cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
De novo biosynthesis of starch chains without a primer and the mechanism for its biosynthesis by potato starch-synthase.

Abstract The starch-synthase enzymes used in this study were the second acetone precipitate and Fractions 21 and 23, Table 1 , [Mukerjea, Ru.; Falconer, D. J.; Yoon, S.-H.; Robyt, J. F. Carbohydr. Res. 2010 , 345 , 1555–1563]. Fractions 21 and 23 had high specific activities of 544 and 944 International Units/mg, respectively. When the enzymes and buffer and substrate were treated with immobilized α-amylase and glucoamylase for 30 min, they all had the same activity, before and after treatment, indicating that the enzymes were free of putative primers and synthesized amylose chains de novo, without the addition of primers. Starch-synthase was immobilized and reacted with ADP-[ 14 C]Glc; the immobilized enzyme was removed, washed and treated at pH 2 and 50 °C for 30 min, giving the release of 14 C- d -glucopyranose and 14 C-amylose, showing that during catalysis they were covalently attached to the enzyme active-site. Pulse and chase reactions of starch-synthase with ADP-[ 14 C]Glc and ADPGlc, respectively, followed by reduction and acid hydrolysis of the starch-chain product, gave 14 C- d -glucitol from the pulse reaction and a significant decrease of 14 C- d -glucitol from the chase reaction, showing that the addition of d -glucose from ADPGlc was to the reducing-ends of the growing amylose chains. Reactions of four different concentrations of starch-synthase, with constant ADPGlc concentration and temperature, gave four amylose chains, each with different number average molecular weights that were inversely proportional to the concentration of the enzyme, indicating that the synthesis was processive. From the results, a two catalytic-site, insertion mechanism is proposed for the biosynthesis of starch chains.
Identifying Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) cells with cancer stem cell-like properties.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is a challenging condition to treat in the clinic due to its distinct tumor phenotype, aggressive growth, and chemotherapy resistance. Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs) are a poorly differentiated subpopulation of cells within the tumor microenvironment, and role of CSCs in tumor initiation and chemotherapy resistance is not well understood in HCC. In this study, we have successfully identified HCC cells with CSC-like properties that showed resistance to Doxorubicin. Using the established serum free culture techniques, we have enriched CSC-like cells among hepatocellular cancer cells. These enriched cells exhibit all CSC-like properties i.e. self-renewal capability, anchorage independent growth with retained proliferation property and resistance to Doxorubicin. We confirmed expression of CSC surface markers (EpCAM, CD90, CD44, CD133) and functional markers (ALDH activity and dye exclusion properties) in enriched HCC-CSCs. Preliminary in vivo data in our mouse models supports that spheroid forming CSCs show higher rate of tumor proliferation compared to untreated (non-spheroid forming) HCC cells. Wnt/β- catenin pathway components were also found to be overexpressed in CSCs when compared to non spheroids. Analysis of 24 paired human specimens from HCC tissues by IHC showed higher EpCAM expression, and Western Blot analysis suggested concomitant changes in β-catenin and EpCAM levels. In conclusion: (1) we have successfully induced and identified HCC cells with CSClike properties; (2) Aberrant β-catenin up-regulation mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation was observed in enriched hepatoma spheroids.
Long-term efficacy of controlled-release carbidopa/levodopa in patients with advanced Parkinson's disease

Twenty-one patients with Parkinson's disease and motor fluctuations who completed a double-blind study comparing controlled-release carbidopa/levodopa (Sinemet CR4) with standard Sinemet (SS) were evaluated one year following completion of the study. Five patients remained on CR4 alone; 16 continued on CR4 plus SS, and one also required addition of bromocriptine. Patients were significantly worse (p less than 0.05) at one year compared with double-blind CR4 phase (DBCR) for nine parameters of the motor exam, six activities of daily living (ADL), Hoehn & Yahr staging, and physician's global assessment. Compared with baseline SS, patients were worse at one year for four points of the motor exam, two of mentation, behavior, and mood, and 11 parameters of ADL. Improvement at one year was noted for less action and postural tremor and decreased duration of dyskinesias for both comparison periods. There was elimination of early morning dystonia at one year over the DBCR period and more hours "on" without dyskinesias and fewer hours "on" with dyskinesias compared with baseline SS. Total levodopa dosage was not significantly changed over the year. These data suggest that, in long-term use, CR4 remains more efficacious than SS alone for Parkinson's patients experiencing motor fluctuations, although disease progression continues despite optimal medication.
The Genus Lentinellus

SUMMARYEight species of Lentinellus are recognized. Complete descriptions, host ranges, and ecological information are given for each species. Notes are included on species which are doubtful or no...
Social Class and Income as Indicators of Consumer Credit Behavior

The concept of social class as the best market segmentation variable needs to be critically re-examined. This article presents research findings drawn from a study of commercial bank credit card ho...
Relationship of Inflammatory Cytokines, Growth Hormone, and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I to Reduced Performance During Infectious Disease

Production of inflammatory cytokines and concentrations of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were studied during experimental Escherichia coli mastitis to determine their potential involvement in reduced animal performance during infectious disease. During the first 10 to 14 hr after intramammary infusion of E. coli, bacteria multiplied to maximum levels of 10(4)-10(9) cfu/ml of milk with no clinical signs of mastitis. A rapid and intense inflammatory response, characterized by udder swelling, increased bovine serum albumin (BSA) and somatic cell count (SCC) in milk of infected glands, and elevated rectal temperature and serum cortisol concentration, began at approximately 12 hr after challenge. Lactational performance was reduced greatly at 24 hr, and the maximal decrease averaged 76% and 63% among infected and uninfected glands, respectively, of challenged cows; three cows became temporarily agalactic in all glands. By 6 days, all cows had nearly or completely eliminated the E. coli, and milk production had partially recovered. Milk composition showed an initial decrease in fat percentage followed by an increase thereafter. Protein percentage was increased and lactose content was reduced during most of the mastitic episode. High concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) were detected in milk of infected glands, and their appearance preceded or coincided with development of the mammary inflammation, systemic reaction, and hypogalactia. Serum growth hormone concentration was higher among challenged cows, whereas serum IGF-I concentrations changed little during the mastitic episode. Concentrations of IGF-I in milk whey increased from 5.0 to 12.2 ng/ml among infected glands and from 4.4 to 8.5 ng/ml among contralateral, uninfected glands; IGF binding proteins also increased in the milk of infected glands. These data demonstrate that (i) reduced lactational performance is not caused by reduced concentrations of growth hormone or IGF-I and (ii) inflammatory cytokines are produced at a time consistent with a possible role in the inhibition of milk synthesis.
Clonal growth requirements of human bladder tumor cell lines.

Abstract We have serially investigated the role of nutrients and growth factors for their ability to support the clonal growth of human bladder tumor cell lines. Five established human bladder tumor cell lines were selected for study of their requirements for clonogenic growth in semisolid cultures. We identified an “optimal medium” to be Alpha MEM medium, 15% horse serum, five μg./ml. of transferrin, five μg./ml. of insulin and 30 mg./ml. of epidermal growth factor. The “optimal assay” enhanced the growth of human bladder tumor cell lines 2.5 times compared to the standard clonogenic assay. The resulting medium is less complicated to maintain, less expensive and supports the growth of human bladder tumor cell lines better than the standard clonogenic assay. (J. Urol, 143:1049-1052, 1990)
Surgical management of congenital heart disease in Down's syndrome.

Children with Down’s syndrome have been thought to be at increased risk for operative treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD), but this impression has not been objectively studied. The hospital course of 60 Down’s patients with CHD treated operatively between 1953 and 1975 was analyzed. Thirty-three boys and 27 girls (2 months to 18 years of age) had one or more cardiac surgical procedures—26 as infants (
Fractional independent yields of /sup 139/Ba and /sup 142/La from thermal-neutron-induced fission of /sup 249/Cf

The fractional independent yields of /sup 139/Ba and /sup 142/La from thermal-neutron-induced fission of /sup 249/Cf were found to be 0.14 +- 0.03 and 0.29 +- 0.02, respectively. These yields are consistent with a sigma of approx.0.68 and Z/sub p/ values of 54.80 +- 0.04 and 56.11 +- 0.03 for A = 139 and 142, respectively, and correspond to a value for ..delta..Z (=Z/sub p/-Z/sub UCD/) of approx. - 0.4. No evidence for an odd-even effect was found.
Characterization of shocked beryllium

While numerous studies have investigated the low-strain-rate constitutive response of beryllium, the combined influence of high strain rate and temperature on the mechanical behavior and microstructure of beryllium has received limited attention over the last 40 years. In the current work, high strain rate tests were conducted using both explosive drive and a gas gun to accelerate the material. Prior studies have focused on tensile loading behavior, or limited conditions of dynamic strain rate and/or temperature. Two constitutive strength (plasticity) models, the Preston-Tonks-Wallace (PTW) and Mechanical Threshold Stress (MTS) models, were calibrated using common quasi-static and Hopkinson bar data. However, simulations with the two models give noticeably different results when compared with the measured experimental wave profiles. The experimental results indicate that, even if fractured by the initial shock loading, the Be remains sufficiently intact to support a shear stress following partial release and subsequent shock re-loading. Additional “arrested” drive shots were designed and tested to minimize the reflected tensile pulse in the sample. These tests were done to both validate the model and to put large shock induced compressive loads into the beryllium sample.
Infrared Drying Characteristics of Long-Grain Hybrid, Long-Grain Pureline, and Medium-Grain Rice Cultivars

The objective for this study was to investigate the effectiveness of scaled-up infrared (IR) heating followed by tempering steps to dry freshly harvested rough rice. An industrial-type, pilot-scale, IR heating system designed to dry rough rice was used in this study. The heating zone of the equipment had catalytic IR emitters that provided heat energy to the sample as it was conveyed on a vibrating belt. The sample comprised freshly harvested rough rice of long-grain pureline (Cheniere), long-grain hybrid (6XP 756), and medium-grain (CL 271) cultivars at initial moisture contents of 23, 23.5, and 24% wb, respectively. Samples at a loading rate of 1.61 kg/m2 were heated with IR of radiation intensity 5.55 kW/m2 for 30, 50, 90, and 180 s followed by tempering at 60°C for 4 h, at a product-to-emitter-gap size of 450 mm, in one- and two-pass drying operations. Control samples were gently natural air dried in an equilibrium moisture content chamber set at relative humidity of 65% and temperature of 26°C to moi...
The Yarmouk River Agreements: Jordan-Syrian Transboundary Water Management, 1953–2004

This article reviews three bilateral agreements made between Jordan and Syria over the last 50 years regarding use of the shared waters of the Yarmouk River. Jordan began constructing the long-planned Unity Dam and the permanent Adaseya diversion weir only after concluding the most recent agreement, in 2001. The article presents land-area and economic calculations to suggest why Jordan agreed to narrower and less favourable terms in the 2001 agreement—including a lowered dam height, a smaller allocation of Yarmouk waters, and a larger share of dam construction costs. It also identifies several environmental and political issues that the 2001 agreement does not address. The analysis shows that changing politics, hydrology, land use, and economics have motivated multiple past Yarmouk water agreements and may resurface to require further negotiations in the future.
The Diagnosis and Classification of Sexual Perversion

The diagnosis and classification of sexually deviant disorders, like the diagnosis and classification of mental disorders in general, are continually evolving, for they reflect the way sexually deviant disorders are perceived.1 Classificatory systems incorporate current perceptions of mental disorders into categories whose purposes are, according to Spitzer and Williams,2 to promote “communication, control, and comprehension” (p 591). Communication depends on using the names of categories to stand for previously agreed on criteria meriting inclusion into these categories. Control implies being able to prevent mental disorders from occurring, or having sufficient knowledge about their natural courses to modify them. Comprehension means having sufficient understanding about the causes, developments, and treatments of these disorders to control or cure them.
Where Are the Missing Coauthors? Authorship Practices in Participatory Research†

Originally marginal, participatory research has become an increasingly important methodology in the social, biophysical, and interdisciplinary sciences. The overall increase in publications based on participatory research has raised questions about crediting the contributions of nonacademic collaborators. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, we analyzed trends and patterns in authorship and acknowledgment practices in a sample of 262 journal articles reporting on participatory research on rural livelihoods published from 1975 to 2013. Six percent of the researchers recognized the intellectual contributions of their nonacademic collaborators with coauthorship and 51 percent with acknowledgment. Through interviews with lead authors of coauthored articles, we analyzed factors that shaped whether authorship was shared with nonacademic collaborators. Despite facing numerous barriers, researchers were motivated to coauthor in order to recognize intellectual contributions, practice research ethics, and work toward epistemic decolonization. We argue that coauthorship can be an important component of epistemic justice in participatory research and encourage participatory researchers to discuss authorship with their nonacademic collaborators as a routine component of engaged scholarship. We also note that nonacademics’ contributions to scientific knowledge need to be taken into account in understandings of the practice of science.
A Preliminary Study of Activation, Stress, and Self-Management of Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental disabilities are high users of services, yet very little is known about how parents of these children interact with the health care system. Further, compared to parents of children with other developmental disabilities, parents of children with ASD experience more stress and dissatisfaction with services. Current efforts for improving services point to a need for understanding caregivers’ perceptions of their own health-care related beliefs and actions. Activation is a construct that measures the belief, knowledge, action, and persistence of managing one’s health care needs. The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the activation of parents of children with ASD using an adapted parent activation measure (PAM) for children with developmental disabilities called the PAM-DD. Data were collected from parents who received treatment as usual from a community-based outpatient treatment planning service for children with ASD. PAM-DD scores were compared with parent ratings of stress, self-management, and service satisfaction. Results indicated that increased activation correlated positively with parent report of satisfaction and ability to self-manage child issues such as eating, sleeping, and behavior and correlated negatively with parenting stress. The study of activation shows promise as a feature of quality of care for parents of children with developmental disabilities.
What a Summer Nutrition Benefit Program Could Mean for Clinicians and Their Patients.

* Abbreviations: EBT — : electronic benefit transfer FI — : food insecurity SDH — : social determinants of health In 1946, the National School Lunch Act was passed establishing the school lunch program and making meals a permanent part of schools. Congress declared it a measure of “national security” to ensure the health of the nation’s children by encouraging the consumption of nutritious foods.1 Since then, the meals program has expanded, both in reach (including breakfast) and size (over 100 000 schools now participate).2 The National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program serve over 30 million and 12 million children annually, respectively, with free or reduced-price meals.2,3 Low-income children who participate have lower rates of food insecurity (FI), improved dietary intake, and higher academic achievement.4–10 Although the success of these programs is clear, there remains an important issue: What happens to families who rely on these programs during the summer, when school is not in session? In this issue of Pediatrics , Collins et al11 have published “Impact of a Summer Nutrition Benefit on Low-Income Children’s Food Security and Diet Quality,” which describes the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer for Children demonstrations project. The US … Address correspondence to Deepak Palakshappa, MD, MSHP, Wake Forest School of Medicine, 1 Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC 27157. E-mail: dpalaksh{at}wakehealth.edu
Ideal Liberal Subjects and Muslim "Others": Liberal Nationalism and the Racialization of Muslim Youth in a Progressive Danish School.

Drawing on an ethnographic case study of Muslim youth in a Danish lower secondary school, this article explores teacher talk about Muslim immigrant students and how teachers engaged liberal ideals ...
Stationary-Mixing Field-Programmable Pin-Constrained Digital Microfluidic Biochip

Abstract This paper introduces a Field Programmable Pin-Constrained (FPPC) architecture for a Digital Microfluidic Biochip (DMFB) that integrates a new stationary hydrodynamic mixing technology. Compared to the traditional rotation-based mixing, stationary mixing is faster, requires fewer electrodes, and limits residue production and the likelihood of biofouling. Although the stationary mixing principle has been established, programmable DMFB architectures that feature stationary mixing have not been investigated or evaluated. Simulation results show that the Stationary Mixing FPPC (SM-FPPC) architecture introduced here outperforms existing Direct Addressing (DA) and FPPC DMFBs that employ traditional rotation-based mixing. An analysis based on a commercially available Printed Circuit Board (PCB) cost calculator demonstrates a 31% reduction in cost compared to the lowest cost PCB reported in prior literature.
Insect Pathogenic Bacteria

The vast majority of research on bacterial insect pathogens over the past thirty years has focused on the toxin-producing Bacillus species. With the exception of a handful of papers dealing with the bacterial diseases of scarabs, very little work has been conducted on non-spore-formers. In other eukaryotic systems, the gram negative members of the Gracilicutes represent the majority of disease-causing agents. The gram negative bacteria isolated from insects, described as opportunistic pathogens, belong in genera containing species infecting plants and animals (Table 6–1). The relatedness of insect bacteria to other bacterial diseases has suppressed their development by insect pathologists as microbial control agents. Emphasis has been placed on bacterial species that either produce specific insecticidal toxins or that possess a high level of host specificity. The majority of the gram negative bacteria referenced by Steinhaus (1949, 1963) have not been subject to recent study. The exceptions are selected members in the genera Serratia, Photorhabdus, and Heterorhabdus. Additionally, the various mycoplasma of the Tenericutes have been subject to recent investigations. This chapter includes information on the major prokaryotic entomopathogenic bacteria. The group not covered in this chapter is the insecticidal Bacillus thuringiensis group that is described in Chapter 7.
Fairness In Reciprocal Recommendations: A Speed-Dating Study

Traditional recommender systems suggest items by learning from user preferences, but ignore other stakeholders in the whole system. Actually, not only the receiver of the recommendations, but also other stakeholders may come into play, such as the producers of items or those of the system owners. Reciprocal recommender system in dating or job recommendations is one of these examples. However, we may have to simulate the utilities for each type of the stakeholder due to the utility definitions. In this paper, we perform exploratory analysis on a speed-dating data, where the user expectations are clearly defined. We try to build a multi-dimensional utility framework by utilizing multi-criteria ratings. We further analyze the relationship between the utilities and recommendation performance, and achieve a tradeoff as the optimal solution. Even more, the proposed approach is able to outperform the exiting reciprocal recommendation algorithms in precision, recall and overall utilities. Finally, we derive a promising way to define and optimize utilities to be generalized in other applications or domains.
Ultimate Limits to Proton Decay Searches

Proton decay searches become increasingly difficult above life times of 1033 years. It is concluded that in the forseeable future no experiment will surpass ∼1034 years. If proton decay is not observed by the current round of experiments, then the approach suggested herein, of a deep ocean experiment, will permit achieving a lifetime limit near 1034 years. Utilizing a relatively dense DUMAND-like deep ocean detector of (100 m)3 size appears to be the only economically feasible approach for detectors containing ≳10 nucleons.
Molecular Diffusion in the Nematic and Smectic C Phase of 4–4′-Di-n-Heptyloxyazoxybenzene (HOAB)

Earlier measurements of the diffusion constant of the impurity molecule tetramethylsilane (TMS) when dissolved in a smectic A and smectic B liquid crystal have shown this quantity to be strongly anisotropic.1 That is, the diffusion constant in a direction perpendicular to the long molecular axis, D⊥, (diffusion within the smectic layers) is a much larger quantity than that in a direction parallel to the long molecular axis, D||, with a typical value for the ratio D||/D⊥ ~ 0.1. In the earlier work it was not possible, however, to obtain a measure of this ratio in the nematic phase. In this paper we report such a measurement as well as a measurement of the anisotropy in the smectic C phase. Much to our surprise, the ratio D||/D⊥ in the nematic phase varies strongly with temperature, exhibiting strong pretransition effects over most of the nematic temperature range.
Plasma and synovial fluid concentrations and cartilage toxicity of bupivacaine following intra‐articular administration of a liposomal formulation to horses

Background The use of intra-articular (IA) local anaesthetics has proven to be an effective means to treat post-operative pain. The effects of local anaesthetics on equine chondrocytes are mixed with some studies reporting chondrodestruction and others no adverse effects. A liposomal formulation of bupivacaine is used in people and dogs by intra- and peri-articular administration to provide up to 72 h of analgesia. The potential uses, side effects including chondrotoxicity, and likelihood of abuse (long-term analgesic effects) has not been evaluated in horses. Objectives Describe bupivacaine concentrations following IA administration and assess biomarkers as indicators of the effects of liposomal bupivacaine on chondrocytes in vivo. Study design Parallel design. Methods Sixteen exercised horses received a single IA administration of 0.12 mg/kg liposomal bupivacaine or 0.9% saline. Blood and urine samples were collected for 96 h post-drug administration. Six horses treated with bupivacaine and those receiving saline, underwent daily arthrocentesis. Six additional bupivacaine treated horses underwent arthrocentesis at 96 h. Drug concentrations were measured using LC-MS/MS and pharmacokinetic analyses performed. Immunoassays were used to measure markers of collagen degradation (C2C, C12C) and cartilage matrix synthesis (CPII, CS846) in synovial fluid. Results The bupivacaine plasma elimination half-life was 17.8 ± 5.42 and 11.9 ± 5.17 h for horses from which synovial fluid was collected daily and at 96 h respectively. Bupivacaine concentrations in the joint were still detectable at 96 h. Significant increases in C12C and C2C were noted at 96 h in horses undergoing arthrocentesis at 96 h only. CPII was increased at 48 h and CS846 at 24 and 48 h in horses sampled daily. Main limitations Limited number of animals and absence of liposome control group. Conclusions Sustained concentrations of IA bupivacaine suggest viability of this medication as an intra-articular analgesic. Effects on equine chondrocytes need further study.
Alcohol Activates Scabrous-Notch to Influence Associated Memories

Summary Drugs of abuse, like alcohol, modulate gene expression in reward circuits and consequently alter behavior. However, the in vivo cellular mechanisms through which alcohol induces lasting transcriptional changes are unclear. We show that Drosophila Notch/Su(H) signaling and the secreted fibrinogen-related protein Scabrous in mushroom body (MB) memory circuitry are important for the enduring preference of cues associated with alcohol’s rewarding properties. Alcohol exposure affects Notch responsivity in the adult MB and alters Su(H) targeting at the dopamine-2-like receptor (Dop2R). Alcohol cue training also caused lasting changes to the MB nuclear transcriptome, including changes in the alternative splicing of Dop2R and newly implicated transcripts like Stat92E. Together, our data suggest that alcohol-induced activation of the highly conserved Notch pathway and accompanying transcriptional responses in memory circuitry contribute to addiction. Ultimately, this provides mechanistic insight into the etiology and pathophysiology of alcohol use disorder.
Direct search for WIMP dark matter particles with the LUX-ZEPLIN (LZ) detector

Abstract LZ is a second-generation Dark Matter experiment to conduct searches for weakly interacting massive particles . It is expected that the detector will reach a sensitivity for spin-independent elastic WIMP-nucleon cross-section of 1 . 6 × 1 0 − 48 cm 2 at a mass of 40 GeV/c 2 in 1000 days of operation. Aside from Dark Matter particle interactions, the detector will also be sensitive to solar and supernova neutrinos as well as neutrinoless double beta decay from 136Xe. Background sources such as 222Rn and 85Kr must be significantly suppressed. This will be assured by radioactive screening of detector components and purification of xenon. The design of the LZ detector, radioactive background expectations and projected WIMP sensitivity are presented in this article.
Possible Undiagnosed Glaucoma Detected by MultiColor Imaging of Retinal Diseases.

Purpose To evaluate for the presence of visible retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects consistent with undiagnosed glaucoma in MultiColor images (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) obtained at clinicians' discretion for the diagnosis and management of retinal diseases. Design Retrospective chart review of MultiColor images obtained as part of routine clinical care between December 25, 2013 and June 24, 2014. Images were reviewed by 2 fellowship-trained glaucoma specialists (S.H.V.T., S.G.A.) for the presence of RNFL defects in the superotemporal or inferotemporal quadrants. No attention was given to the optic nerve head when identifying candidate images. Retinal nerve fiber layer defects were not considered glaucomatous if they traced to regions of retinal atrophy. Participants A total of 157 retina clinic patients aged 18 years or older who carried at least 1 retinal diagnosis; patients were subsequently excluded if medical records review revealed a history of glaucoma or glaucoma suspect diagnoses at the time of imaging. Methods MultiColor confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy images were obtained using the Heidelberg Spectralis HRA+OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany). Main Outcome Measure The primary end point was the presence of at least 1 RNFL defect tracking toward the optic nerve. Results Among 157 reviewed charts, 134 eyes of 80 patients met inclusion criteria, of whom 13 eyes of 10 patients had visible RNFL defects consistent with possible undiagnosed glaucoma. The average age of patients with presumed glaucomatous eyes was 67 years (range, 35–88 years; standard deviation, 15.7 years). The retinal diagnoses in the glaucomatous eyes included branch retinal vein occlusion (3 eyes and 1 fellow eye), neovascular age-related macular degeneration (2 eyes), non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (both eyes of 1 patient), proliferative diabetic retinopathy (2 eyes), nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (both eyes of 1 patient), and epiretinal membrane (1 eye). Conclusions Retinal nerve fiber layer defects consistent with glaucoma may be visible on MultiColor images obtained for the diagnosis and management of retinal diseases and may represent an underused opportunity to prevent additional visual dysfunction in patients already undergoing retinal disease management.
Morbidity of Vestibular Schwannomas as Documented by Treating Providers.

OBJECTIVE Characterize the morbidity associated with vestibular schwannoma (VS) as documented by treating providers. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective analysis of the MarketScan database. SETTING MarketScan database. SUBJECTS AND METHODS A study of morbidity in VS patients who underwent treatment between 2002 and 2012 was conducted. A detailed account of morbidity at multiple time points before and after treatment was described. RESULTS Of 3,355 patients treated for VS, 2,029 (60.5%) underwent surgery and 1,326 (39.5%) radiation. The average (SD) age of diagnosis was 52.5 (12.1) years. Patients were followed for a mean (SD) of 29.1 (24.2) months before and 39.2 (30.5) months after treatment. Hearing loss (65.4%), vertigo (28.0%), tinnitus (24.7%), and headache (15.2%) were the most documented symptoms at 6 months before treatment. At this juncture, higher rates of hearing loss (71.6 versus 58.6%, p < 0.0001), vertigo (32.3 versus 21.4%, p<0.0001), and tinnitus (26.9 versus 21.5%, p=0.0004) were reported for the surgery cohort. At 6 months posttreatment, surgery cohort were reported to have higher rates of hearing loss (OR 2.15, 95% CI: 1.82-2.52), vertigo (OR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.23-1.96), balance (OR 4.17, 95% CI: 3.03-5.56), facial weakness (OR 10.0, 95% CI: 6.67-14.29), headache (OR 1.56, 95% CI: 1.23-1.96), fatigue (OR 2.22, 95% CI: 1.19-4.17), and swallowing difficulties (OR 2.33, 95% CI: 1.43-3.70) compared with radiosurgery group. Surgery patients also experienced more treatment-related complications than the radiation (28.5 versus 2.6%, p<0.0001) cohort. CONCLUSIONS Patients who eventually underwent surgery were reported by their providers to have higher morbidity before and after treatment.
Writing the village, becoming the nation: The work of Manoj Das:

Manoj Das is a leading senior writer within Indian literature, with his novels, short stories, and poems centring on village and rural life, mingling realism and everyday experiences with elements ...
Indoor tanning and poor mental health among adolescents in New York City (2015).

This study explored relationships between mental health and indoor tanning among high school students in New York City using 2015 data from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System. Those more l...
Matriptase drives early-onset intestinal failure in a mouse model of congenital tufting enteropathy

Syndromic congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE) is a life-threatening recessive human genetic disorder that is caused by mutations in SPINT2, encoding the protease inhibitor HAI-2, and is characterized by severe intestinal dysfunction. We recently reported the generation of a Spint2-deficient mouse model of CTE. Here, we show that the CTE-associated early-onset intestinal failure and lethality of Spint2-deficient mice is caused by unchecked activity of the serine protease matriptase. Macroscopic and histological defects observed in the absence of HAI-2, including villous atrophy, luminal bleeding, loss of mucin-producing goblet cells, loss of defined crypt architecture and the resulting acute inflammatory response in the large intestine, were all prevented by intestinal-specific inactivation of the St14 gene encoding matriptase. The CTE-associated loss of the cell junctional proteins EpCAM and claudin 7 was also prevented. As a result, inactivation of intestinal matriptase allowed Spint2-deficient mice to gain weight after birth and dramatically increased their lifespan. These data implicate matriptase as a causative agent in the development of CTE and may provide a new target for the treatment of CTE in individuals carrying SPINT2 mutations.This article has an associated 'The people behind the papers' interview.
First study on age and growth of the deep-water Goblin Shark, Mitsukurina owstoni (Jordan, 1898)

Due to poorly mineralizing structures, ageing deep-water elasmobranchs requires nonconventional techniques. The aim of the present study was to develop a reliable ageing technique using the vertebral centrum to provide information about the age and growth parameters in the Goblin Shark, Mitsukurina owstoni (Jordan, 1898). One vertebral centrum from an individual measuring 315.2 cm in total length was analysed. A minimum age of 27 years was estimated. By incorporating priors based on the growth of deep-water sharks and an additional likelihood on L∞ using data on large male Goblin Sharks, a Bayesian von Bertalanffy growth model was estimated with a male L∞ of 364 cm total length, weigh 215 kg at L∞, grow slowly with a k equal to 0.049, mature at 16.5 years, and live up to 55 years. Our results are essential to provide useful life history information, with the aim of elucidating the cryptic ecology and biology of this deep-water shark.
Describing Variability of Inpatient Consultation Practices: Physician, Patient, and Admission Factors

Appropriate use of consultation can improve patient outcomes, but inappropriate use may cause harm. Factors affecting the variability of inpatient consultation are poorly understood. We aimed to describe physician-, patient-, and admission-level factors influencing the variability of inpatient consultations on general medicine services. We conducted a retrospective study of patients hospitalized from 2011 to 2016 and enrolled in the University of Chicago Hospitalist Project, which included 6,153 admissions of 4,772 patients under 69 attendings. Consultation use varied widely; a 5.7-fold difference existed between the lowest (mean, 0.613) and highest (mean, 3.47) quartiles of use (P <.01). In mixed-effect Poisson regression, consultations decreased over time, with 45% fewer consultations for admissions in 2015 than in 2011 (P <.01). Patients on nonteaching hospitalist teams received 9% more consultations than did those on teaching services (P =.02). Significant variability exists in inpatient consultation use. Further understanding may help to identify groups at high-risk for underuse/overuse and aid in the development of interventions to improve high-value care.
The First Amendment v. reproductive rights: Crisis pregnancy centers, commercial speech, and marketplaces of misinformation

This essay responds to the holding in National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) v. Becerra (2018), arguing that the signal contribution of the majority opinion is its attempt to move ...
Spinal and supraspinal N-methyl-d-aspartate and melanocortin-1 receptors contribute to a qualitative sex difference in morphine-induced hyperalgesia

Morphine elicits a paradoxical state of increased pain sensitivity, known as morphine-induced hyperalgesia (MIH), which complicates its clinical efficacy. We have previously shown that systemic injections of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) antagonists sex-dependently reverse MIH during morphine infusion (40mg/kg/24h) in male and female mice, respectively. This qualitative sex difference is ovarian hormone dependent, as NMDAR antagonists reverse MIH in ovariectomized females but are rendered ineffective following progesterone injection in OVX mice. Here, we utilized intrathecal and intracerebroventricular injection paradigms to assess the contribution of spinal and supraspinal receptors to this sex difference in male and female CD-1 mice. Specifically, we injected NMDAR and MC1R selective antagonists, MK-801 and MSG606 respectively, during morphine infusion. Results illustrated that both spinal and supraspinal MK-801 and MSG606 selectively reversed MIH in males and females, respectively, during morphine infusion. Furthermore, while MK-801 reversed MIH in ovariectomized (OVX) females, MSG606 was most effective in doing so in this same group following an acute subcutaneous progesterone injection. The present studies thus indicate that both spinal and supraspinal NMDARs and MC1Rs underlie the qualitative sex difference observed during morphine infusion in mice, and that the receptors in these loci are also sensitive to sex steroidal modulation.
Conversion of Sleeve Gastrectomy to Duodenal Switch

The sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is now the most commonly performed weight loss surgery in the United States. However, non-responder rates after SG may be as high as 50%. Revision to biliopancreatic diversion and duodenal switch (BPD/DS) after inadequate results following a SG offers a number of unique advantages. As compared to resleeve or conversion to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, BPD/DS offers superior weight loss and has the highest rates of comorbidity resolution. Despite early reports, complication rates with minimally invasive BPD/DS are similar with other bariatric operations, when performed by experienced surgeons. Furthermore, revision to BPD/DS from SG avoids placing a staple line or anastomosis in a previously violated and scarred tissue plane. For these reasons BPD/DS may be a superior option for revision surgery after inadequate results from a SG.
Evaluation of hot channel factor for sodium-cooled fast reactors with multi-physics toolkit

Abstract The evaluation of hot channel factor (HCF) is of great significance to the quantification of safety margins for reactor designs. In this paper, HCFs for a sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) are evaluated with the Simulation-based High-efficiency Advanced Reactor Prototyping (SHARP) toolkit, which is developed under the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) Campaign of DOE for multi-physics reactor performance and safety simulations. The high-fidelity neutronics and thermal hydraulics solvers PROTEUS and Nek5000 in the SHARP toolkit are coupled to perform the multi-physics simulations for HCF evaluation. The HCFs induced by cladding manufacturing tolerance, fissile content mal-distribution, wire orientation and uncertainties on the cladding, coolant, and fuel properties are evaluated for a reference core SFR design (AFR-100). The HCFs calculated with the SHARP toolkit are compared to legacy HCFs for similar reactor types. The comparison demonstrates the reduction or elimination of modeling uncertainties in the calculation of HCFs using high fidelity advanced modeling and simulation tools without the need of expensive experiments. Moreover, the reduction of the uncertainties on HCFs evaluation allows an increase in nominal parameters and safety margin, which in turn improves the economic competitiveness of the SFR.
Better Together: A Review and Recommendations to Optimize Research on Family Involvement in CBT for Anxiety and Related Disorders.

Abstract Anxiety and related disorders (ARDs) occur in an interpersonal context. Individuals with ARDs respond well to individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT); however, there is room for improvement. As such, family members may be included to “enhance” treatment outcomes, yet findings from studies examining family involvement in CBT for ARDs are equivocal. The present paper (a) identifies methodological considerations for explaining inconsistent outcomes among CBT for ARDs with family involvement, and (b) reviews factors that affect outcomes of CBT for ARDs with family involvement including levels of involvement in treatment (e.g., number, duration, and spacing of sessions) and characteristics of who is involved in treatment (e.g., family member cognitions and cultural factors). Limitations of the literature and recommendations for future research are discussed. Researchers should focus on conducting studies that can test not whether but for whom and how family involvement can contribute to improved outcomes above and beyond individual CBT for ARDs.
Biofilm Sampling for Detection of Cryptosporidium Oocysts in a Southeastern Pennsylvania Watershed

ABSTRACT This study investigated the use of biofilms to monitor Cryptosporidium in water. Benthic rock and submersible slide biofilms were sampled upstream and downstream of point sources in a suburban watershed in southeastern Pennsylvania. More oocysts were detected in biofilms scraped from rocks downstream than upstream of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) (19 versus 5, respectively; n = 1). Although not statistically significant, Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected more frequently, and in greater numbers, in biofilms grown on slides downstream than upstream of this same WWTP (83.3% positive samples [n = 12] versus 45.5% positive samples [n = 11], respectively; P = 0.0567). Similarly, Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected more frequently, and in greater numbers, in rock biofilms collected downstream than upstream of a stormwater outfall impacted by defective sewer laterals (50% positive samples downstream and 17% positive samples upstream; n = 6; P = 0.2207). While oocyst detection data obtained by slide biofilms versus filters did not necessarily agree on a given day, there was no seasonal difference in the frequency of oocyst detection (P > 0.05) or numbers of oocysts detected (P > 0.05) whether the water was monitored by filtration or slide biofilm sampling. Within any given season, there was no difference in the frequency of oocyst detection (P > 0.05) or the numbers of oocysts detected (P > 0.05) whether the water was monitored by filtration or slide biofilm sampling. These data show that oocyst detection in biofilms is comparable to oocyst detection in filtered water samples. Biofilm sampling offers significant cost savings compared to the filtration-based EPA Method 1623.1 and could be used to identify watershed locations at potential risk for increased oocyst loads. IMPORTANCE Monitoring Cryptosporidium occurrence in watersheds that provide drinking water is necessary to determine where limited resources should most effectively be directed to protect consumers from waterborne exposure to pathogenic oocysts. Biofilms are a useful tool to monitor complex watersheds and identify point sources of Cryptosporidium oocyst contamination that need to be managed to protect public health. Compared to EPA Method 1623.1, the cost benefit of using biofilms to monitor for Cryptosporidium contamination will enable utilities to sample water supplies more frequently, and at more locations, than is currently possible given limited operating budgets. Biofilm sampling could be used to identify high-risk regions within a large, complex watershed and the associated water treatment plants at potential risk for increased oocyst loads in the water supply; this information could then be used to select the locations within the watershed where the more expensive EPA Method 1623.1 is warranted.
UVR-sensor wearable device intervention to improve sun behaviors and reduce sunburns in melanoma survivors: study protocol of a parallel-group randomized controlled trial.

Individuals who have been diagnosed with melanoma have more than a 9-fold increased risk of developing another melanoma. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure following a melanoma diagnosis can be modified to reduce risk of a new melanoma diagnosis. Yet research shows that many melanoma survivors do not report optimal sun protection practices. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a UVR-sensor wearable device to improve sun protection behaviors and reduce sunburns in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in melanoma survivors. We will conduct an RCT among 368 melanoma survivors in two waves (Summer 2020, Summer 2021). This approach allows for adequate recruitment of the required sample and potential improvements to recruitment, compliance, and retention strategies between waves. The intervention includes an informational brochure about sun protection behaviors and a commercially available UVR-sensor wearable device (Shade), which accurately measures UVR. The device, along with its associated mobile application, measures and stores UVR exposure. As UVR exposure accumulates, the device provides notifications to increase sun protection action. Survivors in the control group receive the device and a separate mobile application that does not provide notifications or summary UVR exposure data. Participants will be asked to wear the device for 12 weeks. They will complete surveys about their sun behaviors at study entry, every 4 weeks during the intervention, and 1 year later. At the end of the intervention period, intervention and control groups will be compared for differences in a summary measure of sun protection habits and experience of a sunburn. We will also measure self-reported physical activity, depression, and anxiety to examine potential unintended negative consequences of the intervention. The study intervention will be completed Fall 2021, with anticipated results available in 2022. If this intervention improves sun protection behaviors in melanoma survivors, these findings would support expanding the use of this technology with other populations at high risk for melanoma. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03927742 . Registered on April 15, 2019.