cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Atomic layer deposition of aluminum oxyfluoride thin films with tunable stoichiometry

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) of aluminum oxyfluoride (AlOxFy) thin films was demonstrated at 150 °C. Trimethyl aluminum, water, and HF were used as the aluminum, oxygen, and fluorine sources, respectively. In situ quartz crystal microbalance studies were utilized to monitor the AlOxFy deposition. Two deposition pathways were explored to grow the AlOxFy thin films based on the HF exchange method and the nanolaminate method. Linear AlOxFy growth was observed during both deposition methods. The HF exchange method is based on the thermodynamically favorable fluorination of Al2O3 by HF. Compositional control was achieved either by changing the HF pressure during the HF exposure or by varying the thickness of the underlying Al2O3 layer prior to the HF exposure. The nanolaminate method is based on the sequential deposition of Al2O3 ALD and AlF3 ALD layers. The ratio of the number of Al2O3 ALD cycles to the number of AlF3 ALD cycles is the main parameter used to control the O and F concentrations. Ex situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth-profiling and Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy measurements were used to determine the composition of the AlOxFy thin films. The XPS depth-profile measurements confirmed the uniform distribution of Al, O, and F throughout the AlOxFy films using both deposition methods. Both techniques could obtain a wide range of compositional tunability between Al2O3 and AlF3. Physical sputtering rates were also observed to be dependent on the relative concentrations of O and F in the AlOxFy films. The physical sputtering rates at 3 keV varied from 0.03 to 0.28 A/s for Al2O3 and AlF3, respectively.
SCANNER: A Web Resource for Annotation, Visualization and Sharing of Single Cell RNA-seq Data

Abstract Motivation In recent years, efficient single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) methods have been developed, enabling the transcriptome profiling of each single cell massively in parallel. Meanwhile, its high dimensionality brought in challenges in data modeling, analysis, visualization and interpretation. Various tools have been developed for fast browsing the transcriptome gene expression in single cells. However, their applications require that users have extensive knowledge of data properties, statistical modeling, data dimension reduction techniques and substantial training of computational skills. This brings obstacles for biologists to efficiently view, browse and interpret the data. Also, currently available tools are either missing the scalability for accommodating multiple datasets, or not offering easy data sharing, or ignoring group information for comparison or providing limited annotation capacity on gene functions and involved pathways. Results Here we published a user-friendly interactive web application, Single Cell Transcriptomics Annotated Viewer (SCANNER), as a public resource to equip the biologists and bioinformatician to share, analyze, visualize and interpret scRNA-seq data in a comprehensive, flexible and collaborative manner. It is effort-less without requirement on software setup or coding skills and enables an easy way to annotate, visualize and compare ontologies, pathways and functions in experimental groups on single cell basis. Also, it provides a user-friendly layout with side-by-side group-split view to compare experimental groups and equipped with multiple data interfaces for easy data sharing. In summary, SCANNER provides a useful way to share, visualize scRNA-seq data, as well as to annotate and interpret the analysis results. Availability and implementation SCANNER is available at https://www.thecailab.com/scanner/. Contact GCAI@mailbox.sc.edu or XIAOF@mailbox.sc.ecu
Combining underwater and terrestrial research approaches in the Great Basin Desert, Walker Lake, Nevada

Underwater and inundated prehistoric archaeology is usually celebrated because it highlights unique cultural behaviors (e.g., Windover and Old World bogs), preserves organic materials exceptionally...
High-Resolution Phylogenetic and Population Genetic Analysis of Microbial Communities with RoC-ITS

Abstract Microbial communities are inter-connected systems of incredible complexity and dynamism that play crucial roles in health, energy, and the environment. To better understand microbial communities and how they respond to change, it is important to know which microbes are present and their relative abundances at the greatest taxonomic resolution possible. Here, we describe a novel protocol (RoC-ITS) that uses the single-molecule Nanopore sequencing platform to assay the composition of microbial communities in unprecedented detail. This methodology produces long-read sequences including multiple copies of the same complete 16S ribosomal gene and its neighboring internally transcribed spacer (ITS) using rolling-circle amplification. The ribosomal 16S gene provides phylogenetic information down to the species-level, while the much less conserved ITS region contains strain-level information. When linked together, this combination of markers allows for the identification of individual ribosomal units within a specific organism, the assessment of their relative stoichiometry, and the ability to monitor subtle shifts in microbial community composition with a single generic assay. We applied RoC-ITS to a mock microbial community that was also sequenced using the Illumina platform, demonstrating its accuracy in quantifying the relative abundance and identity of each species.
Human Trafficking: Identifying Forced Labor in Multinational Corporations & The Implications of Liability

This paper explores multinational corporations and use of human trafficking. More specifically, the type of human trafficking depicted in this paper deals with the use of forced labor. Multinational corporate involvement within the use of forced labor is explored and the depth regarding criminal and civil modes of corporate liability is explained. The main purpose of the paper is to exemplify how multinational corporations contribute to the increase of human trafficking practices and how difficult it is to assess liability or punishment for these violations. Unfortunately, the human trafficking industry is consistently increasing, due to its prevalence in the corporate world. There are laws and acts that have been created that prohibit the use of human trafficking, yet due to jurisdictional implications, regarding foreign-based corporations and extenuating costly litigation, the laws do not become effective for assigning liability. The ambiguities and lack of transparency in corporate structures along with the narrow reach of U.S. laws, creates an inability for victims to seek appropriate justice. The fight against human trafficking diminishes when multinational corporations use forced labor practices within business models.
Role of the HSP70 Co-Chaperone SIL1 in Health and Disease

Cell surface and secreted proteins provide essential functions for multicellular life. They enter the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen co-translationally, where they mature and fold into their complex three-dimensional structures. The ER is populated with a host of molecular chaperones, associated co-factors, and enzymes that assist and stabilize folded states. Together, they ensure that nascent proteins mature properly or, if this process fails, target them for degradation. BiP, the ER HSP70 chaperone, interacts with unfolded client proteins in a nucleotide-dependent manner, which is tightly regulated by eight DnaJ-type proteins and two nucleotide exchange factors (NEFs), SIL1 and GRP170. Loss of SIL1′s function is the leading cause of Marinesco-Sjogren syndrome (MSS), an autosomal recessive, multisystem disorder. The development of animal models has provided insights into SIL1′s functions and MSS-associated pathologies. This review provides an in-depth update on the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying SIL1′s NEF activity and its role in maintaining ER homeostasis and normal physiology. A precise understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms associated with the loss of SIL1 may allow for the development of new pharmacological approaches to treat MSS.
Negatively charged nanoparticles of multiple materials inhibit shear-induced platelet accumulation.

Abstract Platelet accumulation by VWF under high shear rates at the site of atherosclerotic plaque rupture leads to myocardial infarction and stroke. Current anti-platelet therapies remain ineffective for a large percentage of the population, while presenting significant risks for bleeding. We explore a novel way to inhibit arterial thrombus formation. Theoretically, a negative charge may influence the tertiary structure of VWF to favor the globular configuration by biophysical means without the use of platelet inactivating drugs. We tested this hypothesis experimentally for charged nanoparticles (CNPs) to inhibit thrombus formation in a microfluidic thrombosis assay (MTA). Several different CNPs demonstrated the ability to retard thrombotic occlusion in the MTA. A preliminary study in mice shows that thrombus stability is weaker with CNP administration and bleeding times are not markedly prolonged. The CNPs tested here show promise as a new class of antithrombotic therapies that act by biophysical means rather than biochemical pathways.
Message Fatigue and Resistance to Anti-Binge Drinking Messages: Examining the Mediating Roles of Inattention and Reactance.

Objective: The current study examined message fatigue as a theoretical explanation for college students’ resistance to anti–binge drinking messaging. Specifically, inattention and psychological rea...
The Political Realignment of Health: How Partisan Power Shaped Infant Health in the U.S., 1915-2017.

The U.S. two-party system was transformed in the 1960s, when the Democratic Party abandoned its Jim Crow protectionism to incorporate the policy agenda fostered by the Civil Rights Movement and the Republican Party redirected its platform toward socioeconomic and racial conservatism. We argue that the policy agendas that the parties promote through presidents and state legislatures codify a racially patterned access to resources and power detrimental to the health of all. To test the hypothesis that fluctuations in overall and race-specific infant mortality rates (IMR) shift between the parties in power before and after the Political Realignment, we apply panel data analysis methods to state-level data from the National Center for Health Statistics, 1915-2017. Net of trend, overall, and race-specific infant mortality rates were not statistically different between presidential parties before the Political Realignment. This pattern, however, changed after the Political Realignment, with Republican administrations consistently underperforming Democratic ones. Net of trend, non-Southern state legislatures controlled by Republicans underperform Democratic ones in overall and racial IMRs in both periods.
The LOOMING DISASTER" for higher education: how commercial rankers use social media to amplify and foster affect."

Despite the ubiquity of global university rankings coverage in media and academia, a concerted attempt to investigate the role of social media in ranking entrepreneurship remains absent. By drawing on an affect lens, we critically examine the social media activities of two commercial rankers: Times Higher Education (THE) and Quacquarelli Symonds Ltd (QS). Based on an analysis of THE's Twitter feed and QS' Facebook page between January and June 2020, we illuminate how rankers use social media for affective storytelling to frame and sell their expertise within global HE. First, we demonstrate how THE uses Twitter to engage an audience of institutions, governments, and administrators, reinforcing universities' increasingly aggressive behavior as market competitors. Next, we show how QS engages a student-oriented audience on Facebook, furthering the role of students as consumers. Before and during the COVID pandemic, we observed that both rankers amplified and mobilized precarity associated with performance and participation, selling hope to targeted audiences to market their expertise as solutions-a strategy that remained amidst the global pandemic. Based on our observation of the front stage of rankers' social media activities, we argue that rankers' deployment of social media as a form of affective infrastructure is conducive to further sustaining, diffusing, and normalizing rankings in HE globally.
Open Rotor Noise Prediction at NASA Langley: Capabilities, Research and Development

The high fuel prices of recent years have caused the operating cost of the airlines to soar. In an effort to bring down the fuel consumption, the major aircraft engine manufacturers are now taking a fresh look at open rotors for the propulsion of future airliners. Open rotors, also known as propfans or unducted fans, can offer up to 30 per cent improvement in efficiency compared to high bypass engines of 1980 vintage currently in use in most civilian aircraft. NASA Langley researchers have contributed significantly to the development of aeroacoustic technology of open rotors. This report discusses the current noise prediction technology at Langley and reviews the input data requirements, strengths and limitations of each method as well as the associated problems in need of attention by the researchers. We present a brief history of research on the aeroacoustics of rotating blade machinery at Langley Research Center. We then discuss the available noise prediction codes for open rotors developed at NASA Langley and their capabilities. In particular, we present the two useful formulations used for the computation of noise from subsonic and supersonic surfaces. Here we discuss the open rotor noise prediction codes ASSPIN and one based on Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation with penetrable data surface (FW - Hpds). The scattering of sound from surfaces near the rotor are calculated using the fast scattering code (FSC) which is also discussed in this report. Plans for further improvements of these codes are given.
Arthroscopic treatment of synovial chondromatosis of the ankle

A 34-year-old male soccer player with chronic right ankle dysfunction and a history of repeated ankle joint injuries is presented. Imaging studies revealed synovial chondromatosis of the ankle joint. Arthroscopic partial synovectomy was performed and more than 20 loose bodies were excised. Four months postoperatively the patient was asymptomatic and has returned to his previous level of sport activities. At the latest follow-up, 2 years after the initial diagnosis there is no local recurrence of the disease. Arthroscopy is a minimal invasive surgical technique, with satisfactory results in the treatment of synovial chondromatosis of the ankle joint.
Environmental Protection in the Information Age

Information gaps and uncertainties lie at the heart of many persistent pollution and natural resource management problems. This article develops a taxonomy of these information gaps and argues that the emerging technologies of the Information Age will transform the potential to fill these gaps and thus expand the range of policy tools and strategic options available for addressing environmental challenges. Remote sensing technologies, modern telecommunications systems, the Internet, and computers all promise to make it much easier to identify harms, track pollution flows and resource consumption, and measure the resulting impacts. These developments will make possible a new structure of institutional responses to environmental problems including a more robust market in environmental property rights, expanded use of economic incentives and market-based regulatory strategies, improved command and control regulation, and redefined social norms of environmental stewardship. Likewise, the degree to which policies are designed to promote information generation will determine whether and how quickly new institutional approaches emerge. While there exist some serious potential downsides to Information Age environmental protection, the promise of a more refined, individually tailored, and precise approach to pollution control and natural resource management looks to be significant.
Hydatigera taeniaeformis: Strobilocerci hooks: II. Solubility and structural homogeneity

Abstract A method is described for solubilization of the rostellar hooks of the Strobilocerci of Hydatigera taeniaeformis, Batsch, 1786. This consists of extraction of the hooks with hot pyridine followed by reduction of cystine disulfide bonds with 2-mercaptoethanol. Pyridine extraction, which has no apparent effect upon hook morphology, removes 1.5% of the hook mass, presumably a lipid. The resulting solution contains an electrophoretically heterogeneous mixture of basic proteins.
Internally Headed Relative Clauses in Japanese and E-Type Anaphora

This paper examines the so-called internally headed relative clause construction in Japanese, with particular focus on new data that involve quantificational NPs and wh-phrases. The data provide arguments for representations in which the internal head remains internal at LF. Furthermore, it is shown that the interpretation of this construction involves E-type anaphora, providing evidence for Hoshi's (1995) suggestion. An explicit mechanism for compositional interpretation is proposed, which also derives a restriction on possible internal heads. This study has the cross-linguistic implication that the constructions called "internally headed relative clauses" in various languages do not form a homogeneous class.
Buried spins in slow motion

For possible device applications, researchers are seeking to control the property of electrons known as spin. In most semiconductor structures, the polarized spin region is buried in the material, making it difficult to study. In their Perspective, Kikkawa and Awschalom discuss results reported in the same issue by Kuzma et al ., in which a novel method was used to probe the physical behavior of a spin system below the surface of the sample. The technique revealed a number of unexpected properties of this exotic system, including the fact that it can be manipulated with radio frequency pulses.
Large-Scale Protein Purification, Self-Cleaving Aggregation Tags

In the mid-1980s, the incorporation of affinity tags into recombinant proteins by means of genetic engineering created a highly efficient tool for protein purification. A recent advance in this area has been the addition of self-cleaving protein domains to conventional affinity tags, which allows the tags to self-cleave and thus eliminates the requirement for proteolytic removal of the tag. In practice, the native target is released from the affinity tag after purification by a simple temperature, chemical, and/or pH change. Although this is a significant advance for affinity-tag methods, some limitations still arise from the equipment and consumable resin costs associated with these procedures. In this contribution, we describe solutions to these limitations through the development of a new generation of self-associating and aggregating tags. One of these tags uses the association of phasin proteins to polyhydroxybutyrate granules coexpressed in the host cell, producing a system where the host cell also produces the affinity matrix. The other is based on reversibly precipitating elastin-like polypeptide tags that can be separated from cellular contaminants by simple heating and centrifugation. Both these tags allow protein purification to take place using simple mechanical methods, thus eliminating the need for conventional affinity apparatus or reagents. Self-cleaving aggregation-tag technologies may dramatically reduce recombinant protein purification costs. Keywords: affinity tag; aggregation tag; bioseparation; intein;, recombinant protein purification; self-cleaving tag
The Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP) story: review of community oncologists' experiences with clinical research trials in cancer with an emphasis on the CCOP of the National Cancer Institute between 1982 and 1987.

PURPOSETo review the growth of community physicians' involvement in National Cancer Institute (NCI) clinical research trials as a significant contribution to cancer control, and to show their impact, not yet fully realized, on cancer morbidity and mortality in the United States.DESIGNBackground information, based on the personal experience of participants, as well as a review of pertinent literature, portrays the evolution of the clinical research component of community oncology in the United States over the last 25 years.RESULTSData from Community Clinical Oncology Programs (CCOPs) I and II have been used to outline some of the results of this far-reaching program.CONCLUSIONThe CCOP was introduced at an appropriate time to expand the clinical trial resources of the NCI, while at the same time helping community oncologists practice state-of-the-art cancer management found in the research protocols. This in turn provided improved resources to manage cancer patients, as most of them are treated in their own...
Normal Values of α-Fetoprotein in Neonates and Infants

To the Editor.— We certainly agree with the statement by Urbach et al1 that there should be an increasing awareness of the normal range of α-fetoprotein values in children, especially neonates. As correctly pointed out by the authors, the normal value of
Privacy Risks from Genomic Data-Sharing Beacons

The human genetics community needs robust protocols that enable secure sharing of genomic data from participants in genetic research. Beacons are web servers that answer allele-presence queries—such as “Do you have a genome that has a specific nucleotide (e.g., A) at a specific genomic position (e.g., position 11,272 on chromosome 1)?”—with either “yes” or “no.” Here, we show that individuals in a beacon are susceptible to re-identification even if the only data shared include presence or absence information about alleles in a beacon. Specifically, we propose a likelihood-ratio test of whether a given individual is present in a given genetic beacon. Our test is not dependent on allele frequencies and is the most powerful test for a specified false-positive rate. Through simulations, we showed that in a beacon with 1,000 individuals, re-identification is possible with just 5,000 queries. Relatives can also be identified in the beacon. Re-identification is possible even in the presence of sequencing errors and variant-calling differences. In a beacon constructed with 65 European individuals from the 1000 Genomes Project, we demonstrated that it is possible to detect membership in the beacon with just 250 SNPs. With just 1,000 SNP queries, we were able to detect the presence of an individual genome from the Personal Genome Project in an existing beacon. Our results show that beacons can disclose membership and implied phenotypic information about participants and do not protect privacy a priori. We discuss risk mitigation through policies and standards such as not allowing anonymous pings of genetic beacons and requiring minimum beacon sizes.
Simulating Crash Failures with Many Faulty Processors (Extended Abstract)

The difficulty of designing fault-tolerant distributed algorithms increases with the severity of failures that an algorithm must tolerate. This paper considers methods that automatically translate algorithms tolerant of simple crash failures into ones tolerant of more severe omission failures. These translations simplify the design task by allowing algorithm designers to assume that processors fail only by stopping. Earlier results had suggested that these translations must, in general, have limited fault-tolerance: that crash failures could not be simulated unless a majority of processors remained correct throughout any execution. We show that this limitation does not apply when considering a broad range of distributed computing problems that includes most classical problems in the field. We do this by exhibiting a hierarchy of translations, each with different fault-tolerance and complexity; for any number of possible failures, we give an appropriate translation. Each of these translations is shown to be optimal with respect to the joint measures of fault-tolerance and round-complexity (the round-complexity of a translation is the number of communication rounds that the translation uses to simulate one round of the original algorithm). That is, the hierarchy of translations is matched by a corresponding hierarchy of impossibility results. Furthermore, this hierarchy has more structure than that seen for other failure models, indicating that the relationship between crash and omission failures is more complex than had been previously thought.
Studies of the Mechanism of Human Salivary Histatin-5 Candidacidal Activity with Histatin-5 Variants and Azole-Sensitive and -Resistant Candida Species

Histatins are a group of small, cationic, antifungal peptides present in human saliva. A previous molecular modeling analysis suggested structural similarity between the Phe14-His15 and His18-His19 dipeptide sequences in histatin-5 (Hsn-5; a 24-amino-acid polypeptide) and the sequence of miconazole (one of the azole-based antifungal therapeutic agents), implying that the mechanisms of killing of Candida albicans by these two molecules may be similar. To further elaborate on this observation, we have produced two variants of Hsn-5 in which Phe14-His15 or His18-His19 dipeptide sequences were replaced by Ala-Ala (F14A/H15A and H18A/H19A) to eliminate the phenyl and imidazole rings of the side chains and assessed their candidacidal activities against C. albicans. In addition, we tested azole-resistant C. albicans and Candida glabrata strains for their susceptibilities to Hsn-5. Analysis of the purified recombinant proteins for their candidacidal activities indicated that both variants were significantly less effective (the molar concentrations required to kill half of the maximum number of cells [ED50s], approximately 67 and approximately 149 microM for F14A/H15A and H18A/H19A, respectively) than the unaltered Hsn-5 (ED50, approximately 8 microM) at killing C. albicans, suggesting that the two dipeptide sequences are important for the candidacidal activity of Hsn-5. Assessment of the candidacidal activity of Hsn-5 with the well-characterized azole-resistant strains of C. albicans and C. glabrata, however, suggested that the mode of action of histatins against Candida is distinct from that of azole-based antifungal agents because Hsn-5 kills both azole-sensitive and azole-resistant strains equally well.
From Carolina to Loíza: race, place and Puerto Rican racial democracy

This article considers the entanglements of race, culture and place in Puerto Rico. I analyse two distinct constructions of blackness that sustain racial hierarchies intrinsic to Puerto Rican ‘racial democracy’. First, ‘folkloric blackness’ is a static, historicised version of blackness that represents Puerto Rico’s African heritage without compromising the whitening bias of racial democracy discourse. A second construction of blackness that I term ‘urban blackness’ also circulates throughout the island, but instead serves as the counterpoint to the rest of the presumably ‘whiter’ Puerto Rico. Both have been emplaced within distinct, bounded locations, and affiliated with certain cultural practices. I argue that these ‘emplacements’ that arise from the associations between race, culture and place produce specific constructions of blackness that appear contradictory, yet ultimately work together to maintain the racial hierarchies intrinsic to racial democracy discourses.
In Vitro Selection of High Temperature Zn 2+ -Dependent DNAzymes

In vitro selection of Zn(2+)-dependent RNA-cleaving DNAzymes with activity at 90 degrees C has yielded a diverse spool of selected sequences. The RNA cleavage efficiency was found in all cases to be specific for Zn(2+) over Pb(2+), Ca(2+), Cd(2+), Co(2+), Hg(2+), and Mg(2+). The Zn(2+)-dependent activity assay of the most active sequence showed that the DNAzyme possesses an apparent Zn(2+)-binding dissociation constant of 234 muM and that its activity increases with increasing temperatures from 50-90 degrees C. A fit of the Arrhenius plot data gave E(a) = 15.3 kcal mol(-1). Surprisingly, the selected Zn(2+)-dependent DNAzymes showed only a modest (approximately 3-fold) activity enhancement over the background rate of cleavage of random sequences containing a single embedded ribonucleotide within an otherwise DNA oligonucleotide. The result is attributable to the ability of DNA to sustain cleavage activity at high temperature with minimal secondary structure when Zn(2+) is present. Since this effect is highly specific for Zn(2+), this metal ion may play a special role in molecular evolution of nucleic acids at high temperature.
Live-cell assay to detect antigen-specific CD4 + T-cell responses by CD154 expression

This protocol details a method to identify CD4+ T cells that respond to antigens. The method relies on detection of CD154, a costimulatory cell surface protein that is expressed by CD4+ T cells upon activation, and can be used to purify live CD4+ T cells of diverse function. To detect CD154, fluorescently labeled antibodies are cultured with cell samples, peptides (or whole antigens) and monensin during a 6- to 24-h stimulation period. (Note that the assay is not compatible with brefeldin A.) After stimulation, cells are stained with any other antibodies of interest and then are analyzed by flow cytometry or purified by cell sorting. Unlike other assays, this method allows simultaneous assessment of other cell phenotypes or functions, is compatible with downstream RNA-based assays and preserves cell viability. This protocol can be completed in 9 h.
Pelvic inflammatory disease in the adolescent.

Abstract We studied 171 women, 106 young adults, and 65 adolescents, with a clinical diagnosis of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) to determine whether differences existed in the presentation in these two groups. The study population was an age-stratified, random sample obtained from 1162 women with this condition. Demographic characteristics, sexual history, physical findings, severity of illness, and laboratory findings were compared between the two groups. The most significant findings were that the adolescents sought health care later in the course of the illness (7.8 vs. 5.6 days; p p
Tunneling of a quantized vortex: Roles of pinning and dissipation.

We have performed a theoretical study of the effects of pinning potential and dissipation on vortex tunneling in superconductors. Analytical results are obtained in various limits relevant to experiment. In general we have found that pinning and dissipation tend to suppress the effect of the vortex velocity dependent part of the Magnus force on vortex tunneling.
Mechanistic Rationalization of Unusual Sigmoidal Kinetic Profiles in the Machetti–De Sarlo Cycloaddition Reaction

Unusual sigmoidal kinetic profiles in the Machetti–De Sarlo base-catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of acrylamide to N-methylnitroacetamide are rationalized by detailed in situ kinetic analysis. A dual role is uncovered in which a substrate acts as a precursor to catalyze its own reaction. Such kinetic studies provide a general protocol for distinguishing among different mechanistic origins of induction periods in complex organic reactions.
‘Occasionally heard to be answering voices’: aural culture and the ritual of psychiatric audition, 1877–1911

This essay argues that historians will gain a deeper understanding of the nosological ritual and the professionals who enacted it by placing internal developments of late nineteenth-century psychiatry alongside the synchronic rise of the linguistic sciences. Doing so demonstrates that, contrary to historical consensus, what fell out of favour were traditional methods of observation rather than the practice of classification itself. Through an analysis of the aural culture at St Elizabeths Hospital (Washington, DC) between 1877 and 1911 as evidenced by patient case files and diagnostic training manuals, I focus on shifting methods of psychiatric audition as primary sites of professional claims to legitimacy at a time when the specialty was under attack from critics both external and internal.
A history of ab initio computational quantum chemistry: 1950–1960

Although ab initio computational quantum chemistry produced virtually no predictions of chemical interest during the 1950's, an important foundation for future work was laid during this decade. Much of this fundamental computational research was carried out in the laboratories of Frank Boys in Cambridge (England) and Clemens Roothaan and Robert Mulliken in Chicago. Other senior contributors to ab initio chemical theory during this period include Klaus Ruedenberg, Robert Parr, John Pople, Robert Nesbet, Harrison Shull, Per-Olov Lowdin, Isaiah Shavitt, Albert Matsen, Douglas McLean, and Bernard Ransil.
Using Latent Class Analysis to Identify Sophistication Categories of Electronic Medical Record Systems in U.S. Acute Care Hospitals

Many believe that electronic medical record (EMR) systems hold promise for improving the quality of health care services. The body of research on this topic is still in the early stages, however, in part because of the challenge of measuring the capabilities of EMR systems. The purpose of this study was to identify classes of EMR system sophistication in hospitals as well as hospital characteristics associated with the sophistication categories. The data used were from the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the Health Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS). The sample included acute care hospitals in the United States with 50 beds or more. We used latent class analysis to identify the sophistication classes and logistic regression to identify the relationships between these classes and hospital characteristics. Our study identifies cumulative categories of EMR sophistication: ancillary-based, ancillary/data aggregation, and ancillary-to-bedside. Rural hospital EMRs are likely to be ancillary based, while hospitals in a network are likely to have either ancillary-based or ancillary-to-bedside EMRs. Future research should explore the effect of network membership on EMR system development.
Creation of a controlled venoarterial shunt. A surgical intervention for right-side circulatory failure.

Background Right-side circulatory failure (RSCF), a common complication of heart transplant and left ventricular assist device recipients, results in decreased cardiac output because of diminished flow across the pulmonary circuit. We hypothesized that creation of a controlled venoarterial shunt would result in decompression of the right ventricle and improved systemic cardiac output at tolerable oxygen saturations. Methods and Results A venoarterial shunt was created in a large-animal model (calf, n=6). RSCF was induced by banding the pulmonary artery. Hemodynamic measures and blood gas determinations were obtained during nonshunted and shunted states. Pulmonary artery banding increased mean right ventricular systolic pressure from 44.9±2.1 mm Hg (mean±SEM) to 85.9±6.9 mm Hg (P<.05, paired t test) and decreased mean aortic flow from 7.8±1.0 to 4.2±1.1 L/min (P<.05). Flow through a venoarterial shunt at approximately 40% of cardiac output resulted in a decrease in right ventricular end-systolic pressure f...
Amyloid metabolism and secretases in Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the progressive accumulation of amyloid fibrils composed of the amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in senile plaques. Ab is derived from the β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) after β- and γ-secretase cleavages. β-secretase was recently identified to be a membrane-anchored aspartyl protease that is widely distributed in subcellular compartments, including Golgi, trans-Golgi network, and endosomes. Although definitive identification of γ-secretase will require reconstituting its activity in vitro, mounting evidence suggests that γ-secretase is an unusual intramembrane-cleaving aspartyl protease. Two intramembranous aspartate residues in presenilin (PS) are absolutely required for Aβ generation. Three classes of γ-secretase inhibitors can directly bind to PS, strongly supporting the hypothesis of PS1 as γ-secretase. These results provide the molecular basis for therapeutic interventions that reduce Aβ accumulation in AD patients by inhibiting β- or γ-secretase.
The effect of ractopamine hydrochloride on gene expression in adipose tissues of finishing pigs

The long-term effect of feeding the catecholamine analog ractopamine (RAC; ractopamine hydrochloride, Elanco Animal Health, Indianapolis, IN) on the expression of genes involved in energy and lipid metabolism in subcutaneous adipose tissue was studied. Large White pigs (84 kg) were fed corn- and soybean meal-based diets supplemented with 0, 20, or 60 mg/kg of RAC for 14, 28, or 42 d. Expression (mRNA abundance) in adipose tissue of sterol regulatory binding protein-1 (SREBP-1), PPARα, PPARγ2, fatty acid synthase (FAS), glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase was determined by Northern blotting. Feed intakes did not differ, and RAC (20 and 60 mg/kg) improved BW gain at d 14, 28, and 42 (P < 0.05) and increased loin eye area (measured on d 42 only; P < 0.05). Expression of SREBP-1 and PPARγ2 declined (P < 0.05) with RAC by d 28 and 42, whereas expression of PPARα was increased (P < 0.05) on d 14, 28, and 42. After 14 d, expression of FAS and GLUT4 was decreased (P < 0.05) with 60 mg/kg of RAC, whereas both RAC concentrations attenuated FAS expression on d 28 and 42. Overall, adipose tissue stearoyl-CoA desaturase expression was not affected by RAC but showed somewhat less expression (P < 0.15) on d 28 at 60 mg/kg of RAC. Although prolonged, chronic RAC feeding most likely downregulates adipose tissue membrane β-adrenergic receptors, mRNA abundances of anabolic lipid metabolism transcription factors, glucose transporters, and enzymes (SREBP-1, PPARγ2, FAS, GLUT4) were still attenuated up to d 42. Conversely, a transcription factor related to oxidative metabolism expression (PPARα) was enhanced. We conclude that even after 42 d, RAC still decreased expression of lipogenic genes in adipose tissue by yet undefined cyclic adenosine monophosphate-directed mechanisms, but in contemporary lean pigs, this effect is likely of limited practical significance.
Sarcoidosis. Part II: Extrapulmonary and systemic manifestations

S arcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology characterized by noncaseating granulomatous inflammation. Sarcoidosis was first described by Jonathan Hutchinson in 1869. Although known to affect any organ system, the chest, the eyes, and the skin are most commonly affected. Differences in incidence, severity, and pattern of organ involvement are based on ethnic background. The clinical course is progressive, though remissions and relapses do occur.
Ex ante plant design, portfolio theory, and uncertain terms of trade

Abstract The issue of productive flexibility of an economy facing uncertainty in the international market is modeled as a portfolio problem of ex ante plant design. It is shown that as a country becomes more risk averse, other things being equal, its optimal ex post productive frontier becomes less flexible. The optimal frontier becomes less flexible also if the probability of market foreclosure increases, but it may become more flexible if the probability distribution of the random terms of trade becomes more spread out. A change in risk aversion or uncertainty may lead to a reversal in the pattern of trade.
Potentiation of angiogenic response by ischemic and hypoxic reconditioning of the heart

This review is intended to discuss the newly discovered role of preconditioning which should make it an attractive therapeutic stimulus for repairing the injured myocardium. We recently found that apart from rendering the myocardium tolerant to ischemic reperfusion injury, preconditioning also potentiates angiogenesis. Our study demonstrated for the first time that both ischemic and hypoxic preconditioning triggered myocardial angiogenesis at the capillary and arteriolar levels which nicely corroborated with the improved myocardial contractile function. Hypoxic preconditioning resulted in the stimulation of VEGF, the most potent angiogenic factor known to date. In concert, endothelial cell specific tyrosine kinase receptors, Tie 1, Tie 2 and Flt-1 and Flk-1 were also significantly enhanced in the preconditioned myocardium. The redox-regulated transcription factor NF kappa B was found to play an essential role in the preconditioning regulation of angiogenesis.
Molecular determinants of selective dopaminergic vulnerability in Parkinson’s disease: an update

Numerous disorders of the central nervous system are attributed to the selective death of distinct neuronal cell populations. Interestingly, in many of these conditions, a specific subset of neurons is extremely prone to degeneration while other, very similar neurons are less affected or even spared for many years. In Parkinson’s disease (PD), the motor manifestations are primarily linked to the selective, progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). In contrast, the very similar DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) demonstrate a much lower degree of degeneration. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of differential DA vulnerability in PD has proven extremely challenging. Moreover, an increasing number of studies demonstrate that considerable molecular and electrophysiologic heterogeneity exists among the DA neurons within the SNpc as well as those within the VTA, adding yet another layer of complexity to the selective DA vulnerability observed in PD. The discovery of key pathways that regulate this differential susceptibility of DA neurons to degeneration holds great potential for the discovery of novel drug targets and the development of promising neuroprotective treatment strategies. This review provides an update on the molecular basis of the differential vulnerability of midbrain DA neurons in PD and highlights the most recent developments in this field.
Structural and dynamic effects of cholesterol at preferred sites of interaction with rhodopsin identified from microsecond length molecular dynamics simulations

A key unresolved question about GPCR function is the role of membrane components in receptor stability and activation. In particular, cholesterol is known to affect the function of membrane proteins, but the details of its effect on GPCRs are still elusive. Here, we describe how cholesterol modulates the behavior of TM1-TM2-TM7-helix 8(H8) functional network, that comprises the highly conserved NPxxY(x)5,6F motif, through specific interactions with the receptor. The inferences are based on the analysis of microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of Rhodopsin in an explicit membrane environment. We found that cholesterol primarily affects specific local perturbations of the TM domains such as the helical kink parameters in TM1, TM2 and TM7, and that these local distortions, in turn, relate to rigid-body motions of the TMs in the TM1-TM2-TM7-H8 bundle. The specificity of the effects stems from the non-uniform distribution of cholesterol around the protein. We find three regions that exhibit the highest cholesterol density throughout the trajectory. In one of these regions, cholesterol interacts with Pro7.38 in TM7 and with nearby residues in the extracellular (EC) loop 3, a location that resembles the high-density sterol area from the electron microscopy data (Ruprecht et al., 2004, EMBO J;23:3609-3620). A second cholesterol concentration region is in agreement with the recent X-ray crystallography data on beta2-adrenergic GPCR (Cherezov et al.,2007,Science,318:1258-1265), near residues Val1.58, Tyr2.41 and Ile4.43. In the third region, we find cholesterol interacting strongly with Tyr2.63 in TM2 and proximal residues Phe3.30, Leu3.27, Thr3.23 and Phe3.20 on the EC side of TM3. Through correlation analysis we connect local effects of cholesterol on structural perturbations with a regulatory role of cholesterol in signaling.
Phragmén-Lindelöf theorem for solutions of elliptic differential equations in a banach space

For a second-order elliptic differential equation considered on a semiaxis in a Banach space, we show that if the order of growth of its solution at infinity is not higher than the exponential order, then this solution tends exponentially to zero at infinity.
Bilateral Vascular Supply in Juvenile Nasopharyngeal Angiofibromas

Objectives: Juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma (JNA) is a rare, benign tumor of the nasopharynx, exclusively affecting males in their teens and twenties. Historically, it has been thought that JNAs primarily receive their blood supply from the ipsilateral external carotid system. We demonstrate in our case series and literature review that bilateral vascular supply in these tumors is, in fact, very common. Study Design: Case series and literature review. Methods: We present four consecutive cases of JNA in a three-year period from a major tertiary care center. A literature review on the topic of vascular supply in JNA was performed. Results: The first patient's preoperative angiogram demonstrated only right-sided blood supply. However, significant bleeding was encountered, and an intraoperative angiogram showed significant new vascularization from the left ascending pharyngeal artery (APA), which was embolized. The surgery was completed successfully without further significant hemorrhage after converting to an open approach. Preoperative angiograms from the next three patients demonstrated bilateral vascular supply. Embolization and endoscopic resection was successful in these cases. Review of the literature demonstrates that bilateral vascular supply is not commonly documented; however, it may be more frequent than previously thought. Other series demonstrate bilateral vascularity from 0% to 100%. Combining patients from nine studies, including our own, we found that 57 of 157 (36%) patients had tumors with bilateral vascular supply. Conclusions: Bilateral vascular supply may be an underappreciated factor in JNA, and thorough radiographic investigation via angiography of bilateral carotid systems should be routinely done preoperatively. Laryngoscope, 2011
Class Conflict, Political Crisis and the Breakdown of Democratic Practices in Costa Rica: Reassessing the Origins of the 1948 Civil War

The 1948 Costa Rican civil war stands as the most significant breakdown of emerging democratic practices in what many believe is a country with a democratic destiny.1 No other political conflict has so polarised the country and cost so many lives. Nor has any other civil war so influenced the way analysts view and understand the development of democratic institutions in Costa Rica. Why political actors in Costa Rica settled their disputes on the battlefield, however, is a question that has yet to generate a satisfactory response.