cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the fossil history of pleurocarpous mosses: Tricostaceae fam. nov. from the Cretaceous of Vancouver Island, Canada

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Mosses, very diverse in modern ecosystems, are currently underrepresented in the fossil record. For the pre-Cenozoic, fossil mosses are known almost exclusively from compression fossils, while anatomical preservation, which is much more taxonomically informative, is rare. The Lower Cretaceous of Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada) hosts a diverse anatomically preserved flora at Apple Bay. While the vascular plant component of the Apple Bay flora has received much attention, the numerous bryophytes identified at the locality have yet to be characterized. METHODS Fossil moss gametophytes in more than 20 carbonate concretions collected from the Apple Bay locality on Vancouver Island were studied in serial sections prepared using the cellulose acetate peel technique. KEY RESULTS We describe Tricosta plicata gen. et sp. nov., a pleurocarpous moss with much-branched gametophytes, tricostate plicate leaves, rhizoid-bearing bases, and delicate gametangia (antheridia and archegonia) borne on specialized branches. A new family of hypnanaean mosses, Tricostaceae fam. nov., is recognized based on the novel combination of characters of T. plicata. CONCLUSIONS Tricosta plicata reveals pleurocarpous moss diversity unaccounted for in extant floras. This new moss adds the first bryophyte component to an already diverse assemblage of vascular plants described from the Early Cretaceous at Apple Bay and, as the oldest representative of the Hypnanae, provides a hard minimum age for the group (136 Ma).
National Trends in Indicators of a Medical Home for Children

Objectives The patient centered medical home is now widely supported as a strategy for delivering high quality primary care. The objective of this study was to examine whether children’s primary care experiences nationally have become more aligned with the medical home model over time, and how this may have varied for vulnerable children. Methods This study analyzed data on 289,672 children, aged 0–17 years, of families responding to one of three iterations of National Survey of Children’s Health from 2003, 2007 and 2011–2012. Each year, we assessed indicators of four medical home features (access, continuity, comprehensiveness, and family-centeredness) and a total medical home score for children nationally and for those with a set of social and demographic risk factors. Results Indicators of access and continuity, and total medical home scores fluctuated but improved overall from 2003 to 2012 (7.1, 6.7 and 1.4 % point increases, respectively), while indicators of comprehensiveness and family-centered care measures declined (2.4 and 1.8 % point decreases, respectively). Children with the highest levels of social and demographic risk experienced larger fluctuations in these measures over time. Conclusions for Practice There were improvements in the extent to which children’s primary care experiences aligned with a medical home model, though not linearly or for all component features. Children with more risk factors experienced more volatile changes, suggesting a particular need to attend to the primary care experiences of the most vulnerable children.
Potential approaches for heterologous prion protein treatment of prion diseases

Prion diseases, or transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are progressive, fatal neurodegenerative diseases with no effective treatment. The pathology of these diseases involves the conversion of a protease sensitive form of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) into a protease resistant infectious form (PrP(res)). The efficiency of this conversion is predicated upon a number of factors, most notably a strong homology between cellular PrP(C) and PrP(res). In our recently published study, we infected mice with the RML-Chandler strain of scrapie and treated them with heterologous hamster prion proteins. This treatment was seen to reduce clinical signs of prion disease, to delay the onset of clinical symptoms and to prolong survival. In this current article we discuss potential mechanisms of action of treatment with heterologous prion proteins. We also discuss potential extensions of these studies using a heterologous rabbit PrP-based treatment strategy or a peptide based strategy, and improvement of treatment delivery including a lentiviral-based system.
Cognitive Contributions to Freezing of Gait in Parkinson Disease: Implications for Physical Rehabilitation

People with Parkinson disease (PD) who show freezing of gait also have dysfunction in cognitive domains that interact with mobility. Specifically, freezing of gait is associated with executive dysfunction involving response inhibition, divided attention or switching attention, and visuospatial function. The neural control impairments leading to freezing of gait have recently been attributed to higher-level, executive and attentional cortical processes involved in coordinating posture and gait rather than to lower-level, sensorimotor impairments. To date, rehabilitation for freezing of gait primarily has focused on compensatory mobility training to overcome freezing events, such as sensory cueing and voluntary step planning. Recently, a few interventions have focused on restitutive, rather than compensatory, therapy. Given the documented impairments in executive function specific to patients with PD who freeze and increasing evidence of overlap between cognitive and motor function, incorporating cognitive challenges with mobility training may have important benefits for patients with freezing of gait. Thus, a novel theoretical framework is proposed for exercise interventions that jointly address both the specific cognitive and mobility challenges of people with PD who freeze.
Molecular interactions among herpesviruses and human immunodeficiency viruses.

The average interval between human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of an adult through sexual intercourse or blood transfusion and development of clinical AIDS is 10 and 8 years, respectively [1, 2]. The slow but relentless progression of immunologic dysfunction and clinical pathology characteristic of HIV infection is not due to HIV being an intrinsically slowly growing agent, however, but rather to the nature of viral gene regulation and virus-cell and infected cell-host interactions. Retroviruses such as HIV are complex and unusual parasites. They have evolved unique associations with their cellular hosts, including regulatory events that enable them to establish a persistent infection from which replicationcompetent virus may be induced ("rescued") through a variety of pathways. Such chronic infection does not represent true molecular latency, with absent expression of viral RNA transcripts and protein. Latency is here defined more generally as the establishment of a virus in its host for prolonged periods in the absence of symptomatology, followed by lytic or other cytopathic episodes. It involves two essential elements: trans-acting viral gene products and their ds-responsive targets, and immune responses ineffectual in recognizing or clearing virions and virus-infected cells [3]. With respect to AIDS, early in the course of HIV infection absolute numbers of CD4+ T lymphocytes may be within normal limits while many measures of cellular immunity are markedly perturbed [4]. This was initially puzzling as, by the limits of in situ hybridization, ^ in 10,000 circulating or tissue-associated T and B lymphocytes and monocytes was reported to contain HIV nucleic acid [5]. Recent data indicate, however, that much greater numbers of cells may be chronically infected in vivo, persisting as stationary cell intermediates from which HIV may be rescued by a variety of seemingly disparate stimuli. The frequency of infected peripheral CD4+ T lymphocytes in AIDS patients is at least 196
Mitigate, adapt, or suffer: Peak oil’s new disaster paradigm

Objectives: To address the impacts of peak oil (PO) on human health and to propose new public health preparedness models and measures mandated by these impacts. Design: Review of relevant literature. Articles were obtained by searching the PubMed database (including manual searches using “related citations” tool) plus Google and Google Scholar search engines using terms such as “peak oil,” “energy scarcity,” “human health,” “public health,” and “preparedness.” Results: Forty-six journal articles were reviewed. Conclusions: The projections about PO are concerning, as illustrated by minor PO events in the recent past. There are many opportunities for devising beneficial solutions within healthcare to mitigate the effects of PO. It is essential for disaster medicine professionals to become aware of PO and to advocate for change in clinical practice with patients as well as policy leaders. If we fail to mitigate the effects of PO on healthcare, we will be left with the less pleasant options of adapting to PO or suffering its effects.
Evaluating the Potential for Delivery of Irinotecan via the Buccal Route: Physicochemical Characterization and In Vitro Permeation Assessment Across Porcine Buccal Mucosa

Irinotecan (CPT-11) is used to treat advanced colorectal cancer as an intravenous therapy. Depending on pH, CPT-11 exists in either a lactone (active) or carboxylate (inactive) form, or both. In this investigation, the feasibility for systemic delivery of CPT-11 through the buccal route was evaluated. Permeation of CPT-11 across porcine buccal mucosa was studied in vitro using side-by-side flow through diffusion cells at 37°C. Experiments were performed over a pH range from 4 to 9, and the permeability of both the lactone and carboxylate forms of CPT-11 was measured. CPT-11 steady state flux was determined over a range of donor concentrations at pH 4 (0.5, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/ml) and pH 6.8 (0.5, 5, 10 mg/ml). Steady state flux increased linearly with increasing donor concentration of CPT-11 at pH 4 (r 2 = 0.9935) and at pH 6.8 (r 2 = 0.9886). CPT-11 permeability was independent of pH, although the distribution coefficient increased with increasing pH. Estimates of permeability for the lactone and carboxylate forms were 4.16 × 10−5 cm/s and 2.6 × 10−5 cm/s, respectively. These calculated permeability values were in agreement with the in vitro experimental data. Overall, CPT-11 was found to permeate through porcine buccal mucosa via passive diffusion. CPT-11 permeability was independent of pH, suggesting that the compound was transported mainly via a paracellular route. Overall, the results of this research suggest that the buccal route is a potential extravascular mode of delivery for CPT-11.
Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the African forest elephant ( Loxodonta cyclotis )

Background African elephants comprise two species, the savanna elephant (Loxodonta africana) and the forest elephant (L. cyclotis), which are distinct morphologically and genetically. Forest elephants are seriously threatened by poaching for meat and ivory, and by habitat destruction. However, microsatellite markers have thus far been developed only in African savanna elephants and Asian elephants, Elephas maximus. The application of microsatellite markers across deeply divergent lineages may produce irregular patterns such as large indels or null alleles. Thus we developed novel microsatellite markers using DNA from two African forest elephants.
Weaving political fields: non-violent INGOs and the global grass roots

ABSTRACTGlobal–local studies elucidate how local actors engage in often unexpected ways with global models, remedying somewhat the binary assumption that homologous global change acts in conflict with local-level agency. Here, I extend the domestication framework by exploring the global–local interaction among transnational and local activists as a ‘weaving’ of global and local fields through (1) the constitution of how new relationships, institutions, and objectives define new fields; (2) the constitution of new forms of actorhood leading to new entitlements within those fields; and (3) the impartation of new rules for field engagement, in this case non-violence. I examine fifteen years of archival documentation from Peace Brigades International in Guatemala during the 1980s–1990s civil war. I explain how the global–local interaction involves the creation of unique fields for political change and new mobilisation opportunities and, in turn, alters the discourse and structure of local and global dimension...
Coherent beam coupling and pulsations in self-pumped BaTiO 3

Beam couplings between two incoherent beams from an Ar+ laser in a self-pumping BaTiO3 crystal have been reported by Smout and Eason.1 Our preliminary results in this connection have been reported recently.2
Effects of ion bombardment on silver/dielectric interfaces with ion assisted e-beam evaporation

Silver thin films were deposited by electron beam evaporation for application as telescope mirrors using a custom PVD chamber from the University of California Observatories Astronomical Coatings Lab. The silver (Ag) surface has been bombarded with different ion conditions prior to and during deposition of subsequent dielectric protective barrier layers by ion assisted electron beam evaporation. Ion source gases including nitrogen and argon are used, and dielectric barrier stacks utilizing silicon nitride and titanium dioxide are deposited onto Ag. We report the effects on mirror stack reflectivity spectra caused by ion bombardment parameters with different gases and different holding-time in vacuum prior to ion bombardment. We suggest that evolving Ag surface morphology and surface plasmon resonance coupling contribute to the changing optical properties of the mirror stack.
A mid-Cretaceous Lauraceae flower, Cascolaurus burmitis gen. et sp. nov., in Myanmar amber

Abstract An actinomorphic staminate flower in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber is described as Cascolaurus burmitis gen. et sp. nov. in the family Lauraceae. The fossil most closely resembles extant unisexual flowers of the genus Litsea Lam. in the Tribe Laureae, however the size difference of the two whorls of perianth members, 3 whorls of tetrasporangiate anthers with apical valves arranged in 2 rows with introse dehiscence in whorls 1 and 2 and extrose dehiscence in whorl 3, plus the extremely large staminal glands, distinguish the fossil from extinct and extant genera of Lauraceae. Cascolaurus burmitis gen. et sp. nov. is the first Cretaceous Lauraceae flower in amber and the best preserved of all known Cretaceous flowers of that family.
Discovery of a Highly Potent, Cell-Permeable Macrocyclic Peptidomimetic (MM-589) Targeting the WD Repeat Domain 5 Protein (WDR5)-Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) Protein-Protein Interaction.

We report herein the design, synthesis, and evaluation of macrocyclic peptidomimetics that bind to WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) and block the WDR5–mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) protein–protein interaction. Compound 18 (MM-589) binds to WDR5 with an IC50 value of 0.90 nM (Ki value 40 times better than the previously reported compound MM-401. Cocrystal structures of 16 and 18 complexed with WDR5 provide structural basis for their high affinity binding to WDR5. Additionally, we have developed and optimized a new AlphaLISA-based MLL HMT functional assay to facilitate the functional evaluation of these designed compounds. Compound 18 represents the most potent inhibitor of the WDR5–MLL interaction reported to date, and further optimization of 18 may yield a new therapy for acute leukemia.
Health Worker Registries: Managing the Health Care Workforce

Abstract Registries play an instrumental role in facilitating the transfer, aggregation, and analysis of standardized data in health information exchange (HIE). One such example is a health worker registry (HWR), a central, authoritative registry that maintains the unique identities of health workers according to a defined minimum data set. Currently, data comprising workers’ information—such as education, licensure, and place of employment—are collected through disparate methods and maintained in a variety of information systems. Harmonization of these data via an HWR can support interoperability and comparability of worker information across systems, thereby facilitating efficient workforce planning, including verification of training and education, identification of workforce shortages, and coordination of emergency response. This chapter identifies who is considered a “health worker” and why a registry of these individuals is a useful component of an HIE. It also provides guidance on selection of data elements and standards to include in the development of an HWR.
Poly(styrene)-Supported Alq3 and BPh2q

We describe the synthesis of 8-hydroxyquinoline-tethered poly(styrene)s as modular precursors for functionalization with metalloquinolates to form either tris(8-hydroxyquinoline)aluminum (Alq3) or 8-hydroxyquinoline biphenylboron (BPh2q) pendant polymers. All polymers, both in solution and in the solid state, show similar luminescent properties as their corresponding reference compounds Alq3 and BPh2q while retaining excellent solution-processing properties. These results clearly indicate that the poly(styrene) backbone does not interfere with the photophysical properties of the pendant Alq3 and BPh2q chromophores but endows solution processability to the materials.
Dependence of the Resilience of Fixation of a Finish Used in the Manufacture of Polyester Fibre with Enhanced Slippage on its Chemical Composition

A combined physicochemical study was carried out on Zetesoft FF100, Synthesin SE 128 Fill, and Shtanteks S 6125 finishing compositions used in the manufacture of polyester fibres with enhanced slippage (filled fibres). The resilience of the fixation of a composition film on a polyester surface relative to chemical composition was discussed.
Non-Traditional Matrix Isolation: Adducts

Recently we have searched for a technique which would allow the matrix isolation of molecules for Raman studies at room temperatures. Our previous far infrared research (WGF) utilized adamantane matricies for room temperature study. The adamantane matrix works very well for our far infrared studies but was not successful in our Raman studies, (1).
Cryogenic brain oedema: loss of cerebrovascular autoregulation as a cause of intracranial hypertension. Implications for treatment.

Experimental cryogenic brain oedema was created in albino rabbits, and intracranial pressure (ICP), cerebral blood flow (CBF), EEG, blood pressure, central venous pressure, were subsequently studied at a constant PaCO2. Upon completion the brain water content of the gray and white matter was analyzed by gravimetry. The findings were compared to controls and sham-operated. Two subsets of elevated ICP following cryogenic injury were identified: one with a mean of 6.2 ± 3.3 torr (n = 7) and the other of 19.3 ± 9 (n = 5) (p < 0.005). Both these subsets had similar white and gray matter gravimetry values indicating that the magnitude of cerebral oedema was comparable and could not explain the difference in ICP. There was however a significant difference in the CBF of the left hemisphere between these subsets, with Subset A at 49.1 ± 9 ml/100 g/min and Subset B with 70 ± 9.1 (p < 0.001). We conclude that the ICP elevation in the cryogenic oedema model may be due to not only increased brain water of the injured hemisphere, but also to increased cerebral blood volume due to increased CBF.
Burdens of Family Caregivers of Stroke Patients: An Integrative Literature Review

Stroke is primarily one of the chronic diseases resulting to varying physical disabilities and cognitive changes that need assistance from the unprepared informal family caregivers. The objective of this article is to explore the burdens of family caregivers of stroke patients. This integrative review of literature from the year 2013 to 2017 using CINAHL, Medline, ProQuest and Google Scholar databases resulted to inclusion of six quantitative and two qualitative studies. Results revealed varying degrees of physical, emotional, social and financial burdens that has mostly affected the caregivers’ quality of life specifically the physical domain due to various patient and caregiver related factors. Problem solving strategies to cope the consequences of burdens was commonly used. In conclusion, burdens can be curtailed if caregivers’ needs will be targeted by providing stroke-related health information, training to develop care-taking skills and technique along with provision of financial, social and emotional support. Keywords: Stroke, Family, Caregiver, Burden, Strain
Hydroseeding tackifiers and dryland moss restoration potential

Tackifiers are long‐chain carbon compounds used for soil stabilization and hydroseeding and could provide a vehicle for biological soil crust restoration. We examined the sensitivity of two dryland mosses, Bryum argenteum and Syntrichia ruralis, to three common tackifiers—guar, psyllium, and polyacrylamide (PAM)—at 0.5×, 1.0×, and 2.0× of recommended (×) concentrations for erosion control and revegetation. We measured moss shoot, gemma, and protonema production as well as moss organic matter and bound sand masses as indicators of growth and soil holding ability. We tested sand and tackifier chemistry to investigate potential nutrient and toxicant potential on moss growth. Groups of 10 fragments from field‐collected mosses were grown on sand in open petri dishes arranged in a growth chamber in replicated blocks containing each tackifier and concentration combination plus a distilled water control. Bryum (n = 10) and Syntrichia (n = 9) growth were measured at the end of 6 and 5 weeks, respectively. Overall model tests yielded statistically significant results (p < 0.001) for every variable in each species. When compared to water, guar tended to decrease growth, psyllium tended to increase growth, and PAM's effects were generally neutral to positive. Within tackifier types, increasing concentrations of guar tended to decrease growth, while increasing concentrations of psyllium tended to increase growth. Changes in PAM concentrations had little effect on growth. Increases in guar and psyllium lowered pH and increased P and K. Psyllium and PAM yielded promising results as potential agents of dispersal and adherence of dryland mosses in field restoration.
Neurodining: Common dietary factors may be substrates in novel biosynthetic pathways for monoaminergic neurotransmitters

It is not established that there are multiple endogenous mechanisms for synthesizing each of the three major monoamine neurotransmitters: serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Having multiple biosynthetic pathways for each of these important signaling molecules would provide greater assurance that they are available in sufficient quantities for their various physiological roles in the body. This paper puts forth the hypothesis that a number of common dietary factors-including sucrose and glucose, fats, plant components, and even ethanol-are substrates in novel biosynthetic pathways for the monoamines. A major aspect of this hypothesis is that in a range of multicellular organisms, D-glucose in particular may participate in novel biosynthetic pathways for the monoamines, where this sugar has already been linked with synthesis of the neurotransmitters acetylcholine, glutamate, and GABA through the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Another major aspect of the hypothesis is that phenol or polyphenol molecules, found in various plants, may combine with particular fats or even ethanol to form dopamine, which can then be converted to norepinephrine through the already established step involving the enzyme dopamine beta-hydroxylase. If such a biosynthetic pathway exists for converting ethanol to dopamine in humans, it could be a major factor in substance abuse, including early onset alcoholism. Further, if the above biosynthetic pathways exist in a range of organisms, they may be associated with appetitive processes regulating consumption of particular dietary factors, such as fruits and vegetables, to maintain internal "set points" of, for example, elevated noradrenergic signaling. In this scenario, exposure to psychological stress, which could eventually deplete neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, may result in craving for sucrose, fats, or alcohol to help replenish the depleted cellular levels of this signaling molecule. An alternative to the overall biosynthetic hypothesis put forth here is that animal cells do not possess these pathways, but the animal microbiome harbors bacteria that do carry out these reactions and helps supply the body with monoamines and other signaling molecules.
Present at the Destruction? Grand Strategy Imperatives of US Foreign Policy Experts During the Trump Presidency

This article discusses the grand strategy imperatives of 37 foreign policy experts in Washington, DC in response to President Donald Trump's nationalist challenge to the post-Second World War international order concept. Using an abductive reconstructivist methodology to analyse in-depth interviews, five grand strategy imperatives, or rules for action, shared by all actors were identified: safeguarding US global leadership, maintaining alliances, securing US prosperity, orienting at values, and believing in a mission. Based on the interpretation of these rules for action, four types of foreign policy experts were distinguished: nationalists, realists, pragmatic liberals, and liberals. The latter three expert types, altogether labelled globalists, were united in their opposition to the nationalists’ demolition of the international order but divided along partisan and ideological lines about the meaning and implementation of the rules for action. Realists, pragmatic liberals, and liberals were also unsure of how to explain and respond to Trump's nationalism beyond a defensive or wishful hope to save the vestiges of an US-centric international order. The findings demonstrate the value of in-depth qualitative interviews for explaining elite beliefs and illustrate the rich insights for policy analysis that can be gained through this methodology.
A Spur-free, 150-mA Buck Regulator with 96.3% Peak-Efficiency and 77.2% Minimum Efficiency at 10-μA Load for Microcontrollers with Noise-Sensitive ADCs

A buck regulator with hybrid adaptive-on- time/hysteretic control and universal spur-free switching for Microcontroller Units (MCUs) is proposed. The controller enables achieving high efficiency across a wide load range (10μA-150mA) and eliminates all spurious noise within the regulator. Therefore, it offers a single powering solution for MCUs that require both low-noise operation and high efficiency. The regulator is designed in 65nm CMOS, and occupies an active area of 0.18mm2. It operates from 2.7-4.2V input and produces a 1.2-3.3V output. The regulator’s peak efficiency is 96.3%, while its minimum efficiency at 10-μA load is 77.2%. Due to its spur- free operation, the regulator is used to directly power a high- performance 14-bit ADC without any degradation in the ADC’s dynamic range or effective number of bits and without using any post filtering or post regulation.
Adolescents in residential treatment: The prevalence of ACEs, substance use and justice involvement

Although associations between developmental trauma, juvenile justice involvement and youth substance use have been previously reported in the published literature, the interconnection among these t...
From overnutrition to liver injury: AMP-activated protein kinase in nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases

Nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases (NAFLDs), especially nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), have become a major cause of liver transplant and liver-associated death. However, the pathogenesis of NASH is still unclear. Currently, there is no FDA-approved medication to treat this devastating disease. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) senses energy status and regulates metabolic processes to maintain homeostasis. The activity of AMPK is regulated by the availability of nutrients, such as carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids. AMPK activity is increased by nutrient deprivation and inhibited by overnutrition, inflammation, and hypersecretion of certain anabolic hormones, such as insulin, during obesity. The repression of hepatic AMPK activity permits the transition from simple steatosis to hepatocellular death; thus, activation might ameliorate multiple aspects of NASH. Here we review the pathogenesis of NAFLD and the impact of AMPK activity state on hepatic steatosis, inflammation, liver injury, and fibrosis during the transition of NAFL to NASH and liver failure.
Why the shared socioeconomic pathway framework has not been useful for improving climate change mitigation policy analysis

Abstract Numerous ways to improve the usefulness of climate change mitigation scenarios that rely on the Shared Socioeconomic Pathway (SSP) framework that was developed over the last 10 years have been suggested. The problem with these proposals is that the diagnosis of what has led to the inability of integrated assessment modelers to properly analyze mitigation policies is wrong. The first main problem with the past use of the SSP-based mitigation scenarios is that few input variables for what is supposed to be the same SSP are given the same numerical values by different modeling teams. The more significant problem with the way in SSP-based mitigation scenarios have been used to analyze mitigation policies is that the different integrated assessment models (IAMs) have very different structures and functions. Thus, even if all the input variables comprising a single SSP had the same numerical values, the scenario results from running such a SSP through different IAMs would be quite different, leading to different understandings of the usefulness of different mitigation policies. This situation can be avoided by developing just two or three more detailed and improved IAMs focused on the critical next 10–20 years for mitigating climate change.
Bringing Joy to School: Engaging K–16 Learners through Maker Literacies and Playshops

BackgroundFor too many youths, school has become a place for students to withstand and kill time until they can leave and learn about things that matter to them. Instead, schools should be inviting...
The Lived Experience of Being Diagnosed With COVID-19 Among Black Patients: A Qualitative Study

Diagnosis and hospitalization for COVID-19 are disproportionately higher among black persons. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of being diagnosed with COVID-19 among black patients. Semistructured one-on-one interviews with black patients diagnosed with COVID-19 were conducted. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis and a directed content approach. Fifteen patients participated and 3 themes were identified: Panic amidst a COVID-19 diagnosis, Feeling the repercussion of the diagnosis, and Personal assessment of risks within one's individual environment. Fear of dying, inadequate health benefits, financial issues, and worries about spreading the virus to loved ones were acknowledged by the patients as critical areas of concerns. Majority of the patients looked to God as the ultimate way of surviving COVID-19. However, none of the patients reported receiving support for spiritual needs from health care providers. This is the first study to investigate the lived experience of being diagnosed with COVID-19 among black patients. Our results highlight several factors that put this group at increased risk for COVID-19 and where additional strategies are needed to address these inadequacies. Integrating public health interventions to reduce socioeconomic barriers and integrating spirituality into clinical care could improve patient care delivery.
Miracles and Madness: A “Prophet” of Singapore Islam

This article analyzes the hagiographies, poems, oral traditions and miracle stories of an Islamic miracle worker (keramat) buried in Singapore named Sayyid Nuh ibn Muhd al-Habshi (ca.1788–1866). In his physical lifetime and beyond, he was described as a wandering ecstatic who adored children and burgled businesses, yet attained a reputation as “prophet” and keramat by performing miracles, healing the incurable and flying in and out of prisons and across the Indian Ocean. With appreciation for the historicity embedded in miracle stories, this article examines the Tamil devotional poems and songs, and the Malay hagiographies and oral traditions that commemorate this keramat. Attention is also paid to the historical concerns of his hagiographers, many of whom attempted to appeal to audiences informed by secularism, rationalism and “Wahhabism” by writing Islamic histories about this “Arab” Sufi master and the Sufi networks that operated in the Southeast Asian port city of Singapore at a time when it was dominated by western power. This article is thus concerned as much with the storytellers as with the miracle workers and members of devotional communities in nineteenth-century Singapore, all of whom are susceptible to being forgotten in academic historiography. By drawing upon ethnographies and newspaper reports about this prophet, saint, felon and “madman,” and discussing his mausoleum, which has remained intact in the face of war, colonialism and post-colonial infrastructural development, the article argues that the story of Sayyid Nuh is a history of Singapore Islam. A history that is interwoven with histories of the Indian Ocean, maritime Sufism, colonialism, capitalism and structural inequalities that were temporarily overcome by miracles. This is moreover a story of miraculous narratives, devotional cultures, social memories and sacral places that are often pushed to the margins of religious studies but refuse to “fade into folkloric oblivion.”
Invited review: Inflammation during the transition to lactation: New adventures with an old flame

For dairy cattle, the first several weeks of lactation represent the highest-risk period in their lives after their own neonatal period. Although more than 50% of cows during this period are estimated to suffer from at least one subclinical disorder, the complicated admixture of normal adaptations to lactation, infectious challenges, and metabolic disorders has made it difficult to determine which physiological processes are adaptive and which are pathological during this time. Subacute inflammation, a condition that has been well documented in obesity, has been a subject of great interest among dairy cattle physiologists in the past decade. Many studies have now clearly shown that essentially all cows experience some degree of systemic inflammation in the several days after parturition. The magnitude and likely persistence of the inflammatory state varies widely among cows, and several studies have linked the degree of postpartum inflammation to increased disease risk and decreased whole-lactation milk production. In addition to these associations, enhancing postpartum inflammation with repeated subacute administration of cytokines has impaired productivity and markers of health, whereas targeted use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during this window of time has enhanced whole-lactation productivity in several studies. Despite these findings, many questions remain about postpartum inflammation, including which organs are key initiators of this state and what signaling molecules are responsible for systemic and tissue-specific inflammatory states. Continued in vivo work should help clarify the degree to which mild postpartum inflammation is adaptive and whether the targeted use of anti-inflammatory drugs or nutrients can improve the health and productivity of dairy cows.
Extensible Markup Language (XML)

The extensible markup language (XML) is the lingua franca of Web-based data exchange. This chapter presents an introduction to XML syntax, semantics, and processing. Related technologies, such as XML schemas and namespaces, are more briefly covered. The three main uses of XML are explored through theory and example: sharing data across a network, displaying data in a browser, and structuring data in configuration files. The issues and design tradeoffs in storing and retrieving XML documents from databases are discussed. Finally, this chapter presents a survey of XML editing tools and then considers the future of XML technologies. Keywords: document type definition (DTD); ebXML; HTML; web services; web-based data exchange; XML schemas
Hydrogen bonding: Part 22. Re-evaluation of stoichimetry and structure in the lower hydrates of tetramethylammonium hydroxide

Abstract A compound previously reported to be tetramethylammonium hydroxide monohydrate is re-examined, and actually found to be a heretofore unknown dihydrate. Stoichiometric considerations suggest that this dihydrate is a channel framework clathrate hydrate. Authentic tetramethylammonium hydroxide monohydrate has also been prepared; the infrared spectrum of this compound is consonant with the presence of a planar (OH−·H2O)2 cluster of C2h symmetry, similar to that found in lithium hydroxide monohydrate. Some observations on the nature of the trihydrate are discussed.
Control centers and their role in the blackout

Summary form only given. Although digital control centers have become more sophisticated since their revolutionary introduction in the 60s, their application and use have varied according to the individual tastes rather than a coordinated agreement on the functionality to ensure reliable operation. This was dramatically illustrated during the minutes before the August 14, 2003 blackout when the operators at the first energy control center were blissfully ignorant that not only were their own system in jeopardy but was about to shut out the lights for 50 million people. Moreover, after the blackout the post-mortem was made particularly difficult when it became clear that the data preserved at the many control centers within the blackout area could not be easily matched to determine what happened. In fact, even the task of aligning the data in time sequence was manual and arduous (and not very accurate). Much has been said about making reliability standards mandatory, and, by and large, reliability standards already exist for planning and operating the power grid. Unfortunately, these standards do not cover monitoring and control in any detail (with the notable exception of frequency control), perhaps because of the mistaken assumption that only redundancies in transmission and generation provides reliability. However, closer monitoring and better control of the grid also provides reliability because it enables the operation of the grid even closer to its limits.
Genetics of Natural Populations. Xxviii. the Magnitude of the Genetic Load in Populations of Drosophila Pseudoobscura

Results are reviewed from previous studies on genetic loads in Drosophila. A series of studies was made on Drosophila pseudoobscura to determine whether individuals carrying different combinations of chromosomes are phenotypically uniform or heterogeneous, and if heterogeneous, whether or not the heterogeneity is correlated with the effects of the component chromosomes in homozygotes. The magnitude of the genetic loads carried in the second and third chromosomes of Drosophila pseudoobscura were estimated for samples from populations living near Austin, Tex., and Mather, Calif. The effects of the chromosomes on the viability of the homozygotes were found to differ in cultures raised at 25 and at l5 deg C. Data are tabulated. A negative correlation between viability and variability was observed for both homozygotes and heterozygotes. (C.H.)
Is India, or Will It Be, a Responsible International Stakeholder?

Considering its capabilities, will, interests, and values, India would seem to make an ideal U.S. partner in Asia and even globally. But will India live up to the U.S. definition of a "responsible stakeholder" in the international system?
Striatal Neuron Death in Hypoxic-Ischemic Newborn Piglets is Non-Apoptotic and Evolves With Transient Mitochondrial Activation, Oxidative Injury, and Early Damage to DNA and the Golgi |[bull]| 1885

The mechanisms for striatal neurodegeneration following hypoxia-ischemia(HI) in newborns are not understood. We used a piglet model of HI to test the hypothesis that the progression of striatal neuron death is associated with ahnormal mitochondrial function and oxidative damage. Piglets (≈1 week old) were subjected to 30 min hypoxia (arterial O2 saturation 30%) and then 7 min of airway occlusion (O2 saturation 5%), producing asphyxic cardiac arrest, followed by CPR, return of spontaneous circulation, and then recovery for 3, 6, 12 or 24 hours (h). Neuronal damage in putamen was 16%, 31%, 47%, and 79% at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, respectively. Ultrastructurally, vesiculation of Golgi and fragmentation of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) with dispersion of free ribosomes occurred at 3-6 h, while mitochondria appeared intact until 12 h. Most degenerating neurons (> 95%) had nonapoptotic cytoplasmic organelle damage and nonapoptotic chromatin clumping and nuclear condensation. In agarose gels, striatal DNA was randomly fragmented at 6-12 h. Biochemical assay of cytochrome oxidase (COX) activity in striatum revealed time-dependent changes in mitochondrial function; COX activity was 37%, 163%, 72%, and 81% of control at 3, 6, 12, and 24 h, respectively. Histochemical assay for COX in putamen revealed a similar temporal profile for transient mitochondrial activation and subsequent mitochondrial failure. Free radical damage to nuclear DNA in striatal neurons was detected as early as 3-6 h after HI with antibodies to 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine. Using nitrotyrosine modification of proteins as a marker for peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative stress, nitrated proteins (≈45 and 68 kDa) in striatum were detected at 3-12 h. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase protein levels were unchanged by immunoblotting. We conclude that the transient burst of mitochondrial function between 3-6 h recovery is linked to free oxygen radical injury and rapid damage to nuclear DNA and membranous compartments such as the Golgi and RER. These data support an integrated mechanism for rapid neuronal necrosis in the striatum of HI newborns involving oxidative injury.
α1 integrin activation: A link between β-amyloid deposition and neuronal death in aging hippocampal neurons

A growing body of evidence obtained using in vitro model systems indicates that the deposition of fibrillar beta-amyloid (Abeta) results in neurite degeneration and cell death in central neurons. Little is known, however, about the molecular mechanisms underlying these neurotoxic effects. We have shown previously that fibrillar Abeta induced sustained activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) followed by hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins in aging hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, the blockage of MAPK activation using specific inhibitors prevented neurite degeneration in these cells. These results suggested that the MAPK signal transduction pathway could play a key role in Abeta-induced neurite degeneration. We sought to identify upstream elements of the MAPK signaling cascade activated by Abeta deposition. We evaluated the participation of the integrins in this pathway by monitoring the activation of MAPK in the presence of specific integrin inhibitors. Our results indicate that pretreatment of mature hippocampal neurons with either echistatin or alpha(1) integrin-blocking antibodies prevented Abeta-induced MAPK activation. In addition, the blockage of alpha(1) activation prevented cell death induced by Abeta. Similar results were obtained when alpha(1) and beta(1) integrin blocking antibodies were used combined. Taken collectively, these results identify alpha(1) integrin and the alpha(1) plus beta(1) integrin complexes as potential targets for therapeutic intervention in the Abeta signaling pathway in aging neurons.
Relay selection methods for wireless cooperative communications

We study the problem of relay selection in a wireless cooperative network. Assuming a single source, a single destination, and N uniformly distributed candidate relays, we seek to select a set of cooperating relays to minimize the total transmission time of a fixed amount of data. We propose two selection methods: Best expectation, which adaptively selects the relays, and Best-m, which selects an optimally pre-determined number of relays. Each method is implemented with a simple and optimal algorithm. We further provide closed-form, analytical approximations of these algorithms' performance, which help simplify the process of finding the optimal number of cooperating relays. Simulations illustrate the performance of the proposed relay selection methods and show a close match between the analytical approximations and the numerical values. Through some initial studies, we also observe a simple and intriguing connection between the Best-m selection method and the network geometry. Provided that the relays are uniformly distributed, the source can simply cooperate with all the relays within a radius of a fixed proportion of the source-destination distance.
A recombinant attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine strain is safe in immunosuppressed simian immunodeficiency virus-infected infant macaques.

Many resource-poor countries are faced with concurrent epidemics of AIDS and tuberculosis (TB) caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis, respectively. Dual infections with HIV and M. tuberculosis are especially severe in infants. There is, however, no effective HIV vaccine, and the only licensed TB vaccine, the Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine, can cause disseminated mycobacterial disease in HIV-infected children. Thus, a pediatric vaccine to prevent HIV and M. tuberculosis infections is urgently needed. We hypothesized that a highly attenuated M. tuberculosis strain containing HIV antigens could be safely administered at birth and induce mucosal and systemic immune responses to protect against HIV and TB infections, and we rationalized that vaccine safety could be most rigorously assessed in immunocompromised hosts. Of three vaccine candidates tested, the recombinant attenuated M. tuberculosis strain mc(2)6435 carrying a simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) Gag expression plasmid and harboring attenuations of genes critical for replication (panCD and leuCD) and immune evasion (secA2), was found to be safe for oral or intradermal administration to non-SIV-infected and SIV-infected infant macaques. Safety was defined as the absence of clinical symptoms, a lack of histopathological changes indicative of M. tuberculosis infection, and a lack of mycobacterial dissemination. These data represent an important step in the development of novel TB vaccines and suggest that a combination recombinant attenuated M. tuberculosis-HIV vaccine could be a safe alternative to BCG for the pediatric population as a whole and, more importantly, for the extreme at-risk group of HIV-infected infants.
Tissue factor around dermal vessels has bound factor VII in the absence of injury.

Summary. Background: ‘Idling’ or ongoing low-level activity of the tissue factor (TF) pathway is a postulated mechanism by which the coagulation process can become active without a lag period at sites of injury. Objective: To determine whether TF around cutaneous vessels has bound factor VIIa in the absence of injury, and thus could participate in the idling process. Methods: Immunostaining of mouse skin with antibodies against a 15-residue peptide from the sequence of mouse TF, and against the whole extracellular portion of TF. Results: The whole TF antibody recognized TF in squamous epithelium and around vessels in the dermis. By contrast, the monospecific antibody only recognized TF in the squamous epithelium, but not around vessels. We also found that biotinylated, active site-inhibited FVIIa (FVIIai) bound to tissue sections in the same areas in which TF was recognized by the monospecific antibody (squamous epithelium), but did not bind around vessels. Molecular modeling revealed that FVIIa and FX binding to TF masked a significant part of the surface of the target peptide. Conclusions: In the aggregate, these data are most consistent with the interpretation that TF in perivascular sites has bound FVIIa, even in the absence of any injury. The presence of endogenously bound FVIIa prevents the subsequent binding of the monospecific antibody or exogenous FVIIai to perivascular TF.