cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Development of Our Organ of Other Kinds-The Gut Microbiota.

Gut microbiota is a collection of microbial organisms that naturally exist within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It is clear that the gut microbiota is involved in host physiological development, defense against pathogens and diseases. Thus, gut microbiota is regarded as a hidden organ composed of other kinds (Bocci, 1992). A feature of the gut microbiota is that the compositional microbes are host species-specific. For a given host, a defined core microbes exist which distinguish one host from another (Kostic et al., 2013). For example, Hawaiian bobtail squid selectively acquires Vibrio. fischeri (V. fischeri) from environment and maintains them in its light organ. This symbiont is so selective that other V. fischeri strains, such as a fish-associated V. fischeri strain are not able to colonize the squid (Mandel et al., 2009; Kostic et al., 2013). Zebrafish gut is predominated by members of the γ-Proteobacteria and Fusobacteria classes (Kostic et al., 2013). Wild mouse gut is primarily composed of Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Tenericutes, and Proteobacteria (Hoy et al., 2015; Weldon et al., 2015; Xiao et al., 2015). Interestingly, transfer of the conventional zebrafish microbe to germ-free (GF) mice did not result in a zebrafish-like gut microbiota in the recipient mice; vice versa, conventional mouse gut microbe-transplanted GF zebrafish did not resemble the gut microbes of mice. Rather, the gut microbiota of both recipients after transplantation resembled the microbiota of their conventional species. Thus, the host gut predefined its microbiota (Rawls et al., 2006). While host-microbe interaction is a two-way crosstalk (Celluzzi and Masotti, 2016), in this opinion article, I wish to discuss intrinsic factors that contribute to the development of gut microbiota. Namely, where the microbes come from and how the host selects them.
Glycosaminoglycans of the human trabecular meshwork in primary open-angle glaucoma.

PURPOSE: Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) contribute to the filtration barrier of aqueous outflow through the trabecular meshwork (TM). The purpose of this biochemical study was to identify the type and amount of GAGs in normal and in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) TM and adjacent anterior segment structures. METHODS: The GAGs of 21 masked individual normal and POAG human TMs, as well as iris, ciliary body, and anterior sclera, were isolated biochemically, identified by selective GAG-degrading enzymes, and quantitated by computer-enhanced densitometry. RESULTS: In 10 normal TMs (8 donors, 65 to 83 years of age), the GAG profile was: hyaluronic acid (0.77 +/- 0.26 ng/microgram dry-defatted weight +/- SEM); chondroitin 4(6-) sulfates and dermatan sulfate, collectively referred to as chondroitin sulfates (1.90 +/- 0.13 ng); keratan sulfates (0.33 +/- 0.06 ng); heparitin sulfates (2.02 +/- 0.52 ng); GAG enzyme-resistant material (0.02 +/- 0.01 ng); and total GAGs (5.05 +/- 0.70 ng). In 10 POAG TMs (6 donors, 67 to 88 years of age), the GAG profile was: hyaluronic acid (0.18 +/- 0.11 ng; P < 0.02, a 77% decrease; 6 of 10 TMs contained no detectable hyaluronic acid); chondroitin sulfates (2.39 +/- 0.31 ng); keratan sulfates (0.21 +/- 0.06 ng); heparitin sulfates (1.36 +/- 0.43 ng); GAG enzyme-resistant material (0.08 +/- 0.01 ng; P < 0.02); and total GAGs (4.09 +/- 0.33 ng; statistically insignificant). In the POAG iris, hyaluronic acid content was less (82% decrease, P < 0.02), and the chondroitin sulfates content was higher (72% increase, P < 0.02). Similarly, the POAG ciliary body and anterior sclera contained less hyaluronic acid and more chondroitin sulfates. The GAG profile of a "glaucoma suspect" donor specimen was similar to that of the POAG donor specimen. CONCLUSIONS: The data provide the first quantitative biochemical profiles of GAGs of individual normal and POAG TM, and we suggest that a depletion of hyaluronic acid and the accumulation of chondroitin sulfates may increase aqueous outflow resistance in the POAG TM:
Integrated Fixation Cage Loosening Under Fatigue Loading.

Background Screw loosening is a well-known adverse event in traditional spinal fusion instrumentation. This phenomenon may hinder segmental stability of the spine leading to bony non-union. In recent years numerous lumbar integrated fixation cages (IFC) have been introduced that offer a low profile alternative to a standard cage with an anterior plate (AP+C). The fixation approach for IFCs is different than a traditional anterior approach; therefore, it is unclear whether IFCs may loosen from the surrounding bone over time. The purpose of this study was to quantify screw loosening of IFC devices compared to AP+C implants under fatigue loading using micro-CT and image processing techniques. Methods L2-3 and L4-5 functional spinal units (FSUs) were obtained from nine human lumbar spines. These FSUs were then reconstructed with either AP+C or IFC implants designed to attach to vertebral bodies using four screws (two top and two bottom for AP+C; two medial and two lateral for IFC). The reconstructed specimens were fatigued in flexion-extension load of ±3 Nm at 1Hz for first 5,000 cycles and it was increased to ±5 Nm until 20,000 cycles. After removing screws to prevent image artifact, micro-CT scans were performed on all FSUs post-fatigue. These images were post-processed to calculate three-dimensional volumes around screw holes created due to damage at the screw-implant interface. Results IFC screws had significantly greater (p=0.008) screw hole volumes compared to AP+C screws after fatigue testing. This increased screw hole volume for IFC devices was mainly due to loosening in medial screws. Medial screws had significantly greater (p 0.888) between the screw hole volumes of lateral IFC, top AP+C, and bottom AP+C screws. Conclusions This study elucidated screw-loosening mechanisms in integrated fixation cages under simulated physiological loading. In particular, spatial differences in fixation was observed for IFC screws across the vertebra where medial screws loosened at a greater frequency compared to lateral screws post-fatigue. This novel technique may also be used to quantitatively investigate screw fixation post-fatigue testing in a variety of spinal devices.
Understanding Tribofilm Formation Mechanisms in Ionic Liquid Lubrication

Ionic liquids (ILs) have recently been developed as a novel class of lubricant anti-wear (AW) additives, but the formation mechanism of their wear protective tribofilms is not yet well understood. Unlike the conventional metal-containing AW additives that self-react to grow a tribofilm, the metal-free ILs require a supplier of metal cations in the tribofilm growth. The two apparent sources of metal cations are the contact surface and the wear debris, and the latter contains important ‘historical’ interface information but often is overlooked. We correlated the morphological and compositional characteristics of tribofilms and wear debris from an IL-lubricated steel–steel contact. A complete multi-step formation mechanism is proposed for the tribofilm of metal-free AW additives, including direct tribochemical reactions between the metallic contact surface with oxygen to form an oxide interlayer, wear debris generation and breakdown, tribofilm growth via mechanical deposition, chemical deposition, and oxygen diffusion.
The Final Week, the November Surprise, and Banana Republicanism

It is safe to say that after the pyrotechnics of the past week, anything could happen in the final seven days of the campaign. The race was tightening, there was a media frenzy, and the electorate was suffering perhaps unparalleled anxiety over the election. Lesly Alderman published an article in The New York Times which revealed that: “A study released by the American Psychological Association revealed that 52% of American adults are coping with highly levels of stress brought on by the 2016 election, according to a national Harris Poll.”
Porter, Lost Sound: The Forgotten Art of Radio Storytelling: J. (2016). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 283 pages.

During the past semester I had the pleasure to work with an overfilled class of students in an Advanced Radio course. Their mission was to create long-form audio pieces: to tell stories using the s...
Natural history of children and adults with maple syrup urine disease in the NBS-MSUD Connect registry.

Maple syrup urine disease (MSUD) is a rare autosomal recessive metabolic disorder (OMIM #248600) in which affected individuals cannot metabolize branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) due to pathogenic variations in one of three genes: BCKDHA, BCKDHB, and DBT encoding the E1α, E1β, and E2 subunits of the branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase (BCKDH) enzyme complex [1]. Consequently, these amino acids and their corresponding α-ketoacids accumulate in the body. In the United States of America (USA), the incidence of MSUD is approximately 1:198,000 [2], although it is considerably higher in some populations such as Old Order Mennonite (1:358) [3] and Ashkenazi Jewish populations (1:26,000) [4]. Without treatment, MSUD can lead to feeding difficulties, lethargy, seizures, urine and cerumen that smell like maple syrup, vomiting, coma, and death [5]. Early diagnosis and treatment can optimize outcomes, although treated individuals have an increased rate of anxiety, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), movement disorders, and small reductions in intelligence and global function [5]. Treatment consists of a protein-restrictive diet that limits the amount of branched-chain amino acids consumed, along with synthetic formula consisting of the other amino acids and various micronutrients [6]. The goal of treatment is to maintain plasma leucine concentrations, with frequent monitoring, between 75 and 200 μmol/L for infants and children age five years and younger, and between 75 and 300 μmol/L for individuals older than five years of age [7]. Even with dietary treatment, metabolic decompensation can occur during times of stress (e.g., infection) and must be treated promptly [5]. Liver transplants may allow for relaxation of the diet, and can help prevent further brain damage but cannot reverse existing damage [8], [9]. Because treatment must be initiated as soon as possible after birth, screening for MSUD was first included in newborn screening (NBS) programs in the USA in 1964 [10]. In 1999, MSUD was included on the American College of Medical Genetics list of recommended diseases for inclusion in tandem mass spectrometry-based NBS panels [11], and is currently screened for in all states in the USA [2]. In order to add to the literature on outcomes of this rare condition, we report the characteristics of a group of respondents with MSUD from NBS-MSUD Connect, the first self-reported patient registry for metabolic NBS disorders. NBS Connect was launched in 2012 with NBS-PKU Connect for phenylketonuria (PKU) as the pilot registry, and NBS-MSUD Connect was added in 2013 [12]. The purpose of this report is to provide a snapshot of respondents with MSUD, including management techniques employed, clinical symptoms, and factors potentially associated with metabolic control of plasma leucine levels.
Articulating Design Principles for Productive Use of Video in Preservice Education

Despite the potential of video for professional learning, the field lacks an integrated framework to inform teacher educators’ pedagogical decision making, particularly in the context of preservice...
Infections Among Residents of Nursing Homes: Lessons from Wisconsin and the Recent Literature

Any discussion of infections occurring among residents of nursing homes and strategies for control of those infections needs to pay attention to several important demographic factors. Population trends clearly identify a major increase in the proportion of the population aged 65 and over developing over the next 50 years, and a substantial decrease in the percentage of the population under 25 years. The current ratio of 150 females per 100 males in the 65 and over age group is expected to continue (1). There is no reason to expect that the current proportion of 5% of the 65 and over population in nursing homes will decrease, and every reason to believe it will increase as the population over 80 years of age increases. Based on these figures, about 1,750,000 people 65 and over will be residing in nursing homes in the year 2000, a 300,000 increase from today.
Reading, Neural Basis of

The neural basis of reading is studied using three main methods. Neuropsychological studies reveal different aspects of reading performance that can be impaired following brain injury. Functional neuroimaging studies localize the functional contributions of brain regions associated with reading. Electroencephalography andmagnetoencephalography studies provide information about the temporal sequence of brainprocessing during reading. Using these methods, investigators have focused on three components of skilled reading. One component is the representation of visual word forms (orthography). Orthographic processing has most often been linked to a region near the border of the occipital and temporal lobes, in the fusiform gyrus. A second component is the use of orthographic information to access information about word sounds (phonology). An area in the inferior frontal gyrus (Broca's area) and an area near the junction of temporal and parietal cortex (Wernicke's area) have been associated with phonological analysis. A third component is the use of orthographic information to access information about meaning (semantics). The fusiform gyrus, especially its middle and anterior portions, has been implicated in lexical and semantic processing.
Marketing Airlines Internationally: U.S. Travellers’ Attitude Toward Domestic Versus Foreign Carriers

This article first presents the structural changes taking place in international airline industry and on the progression of changes in airline marketing strategies in global markets. To this end, the paper tries to find out airline passenger satisfaction/dissatisfaction while flying by a U.S. and/or foreign carrier to foreign destinations.
Association of Analgesic Use With Risk of Ovarian Cancer in the Nurses' Health Studies.

Importance Ovarian cancer is a highly fatal malignant neoplasm with few modifiable risk factors. Case-control studies have reported a modest reduced risk of ovarian cancer among women who frequently use aspirin or regularly use low-dose aspirin. Objective To evaluate whether regular aspirin or nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and patterns of use are associated with lower ovarian cancer risk. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study analyzed NSAID use and ovarian cancer diagnosis data from 2 prospective cohorts, 93 664 women in the Nurses’ Health Study (NHS), who were followed up from 1980 to 2014, and 111 834 in the Nurses’ Health Study II (NHSII), who were followed up from 1989 to 2015. Follow-up was completed on June 30, 2014, for the NHS and June 30, 2015, for NHSII. Data were analyzed from June 13, 2016, to September 18, 2017. Exposures For each analgesic type (aspirin, low-dose aspirin, nonaspirin NSAIDs, and acetaminophen), timing, duration, frequency, and number of tablets used were evaluated; exposure information was updated every 2 to 4 years. Main Outcomes and Measures Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% CIs for associations of aspirin, nonaspirin NSAIDs, and acetaminophen with risk of epithelial ovarian cancer. All statistical tests were 2-sided, with a significance level of .05. Results In the NHS, the mean (SD) age at baseline (1980) was 45.9 (7.2) years, and 93% of participants identified as non-Hispanic white. In the NHSII, the mean age at baseline (1989) was 34.2 (4.7) years, and 92% identified as non-Hispanic white. Among the 205 498 women in both cohorts, there were 1054 cases of incident epithelial ovarian cancer. Significant associations between aspirin and ovarian cancer risk were not observed when current vs nonuse of any aspirin was evaluated regardless of dose (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.83-1.19). However, when low-dose (≤100-mg) and standard-dose (325-mg) aspirin were evaluated separately, an inverse association for low-dose aspirin (HR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.61-0.96), but no association for standard-dose aspirin (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 0.92-1.49) was observed. Current use of nonaspirin NSAIDs was positively associated with risk of ovarian cancer compared with nonuse (HR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.00-1.41), and significant positive trends for duration of use (P = .02 for trend) and cumulative average tablets per week (P = .03 for trend) were observed. There were no clear associations for the use of acetaminophen. Conclusions and Relevance These results appear to be consistent with case-control studies that show a reduced risk of ovarian cancer among regular users of low-dose aspirin. An increased risk of ovarian cancer with long-term high-quantity use of other analgesics, particularly nonaspirin NSAIDs, was observed, although this finding requires confirmation.
Making Room in the Parking Lot for More Cars - How Changes to Autologous Collection Targets for Patients with Multiple Myeloma Optimized Resource Utilization in the Apheresis Collection Center and Cell Storage Facility at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Introduction With rapidly increasing demand, resources at cellular therapy centers may be stretched thin. Apheresis and processing lab facilities must meet increased collection, processing, and storage requests, necessitating efficiency. We queried the field's practice of collecting autologous stem cells for 2 transplants in adult multiple myeloma (MM) patients under 65 for efficiency and clinical relevance as MM collections consume significant cell therapy resources. Methods Data points from 2012, 2014, and 2016 for MM patients at DFCI were reviewed: percentage of patients who received first and second transplants after autologous collection, days of collection, and excess hematopoietic progenitor cell HPC(A) bags in cryostorage. MM clinician leadership discussed existing guidelines and clinical rationale for HPC(A) collection targets. After changes implemented in Feb. 2018, collection and storage data was compiled to assess impact. Apheresis & Cell Storage Data Prior to Change From Jul. to Dec. 2017, MM patients Clinical Practice Patterns & Change in Guidelines Before Feb. 2018, autologous MM collection target for patients Apheresis & Cell Storage Results Following Change Between Feb. – Jul. 2018, the total collection days for adult autologous MM patients Conclusion Reducing autologous collection targets for MM patients
Scalable Computing Architecture for Time-Dependent Transportation Optimization Problems Based on High-Performance Computing Techniques:

Traditional formulations for transportation optimization problems mostly build complicating attributes into constraints while keeping the succinctness of objective functions. A popular solution is ...
A More Challenging Mystery Tube for Teaching the Nature of Science

The mystery tube is a fairly well known activity among science teachers for illustrating the nature of science. A variety of procedures have been presented for carrying out this activity, such as Scott Miller’s method based on the BCSE 5E Instructional Model. Mystery tubes and other “black box” activities allow the students to engage in the scientific process without requiring any specific knowledge ahead of time. The traditional mystery tubes are designed simply enough that it is a viable activity even for elementary and middle school age children. That simplicity though means that high school and especially college science and engineering students might figure out too quickly how to replicate the behavior, and become more confident than we want them to be in their model. In this paper, I present a new version of the mystery tube that is complex enough to give strong high school and college science and engineering students a reasonable challenge, so they can better experience the ongoing process of science and the inherent uncertainty.
Latent profile analysis of dietary intake in a community-dwelling sample of older Americans.

Objective:To estimate latent dietary profiles in a community-dwelling sample of older Americans and identify associations between dietary profile membership and individual demographic, socio-economic and health characteristics.Design:Secondary analysis of the 2012 Health and Retirement Study (HRS) and linked 2013 Health Care and Nutrition Study (HCNS). Latent profile analysis identified mutually exclusive subgroups of dietary intake and bivariate analyses examined associations between dietary profile membership, participant characteristics and nutrient intakes.Setting:USA.Participants:An analytic sample of 3558 adults aged 65 years or older.Results:Four dietary profiles were identified with 15·5 % of the sample having a ‘Healthy’ diet, 42·0 % consuming a ‘Western’ diet, 29·7 % having a diet consisting of high intake of all food groups and 12·7 % reporting relatively low intake of all food groups. Members of the ‘Healthy’ profile reported the greatest socio-economic resources and health, and members of the ‘Low Intake’ profile had the fewest resources and worst health outcomes. Macronutrient and micronutrient intakes varied across profile although inadequate and excessive intakes of selected nutrients were observed for all profiles.Conclusions:We identified dietary patterns among older Americans typified by either selective intake of foods or overall quantity of foods consumed, with those described as ‘Low Intake’ reporting the fewest socio-economic resources, greatest risk of food insecurity and the worst health outcomes. Limitations including the presence of measurement error in dietary questionnaires are discussed. The causes and consequences of limited dietary intake among older Americans require further study and can be facilitated by the HRS and HCNS.
An Opportunity Lost: The Truman Administration and the Farm Policy Debate

Review of: "An Opportunity Lost: The Truman Administration and the Farm Policy Debate," by Virgil W. Dean.
A Framework for a Decentralized and Self-Organized Mail Service Network

Abstract Based on sharing economy idea, we propose a framework for a decentralized and self-organized mail service network. Availability and reliability are the essential requirements for this service. To this end, we notice major technical challenges for this network — routing maintenance and trust management. We design solutions to address them using ad-hoc and peer-to-peer network technology and blockchain technology, and bring the solutions to attention of readers for further discussion and improvement.
Kinetic stability of metal–organic frameworks for corrosive and coordinating gas capture

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have diverse applications involving the storage, separation and sensing of weakly interacting, high-purity gases. Exposure to impure gas streams and interactions with corrosive and coordinating gases raises the question of chemical robustness; however, the factors that determine the stability of MOFs are not fully understood. Framework materials have been previously categorized as either thermodynamically or kinetically stable, but recent work has elucidated an energetic penalty for porosity for all these materials with respect to a dense phase, which has implications for the design of materials for gas storage, heterogeneous catalysis and electronic applications. In this Review, we focus on two main strategies for stabilization of the porous phase — using inert metal ions or increasing the heterolytic metal–ligand bond strength. We review the progress in designing robust materials for the capture of coordinating and corrosive gases such as H2O vapour, NH3, H2S, SO2, nitrogen oxides (NOx) and elemental halogens. We envision that the pursuit of strategies for kinetic stabilization of MOFs will yield increasing numbers of robust frameworks suited to harsh conditions and that short-term stability towards these challenging gases will be predictive of long-term stability for applications in less demanding environments. Metal–organic frameworks, when evacuated, are metastable with respect to a dense phase of the same components. Here, we review methods for kinetic stabilization of the porous phase and discuss progress in designing stable frameworks for the capture of corrosive and coordinating gases.
Provable Efficient Skeleton Learning of Encodable Discrete Bayes Nets in Poly-Time and Sample Complexity

In this paper, we study the problem of skeleton learning for Bayesian networks from data. In particular, we focus on nodes taking discrete values, and the learning of all the edges while disregarding their directionality, i.e., the skeleton of the Bayesian network. The problem of learning the structure of a Bayesian network is NP-hard in general. However, we show that under certain conditions we can recover the true skeleton with sufficient number of samples. We develop a mathematical model which does not assume any specific conditional probability distributions for the nodes. We use a primal-dual witness construction to prove that, under some technical conditions on the interaction between node pairs, we can do exact recovery of the parents and children of a node by performing group l 12 -regularized multivariate regression. Thus, we recover the true Bayesian network skeleton. If degree of a node is bounded then the sample complexity of our proposed approach grows logarithmically with respect to the number of nodes in the Bayesian network. Furthermore, our method runs in polynomial time.
Note on the Extraction of |V_{ub}| using Radiative B Decays

The element |V_{ub}| of the quark mixing matrix can be extracted with small theoretical uncertainties by combining weighted integrals over the endpoint regions of the lepton spectrum in B -> X_u l nu decays and the photon spectrum in B -> X_s gamma decays. The perturbative corrections to this determination are computed at next-to-leading order including operator mixing, which has an important impact. The effect of Sudakov resummation is shown to be numerically insignificant.
An Economic Study of Types of Farming in the Chikugo Plain, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

Intensification of farming in Japan has played an important role not only in enlarging the size of farm business and in raising the level of farm income, but also in improving the efficiency in the use of family labor force. It was partly because the land was a scarce and valuable factor and the size of farm was very small in Japan, like in many other countries in Asia, and partly because the opportunity of profitable off-farm employment was limited, as a matter of fact, in many rural areas, and, as a result, the mobility of farm land was not high enough, too. In the studies of farm management in Japan, therefore, a stress has been placed upon the process of, and factors affecting the intensification of farming. To study the same subject seems to be equally important even on the present day when a rapid development has being taken place in the national economy of Japan and the saving of labor resource becomes more and more significant in every field of industry of the country. Intensification of farming may be put forward in general by any of the following ways; (1) to increase the yields of crops and to make higher the level of land use ratio, (2) to substitute more intensive crops for less intensive ones and to expand the acreage of intensive crops, (3) to feed livestock or to do processing of farm products in addition to growing crops, and to increase the rates of production in those additional enterprises, and (4) to increase the size of livestock or processing enterprise combined with growing crops. The actual process of intensification of farming in a certain area, therefore, is accompanied by changes in types of cropping or types of farming from less intensive to more intensive ones on the one side. On the other side, it requires of course the input of an increased amount of labor as well as capital on a given size of farm place. Labor forces and capital available on farms as well as the size and basic conditions of land seem to be the principal factors which affect the development of farming along the course of intensification of types of farming. It should be noted that the intensification of farming could not be successfully advanced with a mere increase of the amount of input of family labor on small farms as it is often believed. The present paper intends to deal with types of farming in connection with intensification of small-sized farms in the Chikugo Plain where highly intensive types of farming has long been practiced, and, as a result, a relatively high level of farm income has been attained by farm families who work with only a small size of paddy field on the average. Location and characteristics of the area studied : Describing the location and some characteristics of the area studied briefly, it was located in the southern part of
Structure elucidation of the elusive Enzyme I monomer reveals the molecular mechanisms linking oligomerization and enzymatic activity.

Enzyme I (EI) is a phosphotransferase enzyme responsible for converting phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) into pyruvate. This reaction initiates a five-step phosphorylation cascade in the bacterial phosphotransferase (PTS) transduction pathway. Under physiological conditions, EI exists in an equilibrium between a functional dimer and an inactive monomer. The monomer–dimer equilibrium is a crucial factor regulating EI activity and the phosphorylation state of the overall PTS. Experimental studies of EI’s monomeric state have yet been hampered by the dimer’s high thermodynamic stability, which prevents its characterization by standard structural techniques. In this study, we modified the dimerization domain of EI (EIC) by mutating three amino acids involved in the formation of intersubunit salt bridges. The engineered variant forms an active dimer in solution that can bind and hydrolyze PEP. Using hydrostatic pressure as an additional perturbation, we were then able to study the complete dissociation of the variant from 1 bar to 2.5 kbar in the absence and the presence of EI natural ligands. Backbone residual dipolar couplings collected under high-pressure conditions allowed us to determine the conformational ensemble of the isolated EIC monomeric state in solution. Our calculations reveal that three catalytic loops near the dimerization interface become unstructured upon monomerization, preventing the monomeric enzyme from binding its natural substrate. This study provides an atomic-level characterization of EI’s monomeric state and highlights the role of the catalytic loops as allosteric connectors controlling both the activity and oligomerization of the enzyme.
Compounding a High Dielectric Constant Thermoplastic Material for Production of Microwave Photonic Crystals through Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing techniques allow the production of complex geometries unattainable through other traditional technologies. This advantage lends itself well to rapidly iterate and improve upon the design of microwave photonic devices, which are structures with intricate, repeating features. The issue tackled by this work involves compounding a high-dielectric constant material that can be used to produce 3D topological structures using polymer extrusion-based AM techniques. This material was ABS based, and used barium titanate ceramic as the high-dielectric compound of the composite, and involved the use of a surfactant and a plasticizer to facilitate processing. Initial small amounts of material were compounded using an internal batch mixer, and studied using polymer thermal analysis techniques, such as thermogravimetric analysis, rheometry, and differential scanning calorimetry to determine the proper processing conditions. The production of the material was then scaled-up through the use of a twin-screw extruder system, producing homogeneous pellets. Finally, the thermoplastic composite was used with a screw-based, material extrusion additive manufacturing technique to produce a slab for measuring the dielectric constant of the material, as well as a preliminary 3D photonic crystal. The real part of dielectric constant of the composite was measured to be 12.85 in the range of 10GHz to 12GHz, representing the highest dielectric constant ever demonstrated for a thermoplastic AM composite at microwave frequencies. The dielectric loss tangent was equal to 0.046, representing a low-loss dielectric.
Missed Opportunities: Screening and Brief Intervention for Risky Alcohol Use in Women's Health Settings

Abstract Background: Although women's health settings could provide access to women for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for risky alcohol use, little is known about rates of alcohol use or associated risk for alcohol-exposed pregnancy (AEP) among women's health patients, receipt of SBIRT services in these settings, or patient attitudes towards SBIRT services. Methods: This study reports the results of a self-administered survey to a convenience sample of women's health patients attending public clinics for family planning or sexually transmitted infection visits. Results: Surveys were analyzed for 199 reproductive-aged women who had visited the clinic within the past year. The rate of risky drinking among the sample was (44%) and risk for AEP was (17%). Despite this, many patients did not receive SBIRT services, with more than half of risky drinking patients reporting that they were not advised about safe drinking limits (59%) and similar rates of patients at risk for AEP ...
Learned Hand Sings, Part One: Liner Notes for 'Songs of His Youth'

This is part one of a two-part set of liner notes for Songs of His Youth – a complete edition of Learned Hand’s 1942 folk music recording session at the Library of Congress. This part deals with the immediate business of how Hand ended up singing and talking into a microphone at the Library, and with what he sang and said, including a lightly annotated transcript of the recordings, which can be difficult to follow in places. The second part (in the next issue of the Green Bag) will deal mostly with the background and aftermath of the recording session.
Three-Dimensional Wavelet-Based Compression of Hyperspectral Images

This chapter proposed a three dimensional set partitioned embedded block coder for hyperspectral image compression. The three dimensional wavelet transform automatically exploits inter-band dependence. Two versions of the algorithm were implemented. The integer filter implementation enables lossy-to-lossless compression, and the floating point filter implementation provides better performance for lossy representation. Wavelet packet structure and bit shifting were applied on the integer filter implementation to make the transform approximately unitary.
Innate immune functions of microglia isolated from human glioma patients

Innate immunity is considered the first line of host defense and microglia presumably play a critical role in mediating potent innate immune responses to traumatic and infectious challenges in the human brain. Fundamental impairments of the adaptive immune system in glioma patients have been investigated; however, it is unknown whether microglia are capable of innate immunity and subsequent adaptive anti-tumor immune responses within the immunosuppressive tumor micro-environment of human glioma patients. We therefore undertook a novel characterization of the innate immune phenotype and function of freshly isolated human glioma-infiltrating microglia (GIM). GIM were isolated by sequential Percoll purification from patient tumors immediately after surgical resection. Flow cytometry, phagocytosis and tumor cytotoxicity assays were used to analyze the phenotype and function of these cells. GIM expressed significant levels of Toll-like receptors (TLRs), however they do not secrete any of the cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) critical in developing effective innate immune responses. Similar to innate macrophage functions, GIM can mediate phagocytosis and non-MHC restricted cytotoxicity. However, they were statistically less able to mediate tumor cytotoxicity compared to microglia isolated from normal brain. In addition, the expression of Fas ligand (FasL) was low to absent, indicating that apoptosis of the incoming lymphocyte population may not be a predominant mode of immunosuppression by microglia. We show for the first time that despite the immunosuppressive environment of human gliomas, GIM are capable of innate immune responses such as phagocytosis, cytotoxicity and TLR expression but yet are not competent in secreting key cytokines. Further understanding of these innate immune functions could play a critical role in understanding and developing effective immunotherapies to malignant human gliomas.
Particle Shedding and Migration From Silicone Genitourinary Prosthetic Devices

Of 26 patients undergoing revision of genitourinary prostheses the surrounding reactive fibrous capsule was biopsied in 25 and the draining lymph nodes also were biopsied in 4. The prostheses included 16 inflatable and 14 flexible penile devices, and 10 artificial urinary sphincters. Tissue was examined by light and transmission electron microscopy. X-ray microanalysis was done on intracellular and extracellular foreign material from each specimen. Silicone was found in 18 of the 25 periprosthetic specimens and in all 4 lymph nodes. Foreign body granulomas were identified in 14 of these 29 specimens. Examination of new and explanted versions of each prosthesis by scanning electron microscopy revealed free particles of silicone or silicates on the surface of most devices. Pitting and microfissuring were seen on a few of the new devices and on nearly all of the used ones. Thus, genitourinary prostheses shed silicone particles that can be found in the fibrous capsule and draining lymph nodes.
Metchnikoff, Elie (IIYA) (1845–1916)

First page of article Keywords: Metchnikoff, Elie (Iiya) (cellular theory of immunity); “the nature of man” and “the prolongation of life”
Cable Properties and Propagation of Action Potentials

Although the biological cable (i.e. nerve fiber or skeletal muscle fiber) is the best possible, it is a relatively poor cable with a short length constant and relatively long time constant. Therefore, for faithful and rapid signal transmission over long distances, energy must be put into the system at each point along the way. The system evolved is that of action potential (AP) generation, which are all-or-none signals of constant amplitude and constant propagation velocity, in addition to having refractory periods and sharp thresholds. This is a frequency-modulated system, in which increasing strength of sensation or motor response follows from an increase in frequency of the AP signals.
Radioelectrocardiographic changes during strenuous exercise in normal subjects.

The effect of strenuous exercise (riding a stationary bicycle at 20 to 25 mph for 3 minutes) on the electrocardiogram was studied in 135 normal subjects, aged 17 to 64 years. Radioelectrocardiography was used to record the tracings during and after the period of exercise. The following electrocardiographic alterations during exercise were interpreted as representing a normal physiologic response; sinus tachycardia (100 per cent of the cases), increased P-wave amplitude (85 per cent), ST-segment depression of the junction type, 1 mm. or more (75 per cent), diminished (68 per cent) or increased (9 per cent) T-wave amplitude. A few ventricular premature beats were observed in only two subjects (1.4 per cent). All these changes were observed, although less frequently, in the period after exercise (1 minute after the cessation of exercise). According to criteria for abnormality described previously,23 34 of the 135 subjects (24.8 per cent) exhibited abnormal responses to the bicycle exercise test. Sixteen of t...
Cortical gluing and Ringer lactate solution inflation to avoid cortical mantle collapse and subdural fluid collections in pediatric neurosurgery: safety and feasibility.

Subdural fluid collections following intraventricular and/or paraventricular procedures in pediatric neurosurgery are common and can be hard to treat. We describe our technique to close cortical defects by the aid of a fibrin adhesive and subsequent Ringer inflation with the aim to avoid cortical mantle collapse and to prevent the development of subdural fluid collections. We report the preliminary results of a prospective study on a consecutive series of 29 children who underwent 37 transcortical or transcallosal surgical procedures since 2008 in our department. In 17 procedures, we performed a transcortical approach on lesions, and in other 19 operations, we operated by a transcallosal. In 5/17 transcortical approaches (29 %) and in 3/20 transcallosal approaches (15 %), we observed a 5-mm-thick subdural fluid collection of the 5 patients with subdural fluid collections in the transcortical group, 3 patients (17 %) underwent surgery for symptomatic or progressive subdural fluid collections. Of the 3 patients in the transcallosal group, a subduro-peritoneal shunt was necessary only for 1 patient (5 %). At the very end of the treatment (including chemotherapy and radiotherapy), it was possible to remove the subduro-peritoneal shunt in all these patients because of disappearance of the subdural fluid collections. In pediatric patients after transcortical or transcallosal procedures, the use of a fibrin adhesive to seal surgical opening and subsequent inflation of the residual cavity with Ringer lactate solution to avoid cortical mantle collapse seems safe and appears to prevent the development of subdural fluid collections.
Curriculum-based measurement: Conceptual underpinnings and integration into problem-solving assessment

Abstract This article presents a case study exemplifying the use of curriculum-based measurement (CBM) in educational decision making. CBM is portrayed as more than just a set of brief fluency tests with strong conceptual ties to three related assessment models, viz., behavioral, ecological, and problem-solving assessment. The key elements of each of these models are delineated. A case study is presented to show how CBM is integrated into problem-solving educational assessment and decision-making practices.
The "genomic storm" induced by bacterial endotoxin is calmed by a nuclear transport modifier that attenuates localized and systemic inflammation.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a potent microbial virulence factor that can trigger production of proinflammatory mediators involved in the pathogenesis of localized and systemic inflammation. Importantly, the role of nuclear transport of stress responsive transcription factors in this LPS-generated “genomic storm” remains largely undefined. We developed a new nuclear transport modifier (NTM) peptide, cell-penetrating cSN50.1, which targets nuclear transport shuttles importin α5 and importin β1, to analyze its effect in LPS-induced localized (acute lung injury) and systemic (lethal endotoxic shock) murine inflammation models. We analyzed a human genome database to match 46 genes that encode cytokines, chemokines and their receptors with transcription factors whose nuclear transport is known to be modulated by NTM. We then tested the effect of cSN50.1 peptide on proinflammatory gene expression in murine bone marrow-derived macrophages stimulated with LPS. This NTM suppressed a proinflammatory transcriptome of 37 out of 84 genes analyzed, without altering expression of housekeeping genes or being cytotoxic. Consistent with gene expression analysis in primary macrophages, plasma levels of 23 out of 26 LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were significantly attenuated in a murine model of LPS-induced systemic inflammation (lethal endotoxic shock) while the anti-inflammatory cytokine, interleukin 10, was enhanced. This anti-inflammatory reprogramming of the endotoxin-induced genomic response was accompanied by complete protection against lethal endotoxic shock with prophylactic NTM treatment, and 75% protection when NTM was first administered after LPS exposure. In a murine model of localized lung inflammation caused by direct airway exposure to LPS, expression of cytokines and chemokines in the bronchoalveolar space was suppressed with a concomitant reduction of neutrophil trafficking. Thus, calming the LPS-triggered “genomic storm” by modulating nuclear transport with cSN50.1 peptide attenuates the systemic inflammatory response associated with lethal shock as well as localized lung inflammation.
Chemical bonding in SnI4

Abstract The Mossbauer data for both 119Sn and 129I have been analyzed to yield a consistent interpretation of the chemical bonding in SnI4. The SnI bond contains about 23% π-character, and 5–6% shybridization is involved in the iodine σ-bonding orbital. The atoms in SnI4 are essentially neutral, the net charges being −0.015 on iodine and +0.060 on tin. These results resolve the apparent discrepancy between tin and iodine Mossbauer experiments.
Provider evaluation of a multifaceted system of care to improve recognition and management of pregnant women experiencing domestic violence

This article describes the provider evaluation of a multifaceted system of care for pregnant women experiencing domestic violence and who receive prenatal care in an urban family practice site, one of four national demonstration projects. Providers reported changes in their own self-efficacy and behavior, but showed little improvement in overall attitudes or knowledge. Focus groups revealed that an easily accessible domestic violence coordinator was important, whereas providers stated that most domestic violence protocol materials were not useful. Guidelines that rely on training and protocols have had limited national success, suggesting that additional systems of care such as written chart prompts, quality improvement, and on-site domestic violence services may be necessary. This intervention was well received by providers, a key factor in any effort to alter provider behavior.
A Review of Air-Stagnation Cases in the Eastern United States During 1981— Annual Summary

Abstract The number and location of stagnation days within the eastern United States, as estimated mainly from a surface geostrophic-wind criterion, is presented by month and for the year 1981 as a whole. In 1981, the number of stagnation days exceeded the 40-year average everywhere except Florida, with a maximum frequency of occurrence somewhat to the west and north of the usual location. There were unique occurrences of stagnation in a belt extending from Minnesota to Maine, including extreme southeastern Canada.
Rousing and Redirecting a Sleeping Giant Symbolic Convergence Theory and Complexities in the Communicative Constitution of Collective Action

Symbolic Convergence Theory (SCT)—an explanation of the process and consequences of human symbolizing—has enjoyed popularity in communication studies but, in organizational communication, its appeal has declined, perhaps because of perceptions of its irrelevance to complex and contemporary concerns. To develop SCT’s appeal as well as its possible resurgence, this article rouses and redirects it. In rousing SCT, the article reviews its central statements, remembers its uses, and lays bare some weaknesses (i.e., explaining why humans narrate reality and share dramas, restrictive convergence assumptions, and restrictive assumptions about membership in rhetorical communities). In redirecting SCT, the article relaxes and complements its assumptions with ideas from organizational communication theories (i.e., sensemaking, power and politics, bona fide groups, and multiple identifications) and points a reinvigorated SCT toward exploring coalition action in response to leader behaviors at Harvard Business Review ...