cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid quantitation of high-speed flow jets.

Flow jets containing velocities up to 5–7 m/s are common in patients with congenital defects and patients with valvular disease (stenosis and regurgitation). The quantitation of peak velocity and flow volume in these jets is clinically significant but requires specialized imaging sequences. Conventional 2DFT phase contrast sequences require lengthy acquisitions on the order of several minutes. Conventional spiral phase contrast sequences are faster, but are highly corrupted by flow artifacts at these high velocities due to phase dispersion and motion during the excitation and readout. A new prospectively gated method based on spiral phase contrast is presented, which has a sufficiently short measurement interval (<4 ms) to minimize flow artifacts, while achieving high spatial resolution (2 2 4m m 3 ) to minimize partial volume effects, all within a single breathhold. A complete single-slice phase contrast movie loop with 22 ms true temporal resolution is acquired in one 10heartbeat breathhold. Simulations indicate that this technique is capable of imaging through-plane jets with velocities up to 10 m/s, and initial studies in aortic stenosis patients show accurate in vivo measurement of peak velocities up to 4.2 m/s (using echocardiography as a reference). Magn Reson Med 50:366 –372, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of age, gender, and menopausal status on plasma low density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels in the Framingham Offspring Study.

Plasma low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, non-high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, and apolipoprotein (apo) B, the major protein constituent of LDL, were measured in 1,533 men (mean age 49 +/- 10 years) and 1,597 women (mean age 49 +/- 10 years) participating in the 3rd examination cycle of the Framingham Offspring Study. Mean plasma levels of LDL cholesterol and apoB were higher in men than in women (136 versus 132 mg/dl, P or = 125 mg/dl may be associated with an increased risk for CHD. Low plasma levels of HDL cholesterol were also significantly associated with CHD. Plasma triglyceride levels, age and body mass index were strong determinants of LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, and apoB levels in men and women. In women, postmenopausal status and elevated blood pressure were also significantly associated with elevated levels of these parameters.
A short CIC-2 mRNA transcript is produced by exon skipping.

CIC-2 is a voltage- and volume-regulated chloride channel expressed in many tissues. We have shown that CIC-2 in rat lung airways is significantly down-regulated after birth [Murray,C.B. et al. (1995) Am. J. Respir. Cell Mol. Biol., 12, 597-604]. During PCR amplification from rat lung cDNA, a second transcript was identified which is 60 bp shorter than the full length sequence. The peptide translated from this 60 bp sequence contains many positively charged amino acid residues. Rat genomic DNA sequencing showed that the 60 bp sequence is an intact exon. A 71% pyrimidine content and an AAG 3'-end splice site in the intron immediately upstream from the 60 bp sequence were identified which may account for the alternative splicing of the following exon. Human genomic sequence analyses demonstrated similar intron-exon arrangement. A high CT content and an AAG 3' acceptor site were conserved in the intron corresponding to the rat upstream intron. The presence of the full length short form transcript was confirmed in rat kidney by RT-PCR, and the ratio of the long and the short form transcripts varied significantly according to the tissues examined, with the lowest long/short form ratio found in the lung among the tissues studied. Our data demonstrated that the alternatively spliced short form (CIC-2S) is transcribed in many rat tissues, the ratio of the long/short form transcripts is lower in the lung compared with the brain, and the genomic organization in this area is conserved in rat and human.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Family Intervention for Co-occurring Substance Use and Severe Psychiatric Disorders

Substance use disorders have a profound impact on the course of severe mental illnesses and on the family, but little research has evaluated the impact of family intervention for this population. To address this question, a randomized controlled trial was conducted comparing a brief (2-3 mo) Family Education (ED) program with a longer-term (9-18 mo) program that combined education with teaching communication and problem-solving skills, Family Intervention for Dual Disorders (FIDD). A total of 108 clients (77% schizophrenia-spectrum) and a key relative were randomized to either ED or FIDD and assessed at baseline and every 6 months for 3 years. Rates of retention of families in both programs were moderate. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that clients in both programs improved in psychiatric, substance abuse, and functional outcomes, as did key relatives in knowledge of co-occurring disorders, burden, and mental health functioning. Clients in FIDD had significantly less severe overall psychiatric symptoms and psychotic symptoms and tended to improve more in functioning. Relatives in FIDD improved more in mental health functioning and knowledge of co-occurring disorders. There were no consistent differences between the programs in substance abuse severity or family burden. The findings support the utility of family intervention for co-occurring disorders, and the added benefits of communication and problem-solving training, but also suggest the need to modify these programs to retain more families in treatment in order to provide them with the information and skills they need to overcome the effects of these disorders.
New species of Parapharyngodon (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) in Rhinella marina (Anura: Bufonidae) from Grenada, West Indies

Abstract: Parapharyngodon grenadaensis n. sp. (Nematoda: Pharyngodonidae) from the large intestine of the cane toad, Rhinella marina, is described and illustrated. Parapharyngodon grenadaensis n. sp. is the 48th species assigned to the genus and the 16th species from the Neotropical region. It differs from other species in the genus by possessing 4 pairs of caudal papillae, an echinate anterior cloacal lip, and a blunt spicule of 67–104 μm. This is only the second report of R. marina harboring a species of Parapharyngodon.
Numerical methods for differential algebraic equations

Differential algebraic equations (DAE) are special implicit ordinary differential equations (ODE)where the partial Jacobian f′y(y, x, t) is singular for all values of its arguments.
Gender, Language, and Social Influence: A Test of Expectation States, Role Congruity, and Self‐Categorization Theories

This study compares self-categorization, expectation states, and role congruity theories' explanations for female influence. Male and female participants (N = 267) listened to a recording of a female speaker who used either tentative or assertive language under conditions that led participants to categorize her as a woman or as college-educated. There was no evidence that women were differentially influenced by the speaker's linguistic style or by the categorization. Men, however, were more influenced by the tentative speaker when she was categorized as a woman than as a college student. Men were more influenced by an assertive than tentative speaker when the speaker was categorized as a college student. Mediational findings provided evidence for self-categorization and expectation states, but not role congruity, processes.
Multiverse: crowd algorithms on existing interfaces

Crowd-powered systems implement crowd algorithms to improve crowd work through techniques like redundancy, iteration, and task decomposition. Existing approaches require substantial programming to package tasks for the crowd and apply crowd algorithms. We introduce Multiverse, a system that allows crowd algorithms to be applied to existing interfaces, reducing one-off programming effort and potentially allowing end users to directly employ crowdsourcing on the interfaces they care about. Multiverse encapsulates existing applications into cloneable virtual machines (VMs) that crowd workers control remotely. Because task state is captured in the VM, multiple workers can operate simultaneously on separate instances. We demonstrate the utility of this approach by implementing three existing crowd algorithms: (i) branch-and-vote, (ii) find-fix-verify, and (iii) partition-map-reduce. To implement these we introduce new crowd programming patterns: crowd merge and crowd annotate.
Measurements of vector-derived neurotrophic factor and green fluorescent protein levels in the brain.

Abstract Demonstrating consistently reliable levels of expression is a critical part of any gene transfer study in order to assess variability and determine effective gene dosages. This article highlights some of the key methods for studying the expression levels of green fluorescent protein and neurotrophic factors after injections of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors into the brain. The data demonstrate greater spread and higher levels of expression using the cytomegalovirus/chicken β-actin (CBA) promoter coupled with the woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element (WPRE), compared to earlier AAV serotype 2 vectors. Injections of either CBA–nerve growth factor (NGF)–WPRE or CBA–glial cell line-derived neutrotrophic factor–WPRE AAV vectors into the nucleus basalis of the basal forebrain led to clear and consistent elevation of the respective trophic factor as measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, with NGF vectors affecting the size and number of cholinergic neurons. AAV serotype may also be important for the spread of expression, since injecting an AAV-5 vector into the hippocampus led to higher-frequency transfection of dentate gyrus granule neurons, suggesting altered tropism relative to AAV-2.
L-Nucleosides as chemotherapeutic agents.

Nucleoside analogs have been a major class of chemotherapeutic agents. Currently, more than 30 commercially available antiviral and antitumor nucleosides and nucleoside analogs are available. Among nucleoside analogs, nonnatural L-enantiomers have been particularly interesting. The most notable example is lamivudine, which has been playing an important role in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus infections. The reason for their high therapeutic potential is that, when biologically active, L-nucleosides have proven to possess favorable toxicological, chemical, and biochemical profiles, such as potency, low toxicity, and high metabolic stability. These characteristics have been the key factors in their success as drugs. Currently, two L-nucleosides, lamivudine and emtricitabine, are available for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis B virus infections, and several other analogs, such as clevudine and troxacitabine, are in advanced clinical trial development stages. Among these, troxacitabine, a true chain terminator, is the first L-nucleoside endowed with promising antitumor activity against leukemia as well as solid tumors. This chapter reviews the important L-nucleosides used in therapy as well as compounds in development.
Frailty Models For Multiple Event Times

In some clinical, epidemiologic and animal studies multiple events, possibly of different types, may occur to the same experimental unit at different times. Examples of such data include times to tumor detection, times from remission to relapse into an acute disease phase, and times to discontinuation of an experimental medication. Methods for the statistical analysis of such data need to account for heterogeneity between subjects. This can be achieved by incorporation of additional unobserved random effects into standard survival models. We concentrate on models including frailties — unobserved random proportionality factors applied to the time-dependent intensity function. In this paper we survey some such models, exhibit connections with extensions of the standard Andersen-Gill (1982) model for multiple event times that are reminiscent of the classical results of Greenwood and Yule (1920) on “accident — proneness”, and discuss methods of inference about the frailty distribution and regression parameters. The methods are illustrated by application to some animal tumor data of Gail, Santner and Brown (1980) and to data from a recently completed large multicenter clinical trial.
Identification of peroxisomal targeting signals in cholesterol biosynthetic enzymes: AA-CoA thiolase, HMG-CoA synthase, MPPD, and FPP synthase

At least three different subcellular compartments, including peroxisomes, are involved in cholesterol synthesis. The peroxisomal targeting signals for phosphomevalonate kinase and isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase have been identified. In the current study we identify the peroxisomal targeting signals required for four other enzymes of the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway: acetoacetyl-CoA (AA-CoA) thiolase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase, mevalonate diphosphate decarboxylase (MPPD), and farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase. Data are presented that demonstrate that mitochondrial AA-CoA thiolase contains both a mitochondrial targeting signal at the amino terminus and a peroxisomal targeting signal (PTS-1) at the carboxy terminus. We also analyze a new variation of PTS-2 sequences required to target HMG-CoA synthase and MPPD to peroxisomes. In addition, we show that FPP synthase import into peroxisomes is dependent on the PTS-2 receptor and identify at the amino terminus of the protein a 20-amino acid region that is required for the peroxisomal localization of the enzyme. These data provide further support for the conclusion that peroxisomes play a critical role in cholesterol biosynthesis.—Olivier, L. M., W. Kovacs, K. Masuda, G-A. Keller, and S. K. Krisans. Identification of peroxisomal targeting signals in cholesterol biosynthetic enzymes: AA-CoA thiolase, HMG-CoA synthase, MPPD, and FPP synthase. J. Lipid Res. 2000. 41: 1921–1935.
P2P Streaming Media Multicast Model Based on Genetic Algorithm

For solving the traffic problems of P2P community streaming media communication, an overlay multicast model is suggested and some QoS parameters are restricted in its overlay core multicast tree(OCMT). A genetic algorithm(GA)using destination-oriented representation is proposed to optimize the OCMT tree. Simulation experimental results show that the model can obtain a rather optimal solution for building the multicasting tree with features of low delay and high scalability, which can reduce the traffic of P2P communities, and control the whole traffic of Internet.
Multisensory Integration of Visual and Vestibular Signals Improves Heading Discrimination in the Presence of a Moving Object.

Humans and animals are fairly accurate in judging their direction of self-motion (i.e., heading) from optic flow when moving through a stationary environment. However, an object moving independently in the world alters the optic flow field and may bias heading perception if the visual system cannot dissociate object motion from self-motion. We investigated whether adding vestibular self-motion signals to optic flow enhances the accuracy of heading judgments in the presence of a moving object. Macaque monkeys were trained to report their heading (leftward or rightward relative to straight-forward) when self-motion was specified by vestibular, visual, or combined visual-vestibular signals, while viewing a display in which an object moved independently in the (virtual) world. The moving object induced significant biases in perceived heading when self-motion was signaled by either visual or vestibular cues alone. However, this bias was greatly reduced when visual and vestibular cues together signaled self-motion. In addition, multisensory heading discrimination thresholds measured in the presence of a moving object were largely consistent with the predictions of an optimal cue integration strategy. These findings demonstrate that multisensory cues facilitate the perceptual dissociation of self-motion and object motion, consistent with computational work that suggests that an appropriate decoding of multisensory visual-vestibular neurons can estimate heading while discounting the effects of object motion. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Objects that move independently in the world alter the optic flow field and can induce errors in perceiving the direction of self-motion (heading). We show that adding vestibular (inertial) self-motion signals to optic flow almost completely eliminates the errors in perceived heading induced by an independently moving object. Furthermore, this increased accuracy occurs without a substantial loss in the precision. Our results thus demonstrate that vestibular signals play a critical role in dissociating self-motion from object motion.
Evolution of hierarchical porous structures in supramolecular guest–host hydrogels

Macromolecular interactions are used to form supramolecular assemblies, including through the interaction of guest–host chemical pairs. Microstructural heterogeneity has been observed within such physical hydrogels; yet, systematic investigation of the microstructure and its determining inputs are lacking. Herein, we investigated the hierarchical self-assembly of hyaluronic acid (HA) modified by the guest–host pair adamantane (Ad-HA, guest) and β-cyclodextrin (CD-HA, host), as well as with methacrylate groups to both tether fluorescent agents and to covalently stabilize the material structure. We observed microporous materials in the hydrated state, which temporally arose from initially homogenous hydrogels composed of the two polymers. Independent fluorescent labeling of Ad-HA and CD-HA demonstrated spatiotemporal co-localization, indicative of guest–host polymer condensation on the microscale. The hydrogel void fractions and pore diameters were independently tuned through incubation time (0–7 days), polymer concentration (1.25–10 wt%), and polymer modification (25–50% Ad-HA modification). Void fractions as great as 93.3 ± 2.4% were achieved and pore diameters ranged from 2.1 ± 0.5 to 1025.4 ± 209.4 μm. The segregation of discrete solid and solute phases was measured with both atomic force microscopy and diffusive microparticle tracking analysis, where the solute phase contained only dilute polymer. The study represents a systematic investigation of hierarchical self-assembly in binary associating hydrogels, and provides insights on mechanisms that control microstructure within supramolecular hydrogels.
“This Method, I Think, Can Shed New Light”: Haitian-American Women's Reflections on Risk, Culture, and Family Planning Decisions From a Short-Term Trial of a Cervical Barrier (Femcap™)

Improving the reproductive health of immigrant populations requires understanding the specific context of risk and need. As part of a field trial of the FemCap™, a woman-initiated cervical barrier contraceptive, we conducted postintervention focus group discussions (FGDs) with 20 women (five FGDs) of Haitian background, the majority of whom were born in Haiti and spoke Haitian Creole at home, at a community health center in south Florida. Participants discussed the role of religion and inequitable gender norms in Haitian traditions about family planning decisions and provided important insights into the gender-power nuances of their partnership dynamics vis a vis the use of female barrier methods. Encouraged by more equitable gender norms in the United States, participants were eager to serve as health education agents, with strong altruistic sentiments toward other Haitian girls and women who they felt could be encouraged to negotiate for greater reproductive decision-making power.
Imaginary Worlds: The European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) Recommendations for Health Economic Evaluations

The European Network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) guidelines for health economic evaluations represent a consolidated view of non-binding recommendations for assessments of the relative effectiveness of pharmaceuticals or other health technologies. EUnetHTA views itself as the scientific and technological backbone of the development of health technology assessment in the European Union and among its member states and other partners. Unfortunately, the standards for health technology assessment proposed by EUnetHTA do not meet the standards of normal science. They do not support credible claims for the clinical and comparative cost-effectiveness of pharmaceuticals. In rejecting the standards of normal science the guidelines put to one side the opportunity not only to re-assess and replicate clinical and cost-effectiveness claims but to provide meaningful feedback on claims assessment to health care decision makers. The purpose of this review is to make the case that, in failing to support standards for experimentation, EUnetHTA is advocating its partners support the creation of modeled or simulated imaginary or false worlds. While EUnetHTA is not alone in recommending the construction of imaginary worlds to support formulary decisions, there is still the opportunity to revisit these recommendations and decide whether or not to encourage a scientifically rigorous approach to health technology assessments - to abandon a commitment to intelligent design in favor of natural selection. Conflict of Interest None Type: Commentary
Sulforaphane Switches Cyclin E Isoform Expression and Blocks Leukemic Cell Cycling.

Sulforaphane (SFN), an isothiocyanate derived from cruciferous vegetables, has been shown to inhibit the growth of prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We were interested in exploring potential antileukemic effects of SFN. The viability of multiple myeloid leukemic cell lines was decreased by 25uM SFN. Pharmacokinetic studies reported in rats suggest that this serum concentration can be achieved through oral dosing. Lower SFN concentrations (1–5 uM) inhibited leukemic cell growth without affecting cell viability. Synchronized HL-60 cells exposed to 25uM SFN were blocked at the G1/S phase transition. Kinetic analysis of cell cycle proteins demonstrated that the G1/S block arose from downmodulation of cyclins D3 and E rather than upregulation of cdk-inhibitors. Interestingly, we found that HL-60 cells expressed a low molecular weight (LMW, 36 kD) variant of cyclin E rather than (50 kD) full-length cyclin E. Treatment with SFN for as little as 2 hours caused a decrease in expression of the LMW cyclin E and induced the expression of a higher molecular weight (~50 kD) cyclin E isoform. Because LMW cyclin E has been associated with increased cdk2 activity and p27 resistance compared to full-length cyclin E, we postulate that SFN-mediated cyclin E isoform-switching contributed to growth inhibition of these leukemic cells. The signaling pathway through which SFN altered cyclin E expression appeared to be distinct from MEK/ERK and JNK pathways that have been implicated in the apoptotic effects of SFN. Given that cyclin E overexpression and, particularly, LMW cyclin E expression are correlated with poor prognosis in multiple cancers, the mechanism through which SFN decreases LMW cyclin E expression in these leukemic cells could have therapeutic significance.
Molecular Mechanism of Substrate Processing by the Cdc48 ATPase Complex

The Cdc48 ATPase and its cofactors Ufd1/Npl4 (UN) extract polyubiquitinated proteins from membranes or macromolecular complexes, but how they perform these functions is unclear. Cdc48 consists of an N-terminal domain that binds UN and two stacked hexameric ATPase rings (D1 and D2) surrounding a central pore. Here, we use purified components to elucidate how the Cdc48 complex processes substrates. After interaction of the polyubiquitin chain with UN, ATP hydrolysis by the D2 ring moves the polypeptide completely through the double ring, generating a pulling force on the substrate and causing its unfolding. ATP hydrolysis by the D1 ring is important for subsequent substrate release from the Cdc48 complex. This release requires cooperation of Cdc48 with a deubiquitinase, which trims polyubiquitin to an oligoubiquitin chain that is then also translocated through the pore. Together, these results lead to a new paradigm for the function of Cdc48 and its mammalian ortholog p97/VCP.
Haloselective Cross-Coupling via Ni/Photoredox Dual Catalysis

The chemoselective functionalization of polyfunctional aryl linchpins is crucial for rapid diversification. Although well-explored for Csp2 and Csp nucleophiles, the chemoselective introduction of Csp3 groups remains notoriously difficult and is virtually undocumented using Ni catalysts. To fill this methodological gap, a “haloselective” cross-coupling process of arenes bearing two halogens, I and Br, using ammonium alkylbis(catecholato)silicates, has been developed. Utilizing Ni/photoredox dual catalysis, Csp3–Csp2 bonds can be forged selectively at the iodine-bearing carbon of bromo(iodo)arenes. The described high-yielding, base-free strategy accommodates various protic functional groups. Selective electrophile activation enables installation of a second Csp3 center and can be done without the need for purification of the intermediate monoalkylated product.
Neuronal hyperactivity due to loss of inhibitory tone in APOE4 mice lacking Alzheimer’s disease-like pathology

The e4 allele of apolipoprotein E (APOE) is the dominant genetic risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the reason APOE4 is associated with increased AD risk remains a source of debate. Neuronal hyperactivity is an early phenotype in both AD mouse models and in human AD, which may play a direct role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Here, we have identified an APOE4-associated hyperactivity phenotype in the brains of aged APOE mice using four complimentary techniques-fMRI, in vitro electrophysiology, in vivo electrophysiology, and metabolomics-with the most prominent hyperactivity occurring in the entorhinal cortex. Further analysis revealed that this neuronal hyperactivity is driven by decreased background inhibition caused by reduced responsiveness of excitatory neurons to GABAergic inhibitory inputs. Given the observations of neuronal hyperactivity in prodromal AD, we propose that this APOE4-driven hyperactivity may be a causative factor driving increased risk of AD among APOE4 carriers.
Regression analysis of historic oil prices: A basis for future mean reversion price scenarios

Abstract We propose price forecasting algorithms based on regression analysis of historic oil prices over 150 years (1861–2012). From 1986 onward daily market prices allow more detailed analyses of the principal crude oil benchmarks (West Texas Intermediate [WTI] and Brent). The mean reversion price for a given time period corresponds to the marginal cost of supply. When supply and demand are out of equilibrium, spot prices move in a bandwidth bound at the bottom by cash cost of supply and at the top by the concurrent price of demand destruction. Short-term elasticity of demand is 0.015 (highly inelastic), and long-term elasticity of supply changed from 0.99 (highly elastic) during 1965–1983 to 0.39 (less elastic) during 1984–2012. We derive functions for the long-term equilibrium price and expand them into scalable equilibrium price functions for forecasting future price scenarios if “business-as-usual” is assumed. We also consider how two hypothetical black swan events (“unknown unknowns”) may affect the mean equilibrium price.
Demonizing the Other: “The Prioress’s Tale,” The Jew of Malta , and The Merchant of Venice

This chapter seeks to locate the origins of the Marlovian and Shakespearean demonized “Other” in the figure of the treacherous and murderous Jew in Chaucer’s “The Prioress’s Tale” from The Canterbury Tales. Whereas Renaissance scholars like James Shapiro have been at pains to emphasize the very different circumstances that distinguish the late medieval depiction of Jews based on doctrinal and religious alterity (Jews as the murderers of Christ) from the early modern focus on them as economic and ethnic aliens, I argue that there is in fact far greater similarity between Chaucer’s and Shakespeare’s Jew than has sometimes been acknowledged. In the second half of the chapter I suggest that the treatment of Jews in Marlowe and Shakespeare only serves to highlight the double standard of Christians, in particular the manner in which the Governor of Malta justifies his annexation of Barabas’ fortune through the flimsy pretext of inherited Jewish sin (the blood-libel legend). Shakespeare similarly links economic and religious exploitation in The Merchant of Venice in a way that would have resonated with the persecution of the Catholic gentry in Elizabethan England.
Diffusion of aromatics through a silicalite membrane

Intracrystalline diffusivities of benzene, toluene, and the three xylene isomers in silicalite were determined from the membrane technique. A zeolite membrane was fabricated by embedding a large silicalite crystal (100×100×300μm) in an epoxy resin and was mounted in a specially designed permeability cell. The membrane was subjected to a known pressure gradient and the pressure increase on the outflow side was monitored as a function of time. The intracrystalline diffusivities were determined from the slope and time intercept of P versus t curve. The measured diffusivities of aromatics ranged from 5 × 10−14to 10−13m2/sec. The method has the potential for determining intracrystalline diffusivities but it measures integral rather than differential diffusivity. The fabrication of the zeolite membrane was also found to be quite difficult.
Ethylene Oligomerization over Ni–Hβ Heterogeneous Catalysts

We report results for the oligomerization of ethylene in a continuous packed bed reactor loaded with Ni–Hβ. We performed a parametrized study of the effects of temperature (50–190 °C), ethylene partial pressure (8.5–25.6 bar), and weight hourly space velocity (WHSV, 2.0–5.5 h–1) on the ethylene conversion and product selectivity. The steady-state ethylene conversion increased from 38 to 57% as the pressure increased from 8.5 to 25.6 bar, due to increased concentration of the reactant ethylene and lower linear velocities at higher pressures. Higher temperatures led to the formation of larger oligomers and coke, but the effect of temperature on the ethylene conversion was small. The WHSV played an important role on ethylene conversion and product selectivity. An increase in the WHSV from 2.0 to 5.5 h–1 resulted in a 13% decrease in conversion. At a low space velocity (2.00 h–1), we observed 57% conversion, whereas a high space velocity (5.50 h–1) resulted in 44% conversion and higher selectivities to butene...
Effect of companion presence on maternal satisfaction during neuraxial catheter placement for labor analgesia: a randomized clinical trial.

Abstract Background Neuraxial labor analgesia is frequently achieved after placing an epidural catheter under sterile conditions. There is no consensus on the risk versus benefit of allowing a parturient’s companion to remain during the procedure. We sought to assess the effect of the presence of a companion on maternal satisfaction and anxiety during neuraxial catheter placement for labor analgesia. Methods Healthy nulliparous parturients planning to receive neuraxial labor analgesia after admission to labor, and who had a companion with them at the time of interview, were randomized to having a companion present or not present in the labor and delivery room during neuraxial catheter placement. Participants completed questionnaires to assess maternal anxiety, pain catastrophizing and health literacy. Satisfaction was scored on 5-point Likert scale (1- highly dissatisfied, 2- dissatisfied, 3- neutral, 4- satisfied, 5- highly satisfied). Results A total of 143 participants completed the study. The Wilcoxon–Mann–Whitney odds ratio for a random pair of satisfaction scores for a woman with her companion present compared with companion not present was 1.93 (95% CI 1.30 to 2.81, P=0.001). Anxiety scores were decreased following the procedure (P=0.39) in both groups. Eighty-nine percent of women randomized to companion not present would have preferred to have a companion present (P Conclusion Maternal satisfaction can be improved with the presence of a companion in the labor and delivery room at the time of neuraxial catheter placement for labor analgesia.
Some Remarks on Organizational Efficiencies

This chapter, mostly based on the work by Forrest and Orvis (Kybern Int J Cybern Syst Manag Sci 45:1308–1322, 2016), introduces two important principles of efficiency—management efficiency and organizational inefficiency. The former addresses the problem of how management efficiency can be achieved, while the latter investigates the structure of employees’ efforts and devotion toward realizing the mission of the organization. These results help to enrich the managerial understanding on what can be improved and what cannot.
Estimation for a Thrusting/Ballistic Object With Mass Ejection From a Single Fixed Passive Sensor With Delayed Acquisition

The trajectory estimation problem of a thrusting/ballistic object in three-dimensional (3-D) space has been previously solved with 2-D measurements (azimuth and elevation angles from a fixed passive sensor, either starting from the launch time or with a delayed acquisition) under the assumption of constant mass. However, since the mass decreases as the fuel burns, this should be accounted for. This paper investigates several approaches with different parameter vectors to solve the trajectory estimation and impact point prediction (IPP) with measurements starting after the launch time, i.e., delayed acquisition for both constant mass motion model and mass ejection motion model. For the mass ejection motion model, the mass ejection rate is an extra component of the parameter vector to be estimated. The invertibility of the Fisher information matrix (FIM) of the parameter vectors is also used to confirm the observability (estimability) of the system. The Cramer–Rao lower bound (CRLB) is the inverse of the FIM if it is invertible. The CRLB of the IPP is also derived. We develop the maximum likelihood estimator of the considered motion parameter vectors. Performance comparison between the models considered is given and the statistical efficiency of the best model is confirmed via simulation results.
NMR Mapping of Disordered Segments from a Viral Scaffolding Protein Encapsulated in a 23 MDa Procapsid Complex

Scaffolding proteins are requisite for the capsid shell assembly of many tailed dsDNA bacteriophages, some archaeal viruses, herpesviruses, and adenoviruses. Despite their importance, no high-resolution structural information is available for scaffolding proteins within capsids. Here we use the inherent size limit of NMR to identify mobile segments of the phage P22 scaffolding protein in solution and when incorporated into a ~23 MDa procapsid complex. Free scaffolding protein gives NMR signals from both the N and C-terminus. When scaffolding protein is incorporated into P22 procapsids, NMR signals from the C-terminal helix-turn-helix (HTH) domain disappear due to binding to the procapsid interior. Signals from the N-terminal domain persist, indicating this segment retains flexibility when bound to procapsids. The unstructured character of the N-terminus coupled with its high content of negative charges, is likely important for the dissociation and release of scaffolding protein, during the genome packaging step accompanying phage maturation.
Temperature-Controlled Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation of Disordered Proteins

The liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) of intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) is a commonly observed phenomenon within the cell, and such condensates are also highly attractive for applications in biomaterials and drug delivery. A better understanding of the sequence-dependent thermoresponsive behavior is of immense interest as it will aid in the design of protein sequences with desirable properties and in the understanding of cellular response to heat stress. In this work, we use a transferable coarse-grained model to directly probe the sequence-dependent thermoresponsive phase behavior of IDPs. To achieve this goal, we develop a unique knowledge-based amino acid potential that accounts for the temperature-dependent effects on solvent-mediated interactions for different types of amino acids. Remarkably, we are able to distinguish between more than 35 IDPs with upper or lower critical solution temperatures at experimental conditions, thus providing direct evidence that incorporating the temperature-dependent solvent-mediated interactions to IDP assemblies can capture the difference in the shape of the resulting phase diagrams. Given the success of the model in predicting experimental behavior, we use it as a high-throughput screening framework to scan through millions of disordered sequences to characterize the composition dependence of protein phase separation.
Can Insurance Market Competition Coexist With Provider Price Regulation? Evidence From Medicare Advantage:

Proposals to contain health care costs often draw from 1 of 2 primary policy approaches-price regulation or market competition. These approaches are often viewed as in conflict, even though some health economists have long argued that they may be compatible, and desirable, given the unique characteristics of health care markets. Medicare Advantage (MA) markets provide a real-world example supporting the view that provider price regulation and insurance market competition can be complementary.
Fast convergence in semi-anonymous potential games

The log-linear learning algorithm has been extensively studied in game theoretic and distributed control literature. A central appeal of log-linear learning for distributed control is that it often guarantees agents' behavior will converge in probability to the optimal configuration. However, one of its central issues is that the worst case convergence time can be prohibitively long, e.g., exponential in the number of players. We formalize a modified log-linear learning algorithm whose worst case convergence time is roughly linear in the number of players. We prove this characterization in semi-anonymous potential games with limited populations, i.e., in potential games where the agents' utility functions can be expressed as a function of aggregate behavior within each population.
The Dream of Commercial Space Flight

In this chapter, McCurdy briefly sketches the vision supporting commercial space flight as found in leading works of science fiction. Unlike the historical narrative that favored government control, works of imagination envisioned a leading role for business firms in the unfolding of space travel.
Health Insurance Literacy and Financial Hardship in Women Living With Metastatic Breast Cancer.

PURPOSE:In patients with metastatic breast cancer (MBC), low health insurance literacy may be associated with adverse material conditions, psychological response, and coping behaviors because of fi...
Early Postoperative Mortality Among Patients Aged 75 Years or Older With Stage II/III Rectal Cancer

Background Elderly patients with rectal cancer have been excluded from randomized studies, thus little is known about their early postoperative mortality, which is critical for informed consent and treatment decisions. This study examined early mortality after surgery in elderly patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). Methods Using the National Cancer Database, we identified patients aged ≥75 years, diagnosed with clinical stage II/III rectal cancer who underwent surgery in 2004 through 2015. Descriptive analyses determined proportions and trends and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to determine factors associated with early mortality after rectal cancer surgery. Results Among 11,794 patients with rectal cancer aged ≥75 years, approximately 6% underwent local excision and 94% received radical resection. Overall 30-day, 90-day, and 6-month postoperative mortality rates were 4.2%, 7.8%, and 11.5%, respectively. Six-month mortality varied by age (8.4% in age 75-79 years to 18.3% in age ≥85 years), and comorbidity score (10.1% for comorbidity score 0 to 17.7% for comorbidity score ≥2). Six-month mortality declined from 12.3% in 2004 through 2007 to 10.2% in 2012 through 2015 (Ptrend=.0035). Older age, higher comorbidity score, and lower facility case volume were associated with higher 6-month mortality. Patients treated at NCI-designated centers had 30% lower odds of 6-month mortality compared with those treated at teaching/research centers. Conclusions Six-month mortality rates after surgery among patients aged ≥75 years with LARC have declined steadily over the past decade in the United States. Older age, higher comorbidity score, and care at a low-case-volume facility were associated with higher 6-month mortality after surgery. This information is necessary for informed consent and decisions regarding optimal management of elderly patients with LARC.
Spinning Light on the Nanoscale

We discuss fundamental optical phenomena at the interface of singular and nonlinear optics in engineered optical media and show that the unique optical properties of metamaterials and metasurfaces open unlimited prospects to “engineer” light itself.
Trajectories of sleep problems in childhood: associations with mental health in adolescence

Study objectives We examined initial levels (intercepts) of sleep-wake problems in childhood and changes in sleep-wake problems across late childhood (slopes) as predictors of externalizing behavior problems, depressive symptoms, and anxiety in adolescence. To ascertain the unique effects of childhood sleep problems on adolescent mental health, we controlled for both childhood mental health and adolescent sleep problems. Methods Participants were 199 youth (52% boys; 65% White/European American, 35% Black/African American). Sleep-wake problems (e.g., difficulty sleeping and waking up in the morning) were assessed during three time points in late childhood (ages 9, 10, 11) with self-reports on the well-established School Sleep Habits Survey. At age 18, multiple domains of mental health (externalizing behavior problems, depressive symptoms, anxiety) and sleep-wake problems were assessed. Results Latent growth curve modeling revealed that children with higher levels of sleep-wake problems at age 9 had consistently higher levels of such problems between ages 9 and 11. The initial level of sleep-wake problems at age 9 predicted externalizing behaviors, depressive symptoms, and anxiety at age 18, controlling for mental health in childhood and concurrent sleep-wake problems in adolescence. The slope of sleep-wake problems from ages 9 to 11 did not predict age 18 mental health. Conclusions Youth who had higher sleep-wake problems during late childhood had higher levels of mental health problems in adolescence even after controlling for childhood mental health and concurrent sleep-wake problems. Findings illustrate that childhood sleep problems may persist and predict adolescent mental health even when potentially confounding variables are rigorously controlled.
Inflammatory heterogeneity in aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease.

Background Aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) is a mechanistically distinct subtype of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP). Although frequently associated with type 2 inflammation, literature characterizing the milieu of inflammatory cytokines and lipid mediators in AERD has been conflicting. Objective We sought to identify differences in the upper airway inflammatory signature between CRSwNP and AERD and determine whether endotypic subtypes of AERD may exist. Methods Levels of 7 cytokines representative of type 1, type 2, and type 3 inflammation, and 21 lipid mediators were measured in nasal mucus from 109 patients with CRSwNP, 30 patients with AERD, and 64 non-CRS controls. Differences in inflammatory mediators were identified between groups, and patterns of inflammation among patients with AERD were determined by hierarchical cluster analysis. Results AERD could be distinguished from CRSwNP by profound elevations in IL-5, IL-6, IL-13, and IFN-γ; however, significant heterogeneity existed between patients. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified 3 inflammatory subendotypes of AERD characterized by (1) low inflammatory burden, (2) high type 2 cytokines, and (3) comparatively low type 2 cytokines and high levels of type 1 and type 3 cytokines. Several lipid mediators were associated with asthma and sinonasal disease severity; however, lipid mediators showed less variability than cytokines. Conclusions AERD is associated with elevations in type 2 cytokines (IL-5 and IL-13) and the type 1 cytokine, IFN-γ. Among patients with AERD, the inflammatory signature is heterogeneous, supporting subendotypes of the disease. Variability in AERD immune signatures should be further clarified because this may predict clinical response to biologic medications that target type 2 inflammation.
Can public online databases serve as a source of phenotypic information for Cannabis genetic association studies

The use of Cannabis is gaining greater social acceptance for its beneficial medicinal and recreational uses. With this acceptance has come new opportunities for crop management, selective breeding, and the potential for targeted genetic manipulation. However, as an agricultural product Cannabis lags far behind other domesticated plants in knowledge of the genes and genetic variation that influence plant traits of interest such as growth form and chemical composition. Despite this lack of information, there are substantial publicly available resources that document phenotypic traits believed to be associated with particular Cannabis varieties. Such databases could be a valuable resource for developing a greater understanding of genes underlying phenotypic variation if combined with appropriate genetic information. To test this potential, we collated phenotypic data from information available through multiple online databases. We then produced a Cannabis SNP database from 845 strains to examine genome wide associations in conjunction with our assembled phenotypic traits. Our goal was not to locate Cannabis-specific genetic variation that correlates with phenotypic variation as such, but rather to examine the potential utility of these databases more broadly for future, explicit genome wide association studies (GWAS), either in stand-alone analyses or to complement other types of data. For this reason, we examined a very broad array of phenotypic traits. In total, we performed 201 distinct association tests using web-derived phenotype data appended to 290 uniquely named Cannabis strains. Our results indicated that chemical phenotypes, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) content, may have sufficiently high-quality information available through web-based sources to allow for genetic association inferences. In many cases, variation in chemical traits correlated with genetic variation in or near biologically reasonable candidate genes, including several not previously implicated in Cannabis chemical variation. As with chemical phenotypes, we found that publicly available data on growth traits such as height, area of growth, and floral yield may be precise enough for use in future association studies. In contrast, phenotypic information for subjective traits such as taste, physiological affect, neurological affect, and medicinal use appeared less reliable. These results are consistent with the high degree of subjectivity for such trait data found on internet databases, and suggest that future work on these important but less easily quantifiable characteristics of Cannabis may require dedicated, controlled phenotyping.