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Bacterial microbiota play an important role in the fitness of arthropods, but the bacterial microflora in the parasitic mite Dermanyssus gallinae is only partially explored; there are gaps in our understanding of the microbiota localization and in our knowledge of microbial community assembly. In this work, we have visualized, quantified the abundance, and determined the diversity of bacterial occupancy, not only across developmental stages of D. gallinae, but also in the midgut of micro-dissected female D. gallinae mites. We explored community assembly and the presence of keystone taxa, as well as predicted metabolic functions in the microbiome of the mite. The diversity of the microbiota and the complexity of co-occurrence networks decreased with the progression of the life cycle. However, several bacterial taxa were present in all samples examined, indicating a core symbiotic consortium of bacteria. The relatively higher bacterial abundance in adult females, specifically in their midguts, implicates a function linked to the biology of D. gallinae mites. If such an association proves to be important, the bacterial microflora qualifies itself as an acaricidal or vaccine target against this troublesome pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dermanyssus gallinae is a blood-feeding mite that parasitises wild birds and farmed poultry. Its remarkably swift processing of blood, together with the capacity to blood-feed during most developmental stages, makes this mite a highly debilitating pest. To identify specific adaptations to digestion of a haemoglobin-rich diet, we constructed and compared transcriptomes from starved and blood-fed stages of the parasite and identified midgut-enriched transcripts. We noted that midgut transcripts encoding cysteine proteases were upregulated with a blood meal. Mapping the full proteolytic apparatus, we noted a reduction in the suite of cysteine proteases, missing homologues for Cathepsin B and C. We have further identified and phylogenetically analysed three distinct transcripts encoding vitellogenins that facilitate the reproductive capacity of the mites. We also fully mapped transcripts for haem biosynthesis and the ferritin-based system of iron storage and inter-tissue trafficking. Additionally, we identified transcripts encoding proteins implicated in immune signalling (Toll and IMD pathways) and activity (defensins and thioester-containing proteins), RNAi, and ion channelling (with targets for commercial acaricides such as Fluralaner, Fipronil, and Ivermectin). Viral sequences were filtered from the Illumina reads and we described, in part, the RNA-virome of D. gallinae with identification of a novel virus, Red mite quaranjavirus 1. Genes associated with the consumption of blood and iron storage are identified in the poultry red mite, along with presentation of a partial virome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. People with refractory epilepsy are overwhelmed by the uncertainty of their next seizures. Accurate prediction of future seizures could greatly improve the quality of life for these patients. New evidence suggests that seizure occurrences can have cyclical patterns for some patients. Even though these cyclicalities are not intuitive, they can be identified by machine learning (ML), to identify patients with predictable vs unpredictable seizure patterns. Approach. Self-reported seizure logs of 153 patients from the Human Epilepsy Project with more than three reported seizures (totaling 8337 seizures) were used to obtain inter-seizure interval time-series for training and evaluation of the forecasting models. Two classes of prediction methods were studied: (1) statistical approaches using Bayesian fusion of population-wise and individual-wise seizure patterns; and (2) ML-based algorithms including least squares, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator, support vector machine (SVM) regression, and long short-term memory regression. Leave-one-person-out cross-validation was used for training and evaluation, by training on seizure diaries of all except one subject and testing on the left-out subject. Main results. The leading forecasting models were the SVM regression and a statistical model that combined the median of population-wise seizure time-intervals with a test subject's prior seizure intervals. SVM was able to forecast 50%, 70%, 81%, 84%, and 87% of seizures of unseen subjects within 0, 1, 2, 3 to 4 d of mean absolute forecasting error, respectively. The subject-wise performances show that patients with more frequent seizures were generally better predicted. Significance. ML models can leverage non-random patterns within self-reported seizure diaries to forecast future seizures. While diary-based seizure forecasting alone is only one of many aspects of clinical care of patients with epilepsy, studying the level of predictability across seizures and patients paves the path towards a better understanding of predictable vs unpredictable seizures on individualized and population-wise bases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vast majority of the brain's vascular length is composed of capillaries, where our understanding of blood flow control remains incomplete. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the control of blood flow across microvascular zones by addressing issues with nomenclature and drawing on new developments from in vivo optical imaging and single-cell transcriptomics. Recent studies have highlighted important distinctions in mural cell morphology, gene expression, and contractile dynamics, which can explain observed differences in response to vasoactive mediators between arteriole, transitional, and capillary zones. Smooth muscle cells of arterioles and ensheathing pericytes of the arteriole-capillary transitional zone control large-scale, rapid changes in blood flow. In contrast, capillary pericytes downstream of the transitional zone act on slower and smaller scales and are involved in establishing resting capillary tone and flow heterogeneity. Many unresolved issues remain, including the vasoactive mediators that activate the different pericyte types in vivo, the role of pericyte-endothelial communication in conducting signals from capillaries to arterioles, and how neurological disease affects these mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) have received increasing attention during recent years due to their simple architecture, based on solely air-stabile materials, and ease of manufacture in ambient atmosphere, using solution-based technologies. The LEC's active layer offers semiconducting, luminescent as well as ionic functionality resulting in device physical processes fundamentally different as compared with organic light-emitting diodes. During operation, electrical double layers (EDLs) form at the electrode interfaces as a consequence of ion accumulation and electrochemical doping sets in leading to the in situ development of a light-emitting p-i-n junction. In this paper, we comment on the use of impedance spectroscopy in combination with complex nonlinear squares fitting to derive key information about the latter events in thin-film ionic transition metal complex-based light-emitting electrochemical cells based on the model compound bis-2-phenylpyridine 6-phenyl-2,2'-bipyridine iridium(III) hexafluoridophosphate ([Ir(ppy)2(pbpy)][PF6]). At operating voltages below the bandgap potential of the ionic complex used, we obtain the dielectric constant of the active layer, the conductivity of mobile ions, the transference numbers of electrons and ions, and the thickness of the EDLs, whereas the transient thickness of the p-i-n junction is determined at voltages above the bandgap potential. Most importantly, we find that charge transport is dominated by the ions when carrier injection from the electrodes is prohibited, that ion movement is limited by the presence of transverse internal interfaces and that the width of the intrinsic region constitutes almost 60% of the total active layer thickness in steady state at a low operating voltage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The receptor tyrosine kinase PDGFRβ is essential for pericyte migration to the endothelium. In mice lacking one allele of PDGFRβ (PDGFRβ+/−), previous reports have described an age-dependent loss of pericytes in the brain, leading to cerebrovascular dysfunction and subsequent neurodegeneration reminiscent of that seen in Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. We examined 12–20-month-old PDGFRβ+/− mice to better understand how pericyte loss affects brain microvascular structure and perfusion in vivo. We observed a mild reduction of cortical pericyte number in PDGFRβ+/− mice (27% fewer cell bodies) compared to controls, but no decrease in pericyte coverage of the endothelium. This mild degree of pericyte loss caused no discernable change in cortical microvascular density, length, basal diameter or reactivity to hypercapnia. Yet, it was associated with an increase in basal blood cell velocity, primarily in pre-capillary arterioles. Taken together, our results suggest that mild pericyte loss can lead to aberrant cerebral blood flow despite a lack of apparent effect on microvascular structure and reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commonly attributed to the prevalence of M2 macrophages, tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) are linked to poor outcome in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). MYC is supposed to control the expression of M2-specific genes in macrophages, and deficiency in MYC-positive macrophages inhibits tumor growth in mouse models. To verify this hypothesis for HL, seventy-six samples were subjected to immunohistochemical double staining using CD68 or CD163 macrophage-specific antibodies and a reagent detecting MYC. For each cell population, labelled cells were grouped according to low, intermediate and high numbers and related to disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). MYC+ cells accounted for 21% and 18% of CD68+ and CD163+ cells, respectively. Numbers of MYC− macrophages were significantly higher in EBV+ cases while no differences were observed for MYC+ macrophages between EBV+ and EBV− cases. Cases with highest numbers of macrophages usually showed worst DFS and OS. In most scenarios, intermediate numbers of macrophages were associated with better outcome than very low or very high numbers. Our observations are reminiscent of the "hormesis hypothesis" and suggest that a relative lack of TAM may allow HL growth while macrophages display an inhibitory effect with increasing numbers. Above a certain threshold, TAM may again support tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrialization of the electrochemical reduction of CO2 toward CO in aqueous electrolytes has recently been started using silver‐based gas diffusion electrodes. The performance of a CO2‐to‐CO electrolyzer model on a 10‐cm2 cell size is assessed with respect to operating pressure, achievable current density at faradaic efficiency of CO above 90 %, composition of gas streams and operational lifetime. Operational lifetime has exceeded 1500 h. The first scaling step to 300 cm2 has been accomplished. The rated power of such a cell is around 300 W. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternized vinyl‐ and alkynyl‐pyridine reagents were shown to react in an ultrafast and selective manner with several cysteine‐tagged proteins at near‐stoichiometric quantities. We have demonstrated that this method can effectively create a homogenous antibody–drug conjugate that features a precise drug‐to‐antibody ratio of 2, which was stable in human plasma and retained its specificity towards Her2+ cells. Finally, the developed warhead introduces a +1 charge to the overall net charge of the protein, which enabled us to show that the electrophoretic mobility of the protein may be tuned through the simple attachment of a quaternized vinyl pyridinium reagent at the cysteine residues. We anticipate the generalized use of quaternized vinyl‐ and alkynyl‐pyridine reagents not only for bioconjugation, but also as warheads for covalent inhibition and as tools to profile cysteine reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quaternized vinyl‐ and alkynyl‐pyridine reagents were shown to react in an ultrafast and selective manner with several cysteine‐tagged proteins at near‐stoichiometric quantities. We have demonstrated that this method can effectively create a homogenous antibody–drug conjugate that features a precise drug‐to‐antibody ratio of 2, which was stable in human plasma and retained its specificity towards Her2+ cells. Finally, the developed warhead introduces a +1 charge to the overall net charge of the protein, which enabled us to show that the electrophoretic mobility of the protein may be tuned through the simple attachment of a quaternized vinyl pyridinium reagent at the cysteine residues. We anticipate the generalized use of quaternized vinyl‐ and alkynyl‐pyridine reagents not only for bioconjugation, but also as warheads for covalent inhibition and as tools to profile cysteine reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smooth muscle cells and pericytes, together called mural cells, coordinate many distinct vascular functions. Canonically, smooth muscle cells are ring-shaped and cover arterioles with circumferential processes, whereas pericytes extend thin processes that run longitudinally along capillaries. In between these canonical mural cell types are cells with features of both smooth muscle cells and pericytes. Recent studies suggest that these transitional cells are critical for controlling blood flow to the capillary bed during health and disease, but there remains confusion on how to identify them and where they are located in the brain microvasculature. To address this issue, we measured the morphology, vascular territory, and α-smooth muscle actin content of structurally diverse mural cells in adult mouse cortex. We first imaged intact 3D vascular networks to establish the locations of major gradations in mural cell appearance as arterioles branched into capillaries. We then imaged individual mural cells occupying the regions within these gradations. This revealed two transitional cells that were often similar in appearance, but with sharply contrasting levels of α-smooth muscle actin. Our findings highlight the diversity of mural cell morphologies in brain microvasculature, and provide guidance for identification and categorization of mural cell types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drug courts have provided a treatment option to drug addicted offenders for the last 30 years. While important evaluation work has compared graduates and non-graduates, it was limited to those individuals who either applied for entry or were actually admitted. Unfortunately, informal aspects of the entry process can result in differential representation of groups, a form of selection bias that makes interpretation of group effects difficult. The category of race is particularly important in this regard, both for its complex interdependency with other dimensions of stratification and because of its historical significance in focusing systems of social control. The authors propose that an understanding of race as part of a larger social context of opportunities, expectations, and resource allocation is necessary in interpreting both significant and non-significant research results for criminal justice programs. Based on data from 440 drug court participants (230 graduates, 210 unsuccessfully discharged) spanning over six years, results demonstrate ways in which the social context behind program eligibility and screening, including assessments of risk and motivation for change, may affect the racial makeup of program participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the context of ethical decision making in research and suggests that direct attention to the ways in which decisions are actually made in such environments is needed. A decision-making model based on the literature on heuristic processing is proposed and is followed by a review of the method, data, and results of the authors’ research on this model. The implications of the research are developed, and a research agenda is outlined. Key findings were that competent actors do indeed process ethics problems heuristically and in ways that interweave intuitive, affective, and more rational phases. This processing does not typically follow a simple progressive pattern but evidences a sort of trial-and-error processing that is consistent with the logic of heuristic processing more generally. Finally, while diverse, participant-level processing attempts appear to follow patterns which are associated with the experience and training of the actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biology of brain microvascular pericytes is an active area of research and discovery, as their interaction with the endothelium is critical for multiple aspects of cerebrovascular function. There is growing evidence that pericyte loss or dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, ischemic stroke and brain injury. However, strategies to mitigate or compensate for this loss remain limited. In this review, we highlight a novel finding that pericytes in the adult brain are structurally dynamic in vivo, and actively compensate for loss of endothelial coverage by extending their far-reaching processes to maintain contact with regions of exposed endothelium. Structural remodeling of pericytes may present an opportunity to foster pericyte-endothelial communication in the adult brain and should be explored as a potential means to counteract pericyte loss in dementia and cerebrovascular disease. We discuss the pathophysiological consequences of pericyte loss on capillary function, and the biochemical pathways that may control pericyte remodeling. We also offer guidance for observing pericytes in vivo, such that pericyte structural remodeling can be more broadly studied in mouse models of cerebrovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid leaching and a two-step solvent extraction procedure were developed to produce high purity mixture of La and Ce from iron-rich spent FCC catalyst discharged from Dzung Quat refinery (Vietnam). Acid leaching of the spent catalyst with 2M HNO3 and a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1/3 at 80 °C in 1 h dissolved almost 90% of La while 12% of Al and 25% of Fe were transferred to the leachate. The extraction of RE metals and main impurities such as Al and Fe by a mixture of di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) was investigated. Experiments showed that it was necessary to remove Fe before extracting RE and the optimum extraction conditions for a high recovery of RE while 0% of Al extraction were pH-1, contact time=10min, and D2EHPA/TBP volume ratio= 4: 1. At these conditions, the extraction yields of La(III) and Ce(III) were 72% and 89%, respectively. A two-step solvent extraction was developed to achieve a high purity of RE mixture, which included (1) the removal of impurity Fe by 25% (v/v) diisooctyl phosphinic acid (DiOPA) in n-octane for 140 min, (2) the extraction of rare earths by a mixture of di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) in n-octane for 10 min without the need for adjusting the pH of the leaching solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Microinfarcts are small, but strikingly common, ischemic brain lesions in the aging human brain. There is mounting evidence that microinfarcts contribute to vascular cognitive impairment and dementia, but the origins of microinfarcts are unclear. Understanding the vascular pathologies that cause microinfarcts may yield strategies to prevent their occurrence and reduce their deleterious effects on brain function. Current thinking suggests that cortical microinfarcts arise from the occlusion of penetrating arterioles, which are responsible for delivering oxygenated blood to small volumes of tissue. Unexpectedly, pre‐clinical studies have shown that the occlusion of penetrating venules, which drain deoxygenated blood from cortex, lead to microinfarcts that appear identical to those resulting from arteriole occlusion. Here we discuss the idea that cerebral venule pathology could be an overlooked source for brain microinfarcts in humans. This article is part of the Special Issue “Vascular Dementia”. Cover Image for this Issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.14167. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct contact and communication between pericytes and endothelial cells is critical for maintenance of cerebrovascular stability and blood-brain barrier function. Capillary pericytes have thin processes that reach hundreds of micrometers along the capillary bed. The processes of adjacent pericytes come in close proximity but do not overlap, yielding a cellular chain with discrete territories occupied by individual pericytes. Little is known about whether this pericyte chain is structurally dynamic in the adult brain. Using in vivo two-photon imaging in adult mouse cortex, we show that while pericyte somata were immobile, the tips of their processes underwent extensions and/or retractions over days. The selective ablation of single pericytes provoked exuberant extension of processes from neighboring pericytes to contact uncovered regions of the endothelium. Uncovered capillary regions had normal barrier function but were dilated until pericyte contact was regained. Pericyte structural plasticity may be critical for cerebrovascular health and warrants detailed investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical studies have revealed a strong link between increased burden of cerebral microinfarcts and risk for cognitive impairment. Since the sum of tissue damage incurred by microinfarcts is a miniscule percentage of total brain volume, we hypothesized that microinfarcts disrupt brain function beyond the injury site visible to histological or radiological examination. We tested this idea using a mouse model of microinfarcts, where single penetrating vessels that supply mouse cortex were occluded by targeted photothrombosis. We found that in vivo structural and diffusion MRI reliably reported the acute microinfarct core, based on spatial co-registrations with post-mortem stains of neuronal viability. Consistent with our hypothesis, c-Fos assays for neuronal activity and in vivo imaging of single vessel hemodynamics both reported functional deficits in viable peri-lesional tissues beyond the microinfarct core. We estimated that the volume of tissue with functional deficit in cortex was at least 12-fold greater than the volume of the microinfarct core. Impaired hemodynamic responses in peri-lesional tissues persisted at least 14 days, and were attributed to lasting deficits in neuronal circuitry or neurovascular coupling. These data show how individually miniscule microinfarcts could contribute to broader brain dysfunction during vascular cognitive impairment and dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United States has witnessed enormous criminal justice system growth in the past 60 years. In response to calls for reform, several jurisdictions have implemented programs that provide intensive supervision for high risk offenders, swiftly responding to violations with sanctions. This quasi experimental study is the first comprehensive analysis of Michigan's Swift and Sure Sanctions Probation Program (SSSPP), an alternative-to-incarceration program. The findings indicate that SSSPP participants had lower recidivism rates compared with individuals sentenced to probation-as-usual. Policy implications and suggestions for future research are offered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents methods and challenges attendant on the use of protocol analysis to develop a model of heuristic processing applied to research ethics. Participants are exposed to ethically complex scenarios and asked to verbalize their thoughts as they formulate a requested decision. The model identifies functional parts of the decision-making task: interpretation, retrieval, judgment and editing and seeks to reliably code participant verbalizations to those tasks as well as to a set of cognitive tools generally useful in such work. Important difficulties in the reliability and external validity of measurement are evaluated and a small set of illustrative data is used in support of that discussion. Results indicate that both intuitive emotional but also more deliberative cognition is present which is consistent with work in related literatures in expertise and in neuropsychology. Finally, the theoretical and practical potential of the approach is elaborated, particularly through links to a framing in Aristotelian ethics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood- brain barrier disruption (BBB) and release of toxic blood molecules into the brain contributes to neuronal injury during stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases. While pericytes are builders and custodians of the BBB in the normal brain, their impact on BBB integrity during ischemia remains unclear. We imaged pericyte-labeled transgenic mice with in vivo two-photon microscopy to examine the relationship between pericytes and blood plasma leakage during photothrombotic occlusion of cortical capillaries. Upon cessation of capillary flow, we observed that plasma leakage occurred with three times greater frequency in regions where pericyte somata adjoined the endothelium. Pericyte somata covered only 7% of the total capillary length in cortex, indicating that a disproportionate amount of leakage occurred from a small fraction of the capillary bed. Plasma leakage was preceded by rapid activation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) at pericyte somata, which was visualized at high resolution in vivo using a fluorescent probe for matrix metalloproteinase-2/9 activity, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-gelatin. Coinjection of an MMP-9 inhibitor, but not an MMP-2 inhibitor, reduced pericyteassociated FITC-gelatin fluorescence and plasma leakage. These results suggest that pericytes contribute to rapid and localized proteolytic degradation of the BBB during cerebral ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A wealth of research has been amassed documenting the effectiveness of drug treatment courts in addressing the needs of substance-abusing individuals involved with the criminal justice system. However, there is a relative dearth of research that examines the long-term impact of these programs on recidivism rates for both drug treatment court graduates and those unsuccessfully discharged from the program. In this study, we examine which demographic and programmatic/legal factors influence program disposition and recidivism rates of participants (both graduates and those unsuccessfully discharged) across the 5 years following their discharge from a drug treatment court program located in a suburban city in the Midwest. The study sample consists of 249 (N = 249) male participants who have been out of the program for more than 5 years. Results from the univariate and multivariate analyses are provided, as well as policy implications, directions for future research, and study limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the usage of the Lewis-acidic copper(II)hexafluoroacetylacetonate (Cu(hfac)2) and copper(II)trifluoroacetylacetonate (Cu(tfac)2) as low-cost p-dopants for conductivity enhancement of solution processable hole transport layers based on small molecules in organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The materials were clearly soluble in mixtures of environmentally friendly anisole and xylene and spin-coated under ambient atmosphere. Enhancements of two and four orders of magnitude, reaching 4.0 × 10-11 S/cm with a dopant concentration of only 2 mol% Cu(hfac)2 and 1.5 × 10-9 S/cm with 5 mol% Cu(tfac)2 in 2,2',7,7'-tetra(N,N-ditolyl)amino-9,9-spiro-bifluorene (spiro-TTB), respectively, were achieved. Red light emitting diodes were fabricated with reduced driving voltages and enhanced current and power efficiencies (8.6 lm/W with Cu(hfac)2 and 5.6 lm/W with Cu(tfac)2) compared to the OLED with undoped spiro-TTB (3.9 lm/W). The OLED with Cu(hfac)² doped spiro-TTB showed an over 8 times improved LT50 lifetime of 70 h at a starting luminance of 5000 cd/m². The LT50 lifetime of the reference OLED with PEDOT:PSS was only 8 h. Both non-optimized OLEDs were operated at similar driving voltage and power efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to describe the context and relevance of strategic foresight in the chemical industry. By using a case study of a multinational chemical company, the authors intend to show how global organizations use scenario planning as part of their strategic planning processes. Concentrating on scenario planning for regional strategies, the authors want to contribute to best practice of scenario methodology and ideally inspire academic research. Design/methodology/approach – Reviewing the literature of scenario planning and strategy elaboration, the authors focus on the Hax strategy process of strategy formation, as been applied in the case study’s company. They explain the scenario creation process in detail using a concrete example of India. The outcomes of the scenario creation process are then linked to the Hax strategy process’s description, to identify where scenario planning has created concrete value. Finally, the authors describe lessons learnt and list best practices for practitioners. Findings – Based on the analysis, the authors argue that scenario processes add value when embedded in established strategic planning processes. Lessons learned include among others that it is beneficial that the participants creating the scenarios are also those who join the strategy elaboration and that significant effort needs to go into systematically translating scenarios into implications for the organization. Originality/value – This designed case study is based on the experience of 17 process iterations during a period of five years with over 170 participants during which the core scenario process moderator team did not change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neurovascular unit (NVU) coordinates many essential functions in the brain including blood flow control, nutrient delivery, and maintenance of BBB integrity. These functions are the result of a cellular and molecular interplay that we are just beginning to understand. Cells of the NVU can now be investigated in the intact brain through the combined use of high-resolution in vivo imaging and non-invasive molecular tools to observe and manipulate cell function. Mouse lines that target transgene expression to cells of the NVU will be of great value in future work. However, a detailed evaluation of target cell specificity and expression pattern within the brain is required for many existing lines. The purpose of this review was to catalog mouse lines available to cerebrovascular biologists and to discuss their utility and limitations in future imaging studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one approach to examining the way ethical decisions are made, we asked experts (i.e., ethicists, regulatory officials, and experienced researchers) and novices (i.e., inexperienced graduate students) to review a set of scenarios that depict some important ethical tensions in research. The method employed was 'protocol analysis,' a talk-aloud technique pioneered by cognitive scientists for the analysis of expert performance. The participants were asked to verbalize their normally unexpressed thought processes as they responded to the scenarios, and to make recommendations for courses of action. We found that experts spent more time working through the decision-making process than novices and also raised substantially more concerns than novices. Differences also exist among the three groups of experts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to examine the way ethical decisions are made, we asked ethicists, regulatory officials, and experienced researchers to review a set of scenarios that depict important ethical tensions in research. The method employed was "protocol analysis," a talk-aloud technique pioneered by cognitive scientists. Each individual was asked to make recommendations for courses of action. Later, we held a focus group of university faculty and staff with either institutional review board experience or research ethics training. They too were asked to recommend actions. The results show there are areas where the two data collection approaches agree, as well as areas of considerable difference. Implications for training in the responsible conduct of research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of 32-year-old male with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and was treated with polychemotherapy. Patient presented seven years later with mediastinal tumor and lymphadenopathy. No remission was achieved after intensive salvage therapies with cytarabine/daunorubicin, cytarabine/mitoxantrone, and nelarabine/ifosfamide.

An approach to a model compound for polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols is developed using a ring-closing metathesis approach to give a substituted cyclooctene. This undergoes cyclization via an intramolecular acylation leading to a substituted bicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-9-one related to hyperforin, nemorosone, clusianone, garsubellin A and other members of the polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a planar electrode geometry, the operational mechanism of iridium(III) ionic transition metal complex (iTMC)-based light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) is studied by a combination of fluorescence microscopy and scanning Kelvin probe microscopy (SKPM). Applying a bias to the LECs leads to the quenching of the photoluminescence (PL) in between the electrodes and to a sharp drop of the electrostatic potential in the middle of the device, far away from the contacts. The results shed light on the operational mechanism of iTMC-LECs and demonstrate that these devices work essentially the same as LECs based on conjugated polymers do, i.e., according to an electrochemical doping mechanism. Moreover, with proceeding operation time the potential drop shifts towards the cathode coincident with the onset of light emission. During prolonged operation the emission zone and the potential drop both migrate towards the anode. This event is accompanied by a continuous quenching of the PL in two distinct regions separated by the emission line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the Miranda Rights of the U.S., which is an exception to public safety, and discusses the war on terror led by the U.S. President Barack Obama. It provides information on the U.S. Supreme Court decision in two cases Miranda v. Arizona and Dickerson v. United States. The Self-Incrimination Clause of the U.S. Fifth Amendment under Miranda rights grants criminal suspects the right to remain silent while interrogation which acts as a threat to public safety.

The use of cytochromes P450 for the regio- and stereoselective hydroxylation of non-activated carbon atoms in biotechnological applications reflects an efficient and cost-effective alternative in comparison to classical organic chemistry. The prokaryotic cytochrome P450 CYP106A2 from Bacillus megaterium ATCC 13368 hydroxylates a variety of 3-oxo-Δ steroids and recently it was identified to carry out a one-step regioselective allylic hydroxylation of the diterpene abietic acid. The anti-inflammatory pentacyclic triterpene 11-Keto-β-boswellic acid (KBA) was found to be a further substrate of CYP106A2, being the first report of a pentacyclic triterpene conversion by a prokaryotic P450. The reaction products were analyzed by HPLC and the corresponding kinetic parameters were investigated. Structure determination of the main product by NMR revealed a 15α-hydroxylation of this substrate. In order to overcome the inability of a recombinant P450 whole-cell system in E. coli for the uptake of acids with terpene structure, we developed for the first time an expression system for cytochromes P450 in B. megaterium (strains MS941 and ATCC 13368). Interestingly, CYP106A2 was only successfully expressed in the plasmid-less B. megaterium strain MS941 but not in ATCC13368. This recombinant system, with the co-expressed heterologous redox chain of the P450, bovine adrenodoxin reductase (AdR), and bovine adrenodoxin (Adx), was applied for the whole-cell conversion of KBA. The formation of 15α-hydroxy-KBA was increased 15-fold in comparison with the naturally CYP106A2-expressing B. megaterium strain ATCC 13368. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies utilizing genetic and pharmacological manipulations in rodent models and neuronal cultures have revealed myriad roles of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Currently, this knowledge of BDNF function is being translated into improvement strategies for several debilitating neurological disorders in which BDNF abnormalities play a prominent role. Common among the BDNF-related disorders are irregular trafficking and release of mature BDNF (mBDNF) and/or its prodomain predecessor, proBDNF. Thus, investigating the conditions required for proper trafficking and release of BDNF is an essential step toward understanding and potentially improving these neurological disorders. This paper will provide examples of disorders related to BDNF release and serve as a review of the techniques being used to study the trafficking and release of BDNF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research describes, classifies, and comparatively evaluates national models and mechanisms used to evaluate research and allocate research funding in 16 countries. Although these models and mechanisms vary widely in terms of how research is evaluated and financed, nearly all share the common characteristic of relating funding to some measure of past performance. Each of these 16 national models and mechanisms were rated by independent, blinded panels of professional researchers and evaluators in two countries on more than 25 quality indicators. The national models were then ranked using the panels' ratings, in terms of their validity, credibility, utility, cost-effectiveness, and ethicality. The highest ratings were received by nations using large-scale research assessment exercises. Bulk funding and indicator-driven models received substantially lower ratings. Implications for research evaluation practice and policy are considered and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the racial differences in the health status of non-institutionalized cognitively impaired older adults in rural areas in Arkansas. Basis in the examination of health status; Detection of high instrumental activities of daily living in African Americans; Factors effecting the health status of older adults.

Client control orientation is modeled as a force on program completion in alcohol treatment programs. A representative sample of adult alcohol abusers entering all state-funded programs in Missouri was recruited into the study and administered a pre-treatment interview including a locus of control scale. Official program records of completion and reason for non-completion were also accessed. The theoretical advantage of internal control orientation on client outcomes post-treatment was mitigated by its inverse relationship to a desire to change and to program completion. Possible reasons for an effect of locus of control on retention in program are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the dimensions of the concept of control orientation with respect to substance-abusing behaviors as measured by Keyson and Janda's 1972 Drinking-related Locus of Control scale. Difference of the dimensional structure from the one presented by Donovan and O'Leary in 1978 for male alcoholics at a hospital in Virginia.

Internal validity refers to the confidence with which changes in a dependent variable can be isolated from the effects of extraneous factors and causally attributed to the effects of an independent variable. While a randomized design is commonly recommended as the best way to preserve internal validity, random assignment of subjects to groups is not always feasible in evaluations of correctional programs. This paper argues that the biased assignment design, whereby subjects are assigned to groups according to controlled criteria, is a viable alternative means of preserving internal validity which should be employed more frequently by corrections researchers. The steps for using the biased assignment design are presented, as is a strategy for proper data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article focuses on the theory and patterns of neighborhood succession in urban sociology. Succession, as a neighborhood phenomenon, was consistent with a heuristic and with the general pattern the maps of social and economic characteristics were showing. Whether in zones or sectors and from a single center or multiple nuclei the macro patterns of land use were consistent with an implicit model of competitive sorting of groups for valued locations. The micro level succession model was underdeveloped, however. Another focus of the article, residential succession, depended on pressure from the center and on the desire of successful residents to move outward to more desirable locations. Studies of racial succession in the late 1950s and 1960s retained the terminology of a natural process from earlier work and added the empirical prediction of inevitability. After a certain degree of assimilation, usually measured in economic characteristics and by generation, White ethnic groups were thought to provide relatively little impetus to neighborhood succession.

Examines variables related to court decision making and recidivism over a two-year follow-up in a group of first-time referrals to a juvenile court. Previous research on the variables related to official decision making; Methodology of the research; Results of the study; Discussion and conclusions.