cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complete biopsy-proven resolution of deposits in recurrent proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal IgG deposits (PGNMIGD) following rituximab treatment in renal allograft.

Proliferative glomerulonephritis with monoclonal IgG deposits (PGNMIGD) is a disease entity classified under the group of “Monoclonal gammopathy-related kidney diseases”, and can recur after transplant. Clinical remission of proteinuria in patients with PGNMIGD has been previously shown following anti-B cell and/or anti-plasma cell therapies. Our case is the first to show complete histologic resolution of the glomerular monoclonal IgG kappa deposits in a case of recurrent PGNMIGD in renal allograft after rituximab and steroid treatment. This is a novel finding and it shows that the deposits are amenable to therapy. This case also highlights the importance of IgG subclass staining in the recognition of the monoclonal nature of the deposits. It is particularly important in PGNMIGD because only 20 to 30% of patients with this disease are reported to have detectable monoclonal gammopathy, and the deposits do not have any organized substructure on electron microscopic examination. Morphologically, they resemble polyclonal immune-type deposits seen in other immune complex glomerulonephritides such as lupus nephritis, infection-associated glomerulonephritis, and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN type I). The patient is a 44 year old Caucasian male who received a living unrelated donor kidney transplant for end-stage renal disease diagnosed 7 years before transplant. The reported native kidney biopsy diagnosis was membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) with IgG, C3 and kappa restricted deposits. Fourteen months post-transplant, he presented with abrupt worsening of graft function, proteinuria and serum IgG kappa monoclonal spike. Allograft biopsy was consistent with recurrent PGNMIGD, considering the native kidney diagnosis and interval post-transplant. He underwent plasmapheresis, IV pooled immune globulin, steroid pulse and taper, and anti-CD-20 Rituximab therapy. Patient had gradual decline in proteinuria and complete resolution of the immune deposits on repeat biopsy 3 months later. Unfortunately he subsequently developed chronic antibody-mediated rejection and transplant glomerulopathy and graft failure 34 months post-transplant. In a transplant setting, repeat allograft biopsies are frequently performed for graft dysfunction. This provides a good opportunity to study the evolution of the immune deposits following treatment. Our case shows complete histologic resolution of the deposits in allograft PGNMIGD.
Hierarchical and Mediation Analysis of Disparities in Very Short Sleep among Sexual Minority Youth in the U.S., 2015.

Insufficient sleep is associated with increased risk of chronic diseases, substance use, and unintentional injuries. Little is known about the disparities in short sleep among sexual minority youth...
The effectiveness of self-directed medical cannabis treatment for pain.

Abstract The prior medical literature offers little guidance as to how pain relief and side effect manifestation may vary across commonly used and commercially available cannabis product types. We used the largest dataset in the United States of real-time responses to and side effect reporting from patient-directed cannabis consumption sessions for the treatment of pain under naturalistic conditions in order to identify how cannabis affects momentary pain intensity levels and which product characteristics are the best predictors of therapeutic pain relief. Between 06/06/2016 and 10/24/2018, 2987 people used the ReleafApp to record 20,513 cannabis administration measuring cannabis’ effects on momentary pain intensity levels across five pain categories: musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, nerve, headache-related, or non-specified pain. The average pain reduction was –3.10 points on a 0–10 visual analogue scale (SD = 2.16, d = 1.55, p
DCR for Non-trauma Patients

Damage control resuscitation (DCR) principles have been well-established in the trauma literature and are now being applied to multiple different patient populations. In current practice, DCR can and should be applied to adult, pediatric, and geriatric patients alike. Specific applications include patients with perioperative hemorrhage, obstetric hemorrhage, and gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Perhaps the most important consideration when applying DCR to non-trauma patients is to account for variations in patient physiology across these different populations. This chapter will highlight some of the key features of DCR in non-trauma patients.
Tianshui's Three Treasures: Water and Soil Conservation in Wartime Northwest China

In addition to examining how wartime imperatives shaped the agricultural research, demonstration, and extension programs undertaken by the Nationalist government’s Tianshui Water and Soil Conservat...
Analysis of frost thickness and roughness growth from the perspective of frost crystal structure

Abstract Laboratory experiments were conducted to characterize frost thickness and roughness on a horizontal cold flat surface with respect to the type of frost crystal. Air velocities, free stream temperatures, wall temperatures, and relative humidities were varied from 0.5 to 1.5 m s−1, 16 to 6 °C, and -25 to −15 °C, and 50 to 75%, respectively. Three-dimensional photogrammetry was employed for evaluating frost roughness characteristics. The results showed that the frost growth corresponded with changes of frost crystal formation. Feather and needle crystals created a thick and porous layer with a rough surface, while flake and irregular crystals formed a thin and dense frost layer with a relatively smooth surface. Frost root-mean-square height began to decrease sooner under higher air velocities, higher air temperatures, and higher wall temperatures. The maximum value of frost root-mean-square height was largest under lower air velocities, lower air temperatures, lower wall temperatures, and higher relative humidities. Larger frost surface skewness occurred under lower air velocities, lower air temperatures, higher wall temperatures, and higher relative humidities. The impacts of increasing relative humidity on the frost roughness parameters plateaued at higher relative humidities.
Musculoskeletal Pain Symptoms and Injuries Among Endoscopists Who Perform ERCP

The leaded protective gear worn, patient and endoscopist positioning, and longer average procedural time place endoscopists who perform endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) at an increased risk of injuries as compared to other endoscopists. While multiple studies have investigated the prevalence of various pain symptoms and injuries among endoscopists, only one has been carried out in endoscopists who perform ERCP, and none have investigated potential predisposing risk factors. Our aim was thus to assess the prevalence of these pain symptoms, injuries, and potential risk factors. An anonymous electronic survey containing 23 questions was sent to 3276 gastroenterologists. Only providers that performed ERCPs were asked to respond. A total of 203 surveys were completed. Of the 203 respondents, 91% reported a musculoskeletal pain symptom. The most prevalent pain symptoms were neck pain (24%) and lower back pain (17%). In total, 48% of respondents reported a musculoskeletal injury. In total, 32% attributed these injuries to performing ERCPs. The most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries were De Quervain’s tenosynovitis (16%) and cervical radiculopathy (12%). Only 25% of participants had received any education/training on ergonomics in endoscopy. The majority of endoscopists who perform ERCPs suffer from a musculoskeletal pain symptom, and almost half report a musculoskeletal injury. Further investigation regarding risk factors and preventative strategies is warranted. This information can then be incorporated into ergonomics education which only a small proportion of advanced endoscopists report having received any training in.
“The Dating Game:” Using Speed Dating in the College Classroom

This article describes and evaluates an in-class activity and discussion called “The Dating Game,” which resembles the speed-dating process in modern, love-based societies. Activity effectiveness w...
Photoinduced Charge Transfer in Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Heterojunctions – Towards Next Generation Energy Technologies

Increasing interest in using two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDCs) in optical energy conversion technologies creates a demand for improving the yields and lifetimes of photogenerated charge carriers. Despite inherently fast photocarrier decay in neat 2D TMDCs, the unique photophysics in these quantum-confined systems motivates continued effort to control the evolution of photoexcited states and create functional devices. An intriguing strategy to accomplish this goal is to employ TMDCs in heterojunctions with appropriate semiconductors, where energy level offsets drive photoinduced charge transfer (PCT) across material interfaces. PCT in TMDC-based systems can be optimized for many different applications, such as driving free carriers to photocatalytic sites for redox reactions like water splitting, extracting charge to perform work in photovoltaics or photodetectors, and manipulating the spin and momentum valley electronic degrees of freedom for quantum computing systems. Here, we review recent strides in optimizing PCT for such applications through greater fundamental understanding of the photophysics that occurs at TMDC/semiconductor interfaces. After giving an overview of isolated TMDC properties, synthetic methods, and the basics of PCT, we discuss TMDCs in heterojunctions with several classes of materials, including other TMDCs, small molecule semiconductors, polymers, single-walled carbon nanotubes, quantum dots, perovskites, and electrolytes. In addition to highlighting the unique benefits of each materials category, we also identify parallels across common themes, such as the roles of charge-transfer states, spin, electronic coupling, delocalization, interfacial atomic morphology, and the precise design of energy landscapes to direct charge and energy motion. We hope to capture a broad range of the valuable work in this fast-paced field to inspire new research directions for employing PCT in targeted TMDC-based systems.
Deuterium diffusion in γ-LiAlO2 pellets irradiated with He+ and D2+ ions

Abstract Sequential irradiations of polycrystalline γ-LiAlO2 pellets were performed at 573 K with He+ and D2+ ions to overlap the deuterium (D) profile with the He+ ion damage peak. The D depth profiles were measured using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry before and after thermal annealing steps. A linear concentration gradient approximation model is proposed to estimate the diffusion coefficient. The combined isothermal and isochronal data are used to determine the activation energy for D migration. At and above 1 × 1017 He++D+/cm2, a double-peak structure in the D profile is observed probably due to isotope exchange reactions with H2O and H2. The D diffusion coefficient in the irradiated γ-LiAlO2 pellets is on the order of 10−12 cm2/s at 773 K for the first 2 min annealing and the average values between 5 and 60 min tend to decrease to 10−13 or 10−14 cm2/s, depending on the ion fluence. The activation energy for D migration is determined to be 1.0 ± 0.3 eV at 2 × 1016 He++D+/cm2 and 0.6 ± 0.3 eV at 1 × 1017 He++D+/cm2. The results from this study may help better understand and predict tritium diffusion behavior during neutron irradiation of γ-LiAlO2 pellets.
Vascular Medicine in the COVID-19 Era: the Vanderbilt Experience

Coronavirus disease of 2019 poses significant risks for patients with vascular disease. Telemedicine can help clinicians provide care for patients with vascular disease while adhering to social-distancing guidelines. In this article, we review the components of telemedicine used in the vascular medicine practice at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. In addition, we describe inpatient and outpatient diagnosis-based algorithms to help select patients for telemedicine versus in-person evaluation.
Low-Rank Matrix Recovery With Scaled Subgradient Methods: Fast and Robust Convergence Without the Condition Number

Many problems in data science can be treated as estimating a low-rank matrix from highly incomplete, sometimes even corrupted, observations. One popular approach is to resort to matrix factorization, where the low-rank matrix factors are optimized via first-order methods over a smooth loss function, such as the residual sum of squares. While tremendous progresses have been made in recent years, the natural smooth formulation suffers from two sources of ill-conditioning, where the iteration complexity of gradient descent scales poorly both with the dimension as well as the condition number of the low-rank matrix. Moreover, the smooth formulation is not robust to corruptions in the measurements. In this paper, we propose scaled subgradient methods to minimize a family of nonsmooth and nonconvex formulations – in particular, the residual sum of absolute errors – which is guaranteed to converge at a fast rate that is almost dimension-free and independent of the condition number, even in the presence of corruptions. We illustrate the effectiveness of our approach when the observation operator satisfies certain mixed-norm restricted isometry properties, and derive state-of-the-art performance guarantees for a variety of problems such as robust low-rank matrix sensing and quadratic sampling.
Integral properties of turbulent natural convection over a vertical flat plate

Abstract This paper investigates global integrals of the volumetric, momentum and temperature fluxes for turbulent natural convection over a vertical plate (TNCVP). The global integral of the mean continuity equation gives a relation for the mean wall-normal velocity outside the boundary layer as W∞ = − d(∫0∞Udz)/dx where U is the mean velocity in the streamwise x direction and z is the wall-normal direction. The global integral of the mean momentum equation gives a relation for the specific wall momentum flux as uτ2 = gβ∫0∞(Θ∞ − Θ)dz − d(∫0∞U2dz)/dx where uτ is the friction velocity, g is the gravitational acceleration and β is the thermal expansion coefficient. Θ = Tw − T is the difference between the wall temperature Tw and the fluid temperature, and Θ∞ = Tw − T∞ is the difference between the wall temperature and the ambient fluid temperature. Finally, the global integral of the mean heat equation gives a relation for the wall temperature flux as uτθτ = − W∞Θ∞ − d(∫0∞UΘdz)/dx where θτ is the frictional temperature. Based on the global integrals of the momentum and heat fluxes, we propose an indirect determination of uτ and θτ. Given the extreme challenge in direct measurement of uτ and θτ in wall-bounded turbulent flows, the indirect determination proposed here offers a powerful tool to subsequent experimental studies of TNCVP.
Friedman's Research on Subsystems of Second Order Arithmetic*

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on Friedman's research on subsystems of second-order arithmetic, which can be examined from two related but essentially disparate points of view. On the one hand, such systems have many interesting meta-mathematical properties, which can be investigated using proof-theoretic and model-theoretic tools. On the other hand, subsystems of second-order arithmetic are a natural vehicle for the formal axiomatic study of ordinary mathematics. Ordinary mathematics comprises branches of mathematics—such as geometry, number theory, differential equations, algebra, and functional analysis. The chapter is concerned mainly with formal systems for the hyperarithmetical sets and represents a vast extension of the program of Reverse Mathematics. Reductionist programs, where a reductionist is anyone who proposes to reduce a large part of mathematics to some restricted set of “acceptable” principles, are also discussed.
Accumulation of the enterobacterial common antigen lipid II biosynthetic intermediate stimulates degP transcription in Escherichia coli

In Escherichia coli, transcription of the degP locus, which encodes a heat-shock-inducible periplasmic protease, is controlled by two parallel signal transduction systems that each monitor extracytoplasmic protein physiology. For example, the heat-shock-inducible sigma factor, sigmaE, controls degP transcription in response to the overproduction and folded state of various extracytoplasmic proteins. Similarly, the CpxA/R two-component signal transduction system increases degP transcription in response to the overproduction of a variety of extracytoplasmic proteins. Since degP transcription is attuned to the physiology of extracytoplasmic proteins, we were interested in identifying negative transcriptional regulators of degP. To this end, we screened for null mutations that increased transcription from a strain containing a degP-lacZ reporter fusion. Through this approach, we identified null mutations in the wecE, rmlAECA, and wecF loci that increase degP transcription. Interestingly, each of these loci is responsible for synthesis of the enterobacterial common antigen (ECA), a glycolipid situated on the outer leaflet of the outer membrane of members of the family Enterobacteriaceae. However, these null mutations do not stimulate degP transcription by eliminating ECA biosynthesis. Rather, the wecE, rmlAECA, and wecF null mutations each impede the same step in ECA biosynthesis, and it is the accumulation of the ECA biosynthetic intermediate, lipid II, that causes the observed perturbations. For example, the lipid II-accumulating mutant strains each (i) confer upon E. coli a sensitivity to bile salts, (ii) confer a sensitivity to the synthesis of the outer membrane protein LamB, and (iii) stimulate both the Cpx pathway and sigmaE activity. These phenotypes suggest that the accumulation of lipid II perturbs the structure of the bacterial outer membrane. Furthermore, these results underscore the notion that although the Cpx and sigmaE systems function in parallel to regulate degP transcription, they can be simultaneously activated by the same perturbation.
Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an extremely rare, uniformly fatal, segmental "premature aging" disease in which children exhibit phenotypes that may give us insights into the aging process at both the cellular and organismal levels. Initial presentation in early childhood is primarily based on growth and dermatologic findings. Primary morbidity and mortality for children with HGPS is from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and strokes with death occurring at an average age of 14.6 years. There is increasing data to support a unique phenotype of the craniofacial and cerebrovascular anatomy that accompanies the premature aging process. Strokes in HGPS can occur downstream of carotid artery and/or vertebral artery occlusion, stenosis, and calcification, with prominent collateral vessel formation. Both large and small vessel disease are present, and strokes are often clinically silent. Despite the presence of multisystem premature aging, children with HGPS do not appear to have cognitive deterioration, suggesting that some aspects of brain function may be protected from the deleterious effects of progerin, the disease-causing protein. Based on limited autopsy material, there is no pathologic evidence of dementia or Alzheimer-type changes. In a transgenic mouse model of progeria with expression of the most common HGPS mutation in brain, skin, bone, and heart, there are distortions of neuronal nuclei at the ultrastructural level with irregular shape and severe invaginations, but no evidence of inclusions or aberrant tau in brain sections. Importantly, the nuclear distortions did not result in significant changes in gene expression in hippocampal neurons. This chapter will discuss both preclinical and clinical aspects of the genetics, pathobiology, clinical phenotype, clinical care, and treatment of HGPS, with special attention toward neurologic and cutaneous findings.
Farmers of the Golden Bean: Costa Rican Households and the Global Coffee Economy

Farmers of the Golden Bean: Costa Rican Households and the Global Coffee Economy. Deborah Sick. Dekalb: Northern Illinois University Press, 1999. 169 pp.
Friendship Treaties ≠ Judgments Treaties

It is hornbook law that the United States is not currently a party to any treaty governing the enforcement of foreign judgments. At least, it was hornbook law until 1993. In that year, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit adopted a novel interpretation of a provision in a bilateral treaty of friendship, commerce, and navigation (“FCN treaty”) between the United States and Greece that transformed the treaty into a de facto judgments treaty. Two years later, in 1995, the Third Circuit adopted the same interpretation of an identical clause in the United States–Korea FCN treaty. Each of these courts subsequently reaffirmed its respective interpretation of the provision in question, the Eleventh Circuit in 2006 and the Third Circuit in 2011. In theory, these decisions could usher in a new era of judgments-recognition law in the United States. Indeed, a number of scholars have cited these decisions to argue that the United States is a party to a handful of treaties relating to the enforcement of foreign judgments. In practice, however, this new era is unlikely to dawn for one simple reason: the treaty interpretations adopted by the Third and Eleventh Circuits are objectively incorrect. This brief Essay explains how and why the Third and Eleventh Circuits went astray. It first discusses the general goal of the treaty provision at issue. It then explains how the Third and Eleventh Circuits have interpreted this provision. Finally, this Essay shows why this interpretation is irreconcilable with the text of the treaties.
New advances in poly(ethylene terephthalate) polymerization and degradation

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has wide acceptance for use in direct contact with food, can be recycled and can be depolymerized to its monomer constituents. Advances are continually being made to reduce the environmental 'footprint' that the polymer leaves. This paper discusses new advances in three specific areas, ie process developments, catalysis and polymer degradation, that address this issue.
Direct-Mode Chemical Reactions I: Methodology for Accurate Quantal Calculations

Accurate quantum-mechanical state-to-state probabilities and cross sections for chemical reactions in three physical dimensions are just beginning to become available for selected neutral electronically adiabatic atom-diatom collision systems. Intense activity in a number of research groups, particularly since 1970, has led to the development of theoretical methods and computational algorithms which have been applied to several dozen model collinear reactions,(1–5) to several coplanar reactions,(6#x2013;10) and to the three-dimensional H + H2(11#x2013;14) and (to a lesser extent) F + H2(15) reactions. These results provide a body of knowledge against which approximate methods (particularly quantum approximations, Chapter 15, and classical mechanics, Chapter 18) may be compared. In addition, analysis of the quantum results, including state populations, probability density, and flux distributions in the transition state region, will surely provide us with a deeper understanding of “what happens during a chemical reaction.”
Accurate Measurements of the Local Deuterium Abundance from HST Spectra

An accurate measurement of the primordial value of D/H would provide a critical test of nucleosynthesis models for the early universe and the baryon density. I briefly summarize the ongoing HST observations of the interstellar H and D Lyman-α absorption for lines of sight to nearby stars and comment on recent reports of extragalactic D/H measurements.
Concentration inequalities for the missing mass and for histogram rule error

This paper gives distribution-free concentration inequalities for the missing mass and the error rate of histogram rules. Negative association methods can be used to reduce these concentration problems to concentration questions about independent sums. Although the sums are independent, they are highly heterogeneous. Such highly heterogeneous independent sums cannot be analyzed using standard concentration inequalities such as Hoeffding's inequality, the Angluin-Valiant bound, Bernstein's inequality, Bennett's inequality, or McDiarmid's theorem. The concentration inequality for histogram rule error is motivated by the desire to construct a new class of bounds on the generalization error of decision trees.
The Role of Protein Disorder And Self-Association in the Formation of Cellular Bodies

Cellular “bodies”, i.e. organelles in cells that are not enclosed by membranes, have been characterized as large protein assemblies with liquid-like properties, though the biophysical basis for their formation is currently unclear. Recent work demonstrated that weak, multivalent protein interactions can result in the formation of large higher-order complexes, can undergo liquid demixing phase separation in vitro and may enable the formation of cellular bodies. The inherent size heterogeneity of higher-order complexes renders them difficult to characterize biophysically and structurally. As a result, their size distributions remain largely unquantified, limiting molecular insight into their biological functions. We report novel mechanisms governing the formation of nuclear SPOP bodies and stress granules in which the self-association of folded domains into large homo-oligomers and of long disordered regions play key roles. We have used biophysical, biochemical and cell biological approaches to explore the self-association of proteins in vitro, to quantify the size distribution of the resulting higher-order oligomers, and to relate these to the function of cellular bodies in cells. We further explore how changes in self-association properties of constituent proteins, i.e. the destabilization or rigidification of cellular bodies, can lead to cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. We propose that dynamic, higher-order protein self-association is a general mechanism underlying the formation of cellular bodies. These may serve as hotspots of enzymatic or signaling activity, which can be dynamically turned on or off through the regulated assembly and disassembly of the organelle bodies, respectively.
Effects of dysprosium oxide nanoparticles on Escherichia coli

There is increasing interest in the study of dysprosium oxide nanoparticles (nDy2O3) for biomedical applications due to their fluorescence and paramagnetic properties. However, the fate of nDy2O3 and their effects on natural biological systems are a growing concern. This study assessed the toxicity of nDy2O3 on Escherichia coli for concentrations between 0.02 and 2 mg L−1, exposed to three concentrations of NaCl (8500, 850, and 85 mg L−1) and three glucose concentrations (35, 70, and 140 mg L−1). The ranges of these variables were selected to cover manufacturer recommendations of analytical methodologies for toxicity assessment, environmental and industrial nDy2O3 effluent concentrations, and metabolic activity. Two array-based toxicity techniques were used to evaluate the 27 combinations of conditions. Fluorescent dyes (Live/Dead) and respirometric assays were used to measure the undisturbed cell membrane (UCM) and remaining respiration percentage (RRP), respectively. Respirometric tests showed a higher toxic effect than Live/Dead test assays, indicating that metabolic processes are more affected than the physical structure of the cell by exposure to nDy2O3. After exposing the bacteria to concentrations of 2.0 mg L−1 uncoated nDy2O3 for 2 h at 85 mg L−1 NaCl and 140 mg L−1 glucose, the RRP and UCM decreased to 43% and 88%, respectively. Dysprosium ion (Dy+3) toxicity measurement suggested that Dy+3 was the main contributor to the overall toxicity.
DTEvisual: a visualization system for teaching access control using Domain Type Enforcement

This paper describes DTEvisual, a visualization system that leverages Domain Type Enforcement (DTE) for access control education. Domain Type Enforcement (DTE) is a powerful abstraction for teaching students about policy complexity and application of the principle of least privilege, mandatory access control and modern models of access control. DTEvisual facilitates graphical depiction, construction, and modification of a DTE policy. It also allows isolation of selected portions of a depicted policy. Finally, a query subsystem identifies the set of files that can be accessed by a specified process under the depicted policy. We anticipate this tool will be useful for classroom presentations, homework assignments, and self-study.
Thalidomide induces γ-globin gene expression through increased reactive oxygen species–mediated p38 MAPK signaling and histone H4 acetylation in adult erythropoiesis

Although thalidomide has been shown to improve anemia in some patients with myelodysplastic syndromes and stimulates erythropoietin in patients with multiple myeloma, thalidomide's specific effects on γ-globin gene expression during erythroid differentiation have not been studied. Here, we investigated the effects of thalidomide on γ-globin gene expression and the involved signaling pathway using an ex vivo culture system of primary human CD34+ cells. We found that thalidomide induced γ-globin mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner, but had no effect on β-globin expression. We also demonstrated that intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were increased by treatment with thalidomide for 48 hours (from day 3 to day 5). Western blot analysis demonstrated that thalidomide activated the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in a time- and dose-dependent manner and increased histone H4 acetylation. Pretreatment of cells with the antioxidant enzyme catalase and the intracellular hydroxyl scavenger dimethylthiourea (DMTU) abrogated the thalidomide-induced p38 MAPK activation and histone H4 acetylation. Moreover, pretreatment with catalase and DMTU diminished thalidomide-induced γ-globin gene expression. These data indicate that thalidomide induces increased expression of the γ-globin gene via ROS-dependent activation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway and histone H4 acetylation.
Developing a quantitative tool for sustainability assessment of HEIs

Purpose – Implementation of a sustainability paradigm demands new choices and innovative ways of thinking. The main objective of this paper is to provide a meaningful sustainability assessment tool for make informed decisions, which is applied to higher education institutions (HEIs).Design/methodology/approach – The objective is achieved by developing a quantitative tool for sustainability assessment using a driving force‐pressure‐state‐exposure‐effect‐action (DPSEEA) framework. The DPSEEA framework considers environmental, social, economic, and educational performance as main dimensions of sustainability. The proposed model is called DPSEEA‐Sustainability index Model (D‐SiM). The D‐SiM is a causality‐based model in which the sustainability index (SI) is an outcome of nonlinear effects of sustainability indicators in various stages of DPSEEA. To have an improved understanding of input factors (driving forces) and their impact on sustainability, a simplified empirical model is developed and applied to HEIs...
The Use of Prisoners as Sources of Organs–An Ethically Dubious Practice

The movement to try to close the ever-widening gap between demand and supply of organs has recently arrived at the prison gate. While there is enthusiasm for using executed prisoners as sources of organs, there are both practical barriers and moral concerns that make it unlikely that proposals to use prisoners will or should gain traction. Prisoners are generally not healthy enough to be a safe source of organs, execution makes the procurement of viable organs difficult, and organ donation post-execution ties the medical profession too closely to the act of execution.
The lower density conjecture for harmonic measure

In this paper, we establish the lower density conjecture for harmonic measure in simply connected plane domains.
De novo sequencing of unique sequence tags for discovery of post-translational modifications of proteins.

De novo sequencing is a spectrum analysis approach for mass spectrometry data to discover post-translational modifications in proteins; however, such an approach is still in its infancy and is still not widely applied to proteomic practices due to its limited reliability. In this work, we describe a de novo sequencing approach for the discovery of protein modifications based on identification of the proteome UStags (Shen, Y.; Tolic, N.; Hixson, K. K.; Purvine, S. O.; Pasǎ-Tolic, L.; Qian, W. J.; Adkins, J. N.; Moore, R. J.; Smith, R. D. Anal. Chem. 2008, 80, 1871−1882). The de novo information was obtained from Fourier-transform tandem mass spectrometry data for peptides and polypeptides from a yeast lysate, and the de novo sequences obtained were selected based on filter levels designed to provide a limited yet high quality subset of UStags. The DNA-predicted database protein sequences were then compared to the UStags, and the differences observed across or in the UStags (i.e., the UStags’ prefix and suf...
The binding of transition metal ions in insulin crystals.

Abstract X-ray diffraction data are presented which suggest that cupric insulin crystals are isomorphous with the much studied zinc ones. Electron paramagnetic resonance orientation studies at room and several cryogenic temperatures were made on crystals containing two cupric ions per unit cell (hexamer). The spectra show six distinct magnetic sites. Location of the metal ions on a trigonal axis relating three insulin dimers satisfies the magnetic, X-ray and chemical evidence. The six observed cupric sites are then explained on the basis of Jahn-Teller distortions, and the two-nitrogen hyperfine pattern which is observed is seen to be a consequence of metal coordination to three nitrogens. Analysis of earlier titration data confirms this model and assigns the nitrogens to histidine residues.
Plasma polymerization for protective coatings and composite membranes

Abstract Plasma polymers (polymeric material formed by plasma or glow discharge polymerization) can be prepared in the form of an ultrathin layer which is strongly bonded to various substrates (metals, ceramics, and organic polymers) or in the form of a composite membrane deposited onto a porous substrate. Transport characteristics of many plasma polymers are not typical of polymers but are in between those of polymers and of inorganic materials. Because of these unique characteristics, plasma polymers provide remarkable protective barriers and outstanding durability of membranes at very small thickness (e.g., less than 0.1 μm).
Stress-Induced Remodeling of the Bacterial Proteome

Microorganisms live in fluctuating environments, requiring stress response pathways to resist environmental insults and stress. These pathways dynamically monitor cellular status, and mediate adaptive changes by remodeling the proteome, largely accomplished by remodeling transcriptional networks and protein degradation. The complementarity of fast, specific proteolytic degradation and slower, broad transcriptomic changes gives cells the mechanistic repertoire to dynamically adjust cellular processes and optimize response behavior. Together, this enables cells to minimize the 'cost' of the response while maximizing the ability to survive environmental stress. Here we highlight recent progress in our understanding of transcriptional networks and proteolysis that illustrates the design principles used by bacteria to generate the complex behaviors required to resist stress.
Fitness in American culture : images of health, sport, and the body, 1830-1940

Focusing on the period from 1830 to 1940, this collection of essays by six historians explores American's fascination with health and sport, a preoccupation that continues even today in the current diet and fitness craze. In his introduction, Harvey Green discusses one of the major ironies of this period: that the "progress" and achievements Americans sought in the economic and technological spheres were in fact endangering their health and weakening the entire body politic. The rapid technological changes taking place in the world forced many people to alter fundamentally their thinking about the importance of health and physical fitness not just for themselves as individuals but also for the good of society. Donald Mrozek examines the emerging attitude that pleasure derives from a person's conscious sense of feeling good, contented and happy - an attitude that became an integral premise of 20th-century fitness. T.J.Jackson Lears explores how advertising reflected health concerns, arguing that as the public world became increasingly governed by institutions beyond individual control, the body became an important arena for self-expression. Michael Harris, in his discussion of iron as a symbol of vitality and strength, shows the importance of ideology and religion in shaping attitudes toward health. James Whorton traces the increasing specialization of foods, comparing this phenomenon to specialization in other areas of society. Roberta Park discusses the advent of organized physical activity as a means of achieving both a fitter individual body and a healthier, more felicitous world. In particular, she cites the emergence of football and the triumph of competitive sport over more individual pursuits such as calisthenics and gymnastics.
Challenges of employee retention

Outlines the difficulty of retaining new employees covering the problems, costs and methods used to retain productive employees. Suggests that there is often insufficient data regarding initial employee performance and the lack of incentives for better performers who are often treated equally with under performers. Considers the costs and benefits of using employment agencies. Briefly considers the use of pay as an incentive, including bonuses and stock ownership and job satisfaction through good job design to increase variety.
Age-related differences in avoidance behavior in rats following CS preexposure.

Weanling and adult rats were exposed to either 0 or 10 conditioned stimulus (CS) presentations prior to 1-way active-avoidance (AA) training. Although CS exposure retarded avoidance acquisition in the adults, it produced no effect in the pups during avoidance learning. Neither adult nor young rats demonstrated preexposure effects in extinction. A general extinction analysis showed that pups had less resistance to extinction than the adults, despite a comparable avoidance learning criterion between age groups. The lack of preexposure influences on performance by the pups was compared to previous findings of response inhibitory deficits in immature rats. The results were considered in light of selective attention interpretations of latent inhibition.
Two-dimensional subpicosecond time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy: Optical Kerr-gating with the excitation of alternating polarizations of light

Abstract We have developed a subpicosecond time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy (TRFA) that newly implements a photoelastic modulator to alternate the polarizations of an excitation laser light. The setup facilitates virtually simultaneous detection of the parallel I ∥ and the perpendicular I ⊥ emission from a photoexcited molecule of interest by means of an ultra-short (optical Kerr-gating) shutter and a spectrograph coupled with a charge-coupled device. From a set of I ∥ ( λ , t ) and I ⊥ ( λ , t ) that comprise 2-D (two-dimensional) information on both a full range of spectra and subpicosecond time-resolved fluorescence decays, the 2-D TRFA, R ( λ , t ) , is directly given with better accuracy. To claim the merit of the technique we carried out a test for 2-D TRFA of Coumarin 153 in methanol.
Isolation and biological activity of the proteases released by sea urchin eggs following fertilization

Abstract The protease activity released from sea urchin egg cortical granules into the surrounding seawater at fertilization is involved in vitelline layer elevation and the block to polyspermy. The cortical granule protease components were isolated by isoelectric precipitation and affinity chromatography on p -aminobenzamidine-Sepharose columns. Elution profiles from affinity columns suggested heterogeneity of the proteases, and polyacrylamide-gel electrofocusing of affinity-purified preparations established the presence of two proteins. Dramatically different biological activities were resolved by affinity chromatography. Early-eluting fractions of low specific activity delaminated the vitelline layer from the egg plasma membrane; this activity is termed vitelline delaminase. Late-eluting fractions of high specific activity modified the egg vitelline layer surface such that sperm could not bind or fertilize them; this activity is referred to as sperm receptor hydrolase. The biological activities of the sea urchin proteases are apparently the result of limited action on the vitelline layer, unlike bovine trypsin which simply digests the vitelline layer. The cortical granule proteases lost biological specificity when stored at 0°C at pH 8.0. Esterase activity increased, and the preparation acquired the ability to digest the vitelline layer. Increase of the esterase activity in protease preparations was prevented by storage at low pH. The molecular weight of both enzymes was estimated by sucrose gradient centrifugation to be 47,000, whereas multiple components with molecular weights between 10 5 and 10 6 were demonstrated by gel filtration.
Identification of high explosives using single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry.

The application of single-particle aerosol mass spectrometry (SPAMS) to the real-time detection of micrometer-sized single particles of high explosives is described. Dual-polarity time-of-flight mass spectra from 1000 single particles each of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT), 1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazinane (RDX), and pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), as well as those of complex explosives, Composition B, Semtex 1A, and Semtex 1H, were obtained over a range of desorption/ionization laser fluences between 0.50 and 8.01 nJ/μm2. Mass spectral variability with laser fluence for each explosive is discussed. The ability of the SPAMS system to identify explosive components in a single complex explosive particle (∼1 pg) without the need for consumables is demonstrated.
Genome-wide distribution of ORC and MCM proteins in S. cerevisiae: high-resolution mapping of replication origins

DNA replication origins are fundamental to chromosome organization and duplication, but understanding of these elements is limited because only a small fraction of these sites have been identified in eukaryotic genomes. Origin Recognition Complex (ORC) and minichromosome maintenance (MCM) proteins form prereplicative complexes at origins of replication. Using these proteins as molecular landmarks for origins, we identified ORC- and MCM-bound sites throughout the yeast genome. Four hundred twenty-nine sites in the yeast genome were predicted to contain replication origins, and approximately 80% of the loci identified on chromosome X demonstrated origin function. A substantial fraction of the predicted origins are associated with repetitive DNA sequences, including subtelomeric elements (X and Y') and transposable element-associated sequences (long terminal repeats). These findings identify the global set of yeast replication origins and open avenues of investigation into the role(s) ORC and MCM proteins play in chromosomal architecture and dynamics.
Platelets and plasma proteins are both required to stimulate collagen gene expression by anterior cruciate ligament cells in three-dimensional culture.

Collagen–platelet (PL)-rich plasma composites have shown in vivo potential to stimulate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) healing at early time points in large animal models. However, little is known about the cellular mechanisms by which the plasma component of these composites may stimulate healing. We hypothesized that the components of PL-rich plasma (PRP), namely the PLs and PL-poor plasma (PPP), would independently significantly influence ACL cell viability and metabolic activity, including collagen gene expression. To test this hypothesis, ACL cells were cultured in a collagen type I hydrogel with PLs, PPP, or the combination of the two (PRP) for 14 days. The inclusion of PLs, PPP, and PRP all significantly reduced the rate of cell apoptosis and enhanced the metabolic activity of fibroblasts in the collagen hydrogel. PLs promoted fibroblast-mediated collagen scaffold contraction, whereas PPP inhibited this contraction. PPP and PRP both promoted cell elongation and the formation of wavy fibrous structure in the scaffolds. The addition of only PLs or only plasma proteins did not significantly enhance gene expression of collagen types I and III but the combination, as PRP, did. Our findings suggest that the addition of both PLs and plasma proteins to collagen hydrogel may be useful in stimulating ACL healing by enhancing ACL cell viability, metabolic activity, and collagen synthesis.
MICROSIMULATION OF NEIGHBORHOOD EVACUATIONS IN THE URBAN - WILDLAND INTERFACE

Residential development in fire-prone wildlands is occurring at an unprecedented rate. Community-based evacuation planning in many areas is an emerging need. In this paper we present a method for using microscopic traffic simulation to develop and test neighborhood evacuation plans in the urban–wildland interface. The method allows an analyst to map the subneighborhood variation in household evacuation travel times under various scenarios. A custom scenario generator manages household trip generation, departure timing, and destination choice. Traffic simulation, route choice, and dynamic visualization are handled by a commercial system. We present a case study for a controversial fire-prone canyon community east of Salt Lake City, Utah. GIS was used to map the spatial effects of a proposed second access road on household evacuation times. Our results indicate that the second road will reduce some household travel times much more than others, but all evacuation travel times will become more consistent.
An Expansion of the Trait-State-Occasion Model: Accounting for Shared Method Variance

This article examines 4 approaches for explaining shared method variance, each applied to a longitudinal trait–state–occasion (TSO) model. Many approaches have been developed to account for shared method variance in multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) data. Some of these MTMM approaches (correlated method, orthogonal method, correlated method minus one, correlated uniqueness) were therefore borrowed in these analyses such that their effectiveness could be evaluated in conjunction with a TSO model. To this end, datasets were generated according to 4 different covariance matrices (each created according to specifications of a model built with 1 of the 4 approaches) and each model was crossed with each type of data. Whereas the correlated method and correlated method minus one approaches encountered many difficulties in convergence, fit, or parameter estimates, the correlated uniqueness and orthogonal method approaches proved to be quite versatile.