cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solving which trilemma? The many interpretations of equality, Pareto, and freedom of occupational choice:

According to the trilemma claim, we cannot have all three of equality, Pareto, and freedom of occupational choice. In response to the trilemma, John Rawls famously sacrificed equality by introducing incentives. In contrast, GA Cohen and others argued that we can, in fact, have all three provided that individuals are properly motivated by an egalitarian ethos. The incentives debate, then, concerns the plausibility of the ethos solution versus the plausibility of the incentives solution. Considerable ink has been spilled on both sides of the debate. Yet, in this essay, I argue that we cannot have this debate until we clarify the terms. Once we clarify the terms, however, we might discover that there is no debate to be had. This is because, depending on how equality, Pareto, and freedom of occupational choice are interpreted, there might not be a trilemma in the first place. Specifically, I use a small but crucial distinction in how equality, the egalitarian ethos, and Pareto are assessed – what I call the i...
Harnessing ancient genomes to study the history of human adaptation

Ancient genomes can inform our understanding of the history of human adaptation through the direct tracking of changes in genetic variant frequency across different geographical locations and time periods. The authors review recent ancient DNA analyses of human, archaic hominin, pathogen, and domesticated animal and plant genomes, as well as the insights gained regarding past human evolution and behaviour. The past several years have witnessed an explosion of successful ancient human genome-sequencing projects, with genomic-scale ancient DNA data sets now available for more than 1,100 ancient human and archaic hominin (for example, Neandertal) individuals. Recent 'evolution in action' analyses have started using these data sets to identify and track the spatiotemporal trajectories of genetic variants associated with human adaptations to novel and changing environments, agricultural lifestyles, and introduced or co-evolving pathogens. Together with evidence of adaptive introgression of genetic variants from archaic hominins to humans and emerging ancient genome data sets for domesticated animals and plants, these studies provide novel insights into human evolution and the evolutionary consequences of human behaviour that go well beyond those that can be obtained from modern genomic data or the fossil and archaeological records alone.
The Multitiered CTE/VET System in the United States—From High School to Two-Year Colleges

The United States system of vocational/career and technical education is broad and diverse, and serves multiple educational constituents. Vocational/career and technical education can be found as early as grade seven in the US educational system, with most of the curriculum located in high schools, career centers, postsecondary institutions, correctional facilities, and adult education programs. Federal support first dates back to 1917, with the passage of the Smith-Hughes Act, which allocated funds for vocational/career and technical education. Historically, vocational/career and technical education has been offered within six broad areas of study: Agricultural Education, Business Education, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, Health Occupations Education, Marketing Education, and Trade and Industrial Education. New curricular approaches have attempted to meet the changing needs of the global marketplace and technological innovation through the integration of vocational/career and technical education with academic disciplines, articulation with postsecondary institutions, and entry into broader career fields.
Power lines and impacts on biodiversity: A systematic review

Abstract The growth of energy consumption demands a large expansion of transmission line (TL) networks worldwide. The reduction of the environmental impacts of these infrastructures will depend on the effectiveness of environmental impact assessments, that ultimately depend on the quality of the screening phase, the scoping phase, and the prioritization of potential environmental consequences. We conducted the first systematic review that encompasses all known potential impacts on biodiversity of the installation and operation of energy TLs, documented in the scientific literature and in a sample of Environmental Impact Studies (EIS). We examined 206 articles and 19 EIS and identified 28 impacts that correspond to biotic outcomes at the individual, population and community levels. Although scientific interest on TL impact evaluation is increasing, most studies have been focused on vertebrate taxa, especially birds. There are few published studies concerning habitat loss and the responses of functional groups with lower mobility or sensitive to physical alterations, such as amphibians. Most impacts appear in early stages of a project, during TL construction, but persist during operation. We summarized the biotic impacts in a framework that may guide the screening of relevant impacts to be included in the EIS and consequently improve the outcomes of the environmental licensing process of transmission line projects.
Adaptability of Regional Planning in Lower Saxony to Climate Change

In this contribution, adaptability is considered to be an aspect of resilience with the goal of dealing successfully with change and shaping it in a sustainable fashion. Using Lower Saxony as an example, this contribution discusses the extent to which the institutional framework of regional planning appears to be suitable for confronting the challenges of climate change.
Introduction: Asian American Parenting and Parent-Adolescent Relationships

A large research literature points to the importance of parenting practices as strong predictors of adolescent psychosocial adjustment. The research literature on parenting styles has been central to this body of work, and a number of scholars have documented ethnic group differences in the effects of parenting styles on adolescents. This work has drawn attention to diversity in the cultural meanings of parenting across ethnic and cultural groups and subgroups. Such work challenges the universal theories of socialization by highlighting cultural differences in understandings of parenting, in parenting behaviors, and in the effects of those behaviors. This chapter serves as the introduction to a volume that brings together several studies that investigate the meanings of parenting practices and parenting styles in Asian American families from diverse angles. We focus on Asian American parent–adolescent relationships because prior research suggests distinctive cultural processes in the family socialization of Asian Americans; in addition, Asian Americans are among the fastest growing ethnic groups in the United States. Through the use of multiple data sources and diverse methodological approaches we examine (1) the equivalence of survey measures of parenting for Asian and European American adolescents, (2) cultural differences in parental beliefs and their relation to parenting practices among European American and Asian American parents of adolescents, (3) a conceptualization of parental support that includes the dimension of sacrifice, empirically tested with two Asian American ethnic subgroups, and (4) the understandings of parental support and autonomy-granting expressed by Asian American adolescent boys and girls. The first chapter provides an overview of current thinking about parent–adolescent relationships and parenting in adolescence with a focus on parental support or warmth and parental control. The role of ethnicity and culture in shaping parenting practices and behaviors is discussed, including the cultural meanings of parenting in Asian American families, the distinctive roles of mothers and fathers, and the differences between Chinese and Filipino American cultural histories and family relationships. The chapter closes with a detailed outline of the book.
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa Wsp pathway undergoes positive evolutionary selection during chronic infection

Pathogens experience pressure in an infection to adapt, with selection favoring mutants that persist. Pseudomonas aeruginosa commonly adapts by evolving mutants with hyper-biofilm production that evade clearance. Despite our understanding of the adaptive phenotypes, studying their emergence and dynamics in an infection has proven challenging. Here we used a porcine full-thickness burn wound model of chronic infection to study how mixed strains of P. aeruginosa adaptively evolve. Wounds were infected with six P. aeruginosa strains, including the model PA14 strain (PA14-1), and biopsies taken at 3, 14, and 28 days post-infection. Rugose small-colony variants (RSCVs) were detected at 3-d and persisted, with the majority evolved from PA14-1. Whole genome sequencing of PA14-1 RSCVs revealed driver mutations exclusively in the wsp pathway. RSCVs also acquired CRISPR-Cas adaptive immunity to prophages isolated from the P. aeruginosa wound isolate (B23-2) present in the inoculum. The rapid rise of RSCVs to detectable frequencies is evidence of positive selection of the Wsp chemosensory system and suggests that RSCVs may arise earlier in an infection than originally appreciated, to facilitate infection. Given the prevalence of RSCVs in chronic infections, we predict that RSCVs may be a common, early adaptation during infections.
Using a 10-step framework to support the implementation of an evidence-based clinical pathways programme

Background Integration of evidence into practice is suboptimal. Clinical pathways, defined as multidisciplinary care plans, are a method for translating evidence into local settings and have been shown to improve the value of patient care. Objective To describe the development of a clinical pathways programme across a large academic healthcare system. Methods We use a 10-step framework (grounded in the Knowledge-to-Action framework and ADAPTE Collaboration methodology for guideline adaptation) to support pathway development and dissemination, including facilitating clinical owner and stakeholder engagement, developing pathway prototypes based on rapid reviews of the existing literature, developing tools for dissemination and impact assessment. We use a cloud-based technology platform (Dorsata, Washington, DC) to assist with development and dissemination across our geographically distributed care settings and providers. Content is viewable through desktop and mobile applications. We measured programme adoption and penetration by examining number of pathways developed as well as mobile application use and pathway views. Results From 1 February 2016 to 30 April 2018, a total of 202 pathways were disseminated. The three most common clinical domains represented were oncology (46.5%, n=94), pulmonary/critical care (8.9%, n=18) and cardiovascular medicine (7.4%, n=15). Users opting to register for a personal account totalled 1279; the three largest groups were physicians (45.1%, n=504), advanced practice providers (19.5%, n=245) and nurses (19.1%, n=240). Pathway views reached an average of 2150 monthly views during the last 3 months of the period. The majority of pathways reference at least one evidence-based source (93.6%, n=180). Conclusions A healthcare system can successfully use a framework and technology platform to support the development and dissemination of pathways across a multisite institution.
Sub-hertz optomechanically induced transparency with a kilogram-scale mechanical oscillator

Optical interferometers with suspended mirrors are the archetype of all current audio-frequency gravitational-wave detectors. The radiation pressure interaction between the motion of the mirrors and the circulating optical field in such interferometers represents a pristine form of light-matter coupling, largely due to 30 years of effort in developing high-quality optical materials with low mechanical dissipation. However, in all current suspended interferometers, the radiation pressure interaction is too weak to be useful as a resource, and too strong to be neglected. Here, we demonstrate a meter-long interferometer with suspended mirrors, of effective mass $125\phantom{\rule{0.28em}{0ex}}\mathrm{g}$, where the radiation pressure interaction is enhanced by strong optical pumping to realize a cooperativity of 50. In conjunction with modest resolved-sideband operation, this regime is efficiently probed via optomechanically induced transparency of a weak on-resonant probe. The low resonant frequency and high-Q of the mechanical oscillator allows us to demonstrate transparency windows barely 100 mHz wide at room temperature. Together with a near-unity ($\ensuremath{\approx}99.9%$) out-coupling efficiency, our system saturates the theoretical delay-bandwidth product, rendering it an optical buffer capable of seconds-long storage times.
Cancer Genetics: Risks and Mechanisms of Cancer in Women with Hereditary Predisposition to Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in the developed world. This is primarily due to the fact that it is found in an advanced stage the majority of the time and that there are no successful and agreed-upon screening modalities. The majority of cases are also sporadic in nature, but a smaller percentage of cases are due to a hereditary predisposition. Gene mutations in BRCA1/2 and those that are a part of Lynch syndrome will increase a woman’s chance of developing ovarian cancer. When this is known, the woman could opt for heightened screening, medication prevention, or prophylactic surgeries. The medication and surgical interventions will either temporarily (e.g., breastfeeding, oral contraceptives) or permanently (e.g., tubal ligation, bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy) prevent pregnancy. As important as it is to identify the families for proper risk assessment, to impart knowledge, and to offer genetic testing in order to make proactive choices, this knowledge must take into account her decisions regarding future childbearing. While oncofertility is usually associated with individuals currently being treated for cancer, women at increased risk for developing EOC based on a hereditary predisposition should similarly be considered for oncofertility counseling and potentially for novel fertility-sparing interventions.
High-Speed Differential Pair Measurements Based on Two-Port Probe System Only

Differential pairs are popularly used in high-speed links. But they are difficult to measure, especially for PCB boards and packagings, due to lacking properly connectable standards or expensive 4-port probe systems. In this work, a new differential analysis method based on the single trace’s two-port measurement is proposed. It is theoretically derived and practically demonstrated that if the traces of a differential pair have weak couplings, their single trace’s 2-port measurements with the other trace open-ended could effectively replace the complex and expensive 4-port differential measurements. To check the approximation accuracy, this paper proposes a companion testing method based on the 2-port system also. This work provides theoretical supports and experimental methods for general differential analysis using economic 2-port systems including but not limited to the probing system.
Three-Dimensional Thermo-Poroelastic Modeling and Analysis of Flow, Heat Transport and Deformation in Fractured Rock with Applications to a Lab-Scale Geothermal System

Fractures and other discontinuities, such as bedding planes, and faults, usually act as highly permeable flow paths, dominating subsurface fluid and heat transport, which is of importance in developing underground energy resources. We investigate coupled transport and fracture deformation/propagation within the framework of the theory of thermo-poroelasticity. A 3D finite element method is developed and utilized to discretize the governing equations. To simulate the thermo-hydro-mechanical behavior of the fracture/matrix system, a special zero-thickness interface element is implemented based on the cohesive zone model (CZM), to simulate both tensile and shear failure. The fluid flux/heat exchange between the fractures and the surrounding permeable rock matrix is determined by fluid/heat transfer coefficients satisfying mass and energy balance across the interior boundaries, and allowing for temperature and pressure drop across the interface. Numerical analyses are performed to verify the model and to illustrate fundamental phenomena observed in the laboratory. Lab-scale fracturing and circulation experiments are studied in detail, revealing the role of hydro-thermo-mechanical properties and coupled processes.
MESSAGE FRAMING AND ENGAGEMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE: THE MODERATING ROLE OF AGE

Engagement rates in specialty mental health (MH) care for depression are suboptimal across the lifespan, prompting various efforts to promote treatment engagement. This study examined the extent to which age moderates the impact of message framing on appointment attendance among patients referred to specialty MH care. The study employed a randomized, prospective, experimental design. Patients meeting criteria for major depression and referred to specialty MH care at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (n=360) were randomized to receive either a routine, neutrally worded patient reminder letter prior to their scheduled specialty MH care appointment or a letter that included one of two messages (gain-framed or loss-framed) that were added to the routine letter. Appointment/attendance data were extracted from the computerized patient record system. Logistic regression was used to determine the potential moderating effect of age on the association between message frame and appointment attendance. The sample (mean age = 51.5 (SD=13.5)) was primarily male (85%), non-white (62%), and reported an average depressive symptom score of 19.3 (SD=3.8, range=9-27). Age moderated the impact of message frame on the odds of attending the MH appointment: while younger adults were more likely to attend after receiving a gain-framed message, older adults’ engagement rates did not differ significantly across conditions. Findings suggest that overtly highlighting the benefits of attending an initial specialty MH care appointment, even if in writing, can impact engagement rates among younger adults. Potential alternative, targeted approaches utilizing message framing that may be more effective among older adults should be explored.
Anti-Social Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy

Social media, and Facebook in particular, have become such a ubiquitous and deeply imbedded part of culture that few would bother to mark their existence with more than a casual shrug. People use social media to fulfill all manner of tasks, needs, and desires, while businesses and organizations use it to reach increasingly specific segments of the population. Engaging with social media is a foregone conclusion—a swift glance around any coffee shop, university, classroom, restaurant, or nearly any other public setting is enough to validate this. In the realm of social media, Facebook is king. The platform can now boast of well over 2 billion international users that post, upload pictures and video, and interact with it hundreds of thousands of times a day. At a surface level, Facebook appears to ask nothing of people except their time, but a deeper dive into the world of likes, clicks, and shares unveils a riptide of surveillance, manipulation, disinformation, and digital imperialism. In Anti-Social Media: How Facebook Disconnects Us and Undermines Democracy , Siva Vaidhyanathan takes a floodlight to the very roots of the platform and demonstrates with careful, piercing analysis how it has eroded one of the hallmarks of a democracy: the ability of the public to have reasoned, informed discourse.
Spatial encoding in primate hippocampus during free navigation

The hippocampus comprises two neural signals-place cells and θ oscillations-that contribute to facets of spatial navigation. Although their complementary relationship has been well established in rodents, their respective contributions in the primate brain during free navigation remains unclear. Here, we recorded neural activity in the hippocampus of freely moving marmosets as they naturally explored a spatial environment to more explicitly investigate this issue. We report place cells in marmoset hippocampus during free navigation that exhibit remarkable parallels to analogous neurons in other mammalian species. Although θ oscillations were prevalent in the marmoset hippocampus, the patterns of activity were notably different than in other taxa. This local field potential oscillation occurred in short bouts (approximately .4 s)-rather than continuously-and was neither significantly modulated by locomotion nor consistently coupled to place-cell activity. These findings suggest that the relationship between place-cell activity and θ oscillations in primate hippocampus during free navigation differs substantially from rodents and paint an intriguing comparative picture regarding the neural basis of spatial navigation across mammals.
Assessment of Item Response Model-Data Fit Via Bayesian Limited Information Model Comparison Posterior Predictive Checks.

Model-data fit is critical to ensure valid interpretations of test scores. Recently, emphasis has been placed on Bayesian psychometric models. Despite a surge in research on Bayesian psychometric m...
Analysis of phospholipid synthesis in mitochondria

Mitochondria and their associated membranes actively participate in biosynthesis, trafficking, and degradation of cellular phospholipids. Two crucial lipid biosynthetic activities of mitochondria include (i) the decarboxylation of phosphatidylserine to phosphatidylethanolamine and (ii) the de novo synthesis of cardiolipin. Here we describe protocols to measure these two activities, applying isotope-labeled or exogenous substrates in combination with thin-layer chromatography or mass spectrometry.
Why Do Women Not Use the Bathroom? Women's Attitudes and Beliefs on Using Public Restrooms.

There are a variety of factors and influences, both internal and external, that may impact an individual’s public toileting experience and may ultimately have repercussions for bladder health. This study sought to identify predominant constructs underlying a women’s attitude towards using restrooms at work, at school, and in public in order to develop a conceptual model incorporating these themes. We performed a secondary analysis of a cross-sectional, survey-based study that included open-ended questions about limitations to restroom use using a mixed-methods approach. Qualitative data coding and analysis was performed on 12,583 quotes and, using an iterative inductive-deductive approach, was used to construct the conceptual framework. Our conceptual framework reveals a complicated interplay of personal contexts, situational influences, and behavioral strategies used by women to manage their bladder and bowel habits away from home. These findings can inform future research and public policy related to bladder health awareness related to toilet access in the workplace and in public.
Concordance between Coronary Artery Calcium and Coronary Angiography in the Detection of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Post Heart Transplant Patients

Purpose Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality post heart transplant (HT). Coronary calcium has a sensitivity of 91% for the presence of >50% angiographic stenosis among the general population. Given the different pathophysiology of CAV and atherosclerosis, it is unclear whether visually estimated coronary artery calcification (VECAC) on CT attenuation correction (CTAC) scans can be used to detect CAV post HT and whether there is an association with long-term outcomes in patients with CAV. Methods Consecutive HT recipients who underwent 13 N-ammonia positron emission tomography with CTAC to assess for CAV between 2016-2017 were included. CAC was reported using the estimated Agatson score. CAV on paired angiography (within 1 year of PET/CTAC) was defined using the ISHLT nomenclature, CAV0-3, and compared to visually estimated CAC (VECAC). Events recorded were time to cardiovascular (CV) hospitalization, retransplantation or death. Results Complete data was available for 179 patients. Forty-seven (26.3%) had CAC of any severity. The CAC group were older (62 ± 12.7 vs 58 ± 15.6 y), with longer time post-transplant (127 ± 68 vs 88 ± 58 months) and older donor age (42.9 ± 12.3y vs. 30.6 ± 11.5y), all significant p Conclusion Visually estimated CAC may be useful to screen for advanced CAV (NPV >95%) among HT recipients. The presence of CAC was not associated with adverse outcomes.
The Hilbert scheme of the Grassmannian is not connected

We show that when d≥3, the Hilbert scheme HilbdT+1−(d−12)(G(k,n)) has 2 connected components, even though elements in both components have the same cohomology class. Moreover, we show that the Hilb...
Convex Optimization Theory

Many machine learning tasks can be formulated as an optimization problem given in the form of $$\displaystyle \min _{x \in X} f(x), $$ where f, x, and X denote the objective function, decision variables, and feasible set, respectively. Unfortunately, solving an optimization problem is challenging. In general, we cannot guarantee whether one can find an optimal solution, and if so, how much computational effort one needs. However, it turns out that we can provide such guarantees for a special but broad class optimization problems, namely convex optimization, where X is a convex set and f is a convex function. In fact, many machine learning models we formulated so far, such as least square linear regression, logistic regression, and support vector machine, are convex optimization problems.
Electron-impact excitation of the 1 1S-->3 1P and 1 1S-->4 1P transitions in helium.

The method of electron-photon coincidence is used to ``resolve'' the electron-impact excitation of the n${\mathrm{}}^{1}$P levels (n=3 and 4) from nearby levels. Experimentally determined ratios of the differential cross sections for the electron-impact excitation of 1${\mathrm{}}^{1}$S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2${\mathrm{}}^{1}$P, to 1${\mathrm{}}^{1}$S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3${\mathrm{}}^{1}$P, and 4${\mathrm{}}^{1}$P transitions are presented at 30-, 40-, and 80-eV incident electron energies. Differential cross sections for the 1${\mathrm{}}^{1}$S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3${\mathrm{}}^{1}$P and 1${\mathrm{}}^{1}$S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}4${\mathrm{}}^{1}$P transitions are derived by normalizing these ratios to available experimental differential cross sections for the 1${\mathrm{}}^{1}$S\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2${\mathrm{}}^{1}$P transition. The ratios and differential cross sections are compared to available theoretical and semiempirical data. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Amniotic Fluid can be safely stored at 4C without losing its bioactivity.

Background: In-utero, the fetus swallow’s large volumes of amniotic fluid (AF), which contains several growth factors (GFs) and cytokines that have a trophic influence on developing gut mucosa. This exposure to AF-borne trophic factors (TF’s) is interrupted following premature birth, which may contribute to the enhanced susceptibility of the immature gut to necrotizing enterocolitis. After preterm birth, during first week, supplementing mothers own AF by gavage feed may simulate fetal AF swallowing. Objective: To determine if AF can be stored at 40 C (in fridge) for 7 days without …
A Bacillus Spore-Based Display System for Bioremediation of Atrazine

Owing to human activities, a large number of organic chemicals, including petroleum products, industrial solvents, pesticides, herbicides (including atrazine [ATR]), and pharmaceuticals, contaminate soil and aquatic environments. Remediation of these pollutants by conventional approaches is both technically and economically challenging. Bacillus endospores are highly resistant to most physical assaults and are capable of long-term persistence in soil. Spores can be engineered to express, on their surface, important enzymes for bioremediation purposes. We have developed a Bacillus thuringiensis spore platform system that can display a high density of proteins on the spore surface. The spore surface-tethered enzymes exhibit enhanced activity and stability relative to free enzymes in soil and water environments. In this study, we evaluated a B. thuringiensis spore display platform as a bioremediation tool against ATR. The Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP atzA determinant, an ATR chlorohydrolase important to the detoxification of ATR, was expressed as a fusion protein linked to the attachment domain of the BclA spore surface nap layer protein and expressed in B. thuringiensis Spores from this strain are decorated with AtzA N-terminally linked on the surface of the spores. The recombinant spores were assayed for ATR detoxification in liquid and soil environments, and enzyme kinetics and stability were assessed. We successfully demonstrated the utility of this spore-based enzyme display system to detoxify ATR in water and laboratory soil samples.IMPORTANCE Atrazine is one of the most widely applied herbicides in the U.S. midwestern states. The long environmental half-life of atrazine has contributed to the contamination of surface water and groundwater by atrazine and its chlorinated metabolites. The toxic properties of ATR have raised public health and ecological concerns. However, remediation of ATR by conventional approaches has proven to be costly and inefficient. We developed a novel B. thuringiensis spore platform system that is capable of long-term persistence in soil and can be engineered to surface express a high density of enzymes useful for bioremediation purposes. The enzymes are stably attached to the surface of the spore exosporium layer. The spore-based system will likely prove useful for remediation of other environmental pollutants as well.
Oocyte Donation, Gestational Carriers, and Adoption for Breast Cancer Survivors

The purpose of this review is to describe and compare the use of oocyte donation, gestational carriers, and adoption for family building specifically in women with a history of breast cancer. Oocyte donation is an effective and safe option for women whose exposure to gonadotoxic cancer therapy has resulted in primary ovarian insufficiency, or for women with a familial cancer syndrome who are concerned about genetic risk to their offspring. A gestational carrier may also be considered—with or without oocyte donation—depending on the patient’s acceptance of ovarian stimulation and pregnancy in the context of prior breast cancer or ongoing endocrine therapy. Lastly, adoption is a frequently considered option for family building by many breast cancer survivors. Assisted reproductive technology and adoption offer breast cancer survivors the opportunity to expand their families despite the challenges that the diagnosis may pose.
Hospitalizations and emergency department visits in heart failure patients after bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Heart failure is a disease with significant healthcare utilization and a prioritized target for readmission prevention. Although obesity is related to heart failure morbidity, the effects of bariatric surgery in obese patients with heart failure are not well studied. Objectives To evaluate the impact of bariatric surgery on hospital-based healthcare utilization for patients with heart failure. Setting Administrative statewide database. Methods The New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database was used to identify patients with obesity and heart failure who underwent bariatric surgery from 2005 to 2015. Emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalization records from 1 year presurgery and up to 2 years postsurgery were compared. Results Our study identified 899 patients with heart failure who underwent bariatric surgery. In the year presurgery, 11.48% of patients had any ED visit or hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of heart failure. The rate decreased drastically in the first year after surgery, with only 3.70% of patients having any heart failure–related hospital visits. The rate of heart failure–related visits was also lower in the second year postsurgery (3.44%) compared with the year before surgery. The risk of heart failure–related hospital visits was lower in both the first year (odds ratio [OR], .29; 95% confidence interval [CI], .19–.43) and second year postsurgery (OR, .26; 95% CI, .17–.41; P Conclusions These findings suggest that bariatric interventions might be associated with decreased risks of ED visits or hospitalizations due to heart failure exacerbations in obese patients with preexisting heart failure.
Neuroscience applications of ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging: mesoscale functional imaging of the human brain

Abstract Functional MRI (fMRI) represents a key application of neuroimaging at ultra-high field strengths, because the dramatic increase in fMRI sensitivity with field strength enables new classes of experiments not possible at conventional field strengths. Recent insights indicate that, although fMRI tracks neural activity indirectly through measuring the associated hemodynamic responses, these hemodynamics are far more precisely coordinated than previously believed—perhaps at the fine spatial scale of the basic modules of functional architecture: cerebral cortical columns and layers. Thus the sensitivity boost provided at ultra-high fields can be utilized to increase the imaging resolution to enable investigations of mesoscale brain organization. This chapter surveys the current capabilities of fMRI at ultra-high fields, reviews what is currently known about the relationship between the fMRI signals and neural activity, showcases several illustrative applications of fMRI at ultra-high fields, and considers the role that ultra-high field fMRI can play in human neuroscience.
Generalized analysis of the direct weakly interacting massive particle searches

We perform a generalized analysis of data from WIMP search experiments for pointlike WIMPs of arbitrary spin and general Lorenz-invariant WIMP-nucleus interaction. We explicitly show that in the nonrelativistic limit only spin-independent (SI) and spin-dependent (SD) WIMP-nucleon interactions survive, which can be parametrized by only five independent parameters. We explore this five-dimensional parameter space to determine whether the annual modulation observed in the DAMA experiment can be consistent with all other experiments which reported null results. The pure SI interaction is ruled out except for a very small region of parameter space with the WIMP mass close to 50 GeV and the ratio of the WIMP-neutron to WIMP-proton SI couplings –0.77<=fn/fp<=–0.75. For the predominantly SD interaction, we find an upper limit on the WIMP mass of about 18 GeV, which can only be weakened if the constraint stemming from null searches for energetic neutrinos from WIMP annihilation the Sun is evaded. None of the regions of the parameter space that can reconcile all WIMP search results can be easily accommodated in the minimal supersymmetric standard model.
A tricistronic human adrenodoxin reductase-adrenodoxin-cytochrome P450 27A1 vector system for substrate hydroxylation in Escherichia coli.

Cytochrome P450 (P450) 27A1 catalyzes 27-hydroxylation of cholesterol and 25-hydroxylation of vitamin D3, serving as an important component for the maintenance of lipid homeostasis. In eukaryotic cells P450 27A1 is a membrane-bound protein located on the inner mitochondrial membrane and requires two auxiliary reduction partners, adrenodoxin (Adx) and NADPH-adrenodoxin reductase (Adr), for catalysis in the bile acid biosynthesis pathway. A strategy was developed for the functional coexpression of P450 27A1 with Adr and Adx in a tricistronic fashion (single RNA, three proteins) in Escherichia coli, mimicking the mitochondrial P450 system. Intact bacterial cells coexpressing the P450 vector (pTC27A1) efficiently hydroxylated cholesterol at the 27 position as well as vitamin D3 at the 25 position when supplemented with glycerol as a carbon source. Thus, E. coli containing pTC27A1 is able to hydroxylate cholesterol in a self-sufficient fashion and is suitable for further applications of protein interaction, drug discovery, and inhibitor evaluation and for the study of other mitochondrial P450s and oxysterol production in microorganisms without a need for membrane reconstitution, membrane simulation by detergents, or purification of the components.
An American Perspective on the New German Anti-Takeover Law

The new German Takeover Act contains anti-takeover provisions that reject the "board neutrality/shareholder choice" of the rejected draft of the 13th Directive. These anti-takeover provisions may have a particular (albeit temporary) justification as part of negotiating strategy to obtain a Directive with a "level playing field" approach to a wide variety of control barriers in the EU. This is because assent to cross-border mergers and the transnational economic integration associated with such mergers ultimately depends upon the control of economic nationalism. General vulnerability to takeover bids, in which acquirers who engage in value-reducing home country bias would face a control threat, can play a valuable role in controlling economic nationalism. Nevertheless, the German anti-takeover provisions would have much more adverse impact than the U.S. counterparts to which they are frequently compared. First, the favored U.S. defensive measure, the poison pill, is not available under prevailing German principles of preemptive rights and non-discrimination against any shareholder. German firms are likely to substitute irreversible, value-decreasing measures that were replaced in the U.S. by the pill, such as capital structure changes or asset dispositions. Second, the typical U.S. practice of annual shareholder elections of board members combined with heavy institutional investor ownership in large public firms means that managements are highly sensitive to public shareholder interests in considering a takeover bid. By contrast, German supervisory boards turn over much more slowly, and are co-determined. German management feels less legal and cultural pressure to adhere to public shareholder interests. Third, stock option-laden compensation packages make U.S. managers highly receptive to premium bids, especially because a takeover typically triggers the accelerated vesting of such options. German compensation arrangements do not now and, as a matter of culturally constraint, are unlikely to imitate the U.S. version. So if Germany insists too hard on a 13th Directive to its exact taste, it risks sacrificing internal and cross-border mergers that would produce efficiency gains and aid the EU transnational project.
Accelerated rate of mononuclear phagocyte production in vitro by splenocytes from autoimmune motheaten mice.

Abstract The rapidly fatal autoimmune disease accompanied by pneumonitis in the mutant mouse known as motheaten is caused by an autosomal recessive gene. The proliferative capacity and production rate of splenic mononuclear phagocytes at different maturational stages, defined by morphologic criteria, were examined by two in vitro tritiated thymidine administration protocols and radioautography. The replicative rate of splenic promonocytes from 3-week-old normal mice was found to approximate that of adult bone marrow cells. Monocytes, macrophages, and previously described macrophagelike cells from motheaten mice had an accelerated rate of maturation in vitro, compared with similar cells from normal mice. These differences in the production rates could be attributed to the shorter period of time that promonocytes from the mutant mice are in the S phase of the cell cycle. Evidence, also, verified that the macrophagelike cells were derived from promonocytes via the monocyte-macrophage compartment. The unusual in vitro growth characteristics of the splenic mononuclear phagocytes from motheaten mice could be a manifestation of an in vivo abnormality of this lineage that could contribute to the development of pulmonary disease in these animals.
Pero López de Ayala and the politics of rewriting the past

Around 1379, Pero Lopez de Ayala began work on the Cronica del rey don Pedro y del rey don Enrique to legitimize Enrique II's right to the crown of Castile. Ayala's historical narrative was an important part of Enrique's political program that justified not only his rule but also that of his descendants. However, less than ten years after its completion Ayala significantly rewrote the chronicle, rearranging, eliminating, and adding material to his previous work. Given the work's centrality to Trastamara legitimacy, why would Ayala change his earlier version? In this article, I argue that Ayala rewrote the chronicle to adapt to the changing historical, political, and literary context in which he was writing. I contend that the differences between the earlier version primitiva and the later version vulgar reflect the differences between the political programs of Enrique II and his immediate descendants, Juan I and Enrique III, and constitute a response to contemporary interpretations of the recent past.
Attenuated Influenza Virus Vaccines with Modified NS1 Proteins

The development of reverse genetics techniques allowing the rescue of influenza virus from plasmid DNA has opened up the possibility of inserting mutations into the genome of this virus for the generation of novel live attenuated influenza virus vaccines. Modifications introduced into the viral NS1 gene via reverse genetics have resulted in attenuated influenza viruses with promising vaccine potential. One of the main functions of the NS1 protein of influenza virus is the inhibition of the innate host type I interferon-mediated antiviral response. Upon viral infection, influenza viruses with modified NS1 genes induce a robust local type I interferon response that limits their replication, resulting in disease attenuation in different animal models. Nevertheless, these viruses can be grown to high titers in cell- and egg-based substrates with deficiencies in the type I IFN system. Intranasal inoculation of mice, pigs, horses, and macaques with NS1-modified influenza virus strains induced robust humoral and cellular immune responses, and generated immune protection against challenge with wild-type virus. This protective response was not limited to homologous strains of influenza viruses, as reduced replication of heterologous strains was also demonstrated in animals vaccinated with NS1-modified viruses, indicating the induction of a broad cross-neutralizing response by these vaccine candidates. The immunogenicity of NS1-modified viruses correlated with enhanced activation of antigen-presenting cells. While further studies on their safety and efficacy are still needed, the results obtained so far indicate that NS1-modified viruses could represent a new generation of improved influenza virus vaccines, and they suggest that modifying viral interferon antagonists in other virus families is a promising strategy for the generation of live attenuated virus vaccines.
Insulin-like growth factor-I stimulates Na+-dependent glutamine absorption in piglet enterocytes

Agents that enhance intestinal glutamine transport may be useful under conditions in which intestinal mucosal function is compromised. Here we examined whether oral administration of insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) stimulates absorption of L-glutamine in piglet intestine. Colostrum-deprived piglets received human recombinant IGF-I (3.5 mg/kg/day) or vehicle orogastrically every 8 hr for four days after birth. Piglets were killed on day 5 and the proximal jejunum was removed. Basal electrical parameters and L-glutamine-stimulated changes in short-circuit current were measured in muscle-stripped tissues, and rates of L-glutamine uptake were measured in everted jejunal sleeves. Oral IGF-I had no effect on jejunal mucosal mass. Short-circuit current responses to mucosal addition of 10 mM L-glutamine were increased by oral IGF-I. Total and carrier-mediated uptakes of L-glutamine per milligram were greater in tissues from IGF-I-treated piglets due to a significantly greater maximal rate of uptake (Jmax). Thus, oral administration of IGF-I stimulates Na+-dependent glutamine absorption in piglet small intestine, an effect that is independent of changes in intestinal mucosal mass.
Alphavirus neurovirulence: monoclonal antibodies discriminating wild-type from neuroadapted Sindbis virus.

Abstract Wild-type Sindbis virus strain AR339 (SV) and a neurovirulent mutant (NSV), derived by neonatal and weanling mouse brain passage, both cause acute fatal encephalitis in neonatal mice, but NSV alone kills adult mice. NSV cannot be distinguished from SV by immune sera or simple biochemical tests. To localize the molecular changes associated with neuroadaptation, we used a new array of 30 anti-SV monoclonal antibodies to probe for differences between SV and NSV in four tests: immunoprecipitation, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay binding, neutralization, and hemagglutination inhibition. Seventeen monoclonal antibodies detected differences. Both E1 and E2 glycoprotein gene products were altered during neuroadaptation, but the preponderance of changes was clustered on E2. The capsid protein C was not measurably altered. Mapping of both viruses with these monoclonal antibodies showed that during neuroadaptation SV topography substantially shifted, masking and unmasking biologically important neutralization and hemagglutination inhibition sites. These conformational rearrangements, predominantly on E2, coincided with the acquisition of increased neurovirulence and new lethality for adult mice.
Quality of Life among Treatment Seeking Methamphetamine-Dependent Individuals

As the number of men and women entering treatment for substance use disorders continues to increase across the country, it becomes vitally important to understand their quality of life (QOL) or perceived health status, in order to inform treatment efforts for improving such outcomes. To date, QOL assessments among methamphetamine (MA) dependent users are limited. This paper examines QOL health status among a sample of 838 treatment seeking MA users at admission. Using regression analysis, predictors of QOL are examined among MA users. Predictors of poor QOL among MA users at treatment admission included being female, white, high school educated or more, married, experiencing psychosocial dysfunction (lifetime trauma, suicide, social conflict), reporting a high frequency of both MA and polydrugs for 15 days or more in the past month, chronicity of MA and polydrug use, injection use, and having co-morbid medical and psychiatric impairment. Employment status was the only factor related to better health status perceptions. This study expands the scope of scholarly examination of MA-dependent users entering treatment, as there has not been a development of coherent profiles of QOL among representative samples of clinical MA-abusing populations to date.