cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Vegetation Change on Ant Communities of Arid Rangelands

We compared the density and diversity of ant colonies on areas where the vegetation had been altered by treatment with herbicides and on untreated areas. Highest densities of ant colonies were on the untreated mesquite dune habitat and the grassland habitat. The treated habitats were characterized by differences in shrub cover and composition and cover of forbs and grasses. Conomyrma bicolor and Solenopsis xyloni were significantly more numerous on the mesquite dunes and grassland, respectively. The fungus-culturing ant, Trachymyrmex smithi , was abundant on the treated dune habitats and absent in the grassland habitat. Ant communities were most similar on the two sites subjected to vegetation modification, and most different comparing those dune habitats with the untreated mesquite dunes.
Pancreatic cyst epithelial denudation: a natural phenomenon in the absence of treatment.

Background and Aims The presence and significance of epithelial denudation among treatment-naive pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) remain undetermined. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence, extent, and predictors of epithelial denudation in treatment-naive PCLs. Methods Single-center retrospective study including patients who underwent EUS preceded by cross-sectional imaging and who subsequently underwent surgical resection of treatment-naive PCLs. Surgically resected PCLs were reviewed by a pathologist in a fashion that allowed evaluation from evenly distributed regions of the cyst. Results A total of 140 patients were identified (60% female, mean age 63 years). Eighty-five cysts (60.7%) were classified as intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), 33 (23.5%) as main duct IPMNs (m-IPMNs), 11 (7.9%) as serous cystadenomas (SCAs), and 11 (7.9%) were composed of other cyst subtypes. A greater extent of epithelial denudation was seen in mucinous cystic neoplasm (MCN) compared with IPMN and SCA (mean percentage of denuded epithelium 45.1%, 10.8%, and 22.4%, respectively [ P P = .02). PCLs resected from the neck and/or body and/or tail of the pancreas were associated with a greater extent of mean percentage of denuded epithelium than PCLs resected from the head and/or uncinate of the pancreas (23.9% vs 13.4%; P = .035). Conclusions The presence and extent of cyst epithelial denudation of treatment-naive PCLs vary with cyst histology and other factors. The observation of denudation after intracystic ablative therapy may not provide an adequate metric of successful intervention. Further studies are needed to validate these findings.
Quantitative Feedback Facilitates Acquisition of Skills in Focused Cardiac Ultrasound.

INTRODUCTION With the development of portable, affordable ultrasound machines with good image quality, many physicians have adopted focused cardiac ultrasound (FoCUS). To facilitate acquisition of these skills, we developed a simulator-based, self-taught curriculum for FoCUS that provides immediate feedback for rapid performance improvement. METHODS Twenty-two first-year residents participated in the study. The curriculum consisted of instructive modules teaching image acquisition and interpretation of standard echocardiography views and common cardiac pathology, 7 practice cases in which participants scanned a mannequin using a mock transducer, acquired specified views with feedback provided by visual guidance technology, and interpreted these images. Trainees were tested pretraining and posttraining on different cases, without visual guidance assistance or feedback. Previously validated metrics were used to assess psychomotor skill in terms of the angle error in degrees between the planes of the optimal view, defined anatomically, and of the acquired view, as well as cognitive skill in image interpretation. RESULTS The average error in image acquisition decreased from a median of 81 degrees at the pretest to 28 degrees after training (P < 0.0001). Cognitive skill improved by 29% (21%, P < 0.0001). There was a significant correlation between cognitive and psychomotor skill (r = 0.64, P < 0.001). DISCUSSION A novel, simulator-based curriculum that provides immediate feedback was effective in teaching both psychomotor and cognitive skills in FoCUS without need for direct expert oversight of the learner. The curriculum's components provide a useful tool that can be applied to improve, assess, and monitor physician skill in FoCUS.
NIOSH Response to the NIH Pathways to Prevention Workshop Recommendations.

This editorial discusses the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health response to the National Institutes of Health Pathways to Prevention workshop, “Total Worker Health—What's Work Go...
A molecular ‘switchboard’ : lysine modifications and their impact on transcription.

A molecular switchboard -Lysine modifications and their impact on transcription Abstract by ZHENG GANG Post-translational modifications greatly increase the complexity of the proteome in eukaryotic cells. Multi-site modification on a protein resembles a dynamic molecular switchboard and transduces signals to and from different pathways. We are interested in the regulation and the functional roles of lysine modifications, especially their impact on transcription. ZNF76 (Zinc Finger protein 76) was found to be a general transcriptional repressor targeting TATA-Binding Protein (TBP). Interaction with ZNF76 prevents TBP from being recruited to the target promoters. Moreover, the interaction between ZNF76 and PIAS1 (Protein Inhibitor for Activated STAT1), an E3 ligase in sumoylation, leads to sumoylation of ZNF76. Interestingly, a sumoylation site of ZNF76, K411, lies in a critical region for TBP interaction, and sumoylation negatively regulates ZNF76-TBP interaction. In addition, we found that acetylation and alternative splicing of ZNF76 also regulate its interaction with TBP, suggesting multiple mechanisms exist to regulate ZNF76-TBP interaction. PLAG1 (Pleomorphic Adenoma Gene 1) and PLAGL2 (PLAG Like Gene 2) are oncoproteins involved in various malignancies. The regulatory mechanisms of their transactivation remain unknown. We found that sumoylation in the middle regions of PLAG1 and PLAGL2 represses their transactivation. One of the possible mechanisms for sumoylation-mediated repression is the change in protein subnuclear localization. Moreover, acetylation activates, while deacetylation represses, transactivation of PLAG1 and PLAGL2. Mutations of the sumoylation sites greatly impair the transforming abilities of PLAG1 and PLAGL2. Taken together, sumoylation and acetylation play opposite roles in regulating the transactivation of PLAG1 and PLAGL2. Pirh2 (P53 Inducible Ring-H2 protein) is one of the E3 ubiquitin ligases for p53. It was found to form dimers involving both N- and C-terminus. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the Pirh2 dimer formation promotes its interaction with both p53 and PLAGL2. Given the importance of Pirh2 in regulating p53 stability, its dimer may be a valuable therapeutic target in treating Pirh2-overexpression malignancies. In summary, we studied the molecular mechanisms by which lysine modifications, such as sumoylation, acetylation and ubiquitination, regulate transcription factors, including ZNF76, PLAG1, PLAGL2 and p53. Our study may provide novel approaches to modulate their activities in associated diseases, Such as AML (Acute Myeloid Leukemia) which has PLAG1 or PLAGL2 overexpression, or lung cancer which has Pirh2 overexpression.
Effects of feeding Kentucky 31 tall fescue seed infected with acremonium coenophialum to laboratory rats.

An endophytic fungus found in Kentucky 31 (KY-31) tall fescue has been associated with the "summer syndrome" (fescue toxicity) in grazing cattle. Four experiments were conducted to investigate the use of weanling rats as an animal model to study the fescue toxicity syndrome. When graded levels of fungus-infected (INF) or fungus-free (FF) KY-31 seed were fed, feed intake and growth rates were inversely related to the amount of INF seed in the diet. When diets containing 50% seed were fed, rats eating INF seed had reduced (P less than .05) daily water consumption (9 vs 20 ml) and lowered (P less than .05) body temperatures (36.8 vs 37.7 C) when compared with the FF treatments. Autoclaving the seed increased feed intake and growth rate of rats receiving both INF and FF seed diets, but daily gains continued to be less (P less than .05) in the rats fed autoclaved INF diets when compared with rats fed autoclaved FF diets (2.3 vs 6.8 g). Rats fed diets containing either 40% shredded wheat on which the fescue endophyte had been grown or 40% shredded wheat that was not innoculated did not differ in performance. Crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, gross energy and dry matter digestibilities were enhanced (P less than .05) by the presence of INF seed in the diets when compared with the FF seed treatments. Crude protein and ether extract digestibilities and apparent biological value of fescue protein were not affected by presence of the fungus. The effect of INF seed on organ weights was inconsistent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Type I Fiber Atrophy in the Vastus Lateralis Muscle in Dogs with Femoral Fractures Treated by Hyperextension

A syndrome characterized by limb hyperextension, generalized muscle atrophy, abducted gait, and a limited range of joint motion is reported in five dogs, four of which were immature. Distal femoral fractures, of traumatic origin, were found in all dogs; four dogs were subjected to limb immobilization in extension for three to seven weeks. Lesions in muscle biopsies included fiber size variability, increased prominence of subsarcolemmal nuclei, increased perimysial fibrosis and focal necrosis. Histochemical and morphometric studies demonstrated a significant (p less than 0.05), Type I fiber atrophy in the vastus lateralis muscles in the limbs with femoral fractures treated by hyperextension. The shortest time period between onset of fracture and the presence of type I fiber atrophy was seven weeks.
Resistivity of ultra drawn polyvinylidene fluoride

Previous measurements from this laboratory showed that there is a significant difference in the electrical breakdown strength and resistivities of mechanically oriented and unoriented PVDF [1]. Unoriented samples not only had low breakdown strength (0.5 MV/cm) but also had resistivities which were an order of magnitude or more less than the resistivities of the mechanically oriented samples. Although we have not measured the breakdown strength for oriented PVDF, we have observed that it is high enough to permit the application of poling fields as high as 2.5 MV/cm at room temperature for one minute.
Opening the black box: an open-source release of Maxent

This software note announces a new open-source release of the Maxent software for modeling species distributions from occurrence records and environmental data, and describes a new R package for fitting such models. The new release (ver. 3.4.0) will be hosted online by the American Museum of Natural History, along with future versions. It contains small functional changes, most notably use of a complementary log-log (cloglog) transform to produce an estimate of occurrence probability. The cloglog transform derives from the recently-published interpretation of Maxent as an inhomogeneous Poisson process (IPP), giving it a stronger theoretical justification than the logistic transform which it replaces by default. In addition, the new R package, maxnet, fits Maxent models using the glmnet package for regularized generalized linear models. We discuss the implications of the IPP formulation in terms of model inputs and outputs, treating occurrence records as points rather than grid cells and interpreting the exponential Maxent model (raw output) as as an estimate of relative abundance. With these two open-source developments, we invite others to freely use and contribute to the software.
Uncovering Ultra-Luminous Galaxies in the IRAS FSC Through Radio and Optical Cross-Identification

Ultraluminous infrared galaxies (ULIRGs) have luminosities (1012L⊙) once exclusive to QSOs. This suggests they might be the early, dust-enshrouded stages of QSOs. ULIRGs have ~ 3.5× the space density of QSOs at the present epoch. Quasars reached their peak space density at z ~ 2, so if ULIRGs are QSO precursors, there should be a dramatic increase in their space density up to z ~ 2. The small number of known ULIRGs makes it difficult to explore links between ULIRGs and QSOs, much less measure their evolution. To do so, a large sample of ULIRG candidates must be identified. The IRAS FSC contains ~ 60, 000 probable galaxies, of which l%–3% should have LFIR > 1012L⊙. We discuss an efficient and reliable method which uses IRAS-VLA-APS cross-identification and flux ratios to mine the FSC for likely ULIRGs.
RF and microwave photonics in biomedical applications

This paper addresses various " Microwave Photonics " techniques developed for biomedical applications. The first application is using RF photonics technique for calibration of ultrasound transducers operating at high-frequencies without spatial field averaging compromise. In particular a broadband fiber-optic based hydrophone probe is reported for measurements of acoustic fields at the frequencies up to 100 MHz. The fiber probe with a tip diameter of about 8 microns provides a desirable measurement tool eliminating the need for spatial averaging corrections. Power budget calculation of the fiber sensor set-up indicated that high power (200 mW) laser source is essential to achieve adequate signal-to-noise ratio. The results of the preliminary measurements allowed the probe sensitivity to be determined. Improvements to the measurement arrangements are discussed to bring this sensitivity (about 1.7mV/MPa) in line with that theoretically calculated (4.3mV/MPa). On the other hand the second application of microwave photonics is in the diffused photon near infra-red spectroscopy. A custom designed broadband NIR spectroscopy system is reported. A high-speed high power optical transmitter is designed over the frequency range from 100MHz up to 3GHz Phantom experiments are performed to extract optical parameters of a turbid media simulating a breast tissue. Both broadband and single-frequency extraction methods are used to extract optical parameters of the phantom model. The comparison shows that the achieved extraction accuracy of optical parameter (μ a , μ s ') using broadband extraction method is better than the single frequency technique.
Expression and relevance of the G protein-gated K + channel in the mouse ventricle

The atrial G protein-gated inwardly rectifying K+ (GIRK) channel is a critical mediator of parasympathetic influence on cardiac physiology. Here, we probed the details and relevance of the GIRK channel in mouse ventricle. mRNAs for the atrial GIRK channel subunits (GIRK1, GIRK4), M2 muscarinic receptor (M2R), and RGS6, a negative regulator of atrial GIRK-dependent signaling, were detected in mouse ventricle at relatively low levels. The cholinergic agonist carbachol (CCh) activated small GIRK currents in adult wild-type ventricular myocytes that exhibited relatively slow kinetics and low CCh sensitivity; these currents were absent in ventricular myocytes from Girk1-/- or Girk4-/- mice. While loss of GIRK channels attenuated the CCh-induced shortening of action potential duration and suppression of ventricular myocyte excitability, selective ablation of GIRK channels in ventricle had no effect on heart rate, heart rate variability, or electrocardiogram parameters at baseline or after CCh injection. Additionally, loss of ventricular GIRK channels did not impact susceptibility to ventricular arrhythmias. These data suggest that the mouse ventricular GIRK channel is a GIRK1/GIRK4 heteromer, and show that while it contributes to the cholinergic suppression of ventricular myocyte excitability, this influence does not substantially impact cardiac physiology or ventricular arrhythmogenesis in the mouse.
Fano varieties with $$\hbox {Nef}(X)$$ = $$\hbox {Psef}(X)$$Psef(X) and $$\rho (X)$$ρ(X) = $$\hbox {dim}\,X-1$$dimX-1

We classify mildly singular Fano varieties X such that $$\mathrm {Nef}(X)=\mathrm {Psef}(X)$$ and $$\rho (X)=\mathrm {dim}\,X-1$$ .
Sensitization of breast cancer cells to chemotherapy and ionizing radiation by Smac/DIABLO

4870 Development of resistance by cancer cells to chemotherapy and irradiation is main hurdle for successful treatment of human cancer. TRAIL induces apoptosis by binding to specific cell surface death receptors (TRAIL-R1/DR4 and TRAIL-R2/DR5). We have recently noticed that several breast, prostate and lung cancer cell lines are resistant to TRAIL (Oncogene 20: 6073-6083, 2002; Cancer Res. 62: 4929-4937, 2002; Cancer Res. 64: 6675-6686, 2003). Therefore, sensitization of drug- and irradiation-resistant cancer cells to undergo apoptosis will be a major advancement in cancer therapy. The objective of this research is to investigate the intracellular mechanisms by which drug and irradiation resistant breast, prostate and lung cancer cells can be sensitized by Smac/DIABLO. Overexpression of Smac/DIABLO gene or pretreatment with Smac/DIABLO peptide sensitized various tumor cells to undergo apoptosis induced by activation of extrinsic and intrinsic pathways. There were no defects in active DISC formation or caspase-8 activation in TRAIL-resistant tumor cells. Expression of cytosolic active form of Smac/DIABLO gene or cell-permeable Smac/DIABLO peptide bypassed the Bcl-2 / Bcl-XL block, which prevented the release of Smac/DIABLO from mitochondria. These data suggest that apoptotic events down-stream of mitochondria were intact in irradiation- and drug-resistant cells since ectopic expression of mature Smac/DIABLO or pretreatment of Smac N7 peptide completely restored sensitivity. The ability of Smac/DIABLO agonists to sensitize cells to chemotherapy and irradiation suggests that Smac/DIABLO may induce fundamental alterations in cell signaling pathways. Thus, Smac/DIABLO agonists can be used as promising new candidates for cancer therapy.
Optimal demand response scheduling of an industrial air separation unit using data-driven dynamic models

Abstract Managing electricity demand has become a key consideration in power grid operations. Industrial demand response (DR) is an important component of demand-side management, and electricity-intensive chemical processes can both support power grid operations and derive economic benefits from electricity price fluctuations. For air separation units (ASUs), DR participation calls for frequent production rate changes, over time scales that overlap with the dominant dynamics of the plant. Production scheduling calculations must therefore explicitly consider process dynamics. We introduce a data-driven approach for learning the DR scheduling-relevant dynamics of an industrial ASU from its operational history, and present a dynamic optimization-based DR scheduling framework. We show that a class of low-order Hammerstein-Wiener models can accurately represent the dynamics of the industrial ASU and its model predictive control system. We evaluate the economic benefits of the proposed scheduling framework, and analyze their sensitivity to electricity price uncertainty.
Disparities in discovery of pathogenic variants for autosomal recessive non-syndromic hearing impairment by ancestry

Hearing impairment (HI) is characterized by extensive genetic heterogeneity. To determine the population-specific contribution of known autosomal recessive nonsyndromic (ARNS)HI genes and variants to HI etiology; pathogenic and likely pathogenic (PLP) ARNSHI variants were selected from ClinVar and the Deafness Variation Database and their frequencies were obtained from gnomAD for seven populations. ARNSHI prevalence due to PLP variants varies greatly by population ranging from 96.9 affected per 100,000 individuals for Ashkenazi Jews to 5.2 affected per 100,000 individuals for Africans/African Americans. For Europeans, Finns have the lowest prevalence due to ARNSHI PLP variants with 9.5 affected per 100,000 individuals. For East Asians, Latinos, non-Finish Europeans, and South Asians, ARNSHI prevalence due to PLP variants ranges from 17.1 to 33.7 affected per 100,000 individuals. ARNSHI variants that were previously reported in a single ancestry or family were observed in additional populations, e.g., USH1C p.(Q723*) reported in a Chinese family was the most prevalent pathogenic variant observed in gnomAD for African/African Americans. Variability between populations is due to how extensively ARNSHI has been studied, ARNSHI prevalence and ancestry specific ARNSHI variant architecture which is impacted by population history. Our study demonstrates that additional gene and variant discovery studies are necessary for all populations and particularly for individuals of African ancestry.
Organic farms conserve a dung beetle species capable of disrupting fly vectors of foodborne pathogens

Abstract Produce can be contaminated with enteric bacteria when livestock or wildlife feces are deposited in vegetable fields. Coprophagous beetles and flies might mitigate this threat as they feed but could also transmit pathogens if they contact plants. Improved food safety will result only from farming practices that enhance coprophage benefits and limit harms. On 49 mixed-vegetable farm fields across the western US states of Oregon and California, we found differences in coprophagous fly community composition under organic versus conventional management practices. While dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) community assemblages did not differ significantly based on farm management system, organic farms fostered populations of Onthophagus taurus, a dung beetle species that is a known antagonist of human-pathogenic Escherichia coli. We examined the possible implications for food safety of interactions between O. taurus and a common fly species on the farms, Calliphora vomitora, in microcosms containing pig (Sus scrofa) feces inoculated with human pathogenic E. coli O157:H7 and placed near broccoli (Brassica oleracea) plants. In the absence of dung beetles, Calliphora vomitora readily acquired the bacteria and transmitted them to broccoli foliage. In the presence of the dung beetle O. taurus, however, E. coli in the soil and fly survivorship were reduced, and the pathogen was rarely recovered from foliage. Altogether, our results suggest the potential for O. taurus to both directly suppress enteric pathogens in vertebrate feces and to indirectly reduce the spread of these bacteria by co-occurring flies. The beneficial beetle O. taurus was common only on organic farms, suggesting these benefits of beetle-fly interference for food safety could be more likely under this farming regime. Future research that investigates interactions between the many other common dung beetle and fly species on these farms would help fully delineate any net benefit of these species-rich coprophage communities, and the farming systems that shape them, for food safety.
The Role of Perceived Parental Acceptance-Rejection on Personality Psychopathology in Sexual Orientation Minority Young Adults

The construct of Parental Acceptance-Rejection (PAR) impacts a person’s mental health and well-being well into adulthood and has many adverse outcomes. Sexual orientation minorities are at particular risk for parental rejection. Sexual orientation minorities who experience parental rejection are at risk for substance use, internalized homophobia, and a disrupted sense of identity. Furthermore, regardless of PAR, the sexual orientation minority population already has an increased risk of mental health issues, notably higher personality psychopathology rates. However, no research has examined the role of PAR on personality psychopathology in sexual orientation minority populations. This study examined the association between PAR and personality psychopathology and impairment in a sample of 79 people whoself-identify as sexual minorities. Significant correlations were found between parental rejection and rates of pathological personality traits and impairment. Identity-related moderators were examined, and multiple interaction effects were identified. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Evaluation of metronomic chemotherapy response using diffusion and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI

PURPOSE To investigate the feasibility of using diffusion MRI (dMRI) and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI to evaluate the treatment response of metronomic chemotherapy (MCT) in the 4T1 mammary tumor model of locally advanced breast cancer. METHODS Twelve Balb/c mice with metastatic breast cancer were divided into treated and untreated (control) groups. The treated group (n = 6) received five treatments of anti-metabolite agent 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) in the span of two weeks. dMRI and DCE-MRI were acquired for both treated and control groups before and after MCT. Immunohistochemically staining and measurements were performed after the post-MRI measurements for comparison. RESULTS The control mice had significantly (p<0.005) larger tumors than the MCT treated mice. The DCE-MRI analysis showed a decrease in contrast enhancement for the control group, whereas the MCT mice had a more stable enhancement between the pre-chemo and post-chemo time points. This confirms the antiangiogenic effects of 5FU treatment. Comparing amplitude of enhancement revealed a significantly (p<0.05) higher enhancement in the MCT tumors than in the controls. Moreover, the MCT uptake rate was significantly (p<0.001) slower than the controls. dMRI analysis showed the MCT ADC values were significantly larger than the control group at the post-scan time point. CONCLUSION dMRI and DCE-MRI can be used as potential biomarkers for assessing the treatment response of MCT. The MRI and pathology observations suggested that in addition to the cytotoxic effect of cell kills, the MCT with a cytotoxic drug, 5FU, induced changes in the tumor vasculature similar to the anti-angiogenic effect.
Association of circulating tumor cells (CTC) with survival outcomes in patients (pts) with metastatic castration-sensitive prostate cancer (mCSPC) in a real-world cohort.

59Background: In mCSPC, baseline CTC counts have been shown to correlate with PSA responses and progression free survival (PFS) in small studies in the context of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT)...
Application of dried blood spot sample pooling strategies for Plasmodium 18S rRNA biomarker testing to facilitate identification of infected persons in large-scale epidemiological studies

Background Plasmodium 18S rRNA is a sensitive biomarker for detecting Plasmodium infection in human blood. Dried blood spots (DBS) are a practical sample type for malaria field studies to collect, store, and transport large quantities of blood samples for diagnostic testing. Pooled testing is a common way to reduce reagent costs and labour. This study examined performance of the Plasmodium 18S rRNA biomarker assay for DBS, improved assay sensitivity for pooled samples, and created graphical user interface (GUI) programmes for facilitating optimal pooling. Methods DBS samples of varied parasite densities from clinical specimens, Plasmodium falciparum in vitro culture, and P. falciparum Armored RNA® were tested using the Plasmodium 18S rRNA quantitative triplex reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay and a simplified duplex assay. DBS sample precision, linearity, limit of detection (LoD) and stability at varied storage temperatures were evaluated. Novel GUIs were created to model two-stage hierarchy, square matrix, and three-stage hierarchy pooling strategies with samples of varying positivity rates and estimated test counts. Seventy-eight DBS samples from persons residing in endemic regions with sub-patent infections were tested in pools and deconvoluted to identify positive cases. Results Assay performance showed linearity for DBS from 4 × 107 to 5 × 102 parasites/mL with strong correlation to liquid blood samples (r2 > 0.96). There was a minor quantitative reduction in DBS rRNA copies/mL compared to liquid blood samples. Analytical sensitivity for DBS was estimated 5.3 log copies 18S rRNA/mL blood (28 estimated parasites/mL). Properly preserved DBS demonstrated minimal degradation of 18S rRNA when stored at ambient temperatures for one month. A simplified duplex qRT-PCR assay omitting the human mRNA target showed improved analytical sensitivity, 1 parasite/mL blood, and was optimized for pooling. Optimal pooling sizes varied depending on prevalence. A pilot DBS study of the two-stage hierarchy pooling scheme corroborated results previously determined by testing individual DBS. Conclusions The Plasmodium 18S rRNA biomarker assay can be applied to DBS collected in field studies. The simplified Plasmodium qRT-PCR assay and GUIs have been established to provide efficient means to test large quantities of DBS samples.
Effectiveness of an insurance enrollment support tool on insurance rates and cancer prevention in community health centers: a quasi-experimental study.

Following the ACA, millions of people gained Medicaid insurance. Most electronic health record (EHR) tools to date provide clinical-decision support and tracking of clinical biomarkers, we developed an EHR tool to support community health center (CHC) staff in assisting patients with health insurance enrollment documents and tracking insurance application steps. The objective of this study was to test the effectiveness of the health insurance support tool in (1) assisting uninsured patients gaining insurance coverage, (2) ensuring insurance continuity for patients with Medicaid insurance (preventing coverage gaps between visits); and (3) improving receipt of cancer preventive care. In this quasi-experimental study, twenty-three clinics received the intervention (EHR-based insurance support tool) and were matched to 23 comparison clinics. CHCs were recruited from the OCHIN network. EHR data were linked to Medicaid enrollment data. The primary outcomes were rates of uninsured and Medicaid visits. The secondary outcomes were receipt of recommended breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screenings. A comparative interrupted time-series using Poisson generalized estimated equation (GEE) modeling was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of the EHR-based tool on the primary and secondary outcomes. Immediately following implementation of the enrollment tool, the uninsured visit rate decreased by 21.0% (Adjusted Rate Ratio [RR] = 0.790, 95% CI = 0.621–1.005, p = .055) while Medicaid-insured visits increased by 4.5% (ARR = 1.045, 95% CI = 1.013–1.079) in the intervention group relative to comparison group. Cervical cancer preventive ratio increased 5.0% (ARR = 1.050, 95% CI = 1.009–1.093) immediately following implementation of the enrollment tool in the intervention group relative to comparison group. Among patients with a tool use, 81% were enrolled in Medicaid 12 months after tool use. For the 19% who were never enrolled in Medicaid following tool use, most were uninsured (44%) at the time of tool use. A health insurance support tool embedded within the EHR can effectively support clinic staff in assisting patients in maintaining their Medicaid coverage. Such tools may also have an indirect impact on evidence-based practice interventions, such as cancer screening. This study was retrospectively registered on February 4th, 2015 with Clinicaltrials.gov (#NCT02355262). The registry record can be found at https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02355262 .
The Separation-of-Powers Counterrevolution

Most jurists and scholars today take for granted that the U.S. Constitution imposes unwritten but judicially enforceable limits on how Congress and the President may construct their interrelationships by statute. This “juristocratic” understanding of the separation of powers is often regarded as a given or inherent feature of American constitutionalism. But it is not. Instead, it emerged from a revanchist reaction to Reconstruction. As an ascendent white South violently returned to power in Washington, its intellectual supporters depicted a tragic era in which an unprincipled Congress unconstitutionally paralyzed the President in pursuit of an unwise and unjust policy of racial equality. Determined to prevent Reconstruction from reoccurring, historians, political scientists, and a future Supreme Court Justice by the name of William Howard Taft demanded judicial intervention to prevent Congress from ever again weaving obstructions around the President. This Lost Cause dogma became Supreme Court doctrine in Myers v. United States. Authored by Chief Justice Taft, the opinion was the first to condemn legislation for violating an implied legal limit on Congress’s power to structure the executive branch. It is today at the heart of an ongoing separation-of-powers counterrevolution. That counterrevolution has obscured, and eclipsed, a more normatively compelling conception of the separation of powers—one that locates in representative institutions the authority to constitute the separation of powers by statute. This “republican” conception accepts as authoritative the decision of the political branches as to whether a bill validly exercises the Necessary and Proper Clause to carry into execution the powers and interrelationships of Congress, the President, and the executive branch. Where the juristocratic separation of powers undermines both the legal legitimacy of the Court and the democratic legitimacy of the political branches, the republican separation of powers sustains an inherently provisional constitutional order—one grounded in deliberation, political compromise, and statecraft.
Combined Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar Syndrome and Diabetic Ketoacidosis Associated with COVID-19 in a Pediatric Patient

Although most children with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are asymptomatic or only with mild symptoms, many symptomatic children still require admission to the intensive care unit. Multiple cases of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and hyperosmolar hyperglycemic syndrome (HHS) associated with COVID-19 have been reported in adults. However, to our knowledge, only few similar cases have been published in the pediatric population. We report one of the first few severe cases of mixed HHS with DKA associated with COVID-19 in an adolescent. Our patient was successfully treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, Remdesivir, and methylprednisolone. As the pandemic continues, clinicians should be aware of this syndrome and consider early use of Remdesivir and corticosteroids. Further studies are required to understand the pathophysiology of this syndrome occurring with COVID-19.
United polarizable multipole water model for molecular mechanics simulation

We report the development of a united AMOEBA (uAMOEBA) polarizable water model, which is computationally 3–5 times more efficient than the three-site AMOEBA03 model in molecular dynamics simulations while providing comparable accuracy for gas-phase and liquid properties. In this coarse-grained polarizable water model, both electrostatic (permanent and induced) and van der Waals representations have been reduced to a single site located at the oxygen atom. The permanent charge distribution is described via the molecular dipole and quadrupole moments and the many-body polarization via an isotropic molecular polarizability, all located at the oxygen center. Similarly, a single van der Waals interaction site is used for each water molecule. Hydrogen atoms are retained only for the purpose of defining local frames for the molecular multipole moments and intramolecular vibrational modes. The parameters have been derived based on a combination of ab initio quantum mechanical and experimental data set containing gas-phase cluster structures and energies, and liquid thermodynamic properties. For validation, additional properties including dimer interaction energy, liquid structures, self-diffusion coefficient, and shear viscosity have been evaluated. The results demonstrate good transferability from the gas to the liquid phase over a wide range of temperatures, and from nonpolar to polar environments, due to the presence of molecular polarizability. The water coordination, hydrogen-bonding structure, and dynamic properties given by uAMOEBA are similar to those derived from the all-atom AMOEBA03 model and experiments. Thus, the current model is an accurate and efficient alternative for modeling water.
INSTITUTIONS, LOBBYING, AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE

We investigate whether the impact of institutions depends not just on their current state but also on how they came to be. In particular, we hypothesize that while economic freedom that emerges spontaneously may be growth promoting, economic freedom that emerges as a result of costly lobbying efforts may be less fruitful. In an extreme case, costly lobbying efforts may even negate the growth-enhancing effect of economic freedom. To the extent that lobbying efforts constitute an opportunity cost of resources diverted away from investment and production, our hypothesis also implies that greater the opportunity cost of lobbying, the more efficient is the institutional environment. Panel data analysis reveals the expected positive relation between economic freedom and growth, and consistent with our hypothesis, the findings indicate that the impact of economic freedom on growth does indeed diminish as lobbying efforts increase. In addition, we find that lobbying is more harmful to growth at greater levels of economic freedom. A growing literature has highlighted the importance of institutions for economic growth and development. Although the growth promoting impact of economic freedom is well established in the literature, we nonetheless re-examine the relation. We hypothesize that the impact of institutions depends not just on their current state but also on how they came to be. Specifically, we assume a nonlinear relation between economic freedom and growth that is conditional on lobbying. To the extent that the observed level of economic freedom is influenced by lobbying, we hypothesize that the benefits of a given level of economic freedom will be diminished. Lobbying itself may have an indirect and ambiguous effect on economic activity, depending on whether pressure enhances or inhibits institutions that foster economic freedom. Because lobbying requires resources – resources that otherwise could have been put to productive use – lobbying entails opportunity costs, and may therefore also have a direct and negative impact on economic activity. The opportunity costs of lobbying, and therefore the growth effects of lobbying, thus depend on the level of economic freedom. The higher the quality of economic institutions, the more costly is lobbying with respect to growth. We estimate a growth model that not only accounts for the impact of economic freedom on growth but also allows for the possibilities that (1) lobbying reduces the positive impact of economic freedom on growth, and (2) the negative impact of lobbying on growth may be higher in societies with higher levels of economic freedom. As expected, our findings indicate that economic freedom is positively related to growth unless lobbying is extreme. Notably, in such extreme cases, the negative relation found is not statistically significant. The overall effect of lobbying on growth is generally negative for most of the observations in our sample, consistent with Mancur Olson’s
Polyribosome Metabolism in Escherichia coli II. Formation and Lifetime of Messenger RNA Molecules, Ribosomal Subunit Couples and Polyribosomes.

Abstract During a continuous label with [3H]uracil of fragile Escherichia coli cells in exponential growth, all or very nearly all the hybridizable mRNA of the cells can be observed in polyribosomes during zonal sedimentation in sucrose gradients. In contrast, all the newly formed rRNA appears to be free of polyribosomes until it is part of complete ribosomal subunits. The separation of the two major classes of newly formed RNA permits the direct observation of the growth with time of mRNA molecules, of ribosomal subunits and of polyribosomes. A complete chain of ribosomal RNA forms in one to two minutes; completion of either a 30 s or 50 s ribosome requires a minimum of about five minutes more. The specific activities of free ribosomal subunits and those that are present in polyribosomes increase at identical rates, consistent with very rapid exchange of the two classes. Before any new subunits are finished, the 3H-labeled RNA in polyribosomes is the cellular mRNA, which can therefore be extracted and observed separated from ribosomal RNA. Assuming that their sedimentation rates in sucrose gradients are related to molecular weights as are those of ribosomal rRNA and that no degradation occurs during extraction, most of the molecules of mRNA are large enough to code for only one or two protein chains of 30,000 molecular weight. The kinetics of entry of all the new mRNA into polyribosomes is in agreement with the view that a polyribosome forms as the corresponding messenger RNA is synthesized, over a period of at least a minute. 3% of the total cellular RNA in these cultures (doubling time 120 minutes) is mRNA, with an average chemical lifetime of 11 to 12.5 minutes.
Resident physician burnout: is there hope?

Background: Prevalent among resident physicians, burnout has been associated with absenteeism, low job satisfaction, and medical errors. Little is known about the number and quality of interventions used to combat burnout. Methods: We performed a systematic review of the literature using MEDLINE and PubMed databases. We included English-language articles published between 1966 and 2007 identified using combinations of the following medical subject heading terms: burnout, intervention studies, program evaluation, internship and residency, graduate medical education, medical student, health personnel, physician, resident physician, resident work hours, and work hour limitations. Additional articles were also identified from the reference lists of manuscripts. The quality of research was graded with the Strength of Evidence Taxonomy (SORT) from highest (level A) to lowest (level C). Results: Out of 190 identified articles, 129 were reviewed. Nine studies met inclusion criteria, only two of which were randomized, controlled trials. Interventions included workshops, a resident assistance program, a self-care intervention, support groups, didactic sessions, or stress-management/coping training either alone or in various combinations. None of the studied interventions achieved an A-level SORT rating. Conclusions: Despite the potentially serious personal and professional consequences of burnout, few interventions exist to combat this problem. Prospective, controlled studies are needed to examine the effect of interventions to manage burnout among resident physicians.
Malicious ICMP tunneling: defense against the vulnerability

This paper presents a systematic solution to the problem of using ICMP tunneling for covert channel. ICMP is not multiplexed via port numbers and the data part of the ICMP packet provides considerable bandwidth for malicious covert channels. These factors make it an integral part of many malicious software like remote access and denial of service attack tools. These tools use ICMP to establish covert communication channels. In this paper a stateless model is proposed to prevent ICMP tunneling. A Linux kernel module was implemented to demonstrate the proposed stateless solution. The module enforces a fixed payload policy for ICMP packets and virtually eliminates ICMP tunneling which arises due to the data carrying capability of ICMP. The performance impact on end hosts and routers due to the stateless monitoring model is described.
Achieving Air Quality: The Los Angeles Experience

This paper draws together the five key elements accounting for the progress in reducing air pollution in the Los Angeles region under the Federal and State Clean Air Acts over the course of four decades. These include changes in the nature and operations of the region’s industrial sectors; significant adjustments in the its energy supply mix; the continuous improvements in emissions reductions from autos and light trucks operating in the basin; increasing density and redesign of urban spaces; and all this with the backing and intense pressure from the public and organized environmental and health organizations. The case was developed as a case study and background material for the report of the Task Force on Environmental Governance to the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development, submitted in November of 2006. The author served as a member of the Task Force.
Lightweight temporal compression of microclimate datasets [wireless sensor networks]

Since the inception of sensor networks, in-network processing has been touted as the enabling technology for long-lived deployments. Radio communication is the overriding consumer of energy in such networks. Therefore, data reduction before transmission, either by compression or feature extraction, will directly and significantly increase network lifetime. This paper evaluates a simple temporal compression scheme designed specifically to be used by mica motes for the compaction of microclimate data. The algorithm makes use of the observation that over a small enough window of time, samples of microclimate data are linear. It finds such windows and generates a series of line segments that accurately represent the data. It compresses data up to 20-to-1 while introducing errors in the order of the sensor hardware's specified margin of error. Furthermore, it is simple, consumes little CPU and requires very little storage when compared to other compression techniques. This paper describes the technique and results using a dataset from a one-year microclimate deployment.
Discrete Fourier transform harmonic analysis of digitally-generated PWM waveforms which are distorted by switch dead time

A modified discrete-Fourier-transform method is applied to the harmonic analysis of PWM waveforms which are generated using digital techniques. This method simplifies the calculation of harmonic components, including subharmonics. The effect of dead time distortion caused by phase current polarity is examined in the presence of varying power factor and modulation index. This distortion is characterized by the amplitude change of the modulating frequency component and by determining a weighted total harmonic distortion.
Computer Programs and Cataloging

In August, 1987, the Cataloging Department at Duke University began a series of changes in workflow and procedures that increased our production while retaining traditional cataloging standards for authority control. Since January, 1988, we've processed almost all of our cataloging using the Cataloging Micro Enhancer software (CAT ME) in order to take advantage of computer programs designed to speed up cataloging processes. We accomplished this because of a fortunate combination of talent in the department, a series of experiments with the CAT ME, and a mandate to increase production. I offer this description of what we've done to encourage others to find a way to make computers serve their needs in a flexible and timely manner.
CLEO Results on Heavy Meson Mixing

We discuss recent CLEO results on D0-D0bar and B0d-B0dbar mixing. The principal results are that for the D0 system, allowing for CP violations, the mixing amplitude x'<2.9% (95% C.L.), and for the B0d system, chi=0.198+-0.013+-0.014. We make projections for future sensistivity to D0-D0bar mixing, and to sin(2*beta+gamma).
Cutting edge: single-chain trimers of MHC class I molecules form stable structures that potently stimulate antigen-specific T cells and B cells

We report in this work the expression and characterization of class I molecules expressed as single-chain trimers consisting of an antigenic peptide-spacer-beta(2)-microglobulin-spacer H chain. Our results indicate that these single-chain constructs assemble efficiently, maintain their covalent structure, and are unusually stable at the cell surface. Consequently, these constructs are at least 1000-fold less accessible to exogenous peptide than class I molecules loaded with endogenous peptides, and they are potent simulators of peptide-specific CTL and Abs. Our combined findings suggest that single-chain trimers may have applications as DNA vaccines against virus infection or tumors.