cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inle: A large Myanmar lake in transition

Inle Lake is situated in the southern part of Shan State in Myanmar. It is the country’s second-largest lake, home to more than 120 000 people and a large bird sanctuary and a major source of hydroelectric power for southern Myanmar. Several distinct environmental problems have arisen in the lake basin. A long-term decrease in lake area has taken place over the last 30 years, probably because of siltation and climate. The drought of the last 2 years in particular has caused a drop in hydroelectric power output, which is affecting southern Myanmar. Many marginal parts of the lake are occupied by elephant grass mats (Saccharum spotaneum L.), known locally as kaing. These mats mature to form solid, floating islands, which are used for a unique form of agriculture but are also an increasing source of pesticide and fertilizer runoff into the lake. Textile cottage industries also abound, and both natural and manufactured dyes are discharged into the lake. Households, including many houses built on stilts in the lake, are a source of garbage and sewage. Livestock breeding also is a source of sewage. Shifting (taungyar) cultivation and village expansion has greatly increased erosion. Dredging is now necessary in many places and water clarity has decreased. The Inle carp (Cyprinus carpio intha), known locally as nga-phane, plays an important role in the food supply, as well as being a cultural symbol of the local Intha people. Nga-phane population abundance is currently low, probably because of changes in water chemistry and decreased clarity in the lake water. Partially because of the perceived potential for tourism, many sectors are now involved in lake rehabilitation and management.
High-Energy Elastic Proton-Proton Scattering

l) has given a descrption of the elastic pp scattering cross section at rs = 53 Ge V in terms of a G lauber 2 ) model of multiple scattering in which each proton has three internal constituents which are presumably quarks. The basic constitu· ent (i.e., quark-quark) scattering amplitude used is taken to be color independent and is parameterized to fit the observed cross sec­ tion. The purpose of this short note is to point out an error in Wakaizumi's calculation and to show that an undesirable diffraction structure associated with a second minimum not seen experimentally3) appears in his theo­ ry when neglected double- and triple-scatter­ ing terms are included. We are unable to remove this undesirable diffraction structure by a readjustment of model parameters. Wakaizumi's pop elastic scattering ampli­ tude
A joint source-channel speech coder using hybrid digital-analog (HDA) modulation

A joint source-channel coding system for transmitting speech on a bandlimited additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel is presented. The proposed method uses a hybrid of digital and analog modulation techniques. The digital part of the system consists of a Federal Standard 1016 code-excited linear predictive (FS 1016 CELP) speech coder followed by a rate-3/5 parallel concatenated (turbo) error correcting code. The analog part, which transmits the quantization error due to the FS 1016 CELP coder, consists of a linear encoder and decoder. The advantage of the proposed system is that it achieves excellent rate-distortion/capacity performance that is common in digital systems while maintaining a "graceful degradation" characteristic that is common in analog systems. Comparisons are made with three purely digital systems and an analog system-with all systems operating at the same overall rate. A formal listening test shows that, at high channel SNR, the improved performance of the proposed hybrid system (versus the purely digital systems) is noticeable to the average listener. Finally, an informal listening test indicates that at low channel SNR (where the error correcting code breaks down) the decoded speech of the hybrid system is still intelligible.
Ask1 Gene Deletion Blocks Maternal Diabetes–Induced Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress in the Developing Embryo by Disrupting the Unfolded Protein Response Signalosome

Apoptosis signal–regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is activated by various stresses. The link between ASK1 activation and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, two causal events in diabetic embryopathy, has not been determined. We sought to investigate whether ASK1 is involved in the unfolded protein response (UPR) that leads to ER stress. Deleting Ask1 abrogated diabetes-induced UPR by suppressing phosphorylation of inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), and double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR)-like ER kinase (PERK) blocked the mitochondrial translocation of proapoptotic Bcl-2 members and ER stress. ASK1 participated in the IRE1α signalosome, and removing ASK1 abrogated the proapoptotic kinase activity of IRE1α. Ask1 deletion suppressed diabetes-induced IRE1α endoriboneclease activities, which led to X-box binding protein 1 mRNA cleavage, an ER stress marker, decreased expression of microRNAs, and increased expression of a miR-17 target, thioredoxin-interacting protein (Txnip), a thioredoxin binding protein, which enhanced ASK1 activation by disrupting the thioredoxin-ASK1 complexes. ASK1 is essential for the assembly and function of the IRE1α signalosome, which forms a positive feedback loop with ASK1 through Txnip. ASK1 knockdown in C17.2 neural stem cells diminished high glucose– or tunicamycin-induced IRE1α activation, which further supports our hypothesis that ASK1 plays a causal role in diabetes-induced ER stress and apoptosis.
Identification of in situ 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-degrading soil microorganisms using DNA-stable isotope probing

Abstract Stable isotope probing (SIP) was used to investigate the microorganisms responsible for degradation of the herbicide, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) in soil samples. Soils were unamended or amended with either unlabeled 2,4-D or UL(ring) 13 C-2,4-D. Degradation of 2,4-D was complete after 17 days, whereas little removal (11±3%) was observed in the sterile controls. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) on soil DNA after 17 days indicated a consistent increase in the relative abundance of one fragment (217 bp in Hae III digests) in soils spiked with 2,4-D (both unlabeled and labeled samples) compared to the unamended soils. DNA extracts from labeled and unlabeled 2,4-D amended soils were subject to ultracentrifugation, fractionation of centrifuged samples, followed by TRFLP on each fraction. TRFLP profiles from ultracentrifugation fractions illustrated that the same fragment experienced an increase in buoyant density (BD) in samples spiked with 13 C-labeled 2,4-D. This increase in DNA BD indicates the organisms represented by this fragment were responsible for uptake and degradation of the herbicide. 16S rRNA sequencing of the heavy, 13 C-enriched fraction suggests the organisms belong to the β subdivision of Proteobacteria . Herein, SIP facilitated the identification of unique organisms degrading 2,4-D in soil without the need for isolation and provided more direct evidence for a functional role of these organisms than would have been possible with the molecular-based methods alone.
α‐Thalassemia: Hb H Disease and Hb Barts Hydrops Fetalis

alpha-Thalassemia mutations are one of the most common mutations of man, and they cause Hb H disease and Hb Barts hydrops fetalis. Hb H disease is not necessarily a benign disorder as has been generally thought. Furthermore, in southern China and in Southeast Asia, there are 2-3 times more fetuses afflicted with the invariably fatal Hb Barts hydrops fetalis than with the beta-thalassemia major or intermedia. These findings underscore the public health importance of these hereditary disorders, and they call for better education, diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and research for these diseases.
Cross-sectional analysis of Toll-like receptor variants and bacterial vaginosis in African–American women with pelvic inflammatory disease

Objective Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is a common condition associated with serious complications including pelvic inflammatory disease (PID). However, the pathogenesis of BV is poorly understood. Toll-like receptors (TLR) are responsible for microbial recognition and elimination through inflammatory responses. TLR variants have been implicated in infectious and inflammatory diseases and may be involved in BV pathogenesis. We conducted a cross-sectional study to determine if TLR variants are associated with BV. Methods Logistic regression was used to test associations between 14 variants assayed in 6 genes (TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, TLR6, TIRAP and MyD88) and BV/intermediate flora among 192 African–American women with clinical PID from the PID Evaluation and Clinical Health (PEACH) Study. Additionally, we examined associations between variants and endometrial BV-associated anaerobes. To account for multiple comparisons a permutated p Results African–American women with PID carrying the AA genotype for TLR2 SNP rs1898830 had a threefold increased rate of BV/intermediate flora (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 7.3). This was not significant after accounting for multiple comparisons (p=0.0201). TLR2 variants rs1898830, rs11938228 and rs3804099 were associated with increased endometrial anaerobic gram-negative rods (p=0.0107, p=0.0076 p=0.0121), anaerobic non-pigmented Gram-negative rods (p=0.0231, p=0.0083, p=0.0044), and anaerobic Gram-positive cocci (p=0.0596, p=0.0640, p=0.1459). Conclusions Among African–American women with PID, we observed trends between TLR2 variants, BV/intermediate flora, and BV-associated microbes. This provides some insight into BV pathogenesis. As not all BV-associated microbes may lead to pathology, future studies should focus on associations between TLR variants and individual BV-associated microbes.
Address-Indexed Memory Disambiguation and Store-to-Load Forwarding

This paper describes a scalable, low-complexity alternative to the conventional load/store queue (LSQ) for superscalar processors that execute load and store instructions speculatively and out-of-order prior to resolving their dependences. Whereas the LSQ requires associative and age-prioritized searches for each access, we propose that an address-indexed store-forwarding cache (SFC) perform store-to-load forwarding and that an address-indexed memory disambiguation table (MDT) perform memory disambiguation. Neither structure includes a CAM. The SFC behaves as a small cache, accessed speculatively and out-of-order by both loads and stores. Because the SFC does not rename in-flight stores to the same address, violations of memory anti and output dependences can cause in-flight loads to obtain incorrect values from the SFC. Therefore, the MDT uses sequence numbers to detect and recover from true, anti, and output memory dependence violations. We observe empirically that loads and stores that violate anti and output memory dependences are rarely on a program's critical path and that the additional cost of enforcing predicted anti and output dependences among these loads and stores is minimal. In conjunction with a scheduler that enforces predicted anti and output dependences, the MDT and SFC yield performance equivalent to that of a large LSQ that has similar or greater circuit complexity. The SFC and MDT are scalable structures that yield high performance and lower dynamic power consumption than the LSQ, and they are well-suited for checkpointed processors with large instruction windows
Age-related structural alterations in human skeletal muscle fibers and mitochondria are sex specific: relationship to single-fiber function

Age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function is implicated in the development of disease and physical disability. However, little is known about how age affects skeletal muscle structure at the cellular and ultrastructural levels or how such alterations impact function. Thus we examined skeletal muscle structure at the tissue, cellular, and myofibrillar levels in young (21–35 yr) and older (65–75 yr) male and female volunteers, matched for habitual physical activity level. Older adults had smaller whole muscle tissue cross-sectional areas (CSAs) and mass. At the cellular level, older adults had reduced CSAs in myosin heavy chain II (MHC II) fibers, with no differences in MHC I fibers. In MHC II fibers, older men tended to have fewer fibers with large CSAs, while older women showed reduced fiber size across the CSA range. Older adults showed a decrease in intermyofibrillar mitochondrial size; however, the age effect was driven primarily by women (i.e., age by sex interaction effect). Mitochondrial size was inversely and directly related to isometric tension and myosin-actin cross-bridge kinetics, respectively. Notably, there were no intermyofibrillar or subsarcolemmal mitochondrial fractional content or myofilament ultrastructural differences in the activity-matched young and older adults. Collectively, our results indicate age-related reductions in whole muscle size do not vary by sex. However, age-related structural alterations at the cellular and subcellular levels are different between the sexes and may contribute to different functional phenotypes in ways that modulate sex-specific reductions in physical capacity with age.
Adult arts education : a Delphi study forecasting the role of the arts in a lifelong learning society /

As we deal with a rapidly aging population, the arts education and arts policy community needs to take an active role in providing insight into policies that address adult choices. This includes defining the role of the arts beyond K-12 education, intergenerational opportunities, and identifying connections with ‘general well-being’ age-based policies from leisure, recreation, and aging in the United States.
Delinquency and Violent Behavior

Although juvenile arrests for violent crimes and juvenile victimization rates have declined, juveniles adjudicated as delinquent continue to be at substantial risk of perpetrating—and/or being the victims—of violent acts. A complex nexus of risk and protective factors interact to impact juvenile delinquency and violent behavior phenomena. Effective prevention and intervention programming targeting salient risk and protective factors warrant the attention of policy makers, criminal justice administrators, educators, parents, communities, and others in the field of juvenile delinquency and violence prevention.
The gvosdover effect in a low pressure arc constrained by its own magnetic field

This paper continues the calculations of a preceding one (Theoretical investigation of the first order magnetic self-striction in a low pressure arc with remote walls) and indicates a method for adding the Gvosdover effect (reduction in electron mobility by ion-electron scattering) to the corrections introduced in that paper. The case of mercury vapor is, again, treated as an example.
How Not to Think About 'Managed Care'

The premise of this article is that the concept "managed care," like many concepts now prominent in commentary about medical care finance and delivery, is incoherent and thus a barrier to useful analysis. "Managed care," we argue, is a confused assemblage of market sloganeering, aspirational rhetoric, and business school jargon. It presupposes answers to central questions about changes in modern medicine rather than helping to address those questions. To demonstrate this, we first discuss the context in which managed-care claims have arisen and outline the diverse trends to which the category is regularly and confusingly applied. We then suggest an alternative approach to characterizing recent changes in medical care and show how such an approach alters and deepens our understanding of recent economic and political developments. We conclude by arguing for more neutral categories to make sense of past or projected developments in methods of reimbursement and techniques of management.
How Did Everyone Get Diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder

Psychiatric diagnoses often reflect a matrix of sociological factors associated with professional prestige, economic forces, and cultural fashions. Diagnostic systems conceptualize the same underlying psychosocial problems in very different ways during various time periods. Since the publication of the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-III) in 1980, psychological distress resulting from social circumstances that previously was viewed as a general problem of nerves, neuroses, and anxiety was transformed into the specific diagnosis of major depressive disorder. Several factors, including the contrasting ways in which DSM-III defined anxiety and depression, the necessity of using explicit diagnoses to obtain professional legitimacy and reimbursement for services, and the marketing practices of the pharmaceutical industry, account for why depression replaced anxiety as the diagnosis most suitable for treated mental health conditions. Beneath the changing veneer of psychiatric labels, however, lies the same melange of psychic ills that resist the precise labels current diagnostic fashions strive to impose upon them.
A New Life Cycle Involving Cyst-Formation in Allomyces

Allomyces is a genus of aquatic fungi belonging to the small phycomycetous order Blastocladiales. A. arbuscula, the first species to be described, was discovered by Butler (2) in India. Other plants, subsequently isolated and studied by Barrett (1), Weston (9), and Coker and Grant (4), proved to be nearly identical with Butler's form. A second species, A. moniliformis, was isolated from soil at Smith Island, N. C., and in Haywood County, North Carolina, by Coker and Braxton (3). As described by them this fungus did not differ essentially from A. arbuscula. It was distinguished primarily by more elongate sporangia and by the fact that secondary zoosporangia were borne in unusually long chains.
ASYMMETRIC TETRACOORDINATE PENTACOVALENT ORGANOPHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS: THEIR RESOLUTION AND DETERMINATION OF ENANTIOMERIC PURITY

Abstract During the last twenty to thirty years there has been considerable interest in the preparation of completely resolved enantiomers of tetracoordinate pentacovalent organophosphorus compounds. This has arisen for three main reasons:
Enhanced patterning by tilted ion implantation

Tilted ion implantation (TII) is proposed as a lower-cost alternative to self-aligned double patterning (SADP) for pitch halving. This new approach is based on an enhancement in etch rate of a hard-mask layer by implant-induced damage. Ar+ implantation into a thin layer of silicon dioxide (SiO2) is shown to enhance its etch rate in dilute hydrofluoric acid (HF) solution, by up to 9× for an implant dose of 3×1014 cm-2. The formation of sub-lithographic features defined by masked tilted Ar+ implantation into a SiO2 hard-mask layer is experimentally demonstrated. Features with sizes as small as ~21 nm, self-aligned to the lithographically patterned mask, are achieved. As compared with SADP, enhanced patterning by TII requires far fewer and lower-cost process steps and hence is expected to be much more cost-effective.
An Experiment in Individualized Instruction in Political Science

lecture course, these are supplemented by two examinations and either a term paper or book reviews. For the experimental course, however, significant departures were made from these routine procedures as lectures, mid-term and final examinations were eliminated. Instead, coverage of the textual materials was incorporated into 21 interview sessions which replaced conventional classes. Written exercises were periodically assigned, but the central activity of the course was a series of student interviews with each other and the in-
The effects of staphylococcal extract and of viable staphylococci on dermal reactivity of the rabbit to epinephrine.

Few bacterial products, if any, produce such a variety of changes in susceptible hosts as do the endotoxins of Gram-negative bacteria. Among these biologic effects are fever, the local and systemic Shwartzman reactions, necrosis of experimental tumors, abortion in mice and changes in blood elements, as well as alterations in metabolism, properdin level, nonspecific resistance, antibody formation and dermal reactivity of the rabbit to epinephrine (1-7). These effects are brought about by the lipopolysaccharide moiety of the endotoxic complex and recent information suggests that the lipoid A component of this complex plays a significant role (8, 9). Only limited information is available on products of Gram-positive bacteria which produce some or all of these effects. Stetson (10) reported on the isolation of a toxic component from streptococci which has effects similar to those of endotoxins from Gram-negative microorganisms. The present study was carried out to determine whether a Boivin type (trichloracetic acid) extract from Staphylococcus aureus and viable staphylococci alter the dermal reactivity of the rabbit to epinephrine in a manner similar to endotoxins of Gram-negative bacteria
Analysis on the contamination of MGIT liquid culture manual method for Mycobacterium tuberculosis by decontamination

Objective To analyze the contamination and treatment effect of Mycobacterium grow indicate tube(MGIT) liquid culture manual method for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Methods A total of 1 088 sputum specimens from patients suspected pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosed preliminary were collected, and all specimens were respectively determined by MGIT method,improved L-J medium base(L-J) method and sputum smear acid-fast staining,and the contamination rates of MGIT method for the first time and after decontamination were compared with those of L-J method. Results In MGIT method for the first time,the contamination rate of smear positive group was 11. 24%,that of smear negative group was 7. 29%,and the total contamination rate was 7. 90%. In L-J method,the contamination rate of smear positive group was 2. 96%,that of smear negative group was 3. 80%,and the total contamination rate was 3. 68%. The corresponding differences were statistically significant(P 0. 05). The contamination rate of smear positive group after decontamination was lower than that of smear negative group,there was statistical significance(P 0. 05). Conclusions The MGIT method can be used to decontaminate in contaminated culture and reduce the contamination rate,especially smear negative specimens should be adjusted and increased the concentration of digestion time or sterilized agent before pretreatment,in order to control the first time MGIT method's contamination rate,reduce the number of decontamination,and recommend that clinicians should control the other bacterial infection before leaving specimens for tuberculosis culture.
Antitrust Policy Tools & IPRs: US, Transatlantic & International Effects

The paper tracks recent developments in the USA and EU competition systems with regards to the different policy tools used to address matters arising from the intersection of IP and competition policies. The analysis compares the enforcement and advocacy efforts carried out by the different antitrust agencies in the US and EU. The paper first traces how different authorities with anti-trust mandate in the US have dealt with the issue balancing the rights of standard essential patent holders versus innovation driven public welfare. Then, the paper looks at how the antitrust authorities are using their antitrust statutes (e.g. Section 5 of the FTA Act, merger review provisions) to tackle IPR related issues that have tenuous connections to competition concerns.All of the above issues have been highlighted with the aim to bring the attention to the spillover effects that these moves may have in the national, transatlantic and international context.
Transurethral Prostatic Resections Under Local Anesthesia

AbstractStandard transurethral prostatic resections were done on 18 patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Local anesthesia was used with standard 1 per cent lidocaine local infiltration of the prostate and topical instillation into the urethra. This anesthesia was supplemented in a few instances by modest doses of intravenous tranquilizers, which has proved to be a safe, simple and effective procedure.
Expanding access to Medication Assisted Treatment: The U.S. government’s response to the current heroin epidemic

ABSTRACTThe rates of heroin addiction and opiate overdoses have skyrocketed in America in the last decade. The government’s response is to expand the availability of Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT). Because social workers can be expected to be a significant component of the workforce in providing MAT, MAT is relevant to social workers. Many social workers who are working in the area of addictions, particularly those engaged in 12 Step programs, do not hold favorable views of MAT. This article considers their objections and evaluates the validity of the basis for these objections. The rationale for the government’s approach is provided, and validity of the rationale for the MAT approach is evaluated. The “pros” and “cons” of methadone and buprenorphine are reviewed. The wisdom of the expansion of MAT for the individuals with addiction and the society is considered.
A symbolic generalization of probability theory

Three questions motivate much work in AI. How should an agent's state of belief be represented? How should an agent change its state of belief upon recording an observation? And what is a practical way for domain experts to convey their states of belief to agents? Probability calculus provides answers to these questions: A state of belief should be (1) represented by a probability function over some language, (2) changed using probabilistic conditionalization, and (3) conveyed using a probabilistic causal network. Despite the popularity of these answers, domain experts have often complained about their commitment to numeric degrees of belief. In this thesis, I attempt to address this complaint by suggesting an abstract belief calculus that is not committed to numbers (nor to any specific set of degrees of belief) and yet has the key features of probability calculus. The abstract calculus has three major components: (1) Abstract states of belief, (2) abstract conditionalization, and (3) abstract causal networks. The calculus is also equipped with an algorithm for computing degrees of belief, which corresponds to a popular algorithm in the probabilistic literature. I present many concrete instances of the proposed abstract belief calculus. Some of these instances are well known, such as proposition, possibility, and probability calculi. But other instances are novel, such as objection calculus. I also show that objection calculus is closely related to clause management and diagnosis systems--which are influential in AI--and study the ramifications of this relation.
Identification of Meis1 as a Target of CREB in Myeloid Leukemogenesis.

The cyclic AMP response element binding protein, CREB, is a leucine zipper transcription factor that induces the expression of genes that regulate proliferation and survival. We previously demonstrated that CREB expression was increased in bone marrow cells from patients with acute leukemia. Transgenic mice that overexpress CREB in myeloid cells develop a myeloproliferative/myelodysplastic syndrome after one year. Although CREB has been implicated in the development of leukemia, the mechanisms by which CREB overexpression leads to a malignant phenotype remain elusive. To identify CREB target genes, we performed microarray analysis with RNA from two CREB overexpressing cell lines, K562 and NFS60. Both murine (NFS60) and human (K562) myeloid leukemia cell lines were stably transfected with CREB under the control of the myeloid-specific HMRP-8 promoter. Meis1, an important transcription factor in hematopoiesis, was found to be upregulated 40-fold in CREB overexpressing cells compared to controls. In the development of granulocytes, Meis1 expression decreases as cells differentiate. Similar to CREB, Meis1 is expressed in CD34+ hematopoietic cells but not in CD34- cells. Meis1 expression has been reported to promote self-renewal of stem cells and inhibit G-CSF-dependent differentiation into granulocytes. We hypothesized that CREB overexpression may lead to persistent expression of Meis1, increased self-renewal, and a block in differentiation of primitive hematopoietic progenitor cells, thereby contributing to leukemogenesis. We first examined Meis1 expression in CREB overexpressing K562 and NFS60 cells. Significantly higher levels of Meis1 were detected in Western blot analysis with lysates from CREB overexpressing K562 cells compared to parental cells. In addition, the degree of CREB expression correlated with the degree of Meis1 expression when evaluated at the protein level. Experiments performed using the NFS60 cell line showed similar results. To investigate Meis1 expression in primary myeloid leukemia cells, bone marrow from patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were analyzed for CREB and Meis1 expression. Samples from three of the four patients had elevated CREB expression. Patients whose cells had the highest levels of CREB also had highest expression of Meis1. The one patient with minimal CREB expression showed no detectible levels of Meis1. Evaluation of cell lines and primary cells using quantitative real time PCR is underway to determine potential differences in CREB and Meis1 expression at the mRNA level. Chromatin immunoprecipitation will also be performed to determine whether Meis1 is a direct target of CREB. Our data demonstrate that CREB overexpression correlates with overexpression of Meis1 in both cell lines and primary AML cells. These results suggest that CREB and Meis1 are co-regulated in AML cells and may contribute to the leukemia phenotype.
Halogen-π Interactions in the Cytochrome P450 Active Site: Structural Insights into Human CYP2B6 Substrate Selectivity.

Numerous cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2B6 substrates including drugs and environmental chemicals are halogenated. To assess the role of halogen−π bonds in substrate selectivity and orientation in the active site, structures of four CYP2B6 monoterpenoid complexes were solved by X-ray crystallography. Bornyl bromide exhibited dual orientations in the active site with the predominant orientation revealing a bromine−π bond with the Phe108 side chain. Bornane demonstrated two orientations with equal occupancy; in both, the C2 atom that bears the bromine in bornyl bromide was displaced by more than 2.5 A compared with the latter complex. The bromine in myrtenyl bromide π-bonded with Phe297 in CYP2B6, whereas the two major orientations in the active site mutant I114V exhibited bromine−π interactions with two additional residues, Phe108 and Phe115. Analysis of existing structures suggests that halogen−π interactions may be unique to the CYP2B enzymes within CYP family 2 but are also important for CYP3A enzymes.
Improved Battery Storage Valuation Through Degradation Reduction

The widespread adoption of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) has been hindered by the uncertainty of their financial value. In past research, this value has been estimated by optimizing the system’s actions over the course of the battery’s lifetime. However, these estimates did not consider the fact that battery actions decrease the lifetime itself. This paper uses realistic battery cycle degradation to re-evaluate BESS profitability and attempts to increase profits by mitigating this degradation. For this purpose, this paper develops an approximate linear model of degradation suitable for co-optimization with the set of battery actions. It is shown through simulation that 29.1% of the storage system’s value is lost because of cycle degradation. However, co-optimization through the approximate model reduces this loss to just 3.3%.
3D Symmetric Tensor Fields: What We Know and Where To Go Next

Tensor fields are an active research topic in scientific visualization, medical imaging, image processing, and computer graphics. Not only are tensor fields of great importance in many of these domains, they also contain complicated and intriguing structures which make them an interesting subject of study even from a purely theoretical point of view. In this book chapter, we will review some important recent findings about 3D tensors by the research communities and provide our view on the most pressing problems in the study of 3D symmetric tensor fields.
Rubber-elasticity and electrochemical activity of iron(II) tris(bipyridine) crosslinked poly(dimethylsiloxane) networks

2,2′-Bipyridine-terminated poly(dimethylsiloxane)s (bpyPDMS) with number average molecular weights, MN, of 3300, 6100, 26 200, and 50 000 g mol−1 were synthesized. When mixed with Fe(BF4)2 at low concentrations, red solutions formed with UV-vis spectra that match those of iron(II) tris(2,2′-bipyridine) (Fe(bpy)32+). Upon solvent evaporation, Fe(bpy)32+ crosslinked PDMS networks (bpyPDMS/Fe(II)) formed, and were studied using oscillating shear rheometry. The shear storage moduli (0.084 to 2.6 MPa) were found to be inversely proportional to the MN of the PDMS, though the storage moduli at low molecular weights greatly exceeded the storage moduli of comparable covalently crosslinked PDMS networks. The shear storage moduli exhibited the characteristic rubbery plateau up to ∼135 °C. Films of bpyPDMS/Fe(II) coated onto electrodes were found to be electrochemically active, especially so when the PDMS MN is low. The Fe(bpy)32+ crosslinks can be reversibly oxidized over ∼500 nm away from the electrode surface in the presence of a suitable electrolyte.
Using Separation-of-Function Mutagenesis To Define the Full Spectrum of Activities Performed by the Est1 Telomerase Subunit In Vivo

A leading objective in biology is to identify the complete set of activities that each gene performs in vivo In this study, we have asked whether a genetic approach can provide an efficient means of achieving this goal, through the identification and analysis of a comprehensive set of separation-of-function (sof-) mutations in a gene. Toward this goal, we have subjected the Saccharomyces cerevisiae EST1 gene, which encodes a regulatory subunit of telomerase, to intensive mutagenesis (with an average coverage of one mutation for every 4.5 residues), using strategies that eliminated those mutations that disrupted protein folding/stability. The resulting set of sof- mutations defined four biochemically distinct activities for the Est1 telomerase protein: two temporally separable steps in telomerase holoenzyme assembly, a telomerase recruitment activity, and a fourth newly discovered regulatory function. Although biochemically distinct, impairment of each of these four different activities nevertheless conferred a common phenotype (critically short telomeres) comparable to that of an est1-∆ null strain. This highlights the limitations of gene deletions, even for nonessential genes; we suggest that employing a representative set of sof- mutations for each gene in future high- and low-throughput investigations will provide deeper insights into how proteins interact inside the cell.
Top five legal pitfalls in retinopathy of prematurity.

Purpose of reviewThis review highlights the common areas of medicolegal risk during retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening.Recent findingsMost malpractice risk in ROP comes from systemic errors that ultimately result in failure to screen the patient in a timely fashion, resulting in failures to
Optical Techniques for Detecting and Improving Deficient Vision

The past decade has seen widespread development and application of new techniques for the study of vision and the diagnosing of optical maladies. It is impossible in this short space to make an exhaustive review, but the following studies may typify current trends and provide the reader with an introduction to the literature.
CO2 supply in the biooxidation of an enargite-pyrite gold concentrate

CO2 supply at 4% (v/v) in air increased the biooxidation of a gold concentrate (41% enargite, 43% pyrite) with Thiobacillus ferrooxidans in a 2-l bioreactor at 4% (w/v) solids concentration, 35°C and pH 2.4. Extraction increased from 21 to 69% for Fe, 19 to 25% for As, and 16 to 19% for Cu. Suspended biomass increased from 2.6·107 to 1.2·108 cells/ml. It is concluded that the biooxidation of this gold concentrate is limited by the rate of CO2 supply. © Rapid Science Ltd. 1998
Abstract WP377: Implementation Of A Stroke Clinical Operations Nurse (scon) Decreases Door To Needle Time

Introduction: Evidence-based practice shows that the earlier a patient presenting with an acute ischemic stroke receives IV-tpa the better the outcomes. The stroke clinical operations nurse role wa...
The Evolution of Imprinted microRNAs and Their RNA Targets.

Mammalian genomes contain many imprinted microRNAs. When an imprinted miRNA targets an unimprinted mRNA their interaction may have different fitness consequences for the loci encoding the miRNA and mRNA. In one possible outcome, the mRNA sequence evolves to evade regulation by the miRNA by a simple change of target sequence. Such a response is unavailable if the targeted sequence is strongly constrained by other functions. In these cases, the mRNA evolves to accommodate regulation by the imprinted miRNA. These evolutionary dynamics are illustrated using the examples of the imprinted C19MC cluster of miRNAs in primates and C2MC cluster in mice that are paternally expressed in placentas. The 3′ UTR of PTEN, a gene with growth-related and metabolic functions, appears to be an important target of miRNAs from both clusters.
Less Invasive Extra-pericardial Placement (LIEPP) of LVAD

Left ventricular assist devices placement has traditionally been approached via median sternotomy. This approach involves some risk in the setting of redo sternotomy during placement of an LVAD or for future transplantation. Sternotomy sparing approaches have traditionally been utilized in high-risk cases; however as LVAD technology has advanced and miniaturized, this has allowed for less invasive sternal-sparing approaches. This chapter describes the preoperative planning and surgical technique used at our institution to safely accomplish a less invasive extra-pericardial placement (LIEPP) of LVAD.
A Neural Affective Approach to an Intelligent Weather Sensor System

The ability to capture data from our surrounding environment while learning user preferences has the potential to make our everyday decisions more straightforward and informed. Based on the idea of capturing weather data, we present our current design of a weather sensor network using several Raspberry Pi’s, combined with external resources, that presents recommendations based on personalized affect data. The goal of the system is to learn user preferences in combination with providing emotive output utilizing a neural network. The system has visualization capabilities that can interface with the web, along with other features based on preferences set by the user. This paper presents an overview of the system prototype.
Neural spiking for causal inference

Abstract When a neuron is driven beyond its threshold it spikes, and the fact that it does not communicate its continuous membrane potential is usually seen as a computational liability. Here we show that this spiking mechanism allows neurons to produce an unbiased estimate of their causal influence, and a way of approximating gradient descent learning. Importantly, neither activity of upstream neurons, which act as confounders, nor downstream non-linearities bias the results. By introducing a local discontinuity with respect to their input drive, we show how spiking enables neurons to solve causal estimation and learning problems.
The Debate over How to Classify Gig Workers is Missing the Bigger Picture

A model that rejects the oversimplified classification of workers can better strike a balance between the dual goals of protection and flexibility. Regardless of classification, workers should be guaranteed minimum compensation, access to benefits such as workers’ compensation, and some form of voice. Regulators and courts should at the same time understand that classification can result in unintended and countereffective consequences, and they should work with both platforms and workers to create solutions that are updated and purposeful. This short article written for the Harvard Business Review offers a path for a more goal-oriented, nuanced way to address emerging patterns of work.
Causal interaction trees: Finding subgroups with heterogeneous treatment effects in observational data

We introduce causal interaction tree (CIT) algorithms for finding subgroups of individuals with heterogeneous treatment effects in observational data. The CIT algorithms are extensions of the classification and regression tree algorithm that use splitting criteria based on subgroup-specific treatment effect estimators appropriate for observational data. We describe inverse probability weighting, g-formula, and doubly robust estimators of subgroup-specific treatment effects, derive their asymptotic properties, and use them to construct splitting criteria for the CIT algorithms. We study the performance of the algorithms in simulations and implement them to analyze data from an observational study that evaluated the effectiveness of right heart catheterization for critically ill patients.
Engaging the complexities of community: conflict and difference in community-engaged research

This paper engages with the methodological and ethical complexities of conducting research across diverse sites of power and privilege, specifically by drawing upon twelve months of ethnographic fieldwork on the ecological restoration of the Ventura River in Southern California. The design of this project incorporates people from multiple, conflicting positions, including people who are homeless and living in riverbottom encampments, people in the environmental field working to restore the riverbottom, and people in social services working to house the homeless. Throughout my fieldwork various groups attempted to assert agency over my research methods and priorities, pulling me in multiple directions. However, despite this tension, this research design also afforded me the opportunity to develop trusting relationships across difference, which facilitated the opening of a new (and potentially more just) socio-ecological imaginary for the Ventura River. This paper demonstrates how one can create change across diverse positions of power, and the role community-engaged researchers can play in this process.
To Predict or to Memorize: Prominence in Inaugural Addresses

The assignment of phrasal prominence has been variously attributed to syntactic structure, part of speech, predictability, informativity, and speaker's intent. A recent account asserts that prominence is memorized on a by-word basis as Accent Ratio (AR), the likelihood that a word is accented (Nenkova et al. 2007). We examined whether AR outperforms the traditional predictors, in particular syntax and informativity, and if not, whether the traditional predictors shed light on the variance left unexplained by AR. We used a corpus of spoken American English consisting of the first inaugural addresses of six recent American presidents, hand-annotated for stress by two native English speakers. Regression models fitted to the data revealed that AR, syntax, and informativity all independently matter. Dividing the data into high-prominence and low-prominence tokens further revealed that AR and informativity are significant among low-prominence words, but only syntax is significant among high-prominence words. We conclude that although AR is a highly successful predictor, certain aspects of phrasal prominence require reference to syntax and informativity.
Roadmap to a career in preventive cardiology.

While the concept of cardiovascular disease prevention spans a wide range of medical disciplines and specialties, few trainees receive dedicated, well-rounded training in this field which aims to curtail the burden of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Increasing rates of cardiometabolic diseases, coupled with increases in sedentary lifestyle and poor diet during the COVID-19 pandemic, have highlighted the urgent need for ASCVD prevention, and preventive cardiologists are at the forefront of this public health emergency. Fundamentally, the practice of preventive cardiology requires knowledge of cardiovascular physiology, epidemiology, genetics, metabolism, anatomy, multimodality imaging, stress testing, pharmacology, cardiac rehabilitation and lifestyle management.1 Unfortunately, preventive cardiology is not widely recognised or standardised, though some have outlined the basic components necessary for success in the field.2 3 We feel that expertise …
Interictal high frequency background activity as a biomarker of epileptogenic tissue.

High frequency oscillations (HFOs) are very brief events that are a well-established biomarker of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) but are rare and comprise only a tiny fraction of the total recorded EEG. We hypothesize that the interictal high frequency 'background' data, which has received little attention but represents the majority of the EEG record, also may contain additional, novel information for identifying the EZ. We analysed intracranial EEG (30-500 Hz frequency range) acquired from 24 patients who underwent resective surgery. We computed 38 quantitative features based on all usable, interictal data (63-307 h per subject), excluding all detected HFOs. We assessed association between each feature and the seizure onset zone (SOZ) and resected volume (RV) using logistic regression. A pathology score per channel was also created via principle component analysis and logistic regression, using hold-out-one-patient cross-validation to avoid in-sample training. Association of the pathology score with the SOZ and RV was quantified using an asymmetry measure. Many features were associated with the SOZ: 23/38 features had odds ratios >1.3 or 0.27 in both cases]. The pathology score and the channel-wise product also had higher asymmetry with respect to the SOZ than the HFO rate alone (median difference in asymmetry ≥0.18, 95% CI >0.05). These results support that the high frequency background data contains useful information for determining the EZ, distinct and complementary to information from detected HFOs. The concordance between the high frequency activity pathology score and the rate of HFOs appears to be a better biomarker of epileptic tissue than either measure alone.
Playing tug of war: The tensions of teacher candidates and their instructor during interactive picturebook read-alouds

Abstract This article examines the tensions that surfaced as teacher candidates and their instructor engaged in three interactive read-aloud discussions. The discussions were designed to help participants ponder issues of inequity and social injustice that may be embedded in otherwise “innocent” picturebooks for children. Framed through reader response and critical multicultural lenses, the video-recorded sessions were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis (RTA). Findings indicate that while participants experienced various tensions in maintaining conversations about power, race/ethnicity, class, gender and otherness, they were also ultimately able to collaboratively seek more profound understanding and to co-create meaningful interpretations of the texts.
The Future of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) as a Clinical and Research Tool

The initial reception of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), particularly in North America, was tinged with pessimism and skepticism (1,2). In the short span of two years, a spate of reports documenting experiences at centers throughout the world testifies to the rapid development of individual skill in the technique and to the value of ERCP in the clinical management of pancreatic and biliary tract diseases (3,4,5,6,7). Therefore, it seems appropriate to venture an estimate of the future clinical and research value of this tool so that individuals and institutions will be encouraged to invest the time and treasure necessary to master the technic. The opinion expressed here results from experience gained through more than 400 attempts at endoscopic retrograde cannulation of the papilla of Vater.