cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Short and Long-Term Outcomes of Titanium Clip Ossiculoplasty.

OBJECTIVE To report short (∼4 mo) and long-term (>12 mo) audiometric outcomes following ossiculoplasty using a titanium clip partial ossicular reconstruction prosthesis. METHODS Case series at a single tertiary referral center reviewing 130 pediatric and adult patients with conductive hearing loss (CHL) secondary to chronic otitis media (n = 121, 93%) or traumatic ossicular disruption (n = 9, 7%) who underwent partial ossiculoplasty from January 2005 to December 2015 with the CliP prosthesis. RESULTS At both short and long-term follow-up, postoperative air-bone gap (ABG) was significantly improved (18 dB HL, IQ range 13-26, p < 0.0001 and 18 dB HL, IQ range 13-29, p = 0.0002, respectively) when compared with preoperative values (29 dB HL, IQ range 19-37). No significant change in ABG was noted when comparing short and long-term intervals (18 versus 18 dB HL, p = 0.44). Fifty seven percent of cases (51/89) achieved a long-term ABG less than or equal to 20 dB at the time of their last follow-up. The extrusion and displacement rates were 1.5% (2/130), and 0.8% (1/130), respectively. There were no cases of iatrogenic sensorineural hearing loss. CONCLUSIONS Partial ossiculoplasty with the titanium CliP produces good hearing outcomes with a favorable safety profile. At long-term follow-up (minimum of 12 mo), median ABG was 18 dB and remained stable when compared with short-term follow-up. The majority of patients had successful long-term results, with 57% of patients achieving an ABG is less than or equal to 20 dB. Low rates of extrusion (1.5%) and prosthesis displacement off the stapes (0.8%) support the long-term stability of the CliP prosthesis in the middle ear.
The temperature dependence of respiration and ATPase in rat liver mitochondria is altered by ethanol.

We studied hepatic mitochondria to determine the effects of ethanol in vitro and of chronic ethanol consumption on the temperature dependence (10°–45°C) of a) substrate oxidation, and b) ATP hydrolysis, with or without CCCP. Arrhenius plots showed the characteristic breaks around 20°C both for electron transport and ATP hydrolysis with high energy of activation at low temperature and low energy of activation at high temperature. Ethanol, in vitro generally lowered the energy of activation at high temperature and shifted the break in the Arrhenius plots to lower temperatures suggesting an increase in membrane fluidity. At 40°C and above ethanol accelerated electron transport and greatly stimulated ATPase activity. In mitochondria from ethanol-fed rats, Arrhenius plots showed a shift in the breaks to a higher temperature, a finding which suggests a change in membrane structure, possibly associated with decreased fluidity. This may be an adaption of the mitochondrial membranes to counter the effect of ethanol on membrane structure.
Charakterisierung und Bewertung des interindustriellen Informationstransfers in der Automobilzulieferindustrie

In diesem Kapitel werden mit Hilfe univariates zweidimensionaler Testverfahren die zentralen Hypothesen dieser Arbeit uberpruft. Zusatzlich wird auf spezielle Merkmale des interindustriellen Informationstransfers in der Automobilzulieferindustrie eingegangen. Somit besitzt die empirische Studie, trotz der aufgezeigten kausalen Zusammenhange zwischen den ausgewahlten Einflusgrosen und dem interindustriellen Transferverhalten von Unternehmen, auch einen explorativen und deskriptiven Charakter.
Microstructure Formation in Rapidly Solidified Alloys

In order to apply solidification theory to the interpretation of micro- structures produced by rapid solidification, several modifications are required. Different degrees of non-equilibrium occur during solidification and constitute a hierarchy which is followed with increasing solidification rate. Analytical expressions are given for a model of non-equilibrium interface conditions which describe the temperatures and compositions at the liquid solid interface as a function of solidification velocity. For solidification at intermediate veloicities (≃10 cm/s) the assumption of local interfacial equilibrium remains valid but microstructures are often produced under conditions where the solute Peclet number Pc= V1/2D, is greater than one. The parameters V, 1 and D are the solidification velocity, relevant microstruetural length scale and liquid diffusion coefficient respectively. This fact requires that several topics in solidification theory be modified. Such a modification is presented for alloy dendritic growth theory. For alloys solidifying dendritically into undercooled melts, solute redistribution dominates the relatinship between growth rate and initial undercooling when the initial undercooling is smaller than the alloy freezing range (difference between liquidus and solidus temperatures). This fact has several important consequences for the eutectic coupled zone boundaries and for arrayed dendritic growth.
Case Analysis IV: A Cross-Tradition Examination—Philosophical Concern with Truth in Classical Daoism

It is philosophically interesting and significant to explore the philosophical concern with truth from a vantage point that crosses traditions, instead of looking at it exclusively within one single philosophical tradition (i.e., the Western philosophical tradition). Such exploration can not only enhance our understanding of the nature, scope and characteristics of the philosophical concern with truth but also provide alternative perspectives to our treatment of some of the involved issues. Clearly, the current essay has neither space nor capacity to exhaustively examine all the relevant endeavors in various philosophical traditions. I will focus on the case in the Chinese philosophical tradition. This focus has one more reason: it is especially philosophically interesting and significant to explore the case in Chinese philosophy for the following consideration.
The potentiometric titration of mercury(II) with cetylpyridinium chloride

New precipitation titrations have been evaluated for the determination of mercury(II) in acid solution and for mercuric cyanide solutions. In acid or neutral solutions the mercuric ion was converted to the bromo complex by addition of excess potassium bromide. Mercuric cyanide was converted to the tetracyano complex by addition of an excess of potassium cyanide. In both cases the complex anions were titrated potentiometrically vs. 0.01M cetyl-pyridinium chloride. Emf's were monitored with a “home-made” graphite sensor coated with a solution containing poly(vinyl chloride) and dioctylphthalate in tetrahydrofuran and a single-junction reference electrode.
Application of Dynamic Flux Analysis in Plant Metabolic Networks

Metabolic networks are composed of metabolic pathways that consist of biochemical reaction steps. The functionality of pathways within a network is determined by metabolic fluxes, defined as the amount of converted metabolite per unit of time, per cell (or per unit mass of tissue), through each biochemical step within a metabolic pathway. The flux through a pathway depends on the kinetic properties of enzymes, as well as on their cellular levels and activities, which are regulated by gene expression, posttranscriptional, translational, and/or posttranslational modifications, and enzyme stability. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) is a tool that has traditionally been used in microbial systems to assess the effects of environmental and targeted genetic changes on in vivo rates of metabolites synthesis. MFA can be used to gauge the degree of success of specific genetic interventions aimed at diverting metabolic flux to desirable products. The techniques of MFA have therefore become important tools in metabolic engineering and systems biology. To fully understand how a cell functions, analysis needs to include not only a description of its molecular parts, which can be obtained from molecular biology methods, but also a description of flux distributions within the complex and dynamic metabolic networks [26]. As will be discussed in the next section, MFA via computer modeling of metabolism can provide information about the proximity of certain compounds to one another, the contribution of a pathway or part of a pathway to end products, the existence of storage pools, and regulation and reversibility of reactions. The established steady-state metabolic flux analysis methods used in microbial systems are difficult to apply to higher plant metabolic systems due to large, slowly turning-over metabolite pools, a high degree of compartmentation, and duplicate pathways located in different organelles (see Chapter 9). Furthermore, steady-state
Screening for Sleep Apnea in Patients with Ischemic Stroke: A Quality Improvement Project (P1.092)

Objective: In this quality improvement project, we aimed to increase sleep apnea screening rates in patients with ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) who were admitted to Hennepin County Medical Center. The objectives included: evaluating physician documentation of sleep apnea screening for ischemic stroke patients, developing effective algorithms/protocols to encourage/facilitate sleep apnea screening and documentation, and measuring the rate of documentation and referrals placed at discharge following interventions. Background: Sleep disordered breathing is an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke [1]. Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea with positive airway pressure improves neurologic recovery [2] and lowers future risk of ischemic stroke [3]. Design/Methods: Two sets of interventions were implemented, in July 2015 and March 2016: an education session for resident physicians and EPIC EMR stroke note template, and email reminders. Retrospective chart review was conducted for ischemic stroke and TIA patients discharged in September and October of 2014, 2015, and 2016 to capture sleep apnea screening and sleep referral data. Results: The rate of sleep apnea screening in ischemic stroke and TIA patients at discharge increased from 2.4% in Sep/Oct 2014 to 24.1% in Sep/Oct 2015 to 66.0% in Sep/Oct 2016. Conclusions: Implementation of an education session, stroke discharge note template, and email reminders were positively correlated with screening rates and referrals to the sleep clinic. Disclosure: Dr. Metzler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Irfan has nothing to disclose.
What gives them the right? Legal privilege and waivers of consent for research:

Waivers of informed consent for research participation are permitted in the United States under the Common Rule, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations, and the US Food and Drug Administration's Exception from Informed Consent rule for emergency research. We assess the novel question regarding what legal right researchers have to carry out research procedures on or about another person, be it experimental medical intervention, psychological or social manipulation, or invasion of privacy, without the permission of their subjects. Our analysis frames waivers of consent as a species of presumed consent, and we address the underlying empirical question of whether it is reasonable to believe that subjects from whom no consent is sought would in fact agree, if asked. A scoping review of what is known about participation and refusal rates in United States-based research suggests that a large minority, on average, do not agree to take part in research. Refusal rates vary widely. This suggests that, while researchers may assert the social utility of their studies are high enough to justify waivers, there is reason to suspect that many who would be enrolled under a waiver of consent would not want to be enrolled. We conclude that waivers should be rare and that institutional review boards and researchers must explicitly address study acceptability in the community at large and the target population of their proposed research.
Inexact Trust-Region Methods for PDE-Constrained Optimization

Numerical solution of optimization problems with partial differential equation (PDE) constraints typically requires inexact objective function and constraint evaluations, derivative approximations, and the use of iterative linear system solvers. Over the last 30 years, trust-region methods have been extended to rigorously, robustly, and efficiently handle various sources of inexactness in the optimization process. In this chapter, we review some of the recent advances, discuss their key algorithmic contributions, and present numerical examples that demonstrate how inexact computations can be exploited to enable the solution of large-scale PDE-constrained optimization problems.
UNIT 18.9 Phosphopeptide Mapping and Identification of Phosphorylation Sites

This unit describes a procedure for proteolytic digestion of a 32P-labeled protein, followed by separation of the digestion products in two dimensions on a TLC plate, which gives rise to a phosphopeptide map. Phosphopeptides present on the TLC plate are visualized by autoradiography. These maps give information about the number of phosphate-containing peptides in the digest, and this is related to the number of phosphorylation sites present in the protein. Phosphopeptide maps can also be used to find out whether the sites of phosphorylation on a protein change upon treatment of cells with certain agents. Procedures are also provided for the identification of the sites of phosphorylation from the phosphopeptide maps. A support protocol details purification of phosphopeptides by HPLC and subsequent analysis by mass spectrometry or peptide microsequencing.
Psychiatric Evaluation of Children and Adolescents: It Takes Time

Psychiatrists know that it takes longer to interview children and adolescents than adults. Child and adolescent psychiatrists are universally struck by how comparatively easy it is to interview an adult patient, whereas general psychiatrists face the evaluation of a child or adolescent with apprehension.
Unravelling US maternal mortality through critical discourse analysis

Objectives:Given that pregnancy health information seeking is common and considered impactful on health outcomes, the potential lack of fair and clear information within media may be an impediment ...
Evidence of a topological Hall effect in Eu1−xSmxTiO3

We report on the observation of a possible topological Hall effect in thin films of the itinerant ferromagnet Eu1−xSmxTiO3. EuTiO3 and Eu0.955Sm0.045TiO3 films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The EuTiO3 film is insulating. The Hall resistivity of the Eu0.955Sm0.045TiO3 films exhibits the anomalous Hall effect below the Curie temperature of ∼5 K and additional features that appear at 2 K. It is shown that these features are magnetic in origin and consistent with the topological Hall effect seen in material systems with topologically nontrivial spin textures such as skyrmions. The results open up interesting possibilities for epitaxial hybrid heterostructures that combine topological magnetic states, tunable carrier densities, and other phenomena.
Preclinical efficacy of dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor AZD8055 in renal cell carcinoma harboring a TFE3 gene fusion.

Renal cell carcinomas (RCC) harboring a TFE3 gene fusion (TfRCC) represent an aggressive subset of kidney tumors. Key signaling pathways of TfRCC are unknown and preclinical in vivo data are lacking. We investigated Akt/mTOR pathway activation and the preclinical efficacy of dual mTORC1/2 versus selective mTORC1 inhibition in TfRCC. Levels of phosphorylated Akt/mTOR pathway proteins were compared by immunoblot in TfRCC and clear cell RCC (ccRCC) cell lines. Effects of the mTORC1 inhibitor, sirolimus, and the dual mTORC1/2 inhibitor, AZD8055, on Akt/mTOR activation, cell cycle progression, cell viability and cytotoxicity were compared in TfRCC cells. TfRCC xenograft tumor growth in mice was evaluated after 3-week treatment with oral AZD8055, intraperitoneal sirolimus and respective vehicle controls. The Akt/mTOR pathway was activated to a similar or greater degree in TfRCC than ccRCC cell lines and persisted partly during growth factor starvation, suggesting constitutive activation. Dual mTORC1/2 inhibition with AZD8055 potently inhibited TfRCC viability (IC50 = 20-50 nM) due at least in part to cell cycle arrest, while benign renal epithelial cells were relatively resistant (IC50 = 400 nM). Maximal viability reduction was greater with AZD8055 than sirolimus (80–90% versus 30–50%), as was the extent of Akt/mTOR pathway inhibition, based on significantly greater suppression of P-Akt (Ser473), P-4EBP1, P-mTOR and HIF1α. In mouse xenograft models, AZD8055 achieved significantly better tumor growth inhibition and prolonged mouse survival compared to sirolimus or vehicle controls. Akt/mTOR activation is common in TfRCC and a promising therapeutic target. Dual mTORC1/2 inhibition suppresses Akt/mTOR signaling more effectively than selective mTORC1 inhibition and demonstrates in vivo preclinical efficacy against TFE3-fusion renal cell carcinoma.
A 42.2-Gb/s 4.3-pJ/b 60-GHz Digital Transmitter With 12-b/Symbol Polarization MIMO

The unlicensed 57–71-GHz wireless spectrum offers high throughput and scalable personal area connectivity. To implement high-speed energy-efficient signaling, we present a power back-off-efficient digital polar transmitter (TX) supporting multi-gigasymbol per second switching rates and higher order modulations up to orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) 64-QAM. Pulse shaping of the direct digitally modulated waveform outputs for spectral filtering is achieved in low power with a low oversampling ratio and analog filtering. Channel bonding and selection is supported with a frequency configurable local oscillator (LO) chain. Multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is implemented with low area overhead using a differential dual-polarization (DP) printed circuit board (PCB) antenna supporting simultaneous vertical/horizontal (V/H)-polarization data streams and high cross-polarization (X-pol) isolation. The 0.9-V 28-nm CMOS TX prototype with polarization MIMO achieves up to 42-Gb/s throughput at 4.3-pJ/b efficiency and 12 b/symbol of OFDM/single-carrier (SC) signaling.
A Novel Method for Teaching Key Steps of Strabismus Surgery in the Wet Lab

1. Morad Y, Kowal L, Scott AB. Lateral rectus muscle disinsertion and reattachment to the lateral orbital wall. Br J Ophthalmol 2005;89:983–5. 2. Goldberg RA, Rosenbaum AL, Tong JT. Use of apically based periosteal flaps as globe tethers in severe paretic strabismus. Arch Ophthalmol 2000;118:431–7. 3. Villasenor Solares J, Riemann BI, Romanelli Zuazo AC, Riemann CD. Ocular fixation to nasal periosteum with a superior oblique tendon in patients with third nerve palsy. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 2000;37:260–5. 4. Salazar-Leon JA, Ramirez-Ortiz MA, Salas-Vargas M. The surgical correction of paralytic strabismus using fascia lata. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 1998;35:27–32. 5. Bicas HE. A surgically implanted elastic band to restore paralyzed ocular rotations. J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus 1991;28:10–3. 6. Srivastava KK, Sundaresh K, Vijayalakshmi P. A new surgical technique for ocular fixation in congenital third nerve palsy. J AAPOS 2004;8:371–7. 7. Sharma P, Gogoi M, Kedar S, Bhola R. Periosteal fixation in thirdnerve palsy. J AAPOS 2006;10:324–7. 8. Velez FG,ThackerN, BrittMT,AlcornD, Foster RS, RosenbaumAL. Rectus muscle orbital wall fixation: a reversible profound weakening procedure. J AAPOS 2004;8:473–80.
Proximal and Distal Gastric Retention Patterns in Gastroparesis and the Impact of Gastric Per-Oral Endoscopic Myotomy: A Retrospective Analysis Using Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy

Gastroparesis is a debilitating disease of insufficient gastric emptying and visceral hypersensitivity characterized by nausea, vomiting, early satiety, and bloating. Gastric emptying scintigraphy (GES), in combination with typical symptoms and normal esophagogastroduodenoscopy findings, is used to diagnose the disease. Gastric per-oral endoscopic pyloromyotomy (G-POEM) has emerged as a novel technique for treating gastroparesis, with up to an 80% success rate. This procedure involves myotomy of the distal stomach. We hypothesize that responders to this therapy are characterized by more distal dysmotility than nonresponders, as defined by GES retention patterns. Methods: We used regional gastric emptying measurements from diagnostic GES to determine the proximal or distal predominance of disease for each patient. We then compared treatment response and symptoms in each patient to total gastric half-emptying time (T½), proximal gastric T½, and a ratio comparing the 2 values. Results: In total, 47 patients underwent G-POEM during the study period. A significant difference (P < 0.01) was found in proximal-to-total T½ ratio between responders and nonresponders. A significant difference between pre- and postprocedural proximal-to-total T½ ratios was identified for each patient. No correlations were identified between motility patterns and symptoms or in motility patterns among the different etiologies of the disease. Conclusion: Proximal-to-total T½ ratio may represent an important patient selection factor for G-POEM versus other treatment modalities going forward. Local retention patterns in GES may not inform the symptom profile in gastroparesis.
PrEP talk: Media narratives and the terrifying sublime:

Despite the clinical success of Truvada-as-PrEP in preventing HIV transmission for several years, it has still not yet been widely adopted by the MSM community. Clinicians insist that the drug is s...
Diseases of the Liver: Primary Biliary Cholangitis

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic, autoimmune disease that results in destruction of intrahepatic bile ducts, ultimately leading to cirrhosis and liver failure. PBC is predominantly diagnosed in females between 40 and 60 years of age. While rare, the incidence and prevalence of PBC is increasing. Characteristic serologic findings include elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and antimitochondrial antibody (AMA) levels. Clinical manifestations of PBC include fatigue, pruritus, metabolic bone disease, hypercholesterolemia, malabsorption, anemia, and deficiencies of fat-soluble vitamins. Concomitant autoimmune diseases, including hypothyroidism, are often present. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the mainstay of therapy and has been shown to improve transplant-free survival. The use of adjunct therapies is becoming more prevalent, particularly in patients with an inadequate response to UDCA. Patients with advanced- or end-stage liver disease (ESLD) should be considered for liver transplantation (LT), which is associated with excellent graft and patient outcomes.
A THRESHOLD FOR ENHANCING HUMAN LIFE: anderson on capability and vulnerability

AbstractThis essay considers Pamela Sue Anderson’s work in relation to her participation in the Enhancing Life Project from 2015 until her death in 2017. Offering a critical interpretation and reco...
The Chemistry and Biology of Ferroptosis

Ferroptosis is a recently described form of cell death driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. This type of cell death was first observed in response to treatment of tumor cells with a small-molecule chemical probe named erastin. Most subsequent advances in understanding the mechanisms governing ferroptosis involved the use of genetic screens and small-molecule probes. We describe herein the utility and limitations of chemical probes that have been used to analyze and perturb ferroptosis, as well as mechanistic studies of ferroptosis that benefitted from the use of these probes and genetic screens. We also suggest probes for ferroptosis and highlight mechanistic questions surrounding this form of cell death that will be a high priority for exploration in the future.
Chapter 49 – Transforming Growth Factor-β

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF β). TGFβl is the prototype and the founding molecule for the TGFβ superfamily. This family has grown to include more than 40 members, including TGFβ isoforms, activins and inhibins, Mullerian inhibitory substance, growth differentiation factors (GDFs), and an ever increasing number of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs). Members of this superfamily appear to mediate many key events in growth and development maintained evolutionarily from fruit flies to mammals. The actions of these proteins are mediated through structurally similar serine/threonine kinase transmembrane receptors. TGFβl isoforms consist of four distinct proteins, which include TGFβ 1–3 and 5. TGFβ is a potent multifunctional cytokine whose major effects in the body appear to be as a regulator of cell growth, a stimulator of matrix production, and an inhibitor of the immune system. Although TGFβ stimulates the formation of osteoid, it actually suppresses the formation of mineral in osteoid. TGFβ also suppresses markers of the calcified matrix such as osteocalcin and inhibits osteocalcin expression in both fetal rat calvarial cells and ROS 17/2.8 cells. TGFβ appears to inhibit bone resorption by inhibiting the formation and activation of osteoclasts. In bone systems where TGFβ stimulates resorption, this effect is mediated by the generation of prostaglandin by TGFβ, possibly by the induction of prostaglandin synthase II in osteoblast cells. TGFβ may act on osteoclast precursors to inhibit their proliferation and their formation and may inhibit the resorption process of mature cells by inducing cell death.
Pilot-Aided Channel Estimation of ASTC UWB MB-OFDM system

Thanks to their algebraic construction, the Algebraic Space-Time Codes (ASTC), called the golden codes, are full-rank, full-rate and have the non-vanishing determinant property. The purpose of this work is to study the effects of channel estimation in Multi-Input-Multi-Output (MIMO) ultra-wideband (UWB) Multi-Band Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (MB-OFDM) system using ASTC codes under unknown UWB channel conditions. Methods for channel estimation using pilot symbols have been implemented using comb-type pilot subcarrier arrangements. The Least Squares (LS) and the Linear Minimum Mean-Square-Error (LMMSE) approaches supported by linear and spline cubic interpolations have been treated. Finally, BER performances of MIMO ASTC MB-OFDM system, under several propagation conditions and for different channel estimation methods, have been evaluated. In order to highlight the effectiveness of the proposed code, it will be shown that ASTC code can provide significantly better error performance compared to the classical Alamouti code in MIMO MB-OFDM system for LMMSE channel estimation method, at the same data rate.
Health Lifestyles and the Transition to Adulthood

Prior research has shown the theoretical importance and empirical feasibility of health lifestyles but has not examined their patterns over the life course or their dynamic associations with socioe...
A Green New Deal Financial Architecture

This chapter lays out the basic structure that a Green New Deal financing system must take. It does so not by building a new financial system from scratch, but by developing three far-reaching changes to our present system that will transform it. The first reform is a new National Investment Council (NIC) that will coordinate investment across sectors and industries within our economy. The second reform is to expand the Federal Reserve’s (Fed’s) current liability portfolio to include digitized taxpayer account wallets along with the private sector bank Reserve Accounts that it currently maintains. This expansion to a full People’s Fed will ensure that all have free digital banking. It will also afford, fee-free, a faster and more efficient, hence growth-friendly payments system, while affording the Fed a more efficient channel through which to conduct countercyclical monetary policy. The third reform will be the establishment of a Price Stabilization Fund, or ‘People’s Portfolio,’ through which the NIC or the Fed can modulate swings among systemically important prices. This will enable fine-grained price stability maintenance, a need that the Green New Deal’s operating in multiple industries will render acute from the point of view of both justice and sustainability.
A conformation-specific antibody against oligomeric β-amyloid restores neuronal integrity in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease

Conformationally distinct aggregates of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide accumulate in brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the roles of the different aggregates in disease progression are not clear. We previously isolated two single-chain variable domain antibody fragments (scFvs), C6T and A4, that selectively bind different toxic conformational variants of oligomeric Aβ. Here, we utilize these scFvs to localize the presence of these Aβ variants in human AD brain and to demonstrate their potential as therapeutic agents for treating AD. Both A4 and C6T label oligomeric Aβ in extracellular amyloid plaques, whereas C6T also labels intracellular oligomeric Aβ in human AD brain tissue and in an AD mouse model. For therapeutic studies, the A4 and C6T scFvs were expressed in the AD mice by viral infection of liver cells. The scFvs were administered at 2 months of age, and mice sacrificed at 9 months. The scFvs contained a peptide tag to facilitate transport across the blood brain barrier. While treatment with C6T only slightly decreased Aβ deposits and plaque-associated inflammation, it restored neuronal integrity to WT levels, significantly promoted growth of new neurons, and impressively rescued survival rates to WT levels. Treatment with A4 on the other hand significantly decreased Aβ deposits but did not significantly decrease neuroinflammation or promote neuronal integrity, neurogenesis, or survival rate. These results suggest that the specific Aβ conformation targeted in therapeutic applications greatly affects the outcome, and the location of the targeted Aβ variants may also play a critical factor.
SARS-CoV-2-Associated Guillain-Barre Syndrome Obscured by Diabetes Mellitus Peripheral Neuropathy

Multiple neurological complications, including Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS), have been reported in association with the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) outbreak. GBS has well-known associations with viruses such as influenza, human immunodeficiency virus, Zika, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus. Till date, there have been around 50 distinct published cases of GBS occurring concurrently or shortly after SARS-CoV-2 infection. This report describes the case of a 53-year-old male who presented with bilateral extremity paresthesias two weeks after a positive SARS-CoV-2 test. His symptoms were originally thought to be due to underlying diabetic peripheral neuropathy, but as they progressed, he was eventually diagnosed with SARS-CoV-2-associated GBS. Though GBS may not be a common sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus-associated peripheral neuropathy is high enough to warrant awareness and prompt recognition of neurological symptoms that deviate from the baseline in individuals with recent, confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Experiences as an expert witness for the Bovine Practitioner

Court cases involving cattle health problems are taking an increasing amount of my time, and I believe that enough bovine practitioners have been involved, are involved, or will be involved that the following may be of interest, and possibly some assistance to many.
Prior chronic alcohol exposure enhances Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer.

Abstract Alcohol dependence is associated with aberrant decision-making processes, particularly in the presence of alcohol-related environmental cues. For instance, alcohol cues can trigger alcohol seeking, consumption, and even relapse behavior. Recently, works have suggested that alcohol dependence may induce more general alterations in cued processes that support adaptive behavior, including enhanced cue control of volitional behavior unrelated to alcohol use. Here we examine this hypothesis by combining prior exposure to chronic intermittent ethanol and repeated withdrawal (CIE) procedures with a Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) task in mice. The PIT task entails training a Pavlovian association, separately training an instrumental contingency, and a final test during which the Pavlovian cue and instrumental action are combined for the first time. We first tested two variants of the PIT procedure in ethanol-naive mice, differing in part in the duration of Pavlovian conditioned cues (short or long). We found in the PIT test that the short cue procedure produced negative transfer, whereas the long cue procedure produced positive transfer. We then used the long cue variant to examine PIT behavior in mice previously exposed to either CIE or air vapor. We found that prior CIE exposure strengthened PIT behavior, with enhanced instrumental responding during presentation of the food-associated cue. We further found that this enhancement in CIE mice persisted even after devaluation of the food outcome. Our findings suggest that ethanol dependence can enhance the influence of reward-predictive cues on ongoing behavior. Greater non-alcohol cue control of behavior may reflect the effect of chronic ethanol exposure on neural circuitry critical for cue-guided behavior in general.
Cytologic features of sex cord-stromal tumors in women

Background Gynecologic sex cord-stromal tumors (SCSTs) arise from sex cords of the embryonic gonad and may display malignant behavior. We describe the cytomorphologic features of SCSTs in females, including adult and juvenile granulosa cell tumors (AGCTs and JGCTs), Sertoli-Leydig cell tumors (SLCTs), and steroid cell tumors (SCTs). Methods We retrieved available cytology slides from females with a histologic diagnosis of sex cord-stromal tumor between 2009 and 2020 from institutional archives and reviewed their cytoarchitectural features. Results There were 25, 2, 2, and 1 cytology specimens from 19, 2, 2, and 1 patients (aged 7-90 years, median 57 years) with AGCT, JGCT, SLCT, and SCT, respectively. Features common to all SCSTs included 3-dimensional groups, rosettes, rare papillary fragments, abundant single cells and naked nuclei. Rosettes and a streaming appearance of cell groups were only seen in AGCTs, which also rarely featured eosinophilic hyaline globules and metachromatic stroma. AGCTs exhibited high nuclear:cytoplasmic (N:C) ratios, with mild nuclear pleomorphism, uniform nuclei with finely granular chromatin, nuclear grooves and small nucleoli; in contrast, other SCSTs lacked rosettes and nuclear grooves and had generally lower N:C ratios, greater nuclear pleomorphism, coarse chromatin and more abundant cytoplasm. Mitotic figures, necrosis, and inflammation were rarely identified. Conclusions AGCTs show cytomorphologic features that are distinct from those of other SCSTs. Careful evaluation of the cytological features and ancillary studies (eg, immunochemistry for FOXL2, inhibin and calretinin, or sequencing for FOXL2 mutations) can aid in the accurate diagnosis of these tumors.
Prophylactic Topical Antibiotics in Fracture Repair and Spinal Fusion.

Introduction. The objective of this systematic review with meta-analysis is to determine whether prophylactic local antibiotics prevent surgical site infections (SSIs) in instrumented spinal fusions and traumatic fracture repair. A secondary objective is to investigate the effect of vancomycin, a common local antibiotic of choice, on the microbiology of SSIs. Methods. An electronic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases and major orthopedic surgery conferences was conducted to identify studies that (1) were instrumented spinal fusions or fracture repair and (2) had a treatment group that received prophylactic local antibiotics. Both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and comparative observational studies were included. Meta-analysis was performed separately for randomized and nonrandomized studies with subgroup analysis by study design and antibiotic. Results. Our review includes 44 articles (30 instrumented spinal fusions and 14 fracture repairs). Intrawound antibiotics significantly decreased the risk of developing SSIs in RCTs of fracture repair (RR 0.61, 95% CI: 0.40–0.93, I2 = 32.5%) but not RCTs of instrumented spinal fusion. Among observational studies, topical antibiotics significantly reduced the risk of SSIs in instrumented spinal fusions (OR 0.34, 95% CI: 0.27–0.43, I2 = 52.4%) and in fracture repair (OR 0.49, 95% CI: 0.37–0.65, I2 = 43.8%). Vancomycin powder decreased the risk of Gram-positive SSIs (OR 0.37, 95% CI: 0.27–0.51, I2 = 0.0%) and had no effect on Gram-negative SSIs (OR 0.95, 95% CI: 0.62–1.44, I2 = 0.0%). Conclusions. Prophylactic intrawound antibiotic administration decreases the risk of SSIs in fracture surgical fixation in randomized studies. Therapeutic efficacy in instrumented spinal fusion was seen in only nonrandomized studies. Vancomycin appears to be an effective agent against Gram-positive pathogens. There is no evidence that local vancomycin powder is associated with an increased risk for Gram-negative infection.
Gentrification and Segregated Wealth in Rural America: Home Value Sorting in Destination Counties

The term “gentrification” carries conflicting popular connotations, conjuring images of both revitalization and displacement. Despite a rich critical literature from urban social scientists, gentrification as it relates to rural housing and rural development is a similarly conflicted term. With the frequent conflation of rural gentrification and economic improvement, researchers and policy-makers alike need more nuanced techniques for identifying how the process distributes costs and benefits across households. This paper operationalizes rural gentrification as a specific demographic pattern of household migration, termed the “Rural Gentrification Score,” and maps its footprint between 1980 and 2000 in 25 US states. It then uses census data to better understand the impacts of rural gentrification on home values in rural counties, interrogating the popular notion that homeowners benefit from gentrification. Using comparative analyses, two related hypotheses about rural gentrification and inequality are explored: (1) that gentrified rural counties were susceptible to greater home value segregation and (2) that over time gentrification’s spread culminated in greater homogeneity of home values. Results support each of these hypotheses and point to nuances in the relationship between population turnover, inequality, and socioeconomic context. Most notably the findings highlight a spatial and temporal pattern of widening wealth inequality in gentrifying rural counties.
Stereochemistry of electroreductions

Summary The polarographic behavior of dichloromaleic acid, chloromaleic acid, dichlorofumaric acid and chlorofumaric acid has been investigated over a wide range of pH. In strong acid, chloromaleic and chlorofumaric acids are reduced in a 2-electron process to give chlorosuccinic acid as the product. The dichloromaleic and dichlorofumaric acids are reduced in two 2-electron steps to give a mixture of chloromaleic and chlorofumaric acids as intermediates which are then reduced to chlorosuccinic acid. As the pH is increased, the chloromaleic acid and chlorofumaric acid are reduced further to succinic acid; the extent of this reaction increases as the pH is increased. A mechanism is proposed to explain the experimental results which involves a potential-determining step for the reduction of the double bond, and competing processes for the addition of a proton or the elimination of a group are then suggested. In the case of the chloro-derivatives, chloride is eliminated to give chloromaleic and chlorofumaric acids. As the pH is raised, a second elimination reaction successfully competes with the protonation to give maleic or fumaric acids as intermediates and then succinic acid as the final product of reduction.
Impact of casino gambling on individual bankruptcy rates from 1990 to 2002

Past research has ignored the impact of a casino on personal bankruptcy rates over time. Using simple descriptive statistics and regression analysis, this study examines the impact of casinos and casino tenure on bankruptcy rates from 1990 to 2002. This analysis indicates that, after an initial increase in personal bankruptcy rates, counties that legalized casino gambling experienced lower personal bankruptcy rates during the first several years of casino operations. However those rates then increase, rising above those of non-casino counties after nine years of operations. By the thirteenth year of casino operations, the estimated bankruptcies per 1,000 population are 6.7 for counties that added casinos compared to 5.2 for a non-casino counties. For the period of time covered by this analysis, this amounts to a compound annual growth rate in personal bankruptcies which is 2.3 percent higher for the county that added a casino than for an equivalent non-casino county.
Permuting Information in Idealized Two-Level Storage

Assume a computer with a (relatively) slow and large memory consisting of pages, each with a capacity of p records. Available operations for manipulating information in slow memory are limited to selecting two pages, forming a subset, of size at most p, from the union of the two pages, and storing this subset in a third page.
Floc Formation by Azospirillum lipoferum Grown on Poly-β-Hydroxybutyrate

Abstract Azospirillum lipoferum RG6xx was grown under conditions similar to those resulting in encystment of Azotobacter spp. A. lipoferum produced cells of uniform shape when grown on nitrogen-free β-hydroxybutyrate agar. Cells accumulated poly-β-hydroxybutyrate and often grew as chains or filaments that eventually lost motility and formed capsules. Within 1 week, vegetative A. lipoferum inocula were converted into microflocs arising from filaments or chains. Cells within microflocs were pleomorphic, contained much poly-β-hydroxybutyrate, and were encapsulated. Some cells had a cystlike morphology. Up to 57% of the dry weight of encapsulated flocs was poly-β-hydroxybutyrate, whereas vegetative cells grown in broth with combined nitrogen had only 3% of their dry weight as poly-β-hydroxybutyrate. Neither encapsulated cells in flocs nor nonencapsulated vegetative cells were significantly desiccation resistant. Under starvation conditions (9 days) only 25% of encapsulated cells remained viable, whereas vegetative cells multiplied severalfold. In short-term germination experiments with encapsulated flocs, nitrate, ammonium, and soil extract promoted formation of motile vegetative cells. Most cells in treatments lacking combined nitrogen eventually depleted their visible poly-β-hydroxybutyrate reserves without germinating. The remaining cells retained the reserve polymer and underwent size reduction.
Marriage in Japan: attitudes, intentions, and perceived barriers

Susan L. Brown, Ph.D., Advisor The average age at first marriage in Japan has been increasing over the decades, and is now one of the highest in the world at 29 years old for women and 30 years old for men in 2008 (Statistics Bureau, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, 2009). Later marriages accelerate the declining total fertility rate in Japan (Klitsch, 1994) due to the rarity of nonmarital childbearing (Rindfuss, Choe, Bumpass, & Tsuya, 2004). Using data from the Japan 2000 National Survey on Family and Economic Conditions (Tsuya, Bumpass, & Rindfuss, 2008, N = 4,482), this study explored the views of Japanese young adults on marriage and family. First, I investigated never married individuals’ attitudes toward marriage and childbearing. I found that Japanese singles generally did not strongly believe in the centrality of marriage in life nor did they perceive strong connections between marriage and childbearing. Nevertheless, single women tended to have less traditional attitudes toward various aspects of marriage and childbearing, relative to single men. Second, marriage intentions among both men and women were examined, and Japanese singles expressed relatively strong marriage intentions. Notably, women had stronger marriage intentions than men. Finally, I investigated gender differences in perceived barriers to marriage, particularly in the domains of (1) economic resources, (2) agreement on wives’ employment, (3) pressure to have a child soon after marriage, and (4) pressure to co-reside or to have close relationships with parents-in-law. Women were more likely than men to view economic resources, agreement on wives’ employment, and pressure to live with or have close relationships with in-laws as barriers to marriage. Japanese young adults did not strongly view pressure to have a child soon after marriage as a barrier to marriage. The results from this research contribute to new information on
Complement factor C5a exerts an anti-inflammatory effect in acute pancreatitis and associated lung injury

Complement factor C5a acting via C5a receptors (C5aR) is recognized as an anaphylotoxin and chemoattractant that exerts proinflammatory effects in many pathological states. The effects of C5a and C5aR in acute pancreatitis and in pancreatitis-associated lung injury were evaluated using genetically altered mice that either lack C5aR or do not express C5. Pancreatitis was induced by administration of 12 hourly injections of cerulein (50 μg/kg ip). The severity of pancreatitis was determined by measuring serum amylase, neutrophil sequestration in the pancreas, and acinar cell necrosis. The severity of lung injury was evaluated by measuring neutrophil sequestration in the lung and pulmonary microvascular permeability. In both strains of genetically altered mice, the severity of pancreatitis and pancreatitis-associated lung injury was greater than that noted in the comparison wild-type strains of C5aR- and C5-sufficient animals. This exacerbation of injury in the absence of C5a function indicates that, in pancreatitis, C5a exerts an anti-inflammatory effect. Potentially, C5a and its receptor are capable of both promoting and reducing the extent of acute inflammation.
Carbon nanostructures as nerve scaffolds for repairing large gaps in severed nerves

Abstract As the field of nerve tissue engineering advances, new biomaterials and structures are required to improve the regeneration of damaged nerves. Carbon nanostructures have been recognized as potential candidates to develop neural prostheses due to their one-dimensional nanostructures and similar nanoscale dimensions to neuritis as well as their unique electrical and mechanical properties when being used as a scaffold. This review addresses the promising application of carbon nanostructures in the repair of injured nerves. As a new viewpoint, the possibility of utilizing carbon nanostructures to repair a long gap in a severed nerve will be discussed as well.
Toll-like receptor 4 antagonist (E5564) prevents the chronic airway response to inhaled lipopolysaccharide

Although chronic inhalation of endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) causes all of the classic features of asthma, including airway hyperreactivity, airway inflammation, and airway remodeling, the ...
Central nervous system-acting agents and the treatment of erectile and sexual dysfunction

Recent animal studies have resulted in newer central nervous system (CNS)-acting agents for the treatment of sexual dysfunction in men and women. CNS stimulation and control of sexual function primarily originates in the hypothalamus, medial preoptic area, and paraventricular nucleus. Neurotransmitters responsible for sexual function, such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, can be manipulated pharmacologically. Early clinical trials and use of apomorphine have shown limited success and acceptance among patients, especially after the introduction of agents with improved efficacy and tolerability such as phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors. Newer CNS-acting agents such as bremelanotide show significant promise in bringing to clinical practice a group of centrally acting agents to supplement the treatment of erectile dysfunction. CNS-acting agents also show promise in treating female sexual dysfunction. Further, development of selective dopamine receptor agonists, melatonin agonists, and other CNS stimulatory or inhibitory agents may lead to improved treatment of sexual dysfunction in men and women.