cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of photobiological H2 production: the O2 sensitivity of hydrogenases

The search for the ultimate carbon-free fuel has intensified in recent years, with a major focus on photoproduction of H2. Biological sources of H2 include oxygenic photosynthetic green algae and cyanobacteria, both of which contain hydrogenase enzymes. Although algal and cyanobacterial hydrogenases perform the same enzymatic reaction through metallo-clusters, their hydrogenases have evolved separately, are expressed differently (transcription of algal hydrogenases is anaerobically induced, while bacterial hydrogenases are constitutively expressed), and display different sensitivity to O2 inactivation. Among various physiological factors, the sensitivity of hydrogenases to O2 has been one of the major factors preventing implementation of biological systems for commercial production of renewable H2. This review addresses recent strategies aimed at engineering increased O2 tolerance into hydrogenases (as of now mainly unsuccessful), as well as towards the development of methods to bypass the O2 sensitivity of hydrogenases (successful but still yielding low solar conversion efficiencies). The author concludes with a description of current approaches from various laboratories to incorporate multiple genetic traits into either algae or cyanobacteria to jointly address limiting factors other than the hydrogenase O2 sensitivity and achieve more sustained H2 photoproduction activity.
Torsional Failure of Carbon Fiber Composite Plates Versus Stainless Steel Plates for Comminuted Distal Fibula Fractures

Background:Carbon fiber composite implants are gaining popularity in orthopedics, but with few independent studies of their failure characteristics under supra-physiologic loads. The objective of this cadaveric study was to compare torsional failure properties of bridge plating a comminuted distal fibula fracture with carbon fiber polyetheretherketone (PEEK) composite and stainless steel one-third tubular plates.Methods:Comminuted fractures were simulated in 12 matched pairs of fresh-frozen human fibulas with 2-mm osteotomies located 3 cm proximal to the tibiotalar joint. Each fibula pair was randomized for fixation and implanted with carbon fiber and stainless steel 5-hole one-third tubular plates. The constructs were loaded in external rotation at a rate of 1-degree/sec until failure with a materials testing system. Torsional stiffness and mode of failure, as well as displacement, torque, and energy absorption for the first instance of failure and peak failure, were determined. Statistical analysis was ...
A Linear Model of Processing Path in Cubic-Orthotropic System

Modeling the texture evolution in polycrystalline materials during thermomechanical processing is an important aspect of the newly developed design methodology, microstructure sensitive design (MSD). The texture coefficients are used in this study as a representation of microstructure and their evolution describes the processing path. A new methodology based on a conservation principle in orientation space is utilized in this work to model the processing path in cubic-orthotropic system. Least squares error method was used to improve the accuracy of simulation results from the processing path function developed in this study. The processing path function developed in this study empowers the MSD users to find out how to optimize and tailor microstructures with desired properties.
Earnings Management and CEO Cash Compensation

Using firms' cash compensation data, we examine the empirical relationship between earnings management and the weight placed on accounting performance measure in compensation. Our results indicate that the weight on accounting income in compensation decreases as the tendency of using discretionary accruals increases. A plausible interpretation of the findings is that compensation committees view the managers' use of discretionary accruals as providing crude measure of managers' and firm performance and they actively intervene to reduce the ability of executives to manipulate compensation by lowering the weight on accounting performance.
Immune-mediated viral clearance from the CNS without collateral damage

![Figure][1] Insight from Christoph Konradt (left) and Christopher Hunter (right) The events that lead to the control of many infections are frequently associated with immune-mediated collateral damage to surrounding cells and tissues. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the central
Numerical simulation of a 2D electrothermal pump by lattice Boltzmann method on GPU

ABSTRACTElectrothermal flow in a microfluidic system is a fast-developing technology because of the advancement in micro-electro-mechanical systems. The motion is driven by the electrothermal force generated by the AC electric field and non-uniform temperature distribution inside the system. Electrothermal force can be explored for pumps in microfluidic systems. In this paper, the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) is used to simulate a 2D electrothermal pump. As an alternative numerical method for fluid dynamics, LBM has many advantages compared with traditional CFD methods, such as its suitability for parallel computation. With its parallel characteristic, LBM is well fitted to the parallel hardware in graphic processor units (GPU). To save computational time in parametric studies, a CUDA code was developed for executing parallel computation. The comparison of computational time between CPU and GPU is presented to demonstrate the advantage of using GPU. The effects of the frequency, thermal boundary conditi...
Renal kallikrein excretion: role of ethnicity, gender, environment, and genetic risk of hypertension

Renal kallikrein excretion: role of ethnicity, gender, environment, and genetic risk of hypertension
The analysis and fractionation of LH 125 I by gel filtration.

SummaryGel filtration can be used to fractionate LH125I into three components: aggregate, monomer, and subunit. Only the monomer has satisfactory immunoreactivity. The plot of logit 100 B/Bo vs nanograms unlabeled hormone is linear over the range of the standard curve. The slope deviated from the theoretical value of —2.303, probably because of the use of an excess amount of specific antiserum. The high resolution gel filtration used provides an assessment of the quality of the LH125I on the day of preparation, and can also be used over a period of 7-8 weeks to isolate sufficient immunoreactive monomer from the heterogeneous stock solution to perform radioimmunoassays.
Ultrathin Platinum Films for Methanol and Formic Acid Oxidation: Activity as a Function of Film Thickness and Coverage

Self-terminating electrodeposition was used to grow ultrathin Pt overlayers on 111 textured Au thin films. The Pt thickness was digitally controlled by pulsed potential deposition that enabled the ...
Visual Omics Explorer (VOE): a Cross-Platform Portal for Interactive Data Visualization

MOTIVATION Given the abundance of genome sequencing and omics data, an opprtunity and challenge in bioinformatics relates to data mining and visualization. The majority of current bioinformatics visualizations are implemented either as multi-tier web server applications that require significant maintenance effort, or as client software that presumes technical expertise for installation. Here we present the Visual Omics Explorer (VOE), a cross-platform data visualization portal that is implemented using only HTML and Javascript code. VOE is a standalone software that can be loaded offline on the web browser from a local copy of the code, or over the internet without any dependency other than distributing the code through a file sharing service. VOE can interactively display genomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics and metagenomics data stored either locally or retrieved from cloud storage services, and runs on both desktop computers and mobile devices. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION VOE is accessible at http://bcil.github.io/VOE/ CONTACT: agbiotec@gmail.com SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Analysis on outcome of 60 cases of HBsAg positive carriers and HBV infection among their family members in Wuhua county

Objective To investigate the outcome of HBsAg positive carriers and status of HBV infection among their family members in Wuhua county,and provide the scientific basis for control and prevention of hepatitis B. Methods Among the 60 cases of HBsAg positive carriers and their family members were examined for liver function and HBV index , and performed classification diagnosis. Results 60 cases of HBsAg positive carriers found in 2006 serological survey were examined.The results showed HBsAg positive carriers after 3 years, 5 cases (8.33% ) were converted HBsAg negative, 47 cases (78.33% ) HBV carriers, 7 cases (11.67% )chronic hepatitis B, 1 case (1.67% ) HCC. Among 126 family members who lived together with these patients, 25 cases were HBsAg positive, with a positive rate of 19.84%, 21 cases (84.00%) HBV carriers, and 4 cases (16.00%) chronic hepatitis B. Conclusion It is necessary to carry out the regular examination for HBsAg positive carriers and their family members.
A Simulator to Study the Effects of Color and Color Blindness on Motion Sickness in Virtual Reality Using Head-Mounted Displays

We have created an Android-based virtual reality (VR) simulator to investigate the effects that color and color blindness have on visually induced motion sickness in virtual reality using Samsung Gear VR. We simulate a patterned optokinetic drum or sphere spinning for test subjects to look at. By choosing specific colors and using color blindness filters, we can investigate the impact on a colorblind person who looks at a spinning optokinetic drum or sphere that seemingly shows one flat color. The amount of the time that elapses before motion sickness symptoms occur can be recorded and compared among observers with normal color vision, colorblind observers, and test subjects who have a color blindness filter enabled. We believe that our new tool will contribute to improvements in accessibility of VR games and simulations developed for modern head–mounted displays, including those designed to hold a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet.
Relation of Plasma Lipoprotein(a) to Subclinical Coronary Plaque Volumes, Three-Vessel and Left Main Coronary Disease, and Severe Coronary Stenoses in Apparently Healthy African-Americans With a Family History of Early-Onset Coronary Artery Disease.

Serum lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factor in persons of European ancestry. Levels are twofold to threefold higher in African-Americans (AAs), but reported associations with CAD have been inconsistent. The relation of Lp(a) with the extent and severity of subclinical coronary plaque has not been described in AAs. We screened 269 apparently healthy AAs for risk factors and coronary plaque using advanced coronary computed tomographic angiography. Total coronary plaque (TCP), noncalcified coronary plaque, and calcified coronary plaque volumes (mm 3 ) were quantified using a validated automated method. Lp(a) was measured by ELISA. Multivariable modeling was performed with adjustment for traditional CAD risk factors and intrafamilial correlations. Mean age was 51 ± 11 years and 64% were female. Plaque was present in 41%. Lp(a) was independently associated with TCP volume [log(TCP + 1)] (p = 0.04), 3-vessel and/or left main involvement (p = 0.04), and at least 1 stenosis >50% (p = 0.006). Best-fit regression analyses showed that subjects with Lp(a) >40 mg/dl were threefold more likely to have 3-vessel and/or left main disease (95% confidence interval 1.4 to 6.8, p = 0.005) and fourfold more likely to have stenosis >50% (95% confidence interval 1.3 to 15.0, p = 0.02). In subjects with plaque (n = 110), multivariable models showed the Lp(a) level was significantly and independently associated with TCP (p = 0.009), noncalcified coronary plaque (p = 0.01), and calcified coronary plaque (p = 0.003) and affected vessel length (p = 0.01). In conclusion, high Lp(a) is strongly associated with coronary plaque volumes, extent, and severity in apparently healthy AAs. High levels of Lp(a) may be particularly important in the pathogenesis of CAD in AAs.
Differential Changes with Age in Multiscale Entropy of Electromyography Signals from Leg Muscles during Treadmill Walking.

Age-related gait changes may be due to the loss of complexity in the neuromuscular system. This theory is disputed due to inconsistent results from single-scale analyses. Also, behavioral adaptations may confound these changes. We examined whether EMG dynamics during gait is less complex in older adults over a range of timescales using the multiscale entropy method, and whether slower walking attenuates this effect. Surface EMG was measured from the left vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), gastrocnemius (GA), and tibialis anterior (TA) in 17 young and 18 older adults as they walked on a treadmill for 5 minutes at 0.8x-1.2x of preferred speed. Sample entropy (SE) and the complexity index (CI) of the EMG signals were calculated after successive coarse-graining to extract dynamics at timescales of 27 to 270 Hz, with m = 2 and r = 0.15 SD. SE and CI were lower across the timescales in older adults in VL and BF, but higher in GA (all p<0.001); these results held for VL and GA even after accounting for longer EMG burst durations in older adults. CI was higher during slower walking speed in VL and BF (p<0.001). Results were mostly similar for m = 3 and r = 0.01–0.35. Smaller r was more sensitive to age-related differences. The decrease in complexity with aging in the timescales studied was limited to proximal muscles, particularly VL. The increase in GA may be driven by other factors. Walking slower may reflect a behavioral adaptation that allows the nervous system to function with greater complexity.
Triangulating human political conditions and reorienting political development in China

AbstractA revisit to the debate on human nature leads us to multiple cultures upon which anarchy has been constructed and fictionalized. By highlighting the importance of social capital in human society, this paper argues that a Lockean conception of anarchy, instead of a Hobbesian one, offers a better option for achieving a liberal democracy in the cyclic and triadic model of anarchy-autocracy-democracy.
Motor Learning in Stroke: Trained Patients Are Not Equal to Untrained Patients With Less Impairment

Background and Objective: Stroke rehabilitation assumes motor learning contributes to motor recovery, yet motor learning in stroke has received little systematic investigation. Here we aimed to illustrate that despite matching levels of performance on a task, a trained patient should not be considered equal to an untrained patient with less impairment. Methods: We examined motor learning in healthy control participants and groups of stroke survivors with mild-to-moderate or moderate-to-severe motor impairment. Participants performed a series of isometric contractions of the elbow flexors to navigate an on-screen cursor to different targets, and trained to perform this task over a 4-day period. The speed-accuracy trade-off function (SAF) was assessed for each group, controlling for differences in self-selected movement speeds between individuals. Results: The initial SAF for each group was proportional to their impairment. All groups were able to improve their performance through skill acquisition. Interes...
Pulsed fluoride fiber lasers at 3 μm [Invited]

Enormous performance gains have been made in fluoride-based fiber lasers operating around 3 μm due to advances in fiber fabrication and improvements in high-power pump diode technologies during the last decade. Pulsed fluoride fiber lasers capable of producing high-energy/high-peak power mid-infrared pulses are of significant interest for a variety of applications. Q-switched and mode-locked fiber lasers have been demonstrated with various techniques in recent years. In this paper, pulsed Er3+- and Ho3+-doped ZBLAN (ZrF4-BaF2-LaF3-AlF3-NaF) fiber lasers are reviewed, and our achievement of pulsed fiber laser sources at 3 μm is presented. Power/energy scaling of pulsed ZBLAN fiber lasers and their potential applications are discussed.
Data assimilation strategies for volcano geodesy

Abstract Ground deformation observed using near-real time geodetic methods, such as InSAR and GPS, can provide critical information about the evolution of a magma chamber prior to volcanic eruption. Rapid advancement in numerical modeling capabilities has resulted in a number of finite element models targeted at better understanding the connection between surface uplift associated with magma chamber pressurization and the potential for volcanic eruption. Robust model-data fusion techniques are necessary to take full advantage of the numerical models and the volcano monitoring observations currently available. In this study, we develop a 3D data assimilation framework using the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) approach in order to combine geodetic observations of surface deformation with geodynamic models to investigate volcanic unrest. The EnKF sequential assimilation method utilizes disparate data sets as they become available to update geodynamic models of magma reservoir evolution. While the EnKF has been widely applied in hydrologic and climate modeling, the adaptation for volcano monitoring is in its initial stages. As such, our investigation focuses on conducting a series of sensitivity tests to optimize the EnKF for volcano applications and on developing specific strategies for assimilation of geodetic data. Our numerical experiments illustrate that the EnKF is able to adapt well to the spatial limitations posed by GPS data and the temporal limitations of InSAR, and that specific strategies can be adopted to enhance EnKF performance to improve model forecasts. Specifically, our numerical experiments indicate that: (1) incorporating additional iterations of the EnKF analysis step is more efficient than increasing the number of ensemble members; (2) the accuracy of the EnKF results are not affected by initial parameter assumptions; (3) GPS observations near the center of uplift improve the quality of model forecasts; (4) occasionally shifting continuous GPS stations to provide variability in the locations of observations results in better model predictions than utilizing fixed locations when the number of available instruments is limited; (5) spotty InSAR data coverage on the flanks of a volcano due to topographic shadows and/or atmospheric interference does not adversely impact the effectiveness of EnKF if the available coverage is > 50%; and (6) snow or glacial obstruction in the center of uplift can adversely impact EnKF forecasts. By utilizing these strategies, we conclude that the EnKF is an effective sequential model-data fusion technique for assimilating multiple geodetic observations to forecast volcanic activity at restless volcanoes.
Attached or Entrenched? Community Attachment and Place Construction in Southwest Houston, an American Banlieue

ABSTRACTCommunity attachment and the cultural contexts of poor urban neighborhoods are both subjects of long traditions of scholarship. Few studies, however, have extended these traditions into increasingly marginalized areas located beyond historically poor ghetto or barrio communities. This article is addressed to the sentiments of attachment and constructions of place among low-income young men in suburban-styled, post–World War II communities on the outer fringes of Houston. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork, I show that although the young men are widely appreciative of the area’s diversity and uniqueness relative to other low-income communities, their brief and superficial exposures to heterogeneity impel them to construct place and express attachments around a complex set of geographic, class, and ethnoracial distinctions. Sensing that such negotiations of the socio-spatial environment might be perceived as fickle, ill informed, and destructive, I discuss implications in relation to cultural heter...
Surprising behaviors in the temperature dependent kinetics of diatomic interhalogens with anions and cations

Rate constants and product branching fractions of reactions between diatomic interhalogens (ICl, ClF) and a series of anions (Br−, I−) and cations (Ar+, N2+) are measured using a selected ion flow tube apparatus and reported over the temperature range 200–500 K. The efficiency of both anion reactions with ICl is 2%-3% at 300 K to yield Cl−, increasing with temperature in a manner consistent with the small endothermicities of the reactions. The anion reactions with ClF are 10%–20% efficient at 300 K to yield Cl− and also show a positive temperature dependence despite being highly exothermic. The stationary points along the anion + ClF reaction coordinates were calculated using density functional theory, showing no endothermic barriers inhibiting reaction. The observed temperature dependence can be rationalized by a decreasing dipole attraction with increasing rotational energy, but confirmation requires trajectory calculations of the systems. All four cation reactions are fairly efficient at 300 K with sma...
Elementary School Teachers' Vocal Dose: Muscle Bioenergetics and Training Implications.

Purpose Translating exercise-science methodology for determination of muscle bioenergetics, we hypothesized that the temporal voice-use patterns for classroom and music teachers would indicate a re...
Discrimination, friendship diversity, and STEM-related outcomes for incoming ethnic minority college students

Abstract Ethnic minority students are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The current study utilizes social cognitive career theory (SCCT) to examine the associations between ethnic discrimination and friendship group diversity, and academic self-efficacy, as well as the intent to major in a STEM-related field in two cohorts (N = 1307 and 1701) of incoming ethnic minority college students (71% and 70% women; 59% and 54% Asian, 24% and 29% Latino/a, 3% and 3% African American, 13% and 14% Multiethnic for Cohorts 1 and 2, respectively). Discrimination was negatively associated with math/science self-efficacy while having more diverse friends was positively associated with both academic self-efficacy (math/science for Cohort 1 and general for Cohort 2) and intention to major in STEM for both cohorts. Additionally, friend group diversity served as a buffer (Cohort 1) such that discrimination was associated with a decreased intent to major in STEM only when students had few friends from different ethnic, racial, or cultural backgrounds. For those with diverse friends, there was no association between discrimination and intent to major in STEM. Ethnic group differences between Asian and a combined group of Latino/a, African American, and Multiethnic students were assessed. No ethnic group differences were found for any of the associations between discrimination or friendship group diversity and STEM outcomes. These findings suggest supporting interethnic friendships may promote STEM involvement among ethnic minority college students.
Test Instructions Do Not Moderate the Indirect Effect of Perceived Test Importance on Test Performance in Low-Stakes Testing Contexts

Assessment specialists expend a great deal of energy to promote valid inferences from test scores gathered in low-stakes testing contexts. Given the indirect effect of perceived test importance on test performance via examinee effort, assessment practitioners have manipulated test instructions with the goal of increasing perceived test importance. Importantly, no studies have investigated the impact of test instructions on this indirect effect. In the current study, students were randomly assigned to one of three test instruction conditions intended to increase test relevance while keeping the test low-stakes to examinees. Test instructions did not impact average perceived test importance, examinee effort, or test performance. Furthermore, the indirect relationship between importance and performance via effort was not moderated by instructions. Thus, the effect of perceived test importance on test scores via expended effort appears consistent across different messages regarding the personal relevance of t...
Machine Learning-based Virtual Screening and Its Applications to Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery: A Review

Background Virtual Screening (VS) has emerged as an important tool in the drug development process, as it conducts efficient in silico searches over millions of compounds, ultimately increasing yields of potential drug leads. As a subset of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML) is a powerful way of conducting VS for drug leads. ML for VS generally involves assembling a filtered training set of compounds, comprised of known actives and inactives. After training the model, it is validated and, if sufficiently accurate, used on previously unseen databases to screen for novel compounds with desired drug target binding activity. Objective The study aims to review ML-based methods used for VS and applications to Alzheimer's Disease (AD) drug discovery. Methods To update the current knowledge on ML for VS, we review thorough backgrounds, explanations, and VS applications of the following ML techniques: Naive Bayes (NB), k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), Support Vector Machines (SVM), Random Forests (RF), and Artificial Neural Networks (ANN). Results All techniques have found success in VS, but the future of VS is likely to lean more largely toward the use of neural networks - and more specifically, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), which are a subset of ANN that utilize convolution. We additionally conceptualize a work flow for conducting ML-based VS for potential therapeutics for AD, a complex neurodegenerative disease with no known cure and prevention. This both serves as an example of how to apply the concepts introduced earlier in the review and as a potential workflow for future implementation. Conclusion Different ML techniques are powerful tools for VS, and they have advantages and disadvantages albeit. ML-based VS can be applied to AD drug development.
Somatic mosaicism for a newly identified splice-site mutation in a patient with adenosine deaminase-deficient immunodeficiency and spontaneous clinical recovery.

Absent or severely reduced adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity produces inherited immunodeficiency of varying severity, with defects of both cellular and humoral immunity. We report somatic mosaicism as the basis for a delayed presentation and unusual course of a currently healthy young adult receiving no therapy. He was diagnosed at age 2 1/2 years because of life-threatening pneumonia, recurrent infections, failure of normal growth, and lymphopenia, but he retained significant cellular immune function. A fibroblast cell line and a B cell line, established at diagnosis, lacked ADA activity and were heteroallelic for splice-donor-site mutation in IVS 1 (+1GT-->CT) and a missense mutation (Arg101Gln). All clones (17/17) isolated from the B cell mRNA carried the missense mutation, indicating that the allele with the splice-site mutation produced unstable mRNA. In striking contrast, a B cell line established at age 16 years expressed 50% of normal ADA; 50% of ADA mRNA had normal sequence, and 50% had the missense mutation. Genomic DNA contained the missense mutation but not the splice-site mutation. All three cell lines were identical for multiple polymorphic markers and the presence of a Y chromosome. In vivo somatic mosaicism was demonstrated in genomic DNA from peripheral blood cells obtained at 16 years of age, in that less than half the DNA carried the splice-site mutation (P < .002, vs. original B cell line). Consistent with mosaicism, erythrocyte content of the toxic metabolite deoxyATP was only minimally elevated. Somatic mosaicism could have arisen either by somatic mutation or by reversion at the site of mutation. Selection in vivo for ADA normal hematopoietic cells may have played a role in the return to normal health, in the absence of therapy.
Technoscience and the 'other' continental philosophy

This essay argues that with respect to trends in Euro-American philosophy there has been a growing disparity between practices on the Continent and North America with respect to technoscience studies. Whereas in, particularly northern European circles, a new canon of topics and authors has risen to prominence with respect to science and technology studies, this same interest is virtually lacking in the institutional programs of North American continental circles. Reasons for the lack of interest in science and technology in North American continentalism are explored. The disparities between Europe and North America include temporal dimensions in which science and technology is read anachronistically in continental circles in North America; canonical dimensions in which different authors are read; and contextual dimensions regarding where technoscience studies occur. There are, however, problem sets such as 'realism and relativism,' 'relations of humans and non-humans,' and roles of 'textuality' which could be seen as overlapping interest areas. The essay attempts to locate and introduce the issues and authors of this 'other' continentally interesting philosophy and recommends that Euro-American philosophers in North America begin to catch up with the newer trends.
Class and crime in war-time: Lessons of the American Vietnam war resistance in Canada

Class circumstances follow from as well as causally precede crime, and therelationship between class and crime is highly contingent. This tangled webof causation makes it challenging to meaningfully study links between classand crime. I propose that this tangled causal web can be better understoodif we direct more research to distinctive class settings in which particularkinds of crime occur. This implies directing more research attention to nonrepresentative samples that derive from nonrepresentativesettings, with the goal of increasing our leverage over theoreticallycontingent, class-connected contextual variables. This unconventionalresearch agenda is illustrated through an analysis of the lives of Americanswho resisted the draft and military service in Vietnam by ``dodging'' and``deserting'' military service and migrating to Canada, a new setting wherethese selective service and military ``criminals'' were transformed by theiradopted nation's immigration policy into ``New Canadians'' and unexpectedsymbols of Canadian sovereignty.
Ampullary Somatostatinoma: Psammomatous Variant of Gastrointestinal Carcinoid Tumor—An Immunohistochemical and Ultrastructural Study. Report of a Case and Review of the Literature

A 28-year-old man presented with epigastric pain and obstructive jaundice associated with a histologically and immunologically unusual variant of carcinoid tumor involving the ampulla of Vater. The tumor contained abundant psammoma bodies and exhibited immunoreactivity only for somatostatin. Immunoperoxidase studies for insulin, glucagon, vasoactive intestinal peptide, calcitonin, serotonin, and ACTH had negative results. In contrast to most somatostatinomas of pancreatic origin, clinically this ampullary somatostatinoma was not accompanied by features of the somatostatinoma syndrome. A literature review of the clinical and hormonal features in reported cases of gastrointestinal and pancreatic somatostatinomas is presented.
The Formation of English Common Law: Law and Society in England from the Norman Conquest to Magna Carta

During the Anglo-Norman period a concept of law developed, binding ruler and ruled alike and which was based on custom common throughout the country. This was Common Law and it was from this that subsequent law developed. John Hudson's text is an introductory survey of Common Law for students and other non-specialist readers. Certain aspects of medieval law such as its feuds, its ordeals and its outlaws are well known, this text shows how these aspects fitted in to the system as a whole, considers its Anglo-Saxon origins, the influence of the Norman invaders and later administrative reforms. The events and legal processes also throw light on the society, politics and thought of the times.
Implementation of a rapid access multidisciplinary bone metastases clinic to improve access to care at a large cancer center.

79Background: MD Anderson Cancer Center is a large cancer center with 44,000 new patients per year. Radiation therapy (RT) is an effective treatment for bone metastases that can reduce pain medication use and improve quality of life. Our goal was to assess the effect of implementing a rapid access multidisciplinary clinic for bone metastases (RABC). Methods: RABC was instituted to schedule patients for radiation oncology and orthopedic surgery consult within 48 hours of referral. Same day simulation and treatment times were held for these patients for one 8Gy fraction. Thirty sequential patients treated with one fraction to bony sites in the outpatient setting prior to implementation of the clinic were chosen as a comparison group. Time from consult order to consult visit (OTV) and from consult visit to treatment completion (CTT) were recorded, in addition to frequency of multidisciplinary care (MDC; orthopedic surgery and radiation oncology). Overall Time (OT) was calculated from referral to treatment co...
Current concepts of the molecular structure and metabolism of human apolipoproteins and lipoproteins.

During the last few years major advances have occurred in our knowledge of the structure, function, and metabolism of the plasma lipoproteins. Twelve human apolipoproteins have been isolated and characterized. The primary structure of apolipoproteins A-I, A-II, C-I, C-II, and C-III have been elucidated. The primary structure of these apolipoproteins contains no unique sequences, however the primary structure of several of the apolipoproteins contain segments which can be modeled into amphipathic helices. The helical segments may be important in protein-protein as well as protein-lipid interactions. The molecular properties of the apolipoproteins have been investigated and shown to undergo self-association with major increases in conformation. The molecular organization of the plasma lipoprotein particle has been studied, and an iceberg-sea model has been proposed. This model emphasizes the micellar organization of the phospholipids, and the possibility of secondary, tertiary as well as quaternary structure of the apolipoprotein associated with the lipoprotein particle.
14 Not having the real support that we need: patients experiences with ambiguity of systemic lupus erythematosus and erosion of social support

Background A hallmark of SLE is the paroxysmal disease course with symptoms fluctuating unpredictably both across different individuals and within individual cases. Importantly, the patient-specific experience of living with SLE is underreported, particularly when studying factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Recent work has suggested that biomedical interventions are only partially predictive of HRQOL measures. The patient specific experience studied using qualitative methods is a necessary initial step to uncover additional root causes of poor HRQOL in SLE populations as patient experiences add richness and depth to a topic of inquiry not possible through quantitative methods. Methods Consented adult patients with American College of Rheumatology- or Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics-classified SLE were recruited for this study during their scheduled clinic visits. Ten semi-structured interviews were conducted across six participants. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using an iterative process where all data were first grouped based on the major questions of the study and then coded using an open coding scheme, allowing for identification of key issues based on patient experiences. Findings were presented to an interactive public forum with SLE patients, family members and friends of individuals with SLE, and health care professionals and assessed for accuracy and credibility. Results Four major factors that influence HRQOL emerged from the interviews: 1) ambiguity, inconsistency, and lack of symptom predictability due to SLE disease courses, 2) poor communication with family/friends/partners, and poor bi-directional communication between health care providers and patients (informational support), 3) lack of validation for patients experiences (appraisal support), and 4) problematic aspects of social support including negative support and patients inability to reciprocate support due to role changes. Data also indicate a reciprocal association between appraisal and informational sources of support. Conclusions Findings indicate that inadequate appraisal and informational support from informal and formal sources and ambiguity are particularly salient factors influencing HRQOL among SLE patients. Further investigation is needed to fully elucidate associations between biological (unpredictable of SLE symptoms), social (informational and appraisal sources of social support), and community level (public awareness campaigns) factors influencing disease. Findings also point to the necessity of integrating community organizations, physicians, and friends and family of patients with SLE into capacity building interventions aimed at improving HRQOL. Funding Source(s): Summer Undergraduate Research Award (Washington University in St, Louis)
Lamps, Curtains, Robots: 3 Scenarios for the Future of the Smart Home

This project experiments with techniques of smart product collages and schematic scenarios to investigate smart home technologies. Focusing on smart cameras, the artist presents three scenarios and a range of design research artifacts. These scenarios and collages are presented as conceptual tools to help understand and anticipate present and future issues related to digital privacy, security, trust, accountability, and fairness.
Exploring optimization strategies for improving explicit water models: Rigid n-point model and polarizable model based on Drude oscillator

Rigid n-point water models are widely used in atomistic simulations, but have known accuracy drawbacks. Increasing the number of point charges, as well as adding electronic polarizability, are two common strategies for accuracy improvements. Both strategies come at considerable computational cost, which weighs heavily against modest possible accuracy improvements in practical simulations. In an effort to provide guidance for model development, here we have explored the limiting accuracy of “electrostatically globally optimal” n-point water models in terms of their ability to reproduce properties of water dimer—a mimic of the condensed state of water. For a given n, each model is built upon a set of reference multipole moments (e.g. ab initio) and then optimized to reproduce water dimer total dipole moment. The models are then evaluated with respect to the accuracy of reproducing the geometry of the water dimer. We find that global optimization of the charge distribution alone can deliver high accuracy of the water model: for n = 4 or n = 5, the geometry of the resulting water dimer can be almost within 50 of the ab initio reference, which is half that of the experimental error margin. Thus, global optimization of the charge distribution of classical n-point water models can lead to high accuracy models. We also find that while the accuracy improvement in going from n = 3 to n = 4 is substantial, the additional accuracy increase in going from n = 4 to n = 5 is marginal. Next, we have explored accuracy limitations of the standard practice of adding electronic polarizability (via a Drude particle) to a “rigid base”—pre-optimization rigid n-point water model. The resulting model (n = 3) shows a relatively small improvement in accuracy, suggesting that the strategy of merely adding the polarizability to an inferior accuracy water model used as the base cannot fix the defects of the latter. An alternative strategy in which the parameters of the rigid base model are globally optimized along with the polarizability parameter is much more promising: the resulting 3-point polarizable model out-performs even the 5-point optimal rigid model by a large margin. We suggest that future development efforts consider 3- and 4-point polarizable models where global optimization of the “rigid base” is coupled to optimization of the polarizability to deliver globally optimal solutions.
The Association of State Opioid Misuse Prevention Policies With Patient- and Provider-Related Outcomes: A Scoping Review

Policy Points This scoping review reveals a growing literature on the effects of certain state opioid misuse prevention policies, but persistent gaps in evidence on other prevalent state policies remain. Policymakers interested in reducing the volume and dosage of opioids prescribed and dispensed can consider adopting robust prescription drug monitoring programs with mandatory access provisions and drug supply management policies, such as prior authorization policies for high-risk prescription opioids. Further research should concentrate on potential unintended consequences of opioid misuse prevention policies, differential policy effects across populations, interventions that have not received sufficient evaluation (eg, Good Samaritan laws, naloxone access laws), and patient-related outcomes. Context In the midst of an opioid crisis in the United States, an influx of state opioid misuse prevention policies has provided new opportunities to generate evidence of policy effectiveness that can inform policy decisions. We conducted a scoping review to synthesize the available evidence on the effectiveness of US state interventions to improve patient and provider outcomes related to opioid misuse and addiction. Methods We searched six online databases to identify evaluations of state opioid policies. Eligible studies examined legislative and administrative policy interventions that evaluated (a) prescribing and dispensing, (b) patient behavior, or (c) patient health. Findings Seventy-one articles met our inclusion criteria, including 41 studies published between 2016 and 2018. These articles evaluated nine types of state policies targeting opioid misuse. While prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) have received considerable attention in the literature, far fewer studies addressed other types of state policy. Overall, evidence quality is very low for the majority of policies due to a small number of evaluations. Of interventions that have been the subject of considerable research, promising means of reducing the volume and dosages of opioids prescribed and dispensed include drug supply management policies and robust PDMPs. Due to low study number and quality, evidence is insufficient to draw conclusions regarding interventions targeting patient behavior and health outcomes, including naloxone access laws and Good Samaritan laws. Conclusions Recent research has improved the evidence base on several state interventions targeting opioid misuse. Specifically, moderate evidence suggests that drug supply management policies and robust PDMPs reduce opioid prescribing. Despite the increase in rigorous evaluations, evidence remains limited for the majority of policies, particularly those targeting patient health-related outcomes.
Rethinking the Admissions Interview: Piloting Multiple Mini-Interviews in a Graduate Psychology Program.

Health profession programs routinely utilize traditional interviews in admissions as a means of assessing important non-academic characteristics (e.g., critical thinking, interpersonal skills, judg...
Acupuncture for pain management in children with sickle cell disease

Pain associated with sickle cell disease (SCD) is frequently treated with opioids which have many side effects. There is a need for adjuvant non-opioid therapies that can improve pain control. Acupuncture, an integrative approach, has been shown to be useful in non-SCD pain conditions but has been used to a very limited extent in SCD. In this report we present a single academic pediatric center experience showing acceptability, feasibility and improved pain experience with adjuvant acupuncture therapy in children with SCD and suggest that acupuncture should be explored as a treatment option for managing pain in SCD.
CD155 immunoregulation as a target for natural killer cell immunotherapy in glioblastoma

Natural killer (NK) cells are powerful immune effectors, modulating their anti-tumor function through a balance activating and inhibitor ligands on their cell surface. Though still emerging, cancer immunotherapies utilizing NK cells are proving promising as a modality for the treatment of a number of solid tumors, including glioblastoma (GBM) and other gliomas, but are often limited due to complex immunosuppression associated with the GBM tumor microenvironment which includes overexpression of inhibitory receptors on GBM cells. CD155, or poliovirus receptor (PVR), has recently emerged as a pro-tumorigenic antigen, overexpressed on GBM and contributing to increased GBM migration and aggressiveness. CD155 has also been established as an immunomodulatory receptor, able to both activate NK cells through interactions with CD226 (DNAM-1) and CD96 and inhibit them through interaction with TIGIT. However, NK cell TIGIT expression has been shown to be upregulated in cancer, establishing CD155 as a predominantly inhibitory receptor within the context of GBM and other solid tumors, and rendering it of interest as a potential target for antigen-specific NK cell-based immunotherapy. This review will explore the function of CD155 within GBM as it relates to tumor migration and NK cell immunoregulation, as well as pre-clinical and clinical targeting of CD155/TIGIT and the potential that this pathway holds for the development of emerging NK cell-based immunotherapies.
Predicting transit mode choice of New Jersey workers commuting to New York City from a stated preference survey

Abstract This study examines transit mode choice preferences of New Jersey commuters traveling to New York City (NYC) with the objective of assisting trans-Hudson ferry service planning on the basis of variables significantly affecting mode choice. A stated preference survey was conducted to collect data from a total of 2134 respondents who commute from northern New Jersey to NYC. A mixed multinomial logit model (MMLM) with random coefficients was used to analyze the data. The study considered the choice between four transit modes—ferry, PATH train, bus, and commuter rail—all of which can be used to cross the Hudson River to travel from New Jersey to NYC. Essential model results are presented for all four modes, but detailed results are discussed for only the ferry, PATH, and bus modes. Model results indicate that commuters' choices are affected not only by travel time and cost for the segment of the journey that crosses the Hudson River, but also reliability and comfort during that segment, number of access modes required by the journey, and travel time and cost of trips from home to stations/terminals before crossing the river. The results also show that commuters' attachment to the modes they currently use serves as a barrier to switching to other modes. The most important takeaway from this research for transit service planning is that there is a need to consider the attributes of both individual trip segments as well as entire journeys between commuters' home and work when exploring changes to transit service characteristics.
Degradation of Amino Acids on Mars by UV Irradiation in the Presence of Chloride and Oxychlorine Salts.

The degradation of glycine (Gly), proline (Pro), and tryptophan (Trp) was studied under simulated Mars conditions during UV-driven production of oxychlorines and compared under Mars ambient and hum...