cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Method Development Study for APR Cartridge Evaluation in Fire Overhaul Exposures

In the US, firefighters do not typically wear respiratory protection during overhaul activities, although fitting multi-gas or chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear cartridges to supplied air respirator facepieces has been proposed to reduce exposures. This work developed a method to evaluate the effectiveness of respirator cartridges in smoke that represents overhaul exposures to residential fires. Chamber and penetration concentrations were measured for 91 contaminants, including aldehydes, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, hydrocarbons and methyl isothiocyanate, along with total and respirable particulates. These laboratory tests generated concentrations in the range of field-reported exposures from overhaul activities. With limited tests, no styrene, benzene, acrolein or particulates were detected in air filtered by the respirator cartridge, yet other compounds were detected penetrating the respirator. Because of the complexity of smoke, an exposure index was determined for challenge and filtered air to determine the relative risk of the aggregate exposure to respiratory irritants. The primary contributors to the irritant exposure index in air filtered by the respirator were formaldehyde and acetaldehyde, with total hydrocarbons contributing only 1% to the irritant index. Respirator cartridges were adequate to minimize firefighter exposures to aggregate respiratory irritants if the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists ceiling limit for formaldehyde is used (0.3 ppm) but not if National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Recommended Exposure Limit (NIOSH REL) (0.1 ppm) is used, where three of five concentrations in filtered air exceeded the NIOSH REL. Respirator certification allows 1 ppm of formaldehyde to pass through it when challenged at 100 ppm, which may not adequately protect workers to current short-term exposure/ceiling limits. The method developed here recommends specific contaminants to measure in future work (formaldehyde, acrolein, acetaldehyde, naphthalene, benzene, total hydrocarbons as toluene and particulate mass) along with inclusion of additional irritant gases and hydrogen cyanide to fully evaluate whether air-purifying respirators reduce exposures to the aggregate gases/vapors present in overhaul activities.
Autoexcision of Bacterial Artificial Chromosome Facilitated by Terminal Repeat-Mediated Homologous Recombination: a Novel Approach for Generating Traceless Genetic Mutants of Herpesviruses

Infectious bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) of herpesviruses are powerful tools for genetic manipulation. However, the presence of BAC vector sequence in the viral genomes often causes genetic and phenotypic alterations. While the excision of the BAC vector cassette can be achieved by homologous recombination between extra duplicate viral sequences or loxP site-mediated recombination, these methods either are inefficient or leave a loxP site mark in the viral genome. Here we describe the use of viral intrinsic repeat sequences, which are commonly present in herpesviral genomes, to excise the BAC vector cassette. Using a newly developed in vitro transposon-based cloning approach, we obtained an infectious BAC of rhesus rhadinovirus (RRV) strain RRV26-95 with the BAC vector cassette inserted in the terminal repeat (TR) region. We showed that the BAC vector cassette was rapidly excised upon reconstitution in cells predominantly through TR-mediated homologous recombination. Genetic and phenotypic analysis showed that the BAC-excised virus was reversed to wild-type RRV. Using this autoexcisable BAC clone, we successfully generated an RRV mutant with a deletion of Orf50, which encodes a replication and transcription activator (RTA) protein. Together, these results illustrate the usefulness of TR for genetic manipulation of herpesviruses when combined with the novel transposon-based cloning approach.
Parallel and adaptive reduction of hyperspectral data to intrinsic dimensionality

Recent advances in sensor technology have led to the development of hyperspectral sensors capable of collecting remote sensing imagery at several hundred bands over the spectrum. While these developments hold great promise for Earth science, they create new processing challenges. Therefore, processing hyperspectral data using new efficient techniques is a must.One such approach of effectively processing hyperspectral data is through dimension reduction prior to the use of data in applications such as land use/land cover classifications. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is perhaps the most popular dimension reduction technique. The outcome is a number of principal components (PCs) in a descending order of information content. It is often the case that only a small number of these components contain the effective information needed. In this paper, we propose an adaptive parallel technique for determining the effective dimensionality of hyperspectral data on computer clusters. Based on a user-specified desired level of information content, the method selects adaptively the faster technique for solving the eigenproblem and computes only the needed components for that level of information.
The combined effects of exercise and foods in preventing neurological and cognitive disorders.

Objective Exercise and select diets have important influences on health and plasticity of the nervous system, and the molecular mechanisms involved with these actions are starting to be elucidated. New evidence indicates that exercise, in combination with dietary factors, exerts its effects by affecting molecular events related to the management of energy metabolism and synaptic plasticity.
Josephus Daniels: His Life and Times. By Lee A. Craig. (Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 2013. Pp. xvii, 474. $35.00.)

Josephus Daniels rose from near poverty to own and edit newspapers, most notably the Raleigh News and Observer, and through these papers and an understanding of the people of North Carolina dominat...
Intertext and Artworks – Reading Islamic Hagiography:

Taking a medieval Egyptian Islamic hagiography as its reference point, this study explores dimensions of religious textuality with special interest in the materiality of intertextual sources. Focus...
Somatic INK4a-ARF locus mutations: a significant mechanism of gene inactivation in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck

The INK4a-ARF locus is located on human chromosome 9p21 and is known to encode two functionally distinct tumor-suppressor genes. The p16(INK4a) (p16) tumor-suppressor gene product is a negative regulator of cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6, which in turn positively regulate progression of mammalian cells through the cell cycle. The p14(ARF) tumor-suppressor gene product specifically interacts with human double minute 2, leading to the subsequent stabilization of p53 and G(1) arrest. Previous investigations analyzing the p16 gene in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHNs) have suggested the predominate inactivating events to be homozygous gene deletions and hypermethylation of the p16 promoter. Somatic mutational inactivation of p16 has been reported to be low (0-10%, with a combined incidence of 25 of 279, or 9%) and to play only a minor role in the development of SCCHN. The present study examined whether this particular mechanism of INK4a/ARF inactivation, specifically somatic mutation, has been underestimated in SCCHN by determining the mutational status of the p16 and p14(ARF) genes in 100 primary SCCHNs with the use of polymerase chain reaction technology and a highly sensitive, nonradioactive modification of single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis termed "cold" SSCP. Exons 1alpha, 1beta, and 2 of INK4a/ARF were amplified using intron-based primers or a combination of intron- and exon-based primers. A total of 27 SCCHNs (27%) exhibited sequence alterations in this locus, 22 (22%) of which were somatic sequence alterations and five (5%) of which were a single polymorphism in codon 148. Of the 22 somatic alterations, 20 (91%) directly or indirectly involved exon 2, and two (9%) were located within exon 1alpha. No mutations were found in exon 1beta. All 22 somatic mutations would be expected to yield altered p16 proteins, but only 15 of them should affect p14(ARF) proteins. Specific somatic alterations included microdeletions or insertions (nine of 22, 41%), a microrearrangement (one of 22, 5%), and single nucleotide substitutions (12 of 22, 56%). In addition, we analyzed the functional characteristics of seven unique mutant p16 proteins identified in this study by assessing their ability to inhibit cyclin-dependent kinase 4 activity. Six of the seven mutant proteins tested exhibited reduced function compared with wild-type p16, ranging from minor decreases of function (twofold to eightfold) in four samples to total loss of function (29- to 38-fold decrease) in two other samples. Overall, somatic mutation of the INK4a/ARF tumor suppressor locus, resulting in functionally deficient p16 and possibly p14(ARF) proteins, seems to be a prevalent event in the development of SCCHN. Mol. Carcinog. 30:26-36, 2001.
SPM2: A simulation model for slash pine (Pinus elliottii) forests

Abstract A simulation model for closed-canopy slash pine forests (SPM2) includes extensions to a previously described model. Additions to SPM2 include incorporation of major understory species, addition of site water balance components, and replacing the daily time-step decomposition and growth respiration fluxes with hourly outputs. The model extensions are intended to increase generality and to provide output that can be directly compared with eddy covariance measurements. Sensitivity analysis was performed using a Latin Hypercube sampling scheme with parameter ranges of 1–5% around the nominal values. The Latin Hypercube method divides the range of each input parameter into equal probability class intervals. This approach ensures that the entire range of each parameter will be evenly sampled and the distribution of each parameter will be better represented with fewer samples. Of the 69 parameters tested, 29 contributed 5% or more to model output variable sensitivity. Foliage mass parameters affected 16 output variables, including gas exchange quantities and tree biomass variables. Sampling parameters at the ±5% level resulted in only one additional parameter (initial soil water content) influencing output above the threshold value of 5%. Simulated annual net pine canopy assimilation was 1236 g C m−2, annual pine maintenance respiration was 523 g C m−2, and pine growth respiration was 91 g m−2. Annual understory assimilation was 14% of the pine value. SPM2 simulations of all combinations of a range of atmospheric CO2 concentrations from pre-industrial to 750 ppm, temperature increases of 0–5°C, and precipitation changes of ±40% were used to generate response surfaces for the model. Although there was a positive annual stem increment at all combinations of conditions tested, the labile carbon pool (starch and soluble sugars) was completely depleted by the end of the simulated year under many combinations of increased temperature and reduced or normal precipitation.
Phase Equilibrium Studies in the System Iron Oxide‐Y2O3–Gd2O3

Equilibrium data at liquidus temperatures are presented for compositions in the quatennary system Y-Gd-Fe-O in ambient atmospheres of oxygen gas (p02 = 760 mm Hg), alr (p02 = 159 mm Hg), and CO2 (p02 variable). Incongruent melting occurred in yttrium-iron and gadolinium-iron garnet phases and in all intermediate garnet solid solutions in the three oxygen pressure sections studied. Fractionation in the yttrium/gadolinium ratio between oxide liquid and crystalline garnet phases in the quaternary system was not observed experimentally, indicating that unzoned without special precautions to maintain a fixed Y/Gd ratio.
Prostate Volumes Derived From MRI and Volume-Adjusted Serum Prostate-Specific Antigen: Correlation With Gleason Score of Prostate Cancer

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to study relationships between MRI-based prostate volume and volume-adjusted serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) concentration estimates and prostate cancer Gleason score. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study included 61 patients with prostate cancer (average age, 63.3 years; range 52–75 years) who underwent MRI before prostatectomy. A semiautomated and MRI-based technique was used to estimate total and central gland prostate volumes, central gland volume fraction (central gland volume divided by total prostate volume), PSA density (PSAD; PSA divided by total prostate volume), and PSAD for the central gland (PSA divided by central gland volume). These MRI-based volume and volume-adjusted PSA estimates were compared with prostatectomy specimen weight and Gleason score by using Pearson (r) or Spearman (ρ) correlation coefficients. RESULTS. The estimated total prostate volume showed a high correlation with reference standard volume (r = 0.94). Of the 61 patients, eight...
Illness behavior and psychosocial correlates of cancer

Abstract A recurrent theme in the literature on cancer is that which reports various psychosocial precursors. These factors have ranged from those which focus upon the personality of the individual to those which are associated with various life events such as death of a loved one or divorce. Numerous explanations and interpretations have been offered to account for these findings. It has been asserted that these factors operate through their influence on such processes and mechanism as the limbic system, endocrine system, hormone levels or the central nervous system. The explanation offered here however is that these events can determine the extent to which one attends to his body, and the nature of an individual's illness behavior, that is the ways in which the individual perceives, evaluates, and acts upon the messages and sensations of his body.
Catalysis: Unlimited Frontiers – Our Early Personal Journey into the World of Palladium

Stimulated by our collaboration in the chemistry of insects, the absence of direct ways to replace allylic C–H bonds by C–C bonds led us to teach ourselves about the organic chemistry of palladium. This journey evolved beyond allylic alkylation and led to the semi-rational development of alkene–alkyne coupling and discovery of palladium complexes of trimethylenemethane as reactive intermediates for cycloadditions to five, seven, and nine membered carbo- and heterocycles. These new synthetic tools enabled facile strategies to complex structures possessing interesting properties, notably of biological relevance.
Trends in Timing of Dialysis Initiation within Versus Outside the Department of Veterans Affairs

Background and objectives The secular trend toward dialysis initiation at progressively higher levels of eGFR is not well understood. This study compared temporal trends in eGFR at dialysis initiation within versus outside the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)—the largest non–fee-for-service health system in the United States. Design, setting, participants, & measurements The study used linked data from the US Renal Data System, VA, and Medicare to compare temporal trends in eGFR at dialysis initiation between 2000 and 2009 ( n =971,543). Veterans who initiated dialysis within the VA were compared with three groups who initiated dialysis outside the VA: ( 1 ) veterans whose dialysis was paid for by the VA, ( 2 ) veterans whose dialysis was not paid for by the VA, and ( 3 ) nonveterans. Logistic regression was used to estimate average predicted probabilities of dialysis initiation at an eGFR≥10 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 . Results The adjusted probability of starting dialysis at an eGFR≥10 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 increased over time for all groups but was lower for veterans who started dialysis within the VA (0.31; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.30 to 0.32) than for those starting outside the VA, including veterans whose dialysis was (0.36; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.38) and was not (0.40; 95% CI, 0.40 to 0.40) paid for by the VA and nonveterans (0.39; 95% CI, 0.39 to 0.39). Differences in eGFR at initiation within versus outside the VA were most pronounced among older patients ( P for interaction P for interaction Conclusions Temporal trends in eGFR at dialysis initiation within the VA mirrored those in the wider United States dialysis population, but eGFR at initiation was consistently lowest among those who initiated within the VA. Differences in eGFR at initiation within versus outside the VA were especially pronounced in older patients and those with higher 1-year mortality risk.
Resolution of autoimmune progesterone dermatitis after treatment with oral contraceptives

OCP: oral contraceptive pill CASE REPORT A 20-year-old woman presented with a 6-year history of recurrent erythematous papules and plaques on the trunk. The eruption recurred cyclically, beginning 5 days before menses and resolving 1 to 2 days after the menstrual period. The lesions were asymptomatic, and there were no associated systemic symptoms. She had not previously sought treatment. Her medical history was unremarkable, and she was not taking any medications. Examination found widespread erythematous and edematous papules and nonscaly plaques, on the chest, back, and lower neck (Fig 1). Lesions were uniform in color, ranging in size from 3mm to 4 cm in diameter. A biopsy specimen was taken for histopathologic evaluation (Fig 2). Results of a punch biopsy of the skin showed dermal perivascular lymphohistiocytic inflammation, with rare eosinophils. An intradermal progesterone test read at 20 minutes was positive (progesterone, 50 mg/mL at a dilution of 1:10 in aqueous solution elicited a 10-mm wheal vs a 4-mm wheal for the glycerine control). The patient was started on levonorgestrel/ ethinyl estradiol, 0.1 mg to 20 g daily. There was a marked reduction in the number of lesions during her next menstrual period. By the third menstrual cycle, after beginning oral contraceptive pills (OCPs), no lesions appeared perimenstrually. The patient remained clear for another 4 months while taking Levonorgestrel/Ethinyl Estradiol 0.1 mg to 20 g. She then discontinued treatment because of the loss of health insurance. Despite discontinuing OCPs, lesions have not returned in the 8 months since the medication was stopped.
Notaries Public: A Pathfinder

The most common function of notaries public today is to identify someone who signs a document. Some states require that notaries personally know the person signing a document or that they at least see positive identification. Statutes identify the various powers of notaries from acknowledging signatures, to giving oaths, to performing marriages. This pathfinder will show researchers how to locate appropriate statutes, court cases, regulations, newsletters, journals, books, web pages, associations and human experts who provide traditional American notarial functions. Digital signatures and the realms of cyber-notaries are not covered, nor are international dimensions of notaries.
The Hessian Fly Problem in Kansas

This paper is a consideration of the Hessian fly (Phytophaga destructor Say) problem in relation to the wheat industry of Kansas. Emphasis is placed on the fact that the Hessian fly is only one factor in the production of wheat. The study of this insect and its control is influenced by many factors, such as wheat acreage, agricultural practices, varieties of wheat, climatic conditions, etc. The problem extends beyond the realm of entomology and calls for cooperation with other sciences, and especially with agronomy.
Predictive Modeling of Large-Scale Integrated Refinery Reaction and Fractionation Systems from Plant Data. Part 1: Hydrocracking Processes

This paper presents a workflow to develop, validate, and apply a predictive model for rating and optimization of large-scale integrated refinery reaction and fractionation systems from plant data. ...
cumulative continuity and injection drug use among women: a test of the downward spiral framework

Although researchers have examined injection drug use among women, the findings vary and remain inconclusive. We know very little about the career of IV drug-using women-specifically, what processes link injection drug use to events and situations prior to adulthood? Using detailed self-report data, we examine the route into injection drug use and its long-term consequences among a sample of incarcerated women. Comparisons are made between women who have and have not injected drugs within the conceptual framework developed by Rosenbaum (1981). We argue that IV drug using women live in social circumstances typified by a narrowing of life's options that decreases their ability to assume conventional roles. The results of path analyses suggest that women who have injected drugs experienced child maltreatment, were inundated in the drug culture, had fewer options in the conventional world, had expanded options in the nonconventional world, and lived in a chaotic lifestyle. We also found that women who have in...
Oxygen dissociation curves of lysed maternal and fetal erythrocytes

Oxygen dissociation curves were constructed for maternal and fetal lysed red cell solutions. The pO 2 50, 7.4 for maternal lysed red cells was 8.6mm. Hg lower than that of the whole blood curve. The pO 2 50, 7.4 for fetal lysed red cells was 5.5mm. lower than that of fetal whole blood. This difference between whole blood and lysed cells is adequately accounted for by the pH difference across the red cell membrane.
Helping Preservice Science Teachers Analyze Their Practices as We Study Our Own

This self-study describes the impact of introducing and using a teaching observation protocol, the Oregon Teacher Observation Protocol (OTOP), on preservice teachers’ abilities to examine their own science teaching in light of reform-based teaching practices and the effects of this assignment on us as science methods instructors. Students were introduced to the protocol and practiced applying it by viewing video-taped science lessons. As the contextual anchor for self-reflection, preservice teachers used the protocol to critique one of their practicum science lessons. They were asked to identify particular strategies evident in their lessons and to rate them as major, minor, or absent. This assignment showed them how to analyze their teaching using a lens of reform-based practices for science teaching. It also enabled us to see where we needed to refocus our teaching to better prepare preservice teachers and to identify where we needed to be more transparent about our own modeling of practices.
Deriving divide-and-conquer dynamic programming algorithms using solver-aided transformations

We introduce a framework allowing domain experts to manipulate computational terms in the interest of deriving better, more efficient implementations.It employs deductive reasoning to generate provably correct efficient implementations from a very high-level specification of an algorithm, and inductive constraint-based synthesis to improve automation. Semantic information is encoded into program terms through the use of refinement types. In this paper, we develop the technique in the context of a system called Bellmania that uses solver-aided tactics to derive parallel divide-and-conquer implementations of dynamic programming algorithms that have better locality and are significantly more efficient than traditional loop-based implementations. Bellmania includes a high-level language for specifying dynamic programming algorithms and a calculus that facilitates gradual transformation of these specifications into efficient implementations. These transformations formalize the divide-and conquer technique; a visualization interface helps users to interactively guide the process, while an SMT-based back-end verifies each step and takes care of low-level reasoning required for parallelism. We have used the system to generate provably correct implementations of several algorithms, including some important algorithms from computational biology, and show that the performance is comparable to that of the best manually optimized code.
Radiomic features from the peritumoral brain parenchyma on treatment-naïve multi-parametric MR imaging predict long versus short-term survival in glioblastoma multiforme: Preliminary findings

Despite 90 % of glioblastoma (GBM) recurrences occurring in the peritumoral brain zone (PBZ), its contribution in patient survival is poorly understood. The current study leverages computerized texture (i.e. radiomic) analysis to evaluate the efficacy of PBZ features from pre-operative MRI in predicting long- (>18 months) versus short-term (<7 months) survival in GBM. Sixty-five patient examinations (29 short-term, 36 long-term) with gadolinium-contrast T1w, FLAIR and T2w sequences from the Cancer Imaging Archive were employed. An expert manually segmented each study as: enhancing lesion, PBZ and tumour necrosis. 402 radiomic features (capturing co-occurrence, grey-level dependence and directional gradients) were obtained for each region. Evaluation was performed using threefold cross-validation, such that a subset of studies was used to select the most predictive features, and the remaining subset was used to evaluate their efficacy in predicting survival. A subset of ten radiomic ‘peritumoral’ MRI features, suggestive of intensity heterogeneity and textural patterns, was found to be predictive of survival (p = 1.47 × 10-5) as compared to features from enhancing tumour, necrotic regions and known clinical factors. Our preliminary analysis suggests that radiomic features from the PBZ on routine pre-operative MRI may be predictive of long- versus short-term survival in GBM. • Radiomic features from peritumoral regions can capture glioblastoma heterogeneity to predict outcome. • Peritumoral radiomics along with clinical factors are highly predictive of glioblastoma outcome. • Identifying prognostic markers can assist in making personalized therapy decisions in glioblastoma.
Addressing our own biases: social work educators’ experiences with students with mental illnesses

The International Federation of Social Workers charges professionals with challenging ‘discrimination … and … unjust policies and practices’ that impact individuals with mental disabilities. Social...
Campus Health Centers’ Lack of Information Regarding Providers: A Content Analysis of Division-I Campus Health Centers’ Provider Websites

ABSTRACTCampus health centers are a convenient, and usually affordable, location for college students to obtain health care. Staffed by licensed and trained professionals, these providers can generally offer similar levels of care that providers at off-campus clinics can deliver. Yet, previous research finds students may forgo this convenient, on-campus option partially because of a lack of knowledge regarding the quality of providers at these campus clinics. This study sought to examine where this information deficit may come from by analyzing campus health centers’ online provider information. All Division-I colleges or universities with an on-campus health center, which had information on their websites about their providers (n = 294), had their providers’ online information analyzed (n = 2,127 providers). Results revealed that schools commonly offer professional information (e.g., provider specialties, education), but very little about their providers outside of the medical context (e.g., hobbies) tha...
Book Review: Further understanding of the human machine. The road to bioengineering

Max E. Valentinuzzi (editor) Further understanding of the human machine. The road to bioengineering Series on bioengineering and biomedical engineering, volume 7. Singapore/New Jersey: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd. pp. xxxi+546. ISBN 9789813147256.
Fielding the LANL Gas Cherenkov Detector (GCD-3) at the National Ignition Facility: The engineering challenges of designing, analyzing, fabricating, testing, and commissioning the next-generation GCD detector and WellDIM3.9m insertion manipulator for use at NIF

Fielding the LANL third-generation Gas Cherenkov Detector (GCD-3) at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) revealed an array of complex engineering challenges. Fielding the GCD-3 Detector in a 3.9 meter re-entrant Well on the NIF Target Chamber required the development of a specialized detector deployment system named the WellDIM3.9m Diagnostic Manipulator (WellDIM). The most stringent design requirement entailed a no-load/no-contact condition with the Well, which dictated that all seismic loads be transferred to the Target Chamber port flange. The WellDIM transports the GCD-3 into the Well at a distance of 3.9m from Target Chamber Center. The GCD-3 Detector, outfitted with additional shielding to mitigate higher NIF backgrounds, will serve as a prototype for the future, heavily shielded “Super-GCD”.
Model-based testing of a real-time adaptive motion planning system

AbstractTo enable effective and safe operations of autonomous robots in environments with unknowns and unpredictability, a key practical problem is how to test the functionality and assess the performance of real-time motion planning systems. This is a challenge because the underlying algorithms are real-time, sensing-based, and often non-deterministic. These systems’ performance depends on task environments, which can vary in countless ways. Existing testing techniques are designed heavily based on testers’ experience and hardly provide a good coverage of possible test scenarios. This paper introduces a systematic model-based testing (MBT) approach to evaluate the functionality and performance of a real-time adaptive motion planning (RAMP) system. The MBT approach uses the formal communicating extended finite state machine model to model RAMP’s concurrent components and leverage graph traversal algorithms to systematically generate behavioral test cases. First, component integration is considered by mode...
The Voice Is As Mighty As the Pen: Integrating Conversations into Advance Care Planning.

Advance care planning allows patients to articulate preferences for their medical treatment, lifestyle, and surrogate decision-makers in order to anticipate and mitigate their potential loss of decision-making capacity. Written advance directives are often emphasized in this regard. While these directives contain important information, there are several barriers to consider: veracity and accuracy of surrogate decision-makers in making choices consistent with the substituted judgement standard, state-to-state variability in regulations, literacy issues, lack of access to legal resources, lack of understanding of medical options, and cultural disparities. Given these issues, it is vital to increase the use of patient and healthcare provider conversations as an advance care planning tool and to increase integration of such discourse into advance care planning policy as adjuncts and complements to written advance directives. This paper reviews current legislation about written advance directives and dissects how documentation of spoken interactions might be integrated and considered. We discuss specific institutional policy changes required to facilitate implementation. Finally, we explore the ethical issues surrounding the increased usage and recognition of clinician–patient conversations in advance care planning.
Novobiocin Enhances Polymyxin Activity by Stimulating Lipopolysaccharide Transport

Gram-negative bacteria are challenging to kill with antibiotics due to their impenetrable outer membrane containing lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The polymyxins, including colistin, are the drugs of last resort for treating Gram-negative infections. These drugs bind LPS and disrupt the outer membrane; however, their toxicity limits their usefulness. Polymyxin has been shown to synergize with many antibiotics including novobiocin, which inhibits DNA gyrase, by facilitating transport of these antibiotics across the outer membrane. Recently, we have shown that novobiocin not only inhibits DNA gyrase but also binds and stimulates LptB, the ATPase that powers LPS transport. Here, we report the synthesis of novobiocin derivatives that separate these two activities. One analog retains LptB-stimulatory activity but is unable to inhibit DNA gyrase. This analog, which is not toxic on its own, nevertheless enhances the lethality of polymyxin by binding LptB and stimulating LPS transport. Therefore, LPS transport agonism...
Traceless Release of Alcohols Using Thiol-Sensitive Oxanorbornadiene Linkers

A class of ester–amide oxanorbornadiene (EA-OND) molecules was developed to release alcohol cargos by succinimide formation upon addition of a thiol reagent. The resulting ring-closed adducts undergo further fragmentation by retro-Diels–Alder reaction to release a furan moiety in a manner similar to oxanorbornadiene diesters. The rates of each of these fragmentation pathways in the same medium were found to be sensitive to the steric nature of the amide substituent. Alcohol release was much faster in protic solvents than in aprotic ones, suggesting that this system may be useful for rapid response to thiols in biological environments. Accordingly, the attachment and thiol-dependent release of cholesterol was characterized as an example of the manipulation of a drug-like cargo.
Binding and internalization of biotinylated interleukin-2 in human lymphocytes.

The binding, internalization, and fate of interleukin-2 (IL-2) were studied in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-activated human lymphocytes using biotinylated recombinant IL-2 (rIL-2). Streptavidin adsorbed to 18-nm colloidal gold beads (Au18-streptavidin) and streptavidin covalently bound to horseradish peroxidase (HRP-streptavidin) were used to follow the movement of biotinylated rIL-2 within cells over a 4-hour period. Results obtained from either probe were similar. Biotinylated rIL-2 was taken up in coated pits, transferred to a series of small uncoated vesicles and tubules in the peripheral cytoplasm of the cell, then concentrated and sequestered in uncoated vesicles, multivesicular bodies (MVB), and dense bodies (DB) in the peripheral and juxtanuclear cytoplasm of the cell. Occasionally, MVB containing Au18-streptavidin, or HRP-streptavidin, appear to have fused with the plasma membrane of the cell. No labeling of the Golgi cisternae, nuclear envelope, or nucleus was observed. Results from a competitive receptor binding assay and a cell proliferation assay indicate that both the affinity of rIL-2 for high affinity rIL-2 receptors and the proliferative activity of rIL- 2 were negligibly affected by the biotinylation procedure. These studies suggest that in activated lymphocytes, IL-2 is bound to receptors on the cell surface, gathered in coated pits, internalized by receptor-mediated endocytosis, concentrated in the endosomal compartments, and delivered to lysosomes for degradation.
Meeting the nutritional needs of children with disabilities and their families

Qualitative research methods were used to study families who had made or were in the process of making the decision to use a feeding tube to meet the nutrition needs of their child with a disability. Data were gathered over a two year period through interviews with eight families. Family decision-making in the context of quality of life was examined using a theoretical family systems model. Descriptive themes and issues emerged from the data that led to a greater understanding of what families face in making this decision for their child. The data can help families and professionals work in partnership before a child becomes severely malnourished or medically compromised as a result of inadequate nutrition. The themes and issues are discussed and implications for future interventions and research are presented. (1) Associate Professor, Associate Professor and Graduate student, respectively, Department of Human Development and Family Studies and Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Iowa State University. Research conducted and manuscript written by Brotherson, Oakland, and Secrist-Mertz. (2) Litchfield and Larson provided research support.
Primate Infant Caregiving Behavior

Field and laboratory data collected upon the Colobinae subfamily of Old World monkeys and, specifically, the Indian langurs (Presbytis entellus) will be used here to raise important questions about how the study of primate parenting might be approached. While the data on the Indian langur monkey describe only one of several parenting strategies which could be examined, the behavior and socioecology of this species have been studied by a great many investigators in diverse environmental settings. Consequently, a broad comparative perspective permits us to generate hypotheses about the origins of langur maternal care with some degree of confidence. It is possible that important variables elucidated by langur researchers may prove relevant to interpretations of infant care in other species. This proposition is justified because it is clear that langur maternal behavior emerged from a basic design common to all primates; however, certain features of that design such as degrees of maternal restrictiveness, rates of infant maturity, degrees of female-female competition, and so forth have been altered in specific ways primarily due to unique evolutionary circumstances. The challenge facing us is to elucidate how the processes of natural (including kin and sexual) selection produced and sculpted particular species differences, presumably to increase individual fitness. Moreover, we need to determine the underlying morphologic, physiologic, and anatomic adaptations influencing the form and nature of social structure within which maternal care develops (see Swartz and Rosenblum, this volume).
Stem Cell Transplantation to the Heart

Cardiovascular disease remains the most potent killer in all developed societies. Heart failure is the most common cause of hospitalization in the United States. Despite impressive improvements in the interventional and medical therapy of ischemic coronary artery disease, this disorder remains the most common cause of heart failure. Given the severe limitation on the availability of and the long-term morbidity associated with cardiac transplantation, a means of preventing or reversing the loss of functional myocardium in end-stage heart disease is an important translational target. This chapter discusses the progress of cardiac transplantation and the development of possible clinical targets, as well as clinical trials in humans.
Simulations of branched carbon-chain chemistry in star-forming regions

The detection of iso-propyl cyanide (i-C3H7CN) toward the Galactic Center hot-core source Sgr B2(N) (by Belloche et al. 2014) marked the first interstellar detection of an aliphatic molecule with a branched carbon-chain structure. Surprisingly, this branched form was found to have an almost equal abundance with its straight-chain homologue, normal-propyl cyanide (i:n = 0.40 ± 0.06). The detection of this first example of an interstellar molecule with a side-chain raises the question as to how prominent such structures may be in interstellar chemistry, and whether the large branched-to-straight chain ratio is maintained for even larger molecules.Here are presented recently published models that simulate the chemistry occurring in Sgr B2(N) using a chemical network that explicitly includes the straight-chain and branched forms of propyl cyanide (normal/iso) and butyl cyanide (normal/iso/sec/tert), as well as butane (n/i) and pentane (n/i/neo). Formation is assumed to occur on dust-grain surfaces, but a full complement of destruction mechanisms is included both on the grains and in the gas phase.The models suggest that branched structures become increasingly dominant as molecular sizes increase. In the case of butyl cyanide, the sec form is at least ∼2 times more abundant than the straight-chain normal form, and together the branched forms dominate normal-butyl cyanide by a factor of at least 3. The results for the larger alkanes suggest similarly large ratios of branched to straight-chain molecules. A key set of reactions in the surface/ice chemistry of interstellar nitriles is found to be the addition of the CN radical to unsaturated hydrocarbons, especially acetylene and ethene. The models also predict that the dominant, sec form of butyl cyanide reaches a peak abundance equal to that of n-propyl cyanide, albeit with a smaller emission radius. This makes s-C4H9CN a good candidate for detection. New ALMA observations to search for this molecule are ongoing.
Excessive dietary sodium intake and elevated blood pressure: a review of current prevention and management strategies and the emerging role of pharmaconutrigenetics

Precision medicine has the potential to improve current standard of care for patients, especially in the cardiovascular field. Better prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains a public health concern globally as the disease affects a considerable proportion of populations in many countries.1 CVD progression can be in part prevented with effective management of blood pressure through nutritional, pharmacological and lifestyle approaches.2 3 Nutritional approaches to reduce blood pressure has in part focused on sodium intake as part of a nutritional intervention plan, although this established approach may be more effective for individuals who are salt sensitive, a phenotype that is currently not considered clinically. Blood pressure for individuals who are salt sensitive will change depending on the level of sodium intake, while those who are salt resistant will not see a change in their blood pressure even when sodium intake varies. This difference in response to sodium and its associated effect on blood pressure makes it important to be able to stratify the population based on this response to be able to effectively guide dietary intake. Nutrigenetics, which incorporates genetic markers in dietary intervention approaches, is one promising way this salt sensitivity phenotype can be identified among individuals. In addition, for those receiving antihypertensive agents to control blood pressure, using genetic markers to help with drug selection, or using a pharmacogenetic approach, may be a better way of achieving improved efficacy, lower adverse events and lead to more efficient use of limited healthcare resources. Current methods to manage blood pressure and sodium intake and the emerging role of precision medicine will be explored. More specifically, the use of genetics in nutritional and pharmacological interventions, or pharmaconutrigenetics, to guide sodium intake and manage blood pressure will be discussed as a way to better prevent and manage CVD …
A review of error correction procedures during instruction for children with developmental disabilities

Error correction procedures are remedial strategies presented following an incorrect response that increases the probability that a correct response will occur in the future. Error correction is commonly used during skill acquisition programs for children with developmental disabilities; however, the specific strategy used may differ considerably. Recent comparative studies have examined the effect of numerous error correction procedures on the efficiency of acquisition for children with developmental disabilities. Despite considerable merit, minor procedural differences and unique terms for similar procedures likely affect comparisons across studies. Here, we clarify the procedures and findings of these studies and suggest areas of future research.
Bayesian information updating procedures for Pacific salmon run size indicators: evaluation in the presence and absence of auxiliary migration timing information

Preseason forecasts of Pacific salmon run size are notoriously uncertain and are thus often updated using various abundance indices collected during the run. However, interpretation of these in-sea...
Villainy, Mental Health, Folklore, and the Mediatic Literature: Andreas Lubitz and the Germanwings Crash

On 24 March 2015 an aeroplane belonging to the Lufthansa subsidiary airline Germanwings crashed, killing all on board. The ensuing investigation quickly indicated that co-pilot Andreas Lubitz had i...
The value of law

Much has been written about the value of law, mostly in ideational terms. In this article, I draw attention to law’s pecuniary value. Law, I argue, is the very stuff from which many wealth generating, or capital, assets are made, foremost among them intangible assets that account for most of the private wealth today. For law to serve as a fountain of wealth, it must be backed by state power, and indeed, sovereign states have been more than willing to offer a helping hand. They have found intellectual support in neoclassical economics and in its off-spring, law and economics, theoretical approaches that have sought to ground law in the scientific analysis of the economy, in efficiency rather than in justice. In doing so, they have averted their eyes from the fact that the most critical source for wealth, that is law, is itself of the state and should be subject to social norms enshrined in our constitutions, not abstract welfarism.
Optimization of processing parameters in fiber laser cladding

Laser cladding of steel is a promising solution to wear and corrosion resistance, and to the improvement of the mechanical properties of the cladded surface. The properties of cladded components depended on the clad geometry. The clad geometry was governed by the processing parameters. In this study, a cored wire with a sheath made of 95 wt% Co and 5 wt% Fe, with an outer diameter of 1.2 mm and an inner diameter of 0.8 mm, was used. A full factorial design was used to optimize the processing parameters in cored wire laser cladding. The design consisted of three main factors: laser power, scanning speed, and cored wire feed rate, each at three levels in addition to the current, laser spot diameter, and stand-off distance. The response functions were clad width, height, aspect ratio (width/height), dilution ratio (penetration area/total fusion area), and the hardness. The mathematical relationships were established by statistical analysis. The optimal values of the parameters were determined from these relationships. The overlay plots were made from graphical optimization to serve as a technical reference for operators in the workshop for laser cladding with a specific material of cored wire. It was found that a laser power of 3.7 to 3.9 kW, a cored wire feed rate of 75 mm/s, and a scanning speed close to 6 mm/s were the optimal values.
Electrochemical Properties of Zr4+ Doped LiFePO4 cathode Material for Li-Ion Battery

Due to its thermal stability, low cost and high theoretical charge capacity, LiFePO4has emerged as one of the most promising cathode materials for large-scale lithium ion batteries. In this study, we systematically investigated the effect on structure and electrochemical properties brought by Zr doping on Fe site of LiFePO4. LiFe1−yZryPO4 (y = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07, and 0.1) samples were prepared by using solid-state reaction. The phase and structure of as prepared powders were characterized by X-ray diffraction. Cycling charge and discharge measurement at various C-rates was employed to reveal the electrochemical properties. Results showed that the sample with 1% Zr doping was observed to have the highest charge capacity at various rates.
Effects of volume, velocity, and composition on the resistance to synthetic blood penetration of N95 filtering facepiece respirators and other head/facial personal protective equipment

Surgical N95 filtering facepiece respirators (surgical N95 FFRs) are National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health-approved N95 filtering facepiece respirators (N95 FFRs) cleared by the Foo...