cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing a patient and family research advisory panel to include people with significant disease, multimorbidity and advanced age.

Background People who have experienced illness due to significant disease, multimorbidity and/or advanced age are high utilizers of the health care system. Yet this population has had little formal opportunity to participate in guiding the health care research agenda, and few mechanisms exist for researchers to engage this population in an efficient way. Objective We describe the process of developing a standing patient and family advisory panel to incorporate this population's voice into research in the USA. Methods The panel was created at the University of Colorado. Preliminary panel development consisted of a needs assessment, information gathering and participant recruitment. We collected feedback from researchers who consulted with the panel and from panel members in order to better understand the experience from the patient and family member perspective. Results The patient and family research advisory panel consists of eight advisors who have experience with significant disease, multimorbidity and/or advanced age, two physicians and a program manager. The panel meets every other month for 2 hours with the main purpose of advising diverse researchers on health care studies. Conclusion People with significant disease, multimorbidity and/or advanced age represent a growing demographic in the USA, and their engagement in research is essential as the model of health care delivery moves from volume to value.
Storying a Social Drama: How Discourse and Practice Prevent Transformation Through Culturally Relevant Pedagogy

In a sociohistorical moment during which racism has become more widely accepted as a social fact, U.S. scholars and practitioners of education continue to struggle with how schooling might particip...
Asymmetrical positive assortative mating induced by developmental lead (Pb2+) exposure in a model system, Drosophila melanogaster.

Anthropogenic pollutants have the potential to disrupt reproductive strategies. Little is known about how lead (Pb2+) exposure disrupts individual-level responses in reproductive behaviors, which are important for fitness. Drosophila melanogaster was used as a model system to determine the effects of: 1) developmental lead exposure on pre-mating reproductive behaviors (i.e., mate preference), and 2) lead exposure and mating preferences on fitness in the F0 parental generation and F1 un-exposed offspring. Wild-type strains of D. melanogaster were reared from egg stage to adulthood in control or leaded medium (250 μM PbAc) and tested for differences in: mate preference, male song performance, sex pheromone expression, fecundity, mortality, and body weight. F0 leaded females preferentially mated with leaded males (i.e., asymmetrical positive assortative mating) in 2-choice tests. This positive assortative mating was mediated by the females (and not the males) and was dependent upon context and developmental exposure to Pb. Neither the courtship song nor the sex pheromone profile expressed by control and leaded males mediated the positive assortative mating in leaded females. Leaded females did not incur a fitness cost in terms of reduced fecundity, increased mortality, or decreased body weight by mating with leaded males. These results suggest that sublethal exposure to lead during development can alter mate preferences in adults, but not fitness measures once lead exposure has been removed. We suggest that changes in mate preference may induce fitness costs, as well as long-term population and multi-generational implications, if pollution is persistent in the environment.
High-Frequency Litz “Air-Gap” Windings for High-Power Density Electrical Machines

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the development of high-frequency air-gap windings for a 1 MW, 96% efficient permanent magnet (PM) motor, targeted at 13 kW/kg. Due to the power level and high-specific power requirements, special attention has to be paid to the electromagnetic, thermal, and mechanical performance for the high-frequency coils. Specifically, AC losses have to be minimized while fill factor and thermal conductivity of the assembly are maximized. The paper presents analytical and finite element-based AC loss studies along with experimental validation by indirect balanced calorimetry, and shares the results which should be scalable for other large machines. Hardware development and corresponding manufacturing process are also described.
Crystal Chemistry and Electrochemistry of LixMn1.5Ni0.5O4 Solid Solution Cathode Materials

For ordered high-voltage spinel LiMn1.5Ni0.5O4 (LMNO) with the P4321 symmetry, the two consecutive two-phase transformations at ∼4.7 V (vs Li+/Li), involving three cubic phases of LMNO, Li0.5Mn1.5Ni0.5O4 (L0.5MNO), and Mn1.5Ni0.5O4 (MNO), have been well-established. Such a mechanism is traditionally associated with poor kinetics due to the slow movement of the phase boundaries and the large mechanical strain resulting from the volume changes among the phases, yet ordered LMNO has been shown to have excellent rate capability. In this study, we show the ability of the phases to dissolve into each other and determine their solubility limit. We characterized the properties of the formed solid solutions and investigated the role of non-equilibrium single-phase redox processes during the charge and discharge of LMNO. By using an array of advanced analytical techniques, such as soft and hard X-ray spectroscopy, transmission X-ray microscopy, and neutron/X-ray diffraction, as well as bond valence sum analysis, th...
Variable Bone Density of Scaphoid: Importance of Subchondral Screw Placement.

Background Ideal internal fixation of the scaphoid relies on adequate bone stock for screw purchase; so, knowledge of regional bone density of the scaphoid is crucial. Questions/Purpose The purpose of this study was to evaluate regional variations in scaphoid bone density. Materials and Methods Three-dimensional CT models of fractured scaphoids were created and sectioned into proximal/distal segments and then into quadrants (volar/dorsal/radial/ulnar). Concentric shells in the proximal and distal pole were constructed in 2-mm increments moving from exterior to interior. Bone density was measured in Hounsfield units (HU). Results Bone density of the distal scaphoid (453.2 ± 70.8 HU) was less than the proximal scaphoid (619.8 ± 124.2 HU). There was no difference in bone density between the four quadrants in either pole. In both the poles, the first subchondral shell was the densest. In both the proximal and distal poles, bone density decreased significantly in all three deeper shells. Conclusion The proximal scaphoid had a greater density than the distal scaphoid. Within the poles, there was no difference in bone density between the quadrants. The subchondral 2-mm shell had the greatest density. Bone density dropped off significantly between the first and second shell in both the proximal and distal scaphoids. Clinical Relevance In scaphoid fracture ORIF, optimal screw placement engages the subchondral 2-mm shell, especially in the distal pole, which has an overall lower bone density, and the second shell has only two-third the density of the first shell.
Abstract 158: What’s the Nrf Got To Do With Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy?

The beneficial cardiovascular effects of low alcohol consumption are becoming more clinically evident. This is in sharp contrast with the detrimental ones associated with heavy alcohol drinking. We have previously shown that cardiac inotropy is closely related to the activation of the survival PI3K/Akt pathway. The objective of this study was to assess the role of the PI3K/Akt pathway in mediating the inotropic effects of chronic alcohol consumption. Littermate adult rats were put on a 3-months isocaloric Lieber-Decarli liquid diet with either low alcohol (LA: 5mM) or high alcohol (HA: 100mM) levels. The measured final blood alcohol concentrations were 0.02% and 0.46% respectively. In vivo intra-ventricular catheterization (Scisense/iWorks) of the left ventricle (LV) showed that an improved LV contractility (ESPVR and PRSW) of the LA group while the opposite occurred with the HA group. The alterations in contractility were independent of the afterload as in vitro cellular and sarcomeric inotropic measurements (Ionoptix) showed similar profile to the LV in vivo data. These functional LA effects were correlated with reduced H 2 O 2 levels (as well as SOD-3 activity) and enhanced Akt, NFκB, FOXO-1 and NRF1/2 gene expressions which translated into higher NRF2 protein levels and cardiocyte survival. On the contrary, HA increased H 2 O 2 level (as well as SOD-3 activity) and reduced the Akt, NFκB, FOXO-1 and NRF1/2 gene expressions which translated into lower NRF2 protein levels and cardiocyte survival. In addition, we observed dampening of caspase-3/7 activity with HA which was not affected with LA. We conclude that the improved low alcohol-induced cardiac inotropic function may be mediated through reduction of oxidative stress via Akt/NRF2 activation, which showed opposite expressions with the detrimental high alcohol effects. We also note that cell death occurrences may turn to necrotic pathways as alcohol exposure increases beyond LA levels.
Hepatic mass lesions: challenges and pitfalls

Abstract Though commonly encountered in clinical practice, hepatic mass lesions can present myriad diagnostic challenges, especially in needle biopsy specimens. Familiarity with the various pitfalls and caveats of morphologic evaluation and ancillary staining will likely improve both diagnostic accuracy and clinical outcomes. Herein, we discuss common hepatic mass lesions, including focal nodular hyperplasia, hepatic adenoma (and subtypes), variants of hepatocellular carcinoma, cirrhotic nodules (regenerative and dysplastic), segmental atrophy of the liver, and selected biliary lesions often seen in biopsy and resection specimens.
Thymic stromal cells: Roles in atrophy and age-associated dysfunction of the thymus.

Atrophy of the thymus, the primary site of T lymphocyte generation, is a hallmark of the aging immune system. Age-associated thymic atrophy results in diminished output of new, naive T cells, with immune sequelae that include diminished responses to novel pathogenic challenge and vaccines, as well as diminished tumor surveillance. Although a variety of stimuli are known to regulate transient thymic atrophy, mechanisms governing progressive age-associated atrophy have been difficult to resolve. This has been due in part to the fact that one of the primary targets of age-associated thymic atrophy is a relatively rare population, thymic stromal cells. This review focuses on changes in thymic stromal cells during aging and on the contributions of periodic, stochastic, and progressive causes of thymic atrophy.
CBP/p300: intramolecular and intermolecular regulations

CREB binding protein (CBP) and its close paralogue p300 are transcriptional coactivators with intrinsic acetyltransferase activity. Both CBP/p300 play critical roles in development and diseases. The enzymatic and biological functions of CBP/p300 are tightly regulated by themselves and by external factors. However, a comprehensive up-to-date review of the intramolecular and intermolecular regulations is lacking. To summarize the molecular mechanisms regulating CBP/p300s functions. A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed ( https://doi.org/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/ ) for literatures published during 1985–2018. Keywords “CBP regulation” or “p300 regulation” were used for the search. The functions of CBP/p300, especially their acetyltransferase activity and chromatin association, are regulated both intramolecularly by their autoinhibitory loop (AIL), bromodomain, and PHD-RING region and intermolecularly by their interacting partners. The intramolecular mechanisms equip CBP/p300 with the capability of self-regulation while the intermolecular mechanisms allow them to respond to various cell signaling pathways. Investigations into those regulation mechanisms are crucial to our understanding of CBP/p300s role in development and pathogenesis. Pharmacological interventions targeting these regulatory mechanisms have therapeutic potentials.
Achieving a shared view of treatment goals.

A philosophical analysis of how physician actions and treatment goals are defined and interpreted and how understanding this process can affect the success of the clinical encounter. Virtual Mentor is a monthly bioethics journal published by the American Medical Association.
Scaling Influence Maximization with Network Abstractions

Maximizing product adoption within a customer social network under a constrained advertising budget is an important special case of the general influence maximization problem. Specialized optimization techniques that account for product correlations and community effects can outperform network-based techniques that do not model interactions that arise from marketing multiple products to the same consumer base. However, it can be infeasible to use exact optimization methods that utilize expensive matrix operations on larger networks without parallel computation techniques. In this chapter, we present a hierarchical influence maximization approach for product marketing that constructs an abstraction hierarchy for scaling optimization techniques to larger networks. An exact solution is computed on smaller partitions of the network, and a candidate set of influential nodes is propagated upward to an abstract representation of the original network that maintains distance information. This process of abstraction, solution, and propagation is repeated until the resulting abstract network is small enough to be solved exactly.
Modeling the impact of obesity on the lifetime risk of chronic kidney disease in the United States using updated estimates of GFR progression from the CRIC study.

Rationale & objective As the prevalence of obesity continues to rise in the United States, it is important to understand its impact on the lifetime risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Study design The CKD Health Policy Model was used to simulate the lifetime risk of CKD for those with and without obesity at baseline. Model structure was updated for glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decline to incorporate new longitudinal data from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort (CRIC) study. Setting and population The updated model was populated with a nationally representative cohort from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Outcomes Lifetime risk of CKD, highest stage and any stage. Model, perspective, & timeframe Simulation model following up individuals from current age through death or age 90 years. Results Lifetime risk of any CKD stage was 32.5% (95% CI 28.6%–36.3%) for persons with normal weight, 37.6% (95% CI 33.5%–41.7%) for persons who were overweight, and 41.0% (95% CI 36.7%–45.3%) for persons with obesity at baseline. The difference between persons with normal weight and persons with obesity at baseline was statistically significant (p<0.01). Lifetime risk of CKD stages 4 and 5 was higher for persons with obesity at baseline (Stage 4: 2.1%, 95% CI 0.9%–3.3%; stage 5: 0.6%, 95% CI 0.0%–1.1%), but the differences were not statistically significant (stage 4: p = 0.08; stage 5: p = 0.23). Limitations Due to limited data, our simulation model estimates are based on assumptions about the causal pathways from obesity to CKD, diabetes, and hypertension. Conclusions The results of this study indicate that obesity may have a large impact on the lifetime risk of CKD. This is important information for policymakers seeking to set priorities and targets for CKD prevention and treatment.
Maternal Nutrition and Supplements for Mother and Infant

Abstract Recommendations for maternal supplementation during lactation are unnecessary unless the mother’s diet is deficient. Continuing prenatal vitamins postpartum is usually adequate. For malnourished women, supplementation may be appropriate after a personalized assessment of maternal deficiencies and intake. For lactating mothers adhering to the more restrictive vegetarian diets, the use of complementary protein combinations; supplementation with D and B vitamins; and attention to protein, iron, and calcium intake are appropriate. Maintaining adequate vitamin D stores during pregnancy and lactation is important. Supplements for breastfeeding infants are likely unnecessary in exclusively breastfed infants unless a deficiency is identified. The AAP does recommend vitamin D 400 mg beginning at birth. Iron needs should be addressed with appropriate solid foods (iron rich or iron fortified) after 6 months of exclusive breastfeeding.
Minimizing the Environmental Impact of Oil and Gas Development by Maximizing Production Conservation

One oil and gas well results in less environmental impact and surface disruption than two wells. The number of wells required to efficiently develop an oil and gas reservoir can be significantly reduced, while increasing the ultimate recovery of the oil and gas resource, if the reservoir can be developed without regard for the rule of capture. Current oil and gas "conservation" regulation is built around the rule of capture, which creates the legal necessity to be associated with an oil and gas well in order to secure rights in the oil and gas. By shifting the focus of rights in oil and gas reservoirs away from capture rights and toward correlative rights, state oil and gas conservation commissions can better manage development of the oil and gas resource, allowing all interested parties to maximize recovery of their oil and gas resources while minimizing the impact on surface and other natural resources.
Do Family Caregivers Offset Healthcare Costs for Older Adults? A Mapping Review on the Costs of Care for Older Adults With Versus Without Caregivers.

Background and objectives Older adults face significant long-term care and health care costs. But some of these costs can potentially be offset through family caregivers who may serve as substitutes for formal care or directly improve the care recipient's health and reduce health care utilization and expenditures. This article reviews the current literature to determine whether it is possible through existing work to compare the costs of care for individuals with versus without family caregivers and, if not, where the data, measurement, and other methodological challenges lie. Research design and methods A mapping review of published works containing information on health care utilization and expenditures and caregiving was conducted. A narrative approach was used to review and identify methodological challenges in the literature. Results Our review identified 47 articles that met our criteria and had information on caregiving and health care costs or utilization. Although findings were mixed, for the most part, having a family caregiver was associated with reduced health care utilization and a decreased risk of institutionalization however, the precise difference in health care expenditures for individuals with caregivers compared to those without was rarely examined, and findings were inconsistent across articles reviewed. Discussion and implications The number of family caregivers providing care to loved ones is expected to grow with the aging of the Baby Boomers. Various programs and policies have been proposed to support these caregivers, but they could be costly. These costs can potentially be offset if family caregivers reduce health care spending. More research is needed, however, to quantify the savings stemming from family caregiving.
Automatic image annotation and retrieval using weighted feature selection

The development of technology generates huge amounts of non-textual information, such as images. An efficient image annotation and retrieval system is highly desired. Clustering algorithms make it possible to represent visual features of images with finite symbols. Based on this, many statistical models, which analyze correspondence between visual features and words and discover hidden semantics, have been published. These models improve the annotation and retrieval of large image databases. However, image data usually have a large number of dimensions. Traditional clustering algorithms assign equal weights to these dimensions, and become confounded in the process of dealing with these dimensions. In this paper, we propose weighted feature selection algorithm as a solution to this problem. For a given cluster, we determine relevant features based on histogram analysis and assign greater weight to relevant features as compared to less relevant features. We have implemented various different models to link visual tokens with keywords based on the clustering results of K-means algorithm with weighted feature selection and without feature selection, and evaluated performance using precision, recall and correspondence accuracy using benchmark dataset. The results show that weighted feature selection is better than traditional ones for automatic image annotation and retrieval.
The epistemology of social practice

Relying upon a faith that our universe is not a chaos, but an ordered cosmos, I believe that through sincere and courageous effort man can learn what is true. I believe that inherent in what is true is that which will serve creation in its highest form, which is humanity. I believe that truth shall make man free free from its ills of the flesh and the spirit. I rely upon an unfolding knowledge of the truth to provide a solution for the problems and conflicts that vex humanity. I therefore dedicate myself to the task of seeking the truth. Arthur H. Compton1
Outcomes with advanced versus basic life support in blunt trauma.

Abstract Introduction The role of advanced life support (ALS) versus basic life support (BLS) in blunt trauma is controversial. Previous studies have shown no mortality benefit with ALS for penetrating trauma but the blunt population has mostly remained unaddressed. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted at a Level 1 trauma center comparing outcomes in blunt trauma patients managed by ALS versus BLS from July 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014. Both Injury Severity Score (ISS) and select Abbreviated Injury Score (AIS) were used to determine differences in mortality, length of stay (LOS) and complications based on mode of transportation, prehospital time, and number of prehospital interventions. Results 698 total patients were identified. Mortality and complications were grossly higher in ALS patients (p = 0.01 and Conclusion There is no mortality advantage for blunt trauma patients managed by ALS versus BLS.
Intermediate-term annualized curve progression of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis curves measuring 40° or greater

Prospective cohort study. The objective of this study was to examine intermediate-term progression for a large series of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) with curves 40° or greater. Curve progression in AIS has been well documented for smaller curves in adolescence up to skeletal maturity; however, the data on curve progression past 40° or into adulthood are limited. With many surgeons recommending surgical correction when patients reach this threshold, it is important to understand the radiographic progression of curves into adulthood. A database of all patients seen by a single surgeon from 1984 through 2018 with AIS curves progressing to at least 40° entered prospectively was utilized for this study. This included a total of 738 patients. Curve progression was analyzed overall and stratified by length of follow-up, curve location, and Risser stage at the time of presentation among other variables. Curve magnitude and Risser stage designations in this study were validated by performing a separate inter- and intrarater agreement study using four independent reviewers reading 50 patients’ Cobb angle and Risser stage blinded in triplicate to examine the reliability of the study measurements. Annualized curve progression (ACP) averaged 6.3 ± 10.4°. ACP varied with length of follow-up: patients with up to 1 year of follow-up had an average ACP of 11.5 ± 17.0°, while those with 1–2 years had 8.2 ± 8.8°, and 2–5 years had 3.7 ± 4.1°, tapering off further from there. Risser stage 0 or 1 was associated with the highest ACP as compared to Risser stage 2–3 or 4–5. Intraclass correlation (ICC) values for Cobb angle measurement and Risser stage designations from four raters measuring 50 patients’ measures, blinded and in triplicate, were all > 0.80, signifying a high degree of reliability within and between readers. Annualized curve progression for 40° and greater curves was not linear over time; it was greatest immediately after a curve reaches 40° and tapered off over the next decade. Immature Risser stage at presentation was strongly associated with increasing ACP at all time frames. Prognostic Level I
A STICKY QUAGMIRE: LYTICS OR SURGERY?

Prosthetic valve thrombosis incidence is 0.3-1.3% per year. Treatment options depend on prosthesis location, thrombus size, and clinical status. A 39-year-old woman with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis with mechanical mitral valve replacement, congestive heart failure and atrial flutter presented
Phenomenal Consciousness and Emergence: Eliminating the Explanatory Gap.

The role of emergence in the creation of consciousness has been debated for over a century, but it remains unresolved. In particular there is controversy over the claim that a “strong” or radical form of emergence is required to explain phenomenal consciousness. In this paper we use some ideas of complex system theory to trace the emergent features of life and then of complex brains through three progressive stages or levels: Level 1 (life), Level 2 (nervous systems), and Level 3 (special neurobiological features), each representing increasing biological and neurobiological complexity and ultimately leading to the emergence of phenomenal consciousness, all in physical systems. Along the way we show that consciousness fits the criteria of an emergent property---albeit one with extreme complexity. The formulation Life + Special neurobiological features → Phenomenal consciousness expresses these relationships. Then we consider the implications of our findings for some of the philosophical conundrums entailed by the apparent “explanatory gap” between the brain and phenomenal consciousness. We conclude that consciousness stems from the personal life of an organism with the addition of a complex nervous system that is ideally suited to maximize emergent neurobiological features and that it is an example of standard (“weak”) emergence without a scientific explanatory gap. An “experiential” or epistemic gap remains, although this is ontologically untroubling.
Correlates of clinical benefit from immunotherapy and targeted therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic analysis

Background The clinical significance of tumor-specific genomic alterations in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) is emerging, with several studies suggesting an association between PBRM1 mutations and response with immunotherapy (IO). We sought to determine genomic predictors of differential response to vascular endothelial growth factor–tyrosine kinase inhibitors (VEGF-TKIs) and IO. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent genomic profiling were identified; patients receiving either VEGF-TKIs or IO were included. Clinical tumor-normal whole exome sequencing and tumor whole transcriptome sequencing test were performed using a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA)-certified assay (Ashion Analytics; Phoenix, Arizona, USA). Genomic findings were compared between patients with clinical benefit (CB; complete/partial response or stable disease for >6 months) and no clinical benefit (NCB) in VEGF-TKI-treated patient cohort and IO-treated patient cohort. Results 91 patients received genomic profiling and 58 patients received VEGF-TKI and/or IO therapy. 17 received sequenced treatment involving both VEGF-TKI and IO, resulting in 32 patients in the IO cohort and 43 patients in the VEGF-TKI cohort. The most commonly used IO and VEGF-TKIs were nivolumab (66%) and sunitinib (40%). The most frequently detected alterations in the overall cohort were in VHL (64%), PBRM1 (38%), SETD2 (24%), KDM5C (17%) and TERT (12%). TERT promoter mutations were associated with NCB in the IO cohort (p=0.038); transcriptomic analysis revealed multiple differentially regulated pathways downstream of TERT. TERT promoter mutations and PBRM1 mutations were found to be mutually exclusive. While PBRM1 mutations were more prevalent in patients with CB with IO and VEGF-TKIs, no statistically significant association was found. Conclusions Our analysis found that TERT promoter mutations may be a negative predictor of outcome with IO and are mutually exclusive with PBRM1 loss-of-function mutations.
Understanding and Utilizing Item Characteristic Curves (ICC) to Further Evaluate the Functioning of a Scale

Item characteristic curves are often presented in Rasch articles and presentations; however, how should researchers read such curves and look at such curves to better evaluate test or survey items? What is the pattern that researchers want to see from data that are used to determine an ICC? Just as was presented (for the ‘Hills’) in chapter 9 of Rasch Analysis in the Human Sciences, in this chapter of Advances in Rasch Analysis in the Human Sciences we talk readers through the steps required to interpret the patterns that are observed in ICC plots that can be generated as part of a Rasch analysis. For this chapter, links are made to Rasch Analysis in the Human Sciences chapters such as “What is an o-give and how do I use it”.
Advocating for Engagement: Do Experiential Learning Courses Boost Civic Engagement?

In political science and academia more broadly, it is well understood that widespread civic engagement is a bedrock for a robust democracy. This premise drives disciplinary and institutional effort...
Øystein vs Archimedes: A Note on Linnebo’s Infinite Balance

Using Riemann’s Rearrangement Theorem, Oystein Linnebo (2020) argues that, if it were possible to apply an infinite positive weight and an infinite negative weight to a working scale, the resulting net weight could end up being any real number, depending on the procedure by which these weights are applied. Appealing to the First Postulate of Archimedes’ treatise on balance, I argue instead that the scale would always read 0 kg. Along the way, we stop to consider an infinitely jittery flea, an infinitely protracted border conflict, and an infinitely electric glass rod.
Information processing speed and attention in multiple sclerosis: Reconsidering the Attention Network Test (ANT).

Objective: The Attention Network Test (ANT) assesses attention in terms of discrepancies between response times to items that differ in the burden they place on some facet of attention. However, simple arithmetic difference scores commonly used to capture these discrepancies fail to provide adequate control for information processing speed, leading to distorted findings when patient and control groups differ markedly in the speed with which they process and respond to stimulus information. This study examined attention networks in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) using simple difference scores, proportional scores, and residualized scores that control for processing speed through statistical regression. Method: Patients with relapsing-remitting (N = 20) or secondary progressive (N = 20) MS and healthy controls (N = 40) of similar age, education, and gender completed the ANT. Results: Substantial differences between patients and controls were found on all measures of processing speed. Patients exhibit...
Determination of and cathepsin B activity in trophotaenial placental cells of goodeid fishes

Abstract 1. 1. The trophotaenial placenta of the goodeid fishes is an externalized derivative of the hindgut. Trophotaenial epithelial cells transport small molecules or endocytose macromolecules, such as proteins, which serve as nutrient substrates during gestation. 2. 2. Trophotaeniae of the goodeid fishes Ameca splendens, Ilyodon furcidens, and Goodea atripinnis were analyzed for N- acetyl-β- d -glucosaminidase and cathepsin B activity, two enzymes of the endosomallysosomal system. 3. 3. Synthetic conjugates of 4-methylumbelliferone (4-methylumbelliferyl N- acetyl-β- d -glucosaminide ) and 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (benzyloxycarbonyl-phenylalanyl-arginine-4-methyl-7-coumarylamide) were used as substrates for the assays. 4. 4. The specific activity of N- acetyl-β- d -glucosaminidase in the trophotaeniae measured at 34.63 μU/mg protein for A. splendens, 84.81 μU/mg protein for I. furcidens, and 67 μU/mg protein for G. atripinnis, was consistently less than in the control tissues (maternal liver and intestine). 5. 5. In the case of cathepsin B, the specific activity in the trophotaeniae measured at 91.23 mU/mg protein for I. furcidens, and 33.8 mU/mg protein for G. atripinnis, was less than in the intestine but greater than that of the liver for all the species of fish tested. 6. 6. Cathepsin B activity was approximately 1000 × greater than N- acetyl-β- d -glucosaminidase in all three species. 7. 7. There were no significant differences in the specific activity of either enzyme among the three species.
Clinical Utility of Cytomegalovirus Viral Load in Bronchoalveolar Lavage in Lung Transplant Recipients

The utility of cytomegalovirus (CMV) viral load (VL) by quantitative hybrid capture assay (Q-HCA) was investigated in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) from lung transplant recipients and compared with BAL cultures and blood VL. Forty-three consecutive BAL samples from 27 lung transplant recipients were analyzed. All samples had shell vial (SV) cultures in addition to Q-HCA. Histopathology was done on all lung tissues, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in those with positive CMV cultures. Fifteen (56%) lung transplant recipients had both positive BAL SV cultures and BAL VL. Five of 15 had CMV pneumonitis with a VL in BAL >500 000 copies/mL (mean: 1638 450). Ten patients without CMV pneumonitis had VL in BAL <500 000 copies/mL (mean 81 820, p = 0.002). High VL in BAL and blood invariably meant CMV pneumonitis, but 2 patients with CMV pneumonitis had high BAL VL but relatively low blood VL. Initial CMV seronegativity was associated with pneumonitis (4/5 vs. 1/10; p = 0.004) and higher BAL CMV VL (p = 0.03). High CMV BAL or blood VL did not correlate with acute rejection or development of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS). High CMV VL in BAL in lung transplant recipients is strongly associated with CMV pneumonitis, and may be more predictive than peripheral blood viral load.
This Ain't the Summer of Love: Conflict and Crossover in Heavy Metal and Punk, by Steve Waksman: (2009). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press, 398 pp., $65.00 (hardcover), $24.95 (paperback).

At a 1982 Black Sabbath show in Seattle, a photographer snapped a shot of smiling long-haired headbangers holding up a large sign that stated, “Kill a punk for rock & roll.” It was at that time tha...
Understanding network formation in strategy research: Exponential random graph models

Research summary: This article uses Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) to advance strategic management research, focusing on an application to board interlock network tie formation. Networks form as the result of actor attributes as well as through the influence of existing ties. Conventional regression models require assumptions of independence between observations, and fail to incorporate endogenous structural effects of the observed network. ERGMs represent a methodological innovation for network formation research given their ability to model actor attributes along with endogenous structural processes. We illustrate these advantages by modeling board interlock formation among Fortune 100 firms. We also demonstrate how ERGMs offer significant opportunities to extend existing strategy research and open new pathways in multiparty alliances, microfoundations of interorganizational network formation, and multiplexity of ties among actors. Managerial summary: Social networks are increasingly important in the business world, not only between individuals but also between organizations. Firms can obtain information, resources, and status through their external network connections, and understanding how these outside ties form is an important goal of strategy research. Our paper helps advance this effort by introducing a new tool for social network analysis, Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs) to the management and strategy fields. We provide an example of this method, demonstrating how social network ties form between companies when they hire common directors to their boards. Executives can benefit from this research through a greater understanding of how corporate relationships are built with allies as well as among competitors. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhanced Recovery of Phytophthora ramorum from Soil Following 30 Days of Storage at 4°C

Chlamydospores of Phytophthora ramorum were used to infest field soil at densities ranging from 0.2 to 42 chlamydospores/cm3 soil. Recovery was determined by baiting with rhododendron leaf discs and dilution plating at time 0 and after 30 days of storage at 4°C, as recommended by USDA-APHIS. Baiting was slightly more sensitive than dilution plating in recovering P. ramorum immediately following infestation of soil and allowed detection from samples infested with as little as 0.2 chlamydospores/cm3 compared with 1 chlamydospore/cm3 for dilution plating. After 30 days of infested soil storage at 4°C, P. ramorum was detected at significantly (P = 0.05) higher levels than at time 0 with both recovery methods. The results indicate that storage of P. ramorum-infested soil at 4°C may allow for pathogen activity, such as sporangia production, which may enhance recovery from soil.
Determination of Serum and Urinary Phenylalanine by Gas Chromatography

Phenylalanine in serum and urine was determined by gas chromatography after it was converted, by action of nitrous acid, to the corresponding hydroxy acid, phenyllactic acid. After extraction with ether, the phenyllactic acid was derivatized with bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide under mild conditions, and the product was injected directly into the gas chromatograph. The precision of the method was verified by recovery studies and by comparison with the results of quantitative analysis of phenylalanine on an amino acid analyzer. Urine specimens from normal infants and children and from patients with phenylketonuria were analyzed by this method to show that the procedure is applicable to diagnosis of the disorder.
Optimal Disturbances in Three-Dimensional Natural Convection Flows

Buoyancy-driven systems are subject to several types of flow instabilities. To evaluate the performance of such systems it is becoming increasingly crucial to be able to predict the stability of a given base flow configuration. Traditional Modal Linear stability Analysis requires the solution of very large eigenvalue systems for three-dimensional flows, which make this problem difficult to tackle.An alternative to modal Linear stability Analysis is the use of adjoint solvers [1] in combination with a power iteration [2]. Such methodology allows for the identification of an optimal disturbance or forcing and has been recently used to evaluate the stability of several isothermal flow systems [2]. In this paper we examine the extension of the methodology to non-isothermal flows driven by buoyancy. The contribution of buoyancy in the momentum equation is modeled through the Boussinesq approximation.The method is implemented in the spectral element code Nek5000. The test case is the flow is a two-dimensional cavity with differential heating and conductive walls and the natural circulation flow in a toroidal thermosiphon.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Alterations in the morphology and functional activity of bone marrow phagocytes following benzene treatment of mice.

Abstract Benzene is a well-established hematotoxin that affects developing leukocytes and erythrocytes as well as bone marrow stromal cells. In the present studies we analyzed the effects of benzene on the morphology and functional activity of bone marrow phagocytes. Male Balb c mice were treated with benzene (660 mg/kg) once per day for 3 days. Bone marrow cells were then isolated and fractionated by density gradient centrifugation. Using highly sensitive techniques in flow cytometry/cell sorting, we found that we could separate three distinct populations of bone marrow cells that differed with respect to size and density. Monoclonal antibody binding and cell sorting revealed a large, dense population that consisted predominantly of granulocytes, a smaller, less dense population of lymphocytes, and a population of intermediate size and density consisting of mononuclear phagocytes and precursor cells. Differential staining of sorted mononuclear phagocytes revealed that benzene treatment of mice caused a marked increase in the number of mature, morphologically activated macrophages in the bone marrow. Benzene treatment of mice also resulted in enhanced chemotaxis and production of hydrogen peroxide by bone marrow granulocytes and mononuclear phagocytes. In contrast, treatment of mice with the combination of hydroquinone and phenol (50 mg/kg each, 1×/day, 3 days), two metabolites of benzene, resulted in a significant (p ≤ 0.02) depression of granulocyte chemotaxis and had no effect on hydrogen peroxide production by bone marrow phagocytes compared to cells from control animals. Taken together these results demonstrate that benzene causes increased differentiation and/or activation of phagocytes in the bone marrow.
Prostaglandin E2-induced luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone release involves mobilization of intracellular Ca+2.

The present in vitro experiments were performed to examine the involvement of Ca+2 in the mechanism by which prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) induces LHRH release from the median eminence (ME) of the hypothalamus. Stepwise decreases in the Ca+2 concentration of the incubation medium reduced the LHRH response to PGE2. Nevertheless, neither complete omission of Ca+2 (residual Ca+2 concentration, 3.5 μM) nor chelation of residual Ca+2 with EGTA prevented the stimulatory effect of the PG, suggesting that a significant portion of the PGE2 effect on LHRH release is independent of extracellular Ca+2. Blockade of Ca+2 influx with verapamil, a Ca+2 entry blocker, demonstrated that this component of the PGE2 effect is completely independent of inward Ca+2 movement. Depletion of intraterminal Ca+2 stores by exposure of the MEs to the Ca+2 ionophore A23187 in medium without Ca+2 containing EGTA almost completely obliterated the subsequent LHRH response to PGE2, indicating that normal intraterminal Ca+2 levels are important fo...
Analysis of the linkage positions in D-fructofuranosyl residues by the reductive-cleavage method

The suitability of the reductive-cleavage method for analysis of the linkage positions in D-fructofuranosyl residues of D-fructans was examined by using sucrose, chicory-root inulin, and Aerobacter levanicum levan as models. Permethylation, and reductive cleavage with triethylsilane in the presence of either boron trifluoride etherate or trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, gave the expected methylated derivatives of 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol and 2,5-anhydro-D-glucitol. With either catalyst, nonreducing (terminal) D-fructofuranosyl groups and D-fructofuranosyl residues linked at O-1 gave derivatives having the manno configuration as the major product, whereas D-fructofuranosyl residues linked at O-6, and at both O-1 and O-6, gave derivatives having the gluco configuration as the major product. The independent synthesis, and n.m.r.- and mass-spectral characterization, of the methylated 2,5-anhydro-D-mannitol and 2,5-anhydro-D-glucitol derivatives formed from these residues by reductive cleavage are reported.
The Wall Street jungle, deconstructed

We may head off future financial crashes if we view the economy like an ecosystem, say Henrik Jeldtoft Jensen, Geoffrey West and Eduardo Viegas
Monomolecular film behavior of copoly (methyl methacrylate styrene) and physical mixtures of poly (methyl methacrylate) and polystyrene at the water/air interface

Studies of the two-dimensionai molecular orientation and molecular packing of polymers have provided some insight into their interracial behavior (1-7). The effect of polymer structure on monolayer interracial behavior has been studied by Ries and coworkers (1-3, 5). It has been observed that when an acetate group in the polymer backbone is replaced by a benzoate group a completely different polymer film orientation will result (4). The study of monolayer films of polymer mixtures and copolymers has not been given sufficient attention. Some knowledge of the behavior of mixture has become available only recently (2-4, 8). Polymer-polymer interaction in monomoleeular films comprising mixtures of polyvinyl acetate and polyethylacrylate was recently discussed by one of us (A. L.) and the deviations of polymer segmental area from that based on ideal behavior were calculated (8) by means of a simple thermodynamic treatment. Sufficient knowledge of the interfaeial behavior of copolymers is also lacking. In a study using copoly(octadecene-vinyl acetate) and copoly(octadecene-vinyl alcohol) it has been shown that copolymers possess better molecular packing ability than the corresponding physical mixtures (9). In the present work, the monomolecular
Issues in Radioactive Waste Management for Fusion Power

Analysis of recent conceptual designs reveals that commercial fusion power systems will raise issues of occupational and public health and safety. This paper focuses on radioactive wastes from fusion reactor materials activated by neutrons. The analysis shows that different selections of materials and neutronic designs can make differences in orders-of-magnitude of the kinds and amounts of radioactivity to be expected. By careful and early evaluation of the impacts of the selections on waste management, designers can produce fusion power systems with radiation from waste well below today's limits for occupational and public health and safety.
OVEREXPRESSION, PURIFICATION, AND USE OF PHOSPHOENOL PYRUVATE SYNTHETASE IN THE SYNTHESIS OF PEP ANALOGUES

Abstract The Escherichia coli enzyme phosphoenol pyruvate synthetase has been overexpressed and purified in a single chromatographic step. The enzyme catalyzes the synthesis of phosphoenol pyruvate (PEP), from adenosine triphosphate and pyruvate, and has enabled the synthesis of uniformly labeled [1,2,3- 13 C 3 ]PEP, which is a key molecule in structural and mechanistic studies of enolpyruvyl transferases. Fluoropyruvate was also used as substrate for the enzyme and gave only ( Z )-phoephoenol-3-fluoropyruvate, albeit at a slower rate.
Automobile exhaust emission control by catalysts

The past year has seen a wealth of published articles from around the world related to automobile exhaust emission control. The applied automotive catalysis work continues in response to the need for robust systems that comply with new, stricter regulations for the control of nitric oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide under an expanded range of driving conditions that includes higher speeds and air conditioner operation. The search also continues for catalysts that effectively reduce nitric oxide levels in lean feed streams. Although promising results continually emerge, no catalysts have surfaced that meet all the desired requirements for lean burn gasoline or diesel engines. In the absence of effective lean NOx catalysts, NOx sorption systems are emerging as the alternative method for lean NOx control in gasoline engines.