cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of H+-ATPase-mediated acidification in sorting and release of the regulated secretory protein chromogranin A: Evidence for A vesiculogenic function

The constitutive and regulated secretory pathways represent the classical routes for secretion of proteins from neuroendocrine cells. Selective aggregation of secretory granule constituents in an acidic, bivalent cation-rich environment is considered to be a prerequisite for sorting to the regulated secretory pathway. The effect of selective vacuolar H+-ATPase (V-ATPase) inhibitor bafilomycin A1 on the pH gradient along the secretory pathway was used here to study the role of acidification on the trafficking of the regulated secretory protein chromogranin A (CgA) in PC12 cells. Sorting of CgA was assessed by three-dimensional deconvolution microscopy, subcellular fractionation, and secretagogue-stimulated release, examining a series of full-length or truncated domains of human CgA (CgA-(1-115), CgA-(233-439)) fused to either green fluorescent protein or to a novel form of secreted embryonic alkaline phosphatase (EAP). We show that a full-length CgA/EAP chimera is sorted to chromaffin granules for exocytosis. Inhibition of V-ATPase by bafilomycin A1 markedly reduced the secretagogue-stimulated release of CgA-EAP by perturbing sorting of the chimera (at the trans-Golgi network or immature secretory granule) rather than the late steps of exocytosis. The effect of bafilomycin A1 on CgA secretion depends on a sorting determinant located within the amino terminus (CgA-(1-115)) but not the C-terminal region of the granin. Moreover, examination of chromaffin granule abundance in PC12 cells exposed to bafilomycin A1 reveals a substantial decrease in the number of dense-core vesicles. We propose that a V-ATPase-mediated pH gradient in the secretory pathway is an important factor for the formation of dense-core granules by regulating the ability of CgA to form aggregates, a crucial step that may underlie the granulogenic function of the protein.
Purification of Soluble Cytochrome b 5 as a Component of the Reductive Activation of Porcine Methionine Synthase

Abstract In mammals, methionine synthase plays a central role in the detoxification of the rogue metabolite homocysteine. It catalyzes a transmethylation reaction in which a methyl group is transferred from methyltetrahydrofolate to homocysteine to generate tetrahydrofolate and methionine. The vitamin B12cofactor cobalamin plays a direct role in this reaction by alternately accepting and donating the methyl group that is in transit from one substrate (methyltetrahydrofolate) to another (homocysteine). The reactivity of the cofactor intermediate cob(I)alamin renders the enzyme susceptible to oxidative damage. The oxidized enzyme may be returned to the catalytic turnover cycle via a reductive methylation reaction that requires S-adenosylmethionine as a methyl group donor, and a source of electrons. In this study, we have characterized an NADPH-dependent pathway for the reductive activation of porcine methionine synthase. Two proteins are required for the transfer of electrons from NADPH, one of which is microsomal and the other cytoplasmic. The cytoplasmic protein has been purified to homogeneity and is soluble cytochrome b 5. It supports methionine synthase activity in the presence of NADPH and the microsomal component in a saturable manner. In addition, purified microsomal cytochrome P450 reductase and soluble cytochromeb 5 reconstitute the activity of the porcine methionine synthase. Identification of soluble cytochromeb 5 as a member of the reductive activation system for methionine synthase describes a function for this protein in non-erythrocyte cells. In erythrocytes, soluble cytochromeb 5 functions in methemoglobin reduction. In addition, it identifies an additional locus in which genetic polymorphisms may play a role in the etiology of hyperhomocysteinemia, which is correlated with cardiovascular diseases.
“Choosing Life”: Birth Mothers on Abortion and Reproductive Choice

Abstract Purpose As the least-chosen option when faced with an unplanned pregnancy, adoption remains largely unexamined as a reproductive choice. Although the anti-abortion movement promotes adoption as its preferred alternative to abortion, little is known of birth mothers' pregnancy decision making and whether adoption was chosen in lieu of abortion. Methods I conducted in-depth interviews with 40 women who had placed infants for adoption from 1962 to 2009. Participants were asked about all aspects of their adoption experiences, including their pregnancy decision making and thoughts on abortion. Interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory to find unifying themes speaking to reproductive choice. Results Participants' stories revealed widely varying ideas about abortion. Many were opposed to abortion, but a greater number supported abortion as a reproductive choice, although one they did not choose for themselves. Birth mothers were most often choosing between adoption and parenting, not adoption and abortion. Most participants would have preferred to parent, but did not because of external variables. Mixed experiences with adoption also influenced participants' long-term ideas about reproductive choice. Conclusion Findings suggest that the anti-abortion framing of adoption as a preferable alternative to abortion is inconsistent with birth mothers' pregnancy decision-making experiences and their feelings about adoption. Reducing social barriers to both abortion and parenting will ensure that adoption is situated as a true reproductive choice.
Depressive symptoms during buprenorphine treatment of opioid abusers

Among 40 opioid addicts treated as outpatients with sublingual buprenorphine (2-8 mg daily) for a month, depressive symptoms significantly decreased in the 19 who were depressed at intake to treatment.
Gray Platelet Syndrome in a Somalian family.

The Gray Platelet Syndrome (GPS) is a rare inherited, hypogranular platelet disorder characterized by virtual absence of alpha granules in bone marrow megakaryocytes and circulating plates. Usually only one member of a family is affected, but families with two or more affected individuals have been reported from France, Australia, and Mexico, and, recently, the United States. The current study has evaluated the first family from East Africa with two affected members, a brother and sister. Neither child has had significant bleeding problems. Electron microscopic studies revealed almost complete absence of alpha granules from their platelets. Instead their platelets were filled with vacuoles similar in size to the missing granules. Dense bodies were normal in number in the girl's platelets, but markedly increased in her brother's cells. Tannic acid staining revealed that very few of the vacuoles were connected to channels of the open canalicular system. As a result, contents of the residual alpha granule va...
High performance fortran: implementor and users workshop

High Performance Foriran (HPF) is anticipated to be an industry-wide standard language portable from workstations to massively parallel supercornputers, implemented by many vendors. Functions needed on the highest-perform ante parallel machines are particularly well-supported in HPF. The definition of HPF, (version 1, completed May 1993) incorporate feedback from a large number of users during the language design phase. The purpose of this workshop is to continue the interaction among developers of compilers and software tools for HPF, potential users of HPF and hardware developers. Specifically, this workshop focuses on the feedback from the implementors of HPF as well as from users of the initial implementations. The reports will be followed by a discussion for the purpose of gathering user and implementor input about how the HPF specification might be changed to strengthen the language and make it useful for a broader class of applications.
Electron Cryotomography of Bacterial Cells

While much is already known about the basic metabolism of bacterial cells, many fundamental questions are still surprisingly unanswered, including for instance how they generate and maintain specific cell shapes, establish polarity, segregate their genomes, and divide. In order to understand these phenomena, imaging technologies are needed that bridge the resolution gap between fluorescence light microscopy and higher-resolution methods such as X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy. Electron cryotomography (ECT) is an emerging technology that does just this, allowing the ultrastructure of cells to be visualized in a near-native state, in three dimensions (3D), with "macromolecular" resolution (~4nm). In ECT, cells are imaged in a vitreous, "frozen-hydrated" state in a cryo transmission electron microscope (cryoTEM) at low temperature (< -180°C). For slender cells (up to ~500 nm in thickness), intact cells are plunge-frozen within media across EM grids in cryogens such as ethane or ethane/propane mixtures. Thicker cells and biofilms can also be imaged in a vitreous state by first "high-pressure freezing" and then, "cryo-sectioning" them. A series of two-dimensional projection images are then collected through the sample as it is incrementally tilted along one or two axes. A three-dimensional reconstruction, or "tomogram" can then be calculated from the images. While ECT requires expensive instrumentation, in recent years, it has been used in a few labs to reveal the structures of various external appendages, the structures of different cell envelopes, the positions and structures of cytoskeletal filaments, and the locations and architectures of large macromolecular assemblies such as flagellar motors, internal compartments and chemoreceptor arrays. In this video article we illustrate how to image cells with ECT, including the processes of sample preparation, data collection, tomogram reconstruction, and interpretation of the results through segmentation and in some cases correlation with light microscopy.
Risk evaluation and mitigation strategy programs in solid organ transplantation: the promises of information technology

Risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) required by the Food and Drug Administration are implemented to manage known or potential risks associated with medications and to ensure ongoing safe use throughout the life of a pharmaceutical agent. Healthcare organizations have begun to adopt information technologies with clinical decision support (CDS) to ensure safe use of medications. Systems have been expanded and customized to also ensure compliance with regulatory standards. End users who are unfamiliar with particular medication use provisions are at risk of unknowingly inappropriately fulfilling specific components. Institution-specific customization of vendor-provided CDS is useful to enhance provider awareness and ensure compliance with standards. Integration of health information technology systems to fulfill REMS requirements is novel and important to ensure consistency as healthcare standards evolve.
Carbon Dioxide Sequestering Using Ultramafic Rocks

Abstract Fossil fuels continue to provide major sources of energy to the modern world even though global emissions of CO2 are presently at levels of ≥ 19 gigatons/yr. Future antipollution measures may include sequestering of waste CO2 as magnesite (MgCO3) by processing ultramafic rocks. Common ultramafic rocks react easily with HCl to form MgCl2 which is hydrolyzed to form Mg(OH)2. CO2 would be transported by pipeline from a fossil fuel power plant to a sequestering site and then reacted with Mg(OH)2 to produce thermodynamically stable magnesite. Huge ultramafic deposits consisting of relatively pure Mg-rich silicates exist throughout much of the world in ophiolites and, to a lesser extent, in layered intrusions. Peridotites and associated serpentinite are found in discontinuous ophiolite belts along both continental margins of North America. Serpentinites and dunites comprise the best ores because they contain the most Mg by weight (35 to 49 wt-% MgO) and are relatively reactive to hot acids such as HCl. Small ultramafic bodies (~1 km3) can potentially sequester ~1 gigatons of CO2 or ~20% of annual U.S. emissions. A single large deposit of dunite (~30 km3) could dispose of nearly 20 years of current U.S. CO2 emissions. The sequestering process could provide Mg, Si, Fe, Cr, Ni, and Mn as by products for other industrial and strategic uses. Because “white” asbestos (chyrsotile) is a serpentine mineral, CO2 sequestering could dispose of some waste asbestos. The cost and environmental impact of exploiting ultramafic deposits must be weighed against the increased costs of energy and benefits to the atmosphere and climate.
Aspiration efficiencies of disc-shaped blunt nozzles facing the wind, for coarse particles and high velocity ratios

Abstract In the development of aerosol samplers with desired particle size-selective properties, it is important to understand and be able to predict the physical processes that determine the aspiration of aerosols into their nozzles. An idealized sampling scenario is one involving a disc-shaped blunt nozzle facing the wind. A few earlier studies have investigated this scenario but only for relatively narrow ranges of particle aerodynamic diameter (dae) and velocity ratio (R, the ratio between the air velocity in the approaching freestream and that in the plane of the sampling orifice). The purpose of the current study is to expand this knowledge to larger dae-values pertaining to the inhalable aerosol fraction and to larger R-values. The issue of sampling at large R is seen to be especially important in relation to our desire to develop low flowrate samplers for occupational hygiene applications. New experiments were conducted for disc-shaped blunt nozzles, varying in disc diameter and orifice diameter, for R ranging from 0.5 to 25. The experiments were conducted in a small wind tunnel using narrowly graded fused alumina powders to produce aerosols with mass median particle aerodynamic diameters up to 90 μm . A highly repeatable set of experimental results showed a broad trend of A increasing with R, with the magnitude of its increase proportional to particle size. This was expected from what is known about aerosol sampling theory. However, a comparison of these data with predictions from an earlier mathematical model showed that, for R increasing above about 2, the predictive model significantly overestimated aspiration efficiency in relation to what was measured in these new experiments. The model, therefore, was modified to include this more expansive set of data, including additional terms involving both R and the dimension ratio (r, the ratio of the size of the sampling orifice to that of the sampler body). The new, modified model was found to agree very well indeed with the whole data set, as well as with the limited data sets reported earlier. Another notable observation was the relatively small change in A that resulted from a two-fold increase in r. This suggests that within a certain range, r may play only a minor role in determining A. The new model provides physical insights into the performance of blunt samplers when facing the wind, and it will ultimately aid our ability to design new samplers for specific applications.
A scalable CVD method for the synthesis of single-walled carbon nanotubes with high catalyst productivity

Abstract Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are known to possess superior mechanical and electronic properties. However, the lack of methods for large-scale preparation limits fundamental research and application development of this unique material. Among all methods currently used for SWNT preparation, chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method represents the best hope for large-scale production. However, current CVD method has limited catalyst productivity (∼40% the weight of the starting catalyst). Here we report an improved CVD method for preparation of SWNTs with high productivity using a novel aerogel supported Fe/Mo catalyst. The total amount of high-quality SWNTs produced is greater than 200% the weight of the catalysts.
"Vegetation Penetration" with K-Band Imaging Radars

Analyses of microwave data from previous investigations have shown that radar signal return at Ka-band frequencies is sensitive to variations in the densities of plant communities, while the effective penetration of the vegetation is insignificant. However, data analysis in this study suggests that for defoliated vegetation, the penetrative effects of Ka-band radar energy can be recognized on the imagery format. Boundaries may be defined on the radar imagery that are directly related to differences in soil moisture content, irrespective of either the vegetation type or density. Use is made of the depolarized return signal to distinguish between differences due to soil moisture and gross vegetation differences, thus providing a practical advantage for a multipolarization mode.
Still too hot: an examination of observed water temperature, water heaters characteristics and self- reported testing behaviour in a sample of urban homes

Background Tap water burns result in an estimated 1500 hospital admissions and 50 deaths in the USA annually despite national efforts to preset water heaters at the factory. Aims/Objectives/Purpose This study reports on observed water temperature, water heater characteristics (age, size, capacity, gauge setting) knowledge and reported testing behaviours in a sample of 1033 urban homes. Methods Data on knowledge, self-reported testing behaviours, observed water temperature, heater characteristics and demographics were recorded as part of a home observation in a randomised community trial which aimed to improve home safety behaviours. Homes were visited between 6–9 months after a visit from the fire department to check the status of home safety behaviours. Results/Outcomes Hot water was observed to be above the recommended 120 degrees in 41% of homes. In a univariate analysis, electrical water heaters were statistically significantly more likely to have a safe hot water temperature than gas water heaters. In a multivariate logistic regression, water heaters with fewer gallons per person in the household were more likely to be set above the recommended 120 degrees. Knowledge outcomes varied between items ranging from 59% to 87% correct. A minority (14%) of respondents reported having tested the temperature of their tap water. Significance/Contribution to the Field Our results suggest hot water temperatures remains at dangerously high in our urban sample despite national efforts to preset water heater to safe temperatures at the factory. This research highlights the needs for the use of passive prevention strategies such as anti-scald devices.
Fundamentals of flakeboard manufacture: wood-moisture relationships

A procedure is presented to estimate the relative vapor pressure, equilibrium moisture content, average flake temperature, and average flake moisture content in a flakeboard mat during hot-pressing. This method is based on measurements of temperature and total gas pressure in the mat during hot-pressing. A heat and mass transfer model was adapted from the literature to predict the temperature and moisture content inside an individual flake. Significant moisture gradients are predicted to develop within flakes. Convective heat transfer appears to control the change of moisture content within a flake. Thermodynamic equilibrium between the gas phase and the wood component is not achieved during hot-pressing.
Multilabel classification with meta-level features

Effective learning in multi-label classification (MLC) requires an appropriate level of abstraction for representing the relationship between each instance and multiple categories. Current MLC methods have been focused on learning-to-map from instances to ranked lists of categories in a relatively high-dimensional space. The fine-grained features in such a space may not be sufficiently expressive for characterizing discriminative patterns, and worse, make the model complexity unnecessarily high. This paper proposes an alternative approach by transforming conventional representations of instances and categories into a relatively small set of link-based meta-level features, and leveraging successful learning-to-rank retrieval algorithms (e.g., SVM-MAP) over this reduced feature space. Controlled experiments on multiple benchmark datasets show strong empirical evidence for the strength of the proposed approach, as it significantly outperformed several state-of-the-art methods, including Rank-SVM, ML-kNN and IBLR-ML (Instance-based Logistic Regression for Multi-label Classification) in most cases.
Discriminability and transposition on the intermediate-size problem

Abstract Preschool children were given an intermediate size transposition problem in which an irrelevant stimulus attribute was changed between training and testing. Stevenson and Bitterman's (1955) discriminability hypothesis would suggest that transposition or near tests should decrease in this situation. The results indicate that a change in an irrelevant stimulus attribute led to a significant decrease in choice of the middle size stimulus, but was not a factor in the distance effect.
Bigelow, possible worlds and the passage of time

In his celebrated argument, McTaggart claimed that time is unreal because it involves temporal passage the movement of the Now along a series of moments and events and temporal passage is contradictory ([4], [5]). Detensers such as Robin Le Poidevin [2], D. H. Mellor [6], and myself ([7], [8]) find McTaggart's argument against temporal passage convincing, but they reject his conclusion that time is unreal. According to these philosophers, an ontology that recognizes temporal or B-relations (i.e. earlier than, later than and simultaneity) is sufficient to account for the reality that underlies our vague talk of the passage of time. Tensers such as J. R. Lucas [3], George Schlesinger [10], and Quentin Smith [11], believe that the tenseless view leaves out what is essential to our experience and the reality of time.
Mixed chimerism after transplantation: Mechanism or marker of specific tolerance?

We have previously reported data from clinical and laboratory animal observations which suggest that organ tolerance after transplantation depends on a state of balanced lymphodendritic cell chimerism between the host and donor graft. We have sought further evidence to support this hypothesis by investigating HLA-mismatched liver allograft recipients. Nine of nine female recipients of livers from male donors had chimerism in their allografts and extrahepatic tissues, according to in-situ hybridisation and molecular techniques 10 to 19 years post-transplantation. In 8 women with good graft function, evidence of the Y chromosome was found in the blood (6/8), skin (8/8), and lymph nodes (7/8). A ninth patient whose transplant failed after 12 years from recurrent chronic viral hepatitis had chimerism in her lymph nodes, skin, jejunum, and aorta at the time of retransplantation. Although cell migration is thought to take place after all types of transplantation, the large population of migratory cells in, and the extent of their seeding from, hepatic grafts may explain the privileged tolerogenicity of the liver compared with other organs.
GI-Cat: A Mediation Solution for Building a Clearinghouse Catalog Service

The development of a clearinghouse catalog solution arises from the need of interoperability among different communities. This component, provides search and access capabilities across catalogs, inventory lists and their registered resources. In an SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) approach, a clearinghouse catalog solution may be implemented as a Broker/Mediation component applying mediation services to address standards multiplicity. An example of such solution is GI-cat. In this work we describe its architecture. GI-cat implements a distributed approach in order to achieve scalability and accuracy. It implements metadata querying and browsing in an asynchronous way. As far as query distribution is concerned, it provides advanced features such as the possibility to retrieve intermediate query results and related feedbacks. The main GI-cat components, their interfaces and roles are described and discussed. A specific GeoBrowser was developed in order to demonstrate the advanced GI-cat functionalities: GI-go. GI-cat was succesfully used in international initiatives and programmes such as GEOSS and EC-funded projects.
Test-driven agent-based simulation development

Developing a useful agent-based model and simulation typically involves acquiring knowledge of the model's domain, developing the model itself, and then translating the model into software. This process can be complex and is an iterative one where changes in domain knowledge and model requirements or specifications can cause changes in the software that in turn may require additional modeling and domain knowledge. Test-driven development is a software development technique that can help ameliorate this complexity by evolving a loosely coupled flexible design, driven by the creation of many small, automated unit tests. When the focus shifts to writing small tests that exercise the simulations behavior, the larger problem of translating a conceptual model into working code is decomposed into a series of much smaller, more manageable and highly focused translations. This paper explores the application of this technique to agent-based simulation development with examples from Repast Simphony, ReLogo and Repast HPC.
A Case of Hashimoto's Thyroiditis Accompanied by Autoimmune Hepatitis Diagnosed with Liver Biopsy.

Autoimmune thyroid diseases, including Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), are common organ-specific autoimmune disorders that often occur in conjunction with other autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a relatively rare disease of unknown etiology. In this condition, progressive destruction of the liver parenchyma occurs. Without proper treatment with immunosuppressive agents, such as prednisone and azathioprine, this condition leads to cirrhosis and liver failure. Timely detection and appropriate treatment of the AIH is prerequisite for the long-term survival of affected patients. We report here a case of HT accompanied by AIH confirmed by liver biopsy. On the basis of this case report, we suggest that, a sustained elevation of aminotransferases refractory to thyroid dysfunction correction should result in a liver biopsy to differentiate AIH from other forms of liver dysfunction or secondary to thyroid disorders. Treatment should
Aminoglycoside Resistance and Susceptibility Testing Errors in Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus Complex

Antimicrobial resistance is depleting the pharmacopeia of agents clinically useful against Gram-negative bacilli. As the number of active agents diminishes, accurate susceptibility testing becomes critical. We studied the susceptibilities of 107 isolates of the Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex to amikacin, gentamicin, and tobramycin using disk diffusion, Etest, as well as the Phoenix, Vitek 2, and MicroScan automated systems, and compared the results to those obtained by broth microdilution. Genes encoding aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes (AMEs) were detected by multiplex PCR, and clonal relationships were determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Tobramycin was the most active aminoglycoside (27.1% of isolates were susceptible). Disk diffusion and Etest tended to be more accurate than the Vitek 2, Phoenix, and MicroScan automated systems; but errors were noted with all methods. The Vitek 2 instrument incorrectly reported that more than one-third of the isolates were susceptible to amikacin (a very major error). Isolates were polyclonal, with 26 distinct strains, and carried multiple AME genes unrelated to the strain type. The presence of the ant(2")-Ia gene was statistically associated with resistance to each aminoglycoside. The AME genotype accounted for the resistance profile observed in a minority of isolates, suggesting the involvement of multiple resistance mechanisms. Hospital pharmacy records indicated the preferential use of amikacin over other aminoglycosides in the burn intensive care unit, where aminoglycoside resistance is prevalent. The resistance in that unit did not correlate with a predominant strain, AME genotype, or total annual aminoglycoside consumption. Susceptibility to tobramycin increased, even though susceptible isolates carried AME genotypes predicting the inactivation of tobramycin. Determination of the relative contribution of multiple concurrent resistance mechanisms may improve our understanding of aminoglycoside resistance in the Acinetobacter baumannii-calcoaceticus complex.
Relative size influences gender role in the freshwater hermaphroditic snail, Helisoma trivolvis

Simultaneous hermaphrodites have the unique challenge of allocating their available resources to egg and sperm production and behaviorally to a male and/or female mating role. Models that address the influence of body size on sex allocation predict that larger individuals should allocate proportionally more resources to female than male function and that this should translate into corresponding behavioral preferences during mating. We investigated the relationship between size and gender role in the hermaphroditic freshwater snail Helisoma trivolvis. We hypothesized that when 2 H. trivolvis mate, the larger would assume the female role and the smaller the male role. We also predicted that reciprocal mating would be more likely when partners were similar in size. We measured 180 snails, paired them, and observed their sex roles during copulation. The size difference between snails neither influenced the latency to copulation nor predicted whether mating was unilateral or reciprocal. In unilateral matings, the smaller snail acted as the male significantly more often than the larger snail. In order to test the hypothesis that increased activity of smaller snails influences gender role, we also measured movement rates in snails of various sizes but found no relationship between size and activity. These experiments indicate that in H. trivolvis body size does influence gender role in unilateral matings, and enable us to rule out activity as a direct determinant of male gender role. Whether snails mate reciprocally or not may depend on other factors such as previous mating history, time of isolation, or age. Key words: freshwater snails, gender role, Helisoma trivolvis, sex allocation, simultaneous hermaphrodite. [Behav Ecol]
Supercritical CO2 and ionic liquids for the pretreatment of lignocellulosic biomass in bioethanol production.

Owing to high petroleum prices, there has been a major push in recent years to use lignocellulosic biomass as biorefinery feedstocks. Unfortunately, by nature's design, lignocellulosic biomass is notoriously recalcitrant. Cellulose is the most abundant renewable carbon source on the planet and comprises glucan polysaccharides which self-assemble into paracrystalline microfibrils. The extent of cellulose crystallinity largely contributes to biomass recalcitrance. Additionally, cellulose microfibrils are embedded into both hemicellulose and lignin polymeric networks, making cellulose accessibility an additional obstacle. Pretreatment is necessary before enzymatic hydrolysis in order to liberate high yields of glucose and other fermentable sugars from biomass polysaccharides. This work discusses two pretreatment methods, supercritical CO2 and ionic liquids (ILs). Both methods utilize green solvents that do not emit toxic vapours. Mechanisms for destroying or weakening biomass recalcitrance have been explored...
Bacteriophage Flux in Endosymbionts (Wolbachia): Infection Frequency, Lateral Transfer, and Recombination Rates

The highly specialized genomes of bacterial endosymbionts typically lack one of the major contributors of genomic flux in the free-living microbial world-bacteriophages. This study yields three results that show bacteriophages have, to the contrary, been influential in the genome evolution of the most prevalent bacterial endosymbiont of invertebrates, Wolbachia. First, we show that bacteriophage WO is more widespread in Wolbachia than previously recognized, occurring in at least 89% (35/39) of the sampled genomes. Second, we show through several phylogenetic approaches that bacteriophage WO underwent recent lateral transfers between Wolbachia bacteria that coinfect host cells in the dipteran Drosophila simulans and the hymenopteran Nasonia vitripennis. These two cases, along with a previous report in the lepidopteran Ephestia cautella, support a general mechanism for genetic exchange in endosymbionts--the "intracellular arena" hypothesis--in which genetic material moves horizontally between bacteria that coinfect the same intracellular environment. Third, we show recombination in this bacteriophage; in the region encoding a putative capsid protein, the recombination rate is faster than that of any known recombining genes in the endosymbiont genome. The combination of these three lines of genetic evidence indicates that this bacteriophage is a widespread source of genomic instability in the intracellular bacterium Wolbachia and potentially the invertebrate host. More generally, it is the first bacteriophage implicated in frequent lateral transfer between the genomes of bacterial endosymbionts. Gene transfer by bacteriophages could drive significant evolutionary change in the genomes of intracellular bacteria that are typically considered highly stable and prone to genomic degradation.
Creating a 2+2 information technology degree program: the bachelor of applied science in information technology

One of the tasks that most universities face is the problem of transfer credits for students coming from other schools. This is particularly problematic with students who attend accredited two year technical schools and receive an AAS or AAT degree. Our university has just completed an articulation agreement with technical two year colleges who offer AAS and AAT degrees. This paper will examine one of the 2+2 programs in the articulation - the BASIT (Bachelor of Applied Science in Information Technology).
Comparison and Partial Validation of the Missouri Children's Picture Series on a Residential Deaf Population

The Missouri Children's Picture Series, an objectively scored nonverbal personality inventory, was administered to 118 prelingually profoundly deaf residential students aged 9 to 14 yr. Norms tended to be consistent with earlier research as well as other research describing personality characteristics of deaf children. In general, scores higher than standardized population scores for the deaf group, particularly for deaf males, were obtained. Consistent differences in Activity Level, Aggression, and Maturity were noted. The Masculinity-Femininity scale discriminated between males and females, but T-score values for deaf males were lower than their hearing peers at all age levels with increasing differences as age increased. Maturity scale T-scores for both sexes were inversely related to chronological age. The Aggression scale was not related to teachers' ratings at a statistically significant level; however, no attempt was made to assess the reliability of those ratings. The Missouri Children's Picture S...
Diagnostic Method Patents and Harms to Follow-On Innovation

In a series of cases over the past decade, the Federal Circuit and Supreme Court have confronted the patent eligibility of broadly claimed diagnostic methods under § 101 of the Patent Act. These diagnostic method patents claim processes that, generally speaking, first identify a biomarker and then use correlations associated with that biomarker for diagnostic purposes. This Note argues that granting these kinds of broad claims to natural correlations creates unique harms to follow-on innovation, ones that do not occur with other types of patents. Yet these harms have not been specified in the literature or the case law. In light of both these unique harms and the lack of attendant benefits, the Federal Circuit and Supreme Court should revise their approaches to broad diagnostic method patents.
Golden Handcuffs in the Fortune 1000? An Employee-Organization Relationship Survey of Public Relations Executives and Practitioners in the Largest Companies

This study delivered an employee-organization relationship survey to public relations executives and practitioners in Fortune 1000 companies. Almost two-thirds (64.3%) were the top-ranking public relations executives in their organizations, and most (79.2%) were paid $100,000 or more. Respondents had significantly higher scores on a majority (66.7%) of relationship outcome measures than did Millennials who worked for public relations agencies. The researcher found a statistically significant difference between salary categories at or above $100,000 and those below $100,000 on the combined dependent variables of trust, control mutuality, commitment, and satisfaction using a one-way between-groups multivariate analysis of variance: F(1, 50) = 4.586, p = .003; Wilks’ Lambda = .71; partial η2 = .29. Results may be explained by age and workplace variables and/or the higher compensation and benefits embodied in the concept of the Golden Handcuffs. Results also suggest that relationship-type scales are not reliable.
Cortical and Limbic Activation in Response to Low- and High-calorie Food

Publisher Summary The complex decisions about what and how much to eat are ultimately guided by the interplay of multiple neural systems within the brain. Recent advances in neuroimaging technologies have made it possible to observe directly the responses of the human brain to a variety of stimuli and cues associated with food, hunger, taste, smell, and other influences on eating-related behavior. Techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have proven useful in mapping the regions of the human brain that are activated in response to food-related stimuli. They are providing important clues that may help explain why many people may find it difficult to resist certain foods, particularly those that are most implicated in weight-related problems. While the neuroimaging literature on brain responses to food and eating related stimuli has expanded rapidly in recent years, this chapter focuses primarily on a circumscribed set of fMRI studies that have explored how the brain responds to visual images of foods that differ in their caloric content. This review is not meant to be exhaustive but rather highlights some of the specific neural systems that may be particularly relevant to the initial responses people have when first seeing something edible.
Cultural Sensitivity as an MFT Common Factor

ABSTRACTCultural sensitivity is a state of attunement, emotional resonance with, and meaningful responsiveness to others. MFT professionals continue to discuss cultural sensitivity in relationship to models and therapists. We see cultural sensitivity as a common factor that spans models, rather than resides within them. We present a case vignette to illustrate the distinction between doing cultural sensitivity and being culturally sensitive. We also discuss implications of conceptualizing cultural sensitivity as an MFT common factor for teaching and research.
Experimental Design and Data Analysis

Microarrays are extremely powerful tools for the analysis of genomic expression levels in physiologic and pathologic phenomena. Many early microarray experiments have been published in high-impact journals due to the sheer technical prowess of this methodology, as well as the future promise such technology h olds. S everal important findings have b een r eported u sing microarrays, and the technology is becoming more and more accessible. There is no doubt that the technology itself is valid, and furthermore that important changes in gene expression levels are being detected with the various spotted and Affymetrix type arrays. Yet many researchers new to the field are quickly bogged down by the massive (and often seemingly inscrutable) results of their first studies.
Host Response to Botulinum Neurotoxins for Developing Diagnostics and Antidotes

Abstract : The goals of the project are to investigate host-response to the exposure of botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) and its neurotoxin associated proteins (NAPs) by examining immunological effects of different components of BoNT complex, using in vitro lymphocytic cell cultures as well as an animal model so that we can understand, both the immune response as well as characterize damage to the immune system of botulism patients, by identifying the most critical components of BoNT/A complex involved in the binding to the intestinal wall for the translocation across its mucosal layer, and to identify and isolate a protein receptor(s) for BoNT/A or its NAPs, and examine its binding and involvement in the transcytosis/penetration process. The immune response and other cellular responses are targeted for presymptomatic diagnostics, whereas identification of the protein receptor(s) of BoNT or NAPs and also critical components NAPs in the binding and translocation of the BoNT would provide target for the development of antidotes against botulism. The project started in May 2006, and we have just begun to prepare reagents and collect preliminary data. Since BoNT is highly regulated agent, and this project involves close collaboration with Drs. Frank Lebeda, Martha Hale, and Harry Hines of USAMRIID, we have produced two recombinant proteins - a mutant BoNT/A that lacks the endopeptidase activity, and the hemagglutinin 33 (Hn-33), the most abundant component of NAPs. In accordance with a new hypothesis proposed from our group in 2005, we demonstrated
Tabriz New Catholic Church: A Construction of Urban Constitutional Crisis (1908-1912)

In 1910, parts of Iran were under Russian occupation. In the occupied northwestern city of Tabriz, the French Catholic mission began to build a new church, which today is one of the largest churches in the Middle East. Previous scholarship has not explored the history of this edifice. This article locates the establishment of this church in the urban history of Tabriz. It elucidates the geopolitical context of the city during a period of widespread social turmoil. Using an array of French and Persian archival documents, the paper narrates a story with crucial details about strangers becoming friends and friends collaborating with one another to build an urban construction in the midst of protest, revolution, and war.
A Nonobvious Comparison: Nonobviousness Decisions at the PTAB and in the Federal Courts

In an effort to elucidate how the challenges of nonobviousness decisions affect different decision-makers, this article presents an original dataset of nonobviousness decisions throughout the patent decision process. This dataset includes nonobviousness decisions at the Patent and Trademark Office and in the federal courts for the time period subsequent to the effective date of the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act’s (AIA) first-to-file provisions. The results provide strong evidence that nonobviousness decisions are highly indeterminate: similarly situated decision-makers in the same cases reach differing conclusions on nonobviousness at a strikingly high rate. The data does not support the hypothesis that technologically sophisticated decision-makers are better able to make judgements from the perspective of a person of ordinary skill in the art. Finally, the analysis provides some potential support for the possibility that technologically trained individuals may exhibit slightly less of a hindsight bias than untrained decision-makers. Comparing the data reported here with earlier studies of nonobviousness decisionmaking indicates that both the district courts and the Federal Circuit reacted significantly to the Supreme Court’s nonobviousness decision in KSR v. Teleflex in 2007 by establishing a higher threshold for patentees to demonstrate nonobviousness. Subsequent to the AIA of 2011, however, both judicial bodies have reverted to nonobviousness decisionmaking that is more consistent with pre-KSR outcomes.
Systematic Quantification of Population Cell Death Kinetics in Mammalian Cells

Cytotoxic compounds are important drugs and research tools. Here, we introduce a method, scalable time-lapse analysis of cell death kinetics (STACK), to quantify the kinetics of compound-induced cell death in mammalian cells at the population level. STACK uses live and dead cell markers, high-throughput time-lapse imaging, and mathematical modeling to determine the kinetics of population cell death over time. We used STACK to profile the effects of over 1,800 bioactive compounds on cell death in two human cancer cell lines, resulting in a large and freely available dataset. 79 potent lethal compounds common to both cell lines caused cell death with widely divergent kinetics. 13 compounds triggered cell death within hours, including the metallophore zinc pyrithione. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that this rapid onset lethal phenotype was caused in human cancer cells by metabolic disruption and ATP depletion. These results provide the first comprehensive survey of cell death kinetics and analysis of rapid-onset lethal compounds.
For Legal Principles

Most legal thinkers believe that legal rules and legal principles are meaningfully distinguished. Many jurists may have no very precise distinction in mind, and those who do might not all agree. But it is widely believed that legal norms come in different logical types, and that one difference is reasonably well captured by a nomenclature that distinguishes “rules” from “principles.” Larry Alexander is the foremost challenger to this bit of legal-theoretic orthodoxy. In several articles, but especially in “Against Legal Principles,” an influential article co-authored with Ken Kress two decades ago, Alexander has argued that legal principles cannot exist. In this essay, prepared as a contribution to a festschrift in Alexander’s honor, I argue that Alexander and Kress have not established their ambitious claim. Even if they have shown that legal principles, understood as norms distinct both from legal rules and from moral principles, cannot perform the function that Ronald Dworkin assigned them — namely, that of morally justifying legal rules and practices — Alexander and Kress have cast no doubt on a distinctively positivist account of legal principles as fundamental legal norms that possess weight, are grounded directly in social facts, and serve to metaphysically determine or constitute legal rules. I show why that positivist picture of legal principles survives Alexander’s multi-pronged attack. And I further explain why the existence of legal principles causes grave trouble for Alexander’s “simple-minded” defense of constitutional originalism.
Portuguese Encomenderos de Negros and the Slave Trade within Mexico, 1600–1675

This article focuses on local slaving agents, encomenderos de negros, during the first half of the seventeenth century. Drawing on notarial documents, Inquisition cases and investigations on contraband and tax evasion, the study explains how Portuguese intermediaries sold and distributed African captives in colonial Mexico between 1616 and 1639. The ability to extend credit was key to the success of these agents-on-commission. The article also explains why agents of the Grillo and Lomelin slaving monopoly (asiento) failed to replicate the success of their Lusophone predecessors in Nueva Veracruz, Mexico City and Puebla de los Angeles in the 1660s and 1670s.