cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RESONANCE RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY OF NITRILE HYDRATASE, A NOVEL IRON-SULFUR ENZYME

Resonance Raman spectra of Rhodococcus sp. R312 (formerly Brevibacterium sp. R312) nitrile hydratase, a novel non-heme iron enzyme, have a large number of peaks in the 300-500 cm-1 region; observation of shifts in these peaks after labeling with 34S shows that they arise from cysteine coordinated to the ferric ion in the protein. The rich Raman spectra result from coupling of the Fe-S stretch with cysteine side chain deformation modes; the observation of 15N isotope shifts in most of these peaks suggests participation of N-donor metal ligands and peptide backbone amide nitrogens in these modes as well. The aggregate 34S isotope shift is too large to result from a single cysteine ligand, consistent with the analysis of EXAFS data that shows two or three S-donor ligands [Scarrow et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 10078-10088]. Widespread 2H isotope shifts seen after exchange of the protein into 2H2O suggest the presence of hydrogen bonds to the coordinated cysteine sulfurs. Comparison of the resonance Raman spectra of nitrile hydratase prepared at pH 7.3 and 9.0 shows a shift of intensity into the higher-energy peaks in the spectra of the latter sample. This is interpreted as resulting from an increase in Fe-S bond strength at the higher pH and is supported by observation of a small decrease in Fe-S bond length in the EXAFS analysis [Scarrow et al. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 10078-10088]. Such a decrease in Fe-S bond length is also consistent with pH dependent changes in EPR spectra and could reflect the loss of one or more hydrogen bonds to sulfur ligands.
High-density fiber-optic genosensor microsphere array capable of zeptomole detection limits.

The detection limit of a fiber-optic microsensor array was investigated for simultaneous detection of multiple DNA sequences. A random array composed of oligonucleotide-functionalized 3.1-μm-diameter microspheres on the distal face of a 500-μm etched imaging fiber was monitored for binding to fluorescently labeled complementary DNA sequences. Inherent sensor redundancy in the microarray allows the use of multiple microspheres to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, further enhancing the detection capabilities. Specific hybridization was observed for each of three sequences in an array yielding a detection limit of 10-21 mol (∼600 DNA molecules).
Sclerosing of recurrent lymphangioma using OK-432☆

The authors present two cases of lymphangioma of the cervicofacial region, treated with a new investigational drug in North America, OK-432 (picibanil), a sclerosing agent intralesionally injected. Both patients had been treated surgically and had recurrence of the tumor. Intralesional injection of OK-432 without aspiration was employed for the first patient, and after aspiration in the second patient. A change in consistency of the tumor, manifested by softening, was followed by marked shrinkage. No complication either locally or systemically has occurred during the follow-up period (10 to 16 months). In both cases, satisfactory results were obtained, resulting in definite reduction in size and improvement in cosmetic appearance. The authors recommend OK-432 intralesional injection for surgically challenging lymphangioma. Their results support those of a recent Japanese study using OK-432 as sclerosing therapy for unresectable lymphangioma.
Dual‐echo, chemical shift gradient‐echo magnetic resonance imaging to quantify hepatic steatosis: Implications for living liver donation

In living liver donation, a fatty liver poses risks for both recipient and donor. Currently, liver biopsy is the standard for assessing the presence and extent of steatosis. The goals of this study were to correlate a steatosis index derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the histologic grade on biopsy as well as to determine the topographic distribution of steatosis within the liver. We examined the ability of dual-echo, chemical shift gradient-echo MRI to predict the degree of steatosis on liver biopsy. A total of 22 subjects received both a liver biopsy and detailed MRI evaluation. These individuals included 15 potential living donors and 7 patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. MRI steatosis index was then compared with histologic grade on liver biopsy. The topographic distribution of hepatic steatosis was determined from those subjects in whom MRI detected hepatic steatosis. The steatosis index had a positive correlation with grade of steatosis on liver biopsy (correlation coefficient, 0.84). There was no significant variation in the degree of steatosis among segments. A steatosis index of >0.2 had good positive and negative predictive value for the presence of significant steatosis (>15%) on biopsy. Our quantitative MRI protocol can predict the degree of hepatic steatosis when it is minimal to moderate, and may obviate the need for liver biopsy for the purpose of quantification of steatosis in living donors. Fat saturation added to the MRI protocol may further improve diagnostic accuracy. This technique may be applicable to the larger population with hepatic steatosis. (Liver Transpl 2003;9:851-856.)
Systematic variations in recurrence interval and moment of repeating aftershocks

[1] The recurrence intervals for 194 repeating clusters on the Calaveras fault follow a power-law decay relation with elapsed time after the 1984 M6.2 Morgan Hill, California, mainshock. The decay rates of repeating aftershocks in the immediate vicinity of a high-slip patch that failed during the mainshock systematically exceed those that are farther away. The trend between relative moment and recurrence interval, which is a measure of the fault-healing rate, varies systematically with depth and changes from negative to positive value as the distance between the repeating aftershock and the mainshock slip patch increases. We speculate that high strain rate in the early postseismic period may cause transient embrittlement and strengthening of the deep repeating clusters in the areas adjacent to the mainshock slip patch, resulting in large moments that decrease with time as the strain rate diminishes. Our observations suggest that systematic behavior of repeating aftershocks reflect variations in the fault zone rheology.
Substance use and violent behavior in adolescence

The relation between substance use and violent behavior in adolescence is reviewed, and each of five competing models of this relation is examined. I begin by presenting background material on adolescent substance use and adolescent violence. I then describe five different models that have been proposed to explain the association between substance use and violent behavior. Next, I review the adolescent literature concerning substance use and violence, noting methodological weaknesses that have plagued this research. I conclude with an evaluation of the five models and suggestions for future research.
Screening for lung cancer: the early lung cancer action approach.

Suddenly, screening for lung cancer has become a hot topic. Researchers are initiating projects to study it; the public is demanding it; and medical institutions are offering it. The sudden activity is also prompting reconsideration of the still-nihilistic North American public policies on lung-cancer screening. Out of the Fourth International Conference on Screening for Lung Cancer, held in February 2001 and only 16 months after the first one, arose a unanimous recommendation to quickly publish the current protocol of the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP) initiated by a resolution of the third Conference. The purpose here is to do just that, though only upon first outlining the origins of this initiative and also specifying its aims and broadest principles.
Solar-Powered Photocatalytic Fiber-Optic Cable Reactor for Waste Stream Remediation

The design and testing of a solar-powered fiber-optic cable reactor prototype for the photocatalytic destruction of organic pollutants is presented. A concentrating collector directs sunlight into a fiber-optic cable which transmits light to a TiO_2 photocatalyst immobilized on the fibers and immersed in a reaction solution. The performance of the reactor using solar and artificial UV radiation are compared. The system is also compared to another fiber-optic cable reactor having a 50 percent higher photocatalytic surface area-to-reactor volume ratio to investigate mass transport limitations. Reaction rates for the oxidation of 4-chlorophenol of 25 and 12 μM min^(-1) were measured for solar and artificial UV sources, respectively. The faster reaction rate using solar radiation is due to a higher UV light flux compared to the artificial source. Both fiber-optic reactor systems were determined not to be mass transport limited. Relative quantum efficiencies of ⌽ = 0.014 and ⌽ = 0.020 were determined for the solar and artificial irradiations, respectively. In agreement with previous findings, enhanced quantum efficiencies are attributed to a lower absorbed light intensity-to-photocatalytic surface area ratio. The solar reactor prototype was found to degrade effectively 4-chlorophenol and may prove useful for the in situ passive decontamination of subsurface and other remote environments.
Laboratory Studies on the Vulnerability of Young White Sturgeon to Predation

Abstract Despite evidence of annual spawning by white sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus in rivers of the northwestern United States and Canada, in some years and locations little or no recruitment of age-0 white sturgeon has been observed. We examined the vulnerability of white sturgeon larvae and juveniles to predation to further understand possible causes of mortality. We were particularly interested in the vulnerability of older larvae and juveniles because at about 25 mm total length (TL) white sturgeon develop sharp dorsal and lateral scutes that may act as a morphological defense. In the laboratory, white sturgeon ranging from newly hatched larvae to about 170-mm TL juveniles were exposed to predatory fishes they might encounter in the natural environment. We found that channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (mean TL = 464 mm) and northern pikeminnow Ptychocheilus oregonensis (mean TL = 472 mm) ate white sturgeon up to mean sizes of 121 and 134 mm TL, respectively. Conversely, similarly sized walleyes S...
On the causes of early life experience effects: Evaluating the role of mom

Early life experiences are thought to have long-lasting effects on cognitive, emotional, and social function during adulthood. Changes in neuroendocrine function, particularly the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, contribute to these systems-level behavioral effects. In searching for causal mechanisms underlying these early experience effects, pioneering research has demonstrated an important role for maternal care in offspring development, and this has led to two persistent ideas that permeate current research and thinking: first, environmental impact on the developing infant is mediated through maternal care behavior; second, the more care that a mother provides, the better off her offspring. While a good beginning, the reality is likely more complex. In this review, we critically examine these ideas and propose a computationally-motivated theoretical framework, and within this framework, we consider evidence supporting a hypothesis of maternal modulation. These findings may inform policy decisions in the context of child health and development.
Influenza antibody in human respiratory secretions after subcutaneous or respiratory immunization with inactivated virus.

STUDIES with human volunteers have shown that experimental infection with influenza virus is a better stimulus of antibody in respiratory secretions than is subcutaneous immunization with inactivated vaccine, although both procedures result in the production of similar concentrations of serum antibody1,2. The work reported here was undertaken to determine if administration of inactivated virus vaccine through the respiratory tract provokes a similar antibody response in respiratory secretions.
Characteristics of the Liquid Film and Pressure Drop in Horizontal, Annular, Two-phase Flow Through Round, Square and Triangular Tubes

A unique set of liquid film thickness and pressure drop data has been obtained for horizontal, annular flow of air and water through round, square and triangular tube using a noninvasive, optical liquid film thickness measurement system. In the square and triangular tubes, the liquid film was thinned in the corners, indicating an effect of turbulent secondary flows in these geometries
Induced fit or conformational selection? The role of the semi-closed state in the maltose binding protein.

A full characterization of the thermodynamic forces underlying ligand-associated conformational changes in proteins is essential for understanding and manipulating diverse biological processes, including transport, signaling, and enzymatic activity. Recent experiments on the maltose binding protein (MBP) have provided valuable data about the different conformational states implicated in the ligand recognition process; however, a complete picture of the accessible pathways and the associated changes in free energy remains elusive. Here we describe results from advanced accelerated molecular dynamics (aMD) simulations, coupled with adaptively biased force (ABF) and thermodynamic integration (TI) free energy methods. The combination of approaches allows us to track the ligand recognition process on the microsecond time scale and provides a detailed characterization of the protein’s dynamic and the relative energy of stable states. We find that an induced-fit (IF) mechanism is most likely and that a mechanism...
Effect of pH, Concentration, and Treatment Time of Aluminum Solutions on Acid Dissolution of Enamel

Dissolution tests were conducted with human enamel following treatment with aqueous aluminum (Al) solutions under conditions of varying pH, concentration, and treatment time. Al reduced enamel dissolution in a pH 4 acetate buffer most effectively when used in the pH range of 3 to 4, at concentrations above 0.005 mollL, and for treatment times of more than four minutes. However, significant activity was observed with concentrations as low as 0.0005 mol/L Al and treatment times as short as 15 seconds. The effects of Al solution pH and concentration on enamel dissolution were related to the hydrolysis of Al above pH 4 and to the accelerated dissolution of apatite below pH 3.
Learning to use scientific concepts

In responding to the research on conceptual change, this article attempts to make two points. First, scientific concepts are not possessed by individuals; rather, they are part of a culture’s resources, which individuals learn to use for their own or for group purposes. Second, particular concepts are most effectively mastered when the learner is deeply engaged in solving a problem for which they function as effective semiotic tools in achieving a solution. On these grounds, it is argued that the mastering of scientific concepts is best achieved through learning to use them in motivated inquiry.
Potential organ or tumor imaging agents. 32. A triglyceride ester of P-Iodophenyl pentadecanoic acid as a potential hepatic imaging agent

Abstract A triglyceride analog, glycerol-2-palmitoyl-1,3-di-15-(p-iodophenyl)pentadecanoate (DPPG) was synthesized and radiolabeled for evaluation as a potential functional liver scintigraphic agent. Uptake of DPPG was compared in normal, diabetic, tumor-bearing and heparin pretreated rats, revealing differences in uptake and clearance of radioactivity, correlating with hepatic lipase activity of these groups. Similar results were observed by γ -camera scintigraphy. Comparing the uptake of DPPG with that of its fatty acid component, 15-(p-iodophenyl)pentadecanoic acid (IPPA), revealed that the peak uptake of IPPA in the liver was about half that of DPPG. Based upon these findings, DPPG warrants further study as a hepatic radiodiagnostic agent.
Fluoride release from varnishes in two in vitro protocols

ABSTRACT Background The authors conducted a study to evaluate fluoride released from fluoride varnishes that had been applied with two different protocols. Fluoride release information for these two approaches may allow clinicians to vary application intervals to better meet the needs of their patients. Methods The authors painted enamel slabs from exfoliated primary molar teeth either in a single application (five samples) or three times within a single week (five samples) with fluoride varnish (Duraphat, Colgate-Palmolive, New York). The samples were immersed in buffered calcium phosphate solution (pH 6) to simulate the oral environment; the amount of fluoride released was measured during a span of six months. Results The total release of fluoride was significantly higher in the three-application regimen (34.9 micromoles) than in the single application (23.7 μmol). The rate of release was slower using the three-application regimen. Thus, applying fluoride-release varnish three times in a single week produced greater and longer release of fluoride than did one application. Clinical Implications Massed application of fluoride varnish during a single period during the year may be as effective as spaced single applications. This method can be a good alternative to delivering fluoride varnish to high-caries-risk patients who are mobile or difficult to recall.
Electrolysis in nanochannels for in situ reagent generation in confined geometries

In situ generation of reactive species within confined geometries, such as nanopores or nanochannels is of significant interest in overcoming mass transport limitations in chemical reactivity. Solvent electrolysis is a simple process that can readily be coupled to nanochannels for the electrochemical generation of reactive species, such as H2. Here the production of hydrogen-rich liquid volumes within nanofluidic structures, without bubble nucleation or nanochannel occlusion, is explored both experimentally and by modeling. Devices comprised of multiple horizontal nanochannels intersecting planar working and quasi-reference electrodes were constructed and used to study the effects of confinement and reduced working volume on the electrochemical reduction of H2O to H2 and OH−. H2 production in the nanochannel-embedded electrode reactor output was monitored by fluorescence emission of fluorescein, which exhibits a pH-dependent emission intensity. Initially, the fluorescein solution was buffered to pH 6.0 prior to stepping the potential cathodic of E0′ for the generation of OH− and H2. Because the electrochemical products are obtained in a 2 : 1 stoichiometry, local measurements of pH during and after the cathodic potential steps can be converted into H2 production rates. Independent experimental estimates of the local H2 concentration were then obtained from the spatiotemporal fluorescence behavior and current measurements, and these were compared with finite element simulations accounting for electrolysis and subsequent convection and diffusion within the confined geometry. Local dissolved H2 concentrations were correlated to partial pressures through Henry's Law and values as large as 8.3 atm were obtained at the most negative potential steps. The downstream availability of electrolytically produced H2 in nanochannels is evaluated in terms of its possible use as a downstream reducing reagent. The results obtained here indicate that H2 can easily reach saturation concentrations at modest overpotentials.
SU‐FF‐T‐274: Evaluation of a Self‐Contained Orthovoltage X‐Ray Unit

Purpose: Orthovoltage x‐ray units, designed for non‐human use, are rapidly replacing radioisotope irradiators in small animal and radiobiology research. The beam characteristics of these units, however, are often ignored by researchers. This work characterizes the orthovolatge beam from one of the newer units widely used by researchers in medicine and related fields. Method and Materials: The X‐Rad 320, a self‐contained x‐ray system is commonly used in laboratory and university settings. The unit has a maximum output voltage of 320 kVp and a maximum dose output of 3 Gy/min at 50 cm SSD. The kVp and mA settings are adjustable through a wide range and the SSD can be set between 20 and 90 cm. This work characterizes the beam produced by this system with regard to its flatness, depth dose,collimator scatter factor, and backscatter factor at the location of its adjustable height sample shelf. The validity of the inverse square factor and the accuracy of HVL determination in this system's enclosed environment are also examined. Results: The unit has been calibrated according to AAPM TG‐61 protocol. HVLs for certain beam settings have been determined and depth dose has been measured and compared to published data for the appropriate beam quality. The flatness of the beam for several collimator settings has been measured to ensure uniform irradiation of samples within a given collimator setting. Other beam characteristics such as backscatter and collimator scatter factors have also been measured. Conclusion: Proper characterization of an x‐ray beam and accurate dosimetry is of importance in many of the small animal and radiobiology investigations which may lead to advent of new therapies for humans. This work investigates the beam characteristics of a self‐contained orthovoltage x‐ray unit to ensure accurate and uniform irradiation of samples.
Changing approaches to corrections

Abstract A new training program was developed for correctional officers and other new employees. The training was designed to focus on a positive philosophy toward rehabilitation rather than emphasizing techniques for managing inmates. Attitude questionnaires were developed to test attitudes on treatment and security. The questionnaire was administered before and after the training to determine changes in attitude. The trainees' attitudes were compared to those of college students who had completed an internship. There was a significant difference in the attitudes of employees before training and after training. There was also a significant difference in attitudes of interns and employees before training but not after the employees had been trained.
Factors Related to the Storage Stability of Foam-Dried Whole Milk. IV. Effect of Powder Moisture Content and In-Pack Oxygen at Different Storage Temperatures

Abstract The flavor stability of foam-dried whole milk powders ranging from 2–5% in moisture content, packed in cans containing gases varying from nitrogen containing 0.2% oxygen to air, and held at storage temperatures ranging from 80 to 0 F was determined organoleptically. Low in-pack oxygen concentrations and low powder moisture content were found to reduce the rate of flavor deterioration at elevated temperatures, whereas high moisture levels favored flavor stability at moderately low storage temperatures. This stabilizing effect of moisture became more significant as the oxygen in the pack increased. This effect was not observed at 0 F. Actually, storage at this temperature seemed undesirable in the presence of oxygen. From the study it was concluded that the parameters used in this investigation could be manipulated to maintain an acceptable level of flavor in foam-dried whole milk powder during six months of storage.
Urodynamic outcome after surgery for severe prolapse and potential stress incontinence

Abstract Objective: Women with severe prolapse may be paradoxically continent because of kinking of the urethra. It is currently a common practice to perform urethropexy in women who demonstrate stress incontinence on preoperative reduction of the prolapse with a pessary. We compared the urodynamic outcomes after reconstructive operations that included suspending urethropexy with outcomes after those that did not. Study Design: A review was performed of the charts of the Gynecologic Urology Clinic at Los Angeles County–University of Southern California Women's and Children's Hospital from 1991-1997 of patients with grade III uterovaginal prolapse or procidentia in whom the pessary test was used to determine whether urethropexy was included in the reconstructive operation. Urodynamic outcomes were compared statistically with the Fisher exact test, and P ≤.05 denoted statistical significance. Results: Fifty-five patients underwent urethropexy in addition to repair of the prolapse, and 70 underwent reconstruction alone. Twenty-three patients in the first group and 20 in the second were available for a mean urodynamic follow-up of 3.5 years. In the urethropexy group 7 (30%) patients had de novo detrusor instability and 1 (4%) had stress incontinence. In the reconstruction-only group 1 (5%) patient had detrusor instability and none had stress incontinence. Conclusions: Preoperative barrier testing is useful in identifying patients who do not require an antiincontinence procedure. Prophylactic Burch retropubic urethropexy increases the incidence of bladder instability. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;182:1378-81.)
“Where Pastime Only Had Been Sought”: Wordsworth at the Ballet

Byron's contemptuous reference in Don Juan to the affected movement of the typical “ballet-master” represents one of English Romantic poetry's only direct allusions to the art of ballet, and recent decades’ accounts of British Romanticism have suggested that ballet – too frivolous, too French – held little sway over the movement's major voices. I aim to challenge that notion by reconsidering Wordsworth, whose taste for theater generally would have rendered him something of a dance connoisseur – and whose work, I suggest, reflects a surprisingly dance-indebted kinesthetic sensibility. By evaluating the lyrics’ accounts of pedestrianism generally as well as the Prelude’s more specific descriptions of Wordsworth's encounters with nineteenth-century ballet, I demonstrate that Wordsworth's references to and portrayals of dance function as more than pastoral cliche; the argument concludes by reassessing “I wandered lonely as a cloud,” which represents a particularly potent example of Wordsworth's ballet-inspire...
Increased sensitivity in the detection of adenine and pyridine nucleotides by exposure to ultraviolet light at low temperature.

IN 1957 Szent-Gyorgyi described a procedure for the enhancement of fluorescence of compounds spotted on paper by cooling with solid carbon dioxide or liquid nitrogen1. Gordon and South have applied this procedure to the action of aromatic acids and other aromatic ring-containing compounds2. We have found that by observing absorption, fluorescence and delayed fluorescence on exposure to long and short wave-length ultra-violet light, NAD+ and NADH can be distinguished from each other and from ADP and ATP.
Spatially Resolved Visible Luminescence of Self-Assembled Semiconductor Quantum Dots

Ensembles of defect-free InAIAs islands of ultrasmall dimensions embedded in AIGaAs have been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Cathodoluminescence was used to directly image the spatial distribution of the quantum dots by mapping their luminescence and to spectrally resolve very sharp peaks from small groups of dots, thus providing experimental verification for the discrete density of states in a zero-dimensional quantum structure. Visible luminescence is produced by different nominal compositions of In x AI( 1– x ) As-AI y Ga (1– y ) As.
Quikwriting: continuous stylus-based text entry

We present a “heads-up” shorthand for entering text on a stylus-based computer very rapidly. The innovations are that (i) the stylus need never be lifted from the surface, and that (ii) the user need never stop moving the stylus. Continuous multi-word text of arbitrary length can be written fluidly, even as a single continuous gesture if desired.
Electronic interaction at molecule-metal interfaces: implication for molecule-based electronics

How an electron crosses a metal-molecule interface has been a longstanding question in many disciplines. The recent surge of interests in molecular electronics has renewed the need for quantitative answers to this question. In molecule-based conventional electronic devices, such as organic light emitting diodes, the metal-molecule interface determines the charge injection efficiency. The importance of the interface only increases as device dimension shrinks to the scale of a single or a small group of molecules, i.e., molecular electronics. This paper takes an experimentalist's view and discusses recent progress in understanding electron transport at metal-molecule interfaces using two-photon photoemission (2PPE) spectroscopy, which provides quantitative information on: the alignment of unoccupied molecular orbitals to the metal Fermi level, the localized nature of interfacial dipoles, the strength of interfacial electronic coupling, and the dynamics of the transient electronic state at the interface.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Responding to the public health consequences of the Ukraine crisis: an opportunity for global health diplomacy

Introduction: Peace and stability in Eastern Europe is now at a crossroads with the rapidly deteriorating foreign policy crisis continuing to unfold in the Ukraine. However, largely overlooked in the context of other foreign policy and diplomatic priorities are the serious public health consequences for the region following the annexation of Crimea and the subsequent decision to ban opioid substitution therapy in the disputed territory. Discussion: On 1 May 2014, the Republic of Crimea officially announced it would end access to opioid substitution therapy, an essential harm reduction tool recognized by international organizations and virtually all other European countries. The policy development marks a critical reversal in the region's fight against its growing HIV epidemic and also threatens years of public health gains aimed at providing evidence-based and integrated treatment approaches to combat drug dependence and HIV. Beyond these risks, the Ukrainian conflict could also negatively impact control of other infectious diseases that are converging with HIV and injection drug use, such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and hepatitis C virus. The continuing conflict is also likely to have a significant negative impact on Ukraine's fragile public health system leading to even worse population health outcomes than currently experienced by the country. Conclusions: In response to this crisis, the application of global health diplomacy principles represents a possible route of advo- cacy to ensure that HIV prevention, humane treatment of substance using populations, and improving public health outcomes in the region are pursued among concerned international stakeholders. In order to be effective, global health diplomacy efforts must be coordinated and advocated in all forms of diplomatic engagement, including at the core, multistakeholder and informal levels and through existing channels such as the different human rights bodies of the United Nations as well as amongst other actors. Hence, the Ukraine crisis represents a critical moment for the practice and advancement of global health diplomacy in order to ensure global public health priorities are given their rightful place in foreign policy making to hopefully help in bringing resolution to the current conflict.
Ligation of the α2M Signalling Receptor Elevates the Levels of p21Ras-GTP in Macrophages

Ligation of the alpha2-macroglobulin signalling receptor (alpha2MSR) with alpha2-macroglobulin (alpha2M)-methylamine or a cloned and expressed receptor binding fragment (RBF) stimulates DNA synthesis. To examine the possible role of the Ras pathway in the mitogenic effects observed on ligating alpha2MSR, we studied the formation of p2 Ras-GTP in murine peritoneal macrophages upon treatment with alpha2M-methylamine and RBF, respectively. Both alpha2M-methylamine (50 pM) and RBF (50 pM) stimulated a 2-3-fold increase in the formation of the p21Ras-GTP complex compared with unstimulated cells. p21Ras-GT32P complex formation was both time and RBF concentration dependent and was comparable to p21Ras-GT32P complex formation induced by EGF (200 ng/mL) and platelet derived growth factor (50 mg/mL). Up-regulation of cells with phorbol dibutyrate prior to stimulation with RBF had no effect on p2 Ras-GT32P formation. However, treatment of macrophages with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genestein drastically reduced RBF-induced formation of the p21 Ras-GT32P complex. Wortmannin, an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol-3'-kinase (PI3K), had no effect on p21Ras-GT32P complex formation. It is concluded that the mitogenic effects of ligating alpha2MSR are mediated through a Ras-dependent pathway.
Bird functional diversity and ecosystem services in tropical forests, agroforests and agricultural areas

Although most bird species avoid agricultural areas, nearly a third of all birds regularly to occasionally use such habitats, often providing important ecosystem services like pest control, pollination, and seed dispersal. Combining literature review with large-scale analyses of the ecological characteristics of the world’s birds, I compared tropical bird species that prefer forests, agricultural areas or both, with respect to body mass, diet, range and population size, frequency, conservation status, habitat and resource specialization. Compared to primary forests, species richness of large frugivorous and insectivorous birds (especially terrestrial and understorey species) often declines in agroforests. In contrast, nectarivores, small-to-medium insectivores (especially migrants and canopy species), omnivores, and sometimes granivores and small frugivores do better, frequently by tracking seasonal resources. However, changes in guild species numbers do not necessarily translate to changes in relative abundance, biomass or function, and more studies are needed to quantify these important measures. These findings indicate that the replacement of forests and agroforests with simplified agricultural systems can result in shifts towards less specialized bird communities with altered proportions of functional groups. These shifts can reduce avian ecosystem function and affect the ecosystem services provided by birds in agroforests and other agricultural landscapes.
Settlement and recruitment of sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus spp.) in a sea-urchin barren ground and a kelp bed: are populations regulated by settlement or post-settlement processes?

I sampled recruitment of very small sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus spp.) by using the anesthetic magnesium chloride to remove individuals from substrata collected in sea-urchin barren grounds (barrens) and kelp beds at Naples Reef near Santa Barbara, California, USA. Preliminary sampling found low numbers of newly settled individuals(<0.6 mm test diam) from April–July in 1984 and 1985, and in April, 1986. In early May, 1986, I found many newly settled seaurchins (0.3 to 0.6 mm, 5 to 17 d old), and I compared the densities of the cohort on several types of natural substrata in barrens and kelp-bed habitats. Newly settled individuals of both purple sea urchins (S. purpuratus) and red sea urchins (S. franciscanus) were present in similar, high densities (1 000 S. purpuratus m-2) on foliose red algal turf, a dominant substratum ofthe kelp bed, and on crustose coralline algae, the dominant substratum of an adjacent barrens. Larvae of S. purpuratus reared and tested in the laboratory showed high rates of settlement on both red algal turf and on crustose coralline algae, but significantly lower rates on rock. Larvae also settled in response to a partiallypurified extract of coralline algae. The reduced settlement on natural rock surfaces relative to either algal treatment and the significant settlement in response to the extract of coralline algae indicate that larvae discriminate between natural substrata and probably respond to a settlement cue other than, or in addition to, a simple microbial (bacterial) film. The similar densities of young recruits of S. purpuratus on dominant substrata of barrens and kelp bed show that, at least in this case, differential settlement cannot explain the high densities of sea urchins in the barrens habitat. Movement between barrens and kelp bed is unlikely given the small sizes of the newly recruited sea urchins relative to the large distances often involved. Reduced post-settlement mortality of newly settled individuals in the barrens remains the most likely mechanism leading to the higher densities of sea urchins in barrens relative to kelp-bed habitats.
Strategy Training During Inpatient Rehabilitation May Prevent Apathy Symptoms After Acute Stroke

Abstract Background Apathy, or lack of motivation for goal-directed activities, contributes to reduced engagement in and benefit from rehabilitation, impeding recovery from stroke. Objective To examine the effects of strategy training, a behavioral intervention used to augment usual inpatient rehabilitation, on apathy symptoms over the first 6 months after stroke. Design Secondary analysis of randomized controlled trial. Setting Acute inpatient rehabilitation. Participants Participants with acute stroke who exhibited cognitive impairments (Quick Executive Interview Scores ≥3) and were admitted for inpatient rehabilitation were randomized to receive strategy training (n = 15, 1 session per day, 5 days per week, in addition to usual inpatient rehabilitation) or reflective listening (n = 15, same dose). Methods Strategy training sessions focused on participant-selected goals and participant-derived strategies to address these goals, using a global strategy training method (Goal-Plan-Do-Check). Reflective listening sessions focused on participant reflections on their rehabilitation goals and experiences, facilitated by open-ended questions and active listening skills (attending, following, and responding). Main Outcome Measures Trained raters blinded to group assignment administered the Apathy Evaluation Scale at study admission, 3 months, and 6 months. Data were analyzed with repeated-measures fixed-effects models. Results Participants in both groups had similar subsyndromal levels of apathy symptoms at study admission (strategy training, mean=25.79, standard deviation=7.62; reflective listening, mean=25.18, standard deviation=4.40). A significant group × time interaction (F 2,28 = 3.61, P = .040) indicated that changes in apathy symptom levels differed between groups over time. The magnitude of group differences in change scores was large (d = −0.99, t 28 = −2.64, P = .013) at month 3 and moderate to large (d = −0.70, t 28 = −1.86, P = .073) at month 6. Conclusion Strategy training shows promise as an adjunct to usual rehabilitation for maintaining low levels of poststroke apathy.
Pulmonary flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) in rhesus macaque: expression of FMO2 protein, mRNA and analysis of the cDNA.

Abstract Pulmonary microsomes from Rhesus macaque express a flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) resembling the FM02 ortholog from rabbit with respect to immunochemical cross-reactivity and expression in lung, but not liver. A full-length cDNA was cloned following screening of a Rhesus macaque lung cDNA library. The nucleotide sequence contained an open reading frame encoding 535 amino acids with 85 and 84% identity to FMO2 from rabbit and guinea pig, respectively, and an identical location of the putative FAD- and NADP-binding sites. Northern blots of monkey lung mRNA revealed multiple size FMO2 transcripts. These mRNA transcripts are expressed in lung, but not in liver or kidney.
Suppressor cells in common variable hypogammaglobulinemia with SRBC receptors and surface immunoglobulin

Abstract Common variable hypogammaglobulinemia (CVH) or adult-onset agammaglobulinemia is an acquired humoral immune deficiency characterized by low levels of circulating IgG, IgA, and usually IgM, frequent sinopulmonary infections and commonly, gastrointestinal tract infections. Although its place in the pathogenesis of this disease is unclear, a portion of patients with CVH have circulating suppressor T-lymphocytes capable of inhibiting immunoglobulin synthesis by B-lymphocytes of both the patient himself and normals with no humoral immune deficiency. In at least some situations, B-lymphocytes from such patients are capable of immunoglobulin synthesis when removed from the suppressor influences of their own T-cells. Although in mice surface antigens have been identified which are in varying degrees specific for suppressor cells, such cells have not yet been separated in humans. Although human T-lymphocytes with IgM Fc receptors have been characterized as helpers, while those with IgG Fc receptors as suppressors, there are experimental circumstances in which this division breaks down. We here describe a patient with common variable hypogammaglobulinemia with circulating suppressor cells whose unique surface characteristics enabled their physical separation.
Revisiting astronomical crystalline forsterite in the UV to near-IR

Optical functions (n and k) of cosmic dust species like forsterite (Mg2SiO4) are required at all wavelengths to quantify the temperature and amount of dust. Astronomers combine optical functions of forsterite and olivine in different ways, which will affect radiative transfer models. We investigated what recent updates to the ultraviolet-visible-near-infrared (UV-VIS-NIR) laboratory spectra of forsterite and the choice of forsterite n, k dataset will have on radiative transfer models. We measured the UV-VIS-NIR transmission spectra of synthetic forsterite, MgO, SiO2, olivine (Fo90), and meteoritic olivine (pallasite). We derived optical functions for these and compared the UV-IR behavior of our k, absorption cross-section 〈Cabs〉, and total flux to that of “astronomical silicate” and olivine. Laboratory-derived k is substantially lower than “astronomical silicate” k at λ ~ 0.2–5 µ m. In the IR, different laboratory n and k produce equivocal 〈Cabs〉, whereas total flux is different for “astronomical silicate” versus laboratory n, k. From 0.35–5 µ m, the choice of “forsterite” k values has the most effect on modeled quantities. For environments with significant UV flux, astronomers should use recent UV-VIS-NIR laboratory n, k.
Metabolic acidosis in maintenance dialysis patients: Clinical considerations

Metabolic acidosis in maintenance dialysis patients: Clinical considerations. Metabolic acidosis is a common consequence of advanced chronic renal failure (CRF) and maintenance dialysis (MD) therapies are not infrequently unable to completely correct the base deficit. In MD patients, severe metabolic acidosis is associated with an increased relative risk for death. The chronic metabolic acidosis of the severity commonly encountered in patients with advanced CRF has two well-recognized major systemic consequences. First, metabolic acidosis induces net negative nitrogen and total body protein balance, which improves upon bicarbonate supplementation. The data suggest that metabolic acidosis is both catabolic and antianabolic. Emerging data also indicate that metabolic acidosis may be one of the triggers for chronic inflammation, which may in turn promote protein catabolism among MD patients. In contrast to these findings, metabolic acidosis may be associated with a decrease in hyperleptinemia associated with CRF. Several studies have shown that correction of metabolic acidosis among MD patients is associated with modest improvements in the nutritional status. Second, metabolic acidosis has several effects on bone, causing physicochemical dissolution of bone and cell-mediated bone resorption (inhibition of osteoblast and stimulation of osteoclast function). Metabolic acidosis is probably also associated with worsening of secondary hyperparathyroidism. Data on the effect of correction of metabolic acidosis on renal osteodystrophy, however, are limited. Preliminary evidence suggest that metabolic acidosis may play a role in β2-microglobulin accumulation, as well as the hypertriglyceridemia seen in renal failure. Given the body of evidence pointing to the several systemic consequences of metabolic acidosis, a more aggressive approach to the correction of metabolic acidosis is proposed.
State estimation and motion tracking for spatially diverse VLC networks

Improvements in solid-state/LED lighting are driving increased capabilities of lighting systems — offering potential for applications such as Visible Light Communications (VLC) and indoor localization using the lighting medium. In this paper, we motivate the adoption of localization for both the support of handover between arrays of VLC-equipped luminaires as well as for indoor positioning and beam steering. Our approach uses a state estimation model to achieve localization and motion tracking in spatially diverse VLC networks while considering user mobility and dynamic device orientation. Under these conditions, we show simulation results with location and velocity errors of 5cm and 10cm/s, respectively.
137Cs levels in human adult population in California, 1960-69.

THE presence in humans of caesium-137, a radioactive product of nuclear fission, was demonstrated in 19551 and ubiquitous distribution has since been described in population samples in Great Britain2–4, Europe5–9, Japan10 and North America11–21. The long physical half-life of 137Cs (30 years), coupled with its ease of absorption into the human body, has stimulated numerous studies of its metabolic behaviour and continuing evaluations of its hazard to human health. This report presents the results of 1,052 measurements of 137Cs levels in 454 persons during the decade 1960–69.
SU‐FF‐I‐29: Working Memory Deficits of Facial Images in Patients with Schizophrenia Using FMRI

Objectives: Impaired processing of facial information is one of the broad ranges of cognitive deficits seen in patients with schizophrenia. We aimed to elucidate the differences in brain activities involved in the process of facial working memory between schizophrenic patients and healthy comparison subjects. Method and Materials: Twelve patients with schizophrenia were recruited along with twelve demographically matched healthy volunteers as a comparison group. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess cortical activities during the performance of a 1‐back working memory paradigm using images of neutral faces as mnemonic content. Results: The patient group performed the tasks with reduced accuracy. Group analysis revealed that left fusiform gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyri/insula, left middle temporal gyrus, precuneus, quadrangular lobules and vermis of cerebellum and showed decreased cortical activities in the patient group. On the other hand, an increased level of activation in lateral prefrontal cortex and parietal lobule was observed from the patient group, all in the right hemisphere. Conclusion: A decreased level of activity in the left fusiform gyrus among the patient group implicates inefficient processing of facial information. An increased level of activation in prefrontal and parietal neural networks from the patient group confirms earlier findings on the impaired working memory of patients with schizophrenia.