cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identification of the strong Brønsted acid site in a metal–organic framework solid acid catalyst

It remains difficult to understand the surface of solid acid catalysts at the molecular level, despite their importance for industrial catalytic applications. A sulfated zirconium-based metal-organic framework, MOF-808-SO4, was previously shown to be a strong solid Bronsted acid material. In this report, we probe the origin of its acidity through an array of spectroscopic, crystallographic and computational characterization techniques. The strongest Bronsted acid site is shown to consist of a specific arrangement of adsorbed water and sulfate moieties on the zirconium clusters. When a water molecule adsorbs to one zirconium atom, it participates in a hydrogen bond with a sulfate moiety that is chelated to a neighbouring zirconium atom; this motif, in turn, results in the presence of a strongly acidic proton. On dehydration, the material loses its acidity. The hydrated sulfated MOF exhibits a good catalytic performance for the dimerization of isobutene (2-methyl-1-propene), and achieves a 100% selectivity for C8 products with a good conversion efficiency.
Biochemical and Cellular Properties of ATP7B Variants

Abstract Wilson disease (WD) is caused by mutations in the ATP-dependent copper transporter ATP7B. Over 500 WD mutations have been identified, and frequencies of most common mutations have been established for different populations. Over the years, significant progress has been made in predicting consequences of various substitutions and testing these predictions experimentally. In this chapter, we focus on biochemical and cellular effects of representative WD-causing mutations and summarize available data for the best characterized variants. We highlight a spectrum of consequences of WD mutations, which range from the complete loss of structural integrity or transport function to a disruption of some aspects of ATP7B behavior without significant change in the others. The emerging role of single nucleotide polymorphisms as factors modifying properties of ATP7B is also discussed.
Semi-Normal Log Centres and Deformations of Pairs

We show that some of the properties of log canonical centres of a log canonical pair also hold for certain subvarieties that are close to being a log canonical centre. As a consequence, we obtain that, in working with deformations of pairs where all the coefficients of the boundary divisor are bigger than ½, embedded points never appear on the boundary divisor.
Advancing knowledge of transgender medical intervention effects.

In a recently published study, surveys of transgender individuals on hormone therapy provide insight into the self-reported effects of medication where previous thinking was only speculative. Still, controlled studies are required to avoid overinterpreting the clinical significance of specific findings in the context of what might be expected in the general population.
Modelling of debonded reinforcement in ABC connections designed for seismic zones

Abstract There are multiple design and detailing approaches for accelerated bridge construction (ABC) in seismically active zones. One of the most common methods is the use of precast components. When using precast components, a technique that can improve seismic behavior is debonding of the longitudinal reinforcement and/or prestressing strands; this can achieve the following objectives: (1) reducing concrete stress concentration, (2) promote rocking behavior, and (3) controlling/delaying the fracture of longitudinal bars. One example of debonding column reinforcement for ABC systems was a pretensioned rocking system that was tested using the shake table facility at the University of Nevada, Reno in 2014. A new numerical modelling strategy was developed to model the debonded reinforcement using external elements explicitly modelled and connected to the column element using rigid links at their proper arms. A numerical model was developed using Opensees for the selected bridge specimen by implementing the suggested strategy to capture the measured response in global and local domains. By incorporating a fatigue material with the reinforcement steel model, this strategy showed excellent agreement with the measured response. Then, the calibrated numerical model was used to explore methods to improve the performance of the system by delaying reinforcing steel fracture. The parametric studies show that increasing the bar sizes and the locally debonded length of the reinforcement were both effective strategies to reduce and delay bar fracture.
Understanding price incentives to upsize combination meals at large US fast-food restaurants

OBJECTIVE To understand price incentives to upsize combination meals at fast-food restaurants by comparing the calories (i.e. kilocalories; 1 kcal = 4·184 kJ) per dollar of default combination meals (as advertised on the menu) with a higher-calorie version (created using realistic consumer additions and portion-size changes). DESIGN Combination meals (lunch/dinner: n 258, breakfast: n 68, children's: n 34) and their prices were identified from online menus; corresponding nutrition information for each menu item was obtained from a restaurant nutrition database (MenuStat). Linear models were used to examine the difference in total calories per dollar between default and higher-calorie combination meals, overall and by restaurant. SETTING Ten large fast-food chain restaurants located in the fifteen most populous US cities in 2017-2018. PARTICIPANTS None. RESULTS There were significantly more calories per dollar in higher-calorie v. default combination meals for lunch/dinner (default: 577 kJ (138 kcal)/dollar, higher-calorie: 707 kJ (169 kcal)/dollar, difference: 130 kJ (31 kcal)/dollar, P < 0·001) and breakfast (default: 536 kJ (128 kcal)/dollar, higher-calorie: 607 kJ (145 kcal)/dollar, difference: 71 kJ (17 kcal)/dollar, P = 0·009). Results for children's meals were in the same direction but were not statistically significant (default: 536 kJ (128 kcal)/dollar, higher-calorie: 741 kJ (177 kcal)/dollar, difference: 205 kJ (49 kcal)/dollar, P = 0·053). Across restaurants, the percentage change in calories per dollar for higher-calorie v. default combination meals ranged from 0·1 % (Dunkin' Donuts) to 55·0 % (Subway). CONCLUSIONS Higher-calorie combination meals in fast-food restaurants offer significantly more calories per dollar compared with default combination meals, suggesting there is a strong financial incentive for consumers to 'upsize' their orders. Future research should test price incentives for lower-calorie options to promote healthier restaurant choices.
The Effects of Empowerment and Cultural Orientation on High Growth Firms: A Field Experiment in Augmenting Managerial Capacity

Fast growth in firms occurs when managers are able to adapt managerial capacity to cope with increasing workloads. The literature identifies numerous ways in which this can be accomplished, but empowering employees and creating a culture oriented toward rapid growth are two such effective mechanisms. The theories of empowerment and person-to-organization fit will be used to ground our research model. The method adopted for the study was a field experiment in the self-storage industry. Transactional data was gathered over a year and a half from branches of a fast-growing firm. The empowerment and cultural re-orientation manipulations were instrumented through privileging some employees with use of a revenue management system and extensive training of employees in the firm’s growth values. The resulting dataset will be analyzed through Partial Least Squares to determine if cultural orientation and empowerment makes a difference in increasing the rate of revenue and occupancy increases. We suppose this study should provide directions for researchers and implications for how entrepreneurs should train employees in the firm’s cultural alignment and empowerment. The study has theoretical ramifications in showing that empowerment theory can very possibly be extended to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Safety of percutaneous versus transjugular liver biopsy: A propensity score matched analysis.

Abstract Purpose This study sought to identify the complication, mortality, and readmission rates of patients undergoing either percutaneous (PCLB) or transjugular liver biopsy (TJLB) when propensity matched for demographics and hepatic comorbidities. Methods A retrospective review of New York’s Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System ICD9 coded database from the years 2009–2013 was conducted. Patients over the age of 18 undergoing either PCLB or TJLB were included. Patients with hepatic neoplasm or metastasis were excluded. 2:1 PCLB:TJLB propensity match for age, race, payment, coagulopathy, thrombocytopenia/purpura, hypercoagulability, ascites, acute liver failure, chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and bone marrow disease was conducted. Univariate analysis compared demographics, complications, readmissions, and mortality. Results 1467 patients met inclusion criteria (PCLB = 978, TJLB = 489). Propensity match was successful in that there were no significant differences in demographics or hepatic comorbidities. TJLB had significantly lower rates of hematoma (0.20 % vs 1.20 %, p = 0.049) and higher rates of cardiac complications (0.40 % vs 0.00 %, p = 0.045). Other complication, readmission, and mortality rates did not differ significantly. Logistic regression found no significant predictors of readmission within 7 days or any complication within 5 days. Conclusion This retrospective, multi-center database review of adult patients undergoing PCLB or TJLB propensity matched for demographics and hepatic comorbidities found that TJLB patients had a significantly higher rate of cardiac complications while PCLB patients had a significantly higher rate of hematoma. These findings support prior literature suggesting a trend towards safety of TJLB compared to PCLB in patients with hemostatic disorders and/or advanced liver disease.
Mutation analysis links angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma to clonal hematopoiesis and smoking.

Background Although advance has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of mature T-cell neoplasms, the initiation and progression of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL-NOS), remain poorly understood. A subset of AITL/PTCL-NOS patients develop concomitant hematologic neoplasms (CHN), and a biomarker to predict this risk is lacking. Methods We generated and analyzed the mutation profiles through 537-gene targeted sequencing of the primary tumors and matched bone marrow/peripheral blood samples in 25 patients with AITL and two with PTCL-NOS. Results Clonal hematopoiesis (CH)-associated genomic alterations, found in 70.4% of the AITL/PTCL-NOS patients, were shared among CH and T-cell lymphoma, as well as concomitant myeloid neoplasms or diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that developed before or after AITL. Aberrant AID/APOBEC activity-associated and tobacco smoking-associated mutational signatures were respectively enriched in the early CH-associated mutations and late non-CH-associated mutations during AITL/PTCL-NOS development. Moreover, analysis showed that the presence of CH harboring ≥2 pathogenic TET2 variants with ≥15% of allele burden conferred higher risk for CHN (p=0.0006, hazard ratio = 14.01, positive predictive value = 88.9%, negative predictive value = 92.1%). Conclusions We provided genetic evidence that AITL/PTCL-NOS, CH, and CHN can frequently arise from common mutated hematopoietic precursor clones. Our data also suggests smoking exposure as a potential risk factor for AITL/PTCL-NOS progression. These findings provide insights into the cell origin and etiology of AITL and PTCL-NOS and provide a novel stratification biomarker for CHN risk in AITL patients. Funding R01 grant (CA194547) from the National Cancer Institute to WT.
Chronic alcohol drinking persistently suppresses thalamostriatal excitation of cholinergic neurons to impair cognitive flexibility

Exposure to addictive substances impairs flexible decision-making. Cognitive flexibility is mediated by striatal cholinergic interneurons (CINs). However, how chronic alcohol drinking alters cognitive flexibility through CINs remains unclear. Here, we report that chronic alcohol consumption and withdrawal impaired reversal of instrumental learning. Chronic alcohol consumption and withdrawal also caused a long-lasting (21 d) reduction of excitatory thalamic inputs onto CINs and reduced pause response of CINs in the dorsomedial striatum (DMS). CINs are known to inhibit glutamatergic transmission in dopamine D1 receptor-expressing medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) but facilitate this transmission in D2-MSNs, which may contribute to flexible behavior. We discovered that chronic alcohol drinking impaired CIN-mediated inhibition in D1-MSNs and facilitation in D2-MSNs. Importantly, in vivo optogenetic induction of long-term potentiation of thalamostriatal transmission in DMS CINs rescued alcohol-induced reversal learning deficits. These results demonstrate that chronic alcohol drinking reduces thalamic excitation of DMS CINs, compromising their regulation of glutamatergic transmission in MSNs, which may contribute to alcohol-induced impairment of cognitive flexibility. These findings provide a neural mechanism underlying inflexible drinking in alcohol use disorder.
Operational Curriculum and Research Initiatives: Shaping the Future of Military Medicine.

Background The current operational tempo and transitions in the structure of the military health system demands a renewed commitment to operational medicine readiness. There is an official mandate as well as the practical necessity to increase operational readiness within the medical corps. There is also a need to continue the scholarly evaluation of military medicine through research to ensure the progression of evidence-based medical care for the war fighter. Military graduate medical education (GME) has been threatened by budget cuts and lack of understanding of its value. This article reviews the literature on operational medicine curriculums and makes recommendations to restructure current military medicine training to produce operationally prepared clinicians who are informed in operationally focused research principles. Observations During early medical training operational curriculum cements military identity, fosters military leadership skills, provides practice of scenarios unique to military medicine, and connects learners to experienced mentors. There have been several versions of curriculum development in various GME programs observed from a literature search; however, the curriculum overall is fragmented and there is no universal implementation. Studies have shown that deliberately mapped longitudinal curriculums can be well integrated into a existing medical curriculum. Multiple studies also suggest that military GME is a large component of the production of operational-themed medical research and is vital for continued advancements. Value-based analysis performed by multiple sources have found that the initial increased cost of a military medical school education and GME becomes cost-effective based on increased retention, deployments, and filling of leadership billets. Conclusions Access to existing operational training structures that have well-established programs should be increased, and individual GME program curriculums should be modeled on those that have shown proven success with a focus on operational training, leadership, and research.
Solar and geomagnetic activity enhance the effects of air pollutants on atrial fibrillation

Aims Cardiac arrhythmias have been associated with intense solar and geomagnetic activity (SGA) and exposures to air pollution. Methods We examined whether oscillations of SGA can modify the effect of hourly exposures to air pollutants on atrial fibrillation ≥30 s (AF) risk in patients with dual-chamber implantable cardioverter-defibrillators. The effects of SGA on ambient particulate matter Results Overall time lags between 0 and 24 h, periods of increased SGA (>50th percentile in IMF, SW, and Kp index) enhanced the effects of all three air pollutants on AF, while during periods of reduced SGA the associations were considerably weaker or absent. During periods of intense SW 6 h prior to an AF event, the odds ratio (OR) for PM2.5 exposure per interquartile range (IQR) of 5.6 µg/m3 was 1.7 [95% confident interval (CI) 1.3-2.3, P = 0.0001]. For periods of reduced SW, the OR for PM2.5 exposure per IQR was 1.2 (95% CI 0.9-1.5; P = 0.27). There were similar effects for PN and BC exposures. In patients with multiple AF events per hour, the associations with air pollutants during intense SGA were even greater. Conclusion The effects of air pollutants up to 24 h before AF events were enhanced during periods of increased SGA. Our results suggest that these effects may account for variation in AF risk.
Mental Health Problems that Mediate Treatment Utilization Among Children in Foster Care

Children in foster care suffer from an extremely high prevalence of mental health problems, yet, it remains unclear if they consistently use mental health treatments, such as therapy. To determine whether these children receive treatment more often when they have specific types of mental health problems, we examined the prevalence and associations between mental health problems, as identified by standardized screening, and mental health treatment utilization. Using descriptive statistics, multivariate models, and moderation and exploratory mediation analysis, we analyzed data for 237 children in foster care, aged 5–17 years. We found 71 % were identified with a mental health problem in at least one of the sub-domains examined (emotional, conduct, inattention/hyperactivity, peer, and prosocial), and 61 % of children received mental health treatment (p = .001). Yet, the only sub-domains predictive of treatment utilization were peer problems (p = .004) and low prosocial behaviors (p = .030). Moderation analysis revealed that the relation between peer problems and treatment utilization was strongest among white children (p = .012). Exploratory mediation analysis suggested that peer problems may increase the likelihood of treatment for children with emotional (95 % CI 0.05, 0.53) and conduct problems (95 % CI 0.05, 0.58). It remains unknown whether this occurs because peer problems are associated with overt symptoms, or because peers problems can exacerbate existing social–emotional problems. Routine screening for mental health problems among children in foster care can facilitate timely treatment, and potentially improve the present and future quality of life for this high risk population.
X-Chromosome Inactivation

We have known for the greater part of the 20th century that mammalian females and males differ in both number and kind of sex chromosomes. While females have two X-chromosomes (XX), males have one X- and one Y-chromosome (XY). Both the X and Y carry genes that enhance female and male reproductive function, respectively. Because the Y-chromosome is relatively small and carries only a few genes, this sex chromosome difference means that females essentially have double the number of sex-chromosome genes compared to males. Yet, biochemical evidence indicates that this difference in chromosome number does not result in sex-specific differences in the total amount of X-encoded RNAs or proteins. In other words, female cells with two copies of every X-linked gene synthesized the same amount of protein products as males cells with half the number of genes. For years, this equation puzzled biologists. Clearly, some form of dosage compensation akin to those found in other sexual organisms must exist in mammals.
Improved Biquad Structures Using Double-Output TransconductanceBlocks for Tunable Continuous-Time Filters

A family of g_m - C biquad structures is derived. These biquads require only a pair of grounded capacitors and three transconductors. It is shown that a pair of complex zeros can be realized simply by replicating the output stage of the transconductance block, thereby constructing a second output current that is proportional to the original output current. Although these biquad structures are very compact, they allow independent programming of the filter‘s center frequency andQ . IC simulations and measurements are presented using a fifth-order tunable filter as an example.
A Case Study of an Integrated University Portal

The increasing complexity and interdependence of campus technology systems poses a significant challenge to universities. Such efforts cannot be solely the domain of a university technology department but requires participation across the institution in order to ensure success. As Irvine (2003) noted, “a decision about course management platforms or portals and their interoperability with other campus systems is a critical institution-wide issue that involves the whole university community” (p. 5). This case study considers the development of an Oracle-powered database-driven student and faculty information single-sign-on portal at Regent University called myRegent. This recently developed portal integrates with our existing student information and learning management systems, SCT Banner, and Blackboard Learning System respectively. From its inception, Regent University has leveraged technology to allow students to participate in graduate education without limiting students to live in a particular geographical location during the course of their studies. Since 1989, the faculty have harnessed distance education technologies and corresponding instructional models to extend educational access beyond Southeastern Virginia. In the years since the first distance education courses were offered, Regent University’s off-campus programs have undergone the following technological progression:
Paramedic documentation of indicators for cervical spine injury.

Introduction Current paramedic training mandates complete immobilization of all patients, symptomatic or not, whose mechanism of injury typically is viewed as conducive to spinal trauma. It is common to observe confrontations between paramedics and walking, asymptomatic accident victims who fail to understand why they should "wear that collar and be strapped to that board." Immobilized, frustrated patients then may wait for hours in a busy emergency department until a physician declares them to be without spinal injury. Patients frequently refuse treatment and transport. Hypothesis Algorithms exist for physicians to "clear" the cervical spine (C-spine) without radiography. It was hypothesized that paramedics routinely assess and document these indicators in their patient evaluations. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on 161 patients (Group 1) admitted to a regional medical center with a diagnosis of C-spine injury over a 52-month period. The charts of 225 motor vehicle accident (MVA) victims (Group 2) transported by ambulance to the emergency department over a five-month period then were studied. Indicators for C-spine injury documented by emergency medical service (EMS) personnel were abstracted. Results All patients underwent mental status assessment and full spinal immobilization (neck and back) by EMS crews prior to transport to the hospital. Two or more indicators of possible C-spine injury were documented on each prehospital care report (PCR). Conclusion Paramedics already assess most, if not all, of the criteria standard to C-spine clearance algorithms, but are inconsistent in their documentation of the presence or absence of all of the relevant findings.
Do mirrors for gravitational waves exist

Abstract Thin superconducting films are predicted to be highly reflective mirrors for gravitational waves at microwave frequencies. The quantum-mechanical non-localizability of the negatively charged Cooper pairs, which is protected from the localizing effect of decoherence by an energy gap, causes the pairs to undergo non-picturable , non-geodesic motion in the presence of a gravitational wave. This non-geodesic motion, which is accelerated motion through space, leads to the existence of mass and charge supercurrents inside the superconducting film. On the other hand, the decoherence-induced localizability of the positively charged ions in the lattice causes them to undergo picturable , geodesic motion as they are carried along with space in the presence of the same gravitational wave. The resulting separation of charges leads to a virtual plasma excitation within the film that enormously enhances its interaction with the wave, relative to that of a neutral superfluid or any normal matter. The existence of strong mass supercurrents within a superconducting film in the presence of a gravitational wave, dubbed the “Heisenberg–Coulomb effect,” implies the specular reflection of a gravitational microwave from a film whose thickness is much less than the London penetration depth of the material, in close analogy with the electromagnetic case. The argument is developed by allowing classical gravitational fields, which obey Maxwell-like equations, to interact with quantum matter, which is described using the Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer (BCS) and Ginzburg–Landau theories of superconductivity, as well as a collisionless plasma model. Several possible experimental tests of these ideas, including mesoscopic ones, are presented alongside comments on the broader theoretical implications of the central hypothesis.
The Impact of Hardware Communication on a Heterogeneous Computing System

This paper designed a MPI-like Message Passing Engine (MPE) as part of the on-chip network, providing point-to-point and collective communication primitives in hardware. On one hand, the MPE offloads the communication workload from the general processing elements. On the other hand, the MPE provides direct interface to the heterogeneous processing elements which can eliminate the data path going around the OS and libraries. The experimental results have shown that the MPE can significantly reduce the communication time and improve the overall performance, especially for heterogeneous computing systems.
The use of tritium in groundwater to determine fluid mean residence times of Valles caldera hydrothermal fluids, New Mexico, USA

Abstract Naturally and artificially produced 3 H in precipitation is used to place limits on mean residence times of fluids associated with the Valles caldera geothermal reservoir. The 3 H concentrations in precipitation are used to calculate fluid mean residence times using two end-member cases: piston-flow and well-mixed reservoirs. These simplified models using 3 H yield relative fluid mean residence times in different portions of the system. In-situ 3 H production in the reservoir through neutron interaction with 6 Li is considered, and only very low levels of 3 H (≤ 0.01 T.U) are contributed to the waters by this process. Calculations using the end-member cases at Valles caldera indicate that mean residence times of geothermal waters in the reservoir are between 3000 and 10,000 years. The results also show that the two distinct subsystems of the main reservoir are associated with different fluid mean residence times. Waters in the Redondo Creek subsystem are older (~4300 to > 10,000 years) than waters in the Sulphur Springs subsystem (~2000–4400 years). Comparison of the results of the end-member cases with those obtained using more sophisticated methods indicates that the two end-member cases, with the use of 3 H, can provide acceptable limits (order of magnitude) on a fluid's mean residence time and volumes within a reservoir.
Breaking Bread, Not Bones: Printers’ Festivals and Professionalism in Antebellum America

This research examines a little-studied facet of nineteenth-century journalism, the Printers’ Festival or Franklin Dinner, finding in the discourse of the many toasts lauding the craft evidence of attempts to turn an artisanal craft into a profession. The research argues that these feasts were sites of production for values and practices that helped create group identity and culture that led to formal press associations by the middle of the century.
Bone and nutrition in elderly women: protein, energy, and calcium as main determinants of bone mineral density.

Bone and nutrition in elderly women: protein, energy, and calcium as main determinants of bone mineral density
Formal Verification of Real-Time Wireless Sensor Networks Protocols: Scaling Up

Large scale ad hoc networks such as Wireless Sensor Networks are more and more deployed to ensure critical missions (such as forest fire detection, intrusion detection, etc). Critical applications require timeliness and reliability because human lives may depend on it. In order to give the strongest possible guaranties, the fulfillment of the timing requirements must be formally verified. In the literature, mainly two approaches are used for the formal verification of WSNs real-time protocols: Model Checking which consists in an exhaustive exploration of the behaviors of the system and Network Calculus which abstracts the elements of the system with compos able mathematical functions. The Model Checking solution suffers from the combinatorial explosion problem which prevents from verifying large scale systems. On the contrary, Network Calculus scales well, but the abstraction made when defining the service curve is often made without proof that it actually corresponds to the worst case of the considered protocol. In this paper we propose a verification technique which takes advantage of the exhaustiveness of the Model Checking and the scalability of the Network Calculus. The Model Checking technique being used at the scale of a node in order to verify its behavior and the Network Calculus at the scale of the network to represent the interactions of every node with the rest of the network. We use the UPPAAL model checker and Sensor Network Calculus and apply our method to a WSN real-time protocol in order to evaluate the performance of the method.
Alzheimer's disease: Anterior-posterior and lateral hemispheric alterations in cortical glucose utilization

We performed dynamic positron emission tomographic studies with [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose in 17 subjects with presumed Alzheimer's disease (AD) and 7 healthy aged subjects. Glucose metabolism was depressed by 27% in temporal-parietal cortex of the AD group, as compared to healthy aged controls. This focal impairment in temporal-parietal glucose use was found in all AD subjects. In addition, the AD group showed a striking lateral asymmetry of cortical metabolism not favoring either hemisphere, which has not been previously reported. Relationships between these focal changes and behavioral features of the illness were demonstrated. These results have important implications for the diagnosis and perhaps the etiology of Alzheimer's disease.
Teaching healthcare professionals about drug-induced disease: an innovative clinical therapeutic approach.

An innovative conference on the general principles of recognition and management of drug-induced disease was developed for healthcare professionals (particularly primary care). The full-day conference used a clinical therapeutic approach and was a cooperative effort of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) Staff College and Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC). Linked with the FDA MedWatch postmarketing surveillance initiative, the conference used multiple formats, including didactic presentations, panel discussions, and case discussions led by faculty from various disciplines (e.g., internal and family medicine, psychiatry, clinical pharmacology, dentistry, clinical pharmacy, nursing, epidemiology). Conference topics included new drug approval, pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic considerations, and clinical assessment of adverse drug events. Tests were administered to participants before and after the conference, and participants completed a conference evaluation. Mean scores for the pre- and posttests were compared globally and by professional discipline. Conference evaluations were assessed for responses to eight standardized statements and elicited comments. After the conference, mean and median test scores were improved both globally and by discipline in comparison to protest results, with improvement on almost all individual test questions. Comparison of median scores for the pre- and posttests showed small differences between physicians and pharmacists. Evaluations showed markedly positive response to standardized statements, including enhancement of professional growth; elicited comments were supportive of conference effectiveness and attendee acceptance. This conference, which utilized a combination of educational formats, was designed to present material of an innovative nature. Results indicate that the conference was well-received and fulfilled specified learning objectives, including recognition of populations particularly vulnerable to adverse drug events and understanding of how individual providers can contribute to FDA postmarketing surveillance. Continuing educational efforts using this approach are encouraged.
A revision of isertia (Isertieae: Rubiaceae)

A revision is presented, of the neotropical genusIsertia Schreber.Cassupa Humb. & Bonpl. is given a new status asIsertia sectionCassupa (Humb. & Bonpl.) B. M. Boom, based on differences in fruit type, number of locules in the ovary, and number of lobes of the stigma. A new combination is made at the species level,I. laevis (Triana) B. M. Boom, and a new species from Panama is described and illustrated,I. scorpioides B. M. Boom. Altogether, fourteen species and one variety are recognized in the genus.
On-Chip Optical Technology in Future Bus-Based Multicore Designs

This work investigates the integration of CMOS-compatible optical technology to on-chip coherent buses for future CMPs. The analysis results in a hierarchical optoelectrical bus that exploits the advantages of optical technology while abiding by projected limitations. This bus achieves significant performance improvement for high-bandwidth applications relative to a state-of-the-art fully electrical bus
One-loop Pauli-Villars regularization of supergravity: Canonical gauge kinetic energy

It is shown that the one-loop coefficients of on-shell operators of standard supergravity with canonical gauge kinetic energy can be regulated by the introduction of Pauli-Villars chiral and Abelian gauge multiplets, subject to a condition on the matter representations of the gauge group. Aspects of the anomaly structure of these theories under global nonlinear symmetries and an anomalous gauge symmetry are discussed.
The role of social CRM and its potential impact on lead generation in business-to-business marketing

The implementation of social media technology into a firm’s marketing strategy has been a significant discussion for many sales organisations. Currently, only a fraction of business-to-business (B2B) organisations are using social media (e.g., Linked-In and Twitter), for reaching potential consumers. Thus, these media tools are underutilised in the sales and marketing process or often non-existent. With the evolution of the internet and Web 2.0, adding a social media strategy, also known as social CRM, to a company’s marketing initiatives may provide a competitive advantage to firms who are able to cultivate the benefits. In this paper, we review how social CRM can be utilised in the prospecting process and customer engagement strategy. Also noted are some best practises for implementing social CRM in a B2B marketing environment by analysing current companies’ integration of this new method for interacting with prospective clients.
Density functional theory studies of quantum transport in molecular systems

Conventional semiconducting devices are rapidly approaching their physical limits, encouraging an increasing number of researchers across multiple disciplines to attempt to devise innovative ways to decrease the size and increase the performance of critical features in microelectronic circuits. One possible route is based on the idea of using molecules and molecular structures as functional electronic devices. While impressive experimental progress toward the realization of molecular electronics has been achieved, full insight into the potential for molecular-based electronics requires accurate theoretical investigations of the processes governing their functioning. In the present study, we show that large-scale quantum electronic structure calculations coupled with nonequilibrium Green function theory can be employed to determine quantum conductance on practical length scales. The combination of state-of-the-art quantum mechanical methods, efficient numerical algorithms, and high-performance computing allows for realistic evaluation of properties at length scales that are routinely reached experimentally. Two illustrations of the method are presented. First, we investigate the electron transport properties of a Si/organic-molecule/Si junction, using a numerically optimized basis. Second, quantum chemical calculations using up to 104 basis functions are carried out to investigate amphoteric doping of carbon nanotubes by encapsulation of organic molecules. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2006
Putting Women at the Center of Building Back Better in Haiti

The challenges of rebuilding Haiti are enormous: millions are without housing, access to clean water, sanitation, transportation, or energy; the infrastructure is nonexistent; tons of rubble still lie in the streets. The challenges are compounded by the dire situation in Haiti before the earthquake, with more than half the population already living in destitution. Haiti, the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, has a GDP per capita of about $1,300, less than half that of Nicaragua ($2,800), the second-poorest nation in the hemisphere. 1 Illiteracy hovers around 50 percent, 2 and infant mortality in 2009 was almost 60 deaths per 1,000 live births—the worst statistics in the hemisphere. 3 The lofty commitments made in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake have in too many instances encountered the hard reality of implementation, and progress is painfully slow. Today, more than eight months after the earthquake, a million Haitians are living in tent cities, surrounded by mud and disease. Still, there is hope that a better Haiti can be built back out of the rubble. Achieving this will require not only immediate short-term fixes to get the country
Decreased α Globin Messenger RNA Activity associated with Polyribosomes in α Thalassaemia

IN the α thalassaemia syndromes, there is decreased production of structurally normal α globin chains1. Two types of α thalassaemia genes are postulated, α-1 leading to absent production of α chains and α-2 resulting in decreased production of α chains1,2. Haemoglobin H (HbH) disease seems to result from double heterozygosity for α-l and α-2 genes. In HbH disease, the red cells of affected patients have detectable HbH, a tetramer consisting of four β chains due to the relative deficiency of α chain synthesis. Reticulocytes from these patients, when incubated with radioactive amino-acids, synthesize two to four times as much β chain as α chain3–6. The study described here was undertaken to determine if the defect in a thalassaemia could be localized to the α chain mRNA in these cells. The results indicate that mRNA isolated from the polyribosomes of a patient with HbH disease reproduces the defect in α chain synthesis when added to a cell-free system. Thus, in HbH disease, α chain mRNA associated with polyribosomes is either decreased in amount or abnormal. These findings are comparable with those previously reported in β thalassaemia in which decreased polyribosomal globin mRNA activity was demonstrated (refs. 7–9 and unpublished results of L. W. D. and A. B. with M. T., P. A. Marks and S. Metafora).
Cellulase and other hydrolytic enzyme assays using an oscillating tube viscometer.

Abstract The relative reaction rates of various hydrolases such as cellulase, xylanase, protease, amylase, and pectinase are readily determined using an oscillating capillary tube recording viscometer. The continuous readout allows initial reaction rates to be observed. The complete reaction curve of these enzymes was found to approximate a rectangular hyperbola. This finding allowed the calculation of the equation of each curve and the extrapolation of the initial reaction rates.
Endothelin-1 and Endothelin Receptor Gene Variants and Their Association With Negative Outcomes Following Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage:

Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a devastating disease that affects approximately 30,000 people a year in the United States. Delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) and cerebral vasospasm (CV) are common complications after aSAH. In addition, aSAH patients have a high risk of poor long-term outcomes. Endothelin-1 (ET-1), a potent vasoconstrictor, or its two types of receptors, ET receptor A (ETA) and ET receptor B (ETB), may play a role in the pathogenesis of DCI and CV. Genetic variations within the ET-1, ETA, or ETB genes may also account for variance observed in the outcomes of aSAH patients. The purpose of this study was to describe the distribution of the Lys198Asn polymorphism, a known functional SNP in the ET-1 gene, and tagging SNPs of the ET-1, ETA, and ETB genes in individuals recovering from aSAH. This study also investigated the relationships among the ET polymorphisms, DCI, and global functional outcomes measured at 3 and 6 months after aSAH. Participants included individuals aged 18-75 years with a diagnosis of aSAH. There was a trend found between the variant allele of an ET-1 SNP (rs6912834) and angiographic vasospasm. There were also associations found between two ETB SNPs (rs9574124 and rs3027111) and poor outcomes as measured by the Glasgow Outcome scale at 3 months. These findings support the role of ET-1 and ETB in recovery following aSAH.
Geographic variation in outpatient antibiotic prescribing among older adults.

Background Consequences of antibiotic overuse are substantial, especially among older adults, who are more susceptible to adverse reactions. Findings about variation in antibiotic prescribing can target policy efforts to focused areas; however, little is known about these patterns among older adults. Methods Using Medicare Part D data from January 1, 2007, through December 31, 2009 (comprising 1.0-1.1 million patients per year), we examined geographic variation in antibiotic use among older adults in 306 Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care hospital referral regions, 50 states and the District of Columbia, and 4 national regions (South, West, Midwest, and Northeast). In addition, we examined the quarterly change in antibiotic use across the 4 regions. Differences in patient demographics, insurance status, and clinical characteristics were adjusted for across regions. Results Substantial geographic and quarterly variation in outpatient antibiotic prescribing existed across regions after adjusting for population characteristics. This variation could not be explained by differences in the prevalences of the underlying conditions. For example, the ratios of the 75th percentile to the 25th percentile of adjusted annual antibiotic spending were 1.31 across states and 1.32 across regions. The highest antibiotic use was in the South, where 21.4% of patients per quarter used an antibiotic, whereas the lowest antibiotic use was in the West, where 17.4% of patients per quarter used an antibiotic (P Conclusions Areas with high rates of antibiotic use may benefit from targeted programs to reduce unnecessary prescription. Quality improvement programs can set attainable targets using the low-prescribing areas as a reference, particularly targeting older adults.
Protozoan parasites and type I interferons: a cold case reopened

Protozoan parasites, such as Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium, trypanosomes, and Leishmania, are a major cause of disease in both humans and other animals, highlighting the need to understand the full spectrum of strategies used by the host immune system to sense and respond to parasite infection. Although type II interferon (IFN-γ) has long been recognized as an essential antiparasite immune effector, much less is known about the role of type I interferons (IFN-α and -β) in host defense, particularly in vivo. Recent studies are reviewed which collectively highlight that type I IFN can be induced in response to parasite infection and influence the outcome of infection.
Superior sulcus lung tumors: Impact of local control on survival☆☆☆

Abstract Objectives: Our goal was to assess patient survival and response to treatment for superior sulcus tumors treated with combined radiation therapy and surgery when possible, or with radiation alone when surgery was not possible. Methods: Seventy-three patients were treated for primary non–small cell carcinoma of the superior pulmonary sulcus. Thirty-four patients received combined resection and irradiation. Thirty-nine patients who had extensive primary disease, distant metastases, or who were medically unfit for surgery were treated with radiation alone. Thirty-one patients (91%) assigned to the resection/irradiation group completed treatment. Combined therapy patients routinely received 40 Gy before the operation, with additional postoperative irradiation based on the surgical findings. Results: Overall survival at 5 years was 19% and disease-specific survival was 20% for all patients. Overall survival and disease-specific survival at 5 years for the resection/irradiation group were 33% and 38%, respectively. Significant indicators of poor prognosis included unresected primary disease, low performance score, T4 stage, or positive node status. Eighty-two percent of the patients who received irradiation alone were treated with palliative intent. Freedom from local-regional progression, achieved initially in 66% of these patients, was associated with a median survival of 8 months. Median survival for 7 patients considered for definitive irradiation was 25 months. During the first 18 months, distant failures occurred in approximately 35% of patients in each treatment group. Conclusions: Selection of medically fit patients with resectable disease for combined surgery and aggressive radiation therapy resulted in a high likelihood of local control. Overall survival for the resection/irradiation group was significantly poorer for patients with T4 stage, nodal disease, or Horner's syndrome. Distant metastases eventually developed in 56% of patients undergoing resection. Median survival in the resection/irradiation group was significantly prolonged for those patients who could tolerate high-dose radiation treatment. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:1086-94)