cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preparation of bioactive neoagaroligosaccharides through hydrolysis of Gracilaria lemaneiformis agar: A comparative study.

Abstract Hydrolysis of Gracilaria lemaneiformis agar by β-agarase was compared with HCl hydrolysis. The results showed that optimum catalysis conditions for the β-agarase were pH 7.0 at 45 °C. Mass spectroscopy, thin-layer chromatography and GPC results showed that the polymerization degrees of the hydrolysis products by the β-agarase were mainly four, six and eight (more specific than the hydrolysate by HCl). The enzymatic degradation products of agar were distinctly different from those of HCl hydrolysis in the ratios among galactose and 3,6-anhydro-galactose and sulfate group contents. The NMR spectrometry proved that the products of β-agarase were neoagaroligosaccharides, which was not found in the agarolytic products by HCl. The neoagarotetraose inhibited tyrosinase activity competitively with the KI value of 16.0 mg/ml. Hydroxyl radical-scavenging ability of neoagaroligosaccharides was much greater than that of agar HCl hydrolysate. This work suggests that neoagaroligosaccharide products produced by our β-agarase could be more effective in function than products from acid hydrolysis.
Superior and Anterior Hyoid Displacement During Swallowing in Non-Dysphagic Individuals.

The Dynamic Swallow Study (DSS) is a methodology used to objectively and quantitatively assess swallowing kinematics during Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies (VFSS). No DSS normative data exist delineating superior and anterior hyoid displacement (Hsup and Hant, respectively), nor the ratio between Hsup and Hant (SAratio). The aims of this study were to (1) establish normative data for Hsup, Hant, and SAratio and (2) assess the effects of age, sex, and bolus size on these measures in non-dysphagic patients, within the context of DSS. VFSSs were reviewed for consecutive elderly (≥ 65 years) and non-elderly (< 65 years) male and female non-dysphagic patients. Measurements of Hsup, Hant, and SAratio were made using a novel measurement methodology within the context of the Dynamic Swallow Study (DSS) protocol. Statistical analysis was performed to establish interaction effects and main effects of age, sex, and bolus size on Hsup, Hant, and SAratio. Descriptive statistics (mean ± standard deviations) are outlined for Hsup, Hant, and SAratio. Hsup was significantly effected by bolus size and age. Additionally, a significant three-way interaction of age, sex, and bolus size was observed. Hant was significantly effected by bolus size and sex, but no two- or three-way interactions were present. Neither bolus size, age, nor sex significantly effected SAratio. Age, sex, and bolus size normative data were established for Hsup, Hant, and SAratio for VFSS kinematic analysis. By outlining these measures, one can more thoroughly evaluate the areas of specific swallowing impairment, better determine the therapy targets, and track changes over time.
The Relationship between Community Building Antecedents and Followers’ Perceptions of Community

The focus of this paper is to report findings from research conducted that illustrates the relationship between community building antecedents and followers’ perceptions of the level of community experienced. The research provides evidence that the types of community building antecedents and the perceived factors that both prevent and contribute to community relates to the levels of perceived community among followers. The study reflects responses from 282 participants and utilizes community building antecedents categories, factors which prevent community, and perceptions on how to best build community. The results demonstrate that certain community building antecedents are positively correlated to followers’ perceptions of levels of community experienced. In light of the research findings, the author will (a) highlight the relationship between community levels experienced and community building antecedents (including meaningful relationships, shared experiences, and strong ethical behavior), (b) highlight the relationship between community levels experienced and factors which prevent the development of community (including time, personality, and stereotypes), and (c) highlight the relationship between levels of community experienced and followers’ perceived factors that contribute to building community. Based on these findings, the author intends to provide an argument for how leaders can best build community and suggest the importance of building community as emerging leaders attend to this dimension of their own leadership practice.
Federally Qualified Health Centers

FQHCs and residency training programs share common ground around the importance of service to the community and clinical quality, making this a potentially fruitful relationship for both parties. In this chapter, we review the benefits and challenges of these partnerships along with some potential solutions. We also discuss several FQHC-residency partnerships that have proven to be successful.
The Role of Gender Norms in Judicial Decision-Making at the U.S. Supreme Court: The Case of Male and Female Justices:

Although still a minority, the growing number of women on both the Bench and at the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court has important implications for judicial decision-making and successful advocacy at ...
Stable Modified Electrodes for Use in Amperometric Detectors in Flow Systems

Practical analytical applications of modified electrodes, particularly examples that are based on mediated reactions, have been slow to emerge. Only a few attempts, other than our work which is described herein, to apply such electrodes to flow systems have been reported. Baldwin and co-workers used an electrode that was prepared by mixing cobalt phthalacyanine with carbon paste for the determination of hydrazine1 and some sulfhydryl compounds2 by high performance liquid chromatography with amperometric detection. Although the results were promising, the day-to-day stability without mechanically renewing the surface was somewhat limited.
Direct resonance in nonlinear wave systems

In certain wave systems it is possible for the amplitudes associated with special wave numbers to be larger than expected. Such may be the case if two frequencies are close together. Direct resonances of this type are studied and some possible applications are discussed.
Electroencephalographic Response to Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest in Neonatal Swine and Humans

Background Piglets are used to study neurologic effects of deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA), but no studies have compared human and swine electroencephalogram (EEG) responses to DHCA. The importance of isoelectricity before circulatory arrest is not fully known in neonates. We compared the EEG response to DHCA in human neonates and piglets. Methods We recorded 2 channel, left and right centroparietal, subdermal EEG in 10 neonatal patients undergoing operations involving DHCA and 10 neonatal piglets that were placed on cardiopulmonary bypass and underwent a simulated procedure using DHCA. EEG waveforms were analyzed for the presence and extent of burst suppression and isoelectricity by automated moving window analysis. The patients were monitored with 16-channel array EEG for 48 hours postoperatively and underwent postoperative brain magnetic resonance imaging. Results After induction of anesthesia, humans and piglets both displayed slowing or brief suppression, then mild burst suppression, and then severe burst suppression during cooling. All piglets subsequently achieved isoelectricity at 22.4° ± 6.9°C, whereas only 1 human did at 20.2°C. Piglets and humans emerged from severe, mild, and then brief suppression patterns during rewarming. Among the patients, there were no seizures during postoperative monitoring and 1 instance of increased white matter injury on postoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Conclusions Our data suggest that current cooling strategies may not be sufficient to eliminate all EEG activity before circulatory arrest in humans but are sufficient in swine. This important difference between the swine and human response to DHCA should be considered when using this model.
Eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome not associated with the ingestion of nutritional supplements

The eosinophilia-myalgia syndrome (EMS) is a recently recognized illness characterized by peripheral eosinophilia, myalgias, and a variety of neurologic, cutaneous, and pulmonary features. Most of those afflicted with this disorder consumed L-tryptophan, but some cases have occurred in association with the ingestion of other nutritional supplements. We describe someone who developed EMS in 1986 without the ingestion of any nutritional supplements. He was also found to have slowed P450 metabolism, in a pattern seen in other patients with EMS. We postulate that EMS can occur in association with the ingestion of multiple substances that share minute quantities of a common, as yet unidentified, toxin(s), and that metabolic host factors may contribute to disease susceptibility.
“Buy Me, I’m Green”: The Effects of Verbal and Visual Claims on Consumer Responses to Environmental Products: An Abstract

Consumers spend less than 90 s making up their minds about a product after their initial interaction with it. Most of their assessments in this short amount of time are based on the visual attributes of the products. The overall purpose of this study is to take the first step toward understanding consumer attitudes toward environmental claims on packages by using low- and high-involvement products and then determining how different product claims (verbal and visual) affect their decision-making processes. Specifically, based on the elaboration likelihood model (ELM), this study examines consumer responses to environmental verbal statements and green visual components of product packages. The research utilizes a 2 (claim: eco-friendly or high performance) × 2 (color: green or yellow) factorial experiment (n = 256) to understand how packaging elements can affect buying decisions of consumers by varying product packaging on both high-involvement (laptop computer) and low-involvement (dishwashing detergent) products. The results show that green color packaging elicits better attitudes than nongreen for low-involvement products because these products are perceived as being more environmentally friendly. The results also demonstrated that for the eco-friendly claim, the color-product fit was significantly higher for green products than nongreen products. However, for performance claim (i.e., Ultra Clean), the results did not show any significant difference in terms of color-product fit. Also, for the high-involvement product claims, the study results did not show any significant difference in consumer responses.
“Illegalizing” Families: State, Status, and Deportability NPS Christian Bay Best Paper Award Winner, APSA 2018, Boston

ABSTRACTThere is a paradox within United States immigration policy. Immigration policy separates families while also promising family unity. We address this paradox by arguing that state actors use “family” as a state-granted status. The state perceives some households as families and grants them benefits, while forcing other households to live as legal strangers. Individuals may form familial relationships, but the privileges and status of family are controlled by state actors and institutions. When state actors separate low-wage immigrant worker families, the state's family-status-granting power keeps these workers and their families in a state of “deportability”-a legally ambiguous limbo-satiating business interests and securing a captive low-wage workforce. Lacking legal legitimacy, but financially and socially tied to their families and communities in the U.S., these immigrants have few options but to accept off-the-radar work and to raise their children while living as “outlaws.”
Ultra-processed food intake and mortality in the USA: results from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988-1994).

Objective To evaluate the association between ultra-processed food intake and all-cause mortality and CVD mortality in a nationally representative sample of US adults. Design Prospective analyses of reported frequency of ultra-processed food intake in 1988-1994 and all-cause mortality and CVD mortality through 2011. Setting The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III, 1988-1994).ParticipantsAdults aged ≥20 years (n 11898). Results Over a median follow-up of 19 years, individuals in the highest quartile of frequency of ultra-processed food intake (e.g. sugar-sweetened or artificially sweetened beverages, sweetened milk, sausage or other reconstructed meats, sweetened cereals, confectionery, desserts) had a 31% higher risk of all-cause mortality, after adjusting for demographic and socio-economic confounders and health behaviours (adjusted hazard ratio=1·31; 95% CI 1·09, 1·58; P-trend = 0·001). No association with CVD mortality was observed (P-trend=0·86). Conclusions Higher frequency of ultra-processed food intake was associated with higher risk of all-cause mortality in a representative sample of US adults. More longitudinal studies with dietary data reflecting the modern food supply are needed to confirm our results.
"I Cannot Take This Any More!": Preparing Interns to Identify and Help a Struggling Colleague.

Few programs train residents in recognizing and responding to distressed colleagues at risk for suicide. To assess interns’ ability to identify a struggling colleague, describe resources, and recognize that physicians can and should help colleagues in trouble. Residency programs at an academic medical center. One hundred forty-five interns. An OSCE case was designed to give interns practice and feedback on their skills in recognizing a colleague in distress and recommending the appropriate course of action. Embedded in a patient “sign-out” case, standardized health professionals (SHP) portrayed a resident with depressed mood and an underlying drinking problem. The SHP assessed intern skills in assessing symptoms and directing the resident to seek help. Interns appreciated the opportunity to practice addressing this situation. Debriefing the case led to productive conversations between faculty and residents on available resources. Interns’ skills require further development: while 60% of interns asked about their colleague’s emotional state, only one-third screened for depression and just under half explored suicidal ideation. Only 32% directed the colleague to specific resources for his depression (higher among those that checked his emotional state, 54%, or screened for depression, 80%). This OSCE case identified varying intern skill levels for identifying and assessing a struggling colleague while also providing experiential learning and supporting a culture of addressing peer wellness.
Activation Of Natural Killer Cells By Soypeptide Lunasin and Cytokine: Implication In Cancer Immunotherapy For Lymphoma

Introduction Immunostimulatory cytokines can enhance anti-tumor immunity and are part of the therapeutic armamentarium for cancer treatment. We have previously reported that chemotherapy-treated lymphoma patients have acquired deficiency of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4 (STAT4), which results in defective IFNg production during clinical immunotherapy. With the goal of further improvement in cytokine-based immunotherapy, we examined the effects of a soybean peptide called lunasin that exhibits immunostimulatory effects on natural killer (NK) cells. Experimental Design PBMCs of healthy donors and chemotherapy-treated lymphoma patients were stimulated with or without lunasin in the presence of IL-12 or IL-2. NK activation was evaluated, and its tumoricidal activity was assessed using in vitro and in vivo tumor models. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay was performed to evaluate the histone modification of gene loci that are regulated by lunasin and cytokine. Results Adding lunasin to IL-12- or IL-2-cultuted NK cells demonstrated synergistic effects in the induction of IFNG and genes involved in cytotoxicity. The expression level of CD16 and granzyme B was increased in CD56-bright population of NK cells following stimulation with lunasin and cytokine. The combination of lunasin and cytokines (IL-12 plus IL-2) was capable of restoring IFNg production by NK cells from post-transplant lymphoma patients. In addition, NK cells stimulated with lunasin plus cytokines had higher tumoricidal activity than those stimulated with cytokines alone using in vitro and in vivo tumor models. Moreover, lunasin augmented antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of NK cells against anti-CD20 coated human B-lymphoma cell line. The underlying mechanism responsible for the effects of lunasin on NK cells is likely due to epigenetic modulation on target gene loci. Conclusion We have discovered a novel use of lunasin that exerts synergistic effects together with IL-12 or IL-2. This synergism leads to stronger NK-mediated anti-tumor activity, suggesting the potential clinical use of lunasin to augment the therapeutic responses in cytokine-based immunotherapy. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
A unique flipped classroom approach shows promising results in physician assistant education

Aims: The flipped classroom (FC) model utilizes pre-class foundational learning with in-class higher-order application exercises. FC approaches have reported positive perceptions and mixed academic...
Gender Differences in Socio‐ecological Determinants of Alcohol Use Among Hispanic Adolescents

Background Compared to other racial groups, Hispanic/Latino(a) adolescents experience higher rates of alcohol (ab)use and alcohol-related problems. Evidence suggests there are gender differences in alcohol use patterns indicating the likelihood of gender differences in how various determinants influence alcohol use among the genders. Assessing the mechanisms that contribute to Hispanic adolescents' alcohol use requires an understanding of the multidimensional social and environmental processes that operate together to impact their alcohol use. In this study, we examined socio-ecological determinants of Hispanic adolescent alcohol use by gender. Methods Data from 10th grade Hispanic/Latino(a) students (N = 781) from four high schools in Los Angeles were used to examine associations between socio-ecological characteristics and adolescent alcohol use by gender. Results Overall, 37.5% of participants reported past 30-day alcohol use. Among boys, alcohol use was associated with intrapersonal (not qualifying for reduced lunch), interpersonal (mother's education and peer drinking), and institutional (alcohol-prone school club membership) determinants. Among girls, alcohol use was associated with intrapersonal (academic achievement) and interpersonal (parent and peer alcohol use behavior) determinants. Conclusions Prevention and intervention efforts need to take into consideration the gender differences in social-ecological risk and protective factors when designing educational or intervention programs and services targeted at Hispanic adolescents. This is crucial to addressing multi-component factors that influence their substance use behavior.
Low Adherence to Post Emergency Department Follow-Up Among Hypertensive Patients With Medical Insurance

Abstract Background Improvement in hypertension control in the insured, adult population could improve morbidity and mortality associated with hypertension in the United States. The emergency department (ED) is a potential site of intervention, where individuals are diagnosed with asymptomatic hypertension and referred to primary care. Objective To inform intervention strategies, we identified risk factors of nonadherence to primary care follow-up among individuals aged 18–60 years with a primary discharge diagnosis of asymptomatic hypertension in the ED. Methods Data were obtained from a commercial claims database for January 2012–September 2015. A total of 84,929 individuals were included. Rate of nonadherence to primary care follow-up was determined for individuals billed for a primary discharge diagnosis of essential hypertension. Multivariate logistic regression was used to calculate adjusted odds ratios. The relationships between demographic and clinical variables with nonadherence to follow-up were assessed. Results Two-thirds of the study population did not adhere to follow-up within 30 days of ED discharge. Risk factors for nonadherence included no history of recent visit with primary care (odds ratio [OR] 1.87; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.81–1.93) and multiple prior ED visits (OR 1.65; 95% CI 1.57–1.73). Protective characteristics included history of filling antihypertensive prescriptions in the last year (OR 0.42; 95% CI 0.40–0.43); or history of filling a 30-day antihypertensive prescription on day of diagnosis (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.80–0.87). Conclusions Individuals without a recent primary care visit or who visit the ED frequently are at higher risk of nonadherence to follow-up for hypertension, despite medical insurance. Insurance status may not overcome individual level barriers to follow-up.
Market fragmentation and post-earnings announcement drift

This paper examines the effects of dark and lit market fragmentation around both earnings announcements and earnings surprises. Results indicate that both dark and lit market fragmentation increase around earnings announcements. Further, I test whether dark and lit fragmentation hinder the level of price discovery around the earnings announcement, resulting in greater post-earnings announcement drift, PEAD. The analysis reveals that lit fragmentation has no significant impact on PEAD while dark fragmentation reduces the level of PEAD for stocks with positive earnings surprises. This result is consistent with the notion that dark venues capture more uninformed trading around positive news events, resulting in greater informed trading and higher informational efficiency in the lit venue. However, the results also indicate that dark fragmentation leads to stronger PEAD for stocks with negative earnings surprises. This last finding suggests that informed traders migrate to dark venues around negative earnings surprises, consistent with previous research that argues informed traders follow passive trading strategies around negative news events.
Addition of chocolate milk to diet corresponds to protein concentration changes in human saliva

Salivary proteins have the potential to alter oral sensory perception of foods. In rodents, dietary polyphenol exposure increases salivary concentrations of polyphenol-binding proteins and several cystatins, which correlate with less aversion to polyphenol-rich solutions. If similar salivary shifts occur in humans, then increasing dietary polyphenols may improve orosensory experience of polyphenol-rich foods. We hypothesized that small dietary changes, focused on polyphenols, would increase expression of salivary binding proteins for polyphenols and thus suppress unpleasant polyphenol sensations. However, analogs of salivary polyphenol-binding proteins are found in foods. Thus, we also hypothesized that food-sourced analogs of these salivary proteins would mitigate changes in saliva and sensation. Human subjects (N=55) alternated weeks of consuming a low polyphenol diet and then a regular diet plus a polyphenol-rich chocolate milk (almond, containing no polyphenol-binding proteins, or bovine, containing polyphenol-binding proteins). Statistical analyses revealed both chocolate milk interventions corresponded to changes in relative expression of 96 proteins and calculated concentration of 146 proteins (both after correction for false discovery rate), out of 1,176 proteins identified through proteomics. Of the proteins that changed, proline-rich proteins and cystatins were noticeable, which reflects prior work in animal studies. Subjects rated all chocolate milks as less flavorful after the bovine chocolate milk intervention week compared to low polyphenol weeks, but generally sensory changes were minimal. However, the results confirm that dietary changes coincide with salivary changes, and that some of those changes occur in proteins that have potential to influence oral sensations.
An Environmental Lawyer's Fraught Quest for Legal Tools to Hold Back the Seas

The law is the principal mechanism by which society resolves disputes and implements policies. For more than forty years, I have worked to use the law to address environmental problems, initially b...
A theoretical study of gas adsorption on silicene nanoribbons and its application in a highly sensitive molecule sensor

Inspired by recent successes in the development of two-dimensional based gas sensors capable of single gas molecule detection, we investigate the adsorption of gas molecules (N2, NO, NO2, NH3, CO, CO2, CH4, SO2, and H2S) on silicene nanoribbons (SiNRs) using density functional theory (DFT) and nonequilibrium Green's function (NEGF) methods. The most stable adsorption configurations, adsorption sites, adsorption energies, charge transfer, quantum conductance modulation, and electronic properties of gas molecules on SiNRs are studied. Our results indicate that NO, NO2, and SO2 are chemisorbed on SiNRs via strong covalent bonds, suggesting its potential application for disposable gas sensors. In addition, CO, NH3, and H2S are chemisorbed on SiNRs with moderate adsorption energy, alluding to its suitability as a highly sensitive gas sensor. The quantum conductance is detectably modulated by chemisorption of gas molecules which can be attributed to the charge transfer from the gas molecule to the SiNR. Other studied gases are physisorbed on SiNRs via van der Waals interactions. It is also found that the adsorption energies are enhanced by doping SiNRs with either B or N atoms. Our results suggest that SiNRs show promise in gas molecule sensing applications.
Analyzing the Performance of Graph Neural Networks with Pipe Parallelism.

Many interesting datasets ubiquitous in machine learning and deep learning can be described via graphs. As the scale and complexity of graph-structured datasets increase, such as in expansive social networks, protein folding, chemical interaction networks, and material phase transitions, improving the efficiency of the machine learning techniques applied to these is crucial. In this study, we focus on Graph Neural Networks (GNN) that have found great success in tasks such as node or edge classification and link prediction. However, standard GNN models have scaling limits due to necessary recursive calculations performed through dense graph relationships that lead to memory and runtime bottlenecks. While new approaches for processing larger networks are needed to advance graph techniques, and several have been proposed, we study how GNNs could be parallelized using existing tools and frameworks that are known to be successful in the deep learning community. In particular, we investigate applying pipeline parallelism to GNN models with GPipe, introduced by Google in 2018.
Co-Regulated Information Consensus with Delays for Multi-Agent UAS *

Consensus algorithms provide a framework for the distributed coordination of a multi-agent system. However, widespread application and deployment of consensus algorithms may be limited in real-world multi-agent coordination problems due to implementation on size, power, and weight constrained vehicles. In this case, limited resources may contribute to delay and packet loss causing algorithm deterioration and violation of performance guarantees. This calls for novel strategies for intelligent resource utilization and computationally simple implementation. Towards this goal, we propose co-regulation strategies for discrete time average consensus under delays allowing dynamic resource utilization while coping with communication limitations. This is done by dynamically adjusting communication frequency to facilitate higher state exchange rates while simultaneously adjusting agents’ locations to increase inter-agent connectivity for rapid convergence. We prove that convergence is still guaranteed for co-regulation strategies for discrete time average consensus under bounded delays. In addition, we propose a pause for agents’ locations to mitigate adverse behavior caused by delay. To simplify implementation we devise a consensus strategy that decouples the co-regulated consensus from low-level vehicle feedback control. The usability of our proposed system is evaluated through a series of simulations, and we show our proposed co-regulation strategies in fact result in faster convergence time. We evaluate the approach with an outdoor experiment using 4 customized unmanned aircraft systems (UASs).
A generalized semi-infinite Hecke equivalence and the local geometric Langlands correspondence

We introduce a class of equivalences, which we call generalized semi-infinite Hecke equivalences, between certain categories of representations of graded associative algebras which appear in the setting of semi-infinite cohomology for associative algebras and categories of representations of related algebras of Hecke type which we call semi-infinite Hecke algebras. As an application we obtain an equivalence between a category of representations of a non-twisted affine Lie algebra $\widehat{\mathfrak g}$ of level $-2h^\vee-k$, where $h^\vee$ is the dual Coxeter number of the underlying semisimple Lie algebra $\mathfrak g$ and $k\in \mathbb{C}$, and the category of finitely generated representations of the W-algebra associated to $\widehat{\mathfrak g}$ of level $k$. When $k=-h^\vee$ this yields an equivalence between a category of representations of $\widehat{\mathfrak g}$ of central charge $-h^\vee$ and the category ${\rm Coh}({\rm Op}_{^LG}(D^\times))$ of coherent sheaves on the space ${\rm Op}_{^LG}(D^\times)$ of $^LG$-opers on the punctured disc $D^\times$, where $^LG$ is the Langlands dual group to the algebraic group of adjoint type with Lie algebra $\mathfrak g$. This can be regarded as a version of the local geometric Langlands correspondence. The above mentioned equivalences generalize to the case of affine Lie algebras the Skryabin equivalence between the categories of generalized Gelfand-Graev representations of $\mathfrak g$ and the categories of representations of the corresponding finitely generated W-algebras, and Kostant's results on the classification of Whittaker modules over $\mathfrak g$.
A Pediatric and Neonatal Critical Care Transport Team’s Standard of Care for Suspected Stroke of a Pediatric Patient

BACKGROUND A 314 bed free standing Children’s Hospital is the region’s first and only dedicated pediatric stroke center offering comprehensive, individualized treatment protocols for children (Children’s Mercy, 2018). The WHO estimates 1-2/210,000 children will have a stroke. Mortality is 2-11% but persistent neurological deficit will occur in 68-73% of children who experience a stroke (Bernard Ann Neurol 2008). “Recognition and early intervention are critical to minimizing brain damage” (Mutka Sharma, MD). Depending on the length of time since the stroke, treatment options …
Real-time dynamic vocal tract imaging using an accelerated spiral GRE sequence and low rank plus sparse reconstruction.

Abstract Purpose To develop a real-time dynamic vocal tract imaging method using an accelerated spiral GRE sequence and low rank plus sparse reconstruction. Methods Spiral k-space sampling has high data acquisition efficiency and thus is suited for real-time dynamic imaging; further acceleration can be achieved by undersampling k-space and using a model-based reconstruction. Low rank plus sparse reconstruction is a promising method with fast computation and increased robustness to global signal changes and bulk motion, as the images are decomposed into low rank and sparse terms representing different dynamic components. However, the combination with spiral scanning has not been well studied. In this study an accelerated spiral GRE sequence was developed with an optimized low rank plus sparse reconstruction and compared with L1-SPIRiT and XD-GRASP methods. The off-resonance was also corrected using a Chebyshev approximation method to reduce blurring on a frame-by-frame basis. Results The low rank plus sparse reconstruction method is sensitive to the weights of the low rank and sparse terms. The optimized reconstruction showed advantages over other methods with reduced aliasing and improved SNR. With the proposed method, spatial resolution of 1.3*1.3 mm2 with 150 mm field-of-view (FOV) and temporal resolution of 30 frames-per-second (fps) was achieved with good image quality. Blurring was reduced using the Chebyshev approximation method. Conclusion This work studies low rank plus sparse reconstruction using the spiral trajectory and demonstrates a new method for dynamic vocal tract imaging which can benefit studies of speech disorders.
Temperature controlled transformations of giant unilamellar vesicles of amphiphilic triblock copolymers synthesized via microfluidic mixing

Abstract We report on a simple approach for synthesis of temperature-responsive giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) from poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)15-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)65-block-poly(N-vinylcaprolactam)15 (PVCL15-PDMS65-PVCL15) triblock copolymer and non-temperature responsive small and giant vesicles from novel poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVPON15-PDMS65-PVPON15 and PVPON6-PDMS30-PVPON6) triblock copolymers using microfluidic mixing at 25 °C. We show that temperature-responsive PVCL15-PDMS65-PVCL15 GUVs with the average diameter of 1.4 ± 0.2 µm while being stable at room temperature for at least 14 days, transformed irreversibly into small vesicles of 168 ± 40 nm after incubation of their aqueous solution at 42 °C for 24 h. We hypothesized that this transformation is induced by local compressive stresses of the vesicle membrane due to the collapse of PVCL blocks above the copolymer lower critical solution temperature (LCST) leading to the decrease of the vesicle membrane thickness. Consequently, we found that the temperature-induced size transformation of the PVCL-based GUVs at 42°C can be suppressed by substituting PVCL with its hydrophilic homologue PVPON, or by suppressing the PVCL's LCST behavior through hydrogen-bonding with tannic acid molecules. In the former case, novel PVPONn-PDMSm-PVPONn triblock copolymers (n = 15, m = 65 and n = 6, m = 30) assemble into vesicles stable from 25 °C to 55 °C as confirmed by optical and electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). In the latter, hydrogen bonding interactions of PVCL with the polyphenol tannic acid (TA) at room temperature resulted in stable PVCL-based GUVs at 42°C as confirmed by optical, electron, and atomic force microscopies. We also found that physical crosslinking of the PVCL corona through hydrogen bonding with TA in PVCL15-PDMS65-PVCL15 GUVs will delay their low pH-induced degradation at 37°C by 48 h compared to non-modified GUVs. Our findings open opportunities for the development of temperature-regulated stable micro-vehicles that would change their structural characteristics in the physiologically relevant temperature range from 25 to 42°C and can be utilized for cell mimicking studies. The developed GUVs also have potential in theranostic drug delivery as substitutes for polymer microcapsules and lipid microbubbles as well as for stimuli-triggered sensing, protection, and rapid response in an aqueous environment.
Dynamic rewiring of biological activity across genotype and lineage revealed by context-dependent functional interactions

Coessentiality networks derived from CRISPR screens in cell lines provide a powerful framework for identifying functional modules in the cell and for inferring the role of uncharacterized genes. However, these networks integrate signal across all underlying data, and can mask strong interactions that occur in only a subset of the cell lines analyzed. Here we decipher dynamic functional interactions by identifying significant cellular contexts, primarily by oncogenic mutation, lineage, and tumor type, and discovering coessentiality relationships that depend on these contexts. We recapitulate well-known gene-context interactions such as oncogene-mutation, paralog buffering, and tissue-specific essential genes, show how mutation rewires known signal transduction pathways, including RAS/RAF and IGF1R-PIK3CA, and illustrate the implications for drug targeting. We further demonstrate how context-dependent functional interactions can elucidate lineage-specific gene function, as illustrated by the maturation of proreceptors IGF1R and MET by proteases FURIN and CPD. This approach advances our understanding of context-dependent interactions and how they can be gleaned from these data. We provide an online resource to explore these context-dependent interactions at diffnet.hart-lab.org.
Combining uncertain information of differing modalities

In this paper we consider approaches for combining separately possibilistic uncertainty, probabilistic uncertainty and situations where both forms of uncertainty appear. An approach to probability aggregation using rational consensus with equi-weighting is developed. This aggregation is analyzed with information measures as one way to assess combinations and understand the impact on uncertainty. The analysis is based on combinations of bounding cases of probability distributions. Measures of conflict and the effect on information are developed. Next possibility transformations are used and illustrated by three representative possibility cases. The resultant transformed probabilities are aggregated with general probability distributions and the result evaluated with information measures as before. Finally a general approach to combining possibility distributions directly using quality criteria is described. An example is provided to illustrate the basic possibility distribution aggregation fusion developed.
Case 23: Antiphospholipid Antibody Syndrome – Any Concern for General Anesthesia?

A 42-year-old female (ASA 2) is scheduled for outpatient functional endoscopic sinus surgery. She has had no previous surgical procedures under anesthesia. She is otherwise healthy except for a history of hypertension, mild COPD, and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome. She is taken to the operating room and standard monitors are placed, including the oxygen saturation probe on her ring finger [1]. Routine general anesthesia proves uneventful. Her eyes are taped after she is asleep, but before the airway is secured with an endotracheal tube. The intraoperative course and extubation is uncomplicated. The tapes on her eyes are seen to have closed the eyelids throughout the operation. The eye tape is easily and atraumatically removed at the end of the surgery. The patient wakes up and is comfortable with no pain. The patient is taken to the recovery room. At no time was the patient seen rubbing her eyes, either on the way to the recovery or in the recovery room.
Near-Optimal algorithm for self-configuration of ad-hoc wireless networks

To quantify the goodness of a configuration, we develop a probabilistic model of network configuration. A probabilistic graph then represents the statistical dependence in network configuration, and shows that self-configuration can be optimized if the graph has nested local dependence.
Legal Lore of the Wild West: A Bibliographical Essay

T HE LEGAL HERITAGE Of the English common law, already adapted to American conditions in the Atlantic colonies and Mississippi Valley, further evolved in the distinctive environment of the plains and Pacific coast. The student of this evolution, however, is hampered both by the paucity and fragmentary nature of the available material and by its deplorable presentation. No single publication has traced the history of law in the West and its administration. What little material is available must
Reactions at the 3' terminus of transfer ribonucleic acid. 3. Catalytic properties of two purified rabbit liver transfer ribonucleic acid nucleotidyl transferases.

Abstract The catalytic properties of two purified rabbit liver tRNA nucleotidyltransferases were examined and compared. Both enzymes incorporated AMP, CMP, and UMP into tRNA, but were inactive with GTP or dATP. The pH optima for the various nucleotides and for both enzymes were similar and were in the range of pH 9 to 10. Differences were observed in the response of the two enzymes to the assay temperature, such that the activation energies for phosphocellulose Peak II were about 50% higher than for Peak I. The apparent Km values for nucleoside triphosphates were essentially identical for both enzymes. For ATP with tRNApCpC as cosubstrate the Km values were 3 mm and 2 mm for enzymes I and II, respectively; using tRNApC as cosubstrate the apparent Km with Peak II was 2 mm. In the case of CTP, biphasic double reciprocal plots were found which suggested the existence of two CTP binding sites. The data for each enzyme could be fit to curves generated from Km values of 0.004 mm and 0.4 mm and appropriate Vmax values. Similar Km values for CTP were obtained with tRNApC or tRNApX as cosubstrate although the Vmax values differed. UTP, which acted as an analogue of CTP, gave apparent Km values of 0.06 mm and 0.05 mm with enzymes I and II using tRNApC as cosubstrate. Both tRNA nucleotidyltransferases could utilize Mg++, Mn++, and Co++ to satisfy the requirement for divalent cation, but the latter two ions were less effective than Mg++. The rate of nucleotide incorporation into tRNAs with defined termini, as well as into other nucleic acids, was examined. tRNApCpCpA, rRNA, calf thymus DNA, or poly(C) were inactive as acceptors for either AMP, CMP, or UMP. tRNApCpC was a substrate for AMP incorporation, but was inactive with CTP or UTP. tRNApC and tRNApX were substrates for both CMP and UMP incorporation, but displayed diminishing activity in the presence of ATP. The apparent Km values for the various tRNA substrates were in the range of 4 to 30 µm, and were increased by the incorrect triphosphate. Liver tRNA nucleotidyltransferase showed no species specificity for the source of tRNA, being equally active with material from rabbit liver, yeast, and Escherichia coli. The extents of AMP, CMP, and UMP incorporation into tRNApC catalyzed by each enzyme were essentially the same suggesting that both enzymes probably acted on the same tRNA population. Another difference between the two tRNA nucleotidyltransferases was their response to a variety of salts. AMP incorporation catalyzed by either enzyme was inhibited by all salts examined. On the other hand, CMP incorporation catalyzed by Peak I was relatively little affected by monovalent salts at ionic strengths below 0.25, and that catalyzed by Peak II was greatly stimulated. These results point out that although many of the properties of the two enzymes are quite similar, significant differences do exist. A possible model for tRNA nucleotidyltransferase action is also presented.
Biotechnologies for Remediation of Organic Pollution

It is well known that certain organic chemicals can accumulate in the environment, and threaten human health and environmental quality. Furthermore, indigenous microorganisms have been shown to have an enormous natural capacity to degrade certain organic compounds, both aerobically and anaerobically. Meanwhile, significant new research efforts are expanding the range of microorganisms used for bioremediation, including faster degradation kinetics, a wider range of degradable organic compounds, and a broader range of microbial conditions. This chapter reviews the biotechnologies used for the environmental restoration and waste management of organic pollution.
The Role of CEOs in Large Corporations: Evidence from Ken Lay at Enron

Internal documents released through the Enron litigation allow for a more detailed examination of the activities of top executives than is typically possible. This clinical study of Enron's Ken Lay highlights the difference between popular opinion on the role and knowledge of CEOs with that suggested by economic theory and evidence. In contrast to popular opinion, the evidence is consistent with the following three hypotheses: 1) Lay performed a role at Enron that is consistent with existing economic theory and evidence, 2) he performed this role with reasonable diligence, and 3) while he was relatively well informed about Enron at a high level, it is unlikely that he would have had detailed information on many of Enron's transactions - including deals with Fastow's partnerships. News analysts assert that a positive feature of Lay's legacy is that CEOs are now spending more time monitoring the details of financial reports and internal controls. This study suggests that the opportunity costs of this change in CEO behavior are higher than these analysts suggest.
Potential cultural predictors of heavy episodic drinking in Hispanic college students.

Heavy alcohol use in college students is a serious health risk. It is unclear how cultural variables impact alcohol use in Hispanic college populations. Here, the relationships between gender, bicultural identity, familism, and adherence to traditional gender roles with heavy episodic drinking (HED) in a Hispanic college sample are assessed. Participants, 80 males and 80 females, were asked to complete a questionnaire packet, which assessed demographic information, as well as measures designed to rate drinking amount and frequency, bicultural integration, familism, and traditional gender role adherence. Average age of the sample was 19.9 years (SD = 3.05), in which the majority of participants were classified as either Freshmen or Sophomores (88.8%). Overall, 47.5% of participants reported engaging in HED, with 51% of men and 44% of women reporting HED. Univariate analyses along with logistic regression were utilized to assess possible differences and correlates of HED. Neither individual predictors nor the overall model were statistically significant. These findings suggest the need for continued assessment of HED in Hispanic college students using other culturally based constructs, as well as psychosocial factors that are found to predict heavy drinking in other ethnocultural college-aged students. (Am J Addict 2012;00:1-5). Language: en