cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigating sesquiterpene biosynthesis in Ginkgo biloba : molecular cloning and functional characterization of ( E,E )-farnesol and α-bisabolene synthases

Ginkgo biloba is one of the oldest living tree species and has been extensively investigated as a source of bioactive natural compounds, including bioactive flavonoids, diterpene lactones, terpenoids and polysaccharides which accumulate in foliar tissues. Despite this chemical diversity, relatively few enzymes associated with any biosynthetic pathway from ginkgo have been characterized to date. In the present work, predicted transcripts potentially encoding enzymes associated with the biosynthesis of diterpenoid and terpenoid compounds, including putative terpene synthases, were first identified by mining publicly-available G. biloba RNA-seq data sets. Recombinant enzyme studies with two of the TPS-like sequences led to the identification of GbTPS1 and GbTPS2, encoding farnesol and bisabolene synthases, respectively. Additionally, the phylogenetic analysis revealed the two terpene synthase genes as primitive genes that might have evolved from an ancestral diterpene synthase.
Impact of Type 2 Diabetes and Postmenopausal Hormone Therapy on Incidence of Cognitive Impairment in Older Women

OBJECTIVE In older women, higher levels of estrogen may exacerbate the increased risk for cognitive impairment conveyed by diabetes. We examined whether the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT) on cognitive impairment incidence differs depending on type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The Women’s Health Initiative randomized clinical trials assigned women to HT (0.625 mg/day conjugated equine estrogens with or without [i.e., unopposed] 2.5 mg/day medroxyprogesterone acetate) or matching placebo for an average of 4.7–5.9 years. A total of 7,233 women, ages 65–80 years, were classified according to type 2 diabetes status and followed for probable dementia and cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment or dementia). RESULTS Through a maximum of 18 years of follow-up, women with diabetes had increased risk of probable dementia (hazard ratio [HR] 1.54 [95% CI 1.16–2.06]) and cognitive impairment (HR 1.83 [1.50–2.23]). The combination of diabetes and random assignment to HT increased their risk of dementia (HR 2.12 [1.47–3.06]) and cognitive impairment (HR 2.20 [1.70–2.87]) compared with women without these conditions: interactions P = 0.09 and P = 0.08. These interactions appeared to be limited to women assigned to unopposed conjugated equine estrogens. CONCLUSIONS These analyses provide additional support to a prior report that higher levels of estrogen may exacerbate risks that type 2 diabetes poses for cognitive function in older women. The role estrogen plays in suppressing non–glucose based energy sources in the brain may explain this interaction.
Waste Package Environment for the Yucca Mountain Site Characterization Project

Environmental parameters that would affect the degradation of engineered materials, including waste packages and drip shields, in the potential high level nuclear waste repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada are being characterized as part of the Yucca Mountain Project. These parameters include: temperature, relative humidity, range of water chemistry, deliquescence of salts, pH, and electrochemical potential (Eh). The likelihood of various brine compositions forming on the engineered components under repository conditions, and the implications, is discussed. Relative humidity controls the ionic strength and composition of the aqueous solutions, and hence strongly influences the corrosion processes that could occur. Studies are underway to more fully characterize the redox state of aqueous solutions in contact with engineered system components.
Role of Desolvation in Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Ligand Binding to a Kinase

Computer simulations are used to determine the free energy landscape for the binding of the anticancer drug Dasatinib to its src kinase receptor and show that before settling into a free energy basin the ligand must surmount a free energy barrier. An analysis based on using both the ligand-pocket separation and the pocket-water occupancy as reaction coordinates shows that the free energy barrier is a result of the free energy cost for almost complete desolvation of the binding pocket. The simulations further show that the barrier is not a result of the reorganization free energy of the binding pocket. Although a continuum solvent model gives the location of free energy minima, it is not able to reproduce the intermediate free energy barrier. Finally, it is shown that a kinetic model for the on rate constant in which the ligand diffuses up to a doorway state and then surmounts the desolvation free energy barrier is consistent with published microsecond time-scale simulations of the ligand binding kinetics ...
Reaction of the rat peritoneum to acid colloidal pigments.

Summary and ConclusionsRat peritoneum reacts to the presence of various acid-colloidal pigments by thickening, primarily due to the accumulation of sub-mesothelial histiocytes and macrophages. The surface mesothelial cells may round up, and separate from their connective tissue bed. Pigment-filled macrophages escape through these denuded regions and pass into the peritoneal cavity; the same cells are sometimes seen to insinuate themselves between adjacent intact mesothelial cells as well. Localized collections of free cells may appear in the peritoneum of the mesentery and omentum; when large, these masses typically show necrotic centers.
A complex ovarian cyst.

BACKGROUND: Acute pelvic pain in women is a common diagnostic dilemma encountered by the gynecologist. We describe a case of acute pelvic pain with an unusual etiology. CASE: A 40-year-old multipara presented within hours of the onset of acute pelvic pain. She was treated conservatively with analgesics after computed tomography of the abdomen and pelvis revealed a ruptured ovarian cyst. Upon return to the emergency room, she was admitted to a gynecologic service for pain control. The etiology of her acute pelvic pain eventually declared itself. CONCLUSION: The differential diagnosis of acute pelvic pain represents a variety of organ systems.
Photothermal Plasmonic Triggering of Au Nanoparticle Surface Radical Polymerization

Gold nanoparticle theranostic agents have dramatic potential in the fight against disease, particularly cancer, as multifunctional platforms combining biocompatibility, unique optical properties for detection/activation, and heat generation. In this vein, a new thiol-functionalized enediyne surfactant ligand was synthesized and coordinated to gold nanoparticles, as confirmed by the red-shift in the optical spectrum from λ = 520 to 529 nm upon ligand exchange. Raman spectra of the nanoparticle conjugate material show characteristic vibrations at 2192 (alkyne), 1582 (alkene), and 670 cm–1 (C–S). The photoreactivity of the material is explored under two sets of photolysis conditions: solution, λexc = 514 nm, RT, t = 8 h; solid aggregate, λexc = 785 nm, T = −190 °C, t = 4 h. Under these conditions, exciting into the surface plasmon of the Au nanoparticle substrate transfers heat to the organic ligand layer, initiating enediyne cyclization and generating surface radicals that lead to subsequent polymerization....
An antichylomicronemic substance produced by heparin injection.

SummaryThe injection of heparin (50 mg intravenous) in the human causes a sudden fall in surface tension and a clearing of the lipemic plasma. The effect is believed to be due to the formation of a surface active heparin-phospholipid complex. The activity of the complex may be studied in vitro by mixing lipemic plasma with non-turbid plasma obtained after heparin injection. A gradual clearing is observed. The formation of a surface active heparin-egg lecithin complex has been demonstrated. Certain relations of these findings to pathological conditions are discussed.
Phonons in La2CuO4: Local density calculations

Abstract A full set of zone center phonon frequencies and polarization vectors of tetragonal I4 mmm La2CuO4 are determined using local density approximation calculations. Reasonable agreement with experimental frequencies is obtained for modes that do not involve c-axis motions of the plane O atoms or motions of the apical O atoms parallel to the CuO2 planes. The modes that do involve such displacements have frequencies that are lower than experiment. This is understood in terms of stiffening of these modes due to tilts of the octahedra in the actual structure. Two soft Γ point modes involving the apical O are found. However, the Γ point instability is much weaker than the X point tilt mode.
Coordination of the axonal cytoskeleton during the emergence of axon collateral branches.

The formation of branches during development allows a single axon to make synaptic contacts with numerous target neurons, often in different parts of the nervous system, thereby allowing for the establishment of complex patterns of neuronal connectivity. Following injury, the formation of collateral branches contributes to the endogenous neuroplasticity which depending on the neuronal population can have beneficial (e.g., formation of compensatory relay circuitry) or adverse effects (e.g., development of autonomic dysreflexia). The formation of axon collateral branches from the axon shaft involves a complex series of signaling events and cytoskeletal reorganization. The initial step in the formation of a collateral branch is the emergence of axonal filopodia, supported by a bundle of actin filaments (Figure 1A). However, axonal filopodia are generated from precursor structures consisting of small meshworks of actin filaments, termed actin patches (Figure 1A inset). Actin patches are dynamic structures which form along the axon shaft, grow in size and subsequently are disassembled (for reviews on actin patches see Gallo, 2011, 2013). Although in live imaging studies using fluorescently labeled actin most axonal filopodia arise from a detectable actin patch, only a subset of patches gives rise to filopodia before dissipating. As the duration of filopodia is longer than that of patches, they are often not detected at the base of longer pre-existing filopodia, although they often re-emerge at the base of existing filopodia. In order for an axonal filopodium to mature into a collateral branch it must first become invaded by axonal microtubules (Figure 1A). Following the targeting and retention of axonal microtubules into the filopodium, the filopodium then begins to reorganize its actin filament cytoskeleton transitioning from a linear bundle of actin filaments to a distal accumulation of filaments giving rise to a nascent branch (Figure 1A), ultimately giving rise to a small growth cone structure at the tip of the branch. The transformation of a filopodium into a nascent branch is referred to as maturation of the branch which then grows in length (Figure 1A).
Asymmetric Membranes Containing Micron-Size Silicon for High Performance Lithium Ion Battery Anode

Abstract Micron-size Si anode is notorious for having extremely poor cycle life. It is mainly caused by the large volume change (∼300%) and poor mechanical strength of the Si electrode. Satisfying methods to address this issue are seriously lacking in literature. In this study, novel single-layer, double-layer and triple-layer asymmetric membranes containing micron-size silicon have been fabricated using a simple phase inversion method to dramatically improve its cyclability. The electrochemical performance of these asymmetric membranes as lithium ion battery anodes are evaluated and compared to pure micron-size Si powders and carbonaceous asymmetric membranes. All three types of asymmetric membrane electrodes demonstrate significantly enhanced stability as compared to pure Si powders. The single-layer asymmetric membrane has the largest capacity degradation due to the loss of pulverized Si powders from the membrane surface, only 40% of whose capacity can be retained in 100 cycles. But this performance is still much better than pure micron-size silicon electrode. After being coated with nanoporous carbonaceous layers on both sides of a single-layer asymmetric membrane to make a triple-layer asymmetric membrane (sandwich structure), the capacity retention is notably increased to 88% in 100 cycles at 610 mAh g −1 and 0.5C. The enhanced stability is attributed to the extra nanoporous coatings that can prevent the fractured Si powders from being leached out and allow facile lithium ion diffusions. Such a novel, efficient and scalable method may provide beneficiary guidance for designing high capacity lithium ion battery anodes with large volume change issues.
Carbon and nitrogen tracers of land use effects on net ecosystem metabolism in mangrove estuaries, southwest Florida

Abstract Four estuaries in southwest Florida with different land-use characteristics in their watersheds were chosen to investigate the effects of anthropogenic land use on estuarine biogeochemical cycling. We compared C:N ratios, concentrations of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), chlorophyll-a (chl-a) and particulate organic carbon (POC), stable isotope ratios of DIC (δ 13 C DIC ) and POC (δ 13 C POC ), and nitrogen isotope ratios of particulate organic nitrogen (δ 15 N PON ) among these estuaries. Values of δ 13 C DIC ranged from −14.1 to +0.9‰. The more negative values occurred upstream, resulting from DIC inputs derived from both the degradation of organic carbon and dissolution of carbonates. Upstream DIC concentrations were as high as 8066 μmol L −1 , suggesting high respiration rates. Further, a comparison of DIC values to a conservative mixing model indicates net heterotrophic metabolic state in all four estuaries. Supporting this interpretation, low δ 13 C POC values suggest that terrestrial plants were the main source of POC in the upstream sampling points. However, C:N ratios ranged from 7.2 to 13.4, and were consistent with the decomposition of both terrestrial and aquatic sources. Chl-a concentrations were variable and typically below 20 μg L −1 , indicating moderate to low levels of autotrophy in all estuaries. Elevated chl-a concentrations indicative of increased primary productivity occurred at intermediate salinities, and were possibly caused by the mixing front at mid-estuary locations. There were no apparent differences in δ 15 N PON among estuaries, suggesting that the N sources to these estuaries are comparable. The combined results show no differences between near-natural and anthropogenically influenced estuaries, indicating a minimal effect of anthropogenic activities on the parameters measured, possibly as a result of the filtering capacity of the extensive surrounding mangrove vegetation.
Public Health Outreach Forum: report.

A two-day forum was held at the National Library of Medicine's (NLM) Lister Hill Center, April 4 to 5, 2001, to focus on the lessons learned by the recipients of NLM's Partners* in Information Access for Public Health Professionals grant program. The objective of the forum was to glean what could be learned from the body of knowledge and experience accumulated from the twenty-one, NLM-funded public health outreach projects. Participants included health sciences librarians from public health libraries, NLM, and the National Network of Libraries of Medicine's (NN/LM's) Regional Medical Libraries and project leaders and public health professionals from the Washington, DC, area. Eighty attendees heard speakers from the public health community as well as health sciences librarians from several of the projects. They also participated in focused panel discussions on specific topics selected by the steering committee. A list of the attendees can be found on the forum Website. At the end of the first day, time was set aside for a reception in the Lister Hill Center foyer with poster displays and exhibits by several of the outreach project representatives.
Acute Ischemic Stroke Infarct Topology: Association with Lesion Volume and Severity of Symptoms at Admission and Discharge

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Acute stroke presentation and outcome depend on both ischemic infarct volume and location. We aimed to determine the association between acute ischemic infarct topology and lesion volume and stroke severity at presentation and discharge. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent MR imaging within 24 hours of symptom onset or last seen well were included. Infarcts were segmented and coregistered on the Montreal Neurological Institute-152 brain map. Voxel-based analyses were performed to determine the distribution of infarct lesions associated with larger volumes, higher NIHSS scores at admission and discharge, and greater NIHSS/volume ratios. RESULTS: A total of 238 patients were included. Ischemic infarcts involving the bilateral lentiform nuclei, insular ribbons, middle corona radiata, and right precentral gyrus were associated with larger infarct volumes (average, 76.7 ± 125.6 mL versus 16.4 ± 24.0 mL, P < .001) and higher admission NIHSS scores. Meanwhile, brain stem and thalami infarctions were associated with higher admission NIHSS/volume ratios. The discharge NIHSS scores were available in 218 patients, in whom voxel-based analysis demonstrated that ischemic infarcts of the bilateral posterior insular ribbons, middle corona radiata, and right precentral gyrus were associated with more severe symptoms at discharge, whereas ischemic lesions of the brain stem, bilateral thalami, and, to a lesser extent, the middle corona radiata were associated with higher ratios of discharge NIHSS score/infarct volume. CONCLUSIONS: Acute ischemic infarcts of the insulae, lentiform nuclei, and middle corona radiata tend to have larger volumes, more severe presentations, and worse outcomes, whereas brain stem and thalamic infarcts have greater symptom severity relative to smaller lesion volumes. VLSM : voxel-based lesion symptom mapping
Clinical Risk Factors Associated With Urethral Atrophy

Objective To analyze a series of clinical risk factors associated with pretreatment urethral atrophy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 301 patients who underwent artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) placement between September 2009 and November 2015; of these, 60 (19.9%) transcorporal cuff patients were excluded. Patients were stratified into 2 groups based on intraoperative spongiosal circumference measurements. Men with urethral atrophy (3.5 cm cuff size) were compared to controls (≥4 cm cuff size). Chi-square test, Mann-Whitney U test, and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine risk factors for urethral atrophy. Results Among 241 AUS patients analyzed, urethral atrophy was present in 151 patients (62.7%) compared to 90 patients (37.3%) who received larger cuffs (range 4-5.5 cm). Patients with urethral atrophy were older (71.1years vs 68.3 years; P P P P = .046), whereas greater time between cancer therapy and incontinence surgery approached clinical significance (odds ratio 1.05, 95% confidence interval 1.00-1.09; P = .05). Conclusion History of radiation therapy and increasing length of time from prostate cancer treatment are associated with urethral atrophy before AUS placement.
Competition between Al2O3 atomic layer etching and AlF3 atomic layer deposition using sequential exposures of trimethylaluminum and hydrogen fluoride

The thermal atomic layer etching (ALE) of Al2O3 can be performed using sequential and self-limiting reactions with trimethylaluminum (TMA) and hydrogen fluoride (HF) as the reactants. The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of AlF3 can also be accomplished using the same reactants. This paper examined the competition between Al2O3 ALE and AlF3 ALD using in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) vibrational spectroscopy measurements on Al2O3 ALD-coated SiO2 nanoparticles. The FTIR spectra could observe an absorbance loss of the Al-O stretching vibrations during Al2O3 ALE or an absorbance gain of the Al-F stretching vibrations during AlF3 ALD. The transition from AlF3 ALD to Al2O3 ALE occurred versus reaction temperature and was also influenced by the N2 or He background gas pressure. Higher temperatures and lower background gas pressures led to Al2O3 ALE. Lower temperatures and higher background gas pressures led to AlF3 ALD. The FTIR measurements also monitored AlCH3* and HF* species on the surface after the TM...
Low Dose Busulfan Produces Efficient Human Cell Engraftment in Immunodeficient Mice.

Abstract Despite sophisticated in vitro assays for primitive hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), transplantation assays remain the gold standard for HSC enumeration. Large animals better model human HSC activity, yet are cumbersome, costly, and outbred yielding high variability. Murine xenografting has been employed as a surrogate HSC assay, yet several remaining issues requiring further study include optimal conditioning, HSC source, cell dose, graft composition, and the lack of human erythroid output. NOD/LtSz-scid IL2Rgnullrecipient mice were utilized in a series of transplantation studies to address these questions. We injected busulfan at a range of doses with or without low-dose irradiation, with 50mg/kg yielding consistent human HSC engraftment. To determine the contribution of HSCs vs mature elements to the human engraftment measured, we compared whole CB (n=6) to CB selected for CD34 (n=7) or CD3 (n=3). Human cells were detectable as early as 6 days after the transplant of whole CB or CD3 selected cells, were predominantly CD3+, peaked early, and declined after 4–8 weeks, whereas that from CD34 selected cells became detectable later, were predominantly CD20+ early and rose over the same period. The % human CD45+ cells in peripheral blood (PB) was similar between whole CB and CD34 selected graft recipients at 5 weeks (62.5±5.02% vs 57.8±2.89% P=0.46). Human CD14, CD16, CD20, CD3, CD56, IgM, IgG and CD41 positive cells were detectable from the PB, marrow and spleen of whole CB and CD34 selected graft recipients, but there were no detectable GPA positive red blood cells (RBCs). By 24 weeks, the % human CD45+ cells was significantly higher in CD34 selected graft recipients compared with the whole CB recipients (68.2±5.35% vs 4.27±0.67%, P Download : Download high-res image (121KB) Download : Download full-size image Figure
The “Mostra del Quarantennio” and the Canon of Modern Art at the Venice Biennale in the Interwar Period

In 1935 the Venice Biennale organized an atypical exhibition commemorating its 40th anniversary. The “Mostra dei Quarant’anni” was mostly devoted to art from the Triveneto. Yet four rooms showed works by European artists who had exhibited in the Biennale, and were part of the collections of the Gallerie d’Arte Moderna in Rome and Venice. The show refl ected on the evolution of modern art and of the Biennale between 1895 and 1935, exemplifying the aesthetic criteria of Italian public collections at the time. It included many artists that are still considered part of the modernist canon but most of them are now all but forgotten. It thus represents an optimal case study to analyze renegotiations of the artistic canon. Furthermore, the “Mostra” played a key role in re-defi ning the international role of Venice within fascist artistic organization. As the “Mostra” took place in the gap year between two Biennales and received little support from governmental institutions, it is generally overlooked in the literature on the period. Yet, on the basis of unpublished archival documentation and of the digital reconstruction of these rooms, this paper argues that the “Mostra dei Quarant’anni” is crucial for our understanding of the history of the Biennale and of the cultural policies of the fascist state. Nel 1935 la Biennale di Venezia ha organizzato una mostra atipica per commemorare il proprio 40° anniversario. La “Mostra dei Quarant’anni” era in gran parte dedicata all’arte dal Triveneto. Eppure quattro sale espongono opere di artisti europei che furono in mostra alla Biennale, e divennero parte delle collezioni della galleria d’Arte Moderna di Roma e Venezia. La Mostra rifl ette sull’evoluzione dell’arte moderna e della Biennale tra il 1895 e il 1935, esemplifi cando i criteri estetici adottati a quell’epoca in collezioni pubbliche italiane. Vengono esposti molti artisti ancora considerati parte del canone modernista. Essa rappresenta un caso di studio signifi cativo per analizzare la rinegoziazione del canone artistico. La Mostra, inoltre, ha giocato un ruolo chiave nella ridefi nizione del ruolo artistico internazionale di Venezia all’interno dell’organizzazione fascista. Poiche la Mostra ha avuto luogo durante l’anno di intervallo tra le due Biennali e ha ricevuto poco sostegno da parte delle istituzioni governative, e generalmente trascurata nella letteratura sul periodo. Tuttavia, sulla base di documentazione archivistica inedita e della ricostruzione digitale di queste sale internazionali, questo saggio sostiene che la “Mostra dei Quarant’anni” e fondamentale per la nostra comprensione della storia della Biennale e delle politiche culturali dello stato fascista.
Design, Fabrication, and Characterization of Dense Compressible Microinterconnects

This paper presents gold passivated NiW compressible microinterconnects (CMIs) with $75~\mu \text{m}$ height and $150~\mu \text{m}$ in-line pitch. The CMIs are batch fabricated using CMOS-compatible processes. The fabricated CMIs have a measured compliance of up to 13.12 mm/N and demonstrate $45~\mu \text{m}$ elastic vertical range of motion. Moreover, the CMIs are shown to return to their original geometrical profile after several deflections and consequently are able to maintain contact with their corresponding pads at all times. The measured four-point resistance of a CMI, which includes contact resistance, is as low as 176.3 $\text{m}\Omega $ .
Autonomous Exploration with Exact Inverse Sensor Models

This paper is focused on probabilistic occupancy grid mapping and motion planning such that a robot may build a map and explore a target area autonomously in real time. The desired path of the robot is developed in an optimal fashion to maximize the information gain from the sensor measurements on its path, thereby increasing the accuracy and efficiency of mapping, while explicitly considering the sensor limitations such as the maximum sensing range and viewing angle. Most current exploration techniques require frequent human intervention, often developed for omnidirectional sensors with infinite range. The proposed research is based on realistic assumptions on sensor capabilities. The unique contribution is that the mapping and autonomous exploration techniques are systematically developed in a rigorous, probabilistic formulation. The mapping approach exploits the probabilistic properties of the sensor and map explicitly, and the autonomous exploration is designed to maximize the expected map information gain, thereby improving the efficiency of the mapping procedure and the quality of the map substantially. The efficacy of the proposed optimal approach is illustrated by both numerical simulations and experimental results.
A Complication of Percutaneous Sclerotherapy for Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformation: Intravascular Injection and Cardiac Necrosis.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: A congenital pulmonary airway malformation (CPAM) type III may become large enough to cause hydrops fetalis. In such circumstances, the fetus can be treated with open fetal resection, maternal betamethasone administration, or percutaneous sclerotherapy. Case report: A 24 week gestation fetus with a CPAM type III was treated by percutaneous sclerotherapy using ethanolamine oleate (EO). The EO inadvertently entered the left atrium and ventricle with subsequent fetal bradycardia and demise. Autopsy revealed myocardial necrosis. Conclusion: Percutaneous sclerotherapy has been previously described in the literature for the treatment of microcystic CPAMs with secondary hydrops. This is the first reported case of an adverse event after fetal sclerotherapy.
Denali national park and preserve's transportation system: How a discrete event simulation model can enlighten complexity

Denali National Park and Preserve's (DNPP) Vehicle Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (VMP) limits road traffic to 160 vehicles permits per day. This is a tough constraint considering DNPP has 600,000 visitors per year and the park road is open about 110 days. DNPP is using analytics to study its transportation system to ensure visitor experiences are of high quality and park resources, including the historic and primitive character of the park road, remain protected under the new permit regulations. A discrete event simulation (DES) model was developed in ExtendSim to study all park traffic. The DES model arranges the complex behavior of DNPP's road user groups into a defined event sequence using both empirical data and institutional knowledge. The DES model tests traffic volume and schedule scenarios to maximize the visitor experience while still meeting all VMP compliance standards. The DES model is used to improve DNPP's ability to make science-based management decisions about its transportation system.
Education for an ex-role: Perceptions of schooling from the newly un-orthodox

ABSTRACTThis article seeks to demonstrate that in the burgeoning spiritual memoir literature of those leaving Ultra-Orthodoxy, scant attention is paid to the negative impact of schooling, yet it may be a significant contributing factor to the decision to leave traditional practice and community. Differing educational expectations for girls and boys—an amplified focus on modesty for females and scholarship for males—can become constricting and, ultimately, oppressive. Highlighting these inequities in other similar parochial systems or traditional but more progressive schools may shed light on how specific messaging may work counter to desired educational outcomes.
The Other Culture

I question the idea of the purely “my own” world, and so have found no way of formulating the problem of constitution of the other culture analogously to what Husserl does in the Fifth Meditation. The other is a part of my world—as much as the strange, the unfamiliar and the unintelligible are.
Patient Follow-Up

Radiosurgery is unlike most conventional neurosurgical procedures because results of treatment are unknown when the treatment is completed. The neurosurgeon is accustomed to examining the patient in the recovery room and knowing very rapidly whether the immediate outcome of a procedure is good or bad. Radiosurgery has few, if any, acute complications. The only acute complication seen in our patients has been a rare increase in seizure activity in the first 48 hours after radiosurgery in patients that previously exhibited seizure activity. Patients go home the day of treatment exactly as they were before treatment. The true efficacy of the treatment and incidence of complications can only be known after months or years of careful follow-up.
Outflows from Massive, Pre-Main Sequence Objects: Results from the OVRO Millimeter Wave Array

In Figure 1 below the OVRO CS integrated emission is superposed on the 1.3 cm VLA radio map of S106. The tiny white speck in the very center is S106 IR, the source of the ionized lobes. Its wind is characterized by vw=220 km s−1 and M=1.7 x 10−6 M⊙ yr−1 The equatorial gap in this source has previously been attributed to a disk structure (Bieging, 1984). The higher resolution OVRO map resolves the “disk ” into two shells of swept-up gas. The upper mass limit for any undetected molecular disk set by the OVRO observations is 0.01 M⊙ (Barsony et al. 1989)
The Ultimate qPCR Experiment: Producing Publication Quality, Reproducible Data the First Time

Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is one of the most common techniques for quantification of nucleic acid molecules in biological and environmental samples. Although the methodology is perceived to be relatively simple, there are a number of steps and reagents that require optimization and validation to ensure reproducible data that accurately reflect the biological question(s) being posed. This review article describes and illustrates the critical pitfalls and sources of error in qPCR experiments, along with a rigorous, stepwise process to minimize variability, time, and cost in generating reproducible, publication quality data every time. Finally, an approach to make an informed choice between qPCR and digital PCR technologies is described.
Robotic transanal minimally invasive rectal mucosa harvest.

Buccal mucosal grafts (BMG) are traditionally used in urethral reconstruction. There may be insufficient BMG for applications requiring large grafts, such as urethral stricture after gender-affirming phalloplasty. Rectal mucosa in lieu of BMG avoids oral impairment, while potentially affording less postoperative pain and larger graft dimensions. Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) using laparoscopic instruments has been described. Due to technical challenges of harvesting a sizable graft within the rectal lumen, we adopted a new robotic approach. We demonstrate the feasibility and safety of a novel technique of Robotic TAMIS (R-TAMIS) in the harvest of rectal mucosa for the purpose of onlay graft urethroplasty. Six patients (ages 28–60) presenting with urethral stricture and one vaginal stricture underwent robotic rectal mucosal harvest. The procedure, which was first studied on an inanimate bovine colon model, was performed under general anesthesia in lithotomy position using the GelPOINTTM Path Transanal Access. Mucosa was harvested robotically after submucosal hydrodissection. Graft size harvested correlated with surface area needed for urethral or vaginal reconstruction. Following specimen retrieval, flexible sigmoidoscopy confirmed hemostasis. The graft was placed as an onlay for urethroplasty. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Mean graft size was 11.4 × 3.0 cm. All reconstructions had excellent graft take. All patients recovered without morbidity or mortality. They reported minimal postoperative pain and all regained bowel function on postoperative day one. Patients with prior BMG harvests subjectively self-reported less postoperative pain and greater quality of life. There have been no long-term complications at a median follow-up of 17 months. To our knowledge, this is the first use of R-TAMIS for rectal mucosa harvest. Our preliminary series indicates this approach is feasible and safe, constituting a promising minimally invasive technique for urethral reconstruction. Prospective studies evaluating graft outcomes and donor site morbidity with more long-term follow-up are needed.
Why Do Wounds Itch

Everyone has experienced itch. It might simply be the nuisance of a mosquito bite or a transient itch on the scalp that is relieved by a simple scratch. For wounds such as venous ulcers, itch may be present but is usually mild. For some of the 40% of people with neuropathic itch or pain that can develop and persist following mastectomy, itch can be overwhelming, intractable, not widely appreciated by the medical community, and poorly responsive to current treatment regimens. Why are some wounds in some patients itchy whereas seemingly equivalent ones in the same or other patients not? Why is the sensation of itch present in the wound itself in some cases while in the surrounding skin in others? Why are burns so frequently associated with itch? How commonly do wounds itch? Detailed answers to these questions are lacking, but this area is beginning to be explored. Herein, the author provides an overview of the current understanding of the physiology of itch. An effort is made to place that understanding in the context of wounds, and therapeutic approaches that may be outside of the conventional toolkit are made based on this background.
A Historic Perspective and Overview of H-Ras Structure, Oncogenicity, and Targeting

H-Ras is a unique isoform of the Ras GTPase family, one of the most prominently mutated oncogene families across the cancer landscape. Relative to other isoforms, though, mutations of H-Ras account for the smallest proportion of mutant Ras cancers. Yet, in recent years, there have been renewed efforts to study this isoform, especially as certain H-Ras-driven cancers, like those of the head and neck, have become more prominent. Important advances have therefore been made not only in the understanding of H-Ras structural biology but also in approaches designed to inhibit and impair its signaling activity. In this review, we outline historic and present initiatives to elucidate the mechanisms of H-Ras-dependent tumorigenesis as well as highlight ongoing developments in the quest to target this critical oncogene.
Discovery of disease treatment mechanisms through the multiscale interactome

Most diseases disrupt multiple genes, and drugs treat such diseases by restoring the functions of the disrupted genes. How drugs restore these functions, however, is often unknown as a drug9s therapeutic effects are not limited only to the genes that the drug directly targets. Here, we develop the multiscale interactome, a powerful approach for the discovery of disease treatment mechanisms. We integrate disease-perturbed genes, protein targets, and functional pathways into a multiscale interactome network, which contains 478,728 interactions between 1,661 drugs, 840 diseases, 17,660 proteins, and 9,798 functional pathways. We find that a drug9s effectiveness can often be attributed to targeting genes that are distinct from disease-associated genes but that affect the same functional pathways. We develop a random walk-based method that captures how drug effects propagate through functional pathways in a multiscale manner and are coordinated by the protein-protein interaction network in which drugs act. On three key pharmacological tasks, we find that the multiscale interactome predicts what drugs will treat a given disease up to 40% better than prior approaches, reveals treatment mechanisms, and has the unique ability to explain how genetic mutations interfere with treatment mechanisms to cause drug resistance and serious adverse reactions. Our results indicate that molecular-scale interactomes (i.e., protein-protein interaction networks) alone are unable to explain the therapeutic effects of drugs as many drugs treat diseases by reinstating the functional pathways disrupted by the disease rather than directly targeting disease proteins or their regulators. We provide the first general framework for accurately identifying treatment mechanisms, even when drugs seem unrelated to the diseases they are recommended for.
Epilogue: Why the Jews Flourished in America

This chapter discusses alternative hypotheses that have been offered as to why American Jews have experienced the remarkable educational and economic success documented in the previous chapters. These include the economic freedom in the relatively free market American economy, the Diaspora Hypothesis that encouraged Jewish over-investment in human capital (in particular formal education), the “quantity/quality” tradeoff in having children and devoting parental time and other resources to them, and the emphasis on learning and decision-making skills (allocative efficiency). The strengths and weaknesses of these hypotheses are discussed. The chapter closes with a discussion of prospects for the future.
Introduction to the Myxobacteria

The myxobacteria are the epitome of prokaryotic multicellular complexity. In particular, efforts have focused on understanding the nature, function, and regulation of the signals that play a role in the characteristic social behavior of the myxobacteria. The process of aggregation is correlated with a massive lysis of the population. The fruiting body is the culmination of myxobacterial development. The author presumes that it represents the housing for the resting cells, called myxospores. The peculiar ecological habitat of each myxobacterium may dictate a particular myxospore-packaging requirement and thus a characteristic fruiting body morphology. The myxospores are the resting cells of the myxobacteria and are found within the fruiting body. One of the functions of the fruiting body may be rationalized in a similar fashion. The fruiting body may be viewed as a device whereby the cells, prior to entering the resting stage, aggregate and are concentrated at a high cell density. Understanding fruiting body morphogenesis is among the most difficult and challenging aspects of myxobacterial biology. Most of the studies directed toward the properties of fruiting body myxospores have focused on various cell surface proteins. Bacteria have traditionally been thought of as exemplifying the concept of the unicellular organism.
How safe is Covishield (ChAdOx1nCoV-19) vaccine? Experience from a tertiary care hospital in South India

BackgroundCOVID vaccine has been recently rolled out for Health care workers in India. Though vaccine trials and data are available, people, including HCWs, need more real-life data from their contexts to get over the vaccine hesitancy. We aimed to determine the incidence of Adverse Event Following Immunisation (AEFI) among HCWs after their first dose of ChAdOx1nCoV-19 vaccine MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study among 218 staff of a tertiary care hospital. We circulated a google form with informed consent on the hospital WhatsApp platform and asked them to self-report their vaccination experience. ResultsTwo thirds (69.7% (152/218), 95% CI: 63.1-75.7) had minor AEFI, and none had severe AEFI. Body ache (46.8% (102/218), 95% CI :40 - 53.6) was the most common symptom followed by headache (30.3% (66/218), 95% CI :24.2 - 36.8) and fever (22% 948/218), 95% CI :16.7 - 28.1). Most of them (39.4% (87/218) 95% CI:32.9 - 46.2) experienced symptoms within 4-24 hours after taking the vaccine while 22.3% (49/218) (95% CI: 17.1 - 28.6) experienced it after a day. Majority of the HCWs (78.9% (172/218), 95% CI: 72.8 - 84.1) were anxious before the vaccination. Younger age group and female gender were significantly associated with AEFI compared to their counterparts. ConclusionHCWs experienced minor, self-limiting AEFI with the first dose of ChAdOx1nCoV-19. The hospital reported no serious AEFI following the vaccination
EG1900...The Number They Gave Me When They Revoked My Citizenship: Perverse Consequences of Ex-Felon Civic Exile

There are currently sixteen million Americans marked with a felony conviction, and we all have lost certain civic freedoms. Voting, running for office, and serving on a jury are duties the State no longer trusts us to perform. Without legitimate justification, the State indiscriminately excludes ex-felons, stigmatizing us in the process. Yet, it requires us to rebuild our lives while confiscating the civic tools needed to complete the task. For many of us, the frustration of being an “outsider” marks our early days of freedom. Employers, landlords, schools, and even love interests tell us we are different because we have a criminal past. Though difficult, these obstacles are temporary. More significant are the laws that keep us marginal citizens—those promulgated by the State and spawned, in theory, to protect “them” from “us.” As an ex-felon, mindful that my experiences may vary significantly from others with whom I share an unfortunate past, I view civic restrictions through a lens carved with mistakes. I argue that removing civic freedoms can lead to re-offending by first contributing to the stigma of being an ex-felon and then by reducing an ex-felon’s moral desire to remain lawful.
Exploring Students' Perspectives on Well-Being and the Change of United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 to Pass/Fail.

In February 2020, the Federation of State Medical Boards and National Board of Medical Examiners announced that Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination would transition from a thr...
An intelligent swath tool to characterize complex topographic features: Theory and application in the Teton Range, Licking River, and Olympus Mons

Abstract Swath analysis has been useful for linking topography to geomorphic and tectonic processes in a variety of landscapes. Established swath methods have been limited to rectangular or simplified curvilinear sampling blocks despite most geologic structures having complex boundaries and orientations. Moreover, swath boundaries and intervals are commonly defined by arbitrary boundaries and without defined corner points, which makes reproducibility difficult. To address these shortcomings we developed PyOSP (Python Library for Object-oriented Swath Profile), an open-source library that can objectively characterize complex geomorphic boundaries using elevation, slope angle, topographic position index, or other raster calculations by intelligently assimilating geoprocessing information into swath analysis. In addition, PyOSP has post-processing tools (cross-swath, data reclassification, slice, histogram analysis, etc.) and the ability to communicate easily with other GIS software. To evaluate the utility of PyOSP, we used it in three case studies (Teton Range in Wyoming, Licking River in Kentucky, and Olympus Mons on Mars) that illustrate the library's robustness, from objective quantitative description of the topography to improved insights with post-processing capabilities.
The Candida albicans Cdk8-dependent phosphoproteome reveals repression of hyphal growth through a Flo8-dependent pathway

Ssn3, also known as Cdk8, is a member of the four protein Cdk8 submodule within the multi-subunit Mediator complex involved in the co-regulation of transcription. In Candida albicans, the loss of Ssn3 kinase activity affects multiple phenotypes including cellular morphology, metabolism, nutrient acquisition, immune cell interactions, and drug resistance. In these studies, we generated a strain in which Ssn3 was replaced with a functional variant of Ssn3 that can be rapidly and selectively inhibited by the ATP analog 3-MB-PP1. Consistent with ssn3 null mutant and kinase dead phenotypes, inhibition of Ssn3 kinase activity promoted hypha formation. Furthermore, the increased expression of hypha-specific genes was the strongest transcriptional signal upon inhibition of Ssn3 in transcriptomics analyses. Rapid inactivation of Ssn3 was used for phosphoproteomic studies performed to identify Ssn3 kinase substrates associated with filamentation potential. Both previously validated and novel Ssn3 targets were identified. Protein phosphorylation sites that were reduced specifically upon Ssn3 inhibition included two sites in Flo8 which is a transcription factor known to positively regulate C. albicans morphology. Mutation of the two Flo8 phosphosites (threonine 589 and serine 620) was sufficient to increase Flo8-HA levels and Flo8 dependent activity, suggesting that Ssn3 kinase activity negatively regulates Flo8. Previous work has also shown that loss of Ssn3 activity leads to increased alkalinization of medium with amino acids. Here, we show that FLO8 and STP2, a transcription factor involved in amino acid utilization, are required for ssn3{Delta}/{Delta} phenotype, but that loss of the Ssn3 phosphosites identified in Flo8 was not sufficient to phenocopy the ssn3{Delta}/{Delta} mutant. These data highlight the spectrum of processes affected by the modulation of Ssn3 activity and underscore the importance of considering Ssn3 function in the control of transcription factor activities.