cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The End of Public Schools: The Corporate Reform Agenda to Privatize Education

In this speech, Hursh shows how public education in the United States is undergoing profound changes. Education policy has been hijacked by the unelected and unaccountable corporate reformers who aspire to overhaul the education system through a corporate model of privatization and market competition. They aim to privatize education through expanding the number of publicly funded privately administered charter schools, and hand over making tests and curriculum to corporations. They desire to replace public state-run teacher education programs with programs run by charter schools, such as the Relay Graduate School. They shift where education policy is made: away from the local and public levels where parents, teachers, community members and students can have input, and towards private and often dark spaces where wealthy philanthropists, corporations, nongovernmental organizations, and hedge fund managers dominate. He also shows how educators, parents, students, and community members have collaborated in pu...
Pneumatic retinopexy for displaced macular laceration from intraocular foreign body.

Abstract Purpose To report a case of macular laceration from intraocular foreign body (IOFB) treated with pneumatic retinopexy. Observations A 74 year old man sustained penetrating injury to his left globe with retained metallic intraocular foreign body (IOFB). The patient underwent prompt pars plana vitrectomy, intravitreal antibiotics and removal of IOFB. The posterior point of impact left a displaced foveo-macular laceration which was recognized postoperatively and treated with pneumatic retinopexy for re-approximation of the foveal tissue. Optical coherence tomography confirmed acute traumatic laceration and edema, closure of the tissue and subsequent healing and adjacent retinal and retinal pigment epithelial atrophy. He regained visual acuity of 20/30. Conclusions and importance Traumatic macular lacerations can be treated with pneumatic retinopexy, after pars plana vitrectomy, with potentially good visual result.
Legal systems and performance of microfinance institutions

The paper investigates the impact of institutional environment resulting from the legal systems, on the financial performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs). Broadly categorized into common law and code law, the legal systems are found to significantly influence the efficiency of MFIs. We use an unbalanced panel of 1272 MFIs over a period of 16 years to analyze the effect of legal systems on their financial performance. In contrast to the accepted notion that common law systems are more conducive to effective market systems, our results show that MFIs operating under code law systems exhibit better financial performance than in common law systems.
Abstract A18: G1 cell cycle arrest is required for invasive behavior

The ability for a cell to breach the surrounding basement membrane and adopt an invasive phenotype is a critical, but poorly understood step in the progression of cancer. Like many aspects of cancer cell behavior, the genetic programs that regulate invasive behavior are likely shared with normal cell biological processes, as invasion occurs during embryonic development and immune surveillance. Due to difficulties of studying this dynamic behavior in vivo, elucidating the genetic and epigenetic controls of cell invasive activity has been difficult. Our laboratory uses a unique in vivo model to examine cell invasion that combines functional genomic and genetic tools with single-cell high resolution visual analyses. We examine anchor cell (AC) invasion into the vulval epithelium during the larval development of the model roundworm, C. elegans. Our data functionally links G1 cell cycle arrest to acquisition of invasive behavior. Previously we have identified that a single transcription factor, the conserved nuclear hormone receptor nhr-67 (NR2E1/TLX) is required in the AC to prevent the invasive AC from entering the cell cycle. NHR-67 maintains the AC in G1 cell cycle arrest, in part through upregulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor cki-1 (p21CIP1/p27Kip1). Loss of nhr-67 results in non-invasive mitotic ACs that fail to express matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and actin regulators or form invadopodia, F-actin rich membrane-localized protrusions that are required for invasion. Strikingly, AC invasion can be rescued through induction of G1 arrest, preventing cell division and promoting differentiation. Downstream of G1 arrest, the AC requires the activity of the conserved histone deacetylase HDA-1, a key regulator of cell differentiation, to regulate the expression of pro-invasive genes and localize invadopodia. Through loss-of-function RNA interference (RNAi) screening, we have identified new cell cycle regulatory components (lin-35/RB, skr-2/SKP1, cdc-14/CDC14A, cul-1/ Cullin-1 and cul-4/ Cullin-4B) and epigenetic modifiers (let-418/Mi-2/CHD3 and Swi/snf-components) that function with cki-1 and hda-1, respectively, to maintain G1 cell cycle arrest and differentiate the invasive phenotype. Together our results suggest that the acquisition of the invasive phenotype is a post-mitotic differentiated state, which may help explain the paradoxical reports that the invasive fronts of many metastatic cancers are non-proliferative. Citation Format: Abraham Q. Kohrman, Mana Chandhok, Wan Zhang, David Q. Matus. G1 cell cycle arrest is required for invasive behavior. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Cancer Cell Cycle - Tumor Progression and Therapeutic Response; Feb 28-Mar 2, 2016; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(11_Suppl):Abstract nr A18.
Population-based meta-analysis of roxithromycin pharmacokinetics: dosing implications of saturable absorption and protein binding

Objectives: The macrolide antibiotic roxithromycin has seen widespread clinical use for several decades; however, no population pharmacokinetic analysis has been published. Early studies indicated saturation of protein binding and absorption at doses within the approved range, which may impact pharmacodynamic target attainment since regimens of 150 mg twice daily and 300 mg once daily are used interchangeably in clinical practice. This study aimed to develop a population-based meta-analysis of roxithromycin pharmacokinetics, and utilize this model to inform optimal dosing regimens. Methods: Following an extensive search, roxithromycin pharmacokinetic data were collected or digitized from literature publications. Population pharmacokinetic modelling was undertaken with ADAPT. Dosing simulations were performed to investigate differences in exposure and pharmacodynamic target attainment between dosing regimens. Results: A two-compartment model with saturable absorption described the data (n = 63); changes in free drug exposure were simulated using a saturable protein binding model. Simulations indicated that a 300 mg daily regimen achieves a 37% and 53% lower total or free AUC (fAUC), respectively, compared with 150 mg twice daily. These pharmacokinetic differences translated to significantly lower target attainment (fAUC/MIC ratio >20) with a 300 mg daily regimen at MICs of 0.5 and 1 mg/L (51% and 7%) compared with patients receiving 150 mg twice daily (82% and 54%). Conclusions: Roxithromycin displays saturable absorption and protein binding leading to lower exposure and lower target attainment at MICs ≥0.5 mg/L with widely used once-daily dosing regimens, indicating that twice-daily regimens may be preferable for pathogens less susceptible to roxithromycin.
Whole Genome Sequence and Comparative Genomics of the Novel Lyme Borreliosis Causing Pathogen, Borrelia mayonii

Borrelia mayonii, a Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (Bbsl) genospecies, was recently identified as a cause of Lyme borreliosis (LB) among patients from the upper midwestern United States. By microscopy and PCR, spirochete/genome loads in infected patients were estimated at 105 to 106 per milliliter of blood. Here, we present the full chromosome and plasmid sequences of two B. mayonii isolates, MN14-1420 and MN14-1539, cultured from blood of two of these patients. Whole genome sequencing and assembly was conducted using PacBio long read sequencing (Pacific Biosciences RSII instrument) followed by hierarchical genome-assembly process (HGAP). The B. mayonii genome is ~1.31 Mbp in size (26.9% average GC content) and is comprised of a linear chromosome, 8 linear and 7 circular plasmids. Consistent with its taxonomic designation as a new Bbsl genospecies, the B. mayonii linear chromosome shares only 93.83% average nucleotide identity with other genospecies. Both B. mayonii genomes contain plasmids similar to B. burgdorferi sensu stricto lp54, lp36, lp28-3, lp28-4, lp25, lp17, lp5, 5 cp32s, cp26, and cp9. The vls locus present on lp28-10 of B. mayonii MN14-1420 is remarkably long, being comprised of 24 silent vls cassettes. Genetic differences between the two B. mayonii genomes are limited and include 15 single nucleotide variations as well as 7 fewer silent vls cassettes and a lack of the lp5 plasmid in MN14-1539. Notably, 68 homologs to proteins present in B. burgdorferi sensu stricto appear to be lacking from the B. mayonii genomes. These include the complement inhibitor, CspZ (BB_H06), the fibronectin binding protein, BB_K32, as well as multiple lipoproteins and proteins of unknown function. This study shows the utility of long read sequencing for full genome assembly of Bbsl genomes, identifies putative genome regions of B. mayonii that may be linked to clinical manifestation or tissue tropism, and provides a valuable resource for pathogenicity, diagnostic and vaccine studies.
The Grand Delusion: The Creation and Perseverance of the September Campaign Mythos

ABSTRACTThe myth of the German mechanical juggernaut crushing a medieval Polish army has been repeatedly deconstructed. Elements of the myth are prima facie false, and others seen at first blush as factual are, with closer reading, products of propaganda, faulty intelligence, or intellectual prejudice. Soldiers rely on the victor’s delusion to keep their morale high, and wartime statesmen use mythos and delusion to shift blame, explain away inaction, and keep the public committed to final victory. Historians have no need of the myth, yet they perpetuate the meme and accept a simplistic version of events over a far more complex actuality. This article reexamines the myth using new research, examines why historians succumb to the romance of the myth, and critiques the implicit ramifications for the historical discipline.
Folliculosebaceous neoplasms: A review of clinical and histological features

Numerous benign and occasionally malignant tumors arise from the folliculosebaceous apparatus. Confusing terminology, rarity of malignant variants and overlapping histological features can lead to diagnostic uncertainty. This review highlights the clinical and histopathological features that help to classify these entities, as well as the various syndromes associated with certain members of this large family of tumors.
Drug-Induced Lupus

Drug-induced lupus (DIL) is a syndrome with features similar to idiopathic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The mechanism is not known and it may vary depending on the particular medication. It is not clear if DIL exacerbates symptoms in preexisting lupus, induces lupus in susceptible patients, or causes a distinct entity of DIL. Regardless of the pathway, the pathology is enhanced autoimmunity.
A Tale of Two Countries: How I Saw More Patients With More Joy in Internal Medicine Practice

The author contrasts her experience practicing general internal medicine in Australia and the United States and explains why she felt more joy in practice in Australia.
Minimally Invasive Pedicle Screw Placement for Applications in Trauma and Tumor Surgery

The goals of pedicle screw fixation after spinal trauma or metastatic disease are to restore stability, protect neural elements, and to obtain and maintain physiologic spinal alignment. Conventional open surgical techniques are often associated with extensive muscular dissection, significant blood loss, soft tissue morbidity including paraspinal muscle denervation and atrophy, and postoperative pain. To minimize these risks, and at the same time achieving the same goals, minimally invasive surgical (MIS) techniques have emerged as a successful alternative for patients with trauma or tumor. The decreased morbidity associated with percutaneous approaches may be particularly beneficial in these vulnerable populations, especially where patients may not tolerate a comparable open procedure. The principles for performing MIS pedicle screw fixation include accurate and reliable intraoperative imaging, careful consideration of anatomical landmarks for screw placement, and astute combination of tactile, visual, and auditory feedback at every step of the case. We aim to describe the surgical technique of MIS pedicle screw placement for applications in trauma and tumor. Knowledge of indications and contraindications, careful preoperative planning, and meticulous surgical technique are paramount for ensuring a successful outcome.
The State of Neurocritical Care Fellowship Training and Attitudes toward Accreditation and Certification: A Survey of Neurocritical Care Fellowship Program Directors

Neurocritical care as a recognized and distinct subspecialty of critical care has grown remarkably since its inception in the 1980s. As of 2016, there were 61 fellowship training programs accredited by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties (UCNS) in the United States and more than 1,000 UCNS-certified neurointensivists from diverse medical backgrounds. In late 2015, the Program Accreditation, Physician Certification, and Fellowship Training (PACT) Committee of the Neurocritical Care Society (NCS) was convened to promote and support excellence in the training and certification of neurointensivists. One of the first tasks of the committee was to survey neurocritical care fellowship training program directors to ascertain the current state of fellowship training and attitudes regarding transition to Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) accreditation of training programs and American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) certification of physicians. First, the survey revealed significant heterogeneities in the manner of neurocritical care training and a lack of consistency in requirements for fellow procedural competency. Second, although a majority of the 33 respondents indicated that a move toward ACGME accreditation/ABMS certification would facilitate further growth and mainstreaming of training in neurocritical care, many programs do not currently meet administrative requirements and do not receive the level of institutional support that would be needed for such a transition. In summary, the results revealed that there is an opportunity for future harmonization of training standards and that a transition to ACGME accreditation/ABMS certification is preferred. While the results reflect the opinions of more than half of the survey respondents, they represent only a small sample of neurointensivists.
Dnase1L3 trafficking is redirected from secretion to the nucleus in lupus-prone mice

Pediatric-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is linked to a deficiency of the endonuclease Dnase1L3. Dnase1L3 can function extracellularly as a barrier to transfection or localize to the nucleus of macrophages to cleave DNA during apoptosis, though the mechanism by which Dnase1L3 protects from pediatric-onset SLE is unknown. Two polygenic lupus murine models, MRL-lpr and NZB/W F1, bear the activity-reducing T89I mutation in Dnase1L3. Dnase1L3 T89I has an eight-fold decrease in barrier-to-transfection activity, while the endonuclease activity is only decreased two-fold compared to the wildtype, providing a tool with which to dissect Dnase1L3 trafficking in SLE. We hypothesized that Dnase1L3 T89I localizes to the nucleus, which decreases barrier-to-transfection activity and enhances SLE onset. We transfected HEK cells with wild type or T89I Dnase1L3, and determined the subcellular localization of Dnase1L3. We found that the majority of wild type Dnase1L3 is secreted from the cell, while Dnase1L3 T89I showed increased nuclear localization. Since Dnase1L3 alters inflammasome function, we tested whether inflammatory stimuli alter Dnase1L3 trafficking. LPS treatment of cells transfected with Dnase1L3 T89I reduced its nuclear localization. Altered Dnase1L3 trafficking may impair inflammasome function, since macrophages from NZB/W F1 mice secreted less IL-1β than wild type mice. Overall, the increase in nuclear localization of Dnase1L3 T89I suggests that barrier to transfection or extracellular nuclease activity may promote IL-1β release and protect against pediatric-onset SLE.
Board of director efficacy and firm performance variability

Abstract While academic researchers continue to debate the effect of board independence in increasing performance, its efficacy could also be reflected in whether firm performance is made more stable. Board governance activities are a constellation of actions aimed at managing agency costs and ensuring the viability of a company over time. The efficacy of such actions would, therefore, be reflected in a distal outcome, specifically, in lower firm performance variability. Boards that can control agency costs and limit both underinvestment and overinvestment would reduce a firm's deviation from its mean performance trajectory. Using a longitudinal sample of publicly traded companies in the United States, we find that board stability, board resource provision, and CEO influence are negatively associated with performance variability. Board independence is not associated with performance variability. With increasing board independence, greater board stability and greater CEO influence are negatively associated with performance variability, however, greater board resource provision is not associated with performance variability.
Gut bacteria interaction with vagal afferents

Contemporary techniques including the use of germ-free models and next generation sequencing have deepened our understanding of the gut microbiota dynamics and its influence on host physiology. There is accumulating evidence that the gut microbiota can communicate to the CNS and is involved in the development of metabolic and behavioral disorders. Vagal afferent terminals are positioned beneath the gut epithelium where they can receive, directly or indirectly, signals produced by the gut microbiota, to affect host behavior, including feeding behavior. Supplementation with L. Rhamnosus in mice notably causes a decrease in anxiety and these effects are abolished by vagotomy. Additionally, chronic treatment with bacterial byproduct lipopolysaccharide (LPS) blunts vagally-mediated post-ingestive feedback and is associated with increased food intake. Inflammation in the nodose ganglion (NG), the location of vagal afferent neurons' cell bodies, may be a key triggering factor of microbiota-driven vagal alteration. Interestingly, several models show that vagal damage leads to an increase in immune cell (microglia) activation in the NG and remodeling of the vagal pathway. Similarly, diet-driven microbiota dysbiosis is associated with NG microglia activation and decreased vagal outputs to the CNS. Crucially, preventing dysbiosis and microglia activation in high-fat diet fed rodents normalizes vagal innervation and energy intake, highlighting the importance of microbiota/vagal communication in controlling feeding behavior. As of today, new consideration of potential roles for glial influence on vagal communication and new methods of vagal afferent ablation open opportunities to increase our understanding of how the gut microbiota influence its host's health and behavior.
Psychosocial Maturity and Risk-Taking in Emerging Adults: Extending Our Understanding Beyond Delinquency:

Risk-taking behaviors in adolescence and emerging adulthood are highly prevalent and come with far-reaching social, health, and safety implications. Understanding the factors influencing these beha...
The Igbo Communication Style: Conceptualizing Ethnic Communication Theory

The aim of this theoretical chapter is to build a communication theory from an African perspective. This chapter uses the Igbo communication styles to conceptualize ethnic communication theory, which describes the communication dynamics among the second-generation individuals in the diaspora. Specifically, it analyzes how the second-generation Igbo (SGI) young adults in the United States employ Igbo communication styles and tactics. Articulating their ancestral communication styles enable these SGI to gain insight into their imaginary ancestral home, as they face some challenges in their new host land. They also use Igbo communication styles for code switching, engaging in conversations with their co-ethnic members as well as interacting with their family members in their ancestral home. Ethnic communication theory is necessary because of the growing number of second-generation children in the diaspora in general. The theory assumptions and propositions are articulated in the chapter.
Integrated [11C]-PBR28 MR-PET imaging in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (P3.139)

Objective: To characterize glial activation measured by [ 11 C]-PBR28 positron emission tomography (PET) in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Background: We previously provided preliminary in vivo evidence of increased glial activation in the precentral gyrus in people with ALS. Here, we replicate the initial findings, study longitudinal changes in [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake, and correlate PET data with MR measures in a large cohort of ALS participants. Design/Methods: Thirty-five people with ALS and 21 healthy controls underwent PBR28 MR-PET. Seven ALS participants had 6-months follow-up scan. Clinical assessments for ALS participants included the upper motor neuron burden scale (UMNB), and ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R). Cortical thinning was measured using Freesurfer, and the difference in [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake between groups was assessed using voxel-wise analysis. Fractional anisotropy (FA) was estimated using FSL, and correlated with PBR28 uptake in the regions of significant difference. Voxel-wise correlations were carried out to study the relationship between [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake, UMNB, and FA. In addition, Myo-inositol (mI/Cr), was measured using single voxel spectroscopy in the motor cortices (MCs), and brain stem (BS), and then correlated with [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake using Pearson’s correlation. The changes in [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake in MCs over six months were evaluated using Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake in MCs was increased in the ALS group, and co-localized with cortical thinning and decreased FA. [ 11 C]-PBR28 also correlated with FA in MCs ( r 2 =0.51; P r 2 =0.35; P r 2 =0.39; P=0.16; Right-MC r 2 =0.56; P r 2 =0.78; P 11 C]-PBR28 was stable (Left-MC: ICC=0.9 P P Conclusions: [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake is increased in the motor cortex in people with ALS, and that increase colocalizes and correlates with structural integrity, mI/Cr, and clinical measures. [ 11 C]-PBR28 uptake is stable over six months despite disease progression. Disclosure: Dr. Alshikho has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zurcher has nothing to disclose. Dr. Loggia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Cernasov has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chonde has nothing to disclose. Dr. Garcia has nothing to disclose. Dr. Catana has received personal compensation for activities with Siemens Healthcare. Dr. Chan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Babu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Paganoni has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ratai has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hooker has nothing to disclose. Dr. Atassi has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen as a consultant.
Alterations in the Renal Medullary and Papillary Interstitial Cells in Experimental and Spontaneous (Essential) Hypertension

It is reasonably well established that renal medulla and papilla of animals (rat, dog, rabbit) contain vasodepressor or antihypertensive substances that consistently reduce blood pressure in hypertensive animals (Muirhead, 1976). Much indirect evidence points toward the presence of similar vasodepressor substance(s) in human kidneys (Muehrcke et al., 1970; Prezyna et al., 1973; Mandal et al., 1979). This hypothesis is further supported by the finding of large amounts of prostaglandins in human renal papilla (Vance et al., 1973). However, the question of where in the papilla the vasodepressor substances are synthesized and/or stored has yet to be completely resolved. Within the papilla exist many interstitial cells that appear to be secretory, since they contain dilated endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes, and conspicuous granules. These renal papillary interstitial cells (RIC) are considered by many to be the most probable site for the formation of vasodepressor substance(s). Furthermore, the location of the RIC, juxtaposed as they are between the tubules and the peritubular capillaries, strongly supports this proposed function.
Pharmacist-Managed, Physician-Directed Asthma Management Program Reduces Emergency Department Visits

Objective:To determine whether the number of emergency department (ED) visits for acute asthma exacerbations could be decreased by providing patients with a comprehensive program of asthma management delivered by a pharmacist and a physician.Design:Patients were selected from the ED and asked to attend a special asthma clinic that provided education about asthma and proper use of asthma medications, regular telephone contact between the pharmacist and patient, and an open-door clinic policy.Setting:A university-affiliated urban teaching hospital.Participants:The study population consisted of 25 asthmatic patients who were at least 18 years of age and who were seen in the ED a minimum of 3 times in a 12-month period.Main outcome measures:The number of visits to the ED for acute exacerbations of asthma was measured. Patients served as their own controls. The number of ED visits for asthma during the 6-month study period was compared with two 6-month periods prior to the study period for each patient.Results...
Mechanism of Etching of Al-4.5Mg-1.0Mn Alloy.

5xxx series aluminum alloys, as Al-4.5Mg-1.0Mn (AA5083), are strengthened by Mg solid solution and work hardening. A drawback of this alloy is the fact that β phase, Al3Mg2, can precipitate on grain boundaries causing sensitization and intergranular corrosion, which is detrimental to the integrity of the structure. Metallography is an important technique to study the grain structure and highly sought for intergranular corrosion evaluation; however, revealing the grains of completely un-sensitized AA5083 is challenging. This paper introduces a new procedure to etch AA5083 samples that were solutionized at 450°C for 1.5 h. The new procedure is a two-step etching method, including a phosphoric acid pre-etching step and a Weck’s reagent coloring step. Solutionized, lightly sensitized, and as-received AA5083 were evaluated, and the grains were observed using optical microscopy. The microetching mechanism was further studied by optical profilometry, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersive spectrometry. The phosphoric acid created a surface profile determined by the grain orientations and its reactivity, and the Weck’s reagent was then able to color grains by preferential MnO2 formation over some pre-etched grains. Moreover, the final polishing with colloidal silica was essential to reach a high contrast image.
Turning the Tide against Antibiotic Resistance by Evaluating Novel, Halogenated Phenazine, Quinoline, and NH125 Compounds against Ureaplasma Species Clinical Isolates and Mycoplasma Type Strains.

Escalating levels of antibiotic resistance in mycoplasmas, particularly macrolide resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae and M. genitalium, have narrowed our antibiotic arsenal. Further, mycoplasmas lack a cell wall and do not synthesize folic acid, rendering common antibiotics, such as beta-lactams, vancomycin, sulfonamides, and trimethoprim, of no value. To address this shortage, we screened nitroxoline, triclosan, and a library of 20 novel, halogenated phenazine, quinoline, and NH125 analogues against Ureaplasma species and M. hominis clinical isolates from urine. We tested a subset of these compounds (n = 9) against four mycoplasma type strains (M. pneumoniae, M. genitalium, M. hominis, and Ureaplasma urealyticum) using a validated broth microdilution or agar dilution method. Among 72 Ureaplasma species clinical isolates, nitroxoline proved most effective (MIC90, 6.25 µM), followed by an N-arylated NH125 analogue (MIC90, 12.5 µM). NH125 and its analogue had significantly higher MICs against U. urealyticum isolates than against U. parvum isolates, whereas nitroxoline did not. Nitroxoline exhibited bactericidal activity against U. parvum isolates but bacteriostatic activity against the majority of U. urealyticum isolates. Among the type strains, the compounds had the greatest activity against M. pneumoniae and M. genitalium, with 8 (80%) and 5 (71.4%) isolates demonstrating MICs of ≤12.5 µM, respectively. Triclosan also exhibited lower MICs against M. pneumoniae and M. genitalium Overall, we identified a promising range of quinoline, halogenated phenazine, and NH125 compounds that showed effectiveness against M. pneumoniae and M. genitalium and found that nitroxoline, approved for use outside the United States for the treatment of urinary tract infections, and an N-arylated NH125 analogue demonstrated low MICs against Ureaplasma species isolates.
Nine Bad Things That Almost Happened, and Many More That Did: Getting to the Other Side of Trauma

Some years ago I listened to “Prairie Home Companion” radio host Garrison Keillor tell a folksy tale about how mostly the bad things that could happen don’t. As I recall, the story revolved around him being up a ladder fixing a gutter or something else on the roof when he slipped and fell. He commented on the fact that he might have fallen on something hard or sharp and injured himself severely, but he didn’t, and used the occasion to reflect on how so many of the bad things in life that could happen generally don’t.
Theoretical Evaluation of a Pulsed Mid-Infrared Ho 3+ :BaY 2 F 8 Laser

In this study, we construct a theoretical model to analyze the output characteristics of a pulsed Ho3+:BaY 2 f 8 (Ho3+:BYF) laser by taking both energy transfer up-conversion (ETU) and cross relaxation (CR) processes into account. The influences of the pump energy, pulse width, reflectance of an output coupler (OC), crystal length, and Ho3+ doping concentration on the physical performances are investigated in detail for an end-pumped structure. The calculation results reveal that the proper length of a Ho3+:BaY 2 f 8 crystal is from 5 to 10 mm for the Ho3+ doping concentration of 10–40 at.%. We also deduce that a high output can be obtained when the Ho3+ doping concentration is selected as 30 at.%. It has been demonstrated that the relaxation oscillation of a Ho:BYF laser can be observed for a pulsed pump source. We can see that the threshold peak power of a pump light source decreases with the increase of the pulse width. The conclusions might be useful for the realization of a pulsed mid-infrared Ho3+: BYF laser.
Macrophage subtype and cytokine expression characterization during the acute inflammatory phase of mouse bone fracture repair.

Fracture repair is a complex process requiring heterotypic interactions between osteogenic cells and immune cells. Recent evidence indicates that macrophages are critically involved in fracture repair. Polarized macrophage populations differentially promote and regulate inflammation in other tissues, but little is known about the various macrophage subtypes and their signaling activities following a bone fracture. The authors hypothesized that classically activated (M1 subtype) and alternatively activated (M2 subtype) macrophages are active during the early repair process to initiate and regulate the inflammatory response. To test our hypothesis, bone marrow was collected from intact femurs (naive group), contralateral and fractured femurs of mice on days 0, 1, 2, 4, and 7 postfracture. Macrophages were isolated from the bone marrow and macrophage subtypes were identified using flow cytometry with antibodies to F4/80, MHC II, CD86, CD11c, and CD40. Bone marrow cytokine levels were measured using xMAP. Flow cytometry revealed dynamic changes in M1 subtype (F4/80+/MHC II+/CD86+), M2 subtype (F4/80+/MHC II-/CD86-), and dendritic cell (DCs; MHCII+/CD11c+/CD40+) populations following fracture as compared to naive controls. M1 subtype levels were correlated with IL-1α, IL-1s, IL-2, IL-17, Eotaxin, and MCP-1, while DCs were correlated with IL-6, G-CSF, LIF, KC, and VEGF-A. The results indicate that M1 and M2 subtypes and DCs are recruited to the fracture site early during the repair process and consequently may work in tandem to regulate the inflammatory response required to recruit osteogenic cells needed for later stages of repair.
Pro-Con Perspectives on Ethics in Surgical Research: Update from the 39th Annual Surgical Infection Society Meeting.

Background: Surgical research is potentially invasive, high-risk, and costly. Research that advances medical dogma must justify both its ends and its means. Although ethical questions do not always have simple answers, it is critically important for the clinician, researcher, and patient to approach these dilemmas and surgical research in a thoughtful, conscientious manner. Methods: We present four ethical issues in surgical research and discuss the opposing viewpoints. These topics were presented and discussed at the 39th Annual Meeting of the Surgical Infection Society as pro-con debates. The presenters of each opinion developed a succinct summary of their respective reviews for this publication. Results: The key subjects for these pro-con debates were: (1) Should patients be enrolled for time-sensitive surgical infection research using an opt-out or an opt-in strategy? (2) Should patients who are being enrolled in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing surgery with a non-operative intervention pay the costs of their treatment arm? (3) Should the scientific community embrace open access journals as the future of scientific publishing? (4) Should the majority of funding go to clinical or basic science research? Important points were illustrated in each of the pro-con presentations and illustrated the difficulties that are facing the performance and payment of infection research in the future. Conclusions: Surgical research is ethically complex, with conflicting demands between individual patients, society, and healthcare economics. At present, there are no clear answers to these and the many other ethical issues facing research in the future. Answers will only come from continued robust dialogue among all stakeholders in surgical research.
Mismorphism: The Heart of the Weird Machine

Mismorphisms—instances where predicates take on different truth values across different interpretations of reality (notably, different actors’ perceptions of reality and the actual reality)—are the source of weird instructions. These weird instructions are tiny code snippets or gadgets that present the exploit programmer with unintended computational capabilities. Collectively, they constitute the weird machine upon which the exploit program runs. That is, a protocol or parser vulnerability is evidence of a weird machine, which, in turn, is evidence of an underlying mismorphism. This paper seeks to address vulnerabilities at the mismorphism layer.
Pathogenic Escherichia coli, Shigella, and Salmonella

The gram-negative enteric pathogens are a closely related group of bacteria. On the basis of genome analyses, Escherichia coli and Shigella can be considered a single species, and their classification as separate genera is largely historical. The Salmonella species are evolutionarily more distant but share many characteristics with the E. coli group. The enteric pathogens usually initiate infection following ingestion, causing diseases ranging from relatively mild enteritis to dysentery and septicemia. The extent of invasion and the nature of the disease depend on the specific set of virulence factors expressed by these pathogens. This chapter discusses the pathogenic members of the enteric bacteria. Many of the iron transport systems originally described in E. coli K-12 are found also in the enteric pathogens. The chapter first talks about siderophore-mediated iron transport systems and nonsiderophore iron transport systems. Next, it summarizes the current state of knowledge with respect to the role of iron transport systems in the pathogenesis of Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli. Pathogenic E. coli strains are associated with a variety of different diseases and cause both intestinal and extraintestinal infections. While the precise roles of each iron transport system in transmission, colonization, survival, and spread of enteric pathogens in the host cannot be unambiguously defined, several features of iron transport in the enteric pathogens are clear.
Undermodification cues division.

Extracellular peptidoglycan-linked polysaccharide modifications mediate cell morphology, division, and autolysis in some Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. A new study shows that the degree and location of a specific modification controls peptidoglycan hydrolysis and placement of the axis of cell division.
Epidemiological Characteristics of Congenital Rubella Syndrome Cases During Rubella Epidemic in 2012-2014, Japan

Background: In 2012-2013, Japan experienced nationwide rubella outbreak and consequently congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) were reported. Methods: Descriptive analysis of all reported laboratory-confirmed CRS in 2012-2014 to the national surveillance system was conducted to evaluate public health impact of CRS. We used questionnaire for physicians to collect information especially focused on epidemiological and clinical characteristics of CRS patients and their mothers. Findings: Total 45 CRS cases were reported. Median gestational age was 38 weeks (range: 31-41 weeks) and median birth weight was 2,262 g (range: 650-3,290 g). Thirty cases (67%) had hearing impairment, 26 (58%) had congenital heart disease, and seven (16%) had cataract. Only three cases (7%) had all three manifestations of the classic triad. The most frequent manifestation observed beside triad was thrombocytopenia (33 cases, 73%). Eleven cases died when investigated, and case-fatality proportion was 24%. Majority of fatal cases (91%) were complicated by congenital heart disease and/or thrombocytopenia and died before six months old. None of mothers had received two doses of rubella-containing vaccine (RCV) prior to the pregnancy. Interpretation: High case-fatality proportion and multiple complications indicate absolute high public health impact of CRS. Even if infant do not present all manifestations of classic triad, physician should consider CRS if any of possible manifestation is observed during or post-recent rubella epidemic. Confirming receiving two doses of RCV or having enough antibody titer against rubella prior to the pregnancy are necessary to prevent CRS. Funding Statement: This study was supported by Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED) under Grant Number 16fk0108113j0001, 16fk0108202j0002, and 19fk0108066j0002. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest. Ethics Approval Statement: Ethics committee of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases approved this study (Registration No. 484).
Utility of the oxygen pulse in the diagnosis of obstructive coronary artery disease in physically fit patients.

Cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) guidelines recommend analysis of the oxygen (O2 ) pulse for a late exercise plateau in evaluation for obstructive coronary artery disease (OCAD). However, whether this O2 pulse trajectory is within the range of normal has been debated, and the diagnostic performance of the O2 pulse for OCAD in physically fit individuals, in whom V ˙ O 2 may be more likely to plateau, has not been evaluated. Using prospectively collected data from a sports cardiology program, patients were identified who were free of other cardiac disease and underwent clinically-indicated CPET within 90 days of invasive or computed tomography coronary angiography. The diagnostic performance of quantitative O2 pulse metrics (late exercise slope, proportional change in slope during late exercise) and qualitative assessment for O2 pulse plateau to predict OCAD was assessed. Among 104 patients (age:56 ± 12 years, 30% female, peak V ˙ O 2 119 ± 34% predicted), the diagnostic performance for OCAD (n = 24,23%) was poor for both quantitative and qualitative metrics reflecting an O2 pulse plateau (late exercise slope: AUC = 0.55, sensitivity = 68%, specificity = 41%; proportional change in slope: AUC = 0.55, sensitivity = 91%, specificity = 18%; visual plateau/decline: AUC = 0.51, sensitivity = 33%, specificity = 67%). When O2 pulse parameters were added to the electrocardiogram, the change in AUC was minimal (-0.01 to +0.02, p ≥ 0.05). Those patients without OCAD with a plateau or decline in O2 pulse were fitter than those with linear augmentation (peak V ˙ O 2 133 ± 31% vs. 114 ± 36% predicted, p < 0.05) and had a longer exercise ramp time (9.5 ± 3.2 vs. 8.0 ± 2.5 min, p < 0.05). Overall, a plateau in O2 pulse was not a useful predictor of OCAD in a physically fit population, indicating that the O2 pulse should be integrated with other CPET parameters and may reflect a physiologic limitation of stroke volume and/or O2 extraction during intense exercise.
Supernova Remnants as Probes of the Interstellar Medium

Astronomers can use supernova remnants to learn about the environment in which they exist. Simple thermodynamics is first used to describe the evolution of supernova remnants from early to late times. A dynamical formalism is also presented. I then describe a method for calculating the cooling, and hence the luminosity, of the hot shocked gas. Possible complications to this simple picture are considered. The utilization of these theoretical models employing supernova remnants in nearby galaxies is discussed.
How to Psychoanalyze a Robot: Unconscious Cognition and the Evolution of Intentionality 1

According to a common philosophical distinction, the `original' intentionality, or `aboutness' possessed by our thoughts, beliefs and desires, is categorically different from the `derived' intentionality manifested in some of our artifacts –- our words, books and pictures, for example. Those making the distinction claim that the intentionality of our artifacts is `parasitic' on the `genuine' intentionality to be found in members of the former class of things. In Kinds of Minds: Toward an Understanding of Consciousness, Daniel Dennett criticizes that claim and the distinction it rests on, and seeks to show that ``metaphysically original intentionality'' is illusory by working out the implications he sees in the practical possibility of a certain type of robot, i.e., one that generates `utterances' which are `inscrutable to the robot's designers' so that we, and they, must consult the robot to discover the meaning of its utterances. I argue that the implications Dennett finds are erroneous, regardless of whether such a robot is possible, and therefore that the real existence of metaphysically original intentionality has not been undermined by the possibility of the robot Dennett describes.
Rapid Identification of Bacteroides gingivalis

Rapid colorimetric tests for trypsin and α-glucosidase are described for use in the identification of Bacteroides gingivalis from dental plaque.
Confidence Interval of the Likelihood Ratio Associated with Mixed Stain DNA Evidence

Likelihood ratios are necessary to properly interpret mixed stain DNA evidence. They can flexibly consider alternate hypotheses and can account for population substructure. The likelihood ratio should be seen as an estimate and not a fixed value, because the calculations are functions of allelic frequency estimates that were estimated from a small portion of the population. Current methods do not account for uncertainty in the likelihood ratio estimates and are therefore an incomplete picture of the strength of the evidence. We propose the use of a confidence interval to report the consequent variation of likelihood ratios. The confidence interval is calculated using the standard forensic likelihood ratio formulae and a variance estimate derived using the Taylor expansion. The formula is explained, and a computer program has been made available. Numeric work shows that the evidential strength of DNA profiles decreases as the variation among populations increases.
Quantum Computing and Communication

Abstract A quantum computer, if built, will be to an ordinary computer as a hydrogen bomb is to gunpowder, at least for some types of computations. Today no quantum computer exists, beyond laboratory prototypes capable of solving only tiny problems, and many practical problems remain to be solved. Yet the theory of quantum computing has advanced significantly in the past decade, and is becoming a significant discipline in itself. This article explains the concepts and basic mathematics behind quantum computers and some of the promising approaches for building them. We also discuss quantum communication, an essential component of future quantum information processing, and quantum cryptography, widely expected to be the first practical application for quantum information technology.
Are You Protected by the Recreational Use Statute

Andrea Vidrine filed a negligence claim against Woodlands Waterway and Mitchell Pavilion after she fell down the steps while attending a concert at the Pavilion. The outcome of the case has implications for recreational facility owners.
Reprint of "On the feasibility of visualizing ultrasmall gold labels in biological specimens by STEM tomography" [J. Struct. Biol. 159 (2007) 507-522].

Abstract Labeling with heavy atom clusters attached to antibody fragments is an attractive technique for determining the 3D distribution of specific proteins in cells using electron tomography. However, the small size of the labels makes them very difficult to detect by conventional bright-field electron tomography. Here, we evaluate quantitative scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) at a beam voltage of 300 kV for detecting 11-gold atom clusters (Undecagold) and 1.4 nm-diameter nanoparticles (Nanogold) for a variety of specimens and imaging conditions. STEM images as well as tomographic tilt series are simulated by means of the NIST Elastic-Scattering Cross-Section Database for gold clusters embedded in carbon. The simulations indicate that the visibility in 2D of Undecagold clusters in a homogeneous matrix is maximized for low inner collection semi-angles of the STEM annular dark-field detector (15–20 mrad). Furthermore, our calculations show that the visibility of Undecagold in 3D reconstructions is significantly higher than in 2D images for an inhomogeneous matrix corresponding to fluctuations in local density. The measurements demonstrate that it is possible to detect Nanogold particles in plastic sections of tissue freeze-substituted in the presence of osmium. STEM tomography has the potential to localize specific proteins in permeabilized cells using antibody fragments tagged with small heavy atom clusters. Our quantitative analysis provides a framework for determining the detection limits and optimal experimental conditions for localizing these small clusters.