cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bacteria Inactivation via X-ray-Induced UVC Radioluminescence: Toward in Situ Biofouling Prevention in Membrane Modules

Germicidal UVC radiation is a highly effective, chemical-free tool for bacteria inactivation, but its application is limited to reactors and open areas that can accommodate lamps/LEDs and wiring. A relevant example of problematic bacterial colonization within UV-inaccessible confines where chemical techniques have found only limited success is biofouling of feed channels in high-pressure membrane elements for water treatment. Herein we demonstrate a unique method of generating UV internally using embedded radioluminescent (RL) particles excited by an external X-ray source. We further show that the magnitude of the emitted UV intensity and required X-ray dose rates are likely within effective and practical ranges for future application to antibiofouling technology. Assessment of three Pr3+-activated RL phosphor candidates revealed LaPO4:Pr3+ to have the most favorable luminescence properties, achieving over 2-log inactivation of E. coli in a thin water film with a 74 Gy dose of 150 kVp X-rays. The effect o...
Splenic marginal zone lymphoma: An indolent malignancy leading to the development of neurolymphomatosis.

Introduction Acute neuropathic pain and weakness with a sensory level in a patient with a history of lymphoma has a broad differential diagnosis. Evaluation of such a presentation often includes MRI, neurophysiologic studies, and cerebrospinal fluid evaluation. We report a patient with splenic marginal zone lymphoma who developed acute weakness, sensory loss, and neuropathic pain due to neurolymphomatosis. Methods Clinical evaluation, MRI of the lumbar spine, cerebrospinal fluid evaluation, electrodiagnostic (EDx) studies, and biopsy of a dorsal nerve root were undertaken. Results EDx studies were consistent with an acute, acquired demyelinating sensorimotor polyradiculoneuropathy. Treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and plasma exchange did not lead to clinical improvement. Ultimately, biopsy of a dorsal nerve root was performed and revealed neurolymphomatosis. Conclusion This case emphasizes that, when it can be performed safely, biopsy for suspected neurolymphomatosis is imperative for appropriate diagnosis and treatment. Muscle Nerve 55: 440-444, 2017.
Structural Characterization of BAX 855, a PEGylated Recombinant FVIII

Abstract Abstract 4356 Baxter and Nektar have developed a longer acting recombinant FVIII (BAX 855), which is manufactured by coupling stable PEG using Nektar technology to Baxter's full-length rFVIII bulk drug substance from the protein-free ADVATE™ manufacturing process. BAX 855 was characterized by a number of analytical methods, focusing on the elucidation of the primary structure, posttranslational modifications, PEGylation site distribution and three-dimensional structure. The primary structure of BAX 855 was investigated using a peptide mapping approach. Samples were digested with trypsin and the resulting peptides were separated by reversed phase chromatography and detected with on-line electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. This approach resulted in a sequence coverage of 94% with good consistency demonstrated between different BAX 855 batches. Protein-bound oligosaccharides were determined by normal phase HPLC of fluorescence labeled N-glycans released by PNGase F treatment. The composition of the N-linked oligosaccharides showed a similar pattern between BAX 855 and unmodified rFVIII, confirming that the N-glycosylation pattern remained intact during the PEGylation process. PEGylation site distribution and detailed analysis of the consistency of PEGylation was investigated by activating BAX 855 with thrombin. The resulting PEGylated and non-PEGylated fragments were separated using a RP-HPLC approach and the bound PEG was measured for each thrombin fragment. The distribution of PEG among the different thrombin fragments of rFVIII was shown to be consistent between several BAX 855 batches. Moreover, RP-HPLC of native BAX 855 showed reproducible subunit composition and PEGylation. SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis of BAX 855 revealed changes in the electrophoretic pattern due to PEGylation without the appearance of any relevant degradation products. The random PEGylation of rFVIII was shown using antibodies with different epitope specificities. Dynamic light scattering and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were used to monitor the consistency of three dimensional structures. The mean hydrodynamic diameter of BAX 855 was between 30 and 40 nm, which is a characteristic size for a ∼300-kDa protein. Several BAX 855 batches showed almost overlapping FTIR absorbance spectra, especially in the conformationally susceptible amide I and amide II peak at 1650 and 1550 cm−1, respectively, indicative for good consistency of the manufacturing process. In summary, BAX 855, a PEGylated rFVIII derivative, can be manufactured reproducibly without changes to the protein structure characteristic for a fully functional FVIII molecule. Disclosures: Kaliwoda: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Graninger: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Matthiessen: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Schrenk: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Turecek: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Mitterer: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Ehrlich: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment. Scheiflinger: Baxter Innovations GmbH: Employment.
Model-predictive control and sensitivity analysis for constrained nonlinear processes

Abstract This paper describes methods for feedback control and sensitivity analysis of systems modeled by nonlinear differential-algebraic equations. An optimal control policy for the nominal plant is determined using a simultaneous optimization and simulation approach. The sensitivity of the optimal solution with respect to the model parameters is then computed. The feedback from the measurements is used to update the important model parameters. Confidence intervals are also placed on the optimal control profiles by considering second order variations in the Lagrangian. Computational results are shown for two process models of interest in chemical engineering.
Utilizing the past in the present curriculum: historical collections and anatomy at the University of Alabama School of Medicine.

The Reynolds Historical Library (RHL) at the Lister Hill Library of the Health Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), is a rich treasure trove of health sciences materials equaled by only a few institutions in the United States. Having a first-rate, subject-specific collection like the RHL is not enough, however: it must be linked in a meaningful way to campus life. Outreach efforts are various and legion: history clubs, lecture series, symposia focusing on one or more aspects of the collection's strengths, tours, media coverage, and so on. All are useful means to the laudable goal of raising the historical consciousness of faculty, students, and administrators and, moreover, leading them to appreciate the valuable perspectives that special collections can offer. But when one or more aspects of a university's historical material is directly tied to class activities, something special happens. Not only does an often-neglected but extremely valuable tool come alive for faculty and students, but, more broadly, this resource is effectively put to work for the curriculum. Thus, the educational experience is enhanced on the one hand, and the collection is made pertinent and integral to the institutional mission on the other. This paper reports on one such linkage at the UAB School of Medicine, specifically between Michael Casey, Ph.D., course director of gross anatomy, and Michael Flannery, associate director for historical collections. The project began with the realization that RHL's holdings of original works on anatomy, particularly those by Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564), could be used to enhance the “Medical Gross Anatomy” course. It should be pointed out that “Medical Gross Anatomy” is part of every first-year medical student's course load, providing the opportunity to showcase the resources of the RHL to the entire medical student body at the beginning of their studies. Thus, this case has significant implications for the viability of special collections in the medical school curriculum. The details of implementing the plan were left to the discretion of RHL staff. The staff decided that the best approach would be to limit direct access to the original material by creating an informed display that showed Vesalius's great anatomical classic, De humani corporis fabrica, his Epitome (which the students rather endearingly referred to as “baby De fabrica”), an illustration of Vesalius, and a pre-Vesalius work showing an anatomical plate that would demonstrate in “before and after” fashion the great contribution of this Renaissance anatomist. Because the copies in the RHL collection were in excellent overall condition but still retained their rather fragile bindings and spines, access to the original works was limited to small groups under the direct supervision of the course director and RHL staff.
Assessment of Leading Health Educators in Select General Readership Magazines, 2005-2008

Mass media can play an important role in setting public agenda and stimulating public attention to issues. Purpose: To assess health-related articles in select mass-circulating general readership magazines, and identify which of the Leading Health Indicators (LHI) each of them addresses. Methods: Four of the top 35 general readership magazines listed in the 2007 Magazine Publishers of America were considered, and included Reader’s Digest, Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News and World Report. ProQuest was searched to obtain all health-related articles (n=55) available in these magazines between July 2005 and August 2008. Articles were assessed in regards to LHIs, sources of information, presentation of statistics and risk factors, and citation of prevention measures. Results: The most frequent LHIs addressed were overweight and obesity (21.4%) and mental health (19%). The most frequent source of information was experts such as MDs and PhDs (92.9%). Incidence and prevalence of LHIs were frequently presented, while risk factors were presented in less than 25% of the articles. Conclusion: Mass media can be a valuable tool for dissemination and stimulation of public attention to high priority public health issues. Enhanced coordination is needed between health educators and members of the press to ensure accurate and universally relevant health information in general readership magazines.
Stroke Therapy Development Successes: Research Guidelines and Embolic Stroke Models for Monotherapy and Adjuvant Therapy Development

Acute ischemic stroke patients now have the benefit of receiving either thrombolytic therapy or endovascular procedure therapy, alone or with an approved thrombolytic to significantly improve clinical outcome measured using the modified Rankin scale. Most recent data indicate that large vessel occlusion stroke victims can achieve a modified Rankin scale score of 0–2, clinically normal, 3–12 months after treatment. Like tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), endovascular procedures will be of benefit to a small well-defined patient population, because it appears that a small ischemic core and large penumbral substrate are a prerequisite for neuroprotection and functional recovery. Endovascular procedures and thrombolysis both effectively target reperfusion of the penumbra to promote cell survival, but neither therapy actually targets a specific mechanism directly involved in the ischemic cascade, a complex series of temporally regulated events that result in differential death of cellular populations in the brain. With our constantly evolving understanding of cell death mechanisms, we now have the opportunity to develop neuroprotective or cytoprotective strategies to use as adjuvant therapy with endovascular procedures and rt-PA to further promote function and potentially repair ischemia-damaged cellular pathways. The benefit of testing novel neuroprotective and cytoprotective therapies as an adjuvant in the patient population defined above will take advantage of both large penumbra and reperfusion of the penumbra. Progress to develop new therapies will be inextricably linked to standardization of translational research practices, complete transparency of data, and adherence to STAIR, RIGOR, ARRIVE, and VOW guidelines. Moreover, because the target population will be undergoing reperfusion therapies, the recommendation is for translational research to be conducted in standardized and validated embolic stroke models.
Ultrafine graphitised MWCNT nanostructured yarn for the manufacture of electrically conductive fabric

A novel process was used to fabricate a nanostructured polyurethane-based fabric. Batches were made by extruding the polymerised formulation while it was wound onto a mandrill to produce a spool of nanostructured 1.5–2.5-μm-diameter fibres. During this research, the ultrafine 2-μm-diameter polyurethane yarn has been nanostructured with 0.5, 0.75 and 1% (wt) graphitised multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The yarn was subsequently weaved to form an electrically conductive fabric, which has ten times the electrical conductivity over its parent yarn. The process in which nanostructured fabric is manufactured is discussed together with its enhanced electrical conductivity characteristics.
Ventilatory Control During Sleep in Normal Humans

some aspects of ventilatory control in normal humans during sleep are reviewed in this chapter as a standard against which alterations in sleep and sleep-induced changes in breathing at high altitude can be understood.
One electron in a microwave cavity

The cyclotron motion of a single electron in a Penning trap interacts with the microwave cavity formed by the metal electrodes of the trap. The spontaneous emission rate for the cyclotron motion changes by a measurable amount.1 The rate is measured by monitoring the energy in the cyclotron motion via the relativistic mass shift2 as a function of the time elapsed after a drive of the cyclotron motion at 164 GHz is turned off. Changing the magnetic field changes the cyclotron frequency with respect to the eigenfrequencies of the microwave cavity. The spontaneous emission rate varies from 4 times slower to somewhat faster than the rate in free space over the range of cyclotron frequencies which could be covered. The observation of inhibited spontaneous emission was preceded by the observation of a cavitylike effect using excited molecules deposited on layers of fatty acid molecules3 and was followed by observations with Rydberg atoms.4 An earlier proposal of studies with Rydberg atoms5 focused our attention on this problem.
Comparative Analysis of Tools for Predicting the Functional Impact of mtDNA Variants

Recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies has transformed the study of DNA sequence variation. Over the last decade, the development of a number of functional impact predictors and annotation tools have been implemented to aid in this DNA variant analysis. While many annotation tools and pipelines have been built to annotate nuclear genome variants, only a few software predictors address the thousands of variants found in human mitochondrial DNA. Many prediction tools built for nuclear DNA have been retrofitted to annotate mitochondrial DNA, but because of the vast differences between the two, nuclear annotators fail to produce accurate predictions for mitochondrial mutations. Conventional annotation tools and predictors such as SIFT and PolyPhen2 are a few of the tools that produce less than accurate pathogenicity scores for mitochondrial variants. More recently, tools such as APOGEE have addressed the need for specialized tools to annotate mtDNA exonic variants with high-confidence. In addition, most of the annotation tools only annotate exonic mutations, but variants in mitochondrial tRNA and rRNA are important and are a common cause of mitochondrial disease. A few papers have addressed the need to accurately predict the pathogenicity of tRNA variants, such as MitoTIP, while no known tools exist for annotating rRNA variant pathogenicity for mtDNA variants. We have constructed a comparative analysis of both standard and non-standard annotation tools and their ability to accurately predict the pathogenicity of mitochondrial mutations. We carefully curated a complete list of all potential non-synonymous exonic, tRNA and rRNA mitochondrial mutations and ran selected tools for each dataset. We have analyzed the accuracy and precision of each tool compared to the consensus among the tools combined with pathogenicity predictions from MITOMAP disease associations. Over the course of our testing, we confirmed that many of the prediction tools typically used for nuclear DNA were subpar when tested on mitochondrial DNA. Newer annotation tools built specifically for mtDNA such as APOGEE had higher overall assessment scores. Based on our analysis, we are creating an online annotation tool specifically for mtDNA variants that integrates pathogencity scores from our top-rated prediction tools.
Preliminary investigation of teaching older adults the tuck-and-roll strategy: Can older adults learn to fall with reduced impact severity

Abstract Falls are common and potentially disastrous for older adults. A novel approach that could augment current fall prevention procedures is to teach older adults movement strategies to reduce the risk of injury. The purpose of the study was to determine whether older adults can learn a movement strategy (“tuck-and-roll”) that reduces fall impact severity. Learning was quantified with short-term acquisition, bilateral transfer and 1-week-retention. 14 healthy older individuals participated (63.9 ± 5.6 years) in the investigation. Participants were randomly assigned into either training group (n = 7) or active control group (n = 7). All participants performed standardized sideway falls at baseline, immediately post intervention and 1-week-retention tests. During the falling assessments, kinetic and kinematic impact severity parameters were measured. The results for short-term learning revealed that the training group showed greater reduction in hip impact force (33% reduction) than the control group (16% reduction). Furthermore, there was partial bilateral transfer effect and 1-week retention observed in the training group. The observations provide preliminary evidence that teaching tuck-and-roll strategy to older adults has potential effect. The observations provide preliminary evidence that older adults might reduce impact severity utilizing tuck-and-roll strategy during unpredictably-timed sideway falls.
Spatially dense air pollutant sampling: Implications of spatial variability on the representativeness of stationary air pollutant monitors

Abstract Long- and short-term exposure to airborne pollutants results in adverse health effects. Regulatory monitors can be used to determine if regional concentrations meet regulatory standards of air pollution. As assessments of air pollutant exposure become more spatially resolved, evaluation is needed to assess the spatial representativeness of monitors in different environments. We measured NO2, ultrafine particle concentration (UFP), and PM1 with both stationary and mobile platforms in Pittsburgh, PA in 2016 and 2017. We sampled in eight ∼1 km2 neighborhoods representing different land use and exposure regimes (e.g., urban and suburban, high and low traffic). Mobile sampling was conducted on up to 25 days in each neighborhood to study fine-scale spatial variation in pollutant concentrations. NO2 exhibited within-neighborhood spatial variation, with hotspots elevated by up to a factor of 5 above the regional background. Spatial differences in UFP within the same 1 km2 neighborhoods could be a factor of 2.4 times regional background. PM1 was more regional and less spatially variable. Most neighborhoods exhibited less than 1 μg m−3 spatial variability in PM1. Spatial variability of NO2 and UFP showed moderate correlation (R2 > 0.5) with traditional land use covariates such as traffic volume and restaurant density. We used the Wilcoxon rank-sum test to calculate the fraction of each neighborhood represented by the same underlying concentration distribution. PM1 was the most spatially homogeneous, with 80–100% of each 1 km2 area being statistically similar to a reference location. Quantifying pollutant spatial patterns with high fidelity (e.g.,
The anaphase-promoting complex regulates the degradation of the inner nuclear membrane protein Mps3

The nucleus is enclosed by the inner nuclear membrane (INM) and the outer nuclear membrane (ONM). While the ONM is continuous with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), the INM is independent and separates the nucleoplasm from the ER lumen. Turnover of ER proteins has been well characterized by the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway, but very little is known about turnover of resident INM proteins. Here we show that the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C), an E3 ubiquitin ligase, regulates the degradation of Mps3, a conserved integral protein of the INM. Turnover of Mps3 requires the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme Ubc7, but was independent of the known ERAD ubiquitin ligases Doa10 and Hrd1 as well as the recently discovered Asi1-Asi3 complex. Using a genetic approach, we have found that Cdh1, a coactivator of APC/C, modulates Mps3 stability. APC/C controls Mps3 degradation through Mps3's N terminus, which resides in the nucleoplasm and possesses two putative APC/C-dependent destruction motifs. Accumulation of Mps3 at the INM impairs nuclear morphological changes and cell division. Our findings therefore reveal an unexpected mechanism of APC/C-mediated protein degradation at the INM that coordinates nuclear morphogenesis and cell cycle progression.
ADP-Ribosylation of HeLa Chromosomal and Nuclear Proteins: Response to DNA Damage Caused by Chemical Mutagens

Recent experimental evidence has indicated a central role for ADP-ribosylation of chromosomal proteins as a response to DNA damage produced by chemicals and radiation (1–3). ADP-ribosylation is involved in the initial response to DNA damage, as this paper demonstrates, and in the final step in DNA repair, which is the ligation of broken DNA ends to produce a continuous double helix. Repair of DNA is accompanied by an increase in DNA ligase activity, which apparently results from the attachment of ADP-ribose to the enzyme. ADP-ribosylation could have other functions connected with DNA repair. Since the histones are major acceptors of ADP-ribose units, the structure of nucleosomes and the 30 nm chromatin fibers could be altered by the modification. A number of other nuclear proteins are also substrates for the modification, including the lamins of the peripheral lamina.
Evaluation of Physiological, Psychological, and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Premature Hair Graying.

Background: Canities, or hair graying, is believed to be driven by the cytotoxic effect of reactive oxygen species on follicular melanocytes, thus raising the concern that premature hair graying (PHG) may represent an outward sign of systemic oxidative stress.Objective: This study aimed to identify the physiological, psychological, and lifestyle factors associated with PHG (defined as graying at age ≤30 years) in men and women. Materials and Methods: Data from 467 participants (female = 354 and male = 113; age: 18–77 years) were collected and analyzed, including demographic information, medical history, family history, supplement intake, and lifestyle factors. Results: PHG was found to be significantly associated with a history of PHG in the mother, P
Experiential Learning Experiences to Enhance Preservice Special Educators' Literacy Instruction

It is critical that we provide preservice special educators with quality preservice programs that are inclusive of the knowledge and skill needed for delivering engaging and impactful literacy instruction. Successful teacher education programs not only engage preservice educators in developing their knowledge of practices but provide opportunities to practice and reflect on teaching students with disabilities. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine if preservice special educators enrolled in literacy course enhanced their knowledge, shifted beliefs, and/or modified practice for working with students with disabilities as they engaged in course activities including participating in an experiential learning component. We conducted a qualitative content analysis of the lesson plans and reflections that students submitted throughout the course. Our findings revealed that the preservice special educators not only increased their instructional knowledge but as they engaged with students with disabilities, they changed their instructional practices and shifted their beliefs about student learning. These findings reaffirmed our continued need to integrate experiential experiences into coursework throughout the special education preservice program to allow preservice teachers to put into practice what they are learning in the courses.
Chemocline collapse in Lake Kivu as an analogue for nitrogen cycling during Oceanic Anoxic Events

Abstract One of the outstanding issues in the study of nutrient dynamics during Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs) is the preservation of 15N-depleted nitrogen isotope signals, which are not observed in analogous modern environments. The favored mechanism for δ 15 N values below 0‰ is utilization of excess ammonium derived from underlying anoxic waters by primary producers. However, there are few modern examples available for testing this hypothesis, due to the overall well-oxygenated state of modern oceans. Here, we present sedimentary δ 13 Corg and δ 15 Nbulk data, as well as pigment biomarker ratios, from the sediments of Lake Kivu, a meromictic lake in East Africa. This system serves as a potential analogue for the development of strongly depleted δ 15 Nbulk in OAE black shales. We focus on intervals of organic carbon enrichment (sapropels) that are interpreted to have been the result of lake water column mixing events. Sediment δ 13 Corg and δ 15 Nbulk decrease by up to 6 and 4‰ respectively near the base of sapropel layers. These negative excursions provide evidence for the mixing of 13C-depleted dissolved inorganic carbon and ammonium in excess of photosynthetic need, derived from the deeper anoxic basin of the lake. Support of this model is also provided by photosynthetic pigment biomarkers which show significant fluctuations in phototrophic ecology consistent with water column mixing and changes in nutrient status. Further evidence for the shallowing of the chemocline during sapropel deposition is found in the presence of bacteriochlorophyll derivatives produced by phototrophic sulfide oxidizers.
Hippocampal sclerosis, TDP-43, and the duration of the symptoms of dementia of AD patients.

Objectives To examine the relationship between duration of the cognitive symptoms, from the earliest reported symptom to death, and hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and TAR-DNA binding protein of 43kDA (TDP-43) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Methods The study was conducted in 359 cognitively impaired patients who met the pathological criteria for AD (NIA-Reagan intermediate or high). The mean age at onset was 69.5 ± 8.8 years (range 37-95) and the mean duration of the symptoms was 10.5 ± 4.2 years. The association between symptoms duration and HS and TDP-43 was examined with logistic regression analyses controlling for age at death, atherosclerosis in the Circle of Willis (CW), cerebral infarcts, gender, baseline Mini Mental State Examination scores, APOE-4 allele, and presence of Lewy bodies (LB). Results HS was present in 18% (n = 64) and TDP-43 in 51.5% (n = 185) of the patients. HS and TDP-43 were more frequent in patients whose symptoms lasted more than 10 years. LBs were present in 72% of the patients with HS and in 64% of the patients with TDP-43. Age at onset was not associated with TDP-43 or HS. HS was associated with duration of symptoms and LB, TDP-43, and atherosclerosis in the CW. TDP-43 was associated with duration of symptoms, LB, and HS. Interpretation HS and TDP-43 are present in early and late onset AD. However, their presence is mainly driven by the duration of symptoms and the presence of LB. This suggests that HS and TDP-43 are part of the later neuropathological changes in AD.
Effect of Vitamin D and ω-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: An Ancillary Study of the VITAL Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Observational studies suggest that higher intake or blood levels of vitamin D and marine ω-3 fatty acids may be associated with lower risks of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). However, evidence from randomized trials is limited. Objective To evaluate whether daily supplementation with vitamin D3, marine ω-3 fatty acids, or both prevents the development or progression of AMD. Design, setting, and participants This was a prespecified ancillary study of the Vitamin D and Omega-3 Trial (VITAL), a nationwide, placebo-controlled, 2 × 2 factorial design randomized clinical trial of supplementation with vitamin D and marine ω-3 fatty acids for the primary prevention of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Participants included 25 871 men and women in the US. Randomization was from November 2011 to March 2014, and study pill-taking ended as planned on December 31, 2017. Interventions Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), 2000 IU per day, and marine ω-3 fatty acids, 1 g per day. Main outcomes and measures The primary end point was total AMD events, a composite of incident cases of AMD plus cases of progression to advanced AMD among participants with AMD at baseline, based on self-report confirmed by medical record review. Analyses were conducted using the intention-to-treat population. Results In total, 25 871 participants with a mean (SD) age of 67.1 (7.0) years were included in the trial. Of them, 50.6% were women, 71.3% were self-declared non-Hispanic White participants, and 20.2% were Black participants. During a median (range) of 5.3 (3.8-6.1) years of treatment and follow-up, 324 participants experienced an AMD event (285 incident AMD and 39 progression to advanced AMD). For vitamin D3, there were 163 events in the treated group and 161 in the placebo group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.02; 95% CI, 0.82-1.27). For ω-3 fatty acids, there were 157 events in the treated group and 167 in the placebo group (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.76-1.17). In analyses of individual components for the primary end point, HRs comparing vitamin D3 groups were 1.09 (95% CI, 0.86-1.37) for incident AMD and 0.63 (95% CI, 0.33-1.21) for AMD progression. For ω-3 fatty acids, HRs were 0.93 (95% CI, 0.73-1.17) for incident AMD and 1.05 (95% CI, 0.56-1.97) for AMD progression. Conclusion and relevance Neither vitamin D3 nor marine ω-3 fatty acid supplementation had a significant overall effect on AMD incidence or progression. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01782352.
Criminality and Corporate Practices: A Preliminary Application of Criminal Law to Corporate Actors

In the United States, corporate actors are extensively shielded from penalties under criminal law for inflicting injuries that are societal equivalents of criminal acts. This paper analyzes four extensively documented and publicized case examples of corporate quasi-criminal behavior to place corporate culpability for harm in the context of established criminal law, probe and refine the conceptualization of individual as opposed to organizational culpability, and explore options and requirements for applying a more individually focused approach to corporate criminality. As a point of departure, the cases focus on homicide and assault (i.e., willful or reckless physical injury). A rubric is presented translating corporate acts into existing interpretations of criminal law, drawn from the Model Penal Code of the American Law Institute. Key concepts for which criminal equivalencies are proposed include identifiable victims and perpetrators, criminal knowledge and responsibility, motivation, and the nature of victimization (e.g., willingness, inducements, ignorance). Special considerations in establishing methods of harm (“weapons”) and the type and severity of harm caused in the context of corporate crime are also addressed. The interaction between availability of evidence and grade of offense, and issues requiring resolution before criminal-equivalent behavior of corporate actors can be integrated into criminal codes, are also precursively explored.
Expert Consensus: Telehealth Skills for Health Care Professionals.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has driven most clinicians, from those practicing in small independent practices to those in large system, to adopt virtual care. However, individuals and organizations may lack the experience and skills that would be considered fundamental prerequisites to adopting telehealth in less urgent times. What are those skills? Before the pandemic, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) convened national experts to identify and articulate a consensus set of critical telehealth skills for clinicians. Methods: Through a structured review of the literature, followed by several rounds of review and refinement by committee and community members via a modified Delphi process, the committee came to consensus on a set of skills required by clinicians to provide quality care via telehealth. Conclusion: The consensus set of telehealth skills presented in this paper, developed by the AAMC and national experts, can serve providers and health systems seeking to ensure that clinicians are prepared to meet the demand for care delivered via telehealth now and in the future.
Recent Results in Active and Passive SHM

This paper reviews recent active and passive results obtained at the Laboratory for Active Materials and Smart Structures (LAMSS) of the University of South Carolina, USA. The active SHM research has focused on detecting various types of composite damage using guided-wave interrogation and sensing. The composite damage considered covered seeded delaminations associated with barely visible impact damage (BVID). The seeded delaminations were created through the insertion of thin Teflon-film patches during composite fabrication. Multiple delaminations at the same x-y location were also studied. [+45/90/−45/0]nS quasi-isotropic layup plates were considered. The Teflon insert specimens were modeled and tested using guided waves transmitted and received with piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS). Scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) measurements were also performed.
Co-quantification of crAssphage increases confidence in wastewater-based epidemiology for SARS-CoV-2 in low prevalence areas.

Abstract Wastewater surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 RNA is increasingly being incorporated into public health efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from these efforts, approaches to wastewater monitoring need to be rapid, sensitive, and relatable to relevant epidemiological parameters. In this study, we present an ultracentrifugation-based method for the concentration of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater RNA and use crAssphage, a bacteriophage specific to the human gut, to help account for RNA loss during transit in the wastewater system and sample processing. With these methods, we were able to detect, and sometimes quantify, SARS-CoV-2 RNA from 20 mL wastewater samples within as little as 4.5 hours. Using known concentrations of bovine coronavirus RNA and deactivated SARS-CoV-2, we estimate recovery rates of approximately 7-12% of viral RNA using our method. Results from 24 sewersheds across Upstate New York during the spring and summer of 2020 suggested that stronger signals of SARS-CoV-2 RNA from wastewater may be indicative of greater COVID-19 incidence in the represented service area approximately one week in advance. SARS-CoV-2 wastewater RNA was quantifiable in some service areas with daily positives tests of less than 1 per 10,000 people or when weekly positive test rates within a sewershed were as low as 1.7%. crAssphage DNA concentrations were significantly lower during periods of high flow in almost all areas studied. After accounting for flow rate and population served, crAssphage levels per capita were estimated to be about 1.35 × 1011 and 2.42 × 108 genome copies per day for DNA and RNA, respectively. A negative relationship between per capita crAssphage RNA and service area size was also observed likely reflecting degradation of RNA over long transit times. Our results reinforce the potential for wastewater surveillance to be used as a tool to supplement understanding of infectious disease transmission obtained by traditional testing and highlight the potential for crAssphage co-detection to improve interpretations of wastewater surveillance data.
Alcohol subjective responses in heavy drinkers: Measuring acute effects in the natural environment versus the controlled laboratory setting.

Background For decades, laboratory alcohol challenges have been the "gold standard" for measuring individual differences in alcohol's subjective effects. However, these approaches are expensive and labor-intensive, making them impractical for large-scale use. This study examined the reliability and validity of a new high-resolution EMA (HR-EMA) ambulatory approach to assessing alcohol use and subjective responses in drinkers' natural environments. Methods Participants were 83 young adult heavy social drinkers (58% male; mean ± SD age = 25.4 ± 2.6 years) who completed up to two smartphone-based, 3-h HR-EMA assessments of alcohol use and related subjective responses in their typical drinking environments. Reported alcohol consumption during the HR-EMA periods was used to calculate estimated blood alcohol concentration (eBAC). Subjective effects were measured using the Brief Biphasic Alcohol Effects Scale (B-BAES) and Drug Effects Questionnaire (DEQ). All participants also completed identical measures during a separate, 4 to 5-h laboratory session in which they received a 0.8 g/kg alcohol challenge. Results Most natural environment drinking episodes (87%) met or exceeded the threshold for binge drinking (final mean eBAC = 0.12 g/dl). Associations between reported alcohol use and subjective responses on the B-BAES and DEQ were strongest earlier in the drinking events, with fair reliability of reported subjective effects across two HR-EMA episodes (intraclass correlation [ICC] range = 0.46-0.49). There was fair-to-good correspondence between HR-EMA- and laboratory-derived subjective responses (ICC range = 0.49-0.74), even after accounting for differences in alcohol consumption and drinking context. Reported stimulating and rewarding alcohol effects were higher in the ambulatory than laboratory setting, and vice versa for sedating effects. Conclusions This study supports the reliability and validity of smartphone-based HR-EMA to measure alcohol use and subjective responses in heavy drinkers' natural environments. These findings lend support to the use of ambulatory HR-EMA as a measure of alcohol subjective responses in risky drinkers when a laboratory protocol is not practical, feasible, or safe.
Dual MHC Class I and Class II Restriction of a Single T Cell Receptor: Distinct Modes of Tolerance Induction by Two Classes of Autoantigens

In the final stages of thymic development, immature T cells undergo three distinct processes (positive selection, negative selection, and lineage commitment) that all depend on interactions of thymocyte TCRs with MHC molecules. It is currently thought that TCRs are preferentially restricted by either MHC class I or class II molecules. In this report, we present direct evidence that the TCR previously described as H-Y/H-2Db specific cross-reacts with H-2IAb if expressed in CD4+ cells. We also demonstrate an increase in thymocyte numbers in H-Y TCR-trangenic mice deficient in MHC class II, suggesting a relatively discrete form of negative selection by MHC class II compared with that induced by H-Y/H-2Db. We propose that inability to generate CD4+ T cells expressing H-Y TCR in different experimental settings may be due to tolerance to self-MHC class II. These results, therefore, support an intriguing possibility that tolerance to self may influence and/or interfere with the outcome of the lineage commitment.
Television Dialogue: The Sitcom Friends vs. natural conversation

1. List of tables 2. List of figures 3. Foreword 4. Chapter 1. Opening credits: Conversation and TV dialogue 5. Chapter 2. Setting the stage: The main characters 6. Chapter 3. Behind the scenes: Methodology and data 7. Chapter 4. Take 1: Dimensions and similarities 8. Chapter 5. Some you know I mean it's really urgh: Vague language 9. Chapter 6. I am just really really happy...: Emotional language 10. Chapter 7. I'm just hanging out. Y'know, having fun: Informal language 11. Chapter 8. Once upon a time: Narrative language 12. Chapter 9. That's a wrap: Implications and applications 13. References 14. Appendix 15. Name index 16. Subject index
MORTALITY OF EXCHANGE TRANSFUSION

We have presented the experience of an exchange transfusion service in performing 1,139 procedures over a 7-year period. The design and practices of this service have been described in order to provide the background necessary for a critical analysis of our results. Since no definition exists for "Mortality of Exchange Transfusion," we have suggested one. The outstanding features of this experience were: 1. The umbilical vein approach proved to be an extremely easy technique by which to initiate an exchange transfusion. 2. The great majority of the procedures were completed as planned. 3. In all but a very few exchange transfusions, a volume of donor blood at least 1.5 times the infant9s blood volume was infused. We could show no correlations between the volume of donor blood employed in an initial procedure and the need for a repeat exchange. 4. Most of our exchange transfusions were completed in less than 1 hour; many in less than 30 minutes. We were unable to demonstrate a higher morbidity or mortality in infants being subjected to a faster as opposed to a slower procedure. 5. The best definition of the mortality rate of exchange transfusion appears to be the number of infants dying during or within 6 hours of a procedure expressed as a percentage of the number of infants transfused and again as a percentage of the number of exchange transfusions performed. 6. The incidence of death during or within 6 hours of an exchange transfusion appeared to be more closely related to an infant9s clinical status at the beginning of a procedure then to the procedure itself. Most of the deaths occurred among critically ill infants with Rh-hemolytic disease. Vigorous infants, full-term or premature, regardless of diagnosis, tolerated exchange transfusions well. Our mortality rate in vigorous infants was very low.
Maintenance scheduling problems as benchmarks for constraint algorithms

The paper focuses on evaluating constraint satisfaction search algorithms on application based random problem instances. The application we use is a welldstudied problem in the electric power industry: optimally scheduling preventive maintenance of power generating units within a power plant. We show how these scheduling problems can be cast as constraint satisfaction problems and used to define the structure of randomly generated nondbinary CSPs. The random problem instances are then used to evaluate several previously studied algorithms. The paper also demonstrates how constraint satisfaction can be used for optimization tasks. To find an optimal maintenance schedule, a series of CSPs are solved with successively tighter costdbound constraints. We introduce and experiment with an “iterative learning” algorithm which records additional constraints uncovered during search. The constraints recorded during the solution of one instance with a certain costdbound are used again on subsequent instances having tighter costdbounds. Our results show that on a class of randomly generated maintenance scheduling problems, iterative learning reduces the time required to find a good schedule.
Chapter 2 The Chemistry of C20-Diterpenoid Alkaloids

Publisher Summary The diterpenoid alkaloids, isolated mainly from Aconitum and Delphinium species (Ranunculaceae), have been of great interest since the early 1800s because of their pharmacological properties. Extracts of Aconitum species were used in ancient times for treatment of gout, hypertension, neuralgia, rheumatism, and even toothache. Extracts have also been used as arrow poisons. Some Delphinium species are extremely toxic and constitute a serious threat to livestock in the western United States and Canada. Delphinium extracts also manifest insecticidal properties. In the past 30 to 40 years, interest in the diterpenoid alkaloids has increased because of the complex structures and interesting chemistry involved. The diterpenoid alkaloids may be divided into two broad categories: those based on a hexacyclic C 19 -skeleton and those based on a C 20 -skeleton. The C 20 -diterpenoid alkaloids contain three basic skeletons: (1) Atisine-type, (2) Veatchine-type, and (3) Delnudine-type. This chapter includes a catalog of all known C 20 -diterpenoid alkaloids that shows the correct structures, physical properties, plant sources, and key references. Previously published books and recent reviews have reported incorrect structures for several well-known C 20 -diterpenoid alkaloids.
Consumers’ intentions to opt in to SMS advertising

This paper examines the differences between American young consumers and their Korean counterparts’ interests in accepting SMS advertising via their mobile phones. The appeal of using the mobile phone as an advertising medium is its accessibility because it can pinpoint the locations of mobile phone users. The results of the study provide preliminary evidence that consumers’ attitudes and beliefs do have significant positive relationships with intentions to opt in to the new medium. The theoretical model for the study is based on employing the theory of reasoned action as the underlying structure to operationalise the conceptual constructs proposed in the diffusion theory. The study identifies the potential of a new research domain in advertising, presents a conceptual framework for its examination and suggests the importance of constructs under study.
Metabolic Characterization of the Genus Brucella V. Relationship of Strain Oxidation Rate of i-Erythritol to Strain Virulence for Guinea Pigs

Abstract Meyer, Margaret E. (University of California, Davis). Metabolic characterization of the genus Brucella. V. Relationship of strain oxidation rate of i-erythritol to strain virulence for guinea pigs. J. Bacteriol. 92:584–588. 1966.—Strain rate of oxidation of i-erythritol and strain virulence were studied to determine whether or not the two characteristics were related within the species Brucella abortus, B. suis, and B. melitensis. The oxidation rate of i-erythritol was determined manometrically, and strain virulence was assessed by injecting groups of guinea pigs and then recording counts of organisms recovered on culture from spleens 21 and 42 days after inoculation. The range in oxidative rates characteristic of virulent strains in each species was established, and strains displaying oxidative rates representative of the full array of values within the rate ranges were virulence-tested. In addition, a mutant that was capable of oxidizing i-erythritol, obtained from a strain that did not oxidize this substrate, was assessed simultaneously to detect any alterations in virulence of the mutant. The data presented herein warrant the conclusion that strain rate of oxidation of i-erythritol is unrelated to the virulence of the strain for guinea pigs in the species B. abortus, B. suis, and B. melitensis.