilane treated anodisc™ had a higher steady-state water flux than the trimethylchlorosilane treated anodisc™. Furthermore, this membrane had a 20% higher flux relative to a polymeric TF-200 membrane under similar test conditions. The superior performance of the anodisc™ is attributed to the more optimized pore structure and geometry relative to that which typifies most polymeric membranes used in DCMD.
Local stereo matching using motion cue and modified census in video disparity estimation

In the human visual system, proximity, similarity, and motion are fundamental attributes that group visual objects together locally. The objects grouped by these attributes are most likely to have the same depth. In previous works, proximity and similarity have been considered in the computation of image disparity maps. However, they are insufficient for video disparity estimation because motion cues are very important for accurate depth estimation near edges of moving objects. We incorporate motion flow to compute each pixel's support weight, a measure directly affecting the accuracy of disparity maps in local methods. For robustness to image noise in flat areas, we propose a modified census transform with a noise buffer. The experimental results show that the proposed method produces more accurate disparity maps than current state-of-the-art methods, both on edges and in flat areas according to subjective and objective measures.
Parkin protects human dopaminergic neuroblastoma cells against dopamine-induced apoptosis

Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the selective degeneration of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). A combination of genetic and environmental factors contributes to such a specific loss. Among the five PD-linked genes identified so far, parkin, a protein-ubiquitin E3 ligase, appears to be the most prevalent genetic factor in PD. Although a variety of substrates have been identified for parkin, none of them is selectively expressed in nigral DA neurons. It remains unclear how accumulation of these substrates in the absence of functional parkin may cause the selective death of DA neurons in SNpc. Here, we show that overexpression of parkin protected human DA neuroblastoma cell line (SH-SY5Y) against apoptosis induced by DA or 6-OHDA, but not by H(2)O(2) or rotenone. Parkin significantly attenuated dopamine-induced activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and caspase-3. It also decreased the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protein carbonyls in the cell. Inhibiting DA uptake through dopamine transporter or treating the cell with antioxidants significantly reduced oxidative stress and dopamine toxicity. Furthermore, PD-linked mutations of parkin significantly abrogated the protective effect of wild-type parkin, as well as its ability to suppress ROS and protein carbonylation. These results suggest that parkin protects against dopamine toxicity by decreasing oxidative stress and ensuing activation of apoptotic programs such as the JNK/caspase pathway. This protective function of parkin, which is greatly attenuated by its PD-linked mutations, may be uniquely important for the survival of DA neurons, as they are constantly threatened by oxyradicals produced during dopamine oxidation.
Randomized controlled trial examining the adjunctive use of nicotine lozenges with MyLastDip: An eHealth smokeless tobacco cessation intervention

Abstract Introduction Promising Web-based interventions for smokeless tobacco cessation have emerged. We describe a randomized controlled trial (RCT) testing the relative benefits of adding the nicotine lozenge as an adjunct to the MyLastDip Web-based smokeless tobacco cessation intervention. Methods 407 smokeless tobacco users who wanted to quit were recruited, screened online, and randomly assigned to one of two conditions: (a) the interactive MyLastDip Web-based intervention (Web Only; n = 202), or (b) the website plus the offer of nicotine lozenges (Web + Lozenge; n = 205). MyLastDip program content is grouped according to three sequential frames: preparing to quit, quitting, and staying quit. If a participant reported a lapse then the program would provide tailored content on lessons learned and starting over (“retooling”). The primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence tobacco abstinence measured at follow-up assessments that occurred 3 months and 6 months post-enrollment. Results Assessment completion rates were 71.5% at 3 months, 72.9% at 6 months, and 65.1% for both 3 and 6 months, and did not differ by condition. Using Intent to Treat analyses, the Web + Lozenge condition was associated with a significantly higher 7-day point prevalence tobacco abstinence rate than the Web Only condition at 3 months (43.4% vs. 29.7%, p = .004), at the combined 3 and 6 month assessment of repeated point prevalence (35.6% vs. 23.3%, p = .007), but not at 6 months (44.4% vs. 35.1%, p = .057). Similar results were obtained for smokeless tobacco abstinence. Participants reported being satisfied with their programs and the Web + Lozenge condition participants visited the MyLastDip program more often (p Conclusions Consistent with previous research, the MyLastDip Web-based tobacco cessation intervention encouraged long-term levels of tobacco and smokeless tobacco abstinence. The addition of nicotine lozenges significantly improved both participant engagement and self-reported 7-day point prevalence tobacco abstinence at 3 months and when considering 3- and 6-month repeated point prevalence tobacco abstinence.
Generalization and generalizability measures

Defines the generalization problem, summarizes various approaches in generalization, identifies the credit assignment problem, and presents the problem and some solutions in measuring generalizability. We discuss anomalies in the ordering of hypotheses in a subdomain when performance is normalized and averaged, and show conditions under which anomalies can be eliminated. To generalize performance across subdomains, we present a measure called "probability of win" which measures the probability that one hypothesis is better than another. Finally, we discuss some limitations in using probabilities of win, and we illustrate their application in finding new parameter values for TimberWolf, a package for VLSI cell placement and routing.
Chapter 4 Signal Transduction by GTP Binding Proteins during Leukocyte Activation: Phagocytic Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the current knowledge of guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP) binding protein composition and function in the neutrophil, placing this information in the context of what is understood about GTP binding protein-mediated signal transduction in more well-defined systems. It points out areas in which more biochemical and mechanistic detail is required for validating current hypotheses about GTP binding protein function in the neutrophil. The GTP binding protein-catalyzed interaction can result in a signal being propagated and amplified (as in the case of the “classical” receptor-coupled GTP binding proteins), a process being spatially directed (as by the elongation factors involved in protein synthesis), or, in other events, requiring reversible interaction of macromolecules. The basic catalytic cycle can be divided into four stages. The process of leukocyte activation involves a variety of cellular responses, including cell shape changes, aggregation, phagocytosis, granule enzyme secretion, and stimulation of the respiratory burst, which generates superoxide anion.
Local Intermolecular Order Controls Photoinduced Charge Separation at Donor/Acceptor Interfaces in Organic Semiconductors

How free charge is generated at organic donor-acceptor interfaces is an important question, as the binding energy of the lowest energy (localized) charge transfer states should be too high for the electron and hole to escape each other. Recently, it has been proposed that delocalization of the electronic states participating in charge transfer is crucial, and aggregated or otherwise locally ordered structures of the donor or the acceptor are the precondition for this electronic characteristic. The effect of intermolecular aggregation of both the polymer donor and fullerene acceptor on charge separation is studied. In the first case, the dilute electron acceptor triethylsilylhydroxy-1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxyphthalocyaninatosilicon(IV) (SiPc) is used to eliminate the influence of acceptor aggregation, and control polymer order through side-chain regioregularity, comparing charge generation in 96% regioregular (RR-) poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with its regiorandom (RRa-) counterpart. In the second case, ordered phases in the polymer are eliminated by using RRa-P3HT, and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) is used as the acceptor, varying its concentration to control aggregation. Time-resolved microwave conductivity, time-resolved photoluminescence, and transient absorption spectroscopy measurements show that while ultrafast charge transfer occurs in all samples, long-lived charge carriers are only produced in films with intermolecular aggregates of either RR-P3HT or PC61BM,more » and that polymer aggregates are just as effective in this regard as those of fullerenes.« less
Glycan Engineering for Cell and Developmental Biology

Cell-surface glycans are a diverse class of macromolecules that participate in many key biological processes, including cell-cell communication, development, and disease progression. Thus, the ability to modulate the structures of glycans on cell surfaces provides a powerful means not only to understand fundamental processes but also to direct activity and elicit desired cellular responses. Here, we describe methods to sculpt glycans on cell surfaces and highlight recent successes in which artificially engineered glycans have been employed to control biological outcomes such as the immune response and stem cell fate.
Social Disparities in Lung Growth and Respiratory Health

While a number of theoretical models explaining how social conditions “get into the body” to broadly impact health including respiratory outcomes have been proposed, the psychosocial stress model has been increasingly adopted in this regard. A multilevel approach which includes an ecological perspective may help to explain heterogeneities in respiratory disease across sociodemographic, ethnic/minority, and geographic boundaries as well as understanding the role of stress. Studies exploiting a developmental framework focused on critical periods of exposure, including the in utero environment, provide evidence for the role of stress in disrupted development and disease onset. Growing evidence demonstrates that maternal stress influences programming of integrated physiological systems in their offspring (e.g., neuroendocrine, autonomic, immune function, oxidative stress) starting in pregnancy, which may influence lung growth and development and respiratory disease risk. A life course framework that considers biological, psychological, and social processes interacting throughout the life course to influence disease expression provides further insight. This chapter highlights the experimental and epidemiological evidence for the programming consequences of social stress on lung growth and development and respiratory disease and associated morbidity, with a particular focus on why lower income, ethnic minority populations may be most greatly impacted.
Na(+)/H(+) exchange subtype 1 inhibition reduces endothelial dysfunction in vessels from stunned myocardium.

Myocardial ischemia and reperfusion cause myocyte and vascular dysfunction, frequently termed “stunning.” We hypothesized that inhibiting the Na+/H+ exchanger subtype 1 isoform (NHE1) during ischem...
Carlo Emilio Gadda’s Professional Alchemy, or How to Make Bread from Air and Literature from Science

This article examines writings by Carlo Emilio Gadda dedicated to industrial technologies used to produce fertilizers from atmospheric nitrogen. Although these essays, along with other writings of the 1930s explaining scientific concepts to a popular audience, have been essential to recent reconsiderations of Gadda’s affective and intellectual relationship to fascism, scholars have neglected the fundamental importance in Gadda’s thought of the technologies themselves. These industrial processes — and the call for their invention — focalize a critical intellectual current of the nineteenth century: a new awareness of scarcity and related anxieties about population growth. Engaging with work by Michel Foucault and Mitchell Dean, I note the emphasis on labour that follows from this concern with scarcity and ‘overpopulation’. What results is a cruel riddle of governmentality: labour is the antidote to the scarcity engendered by overpopulation; but the reproduction of labouring bodies results in further overpo...
The Present Status of Our Knowledge of Poultry Parasitism

Abstract By causing an increased number of deaths, a decrease in egg yield, and an unthriftiness of the flock which makes its market value low, parasites are some of the poultry raiser’s worst enemies. In order to be able to formulate an effective treatment of a parasitic disease or control measures of a prophylactic nature, we must know the identity of the parasite present, the life history of that parasite, the pathological effect on the host, and so forth. Our present knowledge of these factors, and the gaps in that knowledge, may be briefly summarized as follows: With reference to two diseases of poultry caused by parasitic Protozoa, blackhead and coccidiosis, it is now known that the chicken is the carrier of the blackhead organism; this organism may be spread directly to other chickens or to turkeys, or on the other hand, it may be passed within the egg of the . . .
Description of a New Genus and Species of Campodeidae from the Interior Highlands of North America (Diplura: Campodeidae)

A new genus, Clivocampa , and the type species, C. solus new species, are described, and relationships with other taxa are discussed. A key to the Campodeinae genera bearing a dorsal, elongate machrochaeta on tibia III is given.
Nematic liquid crystalline formation of F-actin displays features of a continuous transition

The phase transition of solutions of the protein filaments F-actin from the isotropic (I) to the nematic (N) liquid crystalline state was studied by quantitative measurements of optical birefringence and fluorescence. The threshold protein concentration for the transition varies inversely with the average filament length, consistent with the prediction of statistical mechanics of rodlike suspensions based on the excluded volume effect. By measurements of local optical birefringence, a range of actin concentration is identified as the transition region between the isotropic and nematic phases. However, local measurements of the protein concentrations detect no discontinuity within a large number of samples in the transition region, suggesting that the I-N transition for F-actin occurs continuously over a defined concentration range. Thus the I-N transition appears to be of a higher order than the 1st, for F-actin of average filament length 3 μm or longer. Additionally, by mixing a tiny number of labeled actin filaments with the unlabeled ones, we observed thermal motions of individual filaments, thus ruling out an alternative picture, viewing an F-actin solution as an amorphous gel in which long filaments are too entangled or even cross-linked to allow partitioning of filaments into domains of discontinuous concentrations. We propose based on these experimental findings that either the extreme polydispersity of F-actin, or the large average filament length itself, renders the I-N transition to be a continuous one, in terms of both the average alignment of filaments and the protein concentration.
On the Ground State Energy of the¶Fractional Quantum Hall Effect

Let I(N,R) be the ground state energy of N electrons confined to a disc of radius R with a constant magnetic field B in the perpendicular direction. We show that, in the limit \(\) and \(\), where ν is the Landau level filling factor, we have \(\) with \(\). The factor \(\) is obtained through the solution of an extreme-value problem in measure theory.
Kidney cell-specific knockdown: anything but simple.

using gene knockout strategies to help define the physiological and/or pathophysiological role(s) of factors produced by specific renal cell types presents substantial challenges. Renal cell-specific gene targeting, involving a Cre recombinase (Cre)-expressing transgene (either constitutively
SOI Micro-Ring Devices for Radio-Frequency Arbitrary Waveform Generation

Thermo-optically tunable multiple-channel micro-ring resonators are demonstrated as an ultra-compact on-chip spectral shaper for photonic radio-frequency arbitrary waveform generation (RFAWG). High quality RF signals were achieved.
THE NONSUBMERGED OSSEOINTEGRATED DENTAL IMPLANT

Implant patients are seeking means of restoring their health and appearance with minimal side effects. Dental implant surgery must react to these demands by continuing to develop minimally invasive implant surgery techniques, imaging that customizes surgical procedures, and materials and drugs that reduce surgical costs and complications, shorten recovery, and increase the longevity of components, enabling patients to live active lifestyles. Nonsubmerged osseointegrated implants fit nicely into the future of dental surgery.
Parathyroid Hormone Receptor Coupling to Phospholipase C is an Alternate Pathway of Signal Transduction in the Bone and Kidney

The parathyroid hormone (PTH) receptor is coupled via guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory proteins (G proteins) to adenylate cyclase and phospholipase C (PLC). Activation of PLC with the subsequent hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate produces inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). Generation of IP3 leads to the release of intracellular calcium stores, which produce an increase in the intracellular calcium concentration. DAG activates protein kinase C (PKC). Both IP3 metabolites and PKC play roles in returning the intracellular calcium concentration back to base line, by sequestering calcium within intracellular organelles and by stimulating the movement of calcium from the intracellular to the extracellular compartment. PKC appears to be important in the development of desensitization and down-regulation of the PTH receptor to PTH. Activation of PLC may be important in modulating the well-known effects of PTH on bone and kidney, and also less well-known actions, such as the role of PTH as an osteoblast and chondrocyte growth factor.
Arc Flash Study in large scale industrial plant with internal generation and complex interconnected network

This Poster present a comprehensive and hierarchical procedure for Arc Flash Study in complex large scale industrial plants with internal generation. All steps of study including Model development, Model validation, arc flash study and result analysis and debugging tips in each stage are discussed in details. In model development the equipment and important parameters which can affect the study are deliberated. In addition, significant points and challenges regarding load flow and short circuit study which are required to validate the developed model are covered. Then parameter, standards and setting which are necessary to be taken into account for the Arc Flash Study are introduced. Finally, the result analysis approaches and all the possible mitigation methodologies to decrease the incident energy in high category switchgears are presented.
A Stable Anionic Dithiolene Radical

Sulfurization of anionic N-heterocyclic dicarbene, [:C{[N(2,6-Pri2C6H3)]2CHCLi}]n (2), with elemental sulfur (in a 1:2 ratio) in Et2O at low temperature gives 3 by inserting two sulfur atoms into the Li–C (i.e., C2 and C4) bonds in polymeric 2. Further reaction of 3 with 2 equiv of elemental sulfur in THF affords 4• via unexpected C–H bond activation, which represents the first anionic dithiolene radical to be structurally characterized in the solid state. Alternatively, 4• may also be synthesized directly by reaction of 1 with sulfur (in a 1:4 ratio) in THF. Reaction of 4• with GeCl2·dioxane gives an anionic germanium(IV)–bis(dithiolene) complex (5). The nature of the bonding in 4• and 5 was probed by experimental and theoretical methods.
Drinking and exercise behaviors among college students: between and within-person associations

Prior work has suggested a paradoxical positive relationship between the risk behavior alcohol use and the health behavior exercise, particularly in young adults. Though seldom tested, different theoretical perspectives exist on the mechanisms that may explain the positive relationship. The aims of this study were to test theorized mechanisms of association, including common causes shared by both behaviors (e.g., personality, motives, affective), compensatory processes such as exercising to compensate for calories from alcohol consumption, and methodological confounds (e.g., between vs. within subject effects) in a college sample (N = 132; 56.3% male; 76% Caucasian; M age = 19.15, SD = 0.99) using a cross-sectional design and time line follow back methods. A positive, between-subjects association between alcohol and exercise was found and explained by exercising to compensate for calories of alcohol consumption, enhancement motives, and physical activity enjoyment. However, we also observed a significant and negative within-subjects association between the two constructs, suggesting that, on a given day, individuals who exercise more tended to drink less. Furthermore, individuals who exercised more during the week tended to have declines in weekend drinking over time. Results suggest a complex relationship between exercise and alcohol use among young adults, and highlight the importance of distinguishing between and within subject processes, as well as the temporal ordering of the two behaviors. Implications are discussed in regard to theory, prevention, and intervention.
Living by the gun in chad: combatants, impunity, and state formation

Drawing on data from years of ethnographic fieldwork in Chad, Marrielle Debos analyses the life trajectories of men who bore arms in the Chadian conflict to understand how their skills in weapons h...
A Renal Arteriovenous Malformation Case Study: The Importance of Utilizing Color Doppler During Point-of-Care Sonography:

We report the successful diagnostic and observational treatment of a renal arteriovenous malformation (RAVM) diagnosed with point-of-care color Doppler imaging. The patient presented with clinical ...
Sea Star Wasting Disease in Asterias forbesi along the Atlantic Coast of North America

As keystone species, sea stars serve to maintain biodiversity and species distribution through trophic level interactions in marine ecosystems. Recently, Sea Star Wasting Disease (SSWD) has caused widespread mass mortality in several sea star species from the Pacific Coast of the United States of America (USA) and Asterias forbesi on the Atlantic Coast. A densovirus, named Sea Star associated Densovirus (SSaDV), has been associated with the wasting disease in Pacific Coast sea stars, and limited samples of A. forbesi. The goal of this research is to examine the pathogenesis of SSWD in A. forbesi on the Atlantic Coast of the USA and to determine if SSaDV is associated with the wasting disease in this species. Histological examination of A. forbesi tissues affected with SSWD showed cuticle loss, vacuolation and necrosis of epidermal cells, and oedema of the dermis, but no consistent evidence indicating the cause of the lesions. Challenge experiments by cohabitation and immersion in infected water suggest that the cause of SSWD is viral in nature, as filtration (0.22 μm) of water from tanks with sea stars exhibiting SSWD did not prevent the transmission and progression of the disease. Death of challenged sea stars occurred 7-10 d after exposure to infected water or sea stars, and the infectivity crossed species (A. forbesi and Pateria miniata) with equal penetrance. Of the 48 stars tested by quantitative real time PCR, 29 (60%) were positive for the SSaDV VP1 gene. These stars represent field-collected sea stars from all geographical regions (South Carolina to Maine) in 2012-2015, as well as stars exposed to infected stars or water from affected tanks. However, a clear association between the presence of SSaDV and SSWD signs in experimental and field-collected A. forbesi was not found in this study.
A Comparison of Methods to Detect and Quantitate PFO: TCD, TTE, ICE and TEE

At the present time, the diagnosis of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) is based on either imaging of the interatrial septal anatomy that allows direct visualization of the septal defect transesophageal echo [TEE], transthoracic echo [TTE], intracardiac echo [ICE], or by physiologic quantification of the right-to-left shunt (RLS) through the PFO using transcranial Doppler [TCD]. Contrast TEE is currently the standard technique for identifying a PFO and visualization of the atrial septal anatomy. TEE permits an assessment of PFO size, RLS severity and differentiation between an intracardiac and intrapulmonary RLS. A TTE bubble study is the most commonly used imaging modality for the detection of PFO. Though cost-effective and readily available, TTE has a low sensitivity with poor differentiating ability between cardiac and pulmonary RLS. ICE allows detailed visualization of the inter-atrial septum at a resolution comparable to that of TEE. TCD is a highly sensitive test for indirectly assessing the presence of a RLS; some studies report a sensitivity higher than that of TEE but a lower specificity due to TCD’s inability to differentiate between cardiac and pulmonary shunts. This chapter will compare the different techniques and describe the benefits and drawbacks of the various imaging options.
Genetic Basis of Membrane Phospholipid Diversity: A Summary

The long-range goal of this research is the elucidation of the organization and properties of the genes coding for the enzymes of membrane phospholipid synthesis in animal cells. When this work was initiated in 1978, animal cell mutants defective in membrane phospholipid synthesis had not been described.1 Much of the initial effort in my laboratory was directed towards the development of procedures for the isolation of such mutants.1–3 The discovery of the ability of Chinese hamster ovary cells to form macroscopic colonies on filter paper1 or polyester cloth3 has made it possible to perform high resolution replica plating and rapid biochemical sorting of animal cell colonies. This methodology has yielded. several biochemically defined mutants, including strains defective in the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine,4–6 phosphatidylethanolamine,7 phosphatidylserine8,9 and plasmalogens.10
Prospects for new vaccines against tuberculosis.

The spectacular failure of the existing bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine in recent tuberculosis-control trials has prompted a search for potential replacements. Imaginative approaches currently under development include the modulation of BCG by the production of auxotrophic mutants or cytokine-secreting recombinants, and the development of subunit vaccines based on the major proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Self-healing Materials and Defense Mechanisms

In living nature, an organism uses healing and defense mechanisms to survive. Healing can occur through repair or regeneration of damaged tissue, noting that to regenerate is to repair 100% of the damage. The ability to heal is intrinsic to all multicellular organisms (Holliman 1995; Firestein et al. 2012; Cremaldi and Bhushan 2018). Living nature may use defense mechanisms for avoidance of predators. As an example, organisms change to blend in with their immediate surrounding.
Out of the Barn: Alternative Families and the Undead

This chapter explores the incorporation of zombies in The Walking Dead into characters’ domestic or family lives. Jessie emblematically refuses to let go of either Carl or her own zombie-bitten son, and the Governor cohabitates with and accommodates zombie child Penny. Notably, in failures to contain zombie children’s queer threat to reproductive futurism, Penny’s fate in the comics remains unresolved, as does Duane’s, the zombified son with whom Morgan has been living. The Whisperers live with zombies, wear their skins, and no longer abide by conventional sexual morality or nuclear family structure, but Alpha still sends her daughter to live with Rick’s people. Such breakdowns of zombie/human and queer/heteronormative boundaries, along with the repeated transgressions against reproductive futurism, demonstrate heteronormativity’s simultaneous durability and fragility.
System for Site-Directed Mutagenesis in the psbDI/C Operon of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Photosystem II (PS II) catalyzes the light-induced reduction of plastoquinone by water in thylakoids in plants and cyanobacteria. The PS II complex is composed of a number of polypeptides, some of which bind pigments and/or redox components of the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Fig. 1 presents a schematic model of PS II. Most of the redox components of PS II are associated with the D1 and D2 polypeptides, together constituting the reaction center complex [1,2].
The self-defense forces and postwar politics in Japan: by Sado Akihiro, English translation, Tokyo, JPIC, 2017, 374 pp, hardback, Yen 4,806, ISBN 978-4-916055-73-3

Japan’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) is ranked as the fourth most powerful military in the world in conventional capabilities, even though the three forces – air, ground, and maritime – have never bee...
Removal of Migrating Lumbar Spine Bullet: Case Report and Surgical Video.

Background Gunshot wounds to the spine are devastating injuries. Rarely, the bullet has been reported to migrate. Migration is associated with progressive neurologic deficits that often improve with bullet removal. The authors report a case of removal of a migrating lumbar spine bullet. This is supplemented by an operative video and a review of the literature. Case Description A 31-year-old man presented to the emergency department with multiple gunshot wounds and lower-extremity paresthesia. A ballistic injury occurred with an entry wound in the right posterior soft tissues, traversing the right paraspinal muscle and fracturing the left lumbar 5 pedicle and left lumbar 4 transverse process. The bullet was positioned within the spinal canal at the lumbar 3/4 interspace. His spinal injury was managed nonoperatively due to his traumatic injuries and findings of minimal neurologic deficit without cerebrospinal fluid leak. The patient returned to the neurosurgery clinic a year later and was found to have worsening low back pain, decreased sensation throughout the left leg, and radiating pain throughout the right leg. Imaging demonstrated the bullet had migrated caudally to the midlumbar 5 vertebral body. Given the patient's progressive symptoms and migration of the bullet fragment, informed consent was obtained for a laminectomy and removal of the intradural bullet fragment. Conclusions Neurosurgical treatment for gunshot wounds remains controversial. Cauda equina or lumbosacral level wounds are often incomplete and may improve with surgical decompression and bullet removal. Migrating bullet fragments throughout the spine and brain lead to worsened neurologic function, which can be reversed by removal. Movement of the bullet during surgery should be expected, and intraoperative fluoroscopy and patient positioning can help to properly localize the bullet and aid in its removal.
Using electronic transaction data to add geographic granularity to official estimates of retail sales

Economists are interested in more granular, more frequent data to aid in their understanding of the U.S. economy. The most frequent economic data currently available from the U.S. Census Bureau come from monthly economic indicators such as the Monthly Retail Trade Survey, which produces national estimates of retail sales. On the other hand, the most granular data (in terms of geographic and industry detail) come from the Economic Census, which is conducted every five years. The Census Bureau is researching whether organic, third-party Big Data sources, in conjunction with survey data, allow for the production of retail sales estimates that are both monthly and subnational. This case study explores the feasibility of using aggregated electronic transaction data from First Data (FD), a large payment processor, to calculate experimental regional and state-level monthly estimates of retail sales. Quality criteria are devised to understand this data source’s representativeness of the target population and consistency with existing survey data. Five retail industries in the FD transaction data are identified as having acceptable quality for estimation. Estimation methodology is developed based on linear mixed models in a Bayesian framework. These models try to take advantage of the timeliness of the FD transaction data and smooth over artifacts of FD’s business activity. Experimental estimates of retail sales are calculated for the period January 2015 through March 2018. The experimental estimates are evaluated quantitatively via correlations between external estimates of the number of employees by industry and qualitatively with respect to additional information about the economy. Many features of the experimental estimates seem reasonable, but there are also caution flags such as anomalous trends related to identified FD quality issues. The FD transaction data offer insight into economic activity at a more granular level. However, using this data source to enhance official estimates of retail sales is challenging; the FD aggregates have limitations in terms of suppression, coverage, and trends. Consequently, fewer industries than expected are identified as having acceptable quality for estimation. Future work involves calculating experimental estimates for more recent months and researching alternative methods for evaluating their accuracy.
Iron-Complexing Bioactive Polymers

Polymers bearing functional groups possessing a special ability to bind iron are under consideration as potential drugs for treating iron overload caused by iron poisoning and by diseases such as Cooley’s anemia. The functional groups of greatest current interest include hydroxamic acids, catechols, and phenols. Model compounds include naturally occurring desferrioxamine-B, a tris-hydroxamic acid, and enterobactin, a tris-catecholate. Attachment of the functional groups to polymers enhances the iron chelating ability by the “chelate effect” caused by the polymers holding the groups in close proximity to each other. The determination of the stability constants of a series of hydroxamic acid polymers has confirmed the existence of the chelate effects in such cases. The in vivo activities of the polymers were determined by means of a mouse screen designed to measure the ability of the drug to remove iron from iron-overloaded mice. Bioassays of only a few polymers of the hydroxamic acid type have been reported. The polymers removed iron from iron-overloaded mice to an extent approaching that of the standard desferrioxamine-B. Additional polymers of the hydroxamic acid type, as well as catechol and phenolic types, are under consideration or are being tested. These results should be available soon.
Response surface methodology for the optimization of acid dye adsorption onto activated carbon prepared from wild date stones

In the present study, wild date stones (WDS) were used as a novel and sustainable precursor for high-quality activated carbon preparation to be applied for the removal of Acid Blue 25 dye (AB25) from synthetic water. The carbonization temperature of the raw material was selected at 850 °C on the basis of thermo-gravimetric analysis. The adsorbents were characterized by the BET method, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the activated carbon presents a high specific surface area (610.84 m2 g−1) and a pore volume (0.224 cm3 g−1) compared with the natural material. Based on the central composite design, the effect of different parameters such as the biomass dose, initial dye concentration, contact time and temperature was optimized and the optimal removal of AB25 (99.61%) was achieved for AB25 concentration of 100 mg L−1 and an adsorbent dose of 0.8 g L−1, at 45 °C after 120 min. The kinetic studies indicated that the pseudo-second-order model was appropriately applied for the adsorption kinetic of AB25 onto wild date stones activated carbon. The intraparticle diffusion model is not the only controlling step, and other mechanisms may be involved in the adsorption process. The Langmuir isotherm provided the best fit with a high correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.993 and a maximum monolayer adsorption capacity of 181.59 mg g−1.
Institutional Moral Failure: Emotional Intelligence and Practical Reason Serving Justice

The Catholic Church in Australia emerged as an instance of gross moral failure in the final findings of a Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse of December 2017. The profound damage to thousands of innocent victims has rightly demanded steps to understand and address the causes of this shocking tragedy at the personal, organisational, leadership and cultural levels of the Church. There is an associated imperative of re-evaluating the Church’s life, self-understanding and culture, particularly in relation to leaders and religious ministers. This specific case study in moral failure can be approached through the interplay of psychology and moral science. Emotional intelligence and practical reason converge with a common concern for the appreciation of, and response, to values and persons. This can be done, first, by examining culture (here, ecclesial) and how it underpins and shapes attitudes, values, practices and structures. Second, we consider the extent to which moral failure (with error and mistakes) can be seen as cultural constructs and how these three elements can be embodied in social and structural evil. Finally, there is learning from moral failure (with mistakes and errors) in terms of their potential for growth. Such a task can be approached as a four-pronged exercise in emotional intelligence and practical reason serving justice: from human sciences about the valence of shame; from history and the wider community; from victims; and from within the Christian story. Such an approach offers grounds for hope in the task of cultural change.
Coping with the gypsy moth on new frontiers of infestation

Forest managers on new frontiers of infestation are searching for better ways to cope with the gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar). Presented herea are information and guidelines for remedial action to minimize future losses. Methods for assessing potential stand defoliation (susceptibility) and mortality (vulnerability), monitoring insect populations, and selecting action alternatives are discussed. With due consideration of management objectives, we address the primary concerns of managers who lack previous experience with the pest.
The CoREST Repressor Complex Mediates Phenotype Switching and Therapy Resistance in Melanoma

Abstract Virtually all patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma develop resistance to MAPK inhibitors largely through non-mutational events1,2. Although the epigenetic landscape has been shown to be altered in therapy-resistant melanomas and other cancers3,4, a specific targetable epigenetic mechanism regulating treatment resistance has not been validated to date. Here we evaluate the CoREST repressor complex and the novel inhibitor, corin5, within the context of melanoma phenotype plasticity and therapeutic resistance in order to define epigenetic mechanisms underlying these processes. We find that CoREST is a critical mediator of the major distinct melanoma phenotypes and that corin treatment of melanoma cells leads to phenotype reprogramming. We further demonstrate that treatment of BRAF inhibitor (BRAFi)-resistant melanomas with corin leads to resensitization of tumor cells to BRAFi. Among the transcriptional targets of CoREST in melanoma are the dual-specificity phosphatases (DUSPs). DUSP1 is shown to be consistently downregulated in BRAFi-resistant melanomas which can be reversed by corin treatment, thereby leading to downstream inhibition of p38 MAPK activity and resensitization of resistant cells to targeted BRAFi therapies. These findings identify the CoREST repressor complex as a central mediator of melanoma phenotype plasticity and resistance to targeted therapy and suggest that CoREST inhibitors may prove beneficial to patients with BRAF-mutant melanomas who have acquired BRAFi-resistance.
High blocking temperatures for DyScS endohedral fullerene single-molecule magnets

Dy-based single-molecule magnets (SMMs) are of great interest due to their ability to exhibit very large thermal barriers to relaxation and therefore high blocking temperatures. One interesting line of investigation is Dy-encapsulating endohedral clusterfullerenes, in which a carbon cage protects magnetic Dy3+ ions against decoherence by environmental noise and allows for the stabilization of bonding and magnetic interactions that would be difficult to achieve in other molecular architectures. Recent studies of such materials have focused on clusters with two Dy atoms, since ferromagnetic exchange between Dy atoms is known to reduce the rate of magnetic relaxation via quantum tunneling. Here, two new dysprosium-containing mixed-metallic sulfide clusterfullerenes, DyScS@Cs(6)–C82 and DyScS@C3v(8)–C82, have been successfully synthesized, isolated and characterized by mass spectrometry, Vis-NIR, cyclic voltammetry, single crystal X-ray diffractometry, and magnetic measurements. Crystallographic analyses show that the conformation of the encapsulated cluster inside the fullerene cages is notably different than in the Dy2X@Cs(6)–C82 and Dy2X@C3v(8)–C82 (X = S, O) analogues. Remarkably, both isomers of DyScS@C82 show open magnetic hysteresis and slow magnetic relaxation, even at zero field. Their magnetic blocking temperatures are around 7.3 K, which are among the highest values reported for clusterfullerene SMMs. The SMM properties of DyScS@C82 far outperform those of the dilanthanide analogues Dy2S@C82, in contrast to the trend observed for carbide and nitride Dy clusterfullerenes.