cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of age on corneal and lens superoxide dismutase.

The enzymatic activity of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase within the cornea and lens of the juvenile (1 week) and adult (26 week) rat has been measured relative to both total soluble protein and immunoreactive protein. Enzymatic activity of corneal superoxide dismutase, localized in the epithelium and endothelium, remains constant with age relative to total soluble protein and the ratio of catalytically active enzyme to immunoreactive enzyme is near unity indicating that the superoxide dismutase present is enzymatically active. Likewise, in the juvenile rat, the majority of lens superoxide dismutase, which is located in the capsule epithelium, is enzymatically active. However, in the adult rat a large portion of the enzyme present is catalytically inactive. The enzymatic activity also decreases relative to total soluble protein with age in both the rat and the rabbit lens. This decrease in protection against toxic radicals and/or the accumulation of enzymatically defective enzyme may be contributing fact...
A brief group treatment for the modification of denial in child sexual abusers: Outcome and follow-up

We investigated whether brief structured group treatment could produce a reduction of denial of sexual offenses in males convicted of sexually offending against children. Such denial can additionally harm victims and often precludes admission into sex offender treatment programs, thus ruling out an opportunity to decrease the potential of reoffending. The group treatment contained elements of victim empathy, cognitive restructuring, sex education, assertiveness and social skills, education about sex offender therapy, and a discussion of the possible consequences of continued denial. Seventeen child sexual offenders in denial were run in two groups. Despite an average length of denial of nearly two years, by post-treatment the majority of offenders had come out of denial. Moreover, follow-up denial data indicated continued admission, and above-average compliance with subsequent sex offender therapy. Although the lack of an experimental design precludes causal inference, these results are suggestive of an effective method for modifying denial in sex offenders against children.
First-degree atrioventricular block is associated with heart failure and death in persons with stable coronary artery disease: data from the Heart and Soul Study

Aims First-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) has traditionally been considered a benign electrocardiographic finding in healthy individuals. However, the clinical significance of first-degree AVB has not been evaluated in patients with stable coronary heart disease. We investigated whether first-degree AVB is associated with heart failure (HF) and mortality in a prospective cohort study of outpatients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Methods and results We measured the P–R interval in 938 patients with stable CAD and classified them into those with (P–R interval ≥220 ms) and without (P–R interval <220 ms) first-degree AVB. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for HF hospitalization and all-cause mortality. During 5 years of follow-up, there were 123 hospitalizations for HF and 285 deaths. Compared with patients who had normal atrioventricular conduction, those with first-degree AVB were at increased risk for HF hospitalization (age-adjusted HR 2.33: 95% CI 1.49–3.65; P = 0.0002), mortality [age-adjusted HR 1.58; 95% CI (1.13–2.20); P = 0.008], cardiovascular (CV) mortality [age-adjusted HR 2.33; 95% CI (1.28–4.22); P = 0.005], and the combined endpoint of HF hospitalization or CV mortality (age-adjusted HR 2.43: 95% CI 1.64–3.61; P ≤ 0.0001). These associations persisted after multivariable adjustment for heart rate, medication use, ischaemic burden, and QRS duration. Adjustment for left ventricular systolic and diastolic function partially attenuated the effect, but first-degree AVB remained associated with the combined endpoint of HF or CV death (HR 1.61, CI 1.02–2.54; P = 0.04). Conclusion In a large cohort of patients with stable coronary artery disease, first-degree AVB is associated with HF and death.
A Case for Immunization of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) 6/11–Infected Pregnant Women With the Quadrivalent HPV Vaccine to Prevent Juvenile-Onset Laryngeal Papilloma

Juvenile-onset recurrent respiratory papillomatosis (JORRP) is a rare disease caused by intrapartum or perinatal transmission of human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6 and 11 from an infected mother to the newborn. Immunization of a pregnant woman who has condyloma or HPV-6/11 infection with the quadrivalent HPV vaccine will result in a high neutralizing antibody response to HPV 6 and HPV 11 in her serum, and these antibodies transferred to the newborn will likely protect the child against the development of JORRP. Because of the low incidence of disease in at-risk children, it may be difficult to test the effectiveness of maternal immunization for prevention of JORRP.
What Is an Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibitor

Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) are drugs that block the body’s production of angiotensin II. Angiotensin II is a hormone that circulates in the blood and has many effects on the cardiovascular system; its main role is to constrict blood vessels. This constriction can cause high blood pressure and increase the work required for the heart to pump blood into the body’s main arteries. This causes a problem for the heart muscle if it has been weakened by a heart attack or heart failure. Blocking production of angiotensin II with ACE inhibitors prevents constriction of blood vessels, lowers blood pressure, and lessens the energy the heart has to expend from beat to beat. In many cardiovascular diseases, angiotensin II is present in abnormally high quantities. The importance of decreasing the damage caused by high levels of angiotensin II is increasingly recognized. ACE inhibitors available in the United States and their associated costs are listed in the Table. The generic names of all ACE inhibitors end with the letters “P-R-I-L” (all drugs have a generic name but may not be available for purchase in a generic form). View this table: Available ACE Inhibitors In addition to the role it plays in constricting arteries and raising blood pressure, angiotensin II is also …
Antioxidants and Myocardial Contractility

Oxidant byproducts, such as superoxide anion (O2–) and hydrogen peroxide, are produced as a consequence of normal aerobic metabolism. These molecules, which are highly reactive with other biological molecules, are referred to as reactive oxygen species (ROS). Under normal physiological conditions, ROS production is balanced by an efficient system of antioxidants, molecules that are capable of scavenging ROS and thereby preventing oxidant damage. At the cellular level, naturally occurring enzymatic antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase play an important role in the conversion of ROS to oxygen and water. Several nonenzymatic antioxidants, including the lipid-soluble antioxidants vitamin E and β-carotene and the water-soluble antioxidants vitamin C and glutathione, are also important in scavenging free radicals. Vitamin C in particular protects plasma lipids from peroxidation, scavenges O2–, and plays a role in recycling vitamin E. In pathological states, ROS may be present in relative excess. This shift of the balance in favor of oxidation, termed “oxidative stress,” may have detrimental effects on cellular and tissue function. Oxidative stress is thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of a wide variety of disease states, including atherosclerosis1 and cancer, as well as to the normal process of aging. There is increasing evidence that myocardial oxidative stress may contribute to disease progression in heart failure.2 Although the effects of oxidative stress on the myocardium have been investigated …
nhl-2 Modulates MicroRNA Activity in Caenorhabditis elegans

TRIM-NHL proteins represent a large class of metazoan proteins implicated in development and disease. We demonstrate that a C. elegans TRIM-NHL protein, NHL-2, functions as a cofactor for the microRNA-induced silencing complex (miRISC) and thereby enhances the posttranscriptional repression of several genetically verified microRNA targets, including hbl-1 and let-60/Ras (by the let-7 family of microRNAs) and cog-1 (by the lsy-6 microRNA). NHL-2 is localized to cytoplasmic P-bodies and physically associates with the P-body protein CGH-1 and the core miRISC components ALG-1/2 and AIN-1. nhl-2 and cgh-1 mutations compromise the repression of microRNA targets in vivo but do not affect microRNA biogenesis, indicating a role for an NHL-2:CGH-1 complex in the effector phase of miRISC activity. We propose that the NHL-2:CGH-1 complex functions in association with mature miRISC to modulate the efficacy of microRNA:target interactions in response to physiological and developmental signals, thereby ensuring the robustness of genetic regulatory pathways regulated by microRNAs.
Anatomical Distribution and Cellular Basis for High Levels of Aromatase Activity in the Brain of Teleost Fish: Aromatase Enzyme and mRNA Expression Identify Glia as Source

Although teleost fish have higher levels of brain aromatase activity than any other vertebrate group, its function remains speculative, and no study has identified its cellular basis. A previous study determined aromatase activity in a vocal fish, the plainfin midshipman ( Porichthys notatus ), and found highest levels in the telencephalon and lower levels in the sonic hindbrain, which was dimorphic between and within (males) sexes. We have now localized aromatase-containing cells in the midshipman brain both by immunocytochemistry using teleost-specific aromatase antibodies and by in situ hybridization using midshipman-specific aromatase probes. Aromatase-immuno-reactivity and mRNA hybridization signal are consistent with relative levels of aromatase activity in different brain regions: concentrated in the dimorphic sonic motor nucleus, in a band just beneath the periaqueductal gray in the midbrain, in ventricular regions in the hypothalamus, and highest levels in the telencephalon especially in preoptic and ventricular areas. Surprisingly, double-label immunofluorescence does not show aromatase-immunoreactive colocalization in neurons, but instead in radial glia throughout the brain. This is the first study to identify aromatase expression mostly, if not entirely, in glial cells under normal rather than brain injury-dependent conditions. The abundance of aromatase in teleosts may represent an adaptation linked to continual neurogenesis that is known to occur throughout an individual's lifetime among fishes. The localization of aromatase within the intersexually and intrasexually dimorphic vocal-motor circuit further implies a function in the expression of alternative male reproductive phenotypes and, more generally, the development of natural, individual variation of specific brain nuclei.
Effects of aspirin and low-dose heparin in head and neck reconstruction using microvascular free flaps.

Objective: The success of microvascular free-tissue transfer to the head and neck has been greatly increased secondary to increased experience, yet postoperative anticoagulation continues to be routinely used to prevent pedicle thrombosis. However, there is currently no consensus as to what the ideal regimen, if any, is recommended for postoperative anticoagulation. This study reviews the outcome and incidence of perioperative complications in patients undergoing free flaps for head and neck reconstruction, using a simple postoperative anticoagulation regimen of aspirin and subcutaneous heparin (SQH). Design: Retrospective chart review. Methods: With institutional review board approval, the charts of 261 patients undergoing free flap reconstruction from January 2000 to January 2004 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients who received a standard postoperative anticoagulation regimen of SQH (5000 U SC bid) and aspirin (325 mg PO qd) were included in the study (216 patients). Charts were reviewed for postoperative complications, specifically for free flap failure, vascular compromise (arterial insufficiency/venous congestion), and hematoma. Results: There were six flap failures (2.8%), resulting in an overall free flap survival rate of 97.2%. There were six patients with venous congestion of the flap that required neck exploration (2.8%), and 12 patients with postoperative hematoma (5.6%), requiring surgical intervention. Conclusion: The free flap survival rate in patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction using this simple anticoagulation regimen of aspirin and SQH appears to be equivalent to the free flap survival rate in patients using other anticoagulation agents. In addition, aspirin and SQH do not increase the incidence of postoperative hematoma when compared with the other anticoagulation agents. Therefore, aspirin and SQH appear to be reliable postoperative anticoagulation agents for patients undergoing head and neck reconstruction using free flaps.
Plethodontid modulating factor, a hypervariable salamander courtship pheromone in the three-finger protein superfamily

The soluble members of the three-finger protein superfamily all share a relatively simple 'three-finger' structure, yet perform radically different functions. Plethodontid modulating factor (PMF), a pheromone protein produced by the lungless salamander, Plethodon shermani, is a new and unusual member of this group. It affects female receptivity when delivered to the female's nares during courtship. As with other plethodontid pheromone genes, PMF is hyperexpressed in a specialized male mental (chin) gland. Unlike other plethodontid pheromone genes, however, PMF is also expressed at low levels in the skin, liver, intestine and kidneys of both sexes. The PMF sequences obtained from all tissue types were highly variable, with 103 unique haplotypes identified which averaged 35% sequence dissimilarity (range 1-60%) at the protein level. Despite this variation, however, all PMF sequences contained a conserved approximately 20-amino-acid secretion signal sequence and a pattern of eight cysteines that is also found in cytotoxins and short neurotoxins from snake venoms, as well as xenoxins from Xenopus. Although they share a common cysteine pattern, PMF isoforms differ from other three-finger proteins in: (a) amino-acid composition outside of the conserved motif; (b) length of the three distinguishing 'fingers'; (c) net charge at neutral pH. Whereas most three-finger proteins have a net positive charge at pH 7.0, PMF has a high net negative charge at neutral pH (pI range of most PMFs 3.5-4.0). Sequence comparisons suggest that PMF belongs to a distinct multigene subfamily within the three-finger protein superfamily.
Geometry optimization using tuned and balanced redistributed charge schemes for combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical calculations

We performed geometry optimizations using the tuned and balanced redistributed charge algorithms to treat the QM–MM boundary in combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) methods. In the tuned and balanced redistributed charge (TBRC) scheme, the QM boundary atom is terminated by a tuned F link atom, and the charge of the MM boundary atom is properly adjusted to conserve the total charge of the entire QM/MM system; then the adjusted MM boundary charge is moved evenly to the midpoints of the bonds between the MM boundary atom and its neighboring MM atoms. In the tuned and balanced redistributed charge-2 (TBRC2) scheme, the adjusted MM boundary charge is moved evenly to all MM atoms that are attached to the MM boundary atom. A new option, namely charge smearing, has been added to the TBRC scheme, yielding the tuned and balanced smeared redistributed charge (TBSRC) scheme. In the new scheme, the redistributed charges near the QM–MM boundary are smeared to make the electrostatic interactions between the QM region and the redistributed charges more realistic. The TBRC2 scheme and new TBSRC scheme have been tested for various kinds of bonds at a QM–MM boundary, including C–C, C–N, C–O, O–C, N–C, C–S, S–S, S–C, C–Si, and O–N bonds. Charge smearing is necessary if the redistributed charges are close to the QM region, as in the TBSRC scheme, but not if the redistributed charge is farther from the QM region, as in the TBRC2 scheme. We found that QM/MM results using either the TBRC2 scheme or the TBSRC scheme agree well with full QM results; the mean unsigned error (MUE) of the QM/MM deprotonation energy is 1.6 kcal/mol in both cases, and the MUE of QM/MM optimized bond lengths over the three bonds closest to the QM–MM boundary, with errors averaged over the protonated forms and unprotonated forms, is 0.015 A for TBRC2 and 0.021 A for TBSRC. The improvements in the new scheme are essential for QM–MM boundaries that pass through a polar bond, but even for boundaries that pass through C–C bonds, the improvement can be quite significant.
Republished: Interprofessional education in team communication: working together to improve patient safety

Background Communication failures in healthcare teams are associated with medical errors and negative health outcomes. These findings have increased emphasis on training future health professionals to work effectively within teams. The Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) communication training model, widely employed to train healthcare teams, has been less commonly used to train student interprofessional teams. The present study reports the effectiveness of a simulation-based interprofessional TeamSTEPPS training in impacting student attitudes, knowledge and skills around interprofessional communication. Methods Three hundred and six fourth-year medical, third-year nursing, second-year pharmacy and second-year physician assistant students took part in a 4 h training that included a 1 h TeamSTEPPS didactic session and three 1 h team simulation and feedback sessions. Students worked in groups balanced by a professional programme in a self-selected focal area (adult acute, paediatric, obstetrics). Preassessments and postassessments were used for examining attitudes, beliefs and reported opportunities to observe or participate in team communication behaviours. Results One hundred and forty-nine students (48.7%) completed the preassessments and postassessments. Significant differences were found for attitudes toward team communication (p Conclusions Effective team communication is important in patient safety. We demonstrate positive attitudinal and knowledge effects in a large-scale interprofessional TeamSTEPPS-based training involving four student professions.
Elements of the Polycomb Repressor SU(Z)12 Needed for Histone H3-K27 Methylation, the Interface with E(Z), and In Vivo Function

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is an essential chromatin-modifying enzyme that implements gene silencing. PRC2 methylates histone H3 on lysine-27 and is conserved from plants to flies to humans. In Drosophila melanogaster, PRC2 contains four core subunits: E(Z), SU(Z)12, ESC, and NURF55. E(Z) bears a SET domain that houses the enzyme active site. However, PRC2 activity depends upon critical inputs from SU(Z)12 and ESC. The stimulatory mechanisms are not understood. We present here functional dissection of the SU(Z)12 subunit. SU(Z)12 contains two highly conserved domains: an ∼140-amino-acid VEFS domain and a Cys2-His2 zinc finger (ZnF). Analysis of recombinant PRC2 bearing VEFS domain alterations, including some modeled after leukemia mutations, identifies distinct elements needed for SU(Z)12 assembly with E(Z) and stimulation of histone methyltransferase. The results define an extensive VEFS subdomain that organizes the SU(Z)12-E(Z) interface. Although the SU(Z)12 ZnF is not needed for methyltransferase in vitro, genetic rescue assays show that the ZnF is required in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitations reveal that this ZnF facilitates PRC2 binding to a genomic target. This study defines functionally critical SU(Z)12 elements, including key determinants of SU(Z)12-E(Z) communication. Together with recent findings, this illuminates PRC2 modulation by conserved inputs from its noncatalytic subunits.
Functional control of regulatory T cells by TLR signaling

Many groups have tried to develop a vaccine for the treatment of cancer, but the data from 10 years of clinical trials suggest that cancer-specific immune responses can be induced, but such responses are too weak and transient to eradicate tumor cells. The answer may lie in a group of cells called CD4+ regulatory T (Treg) cells. Regulatory T cells form a vital arm of the immune system, which is responsible for controlling rogue immune responses and autoimmunity. However, we recently reported the existence of tumor-specific Treg cells at tumor sites (1, 2). Thus, the tumor cells use these Treg cells to suppress desired antitumor immune responses and to protect themselves from immune attack. More importantly, we found that the majority tumor samples obtained from many types of cancer, including breast and prostate cancer, harbored increased proportions of Treg cells. To overcome immune suppression mediated by Treg cells, we recently identified a set of ligands (a special stretch of guanosine-containing oligonucleotides) that can bind specifically to human Toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) and then turn off the suppressive function of Treg cells (3). Treatment of Treg cells with TLR8 ligands reverse the suppressive activity of these cells in culture as well as in a mouse tumor model, thus enhancing antitumor immunity. These results link TLR signaling to the functional control of Treg cells. By shifting the functional balance between Treg and effector T cells through TLR8 signaling, it is conceivable that polyG oligonucleotides or similar ligands might be utilized in clinical settings to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy directed to cancer and infectious diseases. This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity, a Cancer Research Institute journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research.
More on the status of Testudo nigra Quoy and Gaimard and Testudo nigrita Duméril and Bibron as nomina dubia for Galapagos tortoises (Testudines: Testudinidae)

Abstract Additional archival information on the history of the holotype of Testudo nigra (=T. californiana) confirms that there is probably no possibility of establishing its island of origin within the Galapagos. Both names should be suppressed as nomina dubia, despite the fact that T. nigra was relatively recently resurrected as the species name for all Galapagos tortoises. The status of the name Testudo nigrita as a nomen dubium is here further confirmed by the fact that its lectotype no longer exists.
Hume and the Question of Good Manners

The question of manners is important in David Hume’s examination of human nature primarily because of the weight he assigns to the so-called ‘social virtues’. Man is, for Hume, a being that naturally tends to form societies, and the study of human nature is, after all, the study of human sociability, which finds its expression in manners. The present paper shows Hume as a participant in the seventeenth and eighteenth-century discussion about the concept of politeness, a concept which oscillated between the domain of manners and morals and the domain of art. The examination of Hume’s ideal of polite manners illustrates the way his classicist taste pervaded the appreciation both of works of art and of social comportment. Abstrakt Die Frage der Manieren ist fur Humes Untersuchungen uber die Natur des Menschen wesentlich und zwar aufgrund der Bedeutung, die er den sog. gesellschaftlichen Tugenden beigemessen hat. Der Mensch ist fur David Hume ein Wesen, das von Natur aus zur Gesellschaftsbildung neigt; die Natur des Menschen zu untersuchen heist deshalb vor allem, die menschliche Soziabilitat zu untersuchen, die in den Manieren ihren Ausdruck findet. Der vorliegende Aufsatz prasentiert Hume als Teil der Diskussion uber das Konzept der Politesse im 17. und 18. Jahrhundert. Dieses oszillierte zwischen den Bereichen Manieren und Sitten einerseits und Kunst andererseits. Die Untersuchung von Humes Ideal des hoflichen Auftretens wirft ein Licht darauf, wie sein klassizistischer Geschmack sowohl seine Wertschatzung von Kunstwerken als auch von sozialem Verhalten durchdringt.
Modeling Uncertainty in Inter-aircraft Spacing Between the Final Approach Fix and the Runway Threshold

Interval Management (IM) is a NextGen concept that includes an avionics capability that provides flight crews with speed guidance to precisely achieve and maintain an Assigned Spacing Goal, specified in either time or distance, relative to a preceding aircraft. The use of IM for arrival and approach operations aims to increase the accuracy of inter-arrival spacing, leading to increases in runway throughput. However, flight crews must discontinue following IM speed guidance prior to landing (typically when within five nautical miles of the landing runway) so that aircraft may fly safe, stabilized approaches. Variations in aircraft flight profiles and environmental conditions contribute to the uncertainty in inter-arrival spacing at the runway threshold. The potential, therefore, exists for some of the accuracy achieved prior to the termination of IM speed guidance to be lost in the last few miles of the approach. In this paper, the total uncertainty in the spacing interval between the point at which speed guidance is discontinued and the runway threshold is quantified taking into account uncertainties related to aircraft performance, automation systems, operating procedures, and environmental conditions. Further, this paper proposes that the spacing goal at the point where IM speed guidance is discontinued be computed such that the most significant factors contributing to the spacing uncertainty are mitigated. This proposal provides a means to define error budgets on those significant factors.
Accelerated Wound Repair in Old Deer Mice (peromyscus Maniculatus) and White-footed Mice (peromyscus Leucopus)

The closure of bilateral full thickness cutaneous wounds, made over the back with a sharp paper punch, was measured and assessed histologically in outbred deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). In contrast to inbred C57BL/6J laboratory mice (Mus musculus), in which the rate of wound repair was more rapid in young than in mature or aged mice (Cohen et al., 1987), wound repair in Peromyscus was most rapid in aged animals. Aged Peromyscus (45 to 70 months) achieved 50% closure of cutaneous wounds within 3 to 4 days, whereas mature (23 or 24 months) and young Peromyscus required 5 to 7.7 days to reach the 50% closure level. Histologic indices were compatible with the more rapid rate of closure of the cutaneous wounds in aged Peromyscus. The reasons for the unexpected increase in the rate of wound repair with increasing age in Peromyscus are not clear but stress-related hormonal and cellular factors may play an important role.
A {Fe(NO)3}10 Trinitrosyliron Complex Stabilized by an N-Heterocyclic Carbene and the Cationic and Neutral {Fe(NO)2}9/10 Products of Its NO Release

In contrast to the instability of XFe(NO)3 and [R3PFe(NO)3]+, the N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-containing trinitrosyliron complex (TNIC) [(IMes)Fe(NO)3][BF4] (1) [IMes =1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene] can be readily isolated and manipulated in solution under ambient conditions. Nevertheless, in the presence of thiolates (SR−), this EPR-silent TNIC (denoted {Fe(NO)3}10 in the Enemark−Feltham notation) releases gaseous NO, affording in the case of SR− = SPh− the EPR-active, neutral dinitrosyliron complex (DNIC) (IMes)Fe(SPh)(NO)2 (3, {Fe(NO)2}9). Carbon monoxide enforces a bimolecular reductive elimination of PhSSPh from 3, yielding (IMes)(CO)Fe(NO)2 (2), a reduced {Fe(NO)2}10 DNIC. The NO released from TNIC 1 in the presence of SPh− could be taken up by the NO-trapping agent [(bme-dach)Fe]2 [bme-dach = N,N′-bis(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,4-diazacycloheptane] to form the mononitrosyliron complex (MNIC) (bme-dach)Fe(NO). In the absence of SPh−, direct mixing of [(bme-dach)Fe]2 with 1 releases both ...
The Characteristic Matrix of Nonuniqueness for First-Kind Equations

The matrix characterizing nonuniqueness of solution for Fredholm integral equations of the first kind is constructed and approximated numerically in the case of plane elastic deformations.
Enhanced photovoltaic energy conversion using thermally based spectral shaping

Solar thermophotovoltaic devices have the potential to enhance the performance of solar energy harvesting by converting broadband sunlight to narrow-band thermal radiation tuned for a photovoltaic cell. A direct comparison of the operation of a photovoltaic with and without a spectral converter is the most critical indicator of the promise of this technology. Here, we demonstrate enhanced device performance through the suppression of 80% of unconvertible photons by pairing a one-dimensional photonic crystal selective emitter with a tandem plasma–interference optical filter. We measured a solar-to-electrical conversion rate of 6.8%, exceeding the performance of the photovoltaic cell alone. The device operates more efficiently while reducing the heat generation rates in the photovoltaic cell by a factor of two at matching output power densities. We determined the theoretical limits, and discuss the implications of surpassing the Shockley–Queisser limit. Improving the performance of an unaltered photovoltaic cell provides an important framework for the design of high-efficiency solar energy converters. The ability of photovoltaic devices to harvest solar energy can be enhanced by tailoring the spectrum of incident light with thermophotovoltaic devices. Bierman et al. now show that one such device achieves a solar-to-electrical efficiency of 6.8%, exceeding that of the solar cell alone.
Stimulation of NADH-dependent microsomal DNA strand cleavage by rifamycin SV.

Rifamycin SV is an antibiotic anti-bacterial agent used in the treatment of tuberculosis. This drug can autoxidize, especially in the presence of metals, and generate reactive oxygen species. A previous study indicated that rifamycin SV can increase NADH-dependent microsomal production of reactive oxygen species. The current study evaluated the ability of rifamycin SV to interact with iron and increase microsomal production of hydroxyl radical, as detected by conversion of supercoiled plasmid DNA into the relaxed open circular state. The plasmid used was pBluescript II KS(-), and the forms of DNA were separated by agarose-gel electrophoresis. Incubation of rat liver microsomes with plasmid plus NADH plus ferric-ATP caused DNA strand cleavage. The addition of rifamycin SV produced a time- and concentration-dependent increase in DNA-strand cleavage. No stimulation by rifamycin SV occurred in the absence of microsomes, NADH or ferric-ATP. Stimulation occurred with other ferric complexes besides ferric-ATP, e.g. ferric-histidine, ferric-citrate, ferric-EDTA, and ferric-(NH4)2SO4. Rifamycin SV did not significantly increase the high rates of DNA strand cleavage found with NADPH as the microsomal reductant. The stimulation of NADH-dependent microsomal DNA strand cleavage was completely blocked by catalase, superoxide dismutase, GSH and a variety of hydroxyl-radical-scavenging agents, but not by anti-oxidants that prevent microsomal lipid peroxidation. Redox cycling agents, such as menadione and paraquat, in contrast with rifamycin SV, stimulated the NADPH-dependent reaction; menadione and rifamycin SV were superior to paraquat in stimulating the NADH-dependent reaction. These results indicate that rifamycin SV can, in the presence of an iron catalyst, increase microsomal production of reactive oxygen species which can cause DNA-strand cleavage. In contrast with other redox cycling agents, the stimulation by rifamycin SV is more pronounced with NADH than with NADPH as the microsomal reductant. Interactions between rifamycin SV, iron and NADH generating hydroxyl-radical-like species may play a role in some of the hepatotoxic effects associated with the use of this antibacterial antibiotic.
Increasing the impact of bottomland hardwood afforestation

Since the early 1990s, restoration of bottomland forests via afforestation of formerly agricultural lands has represented a large investment of effort among professional foresters in the Mississippi River watershed. A combination of planted seedlings, direct seeding, and volunteer-origin trees have been used to stock stands, but with inconsistent results. Based on observations of early afforestation efforts and empirical research, strategies are presented to more effectively achieve restoration objectives through a combination of improved planning and intensive silviculture.
Reliable operation of rotorcraft using probabilistic robust control

Abstract A hierarchical architecture is presented for the design of reliable control systems for high performance rotorcraft. The low-level controller is designed using probabilistic robust control approaches. By allowing different levels of risk under different flight conditions, the control system achieved the desired trade off between stability robustness and nominal performance. A high-level supervisory controller is proposed to monitor system response and switch between low-level robust controllers with different levels of risk and perfonnance.
Psychological ownership and the transition from solo entrepreneur to new venture team

Nascent entrepreneurial ventures must successfully navigate several transition periods as they evolve from an initial idea to a competitively viable firm. We study one of the earliest and most impo...
Optimization of decision rules for hydroelectric operation to reduce both eel mortality and unnecessary turbine shutdown: A search for a win–win solution

Worldwide populations of freshwater eels have declined with one of the contributing causes related to mortality during passage through hydropower turbines. An inherent trade‐off underlies turbine management where the competing demand for more hydropower comes at the expense of eel survival. A win–win solution exists when an option performs better on all competing demands compared to other options. A predictive model for eel migration based on a recent telemetry study was used to develop decision rules for turbine management in the Shenandoah River system. The performance of alternative decision rules was compared to the status quo policy to search for win–win solutions. Decision rules were defined by the probability of eel movement and were evaluated by the probabilities of false positive and false negative errors. The exact value of the cut‐off probability used in the decision rule will need to be determined through negotiation between stakeholders, but a range of cut‐off probabilities resulted in a win–win situation with both reduced eel mortality and increased turbine operation relative to the current shutdown strategy. Monitoring the implementation is needed to evaluate and update the predictive model and to refine the decision rule. Although the decision is framed for the Shenandoah River system, the analytical approach could be used to develop decision rules for turbine shutdown policy in other areas.
Citalopram is less effective for patients with neurological disorder and/or post-traumatic stress disorder

Abstract Importance Citalopram is a common antidepressant widely used and STAR*D study has indicated that most, more than 60%, of patients who receive it, do not benefit from their first antidepressant. Objective To identify whether citalopram is effective for patients with particular medical history. Design We used stratification to balance case/control study design. Setting We used the National Institute of Mental Health's STAR*D data, collected from 41 specialty and primary medical care settings spanning across a seven year time period. Participants The data included .mental and physical diagnoses of 4041 patients with major depression. Intervention(s) (for clinical trials) or exposure(s) (for observational studies) Patients comorbidities were balanced using Stratified Covariate Balancing method. This algorithm uses Markov Blanket of both treatment and outcome to identify which comorbidities can be ignored. It uses stratification to remove confounding introduced by the covariates in the Markov Blanket of treatment and outcome. Main outcome(s) and measure(s) A patient's remission was judged by weather there was a 50% reduction in the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. Results Patients exposed to neurological disorders were less likely to experience remission than controls without neurological disorder (odds=0.74, chi-square=, alpha Conclusions and relevance Patients exposed to PTSD or neurological disorders were less likely to experience remission from depression. These data suggest that citalopram should not be a first line agent prescribed for patients with these disorders.
Geographic and seasonal patterns of seabird subsistence harvest in Alaska

Assessing seabird harvest sustainability is difficult because of limited information on harvest and on harvest impacts on seabird populations. This study quantified seasonal harvest of seabirds and their eggs in all Alaska regions, addressed management and conservation questions, and identified topics where collaboration among stakeholders can support sustainable harvest opportunities and promote seabird conservation. In 2002–2015, the estimated subsistence harvest of seabirds was 24,315 birds/year. Murres (33%), auklets (28%), gulls (16%), and cormorants (14%) represented most of the harvest. Alaska-wide harvest patterns largely reflected harvest at the St. Lawrence–Diomede Islands, which represented 78% of the total seabird harvest. The Alaska-wide seasonal distribution of harvest was 56% in spring, 20% summer, and 24% fall-winter. The estimated egg harvest was 150,781 eggs/year and was largely composed of murres (51%) and gulls (45%) eggs. Harvest of most species, including species of conservation concern, was low relative to population sizes. However, harvest of eggs of terns may be significant compared to coastal egg productivity. A better understanding of threats to populations of terns is needed to clarify conservation priorities and to engage subsistence users in conservation efforts. Despite indications of reduced subsistence uses, harvesting of seabirds and their eggs remains culturally important and is a food security component in remote communities in Alaska.
Osteomyelitis of the Mandible

The term “mandibular osteomyelitis” nearly always refers to infection of the bone, and most cases arise from an odontogenic source. Some cases follow trauma, radiation, or medication-related bony necrosis. Early diagnosis of mandibular osteomyelitis can be difficult, and treatment often requires both surgical and medical management. Some cases of chronic osteomyelitis, such as chronic diffuse sclerosing osteomyelitis, SAPHO syndrome, and chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis, have a non-infectious, inflammatory etiology. This review focuses on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of various types of mandibular osteomyelitis.
Diet Composition Uncertainty Determines Impacts on Fisheries Following an Oil Spill

Abstract Oil spills can disrupt marine and coastal ecosystem services leading to reduced employment opportunities and income. Ecosystem models can be used to estimate the effects of oil pollution; however, uncertainty in model predictions may influence damage assessment. We performed an uncertainty analysis for the Atlantis ecosystem model of the Gulf of Mexico (Atlantis-GOM), under a scenario simulating the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Atlantis-GOM simulates major biophysical processes, including the effects of oil hydrocarbons on fish growth and mortality. We used all available fish stomach content data to inform parameter distribution for the Atlantis-GOM availability matrix, which represents predator total consumption potential and diet preference. We sampled the fish diet composition distribution and analyzed the variability of functional group biomass and catch predicted by Atlantis-GOM simulations to changes in the availability matrix. Resulting biomass and catch were then used to fit statistical emulators of the ecosystem model and predict biomass and catch given the complete diet parameter space. We used simulated and emulated data to assess changes in recovery time to oil spill effects. Uncertainty in diet composition had large effects on model outputs and may, therefore, influence damage assessment of oil exposure on economically important species.
Energy Conversion Systems Design for Fusion Reactors

Various energy conversion systems have been reviewed in order to select an efficient power cycle to be compatible with the fusion reactor requirements. The power cycles were selected for a toroidal confinement system with D-T and D-D fuel cycles and a tandem mirror reactor (TMR) with a D-/sup 3/He fuel cycle. Reversed Field Pinch Reactor (RFPR) was selected as an example of a toroidal confinement system with D-T fuel cycle since there has recently been a comprehensive design study for it. Tokamak was selected as an example of a toroidal confinement system with D-D fuel cycle. Tandem mirror reactor was chosen as an example of confinement for D-/sup 3/He fuel cycle. The steam cycle was found to be most suitable for the RFP and Tokamak reactors while a combination of direct energy conversion system and steam cycle was found to be most suitable for D-/sup 3/He tandem mirror reactor.
Pattern of Histone-Variant Synthesis and Implications for Gene Regulation

Studies on histone proteins impinge in two different ways on the study of transcription: (1) the role of histone proteins in the structure and function of chromatin and (2) the regulation of histone gene expression. It is generally accepted that histones serve a structural role in the packaging of the DNA in the cell nucleus (Felsenfeld, 1978). Thus, histones may affect gene expression by changing the structure of chromatin. However, the many complex and multiple posttranslational modifications of histones suggest that they have other roles in addition to purely structural ones.
Explantation of infected thoracic endovascular aortic repair.

Abstract Prosthetic graft infection is a rare and serious complication of thoracic endovascular aortic repair associated with high mortality and posing unique challenges for treatment. The prosthetic graft infection is often identified late as patients present with mild nonspecific symptoms. We describe the successful medical management and surgical explantation of an infected thoracic endograft with an aorta-bronchial fistula, using an inline reconstruction with an antibiotic-soaked synthetic graft. In this report, we provide an example of a patient with an infected thoracic endograft and how inline reconstruction combined with appropriate medical management is an acceptable treatment strategy.
Toward Socially Optimal Bitcoin Mining

Bitcoin is a cryptocurrency for managing and transferring money in a distributed manner. The Bitcoin network creates a complex system of economic incentives that governs its inner working, impacting the network's security guarantees and its evolution. Recent development of Bitcoin as a speculative asset and the herein skyrocketing Bitcoin price greatly incentivize participation in the network. We posit that the expansion in Bitcoin miner population and speculative transactions may not be socially desirable. The increased competition in Bitcoin mining not only exacerbates energy consumption and environmental cost, but also makes the risky mining business much riskier. In addition to the risk of unstable reward flows, the fluctuation in Bitcoin price makes the profitability of mining more uncertain. This research studies an alternative socially optimal model for the Bitcoin market (and other cryptocurrencies in general). Through equilibrium analysis, we emphasize the need to limit speculation in Bitcoin transactions, improve efficiency, diversify currency portfolio, and minimize negative externalities of the Bitcoin mining business.
Vitamin D-dependent intestinal calcium absorption.

Abstract During the past decade, considerable progress has been made in elucidating the mechanism of the vitamin D-dependent stimulation of intestinal calcium transport. A major breakthrough was registered with the discovery of a vitamin D-stimulated CaBP. The intestinal production of this protein has been shown to be inversely regulated by dietary calcium in the vitamin D-replete animal but is nonexistent in animals deficient in the vitamin. Furthermore, the level of calcium transport is directly proportional to the CaBP activity, and histologic localization studies indicate that the protein is present in the intestinal lumen in close association with the absorptive surface. When inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis are given before the vitamin, the production of CaBP is blocked, which indicates that CaBP may be a functional protein of the hormone 1α,25-(OH) 2 D. However, examination of microvillar membranes indicates the presence of other proteins in response to 1α,25-(OH) 2 D administration, and the participation of these proteins in the 1α,25-(OH) 2 D-mediated increase in calcium absorption is suggested. In addition, changes in the microvillar membrane lipid composition provide support for an additional mechanism(s) by which intestinal cell calcium uptake is augmented after vitamin D administration. A mechanistic summary of these findings is presented in Figure 1.
Tree of Life

A long long time ago in the era of my graduate studies, I was a poor student aspiring to simulate vasculature.
Left Atrial Microreentrant Flutter

Microreentrant flutter is often misinterpreted as a macroreentrant circuit or a focal tachycardia. This case demonstrates a left atrial microreentrant flutter with associated propagation map showing utility of analyzing local electro grams to determine the site of origin.
A NOAA Fisheries science perspective on the conditions during and after COVID-19: challenges, observations, and some possible solutions, or why the future is upon us

Many fisheries and marine science organizations are working to determine how to meet their missions in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak. As such, it seems prudent to exchange ideas, share knowled...
Influence of a Training Academy on the Parasympathetic Nervous System Reactivation of Firefighter Recruits—An Observational Cohort Study

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the leading type of line-of-duty death among firefighters. An inability to restore parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) control after activity is associated with SCD. Post-exercise heart rate recovery (HRR) provides unique insight into reactivation of the PSNS. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine longitudinal changes in HRR responses of 25 male firefighter recruits. HR data were collected after submaximal exercise at week 1 (W1), week 6 (W6), and week 15 (W15) of their training at an academy. Percent maximal heart rate (%MHR) measures were computed at each HRR time point (%MHR0, %MHR15, %MHR30, %MHR45, %MHR60, %MHR120, %MHR180) and absolute HRR values were calculated at 30 s (ΔHRR30), 60 s (ΔHRR60), 120 s (ΔHRR120), and 180 s (ΔHRR180). After controlling for age and percent body fat, there was no statistically significant interaction between Week × HRR (p = 0.730), and there were no changes in ΔHRR30, ΔHRR60, and ΔHRR120, and ΔHRR180 indices across time. However, %MHR at W6 and W15 was significantly lower than %MHR at W1 at every HRR time point (ps < 0.001). Therefore, although the firefighter recruit training academy elicited positive training adaptations, changes in PSNS reactivation after submaximal activity were not identified.