cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Varicella-Zoster Virus Glycoprotein K (Open Reading Frame 5) and Its Role in Virus Growth

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is an alphaherpesvirus that is the causative agent of chickenpox and herpes zoster. VZV open reading frame 5 (ORF5) encodes glycoprotein K (gK), which is conserved among alphaherpesviruses. While VZV gK has not been characterized, and its role in viral replication is unknown, homologs of VZV gK in herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) and pseudorabies virus (PRV) have been well studied. To identify the VZV ORF5 gene product, we raised a polyclonal antibody against a fusion protein of ORF5 codons 25 to 122 with glutathione S-transferase and used it to study the protein in infected cells. A 40,000-molecular-weight protein was detected in cell-free virus by Western blotting. In immunogold electron microscopic studies, VZV gK was in enveloped virions and was evenly distributed in the cytoplasm in infected cells. To determine the function of VZV gK in virus growth, a series of gK deletion mutants were constructed with VZV cosmid DNA derived from the Oka strain. Full and partial deletions in gK prevented viral replication when the gK mutant cosmids were transfected into melanoma cells. Insertion of the HSV-1 (KOS) gK gene into the endogenous VZV gK site did not compensate for the deletion of VZV gK. The replacement of VZV gK at a nonnative AvrII site in the VZV genome restored the phenotypic characteristics of intact recombinant Oka (rOka) virus. Moreover, gK complementing cells transfected with a full gK deletion mutant exhibited viral plaques indistinguishable from those of rOka. Our results are consistent with the studies of gK proteins of HSV-1 and PRV showing that gK is indispensable for viral replication.
Abdominal Emergencies in Infancy and Childhood

The well-known phrase that children are not small adults is eminently applicable to pediatric abdominal emergencies, not only because of differences in physiology and metabolism, but also because of a different clinical spectrum of abdominal emergencies, their presentation, and management. This chapter focuses on abdominal surgical emergencies in infants and small children. Neonatal emergencies are omitted as you are unlikely to encounter them unless you are a specialist pediatric surgeon.
Guinea pig 5-HT transporter: cloning, expression, distribution, and function in intestinal sensory reception.

Studies of the guinea pig small intestine have suggested that serotonin (5-HT) may be a mucosal transmitter that stimulates sensory nerves and initiates peristaltic and secretory reflexes. We teste...
The design and implementation of the MESSENGER trajectory database

The MESSENGER trajectory database provides an informative and captivating means of depicting the planned trajectory and mission plan for NASA's MESSENGER Mercury Orbiter Discovery mission scheduled to launch in 2004. The database comprises state of the art in information retrieval techniques to effectively serve the MESSENGER development and operations team, educators, students, broadcast media, and the general public. In addition, database contains features to minimize site maintenance through automation and the creation of standard format files during development and post-launch operation. In this paper we discuss the design and implementation of the MESSENGER trajectory database. In particular, we discuss the architectural design and its integration with NAIF's SPICE toolkit using, XML and J2EE technologies.
Creating Entrepreneurial Opportunities as a Means to Maintain Entrepreneurial Talent in Corporations

Abstract This paper considers how to retain the right talent to support corporate entrepreneurial interests such as internal corporate ventures by taking a new look at why individuals leave corporations and become entrepreneurs. We sought to first examine why entrepreneurs leave. The job satisfaction model tests the popular belief that individuals quit due to dissatisfaction. This is compared to the person-environment (P-E) fit model that theorizes individuals are pushed away and pulled into environments that present a better fit. In all, 715 nascent entrepreneurs were compared with 399 employees by regression and graphic analyses. Contrary to conventional wisdom, we found that for these entrepreneurs, dissatisfaction does not precede the entrepreneurial exodus from established companies. Rather, the perceptions of their new venture’s competitive certainty and financial certainty pull them into new business ventures. Implications and suggestions for the managers are discussed.
Vertebral artery injury after blunt cervical trauma: an update.

Abstract Background Vertebral artery injury (VAI) after blunt cervical trauma has been considered to be rare. The incidence of VAI has increased dramatically within the last decade after a heightened awareness of this entity on the part of spine surgeons. Diagnostic or therapeutic guidelines for VAI have not been established fully, however. Methods A review of the literature published between 1990 and 2004 was conducted. Results The incidence of VAI among total blunt trauma admissions ranged from 0.20% to 0.77%. Most VAI patients remained asymptomatic, but sudden unexpected deterioration was often reported. Distraction/extension, distraction/flexion, and lateral flexion injuries were the major mechanisms of injury. Dissection and occlusion were the frequent vascular injury patterns. Facet joint dislocations and the fractures extending into the transverse foramen were the spine injury patterns closely associated with VAI. Digital subtraction angiography was the most sensitive imaging study, but because of invasiveness, its role as a screening study remained questionable. Neuroradiological intervention was used successfully to treat hemorrhagic VAI and progressing vertebrobasilar stroke. Systemic anticoagulation with heparin was the preferred treatment for mild ischemia. Treatment of asymptomatic patients has been controversial because the natural history of VAI has not been elucidated. Prophylactic anticoagulation with heparin or the use of antiplatelet agents was advocated in recent studies. Conclusions Preemptive treatment may be reasonable in selected patients considering the devastating potentials of VAI. The potential risks of heparin or antiplatelet agents in relation to early cervical spine surgery have not been addressed fully, however, and spine surgeons have to weigh the risk and benefit of such treatment cautiously.
Optimization with fuzzy linear programming and fuzzy knowledge base

Due to the complexity of modern systems, a decision process is most often dependent at least in part on qualitative reasoning, especially in the case where human involvement is important. The paper proposes an optimization methodology-fuzzy linear programming coordinated with a fuzzy linguistic knowledge base-to handle quantitative and qualitative information simultaneously. In this approach, fuzzy linear programming is used to model quantitatively the basic resource constraints and objective functions, while a linguistic knowledge base is used to model imprecise human expertise. Freight train dispatching, in which a physical rail network is very complex and human expertise of a yardmaster plays an important role in decision making, illustrates the application. >
Sparse Representation for Prediction of HIV-1 Protease Drug Resistance

HIV rapidly evolves drug resistance in response to antiviral drugs used in AIDS therapy. Estimating the specific resistance of a given strain of HIV to individual drugs from sequence data has important benefits for both the therapy of individual patients and the development of novel drugs. We have developed an accurate classification method based on the sparse representation theory, and demonstrate that this method is highly effective with HIV-1 protease. The protease structure is represented using our newly proposed encoding method based on Delaunay triangulation, and combined with the mutated amino acid sequences of known drug-resistant strains to train a machine-learning algorithm both for classification and regression of drug-resistant mutations. An overall cross-validated classification accuracy of 97% is obtained when trained on a publically available data base of approximately 1.5×104 known sequences (Stanford HIV database http://hivdb.stanford.edu/cgi-bin/GenoPhenoDS.cgi). Resistance to four FDA approved drugs is computed and comparisons with other algorithms demonstrate that our method shows significant improvements in classification accuracy.
Magnetic susceptibility of brain iron is associated with childhood spatial IQ

Iron is an essential micronutrient for healthy brain function and development. Because of the importance of iron in the brain, iron deficiency results in widespread and lasting effects on behavior and cognition. We measured iron in the basal ganglia of young children using a novel MRI method, quantitative susceptibility mapping, and examined the association of brain iron with age and cognitive performance. Participants were a community sample of 39 young children recruited from pediatric primary care who were participating in a 5-year longitudinal study of child brain development and anxiety disorders. The children were ages 7 to 11years old (mean age: 9.5years old) at the time of the quantitative susceptibility mapping scan. The differential abilities scale was administered when the children were 6years old to provide a measure of general intelligence and verbal (receptive and expressive), non-verbal, and spatial performance. Magnetic susceptibility values, which are linearly related to iron concentration in iron-rich areas, were extracted from regions of interest within iron-rich deep gray matter nuclei from the basal ganglia, including the caudate, putamen, substantia nigra, globus pallidus, and thalamus. Controlling for scan age, there was a significant positive association between iron in the basal ganglia and spatial IQ, with this effect being driven by iron in the right caudate We also replicated previous findings of a significant positive association between iron in the bilateral basal ganglia and age. Our finding of a positive association between spatial IQ and mean iron in the basal ganglia, and in the caudate specifically, suggests that iron content in specific regions of the iron-rich deep nuclei of the basal ganglia influences spatial intelligence. This provides a potential neurobiological mechanism linking deficits in spatial abilities reported in children who were severely iron deficient as infants to decreased iron within the caudate.
Dissection of Levels II Through V Is Required for Optimal Outcomes in Patients with Lateral Neck Lymph Node Metastasis from Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Background Completeness of surgical resection is an important determinant of outcomes in patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and regional lymph node metastasis. The extent of therapeutic lateral neck dissection remains controversial. This study aims to assess the impact of modified radical neck dissection of levels II to V in a large patient series. Study Design Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma who underwent lateral neck dissection at a single institution from June 1, 2006 to December 31, 2014 was performed. Results A total of 241 lateral neck dissections were performed in 191 patients (118 [62%] women; median age 46 years [range 6 to 87 years]; median follow-up 14.3 months [range 0.1 to 107 months]). Overall, 202 initial neck dissections (195 modified radical neck dissections and 7 less extensive dissections) were performed. Among these initial dissections, 137 (68.8%), 132 (65.7%), 105 (52.0%), and 33 (16.9%) had positive lymph nodes in levels II, III, IV, and V, respectively. Ipsilateral lymph node persistence or recurrence occurred after 22 (10.9%) initial dissections, at level II in 10 (45.5%), level III in 8 (36.4%), level IV in 7 (31.8%), and level V in 3 (13.6%). Thirty-nine reoperative lateral neck dissection were performed, including 18 cases of persistence and recurrence after our initial dissections. In reoperative dissections, positive lymph nodes were confirmed in levels II, III, IV, and V in 18 (46.2%), 10 (25.6%), 13 (33.3%), and 5 (12.8%) dissections, respectively. Temporary nerve injury occurred in 6 (3.0%) initial and 4 (10.3%) reoperative dissections, respectively. There were no permanent nerve injuries. Conclusions Omitting levels II and V during lateral neck dissection for papillary thyroid carcinoma potentially misses level II disease in two-thirds of patients and level V disease in one-fifth of patients. Formal modified radical neck dissection is necessary to avoid the morbidity of reoperative surgery.
Structural Defects in GaN Epilayers Grown by Gas Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy

Single crystal cubic or hexagonal GaN thin films have been grown on various substrates, using a modified gas source MBE technique. A standard effusion cell was employed for the evaporation of gallium. A compact electron cyclotron resonance plasma source was used to activate the nitrogen prior to deposition. The films were examined by transmission electron microscopy. The major defects in the wurtzite GaN were double positioning boundaries, inversion domain boundaries, and dislocations. The zinc-blende GaN showed microtwins, stacking faults, and dislocations. The connection between the observed structural defects and the poor electrical properties of GaN is noted.
Fruit-Based Tolerance to Damage by Beet Armyworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Tomato

Damage to fruit of eight accessions and cultivated varieties of tomato by natural infestations of beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner), in Southern California ranged from 0.1 to 10%. This field damage was significantly correlated with 9-d weight and survival of S. exigua larvae reared to pupation from third instar in the laboratory on fruit of these tomato test entries. Two accessions of Lycopersicon esculentum variety cerasiforme and one small-fruited cultivated variety of L. esculentum sustained lowest damage in the field (1–50% of susceptible controls). S. exigua larvae had reduced survival and reduced 9-d weight (≈20% of susceptible controls). Time to pupation was also increased on these three lines (30% greater than controls). The resistant fruits had high concentrations of total glycoalkaloids in the fruit tissue (5.4 to 25.4 mg/g dry weight versus 1.8 mg/g in a susceptible fruit) and this may have been the basis of the antibiosis. Phytosterol concentrations in the fruits were not sufficiently high to potentially alleviate glycoalkaloid toxicity. In binary choice tests between fruit and foliage of the most resistant line, L. esculentum variety cerasiforme LA 1320, larvae of S. exigua fed on fruit 70% less than larvae in choice tests between the fruit and foliage of susceptible ‘VFN 7718’. Larval nonpreference for fruit apparently contributes to resistance in LA 1320. The resistance to S. exigua , of LA 1320 predicted by this mechanism, is close to observed levels of resistance in the field.
Research on reservoir depositional character of Xujiaweizi fault depression forth fragment of Yingcheng formation in Xingcheng development region

Based on recognization of structure evolution and sedimentary ground,in this region by observing and describing carefully on cores,using contemporary sedimentology and logging seismic date synthetically,this article analyzed the type and character of depositional system and time-space evolution rule of depositional system about Xu jia wei zi fault depression Xingcheng development region and confirmed that this region is fan delta-lake depositional system,then set relevant depositional model to analyze and elaborate relation between sedimentary fancies band and oil-gas.
How to Identify Specialized Research Communities Related to a Researcher's Changing Interests

Scholarly events and venues are increasing rapidly in number. This poses a challenge for researchers who seek to identify events and venues related to their work in order to draw more efficiently and comprehensively from published research and to share their own findings more effectively. Such efforts are hampered also by the fact that no rating system yet exists to assist researchers in culling the venues most relevant to their current readings and interests. This study describes a methodology we developed in response to this need, one that recommends scholarly venues related to researchers' specific interests according to personalized social web indicators. Our experiments applying our proposed rating and recommendation method show that it outperforms the baseline venue recommendations in terms of accuracy and ranking quality.
Isolation of Cytochrome P-450 Genes from Vernonia Galamensis

Vernolic (cis-12,13-epoxy-cis-9-octadecenoic) acid is an epoxy fatty acid which accumulates in the triglyceride of a few plant species such as Vernonia galamensis and Euphorbia lagascae. Vernolic acid has industrial applications such as in paints, plastic formulations, and protective coatings (1).
Estrogen Therapy in 2017

After the publication of the Women’s Health Initiative, there was a dramatic reduction in prescriptions for menopausal hormonal therapy (MHT). We performed a literature search and reviewed major society guidelines to discuss recommendations and practice since 2010 regarding MHT. While not recommended for management and prevention of chronic diseases, MHT offers relief for bothersome menopausal symptoms. For vasomotor symptoms and vaginal atrophy, low-dose estrogen therapy (systemic and vaginally, respectively) provided effective relief of symptoms and improved quality of life. For cognitive and mood related effects, MHT had little benefit. Consideration of MHT for menopausal symptoms should be part of an overall strategy including lifestyle recommendations regarding diet, exercise, smoking cessation, and safe levels of alcohol consumption for maintaining the health of peri- and postmenopausal women. Future research should examine best practices for tapering therapy and monitoring for endometrial cancer risk.
It Takes Two To Misprice: Investor Horizons and Earnings Announcements

I study how investor horizons affect the price reaction of the stocks to earnings announcements. In the theory, short-run investors trade frequently, while long-run traders hold and trade on fundamentals. The model predicts that the reaction to an earnings announcement is shifted downward for stocks held short-term relative to those held long-term: a positive earnings surprise is less of a positive; a negative surprise is a larger negative. I test this prediction. I find that the reaction to earnings for ``short-term securities'' is dominated by the corresponding reaction for 'long-term securities.' The discrepancy persists over 75 days. These results are independent of security characteristics; they are robust to controls that capture various aspects of growth or value stocks.
Deviations on a theme: Peat patterning in sub-tropical landscapes

Abstract Patterned landscapes have long been a popular setting to test hypotheses about the effects of processes on ecosystem structure. The combination of scale-dependent and positive feedback theory is one of the most well-supported in current literature, each explaining separate aspects of patterned peatlands. These theories have been developed from dynamics in boreal peatlands and tested in boreal systems, but the mechanisms that control peat patterning in a sub-tropical system have yet to be acknowledged in theory. Statistical evidence for different mechanisms are present in the biophysical features of sub-tropical patterned peatlands, such as the ridge and slough landscape (RSL) within the greater Everglades wetland system. We use data from the RSL to test whether features of a sub-tropical, patterned peatland conform to positive and scale-dependent feedback patterning theories developed in boreal peatlands and use dynamic simulation to explain our results. The analysis of surface elements and nutrient differences within the RSL and our dynamic simulations indicate that positive and scale-dependent feedback may not be appropriate theories for sub-tropical peat patterning. Decomposition, rather than production, appears to be more important for abrupt microtopographical elevation differences, and differential nutrient concentrations are due to vegetation types, rather than increased evapotranspiration from greater vascular plant growth. Our model expands on the current theories for RSL maintenance, incorporating vegetation types and life history traits into differential peat deposition, which create the signature microtopographical differences found in the Everglades, and demonstrates that the underlying ecological patterning processes in sub-tropical peatlands are likely very different from boreal peatlands and require further discussion and study.
A miniature imaging payload for nanosatellites

Visible light imagery is one of the most common data products of remote sensing satellites and is of particular importance for Earth-based disaster response and management, national defense, and numerous Earth science studies. However, size, mass, and power constraints impose severe limitations on payload designs, especially imaging systems whose fields of view and resolutions are dictated primarily by their physical dimensions. In this paper, the capabilities of multiple platforms are investigated for use in small satellites. Based on power consumption, processing speed, interface adaptability, and reliability in extreme conditions, three platforms were chosen for further investigation: the BeagleBone Black, the Raspberry Pi 1 B+, and the BeagleBoard-xM. This paper focuses primarily on planned development of the Raspberry Pi 1 into a functioning imaging payload system.
Say goodbye to virtualization for a safer cloud

When it comes to isolation on the cloud, conventional wisdom holds that virtual machines (VMs) provide greater isolation than containers because of their low-level interface to the host. A lower-level interface reduces the amount of code and complexity needed in the kernel that must be relied upon for isolation. However, it is incorrectly assumed that virtualization mechanisms are required to achieve a low-level interface suitable for isolation. In this paper, we argue that the interface to the host can be lowered for any application by moving kernel components to userspace. We show that using a userspace network stack results in a 33% reduction in kernel code usage, which is 20% better than when resorting to virtualization mechanisms and using a VM.
Dithioesters: simple, tunable, cysteine-selective H2S donors

Dithioesters have a rich history in polymer chemistry for RAFT polymerizations and are readily accessible through different synthetic methods. Here we demonstrate that the dithioester functional group is a tunable motif that releases H2S upon reaction with cysteine and that structural and electronic modifications enable the rate of cysteine-mediated H2S release to be modified. In addition, we use (bis)phenyl dithioester to carry out kinetic and mechanistic investigations, which demonstrate that the initial attack by cysteine is the rate-limiting step of the reaction. These insights are further supported by complementary DFT calculations. We anticipate that the results from these investigations will allow for the further development of dithioesters as important chemical motifs for studying H2S chemical biology.
Molecular diagnostics in medical mycology

Diagnosing fungal infections poses a number of unique problems, including a decline in expertise needed for identifying fungi, and a reduced number of instruments and assays specific for fungal identification compared to that of bacteria and viruses.These problems are exacerbated by the fact that patients with fungal infections are often immunosuppressed, which predisposes to infections from both commonly and rarely seen fungi. In this review, we discuss current and future molecular technologies used for fungal identification, and some of the problems associated with development and implementation of these technologies in today's clinical microbiology laboratories.
CHAPTER 8 – Tools and Techniques to Facilitate Eating Behavior Change

This chapter discusses the tools and techniques for applying education and behavior change theories in the practice of medical nutrition therapy. The process of implementing medical nutrition therapy is not as straightforward and is based on thorough assessment of each client's lifestyle, capabilities, and motivation to change. Today's nutrition counselor must draw on knowledge from the biomedical and behavioral sciences to define the nutrition prescription and design an intervention that can truly impact eating. The traditional model for delivery of nutrition interventions is an individual consultation in health care settings. Moreover, increased focus on chronic disease prevention has resulted in an enhanced need for nutrition education at a time when economic constraints in health care have led to a decline in traditional hospital-based nutrition counseling services. The challenge in clinical nutrition is to prevent or treat disease by changing people's eating habits. Research on nutrition education is extensive but not conclusive. There is consensus on two elements: (1) Education needs to be tailored to the individual's learning needs and (2) both education and behavior change tech- niques are necessary. Understanding factors that inﬂuence the learning and behavior change processes enables better selection of educational tools and techniques to make counseling more effective. The stages of change model is a useful technique for tailoring education to the individual and applying behavior change strategies.
Improving Atom-Type Diversity and Sampling in Cosolvent Simulations Using λ-Dynamics

Cosolvent molecular dynamics (MD) simulations perform MD simulations of the protein in explicit water mixed with cosolvent molecules that represent functional groups of ligands potentially binding to the protein. The competition between different probes and water molecules allows the identification of the energetic preference of functional groups in different binding site moieties including enthalpic and entropic contributions. Cosolvent MD simulations have recently been applied to a variety of different questions in structure-based drug design but still have significant shortcomings. Among those issues is the limited chemical diversity of probe molecules ignoring the chemical context of the pharmacophoric feature represented by a probe. Here we present a novel cosolvent MD simulation method based on the λ-dynamics simulation concept that significantly increases the chemical diversity of functional groups investigated during cosolvent simulations. Application to four different test cases highlights the ut...
Association of the cumulative burden of late-life anxiety and depressive symptoms with functional impairment.

Objectives This study investigates the association of the cumulative burden of anxiety-only, depression-only, and comorbid anxiety and depression symptoms with (a) incident self-care or household activities impairment among those with no baseline self-care or household activities impairment, respectively, or (b) change in status of self-care or household activities impairment among those with baseline impairment. Methods This study consists of participants (N = 4619) from the National Health and Aging Trends Study, a longitudinal study that examines a nationally representative sample of US adults aged 65 years and older. Outcomes included incident or change in self-care or household activity impairment. Primary independent variables were yearly counts of screening positive for clinically significant symptoms for anxiety-only, depression-only, or co-occurring anxiety and depression. Multivariable logistic regression models examined incident impairment and change in impairment status. Results Yearly counts of anxiety-only symptoms were associated with incident impairment in self-care and household activities and less improvement in self-care functioning. Yearly counts of depression-only symptoms were associated with incident impairment in self-care and household activities. Yearly counts of co-occurring symptoms of anxiety and depression were associated with incident impairment in self-care and household activities, less improvement in self-care activities, and worsening impairment in household activities. Conclusions This study finds that the cumulative burden of co-occurring anxiety and depression symptoms is associated with incident impairment in functioning, persistent self-care impairment, and deterioration in household activity impairment. These findings emphasize the importance of managing late-life anxiety and depressive symptoms, which are treatable, frequently co-occur, and contribute to disability.
Detecting Asks in SE attacks: Impact of Linguistic and Structural Knowledge.

Social engineers attempt to manipulate users into undertaking actions such as downloading malware by clicking links or providing access to money or sensitive information. Natural language processing, computational sociolinguistics, and media-specific structural clues provide a means for detecting both the ask (e.g., buy gift card) and the risk/reward implied by the ask, which we call framing (e.g., lose your job, get a raise). We apply linguistic resources such as Lexical Conceptual Structure to tackle ask detection and also leverage structural clues such as links and their proximity to identified asks to improve confidence in our results. Our experiments indicate that the performance of ask detection, framing detection, and identification of the top ask is improved by linguistically motivated classes coupled with structural clues such as links. Our approach is implemented in a system that informs users about social engineering risk situations.
Public Firm Borrowers of the US Paycheck Protection Program

We document that nearly half of US public firms were eligible for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) in 2020, with 41.8% of those eligible choosing to borrow. Consistent with the program's objectives, borrowers tended to be smaller with less cash, higher leverage, and fewer investment opportunities. In addition, firm values declined upon PPP loan announcement and borrowers grew slower in 2020 relative to nonborrowers. We document that 13.5% of PPP borrowers, in particular those facing more public scrutiny, returned their loans after public backlash. Overall, concerns of reputational harm appeared to dissuade eligible public firms from availing emergency government funding.
Ars moriendi – Ritual- und Textgeschichte

Die seelsorgerliche Sterbebegleitung hat im Christentum eine lange Tradition, die bis in die Antike zuruckreicht. Im Laufe des Mittelalters gewinnt die Sterbestunde zunehmend an Bedeutung fur das ewige Heil bzw. die ewige Verdammung der menschlichen Seele. Handreichungen fur Sterbende und fur Seelsorger am Sterbebett entwickeln sich zu einer eigenen Literaturgattung; diese wird in der Reformationszeit in veranderter Form fortgefuhrt.
Stemming a Rising Tide: Why the Clean Air Act Following Massachusetts v. E.P.A. Provides a Sensible Vehicle Through Which to Regulate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Imagine ocean levels rising because of global ice melt. Imagine the next ice age beginning due to the increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Imagine global plant life dying as a result of rising global temperatures. Imagine a fundamental shift in marine life as a direct consequence of the acidification of the world’s waters. Finally, imagine increased greenhouse gases causing no impact on the world’s biospheres at all. Scientists have predicted all of these possible results, and, while most reputable scientists agree that global climate change is real, there is far less agreement in the scientific community as to what the end result of man’s dependence on fossil fuels will eventually be. So what should humanity do in the face of this uncertainty? Should we sit idly by in the hopes that the world will recover on its own? Or should humanity foster technological innovation through incentivization and regulation that may help avert any and all of these possible crises? This note argues that the very uncertainty as to the effects of a changing atmospheric composition should be the motivation needed to finally address humanity’s addiction to carbon-laden fossil fuels. But in order to do this, society must make several difficult choices. If we choose to address these problems, luckily, the current regulatory framework of the United States provides a good starting point through which we can reach a comprehensive solution and stem the rising tide of greenhouse gas emissions.
Blood Oxygen Level-Dependent Lag Patterns Differ Between Rest and Task Conditions, but Are Largely Typical in Autism.

Background/Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by atypical functional connectivity (FC) within and between distributed brain networks. However, FC findings have often been...
E-078 Pipeline embolization of proximal middle cerebral artery aneurysms: A multicenter cohort study

Introduction/Purpose Flow diversion of aneurysms located in the M1 segment and middle cerebral artery bifurcation with Pipeline embolization device is sometimes performed, but further study is needed to support its regular use in aneurysm treatment. Here, we report measures of safety and efficacy for Pipeline embolization in the proximal middle cerebral artery in a multi-center cohort. Materials and Methods Clinical and angiographic data of eligible patients undergoing Pipeline embolization of aneurysms located in the M1 segment and middle cerebral artery bifurcation were retrospectively obtained from participating centers and assessed for key clinical, angiographic, and cross-sectional imaging outcomes. Additional details were extracted for patients with complications. Results In our multi-center cohort, complete aneurysm occlusion was achieved in 71% (17/24) of treated aneurysms. There were no deaths or disabling strokes, but non-disabling ischemic strokes occurred in 8% (2/24) of patients. For aneurysms in the M1 segment, complete aneurysm occlusion was observed in 75% (12/16) of aneurysms, aneurysm volume reduction was observed in 100% (16/16) of aneurysms, and non-disabling ischemic strokes occurred in 13% (2/16) of patients. An illustrative example of an M1 aneurysm treated with PED is provided in figure 1. For aneurysms at the middle cerebral artery bifurcation, complete aneurysm occlusion was observed in 63% (5/8) of aneurysms, aneurysm volume reduction occurred in 88% (7/8) of aneurysms, and ischemic or hemorrhagic complications occurred in 0% (0/8) of patients. 19% (3/16) of patients that remained asymptomatic in the follow-up period and underwent cross-sectional imaging had clinically silent basal ganglia infarcts identified. Conclusion Pipeline embolization of cerebral aneurysms in the M1 segment and middle cerebral artery bifurcation demonstrated a 71% rate of complete aneurysm occlusion. There were no deaths or disabling strokes, but there was an 8% rate of non-disabling ischemic strokes. Further work is necessary to describe the long-term effects of silent basal ganglia infarcts caused by PED. Disclosures D. Lauzier: None. B. Root: None. Y. Kayan: 2; C; Microvention, Penumbra, Medtronic. J. Delgado Almandoz: 2; C; Medtronic, Microvention. J. Osbun: 2; C; Medtronic, Microvention. A. Chatterjee: None. K. Whaley: None. M. Tipps: None. C. Moran: 2; C; Medtronic, Cerenovus. A. Kansagra: 2; C; Penumbra, Microvention, iSchemaView.
Tricuspid Regurgitant Jet Velocity Point-of-Care Ultrasound Curriculum Development and Validation

Introduction: The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) recommends that Emergency Medicine physicians with advanced training can evaluate right ventricular (RV) pressures via point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) by measuring a tricuspid regurgitant jet (TRJ). We were unable to find a published curriculum to deliver education for this at any skill level. Therefore, we developed, delivered, and evaluated a curriculum for the assessment of TRJ for novice physician sonographers. Methods: We designed an educational intervention for novice physician sonographers. The curriculum was created using a modified Delphi methodology. All novice sonographers participated in the educational intervention which consisted of a didactic lecture followed by hands-on-deliberate practice on healthy medical student volunteers with expert feedback in a simulated setting. Sonographer’s knowledge was assessed at 3 time points: pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 3 months post-intervention (retention assessment) by multiple choice exam. Results: Nine novice physician sonographers participated in the intervention. Mean exam performance increased from 55.6% [standard deviation (SD) 11.3%] on the pre-intervention exam to 94.4% (SD 7.3%) on the post-intervention exam and 92.9% (SD 12.5%) on the retention exam. The mean improvement between the pre- and post- exam was +38.9% (95% CI 31.8 - 46.0), and between the pre-exam and retention exam +37.1% (95% CI 22.3 - 52.0). Conclusion: Sonographer knowledge of TRJ assessment improved following a brief educational intervention as measured by exam performance. Given the expanding role of POCUS it is increasingly important to provide effective resources for teaching these skills. This work establishes the basis for further study and implementation of our TRJ curriculum.
Petronius the Poet: Verse and Literary Tradition in the Satyricon

The ancient novel, previously relegated to the margins of literary study, has recently taken its place at centre stage. Petronius' Satyricon, the oldest surviving work of prose fiction, is in many respects an arrestingly modern ancient novel but the inclusion within it of thirty short poems and two long ones introduces an alien feature in need of investigation. In this study, Catherine Connors draws on developments in Latin literary criticism to take a comprehensive approach to the Satyricon's poems, reminiscences of poetic texts, and the figure of the poet, assessing the ways in which they fragment and refashion established literary forms into a new amalgam of prose fiction. This book will be of interest to students of Latin literature, Neronian culture, and the early history of the novel. All Latin and Greek is translated.
Archaeology, science and forensic anthropology: a tribute to Dr T. Dale Stewart.

The name, T. Dale Stewart is synonymous with physical anthropology. To many members of the physical anthropology section, particularly those born in the latter half of this century, he is perhaps best known for his 1979 Essentials of Forensic Anthropology. Without a doubt, much of the foundation of this discipline rests upon his teachings and influence. Few knew him in the capacity that William M. Bass did, as T. Dale Stewart was a member of Bass' doctoral committee. Bass was greatly influenced during the time he spent working with Dr. Stewart in the 1950's and the instruction and guidance Stewart instilled in Bass has and will continue to be passed on to subsequent generations. Research was Dale Stewart's main emphasis and he succeeded in demonstrating the value of investigation and how results were crucial in explaining many of the processes manifest on skeletal material. Clearly his hypothesis-based approach became essential to skeletal biology and numerous procedures and methods employed in the field are synonymous with the teachings of Dr. T. Dale Stewart. By reflecting on several recently completed interdisciplinary research projects, the far-reaching impact of his knowledge and instruction can be demonstrated.
Isolation/Purification of Proteins

Scientists have been engaged in the endeavor of protein isolation since it was first realized that proteins were individual molecular entities that could be differentiated from their environment. It is usually necessary to obtain them in pure form in order to determine their function and define their properties. Differences in the location, solubility, charge, size, and biological affinity of each protein can be exploited to produce a pure protein. This article presents the various methods available to accomplish a successful purification.
Methods for assessing the impacts of ultraviolet-B radiation on aquatic invertebrates

A standard methodology for assessing the impacts of simulated solar ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) on aquatic invertebrates was established. A solar simulator was used to expose a variety of aquatic invertebrates to different levels of UV-B. The simulator was calibrated as close as possible to match local ambient solar radiation measured in and out of water with a scanning spectroradiometer. A series of repeated exposures were conducted to determine the effects of UV-B on two species of Ceriodaphnia. Survivorship of C. reticulata declined with increasing UV-B with 100% mortality occurring after four daily 5 hr exposures to a UV-B irradiance that was 14% of ambient sunlight (40.8μW/cm 2 ) and 70% mortality for C. dubia after seven days of an exposure to 5% of ambient (14.5μW/cm 2 ). Significant reductions in fertility (#young/adult) was observed in both low and high light adapted individuals with low light individuals appearing to be more sensitive. This methodology allowed us to make comparisons to natural conditions in aquatic habitats and to make risk assessments for individual species.
On the restricted Lie algebra structure for the Witt Lie algebra in finite characteristic

We show that the p-operator in the Witt algebra (the restricted Lie algebra of derivations of the quotient of the polynomial algebra over a field of characteristic p by the ideal generated by the p-th power of the indeterminant) is given by multiplication by a scalar.
Identifying Novel Protein-Protein Interactions Using Co-Immunoprecipitation and Mass Spectroscopy

Proteomics has evolved from genomic science due to the convergence of advances in protein chemistry, separations, mass spectroscopy, and peptide and protein databases. Where identifying protein-protein interactions was once limited to yeast two-hybrid analyses or empirical data, protein-protein interactions can now be examined in both cells and native tissues by precipitation of the protein complex of interest. Coupling this field to receptor pharmacology has recently allowed for the identification of proteins that differentially and selectively interact with receptors and are integral to their biological effects. It is becoming increasingly apparent that receptors in neurons do not exist as singular independent units, but rather are part of large macromolecular complexes of interacting proteins. It is a primary quest of neuroscience to piece together these interactions and to characterize the regulatory signalplexes of all proteins. This unit presents co-immunoprecipitation-coupled mass spectroscopy as one way of identifying signalplex partners.
Increased fall-related mortality rates in New Mexico, 1999-2005.

Objective. In 2000, fall injuries affected 30% of U.S. residents aged 65 years and cost $19 billion. In 2005, New Mexico (NM) had the highest fall-related mortality rate in the United States. We described factors associated with these elevated fall-related mortality rates. Methods. To better understand the epidemiology of fatal falls in NM, we used state and national (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System) vital records data for 1999–2005 to identify unintentional falls that were the underlying cause of death. We calculated age-adjusted mortality rates, rate ratios (RRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by sex, ethnicity, race, and year. Results. For 1999–2005 combined, NM’s fall-related mortality rate (11.7 per 100,000 population) was 2.1 times higher than the U.S. rate (5.6 per 100,000 population). Elevated RRs persisted when stratified by sex (male RR52.0, female RR52.2), ethnicity (Hispanic RR52.5, non-Hispanic RR52.1), race (white RR52.0, black RR51.7, American Indian RR52.3, and Asian American/Pacific Islander RR53.1), and age (50 years RR52.0, 50 years RR51.2). Fall-related mortality rates began to increase exponentially at age 50 years, which was 15 years younger than the national trend. NM non-Hispanic individuals had the highest demographic-specific fall-related mortality rate (11.8 per 100,000 population, 95% CI 11.0, 12.5). NM’s 69.5% increase in fall-related mortality rate was approximately twice the U.S. increase (31.9%); the increase among non-Hispanic people (86.2%) was twice that among Hispanic people (43.5%). Conclusions. NM’s fall-related mortality rate was twice the U.S. rate; exhibited a greater increase than the U.S. rate; and persisted across sex, ethnicity, and race. Fall-related mortality disproportionately affects a relatively younger population in NM. Characterizing fall etiology will assist in the development of effective prevention measures.
FDA's priority-based assessment of food additives. III. Specific toxicity parameters

We examine in greater depth some general toxicity parameters that have been compiled for food additives in the Priority-Based Assessment of Food Additives project. Correlations between chemical structure categories and basic parameters such as lowest effect level, highest no-effect level, and study duration indicate (among other things) trends in these parameters that are consistent in magnitude and direction with the Concern Level break points proposed in the FDA's Redbook. Certain data on the nature and extent of observed toxic effects of additives, when related to corresponding estimated levels of human intake, help to provide a profile of toxicological characteristics of a number of the regulated additives. The resulting breadth of such a profile reinforces the need for systematic priority setting in the allocation of resources to potential food additive safety concerns.
Role of particulate contamination on tribology of padded and load/unload picosliders

The effect of particulate contamination on friction and wear at the head-disk interface (HDI) for load/unload picosliders and contact start stop padded picosliders are studied. Load/unload picosliders performed better than padded picosliders in the presence of particulate contamination. Disk wear was higher for harder and smaller size particles. Disk speed and particle size play a major role in the HDI wear. Loading and unloading of slider does not deteriorate the HDI to an extent to which contact start stop does. Track following causes more and early disk damage as compared to sweeping though the load/unload picoslider which shows better performance. Contamination of the HDI causes wear of pads eventually leading to partial or complete removal of pads.
Regulation of Pancreatic Secretion

Following a meal, the pancreas secretes pancreatic juice and enzymes necessary for the digestion of food. This secretion is regulated by highly integrated neural and hormonal influences that involve the brain, enteric nervous system, and gastrointestinal tract. Although these processes are complex, they illustrate the finely regulated system that is needed for maintaining sufficient secretion of pancreatic enzymes that are essential for adequate digestion of nutrients. This chapter describes the roles of the central and peripheral nervous systems and organs of the gastrointestinal tract that coordinate pancreatic secretion with the ingestion of food. The physiological effects of specific neurotransmitters and enteric hormones that stimulate or inhibit the pancreas are described. Finally, these mechanisms are used to understand the physiological basis and utility of pancreatic function testing.