cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluating LC-MS/MS To Measure Accumulation of Compounds within Bacteria.

A general method for determining bacterial uptake of compounds independent of antibacterial activity would be a valuable tool in antibacterial drug discovery. LC-MS/MS assays have been described, but it has not been shown whether the data can be used directly to inform medicinal chemistry. We describe the evaluation of an LC-MS/MS assay measuring association of compounds with bacteria, using a set of over a hundred compounds (inhibitors of NAD-dependent DNA ligase, LigA) for which in vitro potency and antibacterial activity had been determined. All compounds were active against an efflux-deficient strain of Escherichia coli with reduced LigA activity (E. coli ligA251 ΔtolC). Testing a single compound concentration and incubation time, we found that, for equipotent compounds, LC-MS/MS values were not predictive of antibacterial activity. This indicates that measured bacteria-associated compound was not necessarily exposed to the target enzyme. Our data suggest that, while exclusion from bacteria is a major...
Oral Agents for Psoriasis

A variety of oral agents are part of the therapeutic armamentarium for the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. Types of oral agents that are used to treat psoriasis include cytotoxic and immunomodulatory drugs such as methotrexate, cyclosporine, and apremilast. Another oral agent, acitretin, is a systemic retinoid that affects epidermal proliferation and differentiation as well as immunomodulation. Oral agents for psoriasis are effective as monotherapy and may also be used in combination with other treatment modalities. Important factors to consider when selecting an oral agent include effectiveness, comorbid conditions, drug side effects, lifestyle considerations, risk factors, drug availability, patient preference, and financial cost of treatment. MTX, cyclosporine, and acitretin have long been used in the treatment of psoriasis for decades and require careful monitoring due to their generally unfavorable side effect profiles, whereas, apremilast, a much newer oral therapy, has far fewer adverse effects. This chapter will review the evidence for use of each of these oral agents in the treatment of psoriasis.
Listeria Monocytogenes and Its Fate in Meat Products

SUMMARY Listeria monocytogenes is a well recognized human and animal pathogen which has been involved in several foodborne outbreaks of listeriosis in the past ten years. Listeriosis is exceptionally severe when it afflicts immunocompromised individuals, including pregnant women and their fetuses, where it is more than 20–30% fatal. The pathogen is commonly found in nature from where it contaminates plants, animals, water and foods. This emphasizes the need to increase our knowledge on this pathogenic bacterium in order to develop procedures for assurance of food product safety. Work in our laboratory has examined the potential of L. monocytogenes to survive and proliferate in meat plant environments, meat products, meat processing additives, and during thermal processing of various formulations of beef and pork. In general, the organism appears to be more resistant to adverse environments and processes than other nonspore-forming bacterial pathogens. Good hygiene and appropriate sanitation during product processing and handling, however, should reduce levels of contamination, which should permit traditional preservation procedures to control the pathogen.
CHAPTER 9 – Hydrogen Bonds and Water Molecules in Crystalline Proteins

This chapter discusses the role of hydrogen bonds and water molecules in crystalline proteins. The chapter states that before crystalline proteins were refined, small volumes of electron density went un-accounted for in the X-ray maps. Oftentimes, this electron density was near the surface of the crystalline protein, adjacent to an atom of nitrogen or oxygen. Due to the lack of technology, the small regions of additional electron density that could not be accounted for by protein atoms were largely ignored earlier. When it became possible to refine crystallographic coordinates, these additional volumes of electron density persisted. They were clearly a part of the protein molecule but not covalently bonded. Investigators began to assign such sites to bound water molecules. Hydrogen atoms are generally not visible in most electron density maps, because X-ray scattering is proportional to the atomic number. Later, however, neutron diffraction methods were applied to a few crystalline proteins and the ability to visualize hydrogen or deuterium atoms in maps of a crystalline protein became possible. The chapter discusses hydrogen bonding positions in proteins, neutron diffraction, and water molecules observed in crystalline proteins. The chapter also highlights the distribution of protein-bound water, and water networks in crystalline proteins.
Preeclampsia: Angiogenic Factors, Blood Pressure, and the Kidney

Despite being one of the leading causes of maternal death and a major contributor of maternal and perinatal morbidity, the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis of preeclampsia (PE) have yet to be fully elucidated. PE affects the vasculature of many target maternal organs including the kidney, liver, and brain. Growing evidence supports the concept that the placenta plays a central role in the pathogenesis of PE and that reduced uteroplacental perfusion which develops as a result of abnormal cytotrophoblast invasion of spiral arterioles triggers the cascade of events leading to the maternal disorder. The hypoxic placenta in turn releases a variety of soluble factors which that generate widespread dysfunction of the maternal vascular endothelium. This dysfunction manifests as enhanced formation of factors such as endothelin, reactive oxygen species, and augmented vascular sensitivity to angiotensin II. In addition, PE is also associated with decreased formation of vasodilators such as nitric oxide and prostacyclin. The full elucidation of the molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in various stages of the disease process will hopefully lead to a more complete understanding of the etiology of PE and eventually lead to successful therapeutic intervention through the targeted disruption of novel pathways.
CCNY Smart Cane

This paper presents SmartCane - the CCNY Smart Cane system, a robotic white cane and mobile device navigation software for visually impaired people. The system includes software for Google Tango devices that utilizes simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) to plan a path and guide a visually impaired user to waypoints within indoor environments. A control panel is mounted on the standard white cane that enables visually impaired users to communicate with the navigation software and is additionally used to provide navigation instructions via haptic feedback. Based on the motion-tracking and localization capabilities of the Google Tango, the SmartCane is able to generate a safe path to the destination waypoint indicated by the user.
Impact of an indigestible oil phase (mineral oil) on the bioaccessibility of vitamin D3 encapsulated in whey protein-stabilized nanoemulsions.

Abstract These is some interest in replacing digestible fats with indigestible ones to decrease the energy-density of foods. The utilization of indigestible oils, however, may have unforeseen nutritional consequences, such as the reduction of vitamin bioavailability. In this study, the impact of an indigestible oil on the bioaccessibility of emulsified vitamin D3 (VD) was examined. We prepared four kinds of nanoemulsions using different combinations of a digestible oil (DO) and an indigestible oil (IO): DO only; IO only; an oil mixture (OM) consisting of 1:1 DO:IO mixed before homogenization; and, an emulsion mixture (EM) consisting of 1:1 DO:IO nanoemulsions mixed after homogenization. A gastrointestinal tract (GIT) model was employed to elucidate the kinetics of VD bioaccessibility from the nanoemulsions. Both the lipid digestion rate and vitamin bioaccessibility decreased in the same order: DO > OM ≈ EM > IO. The change in vitamin bioaccessibility over time under simulated small intestine conditions was also measured. With the exception of the IO nanoemulsions, the vitamin bioaccessibility increased to a maximum value after around 30 min, but then decreased during the following 24 h. This effect was attributed to an initial solubilization of the vitamin within the mixed micelles, followed by their precipitation during prolonged incubation. Our results show that lipid digestion, micelle solubilization, and micelle aggregation impact the in vitro bioaccessibility of vitamin D. This knowledge may be helpful for designing more efficacious nanoemulsion-based delivery systems for fat-soluble vitamins.
Case-Based Curriculum With Integrated Smartphone Applications Improves Internal Medicine Resident Knowledge Of Contraceptive Care.

Background Contraception is an essential preventive service for all women. However, the literature suggests that internal medicine residents have low levels of confidence and knowledge of contraceptive care. Objective We designed and implemented a novel contraception curriculum promoting active, collaborative learning. We sought to evaluate whether this curriculum improved internal medicine resident knowledge of and comfort with contraceptive care through the administration of pre-/post-surveys. Methods Our curriculum was delivered in a two-hour session as part of the mandatory ambulatory curriculum for internal medicine interns at our institution in the academic year 2017-2018. Interns were provided with select online resources and two smartphone applications at the beginning of the session, which they then used in case-based small group work. Small group work was followed by a large group case review, co-facilitated by OB/GYN and internal medicine faculty. Results Thirty-eight participants completed surveys assessing knowledge of and comfort with contraceptive care immediately before and after the curriculum; 20 participants completed surveys assessing the same domains 4-6 months after the curriculum. Data from surveys administered immediately post-curriculum demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge about and comfort with counseling about, assessing medical eligibility for, and initiating multiple forms of contraception. Many of these improvements in knowledge and comfort were maintained on follow-up surveys 4-6 months following the curriculum. Conclusion Our case-based curriculum with integrated smartphone applications resulted in significant improvements in internal medicine resident knowledge of and comfort with the key skills of contraceptive care. In contrast to active, collaborative learning methodologies such as the flipped classroom, our methodology supports active, collaborative learning without requiring advance learner preparation, and is thus well suited to the time constraints of the graduate medical education setting. Our methodology is readily translatable to other clinical topics and residency curricula.
Mobile Stroke Units—the Changing Face of Emergency Medicine Stroke Management

To provide a summary of mobile stroke unit (MSU) utilization within Emergency Medicine stroke systems. MSUs have been deployed around the world into prehospital stroke systems demonstrating the ability to differentiate stroke subtypes and to initiate thrombolysis in eligible patients with shorter symptom onset to treatment times than conventional systems. MSU technology may enable the administration of other standard interventions or future experimental agents in the hyperacute time window. It is conceivable that MSU technology may be extended to other disease states in resource-limited areas without immediate access to an emergency department. MSUs can identify key stroke subtypes and offer promising reductions in treatment times for the time-sensitive condition of acute ischemic stroke. Further research is necessary to guide optimal utilization within stroke systems.
Extraintestinal Foodborne Pathogens.

In general, foodborne diseases present themselves with gastrointestinal symptoms caused by bacterial, viral, and parasitic pathogens well established to be foodborne. These pathogens are also assoc...
Impact of Time Post-Heart Transplant on Myocardial Flow Reserve and Outcomes

Purpose Myocardial flow reserve (MFR) compares hyperemic to resting myocardial blood flow to evaluate the effects of coronary stenosis or microvascular disease on myocardial blood flow (MBF). Positron emission tomography (PET) is the most accurate noninvasive modality for assessing MBF and diagnosing coronary disease. Impaired MFR by PET is also predictive of adverse events, including mortality, for both atherosclerosis and cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Prior studies assessing MFR in CAV included patients an average of 10 years post heart transplant (HT). We sought to assess whether the prognostic effect of MFR was consistent both early and late after HT. Methods From 2016-2017 206 patients underwent rest/stress 13N ammonia PET with CT attenuation correction. The cohort was divided into quartiles: 0-4y, 4-7y, 7-11y, >11y post-HT. MFR data were compared over time. Results 181 patients (Exclusions: 3 technically limited, 22 had high rest flows) were enrolled in the study. Overall MFR values (median, IQR) were consistent among the first three quartiles, but were lower for the >11y quartile (2.16 [1.82-2.66], 2.11 [1.75-2.77], 2.19 [1.82-2.77], 2.01 [1.52-2.76] p Conclusion Decreased MFR is associated with an increased risk of death, retransplantation, or cardiovascular hospitalization following HT. This effect is seen both early and late after transplant, with a dramatically increased risk after 7 years.
Rats (Rattus norvegicus) find occupancy of a restraint tube rewarding

Two experiments evaluated whether rats' occupancy of a restraint tube is reinforcing. In Experiment 1, each rat in the 0-min group moved freely in a chamber where a wall blocked access to a restraint tube. After 10 min the wall was removed, permitting 15 min of chamber access and tube entry. The other 2 groups were locked in the tube for 10 and 20 min respectively before release into the chamber for 15 min. Across sessions, rats locked up for 10 and 20 min entered the tube more frequently than rats in the 0-min group, and during the first 2 sessions rats in the 20-min group stayed in the tube longer than the other groups. Over sessions this difference disappeared. However, for all groups and sessions the mean percentage of session time in the tube exceeded chance expectations. This result suggests tube occupation was reinforcing. In Experiment 2's Phase 1, rats could enter an open tube. On exiting, the tube door closed. A lever press opened the door for the rest of the 1-hr session. In Phase 2, these rats were locked in the tube for 10 min before the door opened. Upon exiting, the door closed. As in Phase 1, a lever press opened the door for the rest of the session. The latency between pressing and tube entry decreased over sessions, indicating that tube entry reinforced lever pressing. These results are difficult to reconcile with accounts of rat empathy based on the thesis that tube restraint distresses occupants.
6.31 – Cardiovascular Overview

Cardiovascular disease represents one of the major contributors to morbidity and mortality worldwide. While cardiovascular disease represents an enormous economic burden to society it is also an economic opportunity for the development of new therapeutic agents to manage the disease. Coronary heart disease and stroke are the primary cardiovascular diseases that result in morbidity and mortality and are preventable by reduction in the risk factors associated with these diseases that include diabetes, obesity and hypertension. Therapeutic management of cardiovascular diseases should begin with nutritional and lifestyle changes that address these risk factors at an early stage in the disease process.
Microplastic pollutants in the coastal dunes of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario

Abstract Microplastic particles, often studied as aquatic pollutants, have been recovered from coastal dunes along the shores of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie in New York and Pennsylvania. Surface and shallow sub-surface sand samples were collected from coastal dunes in 1 m2 areas from 5 locations along Lake Erie: Sunset Bay, Dunkirk Harbor, Point Gratiot, and Canadaway Creek in New York and Presque Isle State Park Beach #11 in Pennsylvania. Samples were also collected from coastal dunes on Lake Ontario at Sandy Island Beach State Park, NY. Abundances, shapes, sizes, textures, and degradation of microplastics were characterized. Twenty-one of 26 samples yielded a variety of microplastics: pellets, fragments, and fibers. Larger microplastics (5.0–1.0 mm) were dominated by spheroidal and disk-shaped pellets with fewer fragments. Smaller microplastics (≤1.0 mm) were predominantly fibers and small fragments. Some microplastic particles exhibited evidence of degradation and weathering as a consequence of transport and exposure to the elements. The presence of microplastics in coastal dunes is attributable to aeolian transport from the adjacent beach.
Super-Planckian radiative heat transfer between macroscale metallic surfaces due to near-field and thin-film effects

In this study, we demonstrate that the radiative heat transfer between metallic planar surfaces exceeds the blackbody limit by employing the near-field and thin-film effects over macroscale surfaces. Nanosized polystyrene particles were used to create a nanometer gap between aluminum thin films of different thicknesses from 80 nm to 13 nm coated on 5 × 5 mm2 silicon chips, while the vacuum gap spacing is fitted from the near-field measurement with bare silicon samples. The near-field radiative heat flux between 13-nm-thick Al thin films at 215 nm gap distance is measured to be 6.4 times over the blackbody limit and 420 times to the far-field radiative heat transfer between metallic surfaces under a temperature difference of 65 K with the receiver at room temperature. The experimental results are validated by theoretical calculation based on fluctuational electrodynamics, and the heat enhancement is explained by non-resonant electromagnetic coupling within the subwavelength vacuum gap and resonant coupling inside the nanometric Al thin film with s polarized waves. This work will facilitate the applications of near-field radiation in thermal power conversion, radiative refrigeration, and noncontact heat control where metallic materials are involved.
Logic is (Somewhat) Overrated: Image-Based Versus Concept-Based Rhetoric in Crowdfunding Narratives:

Drawing on image-based versus concept-based rhetoric research, we test whether concept-based rhetoric—evoking rational, logical, and concrete thinking—could be less useful than image-based rhetoric...
Public Health Education and Changing Public Health Realities in the Public Health 3.0 Era

For many, public health is becoming a logical choice Because of COVID-19, the interest in public health careers is soaring, evident from the 20% increase nationwide in Master of Public Health (MPH) applicants 1 For prospective public health degree-seeking students, many nuanced questions may be about hot jobs, salaries, and potential employers [ ]a national dialogue about a paradigm shift from Public Health 1 0 to Public Health 3 0 has gained momentum Practice-based research and evidence-based practices supported by academic-practice partnerships have gained traction [ ]academics are increasingly engaging with community stakeholders, including business people, attorneys, architects, city planners, and park personnel Section F1 of the Council on Education for Public Health accreditation criteria reinforces this trend requiring academic-community engagement FIRST-DESTINATION EMPLOYMENT SECTOR A disconnect between the competencies covered in public health curricula and those needed by the potential employers may breed discontent
A multi-year analysis of Canadian Arctic historical weather data in support of solar and wind renewable energy deployment

This work explores the importance of renewable resource temporal distribution for solar and wind energy deployment in Arctic communities to meet building and ancillary loads. An analysis of ten years of historic weather data was performed for six locations in the Canadian Arctic to assess renewable resource variation. Simulations of similar capacity solar and wind generation systems were then coupled with the historic data to compare and contrast generation potential. This analysis highlighted the importance of considering hourly, daily, monthly, and year-to-year renewable generation when deploying solar and wind to the Arctic. As many northern communities in Canada have local electricity generation and distribution systems, and no connection to the continental grid, managing grid interactions effectively is crucial to the success of deployment, integration, and operation. The results for the solar energy analysis showed high consistency of production year-to-year. The results for the wind energy analysis showed that the annual outputs have significantly less variation than the year-to-year output of individual months for all the locations under study. For the high latitude locations studied, solar energy can still provide useful electricity generation output, but the more pronounced bias of the annual output to the summer months can leave several months with little or no output. The use of additional renewable sources is crucial in beginning to transition some electricity generating capacity within Arctic communities from being solely reliant on fossil fuels.
Pericyte-derived vitronectin regulates blood-CNS barrier function via integrin signaling

Blood-central nervous system (CNS) barriers are physiological interfaces separating the neural tissue from circulating blood and are essential for neuronal function and cellular homeostasis. Endothelial cells that form the walls of CNS blood vessels constitute these barriers but barrier properties are not intrinsic to these cells; rather they are actively induced and maintained by the surrounding CNS microenvironment. Notably, the abluminal surface of CNS capillary endothelial cells is ensheathed by pericytes and astrocytic endfeet. However, the specific extrinsic factors from these perivascular cells that regulate barrier integrity are largely unknown. Here, we establish vitronectin, an extracellular matrix protein secreted specifically by CNS pericytes as an essential factor in regulating blood-CNS barrier function via interactions with its integrin receptor in adjacent endothelial cells. Genetic ablation of vitronectin results in leaky blood-CNS barriers, despite having normal pericyte coverage and vascular patterning. Electron microscopy reveals increased transcytosis in endothelial cells of Vtn−/− mice without functional defects in tight-junctions. We further demonstrate that vitronectin binding to integrin receptors is essential for barrier function, as mice harboring a point mutation in vitronectin that specifically abolishes integrin binding, VtnRGE, phenocopy the barrier defects in Vtn−/− mice. Furthermore, endothelial-specific deletion of integrin α5, an RGD-ligand binding integrin receptor that is expressed in CNS endothelial cells, also results in similar blood-CNS barrier defects as observed in Vtn−/− and VtnRGE mice. Finally, integrin α5 activation by vitronectin inhibits transcytosis in endothelial cells and vitronectin-integrin α5 signaling regulates barrier function independent of the caveolae pathway. These results demonstrate that signaling from perivascular cells to endothelial cells via ligand-receptor interactions is a key mechanism to regulate barrier permeability. Summary Vitronectin-integrin signaling between pericytes and CNS endothelial cells regulates blood-CNS barrier function
Variants in mycophenolate and CMV antiviral drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic genes and leukopenia in heart transplant recipients.

Background The objective was to assess the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms in mycophenolate and cytomegalovirus antiviral drug pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic genes and drug-induced leukopenia in adult heart transplant recipients. Methods This retrospective analysis included n = 148 patients receiving mycophenolate and a cytomegalovirus antiviral drug. In total, 81 single nucleotide polymorphisms in 21 pharmacokinetic and 23 pharmacodynamic genes were selected for investigation. The primary and secondary outcomes were mycophenolate and/or cytomegalovirus antiviral drug-induced leukopenia, defined as a white blood cell count 9/L, in the first six and 12 months post-heart transplant, respectively. Results Mycophenolate and/or cytomegalovirus antiviral drug-induced leukopenia occurred in 20.3% of patients. HNF1A rs1169288 A>C (p.I27L) was associated with drug-induced leukopenia (unadjusted p = 0.002; false discovery rate rs1169288 variant C allele carriers had significantly higher odds of leukopenia compared to A/A homozygotes (odds ratio 6.19; 95% CI 1.97-19.43; p = 0.002). Single nucleotide polymorphisms in HNF1A, SLC13A1, and MBOAT1 were suggestively associated (p Conclusion Our data suggest genetic variation may play a role in the development of leukopenia in patients receiving mycophenolate and cytomegalovirus antiviral drugs after heart transplantation . Following replication, pharmacogenetic markers, such as HNF1A rs1169288, could help identify patients at higher risk of drug-induced leukopenia, allowing for more personalized immunosuppressant therapy and cytomegalovirus prophylaxis following heart transplantation.
The Effects of Elevated Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide on the Vineyard System of Vitis vinifera: A Review

Abstract: Global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations will continue increasing throughout the next century, with profound impacts on agriculture. The literature concerning the effects of climate change on viticulture has largely focused on the isolated impacts of variables such as temperature and soil water deficit. Likewise, the research on the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on grapevines is stunted at the categorical level, chiefly because of the difficulty of experimentally controlling the gaseous environment in situ for the years necessary to replicate the vineyard system in a future climate condition. Despite numerous studies on the short-term influence of environmental and cultural factors on grapevine development at elevated carbon dioxide, the long-term impacts remain poorly understood. The lack of field based elevated CO2 experiments in the United States is an added challenge to predicting viticultural changes, particularly in California. This review focuses on the systemic impact of atmospheric CO2 on Vitis vinifera, synthesizing physiological, phenological, and plant-pest interactions. Major findings from this synthesis inform of a predicted increase in pest pressure, advanced phenological timing, transient increase in water use efficiency for grapevine, and changes in grape berry chemistry. While water use efficiency is highly desirable, the prediction for current winegrape growing regions is a transient increase in water use efficiency subsequently limited by a lack of available soil water. Grapevine is influenced by the negative synergistic effects of heat, drought, and elevated CO2, which will alter cultural practices including harvest and pest/disease control, with downstream effects on winemaking. Several options for adaptation are discussed including leaf removal, planting alternative varieties and selective breeding of new varieties.
Physical therapy in Parkinson's disease.

Publisher Summary The movement disturbances characteristic of Parkinson's disease (PD), such as hypometria, akinesia, rigidity, and disturbed postural control can significantly impact function and quality of life. This chapter deals with variety of physical therapy methods evaluated in PD. The approach to therapy in an individual patient can be governed at the most basic level by the stage of the disease. In individuals with mild to moderate disease with a certain degree of physical independence, therapy focuses on the teaching of exercises directly designed to delay or prevent the aggravation of the motor impairment in PD, with the goal of maintaining or even increasing functional capacities. However, at the other end of the spectrum, in an individual with compromised ambulation and significant disability due to advanced PD, the therapeutic focus shifts from the teaching of exercises to the teaching of compensation strategies allowing preservation of as much functional independence as possible. These strategies include adaptation of the home environment, both to lessen the effects of motor impairment and to optimize safety.
Single‐stranded DNA‐binding Proteins

Single-stranded DNA binding proteins bind specifically to single-stranded DNA. That specificity relates to in vivo functions in DNA replication, recombination and repair. Keywords: OB-fold; replication; repair; recombination; ssDNA
Local Currency Pricing and Pass-Through: An Empirical and Theoretical Analysis

This paper explores the reasons behind a low elasticity of imported goods to the nominal exchange rates, analyzing empirically the law of one price and the degree of pass-through. The results show that, in the medium and long term, the degree of pass-through is low and the deviations from the law of one price on consumer prices are wide and persistent. These deviations are due to both local currency pricing strategies and the behavior of prices in the distribution services. Given these results, we propose a new decomposition of the consumer price index that takes into account multiple factors for the analysis of the degrees of pass-through.
Complete symbolic reachability analysis using back-and-forth narrowing

We propose a method called back-and-forth narrowing for solving reachability goals of the form $(\exists^\rightarrow_{x}).t_{1}\rightarrow*t'_{1}\wedge...\wedge t_{n}\rightarrow * t'_{n}$ in general term rewrite systems. The method is a complete semi-decision procedure in the sense that it is guaranteed to find a solution when one exists, but in general it may not terminate when there are no solutions. The completeness result is very general in that it makes no assumptions about the given term rewrite system. Specifically, the rewrite rules need not be linear, confluent, or terminating, and can even have extra-variables in the righthand side. Such generality is often essential while modeling concurrent systems or axiomatizing inference systems as rewrite rules, and in such applications back-and-forth narrowing can be used as a sound and complete technique for symbolic reachability analysis or as a deductive procedure for proving existential formulae.
The forest and the trees: relational and specific factors in addiction treatment

Aims Increased expectations for the use of evidence-based methods in addiction treatment have fueled a debate regarding the relative importance of ‘specific’ versus ‘common’ factors in treatment outcome. This review explores the influence of these factors on addiction treatment outcome. Methods The authors review and link findings from four decades of research on specific and general factors in addiction treatment outcome research. Findings Although few would argue that what one does in addiction treatment is immaterial, outcome studies tend to find small to no difference when specific treatment methods are compared with each other or with treatment as usual. In contrast, there are usually substantial differences among therapists in client outcomes, and relational factors such as therapist empathy and therapeutic alliance can be significant determinants of addiction treatment outcome. Conclusions In addiction treatment, relational factors such as empathy, which are often described as common, non-specific factors, should not be dismissed as ‘common’ because they vary substantially across providers and it is unclear how common they actually are. Similarly they should not be relegated to ‘non-specific’ status, because such important relational influences can be specified and incorporated into clinical research and training.
Infrastructure for web explanations

The Semantic Web lacks support for explaining knowledge provenance. When web applications return answers, many users do not know what information sources were used, when they were updated, how reliable the source was, or what information was looked up versus derived. The Semantic Web also lacks support for explaining reasoning paths used to derive answers. The Inference Web (IW) aims to take opaque query answers and make the answers more transparent by providing explanations. The explanations include information concerning where answers came from and how they were derived (or retrieved). In this paper we describe an infrastructure for IW explanations. The infrastructure includes: an extensible web-based registry containing details on information sources, reasoners, languages, and rewrite rules; a portable proof specification; and a proof and explanation browser. Source information in the IW registry is used to convey knowledge provenance. Representation and reasoning language axioms and rewrite rules in the IW registry are used to support proofs, proof combination, and semantic web agent interoperability. The IW browser is used to support navigation and presentations of proofs and their explanations. The Inference Web is in use by two Semantic Web agents using an embedded reasoning engine fully registered in the IW. Additional reasoning engine registration is underway in order to help provide input for evaluation of the adequacy, breadth, and scalability of our approach.
Chronic Ethanol Exposure: Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Disease and Dysfunction

Ethanol (EtOH) is the world's most commonly used drug, and has been widely recognized as a risk factor for developing lung disorders. Chronic EtOH exposure affects all of the organ systems in the body and increases the risk of developing pulmonary diseases such as acute lung injury and pneumonia, while exacerbating the symptoms and resulting in increased mortality in many other lung disorders. EtOH and its metabolites inhibit the immune response of alveolar macrophages (AMs), increase airway leakage, produce damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS), and disrupt the balance of antioxidants/oxidants within the lungs. In this article, we review the role of EtOH exposure in the pathogenesis and progression of pulmonary disease.
Trade openness reduces growth volatility when countries are well diversified

This paper addresses the mechanisms by which trade openness affects growth volatility. Using a diverse set of export diversification indicators, it presents strong evidence pointing to an important role for export diversification in reducing the effect of trade openness on growth volatility. The authors also identify positive thresholds for product diversification at which the effect of openness on volatility changes sign. The effect is shown to be positive only for a minority of countries with highly concentrated export baskets. This result is shown to be robust to both explicit accounting for endogeneity as well as the inclusion of a host of additional controls.
Using the Marcus Inverted Region for Rectification in Donor−Bridge−Acceptor “Wire” Assemblies

We examine the properties of a system in which a hopping mechanism can exploit the nuclear factors, along with the field resulting from the applied voltage, to control the current through a donor−bridge−acceptor (D−B−A) system inserted between two metal electrodes. We find that, by utilizing D/A couples with small λ values, switching can be achieved at modest applied potentials.
Amidoxime-modified mesoporous silica for uranium adsorption under seawater conditions

Amidoxime-modified ordered mesoporous silica (AO-OMS) materials were prepared by a two-step process involving: (1) co-condensation synthesis of cyanopropyl-containing ordered mesoporous silica (CP-OMS), and (2) conversion of cyanopropyl into amidoxime groups. The aforementioned co-condensation synthesis is simple and less time consuming as compared to the post-synthesis grafting and assures high loading of organic groups. The intermediate CP-OMS exhibited ordered mesoporosity, high specific surface area, and narrow pore size distribution. Interestingly, conversion of CP-OMS to AO-OMS further improved its properties by enhancing the specific surface area and porosity and achieving high loading of amidoxime groups. High affinity of these groups towards uranium species makes the AO-OMS material an attractive sorbent for uranium recovery as evidenced by very high uranium uptake reaching 57 mg of uranium per gram of AO-OMS under seawater conditions.
Minimally invasive lateral retroperitoneal corpectomy for treatment of focal thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity: case report and review of the literature.

Background Corpectomy is a frequently performed procedure for pathologies of the anterior spine including neoplasms, fractures, deformities, and osteomyelitis. Traditional approaches to the anterior thoracic spine and thoracolumbar junction are associated with significant perioperative pulmonary complications and morbidity. Posterior and posterolateral approaches minimize some of these complications but are somewhat limited in visualization of the anterior elements. Patient and Methods Here we report the case of a 49-year-old man with a remote thoracolumbar fracture and subsequent focal deformity treated with a minimally invasive lateral retroperitoneal corpectomy and open posterior arthrodesis. Conclusion Minimally invasive lateral corpectomy is a safe and effective option for deformity correction. We discuss the relative advantages and disadvantages of this approach and review the relevant literature.
p-Value calculation for multi-stage additive tests

Multi-stage additive tests are commonly used in applications. Appropriate definition of its test decisions, however, turns out to be challenging. There are a number of existing methods for this purpose, mainly by combining p-values of individual tests using a conditional error probability function. Although these methods are flexible enough to use in most applications, their results depend on the conditional error probability function and selection of this function is often subjective. Motivated by a research problem regarding comparison of two survival hazard rate functions, in this paper, we suggest using an alternative and simpler definition of the overall p-value of a multi-stage additive testing procedure. By this definition, no conditional error probability function needs to be chosen, the entire testing procedure is easy to interpret, and the overall p-value has an explicit formula for a general multi-stage additive testing procedure.
The river, the levee, love, and confession: The thematics of Grazia Deledda’s L'argine

Grazia Deledda’s late novel L’argine is set in a modern Italy that is very different from the primitive peasant Sardinian society in which she situated the novels for which she is best known. Themes that play a prominent role in her earlier cycle of novels are still recognizable in her later work, but in an attenuated, less socially destructive form. The paired themes of a wild river and the embankment meant to control it are developed on literal, metaphorical, and symbolic levels. The complicated plot is built around a chain of unrequited loves and an intriguing conflation of the characters that, despite their differences, under the irresistible force of erotic desire, act out that desire in ways that tend to blur the distinctions among them. The linked themes of guilt, punishment, and atonement that are found in many of Deledda’s novels are embodied in a series of confessional narratives and relationships that I analyze in the framework of different theories about confession in the novel. I examine the ...
1608 URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS (UTI) IN CHILDHOOD: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF SHORT-TERM VS. CONVENTIONAL THERAPY

1608 URINARY TRACT INFECTIONS (UTI) IN CHILDHOOD: A RANDOMIZED TRIAL OF SHORT-TERM VS. CONVENTIONAL THERAPY
Characterizations of Pulsed Laser Delivery with Fibers in Multiphoton Microscopy

We investigate optical fibers which can be used for pulsed laser delivery. Fibers are compared in terms of spectral distortion and pulse broadening. Multiphoton efficiency, and point spread function are also measured.
Hyperkähler metric and GMN ansatz on focus–focus fibrations

Abstract In this paper, we study the hyperkahler metric and practise GMN’s construction of hyperkahler metric on focus–focus fibrations. We explicitly compute the action–angle coordinates on the local model of focus–focus fibrations, and show its semi-global invariant should be harmonic to admit a compatible holomorphic 2-form. Then we study the canonical semi-flat metric on it. After the instanton correction, finally we are able to get a reconstruction of the generalized Ooguri–Vafa metric.
Maternal psychopathology and attachment in toddlers of heavy cocaine‐using mothers

Le but de cette etude est d'examiner les liens entre la psychopathologie maternelle, le soin sensible tres tot apporte a l'enfant, et la securite de l'attachement chez un groupe de femmes adonnees a la cocaine venant de miliieux a hauts risques contextuels qui incluent la pauvrete, le manque d'education, un statut minoritaire et un statut de famille monoparentale. Trente cinq femmes et leurs bebes participerent a l'etude. La psychopathologie maternelle et les troubles d'Axes I et Axes II ont ete evalues durant la periode prenatale via une mesure clinique par auto-rapport. La sensibilite maternelle fut evaluee a un mois et a six mois apres l'accouchement via la procedure de situation bizarre. Egalement, a dix-huit mois, le niveau depression de la mere dut evalue via un inventaire de depression. On trouva que la psychopathologie maternelle durant la grossesse etait liee a la fois au mode de soin precoce et a l'attachement. Les meres ayant des niveaux cliniques de certains troubles d'Axes Il faisaient preuve de moins de soin sensible envers leur enfant et avaient des enfants en bas âges plus a meme d'etre desordonnes/desorientes dans leurs attachements. Pour les troubles d'Axe I, on trouva que seuls les niveaux cliniques de dysthymie prenatale etaient lies a une plus grande chance d'avoir un attachement sůr et positif.
OUTCOMES IN PATIENTS WITH PATHOLOGICAL CARCINOMA IN SITU ONLY DISEASE AT RADICAL CYSTECTOMY

ABSTRACT Purpose: Pathological stage influences patient outcome after radical cystectomy. We present our experience with patients who have only transitional cell carcinoma in situ of the bladder (pCIS-only) on final pathological examination after radical cystectomy. Materials and Methods: Between August 1995 and June 2003, 576 patients underwent radical cystectomy at our institution. Of these patients 54 were pathological stage CIS-only on final cystectomy specimen. Four patients simultaneously had invasive transitional cell carcinoma of the ureter or renal pelvis and were excluded from evaluation. Variables examined included demographic characteristics, preoperative pathological stage, high risk features and followup parameters. Results: Of the 50 patients with pCIS-only 44 (88%) were disease-free at last followup. Mean followup was 37.2 months (range 3.6 to 93.5). Of the 50 patients 21 had focal CIS while 29 had multifocal disease. There was no difference in disease recurrence between these 2 groups (9.5% vs 13.7%, p=0.8). There were 9 patients with proximal urethral CIS involvement, of whom metastatic disease developed in 3. Only 1 of the 8 patients (12.5%) with ureteral orifice involvement had recurrence. Of the 50 patients 22 had muscle invasive disease on initial transurethral resection without residual invasive disease at cystectomy. This subset fared significantly worse after radical cystectomy than the 28 patients with less than stage T2 disease on transurethral bladder tumor resection (22.7% vs 3.6% metastasis, p ≤0.05). Conclusions: The outcome of patients who have pCIS-only after radical cystectomy is not uniform. Patients may be at higher risk for recurrence if disease extends to the proximal urethra. In addition, patients demonstrating invasion on clinical staging (stage T2 or greater) but subsequent pCIS-only disease have a worse prognosis compared to those with superficial clinical staging. Patients with CIS-only on clinical and pathological staging have an excellent disease-free survival with radical cystectomy even with the presence of multifocal disease.
Genomic imprinting of IGF2 in marsupials is methylation dependent

Parent-specific methylation of specific CpG residues is critical to imprinting in eutherian mammals, but its importance to imprinting in marsupials and, thus, the evolutionary origins of the imprinting mechanism have been the subject of controversy. This has been particularly true for the imprinted Insulin-like Growth Factor II (IGF2), a key regulator of embryonic growth in vertebrates and a focal point of the selective forces leading to genomic imprinting. The presence of the essential imprinting effector, DNMT3L, in marsupial genomes and the demonstration of a differentially methylated region (DMR) in the retrotransposon-derived imprinted gene, PEG10, in tammar wallaby argue for a role for methylation in imprinting, but several studies have found no evidence of parent-specific methylation at other imprinted loci in marsupials. We performed the most extensive search to date for allele-specific patterns of CpG methylation within CpG isochores or CpG enriched segments across a 22 kilobase region surrounding the IGF2 gene in the South American opossum Monodelphis domestica. We identified a previously unknown 5'-untranslated exon for opossum IGF2, which is flanked by sequences defining a putative neonatal promoter, a DMR and an active Matrix Attachment Region (MAR). Demethylation of this DMR in opossum neonatal fibroblasts results in abherrant biallelic expression of IGF2. The demonstration of a DMR and an active MAR in the 5' flank of opossum IGF2 mirrors the regulatory features of the 5' flank of Igf2 in mice. However, demethylation induced activation of the maternal allele of IGF2 in opossum differs from the demethylation induced repression of the paternal Igf2 allele in mice. While it can now be concluded that parent-specific DNA methylation is an epigentic mark common to Marsupialia and Eutheria, the molecular mechanisms of transcriptional silencing at imprinted loci have clearly evolved along independent trajectories.
The Antithesis of Entropy: Biosemiotic Communication from Genetics to Human Language with Special Emphasis on the Immune Systems

Entropy can be defined as the antithesis of well-formed true reports that agree with each other and with the material facts accessible through the experience of one or more competent observers. The abstract convergence (strictly formal, logical agreement) of true narrative representations (TNRs)—ordinary valid reports of facts of experience—makes them formally more complete than fictions, errors, lies, and nonsense. A limit of absolute entropy is theoretically reached if all resemblance to a TNR is lost. As argued here, TNRs—formally defined along the lines of Peirce's exact logic—provide the necessary foundation for functional human languages and for biosemiotic systems. The theoretical concepts of pragmatic mapping—the fitting of a TNR to whatever facts it represents—and the constructive cycle of abstraction that enables a child to discover the systems underlying such mappings are introduced and illustrated from child development and then shown to apply to the human neuroarchitecture, genetics, fetal development, and our immune systems. It is also argued that biological disorders and disease conditions logically must involve corrupted (damaged, undeveloped, or otherwise incomplete) representations at one or many levels.