cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developments in three-dimensional stereo brightfield microscopy

We present recent developments of a widefield computer/microscope system and image reconstruction algorithm for producing three-dimensional (3D) increased depth of field images in the form of brightfield stereo pairs of thick specimens. The theoretical principle of this image reconstruction technique is based on Weiner-type inverse filtering. A number of extensions and refinements to our previous work have included further testing of the system with a broader class of specimens and the implementation of several pragmatic refinements important for future 3D microscopy systems. These refinements include histogram modification routines for improving visualization, a preprocessing routine to eliminate edge artifacts due to circular convolution and other effects, stereo viewing angle optimization, a rule of thumb estimate for the axial sampling rate, and incorporation of a variation of the Fast Fourier Transform and filtering operations that significantly reduce computational time. Images of spyrogyra, neonatal rat hippocampal neurons, and cervical/vaginal cell smears are presented to show the utility of these methods for 3D visualization. The primary advantages of these methods are that they operate with an ordinary transmitted light microscope and are inexpensively implemented on a personal computer with reasonable computation time.
EBF factors drive expression of multiple classes of target genes governing neuronal development

Background Early B cell factor (EBF) family members are transcription factors known to have important roles in several aspects of vertebrate neurogenesis, including commitment, migration and differentiation. Knowledge of how EBF family members contribute to neurogenesis is limited by a lack of detailed understanding of genes that are transcriptionally regulated by these factors.
Regulation of Asymmetric Smooth Muscle Myosin II Molecules

The emerging view of smooth/nonmuscle myosin regulation suggests that the attainment of the completely inhibited state requires numerous weak interactions between components of the two heads and the myosin rod. To further examine the nature of the structural requirements for regulation, we engineered smooth muscle heavy meromyosin molecules that contained one complete head and truncations of the second head. These truncations eliminated the motor domain but retained two, one, or no light chains. All constructs contained 37 heptads of rod sequence. None of the truncated constructs displayed complete regulation of both ATPase and motility, reinforcing the idea that interactions between motor domains are necessary for complete regulation. Surprisingly, the rate of ADP release was slowed by regulatory light chain dephosphorylation of the truncated construct that contained all four light chains and one motor domain. These data suggest that there is a second step (ADP release) in the smooth muscle myosin-actin-activated ATPase cycle that is modulated by regulatory light chain phosphorylation. This may be part of the mechanism underlying "latch" in smooth muscle.
Disorders of consciousness.

Preface: Nicholas D. Schiff and Steven Laureys. 1. Dualism persists in the science of mind: Athena Demertzi, Charlene Liew, Didier Ledoux, Marie-Aurelie Bruno, Steven Laureys, and Adam Zeman. 2. Synchrony in the Interconnected Circuitry of Thalamus and Cerebral Cortex: Edward G. Jones. 3. Definition of Arousal and Mechanistic Studies in Intact and Brain-Damaged Mice: Isabel Arrieta-Cruz and Donald W. Pfaff. 4. Coma: G. Bryan Young. 5. Theories of Impaired Consciousness in Epilepsy: Lissa Yu and Hal Blumenfeld. 6. Simultaneous Electroencephalography and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of General Anesthesia: Patrick L. Purdon, Eric T. Pierce, Giorgio Bonmassar, John Walsh, P. Grace Harrell, Jean Kwo, Daniel Deschler, Margaret Barlow, Rebecca C. Merhar, Camilo Lamus, Catherine M. Mullaly, Mary Sullivan, Sharon Maginnis, Debra Skoniecki, Helen-Anne Higgins, and Emery N. Brown. 7. Exploring altered consciousness states by MRI in brain injury: Thomas Lescot, Damien Galanaud, and Louis Puybasset. 8. Neuroimaging and the Vegetative State: Resolving the behavioral assessment dilemma: Martin M. Monti, Martin R. Coleman, and Adrian M. Owen. 9. A brain-computer interface controlled auditory even-related potential (P300) spelling system for locked-in patients: Andrea Kubler, Adrian Furdea, Sebastian Halder, Eva Maria Hammer, Femke Nijboer, and Boris Kotchoubey. 10. Central thalamic deep brain stimulation in the severely injured brain: rationale and proposed mechanisms of action: Nicholas D. Schiff. 11. Ethical Issues in the Treatment of Severe Brain Injury: The Impact of New Technologies: James L. Bernat. 12. Being Conscious of their Burden: Severe Brain Injury and The Two Cultures Challenge: Joseph J. Fins. Index of Contributors.
Globally smooth parameterizations with low distortion

Good parameterizations are of central importance in many digital geometry processing tasks. Typically the behavior of such processing algorithms is related to the smoothness of the parameterization and how much distortion it contains. Since a parameterization maps a bounded region of the plane to the surface, a parameterization for a surface which is not homeomorphic to a disc must be made up of multiple pieces. We present a novel parameterization algorithm for arbitrary topology surface meshes which computes a globally smooth parameterization with low distortion. We optimize the patch layout subject to criteria such as shape quality and metric distortion, which are used to steer a mesh simplification approach for base complex construction. Global smoothness is achieved through simultaneous relaxation over all patches, with suitable transition functions between patches incorporated into the relaxation procedure. We demonstrate the quality of our parameterizations through numerical evaluation of distortion measures and the excellent rate distortion performance of semi-regular remeshes produced with these parameterizations. The numerical algorithms required to compute the parameterizations are robust and run on the order of minutes even for large meshes.
First measurements in the WVU hot helicon source

Summary form only given, as follows. The West Virginia University Hot Helicon Source is a large area (16.5 cm diameter) steady state helicon source. The source is designed to provide plasma for space simulation experiments and as a testbed for studies of large format helicon sources. Unique features of the source include a laser induced fluorescence diagnostic for measuring the ion density and temperature and an additional RF antenna system for ion cyclotron resonant heating of the ions. The source has been completed and we will present initial standing wave measurements of the magnetic field structure and measurements of the density profile as a function of distance downstream from the antenna. We will also present measurements of the density on axis as a function of driving frequency and antenna wavelength.
Short communication: The effect of in vivo GSH depletion on thermosensitivity, radiosensitivity and thermal radiosensitization

The effect of glutathione (GSH) depletion on the interaction of hyperthermia (HT) and single-dose external-beam radiation delivered at conventional dose rates (RT) and low-dose-rate brachytherapy (BT) was examined in a murine mammary adenocarcinoma (MTG-B). Tumour volume growth delay from the day of treatment to double the treatment volume (GDDV) was used as the experimental end-point. The growth delay for radiation alone was greater when combined with GSH depletion, while this level of GSH depletion produced no effect on the BT alone or HT alone response. The synergism ratio (SR) was calculated for all HT and RT or HT and BT protocols at each dose. Although depletion did not increase the SR for external-beam treatments, the SR for HT and BT treatments was increased with GSH depletion.
Bactericidal activities of plant essential oils and some of their isolated constituents against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica.

An improved method of sample preparation was used in a microplate assay to evaluate the bactericidal activity levels of 96 essential oils and 23 oil compounds against Campylobacter jejuni, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella enterica obtained from food and clinical sources. Bactericidal activity (BA50) was dee ned as the percentage of the sample in the assay mixture that resulted in a 50% decrease in CFU relative to a buffer control. Twenty-seven oils and 12 compounds were active against all four species of bacteria. The oils that were most active against C. jejuni (with BA50 values ranging from 0.003 to 0.009) were marigold, ginger root, jasmine, patchouli, gardenia, cedarwood, carrot seed, celery seed, mugwort, spikenard, and orange bitter oils; those that were most active against E. coli (with BA50 values ranging from 0.046 to 0.14) were oregano, thyme, cinnamon, palmarosa, bay leaf, clove bud, lemon grass, and allspice oils; those that were most active against L. monocytogenes (with BA50 values ranging from 0.057 to 0.092) were gardenia, cedarwood, bay leaf, clove bud, oregano, cinnamon, allspice, thyme, and patchouli oils; and those that were most active against S. enterica (with BA50 values ranging from 0.045 to 0.14) were thyme, oregano, cinnamon, clove bud, allspice, bay leaf, palmarosa, and marjoram oils. The oil compounds that were most active against C. jejuni (with BA50 values ranging from 0.003 to 0.034) were cinnamaldehyde, estragole, carvacrol, benzaldehyde, citral, thymol, eugenol, perillaldehyde, carvone R, and geranyl acetate; those that were most active against E. coli (with BA50 values ranging from 0.057 to 0.28) were carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, thymol, eugenol, salicylaldehyde, geraniol, isoeugenol, citral, perillaldehyde, and estragole; those that were most active against L. monocytogenes (with BA50 values ranging from 0.019 to 0.43) were cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, thymol, carvacrol, citral, geraniol, perillaldehyde, carvone S, estragole, and salicylaldehyde; and those that were most active against S. enterica (with BA50 values ranging from 0.034 to 0.21) were thymol, cinnamaldehyde, carvacrol, eugenol, salicylaldehyde, geraniol, isoeugenol, terpineol, perillaldehyde, and estragole. The possible signie cance of these results with regard to food microbiology is discussed.
Cross-Disciplinary Conversations: A Psychological Perspective on Justice Research with Non-human Animals

Social Justice Research has devoted two recent issues to the topic of inequity responses in non-human animals. The goal of this paper is to provide some commentary from the perspective of psychological theory and research on justice and fairness in humans. In an attempt to build greater cross-disciplinary sharing of ideas and insights, I briefly review the major insights from (a) contemporary research on questions of fairness and justice with non-human primates and how this corpus of knowledge can inform the on-going study of these issues in psychology and related disciplines, and (b) 50-plus years of research on justice and fairness in psychology and related disciplines, and how it can inform contemporary research efforts with non-human animals going forward. The spotlight behavioral economists and justice research with non-human animals places on the primary role of distributive justice is suggestive that it may be time for a renaissance of interest in this topic in psychology and related disciplines. The focus of psychological research on topics such as boundary conditions on equity as key justice concern (e.g., alternative distributive norms such as equality and need), as a well as attention given to procedural, interactional, retributive, and restorative justice, is suggestive that research with non-human animals should broaden its horizons to study alternative conceptions of justice and fairness.
Conceptual design for one megawatt spallation neutron source at Argonne

A feasibility study of a spallation neutron source based on a rapid cycling synchrotron which delivers a proton beam of 2 GeV in energy and 0.5 mA time-averaged current at a 30-Hz repetition rate is presented. The lattice consists of 90-degree phase advance FODO cells with dispersion-free straight sections, and has a three-fold symmetry. The ring magnet system will be energized by 20-Hz and 60-Hz resonant circuits to decrease the dB/dt during the acceleration cycle. This lowers the peak acceleration voltage requirement to 130 kV. The single turn extraction system will be used to extract the beam alternatively to two target stations. The first station will operate at 10 Hz for research using long wavelength neutrons, and the second station will use the remaining pulses, collectively, providing 36 neutron beams. The 400-MeV negative-hydrogen-ion injector linac consists of an ion source, rf quadrupole, matching section, 100-MeV drift-tube linac, and a 300-MeV coupled-cavity linac. >
Convergence of selections with applications in optimization

We consider the problem of finding an easily implemented tie-breaking rule for a convergent set-valued algorithm, i.e., a sequence of compact, non-empty subsets of a metric space converging in the Hausdorff metric. Our tie-breaking rule is determined by nearest-point selections detined by “uniqueness” points in the space, i.e., points having a unique best approximation in the limit set of the convergent algorithm. Convergence of the algorithm is shown to be equivalent to convergence of all such nearest-point selections. Under reasonable additional hypotheses, all points in the metric space have the uniqueness property. Consequently, all points yield convergent nearest-point selections, i.e., tie-breaking rules, for a convergent algorithm. We then show how to apply these results to approximate solutions for the following types of problems: infinite systems of inequalities, semi-infinite mathematical programming, non-convex optimization, and infinite horizon optimization.
Fault-Tolerant Design

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of a number of fault-tolerant design schemes suitable for nanometer system-on-chip applications. Fault tolerance is the ability of a system to continue error-free operation in the presence of an unexpected fault. There are many different fault-tolerant design schemes. Choosing the scheme to use in a particular design depends on what types of faults need to be tolerated such as temporary or permanent, single or multiple point failures, and the constraints on area, performance, and power. As technology continues to scale and circuits become increasingly prone to failure, achieving sufficient fault tolerance will be a major design issue. It starts with an introduction to the basic concepts in fault-tolerant design and the metrics used to specify and evaluate the dependability of the design. Fault tolerance requires some form of redundancy in time, hardware, or information. An instance of time redundancy would be to perform the same operation twice and see whether the same result is obtained both times (if not, then a fault has occurred). This can detect temporary faults but not permanent faults, as a permanent fault would affect both computations. The advantage of time redundancy is that it requires little or no extra hardware. However, the drawback is that it impacts the system or circuit performance. Coding theory is also reviewed and some of the commonly used error detecting and correcting codes are described. This is followed by some examples of various types of fault-tolerant applications used in industry.
Completely Prime Ideals and Radicals in Near-Rings

An ideal I of a near-ring R is 2-primal if the prime radical of R/I equals the set of nilpotent elements of R/I We show that if \(IR\subseteq I\), then I is a 2-primal ideal of R if and only if each minimal prime ideal containing I is a completely prime ideal. A complete classification of the subdirectly irreducible zero symmetric near-rings with a 2-primal heart is provided. Zero symmetric near-rings with each prime ideal completely prime are classified in terms of the 2-primal condition. Various chain conditions are invoked on 2-primal near-rings to obtain decompositions and additive group information.
Public Health and Rare Diseases: Oxymoron No More

The mission of public health has been succinctly stated as “the fulfillment of society’s interest in assuring conditions in which people can be healthy” (1). Public and private institutions charged with this mission monitor population health and respond when threats arise. These may be sudden health crises (eg, infectious outbreaks), persistent health problems (eg, chronic diseases), or buildups of environmental risk factors (eg, pollution). Public health practitioners use a combination of disciplines that include basic science, clinical research, epidemiology, statistics, behavioral research, health care services, economics, and policy to identify the primary or secondary causes of health threats and then systematically prevent, mitigate, or suppress these causes in entire populations. This approach has been tremendously successful against infectious diseases and has had notable successes against injuries, accidents, and major chronic diseases (2,3). The purpose of this essay is to highlight the case of a group of nearly 7,000 rare (low-prevalence) diseases, mostly of genetic or congenital origin, for which the applicability of the public health approach, primary prevention in particular, seems limited. We argue that a wider application of this approach could greatly benefit the patients affected by these diseases and their relatives. We start by presenting the challenges of implementing this approach for rare diseases, then we present the need for such an approach and a few notable examples of its successful application to these diseases. Finally, we provide a structured list of public health activities that are key to the management of rare diseases in populations.
Functional replacement of fission yeast γ-tubulin small complex proteins Alp4 and Alp6 by human GCP2 and GCP3.

Summary Microtubule-organizing centers such as the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) act as a template for polarized growth and regulation of microtubules that are essential for diverse cellular structures and processes in eukaryotes. New structural models of the budding yeast γ-tubulin small complex (γ-TuSC) of the γ-TuRC combined with functional studies done in multiple eukaryotes are revealing the first mechanistic clues into control of microtubule nucleation and organization. Cross-species studies of human and budding yeast γ-TuSC proteins in fission yeast revealed conserved and divergent structural and functional features of the γ-TuSC. We show genetically that GCP3/Spc98 function is fully conserved with Alp6 across species but that functional differences exist between GCP2/Spc97 and Alp4. By further analysis of human γ-TuSC proteins, we found that GCP3 assembles normally into the >2000 kDa fission yeast γ-TuRC and that the GCP3 gene replaces fission yeast alp6 . Interestingly, human GCP2 replaces the essential alp4 gene but is unable to rescue a normally recessive G1 defect of the alp4-1891 allele that results in loss of γ-TuRC from poles in subsequent cell cycles. Biochemically, GCP2 incorporation into fission yeast γ-TuRC is limited in the presence of Alp4; instead, the bulk of GCP2 fractionates as smaller complexes. By generating a functional Alp4–GCP2 chimeric protein we determined that the GCP2 N-terminal domain limits its ability to fully displace or compete with Alp4 during γ-TuRC assembly. Our findings have broad importance for understanding the essential domains of γ-TuSC proteins in the γ-TuRC mechanism.
Prospective evaluation of Candida species colonization in hospitalized cancer patients: impact on short-term survival in recipients of marrow transplantation and patients with hematological malignancies.

Most hematogenous candidiasis originates from endogenous host flora. The impact of clinically prominent Candida colonization on short-term mortality (⩽14 weeks) was prospectively studied in 193 hospitalized patients from 1998 to 1999. Clinically prominent colonization included yeasts isolated from all sterile body sites and >50 colonies of Candida from non-sterile sites. Fourteen (7.1%) patients were granulocytopenic (ANC ⩽100/μl). Nineteen (9.8%) had undergone marrow transplantation, 26 (13.5%) had a hematologic malignancy and 129 (66.5) had non-hematologic cancer. Candida isolates (216) were collected form 210 specimens. Fifty-three (27.5%) patients died; 25 (19.4%) with solid tumors, compared to 16 (61.5%) with hematological malignancy, and 11 (57.9%) BMT recipients (P < 0.001). No deaths were seen in patients with AIDS, and one (7.7%) in a patient with a benign condition (P < 0.001). Twenty-six (29.2%) patients with respiratory tract, 13 (23.2%) with gastrointestinal tract, and three (14.3%) with genitourinary tract colonization died. In patients with multiple-site colonization, mortality was significantly higher (45.5%) (P < 0.05). Mortality was higher in patients with C. glabrata (52.9%) and C. krusei (75%) colonization than with C. albicans (24.1%) (P < 0.025). This study shows that patients with hematologic cancer and recipients of marrow transplant with Candida colonization of multiple body sites, and colonization with C. glabata or C. krusei have poor survival.
The Unexpected Universe: Emergence, Convergence, and the “Overview Effect”

Employed hermeneutically, science helps to highlight the interrelations between the first creation account in Genesis and the new creation account in Revelation, the “bookends” of the Bible. Both h...
Genetic Screening for Functionality of Bacterial Potassium Channel Mutants Using K + Uptake-Deficient Escherichia coli

Potassium channels play an essential role in a wide range of biological processes, including cell volume regulation and the maintenance and control of electrical signals. With the advent of the structural era of ion channel biology, it has become critical to learn more about the functional properties of the prokaryotic channels, and this is the area in which genetic screens have become an increasingly useful approach. Here, we describe a bacteria-based complementation assay that we applied to investigate gating mutants of the prokaryotic K+ channel MthK, which was cloned from the archeon Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum. The results demonstrated that heterologously expressed MthK is fully assembled and functional in Escherichia coli. This complementation assay should be useful in the initial identification of prokaryotic K+ channel mutants that result in altered channel function.
Prediabetes as a toxic environment for the initiation of microvascular and macrovascular complications

Prediabetes is a state characterized by impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance. Evidence is increasingly demonstrating that prediabetes is a toxic state, in addition to being a harbinger of future development of diabetes mellitus. This minireview discusses the pathophysiology and clinical significance of prediabetes, and approach to its management, in the context of the worldwide diabetes epidemic. The pathophysiologic defects underlying prediabetes include insulin resistance, β cell dysfunction, increased lipolysis, inflammation, suboptimal incretin effect, and possibly hepatic glucose overproduction. Recent studies have revealed that the long-term complications of diabetes may manifest in some people with prediabetes; these complications include classical microvascular and macrovascular disorders, and our discussion explores the role of glycemia in their development. Finally, landmark intervention studies in prediabetes, including lifestyle modification and pharmacologic treatment, are reviewed.
Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears Without Arthritis Treated With Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Background Irreparable rotator cuff (RC) tears without arthritis is a challenging clinical problem in young adults. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has been proposed as one of the surgical treatment options for this condition. Methods In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the role of RTSA for the management of irreparable RC tears without arthritis based on authors personal experience and available scientific literature. Results Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) is a constrained arthroplasty system that can allow the deltoid and remaining rotator cuff to substitute for the lost function of irreparable RC. Furthermore, the pain relief is consistent with often a dramatic improvement in patient comfort, shoulder function and stability. In patients with pseudoparalysis of the shoulder without advanced arthritis, RTSA effectively restores forward elevation above the shoulder but may not dramatically improve external (ER) or internal rotation (IR). However, due to concerns over implant longevity, caution has to be exercised when using RTSA for symptomatic irreparable RC tears with preserved active forward elevation (AFE) and in patients less than 65 years of age. Conclusion RTSA is a reasonable surgical option for irreparable rotator cuff repair without arthritis. However, caution should be exercised when offering RTSA to young patients and patient without pseudoparalysis because they can have a higher complication and dissatisfaction rate. In addition, longevity of RTSA and subsequent need for revision surgery remains a significant concern in this population.
Suggested use of sensitive measures of memory to detect functional effects of maternal iodine supplementation on hippocampal development

Maternal hypothyroxinemia secondary to iodine deficiency may have neurodevelopmental effects on the specific neurocognitive domain of memory. Associated disruption of thyroid hormone-dependent protein synthesis in the hippocampus has the potential to result in compromised development of the structure with consequential impairments in memory function. Despite links between maternal iodine deficiency during gestation and lactation and abnormal hippocampal development in rat fetuses and pups, there has been little research on the specific function of memory in human infants and young children born to iodine-deficient mothers. Several candidate measures have proven to be sensitive to the effects of gestational iron deficiency on memory function in infants and young children, including habituation and dishabituation, imitation-based tasks, and event-related potentials. Such measures could be used to test the effects of maternal iodine supplementation on the specific neurocognitive domain of memory in infants and young children. Furthermore, progress in understanding the effects of maternal iodine supplementation on neurocognitive development could be accelerated by the development of a nonhuman primate model to complement the rodent model.
Role of Tetra Amino Acid Motif Properties on the Function of Protease-Activatable Viral Vectors

Protease-activatable viruses (PAV) based on adeno-associated virus have previously been generated for gene delivery to pathological sites characterized by elevated extracellular proteases. “Peptide locks”, composed of a tetra-aspartic acid motif flanked by protease cleavage sequences, were inserted into the virus capsid to inhibit virus-host cell receptor binding and transduction. In the presence of proteases, the peptide locks are cleaved off the capsid, restoring the virus’ ability to bind cells and deliver cargo. Although promising, questions remained regarding how the peptide locks prevented cell binding. In particular, it was unclear if the tetra-amino acid (4AA) motif blocks receptor binding via electrostatic repulsion or steric obstruction. To explore this question, we generated a panel of PAVs with lock designs incorporating altered 4AA motifs, each wielding various chemical properties (negative, positive, uncharged polar, and hydrophobic) and characterized the resultant PAV candidates. Notably, a...
Socioeconomic status, hair cortisol and internalizing symptoms in parents and children

Abstract Socioeconomic disadvantage is consistently linked with higher risk for internalizing problems, and stress is likely one important mechanism explaining this increased risk. Few studies have examined socioeconomic differences in hair cortisol, a novel biomarker of long-term adrenocortical activity and chronic stress. Moreover, no studies have examined whether differences in hair cortisol might explain socioeconomic disparities in internalizing problems. To address these gaps, we first examined relations of socioeconomic status (SES; family income and parental education) to variation in both parents’ and children’s hair cortisol concentrations (HCC) and then tested whether HCC and perceptions of stress mediated relations of SES to parents’ and children’s internalizing symptoms. Participants were a socioeconomically diverse sample of 35 parents and 26 children (ages 5–7). Parents completed questionnaires, and hair samples were collected from parents and children. Parents reported on children’s internalizing symptoms on average 2 years after the initial visit. Results demonstrated that lower parental education was associated with higher HCC for both parents and children. Effects for child HCC held even after controlling for parent HCC. Lower family income was associated with higher parent HCC, but not child HCC. This relation was nonlinear, such that the relation between HCC and income was strongest among the most disadvantaged parents. Furthermore, associations of SES with parental anxiety were significantly mediated by parental perceptions of stress and marginally mediated by parent HCC. These findings suggest that socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with greater accumulation of cortisol in hair in parents and children, and that both perceived and biological markers of stress capture important facets of the experiences that underlie socioeconomic disparities in adult anxiety.
Reducing Photobleaching in STED Microscopy with Higher Scanning Speed

Photobleaching is a major limitation of super-resolution STED microscopy. Using our custom-built resonant-scanning STED microscope with a large (50 x 50 µm) field of view, we now show that the photobleaching rate in STED microscopy can be slowed down by scanning with high linear speed. The effect of scanning speed on photobleaching is more remarkable at higher levels of depletion laser irradiance. With a depletion irradiance of 0.4 GW/cm2 (time average) and a 7-fold faster scanning (speed increased from 0.17 m/s to 1.38 m/s), we were able to slow down the photobleaching of the Atto 647N dye by 80%. Photobleaching is primarily caused by the depletion light acting upon the fluorophores in the excited states. Experimental data qualitatively agree with a theoretical model. Our results encourage to increase linear scanning speed further or to reduce continuous light exposure time to significantly reduce photobleaching in STED microscopy.
Distinct ON/OFF fluorescence signals from dual-responsive activatable nanoprobes allows detection of inflammation with improved contrast.

Visualization of biochemical changes associated with disease is of great clinical significance, as it should allow earlier, more accurate diagnosis than structural imaging, facilitating timely clinical intervention. Herein, we report combining stimuli-responsive polymers and near-infrared fluorescent dyes (emission max: 790 nm) to create robust activatable fluorescent nanoprobes capable of simultaneously detecting acidosis and oxidative stress associated with inflammatory microenvironments. The spectrally-resolved mechanism of fluorescence activation allows removal of unwanted background signal (up to 20-fold reduction) and isolation of a pure activated signal, which enables sensitive and unambiguous localization of inflamed areas; target-to-background ratios reach 22 as early as 3 h post-injection. This new detection platform could have significant clinical impact in early detection of pathologies, individual tailoring of drug therapy, and image-guided tumor resection.
Surgical Thoracic Transplant Training: Super Fellowship—Is It Super?

Objective The quality of training provided to thoracic transplant fellows is a critical step in the care of complex patients undergoing transplant. The training varies since it is not an accreditation council for graduate medical education accredited fellowship. Method A total of 104 heart or lung transplant program directors throughout the United States were sent a survey of 24 questions focusing on key aspects of training, fellowship training content and thoracic transplant job satisfaction. Out of the 104 programs surveyed 45 surveys (43%) were returned. Results In total, 26 programs offering a transplant fellowship were included in the survey. Among these programs 69% currently have fellows of which 56% are American Board of Thoracic Surgery board eligible. According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) requirements, 46% of the programs do not meet the requirements to be qualified as a primary heart transplant surgeon. A total of 23% of lung transplant programs also perform less than the UNOS minimum requirements. Only 24% have extra-surgical curriculum. Out of the participating programs, only 38% of fellows secured a job in a hospital setting for performing transplants. An astounding 77% of replies site an unpredictable work schedule as the main reason that makes thoracic transplant a less than favorable profession among new graduates. Long hours were also a complaint of 69% of graduates who agreed that their personal life is affected by excessive work hours. Conclusion Annually, almost half of all thoracic transplant programs perform fewer than the UNOS requirements to be a primary thoracic surgeon. This results in a majority of transplant fellows not finding a suitable transplant career. The current and future needs for highly qualified thoracic transplant surgeons will not be met through our existing training mechanisms.
Asymmetric effects of exchange rate and income changes on maritime freight flows between Japan and the US

Abstract Past studies have generally used the perfect reversibility of exchange rate and income changes on trade flows, assuming that the impacts of a positive change in exchange rate (income) are of the same magnitude and move in the opposite direction of the effects of a negative change. To date, no empirical evidence has been found to support the potential asymmetric effects of exchange rate and income on maritime trade flows. The objective of this paper is to explore the long-run exchange rate and income asymmetries in bilateral maritime freight flows between Japan and the US. We use both aggregate and disaggregate industry data from January 2003 to July 2016 in a nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) framework. From the nonlinear ARDL models, the exchange rate is found to be an important factor affecting the maritime freight flows in exporting and importing industries in Japan. This conclusion differs from the findings from the linear ARDL models in which exchange rate is insignificant in the majority of cases. More importantly, we find empirical evidence of the asymmetric effects of exchange rate and income on the bilateral maritime freight flows at both aggregate and disaggregate levels. This suggests that using the perfectly reversible (linear) elasticities of demand could mislead the effects of exchange rate and income changes and result in biased estimation. At the disaggregate level, the asymmetric effects of exchange rate and income changes tend to vary across industries.
Some Factors Governing the Coating of Organic Polymers by Sol-Gel Derived Hybrid Materials

Organic-inorganic hybrid materials can exhibit some properties of organic polymers, such as toughness and elasticity, and/or that of ceramics, such as chemical stability and hardness. In this review, we discuss the main factors that should be considered when coating a polymeric substrate with a sol-gel derived organic-inorganic hybrid material. The effects of the solution characteristics, the polymer substrate chemistry and preparation, the application process and materials characteristics are considered. Examples of commercial and published systems are discussed. We find that due to the wide diversity of the systems investigated, it is difficult to be specific in recommending guidelines applicable to all systems. However, some general considerations can be made that should be useful in the design of functional hybrid coatings aimed at improving the characteristics of polymeric surfaces.
Progression of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Nonoperated Patients: Relation to Risk Factors

Important determinants of progression have recently been described by Bruschke and colleagues (1981). Careful analysis of sequential coronary cineangiograms obtained in 256 nonoperated patients with significant coronary atherosclerosis showed time to be the most important determinant of progression. In addition, the initial severity of disease could be correlated to progression, whereas risk factors at first study could not. If progressive coronary atherosclerosis occurs in relation to time and initial severity of disease independently of risk factors, “secondary prevention” by risk-factor modification may not be possible. We studied 302 patients to determine the relation of progression to risk factors.
Electrophoretic Deposition of Mesoporous Niobium(V)Oxide Nanoscopic Films

Nb2O5 is a Li+ intercalation metal oxide that is of current interest for lithium ion battery electrodes. The electrophoretic deposition (ED) of Nb2O5 thin-films from aqueous, NbOx colloidal solutio...
Two-dimensional chaotic thermostat and behavior of a thermalized charge in a weak magnetic field

A two-dimensional version of a chaotic thermostat is investigated. Its structure follows the concept previously introduced by the author [G. J. Morales, Phys. Rev. E 97, 032203 (2018)2470-004510.1103/PhysRevE.97.032203] to generate a one-dimensional chaotic thermostat, namely, the usual friction force of a deterministic thermostat is supplemented with a self-consistent fluctuating force that depends on the drag coefficient associated with coupling to the heat bath. Azimuthal symmetry requires the thermostat to have two internal degrees of freedom, thus the Martyna-Klein-Tuckerman [G. J. Martyna et al., J. Chem. Phys. 97, 2635 (1992)JCPSA60021-960610.1063/1.463940] model is chosen for the heat bath. The unmagnetized system exhibits two-dimensional diffusive behavior, achieves symmetric Maxwellian velocity distributions in the absence of an external potential, and satisfies the Einstein relation when an external force is applied. The velocity fluctuations display the characteristic exponential frequency spectrum associated with chaotic systems. The model is used to explore the diffusive motion of a thermalized charge in a weak magnetic field and the associated Hall and Pedersen mobilities. Over a range of magnetic field strengths the charge exhibits absolute negative mobility.
Message framing to reduce stigma and increase support for policies to improve the wellbeing of people with prior drug convictions.

Abstract Background Individuals with drug convictions are at heightened risk of poor health, due in part to punitive public policies. This study tests the effects of message frames on: (1) public stigma towards individuals with felony drug convictions and (2) support for four policies in the United States (U.S.) affecting social determinants of health: mandatory minimum sentencing laws, ‘ban-the-box’ employment laws, and restrictions to supplemental nutrition and public housing programs. Methods A randomized experiment (n = 3,758) was conducted in April 2018 using a nationally representative online survey panel in the U.S. Participants were randomized to a no-exposure arm or one of nine exposure arms combining: (1) a description of the consequences of incarceration and community reentry framed in one of three ways: a public safety issue, a social justice issue or having an impact on the children of incarcerated individuals, (2) a narrative description of an individual released from prison, and (3) a picture depicting the race of the narrative subject. Logistic regression was used to assess effects of the frames. Results Social justice and the impact on children framing lowered social distance measures and increased support for ban-the-box laws. Conclusion These findings can inform the development of communication strategies to reduce stigma and advocacy efforts to support the elimination of punitive polices towards individuals with drug convictions.
Measuring Agreement Among Prehospital Providers and Physicians in Patient Capacity Determination

Objectives If a patient wishes to refuse treatment in the prehospital setting, prehospital providers and consulting emergency physicians must establish that the patient possesses the capacity to do so. The objective of this study is to assess agreement among prehospital providers and emergency physicians in performing patient capacity assessments. Methods This study involved 139 prehospital providers and 28 emergency medicine physicians. Study participants listened to 30 medical control calls pertaining to patient capacity and were asked to interpret whether the patients in the scenarios had the capacity to refuse treatment. Participants also reported their comfort level using modified Likert scales. Inter-rater reliability was calculated utilizing Fleiss' and Model B kappa statistics. Fisher's exact tests were used to calculate p-values comparing the proportion in each cohort that responded "no capacity." Primary outcomes included inter-rater reliability in the physician and prehospital provider cohorts. Results The inter-rater agreement between the physicians was low (Fleiss' kappa = 0.31, standard error [SE] =0.06; model-based kappa = 0.18, SE = 0.04). Agreement was similarly low for the 135 prehospital providers (Fleiss' kappa = 0.30, SE = 0.06; model-based kappa = 0.28, SE = 0.04). The difference between the proportion of physicians and prehospital providers who responded "no capacity" was statistically significant in five of 30 scenarios. Median prehospital provider and physician confidence, on a 1 to 4 scale, was 2.00 (Q1-Q3 = 1.00-3.00 for prehospital providers and Q1-Q3 =1.0-2.0 for physicians). Conclusions There was poor inter-rater reliability in capacity determination between and among the prehospital provider and physician cohorts. This suggests that there is need for additional study and standardization of this task.
Background heterogeneity and other uncertainties in estimating urban methane flux: results from the Indianapolis Flux Experiment (INFLUX)

Abstract. As natural gas extraction and use continues to increase, the need to quantify emissions of methane ( CH4 ), a powerful greenhouse gas, has grown. Large discrepancies in Indianapolis CH4 emissions have been observed when comparing inventory, aircraft mass balance, and tower inverse modeling estimates. Four years of continuous CH4 mole fraction observations from a network of nine towers as a part of the Indianapolis Flux Experiment (INFLUX) are utilized to investigate four possible reasons for the abovementioned inconsistencies: (1) differences in definition of the city domain, (2) a highly temporally variable and spatially non-uniform CH4 background, (3) temporal variability in CH4 emissions, and (4) CH4 sources that are not accounted for in the inventory. Reducing the Indianapolis urban domain size to be consistent with the inventory domain size decreases the CH4 emission estimation of the inverse modeling methodology by about 35 %, thereby lessening the discrepancy and bringing total city flux within the error range of one of the two inventories. Nevertheless, the inverse modeling estimate still remains about 91 % higher than inventory estimates. Hourly urban background CH4 mole fractions are shown to be spatially heterogeneous and temporally variable. Variability in background mole fractions observed at any given moment and a single location could be up to about 50 ppb depending on a wind direction but decreases substantially when averaged over multiple days. Statistically significant, long-term biases in background mole fractions of 2–5 ppb are found from single-point observations for most wind directions. Boundary layer budget estimates suggest that Indianapolis CH4 emissions did not change significantly when comparing 2014 to 2016. However, it appears that CH4 emissions may follow a diurnal cycle, with daytime emissions (12:00–16:00 LST) approximately twice as large as nighttime emissions (20:00–05:00 LST). We found no evidence for large CH4 point sources that are otherwise missing from the inventories. The data from the towers confirm that the strongest CH4 source in Indianapolis is South Side landfill. Leaks from the natural gas distribution system that were detected with the tower network appeared localized and non-permanent. Our simple atmospheric budget analyses estimate the magnitude of the diffuse natural gas source to be 70 % higher than inventory estimates, but more comprehensive analyses are needed. Long-term averaging, spatially extensive upwind mole fraction observations, mesoscale atmospheric modeling of the regional emissions environment, and careful treatment of the times of day are recommended for precise and accurate quantification of urban CH4 emissions.
Naturally Occurring tRNAs With Non-canonical Structures

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is the central molecule in genetically encoded protein synthesis. Most tRNA species were found to be very similar in structure: the well-known cloverleaf secondary structure and L-shaped tertiary structure. Furthermore, the length of the acceptor arm, T-arm, and anticodon arm were found to be closely conserved. Later research discovered naturally occurring, active tRNAs that did not fit the established 'canonical' tRNA structure. This review discusses the non-canonical structures of some well-characterized natural tRNA species and describes how these structures relate to their role in translation. Additionally, we highlight some newly discovered tRNAs in which the structure-function relationship is not yet fully understood.
When the wind doesn’t blow: The limits of intermittent resources and battery storage in the decarbonization of New England’s power system under increased electrification

Abstract An important strategy for New England states to meet greenhouse gas reduction targets is increased electrification of transportation and residential heating alongside the expansion of intermittent wind and solar electric generation resources. Large-scale battery storage is investigated to shift temporally generation from when it is produced to when it is needed due to multi-day renewable resource production declines. Firm generation resources or a technology breakthrough is needed to meet demand during these multi-day periods.
Staphylococcal Skin and Soft Tissue Infections.

Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacteria causing purulent skin and soft tissue infections. Many disease-causing S aureus strains are methicillin resistant; thus, empiric therapy should be given to cover methicillin-resistant S aureus. Bacterial wound cultures are important for characterizing local susceptibility patterns. Definitive antibiotic therapy is warranted, although there are no compelling data demonstrating superiority of any one antibiotic over another. Antibiotic choice is predicated by the infection severity, local susceptibility patterns, and drug-related safety, tolerability, and cost. Response to therapy is expected within the first days; 5 to 7 days of therapy is typically adequate to achieve cure.